Truly, will I ever know You, Lord?
My heart and soul ache to know You;
yet, my flesh keeps me from You.
How do I cross over, Lord?
What do I have to give up;
my actual existence?
As long as I am flesh
I am tormented by human failings.
I feel the separation,
but through Jesus,
the barriers have fallen away.
What is this to say?
Jesus is Lord of my life.
To do less than He asks of me
is for me to fall short of who I am to be.
Though each day, I do fall short,
and yet, each day, I find forgiveness
through all Jesus has done for me.
The door is always open for me to enter
through His grace, I am forgiven.
There will always be trials and challenges
in life; it is my choices that will make the difference.
The choices can either result in joy or sorrow;
if I choose to follow Jesus, I will ultimately
have joy.

Whoever said "the calm is right before the storm" or "it is darkest before dawn", knows the anguish of "hitting rock bottom"; Where the only place to go is up. Yet, even in the "darkest hour" if you think of Jesus, you will feel hope, a sense of Light, because as you hold to Jesus' promise to never abandon you, you can feel the comfort of His love. So there is truly no reason for complete despair when you have Jesus. Sure things you have to go through may be very difficult, but to know that you WILL make it through because of Jesus, is cause for rejoicing. Feel the peace Jesus promises you as you cast your cares upon Him. Find rest in Jesus. (Matt. 11: 28-30)
Be grateful that you know Jesus as your personal Savior and all is well.
PTL

Feel no anguish in your soul
for choices you choose to make.
Be not troubled over things
which you have no control,
If the weight of the world
is self-inflicted, unneccessary,
change your path.
Listen to your inner voice speaking to you
of the journey you are on,
choose the right path.

We all go through hard times; I think that is just a part of life. It is what we do, who we turn to during those times, that makes a big difference in our attitude for us.
For me, to turn to God, is an automatic, because I know God is with me always, in easy and hard times. I feel when I am walking the path with Jesus, sometimes He lets me run ahead, but other times He may have to push me a little. I know He brings "physical" beings to me in especially difficult times, because He knows what it means to be human and sometimes just need that human contact. But if i look real close, I will see Jesus within them, speaking, to me, the words that Jesus Himself would say if he were here physically. That is a true blessing to recognize this. I thank God for all His gifts to me.

Jeremiah 12:3
"You, Oh Lord, know me,You see me, You know that at heart, I am with You."

Psalm 91: 14-16

"Because I cling to God, He will deliver me
He will set me on high because I acknowledge His Name
I shall call upon Him and He will answer me
He will be with me in distress
He will deliver me and glorify me
with length of days, He will gratify me
and show me His salvation.

Where are You God?

Have you ever had this question in your mind? Well I am going through this right now, and as many years as I have spent writing and talking about my faith in God, I seem to be having a very difficult time in this moment. How am I dealing with this?

I am trying to pray harder, though I am trying not to request anything from God in this moment. I feel as if I do not have the strength to request anything, in the first place, and then I have come to the realization that God must want me looking at something a bit differently. It may not just be the "prayers" and then the "answer". It must be the road in-between that He is wanting me to look at. I cannot say that I can see what that is, because I can't. I only know that I am living with the consequences I knew I would eventually meet up with because of the choices I made.

I am not living in the past, I am experiencing the now. The way I feel now, and how I can learn from God through what I am experiencing is a lesson God must want to teach me.

My point in sharing this with you is that when you do feel at the very bottom of your world, it is best to surrender your will to God. Perhaps sit quietly and just be in His presence; to feel His love, because God will always love you, no matter what. Make a point of looking away from all the things you thought you could, or would like to, control in your life. Give them all over to God and just see what happens when you trust and have faith in Him.

This is what I am trying to do now. It is a moment to moment action you have to take. I guess that is why they call it a journey.

God Bless you always and let's keep each other in prayer PTL

Close to You is always where I want to be
Close and safe
from anything that might harm me
With You, I never have to fear
Within, You are here. PTL

The shadow that crosses over my soul
shall be no more
for the light of You surrounds me
Let my soul rest in You
Let my heart be not troubled
Your grace sustains me
even in my darkest hour
I call and You hear me
Through You I am saved

Seek the Lord and He shall be found. I am experiencing God working in my life minute to minute. I watch and understand as things unfold. I pray for patience always, to be a loyal and faithful follower of Jesus. I praise Him always and give Him thanks for all my blessings. I love You, Jesus.

Only the romantic soul
who has a dream, a vision within
can see what can be
to make it reality.
Only the one
who lets go can hold on to all there is.
Only I can change what is
with an open heart
of gratitude and love.
~m~

"You cannot live your life to the fullest when you have things from the past weighing you down." ~m~ PTL

Lord, bless this day
bless all we do and say
In Your Name we pray. Amen
We love you Jesus

What shall I do to make the world a better place?
How can I help spread the joy of the Lord?
Of and by myself it can't be done,
but only through Jesus, God's only Son.
He can show me how
to be a light, to shine for all to see.
He can fill me with His joy and majesty.
This I live for, I know it's true.
My Lord, I am nothing without You. PTL ~m~

This is a little prayer I gave to my (almost) 6 year old grandson to say each morning. As I was saying it with him, I realized this little prayer that said SO much, and took SO little time, said it all. How can we NOT have time for God in our life?

"Dear Jesus
Bless my day
Bless all I do and say
In Your Name I pray. Amen.
I love You, Jesus!

God is life within in us
joy, peace and love.
Fulfillment and purpose of all we do.
Reach out to Him
trust in Him
Know that through God
you can be all He intended for you.

2 Corinthians 12: 9
"My grace is enough for you
for in weakness, power reaches perfection."

Turn to God with all your cares
He is always there
helping you through times of need
with the utmost speed
He loves you very much
you know.
He wants you by His side
He blesses everything you do
and all He wants is thanks from you. ~m~

PTL

Choice
is something we always have
if only deep within
search your heart in each moment
to examine your choice.
What are you doing in this moment
to make sure your choice
aligns with your truth?

Even through trials and challenges it is so important to give thanks to God. God is always near, He will always come through for you. I claim this in all faith, hope and trust in God. Blessings to all. PTL

In times of trial I know You are with me Lord.
When things seem impossible, I know with You they are not.
Help me always to look to You first, Lord,
so I know the direction I am going is the right way.
I pray for all who are searching for You, Lord.
Show them the way to You. In Your name Jesus I ask. Amen

Psalm 69: 31
"I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify Him with thanksgiving."

I believe, help my unbelief
I trust, help my doubt
I hope, take away my despair
I want, relieve my desire
I cling, help me to surrender
I love, teach me unconditional love.

1 Corinthians 13

Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is not jealous
Love does not put on airs
Love is never snobbish
Love is never rude
Love is not self-seeking
Love is not prone to anger
Love does not brood over injury
Love does not rejoice in what is wrong
Love rejoices in the truth
There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.
Love never fails.
There are in the end three things that last,
faith, hope, and love.
And the greatest of these is love.

Dear Jesus, I love You.
I need you; please hear my prayer.
Be with me always, in Your tender care.
With You I won't be lonely,
I won't want for anything.
I always want you with me,
so now my heart will sing.

Jesus, I'm so sorry,
when I turn away.
Thinking that the things I do
might just be the way,
that You would have me live my life,
but I know it's true.
Only if I look to You,
will I know what to do.

I hold to all Your promises;
You won't abandon me.
Only lessons will I learn
that You want me to see.
Growing closer to You,
each and every day.
Know I love You Jesus.
In Your Name I pray. Amen

Thank You for Your love for me, dear Jesus.

Psalm 63: 5
"Thus will I bless You while I live; lifting my hands, I will call upon Your Name."

Lord, help me to remember that it is only through You that anything is possible in my life. When I try to do things the way I think they should be done, I find myself floundering in my own confusion. I need You, Lord, in all areas of my life. Don't abandon me to my pride, ego, or desires. Show me the right way, the way You would have me go; in this I know I will be serving the purpose You put me on this earth for.
In Your Name, Jesus, I ask." Amen

Sirach 33: 7, 11
" Why is one day more important than another,
when it is the sun that lights up every day."
Yet, with His great knowledge, the Lord makes men unlike;
in different paths He has them walk."

It is us who need to make the difference in the choices we make, the most important choice to choose good over evil, right over wrong, love over hate and compassion and caring over disinterest. We can be a light to the world. We have only to care. PTL

Love is the essence of all that we are. With love, there is joy; with love, there is peace. When you love, you experience the ultimate of human feelings. Love sustains all and allows for all that is good. God is love. All power comes through God who loves us and allows for us to love each other. When there is love, all other needs diminish in perspective. Embrace love. Become one with Love. Be love. ~m~ PTL

Psalm 56:9
"My wanderings You have counted, my tears are stored in Your flask; are they not recorded in Your book?"

There is never a time in my life that I was not learning; learning something of God, or God showing me something of myself. It can be a painful journey, one filled with self-doubt,(wondering if I will ever learn my life lessons), or self-doubt in my faith and trust in God. Just know that it cannot be done alone, and even when you may be feeling separated from God, do not let go of His hand; do not turn away, no matter what. God is always here for you, no matter what you have done, no matter how badly you stumbled, He is here, loving you and awaiting your return.
My trials and temptations, my stumbling's, are all a part of me, and I KNOW God loves me, as He sent His Son Jesus to heal me and save me from all I do wrong or the things I fail to do. I want Jesus to be leading me and saving me, this is my choice. I want to learn to love as Jesus does, as I know His way is the best way. So I ask this in Jesus' name, for all of us. Amen

Gratitude

Thank You Jesus for blessing all of us; keep us always in Your care. Renew our strength through Your grace, my Lord, fill us with Your joy. Help our path to be the one walked with You. Let us know You are near. In Your name, Jesus, I ask. Amen

Thankful in all things

I am thankful that I have God in my life; thankful that I know Jesus as my personal Savior. There are many people in the world who choose not to accept Jesus, and there are many others who have not had an opportunity to be introduced to Jesus. God may be a very distant vision for many. It is important to live a life journey being grateful for all God's blessings, so others can see a difference in the way you live your life and then they, in turn, will want to have God in their own life. Everyone is in search of something that can make a difference in their life or someway they can make an impact on the world. Knowing Jesus and following Him is the way to do this. Give glory to God and make a difference. PTL

Jesus is all about Love and Forgiveness. We must love and forgive as Jesus does in order to become like Him.

Sirach 17: 24
"How great is the mercy of the Lord, His forgiveness of those who return to Him."


"I have an abundance of everything when I am a wise steward of all God gives me." ~m~

A prayer from my daughter Stephanie

Dear God,
My days have not been so happy without You here. I know You are always with me, but it is me who is neglecting You. Please shine Your light down on me so I can find my way home. In Jesus Name I ask. Amen
~~~~~~

My Lord, You hear the cry of the lost and lonely, the pleading of their heart. Do not hesitate to come to their rescue, have mercy as we trust in Your promises to never abandon us, no matter what. You said to turn to You in repentance and all will be restored, for You are an all-loving God. So we are here, before You, Your children, to love You before all else. Thank You, my sweet Jesus. All Glory to You my Lord. PTL

I am here today to give glory to God, my Lord and my Savior, Jesus. God is showing me His promises are real when we follow His will for us. When God asks you to do something, step out and take His hand, He will lead the way and make sure it is done. Glory to you my Lord!

My books have begun to sell on Amazon and Kindle. I pray that all who read my books and blog receive abundant blessings from God, as God is blessing me with the love of so many. PTL

There is always hope when your hope is in God

Sometimes life is hard...actually at times it may seem unbearable. You wonder how you can find the strength to make it through each day. When you put your trust in God, you will always know where to find comfort.
With Jesus, the burden is light, there is fresh hope, in each moment, when you turn your cares over to Him. He knows, first hand, how it is to live a human life, with all its ups and downs, and trials. That is why He told us He will always be here for us, until the end of time. He promised to never abandon us, in all we go through. His promise is alive and real. Just ask Jesus to be with you, you will immediately feel His presence to get you through anything you might be facing.

Psalm 42:12
"Hope in God, for again I will be thanking Him in the presence of Savior and my God."

Sirach 11: 21-22
"For it is easy with the Lord, suddenly, in an instant, to make a poor man rich. God's blessing is the lot of the just man, and in due time his hopes bear fruit."

God gives us the gift of grace, He fills us with His peace, joy, and love and so much more; all good things. You only have to hope in our Lord, to trust and believe in Him. Jesus loves you, ALWAYS and forever. PTL

Unless you are doing what you want to do
Unless you are spending time with those you love
Unless you are making a difference with who you are
You are only existing.

To live is to love. To love is to live ~m~

Sirach 11:4-5
"Mock not the worn cloak and jibe at no man's bitter day: for strange are the works of the Lord, hidden from men's deeds. The oppressed often rise to a throne and some that none would consider, wear a crown."

How can we be sure we are moving forward on our journey? Just because we are staying busy and doing things does not mean we are progressing. So, how do we know when we take a step backwards or sideways, instead of a step forward? And then, if fact, how do we know if that step wasn't a necessary one, anyway? We can ask ourselves, "did I learn anything "new" from this experience or was this something I have been through before and needed to be reminded of?"

If we take time to contemplate and pray, learning from God's word and voice in our heart, then we can be sure the things we are doing and experiencing are what God intends for us. Pray for God's grace and the wisdom to move forward on your journey, to serve Him for the good of all. God will teach you each step of the way.

Blessings and peace and joy to you always!

Trust in the Lord always. Who is there to turn to that can help you more? Who can fill you such peace and joy more than God? There is none greater than our God. Don't look elsewhere. How frightening to think of a life without God. To only have humans to rely on or to trust in. How deceiving to think you can rely or trust in yourself.
Make God your focus; know He is in control of all things. Surrender and allow Him to guide you and be there for you.

Psalm 31: 15
"My trust is in You, oh Lord; I say, You are my God. In Your hands is my destiny."

Through You, Lord, I am able to do all things. All things. With God all is possible.

I praise You, my Lord, I give You all glory!

God knows what you need; if you trust in Him, He will provide for you.

Give glory to God in all you do, and He will accomplish works through you greater than you could ever imagine. The power of God is magnificent!

God's love for us is unending.

Cherish each moment as it is God's gift to you. Always be the best you can be, as this is what God intends for you.

Lift up your heart and give glory to God!

I offer this day to You, Lord. Help me to surrender my life to Your purpose each day.


Sirach 3: 19
"For great is the power of God, by the humble He is glorified."

As I write my books, I realize the words are God's message to me, to help me on my journey. Is it possible for God to use my words to speak to others hearts in their own unique way? I think so. Perception is a very unique aspect of each person. It is truly amazing how each of us looks at everything in a way that is as individual as we are. The possibilities are endless as God works through each one of us. I don't know in which direction God is taking me now, but I know there are many changes happening in my life and I embrace God's will for me with an open heart and a willing spirit. I praise God in all things.

Last page of new book

Sirach 2: 5-6
"For in fire, gold is tested, and worthy men, in the crucibles of humiliation. Trust God and He will help you, make straight your ways and hope in Him."

At a time of crossroads in my life, I see the truth in God's words. Sometimes we are brought low to be raised on high. If your trust is in God, you can rest assured it will happen. Follow Jesus, especially in the toughest of times, hold on tight. When you feel you have hit bottom, know that through Jesus, you will be brought out of the pit, the depths of trial and destruction.
Jesus saves. He is always with you. Surrender to Him and know this is true. Pray for your persecutors, love, with compassion, your enemies. Be kind to all. Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the life; through Him you are made new. Keep your faith in God, nothing else, no one else. He will get you through your trials and temptations. Our confidence is in God, not ourselves; in God is where our strength lives. Following Jesus will keep you on the right path. You need to believe in Him, trust Him. This is where faith comes in, because even when you may be in the clutches of evil, of death, having surrendered your life to Jesus, He will not abandon you... ever. You will be guarded from all evil when Jesus sees your desire to do good and to be right. He knows what is in your heart. Even as you walk among evil, within the den of thieves and wickedness, you will not be harmed.

You are not lost, with Jesus you are found.

Trust

Here I am again
I thought I was ok
why do I keep going round and round
the questions in my mind
I want to trust
want to believe
Won't You help me please?

Is this the way
it's suppose to be?
Sometimes it's hard to see
why do I have the doubts in me
please don't let them be.

Maybe my trust has been misplaced
I need to question this
I know just where my trust should be
but instead, I'm trusting me.

I need to trust in God alone
I know as I do this
everything will be ok
In this I cannot miss.

So help me Lord
give me Your strength
fill me with Your grace
Show me that with only You
I can make it through each day. PTL

~m~

Is this my quiet time?

Psalm 51: 12-14
"A clean heart create for me oh God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from Your presence and Your Holy Spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of Your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me."

Lord, help me to serve You. Even when I don't feel at all like doing anything, fill me with Your grace and strength to carry on. Help me to think of others before myself. In Your name, Jesus, I ask. Amen

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
" The Lord said to me, 'My grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection."
"Therefore, I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Jesus; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong."

The needs of the world are answered through Jesus.

There is so much physical, emotional and spiritual suffering in this world. When I see it, I feel as if it is too big to even attempt to conquer. I imagine Jesus felt this as he walked among the crowds of humanity. Everywhere He turned, people were crying out for some form of healing or something they needed. And so He moved among them, touching each one, one at a time. Many times, though, He healed through His words alone. This is spiritual food Jesus refers to. A healing through the word of God.
It is still that way today. We can find healing through God's word in the bible. God also asks that we share His words with others. So many times the things we say to others can really make a difference in their life. We may not have any other means to solve the issues and problems that exist, but loving words and heartfelt prayers are always available. A helping hand can do wonders in sharing the love that Jesus offers to all.
We need only show up in service to our Lord and He will do the rest. There are miracles happening everyday and we can be a part of them in serving God.

Thank You, Jesus, for allowing me to serve You in all I say and do. I thank You for Your love and Your words to me.

John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who lives in Me and I in him will produce abundantly."

Lord Jesus, I offer all I say and do to you; I praise You for all my blessings. I thank You for Your great love for me. I give glory to Your Holy Name. I praise You Lord.

Psalm 25: 18
"Put an end to my affliction and suffering and take away all my sins."

It is sin that separates us from God. Most people don't like to talk about sin any more, maybe because the lines between good and evil are unclear to them nowadays, as society does a really good job of trying to convince us that evil things are not so evil anymore. If you visualize the way the world and society are now, it would seem a scary scenario. I can almost see how fine the line we walk is, amid the flames of evil as we try to do good and stay on the path with Jesus. It is no wonder many find it difficult to see their way to Jesus. It is so important to pray and be in God's word so that you are able to resist the ways of the world and to keep Jesus within your sight and your final goal which is heaven. Jesus died for our sins and through our belief in His death and resurrection we will be strong on our journey to eternal life with Him. It is our duty as Christians to be a light to shine for others to also find their way. The flames cannot touch us as when we stay close to Jesus, we must stay convicted in this. Accept God's grace, keep your eyes on Jesus and know you will be victorious on your journey.

Isaiah 43: 1-4
"Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name you are mine. When you pass through the water, I will be with you; in the rivers you shall not drown. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned; the flames shall not consume you, for I am the Lord your God."
"Because you are precious in My eyes and are glorious and because I love you."

John 14: 6
"I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 3: 16
"Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die but have eternal life."

Need I question God's love for me? In all that is here on earth, shows forth God's abounding love; of this I am sure. The gifts He gives exist, and are surety of His love. I need only accept this love God has to offer, enjoy and share all there is. Peace and love abound, amid all else; I need only see. All I take in, the choice of love, and what I choose to give back, also, love, forms all that I am. Let the circle of breath of life and love shine as light all around you. Radiate love from your soul.

Psalm 22" 31-32
"And to Him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve Him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born, the justice He has shown."

I praise You, my Lord. I praise You in all that You do. Your way is the perfect way, help me to follow You. I am not worthy, yet You reach Your mighty hand to steady me and guide me on my way with You. You touch me with Your love, You fill me with Your joy; Your peace surrounds me. In You, only, do I trust. I trust You in all things. As hard as it might seem,at times, for me to let go, I know it is the right and only thing to do, as You are in control of everything. Bless all I do for Your Names' sake, dear Jesus. allow me to always bring glory to Your name.
Help me through my trials; relieve my heart from all distress, as I turn to You. I believe, my Lord, strengthen my faith and trust.
God's Blessings to all. In Your Name, Jesus, I pray. Amen

Wisdom 16:7
"For he who turned toward You was saved, not by what he saw, but by You, the Savior of all."

One important thing in life, is to have a peace filled and joyous life and help to others to live in such a way also. Sharing love and compassion and bringing others to know Jesus is one sure way to achieve this. There is nothing better or more fulfilling than to journey through life with Jesus at your side. It brings such joy to a heart to see others enjoying a life with God, also. Ask God to show you how to do this, to give you opportunities to always share His love with others. Recognize God and give Him all glory. PTL

At the warm sunrise
as the starlight fades
I hear the birds cry
to welcome a new day.
Rejoice in the blessings
they all receive.
With each song they sing
all glory and praise will there be.

Ever so grateful
for each new day
being so free just to live
never a worry, never a care
the beauty in all that God gives.
Cherish this time
as all creation does
Bask in the warmth of God's love.

Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?"

I give all glory to God in answering my prayer of "am I following what He wants me to do" Two books were sold on Amazon.com (paperback) and I heard a woman give her testimony on the Christian radio station the other day. She spoke of how God had woken her up in the middle of the night to write a children's story for girls, which she immediately did. But for three years she had that book sitting there, with no one reading it and wondering if it was truly what God wanted. Now, three and half years later her book is being published. God accomplishes what He sets out to do, it is not in our time or design. It may not be in the way we think it should be. It is only our duty to carry out God's will, to listen for His call and do it. Because if you pray to God to be of service to Him, He WILL answer your prayer. You need to be ready to act. I praise God in all things, in whatever He asks me to do. Glory to You Lord.

God directs us, He shows us the way. Then we must follow Him. Once we have asked God for guidance, we must act on what He puts before us. Step out in faith and trust in the Lord.

Wisdom 14:5
"But You will that the products of Your Wisdom be not idle."

Lord, help me to step out in faith with You, to accomplish all You want me to do. In Your Name Jesus, I pray. Amen

As I sit here writing, I know I am doing what God wants me to do, yet at times I feel as if it is only me that is benefiting from this. How do I know if God is using me to serve others or to serve Him, which is what I want to do. But here we have it again: "what I want to do." Maybe what God wants me to do is serve Him quietly and not in the "limelight". Not everyone can be at the pulpit, speaking to the masses. Maybe God wants me only touching and serving individual lives whom I come in contact with daily, one life at a time. Maybe he wants me looking at my own life. Am I trusting in Him through thick and thin? Is my faith solid?
I have my books for sale on Amazon. com and that is truly a miracle..But I was just over to the website of Kindle ebooks and I was so excited to see that two of my "Spirit Moves" ebooks had sold, but then as I scrolled across the page, I saw that 2 had been refunded. Do you know the feelings that washed over me and how hard I am praying now, not to be discouraged in what I am doing? Do you know how easy it would be to say, "this is NOT what God wants me doing, because if it was, wouldn't I be making money and not having books returned?" So I keep writing as I KNOW this is God's will for me. It may be in peaceful solitude that I write, but through God the trumpets can sound. So I am choosing to move forward with my faith and trust in God, giving all glory to God in all I do, whether it be big or small, God is in control. PTL

When I am weak, it is then that You can make me strong. Help me to resist the weakness of the world, the doubts and temptations that cause separation from You, Lord.
Seek the Lord, always, to find peace and joy in this life. To love and feel joy is to be in God's presence. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; show me the way to You Lord and let my light shine for You to witness to others. Not of my own doing can this ever be done, as of myself I am nothing. Through Your grace, Lord, I can be made strong.
Spending time with God, in prayer, is necessary to know God and follow His ways. Surrender to His will in all things and be sure of your path with Him.
How many times do I need to remind myself that God's ways are not my ways? What does this really mean to me? God does know what is best for me; He can see the whole picture as I can only see what is right in front of me. So in following God and staying on my path with Him, I might be able to save myself from a lot of unnecessary turmoil, from circling and backtracking. I need to always remember to "let go and let God" handle the flow of my life. Because even if I think I am in control, I really am not. When doubt or fear or temptation come into the picture, I can be confident God is with me to get me through.
Follow the call of God unwaveringly and He will grant you all you need. the journey with God is exciting and new each day as He reveals His plan for your life. Trust and have faith in God.

Psalm 20:5
"May God grant you what is in your heart and fulfill your every plan."

Let us follow the ways of the Lord,
let us love Him and do good.
Serve Him always and trust that
through His grace, His will shall be done.
Let us love one another as God loves us.
Let us cherish His love above all,
Treasure ourselves as children of His love,
be filled with compassion and kindness.
Pray for gratitude in all things,
be grateful and accept all God's blessings.
God's gifts to us are many.
Always give glory to God first and foremost.
Through Him all things are possible and with Him
we are one.

Wisdom 6: 11-12
"Desire therefore My words; long for them and you shall be instructed. Resplendent and unfading is wisdom and she is readily perceived by those who love her and found by those who seek her."

Let our love show for each other, don't hide or stifle it. Giving love and feeling love for others is a true blessing, a gift from God. We should not run from it or change it in any way. Just feel it and share it.
Start by experiencing the love inside you, love yourself. You were created special and unique, and that alone is enough to marvel and enjoy, a real reason to love. When you love yourself, you can look out to the world as a positive, secure person, knowing that no matter what happens, you love yourself. This love comes from a knowledge that you are special in God's eyes, there is no one like you and you have a purpose. Share with others, your purpose, one of which is to encourage and share love with everyone. Let them know how much they are loved by God and by you, that others really do care and appreciate them. Feel the love of God in each other.

Opening of I was Lost.......and back C

When we think we can't take one more step forward, when we are so tired of trying to be strong; when we look around and there is absolutely no one to turn to and nowhere to go, we see God.
There is nothing left to say, nothing left to be, only to lay it all at Jesus' feet. Let go, give all to Him, hold on tight to our Lord. He reigns, He saves, He loves.
We don't have to be strong in and of ourselves, only strong in our faith, that with God all things are possible; He can accomplish all things. We need only offer ourselves, humbly, to God; in all our weaknesses, all our faults, all our worries and cares, just surrender to Him and feel His love for you.
There will be deserts, there will be valleys, but in these times of trial we learn how great our God is. We learn of His mighty and miraculous ways. We come to know that He will never abandon us and He is always with us, no matter where we are. We feel His great love.

When you are not sure what God wants you to do, just ask Him. So many times I have gone off doing things, thinking I was doing what I was suppose to do, or for lack of knowing what to do, I was just "doing". At these times I stop and ask God to straighten my path according to His will and He always puts me right again. When you ask God to help you accomplish His will for you, be ready. Be ready for action because this is one prayer that God readily answers. Be ready for God to move in your life. Sometimes the movement may be subtle and slow and other times God's movement may shake your world. How awesome is our God and His love for us.

Psalm 18: 7-8, 17, 20
"In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God. From His temple He heard my voice and my cry to Him reached His ears. The earth swayed and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled."
"He reached out from on high and grasped me; He drew me out of the deep waters."
"He set me free in the open, and rescued me because He loves me."

Dear Lord,
Allow me to need only You, no dependence on another. Everyone else is only human with human faults and frailties Most people are overwhelmed in their own lives to try to be available to others.
In this I pray, please allow me to be of service to You, Lord, in being available to help others, with a kind word or helping hand, or an ear to just listen; anything You would call me to do. In Your Name, Jesus, I ask. Amen.

God knows us. He knows what we need and when we need it. Deep within our soul lies the answers to what God wants us to know, that His way for us is the best way.
I have to say that, so many times, I wonder if it is God's will that I am striving for or my own. It should feel right if I am doing God's will...I should be at peace. I need to remember to always surrender my will to God, consciously think about it each moment.
God wants us to step out in faith with Him. We need to know God's ways to be able to do this, we need to be walking in His ways. God's ways are not our ways, so pray, always, to know the difference.

Wisdom 2:13-15
"He professes to have knowledge of God and styles Himself a child of the Lord. To us He is the censure of our thoughts, merely to see Him is a hardship for us, because His life is not like others lives, and different are His ways."

Gratitude in all things

I pray for the Spirit of God to always be within me, in me so that I may have the willingness to serve Him according to His will. To touch the lives of others and show how much He cares and loves us all. It is when you know how much God loves you, that you can say, "Lord, You are my Lord, Your will be done." You know He is always with you, you are never alone. God's peace reigns within you and His joy overflows your heart. There is only One who can do this. Come Lord Jesus into my heart and soul, make me whole.
Thank You, my Lord, for all you have given me, I praise You in all things.
Thank You for Your grace that makes me strong in You. Thank you.

Thank you, Lord, for filling me with Your love. Thank you for allowing me to be of service to others through You. Because of Your great love for me, I am able to love others with the understanding and compassion You bless me with.
I have a story for you.

My grandson, Elijah, and I were getting our car serviced the other day. He was having a conversation, (a quite grownup conversation, being that he is only 5), with a woman who was in the waiting room with us. He had seen a man leave the room to go outside and smoke a cigarette. We had recently been at a family get together where one of our friends was also smoking. Elijah's Mom must have discussed with him that smoking is very bad for you, for when this man came back in, he looked at me and the other woman and asked us to pray with him that this man would stop smoking. So right there, in the middle of the room, he stood and said, "Dear Jesus, please let this man stop smoking cigarettes, and Jesus, please don't let Vivian smoke anymore either. In Jesus name we pray. Amen" The woman and I both bowed our heads and said "amen", not looking over to see if the man had overheard his prayer, but secretly hoping that he had.
After the woman left, Elijah looked at me and said, "Now that lady knows about Jesus. Isn't that great?" I said, "It sure is!"

Out of the mouths of babes.... PTL

I LOVE reading scripture, don't you? God speaks to me so very much through His word, He fills my soul with joy and peace through His word. I think God has His own personal message to each of us as we spend time with Him this way. When I am praying, many times I have my bible open and as I go from my prayer to my bible, it is as if God is speaking directly to me through His word, as most times my answer of comfort is right there for me. I find it so miraculous. Anyway, I just wanted to share.

Psalm 16:8
"I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand, I shall not be disturbed."

Have a BEAUTIFUL and BLESSED day!

The Power of United Prayer

Jesus tells us to "ask and receive, seek and we shall find, knock and the door will be opened."
I believe that God does answer prayer and one of the prayers He loves to answer are our prayers for bringing others to know his Son Jesus, as our Savior.
I have a special friend who I would like to ask Jesus to please reveal Himself to this person. To let this person know, without one doubt, that Jesus is the true Messiah, the Son of our living God. I ask this in Jesus' Name and all who read this blog to join my prayer. I will be watching for my "miracle" through Jesus. Amen

Matthew 18: 19
"Again, I tell you, if two of you join our voices on earth to pray for anything, whatever, it shall be granted you by My Father in heaven."

Each person has their own perception of life. Each person may have many different perceptions of any one thing.
As all perceptions float around within our mind, they begin to form the way we think, the way we feel and act.
I try to have as many perceptions of all things. In this way, I may see the whole picture. Looking at each situation through all perspectives can give you a more positive outlook on life; it can give you more opportunities. It will allow you to have an open mind and enable you to see things the way others may see them.
Open perception allows for non-judgement. It allows for learning and growing.

Proverbs 27:19
"As one face differs from another, so does one human heart from another."

If the Lord puts an idea or feeling in your heart that he wants you to do something for Him, you need to follow through. Within your soul, you will know that it is God speaking to you, you will feel a little nudge maybe as in the feeling you get when you know there is something you've forgotten to do...but can't remember what it is. Ask God to show you what it is that He wants you to do, to take you to the place of service to Him. Ask for His guidance in accomplishing His will. He will show you.

Psalm 16: 8-11
"I set the Lord ever before me; with Him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; because You will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will You suffer Your faithful one to undergo corruption. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in Your presence, the delights at Your right hand forever. PTL

Jeremiah 13:15
"Give ear, listen humbly for the Lord speaks; give glory to the Lord your God!"

So often, on our walk with God, we go through cycles of change; challenges with our faith. There may be a time span when you are very close to God, then in other times you might feel at a distance from Him. At times when you feel troubled or going through trials, you may find yourself drawing closer to God, but then as things get better, you may feel as if you can stand on your own, not needing Him as much. Remembering to pray and give thanks to God daily, whether in good times or bad, you can have God's peace within you always. Then in times of trouble you need not search Him out, He is already with you. Spend time with God each day, thanking Him for all the blessings He bestows on you, and you will know the joy of the Lord in your heart always.
Don't turn away from God, don't become complacent in your walk with Him. Give praise and thanks to Him always.

Thank You, Lord, for Your inspiration and love in my life.

Your love for me
it has no end
I feel it always
and I know when
I am with You
through all my days
I'll walk my path with You
I'll give You praise.

In each breath I take
I want to proclaim
all You have done for me
to glorify Your name
to share my joy
to shine my light
from every morning
to every night.

God wants us to serve Him and give Him thanks for all of our blessings. Our God is a loving God and wants only good things for us. God created us to love Him; He loves us so much, He only wants our love in return. He wants us to be happy and full of joy and peace in knowing He is always here for us. We were never meant to do it all alone. Apart from God, life feels so empty, oneness with God is where we are complete. God is always here waiting; Waiting for us to realize how much we need Him and how very much He wants to be a part of our life.

Psalm 13: 6
"Let my heart rejoice in Your salvation; let me sing of the Lord, He has been good to me."

When you allow God to be in charge of your life, you begin to see things differently.

Observing things unfold
knowing God is in control
allows for your acceptance.
A knowing that there is a purpose in action
that it is not only happenstance.
Lessons learned, observations made
allow for growth within you
a vision of a new wisdom.
Resistance to what is
only causes delay and growth hindrance.
You can watch as the world goes by and do nothing,
or you can be a part of God's plan
by accepting His will for your life.

Thank you Lord.

First thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, ask Jesus to help you to follow Him and be of service to Him in all you do. Ask for His guidance on the path with Him.

As you go through your day, keep in mind your prayer, in this way you can be assured that you are making the most of your time and all you do. God will provide all the time you need to accomplish what He asks of you. Trust and believe and you will know God's peace as you complete all you need to do.

Jeremiah 32: 17
"Ah Lord, God, You have made heaven and earth by Your great might, with Your outstretched arm; nothing is impossible to You."

Act:2: 25-28
"I have set the Lord ever before me, with Him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. My heart has been glad and my tongue has rejoiced, my body will live on in hope, for You will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will You suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. You have shown me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence."

In following the path with Jesus, you can count on His help always. He will not abandon you. Trust in the Lord in all things, He will show you the way. Remain truthful to God's ways and God will remain faithful to all His promises to you. Peace and joy always to you through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many injustices in this world, there are people who will try to get you to do things that you know are not right, maybe because they just don't look at things the way you do. They may not be on the path with Jesus in trying to do right. God will always send His Angels to protect you, and fill you will extra grace to withstand the fiery darts of evil. Just ask.

Psalm 55: 23-24
"Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will support you; never will He let the just man be disturbed. And You, oh God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days. But I trust in You, oh Lord."

Encouragement, sharing, love, compassion, letting each other know we understand, these are the ways God wants us to show each other we care.

We all have our own personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus speaks to our hearts, He knows how we feel and all that we experience. He is always here to comfort us; you only need call out His name. Jesus will reveal His love and forgiveness to you. He loves you very much. Jesus asks that we follow Him.

John 21: 19 and 22
"Follow Me."

"Your business is to follow Me."

Jesus will show us the way, as He is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6)

A good way to look at things that you do or say is to ask yourself, "will this glorify God? Is this the way Jesus would do it?" In thinking this way, you can be sure you are walking the path with Jesus. You can be assured He will always be here to help you.

Sometimes it may seem that doors keep closing on you as you go through your life following God. At times like this it is important to pray to not become discouraged, and ask God to point you in the direction you need to go. Pray for discernment to know when the time is right, and for the grace and strength to follow through with what God wants you to do.
God will use quiet times, when the doors do not appear to be open, to plant the seeds of tasks for the future, when He may be showing you that trust and dependence on Him is necessary for growth. In all this give glory and praise to God.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14
"For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord. Plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans for a future full of hope. When you call Me, when you go to pray to Me, I will listen to you. when you look for Me, you will find Me. yes, when you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me with you, says the Lord."

You know, adults can learn many lessons from children...As we strive to teach them, we should pay attention, there is alot you can learn too!
I was having a conversation, about prayer, with my grandson, Elijah. It went like this:
Elijah is continuing his swimming lessons, and though he is doing very well, we want him to get stronger and be more confident in the water. One thing he always says as we go to swimming lessons each week is, "I don't want to go into the deep big pool." He wants to stay in the shallow water where his feet can touch bottom.
He and I were sitting on the couch the other day, and he said, "Nana, I am going to ask Jesus for me not to have to go to swimming lessons this Wednesday." I looked at him for a minute, then I said, "Well, why don't we ask Jesus to help you to not be afraid when you go to swimming lessons?" He said ok, then we said his prayer together. He then asked me if Jesus really heard him and if He would really help him to not be afraid, and I told him, "most definitely!" I told him that he needed to believe that Jesus would help him and that if he started to become afraid again, to quickly ask Jesus to be with him.
A few hours later, he said to me, "Nana, when we go to swim lessons, could you put me in the big, deep pool(instead of the teacher, Miss Kim), and then reach in there to help me if I can't swim out?" I told him of course I would, but that Miss Kim would be in the water with him and his Mom would also be right there, and that he would do fine. Only a little while ago he did not even want to go to swimming lessons, and now he was talking about going into the deep pool. I said, "Praise the Lord! Do you see how quickly Jesus comforts you when you ask Him to?"

I believe this is a prayer Jesus will always answer immediately, the prayer to ask Him to be with you in your life. A couple of my favorite Psalms that I pray often are:

Psalm 25: 17
"Relieve the troubles of my heart and bring me out of my distress."

Psalm 6: 10
"The Lord has heard my plea, the Lord has accepted my prayer."

I say these prayers and I feel Jesus comforting me in that moment. What a blessing God has given us through the power of prayer and comfort.

Lord, help me to surrender to Your will for my life. When I try to make things happen, that I think are right, they don't always work out and then bring unsettledness into my life. Help me to find joy in all I do, Lord. Fill me with Your peace as I give my will to You. Help me to believe in this surrendering Lord, to know that all will work out right. There are no mistakes, with You, Lord. You are in control.

I praise You, Lord
for all the sounds of nature,
the sights and smell of creation,
the touch of love in all You do,
the way I feel close to You.
You are where its at, dear Lord.
You are the Way, the Truth, the Life.
I give glory to Your name.

John 16:27
"The Father already loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God."

PTL

The touch of grace is one you need to be aware of. It comes in a moments notice, as a gentle breeze through the air, to reside within you as a strength unseen. To know your spirit within beholds this grace is a gift from God. To be within God's love and light of this heavenly grace is to be within the realm of God.

As the sun sets
to a crimson tide
the night falls
and nature hides
beneath the stars
as creatures call
the time is now
to be in awe
at moonrise
all creation
big and small
peace and love
God gave us all.


Through Jesus Christ we are forgiven; forgiven in all things. We must believe in Jesus to receive this forgiveness, to be within the state of grace.

John 16: 7-13
"I will send the Paraclete to you; when He comes, He will prove the world wrong about sin, about justice, about condemnation. About sin, in that they refuse to believe in Me(Jesus), about justice from the fact that I go to the Father and you can see me no more. About condemnation, for the prince of this world has been condemned."
"When He comes, however, being the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to all truth."

Lead me on my path with You, Lord.

You know, once your eyes are opened to the glory of God, you may think that it will be easy to stay on your path with God, but it takes work to keep your relationship with God alive. It takes time spent in prayer and in God's word. Any relationship takes time and commitment including your relationship with God. Being in God's presence fills you with peace and joy and you only need to step away from God for a minute to feel the emptiness creep back in.
I know I am nothing without God, I don't even want to think of my life not walking with Jesus. My prayer is to always be with Him. I am here Lord.

Psalm 5: 3, 8
"To You I pray, oh Lord; at dawn You hear my voice. At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before You."
"Make straight my path."

I long to do God's will
to spread His love and light
to always be within His word
I know that this is right
Always walking in God's ways
is where I want to be
loving all as Jesus did
giving all of me.

This is how I want to live
in everything I do
bringing glory to God's name
making all hearts new
showing others of God's love
in how I live my life
walk my path with Jesus
staying in His light.

John 9:25
"I was blind before, now I can see."

Ask Jesus to open your eyes to His love, His will. This prayer Jesus will always answer. PTL

Jeremiah 16:16
"Look! I will send many fishermen, says the Lord, to catch my people. After that I will send many hunters to hunt them out from every mountain and hill and from clefts of the rocks."

Jesus was sent by God to bring nonbelievers home to Him. So, too, does Jesus send us, all who believe in Him, to be the light; to shine His light and love to the world; to bring His people home.

I was lost, but now am found.

Thank You Jesus.

Don't let your challenges become the battle within yourself. Take the focus off yourself and turn it towards God.

Many times it may seem as if we are faced with the same challenges that keep coming around. It could be because they have been a part of us for so long and we have never worked through them. Holding on to something, whether consciously or not, will not allow you to change and move forward.

You have to face your challenges, and knowingly deal with them, in order to release them from your life. You have to be aware that they are a challenge and that they might be a reason for not being all that God intended for you. God wants to help you, He wants you to fulfill your purpose here on earth. In surrendering all your trials and challenges to God, you know you always have someone to turn to as the road gets bumpy. Having faith in God, you will know that you will come through victorious. God promises us that if we trust and believe in Him, all things are possible.

Jeremiah 12: 3
"You, oh Lord, know me, You see me, You have found that at heart I am with You."

Praise the Lord in all things. Praise Him for all He does. All we have comes from the Lord, let us give as we receive. As we are blessed, let us also bless, and as we are loved, we too shall love.
God alone is worthy of all we are and He wants us to share His love, within us, with everyone.

Jeremiah 10: 6
"No one is like You, oh Lord, great are You. Great and mighty is Your name."

Praise You Jesus

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus loves us so much that He died on the cross for us. He rose from the dead and we have everlasting life through Him. Believe in Jesus, follow Him in light and truth.
Everything here on earth is temporary. Put your faith in all that is eternal through Jesus Christ. We are made new, we are whole through His sacrifice for us. Throughout eternity.

PTL

Isaiah 44: 3
"I will give you treasures out of the darkness, and riches that have been hidden away, that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." Praise You Jesus!

Give all praise to our God who reigns in heaven and on earth! Our God, who loves us and takes us for His own. Through all our trials and stumbling, everything we do or fail to do, He remains faithful to His promise of forgiveness through His only Son, Jesus Christ. We are loved, we are forgiven, we are His.

Our Lord is worthy of all our praise, all our love, and all we are. I thank You my Lord! Praise You, Jesus!

Deep within
my spirit lives
waiting to be free
free from all
the earthly cares
nothing left to bare
turn the stone
no more alone
one day I will be home.

The Spirit of God lives within us. As we live our life on earth, God wants to accomplish much through us, but He needs our spirit free from all earthly cares. He needs us to release our spirit to His care, so He can move about the earth fulfilling His plan.
Allow God's Spirit to work through you, surrender all to our Lord. You will then be free.

John 4: 24
"God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

The Unanswered Prayer

It seems there are always prayers running through my mind, prayers deep within my heart; some spoken, some not. There are prayers in my heart I may not even know that I have. I know God hears them all.

So , how many prayers does God answer? A lot of times a prayer does not get recognized as answered unless someone gives thanks for it out loud. Do we thank God for each answered prayer or are we focused on the ones we perceive to be unanswered?

Maybe the "unanswered" prayer is the answer.

God knows what is best for us. So, if we surrender our will to Him, we can be assured that anything we ask of Him will be answered according to His will, and it will be the right answer.

My prayer is for the understanding, trust and belief in God's will for me. And, always, the prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus always being with me.

Matthew 28:20
" And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world."

Pray unceasingly, do not lose heart(Luke 13:1)
Do not get discouraged, focus on Jesus always, keep your eyes on Him.

Yes, Jesus asks that we pray a lot, because He knows this is what we need. We need to focus on Him to stay on the path with Him. He knows all about the strength of temptation and what it takes to withstand it. It takes prayer, prayer to Jesus to the Holy Spirit within us, to get us through our tough moments. He will be there for you in your time of need.

I remember not long ago, I was facing a very crucial moment of temptation. I remember thinking "Jesus, help me!" Then I let go of my will, in trust and faith to Jesus, and I felt His calm and peace come over me. He was there for me.

We need to continually focus on our path with Jesus, so that when trials and challenges come before us, we are already within His presence and His help is immediate. Have faith, trust, and believe in the power of God.

Luke 18: 27
"Things that are impossible for men, are possible for God."

Every once in a while I need to remind myself to try and love as Jesus loved, to feel compassion for others as He did. I pray for the grace to see others through Jesus' eyes.

1 Corinthians 13
"Love is patient, love is kind,
love is not jealous, it does not put on airs,
it is not snobbish.
Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not prone to anger,
neither does it brood over injuries.
Love does not rejoice in what is wrong,
but rejoices with the truth.
There is no limit to loves forbearance,
to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.
Love never fails.
There are in the end three things that last,
faith, hope, and love.
And the greatest of these is Love.

Song of Songs 2:12
"Arise My beloved, My beautiful one and come! For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land."

With God, there is always hope. Hope in a beautiful moment, hope for a time of joy, hope for everlasting life. God wants us to know that all we need to do is shed our old ways, be open to His new ways for us, then all peace and joy await us. Even in earthly moments of trial and challenges, in hoping in God, we can always feel this peace within us. It is pure joy just knowing God and being in His presence. This is what helps and guides us through our life here on earth. We are never lost with God in our life.

Enjoying the moment.........

Do you know how good it feels to enjoy just his very moment? Not to think ahead or want for the next?

As I sit here, I choose not to allow thoughts of what is next, or tomorrow, to invade my mind; just for this moment. I choose to only 'be' 'right now'......feels good....I have no burdens, I have no cares, I am refreshed and at peace within myself. With every breath I feel gratitude for my existence, for being alive. Peace....

You know, sometimes it is easier to see God working in other peoples lives than it is in your own. Why is that?

Maybe it is because we are so attached to what we want that we cannot see past it. So when it appears our prayer is not answered right away or a different result from what we hoped comes about, we may feel as if God did not hear us. Yet the waiting and the learning along the way may be what is necessary for us. God sometimes takes His time answering our prayers so that we have time to contemplate His will for our life. God knows what is best for us, so if your prayer seems unanswered, look, with hope, for something better He will bring into your life. Trust God that He knows what He is doing. Pray for the strength and peace to persevere, to not get discouraged. Believe that God has your best interest at heart.
You want God's will to be done, you want to follow His plan for your life. Surrender to Him and allow His will to be done.
Thank You, Jesus.

2 Chronicles 6: 19
"Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, oh Lord, my God and listen to the cry of supplication your servant makes before You."

As long as you are alive and breathing and have faith and belief in God, there will always be hope.

Hope in the Lord, not in things and circumstances. When your hope is in Jesus, all will be taken care of. God hears our prayers, each one of them. God will always acknowledge and accept your prayers. He will answer according to His will as you surrender to His plan. God is always here for you. When all may feel lost and confused, you can know in your heart that God has not abandoned you. Comfort and peace remain.

Luke 12: 29, 31
"It is not for you to be in search of what you are to eat or drink. Stop worrying."
"Seek out God's kingship over you and the rest will follow in turn."

PTL

Oh, yes, I have been lost before!

I would like to think I will never be lost again; it is not a good feeling. Yet, I know getting lost creeps up on you like a thief in the night. It isn't as if one minute you are within God's presence and the next you're out. It is a gradual, little by little happening, that most times you are not even aware of.

It may begin by not focusing, daily, on God through prayer and His word. It may come about as you don't depend on God for your daily needs, maybe thinking you only need Him in major crisis situations. You begin to think that you are ok on your own, and pretty soon you are not even thinking of God very often. Little by little worldly things seep in. You start to feel comfortable and normal in your egoic mind and things of the world don't seem so wrong anymore.

It usually takes some big event to snap you back to reality. Something goes wrong and you start to search for God's help, and it is then you realize how far away from God you have drifted. The distance may seem immense.

God is not far away, ever. He is right beside you, waiting to take your hand again, to shower you with His love and forgiveness. Our God is merciful beyond knowledge, always remember this as you journey with Him. Praise God for His mercy and forgiveness.

Staying on the path with God does take time and effort; it takes a desire to want to be with God, but He loves you more than anything or anyone you will ever know, so why wouldn't you want to be with Him? There is no better place to be.

Maybe God allows us to get lost every now and then, to realize how much we need Him and how much better our life is when we give Him control. Our purpose becomes very clear and our lives are more productive according to His will for us. Most importantly, the path with God leads to everlasting life.

Luke 11: 24-26
"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person it wanders through arid waste, searching for a resting place; failing to find one it says, "I will go back to where I came from." It then returns to find the house swept and tidied. Next it goes out and returns with seven other spirits far worse than itself who enter and dwell there. The result is the last state of the person is worse than the first."

Luke 11: 28
"Blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it."

Death of the body is nothing compared to death of the soul.

Many do not realize the difference. Death of the soul can happen before you physically die. You walk around in darkness, not even knowing it, you are lifeless, though you breathe. This is a very scary, tragic occurrence, as what truly is motivating your existence? Purely physical entities, thoughts and actions controlled by your ego, your mind; and a separation from God. This is where evil enters in the door, through anger, hate, jealousy, greed, lust, all the things that are of human quality and faults of the physical realm. When your soul is not in tact, all these things run rampant. There is no real happiness or joy found here.

True peace and happiness come to us through spirituality and light, through love from God. When your spirit lives, the physical realm seems almost inconsequential; there is an innate realization that this is where you belong, with your Creator. There is a unity, an inner peace in knowing God provides and is always here for us. This is reality; God is real. Your desire for worldly things fade to a distant background, they become much less important.

It does not take much to find God, only the desire to do so. Come to God with a humble attitude to seek His forgiveness and love, to show Him that you love Him and want to be in His presence. His light and love will surround you immediately and your spirit will soar! God is always here for us.

Jeremiah 2: 19
"Your own wickedness chastises you, your own infidelities punish you. Know then and see how evil and bitter is your forsaking the Lord your God. And showing no fear of Me, says the Lord, the God of Hosts."

Calm, Cool, and Focused on God

There is right and there is wrong.

Then----there is what is "right for you" as opposed to what is "right for someone else". There are a lot of gray areas left uncovered within this thinking. It all begins with what each person believes to be the truth; what and who you believe in.

There is God's law, and then there is man's law. Isn't it amazing how we are forced to abide by man's law, yet God gives us the choice to follow His laws or not. This is a definite area for contemplation.

If you don't agree with man's law, you still have to follow it, or pay the consequences. We believe this because we have witnessed this to be true. Man's law is a very tangible entity. Yet God's law, though it is written, still remains, to many people, a matter of opinion and belief and not easily seen as enforced here on earth. Within the spiritual realm, it most definitely has its place, as the forces of good and evil are evidence of that. God's laws can be said to be our connection from our earthly existence into everlasting life. Yet, because they are not easily seen to those who do not believe, the consequences of not abiding by these laws seem distant or nonexistent.

All laws are made to enable us to live safe, peaceful and productive lives. Laws that are broken hurt others and they hurt yourself. Even if someone does not believe in God or His laws, if they took the time to observe these laws, they might understand why God has given us these laws to live by. A friend once said to me, "Imagine if each person in the world followed just one of God's commandments at the same time. Imagine the difference it would make in this world." The world would be a much more loving place. The law where Jesus says "Treat others the way you would have them treat you."(Matt 7:2) could certainly impact an enormous change in the world.

God's law was created for us by our God who loves us very much and only wants good things for us. He knows the guidance we need, He knows all we need. He wants us to have the best possible existence here on earth as we learn of His love and experience all He has for us. If you look close enough, you will see that there truly are consequences in not following God's laws. These consequences do not come only after we die, they slowly affect your spirit as you live your earthly life. They happen little by little as you turn away from God's love and His laws, causing your spirit to die. This truly is a tragedy, because when you physically die, your spirit will not be alive to find your way to God's light and everlasting life with Him. I would like to believe that we are all ingrained with the desire to follow God's light and law, yet many do not see or choose not to follow. They harden their hearts and go the other way, to what purpose I can only imagine might be that they think they know better or they just cannot believe.

It only takes a minute and a prayer to turn to God, He is waiting with open arms. In a momentary conviction your spirit can be back in the light and truth. If we keep this prayer(for all) to turn our hearts to flesh so that we can see, we will witness the conversion from darkness to light. It takes only faith and belief in God. God's will be done.

I was lost, but now I'm found. I was blind but now I see.

Why are some found and others never see?

I know it is a choice to believe in God, to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died and rose again for our salvation and eternal life with Him. I know it is a choice to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

Yet many people do not see this, their eyes and heart have not been opened. Why? Could it be they have not been told about our Savior? Will their heart ever be opened to God's love for them?

Luke 11: 10
"Whoever asks, receives, whoever seeks, finds, whoever knocks is admitted."

We can pray for others, for their hearts to be opened, for their eyes to see. It is our responsibility as believers to allow our light to shine to the whole world; for the evidence of our belief and faith in God to bring others to Him.

Beginning of my next book...........

Thank You, Lord, for not abandoning me and for continuing to shine Your light for me.

It is a fine line between hot and cold, though the warm seems immense because so many reside there. Warm is a comforable place to be, but it gets you nowhere. When you are warm, you are just existing, caught up within yourself and your issues; not moving forward and sometimes even slipping back.

It takes a strong conviction, in God and yourself, to keep moving forward. There are many around you who would try to make you believe different, because they do not see. There are many, who possibily unknowingly, try to keep you from your convictions because they may not have the belief or convictions in themselves; they don't know how to get unstuck from where they are and they don't want to be in that space alone. Many look at life as a hopeless endeavor; they hide behind all kinds of facades; ego, alcohol, drugs and fear. And they do not want to be there alone.

They may not have found God in their life, or they may be lost.

Life was created by God, and God is life. If you do not recognize this, you wander lost because for the most part, things just don't make much sense. You may be lost searching for happiness or dreams and when they don't seem to happen for you, you remain in the "existence" mode. God is the only One who makes sense, because He created everything and He made each thing for a reason. From each part of creation, to each human being, all have a specific reason for being. It is when you come to understand this, by following God, that you will realize what life is all about. You have the choice, always, to stay on the warm plane, continually searching, lost within the trappings of worldly wants and desires, which by the way are extremely temporary, or you can become strong in God and your own personal convictions.

Life with God is everlasting through Jesus Christ His Son. All you have to do is believe. It is not hard to take the step, but it does take a whole-hearted conviction to walk with Jesus daily. The path cannot be walked with one foot in the cold and one foot in the hot...there is no straddling the line, you're either in or your out. Trying to walk in the warm area can be very treacherous, because there are too many opportunities to slip off into the cold area...dead and cold....

You have to focus on the lighted path with Jesus. Bring people with you, don't let them drag you back. You have to be strong and depend on Jesus by admitting to not being able to do it alone. Ask and you will recieve. This is a prayer God will always answer; a heartfelt prayer to follow Him. He will not abandon you, no matter what. You must be with God to know Him and all He means to you, to know the way to walk. You cannot do it alone.

Psalm 51: 12-14
"A clean heart create for me, oh God
And a steadfast Spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from Your presence
And Your Holy Spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of Your salvation
And a willing Spirit sustain in me."

Psalm 6: 10
"The Lord has heard my plea
The Lord has accepted my prayer."

Job 40:1-2
"The Lord then said to Job: Will we have arguing with the Almighty by the critic? Let him who would correct God give answer."

Reading the book of Job, I realize it is not all about "us", yet it is all about "us".

God loves us. He wants us to love Him. He wants us to acknowledge Him as our Creator and give Him praise in all He has created. God created us to be good, He wanted all things to be good. Since God allowed us free will and choice, it unfortunately opened the door to evil, as in our human form we have many weaknesses. God wants us to understand that, of ourselves, we cannot really accomplish much. We need God, as our Creator, to show us the right way and to make things possible for the good of all.
God wants us to offer back to Him our free will. He wants us to choose Him as leader in our life, so that He can help and guide us in the way we should live. If we do this, we will be pleasing to God and through God, He can make all good things possible for us.
Life will be as it is, but the difference will come when you allow God to be with you; all you experience will have more meaning, a greater purpose. God's promises are true. If you live your life with Him, you can lay claim to all His promises to us, most importantly forgiveness, salavation and everlasting life through His Son, Jesus Christ.
We cannot always see, we cannot always understand the ways of God. But we can always trust and believe in God to take care of us and provide for us.
It is all about choices and attitudes, acceptance and surrender. It is a daily way of life, it has to be, to remain strong in the Lord. It cannot be a sometimes thing. You have to be convicted and sure of God's power in your life. There is little room for doubts, as doubts leave the door open for evil. Always pray to be strong in the Lord, to serve Him, to witness to His glory in your life. In this way, your light, for God, can shine to a lost and hurting world.

Choose God.
PTL

Serving God through helping others.

Many times we are so involved with what is going on in our own lives that we forget to check to see what is going on around us. There is a whole different feeling when you take a look outside yourself to observe others. You begin to see each person as they are focused on their life and the circle around them.

Then there are those people who are widening their vision to include a concern for others and the world outside of their circle. When you reach out to help others, that is when God is truly at work through you and within you because you take the focus off yourself and onto God to serve Him through helping others. God works through you to accomplish everything and He also provides for you as you do this. There is a special kind of fulfillment in this. It may not be as easy as it seems, because so many times we are attached to what is happening to us and how we feel, that we cannot see beyond that. It takes trust in God and a surrender of yourself to let go and serve. God will provide; He will provide for others and for yourself, all through everyone working together. Recognize the power of God to accomplish everything. True happiness comes from giving and thinking of others, allowing God to provide.

Luke 9: 23
"Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day and follow in my steps."

PTL

In all that I do and all that I experience, I know that God has something for me to learn.
The more questions and wonder you experience in living your life, the more God can open your heart and your eyes to His way. Together, with God, you can have a most special journey of living your life in love, peace, and joy. In spending time with God you will get a special understanding of God's way. God's way is the right way, there is no other right way.
PTL

Forgiveness.

Who are we to even look to God for forgiveness, when in our daily lives it seems such a difficult task to forgive others? For every wrong done to us, we have done twice more against God. How can we even think to not forgive someone when God does not think twice in forgiving us?
It is important to find forgiveness in your heart for all wrongs you have done and all those you perceive to have been done to you, then make your peace. Does this mean you actually have to go to the other person and ask for and give forgiveness? Jesus says we do. If for some reason this is not possible, then you should start by allowing the forgiveness you have in your heart to heal you. As you do this, you will see how important it is to try to, somehow, make your peace with the other person to allow them to heal, also.
There is nothing more humbling than to ask for forgiveness, and to give forgiveness can feel compassionately humbling, too. Through a deliberate act of love, find forgiveness in your heart each day, for yourself and others. Do not let the negativity of wrongs accumulate. Be at peace with God, yourself, and everyone.
PTL

Luke 6: 27-28, 36-38
"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you and pray for those who maltreat you."
"Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned, pardon and you shall be pardoned. Give and it shall be given to you."

Who is to know what is to come?

No one really knows what each moment will bring. But,for sure, what you do in the present moment will affect your next moment. So if you have a specific direction you want to take, if you focus on it in the present moment, it is likely what you are focusing on will keep you in the right direction. This can apply to everything in your life, from the smallest to the most important things.

I want to do God's will, to fulfill His purpose for my life. How do I do this? I believe by praying and spending time with God through His word, He will lead me in the way He wants me to go. Though I definitely need to spend quality time with Him each day to know what this is. I need to be with God with an attitude of humble surrender to Him, not so much of a prayerful petition of my wants. When I set aside my wants and desires, it is then that I can see, so much more clearly, what God wants me to do. I can't be going after what I think is the right thing, so much so, that I get in the way of God's purpose. So each moment, each step, has to be a deliberate dropping of my will, surrendering to God, then He will definitely make sure I am accomplishing what I am here for.

Praise You, Jesus.

Job 28: 20, 23, 28
"When, then, comes Wisdom, and where is the place of understanding?"
"God knows the way to it; it is He who is familiar with its place."
"Behold the fear of the Lord is Wisdom, and avoiding evil is understanding."

Getting through and making the most of it.

How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you tell yourself, "oh, if I can only get through this!" I'm sure it has happened more than once and will probably happen again. So I decided to look at this type of experience in a different way. I wonder what would happen, instead of resisting and trying to "just get through", just stop, and really experience what is going on. Are you feeling this way because it is something you would rather not be doing? Is it a situation of discomfort or stress? As you pinpoint the reason for the feeling, you can contain it to work through it. Everything is temporary, even good things, so no matter what you are experiencing, if you do it moment to moment, it gives you a different perspective on it. You know it cannot control you anymore, when you realize that it will not last forever. You can, then, let go of the imagined binds that it has on you. Enjoy each moment for what it is. You are alive and you are experiencing life. Take a deep breath and make the most of every moment.

It is how you look at things that matter.

What will you do with your gifts God gives you today? Each moment you live is a gift from God, given to you for a very specific reason. It may be for a moment of service to Him, it may be for a moment of rest to listen to His voice, it could be for a moment of enjoyment. Whatever you choose to do with your time is up to you. God wants us to be wise stewards of our time and to think of Him first, to see what He may want you to be accomplishing for Him in that moment. In this way, you will be fulfilling your purpose for being here. It is a wonderful, blessed feeling to know you have a special reason for being alive, that you are a very special part of God's plan. So remember to love, serve and glorify our God in all things each day. Then joy and peace will be with you all the days of your life! PTL

Job 22: 26-28

"For then you shall delight in the Almighty and you shall lift up your face toward God. You shall entreat Him and He will hear you and your vows you shall fulfill. When you make a decision, it shall succeed for you and upon your ways the light shall shine."

Praise God!

What is life really all about?

Is our life here on earth purely for the striving of enjoyment? Are we to work hard so that we may achieve alot? Or are we to try to live a humble existence in all we do, being content with what God provides for us? Alot of people work hard all their life, but by the worlds standards they don't really achieve much. So what does that say about our life's purpose? I think we are here to lead good lives within God's plan for us. Yes, to enjoy and be grateful for all God gives us, no matter how much or little it may seem to the "world". More importantly, I think God wants us to share, with others, all He does bestow on us. He wants us to share of ourselves, our time, our knowledge, and the love He has for all. We are to serve God by sharing the good news of His Son, Jesus, and our salvation through Jesus. In this we all have in common; God's peace, joy, and love are given to each one of us in abundance. No one who recognizes God will be left out. Every one's idea of success may be a bit different, but real success and happiness is found through Jesus and our eternal life with Him. This is everlasting and the only thing that goes with you in the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:13

"For everyone, moreover, to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of his labor is a gift of God. I recognized that whatever God does will endure forever, there is no adding to it or taking from it. This God has done that He may be revered."

Seasons of Life

A seed is planted and grows as it is fed and watered

to bloom in the spring with fresh new life

to thrive in the summer sun

to shed the old and rest in the fall

to slumber through winter and grow strength

to continue to grow and change with each passing day

Always changing, always growing and flourishing with life.

Life is not meant to stand still. Nothing stays the same. Each day we have new experiences, we learn new things and as long as we are focused, we can apply them in a positive way to our lives. We can thrive and grow as we are nourished by God. Many times it may seem we are stagnating in a particular area of our life, and it may be that we are trying to shed some old to make room for new growth. In those times of fall and winter it is good to contemplate where you have been to make changes for the spring. Awareness in your seasons of growth will help you to stay on your path with God. Focus on your journey, strive to experience and learn all you can as you grow and bloom.

Keep moving forward on the path that you know to be right, the path with God. The temptations and distractions of the world are many, but the light of Jesus is brighter than any darkness. Follow Jesus. Don't look back. The truth is now, here in the moment. To do what is right in each moment is what God asks us to do. Don't worry about tomorrow and what might be. Focus on Jesus now. Life will always be right if you are with God. Sometimes it may feel that if you are not always trying to be successful and get all you want out of life, then you are missing out on something. But that is not seeing the true purpose of life. It's not always about the "big race" or "finishing first". It may be the encouragement you offer someone to help them through a tough time, or the sharing of Jesus' true love for us and the salvation He attained for us through His death on the cross that may be what God asks you to do. The gate to damnation is wide and many choose to take it as it is the easy way. Don't get caught up in the ways of the world that lead to that gate. Follow the light of Jesus, let your light shine from the mountain tops. PTL

Lord, You see my every step before it is ever taken; You know my thoughts before I do. In this way, Lord, as I surrender to You I can be sure my way is right. Sometimes I am at a tug of war within myself, what is this all about? What are You trying to show me? I cannot see; open my heart please show me Your way.

Balance What is most important in your life? This is a question to be contemplated, an action to be taken, as you have this one life to live, now. Are you rushing through each day to an unknown finish line? Or are you aware of all that you do to make sure you are doing what is most important to you? Yes, there are certain things that must be done each day, that is a given. It is how you do them that makes the difference. Are you being true to what you are doing? Are you living with the truth and honest conviction that what you are doing is what God would have you do? Or are you living in discontent and an attitude of negativeness? No matter what you do, if you are promoting well-being in yourself and others around you, it all works for good. If your heart and attitude aren't right, then it is all for nought. Ask God to help you, to show you how to change what you are doing, or at least how you feel about it. Pray for a grateful attitude of the gift of each moment and to make the most of it. Thank God for always being here to help. PTL Job 13: 27 " You watch all my paths, and trace all my footsteps."

As the wind blows so my soul goes free about the earth sometimes to the heavens as in sleep though my eyes wide open aware of feeling Alive not in a way known not to be seen only felt. What is "alive"? Are we not always alive or only spirit? Who is to say which is true to live or be alive...within and so the wind blows. ~m~ Job 12: 10 "In God's hands is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind."

Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8 "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth; before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say I have no pleasure in them; Before the sun is darkened, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, while the clouds return after the rain; When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind; When the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of the bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed; And one fears heights and peril in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grow sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets; Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls in the well, And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it, Vanities of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity!"

Your journey with God is your own. Your purpose given to you by God is fulfilled by trusting in God to accomplish it. It is between you and God. Sometimes God may use others to encourage you along the way, though you should always pray for discernment in all that is spoken. God knows your heart and through spending time with God, you know Him too. You know His expectations for the way you live your life. So, it is very important to listen for God's voice at all times, before others. God would never tell you that something is impossible for you to accomplish, so never allow others words to raise the doubts in your mind. Set your focus on God and follow Him. It is not important what others think as long as you are doing right by God and yourself. Ecclesiastes 12: 13 "The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is mans all, because God will bring to judgement every work with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad." PTL

Why is it said that we "spend" our time? Is time something that we have purchased? Time is given to each of us as a gift from God; some of us have more, some less. I guess it is what we do with the time we are given that is important. Are we grateful for the time we have or are we always wishing for more? Are we wise stewards of our time, using it in service to God and helping others, or do we selfishly horde it to ourselves? All of these are questions that go through my mind as I live each day. Am I making the world a better place, adding to it, or am I just taking from it and using it? Ask God to help you to be a wise steward of the time He gives you. In that way you can be assured you are accomplishing all God wants you to. Then you will be filled with peace and joy as you show God that you are grateful for His gift of time to you. God will bless you by taking the things you do with your time and multiplying them all many times over. It will seem you have an abundance of time instead of always wanting more. PTL Luke 19: 26 "The moral is: whoever has will be given more, but the one who has not will lose the little he has."

Sometimes our challenges that we face seem like mountains before us; insurmountable at times. Sometimes we may avoid facing them because we just don't know where to start or we have the fear that it may not work out. Maybe the doubt goes through our mind to whether or not we can really do it...or we are afraid of failure. To me, there is no failure when you continue to try. God says we can do anything through Him if we believe that we can. When we trust in God, when we have faith in Him, we can move the mountains in our life. Anything we believe to be, will be. Don't put off doing things...don't postpone your dreams, your purpose, because of fear or unbelief. The doubt and fear are worse than the "stepping out onto the water." Trust God and believe that through Him all things are possible. Yes you can! PTL

I pray to serve God in all I do. If I am serving God, He will provide for me. God has reasons for all we go through. We only need to trust that He will fulfill His purpose for us as we surrender to His will. We can never give up, always keep our faith and trust in God as we go through our trials. Pray to not become discouraged and reach out to Jesus for help. He will show you the way and you'll know that it is the right way. Never give up, keep your faith in God. Romans 14: 22 "Use the faith you have as your rule of life in the sight of God. Happy the one whose conscience does not condemn what he has chosen to do." PTL