Wind

The wind has been blowing at hurricane forces with red flag warnings covering my state for over a week. Wind escalades consuming fires; causes dust storms, and blows the tumbling weed you may have seen in Wild West movies. Those weeds can grow into the size of house doors. I have a friend who shared seeing an entire front of a house covered by them, with a senior citizen needing help.

I have been meditating on the wind, the Hebrew word for wind is Ruach. Strongs Concordance definition: Ruach means breath, wind, spirit with its’ phonetic spelling is (roo’-akh). Johnathan Cahn, a Messianic Jewish author shares his interpretation in his “Book of Mysteries”. The Holy Spirit, the breath of life along the wind are synonymous with the power of the Lord. Have you ever thought of this concept?

The Bible supports this premise, as I did research I found the wind described in Genesis through Revelations. It was an amazing read I will share some scriptures.

Genesis, the first book of the Bible, describes God’s action to blow across the earth and dry land after the flood.

Genesis 8:1    But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.

The Lord used the wind to bring a holy fear to enemies in war just by its sound in Leviticus, wind cleared locusts and brought quail to the hungry Israelites in Numbers 11.

2 Samuel 22 describes how the Lord heard the cries of David and David saw Him in the storm clouds. What a visual? I choose to believe the same is true today. We may have other noises or busy lists drowning out this revelation.

2 Samuel 22:11
Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
  soaring on the wings of the wind.

Elijah described being worn out and feeling alone as He continued to serve the Lord even though many peers thought he was crazy and stupid. In 1 Kings 19, we are reminded that despite the noise around us the Lord speaks in whispers. Are we spending time with our Lord? It is hard to hear His whispers when we aren’t listening for them. I am guilty as charged at times.

1 Kings 19: 11-12   11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

At one point, Job was rebuked by the Lord for his rantings. The Lord reminded Job where all things began, with Him. Job 38:24 Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?

In Psalm 28, the Lord is increasingly frustrated as His children are not walking with Him, the Lord says in verse 26: He released the east wind in the heavens, and guided the south wind by his mighty power.

My time hearing the winds, seeing the trees sway, watching the tumbleweeds, not being able to walk a straight line outside, eating dust, and sneezing from the wind, made me consider the Lord made the wind and it holds the majesty of His power.

Matthew 8:26-27 is one of my favorite stories of Jesus calming the storm at sea while his buddies freaked out. Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” The winds were out of control and Jesus rebuked the winds. It was a defining moment because they were in awe that even the winds obeyed Jesus. Sadly, I can be like the disciples! But I don’t have to stay in that place.

Psalm 104 describes the majesty of the Lord and his creation of sky, heavens, clouds, and wind.

Psalm 104: 1- 4   
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed 
with honor and majesty. 
2 You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; 
3  you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your 
chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. 
4  The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.

Ah, another windy day, red flag warning in case of fires, the earth is so dry, just a spark of flame will light up the pastures. Isn’t that a metaphor for life, my friends?

Action steps: Meditate on these: Am I walking with the wind, in a sense my Holy Spirit, my Lord? Or am I walking against His instructions with worry, defiance, pride, grumbling, basically, in sin? If I choose the fleshy sin ways, I am dried up, worn out, depressed, anxious and lonely. If I walk with the Lord I allow Him to carry me or at the very least, I let my burdens be directed by His wisdom and the negative mindset to be blown away as I trust Him.

James 1: 5-7       5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

I want to be in control, do you? However, with each passing year, I am learning my need to control is not helpful. I can’t control the future and world events any more than I can control the wind. I am choosing loyalty and a walk with Him.

Walk with the wind not against it! Hold onto your hat, life will be more interesting and less parched.

10 Ways to Love a Teenager

When my daughter became a teenager, she did something that baffled me. It happened when she was tired or had just woken up. She’d stand in front of …
10 Ways to Love a Teenager

I really appreciate the wisdom I have found from Kari Kampakis. I have two of her books. If you have a preteen, teenager or even young adult kids, you will benefit from her consistent, transparent, God given wisdom.

I am blessed to reblog this post “10 ways to Love a Teenager”. I am sure it will be a great resource. God bless you as a mentor, parent, friend, human. 😉 Mary

Eagles

Eagles are majestic, powerful, grace-filled examples of the Creator God. I have always been fascinated by these birds. I live in the Rocky Mountain region and am occasionally blessed to see eagles soar.

There are scriptures that describe their attributes as protector, safety under her wings, and as an example of renewed youth and energy.

Deuteronomy 32:11
Like an eagle that rouses’ her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions.

Exodus 19: 1- 6 19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to God, andp the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

Psalm 103: 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagles.

Interesting facts from all about birds.org the Cornell lab:

Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska.

Had Benjamin Franklin prevailed, the U.S. emblem might have been Wild Turkey. In 1784, Franklin disparaged the national bird’s thieving tendencies and its vulnerability to harassment by small birds. “For my own part,” he wrote, “I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. … Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District.”

Lamentations 4:19 describes the enemies as swift and wise to find the Lord’s people or to cover over God’s people in a negative way.

Habakkuk 1:8 described the enemies of God as eagles that swoop down to devour their prey. Powerful !

Even though Ben Franklin describes the Eagle as a bird of bad moral character since it can be an opportunist when it comes to food, a eagle is powerful. It soars to amazing heights; 10,000 feet, and dives at a speed of 100 miles per hour. They are loyal; they mate for life, are providers for their eaglets, and tenacious. I’m relieved our nations symbol was not a wild Turkey, aren’t you?

According to Kristin Stanton of UniGuide.com, an Eagle symbolizes Loyalty, devotion, freedom, independence, truth, honor,the Divine, and Hope.

The Eagle reminds me that with God I can soar to amazing heights, I can live in the Power of truth and I can live in freedom with my Savior.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength, they will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Steps to the Heart

Understanding that we can not do life alone is not a weakness. When we reach out to the Creator God, He will strengthen our mind, body, and soul. He awaits our voice. The Shephard knows His Sheep. We need His help. Our hearts need repair.

My pastor shared the ABCD Steps of Faith, they really helped me to visualize my individual steps. I needed to consider where I need to make changes.

ABCD Steps of Faith:

As it is written in the Bible, we are called to seek Him in His Word,

Believe He is who He says He is, even if we have doubt we still must stand firm.

Call out our sin and ask Jesus forgiveness, also, Call His scriptures as truth until we can fully walk in faith. (Faith is not something we may visualize as evident, it is deep in the soul commitment.)

The next step is to Do what He calls you to do. Take the steps He calls you to, if it is His plan, He will see you to it.

1, There are many people standing firm in their faith in Jesus that are being persecuted across the world. We must pray for their deliverance to the shelter of the Almighty God.

2. We must pray for others, praise the Lord even if times can be dark. He is the Light in the darkness.

3. When we see a need, we must intercede. Help each other as Jesus is our helper.

4. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

5. Faith over fear is the answer. Be strong with Jesus Christ. He will give you courage.

Deuteronomy 31:6  So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Praising the Lord deepens our heartstrings to His. He created us. He wants us to draw into a relationship with Him (The Triune: God, the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit)

It is a free will choice, not a demand. He started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They broke the human relationship when they ate the apple of the Tree of Wisdom. It is the orginal sin. The snake (the devil) tempted the couple to choose more wisdom than God. The same is true today, we are all tempted by something.

Jesus is the answer the bridge for our relationship with God. He took on all of our sin. He loves His children. He was a living sacrifice.

We must make an individual choice for Jesus. He wants to hold your hand and be on your journey. Let His Peace, His Wisdom, His plan unfold in your life as you seek Him. Consider reading Hebrews 10. It may answer some of your questions.

Zach Williams, a Christian music artist has many awesome songs with messages of transformation, forgiveness, turning to Jesus, learning from your past mistakes. Heaven Help Me really spoke to my soul this week. In humility, Jesus is the only One who can truly help and guide any of His people.

We do not have to be perfect before we take the steps to Jesus. He is the only one who is perfect. Let the lyrics flow over you and seek Jesus. Let Him give you the words as you submit to His authority. He will help you. You are not alone.

If any of the songs I have posted have been a help to you, please let me know. May the praise of the Lord bring hope and encouragement.

Hebrews 10: 19 - 25 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Interchangeable

Photo by Mary Mesikapp

The triune: The Father God, God’s Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three in One. He is the Rock, the God of the Mountains: El Shaddai. He is Omnipresent. ( Jeremiah 23:23-24) No one can hide from Him. Amazing!!

The Names of God are an amazing reflection of His characters . Years ago, I was exposed to this list in a Bible study. My mind has been deeply pondering culture, world news and staying firm in faith with God.

He has shown himself in the joys and trials of life, our God is massive and His Names have specific meaning depending on my circumstances.

I felt called to share this wisdom today. May one of these Names of God bring hope to you and maybe draw you deeper into a relationship with Him.

Adonai – My Great Lord, He is the Majestic Lord, our authority. (Psalm 8:1)
Elohim – The All-Powerful One, He is the Creator of the Heavens and earth. He is everywhere. (Psalm 68)
El Roi – The God who sees me, God knows who we are and what we are going through. (Genesis 16:11-14)
El Shaddai – The God of the Mountains, He is all-powerful and the source of all blessings. (Psalm 139:7-12)
Immanuel – God with us, the Great I Am, Jesus came as a baby, He is in our midst. (Isaiah 8:8-10,Matthew 1:23)
Jehovah – “I AM”, He is the God who never changes. He is faithful, even when we are not. (Psalm 102)
Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord will provide. He will meet all our needs, Jesus, His Son was sacrificed for us. (Psalm 23)
Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord is My Banner, God gives victory, Our battle is against the dark, evil, He is Light.(Ephesians 6:10-18)
Jehovah-Shalom – God of Peace, Jesus is our Prince of Peace, He defeats our enemy when we seek Him. (Hebrews 13:20)
Yahweh – ” I AM”, His promises never fail. He is faithful and never changes. (Malachi 3:6, Psalm 46:1)

We must hold onto the hope found in the unchanging God, who may have many interchangeable names but is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end.

“No one but you”, a song from Hillsong United, brings the breath of life to me as I hear the words of promise. There is No one like our God. May this song encourage you today!!

Fall has come

Photo credits Fall leaves and Apples by Mary Mesikapp

There is something about the fall season. The change of weather from super hot, sticky days, as a fan does not provide relief from the dripping perspiration, heat comes even into the night.

The need for cool, brisk evenings comes to its zenith when the calendar lands on October. Ah, the winds begin to blow more urgently.

It is fall. The days may start off warm, however as the sun begins to drop into its place of rest, the evening temperatures cool bringing comfortable sleep.

The windows are now open for breezy times, the trees rustle as the sound of leaves begin their change of color. Summertime green leaves transform into burgundy, red, orange, yellow and an amazing dark purple. As you crest a hill driving down a country road from the top of the mountain to the valley, the multiple colors can be seen from a distance. It is a breathtaking color palette of leaves from an artists’ brush, the Creator God.

I love fall. Nature cycles from energized green trees, productions of flowers, vegetables and even sunflowers and grain harvests. Farmers combine multiple crops such as wheat, barley, crushing corn stalks for livestock silage and a final crop sugar beets. As temperatures drop, they prepare the land for next years crops.

Apples have been a bumper crop in our area. The sweet, satisfying apples release a juicy taste quenching your thirst and reminding you to add caramel. Yummy! It is fall!

When the winds pick up, blowing in gusts, I see a tumble weed blow across the fields, it picking up another torn dry portion and expand ever larger as it hops along.

Yes, the seasons ( or times) they are a changing, like Bob Dylan sang. It is a time of introspection. A time of considering change in our own life, or maybe holding onto the amazing good things. I am learning not to take anything for granted.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 
1    There is a time for everything,
 and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
 a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
 a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain   from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
 a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
 a time for war and a time for peace.

As the leaves shrivel further they begin to drop from the trees. Piles form and swirl as the gusty winds begin again, it is a restless example of things never staying still for long. Time brings change.

Life is as constant and moving as the leaves. The four seasons remind me to be grateful for transitions: winter, spring, summer and fall. Each season has a purpose just like life.

Leaves remind me as they fall to the ground, drop the old ways. Shriveling leaves, can represent limiting life because choices have caused me to step away from the source of life. There is still time to be made new and alive again.

There is another season to navigate. Get ready because winter can be a time of rest.

Daniel 2: 20 - 25   
Daniel said: 
20 “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.
     He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness,
    and light dwells with him

Fall into the arms of the Creator God. He is wise.

The 3 R’s

Reflect, Repent, Refresh: the 3 Rs keep flowing through my mind. There is always a work to be done daily. We are works in progress. The Refiner of our lives is burning off the dross.

When I was in high school, I was so glad to go to a technical trade school. Along with my core classes, I was required to take drafting, architectural drafting, electric, wood, machine shop and foundry. These classes shaped me in more ways than I realized.

Foundry was fascinating. We were able to design projects of the school mascot or logos. As we tapped away at the oiled sand to tighten the molds, we worked out more than the standard teen energy and hormones. We were creating something unique. Our teacher was an eccentric type, who occasionally wore roller skates in the school not the shop. It was a huge school the size of a city college. Crazy, huh?

One day, I was chosen to help stoke the fires to melt the silver colored metal. The heat was intense, the flames danced as we added more metal. The next step was to help pour the now, molten metal into the students molds. The kiln was super heavy giving off intense heat.

As the melted metal poured, the steam rose, the room became heated, and all students were quiet. The silver metal glistened and floating along the surface was a darkened substance, this is the dross.

Life is like the process of melting metal. We are tapped into a mold of some sort, our genetics and environment play key roles. The daily walk can bring up the heat, as if a stoked fire. The elements can be dynamics of our family of origin, our life experience, our joys and our trials, things in our control and not. A challenge causes some days to be superheated.

We can let the steam of anger and disappointment flow off our minds as we mediate on the knowledge that God is with us and seek His wisdom moment to moment. Or we can let the steam build to a volcano of impulsive fury and damage relationships.

When we learn to use our voice to express needs, find healthy relationships, believe we are deserving of a blessed life and look to the future with purpose not dread, we are allowing the best in our lives to be used in the mold. We dump the dross of hurts, trust God and seek like minded people, so we can grow into a glistening Light for the world. A reflection of Jesus is in each of us!!

When we don’t learn the healthier coping techniques, we feel stuck and immovable like a chunk of dross blocking the metals flow. Some people become codependent, concern for others opinion over the Lord. Yes, I have chosen poorly at times!!

Sometimes the trials can refine our lives. It allows us to reflect on choices; good and poor, and turn back to allow God, the Refiner to remove our imperfections.

According to Merrimam Webster’s Dictionary, repent means to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to amend one’s life, to regret, change one’s mind.

Romans 12: 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

We can reflect, ask the Lord to help us reframe, repent and renew our mind. When we align with His wisdom, we are allowing His renewal of our mind. It takes work, but remember we are works in progress.

Ephesians 2 :10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Reflect on this: He wants to guide, bless your life. We must drop the wheel as Carrie Underwood sang about in her song, “Jesus, take the wheel”. We have to stop pride, and wanting control and let Him guide. Will you?

What does it mean to refresh? The Merrimam Webster dictionary defines refresh as to restore strength, to revive, to repair. It’s okay to bend our knee to the Savior.

Matthew 11 :28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Are you ready for refreshment? Are you open to repair? It’s a scary proposition. But do you want to see a different future? Then take a risk. The Savior, Jesus extends His hand. Choose to have a life of righteousness.

Matthew 7 :7 - 8   Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

May you glisten in the Light of the Savior, repent, reflect, refreshed and made new.

I just had to add this awesome song by Crowder, “In the House”, get up and praise or keep the beat. Amen!!!

Salmon Endurance

Do you ever feel like a salmon swimming against the river current? You are in the living water, it provides a vehicle to allow your movement to a different place. Yet the boulders and tree branches that are scattered in the river provide the potential for detours, fits and stops.

You are using all your energy to stay in motion. Your body burns the calories, especially if your favorite stress reliever chocolate. Yum!! Yet the sugar in chocolate is still not enough to keep you moving.

If you remember your Biology class, once your simple sugars ( carbohydrates) are drained, your blood sugar drops and your body seeks another source of energy, such as fats and proteins. If you are endowed with an extra muffin top in your midsection, it may be a good thing to feel that fat waste away. If you are not endowed with extra insulating fat, your muscles can loose the protein energy and as a result, you tire and muscle can waste away. No Bueno!!!

Its the building blocks of proteins such as meats, nuts and such that provide the best energy source. You see, those food products can be used and last longer than carbs.

We need energy to endure in life. We must seek approval of God over man to endure. We must swim with endurance the river journey of faith.

Galatians 1:10 NLT
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
❤️

The time we spend getting to know Jesus and filling up on His Word is like the protein stores. There are more energy bursts to grab from as you work through your day.

If you add additional stress, trials, illness, or trauma, you are drained like a salmon swimming upstream. One obstacle after another works against you.

You must dig deep into the words from scripture that can pop into your mind. This will only happen if you have been mediating on God’s wisdom. It can come to the surface of your mind energizing you and providing a place to turn to God over the river currents.

Philippians 1:6 NLT. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Rest in Him

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Whatever you may be going through, do not loose hope. Rest in Him. We don’t know the future, but if we are willing we can get to know the Creator God who knows the plans He has.

Fear comes from the enemy, Satan, He wants to keep us trembling, anxious, fearful, and hopeless. But God calls us to Trust in Him. It’s called faith over fear!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Read in your Bible, Matthew chapter 6, it is full of instructions for life. If you don’t have a Bible go online to biblegateway.com. Just place the name Matthew 6 in the keyword search and open your mind to God’s wisdom.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Having faith in hard, challenging times is not easy? But it is necessary. Where do you put your faith? Is it in another person, another circumstance, an idol such as materialism, your bank account, from the words of others, alcohol or drugs, or any other distraction?

The world is full of distractions that can not bring peace but more stress and fears. Reaching for more of Jesus can really change your life. He knows all about you. He waits.

Only Jesus can fill the empty spaces of our heart, mind, and soul. He is the filler of unconditional love. He can be trusted.

Take a deep breath slow and easy. Do you feel it? He is breathing life in you as He did Adam and Eve. I have shared this promise from scripture before, it is a great reminder daily for me and maybe for you.

God is for us. I will say it again,He breathes His breath of life into us.

Enjoy this praise moment from an awesome song, Rest in Us, by Maverick City Music x Upperroom. I hope it flows over you like only the Holy Spirit ( God) can. Feel a moment of His Presence.

Take a step of faith. There is nothing to loose and much to gain. Even If you fail, God will pick you up. We have to reach out our heart, mind, soul and reach for His. He will direct you.

We have to take steps of faith. Be willing to be works in progress. Let Him lift up your chin. He loves you. Rest in Him.

It Takes Work

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Webster’s definition of work: to exert one’s self for a purpose; to put forth effort for the attainment of an object; to labor; to be engagaed in a performance or task.

We cannot be rewarded without working toward a goal. We need to pay bills to eat, pay rent, enjoy life these are gifts of our labor.

Exodus 5:18 Go, therefore now and work for there will be no straw given you.

Another definition of work: to be effective; to have influence. We can be an influencer using our words and actions for good things or in impulse for poor examples.

Romans 8:28 We know all things work together for good to them that love God.

When I think of work, I think of energy spent for a cause. It can be physical; use of muscles, emotional; as when someone does the work of recovery such as in grief, addiction or mental health, or it can be spiritual; as in working through our faith as a child of God, gaining perspective of Jesus.

All types of work require determination, energy drain and a desire for new perspective. We all are born with purpose. Each of us are created uniquely to use our lives for good things in our sphere of influence.

Life may try to chip away our purpose by things done to us, by our own choices, or just plain circumstances beyond our control. We must stand up, push away the garbage of lies, step away from people who block our purpose and believe that the Lord has better connections (if we are patient) on the horizon.

We must work to discover our purpose, however, we can ask Jesus to show us His plan and then together we can carry the load. We must ask Jesus into our lives. We do not have to go it alone.

The Lord has given us a path to take that isn’t about work, it is about accepting the free gift of Jesus. It is our free choice to take the gift of love, grace, mercy, and eternal connection with Him. Jesus died on the cross for all His children to provide a way for our forever connection to God. It is not a forced relationship, it is our choice.

Open your hand, open your heart and let your soul connect to Him ( Jesus) today. Accept the free gift and let Him guide the labor and connections of your life. He wants to help you carry the burdens. All you have to do is ask Him. Jesus said in the book of Matthew to people who were seeking answers:

Matthew 11: 28 – 30 ” Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

I did a eulogy at my Grandmothers funeral and this is the scripture I shared with my Irish family. I said, “Grandma is no longer struggling to breathe or with Dementia confusion, she is dancing through the Pearly Gates to Jesus.” My family needed to be reminded of the free gift, we all need to be reminded. 🙂

Do you want to decrease your burdens and heavy life load? Do you want the free gift? He promises to be with you if you ask. It takes action, a step of faith. It is between you and Jesus, it is a call to a relationship of love. If you are ready to open your heart it is amazing!!

Repeat after me: Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I want a new life with You. Please forgive my sins of __________________________________. I know You created me for a purpose. I repent ( turn away from the sins that blocked me from you). I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died for my sins. I want You to guide my life my life. Thank you for the free gift of love, grace, and mercy. I am a child of God. Amen.

Be in expectancy for a new sunrise; a new day is dawning. If you have prayed this prayer and honestly seek Jesus He is in your heart. Welcome to the family of God, I rejoice with you.

Letting Jesus guide your life is a daily action step. As humans, we can tend to want to take back control. I am grateful for Jesus. He understands our human conditions. Turn to Him and seek His wisdom. He can be trusted.

Next steps: Take time to discover, by opening the Bible, seek the wisdom of your Creator God. It takes forming a habit to make time daily to read and be instructed. Our ( sin patterns) habits can be hard to break but it will be worth the labor.

If you do not have a Bible, you can go online to the Bible gateway website: https://www.biblegateway.com/ or access the Bible through the to take further steps https://youversion.com/the-bible-app/ and access the Word of God.

Expect there to be interruptions when you try to make new habits seeking God. This isn’t about guilt if you miss a day. It is about restarting again. Jesus does not shame He wants a relationship of love. I have heard it said “habits can take 28 days”. You can be transformed to new beginnings or renewed commitments, new life.

The Book of John, found in the New Testament, of the Bible is a great place to start. As you learn about Jesus and his time with the disciples on earth, you will be moved by his love.

May you feel the love of Jesus today.