Author Archives: Live Abundantly Now

REJOICING IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

April 12, 2020 7:16 pm , 2 Comments ,

Christ has risen! Because He lives, we can rest in Christ’s presence and peace in the midst of a pandemic. We can face adversity with strength and joy because we know that we have our beloved Christ to carry us.

Christ died an agonizing death to pay the penalty for our sins so that we can live eternally, free of condemnation and guilt. He died so that we can live in eternal peace through every trial and loss. Christ’s love is all we need to make it through this life victoriously. The power that raised Jesus back to life is the same power that resurrects us and gives us new life. The resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead is able to lift us up and fill us with joy as we place our trust in Him. We can rejoice that death has been conquered. Our bodies are just temporary tents, so there is no fear of death for the believer in Christ.

I can imagine Jesus whispering words of love and grace to the world.

I am risen! Celebrate My resurrection. Come live fully in Me every moment of every day. Don’t give one thought to the difficulties of life on Earth. You can rest in knowing these are light and momentary troubles compared to the glory of Heaven. Keep your eyes fixed on Me and on eternal things not seen. As you live in Me, you will rise up on eagles’ wings and soar continually. Don’t be afraid of anything I ask you to do. Simply obey Me. Live in the fullness of My joy. Shout to the world of My goodness. Glorify My name so that those in need of Me will know the truth of who I am. Let this day be a day of new beginnings—a day to rejoice in My perfect love for you. My heart longs for you, My beloved bride. I am coming back for you and will live with you for all eternity. Come with Me to high places and never stop singing praises over all you have found in the gift of the cross.

Heaven touches us and stays in our hearts the moment we truly realize what Christ has done for us on the cross. We do not have to wait until after we leave our earthly bodies to begin experiencing Christ’s eternal gifts. Eternity begins when we surrender to Christ, allow Him to carry us through the trials, and trust Him to bring beauty in the midst of turmoil.

Hallelujah.

The hymn written by Bill Gaither is a beautiful song to sing and be reminded of the power in the cross to heal and strengthen us every day.

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives.

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.

Our Precious Jesus,

Thank You for dying an agonizing death so that we can live eternally in Your perfect peace. Help us walk in Your righteousness continually and let us live in the fullness of Your joy every day. Help us to remember daily the pain you bore so that we can live freely in Your amazing grace. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Have a blessed Easter.

Posted in: Holidays , Tagged: , ,

THE POWERFUL PRAYERS OF DESPERATE MOTHERS & GRANDMOTHERS

April 8, 2020 1:07 am , Leave a Comment ,

Desperation drives us to our knees more than anything else, and there’s no denying the desperate crisis of the global pandemic we are facing. I don’t believe there has ever been a time when prayer has been needed more than now.

The prayers of mothers and grandmothers are perhaps the most powerful prayers offered up to God. A mother’s and grandmother’s prayers are motivated by a fierce love to see their beloved offspring flourish in this life.

Today, I’m thanking God for my dearly loved grandmother, Mimi. She was overly finicky about her name and wanted to make sure everyone knew her name was Minnie V without a period next to the V. I’ll always remember that, but what stands out most about Mimi is that she prayed passionately. She passed away in 2007 and left an amazing legacy of faith. Her life was defined by prayer and her relationship with Christ was exemplary. I’m rejoicing over the impact she had on my life. She was a mighty prayer warrior and prayed faithfully for me throughout my life.

In honor of Mimi, I want to share an excerpt from my new book, “The Desperate Mom’s Prayer Book.”

The year my teen daughter was entering the adolescent stage of life, I was in the attic sorting through junk when my eyes were drawn to a wooden crate. It was a handmade box that hadn’t been touched in decades. I had vague memories of storing some special keepsakes in the crate so I carefully opened the lid, reached inside, and pulled out the first thing my hand touched. It was a letter written by my grandmother in 1981, the year I turned sixteen. Emotions flooded my heart as I began reading the words of my beloved grandmother, Mimi. Finding a letter with one of her prayers meant more to me than words can express. I had not read that letter since she had first given it to me and I was stunned when I got to the bottom of the first page.

In my precious moments with God, at the quiet times on the porch, I asked Him to give me a special message for you. Romans 12:1, is what first came to mind…’I urge you… to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.’ It is a verse for all dating people and I claim it for you today. Amy, I pray every day for your mind, for God to protect you from the enemy. Satan likes to attack teenagers with their thinking, their friends, and in every area of their lives. So every day I pray, building a hedge of protection around you and I also pray for your future…

I couldn’t hold the tears back as I realized the magnitude of the words she had prayed for me. I know wholeheartedly that the prayers of my grandmother were what protected me during my teenage years.

Mimi’s prayers, along with my mother’s prayers, are what carried me through my immature years. I’m sharing a picture of my grandmother with me and my son in 1997.

I feel certain that Mimi is celebrating in HEAVEN over the release of this encouraging book. I worked on writing “The Desperate Mom’s Prayer Book” for years. This book is an updated and expanded version of my previously published eBook. The book contains more than 75 prayers and includes personal stories about the power of prayer working in the lives of my children. It’s for mothers who are desperate, and have nowhere else to turn, but to God. The ultimate goal of the book is to point mothers toward Christ and a life of prayer. The book’s message is laced with hope and encouragement for mothers to trust Christ to do what seems impossible.

Jesus Christ will make a way through every crisis we ever face in this life as we pray and release our problems to Him through fervent prayer.

Matthew 17:20 tells us that Jesus said, “For truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

Sit at the feet of Christ, pray boldly, and let your faith move mountains.

I hope you enjoy the FREE preview of THE DESPERATE MOM’S PRAYER BOOK.

Posted in: Legacy, Motherhood, Stories of Faith , Tagged: , , , , ,

5 PRAYERS FOR HOLY WEEK

April 6, 2020 1:05 am , 2 Comments ,

During the sacred days of HOLY WEEK, I am rejoicing greatly in Christ’s amazing gift to mankind. His death on the cross is the greatest gift any of us will ever receive.

Christ’s love is perfect, and He has all of the answers for our troubles. When we are all wrapped up in Christ’s presence, absolutely nothing can shake our faith.

Christ is wooing people to turn to Him in these trying days for our world.

I am praying for millions of souls to be saved in the days and weeks ahead. If you have not accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I am praying that you will pray a simple prayer of salvation (at the end of the post).

 

A Prayer of Adoration

Beloved Jesus,

You are beautiful. You are amazing. You are incredible. Thank You for the glorious gift You have given mankind by dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Thank You for bearing the indescribable pain so that we can have eternal life and live in perfect peace. Thank You for coming into the world and offering us salvation and letting us live in Your love for all eternity. We worship and adore You for all that You are. Your love lifts our countenance. Your love gives us hope. Your love heals our broken hearts. Your love allows us to give to the ones in need, to share the good news with the lost ones, and to forgive the ones who have hurt us. Your love conquers all of the darkness and awakens our souls. I love You with all of my heart and strength. I pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

 

A Prayer of Repentance

Lord,

Thank You for loving us so perfectly and never giving up on us. Please forgive us for getting drawn away from Your presence into earthly things that really have no real value. We humbly repent and turn away from anything that hinders us from growing closer to Your heart. We ask You to remove every idol from our hearts and let us turn away from everything that draws us away from knowing You more deeply. Help us continually turn away from the sins that kill our spirits. Let us pursue You above everything else and keep You as our highest priority. Help us continually to walk in Your righteousness and let us live in the fullness of Your joy always. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

 

A Prayer of Surrender

Lord,

Thank You for Your never-ending grace, mercy, and love. We surrender every part of our hearts to You and ask You to guide us in everything we do. Let us pray without ceasing and let our relationship with You be the most important part of our lives. Help us to grow spiritually every day and let us look to You for every need. Let us make a difference in the world every single day and let us share Your love in countless ways to those who are hurting. Fill us with bold faith and let our prayers shake the heavens and bring down the dark forces that seek to devour us. Let us arise as powerful, mighty warriors and be filled with more of Your Holy Spirit. Let Your light shine brighter than ever in all of us so that multitudes of people will be saved and come into Your kingdom. We trust You to keep Your hand upon our families and our nation and we wait expectantly for You to reveal Your glory in greater ways in the coming days. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

 

A Prayer of Gratitude

Lord,

I am in awe of You and Your love for mankind. There are no sufficient words to thank You for Your gift to us. Thank You for dying an agonizing death so that we can live eternally in Your perfect peace. Help us to remember daily the pain you bore so that we can be free from condemnation and shame. We could never repay You for what You have done for us, but we choose to come to You with humility and sit at Your feet. Let us revel in the gift of Your amazing grace and let our lives be a celebration of Your love. I will be eternally grateful for Your gift of the cross. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

 

A Prayer of Salvation

Lord,

Thank You for dying for me and paying the penalty for all my sins so that I can have eternal life. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and You were resurrected from the dead. I ask You to forgive my transgressions and cleanse me from my sin. Purify me and make me brand new. Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Give me the strength and power to walk away from my sinful past. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Deliver me from guilt and let me be one that You delight in. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, seal my salvation, and reside in me for all eternity. I surrender my life to You, Jesus Christ, my LORD and Savior. Amen.

If you prayed to receive Christ, welcome to the family of God! Let us rejoice in all that we have in Christ. Let’s keep our eyes fixed upon our beloved Savior until we meet Him face to face.

Hallelujah.

Posted in: Prayers , Tagged: , , , ,

5 PRAYERS TO PRAY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

March 27, 2020 12:21 am , 2 Comments ,

Our world is in desperate need of fervent prayer. Many people are in turmoil right now, but Christ will make a way through every crisis we ever face in this life as we release our burdens to Him. Now is the time to rise up in faith and pray more boldly than ever before.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus around the world, our prayers are needed desperately. There is no reason to fear when we have Christ as our anchor.

As we cling to Christ and pray, He will rescue us.

Christ is always working things out behind the scenes, long before we can see any evidence of His solutions. The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26).”

Christ is the calm in every storm. He gives perfect peace and rest in the soul. He performs miracles and restores lives. He is the SAVIOR and the HOPE of the world. He is mightier than the coronavirus and He brings beauty to replace sorrow. Jesus will make a way through these days of battling this pandemic as we cry out to Him and fully depend on His strength.

This is perhaps the most urgent time of our generation to pray without ceasing. Please join me in praying passionately and fervently in the days ahead. It is very powerful when we stand in faith together, so I hope you will pray together with your family.

 

A Prayer for Peace

LORD,

Thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. I ask You to guard our hearts and minds continually with Christ’s perfect peace. Let us release our burdens to You and wait expectantly for new miracles. Let us take hold of all that You came to the earth to give us. Let us look to You and trust You wholeheartedly to carry us through every trial and every crisis. Help every believer in Christ to turn away from fear and rest in knowing that You do impossible things. Help us to walk in strong faith and trust You to rescue our world from the current pandemic. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:9

 

A Prayer for Protection

LORD,

Thank You for walking with us through every trial and bringing forth miracles when our circumstances seem impossible. Thank You for being our shield and protector. I ask You to surround our families with an army of angels and protect us from illness. Protect us by the power of Your blood and keep us in the shadow of Your wings. Let us be keenly aware of Your love and presence every day. Help us to rest in You and know that You watch over us as we trust You. Increase our faith and help us to release our burdens to You moment by moment. I 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!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. Psalm 91:1-6

 

A Prayer for Healing

LORD,

Thank You for Your constant love and healing power. I ask You to bless and heal the ones who are sick. I decree the blood of Christ over all the people who are sick with the coronavirus or any other illness. I ask You to touch them with Your healing hands and bring an end to their suffering.  I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:14-15

 

A Prayer for Those Who are Mourning

LORD,

Thank You for being close to those who are brokenhearted. Draw near to those who are walking through the pain of losing a loved one. Comfort the ones who are crushed in spirit. Let those who are grieving feel Your compassion and love. Surround the grieving people with Your presence and peace. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

 

A Prayer for Medical Breakthroughs

LORD,

Thank You for Your unfailing love and mercy. Thank You for being our strength and for never leaving our side. Forgive us for trying to figure things out without You at times and let us turn away from all fear. I ask You to anoint the medical people with Your Holy Spirit power. Give them wisdom for developing a vaccine and medicine to help eradicate the coronavirus. I ask You to bring a mighty medical breakthrough that will eliminate the spread of the virus. I pray in Christ’s name.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

 

A Prayer for Our Leaders

LORD,

Thank You for Your steadfast love. Thank You for restoring all that is broken and redeeming every difficult situation. I ask You to be with our government leaders and guide them in their decisions. Help them not to react in fear. Let them draw near to You to get wisdom and knowledge. Help all the leaders around the world to find strength in You during this time of trouble. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

As followers of Christ, we are called to choose faith over fear and trust Him wholeheartedly to work in the midst of excruciating trials. May we all stand strong with faith-filled hearts and pray boldly for miracles to come forth in the days ahead.

If you didn’t read the post I wrote about conquering fear, you may want to read it (the link is below). Remember that God is with you!

CHOOSING FAITH OVER FEAR

 

Posted in: Prayers , Tagged: , , ,

A MARRIAGE BUILT ON CHRIST’S LOVE

February 27, 2020 11:54 pm , Leave a Comment ,

Shortly after awakening this morning, Michael said, “I sent you something. Go check your email.” After hearing the happy tone of his voice, I knew it was something special he wanted me to see. I hurried over to my computer and my heart leapt when I read the words of the message. In the message, there were lyrics and a video of a brand new song by Keith Urban.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat at my desk and listened to the new song. Michael said, “It’s my song for you.” I listened to it repeatedly and said, “It really is the perfect song for when you first met me.” He replied, “Yes, and it’s the perfect song for you today. You’ve helped me so much.”

As the day went on, I pondered Michael’s words. I love the fact that Michael appreciates who I am and what I’ve offered him during the three and a half decades we’ve been married. I am grateful that I could help my husband in so many ways, but I give Christ all of the credit, because it was Him working through me. Christ’s love flowed through me to love Michael through his darkest valleys and greatest disappointments.

While I listened to the new song many times today, it served as a beautiful reminder of the glorious and miraculous things Christ has done in our lives as a married couple. As I listened to the song’s lyrics, my mind was flooded with memories of all that Christ carried us through since we got married in 1985. I thought about the years that Michael was barely hanging on to live his life as he battled through clinical depression. I thought about the many times Michael battled suicidal thoughts in previous years. I thought about the brokenness we had in our marriage during our younger years, and I thanked God again for the miracles He has done to help Michael become a new man.

As I recalled the amazing miracles Christ did in Michael’s life, I wept tears of joy and thought about Christ’s miraculous power that pulled me out of my post-partum depression in 1997.  The only reason we both made it through those hellish days was the fact that Christ pulled us out of a deep, dark pit and redeemed our lives. God made both of us brand new (Corinthians 5:17).

When we were wading through the muck that seemed to hold us captive in the dark, I could have never dreamed we would be standing strongly together, hand in hand with Christ. He redeemed us with His amazing grace and love.

Through prayer, our marriage was rebuilt firmly on Christ’s love, and His grace is what keeps us going forward together, growing closer to each other every day.

What Christ did for us, He will do for anyone. If our marriage could be healed, anyone’s can. If you are facing a situation in your marriage that seems impossible to overcome, turn to Christ and surrender it all to Him.

You will be amazed by the results of praying a simple prayer: “God, help us through the miry mess.”

Pray together and watch Christ transform your lives. Let Christ and His love change your hearts toward each other. A marriage built on Christ’s love won’t ever fail, because love never fails.

Hallelujah.

LORD,

Thank You for the gift of marriage. Thank You for being our ROCK and REDEEMER. Thank You for Your amazing love and grace. Thank You for rescuing us out of the horrible pit and miry mess. Thank You for making all things possible and bringing forth miracles in our lives. Thank You for hearing our prayers and healing us when we’re broken. Let us pray together often and have strong marriages firmly built on Christ’s love. We will praise You forever and ever. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

“He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.” Psalm 40:2 (NKJV) 

 

Posted in: Marriage, Stories of Faith , Tagged: , ,

VALENTINE TREASURES

February 14, 2020 8:29 pm , Leave a Comment ,

When my daughter was about three years old, my husband Michael created a special treasure hunt for us to enjoy on Valentine’s Day. He hid small candies throughout our home for the family to search for. This treasure hunt remained a tradition and a highlight of Valentine’s Day for many years.

The hidden candies were fairly easy to find at first, but it was harder and harder to find them after the most visible ones were found. Michael hid some of the candies in concealed places, and we never found all of them on Valentine’s Day. A great part of the joy in the hunt was the fact that we continued to find the candies unexpectedly during the days and months ahead.

Our anticipated Valentine treasure hunt reminded me of life. When things are going smoothly, it’s easy to see and enjoy the treasures. However, during the difficult seasons, it can be a tedious thing to find and focus on the treasures. They have to be tirelessly sought after because they are hidden, but it is the hidden treasures that are truly the most valuable.

Without the storms, I don’t believe I would have ever discovered the priceless treasures of life.

In 2006, Michael was self-employed, running a graphic design business with another design artist. The small company was suffering and eventually had to be shut down, leaving us with a very small income. This gave our family the opportunity to look for treasures in the midst of adversity. The greatest treasures in our lives were birthed out of a season of hardships.

On Valentine’s Day that year, we had very little money and we knew we couldn’t buy gifts or cards like we had done in previous years. We decided to make hand-made cards for each other instead of giving presents and store bought cards. Every year after that, we looked forward to designing our homemade cards for each other.

One year, the card my husband made for me had a huge heart on it, symbolic of the love in our marriage. My daughter made me a card with pictures and words that reminded me of all that God had done in my heart. On the front of the card that my son made for me when he was ten years old, there was a colored picture of a rainbow, a storm, and a heart in the middle with a sword stuck in it. He had written words in that hand-made card that later proved to be prophetic. It said, “Remember a rainbow comes after a storm. This is how you reach your heart’s goal.” Those were such words of wisdom from a young boy.

I’ve saved every one of those handmade cards, and they are very meaningful to me. They are irreplaceable—something that money can’t buy. And even though the hard season is over and my husband has a good career now, we realize that the best things in life are free. I don’t want to ever forget those times of being in need. Our family learned the most important lessons we will ever learn in the midst of those trials.

The heavenly, eternal treasures always come forth when we take our eyes off of the hard things about life and keep our eyes focused on Christ.

Every year on Valentine’s Day, I ponder the memories; I embrace the words and the love expressed through each of those handcrafted cards. With a heart of gratitude, I thank God for the storms of life and the blessing of my Valentine treasures.

Our Beloved Jesus,

Thank You for loving us perfectly and being our greatest treasure of all. I ask You to help us to discover every one of the treasures You have for us in the kingdom of heaven. Let us look to You above everything else this life has to offer. I pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field…” Matthew 13:44”

May you discover the hidden treasures of life this VALENTINE’S DAY and always.

 This post has been updated and revised from a piece originally written in 2008.

Posted in: Holidays, Stories of Faith , Tagged: , ,

LIVING FULLY ALIVE IN 2020

January 1, 2020 12:59 am , Leave a Comment ,

On this NEW YEAR’S EVE, I’m pondering the goodness of Christ. The story of our dog Zoe reminds me that God is involved in every detail—both big and small—as we live surrendered to His plans for us.

Miraculously, God brought Zoe into my mother’s life at the perfect time. My step-dad (Ron) was battling cancer when a kindhearted dog breeder greatly blessed him with a beautiful wheaten terrier puppy, free of charge. While Ron was in the midst of his final days on the earth, Zoe entered the picture as a rambunctious puppy. Zoe’s personality brought us much needed comfort as she flooded the room with exuberant life.

At the time, my mom shared with me about the Greek meaning of the name Zoe. It means “life.” Later, I learned that it specifically means “God’s life.” Our four-legged friend has definitely lived up to her name.

With her tail wagging at warp speed, Zoe licked Ron’s face while he was lying in the hospice bed getting closer to his eternal home. It was a beautiful symbol for us as we thought about how life here beneath the heavens is truly temporary. God used a little white dog to help remind us of this truth; and then joy emerged in the middle of the sadness.

About eighteen months after my step-dad’s death, my mom realized her traveling lifestyle wasn’t the best situation for taking care of a dog. She decided Zoe would be happier living with me and my husband. Zoe moved to our house in 2012 and has lived life zealously and reminded us of the faithfulness of our heavenly Father to bring joy during the hardest challenges.

As we begin a new year, my prayer is that we will all have a greater revelation of Christ’s perfect love for us and live fully alive no matter what we may face.

Christ loves us deeply, and He brings fullness of life even on the most troublesome days.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This post was originally written in 2015.

Posted in: Stories of Faith , Tagged: , ,

THREE PRAYERS FOR CHRISTMAS

December 24, 2019 4:50 pm , Leave a Comment ,

The Christmas season is a beautiful time to ponder all that we have in Christ. We are all blessed beyond measure to have been given the gift of Christ. He is our peace. He is our joy. He is everything.

On this beautiful Christmas Eve, I can imagine Christ speaking words of life such as these:

Slow down. Savor this moment of life. Put aside your concerns and simply rest in My love. I was born to redeem your life and give you perfect peace in your soul. I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly. Enjoy the gift of my love today and for eternity.

A Prayer of Gratitude

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of Christ. Thank You for the gift of eternal life that You have given us through Jesus Christ. Thank You for sending Your Son as the perfect sacrifice to redeem us. Thank You for all that He gives us and how He enables us to live with an abundance of hope, joy, peace, and love. I give praise to our amazing Savior, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Let us continually rejoice over the gifts You have given us through a loving relationship with You. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

A Prayer for Peace

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. I ask You to guard our hearts and minds with Christ’s perfect peace. Let us take hold of all that You came to the earth to give us and help us live in harmony with each other. Let us look to You when we are grieving and let us trust You wholeheartedly to carry us through every trial. Help us turn away from fear, let us rest in knowing You do impossible things, and enable us to walk in strong faith until the day of Christ’s return. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:9

A Prayer for Protection

Our Beloved Jesus,

Oh, how we love and adore You, our Redeemer. Thank You for being our shield and protector. I ask You to surround our families with an army of angels. Protect us by the power of Your blood and keep us in the shadow of Your wings. Let us be keenly aware of Your love and presence this Christmas. Help us to rest in You and know that You watch over us as we trust You. Increase our faith and help us to release our burdens to You moment by moment. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91:4

As we celebrate Christ’s birth, the perfect gift we can give to our Lord is to continually love Him far above everything or anyone else. He deserves our highest honor and praise.

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

Hallelujah.

Posted in: Holidays, Prayers , Tagged: ,

A PRAYER FOR LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND

November 20, 2019 12:55 am , 4 Comments ,

Following Christ with a singleness of heart takes tremendous courage. It means we need to leave behind everything that is not part of God’s plan for us. It’s tempting to live life focused on the past or worry about what lies ahead in the future.

I believe it’s necessary to completely leave the past behind to experience God’s best for our lives. The ones who are not lukewarm in their pursuit of Christ are moving at a rapid pace toward God’s divine plans.

Prayer is our most powerful spiritual tool to open up HEAVEN’S floodgates. We experience God’s glory when we are on our knees often, in a position of submission, willing to let the Lord carry out His plans for our lives. Otherwise, we will be stagnant and continue to wallow in the muck that has held us back in the past. Christ is calling us to bravely follow Him no matter what the cost might be. He is calling us to move forward and He desires for us to take up our cross of surrender daily (Matthew 16:24) and leave the past behind forever.

The Lord whispered words to my heart during a time I was struggling to let go of the past, and He encouraged me to stay focused on what is eternal.

Be still and quiet every day so that you can hear My voice. I will give you what your soul is yearning for if you keep focused on Me. Don’t look back to the past. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Simply walk with Me and live in the present moment. Savor what I am giving you in the present and enjoy every single breath I am giving you.

With a fierce determination to stay on God’s path, I have been seeking the Lord for His purposes for my life. In the process of seeking Him with all my heart, He has helped me to completely leave my past behind. As I chose to let go of the things that were holding me back, it immediately set things in motion for the new beginnings that God wanted to release in my life.

Because of Christ’s gift of the cross, we are free to live in victory every moment of every day. As we turn away from sin and follow Christ with total commitment, we will continue to live victoriously. We only need Christ and His love. It’s when we yield every part of our hearts and allow Christ’s love to work through us that we easily leave the past behind.

Beloved Jesus,

Thank You for being the greatest friend and faithful shepherd to us. Thank You for loving us perfectly. I ask You to be with the ones who are struggling to leave the things of the past behind them.

I ask You to raise up a generation that follows You with a singleness of heart and lives with integrity. Give them a new sense of courage and hope for the future. Help the children and younger generations to trust You and follow You where You are leading them.

Heal every hurt from the past and take away every traumatic memory from those who have been mistreated. Help them to walk in total forgiveness and let go of the people who are not meant to be a part of their lives. Let them be willing to leave the places You’re calling them away from and let them move toward the new beginnings You have planned for their lives. I ask You to breathe life and strength into their souls as they trust You to renew their spirits. I pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

 

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 This post includes a portion of  an article I wrote in 2008.

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GOD’S MERCY ENDURES FOREVER

September 1, 2019 10:41 pm , 2 Comments ,

My heart is filled with compassion for people who are experiencing tragic circumstances in America and other countries. As I was praying about the tragedies in the news, I thought about the enduring mercy of God.

In Psalm 136 (NKJV), it says, “His mercy endures forever.”

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.

3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:

4 To Him who alone does great wonders. For His mercy endures forever.

5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens. For His mercy endures forever.

6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters. For His mercy endures forever.

7 To Him who made great lights. For His mercy endures forever—

8 The sun to rule by day. For His mercy endures forever;

9 The moon and stars to rule by night. For His mercy endures forever.

10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn. For His mercy endures forever:

11 And brought out Israel from among them. For His mercy endures forever;

12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm. For His mercy endures forever;

13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two. For His mercy endures forever;

14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it. For His mercy endures forever;

15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. For His mercy endures forever;

16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness. For His mercy endures forever;

17 To Him who struck down great kings. For His mercy endures forever;

18 And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever—

19 Sihon king of the Amorites. For His mercy endures forever;

20 And Og king of Bashan. For His mercy endures forever—

21 And gave their land as a heritage. For His mercy endures forever;

22 A heritage to Israel His servant. For His mercy endures forever.

23 Who remembered us in our lowly state. For His mercy endures forever;

24 And rescued us from our enemies. For His mercy endures forever;

25 Who gives food to all flesh. For His mercy endures forever.

26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

 

Hallelujah.

 

Even though it can be tempting for hurting people to feel forgotten by God, it’s a distorted view of God’s character to believe He has given up on anyone. God has not forgotten one single person on the planet, but many have forgotten Him. Our generation is living in an unprecedented time of evil. Many have chosen to turn away from God because they don’t understand His true nature.

God is love (1 John 4:8).

No one understands why such tragedy can exist in the world. There are things we will never be able to understand in this life until Christ’s return or after we reach our heavenly home.

However, there is one thing I am certain of more than anything else.

Jesus Christ loves us very deeply.

Our minds cannot comprehend how deep His love is. It is perfect. It is indescribable.

His love redeems sinners.

His love sets captives free.

His love heals.

His love comforts.

His love is enough.

As we turn toward God wholeheartedly with faith-filled prayer and truly live each day as conduits of the love of Christ, we will see change in our world.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving-kindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. Psalm 103: 8-13

Our Heavenly Father,

I am in awe of Your goodness. Thank You for Your enduring mercy and love. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. I lift up the people who have been affected by recent tragedies and I’m asking You to encourage those who have experienced excruciating circumstances. I know You are filled with compassion for the hurting ones. I ask You to comfort them in their sorrows. Fill them with the hope and knowledge of Your eternal love. Keep them in the palm of Your hand and fill the hole in their hearts with Your love and peace. Bring beauty to replace the pain and restore hope in their lives. Let countless people turn to You and trust You during the storms of life. Thank You in advance for the miracles You will do in the days ahead. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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