Tag: Inspiration

Sunshine Blogger Award – 11

Thank you Barb at My Life In Our Father’s World for nominating me for The Sunshine Blogger Award. 🌻 I’m grateful you thought of me. Please visit Barb’s blog, where you will find daily inspiration to encourage your faith in Jesus.

Barb also shares writings about her work in ministry as a prison chaplain. You can read more about her journey right here: Behind Bars But Still Free

The sunshine blogger award rules:
1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog
2. List the rules and display an award logo on your blog post
3. Answer the 11 questions the blogger(s) asked you
4. Nominate 11 other bloggers to receive the award and notify them by commenting on any of their post
5. Ask the nominees 11 new questions

Barb’s Questions to Me:
1. How did get started blogging? I used to send email devotionals to a small group of family and friends but then God lead me to start the blog in May 2017. I stated blogging more diligently in early 2018.


2. Other than Jesus what Biblical “character” would you most like to spend time with? Without a doubt, Daniel! I love his resolve to be obedient to the Lord and do what was right.


3. How many places have you lived? I’ve lived in Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Alabama, and during my time in the military, South Carolina, Maryland, Indiana, and South Korea.


4. Where/How do you blog? (ie home office on PC, in my recliner on lap top) Mostly in my room on my cell phone using the WordPress app when I’m writing blogs. When I’m responding to comments and reading other blogs I do it in many different places.


5. How has your life changed since you started blogging? It has become a part of me and I enjoy it. I feel thankful to be part of the blogging community.


6. If you had zero subscribers, would you still blog? Yes. I started with zero and it was a while before I had any followers.


7. Do you attend a small, medium or large church? I haven’t joined a church yet since I just relocated, but my church in Florida had a main campus that was large and about 12 satellite campuses that were smaller. I attended one of the satellite campuses.


8. Why did you choose that particular congregation? I liked the sermons that the pastors taught.


9. How long have you been a Christ follower? I accepted Christ when I was 9.


10. What is you favorite holiday & why? I never really thought about a favorite holiday. But if I had to choose, it would be Christmas. It’s a joyous time of year and it’s nice to remember the Savior’s birth. The decor is pretty too.


11. Other than blogging are you involved in any other ministry? As I mentioned I just relocated and haven’t joined a church but in Florida I was on the Teacher’s Ministry to help encourage teachers and the Single’s Ministry.

My nominees are below. If you choose to participate, please answer Barb’s questions. Thanks so much for your blogs, you’re an inspiration. 🤗❤️

Amazing Grace

Beyond Limitations

Entrepreneur Mama Blog

Faith, Love, & Dreams

Introverted Evangelist

¡Write…my love story!

JCT Born Again

Just A Jesus Girl

Knowing Jesus In Confusing Times

Marriage Psalm 91:1

Young Ambassadors

God’s Love Brings Healing

Jeremiah 17:14 NIV, “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

“Lord your love just keeps on healing me, no matter how I bruise, if I just trust you, your love just keeps on healing me.” These are words from a song by Deniece Williams called, “Healing”.

God’s love does bring us healing from the brokenness and pain we have experienced in life. There is nothing that can’t be cured as a result of His healing power working in our hearts. Even the damage that sin has done can be repaired by God’s love.

Although at times we do have to endure the consequences of our sinful choices, we’re never alone as we go through the process of healing and restoration. God is always there, sending us the help we need. He places the right people and resources in our paths to help bring healing to our hearts and lives.

Photo by: VisionPic .net

Everyone is different, and so we all process things differently. However, through it all God is faithful. The prophet Jeremiah called out to the Lord for healing. He knew that all He needed was in God’s hand. Life sometimes brings some very heavy burdens our way, but God promised to carry our burdens when we give them over to Him.

Psalm 55:22 NKJV, “Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”

Whatever you may need, cry out to God and expect to see Him bring the healing you need for your exact situation, regardless of what it is. Don’t allow fear to hinder you from calling out to God. Fear tries to convince us that nothing will ever change. There is no situation that is beyond the reach of God’s healing power. There is hope in His love. Allow His Holy Spirit to bring you comfort, peace, and healing today. Like Jeremiah, we can praise Him in the midst of our trials and disappointments because we know His love brings healing.

Merry Christmas

Luke 22:41-42 KJV, ”…Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may we always remember His words,

“…nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

These words should be the cry of our hearts too. To do the will of our Father in heaven, should be our life’s purpose. It should be our top priority every day. The story of Christmas, was part of God’s magnificent plan to redeem mankind and give us the free gift of salvation. Free to us, only because of the price Jesus already paid. Jesus died so that we could live, free from sin and shame. He died so that we could live with Him in eternity.

I pray that the reality of God’s love, and the hope that we have in Jesus Christ, would be your foundation today and always. May His presence anchor your soul in comfort and peace. May your heart be filled with joy as you reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. He was born and He lived so that He could die for our sins. The sweet baby in the manger endured unimaginable pain and agony, all because of His great love for us. He was obedient to the Father’s will because of love. May we love and live like Jesus, our Savior.

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄 ❤️🎄

Photo by: Dana Tentis

Blessed As You Trust

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Trusting in the Lord will keep us fruitful. Our lives will produce good things that bring Him glory. We don’t have to fear ruin or be consumed with worry. We are blessed when we place our confidence in Him. Allowing Jesus to be our foundation, keeps our hearts secure. I recently read this quote by Deborah Smith Pegues…

“There is a calm assurance, a noticeable sense of peace that emanates from those whose trust is in the Lord.”

Trusting in God is not only for us, but it’s also for those around us. It shows others how magnificent our God is. It’s a testimony to His faithfulness in our lives. Being able to flourish, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, because we trust God, draws others to Christ.

In Christ, we can abandon all of our fears, and trust Him as we wait in faith for the good things He has promised us. When we stay committed to Him, continue to serve Him, and acknowledge Him in all of our ways, He will direct our paths. He surrounds us with His love and favor each day. We are blessed when our trust is in the Lord.

Photo by: Philip Ackermann

Store Up Treasures In Heaven

Matthew 6:20 NIV, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Yesterday I was driving home from the store, and as I was driving, I started thinking about all I hadn’t yet done, and all I didn’t yet have. In those few moments, I managed to convince myself that I should be further along in life by now. I mentally started compiling a list of things I wish I had. Of course more money was at the top of my list. I reasoned that if I had more money, I could do more things, have more things, and be more successful. There is a pretty high standard in society today to achieve more. More money. More houses. More degrees. More status. More vacations. More of this! More of that! More, more, more! Then all of sudden, in the midst of it all, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Store up treasures in heaven.” Immediately the discouraging thoughts came to a halt and there was a sense of relief. I felt at peace.

I’m thankful that in my moments of self pity, God reminded me of my true purpose in Jesus Christ, and the reality that Earth is not my final home. As Christians, our greatest rewards and our greatest fulfillment await us in heaven. It’s a blessing when we are successful, but nothing we ever achieve in this world will be greater than the ecstasy of eternity with Jesus. The most important legacy we can ever leave behind, is one that points others to Him.

Photo by: Sindre Strøm

Sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ with a dying world, through our words and actions will bring life. I pray that as Christians, we will never be blinded by the temporary pleasures of this world. Instead may we find joy in storing up treasures in heaven. When our hearts are in tune with the Spirit of God, we are able to stay focused on what matters most. I’m thankful for the assurance He gives us during times of doubt. He assures us that, the “more” we are looking for is found in Him…

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

God does want us to be successful and enjoy life, but above all else we are to seek Him. He will guide our steps and put us in position to receive the right opportunities. Keep storing up treasures in heaven, and trust God to bring the “more” you truly need as you continue to serve Him.

Photo by: Min An

Enjoy Jesus Everyday

Regular fellowship with our Savior always makes things so much better. Time with Him refreshes us and gives us strength to face life, which we all know life can be tough. Everyone has something going on but as we meditate on His goodness, we are reminded of His love, protection, and provision. This helps to keep fear away from us, and to keep our focus in the right place. We are never without hope as long as He is near. He fills our life with good things…

Psalm 103:5 NLT, “He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”

Looking to Jesus, keeps our hearts full of faith, and in tune with His voice. Hearing his voice as He gives us gentle confirmations brings us assurance of His presence. Enjoy spending time with Jesus and find contentment in His everlasting love for you.

Photo by: Andy Vu

Hurt At Church

Colossians 3:13 NLT, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

As I was writing, “You Are Not Alone” a couple of days ago, I kept thinking about those in the body of Christ who have been hurt at some point by fellow believers. It’s still heavy on my heart right now, even as I write this. Some are so hurt that they have made a decision to no longer attend church, or even if they do, the pain they feel keeps them from experiencing the joy that God wants them to have. Or they may isolate themselves by not getting involved in the ministry because they fear getting hurt again. They have no peace because of the wrong they believe was done to them.

Photo by: Polina Sirotina

The reality is that every believer may not feel safe in God’s house for whatever the reason. It’s never God’s will for any of His children to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in His house. He intends for us all to find a church home that is right for us. He is willing to lead us to the perfect place of worship when we ask.

As I thought about believers who have been hurt at church, the only word that kept coming to my mind is forgiveness. Forgiveness is what God requires of us, regardless of circumstances. There are no excuses, He calls us to forgive. When forgiveness is a struggle, we can pray and ask for His help, and He will help us. Forgiveness opens up the door for healing and restoration. Every strained relationship may not necessarily be reconciled, because some people are better off not being a part of your life, but even so, there still needs to be forgiveness. Having a forgiving nature, causes us to continue to progress in our walk with God, unforgiveness hinders our walk with God.

People are not perfect, so naturally the church is not going to be perfect. However as Christians, we do need to show love to those around us. One thing I have heard over and over from people is that they feel left out in church. They feel that certain people or families in the church are more important than others. That should not be the case, because in God’s eyes we are all valuable and He is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). We all have gifts and talents that He wants us to use for His glory.

Photo by: Luis Quintero

Once you know you are in the church God wants you to be in, then you can trust Him to open the right opportunities for you. Sometimes we can attend a church for years, and then God will call us out and into another church (This has happened to me a couple of times.) It’s important to go if that happens, because otherwise you won’t be content anymore. Things, including relationships, won’t work out if you are not where God wants you to be. Don’t let having a certain social status or position keep you in the wrong church. God has plans for you at the new place of worship that are good.

It’s important to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. People will fall short, because we all fall short sometimes. We have to forgive, walk in love and keep serving God. Our Father’s house should be a place of love. Every member of God’s family and those who visit, should experience that love when they enter His house. Someone once told me that she hadn’t been to church in over a year because someone did her wrong. Then it occurred to me that even when people do us wrong at work, we have to keep going because we need our paycheck. It works the same with church, we have to keep going because we need the spiritual strength and the fellowship with our spiritual family.

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

Don’t let the sin or carelessness of others cause you to miss out on worshipping with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. God is faithful and He knows your every need. I pray God will help anyone reading this who is struggling in this area. Let love and forgiveness rule and reign in your heart. On the other side of the hurt, discouragement, and unforgiveness that you feel is freedom, the freedom Jesus died for you to have. Don’t let the enemy steal that freedom from you. Trust God to bring you comfort and healing, and then move forward in His grace.

Photo by: Michael Morse