Month: August 2023

August 8, 2023

Finding Your Way – Living Your Life

“The lazy Christian has his mouth full of complaints, when the active Christian has his heart full of comforts.”

Thomas Brooks

My days always begin around 3 in the morning, long before I get up and start moving. I lay awake thinking about what I need to do first, ways of improving my life and how I can help my adult children reach their goals without being an overbearing meddlesome parent. However, on this particular day, I started with soaking the dishes from yesterday, folding clothes I’d washed and dried from yesterday, putting a load of clothes in the dryer from yesterday wash, putting another load of dirty clothing in the wash and waking my husband that isn’t mobile because of a bad hip to “Jeff, you need to wake up and start living your day.” In his mind I’m sure he’s thinking “what the heck can I do when I can barely walk.” And I know this is how he thinks because this is how he chooses to live! He waits on me and our son to do most everything for him . . . and sadly he’s enjoying the luxury so much that it robs him of having a meaningful life. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father God, Proverbs 20:4 says, “The slacker does not plow during planting season; at harvest time he looks, and there is nothing.” Lord help those that are struggling with laziness. To their dismay, them sitting around doing nothing but passing time waiting on others to do even the little things they can do for themselves rob them of abundant living. Open their eyes to the knowledge of strength is always gained by first helping ourselves and then others. Amen

August 5, 2023

Finding Your Way – Praying for Enemies

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ‘ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

Matthew 4:43-45

Why the heck would anyone pray good things for their enemy! Really! That has always been my mindset for however long. Honestly, I don’t even know what interaction with whoever produced that spiritual hair-raising mindset. But! God opened my eyes to why we should pray for our enemies as I was telling my husband about all the demons that held my current enemies captive.

As I began to list all of their demons and say to my husband, “There isn’t anything good about them. Why does God allow them to live? They give nothing to making this world a better place.” OMG! No sooner than I spoke those words the Holy Spirit immediately with love and kindness showed me why God loves them despite what they’ve become and or what they’ve done to me. Simple, they are His and He wants to really be their Heavenly Father. And my mom’s death has put them in my life for however long it takes God to teach each person [directly or and indirectly] valuable lessons for our spiritual journey. Let’s pray!

PRAYER

Father, God, I love you more and more with each new day. Today, Lord, I pray for my enemies. I pray for peace for their wounded hearts and for your joy to enter their lives giving them hope for their life’s journey. In Jesus name I pray and in Jesus name I ask. Amen