Yes and No

New Year’s Eve is almost here  -  shocking  -  and I am already warming up the pipes to belt out “Auld Lang Syne.”  It's a song with Scottish origins which asks, “Is it right that old times be forgotten?” 

Yes and no...

The Bible provides two verses in response to the question.

Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “…hold onto that which is good.”

Take a moment to think about 2016. What was good, beautiful, and memorable about it? Whatever was good, hold onto it. Treasure it in your heart. Keep it nearby when you need a reason to smile. One of my highlights was getting a perfect stranger to sing a raucous song about his mother.  I have it recorded, and every time I hear it I crack up!

Now what about the difficult days this past year? FORGET THEM! Don’t dwell on them. Leave them filed away forever in a folder labeled, “DO NOT OPEN.”  I wanted to share some of my rough days, but they are out of reach.  

Happy New Year!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We choose to hold onto the good and forget the bad.  We choose to treasure the lovely and bury the ugly.  First and foremost, we cling to You for dear life.  Thank You that You will never let us go.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Never Let Kindness Leave You~

Proverbs 3: 3-4 Never let kindness leave you! Write it deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation."

Christmas blessings to all,

Yesterday Jorge and I went to the local mall to exchange a couple of items.  I couldn't believe how crowded the parking lot was, and as soon as we got inside it was wall to wall shoulders with all the other post-Christmas shoppers.  I was like, "I can't believe all these people; they should be at home watching football, playing Cranium with family, eating leftover brie and apricot dip, sipping peppermint tea, and texting distant relatives."  I was actually mad at them. Then I realized that I better preach to myself!

Once my horribly two-faced commentary was over, I made the line to return an item.  The cashier was so over-the-top friendly and courteous that both Jorge and I were stunned.  So much so that Jorge did something he has never done before: He asked for the store manager and promptly provided a glowing review of the cashier and demanded she be promoted.

Her excellent customer service made such an impression on me that it nearly brought me to tears.  I know you think I might be overreacting but consider this: She plugged in a lamp to make sure it was working before I bought it, she personally escorted us to a section of the store so we could find exactly what we needed, and then, rather than roll her eyes or pick up her phone to check messages  -  something that has happened to me more than once  -  she said, "Merry Christmas," carefully wrapped my fragile glass lamp, and made me feel like a V.I.P. The power of kindness is amazing because I immediately felt it, and the feeling stayed with me the rest of the night and is still with me as I write this.  

I have decided to be kinder in 2017. Won't you join me?  We will find God's favor when we are kind, which means we receive life, loving kindness, divine care, grace, mercy, and acceptance in return. Amen!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, As 2016 comes to a close, we thank You for taking care of us this year.  As we look to 2017 we want to open up our lives to receive even more of Your favor. Remind us to be kind.  Help us to always have a lovely response no matter what. Nudge us to do the right thing even if we are in a hurry.  With You helping us, we will keep kindness near us all the time, which will result in our happiness. It's a win-win for us. Thank You!  In Jesus' name, AMEN. 

The Best Possible News~

Dear DEVO Readers,

Think about some of the good news you have received over the years. For me all these statements were music to my ears:

"Your father-in-law will not die from his massive heart attack."

"Your husband's skin cancer was caught in time, and it has not spread."

"Mrs. Fernandez, please come down to the police station. We apprehended the perps who broke into your house, and we have your cameras!"

"Mom, I am in love, and she's a great girl."

"Mom, I am in love, and he's a great guy."

"Mom, I passed my finals."  

"Mom, I was in an accident, but I am okay."

But there's a bit of good news that makes mine and yours pale in comparison.

Luke 2:8-11

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."

I think it's safe to say that out of the 7.5 billion people in the world, 7.4999999999999 wouldn't necessarily be filled with great joy at our personal glad tidings. But the message of our Lord's birth is the best possible news for all the people, for everyone, for the entire universe!  Every single person, without exception,  needs a healthy and heaping portion of salvation, joy, hope, faith, peace, love, miracles, wisdom, truth, comfort, healing, justice, light, redemption, and deliverance from the Bread of Life.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for the life-changing news the angel brought to the shepherds so many years ago.  Today we open our hearts to receive all that our Lord, our Savior, the Bread of Life, has to offer.  Fill us up completely, in Jesus' name, AMEN and Merry Christmas~

The Extra Mile

I love Christmas, and I am one of those who DOES NOT get offended with Christmas trees in September. Also, three wonderful traditions collide November first: The mistletoe goes up, Pandora is set permanently to Christmas Radio, and I wear a very loud jingle bell necklace and/or ring. Plus, everywhere I go I make it a point to say, "Merry Christmas." I heard it's okay to start saying that again  -  not that I ever stopped! In other words, I am all about spreading the cheer.

But when we go the extra mile and put a little something extra on the tip line, when we donate a gift card to the Florida Baptist Children's Home so they can redecorate their entire rec room, when we surprise our mail carrier with some baked cookies, when we allow someone ahead of us in line, when we sit for four hours with an elderly patient and discreetly clean them after they use the bathroom (all the aforementioned happened this past week courtesy of kind people I love), when we joyfully obey one of God's top commandments, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," we are promised in Deuteronomy 30: 8-9 that God "will outdo Himself in making things go well for you."

Going the extra mile blesses others, but it will always come back to bless us even more. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Show us how we can bless someone today by going the extra mile.  We know that as we love others, You will outdo Yourself in making things go well for us.  We need to be well in mind, soul, body, and spirit.  Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.

UNLIMITED

Christmas-is-10-days-from-today greetings!

Last year I received an invitation to a wedding.  I RSVP’d that Jorge and I would attend, and then I bought a gift.  I always try to be thoughtful in my giving, and the very gracious thank you note I received from the happy couple tells me I was.

However, God is the best Gift Giver of all time!  

Isaiah 9:6 "For a child has been born  -  for us! The gift of a son  -  for us! His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Wholeness. There'll be no limits to the wholeness He brings."  

Jesus is God's gift for us, and He brought UNLIMITED wholeness with Him.  Wholeness in the form of salvation, do-overs, forgiveness, goodness, grace, guidance, healing, health, hope, joy, justice, laughter, light, love, mercy, opportunity, peace, protection, provision, redemption, wisdom…

In other words, He is the Gift that keeps on giving.  There's nothing any of us could ever give that comes even remotely close. 

Every single day we breathe, amazing blessings can be ours, and we receive them by prayer.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for the greatest Gift of all. We are ready for all the unlimited wholeness You offer. We open our hearts and our lives to receive You. We desperately need it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~  

Making Room~

Tuesday Greetings~

Luke 2:7 “And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

A couple of years ago New York City was in a frenzy over the visit of the future King and Queen of England.  They are two of the most famous people on earth, and I can only imagine the bragging rights any establishment they did business with will have from now on.  Duchess Kate reportedly had a pizza party, and it wouldn’t surprise me to eventually see a headline that reads, “The future Queen of England loves our pepperoni!” 

And it is precisely because of their fame and significance that E-V-E-R-Y  S-I-N-G-L-E  attention to detail was checked, rechecked, and then checked again.  Which is why I can not imagine the royal couple trying to check into their hotel only to be told there is no room for them.

Yet, this is exactly what happened to the King of kings, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, and Light of the World.  To be fair, maybe the innkeeper had no clue Who he was turning away.  And in the grand scheme of things, Jesus was born under the exact conditions that God fore-ordained.  

But…

We all know better and therefore must be diligent in making sure there is always room for Jesus in every area of our life.  I want Him to bless and guide every single aspect of my existence.  There is nothing off limits.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We can scarcely imagine the scene where Mary and Joseph were told there was no room for them.  How could anyone turn You away?  Maybe the innkeeper did not know, but we know Who You are, and we welcome the overflow and abundance of goodness You bring into our lives.  Therefore, we are making room right now to receive You  -  today and everyday.  In Your name, AMEN~    

Straight and Smooth

Thursday greetings,

There are 17 days until Christmas, and I am almost ready!  All my decorations are up, and I have made a list of foods I need to purchase for our Christmas morning breakfast.  I am also keeping Amazon Prime busy, and several times a week our mail carrier treks it up to my door and drops off packages.  

It's also been fun receiving cards from friends and seeing how their children have grown, as well as sending out my own cards. In a few days I have an outing planned with a group of us girls who have committed to regularly getting together to pray for our President, and I also have a Christmas luncheon to go to.  Plus, I have to practice a little holiday presentation that Jorge and I are doing for the benefit of our family (all I can tell you is that Jorge will be wearing a sombrero). And well, just like you, there's a lot going on right now as I prepare for Christmas...

But wait a minute! I feel as though I am leaving something out…

Oh No!!! IT’S JESUS!

“Prepare for God’s arrival! Clear away the obstacles; Make the road straight and smooth. Isaiah 40:3."

The most important thing I need to do during this time of the year  -  and always  -  is to prepare for God’s arrival.  The way the word “prepare” is used in this verse means it’s an ongoing activity.  We don’t just prepare once.  We prepare every single day.  But I'll admit, the busyness of the season has kept me from spending more time with Him.  How ironic!  He is the "reason for the season," but in the huffing and puffing of getting stuff done, sometimes I have overlooked Him.  

It's important to clear away whatever is standing in the way of God getting to us.  And the Bible gently reminds us to clear away, delete, and purge any and all hindrances and hurdles that block our relationship with God. 

We all have a say in how easy or how hard we make it for God to get to us.  And I hope we all say “YES!” to making it straight and smooth because that's the fastest way for Him to get to us.     

PRAYER: Dear Lord, How wonderful that right now as we pray, we are preparing for You in our lives.  Come to us, precious Lord, and bless us and our families.  Grant us wisdom, health, peace, joy, and hope.  In Christ’s name, AMEN!

Thoughtful Giving

Greetings,

The Christmas season is in full swing, and like you, I am putting up the decorations and listening to all my favorite songs.  

Of course, front and center in my mind are all the shopping lists I have made; I really do try to give thoughtful, useful gifts!  One year I really paid attention to everything my husband said, and that year for Christmas he received Rock'em Sock'em Robots, a hat just like the one Rachel's soccer coach wore during games, a set of four knorks, and a Schoolhouse Rock! CD featuring his favorite tunes from childhood.   (I'm Just a Bill...)

A few weeks later, when I was still all proud of my considerate self, Jorge and I were out and about when he was admiring a pair of boat shoes and finished his comment by saying, "Babe, this does not mean I want this for Christmas."  In actuality, Jorge was so paranoid that he was going to receive everything he pointed out that he literally ended each sentence with the aforementioned phrase.  His loss!  He could have had a popcorn maker, sleek aluminum wallet, and a hairless Chihuahua.

I promise my feelings are not hurt, and we have laughed a great deal about the "Year of Thoughtful Giving."

The good news is there are other ways we can be thoughtful in our giving, and for this let's consider the words of one of my greatest faith heroes: Joni Eareckson Tada.  She was in an accident almost 50 years ago that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down.  But that hasn't stopped her from having a ministry that has made an impact on millions of people.  (Google her). Whenever she speaks I listen because she is credible.  I encourage you to unwrap her words slowly and then take them in and purpose in your heart to follow her example. 

She writes:

"Every Christmas I think about what it was like to be on my feet during the holidays.  There were parties and plays, decorating, hitting the malls.  Then came my accident.  That Christmas I spent at a rehab center.  Adding to the hurt I was already feeling was that I couldn't buy gifts for anyone.  The way I saw it, God was asking too much of me. The use of my body was taken away at Christmas time, but also the joy of giving.  On the afternoon of Christmas Eve I felt like a martyr.

"But Christmas morning my heart softened; as I focused on Christmas' meaning, I realized the best gift I could give was myself.  My mom didn't want a new dress; she wanted to see me smile.  My dad didn't need a new bridle for his horse; he needed to see me laugh.  My sister didn't need another sweater; she needed to see my grab hold of hope."

Joni's point is a great one.  Jorge doesn't need a tattoo sleeve as much as he needs a wife who appreciates his hard work and doesn't sweat the small stuff.  These types of gifts are extremely valuable because they are, as Joni calls them, "gifts from the heart."

Maybe you've been grumpy lately and everyone in your family knows it.  Maybe you've been self-absorbed and your spouse feels it.  Maybe you're dealing with a big problem and haven't smiled a lot lately.  Joni is not saying we don't have good reasons to feel these ways sometimes, but she is saying that everyone can benefit from a gift from the heart  -  especially those closest to you.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We already know who could benefit the most from a gift from our heart. We already know who would love to see us stop complaining and smile.  Give us the strength to follow through.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

To You I Call

Psalm 28:1 "To You I call..."

How would you like it if I called you every morning when I woke up?  That would be roughly around 7:30 am most days; after all Hershey Pie needs to be let out.  And what about if after I fed him and made my coffee, I called you again?  Let's say I rang your bell once more while washing my breakfast dishes and lightly dusting.  And then right before I caught up on the news, I reached out to you again.  Of course, I will also call Jorge throughout the day, but not before I check in with you a few more times!  

I think that after the third or fourth call, you might be tempted to ignore me. Ouch!

The truth is that human contact and interaction are vital to our well-being, and we really do need each other for support and prayer.  In fact, some of the most beautiful moments of my life have taken place while I was on the phone praying with a friend. 

But there's a reason this verse says, "To You I call."  Our Lord is the only One Who can actually handle us and all our overwhelming needs, and He the only One Who never ever gets weary of our constant calling.  He is also the only One Who has all the power we need for our situations to change and our blessings to remain. Amen!

These four powerful words in the verse above remind us what our priority should be; let's pray.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, To You we call. You are our Rock, and we ask that You hear our prayer today. We lift up our hearts to You as we call for peace, protection, provision,  health, wisdom, and hope.  Have mercy on our souls, and restore to us the joy of our salvation.  Thank You that You will not remain silent.  You will encourage us and bless us.  We receive these gifts from You. In Jesus' name, AMEN. 

Not Thankful...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you."

      A Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving to all!

      A couple years ago I read this little story:

   

A five-year-old girl was asked to say the blessing at Thanksgiving dinner. She began by thanking God for all her friends, naming them one by one. Then she thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, Brother, Sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all her Aunts and Uncles. Finally, she gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes. Then she paused. After a long silence, the young girl looked up at her mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t He know I’m lying?” Her little-girl honesty makes a great point: All of us have "broccoli" in our lives that is hard to give thanks for!   But the verse above makes it clear that we are to give thanks "in" everything, not "for" everything. For example, a few days before Rachel got married her great-grandmother was in the hospital with heart failure. I wasn't thankful for that.  But I was grateful that she was surrounded by loving family, that she was receiving excellent care, and that she knew Jesus. Big difference. Likewise, I never said, "Thank You, Lord, Jorge has skin cancer! Yippee!" But I did say over and over again, "Thank You that Jorge kept the appointment with the dermatologist because he really didn't want to go. Thank You it was caught early, and Thank You that You watch over even our tiniest cells..." Giving thanks opens our eyes to God's presence in our lives, and it strengthens our faith. No matter what "broccoli" you have going on, there is some aspect to be thankful for.  Think about it. PRAYER: Dear Lord, We are thankful for You.  You are aware of every single thing that we are going through, and by encouraging us to be thankful, our faith is strengthened.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Your Momma Didn't Raise no Fool!

Greetings,

Several years ago our pet cat, Shadow, who is now deceased and resting peacefully beneath our níspero  tree, upchucked on the living room carpet.  It fell to Jorge to clean it up because, as you all know, I have a weak constitution.

I was in the kitchen when I suddenly heard Jorge making gag sounds.  Every time he would scoop up a little of the "vittles," he would almost spew his own.

Of course, I reacted the only way any other reasonable person would have: I ran to him with alcohol-drenched cotton balls and thanked him profusely for being so brave.  After all, the cat's little present was a mix of hair, boogers, and slime.

NOT!

I made fun of Jorge instead and was heartily ungrateful and boisterous.  Do you think it was wise to pick on him while he was in the process of doing me a huge favor? 

It was not, but then there are so many foolish things we are capable of...

Proverbs 1:7 "Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

The number one foolish thing anyone can do is thumb their nose at God and all that He offers.   

What does He offer?  A quick review of Psalm 103 says He forgives all our sins, heals our diseases, saves our life, crowns us with love and mercy, wraps us in goodness, and renews our youth, and that's just three verses worth. Read that entire Psalm, and then thank God that your momma didn't raise no fool! 

Every time we pray, whether at the end of this DEVO, at church, in our car, with a friend, or by ourselves, every time, we are acknowledging that we need God in our lives; this makes us all very wise indeed!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We recognize our great need for You.  We purposely choose to start each and every day with You.  Thank You for all the amazing things You do for us.  We receive forgiveness, healing, salvation, love, mercy, and renewal today for ourselves and our families.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Get into IT!

Psalm 18:30 "As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord's Word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him."

Thursday greetings,

One of my most-loved and valued possessions is my mom's old Bible.  She truly cherished it, and nearly every page has an underlined passage, which means those words particularly ministered to her.   One time two-year-old Hormone thought he would underline in the book of Ecclesiastes, and I thought my mom would be upset.  On the contrary. Her precious reaction was, "You're never too young to get into the Word!" Amen~

When I look at its worn pages I am reminded of a person whose faith was unwavering even when faced with the unthinkable.  My father left her and us a few days after their 25th wedding anniversary, and a few months later she was diagnosed with the cancer that would eventually take her home to Jesus at 47 years old.  Through all the pain, sorrow, confusion, and questions she held onto the Word for dear life, and I trust she knows  that I learned to do the same because of her.

For example, both my kids will be traveling this week, so I find Psalm 91:11 comforting: "He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

Through it all - the great, the good, the bad, the hard, the unfair - God's Word serves to strengthen our faith and bring peace to our souls.  May we all get into It today!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for Your mighty Word.  The Bible, when we read It, blesses us, guides us, strengthens us, and builds up our faith to believe You for miracles. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

 

Surprise!

Mark 7:37 "People were overwhelmed with amazement. 'He has done everything well,' they said. 'He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'"

Last night Rayray called me at 8 PM and asked me where I was.  I was about to take a bath because somehow - I totally blame myself - I thought the dinner she had invited me to was for tonight not last night.  I threw on my favorite t-shirt, put a whimpering Hershey Pie in his cage, hurried out the door with Jorge, and arrived 45 minutes late! 

To be honest, I sort of had a clue that we were invited in honor of our 30th wedding anniversary, which is today. And I was kind of relieved that the dinner was last night because what kind of child asks their parents to dinner on the actual day?  But it was still a night of surprises!

When we arrived, Hormone and his lovely wife, Lis, were there.  Shiny helium number 30 balloons were strung up. The girls, with full support of their husbands, had prepared our favorite foods, presented us with our favorite dessert, gifted us a family tree complete with pictures of each one of them and my granddogs, and even had a Q&A game for me and Jorge to play. When asked what my super power would be I replied, "I want to squish people." In retrospect, I should have said something better, but I was overwhelmed and feeling grateful and nostalgic, and then I started a teary-eyed speech about how much I love every one and they poo-pooed it saying I was too dramatic... Jorge's epic advice of the night was, "Pray and laugh every day." 

Nonetheless, surprises can be wonderful, and the Bible is full of them.

Surprise, Hannah,  you're finally having a baby!

Surprise, King Darius, Daniel is still alive even though you threw him in the Lion's den!

Surprise, Pharoah's daughter, there's a baby in this basket you just found in the river,  and he will grow up to deliver the Israelites!

Surprise, Mary, you are going to have  a baby, and He will be the Savior of the world!

Surprise, all you onlookers, Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!

Surprise, Peter, Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, is going to wash your feet!

Surprise, all you judgmental people, Jesus hangs out with sinners and protects adulterous women!

God always does the unexpected, but whatever it is, the Bible verse above tells us that He does everything well!  So as we pray today and every day,  let's embrace God's awesome unpredictability.  He will answer our prayers above and beyond our wildest dreams (see Ephesians 3:20),  and we should all live in holy anticipation of God doing something wonderful in our lives!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that You surprise us in miraculous, wonderful ways.  We open our lives up to You today to receive more blessings than we ever imagined.  Many of us our praying about our families, jobs, health, emotional well-being, which direction to take, and relationships.  Whatever our need may be, surprise us with Your power, love, and might as You answer us.  Thank You that we can trust You to do everything well in our lives. In Jesus name, AMEN!

Turner of the Page

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am dong a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland" Isaiah 43:18-19.

Greetings,

This morning I received a notification from Pandora to tune in to Christmas radio as a way to kick off the holiday season.  Of course, as someone who loves Christmas, I took them up on the offer, and my morning has been filled with merry music. (Jingle Cats anyone?).

Honestly, I am sort of in shock that this year has flown by so quickly, but I am happy for the change.  And I am reminded that  God is known in His Word  as a, "Turner of the page," "Doer of a new thing," and "Usherer in of a new season."

How many of us want to stay put right where we are? How many of us are looking to God to get us out of our current season and into  a new more blessed one?  How many of us are ready to leave behind the struggles of 2016 and start off 2017 with renewed hope?

I am, which is why I pray.  Prayer invites God to do a new and powerful thing in my heart,  mind,  attitude, family, finances, and everywhere else where I could use it. Amen!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that You turn the page in our lives and move us into better chapters.  We look forward to more joy, more peace, more hope, more wisdom, more heath, more protection, more love, and first and foremost, more of YOU.   Do a new and mighty thing in each of our lives.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Jesus Has a Prescription!

Greetings,

I have officially been diagnosed with EFS - Election Fatigue Syndrome - and maybe you have too!  The good news is that Jesus has a prescription for us:

"The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.  This is the way our Savior God wants us to live" (The MESSAGE Version).

Prayer is always the number one answer.  Pray for ourselves, others, and our leaders, especially our leaders.  And when we pray, we must keep in mind that every single person alive, regardless of political affiliation, is capable of being blessed - of receiving God's wisdom, guidance, and protection.  

What a joy and privilege we have been given to draw closely to our Lord and have a heartfelt, intimate conversation with Him where we freely share all our hopes, dreams, and worries.  

Today, especially, my beautiful country is on my heart, and I find comfort in praying for her knowing that God even expects me to. I ask God to secure her and  preserve all her citizens in safety and peace.  I ask God that her government would be wise and faithful. And I ask God that her military would stay brave no matter what. 

God bless America, and God bless you!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, The way You want us to live is close to You in constant prayer; it's an ongoing, daily conversation where we pour out our hearts to You and You respond.  You send comfort, joy, hope, and peace.  We cling to You and are grateful that You remain on Your throne as the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth NO MATTER WHAT! In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Do Not Lose Sight!

"Jesus never lost sight of where He was headed  -  that exhilarating finish in and with God  -  He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now He's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through.  That will shoot adrenaline into your souls" (The Message Version)!

Dear Child of God,

What are you putting up with right now? 

Is your child off track?  Is your boss mean?  Is your bank account running on empty? Is your spouse inconsiderate? Are you having difficulty getting your joy back?  Are you lonely? Does this political season have you fatigued and worried?  Are you struggling with your health? 

Whatever your struggle is, there is a way to navigate through the unrelenting, tough seasons of life: Do not lose sight of where you are headed!

Christ was able to face the unthinkable by focusing on the "exhilarating finish," which put Him right next to God. 

That is our ultimate and glorious destiny as well! 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us to never lose sight of where we are headed. We look beyond our current problems, and focus on our final and glorious destination right alongside You.  Thank You that when our faith takes a hit, we can redirect our attention like Jesus did and receive a much-needed boost for our souls!  In Christ's name, AMEN!  

Hard at Work

Dear DEVO Readers:

I pray you will read the verses below and find your soul uplifted.  Remember, you can put anyone's name in the place of your own and find comfort in knowing that God is also hard at work in that precious life!

(Your name here), "you are blessed because you believe the Lord will do what He says" (Luke 1:45).

And He says in scripture (Psalm 138:8 & Jeremiah 29;11) that "He will work out His plans for your life  -   plans that are good; plans that will give you a future filled with hope  -  for His faithful love endures forever.  He will not abandon you for He made you."

Thank You, Lord, that I am blessed and that You are constantly at work in my life and in the lives of those I love. You are doing good things today, and I receive them. You are always by my side. Amen!

Declaring God's Word

Psalm 91:2,14 "'This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust him...The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name.'"

Greetings,

Twenty-five years ago my first born, Hormone, started pre-k  4.  I quickly learned that organization was the key to keeping my sanity intact.  So the night before,  I made sure his uniform was clean and laid out, that I had a healthy breakfast on hand, and that all his little homework  papers were duly signed and carefully tucked into his backpack.

For the most part, keeping everything in order  served me well.  Then Rayray joined the ranks of pre-schoolers, and she threw several kinks in my preparations.  I never knew if she wanted to wear a hair bow that day or which one.  It was a bigger deal then it seems because one time in the middle of the school day, she decided she wanted her kitten barrettes.  She was so upset that her teacher actually called me and asked me to bring them to her.  (I did, and I still have them as a reminder that I was a nice mommy!).

When both kids were in elementary school, I started working again, further complicating our morning schedule.   Sometimes the car was on empty, I needed cash for a field trip, or I needed to make a quick trip to the store for snack day.  

Some days were good and some days were hectic and frenzied.  But every single say was blessed because there was always one final thing we did before we headed out the door, without which I felt we were all only partially clothed - not completely ready to face the day.

NO MATTER WHAT, my kids were  not allowed to leave for school without us declaring, "The Lord alone is Jorge, Yenise, Jorgie and Rachel's place of safety."

How does God respond when we declare this? "I will protect those who trust in My name."

Crazy terrible things happen every day, prompting us to think that maybe prayer doesn't make a difference.  But that is not what the Bible teaches. "The persistent prayer of a believer can accomplish much and have tremendous power" (James 5:16). That settles it: Nothing is going to stop me, nor should it stop you, from declaring God's Word.   When we do that, it is an invitation to the Lord to activate His power in our lives. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You and You alone are our place of safety.  We declare that You are our refuge.  None one of us has the power to protect ourselves, our families, our homes, our income, or our businesses without You.  Cover us in Your strength and in Your peace.  Thank You for Your willingness to always help us.  We are secure, in Jesus' name, AMEN~