Live Boldly
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I Am His Daughter
While in the grocery store yesterday I was waiting in the check out line when I noticed a tattoo on the forearm of the clerk. It caught my attention because of the beautiful butterfly and one of the words that I could read from a distance….daughter. When it was my turn to check out I asked her about the tattoo. She excitedly said, “You noticed it?” Then showed me the entire tattoo which read, “I am His daughter.” I asked her if the “He” was God and she said yes. She told me that she got the tattoo to remind her of her worth. I told her she was a…
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A Rich Inheritance
That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of…
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When I Consider
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. Psalm 8:3-5 One of my favorite things to do when I’m camping is to look up at the stars. In the mountains, the sky seems to be so much bigger. No city lights to block out the millions of stars that God has sprinkled across the heavens. The other scene, that I make sure to wake up for, is the full moon shining on…
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I Robbed Myself
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 The Lord always sets before us options with our best interests in mind. He knows which decisions will bring us the best good and which will leave us with less than His best. The first night of my retreat was amazing. I was able to find peace and stillness which lead to a wonderful nights sleep…
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A Priceless Treasure
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44 The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable that anything else we can have. What is the Kingdom of Heaven? It is the spiritual realm where God rules and we share in His eternal life. We join the Kingdom of Heaven when we trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As explained in today’s passage, a person must be willing to give up everything to obtain it. In the parable the man who…
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Sorting
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until…
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Never give up
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 While I was on my God reatreat I was sitting on the patio writing when I heard a large splash in the river. I turned to look towards the sound and saw a young eagle floating in the water. At first I thought it was injured because it was not flying away. After a couple of minutes it attempted to fly but it was as if a heavy weight was holding it back and pulling it under. It continued to float downstream and every few…
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Among the thorns
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:22 While studying the parable of the Sower and the Seeds I came across this quote from the Life App. Study Bible: “Guard your schedule and associations and resist the desire to acquire more things. The more time you spend with God and His Word, the more you will see what truly productive living looks like.” The word productive caught my full attention as this is a word that I think of on a daily basis. I’m a planner and…
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Playback
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. Matthew 12: 34-36 What if everything we have ever said were to be played back for all to hear? Would that give you cause for concern? I find it interesting that the beginning of this passage starts with ‘brood…
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A Long Storytelling Afternoon with Jesus
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables. Matthew 13:1-3 All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories;I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world’s first day. Today these passages seemed more alive to me, possibly because I was sitting on the bank of the river while reading them. It was easy to picture the whole scene…