God will help you fulfill your plan!

"I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you. For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control. So never be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor be embarrassed over my imprisonment, but overcome every evil by the revelation of the power of God!" -2 Timothy 1:6-8 TPT

The middle part of this verse is a verse many Christians know: God hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. It's interesting to see this in context. This was a letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, a younger man serving the Lord. And there must have been something Timothy was facing that caused him to be intimidated by his gifting. Maybe he didn't think he was good enough. Maybe he didn't think he had the ability to handle it, but Paul told him that his gift and ability was from God and it was enough. Timothy's job was to recognize he didn't need to act out of fear. God would supply Him with the power, love, and self-control that he needed to accomplish the task for him.

That means, God has called you to accomplish big things... but you don't have to be afraid of them. You will be able to accomplish them when you rely on God!

prayers for today

Praying today the prayers Paul prayed in Ephesians 1... You can too! Below is adapted from NLT, 17-20.

Lord, please grant unto [NAME] spiritual wisdom and insight so that they can grow in their knowledge of God.

Lord, I ask that [NAME'S] heart would be flooded with light so that they can understand the confident hope You have given to those You have called. Let [NAME] begin to glimpse how vast and immeasurable is their rich and glorious inheritance You have given to them.

I also ask that [NAME] would understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. Let them begin to glimpse and understand that the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in them. That same mighty power seated Jesus in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. It's beyond our imagination and comprehension. Let us begin to see that and know that You can change situations that are beyond our control.

Work, Lord, in their hearts! Open their eyes to see You and let Your goodness truly be seen. In Jesus' name, amen.

a busy day

Well, today was a busy day! We had plans that ended up keeping us busy from morning to night... well, it was midday plans, but midday plans with children start when you make them breakfast earlier than planned, pack snacks and projects for midday entertainment, get everyone dressed for your venture, and then leave early to account for traffic! Then you grab food on the way home, play for a bit, get food before bed and get them to bed... and then you breathe!!

All of that meant my work was hurried in the morning too, so I missed my early morning blog... but better late than never, right?

In fact, that's something I've thought about lately. Quitting is the end. You can't win if you quit. But if you keep going. If you keep trying. If you keep putting yourself back out there, you can get the win.

That's encouraging.

Hopelessness doesn't have to be the end... it's a feeling for a season. Keep going... keep going... keep going. Don't give hopelessness the win. Search for hope. Find hope. Find a sliver of hope and know God is on your side. He will help you pull through!

a new look at Psalm 91

I grew up listening to Psalm 91 in the KJV ... so it's fun that the new Bible translation the Passion translation has come out and provides a new perspectivej!

Now, I understand that the Passion translation is more of a paragraph translation and presenting the ideas of Scripture, as the Message Bible does, rather than a literal word to word translation. With this in mind, I don't read the Passion to get theological correctness as much as a different look at what the Scripture is talking about.

Listen to Psalm 91:1-2 in the KJV

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

I love that... and then look at how the Passion can add to the understanding of this verse.

"When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence."

So good!

The key to God being your hope and staying hidden in the strength of God is sitting under God's shadow. I think that means taking time to be with Him and working on your relationship with Him. You're hidden there because people won't necessarily see you spending time investing in your relationship with Him. They can see the results of your life though! And we glorify God when He becomes our strength and shelter!

five things to be thankful for!

What are you thankful for today? 

It's Sunday! So here are five things I'm thankful for. 

1. Toys - yes, these get overwhelming, and we don't always have a place for them and/or they end up in the middle of the floor, but I am grateful for fun toys that the kids can enjoy time and again. I'm always looking for new ways to organize!! 

2. Fun desserts! For homeschool, we are trying foods from different countries. Last night we tried pavlova. It is a meringue with whipped cream and fruit on top. A nice light dessert. A little over a cup of sugar and eggs, so it's not super bad for you. I think there are keto/sugar-free versions as well! 

3. Snow! Yes, I said it. Snow. It's been record-breaking amounts of snow this year, but it's been a long time since we have gotten this much snow, and looking on the bright side, I kinda like it. Glad the kids are getting a good dose of snow and all that can be done with tons of snow. It's better than brown grass and boring landscapes when it is wintry and cold but not snowy. I like to have a reason for the coldness! 

4. YouTube - From how-to videos to kids songs, I do appreciate the wealth of videos you can get online! 

5. Speaking of... Numberblocks! These are a UK show that has clips on YouTube. It's a video about numbers and a great way for kiddos to learn about numbers, how to subtract, multiply, and add. I'm grateful for it because the kids have learned a lot about math already without much teaching from me. They are learning from the videos! I can just add to what they have already learned or explain it a little more fully. 

inclusive.

God is inclusive.

Acts 2:21 says that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

That's pretty simple.

It's easy to complicate this and say, "Well, I've sinned. I'm not good enough."

But the truth is, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Period.

Don't overcomplicate God's love and acceptance.

Of course, this doesn't mean He tolerates sin. Sin shouldn't stay in our lives. As we grow closer to the Lord and keep calling on His name, change should happen... but then come back to this truth. everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

don't give up!

Today's verse is one I have been thinking about for a while. I haven't read it yet in the Passion translation, so that's fun!

"And don't allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you've planted is coming." -Galatians 6:9 TPT

Don't give up!

One of the best ways I've found that help me is not only reading Scripture, but keeping my mind on the future, not the past. The past can get you messed up if you only remember the junky things that have happened. Focusing on the future keeps you dreaming about impossibilities. It's a much better and more joy-filled way to live!