Psalm 40:7-8 MSG — So I answered, I’m coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, And I’m coming to the party you’re throwing for me. That’s when God’s Word entered my life, became part of my very being.
Deborah and I called our blog, Water Walkers because we want to have bold faith, step out of our boats, and walk on water with Jesus. Will we always make the choice to be like David in today’s featured verse and tell our Lord that we desire to do His will? Probably not because we are not perfect. As we know, life is short. When God presents us with an opportunity to step out, we can think of it as, “I’m coming to the party you’re throwing me.”
Life may not always be a party. There are many times we’d rather stay in the comfort of our boat. I encourage us to use those times to sit with Jesus and seek His will. In seeking Him we will renew our strength for when we’re ready to step out again.
Let’s pray. Dear God, I surrender my will today. I seek to do Your will. Give me the discernment and peace I need to walk and sit with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Romans 8:28 NIV — And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
I have often felt as if my struggles were tattooed for everyone to see. Good news, God makes something beautiful out of our scars if we allow Him to use them for His glory.
On my one year anniversary to my hysterectomy, I gifted myself with a tattoo on the inside of my left wrist. Every detail of my tattoo has a specific meaning, and offers strength in the seasons of my life.
You may have seen bumper stickers and shirts with the symbol for “God is greater than our highs and lows (G>/\ \/).” I chose this symbol to represent the last four years of my life. I also chose to include four mountains with three valleys which equals seven, the number of completion. I included a sun that peeks over the mountains as a reminder that God’s goodness follows us all the days of our lives. The sun also has seven rays for the number of completion.
I included an ocean wave for our Water Walkers blog and for the song Oceans by Hillsong United. You may have heard the song, “I don’t know about” you by Chris Lane where he asks, “What’s your wrist tattoo bible verse say?” I chose not to include a verse because I feel that will be ever changing with the seasons. There are so many that come to mind. I will name a few that you can look up if you desire; Philippians 1:6, Psalm 23:6, and today’s key verse, Romans 8:28. I intentionally had the tattoo placed on my left wrist so that when asked, I would have the opportunity to share my testimony. I will give the credit to Jason at Hero Tattoo in Myrtle Beach for the final drawing of my tattoo.
What story do you think God is working out in your life right now? Take a moment to listen to Scars by Mandisa. Some of the lyrics sing, “They teach me that my brokenness is something that you can use.”
Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the opportunity to shine Your glory through my brokenness. As I go through the different seasons in life, guide me in shining Your light for all to see. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Let’s start Monday off with laughter. We have heard that laughter is the best medicine for the soul. From Walt Disney, “Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are never forgotten.” As we learned yesterday with the five stages of grief, life is too short. We must choose to cherish the opportunities to laugh. As we go into 2024, I encourage us all to do the following:
Stress less with Matthew 6:34 NIV — Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Surrender more with Proverbs 16:3 NIV — Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Give thanks always with 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV — Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Love myself more with Mark 12:31 NIV — The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
Build a healthy tribe with Proverbs 27:17 NIV — As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Rest well with Psalm 46:10 NIV — He says, Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Find Joy in the Journey with Nehemiah 8:10 NIV — Nehemiah said, Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for opportunities to find joy and share laughter with others. Help me to cherish every moment and live for today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
We are coming up on the fourth anniversary of my Dad’s death. Although I am certainly not an expert, I want to share what I’ve read and my personal experience with grief. As I have read different articles, I have been amazed at how much of them sound familiar. My biggest takeaway is everyone’s grief journey is unique. Each loss suffered is different.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduced the 5 stages of the grieving process:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
I recognize and can relate with each stage of the grieving process. I may not have experienced them in this exact order but have processed each one multiple times. According to the dictionary, grief means deep sorrow. We know that grieving is not a quick process. Learning to practice patience towards others and especially ourselves is a must. According to the dictionary, patience means the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. I have been told that grief is like the ocean because it comes in waves. Some waves are bigger than others, therefore require more patience.
Just as a wave is sometimes larger than we expect, often waves of grief hit from seeming nowhere. Your eye catches a photo that takes you down memory lane, the happy tears start to swell. You hear a song that reminds you of the journey, you angrily start to question God. As you cook their favorite meal, the smell overwhelms your soul, and you realize they are in a better place.
When in denial and anger, we cannot always see and understand what is in front of us. I think about the walk to Emmaus after Jesus’s crucifixion. There were two travelers, one named Cleopas. Neither of them recognized Jesus until He broke bread with them in Luke 24: 30-32 NIV — When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Notice they recognized Jesus at the “breaking” of the bread. Jesus meets us at our brokenness. We may not always understand the why, but we can ask God to help us accept it. Whatever grief you are experiencing; loss of a loved one or a pet, a nasty divorce or a wayward child, I pray you will allow God to be your ultimate guide through the grieving process.
Let’s pray. Dear God, help me to recognize the different stages of grief. Help me to turn to You as my tour guide. Through Your love and grace, may I receive and give patience. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to. – Romans 10:17 MSG
A new calendar year presents a blank slate of the next 12 months and an opportunity to create goals. Such is the case each year when Deborah, Julie and I each select a word of the year.
Last year my word was “prayer” as I wanted to be more intentional about my daily prayer schedule. Establishing set times during the day to stop and pray was something that, surprisingly, quickly became a beneficial habit.
While praying more often and offering thanks for my many blessings was needed, it became evident there was a problem: I was doing all the talking. What I need to do more of is “listen,” which is my word for 2024.
God speaks to us through His holy word in the Bible. Also, our prayers are conversations with God. If we are quiet and listen, God will give us the true direction we desperately need in this world filled with road blocks and dead ends.
Have you chosen a word for 2024? Do you have a mantra or quote that you want to shape your days? It’s not too late. We would love to hear from you about what God has laid on your heart.
A prayer for today: Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessings You provide. Please forgive us of our sins and help us be reflections of Your love. Please help us hear Your voice, and obey. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Isaiah 26:12 NIV — Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Sometimes a forced pause is just what we need. A couple days after Christmas my family all became sick with the flu. For the first couple days I stood strong, running around from person to person to be sure they were cared for properly. Then, out of the blue, the flu hit me too. For the next three days I rarely left my bed. The first day, when my fever was the highest, I mostly slept off and on. The following two days I spent time watching lots of TV, napping, and sipping hot tea. While being sick was not what I wished for, I have to admit being forced to pause proved to have its rewards. I was able to relax without feeling guilty.
Being sick also gave me plenty of time to pray and ask God for discernment about His plans for 2024. God reminded me how important it is to take time to pause so that I am able to give my best to my family and my work. Planned pauses are always easier than forced pauses, but may each of us also appreciate the value of those moments when we are forced to slow down and pause.
Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for showing me the value of forced pauses. Show me pockets of time each day to take time and pause with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Water Walkers 