January 5

There is something beautiful about God’s transforming power. Not only does it change you, but it strengthens you because you are no longer relying on your own power, but the power of the Almighty. Having God’s strength behind you may not be what you think it is. He gives us the power to endure with patience, but not only with patience, but joy! Going through a difficult time you wouldn’t consider joy as being a part of that trial, however, there is amazing joy when we see His power in full force. We’ve all had to endure challenges, but when we get to the other side, we see the pieces fall together like a puzzle, each having its own part in making it a perfectly structured picture. Life is messy, but you don’t have to be. Trust God and what He is doing, rely on His strength, because joy comes in the morning.

"being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;"Colossians 1:11

January 4

Telling stories about the happenings in my life and relating it to a truth in the Bible, is one of my favorite things to do. Somehow I feel as though I’ve strayed from the most important reason for writing, and that is to grow intimately closer to God. We are different from the unsaved because our focus should be on Him, and not the longing for earthly things. Getting off track is easy when the demands of life turn our attention away from Him. The Holy Spirit made me aware of my departure from my purpose, and helped me change my direction. What can you do, and what is the best way to turn that around? It’s realizing your error! As I began slowly meandering through Colossians, it hit me like a ton of bricks, He’s drawing me to Himself by inviting me back into closeness, and to refocus my attention to get to know Him better! Survey yourself and see if you need to turn your face back toward Him to seek more knowledge of His holiness.

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

January 3

It’s that time of year where we rid ourselves of unhealthy habits. This year, I’ve decided to rid myself of sugar! I need to do this! I can’t fit into my clothes! Not only am I deleting some things, but I’m adding some things. Running seems to help me drop the pounds the quickest, so I’m working on building up my endurance. Yesterday I did two miles, walking part of the way and running part of the way. As with anything bad, you need to add in the good for balance. Today, I’m equating sugar to sin and exercise to the Holy Spirit. We all have traits that may not be sinful, but could use some work. Identify what those things are and ask God to help you. The only way I can stick to a fast or a diet plan, is to dedicate it to God. I try my best not to disappoint Him, so this really works for me. If you decide to fast, make sure that you feast on the Word of God. Out with the bad, and in with the good!

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:27

January 2

Richard and I spent all day New Year’s Eve in the Apple Store. An incident requiring immediate reconciliation had occurred rendering his handheld computer useless. We had been out fishing, but hadn’t used all the bait because the fish weren’t biting. When we returned, Richard and Doug, my son-in-law, decided that they would try their luck at fishing off the dock. The tide was low and the dock was quite high out of the water. Richard decided to get comfortable by sitting on the railing, when suddenly the railing gave way, plummeting him into the cold water. Luckily the railing didn’t follow him into the water. He wasn’t hurt, but his phone was ruined. The point of this story is that unexpected things happen that nothing can prepare you for. One second you are dry and cheerful and the next you are sinking into the unknown. Are you prepared if the unthinkable happens to you today? With Jesus you are always ready! Ask Him to be the King of your life today.

“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

January 1

Many thanks are owed to God for the blessing of acceptance. He has welcomed us into His kingdom, as filthy as we are, but because of Jesus, we are clean and pristine, and we are accepted. With that comes a family of believers, and an instant connection to one another. It is a bond, and a love that is unlike any other. The mutual tie to Jesus makes it a love that is stronger than any blood relation, and more powerful! I don’t know if you have experience this, but I’m drawn to people who love Jesus, even though I don’t know them, or know if they are believers. I’ll ask, just to see if that’s why I like them, I’m always surprised, but not shocked, because that’s how it is when you are a believer, He brings you together in His mutual love. The next time you talk to a stranger, and feel an unusual connection, see if they are related to you through Jesus. Start this year off right by thanking God for His blessings, and for the family of believers! Happy New Year! 

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, Colossians 1:3-4

December 31

My dog Coco is a seven pound Yorkshire Terrier with an attitude toward other dogs. The trouble with that is, she doesn’t know she’s small, and will go after a dog four times her size! It makes perfect sense, her humans are exceedingly larger than the dogs she’s going after. It’s a great attitude to have, except most dogs are friendly and just want to play with her. We could learn a lesson for her. Our God is much larger than the enemy that threatens us, and the battles we fight, we don’t fight alone. However, the human that is a pawn in the game, is not the enemy. The enemy is the powers and principalities of this dark world. We should all go into battle and fight with an attitude like Coco, if only our eyes were open and we could see them. Let me assure you, the forces with you are greater than the forces against you.

He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

December 30

 

When my daughter arrived for a visit to Little Gasparilla, we set out on the paddle boards for the deserted island near the southern tip for a sea shelling adventure. The shells we find here are not pristine and clean like the ones that wash up on the beach, however, once they receive a bleach bath, their beauty is revealed. They are covered with barnacles, plant life, and other things that cling to them. If the bleach and water mixture doesn’t remove the attachments, then you have to pick off what’s left. Then it’s clean and perfect, back to its original self. That is not unlike us when we come to receive Jesus as our Savior. He bleaches us clean, but there are still some things we need to give up to bring us to perfection. The first thing is ourself; you must die to your old self, like an empty shell. The things that have attached to you must be cleaned off - past sin, hurts, fear, shame, and so on. During this process, which is called sanctification, you must fill up on the word of God, replacing the evil with good. You then become polished and beautifully filled with Jesus.

"And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24 

December 29

In the Old Testament, when God had released Israel from their captivity in Egypt, He guided them through the desert by a pillar of cloud by day and a flame of fire by night. They didn’t know where they were going, except that they were looking for the promised land. I’m reminded of it because where I’m sitting while writing this, the fog is as thick as pea soup! When I stepped outside, I couldn’t see very far, but could feel the moisture in the air. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, and the cloud and flame never left them. What an incredible sight that must have been! It’s amazing, with this fog, the wind has stilled and the water has calmed. It’s so hard to remember that God is with us when we are struggling. Let this be a reminder that while you’re in the wilderness and your head is in a fog, rely on the Lord for guidance.

The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Exodus 13:22

December 28

Starting out on the dock, I watched the sunrise. It was quite beautiful, but then I felt God leading me to the mangrove. The mangrove is the trash collector of the sea, so if you observe, you will find all kinds of litter and debris. I found two foam buoys that came off someone’s crab traps. One buoy was loose and one was still attached to the rope, and the rope was buried. The purpose of the buoy is to mark the location of the crab trap so the fisherman can find it and collect their harvest. When bad weather hits, it can become detached from the trap. Those markers that are firmly attached will stay put and continue to mark the harvest. The lesson in this is to stay firmly attached to Jesus, because He is Lord of the harvest. You never want to be like the buoys that wash ashore. You especially don’t want to have your rope buried in the sand! Stay rooted in God’s word and He will lead you to a bountiful harvest.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

December 27

Remember to have compassion. That person at the check out who was nasty to you, doesn’t know your peace. That driver who won’t let you over is heading to hell; pray for them. The young mom with the out-of-control children has no one to turn to for help; you help her! You were once lost, defeated, and didn’t know where to turn, and the Lord lifted you out of that pit of despair. He brought you near and comforted you. He gave you a reason to live. Your gaping wounds are healed, and your blood stained hands are clean. You were made whole. Most are still walking in darkness with no hope, they need to see Jesus through you. You have a testimony, share it. You will be put into situations orchestrated by God to show His love, don’t let Him down. Sow seeds of love and compassion for Jesus, and the harvest of delicious fruit will come in its season.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25

December 25

As I was reading the story of the birth of Jesus this morning in Matthew, I noticed a couple of interesting things. After the wise men left, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to depart for Egypt because Herod was going to try and destroy the child. The first thing I noticed is that Joseph had inclined his ear to hear the word of the Lord through his dreams. The second thing is that even though it was Jesus, He didn’t stave off the assailants who were sent to destroy Him, He made Joseph responsible for His protection. In other words, you can’t stand in front of a moving train and expect for God to save you, you have to get off the tracks! Figure out how you hear the Lord the best, whether it’s by reading the Bible, that still small voice of the Holy Spirit, or whatever it is, and listen carefully to Him. Then take the action needed to help your situation.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt Matthew 2:13-14

December 24

Trying to find the perfect gift for children who have everything, can be a challenge. I had the brilliant idea to get the older kids a metal detector, not realizing that it would require more than batteries! The good thing is that they had their dads there to get it up and running. I also had the idea to hide coins in the yard for them to search for, that was a bad idea too! The coins fell into the thick grass, causing them to start digging up my sod! I think they only recovered about fifty cents out of six dollars in coins. On this Christmas Eve, remember the treasure we have in Jesus. He spoke about the man who found a hidden treasure in a field, covered it up and sold all he had to buy the field. There are riches, and hidden treasure to be found in God’s word, and it’s on almost every shelf, in almost every household; you won’t need a metal detector to find it, it’s hidden in plain sight.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."  Matthew 13:44

December 23

My heart is full. The holidays can be draining with all the required preparations, but the reward is well worth the trouble. With our family going in all different directions, we chose to have our celebration a couple of days early to catch as many family members as we could. With the prior two days filled with rain, it was as if God had cleared the skies just for us. I chose to not get overwhelmed, and enjoy my time with the precious souls that God gave me to nurture. In the next few days, try to slow down and balance yourself between Mary and Martha. Be Martha before your guests arrive, and become Mary once they are there. Follow Jesus’s example, and make this more about loving your family and guest, and less about the show. 

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42

December 22

My daughter and I spent all day yesterday doing some last minute shopping for a family member. Even though we found some great gifts, with it being only a few days before Christmas, the merchandise was somewhat picked over. Waiting to the last minute is never a good idea, whether talking about Christmas gifts or Jesus. Some may think they have all the time in the world, but that may not be true. Consider the victim of a fatal car crash, they didn’t know it would be their last drive. Anything can happen to cut your life short. Even though you may feel as though you are free to do as you please, life without Jesus is limiting. Once you become a Christ follower, you will realize that what you thought were strenuous rules, actually set you free, and provide you the ability to live a fuller life. Don’t wait until the last minute to accept Jesus as your Savior, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. James 4:13-14

December 21

We’ve had a lot of wind and rain in our area over the last several days. The home I live in is situated under many large oak trees. At four thirty this morning, we were awakened by a loud sound, like a large limb had fallen on our house. As I walked outside on the porch to check it out, an acorn fell and hit the metal of the screened enclosure with a large bang! I didn’t see where a limb had fallen, it was probably just a twig. The same thing can happen in our mind. What we perceive to be a big deal, may be insignificant to others. Similar to the acorn hitting the metal on the screened enclosure making a loud sound. If you allow a small seed to be planted in your mind, it can grow out of control and cause you to feel anxious, fearful, rejected, or hurt. You can’t help how you feel, but you can make sure it’s the truth, and not just an acorn or twig.

And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? Mark 8:17-18

December 20

It all comes down to this one day, this amazing once-a-year celebration. We are happy, and the atmosphere is festive with sparkling decorations, food not served during the rest of the year is prepared, and the best of what we have is brought out to be used. It’s a birthday party fit for a King! Who are we kidding? Though many of us are truly celebrating the birth of our King, most are just celebrating to celebrate! I wish this season was all about Jesus, but it’s not. I wish our lives were all about Jesus, but they’re not. The bright side of this is, it’s called “Christmas!” You can’t deny it when Christ is in the name. Do your best, while you can, to bring up Jesus in every conversation about Christmas. It might be the only time you get to talk about Him to the unsaved. God gave you this tool, so use it.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

December 19

I know most people are not fans of fruitcake, but I happen to be one who loves it. Before she passed, my grandmother would spend a good portion of the holiday season baking these tasty delights. If I was honored to receive one of them, I would have a piece for breakfast every day until it was gone. Last night, I saw a picture of one, so I slowed down to read the caption. My friend had made it and said that the first person to send her their address would get it. She had written it several minutes before I saw it, so surely it was already gone. Much to my surprise, I got a reply that the cake was going to be mine! I was thrilled! After the day I had, it was just what I needed to bring me cheer. Today, be that person to show kindness. You never know what spreading a little joy could do for someone.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 1 Peter 4:8-10

December 18

Many of us have battles that are fought just to make it to another day. It’s important, when we are in that season, to rely on the strength of the All Mighty through the power of the Holy Spirit. When in the throes of war be sure to use the most powerful weapon you have, prayer! When facing adversity, my initial reaction is to hide myself in the shadows, and move as far away from the conflict as I can, but there are times when we must face the evil head on. Remember, this is not your battle, it belongs to the Lord! Don’t try to handle this problem on your own. Cry out to Him in your distress. He hears you and will rally around you as you prepare for the fight. I’m fighting a battle today, but I am armed and ready! I am a servant of the Lord, and I shall not be devoured, because the Almighty goes before me, is my rear guard, and the One I can count on to vindicate me. Please pray for me today!

If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you... no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:15 & 17

December 18

Even though it’s a nice thought, nowhere in the Bible does it say that when someone dies, they become an angel. An angel is a different kind of being than we are. Babies don’t become angels nor do adults. Now you're not wrong when you say an angel is watching over you, because Jesus says that the children’s angels see the face of the Father. The Bible also says that He will command His angels concerning you. Again, humans and angels are different kinds of beings, both created by the Lord, each for a different type of service to Him. They are real! I have had a couple of encounters I feel almost positive that they were angels in human form. One time they came to give me comfort for a medical test that I was fretting over, and another time was to give me direction so I didn’t have to walk a long way on my broken leg. Each time they disappeared as quickly as they appeared. When someone tells you their love one is now an angel in Heaven, it’s just for their own comfort, but it’s not Biblical.

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."  Psalms 91:11

December 16

We spent a little bit of time on Little Gasparilla Island for a quick weekend getaway. Yesterday, I decided to take my paddle board out to an island off the southern tip to look for shells. I found more shells than I wanted to pick up! As I approached the island, I saw my first shell sitting in about a foot of water, it’s a little chilly, at least by Florida’s standards; I got excited and quickly tried to stop my board, but it kept propelling forward. So, I stepped off, and as I did, I realized the ground was soft and I sank up to my ankles; I lost my balance, and fell into the cold water! I wasn’t in any kind of danger, but if I had been, God would have heard my cry. We have times where we encounter obstacles, and need God’s help. When we cry out, He inclines His ear to us! He moves closer! Always remember that He is listening, and ready to pick you up out of the pit of destruction.

I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalms 40:1-2