God Is In Control

Isaiah 45:6-7
⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
⁷ I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.
Job 12:10
¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Daniel 4:35
³⁵ All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”

2020 has definitely been a year for the record books. With the arrival of Covid came a lot of changes for us all.  Changes especially, in the way that we live and do life. There have been changes in the way that we work, as well as the way that we worship.  Covid even affected the way that our children have had to learn this year.  Dining out and gathering socially was brought to a screeching halt, as well as many other things that we took for granted in the past.

It does not matter to Covid how much money you make, or where you work or live.  This virus does not discriminate, any and everyone can be a possible target.  Thousands of families have lost family members and friends that were very precious to them.  Almost everyone knows someone, who has died from Covid, or that has had Covid.   Our world is reeling from the shock of being shut down with no prior warning.  Every country in the world has been deeply affected by this virus.

A Christmas Thought

 Matthew 1:18-23
¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”
²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d] (which means “God with us”).
Isaiah 9:6
⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
John 1:14
¹⁴ So the Word became human^[a] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.^[b] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
2 Corinthians 8:9
⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

This past weekend it seemed that everyone in my family was exhausted from the busyness of the prior week.  We all needed some downtime, so we decided to watch Christmas movies.  Once we started watching them we were hooked.  We watched several in one day, and it had been years since we sat and watched movie after movie for hours like that.

God Wants To Protect You

My eighty-four years old mother, shared with me recently, that a few weeks ago a storm came through and left sticks and brush all over her yard.  She had decided to gather it all up by hand to dispose of it.  About the time she was getting started, my cousin stopped by.

Spiritual Hydration

¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Last week during a doctor’s appointment I discovered that the reason I had been feeling fatigued and drained of energy was due in part to dehydration.   It’s amazing how important water is to our bodies and to our physical existence.  While doing some research on water, I discovered the following benefits:   Drinking water reduces headaches, improves our memory and our mood.  Water flushes the body of waste.   Water reduces the risk of kidney stones and bladder infections.  Water also promotes healthy skin.  It energizes our muscles and it also lubricates our joints as well as helps to maintain our blood pressure.

While doing this research, the thought came to me, that we can be spiritually dehydrated just as we can be physically dehydrated.  I thought of the woman at the well in John 4:10.
¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Give Thanks For Nature’s Beauty

Psalm 107:21-22
²¹ Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Psalm 107:8
⁸ Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
Psalm 95:2
² Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
Nehemiah 9:6
⁶ You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Last week my husband and I drove around town, to look at all of the beautiful trees.  We enjoyed looking at all of the various shades of golds, reds, yellows, and oranges on the trees.   My heart was absolutely filled with gratitude as I was taking it all in.  It was actually like seeing the fingerprint of God on every single tree.

I remember saying to myself, how could anyone deny that God existed, and especially this time of year when there is proof everywhere.

As I looked at the trees, and the warm sunshine was peeking through our car window, I couldn’t help but smile as I reminisced on the past Falls during the years when our daughter was a little girl.

You see I have always loved the Fall.  It is my favorite time of year.  When my daughter was in Pre-school, I would make a big deal over how beautiful the trees were, as I drove her to and from school.  During that time she was so young that she was still riding in her car seat.   It was important to me, that she grew up appreciating the extraordinary work of God.  I didn’t want her to miss it, so I brought it to her attention early.   I wanted her to be thankful that we get to experience the beauty and artistry of God’s awesome work through His creation.  I wanted her to love it as much as I do, and I am happy to report that she loves the colorful trees and Fall also.

During this season of Thanksgiving, remember all of the many things that we have to be thankful for.   Not only has God blessed us with eternal life through the sacrifice of Christ dying on the cross, but He has blessed us with our health and strength.  We have been blessed with our family and friends, as well as material blessings.   And if that wasn’t enough, He has surrounded us with the beauty of His creation for our enjoyment.

If for some reason you are having a hard day today, I want to encourage you, to get out of the house or office and just look at the beauty that surrounds you this time of year.  Take it all in.  I know that your spirit will be instantly lifted and your heart will say thank you, God, for His wisdom in all that He has blessed us with for our own enjoyment.  I am sure that you will join me in saying, what a mighty and awesome God we serve.  He is so worthy of our praise and our gratitude.   He is due to our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving!

Mark 11:23
²³ “Truly^[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
John 15:7
⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Matthew 21:22
²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Matthew 7:7
⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Philippians 4:6
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Luke 11:13
¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Recently I was talking to God, and I asked for something, not knowing whether it would actually happen or not.  It was just my desire and I shared it with God.  A few days later my prayer was answered with a yes.

Now we all know that yes is not always God’s answer, but it was this time, and for me it was huge!  Although it was something simple, it is going to make a big difference in my life. What I learned from this, is that we don’t know what
God’s answer will be when we ask for something, our job is simply to ask.  He takes care of the answer, as well as the when where, and how.  So many times we come to God tiptoeing and fearful, or just sharing our hearts honestly and asking for what we really need or want.  Remember, He already knows what we need before asking.  He loves for us to come to Him and ask because when we ask it is an act of faith.  It is saying that we know that He has the power and the ability to meet our needs and our desires.  When we ask we are also saying that we believe and trust Him.

When a child goes to his/her father and asks for something, there is never a doubt about whether or not they will receive what they ask for.  They ask fully expecting to receive, exactly what they ask for. They believe and they trust.  It is no wonder that God says that unless you come to Him as a child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  It is their innocence and their ability to trust and believe without question, that pleases the heart of God.  We must trust and have that same type of faith, and expectation that a child has when we pray.  When we bring our petitions to God, we must remember that He is our Father, and just as our earthly fathers want to bless us with good things, so does our Heavenly Father.

If you do not have a consistent prayer life, I encourage you to make a decision today, to start communicating with God.  It will truly change your life for the better!

Here are a few things to consider when praying:

1.  We must ask.  It’s never too small or insignificant to come to God in prayer over.  If it matters to you, it matters to God.

2.  No problem or concern is too small or large for God.  In a crisis remember, that God is far bigger than any problem that you or I could ever have.

3.  Don’t assume that God won’t answer your prayers. Every prayer is always answered in one of three ways. The answer may be waiting, or yes, or even no. Have faith and know, that even a no is what’s best for you. God will only do what is best for you.

4.  Trust that God’s timing will be what’s best for you. He is always right on time.

5.  Trust God’s judgment on how He chooses to answer your prayers.  Answers don’t always come in the ways that we expect, but again they will be what is best.

6.  Make praying a daily habit.  Talk to God regularly throughout your day.   He is your best friend and He loves to hear from you.

Have a prayerful and joyful day!

 Proverbs 19:17
¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Colossians 3:12
¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Galatians 6:10
¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Acts 28:2
² The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
Romans 12:10
¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Twenty-six years ago this past August my husband and I moved to the town that we currently live in.   Our move came with mixed emotions.  We were excited because this move was due to a promotion that my husband
had received, and we had prayed and prayed for this.  It would mean more money for our family, and since I was seven months pregnant with our first and only child it would definitely come in handy.  We had decided beforehand that when and if, we were blessed with a child, that I would stay home to care for our little one.

Although the promotion was what we had prayed for, we really missed our church family in Texas that we loved so dearly.   We had so many wonderful friends there, that we actually grieved being away from them.   These were established friendships that we had enjoyed for several years.  Our church family was such a big part of our life.  We not only went to church with these people, we did life with them outside of the church as well.

When my husband and I moved we knew that we had to get plugged into a church immediately.   One Sunday night after visiting a church here in town for a few weeks, a couple came over to us and said that their Life Group was going to be stopping by a local Braums for ice cream.  They asked if we wanted to join them.  Well, they had us at ice cream, so of course, we agreed to join them.  This was our first invite to anything, and we were excited to make new friends.

When we arrived at the restaurant, my husband sat with the guys and I sat with the ladies and visited.  Everyone was so kind to us.  That night they also invited us to come one Sunday evening to check out their Life Group Bible Study.  We joined them the following week, and we decided that it was the perfect group for us.  We didn’t have to look a bit further.

Until this day, twenty-six years later we are still friends with the people who were in that Life Group.  All of this started with one simple act of kindness.

Many times we go through life rushed and in a zone, focusing only on ourselves and our own agenda, and we fail to look around at the opportunities to extend a little kindness and joy to someone else.  You never know what your one act of kindness can mean to someone else’s life.

I encourage you to seek opportunities to extend kindness to someone each and every day.  By doing this, you become the difference-maker in their life.  Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference to others.

That simple invitation to have ice cream that Sunday night, has blessed my family over and over again.  Who will you choose to be kind to this week?    I know that we are all having to practice social distancing right now due to Covid,
but we can make phone calls, we can zoom and we can send sweet cards in the mail.  Why not make a list of the many things that you can do, that will not require physical contact during this strange season that we all find ourselves in right now.   When you see an opportunity your list will be ready, for you to select the appropriate act of kindness for that particular situation.

Remember, the wonderful thing about spreading kindness is that you can’t bless others without being blessed yourself.  Have a great week spreading kindness everywhere you go!

Colossians 3:23
²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Colossians 3:17
¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Galatians 1:10
¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Honor God With Your Best

There are times when we are called to do things that we may not particularly care to do, or feel like doing, but we have to do them.   During those times our attitudes may not be the best, simply because our heart is not in it.

I remember several years ago attending a Women’s Bible Study, where each Tuesday evening they had a different speaker come in and speak.  On Tuesday night a lady who owned a Cookware store came and spoke to
our class.  Her presentation made me totally re-evaluate the way I considered meal preparation for my family.  It was as though she had been peeking through my windows.  You see I had become very tired of the same old routine, of working all day and then having to figure out what I was going to prepare for dinner.  Knowing that I would have to go through the same thing again the next day, and the day after that didn’t help the situation.  It had become a boring routine for me.

After hearing her speak, I realized that I had the wrong attitude.  I was not honoring God in the way that I was handling this situation.    The speaker explained what a blessing it is to have an opportunity, first of all, to serve our families. Secondly, she explained the opportunity we have to nourish our families physically, as well as to nourish them spiritually over a meal.   My eyes were opened to the importance of this daily intimate gathering.

She explained that when we prepare each meal with thoughtful planning and love, we are truly serving our families, and most importantly we are serving God…  Even though this may seem routine, when we do our very best, we are bringing honor to God.  God simply wants us to work wholeheartedly at whatever we do.  Yes, even cooking!  Remember, as the scripture says we are doing it unto Him not unto humans.

I must say that it is amazing how things change when we see them from a different perspective.  That evening I went home with a different attitude about preparing meals for my family, I got my excitement back, and I take joy in knowing that my family truly enjoys and appreciates every meal that I prepare for them.

Whether we are on our jobs, or home cooking or cleaning, or even doing work for our church, we are to do it wholeheartedly.   When we do things wholeheartedly, it means that we care. It means that those who will benefit from
it will receive our best.

There are times when we may not want to do something for someone for whatever reason.  If we can just remember during those times, to do it as unto God, because we desire to please Him, it will help us to align our will with His. This will also help us to quickly adjust our attitude, and to our surprise, we will be blessed with great joy, because honoring God, and knowing that we are pleasing Him brings us not only peace of mind but joy.

My prayer for you today is that as you continue to serve Him by serving others you will experience a joy-filled life!

Beautiful Fall

 Daniel 2:21
²¹ He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Jeremiah 5:24
²⁴ They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’

Psalm 104:19
¹⁹ He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.

September 22nd was the first day of Fall this year.  Fall is absolutely my favorite season of the year. Although it hasn’t arrived just yet, I love the crisp Fall air and all that comes with Fall.

However, this year most of the things that come with Fall may have some restrictions due to COVID, and the need for social distancing.   Football games, Fall Festivals and even some family gatherings will look
different this year.

How wonderful that even though we may still have to stay inside for a bit longer,  we can enjoy some of the great foods that come with Fall, such as a slice of warm pumpkin bread straight from the oven,  or a slice of pumpkin pie. Let’s not forget that hot apple cider and hot chocolate are also considered real treats this time of year as well.  I am sure we all have special memories as far back as our childhood of these wonderful treats that make this season special to us.

The other thing that is very special to me about this time of year, is looking at all of the beautiful Fall decorations that people adorn their porches with.  The door wreaths are colorful and there are pumpkins, colorful mums, and bales of hay and the resemblance of Fall and Harvest season is everywhere.

My favorite thing of all is taking a drive to look at the trees as the leaves start to change colors.  The vibrant hues of oranges, reds, and burgundy’s are just another testament to just how wonderful God is to give us so much beauty to admire as the seasons change.  His power, His versatility, and His artistry are reflected in all that we see as the seasons change.

I hope that as this beautiful time of year lingers for a few more weeks, that you will take a minute and fully take in its beauty, and just stand in awe of God.  He has given us so much to richly enjoy through nature, that it would be a shame to allow the busyness of life to cause us to miss the beauty of this season.  Just look around at all that He has created for our enjoyment.  Don’t you feel blessed?  I know that I do, and I plan to enjoy every minute of it, and I hope that you will too.

 Happy Fall!

Ecclesiastes 3:1
3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

Your Time of Waiting Is A Preparation

Psalm 27:13-14
¹³ I remain confident of this:   I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord  will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Micah 7:7
⁷ But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

In April of next year, if God says the same, I will be with the company that I currently work for, for twenty-five years.  I remember thinking when I first went to work for this company, that I did not just want to sell the products, but that I wanted to go into management and become a Sales Director.  In order to become a Sales Director, I had to go through a qualification process.   The qualification process had to be completed within a four-month time period.  I tried several times and did not make it.  I was determined that I would not give up, no matter what.  This was my goal and I was going to make it happen.  In my mind, giving up was not an option.  I even wrote on my bathroom mirror in bright red lipstick, Quitting Is Not an Option!  I was serious about this, but what I didn’t take into consideration, was that God had a purpose in delaying my victory.

I know now that God was preparing me through this process for leadership.  He was building my character in the areas that I needed to grow in.  I wanted the position, but I didn’t realize that I hadn’t been fully willing to pay the price.  It was in the trying, failing, praying, and waiting, that God revealed more and more to me about myself and my character.  During the waiting period, and after much prayer, God revealed my weaknesses to me. He also revealed the areas that I needed to grow in if I wanted to become a leader.

Many times we want what we want, and we want it now!  If we will patiently wait and spend time with God, in time He will reveal the things that we need to know or the things that we need to change so that our blessing won’t be a short-lived one.  How many times do we see things happen quickly for someone, but it’s not sustainable, because of how it was achieved?

There are times when it seems like God is not listening, because we don’t see His hand moving, but I can assure you from my past experience that He hears every prayer.   Some things that we ask for simply require a period of preparation, and we will not receive them until we are prepared to receive them.  Also, not everything that we ask for is good for us at the time that we ask.  We must trust God’s timing, His will, and His divine purposes.   We must trust that no matter how bad we want something, He still sees further down the road than we can see.  He sees the big picture and he will only allow what is best for us.

I am happy to say that after praying and asking God to bless me with the position of Sales Director for six years, He finally said yes.  By God’s grace, eighteen years later I am still holding the position of Sales Director and I get to lead an incredible team.  I can honestly say, that I don’t know if that would be the case if He had given it to me when I initially asked.  God knew that even though I thought I was ready for leadership, I was not.  He protected me from myself and I am grateful for that.  He prepared me for the position and then He said yes.

What have you been praying or pleading with God for, that maybe you are not ready for just yet?  Are you willing to trust God’s timing and His reasons for asking you to wait a little longer?   Remember, your waiting period is a time of preparation.

Proverbs 3:5-6
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Psalm 37:7
⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 130:5
⁵ I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.