Yes I will, bless Your name
Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy
All my days, oh yes I will
You're going before me
And oceans are parting
You're fighting my battles.
When my feet are failing
And my heart is shaking
You're fighting my battles.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for another great day with my church family! Thank You for loving me so greatly that You reminded me of Paul's words in Philippians 3:14! 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 today. I pray Your strength over many going through difficult days. Andy and his family with Katelyn's cancer; Kaye and her family; Rachael; my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; 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 who needs strength in his daily walk; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; Amber; Ashley Foor; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c' and/or going through treatments...Katelyn; Chrissy's cousin; Shirley Jones; Cait's friend with leukemia; 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; and a dear friend awaiting an oncologist appointment. 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 and Darryle and his family. I praise You for continued reconciliation for a father and his prodigal daughter. I pray for Melinda and Todd with all they are going through. Thank You for being My Goal! Amen.
The Lord directed me to Psalm 8 this morning. David wrote this Psalm to remind us to praise God especially when we feel attacked by the enemy. It begins and ends with the same verse. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! We must not only remember this but live it out. That can be hard when we are going through difficult days. In our humanness it is difficult to praise God through the loss of a loved one, watching a loved one dealing with a terminal illness, loss of a relationship, etc. It can be difficult to praise God when we feel like our world is falling apart but that is exactly what we need to do. One thing we must remember is satan does not like us praising God. Therefore, he will attack even more when we do. He is fighting for us every day. He wants our souls to go to hell instead of spending eternity with the Lord. He doesn't fight those he already has but fights for those who are walking with the Lord. There are so many hurting people. Yesterday as I talked with a few of them I became overwhelmed myself with their hurt. I cannot 'fix' their problems but I can pray for them. I cannot make life all better but I can encourage them. Throughout the day I found myself praying for many. I prayed God would be their strength and so real to them in their time of need. I prayed God would reveal Himself to them in a way that would make sense to them. Most of all I prayed for those not in relationship with Him to find Him and for the those in relationship with Him to go deeper. Some days I feel like I am not making a difference in people's lives but I know that is the enemy trying to tear me down. I know as long as I continue to seek God and do His will I am making a difference in people's lives but especially in my own. Woo hoo! I woke this morning with a song Katy Nicole sings called "In Jesus Name (God of Possible)" and am feeling blessed...
I pray for your healing, that circumstances would change
I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus' name
I pray that a breakthrough would happen today
I pray miracles over your life in Jesus' name
In Jesus' name
Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for the people You put in my path yesterday to love on with Your love! I pray the words I spoke were ones that will make a difference in their lives. I pray Mr. Baldwin will have a 'good' day after his oral surgery yesterday. I also pray for many going through 'tough' days to experience Your strength today. Andy and his family with Katelyn's cancer; Kaye and her family; Rachael; my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; 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 who needs strength in his daily walk; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; Amber; Ashley Foor; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c' and/or going through treatments...Katelyn; Chrissy's cousin; Shirley Jones; Cait's friend with leukemia; 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; Susan; and a dear friend awaiting an oncologist appointment. I pray for: the Long Family, Becky, Russ, a couple contemplating divorce and another couple having serious issues; and Melinda and Todd. Thank You for continued healing for: Pastor Tommy and Pam and Darryle and his family. I praise You for continued reconciliation for a father and his prodigal daughter. Thank You for being My God of Possible! Amen.
Oh how I cherish my monthly tea gathering of widows. I always leave feeling loved and renewed in my spirit. Yesterday one of the Scriptures brought to us was Psalm 139:17-18 that reminds us how special we are to God. He loves us greatly and desires to walk with us daily. In the verse it speaks about how God thinks about us more than the grains of sand on every shore! Vonna gave us an eight ounce jar of sand yesterday with this information: In 8 ounces of sand there are approximately 7 million, 6 hundred 92 thousand and 38 grains of sand. Wow! I don't know who counted all those grains of sand to come up with that number but that's a lot of grains of sand! God loves us MORE than all the sand on this earth! Every time I sweep the house, shake out the car mats, etc. there is a ton of sand. After reading these numbers instead of grumbling about the sand I will praise God for His love. This picture was taken one morning in October at Hunting Island at sunrise. What a special time to go out there in the dark and watch the earth come to life for a new day. When we first moved to South Carolina, Hunting Island soon became my happy place. I would go out there with a book and read for hours as I listened to the waves and dug my toes into the sand. It wasn't until recently that I started enjoying sunrises and sunsets in that area. God is so good to bless us with such times. He knows what we need and provides. Earlier in the week when it was too foggy to see the sunrise it was still a beautiful morning. Each and every day is a gift from the Lord. We must choose how we will unwrap it. As we open up the gifts given to us from Him we will realize His love to a greater degree. When we go through the 'junk' this life throws at us, it can be like walking on wet sand. There are days we feel like we are sinking and can't make forward progress. There are also days when we feel like giving up but we must remember God is with us. He is giving us such times to grow our faith. He allows 'tough' times to make us realize we need more of Him. I am reminded this morning of the song "Sink 'n Swim" that Plumb sings.
We will sink and
We will swim
'Til the ocean turns to sand
We will laugh
We will cry
'Til there's no more breath inside
Cause we will sink
We will swim
I was,
A tender reed
Bent in the wind
And then the storm passed
And you helped me stand upright again
There is a palm branch in this picture laying on the ground. It appears to have died and fell off the tree. The best thing for us to do is to die to self to allow God to fill us with more of Him. This palm branch could have died from the weather blowing it off. The lesson from it is that we need the nutrients from our Source of Life to stay living just as it needed. We can wither away in our soul when the enemy comes knocking at our door over and over again but when we stay with God we will stay strong.
Dear Jesus, Thank You for Vonna and the love she pours into our group! Thank You for the reminder from the jar of sand of just how much You love all of us! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May those who are going through trying days realize You as their Source of Life. Andy and his family with Katelyn's cancer; Kaye and her family; Rachael; my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; 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 who needs strength in his daily walk; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; Amber; Ashley Foor; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c' and/or going through treatments...Katelyn; Chrissy's cousin; Shirley Jones; Cait's friend with leukemia; 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; Susan; and a dear friend awaiting an oncologist appointment. 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 and Darryle and his family. I praise You for continued reconciliation for a father and his prodigal daughter. I pray for Melinda and Todd with all they are going through and Mr. Baldwin with oral surgery today. Thank You for being My Source of Life! Amen.
Yesterday I had an opportunity to go to Widgeon Point to see sunrise but the fog was too thick to see it. I had an opportunity to see the sunset but the weather did not cooperate. These are two of my favorite things to do yet neither of them happened. I had the choice to be upset or enjoy the rest of my day. I chose to enjoy the day. I still had a walk in the woods and when the sun finally came out I enjoyed it. Yesterday morning walking I took this picture of the trail going back to the car. The fog was present yet the colors of the trees were vibrant. I picked up some shells while there that were unique in color. Even though the sky was hidden by the fog you could still see the blueness of it. God makes color for a purpose. Color shows us the beauty of God's creation. Even though the sunrise was different yesterday it was still a beautiful morning. In the midst of the grayness of the morning I still saw color all around me. As I look at this picture of the path I am reminded that the path we are on may not be clear but as long as we allow God to direct us we will be blessed. The path we are on may be foggy as yesterday but as long as we strive to stay in relationship with Him we will receive His wisdom and direction. Our path may change but as long as God is our focus we will be OK. I had a conversation with my Momma yesterday that broke my heart but at the same time encouraged me. She is in a 'tough' place in life and is miserable yet she never gives up leaning into God's strength. She continues to trust God to show her what to do. I am so grateful to have her as my Momma. I am grateful for the way her and my Daddy lived as examples of living for the Lord no matter what was happening in life. They went through so much yet over the years yet neither of them ever gave up on God. They chose to see the colors of life through His eyes no matter if the colors were bright and vibrant or if they were dull. We cannot always be bright and vibrant but we can always choose to be colorful for God. We can turn 'ugly' situations into beautiful ones by speaking life over people. We can turn gray and dreary days into something special by allowing God to work in and through us. We can take a 'plain' day and turn it into something special by finding ways to love with His love. I am reminded of an older song called "Light Your World" this morning...
It only takes a little time
To show someone how much you care
It only takes a little time
To answer someone's biggest prayer
Light your world, let the love of God shine through
In the little things you do, light your world
And though your light may be
Reaching only two or three, light your world
Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for showing me how a foggy sunrise is still colorful and beautiful! Thank You for encouraging me to be colorful for You no matter what is happening in life! Cleanse me so You will become greater in me. I pray Your peace over many going through 'dark' days. Andy and his family with Katelyn's cancer; Kaye and her family; Rachael; my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; 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 who needs strength in his daily walk; Mary Lilley; a husband/father separated from his wife; Brooklyn; Kristen Batten; Amber; Ashley Foor; families in turmoil; Gay and Doug; Sherry; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c' and/or going through treatments...Katelyn; Chrissy's cousin; Shirley Jones; Cait's friend with leukemia; 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; Susan; and a dear friend awaiting an oncologist appointment. 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 and Darryle and his family. I praise You for continued reconciliation for a father and his prodigal daughter. I pray for Melinda and Todd with all they are going through. Thank You for being My Color Maker! Amen.