My God My Everything

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. – Matthew 5:7 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”  Remember when that was the prayer of your heart, and God’s response was His unfailing love and forgiveness, wrapped up in His mercy that is new every day. Mercy is an unmerited, unearned favor from God that was made possible to us by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  Our sins separated us from God, and when Jesus paid the penalty for everyone one of them, He made a way for true believers to be forgiven and experience…

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 Life often becomes complicated, busy, and overwhelming, even when we try our best to stay calm. This week, I realized I was not in a good place and was not experiencing God’s peace in my life. Feeling unsettled, I became easily agitated, cried on cue, and could not understand why. I went through my morning routine, and that’s when I discovered that the problem was the routine. I was going through the motions and was missing real quiet time with God. So, I decided it was time for a parking lot picnic. I picked up lunch and parked in the…

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 A few weeks ago, my husband came home and told me that he had an unexpected long weekend coming up. He asked me what I wanted to do with the extra time. The forecast was for rain, so camping and biking were out. On a whim, I suggested shopping at the Mall of America in Minnesota. I needed to use some airline passes and credits before they expired. To my surprise, he said yes. It would be a quick trip, so I rapidly created an itinerary that I thought would ensure the best use of our time. I wanted to make sure we saw…

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. – Matthew 5:6 What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness?  It means to greatly desire to know God and understand His will for our lives. This knowledge will lead us on the path of righteousness and will help transform us into becoming more and more like Jesus.  Everything that is needed for living a godly life has graciously been given to us in God’s Word.  As we study the Bible, we will become personally and intimately acquainted with the character, commandments, and promises of God.  We begin to experience His character in action…

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5 To be meek means to possess a strong but gentle spirit of selfless devotion to God that humbly submits to His purposes.  In other words, it is power under control.  The Godly character of meekness is shown in the life of those whose actions and words demonstrate the proper attitude or temperament of a servant of God that is in tune with the Holy Spirit. Jesus set an example of meekness for us when He washed His disciples’ feet, then challenged us to do the same.  “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,…

And patience (endurance) produces tested and proven character, and tested and proven character produces hope. Romans 5:4 Last week, I diligently researched a couple of vacations for clients and, after several hours, created the trips they requested. With all the details confirmed and vouchers printed, I dropped their travel packets in the mail with a great sense of accomplishment. It was one of those days that aligned with the Bible verse from Colossians 3:23, which reads, “Whatever things you are doing, do them well. Remember that you are serving the Lord. You are not only serving people.” I was happy with the results and my attitude towards the work. Yesterday I received emails from both…

“I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug.” 1 Kings 17:12 There are some bible stories that, as I read them, I like to imagine myself right there in the middle of them. Today’s story is one of them. It’s the story of the widow who was gathering sticks during a famine so she could bake one last small cake of bread for herself and her son. All she had was a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I cannot even comprehend the fear and heartache she faced knowing this would…

Some time later, the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.  1Kings 17:7 I have been studying the Bible and searching for stories that speak of filling your jars. The entire base of this study is about filling your heart, mind, and soul with the things of God, growing in a knowledge of His Word, praying, and developing a relationship with Him. All of this is needed to live life to the fullest now and in preparation for whatever may come. This world is constantly changing. Every day, we read stories of events that surprise us, sadden us, or even scare us. At times, our…

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:7-10) Back in October, before the winter season began, I became obsessed with jars of clay and metal. My Oasis (patio), as I call it, is my space to meet with God each morning, and I greatly miss it during cold weather. So I decided to focus on…

 Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15) “If you didn’t grow up in a Christian home, you can decide to reject your heritage of unbelief and begin a generation that serves the Lord.” – Experienceing God Day by Day Those words grabbed my attention today in a mighty way. I’ve been listening to the 50 Days of Prayer with the Billy Graham Association, which is leading up to the 250th celebration of this country’s independence. There is a prayer given each day by a different pastor from each of the 50 states, and it’s done in…