Who is in YOUR boat?

Paul experienced quite a STORM in Acts 27. This storm was so violent, it shipwrecked Paul and the entire crew, landing them on the island of Malta. The coolest thing God showed me though, is that He USED Paul's storm and being shipwrecked on Malta for His glory....leading the people of Malta to become followers of Christ.

God will use our storms (when we allow Him) and turn them into "Malta-s", opportunities to WITNESS and share God's love with others.



Jesus also experienced storms....and His disciples.  In fact, they often experienced the storms WITH Jesus.

From Luke 8
Jesus had told the disciples that they were going over to the other side of the lake. They all climbed into the boat and began to cross to the lake. During the sail over, Jesus fell asleep. During this time, a huge storm comes up. "The boat was being swamped, and they were in GREAT DANGER." OK, these guys were fishermen- they were used to life on the sea. They had undoubtedly seen many storms. But this one SCARED them!

They woke up Jesus screaming, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

They are hysterical. They thought it was "all over."

Now, I had always "read" this as the disciples were waking up Jesus to have him DO SOMETHING. But, perhaps, they are waking Jesus up because they think they are going to have to jump ship....that this storm is "IT"....this is the end for all of them.... Are they waking Him up, thinking "How can you sleep through THIS? We are all going to die!"

Listen to what happens next. (Verses 24-25)

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him."

If the disciples had known that Jesus was GOD, would they have been scared? If they knew that I AM was in the boat with them, would they have feared? God Almighty...Creator of the universe...Who set the stars in place....Who created the sea.....Who keeps the winds in storehouses.... was with them in the boat! If they realized WHO Jesus was, would they have panicked? Peter had not yet confessed that Jesus was the Christ. And, although they knew Jesus was something NEW....a prophet, a teacher, something very special.....did they know that GOD Himself was in the boat with them????

If they did, would they have been afraid?

And, it made me think of myself. If I truly believed that the great I AM, the God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty were in MY boat, would I be afraid when the storms of life come up?

When temptations come, when trials come....do I see WHO IS IN MY BOAT WITH ME?

Do I relax in faith? Do I trust? Do I rest in knowing that in my time of need, the Lord Himself is there, in MY BOAT, as my strength, my Savior, my sufficiency?


Lord, help me to see You for Who You are. You are the Creator of the UNIVERSE! You have created all the stars, the seas, the creatures... You made ME. Give me eyes to SEE You for who You are. You are the great I AM! When the storms of life come up, help me to trust completely in You, knowing that You can calm them with just a word. You are in MY BOAT WITH ME. Help me to get a revelation of that. I love You, Lord! Praise You, Jesus! Thank You for Your glorious Word! In Christ, the Calmer of the Storms, the One, True, Living God's Name we pray. Amen!

Building-Up Words!

My mouth can get me into trouble. Along with my "quick wit", I am also "blessed" with an impulsiveness that can, coupled together, cause an eruption of hurtful words and an explosion of hurt feelings. This Lenten season, I am forgoing the elimination of chocolate or red meat or TV programs, and purposefully and prayerfully eliminating "unwholesome talk" from my vocabulary. Now, you may be tempted to think "unwholesome" means only "vulgar" speech or words that fall into the "swearing like a sailor" category...but God challenges us to get rid of all words that DO NOT LIFT OTHERS UP.

Not just words that are mean or hurtful, but...

DO NOT SPEAK WORDS...UNLESS THEY ARE...

Useful words.

Kind words.

Positive words.

Encouraging words.

Words that BUILD OTHERS UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS. This requires a few things.

1. SHUT UP! (& listen!). Don't just listen, anticipating your response, but listen without any other agenda other than to HEAR the person speaking.

2. Listen with the intent of figuring out their needs. Does the person just need a should to cry on? Do they need help coming up with a solution to a problem? Do they need to know someone HEARS them...that they are not invisible?

3. Speak! "Build them up." Affirm them. Remind them of how AWESOME they are. Notice them.

God has really been dealing with me as I have been purposing to live out this verse.

When I have been tempted to point out someone's mistakes, have an "I told you so" attitude, or engage in gossip...God has been reminding me that I "gave up" harsh words during Lent.  See?  I posted about it here:

[HARSH WORDS]
Behind my sweet smile, lurks sarcasm & a tongue that can cut to the quick. The Holy Spirit tells me to keep mouth closed but I often choose to ignore that because that little comeback is just "too good" not to get in. Power of life & death are in the tongue. I choose to give up words that kill the spirit & bring death; I choose life-giving words.

Of course I do NOT intend to pick harsh words back up again after Easter! "Eliminating" certain things, be it chocolate or unwholesome talk, is the practice of seeking Jesus during this season and becoming more like Him during Lent and forever.


"Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful to build others up according to their needs."

Lord, may my words be life-giving, encouraging, helpful, kind, & uplifting.❤

Beloved....me?

As I continue to seek God during Lent, something I chose to "give up" in this season is 

negative self-talk. 

I tend to be my own worst critic and really hard on myself at times. I will use words that I would NEVER speak to someone else, calling myself names, reminding myself of mistakes. Sometimes I replay failures in my mind, repeating every detail over and over.

So...I am giving up a negative self-image.

[NEGATIVE SELF-IMAGE ]
I choose to believe that I am His beloved daughter, loved & accepted AND my identity is secure in Him. 

I am His masterpiece, fearfully & wonderfully made.    My WORTH doesn't come from what others think of me, NOT from how successful I am or how successful my kids are... NOT from how clean my house is or what size my jeans are.

My WORTH comes from being created, loved, saved, and redeemed by a good, good Father, the Creator of the Universe...the God of all creation. ❤

❤

As I continue my Lenten journey, I have been asking God to "get my heart right." To change my heart, rip out anything that shouldn't be there...to make my heart more like His.

Today's daily verse was Psalm 19:7: The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

And as I continued reading, it really was the next few verses that hit my heart:
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord , my rock and my redeemer. (Verses 12-14).

And, the prayer from my devotional:
Lord, I give you permission to search my heart today. Though it’s uncomfortable, if there is anything in me that is not from you and in line with your Word, help me to let it go. Thank you for doing it with me. I don’t want anything to hinder our relationship; I want to be fully yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you think God is telling me something???Encouraging me to allow Him to search my heart and dig out the junk? Yep, me, too.

Sometimes it is uncomfortable. Sometimes my pride really wants to fight it. Sometimes I think I am RIGHT...JUSTIFIED..to feel/think things are OK to be in there. Bitterness & unforgiveness for someone who deeply hurt me. Judgemental thoughts. Jealousy.

But, God wants to transform me. Mold me. Shape me. Make me more like Jesus.

And...that is what this season of Lent is all about. Drawing near to God & allowing Him to do this work in me.

Lord, thank You. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You that You are transforming me day by day. May I reflect Jesus and look more like Him today.

WHO is JESUS??? (to me???)

As we draw near to Easter, I want my thoughts to focus on Jesus. I will be republishing a series I have done before during the Lenten season- "Who Is Jesus?" Please stop by frequently to join me in thinking about just who Jesus is and what He means to me....

Jesus asked His disciples, "And who do YOU say I am?" It is an important question for all of us to answer....

Once during a bible study, the leader asked us to keep a “journal” of who Jesus is to us, personally, writing down whatever came to us during the length of the study. It was a great "task". I think sometimes I forget to sit and ponder just how much Jesus means to me.

I encourage you to take on this assignment, writing everything you KNOW about Jesus and everything Jesus is to you (for example, He may be “tender” to you…). This is the beginning of my list, and if I were to write everything, you would be here for hours reading it!

Things most precious to me:

Jesus knew He would be Savior BEFORE the beginning of time. Before creation, He knew “the plan”. He knew Adam would fall in the garden. He knew He would have to die for my sin, to BECOME sin for me- the Spotless Lamb- to take away my sin. He would take on my punishment. BEFORE He created me, He knew in order to spend eternity with me, He would willingly, joyfully choose to be my Savior, to take my lashes, to take my punishment, scorn, ridicule, and death on the cross. Knowing ALL of this, He still chose to create me. Wow, that blows me away! The love He has for me.

Jesus is the Creator of the universe- “through Him all things were made- without Him nothing was made.”

He is the Word made flesh. He is the Living Word. He is the Written Word. Genesis through Revelation tells the “story” of Jesus. The Word- the Word that leads me and guides me……

Emmanuel- “God With Us”- Jesus never leaves me, never abandons me, never is too busy for me. Jesus is with me in my trials and my joyful celebrations. Jesus is part of me- “I am in Him and He is me.”

Savior- Jesus is my Savior, saving me from my sins, saving me from myself, rescuing me over and over again……..

Healer- Jesus is my healer, healing me from ALL my diseases- body, soul, mind, and HEART. One of my favorite examples is the leper that says he believes Jesus can heal him if Jesus is willing. Jesus answers, “I am willing.” Those three words bring me such comfort- I am willing. I am willing.  I am willing. I am willing. Jesus, you healed ALL who came to you.

Author and perfector of my faith- my biggest “cheerleader.” Jesus, you want me to succeed, you want me to grow and mature. Jesus, you don’t condemn me, but challenge me, encourage me, guide me and perfect me……..

Bridegroom- waiting in eager expectation to return in glory for ME. As a bridegroom, you rejoice over me with singing (Isaiah 61), Jesus, you are “enthralled with my beauty.”

Jesus is my Intercessor- Jesus is praying for me every day!

Redeemer, You bought back my life....REDEEMED it! My life is "paid in full"!

Friend, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, my best friend……

Freedom! I no longer am in bondage to anything!!!!!!!!

Lover- Jesus, you love me with an everlasting love that never ends……

Way- Jesus, you are the only way to the Father………..

I love you, Jesus.

Who is Jesus to you?

This was first posted  1/18/08

Today is Ash Wednesday. And, if you are out and about, you may see someone with ashes on their forehead. No, it isn't dirt. Don't try to wipe it off! 😳😁

It is the "imposition of ashes" and marks the
beginning of Lent.

I was reading something online which said something like, "Ash Wednesday is the one holiday the secular world won't take over and make it about materialism. Hallmark won't be making Ash Wednesday cards." 😅

Could you imagine? So.....WHAT IS LENT?????

Lent is our time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Easter...a time of repentance. With the beginning of Lent being Ash Wednesday, it is a season of realizing your sin and complete "human-ness." We are reminded that "from dust we came and to dust we will return." We remember that we are sinful creatures in need of a Savior.

Time to reflect.

A time to surrender my heart, deny my flesh & allow God to speak & uproot negative things out of my heart.

You may hear people say "I am going to GIVE UP something" during the journey, like sugar or alcohol or soda or social media.

What I have decided to give up for lent:

[CRITICAL SPIRIT]
I am going to look for the best in others & give people the benefit of the doubt. Dig for gold. Expect the best. Give grace freely & generously.  Walk & operate in grace.

[HARSH WORDS]
Behind my sweet smile, lurks sarcasm & a tongue that can cut to the quick. The Holy Spirit tells me to keep mouth closed but I often choose to ignore that because that little comeback is just "too good" not to get in. Power of life & death are in the tongue. I choose to give up words that kill the spirit & bring death & I choose life giving words.

[OFFENDED HEART]
I choose to give up any easily offendable heart. I am not going to be offended by what other people say or do to me or around me. Again, I choose to believe the best about others & walk in grace when others (intentionally/unintentionally ) hurt me. Choose to be secure in my identity in Christ.

[NEGATIVE SELF-IMAGE ]
I choose to believe that I am His beloved daughter, loved & accepted and my identity is secure in Him. I am His masterpiece, fearfully & wonderfully made.    My worth doesn't come from what others think of me, not from how successful I am or how my kids  are. My worth comes from a good Father & I am loved by Him.

Complaining.

Self-centered-ness.

Turning to food, alcohol, scrolling for comfort, INSTEAD OF my relationship with Christ.

Every judgemental thought.

Every selfish ambition.

I want to "give up" everything of this fleshly, sinful nature....

I want to walk in the Spirit.

I want to walk in the BLOOD of Jesus...

the SACRIFICE of the cross...

I want to put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires...

to be made new in the attitude of my mind...

to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 5:24)

I am tearing my heart wide open, falling down on my face and asking Jesus to do such a mighty work in me.

Purify me.

Make my heart right, Jesus.

Jesus.

What a beautiful Name.

What He did. What He does.

Lord, I do come before You in spirit of repentance, with a broken and contrite heart. Lord, I confess and repent (turn away from) the ugliness of my heart.

I repent of a critical spirit that is quick to judge others.

I repent of complaining. Forgive my heart that complains instead of offering gratitude.

I confess my bad attitude and worshiping at the alter of myself. ME ME ME

I confess my bad choices. Instead of doing the things You have laid on my heart, Lord, I do things my own way.  I waste precious time. I choose the easy way, the lazy way...

I confess my unbelief. I say I believe You, but do my actions trust you completely, Lord? Am I obedient in all things?

Lord, forgive me for going my own way so often. Forgive my pridefulness.

Lord, I turn away from all of these things and turn towards you. Help me, Lord! Thank you for Jesus! I am in such desperate need of a Savior! Prepare my heart, Lord for the season of Easter. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me!  Lord, may these 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter be filled with Your Presence. Thank You for Your forgiveness. I love You Lord. In the Precious Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God, the Prince of Peace, Immanuel, the Healer of the lame, the One who sets the captives free, the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, the Resurrection, and the Lover of my soul, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Praying your personal journey draws you close to a God who loves you greatly. ❤❤❤❤❤

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is His love for those who fear Him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on His children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;

for He knows how we were formed,

He remembers that we are DUST...(Psalm 103:10-14)

    ...from dust you are

    and to dust you will return....

Beauty all around...Gifts from Sanibel

I love to walk. And when I walk, I love to notice the beauty around me. And...when I notice the beauty around me, I want to share it! My kids are forever giving me "posting advice" and warning against "oversharing,"

and "less is more" when it comes to photos....

BUT....

I. CAN'T. HELP. MYSELF!

And, my desire is to encourage YOU to notice the blessings and gifts that are all around YOU.

You may be thinking, it's easy to notice beauty and blessings when you are near the ocean or the mountains, or some exotic locale...but oh, how I encourage you to notice 

RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. 

It could be at the mall (I have shared inspiration from the mall!), on the bike trail, in your own backyard...appreciating the experiences around you...SLOWING DOWN to notice the beauty around you. 

I can get so busy, focused, that I MISS the gifts right in front of me. 

So..I encourage you (& ME!) to 

SLOW DOWN

NOTICE

APPRECIATE

and..

TAKE TIME FOR GRATITUDE.❤

Chasing the Moon!

Did you see the amazing "Snow Moon" last week? If not just Google to see some fantastic images. Itvreminded me of this post I wrote several years ago when I CHASED the moon...

This morning as I walked in the still, quiet air, I was delighted by God’s glory. It was one of those rare mornings that the moon and the sun were sharing the sky. The sky was beautiful, with blue/gray and pink hues. There were clouds sweeping around the sun, making a breathtaking sunrise. But, the moon was incredible! It was a huge, perfect golden circle in the sky. As I walked, I tried to keep that moon in sight. I knew it wouldn’t last much longer, the later it became and the more the sun rose.

As I turned the corner and went on my usual path, and as the moon made its journey, it was now behind me. It began setting in the sky, behind houses and trees, and it became harder to find. As I continued to walk, I kept looking behind me, stretching my neck, trying to catch those last glimpses of the beautiful moon. When, I finally turned my head, and looked straight in front of me, there it was! The moon had been there all along, as I kept looking behind me searching for it.

I instantly thought of Paul’s words, “Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) I thought how often in life we keep looking behind us, chasing the moon! We may have had a success in life that we keep remembering and trying to imitate. Or, we may have had a failure that we keep thinking about, and wishing we could change it. “If only…”

But, Paul tells us to forget what is behind us! Forget about the mistakes and failures of the past. And, although we rejoice in our successes of our past, instead of being stuck in those, look forward! He says he is “straining” toward what is ahead. That means that it may not be easy to go forward, to keep our eyes ahead. But, we are to “press on” toward the prize- our supreme and heavenly prize in Christ Jesus. Don’t be foolish like I was- trying to find the moon behind me when it was in front of me all along! Jesus is right in front of our eyes! Keep your eyes on Him- straight ahead, pressing forward!

Father, we praise You and glorify Your holy name. We thank You for Your creation- the sun and moon and beautiful mornings when we get to see them both in the sky. God, help us to forget what is behind- the failures that we keep reliving, the regrets of yesterday, the mistakes we have made. Your Word says “there is no condemnation in Christ, and that Your compassion is new each morning.” Help us to let go of those things, God. Also, help us to see that Today is a new day. We rejoice in the successes You have brought to us in the past, but we also want to focus on the new challenges of Today. Help us to strain toward what is ahead. Help us God to “press on” everyday. Thank You for Your love, Lord. Thank You for Your Word that teaches us something everyday. Thank You for life experiences that help us see Your Word in our lives. I pray we all will have eyes open to You, Lord, so that we can see how You are working in our lives everyday. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's the day of "love". Lovers around the world celebrate their affection for one another. Families make heart-shaped pancakes.....Men buy red roses and chocolates...Some women even receive gifts such as jewelry.

But, what if you don't have a spouse?

What if you have a child who won't speak to you?

What if you are grieving the loss of your loved one?

Or, what if your "honey" doesn't buy flowers, chocolates, or jewelry?

What if you feel disappointed?

Unloved?

Whether we are celebrating the love of those around us, or we feel "left out" in this love thing, we need to remember our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can ever imagine.

For God so loved the world...

“We love because God first loved us!” (1John 4:19) We can only love God and take delight in Him because He FIRST loved us! "For God so loved the world, that He have His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) God loves the world so much that He sacrificed His one and only Son so that we may live.

God loves the WORLD, and you are included in the WORLD, but God loves YOU….personally. God loves YOU so much that He gave YOU Jesus.

When our youngest child Abby was about 8 months old, I was making my bed and I happened to look over at her. She was quietly napping in her swing. All of a sudden, I was filled with such an overflowing, intense, unconditional love for her. It was like a wave of love washed over me. I HAD to stop making the bed, drop everything and scoop her up, kissing her from top to bottom. I thought, "Abby, you are "addicting!" Sometimes I can't even do anything else but love on you!" I felt so much love for her.

She hadn't DONE anything.

She hadn't performed.

She wasn’t “being good.”

She was just….being.

And, I just felt overwhelming love for her. God whispered to my heart at that moment. “Tracy this is how I feel for you. I want to scoop you up and love on you. You don’t have to DO anything. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to “be good.” Just BE.........”

Sweet Reader, God feels that way for you as well. He has an overflowing, intense, “gotta
stop what He is doing, scoop you up and love on you” unconditional love. Beloved, we don't have to DO anything, He JUST loves us! He just has to pick us up, breathe us in, kiss us, love on us.... The God of the Universe feels that way for YOU! Doesn't it just bring you to your knees?

God loves you and desires that you love Him back! “The Lord Your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. And He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17) Your God sings over you like a mother singing to her newborn babe cradled in her arms.

Do you get it?

Can you comprehend how much God loves YOU?

He takes delight in you. You make Him smile. You are His Beloved!

I'm sorry to say that our sweet husbands, children, parents, and friends will disappoint us at times....they are not meant to fill our needs, our longing...

Only your God can love you the way you need to be loved.

Completely.

Unconditionally.

Beyond measure.

And, because God loves us, He wants US to love one another.

This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.-1John 3:11

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.-1John 3:18

Remember, LOVE isn't a FEELING. LOVE is an ACTION.

Love someone today.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Greatest of These Is LOVE

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

Have you ever been so annoyed by an irritating sound? Nails on the chalkboard...snooring, sneezing, incessant gum smaking? Someone's ring tone that continues to go off AND THEN the person talking loudly so that you are part of the conversation and have just heard waaaayyyy too much information???

Yep. That's what WE sound like to the world as Christians if we don't love others... I could speak 10 different languages fluently, publish a book, write beautiful blog posts...but, if I don't love the people in my life well...coworkers, in-laws, neighbors...I am as irritating as a GONG.

"If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing."

Doesn't matter how SMART I am...how much I KNOW...how well I can interpret the Bible, even if I could explain it beautifully and teach it perfectly to others, if I don't LOVE, it doesn't mean ANYTHING. A N Y T H I N G!!!!

"If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."

So...where is my heart? Because I can "give" to others.....but in a grudgingly, stingy, eye-rollin' judgmental way. Has anyone ever given something to you and you have secretly thought "thanks, but NO THANKS!" Giving WITHOUT love is not truly giving. I may be able to BRAG about my giving...but how does my recipient feel???

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

Ahhhh....most quoted Bible wedding verses. But wouldn't it be better if these, for Christ-followers were most quoted FUNERAL verses? Yes, Tracy lived like Jesus. She was patient. She was kind. She wasn't jealous or boastful or proud. She didn't demand her own way. She wasn't irritable (EVEN during PMS!), didn't hold a grudge, didn't "keep score", didn't rejoice about injustice but celebrated justice. She never gave up, never lost faith, was always hopeful, and always endured...Wow! If we as Christians lived our lives that way, WE WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD! I have taught my kids that love is a VERB. And, an action verb at that. Love DOES. What does love "do"? Reread this paragraph! Love is patient...with your kids, your spouse, even your SIBLING, the person who cut you off in traffic, the person taking too long ordering in a huge line, the cashier who has made 12 mistakes and causing the too  long line, your boss, your co-worker, your in-laws....EVERYBODY! Love is kind (go through people list again!). Love isn't jealous...ouch, not proud, doesn't brag. Love is the WALK that accompanies the TALK.  And, it endures....hard things...uncomfotable things...scary things. Lord, may I endure, all times, all things IN LOVE.

It's hard to live like this. I try. But, I mess up. I fall down while I am WALKING the TALK. But, my God is right there to pick me up, encourage me, and help to continue to love. And, he is right there for you when you stumble in your walk!

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."

And the greatest of these is LOVE. Oh Lord, help me to LOVE.❤

1 Corinthians 13:1‭-‬7‭, ‬13 NLT

Don’t Waste Your Life!

2019 seemed to pass by so quickly and now another new year is just beginning. A new decade! I have found, if I am not careful, I can allow time to slip by too quickly, and when I look back, I am disappointed, feeling like I have wasted this precious time!

Are you still walking out those New Year's resolutions?

Sometimes I make resolutions with the best intentions, but all too quickly they are forgotten by now.

"Resolutions" seem to be important to all of us. There seems to be a common desire among us- to find out and fulfill our "purpose" in life. Nobody wants her life to be a "waste"! Most people want to leave a fingerprint on the world, to make a difference, to have an impact on others’ lives. 

We want our lives to be special.

Have you ever wondered what God wants to do with YOUR life? What His PURPOSE is for YOUR life?

DOES He have a PLAN FOR ME?

Yes, God does have a plan for our lives!

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans for hope and a future. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”

So, how do I live out these plans, WITHOUT wasting precious time?

Paul writes in Ephesians, “Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

...BEING DELIBERATE AT LIVING OUR LIVES- PAYING ATTENTION...ON PURPOSE KIND OF LIVING.

Be careful how you live. 

Here, the Greek literally means, “don’t stumble through life.” Do you ever find yourself “stumbling through life?” Does life ever seem to fly by so quickly that you find yourself saying, like me, "Where did the day go? Where did the month go? Where did 2019 go?!”

I once saw a billboard that said, “Time flies, but you are the pilot.” I loved that. 

You are the pilot, so fly carefully!

“Be careful how you live … and try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

Do you know what the Lord wants you to do?

Have you ever thought about it? Maybe you’re thinking, “I didn’t know the Lord wanted me to do anything!”

What is the first thing God wants us to do? He wants us to hunger for Him! More than service or obedience, or ANYTHING, God wants us to seek after HIM in an intimate, real, living, breathing relationship with Him. Jesus said the greatest commandment was "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength. Then, love your neighbor as yourself.”

You see, sometimes we get confused and we have a RELIGION, but we don’t have a RELATIONSHIP with the One who so desires us. God simply desires US.

What else does God want from MY life?

Jesus wants a relationship with Him, AND He wants us to make HIM our FIRST passion. God wants our wholehearted devotion, and He wants our whole life. Our WHOLE life, not just part of it, not just on Sunday mornings, ALL of it!

Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your WHOLE BODY as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”

Give ourselves completely, completely to God- every part of our lives in total surrender to Him.

So often, we only allow God into the “spiritual” part of our lives. We go to church on Sundays. We have our “quiet times.” We even are reading through the Bible. But, God wants so much more than that- He wants it all- my whole life. Not just the areas that I think are “OK” to give to Him, the “churchy things," GOING TO CHURCH, GOING TO BIBLE STUDY, RETREATS, SERVING IN THE CHURCH…

NOT JUST THOSE THINGS, but every area- my marriage, my relationship with my kids, my home, my friends, my work, my free time. He wants every thought, every decision, every choice to be surrendered to Him, totally making Him Lord of my life! He wants to be part of everything that is important to us. And, when we do, He leads us in the days, the months, the years... accomplishing what is truly important...walking out our purpose according to His plan. Loving others well. Doing hard things. Making a difference.

So, for me, this year, 2020, I purpose to NOT waste my life! I intend to slow down and make God my first priority. I want to get lost in my relationship with Him. I want to spend time at His feet, filling up on Him. I want to give Him everything. I want to make the most of every day....

How about you? How will you make the most of 2020?

• 

2020.

It's a new year. A time to reflect. Make improvements and resolutions….and look back at the past year. Accomplishments and victories...and mistakes and disappointments. Scrolling social media, some friends are so glad to have 2019 OVER, while others had the best year of their lives.   

Like you, I have had ups and downs in this past year. Like you, I have experienced great heartache loss and grief...and overwhelming joy.

 2019 was a year I watched my mom slip away from me. A year I experienced exhaustion of caring for her, 6 hour car trips back and forth, the stress of what was happening, unanswered prayer, begging and pleading for more time with her, AND YET experiencing the greatest peace I have ever known, knowing she is resting in the arms of Jesus, full of hope and the comfort of knowing we will meet once again.  Experiencing such miracles through the process and surrounded by the love and care of family and friends. Witnessing my children walk in such maturity and compassion and great love...character that is only developed through difficulty.  

2019 was a year watching grown kids wrestle with their own demons.. disappointments, stress, heartache..AND celebrating their victories, accomplishments, and happy moments. Vacations. Graduations. Answered prayers. Relief.

2019 was a year of friendships. New friends and the joy of growing in friendship.

Friends that loved me well. The joy of overflowing love and support. Friends who surprised me. And...the disappointment of friends letting me down, because being human means that will happen. 

2020. It's a new year. A new decade. It WILL be filled with joy...and grief. Love...and loss. Victory ...and disappointment. It is all part of life. 

Part of loving and living.

My prayer for you this new year and decade is that you know the Source of all hope. The Source of joy amidst grief.  Overwhelming Peace. Love complete. That your heart would be captured by the love of a Savior and filled beyond measure with His Presence. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with God's abundant blessings.