Prayers

Faith August 27, 2023

God Is Always At Work

A few weeks ago, I had spent countless hours looking for a Birthday list that I use in my home-based business. After several days of looking and not finding it, I started to get a little frustrated. I had prayed and asked God to help me find it, but I still couldn’t seem to put my hands on it.

It was important to me because it was the beginning of a new month, and I always tried to send out my Happy Birthdays on the very first day of the month. One day while thumbing through lots of papers, still looking for the list, I decided to send up one more prayer. What happened after that prayer was absolutely amazing, and straight from the hand of God.

I heard a soft whisper saying “Send out a text to all of your customers letting them know that your birthday file had disappeared. Ask them if they would send you their birthday info”. The response was unbelievable! Within 24 hours the size of my list had tripled the size of the original list, and people are still texting their info to me.

What God showed me in that moment, is that so many times we get upset and frustrated because we can’t have what we want when we want it. We don’t realize that many times God is trying to bless us with more.
I had to stop and just thank God for blessing me beyond my expectations. As a result of things going God’s way and not my way 4 things happened.

I will get to be a blessing to more people through my Birthday Club. Not only will customers benefit, but my team members will also benefit from what I have learned.
God’s timing and provision proved to be what was best for me.
I became more keenly aware of God’s concern for even the small things in my life. No need is too small for God to step in and show that He cares about what’s important to me.
I learned that no experience is insignificant, because God is always at work.

Prayers August 23, 2023

What Will They Say ?

What Will They Say?

9 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. ²All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,^[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.
³This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. ⁴Anyone who is among the living has hope[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
2 Samuel 14:14
¹⁴Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.
Hebrews 9:27
²⁷Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Ecclesiastes 3:2
²    a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
Ecclesiastes 5:15
¹⁵Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,  and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil  that they can carry in their hands.

This morning my husband and I watched a Celebration of Life Service on Facebook, for a woman who had indeed lived a very full life. The large attendance at her service was quite extraordinary. But what I was most impressed with were the many comments that were made about her. Over and over comments were made about how strong her faith was, even through her illness and other adversities that she had faced.

Words that were used to describe her were, kind, servant, helpful, joyful, positive and faithful. So many comments were also made about her beautiful voice and how she loved to sing for the Lord. They also mentioned how everyone knew without a doubt that she truly loved God. One lady said that she did not know how to say no to anyone because she always wanted to help others..

So my question to you today is, what will they say when God calls you home? Will the things that are said about you at your Celebration of Life, be comments that genuinely inspire those attending to live better, and more fruitful lives?

The mark that we leave on this earth will affect generations to come. We are all sent to this planet to be a blessing to others. We are the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth. May I encourage you to live your life in a way that when you leave this earth you will be truly missed. And, prayerfully your legacy will live on forever through those you leave behind,

The Dash Poem (By Linda Ellis)

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
From the beginning…to the endHe noted that first came the date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those yearsFor that dash represents all the time
That they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
Know what that little line is worthFor it matters not, how much we own,
The cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering this special dash
Might only last a little while

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent YOUR dash?

Faith August 7, 2023

What Is Your Disobedience Costing You?

Since the beginning of time, it has been man’s will against God’s will. With the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, humans have since entered the world with a sinful desire to be in control of their own lives.

This sinful nature can be very costly. Not only does it affect the lives of the sinner, but also the lives of those that are nearest and dearest to them as well.

A couple of days ago I was reading a passage of scripture from 1st Samuel, chapter 13. King Saul had become fearful of losing all his troops. He became impatient and would not wait any longer for Samuel (who was a prophet) to arrive as promised. He did as most of us do when we become impatient, we decide to take matters into our own hands. This is almost always a mistake, especially if God has said wait.

Saul’s disobedience cost him his kingdom, a kingdom that Samuel told him that God would have established forever, had he been obedient. As a result, God sought a man after his own heart, and that man was David.
King Saul not only lost his kingdom, but he also lost his peace. He became a jealous crazed man, who desired to kill an innocent person, and he even tried to kill his son at one point. Needless to say, he lost the respect of his son also.

Can you imagine losing an entire kingdom for generations to come, because you were disobedient?

So, I ask you to stop and think today, what might your disobedience be costing you? You see God has blessings upon blessings in store for us, but we will never know what they are, if we live in disobedience.
May I encourage you today to live a life that honors God, with a heart that seeks after Him faithfully and obediently and watch the blessings flow!

Prayers May 12, 2023

Until I Became A Mother

Isaiah 49:15
¹⁵“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Proverbs 31:28
²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Exodus 20:12
¹²“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Until I became a mother I could not fully comprehend the sacrifices that my mother made for me, without reservation each and every day.
Until I became a mother I couldn’t fully appreciate the late nights that my mother sat up, waiting for me to get home from a ballgame or a date.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many prayers must have gone up on my behalf.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many days my mother must have stood in the kitchen exhausting what little energy she had left that day, to prepare a meal for our family.

Until I became a mother I never realized the depth of love that my mother had for each one of her children.
Until I became a mother I never realized that there were times when my mother might have wanted a new dress for herself, or a new pair of shoes, but she always made sure that I looked nice first.
Until I became a mother I never realized how many nights my mother must have stayed up with me, weary from exhaustion as I lay in bed sick.
Until I became a mother I never realized that my mother may have had dreams that she put on hold to make sure that my dreams were possible.

Until I became a mother I never realized, that being a mother is the hardest job on earth, but also the most rewarding job. I am convinced that only God could create in mother’s the capacity to love so deeply and freely.

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day, a time set aside to honor mothers. If you are blessed to still have your mom, I encourage you to let her know how special she is to you. Thank God for her daily, after all, no one other than God will ever love you like your mother.–

28 “For in Him we live and move and have our being..“Acts 17:28

Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering Them to Step into Greatness.

Fruit of the Spirit April 25, 2023

Are You Headed For The Ditch?

When I was a little girl approximately 4 years old, my mom and I were about to leave home, when she realized that she needed to run back into the house for something. When she jumped out of the car to go back into the house, I quickly jumped into the driver’s seat of our new salmon-colored Ford car. I put the car in drive and headed straight for the ditch, barely missing our mailbox while gripping the steering wheel as though I knew what I was doing.

I probably had seen my mom and dad do this at least a hundred times or more, so I decided that I could do it too. Needless to say when my mom came out of the house, she was in total shock, and thankful all at the same time that I was alive. I think the only reason I didn’t get a spanking for my little escapade that day, was that my mom was so relieved that I was still all in one piece.

You see even as adults if left to our own devices we would drive our lives straight into the ditch. So many times we want to do just as I did as a child. We want God to get out of the driver’s seat so that we can take over. Trust me, when I tell you, that the safest thing that we can do, is ask Jesus to take the wheel. Not only should we ask Him to take the wheel, but also to keep the wheel, because He can see a lot further down the road than we can. He knows where the potholes are, the curves as well as the detours and He knows our destination and we don’t.

What I am saying to you today, is to trust God with your life. He knows what He is doing, and He knows your purpose for coming to this planet. Allow Him the space and time to reveal those things to you, as He sees that you are ready to handle them. Then and only then will you get to experience all that He has in store for you. He’s the ultimate chauffeur. Stress less and enjoy the ride, you are headed for a safe arrival.–

28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being..“Acts 17:28
Dedicated to Leading Women to Live Victoriously by Empowering them to Step into Greatness.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight.^[aPsalm 62:8
⁸Trust in him at all times, you people;  pour out your hearts to him,  for God is our refuge.
Jeremiah 17:7
⁷“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,  whose confidence is in him.
Psalm 37:23-24
²³The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Isaiah 30:21
²¹Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 58:11
¹¹The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden,  like a spring whose waters never fail.
Psalm 32:8
⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Faith December 23, 2022

Jesus A Gift To The World

Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign: The virgin[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and[c] will call him Immanuel.[d]
Matthew 1:23
23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[a] (which means “God with us”).
Luke 2:7
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
John 1:14
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 9:6
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.
Luke 1: 30-35
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.
Luke 2:13-14
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This morning as I look out of my bedroom window, I can see snowflakes gently falling to the ground. There are only three days left until Christmas, and basically, the entire town has come to a silent halt. For days now, the weather stations have been predicting, that the temperatures would plunge to very low and dangerous levels and that we would see snow. It was also predicted that this would be one of the coldest Christmases on record, across forty-five states.

That being said, isn’t amazing how God chooses to slow things down. I consider this a huge blessing, especially this close to Christmas. What a great opportunity to enjoy spending time with God, focusing on His birth and His sacrificial stay here on earth. This is a wonderful time to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea and spend hours reading, journaling, and studying His word. It is also a great time to refamiliarize yourself with the story of the birth of Christ.

Also, take a moment and think about all that Mary and Joseph went through in preparation for Jesus’s entry into this cruel world in the form of flesh. I encourage you to put yourself in Mary’s shoes for a minute. How would you have responded to the Angel that brought Mary the excellent news, that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus? How would you feel knowing that you were indeed carrying the Savior of the world? How would feel knowing that you were bringing a child into this world, knowing that He would be crucified? You see even though she understood the purpose for His coming, He was still her son.

It may be a little difficult for you to focus on all that I am asking you to do If you have not finished your Christmas shopping. You are probably going into panic mode right about now, wondering when the streets will be cleared enough for you to finish your Christmas shopping. I want to encourage you to take some time to release yourself from the commercial side of Christmas, relax, and just for a few minutes simply bask in the spiritual side of Christmas. After all, it is what truly matters. Everything else will work out one way or the other. I know that when you do, you will feel a sense of peace and you will be blessed for being in God’s presence. You will also be focusing on what Christmas is really about and that is Jesus! May you and your family be blessed with a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Prayers August 7, 2022

Prayer + Praise = Power

Prayer + Praise = Power
Psalm 145^[a]

¹I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
²Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
³Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
⁴One generation commends your works to another;   they tell of your mighty acts.
⁵They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]⁶They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds.
⁷They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
⁸The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
⁹The Lord is good to all;  he has compassion on all he has made.
¹⁰All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you.
¹¹They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
¹²so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,  and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises  and faithful in all he does.[c]
¹⁴The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
¹⁶You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call on him,  to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
²¹My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Have you been waiting to see God’s power released, regarding something that you have been praying for? When you want to see things shift in your life, start praising God. I am talking about authentic, sincere praise for who He is, and not just for what you want. God knows our hearts and he will certainly know what’s sincere and what is not.

Praise may not always change our circumstances, but it can certainly change how we view our circumstances. Praise takes our focus off of ourselves, and our situations and it puts our focus back on God. Through our time of praise we will be given the strength, to wait a bit longer and to trust God’s timing for right solutions to our problems.

Praise is like a medicine for our souls. It calms us down and removes our anxieties, it restores our joy and it reminds us how sovereign and mighty our God is. It also reminds us that He and He alone, is in control of everything and that our total dependency should be on Him. When we exalt Him, He exalts us.

Don’t fret and don’t worry, just pray and praise. Remember prayer plus praise equals power!

Here Are A Few Great Scriptures On Praise

God Is Our Praise

Deuteronomy 10:2
²I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”
Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Give Praise To God

Psalm 34:1
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
Psalm 147:1
Praise the Lord.[a]
How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Hebrews 13:15
¹⁵Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Isaiah 25:1
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Psalm 150:1
Praise the Lord.[a] Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
Psalm 100:1-5
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
² Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
³Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

A Thankful Heart Is A Heart That Praises God
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 105:1
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord.[a]Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 108:3
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
Psalm 92:1
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,
Psalm 109:30 NLT
But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone.

Praise Him Even In The Midst Of Trials
Acts 16:22-25
²²The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.