Rise up!!

 Proverbs 24:10 "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength."  

Proverbs 24:16 "for a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity."

I had a huge week last week!    I was blessed with a beautiful granddaughter and able to spend time with her and her siblings and her cousins.  She is an amazing blessing!!  Two days after she was born I headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee for a paddle board race down the TN River.   I hit so many obstacles that I was tempted to quit before I started.   Then I read Proverbs 23:16 "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again."    Many times in life we fall.   Do not let how many times you fall define you.  Let how many times you get back up, through the powerful gift of Jesus define you.  I had a wonderful adventure and race in TN.   I'm so glad I didn't give up when things got difficult.    

Stay out of the mud!

 Colossians 3:17 "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." ...3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Yesterday God gave me a vision of a certain behavior of mine, He showed me that every time  I do it, it's like me jumping into a mud pit.  Then, He gave me a vision of me doing life His way and how it leads to me being white as snow, shining next to Him.    Why I keep jumping into the mud is beyond me.  Today, be inspired to do life God's way.   Be kind, generous, patient, persistent in thankfulness and godliness.  We can't live this way on our own.  Ask the Holy Spirit to direct your path.   Read His word and let it be a lamp to your feet.   Each day you try to do life God's way and not jump into your own mud bath; it will get a little easier to stay clean.  😇❤️🙏.  (We are clean because of what Jesus did for us on the cross not because of our own works.  But when we do our best to do life His way, our lives are better in our here and now)

Reward evil? It won't get better

 Proverbs 17:13 "If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house."   Are you rewarding bad behavior in yourself or someone else?

Know, accept and embrace

 Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."   It is good to have a plan, it is even better to know, accept and embrace God's plan.   

If I perish then I perish

 Esther 4:16"......If I perish then I perish."   When Queen Esther was to save her people the Jews by going to King Xerxes she could have been killed.   Before she did this she and her prayer teams fasted and prayed for 3 days.   Do you have a mountain to face?  Be inspired to pray, fast and have others pray and fast for you then GO!!! And if you perish you perish!!   Courage and strength are ours in Christ Jesus!!! Be the person God created you to be!!! Don't compromise, THRIVE!!!

For such a time as this!

 Esther 4:14 "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

For such a time as this!!! You too are where God wants you for such a time as this!!! Be brave!!! Be courageous!!!!  Share your faith!! Be everything God has created you to be today!!! What are you waiting for?  Today is the day the Lord has made, let's rejoice and be glad in it!!  Let's live; "For such a time as this."

Be the best Christian you can be....TODAY!!!

Wise or foolish?

 Proverbs 13:20 "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but the companion of fools suffer harm."  ....14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears it down."    Walk with the wise and grow wise!   Walk with fools and become foolish.   Be careful with the people occupying your inner circle.  When I quit drinking I needed to find sober friends.   Today, as I am trying to build my life in a God honoring  fashion, I have to intentionally pursue friendships that do the same.   It's so easy to fall into the snare of seeking the wrong things.   Just like a football team has to work together for a victory.   We need team mates in this life that help us be wise not foolish.  What relationships will you invest in today?