Live treasured and loved. You Are!

1 Corinthians 6:17 "But he who is joined to the Lord becomes One Spirit with Him."  Being “One” with God, gives me strength to keep on keeping on!!  I can know Matthews 28:20 in my head but to remember it as I am making my life choices is spotty.   Matthew 28:20 “Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.”   He is with us always!! He is our strength and our song!!  I heard someone say, “Envision Jesus standing right next to you.”    This visualization is powerful!   Sometimes as a single woman, I long for the protection of a husband.   Jesus is our husband, He is our great protector and provider!    This has been a tough concept for me to grasp, Jesus being our husband. As I understand it even men are to think of Him this way.   I am weak, He is strong!  He is with me always!! He is with you always too!  So hard to comprehend how God can love and be with each of us always, how he can know and love each of us intimately, so intimately that he knows each hair on our heads and the words of our mouth before we speak them.  He does! We cant possibly understand His immense love for us.   We each know how undeserving of it we are.    But that’s the “ Powerful Gift of Jesus”!  While we were yet sinners He suffered and died for us to make us righteous before God, we take on His righteousness and He takes all of our sins, yesterdays’, today’s and tomorrows’.   Through it all He is with each of us always calling each of us His most treasured possession!   Live treasured and loved today!! Jesus is standing right by your side!!😇❤️🙏

Battling extreme anxiety?

 Romans 8:5-6 "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their  minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;".  Life and peace is what I want, so therefore I will do my best today, to have my mind set on being in unity with the Spirit.   Yesterday, I experienced extreme anxiety.   It was so devastating that I am still pondering it today.  What I have come up with is I was pursuing things not of Gods will for me.    I tell people, “Fallow the peace of God”.     When I am reading the Bible and making my life choices based on His Word, I have peace even when things are difficult.    When I am choosing to do my own way without reverence for Christ I am filled with anxiety.      Today, is you don’t have peace  in your heart, ask yourself, “What is my part in this?”   For me my lack of peace always comes when I am pursuing personal pleasure over God’s will.   I also am pondering that I get extremely anxious when I am trying to control something out of my control.  This is me thinking my way is better than God‘s way. God grant me the serenity to accept the things. I cannot change the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Your passion, His glory!

 2 Corinthians 5:14 " For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  15And 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."     Who are you living for today?   What are your plans for the day?   Do they include being all you can be through the powerful gift of Jesus?     Do they include being bold and spreading the Gospel where you go?  In Colossians it instructs us that whatever we think , say of do we should do it to honor God.   I have to ask myself …..is this activity God honoring or flesh fulfilling?   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.”  I am hoping today, to enjoy the things I love in this life, like bicycling, walking, being outside and hanging out with those I love while honoring God in those activities.     God gave us each unique passions.   Be inspired to use your passions and desires for His glory today and always!!! 😇💃🙏❤️

Trust Hom now and be triu!!

 2 Timothy 1:7 “ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-control.”……12 That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet, I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to gaurd what I have entrusted to Him for that day.”

He has not given us over to a spirit of fear, but  the Spirit of power!  I love to say; “The powerful gift of Jesus!!”   When I walk in faith and leave fear behind, I can feel His power working in my  heart, mind and soul.   I have the perseverance to go through to get to.    When I walk in faith not fear;  I find the ability to trust Him in my worst case scenario and praise Him in the moments of over whelming  joy.    Today, if worry or fear start to creep, in, let's fight those feelings with the assurance  of faith!!   Let's be bold in the “Powerful Gift of Jesus!!   He didn’t bring us this far to drop us now!  Trust Him now and be triumphant!!!

False gods

Jeremiah 16:20 “Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!”  Recently I’m evaluating the things and people that are taking “god” status in my life.  Personally, I suffer with plenty of insecurities and often try to find security in the approval of people.  Truth is no person can fill God’s shoes in my life.    Jesus is the one I call on when trouble comes.    Jesus has tremendous power to help me, especially when  I’m concerned for someone I love.  Jesus is the one, who answers my prayers.  He is the only one that can work in my beloved life.     Today, if you are putting a false god in front of our Loving Triune God, be inspired to evaluate weather of not that person or thing could truly help you in your worse case scenario.   Likely Not!!   Jeremiah 16:20 “Do men make their own gods?  Yes, but they are not gods!”  Let’s let God be the God of our lives!!😇❤️🙏

Some false gods could be ; worry, fear, alcohol, materialism, codependency… there are many

Pray Ephesians 1:17

 Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of Lord Jesus Christ , the Glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”   Years ago, I was going through a divorce.  The worse behavior in my life came out.   I acted with venom, and anger.   Whenever  two people sever a relationship it’s not just one persons fault.   To this day I’m embarrassed by those actions.  I was also going through treatment for my alcoholism at the time.  My counselor told me to pray for him.   I did not want to do that at all!  My heart was filled rage and unforgiveness.    Yet, I took her advice.   I had promised myself to succeed in quitting drinking,  I would do what my counselor said and not what I thought.  I really, really didnt want to ever go back to drinking and I had figured out my ways of quitting had not worked.    I started with a simple prayer that I almost vomited on saying; “Lord, bless him”.  I didnt ask God to make him see the error of his ways.   I just said “Lord bless him.”   It changed my bitter heart and gave me a heart of sincere forgiveness toward him.  Since then I have learned the prayer of Ephesians 1:17.   When I pray for people now, often I simply ask God to fill them with His Holy Spirit, so they can know Him and His peace.   I hope this helps you today.   Don’t get angry and harbor hurtful feelings, free yourself and them.  Pray for them with a sincere desire that they may know Jesus as Lord.    😇🙏❤️

Keep your days in Holy Week!

 Colossians 2:6 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, strengthen in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  Happy Resurrection weekend!!  Easter is an amazing time in the church calendar!   I try to make sure I take special reverence during Holy week.   It helps me remember the suffering Jesus paid for my sins, it helps me to remember that my sins have not been white washed away but have been paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ.  It helps me remember my sins are significant even if they are widely accepted by people of this world as “ not a big deal”. ……Or “ give yourself a break, everyone does that.”   Truly sin is sin, acceptance of sinful thoughts words and deeds as, “ no big deal” hardens  my heart.    Holy week brings my attention to the depravity of my heart and mind.    The Good News is  I am not the sum of my sins!!! I have been , we have been set free by the “Powerful Gift of Jesus”!!!  We have been made new!!    Through Jesus Christ, we conquer the grave and are justified!!! We are right with God no matter how many times we fall down, He loves us, setting us free from our guilt and shame and gives us courage to try, try again!!    This is something to be so very very thankful for!    This Easter Monday morning let’s not forget the amazing reality of Holy week!!!  Let’s start this day and every day in awe of the amazing, powerful gift of Jesus!!😇🙏❤️

Simply be thankful!!

The Power of the Cross

 John 15:2 “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,  while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”……….22 “If I had not come and spoken to them they would not be guilty of sin.  Now however they have no excuse for their sin.”   One hand in the world one hand on God, we cannot serve two masters.   I try to be in Gods word desiring what God desires for me. I am guilty of chasing shining objects that distract me from abiding in Him.   Verse 22 talks of when we didn’t know better, we weren’t guilty  of the sin, but now that we “know” we have no excuse.   Yesterday one of my friends said, “Im really good at excuses!”  When I give myself an excuse for my undesired behavior, it’s like I am giving myself permission to continue in it.   Today, as I reflect on the power of the Cross; I will try not to justify my sins with excuses but to take the hard steps necessary to walk a better walk, while truly abiding in His Vine.  Today, let the “Power of the Cross” motivate you to walk in the LIGHT!!😇🙏❤️

Thief comes to destroy Jesus come that we LIVE!!

 John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”   The thief comes only to kill steal and destroy.   That’s what my addictions do.  My addictions are things I use to comfort me, things I put ahead of my relationship with God.   Things I seek first before I seek God.   Ways of thinking that become a compulsion.  Over my lifetime, I have had many things that I have elevated over God.  I have been anorexic, bulimic, alcoholic, codependent and addicted to excessive exercise.   There have been many things I’ve held so high I forgot to hold Jesus as high as.  Those “things” kill, steal and destroy who I am in Jesus.    In order for me to have my best life and live in abundance; I have to put Christ first.  I have to set my desires on enjoying my New Life I have in Him and let go of my old patterns of destructive thinking.   This is easy to say and very difficult to do.   I have to intentionally enjoy God’s way for me and not long for my old ways.    Truth is my addictions destroy me!   But like a dog returning to His own vomit I can go back to these horrible habits.  Today, when I am tempted to walk in desiring something more than I desire God, I will choose to remember  what ever I put before God will only cause me pain and ultimately I will loose it anyway.  In AA, I was taught anything I put above my sobriety I will loose.    I can’t have sobriety without Jesus.   He is the “Rock” I need to have internal peace. For me to stay sober I have to enjoy my New Life in Christ more than I did  my old life in the bottle. Today,  be inspired to let go of the chains of bondage that kill steal and destroy who you are in Jesus.   Press for the mark!   Let’s live our lives in The abundance Jesus died to give us!!  Christ first!!😇🙏❤️

Humble submission

 James 4:10 “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”   Do you ever have great plans and then they all fall apart?   Of course this has happened to you.   Life does not go as we plan.  For my health and wellness I have to humble myself to God’s plan.  If I get caught up in the “why”, things aren’t going according  to my plan I can miss the beautiful of Gods plan for me.   Most of the time I can’t understand the “why” anyway.  For my health I have to TRUST Him fully in it.   Many things God has allowed in our lives don’t seem beautiful, Cancer diagnosis, untimely passing of our beloved, fires …. You name it, many things can completely derail us.   Yet, through it all God promises to be with us always!  When my well intended plans get derailed today,  I will trust God in whatever my day brings.  He will be with me, working it all out for His glory.    What about you?   Today, can you take what comes in humble submission to God?  Psalm 18:33 “He makes my feet like the hinds of a deer; He enables me to go the heights.”   When I submit to God’s ways He gives me strength and endurance to go through what ever it is. He not only helps me make it though,  He enables me to go the heights!!

Stand up!

 Jeremiah 1:17 “Get yourself ready!  Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.”    Do you ever feel “chicken” to boldly proclaim God’s word?   We live in a culture that often refers to Christians as hater’s.   This is the opposite of what Jesus commands of us; He said, “Love others as I have loved you!”  He didn’t love us by condemning us, He loves us so much that while we were yet sinners He died for us!! He didn’t say, “ quit gossiping and I’ll love you, quit getting drunk and I’ll love you more.  He loves us in the depth of our sins and sends us His redeeming hand of grace to help us get out of the bondage it has on us.    When I first realized the miracle of His love, I went around telling everyone, but as the newness of my revelation wore off and the influence of political correctness wore on, I have become less bold.   I have to intentionally practice being bold in proclaiming the “powerful  gift of Jesus”.   Jeremiah 2:2 “ The word of the Lord came to me: 2Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:   “ I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the dessert, through a land not sown.”  Today, I am praying for the boldness of my youth!!   There is truly no one I want to see miss the mercy and grace of God.  Be bold, don't be terrified be like a new bride excited about her groom!!😇🙏❤️

Be kind and compassionate no matter how much they anger you

 Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."  Do you ever get really frustrated with someone?   Sometimes when I feel this way I want to scream!  I want to run. I want to do anything but show compassion, grace and mercy.  Everyone acts out of the sum of their past.  The people whose actions I’ve let hurt me the most, are the people who have been hurt the most by others.   Hurting people hurt others.  If someone is lashing out at you it’s likely because they are being lashed at.   Only Jesus can break this cycle.   I can find love and compassion toward the people that are not acting the way I would prefer they do, because I have a deep love inside my heart due to Christ in me.    Jesus loves us each so much, that while we were yet sinners He died for us.    Today, if you let yourself get offended by someone’s actions and are tempted to get full of rage, anger and malice shake it off!!  Sometimes we have to separate ourselves from  people because their actions are to difficult for us to handle and maintain our own personal health. Ask God for His guidance is all your relationships.           Always choose love, even is you have to love from a far.   Letting yourself have hostile feelings towards someone only holds you hostage!! Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Lying dead in a field

 Romans 8:25 “But if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently.”   Have you been praying for someone or something and you are not seeing results?   We often don’t “see”, what God is doing.   Years ago, I prayed for my son when he took off on his crotch rocket.   My prayer was, “Lord, even if he is lying in a field dead, I TRUST you are with him.   18 months later my son was lying in a field dead when the deputy sheriff came upon him.  She straightened his airway and he took a breath.   He woke up from his coma three days later and asked me, “Mom, where is the kid that was with me?”   I said, “ You were alone.”    His response was, “I was not alone!! I was not alone!   I have to talk with that boy, where is that boy?”   I believe that “boy” was Jesus.   I believe that my son is still here on earth as a direct result from a mother’s prayer.    I8 months I didn’t see the results of that prayer.  There are many stories of people who have benefited by the prayers of others and the person that prayed for them never knew.     Don’t loose hope.   God hears and answers our every prayer.   Many times He answers in ways we cant understand.   One blessed assurance we have is that even if our loved ones are lying in a field dead. God is with them!!   Know that God loves the ones we love even more than we do!! Pray and Trust!!

Are you a Master?

 Colossians 4:1 “Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in Heaven.”    I have never really identified with this verse before.  I never think of having “slaves”.   Today it hit me, that anyone that helps me or does work for me are the people I should be extremely fair with.  Recently, I have been traveling.  In this cashless society,  I have been short on cash for tipping.  Today, I am reminded to go out of my way to make sure I have cash specifically for that purpose, to be generous with those that help me.  Yesterday, I was stranded on a bike and a stranger gave me a ride, I had wanted  to give her cash, but I didn't have any with me.  I was able to pray over her, then she said that being able to help me really helped her.  I still would have enjoyed being able to have blessed her monetarily. I did get the impression it would have benefited her.  Point is, we are truly blessed when we walk generously.   Today be inspired to be generous with the people that help you and be a generous helper yourself!!

Get the sap!

 John 15:4 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  5 "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."   Fear and anxiety over things in our lives are symptoms that we are not 100% trusting God.  We can only see things from our human perspective, He sees things from His divine perspective.   He is constantly pruning us and helping us be conformed to His likeness.   During our pruning we have to TRUST or it’s like we are cutting ourselves off from the tree of life.  Gods timing, Gods plans are not ours.    Today be inspired to fully remain in Him!! Meaning fully TRUST Him in whatever obstacles you face.   When I don’t 100% TRUST God plan I become a branch that withers and dies, cut off from the tree.  Cool thing is no matter how many times I cut myself off from branch He miraculously attaches me!!   Unfortunately it usually takes a tough time for me to realize I’m not relying on Him.  Today, be the branch attached to the vine!!

He has plans for you!

 Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you.”declares the Lord.  “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

He has plans for us!!!  Are we walking in His plans or trudging through our own?   His yoke is easy, His burden is light…..sometimes things are hard and you need Gods strength to get though and sometimes we are simply on the wrong path and we need to get back to His word.  Today let’s let His word be a lamp to our feet.   Lets enjoy the plans God has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.. 29:13. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart 14 I will be found by you”, declares the Lord.

Pray first, act second

 Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them.”  Are there good works you know you should do that you are not doing?  Paul said, “Why is it that I do the things I don’t want to do and don’t do the things I want to do?”  This is our human condition.       We are not to wallow in our flesh but to rise above and walk in His Spirit!  I can talk myself in and out of all kinds of behaviors.  When I pray first and act second this helps me embrace the ways of the His Spirit and reject the temptations of my flesh.   We are His workmanship, let’s pray first and act second today and always!😇❤️🙏

Grow where you are planted

 Galatians 2:6 “As for those who seemed to be important-whatever they  were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearances- those men added nothing to my message.  7 On the contrary, they saw I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. “.   Paul had ben entrusted to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles as Peter had been to the Jews.  Each of us have a demographic of people we are uniquely equipped to reach.   Who are the people you uniquely  equipped to reach for Christ?  Are you?  Today, let’s plant, grow and water the seeds in the garden we have been planted!!! He has uniquely equipped us to “Shine” for Jesus,  right where we are at!!

Endurance and patience joyfully?

 Colossians 1:10-12 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

We have been redeemed!   We are strengthened with ALL POWER according to His glorious might!!  So we may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father.    Endurance and patience are often produced because of suffering in verses 11&12 it states joyfully giving thanks!! Can we be joyfully giving thanks in our sufferings?