But now, this is what the Lord says—    he who created you, Jacob,    he who formed you, Israel:Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;    I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters,    I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers,    they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire,    you will not be burned;    the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God,    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3 I’ve been reading a book about praying scripture over your children. There have been many stories of parents and grandparents who have prayed for their children even before they were born and the outcome of those mighty prayers is…

Be my rock of refuge where I can always hide. You have given the order to keep me safe; You are my solid ground—my rock and my fortress. – Pslam 71:3 Each day when I begin writing in my journal I start off by saying, “Good morning from……,” and then note where I am. Most of the time it’s from my prayer room at home which I call my little castle. Other times it’s been by the river, on the beach, at a hotel or out on the patio. But regardless of where I am, God is always there. When I spend time with Him, it’s like taking a time out…

 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16 Self control is the ability to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not. – Elbert Hubbard Eating healthy through the holidays can be a challenge with all the delicious looking pictures of Holiday treats flooding social media, not to mention the tables full of tempting options that are available at each event we attend. We know what we should do, but do we do it? Do we pass on the extra helpings of our favorite holiday dishes or skip the desserts…

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6 I’ve been reading a book about praying scripture over your children and have been incorporating it for all those on my prayer list. Sometimes there are issues that seem to take much longer for results to appear. It can become frustrating and there have been times that I have cried out to God because I’m at a loss of even how to pray for them. It’s in those moments of prayer that I’m learning to give them to God. He knows exactly what…

Give ___________ wisdom. Thank you that you give generously to everyone without finding fault. Help _________ to believe and not doubt, and give ____________ singleness of mind and stability in all that we do. Help us to make good decisions. – James 1:5-8 My husband and I have been house hunting for the last few months. It can be a daunting process with so many options, not to mention the rising interest rates and political issues that will affect the future. At times we feel rushed to make a decision and at the same time, we are hesitant to jump into the unknown. We need God’s wisdom and discernment. He…

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Motivation is the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something. Anyone who has undertaken the challenge of losing weight, dieting, exercising or simply trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, has experienced moments of seeking the right motivation. We hit walls and plateaus and need extra encouragement to scale them and continue onward. Not to mention set backs which can completely derail…

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:41-42 How fitting that the theme for December is the godly character of self-control. With all the holiday celebrations, feasts and treats beautifully displayed, everywhere, we are surrounded with opportunities to put self-control into practice. I was reading today about when the Israelites returned from captivity and began to rebuild the temple. In time, they started to focus on other things and the house of the Lord was forgotten. They found time to build their own homes…

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. – Romans 1:16 “A new day awaits you, my friend. A new season of accomplishment, discovery, and strength. Leave every, “I can’t” behind you. Set your “God can” ahead of you. Get ready to witness the power of God unleashed in your life.” – (Max Lucado) What a powerful way to start the day! These were the words that greeted me this morning in my devotional time. As I re-read the message I became excited about discovering more of God’s Word and was reminded that my…

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-control. -2 Timothy 1:7 Self-control is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It has been defined as the ability to control your emotions and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses, but in our own efforts, we have all experienced a lack of self-control at one time or another. It’s only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to resist the temptations that are common to man because He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear and He will provide a…