Made to Love My Church Family

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
– Ephesians 5:19-21

Lord, how grateful I am to You for creating a church family! And for allowing me to be a part of one! And a part of the church family worldwide… also known as the family of God! Family in Christ! A part of YOUR family! ❤ I am so grateful to call You, Father! I am so humbled for Jesus to be my Brother! ❤

I am just as grateful that You allowed my son to grow up always knowing church family! To allow Him to grow up knowing hymns instead of rock music. Even though He heard it at home, He grew to love God’s music. Thank You for allowing Him to learn You, Your Word, and allowing me to glean from His learning. Thank You for His heart to teach His mom.

Thank You for allowing all of the fellowship, the unconditional love and support, the unexpected relationships, and a world of people who are also so in love with You too! Who never grow tired of loving You! Who delight just to think on You, Your Word, Your People, and Your hymns. Souls who do not waver from Your word because they know the value of discipline… an honest and tough love! For our good!

Thank You for all of the Vacation Bible Schools, the many memories, the children’s plays, the children I have been blessed to fellowship with in the nursery, to teach in school and the many forms of church classes, the bus rides, and the abundance of memories with children singing Your songs with such sweet sound and sweet smiles!

Thank You for the many times You have sent someone to minister to me and Anthoni, and the rest of my family. Thank You for those who have been there during loss, births, marriages, divorces, moves, tragedies, celebrations, showers, storms, and so much of life. Thank You for those You have allowed to think of me when I have had health issues. Thank You for the church body!

Thank You for the ladies bible studies, the ladies Sunday School, ladies events, ladies banquets, ladies retreats, and the countless ladies outings and friendships… sisters for life!

Thank You for men of God! Godly men! Men who genuinely love You, serve, You, Worship You, OBEY YOU, testify of You, sing of You, preach of You, and that have shared the wisdom, knowledge, and teaching with my son! Living out being a man of God for my son to learn by example.

Thank You for the missionaries and evangelists! Serving You wherever You send them. Trusting in You to provide! Thank You for the years You gave me to send cards, notes and encouragement to hundreds! I WAS THE ONE BEING BLESSED! Thank You for what they taught me about depression… the biblical truth! Thank You for their preparing me in knowing what my son would suffer and go through. Thank You for what that teaching did for ME in my own struggle with clinical depression… as a child of God.

There are not enough thank Yous when in comes to being a part of church family! But I give You the ones You have allowed to come to mind! I love You, Father God! I love Your church! And I absolutely pray church family!

I look forward to being a part of the biggest church family ever when I get to heaven! What a day that will be! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 5

Made to Love My Community

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
– Colossians 3:23 KJV

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
– Ephesians 2:10 KJV

Good early morning, Lord. Today’s study notes hit right where we all are… dealing with community… and TRYING to love one another. How could I not think on this whole COVID-19 Pandemic? There are so many suffering, so many who have lost their lives, and many of them died fighting on the front lines to save those stricken with COVID. It makes me think on my dear friend Nitin of Daily Bible Bytes for You who is a doctor in India, and had his long time doctor friend and mentor come down with the virus. Then had another friend who lost his mother one day and then his father a few days later. Both parents in the same week! I read that the same day I saw a local news report of 2 teenage boys losing both of their parents. Just yesterday Nitin was sharing about another doctor from the front lines passing away from the virus. 😦

There are so many in my own community in my county, the city, and the state. If I were to try to name all of the friends and family who have lost someone or come down with it, this would be a very long post. And that would not even represent the ones who have passed, yet the families will not tell the public it was COVID. There is actually a stigma for some people, as if this disease was something to be ashamed of contracting. Hundreds of thousands around the world have died from this disease. Millions have contracted it. How does one attach shame to such a ruthless and invisible killer? We had a cousin in our family who died from it, but we did not know for a month because the family not only wanted to keep people from gathering for a funeral (understandably so), but they were actually ashamed to let anyone know it was COVID.

And then there is this whole mask debate, the unbelievable accusations of this being a hoax, the argument of a constitutional right, and quite frankly just a pent up world looking for an excuse to blame someone for the fact that they can’t do everything they want, when they want it, and the way they want it. A world who is upset that their world changed over night and will more than likely never be the same. A world where they could not even escape with sports, Hollywood, immorality, favorite snacks and comfort foods, no dining out, nor getaways for quite some time. So many special once in a lifetime events were postponed or cancelled altogether. This is what comes to mind when I think of community right now. But praise Your Holy name that is not all I think of.

WordPress Community! I thank You for allowing me to know, have, and be a part of this community You have blessed with encouraging one another. That includes being honest about our own experiences with COVID, along with the raw emotions everyone is feeling. I am especially grateful for those who are still trying to keep it all about You, even in their experiences, and bringing those raw emotions to You openly in their blogs, and being sure to look for those sought out and needed answers in Your scriptures.

Even the ones who wrote this little devotional book (Woman of God, Wonderfully Made) way back in 2012 (that I am noting from now in 2020) wrote on being made to love our community regardless of our disagreements or circumstances from a very beautiful Godly heart.

“You may not always love your neighbors, but God does. You may consider some people in your community to be unworthy of your time and effort, but God doesn’t. God loves each person in your community no matter his or her faults, weaknesses, or sins. The question isn’t ‘Who deserves my acts of service?’ but rather ‘Who needs my acts of service?’
In Christ Jesus, you can serve your community without considering its worthiness. In Christ Jesus, you can love your inconsiderate neighbor. In Christ Jesus, you can display God’s love to the hurting world. When you serve others, you serve God. When you love others, you live our your love for God. It all comes from Him, because of Him, for Him!” 

Thank you for Christian Community… fellow believers who are determined to keep it all about You, to keep their faith in You, and to still be absolutely convinced even now that YOU ARE GOOD! We may not understand everything going on. We may be lost in a very dense fog. We may be angry, hurt, and devastated with loss and circumstances that no one could have imagined happening. In ALL things, You are STILL A GOOD AND LOVING FATHER AND GOD! Thank You for Community, God! We need You, and we need each other! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 4

Made To Love My Family

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
– Colossians 3:12-13 KJV

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
– Romans 5:8 KJV

Lord, boy did I mess up on this bible study. Even back when I was doing it and making notes, and did it know it. Or if I did, I completely forgot and messed up again. I think You finally let me see how. The titles in the book for each day were messed up. I mean I am sure the person prayed for guidance and You led her to write it just the way it was. I did see the playfulness in the wording and how it related, but I do believe it is what messed me up so much that I accidentally started doing the same thing in getting it on the blog.

This one came from a day called Remade To Love In My Family, but there was never a MADE to Love In My Family. So when the titles that did a RE-whatever the title was before HAD a title before, I guess I assumed this one did too. As I look the next several days had a RE to a title that was NOT before. So if You don’t mind I’ll just keep going with personally made titles as You had me doing to try to prevent the confusion.

I’m sorry, Lord, for not doing a better job of paying attention. I try. I really do, and I know You know that. When I did this study, I was telling a friend of mine who knew I was doing it that I had no notes to share because I had not been really noting enough to share any with them or on the blog. As I would later look in my little notebook, You pointed out that I had what You were giving me and that was enough. When I started to pick back up where I left off I did not notice 6 days worth of noting missing. Again when typing them up, I did not notice either. It was being done with a 5 week study in 2 weeks that was throwing the huge red flag. Maybe that is why it felt so short when doing them?? Anyway, I deleted the last 2 I had up, along with the 4 You allowed me to get scheduled, and just took the big TIME OUT You were blowing the whistle on.

It took me the whole week to get a chance to look over just what was going on. Now I see, I DID do the study, but got very confused over the titles, stopped noting, then thought I wasn’t really getting anything to share, and was just enjoying it between You and me. However, later on I realized I had more notes than I thought, it was the book that was confusing. It still is, but with Your help I can still try to get it back on track. That means this one and the 5 to follow will actually be blogged as I am reading them. Being as so many messages You have sent me this week have been clearly dealing with being lost, it seems quite appropriate. Even Sue Mulhare of New Hope Church in Toowoomba, Australia had a message this week…

What To Do When You’re A Little Lost

that fit right in, and actually gave me a little bit of an answer to that nagging question You and I know I deal with. Wouldn’t You know it (and of course You would 😉 ) it’s the same answer You’ve always given me. I loved the song Sue mentioned she stumbled across.

Defender
was another perfectly related piece to the puzzle.

Those favorite lyrics of Sue’s were powerful.

When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart

And how did all of this tie into today’s study and title of being Made to Love My Family? Because that is exactly what I did with my week. You led and I followed. The majority of the week was about Bobby (my 86 yr old stepdad) and his home health care team. All of our family worked together to get through this week when we also had a family crisis happen that we knew nothing about with my brother in law Tim cracking 4 ribs and having an infection. We ran the needed medical errands for Tim because Nathan (my brother who is Tim’s nurse) could not leave him because Tim was a fall risk. It’s what led to the ribs. Tim is a hospice patient dealing with a lot. My sister Sandra was doing these errands with me while wearing her bedroom slippers inside oversized shoes from the Goodwill in a search for shoes that she could get into. Her old shoes came apart. So many stores! For several days! Thank You for allowing the temporary ones You led her to. I pray the ones coming will be the shoes we have both been saying You have waiting for her! My son Anthoni stayed with Bobby one day so the home health care team could talk to him. He does a great job helping us look out for Bobby.

Bobby’s home health care team have been diligently looking out for him. They were sent by his doctor who has not seen him in several months and understands we’re trying to keep him home away from others, especially with both of his lungs already damaged, living with COPD, using a CPAP machine, and a nebulizer machine several times a day, and still struggles with his breathing. Bobby has to do needed bloodwork for the medicine he takes since he had his stroke in 2015, and to see how he is doing over all. Just day before yesterday, we were all in a circle (with masks and gloves) praying with his nurse because she had spent the whole day traveling around to different patients, was now seeing Bobby, all while her own husband and father both had been sick enough during the week that they were believed to have COVID. Praise the Lord they tested negative! But Stephanie had still came to work to look out for others!

So that is how family relates to this week. That time out was needed to focus. You still had me to post… by sending me awards! Anabel of Lebana’s Journey nominated me for The Ideal Inspiration Award, and Stu of Something to Stu Over nominated me for The Outstanding Blogger Award. My WordPress Family sent me so many encouraging messages. That’s how You work! You tell us to be still and know You are God… and You did just that. I took that break and You showered me with encouragement. And along the way allowed me to share that encouragement with the nominees! What do You do when voices of doubt whisper in my ear? You send Sue that message to encourage her! Sue shares it and encourages me! The song is a tender hug that assures You know my heart’s cry and are fighting for me where I don’t even know I have a war going on… a spiritual warfare. Your leading becomes my victory! Because YOU are my victory every single day!

Thank You for leading me through my wilderness. Thank You for leading our family! Thank You for protecting Stephanie’s family! Thank You for being the chain of encouragement for my WordPress family! Thank You for leading Sue all the way over in Australia, and then sharing a glimpse of that precious time You had with her. Thank You for the powerful message in that tender song. Thank You for helping me get this Bible study thing worked out. And thank You most of all for still being the God of Psalm 46:10.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

I love You, Father God!
Thank You for making me a part of Your family! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 3

The Outstanding Blogger Award 7.16.2020

“Let all the earth fear the Lord:
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.”
– Psalm 33:8 KJV

How outstanding YOU ARE, dear Lord! How continuously thoughtful You are of me! You pursue me, You encourage me, You build me up, and You love me with a never ending love. You leave me standing in awe of You, and I am enamored to be in Your presence! ❤

Thank You for pouring a little more of Your favor on YOUR blog! It has always been Yours! Thank You or sharing a little more love so that I may keep sharing it with others! Bless the one whom You used to pour out that favor! Stu of Something to Stu Over nominated me for The Outstanding Blogger Award! Bless him, his family, and his ministry, Lord! Shower him with a little more favor that glorifies the skies with Your love! Shower his family! And shower his ministry! Hug him tight, Lord! Let know You’re there with him! ❤

Thank you, Stu! May God richly bless you for your thoughtfulness. Thank you for allowing Him to pour a little reminder of His favor, and a little reminder of His great love all over this blog, and the WordPress Community! Please know I am praying for your ministry, and praise God that you are willing to keep reaching out and ministering to those who are trapped in the addictions of pornography! So many souls and families are being torn apart. Thank you for following God’s calling in your life. 
Thank you again for the kind nomination! 🙂
Me and God love you, Brother! ❤

Here are the rules/guidelines:

1. Provide the link to the creator’s original award post.
(very important: see why in step 5)
2. Answer the questions provided.
3. Create 7 unique questions.
4. Nominate 10 bloggers. Ensure that they are aware of their nomination.
Neither the award’s creator, nor the blogger that nominated you, can be nominated.
5. At the end of 2020, every blog that ping-backs the creator’s original post will be entered to win the 2020 Outstanding Blogger Award!
This award was created by Colton Beckwith.

Stu’s Questions For Me:

1. What is your favorite clothing to wear that unfortunately does not look good on you? (Color wise, etc)
God, there are a lot of things that do not look good on me, but I will say jeans because they only look strange now being as big as I am, and are way too uncomfortable which defeats the purpose of jeans. 🙂

2. Why do you blog? Is it so you can minister in the lives of others, you just enjoy writing, a calling from God, or another reason?
Lord, first and foremost I write to talk to You. When I am not writing, I feel like I am suffocating. I cannot breathe! When I am writing, I am talking heart to heart with You, and sometimes through Your whispers and clear commands I write to encourage or share with others! Everyone needs to know how much You love them! ❤

3. Mask or no mask? Don’t worry about what others think or say, please give your honest opinion and why…
Lord, I wear a mask for several reasons which all fall up under obeying you by…
being a law abiding citizen, taking care of the vessel You have given me, using the wisdom YOU have given me, following the doctor’s advice (while also loving him and his family as I do myself because they are my neighbor), to be thoughtful of others as we love one another, for the accountability in my responsibility to look after my 86 yr old stepdad and the rest of my family to the best of my ability, and to do as You command in keeping a vow once it is said as we vowed to stay home and stay safe on behalf of the medical community that is sacrificing their time, lives, and families to fight for ours. 

4. What is your favorite book of all time?
That one’s easy, Lord. Your Holy Bible! Preferably the King James Version. ❤

5. What childhood memory bring an immediate smile to your face?
Fighting with my little brother. Charlie was just 10 months younger than me, and we used to fight all the time. We would start off play fighting and one would hit too hard, so the other would get so mad and hit harder. The other would laugh until hit too hard. We would both laugh about it later. 🙂 Lord, I know You don’t like fighting, and praise Your name we grew out of it. 🙂  I miss him, Father. I know He is with You and has been the last 13 years, but I miss him. Hug him for me! ❤

6. Do you see God’s Handiwork everywhere? In people, nature and objects…
Absolutely! I think hymns like
This Is My Father’s World,
I Sing The Mighty Power of God,
Come Thou Fount,
How Great Thou Art,
and so many more sing it so incredibly well! ❤

7. Which band, not singer, has influenced you the most?
Oh wow. This is a doozy, Lord. I have personally known and met so many bands… local bands, popular bands, famous bands, amateur bands… working with them, entertaining them, even dating a few. While music had too much negative influence over my life when I was younger, I actually had no one particular band influence me. The same is with bands now. I may love their music, but the bands themselves have no fluence on my  life whatsoever. Even if it someone’s music I really like, You know Yourself I just don’t do concerts or anything personal, other than the friendships I have with different people who just happen to be in bands. 

Nominees:

Anabael of Lebana’s Journey
Caz of Invisibly Me
Anjali of Positive Side of the Coin
Karen of A Couple of Stars and a Happy Face
God’s Child of 30 Minutes In The Life Of A Teenager
Mike of Through The Scriptures
Nitin of Daily Bible Bytes For You
Cindy of Real Christian Women
Jacquie of Joy Cottage
Mindy of A Word With Mindy
Alicia of For His Purpose

Questions For The Nominees:

1. Do you know how much God loves you?
2. Has your blog changed in any way since COVID-19 arrived?
3. Do you have a bible verse for today?
4. Have you lost anyone to COVID?
5. Have you been sick with COVID?
6. Do you have a favorite hymn?
7. What do you find outstanding about God?
   (I stand in awe of His ability to pursue every single one of us… at the same time! 🙂 )

Congratulations to all of the nominees. Please do not feel obligated to participate. If you do, no rush. Do as God leads you! And send me a link please! I would loved to read your post! God loves you! 🙂

Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award 7.11.2020

“But there is a spirit in man:
and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”
– Job 32:8 KJV

Dearest, Lord. How inspiring You are to me! So generous and thoughtful. Always pouring out Your love! Just as You have done in whispering my name to our dearest Anabel of Lebana’s Journal to nominate me for the Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award. How my heart smiles to know it is our sweet Anabel! You have allowed Anabel to be one of my inspirations on WordPress since I began blogging. She has always been so encouraging, so kind, and has such a sweet spirit. I’ve always loved how her bio dares her readers to get to know her. And what touching poetry! And that beautiful picture of her! Thank You, God, for allowing such a sweet fellowship with my precious friend Anabel!

Thank you, dearest Anabel! What a dear friend you are to me, and have been from the beginning of my WordPress journey! Thank you for your kind nomination! And thank you for all of your encouraging messages, and for always sharing your heart for God. Your poetry and your faith has also been a blessing to me. May God bless you as richly!
Me and God love you, my Filipina Sister! ❤Rules

1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to his/her blog.
2. Answer their questions.
3. Nominate up to 9 other bloggers and ask them 5 new questions.
4. Notify the nominees through their blog by visiting and commenting on their blog.
5. List the rules and display the “Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award” logo.
6. Provide the link of the award creator of Ideal Inspirational Blogger Award as Rising Star from Ideal inspiration. idealinspiration.blog

Anabel’s Questions For Me:

1. What is your advice to new bloggers out there?
   Write what you want, It’s your blog!
   Write how often (or not) you want, and how you want!
   Write what God gives you! 
2. What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned in life so far?
   Life is worthless without God!
   And God loves me! ❤
3. What are the three things you are being grateful of at this moment?
   God being so Personal, Present, and Protective! ❤ ❤ ❤
4. If you would be given a chance to travel to three countries, where would you go? Why?
   Australia, United Kingdom, and Philippines to see my WordPress Family! ❤
5. When you are not blogging, how do you spend your time?
   Doing different devotions, puzzles, movies, TV, sermons, music

Nominees:

Maxine of Heaven’s Reef
Meredith of My Way Home
Margaret of The Word
RB of Realistic Beginner
Christina of Justified and Redeemed
Doreen of Becoming the Oil and Wine
Janet of Planted With Faith
Siphe of God’s Anointed Princesses
Mercy of Herry Chic Counsels
Sam of Peacock Poetry
Sharon of Beat Depression & Anxiety
Karen of A Couple of Stars and a Happy Face

And each one who has nominated me for an award that you have not heard back from me on. I have lost so many emails, award nominations, comments, and more lately to where even if I KNOW I had one, I cannot find them. It’s very possible I have accidentally deleted them or just need to find where I put them. For the last year and this one, I have been learning to use my new smartphone and tablet. Unfortunately I have been learning the hard way not to trust them. I apologize and want to make clear how much you are valued! Praise God for your encouragement, your merciful heart, and your thoughtfulness. Me and God love you!

Congratulations to the Nominees. Please do not feel obligated to participate. If you do, no rush. Do in your time, as God gives. And please send me a link. I would love to read your post! Just sharing a little of God’s love your way. Thank you for inspiring me! 🙂
Me and God love you!

PS… Sorry about forgetting the questions. Please feel free to use the same questions Anabel gave me.

 

Made TO Love

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
– Ephesians 5:1-2 KJV

“We love him, because he first loved us.”
– 1 John 4:19 KJV

You continue to pour out Your love as…

Lord, whether I fell asleep or got distracted I seemed to have lost what I was going to say this day when trying to spend time alone with You and Your word. There’s just no getting those thoughts back. But I know Your love is indeed unfailing and unconditional! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 2

Made FOR Love

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
–  1 John 3:1 KJV

“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 KJV

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
– Ephesians 1:4-6 KJV

Thank You, Father, for the tender reminder of Your love for us.
Thank You for being Faithful.
Thank You for being Genuine.
Thank You for being Present.
Thank You for being You.

I love You! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 1

My Birthday Fundraiser for 2020 (Goal Met)

“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”
– Psalm 95:2 KJV

PRAISE YOUR HOLY AND GENEROUS NAME, LORD!!

My Birthday Fundraiser goal for Sufficient Grace Outreach was met….

AND MORE!

As You recall, Lord, the fundraiser actually ended $25 shy of the goal, being You allowed $175 of the $200 goal to be raised. I posted it on Facebook and WordPress to praise You and to make a testimony of the $160 of the $200 that You had provided at the time of the blog post. I made the statement that I would pay what remained of the goal as soon as this week got here. Even after that post, You were so generous to provide $15 more, bringing the ending balance raised to $175 of the $200.This weekend as I was going to donate and post an update, I found a letter in my mailbox from a dear friend with a note and a money order for $200!! That was an additional $200 to the $175 already donated! :O I was in a delightful shock! Speechless! Yet filled with joy and amazement too! Gratitude… for my friend, for such a generous heart, for the the souls You know You have the funds intended to go towards, for Amanda and all those who help her in the ministry, and for the correspondence from my dear friend! ❤

“I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.”
– Psalm 132:15 KJV

I was so excited to get straight to the bank, go straight home and donate the money, make a post on Facebook for all to know how You so generously provided the remainder and more! I was unable to post to the original fundraiser because FB closed it, but I was able to just start another one with the goal of $200 again so that I could share the good news!

I went to make a post for the blog and fell asleep with the laptop in my lap.

$375!!!

Lord, how good and generous a Father You are. You know the needs that are urgently out there! And You love ALL of Your children. I pray for those who are stuck in trafficking and horrible situations that many are stranded in. Thank You for the heart You put in Amanda and all of those who volunteer through her ministry! Thank You for their passion and commitment to share Your love, and to tell others of just how much You love them… right there where they are! Thank You again for my dear friend!

To my dear friend, THANK YOU for your thoughtfulness, and giving to bring God into someone else’s life, and to rescue and minster to others who are trapped in lives that feel so hopeless. Thank you for allowing God to use you to bring some of that needed hope! 
Me and God love you! ❤

Thank you to everyone who took part in helping with My Birthday Fundraiser 2020 for Sufficient Grace Outreach! I know these are some tough and trying times, days filled with great uncertainty and changes that so are hard to imagine but clearly God at work in our lives. May the Lord richly bless you! May He provide that very need you have been so earnestly praying, waiting, and trusting for. Me and God love you each! ❤

My New Journal With You, Note 3

**Verses are inserted exactly where God had them placed in my new journal at the bottom of each page. I love how personal He is! ❤ **

Good afternoon, LORD. How are you doing? I pray You are blessed, happy, and enjoying a day that honors Your Son, Your Day of Rest, and how You both brought that all together through His death and resurrection. Thank You for being so willing, so loving, and so thoughtful. Thank You for being faithful to the unfaithful and faithless. ❤

I’m sitting here trying to do with Your day as You have for me. I know it’s first and foremost a day of rest, a day made for man, not a day You made us for. I am to remember it and keep it Holy. I am to follow Your example. How wonderful that You would make me in Your image, for Your pleasure. and put such an emphasis on me resting just like You did after You created our world. You are always thinking of me and looking out for my good. Help me not to make it complicated, but to wholly trust in Your sovereign and wise ways. You are so caring, my loving Father and God.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
– Ephesians 2:10 KJV

It’s actually kinda nice to have time to spend with You, what we call downtime. To just sit and enjoy You, Your day, Your time You prepared for me at the beginning of creation… to be able to sit at Your feet, and just bask in feeling Your love for me, and in the peace that Your love brings… a John 14:27 kind of peace… not as the world gives but that You and ONLY You give.

After all the chaos, fighting, protesting, selfishness, pride, ego, recklessness, lawlessness, and human filled behavior and events, I’m sure You could appreciate a rest too. Some just don’t seem to have the luxury of rest, and sadly many more refuse to even entertain the idea. We are so programmed that rest either means “work, work, work till you drop”, or “continue to think about no one else but yourself, and take the credit for everything while you’re at it.” I pray You help me to see YOU, YOU, YOU! ❤

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
– Proverbs 13:20 KJV

I personally enjoy downtime with You. Whether it’s through sermons, music, movies, puzzle books, reading, a devotional, drawing, coloring, or simply sitting in awe of You in a quiet relaxing moment of doing absolutely nothing… Convalescing is what it reminds me of.

That was the word You gave me just before the year began. It was actually the command that You gave me back in November when I got so sick just a few days after my 2nd RFA (the one on my left side). How many times You have made it clear for me to keep my feet up, do absolutely nothing but rest, and spend quality time with You… allowing You to heal my body, my mind, and my spirit. And to encourage others to do the same. To convalesce. Thank You for healing and hope in “choosing that good thing that will not be taken from me and You.”

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
– Joshua 1:9 KJV

 

Your Wonderful Creation

“With unequaled skill, care, and artistry, your Creator-God knitted you together in your mother’s womb. It’s wonderful!
He has also re-created you , bringing you to faith, making you His very own child, a member of His forever family. You are becoming more and more like your Brother, Jesus, day by day. How wonderful!”
– Woman of God: Wonderfully Made

Lord, the devotional has no verse for today (which serves as two days because it writes the same devotion as Saturday or Sunday).
However we were asked 2 questions.

1. Which of God’s many creative works in nature do you consider most wonderful?
   Oh, dear Lord. There are so many creative works in Your nature to consider most wonderful… birds, beautiful skies, flowers, waterfalls, lakes, oceans, rivers, creeks, fountains, mountains, beaches, a nice breeze on a beautiful day in a green pasture or beside still waters, rustling trees and fields, dancing leaves, colorful leaves, and so much more.
2. Where do you see His re-creative work in your life right now, working repentance and faith in you?
   Some re-creative work I see in my life right now, working repentance and faith in me are… trying to look honestly at the things You bring to light. Instead of avoiding them, I trying to talk honestly with You about them, and letting that patience, prayer, and honesty work its perfect work that I may be entire and lacking nothing. What grows me closer to You is what I want. I want to see and accept things they way they are so that I can see You the way You truly are. I want You to know I want to know, love, and accept You for who You are!  ❤ And I do!

 

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 1 Days 6 & 7

The Wonder of You Recreating ME

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
– 1 John 3:2 KJV

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
– Psalm 17:15 KJV

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another: But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”
– Titus 3:3-5 KJV

Father God, it makes me sad, disappointed, ashamed, and so much more to know I have ever hurt You, that I have ever sinned against You. You are God Almighty and deserve all obedience, honor, glory, and so much more.

Thank You for Your loving heart, Your kind forgiveness, and for the hope of heaven. Thank You for the hope of one day being free from our sin nature, for the new hope of a new body, a new mind, for being in Your presence, and focusing on nothing other than worshipping and praising You day and night. All things will be new! The old will be passed away!

NO MORE SIN!

THANK YOU!

PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME!!

❤ I love You, Father God!
❤ I love You, Sweet Jesus Christ!
❤ I love You, Holy Spirit!

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 1 Day 5