with thanksgiving

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

- Psalm 69:20 (NKJV)

 

Thanksgiving is tomorrow!!!

It is a day set aside to reflect and be thankful for all that God has given us.

Fun facts for today: although we mostly consider Thanksgiving Day that is something celebrated only in the United States of America, did you know other countries celebrate similar holidays and feasts? 

For example:

• India celebrates harvest in various regions
• Canada celebrates thanksgiving in October
• The cornucopia is traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. It comes from Greek mythology and was said to be a “horn of plenty” that was given by the Greek god Zeus. The horn was believed to magically produce an endless supply of anything desired by the one who owns the horn.
• The Chinese Festival of “Chung Ch’ui” — on this day many in China eat moon cakes (small yellow cakes) to celebrate the harvest moon
• The Jewish feast of Sukkot is observed during the harvest season
• Ancient Egyptians had a feast in honor of Min, the god of harvest and fertility
• Lamas Day, was celebrated in the British Isles. On this day people would take a loaf of bread to church. The loaf was baked from the first harvest.
• Harvest Festival is celebrated in the UK and as time goes on many of the American traditions and foods are added to celebration dinners.
• Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in Croatia on August 5th. But rather than a thanksgiving holiday it is really a memorial to the day that the city of Knin was seized by the Croatian Army during the War of Independence.
• Other countries such as Germany, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and Korea also have thanksgiving and/or harvest festivals

 

We should not just be thankful one day a year but celebrate the greatness of our God with thanks every day!

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

it’s all about giving

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

- Acts 20:35 (NKJV)

 

As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, be reminded that it is not so much what we get, but rather much more what we give.

Helen Walton was quoted as saying that what is important in life is not what we gather, but what we scatter.

Let’s make our goal to bless someone each day in a small but special way.

When the world is filled with worry and sadness, we have a huge opportunity to be light, joy and hope this Holiday season.

Many people think that thanksgiving is for giving thanks but what if it means giving because I am thankful?

We can’t out give God, but we can follow His model by giving.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

today

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

- Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

 

Happy Thanksgiving week!
Whether your plans this week are stuffing your turkey or yourself, spending it with friends or family, or friends that are family, stop for a few minutes to thank God and rejoice in what He has done..

Thanksgiving has always been a big day in my world, even before I found God, it was one of two days that as a family we sat down together for a huge meal.

As a child, my largest Thanksgiving was at most 6 people, and there was not a focus on God or for what we were thankful.

Imagine my shock, my first thanksgiving with my husband’s family, kids everywhere,  like 30 people and everyone in attendance loved God.

Then we moved to Arkansas.

The first year we tried to have a big dinner,  I had driven to Iowa and back to bring my mother to join us for a nice meal.

It was not the same,  I missed my husband’s family terribly,  there were a lot of tears.

Over the years we still had our big dinners, we included our friends and most importantly we included God.

We might have called it “Friendsgiving” but in reality, it was still Thanksgiving. 

I am thankful for every person that has ever sat at my table.

I am thankful that God led my family to Arkansas.

I am thankful for the jobs that allow us to provide the food for our dinners.

I am thankful for the home that we open to our friends and family.

I am thankful for my husband’s family, who taught me the true meaning of thanksgiving (it’s really not about the turkey!)

I am thankful that our family of five that moved to Arkansas all those years ago has grown into a much larger family because of our friends.

I hope that your week is filled with blessings, and that you in turn, spread the blessings to others to show that you are thankful for the things God has given you.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

find a place

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

- Acts16:13 (NIV)

 

Say that you want to watch your local high school football team play against the rival team.
Most high school games are not broadcast on television like college or pro-ball, so you go to the place where the game is being played.
Maybe you have heard about a friend who is in a band and writes their own music, and you want to hear them play, but they aren’t published and being played on any mainstream media, so you go to the venue where the band is playing.
Perhaps you have heard about a man that changed everything, but it was over 2000 years ago so you can’t see him in person.
You go to the place where people are going to be talking about that man. 
It might not be a church, because a lot of people don’t care for organized religion.
They might be meeting in someone’s home, or in a park, or a restaurant. 
If you want to hear the word of God, go where it is being taught. 
If you want to share the word of God, go where people may listen. 
You don’t know, there might be someone there whose life you change. 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

that’s weird

You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.

- Acts 17:20 (NLT)

 

I have heard a lot of weird things in my lifetime, as I am sure we all have.
The earth is flat, the moon landing was faked, if you eat mentos and drink diet coke you will explode, that’s how the kid Mikey from the LIFE cereal commercials died.
If a black cat crosses your path, it’s bad luck, you have to enter and exit a house from the same door, chem-trails from jets are a chemical being sprayed to make humans more subtle, King Charles is a vampire, cell phones cause cancer, certain high-profile people faked their own deaths.
I could go on for a while or we could just dive deeper into the ones I have already mentioned, but let’s not.

There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there, some could be true, and others are so silly, it makes people wonder how anyone believes them to be true.
I would imagine that the people in Athens, Greece thought that Paul was crazy, in fact they flat out told him that what he was saying was strange.
A few verses prior to that, we read that Paul was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city (Acts 17:16). 
Paul took the opportunity while he was in Athens to tell them about Jesus, and we read later When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” (Acts 17:32)
Just like the people in Biblical times believed in other gods and worshiped idols, conspiracy theories of today are believed by some and laughed at by others.
It is our choice what we believe, but as a Christ follower, we are under the Great Commission, to go and share the word of God.

So, it might be strange to some, but that is how we bring in new believers.
I do want to dispel the black cat one though, if a black cat crosses your path, he is probably just going somewhere.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

even them

Christ has accepted you. So accept one another in order to bring praise to God.

- Romans 15:7 (NIRV)

 

Have you ever met someone and just “clicked”, someone that you immediately feel like you’ve known them forever and the more time you spend with them, the more you find that you have in common?

Have you ever met someone that from the very first impression you could not wait to get away, and being around them just instantly puts you in a foul mood?

I know people in both categories, and sometimes the latter really do drive me crazy.

It is easy to find fault in others.

It is hard to welcome folks with open arms, especially when we don’t get along, but we really should try.

God has always welcomed us; shouldn’t we extend that same grace to others?

We as Christ followers want to bring glory to God in everything that we do, so that means accepting others, even when we don’t like them or the things they do.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

happy sons

How happy are the sons of a man who is right with God and walks in honor!

- Proverbs 20:7 (NLV)

 

To day is the day that I send my mother-in-law a message telling her thank you.
Today is the day that a little more than a half century ago, she gave birth to the man who I would someday call my husband.
She and my father-in-law raised him to be a wonderful human, honest, brave, strong, smart, and most of all, a man who knows God.
We have three sons ourselves, and I hope that they see what an amazing dad they have.
This verse could be re-written to read “how happy is the wife of a man who is right with God and walks in honor” because it is very true.
I thank God everyday for my husband, I thank my mother and father-in-law for raising him in the church.

Happy birthday, my love, may today be as much of a blessing to you as you have been to me.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

never been heard

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.

- Romans 15:20 (NLT)

 

I like to write my little “daily bread” messages.
While I wasn’t very unique in the name, I do try to be unique in my thoughts of each verse.
I choose the verse carefully and I write exactly as my thoughts flow, as I said when I named my blog, these are God’s words and my thoughts about them.
Often, I find people don’t agree with me. 
Then there are more times when I receive responses that are positive, telling me that the verse and thoughts were much needed by someone that day.
I’ve mentioned before that I send my messages to a bunch of folks via email, then I post it online in my blog spot, then I share that link publicly via several social media outlets.
I am always looking for new platforms to share His words, always happy to have new readers.
I started going back to school several years ago because I want to earn my degree in Christian Leadership.
This past weekend I was at a retreat with my CMA family (Christian Motorcyclists Association), where I had the opportunity to preach, but more importantly I had the opportunity to listen.
One of the first speakers used this verse, My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. and it hit me. 
If we don’t spread the word of God, who will? 

So I continue to write, to send the daily message via email, text, and various social media platforms.
And I encourage any one that reads these messages to share them, to follow me on social media, and, if I am doing it right, to hear God’s voice through me.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

a readable face

A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.

- Proverbs 29:11 (NKJV)

I have this meme that I like, it’s a cat (surprise) making a face that seems angry, it says “I’m sorry for the things my face said while you were talking”.

It’s funny, but it is not funny.
I have a very readable face; my husband says I do not have a poker face. 
My voice too, will often reveal my feelings when I am dealing with a particularly difficult situation.
This has put me in a bad spot on more than one occasion. 
This verse means that foolish people let their emotions control them (guilty), blurting out their feelings with out thought or consideration of the consequences for themselves or others.
Wise people hold back their tongue and process their feelings in a way that considers the potential damage, often putting aside their own feelings.
I wish I were wiser; I think if I had held my tongue and temper I would have diffused many serious situations.
pastor Jason Witt from Morningstar Christian Chapel said “This verse is a straight kick to the stomach for me as I reminisce all the times I spoke all that I felt without any type of filter. I’m sure many of you reading this can relate. Think about all the pain and heartache, or even anger, you may have caused another person because you felt it was about time they get what’s coming to them. At first you think it was a good idea because you couldn’t hold it in anymore only to soon realize you did a great deal of damage that you might never be able to repair outside of the hand of God, of course.

I must admit, I very much hate this type of regret because as the proverb says, I feel very much like a fool after it is all said and done. And not only do I feel like a fool, I look like one as well. The wise man, however, holds back his tongue. He weighs out his feelings and processes them in such a way to realize that what is being said is only going to cause damage and bring regret. So he stalls, he goes to God, he lets God minister to him. He lets God work in his heart so that if there are things to be said, it can be done in such a way that speaks to your love for this individual and edifies them even if the information is difficult.

Our feelings can get the better of us and when we see that happening, the best thing to do is hold your tongue. Allow yourself time to process and seek the Lord, then move forward in however the Lord directs. This doesn’t mean avoid conflict, this means handle conflict appropriately and when you do, you’ll end up looking wise at the end of it.”
I’m not sure that I will ever look wise, but maybe if I lean more on God, my face and my thoughts won’t betray me.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

admitting that I’m afraid

Moses answered the people. He said, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you today.

- Exodus 14:13a (NIRV)

 

I am afraid of a few things.
I try not to be, I try to conquer my fears, but there are still some things that I can’t overcome.
I am hearing that a lot of people are afraid of what the next four years are going to bring.
God has bee trying to tell us since the days of Moses that we don’t need to be afraid.
In 2022 Josh Wilson released a song called Things That I’m Afraid Of: 
When I am shaking

And my heart's pounding

You always take me

Make me lie down in

Peaceful fields where

I can clear my head

'Cause I get so overcome with anxiety

Like there's an enemy livin' inside of me

Like a mocker yellin' out, tellin' lies to me

And I don't feel brave, but I don't have to be

'Cause I walked through the valley of shadows

And it scared me half to death

But You're with me everywhere I go

So I won't give up yet

My fears would surely kill me

If I didn't know the truth

The things that I'm afraid of

Are afraid of You

When my emotions

Turn against me

Not faith nor reason

Could convince me that

You have patience

Left to fight for me

When my depression is affectin' every ounce of me

I can get the medication and the counseling

Still I can hear the fear callin' out to me

And I don't feel brave, but I don't have to be

'Cause I walked through the valley of shadows

And it scared me half to death

But You're with me everywhere I go

So I won't give up yet

My fears would surely kill me

If I didn't know the truth

The things that I'm afraid of

Are afraid of You

You prepare a table for me

Right in front of my worst enemies

You're as calm and relaxed as can be

There's no place where

My demons can't find me

But just wait 'til they see

Who's standing behind me

I walked through the valley of shadows

And it scared me half to death

But You're with me everywhere I go

So I won't give up yet

My fears would surely kill me

If I didn't know the truth

The things that I'm afraid of

Are afraid of You

…

I googled what this song was about, and Josh Wilson said this in an interview:

“I used to think that being a Christian meant that life should be easy, but Jesus himself said, ‘In this world, you will have troubles.’ Sounds pretty discouraging until you read the next part, where he says ‘but take heart, for I have overcome this world’ (John 16:33).” Wilson adds, “Life isn’t easy for anyone. We’re all fighting a hard battle. If you’re facing addiction, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or any other mental health struggle, you’re not alone. Whatever you’re going through, whatever you’re struggling with, Jesus promises he will never leave or forsake you. Here’s my favorite line in the song: ‘There’s no place where my demons can’t find me / But just want till they see who’s standing behind me.’ Our troubles are big. Our God is bigger.”

Y’all.

Every day we face challenges, some of them are harder than others to endure, but you know what?

We can overcome because Jesus gives us His peace.

There is nothing about life that is easy or perfect.

Sometimes every day is a struggle.

For many people that struggle is very, very real.

First and foremost, let me reiterate what I have said over and over since I started my blog – You. Are. Not. Alone.

You do not have to do life by yourself.

If you are reading this, somewhere along the line we have crossed paths.

That means that someone felt like we needed each other.

What we really need though, is God.

In this world we will have trouble – there are some really bad things that happen out there – but you don’t have to deal with it by yourself – Jesus was sent to bring you to God the Father.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

no shame

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

- Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

 

I have always been a fan of the actor Tom Hanks.

From his early roles in television to the big screen in well, the movie “Big”, the man has had an amazing acting career.
He has done everything from horror to rom-com, historical action movies, voice overs and portrayals and he is a Christ follower.
One of his roles in the early 90’s he is the manager of an all-girls professional baseball league during Word War II.  
A famous line in that movie is “There’s no crying in baseball!”, said after the coach played by Tom Hanks belittled the player and made her feel ashamed.
I have a point, I promise. 
There was no shame in women playing baseball back then, and there is no shame in following Jesus today.
Here are the lyrics for a song Matthew West released recently called Unashamed. 
Three brothers in a fire

Willing to die for their faith

But You were with them in the fire

And they walked out the next day

And Daniel met a lion

Because he chose to pray

But You shut the mouth of that lion

And he walked out the next day

So what's gonna be said of me when it's all said and done?

Will I stand for my beliefs or will I turn around and run?

Well, let the whole world hear me say

I'm unashamed

Of the gospel of Jesus Christ

And the truth that changed my life

For the name above all names

I'm unashamed

And I will live my faith out loud

Take a stand and stand my ground

For the One who took my shame

I'm unashamed

I don't answer to the crowd

I answer to a king

So the louder they shout

Oh, the louder I sing, yeah

...

At the name of Jesus

Every knee will bow

And every tongue confess

So let it start right now

Before you come back, Lord

Before the rocks cry out

I will lift my praise

Let it start right now

I'm unashamed

Of the gospel of Jesus Christ

And the truth that changed my life

For the name above all names

I'm unashamed, yeah

And I will live my faith out loud

Take a stand and stand my ground

For the One who took my shame

I'm unashamed

Oh, I'm unashamed

I want the world to hear me say

I'm unashamed

Oh, I'm unashamed

For the One who took my shame

I'm unashamed

Lord, I will stand for You

I tell the world about You

I'm unashamed
Y’all. 
We need to be this strong. 
We need to be unashamed. 
There is power in His words, just as there is power in His blood. 
I am NOT ashamed of the Gospel. 
Are you? 
  

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

too busy

My friends, do not be surprised at the terrible trouble which now comes to test you. Do not think that something strange is happening to you.

- 1 Peter 4:12 (NCV)

 

I listen to Christian radio a lot.
The music is generally uplifting and there are days that the music is the only thing that keeps me sane.
We are so busy all the time that we don’t take a moment to breathe, and I fully admit that I am one of those people.
My husband used to laugh at me because I would not just sit down and watch television or a movie, I had to be doing something. 
On the morning show of the Christian station last week, I heard the host quote “If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy”.

DUDE.
Why are people seeing my life? 
I had to heck the googles and I learned that Corrie ten Boom said those words and John Mark Comer quoted her in one of his books, following that with “There’s truth in that. Both sin and busyness have the exact same effect—they cut off your connection to God, to other people, and even to your own soul.”
Again, DUDE. 
We are coming up on the holiday season and we are going to start getting busier and busier.
That is the perfect time for us to start seeing more and more trouble as the devil tries his hardest to drive a wedge in between you and God.

Don’t let it happen.
Don’t chalk it up to something strange going on. 

See it for what it is – the devil keeping you busy so you don’t have time for God.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

thank God for Veterans

Be on your guard. Remain strong in the faith. Be brave.

- 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIRV)

 

Today is Veteran’s day, so first off, thank you to every single one of you that are reading this message if you have served in the U.S. military, today is your day.

To the men and women in the military, we honor your sacrifice and your service.

I am the granddaughter of a U.S. soldier, I am the daughter of a U.S. soldier, I am the sister of a U.S. soldier, I am the mother of a U.S. soldier, and I am the friend of many U.S. soldiers, and my pride for U.S. soldiers runs deep.

I thank you for your service.

My grandfather, father and brother have left this earth, and I honor them and hundreds of thousands of others who have served by asking everyone to respect, honor and be thankful for their sacrifice. 

Your freedom to read these very words was given to you by a soldier who deserves nothing less than honor and respect.

Every year on Veteran’s Day, I am reminded of a poem I learned in 6th grade:

The Soldier and God we both adore,

In times of need and not before,

But when the war is won

And the wrong is righted,

God is forgotten

And the Soldier is slighted.

Does that hit home for you?
It should. 
Let this holiday remind all of us that we are called to love and honor God and that means love and honor those who selflessly fight for the freedom to praise Him.
For those of you that are still serving, Be on your guard. Remain strong in the faith. Be brave.

And remember that you have people here that are praying for you every day.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

as far as the eye can see

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

- Hebrews 11:3 (NLT)

 

The internet is full of stories of miracles and believing in things that we can’t see.
We need to come to realize that just because we can’t see something does not mean that it isn’t there.
Or maybe it is the way we perceive something – for example, breathing. 
On cold days when we go outside, we can see our breath. 
Does that mean that when it is warm out, we aren’t breathing?  
Of course not. 
We don’t actively think about each breath we take; we understand that God has created us to breath and that we will continue to breath even when we don’t think about it.

Faith is trusting in God, based on what we can see, so that we learn to rely on Him in areas where we cannot see.
On a clear night in the country, we can see stars for miles. 
We didn’t see God create them, but we know that He did. 
because we have faith in Him.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

quiet mornings

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life.

- Psalm 143:8 (NIV)

 

I am normally the first one awake in my house (except for the cats who want breakfast right now, even on the weekends). 

I have come to treasure that quiet time with my coffee and my devotions, the time to surrender myself to God and ask Him to guide my day. 

Our problems are temporary, but God is eternal and there is nothing that He won’t get you through.

Most everyone has a morning routine; part of mine is to share a message with a word from God and my thoughts about it.
Sometimes I ramble and make no sense, other times it all ties up in the end and my readers nod in agreement.
Trusting in God can be hard sometimes, we all face times where we are lonely and full of doubt.
Times when it seems like our prayers just bounce off the ceiling and fall in broken pieces at our feet.

It can feel like God is distant, unsympathetic, or just not listening to our cries for mercy and help.

Yet it’s been scientifically proven that surrounding yourself with good and happy thoughts improves your attitude.

If we focus on the things that are wrong in our lives, we will quickly become discouraged and that can start our day on a sour note.
But if we spend time each morning with God, praising, thanking, and praying, learning to put our trust in Him, well, the day may not be so bad after all. 

Take Jesus into your day and it will be better.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

pure

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

- 1 John 3:3 (NKJV)

 

The Oxford dictionary defines “pure” as “without any extraneous and unnecessary elements, not mixed with any other substance or material, free of any contamination”.
John felt that those who possess the hope of seeing Christ are inspired to purify themselves just as He is pure.

This idea reflects a profound understanding of Christian identity, rooted in the transformative nature of divine hope.
Believers, as children of God, are called to live in anticipation of their future glory while embracing a present commitment to moral and spiritual purity.
In this context, the verse serves as both an encouragement and a challenge to uphold a life aligned with God's holiness amidst a world often characterized by impurity and sin.
That comes from a website called “The Bible Says” which is one of the resources I use when I write, when I don’t fully understand the meaning behind a verse.

John encourages and challenges believers to live a life that is aligned with God, identifying as His children by pursuing a righteous existence.
In today’s terms that means ethical living. 
We all have our expectation of what we think Jesus wants, but the real truth is that He wants us to be more like Him.  

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

election time

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

- 1 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)

 

I am probably unreasonably happy that it is election day 2024, just because I am so tired of the political ads on TV, in my email, the snail mail, text messages, phone calls and all social media. 
Yes, I get it that each party has its own agenda, and voting one way might get us something better than voting the other but I’m just so tired of hearing about it nearly every minute of every day.
It’s gotten completely out of hand. 
Long gone are the days when we can have a conversation with our neighbor without politics coming up.
It seems like forever since I was able to watch the news without hearing some negative rhetoric about one of the candidates.  

The Bible says that we need to vote, and we need to elect according to the foreknowledge of God.
This means that God has complete and perfect knowledge of everything, including the future choices people will make. 

God chose us.
Let us choose the candidate that will stand proudly and admit their love for and belief in the almighty Father, the candidate that will pray for the Lord’s guidance for this country.
Go vote.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible