Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 37:4-5 - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

God blessed me with another great day and another Saturday night of praying for pastors. I prayed throughout the day for pastors (especially bi-vocational) who would be finishing up or perhaps even starting their sermon. Before going to bed I prayed for all pastors to be in relationship with Him where they will not only hear His Voice but walk in obedience to it. During the night I was awake a few times and each time prayed for pastors. The one time I prayed for a pastor who is caring for their spouse with cancer. Being a caretaker is rewarding but also very hard. There were a lot of things that were put off while I was caring for Doc. Ones like taking care of myself with doctor appointments, walking, etc. are ones I am getting caught up on now. Making doctor appointments knowing I will be going alone is not something I like to think about. I still have put off a couple I know I need to do just for that reason. He was always with me at appointments. God has continued to restore my soul throughout these last six months. Life is so different now compared to then. His peace was with me at the time of Doc's death but it has become so much greater. Praise His Holy Name! Yesterday I spent time with two couples. One is separated and it broke my heart to see them hurting. The other has a sound marriage and it made my heart happy to be with them. God has brought me a long way in this area. A few months ago, it was so hard to be around couples but now I'm at peace. I definitely do not want to live the rest of my life alone but I know God is in control of that. I know as I adhere to Romans 12:1-2 He will direct me to where I need to be and who I need to be with. The part in this Scripture that says, Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him is where I desire to live. I want to embrace His will so I can live in His will. He gave me the word expectation for 2021 and I am expecting Him to show me some awesome things. He has already done so as I am back walking. I am putting the effort to take care of myself and He is rewarding me with clear thinking, better physically, and a deeper walk with Him. I am putting the effort in my spiritual walk with more Bible study, my weekly time with two other lady pastors, and my sermon prep. He is blessing me with my walk with Him being more proclaimed. I am putting the effort in my personal relationships and He is rewarding me with deep friendships and people who love me. It is pretty evident the more effort I put into my life being as He desires, the more He will shine in and through me. Yesterday walking at Hunting Island was amazing. Once again as I felt the sun shining down on me I felt the Son shining down on me. I sat and listened to the waves and watched the dolphins play and became a bit emotional. I do not deserve this life that He has chosen to give me. Wow, God! I remember growing up in Orrville, Ohio and dreaming of visiting the ocean. I dreamt of one day living near the ocean. Fast forward to fifty-nine years later and here I am. Wow, God! I think of the verse in Psalms 37:4-5 which reads in The Passion Translation: 

Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life,

and He will provide for you what you desire the most.
5 Give God the right to direct your life,
and as you trust Him along the way
you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly!

Once again, wow God! He is so awesome in the way He blesses me down to even the smallest details. He has called me into unknown territories in so many ways over the last few months. He has continued to give me exactly what I need and for that I am grateful. He loves me so much and puts people in my life who show their love to me. Once again, I am grateful. I am reminded this morning of the words to Oceans (Where Feet May Fail).

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand 

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Dear Jesus, Thank You again for the blessings of yesterday! Thank You for the blessing of praying for pastors during the night! Thank You for bringing some specific ones to my prayers! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. I pray You will be heard through what You have given me to preach today. I pray the same for all preaching. As I prayed during the night, I pray for people to be open to what is preached and respond. Lord, I pray for all care takers to realize Your strength. I pray You will give them Your wisdom on making decisions for themselves and for those they are caring for. Father, thank You for giving me the word expectation for 2021. I continue to expect great things! Thank You for encouraging me to take better care of myself in all areas of life! I pray You will give me what I need to make two more doctor appointments. I also pray blessings over those who encourage me. Lord, I pray Your peace over: my friend with breathing issues who is hospitalized; Elizabeth; Mark and Lisa; two pastor friends struggling with cancer; Bonnie as they had Jerry's service yesterday; Bobbi who continues to watch Gary get closer to leaving this earth; and the many pastors struggling with financial issues in their church due to the pandemic. Lord, be greater than the hurts of the heart. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Embrace! Amen.

Matthew 21:21-22 - "Into The Sea"

Yesterday was another day full of blessings from start to finish. After my personal time with the Lord in the morning He and I finished up the sermon He has for me to give tomorrow. Then I worked on my Lysa Terkeust study and had an awesome time with my two pastor friends via the internet. Our weekly time together is so encouraging to me. I am so blessed in abundance by these two ladies. I am also blessed with today's technology that brings us together although we are miles apart. I spent some time in the afternoon walking at the waterfront and being blessed by the Son and the sun shining down upon me. Some people probably think I have a mental issue when they pass me and see me talking or singing but it's just me and the Lord enjoying ourselves. The evening was spent watching a couple movies with an early night of going to bed. It was nice to have nine hours of sleep. God is so, so good. I was thinking this morning about how a few months ago there were few of these types of days. I cried a lot. I struggled with being alone. I wanted to be around people yet I felt out-of-place when I was with them. Life was not 'fun' by any means. As I reflected on that, I realized a few things. One, I have allowed God to heal my broken heart. Two, I have opened up myself to people after praying. Three, I am once again enjoying life as I walk in His creation. I was reminded this morning by my friend Elizabeth of something Lysa wrote:

God isn't going to waste one bit of your hurt and hardship. I know how challenging that can be to believe. But we can trust the process. So hold fast to God's ways. Hang on. Redemption is coming.

A new strength is being developed in you by God for a good purpose.

Just like muscle fibers must be torn to grow, this breaking of you will be the making of you. A new you. A stronger you.

I was also reminded of a story Lysa told this week about her nephew who became a Marine last year. When asked about the change in him, he told her in the thirteen weeks of being trained as a Marine they break you down and then they build you back up to live the life of a Marine. We all have to become broken before we can be who God has called us to be. We have to allow Him to work in and through us before we can be who He has called us to be. The desire of my heart is to walk in obedience to His will. The only way that can happen is to live in His presence. I love the word picture Jesus gave in Matthew 21:21-22. It goes with the song "Into The Sea" that Paul blessed me with right after Doc died.

My heart is breaking
In a way I never thought it could
My mind is racing
With the question, "are you still good?"

Can you make something
From the wreckage?
Would you take this heart
And make it whole again?

Though the mountains may be moved into the sea
Though the ground beneath might crumble and give way
I can hear my Father singing over me
"It's gonna be OK, it's gonna be OK"

Yes! I know "It's gonna be OK..." because God is in control. Praise His Holy Name! He knows exactly what I need and provides. He speaks and I listen. I have some mountains before me but they will move into the sea in God's time. How do I know this? Because I live by faith just as He spoke of in Matthew 21. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the way You love and bless me so much! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me! Thank You for giving me this song, Scripture, and reminders from Lysa that encourage me greatly! Thank You for friends like Elizabeth who encourage me! Thank You for the praises of yesterday with my sister Linda being discharged from rehab and the wonderful day I spent with You! Thank You for technology that brings Jenn, Angie, and I together to encourage one another! Lord, I pray for my friend who was hospitalized with breathing issues to experience Your peace. I also pray for all of my bi-vocational pastor friends who will be working on sermons today. May they expect, hear, and listen to Your voice. I am so excited to speak what You have given me for tomorrow. Woo hoo! Thank You for the privilege to preach Your Word! I pray for my Momma who will be speaking today to a group of ladies to feel Your presence. Thank You for being My Mountain Mover! Amen.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 - "Goodness of God"

I took this picture yesterday morning when I took Miss Lilly and Mr Grayson for a walk. It started me thinking about life. This picture shows a bud, a bloom just opening up, a flower in full bloom, and if you look close enough in the background there is a flower dying. We go through these phases in our physical body with birth, life, and death. We also go through these phases in our spiritual body. We are just a 'bud' until we accept Jesus into our heart. When we allow Him full control over every aspect of our life, we begin 'opening up' and realize 'full bloom' as we walk in His will. There will come a time when God will call us home and our earthly body will 'die' but in fact that is just the beginning of life for us. I was asked the other day why an alcoholic who has no desire to live is still alive yet Doc who was God's servant was taken. The answer is very simple. Doc was ready. This man is definitely not ready to leave this earth. If he were to leave today, the possibility of him going to hell is very great. I am not being judgmental but speaking the truth. God has called me to spread His love to all. He has called me to preach His Word and to proclaim the Good News. He has called me to live a life with Him 24/7 so I can not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to it. Plain and simple. He has called me. I need to get better at living as He desires. I know there are times when I fail Him and I am sorry for those times. I desire to bless Him in abundance through my life. I desire to make decisions based upon His desire for me. I have been praying for His direction for two situations for several weeks and am still waiting on Him. I cannot manipulate situations nor can I go before Him. I must wait on Him. I know He will provide the direction I need in His time. I continue to pray for the church building rehab and know it has to be in His time for final approval. Sometimes it is hard to wait but as I wait, my spiritual body is strengthened. Woo hoo! I know He is in control and loves me dearly. Yesterday was another day of being blessed. Spending time with the Lord and then with Miss Lilly and Mr Grayson was the perfect morning. The afternoon was spent finishing up Lysa's book as I soaked in natural Vitamin D at The Sands. Having a phone call with good news from my sister Linda and texts from my friends Mary and Jodi made me so happy. Working with the Lord as I continue to pull my sermon together for Sunday was such a special time. Talking and laughing with Rickey over the phone was just what I needed. Surpassing my daily steps was the icing on the cake to end the day! Another day filled with blessings encourages me greatly. He continues to remind me just how much He loves me and desires to bless me. Life for me is just like the life of a flower. First, I was a 'bud' and then began to 'open up.' I now am in the 'full bloom' stage but know there will come a time to 'die' and leave this earth. While here I will do my best to bloom beautifully where God puts me. Right now that is in Beaufort, SC. It is the most beautiful place I have ever lived. Sitting beside the water yesterday listening to the waves brought joy to my heart. I breathed in the sea air and was so blessed. I felt the sunshine on me and knew the Son was shining down on me. As I looked out over the water, I felt like I was getting a glimpse of heaven. Wow, God!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for another day of blessing yesterday! Thank You for the beauty of Your creation! Thank You for the opportunities to love with Your love! May today be filled with many more! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me! Thank You for going before me today and being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts! May people see/hear You instead of me. May they see Your love ooze out of me in a mighty way. I praise Your Holy Name for praises with my sister Linda; Mary; and Owen yesterday! I praise You for another day of soaking up more of You in Your creation! I praise You for whatever You put before me today! Lord, I continue to wait on answers for two situations and for the building rehab to be complete. In Your time, Father. I look forward to finishing up the sermon for Sunday as You direct my work. What a special time we have in this process! Woo hoo! I pray You will be very close to my friend Darrell MacLearn and his family today in the 'tough' days they are experiencing. Thank You Jesus for being My Eternity! Amen.

Psalm 97 - "Into The Sea"

The Lord took me to Psalm 97 this morning. Wow, God! Verse one starts off this chapter with excitement! God rules: there’s something to shout over! On the double, mainlands and islands—celebrate! We do not need to worry over the political world we are living in. We need to remember God is still in control. We need to praise Him for every breath He gives us on this earth. When we live in His presence on this earth, we will live in His presence for eternity. Woo hoo! That is exciting to ponder upon! We have the promise of His return in verse six. The heavens announce that he’ll set everything right, And everyone will see it happen—glorious! Not everyone will spend eternity with Him and that saddens my heart. There are many who refuse to follow Him and that saddens my heart. Every time I am able to share His love with someone and they accept it I am filled with joy. Verse six in The Passion Translation reads, Heaven’s messengers preach righteousness and people everywhere see His glory in the sky! Woo hoo! I love being one of Heaven's messengers! I shared last night with our Bible study group how excited I am to develop a sermon with what God gives me to share and then to preach it. It is so fulfilling for me to be a part of this process for Him. Matthew Henry writes of Psalm 97:

The faithful servants of God may well rejoice and be glad, because he is glorified; and whatever tends to his honour, is his people's pleasure. Care is taken for their safety. But something more is meant than their lives. The Lord will preserve the souls of his saints from sin, from apostacy, and despair, under their greatest trials. He will deliver them out of the hands of the wicked one, and preserve them safe to his heavenly kingdom. And those that rejoice in Christ Jesus, and in his exaltation, have fountains of joy prepared for them. Those that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. Gladness is sure to the upright in heart; the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. Sinners tremble, but saints rejoice at God's holiness. As he hates sin, yet freely loves the person of the repentant sinner who believes in Christ, he will make a final separation between the person he loves and the sin he hates, and sanctify his people wholly, body, soul, and spirit.

Those that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. Wow! This is where I am living today. I am living in a joyful spirit. I know there are many who do not understand this. I have been asked by many how I can be doing as well as I am after all I have been through. Psalm 97 is my answer. What a blessing for the Lord to give it to me this morning! Verses eleven and twelve read in The Passion Translation: For he sows seeds of light within his lovers, and seeds of joy burst forth for the lovers of God! So be glad and continue to give him thanks, for God’s holiness is seen in everything he does. He has sowed seeds of light and joy in me. He has given me a spirit of joy and hope. I desire to live with Him 24/7 fulfilling His will. I know the more I live in this manner, the more I will experience Him to the fullest. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the opportunities yesterday to share Your love and the ones ahead today! Thank You for Psalm 97 that blesses me in abundance! Sometimes I feel like I am going to jump out of my skin with the joy You give me. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love. May You be seen/heard through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. I continue to expect You to give answers to decisions I need to make. I continue to expect You to direct my feet to where You desire them to go and my words to what You desire me to say. Lord, thank You for being with so many people in my little world who need to experience You in a more intimate way. I pray for those who are hurting from the loss of a loved one. Mike and his family with the loss of his mother; Joy with the loss of her brother; Sarah and her family with the loss of her grandfather; and family and friends of Pastor Alan Harkey. I praise You for good reports from Kayla; David Kilgore; and Pastor Bill Watts. I pray for those who need to feel Your peace today. LaNora with today being her husband's birthday; Joyce Wolf; Elizabeth; Owen (Jodi) as he has a procedure; Ellen who has been diagnosed with COVID; and many others. Lord, may You be greater than the hurts of the hearts. Thank You for the reminder of this song that Paul shared with me right after Doc passed! Thank You for being My Ruler! Amen.

II Samuel 8 - "Build My Life"

Yesterday was right up there with being such a perfect day. God is so, so good. I was reminded this morning of the words to the song Build My Life...

Holy, there is no one like You, there is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and
Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken
And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken...

I started out my day with my normal time with God then He and I laid out sermon series for March and April. Afterward I went into town and walked at the waterfront, sat in the swings, and enjoyed God's creation. It was bittersweet as I thought about times in the past there. I remembered the knowledge God was calling us to Beaufort five years ago when we visited the waterfront for the first time. The memories of our last anniversary dinner at Saltis and the picnic lunch I won from Common Ground were precious. As I watched couples holding hands, swinging, etc. I was jealous. I miss that. I was a blessing to a few of them when I offered to take their picture together. Pictures are so important to have to reflect back on. I know my grand babies think I am crazy with how many pictures I take but that's ok. Last evening I was so blessed with my time with Joyce in my grief support group. She reminded us that grief is like the tide. It goes in and out but the Lord is always with us. I loved the way the Lord woke her at 3am with II Samuel 8 to share with the group. "After this..." Wow! I can't imagine what God has in store for me "After this"! I must remember to keep God's promises in the forefront of my mind. I must remember to trust and believe. I must remember to choose to receive His promises. Plain and simple. I must remember! The oil oozes out of the olives when they are crushed. The Holy Spirit will ooze out of me as I allow Him to use me no matter what circumstances I am going through in my life. Woo hoo! There is victory ahead for me! I do not know what it looks like but I know it is ahead! Praise His Holy Name! What a blessing to end the day with talking to Rickey and then having more time of sermon pondering with God! Woo hoo! God is so, so good!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for such a wonderful day yesterday! Thank You for the sunshine and the Son pouring down on me! Thank You for cleansing me this morning so You can fill me! Thank You for going before me today and being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts! Thank You for being so real to me! I am expecting great things in the days ahead as I await the "After this" Joyce shared about last night! Woo hoo! I am praying this morning for many but especially for: Bill and Rachael with his heart procedure today; Jennifer; Kayla; my neighbor Sarah with her grandfather's funeral today; my Momma with her doctor appointment today; my sister Linda with rehab; and for Kaye's unspoken request. Lord, be greater than the hurts of the heart. Be greater than the things of this world that can cause such pain. Lord, I pray for victory just as You gave David. I pray with expectation for what is ahead. Thank You Jesus for being My Life! Amen.

Psalm 145:17-21 - "Goodness of God"

The words to Goodness of God are going through my mind this morning. What a blessing to live in His goodness!

Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
And in darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah

I can attest to hearing His voice every day. I can attest to Him leading me through the fire. I can attest to Him being close in the darkest night. The way He lives in and through me is amazing. Knowing He is always with me is one of the greatest tidbits of knowledge I have. I need to get better at sharing that knowledge with others. I need to work harder at allowing Him to ooze out of me so others will experience His love too. Sometimes I feel so inadequate in this area of life but I know I am a work-in-progress and He will use me as I allow Him. I am thankful for His voice that directs me where He desires. Right now I am praying and waiting on Him for a few decisions that need made. I am seeking His will in them and knowing He will reveal His will in His time. I am so thankful for that knowledge too. I am grateful when I keep my focus on Him, He will be all I need. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for leading me in Your will! Thank You for being with me as I wait on Your answers for decisions that need made! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me! May You fill me to overflowing so You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Father, may You comfort those who need to experience Your strength and peace. My prayer list is so long but I especially pray today for: Sarah Elliott; Mike and his family; my sister Linda; Darrell MacLearn; Joy Wilson; my neighbor Sarah and her family; two young men in rehab; Elizabeth Day; Joyce Wolf; the family who lost the father/husband and a young daughter; and so many others. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. Thank You Father for being My Goodness! Amen.

Colossians 3; Proverbs 17:17 - "Circle of Friends"

Wow, God is so good! Yesterday was filled with blessing after blessing. Preaching is one of the top things on my list of things to do. Yesterday's sermon was so meaningful to me as I talked about the relationship between Elijah and Elisha. The sermon cemented in my mind how our relationships on earth are to be. We can value one another, have vital relationships with others, and vouch for one another when we clothe ourselves every day with the attributes Paul lists in Colossians 3:12-17. We will be empowered to LUV with God’s LUV when we intentionally live with these attributes as our goal. Will we be successful every day? No because we are not perfect. But the more we strive to meet these goals, the more successful we will become. As I have said before, we cannot just have believers in our life. We must have non-believers too in order to live as God desires us to live. But are closest relationships need to be believers so we can keep each other accountable, love on each other with His love, and be on the same mind-set. I was so blessed yesterday with different ones in my life. Carol who is always here for me; Jeff and Leslie who once again loved on me with lunch and fellowship in their home; Sandy and Will who blessed me in abundance with adding me to their Microsoft family plan; and Rickey who makes me laugh. God has put these people and many others in my life to bless me. He knows exactly what I need and provides. Woo hoo! I think of Proverbs 17:17a which reads, A friend loves at all time. Praise His Holy Name! A friend is someone who loves you through the 'tough' days and the 'good' days. They are someone who will gently love on you when you need corrected. They are ones who have the Lord's love in their heart and are willing to share it. They are willing to live out the attributes of Colossians 3 over you. Verse twelve tells us to clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Verse thirteen and fourteen continue, Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. I am so grateful to have many friends in my life who live out these attributes. I am grateful for friends in my past, current friends, and new friends I will make. I am grateful God blesses me through people who desire to walk in His will. I am reminded of a song Point of Grace sings called Circle of Friends.

In a circle of friends 
We have one father 
In a circle of friends we share this prayer 
That we'll gather together no matter how the highway bends 
I will not lose this circle of friends 

 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for putting people in my life that love on me so greatly! Thank You for cleansing me so You can work in and through me to be who You have called me to be! Thank You for going before me and being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today! Thank You for those You put in my path yesterday to love on me! Carol printing off the prayer list when I couldn't get my printer to work was just another way You loved on me through others yesterday. Having people respond to what You gave me to preach filled me to overflowing. Sunday afternoons seem to be the hardest for me of all the days of the week. What a blessing to share another Sunday afternoon with Jeff and Leslie! Will and Sandy adding me to their Microsoft family plan was such a blessing! Laughing with Rickey over the phone was the perfect way to end my day. Thank You Father for all who call themselves my friend and show Your love to me so greatly! Thank You for all the ways You encourage me through people, circumstances, Your Word, music, etc.! Thank You for being My Best Friend! Amen.

Psalm 12:6-8 - "Goodness of God"

Last night was my typical Saturday night with praying for pastors before going to sleep, praying in the middle of the night for them, and praying again this morning. I love how the Lord uses me to specifically pray for pastors on Saturday nights. I am thankful for the ones who pray for me. Yesterday was so encouraging with a phone call from a pastor's wife from Ohio. She encouraged me greatly with sharing how she uses my daily writing to encourage others. Spending time outside in the beauty of God's creation with another friend was another encouragement to me. Soaking up the natural vitamin D was greatly needed. Accomplishing way beyond my step goal was another encouragement. Talking with Paul and finding out there was little damage from last week's weather was such a blessing. Finally, ending my day with a phone call with a friend blessed me in abundance. God is so, so good. He knew what I needed and provided in great detail. Not all days are so wonderful but all days are blessings from God.  In my conversation last night I was reminded of something in Lysa's book. God's faithfulness doesn't mean we'll get everything we want. But it does mean God can still make our lives good. Praise His Holy Name! He knows what is best for us and provides exactly what we need. As we walk in obedience to His will, we will realize His blessings in a deeper way. That does not mean He will bless us more. It means we will recognize His blessings more. There will be pastors today go into the pulpit with heavy hearts. Some due to physical issues in theirselves or family members. Some due to financial strains upon them. Some due to issues within their congregations. No matter what the reason for their heaviness, we all need to remember the words written in Psalm 8. We must stand in the promises of His Word. Matthew Henry wrote of this Scripture:

The preciousness of God's word is compared to silver refined to the highest degree. How many proofs have been given of its power and truth! God will secure his chosen remnant, however bad the times are. As long as the world stands, there will be a generation of proud and wicked men. But all God's people are put into the hands of Christ our Saviour; there they are in safety, for none can pluck them thence; being built on Him, the Rock, they are safe, notwithstanding temptation or persecution come with ever so much force upon them.

Praise His Holy Name for the knowledge God is with us in 'good' and 'bad' times! I am so thankful for this knowledge. I am thankful for His faithfulness even when my faithfulness wavers. He provides exactly what I need every moment of every day. Woo hoo!

I love You, Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for providing exactly what I need, when I need it! Thank You for all that was accomplished yesterday! Thank You for the opportunities You will give me today to love on people with Your love! Thank You for the opportunity to preach what You have given me to share today! Thank You for cleansing me so You can go before me and be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts! Thank You for the privilege to pray for pastors! Lord, I pray for Joy and her family with the loss of her brother yesterday. May Your peace surround them in abundance. I pray for the Mallory's who are struggling with physical issues to also experience Your peace. Thank You for my time with Elizabeth yesterday! May You continue to bless her through these days of great adjustment for her. I also pray for my friend Edie who encouraged me greatly through her phone call yesterday and my friend who talked with me last night. You are so awesome, God, in providing exactly what I need. Thank You for the damage at Paul's house being minimal! What a blessing to this Momma's heart! Lord, I pray for the tingling in my head to not be a distraction to me this morning. Thank You for being My Faithfulness! Amen.

Proverbs 3:5-8 - "Truth Be Told"

When someone offends you, there is a choice to be made as to whether you will forgive them or you will allow the enemy an open door into your life. You can forgive someone without them ever asking for forgiveness. God gives peace when we make decisions to allow Him to heal the hurts of our heart. His peace is not comprehensible by the world but it is the best. This week's statement to hold onto in the study with Lysa is, "It's hard to be fruitful while we're holding onto what's hurtful." Ouch! That one steps on my toes! If we allow the hurt someone puts on us to fester, it will become like an open sore. It may scab over from time to time but that scab will be ripped off in a heartbeat when the hurt comes crashing down on us. Instead of living in such a manner we need to allow God to heal the hurts of our heart. We need to allow Him to love away the hurts. Such hurts will not just effect our life today but they will have impact on the days ahead. They will not just have an impact on us but on our children and grandchildren. I do not want to put anything negative on my children and grandchildren. I desire to live in God's peace. Therefore, I need to let go of any hurt put upon me. I need to forgive even when someone does not ask for forgiveness. Many times people hurt others without even knowing it. That is why it is so important to ask God to cleanse us every day. There can be known and unknown that needs to be cleansed from our heart. I do not have to be 'right' when someone offends me. All I have to do is be 'right' with God. We were talking in my Wednesday night group about how when we are offended, we need to take a step back before saying something. If we do not do this, we could push the person away from God. That is the last thing I want to do. I woke up with the words to Truth Be Told that Matthew West sings going through my mind.

I say, "I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine, oh, I'm fine, hey, I'm fine"
But I'm not, I'm broken
And when it's out of control I say it's under control
But it's not and You know it
I don't know why it's so hard to admit it
When bein' honest is the only way to fix it
There's no failure, no fall
There's no sin You don't already know
So let the truth be told

Sometimes we say we are fine when we really are not. God knows what we are going through. He knows the hurts of our heart. He knows the joys of our heart. He knows what we need, when we need it. Plain and simple. He knows. I think back to a Scripture from this week's study with Lysa. It is one that we studied in the month of January with our sermon series.

Proverbs 3:8 tells us the result of following verses five and six. It reads in the New International Version: This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Trusting God with the hurts of our heart may not be the easiest thing we can do in life but it will have the greatest rewards. We do not have to understand 'why' people hurt us. We do not have to understand 'why' circumstances are so hurtful. We do not have to understand 'why' God would allow such things to happen to us. All we have to understand is we can live in His peace when we trust Him and allow Him to be in control of our lives. He will take the 'bad' things in life and turn them into 'good' just for us. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love that impacts my life so greatly! Thank You for giving me the knowledge through Lysa's study about the importance of forgiveness! Thank You for yesterday where You brought my sermon together for Sunday and then provided rest! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Lord, I pray for continued guidance with some decisions I need to make. I pray for You to clearly show me Your will in them. Lord, I pray for Your will to be shown to me every moment of every day. I do not want to do anything out of Your will. Lord, direct my steps today to go where You desire, my mouth to speak as You desire, my thoughts to be as You desire so Your will shines brightly through me, and most of all for my attitude be in the right mindset so you will be seen/heard through me. I pray for safe travels for Beth and Bob as they go back to California. I also continue to pray for my sister Linda as she continues her healing from back surgery and David as he heals from his procedure yesterday and awaits results. I also pray for a dear friend dealing with a hurtful family situation. May they find Your peace. Thank You Jesus for being My Truth! Amen.

Genesis 50:20 - "The More I Seek You"

Friday. Wow! How is it already the end of another week? It has been a week that seems to have gone on forever in some ways yet in other ways so short. Continued 'issues' with the laptop have been challenging. Doing the funeral for a dear family was a privilege earlier in the week. Hitting my step goal a few times despite the rain has also been exciting. Today it continues to rain with a one hundred percent forecast for the day. Thankfully Saturday and Sunday have a sunny forecast with little chance of rain. Next week has warmer temps with less rain so that is something to look forward to. But all of these things really do not matter in the big scheme of things. All that really matters is I am where God wants me to be, doing what He desires of me. I know I fail at times but as I have said many times we have to try to fail. The more I strive to fulfill the desires of His heart, the more He will be pleased. The more I seek Him, the more I will find Him. The more I listen to Him, the more I will hear Him. The more I am faithful to Him, the more I will realize His faithfulness to me. I was reading in Lysa's book something that touched me in abundance. God's faithfulness doesn't mean we'll get everything we want. But it does mean God can still make our lives good. Wow! I was thinking back on this week and how many obstacles came before me with the laptop. They continue to come before me. I shared with a friend this morning that I think God is working on my patience virtue. One of the ladies participating in Lysa's study said, "Purpose to pain is a balm to the wound." Another wow! Both of these statements touch me deeply and have great meaning. They also empower me to continue to push forward when the 'junk' of this world gets heavy. There have been some heavy times this week where I was so overwhelmed but then God showed Himself to me. He made me realize I am not alone in anything I do. I wish I had a magic switch to make all the technology issues in my life go away. That is a stupid thing to say because there is no such thing. But I do have God to see me through them. I have God to give me wisdom and direction. I have God to show me what is really important in life. Plain and simple. I have God. My sermon not being done at this time in the week is not my 'normal' but it seems like there has been a lot of not 'normal' this week. That is OK. I will survive. In fact, not only will I survive but I know God will stretch my faith through these times. I was so blessed this morning with talking and praying with friends. They encourage me greatly. I am so encouraged to "keep on keepin' on" even when life gets tough. God is with me and that is all I need. I am reminded of the words of a song Kari Jobe sings called The More I Seek You...

The more I seek you

The more I find you

The more I find you

The more I love you

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand

Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat

This love is so deep, its more than I can stand

I melt in your peace, its overwhelming

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the reminders of what is important in life! Thank You for my friends Jenn and Angie who encourage me so greatly! Thank You for technology that allows the three of us to be in different parts of the country yet be connected! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today more than ever before. May people hear/see You instead of me. Lord, I pray for many going through difficult days with health issues in themselves or family members. May they feel Your peace today. Joy; Darrell; David; my sister Linda; Mary and so many others. I pray for Your peace over my friend who is dealing with the after effects of a fire yesterday. I praise You there was no loss of life or injury in the fire. I pray You will be with Bonnie and her family with the loss of Jerry. Lord, I pray You will come down upon me and give me a big dose of Your peace as I am feeling discouraged. May You be greater than the hurts of our hearts. I pray for Your wisdom with some decisions I have before me. May You guide me with making the decisions in Your will. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace! Amen.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - "Blessings"

It's so hard to believe it has been four years today since my brother Gene passed. I'm so thankful God worked it out for me to be able to be at his service and to have fun with him at the last family picnic with his German chocolate cake. I have such fond memories of being spoiled by him when I was growing up. Today as I prayed with one who is saying 'goodbye' to their grandfather I was reminded of the words from Ecclesiastes 3 that I read at the funeral Tuesday. We all know there is a time to be born and a time to die but it is so hard to let go. How are we to continue on living on this earth without a loved one? How are we to get through the days without them? Why did they have to leave? God is the only One who has the answers for us. He is the only One who knows what we need. He will provide exactly what we need, when we need it. He is so near to me and provides people, Scripture, songs, etc. to encourage me on days like today when I miss my brother so much. He is there to use my memories to comfort me. He is there to allow the hurts of my heart to be comforted. He is there to direct me as I allow Him. Plain and simple. He is there. Woo hoo! I am so thankful for His presence in my life.  I know the words to Laura Story's song Blessings are so, so true. They hold special meaning in my heart.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love that I feel so much! Thank You for encouraging me through people, Scripture, music, etc.! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You shine brightly through my words, attitude, actions, and thoughts today in a mighty way. Lord, may Your peace be Sarah's peace with these last hours of her grandfather's life. May You be the healing touch for Mary; Rick; Lisa; and so many others. I pray for David as he goes for a procedure tomorrow. Lord, continue to give me opportunities to love on others as You desire. Thank You for Roger and Jan visiting and taking me to breakfast this morning! I so enjoy having people love on me. Thank You for the prayer Roger said over me! Thank You Father for being My Blessing! Amen.

II Corinthians 4; John 1:5; Nahum 1:7 - "Strong Enough"

Yesterday was another 'first' for me. The first time I conducted a funeral in South Carolina. I have assisted Doc but this was the first time I did one on my own. God was so good at answering my prayers for sunshine for the outdoor service. He was so good at providing words of comfort for me to share but they were also words that told people the way to live. We never know when our last day on this earth will occur so we need to be ready at all time. We need to realize to live with Him for eternity means living with Him on this earth. I was reading this morning from II Corinthians, chapter four. This Scripture speaks about the treasure we have in jars of clay that show God's power in us. When we feel like the world is crashing in on us, God's power is there for us. When we feel like we cannot go on, His power is there for us. There is so much unrest in our world today. COVID, political junk, etc. But we must remember God is greater than anything that comes our way. I was reminded this morning to stay focused on His power in me instead of the junk of this life. He can and does shine brightly through my 'cracks' when I allow Him. Yesterday as I preached the service for Mike's Mom the sun was shining. I thought about how the Son shines down on me with His empowerment. He loves me so greatly and for that I am grateful. He cares about me and showers me with blessings every day. Having Doc's laptop to use when mine crashed is a great blessing. The files being able to be copied onto his laptop is a huge blessing. When I figured out how to get the smart TV working the other night, it was another blessing. I am technologically challenged and this house is full of technology. Sometimes it is overwhelming but then I am reminded God is with me and will see me through anything that comes my way. I love the words Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4...

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (NIV)

These words encourage me greatly. They give me the push to continue on when life gets tough. They also encourage me to let my light shine brightly for the Lord so He will be glorified in all situations. I desire Him to radiate from my life. The only way that can happen is for me to stay focused on Him and live in His presence 24/7. John wrote in 1:5 in the New International Version: The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Woo hoo! God is greater than anything the enemy throws our way. He is greater than anything that tries to snuff out His light in us. Last night I was reminded in my grief support group of the words of Nahum 1:7. The Lord is good. A stronghold in the day of trouble. And He knows those who trust in Him. Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name! He is good! He desires to live in and through us. He desires to be our Stronghold. All we have to do is trust Him. When life is tough, we must trust Him. When we feel like we cannot continue on, we must trust Him. When we need direction, we must trust Him. Plain and simple. We must trust Him.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for being here for me every moment of the day! Thank You for going before me and opening doors that need opened and shutting those that need shut! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way! I pray You will continue to be with Mike and his family as they find their new 'normal' without his Momma. I pray for the day ahead for them to be filled with exactly what they need. Thank You Father for this laptop and my files being moved onto it! I pray You will help me to adjust to it and figure out the issues. I also thank You for the day ahead. I pray for our Bible study tonight to be enlightening. Lord, I also pray for my friend who is having a tough morning to feel Your love. May she be protected from the enemy as she deals with a nasty situation. I also pray for Paul and his family as they continue to deal with the effects from the bad weather. May You continue to be their strength along with all who are without power and/or water. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. I pray for Bonnie and Bobbi who are both going through difficult days to feel Your strength. Thank You for my time over lunch with Nancy and Paula yesterday! What a joy to spend time with friends. Thank You for being My Stronghold! Amen.

Psalm 27:13-14 - "There Was Jesus"

The Lord reminded me last night in my Lysa Terkeurst study of how He takes 'bad' things and uses them for good. He also reminded me His time is the best time. In Psalm 27:13-14 we are encouraged to wait for the Lord. That means we should not manipulate circumstances to get our way or our timing but instead need to allow God to work in and through them. It means we need to trust Him and be intentional in our waiting. Sometimes this is hard to do in our humanness but it is always the best way to live. Lysa said, "When it's the right time, God's time becomes quick time." As I watched the video last night, I thought about how true these words were with the sixteen plus months of Doc dealing with pancreatic cancer. We waited before the Lord for a healing. We prayed. We cried out to Him. We waited. When He had the stroke, it was only forty-eight hours later he took his last breath on this earth. God's time was definitely quick time and I am so grateful for His mercy. Another aspect Lysa talked about was God works in the meanwhile of our circumstances. The time we are waiting. The time we are experiencing 'tough' times in life and wondering how much longer it will be before God changes our circumstances. The time where we have the choice to go deeper in our faith or allow the enemy an open door. In the meanwhile...the time... My faith went deeper in the meanwhile with Doc's situation. I need to make the decision to allow God to take my faith deeper with the forgiveness situation I am working through. I need to allow Him to have complete control and accept His timing for the situation. I need to follow Joseph's example in Genesis. His obedience as he waited for thirteen years encourages me. Joseph learn many lessons in the meanwhile times over those thirteen years. His waiting seasons were not easy just as mine will not be. The only way I will know God's will is to walk in obedience to Him. I must be in relationship with Him where I not only hear His voice but I walk in obedience to it, especially in the meanwhile's of life. The words to Zach Williams song There Was Jesus are on my mind this morning.

In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing, in the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been or where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it
Or couldn't see it
There was Jesus

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for being in the meanwhile of every circumstance of life! Thank You for being with me no matter what! Thank You for Your time being 'quick' time and perfect! Thank You for cleansing me this morning so You can fill me! Thank You for going before me and being exactly Who I need You to be for the situations in my life! Lord, may You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. May people see/hear You instead of me. May I glorify You through this day. Father, go before me and open doors to forgive as You desire. Open my heart up to Your will for this situation. Be greater than the hurts of my life. Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for pushing me to not only hit my step goal but to exceed it! You are so, so good! Thank You for my sister Linda having a better night! I pray blessings of strength over Elizabeth as she continues to adjust to her new position. Thank You for being My Jesus! Amen.

Psalm 3 - "Alive and Breathing"

The Lord took me to Psalm 3 this morning. David wrote this Psalm to give God glory for being with Him as he faced fears. Yesterday was a 'tough' day. On the way to the building for the 'final' inspection it hit me. I never expected to be doing this. Doc was the one 'in charge' of the project, not me. He was the one to know the ins and outs of building. I do not. I have learned a lot over these last months but I still am ignorant in many areas of the project. I was so thankful Bob was in town to be there for it. I was also thankful God provided prayers and words of encouragement from my dear friend Marlene when I fell apart yesterday morning. Matthew Henry wrote of this Psalm what David found in God.

1. Safety; a shield for me; which denotes the advantage of that protection. 

2. Honour; those whom God owns for his, have true honour put upon them. 

3. Joy and deliverance. If, in the worst of times, God's people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing that all shall work for good to them, they will own God as giving them both cause and hearts to rejoice.

Woo hoo! Joy! He is my Joy even in days like yesterday! He is my Joy even more so in days like yesterday! When I got home yesterday afternoon, I was exhausted and in pain. I ate lunch, took a muscle relaxer, and napped for an hour and a half. When I awoke, I was refreshed and out of pain. I was ready to continue on with Bible study last night and my grief group. I can relate so much to verse eight of Psalm 8. Real help comes from God. Your blessing clothes your people! Woo hoo! He not only helped me through yesterday but He blessed me in abundance by it. I wrote yesterday morning of some lyrics in a song Bing Crosby sang that went like this:

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative

Yes! Seeing the cup half full. That is the way I desire to live. I did not expect to pass inspection the first time. The majority of the things that need corrected are up to the contractor and sub-contractors to do. Praise God! That is a positive for us. I am so thankful the inspection is done and we know what needs done to pass. I am thankful God not only saw me through it but He was glorified through the process. I am thankful for people with expertise in the project. Plain and simple. I am grateful. David started Psalm 3 with complaints just as I started my day yesterday as I thought about how I feel so inadequate for this project. David ended Psalm 3 rejoicing because God saw him through 'tough' times. I ended my day rejoicing for all of the ways God blessed me throughout the day. A phone call from my sister Linda yesterday morning; Bob being here for the inspection; Marlene talking to me and praying; rest in the afternoon; Bible study last night; Joyce who blesses me in abundance with leading the grief group; and ending my day talking with a friend on the phone. God is so, so good!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for blessing me in abundance! Thank You for being with me yesterday through the inspection! Thank You for encouraging me in so many ways! A phone call from my sister Linda yesterday morning; Bob being here for the inspection; Marlene talking to me and praying; rest in the afternoon; Bible study last night; Joyce who blesses me in abundance with leading the grief group; and ending my day talking with a friend on the phone. Woo hoo! You are so good! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for being my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way! Thank You for going before me and shining brightly through me! Thank You for friends who love me so well! Thank You for Lysa's study on forgiveness! Last night as I was reading there were some things brought into my mind I thought were 'taken care of.' I am thankful You are walking alongside me as I revisit them. Lord, give me Your wisdom and discernment. Thank You for Darrell Maclearn's father being released from the hospital and Joyce's mother improving! May You continue to be this family's strength. Thank You for being My Joy! Amen.

Colossians 3 - "Build My Life"

God is so, so good! He is such a loving, giving God! He blesses me in abundance with sermon preparation and writing. The series He gave me for February is one that enriches my love for Him. It encourages me to love with His love more than ever before. I am so blessed as I gather material, read, and prepare for the writing of the sermon. When it comes time to pull everything together and write it, the blessings flow in abundance. Yesterday was the day to write what He desired. Woo hoo! What a blessing! He put a smile in my heart and a lift in my step through the process. Wow, God! He loves me and I love Him. Our relationship is one that is different than any relationship I can have on this earth. He desires me to share His love with others and give clear direction in His Word of this. Colossians 3:12 tells us to clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. This is how God loves us and exactly how He desires us to love others. Verse fifteen directs us to live in peace with thanksgiving in our hearts. God's peace is the only way to live. When we are going through 'tough' times, His peace is there when we allow it. Some people seem to enjoy living in chaos and choose to not accept His peace. It saddens my heart to see such behavior. Life does not have to be chaotic. Instead it can be peaceful but first we must accept His peace. I know there have been many who have commented to me about my peace in the midst of all that has happened over the last few years. I am grateful for His peace. I am grateful to be in relationship where I not only hear His voice but desire to walk in obedience to it. I am grateful to know God is in control no matter what is going on. Plain and simple. I am grateful. Woo hoo, God! I wake up every morning asking God to cleanse me of anything not of Him so He can fill me to overflowing with more of Him. The desire of my heart is for people to see/hear instead of me. I know I fail sometimes but that is to be expected. He is always there to pick me up and love me back. The lyrics to a song Bing Cosby sang go along with Colossians 3.

You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between

You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium's
Liable to walk upon the scene

These attributes are ones all believers should strive for in their lives. Paul used the thinking of putting off and on clothes throughout this chapter. That would mean it would be something we should do every morning. We need to put on these attributes each day and wear them proudly. We need to start out each day asking God to cleanse us so He can fill us. As we clothe ourselves in this way, we will be blessed in abundance. As we reject our old way of life, we will live in a new way of life that is sometimes unexplainable. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the way You show Your love to me so greatly! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. May people see/hear You instead of me. Lord, I pray for my sister Linda as she is having pain to feel Your peace. I pray for my friend Darryl MacLearn and his family as they continue these 'tough' days with his parents health. May they experience Your peace in a mighty way. I pray peace over my friend with cancer and Mark and Lisa Koch as they continue the road they are on. Lord, continue to be Elizabeth's strength with her new position. I pray for guidance for the surgeon doing Will's brother's surgery today. Lord, there are so many people going through 'tough' days. I pray all will lean into You and accept Your peace. Thank You for the wonderful time You and I shared yesterday in writing the sermon for this week! Woo hoo! I so enjoy writing and delivering what You put on my heart. Thank You for my walks yesterday where You spoke to me! Thank You for pushing me to hit my step goal! Thank You for life! Lord, bless my meeting. I pray for clarity in my thinking and peace in my emotions. Thank You Jesus for being the Most Important Part of my Life! Amen.

James 1 - "Holy Water"

Before going to bed I asked God to forgive me for getting angry last night. I do not get angry often but sometimes it happens. One of the times I was up during the night we had another conversation about it. He assured me I needed to not worry about it. It was over. If I continued to dwell on the situation, I would end of sinning in the process. I strive to live out the words of James 1. For years I had verses two through four on a business card. It reads in the New International Version:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Being joyful is where I like to live no matter what is happening in my little world. Knowing God is with me gives me His peace. Living in such a manner is the best way to live. I strive to be Christ-like but sometimes fail. I think about how Jesus showed anger with the money changers in the temple. Anger is a human emotion that we all have. Anger in itself is not wrong but what we do in it can be. The only thing I did was voice my anger to some friends. I am not sure if that was wrong or not. It may have been because of it giving them a negative outlook about the people involved. It does not matter. I have confessed and asked God to forgive me. Today is a new day. When I interact with the people who brought my anger on, I will remember God loves them just as much as He loves me. I will remember to be joyful in my words, actions, thoughts, and attitude. I will remember who I am in Christ. Plain and simple. I will remember. God took me to one verse this morning that blesses me in abundance. James 1:12. But the entire first chapter of James speaks to me. I need to remember the words of verses nineteen and twenty in The Passion Translation. Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God's righteous purpose. I need to have a sensitive spirit so I can absorb God's Word...for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us (vs 21). I need to follow the direction of verse twenty-two. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life. What an awesome word picture! I need to remember every day to live my life to the fullest for Him, in His will. As I live in this manner, He will fill me joy. The enemy will try to knock me down but he will not win. I am a Daughter of the Most High King who loves me greatly and will not allow me to succumb to the enemy.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for second chances! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for going before my sister Linda who is in surgery and guiding the surgeons! Thank You for being with her on the long road ahead to recovery! Thank You for being with my friend Elizabeth in her new position and my friend Chrissy with all she is going through! Thank You for continuing to be with Mike and his family with the death of his Momma and with my friend Rick McCartney with his kidney function issues. Thank You for being Mark and Lisa's strength through these tough days. Lord, be greater than the hurts of our hearts. Be greater than the pains of our physical bodies. I pray for continued healing in my body and against the swelling and pain in my arm. May You be greater. Lord, go before me with this phone call I have to make and give me Your words and attitude. May my words be sweeter than honey. Thank You Jesus for being My Most High! Amen.