no matter what

He answered me, “I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me.

- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLV)

 

It’s a little bit crazy to think about, but have you considered that God is all you need, no matter what?
“No matter what” are three pretty strong words when we use them. 
People say that they will never speak to someone that hurt them, no matter what. 
Couples say they will stay together, no matter what. 

Friends say they will be there for each other, no matter what.

But sometimes the “what” happens.
And then we feel alone. 
But we don’t have to be alone, because there is someone that is with us, always, no matter what.  
Check out this song from Ryan Stevenson released in 2018 called No Matter What: 
A lot of us grew up believing

At any moment we could lose it all

And at the drop of a hat

God might turn His back and move on

A lot of us feel like we blew it

Thinking that we're just too far gone

But I want you to know

There's still a hope for you now

No matter what you've done

You can't erase His love

Nothing can change it

You're not separated

No matter what

There's never been a better time to get honest

There's never been a better time to get clean

So come as you are

Run to the cross and be free

Oh, be free

No matter what you've done

You can't erase His love

Nothing can change it

You're not separated

No matter where you run

He's always holding on

You're still a daughter, you're still a son

No matter what

I don't know what you've been taught

Don't know what you've been told

All I know is my God

Will never let go of you, no

And I don't know what you've seen

Don't know what you've been through

All I know is my God

Will never let go of you

He'll never let go!

He'll never, never, never let you go

No matter what you've done

You can't erase His love

Nothing can change it

You're not separated

No matter where you run

He's always holding on

You're still a daughter, you're still a son

No matter what
God really is your “ride or die” – He won’t give up on you, so don’t give up on Him.
No matter what.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

keep the light on

For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

- Psalm 18:28 NKJV

 

Commercial jingles and slogans are supposed to catch your ear and make you want what ever product they are trying to sell.
If they are really good, people can just mention the tag line of the commercial and everyone knows what product they are talking about.

It’s the real thing – Coca-Cola.

Have it your way – Burger King.
No one can eat just one – Lay’s Potato Chips.
We bring good things to life – General Electric. 

Just do it – Nike.

Since 1986, Motel 6 had Tom Bodett saying, “We’ll leave the light on for ya”.

Believe it or not, Motel 6 didn’t plan for that to be their slogan, it was an ad-lib while in the recording studio.
Leaving a light on is not a new concept, and it isn’t just about hotels. 
People have been using light to find their way for centuries. 
The stars, a lighthouse, a lamp in the window, a signal fire, there are all kinds of light to show us the way.

In 2023 David Leonard released a song called Keep The Light On, here are some of the lyrics:
The day’s been a struggle

And the nights been hard

I’ve been romin’ through the dark

With a broken heart

When temptation leaves me walking blind

I’ll look to You Lord every time

Like a full moon rising

In the dead of night

Your love came and found me

Like a satellite

Come flood this soul make

It burn so bright

The shadows have nowhere to hide

Like a lighthouse in the storm

Like a star that points me north

I’d be lost without

Your lamp unto my feet

Like a voice that calls me home

All my days forever more

Won’t You keep the light on

Keep the light on me

Won’t You keep the light on

Keep the light on

On me

There’s a grace like a fire

Oh it won’t burn out

To a sinner like me

How sweet the sound

You found me when I cried out

I looked to You then like

I look to You now

Like a lighthouse in the storm

Like a star that points me north

I’d be lost without

Your lamp unto my feet

Like a voice that calls me home

All my days forever more

Won’t You keep the light on

Keep the light on me
That is pretty deep, isn’t it? 

When we have a bad day, God can be our light.
When we are sad or broken or in trouble, God is the light that leads us out of the darkness.

No matter what you are going through, there really is light.
God is our light. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

build me up, Buttercup

So let us do all we can to live in peace. And let us work hard to build up one another.

- Romans 14:19 (NIRV)

 

Back in 1968 there was a song released by a band called the Foundations called Build Me Up Buttercup.
It hit number three on the Billboard in 1969, and it rose in popularity again when it was featured in the 1998 film There’s Something About Mary.
Since then, it has been on TV and in film and used in a series of Geico commercials.
If you build someone up, you help them to feel stronger or more confident, and don’t we all want someone to do that for us?

The song has a catchy uplifting tune, but the lyrics were a little controversial in that the singer was desperate for a girl who did not reciprocate his affection.
In the song, the girl is said to basically lie to the guy, saying she will call but she doesn’t, or she will meet him and she doesn’t show.
She builds up his confidence and then destroys him by not following through. 
People do that all the time in real life, sadly.

If we go by what the Bible says, we are definitely supposed to build each other up, there are over twenty verses telling us to encourage one another.
I think that if the human race would be more encouraging and less degrading we would have the peace that is talked about in this verse.
We all can use some building up. 
I challenge you to say something nice to the next person you see. 
It might be fun to see how many people we can make have a little bit of a brighter day by working hard to build them up.   

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

all done

Let all that you do be done with love.

- 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NKJV)

 

Love.

I have had a lot of my “daily bread” writings focused on love.

There are so many kinds of love!

The love a parent has for a child, the love a child has for a parent, love between siblings and other family members, love that is felt among close friends.
Love of a particular place or thing. 
Every where around us, there is love. 
Love can be a noun, as in an intense feeling of deep affection, or great interest or pleasure in something.
Love can be a verb when used with an object, as in to have a warm personal attachment, or to feel a strong liking for or enjoy with enthusiasm.

Love can be a term of endearment or a not so simple emotion.
I am very passionate about cats, and for several years I fostered cats through various organizations, yes, I love cats.
To this day, there is not a hungry cat in my neighborhood because I put food out for them (and the opossums and raccoons, birds and squirrels, and hummingbirds too!).

I would work endless hours taking care of sick cats, watching over newborn kittens, bottle feeding, medicating, playing and snuggling, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.
I did it because I loved them. 
I cried my heart out if one was stillborn, when we had a kitty that was suffering, when disease took the little lives away from me.
I’m not the only one, there is a whole community or people out there that give their hearts to rescue.
All done with love. 

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if everything that every person did was done with love?
Let all that you do be done with love. 

No matter how trivial or mundane it might seem, when we do things with love, we feel better.

When we feel better it shows, and other people see us happy.

When other people see us happy, they want to be happy too, and it goes on and on.

Make a difference in the world - Let all that you do be done with love.   

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

in this life

If we have hope in Christ in this life only, we are more sad than anyone else.

- 1 Corinthians 15:19 (NLV)

 

This verse struck me as a bit odd.

In this life only, as if we have more than one life?
Of course, this is just one of many translations of this verse, but still, I had to Google it.
I found a great explanation on Bibleref dot com (spelled out to avoid the link form spamming everyone).

What would be the point of a version of Christianity in which Christ was never raised from the dead? People who do not believe in resurrection from the dead must confront this essential question. The picture is bleak. If Christ was not raised from the dead, then the gospel is false and those who teach it are liars. Those who believe it have wasted their time and are still unforgiven by God for their sin and bound for hell. Those who have already died suffer in that eternal death already.

Perhaps this group of misled Corinthians believed in annihilation of both body and spirit at death, as many in the culture believed. If so, they would have viewed the benefits of faith in Christ to be limited only to this life before absolute death. Paul begins here to reject that any such experience would be worthwhile. If our hope in Christ is a hope that ends with our physical death in this life, what a waste of time!

This lament is especially poignant for people like Paul, who suffered extreme persecution for their faith. If Jesus Christ was not literally raised from the dead, then the physical and emotional abuse Paul suffered was truly pointless. Here, again, reason and logic shine through in Christianity: if there is no life to come, it makes sense to view people who believe in it with pity. Some today do exactly that. Paul says they are right to do so—if Christ and those who follow Him are not resurrected to new life.

That makes sense, and it kind of follows that quote attributed to Albert Camus:  

I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is.

It really is sad when we question God’s existence in our own minds.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

each day is special

In a large house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also things made of wood and clay. Some things are used for special purposes, and others are made for ordinary jobs. All who make themselves clean from evil will be used for special purposes. They will be made holy, useful to the Master, ready to do any good work.

- 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NCV)

 

I have seen many stories on social media about not saving the “good stuff” for a special occasion.
There is the story about the man who is gong through his wife’s closet picking out clothes for her funeral and being sad that she didn’t ever wear a specific dress.
The stories go on to say something like “use the fine china, wear the expensive perfume, put on the fancy dress, because every day is special.

Once again, I like the Message translation of this verse too:  In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.

Everything has a purpose, this is true, and I really like the thought of being the kind of container that is used for blessings.

I would much rather be clean and used for special purposes than a container for garbage, wouldn’t you?

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

build a boat

 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth! Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.

- Genesis 6:13-14 (NLT)

 

Through the years people have done some crazy things, things that made neighbors wonder if they had lost their marbles.
Noah built an ark in the desert. 
Benjamin Franklin flew a kite in a lightning storm. 
Wilbur and Orville Wright built machine after machine trying to take flight. 
Granted, to the best of my knowledge the only one that was directed by God Himself was Noah.
And the people laughed. 

The people made fun of Noah.

Then the rains came, and it wasn’t so funny anymore.

 In 2023, Colton Dixon released Build A Boat, a song he was inspired to write after he read the story of Noah and realized how much courage it took for Noah to build the ark.

I've been wandering through the desert

Ain't seen a cloud in forever over me

But I believe Your rain is coming, mm

Yeah, I've been hanging onto high hopes

'Cause You're the one who's making dry bones come to life

You're the light I put my trust in

Every word You say is gonna come true

You will lead me to the promised land

Everything You say is gonna happen

Even though I haven't seen it yet

I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains

I will stand up in faith, I'll do anything it takes

With Your wind in my sails, Your love never fails or fades

I'll build a boat in the desert place

And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah

I'll ride the storm 'cause I got You by my side

With Your wind in my sails, Your love never fails or fades

I'll build a boat, so let it rain

You're the map, You're my compass

You help me navigate the currents underneath

Take the lead, I surrender

Every word You say is gonna come true

You will lead me to the promised land

Everything You say is gonna happen

Even though I haven't seen it yet

I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains

I will stand up in faith, I'll do anything it takes

With Your wind in my sails, Your love never fails or fades

I'll build a boat in the desert place

And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah

I'll ride the storm 'cause I got You by my side

With Your wind in my sails, Your love never fails or fades

I'll build a boat, so let it rain

I'll build a boat, so let it rain

You might do something that an outsider considers crazy or unusual, don’t let the naysayers stop you.

You might see someone doing something odd or unusual, don’t be a naysayer.

We don’t know if God is telling someone to build an ark right now.
Too often we don’t even recognize when God is telling us what to do. 

Let’s support each other in all our endeavors, you never know when we will need that boat.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

casting

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

- Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

 

I really like the ability to google all my questions.

I don't always get the answer that I am seeking, but i get some kind of answer.

I googled “cast your troubles on the Lord” and came back with six verses.

SIX!

Everything from "don’t worry", to "cast your burdens", to "cast your anxiety", to "fear not!".

I have all those things: worry, burdens, anxiety (boy howdy, do I have anxiety!) and fear.

And I am instructed to just let it all go, like one would cast a fishing line out to the lake.

That is a tough one for sure.
But God loves us so much that He wants us to share our trouble, our sorrow, our burdens, our anxiety with Him.

And the best part?

He will make it go away, maybe not in the time frame you would like, but it will go away.

He will sustain you, maybe not quite the way you anticipated, but you will be sustained.

He will give you rest, perhaps not the kind of rest you want, but the kind He knows you need.

He will help you because He cares for you.

Why even consider looking elsewhere?

Cast all your cares on Him.

Also, feel free to look up the other five “cast your troubles” verses.  

They are Isaiah 41:13, Matthew 6:25, Matthew 11:28-29, Philippians 4:6-7, and 1 Peter 5:7, not necessarily in that order.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

send help

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

- Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

 

Have you noticed that it is easy to be happy when everything is going well?

I learned early in life that I let things bring me down very easily, and all it takes is one tiny thing to send me spiraling down.

And asking for help, well, that is one of the hardest things that I must do.

There are so many times that I want someone to just do things for me, times when life crashes in and I wish I could be a child again just to have someone take care of me and protect me.

But I don’t want to ask for that kind of help.
I don’t want people to know when I am hurting. 

God knows.
God can help. 

When we find ourselves struggling, let’s just reach up and let God take us by the hand.

We will be OK.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

thoughts

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

- Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV)

 

I am a little bit of a nerd . . .  my brother raised me on Star Trek and Star Wars, my husband further encouraged my love for fantasy/sci-fi by exposing me to Battlestar Galactica and the Marvel superheroes so forgive me if when I hear this verse, my mind wanders to the Vulcan mind meld “my mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts”.

Sometimes I feel like it would be nice to know what God is thinking, but in reality, there is no way our tiny human minds could possibly comprehend the vast expanse of knowledge that God has. 

Honestly, I don’t think that we would want to, either.

Our hearts could not take the pain and suffering that God sees, we see the suffering of our friends, family, neighborhoods, even cities, states, and countries, but God sees it ALL. 

If it hurts us to see our friends and family in pain and we are not able to do anything, imagine how God feels when He sees His children hurting, and not turning to Him.

God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours, but He wants us to lean on Him, call out to Him, and rely on Him, and when we trust Him in all things.
This option is far better than a Vulcan mind meld.  

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

it hurts

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?” They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God   and ponder what he has done. The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him!

- Psalm 64:1-10 (NIV)

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

That is the biggest untruth that I was ever told as a child, an untruth that we continue to tell children today.

There are over 50 verses in the Bible about tongues and words being like swords.

Words do hurt.

Think about what you say before you say it.

Think about who you are speaking to and who is listening to you speak.

Actions hurt too; God sees when people are planning to do evil things.
Stay strong in your faith, those people who are hurting you will answer for it. 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

it’s tax day (again)

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

- Romans 13:6-7 (NIV)

 

Hopefully, everyone has filed their taxes or requested an extension for submitting their 2023 information.

In the US we pay taxes on everything from food and fuel to clothes and activities.

We pay taxes when we receive our paychecks, and we pay taxes when we buy stuff.

We pay taxes when we live and believe it or not, we pay taxes when we die!

And we still must file taxes before the middle of the third month and sometimes we have to pay more taxes then!

It feels sometimes like we pay more in taxes that we do for actual products or services!

Accountants love tax time (I can’t imagine loving math and all those numbers!) I think the general population hates tax time.

Regardless of how we feel about taxes, it is the law that we pay them, both government law and God’s law.

I am glad that most tax collectors are nicer today than they were in Jesus’ time.

God directs us to give what we owe, and that is often more than just money, it is also about honor, respect and even love.

You can’t expect to be honored, respected, and loved if you don’t show the same to others.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

this is us

Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go.

- Song of Solomon 3:4a (NKJV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 (NIV)

Today you get a two-fer, because today is special. 
It was on this day 27 years ago, the day after my hometown had the last blizzard of the year that I walked into a Lutheran Church knowing I would never be the same when I walked out.
That was the day that I married my soul mate, the one I love. 
I know, it sounds sappy, but he really is my person. 
Marriage is not an easy thing, especially marriage to me. 
Our marriage endured some serious challenges through the years.
There has been a lot of giving and taking, so many arguments and craziness. 

We’ve had kids, two sides of in-laws, job changes, cross country moves, complete changes in the direction we thought our lives would take.

But we stuck it out.
It can be hard to remember the important things about love, the patient and kind parts, the not easily angered and keeping no record of wrongs parts.

I know there were arguments where one of us would mention a past event, trying to hurt the other.

That is not good for a marriage, holding bitterness and anger in our hearts will destroy a marriage.
I am thankful that we worked through our problems, our insecurities, our bitterness, anger and hurt, so many marriages don’t survive things like that.

Everyone said we wouldn’t last, but look, we fooled them!

Happy anniversary, my love (yes, he reads these), you are the one my soul loves.

Love endures all things, especially the kind of love that God blesses.
The kind of love we have.
Faith, hope, and love are important.
And the greatest of these is love.

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

blessed

Her children rise up and bless her. Her husband, too, joins in the praise, saying: “There are some—indeed many—women who do well in every way, but of all of them only you are truly excellent.”

- Proverbs 31:28-29 (VOICE)

 

Today is a wonderful day!
On this day, God sent an amazing woman to live on Earth, her name is Jan, and she is my mother-in-law. 
I might be biased, but my mother-in-law is phenomenal. 
She raised my husband to be the loving and nurturing man that he is, and she has molded me into a better woman with her teachings. 
My mother-in-law is everything that I am not, she is patient and kind and looks out for everyone. 
She is an awesome cook and has taught me lots of kitchen shortcuts and super delicious recipes plus all kinds of sewing fun.   
She showed me what unconditional love is. 

If I had to spend the rest of my life with only one person and it could not be my husband, I would choose my mother-in-law.
Happy birthday, Mom, I love you.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

woman

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 

- John 4:6-7 (NKJV)

The woman at the well.
Chances are you have heard this story of Jesus on His way to Galilee, having a conversation with a Samaritan woman.
Back in those days, the Jewish people did not think much of the people of Samaria.
Additionally, this woman was known in her village as a woman of ill repute. 
But Jesus came to her when she needed Him most. 
He opened her eyes and her heart to Him, to the Savior of the world. 
Oliva Lane loved music from a very young age, but she didn’t know God.
She went into the world with a dream, and she found success but she also found anxiety and stress.
In 2017 the stress and anxiety took a huge toll on her, causing her to lose her voice as her body began to break down.

She knew she had to change but didn’t know where to start.
She calls her healing “from atheist to amen” and in 2021 she released Woman at the Well:
I heard a story from the Bible

When I was just a little girl

About a broken-hearted woman

Who met the Savior of the world

Thought it was just another story

One that the preacher man would read

But as I'm sitting here at home

Drinking red wine all alone

I think that woman might be me

'Cause tonight I feel just like

The woman at the well

Wondering how someone could love me

When I can't love myself

But You want me as I am and that sounds crazy

I guess maybe that's why grace is so amazing

Staring at that empty bottle

I swear I caught a glimpse of Him

He met me right there at the bottom

And turned that wine to living water

And taught me how to love again

Yeah, tonight I feel just like

The woman at the well

Wondering how someone could love me

When I can't love myself

But You want me as I am and that sounds crazy

I guess maybe that's why grace is so amazing

It's no longer just a story when I read it (when I read it)

'Cause I've seen Him for myself and I believe it

'Cause tonight I feel just like

The woman at the well

Wondering how someone could love me

When I can't love myself

But You want me as I am and that sounds crazy

I guess maybe that's why grace is so amazing

Just like the story from the Bible

I heard when I was just a girl

I'm the broken-hearted woman

Who met the Savior of the world
Jesus revealed Himself to the woman at the well, and because she believed, her testimony made a huge impact on others.
When Olivia found God, she knew that she was just like the woman at the well, and now she intends to have an impact with her testimony.
Hearing this song, reading these lyrics, do you see yourself? 
Do you ever wonder how someone can love you when you can’t even love yourself? 
When we hit our rock bottom, Jesus is there, ready to pick us up. 
We are loved by a King. 
And He will show us just how loved and beautiful we are.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible