Lysa Terkeurst The Hard of Today

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Happy Monday!

I am a relatively new fan of Lysa Terkeurst, but the more I read, the bigger fan that I become.  She gives me a perspective that I may not have looked at before and should.

I thought this little blog was so very fitting for the time we are in.  Between the pandemic and all that is going on around us, sometimes it just feels so hopeless.  The “hard of today” can become overwhelming.

I have to remind myself, over and over, that “the hard of today” isn’t what my day is unless I allow it to be.  What my day really is, is what God gives me for that day and how I choose to handle it.

If it becomes too much for me, I believe He is telling me to lean on Him, it is never too much for Him.

I am working on differentiating between concern and worry.  I have many concerns but I don’t have too many worries.  Does that make sense?

God is just SO very GOOD!  He is faithful and right there when I need Him.  I have found I have needed Him a lot more lately.

Isn’t it wonderful to know there is someone who is always there?  No lunch breaks, no weekends off or vacations, He is there every day, every hour.  Thank you, Jesus!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

Lysa TerKeurst

  Sometimes the hard of today… the unexpected phone call, the frustrating meeting, the shocking diagnosis, the hurtful conversation… can leave us fearful about tomorrow.

I know how consuming those kinds of worries can be, especially when it feels like we’re dealing with one thing after the next. I also know that when our hearts hurt and life gets really hard, we need reminders of God’s goodness. And I’ve found that declaring the Word of God increases my trust in God.

Here is a declaration I wrote based on Psalm 112:7 that we can declare out loud tonight. Because when we express God’s Truth, we depress the enemy’s lies.

“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:7

I declare right now that I will not fear bad news or hard things that I may face. They do not have any control over my heart or my relationship with Jesus. Instead, I will cling to God’s Truth, which never changes with the news I receive. Truth is what I will build the foundation of my life upon! Yes, my heart belongs to the Lord and I fully trust in Him, even when my feelings beg me to doubt His goodness. Feelings don’t have the final say; Truth absolutely does.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

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Happy Monday!

Right now, what God is giving me about healthy living isn’t about what we put into our mouths.  Right now, He is telling me FOCUS.  Focus on Him.  Pay attention to what we put into our hearts and our souls.  Time is growing shorter, with each passing day.  Are we ready?  Can we help someone else be ready?  Are we stocked on lamp oil so our lamp doesn’t burn out?

Isaiah 9:6 is very familiar to most of us at this time of year.  We see it on Christmas cards every year.

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given!

Hope and Redemption came to us all from that beautiful verse.   Have you read the next line and verse though?

And the government will be on His shoulders … of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. 

The government will be on HIS shoulders. And that greatness and peace will be unending.

There are a lot of things going on in our nation right now.  Things that create tension and dissention.  It doesn’t matter which side you are on, there is hurt and anger and frustration.  You know and people are afraid.  Afraid of what tomorrow may bring.

Let’s get back to FOCUS.  We need to turn our eyes on Jesus.  He is our leader and King.  Where we are now is temporary, our life in Him is eternal!

“In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”  It’s all predicted in the Bible.  The plagues, corruption, fraud, division, all of it.

What stays consistent though is that God is in control. We were never meant to be here for this government.   We were created for something so much better.  We know how the story ends.

My “Song of the Week” is another old favorite.  “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”.  Close your eyes and listen to this song settle through your heart and mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90

 

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there
Over us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are

And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

And turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

 

Happy New Year

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Happy New Year!

Do you wonder what this new year will bring?  I know I do.  What will this year look like?  Will it be a fresh start or just more of the same?  One thing is for certain.  For the most part, it will be what we make it.

Does that sound like a lot of responsibility AND accountability?  I guess it is.  I have said before that I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions.  I do, however, try to set some attainable goals.

This past year, more than ever, has taught me that I HAVE to keep my immunity up and stay as healthy as possible.  One thing, Covid for instance, can knock you for a loop and you find yourself clawing at the walls trying to pull yourself back up.  And I thought I was pretty healthy.  That is my only real personal goal.

Sometimes, we find ourselves focusing only on “self”.  The problem with that is we lose focus on what our true purpose in this life is.  In my Bible readings this week, I came across a couple of things that really struck a chord with me.  The first is in Psalm 147.

Psalm 147:10-11

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,

who put their hope in his unfailing love.

 So, if we focus all throughout the day, on putting all of our hope in His unfailing love, how might that change how this new year goes?

Yes, I would like to lose some weight and I will be healthier for it, but God is much more concerned with how healthy my spirit is than He is with my weight.  I try to be a good steward of my body but I really want to be a good steward of my spirit and my love for Jesus Christ.

The other scripture that stuck with me this week comes from the wisdom of the Proverbs.

Proverbs 31:8-9

8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

 2020 was an unbelievably hard year for many people.  Lost jobs, lost family, lost hope.  Suicide rates are up and depression has skyrocketed.

Speak up – judge fairly – defend, these require action on our part.  What can we do to help those who cannot speak for themselves?  This isn’t about politics, this is about humanity.

We are supposed to be an example of Christ who lives in us, the hands and feet of Jesus.

Perhaps this new year is the perfect opportunity for us to take a step back from all the rhetoric and all the politics and invite the Holy Spirit to show US what we should be doing.  Not our pastor, our church or our neighbor, but each one of us.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

Psalms 91

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Happy Monday!

Just a few days and we turn the corner into a new year.  I’m not sure where this one has gone to but it’s gone.

On one hand, I would really like to say I am thrilled to see the good for nothing 2020 be escorted out and a new start escorted in.    On the other hand, was it really good for nothing?
I have learned to appreciate the little things so much more and I have learned not to take anything for granted.

I have learned that the love of Jesus, my love for Him and the love of my family and friends is all that really matters.

I have also learned that no matter what 2021 may bring, it will be okay.  It is still in God’s hands and His plan is bigger and better than anything I could ever imagine.

I honestly believe that prayer was a big reason I survived this past couple of weeks – your prayers and my own desperate cries to the Lord.  Living in a global pandemic surely isn’t easy, but when your household is an active part of that pandemic the reality really hits home!

Leaning on Jesus in the midst of a crisis is a choice, but not always what we think of first. It’s like we are sucked into a dark cloud of worries and doubt and fear and it’s hard to see past them all. Psalm 91 has become my anchor through this. I have made a habit of reading it twice daily and it has helped tremendously. 

Yes, we have been sick.  But so many have been far worse and don’t even realize they have the shelter of His arms to rest in.  I’m not afraid of dying, but I would be terrified of dying without Jesus.

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior, this would be an excellent time to change that.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Silent Night

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Happy Monday!

It’s the last Monday before Christmas and now comes my all time favorite.  It has withstood the hands of time.  It was written in 1816 and performed the first time in 1818 at a midnight mass in Austria.  Over 200 years ago, it must have actually been a silent night.  But what about over 2000 years ago?

Can you imagine?  No traffic, no partiers, no airplanes overhead.  Just silence.  But – a baby changes everything and this baby changed the world.

Even the stars knew of His arrival and served as a guide for others to come pay homage to a King in a manger.  A young virgin mother and a carpenter as His earthly father.  And God hand picked them.

The heavens must have been rejoicing for this long-awaited birth!  And yet, even though it had been told it was coming for a very long time, not everyone believed in His arrival.

So, when I hear this song, it always puts me in a very pensive mood.  How did Mary and Joseph feel?  It was different for them than most new parents.  They were chosen to raise the son of God.  Was it strange for Joseph to be teaching the son of God carpentry skills?  Did Mary need to teach him common manners and kindness?

No wonder it was a silent night!  I close my eyes and try to put myself in a quiet corner observing this miraculous night and all it was to bring.  And in my heart pray that she didn’t even guess what was coming 33 years later.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!

Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, oh, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

Mary Did You Know?

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Happy Monday!

Can you believe it?? Eleven days until Christmas.  Then you know what sneaks up on us?  A brand new year!  I am praying now for 2021!

In my contemplation of my favorite Christmas songs, I have to use one of my all-time favorites.  “Mary Did You Know”.  This song brings me to tears.

I think back to when my children were babies.  The pure joy of holding them in my arms and kissing their tiny, soft faces.  The overwhelming awe of their creation and a love that was so tremendous that I thought I would burst!

Every year when I listen to this song, I can’t imagine being visited by an angel, as a very young girl!  But then – the news the angel delivered!  What went through her mind, even more so because she was pledged to marry Joseph!

But her faith carried her through.  No matter how terrifying and unimaginable it was, her faith still carried her through and God’s plan was achieved.

The really breathtaking part is still to come though.

Mary had already been told what a special child she would give birth to, but I wonder if it had really sunk in.  Did she fully understand she would be mother to the savior of the world?  As she held Jesus in her arms, did she know the baby she delivered would deliver her?  Did she understand the power that He would have?  Did she have any inkling that this perfect little baby boy was heaven’s perfect lamb?  I don’t believe she knew He was also going to be the perfect sacrifice to save the world…as she held this beautiful little boy in her arms, touched His dewy skin and kissed those precious cheeks, did she remember she was kissing the face of God?  That takes my breath away!

I think of Mary holding Jesus in her arms and now, He holds us in His arms!  If that doesn’t take your breath away, nothing will!  He is King of kings and Lord of Lords! He is our everything!  That is still hard for me to comprehend.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

O Come All Ye Faithful

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Happy Monday!

We are in full blown Christmas season now.  So much busyness!  So many things to do and so many places to go!  Well, maybe not as many places to go as in past Christmas seasons…  There is shopping to do and food to cook and cleaning to be done, oh my!

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the season and forget what started it all.  A tiny baby, come to save the world.

I was listening to O Come All Ye Faithful on the radio yesterday.   I wonder – are we always faithful when we get tangled up in glitter and wrapping paper?  Do we keep Jesus at the top of the priority list?  Even if we do, do we do it with joy and triumph?  Do we really take the time to behold Him, the one that is the King over all?  Do we adore Him?

Next two paragraphs borrowed from Facebook.

“Come as a Child Is there anything more exciting than being a child on Christmas morning? And yet this is what God asks of us each day, to change and become like little children. Not just on Christmas, but each day approaching our Father, God as a child, with excited anticipation of His goodness, and humbly trusting Him that every need will be met and every care will be under His control.”

“Jesus born as a Baby.  Preached as a child.  Killed as a man.  Arose as a Victor.  Coming back as a King !
He is coming back!
Are you ready?”

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

I Will Praise Him In This Storm

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Happy Monday!

If you are like me, you are saying goodbye to fall and Thanksgiving and moving right along into the Christmas season.  This year has been different for sure, but all we can do is try to make the best of what we have to deal with.

One thing I know, our God is still in charge!

During Thanksgiving week, I lost a brother in-law to Covid 19.  That same afternoon, my brother, who has been battling brain cancer for some time, was taken to the hospital having seizures.  His prognosis isn’t good but, praise God, his outcome is Heavenly!  There is such comfort in knowing that, when the Lord says it’s time, my brother will join my brother in-law and the rest of our family who went ahead!  And that’s what we all, as Christians, can look forward to.  What a reunion it will be!

I don’t believe any CDC regulations will apply either!  We won’t need to think about that ever again throughout eternity!

So as the Christmas season starts, don’t let thanksgiving end.  At my lowest, I can find so many things to be grateful for!  At my lowest, I can still find contentment.  At my lowest, is when God’s presence is the strongest.  I will praise Him in this storm.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

The Lord is my Shepherd

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Happy Monday!

Sometimes, I have an abundance of words and really hope you are patient with me.  This week, I have no words and I really hope you are patient with me.  Sometimes, the world takes all of my words.

What the world can’t take though, is my faith and my love.  His Words are my anchor, my life and my shield.

In this week of gratitude, count your blessings, love on your family and friends, even if it is virtually.

Never, ever forget how much God loves you and that, above all, is our sustenance.

I am so grateful for each and every one of you.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23 KJV

PRAY

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Happy Monday!

 

I have been waiting for that little “God nudge” this week, the nudge in some direction for the weekly email.   This week, the only nudge I have gotten, is to PRAY.  I can be doing almost anything and suddenly I feel like I need to pray.  And I do.

 

Maybe we all need to seriously “Pray Unceasingly”!

 

We have a country divided.  We are seeing churches divided.  We are seeing families divided.

Our prayer lists get longer and longer.  Isn’t it time to fall on our knees and beg for forgiveness and mercy?

 

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

 

We need to do our part and then trust God with the rest.  Prayer is so powerful and that is our duty!

Pray for our country.  Pray for the end to the pandemic.  Pray for our churches and pray for our families!

Honor, pray and walk in love.  Love for our fellow man, even if we don’t agree or even like each other.

 

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

 

In a nutshell:

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois