Looking Beyond the Fireworks

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

Who doesn’t like a beautiful display of fireworks? We wait in anticipation and then when the bright, brilliant explosions of color splash against the black velvet sky we ooooh and ahhhhh and ooooh and ahhhh some more. When my granddaughter, Abigail, was five years old she had become an old hand at fireworks! As we were sitting on the blanket watching the magnificent display and hearing the oooohs and ahhhhhs, she looked at me and said, “Mimi, you’d think these people had never seen fireworks before!”

I’m always listening to my grandchildren because they have amazing wisdom. In this case, her words reminded me that if I live long enough I will witness some pretty devastating fireworks in my life and in the lives of others. The fireworks I am writing about are not beautiful. In fact they are of a completely different nature. These fireworks involve circumstances of extreme heat that burns holes in the fabric of my life. These fireworks will be explosive emotions that hurt and words that kill my spirit. Almost always this kind of fireworks hits one unexpectedly. We are never prepared and we act as if we have never seen these fireworks before. But we have. We have all witnessed the devastation of the explosive fireworks of sin. We should not be surprised. We do not ooooh and ahhhh. No, our first response is that we cry and shake our fist in the face of God. We are angry and we are scared. I am so glad that God understands my heartbroken cries of fear and desperation. Jesus too experienced fear and dreadful desperation in the Garden of Gethsemane.

As a believer I may feel devastated at the onset of an explosive situation but after the news sets in I begin my road to recovery by placing my hand in the Sovereign hand of God Almighty.

My dad lived to be 92 and he often reminded all of the family that “life is a struggle from the cradle to the grave”. Yet, something within all of us wants to think that life is supposed to be perfect and that we will never have trouble or die! When the reality of life begins to set in around age 30 we begin to see that the perfect life is far from our reach. We wonder why a God of love would allow pain, suffering and struggling to be a part of our life. We long for and strive for perfection yet it never comes. We want to avoid at all cost anything that would interrupt our perfect plan for our happiness.

I believe that many times the desire to change our circumstances, the unrest we feel, the striving and the longing for perfection in this life is really the longing of our souls for the perfection that is to be found only through Jesus Christ. That longing for perfection will only become a reality in heaven. In the mean time those deep longings within us may be a very real suggestion that we are actually homesick for heaven. We don’t always recognize these feelings that resound within our heart but God’s Word says, “God has sat eternity in our hearts” and because of that we long for the restoration that comes from being set free from our sin and being made right with God. Unfortunately we look for that satisfaction in success, in our relationships, in our careers, in knowledge, and in financial gain. We also think that the fast track of parties and fun is where it’s at! We may try anything and everything to bring us pleasure. But in all these things we continue to come up empty hearted.

In the past, the very things that I thought would bring me happiness, once achieved, still left within me a void of emptiness, a spirit of unrest, an overwhelming sense of disappointment, and a stirring turmoil that would not be satisfied or stilled. But I have learned that absolutely nothing satisfies the deep longings of my heart but knowing Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and being in a daily personal relationship with him.

In this life God is perfecting us and preparing us for a life of perfection in heaven by allowing us to go through some very difficult circumstances. We may experience some very explosive fireworks that will send us reeling. When this happens we can fly off into utter desperation or we can choose to run to Jesus.

I believe that I am supposed to ask God for what I need. He invites me to speak to him as friend to friend. He wants to know my hopes, dreams and desires. I believe that I am to work hard to provide for myself to the best of my ability. But God simply asks me to put him first in my life and to trust Him when things do not turn out as I had hoped.

I am convinced that in the darkest brokenness of my life God will be there if I look for him. God may allow me to experience brokenness for a season but when he has used it for my eternal good it will be beautiful. To put it another way, my trials here on earth may make me homesick for heaven!

We are not insignificant people who do not matter to God. God’s love and concern for each of us goes beyond all measure. He sees each and every one of us and he knows our name. I am personally amazed that God cares enough about me to allow whatever is necessary into my life so that I will experience his transformation of my heart and mind.


Questions:

Are you experiencing some explosive situations in your life?

Are you dealing with them in fear or in quiet confidence that God’s is near?

Are you homesick for heaven?

What have you found in this world that truly makes you satisfied, at peace, and unafraid?

Are you still trying to have the perfect life?

Prayer:

Dear God,

Help me to understand that the perfect life is not what will bring me happiness. Help me to recognize that the longings of my heart will never satisfy me the way you can. Guide me and teach me. Give me your wisdom so I may see that when the fireworks of life surround me, you are my strength and refuge and a very present help in trouble. Yes God, I admit that the unrest I feel may possibly be that my heart is homesick for heaven. God I believe that through your Son, Jesus Christ, you want to restore me to the perfection that frees me from my sin. God I am looking forward to the day that I will step into your perfect heaven. Forgive me when I despise my trials. I know that you understand my deepest sorrow, but you simply want to comfort me in my loss and use my pain for my eternal good. Thank you for loving me enough to change me from the inside out.

In Your Son’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Passing the Torch of Faith

Today’s Post is in loving memory of my brother-in-law,
Raymond Gostowski
July 8, 1921 – June 24, 2011
Ray was a man who carried and passed a blazing torch of faith.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely

so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen

or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.

Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV

I have experienced that the Garden of My Heart is where my spiritual growth takes root. However, today I am thinking that it is outside the garden that my faith is lived out. All those I rub shoulders with outside the garden are individuals that are influenced either for or against Jesus Christ by what they observe happening in my life. But today my immediate family and my extended family are my greatest responsibility. It would be a tragedy if I were to minister to the entire world and neglect those that God has specifically given me.

I personally was blessed to have godly parents. I have fond memories of my mother sitting at the kitchen table reading her Bible and praying. All through out the day she laced life lessons with Biblical truth. Her greatest desire was for her family to know and serve Jesus Christ. My father was a pillar of faith as I observed him struggle with providing for our family. Dad read his Bible regularly. He prayed before meals and sometimes I would be awakened in the night and hear him praying for his family. One of my treasured possessions is a small hymnal that Dad would sing from in the evening. Now as I look through that little song book I see check marks next to all of his favorite songs. The lyrics to most of those songs spoke of God’s faithfulness and love. You see, my parents lit a torch of faith and passed it on to all six of us children.

A spiritual heritage is something that I never want to take for granted. The fact is that it is my responsibility to take the torch of my spiritual heritage and pass it on. My greatest fear is that I will not fan the flame of this torch and it will get weaker. Consequently, when I pass it on to my children it will be a dimmer light. This can happen to any of us when we allow the necessities, pressures, and pleasures of life to fill up our days until there is precious little time left for God.

If I allow the flame to diminish I am sending a message to my children that faith in God is important but not the most important thing in life. Consequently, when it comes time for me to hand the torch to them the torch will have become dimmer. If my children do not fan the flame and they too ignore and neglect God then when it is time for them to pass the torch to their children they may find themselves with a torch that barely has a flicker. Of course, with only a flicker of a flame there is a good chance that when the torch is handed off to the next generation the torch will go completely out!

If you are a first generation Christian and you have not been privileged to have a Christian Heritage do not loose heart. The good news is that you are the first to light the torch and to pass it on. What a blessing and a privilege you have. What a responsibility and honor to lead a new family line of believers.

God’s Word reminds us, “Know therefore that the Lord you God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

I am reminded every day that I am not where I am by accident. God has guided me every step of my journey. It is the prayers of each generation that fuels God’s love and compassion for the next generation. I want to take hold of God’s promise that he will bless my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren and my great-great-grandchildren, and on an on for a thousand generations. When I pass my torch of faith I want it to be blazing!

Questions:

Are you a first generation Christian?

Do you have a faint flickering spiritual heritage?

Do you have a blazing spiritual heritage?

If you are a believer you are holding your family’s torch of faith in your hand.
What was the condition of the flame when you received your torch?

Is your torch’s flame in the same condition it was in when your received it or is it now blazing brighter, has is it gone from blazing to bright, is it flickering, is it dim, or has it gone out?

Do you desire to fan the flame on your torch so that it will burn brighter as you pass it on to the next generation?

Prayer:

Dear God,

In all honesty I have to say that my flame could be brighter. Life and selfishness offers me so many opportunities to set my torch in the corner and neglect fanning the flame. Satan desires to distract me in any way that he can so that when it is my turn to pass the torch of faith it will be dimmer. Father, protect me from distractions that take me away from you. Help me to make the choice to put you first in my life and then go about my responsibilities. Teach me God how I can lace life lessons with Biblical truth all through the day. Make me a silent example as I live a life of faith before my family. Forgive me God for making my priorities about me instead of you. God help me to seek you with my whole heart and say without hesitation that you are at the top of my list. I’m yours God, no matter what happens I’m in! God, when I pass my torch of faith to my children I want it to be blazing!

In Your Son’s Name I Pray. Amen.

A Father Who's a Cut Above the Rest

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God – “ John 1:12 NIV

Today is Father’s Day and immediately I am thinking about my own father, who loved God and exhibited a strong faith in God in all circumstances. He may not have been the best father in the world but by no means was he the worst. In fact he was a pretty wonderful Daddy. The bottom line was and still is, he was my father and I loved him in spite of any imperfections.

My husband is also a father to two children, and in my opinion he is a wonderful father. I’m sure, (just like me, as a mother,) he would like some “do-overs” but life does not afford us that luxury. You see, we get handed those bundles of pink and blue at the hospital and we don’t know what to do with them. It is a day by day learning process. When a man becomes a father he is not only expected to provide for his children, he is also responsible for their well being, emotional maturity, spiritual growth and development, health, education, and discipline. Not to mention, the “being there” at every activity. The ideal father is also responsible for providing family fun, having a listening ear, and an understanding and agreeable heart. Being a perfect father is very challenging! No, my children’s father was not the best father, nor was he the worst. He is however, a wonderful father.

You see, fathers are not perfect! Especially in their children’s eyes there seems to be plenty of room for improvement. Yet most of us need to step back and take a hard look at not what our fathers did with us and for us, but rather who they are down deep inside. If you have a father who is or was a man of integrity then you are blessed. If your father loves or loved God and exhibited a strong faith in God then you are double blessed! Try looking deep into his soul and discover what a wonderful man he really is. Discover his amazing character traits that make him a man of great value and worth.

I am sad to say that many fathers are mean and cruel, angry and abusive, lazy and irresponsible, drill sergeants and dictators. Obviously, these men should have never been fathers in the first place. Having a father like that makes it extremely hard to put your faith and trust in our Heavenly Father. If your image of what “a father” looks like is based on an abusive father then your image of God may be distorted and clouded.

But today I want to think about my Heavenly Father, who is a cut above the rest. None of the mistakes of our earthly fathers are found in him. He is completely loving, a rock of stability, a shelter in a storm, a dependable provider, a trustworthy friend, a promise keeper, a faithful father, a father who neither slumbers or sleeps, a father who hears and listens, a father who protects and guards, and a father who looks after your eternal good. Our Heavenly Father is available twenty-four-seven! He even allows me to call him “Abba Father” which means – “Dear Daddy”.

On this Father’s Day I want to give thanks for my own wonderful, less than perfect father. I want to give thanks to the father of my children who is amazing in every way, yet less than perfect. And I want to give thanks to my Heavenly Father who is many cuts above the rest. I guess God allows us to see the imperfection in our earthly fathers so that we can be in utter awe of our perfect Heavenly Father!


Questions:

Are your memories of your father good or bad?

Has this affected how you view God?

Do you see that God is a cut above all others?

Have you accepted Jesus Christ?
If so, you have the right to be called a child of God and call him your Father.

Are you amazed at how truly perfect and wonderful your Heavenly Father is?


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for allowing me to be called your precious child. Today I am amazed that I have the good fortune of having a truly perfect and wonderful Heavenly Father. God help me this day to ______________ (love, appreciate, forgive) my own father. I pray God that you will call fathers to be men of faith and integrity. Help fathers to reflect the godly qualities and attributes that are found in you. Forgive my negative thoughts about my own father. Help me to look deep inside his heart and see all the good that you have placed there. Father, bless my father this day and keep him safe and in your care. For all fathers who do not know you Lord, I pray that they will seek and find you.

In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen

Courageous and Contagious Faith

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,
but of those who believe and are saved.”

Hebrews 10:39 NIV

Today I am excited because I am going to plant a rose garden! This rose garden is going to be a beautiful place for reflection. God continues to bring to my mind individuals who have unknowingly blessed me by their courageous faith. In my rose garden I want to plant a beautiful rose bush for each one of those remarkable people.

The design for this garden will be circular, symbolizing a continual faith that does not end even when attacked by the winds of adversity. The garden will have a bench for reflection. Each rose bush will be selected to reflect the life of the courageous person that has modeled faithfulness to me. This beautiful rose garden is intended to be a place where in the future when I feel mistreated or overcome with sorrow myself, I will come and sit and reflect remembering my Christian friends and loved ones, those who when their lives began to crumble they still trusted God for his sustaining grace and exhibited a faith in God that is both courageous and contagious.

One of the first rose bushes I will plant will be a beautiful peach rose for Kathy. In her forties she was struck down with cancer and battled this nightmare for many years. Kathy’s life ended at an early age, leaving a husband she loved and two sons. Her faith remained strong to the end. She prayed for healing that did not come, yet continued to trust the Healer in her long struggle with cancer.

Next to Kathy’s rose bush I want to plant a beautiful red rose that will signify the love that Rick had for Kathy. Rick was much too young to be a widower. It was agonizing for him to watch Kathy struggle with her pain and suffering. Yet he told me more than once that he found his strength in the Lord.

For my friend Pat, I will plant yellow roses to signify our friendship. Pat lost both her husband and her sixteen year old son in a tragic automobile accident. In her forties, Pat was left to raise two small girls alone. Pat told me that she would never be thankful for her loss but she was thankful to God for the person that she has become as a result.

For my friend Beth I will plant a miniature red rose bush. Beth is not very tall on the outside but on the inside she is becoming a giant of faith. Beth recently became a widow at an early age. Her husband died unexpectedly after what she believed to be a successful heart surgery. Beth was left with a family business to sell, financial concerns and a broken heart. After my last visit with her she was praising God for all of the many ways that God had provided for her during this time of loss and grieving.

Next I will plant a peaceful pure white rose bush for Dale. Dale suffered a brain tumor and as a result was eventually confined to a wheel chair and was living in a nursing home. Dale was very much aware of all he had lost. Yet he seemed to be at peace. He encouraged others, and always had a smile on his face or a funny story to tell. Before Dale died he had a deep hunger to see his Savior.

I am also planning to plant a beautiful delicate pink rose for Pam. Even though her marriage was in a seemingly miserable heap of sorrow, she was able to reach out to God and find strength to forgive and be faithful to her marriage vows. Because of her faithfulness, God has brought healing to her heart and to her marriage as well.

I must now be on the lookout for a very special rose. I want to find a bush whose branches gracefully bend to the ground. This bush will be for Kay. Kay is an amazing woman who has had numerous back surgeries and lives in constant pain. Kay walks stooped over with the help of a walker. For Kay, I am looking for a sweet smelling rose that will always remind me of Kay’s smiling face. Kay is in constant pain yet, never quits! She drives a car, attends Bible Study, sings in the choir, shops, goes to swim classes and always praises Jesus! The sweet aroma of Jesus is always being emitted from her life that is centered in Jesus.

I do not have time or space to tell the amazing stories of faithfulness exhibited by Ted and Barbara, Don and Betty, Earl and Carol, Sherrill, Vera, Phyllis, Anna, Karen, Lucille, Barb and Jim, Rex and Joyce, and Joe. I have by no means exhausted the list of all those who have been wonderful examples of faithfulness to me. But for lack of space I cannot mention everyone. But know that I will be planting a rosebush for each of them as well. This rose garden project is going to take me a lifetime as I continue to add new bushes. This garden will forever remain a place of beauty in the garden of my heart.

Through the example of others I have been strengthened and blessed by their faithfulness. I do not desire to bloom where they have been planted, but when my time comes to join them in the rose garden I pray that the God of all love, mercy and compassion will grant to me the same contagious courage to remain faithful.

Questions:

1. Have you experienced or are you experiencing great loss?

2. Where are you in your struggle?

3. Do you choose to be bitter or better?

4. Do you know others who have lost a great deal yet somehow exhibit faithfulness to God and courage in their trial?

5. Do you find courage when you realize how faithful God is and has been to others?

Prayer:

Dear God,

I pray for all the people I know who are sinking in the sea of despair at this very moment in time. I pray that they will give you their anger, their questions, their pain and their sorrow. Help them to choose to embrace inner strength and peace that can come only from you. I am also praying that you will march before their eyes the lives of others who have walked faithfully and courageously holding tightly to your hand of sustaining grace. I pray that we who are in need will draw strength from these contagious examples of faith. Thank you for these amazing examples of faithfulness for it is by their example that you are being glorified!

In Your Son’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Influencing Others for Jesus

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

Always be prepared

to give an answer to everyone who asks you

to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect, ”
I Peter 3:15 NIV

It is important to me that others know that for me personally there is not a shadow of a doubt that there is a God.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 NIV

I want them to know that I tenaciously believe in heaven and in hell.

"Rejoice and be glad, because great is you reward in heaven," Matthew 5:12a NIV

"How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33b NIV

I want others to know that I believe that Jesus is God’s son who came to this earth, put on skin, lived, suffered, and died for my personal sin so I could be saved from eternal punishment. I want others to know that this is true for everyone.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not persih but have eternal life." John 3:16 NIV

I want others to know that I believe that Jesus was resurrected so that he could return to heaven and prepare an eternal home for all those who place their trust in him.

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." Matthew 28:6 NIV

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you." John 14:1-2 NIV

It is also important to me that others know that I believe that all of God’s Word, and that the Bible is totally completely true and infallible.

"All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." Psalm 119:160 NIV

I want others to know that I believe that there is not one thing written in the Bible that is negotiable.

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anyting to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away forom this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 NIV

I want others to know that there is only one way to God and that it is through accepting Jesus Christ.

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 NIV

I want others to know that my "eternal hope" is placed in Jesus Christ and his righteousness alone.

"...while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing." Titus 2:13 NIV

I want others to know that the God of the universe desires to have a personal relationship with everyone.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 NIV

If I want others to know what I believe then how do I share those beliefs? How do I tell others how precious those beliefs are to me? The Bible tells me I must be prepared. I must prepare for any opportunity that may come my way. I do this by spending time with God daily as I read his Word and by spending time in prayer.

Be prepared. Prepared for what? I Peter 3:15 says, “…to give an answer.” To me that must mean that in order to give an answer there must first be a question. Sometimes Jesus asked a question and other times he answered the questions of others by asking another question. We must know what another person believes before we can address their belief. Peter also notes that our conversations should be carried out in gentleness and respect.

God wants me, when asked, to very simply share my personal story of faith. Basically that means, telling the details of my own personal story relating how Jesus Christ became real to me. I can also do this by sharing the details of how and why I accepted Jesus and how he has been faithful to me. Lastly, it is important for me to speak with a smile on my face and a twinkle in my eyes when I speak of the hope that I have for eternity. Being a Christian is a joyful experience and I want others to experience that joy as well.

But most importantly, I believe that if our life silently reflects Jesus Christ it will be our greatest influence as we try to help others find and follow Jesus. This is best modeled in our actions and attitudes, and how we respond to life and to others.

Questions

When was the last time someone asked you about your faith?

Were you comfortable or uncomfortable in responding?

Have you ever written down your own personal story of faith? If not, you may want to try to do so. Start with your earliest remembrance of God.

When did Jesus Christ become real to you? Include that in your story.

How has being a Christian changed your life?

Besides saving you, what was the most amazing thing that God has ever done for you personally? That experience is also a part of your personal story.

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

I want to influence others to find you and to follow you. Help me to spend more time alone with you so that I will become better equipped to share my beliefs and my personal story. I pray that your Holy Spirit within me will make me sensitive to the questions of others. Lord, help me to be sensitive to the difference in influencing others vs. convincing others. Lord, I pray that my words will be spoken respectfully in gentleness and with respect. Help me to be a person of influence that will bring glory to you.

In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Teachable Moments

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Very early this morning as I went to the garden, I gained access to the garden of my heart as I sat in my favorite spot on my screened in porch. It was dark and damp. The rain was falling in a simple, steady rhythm. It was a rain that was peaceful and comforting because there was no threat of a storm. It was the necessary rain that God provides for his creation. The air smelled fresh and clean. Slowly the darkness of the pre dawn sky changed from darkness into dawn. The birds began to sing a delightful song to God thanking him for the shower. My back yard looked refreshed as the sunlight hit the lush carpet of green grass and kissed the tree tops of my wooded sanctuary. As I sat there with my coffee, God and I began to chat.

I began to thank God for the rain and for a night of rest. I prayed for my family and for myself. Then God began to speak to me about the importance of teachable moments in the garden. I wondered what God was about to teach me this day in the garden.

Experiencing God’s teachable moments can be a little like doing your homework. I have found that it is important for me to do my spiritual homework now so that I will learn new facts, gain new information, and reflect and receive strength from what I already know to be true. In school homework is done in preparation for the test ahead. Spending time alone with God is so important. It not only gives me strength for the day but it also provides opportunity for God to teach me and prepare me for what he knows is up ahead.

I have found that in my teachable moment maybe only one word will come to my mind. It may be a word like trust, mercy, forgiveness, surrender, wait, simplicity, or grace. When this happens it is like God is giving me the first clue in the mystery that lies ahead. It is in the beginning of a teachable moment in time when God begins preparing my heart for the future. Other times God simply speaks the one word that my heart needs to hear for that day.

At this point I am completely clueless as to what is coming down the pike in my life, but God already knows. Because of his great love for me God goes ahead of me and prepares the way. When I become completely still and silent the teaching begins. It is important for me to pay attention and stay alert. For example, if God whispers the word “trust” to me I must listen for additional messages regarding “trust.”

So from that point on I may hear additional messages coming from everywhere regarding “trust”. I’m a little slow but I eventually begin to get it! The pastor speaks on trust. I turn on the car radio when I am out running errands the lyrics of the song I hear is about trusting God. A good friend calls me on the phone and tells me about an amazing speaker she heard and the things that he had to say about trust. I pick up my favorite devotional book and the theme for the day is – you guessed it, trust! Even when I pick up my Bible and begin to read from a collection of 66 books, 1,189 chapters, and 31,103 verses – who would have guessed the exact verse that I read is about trust. Is that not amazing? God intentionally speaks to us in themes. All we have to do is start listening and learning. When he does this he is without a doubt preparing me for the days ahead. God already knows that in the future there will be a situation that will require me to trust him completely.

So today in the garden, I am sensing a teachable moment is on the way. My mind whirls and I almost feel giddy with excitement. I wonder what word Jesus has for me today. I know that this is his way of teaching me incredible things. I know that no matter if I turn to the right or to the left, my ears will hear a voice behind me saying, “Paula, this is the way, walk in it.”

Questions:

Are you comforted to know that God goes before you to prepare the way for you according to your need?

In the past have you experienced a teachable moment from God?

Is God whispering a word that keep showing up everywhere you go?

Have you noticed that God is speaking to you in a theme?

What is that theme?

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I am amazed that you speak to me in themes. Help me not to be afraid of what lies ahead but rather to trust you because of your great love for me. Help me to view my teachable moments as your protection on my life. I thank you that you are preparing me so that I may respond to the situation, the person or the test that may be in my future. Help me to stay alert to your loving teachings and to be an obedient learner. Help me to respond to your teaching just as you would have me respond.

In Your Name I pray. Amen.