He Brings Us Through It All

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:6

Source: minutemanups.com

If you are anything like me, there are times when it feels like the worries of how I am going to make it through the next week or month become overwhelming. These thoughts consume me to the point that I cannot enjoy the blessings God has planned for the moment I am living in right then. For me, most of these worries revolve around finances and how to juggle the funds around to pay for each bill or the unexpected repair or the forgotten field trip money due date.

This is not the first time in my life where I have felt that I am living day to day and I am sure it will not be the last. However, looking back on all the times of struggling to make ends meet, I have realized that there is one thing that is constant and reassuring. God brought us through it. He provided everything we needed in each situation, but something just as amazing is that God gives us just enough. He gives us what we need for each situation, for each day, but He wants us to rely on Him every single day. What would happen if God gave us everything we wanted or needed for the rest of our lives today? We would begin to feel that we didn't need Him. Why pray to God when He has already given us everything we need or want? 

When you feel like you cannot get ahead, maybe there is a reason. God wants to be with you. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to come to Him every day and ask for the things that you need. He will provide for you every day, every single time. It just may not be exactly what you expected, but He WILL bring you through it. My life is living proof of it and I am sure if you look back on your life, no matter what you are going through right now, you can see all of the times you have struggled before and guess what? You are still here. That is God. He did that. He cares for you and He brought you through it all.

It is an amazing revelation when you realize that God really has brought you through every struggle you have had in your past. He is faithful and worthy of our praise and trust. It can be hard to put all of your trust in someone's hands other than your own. Sometimes we cling to situations because we want to be in control, but the reality is we are NEVER in control of everything. God is. He is the God of the universe. He created all of it. He is in control and trust me, He knows what He is doing. 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.'" God promises us that His plans for us are good. It is the choices we make and our sinful nature that brings the bad things into our lives. By God's amazing grace and unfailing love, we can have hope that when we put our trust in Him and rely on Him good will come out of every tough situation. So, don't be anxious. Focus on God and His word, put Him first and an incredible peace will fall upon you when you realize that the King of the Universe is in control. He's got you in His hands. He WILL bring you through.

My challenge for you today is to think about struggles you may have encountered in the past and reflect on how God brought you through them and worked them out for your good. Pray to Him and thank Him for working in your life and bringing you through every hardship.

If I can pray for you in any way, please let me know. I would be happy to do so. Send me a message using the contact form or if you have my personal contact information via Facebook or phone number, you may send me a message there as well.

Rejoice in the truth of Christ, today!

A Servant's Heart

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Ephesians 5:21

My husband and I praying with Pastor Joe at our wedding in October 2016.

The past few days have led me on a journey to discovering what this verse and the two verses that follow really mean for me. Every time I read the word submit, I get a really bad taste in my mouth. I believe that this is a result of how our society in today's world views this word. The world's definition for submit is to give up everything that makes you who you are in order to be able to cater to the needs of someone else. God's definition for this word is so much different. Submit, as it was used in the Bible, means to have a servant's heart and put first the needs of others.

I was primarily studying these verses as it applies to the roles of husband and wife within a marriage. It is truly beautiful how God created man and woman to compliment each other and provide for the needs of each other within the context of a marriage, but the verse above, which preceded the verses about family submission, applies to every one. God wants us to submit to each other out of love and respect to Jesus and what He did for us.This means submission within and outside of the family. We are to submit to each other in a way that shows love and servitude in our daily lives with everyone we come in contact with.

My husband will tell you, with him, I can be very opinionated and outspoken. This is not something I am proud of as it relates to our marriage. Each day, God is giving me opportunities to grow in this area and to trust my husband's leadership. In this way, I am also having to grow in my faith of God's authority and leadership. It is a challenge that I am faced with each day, but it is one that I know will only bring good to the life that my husband and I are building together. 

Sometimes, it can be so hard to follow the selfless example Jesus gave us. We are humanly inclined to be selfish. To think of ourselves and our needs first, as I mentioned in my last post about loving on others who are hard to love. It may be easier to be selfless when we are dealing with family members who we know love us. However, I know I have been guilty of feeling bitter when when it feels like I am doing so much more for my husband that what he is doing for me. That is the selfish self-talk that Satan uses to derail us from living on a right path with God and with our family. He uses situations within our own households against us. 

My plan is to be more aware of when this is happening, pray for God's voice in my heart rather than Satan's, and to realize that my husband has a different role than I do. It is not his job to do all of the things that I do I was doing some research while studying these verses and I came across something that really clicked with me. It was talking about how Paul, in these verses, was describing how each person in a family has different needs and how God created each person to satisfy these needs for the others. It said that children need instruction (provided by the parents), women need to feel cherished (provided by the husband), and men need to lead (provided by the submission of their wives).

My challenge to you today is to think about an area or relationship in your life where you need to be more submissive. Ask yourself How do I feel about this? Am I bitter? Do I truly have a servant's heart in this situation? Pray and ask God to help you to have a servant's heart as it relates to your relationships with others.

Rejoice in the truth of Christ, today!

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Second Chances

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"

Matthew 5:46-47

Source: Pinterest

Last night, I had a genuinely God-given opportunity to speak life into someone close to me who had been going through a really hard time. He shared with me the struggle of getting back on track to having a right relationship with God. He also shared with me how difficult it had been for him to gain people's approval and trust back after making the choices that he had made, mainly that of his own family members.

I truly felt that the words that came out of my mouth to him during this conversation came straight from the Holy One himself. I said, "I loved you through all of it. I may have been sad or disappointed because I didn't want to see you having to go through what you did, but I was never mad at you and I loved you the entire time." When someone repeatedly makes the same poor choices and hurts you over and over again, our hearts become hardened and it is so challenging to forgive. We think, I have forgiven this person once already, do I really need to forgive them again? What's the point? They're just going to keep doing it again.

We are humans and I think at some point, we have all thought this, but this is not the example Jesus gave to us. How often was He caught spending time and showing His love to those who had done wrong and had hurt Him? Ultimately, He was doing just that when He suffered and hung on that cross. We put Him there. Every sin that we have committed put Jesus, the only sinless man, on that cross and He did it WILLINGLY because He loved us that much! How amazing is that?

It is true that many people are in the low, hopeless places that they are in because of their own choices and actions. We know all actions have consequences. However, which do you think is more powerful and will bring more glory to God...turning your back on that person and judging them for everything that they have done wrong or loving that person through it, being there for them, believing the best in them when nobody else will? 

Judging someone based on their past and the actions they have done (and maybe even continue doing) will only push them away from the joy and fulfillment that only Christ can provide. God uses us as tools to speak life into these people who need Him the very most. Don't turn your back on them. Love them, through all of it. After all, we have ALL made mistakes and choices that we are not proud of. Everyone needs a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth...) chance at some point. That's when we can make the biggest difference in someone's life...when we give them a second chance, a chance to do what is right, a chance to have someone believe the good in them.

In Matthew 12:31, Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Many times when we turn our backs on those who have hurt us and continue to hurt themselves or others, we are doing it out of self-preservation. We feel that we have worked hard for the things we have, why should we help those who don't work hard for what they have and continue to make the same choices that led them to this place to begin with? We do this because we are thinking of ourselves and the needs that we have, but Jesus wants us to think of others in this same way. If we want something good for ourselves, we should want that for others as well. We don't usually want bad things to happen to ourselves, so we shouldn't want bad things to happen to others either.

You may disagree with someone for the choices they are making or the things they have done, but those things do not change the fact that they are still a child of God, just like you. God loves them through all of it and He would love to use you to show these people in need just how  much He loves them.

My challenge to you today is to ask God to soften and open your heart to loving on others who are not easily loved. They may not love you back, but love them. Send a kind text to them just to let them know you are thinking of them or when someone tries to spread rumors or gossip about them, try to help by saying that you don't really know what they are going through and they may be doing what they are doing for a good reason. Be a light for others today. Show them the love that God has in store for their lives. You may be the only one who is showing love and kindness to that person today.

Find the joy in the truth of Christ, today!

Press On

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:14

http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-an-award-reward-and-prize

It has been a while y'all, but my heart has been with you readers the entire time. Many things have happened during the past two months that have led me to writing this post today. I am so excited to share this with you!

We all have goals. Whether we sit and write them down, talk to our friends or family about them, or just think about them in the depths of our minds. We all have something that we are working toward at any given moment. For me, there are usually several goals swirling around in my mind that I am constantly working toward. I have recently had the goal to survive my second year of teaching (and I did!), to lose 25 pounds (only 1 pound away) and to become a mother (more of a long term goal). I tend to be a very goal driven person, though, and sometimes I have to remind myself to enjoy the moment I'm living in now because my eyes are constantly on the goal ahead.

There are times when my mind is so focused on the goal ahead that it feels unattainable and I become extremely discouraged my normally positive self-talk becomes negative and dark. Yes, we need to be aware of the attitude we have when we have goals, but goals are a GOOD thing. As Philippians 3:14 tells us, we need to PRESS ON toward the goal set before us.

God calls us to work for and achieve earthly goals, but in everything we do and every goal we set we cannot lose focus on the one, most important goal. The goal of reaching heaven to spend eternity in the presence of the one Most High, the creator of the universe, the one who loves us so much He would come to the world to suffer and die for us. That is our true goal and when we have achieved that goal by accepting Jesus as our savior and striving for a relationship with Him, we will be rewarded the most amazing, eternal prize. Jesus is our prize!

My challenge to you today is to write down one or two goals that you have been thinking about or working toward. Then answer this questions, how does working toward this goal glorify God?

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Find the joy in Christ's truth, today! 😉

Have You Laughed Today?

"Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'"

Psalm 126:2

Happy April Fools Day! I pray that you don't fall victim to too many pranks today. I apologize in the delay for posts the past few days, but as my spring break is coming to a close, unfortunately the posts will probably not come as often. However, as the Lord speaks to my heart, I will be sure to share. Thank you to those of you who keep coming back to read these words.

My post today won't be as long as my others, but since today is a day of laughter, I wanted to share with you what God's word says about laughter. I was once told that God has a big sense of humor. When I first heard that, I found my jaw dropped and my brain spinning. How can this be? I though God was supposed to be serious. How wrong I was. Although there is a time for each emotion, God delights in our laughter. He created us to laugh. Remember, He created us in His image, so laughter comes from Him. It is okay to have fun and to laugh. He wants us to enjoy this life He has given us.

It wasn't until I experienced God's sense of humor for myself that I truly believed that our amazing, powerful God was pleased with laughter and wanted me to enjoy myself. One day I was running late for work and I was super nervous because I had never been late before and I was praying, "Lord, please get me where I'm going safely, but quickly." Well, I just kept thinking and praying, thinking and praying, when I realized that I had passed my turn. All I could do was laugh. I knew that I would get there when I got there and that I couldn't change it now. So, why not enjoy it? I laughed because it felt like God wanted to use that moment to show me that I was being too serious and worrying about something that I didn't need to worry about.

My challenge for myself and you today is this. Lighten up! When you feel yourself getting tense, stressed, or overwhelmed, find a joke or a funny video to watch. If that doesn't work make it your mission to make someone else laugh. Laughter is contagious. If you can get someone else to laugh, you will be laughing in no time. Enjoy this day that the Lord has given you and leave your worries for tomorrow!

For your laughing pleasure, I have included some funny photos below to get you started. Hope you enjoy!

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                                                Source: christianfunnypictures.com 

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                                                              Source: churchm.ag

 

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                                                          Source: onsizzle.com

Starting Today

“But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

1 Kings 8:61

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I have to tell you, God has really been working on my heart through the words of Solomon in 1 Kings. Solomon is a pretty cool dude if I say so myself. Today, I read about him building the temple to the Lord that his father, David, had planned but was told by God that it wasn't in His plan for David to build. After finishing the temple, Solomon spoke a wise prayer, during the dedication of the temple he built, praising God and pleading with him to show forgiveness to those who sin against him if they come to him wanting forgiveness and wanting to turn their lives around. After he prayed this, he spoke to the people and one of the things he said was this. "But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time." (1 Kings 8:61 NIV)

This really struck a chord with me, because it was very similar to the sermon that was spoken at church on Sunday. One of the points made during the delivery of this message was that in order to take a stand to do what's right in the eyes of God, we as believers have to be ALL in. When it comes to believing in Jesus, there really is no gray area as we sometimes want to believe. We are either for Him or against Him. We either live our lives by His commands or we don't.

God gave us the beautiful gift of choice and free will. He wants us to choose Him, but He loves us enough to allow us to choose. He knows that when we choose His way rather than feeling forced to follow Him, our relationship with Him means so much more to us and it ultimately means so much more to Him. He knows our hearts more than even we do. He is more concerned with what is in our hearts than our accomplishments.

The reason we do the things we do is so important to God. We can live our lives doing good things, but if we are only doing them to be better than someone else or to bring honor and glory to ourselves, we are not doing them for the right reasons. We need to want to do good to bring honor and glory to Him and to show others the saving grace that is our Lord, Jesus Christ. We need to do good because our heart is committed to God and we know it is the right thing to do.

We as humans have a tendency to want to wait. We say, "Maybe tomorrow, I will commit my heart to God." When we have that attitude, it will never happen. There is always another tomorrow to push it off to, until there isn't any more tomorrows. When we meet God face to face, do we want to tell Him that we were going to commit ourselves to Him tomorrow but didn't get the chance? I know, I don't want to have to say that.

I chose the image above because what else in this world shows a better example of commitment and loyalty? Dogs are the perfect example. Even when we are yelling at them, they come to us tails wagging. When we have been gone all day and we are finally able to come home, who meets us at the door? My girl, Piper, is an inspiration to me. I truly believe God created her to teach me His ways. He wants me to be as committed to Him as she is to me. It is amazing how He creates and uses animals to speak to us and bring us closer to Him.

My challenge to myself and you today is this. Choose today. Don't wait for tomorrow. Pray to Him and commit your heart to Him. Today. Be all in, 100% on team Jesus. Starting Today.

*In need of prayer today? I would be happy to pray for you or someone you know! Just leave a comment below or send me a private message using the form on the "Contact Me" page. Also, check out the new "Prayer Concerns" page and join me in praying for those on our list.

Give Me a Discerning Heart

"So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

1 Kings 3:9 (NIV)

 

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I have often heard people pray for a discerning heart or for others to have a discerning heart, but I have never thoroughly considered what that meant or why it was so important. Today, I started reading in 1 Kings and in chapter 3 King Solomon is having a dream in which the Lord is speaking to Him and tells him "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." To this, King Solomon replied by asking the Lord for a discerning heart, so that he may govern and serve his people in the best way that he can.  In verses 10-13 we read, "The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, 'Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both riches and honor - so that in your lifetimes you will have no equal among kings.'"

When I first read the part where God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted and He would give it to him, my mind immediately went to the genie in Aladdin. I was thinking that Solomon would ask for money or an even bigger palace, but he didn't. Solomon asked for something that showed his heart for God and for God's people. Solomon asked for a discerning heart, so that he may have the wisdom to find true justice in governing his people. So, what is a discerning heart? In my mind, a discerning heart would be one that would allow someone to know right from wrong not in the ways of the world, but in the ways of God. Our world has a definition for morality that is much different than God's definition.  This can be very confusing for a believer and can lead to us being okay with things not because God says it is okay, but because the world says it is okay. When we ask God for a discerning heart we are asking him to help us in our search for what is right in His eyes, so that we may make choices in life pleasing to Him.

Another point that really hit me when I was reading this passage is when it stated that the Lord was pleased that Solomon asked for this and not only gave him what he asked for, but also what he didn't ask for. When Solomon asked for a discerning heart, he was not concerned with his own desires, but for the will of the Lord and for the needs of the people. When we petition God for things that our only beneficial to us, it is no surprise that many times these are the prayers that seem unanswered. Remember from my last post, our purpose is to glorify Him. If He gave us everything we want, everything that benefits ourselves only, why then would we need to reach out to help others? Think about it in this light. Taking care of Aidan has taught me a few things. This being one of them. Although, we want to give our children everything that they want, we don't because we know that giving them everything doesn't teach them to work for things or to be appreciative of what they have. Same for our requests of God. He loves us so much and wants to bless our lives with all of those things that we desire and then some, but He wants us to live our lives needing and seeking Him and being appreciative of what He has given us.

When we petition God for things that are in His will that are in agreement with His commands, we will find that those are the prayers that are answered. When we ask for things that will benefit His kingdom and His people other than just ourselves, we can have faith that He WILL provide. Those prayers may not be answered immediately or in the way we think they will, but in His time and in His way, He will answer. In a way, when we ask for a discerning heart, we are not only asking God to help us when making daily life decisions and in our relationships with others, but also in knowing WHAT to ask Him for.

My challenge for myself and for you today is to ask God for a discerning heart. Make a quick list of a few things you have asked God for recently. Examine whether these requests are beneficial to you only or if they would glorify God or God's people. If they do, keep praying for them. If not, ask God for His will in that situation or to change your heart to want the desires of His heart.

Father God, thank you for speaking to us today through the example of Solomon. We ask that you give us discerning hearts today, just as you did for Solomon. Help us to see what is right in your eyes, so that we may make decisions pleasing to you, Father. Help us to want what is in your will. We love you and we thank you for creating us in your image. Amen.

*In need of prayer today? I would be happy to pray for you or someone you know! Just leave a comment below or send me a private message using the form on the "Contact Me" page. Also, check out the new "Prayer Concerns" page and join me in praying for those on our list.

Find the joy in Christ's truth, today.

Thankful Moments

"Therefore I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name."

2 Samuel 22:50

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Last night, I had a moment. I'm sure you have had them before, but being of the female kind, my moments usually lead to emotional fits of happy tears. It was around dusk and I was sitting on the back deck with Aidan, my 7 year old nephew, sitting on my lap and my husband standing at the grill making some delicious pork chops for dinner. Normally, we would be caught up in some back and forth banter about our day and more concerned with what we were saying than taking a second to experience the moment. However, last night was a bit different. Silence hit us just for a moment and as I was watching the two of them doing what they were doing, a happy tear welled up in my eye and made its trail down my face. In that moment, just watching the two of them, my heart felt so full and so thankful. A year ago, I would never have imagined that I would be where I am today...married to an amazing man, taking care of a very special little boy who has stolen my heart, and with a house of our own in some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. God is so good.

Each morning, I read a daily devotion from Joni Eareckson Tada's A Spectacle of Glory. Interesting enough, this morning's devotion was about Jesus healing  the 10 lepers found in Luke 17:11-19. In this story, ten men with leprosy saw Jesus going into a village and they called out to Him and asked Him to heal them. He healed them, but only one of them returned to Him to thank Him for what He had done. Jesus said to Him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:19)

So often we are desperate to seek God's help when we are in need, but do we go back to thank Him with as much desperation after He has answered those prayers? When I ask myself that, I would definitely have to say not always. Even today God works miracles in our lives, but why? Yes, we could say that He does it because He loves us. But I think there is more to it than that. Our purpose in this world is to bring Him glory. How then do we bring Him glory if we don't openly praise Him for the miraculous works He has done in our own lives so that others may believe?

I read something on Facebook yesterday that said, "I believe in God, not because my parents told me, not because my church told me, but because I have experienced His goodness and mercy myself." I believe God has shown His goodness and mercy to everyone in some way or the other, but not everyone has experienced it. To experience something you have to encounter it with an open heart and be observant enough to attempt to understand what is happening. God works in our lives and through us to reach out to those who may not have such open, observant hearts. Just maybe, by hearing our praise of what God has done in our lives, that mustard seed of faith may be planted in the heart of an unbeliever, which God will grow within them. 

"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." 2 Samuel 22:31

God's way really is perfect. He has a plan for each moment in our lives. It may take a while for us to understand or we may never fully understand what His purpose is for a particular event or person in our lives, but we can still praise Him and thank Him because we know that He is good and He loves us. There is nothing He wouldn't do for us, even sending His Son to the world to die so that we may live eternally with Him in heaven. If we can't think of anything else to be thankful for, we can always thank him for that.

My challenge for myself and for you today is this. Take a moment today to look around you and make a list of all the things or people that God has placed in your life to bless you. Let us know of something God has blessed you with in the comments below. Spend some time with God, thanking Him for each of these things and praising Him for who He is. Then, reflect on ways you can share what God has done in your life with someone else. Be sure to do this with the intention of glorifying Him rather than of boasting. Remember, our purpose is to glorify Him in all that we do, think, and say.

Father God, thank you. Thank you for creating me the way that you did and with the purpose of bringing you glory. Father, help me to take notice of the things and people you have blessed my life with, so that I may come to you with praise and a thankful heart. Help me to see those people in need of hearing what You have done, so that you may use me to plant that mustard seed of faith. You are so powerful yet loving, God. I am in awe of what You do in my life every day. Amen.

*In need of prayer today? I would be happy to pray for you or someone you know! Just leave a comment below or send me a private message using the form on the "Contact Me" page. Also, check out the new "Prayer Concerns" page and join me in praying for those on our list.

Find the joy in Christ's truth, today.

Are You a Filler or a Dipper?

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

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As I was praying and reflecting on what to write about today, I kept thinking about how God wants us to treat others. I wasn't just thinking about the commandment Jesus gave when He told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but I was pondering how God wants us to treat those we already love. After certain interactions I have often realized that I actually treat strangers better than I treat those I am closest to. Before we were married, my now husband and I would be in a pretty intense argument and we would pull up to the drive-thru window and one second I am angrily talking to him and the next second I am as polite as I can be talking to the lady in the window. You may have found yourself asking the same question I ask myself during times like this. Why do I do this?

I think a big part of why I do this is that I know that the stranger doesn't know anything about me other than the impression I am giving him or her in that moment. So, I put on a sweet face hoping to sway him or her to thinking that I am a pretty great person. However, those that I already love, that are closest to me, know who I really am. There's no point in hiding it, right? In the verse above, we are commanded to encourage and build each other up. The apostle Paul was writing these words in a letter to the church in Thessalonica. He was not saying to encourage and build up the strangers that you meet on the road, although that wouldn't be a bad thing to do. He was telling those in congregation with one another, who already knew one another, to encourage and build each other up.

God gave us our friends and family for that particular reason. We are a support system for each other. There are too many times I have found myself looking out for number one, when my friends or family were in need of open arms, listening ears, and an understanding, compassionate heart. I could have been the one to give that to them, but I was too concerned with all of the things that was going wrong during my day instead. Then, when I was in need and wanting to talk to friends it was no surprise that I couldn't find anyone to talk to. It wasn't that they didn't want to talk with me and help me out, but it was more of me keeping a wall between us because I knew that I hadn't been there for them and I was ashamed of that.

To have a friend, you have to first be a friend. This was something I should have already known, but the Holy Spirit whispered it to my heart as a sudden realization recently. Being a friend to someone is not easy, which is something that I had always assumed. It takes dedication of time and energy to have the kind of friendship most people desire. God created us to crave human interaction. He did not create us to do things alone and live our lives by ourselves. He created us to help and depend on one another, just as He created Eve to be a companion for Adam. He also created us to have a close relationship with Him, the Father.

Imagine that each relationship in your life had a bucket. Each person in a relationship can fill the bucket by doing kind things for and dedicating time to the other person. On the other hand, each person can dip out of the bucket by not doing kind things or dedicating time to the other person. If you are struggling with a relationship right now, ask yourself "Am I a filler or a dipper?" Most of the time when I have asked myself, unfortunately I would have to say that I was the dipper, but with God's help, I am trying to change that.

Pictured above are my bridesmaids and me from my wedding day. I included this picture, because these ladies have often been the ones to encourage and build me up when my world felt like it was falling apart. They encouraged and built me up from day one of our friendships and during the stress of the wedding planning process. When I think of how God wants us to treat our friendships, I think of these ladies. I have had challenging times with each of these friendships, but God has given us strength in overcoming each one.

My challenge to myself and you today is this. Reflect on your own relationships. Are you encouraging and building your loved ones up as Paul encouraged in his letter to the church or are you the one who is always being encouraged and built up. Use this as an opportunity to thank God for the relationships He has built in your life and thank Him for the friends and family He has given you. If you don't attend church or you haven't in a while, plan to go this Sunday. Church is a great way for us to be in connection with those who love to encourage others and it is a place where we ourselves can be an encouragement. It feels good to build others up!

Heavenly Father, thank you for surrounding us with people who genuinely love us and love to encourage us. Please help us to have thankful hearts for these people and open our hearts to opportunities when we can encourage and build them up today. Bless each person who reads this and those in their support systems. Help us to all work together as we strive to live as Jesus did. We love you. Amen.

*If you are in need of prayer today, leave a comment below or send me a private message using the form on the "Contact Me" page. I would love to pray for you and encourage you. Also, if you like what you read, submit your e-mail in the box in the top right corner of the home page. You will receive my posts directly to your e-mail. May God bless you as you find joy in the truth of Christ!

Choose Hope Today

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Lamentations 3:25-26

Source: intentblog.com

We all go through tough times. We may have lost a dear loved one, we may be struggling with the lack of a job and finances to support our family, we may be dealing with depression and anxiety, just to name a few. There are times I have caught myself scrolling through the endless devastating news stories or posts from friends on my Facebook page thinking to myself, "Well, where is the hope in all of this?" 

I can almost guarantee that each person reading this who considers themselves going though one of these tough times is dealing with something that is lasting more than a day or more than a week, or month, or maybe even more than a year. When we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it makes it a lot easier to get through whatever difficult situation we are in. We think, "I've got this, I can make it." But what about the times when we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel? What about when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness? What about when you've lost your job and it seems nobody is hiring? What about when you've longed for a child of your own to be told that it will never happen? What about when you've been struggling with an addiction that just won't let you go? What about when you are so depressed that you can't make yourself get out of bed in the morning?

The word lamentation, the book where the verse above is found, literally means "the passionate expression of grief or sorrow." In this book, Jeremiah is crying out to the Lord during an uncertain time after the destruction of Jerusalem. In my mind, this would be a time where that light at the end of the tunnel would be very difficult to see, but Jeremiah was able to speak of the good that God does and the hope that is found in Him.

One of the most difficult things for any human to do is wait. We are so accustomed to getting things when we want them. Need to get a message to someone? Push a button on your computer or phone. Need to make dinner? Push a button on the microwave. There is no easy button for dealing with life's tough times, but there is a very important reason for this. God wants us to be near Him. He wants us to rely on Him. He wants to show us just how much He loves us and How miraculously powerful He is. Could He do that if all we had to do was push a button to get a job or to heal a loved one? The answer is a big NO.

Our Heavenly Father allows us to go through these difficult times, so that we will rely on Him and find our hope and strength in Him rather than in ourselves. In this way, His glory, His presence, is with us and He gives us opportunities to glorify Him for who He is and what He has brought us through. Yes, waiting on God is hard, but it is so worth it. His plan for us is greater than any plan we could ever have for ourselves.

My challenge for myself and for you today is this. If you are going through one of life's tough times right now, instead of throwing yourself a pity party, try reaching out to God and thanking Him. Thank Him for allowing you an opportunity to draw closer to Him and to see His great power at work in your life. Choose hope today.

Father God, as difficult as it can be to do, we thank you for the tough times you have allowed us to endure. Thank you for giving us a chance to draw closer to you and witness your omnipotence from a front row seat. Rather than feeling pity for ourselves today, Father, help us to seek the good in what we have experienced, so that we may use that to reach out to someone else who is in the midst of a challenging time. We love you and the amazing and mysterious ways you work in our lives each day. In Your Son's precious name, Amen.

*How can I pray for you today? If you are going through one of life's tough times, drop a comment below, and I will pray for your situation. Together we will find light even in the darkest times. Also, if you like what you are reading, enter your e-mail in the box at the top right of this page. You will get these blog posts delivered directly to your e-mail. Thank you for reading and sharing!

Always On My Mind

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Colossians 3:17

Source: Chicago Tabernacle

You will read this often as I write. I am not a perfect person. I am not coming here to tell you how you should live your life, but rather this is meant to be more of a way for me to share how God is working in mine. I am a completely imperfect person who has been saved by the unfailing love and grace of Jesus. He is molding and shaping me each day, so it is my hope and prayer that you may find this journey I am traveling helpful to you as you are walking through yours.

The verse above is what has been printed on my heart this morning and really has been something He has been working on in me for some time. In this world that we live in, it is so easy to become submerged in the things of this world, like fancy gadgets, television shows, hit music, new clothes, shiny cars, video games, etc. The list goes on and on and on. We can live out our day only focusing on these things and have the name Jesus not even scroll across the marquee in our brain at all. Not once. I hate to admit it, but I still find myself having days like this now and again, and I can say that at the end of these days, I feel empty and unfulfilled.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that the things I listed above are necessarily bad things. Just wait for it. I am about to say something that is going to blow your mind. Are you ready? You can enjoy these things and glorify God at the same time. I know, I know. You are probably thinking that this just cannot be. How can I glorify God by getting new clothes??? I read a great definition for glorifying God on desiringgod.org in a message by John Piper. He said, "'Glorifying' means feeling and thinking and acting in ways that reflect His greatness." When we get new clothes, instead of hoarding all of the old ones too (I'm raising my hand, guilty here too), we can donate those old clothes to someone who needs them more than we do. Wouldn't that be acting in a way that reflects His greatness? Or while you are playing video games with your friends, why not use that as a chance to share with them the amazing love that Christ has for us?

God is omnipresent. He is everywhere and in everything. He created everything. There is nothing in this world that you will not be able to find Him in some way or another. I could explain that even more another time in another post. My point though is, since He is everywhere and in everything, He can be in everything we say and do. But before that happens, we must first keep Him in our hearts and on our minds. On our minds...that's tricky. I believe that every person has a hunger for the love and fulfillment that Christ provides. What we put into our minds, comes out in our words and actions. If we are reading His word, going to church, and surrounding us with those who speak His truth, we will begin to act and speak that which we have heard and read from those sources.

There have been so many times, I have said "I don't have time for that" or "I'm too busy." God is teaching me that I am never too busy for Him and that when I devote time to Him, I end up having more time. He really is amazing and all powerful in that way. Putting Him first in my mind and in my heart is truly fulfilling and the only way to find my joy even in the most stressful of times. My challenge to myself and to you today is this...Keep Him in your mind all day. Pray to Him often. When you find your mind slipping away from Him, see if you can think about how He is working in whatever you are doing at the moment. In this way, you will train your brain to be on Him in everything you do and say.

Father God, thank you for your amazing omnipresence. You are everywhere and always with us, even when we may not notice it. Help us to find you in everything that we do today. Guard our hearts and lead us to sources that fill us up with you, so that everything we say and do brings you glory. Open our hearts and minds to all that you have planned for us today. Thank you for hearing our prayers and loving us unconditionally. In Jesus' name, AMEN.