Category: Confidence

Posted on

Nap Time

As I was searching for an image to use on this morning’s blog, I came across a picture of a napping child and the caption read “When is a child too old for a nap?”. My answer, never!

Yesterday day was busy. Not the crazy, hectic, week-before-Christmas busy but busy. Getting everything ready to travel safely and then setting up again once we were back to our permanent site.

Dave does the hard work; my jobs are little and detailed. After we were settled, I made lunch and we sat down to relax. About an hour and a half later, I woke up. Dave smiled and asked, “did you have a good nap”? Oh yes, wonderful.

If we listen, our bodies will tell us what we need and when we need it. We get thirsty and so we get a drink. We get hungry and we eat. (The trick to weight loss is to eat only when we are hungry). We rest when we are tired.

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 NLT

Our bodies have these internal signals that are God-given and we need to listen to them so we don’t damage our health. If we push past these warnings it can be detrimental. Oh yes, I know this project MUST get done – the kids NEED to be at this activity. Just a couple more hours and I can rest. But if we keep that pace harm ourselves with physical and mental burnout.

“Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest.” Matthew 11:28-29 ERV

I was reminded of a time when Jesus took a nap. He was in a boat, in a storm, with his disciples and he laid down and went to sleep. He wasn’t up fretting or helping them row. He was resting. We need to learn from Jesus.

“Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!” 39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Mark 4:38-39 ERV

Sounds like good advice when we are in life’s storms. We can fret and worry and it will change nothing. But when we come to Jesus with those problems, He will speak to our storms and give us rest.

Trusting Him gives us a spiritual nap!

Posted on

Run the Race

We’ve spent the last week at the racetrack here in Arizona. Those of you who know Dave and I know that we are big NASCAR fans. Watching on TV can be exciting but being at a live race is the best!

This weekend there are three different races. Each race has its’ own practice and qualifying times. Each race is a different length and each race has cars with different engines and calibrations.

But in every race the goal is the same. Reach the finish line and take the checkered flag.

Friday’s race was less than interesting, to me. The cars went slower, the drivers were less skilled and I wasn’t familiar with any of them. Yesterday’s driver introductions brought more cheers from the stands. These drivers’ were more well known and had built a bigger reputation, some for the good and others not so good.

Today’s race introductions will be before a larger crowd and the cheering will be amplified. These drivers are the elite and their skills and vehicles are top notch. The drivers have a larger fan base.

Isn’t that the way it is with life?

When we’re little our fans are limited to our own family members – mom, dad, grandma and grandpa. They ooh and aah over drawings and 100% on spelling papers. Then we join a youth sports team and the parents of our teammates are cheering for us too. We learn to respond to cheering.

God knew that and so He has given us a cheering squad for this race called life.

“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2 ERV

Heaven is filled with saints who are watching our race and cheering us on. Jesus is our leader, our coach and our number one cheerleader. He sits beside the Father, telling Him how great we are and how glad he is we’re all on the same team. He also tells the Father when we need help – Jesus intercedes for us.

How can we go wrong with a coach like that? Here on earth it’s nice to have a cheering squad too.

“ So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11 ERV

We all need people who will encourage us and pray for us. People we can call on in the good times and the bad. People who are honest enough to tell us when we need to make a course correction. It’s called accountability. Find friends like that, true friends and value them. Pray that God will add friends like that to your life. They are true gifts.

And don’t give up running the race!

Posted on

Repeated With Purpose

As children we heard our parents repeat instructions on a daily basis. Sit up straight, brush your teeth, practice the piano, don’t talk with your mouth full, do your homework, say “yes ma’am, no sir”, and the list goes on.

Why?

These things were repeated with purpose. Our parents were raising us to be responsible, respectful and hard working. They were helping us build character.

Sometimes when I sit to write in the mornings I find myself saying to the Lord “but I’ve already told them that last year, last month, yesterday. Do I really need to go over it again?”

Things are repeated for a purpose.

There are four seasons, repeated every year. Not too many years pass before we learn what to plant when, to get out the jackets and long sleeve shirts. We can predict the weather and know when summer vacation is. Yes, we learn by repetition of natural events, we also learn godly principles the same way.

“But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 ERV

Study God’s word every day. That means repetition! Go over it again and again. Stay with the things that bring success.

I had a woman ask me once how I study the Bible. I told her I found things that I needed in my life and looked up the verses that dealt with those issues – worry, fear, health, joy, marriage, children, peace – and the list goes on. (Don’t be selfish, share your cheez-its)

I found verses that help with those areas and wrote them on an index card. I kept those cards with me all the time. They were in the truck, in my purse and on the tractor. They sat on my desk and in my kitchen. When I would feel overwhelmed in a situation, I would grab the cards and read God’s word to myself, reminding me that God has a plan and He is working on my behalf. I still have those cards from 35+ years ago.

Repetition with a purpose.

“My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. 22 These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them.” Proverbs 4:20-22 ERV

Find a modern version of the Bible if the King James language is too hard to understand and read what the Lord has to say about your situation. You don’t need to read chapter after chapter if you don’t understand it. Read a couple of verses and let them stick with you all day.

These truly are the words of life and we need to apply them over and over again!

Posted on

How Big Is God?

That’s a good question! How would you answer it?

This morning as I sit here trying to formulate my answer, I am reminded of the many examples of God’s greatness in the Bible. Let me share a few:

  • In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
  • He saved Noah during the flood
  • Parted the Red Sea
  • Had the sun stand still
  • Delivered Daniel from the lions
  • Helped David kill Goliath with a stone
  • Blinded an entire army
  • Raised Lazarus from the dead
  • Stopped a storm at sea
  • Orchestrated a jail break
  • Opened blind eyes
  • Healed a blood disease
  • Turned water to wine
  • Defeated death

“The Lord is your God. He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. He is the great God. He is the amazing and powerful fighter. To him everyone is the same. He does not accept money to change his mind. 18 He defends widows and orphans. He loves even the strangers living among us. He gives them food and clothes. 19 So you must also love them, because you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 “You must respect the Lord your God and worship only him. Never leave him. When you make promises, you must use his name only. 21 He is the one you should praise. He is your God. He has done great and amazing things for you. You have seen them with your own eyes.” Deuteronomy 10:17-21 ERV

I guess the next question is this. How big do you need God to be?

“He made heaven and earth. He made the sea and everything in it. He can be trusted to do what he says. 7 He does what is right for those who have been hurt. He gives food to the hungry. The Lord frees people locked up in prison.8 The Lord makes the blind see again.
The Lord helps those who are in trouble. The Lord loves those who do right. 9 The Lord protects strangers in our country. He cares for widows and orphans, but he destroys the wicked. 10 The Lord will rule forever!” Psalm 146:6-10 ERV

What are you facing that is too big or too hard for God to handle?

There is a whole lot of craziness going on in our world but none of it is bigger than our God. All of it combined isn’t bigger than our God!

“God said to Moses: I am the eternal God. So tell them that the Lord, whose name is “I Am,” has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on.” Exodus 3:14-15 CEV

As big and as great as God is He stills gives us an open invitation to come straight to His throne and find help in our time of need!

How big is God? He’s big enough to handle all my worries and concerns. My God, and my Father is big enough to handle it all!

Posted on

David & Goliath Revisited

As I was watching some of last night’s news I was reminded of the miraculous story of David and Goliath.

Goliath was a bully. He cursed God and the army of the Israelites who represented God. To both armies, the Israelites and the Philistines, David was a young, unimpressive, naïve teenager.

But in God’s view David was a giant slayer!

Goliath trusted in his experience in battle, his sword, his spear, his size. David trusted in His relationship with the Lord.

“When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. 43 ‘Do you think I’m a dog?’ Goliath asked. ‘Is that why you’ve come after me with a stick?’ He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods 44 and shouted, ‘Come on! When I’m finished with you, I’ll feed you to the birds and wild animals!’

“David answered: ‘You’ve come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I’ve come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel’s army, and you have insulted him too! 46 Today the Lord will help me defeat you… 47 Everybody here will see that the Lord doesn’t need swords or spears to save his people. The Lord always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you.'” I Samuel 17:42-47 CEV

I encourage you to read the whole story in I Samuel 17.

David went to the battlefield to take nourishment to his brothers. At the encampment, he found an army literally shaking in their boots as they were taunted by their enemy. He saw an incompetent king who didn’t know what to do. The king was so desperate that he agreed to let an inexperienced teenager, single-handedly fight the opposing army’s star warrior.

The opposing army was just as afraid to fight and more than willing to let their “hero” represent them in battle. The hero was self-confident; he had never been defeated.

David was a shepherd with no battlefield experience. What he had was a confidence in the God of Israel.

Let me explain…all Israelite male babies were circumcised when they were eight days old. This had been done since the time of Abraham and circumcision was a sign that God would always be the protector and provider for all of Abraham’s descendants. David took this promise of God to heart – he believed that whatever he encountered God was with him and would protect him.

“‘Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you.’” I Samuel 17:36-37 NIV

David knew Goliath had no covenant promise with God and so Goliath would be no match for the power of God working in his life.

You may be feeling like you are facing a giant, something big, something unnerving. You have the same promise from God that David did. God will never abandon you.

Go out against your giant and let God fight for you!

Posted on

Just Before Dawn

You all know that I enjoy being up to the welcome the dawn. It’s a wonderful time of the day!

However, in the “olden days” as I called them as a kid, the hour before dawn’s early light could be the most dangerous time of day. For two warring nations the battle plans were being made, soldiers were maneuvering into position and the fighting would ensue at dawn.

It was the job of the night watchman to keep a sharp eye so that he could detect any movement and alert the commanders. He certainly didn’t want to be caught sleeping on watch. Lives would be lost and nations could crumble if the watchman wasn’t alert.

There was great relief when the sun rose and things could be seen clearly. Then the watchman was relieved from his duties and he could rest. That’s the picture this Psalm is painting.

“Lord, I am in deep trouble, so I am calling to you for help. 2 My Lord, listen to me. Listen to my cry for help. 3 Lord, if you punished people for all their sins, no one would be left alive.
4 But you forgive people, so they fear and respect you. 5 I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for him. I trust what he says. 6 I am waiting for my Lord, like a guard waiting and waiting for the morning to come. 7 Israel, trust in the Lord. Lord is the one who is faithful and true. He saves us again and again, 8  and he is the one who will save the people of Israel from all their sins.” Psalm 130 ERV

The writer of the Psalm sees sin as an enemy that will attack and destroy. He is trusting there will be help to defeat the enemy. He’s watching and waiting for the morning when he knows he will see that help has arrived and he is saved, forgiven, of the sin that destroys!

Amen and Amen!

Maybe you feel like you are about to be overrun by the enemies in your life. Does it seem like a long dark night with no help in sight? Keep watching – the day will be dawning and when it does you will see that the Lord is there to save you, again.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 CEV

Put your trust in Him. His mercies are new every morning, great is the faithfulness of our God!

Posted on

Beauty & Goodness

I just felt I needed to share with you about the goodness of the Lord and the beauty He brings to our lives.

We’re surrounded by so much that is the opposite. Sometimes we get distracted and lose hope.

Last night while putting one of our grandchildren to bed we had this conversation. “Sometimes the devil gives me bad thoughts and I can’t sleep.” We prayed for peaceful sleep and told the devil he couldn’t bother him in the night.

A little while later he called out and said he couldn’t sleep. He was bothered by bad (he means scarey) thoughts. I went in and asked him, “Who’s bigger? Who’s stronger? God or the devil? Every time God and the devil fight, God wins and God is here to fight for you”.

Simple, childlike trust. He went to sleep and slept peacefully through the night. Sometimes we adults forget that the battle isn’t ours, it’s the Lord’s and He has already won. Our job is to trust Him and not feel we have to do it on our own.

“Give honor and praise to the Lord, whose power and beauty fill his holy temple.” 7 Tell everyone of every nation, ‘Praise the glorious power of the Lord.8 He is wonderful! Praise him and bring an offering into his temple.'” Psalm 96:6-8 CEV

God, our Father, fills our lives with beauty and power. He does not leave us helpless. His goodness follows us all the days of our lives.

“The dry desert will rejoice. The desert will be glad and blossom. 2 It will be covered with flowers and dance with joy. It will be as beautiful as the forest of Lebanon, the hill of Carmel, and the Sharon Valley. This will happen because all people will see the Glory of the Lord. They will see the beauty of our God.

3 Make the weak arms strong again. Strengthen the weak knees. 4 People are afraid and confused. Say to them, ‘Be strong! Don’t be afraid!’ Look, your God will come and punish your enemies. He will come and give you your reward. He will save you.” Isaiah 35:1-4 ERV

We have God’s promise of His goodness all the days of life here on earth and when this life is over we have the promise of living in His house, in His presence.

“For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.” Psalm 23:6 NLV

We used to have a saying, “God is good all the time, all the time God is good”. He is! There is no God like our God, the creator of the heaven and the earth.

“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. 20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.” Psalm 31:19-20 NLT

Take a look at the beauty around you, your Father created that for you to enjoy. It is to be a reminder of His goodness and power!

Posted on

No Need To Update

Does change bother you? I have to admit some changes bother me. Some I find exciting and completely embrace, like our decision to sell the house, downsize and move into the RV fulltime. I am loving that!

However, I don’t like it when my favorite stores do a “reset” and move the things I’m looking for. I’m also not so crazy about updating my computer systems and finding new internet service. Those things really annoy me…just sayin’.

Three days ago, we changed our internet service provider. It didn’t work the way it was supposed to, and our frustration level increased. Two days ago, my computer said I needed to do a system update. I try to avoid those whenever possible but since it had to be done, I clicked on the button and let it do its thing.

Yesterday with the internet still not working correctly and with a new layout on my screen (because of the update), I was almost at wit’s end. Now I know those of you who are computer savvy will find this trivial and wonder why it bothered me so. But, it did.

I made a call to the internet company. The tech made some corrections while I was on the phone and everything is working properly. After doing my regular work with my laptop yesterday I am more comfortable with the changes this morning. Aww, I’m breathing easier.

However, there is one thing that will never change. No update needed. No tech support to make adjustments.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 ERV

“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV

There is such assurance and comfort in knowing that the Father will always be the same. God’s word will not change or lose its power and effectiveness. He isn’t old-fashioned or outdated; He is always current. He is eternal.

“The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed, but my words will last forever.” Matthew 24:35 ERV

“I am the Lord, and I don’t change.” Malachi 3:6 ERV

God will always hate sin but He will always love the sinner. His lovingkindness will last forever. He will always be compassionate and forgiving. He will always answer when we call. He will always extend mercy to us who come to Him and provide help when we are in need!

“Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:15-16 ERV

God never changes. What changes is our understanding of Him, we gain depth in our relationship with Him.

He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. He is always the same!

Posted on

Seeing Clearly

I have a thing for clean windows. We do a lot of driving and I’m always wanting to get a good picture but if the windshield or the side windows are spotted it ruins the shot.

I realize that I come by this naturally. As a child, my dad was always cleaning windows. After we were married, Dave & I would go to visit my folks and as we were in the car ready to drive away, Daddy would stop us and clean the windshield. It didn’t matter that we were heading to the gas station and would do it there. We couldn’t leave with a dirty window.

Not only did my earthly father give me a desire for clear vision but my heavenly Father has as well.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. 12 It is the same with us. Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see him right before our eyes. Now I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me. 13 So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:11-13 ERV

One translation says, “we see as in a cloudy mirror”. The Apostle Paul draws a comparison between our thinking like children and the way we see God. We don’t have full understanding of things when we are children, nor do we have a full understanding of God’s love and His plan for us.

Our limited understanding is like looking through a dirty glass – we just can’t see clearly but we will someday.

Our hope, in God and His word, is what feeds our faith to believe that God can do all things and that He will! Why? Because of His great love for us. Gaining knowledge of God’s love is like cleaning the windows, we get a clearer picture of who God is.

“But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. 9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life.” Romans 5:8-10 CEV

Do you see it a little clearer now?

God’s love made provision for our forgiveness; but there’s more to God’s love than that. God’s love grants us peace and friendship with Him. The more we walk in relationship with Him, the clearer our vision becomes.

Posted on

Good Winter Advice

Years ago, we moved from California to Washington State for work. We arrived the first week of November. Thanksgiving week we had a “100-year” snowfall. My, oh my!

To this point I had lived in the warmth of Arizona and the milder climate of southern California. I didn’t know how to live in snow. The first weeks we were there required an investment of time and money as we sought out the proper winter clothing; coats, boots, gloves, hats, long johns.

We knew the snow fall was heavier than normal when the church called to cancel services. The guys had to hoist the snow blower up on the roof of the carport for snow removal so it wouldn’t collapse. Not something this desert girl was accustomed to at all.

We seemed to be adjusting well, even walked Kaci to school in the mornings. Everyone was walking – they took it all in stride. One morning my sister-in-law asked me to join her and a friend on a morning walk before breakfast.

Sure.

It was now the first week in February. I felt I was getting the hang of this “winter” routine quite well. We were almost home when I slipped on the ice. My feet went out from under me, and I did what came naturally, but it was the wrong thing. I reached out to brace my fall and broke my right wrist.

X-rays, surgery, a night in the hospital and over five months in a cast. I celebrated my 40th birthday, in July, in a pretty purple cast from my wrist to my elbow.

So, what’s all this got to do with our morning Bible study? Plenty!

Remember a couple days ago the verse I shared with you from Hosea? “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”. Well, this morning I was reminded of a verse I found several years after that slip and felt impressed to share it this morning with all of you.

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep. 4 Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your safe cover at your right hand. 6 The sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul. 8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.” Psalm 121 NLV

The Bible is practical – very practical. When I found this verse I began to pray it. I now had knowledge of God’s promise and I was putting it in to practice. Now, in 68 years I have had only two broken bones and I thank God for that every day.

Many of you live in cold climate, where the ground will be snow covered for a few more months. I suggest that you add this verse to those you rely on each day.

“Father, protect my readers. Keep them from harm. Don’t let their feet go out from under them. In Jesus name, amen”.

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress