This has been a difficult week for me. Did anyone else have struggles this week? The good news is, no matter how many times we have stumbled, God is there to support us. Despite our failures and sins, God loves us.
Today is a new day! We have a clean slate and new opportunities. Let’s not focus on our struggles or failures, but the love of God. Let’s thank God that Christ died for us and use each moment to show thanksgiving through our actions. As the sun rises on this Finish Friday, let’s face each task with new eyes and focus. With God’s help, we can finish today strong!
I am intrigued when I see a flock of birds. Whether they are flying together in formation or perched in a line like the ones in this photo, I find it interesting how they stick together.
Who is in your flock? Who sticks with you when you are flying high or at a standstill? On this Thankful Thursday take time to show appreciation to your flock. Send a text of thankfulness or even better a handwritten note. Do an unexpected kind deed for them or surprise them with a small token of appreciation. Be thankful for those in your flock who “sharpen” you and help you strive to be your best. Go spread thankfulness!
Last week Julie shared that at the beginning of our blog writing days, we stepped out of our boat of comfort and prayed the prayer of Jabez.
“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV
At some point during our journey, our Sunday School class read the book “The Prayer of Jabez” by Bruce Wilkinson. If you truly think about this prayer, it can be a scary one to pray. If you are willling to truly pray the prayer of Jabez, then you must totally submit to God’s will and be willing to be act. God will stretch you. You will have to cross over fences. Often you will have to step out of your boat of comfort and walk on water.
On this Water Walking Wednesday I ask that you take some time to pray about where God is stretching you. How is God enlarging your territory? Are you spreading God’s word and growing the kingdom of God through your territory of influence? How is God asking you to walk on water?
My prayer is that each of us will be brave enough to ask God to enlarge our territory and may we then spread the word of God through our words and actions.
I am no scientist so when I saw these frozen puddles I was interested in the patterns I saw. When I took these pictures, I was thinking all that had to happen for ice to form was for the temperature to drop below 32 degrees. However, there’s much more to it. In other words, water transforming into ice is not as simple as it looks.
My quick Google search revealed “Water turning into ice is not as straightforward as just getting cold. Other things also affect water freezing including dissolved solids, water density, pressure and movement.” (sciencelearn.org)
In other words, water freezing is a process. This explains why not all the puddles in my yard were frozen. Some of the variables must have been different in them that caused those puddles to remain liquid.
Just like the process of water freezing, transformation in ourselves is dependent on so many variables. The one constant is the steady hand of our Lord. No matter where you are in your journey of transformation, Jesus Christ is there to guide and direct you. No matter how many times you may fall and stumble, God will continue to help you get back up and travel further.
“though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalms 37:24 NIV
In the words of Julie Andrews, “Perseverance is falling 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” My tip for you on this Transformation Tip Tuesday is, get back up! The transformation journey is not easy and you may fall, but keep getting back up, keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep relying on God to uphold you with His hand.
This past Friday and Saturday our area had a winter storm that produced freezing rain. While the icy conditions are not ideal, we did have pretty scenery. As I left church yesterday, the shrubbery around the building caught my eye. As you can see, the branches of the bush were encased in ice. While it appears to be strong, you and I know differently. As soon as the temperature rises and heats up, the ice melts away revealing a twig that can easily snap under pressure.
As we begin this Mindset Monday, let’s resolve to be different than the frozen bush. Let’s tuck the promise of this Psalm in our memory.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalms 73:26 NIV
Today, and in the days ahead, when things heat up around us let’s find strength and courage in Christ. Let’s rely on Christ so we don’t snap under pressure like the twig.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Kiawah for a short get-away with some college friends. As I was leaving the island, I snapped this picture from my car window. Just as I did, I realized there was a parking area on the side of the road that I could have stopped for a few minutes and gotten a better picture, but instead of stopping I hurried on my way. I let my desire to stay on track with my schedule keep me from what could have been a beautiful and inspiring stop along my journey. Needless to say, the picture I took is not so good with the edge of the car and a road sign in it. This has made me think about the story of Martha and Mary in Luke.
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”” Luke 10:38-42 NIV
How often are we like Martha? How many inspiring opportunities pass us by because we make “staying on schedule” our priority?
On this Spiritual Sunday let’s be like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus. Let us soak in all He has to teach us and allow the words of Christ to saturate us. Let’s stop on the road side and take the better pictures!
Today is Finish Friday. Are you embracing the day? Are you relishing the moments that make up your day? Yesterday on my way to work I heard an older country song titled “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins. Take a moment and listen to the words.
I share this today, not to have you mourn the past but to embrace today. No matter what stage of life you are in, there is beauty and blessings around you to behold. Live in the moment today and don’t let the day pass without thanking God for today. If we are always looking backwards or forwards, we will miss what is around us now. Don’t miss this!
