My God My Everything

 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…

They all ate and were filled.  (Matthew 14:20) I was thinking about a kayaking adventure I shared with my granddaughters over the weekend. Our morning started with one of their favorite breakfasts, blueberry muffins, eggs, strawberries, ham, and hot chocolate. Breakfast with the girls is one of my favorite times with them. We talk, giggle, and enjoy our unrushed time together as they share what’s going on in their lives. After we were full and couldn’t eat another bite if we tried, we suited up and set out on our kayaks across the pond. The sun was shining, birds were singing, fish were jumping, and the reflection of the shoreline…

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:4-5) I love those mornings when God gives me little reminders of His presence. Today is a cooler, rainy day, and as I sat on my patio with a blanket and a hot cup of coffee, I prayed for direction on where to read for today’s bible study. I was led to the Personality Profiles section of my Life Application Study Bible, and saw that the next one on the list was Ezra. I haven’t studied profiles for several weeks, and it was exciting to get back to…

God is…… Therefore….. Over the weekend, I had the privilege of going on this season’s first camping trip. I’ve always had a Bible bag that stays in the camper, so I can have my mornings with God no matter where I am. The bag is filled with pens, highlighters, memory cards, notebooks, and of course a bible. I love Bibles and have several translations and sizes. A small thinline version goes on every vacation with me because it’s lighter and fits in my carry-on bag easily. My large study bible is at home, where I have plenty of space to spread out and dig in. It’s been a couple of…

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34: 17-18) Yesterday, I wrote about saying yes to receiving a new revelation from God, and He did not hesitate in His response. The verse He gave me to study was today’s verse. I’ve heard it many times and used it in the Grief Share program. I fully understand and have experienced His closeness to the brokenhearted. But the part He wanted to open my understanding to was that He saves those who are crushed in spirit. Being brokenhearted and crushed in spirit are two…

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. (1 Samuel 3:9) A daily devotional I read asked, “Are you ready for a new revelation?” My initial thought was, “Yes, Lord, I want more of You.” In my naivety, I thought that I would discover a wonderful new detail about God’s character. What I received was the following message from Him. “Do you trust me? Do you know how much I love you! I have so much in store for you. Divine encounters. Faith-building opportunities. Miracles. My power displayed in and through your life. Don’t fear! I always have, and always will be with you. I will provide. I am faithful. I look…

But Daniel made up his mind (resolved) that he would not defile (taint, dishonor) himself. (Daniel 1:8 AMP) The phrase “draw a line in the sand” means to establish a firm, unyielding limit or boundary that you refuse to cross or allow others to cross. The idiom is tied to historical and physical imagery. One of its most famous associations is the legend of the Alamo, where Commander William Barrett Travis is said to have literally scratched a line in the dirt with his sword, giving his soldiers a choice to either cross it and commit to the fight or stay behind and attempt to escape. Over the last several…

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – Matthew 5:4 The Lord has sent me to bestow on the brokenhearted a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (Isaiah 61:3) God loves you and wants to reassure you and show you that He has plans for you beyond your disappointment, pain, and suffering.  It’s in our sorrow that God’s promises mean so much to us, and it is then that we experience His comfort, peace, and the hope of eternity with Him.  While the heartaches of this world are temporary,…

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3: 22-24) As I continue on my learning adventure with God, He is making me aware that the enemy of my soul never rests. He is always prowling around looking for opportunities to do his worst. He doesn’t fight fair and always kicks you when you’re down. I can’t describe how much it has helped me to know the fight is inevitable, as mentioned in yesterday’s blog. That may sound strange, but God answered my…

Choose this day whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15 The definition of inevitable is something that is certain to happen and is impossible to avoid, prevent, or escape. The word crossed my mind when I read a paragraph in Experiencing God, Day by Day. “When you first became a Christian, your Master’s instructions were probably fundamental, such as being baptized or changing your lifestyle. But as you learn to trust Him more deeply, He will develop your character to match bigger tests, and with greater tests will come greater love for God and knowledge of His ways. Are you ready for God’s next revelation?” Many times, we hear the saying…