Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬ — Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

I shared yesterday that my word for 2023 was “love.” There are four different types of love. Today I want to highlight Eros which is a passionate love. I decided to go back to the beginning where a woman was formed from the rib of a man. I encourage you to read The Message version of Genesis 2:18-25. This version uses the word “companion” in addition to a helper. Just as Jesus made us for companionship, He didn’t want man to be alone. 

According to the dictionary, a companion is a person who frequently spends time with you, associates with you, or accompanies you when you go places. I know we have readers in all stages of life, whether single, dating, engaged, married, divorced, or widowed. Whatever stage of life, most of us desire companionship, even if it’s with our four-legged, furry friends. Our love should always be genuine and never taken for granted. We should not forget to take delight and look for joy. In Romans 12:10 NLT we read “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” 

Have you ever read The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman? I think we have shared it before but it has been a while. Just like we start the year off trying to be better spiritually, physically, and mentally, I encourage us all to share that same passion with our companions.

You can take a quiz and ask your companion to do the same; 5 Love Languages Quiz

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the gift of companionship with You as my Heavenly Father and those that You have placed in my life here on Earth. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

@biblegateway @youversion

1 John 3:18-20 — “My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves”. 

February is known as the month of love. In February 2023 I shared my word of the year: “love;” and mantra: “your grace is my armor.”

That particular year I added goals that I could journal and evaluate throughout the year. They are similar to the goals I strive for with Run for God which encourages us to grow spiritually, physically, and mentally closer to God.

Spiritually: Love God first! Matthew 22‬:‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬ – Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Physically: Love my body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Honor it with self-care and preventative medicine. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬ – Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 

Mentally: His grace is my armor. Shut down debilitating self-criticism. John‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬ – If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 

I encourage you to think about your own goals as you meditate on today’s verses.

@biblegateway @youversion

A song that God laid on my heart and inspired my word, verse, and mantra for 2023 is by singer Tom Mottershead; Greater Than Our Hearts. Within the title of the song is the scripture referenced, 1 John 3:20. It was The Message version in verses 18-20 that spoke to me. Words like, “real love,” “self-criticism,” and “greater” leaped from the text. That real love is practiced through God’s love and grace for us. In the lyrics he sings, “your grace is my armor.” God’s grace covers us from head to toe, including the self-criticism that sometimes pierces through. It is so encouraging to know that God’s love is greater than ourselves. 

In Matthew 11:28-30 NIV Jesus said — Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Join us for See You Saturday as we close out our week on getting unstuck. Carol Kent’s book, He Holds My Hand, writes, “You can believe that I have something important for you to do right now and move into a positive, Spirit-infused, Christ-honoring, joy-filled adventure with Me.”

In Matthew 11:28-30 NIV Jesus said — Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Being stuck can mean being blocked, wedged, or jammed. Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck in your work for Christ? Very recently I have struggled with feeling stuck in my writing. Over the last 9 years of writing for Water Walkers, God has never failed to inspire me to write. He always provides a new word, new thought, or new insight for me to share. However in late December I was feeling the pressure to produce new writing and felt I had writer’s block. I couldn’t perceive that God had anything new for me to share. Was I not listening? Or was I not being open to receive His insights? It was the thick of the Christmas season and I was busy making preparations. Was I not focused on Him? I was feeling weary and burdened. I was stuck.

I shared my concerns with Julie and Ray and asked them to join me in praying for new inspiration to write. Several days later, Ray called me and shared some writing techniques he had learned from working in the newspaper industry. While I wasn’t sure the technique was right for me, I was willing to try to help me become unstuck. The next morning I applied Ray’s suggestion and the technique has reignited my fire to write. God nudged Ray to call me that day, he obeyed, and I listened. Go God! 

As we finish this Friday together let’s recall some ways I have found to help me when I feel stuck. 

• Change your focus
• Change your routine
• Cling to scripture
• Be open and listen for God to speak through others

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your guidance and direction. Thank You for sharing my burdens and giving me rest in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

@biblegateway

@youversion

Psalms 40 NIV

Psalms 40:1-3 NIV — I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

As I shared yesterday, being stuck may mean remaining in a place, situation, or environment. Have you ever felt that way in your work environment? I found myself feeling stuck in my work as a Kindergarten teacher several years ago. Kindergarten is often a child’s first encounter with formal schooling and can prove to be difficult for some students to adapt. I had not one, but five, troubled students. Each of the students had a unique learning style, personality, and difficulty with following the rules and routines of a classroom. I had always believed God placed just the right students in my classroom each year. Either they needed me or I needed them. As the year progressed and we struggled together, I became very discouraged as I felt I was not reaching each of them. Perhaps I was not what they needed. Each day was filled with stress and worry of how to handle the situation. I felt myself slipping into a state of sadness. I felt like a failure. I felt stuck.

Then I happened upon today’s featured scripture, Psalms 40:1-3. I began to cling to the promise that God would lift me up and put a new song in my mouth, even when I couldn’t see an end to the struggle. I put my trust in Him. As the school year progressed, I developed a beautiful bond with the mother of one of the troubled students. She and I communicated daily and worked together to help regulate her child’s medication. We shared insights and strategies with one another and slowly the student grew closer and closer to me. Although his behavior had improved, his academics were failing as it had taken the majority of the school year to help him adapt to the school environment and to adjust his medication. The decision was made to retain him and after prayerful consideration I offered to have him in my class a second year so as to make his transition smoother. He and I had learned each other’s personalities and knew which buttons to not push. What a blessing it was to have him in my class a second year. I was able to watch him blossom into a successful and confident student. Clinging to scripture and trusting God had gotten me unstuck! God had lifted me out of the slimy pit and put a new song in my mouth.  

Let’s pray. Dear God, I praise You for the Scriptures that share Your promises. Thank You for always lifting me out of pits. May I always put my trust in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

@biblegateway

@youversion

Isaiah 41:10 NIV — So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Being stuck may mean remaining in a place, situation, or environment. Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck in your personal life? I found myself feeling stuck in a place about this same time of year in 2001. Clark and I had only been married 3 ½ years. During the day I was working as a long-term substitute teacher. At night I was commuting to graduate school full time in order to complete my degree in a year. Clark and I were also living with his parents. To say I was stressed would be an understatement. I battled with bouts of sadness and worry that life would never get better. I felt stuck.

For Valentine’s Day Clark and I went out to dinner and strolled in and out of some shops downtown Georgetown all while I had a pity party about my feelings of being stuck. One of the shops we went into was a Christian bookstore. Clark encouraged me to find a book to help me with my stress. The book I happened upon, or as I now realize God led me to, was titled Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The book became a daily practice for me to change my focus and helped me become unstuck. Clark later titled it my “stress book.” I now realize the book inadvertently was the beginning of me having the routine of a daily devotional time.

Do you find yourself stuck today? Are you remaining in a place, situation, or environment and need God’s righteous right hand to uphold you? What steps can you make today with His help, to move forward? God is right beside you as you step out of your boat of comfort and walk on water.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your righteous right hand that upholds me to get unstuck. Give me the strength and courage to step out and walk with You by my side. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

@biblegateway

@youversion