Live in the Guarantee!

 1 Corinthians 1:20 " For  no matter how many promises God has made, they are YES in Christ.  And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us.  22 set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."  Guaranteeing what is to come!!!   We have HOPE in Jesus!! We have His guarantee!!  Sometimes when things look the bleakest and I don’t think I can take any more, I pray, wait upon the Lord and TRUST HIM!   He always comes through!!! He always gets me through!!    His ways are not my ways and I would often chose things differently, but I trust in His guarantee and that gets me through.    Today be inspired to see the "Yes" He has put in your life.  Remember He has sealed you!! Enjoy His embrace!!

Merry Christmas 😇✝️🙏❤️🎁🎄

John 13:34

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

May the love of our Lord Jesus be with you today and always.   Merry Christmas!!😇🙏❤️✝️🎄🎁.  He is our perfect gift!!

BE His peace this Christmas

 Luke 1:76 "And you my child will be called a prophet of The Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, 77 to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven. 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."   Jesus came, lived and died to give us peace, true peace!!  It’s Christmas Eve.  Many people are feeling “Stressed” about things they have left to do.   Christmas is not about doing it’s about being!   Be in Gods peace!! Our culture has largely taken the PEACE out of Christmas.   Today, tomorrow and always; let the peace of God rule your hearts.  Everything gets done and if it doesn’t so what?   That’s funny coming from me a person who has forever been an over achiever.  I have found that even if I have everything perfect and my heart is stressed then nothing is perfect.   Let the condition of your heart be love today.   Love others where they are at.  Likely they are feeling stress of expectations too. Love them with patience kindness and understanding.    Let the Love of Jesus BE in you and radiating through you this Christmas !!   Merry Christmas!!😇🙏❤️🎄🎁✝️

The perfect gift

2Corinthians 5:14 "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And if He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again."

I remember when I was studying Jesus in confirmation class. I was so excited that I was loved by Jesus I went around telling everyone!!     Then life started happening again, bad things happened and I lost my enthusiasm to share the good news.   The good news of Jesus isn't bad news in hard times it's the news that helps us get through bad times.    His love for us is with us always!!! In the good times when we feel like praising Him it's awesome!    In the hard times when we wonder if He's there, praise Him!! Tell people about Jesus blessings and how He helps you in the hard.   Telling people about Jesus not only helps them it helps you!! The hardest times I've face has helped me draw the closest to Jesus.  Close to Jesus is the basis for my health and wellness.   Give the perfect gift this Christmas!! Give the love and joy of Jesus !!   Tell someone about who He is and how He is helps you!  Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 😇🙏❤️

Hope in the darkness

 2Corinthians 4:6 "For God , who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

.....16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far out weighs them all.  18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."   Today is December 21st.  My second favorite day of the year!!  June 21st is my favorite!  It is the day with the most sunlight.   Today our daylight hours start increasing again.   For me it is a day of hope!!   I love the daylight!! I enjoy the night skies too. Yet, the sunshine is simply drawing to me.  This winter solstice be reminded of the hope we have in Jesus.   No matter how dark the day, His Son Shine prevails!! We do have plenty of darkness in this world, good thing we have complete eternal glory to look forward to.    Even if we get 100 years here.   That’s a drop in the bucket compared to eternity.   Let today be your day of hope too!! 😇🙏✝️❤️.  Merry Christmas

Looking at the piece that is missing and not the beauty of the whole?

2Corinthians 3:11 "And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!"     “Christmas is a time for joy, Christmas is a time for love”……these are some lyrics from the hymn Peace, peace.   Christmas is a glorious time of year but it can also bring our attention to missing the ones we love.   Sometimes even when my life is full and good I still look at the pice of the jigsaw puzzle that is missing and focus on that.  I miss my loved ones that have gone on to be with the Lord.   When I focus on my grief it’s like looking at the piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is missing.   I don’t see the beauty in my current moment I just see the empty space.  Grief is extremely difficult and it’s exhausting.   It can steal my hope and then I feel doomed even when the world around me is okay.  My pastor told me, “when I miss my loved ones, I should envision them in Heaven.  See them happy, in complete joy and love.“  I also remember, we are not bound by time in Heaven.  So when we are reunited with the ones we love; it won’t be,”I have missed you so much!” It’ll be, “There you are!” As if we had never left their presence in the first place.  I so look forward to being reunited with my beloved in Heaven.   That is one of the beautiful promises of Christmas!!  Fading glory  becomes greater glory that lasts!!! Praise the Lord for the " Powerful Gift of Jesus!"  Merry Christmas!!

Competent, confident and courageous

 2Corinthians 3:4 "Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life."   Our competence comes from God!!   When I feel competent  I feel confident!!   In today’s culture it’s easy to feel the pressure to keep our faith to ourselves.   Personally, when I am with someone that is a strong non believer it’s easiest for me to not to talk about faith.  Easiest is not always the best.   If I truly care about that person, I want them to know Jesus.  Therefore they can have His peace here on Earth and for eternity.   I need to find the competence, confidence & courage to speak boldly about Jesus with discernment.  One way I have found to speak boldly to non-believers is to quote the word of God.  I simply say, “ In the Bible it says……..” I have most competence & confidence when I can quote a specific verse.   Here is an example;  If a friend is struggling with fear, I can tell them I too struggle with fear.  When  I do it’s because I am not trusting God’s perfect love for me. In the Bible it says in 

1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 

  Jesus took the punishment for each of us.   Our sin debt has been paid.    We may have consequences to deal with, but I need not fear my worst case scenario if I TRUST Jesus love for me and His love for the ones I love.   Quoting the Bible gives me credibility. Shoving our faith down other’s throats doesn’t win souls for Jesus but speaking competently by quoting His word can.      Be competent, confident and courageous in Jesus!!! Tell someone why Christmas is important to you!!   Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 ✝️😇

Freedom is free in Jesus Christ

 2Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.  18And we who have unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."   Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!!  I think of the sins that so easily ensnare me.   When I am actively choosing sin I can feel that I separate myself from God.    The sin, (lust, gossip, greed, gluttony, pride, worry…..) becomes my focus and I take my eyes off of God.  When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the garden, they tried to hide.    That’s what I try to do too.   I try to pretend that God will accept the sin that is convicting me, even though every time I choose it, I feel pain in my heart.    We all have sins that are enslaving us and separating us from being fully transparent with God.    These sins make us feel ashamed,  and we can feel unloveable, even by God.   Jesus died for us, while we were yet sinners!!! His love for us frees us from the guilt and shame of our sins and transforms us into His likeness.     This transformation is a lifetime process.   Our souls our sanctified immediately when we put our Trust in Jesus.   Our flesh is our battle while we live on earth.  Today, no matter what sin is that is ensnaring you, confess it to God, repent and let Him Set you FREE!!  Sometimes sins have strong holds, I spent 29 years trying to give up the sin of drunkenness.  Jesus set me free!!   He will set you free!!                                 (Every time you are looking to your sin for comfort, call on Jesus to help you.   See James 4:7-8)

People do horrible things

Isaiah 1:18 " Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. " Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson they shall be like wool."   Forgiveness and restoration is what we get in Jesus.   He doesn't just make us neutral. He makes us clean!! He makes us white as snow!!

I have had such a hard time seeing myself as a beautiful, valued child of God.   When I was a child, things happened that made me feel like no one could ever love me.   

Then my Grandma Gunny, she came in to help.   The biggest help she gave me is to make sure I knew Jesus loved me. This is still and will always be  the biggest and best gift I have and will ever receive!!  

Each of us have this gift to simply receive.   Salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ. Complete forgiveness  and restoration is found no where else!    When I get down on myself (which is easy to do) I try to stop and remember I am not the culmination of all my past mistakes and intentional sins.   I am the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  He takes my sins and removes them as far as the East is from the West and remembers them no more!!   As if that's not enough He renews a right Spirit within me.  He makes me a new creation!! Turns me from red like crimson to wool.   Today be inspired to walk in the forgiveness,  restoration and newness of life Jesus died to give you.   Extend that same love and forgiveness to others.    People do horrible, stupid things.  Ask God to help you have compassion with sincerity of heart to ALL including yourself !

Own it!! Don’t let it wreck you!

2 Corinthians 1:8 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not relay on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us.  On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us."  “Feeling the sentence of death”, this is pretty bleak!   I know when I mess up  especially with the ones I love, I can be overwhelmed with despair.   I am someone who looks at my part in what went wrong and wants to go back and fix it.    The repeating, in my mind, of what I should have done isn't healthy,  if I take it to an extreme of rethinking.  Many people do this.  What's done is done, learn from it and move forward.     We can ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt and try, try, try again to not repeat the destructive action.     This is a healthier way to deal with our mess ups.   We do have to OWN IT, when we mess up! A dear friend of mine pointed out, since a lawsuit against Mc Donald's happened years ago; when a woman spilled hot coffee on herself, sued and won a huge amount of money,  our culture has been blaming  others for their own mess ups.   We can't get well if we don't own our mistakes!    Today,  be inspired to own it, give it to God and try, try , try again.     Leta forgive others when they mess up.  Accept the forgiveness Jesus died to give us, when we do  then move on and try again.  Then because we are human.... repeat!😇🙏

During Christmas gatherings it’s very easy to “ Mess up”.   Be inspired to let Jesus take the wheel!!

“BE” there this Christmas

    1Corinthians16:7 "For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits."  Paul wrote this to the Corinthians.    This time of year it’s easy to “check the visit box”.   In our fast paced world we have gotten used to texting, or snapping people instead of talking.      There is a huge difference between a phone call and a snap.  There is also a huge difference between a quick visit and spending time with someone.  There is a place for both.  If we truly love someone we long to spend time together”real time” with them.   Often people don’t prioritize significant time or quality time with each other or don’t feel comfortable with that closeness.   Our main relationship is the one we have with God.    He is with us always! ( Matthew 28:20) Be encouraged to practice deep closeness with Jesus.   Take that sincerity of heart to  others and give them “real time” too.  Real time can also be described as being in our present moments, not distracted with worry, stress or thinking about the next thing.   Let’s not let our phones be more important then the one’s we are spending time with.   Let’s truly “BE” with the people we are with when we are with them.  May you be blessed with beautiful time with Jesus and those you love this Christmas time. 😇❤️🌲Merry Christmas!! 

Motivated by guilt at Christmas

1Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."   Give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord!   Let nothing move you!   This time of year I can get a bit overwhelmed with things that are not "works for the Lord".   When I grew up my parents were divorced.  My mom used to buy a bunch of presents for us.   I have always felt the pressure to do the same.   I'm a divorced mom.  I think I have been guilty of over spending on my kids as a way to cover my guilt and shame.    I wish I could have just been honest with them about my feelings about divorce and celebrated the forgiveness and new life we have in Jesus at Christmas.   But I didn’t, I kept that kind of talk away from them and showered them with gifts instead.  Gifts that put a financial hardship on me, which caused more stress, which made me less available for my children at the most Holy time of the year.  How ridiculous!!!  That type of behavior is not ,”works of the Lord”.   I hope this helps you too, evaluate if you are doing Gods' work this Christmas.

Speak intelligibly from the heart

1Corinthians 14:14 "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do?  I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind.  I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sign with my mind. ...... 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.  19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in tongues."    Speak intelligibly from your heart!!   This is the time of year when it is very politically correct to speak of Jesus!!   Speak from your heart what makes sense!!! We each have different experiences with God that keeps us close to Him.   Tell YOUR story!!  It doesn’t help the unbeliever believe if we speak in a language they can’t understand.    Speak from your heart about what is real in your life!!!    Most of us can relate to each other’s failures.   And most of us want to know how to get back up.     A teacher friend told me, the kids that were the biggest “ winners” had the fewest friends.  Maybe it’s because there is only one winner and the rest of us can’t relate.      Be the person people can related to.   Then relate it all back to Jesus.   Win souls this Christmas time!😇❤️🙏🎄

Truly Love

1Corinthians 13:4 " Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  5 It is not rude, it is not self- seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.  6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes always perseveres."

......13 "And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."   Love ❤️ When I read these verses I evaluate if I am truly walking in love.    I know the people who say they love me don’t always act these ways toward me.   Truth is the people I know in every breath of my being, I  love; I don’t always act like this toward them either.   God is the only one that can love us this way and He does!!  Jesus broke the sin barrier that separated us from God.    Today I will try to embrace His overflowing love for me, love Him back and take that devine love and share it with my loved ones.   Let’s choose to love people where they are at not if they are the way we want them to be.   Put on a 1 Corinthians  13 Love for Christmas !!

Hurting people hurt others put on live anyway

1Corinthians 12:12 "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ."   We are many parts, one body.   Is an eye less valuable than an ear?  Of course not!! Is a rich man more valuable than a poor man? Of course not!!! Is a healthy person of different valuable than a sick one?   Of course not!!!! Why then do we treat each other as if we have different  values?  We have been conditioned by our culture to value one thing or one person over another other.  Jesus looks upon our hearts.   Let’s try to be like Jesus and see each other through the eyes of love.       I heard it said, “ If you’re having a tough time seeing someone in love, remember they were someone’s precious baby one day”.     Not all of us have had the privilege of growing up in loving families.    Many people have suffered many things.   Hurting  people hurt others.   Try to love people even when they are seemingly unloveable.   This time of year we think of Our Precious Baby Jesus.    Let’s try to see each other as precious no matter how different we may be.   Each of us were created on purpose for His purpose!!!

Destitute but loved at Christmas

Joel 2:12 "Even now," declares the Lord, " return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Joel 2:32 "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."   I love the focus on Jesus at  Christmas time.   I love the old hymns and tradition carols.  I love extra advent services and singing in the choir.  I love the extra emphasis on connecting with the people I love.    Christmas time reminds me to live a life for Jesus.   It's easy to get distracted with things that are meaningless at this time of year or anytime.  Let’s try to stay focused the true meaning of the season.  I remember one  Christmas I was so embarrassed, because I was so poor I didn’t have money to buy presents or bring food.  I didn’t plan to go home.   I mustered up the courage to walk in the door empty handed.   That was one of my best Christmas  memories of love.  I enjoyed the love of my family and the love of Jesus and of course an amazing Christmas Eve service.   Joel 2:13 “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, He relents from sending calamity.”  Let’s have a Jesus Christmas season!!!  Be the love of Jesus!!! Let His love be the biggest present you give and receive!! 

Content in competition?

 Philippians 4:11 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."    I have been playing Pickleball.   I'm a very average player.      I used to be someone who excelled at sports.  I can get pretty frustrated with myself when I'm not performing at a level I would like.   Then instead of being content.  I'm busy complaining to others about my lack.    Last night a dear friend pointed this out to me.   Isn't it funny how I can read the word daily and not see clearly my own discontentment.   That's why it's good to have people in our lives that help us remember Gods word.    Today, let’s be energized to encourage each other in the Word of God!!

The way out!

1Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"  13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."   If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! Whenever I think, “I’ve got this” I usually get humbled pretty quick.   I take comfort in knowing I don’t face any temptation that is not common to man.    We all struggle!!  When I first started in ministry my goal was to help alcoholics be filled with Jesus instead of booze.   What I have found in the past 20 years is we all need to be filled with Jesus instead of what ever temptation we are lusting after.    God promises a way out!!  I have been guilty of seeing the way out and still choosing to go forward in my sin.    Today may we each look to Jesus and take the way out when He shows it to us!!!   1Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.”

Get the prize!

 1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all runners run , but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  25 everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  26.  Therefore do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."  A crown that will last!!!   Recently a dear friend of mine went to Heaven.   She is wearing a crown that will last, all the time I knew her she shared the love of Jesus, she ran her race with endurance..   I have always liked these verses because I have been a runner and physical fitness has been important to me.   Godliness is most important.    When I think of training as an athlete I make sure I have the discipline to workout daily with a commitment to a goal.  In my Faith journey it is even more important to workout daily, with a commitment to a goal.   My work outs, for faith are daily Bible reading, listening to Christian radio and podcasts, felllowshiping and participating in Bible studies with other Christians, belonging to a church family and praying constantly.   Being a faith filled Christian is like going into physical training.  Unlike physical training it produces a crown that will last!!  (We are not saved by our works, we are saved by the finished work of Jesus on the cross)   Our Spiritual journey here, helps us introduce the Savior to all those around us.   Be the light of the world today!    Run the race to get the prize!   😇🙏❤️

Live loved. It builds us up!!

1Corinthians 8:1 "Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.”   Knowledge puffs up while love builds up!!!  How profound!!      People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care.       I am a Christian life coach.  I try to help people live, holy, healthy, happy lives, through the powerful gift of Jesus.    Jesus's  love for us is the key.   We need to understand how much we are loved, that is what builds us up!!   We each have good knowledge of our screw ups and what is wrong in our lives and also what is right.     It’s love that changes our hearts.    I can be my own worse enemy.    I can believe the lies of defeat.  Yet, when I look toward God;  I remember; He loves us!!  Oh how He loves us!!   This knowledge helps me choose better behaviors in my life.   Gods love builds me up knowing that even if I don’t always choose well  I am still loved.  We are loved just because we are His.   Live loved  today!!  We  are loved beyond all measure! 😇🙏❤️

Put the fire out and be nice!

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. …….9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of wChrist.”      So that you may abound in love and knowledge so that you can discern what is best!    When I worked for the Fire Department, our chief said, “ I want you to do two things; 1.  Put the fire out.  2.  Be nice. “.  Basically he wanted us to know what to do and do it full heartedly!    It’s not enough to know what to do and do it you have to put your want to on and do what needs to be done with a pure heart.    If you can’t do something with a pure heart and you don’t have peace, maybe you aren’t doing the right thing in the first place.   Go back to discerning. In emergency situations we need to make good first decisions.    If your gut is telling you to rethink it, better listen and reevaluate.   Then go forward again with full hearted commitment.     Life is liquid, keep putting the fire out while being very nice!!😇🙏❤️ May God give you wisdom and love abounding as you make your decisions today and always!!