A Work in Progress….

We are now officially in the season of Advent, a time of preparation and expectation. Our Savior is coming! One of the truths my sweet Savior has laid on my heart this morning is that no matter the “anxieties of life” weighing me down, I need to live the expectant hope of my faith—Christ is coming! Hallelujah!

This is a sad season for me, and this year seems harder than most. But the lessons my Savior has laid on my heart in the last 24 hours deal with anticipation and rejoicing. This world is not my home. I have the promise and hope of an eternal home that is beyond this world. I feel a bit like I’ve been metaphorically shaken by the lapels and told, “Snap out of it! Quit moping! Jesus is coming! Get ready! Anticipate! Celebrate! Rejoice!” Thank You, Jesus.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your reminder to stand tall and lift my head because You, my redemption, are drawing near. Thank You for the reminder that even though it is sometimes hard to focus on joy during this season, that it is indeed a joyful time. Thank You for reminding me of the hope and promise of this Advent season. You are coming. Hallelujah! Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Lord, I know Your fierce love for me, and I know that You know exactly where I am–heart, mind, and soul. I know You can use any circumstance for my good and Your glory. Help me to cling to You, to draw closer to You, regardless of my feelings or circumstances.

I do not doubt Your truth or Your love, Lord, and I know that I can trust Your ways, even when I am uncertain. Help me to take the next step and the next and the next in faith, Lord, trusting where You lead me. Guide me, one step at a time.

Lord, Thank You for this day, for this opportunity to lean into You and trust You. Thank You for this season of Advent, of anticipation and preparation. Renew my spirit, Lord. Shine Your light and Your love on my soul. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day. I

As I write this reflection, there is a light fog outside, and I have a dull headache. These two occurrences seem a fitting analogy for where I seem to be currently. For as long as I have been taking time in the mornings to talk with my Savior, I have felt His presence with me keenly. By the time I finish my reading and prayer time, my reflection has usually written itself. It truly often feels like He writes them for me. It’s a hard sensation to describe but a beautiful thing to be a part of.

But lately I’ve felt this sense of separation, a light fog, a dull ache, that seems to separate me from that easy relationship with my Savior. He’s still with me—I know because He has promised to never leave me—but that feeling of ease and companionship isn’t currently there, and I miss it terribly.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the ability to recognize that You are still with me, that You still love me fiercely, even when things feel so off. The holidays are hard, Lord, the hiking trip is looming, the stress at work is certainly in full force. There are so many things that could explain why I feel this separation, but what I desperately want is a restored relationship with You. I want to feel Your presence with me daily. I want that easy relationship we have shared for so long. Help me, Lord, to realign myself with You. Draw me closer. Renew my spirit. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Lord, Forgive me for the many, many times I have become arrogant and stiff-necked, refusing to listen. Forgive me for all those times I’ve failed to remember the miracles, mercies, and blessings You have performed in my life. Forgive me when I get so caught up in my own plan or my own way that I fail to seek or to follow Your will.

Lord, Thank You for loving me, even through my arrogance and rebellion. Thank You for Your continued provision, even when I deserve to stew in the mess I’ve created. Thank You for never turning Your back on me, even when I’ve turned my back on You.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for this reminder of Your love and provision always. Help me to consciously seek You daily. Help me to be mindful of Your blessings, even in my hardships. Help me to shed this arrogant, willful, rebellious shell and seek You and follow You with all that I have and all that I am. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

When I walked up my driveway last night to take my trash to the road, I was struck by how dark it seemed. Indeed, as I headed up, I was walking by memory instead of by sight because it was too dark to see. Gradually my eyes adjusted, and I realized that what had at first felt like total darkness was actually full of light, and while it never seemed as bright as day, I realized that there was plenty of light to guide my way.

And again at bedtime, when I snapped off the light, I was met with total, inky darkness. It felt so absolute, but as I stilled, as my eyes adjusted, sources of light to break up the darkness became plentiful, and the absolute darkness dissolved.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the lessons of darkness and light. Thank You for Your presence and guidance, even when it feels I’m stumbling alone in darkness. Thank You for Your word and for the people You have placed in my life to help guide me on my way. Help me to shine Your light to help guide others. Draw us closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I know vividly the sensation of not being able to quench a thirst—when all you want is water, and you can’t seem to get enough, no matter how much or how quickly you drink.

That is the way David’s soul thirsts for his God in these verses. That is the way we should all thirst for His presence.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for these images. Thank You for drawing me closer to You each morning. Draw me ever closer until You are my sole focus, until my soul thirsts for You alone. Satisfy that thirst as only You can. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

My church is doing an Advent devotional, and I volunteered to write two of the reflections. The first one flowed easily. I studied the scripture verses, read several commentaries and sermons on those verses to be sure I understood, prayed for God’s guidance as I wrote, and had a moment of clarity that started the words flowing. The next thing I knew, that devotional was complete. I love it when God works through me like that.

The second reflection has not been as smooth. I completed the same preparation—reading, studying, praying fervently to glorify God through my words, but my thoughts continue to be jumbled. The one thing I know without a doubt is that I want to honor God through my words, words that I know He has given me. And I know that because of my eagerness to glorify Him, even though this reflection isn’t smooth or beautiful, He will use it for His purposes. That’s all He wants from us, really—to hold nothing back from Him, to keep nothing as “off limits” for His use.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for this scripture. Thank You for devo reflections that flow so easily and for reflections like today’s that seem to frustrate me at every turn. You want all of me, Lord, not just the parts that I think are good enough. And perhaps that is Your ultimate lesson here—when my goal is to hold nothing back as I glorify You, You can and will use that gift in ways I can’t even imagine. Use all that I am and all that I have, Lord. Help me to hold nothing back from You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day

Lord, Help me to place my life solely in Your hands, so that when I think of myself, it is only in terms of how I can accomplish Your will and further Your kingdom. Help me to let go of the earthly side of myself, the part of me that is wrapped up in my schemes, dreams, and plans. Empty me of myself and fill me with Your Spirit.

Lord, I know You have a job for me. Help me to live my life so that, no matter what I am doing presently, it works to fulfill Your ultimate goal for me, which is completing the work You have given me. There is still so much of the world in me, Lord. Root that out so that there is more room for You.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for allowing me to be a partner in Your kingdom work. Thank You for all the ways I’ve gotten better at listening, drawing closer, aligning myself with You. I want Your peace in my life, Lord, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help me to lay down my own desires so that there is more room for Your Spirit. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

It is often hard for me during my prayer time to quiet my heart and mind, to be calm and still before the LORD. The world often tries to horn in on any quiet time with thoughts of what needs to get done or get done next, what was left undone, what wasn’t done well, etc. To be still before the LORD, to breathe in His presence, to contemplate His mercy and grace, takes willful action on my part, but it is absolutely necessary if I am to know His will for me.

And what exactly does He want from me? Sometimes that’s hard for me to discern as well, but there are givens that I can always cling to. He wants me to love others. He is focused on our eternal future, and He wants all of us with Him. Micah 6:8, …And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God, sums it up succinctly. He wants us attuned to Him—His love, His mercy, His grace.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your will for my life. Sometimes it feels tremendously difficult to discern what You are calling me to do in a given situation. Help me to seek Your will always. Guide my steps, my actions, and my words. Help me to comfort Your people and shine Your light. Help me to be still before You and to align my life with Your purpose. Draw me closer to You. Always. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I try really hard to be positive and uplifting, but there is a tiny pessimist deep within me who always points out what could go wrong. This small voice is incredibly vocal, especially when I mess up or when things aren’t going the way I’d hoped. So when I woke up at the crack of dawn today and began tossing and turning restlessly, the pessimist was quick to chime in, “Oh great. It’s the middle of the night and you can’t sleep. Looks like it’s going to be a great day.” That voice is fluent in snarkiness and sarcasm.

I’ve been working on retraining myself, on silencing that inner pessimist, with my daily time with my Savior. That voice is not from Him nor of Him. It speaks the world’s truth and not my precious Savior’s. So I truly was thrilled when on the heels of the snark, Psalm 118:24 came quickly to mind: “This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Thank You, Jesus.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for guiding me ever closer to You. Thank You for the awareness that my inner pessimist does not speak Your truth in my life. Thank You for Psalm 118:24, which helped me to circumvent negativity this morning and led me to praying and praising You instead. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Have a blessed day.