Category: Inspiration

You Possess a Valuable Gift

Philippians 2:13 (NLT), “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

Every person has at least one thing that they are not just great at, but gifted at. Some have studied music for years and are great musicians, yet some can sit down and play an instrument, even though they have never had a music lesson a day in their lives. Most people can wash a car, yet there are those who can not only wash it, but also make it look like it’s ready to be displayed on a showroom floor. The funny thing about a gift, is that often times others may notice it in a person before the person notices it in themselves.

My mother is a retired nurse. Although nursing itself is an occupation that she went to school to learn, the character traits that God instilled in her enabled her to not only be a nurse, but a gifted nurse. Her personality and the heart of love and kindness that He gave her, turned an ordinary job into her purpose and passion. Mom would often say nursing was hard work, but nevertheless she always seemed to do it with joy. For her it was a delight to care for others, especially the elderly with whom she loved working. Mom was gifted with patience and understanding, which caused her to treat each patient with the dignity they deserved. Her patients, their families, her fellow nurses and other staff members loved her and always looked forward to working with her. Someone at my mom’s job once told her that when she entered the room, a spirit of peace came in with her. We know exactly who that Spirit of Peace is, it’s the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Living God. He is the One who empowers us so that He can use us as vessels, to take what is ordinary and make it extraordinary. When we commit the work we do to Him, He will give us what we need to make a true difference.

I’m not sure what gifts you possess, but the list is endless and no gift is insignificant. Some are gifted at organizing, some are gifted at decorating, and some are gifted at being great helpers, they show up and pitch in wherever needed. All gifts count for something,  and add value to the lives of others when they are shared. In God’s eyes, the soloist who sings in front of a large congregation, is just as important as the person in the choir who never does a solo, but takes time out to visit and sing with someone in the nursing home.  Both singers are sharing their gift,  and both singers are being used by God.

I hope that you are using the special gift that God gave you and will find lasting joy as you pursue your passions and use your gift to bless others.

I thank God for the gifts He has given to each of us.

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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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