So appreciative of teachers! Within a short time they were forced to learn how to do ZOOM teaching. YOU are amazing and if you ever doubt your abilities. Repeat this verse.
Today’s verse of the day “ I will be with you .“ Exodus 3:12
God says this to Moses when he doubted his ability.
“God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up, and the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 46:1-2 TLB
Today as the light filtered through my sheers, I sent a text to a friend .
Praying your week goes easy. Love you my beautiful friend.
Within seconds I received a text back .Thank you!!! Your prayers helped me last week so keep them coming .
A soft smile covered my face as I thought, God you do hear me .
Then I silently sent my own requests. Let the stock market go up,at least let it not be crushed today, give me wisdom to guide my clients, and protect the world from the spread of the coronavirus.
I started the workday, logged on my computer,and saw on Bloomberg, that stocks were opening up positive. Most market indexes were up. I sighed a sign of relief after last week’s steep market sell-off.
Before I called my first client I prayed, God let my words be your words .Give me wisdom .
And he did .
The day went on and when I watched the ringing of the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange, I couldn’t contain my excitement as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a record gain, up 1294 points, a five percent market gain. YES!
Now, I don’t believe that God should be played like a magic eight ball and that we should keep shaking and praying until we get the right answers. I do believe; however,today that God wanted to show me that he hears me, he listens, and he is in charge. He gave me some hope and the hope was started with a text from a friend saying that her prayer was answered.
That’s the power of prayer.
What if we all took a moment to pray over our friends and see the power of prayers answered? Are you willing to see the proof of the power of prayers ?
Try it this week .Will you ?
“Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
“My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” written by Edward Mote.
I went to bed last night and like a kid on Christmas, anticipated my favorite day of the year. My Valentine’s Day cards were sent by mail, some were hand delivered in the neighborhood, and others were passed out at my bible study and game night. All that was left to do was sleep and anticipate the unexpected .
But before I went to sleep, I did ask God, please fill me up with love and your joy .
This morning as I walked the Kipper my German short-haired pointer around the neighborhood, wearing a red t-shirt ( of course), a construction worker yelled out, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
I turned back and said, “Same to you.”
A few blocks up I noticed, two ladies hugging and telling each other that they loved each other. As I passed, they wished me Happy Valentine’s Day as well and asked if they could hug me. I received my group hug, backed away a little overwhelmed, and said, “This. This is what is all about . We need to really love each other .”
I went home and start receiving and reciprocating texts filled with heart-filled messages and smiled a quiet smile.
Today random strangers made a difference in my life. What about you? There is still time to smile and say, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
You could be the difference in someone’s lonely day. A call. A text. A hug. It’s really simple.
As I sit on my front porch and reflect on the day, my thoughts go back to last night’s prayer, to be filled with love and joy.
God does not disappoint . He does hear me and loves me. Today I was loved.
I know I desire to be married but until my husband arrives I will be content in knowing God is with me .
“Be delighted in the Lord, then he will give you all your heart’s desire.”
Psalm 37:4
Wishing you the Joy of Christmas from my family to yours!
I wrote this blog a couple years ago but I think it still holds true in my heart. Christmas can be a lonely time of year. Take an extra moment to be kind, really notice and love others. May the joy of Jesus inspire you .
December, 2016
This may come to a surprise to my friends but I don’t like Christmas. I would rather “shoot my eye out,” than walk into a mall at Christmas. Any single person knows what I am talking about; couples walking hand in hand, fused together like conjoined twins. This week as I sat on the couch watching The Holiday, surrounded in wadded up tissue from nursing a cold, the sadness crept in; tiptoeing around my Christmas tree like the Grinch. Not even Jude Law’s dreamy blue eyes could spark excitement. The holidays can be simply depressing for the single person.
Be willing to give love. “No man is a failure who has friends,” God whispered to me. What is God whispering to you?
Tonight as I was watering my plants on the front porch, I heard, “Is this 1740?” I turned to see a UPS driver carrying a package. I turned and said, “Yep,” as I made my way down the porch steps.
The driver handed me the package and I quickly tore open the yellow envelope. “Oh, it’s my Lyme disease book .”
He questioned ,”You got Lyme disease ? Where did you get it?”
I nodded and explained how I moved here from Chicago and was bit by a tick in my backyard and contracted the disease.
His head hung low, “So sorry honey . I’ll be praying for you .”
I turned to walk up my steps but then looked back and yelled out, “Hey, what do you need prayers for ?”
His eyes lifted off his hand- held computer, “What did you say?”
I walked until I was standing face to face with the delivery man and then asked again, “I said, What do you need prayers for ?”
His head hung low, “Truthfully, I want a baby. We’ve been trying…”
His voice trailed off as he shook his head, “I don’t want to be forty and just starting a family .”
I asked his name and shared mine. We hugged and agreed to pray for each other.
I gotta admit, I have learned to live with Lyme disease but I truly want to be fully healed. I believe God can and will do that. It is the hope I cling onto.
As I walked up the stairs to my house, a quiet smile covered my face as I silently thought Hope. Hope today was delivered right to my front porch . It is coming .
I sat on my wicker chair and thumbed through my book, and thought, What If we all took the time, like the delivery man to say the simple words , “I’ll pray for you ,” and REALLY meant it .
What about you? Are you willing to do it?
We all need hope and you, like the UPS delivery man, may be the special delivery of hope that someone needs. Open your mind. Open your heart and listen to the whisper within.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1
