Christâs peace and presence be with you. This week Diana brings you two solid episodes of Keep Moving Forward. The first is focused on communication, both verbal and nonverbal, and why itâs important. The second is about seasons in our lives and the fact that they are seasons. Diana shared this Ben Platt song lyric, âItâs okay to say goodbye, some things live but all things die.â We all communicate and we all have life seasons, so these episodes are perfect for you. Take a listen.
Monday, June 6, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 38: How to Enhance Communication in Your Life and Relationships with Kacia Fitzgerald and Seena Ghetmiri
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. First, in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is quoted as saying âYou are the salt of the earth.â and âYou are the light of the world.â Before you ask, yes, the âyouâ that is being referenced is indeed you. Second, Archbishop Fulton Sheen is quoted as saying âNo man discovers anything big unless he makes himself small.â So, you bring flavor and a glow to life, in small ways that make a big difference.
As humans, we desire to see results for our efforts, but a good portion of the time we arenât even aware of the results we produce. Yesterday the road in front of our home and some others, but not all, in our neighborhood were repaved. Those workers spent one day stripping and preparing the road and the other day paving. It may seem like they were âjust doing their jobâ, but that job has made a small difference in many lives. You may think âitâs just a roadâ, but itâs not. One example of making a difference that they will never realize is that we will be selling our home in the near future. This nice, smooth, new road brings our home better curb appeal which could possibly be the difference between the buyer choosing our home over another one. Second, we call our street Fire Engine Alley because itâs the main cut through for the police and fire fighters to surrounding neighborhoods. Could better roads allow for quicker response times? Yes. Could quicker response times bring better results? Yes, which could lead to lives saved. These are just two examples for one action that we probably donât put much effort into thinking about, but nonetheless their presence brings flavor and a glow and their âsmallâ actions brought a big difference.
Being at work on purpose, not just for a paycheck, but for the purpose of being Godâs presence in the workplace is a small attitude difference that can have a huge impact, no matter what your job. Even if you work alone from home every day, with an attitude of bringing God to work with you, you will make a difference in your life. People can see His presence you bring in your eyes. People can hear His presence you bring in your voice. People can experience His presence in the commitment and effort you put into your tasks. You may think people arenât watching or noticing, but they are, and isnât it better for them to hear, see, and experience Him instead of you? As you head to work today, choose to bring the Lord with you.
Bless others and be blessed.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. I have some catching up to do with you. Since I last shared Keep Moving Forward, Diana has added three episodes about guilt and shame, listening to your gut, and how environments affect your mental health. I imagine all three episodes will touch on a part of your life, so take a listen.
Friday, May 27, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 35: Navigating Feelings of Guilt and Shame
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you and Happy Easter. Yes, we are still in the Easter season. Iâm sure the Easter baskets were put away weeks ago. Those colored eggs were probably eaten within a few days. The candy probably gone as quickly as the eggs. Except for those that like those hard, stale Peeps. Have you given up and stopped talking about Easter and the blessings our resurrected Lord bestowed upon us, as quickly as you put away the decorations and ate the eggs and candy?
Next Sunday is Pentecost. Pentecost, I would say is my second favorite holy day. Jesus promised that He would send His Advocate, the Holy Spirit. That makes me smile and gets me excited. Itâs like a BIG YELLOW Happy Face smiling at you. You canât help but smile back. A relationship with the Holy Spirit is likeâŠWOW! Iâm really at a loss for words. There is an incredible amount of peace that the Holy Spirit offers. His patience isnât endless, because He wants us to be all that we were created to be, but He does allow us multiple chances to get back up when we fall on our own accord. Spoiler alertâŠif we listen and act upon His guidance, we donât have to fall so much. Feel free to share that with others.
The Holy Spirit bestows gifts upon us that we donât even realize until all of the sudden we see them in action. One of the immediate responses to the Holy Spiritâs presence with the Apostles was the gift of tongues, so that all could hear the grace, peace, sacrifice and salvation of Jesus Christ in a language they understood. Youâve been given the same gift. You may not be speaking a foreign language, but the way you speak and the words you use, they allow others to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say to them, in a way that they can receive it. If youâre like me, there are times when you hear yourself and know that those words were not of you, but of God. Those truly are some awesome moments. After all, thatâs what Heâs called us to and why He sent His Advocate to be with us.
You are on not just one, but multiple journeys being woven together at the same time. One of those journeys you are on at this very moment is your relationship with the Holy Spirit, Christâs Advocate. Please take this journey and commission very seriously. That doesnât mean the journey is all serious though. God in all three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit wants to share joy, laughter, and peace with you. Yes, together you have work to do, but that doesnât mean it has to feel like work. Work that is enjoyable and peaceful hardly feels like work and itâs amazing how much you can accomplish when you are enjoying what you are doing. Yes, you will have challenges, there is no doubt in my mind. But when you focus on the Spirit, the challenges will fall in line. When you focus on the Spirit, the challenges arenât as major an issue. When you focus on the Spirit, you will have a peace beyond words and understanding. When you focus on the Spirit, you will be filled with the Spirit.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. In the Book of Acts chapter 16 Luke shares with us some conversion stories that make me thinkâŠâReally? They got it that fast?â He mentioned speaking with a group of women at a river and how Lydia, a worshiper of God, listened and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. Then in the next sentence we hear that Lydia and her entire household were baptized. About 10 verses later we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit once again working through Paul. But this time he wasnât near a river. He and Silas were prisoners in a jail, praying and singing hymns. As the guard slept, the Holy Spirit shook the very foundation of the jail, opening all the doors and pulling loose their chains. As the guard slept, they could have walked out and continued on their journey, but they chose to stay. If for nothing else to save the guardâs life, not just once, but twice. When the guard finally woke and saw the gates open, he drew his sword to take his own life for allowing all the prisoners to escape. Paul called out, ensuring him that they were still there and stopped him from taking his life. Immediately after his life being physically saved, the guard fell down before Paul and Silas asking what he must do to be saved. âBelieve in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.â After hearing the word of the Lord and tending to Paul and Silasâ wounds, the guard and all his family were baptized.
Reading about experiences like these makes we wonder what in the world took me so long. Iâm sure people were speaking Godâs truth into my life, but in those moments my heart, mind, and spirit werenât completely open to His invitation and longing to be together. Like Lydia, I too was a worshiper of God. Like the guard, I too had an experience of slumbering, waking up frightened for the life I thought I would lose, but in reality, being awoken to a life with the Lord. Which was what I was unknowingly longing for.
Do I wish I would have understood soonerâŠYES! But that doesnât change the fact that I did finally truly understand and get what God, Father, Son, and Spirit are all about. If youâre still sucking wind, itâs not too late. Listen for and hear the Holy Spirit. Move in tandem. Let your life be a reflection of Him.
Bless others and be blessed.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. In this episode Diana addresses how to handle situations where the concept of “SHOULD” makes you feel guilt, shame, anger, and/or fear about who you are and where you are in life.Â
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. This week I would like to share with you Psalm 145. As I read this, I could feel joy and excitement building in me. Choosing to share the gifts and promises the Lord offers you and me is an incredible opportunity and blessing, not only for you, but also for those you share Him with. Be bold in your faith. And if need be, get a little uncomfortable and allow yourself the courage to speak when you normally wouldnât.
Psalm 145
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;     I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you     and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;     his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your works to another;     they tell of your mighty acts. 5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majestyâ     and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They tell of the power of your awesome worksâ     and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They celebrate your abundant goodness     and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;     he has compassion on all he has made. 10 All your works praise you, Lord;     your faithful people extol you. 11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom     and speak of your might, 12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts     and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,     and your dominion endures through all generations.
   The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises     and faithful in all he does. 14 The Lord upholds all who fall     and lifts up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you,     and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand     and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Bless others and be blessed.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. Last week Diana had a double dose of Keep Moving Forward for you, Bonus Episode 32 with Rachel Kuhrt about emotional processing and responses and Episode 33 titled âWhy You Should STOP Apologizingâ. Apologies definitely have a place and time, but how many of your apologies arenât merited? Take a listen to find out.
Monday, May 09, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 32: Emotional Processing and Responses with Rachel Kuhrt
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. It was evening. The evening Jesus was to share the last supper with His disciples and one that was about to betray Him. During the meal Jesus got up and showed by example that a true leader is first and above all a servant. Even to those who we know will hurt us. After confronting Judas and his betrayal, Jesus then addresses Peterâs/our weakness and lack of true faith in Him.
John tells us in John 13:31-38 âWhen he (Judas) was gone, Jesus said, âNow the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify Him at once. âMy children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
âA new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.â
Simon Peter asked Him, âLord, where are You going?â Jesus replied, âWhere I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.â Peter asked, âLord, why canât I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.â Then Jesus answered, âWill you really lay down your life for Me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times!ââ
Someoneâs final words to us typically arenât about the weather or some meaningless item. They are wanting to impart words of wisdom; lessons to be learned and lived by. In this passage Jesus invoked some mighty words of wisdom, but Peter in his selfishness just totally blew past the fact that Jesus was giving them a ânew commandâ. Peter was focused on trying to find out where Jesus going.
Jesus imparts on us a new command to âLove one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.â
There are so many varieties of love, but none compare to this command to love as Jesus has loved us. Truly, that degree of love is beyond words, but yet this is what He is asking of us. The interesting thing about it is, no one will ever tell you that you are loving as Christ has loved you. You wonât receive kudos or accolades. This is something only Christ Himself will discuss with you. It is a very personal and humbling conversation. But, before that conversation, you will need to talk with Christ to find out what loving like Him should look like and be in your life. The love He is asking of me is different than the love He is asking of you. Lean inâŠlisten closely and carefully to what He is saying to you in His final words. These words are extremely important.
At the 72 hour Walk to Emmaus weekend experience, Thursday evening, after sharing a light dinner, the Emmaus community sings a song as the Pilgrims leave for their time together with God. The song we sing is Theyâll Know We Are Christians by Our Love. As the Pilgrims leave the dinning room hearing these words, they havenât a clue about the love of God they are about to experience. I canât stop smiling thinking about it. Loving others as Christ loves you is hands down the absolute best gift you can offer anyone and everyone. Expect that not everyone will accept this gift, but know that those who do, will never be the same again.
Bless others and be blessed.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.
#JustinUnger â Theyâll Know We Are Christians by Our Love
Christâs peace and presence be with you. This week Diana had an unexpended bonus Tuesday episode of Keep Moving Forward for you, Bonus Episode 30 is about the three lessons Diana learned from her first half marathon and in Episode 31 Diana addresses self-fulfilling prophecies and manifestation.
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 30: Three Lessons I Learned from My FIRST Half Marathon
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
Third Day Devotions 