In life there is a perpetual longing for something more. We desire the things we
do not have- we anticipate the exciting things in our lives that are to come. Time
propels our bodies forward, but our spirits seem to have a forward-pull as well.
There is a natural and constant desire to fill ourselves with something that will
satisfy us in a more permanent way. Only the Lord our God can fill that hole in
our hearts! We need to fill ourselves with God’s Word and open up our hearts
to His Spirit. The longing in our souls is because we are here on earth and we
know that this is not where we belong; this is a place for us to seek and find
God so that we can one day be with Him in heaven! But we don’t have to wait to
be in His presence- our relationship with Him starts right now! Trust in Him and
let Him consume your life and you will see that all the earthly things cannot
compare to the satisfaction that comes from living this life with our loving,
awesome God!
Psalm 84:2 “My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and
flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
Journey on!
God's Love
“God never intended for us to look to others for the kind of love only He can give.” Lysa Terkeurst
Too many times we look to others to fill empty places in our hearts…places that only God can fill. Maybe you put unrealistic expectations on your spouse. Maybe you feel like your life will never be complete if you can’t find a girlfriend or boyfriend. Maybe you feel let down by friends.
God created human relationships to be a blessing. It’s good to have people in your life who you love and who love you back. But when it comes to the deep, empty spaces in your heart and in your soul, it’s unfair to expect others to fill those voids. Only God can fill those spaces, heal your hurts, fill you with peace. Only God can forgive your sins, give you salvation, give you purpose. Only He can complete you, and when you allow Him to do so, it will make your relationships with others so much greater!
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1 (NLT)
Journey on!
You, Lord
When I take a breath and wonder how I'm going to get through the day, it is You, Lord, who sustains me and fills me with hope. When work piles up and deadlines approach, it is You who gives me strength to persevere. When the world throws me curveballs and I can't see the solution, it is You who knows the future and You in whom I trust. Thank you my God for being all I need. I praise your Holy Name.
"Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14
Journey on!
Pay Attention to Your Self-Talk
God has already given us peace of mind, but some of us are yet to experience it, because they continue to feed the wrong words to their subconscious mind. -Edmond Mbiaka
How many times do we beat ourselves up over things? We make a mistake, have an awkward encounter, or find ourselves in a stressful situation, and the first thing we want to do is bad-mouth ourselves. "That was so stupid! How could I be such an idiot?" In counseling, they call that negative self-talk. Over time, continual negative self-talk skews our perception of reality. Satan would love for us to believe that we are not worthy and stay focused on our faults. But God tells us that we are His beloved children! We are created in HIS image. No, we will never be perfect, but that is ok because He has redeemed us through the blood of Christ! God wants us to recognize our mistakes and work to do better next time, but He never told us to punish ourselves with our thoughts. That is not of God! If you are guilty of negative self-talk, take time this week to pay attention to the negative messages that are on repeat in your mind. Write each one down, and then recognize it as a false thought. Then write down a truth from God to replace that thought! You can use scriptures, or just simple phrases. For example, if one of yourregular thoughts is "I am so stupid!" you can replace that lie with "I made a mistake, but I am still God's child." If you think to yourself, "I will never measure up," you can replace that lie with "God has a purpose for my life, and I am worthy in His sight." This is what therapists call "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." It's so important to stay focused on God's truth and love and not on these lies we tell ourselves. I hope this exercise helps you this week!
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1
Journey on!
Strength in Vulnerability
In the beginning, people think vulnerability will make you weak, but it does the opposite. It shows you're strong enough to care. -Victoria Pratt
Do you ever try to convince the world that you have it all together? Maybe you feel stressed out and frazzled but you answer the phone as if you are having the best day. Or you smile and tell your friends everything is great. We all want to appear like we have it all together, but the truth is, some of our most influential moments come when we are willing to step out from behind the mask. When we are willing to show others who we really are, and admit our struggles and failures, we have a greater chance of having a deeper relationship with people. We open ourselves to real, life-changing conversation and help others feel comfortable talking about their struggles, too! It can be hard to make ourselves vulnerable but when there are people in our lives we care about, it’s important to be humble and honest with them. When we do, we give others permission to be vulnerable, too, and we can shine Christ’s light into their lives in ways we couldn’t when we had our walls of pretend perfection up. Be more transparent and humble in your relationships this week!
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Journey on!
Embrace the Impossible
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Chuck Swindoll
I’m a planner. I like to prepare for things far in advance and I like to know that all my bases are covered. Unfortunately for me, life doesn’t always play the game the way I want it to. I face unexpected situations, and feel completely unsure of how to handle them or how to move forward. If you find yourself facing the impossible today, remember that we are children of God. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:60). He has assured us that whatever we face, we are not alone, and that He will work all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Spend time immersed in His word through scriptures, and allow Him to guide you and help you through these circumstances. Ask Him to give you wisdom, discernment, and understanding. Look for ways that you can grow and allow Him to mold you through this situation. When we put our hope and trust in God, even in the most confusing or difficult times, we can weather any storm. God will take your impossible situation and make it new. He will provide in ways that you could not have expected. Lean into Him today.
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:26
Journey on!
Keep Growing
Whether you have grown up in church your entire life or have only been a Christian a short while, it is likely that at some point you will face spiritual ruts. These happen when you forget about connecting with God daily and get depleted. It happens to all of us- we get busy, or caught up in life, and forget to take time to pray and read God's word. Or we just feel comfortable where we are and don't look for ways to grow because we know growth can be difficult. But God has so much in store for our lives if we would stay connected to Him and pay attention to how He is growing us spiritually! And even though it can be hard sometimes, God blesses us so much when we run toward Him. What can you do this week to grow in wisdom and truth?
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18
Journey on!
Daily Renewal
“I’m the kind of tired that sleep can’t fix.” – Unknown
I love this quote because I’ve felt this all too often…when life has hurried me along, thrown me curve balls, torn down my expectations, and thrashed against the peace within my soul. I could try to sleep it off because I probably haven’t had a full 8 hours in some time, but I know that the unrest inside me can’t be quelled by a mere soft place to lay my head.
This beautiful, turbulent life would overwhelm us if it weren’t for the strong, nurturing, still presence of a mighty God. When we get wrapped up in the chaos that surrounds us, we forget that He is right there, ready to embrace us and give us peace. But when we constantly drink from the well, soak up His life-giving words, and dwell in His perfect presence, then we are truly refreshed and energized. Even when we face the physical trials of our day-to-day, if we run towards God, we will be renewed spiritually by His love!
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Journey on!
He is Risen
"Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there."– Clarence W. Hall
At this time of year, we meditate on the painful beauty of Christ's death and resurrection. Just as all that was dead in winter springs to life in this season, our Lord was raised from the dead and brought back to life. Jesus bore all our sins on the cross and came back victorious over death, giving us the incredible blessing of eternal life with Him. His resurrection reminds us that God is over all things, and that nothing is impossible with Him. Accept Him today and watch the transformation He can do in your life, not just after death, but right here, right now! He makes everything new, and beauty from ashes. Accept His gift of life today.
"He is not here;he has risen, just as he said." Matthew 28:6
Journey on!
Don't Give Up
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again." 2 Cor 1:8-10
When I read this letter Paul wrote, it reminds me that in the midst of all the stress I am facing, God is my strength! Sometimes the pressures of life seem too much, and I find myself thinking, "I can't do all of this!" But the fact is, I can do everything through the Lord..and when I fully rely on God, I recognize which things are most important and which things I need to take off of my plate. Just by laying it all down at His feet, I find peace, discernment, wisdom, and strength to move forward. Life doesn't feel so overwhelming when I rely on God instead of my own power. What can you lay at His feet today?
Journey on!
The Peace of Grace
The Lord loves you so very much! He wants you to rest in Him. It breaks my heart to see people wrestling with guilt and fear about their salvation. They worry and wonder, "Am I doing enough? Am I good enough? I've messed up too much this week, how can God forgive me?" If you find yourself questioning your worth, remember that is deception from Satan himself. Your God loves you dearly and sent His son to die for your sins! Through Him, you are truly forgiven! Yes, we should all strive to live like Christ and honor God, but we should do that because He is our father and knows what is best for our lives...not to prove we are "good enough" to go to heaven. The Lord has saved you if you have committed to loving Him. Don't let worry and doubt cloud the peace that comes with receiving grace from God! Rest in God's promises and know that you are worthy because He is in your heart!
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8-9
Journey on!
Remember Kindness
In our daily rush to accomplish our to-do lists, we may not realize the way we come across to others. Sometimes our own stresses lead us to snap at others in the office. We may not take the time to really stop what we are doing to listen to our children tell us about their day. Maybe you've found yourself yelling at someone simply because you are under pressure. We need to take time in our day to pause and reflect on the things that are most important. While many worldly things seem pressing, there is always time to be kind. We won't get our assignments completed any faster by attacking those around us. We won't keep our friendships if we continue to neglect them because we are too busy. In the midst of your busy week, be conscious of others. Have self-control to respond kindly even when you are stressed. Be intentional to really listen to those you love. Remember kindness!
Hebrews 13:1-2 (ESV) / Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Journey on!
New Beginnings
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Spring always brings this bible verse to my mind. It is time when the earth, which has been cold and dead all winter, brings forth new life. Beautiful plants and flowers shoot up from the ground. Baby animals are born. It is a time of joy, sunshine, and new beginnings. It always reminds me of the beautiful transformation we have in Christ Jesus. Though we have sinned and made a lot of mistakes in our lives, Jesus has washed all of them away and tells us that we are made completely new in Him! If you feel like you have been in a spiritual slump, go to to the Lord. Let Him renew and refresh your spirit. Let Him plant new and beautiful things in your life and watch as they grow in you. Spend time in His presence this week and let His light shine in your life.
Journey on!
Go Forward
In life there are seasons of waiting and watching for what God is going to do next. Sometimes we have to be still to find direction. But other times, when God places something on our hearts, we have to take action and move forward. If you have been praying about something that God has put on your heart, don’t let fear get in the way! We always need to seek confirmation that what we are running after is of the Lord, but through reading scripture, praying, and consulting wise counsel we can have confidence in what we need to do going forward. And if we run after something and God closes the door, we have our answer that way, too. Don’t stay in your own comfort zone if there are big things God wants to do in your life. Be bold in faith and chase after God wherever He is leading you. Big things happen when we allow God to lead us into places we never expected to be. Don’t let your perceptions of how your life should go get in the way of seeing God’s bigger plan. What is God speaking to heart right now?
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21
Journey on!