Psalm 23; Matthew 18 - "First Things First"

There is a popular song on Christian radio right now called "First Things First" that speaks volumes. It is the way I strive to live my life every day. When we strive to be Christ-like, we will achieve that goal more often. As we live to please Him we will do so in ways the world cannot understand. 

First thing's first
I seek Your will
Not my own
Surrender all my wants to you
Keep the first thing first
To live Your truth
Walk Your ways
Set my eyes
Lord, I fix my face on you
All my desires reversed
To keep the first thing first

Yes! Fixing our eyes on God instead of ourselves in key to a peaceful life. It does not mean there won't be turmoil in life because we need such times to stretch our faith. It does not mean we will always do as He desires because we are human and make decisions not based on His will from time to time. It does not mean we are going to understand everything that happens because God is the Only One to understand all things. What it does mean is we will realize a greater life with Him here on earth and for eternity. Eternity must be our goal. My heart goes out to those who do not comprehend this concept. It hurts for those who blatantly refuse God to be in their life but it really hurts for those who know Him yet have walked away. I am so thankful for His love, mercy, and grace that brought me back into relationship with Him when I walked away. I am thankful for the prayers of many who never gave up on me. When faced with situations of people turning away from God, He reminds me He did not give up on me. Therefore, I should not give up on people. Sometimes it is hard to keep trying when people are resistant. Once again I must remember God never gave up on me so I need to not give up on others. I am reminded this morning of the parable of the ninety-nine sheep in Matthew 18. The shepherd knew the ninety-nine were safe when he went to look for the one lost sheep. His love for all one hundred sheep can be seen in this parable. He left the ninety-nine knowing they would be ok until he returned. He went for the one lost knowing he needed all of his sheep before he could rest. The shepherd knew the one lost would be vulnerable and could possibly be attacked by a wild animal. Our Good Shepherd is just like this. He desires all to follow Him and will do whatever it takes to make sure it happens. He knows we are human and make mistakes but He also knows we can learn from such mistakes. I am grateful for Scripture that encourages me greatly to stay focused on God no matter what circumstances I find myself. One such Scripture is Psalm 23. It shows how He leads, guides, and protects us. Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that never gave up on me when I walked away! Thank You for bringing Doug into my life! Thank You for Pam giving me the opportunity to talk to my Momma for a couple minutes yesterday over the phone! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray Your peace over many going through difficult days. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; David; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Great Shepherd! Amen.

Psalm 139:17-18 - "Cornerstone"

Yesterday was another day in paradise. I started the day with Jesus and Psalm 37. Andy came over to look at a house project and had breakfast with us. After we ran some errands to pick up supplies for the house project I picked up Marion for lunch at our house which we thoroughly enjoyed. After we took her home we went to Hilton Head for Doug to see it for the first time. We enjoyed the afternoon/evening with a walk on the beach but it was so windy we decided to not spend much time there. We walked around the area and enjoyed dinner and some shopping. On the way home we drove through a nature reserve. What a fun day to spend our first month anniversary! Of course, throughout the day there were many opportunities for ministry with multiple phone calls, texts, etc. When I fell apart yesterday morning, thankfully my dear friend Jo Ann was there to talk over the phone. God showed up every moment of the day for the 'good' times and the 'tough' times. He was there to give me words when counseling and He gave words of comfort to Jo Ann to share that I needed to hear. He was there on the beach as He spoke to me about how how He knows every grain of sand being blown about just as He knows my hurts and pains in life. God is such a good God. There is such joy found in His presence. I was thinking as I fell asleep last night about how in the midst of so many emotions of the day God was with me. I often wonder how people get along without God in their life. I don't know how I could get through even one day without Him. He is my anchor in the midst of the storms of life. Without Him I am nothing. Our server last night was a young man who so appreciated our prayers. As a college student with bills, a car with issues, etc. he is struggling yet the smile on his face when we asked how we could pray for him was so encouraging. When he came back to thank us a second time, the smile was still there. His smile brought a smile to my face. What a blessing! I was thinking about the commission God put upon me and my church for the coming year to be the hands and feet of Jesus. That is exactly what we all do when we are out and about and do things such as pray with/for our servers. It is what we do when we share smiles with people we meet. I found myself praying while we sat on the swing and people watched yesterday. Young families, people with disabilities, those who seemed so unhappy, elderly, etc. One family who I assume was four generations put a smile on my face as the teen boy was so attentive to the oldest lady. It reminded me of my boys and Momma. I am thankful for  all the memories we have to cherish. I prayed for people yesterday to make good memories for them to cherish too. Throughout the day yesterday I had the song "Cornerstone" going through my mind. God is my Cornerstone and for that I am grateful. I am grateful for godly parents who raised me knowing a life of trusting God as I was taught to love Him in 'good' and 'tough' times. 

The sun goes up, the sun comes down
This old world keeps spinnin' 'round (Spinnin' 'round)
I'm here travelin' down this long and winding road (Long and winding road)
Seasons comе and seasons go
They take mе high, then leave me low
But I'm still standin' on the only Rock I know
You're my cornerstone

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday with having Andy in our home for breakfast, Marion in our home for lunch, and our time celebrating our first month anniversary at Hilton Head! Thank You for bringing Doug into my life! I praise You for our server yesterday who was so thankful for our prayers! Cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray Your peace over Debbie with her procedure this morning and for others who are going through difficult days. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; David; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Cornerstone! Amen.

Psalm 37 - "Jesus Will Still Be There"

The Lord woke me this morning with the direction to read Psalm 37. This Psalm has great reminders for us when life is overwhelming. I was reminded of verse four last night as I wrote my district report. Waiting on God is crucial if we desire to walk in His will. When we get ahead of God, we will mess up His plans. Instead we need to Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him...(vs 7). In order to do that we must Trust in the Lord and do good as verse three encourages us to do. Verse four is one I strive to live by every day. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. The word delight means to please someone greatly. That is exactly what I want to do with God. I want to please Him by my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I want to make Him proud of me. The way to do this is found in verse five where David shares with us to Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him... As we live in this manner we will realize verse six. It reads in The Passion Translation: 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. David continues in this Psalm with reminders to refrain from anger and not to fret in verse 8. As we live in this manner we will live in God's peace and prosperity (vs 11). I do not believe David is speaking of financial prosperity but rather spiritual prosperity. He also speaks many verses of the way the wicked live. We see people all around us who strive to cause problems in people's lives with gossip, lies, etc. It is sad to see people so unhappy they resort to such ways. I praise God for His love and grace that are there for us when we allow the enemy an open door into our life with such actions. I love the knowledge in verse twenty-four, ...though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Woo hoo! I also love the knowledge of verse twenty-seven. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. Woo hoo! David concludes this Psalm with words of hope and encouragement. It reads in the NIV: The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Praise His Holy Name for this knowledge! No matter what is thrown our way God is there for us. He is there to listen to our cries, dry our tears, wrap His loving arms around us, and allow us to be loved. Overwhelming times come from health issues in ourselves and loved ones. They come from being verbally attacked by others. They come from the busyness of life being too much. No matter what the reason when we find ourselves overwhelmed God is here for us. Yesterday was a day to decompress. It was a day where ministry still happened but it was done on a more scaled-down manner. After spending time writing my blog Doug and I had breakfast and went for a walk in God's beautiful nature. We had some errands to run and then had lunch before going to the beach for a couple hours of down time. On the way home we picked some strawberries which always puts a smile on my face. The evening included using a gift card given to us for dinner at Dockside and then another walk at the waterfront. It was a much needed day that reminded me of Psalm 37:4. I know I pleased God with the manner in which I spent the day because He blessed me with yesterday. Woo hoo! I am blessed in so many ways. One of them is in the knowledge "Jesus Will Still Be There" no matter what is happening in life.

Jesus will still be there.
His love will never change,
Sure as a steady rain,
Jesus will still be there.
When no one else is true,
He'll still be lovin' you.
When it looks like you've lost it all
And you haven't got a prayer,
Jesus will still be there.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday with a low-key type of day! Thank You for Doug being with me to share it! Cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray Your peace over many going through difficult days. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; David; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Refuge! Amen.

Matthew 6:9-10, 28:18-20 - "The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours)"

Yesterday was another day in paradise that was enjoyable yet tiring. Being with my church family for our annual meeting and worship followed by lunch was a treasure in my memory bank. I received a text afterward saying 'Pastor, that was your best sermon yet! We all needed to hear it.' I hope it wasn't because it was a short sermon that made it my best...lol. God gave me Matthew 28:18-20 for our vision for the coming church year. We are to go, baptize, and teach. God has told me we are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our little world. As I said yesterday, He has not given me the details but I need to be still and wait on those to follow what He has already given us. As we fulfill this vision we will grow in our individual lives along with our corporate spiritual realm. God has great things ahead for the Beaufort Church of the Nazarene but we must get out of His way for those things to be realized. We must remember three things. The past is the past. The present is the present. The future is the future. We cannot live in the glory days of the past but instead live in His presence in the present. We must be still before Him as we wait on the details of what Matthew 28:18-20 will look like for us. I woke up this morning with the song "The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours)" going over and over in my mind. 

Father, let Your Kingdom come 
Father, let Your will be done 
On Earth as in Heaven 
Right here in my heart 

Yes! I am so excited to see His Kingdom come as we become more and more the hands and feet of Jesus. I love details and can get a little impatient waiting on them to be revealed but I know His timing is perfect. I am so thankful for the way God works in my life personally and as a pastor. I am thankful for Him promising Doug to me last spring and for me waiting for the reveal of him in February. So much has happened in the last three months but when God is in the center of things that is how life can be. Doug wrote in his journal, "The future is bright when God is in control..We must always remember, His plan in His time frame." It amazes me how God speaks to both of us on the same subject so many times. Yesterday after having our 'Nazarene nap' after church we went shopping for some shoes to replace mine with holes in them and get him some shorts since his are three sizes too big. After shopping we went to the waterfront and sat on the swings with some ice cream. We didn't do too much walking since my legs were hurting but instead enjoyed being out in God's nature. My tiring day put me in bed early and I ended up with ten hours of sleep. What a blessing! I say it often and mean it every time. I am one blessed lady!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! I am so worn out physically, mentally, and emotionally but blessed with the way You keep my spiritual tank going. Thank You for Doug who supports me so well not only here at home with cooking and cleaning but in every aspect of life! It blesses me in abundance with the way he hands out my business cards. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray Your strength over many going through difficult days. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; David; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Vision Supplier! Amen.

Psalm 113:3 - "That's The Thing About Praise"

I love Sundays! I love gathering with my church family for worship and fellowship! Yesterday's Celebration of Vows Ceremony with some of my South Carolina tribe was such a joy. I look forward to today's gathering with Sunday School, Morning Worship with Annual Meeting business, communion, me presenting the vision God has given me to share, and our time of fellowship after church. God continues to pour down His blessings upon not only myself but the Beaufort Church of the Nazarene. He continues to guide our steps and for that I am thankful. As I prayed for pastors before going to bed, during the night, and again this morning I asked God to give them contentment in their heart for where He has them. I prayed for every pastor to be in relationship with God where they not only hear His voice but desire to walk in His full empowerment to live out His will. God has such great plans for all of us all we have to do is be willing to be submissive to Him. We need to be willing to not live in the past but learn from it. We need to be willing to live in the present where we will realize every day what He has for us. We need to be willing to look to the future to realize God's will for us. After resting for a bit after the ceremony yesterday we decided to go out and take a walk on the beach. What a blessing it is when Doug gets me to 'stop and smell the roses' and take time to be out in nature. I received such a blessing on the way to the beach as I was dealing with a couple phone calls. Doug pointed out how every song that was played on the radio was for that particular moment. They were songs that encouraged us to praise God no matter what was happening. Walking on the beach was another blessing. I saw some wildflowers growing out from an overturn tree at the beach and Doug commented how I see beauty in nature that many miss. I am so blessed by nature and really blessed by the love of my husband. On the way home we realized it was getting close to sunset so we drove to Pigeon Point and watched some dolphins play as the sun set. I love this time of year with the mimosa trees blooming and was blessed last night with taking a picture of one with the sunsetting behind it. Once again I thanked God for the beauty of His creation. It is sad to think of how many times I took nature for granted. How many times did I walk past a beautiful plant, flower, or tree without actually seeing it? How many times did it take for a strong scent from flowers before I finally smelled it? How many times sun rises or sunsets happened without me actually seeing them? It is sad to think about yet I am grateful God continues to pour the beauty of His creation out to be enjoyed. I am grateful for the way God works through His creation to encourage me through days that seem so overwhelming. I am thankful He doesn't tire of lifting me up. Blessing Offor sings a song called "That's The Thing About Praise" that reminds me to praise Him through the 'good' days and the 'tough' ones. It reminds me He is always here for me and nothing surprises Him.

Therе's what I want and then there's where I'm at
Every one step forward, it got me five steps back
And I cried, I called, God knows I prayed
But most days faith is climbin' up a mountain that stayed

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the privilege to pray for pastors before going to bed, during the night, and again this morning! Thank You for all who made our Vow Celebration Ceremony so beautiful! Thank You for my dear husband Doug who loves me so well and reminds me to 'stop and smell the roses'! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May  people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray a blessing over my annual report and the sharing of the vision You have given me for our church. I pray for many going through difficult days to find reason to praise You. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; David; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues; and Kaytlin’s husband. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Praise Maker! Amen.

Philippians 4:11-13 - "His Strength Is Perfect"

Last night before bed Doug had another time to console me as the tears fell. Goodness he is getting a lot of experience with this of late. As I was getting ready to climb into bed I thought 'I need to call Momma to tell her the church is ready for tomorrow.' It is so hard to not be able to pick up the phone and call her. I miss our conversations when one of us needs to talk we call. Her not having a phone in the nursing home is the pits. As the tears fell it hit me this is just another way God is preparing me for the days ahead when she won't be here. I am so thankful for friends like Pam who called me yesterday when she was visiting Momma so I could talk to her. I am thankful for friends like Tom and Cheryl who give me updates on how she is doing when they visit her. I am so thankful for friends like Kaye who encourage me greatly when I'm struggling. My life is full of people who love me with God's love. Some I've known for forty plus years while others are newer on my journey. It does not matter the distance between us, the time we've known one another, or the circumstances of our friendship. God provides exactly what we need when we need it. I desire to be a friend people can depend upon. I desire to share His love with all I meet. Yesterday when we were on our way to the church I received a phone call from a friend who is going through a tough time with her parents. I'm sorry she is going through this time but it helped me to get my mind off of what I am going through as I prayed over the phone with her. After having my breakdown with tears last night I prayed for many going through tough times. That time helped me to get my mind off of myself. Once again, God knows what is needed and provides. I am so thankful for Cait and Annabelle's help getting the church set-up yesterday and for Terri taking the veggies to prepare for today. I am thankful for my husband who smoked the meat for today and prayed over me this morning. My tank is feeling depleted yet God continues to fill it back up. The tingling in my head is driving me crazy yet God continues to take my mind off of it. I am exhausted yet God continues to give me energy to put one foot in front of the other. I am once again reminded of Paul's words to the Philippians in chapter four where he encourages them to continue serving God no matter what their circumstances. He tells them the secret to contentment is found in God. We can be content with life in the 'good' times and in the 'tough' times. I am reminded of the words to "His Strength Is Perfect" and feeling blessed...

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end
He hears our humble cry and proves again
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He'll carry us when we can't carry on
Raised in His power, the weak become strong
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Doug who was here to encourage me when I fell apart last night! Thank You for Annabelle and Cait who helped set-up for today! Thank You for Pam, Tom, and Cheryl who gave me updates on my Momma yesterday! Thank You for Kaye who loves me through messages! I am one blessed lady to have so many people who love me with Your love. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. I pray blessings on the day ahead with our Vow Celebration. I also pray blessings on many going through 'tough' days to feel Your empowerment. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she recuperates from surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues; and Kaytlin’s husband. May You continue to be close to Andy and Sharon with the loss of their daughters. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Empowerment! Amen.

Philippians 4:13 - "Ain't Nobody"

Throughout the night and again this morning I had these words from a song Cody Carnes sings called "Ain't Nobody" on my mind...

He gave me joy for the mourning
For the ashes a crown
Yeah, I'm a walking talking miracle
And I just gotta let it out
Ain't nobody love me like Jesus
Ain't nobody love me this good

Yes! His love for me is greater than anything. It is greater than the hurts of life that seem to be so overwhelming at times. It is greater than the mistakes made that make us feel like a failure. It is greater than the expectations we put on ourselves and others put on us that are so unrealistic. His love brings us through 'tough' days stronger than ever before. His love pulls us out of the 'junk' of life to realize He never leaves us. He knew I needed reminded of His love. That is why this song was put on my mind throughout the night. I'm physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. The circumstances of life are overwhelming at this point but I cannot allow any of them pull me away from God. I cannot allow the enemy an open door into my life. Instead I must stand upon Paul's words from Philippians 4:13. I must allow God's supernatural strength to be what I walk in. I have often heard the saying 'God will not give you more than you can handle' and have often thought He must think I'm pretty strong. He knows I'm strong by the way I trust Him. He knows I find His strength in the ways He pours Himself into me. This morning I was reminded of the trillium wildflowers we saw growing when Doug and I walked at Johnson's Woods Sunday morning. They look so delicate yet they survive physical storms. We may feel delicate yet we survive 'storms' in life with God's strength. The trillium are so pretty as God's creation just as we are pretty in His eyes. Even when we may not feel as such we still are as God oozes out of us. There is no better compliment than hearing the smile on my face shows God's love in me. 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of a safe trip home, for friends like Matt and Billy who unloaded the smoker, and for hugs from Sierra to welcome us home! Thank You for clarity in thinking when I feel so overwhelmed! Thank You for Doug who already had laundry done when I woke up this morning! You bless me in abundance over and over again. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May people see/hear You through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. May people see a smile on my face that reflects Your love in me. I pray Your strength over many going through difficult days. My Momma, my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Steph as she awaits surgery; Pete and Delores; Steve; Cait; Rhonda; Mike; Norma Hall; Sharon Sebolt and her parents; some young ladies with anxiety; a young man out of rehab; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; April; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; Mr John; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many dealing with ‘c’ and/or going through treatments…Audrey; Chrissy’s cousin; Shirley Jones; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Little Ivy; Little Judson; Little Roselynn; a young girl in our community; a lady whose breast cancer has returned; a lady diagnosed with stage two breast cancer; a lady diagnosed with throat cancer; Sue Danhoff’s husband Harv; Michele with breast cancer; Mr Mullett; and Damon. I pray for: the Long family; Becky; Russ; a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues; and Kaytlin’s husband. May You continue to be close to Andy and Sharon with the loss of their daughters. Thank You for continued healing for Pastor Tommy and Pam! Thank You for being My Strength! Amen.