changing habits

 Wednesday, October 28, 2020 (6:11 a.m.)

Holy God,

It’s another brand new day. With already so many thoughts. I bring them to You to sort and corral and build upon.

I love You God. I need You. I turn to You, depending on Your Truth and wisdom.

(7:38 a.m.)

Mm, yes Lord. I am depending on Your Truth and wisdom this day.

Waking up with the thought of changing habits, I look to You. Yes Father. I know You are my strength. How I ask that You would lead and guide me to the changes You would have me make.

Two songs continue vying for first place in this morning’s repertoire. Blending together at times, practically becoming one medley as the words interchange so freely.

♪And I will Build My Life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken…♪ quickly melds with ♪Oh, I’m running to Your arms… The riches of Your love Will always be enough Nothing compares to Your embrace Light of the world Forever Reign♪

Father God, Your love is what I long to share this day. Fearlessly. Enthusiastically. Teach me how Dearest Lord.

Yes Father, teach me in becoming one who truly knows You to be ♪Worthy… Holy… Only… there is no one like You, there is none beside You Open up my eyes in wonder and Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart And lead me in Your love to those around me♪

Oh, yes Dearest God. Change my habits. Do all You must. In, with, by, through and for me that I will readily love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and my neighbor as myself (Mark 12:30-31).

Yes Lord. Yes! Thank You. I love You. I need You. ♪And I will build my life upon Your love… We live for You, oh, we live for You♪ Praise You Father. Amen.

(336 words ~8:26 a.m.)

♪Who You Say I Am♪

 Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (6:52 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You! A very easy find to the first song of the morning. All I had was the end of the second chorus. It was more than enough. ♪In my Father’s house There’s a place for me I’m a child of God Yes I am♪

Oh thank You Lord that I am Your child! ♪Who am I that the highest King Would welcome me? I was lost but He brought me in Oh His love for me Who the Son sets free Oh is free indeed I’m a child of God Yes I am♪

All the thoughts and dreams and plans of what I would say to You faded the moment I began singing of who I am in You. ♪Free at last He has ransomed me His grace runs deep While I was a slave to sin Jesus died for me Yes He died for me♪

Most Dear and Blessed God, the peace that washes over me as I consider Your Truth is astounding. As I look up similar words I smile as I find: amazing, surprising, stunning. Yes Father, the peace I find in Your Truth truly boggles my mind. Thank and praise You Lord.

Father God, turning to You I ask You to teach me just exactly who You say I am. Yes Lord. Teach me.

♪I am chosen, not forsaken I am who You say I am You are for me, not against me I am who You say I am♪ Teach me to believe. To trust. To know.

true power

Monday, October 26, 2020 (6:04 a.m.)

Holy God,

Good morning. Good day. Good God. ♪Good Good Father♪

You reminded me yesterday that I get to choose. Life or death. Faith or fear. Joy or sadness. You allow us choices. Thank You Lord that I choose You. Your will. Your way. And here I ask You to use me exactly as You know is best.

I confess to You Lord how easily fear and indifference overtake me. On my own I am powerless. In You is true power. Mm, yes Father. Your true power.

Pretense gets me nowhere. Acting as if, withdrawing, refusing to care do not represent You well. BUT ♪You’re a Good Good Father It’s who You are… And I’m loved by You It’s who I am…♪

Yes! Father, I am loved by You. And that matters Lord. Your Truth matters so much.

Thoughts of You comforted me throughout much of last night. Trusting and believing that the Fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) truly is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.”

My hope is in You Dear Lord. You reminded me to smile. And sing. Stand firm. And stay my mind on You.

Turning to Acts 9 in Your Word just now, I read of Saul’s Conversion. Here was a man who was so convicted in his beliefs that he “was eager to destroy the Lord’s followers” (v. 1b). Holy God, You did such a mighty work in and through him. How I ask You to do all You must in righting my thinking.

A Step 1 Devotional for Acts 9:1-9 (The Life Recovery Bible) entitled A Time to Choose tells of the moment in Saul’s life that changed his destiny. Father, how I thank You for reminding us just how powerless we can be “over the events of our life. These moments can either destroy us or forever set the course of our life in a much better direction.”

Holy Lord God, I admit to You right now how I have let the negative events of these past many months far overshadow the positive ones! It’s been so easy for me to fall right back into the habit of fear and despair.

The final paragraph of this reading explains, “Saul was suddenly confronted with the fact that his life wasn’t as perfect as he had thought. Self-righteousness had been his trademark. By letting go of his illusions of power, however, he became one of the most powerful men ever - the apostle Paul. When we are confronted with the knowledge that our life isn’t under our control, we have a choice. We can continue in denial and self-righteousness, or we can face the fact that we have been blind to some important issues. If we become willing to be led into recovery and into a whole new way of life, we will find true power.”

Mm. Your true power Lord! I long to live this day in Your true power. Do all You must to enable and empower me to this end. You are good. I am learning. Use me. I love You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(537 words ~ 8:16 a.m.)

actively seeking joy

Sunday, October 25, 2020 (7:22 a.m.)

Holy God,

I am here seeking Your joy. Yes Dearest Dad, I am actively seeking the joy that I will only find in You. Your Word. Your Truth. Your promises.

Sadness and despair come easy for me Lord. I can wallow in the muck with the best of them. And it all leads to the death of every hope I have.

Thank You God that we have Your Word on which to cling. “Rejoice. Fear not. Be of good cheer” echo in my mind when I actively choose You. Your will. Your way.

Tears sting my eyes as I consider all Deuteronomy 30:19 has to say Dear Lord. I confess to You the loss I feel right now. There is so much sadness in the world.

I know You to be our only hope. I have experienced Your presence in times of great need. I am depending on You Lord.

The tears keep welling up. Almost to the point of falling. And then they abate. Gone. Until the next wave of fearful sadness.

Smiles come with every decision to choose joy over sadness. ♪Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee♪ began hours ago. Followed just now by ♪Forever Reign♪ and my true desire that ♪My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus♪

(8:49 a.m.)

Father. I read. And hope. I think. And fear filters in. Countering every fearful thought with Your Truth, I sit up straighter. Stand a little firmer. And actively seek the joy You promise.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This [He] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 New Living Translation).

Some days the choice is so much easier than others. Thank You that as I choose to actively seek joy this morning I am reminded to again sing out ♪Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!♪

Yes Lord. I choose life. I choose You. I choose joy. Strengthen my resolve as only You are able.

I love You. I need You. I ask You, do all You must for Your good and Your glory. Thank You. Amen.

(475 words ~ 9:14 a.m.)

think and remember

Saturday, October 24, 2020 (6:18 a.m.)

Holy God,

I love You. Thank You for the best night’s sleep I can remember having in the longest time. I come before You this morning asking You to guide me into Your Word.

Today’s date has me thinking and remembering. And finally (6:45 a.m.) smiling. Deep in my soul. Thank You Father.

I searched Your Word using a variety of phrases. “Think and remember” took me straight to Psalm 77, verse 3 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition).

Illustrated Bible Handbook describes, “This deeply introspective psalm shares feelings and thoughts while in distress, and explains how hope was restored by recalling God’s miracle works for His people.” Mm… Yes Lord. Restored hope.

Father God, how I thank and praise You. When I turn to Your Word I get to read of the struggles of others. And I am buoyed by Your presence.

I was much younger 49 years ago. Extremely opinionated. Naive. And always noticing. Father, thank You that even though I didn’t really know You then, looking back I can see Your hand.

The sudden, unexpected death of my mom’s dad took our disjointed family completely by storm. Holy God, as I sit here shedding tears that I’ve held in for so long I thank You. Praise You. Inhale deeply. And exhale fully. Thank You Dad.

Thank You that even when none of us knew how to truly lean in and trust You, You were there nonetheless. You are holy, God. Present. Necessary.

As I consider the impact of that fateful Sunday Lord, my first response is to think and remember all I saw and heard. Here I give You all the memories Father. Asking You to do with them all that will bring You glory.

Look! Another smile. Yes Father. Another full breath has me sitting up straighter. Turning to You with hope. And yearning.

The Life Recovery Bible footnote for Psalm 77:1-4 tells us, “As he wrote these verses, the psalmist became so distressed that he couldn’t even pray! The same thing often happens to us. When we are discouraged, we need to be more persistent in our prayers. God is the only one who can really help us. When our life is out of control, God is able to help us slow down and put the pieces back together again.”

Blessed Father, I find enormous peace and hope in believing that You care. You can right our wrongs. Change our hearts. Do all that is necessary in putting broken families together the way that You had originally designed.

Today Lord, I come to You with broken pieces. Absolutely trusting You to be the healing God that You are. I have no idea what Your plans for any of us are. But I believe You to be good. Loving. Trustworthy. Holy. And completely in charge.

Do all You must in clarifying and refining us into the people You created us to be. Loving. Made in Your image.

I love You Father. As I think and remember painful areas of my life, I invite You in to healing the hurt. You are good. You are holy. And I love You. Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. Thank You. I need You. Amen.

(548 words ~ 7:36 a.m.)

Truth. And hope.

Friday, October 23,2020 (7:13 a.m.)

Holy God,

I’m looking to You for Truth. And hope. There are so very many misstatements. Misleadings. Out and out lies. You hold the Truth. Jesus, You ARE the Truth (and the way and the life - John 14:6). I look to You.

Guide me in Your Word (The Passion Translation) this morning that I will find the hope to stand firm.

Psalm 39:1-7

Proverbs 6:23; 13:14

Luke 3:5-6

Mm… I read Your Truth and find the hope I seek. Thank You Father. Thank You that You are good. In a world of such sadness, You offer the Truth and hope necessary for living freely (John 8:32). I depend on You.

Thank You that we can always come before You. Needy. Apprehensive. Unsure. And You change us right where we are. Reading Your Word, Truth pours in. Allowing us to hope.

Today Lord, I ask You to lead and guide me in whatever it is You would have me do. Let my words and actions clearly and readily reflect You. Your way, Your Truth. Your life.

I love You. I long to serve You. I ask my hope be found in Your Truth. Use me. Thank You. Amen.

(212 words ~ 8:22 a.m.)

Always

Thursday, October 22, 2020 (6:26 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You.

(7:48 a.m.)

You provide for our needs. Always. Thank You.