Category: General

The wonder of Christmas….lights, gifts, cookies, candies, gingerbread houses, families, candles, music, church services, baking, decorating, wrapping, rushing….what just happened? We just crossed over from the wonder of Christmas to the chaos of Christmas.

When you look into a child’s eyes during this season, you see wonder and amazement reflected in them. The older we get, we turn the season into work. We feel responsible for making Christmas memorable. If we’re not careful, between the amazement and the work, we can lose the wonder of the season. It’s time to slow down and focus on the wonder of Christmas.

The manger scene is a typical picture we see on Christmas cards and intertwined in our Christmas decor. But…do you see wonder? Do you see the wonder of prophecies fulfilled and the promise of what’s still to come? Have you read His name?

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Let’s pause and look at the wonder of the descriptions of the newborn baby named Jesus.

His name is Wonder-ful. “Wonder” translated means something uncommon or out of the ordinary. Jesus wasn’t just any baby. He was the Son of God. He was fully God and yet fully human. When was the last time you were in awe at the love Jesus brought down from Heaven to Earth?

“Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.“  Philippians 2:6-7

Counselor…Has Jesus ever been your advisor? Your guidance? The baby that was worshipped in the manger held the knowledge and counsel of God. We can trust Him to listen to us and guide us in the right direction.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:6

The infant in the manger was Mighty God. It means “God hero, warrior or champion”. To this day, He still possesses the divine power of a mighty warrior. We can turn to Him and trust Him to be our defender and protector.

“ The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you: in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

Everlasting Father…Jesus desires to draw near to us. He wants to wrap us up in His arms and care for us just as an earthly father does for his own child. The same Everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and everyday.

“ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” James 4:8

That tiny baby in Mary’s arms was also named Prince of the Peace. Through His life and sacrifice, Jesus made a way to have a restored relationship of peace with God. A deep, abiding peace between our hearts and our Creator that cannot be taken away. He also allowed us to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Through this manifestation we have the ability to be filled with love, joy and peace.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

The baby in the manger didn’t remain an infant. He grew into a man who served God and fulfilled His redemption for mankind.

What a gift! The wonder of God, leaving His glory in Heaven to become one of us. Heaven’s love reaching down to save mankind and the world.

As you enjoy the beauty of the season and all it entails, don’t forget to slow down and keep the true wonder of Christmas in your eyes and in your heart.

We want to thank Kathy Jones for sharing this post.

As I’ve pondered what it means to be wrapped in wonder, the sunshine is coming through the window, and I can feel it’s warmth on my face.  I have just come inside from a brisk walk outside while at the ladies’ retreat at Ceta Canyon.  We were encouraged, after worship, to take an hour to be alone with God, to spend time with Him, to behold Him.  As I spent time outside, I felt the crispness of the Fall season in the air.  My attention was then turned to an oak tree, and the leaves were a beautiful, deep red color.  Other trees were a golden yellow and beautiful orange.  I stood still in the sunshine to feel its warmth take the chill off me.  I stopped to just breathe and take it all in.  I was intentional about taking time to notice His beauty in the nature that surrounded me.

At that moment, I understood what it means to be wrapped in the wonder of Jesus!  I was completely engulfed in His presence by a sense of awe and amazement, as I looked at His creation and took time to behold Him.  To stop and notice the love He has for everything He created captured my heart.  As I spent time just being in His presence, I wondered what it must have been like for Adam and Eve. God had an intimate, close relationship with them where they walked together in the garden. They talked together in the beautiful garden He created for them. Can you see the deep love He has for us and how strong His desire for an intimate relationship with us is?

Think about that for a minute. Get still, get quiet, listen. You can almost hear the sound of His footsteps as He walks, searching for you, just to spend time together and talk. Listen to Him whisper how much He loves you! He adores you! This same God who made the sun, moon, and stars; the same God that holds the universe in His hands, that holds our planet in midair as it sustains life. The same God that simply spoke things into existence but breathed His very breath into the man He created with His hands longs to have a deep personal relationship with you! Let Him wrap you in His arms and just hold you. Be still, be wrapped in the wonder of His heart for you!

I was also reminded that all through the Old and New Testaments, you can see His heart, His love, woven all through the stories of His mercy, gentleness, forgiveness, and redemption for humankind.  Look at the thread He created from Genesis to Revelation, the plan He set in motion to reconcile us to a right relationship through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

If you doubt His love and His heart for you, take the time to enjoy the beautiful sunrise and the morning sky He paints to tell you good morning.  Listen to the birds as they sing songs back to their Creator.  Stop and watch the sunset as He ushers you into rest and restoration from the day.  And lastly, take in the starry sky as you breathe in His wonder.  Ask Him to wrap you in His arms as you lay down to rest in His peace and thank Him for His love.

As you rise each morning, thank Him for the new day you have to spend together, as you experience a deep relationship with Abba!

Praise Him for who He is.  He is faithful, merciful, kind, gentle, and loving.  Gracious. Tender. Take some time and look up the scriptures that speak to His character and faithfulness to us born out of His deep love for us.  He adores us, so take the moments you have to enjoy being wrapped in the wonder of Jesus.

We want to thank Janie Keller for sharing this post.

We are coming up on a time of year when we take the time to be grateful for our gifts and blessings even more so than normal. But something I’ve really had on my heart is our God given gifts that become blessings to others. In a world busting at the seams with distractions and demands, it’s easy to overlook the unique gifts and abilities each of us possess. As women of faith, we are called not only to recognize these gifts but also to share them with others, turning our talents into blessings that reflect God’s love and grace.

Every woman has been blessed with unique talents, whether it’s a love for cooking, an ability to listen, or a creative spirit. These gifts are not merely for our own enjoyment; they are intended to be shared. The Bible reminds us in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

To discover my personal gifts, it has taken a lot of time of self-reflection. What activities energize me? What compliments do I often receive? This self-awareness can be the first step toward understanding how I and, you too, can bless others.

Once you identify your gifts, think on how you can share them with your circle of influence. 

1. Give the gift of your time: Whether it’s teaching a class, mentoring a young woman, or helping at a local nursing home, your time is a precious gift. Your presence will uplift those around you.

2. Give the gift of creating: If you have artistic or creative talents, use them to create uplifting content—whether it’s writing, painting, or designing. Share your creations through social media, your place of work, and with those around you. 

3. Give the gift of listening: Sometimes, the greatest gift is simply being present. Offering a listening ear to a friend during their hard time can provide comfort and support that words alone cannot.

4. Give the gift of encouragement: Use your gift of encouragement to uplift women in your inner circle and beyond. A simple note, a warm smile to a stranger, or a heartfelt message can make a world of difference in someone’s day.

When we share our gifts, we create a ripple effect of positivity. One act of kindness can inspire another, creating a cycle of generosity and love. As women, we have the power to grow community and connection through our shared experiences and talents.

Consider the story of the widow’s offering in Mark 12:41-44. Her small gift was significant in the eyes of God, demonstrating that it’s not about the size of our gifts but the heart behind them. When we give selflessly, we contribute to a greater purpose.

To turn our gifts into blessings, we must cultivate a heart of service. Also including humility, gratitude, and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones. Regularly seeking God’s guidance in how I can use my abilities for His glory and the benefit of others is critical. 

Prayer and reflection help align my actions with God’s purpose, reminding me that every gift is an opportunity to serve.

In recognizing and sharing our God-given gifts, we become vessels of His love and grace. As we bless others, we also find fulfillment and joy in our purpose. Let’s commit to using our unique abilities to impact the lives of those around us, creating a world enriched by the love and kindness of women who dare to shine bright for Jesus. 

Together, we can transform our gifts into blessings that resonate far beyond ourselves, creating a legacy of faith, love, and service.

We want to thank Beckah Hunt for sharing this post.

I can go an entire day and not recognize the blessings around me. You too?

Sometimes I can go two days and not recognize the blessings around me. You too?

Sometimes I can go through a whole season and not recognize the blessings around me. You too?

Honestly, that hurts my heart to admit. And I have a pretty good feeling I am not alone in that. 

Life can get busy, and we can unintentionally miss the blessings right under our very nose. Busy-ness is a tool the devil uses to distract, distance, and keep us from noticing the gifts around us. What happens when we stop focusing on the gifts around us? They get smaller and smaller until we forget for an entire day, or two, or a season. 

I don’t want to be a woman who misses the goodness around me.

Not coincidentally, the hardest times for me to find the blessings are when I have walked through pain, walked through trials, been in the pit of parenting, in the pit of marriage, or in the busyness of life. 

Do I really enjoy disciplining my kids? No. Is it fun? Absolutely not. But the gift here is they learn boundaries, they learn that bad choices have consequences, and they learn how to be good citizens in the world. When my husband and I walk through something difficult, do I always count it all as joy? No. Is there internal growth inside of me? Yes. Is there a gift somewhere? Yes! The gift is that my husband and I draw closer to the Lord independently AND together as we lean into Him. Our relationship is able to reach new depths because of honesty. Did my heart shatter when our adoption fell through? Yes. Did I have a chance to show love and Jesus to that mama? Yes. Even through pain, even through the hard seasons, we can recognize goodness. We can find hope in situations that beg to steal our hope. I call these silver lining gifts.

Recognizing gifts is not always easy. But it’s always possible.

We can smell the freshly baked cookies, see the sky give way to fiery pinks and reds and oranges as the sun sets, hear the laughter in the next room coming from your children, smell the comfort of coffee, watch the butterfly flutter from flower to flower, notice the leaves changing hues as they fall from trees, appreciate the lady in the store who offers a smile, amuse over the baby calf whose legs are so wobbly as it learns to walk, embrace the school children who give you the biggest hugs, see the grandparents waving from the stands, or maybe it’s the sweet friends who check in, the husband who gives a knowingly loving squeeze to your arm and the faithful hand of our Lord. I call these immaterial gifts. Ones we often get comfortable with and take for granted.

Immaterial gifts are different for every person but the feeling of the joy they bring is the same.

I don’t want to be a woman who misses the goodness around me. Because there is “always, always something to be grateful for”.

How do we reel ourselves back in? We SLOW down and intentionally create time and space in our schedules to listen and see the gifts around us. We shift our focus. One person called it a “gift shift”. We remember that there is a gift somewhere in whatever we are growing through.

Lauren Daigle has a song called “Look Up Child” that reminds us to keep our eyes upwards in a posture of anticipation for what’s to come. A person that is looking upwards can physically breathe better and that was on purpose. As we habitually look up our hearts become more conducive with the good and beauty in our world.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

I will give thanks with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 9:1.

Never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you. 

Colossians 3:15

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever. 

Psalm 107:1

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Let’s be women who notice the gifts around us!

We want to thank Julea Bouma for sharing this post.

I used to think the worldly goods we had or received were the gifts and blessings in this life. The more life I live, the more I realize I was so wrong! While those “things” are wonderful to have and can make life “easier”, they are not the gifts and blessings that I now see surrounding my life.

As crazy as it sounds, I have observed over the past decade that great loss is such a gift from our Heavenly Father. When I lost 3 immediate family members in the first 5 years of my marriage, my heart ached. But the Lord met me in each situation and as Pastor Anthony discussed with us a few months ago, the Holy Spirit took me on a journey of learning how to suffer well. He tuned my heart and spirit toward His presence in a different way than when I had experienced past sadness. In this place of deep grief, I found what felt like a gaping hole within would open at unexpected times and create a tsunami of tears and weeping. The vulnerability of experiencing those intense emotions, especially at unexpected times in public places, led me to run to the Father. I found my comfort could only come from the one that I knew held my future and held my loved ones and all the others in the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1). This was a blessing. 

Those days of grieving slowly opened my eyes to what the Lord wanted to show me. We are taught about leaving a legacy for our children and future generations, but I didn’t understand what that looked like. It wasn’t until the moment we walked through the doors into the chapel at my father’s funeral and saw hundreds of people there mourning with us that I grasped the importance of investing in others and how that creates a legacy. My dad did just that – he invested in those around him. He loved people and he loved doing life with them. He learned that from his parents, who for 2-3 decades had Sunday lunch after church for our entire family and whoever else wanted to join, including every pastor that had come into our lives. The gift of creating community and pouring into lives through time spent with them was passed on to my dad and his siblings, and in turn passed on to me and my family.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is writing to and encouraging the church in Thessalonica after having left and not being able to return to them. He talks about the sacrifices that were made while he was there to invest in them without being a burden and in verse 2:8 he says, “We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.” Later in verse 19 he says, “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy.” 

This life was never meant to revolve around material things, but loving God and others He has placed in our lives. What a gift it is to be able to take a moment and look into my spouse, children, and friend’s eyes and see them the way the Father does. What a blessing it is to walk through different seasons together and suffer, dance, cry, and laugh. And one day, we will see the evidence of how we stored up our treasures in heaven and in turn leave a legacy behind for those to follow.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

We want to thank Christian Greer for sharing this post.

The holidays are approaching quickly, and I wanted to take this opportunity to be the first to address what is usually thought of as a Christmas passage. But this blog is NOT about Christmas.

In Luke 1:28, we are told that Gabriel appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and said to her: “Rejoice, beloved young woman, for the Lord is with you and you are anointed with great favor.” This declaration not only marked a pivotal moment in history but also serves as a reminder of our identity in Christ. Just as Mary was chosen and favored by God, so too are we. You and I, like Mary, are blessed and highly favored. Let’s dive into this truth through three key points.

Our true identity is rooted in who we are in Christ. Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” Let that sink in.  “…He chose us (when did He choose us?) BEFORE He laid the foundation of the universe!” Just as Mary was chosen for a divine purpose, we too have been chosen and adopted into God’s family. This identity is not based on our performance or worthiness. It couldn’t be. It was done before He laid the foundation of the universe. Our identity was based on God’s grace and His deep abiding love for us. When we understand our identity, we can walk confidently in the favor of God.

Mary was not only favored but also blessed. In Luke 1:42, Elizabeth declares, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” We must recognize that we are blessed in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 states, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” These blessings include (among many others) peace, joy, and the assurance of salvation. When we embrace and understand our blessings, we can easily share them with others, helping them to see their own worth and favor in God’s eyes.

As recipients of God’s favor, we are called to extend that favor to others. In 2 Corinthians 1:4, Paul writes, “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble.” Just as Mary was a vessel for God’s plan, we too are vessels of His love and grace. By encouraging others and helping them recognize their identity in Christ, we can lead them to understand that they are also blessed and highly favored. Our actions and words can reflect the heart of God, drawing others to know their true identity.

To wrap up, let’s remember that our identity in Christ is one of being blessed and highly favored. Just as Mary was chosen for a divine purpose, so are we. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing and are called to share that blessing with others. May we help those around us see their worth and favor in God’s eyes.

We want to thank Di Zeigler for sharing this post.

Jesus said, “Come away with me to a quiet place.”

This has been one of my favorite moments with the Lord, alone on my wicker chair. Everyone is at school, and Anthony is at work. No distractions, no interruptions, sitting and worshipping in His presence for hours at times. Mixed with the overwhelming truth of “be still and know that I AM God.” Being totally captivated by His presence has been so monumental and grounding for me in seasons that have been good and not so good! 

But recently a lot easier said than done, especially now that we have Jacob! 

Having a 10-month-old, adjusting to a totally different routine, has been challenging for me. And did I mention homeschooling Abram for the first time!? This year has brought many interruptions to my “ALONE, quiet time, and being still” with the Lord that I freely had for the past several years!

But, what I’ve learned in this season is even in the busyness with my boys, and moving from one thing to the next, I have found the quietness, stillness, and overwhelming presence of being alone with Him in my heart and soul. But how?

Through thanksgiving, gratitude, and praise! What seemed like interruptions or distractions to what my schedule once was, have been opportunities for me to experience His presence in a totally different, yet powerful way. He has shown me that I can be busy on the outside and still be alone, quiet, still, sitting on my wicker chair on the inside with a surrendered heart posture and be totally captivated by His presence and His love!

So if you find yourself in a different season, different job, and it has become an interruption or distraction with your alone time with God, lift your thanksgiving, gratitude, and your praise. Allow your heart and soul to go away with Him to a quiet place, to be still and know that He is God!!!

It’s a Kingdom reality, where Heaven invades your Heart!

We want to thank Jerika Longoria for sharing this post.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-12, “I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life.”

In 2021, I gave birth to my youngest son, and life changed for me as I knew it. While I waited years for his arrival, the thought of how much my life would change had not occurred to me. Home life, friends, leaving the house for daily activities, the way I served in church, and, most of all, my prayer life and how I spent time with God. You see, I had this routine; my kids would leave to school, and I had all the time to spend time in prayer with God, then worship or read my bible.

But most of all, praying is my sweet spot! Prayer has always made me feel connected to God and confident in who I was. Then the season changed in my life with my newborn, and then an infant, and I no longer had that time for long stretched out times to pray and spend time with Him. I remember feeling dry and not connected with Him, because my prayers started looking more like 10–15-minute prayers in the morning, while rocking and feeding my baby. Some days, it was driving in the car for a doctor’s appointment or picking up kids from school.

This season in my life was different, and I really struggled with what God was doing. I had started to believe a lie that if it wasn’t a “certain” amount of time with God, maybe He was not hearing my prayers, or that, somehow, I was losing my relationship with Him. Looking back, I know now, it was a time in my life that God used to break off performance-based Christianity, because the truth is, God meets us right where we are at! 

While God does want us to be intentional about prayer and our relationship with him, God is really after so much more. He was teaching me how to break off lies and believe that my short prayers can be and were just as powerful as the ones I was praying before having my son. While I was trying my best to work hard and squeeze in all the “prayer and God time,” and feeling like I did not have the time or energy with a new baby to do it all, He had all the love and grace to meet me and answer some powerful prayers in my short time of conversation and prayer with Him. All He wanted for me was to enjoy my life and enjoy my new little one. He knew, and will always know, what’s going on in our lives. 

In the seasons of our lives as women that are busy with little ones or overwhelming schedules, God is still so loving to pursue us and meet us for those short powerful times with Him.

I want to leave you with this encouragement of a few people in the bible who prayed short powerful prayers, and God met them there.

1. 2 Chronicles 20 – Jehoshaphat prayed about judgement and sin over the people and God answered him. 

2. Numbers 6:24-26 – God shared a short prayer of blessing for Moses to give to Aaron so he could bless the people.

3. Matthew 8:2 – A leper asked Jesus for his healing, and he was healed.

We want to thank Brenda Martinez for sharing this post.

Lately, I have had many life changes where I have found myself without the words to pray. Yes, I know that prayer is powerful, and I am a firm believer in the fact that God answers prayer. But have you ever found yourself not being able to pray? You simply just don’t know what to say or don’t have the emotional ability to talk to God. 

The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to “Pray without ceasing”. However, what do you do when your head tells you to pray, but you just can’t find the words to pray. That’s when my most powerful prayers have been spoken.

Back in April, my mom called me on a Saturday afternoon to let me know that she and my dad were at the hospital. They thought dad had suffered a heart attack and they were on their way to a bigger hospital via ambulance. I immediately got in the car and headed to the hospital, just a little over an hour away. By the time I got to see dad, the doctor said that he was in septic shock from pneumonia, and he would not make it through the night. To say we were shocked would be an understatement. As my family stood beside my dad’s bed, I simply didn’t know how to pray. Should I pray for healing? Should I pray that dad’s suffering would end quickly? All I could utter was the simple prayer of, “God, I trust You!” Eleven hours after dad walked into the ER, he walked through the pearly gates of Heaven!

Fast forward about 5 weeks. My mom called me one morning and said she had fallen out of bed and had a crick in her neck. Two days later, I took her to the doctor where we found out she had fractured her top two vertebrae and had to have surgery. After spending a week in the hospital, she was transferred back to her hometown to go to a rehab facility for physical therapy. It was so difficult to see my once vibrant mom have many moments of confusion, lack of strength and even lost the ability to feed herself. I found myself in my quiet time not knowing what to say to God. I simply prayed the same prayer: “I trust you God!” However, it was during this time that I learned that when I couldn’t pray, I called out to friends and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that they were standing in the gap for me. My life group ladies were such an integral part of getting us through those difficult days. They prayed with me through the darkest days and rejoiced with me when we saw days of progress!

Four days after getting out of rehab for a broken neck, my mom fell off my porch and broke her hip. After surgery, she was sent to rehab again and a few days later, slid out of her chair and rebroke her hip. Once again, I reached out to my lifegroup to pray, because I simply didn’t have the emotional capacity to do it for myself. 

Mom is in a better place physically for now and looking back, I know that the most powerful prayers were prayed by people who love me. People who I trust. People who will pray when they say they will. People who have a genuine concern for my family even though they have never met most of my family. People who love Jesus and believe in prayer! 

So, if you find yourself in a place where you simply don’t have the emotional ability to pray, start by simply saying, “God, I trust you!” Then reach out to other people who you know will stand in the gap for you. Trust me, it’s the only thing that will get you through some days. 

We want to thank Vickie Young for sharing this post.

In Beth Moore’s book, “All My Knotted-Up Life,” she talks about how when she was younger, she prayed for a love of the Bible, of God’s word. 

When Solomon was appointed King, he asked God for wisdom:

1 Kings 3: 7-12

“ ⁷ And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸ And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. ⁹ Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.”

Sometimes powerful prayers are simple requests to our Father. 

This played out recently in my Bible reading. 

I was having a hard time getting through the book of Jeremiah. I felt like I couldn’t hear or learn in the text. I wanted to love the scriptures, but I couldn’t focus or connect. 

I had a thought: Beth Moore prayed for a love of the scriptures and look at her! Solomon asked for wisdom! 

So, I prayed: 

“God please give me love for Your Word, give me understanding of this book. I want to know You, Your heart, and Your character.”

In that sitting, I received a flood of empathy: I am praying to the SAME God of the Old Testament. He loved the people in Jeremiah. He had blessings, a hope, and a future for them but they turned to idols. 

War and destruction were against the principalities that they turned to. But he had plans for hope and a future for his people. He loved them. 

It then brought me to thankfulness for Jesus. 

 Thank You, Jesus, for the blood applied to the world, to my life. 

God sent his Son to PAY for my sins; to cover the sins of the world. 

We have Jesus, yet we still turn to idols. Idols of work, money, perfection, a clean house. I think: If I have these things, then I’ll have freedom. 

Jesus is our freedom. 

My heart turned from friction of struggling to read through Jeremiah to a heart of tenderness, sympathy, and gratitude to a God who saw the world’s depravity and sent His Son to redeem us. 

Our simple prayers are powerful, because we serve a powerful God. 

Thank you, Father. 

We want to thank Lori Johnson for sharing this post.