i called

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry... But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.  “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good.    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’

– Jonah 2:2, 7-9

I called to the Lord.

How often do we do that for real? 

Do we lean on Him when we are hurting, scared, lonely, lost, distressed, or do we try to handle everything by ourselves?

If we try to do things without His help, in a way we are clinging to those worthless idols: money, time, leaders . . .

And we will end up in a pit.

Aren’t we lucky that God listens for our cry, He hears our cry.

And He lifts us up from our sorrow.  

Thank you, God!

Have a blessed day.

great!

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

– Psalm 117

I have refrained for a while, but I have to now . . . Song reference!!  

Great are You, Lord

Mighty in strength

You are faithful

And You will ever be

We will praise You

All of our days

It's for Your glory

We offer everything

Raise your hands all you nations

Shout to God, all creation

How awesome is the Lord most high

Where You send us

God, we will go

You're the answer

We want the world to know

We will trust You

When You call our name

Where You lead us

We'll follow all the way

Raise your hands all you nations

Shout to God, all creation

How awesome is the Lord most high

We will praise You together

For now and forever

How awesome is the Lord most high

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

How awesome is the Lord most high

Have a blessed day.

I chose that song today, there are so many songs out there that we could talk about with this verse.

His Love endures forever.

Great is Your faithfulness.

Praise His Name.

I have so much for which to praise Him, so much for which to thank Him.

I sure hope that you do too!

Have a blessed day!

what has you down?

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

– Proverbs 12:25

Oh goodness.

Ever feel like someone is speaking directly to you?

I suffer from anxiety disorders, I try not to let it affect me, but it does, sometimes it is overwhelming.

For the most part, my husband can see when I am stressed and talk me down, but sometimes he adds to it instead.

I am pretty sure he knows this.

My heart can get pretty down, and God’s word is the kind word I need.  

If this is you today, let me know.

We will find the words you need to hear together.

Have a blessed day.

my answer

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

– 1 Peter 3:15

Everyone has something to say.

Some people do not understand how to say things with gentleness and respect.

I have had many people over the years ask me why I have so much faith in a god I cannot see, especially if they know some of the things I have been through.

First let me say that there are many out there, some that are reading this right now, that have been through far worse than I have.

And they too, still have faith in God.

I have hope, because I know the promises my God made.

I have hope because I have seen His miracles.

I have hope because I know my Redeemer lives (oh yes, that is a song reference).

I will share those reasons with anyone who inquires.

Have a blessed day.

knock, knock, knock . . . all my friends?

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. ... "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

—Revelation 3:14, 20

Knock, knock, knock, all my friends?

Knock, knock, knock, all my friends?

Knock, knock, knock, all my friends?

I am a huge fan of the TV series The Big Bang Theory, and that is really one of my favorite lines. 

I love it when someone opens the door before Sheldon can finish, and he is frustrated, or when Penny answers in crazy ways.

How do you answer when someone knocks?

Do you stand on the other side of the door and talk to them?

Do you look through a peephole or a window to see who it is?

When you see who it is, or hear their voice, and it is someone you know, I am guessing that you let them in.

So, why is the door to your heart still closed?  Jesus is knocking.

Have a blessed day!

who do you belong to?

If we live, we live to the Lord: and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

—Romans 14:8

I get fussed at for not always wearing my helmet when I ride my motorcycle.

I understand this, especially having already been in an accident myself (years ago), and having several close friends that have had major accidents resulting in serious injury.

Maybe this sounds terrible, but honestly, if I die today, I know to whom I belong.

My heart belongs to Jesus.

Have a blessed day!

my approval rating

Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

—2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Today’s world is full of participation awards.

We can’t go anywhere or do anything without someone wanting to brag that they were there.

Back in the day (yeah, I am old), you had to try out for a position on the team, and if you were not good enough you were not part of that team.

I get it, our precious self-esteem needs a boost.

But i would rather have my boost come from God, than an “I was there” trophy.

Have a blessed day!

can you help?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

– Isaiah 6:8

Every day we see requests for volunteers, requests for help.

School just started, parents are being recruited for PTA, for classroom helpers, for booster clubs.

Fall activities are being kicked off in churches, congregations are being approached to help lead classes, to be on committees, to be greeters.

There are FaceBook (and other social media) fundraisers going on for non-profits and for individuals, some that really tug at your heart strings.

Even I just created a “go fund me” page for a dear friend who was in a terrible motorcycle accident 10 days ago.

Everywhere you look there are opportunities to step up and help others.

If you listen, God will tell you what He wants you to do to help in your church, in your community, in your state, your country, on earth.

But what if no one listens?

What if no one said “Here I am, send me.”?

What if there were no volunteers?

I am sad to think that there are situations where no one is listening to God when He tells them to go.

Is the Lord calling you to do something?

What is your answer?

Have a blessed day!

what do you need?

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

– Philippians 4:12-13

WOW.

I can tell you that I have been in bad places in my life, not knowing what my next meal would be or how I was going to pay the bills.

I have also been blessed to have a roof over my head and food in my belly.

I am also guilty of wanting more.

Over the years I have come to realize that I don’t need the very best of everything. 

I have also learned to appreciate how much or how little I may have at the moment.

I may not have a huge house, the latest tech gadgets or designer clothes, purses or shoes, but what I do have is mine through God.

I am so thankful that I have Him.

Have a blessed day.

how do you say this?

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

– Philippians 1:15-16

These days we see a lot of Bible verses taken completely out of context and being thrown around.

I have actually had people quote verses to me and demand that I explain how my God is a good God if these things are in the Bible.

It makes me quite sad.

There are literally people out there that will pull words out, change words completely and twist everything around, to conform the Bible to their point of view or to try and use the Bible against people who are preaching the truth.

Those that preach hatred and unacceptance are not preaching God’s word, no matter how they try to disguise it as such.

Listen carefully to the words when you hear someone preaching and determine if they are genuinely loving Christ, or if they are imposters trying to steal you from the one true God.

Have a blessed day!

what do you make of it?

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

– Mark 4:18-19

Growing up in a farm community, I often heard the phrase “you reap what you sow”.

But what about those seeds that you care so much about, planting in the best soil, watering daily, making sure they’ve plenty of sun, yet they wither and die?

I have tried so many times to grow different flowers and plants, and regardless of the research and loving care I give them, they all end up wilted and sad looking, and I end up disappointed in the failure.

I wonder if God feels disappointed when His seeds (humans) fail.

I’m certain that He does.

But unlike me and my dead plants, God is able to breathe new life into His seeds, if we let Him.

We must listen for His voice!

We must hear His word and follow it.

Let His love flow into us, and let us stop being choked by the things of this world.

Have a blessed day!

look at your heart

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

—1 Samuel 16:7

You can go anywhere and see some very interesting things.

I am very critical of my own appearance, even though I know I should not be . . .  a lady told me last week at a clothing store as I pondered making a purchase that women are our own worst critics.

Quite often I find myself looking at the way others dress, wondering if the own a mirror. . .

WOW – I am SO glad that God does not do that! 

I am reminded of a poem from long ago, many variations can be found on the internet:

God doesn’t care about the kind of car you drive, but He might ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

God doesn’t care about the square footage of your home, but He might ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God doesn’t care about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but He might ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

God doesn’t care about your social status, but He might ask if you were a friend to the lonely.

God doesn’t care about the material possessions you had, but He might ask if they dictated your life.

God doesn’t care what your highest salary was, but He might  ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.

God doesn’t care how many promotions you received, but He might ask how you promoted others.

God doesn’t care what your job title was, but He might ask if you preformed your job to the best of your ability.

God doesn’t care what you did to help yourself, but He might ask what you did to help others.

God doesn’t care how many friends you had, but He might ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.

God doesn’t care what you did to protect your rights, but He might ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God doesn’t care what neighborhood you lived in, but He might ask how you treated your neighbors.

God doesn’t look at what you have, He looks at what is in your heart.

What is in your heart?

Have a blessed day!

help in trouble

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

—Psalm 46:1

In the past 15 days I believe I have experienced every possible emotion.

All the emotions that go along with travel and vacation, spending time with family and coming back home.

For me, the high points of the trip were seeing the animals at Bear Country USA and the waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon.

My lowest point though, was learning of a dear friend in critical condition after a motorcycle accident.

How we have been praying for her.

She is strong in her faith, and I know that she knows that while her earthly body is in trouble (pain) she is able to turn to God for strength.

All of us need to know that we can turn to Him. 

He will help us.

No matter what trouble we are walking through, God is our refuge and strength.

Have a blessed day!

I messed up

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

– Psalm 73:1-3

I am not perfect.

There, I said it for all the world to hear (hey children of mine – pay attention!)

I have messed up bad and some of my mistakes have cost me friendships.

I hope that I don’t mess up that bad again, but I am human, and I will make mistakes.

I am lucky that God is good.

He loves me, even when I mess up.

I just have to acknowledge my mistakes, ask for forgiveness and take care not to make those mistakes again.

Don’t envy the arrogant and the wicked, but follow the path of the righteous.

Have a blessed day!

*Last time :  I am taking a break next week, I’m going to be completely unplugged, so there will be no daily bread emails or blog updates until the week of the 13th.  J

how about some bread?

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

—Matthew 4:4

Are you hungry?

When we are hungry, it is easy to go grab something from the kitchen or run to get a to go order.

But what about feeding your soul?

Your soul needs God's Word, His written Word, the Bible.

God demonstrated the Word in Jesus.

He proclaimed His Word in the Gospel.

These Words are more powerful that a triple burger,  these Words can sustain us eternally.

(I was going to put “these words are more powerful than a cowboy ribeye” for my husband, but realized that not everyone knows how absurdly large a cowboy ribeye actually is!)

This is the living bread we seek.

This is my daily bread (song reference!)

This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence
Living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word
Spoken to me
And I... I'm desperate for you
And I... I'm lost without you

Today on the way to work, I was reminded to slow down. 

On my way to work this morning, i got behind a car on one of the main roads (speed limit 50) that was doing about 40 and i could not pass, and as a result i had to stop at every signal light (3) on that road.

Then when i got on the interstate, i could not get past a line of cars doing 60. 

When i finally made it to my exit, the line was back far enough that i had to wait for a second green to get onto the road that leads me to the office.

i just felt like He is telling me to slow down. . . telling me that I needed to breathe.

Go feed your soul.

Have a blessed day!  

*ICYMI :  I will be taking a break next week, I’m going to be completely unplugged, so there will be no blog updates until the week of the 13th.  J

getting rid of the icky stuff

Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

—James 1:21

Have you watched prime time TV or been to a movie lately?

There is a lot of horrible stuff out there that is passed off as “entertainment”.

I can’t even begin to talk about what is on the internet.

I believe that people really struggle with what is right in the eyes of society and what is right in the eyes of God.

I remember when people would cringe at swear words, and TV shows could not depict a bathroom or a bedroom.

There was an episode of “Leave It To Beaver” that the writers and the network fought to air because it had a toilet in it.  

A toilet!

Back in the day TV shows didn’t air pregnant women, bathrooms, married couples sleeping in the same bed . . .

And today we are just short of seeing literally everything on regular network TV.

Be cognizant of what you are watching, reading, hearing and doing.

Lean more toward what you know is in God’s word.

Have a blessed day!

*side note: I will be taking a break next week, I’m going to be completely unplugged, so there will be no blog updates until the week of the 13th.  J