Ephesians 2:20-22 ESV “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

We are the church! Not the structure of wood, nor the painted drywall, neither the miles of electrical cords, nor the carpet, pews, stained glass windows, or the big beautiful cross hanging in a central location for all eyes to see!

Jesus is the foundation, the cornerstone in whom the whole structure is joined together. Following in the footsteps of the apostles and prophets growing into a holy temple.

What does your temple look like? Remember there was only one perfect temple and that was Jesus, so all of our temples will be found needing some care and repair but overall how does your temple look?

Is the paint fresh? Are the doors open emitting a soft welcoming glow with peaceful music in the background? The yard, is it green only showing a weed or two? Is the dust in the corners all the while the pulpit gleams? Are your pews comfortable and restful? Is the Lord standing beside you at the door of your temple? Waiting, Inviting!

OR…

Does your temple sit sort of crooked and slumped down at the end of the street? Does it feel a bit forlorn and empty. Is the door hanging open, slightly ajar? Have the lights gone out and the music quit? Is there dust and cobwebs everywhere are your pews broken down and unstable? Where is Jesus? Not sure, maybe, just maybe somewhere in here, you hope!

Scripture says in him (Jesus) we are being built together for a dwelling place for God through the Holy Spirit! What does your welcome mat look like? What does it say?

Dear Lord, I know I have dust in my corners and weeds here and there but I want you to feel welcome in my temple so, with your help, we will keep the windows clean so the light can shine in, the Bible open on the pulpit, soft lights on and the music playing. The doors are open for your children in need to walk through and I welcome you into this place Father God, My Holy Spirit to dwell with me for eternity. In your beautiful name Lord Jesus I pray. Amen

I hope you take a serious look at your temple! Then get out the pledge or put on the garden gloves…Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Good Morning Lord, It’s Sunday and Satan is on the prowl bright and early!

Of course, he is and why wouldn’t he be?

Sunday’s are the perfect day for the kids to hate each other and your spouse to be in a mood. Today is the day the washing machine will explode, the fridge will stop working and dinner will burn!

It’s Sunday, your day, a day meant for rest, and who can rest if their spirit is restless, your mood is horrible, the house is bouncing and nerves are frayed!

I thank you, Lord, for this moment, right now!!! For the ability to stop, be still, and look up!

Help!!! Humbly we ask for peace Lord, peace in our world, our home our spirit, and our mind. The ability to slow down long enough to breathe and take a look around. If we allow ourselves time to look and see there is always beauty to be found somewhere, help us, Lord, to find it today, to reflect on it as it fills us with quietness within.

Lord this is your day and may we hear from you today whether in church, your written word in our comfy chair with a cup of tea, a podcast, a sermon via the internet, or spiritual music filling the car and our souls. However, it is that you may bless us with you, that is our prayer.

Thank you for the armor and strength to fight the schemes and lies of the dark one. Help us to recognize his tricks and shadows for what they are, empty lies full of fear that isn’t real. Lord help us to fight back!

Thank you, Lord, that we walk in your shadow and protection. Fill us and our world with your soft loving light. Thank you for your wisdom, guidance and direction each and everyday.

With this, I cast this prayer into your hands Lord Jesus and in your name, I commit. Amen

Be blessed today and thank you always for joining me! 🥰

Ezekiel 37:1-14 NIV “The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’

I said, ‘Sovereign Lord, you alone know.’

Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘dry bones hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you and come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet- a vast army.

Then he said to me: ‘Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my spirit in you and you will live, and settle in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”

WOW, what a vision Ezekiel was blessed getting to see, something straight out of a Sci-Fi movie. His eyes must have been bulging out of his head…

Do your bones feel dry? Does your breath feel spent? Have you been hoping, waiting, believing in the Lord for your deliverance, miracle, and answered prayer? Is your hope gone? Do you feel cut off?

Does it feel like you do the best you can every day but it doesn’t seem to make a difference? Are you tired of waiting, tired of the battle, just tired?

Lord Jesus, I thank you today for breathing life into these dry bones! I thank you for rejuvenation in our spirits as that of a rushing waterfall. Let us play in your pool of grace, refreshment, joy and mercy. We walk with a vast army of angels surrounding and protecting, all the while battles are being fought in the heavenly empire as you send messengers with answers to our prayers. I offer humble thanksgiving for the peace that comes in knowing that battle has been fought and We win! Thank you Lord for your love, protection and guidance. In your glorious name I pray. Amen

Thank you for joining me today. Be blessed with peace in your heart and spirit…God’s got this, Gods got us! 🥰

Such a humble small little seed that grows into a large beautiful bush or tree! Many sermons have been taught using the parable of the mustard seed in comparison to faith.

In Matthew 17:20 Jesus is speaking to the disciples regarding faith the size of a mustard seed stating that in believing you can say to a mountain move and it will move. My message isn’t about moving mountains this morning but about even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed… it’s still faith!

I woke up kind of early, much earlier than I wanted and the minute I moved I knew I had slept wrong and my right shoulder and collar bone hurt! It’s dark outside, I am uncomfortable and my mind goes to my age and the fact I will not be getting younger. What aches and pains await?

The President of the United States is mandating vaccinations or lose your job! I am not in this particular position but I am afraid for those with this heavy weight upon their shoulders. People shouldn’t be forced to have something injected into their bodies if they don’t want it there! Where will these enforced mandates upon individuals go from here and what might I someday be forced to take, eat or drink?

I came home from grocery shopping the other day and shook my head at my husband at what I had spent dollar-wise for the same things we have been buying for years. The total at the bottom of the cash receipt was ridiculous and scary.

So in the darkened wee hours of the morning being retired and a bit, achy I got scared! Fearful of what tomorrow might hold and what I may or may not have to deal with!

Whoa! Stop right there, it’s time to get up and pray! It’s time to change this mindset because fear is a muscle I wish to use correctly and this morning wasn’t one of those times.

1 Timothy 1:7 ESV “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but power and love and self-control.”

Matthew 6:34” ESV “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is it’s own trouble.” In essence don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself tomorrow and today has its own cares to handle.

So, I am back to the mustard seed! Maybe your faith is so tiny it’s barely a spec on your radar. That’s ok, use it, treat your faith like a muscle and continue to use it until it grows and grows stronger. Treat it like a loving plant and water it daily and watch it grow into something beautiful inside.

I don’t know what my tomorrow or my elderly years look like or what’s in store and to be honest, I don’t want to! What I do know though is I don’t face tomorrow alone.

Isaiah 41:40 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.”

I hope the next time you are battling a moment of fear you will simply slip your hand in the mighty righteous right hand of God. You’re safe there, You’re welcome there!

Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Holy Spirit of God…

I invite you to join me in my world. I invite you to live within me, residing in my spirit. Making your home within mine.

I long to know you intimately, to hear your promptings, and to recognize your voice. There are so many voices in our heads and lives, help us to learn how to hear and react to your still and quiet leading.

To recognize the enemy’s voice and his lies. To immediately feel the cold that surrounds the thoughts, emotions, and feelings he tries to instill. Satan is a thief and his intent is to disrupt and destroy.

Thank you, Holy Spirit for you check in our spirit that asks us, is it killing? Robbing? Or destroying? If the answer is yes then the voices and direction come from a place of darkness.

Thank you Holy Spirit you are nothing but truth, love, and light. I ask for a day with you today. I would love to spend the day peacefully surrounded by your love and to recognize and feel you.

Holy Spirit you are our gift from God through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I welcome you with open arms and heart. I love you Holy Spirit because you are the tingles, the goosebumps, the rush of peace through my soul. You are the voice and feelings of heaven, thank you for the small but loving taste of things that await for those of us who believe, I believe! Thank you for believing in me!

In your name Lord Jesus, I pray for the glory of heaven to envelop me today. I give you all the praise and all the glory. Amen.

I have a blessed day to just piddle around my home, feel the warmth inside as I view the chill outside. These moments always bring the longing for the peace, quietness and joy that is found in the Holy Spirit and today I long to spend the day with him, I hope you will too!

Be blessed and as always thank you for joining me. 🥰

One of my devotions this morning was on keeping the thoughts in our minds right and focusing on the good.

Philippians 4:8 NIV “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.”

The author penned a short note that she was going to be extra mindful today of gossiping! I appreciate the different directions she took regarding this scripture!

So I looked up the actual definition of “gossip”

Gossip~casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.” (Oxford Languages) You know the conversation, “you are never going to believe what I heard!”

This is our typical thought of gossiping but what about your conversation with your friend, spouse, parent, or co-worker about your friend, spouse, parent, or co-worker?

Is it gossiping when we have been wounded by someone’s actions or words and we are sharing our hurt with a trusted ear?

When we share our own personal feelings about how we were made to feel, left to feel and so on, this is not gossip! This is an expression of our emotions being shared however if the conversation drifts to attacking, accusing, finger-pointing, personal opinions, and a barrage of negativity regarding said offense and offender, then we’ve hit gossip.

There’s a difference between venting and gossiping! There a very fine line between venting and gossiping!

Dear Lord, I humbly ask you today to help me not cross the line between venting and gossiping. I thank you for the gift of friendship in my life and the sounding boards they can be, help me to keep my conversations positive, healing and light! Help me Lord not to drag mud and filth into my emotional conversations because then it becomes destruction and darkness. I thank you Lord I am a child of your light and heart. I thank you for my growth every day. I Thank You, Lord, for that growth. In your beautiful name I pray. Amen 🙏

I hope you have a blessed day and thank you as always for joining me. 🥰

Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV “Know therefore that the Lord your God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”

Steadfast love to a thousand generations! That love, that’s faithfulness! To those who love him and keep his commands.

The Lord sent the commandments as a guideline, instructions for right living, a marker to work toward! A stumbling block used in condemnation against us! God knew we as humans at the fall in the garden were never going to get these all right all the time yet they are commands to recognize and strive towards.

You shall have no other gods before me! We have many gods: our time, our money, our needs, our desires and goals. Put God before any of these and the rest will fall into place.

You shall not worship false gods! Our titles, our positions, our names, our homes, cars, toys, bank accounts!

You shall never take the Lords name in vain! Pretty self explanatory here! God dammit! Unless you are specifically asking God to damn something I’d be careful here! Why would anyone use the life-giving name of our Lord Jesus Christ as derogatory foul language terminology? He gave his life so any who would believe in his Mighty, Powerful Name would have life and have it abundantly, and yet in conversations, he’s demoted to ignorance of the human mind. Slang!

You shall keep the sabbath day holy! In today’s society it’s often hard as many schedules require us to work on Sunday…I think we should recognize the Lords day and that can be done driving on your way to work. Thanking him for your job, your day, his love! Sabbath is also a day of rest! The Lord speaks of rest and the fact that we do indeed need it! Maybe your sabbath is a Thursday when you have time for that cup of tea, some Bible reading followed by a personal conversation with your Lord.

Honor your mother and father! It may be hard for you, possibly you have parents or a parent that’s hard to honor! Give your emotions and the situation over to God and let him handle it! However, they are your parents and respect is due, even if that respect and honor is your silence!

You shall not murder! Seems pretty straight forward yet we have institutions that are full of people who were in situations that led them to where they are!

You shall not commit adultery! The marriage is meant to be a holy union between a man and a woman. They are brought together to live and be as one, not two, or three or four! The marriage bed is for the husband and wife only…no ghosts allowed!!!

You shall not steal! Again, seems pretty straightforward. We don’t walk into stores and just start putting things in our pockets but have you ever cheated on your taxes? Clocked in before you started working, clocked out after the quarter-hour mark?

You shall not covet! Ha! Here we all fall down! There is not one of us alive that hasn’t and doesn’t covet what someone else has: her marriage, her car, her hair, her smile, her perfect children, her perfect life, her pretty yard, her bank account, her career, her, her, her…it can just as easily be his, his, his…The Lord knows just where we are and just what we have. He knows our today and our tomorrow and we are to trust him that he has us just where he wants us to be…at least for now!

You shall not give false testimony! I live and strongly believe in spiritual law, you can call it karma if you care but I don’t want to be in a place in my life where someone is giving false testimony and lying about me in any given situation I can’t imagine doing that to someone else.

So, we are not going to always get these all right but they are a strong guideline to build your walk on because remember; God keeps his steadfast love to those who keep his commands. To those who love him, he is forever faithful!

I don’t know about you but I’m comforted by that. Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Father God,

I thank you for this new day and the opportunity to walk with you, to represent you, to share you.

I thank you for the peace that fills my heart, realizing that I am blessed by your love and assurance in my life. I thank you for your word that tells me you will never leave or forsake me. I thank you for the carpetbag full of all the times you were there, are there, and will be there.

I thank you that each trial and struggle I share with you enables testament to the peace I can carry into the next one. You have told us in this life we will have trials and tribulations but to be of good cheer for you have overcome those things.

I thank you Lord that I never walk alone, ever, you are my shield, my sword, my light, within you darkness can only try and reach me! I am loved, cherished and protected. Thank you!

I thank you for watching over my family and the loved ones you have placed in my life. I hold them up to you today, asking for a special blessing to rest on each and every one of them. You know their needs Lord, I ask for your blessed provisions.

I thank you for the peaceful sleep I had last night and the quiet morning I woke up to! So, whether the morning starts with a quiet cup of coffee, the rude alarm, or Mickey Mouse on tv, let our day start with you and as we settle beneath our blankets again tonight may we end it with you.

Thank you, Lord, for your presence in our lives, your gentle hand upon and your mighty grace and Spirit within. Be with us as we walk today! In your glorious name Lord Jesus, I send this prayer. Amen ❤️

Thank you for sharing your time with me and be blessed with Peace! 🥰

I am feeling a bit under the weather today, my head is a cotton ball and it hurts to think …

Have a blessed weekend ❤️

Psalm 107:19-21 ESV “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.”

And there you go!

Have you ever tried it? Crying out to the Lord! Have you ever just dropped to your knees, empty, head bowed, spirit sagging, hope a distant thought, and tomorrow looking as bleak as the moment in front of your face?

Have you ever hurt so bad whether physical ailments, grief, or headache that you’re not sure if you can take another breath let alone try and move, think or function? Where all you wanted to do was find a hole and hide or climb back into bed and burrow under all the blankets?

Has life and your world gotten so big, mean, and cold you don’t know what to do? Fear has got such a grip on you, your paralyzed! You feel lost, alone and scared.

I have good news! You aren’t! In fact you are never alone because the Lord is right beside you every moment and if you invite him, the Holy Spirit will reside within you, bringing strength and peace you’ve never experienced before. How does one go about discovering this constant companion, friend, and savior?

You Cry Out!!!

Lord Jesus, I am crying out! I am asking you to be my best friend, companion and savior. Holy Spirit, I want to learn how to walk in your peace, love and mercy. Please, show me how to cast my cares on you Lord, because your word tells me you care for me. I don’t want to walk this cold world alone any longer and thank you for your love and comfort. I will share my worries and cares with you and I thank you for your assistance, direction and calm. Above all else I thank you for today and eternity with you in your loving arms. In your glorious name, I pray. Amen 🙏

If I can impart anything to you today is to learn how to Let Go and Let God!!! I promise it makes this zoo of a life we live in much easier. Be blessed, be a blessing and thank you for joining me. 🥰