strong

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

- 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NKJV)

 

I believe we have all faced some crazy things in our lives.

Reflecting on my own story, I think about the experiences and the physical, emotional, and spiritual damage I endured.

I have said that I made it through because I was strong, even when I didn’t feel strong at the time.

Then I hear someone else’s story—everyone has a story—and I think, “Wow, that would have broken me, but look at this person, still standing strong.”

We share our stories with friends and sometimes even strangers.

We do this so people know where we are coming from and how we can relate to one another.

We all feel that we have come through the fires because we are strong, but in reality, we have come through the fires because of God’s grace.
Anne Wilson released a song titled Strong in 2024, check out the lyrics: 
Strong, try to make 'em all think I'm strong

Yeah, the face I keep putting on says I ain't tired

But these tear stained eyes ain't lying

'Cause hard, nobody told me life could be so hard

A weary soul with a worn out heart that's barely beating

But every time I get that feeling

I hit my knees with my hands held high

Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can't do this on my own

I can't do this on my own

Lord knows I've tried, but I'm good at falling down

Thank God You're good at picking me up off the ground

The world's gonna try to break me

But I know the one who makes me strong

Strong, like my daddy always told me so

There's a place you can always go when you've got nothing

And then he handed me the one thing

That's strong, doesn't matter how old it gets

There's power in the words in red in this old bible

And when I'm desperate for revival

I hit my knees with my hands held high

Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can't do this on my own

I can't do this on my own

Lord knows I've tried, but I'm good at falling down

Thank God You're good at picking me up off the ground

The world's gonna try to break me

But I know the one who makes me strong, oh, strong

I'm strong when I've got nothing

I'm strong even when I'm weak

'Cause the strong arms of my Savior

Are holding on to me

I hit my knees with my hands held high

Saying, dear Lord Jesus, you know I can't do this on my own

I can't do this on my own

Lord knows I've tried, but I'm good at falling down

Thank God You're good at picking me up off the ground

The world's gonna try to break me

But I know the one who makes me strong

Oh, You make me strong

Oh, this world ain't gonna break me

'Cause I know the one who makes me strong

He is the one who holds us, uplifts us, and carries us.

We don’t travel through our lives alone; God is with us always.

His grace carries us through every low point and celebrates the high points with us.

The grace of God in us is what makes us strong.   

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

resolutions

 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:11 (ESV)

 

Hello friends, it is the 2^nd week of January, how are you doing on your resolutions?
I used to make resolutions, sometimes I would do well keeping them and other times they were a miserable failure.
For a while I was of the mindset of “why make a resolution that I am going to break?”
So, for 2025, I did what every Christ follower should do when there are questions, and I turned to the Bible.
OK, to be honest, I turned to the internet first, where I found a website called Desiring God.
This caught my eye as I read author Jon Bloom’s article Your Most Courageous Resolution where he said, “Resolutions are good things. They’re biblical: “may [God] fulfill every resolve for good” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). And I think developing New Year’s resolutions is a very good idea. A year is a defined timeframe long enough to make progress on difficult things and short enough to provide some incentive to keep moving. . . Resolves are intentions with strategies attached to them. You don’t just hope something is going to happen; you are planning to make it happen. To be resolved is to be determined.”
Oh boy. 

I didn’t make any resolutions for 2025.
Switching gears, I listen to The Message on Sirius XM radio when I am in the car and in the office, and last week on the morning show I heard the top 5 resolutions to make (and keep) and 2025:
1. First thing every morning, open your Bible before you open your phone. 

2. Forgive proactively: Forgive others before they ask for it.
3. Express gratitude regularly. 

4. Look for opportunities to support others.

5. Prioritize quality time with loved ones.
Wow. 

Ok, five is a lot, especially 13 days into the year, but what if we picked just one?
I have a good friend that wakes up an hour or two early, specifically to spend time reading his devotional(s) and the Bible.
I’ve been working on number three and five for the last couple of years, I need to work harder on number 5.
My friend said this practice has made a difference for him, I’m not even sure if it was a “resolution” or just a thing he decided to do.
I know when I find things to be grateful for, I find happiness a lot faster. 
I definitely need to work harder on number 5. 
Pick one, and resolve to think about it every day, see if it makes a difference for you.
   

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

not alone

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

- Genesis 2:18 (NLT)

 

When we think about this verse, it is likely that the first thing that pops into our mind is the creation of Eve.

Yes, this is the part of the story where God made a life partner for Adam.
I want to look beyond that a little. 
“It is not good for the man to be alone.”

When we are alone, we tend to dwell on negative things and let crazy thoughts in our heads.
But God (again) said that we should not be alone. 
He created us to be together, to raise families, churches, nations. 
We have friends that help us when we need pretty much anything, because God did not want us alone.
We were not made to do life alone; we were made to be together in all things. 
I encourage you to find your people, your tribe, your family. 
You are not alone. 

   

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

unchanging

Forever, O Lord, Your Word will never change in heaven.

- Psalm 119:89 (NLV)

 

Forever.

A big word, a long time.

Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s (yes, I am that old) we all believed that be the year 2000 we would have flying cars, space travel, warp speed.

We have some things like George Jetson, but we are still lacking quite a bit technology wise.

Where do you think your residence will be in a thousand years?

How about your job?

What do you think the world will look like then?

It doesn’t take a lot to see that this world is deteriorating.

One thing is certain though, and that is God.

The current pressures that we are feeling will pass.
The pain we feel today will end.

Great opportunities will cease, but God’s nature and character will remain forever.

Forever.

Remember the things that will last, that is what allows us to put our current situations in their proper place.

We can lose everything we have; the world could stop turning tomorrow, God will still be there.

There it is again – But God.
But God will never change, His word, His promise remains forever. 

   

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

victory

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

- 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV)

   

One thing 2025 has not changed is my love for music, I doubt anything will ever change that.
I saw a meme that said something like “if I ask you to listen to a song it is because the words touched me”.
I know I got that wrong, but you get the idea. 
I can come up with so many songs that exemplify “Victory in Jesus” but the words that are sticking to me hard today are from Big Daddy Weave in 2012 called “Redeemed”.
In this song, the artist says, “Stop fighting a fight that’s already been won.”

Y’all.

We don’t need to fight our demons.
We don’t have to run in fear. 

We don’t have to hide from the storms.
We just need Jesus (another great song). 
We have been given victory in Christ Jesus. 
Too often we feel like it is our own intelligence and strength that gets us through the tough times. 
We didn’t get that intelligence and strength by chance; these are gifts from God.

Every victory is a victory in Jesus.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

a little child

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.

- Isaiah 11:6 (NKJV)

   

Little kids have long been kind of a thorn in my side.
I was the person that refused to do anything with the nursery, preschoolers, grade school age and even teenagers, I had so many excuses why I said no.
I taught preschool Sunday school, 2^nd-4^th grade arts, crafts, and music, I helped student ministries with fundraising and other things.

I think it was around 2005 that I started clinging to the mantra “I don’t like kids”.

But God. (there it is again!)
God sent not one but two little kids into my life. 
Much like that grinch guy from the story, my heart grew three sizes when these two started coming around.
I’m not a “grandma”, a “nana”, a “me-maw”, or any of those normal phrases, I am MeowMeow.
And I love it. 
Spending time with these two have brought my joy back (oh, there is that again!) and I am learning stuff about me as we learn about each other.
I still don’t have a lot of patience but hearing them call my name (MeowMeow!!) brings a smile to my face.
Listening to the seven-year-old read Luke 2 before opening gifts because that is something she heard with our Iowa family - that brings happy tears to my eyes.

Teaching the same seven-year-old to sew, a craft that a lot of people no longer enjoy, brings enjoyment to both of us.
Knowing that these little ones are looking to us to teach them about God, but then watching them lead us to Him.
Yeah, that is good. 
I might be the wolf to their lamb, but they have led me back to God, and that is a very good thing.

 

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible

joy in today

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

- Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

 

Happy New Year!
It’s weird, when I sent my last daily bread of 2024, I was not in a good place. 
I was very sad; I did not feel as though God was part of my life anymore. 
After a very tumultuous Christmas adventure, I felt further from God than I ever had.
But God. 
I think that might be my theme for 2025 – But God. 
Sometimes, we are in the right place at the right time, and it feels like God just smacks you in the forehead.
That happened to me the first few days of this year. 
See, we are not always going to have joy, life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. 

But if we look, we can find a little joy in everything.
My sadness was an accident that occurred right before Christmas, but my joy was spending more time with family as a result.
It was sad that my last weekend on vacation was so cold, buy my joy was seeing the first snowflakes of the year with my husband by my side.

There is sadness all over the world due to loss, illness, financial stress, but if we can find that glimmer of joy in each moment, we can hold on to that joy.

We can find joy in a moment, that leads to joy for an hour, then a day, and soon multiple days of joy.
I found my joy. 

Have you?

   

#dailybreadbykitty

Daily Inspiration from the Bible