He's Answering

"The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" Proverbs 20:24

Are you tired of trying so hard to make sure you do everything just right? Do you long to hear God whispering that He's with you and in control? Then you're like many other busy and overworked people. God knows your desire to love others, serve, and make wise choices. He hears your genuine prayer for help and strength. And He's answering. So lean back and take a deep breath. You are loved more than you'll ever know.

Dear Lord, help my friend to take a deep breath and feel the love You have for her(him). Taking the time to be silent and be grateful for all You have done in their lives. For those that may be hurting, give them a peace that passes all understanding. For those that are unsure, put people in their lives that can help them to know you better and be sure of Your love. For those that are hurting, place someone in their path today that can give them that smile and encouragement they need. For those that are feeling good, I pray that they will reach out to someone today that may be hurting. For all my friends that receive these daily encouragements, bless them today. In Your Name, Amen.

Friends... have a great day in the Lord. For He is good!!
Blessings,

Turn to Him

"Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer."
Romans 12:12

When do you pray the most, in times of ease or trial? Like most folks, you probably bend God's ear when you're hurting physically or spiritually, and that makes sense. For who helps the way God does? Paul describes the Christian's best response to trouble in these pithy phrases. While the faithless might rail against God, complaining that He is unfair, Christians know otherwise. We have a hope, a reason for patience, and a Father who cares. Let's turn to Him, no matter what our need.

Dear Lord, help me to turn to you in prayer before I pick up the phone to call a friend, or Facebook them. You are always there waiting for me and listening to me. I thank You for that. In Your Name, Amen.

Hope your day is going well
Blessings,

God's Perfect Timing

"But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing. " James 1:4

"Due season" is God's season, not ours. We are in a hurry; God isn't. He takes time to do things right - He lays a solid foundation before He attempts to build a building. We are God's building under construction. He is the Master Builder, and He knows what He is doing. We may not know what He is doing, but He does, and that will have to be good enough. We may not always know, but we can be satisfied to know the One Who Knows. God's timing seems to be His own little secret. The Bible promises us that He will never be late, but I have also discovered that He is usually not early. It seems that He takes every available opportunity to develop the fruit of patience in us.
Vine's dictionary of Greek words begins the definition of patience, as "Patience, which grows only in trial." Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that grows under trial. My own particular natural temperament is filled with impatience. I have become much more patient over the years, but all the waiting required to teach me patience was hard on me. I wanted everything now!
Patience is vital to the development of our full potential. Actually, our potential is only developed as our patience is developed. It is God's way - there is no other, so why not settle down and enjoy the journey?


Our most gracious and attentive Lord, help us to remember that you move in your time, knowing as only you know the perfect time and the perfect way to answer our prayers. It says in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not becom weary in doing good, for a t the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Patience is a need in our world and lives. Many of us struggle with patience. The worries of our lives and the need and demand for everything now wears us thin. Lord, through the work of Your Spirit, prompt me to be more jubilant in hope, more patient in times of trouble, and more consistent in my prayer life. Teach me, Lord, to wait with faith and expectancy, and may my trials be seen as times for growth in grace. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.

Have a super week.
Blessings,

From the Inside Out

"Take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you." Ephesians 4:24 (MSG)

At the end of a long week, we sometimes feel tired and drained. We need to use feelings like that as wake-up calls, reminders that we need to open ourselves anew to God's Spirit so that He can renew us from the inside out. Grace has the power to change our hearts and minds, filling us with new energy to follow Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me change my heart and mind and fill me with your energy. Help me find ways today to renew my strength in You. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super weekend.
Blessings,

Wisdom Comes from God

"He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, 'Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?'" Matthew 13:54

The toughest critics you'll ever encounter are family and friends. The reason is simple: They know you best. When vulnerability swings your trapeze with such speed that your grip loosens, they watch as you fall. At that moment you can stand there gazing at your flattened imprint in the dirt or climb up the ladder and try again.
Yes, some will continue to stare, waiting for you to stumble once again, but there will be new faces in your crowd of onlookers. They believe you can reach your goals and make a difference in our world. They do not see a little girl living next door; they see you as you are now.
Jesus encountered these same narrow-minded pessimists, those who claimed they knew Him from way back. Ridiculing Him, they said, "Isn't He just a carpenter's son?" Yes, He surely was, but that carpenter was the Master Builder! For Jesus wasn't Joseph's son, but God's Son.
He came from God, full of wisdom. Those who stood with Him during His earthly ministry had true wisdom and understanding from God. They made up His true family of believers. Today, you obtain wisdom through a personal knowledge of Christ and by studying His Word. For only then can God's Spirit fill you with the wisdom you'll need to find and live out your God-given purpose.

Dear Lord, continue to fill me up with your wisdom. Show me how to gain personal knowledge of You by studying Your Word. I want to live out the life you have for me. My eyes are open, show me the way. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super day.
Blessings,

Splendid Creation

"God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon." Psalm 19:1 (MSG)

Look outside right now; better yet, go outside. Daytime or nighttime, it doesn't matter. Just look around you. If you live in a concrete jungle, look up at the sky. Imagine for a moment the immensity of God's creation, the grandeur of it. And yet He calls humankind His most splendid creation - all the rest was called into being only to benefit His human creation. God values you above all else. Look up at the sky and consider that.

Dear Lord, Simply put. . . Thank You for all you have given to me. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super day.
Blessings,

The Power of Connection

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

What would we do without friends? They encourage and inspire us. They listen as if they really care - because they do. Good friends seek to understand and empathize with us. Even when they can't relate, they care about us anyway.

Like snowflakes, no two friendships are the same; each brings a unique beauty and joy to our lives. We have acquaintances, casual friends, close friends, and "heart" friends, that handful of women with whom we share our deepest selves. Jesus had different circle of friends, too. He ministered to the crowds, He spent significant time with the twelve disciples, and He was closest to three men: Peter, James, and John. He was companion to tax collectors and sinners, as well as to His dearly loved friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

Today each of us can have the joy of knowing Jesus as our friend. In the quiet solitude of prayer, we can pour out our deepest fears and desires. We can take pleasure in enjoying God - in just being in His company.

When we fellowship with God in prayer, we can then pray powerfully for our earthly friends. We can pray for them and with them in Jesus' name.

That's perhaps one of the best ways we can show a friend we care. Maybe we should stop to thank God for the wonderful women in our lives - those women who've given us the gift of friendship - and ask Him how we can be a better friend to others.

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship. Thank you for the women you have put in my life just when I needed them. Give me the wisdom to know my friends and be there for them just as you were there for your friends. Put people in my path, that can be new friends in my life. Don't let me get too comfortable with the friends I have surrounding me right now. I want to meet more people and develop a friendship with them also. Put that hurting person in my life that I can be there for when they need it. Or that person that just needs a little encouragement, let me bring them just the right words they need to hear. Put that person in my life that is struggling in something that I have struggled with, but because you have strengthened me in my struggle and seen me through, let me help them because I do know how they feel. Put that person in my life that just needs a hug and a shoulder. I have had so many blessings through the people you have put in my life, I want to be a blessing to others as well. Show me how to Lord. My eyes are open, Lord. Thank you for your unwavering friendship to me Lord. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super day.
I challenge you to thank those friends in your life today that are there for you. But, I also challenge you to stretch yourself a bit and find another person you can befriend. There are a lot of hurting people out there. Find one, comfort them, show them Jesus with skin on. Let me know how it is going. I thank all of you reading these devotions daily. Some of you comment on them because they have spoken to you. Some of you have shared struggles with me and asked for prayers. Even if I am not able to see you during the week, or maybe you live out of state, or maybe I see you at church, I want you to know that I consider all of you my friends. I enjoy the "time" we spend together in these daily devotions. You have been a blessing to me and I thank you for that.
Blessings on your day,

Embrace Your Potential

"I have filled [you] with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills."
Exodus 31:3

Have you reached your full potential? If you're still breathing, you haven't! God has blessed you with a wide range of talents to tap throughout your life. Enrich every stage of your life by following your interests, broadening your knowledge, and developing your abilities. You will be surprised at the variety of God-given gifts you possess - and experience the sheer enjoyment of embracing your potential.

Dear Lord, my prayer is that the person reading this devotion today knows how much you have blessed them. I pray that they will have the desire to continue to grow in your knowledge and be able to share that with others that they come in contact with during their day. You have given us many gifts, but we need to continue to learn from you. That learning should never stop. Help them find a place this fall to be and learn more about you, but also find a place to help someone else grow and learn in You. In Your Name, Amen

Blessings on your week,

His Love toward Us

"For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD."
Psalm 117:2

We'll never be able to understand God's love toward us. It extends grace when grace is the last thing we deserve. It offers forgiveness when we've committed the most heinous of sins. It reaches out to us when we're haughty and proud and comes looking for us when we've sunk to the lowest low. Doesn't that kind of love make you feel like shouting? Like praising God at the top of your voice?

Dear Lord, I praise you and shout for joy at your presence in my life. I kneel at Your presence and praise You, not just for Your gifts, but also for Your moment-by-moment offering of love. You are worthy to be praised! In Your Name, Amen

Have a super weekend.

In God's heart, I am . . . accepted!

Hey you, the one wondering if you’re enough,
if you’d be loved if anyone really knew you—
turn your heart this way for a moment, then
lean in and listen close… Acceptance?
You’ve got it. You don’t have to look any
further than the hands of the One who made you,
the heart of the One who loves you. You’re
welcomed, held, cherished just as you are
and encouraged to grow into all you’ll become.
So hold your heart and head high;
look the world in the eyes and say… “I’m His.
I’m loved. I’m already accepted today.”

Dear Lord, please bless this person today
and let them know that Your acceptance is all
that they need. In Your Name, Amen

Have a great day,
Blessings,

Meet Me There

"Christ gives me the strength to face anything."
Philippians 4:13

Most women dread going out alone - to restaurants, shopping, social events - even church. Sometimes we are the loneliest when we're in a crowd. It's intimidating to face a roomful of strangers. But it's well worth it to bite the bullet and just go to that church brunch or spiritual retreat or Bible Study. I would have missed some awesome blessings if I hadn't gone (alone) to many spiritual events. I found I did know somebody after all. Jesus met me there.

Lord, help me to go where you want me to go. Give me the strength to do it alone or even with another friend. Help me build christian friendships and grow in you. If I am the go getter, help me to look for that women that might just need me to invite her to come with me. And than go pick her up. Being lonely is a lonely feeling, help me to not feel lonely or to help someone that is feeling lonely. In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings on your day,

Wonderfully Made

Where something is made matters to us. Look at the tag on most any product and you'll likely see a line like these imprinted on it:
MADE IN CHINA
MADE IN MEXICO
MADE IN AMERICA
And if you could see the line imprinted on your heart,
it would read, MADE IN HEAVEN.

The word made usually conjures up visions of factories and impersonal production lines, but the way heaven creates is entirely different. Every part of you was carefully and intricately crafted by God. Of course, that creation was carried out physically in your mother's womb, but the idea of you started in the heart of heaven itself and He declared it was good....

God longs for His children to embrace the worth and value He's given them and then use it to bless others.
When we know who we are and whose we are, we're free to love, live with joy, and make a difference in the world.

You're formed by God's hands, dreamed up in His heart, and placed in this world for a purpose. There's no one else like you... You're one of a kind, irreplaceable. God has given you everything you need and created you just as you need to be to make a difference in your own wonderful way. So go for it, friend. The world is waiting and heaven is cheering you on.

Blessings on your day

That God Will Meet Your Needs

"My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need." Philippians 4:19

God's faithfulness has never depended on the faithfulness of his children. He is faithful even when we aren't. When we lack courage, he doesn't. He has made a history out of using people in spite of people.
Need an example? The feeding of the five thousand. It's the only miracle, aside from those of the final week, recorded in all four Gospels. Why did all four writers think it worth repeating? . . . Perhaps they wanted to show how God doesn't give up even when his people do . . .
When the disciples didn't pray, Jesus prayed. When the disciples didn't see God, Jesus sought God. When the disciples were weak, Jesus was strong. When the disciples had no faith, Jesus had faith.
I simply think God is greater than our weakness. In fact, I think it is our weakness that reveals how great God is . . .
God is faithful even when his children are not.

Lord, praying Psalm 37:17-19. The power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports those who do right. The LORD watches over the lives of the innocent, and their reward will last forever. They will not be ashamed when trouble comes. They will be full in times of hunger. Thank you Lord for providing me with all that I need, when I need it and not when I want it. I am so blessed that you remain faithful even when I am not. Give me the strength Lord, to depend on you alone. In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings on your day,

Sing!

"But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life." Psalm 42:8

Life itself is a gift of grace. The very blood that flows through our veins, the beat of our hearts, and the steady hum of our metabolism - all of that is God's free gift to us, a token of His constant and unconditional love. When we are so richly loved how can we help but sing, even in the darkness?

Lord, help me to sing my praises to you today. Help me be thankful for all you have given me. You have given me everything and I thank and praise You for that. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super day. Enjoy the weather
If you sent kids off to school today, I pray many blessings on their day as well as yours.

Juiced

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

Remember the scene from the movie Air Force One, as the U.S. President, calls for help from the belly of a terrorist-hijacked plane after much death-defying effort? Just as the crucial call is dialed, his cell phone battery conks out. Can you identify? What a relief that our direct line to God - prayer - is always juiced and never needs recharging!

Lord, thank you for always being there ready to listen to me when I need it. Help me to talk to You more. In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings on your day,

God's Amazing Love

"He remembered his Covenant with them, and, immense with love, took them by the hand." Psalm 106:45

YOU are loved . . . incredibly, sacrificially loved by the King of kings. Doesn't that fill you with overwhelming joy? Can you sense His heart for you? God's love is not based on anything you have done or will ever do. No. That amazing love was poured out on Calvary and beckons us daily. You are loved - today and always!

Dear Lord, as I go about my day let me ponder God's love for me, and rejoice in the fact that He gave Himself willingly for me. In Your Name, Amen.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Blessings on your day,

Today's Opportunities

"But encourage each other every day while it is "today." Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you." Hebrews 3:13

Don't put off helping others. Sin tricks us into thinking we can do it later. But grace doesn't procrastinate. Take advantage of the opportunities that come your way today.

Lord, as I go about the rest of my day, show me people that need encouragement. Whether it is a smile in the parking lot, or picking up someones trash, or helping a neighbor, I want to help. In Your Name, Amen.

Short and sweet..... go encourage!!!!
Blessings

The Fork in the Road

"What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?"
Ecclesiastes 2:22

Imagine you're approaching a fork in the road. You're unsure of which way to turn. If you knew ahead of time that the road to the right would be filled with joy and the road to the left would lead to sorrow, wouldn't it make the decision easier? Finding God's Will, is very easy, yet very hard for us to see clearly. We have to have guidance, and our maps ready at all times, because life, well it is full or forks in the road. And if you choose based on what you think is the right way, it is often times not what God knows is the right way. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Taking the right path determines rather you are in God's Will. However, it is our choice to make. Are you taking time to read your map, making sure you are ready for the next fork in your road? Choosing the wrong direction, will leave you searching for your way back. God's way is always the right way, and will never get you lost. Today, as you face multiple decisions, ask God to lead you down the right road.

Father, please forgive me for not trusting you and using your map you have given me. Please Lord, help me to stay focused and in your word and prayer, so that I am always ready for the fork in the road. Amen.

My Challenge to YOU:
Your challenge is to stay in your Bible and in prayer. I would also challenge you to attend one of our Women's Bible Studies coming this fall. There will be about 14 to pick from. Your Bible and Prayers are your map, but Bible studies are like your Frommer's Travel Guide. When you're planning a trip, what's one of the first things you need? Directions! You need driving directions. If you're going to arrive at the right destination, you've got to know where you're going and how to get there. You can't afford to be distracted when you're driving. Just the same you can't afford to be distracted when it comes to learning what the Bible really teaches about the plan of God. God has directions on marriage, family, hearing His voice, being a mom, a wife, a friend, how to protect ourselves, and how to get to heaven. We need to be in Bible studies and use them alongside our Bibles as the ideal travel guide. That's what's going to lead us. As we do that, we will find our path becomes clearer. God's ulitmate giver of directions and He wants to show you the way to an ideal future. Of course with any good trip, we will add in treats, friendship and great conversations. Keep your map with you and ready to use the next time you face a fork in your road.

Blessings on your day,

Why you don't have to compete. . .

We're all running a race.

But it isn't what you might imagine.

We don't have the same starting line.

The same distance to go.

The same steps to take.

Our finish lines are even in different places.

You see, my friend, we're not running on a track--

we're each running on a one-lane path.

In the Kingdom, there's no such thing as competition.

It's impossible.

Because no one else ever has or ever will run your race.

So go for it, my friend, be strong, brave, beautiful YOU all the way to the end.

{Psst, here's a secret: You've already won.}

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me . . . " Acts 20:24

Dear Lord, as I live for today, please help me run this race fully and fairly. Please protect and defend me from all struggles and distractions of this race. My mind, body, and soul are yours Lord. In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings on your day,

Starting Over

"God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start."
Psalm 18:20

Picture your life as a jigsaw puzzle. You've been trying to put it together for years, with limited success. Some pieces are lost or bent beyond recognition. What's worse is that you have no idea what the final picture is supposed to be. Want a do-over? God offers you one. Simply admit you need His help. Then hand the pieces of your life over to Him. God will help you create a life that's beautiful, significant, and complete.

Dear Lord, you can rewrite my story. It is true that what's done is done - it won't change the past - but You can change how I see it. You can reveal how You have woven themes of redemption and blessing throughout what I thought looked hopeless. You can also change how the past affects me. Through Your power, You can free me from the bondage of bad habits and past mistakes. As for my tomorrow's, that's a fresh page. What will You, Lord cowrite with me? I can't wait to see Lord, what you have for me. Bring it on! In Your Name, Amen.

Blessings to you today

Responsibility

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

Sometimes it may feel like your hard work goes unnoticed. Maybe you're tempted to slack off like the other guy, telling yourself that no one will ever know. God knows your heart. The One that holds the future in His hands sees your faithfulness. He has entrusted you with much responsibility because He knows He can count on you. He will reward you and will bring you into a place of blessing. Expect it and believe He'll do it. God applauds you!

Dear Lord, sometimes I feel the weight of responsibilities You have given me. You made my shoulders broad enough to carry all that has been assigned to me. You Lord, have given me grace to carry it - even when it seems too heavy. You are always there to help me. You won't leave me alone to do what You've asked me to do. You won't let me fall under the weight. You Lord won't condemn me for stumbling under the load. You are always with me! Praise You Oh Lord!! In Your Name, Amen.

Have a great day serving the Lord
Blessings to you,