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2 Cor 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
It’s been a looooong week, and I am mentally and physically exhausted. I feel like there is more to be done than I could ever do, more needs to meet than I could ever meet, and I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep for a while.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.
But my precious Savior is so good to me. I have felt His presence keenly through the ups and downs of the week. And this morning, He seems to be telling me to remember why I do what I do. There is no doubt that He made me an emotional being and an encourager. There’s no doubt that He calls me to lift others up when they are low, to shine His light, to point others to His grace and mercy in their struggles.
2 Cor 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for calling me to minister to Your people through positivity, encouragement, and prayer. Thank You for being so obviously present with me this week and for the reminder, as I struggle with weariness, to keep my eyes and heart focused on You and to keep on shining Your light. Draw me closer. Give me strength. Amen.
Gal 6:9 Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.
Have a blessed day.

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
When I think of my role as a child of God, I think of a saying I saw years ago, maybe on a billboard or a gift-shop plaque, I have no idea. But the saying has stuck with me and sums up perfectly what I see as my Christian duty: “Just love everybody. I’ll sort them out later. ~God” Such a simple philosophy but so very difficult at times in practice.
John 12:47 …I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
I believe that God is love, that He created us, ALL of us, that He loves us fiercely and unconditionally, even when we mess up, which we all do, that He wants a relationship with us, not because there is anything we can do for Him, but simply because we are His deeply loved children.
John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for Your overwhelming love for us, for the reminder to be like You, loving instead of judging. Thank You for the compassionate heart You have given me and for the desire to shine Your light for all to see. Help me share Your love with everyone, Lord. Help me remember that it is not my job to judge, only to love. Draw me closer. Amen.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Have a blessed day.

1 Cor 12:25 …so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.
I believe that we are all children of God. For me, the miracle of conception, development, and birth is too intricate and amazing to be simply a function of biology. I believe that not only did God create us, but He created us to care for and love each other, to be His hands and feet in a dark and weary world, without expectation of payment and without judgment.
1 Cor 12:26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it….
I believe that judging others is a slippery slope because we are deeply human and therefore make mistakes ourselves. I know when I screw up or make a royal error in judgment, the last thing I need is judgment, I’m beating myself up enough over mistakes. What I need is someone to show me compassion, to show me I am still lovable and still deeply loved even if I messed up “big time.” I think that’s what we all need—love, compassion, to be told we have value and worth, especially when we don’t see it and can’t feel it for ourselves.
1 Cor 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that You put me here to love and comfort Your children and to shine Your light, not to pass judgment on others. I cannot judge others, Lord. I’m not qualified. So help me to be Your hands and feet. Help me to see others with Your eyes and love them with Your heart. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Cor 1:12 …Our conscience testified that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
Have a blessed day. 

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul…. (ESV)
This morning, one of my devo readings took me to Psalm 23:3, a verse I’ve read many times. When I reached my prayer time, kicked back in my recliner, and closed my eyes to pray, I remember thinking, “I am exhausted. If only I could get a little more sleep.” And my precious Savior sent Psalm 23:3 roaring to mind. Sleep won’t restore my weary soul. Only my Shepherd can do that. Thank You, Jesus.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
I feel like I live in a state of perpetual exhaustion. My mind is going all the time. There is always something else to grade, plan, do, clean. Downtime is more “ignoring all the things I ought up be doing right now” instead of “time to relax and renew my soul.” I love this wording of Isaiah 40:31. When I trust in the LORD, I find new strength, His strength. My strength is just not enough for this life. Jesus, Help me.
Matt 11:28 “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for the invitation to rest in You. Help me to fully comprehend what resting in You is and looks like. Help me to lay my burdens at Your feet and to wrap myself in Your amazing, transcendent peace. Restore my weary soul, Lord. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 23:3 He renews my strength…. (NLT)
Have a blessed day. 

Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.
Romans 8:11 takes my breath away. To think that the power that resurrected Jesus lives IN me is mind blowing. It is also incredibly convicting. Do I live my life as though I have that kind of power inside? Sadly, I do not. 
Romans 8:6 …letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
How desperately I want His peace in my life instead of the troubles of this world. I want to focus on Him instead of everything that could go wrong. Lord, Help me get out of Your way. Help me to allow Your Spirit to guard and guide my mind so that I can walk in Your peace.
Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this message. I know I can do all things through You, ALL things, but I am so often shacked by limitations imposed by my own mind. I want life and peace, Lord, and those things can only come from You. Thank You for giving me access to Your Spirit, which helps lead and guide me daily. Help me to get better at listening to Your still, small voice within me, to tune out the chaos of the world so I can hear You more readily. Draw me closer. Amen.
Romans 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
Have a blessed day. 

2 Cor 4:16 Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
God is so good to me. He sent me to 2 Corinthians this morning because He knows I’m weary. I needed the reminder not to lose heart, the reminder that He is with me, He is at work in my life, my circumstances. Thank You, Jesus.
2 Cor 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
I know that He is with me, that He is at work, that I must focus on Him instead of the thousands of daily little annoyances that are currently driving me bananas. I know I need to shift my focus and also that I need to do things differently to have a different outcome. I know that I can’t allow myself to devolve into worry and fret but I also can’t not do anything. Jesus, Help me to know how to proceed.
2 Cor 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for seeing my weariness and reminding me that You are in this with me. Thank You for the reminder to not lose heart and to keep my eyes on You. Help me to know how to move forward in a positive direction, Lord. Help me to see how to honor You in this situation. Draw me closer. Amen.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored….”
Standing at the top of Springer Mountain Georgia yesterday, at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, it was incredibly easy to be still, to breathe in God’s presence, grace, and love. Standing beside my husband as he began this journey of a lifetime, as he took the first steps toward fulfilling a dream that he’s had since youth, it was easy to feel God’s presence with us. I was full to overflowing with awe and gratitude. Thank You, Jesus!
1 Cor 10:31 Therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.
And as I drove home, I was thinking about how they will be surrounded by God’s presence everywhere on this journey, how at the end of a long day, they will rejoice in their rest, in the simple pleasures of scenery, food, warmth, comradery. Then this morning, it hit me that that’s the task for all of us—to find and celebrate God in our daily lives, to thank Him for our blessings and for His steadfast presence—through a life well-lived for Him. Thank You, Jesus!
Ecc 2:24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the journey the hubs and our oldest are embarking on, for the opportunity for our youngest and I to find You and celebrate You in our daily lives as well. Help us all to seek You, to see You, to celebrate You in every aspect of our lives, whether hiking in Your magnificence or toiling at home. Draw us closer to You and to each other. Amen.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Have a blessed day.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
I have tons of pictures of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, and when I read this verse last week, that is immediately what came to mind, but perspective is a beautiful thing. It has been raining for what feels like an eternity in the past week, and this morning, we awoke to blue skies. Psalm 19:1 was the verse that immediately sprang to mind.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Ironically, when I first looked outside, I was excited and thankful simply for blue skies. There was no amazing sunrise in the works. In fact, when I first looked, there was just a patch of blue amidst the clouds, but my God is so good to me. Within moments it seemed, He had swept away most of the gray and treated me to a spectacular sunrise. Thank You, Jesus!
Psalm 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for being steadfast and true even with our fickle natures, for Your grace, mercy, and love. Thank You for the glorious sunrise this morning and for the amazing journey before us. Help us to lean in to You, to trust You, to be still in Your presence, to wait patiently for You, and to enjoy the journey. Draw us closer to You and to each other. Keep us safe. Amen.
Psalm 62:5 Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him. 
Have a blessed day.

Matt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life….”
When God’s working on my heart, I am rather like a dog with a bone—I keep gnawing and chewing, trying to get to the marrow of the matter. That is why so often the same or similar verses will pop up in my reflections—those are the verses that need to take root. Those verses hit the heart of the issue at hand. And when it comes to my propensity to worry, I know God’s working on me, urging me to lay my cares at His feet and rest in His peace. Jesus, Help me!
Matt 6:27 “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
One of my devotionals this morning contained this gem: “Rather than constantly worrying about what you will face, your great challenge is to continually release every area of your life to God’s control.” In other words, I’m not trying to quit worrying, which feelings like an impossible task, I’m trying to be more mindful of constantly and continually turning everything over to God. I know He’s got me. Perhaps, with this mindset shift, I can finally be successful at loosening worry’s grip. Jesus, Help me.
Phil 4:5-6 The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your infinite love and mercy. Thank You for pursuing me relentlessly and for keeping after me to turn my worries over to You instead of fretting and stewing to no avail. I know You’ve got me Lord. You’ve got us all in the palm of Your hand. Help me to rest securely in that trust. Draw us closer. Amen.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Have a blessed day.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Lord, I stand in awe of You—Your mercy, grace, and love—and I thank You for this journey we are poised to begin—a journey we prayed about and that we truly believe is Your will for our family at this time. We are all nervous, anxious, and excited, Lord. Help us to breathe in Your grace and peace. Calm our anxious hearts and minds. Draw us closer to You. Help us to lean in to You and to rest our weakness in Your strength.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Lord, We know this journey will not always be easy. Some days our only option will be to tell our feelings to “stuff it” and to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Help us to feel Your presence even more keenly on those days. Help us to lean in to Your strength more fully. We know You are with us, Lord. You have promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Help us to rest on Your promises.
Phil 4:5-6 …The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything….
Lord, Thank You—for this day, for this path, for the deep trust that this is Your will for us, for the confidence that You are walking with us. Help us to experience You on this journey in ways that would not have otherwise been possible. Help us to lean in to You and to trust You. Draw us closer to You and closer as a family. Keep us safe and help us to shine Your light. Wrap us in Your peace. Amen.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Have a blessed day.