all the more

 Sunday, August 4, 2024 (6:07 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You!

(6:39 a.m.)

You just supply. And supply. And supply all the more.

Yesterday I confessed my fear to You. Thank You for supplying more than I could even imagine.

You reminded me not to “worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). And then You proceeded to bless me. Repeatedly!

Last night when sleep didn’t come readily, I was able to read this Truth from The Message. “When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end” (Isaiah 43:2).

And now this from the apostle Paul to the congregation at Philippi. “And now I have it all - and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar, filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God to no end. You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes” (Philippians 4:18-20).

Thank You that You do Dearest Lord! And on the subject of glory… may we begin having mornings together early enough [similar to today] that I once again greet the beauty You so perfectly display in the sky?

I love you Lord. I need, trust and want You. Use me as You know is best. Doing all You must. In. With. By. Through. And for me. That You are truly glorified and enjoyed forever!

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(302 words ~ 7:14 a.m.)

"for Thou art with me"

 Saturday, August 3, 2024 (5:52 a.m.)

Blessed God,

I’m confessing a whole lot of fear to You this morning. Fear of having taken on too much. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of the unknown.

Thank You that in confessing to You, I come closer to You. Thank You that Your Word tells us the fear we are to have is in regards to You.

Deuteronomy 10:12. A Call to Love and Obedience Yes. Please! 

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires you to fear Him, to live according to His will, to love and worship Him with all your heart and soul, and to obey the LORD’s commands and laws that I [Moses] am giving you today for your own good” (vs. 12-13).

Holy God, thank You for loving us so much. So much that You gave us Your only Son (John 3:16). Not to condemn the world, but to save it (v. 17).

Thank You for the hope and Truth we find in Your Word. Romans 15:13, “So I [Paul] pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Mm, yes. Yes, please!

Reading a novel [The Ministry of Time] about the hope of a better future. It speaks of making the same mistakes and wrong choices. Of wanting things to be different. Better. The importance of love. Hope. And forgiveness.

Thank You Father that Your Word teaches the Truth and power of love, hope and forgiveness. Reading the ending paragraph of the story, I see YOU here. Telling us of YOUR Truth and power.

“You will have hope, and you will be forgiven. Forgiveness, which takes you back to the person you were and lets you reset them. Hope, which exists in a future in which you are new. Forgiveness and hope are miracles. They let you change your life. They are time-travel.”

Father, thank You for the ways You bring our thinking and actions back to You. Billy Graham once wrote, “Fear can paralyze us and keep us from exercising faith in God. Anxiety and fear are like baby tigers; the more we feed them, the stronger they grow. The devil loves a fearful Christian, because fear can banish faith, but remember - faith can banish fear.”

Thank You Father! I need my fear to be in You. Fully Esteeming And Revering You!

I very well may have made some mistakes in my scheduling. I am venturing out into new, uncharted territories for myself. I do NOT go alone. “I will fear no evil for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4b)..

Thank You Lord. Use me as You alone know is best. Unafraid. Trusting. Believing. Hoping. Praying.

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

(487 words ~ 6:52 a.m.)

nudges

 Friday, August 2, 2024 (7:02 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. More sleep. Rest. Peace. Dreams. 

Thank You for nudges Lord. Yes. The ones You provide. Keeping us on track. Alert. Aware. Some more gentle than others.

(7:27 a.m.)

Thank You Father for the opportunity to sit here. Reading of other peoples experiences with Your nudges. One even sharing Amplified Bible, Classic Edition’s usage for the word Selah. “Pause, and think of that.”

Mm, yes Father. Give me pause to think of the good things You provide us.

Another writer references John 14:26. This leads me over to verse 15, reading through the chapter’s end. Father how I thank You for giving us Jesus and sending the Holy Spirit.

Thank You for questions. And some answers. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Your love. And Your nudges.

Use me exactly as You alone know is best. I want to represent You well. Thank You for all You are and do. I love, need, trust and want You. Praise You Lord. Amen.

 (142 words ~ 7:55 a.m.)

"just a dream"

 Thursday, August 1, 2024 (6:18 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You! More sleep. Deep enough for a wild and remembered dream. Detailed. And in some instances, a bit concerning. Thank You for the relief I enJOYed upon awakening to the thought, “Oh! It was just a dream.” And the realization that You show us so much of ourselves when we’re willing to look at all You provide us.

Thank You God for the various ways You demonstrate Your love for us. Always faithful.

(7:15 a.m.)

Teaching us to love. And be loving.

(8:15 a.m.)

Mm. Teach me more Dear Lord.

Let’s again go over what Your Word has to say regarding what love is and what it is not.

(10:31 a.m.)

There again. I ask (Matthew 7:7). You provide.

This time in EasyEnglish Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. “If I love people, I will be patient. I will be kind. I will not be jealous of other people. I will not be proud and say that I am great. If I love people, I will be polite. I will not just want to please myself. I will not quickly become angry. If someone does a wrong thing against me, I will not keep it in my thoughts. If I love people, I will not be happy when bad things happen. Instead, I will be happy when things happen that are right and true. If I love people, I will always accept their problems. I will always believe them. I will always hope for what is best. I will always be patient in troubles.”

And how is any of this even possible? Because You first loved us (1John 4:19). And You gave Your one and only Son to save us (John 3:16a). ‘You did not send Your Son into the world because You wanted to punish people. You sent Your Son to save the people in the world from punishment’ (v.17).

Continue Your fining and refining work in each of us Dearest Lord. That we would truly live every moment in, with, by, through and for Your precious love. Genuinely glorifying and enJOYing You as we go.

Thank You Father. I love, need, trust and want You. Do all You must in reminding me that living for You is worth so much more than ‘just a dream.’ 

(12:17 p.m.)

Praise You God. Amen.

(404 words ~ 12:18 p.m.)

presence/presents

 Wednesday, July 31, 2024 (6:15 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for Your presence. Presents. Gifts. Blessings. You work in wondrously mysterious ways. And I am grateful for who and all You are.

Thank You for the ways You lead and guide Your followers. Thank You that You love each of us more than we could ever begin to comprehend.

This morning I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your fine good work in purifying my thoughts, words and actions into those that are pleasing to You. You are SUCH ♪a Good Good Father♪ And I am absolutely thrilled, blessed and delighted to be ♪loved by You… You are perfect in all of Your ways♪

Thank You Father for being so good. Great, glorious, gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). Kind. Loving. Giving. And forgiving. 

Use me today. Exactly as You alone know is best. Glorifying and enjoying You. Sharing You freely with others. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You Lord. Praise You. Amen.

(167 words ~ 6:46 a.m.)

stop, look, listen

 Tuesday, July 30, 2024 (6:33 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You Lord. Sleep. Rest. Friendships. Songs. Words. Hope. You provide it all.

Thank You that I get to wake up singing to You. Hopeful for what the day may hold. Thank You Lord that You love us so much.

Found and read on the internet:

Proverbs 4:23-27; 10:19; 27:19

Habakkuk 2:1

Colossians 3:16-17

James 1:19

W.A.I.T. why am I talking?

Lord, reach down from heaven and give us listening hearts that fix their gaze upon You. We ask that the strings of our hearts would be tuned to respond to the faintest things that You would speak. Help us stop being pulled into the busyness that encompasses us, and instead wait for You to share Your heart. We choose this day to hear what You would say, and heed all that we hear. Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening!

And then some!

 Monday, July 29, 2024 (7:55 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed Holy, Loving God,

Thank You! More sleep was provided. 6 hours. And then another 2 1/2. Complete with a remembered dream. With the essence of a very much loved one. Thank You Father. Thank You Son. Thank You Holy Spirit.

I sought Your guidance and leadership for my quest in the yard yesterday. You delivered. And then some!

You provided me music to feed my soul. And a few very special tears. Reminding me of the love and respect two of Your children chose to have for one another. Father God, how we thank You for those decisions to work through the really hard times to get to points of understanding and compromise.

You are indeed ♪A Good, Good Father It’s who You are… And I’m loved by You It’s who I am…♪ Thank You that You are all that You are.

Today I ask (Matthew 7:7) Paul’s Final Greetings to the church at Corinth would apply to me as well. 2 Corinthians 13:11-14. “Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with You.

“Greet each other with Christian love. All of God’s people here send you their greetings.

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Yes please Father. All of that. Do all You must to Your good and perfect end. I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(280 words ~ 8:17 a.m.)