Category Archives: God’s character

Setting Our Minds

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Before a sprinting race begins, we typically expect to hear specific instructions: On your mark and Set, followed by the starter’s gun. Imagine if the starter omitted the set command. Runners would potentially begin with a split-second of confused hesitation rather than a confident take-off. A slow, unsure start causes a disadvantage and can negatively affect the race’s outcome.

Similarly, when you and I are at the starting line of a personal race, such as a new assignment or adventure, it is valuable to purposely set our minds. Focusing our energy and effort on the task before us is vital if we desire to do our best. Setting our minds will positively affect the following steps and, ultimately, the outcome.

Philippians 4:8 provides a complete list of what to set our minds on specifically. “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Romans 8:6 reminds us that what and Who we set our minds on makes a life and death difference! “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” 

Prayerful intentionality is required to remove thoughts from our minds that do not belong in these categories. Before we start our next pursuit, let us encourage each other to set our minds on what is most beneficial by thinking about who God is, who He created us to be, and how we can glorify Him through the races we run.

Prayer: Lord, may we not rush into any endeavors before deciding to set our minds on You. Please give us the ability to be focused and intentional. May we not breeze mindlessly through life moments and subsequently miss opportunities to glorify You. Help us honor You in all we do as we strive to put You first in our lives. In Your holy name, Amen.

A Few Thoughts From Ladies Bible Study

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For the last few months, I have had the privilege of leading a Ladies’ Bible Study at my church. When the former leader asked me to consider taking her place because she would be moving out of state, I prayed and soon believed God gave me the green light to say yes. Confidence in my Bible-Study-leading skills did not accompany that belief; however, God reminded me that He never puts a task in front of us without promising to give us the ability to fulfill it as He walks right beside us.

As I gain experience facilitating our weekly Bible Study, I also gain knowledge and insight from the dear ladies who attend each Tuesday morning. We have been studying different names and attributes of God. I want to share a few of the thought-provoking points from our discussions, and I pray it is meaningful to you!

The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:1-51: David willingly stepped up to fight Goliath, who was brazenly mocking the Israelite soldiers and their God. (Isn’t it surprising and disappointing that absolutely nobody in the army was willing to put themselves out there as David did?)

David’s eyes were not on himself. He did not think he could defeat the giant using his own strength and implementing his own methods. His eyes were not on Goliath either. If he had dwelled on the fact that Goliath was almost 10 feet tall, nearly 400 pounds, and was wearing a coat of armor well over 100 pounds, he would not have had the courage to take on that intimidating giant.

Where were David’s eyes? They were on God – His almighty, all-powerful God who protected him when he fought a bear and a lion. His eyes were on the God he had complete confidence in to help him in this wildly daunting feat.

The story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:1-14: What did Abraham think when God commanded him to take Isaac to Mt. Moriah? I had never noticed before that in verse 5, Abraham tells the men with them to stay there with the donkey, as he and Isaac were going to worship, and then they would be back. They would both be back. Clearly, he was obedient to God; he had the knife raised above Isaac when God told him to stop. Immediately he saw the ram caught in the thicket, which became the sacrifice instead of his son. He must have had a good feeling that God would somehow give his son back or not have him go through with it, or…something, because he said they would both be back. There is faith in God, and then there is FAITH in God! Abraham had incredible faith and trusted God’s ways, even when they did not make sense in a human way of thinking. 

God provided at the very last second – when things looked the darkest. Again, Abraham had the knife raised in the air, ready to follow the command that God had given him. And at that moment, God said stop. God came through. Again. God provided. Again. And that story is not just for that time and that place. It is a promise of continued providence for all believers.

Bloom Where You Are Planted – new vlog

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Hello, friends! I’m praying for you to feel extra hopeful and encouraged in your faith today.

This vlog is an encouragement to bloom where you are planted at this time – even if it is somewhere you weren’t expecting to be!

To view my most recent vlog, please click the link: https://youtu.be/FnhvDAFetnk

Wholehearted Faith

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When a Biblical figure earns a mention in Hebrews 11 (also known as the Bible’s faith chapter), it is worth diving into their story and contemplating what we can learn from it. 

Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

When we turn the page to Genesis to read Noah’s part of the story, we discover that he had found favor in God’s eyes and that Noah had deemed God worthy of wholehearted faith. 

Noah had never seen rain or floodwaters, but when God told him a flood was coming that would destroy all living creatures, he believed Him. When God said something, Noah believed it without requiring visual evidence or further clarification.

God gave Noah precise directions concerning the measurements and materials to use in the ark’s construction, and he followed them to the letter. Genesis 6:22 says, “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” And Genesis 7:5 says, “And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.” Noah had no interest in cutting corners or half-heartedly attempting to complete his assignment.

It might have seemed ludicrous to the typical bystander when Noah built a gigantic ark. If Noah had been motivated by people’s reactions, this story could have gone in a different direction. However, as we have found, Noah’s motivation was wholehearted faith. And that wholehearted faith produced wholehearted obedience. 

Noah’s wholehearted way of living had history-changing, life-altering results:

  • His family was saved and blessed.
  • The world was repopulated.
  • The relationship between God and man resumed. 

Although God may not command us to build a gigantic ark anytime soon, if we respond to Him with wholehearted faith and obedience, we will see history-changing, life-altering results in our own lives.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to see who You truly are and that You are worthy of our wholehearted faith and obedience. Give us the desire and courage to follow You wholeheartedly. Amen.

A Prayer for Your Children

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One way to invite blessings into the lives of your children throughout their lives is by praying for them to grow and thrive in their faith. I would like to share a prayer to lift up to the Lord on your child’s behalf. Please feel free to print it and put it in a place where you will see it often. What a blessing to serve a God who hears and cares about everything and everyone we bring to Him in prayer!

Click here for a printable version of this prayer.

Dear Lord, thank You for who You are. Thank You for hearing my prayers and caring about every concern I have. I am beyond grateful for Your unfailing love and forgiveness.

Lord, I lift my children to You in prayer. 

Please come alongside them today in a way they can feel powerfully. Let there be no mistaking Your presence in their life today! Replace any loneliness and abandonment with a tangible assurance of Your perfect love. 

Remind them that You are not only with them but also for them. Change their perspective in any situations where they are not sensing Your closeness. 

Lord, increase their faith in You and Your incomparable power. Enable them to rest in that faith, especially when life is complicated. Remind them that You make all things work together for good for those that love You.

Give them Your indescribable peace as You help them surrender to Your will for their lives. Renew their excitement for the plans You have lovingly orchestrated for them. 

Lord, help them desire a deeper relationship with You. Empower them to understand more fully Your character and holy nature. Give them a hunger for studying and understanding Your Word and a yearning to spend more time with You in prayer. 

May they listen for and readily recognize Your Holy Spirit’s voice. Help them become remarkably sensitive to Your voice, and may Your voice compel them to immediately and lovingly obey. 

Give them the courage to pray bold prayers as they approach You with expectancy. Help them to believe for miracles in their own lives and in the lives of those they pray for.

May they reflect Your light in all of their encounters. I pray that Your love will spill out of their lives and that their words, actions, and attitudes will give others a glimpse of Your character in this world that desperately needs to see more of You. In Your name, Amen.

Persevere in Prayer

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In our church Bible Study, we have found that the book of Daniel is challenging and encouraging at the same time.

In Daniel 9:23, the angel, Gabriel, said these words to Daniel: “At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.”

The answer to Daniel’s prayer was granted and set in motion as soon as he began to pray. God had already responded before Daniel knew it.

Even though there are times that God responds before we realize it, let’s keep persevering in prayer anyway! Praying helps us to align our requests with the will of God as we spend time talking and listening to Him. And God wants to hear from us! God created us for a relationship with Him, and prayer is a beautiful part of that. 

I confess certain thoughts might cross my mind when I am not sensing an answer to prayer: He has forgotten about me, my dreams and desires don’t matter to Him, or He isn’t listening. But those thoughts just aren’t true. So a perspective shift reminds me that He is indeed working behind the scenes, and it is already taken care of. I just need to rest, keep communicating with Him in prayer, and watch the answer play out in His time and His way.

Oh, and did you catch the other part of the verse above? The angel told Daniel He was greatly loved. I’m sure Daniel already knew that, but our God is an awesome God who tenderly reassures us of His love.

Daniel 9:23 is a great reminder to continue praying confidently to the God who loves us beyond measure. ❤️

Morning Thoughts

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If they form their opinion about you without knowing the facts, their opinion doesn’t matter. On the other hand, if they form their opinion about you while knowing the facts…their opinion still doesn’t matter. 😉

Let’s talk about God’s opinion. That is the one that matters. 

Here is a tiny glimpse into how highly He thinks of us: He loves us so much that He sent His son to die for us. He loves us so much that He redeems us, restores us, and renews us. He loves us so much that He gave us unique gifts, personalities, and stories to share with the world. 

We can rest knowing that is His opinion of us!

But also… let’s not rest so well that we are content to say, “This is just who I am,” because God gives us daily opportunities to evolve into the person He created us to be. 

“God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” Max Lucado

I have two challenges for myself and you! 

1. Let’s not allow anyone’s opinion of us to affect our attitude. 

2. Let’s obey God as He lovingly shapes us to become more like Christ. 

Here is a new phrase I’m going to embrace, and I invite you to embrace it, too: “You can think what you want about me. I’m over here doing my best to become all God created me to be.”

Have a great day, Friends!

Lord, You Make All Things Work Together

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Dear Lord, thank You for faithfully listening to our prayers. You care about every single one of our requests and heart cries. Your Word says we can confidently bring our burdens to Your throne and that You will equip us with Your mercy and grace. Enable us to release bitterness, unbelief, or anything else that might prevent Your mercy and grace from having their full impact. Help us remember that You are ceaselessly concerned about our lives and that while You might intervene in an entirely conspicuous manner, there will also be times when Your work will be behind the scenes and, therefore, not as visible. When we can’t see Your hand and the wheels You are setting in motion, may we still have an unwavering belief that You are actively moving. Open our hearts to what You are teaching us in the midst of trials.

In our world today, confusion and chaos can sometimes threaten to overwhelm us. When we find ourselves in that position, Lord, help us to set our minds on You, the Prince of Peace, instead of the problems. Remind us that You have given us access to Your matchless, perfect peace. Empower us to wait expectantly for Your peace to wash over us and to protect us from strife in even the most difficult circumstances.

Help us to rest in the promise that You always cause all things to work together for our good. Remind us that what we think is good might be different from what You know is good and that Your definition of good supersedes our definition. Assure us that You are sovereign, have everything under control, and are for us, not against us. 

Lord, thank You for Your unfailing love for us. Help us surrender to Your will, way, and wisdom. 

In Your holy name we pray, Amen.

Hebrews 4:16, Philippians 4:7, Romans 8:28

Everything We Need Can Be Found In Him

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Just a quick thought I want to share with you:

Whatever our need is, Jesus is the only One who can meet it perfectly. Whatever our void is, He is the only One who can fill it to overflowing.  

Let’s take our needs, our emptiness…our everything – to Jesus today. Let’s tell Him we trust Him to deliver. And then let’s step back and watch Him work in our lives in the way only He can. 

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Col. 1:17 ESV

He Has Us Covered

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Ever since I can remember, I have had a comfortable, continual conversation with Jesus. Engaging in silent prayer regardless of where I am or what I am doing has been a natural part of my daily rhythm – most of the time.

However, there have been brief periods when intense emotional pain disrupted that rhythm and rendered me speechless before Jesus. When I have been unable to articulate a prayer amid hardship, a particular Bible verse has become a lifeline. Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.” Friends, in our silence, the Holy Spirit lifts our burdens to the throne of Jesus on our behalf! Thank the Lord there is no communication gap when our pain temporarily prevents us from expressing our needs.

When we do not have the strength to pray, be encouraged – the Holy Spirit has us covered.