Our Heavenly Prize

I am thankful for this day and all its divine opportunities!

I am thankful I am not alone. I am perfectly content, peaceful, full of God, and praying for more.

Never put limits on God. All things are possible with Him (Matthew 19:26, ESV).

I am thankful for my family and friends who shower me with encouragement, support, and love every day.

I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection.

I am thankful that I am seated in the heavenly places with Him (Eph. 2:6).

I am thankful for the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and for the wisdom and understanding He gives me throughout His pages.

I am thankful for the Holy Spirit: His guidance, protection, growth, power, and for His intercessory prayers and I pray for a constant filling of His Holy Presence so that I am bursting forth with the Fruit of the Spirit so that I can bring honor, praise, and Glory to His Holy Name, for all to see and have.

I am supernaturally equipped, prepared, and empowered to successfully serve God and people. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

I am thankful that I am blessed to do this for and with God, not for reward, but because of my love for Him; His Will, Plan, and Purpose! I possess great relief in knowing that it is God who is Sovereign! Elohim: God of gods and Lord of lords, Creator and Sustainer, Judge, Majesty, Awesome, Mighty, and Great (Deuteronomy 10:17)!

I am thankful for the blood of Jesus: my Redemption, Salvation, Sanctification, Righteousness, and Eternal Glory.

I am thankful, that one day, I will be to the likeness of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for healing, discernment, freedom, and spiritual growth.

I am thankful that I am no longer captured by my own self needs but rather captured by God, for His use in this world.

I am thankful God hears my prayers and He answers from His Holy Hill (Psalm 99:9).

I am blessed beyond measure and there is nothing I need more than Jesus. He supplies endlessly all that I need.

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:10-11).

LORD, help me understand Scripture, open my mind and heart to your Holy Wisdom, bless me with the vision to comprehend so that I may be a blessing to all those whom you put before me. Let all see how alive and well you are in this world by shining your light in and through me. Soli Deo Gloria!!

Father, what do you have to say to me today?

As I sit in my new quiet space, tell me the secret thoughts of your heart. Is that even possible? I surely am praying for this type of intimacy! I sit in worship, praise, prayer, and thanksgiving, waiting patiently on your next move.

My soul is joyful, peaceful, and lovely because of you. I am, indeed, brand-new!! Your Almighty Hand has and is doing wonderful works in my heart. I shall not be shaken because I am firmly planted on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:24-27). This Holy Ground is where miracles take place. It is only Your love that is powerful, captivating, intoxicating, and lasting unlike the things in this world.

Thank you, LORD, you are “boundless, infinite, self-existent and absolute; everything else is contingent and relative. There is nothing very big and nothing very wise and nothing very wonderful. It’s all relatively so. It is only God who knows no degrees” (A.W. Tozer, The Attributes of God: A Journey Into the Father’s Heart, Volume 1).

And this all started and came to be by your love, mercy, and grace and my prayer is for this entire world to seek, know, and worship you so that this world would be peaceful and only existent because on your true love.

Thank you, Father, for the taste of Heaven that I do receive as I meet with you throughout the day, I peer through spiritual lenses as I go about my daily tasks, and the difference you make is invaluable. I look forward to more and more of You!

I write this all in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen!!

I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul (A Song Of Ascents Of David: Psalm 131, ESV)

O LORD, my heart is not lifted
up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time forth and forever-
more.

Praise be to God, “this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come” (Hebrews 13:14, NLT). One day we will see our Lord and Savior, “for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV).

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise you and thank you for your mercy and grace, your faithful pursuit of us, your Son Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, our Helper, our Guide, Protector, Intercessory Prayer Warrior and so much more. How good and kind you are! We are well taken care of, our needs met in abundance, and victorious by the blood of Jesus! Thank you!!

Oh, Father, I pray this morning, for continued transformation in the hearts of humanity! Help us serve others as Jesus did, without conditions, judgement, mockery, or greed. He genuinely and generously gave to those around Him, thinking of the lives before Him before thinking of Himself, concerned with their lack and pleased to provide according to the Father’s will. Let all come together and worship you, fill us till overflowing with the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and empower us to do your good works for your glory and honor (Matthew 5:16). Calm and quiet our souls and accomplish all you have set out to do! In Jesus’ Name, I pray,

Amen!!

I pray everyone is well and joyful!

It is has been awhile since I have posted and I feel really impressed upon to share this with you so by the leading of the Holy Spirit, I write in obedience to God’s will and I thank Him for His pursuit, care, love, attention and especially for His Son Jesus Christ…God bless you immeasurably you as read…may God fill you till overflowing with wisdom, understanding, and deeper knowledge of Him…

“Set me as a seal upon thine heart
Thou Love more strong than death
That I may feel through every part
Thy burning, fiery breath.
And then like wax held in the flame,
May take the imprint of thy Name.

Set me a seal upon thine arm,
Thou Love that burst the grave,
Thy coals of fire can never harm,
But only purge and save.
Thou jealous Love, thou burning
Flame,
Oh, burn out all unlike thy Name.

The floods can never drown thy Love,
Nor weaken thy desire,
The rains may deluge from above
But never quench thy fire.
Make soft my heart in thy strong flame,
To take the imprint of Thy Name.

Cant. 8:6

I am okay! The LORD is clearing out the deepest wounds. Let Him do it! Accept what comes up and pray to God for healing. Be kind to yourself in the process. God is taking good care of you!

I trust you, Jesus!

Daniel 3:8-30 The Fiery Furnace (what is written is what the Holy Spirit highlighted in my heart; I encourage you to open your Bible and read the entire passage. I pray you are strengthened and encouraged!)

“Oh king live forever [king Nebuchadnezzar] you O’ king have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn…shall fall down and worship the golden image and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the men, O king, pay no attention to you, they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up…if you do not worship you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands…we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king…but if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The golden image is a distraction from God, put in place by the enemy, giving glory to the enemy which takes our eyes off of God, not trusting that God has the final say. God is victory in this world, in heaven, in all things. To take our eyes off the “golden image: keeps them focused on God’s victory…Jesus and the cross, Redemption! The men pay no attention to the king! We are to pay no attention to the enemy! God will always be God and His Truth will always be Truth!

This is the issue—we are tempted, drawn to self and complaints— choose Kingdom thoughts, the Trinity, the Victory—these glorious thoughts of God fade out due to distraction. Always be praising and thanking God. Do not pay attention to the “golden image.” it may appear pretty and mesmerizing, you may think you are rendered powerless, but do not pay attention, give your attention to God, what He has done, who He is, and praise!

The enemy is ruler of this world. He prowls around looking for those whom he can devour, children of God, he cannot. He play in the mind and he surely does. He stuffs people down into pits of despair in ignorance and deceit, anxiety, and fear. Paralyzes them so they are distracted, kept busy in evil tangles, taken in thought from the Almighty One but those who meditate on God’s word will be strengthened and will not be touched, will not be burned!

As the “the golden image” is refused, the enemy turns up the heat…binds people in all sorts of distress: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual—brings fear and panic…disassembles trust and belief in God. He aims to take from God, His glory and honor that only God is worthy of.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.”

Unbelievers are thrown into the pit of hell, bound in unbelief, bound by their sin nature, bound in the refusal to bow down to God and worship, bound by pride, arrogance, rebellion, dysfunction, denial, bound by Satan’s lies.

We are all headed to the fiery furnace from birth—our destination in life is the pit of hell. We are all bound in our sin, bound to the sins of this world, handed down from generation to generation—tempted and tried, enticed to sin, turned from God, and fallen.

“King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste”

‘Rose up in haste’…it is by the Lord’s power in His children, His light and love, that others experience Him. He is revealed in this world by His children. It is through us that others experience Him, they see Him because of His work in and through us. As they see God, they too have the choice to ‘rise up’ and worship Him. Look around, God is everywhere….creation, the Bible (the inspired Word of God) the Ten Commandments, Christians who are ambassadors for God…God is everywhere. A general revelation to all. By faith, choose to see Him. Do not turn your head and rationalize Him away. He is here, His is present, and He is who He says He is. I can testify to this!! I am caused to lean on God, He is everywhere!!

“…did we not cast three men bound into the fire…they answered, ‘true O king’…but I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire and they are not hurt and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Saved by the blood of Jesus—God’s grace and our faith! We are unbound from the enemy’s grip, saved, free from the bondage of sin and death, by God’s mercy, grace, and love. His faithfulness to His promise! We walk this world surrounded by fire here and after: trials and hardships, death and loss, pandemics and terror, unfair leaders, greed, and selfishness and so much more. This is the fire of Satan!

But we, believers in the Lord, Jesus Christ, are not burned. His Presence is with us, in us, and we overcome by His power that lives within us, believers, worshippers, faithful, obedient, seekers,…lovers of God…we shall not be burned!

“Nebuchadnezzar came near the fiery furnace and declared…servants of the Most High God, come out and come here.”

Because Nebuchadnezzar came near to the fire…he made the choice to come near and look and because of his decision, he saw the Presence of God, Hallelujah! There before him were the walking testimony of the three. He declared that God is Most High! He believed!

“[All those] gathered together saw that the fire had not had the power over the bodies of those men.”

“Those” being satraps, prefects, governors, and the King’s counselors. The enemy does not have power over our bodies. It is God who has the power! Whether we live or die, God will always have the power!

No matter who we are, how much worldly influence we have, our accomplishments and leadership…God’s power will be seen by all, from the elite to the lowly. Every single one will stand face to face with Almighty God, He will be seen as Most High and all will bow down and worship Him.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him [Jesus] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-10, ESV).

*****

I wrote this just as I was told to do. Close your eyes to the grammar and may God open your eyes to Truth, to the things that He has for you as you read this revelation.

God goes way beyond emotions, wounds, and dysfunction. He is bigger than feelings. He has accomplished…His promise fulfilled. Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world. God saw the problem in humanity, our sin and He sent the remedy. Those who believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, confess their sins, believe He is raised from the dead by the power of Almighty God…will be saved. We are blood-bought children of God. No amount of change, human nor worldly, will alter this promise. Our destination is not a fiery furnace but everlasting life with our Heavenly Father! As we wait for our call to come home, our eternal home, we are given the privilege to sit at the feet of Jesus, learn and grow, and serve. God is holding our hands, He sustains our spiritual life as well as all areas of our entire being. He is alive and well in our hearts and He is at work completing the work He has begun in us. (Please see the page “I AM” for a Salvation Prayer.)

Psalm 73:23-26 (ESV)

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire
beside you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God
is the strength of my heart and my portion
forever.
For behold, those who are far from you
shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is
unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your
works.”

*****

Please keep in mind that I share with you what I feel led to share! I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ, not a preacher or a highly educated theologian. I am just a girl, created by God’s hand, who loves Jesus and the Bible, and it gives me great joy to write about my personal time with my Savior. He fills my heart, gives me peace and the intimacy that I so crave and need, and I am in great faith that as you read, Jesus will draw you near and speak words of love and truth into your heart! May He set your heart on fire for Him and the Bible and may you walk each day, every second of the day, thanking and praising Him. God’s grace be with you!  

You caused the attachment to YOU! Through our hardships, you have used each for your good, your thoughts are of peace, not evil, to give a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV). You have taken our difficulty and you have handled and resolved with special care and love, for we are YOUR workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which YOU prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

What does the Bible tell us about your plan? You have rescued, redeemed, and restored your people. We are no longer living in the flesh but walking in the Spirit. We praise you, Almighty God, for we are reconciled back to our Heavenly Father, no longer slave to sin Romans (6:6), but children of God (John 1:12). Glory to each upon their last breath on this earth. We are destined to stand before you, all those who believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, are complete, glorified, and perfect; not by our doing but all by yours! Thank you, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit for the work you have done!

Yes, along the way to our eternal reward, our Heavenly Prize awaits (Philippians 3:14, NLT), the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14, NKJV), we will struggle because this is the way to GLORY! In our trials, we are refined, to the likeness of Jesus! It is by your holy, gracious, loving, kind, good, and faithful hand that we are made new. New creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

What do we do as we wait upon you, while we are here in these bodies, walking this world, and navigating daily through life’s sorrows and joys? We are to always be praising, seeking, loving, and growing by spending time in your inspired Word, meditating on the Truths you share with us, practicing in each one in all that we do, praying, constant fellowship with you throughout each day, and service to you and to all those you put before us: family, friends, and strangers. We are to consistently share your love with all we meet, be kind and compassionate to all people, reflecting your LIGHT, accepting, and pleasing so that you are revealed in this world, so that all will come to know of Jesus Christ, so none should perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Our expectations can be grandiose; we desire to do great things in honor of you. We must be aware that our extremely limited human understanding may mislead us into false arenas. We may aim at the wrong targets, strive to accomplish, and carry out what we think to be good. We will find ourselves off-putting and wrong by your gracious correction. Our ill-intentions can cause grief and disappointment, but you are always right there with us, guiding us in the way we should go (Psalm 32:8), not in the way that we think we should go. Your direction is natural, peaceful, and easy. Our way is forced, uncomfortable, aggravating, and confined. You know the care needed to bring us back into your will. How wonderful you are!

You reveal where we have gone astray and you shed your wisdom and understanding into the decision so we are able to comprehend where we are and how we arrived, leading us into confession and repentance. We begin anew with great faith, by the Truth of your Word, that we are forgiven (Ephesians 4:32) and our offenses forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). All past, present, and future sins paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10-14, NKJV), our substitute. The wrath we so deserve was placed upon Christ so that we can live free of sin and death. Thank you!

Oh, Father, may all receive the gift of Jesus Christ, saved by the death, burial, and resurrection of God the Son. It is by your grace and our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) that we are spared from an eternal life of terror, eternally separated from you. No going back! The decision is made here on this earth and it is carried forth when we meet with you. We cannot change our minds when our physical bodies give out and quit. It will be too late!  

Psalm 119:49-50 (NKJV)

“Remember your word to Your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has given me life.”

Father, it is only you who puts eternal hope in the human heart. We do not put it there and in my experience, I did not even ask for this kind of hope because I did not realize it existed. I was blind to the fact that your kind of hope is so full of promise and strength, there is no fear of destroying divine hope. It cannot be manipulated by human hands nor by the powers of hell; it is immovable. It is done, available, and reachable. I did not know this hope at all. I have never had this kind of hope, ever, and if I did, it certainly was not of the same caliber. Like opening a birthday present, hopeful of the contents, but as soon as the gift was opened, and time was spent in its company, the hope went, the excitement no longer available, gone! Your hope never grows familiar, routine, worn out, and old. It never leaves us searching for another kind of hope. The hope you give is constant, driving, and life-changing. We thrive in your hope! It sits in our heart, reigning over all that comes against it. It is Jesus Christ. He is our only hope, and He is not going anywhere!! Praise God!

Romans 8:16-19 from the Matthew Henry App:

“As the accomplishments of the saints’ present hopes and expectations: As the saints are suffering for it, so they are waiting for it. Heaven is therefore sure for God by his Spirit would not raise and encourage those hopes only to defeat and disappoint them. He will establish that word unto his servants on which he has caused them to hope (Psalm 119:49), and heaven is therefore sweet for, if hope deferred makes the heart sick, surely when the desire comes it will be a tree of life, Proverbs 13:12. Now he observes an expectation of this glory…”

“The kingdom of God is within you and will be so to eternity.”

“The sufferings are small and short and concern the body only, but the glory is rich and great, and concerns the soul, and it’s eternal.”

“There is nothing like a believing view of glory which shall be revealed to support and bear up the spirit under all the suffering of this present time.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us praise the LORD! Oh, let us give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 106:1, NKJV)!

Hallelujah and God bless you!

*****

Photo by Alem Su00e1nchez on Pexels.com

Who told you, you weren’t enough?

Why would God not put to His use all those who trust and have faith in His Majesty, those with believing and willing hearts, those who call out to Him in every circumstance in their life, those whose very life depends on Him. Is that not what the children of God pray for? We pray to Him, for Him, and with Him. We pray for Spirit-filled and Spirit-controlled lives so that we can become of one heart, a common interest in the betterment of people, loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving and forgiving always! We pray to become to the likeness of Jesus. We, through Providence, become an outpouring of God’s love wherever we go, rivers of living water (John 7:38) for all to enjoy. The excitement, elation, and thanksgiving in a believer’s heart are extraordinary. There is no end! There are no spaces in our hearts that cannot be filled by God. All we are told to do is ask and it will be given (Matthew 7:7)!

The divine drive into God’s will is natural and effortless, not anything of our own doing. It is our force and manipulations that bring on grief and strife. It is through faithful children of God that His glory is continuously revealed to others and to this world. We bring in the light of God! We reap His Holy gifts of love, we are granted a closeness with Him; He is reliable and trustworthy in managing all we bring to Him. He has the answers! He never leaves us empty-handed, a personal relationship with Almighty God that falls short of nothing, for He is perfection. He knows our every need, every single detail of our lives: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He knows who will receive His Son, Jesus Christ, and those who choose not to. He knows it all! We cannot hide anything from our Heavenly Father! He will reveal and bring to the surface anything that offends Him, and it is in correction, that one learns of His existence. We may think we are fooling Him, we may claim ignorance, and lack but the time will come when all realizes that He is indeed who He says He is (Matthew 16:15-16)!!

Our Heavenly Father sees all of us, the inside and the out (1 Samuel 16:7). He created us for a specific purpose, and we are all equipped, fearfully and wonderfully (139:14) made. He loves every inch of us despite what others say or what we say about ourselves. We are His masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the things God planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10). He loves us, even when we do not love ourselves.

This leads me to a commercial that I recently watched. The product was promoting invisible braces. I did not pay much attention at first but as the man in the commercial began to speak, the Holy spirit tuned me in to his conversation and put a spiritual spin on it.

The fellow was seeking help from the invisible braces. He had a gap between his front teeth. He was pleased to find a non-invasive treatment and one that is somewhat undetectable by others. I am immediately shown the insecurity this man feels in his appearance. I can identify!

That gap was not debilitating, it did not prevent him from eating and breaking down food as God created teeth to do. I imagine they worked just fine but someone or something along the course of his life pointed out that he had this gap; there is a flaw in his appearance and as this lie made its way into his mind, he began to ponder on it, and eventually, it manifested into an inadequacy and a weakness in him because he was seeking treatment. He was looking for something to close the gap so that he would be found “normal” amongst the crowd, accepted and well-liked, maybe even attractive to the ladies. He was, indeed, normal but that negative comment enlightened him to a false perception of himself. What a man thinketh in his heart, so he is (Proverbs 23:7) .

Just think what this false sense of self is doing to the rest of his life. He thinks there is something wrong with him, he must get help and fix his appearance so the worry and concern will leave him alone. When this gap is closed, then he will be happy!

How many times have I said this? Way too many to count!! If we look to others for comfort and wholeness, we will never find it. People come and go in our life and it is sad that this happens, but it is proof that people are not long-lasting. It is only God who walks faithfully with us now and who walks faithfully with us when it is time to leave this earth.

If someone or something had not mentioned his gap, he would not be concerned about his God-designed characteristic in his teeth. Instead of focusing on what he is not, according to the world’s standards, he could focus instead on other important matters such as his family, friends, personal hobbies, volunteer opportunities, higher education, and God. How much time, energy, and money do we divvy out each day to those things that are frivolous and fruitless?

I am pulled from the commercial and into inner thoughts regarding my own life. How many times throughout the course of my life has someone pointed out something to me: my appearance, my actions, the things I say, and even my intelligence. It was not until someone or something pulled at me that this false perception of myself took flight and eventually settled into my mind and then into my heart.

Imperfections come from outside sources! We measure ourselves with the world and in doing this, we recreate ourselves in the hopes of gaining peace of mind and happiness. It is when we come to know God on a deeper level that we begin to accept and love who we are because we know that this (me and you) are God’s creation. God is who matters.

I lived in the belief of what others have said about me. There are days that I still do, to some extent, but I know the Lord is working this lie out of me because as I sit here and write, I feel an inner strength that only comes from God. He is confirming that I am His masterpiece and so are you!! My heart is glad and smiling! Going all the way back to childhood, I believed I was inferior and inadequate because of what someone told me. I believed that everyone else was better than me; I would never measure up.

I have spent much time, energy, and money in renovating myself and not one thing has brought me the joy and peace that God brings me each day that I surrender myself to Him. I have wasted a good portion of my life living off emotion and the acceptance of others. I am exhausted with the constant shaping of myself into what others ask or expect of me instead of what God asks and expects of me. I do not know the person God has created me to be. This makes me incredibly sad! Not a sadness like a deep, dark depression, just a sadness that it took so long to uncover Racinda. I am finally able to see a piece of God’s masterpiece. I can now see a part of me that God sees and OH BOY did that declaration come right on out of my mouth!!! I feel the Holy Spirit all over me as if He is applauding the work He has done in me and not only that but this masterpiece has just finally realized how loved she is by her Heavenly Father: He likes what He sees and so do I…Hallelujah!! He is good!!

Our worth is not in looks, intelligence, our position in life, the money we have in the bank, our jobs, or our many accomplishments. Our worth comes from God! Our worth comes from the blood of Jesus, His resurrection, it is the fulfillment of Jesus Christ that believers in Him, gain worth. Wow does that ever elevate a lowly perspective! “Kingdom Thoughts,” as my Prayer 101 leader told me and the rest of the class many years ago! Think higher and put no limits on God!

God sees our heart, not our outward appearance! He is not concerned about “gaps.” What He is concerned about it is reconciling each one of us back to Him. He is concerned about our righteousness so we can live with Him in this world as well as after we leave this world. He is concerned about our hearts! Are they seeking Him or seeking other things without regard to His Sovereignty? We are all sinful in nature, but it is only by the belief in His Son, Jesus Christ, that we are forgiven and made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Without Jesus, we will remain as we are, unchanged and sentenced to death.

The Holy Spirit shared some insight with me yesterday and I have been meditating on it and sharing it as I feel led. The experiences we go through in life can be quite challenging. I found myself reflecting on past Bible studies and the prayer team at the church. Those moments left me feeling extremely foolish in the things I said and in the way I acted. In God’s grace, He reminded me that what He does in our lives and in this world may not make any sense to the human mind, but it makes perfect sense to Him, and that is what matters. In hearing this, I now have a higher view of the moments where I tripped over myself and fell. It is good to be confirmed in the fact that God is in control and it is His responsibility to shape us as He sees fit. It is all for His glory so that all the world can come to know Him.

God’s goal is not to give us everything that we ask Him for. He blesses according to His riches and glory (Philippians 4:19)! He is first in all things! The Bible tells us and shows us a loving God pursuing humanity! It tells of God’s plan which is to send His Son, God the Son, Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sins (1 John 2:2) of the world so that all may be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), reconciled back to right standing with Almighty God. It is God who gives and takes away (Job 1:21) and He does this so that hearts will be changed so that out of these transformed hearts, His glory will be seen by all, so that we, as His children, can live this life empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the things He instructs us to do. Believers live in God’s peace and joy, His spiritual blessings, and favor. We walk with Him through every circumstance in life, we are never alone! We may feel alone at times, but we are not! If we have received Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in us (1 John 4:13), and nothing will separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). He is going nowhere, ever!!

We are privileged and blessed to be part of His restoration plan. God loves us just as we are, He is accepting, kind, and welcoming always! No matter our condition, He is there with open arms and He desires to share life with us. We are created for relationships, we thrive when connecting with others who are encouraging and supportive, and we were also created to connect with God, to have a personal relationship with God.

He is at work in every heart and if we let Him, He will take from us our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). One that loves Him and others. Hearts that seek His love and will and bends to all that He has to say. We share His glory with the world. He pours into us His goodness and we pour His goodness into others. We enjoy, daily, His spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). We have peace that is not of this world (John 14:27) and joy that outlasts all things! We have been offered Jesus Christ, He is our free gift (Ephesians 2:8) to a personal God, who hears our every request!!

He is always with us, always attentive, always loving, and always forgiving!

Who told you, you weren’t enough!!

*****

If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior repeat the following prayer with all your heart:

Heavenly Father, I want to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe He shed His blood and He died for me. I believe You raised Him from the dead and He is seated with you in heaven. I want to begin a new life walking in victory through faith in Jesus. Send your spirit Lord to dwell in me counseling and guiding me in truth. Thank you for providing the way to you through your son Jesus. Thank you for the forgiveness of my sins and providing eternal life with you through faith and trust in Jesus. I receive it now by faith. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.  

You are now part of God’s family! Once you’ve asked Him into your heart, He doesn’t leave! You are sealed and saved forever!

Find a Bible-based church to attend weekly. Be sure to read your Bible and talk to God daily. He will direct your next steps!

Congratulations and welcome! I would be delighted to hear your story. I am available if you should ever need prayer or a Christian sister to talk to. You can reach me through the contact form. God Bless you!!

This Salvation Prayer comes from
The Prayer and Crisis Referral Network. This is a 24 hour prayer and crisis line. You can reach them by phone or text at (877) 800 7729. There is always someone available to speak and pray with you and it is anonymous. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Dear Almighty God!

I lift all those up to you who greet this day in pain and illness, sorrow, loss, grief, confusion, and stress. Those who are lonely, uncertain, unsteady, anxious, and fearful: the unsaved. This is not how you intend us to live. This is not the life that Jesus Christ came to give to the world. This is not the gift that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection freely gives each one of us. The Bible tells us, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36)!

Father, draw each one burdened and laid low by the fiery darts of the enemy, close to you.
Whisper affirmations of unconditional and inseparable words of love into their heart. Give them total reassurance that you are with them, wherever they go (Joshua 1:9). You know every detail of their trial and you will not allow them to stand alone. Your love for your children compels your mighty hand of mercy and grace to prevail in all things. Not one is without your guidance and protection. Father, bring to their remembrance your Word of Truth, past blessings where you have announced yourself in their lives and brought victory into a situation where they only saw defeat and failure. You are our only hope, and we call on you this morning to restore hope into the hearts of those who see none.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging…The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress (Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11).

Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name (1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Hallelujah!

Father, bless each one with peace, love, joy, comfort, healing, a great knowledge of you, and an undeniable, uncontainable, ever-seeking desire and closeness with you. No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me declares the LORD (Isaiah 54:17).

We have trust and great faith that you have spoken. Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless (Psalm 119:89-96).

It is You, Almighty God, the One whom we love and serve, who delivers us from the fire. Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel, we say the very same to our enemy today, “We do not need to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace [hardships: trouble, pain, sickness, emotional distress, and dysfunction], the God we serve is able to deliver us [Salvation and Glory] from it, and he will deliver us [deliverance here on this earth or deliverance into our permanent home with Him in heaven], we will be delivered…we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up [sin and hardship, the enemy who distracts and steals our attentions and adorations for God] (Daniel 3:16-18). All glory is given to God for He has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).

How sweet are your words to my taste [how awesome is your comfort and peace, your love and joy in those times of discontent and battle, your rescue, redemption, and restoration], your words are sweeter than honey to my mouth [to my heart, to my life]. Through your precepts, I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way (Psalm 119:103). Nothing compares to you! You are more than enough for us! How satisfied, and full we are in You, our Daily Provision, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides.

Thank you, Father, for taking tender care of all those who greeted this day downtrodden. Thank you, Father, that the power of your love, your Truth, and your Holy Presence has lifted each one so that they can taste your goodness, a piece of Heaven.

Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near; Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:4-9).

How we love you Father and thank you for this day! Thank you for your inspired Word! Thank you for hearing our prayers and answering! In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen!

*****

All Scripture taken from the New International Version (NIV).

Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR on Pexels.com

01-13-21

I woke with several praise songs in my heart. I am feeling prayerful and thankful, blessed and favored! Thank you, God, for this precious, early morning gift!

Yes, Lord, you are more than enough for me! I sit here this morning in complete peace, joyously basking in your Holy Presence. I cannot move, speak a sound, nor is my mind tempted to drift into another direction. I am held, grateful, and at the mercy of your Sovereign hand. This is a taste of Heaven! Pure delight and promise!

Wash over me, Lord, and show me your glory, your goodness, your love! Hallelujah!

You are so good and kind and there is no place I would rather be than here with you, in fellowship with you, your chosen child, set apart by You and for You, for holy purposes (1 Peter 2:9)! Help me shout to the crowds how magnificent you are! Help me tell of your Son, Jesus Christ and teach your inspired Word, so that all will come to know your divine, hand-delivered peace, love, and life, to each person you put before me. Empower me to be, one of many, to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, His work on the cross, His death, burial, and resurrection. Help me use the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12) that you have so graciously given upon the receiving of the Holy Spirit, to do the work you have predestined (Romans 8:28-30) me with, help me carry out your will in this world. We are your workmanship, purposed with good works (Ephesians 2:10), so that all will come to know you, saved and reconciled back to You, Almighty God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)!

There is a stillness in my heart, and I pray for more of this, for me and for all those who bow reverently at your feet, in obedience to your Word. Oh, what a lovely surprise this is, this morning, and I am hooked and will seek out this exact moment every single second of the day, until I see you, face to face!

I am so very quiet, my entire being hushed by your Providence! Hallelujah!

Almighty God, what do you have for me, here and now, throughout this day, and the rest of my time here in this glorious Creation that YOU spoke life into! One word from you and all things quicken to your mighty commands. What comfort I find in you, your control of all that exists, not my concern, but yours, giving me the time and energy to put forth into you. You are my joy, a constant light in my heart, and worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.

Heavenly Father, I am here this morning, by your divine call, my heart content and full, and listening for your Almighty voice! This is goodness, far superior than anything I have ever known, this is most certainly YOU, my personal and serene get-away from all the craziness in this world. I hide in you, my shield and fortress, the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3), my strength, and courage! I retreat to your holy sanctuary, created, and inhabited by YOU and YOU alone, for rejuvenation, direction, and wisdom to carry on as I have been chosen to do. Thank you, Father, for drawing me into this treasured place!  

I now know where to dwell and because I have had a taste of such bliss, I will, by your mercy and grace, always be here, with you, in you, our hearts joined together in fellowship, an exchange of pure love and so far-gone that no sound exists, no distraction would dare enter, only adoration and total devotion welcomed and rejoiced!

This is good, you are good, thank you for inviting me here!

What blessedness you have brought me into, this morning! I cannot comprehend your love of me, but my heart gladly and gratefully receives you. Do not let me miss any moments, opportunities, or experiences, with you. Keep me here with you, let me not turn away, nor head back to where I was before I met you. I cannot bear to think of my life before you, that old familiar darkness used to rule my every thought and emotion. It has vanished because of You. Oh, what a terrible spot to be in! Please, never let it return!! Guard my heart and mind (Philippians 4:7) and let no weapon formed against me prosper (Isaiah 54:17)! Hold me up by your righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10), lift me high above this worldly turmoil. Do this for all your children, in Jesus’ Mighty Name!! Despite our daily circumstances, remind us always of your goodness. Hold each one tightly in this holy stronghold with you, learning, growing, loving, and serving!

What you have shared with me, help me share with others so that they will know you too. I want all to come with me to this secret, fortified depth of holiness. No matter what is happening in their life, my life, we are always in your hand, your care, and protection. Help each one supernaturally understand your Word of Truth. This is where the supernatural relationship begins and deepens, this is what sets us free to live as you have planned us to live (Hohn 8:36). We are here for a purpose and it is through the Bible that we learn of you and your plan for humanity and this world. Nothing is fruitless in your purpose. All have importance, called to participate, no forcing on your part, but freewill on ours. Open our hearts to hear you, Lord!

Fill each one with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), so we can tell others of your grace and mercy, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and His awesome sacrifice for us all. Hallelujah! How wonderful, lovely, and faithful He is!! May all come to know Him!!

Healing for all by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a free gift of grace(Roman 6:23) for those who believe in His work on the cross (Isaiah 53:5)!

Psalm 119:1-8 (ESV)

Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet

“Blessed are those whose way is
blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep his
testimonies,
who seek him with their whole
heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your
commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!”

It is tough to keep going when feeling alone in the journey. I read my Bible last night and the words from John 1:5 gave me great comfort:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

No matter how dark our world becomes, the light—God—is always shining.

I guess this is how I am feeling these days. There is darkness all around and I see no evident way to escape. I know that it is only by God’s hand, His guidance, and care that we will remain steadfast in the daily routines of life, our journey heavenward. We must hold on to hope that one day we will reach glory, perfection, our eternal home with our heavenly Father.

John 1:4 says:

“In Him was life, and that life was the lights of all mankind.”

There is darkness in us all, not one of us is good (Romans 3:10) but by God and through Jesus Christ, goodness is born and divinely built upon. God’s light burns brightly within His children. He is the light of the world and we carry His light, reflecting it towards all. It is through faithful, obedient followers of Jesus Christ that God’s light shines forth. Hallelujah!

We are the ones who obscure the light of God. It is through trauma, offenses, mindsets, the news, social media, television, and in what we read. There is pressure coming every which way and it is challenging to keep a steady pace.  All of this can and does dim the light and if we hold fast to the things of this world in rebellion to God’s will, plan, and purpose, the light will eventually flicker and burn out. God does not need us to shine forth. It is a gift, given to us freely by God so that we can share His light and love with people. God’s light will never go out.

“The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary (John 5:14) puts it this way:

 “The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord and it was the eternal Word that lighted the candle. The light of reason, as well as the life of senses, is derived from him. From whom may we better expect the light of divine revelation than from him who gave us the light of human reason.”

The light shines but the darkness comprehends it not—the discovery of the eternal Word to the lapsed world, even before he was manifested in the flesh.

The light shineth in darkness—the eternal Word, as God, shines in the darkness of natural conscience. Something of the power of the divine Word all mankind has an innate sense of. The eternal Word shone in the darkness of the Old Testament prophecies and promises. He that had commanded the light of this world to shine out of darkness was himself long a light shining in darkness.

The darkness comprehended it not. The darkness of error and sin overpowered and quite eclipsed this light. The Jews who had the light of the Old Testament yet comprehended not Christ in it. It was therefore requisite that Christ would come, both to rectify the errors of the Gentile world and to improve the truths of the Jewish church.”

I am feeling fully comforted by God’s mercy and grace. He has shed light into the dark places of my mind and heart; I am positioned in such a way that my entire being is thankful and in tune with His loving Presence. I sense a change in the atmosphere. I am clued into correction and I am open to my Father’s words. How kind of Him to love on me first before showing me my offense; the places where I have recently strayed!

I am shown A.W. Tozer’s book, “The Crucified Life.” Tozer writes about “The Five Ingenious Ways of Christians.” God has my attention; I am convicted and guilty:

“…seeking our own interests while pursuing spiritual interests under the guise of seeking God’s interests. Being self-serving is where the strange ingenuity of Christians begins. Under the guise and pretense of seeking God’s interest, we have a sly way of serving our own interests. We have become very clever in this endeavor. But we are only fooling ourselves into thinking that we are ‘about our Father’s business’ when we are actually doing our own business.

While pretending to seek the interest of God, people fall prey to promoting themselves. We want God to have the glory, but at the same time we would like a little commission paid to us for all the work we do.”

Tozer mentions five ingenious ways but only two resonated with me at this time, so let me share the second one that spoke to me:

“…talking about the dark night of the soul but rejecting the darkness…The dark night of the soul is not something pleasant to go through and does not end with a fellowship supper after church on Sunday night. It is a grueling experience that requires an absolutely strict detachment from everything that you normally rely on so that you are left with only Christ.

Darkness speaks of not knowing. We want God to do, but we want Him to do what He does within the scope of our comprehension. The dark night of the soul, however, is the work of the Holy Spirit that exceeds the ability of any man or woman to understand. When we come through the dark night of the soul, we do not know what has really happened to us, but we do know who has made it happen.”

At this point in my time of quiet with God, I cannot help but pause and drop my head in prayer:

Thank you, Father, for correction. Thank you, for stopping me in my tracks. Thank you, for hearing my prayers and answering. Forgive me for self-seeking ambitions. Forgive me for opening my mind to false teaching, for coveting and hiding it, using You for gain.

Thank you, for standing guard, and thank you for the warning, danger was sure to come. Oh, how grateful I am for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. All glory, honor, praise, and thanksgiving go to You! I sit lifted because of your care! How sneaky the snake is! Forgive me for falling into his traps, once again. I am not excusing my behavior, simply stating that I let my guard down, and in he crept, unnoticed by my eyes, but fully seen by yours. Hallelujah!

Thank you, for your rescue and victory. Thank you, I can hear your voice telling me to turn back. Thank you, for lighting my way back into the safety of your always welcoming arms. This is where I choose to be. Help me stay here! How good you are, Father. Thank you!

How blind we are to evil, all around us and in our hearts. I am ashamed but because of you, I do not reside there! Father, we need your guidance. We cannot avoid the landmines of the enemy, disaster, and death without you. What is unseen is seen by you! Hallelujah!

We can walk in darkness because it is by your light that we find our way out into glory! The love I feel in my heart is overflowing and it is truly wonderful! There is no place I would rather be!

Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness and love. I look forward to the day of completion—glory and perfection. No longer distracted and afflicted by sin, the enemy. All your children will be gathered at your feet, heads bowed low, worshipping, and praising all day long. There will be no pull of the world, no evil hearts and not one obstacle in sight to jump over. Each child of God pure and free! Hallelujah!!

Oh, Lord, what a chaotic mess we are in! This world struck with illness and death, people rioting and treating one another with unfairness and harm. What is happening to your beautiful world? Come Lord Jesus and save us from any further destruction. Take us home where we belong!

Lord, God Almighty, keep our eyes on you! Remind us of your spiritual care, your glory, and victory. Help us to see beyond what is before us. Let it not bring us down, lift us high above this torment and sorrow. Let us not look to the right or the left, speak your direction, and give us the courage and boldness to leap in faith and obedience to where you call us to go. You are a precious gift!!

Guard our hearts and minds and set us apart from this world. Empower us with wisdom, understanding, strength, and endurance for your holy purposes, separate us from sin, help us share your love and goodness with others. Almighty God, do not let us stumble and fall, and when we begin to shake, steady our weak knees so we can stand tall, firm, on the foundation which is built upon the Rock, Jesus Christ. Fill us with the Holy Spirit:, joy, peace, and love.

Father, you are our love, trust, security, constant companion, satisfaction, fullness, our Daily Bread, and so much more. Thank you, in Jesus’ beautiful and mighty name we pray, Amen!

In this time with God this morning, I am shown another level of my evil heart and I am disgusted and guilty. I so love the Lord and I continue to self-seek. How foolish and wayward I am. Oh my goodness, Father, forgive me! Take this from me, In Jesus’ Name, take this from me!!

No more YouTube, no more Google Newsfeeds, no social media, no Huffington Post or other news sites; no more mindless surfing. Did you not just show me several mornings ago what flipping through the Internet does? Of course you did and what did I do with that wisdom. I turned my head in rebellion! It is all useless garbage! Forgive me!

Spiritual Discipline #4
Guard your heart and mind!

As Paul states in Philippians 1:

Rejoice in the Lord.
Beware of false teachers.
Trust in the Lord always.
Reach after the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Set your heart on God, the Heavenly Prize.

My time with God has ended with the very same Scripture from my post, “Farewell.” Let me share Matthew Henry’s Commentary on this passage:

“I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The fitter we grow for heaven the faster we must press towards it. Heaven is the prize of the high calling; what we aim at in all we do and what will reward all our pains. It is of God, from whom we are to expect it. But it is in Christ Jesus; through His hand it must come to us. There is no getting to heaven as our home but by Christ as our way.

I pursue with vigour. If that I may apprehend that for which also, I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. It is not our laying hold of Christ first, but his laying hold of us, which is our happiness and salvation. Not our keeping hold of Christ, but his keeping hold of us, is our safety.

This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before.”

*****

I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have placed my blog on private and told God I was not going to write anymore. I thought for sure the door had been closed to “Our Heavenly Prize.” I now realize that it is only the enemy trying to shut me down. But God…He never fails in giving me a super special revelation to keep me going. I do love to write, and I love to share God with others. I did not realize (praise God that He did) that I was going astray. He told me three years ago, at the start of the blog, to just write. Do not worry about anything else; He would take care of the rest and He certainly has. He has truly worked miracles through “Our Heavenly Prize” and for this, I am grateful!

Guard your heart and mind!

*****

I do not want to give up writing because it is a ministry God has given me. All the above was written yesterday and I did not post it because I was unsure of what to do but in prayer this morning, God reassured me that there is nothing wrong with the way I write about Him and our experiences together. I told a close and trusted friend yesterday afternoon that this way of writing is the only way I know how to tell the Gospel Message.

I felt guilty about the possibility that I write for an “audience of one” which was told to me several months ago. I am self-conscious of this and I do apologize if this is the case. I write what I know to write: it is honest, well-intentioned, and comes from my heart and it gives me great joy to share God with all of you.

I am not equipped at this time to share Him any other way. As He has so clearly stated, “You are not ready.” If He should request of me to write or speak any differently; He will teach me. He has taught me well thus far. I trust that when correction is needed, God will gently and tenderly do just that! Until then, I will push forth, by the guidance and love of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 1: 27-30 (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

“…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. It becomes those who profess the gospel to strive for it. There is much opposition, and there is need of striving. A man may sleep and go to hell; but he who will go to heaven must look about and be diligent.

Steadfastness becomes the gospel.

Those who would strive for the faith of the gospel must stand firm to it.

Whatever oppositions we meet with, we must not be frightened at them.

It is not simply the suffering, but the cause, and not only the cause, but the spirit, which makes the martyr.”

God bless you and thank you to all those who reached out to me in the past several days. Your encouragement was sent straight from God and for this, I am blessed and grateful. I will continue to strive to share the Gospel Message as God instructs us all to do.

References

Matthew Henry’s Commentary. (1961) Zondervan classic reference series: In one volume. Zondervan Academic.

Tozer, A. W. (2013) The essential tozer collection: The crucified life. Bethany House.

This will be my last post! I cannot delete my account without saying farewell! The door has been closed and I step with great faith through another. Praise be to God!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with you! What an encouraging, supportive community this is, and I so appreciate your faithfulness and kindness. I am incredibly thankful to God and to “Our Heavenly Prize” because He has used it mightily in my life and I am in great faith that He has used it mightily in yours as well.

The Lord has shown me, through this platform, that despite all my imperfections, I am well, I am saved, I am His, and I am loved. He has taken from me embarrassment, fear, shame, anxiety, condemnation, and guilt. I now know who I am in Christ. Hallelujah!

While it was extremely difficult to let strangers, friends, and family members into my world of chaos, I do not regret one single second. The past three years have brought me into my Father’s loving arms, erased past hurts, and replaced the space with love, joy, strength, and peace. In sharing my weaknesses, hardships, tears, and pain, I am no longer captive to the lies of the enemy. I stand tall due to the firm foundation of Jesus Christ.

I will continue to pray for people, our nation, leaders, and the entire world.

There is power in prayer!

I am reminded of the first time I was asked to pray for our emergency responders in a prayer group several years ago and not a sound pushed forth. I was paralyzed in fear and the silence was pure torture to my entire being. I desperately wanted to pray but could not utter a word. The prayer leader encouraged me with this statement:

“Prayer is a conversation with God.”

No matter how you pray, God desires to hear from you, He is listening, and He answers!

Philippians 3:13, 14:

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing. Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

I love you all and God bless you!