Isaiah 43:19 - "Where Are You Christmas?"

When I was woke up during the night, the words to a song Faith Hill sings was going through my mind. These words continued for the rest of the night and are still with me this morning. 

Where are you Christmas 
Why can't I find you 
Why have you gone away 
Where is the laughter 
You used to bring me 
Why can't I hear music play 

As I prayed during the night I thought of so many people who may be struggling with the upcoming holiday. I prayed for...

• Many who will have their first Christmas without a loved one and those who will experience maybe the second, fifth, twentieth, however long it has been since their loved one left this earth.
• The young pastor and his wife as they deal with not being continued with their church after the two year review.
• The young pastor and his wife who recently accepted a call and are to move within the next month yet he has spent more days in the hospital than not with an unknown illness.
• Those struggling with treatments for cancer and other diseases.
• Those dealing with family members with dementia, alzheimer's, etc.
• Parents who don't have 'extra' money to buy Christmas for their children and some who are struggling to even put food on the table.
• Separated and/or divorced couples and their families.
• Families who are in turmoil; some members of the family not speaking to one another.
• Newborn Beckett who is in NICU and his family.
• Those who are away from family for the holiday, especially our military.
• Sherry and her family with the diagnosis of her father's kidney cancer.
• Those with family members chained to addictions.

As I was praying, the Lord reminded me of praises to raise to Him...

• Roberta with having clear scans...no cancer!
• Brian's Mom and Donna with no cancer showing from their medical tests!
• Judy's sister-in-law Karen is off the ventilator and may go home today!
• Valerie with successful back surgery!
• Peggy's doctor was able to get more of the brain tumor out than he anticipated and she was awake talking after surgery!
• The 'secret Santa' gift Ally received for Christmas!
• Little Aiya who will be celebrating her first Christmas!
• Dale's blood counts being good this week!
• My Momma having a good check-up with the heart doctor!

We must remember to praise God through the storms of life. As we praise Him, He will bless us with joy that does not make sense. He loves us in abundance and wants to show us that love. Too many times we allow the enemy to get in the way. Sometimes we desire to focus on ourselves instead of Him. When we do, we miss so many blessings. We must all make the choice to choose joy in order to receive it. This is a daily decision that must be made. If we do not, then we will be singing songs such as this one wondering where Christmas is. No one knows what today or tomorrow will bring other than the Lord. It takes trusting Him and believing with faith He will not only get you through the circumstances ahead but will bless you through them. I pray for those who are hurting to find 'Christmas' again. He has never left, even in the storms of life. His love will soothe the pains of this world in a way nothing else can.

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the strength You will give me today with so little sleep last night. Thank You for the privilege to pray for so many people. Thank You for the joy You give me through the storms of life. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me today to be who You desire me to be. I pray for others to pray this same way. I pray for more people to let go of self and allow You to work in and through them. Lord, enable me to remember praises even when there are so many requests. I pray You will also enable me to remember the true reason for the season is Your birth. May those who are struggling remember this too. Thank You Jesus for being My Christmas. Amen.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - "Home"

Dealing with the death of a loved one has so many emotions. There is sadness because they are no longer with us on this earth. Sometimes there is anger because the death was caused by another. There can be joy in knowing you will see your loved one again in heaven. There also can be relief in knowing they are no longer suffering in their physical body. As I listen to my two little guys talk about losing their Mamaw, I am amazed at their words. Yesterday when Mr. Jimmy said how sad he was that she was gone, Mr. Eli said, "Well, you know, everyone is born and everyone has to die." It made me think of Ecclesiastes where we are told that exact thing. God has a time for everything that happens. We never know when a baby will be born even though doctors can give a due date. Miss Aiya's birth in September proved that. When she came four weeks early, she was perfectly healthy. It was God's time for her to be born. Today we are praying for friends who are awaiting his Granny leaving this earth. Yesterday she had a 'good day' with singing, rejoicing, speaking of those who had gone on to heaven, etc. I have been with quite a few people for their last 'good day' and I treasure each experience. It makes me kind of jealous in that they are going to go 'home' and not have to wait any longer to be in the arms of Jesus. When someone we know dies, it definitely helps to know they will spend eternity in heaven. But even with that knowledge there are still tough days where your heart feels like it will break with missing them so greatly. I still have days of crying because I miss my Daddy and he has been gone from this earth for over five years. I also have days where I cry over all the things I didn't get to experience with my sister Naomi. It wasn't fair that she was taken in such a horrible way but I have peace in knowing where she is. I believe God protected her from 'junk' by taking her to be with Him. These words in Ecclesiastes tell us there is "a time to mourn and a time to dance..." (vs. 4). It is ok to cry when we are thinking of our loved ones who have left us. But we can't stay in that place. God needs us to stay in relationship with Him so we will see our loved ones again. There is great debate over what heaven will be like. Will we know our loved ones? We are to have new bodies in heaven so how could we know them? I made a decision a long time ago about heaven. If something is not clearly known from the Bible, I will not spend my time fretting over how it will be. Instead I will think of it in the way I do, ask God to reveal to me anything I need to know, and live for Him. I have seen too many people get caught up in the 'what ifs' or the 'buts' about heaven and miss the whole point of eternal life. Verse six tells us there is "a time to search and a time to give up" and that is exactly what I do when things are not clear. I search for answers and gather the information given. After that if I still am unsure I quit and allow God to work in and through me. Some questions will never be answered on this earth. The question of why someone died, had a disease such as cancer, etc. are ones that we may search for an answer to but most likely will not receive. Today is a new day. For some it will be their last day on this earth. For others it will be the day they receive salvation and be reborn to live for Jesus while on this earth. No one knows what their day holds. Some may have a list in front of them to check off as tasks are accomplished but if God takes them a different direction I pray they will be open to Him. I continue to praise Him for releasing me from having lists. I had lists for my lists. Praise His Holy Name for the freedom I found when He opened my eyes that I was missing what He desired for me because of being tied to my lists. I pray everyday for Him to not allow me to miss any opportunity He puts before me. I could not do that when I was tied to my lists because I was too focused on tasks instead of Him. Just as the boys and I have been discussing we must stay focused on Him. There are times, such as when we lose a loved one, it may become harder to stay focused but we must not allow anything to deter us.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder of Ecclesiastes 3 this morning. Father I pray for those who have recently lost a loved one and for those who are now going through seeing one leave this earth. As I think of the holidays, I think of all the happy memories I have with my Daddy. One that comes to my mind was going to Caskey's woods and cutting down a Christmas tree. I could not have been very old yet I have that happy memory. Thank You for all of the memories. Thank You for the knowledge of my Daddy being out of his misery and in Your arms. Father, I pray for those who are having a hard time with the holidays to be blessed with good memories. I also pray for people to draw nearer to You through the tough days of missing their loved ones. Today is a new day. I am a bit overwhelmed with everything that is ahead over these next few days. I am depending upon Your strength not only physically but mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. May You be my words, actions, and attitude every moment of every day. In order for that to happen, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Thank You Jesus for being My Eternal Daddy! Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Thirty eight years ago today was chilly day just as it is today. I woke up to thinking I had wet the bed when in fact my water had broke. The next two hours were tense and very painful. We rushed to the hospital knowing our baby boy was standing up instead of in the 'right' position to be born. When the ER nurse did an exam and felt a foot, she screamed "get her upstairs" without any hesitation. They did not want to be responsible for me. We waited and waited for the surgeon to get there. Finally, my doctor (Dr. Bowman) made the decision we had to get into surgery without him. Amazingly, the surgeon walked in the door as we went into surgery. I did not know it at the time but it was pretty serious for both the baby and myself. In fact, they questioned whether we would live. But God had other plans for both of us. Fast forward eleven months and I found us back in a different hospital with our baby boy having a fever over 105 degrees with what we soon found out was viral meningitis. We were there for a very long, tough week. I had to fight to be with him at night. The nurses were anti-breastfeeding and fought me every step of the way with night feedings. The first night I spent in the lobby with my baby boy screaming when he awoke in the 'cage' bed because he was scared. It wasn't that he needed to eat. It was that he needed the security of his mommy. After that night, I told the doctor either make it so I can stay with him 24/7 or send us to a different hospital. From then on I was given a recliner in his room with 24/7 access. The first night I slept in there with him he didn't wake up except when they came in to do his vitals. We were so blessed when he was well enough to go home. Unfortunately, two weeks later we found ourselves in another hospital with him having pneumonia, bronchitis, and croup as an after effect of the meningitis. Thankfully that hospital experience was different. They expected me to be with him. In both situations Paul's Grandma McHenry was with us as much as possible. She was working full-time and taking classes at Akron U but still made time for us. Fast forward sixteen years later to the time Paul got his license. His Grandpa McHenry wanted to give his old car to Paul. I told him absolutely not. We had told Paul he had to buy his own car and pay for his own insurance. I was not a happy camper when my daddy 'sold' it to him for one hundred dollars but was tickled for Paul. Fast forward twenty-one years later when God took us to Willard. Grandma and Grandpa were there once again to support Paul with allowing him to live with them while he finished his degree at Akron U. They spoiled him tremendously but they also taught him so much. Paul had a tough time coming into this world but I find it ironic he came in standing up. He was ready to take on this world. He was ready to excel at his studies, athletics, his jobs, etc. He was not going to allow the world to stop him from doing anything he put his mind to. I prayed for Paul when I was just a little girl. I prayed for God to bless me to be a 'good' mommy and to have 'good' kids. When I was pregnant with him, I prayed for him to be healthy and happy. After the meningitis before his first birthday he had tubes put in his ears as a young boy but was really healthy. We were blessed by good grades, good health, good habits...well maybe that is stretching it because his OCD sometimes was not considered good...lol. I also prayed as a child and again as Paul was growing up for him to find a godly lady to take as his wife. Once again prayers were answered with Paul marrying Lizzy. I love to see them having fun and enjoying life. I love to hear of their experiences at their church. Most of all I love to see the love they give to Miss Bella. My prayers for him to be a good daddy have been answered over and over. My prayers for him to be the leader of his home have also been answered. One of the things I miss the most since Paul left home is the hugs and "I love you" that he never left without giving. Getting a text of "I love you" is wonderful but not quite the same. I am grateful for today's technology to stay in touch but it is just not the same. Paul has left Ohio to move to Philadelphia and Charlotte at different times with his job. Now we are in South Carolina and there are just too many miles between us. As I reflect back on Paul's life and celebrate his thirty-eighth birthday from afar, I am grateful for all the ways God has blessed me through Paul and ask God to bless him in abundance in this year ahead. I know God has great plans for him. He promises that in Jeremiah 29:11-13. "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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." I am grateful Paul seeks God with all his heart. I am proud of the way he is open about his relationship with God in his workplace. God has truly blessed me with him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the blessings You have given me through my oldest son, Paul. Thank You for blessing him in abundance with his family, a great career, etc. But most of all thank You for blessing him with a relationship with You. May You be brighter in Your light that shines through him today. May he have the desire in his heart to walk in obedience to You. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me today so I can walk in obedience to Your voice. Thank You for all the blessings You have given us throughout the years of Paul's life. Thank You for being Our Heavenly Father! Amen.

Psalm 23 - "I Am Not Alone"

As I read Psalm 23 this morning I thought about how David grew up being a shepherd boy. He knew the life of a shepherd. Therefore, when he wrote the twenty-third Psalm he worded it with knowing fully what he was talking about. He knew the role of a shepherd was to care for his sheep. Not only did they care for their sheep but they knew exactly how to do so. They knew the importance of not allowing their sheep to stray or get hurt. A shepherd cared for their sheep just a mother or father cares for their child. They try to keep them going the right direction. Our Good Shepherd does the same. He loves us as He directs us. He desires to lead us on the right path in life. We must listen to His voice just as sheep must listen to their shepherd. Not only must we listen to His voice but we must follow where He leads us. Sometimes that is not easy for to do. It can be difficult or it can be so outrageous that it just does not make sense. But as we follow, we will be blessed with His protective hand leading us. We can be assured He won't leave us no matter what happens. We also can be assured He will provide security for us no matter what the circumstances. The first four verses of Psalm 23 are not from the shepherd's perspective but rather from the sheep's perspective. They show how sheep depend upon the shepherd for everything. It is through our Great Shepherd that we find rest even during troubling times. We receive such rest through the reading of His Word, praying, and staying in communion with Him. The 'paths of righteousness' in verse three are not always easy to walk through. The 'valley' in verse four can take a long time and have great turmoil. The thing we must remember is that He is always with us. We have nothing to fear as we lean upon His strength during tough times. The enemy will try to make us fear but we cannot give into his ways. We must stand upon the Lord's promise to be with us. Verses five and six show a host and his guest. In David's time when a person was invited into the home of a bedouin (shepherd) they knew they would be given protection over their enemy, fellowship, food, and shelter. It was the best thing to happen to a person. David was given these things but he was given a whole lot more. He was given the best of the food and not leftovers. He was given the blessing of being anointed and having more than he could ever imagine. The best thing he was given was eternal life with the Lord. We today can receive the same thing. We can be blessed by God with love, protection, mercy, and most of all eternal life with Him. All we have to do is live like David shows in this Psalm. We must trust and love God. We must allow Him to be Our Good Shepherd which means following His voice. It is not an easy road but it is a necessary road to take if we want His peace and love forever.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders of Psalm 23. I was so blessed a few years ago when I realize this Psalm is not just for times of death but for all time. It is not just a comforting Psalm for those going through tough days but instead is an encouragement on how to live listening and following Your voice. Lord, cleanse me today so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my strength throughout this day not only physically, mentally,  emotionally, and financially but most of all spiritually. Lord, be with others who need to realize how You desire for them to live in Your presence. Thank You Jesus for being My Great Shepherd. Amen.

Psalm 91 - "Who You Say I Am"

I came upon a concept that I dearly love as I was reading for school last night. Dr. Butler wrote how we need to have our compass calibrated to true north. These means we are living out life on principles instead of practices. In other words, we live out our "vision, values, principles, conscience" instead of our clock which is our "commitments, appointments, and schedule." God needs to be the 'main thing' in our life and we need to make sure He is where our compass stays aligned to. Dr. Butler gave four principles to live by. They are: live life as a priority; spend time with those who are important so strong relationships are built; keep learning; and leave a legacy for your children, grandchildren, church family, and your community. This information was given in respect to leaders but it is good for all. This morning God took me to Psalm 91. He had me read the entire chapter but then took me back to the very first verse. Living in His presence is where I find peace. It is where I find joy in the midst of the storms. It is where I find strength when the enemy comes fighting. I love how this verse uses the word rest. That is not something easily found in the midst of troubles but it can be when we allow God to be our strength. God also woke me with the song "Who You Say I Am" which touches me immensely. 

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I'm a child of God
Yes I am
In my Father's house
There's a place for me
I'm a child of God
Yes I am

There is freedom in living in His presence. It is a freedom to know wherever your feet take you or whatever words come from your mouth God is in the midst of it all. When we accept Jesus into our life, we have the knowledge of salvation. But when we die to self and allow Him to be not only our King but our Lord we have the knowledge of His secure arms being wrapped around us in a new way. It is not understood by many but it can be felt by all who will give Him total control of all aspects of life. I use to think it was only about the checkbook but then soon realized it was about the calendar too. Then when I realized it was about every aspect of life I was blessed in abundance. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders of Psalm 91 this morning and for this song. Thank You for the way You wrap Your loving arms around me to make me feel secure. Father, in a world full of turmoil I am blessed by Your peace. Thank You for our time yesterday exploring more of our little world and seeing the beauty of Your creation. I needed that time so much. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me today with more of You. Thank You for keeping my compass focused on You throughout this day so I do not miss any opportunity You have for me. Thank You for answered prayers. I pray for one for wisdom today as she deals with marital issues; Ellen as she goes into rehab; Mary Ellen as she begins rehab; Billie as she continues battling cancer; pastors who are drained and fighting the urge to write a letter of resignation today; and two friends who are going through some tough days. Lord, may You be their peace in the midst of the storm happening in their life. Thank You for being My True North! Amen.

II Thessalonians 1:11-12 - "No Matter What"

I started my Saturday night out praying for pastors for boldness in their preaching. When the Lord woke me up, the same prayer was on my heart along with prayers for those who would be hearing sermons today. The Lord told me to pray specifically for the Holy Spirit to be allowed into services. He told me there are some pastors frustrated with how the people are not allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through them. He had me pray for those pastors to not give up. He also brought to my prayers a pastor who is going through a time of prayer about changing churches. Once again He had me pray this pastor would listen to Him. Another set of pastors He brought to my prayers are interim pastors. They have a tough task in their ministry. Sometimes there is a lot of hurt they must deal with in a church who has lost their pastor. A lot of times there is great financial strain on the church they are ministering to. There is a delicate balance of not getting attached to the people yet loving with Jesus' love. God had me pray for blessings of strength for them. Once again He had me pray for them to listen to Him. A common theme throughout the night was listening to God. There really is no other way to live other than in communion with Him. When one is in communion with Him, they will live out His strength, be empowered by the Holy Spirit, and live for eternity with their Heavenly Father. I love Saturday nights of praying for pastors. The Lord knew I was physically exhausted last night and gave me an extended time of praying before going to sleep and then waking me only once. I am His willing servant and will do what He calls upon me to do but I sure appreciated the sleep I had. I also appreciate the way He encourages me during 'bleak' times. A friend sent me an article about missionaries in Africa who had not seen anyone come to Christ for a decade. There was question on whether to keep them there or not. They were given some encouragement to set up a communion set. I'm sure they thought that was a crazy thing to do with no Christians but they did with great faith. The result was six people coming into relationship with the Lord within days of their obedience. We must never give up sharing God's love with others. Doubt is an open door for the enemy to pounce in. It is imperative we stay in close relationship with God so we can not only hear His voice but follow it. It is also imperative for our faith to not be stagnate but to grow. It is through our faith we will be able to "keep on keepin' on" as we do His work. The one time the Lord woke me to pray He had "No Matter What" going through my mind. He has had this song with me throughout the week so I know there is great things for me to receive from it not only for myself but for others.

No matter what you've done
You can't erase His love
Nothing can change it
You're not separated
No matter where you run
He's always holding on
You're still a daughter, you're still a son
No matter what

Pastors need to remember these words for themselves and to share with others. God does not give up on any of us. No matter what our circumstances, what people do against us, the words people speak over us, or what people think of us God loves us. Even when others do not show love toward us, He loves us. We must never forget that but instead bask in His love and draw strength from Him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Saturday nights of praying for pastors. Lord, I pray not only for pastors but for the people who will hear them today. I pray all will have open ears to You. I pray for walks of obedience in everyone's lives. Father, cleanse me today so You can fill me to overflowing. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day so people will see/hear You instead of me. Thank You for these words of encouragement from my friend this morning. Lord, I pray seeds we are sowing and nurturing will have growth seen soon. I pray for doors that need opened with the building rehab to be opened soon. Lord, may You be greater than financial and contractor issues before us. May it soon be Your time for this project to move forward. Until it does, I pray for encouragement for all of us. I pray against the enemy having any open doors in this situation. Be greater, Lord. Be greater. Thank You Jesus for being The One to Love Us. Amen.

II Chronicles 20 - "Surrounded"

I woke up this morning with these words going through my mind...

This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles

It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You
It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You
It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You
It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You

I had a dream last night where I was starting to get mad about a decision someone close to me made that affected me. In the dream, I started praying and the Lord quickly reminded me of this song. I was immediately at peace with the situation. When the person asked me if I were upset with them, my response was "the Lord will take care of things." That is not an easy way of handling such things. But we must remember things 'out of our control' belong in the Lord's hands, not ours. As I think about that statement it is kind of silly because everything belongs in the Lord's hands. We do not have to fret over decisions others make. All we have to do is trust God in the outcome. I wonder why I had this dream. I pray it is not that there is going to be a confrontation in my near future. But on the other hand I should pray differently. I should pray asking God to enable me to lean more on Him so my faith will grow in such a situation. So many times we ask God to protect us from this or that. I have started changing my prayers to asking God to use situations such as conflict to grow my faith. If life were perfect, there would be no reason for me to lean on His strength. 'Bad things' actually can be 'good things' when our spiritual lives are stretched. Woo hoo! There is peace in knowing this. There is not one thing we go through where we should be afraid. God already knows the outcome. He already knows if the malignant will be cancerous. He already knows when the prodigal son/daughter will return. He already knows if there will be enough money to pay all the bills. He already knows how there will be food on the table. Since He already knows such things we need to quit worrying and walk in obedience to His direction. He knows the outcome. Plain and simple. He knows. The things we go through in life are not ours to fret over but instead are ours to grow a deeper faith through. The way to live in such a manner is by living a life of holiness. It takes emptying ourselves every day so He can fill us up with Himself. It takes saying 'yes' when it doesn't make sense and going places or doing things we would not normally do. It takes taking on the mindset of Christ so people see/hear Him instead of ourselves. We read in the twentieth chapter of II Chronicles about how King Jehoshaphat asked God to stop the army he didn't think he and his men could beat. Instead of stopping the army God told him to not be afraid or discouraged and that it was not his battle to fight. When the King listened and believed what God said, he had great victory. That will be the result when we listen, believe, and walk in obedience to God. We will have victory over the things that come our way. We may be "surrounded" by what we think is greater than us and it will be until we take on God's strength. The ways of this world that the enemy tries to put upon us can only be fought by having the full armor of God (Ephesians 6) on every day. The enemy is real but my God is more real than him. The battles are tough when fought by the flesh but there is great joy when we have victory through God's empowerment.

Dear Jesus,

I don't know why I had this dream last night but I pray when 'battles' come before me I will be strong in Your empowerment. Use my 'battles' to strengthen my spiritual being. Cleanse me so You can fill me. Empower me so I will have victory over everything the enemy brings my way. I am no longer asking You to stop such 'battles' but instead am asking You to empower me through them. Take my faith deeper through them. Use them to make me stronger in You. There are so many people going through 'battles' and I pray they will realize 'their' battles belong to You. May they have victory so they can have Your sweet joy inside them. Thank You Jesus for being My Battle Taker! Amen.

Titus 3:3-7 - "No Matter What"

I woke up this morning to these words from a song Ryan Stevenson sings going through the mind...

No matter what you've done
You can't erase His love
Nothing can change it
You're not separated
No matter where you run
He's always holding on
You're still a daughter, you're still a son
No matter what

I am so grateful my Heavenly Father accepted me back when I rebelled. As I sang these words, I thought how true they really are. He never stopped loving me even when I turned away. There was a separation on my part but not on His. I was still His daughter in His eyes. I am not proud of those days. If I could, I would erase them away. But they are history and I've learned from them. They are part of 'my story' that enables me to minister to others in similar situations. One of the hardest parts of my history is that some people remember it. Some not only remember it but they remind me of it from time to time. That can be good and bad. The good part is it allows me to share what God has done in my life. The bad part is it gives the enemy an open door in both their life and mine. The enemy loves to use the past to cause issues. He loves to stir up things in relationships. He tries to bring guilt from past experiences into life today. One could make a list of all the 'bad' things they have done in life and if given the opportunity, the enemy would start working to cause guilt, anger, etc. If those emotions start, the door is opened for him to cause havoc. The past is just that. The past. When we repent, our sins are washed away. They are no longer. The memories are still with us but we no longer have to worry about them. Sometimes it is nice to reflect on them because we see how far the Lord has brought us. But they are not where we should stay. Today is a new day. Tomorrow is the future. We have a choice of allowing God to live and work in us or we can choose to give the enemy an open door. One choice leads to eternal life with the Lord. The other can lead to hell. My choice is eternity with my Heavenly Daddy. 

As I reflect back on 'Black Fridays' of the past, I am ashamed of the way I acted. I prayed this morning for God to protect people but I also prayed a prayer of gratitude that He has made me realize 'stuff' is just that. I thanked Him for enabling me to get my priorities more in line with Him. I also thanked Him for working on me in the area of my life that hurts so much with not being able to give people gifts like I have always done. I thanked Him for giving me ideas of things I can make for people. I make them with His love in every bite, in every stitch, etc. When I think about how people gave gifts years ago that were made by themselves, it makes me appreciate this season of life a little more. A gift from the heart from me is a gift made with lots of love and prayers. Will the gifts be appreciated? I don't know. Sometimes I don't think my prayers are appreciated by some but I still send them. 

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. The birth of Jesus was not December 25 but that is the day we celebrate it. The wisemen brought gifts to Baby Jesus but it wasn't right when He was born. It took them time to travel to see Him. The time doesn't matter. The act of giving Him gifts is important in the story. Even though December 25 wasn't the day and even though the wisemen brought gifts but not on that day the tradition of celebrating His birth with gifts continues today. I love giving gifts. I remember putting a quarter a week into a Christmas Club at the bank every Saturday when we went to town. At the end of the year, I had $13 to take Christmas shopping. At that time I had four siblings with spouses, four or five nieces/nephews, and my parents to buy for. I loved stretching that money to get everyone a present. $13 spent. Ten or eleven gifts bought. Woo hoo! Today $13 won't even buy more than one or two 'small' gifts for people. But it is not about the money, it is about the love put into the gift. It is about the prayers put into the gift. Most of all it is about keeping the true meaning of Christmas in our lives. Lord, forgive us when we forget. In this song this morning, the lyrics of "no matter where you run" take on new meaning. We can 'run' into the ways of the world and collect 'stuff' or we can bask in His presence and allow Him to open our minds up on ways to show others His love through us. We have a choice to make. The choice is not always easy, especially if you are a person who has a history of giving 'stuff.' It is not easy to change the mindset that gifts do not always have to be from a store. It is not easy to not wonder if people will appreciate such gifts. It is easy to feel like people will 'look down on you' when you give them a homemade gift, especially if they are giving you something from the store. But it all comes back to what God lays on your heart. If He gives you the direction to go to the store to buy something, so be it. But if He gives you ideas of things to make, that is the road you need to travel. He will take care of the rest of the story by loving people through you. Not only will He give direction but He also will give joy in the gift giving. The 'secret' to this joy is found in keeping Jesus first; Others second; and then Yourself. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders today about what Your Word tells me about my past and of gift giving. Thank You for loving me through all the different stages of life. Thank You for never getting tired of me coming to You and saying, "I'm sorry." Thank You for the ideas You have given me for Christmas gifts and the ideas yet to come. Thank You for Your birth that we celebrate. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. I pray for others to come to this point in their spiritual lives too. Love on people through me in a different, new way today. Thank You for the opportunities You will give me today to love with Your love. Thank You Jesus for being My Reason to Celebrate. Amen.

Psalm 136 - "Forever"

With today being Thanksgiving I should probably meditate on being thankful. But I don't do that just one day a year but strive to praise God for all His blessings daily. There are many things to be thankful for every day. Waking up is one of them. Having a roof over our heads and food in our bellies is another one. My husband, family and friends go up high on the list of things to be thankful for. But the greatest thing of all to be thankful for in my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ. If I did not have that, I would be lost. Literally, I would be lost. Without a relationship with Him, there would be no direction in my life. There would be no GPS telling me to do a u-turn when I started down the wrong path. I found this clip art that I dearly love. This is how I strive to live life...

I want to Grow in my relationship with the Lord. As I do, I will love with more of His love. His love will ooze out of me in a way that others will desire to have Him. The way to do this is for me to Pray. The more I pray, the closer I feel with Him. I am privileged to have people ask me to pray for them. I also am privileged to have God wake me in the middle of the night to pray for people. Last night He woke me to pray for one who is in a mess in her life. The decisions she has made are not of God. She is in a deep dark hole that continues to deepen with more bad decisions. He had me pray for her to realize He is the only answer. He cannot be just a name talked about nor can He be someone to throw up a prayer just when things aren't going right. He desires to be in relationship with us 24/7. As I am in such relationship, it is easy for me to Serve. I love to serve God. I love for Him to show me how to serve others. Serving blesses me in abundance. My daily GPS encourages me to keep on keepin' on even when things get tough. It encourages me to stay on the right path by keeping my relationship with Christ strong. Using my spiritual GPS daily is the only way I can not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to it. Woo hoo! I don't know what the future holds but I know Who does and that is all that matters. That is what I am most grateful for today.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for drawing me into relationship with You. Thank You for taking me deeper in my faith. Father, today I praise You for everything You do and are to me. I praise You for the day Doc and I had yesterday and for the day that is ahead. I praise You for being My Comfort with being so far away from family. I praise You for being My Encourager on tough days when it seems like nothing is going right. I praise You for being My Healer with the news of my latest MRI. I praise You for going before me when I have my upcoming mammogram. I praise You for who You are in my daily life. Lord, I pray for those who are not in relationship with You to find You. I pray for those who are in relationship with You yet not on the right path to follow Your GPS. Thank You Jesus for being My GPS! Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 - "Known"

The Lord impressed on me to pray for Jed, Jennifer, and their boys during the night. He didn't give me any specifics but told me to pray blessings over them. He told me to encourage them through Him. I love when He does such things. I also love when He blesses me with a nice surprise like yesterday. I thought I was going into a normal six month check-up with the neurologist but I was blessed in abundance with the news from my MRI. What showed two lesions of MS a year and a half ago is now showing only one lesion. Woo hoo, God! The neurologist said it so matter of factly that it took me a moment to comprehend. I loved the response of one friend, "So glad for the improvement! I'd say that's a pretty clear indicator that you need to double the amount of toes-in-the-sand time to get to zero." Another one commented, "That is God's Christmas present to you for your obedience." As I pondered upon these words, I thought about how since moving to South Carolina I have enjoyed so much more sunshine than I have ever experienced in my life. I also have enjoyed so much more time with the Son through the beauty of His creation. I miss my family so much. I am grateful for friends including our church family who love on me. As I started thinking today about everyone who is traveling 'home' for Thanksgiving I wanted to cry. I wish we were but circumstances were not right for such a trip. I sure hope something works out to get 'home' for Christmas no matter when that is. I have enjoyed our February 'Christmas' trips to Ohio so much. I think the grandchildren enjoy having a second Christmas just as much as I enjoy seeing them open up their presents. This morning I am praying for many who are facing a first holiday without a loved one. If I started listing everyone who had a loved one leave this earth this year, I probably would miss someone. There have been so many. Some can look back on their leaving as a blessing in the sense they were dealing with disease or health issues. Others continue to struggle with a sudden, unexpected death of their loved one. Some have experienced the 'death' through a divorce. Ones in that situation may be facing their first holiday without being with their children. I remember such days and they were some of the hardest to get through. But those days helped prepare me for the days of my boys growing up to have their own families with their own traditions. There are some families who have had 'death' in relationships. I was so blessed to have a friend tell me how a brother who had no contact for many years was coming for a visit. Restoration of relationships are such a blessing to a family. Restoration of health is also a blessing to a family. That can be physical, mental, emotional, financial but most of all spiritual. That is the best restoration of all. Today I am praying for restoration of souls who will accept Jesus as their Savior. I also am praying for those who accept Him to walk on the road of obedience as they give Him every aspect of their life. I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11-14. The Lord loves us so much. He wants to see us walk with Him. He gives us hope as we pray to Him. He answers us in the best way for us. Sometimes that is not always the answer we desire but it is the best answer. We do not have to be held captive by sin. We do not have to listen to the enemy. All we have to do is love God and allow Him to not only live in us but through us. When we do this, we will spend eternity with Him. Doing things does not get us to heaven. Loving with His love does. Love is the answer for the restoration of our spiritual bodies. Love will not bring a loved one back but it may change our marital status or a relationship with a family member. Love may not change the negative balance in the checkbook but as we love with His love there will be open doors given to us to change it. Love is the answer for all of life. His love. The more we live in His love, the more opportunities He will set before us to shower it upon others. Today I am praying for doors to be slammed shut for the enemy and opportunities for God's love to show through me in a greater way. I am reminded of these words from "Known" this morning...

How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much
I'm fully known and loved by You

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the decrease in the MS plagues. Thank You for the words of encouragement I received yesterday. Thank You for being who You are in my life. Thank You for the day that is ahead. I pray for a deeper bonding with my husband today. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me with more of You so I can love him greater. I pray for those who have lost husbands to feel Your strength throughout the tough days without them. I also pray for those who have lost loved ones to feel Your presence in their life. I think of Erin and her family as they have the memorial service for her sister today. May You be their comfort. I also pray the same for the family in the accident who lost their wife/Mommy. Sudden deaths can be so hard but they seem to hit harder around the holidays. May You be greater than their pain. Lord, today I am praying for Your wisdom in a few different situations. Thank You for always being here for me. Thank You for being The One to Love Me. Amen.

Psalm 18 - "Overcome/Psalm 18

The words David spoke in Psalm 18 are words of gratitude and love to His Heavenly Father. He used descriptive words like "strength...fortress...deliverer...rock...refuge...shield...horn of my salvation...stronghold" in the first two verses. He praised the Lord for protecting him from his enemies in verse three. David was in a place where he did not know if he would survive. When he cried out to God, he was not only heard but answered. Why did God save David? First it was because God "delighted in" him (vs. 19). The second reason is found in verses twenty through twenty-four. 

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

"Righteousness and cleanness of my hands" are exactly why God saved David from his enemies. He lived the way God desired him to live. He walked the road of obedience to God's will. Yes David made mistakes along the way but temptation does not go away when one lives a life of holiness. It is still there. We have to pray every day for God to cleanse us so He can fill us with more of Himself. It takes work to fight the temptations put before us. The enemy works overtime as we walk the road of obedience. He finds out our weaknesses and preys on them. I love verse twenty-eight of this chapter. It reads, "You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." He is our strength. He is the One who will enable us to stand up to temptation. With Him, nothing can tear us down (vs. 29). He will keep us secure as we walk in His ways (vs. 30-36). He will give us victory over our enemies when we allow Him (vs. 37-50). Verse fifty is a promise David hung onto throughout life. "He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever." Woo hoo! I embrace this promise. When I think of David, I think of the stories of him as a shepherd boy caring for his sheep and slaying Goliath. But I also think of the times he gave into temptation like with Bathsheba. He was not perfect until he was glorified with the Lord. We cannot be perfect until our time of death takes us from this earth. But we can be walking the road of obedience to His will, seeking perfection. That is the life all need to live. Not just some but all. Not just pastors and leaders in the church but all. Not just when we feel like it but at all time. Not just when the enemy comes knocking at our door but even in the 'good' times of life. God will delight in those who walk in His will. He will protect them from the enemy. That does not mean He will stop the enemy from tempting us. It is during those times our faith will grow stronger and we will draw nearer to God. I want to be more like David. I want to strive to live for God every day of my time on this earth. I desire to love God in the way David did so I can pour out my praises to Him. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders from Psalm 18. Thank You for loving me so greatly that You woke me with an urgency to study this Scripture this morning. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day in a different, new way. Lord, You know what is ahead and I pray Your strength and empowerment not only physically but also mentally, emotionally, and financially. I pray for my doctor appointment to go well but Father if there is something not of the ordinary than give me the strength to do whatever needs done. I pray for many who are going through tough days. My friend Amy with the death of her dear Momma; Ellen who was put back in ICU; Darlene with the death of her Daddy; Little Richie, Little Natalie, Dale, Billie, Mike, Roberta, and many others who continue battling cancer; one with possible prostate cancer; those who are dreading Thanksgiving due to family issues, loneliness, etc. Father, may You wrap Your loving arms around all of these ones. I pray for people to share Your love with them so they will feel loved. Thank You Jesus for being The One Who Delights In Me! Amen.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 - "Confidence"

Monday mornings can be hard on so many people. This morning I am praying for many who are facing a day they are not sure they can get through. I'm praying they will realize they are not alone but have God's strength available to them...

• Pastors who feel like they are a failure with their church.
• Children in school who are treated badly by other children; are not understanding their schoolwork; are hungry from not having food over the weekend; and/or are tired from caring for siblings or working over the weekend.
• The parent who will start again this week to find a job to support their family.
• Those who have depression setting in with the upcoming holiday.
• My friend with her mother's funeral today.
• A teen who woke up to the first Monday with her sister gone from an accident.
• A executive who feels like the weekend was not one of rest and just doesn't feel ready to tackle another work week.
• Families trying to figure out how the bills will be paid this week; wondering if there will be enough food on the table and/or gas in the car; and hoping there is enough 'extra' for a holiday dinner.

Mondays can be so hard but so can every day. We don't always know what people are going through but we know everyone is going through something. This morning I was reminded of a song Sanctus Real sings called "Confidence." These words are ones everyone needs to hear...

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence

We all have 'giants'...some are because of decisions we made without God...some are in our life to grow our faith stronger...some are of the enemy. No matter what the reason, God is greater than any giant we have. He is there for us at all times with His strength and His empowerment to crush the 'giants' in our life. I love these words...

Give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence

Yes! He protected Daniel, Moses, and David because they walked with Him. He will do the same for us. We can have confidence in the knowledge that He will stand with us just as He has done for many others in the past. Part of having the "Confidence" of Him doing that comes from living in His will. There is peace in the midst of the storms of life as we take on Him and His attributes. The more we draw deeper in our faith, the more we will know He has control of the situation we are in. Will that pay all the bills or put food in our stomachs? Maybe not immediately because there are lessons to be learned in life. Will He direct our path to calm the storm we are in? Only if we are willing to walk in obedience to His Voice. Will it bring back our loved one that has passed? No but it will give us peace in knowing we will see them again. The song "Confidence" is about living a life with unshakable faith through the storms of life. It is about living in the hope of Christ as one walks the road of obedience. Life is full of disappointments. When things are not going our way, it can be hard to stay focused on God. But we must stay strong in our faith. That is the only way the enemy will not be given an open door. We can't see the big picture but God can. We have to trust Him through the storms of life. If we don't, we will lose confidence in Him and start depending upon ourselves. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for bringing many to my prayers this morning who are starting a tough day. Father, may You bless them with the knowledge You are there for them. Give them Your strength to get through these tough days. I pray for someone to be in their life who will be You to them. I pray You will cleanse me today so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. I pray for opportunities to love on people today. I pray You will ooze out of me in a way that people will desire to have more of You. Thank You Jesus for being My Confidence! Amen.

Joshua 1 - "Known"

I was so tired when I went to bed last night I was afraid I would sleep through the night and not wake to pray for pastors. So I prayed for them asking God to be with each one as they go into the pulpit. He brought to my mind to pray for those who are waking in worldly ways instead of His ways. He told me to pray for those who are not preaching what He desires but instead are leading their people astray. My heart broke when He told me to pray that way. Why would a pastor be doing that? How can a pastor be listening to the enemy instead of God? What would make them not be in relationship to the point they could not hear Him or choose to not follow what He says? We discussed pastors leaving not only the ministry but being in relationship with God in our Bible study Wednesday night. I was shocked to what point this has got in our society. It sure doesn't make sense yet when you see how the enemy is working in laity it does make sense he would work on pastors double time. I prayed for pastors to not let the enemy win but instead to dig their heels into a deeper faith. He did wake me once during the night to pray for one specific pastor. He is currently serving as a youth pastor but feeling inadequate in his call. The Lord had me pray for him to be willing to do as God is asking of him. God told me to pray for him to realize just how much He loves him and "wants to see Him prosper in Kingdom work." Sometimes we all feel like we are not good enough. We need to realize God created us and loves us. He does not create junk. As we live for Him and fulfill the desires of His heart, we will always be good enough. When we fall or do things out of what He desires, it doesn't change the way He feels about us. He still loves us. This morning the song "Known" is going through my mind.

I'm fully known and loved by You
You won't let go no matter what I do
And it's not one or the other
It's hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known fully known and loved by You
I'm fully known and loved by You

"Fully known" means He knows what is before us and how we should react to it. He gives us freewill which can deter our path when we allow the enemy to win. When we do so, He doesn't quit loving us. Instead He loves us back into His will. He won't push Himself on us but He will love on us. I praise His Holy Name for being the loving God He is. I am praying this morning for pastors to not allow their present circumstances to give the enemy an open door but instead to stand up and be the men and women God has called us to be. I am reminded of the wise words given to Joshua after Moses' death. God told Joshua, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; mediate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8). He continued in verse nine...

We are never alone no matter what our circumstances are. Sometimes road blocks are put before us by God to see how we will react. Sometimes they are put before us by the enemy because he wants to pull us away from God. People are watching believers to see how they handle tough situations. Pastors are really watched by people. We all must be in His Word daily so we can stand strong in our faith, not allow any open doors for the enemy, and set the right example for others. When God gives us direction, we need to follow it a 't'. The Israelites followed Joshua's directions with the promise they would follow him just as they did Moses. They knew in their hearts Joshua would not lead them astray. People in our congregations need to have the same faith in us. If we are 'wishy-washy' in our walk with God, they will be too. If we show signs of our faith failing, theirs will too. If we are discouraged in our present situation, that feeling will come over them too. But if we are "strong and courageous" they will take on the same attributes no matter what is happening in life. That is hard to do when a pastor and church are knocked down over and over again. But God is always there. He may just want to see what the reaction will be to such 'junk' or He may desire to see what it will take to work through it. No matter what, He is always there. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the time of praying for pastors last night. Thank You for bringing one in particular to my mind. Father, I also pray for a pastor who will soon be interviewing in a new church. I pray for him to follow Your Voice in the direction he goes. I also pray for a pastor who is battling disease in her body to feel Your strength as she continues to lead her flock. Lord, there are many pastors discouraged. I pray for them to feel Your presence. I pray for pastors who are embarking on some big plans You have given them for their people. Bless their efforts as they continue to listen to and follow You. Lord, I pray for an abundance of Your supernatural empowerment over all pastors today. I especially pray this over my husband and I as we continue the battle before us. Cleanse us so You can fill us. May You be our words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. I pray for strength not only in our physical bodies but in our emotional, mental, financial and especially our spiritual bodies. thank You Jesus for being Our Strength! Amen.