One of my morning devotions comes from a book, “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, ‘Enjoying Peace in His Presence!’

Today’s read struck a chord within, and I wish to share, hoping the same will apply to you.

“Come to Me with empty hands and an open heart, ready to receive abundant blessings. I know the depth and breadth of your neediness. Your life path has been difficult, draining you of strength. Come to Me for nurture. Let me fill you up with my presence: I in you and you in Me.

My power flows most freely into weak ones aware of their need for Me. Faltering steps of dependence are not lack of faith; they are links to My Presence.” Jesus Calling by Sarah Young Published by Thomas Nelson (no copyright infringement is intended. I do not own nor claim to own rights to any of the contents shared.”

Side Notes: Come to me with empty hands and an open heart; I know the depth of your neediness; life has drained you.

What is Jesus saying? He’s saying, I know your heart. I see your need. I feel your pain and frustrations.

What is Jesus telling us to do? He’s telling us to come to him just as we are; lost, lonely, broken, tired, broke, empty, sad, sick, discouraged, wore-out, over it, done!

Bring your exhausted self to the fountain of life and drink in his refreshing spirit. He’s asking us to allow him to fill us full of his presence, bringing power into our weakness.

But, within the love and blessings of this assurance is the beautiful line that reads, “Faltering steps of dependence are not a lack of faith.”

Don’t let the enemy or your mind lie to you when faced with fears, dread, or challenges. If you falter in worry, it is not lacking in your faith in our Lord. It’s fear of the unknown.

The unknown is always scary and dark! The Lord is always with us and is Light!

John 8:12 ESV: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 Peter 5:7 NLT: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

It’s a new day, look up, let go, and let God!

May You Be Blessed Today! ☺️

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you that you are but a breath away! Thank you that all I have to do is whisper your name, and your presence surrounds me.

Thank you, Lord, for walking in my footsteps, one for understanding them, two for sharing my load.

Thank you, Lord, for your word in Isaiah that tells us you hold the world’s waters in the palm of your hand. I am thus reminded that there is nothing too big for you. The mountains in my life are but a speck of dust in yours. Lord, please help me to remember this when I am feeling small and insignificant.

Thank you, Lord, for your time! I humbly ask, Lord, for my time to be governed by you! Please help me to slow down, take a breath, reorganize, and proceed at your pace and not my frantic one!

Thank you for helping me set my priorities, governing the lists, calendar appointments, and the seemingly endless daily responsibilities. Thank you for helping me to breathe when the days get too big and I feel too small.

Thank you, Lord, for your provisions. Thank you for always supplying our needs and the presence of mind to know that you are always with us and will never leave us. To remember that you dress the flowers in the fields and feed the birds of the air, how much more are we to you?

Thank you for your peace that surpasses all understanding, as there is so much today that is hard to comprehend. The world has become deranged: killings, suicide, a deadly drug epidemic, wars, natural disasters on a frequent level, homelessness, destruction, depravement, fear, hunger, and rampant abuse on many levels.

Lord, help us to do our part; help us to know our part. I often believe there is so much need we are but paralyzed at what and where even to start. Please, help us to start somewhere, anywhere. Lord, you direct, and we will follow.

We are living out your prophecy. We are your people. We need your presence, wisdom, direction, provision, and protection. Thank you, Lord, for being with every one of us every day.

In your beautiful name, Lord Jesus, I commit this prayer! Amen 😌

Tell yourself and repeat as many times as necessary to achieve the assurance that no matter what God Loves You! Yep, You!

1 John 4:19 ESV: “We love because he first loved us.”

Grasp that! God loved us first! He came after you! He wooed you and ignited that spark within your heart, spirit, and soul. That spark that said, “You belong to me.”

We live in a society that places love as a commodity. Yes, it can be bought and sold but that’s not love however love is often based on our performance. The more we do, the better we are, the right words we say, and the correct behavior all warrant acceptance and love!

Earthly, fleshly love is just that from the earth and of the flesh, as long as my flesh is happy! What happens when the happiness turns to drudgery? What happens when that love is betrayed? Often the love stops and walks away!

It’s no wonder we walk around trying to be perfect, trying not to sin, pass judgment, gossip, lie, cheat, steal, or any of the other no-nos! Just so we won’t make God mad and lose his love, grace, favor, and protection.

I have great news: you can stop all the worry and scurry! The Lord loves you just as you are! He will make the necessary changes here or there, a minor adjustment and a tweak occasionally, but we don’t have to live a life of performance to be granted the Lord’s love!

Romans 5:8 ESV: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Isaiah 41:10 ESV: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Jeremiah 31:3 ESV: “The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 ESV: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Psalm 86:15 ESV: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 118:6 ESV “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Ephesians 2:8 ESV: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.”

John 15:9 ESV: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”

“Abide (rest) in my love.” What a perfect place to close.

Be blessed by his love, be comforted in his love, walk freely within his love! ❤️☺️

I love the mornings when the birds sing as they usher in and welcome the dawn of a new day.

Their bright, cheerful chorus always brings a smile. This time of year, it’s entertaining to watch the birds of all sizes and colors scurrying around, picking up pieces of this or that, making stops at the bird feeder, or splashing in the water feature as they bathe. I spent a lovely few moments yesterday visiting with Mrs. Robin as she was shopping around my yard for her home or family.

I believe that the birds make God smile as well. There are a variety of scriptures regarding birds that show his love and care for his small-winged creatures!

Matthew 6:26 ESV: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Psalm 104:12. NLT: “The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees.”

Psalm 50:11 ESV: “I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the fields are mine.”

Isaiah 40:31 ESV: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Matthew 3:16 ESV: “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.”

Luke 12:6 ESV: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.”

Isaiah 31:5: “Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it.”

I love that within these scriptures, the Lord tells us of his compassion for his creations, whether beasts of the field or birds in the air. He is likening his love, provisions, and protection of his birds to us! Scripture expresses in the gospels how much more valuable we are to God.

I believe this to be a spiritual reminder that God sees all and loves us, and if he knows when a sparrow falls or is sold, he certainly knows what is going on with us!

On that, we can rest. On that, we can be sure!

How’s your heart?

I’ve recently made a discovery, and my heart requires a make-over.

Life can and will affect the heart, leaving changes within without us knowing or sensing. Life’s fiery darts and arrows often leave us running for cover. We wear protective armor and walk through life, hiding within the metal confines.

But then, one day, as you gaze at the world through the slits in your metal headgear, you realize you are missing life. Somewhere within the confines of your armor, you have stopped feeling; you are a body just going through the motions, doing the best you can at any moment.

So what is the best we can do? I know for me the best thing I can do is talk to God about my discovery and ask for his help in changing my heart of stone!

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Dear Lord Jesus,

Through you, we have the blessing of the Holy Spirit. I thank you for the changes you will bring into our hearts and spirits. You are Our Mighty Physician, Jehovah Rapha, and we trust you, Lord, with our hearts. Create the changes we need and desire to help make us whole inside, healthy, and peaceful. Lord, help us regain a new zest for life, enjoying your beauty and focusing on our walk with you. Thank you for giving us the strength to break free from the chains that bind us. Thank you for the freedom to live life and to live it abundantly. In your glorious name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen ☺️❤️

Dear Lord, Our Father In Heaven,

Your Holy name be praised upon all the earth; let that praise rest in our hearts and fall from our lips.

It’s the beginning of the work week for many, and this day holds dread. I ask you, Lord, to be with those who have grown to hate their job. I humbly ask for a fresh spirit to run through them, raising them from the dread and gloom of another day in the same place. The feeling of hopelessness!

I hold up to you those who have an appointment today that they dread. The news they are afraid of hearing. I humbly ask for a spirit of strength in you, Lord, ensuring them that whatever news they face, they face it with you at their side. The feeling of dread!

I lift to you those who are alone. I plead with you, Lord, to open doors for those seeking your direction. I ask you for clarity and wisdom as they wait upon your hand to move upon their lives. Open their eyes and ears to your prompting and leading. Your word tells us two are stronger than one; Lord, thank you for the spiritual friends and partners for those who are waiting upon you! The feeling of loneliness!

Dear Lord, Our Mighty God, Our Jehovah Jireh, supplier of all our needs, you see our world and how expensive everything is; it’s a vicious circle, and many are floundering within the whirlpool of life. Lord, help us to look to you when the bill pile is much larger than the money intake pile! When life threatens to upend our raft, and we fear drowning. The feeling of desperation!

I ask for your presence, Holy Spirit, to awaken within those who face another day of boredom. The spirit of the same old thing day in and day out! I ask the Lord for freshness to blow through their spirit and lives, encouraging them to step out of the box and find a new outlet! The feeling of monotony.

Feelings, Lord, we are a series of messy, tangled, disorganized, misunderstood, scrambled, and chaotic feelings and emotions that change on a dime. Why, then, are we so often led by our feelings and emotions, which are as fleeting as a snowflake in summer? Why?

Lord, help us to recognize feelings and emotions and put them in their proper places, stored under the God will take care of this file! Then, turn said feelings into prayers of deliverance, sitting back and trusting that you’ve got this. You’ve got us!

Thank you, Lord, for your love; thank you, Lord, for your loving sacrifice for us; Thank you, Lord Jesus, in your Holy name, I commit this prayer. Amen ☺️

I am at the beginning of the book of Joshua; Moses has just died and left Joshua in charge of leading the Israelites into the land of milk and honey. God had promised them; however, to reach the land promised to them, they had to cross the Jordan River.

Mind you, the Jordan River at its widest is 60 feet across, and its deepest is 17 feet deep! The Lord instructed the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to enter the river. This time frame was during harvest when the banks of the Jordan were known to overflow. So the water was deep, and the current was swift.

Once the priests put one foot in the water scripture tells us in Joshua 3:16 CSB: “and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the sea of the Arabah-The Dead Sea.”

Once again, the Lord shows his mighty way and deliverance to the people who trust and follow him!

Joshua 4:1-9 CSB: “After the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua: ‘Choose twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and command them: take twelve stones from this place in the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you spend the night.’

So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had selected from the Israelites, one man for each tribe, and said to them, ‘Go across to the ark of the Lord your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, What do these stones mean to you? You should tell them, that the water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites.”

The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded them. The twelve men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there. Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are still there today!

Ok, so I did a bit of searching. First, it was the year 1407 BC (before Christ) that Joshua took Israel across the Jordan River. This took place forty years after their exodus from Egypt. We are currently in the year 2022 AD (after the death of Christ)!

Where are the 12 stones of Jordan today?

“Near Jericho, there is a place identified as ‘Gilgal, which is also Twelve Stones.” The picture shows a church building and a double row of twelve stones, six to a side (visible on the mosaic as twelve white tesserae on a black background. Crossroads Bible Church

Many archeological studies show the stone formations still exist today! The town of Jericho is still inhabited, and the modern city of Gilgal is located about 8 miles north of Jericho.

I love it when I can read the Bible of ancient times, days, and ways. Read about kings, wars, people, places, and monuments, and then I can do internet searches for facts and truths in history to what I just read!

I have had the blessings of the Lord showing himself to me in so many ways and so many times that I know he exists. But, for the doubting Thomases, God does allow enough tidbits of the past to be found to excite and energize the future for generations to come!

The Bible often speaks of our calling in the Lord, our mission, our discipleship in him, and his path for us!

This assignment is not clear and can frankly feel like an enigma! I have spent countless years asking the Lord what my mission was and what his plans for me were, question after question.

As a single mom, I heard, ‘Raise your children in me.’ The Lord instilled in me a deep resonance that our children learn and grow more from our examples rather than our words. Did I always get it right? No! Did I always give them my all? Yes!

Did my children grow up strong within the security of my love? Yes! Did they go on to make their own mistakes? Yes! After trials and errors in finding their paths, did they lead back to God? Yes!

Proverbs 22:6 ESV: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Back to our calling! Not all will be preachers, speakers, book authors, gospel singers, documentary writers, or noted theologians.

We may be no one extraordinary, everyday variety, the run-of-the-mill person who lives down the street or next door.

But, are you?

You are a child of God, so already you are unique and set apart! From the outside, we look like everyone else, but on the inside, that’s a different story.

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV: ‘Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

There’s our calling! We are called to set the example!

It’s not venting our anger and frustration on the person behind the counter or the other end of the phone. It’s not being bold and pushy, loudly demanding our way! It’s not being selfish, moody, and self-centered. It’s not raising ourselves in our status.

It’s the godly examples we show the critical world. It’s showing love and compassion rather than judgment. It’s standing on our faith in the Lord when, to the naked eye, our world is crashing around us. It’s clean living!

Galatians 5:22 NLT: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”

The fruit of the Spirit is truly our calling to daily work toward these qualities not only within ourselves but in our lives, which then graciously spill onto others!

We, as Christians, are called to share the love and gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! The easiest and best way is by the testimonies we share and the examples we set! ☺️

Time is a funny thing; we either have too much of it on our hands or not enough! We can walk along blissfully for one minute, and within a single passing thought or remembrance, that peaceful moment instantly becomes frantic! Time never stops!

Where did the time go? I’ve lost so much time! I don’t have enough time! I’m going to need more time! I don’t have much more time. Could you spare some time? Do you have the time? What time is it? Is it time to go? Is it time to start? Is it time to finish? Is it close to time?

Where is God? He’s taking his own sweet time! God’s time is never our time!

2 Peter 3:8 ESV: “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.”

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV: “For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Ephesians 1:10 ESV: “As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Mark 13:32 ESV: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Romans 13:11 ESV: “Besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.”

Mark 1:15. Esv: “And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

With all the natural disasters occurring worldwide, the war in the Middle East, and the signs and wonders of our time. It causes many to wonder, ‘Is the time of the Lord’s return drawing near?’ Scripture tells us we won’t know the time! Scripture tells us always to be ready because the Lord will appear like a thief the night! We won’t know His time!

We don’t know what time it is in the heavenly realms nor what time frame our future holds, but we are warned to pay attention to the time and the times and to be ready!

I’m ready, are you? ☺️

I love flowers! They are one of life’s simplest pleasures! God loves flowers. Look at all the creative varieties, colors, shapes, and smells He placed on this earth just for our pleasure.

I talk a lot about today’s technology and the fact we can type any word and follow it with the word scripture, and we have a plethora of Bible reading options.

Since I am excited at the colors of spring bursting out everywhere and the glimmer of a hope-filled summer, I thought it might be fun to see what God has to say about his beautiful creations of flowers.

Isaiah 40:8 ESV: “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Mathew 6:28-29 ESV: “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Psalm 104:24 ESV: “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

1 Kings 6:35 ESV: “On them, he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied in the carved work.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 ESV: “For ‘all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this is the good news that was preached to you.”

Song of Solomon 6:11 ESV: “I went down to the nut orchard to look at the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the pomegranates were in bloom.”

Numbers 17:8 ESV: “On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.”

This scripture is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. A little history: Moses was in the desert with the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt. Within the twelve tribes of Isreal, some grumbling had started. Moses, who gave him the authority to govern us? Why does his brother Aaron bear the levitical title and honor? Hmm, why?

Well, Because God said so, that’s why! So, God instructed Moses to have a leader from each tribe present a walking stick with each tribe leader’s name engraved on the stick, including Aarons representing the tribe of Levi.

They were to place all twelve staff in the Tabernacle lined up in front of the Ark of the Covenant. The Lord commanded that the staff with buds blooming on it will belong to the man I chose thus bringing an end to the murmuring against you.

We are Back to Numbers 17:8, where the following day, we find Aarons’s staff sprouting full of floral blooms and budding almonds. I love this picture! Eleven naked walking sticks stuck in the dirt and one bearing God’s floral array! God does the most amazing things!

On this, I shall close. I am leaving you with two thoughts: as much as the Lord loves, provides, and cares for the grass and lilies in the field and the birds in the air, how much more are you to him? Second, I hope the next time the Lord blesses you with floral glimpses of heaven, you will take the time to stop and enjoy their beauty, thanking the Lord for his simple pleasures.

Be blessed today! 💐