April 21

Being on a barrier island with no bridge can be challenging when you have health issues. We have a neighbor that just found out that he has congestive heart failure. He and his wife are from a northern state and because of his health concern, they are not able to fly back home. An issue came up and gave cause for concern, so his wife took him to the hospital while our ferry was still running and we picked them up in our boat later that night after the hospital said they weren’t going to keep him. It was challenging for them to get in and out of the boat because as you get older, things just don’t work like they used to. When you're younger, you think that an island in Florida would be the ideal place to retire, but you don’t consider the deterioration of your body. Our bodies are only good for so long, however, our soul is meant to live forever. We should be more concerned with our ultimate retirement than we are. Don’t wait until you’re old to start living for Jesus. Most people that come to know Him later in life regret waiting so long and feel that they have wasted too many years in unbelief. If you haven’t turned your life over to Jesus and accepted His free gift of eternal life with Him, it’s time! All you have to do is trust Him and believe that He is who He says He is.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:16-18

April 20

At every turn, the enemy is looking for a way to derail your plans to do the will of God. Until I started going to my current church, I had never had the enemy come after me so relentlessly. I’ve been a part of other ministries, and saw his involvement and experienced his attacks, but never to the degree that I’m having to deal with right now. Every step I take in the direction God has laid before me, he is there to try and derail my plans. They are not just my plans though, they’re the plans God has. Anything he can do to discourage God’s children from getting the best He has to offer, he will do. Right now his tactic is to instill fear! It would be so easy to walk away and stop heading in the direction of God’s plan; the enemy would probably leave me and the other soldiers alone and let us live in peace. Not today Satan! These warriors will not give up the fight! Those who are for us are more than those who are against us! I’m ready, and the plunder will be worth it all!

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalms 56:3-4

April 19

After nearly a year of missing the sunrise over the water, I’m enjoying its beauty from the comfort of the couch once again. I’ve been on the island intermittently throughout, but there’s nothing like spending a few consecutive days romping around in paradise. If you know me at all, you know that I believe that all things work out for the good, even being removed from a place you love for a time. God knew when He brought me back, my appreciation for where He placed me would be over the moon. I’ve not stopped thanking Him since I got here and I haven’t even been on the beach yet! It’s been a long year of many changes, but our God remains the same. We all go through times of stress and discomfort, but knowing that there is a big ball of fire on the horizon every morning and a fresh new start, gives us hope that today will be different. Count your blessings and give thanks to our mighty creator for all He does.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3:21-25

April 18

Today, I did something that I never do. Instead of praying and going straight into the Word, I allowed myself to get sidetracked by looking at my e-mail and Facebook. So, when it came time to write this devotional, my busy mind was too preoccupied to focus. Therefore, you are getting a lesson from my most recent experience. This is why the Holy Spirit encourages me to keep my mind on Jesus, set my priorities on heavenly things before getting my day started. I know that most of you don’t write a daily devotional, but it takes devotion and commitment to give God your first and best. I know He likes to spend time with me and according to the Bible, He likes to spend time with you too! The morning is my best, but yours may be the evening, whatever time that is for you, just make sure you devote some time in the Word and in prayer. It’s the least we can do for all He’s done for us. 

Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

April 17

Do you ever see the pain in someone’s face and feel helpless? Depression and heartbreak can overtake a body and the results spill out upon their face. What do you do? I have a friend who feels the pain of others. Though it may not seem like a gift, it is. Someone else’s hurt will overwhelm her and cause a disturbance within her. However, God also gave her the gift of healing, so at her touch, the pain that had once overtaken them will immediately disappear. It takes every bit of energy she has; similar to when the woman with the issue of blood touched the cloak of Jesus and power left Him. This same thing happens to her! I’ve never met anyone like her before. She didn’t even know that she had this gift until she took a gifts survey. From that point on, God made that gift come alive within her. Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? If you don’t, you need to find out and start walking in them so you can also help others when they need it.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

April 16

As I neared the completion of my new garden, and was digging one of the last few holes, I hit a snag. The soil was soft, except where I ran into debris and roots, so the digging was pretty easy. I was being so careful too. Then suddenly I hit a gusher! I had barely nicked the surface of an irrigation pipe and it blew! I was drenched in water. Thankfully, I knew where the shut off valve was and I quickly stopped it. Isn’t that just like God? You’re just going along, minding your own business, doing the labor God called you to do, then suddenly there’s an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Then to top it off, the guy I called to make the repair says “this looks like the Garden of Eden!” Well, he’s never seen the Garden of Eden, but I think that was a huge compliment, and a Biblical comparison at that! The point is for you to keep doing what you’re doing. Live your life in the manner that is pleasing to God, and keep telling others about Jesus. Eventually you will see the fruit of your labor.

so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10

April 15

Do you believe that God is who He says He is? If so, why do you fret or fear? Never be ignorant of the enemy's devices, but your primary focus should be on Jesus. A local pastor once said that when you focus your mind on certain things, your brain creates a path. She went into a lot of detail, but that’s the sum of it. Let’s say I focus on everything bad that happens, eventually I will create a path of negativity. Instead of seeing the good in life, I will find something wrong with every situation. On the other hand, what if I was determined to see the positive and begin looking at situations through the eyes of Jesus? You can believe that my brain would create a positive path and when something unexpected happens, my mind would head down the path of Jesus. Instead of worrying yourself over what scheme the devil has planned for you, be determined to focus on God’s plan. It’s all about holding every thought captive and measuring it against God’s Word. Change your mind, begin today!

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5

April 14

My shade garden is nearly finished! Some areas of the soil were easy to dig, but other areas were filled with roots and building materials that had been buried. On the surface everything looked fine, but once I stuck a shovel in it, I began to run into obstacles that prevented any further penetration. Sometimes I had to cut off the roots and remove the pieces of concrete just so my new plants could grow. When the Holy Spirit tries to plant new things in the garden of your heart, what are the obstacles that He is running into? Is there a root of bitterness stopping forgiveness? Are there old wounds that are festering? Maybe you have guilt over something you’ve done that makes you feel ashamed. Rejection is a hurt that most all of us have. All of these things can make it nearly impossible to have peace. When you sell something, you don’t get to keep it and the money too; Jesus paid a huge price for all of these things, why haven’t you handed them over to Him. 

Freedom from the past is something that I’m very passionate about because I’ve cleaned up my garden, removed the roots and debris and I feel good! Once you get a taste of freedom, you never want to go back to that way of life. The devil likes to keep you in bondage, stop making him laugh! Take back what is rightfully yours! Call out your obstacles and tell them to “leave in Jesus name!” Then ask the Holy Spirit to fill that empty space and plant a beautiful garden.

The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:35-36

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

April 13

There is a section of scripture in Romans that’s called “Marks of a true Christian,” chapter 12:9-21. It sheds light on how one should act. There’s one in particular that draws me in every time; probably because my fleshly nature is a little vindictive. Romans 12:20  To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." If someone has been completely nasty to me, you can bet that I’m going overboard to be kind to them, and maybe I’ll offer them a cold drink or a sandwich. I can just see those coals sizzling and burning a hole in their head. It’s a great visual, isn’t it? This verse is also found in Proverbs! When a verse is repeated from the Old Testament to the New Testament, you know God means business! The point of this is to show your strength as a believer to overpower evil with kindness. It takes more strength to withhold retribution than it does to cut loose with retaliation. So, the next time someone comes after you, repeat these words “hot burning coals, hot burning coals,” then do your best to be kind.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22

April 12

I talk about gardening all the time, it’s something I love to do, even though it can sometimes be backbreaking labor, the results make me happy. My new yard is completely shade covered, which means that I have to get creative when choosing plants. I have found some amazing plants, with beautiful color. When I think about God walking in the Garden of Eden, I picture Him walking in a shaded garden, so of course there would be beauty there too! If God created plants for every type of environment, don’t you think He created different types of people for every type of situation and environment? We each have unique personalities that are suited for specific careers and assignments from the Almighty. Mark Twain said “The law of work seems unfair, but nothing can change it; the more enjoyment you get out of your work, the more money you will make.” I say take that a step further and find a way to serve Jesus through what you love to do; the reward is much greater and can be very satisfying. 

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Romans 12:11

April 11

Don’t you want to know what God’s plan is? I’m so impatient and feel like I need to know now! That’s not how this works. He starts grooming us for His service at a very young age. Little by little He guides us, giving us glimpses into the future, but never enough for us to think we are the ones in charge. He uses our personalities to distract us from seeing what is coming so we will stay on His course. If we know what is going to happen, we might become fearful and run the other way or try to do it in our own power instead of waiting for His power. I think that He gives us busy work and keeps us focused on handling the physical details while He handles the rest of it. Don’t get discouraged in the waiting; what He has for us is beyond what you could ever imagine. We are victorious when the pieces begin to fall into place and when we give credit to Him through our praise and worship!

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24-25

April 10

So this idea was tossed out to have a beach day with the girls. I got this bright idea, and took it a little further and said “maybe we could stay overnight.” What was I thinking! I figured that nothing would pan out and the whole thing would fall apart anyway. I didn’t really want to do it because it would take too much planning, the obstacles were deep and wide. Then in January my Pastor tells me the we have too much on the schedule for the month of April. My first thought was “great, let's take off the beach weekend.” Then he said “I think we should keep that one!” Are you kidding me! I think he may have regretted saying that too! Then people began to hear about it, so there is no turning back now! I found a place to go, no obstacle there. Had a way to get there and had a vague plan for what we would do once we got there. Who’s in charge of this anyway? I don’t want to do it! Who’s steering this boat! It was God! It was beautifully orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and was awesome!

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

April 9

He anoints my head with oil, my cup overflows! I had a friend tell me that she repeats Psalms 23 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now that’s feasting on the Word! She told me about others who had done the same thing and had their lives completely turn around, and they attributed it to this Psalm. So, I decided to try it. I haven’t gotten in the habit of doing it three times a day yet, but it’s part of my morning routine. So much of what we do as Christians is geared towards keeping people out of Hell, but Jesus taught us how to live here on earth. Psalms 23 gives us a guideline! Though we don’t like to admit it, the truth is that when evil was cast out of Heaven, they were sent here! We walk in the valley of the shadow of death, but He is with us with weapons in hand! We feast in front of the enemy, a meal prepared by God and it ticks him off! If you’re not feasting on the Word you need to sit down at the table! You may not be excused until you eat!

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalms 23:4-5

April 8

Is your unbelief making a way for fear to overtake you? There are many things that Satan uses to hold us captive, but the biggest thing is fear. I wish I was immune to fear, but every time the Lord changes things up, I must deal with it. What is my main fear? Being inconvenienced. I want to do what I want to do and I don’t want anyone else giving me things to do! I know there’s a lot in those words, but God is helping me to overcome it by completely inconveniencing me! I really just like to curl up in my happy place and watch the world go by, but He won’t allow me to do that. He knows what’s best for me and because I stepped out, I found JOY, unspeakable JOY! JOY that brought me to my knees. So much JOY that I couldn’t contain my tears. Was it easy? Heck no! Was it worth it? A resounding Yes! It didn’t happen overnight, but it was worth the wait. You can have this too. Put on your armor, step out in faith, and conquer your fear.

Speaking of Abraham: No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." Romans 4:20-22

April 7

Oh, what a day! When you are about to spend precious time with the Lord, the enemy comes after you with a vengeance! Our women’s group from church planned a getaway to a remote island to get some respite from our everyday challenges. We had sixteen women make it there and every woman has a story of how the forces of evil were trying to stop them. The island is an hour and a half away and being a driver, I decided to pull my car out of the garage to give room for someone to park in it. As I turned the key to crank the car all I heard was “click, click, click!” The battery was dead! I get a grin on my face realizing the trials had begun. The enemy forgot that I had a husband that can do just about anything! He changed out the battery and we were on our way without any delays. That’s just one instance! Just know that the enemy is so jealous of our relationship with God that he will do anything to try and stop us from cultivating it to bring our hearts into alignment with His. Fight for your time with Him, even if it stirs up madness all around you. It’s worth it!

My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2:10-12

April 6

The voice of God is revealed through His Word, but if you pay close attention, He will begin to reveal Himself to you through other ways. I love nature! If you put me outside, I will dream all day. I like to play in the dirt, ramble through the woods, walk on the beach, and anything to do with the outdoors. Because of my love for nature, God began to speak to me through it. After I learned to pick up His cues there, He taught me to see the lesson in other things. There is a lesson in everything we do, we just have to open our minds to hear it. That’s why I can pull a story out of the simple and mundane things I do every day. It has become a way of life. Every morning I begin my day by honoring God through prayer and the reading of His Word. Then I ask Him “what do you want me to write about today?” I then begin to comb over the previous day to see if anything interesting stands out; when it does, God is made known.

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

April 5

You never know what a day will bring. The shoe finally drops, it’s been teetering for a while. We all have issues in our families, but when you have the Lord, He makes a way when there seems to be no options. It makes me proud when I see a child, I helped raise, jump into action to save the day and give love and compassion to a child who is oblivious to everything happening around him. God knows what each of us need, and provides the right help at the right time. If you’re not trusting the Lord to take care of your family, you need to pray about that! He loves your family more than you do and has the power to help them. Stop trying to fix them and give them to God, being they are not yours anyway! If and when you finally decide to give them up, your stress and anxiety will diminish and your peace will return. That overused saying “give up and let God,” it applies to your family too.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

April 4

Driving by an old church I notice a parking sign right up front near the door labeled “Pastor Parking.” There are reasons that a pastor would need to establish up close parking, like a disability or illness. However, if it’s ego, I could see the devil laughing as they posted the sign. Jesus gave us an example of how we should serve Him and His flock; the key word is “serve!” We are to humble ourselves as a servant, we are last! Unlike the phrase made popular by the movie Talladaga Nights, spoken by Ricky Bobby, “if you’re not first you’re last,” in the kingdom of God, if you’re last, your first! If we’re not careful, an entitled attitude can sneak up on you, and you’ll find your head in the clouds with your nose in the air. Watch out that this doesn’t happen to you. We should be breaking our necks trying to serve one another. If you don’t have a servant attitude, get one! Begin now, serve others!

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45

April 3

When we go to the island we have to take everything we might need for the day, or however long we’re staying. There are no grocery stores or bridges, transportation is by boat only. There are carts positioned on the mainland for you to use to get your things to your boat. Yesterday, I loaded the cart while my husband parked the truck, he’s told me this before, but I forgot where to place the heavy things. Needless to say, I put them all in the wrong position which caused the cart to be hard to push. Rather than repacking the cart, I struggled for the short distance to the boat. When we got to the island, I remember to put the heavy things on the front over the wheels and the push was so much easier. Our lives are like that cart, Jesus is like the position over the wheels. If we don’t place our heaviest burdens on Him, over the wheels, the push is hard, even for a short distance.

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

April 2

I saw a T-shirt that said “Free Barabbas.” It made me pause to think about it. Though it’s repulsive, it had to be that way. The three criminals that were involved in the crucifixion story are very indicative of the truth of today. First, you have Barabbas, who was chosen over Jesus to be released rather than be crucified. We are like him because we have been released from our punishment and Jesus took our place! Then you have the one who never repented and through more insults upon Jesus as they were hanging there together, he found himself in eternal hell! Then there was the one who lived his whole life as a sinner and just before death, repented and Jesus accepted him into paradise with Him. I don’t know what happened to Barabbas after he was released, but, like us, I hope he realized how fortunate he was and made a decision to follow Him. Value your salvation!

But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." Luke 23:40-41