Invaluable Gift

Recently a friend sent me a message saying I had been on her mind and she’d been praying for me. For reasons yet unknown to me, God placed me in her thoughts prompting her to intercede on my behalf. I am extremely grateful for a friend who heeds the call of God and loves me in this way. As I told my friend, prayers are an invaluable gift both to give and receive, inviting God’s blessing, power, love, and Presence into our lives. Often times, we ask permission to pray for one another—just so you know, there’s no need to ask me. That’s a question to which my reply is always, “yes, please” and “thank you.” Prayers are always welcome and greatly appreciated.

1 Timothy 2:1, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—"

Your Kind of Love

Lord, help me to love with Your kind of love. Help me to love generously and graciously, overlooking faults and flaws, overcoming grudges and hurts. Help me to love sincerely from the bottom of my heart, with pure motives of goodness towards those in my path. Help me to love fearlessly with no apprehension or reservations, giving my all. Help me to love humbly, putting aside all pride and indignation, caring for the needs of all others first. Help me to love with the same dedication and resolve that You showed, when stopping at nothing, even laying down Your life for my sake. Help me to love like You love Jesus, with lasting and unchanging, faithful and extravagant love.

1 John 4:9, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”

Extraordinary Faith

The Bible is filled with stories about regular people like you and me. So, how did they merit a place of such honor as to be remembered and discussed all these thousands of year later? It wasn’t their own capabilities or power. Quite simply, they were ordinary folks with extraordinary faith. The names and the faces that fill the pages of Scripture are those of shepherds, fishermen, tent-makers, seamstresses, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, boat-builders, gardeners, butlers and maids. They dealt with insecurities, and struggled with sin. They were flawed and imperfect people, made perfect in the sight of God only by faith and His amazing grace. Despite their flaws and their failures, they believed God and everything He said to them to be true. When they fell down, they got right back up; when they veered off the path, they got back on track; when they lost their way, they refocused their sights on God. Just like you and me, they messed up from time to time. At times it even appears they took a step or two backwards in their walk with the Lord, but the overall trajectory of their lives was moving forward in faith, holding tightly to the hand of God.  Extraordinary faith is what makes these folks so note-worthy. As we read the stories of those who’ve gone before us, let’s find comfort in knowing we don’t have to earn God’s mercy or grace, we simply need to surrender our lives to Him in child-like faith.

Hebrews 11:1-2, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Harvest of Blessings

Gratitude changes everything and everyone.

Planting seeds of gratitude produces an abundant harvest of blessings, with more than enough to go around. Gratitude brings fresh joy to the air; it brings warmth to our hearts; it brings clarity to the sight of our eyes; it alters our perspective with optimistic hope. Gratitude positively affects everyone fortunate enough to be caught up in its path.

Appreciation, gratitude, and thanks—words to live by; words that give life.

Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Counting Blessings

Far too often our awareness of the blessings that surround us is dimmed by the difficult circumstances we face. Our focus zooms in on all that is going wrong, eclipsing our view of all that is going right. In spite of hardships, God is always at work. Let’s step back and open our eyes to the abundant blessings God has put in our lives. Let’s be present in this very moment, and take notice and count all the blessings He’s poured and continues to pour out. Let’s ask Him to reveal them to us so that we can give Him thanks. In the process of recounting and praising our Lord, our spirits get lifted and our hearts get filled. Thanksgiving is an official day for thanks, but for our own benefit and to the glory of God, gratitude is meant to be a part of every day. Happy Thanksgiving all year long!

 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Not Forgotten

This week I'm revisiting the life of Hagar (Genesis 16). She is one of my favorite women in Scripture, yet one of the most overlooked persons of faith. For her, life became more than she could bear; it was a weight too heavy to carry. She felt alone and abandoned, but in her time of despair, God spoke to her personally and let her know she was not forgotten. The moment she realized that God saw her, her outlook drastically changed. Hope filled her heart, renewing her desire to press on.

From her story I’m reminded of the tender love, mercy, and grace, and ever-watchful eye of our Father above. From His throne room in Heaven He sees our hearts break. He notices our hardships and the trails we face. Our tears prompt Him to action, and He catches everyone. He tenderly calls our name and says, “I’m right here. When you feel all alone, just open your eyes and you’ll see Me close beside you.” Only when we recognize that God is with us, do we experience His healing, hope, and peace. The real difference in our lives comes when we see that He sees us.

Genesis 16:13, “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me.'”

Psalm 34:18, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Our Light

Though the world seems to spin out of control, God remains the same. He is our constant source of stability and strength. He is where our hope lies. In the midst of darkness, He is our Light.

James 1:17, “ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”