Strong Enough

Sometimes we decide that we can do things on our own without God's help. However, He IS strong enough, He IS brave enough, He IS steady enough to fill us up and be the strength we lack on our own. Rely on God even when you think that you can make it on your own. He is everything you need in weakness AND in strength.

Lost & Found

There is a story in Luke 15 that tells a story of a father who has two sons that are going to be getting a part of his estate. His younger son asks for his share of his father's estate now, before his father dies. So his father gives him his share and the younger son sets out and spends all his money on "wild living," and by the time he is done spending all his money there is a famine that leaves him starving and working for a farmer. He goes back to his father and apologizes for what he did and offers to become his father's servant because he is not worthy to be his son. Before the son even gets home, his father sees him coming and runs to embrace his son with compassion and love. His father says this, "Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found."

Jesus used this story to illustrate the joy felt when his lost children turn and come back to him. I encourage you to look up the story and read the whole thing for yourself because it is a great illustration of the love God has for all of his children. He always rejoices when we run to him, no matter the circumstances. It doesn't matter if we are running back to him in desperation or joy, sorrow or happiness, he is there to embrace us and love on us. Be aware of the great joy that God has when you run to him for shelter and safety!

Called to Now

"I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there can be any kindness I can show, or any good things I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it now and not defer ir or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." -William Penn

When we feel "spiritual nudges" from God, it is always best to follow through with what he is speaking to our heart. I can recall multiple instances when God nudged me to go talk to someone or do something for a person and I found myself in resistance because I feared that person's opinion of me. Recently, I was in the lunch room at school and looked over to see a girl sitting all by herself. I instantly felt that I needed to go sit with her and ask her how she was doing, however, I became so resistant and fearful that I made excuses for myself out of the situation. I never went and sat with that girl and I later told my dad what had happened and how I felt such resistance and fear. He told me something like this, "It's not her view of you that matters, it is her view of the God in you. If God calls you to do something, he will give you the words and the way." I thought to myself, "Wow! I never thought of it that way!" If God nudges us to do something, we do it... plain and simple. He will provide the words and the way, we are called to now. I don't know what would have happened if I had gone and sat with that girl, but I do know that next time God calls me to do something, I want to do it now! What about you? Are you willing to answer the calling of God to your "now"?

Words Part II

Proverbs 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

As followers of Christ, we are called to build one another up. Choose to say things that encourage the people that hear what comes out of your mouth. People will feel energized and welcomed when you encourage and uplift them with your words. Pick someone today to observe and encourage. Compliment that person from your heart and let them know you care. You never know whose day you will make with a simple word of encouragement!

Words Part I

"We all have days when we need a little emotional pick-me-up. Some of the greatest perks come from encouraging words we receive from our friends."

This quote sums up the feeling that we all have from time to time. Be thankful for those friends and mentors in your life that encourage & "pick you up" with their words! Rejoice in the fact that they are there for you to draw strength and encouragement from. Send a thank you their way today!

Be You

"Be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

God has called us to be uniquely ourselves and to live out the life that he has designed for each one of us.When you pretend or strive to be someone else, it masks who you really are. God created each one of us differently and no two people have the same exact personality, appearance, routine, style, hobbies, etc. Taking on the opinions of others and wanting to look or be exactly like other people can be detrimental to the person God has called YOU to be. It's always great to have mentors and friends that you look up to and admire, but it is another thing to want to be that person and cover up the wonderful person that you are. Be confident in who God made you to be and don't belive the lie that you aren't good enough the way you are. Becoming someone else creates a loss for yourself and the people around you. People need what you have to offer, don't be a second-rate version of someone else. Be YOU!

Refined

Luke 11:37-41 As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy- full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.


This verse shows us exactly what our society has become so obsessed about...outward appearance. However, this verse also shows us what God wants us to focus on and to nurture...inward appearance. Girls in magazines are airbrushed and edited to look perfect, guys have muscles that have been attained using illegal substances and both genders paint on plastic smiles so they can tell the world that if you look like they do, you will be wanted. That message is a lie. God wants you just the way you are and so do other people that see the Jesus in you. The world desperately needs a sign of hope and you can be that hope to someone in your realm of influence. Decide today to be the "true you" and seek God for his help when you have self doubt about who you are in him and also when you begin to focus too much on the outside! Be refined!

Light Within

"People are like stained-glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Let's be the kind of people that when darkness sets in, our light sparkles and shines brighter than ever. The lost people around us need the light that so desperately wants to come out of us. You have the potential to light up your world even when you are going through a difficult test. Be the sun in the picture above to the dark world around you and see what joy will come as a result! Put on a smile and light up "your world"!

Hope & Cheer

Psalm 94:19 When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

This verse in Psalms along with Kari Jobe's song Steady My Heart is exactly the way God wants you to feel every moment of every day. When doubts cloud your vision and hope seems lost, God will come and steady your heart giving you a renewed sense of hope and cheer! Don't give up, keep pressing and know that hope and cheer can be yours today through our wonderful Father and Creator!!

Strength of my Heart

Psalm 73:26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Even when we are beyond drained physically and emotionally, God is always our strength. He's there to lift us up and to give us the strength we don't have on our own. If you are feeling weak, let God be your strength and let Him fill you up. He is always more than enough, you can't do it on your own.

Don't Forget

It is so easy to forget the significance of what Christ did for us on the cross. Every day we need to remind ourselves that what Jesus did on the cross for us was not something that anyone else has done or would do for us. He freely gave His body to set us free in Him, but He didn't stop there. He overcame the grave so that we could continually come to Him for anything we have need of. Don't forget what Jesus did for you, take time to remember what He did every day and thank Him for His sacrifice of love.

Follow God's Lead

"Too many choices at pivotal points in life can leave us feeling like confused coffee nerds- mouths hanging open at the Starbucks counter. Frozen in time, we may wonder. What do I do now? What if I make a mistake and place the wrong order? What if I make a fool of myself? At those times we need to take a deep breath, put our hands in God's, and follow His lead." -Rachel St. John-Gilbert

I have a fascination with quotes from other people and as I read this quote, I was reminded of the feeling of abandonment. Often times, if I don't receive an answer from God when I think I should have it, I feel like God has abandoned me. However, scriptures tell us the exact opposite. In Joshua 1:9 it says, "This is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Feelings can be misleading at times and even when we feel alone, God is there. All we have to do is reach out to Him and He will lead our steps. Put your hope in the God who knows everything about you and understands the way you are feeling. He loves and cares for YOU today and every day!

Let Go

1 Peter 3:6-7 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

We all endure trials in life and sometimes we want to give up and turn the other way. However, God promises that our season of trial will not last forever. There is an end to every season of life and in the verse above, God promises that our trials will make us stronger and that we will be like gold that has been purified through the fire. So today, let go and let God!!

Praise Worthy

Deuteronomy 10:20 You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone.

This song by Jonathan Lee is an oath to God alone just as the verse above says. A lot of times we get caught up in the business of life and forget to take quiet time alone with God to worship him and soak in his presence. Take the time to listen to this song and receive restoration from the only One who can truly refresh you. When we cling to God, he gives us just what we need because he knows exactly what that is. Give him your praise today because he is praise worthy.

Hand It Over

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

A great mentor of mine shared this verse with me a few weeks ago and I was amazed that just reading it gave me comfort. However, God was tugging on my heart with this verse, as He may be with you. He doesn't want us to only feel comfort from this verse, He wants us to believe it with everything we are. It's more difficult at times in our lives when we have testing or trial, but God promises to be there for us. To be the One we can trust with our heart and everything that is inside (including our fears, failures, worries and doubts)...He's asking us to hand it over!!

Are you willing to hand it over to God??

You Are More

"You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade."


-Lyrics from Tenth Avenue North's song You Are More


I love this song that reminds us of God's redemption and grace that He so freely gives us and by receiving it, we become remade. No matter how big or small the mistake or failure, God is still and always will be there to pick up the pieces and restore your broken and tattered heart to a place of complete healing. It may not come over night or even in a few weeks or months but it will come in God's timing... and I've learned time after time that He's never early, never late, always just right on time. Trust God to come into your heart and clean up the mess. He can only restore you if you allow Him to draw you near and let Him tend to the wounds of your heart.

Approval Game

"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests-look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular. (Luke 6:26 MSG)


We all get caught up in pleasing the people around us or the people we want to recognize us. God knew we would struggle with this concept and that's exactly why there is a scripture such as this one. God wants us to do what pleases Him and if it gets the approval of others, great! If not we're called to live the same and be okay with the fact that God loves how we are and the approval of others' is small in comparison to His view of us. He wants us to be happy with the way He made us and live freely in who we are. You're free of others' opinions of you today and every day. Don't let opinions hold you back, rather be confident in who God has called you to be and put a smile on your face!!

Stop, Think, Listen

Proverbs 26:20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels diappear when gossip stops.


In the intro to one of my devotional plans I read this statement the other day, "Those who gossip to you will also gossip about you." That is a powerful statement and the more I read it, the more it makes me think. Gossip is a damaging and destructive thing and it has impact on not only the person being talked about, it also has impact on the people participating in the gossip. I have caught myself many times saying things that don't need to be said aloud about someone or something that happened. We all have thoughts about people and situations but we have the choice to either think about how it will sound to others if we say it or to ponder it in our hearts and give it over to God to deal with. He's always there to bear our burdens and He understands the way we feel. Who better to talk to? Next time you are tempted to say something destructive...stop, think and listen to what God will have you to do.