Do Not Worry :)

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world”-Jesus  (John 16:33)

We need not worry if we have “troubles”, everyone does.  But take heart and know that Jesus will walk with us through all of them, every step, every moment, until we come home. 🙂

God Answers Prayers

I woke up this morning and it was raining something fierce!  The kind of rain that you can’t even see through, much less drive in!  And so, feeling somewhat silly, I asked God if He could please stop the rain while I drove to work.   (I am not good at driving in the bad weather, even on my best day:)

It stopped raining completely five minutes before I had to leave for work.

An answered prayer?  A coincidence?  So often God does answer our prayers, but then we write if off as coincidence.

Our Pastor often says, “Prayer changes things”.  He’s right, it does.  But we have to choose to believe that and then have the courage to share it 🙂

 

 

 

 

Afraid to do the Will of God?

My favorite story in the Bible is about Gideon.  He was afraid, very afraid. In fact, he was so afraid, that one time he waited until night to do what God asked him to do.  But he did do God’s Will, despite his fear. That’s always been me.  Afraid to reach out there and do God’s Will, but doing it anyway (after much complaining lol).

But you know what, it’s always worked out just fine ?

Just keep praying and your situation will work out just fine to.  As my Pastor, Pastor Richburg says, “Prayer Changes Things“.

 

Fear is a Liar

“Fear is a Liar” is a popular song right now.  And if we are honest, how many times do we hesitate to step forward to serve the Lord because we don’t feel worthy?  Because we are afraid we might fail?

But the truth is – it is God that is good.  And we can count on His goodness.  All of these people served God, and not one of them was perfect.  We don’t have to wait to serve God until we are perfect, they didn’t.  Just pray and keep walking.  And remember, Prayer Changes Things ?

 

(The photo is on the door of a friend of mine 🙂

Trust God

Everyone says it.  Everyone means it.  But how exactly do you do it?

For me, it’s sometimes as basic as repeating over and over in my mind, “Trust God”.  That way, there is no room for any scary thoughts! Recently, I had an experience that I had to do that.  My tire had been torn, and I had to drive it quite a long way, and over a bridge with a metal grate in it.  To say I was scared is an understatement!  What if that tire blew?  What if I lost control of the car?  But it needed to be fixed before all the air leaked out, and that was the only way.

So I got in the car and drove the long drive, over the bridge, and the metal grate…saying to myself over and over “Trust God”.  Sometimes it’s just that simple..   And you know what, I arrived just fine ?.

Coincidence?  Miracle?

Prayer changes things ?

 

 

 

 

Picture By Mbmariogc3s – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25157408

No One Makes Beauty From A Storm Like our Lord

Both literally and figuratively ?

Ever see a sky after a storm when the sun comes out?  It is so beautiful.  And so new.  I could stare up at it for hours.  God makes the sky after a storm so incredibly beautiful; it’s truly a gift.

And the same can be said of our lives.  We all go through storms.  Life has plenty of them, and sometimes they can be overwhelming.  But once through the storm, our lives become a beautiful thing once again.

But it’s funny, while we remember to pray during the storm, we sometimes forget to pray when the storm is over.  And yet that is sometimes the most important time to pray of all!  Because it is when times are peaceful and easy, that we can forget exactly where that “peace” comes from.

Trusting God

Trusting God is a process.  Learning that we need not fear, is a process.  One thing that helps quite a bit is a prayer journal.  When we are faced with a situation that frightens us, one of the most helpful things we can do is picture Jesus right beside us and pray.  And while we are praying, look through our prayer journals and remember.  And remember all the times that Jesus answered our prayers-Yes

 

Prayer Changes Things ?

Blah Days

You know some days we just seem to feel “blah”.  You know those days, we’re not happy and we’re not depressed.  We are just there, and just kind of tired.  Life doesn’t look like it will be getting any easier any time soon.  We are just not “feeling” God or anything else!

What should we do?  Pray.  And keep praying.  Talk with God, and keep talking (although don’t forget to listen to 🙂

Because it is when we feel like praying the least, that we need to pray the most!

 

 

Racism

There has been a lot of talk about the growth of racism in the media lately.  But I can’t help but think that the media has actually caused most of it.  And I can’t help but wonder if what is really growing is not racism, but fear.

And the most important question is not “Why”, but “How”.  How do we change it?

Personally, I think we change it one heart at a time.  We need to meet under the Cross.  For Christ knows no colors and neither does Heaven.  For  regardless of color, political beliefs or any of the many other ways by which we divide ourselves, Jesus Loves Us All, Each and Everyone!   God always has and God always will!

And if we can’t actually meet, than let us pray for one another.  For as my Pastor says, “Prayer Changes Things” 🙂