New Mercies

29 01 2015

Rome Moving ForwardIt is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22-23

The Lord provides mercy each day and I am thankful.  It is a renewed gift every morning that we experience His mercy.  His mercy gives us a fresh start and an opportunity to begin again.  The Lord shows us compassion and patience that is wrapped in His love for us.  His mercy is great and unfailing when I present my life to Him.  He sees me; my whole life, the effort, the personal struggles, my hopes and my dreams.  He sees the successes and the shortcomings.  Yet His mercy is still available to me.  I am humbled that His unmerited grace and mercy allow me to begin again with each new day.  I am thankful for this day and seek to be a good steward of all that He has given me to move forward in my purpose.

Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.

Psalms 119:76-77


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Renewal Comes

28 10 2014

DSC03705Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLV

We thank God for renewed mind and spirit today. Jesus can bring a fresh wind in our hearts and minds that give us a renewed sense of purpose and the energy to move in His direction. It comes with a refreshed mind and eyes that can see with a grateful heart of His goodness, His grace and His mercy. We are so thankful that God is our Heavenly Father that can turn our difficult situations into opportunities to grow and to expand and to become the individuals that He is calling us to be. We may be going through a situation that seems long and arduous but there is an end that will come. The hurt will soften and heal, the answer will become clear and God will provide the grace and mercy for you to be able to move forward. We thank God for being the source of renewal and revival in our lives.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLV


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Categories : REVITALIZATION

Praise in the Middle

22 10 2014

Lifted handsPraise in the Middle

I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:1-3

Our God is Great and well-deserving of our continuous praise. I find my best days are when I start and finish the day with the Lord’s goodness on my heart and mind. With a song in my heart about His faithfulness, His greatness and His love for me, it is difficult to let discouragement in my day. Some days may be more difficult than others but when we surround ourselves with His word, His praises on our lips, His songs of praise, He is faithful to encourage our hearts. This is true even in the middle of great challenges. He is faithful to deliver us of fear and to provide the peace we need for blessed living. Bless His Holy Name.

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, Psalm 86:12


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Categories : PRAISE, REVITALIZATION

Strength for Today

17 09 2014

IMG_0099Don’t be sad because the joy you have in the Lord is your strength.   Nehemiah 8:10

A new day brings with it a new opportunities for a whole new set of experiences. Occasionally, I have finished a day that was full of the unexpected.  Something happened that may have resulted in a series of events that I could not have even imagined. This is the nature of life and living.

Setting “the stage” or “our mindset” for each day can provide the strength or the endurance needed to make it through whatever the day brings.   If we approach each day with praises on our lips for our faithful Father, thanksgiving in our hearts for His goodness and rejoicing in our spirit for His peace and His love, it will help us to endure. It will help us to respond to the day’s events in faith and in love. It will remind us that Jesus is faithful to be with us each step of the way. The joy of the Lord is our strength.


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Renewal Comes

27 06 2014

 

HydrangeasDon’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLV

We thank God for renewed mind and spirit today. Jesus can bring a fresh wind in our hearts and minds that give us a renewed sense of purpose and the energy to move in His direction. It comes with a refreshed mind and eyes that can see with a grateful heart of His goodness, His grace and His mercy. We are so thankful that God is our Heavenly Father that can turn our difficult situations into opportunities to grow and to expand and to become the individuals that He is calling us to be. We may be going through a situation that seems long and arduous but there is an end that will come. The hurt will soften and heal, the answer will become clear and God will provide the grace and mercy for you to be able to move forward. We thank God for being the source of renewal and revival in our lives.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLV


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Keep Your Hearts and Minds

25 06 2014

Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected .Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9

This passage of scripture has blessed me over and over again. During different seasons of my life, the Holy Spirit is gracious enough to remind me where our focus should be in daily living. We are so inundated with things that don’t reflect God, His word or His love. It is a source of discouragement, anxiety and depression if you choose to stay focused on it. Our God provides a perfect place for guiding our thoughts and our actions. It is a place where truth and peace abide for His children. With our focus on Him, we can leave fear behind and walk with His peace in our hearts.

Dear Heavenly Father:
I thank You for this day. I thank You for all the blessings that have allowed me to come to this point in my life. As I move forward, I want to be focused on the truth of your word, which provides guidance and peace for each step in my life. Lord, where I have fallen short I ask for your merciful forgiveness. I am thankful for the promise of peace as I stay focused on You. Have your light and your love to shine bright today every place I go.
In Jesus name, Amen


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Renewal Comes

29 01 2014

crocus snow

 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLV

We thank God for renewed mind and spirit today. Jesus can bring a fresh wind in our hearts and minds that give us a renewed sense of purpose and the energy to move in His direction. It comes with a refreshed mind and eyes that can see with a grateful heart of His goodness, His grace and His mercy. We are so thankful that God is our Heavenly Father that can turn our difficult situations into opportunities to grow and to expand and to become the individuals that He is calling us to be. We may be going through a situation that seems long and arduous but there is an end that will come. The hurt will soften and heal, the answer will become clear and God will provide the grace and mercy for you to be able to move forward. We thank God for being the source of renewal and revival in our lives.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLV


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Turning the Page

31 12 2013

seedlingRemember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

In the continuum of life, we are blessed with time increments that allow us to create new starts. The 24 hours in a day, the Mondays that mark a new week, and the turn of the seasons each gives us a chance to turn the page and start anew. Today, we are preparing to turn the page on the 365 days of last year. All the triumphs, challenges and transitions of the year will soon come to a close. Hopefully, last year was a time of walking in faith, steadfast in our purpose and experiences of God’s love, peace and joy were part of our everyday living. It could be that for some of us the blessing of survival and resilience was a recurring theme of the year. As we look to a new day in a new year, we can all share our thanks to God for His goodness in allowing us to cross the finish line of 2013. We may be a little frayed along the edges or a bit weary in our spirits but the hope of tomorrow is upon us. A new year marks the beginning of a new start. We can start 2014 with a renewed mind and spirit knowing that God continues to be faithful to His promises. He is faithful to be with us. We are never alone. He promised to lead and guide us, as we are careful to listen for His direction. He said that He would provide for each of our needs. He is Jehovah, Jireh. The fruit of the Holy Spirit remains available to us love, peace, joy, forbearance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and discipline. We have such treasured blessings to help us face whatever tomorrow may unfold. We thank God for the blessings of last year as we turn the page and stand in faith for the blessing to come.

Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago.
I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don’t you recognize it?
I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land. Isaiah 43:18-19 GWT


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New Ways for a New Year

27 12 2013

seedling

 

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24

A new calendar year is nearly upon us. We have just a few days before we celebrate the arrival of a new year.  For many watch night services and parties will be the activities of choice to experience the close of one year and the entrance of another.  We can give thanks for all the blessings of the past and look forward with great anticipation of the future. This is hopefully a time of reflection and planning about next steps in the various aspects of our lives; our health, our work, our relationships with family and friends and our relationship with the Savior.  I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit can provide renewal to our heart, mind and soul to prepare for what’s next.  We want to be renewed for the coming year with our old ways left behind.  Jesus can provide a changed heart and a refreshed lens for new strategies and next steps for thriving in the New Year.  I want to thrive in 2014.  It starts with creating a God-sized and God-inspired vision for what is possible.  With Jesus’ help we can shed old habits, hampering attitudes, and hindering procrastination.  We can lay aside weights and seek what the Lord would have us to do.  In the coming days, let’s ask the Father for His renewal to permeate our hearts and for His ways to become our ways for thriving in the year to come.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 ESV


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A Clean Heart

17 12 2013

In the breeze

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10 (Amplified)

Within our hearts we carry our hopes and our dreams for our lives. We keep tucked away the things that we desire for ourselves, our families and our loved ones. They represent both public and private aspirations for the future. In this space, we want our hopes to emanate from a place of peace, contentment and faith. We want our motives to be pure and aligned with God’s hope for us and the world. We want our hopes and dreams to flow from a clean heart. Purged of things that separate us from God’s best. Unforgiveness, harshness, resentment, bitterness, weariness are just some of the things that can muddy what flows from our heart. Our scripture today is reminder that we can indeed ask our Heavenly Father for help. As we open our hearts to Him, He can help us with those hardened spaces that need His handiwork to remove. He can soften our hearts to forgive. He can heal the spaces of hurt and brokenness that have left us wounded. It requires our willingness to step out on faith toward Him. He can create a clean heart within us and give us renewal and perseverance to grow in peace and grace for a new day.


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Categories : GUIDANCE, REVITALIZATION, Uncategorized

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