A Work in Progress….

Many, many years ago, I claimed Romans 12:12 as my life-verse. I still contend that it is an excellent example of how to live. First, be joyful in hope, not in circumstances. My hope is in my Creator and in the fact that this world is not my home. My life doesn’t have to be a bed of roses for me to be joyful that I have my Savior and He is in control.

Second, be patient in affliction. This one is tied to the first. I can be patient in affliction because I have hope in my Savior. This world, with its troubles, loss, and sorrow, does not have a say in where I spend eternity; therefore, I can endure the hard knocks of life because with God, the battle has already been won and I am more than victorious. Finally, be faithful in prayer. One version says to be persistent in prayer. Prayers changes things, even if it’s only my attitude, because prayer draws me closer to God, which helps me exchange my limited, earthly perspective for His eternal one.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder of the wisdom in Romans 12:12. Help me always to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Regardless of what life throws at me, draw me closer to You. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I often get caught in the trap of thinking I’m too flawed for God to use me. And while there are examples of God using incredibly godly people in the Bible, there are many more examples—like this repeated argument among the disciples—of God using flawed and reluctant people just like me, people who don’t see themselves as worthy or capable of doing God’s will.

But God shows us again and again that He doesn’t need perfection in order to work through us. In fact, His strength is perfected and showcased best when allowed to shine through our weaknesses. All He needs from us is a willing heart and the strength to step out in faith.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your willingness and ability to use me, even with all my faults and flaws. You created me exactly as I am for a purpose, Lord. Help me to always say yes to Your will. Help me to always be willing to step out in faith when You call me to move. Let Your strength be perfected in my weakness, Lord, and use me in Your service. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I am an incredibly emotional person. When I’m happy, I fairly burst with happiness. When I’m excited about trying something new, I share with every one, so that others can experience it, too. I’m thankful God wired me with such intense emotions. But the negative emotions are just as strong, and when I’m sad, scared, or anxious, I am nothing but dry, lifeless bones.

My morning prayer and devotional time serves as a daily reminder that the Lord is my rock and my anchor. Each morning He renews, recharges, and refocuses me. But always by mid-morning, by lunchtime, by early afternoon, sometimes all three, my bones are drying out again. Somehow, in the busyness of life, I move too far from my Savior, my source of strength and hope. Gently He nudges me back to His life-giving presence. Thank You, Lord.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for this reminder that You are my source of life. Thank You for the intense emotions You endowed me with and the ability You gave me to point others to You. Help me walk with You throughout my day and to never forget that You are the only one who can put life into these dry bones. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I have said before, in response to inquiries about how I am, that I am blessed, and I truly believe that I am. But what does that mean exactly? Google defines “blessed” as “endowed with divine favor and protection,” and I think there are those who subscribe to an idea that Kate Bowler calls the Prosperity Gospel—the idea that if we are God’s people, goodness abounds and heartache is kept at bay, but being blessed does not mean being shielded from sorrow.

I am not the queen of heartache, I do not hold the market on suffering, but I have seen and endured enough in my life to know that being blessed because of my faith does not give me immunity from grief and pain. However, the blessing of my faith does mean that the grief and sorrow of this world are temporary, it means that this world is not my home, it means that I have hope that transcends this life. Thank you, Jesus, for these blessings.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the blessings of this life. Thank You for the hope that endures even when Your answer is no, not yet, or not in the way that I had hoped. Help me never to forget that I am blessed because I have hope beyond this life. Help me never to forget that I have this hope because I am Your deeply loved child. You don’t promise that this life will be easy, Lord, but You promise that You will always be with me. Thank You for the blessings of Your love. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

My head is fairly spinning with the amount of things I am worrying about—getting my classroom ready, getting my lesson plans ready, figuring out the new routine at home and at school, jumpstart for my youngest, homeschool and hiking for my oldest, a total lifestyle change for the hubs—truly, I have to force myself to stop, to breathe, to trust. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. God’s got us all.

My sweet, precious Savior knows my heart and my fears. He brought me to Martha and Mary yet again as He tries to help me refocus on what’s important. Martha’s activity and anxiety seem to mirror my own. I get caught up in her actions and again have to force myself to calm down, focus, and breathe. Meanwhile, Mary is sitting serenely at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught (v 39). I want that peace, that serenity, that focus—and my Savior wants that for me.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder of what is truly important. In the midst of the chaos and activity of life, help me to pause and assess my focus. Help me to slow down, to breathe, to sit at Your feet and listen to what You would teach me. Help me to trade my fears and anxiety for Your peace. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Google defines mercy as “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” On Facebook several weeks ago, I came across this gem: “You will never look into the eyes of someone God does not love….” In my mind, those two are intertwined. Mercy is not only recognizing that the jerk who ticked you off is a loved child of God, but treating that person as God’s beloved, even when you don’t feel like it and the other person doesn’t deserve it. That’s hard.

Mercy means showing compassion even when it isn’t fair or just. It means showing God’s love when you’d rather get even. Mercy is a sacrifice—We sacrifice our desire for judgment in favor or God’s desire for compassion and love. Undeserved mercy is what God shows us daily and what He calls us to show others.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder, in a world that places so much emphasis on judgment, that mercy is what we are called to show. Help us to remember, even when our backs are against the wall and we are being treated most unfairly, that You call us to respond with mercy and love. Help us to remember the many daily instances when You show us undeserved mercy, and help us to show others the same compassion. We are all Your beloved children. Help us to act like it. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I’ve never considered pride to be a huge weakness for me, but I’ve noticed of late it is becoming a bit of an issue. This little megalomaniac in my brain wants recognition. It is a dangerous and slippery slope, and I’d just as soon nip it in the bud right now than to play the game of “Why don’t people recognize how amazing I am and all the great things I do?” In that game, I lose my greatest treasure.

God knows my heart. He sees this little glimmer of pride trying to take hold. He sent me verse after verse today to remind me of His priorities, His place in my life and my heart. If I lose sight of the fact that He is my center, my anchor, my reward and my recognition for a job well done, I am truly lost, for He is my greatest treasure.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for reminding me that every good thing in my life comes from You, that this world is not my home,  and that its accolades are meaningless in my eternity. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You, that brings You praise and glory, that allows You to say one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Help me to be always mindful of the fact that You are my treasure and the only recognition I truly need is from You. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Lord, You are the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. You knew me before my life began, saw my unformed body as it was being knit together in my mother’s womb. You know my thoughts and feelings, even when I cannot quite put them into words. I am safe in Your care. Help my identity to be rooted securely in You.

Lord, You know me intimately, knew me even before I was born. You know the plans You have for me and the strife I will encounter on this earth. You love me fiercely and completely, simply because I am Yours. I am safe in Your shelter. Help me to rest in You when life is overwhelming. Help me to trust in You when I am afraid or confused. Comfort my soul, Lord.

Lord, Thank You for this day, for the plans You have for me, for the people You have sent into my life. Thank You for Your unconditional love and support, for Your reassurance when I need it, for Your courage and strength when mine are gone. Thank You for the work You have for me to do and for trusting me to get it done. Thank You for being my shelter, my refuge, the source of every good gift. Draw me closer to You, Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I try to be very faithful with my devotional reflections. I pray for the Lord’s wisdom and words as I write. I pray that I can remove myself so that those who read the reflections will see Him, hear His wisdom, feel His peace. Sometimes I have an idea of a direction the night before. Sometimes He shows me His path as I’m reading and studying the morning of. Sometimes, like the past several days, I finish my reading and study with still no clear direction of what He would have me say. And so I renew my daily prayer that He will guide me, direct me, show me His path. Your will, Lord, Your words, Your way. Not mine.

With all the “new” on the horizon, a new school year, new routines, new paths for so many of us, it struck me this morning that this—praying for His wisdom, discernment, and direction—is what He wants from me EVERY morning. Your will, Lord, Your words, Your way. Not mine.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder. Help me, daily, to lay my plans before You and seek Your will. Show me what You would have me to say and do. Direct my words and my path. I trust You with my life, Lord. Help me always to seek Your will, Your words, and Your way instead of my own. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Lord, Be with us when we feel the bitter sting of disappointment in this life, when we are earnestly doing what we feel You have called us to do, but it is not working out the way we thought or planned. Help us to remember that Your ways are not our ways, that Your plan may require us to work through setbacks we did not anticipate. Help us to give You our whole heart and entire effort. Encourage us along Your path.

Lord, If we are off-base in our efforts, redirect us. If we are on the right track, help us to endure the bitter sting of disappointment, to understand that our efforts take time and that sometimes we don’t see the impact we have on others, even if it is there. Help us to work tirelessly for You, to strive in all we do to bring You glory and encourage Your people.

Lord, Thank You for this day. Help us never to fear living boldly for You. Help us to understand that sometimes living boldly means failing boldly. The sting of disappointment is bitter, Lord, but our hope is in You, not in this world. Use our disappointments to help us develop endurance and perseverance. Draw us closer to You with every breath. Help us to anchor our hope in You alone. Amen.

Have a blessed day.