January 21

My little dog Rudy loves to play with his ball. Sometimes it will roll under the furniture. When it does, he will cry and whine until someone gets it for him. I had gone out into the garage to throw away some trash and noticed that he wasn’t sitting in the chair waiting. I thought that he had gone upstairs to get in bed with my husband. Just as I got comfortable I began to hear him whine.  I let him whine for a minute and decided I would go upstairs to help him; I couldn’t find him. I looked everywhere! I finally heard him again; he was locked outside in the garage, he had followed me out and I didn’t notice. Some days are like that, aren’t they? You’re going along carefree, minding your own business when suddenly, someone shuts the door on you! You’ve been locked out and are no longer privy to what’s going on inside. Shake the dust off and move on! God has a better plan.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

January 20

The birds are exceptionally happy and chirping their little hearts out. It’s a quiet morning and the day is getting off to a slow start which is just the way I like it. As empty nesters, we don’t have children up before the dawn ready to watch cartoons and eat cereal in front of the television. I’m not even sure if kids do that anymore. Our thought process changes with age; the children that once kept us on the go have all settled down to make a life of their own. Now we do things to please ourselves without having to adhere to someone else’s schedule. Life is not better, just different. We must learn to embrace every stage that we pass through, enjoy things now and not postpone our happiness to a future date that we are not promised. We work hard to create the life we desire, but if we don’t live it and enjoy the moments, it’s just a waste of precious time. Seize the day!

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. Ecclesiastes 8:15

January 19

Why do we as a church worry about hurting someone’s feelings over their choice of sin? I know we want to appeal to a broader audience, but at what cost? If people are coming to your church, they are looking for a way out. There’s no need to candy coat the truth. In their heart, they know there is a better way and are looking for what’s missing to fill that empty spot in their spirit. That’s how they got where they are; looking for a fix in the wrong place. In todays society we try to make it seem like life is all rainbows and butterflies, but that’s far from the truth. If you're seeing those types of things, you’ve probably been exposed to the latest hallucinogenic drug! The church is the right place, with the right tools to replace pain with something better or someone better! Jesus came to bind up wounds, heal the broken hearted, and set the captives free. We can tell them the truth about that!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, Luke 4:18

January 18

There are mornings when I sit down to write and I haven’t got a story to tell. Imagine that, my life boring! That’s when I tell God “I’ve got nothing!” I immediately go to His word. Just because I don’t hear His voice a certain way, doesn’t mean He’s not speaking to me. Sometimes you have to get into the Bible to actually hear what He is saying to you. Your thoughts are not His thoughts, so there’s no guessing! Even when you think you’re hearing His voice, you must verify what you think He’s saying; it must match His word. The word of God is full of life and He will speak into you and give you hope, fill you with His love, and confirm what you thought you heard from Him. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is an important part of the armor that will help you in your defense against the ways of the enemy; make sure you keep it sharp!

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

January 17

Have you given everything up for Jesus? If you’re like me, you think you have. I’m still learning this, but He is very patient in His training. I have been going to a new church plant for almost a year. It’s not the church that I chose, it’s not in the town that I chose, it does not look like your typical church, the people in it are not “church” people. Even though I love the people, I’ve been reluctant to get involved. God gave me an assignment for that church and I’ve neglected to fulfill it. Yesterday, I had a light bulb moment where everything became very clear. For the entire time I’ve been going to this church, I’ve only spent a few nights on my favorite island. I never gave up my time at the beach for Jesus, but He took it from me because of my disobedience! This year, I will voluntarily give it up. I’ll still go if He lets me, but I will plan my time there around my obligation to the church. Lesson learned!

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33

January 16

During my escapade into the swamp I lost all sense of fear, and why would I fear, I was meeting with Jesus! Even when I came upon an alligator slide, I did not worry. It’s cold out and they are sluggish this time of year. Now if I didn’t know with whom I was walking, I may have concerned myself with snakes, boars, and other wild creatures, and believe me they are out there! I think that even the park rangers may have been dealing with the boars because, when I was coming out, I ran across some traps for them. My point is that whether you are in the wilderness or on a city street, you have no need to fear when you’re walking with the Lord. Remember when Peter denied Jesus?  It was out of fear. When he was with Jesus, he was quite brave, even brave enough to pull out a sword against those who came to seize Jesus. Be brave my friends! Jesus is always with those who trust in Him.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

January 15

Many have never known love. From the moment they were born, they faced rejection from those who were assigned to care and nurture them. As they get older and without knowing it, they begin looking for love in people that reflect their pain. In their minds, their value and worth is nothing. The vicious cycle continues until they completely lose sight of the truth. Do you know someone like this? You will recognize them because they’ve been through a string of broken relationships and may possibly rely on drugs or alcohol to get them through their day. They need you to tell them how loved they really are and to share with them God’s love. Be aware that they may be hardened and may reject the things you tell them, but don’t worry about that, you are only responsible for a portion. He will continue to chase after them and maybe one day they will believe.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

January 14

A group of ladies from my church, who are living life to the fullest, got together to meet with God in a local park. We met first for direction and prayer and then we set out on a quest to enjoy the presence of the Father. He gave me a picture of where He wanted me to meet Him, so I began looking for that spot. Though I wasn’t surprised, it was in the swamp! That’s when the fun began! He decided to lavish me with gifts for our time together. There they were, as soon as I found my spot, Apple snail shells! They were everywhere! I didn’t have to search for them, I just had to pick them up. He gave me so much more than that, but what a great start! I set aside time for the Father and He made the most of our time together. He wants to speak sweetly to us and make us feel like we are His favorite. Are you there yet? Do you feel like you’re His favorite? I do.

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. Zephaniah 3:17

January 13

There are times when you don’t know who you are hearing from; whether it’s God, or self-talk. One morning, I decided to put down my iPad and just listen, no writing, just praying and listening. The impression I got was so beautiful, encouraging, and uplifting, it made me think, am I telling myself these things? So, I asked Him “is this You or me?” I immediately became tearful and realized that I don’t tell myself beautiful things that make me cry. The tears I cry are usually from self-pity, but never from self encouragement. The rule is, God is never condemning, His words are loving, and will concur with the Bible. If you want to hear Him, you have to close everything out except you and nothingness; He’s in the nothingness! Ask Him how He feels about you. It’s then that you will hear Him or feel an impression from Him. He wants you to be sure of His love, take it to heart when you hear Him speak.

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3

January 12

What is taking you away from spending time with the Lord? Our lives are full of distractions, especially now that we have the world at our fingertips. I know that a lot of people re-evaluate their habits this time of year and consider the amount of time they spend in a virtual world rather than participating in real life, which is a good thing! God deserves our time and He deserves more than that thirty second prayer that you belt out just to get it out  of the way. If your life is already full, pray and ask Him to help you carve out some time for Him. I read a post from a young man asking his dad’s friends to please refrain from calling him while he spends time with him. I thought it was very sweet that he valued his time with his dad so much that he didn’t want any distractions. I imagine God feels the same way. I have to get up before the chickens wake up because my day is usually full, how about you?

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6

January 11

There are those who preach with sugary lips, those who are harsh and preach fire and brimstone, and some who ride right down the middle. In the Bible, there were none with sugary lips, which is a warning for all. When John the Baptist came on the scene, he didn’t care who was listening, he spoke the truth! It was a different style that most had never heard and people were drawn to him. Like a judge, I want to hear the “whole truth and nothing but the truth!” Even if that truth begins with the sting of fire and death, as long as it ends with freedom and life and comes from the Bible, I want to hear it! The evangelical side of me wants to pour out the harshness of reality every day, but the practical side of me knows that most won't accept it, so I give you sweet stories to lessen the blow. Here’s a little truth for you: death will not bring you rest unless you have Jesus!

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

January 10

The older I get, the more I realize that time goes quickly and that I’ve probably been alive longer than I will live. That thought spurs me to rethink my life and the way I’ve been living. For all these years I have been taking advantage of time, not realizing that time is precious and we shouldn’t waste it. Our flesh is finite, we’re not going to live forever in this state of being. I’ve made some changes that will give my flesh the best life possible and to help me to stop striving. You have a choice, either build on a future that is sure or continue to strive for the fleshly life that is not promised. What is sure? The word of the Lord! Build your hope on the promises of God. We are like grass or the flowers of the field, one breath from the Almighty and we are gone! This flesh is only temporary, we won’t live in it forever. Build your hope on nothing less than Jesus. Decide today to concentrate on your infinite life. 

The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:7-8

January 9

There is something refreshing about waking up to a warm rain. This rain is coming out of the south to thaw out the frosty cold that we experienced for the last couple of weeks here in Florida. Hopefully this will give our tropical plants a chance to recover and come back better than ever in the spring. I know that after I’ve received a beat down, I’ll hide out in a cave for a little while trying to recover, and somehow God will replenish my strength and give me the ability to come back with a vengeance! My plants are recovering from the frost, some of the leaves will fall off, but the roots and the branches are still strong and have life in them. When our lives are built around our Savior, He is our source of power and life. The enemy may come in and torment us for a day or a season, but he is not our source of strength. Set your eyes upon Jesus during those harsh and frosty days and His heat will keep your core strong!

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

January 8

I’ve been in the stores quite a bit lately, trying to come up with ways to make my new home feel like my own. I notice that there is an increase in rudeness; it’s as if someone has turned off the courtesy and kindness button and everyone is ignoring the feelings of others. I was in a store looking at some items on a shelf when a woman, having trouble carrying her items needed to walk past me, or so I thought. That wasn’t the case at all! She wanted to look at the items on the same shelf and stood directly in front of me! I was so shocked at her behavior that I stood there in disbelief! There was a point in my life where I would have never let her get away with doing that to me, but I’ve mellowed a bit and have learned to let the unnecessary things go. That was just one of many instances. The Holy Spirit definitely dwells within me and His guidance has helped me to overcome the craziness of this world.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20

January 7

It’s that time of year again! Stone crab season! As much as I love going to the beach and spending time on the water, being on an open boat in cold weather is not appealing to me. However, my husband and son love eating them so much that they’ll forgo their comfort just to collect those tasty morsels. They are quite a delicacy, especially when the rate per pound can go as high as twenty five dollars! Many people long to afford this edible crustacean, but we are able to enjoy them at very little cost. I may be stretching this a bit, but this is comparable to our relationship with God. Many people long for the kind of peace only given to those who trust in Jesus. This world is full of turmoil and only God can give us real peace. Peace, like the crab in a trap at the bottom of the ocean floor, is readily available. Jesus is like a trap full of crab; all you have to do is go, collect, and eat.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Jame 1:17

January 5

My husband Richard and I have moved into a community where some of the neighbors are of an older generation. We were coming home from lunch when the lawn maintenance guy came running from the neighbor's backyard telling us that there was a man on the ground shaking. Richard jumped into gear to help him while I prayed. He couldn’t say anything, but we thought he may have fallen the night before while trying to cover his plants. The paramedics said they thought he would be okay. One neighbor, who is a believer, had thought about taking him soup the night before, but thought he wouldn’t open the door. The other neighbor, also a believer, was going to check on him that morning, but things got crazy around her house. We need to start listening more carefully to the Holy Spirit and follow through! We are all guilty of ignoring Him, but this shows you why we shouldn’t!

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16

January 4

I want a life with no problems. I think that’s why I love getting away to the beach. The waves seem to wash away all the stress and anxiety that builds up from general everyday life. It’s a new year, a fresh start for some, but all it means to me is that it’s time to wrap up last years business and get our paperwork ready to have our taxes prepared. Not only that, but I still haven’t finished everything I need to get accomplished this week! As I’m writing this, God is speaking to me telling me that I don’t have to do this life in my own strength. He’s encouraging me to let Him be my strength when all I want to do is run away. If our life was easy, we probably wouldn’t be on earth and would be resting to the sound of angels singing. Let me encourage you to keep pushing through your stress, pain, or anything else that is bringing you down. God will be your strength! When we are weak, then He is strong.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

January 3

My prayer today is for God to give me some “want to.” There are a lot of things that I desire to accomplish, but I don’t “want to.” Today I feel like Jonah, I don’t want to go to Nineveh! We are living in a country like Nineveh where our peoples minds are so bent towards evil that it seems like all hope is lost. Do we even want these people to repent? Or, do we want them to suffer the consequences? Then I remember that God loves all of us and wants none of us to perish. His desire is for all to repent and come to Him. The grace of God is hard to understand, but it’s not for us to understand. Our job is to do our best to bring others into the loving arms of our Savior. We are to go to those overtaken by evil and tell them about Jesus. Whether they reject Him or accept Him, we will have done our part for the Kingdom and we will be credited as doing good. 

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:10

January 2

This year is already starting out a little rocky. It’s cold, we have a couple of issues with our tenants, and it’s the first of the month! We are in the real estate business and our main job is property management. Our income is from rentals and sometimes people neglect to pay their rent. We see it a lot this time of year because people spend more than they have on the holidays. We are understanding, but often people take advantage of our kindness. Do you pay your rent? God has given you a place to stay, feeds you, provides air for you to breathe, and puts the clothes on your back. Are you going to continue to neglect to return a small portion to help support your local church? God is your landlord and property manager, you owe him rent! He will multiply what you give Him if you will put your trust in Him. He challenges us to test Him in this. Go ahead, try it and see what happens!

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Malachi 3:8-10

January 1

Happy New Year! What a great year this is going to be! I’m happy to be alive, happy to be chosen, happy to walk through God’s will for me, and be pleasing to Him! The great thing about what I’ve listed is, I don’t have to do anything to accomplish them except trust in Jesus! It’s nice to focus on them because you can see His hand orchestrating the outcome, but you’re not the one in charge. We have a fresh new year to focus on the positive things, don’t waste it fretting over the things you have no control over. Today is a good day to thank Him and praise Him for what you do have and maybe that will change your attitude and give you hope for this new year. He’s just like our natural parents, who long to hear from us, waiting for our call. Make sure you call your Father today, He’s just waiting to reveal His plans for your future. He’s listening!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13