singing with joy

 Sunday, April 7, 2024 (6:15 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You for Your goodness. Your grace. And Your glorious greatness (Psalm145:5-8).

Thank You for reminding me to ♪enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart♪ And to enter Your courts with praise (Psalm 100:4). This IS the day that You have made. I WILL rejoice for You have made me glad (Psalm 118:24).

Thank You God that we are called to “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy” (Psalm 100:2). Yes Lord. You teach us to worship and adore You. Rejoice. Be glad. Thank. Praise.

We have plans of travel and fun today (Proverbs 19:21a). I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to align them with Yours for us (Proverbs 19:21b).  

Yes Lord. “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10b). Thank You for turning my focus to You. Your will. Your way.

Use us as You know is best. Glorifying and enjoying You. Yes. We love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(176 words ~ 7:02 a.m.)

first song

 Saturday, April 6, 2024 (7:40 a.m.)

Thank You God,

This morning’s first song was again ♪Love Is the Answer♪ Thank You for such a resounding Truth with which to start the day.

Following the theme comes ♪You are the love of my life [actual lyrics are: ‘my love and my life’ which are even more descriptive of You Dear Lord!] You are my inspiration Just You and me Simple and free♪

Thank You Lord that we truly are free in You. We get to know the Truth of Your love (John 8:32). Which is absolutely the answer!

Yesterday I got to practice repeatedly remembering, “My God is able.” And why is that? Because of the Truth and hope found in Your Word.

With ♪Love is the answer♪ softly singing within I turn again to Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth (Ephesians 3:14-21). He knew firsthand of Your “glorious, unlimited resources” empowering believers “with inner strength” through Your Spirit (v.16).

Mind blowing Truth, Father! I waken, singing of love. Thank You for leading me into Your Word. Reminding me that it’s YOUR love that is the answer. To all the woes of this world.

“Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (vs. 17-19).

(9:26  a.m.)

Thank You Father. For again reminding me that Your love is the answer! I love, need, trust and want You. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(345 words ~ 9:28 a.m.)

anticipation

 Friday, April 5, 2024 (7:24 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. You are good. Great. Gracious. Glorious (Psalm 145:5-8). And I am grateful Lord.

Circumstances change. Thank You that You don’t!

Thank You for the privilege of bringing every possible emotion to You. Right now it’s anticipation. No. Moreover, it’s a lack thereof.

Yes Lord. I am currently at a loss. I know I have joy. There are smiles to prove it. Yet I’m also feeling conflicted. Warring internally with my own thoughts.

So here I’m confessing to You, much like I did the other day. Thoughts. Feelings. Unfavorable comparisons. Knowing, trusting, believing that Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).

Father God, I sit. Feelings of joy and contentment rising above those of fear and doubt. This is all You Lord. Thank You!

(8:15 a.m.)

You provide me this opportunity of searching and reading Your Word. Standing firm and staying my mind on Your Truth and promises. Trusting Paul’s letter of thanks and encouragement to the Philippian believers.

Yes Father. Thank You for Your work in us. Helping us want to do Your will. And enabling us to do what You want us to do. Without grumbling or making trouble (Philippians 2:13-14 Worldwide English NT).

Mm, yes Lord. You are able.

(8:50 a.m.)

Yes! “My God is able!” Let this become my overriding thought process. 

Thank You for taking my weakest words of thanks and building them into those of hopefulness and joy. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Talk about Your power in our anticipation. Oh! This just keeps getting better.

Thank You for yet another reminder. 2 Corinthians 12:9. Your grace and power working best in our weakness. Thank You Father.

Please take my fear and replace it with Your strength and power. Yes. I want to anticipate Your strength and power clearing out every sense of fear and doubt. Thank You Father.

I love, need, trust and want You. Use me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(367 words ~ 9:06 a.m.)

love is the answer

 Thursday, April 4, 2024 (7:00 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. Again. And again. And again.

(7:46 a.m.)

Sitting. Singing. Reading. Contemplating the lyrics to ♪Love Is The Answer♪

Views conflict over its original intent. Christian in nature? Most say “no.”

Father, thank You for bringing my thoughts to You in the incalculable ways that You do. Never having paid much attention to this particular song before, thank You for the way the titled line just keeps singing to me.

♪Love is the answer♪ over and over. Looking further at the lyrics I see You. Again. And again.

♪Light of the world, shine on me Shine on us all, set us free Love is the answer♪ Yes. Yes, Father!

♪Tell me, are we alive, or just a dying planet? What are the chances? Ask the man in your heart for the answers And when you feel afraid, love one another When you’ve lost your way, love one another♪

Yes. The answer remains the same. ♪When you’re all alone…far from home…down and out…All hope’s run out…needing a friend…near the end…we got to love one another♪

Your Word [Jesus] said it first. Mark 12:29-31, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Amen, amen Dear Lord. ♪Love is the answer♪

Use us Dearest God. Loving as You would have us love. You. Others. Ourselves. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

♪Wondrous Journeys♪

 Wednesday, April 3, 2024 (9:44 a.m.)

Garden Grove, CA

Most Dear and Holy, Loving Lord God

Again ~ Still ~ I thank You. Blessings abound. Fireworks with a musical soundtrack. ♪Wondrous Journeys♪ ~ Yep! That’s us.

Father God ~ You have delighted us with so very many wondrous journeys in our life times. Thank You. Praise You.

We turn to YOU in the unknown. Asking. Seeking. Knocking (Matthew 7:7) for Your presence every time we venture out into the uncharted territories that we come upon. Knowing. Trusting. Believing that we are never alone in them.

You are always with us. Leading. Guiding. Directing us in all the “chance encounters of the BEST kind” You have planned for us. Those plans You have that are for good and not for evil. Those plans that will give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). For those days when You will listen as we pray. And be found by us when we look for You wholeheartedly (vs. 12-13).

♪“Yes, Lord, Yes” To Your will and to Your way I’ll say, “Yes, Lord, Yes” I will trust You and obey When Your Spirit speaks to me With my whole heart I’ll agree and my answer will be “Yes, Lord, Yes”♪

Make it so Dearest God. In, with, by, through and for us. Let our answers be ♪Yes Lord Yes!♪ Do all You must. We love, need, trust, want, thank and praise You. Amen.

(245 words ~ 10:04 a.m.)

spontaneous

 Tuesday, April 2, 2024 (6:42 a.m.)

Garden Grove, CA

Holy God ~

Thank You! Praise You.

There have been giggles and laughter. Playfulness. Surprises. Fireworks. And so much JOY. Thank You Father. The best word I can think to describe all the delight is spontaneous. Unexpected. Far beyond all plans.

Yes Lord. This dearly loved grandpa put so much time and energy into planning this indoor waterpark Spring Break ‘EGGstravaganza’ for these two growing boys.

Blessed God, “thank You” is not enough in expressing my exploding heart to You. Remember that fear I confessed to You late the other night? The one about me not being enough or able to pull off these days away. Thank You for hearing me and doing what only You can.

There’s a true spirit of adventure. Serendipitous if You will. Absolutely “right place/right time.” A chance encounter. Waiting for food led to blowing bubbles, squirting water and playing safely in a wave pool with two young boys from London. Hugs with their mum abounded as did the smiles on all of our faces.

Thank You for the JOY we are experiencing Lord!

(8:23 a.m.)

Yes Father! The more I reflect on the JOY we encountered yesterday, the evermore aware of our dependence on You I become. NONE of this current time away together would be possible without much planning and well thought out execution by those in charge (e.g. grandfather and parents).

My part in all of this? Confess to You my fear of inadequacy and embrace the opportunities You alone provide us. Games these nearing teen and tween adolescents once played as very young ones are freely revisited. And my entire being is blessed! Thank You. Praise You. Use us. Amen.

(297 words ~ 8:46 a.m.)

fearing not

 Monday, April 1, 2024 (5:37 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You! Sometime during the wakeful night I confessed fear to You, smiled immediately and went right to sleep. Thank You for the comfort I received from being honest with You.

Thank You that we are always able to turn to You and Your Word of Truth and promises. Thank You that in every single situation we encounter we have the choice of fully esteeming and revering You while not being afraid.

(6:41 a.m.)

Singing is happening in my soul. ♪I will trust, I will trust, I will Trust In You♪ And I do Lord.

Reading in Your Word, my heart quickens with hope and leads to more singing. ♪Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down♪ (Psalm 95:6-7). Father, thank You that our hope truly is in You!

Use me today, exactly as You alone know is best. I want very much to trust in You and not be afraid (Isaiah 41:10). Standing firmly while staying my mind on all You are. Good. Great. Glorious. Gracious (Psalm 145:5-8).

Continue Your work in teaching me all You know I need. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(200 words ~ 7:06 a.m.)