Psalm 150:6 NIV, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.”
For some reason, when I read this verse, the first thing that came to my mind was butterflies. I wanted to know how they breathe. Per http://www.butterflywebsite.com, “Adult butterflies, as well as caterpillars, breathe through a series of tiny openings along the sides of their bodies, called “spiracles.” From each spiracle, a tube called a “trachea” carries oxygen into the body.”
Photo By: Suzy Hazelwood
We, along with butterflies, have breath in our bodies. We were created to give praise to our God. I heard someone once say that, “Praise is our way in, but it’s also our way out.” No matter where we find ourselves, praise will always lift us higher. It reminds us of God’s authority and greatness. It also reminds us of our purpose and puts things into perspective for us.
Everything we say and do should glorify and honor the Lord Jesus Christ, and give Him praise! Let everything that has breathe praise the Lord!
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.
John 8:36 NLT, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
I awaken this morning reminded of what a privilege it is that we can lay our burdens at the foot of the cross. There is rest in Jesus. He takes care of us and will provide all we need. Thinking about His goodness makes me smile. His love brings hope, even in the situations that seem the most hopeless.
There is freedom in Jesus. Freedom from the grasp of sin and shame. Freedom from hurt and pain. Freedom from the lies of the enemy. In Jesus we have freedom to be all that we were created to be. We are free to walk in His truth and light. We are free to say no to the wicked ways of the world.
We are free to be confident in who He is and who we are in Him. The cross where He suffered and died represents freedom. In Him we have abundant life that far surpasses anything the world could ever offer us.
Photo by: Aaron Burden
My favorite hymn is called, “At The Cross” by Isaac Watts.
A few of the words are….“At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
Be blessed and have a wonderful Sunday. In Jesus Christ you are free!
Psalm 5:2-3 NIV, “Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
When I read these verses it always stands out to me that the Psalmist waited expectantly. He knew that God heard his voice and that He would answer. He had faith and he had hope. It’s the same for us. We should pray and then wait expectantly. When we cry out to our God, He hears our prayers and will answer us.
Photo By: Torsten Kellermann
Every new day that God allows us to see, is a new chance for us to know Him more and experience His goodness. It reminds me of a song we used to sing at church when I was little, “Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. Everyday with Jesus, I love Him more and more.”
Jesus is our living hope, who made everything possible. He will never fail us. Never stop praying. Never stop believing. Never stop expecting. God hears you.
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.
Thank you little sister Herry @ herrychiccounsels for nominating me for this Sunshine Blogger Award. Your blog is a reminder of God’s goodness and an encouragement to me and others. ❤️💕❤️
Check out HCCounsels and you will be truly inspired! 🤗
Here are Herry’s Questions for me:
1. Are you an owl or a lark? (stay up late or early riser)
I’m a lark
2. What do you do for fun?
I enjoy trying new restaurants. I also like occasionally riding bikes on the beach.
3. What are your spiritual gifts?
I believe the gift of encouragement is something I have.
4. Have you made Jesus the Lord of your life? If so, how did it happen?
Yes I did when I was 9 years old at a Wednesday night prayer meeting. I can still remember that night clearly.
5. Do you have a life verse? If so, what is it, and why?
My favorite bible verse has always been John 3:16. It’s also the first verse I memorized.
6. What is your favorite characteristic about yourself?
I’m a pretty calm person and I really like that.
7. What is one valuable lesson you have learned in life?
Don’t just follow the crowd because God has a unique plan for everyone.
8. When did you know you wanted to become a writer?
I’ve enjoyed writing for awhile. I first started doing it in 2008 for a couple of years then stopped. But I started this blog in 2017.
9. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I only recently found out about the ambivert, and I believe that’s what I am.
10. Do you dread or look forward to your birthday?
I’m always thankful to see another year so in that case I look forward to it.
11. Which do you prefer: city or country, fried or baked, sweet or salty, book or movie, drive or fly, cook or takeout?
City, baked, sweet, movie, fly, takeout
I nominate the following bloggers. Looking forward to hearing from you if you choose to participate. 🤗
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.”
Drawing Closer to Christ 