Category: Tunes on Tuesday

God First

Putting God first can seem overwhelming, until we realize that he provides and takes care of us.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:31-33

Seeking God does not have to mean sitting down with your Bible and praying for hours. We should start our days with a devoted time and focus on him. But he’s not a checklist. ‘Ok, done with that time to move on to the rest of my life.’ No he is our life. He is with us always and should be part of all of our day.

When Paul said pray without ceasing he meant we should be talking to God throughout our day. Seeking him when we face trouble and praising him when he have joy. Jesus came so we could have relationship with Father God and Holy Spirit. So that we can have God with all of us all of the time. Don’t squander what Jesus paid for. Cherish your relationship with God and seek him in all things throughout your day.

Put God first and see how your day exceeds your expectations.

Even Louder

No matter what we are facing in our lives be it internal, external, physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or relational.

Regardless our struggles we can all cling to the same thing, God. No matter what, our God is good and he loves us and its because of that love that we know that we can depend on him to lift us up and bring us through everything.

So no matter how tired or frustrated we may be. We can scream EVEN LOUDER that Jesus is our everything.

As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,  saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”  He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” -Luke 19:37-40

God’s not done with you

It breaks my heart when I hear people say that God can’t use them. They say they are too old, too young, too poor, too shy, too broken, too busy. Whatever the reason, it does not disqualify you from sharing what Jesus has done in your life. As long as there are people who don’t know Jesus, God can use you. We all have something to share, God changed our lives some way, some how and we can share that.

The old have years of experience, decades of how Jesus has impacted their lives. The young have faith that can move mountains. The broken can share how God healed and redeemed them. The busy can invest in those that keep them busy.

We can all be used by God. If we seek him and follow his direction.

On your worst day, God is there

Even on my worst days I know one thing is true.

Jesus is everything I need.

I can go to him and ball my eyes out in frustration, scream, yell and be completely open, honest and transparent with him because he already knows everything I’m going through. There is comfort in being able to talk to him about anything and everything whether good or bad, whether I’m encouraged or discouraged when I come to him.

I know that after I have shared my worries, fears or concerns. He will share his perspective, his plan and his view. I know that after I have spent time with him, that I will come out loved and comforted. Because he is always there for me know matter what. Anytime anywhere he is there.

So give God your stuff, all your junk, your frustrations and let him give you the peace that surpasses understanding.

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.-Philippians 4:6-7

Is it well with your soul?

It is well with my soul, is all any of us want. We want to have peace in us. We want to have freedom from guilt and shame, to stop fighting against everything and everyone and to truly find peace.

Jesus is that peace, because he is peace.

He came to give us his peace in our very souls.

That we would no longer walk in fear or worry, but in confidence and strength. That we would draw that from him. Because no matter how we feel. When we have him in our lives, we are never really alone, he is with us always.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.-Psalm 4:8

God’s not done

It’s easy to give up, to think we can’t go on or that God can’t use us, doesn’t want or doesn’t need us. But nothing could be further from the truth.

God’s never done with us.

No matter where we are, what we are doing or how far we think we’ve fallen. God’s never done with us.

He is always there for us, he always wants us and he always has more for us.

We can’t exhaust God, his love doesn’t run out and his grace covers all.

So no matter what, no matter how we feel, we can always turn to him and he will lift us up.

but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Love to get you through

The love of God gets me through more then I thought I could ever handle.

I’ve always tried to be the person that says they can do anything, I don’t back away from challenges and I always try to find the solution to any problem.

But when I’m faced with things that I can’t fix or make work, it opens the door to be discouraged or even depressed.

A few years ago I struggled with depression over not being pregnant after several years of trying. I was discouraged and I knew that God loved me but I didn’t want to spend time with Him. Honestly I was mad at God. But in time I came to realize that just because I wanted a baby doesn’t mean I’m ready. Having a baby isn’t about me, it’s about the baby.

God was teaching me that having a baby wasn’t about fulfilling my desire to be a mother but it should be about wanting to do and be whats best for the child.

I needed to learn that.

Even though we are not expecting yet. I am trusting that God will bring a child into our lives when it is best for the baby.

I trust God because I know He loves me and I’m reminded of that each day as I write. Writing helps me keep focused on Him, it helps me to evaluate my life and see Him working in it.

His love sustains me, it feeds me, but I have to let Him love me.

What area of your life are holding back God’s love from?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. -1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Baggage and Beautiful Messes

Why do we only see flaws when we look in the mirror? Why do we carry around all the baggage of our past pains and hurts?

Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash

 Beautiful Messes by Hilary Scott & the Scott family talks about laying down all our baggage at the foot of cross and giving it to Jesus, because to him we are never lost causes.

God doesn’t see us the way we see ourselves. He sees us as beautiful messes.  He sees the beauty he created us to be, that is bogged down by the baggage we choose to carry with us. We are the ones that choose to walk around carrying all our hurts and pains, lugging around the baggage of our past.

Photo by Tommaso Pecchioli on Unsplash

But his burden is light.

God doesn’t want us to carry all that around with us. He wants us to lay it all at his feet.

Baggage can be many things worry, anxiety, past hurts and pain. It’s anything that holds us back from expressing the joy and love of Jesus.

One of the secrets of our marriage is that we don’t carry our baggage with us. My husband and I both go to God first before going to each other or anyone else, when we realize that something bothers us.

We ask God, why? Whether it is something someone said or did or even our own mood or attitude that we know is not from him. We go to God first and ask what the root cause of the pain is. Then after we’ve sorted it out with God we go to each other or the person that hurt us and talk it through, if necessary. Many times we’ve worked things out with God and don’t even need to talk to the other person.

We don’t have to walk around with all the hurt and pain of our past or even our present if we lay them at the foot of the cross. God is always with us, always accessible and always wants to help us.

Next time you feel someone poke an old wound or make a new one go to God first and find freedom.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” –Matthew 11:28-30

Photo by Samuel Scrimshaw on Unsplash

Jesus is enough

When you love someone and they love you sometimes all you need, sometimes all you want is to just sit with them and enjoy their presence.

Jesus is like that.

His love is so pure, so true, so comforting that all I want to do sometimes is just sit in his presence and drink in his love, joy and peace.


Photo by Luis Alberto Sánchez Terrones on Unsplash

Sometimes that is the best thing for us.

Just to sit and enjoy his presence, no talking necessary just drink him in.

No matter what is going on, when you don’t have the words or the strength you can just sit in his presence and that is enough. Because he is enough.

Where I find my confidence

When I was young, I was shy, insecure, lacking confidence, always looking for approval and to feel wanted.

But when I found my identity in Jesus I changed. As I got to know him and his love. My confidence grew because I knew who was behind me, supporting me. Knowing God loved me no matter what, that he would always protect me, keep me safe and never leave. My confidence grew because it was in him and who he is, not me.

When we know God’s love for us, it bolsters us, gives us strength and confidence to be who he made us to be. That’s why spending time with Him and learning who he is, is so important. It gives us the confidence to do and be who he made us to be. His children. To know the one who’s standing behind us.

We are each important to God. He wants to spend every moment of everyday with each of us and he will defend us even to death, because he already did.

That’s love and that’s where my confidence, joy and peace come from. They come from the one who gave up everything for me.

God wants to have a deep, intimate, personal relationship with every single member of humanity. He is our creator and he loves each and every one of us, that is who we find our confidence in, the one who loves us, all of us.

Only Jesus

Jesus is my everything and it’s because of him that I write. He put the burden in my heart, he called me to it and encourages me in it. He is who I want to bring light to and draw our focus to.

I don’t write this devotional for myself, for my glory or to be heard by others. I write it to draw people closer to Jesus. To help them see that he loves them and that he wants to be with us all every moment of every day.

So if you get anything out of these devotionals. I hope that you see Jesus, grow closer to him and know him more each day.

What has Jesus placed in your heart? Who has he called you to reach? And how is he calling you to do it?

What love is this

I’ve never known a love as deep, as pure and unceasing as the love of God. No where else have I felt safer, more cared for and lacking nothing then in the presence of God. He brings joy and peace, a sense of calm that surpasses understanding. His love is where we don’t feel shame or worry only comfort.

It’s us that put up a barrier to keep him at arms length instead of embracing the freedom that his grace provides. But when we accept his forgiveness and surrender control, that’s when we can truly know him.

We are his and he gave everything for us, even his very life just to have a relationship with us. He died because we are valuable to him, we are priceless. And his love is more than enough for us. Accept his gift freely given and melt into the safety of his presence.

No one has greater love than this; to lay down his life for his friends. -John 15:13

Prayer isn’t something to be scared of

Those moments when we’re lost, tired, confused and stressed. There is one thing we can always pray, Jesus.

In times of stress and worry we often neglect prayer because we think we need the right words or we don’ know what to say. But we don’t really have to say anything. We can simple call on Jesus and let him do the talking.

Prayer doesn’t have to be some eloquently written poem. Prayer is a conversion between you and God.

Don’t worry about what to say.

Be open, honest, raw and say anything, he can handle it. The most important thing is that we are opening the line of communication to him and that we are giving him a chance to talk to us. Just say Jesus and listen.

How do you see yourself?

It’s easy to struggle with how God sees you when you get wrapped up in how others see you or how you see yourself. But how God sees us is what matters!

He is our creator and a creator always knows how something was meant to be used. It’s us or others that see ourselves not as we were intended to be.

God sees us all as his beautiful kids that he loves. We need to ask him to show us how he sees us each day. Then we can fulfill the purpose he intended for us when he made us.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. -Psalm 139:13

God is Good

There are so many songs that talk about how good God is and each one resonates because he is good. King of my Heart by Bethel Music repeats how good he is to us in everything that we face. He is the anchor in the storm, his is fire in our souls and the mountain where we run.

We know that we can run to him no matter how we are feeling and he is there for us. He is there to comfort us when we are sad or shield us when we’re weak. He anchors us when we start to stray and he is who we run to and thank for his blessings beyond our beliefs.

God is good, because he has proven it to me more times then I can count. He blessed me with amazing friends that never gave up on me when I ran from God. He blessed me with an amazing husband who has strength and character that I didn’t know I wanted or needed. God is good.

He has been there for me in some the hardest moments of my life, and helped me find joy and peace when I saw none.

God is good. Ask him how he wants to show his goodness to you today!

Forever on Your Side

I’m not going to even begin to think that I have all the answers. But the one thing that I know for sure is that God is forever on our side. I know that his love for us never ends. That he is always there for us no matter what. We need only to look to him.

He was there when I made less then wise decisions. He was there when I choose to ignore him and he is there for me now. He is always there for all of us. All the time. We choose whether to let him in or not.

He’s been there for me in some of the hardest moments of my life. And he’s been there for the good times too.

When I was young I was really shy and I had very low confidence in myself. But as I’ve grown to know God deeper and more intimately. I have grown in confidence and assurance of who I am. Because I know who he made me to be. That he gives me everything I need to achieve the goals he’s laid on my heart. And he’s there for me when I fail too.

God’s love is not dependent on our behavior its always there. But we have to allow him in. We have to allow him to show us who he made us to be. When we find our identity in Jesus. It opens new doors and opportunities that we never knew existed and he gives us the confidence to succeed.

Give God the chance to show you that he’s forever on your side.

You Are Not Alone

When you feel defeated, knocked down, like no one is in your corner. Jesus is always there for you. He always has your back. He will go to bat for you because He already did when lived a sinless life and died to pay for our mistakes.

He’s forever on our side.

Jesus is always there for us.

We can always talk to Him. He is always listening, because He loves us.

He loves us so much that He gave everything for us. He gave every second of everyday for us. He gave up His life for US!

He’s forever on our side.

We don’t have all the answers

It’s easy to say you ‘depend on God’, when everything is going good. But to say it even in the hard times too. That’s when our faith in Jesus shines through.

Because our faith in God should not change because our circumstances do. God doesn’t change. He is the same in the worst of moments of our lives and in the best. He always loves us, wants us and is there for us. We are the ones that lose faith, feel unworthy, or push him away.

But the question we have to ask God is not ‘Why?’ but ‘What now? God what do you want to be for me in this moment? What we’re going through may not be what he wanted for us. But he will be with us through it. He will use it to bring us closer to him. If we let him.

 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Isaiah 55:4-7

God Given Dreams

God given dreams are not ours to fulfill they are God’s. We are called to surrender and trust his timing. Look at Joseph or David it took decades for the dreams God gave them to be fulfilled. But they we fulfilled by God. Not by them. David had multiple opportunities to take the thrown from Saul but he knew he had to honor the authority God had given Saul. David choose to honor God instead of himself.

This world is full of people trying to achieve their dreams and goals. Striving and sacrificing morals, ethics and anything that stands in their way. But we as God’s children are called to a different sacrifice. We are to lay down our lives for God as he did for us. To let him live through us and let him fulfills the dreams he has placed on our hearts. The only thing we need to do is stay focused on Jesus. Seek his face and follow his direction. Trust him to provide and make the way for what he’s called us to.

What are your dreams? Have you given them to God to fulfill or are you still trying to achieve them on your own.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  – 1 John 3:16

To brighten your day!!!

Some days we get news that saddens us. We don’t always get the answer we are looking for in the time we expect. But that does not mean that God is not good. He is and he knows the best timing for his blessings.

Hannah prayed fervently for a child and God blessed her with one. But it was his timing that mattered. Hannah had Samuel. Samuel was a great prophet but his birth needed to coincide with Saul and David. So he could anoint them both king and be the voice of God to them both. Delayed answers can make us sad. But if we keep looking to King Jesus he will bring us joy in the morning. So no matter what your facing. Know that if you put your trust in God he will provide the desires he has placed in your heart, but in his timing.

The song in the video will bring some sunshine to your day. God loves to bring joy and laughter into our lives. Especially when we don’t feel it. This song always brings a smile to my heart. Enjoy and laugh with Jesus!

Jesus name changes the atmosphere

Just mentioning the name of Jesus can change everything. It can change our attitude, our view towards someone or something. Jesus can change our whole perspective, if we let him.

It’s more than just mentioning his name. It’s the knowledge of who he is and what he brings to the situation or conversation. He provides peace in the storm. Healing where there is pain. Love where it feels lost. But it needs to be more than knowledge of him. When we speak his name we need to seek what he is doing in the moment and share it with the faith that he will do what he tells us.

Years ago I was standing in line and heard a woman say she could only wear certain shoes because her feet hurt. Knowing that God could heal her I asked to pray for her. I prayed and she was not healed and she grew angry with me.

I can’t control how she choose to react. But I should have asked God how he wanted to reach her and what to say. I relied on what I knew of what God could do. Instead of seeking him first before speaking or acting. I expected God to act out of what I had learned he could do. Instead of seeking what he wanted to do in that moment for that person.

There is power in the name of Jesus. But speaking his name without seeking him is fruitless. Its his power, his will, and his children he wants to reach. When we share Jesus with others we need to seek him and ask him. What he wants to do and say. And how he wants to reach them.

Jesus knew how to reach us. We need to seek him to reach others.

What’s your foundation in the storm?

It’s in the hardest moments when our faith is tested. When we are in turmoil. What we stand on, is what keeps us afloat.

God is our rock. Our firm foundation. If we trust Him in our hardest moments. Even when we feel like we’re in the drowning. We can stand against all odds.

Because God is what supports us. If we turn our focus back to Him. He will raise us up out of the water. And we will walk upon the water with Him. Even in the midst a storm.

Jesus Walks on the Water -Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Do you know God or just about him?

How do you know God? Who is he to you? What comes to you when he’s mentioned? Is it joy? Is it peace? Is it love?

Do you know him or do you know what others have said about him? What has shaped your image of him?

Knowing about others perception of God and actually knowing him are two very different things. Think of it this way. If someone asked you to describe someone famous that you admire but have never met in person how would you describe them? It would be from what you’ve read or watched or learned about them from various sources of those that have met them in person. But then if I asked you to describe the person you are closest to (your spouse or best friend) you would describe them differently because you have physically been around them, you’ve spent time in their presence. You’ve been with them for your best and worst moments in life and you could probably finish each others sentences. The later is the type of relationship God desires with us. He wants us to know him, so intimately that we know how he would react.

So what if you don’t have that type of relationship with God. Well you can. Start by spending time with him not to study or learn but just to be with him. To learn his character, his speech, his mannerisms, his presence. So that we know him instantly.

Struggling to hear his voice. I highly recommend you check out Voice Of God

Jeremiah 29:13- And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

What fuels your flame?

The tiniest spark can start a whole blaze.

The Holy Spirit works the same way. He sparks a fire and a passion in us to share God’s love with people. But we have to fan the flame. Nurture it and help it grow. If we snuff it out. Then we have to keep restarting that spark.

God gave me the verse Jeremiah 20:9 a long time ago to remind me that even though I turned my back on him once. That I won’t do it again. But I need to fan the flame each day, I need to fuel the fire he put in me.

But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
    indeed, I cannot.

I fuel it by spending time with Father God, by fixing my eyes on Jesus and asking Holy Spirit to teach me something new each day.

What fire has God started in you? Are you snuffing it out? Or are you feeding the fire he put in you?


Don’t fear God

All any of us ever want is to be loved. To have a safe place where we know we can be open and vulnerable about our troubles, hurts and wounds.

Jesus is that safe place.

We can always go to Him about anything, anytime. He is always there for us. He always wants to talk to us, to love us and to heal us.

People often fear going to God in the hard times because they think they have to clean themselves up first.

But that’s not true. If it were Jesus sacrificed himself for nothing. He paid the price for us to have relationship with Him, Father God and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus wants us just a we are. So He can make us new. What would be the point of going to Him for help if we thought we had to fix everything first. Go to Him with your mess. Surrender it to Him and let Him fix it.

He already knows everything, you won’t catch Him off guard.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;  and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

 Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,  namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. –2 Corinthians 5:14-20

Finding Joy in the Storm

I gave my life to Jesus because I tried doing life without him. I tried being happy without Him and it didn’t work. There was always something missing something I was striving for that I couldn’t grasp.

But life with Jesus is simpler, peaceful, and filled with joy.

Don’t think I don’t have bad moments. I do, but those moments are the ones where I don’t have Him in mind.

But it never fails that when I turn to Jesus. He shows me the sunshine through the rain. He shines bright and shows me where He is in that moment and He changes my perspective to find the joy in whatever I’m facing.

No matter what your going through God will make it better. He will comfort you, care for you, cry with you and show you the light through the storm.

You are worthy

None of us are beyond saving. We all have the opportunity to feel free and find new life in Jesus. The beauty of His sacrifice is that when He died, we died.

“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”–Matthew 10:39

When we try to live without Jesus. We are always striving to feel worthy, valued, loved and wanted.

But Jesus sacrifice already paid our debts and He gives us our worth and our value. Because He sees us as priceless. That’s why He gave His life for us. So that we could stop striving and start living through Him.

No matter what you’ve done or how unworthy you feel. God will always see you as priceless and worthy because of His sacrifice. If we accept it.

What if I’m wrong?

What if you’re wrong? What if I’m wrong? The question that plagues most of us when it comes to eternity.

If I’m wrong. Then I will have lived a life that is amazing, that has caught me by surprise, a life that I would not trade for anything.

Because life with Jesus has been a grand adventure more then I ever could of dreamed or imaged for myself. Even during the toughest times in my life I find joy and peace in Him; and my happiest moments are beyond my wildest dreams, because of Jesus.

Are you so afraid of Jesus that you aren’t willing to give Him a chance? What do you have to lose?

He is the most loving, kind, beautiful and gentle being I have ever know. Why not give him a chance, right now.

Take a moment and talk to Him, about anything you want, scream, yell, whisper or just talk to Him in your head.

He’s listening. He wants to talk to you, but you have to listen too.

He speaks in so many different ways, though our thoughts, through others, through dreams and through images.

Be open and willing to let Him in. I bet he’ll surprise you.

Count Blessing instead of Woes

It’s easy this year to get caught up in what we can’t do or can’t give during this Christmas. But are our family traditions or gift giving really the purpose of Christmas? As wonderful as they are.

No. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus birth and it’s his life that we should celebrate. A man who was poor and even had times with no where to sleep, but was forever kind and generous. It’s him that we celebrate. One that loved all humanity so much that he came to serve us, not allowing selfish moments but letting his love for us guide him.

Even if we were have nothing this Christmas season we can always be grateful for our friends and family and for Jesus birth. 

So this Christmas no matter how different your celebration may be you can always count your blessings.

People are fallible

Listening to the song Last Christmas by Wham reminds me that we as humans are fallible, we all make mistakes and disappointment each other.

But the one that we can always count on is God. He is love, joy, peace, patience, kind, good, faithful and gentle. He knows what we need and when; and he’s always ready to love us when we let him in.

We as humans have misrepresented him because we are not perfect and we make mistakes. So please don’t let people keep you from knowing him. Let him prove who he is to you himself.

Give him your big questions, he can handle it, but make sure you listen for the answers.

This Christmas give him a chance to share his love for you with you.

Watch this movie to help you learn how to hear God’s voice.

Gift for Jesus

With all the gift giving this season. Don’t forget the reason for the season, Jesus.

What gift could you give him?

You may think you have nothing to give. But like the little drummer boy you give what you can, you give your gifts, your talents, your time, your life. Everyone has a life to give. And he deserves it because he gave his.

Even if you think you have nothing to give, Jesus says otherwise. He created you, he gave you gifts and talents you may not even know exist.

When you follow God’s plan for your life he uses those gifts and talents for his glory.

God called me to ministry in 2008. And I didn’t start this devotional until 2018. He took me on a journey to teach me and grow and develop me into the woman that I am today. I am a very different person then I was when he first called me to ministry. Because he had to mold me into who he made me to be. And he’s still molding me.

That’s why I started this devotional blog to use the gifts he’s given me to help others see God in their everyday lives.

The gift you can give him this Christmas is YOU!

O Holy Night

Listening to O Holy Night, always helps me stop and focus on Jesus to feel the peace and calm that he brings to the atmosphere. To remember that Christmas is about him and bringing glory to our savior.

He changed everything that night when he choose to come down to earth not as a king, but as a baby, to humble himself and live a life of service to his people.

Jesus didn’t come down to be served but to serve. He came to restore relationship between us and Father God. 

To show us love.

Bring Heaven now

As believers in Jesus its easy to look to heaven as the solution; to think that we just have to suffer till we get to heaven. But Jesus never intended for us to live this life alone.

Heaven can be here on earth now if we look for it. If we focus on Jesus. One of my favorite questions to ask God, that I first heard from Graham Cooke is “What do you want to be for me now?”

Heaven is free of pain and hurt yes, but its also full of worship. So we worship while we wait, we worship while we wait for the healing, we worship while we wait for the provision or the answer. Worship brings heaven to us and worship opens us up to letting God lead. Its in worship that we surrender all our worries and concerns.

So no matter what we are going through, worship through it. Give God the glory and ask him ‘what he wants to be for you now?’

God’s not Dead, Part 2

Read Part 1

When we walk around with unforgiveness that anger and bitterness spills onto everyone else in our lives. Because we haven’t dealt with it, it just builds and builds until, it explodes on some unsuspecting person that may have done the tiniest thing.

Acknowledging God’s existence is the first step toward forgiveness. Acknowledging that he does love us and it’s because he loves us that he gave us the free will to choose him or not. And it’s that free will that causes us to hurt each other.

Even those that choose him are not faultless. We all still make mistakes and no one is perfect except God.

Many people’s distrust of God is because others have misrepresented him. None of us are faultless. Only through knowing God ourselves can we really know who he his.

Don’t let others misrepresentation of him keep you from knowing a loving and trustworthy God that sacrificed his very life for you.

Seek to know God for yourself and let him show you who is he and the freedom that comes from his forgiveness.

God Keeps His Promises

Way maker, miracle worker
Promise keeper, light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are -Way Maker by Leeland

God keeps his promises and takes care of his people. His promises may not be fulfilled when and how we think they should. But he keeps his promises. He cares for our needs and the desires he has put in us. But in his timing and his way.

We are not meant to take care of and provide for ourselves. We are meant to trust God and follow his leading. So he can provide for us.

God shows us this is how Jesus lived his life and sacrificed it for us. Jesus put others before himself. And trusted his heavenly father to provide all he needed.

If even Jesus did not plan and provide for himself. Than why do we? We need to seek God in all things and everything and follow his plan. He will lead us to reach people we would have missed otherwise. He will daily show us how much he loves us by providing for our needs. And he will bless us with the things that bring joy to our life, if we just look for his blessings.

God has brought me through so many trails that I have lost count. The only times I have truly struggled was when I was trying to do it on my own. But when I stopped trying and started trusting, his provision came. God doesn’t want our hard work. He wants our hearts.

The reason behind

When we face times of stress or trials in life it’s easy to give up and give in to temptation for quick fixes that scratch an itch or satisfy for a moment but leave us feeling guilty and full of regret in the long term. 

But because we know God loves us and he has a plan for us and that plan is way  better then what might be right in front of us. We don’t take those quick fixes.

We trust that his plan is better. Because God is good and he provides. It seems counter cultural, but it’s the way he designed us. He has given each of us passions and skills. But they are meant to be used to share his love with others not for selfish gain or ambition. What has God blessed you with? Are you using it for his kingdom?

The name of JESUS

Speaking the name of Jesus out loud is powerful. It brings an emotional response from us. Some fear, some worry, some peace, some joy, his name invokes something inside us.

We each have a different response when we hear his name.

But we can only truly know him. And learn to love him and be loved by him. If we develop a relationship with him.

I can tell you all day about how amazing he is, that he’s completely changed my life. I can tell you how hearing his name brings so much peace and joy to my heart that it can be overwhelming at times.

But you can never truly know him, until you know him yourself.

What others say

It’s so easy to get caught up in our thoughts. To become overwhelmed and insecure when we turn to our own opinion of ourselves or others opinions of us.

But the only opinion that should matter is Jesus. What he says is what matters.

He says we are loved, we matter, we belong.

If we depend on getting our value from others we will always feel like we are not enough. But Jesus says we’re priceless.

He paid everything for us, because he loves us.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about us. What matters is what Jesus says and he says we are loved.

Take a moment and refocus your thoughts as you listen to this song. Let the words speak to you and let Jesus remind you of who he made you to be.

Find Freedom

Rehearsing our mistakes over and over again in our head allows guilt and shame to have control over us. Even rehearsing the wrong doings of others against us gives them power over us. When we allow these things to dictate our decisions we give them control over us.

But when we surrender them over to Jesus and accept His forgiveness for us and for them, we find freedom.

When we die to ourselves and allow God to live through us. His love and his grave cover our mistakes so that we can be free of guilt and shame, because we are dead and the dead can’t be offended, guilty or ashamed.

Instead we can rejoice in the freedom, joy and peace of God’s grace.

Surrender over to God whatever is holding you back, whatever stops you from being who God made you to be.

Free and forgiven.

He holds it all together

God knows what were going through, he knows ever ache and pain, every anguish and he’s in it with us holding our hand, leading us, guiding us, holding us, because he always knows what we need, when we need it.

He’s with us when were having our worst day and our best day. He will comfort us when we need it and rejoice with us in our triumph’s. God does life with us. Because he is our life.

We pour out to others all day, at work, at home or when we’re out. But what are we poring out? We are meant to pour out Jesus. So when someone tests our patience, it’s his patience that shines though. His love, his mercy. But to pour him out we need to be full of him. And when we pour out. We need to refill. Even Jesus sought time to pray and seek the Father so he was ready to pour out to others. And when he had ministered to people he would go back to his Father for more.

Holy Spirit is our constant companion, our best friend and the one who loves us. We need only to focus our attention on him and let him flow through us.

God’s love concurs fear

The love of God transform us. It gives us boldness, strength and confidence in the toughest moments. God’s love not only cancels fear, it removes it. God’s love is all encompassing.

It gave David the strength to face Goliath. Daniel the stamina to face the lion den. And Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego the confidence to face the fire.

God’s love gives us all we need to face or overcome the trials we face in life. He gives us peace in the storm. If we fix our eyes on Him. Like Peter walking on the water. When his gaze was fixed on Jesus he was able to do what defied logic and understanding. But when Peter took his gaze off of Jesus and focused on the storm around him (his circumstances) he began to sink.

So no matter what your surrounded by, fix your gaze on Jesus and He’ll teach you to walk on the water and find peace that surpasses understanding.

Why do we doubt

Why do we doubt God’s forgiveness? We say oh, he can’t forgive me, he can’t, you don’t know what I’ve done, I don’t belong.”

I used to think the same thing.

In my late teens till my early twenties I choose to walk away from God and pretty much did whatever I wanted. But when I finally decided to give my life back to God, I was terrified.

The first Sunday I was so scared that I clung to my best friends arm digging my fingernails into her arm as I walked back into the sanctuary of the church I had grown up in.

I truly believed everyone knew exactly what I had been doing during those years and I was convinced that everyone was going to turn, look at me and shoot fiery red darts out of their eyes.

But I was wrong. Everyone greeted me with smiles, hugs and open arms. No judgement, no questions, just people happy to see me.

That is how God sees us. When we choose to invite him into our lives, he greets us with open arms and a huge smile. 

God loves us.

He is always ready and waiting to welcome us into his family.

So what is holding you back? Fear? Worry? Anxiety?

Well good new those thing are not of God so won’t find them in him.

God is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful and he has self control.

So what about that scares you?

The song Clean by Natalie Grant reminds me of how God sees us.

God sees us restored and new in him.

He wants to bless us and bless others through us.

He’s not up there waiting to strike us down. He’s right next to us waiting patiently for us to allow him into our lives. He’s constantly there wanting to spend time with us, talk to us and show us who he made us to be.

Trust me, who he made you to be is beyond anything you could ever imagine. When I began writing I knew that it was what I was meant to be doing. God had been telling me for years but it wasn’t until I took the leap of faith to really pursue it that I felt like this is it. This is what I was meant to do.

Ask God who he’s made you to be and trust that he knows what suits you best, he made you.

Lead By Jesus

Surrendering all to Jesus is about laying down our plans and following his. God created everything. He perfectly placed earth in our solar system so that we would not be too hot or too cold. He designed the seasons to show us what death and resurrection look like. He shows us how seeds can be planted, grow and spread through creation. He provides for us in ways we take for granted every day. So why wouldn’t we trust him to plan our life. When he planned the universe.

It’s about God and his kingdom, not ours. That’s why we die to self. So that he can live through us.

The Holy Spirit is a Game Changer

The Holy Spirit is an atmosphere changer.

When we yield ourselves to his leading things change. Our perspective, our attitude, our mood, all change to that of God.

Yielding to the Holy Spirit is a game changer!

That simple decision in each moment of each day. Can change our whole day if we stop for a second and listen. If we take that moment to make the Holy Spirit the most important thing in our lives. We can change how we speak and how we act towards our friends, our family, our co-workers and the world around us. Let the Holy Spirit be your game changer and see what he can do in and through you!

No Magic Formula for Prayer

There’s no magic formula to prayer. Its just a conversation between you and God. Meaning you talk and he talks back. When we talk to God we should expect an answer. We are not just throwing our prayers into the air and saying well if he wants to he’ll do something. He wants to be with us, share with us and show us who he is and what he has planned for us. He wants our openness, our vulnerability, our mess, our fears and our worries. He wants to talk to us and let us know that he is all we need.

Why do we feel we have to fix ourselves or have just the right words to talk to him? He loves us and he wants to talk to us.

If we have to be all cleaned up just to talk to him. Then why did Jesus sacrifice himself? If we could achieve perfection, then Jesus sacrifice was in vain. So why do we keep thinking we have to achieve it before we can talk to him.

God is our Heavenly Father and like any good father, he wants to be there for us even when we are at our worst, in fact especially then. That’s when we should depend on him the most, when we are at our worst. Because he is the one that can make it better, he can heal the hurts and the pain, and he has already forgiven us.

We need to stop trying to be perfect first and let him perfect us instead. Next time your at your worst or you don’t know what to do. Talk to God about it and listen for the answer.

Sweet life-changing forgiveness

God’s forgiveness makes us feel fresh and new and clean. It’s a new start, a new beginning, no need to dwell on the past, we just focus on who God made us to be.

When God paid for our mistakes he gave us the chance to be born again spiritual, to be made new and clean, to start fresh.

So why do we dell on our past mistakes? All it does is brings us down. Trust me I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life. But dwelling on them does nothing except distract me from what God is doing in me now.

His forgiveness lifts our burdens, guilt and shame. He never meant for us to walk around like that, but to walk free in his presence.

Don’t dwell on who you were even a moment ago. Instead focus on who God made you to be and walk in his freeing forgiveness.

I’m proud to be a “Jesus Freak”

Jesus Freak by DC Talk was one of my favorite songs when I was in junior high, when I started to make my faith my own.

I was proud then and I’m proud now to be a “Jesus Freak.” Because that means that others see him in me and through me.

We are supposed to be different, we are supposed to stand out for Jesus. People are supposed to see us differently and it’s supposed to be desirable.

That doesn’t mean that we wash down the gospel so that it’s palatable to people in there current point of view, it means that we show them that they can have peace and joy and hope and love through having their own relationship with Jesus.

Being a Jesus Freak should be something we are proud of, not something we are ashamed of.

The Big Picture

Its easy to get wrapped up in ourselves, in our own world and to neglect or take for granted our relationship with God. We know He will always be there for us but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss us. With all the responsibilities of life its easy to push Him off till later to say, let me just take care of this first or do that and then I’ll spend time with God.

But its when we put God first that He helps us to accomplish all we have to do and somehow when we follow His plan there is always extra time left. When we follow His lead and His way He does things faster and better then we ever could have and shows us little surprises along the way.

God sees the big picture. He sees how everything works together and when we trust His leadership He guides us to bigger and grander things then we could of done if we’d done it on our own. When we are wrapped up in what is right in front of us, we miss what’s a few steps ahead.

My husband and I have moved a lot and in one of our searches for a rental home. All I could see was the things that I was looking for instead of what I was looking at. After viewing a few homes I picked one and my husband picked the other. When we returned to view his choice he showed me what I had missed. The beautiful woods that the house backed up to. He saw the big picture while I just focused on what I wasn’t seeing he saw what really mattered.

Trust Jesus leadership. He sees the big picture.

God Given Dreams

The song I can only imagine by Mercy Me speaks to me every time I hear it.

One of the most pivotal times was when my husband and I went to a Astros game in Houston. We were living in Louisiana at the time and decided to go to Houston for our anniversary. We found tickets the morning of the game and had no idea that it was the Faith and Family day for the Astros. (If you’ve never been to one you should go most MLB teams have one)

After the game one of the players and his wife shared there testimonies. Following that was a Mercy Me concert. I have always loved them but had never heard them in concert. It was amazing, I think I cried through the whole time just praying and worshiping God as He broke my heart, reminding me that He had a calling on my life to be a writer and that I had been ignoring it at that time.

At the end of the concert the lead singer Bart Millard shared how Mercy Me was his dream and how God had pushed him to it and used the song I Can Only Imagine to do it. A song that had been strung throughout my life and has always driven me to the feet of Jesus.

This experience with God was the catalyst that pushed me to write to start this devotional blog in 2018. It was the push that I needed to follow the dream that God had placed in my heart.

What dream has God placed in your heart? Seek God, ask him what he’s called you to and his plan to accomplish it.

When you’re tired

The days when you’re weak and tired are the days we need Jesus more then ever.

When we are at our weakest. He is our strength, our energy, our wisdom, our everything. He provides all we need because He is all we need.

So no matter how tired or exhausted you are, know that He is all you need.

Seek Him and let Him be your everything.