Category: Inspiration

A New Year’s Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

We are thankful that You have allowed us to enter into a brand new year. We give ourselves to You, just as we are. Any worries we have we commit them to You right now and we choose to trust in You, our all powerful, all knowing, ever present God. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT) we are reminded that…”No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

As we journey into this new year, we are excited about all You have prepared for us. Help us to embrace the unconditional love You have for us. It is learning to accept Your unconditional love and depend on You that will see us through. When we understand that You love us, choose to receive that love, and share it with others, we will make a difference in the world around us. The more of Your love that we have in our hearts the better and more fulfilling our lives will be. Teach us to love. We love because You first loved us (1 John 4:19).

The past year has given us many experiences, some pleasant and some unpleasant, but either way we have learned valuable lessons along the way and have grown in wisdom. Yesterday, today and forever You remain the same (Hebrews 13:8). The fact that You never change gives us a solid foundation. We all have needs and desires and You promised to meet our needs and grant our desires as we delight ourselves in You (Philippians 4:19 & Psalm 37:4). We all have areas where we need to improve, but we’re thankful that you’re patient with us as we continue to learn and grow. The mercy you show toward us is amazing. Help us to find contentment in walking with You daily.  Guide our steps and deliver us from evil, keep us safe each day.

We ask that You impart wholeness to those who are broken, comfort to those who are hurting, strength to those who are weak, hope to those who feel hopeless, abundance to those who are in lack, a sense of purpose to those who feel their lives are meaningless, healing to those who are sick, peace to those who are anxious, confidence to those who are tempted to shrink back, and justice for those who are being mistreated. Let Your truth reign over every lie that has been told. May Your Spirit fill those who are empty, but most of all may Your salvation reach those who are lost.

We rejoice in Your goodness and we rest in Your loving kindness. You are our Sovereign God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 2019 is in Your faithful hands and for this we are grateful. We are secure in You.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT),”For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Have a Blessed New Year, Happy 2019!!!

 

 

 

Keep the Faith

Proverbs 16:9 NLT says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

We all have desires for our lives. We build a vision of how we would like for our lives to be, and we hope things go according to plan, but the truth is that sometimes they don’t. That’s just the way life works. There are couples who want children, but have not been able to conceive. There are some who had an idea for a business or an invention, but so far they have not been able to get it off the ground. There are some who have had their lives altered by wrong choices they made, or by the carelessness of other people.

When we find ourselves in a place where we feel we’ve somehow missed out on something, it can be frustrating to say the least. If a dream seems to have faded or a goal seems out of reach, it can leave us feeling as if there is, “a part of us that has not yet lived”. But even if we end up in a dry and unfulfilled place, we still have a choice to believe for the best. We never know when things may suddenly turn around. We can make a decision to keep trusting God to work things out in our favor. Psalm 5:12 tells us that God’s favor surrounds us like a shield. When things don’t go as planned, God may have another plan that is different, yet better suited for us.

It can be tough when we are in a position where we have to reroute and travel a different path or make adjustments to the path we’re on. But there comes a time where we must learn to trust Him to perfectly write out every detail of our story. We can’t see the outcome of our tomorrow’s but He can. As 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us, we must keep walking by faith and not by sight, and like David in Psalm 31:14-15, keep believing that your times are in God’s hands. God has a perfect timing for everything in your life. No matter what your struggle, His love will see you through, just keep the faith.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We’re Different Yet The Same

John 13:34 (NIV), “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

As we venture through life, we will cross paths with many different people. The thing that makes people so interesting is the fact that they are different. If God wanted one version of a human being that is what He would have created. However, thankfully for all of us, He chose not to do that. Being the artist that He is, He put His creativity to work and crafted many different colors, features, personalities, and He even topped it all off by giving us each a unique purpose. He is truly the God of diversity!

Sometimes when we meet a person there may be something about that person that makes it hard for us to accept them. But really if we have a chance to get to know someone a little better, especially when that someone is different from us, we would be doing ourselves a huge injustice not to take advantage of that opportunity. Why? Because every person that is breathing air has a story to tell, regardless of their race, nationality or gender.

When we take the time to listen to another person’s story, we will quickly find out that we all have had our share of ups and downs. We’ve all experienced victories and defeats, gains and losses. We will also discover that although there may be many differences between people, there are also just as many, if not more, similarities. We’re all human and we share the same basic needs, especially our need to be loved. I’m not suggesting that people ignore their morals or values to tolerate any ole thing, because standards are a necessity. Having standards will ensure that we are being true to ourselves, and even more, true to the God we serve. However, I do believe that when we take the time to at least listen, and show compassion to one another, we may find a true treasure in getting to know that person better. When we listen to the story of another, we can better understand why they are who they are. We also may gain insight from them about life in general, and learn something new that can be a blessing to us.

It never hurts to deviate a little from what we deem to be comfortable and familiar. When we are willing to “step outside of the box”, we may discover that we are in the place where we were truly meant to be. When we’re out of our comfort zone, God can use us more fully as we learn to rely on Him to take us to new levels in our lives.

When I look into the face of another person, especially a person who is different from me, I pray I will always remember that they, just like me, have a story to tell. When and if they choose to speak, I will do my best to listen.  Are you listening?

Galatians 3:26 (NIV),”So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God though faith,”

Walk In Your Truth

John 16:13(NLT), “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

I recently saw a movie in which the main character had been the victim of a really difficult life. He had many negative experiences and was raised in an environment that was lacking in love. As a result of his upbringing, he made some bad choices that lead him down wrong paths and left him feeling empty inside. This movie was actually based on a true story so my heart went out to this person, but it also caused me to stop and think about the reality of the lives we live as people. Everyday when we wake up we are faced with a reality, sometimes that reality is what we want and sometimes it is not. Then I thought about truth. Truth may not necessarily be the same thing as the reality we live in. We can spend our days existing in a reality that is not really our truth. Our goal should always be for our truth to be our reality, the truth of who we are and what we believe. We can find this truth in the Word of God. When He reveals truth to us through His Spirit and His Word we can live our lives in confidence and quickly dismiss the lies that the enemy tries to send our way as well as the people he may use to convince us that the lies are true. The lies of the enemy will keep us bound to a reality that is not God’s truth. God’s truth will open our hearts to see how valuable we are so that we will not accept a reality that is not His best for us. But instead we will strive, with His help, to live in the reality that He has planned for us. A reality where we can be healthy spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially. A reality where we can achieve things that will make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Choose your own reality. Don’t just be content with the one the world throws at you. Trust the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, to guide you into truth each day.

Walk In Your Truth. You Are Worth It.

Father,

Thank you for your Spirit of Truth that keeps us safe from the lies of the enemy. Help us to apply the truth of Your Word to our lives and live in victory. Help us not to accept less than Your best. Teach us to live in the reality of who You say we are and to be satisfied as You fill us each day.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Life is Short, Make Everyday Count

James 4:14(NIV),”Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Just about a week ago, I was telling a coworker about the influx of car accidents I’ve been seeing over the last couple of weeks while driving to work. Here in South Florida where I currently reside, the area is heavily populated and therefore there is an abundance of traffic on the road. I guess the allure of beaches and palm trees, combined with the warm tropical climate and endless summers, is a welcome oasis for those looking to relocate. Since relocating here from Michigan several years ago, I myself have definitely enjoyed the beautiful weather and I truly don’t miss Michigan’s snowy winters even though I do miss many of my friends and the peaceful parks that were some of my favorite places to commune with the Lord.

Well while driving to work earlier this week, I unfortunately encountered yet another accident but this time it involved one car and a bicyclist. I was passing by on the opposite side of the street but even from a distance I could see the up and down motion of the woman’s chest who was laying on the ground as she struggled to breathe. I figured her shortness of breath was a combination of injury and fear. The lady who appeared to own the car that was involved, was anxiously pacing back and forth as she talked on her cell phone. There was a man standing over the bicyclist speaking to her, and I could see that although she was very short of breath, she was speaking back to him. As car after car made it’s way around her, I watched as long as I could until my light turned green and the traffic in front of me began to move. As I moved, I could faintly hear the sound of a siren in the distant. I felt scared for her but prayed that God would bring healing to her body and that she would be alright.

As I got up on interstate 95 to continue my drive to work, this incident reminded me just how quickly life can change or even worse, end. As I saw that lady laying on the ground and gasping for breath, I was also reminded how important it is to make everyday count. I’m sure she never imagined that when she left her home that morning she would get hit by a car, but she did. We can be here one day but gone the next. It’s God that watches over us each day, offering His protection as we go about our daily tasks.

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When we realize how brief our stay here on Earth really is, it makes us want to live life in the best way possible instead of just going through the motions. Living our best life isn’t only about acquiring more material things or accolades for ourselves, but it’s mostly about asking God to use us to be a blessing to others. It’s about the opportunities He allows us to have where we can pursue our purpose and use our gifts to help people and help make the world a better place. There is something special that God planted inside of each one of us. No one can be you or me, except you or me, so let’s make the most of the time God has given us to share His love with those around us.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Empty Hands Full Heart

Psalm 103:5 (NLT), “He fills my life with good things…”

Empty Hands Full heart, is a phrase that has been coming to me a lot over the last couple of weeks. What this phrase is referring to are those times in life when your heart is so full of God and His promises, His love and His hope, but especially His hope. You just can’t seem to let go of hope, hope that things will get better, and hope that He has a great future in store for you. But yet in some ways your hands are empty. When I say empty I mean that you haven’t yet grabbed hold of those things you are hoping for in your life, even though you have them all in your heart. Your heart is so full but in reality there are prayers God has not yet answered, dreams you have that have not come true or goals you have that have not yet been reached. You have been diligently doing your part but it just always seems like there is something to get in your way, or someone trying to pull you back. But because your heart is full you keep doing your best to cling to God and His Word and keep walking by faith and not by sight like He tells us to do.

In your mind you may sometimes wonder if it’s worth going on, if it’s worth continuing to trust God, if it’s worth the fight or the effort. But in your heart you don’t want to give up. You want to hold fast to God and to His promises. You want to keep having that hope, and keep having that faith that everything is going to work out even though you don’t understand how. You may be tired or feel discouraged at times, but still you choose to believe with everything in you that things will work out in your favor. Today I am writing this for those whose hearts are full but their hands are empty. In spite of the things you do not understand or do not yet have, don’t give up. Look to God for strength, keep the faith and just believe. Keep believing that God has a miracle in store for you and keep being honest with Him about your feelings. Don’t try and hide your feelings and don’t try and be strong apart from God because our strength comes from Him. If you feel weak then tell Him so and rely on Him to refresh your soul. Every day keep pouring your heart out to Him and receive His love. Let that fullness that is in your heart flow throughout your life and into the lives of those around you. Trust God to fill your emptiness and don’t give up because you have come too far. Believe that He will move in your life and work all things together for good.

Whatever it is you need, rather its healing, rather its financial provision, rather it’s restoration in a relationship,  you just have to keep holding on and believing God to bring about the needed change. Even on your worst days when you may feel guilty or unworthy, that is when you look up and you remember that He loves you more than you could ever know. Look up toward heaven and say, “God thank you for a new day and thank you that you love me, thank you for your grace and your mercy, thank you for your never ending peace that surpasses all understanding. Thank you for holding me in your arms, thank you for never leaving me nor forsaking me, thank you for giving me strength to go on and thank you for filling my hands with all that You have for me.”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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