On this Transformation Tips Tuesday I encourage you to do a self-examination. We are on the 22nd week of 2022. The sun has risen and set many times. At the beginning of the year you likely set resolutions, goals or even chose a word for the year as Julie and I did. Are you where you wanted to be? Have you accomplished what you wanted? Are you making progress?

Today’s picture is from the day I shared with you my word of the year for 2022.

Click here to read that post.

Today I will be examining my progress. I will be checking to see what I have accomplished and how I have incorporated my word of the year: simple. I will be setting new goals and making intentional plans. What about you? How will you respond to your own self-examination? Will you give up or will you continue to strive for progress? My tips for you today: not only examine but also keep moving forward, keep setting goals, and aim for progress instead of perfection!

Today is not only Mindset Monday but it is also Memorial Day. Let us begin our week by remembering the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us to have eternal life in Heaven with Him. Let us give God our praise.

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:1-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let us also remember all the men and women who have given their lives in service to the United States of America for you and I to have the freedom to praise God freely. Let us remember the sacrifices their families gave and the loss they suffered. Today, talk with others about those sacrifices. May our Monday Mindset be to remember and never forget the sacrifices others have made on our behalf; Jesus Christ and Our United States Military.

At first glance, what did you think today’s picture was capturing? Now look closely and try to determine what it may be. What is your interpretation?

When I was a little girl I was intrigued by the “Word” described in John 1:1-18. Take a moment to read those verses.

In a child’s mind the verses can be very confusing and hard to understand. I remember questioning my dad and pushing for clarification. Rarely did he ever flat out tell me his interpretation of verses, but instead he pushed me to look closely and decide for myself.

Today is Spiritual Sunday. Today is all about being filled up and rejuvenated spiritually before facing the week ahead. Today as you listen to scripture, music, a sermon or even a Sunday School lesson, I encourage you to look closely. Dig a little deeper for a better understanding. Challenge yourself and your perception. Doing so may give you a new insight and better understanding of the Word that is referenced in John 1. Look closely and you may see the inner pieces of a beautiful flower and not even realize it as in today’s picture.

Yay for the long weekend!!

Click here and join me for See You Saturday as we talk about being alert and in prayer!

It has been a somber week for Texas. My heart is breaking for the families, school, and community. In times like this we can call on Our Heavenly Father; “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jer‬ ‭29:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ The words we say, may be, “why God?” Or maybe we don’t know what to say so we sit in His presence and let the Spirit speak for us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Rom‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Both of these verses above are followed by a verse about the heart. Even with broken hearts and broken words, We can connect with God.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Rom‬ ‭8:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

On this Finish Friday, let’s not forget to turn our hearts towards God and ask Him to heal our broken hearts. We can hold onto the Hope and faith that we have in our hearts. One day there will be no more death and no more tears. Click here to worship with Holding onto Hope by Bryan and Katie Torwalt.

This past Sunday we celebrated our children graduating high school. It has been a joyful time. I know at some point this Mama is going to cry. There is a quote by Dr. Seuss I’ve seen a lot in the recent weeks; “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Our children are a gift to us. They may not always make us smile, however the time we have with them, even in the struggles should be treasured; “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬.

I feel blessed that God chose Hollie and I to receive these two precious gifts. This day is the beginning of some new, scary, exciting adventures. I can smile knowing that God is going to continue to carry them along the way. On this Thankful Thursday I am especially thankful for my village of family, friends, and church that have helped us raise our children. Let’s join together in prayer that all our children will never forget their roots; “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬.

We are blessed to have God’s word and the transparency of the Apostle Paul. He demonstrates this in 1 Corinthians 2:3 NIV; “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” We too can come to God and to each other in weakness and fear. In verse 4, we are also blessed to see God’s power and not just hear about it; “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” In verse 5, he demonstrates this so that we can rest on God’s power; “so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

There is something about standing in front of God’s vast ocean to remind us of both God’s power and rest. I made us a little acronym on rest as a reminder on this Water Walking Wednesday to rest on God’s power.

Reconnect with God’s word

Encounter God’s power

Stay a while and find rest

Transparency with God and each other

There is something about being transparent with God and each other that lifts our burdens so that we can find rest. We never know what others are walking with. Through transparency we can help each other to understand.