my plans

We were already chosen to be God’s own children by Christ. This was done just like the plan He had.

- Ephesians 1:11 (NLV)

 

I love planning.
To clarify, I love having a plan that organizes me and provides me with steps that need to be accomplished to meet a goal.
I think this was instilled in me as far back as middle school when teachers encouraged us to create or buy planners to keep track of projects and assignments that were due.
My love for planners was deepened when I participated in a Franklin Covey training course that focused on time management and the essential organizing tool – the planner.
I have evolved over the years from the middle school student planner to a blank notebook, and yes, a Franklin Planner, to the electronic planner that I use now.
I don’t think that God has a planner where He records His daily tasks (although that would be cool to look at), but I do believe that He has a plan for each of us.
As a matter of fact, I know this to be true, because He tells us several times in the Bible that He knows why He made us and what He has in store for us.
God chose us, we have His great love throughout our lives on earth, He is working things out in ways we do not see.

God planned on us, we were pre-planned, His perfect creation.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

at your service

Be like the Son of Man. He did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.

- Matthew 20:28 (NIRV)

 

I love going to an establishment where I am the recipient of exceptional service.
But so often these days people have forgotten what “service” is. 
Here are two scenarios to ponder: 
“Steve” is a senior vice president of a major corporation. 
Steve takes time every day to listen to his staff, becoming personally involved in their lives both at work and at home.
When one of his employees faced a devastating event, Steve was at the employee’s home, working quietly in the background to ensure the comfort of the family as they dealt with this crushing blow.
“Hank” is also a senior vice president, but most of his employees only know his face from the many corporate meetings that he holds.
When one of his employees was out of the office due to a crushing blow, Hank only noticed that one of his reports was late, resulting in Hank appearing to not know what was going on in one of his meetings.

Hank stormed out of his office, seeking the person responsible for the report.
When he was advised that this person was out of the office unexpectedly dealing with an overwhelming event, Hank showed no concern for the employee and he belittled the manager in front of the team for not getting the report out and making him look bad in his meeting.
Which boss would you rather have? 
Humble leadership is indeed a rare quality, but we do have a great example of humble leadership in Jesus.
Regardless of his title, our fictitious boss Steve served his team, while Hank was only concerned with himself and his image.

Jesus stepped into human history as an infant, then spent His life serving humanity by sacrificing His own life to offer eternal life.
Jesus’ presence was full of humility and service, without a drop of domination or control, and although Jesus deserved all the glory, He used His life to bring hope, healing, restoration and dignity to His people.
How counter-cultural is this? 

In God’s kingdom, greatness is not about power or status, but about service and sacrificial love.
How can we be more like Jeus?   

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

not dead

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

- Matthew 22:32b (NKJV)

 

Back in 2014, Harold Cronk directed a film that grossed over $62 million dollars, which is pretty big for a movie that has religious overtones.

Since the initial film’s success, there have been three sequels and a fifth film is in production, expected to release in August of this year.
God’s not dead is based on a book series by Rice Brooks, the plot being obviously that God isn’t a myth or a story, but very much present in our world today.
In the first film, a college student takes on his atheist professor in a spirited debate that will determine the students grade in the classroom.
The second film deals mainly with a high school student dealing with the death of her brother, having been raised in an atheist home she finds herself researching the existence of a God she has never known.
God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness was the third in the series, released in 2018 focused on the pastor who has been involved in the lives of the main characters from the first two films, and his struggle with the events that unfolded in his town surrounding the fight to prove that God is real. 
2021 brought us God’s Not Dead: We the People, based on the challenges that a home-school group must overcome when the government determines that their children are not receiving a sufficient education.
Soon, God’s Not Dead: Rise Up will make its way to theaters, where we will learn the processes and hurdles that come with running for office against an opponent that seeks to remove religion from public policy.
This film series is inspired by real events, including lawsuits over whether or not religion should be allowed in public.
Sound familiar? 
It should because we see it every day. 
Portrayals of The Ten Commandments are being removed from any public building. 
There are people campaigning to have “In God We Trust” removed from our currency.
We even have groups that want the U.S. Declaration of Independence re-written to remove any text that references God.
This is what our world has turned to, denying the existence of God. 
We must not let this happen; God’s not dead!!! 
When people start to argue with us, we must hold strong to our faith, do not let them sway us.   

In the United States right now we are still allowed to worship as we wish, but there are people that would like to make us stop.
Don’t stop. 
God’s not dead, He is very much alive. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

these days

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

- Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

 

I think that everyone struggles at times with things going on in their lives.
Just this past weekend, the mid-west United States experienced historical record-breaking flooding, including my husband’s hometown and mine in Northwest Iowa.
It was really hard to see photos posted on social media of places that we know and love covered in feet – not inches, feet of water.
We felt completely helpless. 
Not even a month ago, Northwest Arkansas was devastated by multiple tornadoes hitting the area.

Trying to locate our family after the storms was terrifying, and this momma’s heart broke when our last (adult) child was found safe hours after the storm. 
I have a dear friend struggling with continued medical issues, no less than a dozen doctors and specialists are stumped by her condition and cannot determine what is wrong, much less how to help her, putting a horrible strain on her marriage and her job at risk. 
Another friend that requires surgical intervention for her health is concerned that her job won’t be there when she returns from her leave.

Still others fight internal demons daily, feelings of inadequacy and pain are their companions.
God knows the plans He has for us. 
Jeremy Camp recently released “These Days”, I know a lot of folks skim over song lyrics or skip them completely, but I hope you’ll listen to this song and really hear the lyrics:
These days, my heart's always on the run

These days, the world's spinning out of control, oh

These days are fast and they're furious

Feels like the worst is ahead of us, oh, oh

Sometimes it's hard to feel at home, but

I believe that you and I

Are in the right place, at the right time

God called us by name

And He doesn't make mistakes

I know we were born to shine bright

In a dark world that needed some light

Don't have to be afraid

Maybe we were made for these days

Maybe we were made for these days

What if the beauty isn't crushed?

It just needs the hope that's inside of us, oh, oh

What if it's more than a destiny?

What if we're part of a masterpiece? Oh, oh

Until our Father brings us home

I believe that you and I

Are in the right place, at the right time

God called us by name

And He doesn't make mistakes

I know we were born to shine bright

In a dark world that needed some light

Don't have to be afraid

Maybe we were made for these days

Maybe we were made (for these days!)

'Cause staying when it gets hard

To love with open arms

It's something to embrace

Maybe we were made for these days

I believe that you and I

Are in the right place, at the right time

God called us by name

And He doesn't make mistakes

I know we were born to shine bright

In a dark world that needed some light

Don't have to be afraid

Maybe we were made for these days

Maybe we were made (for these days)

We may not know why we are going through difficult times, but we do know this: at the point of our birth, even before we are born, God knows what He has in store for us.

We each face some very real struggles and some of us (me) need this constant reminder – that God has a plan. 

In the midst of despair, God has promised prosperity, hope, and a future.

Jeremiah told God's people that 70 years after the devastation in Israel, God would deliver and restore them.

How many times along the way did these people abandon God?

How many times have we abandoned Him?

But He did not abandon them or His promises to them.

And He won’t abandon us.

He was faithful.

And He is faithful.

In fact, even while they went on their way doing terrible things, God was planning and preparing a bright future for them.

Let this be a reminder to us that no matter how deep our own personal gloom may seem, God does have plans for us.

He will keep His promises to us.

He will deliver and bless us.

Maybe we were made (for these days)

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

hold on

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

- 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

 

I started this week talking about how we are going to be ok, it is only fitting that we finish the week focused on what God can do for us when we don’t feel ok.
I have horrible anxiety, I have written about it before, many times in fact. 
Unfortunately, my anxiety is a big part of who I am now. 
And I hate it. 
Sometimes it is so overwhelming that I am frozen in place. 
Katy Nichole put out a song in 2023 called Hold On that made me stop and think about this.
Smoke clouds

All around

Couldn't see Your face

Darkness consumed me

Stuck in the bitterness

But I know there's a light

That's waiting up ahead

So I'll stay in the fight

And look to the One who said

Hold on just a little bit longer

I know it's gonna be okay

These days are gonna make you stronger

You'll find purpose in the pain

Hold on just a little bit longer

Deep down there's a well of faith

Let hope arise as you're lifting up My name

And just hold on

Just hold on, hold on

Your promise

It still stands

It's chasing after me

The rainbow

Through storm clouds

Is how I'm gonna see

That there is a light

That's waiting up ahead

So I'll stay in the fight

And look to the One who said

Hold on just a little bit longer

I know it's gonna be okay

These days are gonna make you stronger

You'll find purpose in the pain

Hold on just a little bit longer

Deep down there's a well of faith

Let hope arise as you're lifting up My name

And just hold on

Hold on, hold on

Just wait 'til you see what's at the end of the road

A new life is ready to unfold

“Hold on” – is it really that simple?
Sometimes we do get stuck in the bitterness, sometimes we only feel pain. 
Sometimes, we really do need to give it all to God. 

No matter where we are or what we are facing, we should understand that God is with us right now.

He wants to take all those worries away from us and give us peace to live a carefree life.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

war and peace

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

- Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)

 

War and peace?
This isn’t about Leo Tolstoy’s famous novel, but you might be interested to know that Tolstoy did defend Christianity to an extent.
No, today’s verse is about seeking peace in the people around us. 
Living with bitterness in your heart toward someone else doesn’t hurt them, it hurts you.
Not going to an event because someone you don’t like will be there only makes you miss out on what could be a great time.
Holding a grudge is a huge burden to bear, and the only one that is destroyed by that grudge is you.
I fully admit that I have held on to anger far longer than I should have. 
It didn’t annoy the people I was angry at, in fact, they mostly didn’t even realize that I was mad.
The only person that my anger burned was me. 
We can’t be holy if we have anger burning in our hearts. 
Let go of anger, live in peace, learn to be holy. 

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

make it about love

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

- Colossians 3:14 (NKJV)

 

We all face a multitude of decisions every day.
Some are really small, like what color shirt to wear, others are really big, like how to respond to the person that is rude to you every day.
Or what to say to the person that has hurt you in the past. 

The third chapter of Colossians tells us what our character should be like.
We shouldn’t be angry, we shouldn’t lie, the list of things that we shouldn’t do is long.
But so is the list of things we should do. 

A person of good character should be merciful, kind, forgiving, and loving.
The Bible really emphasizes love, love is a really big deal to God. 

Why?
Because He loves us. 
When we show love to others, we are showing God’s love for us. 
God’s love is perfect.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible