100%, 100% of the Time, With Leftovers

"The people ate and were satisfied, and there were seven large baskets full of leftovers." Mark 8:8.

Greetings,

The verse above refers to the famous passage of scripture where Jesus took a little boy's lunch of seven loaves of bread and a few fish, multiplied it, and fed a crowd of thousands.  And He fed them to the point of satisfaction. Miraculous, yes, and such an awesome indication of how generous our Lord is.  Nothing He does is half-hearted.  It's 100%, 100% of the time with leftovers!

Compare that to last night...

Jorge and I went to a local pasta place, and he ordered a stromboli. All throughout the meal Jorge kept saying that I should really try it, and I finally did. IT WAS SO GOOD! Actually, it was one of the best things I have ever tasted.  But there was no going back for more because I took the last little available bite!

If that stromboli would have been in Jesus' hands, it would have been enough for me, all the other diners, and even those waiting to be seated, plus there would have been doggie bags galore.

In Jesus' hands, a little becomes a lot.  Limitations become possibilities and obstacles become blessings!

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, As we say goodbye to 2017 and prepare to welcome 2018, we thank You for Your faithfulness.  Here we all are, alive and well, and trusting You to take what we have and make it bigger and better! We offer You our peace, health, faith, trust, hope, dreams, expectations, and love, knowing that in Your capable hands it will be multiplied, blessed, and brings us fulfillment! In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Prepare for God's Arrival

“Prepare for God’s arrival! [clear away the obstacles]; Make the road straight and smooth” (Isaiah 40:3).

Greetings,

In less than two weeks a little baby will be joining our family, and we have been busy preparing for months!  The nursery is painted, the diapers and burp cloths are neatly stacked on the changing station, along with every conceivable lotion and potion, and all the clothes and shoes are organized by size in the closet.  There has been a meet and greet with a pediatrician, a government-approved car seat has been installed in the car, and there are enough toys to stimulate the baby’s brain for years.

Also, the mommy-to-be has been keeping up with all doctor visits, and was even taking pre-natal vitamins behind my back for the past couple of years! Talk about being prepared!

Imagine if none of the above had taken place yet, or if we waited to start doing it all until a couple days before the birth? It would be reckless and irresponsible!

God is on His way as well, and we have things to do to be ready to receive Him.  We must clear away anything that stands in His way. Sometimes it’s busyness, and sometimes it’s harboring unforgiveness.  Whatever is blocking our relationship with God needs to be purged and removed. 

Being prepared makes for a beautiful and easier arrival. 

God is giving is a choice in how easy or how hard we want to make it for Him to get to us.  I hope we are all saying “YES!” to making it straight and smooth because in doing that, God will get to us in a jiffy.     

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!

He Came For You!

Luke 2:11 “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”

Greetings, 

Christmas is a few days away, and I am excited because even though it's about Jesus, it's also about me and you.

Who was Christ born for?  Was it for them, for those, for others, for him, or for her?  NOPE! He was born for you!  I love inserting my name in verses like these, and I invite you to do the same.

"For today in the city of David there has been born for Yenise a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord."

Amen and glory.  Jesus came for me!

He didn’t have to, but He did because He knew that You and I could not live without Him.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for coming for me.  You knew how much I would need You, and You did not hesitate to leave Your glorious Heaven to come and save me.  Happy Birthday! 

Merry Christmas

  

Good News!

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.'"

Greetings,

Every day somewhere in our world there are folks receiving good news.  

"Here's your raise!"

"Congratulations, it's a girl!"

"Here are the keys to your new car!"

"I've met the man of my dreams!"

"You're approved for a mortgage!"

All those things are fine and dandy, but not necessarily of great importance to everyone on the planet.  However, the above verse is good news for every single person, because Jesus was born for the benefit of everyone.

As our Savior, He brought peace, joy, wisdom, hope, faith, love, grace, mercy, and salvation for anyone willing to receive these blessings, and it all starts with prayer.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Our hearts are thinking about You and how You came as a little baby with so many promises for our benefit.  We need every single one! We open up our lives to You today, and we receive all of You.  Glory to Your name, and peace on earth. In Your name, Amen.

Making Room~

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

Christmas is right around the corner, and if you are like me, you are already in the hustle and bustle of all the preparations.  There are gifts to wrap, cards to be sent, Christmas carols to be practiced, decorations to be put up, and food to order.  I get so busy that sometimes I have to remind myself to make room for Jesus.  How ironic considering that He is the reason for the season!

The innkeeper missed out on having the Savior of mankind being born at his establishment because there was no room.  Maybe he could have made an exception. Maybe he just didn’t realize the magnitude of the situation.  Maybe he didn’t care.  Regardless, there was no room and no room was made; Jesus was born somewhere else.

We all know better.  When we open our hearts and homes to Him, He shows up and the blessings flow.  

It all starts with prayer.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for answering prayer! Every time we gather here to pray, we are making room for Christ. We invite Him into every area of our lives and ask that He fill us up with blessings of hope, faith, provision, peace, joy, and health. In His holy name we pray, AMEN!

When God Speaks~

Greetings,

Right at the very beginning of the Bible we read that when God speaks, amazing things happen:

"God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light'" (Genesis 1:3).  

And by the time God was done speaking, all of creation was established, and He declared that "it was good."

God will speak into our lives too.

Whether it's a financial breakthrough, a relationship rescue, or a health need, no matter what it is, let's ask God to "let there be..."

enough resources to cover the bills...

peace and mutual understanding between us...

a miracle of healing and strength...

When God speaks, situations turn around, order is brought out of chaos, and it leads to good things. 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, "Let there be..." Such simple yet powerful words because of WHO speaks them.  We all have an area where we welcome Your creativity, strength, and goodness.  Speak a miracle into our lives today.  Especially for _______.  Let there be _________.  In Jesus' name. AMEN~

YOU ARE SPECIAL

Greetings,

There certainly is a lot of hoopla over the latest royal couple.  They are planning a fairytale wedding next spring, and every picture of them shows them making lovey dovey eyes at one another.  It seems as though the entire planet is obsessed with this good looking duo, and it is impossible to see any magazine without them on the cover.  I also haven't been able to go one day without someone assuring me that the future princess's $3000 coat is within my budget if I will settle for a knock-off at $29.99.  Honestly, I wish them well, and I love a love story as much as anyone.  But I am sure that not one of us has ever had so much attention lavished on us.  It can make a gal, or a guy, feel unspecial by comparison.

Except...

Luke 15:10 "The angels in heaven throw a party every time a lost soul turns to God.

The day you turned to God seeking His forgiveness and guidance for your life, the angels threw a party in your honor" (The Message Version).

Can't you just hear them now?

"That Yenise is a lovely and special, precious child of God! Hip Hip Hurray! She trusted Jesus with her life, and she will be crowned with the crown of everlasting life! At the right time we will share a delicious piece of angel food cake with her!"

Insert your name above: YOU ARE SPECIAL!!!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, When we turned to You it was an awesome day for us on earth, and now we know the angels had a big party in heaven. Thank You that even if the world doesn't know it, You think we are worth celebrating over. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Clap Your Hands

Psalm 47:1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!

Greetings,

I am a big clapper. Whether it's Hershey Pie using his wee wee pad for the first time, the Dolphins pulling off a win, a movie that has a great victorious ending (Gladiator anyone?), my kids doing practically anything, Jorge setting up the Christmas tree.  You name it, and if it makes me happy I will clap.

Psalm 47:1 invites us to clap for God and to shout joyful praise to him.  And this invitation is for everyone. Clapping is a universally accepted sign of approval, and the longer the applause, the more it shows that something resonated with us in a positive, life-affirming way.  When directed to God, our clapping is an outward expression of the inward joy we have.

Sometimes, however, and even though we are technically in the season of joy, we don't feel much like clapping for anything or anyone, even, GASP! our Lord. It's tough to be all gleeful when troubles lurk around.

Yet...If we are holding on to the blessed hope that eternal joy will be ours, then I think we can muster up a clap or two, and before we realize it, we will have a full blown round of applause on our hands, and the joy that comes with it. 

PRAYER: (Let's clap as we pray)

Dear Lord, We literally applaud You; You are the best.  Sometimes we feel low, but as we shout praise to You, our spirits are lifted again.  Praise Your high and holy name.  You are the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.  You are magnificent and in control.  Thank You for the amazing life that awaits us all because we believe in Jesus.  In His name we pray, AMEN~

Hold Your Ground

2 Samuel 23:11-12 "One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils.  The Israelite army fled, but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. And the Lord brought about a great victory."

Greetings,

When faced with serious opposition, an entire army fled.  Oh wait. One brave soul named Shammah HELD HIS GROUND and was greatly rewarded. 

I can't imagine what was running through his mind when he saw all his soldier buddies retreating.  I wonder if he was afraid.  I wonder if he was angry and disappointed. I wonder if he felt the urge to run too.  I wonder if he felt helpless and that it was no use to stay and fight all alone.

I don't think he had much time to dwell on all those negative thoughts; he was too busy beating back the enemy.  It would seem impossible for one man to win against so many, but when we refuse to give up, when we persist in prayer, when we plant our feet firmly on the ground - resolute in our decision to slug it out - WE WIN.

It does not matter what onslaught of "Philistines" is happening in your life at the moment. Do not give up. Hold your ground in prayer, and trust the Lord to bring about the victory.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for the inspiring story of Shammah. He held his ground, and we will too! In Jesus' name, AMEN. 

The Bright and Morning Star

Thanksgiving 2017 is behind us, but I did have an interesting experience.  Thursday morning I asked Alexa® to generate a playlist, and the first song she came up with was When You Wish Upon a Star.  It's a classic Disney tune, and it immediately took me back to my childhood and memories of Pinocchio.  But now that I am older, I have a different understanding of the word "Star."

Revelation 22:16 "I, Jesus, am the bright morning Star."

Therefore, If I could change the lyrics a little, I would say...

When you pray to the bright morning Star

Makes no difference who you are

He'll satisfy your heart's desires

Just trust and believe His love

Align your heart with His today

For every request bow and pray

He hears your cries He knows your pain

And help is on the way...

In the name of the Bright and Morning Star, I bless you :)

A Psalm of Thanksgiving (Psalm 138 The Message Version)

A Psalm of Thanksgiving~ (Psalm 138 The Message Version)

Dear Lord, Thank You! Everything in me says “Thank You!” Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing Your holy temple and say it again: “Thank You!” Thank You for Your love, thank You for Your faithfulness; Most Holy is Your name, most Holy is Your Word. The moment I called out, You stepped in; You made my life large with strength. When they hear what You have to say, God, all earth’s kings will say “Thank You.” They’ll sing of what You’ve done: “How great the glory of God!” And here’s why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, You know everything about me. Save me with Your hand. Finish what You started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.

Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless you~

Attitude of Gratitude

Greetings,

Yesterday I tried logging into an old credit card account, and I was denied access.  I could not remember the password, and I had to reset the whole thing by answering questions - What's the name of your favorite elementary school teacher?  - and then waiting for them to email me a new one.

Passwords grant us access, and God has one too! No need to ever reset or wait for a message either.

"Enter with the password: 'Thank You!' Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank Him, Worship Him" (Psalm 100:4 The Message Version).

Gratitude grants us access to God, and this is a really big deal.  First because we need Him way more than He needs us. Second because this attitude of gratitude helps us shift our focus off what's wrong with our life to everything that's right with our life. It changes our complaining spirit into a joyful one.  It replaces pessimism with hope and sadness with gladness. The most important message in this verse is that it contains no ifs, ands, or buts.

Enter with gratitude, but only if you feel like it.

Make yourself at home, but only if you have no problems and everything is going perfectly in your life.

Thank Him, but only when you get your own way and no one is mistreating you.

We are to be thankful at all times no matter what, and if He says we can do it, then we can.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us to be thankful. It is so important to honor You, and as always, we are blessed by doing things Your way.  Thanking You keeps us joyful and calm.  It magnifies You over everything we face.  Help us, Lord. In Jesus' name, AMEN. 

Open My Eyes~

Greetings,

Last night Jorge and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary; I cannot believe how quickly the years have flown by!  As always, I take a few pictures, and I asked Jorge to really make an effort and open his eyes wide before snapping a couple shots because I read somewhere it makes you photogenic. I WAS WRONG.  No matter how much he tried, his eyes were either completely closed or just plain weird looking.  I couldn't stop laughing, and we both gave up.  But it got me to thinking: Having opened eyes is actually a big deal.

 "Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions" (Psalm 119:18).

There are so many necessary, helpful, life-blessing truths in God's Word, but sometimes we can't see them.  Sometimes we can't understand why forgiving someone is the better option.  Why being a peacemaker is a wiser choice. Why praying changes our circumstances.  Why patience will ultimately lower our stress. Why choosing our friends wisely will avoid us a lot of trouble, and on and on and on and on and on...

The good news is that God opens our eyes when we ask Him.  That takes the pressure off of us trying to do it on our own. We don't want to be hit or miss in this important area of our life; there's too much at stake.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Open our eyes!  We need to see You clearly. We need to know Your truths, Your principles, and Your gospel are our powerful and right guide for living. We don't want to miss it. We don't want our kids to miss it either; open their eyes as well!  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

A Carton of Eggs

Greetings,

I received some lovely advice this morning from a weird place: A carton of eggs! That's right!  I opened up the carton to prepare all the ingredients for my omelet, and right there on the lid were these words,

"This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 18:24.

Rejoicing and being glad is way better than scowling and being upset. I'll take happiness over discontentment any day.  I prefer satisfaction over dissatisfaction.  Therefore, if God is telling me that every single day can have a measure of joy in it simply because He made it, then I choose to believe it.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for this lovely day! You made today for us to rejoice, and we do. You gave us another day of life, and we are happy. You are the giver of blessings, grace, peace, forgiveness, and salvation. Of course we are glad! We pray that on this day and every day which follows that our souls prosper, that our bodies be in health, that we would have victory over sin, and that light would flood our hearts.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Most Precious Dog in the World!

Tomorrow will mark the two-year anniversary of my husband finding Hershey Pie  - the most precious dog in the world - in the middle of the street and bringing him home.  We have THOROUGHLY enjoyed having him in our lives, and I can't believe how much he has grown!  Long gone are the days when he would chew any flip flop he could find, and at long last he is free to roam the house without restraint.

Hershey Pie has matured, and I hope we all have as well.  I hope we all have more peace, joy, faith, trust, and joy.  I hope we are all exercising more self-control and patience.  I hope we are reading the Bible more and tuning out the negative news that bombards us daily. I hope we are prioritizing spending more time with the people we love. And I hope we are all praying more and complaining less.

Hershey Pie's excellent behavior has been rewarded because he no longer has to go into his cage whenever Jorge and I leave the house.  Our willingness to do things God's way has rewards as well.  The Bible promises long life, blessed relationships, protection, gladness, peace, and answered prayer when we do!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Look at how far we have come! You have been faithful to teach us and guide us, yet we are rewarded when we accept Your instruction. Life works better when we stay calm and depend on You.  We have great hope because of Your goodness.  We know there are still areas where we fall short.  Come into our lives and gently lead us into more righteousness an obedience.  We want all the blessings You have for us! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Thank You

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but  it kind of irritates me that most stores bypass Thanksgiving altogether and go straight to all the toys and sparkling lights of Christmas.  Not me!  I will not co-mingle this special holiday by putting up any Christmas anything until the week after. My decor is exclusively all about turkeys and fall foliage. I especially love the brilliant Thanksgiving arts and crafts my kids did when they were little and putting them on display.

I also find myself especially focused on how important it is to be grateful, but I know there are many of us in a difficult season of life who might need a little jumpstart - who could use a gentle reminder that there are always reasons to acknowledge that our lives are full of blessings.  For that we turn to the Holy Word of the Living and Mighty God:

Thank You that You are good and Your love endures forever (Psalm 107:1).

Thank You that we are Yours. You are our God, You made us, and we are Your people. You are good and Your faithfulness endures to all generations (Psalm 100:1-5).

Thank You for the good gifts from above. We receive Your joy, hope, peace, and healing (James 1:17).

Thank You that You comfort us. You are our salvation; We will trust and not be afraid. You are our strength and our song (Isaiah 12: 1-6).

We acknowledge Your name. We express gratitude for that Holy Powerful Healing name (Hebrews 13:15)!

Your peace rules in our hearts, and we are thankful (Colossians 3:15).

Thank You that Your mercies are new every single morning (Lamentations 3:23).

It is good to give thanks to You and sing praises to Your name. We declare Your steadfast love and faithfulness over our lives. You have made us glad (Psalm 92:1-15).

Thank You that You are always near to us (Psalm 75:1).

We are thankful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

AMEN~

                                                                                                            

Lift Others Up!

"As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses’ hands grew tired, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset..the Amalekite army was defeated" (Exodus 17:11-13).

Greetings,

The above passage is interesting for sure, and what I am drawn to is not the peculiar way God gave the Israelites a victory against their enemy, the Amalekites. What really blesses me is that when Moses grew weary, two faithful buddies came to his rescue and held him up!

If I were to rephrase this verse to fit my life it would read, "Once upon a time there was a wife and a mother named Yenise who really believed in the power of prayer. After all, there was so much at stake.  She had so many concerns for her husband, her children, her family, her friends, and herself. And as long as she persisted in prayer she knew in her heart she would receive answers that would profoundly bless the lives of those she loved.  But somedays Yenise was tired, weary, and discouraged. The answers were nowhere in sight, and she felt like giving up. But then along came a couple of dear sisters in Christ who stood with her in believing God for answers, and they WOULD NOT LET YENISE PUT HER ARMS DOWN. These precious ladies hunkered down and did the praying for her when Yenise could not- would not...As a result, Yenise remained steady until the answers came, and to this day Yenise still revels in the victory!  Oh, and because Yenise received so much love and support from these dear, modern-day, "Aaron" and "Hur," she now tries to pay it forward by lifting up the arms of others!  Glory~

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us lift others in their time of need. The Bible makes it clear that we will all share in the victory together! In Jesus' name, AMEN.

He Lifts our Spirits!

Greetings,

Back in the 70s there was a famous commercial where a frazzled, harried, stressed out working mom would say, "Calgon, take me away!"  Next thing we knew, she was chilling in a warm bath with a smooth voice in the background saying, "Lose your cares in the luxury of a Calgon bath...it lifts your spirits..."

Somehow I remembered this well-known line, and to this day whenever I need a break I will also say, "Calgon, take me away!"  

But between you and me, I am not necessarily stepping into a relaxing bath that promises to soften my skin as much as I am admitting that I need a break.

What do I do when I need to get away from the madness and mayhem?

"I call on the LORD in my distress, and He answers me" Psalm 120:1.

So many many times I have started a prayer worried, afraid, or upset about something, only to breathe out the "Amen" and feel encouraged and ready to get back in the swing of things. 

Nothing will lift our spirits the way the LORD will. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I pray right now believing You answer.  I come to You and I indulge in Your presence.  I lose my cares in You.  I leave my distress in Your capable hands and thank You for answering me.  I receive Your peace.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Write it Down!

Greetings,

Yesterday my daughter and I went out for a rare mid-week breakfast, and it would have been perfectly fine except one of my greatest pet peeves was on full display. The lovely and courteous waitress committed our entire order to memory as opposed to writing it down.  I thought about saying something, but since she was so sweet and obviously confident in her retention skills, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I shouldn't have. She forgot the applewood smoked turkey sausage I asked for. 

God really wants us to write things down for the same reason. When we take the time to remind ourselves about God's love, His provision, and His guidelines for beautiful and blessed living, we are less likely to make mistakes. 

  

"Listen, The Lord is our God, and we must love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. We must commit ourselves to His commands...write them down. We must do what is right and good in the sight of our Lord so that it may be well with us" (ICB Version / Deuteronomy Chapter 6)!

I have several verses written down (Okay, they are typed and printed out, but it's the same concept) that I have posted around my desk, nightstand, and even in the bathroom.  I have also purchased several signs that I have hung up around the house that constantly remind of what is important. 

Pick an encouraging verse, and then WRITE IT DOWN! Put it where you can see it.  Many times I will give Jorge a verse written on a sticky note, and he will put in on his steering wheel. When you follow through with God's advice it will comfort you, it will bless you, and most importantly, it will be well with you.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We need to be constantly reminded of Your presence in our life. Thank You that You are willing to give us whatever we need as often as we need it. Your Holy Bible provides a practical and inspiring verse about how we can always have You in mind: We must write things down. As we seek encouraging verses to make our own today, guide us. We love You, and we thank You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!