Saturday, June 5, 2021 (9:40 a.m.)
Big Pine, CA
Holy God,
Thank You! Praise You. Bless You. Keep You.
We’re goin’ on a trip. And we invite You to go with us. In us. By, through and for us Lord. Blessing and keeping us as only You know is YOUR best. Yes Lord.
All the things You would have us learn. See. Attend to.
We love You. We need You.
Friday, June 4, 2021 (6:04 a.m.)
♪On the list of the things I will not miss…♪
That’s the song that finally helped me get to sleep. I tried praying. Reading. Purposefully breathing. Telling myself to stop thinking. But there was a list that kept lengthening in my mind.
Yes Lord. There’s a list of all I have yet to accomplish. When I remembered to give it to You, my mind settled. Every time I woke, the song began again [j♪just like Michael Finnegan♪ - a little sleep deprived humor thank You very much!].
Here I am. Asking You to take charge of the list. Something I ought to have done so much earlier in the week. I really thought I could balance it all. Thank You Lord, that even in my erred judgment You are here.
Tasks and choices far outweigh time and space allotted. Decisions must be made. I give the list to You. I’m asking You to make clear to me the things I will not miss.
♪… too much work… Different people look at life from different points of view… I give it all to You♪ Yes God. Do all You must in helping me decide the changes I must make and the things I will not miss.
The poem “Broken Toys/Dreams” came to mind. Along with the confession that far too often I don’t truly let go of the things I ask You to fix for me. Here again I ask You to lead me into this day.
Psalm 56:3 has me smiling. Hopefully. “But in that day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before You and trust in You with all my heart.”
Returning to the poem [also know as “Let Go and Let God!”] I sincerely ask You to teach me the fine art of ‘leaving You, in peace, to work alone.’ NOT hanging around, trying ‘to help with ways that are my own.’
We are to trust You Lord. And not be afraid. I find myself smiling. And singing. So many song. All at once.
♪Trust in the Lord♪ (Proverbs 3:5-6)
♪Unto Thee O Lord♪ (Psalm 25:1-2)
♪How Great Thou Art♪ (Psalm 48:1)
You alone are God. I want to trust You completely. Unafraid of prioritizing. Letting go of the things I will not miss. Make clear to me what those things are Lord.
I love You. I need You. I want You. And I ask You all this in Jesus’ most holy and precious name.
Thank You Lord. Praise You. Work in, with, by, through and for me I pray. Amen.
(438 words ~ 7:28 a.m.)
Thursday, June 3, 2021 (5:50 a.m.)
♪Unto Thee, O Lord…♪
Waking up thinking and singing led me to smiling and thanking. Yes! Thank You God.
Psalm 25, The Voice. A song of David. In alphabetical order no less!
I am confessing fear to You right now. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not accomplishing all that needs to be done. Fear of not knowing exactly what that is.
Right in the midst of that confession came words from the original version of Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer. Grace to accept with serenity things that can’t be changed. Courage to change what can. Wisdom to distinguish one from the other.
Oh yes please Lord. This IS my prayer for the day. “Living one day at a time. Enjoying one moment at a time. Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace. Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will…”
Here I confess the hurtful/hate-filled words I used last night. Out of frustration. And again, fear. Struggling with a minor inconvenience, thank You for Your intervention in reminding me to pray and ask You to do for me that which I could not do myself. "I can't. God can. I'll let Him" (First 3 of 12 Steps).
There seems to be a LOT of recovery references going on in and around me right now. Your not so subtle reminder of the importance of love and respect is especially appreciated. As are the smiles that keep coming.
Taking a cue from my own encouragement to others I turn to Psalm 46:10. Here I am immediately heartened and blessed. Holy God, I find I can’t think straight with You answering my need before I even express it.
Back to Your Truth (The Life Recovery Bible comment) in our recovery work. “46:7-11 God, the commander of the heavenly armies, is here among us. If we put our life in His hands, we can rest, confident that He will protect us. He knows our weaknesses and can strengthen us in the needed areas, helping us to overcome the attacks we face each day. Our enemies may be strong, but God is far more powerful than anything that might assail us.”
How perfectly this ties back to the original song (and verse) from earlier!
(7:39 a.m.)
Even though I was mistaken with one of the words I had sung, Your Truth still holds. And gives me another reason to smile. Even laugh. Out loud!
Lord God, You are good. Always. Great. Glorious. Gracious. And I am eternally grateful.
Yes Father. ♪Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul… Oh my God, I trust in Thee, Let me not be ashamed [this is where I first sang “AFRAID”], Let not mine enemies triumph over me♪ Yes. Please!
Thank You for bringing this song to my mind while I was still waking. And placing Your Word in my heart.
Learning that this hymn continues expressing Psalm 25 in its entirety is exciting for me. Never have I looked into it as much as this morning.
Singing the refrain and reading the various translations for the word ashamed (v. 2) again I am delighted. I can make mistakes [singing “afraid”] and it doesn’t change Your Word one bit! Praise You Lord.
(8:48 a.m.)
“I confide in Thee.” I trust in You. Lean and rely on. Yes Father.
♪Let me not be afraid♪ Look! I did it again! The verse says “ashamed!” Put to shame. Disgraced. Disappointed. Confounded. Hangdog skulking. Humiliated. Shame of defeat.
Let me keep smiling at my mistakes Lord. Being willing to “fail better” as I continue growing in You.
Take charge of all there is to be done today. Remind me to filter it all through You. Your will. Your way.
I love You. I long to serve You. And I’m asking YOU to make sense out of the insanity I am creating for myself. Bring me back to the peace I find only in You. Thank You Father. Praise You. Amen.
(673 words ~ 9:06 a.m.)
Wednesday, June 2, 2021 (6:21 a.m.)
Holy God,
I love You. Where do we go from here?
Straight to Your Word. 31 different entries. Guide and direct my search Dear Lord. I am hungry for Your Truth.
Narrowed down to eight sections in Deuteronomy (11:1, 13-15, 22-25; 19:8-10; 30:6-7, 16, 19-20). All with emphasis on what it is to “love God.” Thank You Father. You provide us such opportunity to be reminded of your will. Your way. Your Truth. Your life.
(7:45 a.m).
Obedience to You is stressed. As is forgiveness. And choosing life over death.
Mm, Lord. Lead and guide me out into this day. Taking with me all that You have to offer. I love You. Use me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.
(138 words ~ 8:06 a.m.)
Tuesday, June 1, 2021 (8:16 a.m.)
Beloved, Holy God,
Thank You! Praise You. I enJOYed having my thoughts align with Your Word throughout the night.
My nature is to dwell negatively. Thinking of slights and potential revenge. Your Word stresses forgiveness. Grace. Mercy. Love. Truth. It offers the perfect counterbalance to my own self destruction.
Lying awake I remembered the choices You always provide. In. Out. Up. Down. Back. Forth. Over. Under. Come. Go. Stay. Leave. Forgive? Change? Love…
Oh most Dear and Blessed God, how truly grateful I am for all You are and do on our behalf. Your Truth. Your Promises.
(9:26 a.m.)
1 John 4:17-18 (The Message).
“To Love, to Be Loved God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day - our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not yet formed in love.”
(10:25 a.m.)
The more I read on the topic of Your grace and ability to transform us, the less I realize I know. Father God, thank You that Your love is not dependent on me knowing much. Only trusting and believing Your Word to be Truth. And meant even for me.
Lord, I love You. I long to live as You desire. In love. Not fear. Work with me here I ask You Dearest Father. Teaching, empowering and enabling me in living Paul’s words to the church at Corinth.
“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as Hew knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13).
Be my Counterbalance Dearest Dad. To every fear. Every lie. Keep speaking Your Truth and promises. I love You. I need You. I thank and praise You. Continue Your work exactly as You know is best. Amen.
(335 words ~ 11:04 a.m.)
Monday, May 31, 2021 (6:13 a.m.)
It’s Memorial Day in our country Lord. I want to know what that means to You. And what You’d have it mean to us.
(6:46 a.m.)
There is so much I don’t know. Traditions. Cultures. Importances. And untruths. Yes Father. Not all we’ve come to celebrate is virtuous.
Mm. Guide me into Your Word Lord.
(7:11 a.m.)
I’m reading in Exodus (Chapter 12) of the first Passover. And in a hymn book of Patriotic songs.
Hearing ♪Taps♪ played on television. Watching live action at Arlington National Cemetery. I have tears.
Unsure of the words to this somber song, I look them up. And You bless me again. Tears abound.
Oh most Dear and Holy God, there are parades being aired at the moment. Fifes and drums in Williamsburg. Period uniforms. Native American pow wows. Depictions of enslaved people. It’s so much to all my senses, Lord.
♪From the halls of Montezuma…♪ Krewe floats in New Orleans. Jazz bands. Gold star family speeches.
Father God, I ask You to use this day. To YOUR good. Your glory! Shine Your light into our existence Lord.
Reading of Miracles, OT in Illustrated Bible Handbook and the comment (12:14-16) in The Life Recovery Bible. Singing the words to ♪Taps♪ Smiling. Learning. Wanting to know more.
Again I ask You Father. Guide my thoughts. Speak Your Truth as only You can.
The comment explains Your purpose of the Passover celebration. Remembrance for future generations. Marking the healthy freedom Your people experienced.
“Part of building a new life involves replacing old unhealthy thoughts and actions with healthy new ones. This may include taking on new traditions that celebrate our recovery from past problems.” Oh yes God.
Tying the Truth of Your Word with the hope expressed in ♪Taps♪ I’m incredibly grateful Lord. ♪Thanks and praise for our days Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky As we go, this we know God is nigh♪
Looking up the definition of the word “nigh” I delight in learning it means “near.” Thank You Father. You are near! And we are grateful.
Use us this day Lord. To glorify You and remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. And that right there? Points us right back to Jesus. John 8:36. Romans 6:23; 8:2. Galatians 4:3-7; 5:1.
All this patriotic emotion and Your Truth too. Thank You, praise You Lord. Amen.
(416 words ~ 8:40 a.m.)
Sunday, May 30, 2021 (5:32 a.m.)
Blessed, Holy God,
Thank You that You are great. Glorious. Good. Gracious. This is the 4G Truth I rely on throughout every single day. Thank You Lord.
You provide us with everything we need to live as You originally designed. Way back in the Garden (Genesis 2:4-20). Before mistakes were made.
Fast forward from fallen perfection to pure Perfection. With a capital P. Your Son.
(6:20 a.m.)
My Bible is open. As are Illustrated Bible Handbook and a hymnal. Father God, I love You. Thank You that I get to come before You with all my scattered thoughts and feelings.
Praise You repeatedly, Lord, for all You provide us. Your Truth. Your promises. Your greatness. Gloriousness. Goodness. And grace. Again, those 4Gs on which we can stake our claim.
Our claim that Your Truth is lasting. Precious. Eternal.
Father God, I ask You to work in, with, by, through and for me this day. Exactly as You alone know is best.
Enable me to love as You designed. Freely. Wholeheartedly. With ‘all my heart, soul, mind and strength’ (Mark 12:30). You. And others as myself (31).
Continue speaking Your Truth. Empowering us to put it into action. Thank You Father. Praise You Lord. Amen.
(217 words ~ 8:11 a.m.)
