😎🐫🎤 I want to share something with you that I read Monday. “If it’s true that we become like the friends we spend time with, then we must select our friends wisely. The person who will do what it takes to live in the perfect will of God is the kind of friend who imparts something of the goodness of the Lord to you every time you are with them.” Thank God for those friends and share the light He has given you with all those around you today. David danced in praise of the Lord. That sounds like a great idea to me this morning. Bless others and be blessed.
😎🐫🎤 Relationships of convenience. You know, like siblings growing up together. What happens when you no longer live under the same roof? Mutual acquaintances. What happens when you lose contact with that mutual friend? Coworkers. What happens when someone changes jobs? Today is my last day at my current job, which has brought this subject to light. Sure, that relationship of convenience can create introductions and even years of conversation, but what will I do when that “convenience” is no longer there? Will I make the effort to continue the relationship that was started? Is it worth the added effort? Why has God brought this person into my life? I start my new job on Monday and I will be given a whole new group of relationships by convenience. So, what will I do with them?
Is your relationship with God one of convenience? What efforts do you put into growing your relationship with Him? Are your conversations one sided or is there give and take?
Consider your relationships of convenience…starting with God. Which ones are good right where they are and which ones do you want to grow? Make the added effort and see what God has been waiting to share with you. Relationships are a treasure that you can’t put a price tag on.
😎🐫🎤 On Monday Brian and I visited the Ohio Caverns and saw some amazing formations of stalagmites and stalactites. A young girl on the tour asked the question “How are they formed?” They are formed by water working its way through the earth and rocks and as the water evaporates in the caverns it leaves a mineral deposit forming these structures. They are a physical and visual reminder of the water that once passed through. Just like these structures, we too are a physical and visual sign, but of the Living Water that passes through us. We are like the stalagmites building up and reaching for heaven. So how are we formed and receive these types of deposits? Scripture, share groups, Bible studies, attending church services, being involved in the Church community. Our words, actions and deeds point to our Heavenly Father, our Savior and the Holy Spirit whom are present with us each moment of our lives. Allow this Living Water to make deposits into your life and build you into a brilliant reflection of our Lord. But don’t just keep it all for yourself. Share this Living Water and allow these deposits to be made in as many lives as possible. Bless others and be bless.
😎🐫🎤 Good morning from the ALIVE Festival. Last week I was driving north on 75 on my way to work and found myself behind a truck hauling smelly pigs. Come on, you can imagine this 7:10 AM, 78 degrees and humid. You can smell it, right? I stayed behind the truck for a while then thought, “Why am I staying in the stink? I can go to the right or left and get out of this.” Then God immediately said “Just like when you’re caught up in the stink of life. I give you a way to the right or left, but you just have to choose to move forward and get out of it. No one can do it for you. You have to make the choice and move yourself.” I love when God speaks to us in everyday moments. And I bet that truck driver had no clue he wasn’t only delivering pigs that day, but also a message from God. Watch for Him in every moments of your life. You never know when He will speak to you or if He is using you to speak His message to others. Bless others and be blessed.
😎🐫🎤 I want to thank you for your prayers during the Chrysalis weekend. We had 13 young ladies experience the weekend and WOW did God show up. Like anything, some will grasp onto the experience and never let go, while others will have the experience fade a little at a time. Please continue to pray for these butterflies as they journey through their next steps. Today I want to share the theme song from our weekend. Bless others and be blessed.
I am serving on the Chrysalis retreat team this weekend and could use your help. Will you please pray for our team and the 16-24 year old young ladies that will be experiencing this weekend? The retreat starts at 7 AM tomorrow morning and runs through 7 PM Sunday night. If you are willing to pray for us, let me know the day and hour you would like and we’ll add you to the prayer vigil board that will be display. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers this weekend.
😎🐫🎤 I was thinking last night about the point in my life when I quit thinking about my faith as being a religion and made it a relationship. There are so many things that we do or say that allows others to label us, including our faith background and church we attend. With all this labeling in the world, it’s good to pause and reflect on our relationship with the Lord. What does it look like for you? Think back over the past year. How has it grown and changed or maybe slid backwards? It’s okay to admit a backward slide. The question is, what will you do to move forward? It doesn’t matter what point you’re at, there is always room to go deeper with the Lord. He has so much to show us and tell us, if we will just spend some time with Him. Listen. Talk. Experience His presence in everyday life. It’s incredibly amazing. He is incredibly amazing. Your faith, religion, relationship with the Lord is for no one but you and Him. Your relationship is one on One, which means there’s four, right?! This relationship isn’t like keeping up with the Jones. You can’t try to outdo someone else’s relationship with the Lord, so make yours personal. Make it intimate. Make it so you don’t ever want to be without it. Not even for a second. Bless others and be blessed.
😎🐫🎤 A few weeks ago I heard someone say “I wish I knew what the meaning of life is.” That lead me to think about our purpose…our great commission. Matthew 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” God didn’t send us out on our own. We’re traveling with the trifecta, the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit. And with Them we have all the authority in heaven and on earth on our side. There is no better relationship than that. So how do we go about being disciples for our Lord? Grudgingly or with joy? Crowds of people or one relationship at a time? My mind then took me to a high school youth ministry lesson I did many years ago. I still carry the card I handed out to everyone that reads. “In all I do, I will give glory, honor and praise to the Lord.” Being a disciple for Christ is a gift and we can’t afford to forget that. Bless others and be blessed.
😎🐫🎤 So, I have another interview prayer request, but it’s not for me this time, it’s for my daughter Lori who lives in MI. She will be graduating college soon with an art education degree and she is searching for her first Big Girl job. She has an interview at 10 AM this morning and another interview with a different school on June 22nd. As I was praying before my interview last week, God told me “It’s just you and Me in this interview. Talk to Me.” Lori, it’s just you and God in your interview. Just talk with Him. Also, pray on the Armor of God and dance around to this song. Bless others and be blessed.
😎🐫 Good morning. I have a prayer request this morning. From 1-2 PM tomorrow I have an interview for an accounting technician position at the Dayton VA. I’ve been praying for God’s wisdom and words as I prepare and during my interview and also that I step out of the way so that His Will be done. Thank you in advance for your prayers and feel free to share a song with me today. Bless others and be blessed. :O)
Third Day Devotions 