Why don’t we just go straight to heaven the minute we accept Jesus into our hearts?

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,  so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Philippians 1:22-26

Why don’t we just go straight to heaven the minute we accept Jesus into our hearts?

For this very reason, that we might be there to encourage and uplift each other, but also so that we may take more people to heaven with us.

What better way to reach people then through people. God has a grand intricate design to every bit of creation and we are a major part of that. He wanted to make us part of the process, not just instantaneous zap into heaven.

Think about it, would’t that be scary if every time someone accepted Jesus sacrifice they disappeared. Who would want to follow that person? Not knowing where they went, why, if they were ok.

No, God makes us his witnesses to tell and show others, how he changes our lives, how he heals and restores how he provides and loves us beyond imagination.

We are meant to share him with others, so go out and tell someone!

Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash

Why We Praise God

O Lord, you are my God;
    I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
    plans formed of old, faithful and sure. –Isaiah 25:1

God loved us from the very beginning of creation, that’s why he created us, to love us.

We praise him because we trust him, we know who he is and that there is no one else like him, he is love and deserves all the glory.

That’s why we praise him, because of who he is, not who we are. Giving glory to God has nothing to do with us or whether we feel worthy to praise him, its about giving honor where honor is due.

He is God and he loves us, so if we love him, we should praise him for who he is, our everything.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Amazing Grace

To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:6

There is no greater gift then Gods grace. It gives us all new life, a fresh start and the deepest most intense love of our lives.

Listen to this song and just have moment with Jesus and appreciate his grace in your life.

life giving

God gives us everything we need, no matter how dry, how tired, how exhausted we are he give us what we need and more.

He gives us strength, wisdom, energy and love beyond anything we could ever do ourselves, but we must go to him and let him fill us up.

Time with Jesus is what gives us what we need for the day. He is the life giving water that fuels us, invigorates us and makes us flourish.

When we are in his presence he restores us and refills us.

If we don’t do well without food, water and rest, then how can we expect to do well without the one who created those things.

He knows us, he knows what we need and when we need it. Let him be your everything and he will provide everything.

God first

Seek God first.

In all things, seek him.

When your having a rough day, ask yourself did I put God first , did I talk to him this morning, did I start my day out right? Is he part of what I’m doing right now.

And if he isn’t. STOP. put him first above everything else and let him be your peace, your guidance, all you need.

Restart your day the right way, by putting God first.

Where are you going?

 I want you to know, brothers,[e] that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard[f] and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word[g] without fear.–Philippians 1:12-14

Paul was in prison when he wrote the book of Philippians, but he didn’t let it affect his witness. Instead he used it to witness to the guards and the other prisoners. And his boldness encouraged the believers outside to spread the gospel further and more passionately. God uses our circumstances, no matter how bleak to reach people.

My husband and I recently went through some rough financially patches, but each time God used it to draw us closer together, closer to him, and to help us see what’s really important in life.

God has been working me towards the goal of writing this blog for a long time, but in the process I wrote and trashed half a book, wrote a second book and have two failed ministry launches to get me to the point of realizing what  my ministry would be and how he wanted me to do it.

This blog and having a career as a writer has been a dream for a long time, but God had to take me through a process to make me who I am today, to prepare me to do this the right way. Along this long path I’ve picked up skills that we’re much needed to make this a success and (I’m still learning) but I wouldn’t of had the drive, the desire or the knowledge without going on the journey that he took me on.

Just because you may have failed at what you know God has called you to, doesn’t mean that he isn’t going to use that experience to teach you how to succeed in what he’s called you too.

So keep pursuing the dream God has placed in your heart and don’t be discouraged, we all fail, but it’s how we fail that matters.

Let God lead you on the path he has for you.

The Love Dare

The Love Dare is a fantastic book that helps you to put your spouse first before yourself as all good marriages should. But I will be the first to admit that it is easy to put the other first when your feeling good, and things are going well. But it is so much harder when things are hard and your not at your best.

Marriage isn’t about just the good times, it about how you handle the hard times. It’s about sticking together and loving one another even when you don’t feel like it or even want to. Marriage is a commitment for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. That means you don’t bail when things get tough or you don’t care for each other at the moment, because the moment will pass and things will get better.

But that doesn’t happen by accident you have to have God at the center of your marriage. Because if your happiness and well being depends on another person you will never be fulfilled. Only God can do that. Only he can truly make you feel 100% fulfilled.

When you get your identity from God, you draw on him for strength, perseverance and perspective. To see things from the perspective of the other opens the barriers you may have put up as a defense, and when you trust God to guide you, you can drop those barriers to bring reconciliation.

Someone to be vulnerable, open and raw with

Life today is so much about appearance; we only show what we want others to see, we crop out the reality of life to project what’s expected, we add effects and filters, but often feel no one really knows the true us. .

Deep down all seeking a relationship where we can be ourselves, raw, open, vulnerable and unfiltered.

God is that person, He knows us, the good and the bad, the raw, the ugly. He knows it all, every little moment, every thought, every emotion, He knows us inside and out and He love us still, He held back nothing to know us. He gave His whole life; just to show His love for us.

Because of this love we can be open, honest and vulnerable with Him, He can handle it, in fact He loves the moments when we just surrender to Him. That’s when He can reach us the most, when we have no barriers with Him, He can express His love for us the most.

Go to Him with your problems big or little, go to Him with your worst, most broken moments and let Him be all you need. Let Him put you back together and build you up stronger.

Driving with Jesus

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

We aren’t meant to blend in.

We are supposed to be different, so that people can see our witness in our words, our actions and reactions. We are to lay down our lives for Jesus as he did for us.

Sounds impossible, but it isn’t.

I can’t tell you how many times I didn’t want to get out of bed and go to work, like I’m sure many of you have too. But I did it anyway.

But just because I started my day off rough doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

I’ve found that using my drive to work as a time to fix my eyes on Jesus makes a big difference by the time I get to work. I usually have worship music or sermons from podcasts playing as I get ready in the morning and on my drive to work. I call it Driving with Jesus. I ask Jesus to teach me something and He always does. Sometimes He uses a song or a sermon, and sometimes He uses people walking on the street or the landscape of my drive.

But He always changes my perspective and attitude by the time I get to work, if I let Him give me a perspective change. See many of our problems and issues stem from just seeing the problem from our own earthly perspective. But when we allow Jesus to show us His perspective He changes our view of things.

Photo by Anika Huizinga on Unsplash

When you surrender your life and your day to God he changes your perspective and transforms your mind to see like He sees and think like He thinks. So let Jesus drive and enjoy the passenger seat of life’s road.

Stand up for God

Jesus makes me brave. The love and protection I know He has for me, makes me know that I can move mountains and nothing can stand against me because God is for me.

If He has called you to something or someone nothing can stand in your way God will protect and provide for you to do what He has called you to.

No matter what your facing or how impossible it seems or even if you feel surrounded, remember the God of heaven is backing you, He surrounds those that surround you, He is on your side.

David knew he could defeat Goliath because God had anointed him to be king and he wasn’t king yet, he was still just a shepherd boy. We can stand on the promises God has given us.

He calls each one of us to a mission, He has deemed for us, and nothing can stop us as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of that which He has called us too.

No matter how impossible a situation, if God has called you to it, He will make a way.

That’s why He make me brave.

That’s why I stand up for God, because he stands up for me.

Anywhere, Anyway, Anytime

Jesus is always seeking you, always pursuing you, always longing for you. He is always happy to see you, speak to you, share His love for you, with you.

You don’t have to clean up your act, or get to a better place to come to Him.

Go to Him anywhere, in any state; because He will go to you anywhere, in any state.

Just surrender to Him and let His love wash over you.

He is always there longing to be with you. He always wants to have relationship with you.

He always wants you.

What are Christians supposed to be like?

 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (emphasis added)-Philippians 2:1-5

If we have found encouragement, comfort, love, tenderness and compassion from Jesus.

Then we are supposed to bring joy to Him by being liked minded with Him. By sharing that same love with others. By following the Holy Spirit. By humbling ourselves and valuing others above ourselves.

If you haven’t found these things in Jesus. Then I ask have you been seeking Him?

We cannot be these things to others if we do not first know them from God. Its hard to give out what you haven’t received.

Seek God, learn His character, know His words and His actions. If we know Him we can tell others about Him, but if we don’t know Him how can we expect to show others.

We all just need more Jesus

So often we focus on the problem instead of the solution. Jesus is always the solution.

We all always just need more Jesus.

When were having ‘bad day’ and cant get out of our own funky mood, we need more Jesus.

When someone is getting on our nerves and we don’t know why, we need more Jesus.

When were in a circumstance and don’t know what to do we need more Jesus.

Jesus is the solution.

He can bring us joy and peace on the ‘bad days’, he can show us what is really bothering us and helps us find he root cause, and he can change circumstances.

We all always just need more Jesus.

He’s our attitude adjustment, our perspective changer and he can move mountains.

Because we all just need more JESUS!

Fight fearlessly


The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?

Psalm 27:1

Have you ever meet someone truly fearless? Those that never back down from a challenge, nothing seems to worry them or catch them off guard.

Imagine if you had the grandest, most cunning, most skilled, undefeated warrior backing you up. What would you ever be afraid of?

That’s what we have when Jesus lives in us. He is our defender and our strength. He gives us the confidence to face giants and the fearlessness to concur mountains.

Knowing who we are in Jesus, that we are God’s kids and who he made us to be and what he call us to do, gives us that confidence to fight fearlessly to be and do what he’s called us to. Because if he’s called us to something he will provide and protect and back us up.


Photo by James Pond on Unsplash

You can’t surprise God

It’s easy to feel alone and like no one understands, because no one really knows what every moment of your life is like.

But God does…

…He knows because he was there with us whether we realize it or not. God is the only one who can and does understand, but we often feel afraid to go to him because we’re worried about what he would think. But he already knows it all so there is really nothing we can hide from him.

And even in knowing everything he still loves us.

We don’t have to be afraid of him, because he is love. Nothing about God is something that we should ever fear.

Because he is love, joy, peace, patience, kind and good.

So what about that is scary?

He is the one that we can always turn to no matter what.

So no matter what is running through your head or your heart, you can’t surprise God. But you can let him in.

Stop rushing

What do you do when you feel worried and overwhelmed, like the world is spinning faster and faster?

I wonder how Mary felt when she was carrying Jesus. She had all the reason in the world to feel like she wasn’t enough or that she couldn’t do it.

But she didn’t, she surrendered her life to bear Jesus in her womb and raise him.

God has a plan for our lives, he has chosen each of us for a specific task, a calling specific to be who he made us to be.

He knit us together in our mothers womb.

He made us to bear Jesus in us, to shine his light an his love.

Stop rushing around trying to do all that the world expects and take a moment listen to this song and ask God what he has for you.

The Birth of Jesus

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2:1-20

The angels said ‘fear not.’ Often we shy away from God because we feel we don’t measure up, but that’s the beauty of why he came, to make us free of shame and guilt and to know him deeply.

Jesus choose humble beginnings, lived humbly and counted not even his own life beyond sacrifice. He held back nothing so that we could have everything.

His gift to us is salvation and righteousness so that we could live a life filled with his love joy and peace.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Forgiveness changes us

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

God’s way and our ways can be very different. We may think one thing is the logical choice but God may have more going on in the background then we realize.

Logically Joseph should of divorced Mary, even by their own laws. But God had a different plan. He started Jesus family with forgiveness.

We may not always understand or want to do what God asks of us but if we follow his plan he will provide a life that we can’t even imagine.

Photo by Gareth Harper on Unsplash

How I Fight My Battles

Surrounded (fight my battles) by Michael W Smith may be the simplest lyrics ever written but they are powerful. The song talks about our times of struggle when we feel a heaviness, no way out, surrounded by nothing good or positive. We fight with praise. We fight by rejoicing in Jesus, the only one who is always constantly there for us, always fighting for us.

The simple repetition of theses lines

“It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You”

“This is how I fight my battles”

Over and over again has such power in it because it reminds us that we don’t fight with anger, hate, malice and judgment.

We fight with love, joy, peace and patience.

That’s why when we feel surrounded, we fight by giving praise to God.

We shift our focus to the one who fights for us, so that we can allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and to show us the true perspective.

When I was in Honduras, we were working at a Christian school that also hosted youth nights. One night when we were praying before one of the youth nights a mob came to both of the gates of the fenced in facility and tried to break down the gates.

Our pastor told us what was going on and our response was not panic or worry but to pray. We trusted that God had brought us there to make an impact for Him and that He would protect us and He did.

As we were praying the Holy Spirit showed showed me a vision of the compound surrounded by 30 foot angels guarding and protecting us.

Not for one moment did I feel fear or worry because I knew God would protect us. The mob eventually dispersed and we were able to have the youth night.

God always provides for His children when we turn to Him.

So no matter where you are, what your doing, or how hopeless you feel you can always count on God to be there for you.

How we fight

How do we fight for our families? Prayer!

Sounds wimpy and ineffective. No.

Praying is the second best thing you can do. Loving them is first.

But if you love them you pray for them.

Prayer is what my friends and family did for me when I made bad life choices.

And prayer is what I do for my friends and family that I love and even for the people I can’t stand. I pray for them!

I pray for God to show them His love for them.

Prayer is a conversation with God.

Prayer is where I hand my friends and family over to God and say I can’t change them but you can.

Prayer is where God changes me and my view or perspective of those I am praying for. Prayer is where He shows me how He sees them.

Prayer is how God changes me

Prayer is how we fight


Baptism and Circumcision

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 

Colossians 2:11-12

Circumcision and baptism sound like religious terms that many of us don’t understand the reasoning behind.

Circumcision and baptism symbolize our choice to die to our selfish ways, cutting ourselves off from our old life and being reborn into a new life in Jesus.

That new life in Jesus frees us from the guilt and shame of our past mistakes.

Jesus dying and being raised back to life gave us the gift of doing the same spiritually. We can die to our old selfish ways and be reborn into the new life that he gives us.

It is a spiritual circumcision, its cutting ourselves off from who we use to be and finding new life in Jesus.

Baptism is a public declaration, a symbolization of that new life, of being made new, being reborn into the life Jesus paid for and originally interned for us to have. A right relationship with him.

Photo by Ryan Loughlin on Unsplash

One where we can laugh and talk with God, where we can feel free from our past and share that same freedom with others.

Don’t shy away from what you don’t understand or think is just tradition or old ways. Talk with God, ask him what it means and let him show you his true intent.

Where’s your focus?

Seeing God in the happy times is easy, but when we feel like we’re in the midst of a storm it’s hard to focus on what is really important. JESUS!

When we fix our eyes on Jesus he lifts us up. Like Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33. Peter walked on water but as soon as he took his focus off of Jesus and onto the storm around him he began to sink. It wasn’t until he cried out to Jesus, that he was lifted back up.

God gives us choices and He’s always there to help us, but we have to ask. We have to let Him in and trust His solution.

Sometimes it’s a simple answer and sometimes it’s going to take some faith. Trust that Jesus will provide even when we don’t see the immediate result.

IF you look for Him in everything in your life He will shine thru.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

Expressing Jesus (part 2)

Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.  And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?  God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be.  If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body?  As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.

 The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without.  The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care.  The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any.  In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.

1 Corinthians 12:15-26

(read part 1)

When you look at people, look at them through the eyes of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to show you how He sees them.

Each one of us is a part of the body of Jesus, so we all matter. Every person on the planet is given the opportunity to be a part of the body of Jesus.

Therefore we all are important!

There is not a person on this planet that isn’t important to God.

So why do we treat each other with so much callus and disregard?

Everyone matter to Him, so they should matter to us.

That may sound overwhelming. But if you have the Holy spirit guiding you its not as daunting as it seems.

Kindness can go a long way. Like the small things, opening a door for someone, even something as simple as a smile (even when you think you’re having a bad day) can go a long way for the person you are kind to, you never know it could be the worse day of their life and you made it better just by being kind.

Trust the Hoy Spirit and let Him lead you to be a light to someone, you never know the difference you could make till you try.

Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash

An honest moment

Its easy to give up and feel discouraged. To feel like no one is listening. No one is reading, no one cares. I haven’t written as much as I would like lately, some do to moving across the country and some due to discouragement, wondering if any one is actually reading, am I really making a difference.

Honestly I started this blog because I knew I needed a platform for the books I know God’s given me to write, not because God told me to start a blog. But God has used it to teach me so much and how to share His love, even if it reaches one person, that one person matters. His love for us is not performance based. We don’t have to do anything for God to love us.

So whatever God has asked you to do. Know that it’s never conditional on His love but if we love Him, what He’s asked of us will deepen our love for Him and help us know His love more.

Happy Fourth of July

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Regardless of your opinion of our leaders, we are called to pray for them. Whether we agree with them or not.

As I said in a on previous post the best way to change someone, is to pray for them.

So take a moment today and pray for our leaders.

Renewing Your Spiritual Lens

Graham Cooke has taught me so much about growing in my relationship with Jesus. This teaching helped me through one of the toughest times in my life and helped me see my relationship with Jesus from a whole new perspective. I hope it helps you grow closer to Jesus.

Todd White

I love to share people who have influenced my walk with Jesus. Todd White is one of those people. His testimony and his passion for Jesus have inspired me to grow closer to Jesus and to find my identity and calling in Jesus alone. I hope this message blesses you!

Your only a song away

No matter what your day was like or what you’re going through.

You can depend on one thing. That God loves you regardless of how you feel.

And because of that love we praise him. Nothing helps you change your focus, mood or perspective more then giving praise to God.

Let the gruff of the day fall off and let your praise rise.

Worship & Prayer

I love introducing people to ministries they may not have heard of I.H.O.P. is one of those, no, not the pancake place. The International House Of Prayer. They have worship and prayer 24/7. This video is of Misty Edwards at their 15th anniversary celebration.

Glory to God in the Highest

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,  in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant.  While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”

 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Luke 2:1-20

Songs of Thanksgiving

Today I encouraged you to sing a song of thanks to God with your family for Thanksgiving.

Here are a few suggestions

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

From ours,

Ryan & Rebecca Darga

Don’t quit

I grew up as a Christian, but I had periodic God encounters, instead of a relationship with him. So I quit for six years. I didn’t have an everyday relationship with God, I just went from experience to experience and fended for myself in-between.

That is no way to live, of course I sought other alternative, because I didn’t really know him. I knew about him and had a few amazing moments with him, but I didn’t know him.

But once I realized I couldn’t do life without God, I began that journey into a daily relationship with him. That’s what matters, that’s what makes the difference, that everyday conversation with him.

God compares our relationship with him to marriage. You wouldn’t have much of a marriage if you didn’t at the very least talk to your spouse everyday. So how can you have a healthy relationship with God if you don’t talk to him everyday.

I don’t mean for this to feel exhaustive. Because having relationship with God is anything but, because he is the one the fills us up, restores us and makes us new.

So no matter how tired, how exhausted or even how unwell you feel you can always talk to him, because he is enough in our weakest moments he is all we need.

worship in Thanks

Thanksgiving is tomorrow!

One of my favorite days of the year.

I love gathering with family and helping prepare a huge meal for us all.

A thought, is to go into this season with thanksgiving to God for the family and friends he’s given you.

Don’t shy away from talking about him tomorrow, in fact I highly encourage trying to make him the focus of your thanksgiving. Maybe even take time out to sing a song of worship to him.

A family I hold dear to sings “O’Come let us adore him” before family meals.

It sounds weird but it brings so much joy and peace into the atmosphere of the room.

Try something different this year, be bold for Jesus and make him the center of the day of thanksgiving.

Here’s a song to start off

Find rest

When you feel like your drowing in problems its easy to get wrapped up in them and think it will never end.

But the truth is there is always someone who has worse problems then you.

The best way to get over or through your problems is to give them over to God and try to help someone else.

When we trust him to provide it gives him permission to work in our lives. When we cling to our problems, we hold them back from him.

Releasing them shifts our focus to helping instead of hurting.

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 11:28-29

Hearing God

I often talk about listening to God, and following his direction, but how do you hear God? Below is a great movie with real life testimonies about hearing the voice of God. I pray you blessed and encouraged by it.

Treat everyday like Christmas morning

Seeking God just for who is, not for what he’s done or what you want him to do but just for who he is.

Spending time with him just because of who he is. Seeking him as a long lost friend you haven’t seen in a long time, with the joy and anticipation of his arrival, the nervous joy that builds up, the disregard for decorum when you embrace them at first sight.

We should seek God the same way each day, when we wake, treat each day like your a kid on Christmas morning, looking for the gifts he has for you that day, the joy of being in his presence the delight in opening up the surprises he has for us and the relief of being able to just rest in his presence.

Share Peace and Joy

This Christmas season is a time to celebrate Jesus and what he has done for us.

We should be proud and joyous about how he changed our lives and be elated to share it with others so they can find the ame joy and peace.

During this season we sing about his joy and peace the most. Why not share it with others and ask if they want to know his peace and joy too?