Everything we do, everything, can bring glory to God. Every
act of service, every sacrificial act of kindness, the love we give our
families can be seen as a gift offering to God. This just fills me with
gratitude. As we give to others, God enriches us in every way. Listen to these
verses.
You will be enriched in every way so that you may
be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in
thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the
needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of
thanks to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11-12
Thanks be to God!
That’s what it’s all about. None of us will live forever on this earth, but we
will live forever with our Lord and we can never repay Him for all He has given
us. As we live out the rest of our lives, let our lives be enriched by His
blessings as we give glory to Him. Give thanks, always. It is His will for us.
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is
God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Jesus,
We honor You with our thanksgiving and praise. You give us everything
we need. Keep our hearts filled with Your love over this holiday season, always
giving thanks.
Amen
Happy Thanksgiving! See
you on Monday
One of the greatest gifts we have is prayer. If you tell others
you will pray for them, take it seriously. Prayer moves mountains. Prayer moves
the hand that moves the world. Prayer changes and transforms and provides
miracles.
Today I pray for
you, giving thanks for you and giving thanks to God. Tell others you love them
and tell them you hold them in your prayers. There is nothing more reassuring
to know others are praying for you. Ask for prayer, and keep praying!
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16
And give
thanks to God in prayer. Never stop praying.
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Lord,
Hear our prayers. How grateful we are to have this gift of
prayer. We give thanks to You for giving us the gift of salvation, and we give
thanks to You for the people in our lives, and for those who pray. We lift up
our voices to You with all of our petitions and our thanks. You hear us.
In Jesus name,
Amen
With Jesus as our Savior, it comes naturally to be continually grateful.
Through joys or sorrow, through doubt or peace, through struggle or smooth
sailing, through it all, we have Jesus. We have His love, His strength, His
power, His truth, our faith in His timing, and we have the promise of heaven.
Because of this, we can live the rich life of
faith with deep thanksgiving. I pray you will share this love with others, as
well as celebrate Jesus with other believers.
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns,
and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3;15
With gratitude in
our hearts. Be thankful today and every day.
Lord,
There are not enough words to thank You, but we are grateful to have
times to give thanks with other believers, teaching one another, loving one
another and singing hymns of praise to You. To You be the glory today and
forever.
In Jesus name,
Amen
It has been a week
of challenging ourselves to move beyond our own selfish needs and desires, to
bring ourselves closer and closer to Jesus. In getting to know Him more
intimately, in growing in wisdom and knowledge, in our times of prayer and in
the grace He provides daily, we can continue to bring glory to Him. Our faith
pleases Him. Our time with Him delights Him as much as it fills us.
As I continue to
challenge myself in the faith and allow God’s Holy Spirit to do His work, I
leave you with this. I pray it over each person reading today. May it be so!
For this reason, since the day we heard about you,
we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to
fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the
Lord, and please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in
the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10
As we grow in spiritual maturity and in the grace of God, we
finally figure out that it’s not about us. It’s all about Him. We are His
children, His beloved friends, His inheritance, His disciples. When we live our
lives in honor of Him, it brings us out of ourselves into living a life filled
with His Spirit.
All glory goes to
Him, and all of this glory will move with us into heaven one day.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ, To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen 2 Peter
3:18
I love this
thought. Bringing glory to God doesn’t mean pleasing others. It doesn’t mean a
show of faith and how much we are doing. It might consist of just being in His
presence, of being thankful while cleaning the kitchen, or stopping to enjoy
the sunrise. He will definitely use us in the lives of others, but our greatest
desires should include spending time with Him, and changing other lives so that
they, too, can know Him.
I will give thanks to You, O’ Lord my God, with all
my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. Psalm 86:12
As we mature and
grow in the faith, everything we do, will be about Him. Both Peter and Paul
lead us into living our lives for His glory.
Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking
the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the
strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified,
through Jesus Christ, through whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and
ever. Amen 1 Peter 4:11
Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do
all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Father,
We are always in Your presence. You will provide what we need,
when we need it, wherever we are, with the people we meet. You are everything
and to You belongs the glory. Bless this day to Your glory.
In Jesus name,
Amen
If you are
struggling with faith, or in trusting God, or in growing in your faith, join
the club! The disciples were filled with doubt and fear. They stumbled along
the way. They let Jesus down when they fell asleep after He asked them to pray.
They were afraid of the storm when He was in the boat. Peter denied knowing Him
when he thought he was in danger. The list goes on and on in their lives and in
ours. Here is a prayer we can use, just as the disciples cried to our Savior.
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our
faith!” Luke 17:5
Our faith
and trust in God please Him. Trusting in the birth, death and resurrection of
Jesus saves us forever. God rewards us as we continue to seek Him and to know
Him better, to continually increase our faith.
And without faith, it is impossible to please God
because anyone who comes to Him, must believe that He exists and that He
rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
Jesus,
Increase our faith! Show us more and more of You. We do
believe that You exist and we earnestly seek You. Bless us with all of the
spiritual riches that belong to us because of You.
Amen
Training our spiritual muscles takes time and training. Our
knowledge of God and our faith-filled life can grow through struggle, through
blessings, through tragic times and joy-filled moments. God works through all
of life, if we are willing to let Him change us and train us.
Our spiritual food
is necessary for our souls. Our training in the Scriptures and in prayer brings
a harvest of fruit into our lives. Don’t be afraid of disciplining yourself to
spend time with Jesus. Just as our bodies sometimes cry out when we put them
through some physical training, our spiritual disciplines can test our patience
and take up our time. Paul reminds us, it is worth it!
For physical training is of some value, but
godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present and
the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
God tells
us just what our spiritual harvest will look like, as Jesus works on our hearts
through our time spent with Him. Think about what this spiritual fruit looks
like in your own life.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22
When God works on
any one of the fruits listed above, He will provide all of the challenging
situations and experiences necessary to grow us spiritually. Have you gone
through times that tested your patience and learned from them? Have you learned
to discipline yourself in a certain area of your life that wasn’t healthy? Have
you blessed someone that is difficult to be around and felt a peace in your
soul? There are so many ways in which God grows this fruit.
If you are being
tested in some way right now, take it as a good sign. God may be growing the
spiritual fruit necessary to become more like Him. It will bless your life and
the lives of others.
Father,
Continue to grow us even when we are struggling through our
tough times. Teach us Your ways that do not come naturally to us. Keep us
rooted in the vine that is Jesus. He will grow the fruit for us that brings
true value to our present lives and the lives to come.
In His name we pray,
Amen
I’ve been guilty of attending church and thinking the message
didn’t resonate, or the music was too loud, or wondering why they did things a
certain way and not another. You, too? We all have our ideas about what we need
and how worship should be done.
What would happen if we went in with a mind
so full of love for Jesus that we brought that selfless spirit in along with
us? It would change the nature of our thoughts and maybe bring a smile to
someone else, not to mention having a heart full of true worship.
Paul reminds us as,
Christians, we are called to become more mature. It is our responsibility to
soak up God’s Word, to feed on it, to nourish ourselves with it as if it were
as imperative as the food we eat to strengthen our bodies.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers,
you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God,
and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Hebrews 5:12
Just as babies move
from needing only milk, to needing and desiring solid food, so, we too, need to
develop a hunger and a thirst for more of God. And maybe, we will bring out
hearts so full or worship, that we feel God’s presence no matter where we are
with a loving Spirit along with us.
Lord,
Draw us deeper into your Word and into your ways. Let us
delight in the spiritual food you offer us on a daily basis and grow us into mature,
active believers.
In Jesus name,
Amen
God gave us Jesus,
His Son, to show us who He is. The death and resurrection of Christ opened up
the door to heaven for us, now and as we leave this earth. How wonderful to be
heirs of the kingdom of heaven.
Just as our parents
leave us with an inheritance, of genes, of family wisdom, of love and character
and of their worldly possessions, we inherit even more from our Father in
heaven. He has given us the keys to His kingdom through Jesus!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us
to adoption as sons and daughters by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:3=5
Missing your
earthly father? Missing ever having a loving father? Let our Father fill in any
gaps in your life with His unending love. Your belief in Jesus brings about
every spiritual blessing, a home in heaven, and a loving Father and Son to walk
with you every step of the way. Their love is unconditional, their Spirit alive
and well within you, along with arms of comfort to calm the storms around you.
The keys to the kingdom are available to all! Open the door of your heart today
and call out, “Abba” Father, our daddy.
Father,
You remind us again and again of our spiritual heritage. Help
us to hear Your voice in a stronger way in the days ahead, to trust in You
completely and to allow You to feed and nourish our spirits until they are
whole.
In Jesus name,
Amen
God is more interested in our character than in our comfort.
He trains us and disciplines us. Discipline is never easy, but it is necessary.
If you are a parent, or are involved in the lives of children, you know how
important it is to set boundaries, to work for their good, even when it is hard
for everyone.
God’s discipline is
always, always filled with love. The tough love we give our children and that
God gives us, will build our character, will make us into people that resemble
Jesus. As God gives us opportunities to build our character and build us up in
the fruit of the Spirit, He will build in us a strong sense of self-discipline.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
True and loving
discipline brings peace to our children and to our families.
Discipline your children, and they will give you
peace. They will bring you the delights you desire. Proverbs 29:17
If God is
working on an attribute of your character, He will bring you through some
difficult situations to build you up. It isn’t easy, for us or for our
children, but the end result is worth it.
They discipline us for a little while as they
thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share
in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later
on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who
have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:10-11
Father,
Thank You for Your example in raising our children. Your Word
is filled with wisdom and knowledge as we raise our families and as we learn
from You. Continue to discipline us when necessary to grow in our faith and in
our righteousness. You are a loving Father.
In Jesus name,
Amen
The job of a shepherd is similar to that of a father. Sheep
recognize their shepherd’s voice. The shepherd keeps them from wandering,
brings them safely back when they are lost, feeds them and gives them a soft
place to land.
You may be familiar
with Psalm 23, reminding us that our Father is is our Shepherd. Our Father
tends to our needs in all ways, and we build our trust in Him, just as the
sheep learn to trust the one in charge of them.
Today place your
trust in our good Shepherd. Listen for His voice. It is unlike any other.
“I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My
sheep know Me.” John 10:14
My sheep listen to My voice. I know them and they
know Me. John 10:27
Do you recognize
the voice of our Shepherd? He knows you inside and out. Listen for Him.
Lord,
You are a gracious Father and Shepherd. You guide us and teach
us and work for the good in us. Transform us with Your precious voice that is
always available.
In Jesus name,
Amen
As we come to our
Lord as children, it is important to remember to teach our young children to do
the same. Our son-in-law’s 4-year-old son, cries out to his daddy in the night
when he can’t sleep, knowing he is nearby to comfort him. Our almost 2-year-old
grandson considers his “dadoo” his favorite person in the world.
These two little
boys have the best daddies. But sometimes our earthly dads are away at work, or
have gone on to heaven, or aren’t there in the middle of the night. We can all
come to our heavenly Father when we are scared or need a shoulder to cry on. He
is always there, inside us, and surrounding us.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present
help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Psalm 91 is a
beautiful Psalm of God’s protection over us. Remind your children and
grandchildren that God will provide angels to surround them when they are
afraid.
For He will command His angels concerning you to
guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11
Father God,
We praise You for Your protection, for the angels that
surround us and for being our comfort and our strength.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Our Father God is our “daddy.” If you grew up with a loving
dad, you knew you were loved unconditionally. You understood he was there to
protect you, to guide you and to discipline you. Our Father God does the same
for us.
When parents
brought their children to Jesus to be blessed, His disciples tried to shoo them
away, knowing He was busy and worn down. Here is His response.
When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to
them, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
Even as a 64-year-old,
I can be a child in God’s eyes. What a marvelous thought. I still miss my
parents so much and how blessed am I, (are we) to be able to come to our Father
in heaven for our deepest needs.
Three verses in
Scripture use the term, “Abba, Father.” It’s meaning is to place full
confidence in and have deep affection for a father. In our language, it can be
interpreted as “daddy.” Jesus used the
term in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was in anguish before His journey to
the cross, and called out to His Father.
In Romans we are
reminded that the Spirit of God has allowed us to be adopted as children and we
can call out “Abba!” to Him. Here is the third verse in which the term “Abba”
is used.
Because you are His sons and daughters, God sent
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,”
Father. Galatians 4;6
Cry out to your
Father in heaven when you feel the need for a daddy, who is closer to you than
your own father.
Lord,
How can we thank You for adopting us as Your beloved children?
We cry out to You with our needs as You comfort us and protect us.
In Jesus name,
Amen
I pray the headlines of your life are
filled with blessings at this moment in time. Look underneath and over and
beyond any darkness and watch for the light of Christ to shine. He is with us
now and He will be with us tomorrow. We are His eternally. That is forever and
ever! You are a child of the light, never to walk in darkness again. Believe in
Jesus!
You are all
children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or
to the darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5
When Jesus
spoke again to the people He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John
8:12
You will never walk in darkness, but will
have the light of life. Take these verses to heart. Allow His light to offer
hope and comfort and blessings each and every day. I love the verses about His
light. I see that special light in my brothers and sisters of the faith. The
light that shines for others in the darkness. The light of compassion and
kindness. The light that looks beyond the circumstances to the true light of
the world.
That is Jesus, our
Savior.
Lord,
Shine Your light
brightly in our hearts. Let it shine around us so that others may see Your
face. When we light the way for others, it lights our path as well.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Beyond the
headlines of the day, Jesus is working. Beyond the struggles in our life, Jesus
is working. Beyond the worry and the fear, Jesus is working. His work in us
will never stop. That brings me comfort. How about you?
Being confident
in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion
until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
Let’s open our hearts to Him and begin
anew today. Ask Him to work and then believe! Remember, He always, always works
for the good of those who are called according to His purpose.
And we know
that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been
called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
He who began a work in you will carry it
on to completion. And as those who love Him, we can be confident in His working
for the good.
Lord,
Give us the
confidence and the peace we need today. You are working even when we don’t see
the outcome, even in the midst of uncertainty. You are in control and we praise
You for Your good works.
In Jesus name,
Amen
The saying goes, “They are so heavenly
minded, they do no earthly good.” In
fact, the opposite is true. With our eyes fixed spiritually, understanding the
nearness of Jesus, we will concentrate more and more on Him and what He has for
us to do.
As we look beyond this world, it doesn’t
mean we aren’t involved. We are citizens of the communities around us. We vote with
our conscience, we volunteer, we recycle, we know right from wrong.
Jesus reminded us to follow the laws of
the land.
Then Jesus said
to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s,” and
they were amazed at Him. Matthew 12:17
We are also called to respect the
authority of the land and to pray for our rulers. Prayer can move mountains and
will move the hand of our God.
First of all, then,
I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for
all people, for kings and for all in high positions, that we may lead a quiet
and peaceful life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is
pleasing in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people to be saved
and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
Remind them to
be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every
good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to
show perfect courtesy to all people. Titus 3:1-2
These verses are in such sharp contrast to
what is happening in our country. The respect for authority is dwindling,
common courtesy is disappearing. Gentleness is hard to find.
Let’s be different. God wants to save
everyone. And He may use us to save others, if we look beyond the headlines to
Jesus. He is love.
Jesus,
Let us be Your
people, doing Your work in the work You have chosen for us. Help us to raise
our children and grandchildren to love You and to be kind and compassionate.
Teach us and keep us safe and protected as we move into the world.
Amen
Can we see beyond the headlines in the newspaper?
Can we move beyond the division in politics, the worry over war and violence,
the fear of global warming and weather pattern changes to see with eyes of
hope?
If you know the word of God, you know none
of what is happening around us comes as a surprise. If you believe God is
ultimately in control and will one day vanquish evil and restore a new heaven
and a new earth, we need not fear.
Let’s look at a few verses found in
Matthew 24 and Luke 21, both chapters answering the questions the disciples
asked Jesus, about His final return.
When you hear
of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first,
but the end will not come right away. Luke 21:
As it was in
the days of Noah, so it will be in the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37
There will be great
earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and
great signs from heaven. Luke 21:11
Do not fear, do not be alarmed, do not be
frightened, all commands from Jesus. Keep your eyes fixed beyond this world and
unto heaven. He is in charge and we know He is near. Live at peace within and
don’t get caught up in the worries and tumult of the world. He needs us to
shine with His love right now.
Jesus,
We don’t understand
the presence and the increase of evil, but you do. It has to run its course
until You come for us and take us home. We wait expectantly, as the signs grow
ever closer.
Amen
Last week, we looked at some of what I
call, “The Headline Events” in my life. Just as the media and newspapers focus
on the tragedies and the tough breaks in life, that is sometimes how we
identify one another.
Isn’t he the one that had the drinking
problem, the one with the disabled child, the one who is in a wheelchair, the one
with a troubled marriage? I’m sure you know what I mean.
We
seldom move beyond the big news to see how the story turns out, or read between
the lines where the blessings are hidden. Those headline events, the bold-faced,
underlined moments of my life have taken on added meaning, and purpose and yes,
blessings.
I shared with you the blessings and the unending
grace God has shown me through every situation in life, the good, the bad, the
ugly. He weaves His promises, His love and His goodness into all of life.
Focusing on the good is often difficult
when dealing with chronic pain or a life of care-giving. But don’t let the
headlines bring you down. Look beyond them to find deeper meaning, into
something eternal and profound.
I have a degenerative eye disease called
retinitis pigmentosa, which began with night blindness and over the last twenty
years has robbed me of my peripheral vision. This disease, I would say, is one
of the headlines of my life. Our family has dealt with other major and minor
crises over the years as everyone does.
Since the original diagnosis of my eye
disease, my life has changed. Slowing down, giving up driving, allowing my
world to decrease in activity and diminish in scope has often found me at a
loss.
When a crisis hits us, we face choices, we
come to a crossroads and we wonder which way to move. What do we do now?
My diagnosis brought me to my knees. Not a
bad place to begin the process of dealing with pain. “If you are there, God, please
let me know.”
A humble position, a questioning mind, a
seeking heart. And, of course, He responded. He found me, just as He promises
in His Word. He led me to others to help
me through the journey. I realize now; He had been there all along. I had heard of His love all of my life. I just
hadn’t taken the time to get to know Him personally, Maybe, just maybe, I
needed a headline event.
He is now more real to me than anyone else
in my life. The Word of God is constantly on my heart and on my lips. He
comforts me, He gives me rest, and real peace and joy in the midst of a chaotic
and ever-changing world. He constantly amazes me.
Our daughters have seen faith in action.
They have learned it is a blessing to serve. And they believe in the power of
prayer and understand it more than I did at their age. They have hearts of
compassion and I’m sure some of that heart comes from dealing with all we have
dealt with as a family. We all need each other. Accepting help when we need it from
others is no easy task in this independent/fast-paced age of ours. And I have
been richly blessed with my husband, family and friends.
Finally,
no matter what the headlines of my life will read in the future, I will not let
them define me. God will turn the tragedy into triumph, the fear into faith,
the test into a testimony and the headline event into a history to be shared.
My
spiritual eyes are wide open and as the darkness begins to gather around me, I
have the only light that matters. And Christ is the Author and Finisher of all
things. Not only of our individual lives and destinies, but of all eternity.
Jesus is on the throne of heaven, having defeated death for us.
Looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, despising its shame and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Father,
We don’t
understand how Jesus could see the joy before Him as He endured the cross for
us, but I believe that joy included us! We thank You for teaching us how to
open our spiritual eyes to truth, and like Jesus, keep our eyes on the joy set
before us.
In Jesus name,
Amen
As I open my heart to you this
week, I pray you are comforted. I feel your pain, whatever you are dealing with
or have dealt with in the past. You are loved by an amazing God. Please don’t
ever forget that. Reach up to Him and pray from your heart. Plead with Him. Get
angry with Him. Ask for His help. Ask for His presence. He hears you.
This last tale I will share this week goes
back to March of 2009, when my husband suffered a stroke. Every number, every
blood test, every bit of his lifestyle and family history said he was not a
candidate. He was healthy, strong, an athlete. And it began slowly with a numb
thumb and cheek.
He went to work that morning, only to be
told to go to the doctor by his boss. The doctor told him to get to the ER immediately
and throughout the day the symptoms would deteriorate. His speech slurred more
and more, the numbness and weakness spread throughout his left side.
Our oldest daughter was with us and it was
a frightening sight to see our strong family leader in this weakened position.
By this time in my life, my faith was
strong and throughout the experiences I spoke of earlier this week, God showed
me how to ask for and to look for the blessings around me, no matter the
circumstances. The stories are endless, from the love of his closest life-long
buddies, to the answers to prayer in his steady improvement, to the needed
words given to me at my darkest moment from a pastor friend of mine.
Nip never complained and his faith grew stronger and the months
of his recovery remain some of our closest moments. Moments when I would rub
this left arm and hand over and over again, as I assisted him in buttoning a
shirt or in taking a shower.
Somehow, God strengthened our sense of
humor through those months. Besides dissolving into laughter after the hard
labor of helping him take his first shower after returning home, Nip would sing
random songs off and on, certainly not the norm for my stoic, quiet husband.
When he was still staying in rehab, it
happened to coincide with the time of the high-school hockey tournament, and
his TV did not tune in to the appointed channel. The look of pure panic in his
eyes stirred me into action. It just so happened, the nurse at the front desk
was the sister-in-law of one of his former high-school hockey buddies!
Well, she insisted this was a dire
emergency and called someone right over. They figured it out for him within the
hour. God answers prayers in unusual ways.
We had the opportunity, through those months,
to sit for hours on the swings in the backyard, talking, reminiscing and
looking forward to what was to come. I am happy to report, other than some mild
weakness in his left hand and less ability to combat the cold on his left side,
he has been healthy for over ten years. Thank You, Lord!
My prayer warriors were on their knees
throughout those months and I am forever grateful. Friends dropped off meals.
There were so many cards, phone calls, and love. It was a humbling time for
both of us. I felt the presence of God around me at all times through those
months. My friend, Barb, gave Nip this verse.
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will run
and not grow faint. Isaiah 40:31
Have you discovered blessings through
your times of struggle? Share your stories with others. The compassion and
kindness you give goes a long way. We will all go through
tough times in our individual life journeys and God remains faithful and
true., through unexpected laughter, through the gifts of friendship, through
unexplained “coincidences.”
Father,
Show
us Your heart as we suffer. Give us blessings that we can see, hear and touch.
Help us to savor the small moments of goodness even in the depths of darkness.
Somehow, you lift us out and give us yet another firm place to stand. Please
use our times of suffering to show Your glory.
In
Jesus name,
Amen
