My God My Everything

I waited patiently for the Lord;    He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit,    out of the mud and mire;He set my feet on a rock    and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth,    a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see and fear the Lord    and put their trust in him. Psalm 40:1-3 A Daughter’s Song I am a Daughter of The King. I am loved, valued, and full of worth and beauty. I matter to You, Lord. You see me, and I am known by You. My greatest joy is to know You, Lord, to dwell in Your presence and see Your hand in my…

 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 In my bible reading today, I came across a quote in the commentary that said, “Someone in your home is following in your footsteps. Where are you leading them?” Instantly, I thought of my granddaughters and felt a deep responsibility for the way I live my life. I remembered how one weekend, when they stayed over, the youngest asked me to curl her hair just like mine. Another memory was of the oldest asking me to teach her how to make cookies. While these two examples may seem…

If your axe is not sharp, you will need to be very strong to use it. If you are wise, you will make the axe’s edge sharp again. That is how wisdom helps you to do things well. Ecclesiastes 10:10 (Easy) Over the last few months, I have been blessed with time to breathe. It’s been a season of rest and renewal that was much needed. I was exhausted and worn out from several months of constant work and activity, and had lost my peace and joy. During this season of rest, God brought healing, encouragement, and strength to my soul. He wanted me to slow down and deliberately say,…

This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 At the beginning of the year, I received a calendar from a vendor I work with.  As I looked through the pages I wondered what would happen this year.  While I do have some plans, most of the days, just like in the calendar, are blank. About a week later I read a devotional that said to imagine getting a package in the mail on January 1st and in that package was a personalized calendar.  Each day of the year was already filled in with every event, emotion, and activity that would take place…

But Daniel resolved… Daniel 1:8 Long before the night in the lion’s den, Daniel made a decision that would define him for the rest of his life. He resolved to obey God’s law and worship Him only, regardless of the consequences. As young men, Daniel and his three friends were taken captive to a foreign land that wouldattempt to indoctrinate their lifestyle, their faith, and their identity. This ungodly nation would testtheir resolve again and again. When jealous men tried to trap Daniel they could find no fault in him. There was nothing they could use against him except his complete devotion to God. They knew he would not compromise…

Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path  it shows how life should be lived. Psalm 119:105 EXB Like many of you, I’m tired of all the dirt, darkness, and lies that this year’s political circus has created. I’ve found myself doubting everything that is printed or broadcast by either side. I can see the pure evil in so many of the issues that face our country and demand our vote. Some are so veiled with misleading words that their true intentions are masked with deception in order to steal support for the promoting parties’ political gain and agendas. Meanwhile, each party is out…

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20 The other day I had a beautiful time of understanding from God. It was one of those moments when my ears were ready to listen and my heart was ready to receive. I was reviewing my week and had listed several situations that had caused frustration in the hopes of writing them out to get them off my chest. Those writing moments often allow me to see the bigger picture and quite frequently, I see that I do the same things that cause me to be…

 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance  and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”  Then he…

 For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 At a recent prayer group, a participant mentioned that many believers do not understand, let alone access, the immense power of God that is within them to use for His purposes. I realized that this year’s journal, Christ in Me, is full of instruction on that very topic and sadly, I will admit that I do not access or use the power of God within me as…