HONORING THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of my greatest heroes. My soul is deeply touched every time I listen to Dr. King’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream.”  Few people have inspired me more in my pursuit of living a life of purpose. His simple message of love and unity has the power to transform lives and communities. His words spoken in 1963 are just as relevant now as they were then.

May Christ touch your soul as you read the following excerpt from Dr. King’s famous speech.

“I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Let’s honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy by spreading love everywhere we go and let us treat all people with the honor they deserve.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your everlasting love and for the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Let us rejoice in knowing that every person is treasured and created equally. Help us to always show honor to every human and let us lovingly embrace our differences. Help us be gentle with one another and let the fruit of the Spirit grow daily in each of our lives. Clothe us in humility and let our love for one another be what draws lost souls into Your kingdom. Bring unity among us and let us serve each other in true kindness. Above all, let us love You with all our strength and let us love our neighbor as ourselves. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

May freedom ring today and every day.

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CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS AND A PRAYER

As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on all Christ has given us. Apart from Christ, we would be destined for a hopeless existence. His gifts to us are limitless…His love, peace, joy, faith, and the never-ending list of heavenly treasures are the greatest blessings of life.

I can imagine the perfect Christmas gift for us to give Christ would be to continually allow His Spirit to produce abundant fruit in each one of our hearts. In the coming year, let’s pray without ceasing and give Christ every part of our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the gift of Christ. Thank You for sending Your son to save the world from darkness and to give us eternal life. Thank You for all that You give us and thank You for enabling us to live with an abundance of hope, joy, peace, and love. Let us live a life led by Your Holy Spirit and take hold of every gift You have given us through Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate our amazing Savior and share Christ’s love with the hurting people in the world. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.” Galatians 5:22-23″ (The Passion Translation)

May your Christmas be joyous and filled with the glorious riches of Christ.

Love & prayers,

Amy

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE IN CHRIST

Many years ago during one of the hardest seasons of my life, I learned the most about abundant living. While battling hardships and trials, I sought the Lord for the answers to my problems, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a Scripture in the Bible that jumped off the pages when I read it.

Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word ‘circumcise’ is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the idols in my heart that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was painful, but ultimately it led me to the abundance my soul was longing for.

Everyone wants to live abundantly. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet, how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives or what we equate happiness with?

For a season in my youthful years, I was seeking abundance in the wrong places, which led to disappointment. In God’s infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing, so that I would come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10). Through the stretching and tests, He led me to the true source of abundance.

The things in my past, that were the hardest to endure, are what led me to the abundant life in Christ—a life of genuine joy and peace—that is not determined by things or circumstances. Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart that rejoices because of His love.

Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you?

To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful spiritual house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle to bring good in the lives of those who love Him and live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.

For a child of God, it is pure joy to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening, Jesus is walking along beside us and carrying us through all of life’s hard situations.

Christ wants for us to love Him with all of our hearts, so that we can truly live abundantly and bask in His great love. In loving Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone, we can’t be shaken. When our lives are built upon Christ, we can’t lose our foundation and nothing or nobody can steal our joy.

Countless people in the world have been duped into believing that abundant living is found in wealth and material riches.  The true abundant life is found in knowing Christ deeply. Jesus is everything—when we know this, then we know that any other good thing we have in life is only the icing on the cake.

May you enjoy Jesus this Christmas season and find hope through Him in the weariness of life.

Lord, I thank You for the abundance of joy and peace that You give to us in all seasons of life. Help us to continually look to You as our only source. Let us keep our eyes fixed upon You and enjoy You every day. Let us be content in all circumstances and know You are all we really need to live abundantly. We pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5

This revised post was originally written in 2008.

© Copyright 2018 – LIVE ABUNDANTLY NOW

TREASURING THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

As we celebrate Christ’s birth this Christmas season, let us all remember why He was born. Christ came to give new life.

His love is a gift that breaks into the dark places of the soul and brings forth light. He strengthens us when we’re weak. He fills us with love when we’re loveless. He soothes our sorrows when we’re mourning. He heals the heart when it’s broken. He gives us joy in all circumstances and gives us the desires of our hearts as we find our delight in Him. He fills us with an inexpressible peacefulness that transcends all understanding. He restores the broken things and makes beauty out of our mistakes.

He is the redeemer of every painful trial we’ll ever face.

God brought forth Christ the Messiah for all people, so that we could live eternally in hope and peace no matter how dark it becomes in the world. His light overcomes all darkness and His love is never-ending. Without a doubt, the love of Christ is the best and most indescribable gift we’ll ever receive.

Nothing else can satisfy our longings. Only Jesus Christ is able to meet our deepest needs and it’s in Him alone we find true contentment.

May we keep Christ the focus of our holiday festivities and treasure the true meaning of Christmas.

Beloved Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, kindness, and mercy. Help us to keep our priorities straight in the midst of busy days. Let us be keenly aware of Your love and light this Christmas season. Let us rejoice over the gifts You have given us through a loving relationship with You. We pray in Your name. Amen.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15

 

© Copyright 2018 – LIVE ABUNDANTLY NOW

THE JOY OF THANKSGIVING

We have so many spiritual blessings to be thankful for. Christ’s presence is everything. A relationship with Christ is the greatest gift any of us will ever have. He is the anchor that keeps us from sinking into the depths of darkness as we press into Him through prayer, worship, and by meditating on the Scriptures. Without Christ, there would be no hope or true life.

With Christ, we can find rest in our souls by surrendering our worries to Him. We truly have more than 10,000 reasons to sing Him praises.

Every day is a day to give thanks, because of Christ’s never-ending love for us. A heart that’s filled with thanks will always be a heart filled with joy.

May you rejoice in the gifts you’ve been given through Jesus Christ. He is with you and will never leave you or forsake you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your never-ending mercy, grace, and kindness. Let us rejoice over the gift You have given us through Your son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for enabling us to live with an abundance of hope, joy, peace, and love. Let our gratitude flow from our hearts every day and let us always seek after that which is good. Help us share Your love every day and always do good to each other. Let us never stop praying and be thankful in all circumstances. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

“See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

Have a joyous Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

A VETERANS DAY PRAYER

We can never thank our veterans enough for their service to our country. Let’s pray for our brave heroes and show them how greatly we appreciate their amazing sacrifices.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the brave heroes who sacrifice so greatly to protect our freedom. Please help us encourage those who have served sacrificially and let all veterans know our hearts are filled with gratitude. Help us to always show honor and appreciation for all they do for the United States. Protect the service men and women who are risking their lives to serve our country. Let them dwell in the shelter of the MOST HIGH and abide in the shadow of Your wings today and always. Let them rest in knowing You are their refuge and fortress every day. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:1-2

Thanks to all the veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country.

A PRAYER FOR AMERICA AND THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

As my husband and I stood in line for early voting, we could feel the tension in the environment. We smiled and talked to people in the line to relieve the nervousness of those around us. We had good conversations and it felt as though most of us were unified in the fact that we simply desire to have peace in our country.

Peace will be our portion if we stay anchored to our beloved Christ. As His followers, we have never-ending hope as the anchor of our souls (Hebrews 6:19). Hope will continue to arise from the hearts of those who are clinging to Christ and holding onto His promises in the Bible.

For years, I have strongly sensed in my spirit that the U.S. is called to be a bright light in the world—a country filled with hope because of Jesus Christ. Although things may appear worse before they get better, I truly believe God is going to turn this nation around in due time.

In my heart, I hear Christ lovingly shouting from HEAVEN: “Rise up, CHURCH, and shine in the darkness. Pray fervently for change in America.”

We are all meant to be mighty warriors for God’s kingdom. We are called to pray that His kingdom will come and His will be done on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN (Matthew 6:9-13).

Our collective prayers are more important for America’s future than any of us can imagine. Will you please join me in praying for God’s perfect will to come forth in America?

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the vision You have for the United States. Thank You for reviving the hearts of Your people in America. We sing praises to You for the spiritual awakening that is beginning to take shape in our nation. Please keep Your hand firmly placed upon our country and heal our land completely in the years ahead. Please turn things around in our cities and let Your chosen ones be elected to office during the midterm elections being held this week. Let America be a holy nation, a chosen generation of people who will proclaim the praises of Your goodness, and live as light-bearers in a dark world. We know that it is You alone who can bring change and we trust You to carry our nation out of the darkness and into Your marvelous light. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.

 

 

 

PRAYER FOR TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE

The senseless shooting that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue is heartbreaking and our nation is mourning with Pittsburgh. Our hearts are filled with prayers for the entire Jewish community. May we join together and pray for healing for the brokenhearted, pray for peace, and may God bring unity in our nation.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being the healer of the brokenhearted. Thank You for being our comforter and our strength in times of trouble. Please be near to those who were affected by the tragedy in Pittsburgh. Please comfort the people who lost loved ones at Tree of Life. Let Your presence surround those who are suffering from devastation, pain, and trauma today. Please place Your hands around every hurting person and be their refuge continually. Please bring peace to those who have been deeply traumatized. Bring healing and hope to those feeling hopeless. Heal the hearts of those who are mourning and feeling broken. Bring unity in our communities and let love grow in the hearts of every person in our country. Let us be a nation filled with love for one another regardless of our differences. We pray in Christ’s Name.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.

 

RESTING IN THE GLORY OF CHRIST’S LIGHT

I was sitting in my great room praying when the sunlight coming through one of my windows captured my attention. My mind was filled with thoughts of Christ and His glory as my gaze was transfixed on the golden rays. I sat in stillness with no words as I was captivated by the brilliance of the light.

I’ve always loved how the light pours through my windows in the morning, but on this particular day, I was mesmerized. The brilliant light was a reminder to me of how Christ had overcome the debilitating darkness of my past.

Suddenly, I had a clear revelation about how Christ’s light is revealed in our day-to-day moments. As we keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, His light consumes the darkness in our lives. It’s impossible for the darkness to overtake us if we are consumed with Christ.

As I sat there with my focus on the light flooding into the room, the words in Isaiah 60, verses 1-3 dropped into my spirit. “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Though darkness may be increasing upon the earth, Christ’s light is flooding out the dark forces in the lives of those who are fully yielded to Him. Our level of experiencing God’s light and glory is dependent upon how spiritually hungry we are. We can either spend our lives craving the things of this present world or we can wholeheartedly seek after Christ and experience His glory in unimaginable ways.

The glory of the Lord is not easily defined. To me, it’s HEAVEN touching the earth. It’s the splendor and magnificence of God’s presence tangibly felt in a powerful way.

After pressing toward Christ with heartfelt prayers, He’s been pouring His glory upon my life in an unprecedented way and filling my heart with compassion for those trapped in darkness. Every soul is in need of the glory of God to overpower the dark shadows.

My prayer is that every person who is longing for redemption and seeking to know Christ on a deeper level will catch some of the glory that’s being poured out by God. There is nothing that God’s power and glory cannot remedy.  As we turn away from the darkness and fall into the arms of our Creator, we can arise, shine, and rest in the glory of Christ’s light eternally.

THE FREEDOM OF SEEING OURSELVES THROUGH GOD’S EYES

God speaks to me so often through the lyrics in songs. I hear His voice in my heart the clearest in the morning time. This morning, I was lying in bed pondering a dream I had in my sleep and the lyrics to a song came to my mind shortly after I was awakened.

As I was lying there, the lyrics kept flooding into my mind four or five times: “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.”

I knew God was trying to give a message to me, so a little while later I found the song and listened to it online. As I played the song, I was squealing like a child and shouting in victory because I knew precisely what Christ was trying to convey to my heart.

Michael had prayed some extra powerful prayers over me during the past few days. He prayed and asked God to break the power of the critical words of people. He boldly prayed that the words could never again impact my spirit and would fall off of me for eternity. In the moment my husband prayed for me, I shouted, “I AM FREE.”

A pattern in my life had begun as a young girl of allowing the negative words of people to discourage me and hold me back from the destiny God has for my life.

Years ago, I bought a book for my son when he was small and it ministered to my soul deeply. “You Are Special” by Max Lucado is a children’s book with a powerful message. I read it countless times to my son and even read it for myself multiple times. The story has a message about not allowing the “marks” of those around us to determine what we believe about ourselves. The point of the book is to learn to see ourselves as our maker sees us. What others think of us simply does not matter.

Throughout my life, I had been praying for God to help me not to allow negative words of others to impact me and I had made huge progress through the years as I pressed into Christ through prayer. However, even with the God-confidence I had gained, there was a tendency for me to return to old thought patterns. I had a place in my heart that needed Christ’s divine healing to get free of this pattern eternally. Amazingly, Christ touched my heart powerfully on July 4th, on a day that celebrates independence.

My “Declaration of Independence” in my heart was made official on July 4, 2018. “I am free from the untrue words people have spoken about me, I know who I am in Christ, and the criticisms of others will never again affect me.”

I can truly see clearly now. I can see clearly who I am and who God created me to be. Christ cleared all of the dark clouds out of my way so that I can live continually in the beauty of His light and glory. The pain of my past is gone forever. I’m not looking back.

Freedom in Christ is amazing. He came to set the captives free and bind up the hurts of the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1).

Christ is the healer of broken hearts and He helps us see the obstacles in our way. He pushes away the darkness and gives us bright, sun-shiny days. He takes away bad feelings and heals our pain. He gives us beautiful rainbows when the rain is gone. He gives us confidence to know we are going to make it to our destiny and He helps us see ourselves through His eyes.

 Hallelujah.