No matter what

Nehemiah 9:6 "You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heavenly worship you."   Reading this verse I am remembering how GRAND our Heavenly Father is.  He is also amazingly intimate.  He knows each of our words before we even form them.   He is so GRAND!!   I am in the middle of a remodel project.   I am  getting a bit overwhelmed by the can of worms I opened.   I am feeling the money crunch as everything is adding up past my budget.  I am tempted to be anxious.   Our Lord is GRAND.   He didn't bring me this far to drop me now.    Chapter nine of Nehemiah talks of the many ways the Israelites turned away from God and how when they turned back He showed compassion on them.   Even if I am way over my head here..... God is GRAND.   He did not bring me this far to drop me now.    A remodel project is not personal.  Many of us are going through things much more emotionally challenging than this.    Our God is GRANDER and more intimate than we can think.   He will never leave us not forsake us.   He will not drop us now, NO MATTER WHAT!!!    Trust!!!   I feel a bit embarrassed to bring up a silly remodel project.  But my anxiety about it is real and woke me up last night.   If something is causing you anxiety no matter what it is.   It's not to small of a problem for God.   He wants you to call upon Him!!  He is ever present, ever listening, ever loving!!!!😇🙏❤️

Do not Grieve!! Let His Joy be your strength

 Nehemiah 8:10 "Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have  nothing prepared.  This day is sacred to Our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."   Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!!    Sometimes i get mad at people and have a hard time practicing forgiveness.    We are commanded “not  to take offense in the first place”,  we are to forgive.  Forgive not only once, but over and over again.  This can be so against our humane nature.   My humane nature wants to hold a grudge and be justified in my anger  my Spirit man says "Love Them!"   When I am walking in  unforgiveness my souls aches and I am grieved.  Do not grieve!!! The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength!!    No matter how personal the offense seems to be it is best to not take offense.   Hurting people hurt others.  Most of the time if I look at what wrongs people are committing including my own  it's out of a broken Spirit trying to find comfort in a moment and not having the patience to "Wait upon The Lord.” We all face many, many  trials in this life.   Let’s get through them without malice or grief by keeping the Joy of the Lord as our strength!!! 🥳🙏❤️No Matter What!!!!

Only if it’s in the Lords plan

Lamentations 3:37 " Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?  38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? 39 Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?”   …….55 “I called your name, O Lord, from the depths of my pit.  56 You heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.”  57 You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

Yesterday I spoke of my pride; thinking other people should do things the way I do them.    My pride is also very evident when I think God should do things the way I think He should do them. I am humbled by these verses remembering that even if I am not a fan of what is happening, I can TRUST God has His hand upon it all and as I call out to Him, He hears!    Are you walking in pride or humility?   Don’t worry, there is a method to what appears to be the madness!!

Judgy?

Isaiah 26:3"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, is the Rock eternal."…12 “Lord, you established peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”     Trusting God is sovereign give me peace.   I often struggle with pride.   God has given me many talents.  Sometimes I think it’s me who has accomplished this or that.    Yes of course, I physically did whatever.   It is FIRST GOD that gives me the ability.  Today I’m thinking of where I would be if God didn’t give me the ability to get and stay sober.   I’d likely be in a complete mess if alive at all.   Even with this heart knowledge I can get prideful.  I can think of myself more highly than others. I can be “judgy” in my heart.   My humane nature says “Why doesn’t that person do what I’m doing?  My way is good”.  Everything I have comes from God.  Everything I will ever have will come from God.   When I TRUST in His amazing provision I can feel His Peace.    Today.  I will simply try to stay thankful.  If I’m tempted to think others should be doing what I do…. I will simply Trust that God is working His Way in them too!😇❤️🙏

Be equipped

Hebrews 11:20-21 “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen"

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday , marking the first day of Lent.   Years ago I started giving something up for Lent as a daily reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for me by leaving Heaven and living a perfect life, of a servant,  in this world, so He could fully pay our sin debt with His sacrificial deaf.  Giving us by faith salvation and eternity in Heaven to look forward to.   Wow.   What a powerful gift, the gift of Jesus!!    With Jesus we are truly equipped with everything good  to do His will.     I am trying again this Lent season to remember daily the Powerful gift of Jesus.  I will try daily to simply rejoice and be glad in it!!   May you too be in awe of Jesus this Lent season and beyond!! 😇❤️🙏

Be filled this Valentine’s Day.

Proverbs 14:30 "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."   Today is celebrated as Valentine’s Day.  This is a day that really promotes having that “Special Someone”.     I have been single most of my life.  When I celebrate Valentine’s Day I choose to be thankful for what I have not what I don’t have.  I have the love of Jesus that will never leave me not forsake me.   I have friends that I can send a note to to let them know I am thinking of them.   I have family, sisters brothers, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts and cousins……. Today as I look at everything I have it far out weighs having someone that will send me flowers.   Today the “ world “ may tell me my life is missing someone.   That is a lie.   God is with each of us supplying all our needs in His perfect timing.  Even those I’m missing that are in Heaven today, He has them safe in  perfect love.   Happy Valentine’s Day!!   Today is the day the Lord has made let’s rejoice and be glad in it!!!  Let’s be thankful for what we have.    Our greatest gift is the powerful gift of Jesus!!!  Let us nurture all the gifts He has given us today!!   Let us simply be thankful for what is!!😇❤️🙏

What comes out when you get squeezed?

Matthew 12:34 "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings forth evil things out of the evil stored up in him."     When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out.   🍊when we get squeezed what ever is in us comes out.   Our emotions are largely determined on how we let ourselves think.  It’s best not to take offense in the first place.   Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinketh in his heart, so shall he be” KJV.   We can’t control random thoughts that enter our head.  We can control how we process them. I have to be in constant, self talk. So I can live a holy, healthy, happy life.  I have to keep reminding myself to see everything through the eyes of Faith,  Hope and the Love in Jesus Christ.     When I do  Faith, Hope and Love comes out even in the midst of my most difficult times.   😇🙏❤️.  This is one of my favorite things about the powerful gift of Jesus!!!

Think well

 Philippians 4:8 "Finally,  brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praise worthy- think about such things."     I can easily talk myself out of things.   Yesterday, I went to an amazing ski clinic put on by Eric at Nordic Mountain.  I am so thankful I didn't "talk myself out of it".  One of the other instructors in my group said the same thing; he almost talked himself out of going.    I'm thankful I focused on why I wanted to go and not why I didn't.     Our thoughts, largely determine the direction of our lives.     Today, will you be thinking about what's right?   Will you intentionally be thinking in faith and hope?   A large part of our health and wellness is determined by in our thoughts.   Be inspired to; “Think well!!"

Be the example of unconditional love

Psalm 112:4-7. 4 Even in the darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.  7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast trusting in the Lord."    As I was reading Psalm 112 the sunrise started shinning on my face.    Such a fresh beautiful start to my morning!! I couldn’t ignore these verses after that experience.   They remind me of my Great Grandma Holt.   She was a rock in my life as a young, troubled junior high girl.   She made sure I went through confirmation class.   Studying the word of God during that difficult time is when I first really knew Jesus loved me personally.   It was a life changer!  The love of Jesus was shown to me in the beautiful lady.  The Bible and studying the word, lead me to Jesus.  This God fearing, Jesus loving woman had the patience and kindness in humane form to help me understand love can be unconditional.   Today, I aim to be the woman that helps others know the love of Jesus is possible.   I hope this help you aim for that too.😇❤️🙏

Be Holy…. It’s possible!!

Hebrews 10:10 "And by that will, we have been made Holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” We have been made Holy!!!! We are Holy, not because of what we do, but because of what He did!!     Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."   I can get pretty down on myself because of things I have done or things I have left undone.  Some of my friends accuse me of being way too hard on myself.    But I see the depravity in my own heart.  I know the thoughts I think, I’m too ashamed to share.    I can't be Holy on my own.    Jesus makes us Holy!!!  He makes us Holy even when we “just can’t get it”.   I spent 29 years addicted to alcohol.  Even then, He could have made me Holy, but then alcohol was my God not Him.   Be encouraged to Be in Jesus today.   Let Him be the one you seek with all your heart.  Accept the forgiveness He died to give you and the Holiness He lives to grace you with!!   Be Holy as I am Holy….are the words  of Jesus!   His work not ours, believe this, keep the faith and Your actions will naturally  follow suit!!   Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace!! We are His Holiness!!!

God or man pleasing?

Mark 7:6 "He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:  "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding into the traditions of men.”    These are the words of Jesus.   Recently I have been thinking about my motives for my behaviors.   Is it to do right for man or for God?   Today, I will try to ask myself before I do things.  Will this honor God?

Are you a good team mate?

 Ephesians 4:16 "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."     We are Team Jesus!!  When I read this verse today it reminded me we need to act as a team.   Many marriages and families split up because they forget they are on the same team.    We are team Jesus!!  Ephesians 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”   Sometimes I get to be a teacher, when I wear that hat it’s easy to see the importance of being patient and building others up in love.    How are you doing keeping unity on your team?

Light in the darkness

Psalm 139:32 "even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."   We all go through dark times.    When I say dark times I personally think of the hardest time in my life.   I am sure you do that too.   When I look back at that time, in the darkness there was His Light and Life.  Faith in the love of Jesus was the light in my tunnel.   His Light anchored my soul and gave me hope to hold unto.  The more I sought God, the brighter His light shone.   Dark  times, unfortunately are part of this life.  Even in the darkness we can walk in the light!!!😇🙏❤️