Tag: love

Hebrews 10:36 NLT, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

According to dictionary.com, the meaning of persevere is: “to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.”

I saw a few definitions for persevere, however, I like this one a lot because it mentions being persistent, and maintaining our purpose, even in the midst of difficult challenges or any discouragement we may feel.

Rather we are going through trials or doing good things such as pursuing goals or helping people, remaining steadfast and staying the course does take perseverance. God will give us strength each day, so we can do what we need to. We can rely on Him for our our daily bread and the wisdom we need to make good decisions and take needed actions.

My word for 2024 is persevere. (Thanks Bridget for encouraging us to pray about a word). I am looking forward to experiencing the many ways that God will continue to be faithful in this new year. When we persevere in the will of God, God will give us what He has promised. May we continue to walk by faith as we persevere in our trust in God. His love never fails.

Isaiah 30:18, “So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.”

Not too long ago, I was in a worship service and the worship leader shared with us that she felt the Lord impressing upon her heart that even the sound of our breathing was beautiful and pleasing to Him. Our Heavenly Father, was delighted that we were there in His presence. It wasn’t all about the words we spoke or the songs we sang. It was about our very existence, the fact that we were living and breathing.

There are times where we may feel so overwhelmed with the cares of life, that we may not even feel like praying. And when we do pray, we may feel we do not know where to begin. Those are the times where we just need to show up, because the Lord is waiting for us to come to Him so that He can show us His love and compassion.

Sometimes, just sitting quietly in His presence, brings the peace that our soul needs. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what we need to be encouraged in every circumstance. And He will supply those needs, when we take a step of faith and just show up.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to go to the Lord in prayer, just show up anyway. He understands your heart. His faithfulness, compassion and love are waiting for you. And remember, His love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Blessings upon your week!

I’ve discovered that most people have a favorite season. Although I’m not a fan of pollen, I like spring the best, especially after the cold winter. Seeing things come back to life, such as the new blooms that spring up is refreshing. However, I have also found myself fond of fall this year. I’ve always liked the beautiful colors of the leaves. But I also feel drawn to the serenity and mellow pace that fall ushers in.

As for winter, just as I catch myself complaining about the lower temperatures, I end up chatting with people who love this season because they love the cold weather it brings. Some have even said they look forward to wearing winter clothes and playing in the snow. After having lived in Michigan for eleven years, I know I’m not that fond of snow. But I did enjoy walking in the parks it had to offer.

Moving on to summer, I don’t recall ever meeting anyone who didn’t like this season. It’s a season often filled with fun activities, extra time outdoors and extended daylight hours (depending on where you live). Summer always seems to be a hit.

Lately, I have become increasingly aware that the seasons of our lives change, even more than the weather. Looking back, we can see the many seasons we have been through. And reminisce about all the people we met along the way. Some of which played significant roles in our lives. Reflecting on the seasons of our lives allows us to be thankful for the lessons we’ve learned and the countless blessings we’ve received.

As we go through life, every day is part of a season, and the season we are in will eventually change. So, learning to enjoy each season of life should always remain a priority. Enjoying life doesn’t mean every day has to be filled with tons of entertainment or activity. It just means we’ve reached a place where we learn to see the good despite the bad. We learn to slow down and appreciate what we’ve been given. We learn to love the people who God has blessed us to be with during this time in our lives, because circumstances can change quickly and often without notice. We should never take anything or anyone for granted.

Focusing only on tomorrow while neglecting the purpose God has for us today will cause us to miss out on something good. And the opposite is also true. So, balance is needed.

I believe prayer is a gift that keeps us balanced, aware of God’s presence, thankful for His blessings, and aware of what He wants to do in our lives tomorrow, but also today.

As we enjoy the changing seasons, and the various weather conditions that go along with it, may we also enjoy the seasons of our lives. Every season has highs and lows, but through the sufficiency of God’s grace, we can continue to persevere as we walk by faith day by day.

To those celebrating it, have a Happy Thanksgiving day on Thursday! 🍁

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus, 1 Thessalonians 5:18.”

So what’s your favorite season? And why? How have you learned to remain thankful throughout the seasons of your life?

Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.“

This verse has come to my mind a couple of times over the last week. It brings hope to know that God’s thoughts and ways exceed ours. He can perceive things that we cannot. But at the same time, He loves us perfectly and cares about our thoughts and ways. He is concerned about the things that concern us. He is all knowing, so we can entrust ourselves completely to Him and know that He will love us the way we need to be loved. He will provide all we need.

May the reality of God’s faithfulness bring you security today as you trust Him to do what is best for you. His wisdom and understanding are far beyond anything, and His love for us is everlasting.