His Kingdom or Mine

A week or so ago as I was driving home from work my mind was wandering... listening a bit to the music on the radio, but also lost in some of my own thoughts. As I drove, I heard the song "In the Blink of An Eye" by Mercy Me come on the radio. I began to sing along... although not really listening to the words.

Just a few short minutes into the song, if that long, one phrase suddenly jumped out at me. The question it asked was, "How can I further Your kingdom when I'm so caught up in mine?"

In the amount of time it took to sing that phrase my mind stopped wandering. I was very quickly brought back to the moment and very much considering the reality of the phrase for my life. Indeed, how can I further the Lord's kingdom when I'm so busy with my own life?

What would happen if I spent as much time seeking the Lord's guidance in how He would have me share His love as I do each day crossing item after item off my to do list?

What would happen if I spent as much time involved with missions work in my community as I do coordinating all the calendars of each member of my family?

Just a couple of examples, and, obviously time does need to be spent getting tasks completed and making sure everyone in the family gets to their various activities. However, do I give the Lord and His work the same amount of time? Shouldn't I be ready and willing to do so? Shouldn't His work be at the very tip top of my to do list?

After all, doesn't God promise us that if we put Him first and His work, doesn't everything else fall into place? The daily tasks will get taken care of and the family will all get to their daily activities.

I'm learning that if I just act on God's will and trust Him, that it DOES all fall into place. It may require me to accept that not everything will get done the way I would like to see it get done and it certainly requires that I give up any sort of control that I try to have over situations, but it does fall into place.

As a matter of fact, not only does it all fall into place, but it usually falls into place much better than it would have otherwise.


"But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Luke 12:31

Thankful

As I think on all that it means this week to be thankful -- truly thankful for everything -- I have thought alot about specific blessings the Lord has given to myself and to my family. We are healthy, happy, and together. We have food on our table, a roof over our heads, clothes to keep us warm, and we are employed. We are members of God's family, members of a wonderful church family, and blessed with many dear friends.

I've also looked at scripture and found so much in God's word for which I am thankful. I thought I would share a few of these scriptures with you tonight.



I am thankful God carries my burdens
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:3


I am thankful God hears me when I pray
"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we ask." 1 John 5:14-15


I am thankful for God's great love and faithfulness
"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23,24


I am thankful that, as a believer, I will dwell in God's house for eternity
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6


I am thankful that, with God, there is no need to be anxious or to worry
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33-34


I am thankful that God gives me the strength I need
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13


Do you have a favorite scripture that expresses your thankfulness this week? If so, please share... I'd love to hear about what is speaking to your heart this special week of Thanksgiving!



As we celebrate our many thanksgivings this week, please know I will be keeping you all in my prayers. Praying you all will have a blessed, safe, joyous holiday week full of many, many blessings from God!

The Gift of Prayer

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20"

As I sit here tonight, my heart is so heavy for a number of my friends. So many are hurting --family problems, illnesses, out of work and on and on. My prayer list seems to grow daily as I learn of more and more needs.

Prayer is such a precious gift from God. Because of prayer we can take our cares and concerns straight to Him. We know He will listen. We know He will answer.

Even more powerful? When many of us come together in prayer. Whether we pray together in the same room or just bring the same concerns before him from wherever we are, there is power in those prayers.

I am thankful tonight for prayer. I am thankful to be a part of a community of believers that all feel prayer is real and that it is mighty. I am so thankful to be one of many to know and act on the fact that so much is found when we collectively take it ALL to the Lord in prayer.

Can I pray for you today? If so, please leave me a message in the comments or send me an email. I would be honored to pray and take your cares and concerns to the Lord today.


To join us in sharing our thanksgivings this week, visit Iris at "Grace Alone...".

Going Along With Us

Have you ever asked God to make something go away? Maybe an encounter with someone you knew would be difficult, a task at work you didn’t feel prepared to handle, or something much larger like pain due to the loss of a loved one.

Have you ever prayed, “Dear Lord, please make this situation go away?” ........

This is an excerpt from a devotional I had the honor of sharing today at Laced With Grace. If you have never visited "Laced With Grace" you really should. Each day you'll find a special message shared by a great team of women writers... each one committed to sharing what the Lord has placed on their hearts.

To read the remainder of the devotional or find out more about "Laced With Grace", click here.

You Can't Take Away My God!

I am so thankful that nothing can take away MY GOD! No matter what is happening around me -- changes, adjustments, hectic schedules, stress -- none of it can take my God away! The song says it perfectly, "My beating heart, My very soul, Is held by one who won't let go".

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do! Happy Thankful Thursday!




All around
All of us
Fear has come and so we must
Ask ourselves
In who we trust
What we have here
Is not enough
So let it ring
In freedom sing

You can take away
Everything that I've been holding
You can take away the sun
You can take away the very air that I've been breathing
But you can't take away my God
Oh, my God, my God

Waves will come
And winds will blow
But it's not here I've found my hope
My beating heart
My very soul
Is held by one who won't let go
And so I'll cling
To You my King

You can take away
Everything that I've been holding
You can take away the sun
You can take away the very air that I've been breathing
But you can't take away my God
Oh, my God, my God

A hope that can't be lost
A love that can't be bought
You can't take away my God
Nothing high or low
Nothing you can control
You can't take away my God

You can take away
Everything that I've been holding
You can take away the Sun
You can take away the very air that I've been breathing
But you can't take away my God

No you can't
No you can't
Take away my God
No you can't
No you can't
No you can't
Take away my God, Oh My God, My God.




To join us in sharing our thanksgivings this week, visit Iris at "Grace Alone...".

God Is My Comfort

Life has been a bit busy around here lately. We've had many activities with school, church, work... much of it just the normal day to day type things.

I can go along fine for weeks at a time getting it all accomplished (or at least the most important) without much thought or worry. However, let me start to get a bit tired and it just becomes ovewhelming. I've said it here before that I am easily overwhelmed with life at times. I'm learning to let go and be more flexible along with regularly turning it over to God. But, the tired thing... well, let's just say I'm not good at much of anything once I start to get tired. Unfortunately, that includes turning things over to God. It seems when I get tired that all common sense, knowledge -- it all goes flying right out the window.

So, last week was one of those weeks where I was tired and fell straight down the path to overwhelmed. I've since taken some time to slow down, prioritize, talk it over and pray. I'm feeling better. I've allowed God to take control again and He has comforted me. I'm ready to start a new week.

In starting a new week, though, I wanted to be fully prepared. I didn't want to go anywhere near overwhelmed. I went to my Bible this evening to look for that "special something" that I could carry with me throughout the week. Something that would remind me that God is with me, that He is my comfort. Something that would remind me how important it is to let God in and let him "run the show". To let Him give me the strength to keep moving -- not only so I can keep up with a smile on my face, but also so that my sense of overwhelming and the negative thoughts and attitudes that go along with it will not be a stumbling block to others around me.

Here is where God led me...

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Just what I needed to read this evening and just what I will carry with me throughout the week. God is my comfort and it is abundant!


Has God laid a special scripture on your heart this week?

How He Loves Us

This week I am thankful for all the reminders God gives us each and everyday that He loves us and cares for us. The people He places in our lives, the world He has given us, the "little things" that let us know He is very real and loves us so much.

Here's are just a few of things that come to mind:


* the 2nd and 3rd and 4th hug from my daughter before we part each morning

* the contagious laughter of my son

* the unexpected phone call from my husband in the middle of the day... calling just to say "I'm thinking of you"

* a sunny day

* the bird chirping outdoors when I wake in the morning

* the warm hug from a friend when you need it the most

* spring flowers blooming in the middle of fall (yes, we've gotten so much rain here the last few weeks that, along with warmer temps, a couple of bushes in my yard have started to bloom!)

* a quiet evening at home


I could go on and on... If we will only take the time to slow down and pay attention God shows us His love and His goodness each and everyday. It doesn't have to be something "big" or "deeply meaningful". It's there in the little and sometimes unexpected events of each and everyday.

How has God shown you recently that He loves you?


To join us in sharing our thanksgivings this week, visit Iris at "Grace Alone...".