Now and Then...

Marvelous and otherwise...
I have decided I may long be a person with many Day 1 entries in my personal journal. I need space and grace for start and re-start, focus and re-focus, do-overs, and new beginnings. I value continuity, but I also value change. I aspire to be different in the coming year than what I was in the year soon past. I yearn to move forward by chopping down obstacles. Some episodes in my life deserve to be recorded and remembered; others are more mundane and less noteworthy. I treasure the fact God treasures me whether my days seem noteworthy or not.  I am reminded through Jeremiah the prophet that the Lord is my portion and my heritage; consequently, I can keep hoping in Him (Lamentations 3:24). I can look to Him in trust as He continues to provide the necessities which give me life (www.bible.org)

I can put my confidence in Him for the days when I understand things and for the days when I clearly don't. This is huge to me. As I look for comfort in a world which always changes, I can find my sticking-point for stability in a God who changes not. The Creator, who knows me completely, gives me grace which is ample, abundant, and enough, for whatever circumstances I am called upon to encounter.

God knows the depth and intensity of "this too, shall pass". He has crafted me and redeemed me for eternity, which is far more than I can grasp or comprehend in any given span of time. On this earth, there will always be things I am seeking, yet not fully attaining. There will moments where I gain inklings, only to realize I am but scratching the surface.

I'm so grateful for God's loyal love which doesn't run out; I live because of His merciful love which doesn't dry up (Lamentations 3:23). He knows me in my watching, waiting, and wondering. He knows when I flounder, question, wrestle, twist the sheets. I move ahead; I concede exhaustion. I experience forward and back, unsteady rhythm and tottering gait. I breathe deeply, feel passionately, and grant myself the freedom to be...anew....with all there is....and He is and I am. He is thoroughly aware of me and I am sustained even as stages and moods come and go.

Dusky Wisdom

I have been quite "under the weather" in recent days. I was lying in bed the other night after a strong coughing fit when it suddenly dawned on me I was in the middle of spiritual warfare. The devil doesn't want me to feel strong in any aspect of life and it's not unlike him to take advantage of those times when I feel especially weak and vulnerable. 

He doesn't want me to possess a grateful heart. He doesn't want me to give thanks for the good health I am so privileged to enjoy most days; he doesn't want me to be thankful for my comfortable bed and soft pillow. He would have me focus on the life events I am missing while my head pounds and my nose is clogged.

He doesn't want me to live out a servant life. He wants for me to be self-focused in a negative sense; He desires that I am alert enough to know what I am missing, but not alert enough to care. His goal is to keep me frustrated and sullen, robbing me of joys I might gain from rest, stillness, meditation, and supplication. He wants for me to be agitated and increasingly doubtful.

He definitely doesn't want me to humble myself under the mighty hand of God so that I might be lifted up in due time. He would not have me cast all my cares upon Christ and believe Christ cares for  me. He desires to keep me from submitting to God's will for my life. He wants for me to keep believing suffering is a bad thing. He would not have me be self-controlled despite my misery; he would not have me looking to humility as a means of dispensing grace or deliverance. Rather than seeking peace, praying for patience, and hoping for mercy, he would have me be disturbed, disgruntled, and distracted from the purposes of God. He doesn't look for me to demonstrate active dependence upon God anytime in my walk, he actively preys upon my weaknesses, desiring that I would grumble, complain, and moan about that which I am being kept from. 

He isn't looking for me to honor God in the midst of struggle; he doesn't want for me for me to see the grace and wisdom extended to me from the hand of the Almighty. 
Momentary insight from Someone quite beyond myself gives me what I need to sing in spite of the fact that my voice isn't strong and won't carry outside of my immediate circumstances. Beloved words from my childhood come to me in comfort, freedom, and strength: 

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise Him all creatures here below. 
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

The song is perfect even when the singer is hoarse; the shadow flees even though the battles continue.

A Promise for My Heart...

Still...

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92:12-13)

How blessed I am to know God can bring verses to my mind which comfort my heart at any hour of the day! He is not limited in His resources and He knows exactly what I need and when I need it. To exercise faith and trust in God is to believe He is sovereign no matter what happens next! 

God gave me this verse when I was Peru twelve years ago, but He knows it is appropriate for today too. My blessing is found in knowing Him; as I grow in relationship with Him, He causes my life to remain healthy and fruitful. He is the solid foundation upon which my life can be rooted and built up. By His grace and favor, He may yet cause me to flourish while those around me are defeated and face decay. 

As I stay to near to Him, He is able to make my life and testimony strong, prosperous,  and verdant despite the adversities which may arise against me in body and soul. The person who is found to be faithfully abiding in Christ bears much fruit.  Faithful, habitual, fellowship with the vine provides for vigorous fertility within the branches.What a comfort to know that when I am planted in Christ, I can never be uprooted. My roots will grow down deep as I derive what need from Him and His perfect strength. He will cause my limbs to bear fruit which will grow upward for His eternal glory (adapted from Charles Spurgeon).

I am weak in myself, but because of His relationship with me, I am being made strong. Spurgeon is excellent in his exposition and admonition to those who believe: His words give me hope in perilous hours and the joy of the Lord will continue to strengthen me as I grow and mature in Him:

"Grace does not leave the saint when the keepers of the house do tremble; the promise is still sure though the eyes can no longer read it; the bread of heaven is fed upon when the grinders fail; and the voice of the Spirit in the soul is still melodious when the daughters of music are brought low. Blessed be the Lord for this!" 

Blessed be the Lord, indeed!
Praise Him from whom all  blessings flow!

What does it look like for me to love with more than just tears and tongue?

I want to serve my Lord and those around me with rock-solid commitment. I don't desire for there to be any confusion about whose I am. I want to love through actions and life. I long for my faith to be displayed in vital, life-giving ways. I want to be more than just a good person; I want to become a person of uncommon devotion and sacrifice. I don't just want to be a professor; I want to be a possessor (www.bible.org).

I pray the Lord would help me to put no other gods before Him. By the grace of Christ, I want to keep being set apart to Him  and His service. I want to make myself available to Christ in such a way that I am unavailable to people, pursuits, and ideas which do not please Him and bring about His will. 

I pray the Lord would help me to look to Him alone for meaningful existence and exuberance. May I use the talents and gifts He has given me to make His name and person look great; may I  be willing when I feel lost and inept, to let my weaknesses magnify His perfect strength. In my brokenness, there will undoubtedly be times when I cannot, but He can.  I must trust Him to lead me in the midst of every time and season whether I am in deep in the valley or high upon the peak. Through the operation of the Holy Spirit, may I continue grow in the grace and knowledge of the One who is both saving me and making like Himself. May I know Him ever more fully...this One who already knows me so well.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

Refrain

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.



. 

What does it look like for me to take heart and be very brave in my daily life?

Am I faithfully engaging all the gifts which God has entrusted to me? Not unlike people living in days of old, I appreciate and need multiple reminders of God's unchanging presence with me. 

I need reminders not to let my own difficulties and frailties stand in the way of my particular God-appointed calling. Because I belong to God, in Christ, I can know and believe the One who is in me is greater than anyone else in this world (1 John 4:4)  

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I can faithfully follow the way of the Lord without fear, dismay, or panic. I can trust my all-sufficient Guide to strengthen me, help me, and cause me to stand. 

I can trust that as God commands and sends me, He will also equip me. He will make straight the path which lies before me. I don't need to worry, fret, stew. or spend time trying to work out things on my own. 

I can know God is faithful and He will bring events and circumstances to pass as I trust in Him. As I am in relationship with the Lord and seeking to obey Him, He will reveal Himself and His will to me. 

I can listen to God, meditate on His word, and seek to practically apply the truths I am learning to the ins and outs of wherever I am being led. I don't need to brood, fume, or put my mind to spinning unnecessary schemes   When I am tempted to give in to discouragement, doubt, or unbelief (realities of this world), I can turn instead to the Savior (reality of the believer). .In being close to Him, I will find that which I need for comfort, wisdom, strength, endurance, true prosperity, and solid confidence.

How often do I make the Lord and His commandments a part of my  journeying, on-the-go life?

Do I see His word as something worthy of my constant reflection and seek to love Him no matter where I am? Do I have His ways engraved on my heart in such a way that they routinely show up in my life no matter what I am doing? How would my daily life look different if I realized more and more the Lord is always with me? The One who created me is not just a sometimes God; He desires and yearns to be my always King. He wants for me to know His will so that I may experience joy and success with Him in the life which He is graciously imparting me. 

He would not have me waste my days, He would not have me waste my time. 

He would have me know His ways so that I might reflect His heart and be His witness.

He would have me focus on instructions which matter to Him so that I might make wise decisions He would make even when I do not feel His presence near.

He has given me a great gift in the revelation of Himself, but the gift does not have maximum efficacy for me if   
I am only recognizing Him some of the time and shutting Him out other times.  

How often do I ask Him about the busyness (or idleness) of my everyday routine?

Am I willing to change my plans if the activities I participate in do not honor or include Him?

Am I willing to step back and admit there are many times in life when my to-do list has been mostly me and not so much Him?

Do I need to pause right now and ask Him to help me re-order the steps of my not-so private life and world?

How many times have I wandered far while all the while He has been calling me to stay near?

How often have missed the peace of resting in Him because my eyes, heart, and life have turned in other directions?

Lord , remind me today that You are the Omnipresent One who always desires to be leading me along the way home. Enable me never to doubt Your tender mercies Life-time Guide.

More honesty, honesty...

Lord, help me to be patient with Dena* who annoys me...

Show me what it means to love her with genuine affection and take delight in honoring her. I know I cannot do this out of my own strength and ability; I also know loving those who aren't necessarily easy to love is a large portion of the Spirit-filled life.You would have me to love her (and others) as Christ would love her, in a manner which is natural and not contrived, false, or somehow forced. For the sake of our common good, you would have us look toward the goal of unity with one another. 

 You would have me exercise much grace toward her, remembering that when I seek to refresh her, I also refresh myself. (Matthew Henry).

How I respond to those around me is a definite mark of my commitment to Christ and His church. Whereas an unsaved and sinful person looks to the satisfaction of selfish needs and desires; the person who is being sanctified looks toward the needs and desires of others in a non-self-promoting fashion. (adapted from www.bible.org).

Help me not to see Dena as a rival or person against whom I need to compete Help me not compare my gifts with hers. Instead, may I use my gifts in a way which complements her gifts and allows us both to be used of You. 

It would be so easy for me to get envious or irritated when You would have me be humble and considerate. Enable me to be both thoughtful and gracious, not prideful or overly concerned with me.. 

As you put Yourself and your reputation aside to serve those who have otherwise have been apart from You, help me to do likewise. If you want me to help Dena in some way by behaving wisely toward her, enable me to display a godly attitude and act as You would act. 

Thank You for Your Spirit who makes this life-walk possible and prosperous, 

To You alone be glory...

* Dena is a real acquaintance, but her name is confidential.

Something worth voting for and striving toward...

 True inclusion of people with disabilities is inclusion which doesn't seem like inclusion. It's the comfort and familiarity which stems from being one of the gang. Nobody has to mention belonging because everybody just does. There are few worries involved with being late to class because the backpack is too heavy and the left shoe is falling off. There are few worries about arriving late to work because your transportation failed to come. Joy comes and anxiety dissipates when true friendship walks in the door and shows up because it wants to, not because it has to. It's "let's go have coffee" and "Hey, I know you like tacos"  It's "May I help you with your meal?" and "I'll still care about you even if you never quite manage the task of doing your own laundry."

The love which accompanies true inclusion is not a love which is easily can be expressed with mandate terminology. It's not a should, a must, an ought to, or even an "I'd appreciate it if..."  It's a willing spirit which connects with another willing spirit in the hopes of mutual edification and growth. It's the recognition that both parties have something to give and something to gain. It's a   "stick to" thing which may ask about the obvious, but also cares enough to look beyond. It's a bond which communicates "we're better off together than we would be apart" .True inclusion sees an opportunity not taken as an opportunity lost. It welcomes the idea of thinking outside the box because it abhors the notion of God-given potential and gifting being ignored and under-utilized. 

At one level, I can tell you without reservation I really am so glad I'm a part of the family of God. 
I'm very grateful for the people who have accompanied on my journey of loving and being loved, of including and being included.

At another level, I realize more and more there's still work to be done in our functioning well as joint-heirs of Jesus. 

We're still traveling this sod and we're still needing each other....even though your needs may look very different than mine.

Let's be humble enough to admit that as long as there's earthly life, there's space to learn. 
Let's take time to love each other by continuing to get to know each other.
I vote to put more time toward things which really matter and less time toward all the selfish pursuits which really don't.

There's been an us thing going on since before time began...why not look to pattern our lives after that community?

That would be heavenly! 

Ser Fiel...Ahora y Siempre

Heme aqui, yo iré señor 
heme aqui, yo iré señor 
enviame a mi 
que dispuesto estoy 
llevaré tu gloria a las naciones.

Father, I do want to bring Your glory to the nations...even if You're not sending me to the nations right now.

Help me to be faithful here at home, right where I am. May I be faithful, contented, and prepared as I walk with You from day to day in the calling You are providing for me. I don't need to have a walk like anyone else's in order to follow You and serve You well. I need to listen for Your voice and be open to the nudges and promptings of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for both the assurance and reassurance You give to me.

Help me to be prayerful here at home, right where I am. Thank You the opportunities You put in my pathway; thank You for those who do labor on Your behalf in far-away places and foreign lands. May You order their footsteps according to Your Word, so that sin may not have dominion over them (Psalm 119:133). 

Thank You for the diligence and vigilance provided to us by our military service-people. Thank You for ambassadors, messengers, and missionaries who proclaim saving love and enduring hope by sharing Your Word with those who need desperately to hear it and believe it. 

Help me to be available and obedient at home, right where I am.Thank You for the people You are calling me to share with even though I may not know them yet. Go before me to guide and protect, to enable and to bless. May I consistently regard Christ as holy and may I ever be ready to give an accounting for the Hope which is in me. Help me not to be prideful, but to declare Your greatness with reverence and respect....en dondequiera que estoy y en cualquier momento...

Time is precious and fleeting,,,,Help me to spend it wisely revealing You.

Having my say....

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken." (Proverbs 25:11).

^{I am a witness to the fact that the right word at the right time can be a beautiful thing; I am also a witness to the fact that the wrong word at the wrong time can be a disastrous thing. Some people walk around wounded for years because they cannot forget words which were spoken to them by friends, relatives, acquaintances, or lovers in their past histories. Many people acknowledge the concept of letting go without being able to fully engage in the process of letting go.  The idea that words can never hurt us is a lie.} 

As an attractive ornament used in decoration brings delight to the eye of the discerning person, so an attractive word spoken at an appropriate moment brings delight to the ear of the discerning person (adapted from Matthew Henry).

As believers in Christ and family members in the home, we can start banishing words which wound through the practice of using discretion before we speak. Let's step back and employ good judgment before we say things which could be hurtful, harmful, distressing, or cause unnecessary offense. Let's do our best to avoid gossip by focusing on relationships present and current, not on relationships past or absent. 

Anytime before I speak, may I consider the knowledge base from which I speak. Little knowledge probably equates to little authority. Pity for me, I'm often too stupid to recognize this! I frequently fall prey to speaking without much sense!

As believers in Christ and family members in the home, we can also practice using discretion while we speak. We can monitor our words more carefully and pay attention to the effect our words are having on others. We can monitor the tone and pitch of our voices while we are speaking and be on the look-out for words and phrases which tear down instead of build up. Experience has taught me that both children and people with disabilities can be hurt by thoughtless, careless speech. Cynicism, undue criticism, sarcasm, and vulgarity can be easy to notice and hard to miss.

As believers in Christ and family members in the home, we can even practice using discretion after we speak if we become aware that our words have been spoken rashly, harshly, insensitively, or without wisdom. Sincerity in relationships which carries through to apology and admitting of errors is better received than neglectfulness or pretended naivete.

May God cause us to be skillful in our words so that we might more skillfully reveal Him and not cause others to be repelled or repulsed by us!

His Holiness, My Imperfection

Father God, I want to worship You as a God who is distinct, set apart, and unique …

Forgive me, for those times when I fail to honor You with the awe, reverence, and humility You seek from me. Help me understand more of what it means come before You and respect You for who You are. You are still sovereign and in control of life’s events Help me to know who I am in comparison to who You are so that together we can experience the interplay which exists between the personal and the majestic.

You are worthy, O Lord God, the God of generations past and present! May I not bring offense to Your kingship through casualness of mind or indifference of heart. May I not belittle Your purity and righteousness by approaching You with my worldly concerns in my dusty shoes. Remove clutter from my life, intentions, and thoughts so that I can provide an affirmative answer when I hear You call my name.

Let me not so familiar with You that I become insincere in my adoration of You. Forgive me when I turn to assumption and presumption in our relationship rather than relying on pause, investigation, and submission.

You are a promise-keeping God who is without equal in regard to Your seeing, hearing, and knowing; You are also a God who ever communes with men and women choosing to use them as mediators of Your presence, hope, and deliverance. You call people to stand before You, to know Your thoughts, and to mirror aspects of Your divine character (www.bible.org).

Like Moses, and your servants of old, I desire to be used of You despite my imperfections and past failures. I may not glimpse You face-to-face until I reach eternity with You, but I long for You to reveal Yourself to me so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, I might help set people free from shame, bondage, and oppression in the name of Jesus.

You are aware of grieving people who cry out to be rescued from long-tern misery and distress. In compassionate mercy, provide means of intervention and reconciliation on their behalf for Your glory and the sake of Your name.

Daily Mercy; Daily Life

Lord, what does it look like for me to become increasingly more holy?

I don’t want to settle….I do not want to pursue something just because it’s allowable, comfortable, or convenient by a standard less or other than Yours.

Enable me to fix my attention on You daily so I that I might be able to discern well what Your purpose, will, and intention for me is. True change is both a lifelong process and continual decision in order that You might bring about well-formed maturity in me (adapted from www.bible.org).

In order for me to worship well, I must be able to consistently present my life before You in sacrificial service.

According to Your mercy, help me to diligently attend to the particular calling You have set forth for me. Make me keenly aware of the prompting of Your Spirit toward duty, obedience, and joyful giving (Matthew Henry).

According to Your mercy, help me to willingly suffer for the sake of Your name as I am called to do so. May I yield more and more of myself to life in Christ,so that I can be used for You as an instrument of righteousness within a hurting and sin-sick world.

Holiness, brokenness, and sacrifice are attributes of Christ-like life which I do not desire and cannot attain to on my own.

In Your mercy and compassionate love toward me, You maintain my body, grant me dignity, and allow me to be changed from the inside out (adapted from Matthew Henry).

Living for You is living out a renewed heart and mind. It is seeking after Your rules, principles, purposes, and designs so that in the end, I might be as You have ever- intended me to be and You might get the glory.

Let it be so because of who You are.

  

It's an us thing...

What an amazing gift we give somebody else when we let them them know we are pulling for them! How important it is for each of us to know and experience that we don't have to run the race, win the prize,  or succeed all by ourselves! People who know some means of helping other people get unstuck and move ahead, need to speak up and be willing to offer support, guidance, and encouragement. Teamwork likely yields creativity and passion whereas self-focus leads to greater frustration and higher possibility of stagnation and grief.

Love which stimulates people to remain faithful to the Lord is the product of communal activity; this kind of love cannot be practiced in isolation from other believers (www.bible.org). We need each other if we're going to remain strong to the finish line.

We need to make ourselves available to those around us who find themselves in seasons of sadness, weakness, and temptation. Many in our families face illness, discouragement, and disappointment every day. They need the confident hope which springs from knowing Christ Jesus and trusting Him for daily renewal.

We need spaces where we push beyond chit-chat and dare to start talking about things which really matter... topics and ideas which lend meaning to our mutual walks of faith. Seldom have worthwhile things in our walks been attained through the ongoing pursuit of leisure, ego, and ease.

It is the will of Christ that we love Him and others more and more. We need to engage together in attitudes and actions which promote both holiness and wholeness. We need to have the gospel preached regularly in word and deed so that we can experience the mutual edification and strengthening which comes from being united together in Christ.

We need to pull together and for each other precisely because we live in evil days and we are often targeted by the schemes of the evil one. The evil one would like nothing better for us than for us to fall apart; he yearns for us to fall away in an age where we need to be standing firm, standing together, and learning how to stand firm together.

"And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.'

Still there...

Lord, I praise You today as the restorer of souls…

“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

Father, I pray now for those who need renewal, refreshment, and restoration. I thank You for leading Your people down the path of life so that we do not aimlessly wander about (www.bible.org)

In our sorrow, You revive us; In our sin, You cleanse and sanctify us; In our weakness, You strengthen us (Charles Spurgeon). What a mighty, yet gracious, Shepherd You are! You give to us that which we could never attain on our own.

When we need courage to keep putting one foot ahead of another, You can see us through. When the sighs are many and the strength is nil, You are still there. You hear our cries. You see our tears. You know our fears, doubts, misgivings, and anguish..

Someone today will step out of his or her car and need an extra dose of Your reassuring presence. You will be there.

Someone today will step into his or her car and need an extra dose of Your reassuring presence. You will be there.

Thank You, for the abiding truth of Your word and the comfort it provides.

Make those of us who have known the Scriptures from our youth wise and bold so that we might give Your love and comfort to those who need You in very real and specific.ways. 

Aid us in praying for those who desperately need prayer and yet cannot find the words to speak or the direction in which to move.

Storms

Lord, I praise You today for a time to laugh and a time to cry…

I praise you for a time to grieve and a time to dance.

I confess that I don’t understand it all; I can’t fathom what You deem appropriate for when in our lives.

I know that while I go out in the sunshine and swim this afternoon, others will be coping with the gloom and sadness brought about by sudden loss.

Be with those who are attempting to worship in the middle of a storm. Be with those who can’t get a grip during a change in circumstances. Thank You for the grace of lament and the presence of seasons in our lives. Thank You for comfort when explanations fail.

Sometimes it seems easy to exalt You God, and sometimes it is so very difficult.

I pray for those who say “Amen” and find it still raining…allow them to trust in You and confide in You, knowing that You are acquainted with pain, anguish, and suffering.

Help us not to shun our afflictions or pretend like they don’t matter when they do.

Grant us wisdom in dealing with our neighbors; may we, by Your grace, walk with them in a way that honors both them and You.  

“Brother, let me be your servant.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through.”

Power encounters....

"I'm attempting to walk with you here..."

It was a true blessing to hear these words from a friend of mine this past week. It showed me the person really cared about how I was and who I am. We were engaging in a conversation and the person opposite me was doing more than just pretending to care. Our talk was more than just a casual, "How ya doin'? I'll be on my way now..." The person actually stopped and listened to what I had to say and wasn't befuddled when I failed to respond to his question with a quick or expected answer. I wasn't just someone he was connecting with on the way to another errand. I had his attention, however momentary, and he had mine.

In the midst of multitasking and a thousand other things to do, this person gave me a rare gift in a minute or two of singular focus. He allowed me to have what I am guilty of not giving others often enough; I'm to quick to speak and despite training, I struggle to listen without interjecting and interrupting. I assume I know what the person is probably going to say next, or worse yet, I tell somebody I understand his or her situation when I only have slight impressions with which to judge. 

"I'm attempting to walk with you here" seems so gracious because it opens the door to further interaction and  shares with me the hope you might really want to know me a little. I'm not just your fellow church-member, classmate, or person sharing the doorway. Attempting to walk with me or gain any sense of my spiritual and emotional pulse is quite possibly going to require more than a few moments of random chit-chat.

I'm not saying that every relationship has to go deep and extend beyond a friendly handshake. I am saying that most notable friendships and conversations I have with people require time which we (myself not exempted) often have difficulty giving. Too often, we give in to checklists, other good excuses, and the swirling thoughts of a perpetually distracted mind. 

When somebody gives me the actual gift of attempting to walk with me, I'm going to stop and take note. It doesn't happen in places where I am too often; I wish it would happen more. In even attempting to walk with me for a few minutes, my friend gave me valuable insight into what I might be able to share more of with others. The investment toward relationship is a powerful one and I'm thinking believers should pause to match pace with each other more frequently. Within a world of pain and despair; it shouldn't hurt us to help out a little more by taking time to get to know each other better.   

Keeping On...

Thank You, Lord, we can be strong in Your strength and by Your Spirit…

We can find our strength, vitality, and sufficiency for each task by confiding in Your all-sufficiency; our competency and independence comes as a result of depending on You for all things (www.bible.org).

Lord, we are grateful for the strength to keep waiting even when the wait is long and the sighs are many.

We don’t have a lot of answers, but we keep breathing in and out, and you give us insight to do whatever comes next. Moving from Point A to Point B is for many an act of grace and faith.

We praise You that You don’t grow faint or excessively tired; Your Scripture teaches there is no limit to Your wisdom and adequacy.

You are the capable Deliverer of Your people, the One who faithfully executes Your decrees as Your people continually hope in You.

YHWH, Provider, Magnificent Creator, revive us again. Renew our energy and give fresh strength to those who are ready to dropout or drop over (adapted from The Message).

Thank You that we can trade our insufficient strength for Your omnipotent strength; You give us durable, stable, power to sustain us while we are feeling weary, weak, and powerless to succeed according to our own resources.

We often long for You to grant us greater understanding of our immediate circumstances, but we need patience and courage to rest in You regardless of Your direction in our lives…

Show grace to those who yearn for sunshine but are experiencing fog at many turns…

His Strength, Not Mine

Anyway…

I’ll praise Your Name, Lord

And sing Your song.

I’ll praise Your Name, Lord

My whole life long;

I’ll praise Your Name, Lord

Until I’m home,

I’ll praise Your Name, Lord,

And sing Your song.

Lord, will You show Your presence strong even on the days I don’t feel like praising You? Will You guide my hands, my feet, my tongue, my words?  Will you give me grace and patience for all the little routine tasks which frustrate me?

Sometimes I feel drained, Lord; Sometimes, I’m distracted.  Sometimes I don’t feel like being nice and my song is hidden somewhere where it can’t be easily reached.  I want a break from being Amie, and I struggle much with being envious.  I dislike shoes which fall off, and sand which is hard to walk through, and dogs who ignore me when I call their names.

Thank You, Lord, that Your song is so much greater than mine, Thank You for the renewal of hope which appears with each new sunrise.

Thank You, Lord that until I’m home happens Day by day and with each passing moment.

Thank You Lord, for giving me space to be real with You. You know the attitudes, actions, and motives of my heart anyway…

Renewed Day by Day

Father, thank You for the glimmers of hope You offer…

Thank You for providing strength and breath for next steps.

Thank You for not leaving Naomi miserable, disillusioned, and broken. You are the God of endings and beginnings. You are the God who reminds us to keep trusting You even when life is hard and trust is difficult to find.

Thank You for reminding us You can renew our harvest after seasons of drought, famine, hunger, and death.

Thank You for reminding us You can send new and different blessings in place of blessings now departed.

You are able to make the bitter pleasant again as time passes and circumstances change.

Father, I pray for those needing tangible hope right now. I would seek employment for the jobless, open doors for the discouraged, and relationships for the lonely.

Father, we know our greatest hope and peace is found in perfect harmony with You.

Our joy in You will have its fullest expression in eternity where we will be able to praise You without hindrance or impediment.

Lord, we are not home yet…give us patience while we are waiting.

Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who comforts, instructs, and abides forever.

Whereas the Israelites possessed a Hope expectant…we possess a Hope both realized and a Hope returning.

 “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy." (1 Peter 1:8).

Thank You for setting us free to worship You. Thank You most sincerely for being our Living Hope.

We look forward to seeing you because we know that in our time of meeting our joy will be even fuller than we can possible imagine on this ordinary day!

Praise Your Name!

Courtesy

Lord, thank You for reminding me small courtesies still matter…

Things I might otherwise pass off as inconsequential perhaps are not so inconsequential. Attending to little details with friends and neighbors may help build relationships rather than leaving them lie.

Kind words and compliments are still important.

Brief visits and hugs are important too.

Sincere words of apology or explanation are worth a mint especially if a person is not anticipating them to come.

Earnest love and appreciation cover over a multitude of sins.

In 1 Peter 4: 9, the Scriptures ask us to show hospitality toward others without grumbling or grudging. As possible, believers are to go beyond what is conventional in seeking to assist those around them.

Forgive me, Lord, for the times this week I have let little things slip by; I have failed to serve You and others as I ought.

I have made excuses for my lack of attention.

I have blamed my poor attitude on various negligible things which are quite insignificant within the whole scheme of life.

I have said things better left unsaid.

I have done things better left undone.

I need cleansing grace and a renewed outlook.

Thank You for all the ways You speak. Thank You for the hands You use to knock firmly on my door.

Where I Am...

Lord, where is the balance between competency and humility?

I have been reminded again and again lately of the verses which state that You made Yourself of no reputation in order that You might serve humankind. I want to live a life which resembles Yours in every respect, but so often I let pride get in the way.

Please continue teaching me what it looks like to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Both pride and vainglory are destructive to Christian love; they kindle within us unchristian heats and passions (Matthew Henry).

Help me to be quick in recognizing my own defects and infirmities; help me also to be quick in making allowances for the defects and infirmities of others.

Help me not to entertain selfish thoughts and motivations, but to seek prosperity for others as readily as I would seek it for myself. I own that still have work to do in this area; I submit myself once more to You because I am hopeless in looking out well  for my neighbor through my own strength and will. My thoughts run so often to me even if I am restrained in my deeds and actions.

Lord, I ask that You would make me more servant-hearted and truly compassionate; Enable me by Your leading to keep serving others even when service seems inconvenient and my personal satisfaction level is low. Be present with me to monitor my attitude when I am called to engage in tasks I may not like or enjoy (Constable).

I cannot be victorious unless You are present in my rumbo diario.

“May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.”

Unreservedly

Lord, I want to want what You want…

Show me what it means that You’re my God; may I never stray far from the learning curve.

Teach me what it looks like to love You with all I've got!

You desire to be loved wholeheartedly, passionately, and unreservedly. You desire for me to commit my entire self to You in loving obedience. You ask for my commitment and allegiance with all that I am and hope to be. There is no room for half-heartedness or a divided soul in my relationship with You.  You appear to be an all or nothing God who requires of me an all or nothing response. Truly serving You well does not equate with a part-time job.

 ”It is better to have one fountain than a thousand cisterns, one all-sufficient God than a thousand insufficient ones.” (Matthew Henry)

You desire a fervent, sincere, truthful love which adds up to more than just lukewarm affection and lip service.

You desire for me to love You more than what I might love any other person, creature,  task, calling, or idea. Nothing or no one is to come before You if I am recognizing You to really be my all in all.

Lord, I confess before You that the nature of all-consuming love is difficult for  me to comprehend; I confess that without Your grace, I cannot attain to the kind of love You’re looking for in me and from me.

I honestly and humbly repent of the cheap love and worship substitutes I have attempted to offer You in the past.

I cry to You for help in wanting more of what You want for me….

Lord, would You meet with me and make me even more willing to meet with You and seek You for all You are? 

A Learner

Lord, I want to learn from You….

Jesus, I want to become like You.

Help me to turn away from service to the world and the flesh. Thank You for not being like other teachers who would seek to weigh down their students with all kinds of excessive rules, burdens and regulations.

I desire to share in the grace which knowing You brings. I want to pay attention.

Help me to walk with You and keep pace with the rhythms You design or allow in my life.

Help me to work with You and not complain about the tasks You may call me to endure.

Help me to be obedient in my actions as You reveal Yourself and Your will to me.

Make me mindful of sharing with others that which You have already shared with me.

Teach me to follow the example of Your humility and seek assistance from You and others when I need it. 

Teach me too, how to best assist You and others as I carry out the assignments You call me toward in bearing Your name.

Lord, I want to be more holy not only in my heart, but in my everyday routine. The words integrity and wholeness mean something to me even if they are not well understood by my surrounding culture in this day and age.

I seek to grow in ways which will bring much joy to Your heart.