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“I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.” – Psalm 119:60

I am sooo bad at this! So often I know what God wants me to do, but I hesitate.

I hesitate for so many reasons. Fear of embarassment, fear of the consequences or fear of offending someone. But it is always fear of some kind.

Although I am improving in not hesitating, there are still times that I do. (I am definitely a work in progress :). Because it is important to act right away. God gives us so many opportunities to honor Him and to help others. But if we want to do so, we need to act asap.

And if we want God to keep giving us opportunities to honor Him and help others, than we need to act upon them promptly 🙂

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

Think God can’t use us?

When one makes Godly choices, there is no need to fear. God will open the door and nothing can shut it. And when that door is open, all we have to do is to just keep walking forward.

If any fighting needs to be done, God will fight for us. If we need courage or strength, God will provide it. And if we need peace, God Himself will give it to us.

We just have to keep persevering and walking forward 🙂

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

Sometimes the weight of our burdens and hurts remind us that there is another, better and easier way! We can run to the Cross and give all of the burdens and hurt that we carry to Jesus. And Jesus will be so happy we did!

We don’t have to be free of sin to run to Jesus. He loves us where we are and as we are. Not only will Jesus forgive all of the sins we carry, no matter how serious. Jesus will make us new and free of them all! And Jesus will lead us on a better and easier path 🙂

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding” – Proverbs 3:5

Sometimes, we pray fervantly to God, but God says No. It can be so very hard.

Some of those in Ukraine are a good example for us to follow. For despite their losses, despite their pain, despite that some have lost their homes, despite that many families have lost their children or suffered having those they love die, they are still turning to Jesus. The Golden Domed Monastry of St. Michael the Archangel still holds it services. People still not only come and pray there, but also leave messages of faith.

We are very fortunate in that we are not suffering as many in Ukraine are. And yet, despite their suffering, there are those in Ukraine who are still turning to Christ. We need to follow their example and Trust God.

And yet, sometimes when God says No, we turn away from God. We are angry, hurt and/or afraid. But we can turn back and we can know that God has a good plan for our lives. And we know that, because God said so and He loves us!

“ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes, despite how it may look, we need to Trust that God loves us and will keep all of His Promises. But in order to see God’s Promises come true-we need to stay. And if we have left God behind, we need to come back home to God.

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

“ 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

We live in an “instant” world and we are used to “instant” gratification. But God doesn’t just love us for today; He loves us ALL of our days. And sometimes, “instant” gratification is not the best thing for us. And because God loves us so; He wants us to have the very best! And so sometimes we need to wait for an answer to our prayers. But if we wait, if we are patient, God will answer with exactly what is best for us!

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13

It brings us closer to God. It strengthens our faith. And it builds an incredible sense of trust!

It really is that quiet time with God that allows us to grow closer to God. The Holy Spirit can help us to do that; for it is God’s Spirit that lives in us that can help bring us ever closer to God. It’s okay to ask Him to do that!

Our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and you, will be so happy that you did 🙂

It’s important that we pray throughout the day. We can pray as we drive to work, throughout our workday, at home with our children, at lunch, at dinner… But it’s imporant that we also set aside some quiet time just for God. For it is in this time that we can truly be in God’s prescene, for our attention is not divided!

“for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” – Acts 1:5

We are commanded to be baptized! One definition of Baptism says, “(in the Christian Church) the religious rite of sprinkling water onto a person’s forehead or of immersion in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Christian Church. In many denominations, baptism is performed on young children and is accompanied by name-giving.”

Another says, “Baptism is a symbolic act. It mirrors Jesus’s death and burial when the believer is submerged in water, and then rising out of the water symbolizes Jesus’s resurrection and the believer’s new life in Christ.”

But neither of them are really right. During Baptism we are filled with the Holy Spirit and this is what matters!

But sadly, for many years, Christian churches of various denominations have fought over whether a person should be baptized as a baby or a young adult or adult. But there is no -wrong – way. When we are baptized, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Period.

I was baptized in a Catholic church and so I was baptized as a baby. I was also very sick, so no one really knew if I was going to live.

Some people do not get baptized until they are older and are baptized by immersion.

Neither of these methods are wrong.

But I will say this, to be filled with the Holy Spirit is a moment worth remembering and we can’t do that if we are a baby.

Personally, I would like to be immersed and hold the moment of the Holy
Spirit filling me in my heart forever. John the Baptist baptized Jesus by immersion and I think following Jesus’s example would be an incredible moment to remember and I can’t do that because I was a baby when I was baptized.

Do I think that if someone was baptized as a baby, that we all need to do it again. That somehow it “doesn’t count”. Absolutely Not! But I do think it would be wonderful to be baptized in Christ’s tradition. 🙂

No. Not wanting to die is a normal feeling, but we don’t need to fear death. Jesus has already won that battle and because He did, we don’t have to. It’s already won.

Death is like walking through a door. At the moment we die to this world, we awaken to Heaven. For it is in the blink of an eye that we come home to Heaven. There is nothing to fear and because our Father loves us so much, He doesn’t want us to ever fear death. Because all death is – is our homecoming.

When my father-in-law’s doctor told us that his cancer had spread and this was it, we were devastated. He was our hero and we loved him and as long as he was with us, we felt all would always be well. We sat in a state of shock for he was about to leave-for Heaven.

He was moved to a hospice. And we sat with him there, singing his favorite songs and telling all of the old stories. And reading his favorite Bible verses such as John 3:16. For two days he was unconcious. Late at night, my husband and I left, but I remembered I had left my purse there and so we went back to his room. My husband and I decided to sit for a few more minutes. We knew, even though he had been unconscious for two days, every moment was precous.

All of a sudden, Papa awakened for a moment and sat up in his bed. He raised his arms and hands in prayer and looked up. He clearly saw our Lord & Heaven. And then he laid back down, unconscious again. He never awakened again. A few days later he died to this world and awakened in Heaven. I always felt that God took Papa to Heaven at that very moment! He may have died to this world, but he is alive and so very happy in Heaven.

God gives us these moments to remind us that we never need fear death and God gives us these moments because He loves us and does not want us to fear! When someone we love dies to this world, we miss them. But those Saved by Jesus need not fear, for they will be alive and happy in Heaven. And those who love a person who dies to this world, while they will mourn and miss their loved one, they WILL see them again in Heaven 🙂

We need not ever fear death; because of Jesus ‘s great love for us; it’s just a doorway to Heaven 🙂

Our Father is with us; we need not fear, ever.

Sometimes it’s hard for people to draw close to the Holy Spirit. To know His love. And sometimes it’s hard for people to truy understand the Holy Spirit.

So here is a simpler way…The Holy Spirit is simply God’s Spirit. And in fact in this particular song, Jonathan simply asks the Holy Spirit to come and show him our Father’s Love. Because, in many ways, that is what the Holy Spirit is. A window into God Our Father’s Great Love For Us 🙂

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Friend He is God’s Spirit, …and He loves us with a depth of love that is beyond our understanding. But although we may not completely understand the true depth of His love, we can accept it and share it 🙂

And in the song Jonathan sings, he does something we don’t really do enough, he simply asks to know God’s better through the Holy Spirit. It’s an amazing prayer. Take a moment to listen to it and pray it with your eyes closed and know God’s Love 🙂

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!