Thanksgiving

 1 Chronicles 16:34: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" 

It’s Thanksgiving.  A day where the nation pauses to focus on gratitude.  Family and friends gather together. Memories of loved ones who are no longer with us take up a tender place in our hearts.

 Excitement for the  possibilities that this time of year brings. I feel blessed and grateful, full of hope.  That hope is Jesus and guess what. I have this hope 365 days of the year because Christ is constant.  When I feel like I can't take another step, I have Jesus carrying me.

    I am grateful for God's many blessings.  His protection, love and mercy.  I am grateful to be in my right mind.  I am grateful to know where my blessings come from.  I am grateful for life and thankful for hope.    I give thanks to You Lord for You are good and Your love endures forever.  What a blessing.  

Lord, let me have a heart of gratitude and thankfulness everyday.  Let me remember Your love and goodness even when times are hard.  Bless my friends who are celebrating this day without dear ones.  Let there be peace at the dinner table.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Organize Your Thoughts

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things"

This past Sunday my pastor preached a message on keeping our  F.O.C.U.S. The letter that stood out to me was O-organizing your thoughts.  This time of the year can be difficult.  Depression and anxiety weigh in.  Stress from the need to meet deadlines on the job.  Trying to do it all for our families and friends. Bills and more bills.  Life happens. Your mind can begin to focus on your circumstances and get into a rut of negative thinking.

Today's verse reminds us how to organize our thoughts and re-focus them on God.  The same God who is able to handle all.  It teaches us to think on what is true.  The truth is that God loves us (John 3:16/ Jeremiah 31:3).  To think on things that are noble.  Set your affections on things above and not on things on this earth (Colossians 3:2).  Think on things that are pure. Think on things that are lovely like the beauty of God's creation and the love of a child.  We train our minds to see the good and excellent things.  Things that are worthy of praise.  

If we are committing our mind to those things we stay away from thoughts of despair and hopelessness. We focus on the goodness of God and all the ways He has come through for us time and time again.  We keep our minds on the truth rather than the lies of the enemy. We stay stay strong through Christ Jesus.

Lord, life can be a struggle, but help us not to lose our focus.  Help us to free ourselves from those things that would entangle us.  Help us to organize our thoughts.  Help us to commit to prayer because it is our communication with You our Savior.  Let us unite to your body, being freshly anointed with Your Spirt and going deeper in relationship with You.  And Lord lets serve You with our whole heart.  Keep us focused.  In Jesus name.  Amen 

Trust God

 But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” 

Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)

When I wake up, I ask God to help me do this day.  My confidence is placed in Him to see me through.  I dig in deep and hold onto the One who gives me victory.  

I love my husband and my family and friends, but they are not my God.  They are blessings from God that operate as a great support system.  However, my faith is solely in Jesus. My faith and confidence that all is going to be okay even if it doesn’t look like it is in the Father.

When my confidence is in Him, I can’t lose.  I know that in my own strength I lose the battle with anxiety and irritability, but in Christ I am whole.  I am blessed.  I am blessed with grace, perseverance, endurance, and hope.  I see the light, His light, at the end of the tunnel. He is the fire that keeps my candle lit.

Lord, thank You for being my sustainer. Thank You for being my confidence.  Forgive me for those times that I place hope in man instead of You.  In Jesus name. Amen

He gives me joy.

 Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Great is Your faithfulness God.  You never fail to surprise me.  Each day You show up in my life.  You give me a reason to be grateful.  You help me to overcome the odds.  You embrace me and shower me with Your mercies and I am thankful.

I write about my life because that is what I know.  It is my faith journey with God.  Lately, the storms have been raging and I have been fighting to stay in the boat with Jesus. I have been praying for Him to tell the winds to cease. I have been fighting to do the things of God (practice) His word in times of difficulty because I want my foundation to be on Christ the rock.  

Being real, there are days when I feel like I can't do it, but He says "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me"_. Philippians 4:13 He takes my circumstances and makes them work for my good.  He does the impossible because all things are possible for God (Mathew 19:26) and with God.  He makes a way. 

A popular saying is "Won't He do it?!"  The answer is a resounding yes. God gives me joy.  That's mercy.  He sees me barely hanging on and scoops me right up into His arms.  He is a great and faithful God.  He is in control.  He is the ruler of all things and His will, will be done.  I do not always understand everything, but I know without a doubt that He loves me.  He shows it everyday.  I don't deserve it, but I am grateful for it.

My battle may rage on, but my faith in the One true God has been strengthened.  My hope renewed.  God is a good God.  He always has been and always will be.  I am a witness to His goodness and I want the world to know that He brings me joy.  He is my Savior.  He is my defender and friend.  He is my everything.

Jesus I love you.