Romans 8:35

 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Romans 8:35

Nothing can separate us from Jesus’s loving arms. Jesus forgave sins of murderers, liars, thieves, and many more things. He dined with them. He called them, and they followed. Some became his disciples and spread his Good Word. If he can forgive those men and women, why couldn’t he forgive you? There is nothing you have done that makes you unworthy of redemption. The only thing that prevents us from healing is ourselves. If we don’t want to be forgiven, if we don’t want to acknowledge our sins, if we don’t want to walk with Jesus, then we won’t. But if we truly do, all we have to do is lay our sins at his feet and accept his mercy.

Lord thank you for allowing us to come together another time through your word. Thank you for the blessings in my life. I pray for the ladies who came on This journey with me, and those who didn’t. May they always feel your presence. 

Psalm 40:1-2

 I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Psalm 40:1-2

Even when we feel we are in a hole, with no way out, if we focus ourselves on God, he will pull us out of the hole. He will put us on a much more sturdy path. We have to trust in him and be patient. 

Though I pray I don’t have to get in a rut again, it is in these times that our faith becomes stronger. Usually in the darkness is when we search for the light the most. It is sad that we call out to God more in our times of trouble than in our times of joy. But he is there for us always, waiting in the wings.

Lord, I praise your name. I trust that you know my path better than I do. I trust that when I cry out to you, you will hear me and lift me up out of despair. Thank you for all the holes you have taken me out of and the many more I will find myself in. 

Matthew 11:28-29

 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

When the Bible was written, those who labored and burdened referred to those who were burned by the law as explained by the scribes and Pharisees. In the place of the yoke of their law, which was complicated and had many interpretations, Jesus was inviting the burdened to take the yoke of obedience to his word, under which they would find rest. 

Still to this day, nearly 2000 years later, these words are so powerful. “Come to me.” Jesus is calling me; he is calling you. Again, I think, who am I that he should want to call me to be near to him? Well, I am (we ALL are) God’s child. He made me. He did not make a mistake when he made me. He made me for a purpose. So why wouldn’t he want to call me to be closer to him? Same question for you. God made YOU. There was no mistake in your creation. So why wouldn’t he call his children to come to him?

Parents want to give rest to their children. They want to take burdens off of their children. They want their children to come rest in their lap. My 65 year old mother still tries to take things up for me, so I may have rest. My 88 year old grandmother still tries to be strong to give rest to her grown children. This is God’s intention also. Jesus is telling us to stop trying to figure out the world and the interpretations the world makes, and to allow him to be in control. If you read literally into the verse, he wants you to remove the over bearing yoke (as if we were an ox) of the world’s cart we are trying to pull, and put on his yoke as it is light. He wants us to let him be the driver of the cart, and we stop trying to pull it on our own. His cart is light, his yoke easy. 

We cannot live self-sufficiently. We cannot attempt to make our way through life alone. We were not created to be that way. Some people have chosen to make their own path and struggle alone, like the prodigal son. They just haven’t realized there is something to run back to. In our daily prayers, these are the people we should also pray for; those who don’t know there is a better way. In our day to day life, our “labors” are burdens we put upon ourselves. Things we don’t ask for help for, for whatever reason. We think we can manage alone, we don’t want to bother others. We are trying to prove something. On top of that, “burdened” is all the things others put on us. Jesus is calling us to let him take those burdens for us, and offers us an easier way.

This is not to say that we are to push off our work and tasks,  it to see that if we lean on God, our burdens will become lighter. When we realize we are not alone, it won’t feel as hard. God has put people in our lives to help us along the way. People we don’t realize are here for that special reason. Let Jesus bear your burden’s with you. Bring them to his feet.

Philippians 4:6-7

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Rest is not an option for all living things. We can try to stay away and keep going, but eventually our bodies will collapse. It may be after a few days, but it will happen. Even God rested on the 7th day.  Just as our bodies need rest, so do our souls. Right now, with everything going on in the world, our hearts and minds might be overwhelmed with information overload. And trying to process all the information can become very wearisome. For some of, information overload may a part of daily work, so this is nothing new.

God wants us to find rest. He wants to relieve us of these burdens. He wants us to know he is willing to guard our hearts and minds. What does rest sound like to you? My thought goes toward a nice hot bath, bubbles, soft music, a glass of wine maybe. Or watching a TV show in your comfy pajamas with no one bothering you. Finding rest can be hard for some people. New moms don’t always have an extra 10 minutes for a shower much less 30 to relax in a hot bathtub with bubbles and candles. When my husband was at school or working late, there were many showers with the baby in her seat right outside my shower. Definitely no rest in that. I only get to watch TV by myself if I wake up at 5:00in the morning and get my Bible study and work out done, or do it at 8:30 at night after the kids go to bed. I’m saying these things to show that I know sometimes finding rest is hard. We are all in different phases of life with different responsibilities. This is not a one size fits all thing. 

For some of us, if it’s hard to find actual time to rest physically, it’s hard to find times to rest spiritually. But Jesus wants us to come to him with our burdens. He wants us to take his yoke, because it is light. He wants us to know he is in control. So instead of trying to pull our cart ourselves in a road we have never been, let him be the driver. I have found that once I made time for God, it became easier to find rest. And I mean spiritual rest. With three kids I may not have physical rest until they are adults :-) And it is not just because I am a stay at home mom with no real job to go to. I have heard that thrown at me before. But that’s not a box I want to argue today. The more we desire to be closer to God, the easier it will be to see we do have time to rest in him. And once we begin that journey, we will find knots in our lives start to undo with his help, and we can feel more relaxed. 

It does take a lot of faith to depend on God. But it sure does make life seem a little bit smoother having him be the driver in this crazy world. Draw near to God and find rest in him. 

-- 

Ada LeDoux

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 DAY 27

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Life isn’t meant to be easy. If it was all sunshine and rainbows, it would be heaven.  But God put us on earth to endure and rise above. So we will have sufferings. From those sufferings, many things can be learned. We can learn about ourselves and our personal strength. We can learn about who are friends truly are and their roles in our lives. We can learn to feel comfort. We can also learn life is not all about us, and that others suffer, too. 

 

God is the father of all encouragement and compassion. He encourages us in our times of needs so that we can learn and then turn around and help others who are in similar times of need. God encourages us not only with sympathy, but encourages strength and bravery. This encouragement may include God putting someone in our lives for this purpose, to help us through this situation. Sometimes, though, we don’t receive that comfort from God through those other people, because we don’t allow ourselves to accept it. We push forward, thinking we are strong enough and can handle what life throws at us without others. And this is prideful. We need God in our lives to make it through the big things. The saying “God never gives you more than you can handle,” is only part of the story. He never gives more than you can handle without his grace.

St. Paul had many sufferings in his life, as we will read in later chapters. His sufferings were for Christ. He received lashes, beatings, stoning, imprisonments, robbers, dangers from his own city, etc. He welcomes these sufferings so that he could bring the word of God to the people. He never stopped knowing and understanding that his sufferings were the sufferings of Jesus. For those of us who stand firm in God’s name, we will have sufferings. If we ask to be used by Christ to show his work to others, we will endure sufferings. These sufferings are all for God’s name and glory. And from those sufferings, we will receive consolation from God. He will console us in our times of trouble, when we are standing firm in our faith. If we are suffering at work because we refuse to back down from Christian morals and ethics, we will be consoled by God. If we are suffering through family matters because we are holding God’s rules first, we will be consoled by God. 

As Christians, we should not get into a “my sufferings are worse than yours” battle. Because none of our sufferings are worse than what Jesus endured. Even St. Paul, with everything he went through, knew that his sufferings paled in comparison to Jesus times. Maybe compare and you might see how light our burden actually is, and that we are better off with our cross compared to that family across the street. Then we might see how we can help them through their suffering from our own learnings and consolation from God. 

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Sometimes we feel like we are carrying a heavy load. Like nothing seems to be going right. When we feel our hearts have broken, or that everyone has forgotten us, God draws closer to us. Even when we are at our worst, God wraps his arm around us and holds us close. He loves us always. He is the only one who can rebuild and restore us, the only one who can fill that brokenness. He is the true doctor, mender, repairer. 

During our darkest times, we need to look to God. The world is full of promises for the brokenhearted, but they are lies. Nothing and no one on this earth can fix our sadness, fill the emptiness, except God’s love. There is no magical surgery, no pill, nothing that can make ourselves whole again except God.

Lord, thank you for always staying near me, even in times when I pushed you away. I pray that I can bring your light with me today. 

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37

The angel told Mary she would conceive a child, and informed her how her barren cousin Elizabeth was pregnant. 

How I would be afraid to see an angel and have him tell me I would be carrying the son of God! God does great works when he sees it to be done. I had a friend several years ago who had been struggling in her life. She is single with a 3 year old, and was living 14 hours from her home. She was trying to sell her house on a short sale just so it wouldn't be foreclosed. She kept fussing about her realtor and how she (realtor) wasn't getting her house sold. She was ready to tell realtor off. Realtor asks her "What is your relationship with God?"

When my friend retold me this story, she was in tears. It seems after the many, many years of me praying, and the many many years of her struggles, her eyes have been opened. She said she will start going to church. She is back with her family now. I am hoping to hear soon that she has started looking into a church. 

Lord, you work in mysterious ways, when you think we should hear you. I am amazed at your grace and mercy. I thank you for all my blessings. 

Isaiah 40:31

 

They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

In our current time when we become tired and weary, God will renew our strength. We must not lose faith. It’s easy to say we trust him when things are going well, but then lose sight of things start to go awry. He is always with us, ready to help us back up. Those who wait for God for his strength will receive it. Of course, this doesn’t really mean sitting around, letting the world go on, waiting on God to fix it. This means taking up our place in the world and actively trying to make it better. God will multiply our gifts and actions as we seek him and rely on him.

Lord, I praise you for always being near. I will actively seek you until my days become like the winter grass, and I will be ready for you to take me home. Until then, I will spread your fire so future generations will always called you Father.

Romans 8:24-25

 Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24-25

Waiting with patience is hard. The Israelites had to wait for their Savior, and some were patient. They hoped the Savior would come soon. We are nearly in the season where children begin to hope for things for Christmas. They wait patiently (or not) until Christmas morning to open their gifts. As adults, we may have our own hopes: promotion, children, bonuses, etc. For each of these things, we too need to wait with patience, and we should pray to God for his will. When we turn to God, our faith deepens as we wait. 

Lord, we all have hopes and dreams. I turn to you with my hopes, and pray that your will be done. Only you know what’s up ahead for me.

Psalm 121:1-3

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:1-3

This Psalm is one many people recite as a blessing for someone who is leaving on a journey. It helps people to remember that even though the road ahead looks scary, the woods may be dark, the mountains high, God is there with them always. He is not confined to a pace or time. He goes wherever we go. Every step we take, day or night, God is by our side.

Even when we are on a spiritual journey, we don’t have to wait until the end of it, or until we have arrived to the church we were searching for, to find him. People jump from church to church because they can’t “find God,” but that is a mistake. God is always with us in the journey itself. He is our guardian, watching our steps. He is there to protect us from evil. He is there during the night to keep the darkness away. All we need to do is trust in him.

Lord, I pray that you continued to protect me on this journey I am set upon. I put my faith in you Lord, let thy will be done.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Worry is a big issue. By definition, it means to allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles. Worry affect people of all ages. For a mother, a new worry starts when she finds out she is pregnant. Pregnancy is a big loss of control. Basically, God is saying, "Do you trust me?" What a BIG thought! Do I trust God with this new person being knit in my womb? Do I trust with every morning of morning sickness that this is for the best? Before I felt the first movements, did I trust God? When the baby was quiet, did I trust God?

Trust is not always easy. It wasn't easy for me. I let fear control me. Fear of when the 20 week scan showed that her bones weren't quite the right proportion. Fear let me believe I needed to have the amniocentesis, even though there was a potential for it to hurt her. Then my fear gutted me as I saw them needle on the ultrasound machine getting so close to her, as it was obtaining amniotic fluid. It was 13 years ago, and I remember clear as day my baby backing up in the womb, away from the needle. From that moment, I swore I wouldn't ever let anything hurt her. Out of fear.

Then we have the child, and we worry about what to feed them, when they will walk, when they will speak, etc. We fret at night if they cry. We run ourselves ragged without a second thought to trust in God. Is the house baby proofed? Did the sitter take CPR? Had I trusted in God the many, many nights of walking my second baby because of his colic? No. I know now that even if I had trusted Him, the colic may not have been easier, but I could have handled it better. We worry over schools, riding bikes, dangers of crossing the street, grades, dangers of every day. Again, God is asking, "Do you trust me?" Do we trust Him with our child's life? The very life HE knit together for us? With this child that HE knew before we ever did?

Psalm 56:3 says, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."

When kids go to college, that is another BIG loss of control. The first 18 years of their life, your child has been yours. Yours to protect, yours to feed, yours to monitor their choices.  Now they are their own person, moving to another place. I'm not here yet, and won't be for a while. Instead of being afraid for this change, I have learned how to trust in God in small, daily things.  I pray daily that He will protect my child in their endeavors. And I am teaching them to trust in God. I have several years until that next step happens, and I hope that in the mean time, I can continue to grow so that my trust in God will be bigger than my fear. I pray for those whose children are preparing for college. I pray that they feel God's arms around them, and that they can be reassured that they raised some great kids. And God will always be with them.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

There have been lots of time in my short life that I have begged God, “Why?” When our 6 year old neighbor died in a car accident (I was 9). When my friend’s dad died (I was 11). When I was in a car accident at 16. When the WTC were attacked (I was 17). When we lost our house to a hurricane (I was 21). When my engagement broke off at age 22. There were so many others in between and after that, including several times after joining this prayer group back in 2014. And I have come to realize there will be many more times I will question his reasoning. I know I won’t get an answer now. I may not get the answer until I get to see him face to face.

Regardless of not getting an answer, I know my God is watching over us. Every person whose life is affected in some way, God is watching over. We must continue in hope that our God does know what is best, and let ourselves be surrounded by peace. We cannot fall into despair when we don’t get an answer or when tragedy takes place in our lives. We have to continue on. This world is not our home, and we have so much to look forward to in the next one.

Lord thank you for always being there for me in my dark times, in the days of questioning, and not turning away from me. I know I have not struggled as much as others, and I lift them up in prayers to you Lord, that you will help them see, and they can find,  the hope and peace you offer. Amen. 

James 1:3

 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:3

Have you ever felt like things are going well for a period, and then WHAM! Your world seems to have turned sideways. There will be times where we get so comfortable with our life, we forget who have it to us. We forget where our blessings come from. They certainly didn’t pop out of thin air. And we didn’t give ourselves the gifts from which our blessings come. 

If we do forget who is in control, it sometimes feel like we are actually shaken up in a snow globe. And as the pieces of snow settle, and we are seeing the err of our ways, our God is sitting there watching us. He isn’t watching to see how much faith we have, because he already knows. He is watching to see how we use that faith. Can we see past the Boulder in our path? Are we showing others how to continue to trust in God, even when we feel far from him?

We need to face these trials with patience and not discouragement. Our faith is precious, and should be very important to ourselves. Continue to praise God, and look at the trials with joy; God loves you so much and is trying to remind you amid all he has done for you.

Hebrews 10:39

 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:39

In the midst of trials, there are people who will see the the darkness in front of them, and because scared. They assume God has forsaken them. They become discouraged. Like when Peter was walking on the water towards Jesus, but he became scared of the wind and began to sink. 

Then, there are those who see the darkness and know that they will get through it because of God. Their faith keeps them steady. Had Peter remained calm, he could have continued on the water to Jesus.

We mustn’t let things distract us from our path to God. We must remain faithful, even in the eye of the storm. God is in control. If we allow our feels, our failures, to take over, we will surely sink in the waters.

Lord I thank you for saving me from myself. I thank you for guiding me through my worst times. I pray you are always the lighthouse on the shore. 

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

1 Corinthians 14:33

When we have not stopped to allow God to take control, but instead rushed ahead with our own mind, we can find ourselves in a mess. Those time can be confusing, especially if you did pray to God for an answer, but just didn’t wait for it. God isn’t confusing. We don’t allow ourselves to see what he is trying to show us, or hear what he is trying to say. We just want to rush on with whatever problem we have, and fix it quickly. We are our own confusion. 

If we would stop and pray, and allow ourselves to be quiet so we could hear, we would find the peace God is trying to bring us. This world is broken. The people in it have stopped taking their pain to God and are constantly confused. They turn to other people to find answers for their confusion and end up with life altering decisions. Had they just brought their pain to God, sought his help, they might find they really weren’t confused, just misguided.

Lord I thank you for bringing peace in my life when I feel anxious. I thank you for all the blessings you have given us, and I thank you for walking with me through the hard times. Please never leave my side.

Ephesians 6:16

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16

After all the other things are “on” us, we still need faith. Battles are coming so we need to be dressed and ready, but we also need faith. 

Even after readying our hearts, setting our feet on the path, being saved, reading the word, knowing the truth, we still need faith. We have to know that the Lord has a plan and he has perfect timing.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I am ready and that my feet are firmly planted in You. I’m so grateful that we have Your word to read and commit to our hearts. I am grateful that You sent your son in place of my sins. I pray that I never take that for granted and that I am up daily, readying myself and holding tightly to my faith in You.

2 Peter 3:8

 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day as is a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8

God is allowing us time to repent before the second coming of Jesus. He could come at any time God chooses, and the world could be "dissolved by fire" at any time. But God is allowing us the time now to repent because he wants us to be in the new heavens with him. 

God formed us. Why wouldn't he want us to be with him forever? Three are people who say that Jesus second coming should have already happened because ancient articles posed the time to have been years ago. But as it was in Genesis and here in Peter, to God, a day is like a thousand years. So no one can really tell when He is coming. And we shouldn't worry about when he is coming. We should be prepared for that coming every single day.

Lord, help me to not be fearful of the day Jesus comes and the world ends. Because I know that it is only this world, and your children will continue on with you in heaven for eternity. Help me to not hold on to earthly things in a manner of fear. Lord, help me realize I need to repent when I need to so my heart is prepared every single day for you. Amen

Philippians 1:6

 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

There are times in our lives we feel we are in a lull. We have experienced God’s goodness in some way, but now we are just going through the day waiting. We have felt God working in us or through us, and not it might seem quiet. But have no fear! God doesn’t start projects and leave then unfinished. He promises to bring the work he started in us to completion. He doesn’t leave things undone, and he hasn’t left us. If we think of him as the Great Potter, he is constantly molding and shaping us, and right now he is seeing how we do. But he hasn’t walked away from the table. Our great works will not be fully completed until we see Jesus face to face. And remember, some pieces go through the fire many times before they are perfected, to cleanse them of impurities. 

Ephesians 6:10

 Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Ephesians 6:10

Even in the midst of all that seems to be turning upside down in this world, as Christians, we must remain strong. We must put on our armor of God. If we already are weak or we allow ourselves to be weak, not even the armor of God can help us against the lies of Satan. And we are seeing that first hand. There are so many people who are falling into traps set by the devil. Lies and manipulations are breaking apart families, friendships, churches, and our nation. 

We need desperately to cling to our Bibles, the actual word of  God as he intended, and not some version a person is spewing 2000 years later to benefit their own desires. We need to go in a “basic training” of sorts to prepare ourselves to be the best soldier we can be against the lies. Read the Bible,  participate in studies, learn more about your faith. Then get ready to move.

We can not be all that we can be by sitting passively as our world crumbles around us. We must rely on God’s might, his strength, AND do the work. God put us here on earth to defend His word. Not to let others destroy it while we wait for God to show up and clean up the mess. I’m not talking about becoming an extremist.  Don’t allow yourselves to be caught up in the wrong company. Arguing won’t change their mind. We don’t need to fall into the wants of the world love of money or things. We don’t need to over commit ourselves to everything at the church and not be able to give 100% to something. There is a line, and we need to know which side we are on. 

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

It is because of God’s mercies the world has not been consumed yet. We still have a piece of hope and a promise of restoration. As bad as our lives might be, they could be worse if God chose to walk away from us. If he walked away, and the people didn’t hold back from their inner desires and selfishness… that would be a travesty. 

Every day, we have a new chance. No matter how bad yesterday was, when the morning comes, we get to start anew. As long as we continue to trust in God, and are fully sorry for the mistakes we have made, he will continue to show us mercy and compassion. 

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

It is easy to become comfortable in our lifestyle, so much so that when it is yanked away, people panic. Like people who win the lottery were not used to such means, and they blow through it so quickly and are back to where they once were. Or in a worse position. Or people who are in professional sports that get paid a ridiculous amount for playing, then get hurt and can’t play, lose their contracts, and they are left with nothing (bc they spent it on that gargantuan house that nobody wants to buy). 

For those who kept God in the center of their life, they build their life around God, around his blessings, no matter how big or small those are. And they know that their success comes from God. They learn to live with what they have and don’t fear what is to come. 

I need to live without fear of what is to come. To know that God will always be there, and to be patient of His timetable. Things will happen when they need. 

Lord, thank you for always supplying me with just what I need. Thank you for this chapter in our lives. I know I will find friends when you put them in my path.

Psalm 28:7

 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7

We know God is a shield and can be a strength. We see him act in others lives. But we need to know he is acting in our lives too. He is OUR strength and OUR shield as well. We can get through the struggles of this world because of him. We are only here temporarily; our eternal home is heaven. We need to trust in God, follow his Word and lead others to his word. We need to hold on tight to our Biblical teachings and not bend for anyone on this planet. God is our shooed against the lies and deception, against the work of the devil. We will come to it face to face, but if we keep our hearts clear and open for God, we will not be overcome.

Lord, thank you for always being with me, in joys and sorrows. I trust in you. 

Hebrews 12:3

Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3

There are so many times when we feel hurt by lack of something. Or that something isn’t fair. Or we feel forgotten. We forget all the sufferings Jesus took on. He had endure hate and violence. Harsh words and ignorance. He allowed people to let their sins flow on him. He went to the cross. He did all these things so that we could be free.

Lord thank you for giving your self so that I can be free. Thank you for taking on my sins. I am sorry for the times I seek pity and forget what all you have done for me. 

2 Thessalonians 3:13

Hello! If you are following along with the daily study, we are now entering week 2. So in addition to the candle, this week, start adding light music playing in the background of your house. The candle and music can change the feeling in your house. 

WEEK 2 CHALLENGE

Keep your candle going and add to it—soft music every day in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that relaxes you and helps you focus on the Lord.

My candle and soft music literally change the atmosphere of my home. While the rest of my home may be messy, my candle keeps on burning and my soft music keeps on playing. Morning, noon and night they serve me. My candle serves me with a flickering warm light, a pleasant scent, and a reminder to turn to God as my source of strength and help. My music serves me with a soothing sound. They don’t make messes, they don’t need managed, they just simply bless me and my family. I hope it blesses you too.

As for you, brothers, do no grow weary in doing good.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

It is so easy to let our minds wonder on what could be. Or what could have been. What we did wrong. What we should have done.letting our minds begin on these trails will only cause a snowball effect. The more we focus on something, the bigger it becomes. If you focus on things that are going wrong, you will absolutely find more things wrong. In that same respect, if you start to think about things going right, you will find more things going right!! 

For instance, buying a house is hard. The people who viewed it didn’t like it. Why didn’t they like it? We raised our kids here, it’s perfect. So and so sold their house within 2 months!! Why haven’t we had an offer? Why is the inspection taking so long? They must have found something wrong. Why haven’t I heard from the agent? She isn’t telling me something. Is that window leaking? What else do I have to fix before we get out??

-OR-

The people who viewed it weren’t ready for a family home. There is someone out there that will love this house. So and so sold their house fast! Praise God for them! The inspection seems to be taking a while, they are really thorough. Our realtor hasn’t called in a while, at least there aren’t any problems. I should check that window before it becomes a problem. I’d hate to sell this house with a hidden issue. Paying attention to our relationships, and keeping them good. 

If we focus on the good, it’s easy to keep on that way, and we won’t grow weary. We also need to remember when we see others excelling that did not do it the Christian, hard-working way, we must not let minds grow dark. The people we are called to serve still need our help. And they need our positive vibes to shine so they can see how to get out of their darkness. This doing good is applicable in all our vocations. Laundry, dishes, sweeping the floor for people who are domestic servants. Even if we don’t get the big awards or gratitude for all the things we do, God sees is and it is known by the one who loves you most. 

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

We are told right here that we will face troubles in this world. It is not meant to be a piece of cake. If it were, we wouldn’t need this world to prepare us for heaven. But we do have to struggle to become pure. Jesus knew in this moment as he was talking to his disciples that Judas was betraying him. He knew the suffering that he was fixing to endure. He also knew that he would overcome this world, and we would too. And this should bring us peace

Lord thank you for the trials and tribulations that I have overcome. It was only because of you that I made it through them. I thank you for the lessons learned in each one. 

2 Corinthians 5:7

 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

In America today, Christianity is being torn apart. People “need” something to believe in, and follow the latest thing they see or hear. People “feel” they have rights to things that God would not allow. They are blinded to the truth, blinded by the lies Satan has cast. America has fallen into “seeing is believing” views when it comes to a what is good, and so what they see, they believe. They see a ruler promising falsities for votes, one who tells lies and tries to make his/her own personal beliefs truth. They believe in promoting false hopes to children, who have not been taught how faith works. 

We need to remind others that we should walk in the word by faith alone, not needing to see a miracle performed. Just as other things in history are being pulled from books, people feel they are so far from the time of Jesus, that is doesn’t matter. But the truth does matter. And the truth is that God sent his only son to die for our sins. Blessed are those who believe without seeing. 

I am truly scared for the souls of those who choose to follow the world today. They are going down a dark path that seems to have no end. Lord I pray for those people leading others astray as well as those being led. I thank you for arming me to protect my children against Satan’s lies. I will follow you. 

1 Peter 5:10-11

 

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10-11

I heard something yesterday asking why God would make people suffer. The response was that a man can ask for strength, and God gives us difficulties to make us strong. He can ask for wisdom and God gives us problems to solve. He can ask for courage and God gives us dangers to overcome. He asked for love, and God gave him troubled people to help. The prayers were answered. God’s answers aren’t always what we are looking for, but his answers help us to grow in faith. He builds us to be better Christians because he loves us. We aren’t going to see and understand glory unless we see suffering. You don’t see the beautiful wheat fields until after someone has done hours of labor of cleaning the field, planting seeds, watering, weeding. That is what God is doing with us as well. 

Thank you Lord for the trials and pain I have suffered, because through these difficult times, I have learned to trust in you. I feel your love even as I come close to a wall, holding me back. Thank you for loving me even when I don’t appreciate your response. You know best.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

God wants us to know that fear isn’t from the God we serve. We will all come upon situations where we are afraid. Speaking in front of people was always mine. I hated my Speech class in college, but it was a requirement. I’m afraid of messing up or stuttering and looking foolish. So I did what I could to survive and pass the class. It was never my best, and was criticized by the teacher because of that. Recently, I have felt called to be a lector at Mass. I pushed the calling to the side for so long because of my fear. It took a bit for me to understand God wouldn’t call me to do something and then instill fear in me. That was Satan trying to prevent me from following God.

God has given me a spirit of power, so I am stronger than Satan and fear because of God. I use His love and calm thinking when I approach the altar, and even though I feel the butterflies, I know I have practiced and God is with me. And I read the readings at Mass to the Church with no stuttering.

Lord, thank you for your gift of power and love. Thank you for continuing to reach out and pursuing me, even when I pushed you to the side. Thank you for helping me overcome a fear so I can help share your word.

Galatians 6:9

 Let us not grow weary of doing good for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

How could this not be encouraging? There are very many days where I am just worn down with the monotony of daily life. It's just go go go, sleep, go go go, day in and day out. It's easy to become weary when you see that all the good you do doesn't have much to reap, whereas others who do not harvest well get lots of rewards. I think this verse is great encouragement as it reminds us that our good will make a difference whether it be today, or not until next week, or not until 10 year from now. We will reap a harvest from God. We just may not see the direct effects of our goodness. I think of the commercial that starts with someone holding the door open for someone else, then that act of grace made that second person do something good for a third person, and it continued down the line. The first person will not know what their goodness opened up for the 10th person. But it shouldn't stop him/her from doing the act. We should do things in God's name daily and unconditional, without hoping to reap rewards from it. Our reward is eternal.

Dear Lord, thank you for the constant reminders that I am not alone. Thank you for the energy to continue my days in pursuit of you. I lift up those who feel so overwhelmed that they do not think they can go any further. Being the light to their life Lord, to help them out of the darkness. 

Philippians 4:19

*Go buy an extra-large candle and light your candle every day in your home.  Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, slow down, pray and give thanks.*

My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

It is so easy to get discouraged when we see God working in someone else’s life, but don’t feel him working in our own. But we must remember that God has provided us many blessings i the past, and he will continue to do so. It is not always in the way we expect and the time we request it. His plans are bigger than ours, and are always better. 

Changes in life are hard. Raising children, having to move and leave your best friend, elderly parents, new jobs, these are all chapters in our book that are easy to bring us into doubt, fear, dismay, and discouragement. But God is always next to us, guiding us through them. Give your fears to God and let him help you through the difficult portion you are going through. And remember to give gratitude for all the things you learn in your hard times as well as the joys in the good.

Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings you have given me. Thank you for the opportunity for my friend to fly from North Carolina to visit. You knew exactly what I needed when I did. You are amazing! Amen

Isaiah 41:10

 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

We begin our annual “Making Your Home a Haven” study today! We will be doing this daily through October 31. Each week will have a new challenge. This week’s challenge is to start a daily gratitude list and go buy an extra large candle. Light the candle every day in your home, and each time the candle glimmer catches your eye, stop and say a prayer. You can join in on the study and challenges through the WomenLivingWell site https://womenlivingwell.org/2022/09/bible-study-resources-for-dont-let-go-holding-onto-god-when-you-feel-like-giving-up/

We are stuck in a world of brokenness. People have given up beliefs to find a “new self,” even though they don’t even recognize themselves anymore. People strive to feel loved and feel full, but they don’t know what that should be. They try this fad and that, trying to fit in, trying to be noticed, but once again, they find themselves feeling empty. So their search continues. They feel discouraged when they can’t feel the happiness that the world promises through this and that. 

God is the ONLY thing that can fill that void. Don’t give up. Don’t let go. You are not alone! Remember that you are a child of God, and he loves you so very much. God is with you through every struggle and every success. God never promised life would be sunshine and rainbows. We have to fight the battle against evil daily. And we will fall sometimes. God forgives us again and again, as long as we choose to turn to him. 

Dear God, thank you for all the second chances you have given me. I surrender all my fears to you. Lord,  please be with the broken-hearted. Take their hurt and pain from them so that they might see your good works and feel your comfort and love. Amen 

Prevent Your Downfall (2 Chronicles 36)

After Josiah chose to not consult God and died from a battle wound, his successors did evil in the sight of the Lord, and were subsequently captured and made prisoners. Then the temple of God was destroyed. God gave his people ample warning to follow his commandments or face the consequences. They chose not to listen and did indeed have repercussions to face. 

We have been warned by all the stories in the Bible. We have seen several kingdoms rise and fall. We have read about the devastation that happens when God’s word is not followed. We can prevent this from happening to us. We can prevent the downfall by choosing God, choosing to live our lives according this his word, and spreading his word to others as Jesus calls us to do. 

We need to stand strong against the changes trying to be forced upon us that do not line up with biblical teachings. We need to fight for the family, man and woman as God described, and their children. We need to remind others of God’s call for life. We need to love other people but that doesn’t mean we should support their sinful choices, If we don’t take his warnings to heart, when destruction and devastation happens, we will only have ourselves to blame.  

Do Not Let Your Guard Down (2 Chronicles 35)

2 Chronicles 35:22 But Josiah would not withdraw from him, for he was seeking a pretext to fight with him. Therefore he would not listen to the words of Neco that came from the mouth of God

We just finished reading about the way Josiah led the people to observe the Passover, in a celebration greater than any other recorded. He closely followed God’s instructions and had the people do the same. Then when a neighboring nation appears, Josiah feels threatened and doesn’t not listen to the word of God. He doesn’t consult God or prophets, but instead chose to fight (even though the other army clearly stated they were trying to get around Josiah). And what happened? Josiah was seriously wounded and died. Had he consulted with God, he could have avoided this catastrophe. 

We must remember when we are high on our mountains, that God is the one who put us there. And if something comes amiss, we need to seek God first before we charge headfirst. Because what is next to the top of the mountain? A cliff and the downhill slide. Josiah was a godly man, and did many wonderful things. But even godly men can be tested. Do not let your guard down, even when you are at your highest, because the devil is always around the corner.