Author: Vickie

Are you right on track? Are you behind? Overwhelmed? Too busy? Too tired? And if things aren’t going too well right now, is that expected? And does it matter which time of the day I ask you?

I can handle just about anything first thing in the morning, if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. That didn’t happen last night and my eyes feel real tired right now. How about yours? The thing is – we can’t be expected to pull off everything we hope to, when and how we imagine it all. Period. And that’s okay because we live in an imperfect world. Stop expecting so much of yourself and everyone else around you. Stop expecting perfection, or anything close to it, and start enjoying the effort in the everyday.

I can remember my report card from the first grade. (Back in those days, not everyone did Kindergarten.) There was the grade for the subject, then there was the grade for the “effort.” Mom always told me the “effort” was the most important. I aced that one by the way. Usually they line up but not always for me. She made me feel valued because I tried, I will never forget that. That kind of stuff brings joy in the remembering.

Laugh. Laugh when the cookies flop, the juice drops on the carpet and the package is late. Let joy be your default because Jesus is your Redeemer.

The only perfect expectation that cannot disappoint is one that is related to God. Talk to your soul, like David did, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and salvation; He is my defense: I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:5-6

You will not be giving up. You will not be a quitter because God is a Savior. He is your Rock when the winds of discouragement pummel you and try to make you unsteady. He is your Defense when that blasted accuser says “I told you so” over and over.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2: 11-14

The enemy of your soul does not want you to enjoy this Advent Season. He does not want joy in your heart or kindness or love to reign. Resist the urge to keep up with others that seem to “out-do” you. Keep looking for that “blessed hope” of this season. Settle it in your mind and heart that you have been rescued from the throes of evil, because God sent His Son. So He could be with us, always.

God gave. And the greatest gift we can share is His love. This is such a light item to put at the top of our “to-do” list. We are “His own special people” and we are “zealous for good works.” Smile, over and over. Pray for those who are having a difficult time missing loved ones. Give your time and energy to those who could use more of both. Be brave as you step out of your comfort zone to bring comfort to someone who really needs it.

You can expect this — Jesus redeems and you are His special girl, and there is always enough grace to cover any and all mess-ups.  Keep on having a joyous Advent!

Hopeful Anticipation…

I think I am more excited about celebrating Advent than I have ever been. Living in hopeful anticipation for nearly an entire month sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I didn’t arrive at this place in my Christian journey overnight. In fact, I never practiced Advent before the last few years. I thought it was some type of stuffy, man-made, orthodox, legalistic behavior that really didn’t benefit me as a Christian. I was wrong.

The difference between my “old” opinion and my “new” one is focus. I always knew that Christmas was about Jesus yet I didn’t really live it out. I obeyed the thinking that a whole lot of things had to be done and a whole lot of money was going to be spent by a certain date. That presents had to be perfect. That decorations had to be tasteful. And everyone had to be healthy and happy. That meant that it was a “good” Christmas. Wrong again.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Anyone in my close family circle knows that I am rarely ever ready for anything early. But I have my Advent wreath ready for this weekend. Complete with new candles and placed where I will light the first candle, the “Hope” candle, this Sunday morning. I plan to reflect on the promise God made to send His Son to us. (Isaiah 7:14) And the promise of His coming again. (Titus 2: 13) And it won’t be stuffy, man-made, orthodox or legalistic. I know in my heart that I don’t really even have to do it to make Him love me anymore than He already does. (Titus 3:4-7) For me, it is just a few moments of worship, of remembrance and thankfulness for the hope He brings into my life that I truly would never want to live without.

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:13

Some of you will practice this in your churches. Corporate worship is very important and we should do this together as the Bible commands. (Hebrews 10:25) But, if you feel led to, make Advent more personal to you than it ever has been. Spend some one-on-One time with the Savior during this Advent Season. Reflect on the gift He was and is to this world. Light your own candles of hope, love, joy and peace. Couldn’t we all use a little or a lot more of these?

Now I am not a “scrooge.” The perfect gifts, the tasteful Christmas light displays, the traditional Christmas parties and yes, even Santa, reindeer and elves can be part of this time of year. (And let me not fail to mention “The Nutcracker” ballet.) Those things are not all bad, but they are truly empty if they become our focus.

For many years, I focused on me and mine, instead of Him and His. Just as my opinions didn’t change overnight, my focus will take some time, but I already feel more peaceful about the upcoming month. Praying that letting go of what is temporal and fleeting as that last “must-have” Christmas gift, and taking hold of what really matters. God gave. Jesus came. He is coming again. And we have eternal life because of HIM.

Do you ever wait for it? The thank-you that never comes? It hurts, doesn’t it?

Thankfully (no pun intended) in my circle of family and friends, this doesn’t happen often, but in the larger sphere my life shares in, it happens. And I try not to, but I do notice it. Ungratefulness stinks here and I can only imagine how it hurts the heart of God to have given so much for us and to us and yet we can neglect to give Him thanks and praise.

In Scripture, being unthankful is harshly judged. There is a very long sentence in Romans 1 that fills verses 20 – 21:

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Did you know that by being ungrateful your thoughts can be useless? Unimportant. Ineffective. These words are also used to define the word futile. Further, the heart can become foolish, and darkened. A pretty heavy penalty for not appreciating the gifts freely given to us from God. All of them grace.

And in case we didn’t know, let me share, from Titus 3:3, the characteristics of a foolish heart. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” An unthankful heart can become dark and the consequences of the behavior of that heart are tragic. Many of us have witnessed that this year.

I don’t know about you but I hope you feel like me that those kinds of thoughts and that kind of heart is definitely not the kind you want to live with. I know we are all human and being thankful “in everything,” like we are instructed to in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, can sometimes be a bit hard. Yet, I am thankful for a God that loves us so much that while we were yet sinners He died for us (Romans 5:8) and knows that it can be hard for us. He doesn’t turn away from our prayers. Even the ones that ask for help being grateful when there seems to be little to be grateful for.

In 1 Chronicles 16, there is a beautiful portion of Scripture that my Study Bible names “David’s Song of Thanksgiving.” That psalm is preceded by some history of what was going on at the time. The Ark of God was being brought to the tabernacle that David built for God’s glory. This was a huge deal and there was a very special celebration among God’s people. In verse 4, David appoints certain people to officially record, thank and praise God. Those acts are absolutely essential to honor God, to glorify Him as God. To avoid useless thoughts and dark hearts.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments we are exhorted to be thankful, and we shouldn’t have to have a National Holiday to do it. But it is nice that our nation recognizes and sets apart a day to do just that.

Ladies and Sisters-in-the-Lord, let’s make this Thanksgiving very special. First start by thanking God for who He is and what He’s done for you and then intentionally thank others for the gift they are to you. I am very thankful for whoever reads and is blessed by this blog. I am very thankful for the kind comments you have shared and times you have thanked me for doing this. I do it because I love Jesus with all my heart and I love you, a very special friend and daughter of the King.   

Wait a Minute…

God stopped me in my tracks this morning. Jesus reminding me of who He is and how quickly I forget. There have been some really close calls in my own circle of family and friends and with me, myself, and I had the nerve to wonder where He was in all of it. There have been some horrific things in the news and it can make me wonder, in all of this mess of life that pulls and presses, sometimes to the breaking point. The breaking point of my own strength and understanding.

When will I learn that at this point is where I should live every, single day? When will I learn to stop charging into busy days and start changing my view of them by giving all the details to God?

Jesus is in the Father God and the Father God is in Jesus. The Scripture that got me this morning was: “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “ John 14:9. Jesus was talking to his disciples and preparing them for the time when He would be crucified and physically leave them. He needed them to know in their hearts and minds that all of the power of God was in Him and He was God in the flesh that came to live in their world and die for their sins. It was very important that they got that. That He and the Father were One. And that He would not leave them “alone” (16 -18)  but send His Holy Spirit.

As I read that verse, I kept hearing it his way, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Vickie?” Oh my, I had been looking for Him and He was there all along. This is how the Holy Spirit speaks to me through His Word. And I had been caught by the Word that would set me free. The only way to know God better is by reading His Word and listening to His Holy Spirit. I’ve known Jesus as my Savior since I was a little girl. A long time. But I needed to be reminded that I could trust Him. Even with the things I do not understand or want to believe can happen to the innocent here.

This can be hard to live by but, as believers in Christ, we are really not all here. Nope. Sounds kind of negative, but it isn’t, really. Scripture teaches us that we are the recipients of eternal life now and so much more of our lives are in heaven, with Christ.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set you mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

With the belief that Jesus is our Savior, we have all we need to live here joyfully. So why do we allow the here and now to defeat us? It is clearly a memory problem. A mind thing, possibly caused by a heart thing, but maybe not. Remember, we are to:

“…love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ‘This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30)

It is Him we are to love with all we are. Not our lives here. I didn’t think I loved Jesus any less, yet I neglected to renew my mind with the truth that He has all that concerns me, and this entire world, in His hands. He is working it all out for my good and His glory. So why the choking dark days when I think the unthinkable and walk with my head down?

I am not alone. The great patriarchs of the Bible struggled like me. All I need to do is go to the Psalms. In Psalm 28, David cries to God for deliverance from his enemies and I too have an enemy. After lamenting and seeking God for help, David says in verses 8 and 9:

“The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Save your people, and bless your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.”

This prayer is for me and for you. This same God is my strength and your strength also. And though our bodies are here right now on this planet, we are only here now, and for a very short time, to be a light for others, to point others to Him and this life that can be abundant when we choose to remember the truth. No wonder the enemy attacks. Say it with me:

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) (emphasis mine)

Wait a minute. Stop in your tracks. Take ever so long as it takes to renew your mind. To take those thoughts captive and speak the truth to yourself, lets say one more:

“But those who wait on 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

Chosen To Give

Weeks before the day, Lilly, age two going-on-three, talked about her Birthday Party. What the cake would be like. Oh, and there would be presents. She loves surprises and just could not wait to open her gifts. That is why what happened was so amazing.

As she picked up each new package, and her mother helped her discover who it was from, she opened it and squealed with glee as she took it to the person who brought it for her. The kids, the adults, they all just smiled as Lilly brought them, a stick pony, a doll, or a new outfit. She thought those gifts were hers to hand out once she opened them.

Her joy was spreading joy and let me tell you it was happiness all around that room. Could we all just use a little or a lot more of this?

This little one had no idea that she was giving away a possession that would later give her hours of enjoyment. No wonder Jesus tells us “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Have you ever wondered why you were chosen to be who you are?

Why you were chosen to be born even? Let alone, why were you chosen to be the child of your parents, born into the country of your birth, the generation of your family? Someone made a choice and you exist. You are a gift that was chosen to keep on giving.

Before you think these are foolish thoughts, allow me to say this: You are not here by accident. You were chosen to exist by a Creator God that knew you in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:14-16) God chose to make you and re-make you into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) You are a gift, chosen, to keep on giving.

I love these words from Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth in Portrait of a Woman Used by God, “I believe there is a special sense in which God created us women to be bearers and nurturers of life. Whether or not He grants us physical children. He wants to use us to carry the life and light of Jesus into the world – to be spiritual reproducers, bringing forth His life in the lives of others.”

Someone made a choice and you exist. You are a gift that was chosen to keep on giving. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit…” John 15:16a

Giving life is giving the best gift of all. That is why Jesus is everything to believers, He is life to us. He died to give us life everlasting, a gift that cost us nothing but cost Him everything. We are the chosen to give a kind word, a sacrifice of our time, our energy, our patience.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

Jesus is a friend of saints and sinners. His love is for all and we are called to love and be a friend to all. To take His love and pass it on and on and on.

“Friendship is a gift from God… a friend loves at all times.” This little shelf plaque sits to the right of my desk to remind me of a gift. A friendship. A gift that gives. The words inscribed were taken from Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Most of the time we only see the first portion of this verse because the second half sounds kind of negative. But really, it is as positive as can be. My study Bible explains it like this, “a true friend has unquenchable love that is not diminished by adversity.” A true friend is a precious gift.

Like little Lilly, let’s accept this gift, and joyfully give it to those in our lives that need a gift, a present, in their present situations?

Judging God?

I was so angry when I found out. Someone dear to me lost a child. A little baby, full of promise and it just wasn’t fair. I wish I could have been that shining example of trusting God with this hard thing, but I wasn’t. I just couldn’t understand why He let this happen. This happened nearly two decades ago, but I remember it just like it was yesterday.

I had been praying for this woman. I was so certain that everything that was possible was being done to make sure the outcome would be her baby safely delivered into her arms. But it didn’t happen that way. This sweet soul went into the arms of God. He was delivered, but with a still heart into the arms of broken hearts that day.

This past summer, as I was memorizing Hebrews 11, saying it over and over and meditating on it, so many lessons for my heart were born. Since it is considered “The Hall of Faith” chapter, God pressed into my mind teaching and examples I hope I never forget.

 “Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11

Faith is not in our genes. It cannot be passed down from one generation to another in that manner. We aren’t Christians because our parents are. It doesn’t seep into our lives because our best friends are full of faith or all our teachers were. We become Christians by personally making a decision to follow Jesus Christ. We must believe in Him for ourselves, place our faith in Him.

I’ve heard it described this way. A chair promises to hold you when you sit down but you’ll never really believe in it until you actually sit down in it. Put all your weight in the promise it makes. Sarah sat down.

Sarah had a judgement call to make. Either God was faithful or He was not. Every time we doubt, dwell in our anxieties or worry, we judge God unfaithful. How could we do that? I can do it though, every single time the “awful” happens. Because I am so forgetful, and need reminding that He is faithful, that He does indeed know what’s needed before the asking.  

 “…For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8)

But if He knows we have need of certain things, does that mean He gives them to us every time we ask? Even with faith, believing? I think not. Not because He cannot. Because “…with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) And to follow Jesus into this truth we have to pray His example: “Father, all things are possible for You; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:36)

He loves us too much to give us things that are not in His perfect will. Even if it hurts, we have to realize that He hurts with us, He grieves with us, because He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) He is always the answer to our prayers. When we are not satisfied with the way things turn out, and we become angry or bitter, could we be telling God that His being with us is not enough?

How many times have things not worked out the way I prayed, yet a better outcome surfaced? More times than I can count.

A few years later, that precious woman in my opening paragraph welcomed a child into her family through adoption. I had lost touch with her until we bumped into each other at SAMS. She caught me up on her children. It was awesome! Such joy after such sorrow. God was and is and always will be faithful. 

What I am becoming is always more important than what I can accomplish. If I am becoming more and more a woman of faith, I am being successful in the only thing that really matters. Because to have more faith is to know and trust God with more of me and my life. All of it.

Sarah, herself, is an example of this. I cannot imagine how many times she had to have given up on having a baby. In her impatience, she gave her own handmaid to her husband so that she could have a child through her. That didn’t work out so well did it? (Read Genesis 16) Every month the disappointment. Every year the emptiness of her womb. All the way through menopause even. Can you imagine? it may have happened in her old age, but she finally did it, the Scripture says it happened, “she judged Him faithful… ”

Why do we pray and then get impatient for the answer? Could it be that we expect God to do things on our time frame when He is far too wise to do that? 

Even if it hurts we have to realize that He hurts with us, He grieves with us, because He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

We tell Him we are praying in faith and He already knows that. We tell Him we need it now and He says we have Him now, and that is always enough.

Enough to cause us to experience peace while we are waiting.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27)

Enough to cause us to experience the reward of keeping the faith.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Could it be we are seeking the “thing” more than we are seeking Him? I believe that the more we seek Him, He gently impresses on our hearts the desires that match His. Our requests may change as we seek Him because He changes us instead of our circumstances. Only a God that knows us better than we know ourselves is worthy of that kind of faith. And as we study His Word, seek Him in prayer and obey His leading are we transformed into the women of faith who can do all things. How powerful is that?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

The verse that comes before this one is crucial to note in order to not take such a statement out of context, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I have learned to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)

Whether we get the answers we want or we get the worst news we could imagine, we can “do” it because of His strength. Because our own certainly won’t be enough. We can never forget this, because when we do, we judge God unfaithful. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

If I _______________, then I lack self-control

You can fill in the blank. I could make a long list. I was feeling pretty convicted at the Revive 2017 Conference when Mary Kassian gave her talk. It only lasted 20 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to me, a woman who is trying to hit the mark, but my arrow is falling far short.

A talk earlier that day from Susan Hunt, a dynamo for the cause of Christ, got the ball rolling that God was pitching for a strike against all my idols. I had a lot of pins to knock down that weekend. She was telling me that my whole reason for being here on this planet was to “Glorify God and enjoy Him.” My desire of trying to do everything “right” was clashing with this idea.

I looked in the mirror this morning and didn’t like what I saw. I had too much salt yesterday and too little rest last night and the puffy eyes were the evidence. This is what I see “here” but Susan shared:

 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

I want His glory to be showcased in my life, (who cares what the package looks like, I’ll be trading it in one day.) Susan spoke the truth “We become what we behold.”

I like this mirror image better. The one that reflects the glory of the Lord. How is this even possible?

This brings the two speakers together. Self-control is biblical in the sense that we do have a freewill. We may know what to do, but the follow-through is up to us most times. So how and where do we get the “want to” for follow-through? Susan says it comes from the gospel. “We become what we behold.” Says this wise woman.

The dictionary definition of the word “behold” is “to observe, look at, see.” It is intentional. Imagine our loving Lord, cupping our faces gently with His strong hands and causing us to look at Him for the self-control we need. Beholding causes focus. From reading our Bibles and meditating on Scripture, God speaks to our hearts and ignites a passion to be more than we are, but for Him. To do more than we think possible, but for Him and His glory. Not because we are strong, but because we are weak and weak is a good thing.

Did I mention that Susan Hunt is 77 years old? She knows what she is talking about because this “little old lady” exuded more strength than you can imagine. She lives out the beauty of the gospel and tells it like it is ladies. I wrote in my notes, “Jesus is the story – not us – don’t worry about our story.” When we pray for grace to finish strong, we must finish weak because His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) She tells us that the sooner we recognize our weakness, the sooner God’s strength can show up. (2 Corinthians 13:4)

I needed a new perspective on self-control. I needed to go to God with my weakness and choose to allow His strength to do those things I procrastinate away. That way He gets the glory for anything I am accomplishing and becoming. And this is so right, because if I boast of being anything apart from His grace I am prideful and a liar. Every single breath is a gift from Him.

It is my prayer that this post encourages you to exercise self-control, but not just so you can accomplish “things.” But so you will acknowledge your weaknesses, give them to Jesus, and become the woman of God that shines His glory and likes what she sees in the mirror that matters.

Welcome to what’s coming up! These are events I would love to share with you and invite you to.

What: Women’s Bible Study — A time in the Word of God, just for Ladies who are thirsty for more of an understanding of scripture and want to share thoughts and questions with others and get to know Him better.

When: Tuesday Evenings at 6:30 pm, October through December, 2017

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church Gym, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

What: Women’s Walking Group

When: Thursday Evenings at 6:30 pm, October through December, 2017

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

What: Harvest Festival, Hayrides (weather permitting)

When: October 28, Starts at 5 pm with Food at 6 pm,  Fellowship and Fun till?

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

A Lot Has Happened…

Isn’t that the truth? And a lot of it has not been good. But there has been a lot of good in the mix. There have been hurricanes, earthquakes, mass shootings. I’ve had a friend lose loved ones, two at a time. My husband got injured, I crashed my car, caught a cold and lost my voice on a weekend I had looked forward to for half a year. That last sentence was “small stuff” but not good and hard to make sense of. Because, you see, my husband is a very safe, careful man, I looked before I pulled out and I really do try to take care of myself and avoid illness.

Things happen and most times we don’t see them coming. I look around and think, “Why?” and there are no good answers. We live in a fallen world that was originally created perfect. That means that even though there are no reasons why bad things should happen to good people, they do. And good things happen to bad people. And we cringe, because it is not fair.

Jesus said “…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45

So for the one-millioneth time, I have to remind myself that God is always good, because even the evil cannot defeat the good, even in the very midst of it. We find heroes when the worst happens. We find the good shining and breaking the curses of the darkness and realize that evil does not triumph. There are people that take bullets for others, that run in when others are running out. Others are donating their own blood and working extra shifts to help. There are folks praying again, after they thought they could control their own lives. They are realizing the truth that control is an illusion.

Only God is in control “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

We live on a tiny, blue speck in the universe where He took pleasure to create life and set down some ground rules so that we could enjoy it in perfect friendship with Him. But, we thought we could disobey. We believed a lie. And then this happens. He loves us enough to allow us to, but how could we say “Why?”

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

When will we learn that having faith in God, in the midst of all of this, is the only answer we will ever need? Would you pray this with me now…

Father, there are so many hurting people right now, You know each one, and You care. I pray that Your love finds them and holds them close and brings to them the answers their hearts are seeking right now. I pray that Your peace seeps into the broken places of their hearts with comfort and healing. In Your Son Jesus’ Name, Amen

This was not the post I had planned, but I believe it is the one God had planned. Ladies, don’t allow the hard things to harden your hearts but give your feelings to God and keep doing the good that He leads you to.