Psalm 143:10, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
God is love, and God is Truth. As Christians, we should allow ourselves to be guided by His love and truth as we go through this life. God’s definition of love, often differs from the worlds. And of course truth, has become whatever people want it to be. Whatever makes them feel good is deemed to be true. However, God’s Word does not change based on our feelings. He will lead us on level ground, but we must be willing to follow Him.
John 10:27 NIV, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
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The love and truth that is found in Christ is priceless. It is imperative that we listen to Him, so that we will not be lead astray by the deception of the world. As the old hymn says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.” May you walk in the joy of God’s love and truth, and stand firm knowing that as you follow Christ, His faithfulness to you will never end.
AHUGEthank you toThe Holliman’s! They both nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. 🎉🎉 I appreciate both of your blogs, and the inspiration you both bring to trust Jesus Christ. ✝️ Mr. Holliman also blogs about being healthy and shares healthy, delicious recipes. 🥕🥬🍉 Check out their blogs at:
Rules: • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to him/her. • Answer the 11 questions provided by the blogger who nominated you. • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions. • Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their blog posts. • List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post.
☀️Mr. Holliman’s Questions to me:
1)What is your favorite book? Why?
I’ve read so many good books, but one of my favorites is “When Women Say Yes to God” by Lysa Terkeurst. It has many inspiring stories of having faith in God.
2)Do you have any pets?
No
3)How long have you been blogging?
2 years, but diligently for the last year
4)What is your favorite 2 quotes about faith?
“Faith is trusting God when you do not understand.” AND from Corinthians, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.”
5)Have you ever made your own herbal tea?
No
6)What is your favorite disaster movie? If any
I’m not sure exactly what is classified as a disaster movie, but I did used to watch a show on the Smithsonian Channel called Air Disasters. It was about discovering why plane crashes had occurred and what the FAA did to fix the problems.
7)Do you think the government is going in the right or wrong direction?
Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong so we have to keep praying for our government officials.
8)What is your favorite health food that you cook or buy?
My favorite vegetable is brussel sprouts. I eat a banana almost everyday. I also have come to like Tofu, it’s very versatile.
9)What is you favorite fruit?
Pineapple
10)Have you ever been hiking in the snow?
No
11)Do you like taking walks?
Yes! I love to go for walks.
☀️Mrs. Holliman’s questions to me:
1)What inspires you to wake up every morning?
The fact that God’s mercies are new everyday and knowing that He is faithful and He will take care of me.
2)What is your purpose for your blog?
To inspire others to Draw Closer to Christ.
3)Do you like to talks walks or jogs?
I love going for walks.
4)What is the most important thing to you when it comes to family?
Showing love because relationships are built on love.
5)Have you ever took a trip and got stuck there because of the bad weather?
Yes. I was on my way to Charleston SC for my cousins funeral in 2015. We got stuck at the Atlanta GA airport for 8 hours due to bad weather throughout the South.
6)Does it snow where you live?
No. There is no snow in sunny Florida, but I did live in Michigan for 11 years and there was a lot of snow there.
7)What makes you want to keep writing?
Jesus. I have a desire to share Him with others.
8)Do you like to ride horses? If so, have you?
No. I’ve never ridden a horse.
9)What is your favorite type of birds?
Cardinals are pretty. Birds are beautiful creatures in general. When you take time to admire them you can see many colors and designs.
10)What month was you born?
February
11)What is your favorite place to eat pasta?
Carrabbas Italian Grill (although I love the salad and breadsticks at Olive Garden).
I nominate the following, if you choose to participate…🥰
Hebrews 4:12 NLT, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
We have our way of thinking and God has His. As we grow in the knowledge of His Word, we should desire to abandon our own agenda, and our own way of thinking and follow His. His Word transforms us. It causes us to see things through His eyes and understand His perspective. His Word is alive and powerful. It exposes deception and speaks everlasting truth.
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The Holy Spirit is always working to bring us into truth. As He refines our hearts, we must be willing to obey His instructions and make the necessary changes. Growing in Christ, means we will outgrow sinful ways and relationships that are not of Him. In order to accomplish what He wants us to accomplish, we must let go of what is not pleasing to Him, no matter how uncomfortable letting go may be.
Sometimes the things we are doing may not be sinful. They may be good things, but they are still not God’s plan for us. The ”good” things and people that seem harmless, can end up being the biggest hindrances in our walk with God. So we must let them go and move on. Otherwise we will not walk in our God given purpose.
God is always trying to take us to higher places in Him. But when He calls us, we must be willing to trust Him, take action and go.
Psalm 37:23 NLT, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Last week I stopped by the leasing office at my apartment complex, and turned in my notice to vacate. When I informed the leasing consultant that I would be moving out of state, she asked me where I was going. When I told her Virginia, she immediately perked up and said that she knew a couple that had moved there recently. She said they are a really nice Christian couple, and that the wife is the sister of her pastor. Then after that, she begin to share their story with me.
She told me about Alex, the twenty-one year old son of this couple, who was killed in a motorcycle accident two years ago. He was thrown from his bike and died instantly due to head injuries. She showed me the last picture that Alex had taken with his family before his death.
Alex had always dreamed of living in Virginia. So when he lost his life, his parents and his younger sibling, packed their bags, said goodbye to Florida and moved to Virginia. His parents said that life was short and this was what Alex always wanted, so making the move to Virginia was their way of making his dream come true.
Photo By: Khanh Le
Hearing this story brought tears to my eyes, and the leasing consultant said retelling it gave her goose bumps. Not only had this family lost Alex, but Alex’s Dad was also a cancer survivor. Although their story is one of unimaginable loss, it’s also one of triumph, because I’m sure this family understands what it means to make everyday count. They know first hand how brief our days here on Earth can be. I thanked the leasing consultant for sharing this story with me. It was a vast reminder not to take life for granted.
After I left the leasing office, I couldn’t help but wonder what God has in mind for Alex’s family. I believe He will use their testimony to touch many souls. Hearing their story of faith and perseverance in the midst of tragedy brought me joy.
Jesus always has a way of shining light in the midst of darkness. We just have to be willing to open our eyes to see it, like Alex’s family did. We may not always understand all of God’s plans for our lives, but if we keep obeying Him, He will reveal truth to us. No matter how dark a situation may seem, we can trust Jesus to light our path.
Proverbs 11:13 NIV, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”
God knows all there is to know about us, but He doesn’t go around revealing everything to everyone. We can trust Him. Loyal, trustworthy people are a reflection of God’s love. People who can be trusted to keep information confidential, without giving in to the temptation to gossip and spread rumors are people of integrity.
Photo by: Kristina Flour
People of integrity understand that time spent gossiping about others is time that can be spent praying for them instead. They use wisdom when it comes to speaking about others because they know what and what not to say. They also know who and who not to say it to.
Being a trustworthy, gossip-free person is a true sign of maturity in Christ. He will strengthen us to stay away from pointless, destructive conversations about others. Love seeks to build people up and not tear them down.
James 1:26 NLT, “If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.”
Proverbs 3:27, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.”
Yesterday morning I was reading Proverbs chapter 3. Verse 27 kept jumping out at me. I kept thinking to myself that if everyone lived by this, the world would be a much better place. It’s pretty easy to withhold good from others because we live in an age that reinforces, ”looking out for number 1” all of the time. Of course we need balance and it is important to take care of ourselves. But what would happen if everyone made an attempt to regularly think of the needs of others, and help them whenever possible?
The closer we get to Jesus, the more compassionate and loving we become toward others. He helps us to look beyond the surface and see the true need. He helps us to let go of the fear of lack, and give when it is in our power to do so.
There is so much more to giving than just money, a simple compliment can make someone smile. There is one greeter at church who always gives hugs. Many Sunday mornings I was thankful for her hug. Handshakes are good, but hugs are awesome! Even in my own life, I’m asking God to help me not to withhold good from others. No matter how small the deed may seem, if we’re lead to give, we must obey God and give.
We serve a God who gives of Himself freely everyday. As His representatives, we have the privilege of doing the same. Learning to let God be our standard instead of the world, will open up a whole new sea of opportunities to give of ourselves that we never even knew existed.
Proverbs 2:8 NLT, “He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.”
This verse used to be the theme verse for a singles ministry I attended in the past. I also had it on the dashboard in my car for awhile. The verse reminded me daily that the Lord is guarding my paths and protecting me. Even as I drive down the road, navigating my way through the busy traffic, He is watching over me. It’s a comfort to be kept by our Savior.
It’s easy to become fearful with all the things that are happening around us. Even within our own families at times, there are tragedies and other unfortunate things that we must endure. But keeping our eyes on the Lord, helps us to remain anchored. No matter how rough things may get, we can trust Him to take good care of us.
Staying faithful to the Lord is no easy task. But deciding to stay on the narrow path and be faithful to Him, will lead us to good things. We may not understand every turn we take or every hill we must climb, but God will be with us every step of the way. Even through difficulties, His love will sustain us.
Whatever path you are traveling, God has His wall of protection all around you, so keep on following as the Holy Spirit leads you.God always has a plan, and His plans are good.
Drawing Closer to Christ 