Thankfully HIS! Have an Attitude of Gratitude in ALL things!

Every day should be a day of thanksgiving! Whether our day is going great, horrible, or anywhere in between, thanksgiving should be an outworking of our willingness to agree with what God’s Word says about our lives! Not based off of an emotional reaction to our circumstance.

When I first was learning this principle, I saw that thankfulness did not necessarily change my circumstance (immediately), however it did alter my attitude or outlook on life while I was awaiting breakthrough of that circumstance!

1 Timothy 4:4-5 NIV, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Everything we go through is God-filtered. Whether we are learning a lesson from having made a wrong choice, and reaping the consequence – we can thank God for showing us the more excellent way to travel the next opportunity. Or as it says in the next scripture:

2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV, “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

When we do the right thing, we must be careful that we do not grow so weary that we fail to activate our faith to hurdle victoriously over the ever present obstacles we are challenged with. Not as a means of punishment but as a stepping stone to enlarge us in our faith and reach higher than what our circumstances dictate to us at that time.

So often, I can attest to certain days that have been very difficult, yet I WILLFULLY CHOSE to have an attitude of gratitude over the route to doubt and pout. It was not easy at first.

However, the more I made a  conscious decision each day to make the ‘right’eous choices in God’s Word even when it was not easy, I found my life becoming one that was more and more victorious in outlook, faith and personal pursuit!

What giant obstacle or little hurdles are you facing on today?

Are you enduring a persistent problem? Or are you experiencing an unexpected interruption?   Whatever your day -either way – resist the urge to surrender to fear, doubt, and worry - the weights of this world. Whether you feel like it or not, speak those things that be not as though they were!

As you speak out loud the opposite of how you feel about your circumstance, your faith will be activated and before you know it, you will operate at a whole other level! Hearing yourself agree with God’s ways concerning your life diffuses the weakness to succumb to self-doubt and disbelief.

Instead of, “I know I always mess things up, so why am I trying?” I could have just as easily declared, “Thank you Lord that I can do all things through you so I take you at your Word today.”

Speaking out loud over your circumstance is not only an act of YOUR WILL, but an act of your FAITH. NO ONE ELSE can do it for you.

Declare your victory over your misery! As long as what you declare does not contradict with God’s Word and will for your life, before you know it, you will, not only be emotionally victorious over your situation, you will see and experience real breakthrough your situation.

However hard it seems at first, know that an attitude of gratitude always goes a long way, and keeps your eyes on the one that we should be thankful to anyway every day!

Thankfully His \O/

Balancing Life on a Tightrope!....

PROVERBS 11:1-9, states, “The Lord hates false scales, but He loves accurate weights."

God desires that we have a balanced walk with HIM. When we do, we remain upright and steady! 

In Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of BALANCE is an “even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to take advantage of a balanced life that enables us to always remain steady and upright in Him?

Between long hours at work, running to get the children to or from school, or undertaking a home improvement project, it is often easy to feel that there is just not enough time in a week to get everything done. When you find yourself in a rut or rat-race, you are not alone.  Often the pressure we feel when our lives are imbalanced, is because our days are often too full, and void of achieving more important things.

In Luke 10:38-42, unfolds a parable of two sisters Mary and Martha where one chose ‘busy’ness and ‘getting that one more task list checked off’ mentality over worship and sitting at Jesus’ feet. One sister, more concerned with ‘doing’ than ‘being’.

Could you imagine the scenario…? Here are two sisters with one sister Martha consumed with getting her task list complete, while the other Mary recognizes the Lord of Lords in her presence and stops all she is doing to soak up and revere the greater one in the room.  While Martha toils from kitchen to the family room, checking on the beautiful turkey, even laying out the most beautiful setup in the dining room and even finishing the final touches of a beautiful 3 layered cake from scratch. The audacity, she feels, of her sister to stop everything to sit at the feet of their special guest to hear what He has to say! Martha, tasking herself the woman to the rescue to get everything done will not quit until she feels everyone is satisfied outwardly!

But there’s just one dilemma: while Martha attempts to serve a house full of guests by herself she whizzes past the living room and catches a glimpse of her sister, and she implodes! Can you envision Martha’s resentment: How could she leave me hanging? My own sister! Doesn’t she see even care to see that I am doing all this by myself?!  And that’s where discontentment is birthed.

If you share that same sentiment, discontentment, then it’s time to step back and take an account of your life, of priorities gone awry.

The temptation to “control” every situation in our environment, happens when we do not trust the Lord with our cares, our loved ones, our possessions, our very life.

When we simply learn to trust, to follow, to surrender, our life becomes balanced in God- to the point where with a little practice over time, our yielded life leads to a healthy and balanced life. Will you choose to trust the Lord that He make your walk upright and steady? I am.

Pray with me: Father I thank you for being my guide, and seeing the whole picture for my life, even when I can’t. I know when I take matters in my hand, that I may easily take on too much or get out of step with where you would want me to be! I ask that you redirect my focus, my eyes, and my heart. Thank you today you assure us in your word, in Matthew 6:25-34 that as nature even coexists with us you take care of every aspect of it without it having to toil to be cared for. I give my discontentment, I give my anxiety, I give myself back to you in exchange for your grace and strength right now in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Lead Me! "Esteeming the Lord as Our Rock!"

Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I will wait all day. Psalm 25:4-5

Life's path is filled with many distractions, directions that we can take whether wayward or God-given. Like a child needs to be led by their parents, we need God to hold our hand and keep us on the right road. When the Enemy tries to distract, discourage, or detract from what we know in our heart God has called us to do. We must not fall prey to losing sight of what God’s truth and way is- that we are to continually embrace. Following anything otherwise leads us to unnecessary detours and delays from God’s blessings and what He has purposed for our lives.

Like David prayed in Psalm 31:3, “For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name's sake You will lead me and guide me.” We must acknowledge the sole principal of our lives.

 Who do you consider to be your rock? Is it a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend? Is it a thing, such as a bank account, a possession like a house, car, or social status? Or a place, like a getaway, or hometown? None of those things are bad, but it can never ultimately replace the void we find otherwise in our life!

Jesus answered by saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me, in John 14:6. Though many are choosing many substitutes to be the source of their identity, purpose, and pursuit. God urges us to follow Him. You can never go wrong when you choose to go about it God's Way. He never fails, He never disappoints, He always delivers!

So, choose today. Follow diligently after God. He will faithfully lead you to a good place. The path will not always be smooth, so we must watch our footing. But even when you go it alone, He is there. And with Him by our side, hope replaces hopelessness. Joy drives out sorrow. Those who follow God live under His protection and are surrounded by His grace.

Join me in this prayer today! Father, I love You and I choose to trust you today and take my refuge in You. Instill joy into my heart. I pray that You would cover me today, from every distraction, discouragement, and detractor. Protect me today from the enemy, my enemies, and at times my “inner-me’s” (enemies) wayward thinking within myself. Surround me with Your grace as if I were carrying a protective shield. I choose YOU today to be my rock and my fortress leading me into all truth!  In Jesus' mighty Name. Amen!

Be Still And Know I am God…

Be Still And Know I am God…

It is in the still moments of our live that we the most in tune with the inner voice of the Lord. And the good news is the more time we learn to be still even in the temptation of staying in the rat-race of life, the more we will be sensitive of God’s presence with us wherever we are and go.

As a young mom, I often found myself, when my children were all small, loving the challenge of seeing how many activities I could fit in one day. Topping each day with more activities in the next. Day by day, week by week being so busy I did not realize our my entrapment - "busy-ness!" or I call it in Being Under Satan’s Yoke as we say in church.

It was at those times, that I would feel a slight tugging to slow down, to just "be still," but the more I ignored it, the farther away that tug went for quiet time. So much so, that one way or another I would end up paying for it through either ‘burn-out’ or the it affecting my peace of mind or physical-being.

I did not realize that stillness was such a healthy discipline that I would find my source in strength later in life by practicing this same "quietness."

1 Kings 19:11-13, describes how the Lord speaks “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a still small voice. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave." 

The same way the Lord spoke to Elijah is the same way He still speaks with us. God always speaks in the still small spaces of our lives. Though many times we may look for it in the big or in the ‘busy’ness of life. It's as if God speaks his most quiet and closest cherished secrets from His heart to ours when our hearts are quieted before Him.  And other times the Lord reveals His presence when we learn to slow down enough to be sensitive to recognize His daily provision and protection about us everyday. It is in those moments that we learn of his peace, experience the power of His presence. So I challenge you as I am challenged daily ….Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God."

At His Feet.....

Triumph OVER Your Trials! Through Thankfulness!

Every day should be a day of thanksgiving! Whether our day is going great, horrible, or anywhere in between, thanksgiving should be an outworking of our willingness to agree with what God’s Word says about our lives! Not based off of an emotional reaction to our circumstance.

When I first was learning this principle, I saw that thankfulness did not necessarily change my circumstance (immediately), however it did alter my attitude or outlook on life while I was awaiting breakthrough of that circumstance!

1 Timothy 4:4-5 NIV, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”

To me that speaks that everything we go through is God-filtered. Whether we are learning a lesson from having made a wrong choice, and reaping the consequence – we can thank God for showing us the more excellent way to go the next opportunity. Or as it says in the next scripture:

2 Corinthians 4:15-16 NIV, “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.  16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Which to me means that even when we are doing the right thing, and get tired or challenged through obstacles, we can activate our faith to overcome, not as a means of punishment, but as a stepping stone to enlarge us, our faith, and our view over what our circumstances dictate to us at that time.

So often, I can attest to days that have been very difficult, yet I WILLFULLY CHOSE to have an attitude of gratitude over the route to doubt and pout. It was not easy at first.  However, the more I made a  conscious decision each day to make the ‘right’eous choices in God’s Word even when it was not easy, I found my life becoming more victorious in outlook, faith and personal pursuit!

What giant obstacle or little hurdles are you facing on today?  Are you prevailing over a persistent problem? Or are you experiencing an inhibited by an unexpected interruption? 

Whatever your day -either way – resist the urge to surrender to fear, doubt, and worry - the weights of this world. Whether you feel like it or not, speak those things that be not as though they were! 

As you speak out loud the opposite of how you feel about your circumstance, your faith will be activated and before you know it, you will operate at a whole other level! Hearing yourself agree with God’s ways concerning your life diffuses the weakness to succumb to self-doubt and disbelief.

Instead of, “I know I always mess things up, so why am I trying?” I can just as easily declare, “Thank you Lord that I can do all things through you so I take you at your Word today.”  Speaking out loud over your circumstance is not only an act of YOUR WILL, but an act of your FAITH. NO ONE ELSE can do it for you.

Declare your victory over your misery!

As long as what you declare does not contradict with God’s Word and will for your life, you will become emotionally victorious over your situation, and before you know it you will experience real breakthrough with your situation!

However hard it seems at first, know that an attitude of gratitude always goes a long way, and keeps our eyes on the one that we should be thankful to every day anyway!

Thankfully His \O/

 

 

No Worries!

Make it a point NOT be anxious! Choose to see as God sees. Seek Him first in all things versus your own striving or understanding, and the nag of worry will leave you quickly!

So often it is so easy to pick up our cares again to try to fix things, because our natural mind desires to control everything. However, we were never designed to hold worry. There's no place in our physical DNA ever designed to successfully house worry.   Worry infringes on our health, creates chaos and even disrupts our ability to think or act with clarity.

 That is why the Word tells us, “Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God"

"Worry" has never been a direct or indirect fruit of God's intended Will!

Yet, over many years, I have often witnessed how people who are good at worrying make great intercessors.  Because the level of concern over a matter can either negatively be used to drain us, OR positively aimed toward the face of God in faith and praise to see how He will bring it to pass. A spiritual mother, and mentor of mine when I first was being discipled in the Lord once told me, "Wow the enemy of your soul would love to trap you here, because the Lord is actually calling you to be a very powerful intercessor! She encouraged me that once I learned how to challenge that same drive and energy that I put in what could go wrong, and learn how to put faith in God into what can go right, I would be an unstoppable force against the darkness that was trying to come against me, my family, and my faith!

Plus, we reap when we choose to live in "God's Will" placing our trust more in Him over the fear of a problem!

That is why in John 10:4, it states, "…... Ask My Spirit to give you this discernment... My sheep know my voice and follow me wherever I lead."

When we learn to distinguish between the voice of the Lord versus distracting detractors – such as inner conversations of doubt, and the outside expectation of others - we will be able kick confusion from our lives completely.

It is time to recognize the unique journey God has called us each to, and that can only happen when we tune out the noise of the world in order to remain sensitive to Him.  More than what we desire, the Lord desires our yieldedness to Him that He can be our true and continual companion along the way when we open our hearts for Him to speak into our lives every step of the way!

Would you pray this prayer in agreement with me? "Lord Jesus, I ask that you would help me to become the woman of God you are ultimately have called me to become. I realize in so many ways, I have compromised the calling you have on my life by circumventing the process of learning how to abandon my strength for yours--to trust you completely. Today I turn to you. I trust you. I ask you to once again not only be my Savior, but I invite your Lordship into my life. I invite your direction, your protection, your guidance, your Word, your wisdom in the matter. When I am unsure and uncertain of your heart in the matter, teach me once again to be still and know that you are God. When you speak to advance forward in faith in the face of the unknown or when I am fearful, help me to forsake all other reservations that arise from my own inadequacies. To yet do it afraid with the saving knowledge that you are there to catch me every step of the way. I pray now, in Jesus Name! \0/"