Ephesians 6:13 - "Overcomer"

I was reading Paul's words in Ephesians 6 this morning about the battles we go through and how we need to have the full armor of God on at all time. This Scripture is not new to me by any means. I learned it as a child and live it out as an adult. The Lord took me to it this morning to remind me He is with me through times as yesterday and again today with the MS tingling. I know He could stop it instantaneously if that were His plan but I also know I have to endure through it until it does quit. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned for me or for someone else. I'm sure there are many who have an opinion on 'why' I am dealing with it right now but what God tells me is all that matters to me. Yesterday as I watched the wind blow the sand across the beach I thought about how we can't see the wind. We can only see the effects of it. We can't see God but we sure can see the effects of His love. I feel His loving arms wrapped around me as I am on the edge of tears. I hear His voice as He directs me. I see the beauty of His creation and am blessed in abundance. I also know He is with me as I deal with times such as this with MS. This disease is not always seen even when it has to be dealt with. People see a smile on my face and don't know about what is going on in my body. That is the way I have chosen to live. But there are times, such as now, where I ask for prayer because of how hard it is to get through. I praise God this is just a temporary situation in my life. This will pass. I also praise Him there will be no MS in heaven. I will have a new body with no tingling when I get there. Woo hoo! Until that time I have to be strong in Him and allow Him to be My Great Commander as I fight against this disease. Praise God it is not going to take me down. The enemy will look for an open door today to take me down but I refuse to allow that to happen. He does not like what is happening in my life and will do anything to destroy me but I refuse to allow that to happen. The enemy does not want me to stand in God's strength but once again I refuse to allow that to happen. My God is stronger than the enemy. As I wrote yesterday, my God is stronger than MS tingling. The teaching in Ephesians 6 tells us when we put on the full armor of God we will have: truth that defends us, righteousness that fortifies us, peace that protects us, faith that shields us, knowledge that transforms us, and the Holy Spirit in us to conquer whatever comes our way. Woo hoo! We must all be ready every day to be in battle because battles will occur. Sometimes the battles before us will be disease such as MS. Other times the battles will be relationship issues. There are all sorts of battles in life but no matter what we must remember there is victory in our relationship with the Lord. Woo hoo! Mandisa's song Overcomer is on my mind this morning...

You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for a wonderful service, time with friends, and loving on me so much! Thank You for the beauty of Your creation that blesses me in abundance! Lord, You know I'm struggling with this tingling all over my head. You also know when it will calm down and what I need to do in the process. May You cleanse me so You can fill me with Your wisdom and peace throughout the day ahead. May You be greater than what I am dealing with. Thank You for my time with Glenda and Rogera! You bless me in abundance with people who visit and love on me. Thank You for my church family who continue to love on me and minister with me! Thank You for Rickey who encourages me through our phone conversations! Thank You for friends staying with my Momma! Lord, I pray for Your peace over so many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Risners; Melanie; a friend going through a situation with her job; Sharon Sebolt; Lee; Cait; and so many others. May You be greater than the hurts on this earth. Thank You Jesus for being My Great Commander! Amen.

Hebrews 13:5 - "Loved Moved First"

God woke me twice during the night to pray for pastors. He had me pray for those who were stressed over end-of-the-year reports, church finances, and difficult situations in their church. The one time He had me 'pray for pastors who are allowing the burdens of their people to hinder their ministry.' I do not know what that entails but I am His obedient servant who prays as He directs. I do not have to understand. All I have to do is walk in obedience to what He tells me. I am looking forward to today with giving my annual report and sharing the vision God has given me. It is exciting to be a pastor. I cannot allow times of disappointment to steal my joy. Instead I need to remember my words I said yesterday about work day. We were a small group but whatever the Lord wanted done was accomplished. We cannot have our own agenda but must allow Him to be in charge. We cannot have expectations that are not of Him. I am so blessed by Him and the way He leads me. I am blessed by His love, mercy, and grace. Anyone who accepts Him into their heart is blessed by Him. Every time I was awake during the night and then again this morning I had the words to Love Moved First by Casting Crowns going through my mind.

From the throne to the manger
From a manger to the grave
Your cross is the proof
Love made the first move
From a grave meant to keep You
To a stone rolled away
Your cross is the proof
Love made the first move
I remember where You found me
I'm amazed by where I stand
Your cross is the proof
That love made the first move

You didn't wait for me to find my way to You
I couldn't cross that distance even if I wanted to
You came running after me
When anybody else would've turned and left me at my worst
Love moved first

Love did move first through God's sacrifice of His Son for all mankind. Love continues to move toward us as He loves on us so greatly. It continues to move through us as we allow the Holy Spirit to use us to love on others. God's love is the ultimate blessing we carry with us throughout life. But before we can carry it with us we first must allow Him to cleanse and fill us. If we desire to never be alone again, we must walk in the knowledge of Hebrews 13:5. God desires to be with us 24/7, 365 days a year. He desires for us to be in relationship with Him and allow Him to direct our steps. He desires us to be so in love with Him that He is always on our mind. Plain and simple. He desires us to desire Him.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the reminder from Hebrews 13:5 and from this song this morning! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You forJeff, Clay, and Carol and the work completed at the building yesterday! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You today! May You be seen/heard instead of me. Lord, I pray for all pastors to be blessed today in abundance. I pray against the enemy having any foothold into the situations causing stress. You told me during the night 'pray for pastors who are allowing the burdens of their people to hinder their ministry.' I do not know what this means but You do and that is all that matters. Lord, be greater than the things before all of us. I pray for what You desire to be said from the pulpit will be said and for Your love to ooze out of all of us. I pray for pastors today who will have difficult people in their midst to remember You are there. Lord, may Your healing touch come down upon: my Momma; sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Little Ivy; Mary Wise; Jack and Paula; Pastor Tim and JoAnne; Pastor Sylvia; Pastor Bill; Melanie; and many others. I pray comfort over Pastor Ted and his family with the loss of his sister. I praise You for answers to prayers for two of my four friends with career decisions. I continue to pray for the other two to receive Your wisdom and direction. Thank You for Rickey in my life! He encourages me greatly and I am so grateful for that. Thank You for my time with Glenda and Rogera as they visit! Thank You for the way You are going to bless me as I am Your hands and feet today! Thank You for being The One Who Loved Me First! Amen.

Exodus 14 - "Good God Almighty"

I woke up this morning with Crowder's "Good God Almighty" on my mind. God is so, so good. He is so good at encouraging me and loving on me. Yesterday morning was a tough one as I left my Momma. The tears flowed and all sorts of things went through my mind. God used Paul to encourage me. "Remember, you just wrote in your blog how good life is and how family refreshes you and fills your tank. Hang onto that thought." These words were what I needed to not just through the time of leaving her but to have God's peace in the process. God is always with us. He is always there to encourage us as we allow Him to. He puts people and circumstances before us to show His love to us. 

Like sun in the morning
I know You're gonna be there every day
So what on earth could make me be afraid?
Good God Almighty
I hope You'll find me
Praising Your name no matter what comes
'Cause I know where I'd be
Without Your mercy
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

I am in awe at the knowledge God is always with me. I am in awe of the ways He encourages me and loves on me. He is so good! Every day is a blessing that we each need to receive and embrace. Yesterday was full of blessings with Rickey being there to comfort me when the tears were falling, Paul's words to encourage me, safe travels home, having Glenda and Rogera here for a visit, finishing the day with ice cream at the waterfront...the list goes on and on. Today is a new day. I look forward to the blessings ahead with Work Day at the church and whatever else God puts before me. I am grateful He is with me at all time. He took me to the story in Exodus 14 this morning to remind me of Moses' words to the people as they went through the challenges of life. This song shows how we must go through challenges of life to receive His peace. Crowder wrote:

"During a season of desolation and wandering, I've been writing songs to remind me that we are headed somewhere beyond this - songs that remind me that it is the God of Abraham and Isaac, the God of Jacob, Moses and David, the God who promised a Savior and a way back to Him, it is He that we follow and He has not left us alone. On the other side of the desert is a land of covenant promise - where the blind see, the lame walk, the tears are dry, the lamb and the lion are like best buds and we see face-to-face the One who made us. In between captivity and promise, we need to be reminded."

Woo hoo! As we walk in His promises on this earth, we will walk with Him for eternity. Praise His Holy Name! There is nothing that happens in life that God is surprised by. He knows what will be before us every day. He knows what the enemy will throw at us and He knows His strength is greater than the enemy. Woo hoo! I am so in love with Him and so grateful for this knowledge.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for being with my Momma as she adjusts to what life is like right now! Thank You for safe travels, everything I packed into my forty-eight hour trip, my time with friends and family,  and Rickey being there to comfort me when I fell apart! Thank You for providing workers today to accomplish tasks at the church building! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! I pray for Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts to ooze from me today in a new, different way. I pray for people to experience Your love through me. Lord, I continue to pray for many going through 'tough' days to realize Your love. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Mary Wise; Little Ivy's family; my friend with some tough decisions before her; Melanie; Tim and JoAnne Hancock; and many others. I pray for God to be greater than what they are facing. Thank You Jesus for being My Good God Almighty! Amen.

Psalm 127 - "Keep On Hoping"

Wow, God! What a full day of blessings You showered upon me yesterday! I enjoyed the conversation so much with Momma's hematologist. I loved hearing him tell her 'the good Lord isn't done with you yet so you need to find your purpose and do it!' Woo hoo! The icing on the cake was him telling her he would be praying for her. Getting a report the MDS was staying the same was also great news. The afternoon with Rickey was another blessing as we went for ice cream, went to the Smucker store, and walked around at the antique store. The evening made my heart burst as I heard 'Grandma Sheila' a gazillion times. Oh how I love being with family. I sure packed a lot into my forty-eight hour trip and am tired but feeling so blessed. God is so good to give us exactly what we need. He is so good to fill up our tanks when they are running low. I have said it many times but will say it again, I am one blessed lady. Woo hoo! Making plans for another trip with the grand babies blessed me in abundance. They were so excited as we talked about what we will do when I come up next time. Oh how I love doing life with them. They have so much energy and are so insightful. Mr. Weston talked about Papa Doc being with Jesus and I thought about how when Doc was in his last weeks he talked about being ready to leave this earth but feeling sad he wouldn't see the grand babies grow up. It is sad to think about. It is sad to think about the grand babies not getting to make more memories with him. Every time I am with them I want to soak up all I can to 'hold me over' until we are back together. I think the cultures that keep adding onto their homes for generations to live together are blessed. I know it may get crazy at times with such living arrangements but oh my I think it would also be rewarding. David gives a lot of wisdom in the few verses of Psalm 127. I was reading that this Scripture goes along with John 15 where Jesus teaches we are to abide in Him to be fruitful. You can see the fruit of Ben and Emily's efforts in raising their children in the Lord by the way the children behave, speak, etc. What a blessing! I know there were times I felt like I failed as a parent but when I see my grand babies I realize God was and is in control.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings from yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for Momma's good appointment with the hematologist and for the way he spoke about You! Thank You for time with Rickey yesterday afternoon and with Ben and the kids last night! Thank You for all of the blessing You gave me on this trip! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thought sin a mighty way today. I pray people will see/hear You instead of me. Lord, I pray for Mary Wise today to feel Your peace. I pray the same for: my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; the Risner Family; Pastor Ted and his family; Melanie; Alison; and so many others. Lord, be with decisions that need made. Thank You for being The One to Bless Me! Amen.

Psalm 37 - "Amen"

Yesterday was such a long but blessed day. Starting out at 3:30AM is not my normal and definitely not what I would want to do every day. But I had lots of opportunities to love on people with Jesus love during my travels to Ohio and that made the early morning worth it. I love the look you get when you are pleasant to someone struggling with their job. Sometimes they seem to get crabbier but I love when it puts a smile on someone's face. I love the lift in their voice when they are spoken to in a loving manner. I sure had a lot of people to pray for as many were struggling yesterday morning. I was grateful for the safe travels, Rickey picking me up at the airport and taking me to lunch, being able to be with my Momma for an OT assessment, pizza with friends for dinner, a walk around my hometown after dinner, and the privilege to be here with my Momma. It's so hard to be seven hundred miles from her in times like this. I am grateful God encourages me everyday that I am where He desires me to be. I could not do what I do without His encouragement. This morning I woke up to these words from for King & Country's song "Amen" and was so blessed...

You're in my blood, my veins
In every word I pray
You gave it all for me
I'll give it all for You
Oh, I'm in love with You
Overwhelmed by You
And if the world is listenin'
This is my confession
You are my obsession

These words describe my relationship with God. He gave His Son for all of us to live. He gives us everything we need every day to live as He desires of us. All we have to do is allow Him to love on us. As we focus on Him instead of ourselves, He blesses us in abundance. As we look to Him for His wisdom, He will provide. His peace is available to us at all time. All we have to do is live in His will so we not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to Him. The more time I spend with God, the more I desire to live with Him. He is so good at giving me exactly what I need. Physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. I have said it before and I will say it again. I am one blessed lady. Psalm 37 is one I remind myself of regularly. Trusting God is what life is all about. Verses three through seven read in The Passion Translation:

Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes.
    Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land,
    feasting on his faithfulness.
4 Find your delight and true pleasure in Yahweh,
    and he will give 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!
6 He will appear as your righteousness,
    as sure as the dawning of a new day.
    He will manifest as your justice,
    as sure and strong as the noonday sun.
7 Quiet your heart in his presence
    and wait patiently for Yahweh.

Woo hoo! I love these words from David that encourage me to continue to trust God. The more I trust Him, the more I love Him. I must die to self daily so He can live in and through me. I must allow Him full reign of every aspect of life so He can use me in the way He so desires. I must focus on Him so I do not miss any opportunity He gives me to love with His love. Plain and simple. I must be who He has called me to be.

Dear Jesus, Thank You the opportunities You gave me yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for giving me Your wisdom and peace! Thank You for providing for this trip not just in the financial aspect but even to put the idea in my head to make the trip! Thank You for me being with my Momma yesterday with the OT assessment and for the privilege to take her to the doctor today! Thank You for my time with Rickey and doing one of the things on my birthday list! Thank You for ones like Wanda and Tim who have been here for my Momma this week! Thank You for continuing to be with my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary with health issues; Gay, Doug, and their family; Pastor Ted with the loss of his sister; Tim Handcock; Mary Wise; Melanie; Alison; Cait; Elizabeth; Little Ivy's Family; and so many others going through 'tough' days. May You be greater than the hurts of life. May Your wisdom and peace be with all who allow You to be their King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Father, I pray for a dear friend who is feeling overwhelmed with some major decisions and a family for protection with a serious situation. May You give clarity, wisdom, and peace. I pray for the day ahead to be full of You for all who will allow You in their day. Thank You Jesus for being My Obsession! Amen.

Luke 12:25-26 - "Sparrows"

I went to sleep with the song "Sparrows" on my mind and woke up with it this morning. These words are ones that I am leaning into in a mighty way.

You can’t add a single day by worrying
You’ll worry your life away
Oh, don’t worry your life away
You can’t change a single thing by freaking out
It’s just going to close you in
Oh, don’t let the trouble win

You may feel alone
But you’re not on your own

(Lalala Lalalala)
If He can hold the world, He can hold this moment
(Lalala Lalalala)
Not a field or flower escapes His notice
Oh, even the sparrow knows

There is so much going on in my little world with multiple family members with health issues, end of the church year activities, upcoming dedication service of the building, etc. I am thankful for God reminding me that I do not have to worry about anything but just need to lean into Him. He already knows the outcome of every day. All I have to do is walk in obedience to His will. The only way that can happen is by staying focused on Him. I am so enjoying my Tuesday night class with pastors. Last night's focus on priorities is one I needed. With all of the changes in my life I need to make sure God stays as my Number One Priority. I am so blessed by Him every day and thankful for all of the ways He encourages me through people, songs, circumstances, etc. He blessed me with protection when deer were out this morning and with crazy drivers on the road. He blessed me yesterday and I know He will bless me today. I do not have to worry but instead can live in His peace as I stay focused on Him. When the enemy tries to bring crabbiness into my life, I need to remember God is not a God of crabbiness but a God of peace. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for Joshua taking my trash! Thank You for my time with Chrissy, her Mom, and a new friend over breakfast yesterday and a nice visit with Mary! Thank You for encouraging me through Rickey! Yesterday was filled with texts from friends and for that I am grateful. This morning Ms Savone's text was priceless! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be seen/heard through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout this day. I'm so tired physically but thankful You will continue to be my strength throughout the day ahead. I continue to pray for: my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Gay and her family; Melanie; Elizabeth; Jackie; Jack and Paula; Cait, and so many others. I also pray for Pastor Ted with the loss of his sister. Thank You Jesus for being My Number One Priority! Amen.

Psalm 145:1-3 - "Trust and Obey"

Last night walking was such a blessing for so many reasons. I had conversations with many neighbors, there was a cool breeze after a hot day, the beauty of God's creation around me with the birds singing, and just the fact that I was walking blessed me in abundance. There have been many days of struggles with the MS. I do not take anything for granted. My eye site, walking, use of my arms, etc. When one has a disease such as MS, you never know if you will wake up fully functioning. But the secret to such a life is trusting God. Sunday we concluded the service singing Trust and Obey. This hymn is so special to me. It was the one we were singing in a revival when I was a little girl and decided it was time to be baptized. Or as my little church friend Annabelle says, 'bap-i-tized'! I am so excited to have the opportunity to baptize her. She will be my first baptism. Her and I share our birthday on August first and now we will share this special time. She has such a servant heart. I see me as a little girl in her. I wanted to help however I could when I saw people doing things and that's how she is. I desired to learn more about Jesus and that's how she is. We, as believers, need to be the right example on how to live so people, both young and old, will desire to live for Him. We need to get better at showing people what a life of living for God is like. As I pray, my prayer list is long with many going through 'tough' days. I am thankful for those who trust God because the burdens they carry are lighter with His love. My heart breaks for those who do not trust Him. They do not have His peace to get through trying times. The first verse of Trust and Obey speaks volumes to me.

When we walk with the Lord 
in the light of his word, 
what a glory he sheds on our way! 
While we do his good will, 
he abides with us still, 
and with all who will trust and obey. 

The knowledge that God is always with me blesses me. He is with me when people say/do hurtful things. He is with me when I feel lonely. I am so blessed by His love, wisdom, and peace that He gives me every day. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, wisdom, and peace that You give me every day! Thank You for Your healing touch You are going to give to my hurting back! 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. May people see/hear You instead of me. Thank You for the blessings of taking Marion to lunch with Nancy, Carol, Paula, and Nancy yesterday! She so enjoyed getting out and having interaction with others. Thank You for Dennis who helped me get her into therapy! Father, I pray for her to have the desire in her heart to go to therapy so she can regain what was lost over the last year. Thank You for laughter and conversation with Rickey last night! You bless me in abundance with him in my life. Lord, I continue to pray for so many going through 'tough' days. I pray they will experience You in a new, different way than ever before. May You be their love, wisdom, and peace. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Jack and Paula; Roberta and her family; Chrissy and her family; Bill and Rachel; Elizabeth; Melanie; and many others. During the night You woke me to pray for Jackie with her mother's surgery today; Theresa; and Jennifer and the kids as they travel to Ohio. May they all feel Your presence today in a mighty way. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Trust! Amen.

Hebrews 13:5 - "The God Who Stays"

I woke up this morning to the words of a song Matthew West sings called "A God Who Stays" and smiled. When the enemy tries tp tear us down, God is there to encourage us. When people say/do things that hurt us, God is there to wrap His loving arms around us. I am so grateful to have Him in my life. He is my constant when everything else seems to fall apart.

You're the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays

I love the word picture of God standing with His arms open for me to fall into. I remember when I was a little girl feeling alone and terrified He came to me in a vision and comforted me. What a blessing to have such times to reflect on. There were many times as a child He spoke to me and/or gave me a vision. Those times continue today. I am so grateful for my relationship with Him where I hear His voice. I am grateful for the heart to walk in obedience to Him. I am grateful for the knowledge He is with me at all time. Plain and simple. I am grateful. Matthew West wrote of this song:

“Many times we can get discouraged in thinking that perhaps God might get fed up with our imperfect lives and leave us, too. I wrote this song in the hopes that it might be a line by line reminder that no matter who’s walked out on you in your life, no matter who has left you, there is one who never will. The Bible reminds us over and over again that He is not a god who walks away. He’s the God who pursues. He’s not a god who gives up. He’s the God who persists. He’s not a god who changes His mind. He’s the God who has made up His mind about how much He loves us. He is not a god who leaves. He is the God who stays.”

Woo hoo! Praise God for being the One who stays in my life no matter what is happening. I am so blessed by His love, mercy, and grace. Oh how I pray for more people to be in relationship with Him. 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for always being with me! Thank You for loving on me so well and encouraging me! Thank You for the reminder You are greater than anything the enemy throws before me! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! What a blessing to have Jack and Clay join Carol for praise and worship! Thank You for their servant hearts! Thank You for lunch with Cait, the kids, and my new friend! Thank You for my walks last evening in the beautiful weather and for conversations with neighbors! Thank You for conversations with Rickey who You use to encourage me! Thank You for: my Momma being released from rehab; being with my sister Linda as she gets test results today; continuing to give my sisters Sally and Mary what they need to get through 'tough' days; June and her family; Jodi and her family; Steph recuperating from shoulder surgery; Alison; Terri; Melanie; protection over two families with situations with their sons; Roberta and her family; and so many others who need an extra dose of Your encouragement. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be seen/heard through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout this day. I pray a blessing on my time with Marion today and ask that You give me right words to get her to go to exercise. Thank You Jesus for being My Constant! Amen.

Philippians 4:13 - "Never Been A Moment"

Last night the thought 'mind over matter' went through my mind. I chuckled at the way God encourages me. He knew I was wiped out from the Parking Lot Sale yesterday. It was a blessed day with seeing my people fellowship, love on the people who came, beautiful day weather wise, etc. It was a blessed day in making contact with many people. I love the servant hearts seen yesterday. I love the smiles on faces and the love of Jesus in voices. I love people and I love to love on them with Jesus' love. Opportunities like yesterday are special nuggets in my memory bank. Last night before falling asleep I prayed for pastors, including myself, to be good leaders. I prayed we would all have servant hearts so people would see what it means to live doing what God desires. During the night I only woke up once but when I did I prayed for pastors who are feeling burned out from ministry to get back to their First Love and allow Him to heal their hurting souls. This morning my body is moving slow. It would rather go back to bed but God reminded me 'mind over matter'...lol. I must lean into His strength to not just get through this day but to glorify Him through it. I must lean into His empowerment to receive what He has for me. I must lean into His love to experience it more so I can share it more. Plain and simple, I must allow Him to work in and through me. He will be faithful in being everything I need today as I am faithful in my relationship with Him. I am reminded of the saying He gave me for the May sermon series. God's faithfulness gives us a faith that leads to our faithfulness. Wow, God! You are so, so good! This morning I was reminded of the lyrics to "Never Been A Moment" and was blessed in abundance with the knowledge He is always with me no matter what is going on. 

There's never been a moment
I was not held inside your arms
And there's never been a day when you were not who you say you are
Yours forever, it don't matter
What I'm walking through
'Cause no matter where I'm going
There's never been a moment that I was not loved by you
Loved by you
Loved by you

Woo hoo! I am so grateful for the knowledge that He loves me. I am grateful for the way He encourages me through His Word, songs, people, circumstances, etc. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for all of the seeds that were planted yesterday! Thank You for Your love shared to many! Thank You for giving strength to all of us to not just get through the day but to glorify You through it! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. May You be seen/heard through me. Father, I prayed for pastors before going to bed, once during the night and again this morning. May You be exactly what each one of us need to be Your servants. May You be allowed into the lives of those burned out from ministry so You can restore them. I am so grateful for the restoration process You continue in me. You give me what I need and for that I am grateful. I am grateful for the people You have put in my life. Talking with Rickey, people praying and checking on me, my call from Pastor Sam, hugs...what encouragement You give! Lord, this morning I not only pray for pastors but also their families. I pray You will be so close to all. I also pray for: my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary with health issues; Little Ivy's family; Owen; Chrissy's family members with health issues; Sharon Martin; Elizabeth; Lee; Melanie; Carrie; Jack and Paula; the man who will be taken off life support today; and many more going through 'tough' days. May You be greater than the hurts of life. Thank You Jesus for being My First Love! Amen.

James 4:13-15 - "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"

I could not go to sleep last night for thinking about today and the days ahead. It is weird how when I have to get up to the alarm clock I struggle to go to sleep. If there is something 'big' happening, I struggle to go to sleep. It drives me crazy. Last night I did what I usually do in such circumstances and prayed. I asked God who He wanted me to pray for and He gave me a few people. I prayed for them and then went through my regular list but I was still awake. This morning when the clock went off I saw where Rickey shared the song "I Knows Who Holds Tomorrow" with me during the night. I need to get better at remembering this. There is nothing today God has not already taken care of. There is nothing in my day that will surprise Him. All I need to do is lean into Him and allow Him to work in and through me throughout the day. I need to lean into His strength, wisdom, love, etc. and allow Him to be so real to me. These words say it all...

I don't know about tomorrow
I just live from day to day
I don't borrow from the sunshine
For the skies they turn to grey.

And I don't worry for the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I'll walk beside him
For he's what lies ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

He is right here with me. He knows what I need and will provide. All I have to do is continue to walk in obedience to His will. It is going to be a long, tiring day with having little sleep but I know God is with me. Yesterday when Nancy said she voted this to be our last sale I agreed. There is so much work that goes into these things. I love going to sales but I sure do not love having one. But today is ahead and having a sale is on the calendar so I must be ready. I must be ready to love with His love and speak life to all around me. I feel like the little engine going up the hill saying "I think I can." I know I will not be able to do this day without His strength. My brain is not going to be functioning on full cylinders with little sleep so I must lean into Him more. I do not have to know what is ahead today or even in the days, weeks, or months ahead. All I have to do is trust Him with every aspect of life.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your strength You will provide in the day ahead! Thank You for the song You gave Rickey to share with me during the night! Thank You for all the ways You encourage me! 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 throughout today in a very intentional way. Thank You for being with: my Momma as she got her staples out; my sister Linda as she had an MRI; Erin and Owen with surgeries. Thank You for all who came out to price items yesterday at the church! Nancy; Carol; Jack, Paula, and her friend; Chrissy; Cait and the kids. Thank You for those who will be there today both working and buying! Lord, I pray Your will over this day. I pray You will continue to be with: Little Ivy and her family; Alison; Colleen; Elizabeth; June and her family; Lee; Sharon Martin; one who was found unconscious; and so many others. May we all get better at realizing You already know what is ahead in our lives. May we all get better at walking in obedience to You. Thank You for being My Past, Present, and Future! Amen.

Matthew 21:21-22 - "Yes He Can"

I was praying for one last night who has a 'tough' life with a family situation. Their situation is even harder because they do not have a relationship with the Lord. I do not know how they get through life without Him. I've tried to share Him with her but she she is not interested. I love on her with His love and pray for the day to come where she will be ready. At 2AM I was praying for another one who is grounded in her faith. She is going through 'tough' days. I am thankful she has the Lord to lean into. I see her gain strength through her relationship with Him. Rickey and I talked yesterday about how sad it is to see people go through life without the Lord. There will be times when we feel like He may not be there for us but He always is. We talked about how there are times we feel like He is not answering our prayers but we know He always answers them. Sometimes His answer is not what we desire but He always answers. Yes, no, maybe later...He always answers. It may be years later we see prayers answered but they are always answered. I woke this morning to Cain's song "Yes He Can" and was so blessed.

Sometimes I wonder, is He faithful? Does He see me in my trouble? Does He understand? Sometimes I question if He’s able Can He rescue, can He save me Again and again? But when I look back Did He move every mountain? Did He part every sea? Yes He did So yes He can Did He defeat the darkness? Did He deliver me? Yes He did So yes He can Yes He did So yes He can

I know He is with me at all time. I know He loves me immensely. I know He has done so much for me and will not stop now. I know He answers my prayers. Plain and simple, I know. Woo hoo! He has been with me through so much over the years of my life. I am so grateful I was raised in a home where not only was God believed in but I saw my parents live out a great faith. I want my faith to be like theirs where no matter what comes before me I will know He is there with me. He gave me a saying for the MAY sermon series that speaks volumes.

God’s Faithfulness

Gives Us a Faith That

Leads to Our Faithfulness

The desire of my heart is to live out more faithfulness in my relationship with Him. Sometimes He uses 'tough' days to take our faith deeper. Sometimes He uses people, circumstances, etc. to open our eyes to what He desires of us. No matter what is happening in life He desires to be our Focus. I know as I stay focused on Him He will lead me to where He desires me to go. As I stay focused on Him He will give me His wisdom, power, love, peace, etc. to the fullest extent possible. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminders from this song and Your Word that You can and will do anything for me in Your will! Thank You for the time of prayer during the night for so many! Thank You for conversations with Rickey that encourage me greatly! Thank You for going before me in the day ahead! Thank You for cleansing me so You can be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts! Lord, I pray for one who is going through 'tough' days that is not in relationship with You to finally accept You. I pray protection over her and her family from the situation they are in. I also pray for ones who are going through 'tough' days and in relationship with You to go deeper in their faith through what they are going through. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Pete and Delores; Alison; Elizabeth; Sharon Martin; Jack and Paula; Lee; Little Ivy's Family; Chrissy's Son; the family of one found unconscious yesterday; Terri; Gay and Doug's daughter Kristen; Pottenger Family; Erin; and so many others. Lord, thank You for Chris doing my yard! What blessings You give me through my tribe! Thank You for the work that will be accomplished today as we prepare for tomorrow's sale! Thank You for being My Focus! Amen.

Colossians 1:12 - "Famous For (I Believe)"

This picture has so much history behind it, so many memories made, and so much of God's love, mercy, and grace represented. What a blessing to have Marlene and Sharon with me for a few days. I have been on an emotional roller coaster over the last few months. It is friends who have kept me grounded. Phone calls, visits, little gifts, taking me out to eat, etc. have blessed me in abundance. Old friends and new friends are blessings to me. My 'tribe' take care of me, pray for me, love on me, etc. I am one blessed lady! I was reminded of this through the song "Famous For (I Believe)" this morning.

There is no fear 'cause I believe
There is no doubt 'cause I have seen
Your faithfulness, my fortress
Over and over

I have a hope found in Your name
I have a strength found in Your grace
Your faithfulness, my fortress
Over and over

I am blessed by God's love! I am blessed by the knowledge He is with me no matter what is happening in life! I am blessed by His empowerment over the enemy! Plain and simple. I am blessed by Him every moment of every day. He is with me at all time. For that I am grateful. I also am grateful for the wisdom He gives me to make right decisions and His peace once decisions are made. I do not have to fear anything that is happening. All I have to do is stay in His presence so I can not only hear His voice but walk in obedience to it. I love the words Paul wrote in Colossians 1. Verse twelve in The Passion Translation has such richness. We all need to be grateful for what God has done and continues to do in us. When we are living in the light, we will be filled with His love, joy, peace, wisdom, etc. Woo hoo! God reminded me of this as I finished the sermon for Sunday. His faithfulness to us is such a gift. I am so blessed as I open up His gifts every day. Oh how I pray for more people to experience His gifts.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for old friends and new ones! Thank You for Rickey being in my life! He is such an encouragement to me, especially in the 'tough' days. 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. Thank You for Alex who took care of my tires yesterday! Thank You for my conversation with my Momma this morning! May You continue to give her what she needs. I pray the same for: my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Jack and Paula; Little Ivy and her family; Cait; Alison; Lee; Elizabeth; Melanie; Terri; Jodi; Chrissy; Gay and Doug's daughter Kristen; Pottenger Family; June; and so many others going through 'tough' days. May You be greater than the hurts of life. Thank You for Will's talk yesterday! What a blessing You gave me through him and Sandy! Thank You for the safe delivery of Val's grandson! Thank You Jesus for being My Faithfulness! Amen.

Luke 6:46-49 - "Build My Life"

I woke up this morning with the lyrics to Build My Life going through my mind. This song could be considered my life song. 

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...

His love is what life needs to be grounded in. When it is, our trust in Him in unshakable. Woo hoo! As we live for Him we will experience more of Him. The more we experience Him, the more others will also experience Him. As a believer, it is so important for my life to be built upon Him so others will see Him through me. As a pastor, that is even more important. I loved the John Maxwell training last night. So much insight was received. I need to get better at being growth conscious and not goal conscious. As I do I know I will be a better person and be better at allowing God to use me as He desires. I loved 'goals challenge me but growth changes me.' Woo hoo! Change is good. Change is something we all need to experience and embrace. When we live with God as our foundation, our life will be one where challenges will be faced with His strength, wisdom, peace, and empowerment. Such a life will give us confidence in Him. Woo hoo! Pat Barrett wrote about how this song is about the man in Luke 6 who built his house upon the rock and stood against the storm that came in. "This really is a reminder for us that we can build our life on anything, we have the freedom to build our life on whatever we want. And the invitation of Jesus is to build our lives on things that last.” We all have a choice to make on how we live our life. God gives us a freewill so we can make our own decisions. When He is our foundation, He will be a part of the choices we make. He will be the One we trust as we make decisions. 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for giving us freewill and for being part of our decisions when we allow You! Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to love with Your love and the ones ahead today! Thank You for training last night and the seeds that were planted in my mind! Thank You for challenging me to be a better person! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Lord, thank You so much for Rickey who encourages me greatly! Thank You for all who check on me, pray for me, love on me, etc! Thank You for being with me every step in the day ahead! Lord, my heart breaks for many going through 'tough' days. I pray they all will realize You to a greater extent through these days. My Momma; my sisters Linda and Sally; Pastor Sylvia; Cait; Gay and Doug's daughter Kristen; Pottenger Family; Terri; Alison; Elizabeth; Pete and Delores; Little Ivy's family; TR Brennan; Trish; Elizabeth; Melanie; Steve; Little Bradley with the death of his Mommy; Clay; Lee Fritter; and so many others. I pray for my unspoken request to be answered in Your time as You see fit. Thank You Jesus for being My Foundation! Amen.

Colossians 1:17; Ephesians 6 - "Move"

I woke up with Toby Mac's song Move going through my mind. I thought about the times I felt this way and how I reacted to life and God through such times.

I know your heart's been broke again
I know your prayers ain't been answered yet
I know you're feeling like you got nothing left
Well, lift your head, it ain't over yet, ain't over yet so

Move, keep walkin' soldier keep movin' on
Move, keep walkin' until the mornin' comes
Move, keep walkin' soldier keep movin' on
And lift your head, it ain't over yet, ain't over yet

My heart breaks for Matt and Carrie who are dealing with Little Ivy's leukemia. It breaks for several who are battling disease in themselves or loved ones. We pray for miracles yet sometimes they do not happen. What we must remember is God answers all our prayers. They may not be in the manner we desire but He answers all of them. Sometimes we do not even know how to pray. There have been many times in my life when I didn't know how to pray so I would just say 'Jesus' and feel His peace. There have been many times where I felt like I could not handle one more thing yet God was there with His strength. He is always there with His wisdom when we can't seem to think clearly. He is always there with His empowerment to get us through each and every day. Paul wrote about the supremacy of Jesus in Colossians 1. Matthew Henry described Jesus as: All fulness dwells in him; a fulness of merit and righteousness, of strength and grace for us. This knowledge gives us hope when we feel like our prayers are not being answered. His strength is always there for us. I am so grateful for this knowledge. When I feel like I have no words left to pray, I am grateful for His name being enough. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. There is strength in His name. There is hope in His name. The enemy will not give up fighting for our souls but praise His Holy Name our God is greater than the enemy. Sometimes the enemy's attacks keep coming, one after another. But God's love is there protecting me from the attacks. His love is there to keep me strong. I am reminded of the pieces of armor from Ephesians 6 that we all need to wear daily. The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, the shoes of peace, the sword of the spirit, and prayer. We can be protected by these every day. Oh how I pray for more people to realize this and live for Him.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the rest You provided yesterday, for Rickey being in my life, and for another day of life! Cleanse me so You can use me as You desire. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts in a new, different way. May people see/hear You through me. I pray strength over those who are praying and feel like You are not hearing their prayers. I pray peace over those going through 'tough' days. Most of all I pray for all to allow You to be their King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I pray for: my Momma; my sisters Linda and Sally; Pastor Sylvia; Alison; Elizabeth; Melanie; Pottenger Family; Erin; Mark and Lisa; and so many others going through 'tough' times. May we all lean into You through every day. May we all realize what You desire of us to receive. Thank You Jesus for being My Protector! Amen.

Colossians 1; Galatians 5:22-23 - "Every Step if the Way"

Once again yesterday was filled with blessings from start to finish. When I walked into the church, my heart was full with the memories of Saturday with all of the work that was accomplished. It was full again as I heard the fellowship happening around the coffee pot in the fellowship area before church. The testimonies shared during service blessed me in abundance. Lunch with Marlene and Sharon, the afternoon at the beach with a visit with Will and Sandy, dinner by the water, lots of laughter, and ending the day talking with Rickey made for one blessed day. I was thinking this morning about the challenge from yesterday's sermon. Pray for God to empower you to praise Him no matter what circumstances happen this week. I spoke about how we have to go through 'tough' times for our faith to go deeper. This morning God took me to Colossians 1 where Paul wrote about Epaphras who began the church there. He spoke of his faithfulness and love. That is what I desire people to speak of about me. I desire everyone to see and experience God's love through me. The only way that can happen is for me to have God's love in me. Colossians 1:10 reminded me of the fruit from yesterday's sermon. I desire to be mature in Christ so this fruit will be a part of my everyday life. Galatians 5:22-23 reads in The Passion Translation:

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions:

joy that overflows

peace that subdues,

patience that endures,

kindness in action,

a life full of virtue,

faith that prevails,

gentleness of heart, and

strength of spirit.

Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Woo hoo! God is so good in being faithful to us as we walk with Him. Yesterday sitting at the beach I thought about my walk with Him. It is not always 'pretty.' I am thankful for His love, mercy, and grace when it gets 'ugly' and I'm thankful for the more I walk with Him, the 'prettier' it gets. I was blessed last night with talking about our walk with God with Rickey. Colossians 1:14 reads in The Passion Translation: For in the Son all our sins are canceled and we have the release of redemption through his very blood. Praise God for this knowledge! Cade Thompson wrote the song "Every Step of the Way" while going through the pandemic. He wrote: One thing I could not deny in my times of reflection is that the goodness of God was clearly evident every step of the way along this journey called life. I hope this song is an encouragement to you when your life experiences might look different than you had planned and my desire is that it points you back to the promise that God is still working in your life every single day, every step of the way.

God desires all of us to walk with Him. He desires all of us to accept Him into our heart. He desires all of us to take the next step past salvation so we will live a life of holiness. He desires His fruit to flow from us as we trust Him. Plain and simple. He desires us to be His children. 

If I could talk to myself eight years ago
Seeing what I've seen, knowing what I know
I would tell that quiet kid
There'll be days ahead when it doesn't make sense
I would tell him he can trust Your hand
'Cause now I gotta picture of the greater plan
I can see with perfect clarity
It wasn't tragedy, it was what I needed

I couldn't see it then
But now I understand
Every step of the way
You've been You'll be
Working everything for the best for me
So I trust in who You are
Every step of the way
You've been You'll be
Fighting and writing Your love in my story
You've held my heart

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Lord, I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing. I pray  for Your fruit to not only be seen in me but to be realized to all around me. Lord, I pray for all believers to show Your love from their actions, attitude, words, and thoughts. I pray for all of us to get better in doing so. Lord, I continue to pray for: Little Ivy and her family; my Momma; my sisters Linda and Sally; June and her family; Elizabeth; Melanie; Joyce; Cait; Terri; and so many others. Lord, may You be so real in an unspoken request I have. I pray for safe travels for Marlene and Sharon and for Little Eddy who is not feeling well. I also pray for restoration in my voice and for rest today. Thank You for my conversations with Rickey that encourage me so much! Thank You for another day of life! Thank You for being My Story Maker! Amen.