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#TuesdayTruth Mark 16:17-18

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 02:07:00 GMT

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Mark 16:17-18

Jesus did such a great job making it clear that there would be certain signs that should follow every believer. If you have placed your faith, hope, and love in Jesus Christ then you meet the criteria for demons to flee, and for the sick to be healed.

We were meant to live a life where the Spirit of the Living God should show up regularly as a catalyst for a supernatural life. The Bible says that same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside us (Rom. 8:11). If we believe the Bible to be true then we have access to the same dead-raising power that brought Jesus back to life. That same Spirit is still at work today, and creation is waiting for the sons of God to reveal that He still heals, He still has the power to raise the dead (Rom. 8:19).

We can walk in this power with full confidence that God is a man of His word and will keep it (Num. 23:19). We can also rest assured that we need not be fearful. Luke 10:19 says that Christ has given us, “ALL authority over EVERY power of the enemy, and nothing will be any means hurt us.” This means no matter what spiritual, emotional, or physical attack the enemy tries to deploy we know that we already have the victory because of the authority that Jesus has given us. There is nothing to fear!! Praise God for this victory.

Notice that the Bible does not say these signs follow preachers, teachers, the most anointed, the guy or girl with move followers in Instagram, etc. These signs follow ANY ONE who has confessed with their mouth, and believed in their heart that Jesus is Lord.

As believers, we were designed to terrify hell for a living. We need to wake up with the full assurance that through Christ we are conquerors and that we will not settle for anything less than what He paid for.

Friends, let’s make it a point to no longer settle for average. We do not have to accept blow after blow from the enemy. Through Christ we have authority over anything the enemy tries to throw at us. We were designed to walk the life more abundantly. It’s what Christ paid for.

Jesus, thank You for being so kind. Thank you that You have given me access to the same power that raised You from the dead. Holy Spirit give me the boldness to proclaim this truth every day, and to use that boldness to see the miraculous regularly. In Jesus name, Amen.

#TuesdayTruth 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:54:00 GMT

I am SO very thankful that we are instructed to not view anyone “from a worldly point of view.”

What does that mean? Well, I spent some time thinking about it, and when I did, I asked myself, how would the world view me?

My simple mind came up with this. I think the world would:

Oh how I pray to be nothing like that. I pray that we remember:

to not judge, to consider a person’s place as they stand in the Kingdom, to never bring to mind someone’s past wrongs, to remember mercy triumphs over judgment, to value someone for who they are in Christ (sons and daughters!), to see the gifts/strengths of others and how those can be used in the Church, to grieve with those who grieve and celebrate with those who celebrate, and to build others up by encouraging them.

I KNOW that I am still a work in progress when it comes to some (ok, several) of these things. However, I am so THANKFUL that we have the opportunity to be made new! The old is gone! The new is here!

Now let us all move forward with an eternal point of view.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for making us new. Thank you for helping us to see others the way that you do. Thank you for the promise of eternity. Thank you for the real, true hope that we have because of you.

We love you,

Amen

#TuesdayTruth Genesis 16:13

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:37:00 GMT

I have always enjoyed learning the names of God. They tell us so much about Him, and can be so comforting.

Here are just a few:

Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my Shepherd,

Jehovah Jireh, the Lord shall provide,

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals,

and in the verse above, El Roi, the God who sees me.

The context here is pertinent. Hagar was an Egyptian slave to Sarai, Abram’s wife. When Sarai was unable to become pregnant, she “gave” Hagar to Abram as another wife in an effort to give him children. Hagar did get pregnant, but then Sarai began to despise and mistreat her, so Hagar fled.

This is HEAVY . This woman is in such a terrible situation. As far as we know, she did not do anything wrong, yet she still ended up in this situation.

But God.

He heard her cries and the Bible says that the angel of the Lord “found” her and spoke to her. At that point, she gave this name to God- “God who sees me.”

Please take a moment and let that sink in. God is not just this big, far-away, that who does not know what is going on in your life, or your concerns and fears.

No. He SEES you. He cares for you. He loves you as His child.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being Jehovah El Roi- the God who sees us. Thank you for not only seeing us, but for also saving us. Thank you that we are never alone, because we have you.

We love you,

Amen

#TuesdayTruth Isaiah 1:17-18

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 01:53:00 GMT

Every now and again I feel like I get (metaphorically) punched in the gut with a reminder of some past sin/mistake. It can just be a quick thought initially- a sudden remembering- and then, if left unchecked, it breeds guilt, shame, that feeling of how unworthy I am.

It is not a bad thing to recognize when we have done wrong. In fact, it is a part of how we become more like Him. However, we should not dwell on our sin. Thank God that He will remember our sins no more (Hebrews 10:17). We can live with a clean conscience, knowing that we have been forgiven. We have been justified, and God says he “will never count our sin against us” (Romans 4:8). Living free from the consciousness of sin brings about the transformed mind that will allow us to be more like Him.

I hope that we never lose sight of just how incredible it is that God our Father offers us reconciliation with Him. As the verses here say, though our sins are like scarlet (we are thoroughly stained and unable to change that on our own), they will be white as snow- GONE, FULLY ERASED.

We, who are in Christ, are not who we once were. We are forgiven. We are sons and daughters. Despite how unworthy we are on our own, through Him, we are “white as snow.”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you, above all else, for forgiveness. We thank you that, although our sins are like scarlet, you make us white as snow. We would have no hope without you, but because of you, we have eternal hope.

We love you,

Amen

#TuesdayTruth John 16:33

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 01:56:00 GMT

Unfortunately, trouble is not a possibility in this life, but, instead, is something that we know we will experience. Sometimes the trouble is something small- I dropped my coffee- and sometimes the trouble is huge- a life threatening illness, a marriage ending, a loss that causes an ache right down to the bone.

Either way- no matter the “size” of the trouble- Jesus assures us that we can have peace in Him. He has already won the victory and He offers us the chance to share in that victory.

It is spelled out fairly simply in this passage:

I saw something recently that talked about “waiting” to be in a situation with no trouble. I do not know about you, but I have been there (“maybe once this happens, I will not worry so much” or “maybe when we are in that situation, I can finally rest”). Actually, a different approach would be better- identifying how He can BE your peace, despite the trouble of this world.

We are called to be a light. This is how we can be different, and how we can shine- peace in Him in the midst of troubling times. We know how this story ends and we know who has the victory.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the assurance that we can have peace despite our circumstances. Thank you for being the source of that peace. Thank you for allowing us to share in your victory.

We love you,

Amen

#TuesdayTruth Romans 6:23

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:49:00 GMT

Have you ever read a bible verse over and over, hundreds or even thousands of times, and then, all of the sudden you see/hear something different in it; it’s like a lightbulb just goes ON? I read this verse recently and it “hit” me differently this time.

In the past, I think I have read it to say that the “result” of sin is death (as in “A” leads to “B”); something like, the “result of sin is death” (which is not technically wrong), and then I just move on and continue reading. However, this time when I read it, the word “ wages ” jumped out at me.

I realized that “wages” are something that you earn (a payment). For example, when we go to work we earn an hourly rate or a salary- that is what I am owed for the work that I have done.

So, in this context, if that is how we are to interpret this verse, then:

Ouch! It is true, but still, that kind of hits me in the gut. We have all “earned” death with our sins (Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the flory of God”).

However, this is the truly mind-blowing (and wholly encouraging) part. We are offered a “gift”- a truly unmerited, unwarranted gift. Although we “earned” death with our sin, our Heavenly Father sent his Son to take on all those “earnings” and, instead, we are offered the gift (not earnings, because we can do nothing to earn this gift) of eternal life with Him.

What a beautiful gift! I am truly overwhelmed by His kindness.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for seeing us and for loving us, even while still in our sin. Thank you for having compassion on us, your children. Thank you for not repaying us for our sins what we are owed. Thank you for, instead, offering us the gift of eternal life with You. We so look forward to that day, when we can look on you with awe and wonderment, and say “THANK YOU” face to face.

We love you,

Amen

April 2024 Festivus Photos

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:43:00 GMT

The Festivus Games were a blast, and we have the photos to prove it. Shout out to “Seen and Loved Studios” for these incredible photos from Festivus on 4/20/24!

We hope you love as much as we do:

https://tinyurl.com/Festivus-Photos

Please enjoy and make sure to tag @seenandloved.studios , @crossfit1510 and @festivusgames if you share.

Thank you all for participating in the April 2024 Festivus.

#TuesdayTruth Psalms 139:1-6, 23-24

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 01:36:00 GMT

One of the first things that comes to my mind when I read this Scripture is the song “Known” by Tauren Wells (in one part it says, “I’m fully known and loved by You”). Think about that for a moment- fully known- not partially, not mostly, not more than others, but FULLY known.

How incredible, and even overwhelming, is it to think that the Sovereign God of the universe truly KNOWS us. He knows the “pretty” parts and He knows the “not so pretty” stuff (even that which we can barely admit to ourselves) AND HE LOVES US as a son/daughter. He knows us better than any human ever has or ever will.

As the passage says, this is truly “too wonderful for me.” I can not fathom it.

In the later verses quoted above, David asks God to “search” him, to “test” him, to “know” his anxious thoughts. If I am being completely honest, I do not know that I want God to know me on that level, to test me, and to know my anxious thoughts. There are a lot of those, and my feeble human mind fears that He will think less of me.

The thing is- He does already know me (fully), and He LOVES me STILL. He loves me enough (even with all my flaws and failures) to leave the 99…for me.

It overwhelms me. It is “too lofty for me to attain.”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for both knowing us fully and loving us anyway. Thank you that this is not dependent on anything that we say or do. Thank you that we can bring our anxieties to you and know that you will not look down on us, or think us weak, but will instead lead us “in the way everlasting.”

We love you,

Amen.

#Tuesday Truth Proverbs 3:5-6

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:05:00 GMT

I would guess that at some point most, if not all, of us have heard (or even said) “Follow your heart” or “Go with your gut.” I understand the sentiment. However, this Scripture shifts that perspective significantly.

We are actually instructed NOT to try to figure things out by our own means (or with our “own understanding”) and instead, trust in the Lord with all our hearts. The world might tell you to follow your heart. However, later, in Jeremiah 17:9 we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”

When you think about it, is not the way God intended SO MUCH BETTER anyway? I do not know about you, but by this point in my life, I am quite certain that I do not have it all figured out. I do not have all (or even many) of the answers. More often than not, my prayer is similar to 2 Chronicles 20: 12 “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

What an encouraging thought- if I trust in Him and submit to Him, He will direct my path. He is a good, good Father. Of course, I can trust the path on which He sends me.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your guidance. Thank you that we can trust in You- to guide us along Your path, to guard us from harm, and to direct our steps.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Psalms 116:7

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:52:00 GMT

As the busy-ness of the holiday season comes to an end, this verse provides such comfort. Take a deep breath, read it again and exhale slowly.

Give yourself time to reflect on the previous days/weeks/months. Personally, I am not someone who is, by nature, good at this. I do not typically make a “top 10” of a year at the end of that year, or even make resolutions for the new year. However, I see the benefit of thinking back on things that happened, decisions that were made, lessons learned, and/or goals achieved (or even those that “fell by the wayside”). I think it is healthy to pause, reflect, rest, and know that God is good.

Obviously we all had different 2023 events/experiences. Not everything that happened in 2023 was “good” but our God is still good. His nature is goodness. It is WHO HE IS.

We have talked before about “soul level rest” and how this is a whole other level of rest. We rest, knowing that the God of the universe loves us so immensely that he “left he 99” for just this one. So, as 2024 begins, I encourage you to let your soul rest, and remember all the ways that “the Lord has been good to you.”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for REST, your rest. Thank you that you not only advise us to rest, but you actually command it. Thank you for providing the Sabbath. Even more, thank you that we can rest in You, in Your goodness.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Psalms 112:6-8

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:58:00 GMT

The holidays are upon us. This season can be full of happiness, laughter, celebration, abundance, excitement, fun, togetherness, and celebration. However, for some, this season can, instead, be full of sadness, grief, need, dread, fear, loneliness, and/or anxiety.

I think that is why the passage referenced here stood out to me, especially at the holiday season. The words are so powerful:

I do not know about you, but these are all things that I want said of me . Think how that would sound to have your name inserted there- for me, “Katie is never shaken. She has no fear of bad news. Her heart is steadfast and secure.” Just typing those words made me take a deep breath, and feel immensely thankful for Scripture, specifically these verses.

Now who is described as such in the passage? It is the righteous and those who trust in the Lord . Here is the truly GOOD NEWS- our Heavenly Father knew (knows) that we could not be righteous on our own, and that, in fact, if/when left to ourselves, we will falter and run after all of the wrong things to try to feel steadfast and secure. Thank God, because He gave us a way back to him, through Jesus- our righteousness is not anything of ourselves, but is a result of our Lord and Savior and his triumph of the cross.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the beauty of the Christmas season- a time when we are often prompted to remember the birth of your Son, and our Savior. Thank you that even when we hurt, we can rest assured in your goodness. Thank you that we do not have to fear bad news, that we can be steadfast and secure, because of You.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Matthew 10:29-31

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 01:10:00 GMT

I think most of us can occasionally fall into the “trap” of feeling anxious about provision for our needs. Most of us (living in this country, at this time in civilization) are very fortunate in that we do not often have to worry about our basic human needs being met (food, water, clothing, shelter, hygiene), but budgets can certainly be just plain tight at times and there is a need to restrict (or be more cautious) with our finances. However, imagine for a moment not actually knowing if you/your family will have food and clean drinking water for the next day.

I was recently reminded of what this must have been like for the Israelites when they left Egypt. Without knowing the journey that lay ahead, God literally led them out of captivity, with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide them. He split the Red Sea for them allowing them to walk through on dry land, and provided drinkable water for them on multiple occasions. He literally cared for every need of hundreds of thousands of His chosen people. The Israelites (much like us) took these things for granted and failed to see what God was doing in their midst. They actually went to Moses and Aaron to complain about the conditions in which they were living (because regardless of their captivity at least they had food in Egypt)! God’s response to their complaints was to RAIN DOWN bread for them and provide them meat in the form of quail! I think we sometimes lose sight of just how amazing that must have actually been.

All this to say that their worth to our Heavenly Father had been established before their time in the wilderness began. The Bible says “Christ was crucified before the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Our God had already decided before we were born, before the Israelites were prisoners, before the very pillars of the earth were set that He was going to give the highest ransom He had - His one and only Son- so that we might live. If He then would give so much for our salvation how can we think He would neglect our basic human needs; after all, we are worth more than many sparrows.

We should trust that when God says something, He means it:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your provision. Thank you for giving us the assurance in your word that you care so much for the sparrows, so we know you must care even more for us- your sons and daughters. Thank you for seeing, knowing, and meeting our needs (often before we even ask). Thank you that we can rest, knowing that you care for us.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:02:00 GMT

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It is easy to rejoice when we are living in a period of a time when all is going well in our lives:

It is not nearly so easy to rejoice in our low times:

This scripture is clear- we are not told to rejoice when we are in our “happy place” and feeling great, when all is right with our little world. No. We are told to rejoice ALWAYS, to pray CONTINUALLY, to give thanks in ALL circumstances (ALL)!

We have to keep our focus steadfast on the One who gives us reason to rejoice always. None of this is dependent on our earthly, right-now, circumstances. It is dependent on the One who will never fail us.

He was the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

He was good then. He is good now. He will be good.

If we are believers, then even if EVERY other thing in our day-to-day is going wrong, we have a reason to rejoice. THAT is joy!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you the giving us a reason to ALWAYS be joyful. Thank you for this reminder in your word. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit, our comforter. Thank you for being available to us- to talk, to cry, to mumble somewhat incoherently (knowing that you still know what it is we are trying to say), and sometimes to even just sit quietly together.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Colossians 3:12-14

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 11:20:00 GMT

There is something that I think God has been trying to remind me of lately, and I thought that I would use this platform to not only share it, but hopefully encourage you as well. This is one of those things that we read or hear said frequently, but I do not know how often we actually internalize it.

Often, people around us, even those that we think we know well, are going through some very difficult, hurtful, exhausting, burdensome times, and they are struggling silently.

I know that when I am the one going through such a time, it is not my first instinct to reach out, even to my close friends, to let them know what is going on and that I might need support. I also know that this is not the healthy way to deal with the tough stuff in life. I am saying it is my tendency (probably my human nature). In that case, how would any of my friends or family know that I am in a place where I really need them to reach out or lend their support? They do not.

I believe that God intended for us to be a unified people, a people who love each other well, a people who value our brothers and sisters above ourself (Galatians 5:13-14, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

So, this is simply a reminder to:

Be kind . Be patient . Give grace .

Pray for your friends, family, and even (rather, especially) your “enemies.” Scripture says it this way: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).

Let’s be a people who give those around us “the benefit of the doubt.” The next time someone snaps at you, acts selfishly, or acts out of character, make a point to stop and pray for them, as they may be dealing with something very heavy, that you know nothing about.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the friendships that you give us in this life. Thank you for both the opportunity to show up for our friends and love them the way that you would, and for the friends that we have who have done the same for us. Thank you for giving us specific people, at specific times in our lives. Thank you for sending your son to be the perfect example of perfect love.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Romans 5:6-8

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:45:00 GMT

This passage sums up the reason for the hope that we have in the gospel.

Consider these phrases:

Have you ever wondered if God really loves you? The answer is right there. The demonstration of His love for us- “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

I honestly can not fathom this amount of love. It is too great for my feeble human mind, but I am also so deeply thankful for it. There is absolutely nothing that we did, or could do, to make up for all our wrongs, to earn our way back to Him. We did not, and do not, deserve the gift of salvation, but He extends that gift anyway.

Now, let’s live like we believe that; like sons and daughters of the one true King.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the greatest gift in the history of the universe, over the expanse of all time. Thank you for sending your Son to pay the price for my sins. Thank you for fully knowing me and loving me anyway. Thank you for the opportunity to live my life in the freedom of that knowledge.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Genesis 45

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 11:30:00 GMT

< Emphasis added by me>

When I read about this particular part of Joseph’s life (the part where he is basically in charge of the resources in Egypt), sometimes I can forget that the earlier parts of his life were actually quite difficult, and probably frightening. Think about what he lived through, and then think about how incredible it is that Joseph' says, “God sent me” and “but God.”

Early on, his brothers developed a hatred (Genesis 37:5) and jealousy (Genesis 37:11) for Joseph. This led them to betray Joseph- to his being sold as a slave, and them deceiving their father (causing him to believe that his beloved son had been killed).

After initially being sold into slavery, Joseph was then bought by the captain of the guard, Potiphar, in Egypt. He did well there and was entrusted with basically everything that Potiphar owned. However, Potiphar’s wife persistently pursued him (Genesis 39:10); and, even though he refused, she accused him, which led to his imprisonment.

Then, although imprisoned, Joseph had “favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Genesis 39:21). While there, he was able to interpret dreams for two of the king of Egypt’s officials. One of those was released, but forgot about Joseph (Genesis 40:23) when that time came. Finally, he was remembered and released when he was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.

So, to recap:

1- Enslaved

2- Accused

3- Imprisoned

4- Forgotten

“…BUT GOD.”

Joseph was released and put in charge of basically all the food in Egypt. This led to his being reconciled with his family before his father died.

How incredible is it that Joseph was able to look back on all that hurt and trouble and say, “It was not you. It was God who sent me?!” He was even able to look back, recognize and acknowledge that God was able to use these terrible things that he went through for the good of His people. It is a real perspective shift.

Personally, I would like to try to do my best to follow Joseph’s lead here and say, yes we have hard times and go through difficult and even sad times, “BUT GOD.”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the things we can learn from the life of people like Joseph. Thank you that, even when we go through the roughest seasons of life, we know that you are with us. Thank you that we can often look back on those seasons and see how you used if for our good and your glory. You did not forsake Joseph and you will not forsake us. You are our good, GOOD, Father.

We love you,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:30:00 GMT

Isn’t God cool- how He gives us ways to better understand Him in Scripture?!

Think about a runner/athlete- not just any runner, but an elite runner, who has a goal ahead of winning some particularly prestigious race. That runner “goes into strict training.” He or she will follow a rigid training program, maintain a strict diet, make sure to hydrate sufficiently, ensure they get plenty of rest; all this, among other things, because he or she knows that it is all in an effort to achieve that particular goal. They most likely set aside a lot of time and energy for training, which means giving up on other comforts/opportunities/offers.

Now, let’s consider our purpose, our goal, here on earth. Jesus was our perfect example and He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). We are to love God, love His people, and make Heaven crowded.

In life, there are so many things that vie for our time and attention. Many of those things truly do not matter when we think of them in the scope of eternity. We have to remind ourselves to keep in focus what is most important and what our true purpose is here on earth.

We can just consider that runner, who went into strict training. They pushed aside all the distractions, and all the things that could keep them from their true goal. None of that other “stuff” matters.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving us relatable examples in Your word so that we can better understand You and what is most important to You. Thank you for offering us the ultimate “prize” or “crown” (and not just a crown, but one that will last forever)! Thank you for Your Son.

We love you Father,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Habakkuk 3:1, 18

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:15:00 GMT

It can be easy to get bogged down in the day to day, or the “grind” as some would say.

We get up.

We go to school or work.

We do our best.

We go home.

We spend time with our friends or families.

Then, we start the whole thing over again the next day.

However, in this day to day, let us not forget how truly awe-inspiring our Father in Heaven is. Let’s take time to remember “His deeds” as this verse says. We SHOULD , in fact, stand in “awe” of Him.

To name just a few that we see in Scripture:

He provided Noah instructions to build an ark in order to save Noah’s family from the world-wide flood.

He gave David (a shepherd-boy) victory over a giant (Goliath).

He stopped the sun while Israel was in battle.

He split the red sea so the Israelites could pass on dry land.

He spared Daniel when he was in the lion’s den.

He spared Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace.

He raised Lazarus from the dead.
Most importantly, He sent His Son to this earth, to live the perfect life that we could never live, for the sole cause of providing us a way back to the Father. His Son then rose from the grave, defeated death and gave us access to our heavenly Father (despite our shortcomings).

No matter what is going on in our lives, we as believers have reason to rejoice. Our circumstances do not determine our ability to rejoice. Our Father has given us reason to do so. Let’s stand in AWE of Him and let’s REJOICE.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all of your deeds that remind us of just how big and how great a God we serve. Thank you that we are able to call out to you any time at all because of your great love for us. Thank you for being the reason that we rejoice.

We love you Father,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth Psalms 16:2,11

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 12:25:00 GMT

I was tempted to copy this entire Psalm on this month’s Tuesday Truth. It is so reassuring and comforting. Instead, I pulled out the two verses that made me pause and, in this moment in my life, they truly reminded me of the source of all of our JOY (and just how loved we are by our Heavenly Father). I would encourage you to read all of Psalm 16 when you do have some time.

The truth in that first declaration- “apart from you I have no good thing-” is undeniable! Things of this world might catch our eye, might sound like something we want, might try to entice us. However, if you have ever tried running after the things that the world says are important, you know just how empty those “things” will leave you. There is no “good thing” outside of our God.

On that note, I think it is worthwhile to occasionally pause and ask oneself:

“What am I currently running after? Am I running with God, or am trying it on my own? Is this something that will glorify my Heavenly Father?”

As opposed to the lack of good without God, truly, there is SO MUCH GOOD when you are with the Lord and when you seek Him first (“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33). He is our Father, our rescuer, our deliverer, our provider, our healer, our righteousness, our shepherd, our peace, and the Wonderful Counselor. We can have confidence in Him. We can rest easy because of Him.

When we skip down to the last verse of Psalms 16 we are, again, encouraged that the Lord our God, is the source of our joy. He leads us. He gently guides us. And, He does not just aim to give us a little joy. This verse says that, in His presence, He will “fill” us with joy! What is asked of us? To simply be with Him, to be in His presence. That is something that we can do. It is something that we want to do!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being our source for everything good. Truly, you are our comfort and peace. You are steadfast. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Thank you for the confidence that we can have when we come to you and when we rely on you. Thank you for the joy that fills us because of You!

We love you Father,

Amen.

#TuesdayTruth James 1:17

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 01:22:00 GMT

When I woke up this morning, my first thought was one of anxiety, of concern, of fear, of worry about the future. Thankfully, I quickly realized that this was not from my Father in heaven, and it was not something that I should waste time and mental energy on. Instead, I should be thanking my GOOD Father for the gifts He has given me and even for those that He has yet to give me.

I had already (days ago) selected this verse as the verse for the “Tuesday Truth” this month, and yet, my first waking thought was not how God provides and gives us good and perfect gifts, and how He does not change. It was, honestly and embarrassingly, of my human concerns.

Didn’t He say that He will provide for me? That I am more valuable than the birds of the air? And, He does provide for the birds. I can see that every day. I can see how He cares for the flowers of the field, EVERY SINGLE DAY. He provides for the birds and he clothes the grass (Matthew 6:25-34), and I KNOW that I am more valuable to Him, so why would I worry?!

This is not to say that we will get every single thing that we want here on this earth. We know that we will not. Sometimes our wants do not line up with what He has for us. We must remember that His ways are higher and His plans are better. Sometimes the mercy and goodness of God is wrapped up in an answer of “No” or “not right now” to our requests.

Our God does not change. He was the same yesterday. He is the same today. He will be the same tomorrow. He has always been good. He will always be good. He has always cared for His children. He has always known how to give His children good gifts, and we are His children!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for ALL of the many gifts that you have given us (and for all the gifts that you have yet to give us). Thank you that we have no cause for worry or fear, because we are your children. Thank you for giving us things that we can see in nature, in every day life, that remind us that you will continue to care and provide for us. Thank you most of all for the gift of your Son.

We love you Father,

Amen.