Month: April 2019

Phil 2:14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing….
Sometimes God’s reminders to me make me chuckle. This morning’s scripture is one such example. You’ll remember my grumpiness yesterday, my trouble shifting from vacation mode to work mode. Today’s scripture seems to be one more reminder, one more attitude check, one more assurance that He has a plan and a purpose for me and for my work and that I should park my grumpiness. 
Phil 2:15a …so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”…
It is just so easy to whine and complain, though. So many people tend to point out the negative. It seems to be the default in this life. But without fail, when I can shut off the negative noise and begin to focus on the positive, there is always so much that is beautifully positive in each day. That shift in focus is part of shining Gods light in this dark and weary world.
Phil 2:15b-16a …Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the reminder that You are with me always and that I need to keep my attitude in check. Complaining is so easy, Lord, and so many are eager to join in. Help me to rise above the negative and shine for You, to hold firmly to Your words of life, to always be mindful of my divine purpose in You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Phil 2:16b …And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
Have a blessed day.

2 Kings 4:2 … “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”
This morning I find myself grumpy and cynical. Today is the first day back after Spring Break, and instead of being thankful for the rest, I’m greedy for more time off. My precious Savior sees me. He knows my heart, and He sent me to 2 Kings this morning as a reminder of His goodness and provision.  Jesus, Thank You for Your loving care, even when my attitude needs adjusting.
2 Kings 4:6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
Cynicism might have prompted the widow to ask, “Why am I gathering so many empty vessels? Clearly, I don’t have that much oil!” But she asked in earnest sincerity and acted out of faith. Had she had more vessels, I have no doubt the oil would have continued to flow. Because she acted out of faith, the LORD provided. Thank You, Jesus, for the reminder of all that can be done through faith.
2 Kings 4:7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the ability to relax and recharge over the break. Thank You for Your fierce love, even when I’m cranky and cynical. Thank You for the reminder of the widow’s example that I need to ask in faith and act in faith. Thank You for Your loving provision for Your children, even when we are grumpy, even when Your provision looks so different than what we imagined. Draw us closer. Amen.
Mark 9:24 … “I believe; help my unbelief.”
Have a blessed day.

1 Samuel 17:28 When Eliab, David’s older brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? ….I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
I find it absolutely beautiful that God know our hearts. He sees not only our actions but also our intentions. Other people, for various reasons, might ascribe all kinds of motives to our actions, but God knows our hearts. He understands our why. And, hopefully, He is at the center of everything we do. It is only then that He can use us most effectively.
1 Samuel 17:39 …“I cannot go in these… because I am not used to them.”
But it is vitally important that we come to Him as ourselves. He knit us together in our mother’s womb. He created us exactly as we are for a divine purpose. He can’t use us as effectively if we are masquerading as someone we are not. But it often takes great strength to say to others, even those with every good intention, “I will be much more effective if I am myself, no frills, no airs, no illusions. God can more effectively use me that way.”
1 Samuel 17:47 “…for the battle is the LORD’s….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that You created us for a divine purpose and You can and will use us most effectively when we are authentically ourselves, ignoring any negativity and not putting on airs, pretending to be something we are not. Give us the courage to be ourselves so that we can shine Your light brightly for all to see. Draw us closer. Give us strength. Amen.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Have a blessed day. I love you.

Matt 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them…..
Crows have a rather negative reputation in literature, often symbolic of death or bad luck. And if you’ve ever seen a crow, you’ve likely noticed its ugly chicken feet and beady eyes. But I had the opportunity this week to examine a crow in full sunlight, and it has changed my perspective. God spared no expense on the crow. Its glossy black coat is rich with variation—deep, shimmery blue-black at the shoulders, majestic purple-black at the crown. The crow is truly a masterpiece.
Matt 6:28-29 …See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
I’ve also had lots of opportunities to be in the car of late, and spring time is definitely in full bloom. I’ve passed fields of sunshiny yellow splendor, radiant lavender phlox, riotous colors budding, blooming, dripping from almost every surface. God is truly a master Creator and has spared no expense with His creation. Thank You, Jesus.
Matt 6:31 So do not worry….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder of the love and care You have infused in all of Your creation. Thank You for the reminder that I am Your beloved child and that You see me, You know me, You love me deeply and that You will provide for me, even when I cannot see a way. Help me to trust You and Your provision and not to fear. Draw me closer. Amen.
Matt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow….
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Lord, Thank You for providing for my every need and for so many of my wants in life. I know that I am guilty of focusing more on the gifts than the Giver, Lord. Forgive me, and help me to focus only on You. Help me to always feel deep gratitude for all of the blessings You lavish on me each day and to use Your blessings in my life to bless others in Your name.
Psalm 23:2-3 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
Lord, Thank You for restoring my weary soul. You want to restore me daily, but I often get so caught up in life, in what “has to get done,” that I will run myself into the ground and only seek Your restoration when I can no longer function in my own strength. Forgive me for my stubbornness and my self-reliance. Help me never to forget that You are the true source of my strength.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for Your fierce love and unending mercy. Thank You for walking beside me through the good times and the bad, for being steadfast and true, even when I am not, for holding me together, always, especially when life feels like it’s falling apart. Draw me closer to You daily, Lord. Restore my weary soul. Amen.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Have a blessed day.

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Many years ago I had two index cards affixed to my computer monitor at work. The first one defined the word abide: (verb) to remain, to continue, to stay. The second said: My goal for the day: to abide in the Lord. After changes in computers and changes in classrooms, I have no clue where the index cards ended up, but I know abiding in my Savior should still be my goal for each day. I think I’ll have to remake them.
Matt 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 
The older I get, the harder downtime is for me. Abiding seems so passive. Somehow I’ve got it in my head that in order to be of value, I have to DO, not ABIDE. My precious Savior knows my faults, and this morning He sent me a reminder in one of my daily devos: “…Jesus said that it is not our activity that produces fruit, it is our relationship with Him.” Thank You, Jesus.
Matt 10:31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder that all I really need each day is to abide in You. Thank You for understanding how desperately my soul needs that message. Help me to refocus my goal for each day, abiding in You so that my relationship with You can produce much fruit. Help me to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Like plaque on teeth or dust on tabletops, a fine layer of life accumulates on my soul daily. If I am not diligent about wiping it away, it will build up, which is where the trouble always starts. When life piles up, weariness, cynicism, and apathy can creep in. Jesus, Help me.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
So how do I restore my soul? The short answer is that I cannot. But my precious Savior can and willingly does, daily. But I must take my cue from Mary and make my priority sitting at His feet and soaking up His presence. Sadly, I’m much more prone to Martha tendencies, rushing around trying to get everything just right, mistakenly thinking I’m focusing on what’s important. Jesus, Help me.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God….”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your presence. Thank You for Your fierce love and deep desire to have a closer relationship with me. Thank You for restoring my soul, for mooring me in Your presence each day. Help me to focus on what’s important, Lord. Help me to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul….
Have a blessed day.

1 John 4:10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Lord, Thank You seems so inadequate for all that is on my heart this morning. You created me. You formed me in my mother’s womb. You knew every inch of me before I was born. I am Your handiwork, Your masterpiece. Forgive me for the times, in my thoughts, my words, my actions, when I fail to live, act, and speak as Your beloved child.
Eph 2:4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy….
Lord, Thank You, when You look at me, for always seeing the potential You placed within me. Thank You for loving not only who You know I can become, but for loving, deeply, fiercely, completely, the person I am right at this very moment. Thank You, when I am struggling with doubt and defeat, for grasping me by the chin, refocusing my eyes on You, and reminding me of who I am and Whose I am. I am Yours. Completely. Thank You, Jesus.
Eph 2:5 …made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for these reminders, for Your amazing grace and fierce love. Thank You for knowing me, for loving me, for believing in me, for redeeming me, for allowing me to shine Your light. Help me never to forget who I am and Whose I am. Draw me closer. Amen.
Eph 2:7 …in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Have a blessed day.

Lam 3:21-22 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end….
One of the daily devotionals I read each morning is Experiencing God Day-by-Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby. This morning’s offering was about remaining obedient to the mundane tasks God assigns for us instead of getting caught up in the dramatic. It’s definitely got me thinking. I mean, who doesn’t want to be called to do spectacular and dramatic things for Christ? How amazing, when asked what we did on our Savior’s behalf, to be able to give a litany of stunning feats performed for Him!
Lam 3:23 …they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
As tremendous as that would be, I sense His calling for me is different. When asked what I’ve done on my Savior’s behalf, my answer will be, “I persisted. I persevered. Daily, I tried to be steadfast and faithful to His calling for my life. I continued to encourage, to cajole, to push, to uplift, to point others again and again and again to my precious Savior.” It is not glamorous, but it is vitally important. Lord, Help me never lose sight of the value of what You have called me to do.
Lam 3:24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that whatever You call us to do, no matter how grandiose or prosaic, what is important is that we persevere in Your calling for our lives, giving You all praise and glory. Help us to do even the smallest, most insignificant tasks with great love. Help us to shine Your light. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 27:14 Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD.
Have a blessed day.

John 20:2 …”They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, we do not know where they have laid Him.”
I am so grateful on this Easter morning for the gift of understanding. I know where Jesus is. No one has taken Him. He is risen. Death could not hold Him. He has conquered death. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
John 20:11 But Mary stood outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb….
There is still so much I don’t understand about life and death and faith, but I know the tomb was empty on Easter morning. I know that through Christ’s victory over the grave, we are more than conquerors. I know that when I see  Jesus face to face, all those I have loved, those who have gone before will be with Him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Luke 24:5 …”Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the empty tomb, for Your victory over the grave. Thank You for Your fierce love and unending mercy for Your beloved children. Thank You for the hope found only in You, for the hope found in an empty tomb on Easter morning. Draw us all closer. Amen.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Have a blessed day.