Good Monday morning! Today when I woke up and prayed about what I should blog about, this verse came to me:
"And I - in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." - Psalm 17:15

God gave me the address but I didn't know which verse it was until I turned to it. This has been a favorite of mine since I was quite young. When I was younger, I was always very insecure. When I first read this verse (probably in my teens) - this is what God spoke to me about it.

When I first read it, I thought it meant that I will only see His face if I am righteous and I thought that meant that I had to be really good. Then I learned that my righteousness can only come through Christ. That was sweet relief for me because now I knew that I COULD see His face. I can see His face daily in others and in different situations. If I keep Him at the forefront of my day, I see Him everywhere!

The second part of the verse: when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. God said to me: look in the mirror so I did. He said: look into your eyes and so I did. He said look closer because I am in there too. You are my daughter and so you carry my traits and look like me.

Could it be possible?? God has created each of us in His image. We all carry His likeness. I often feel so unworthy but He says this: Does a child feel unworthy because he or she looks like his or her parent? That is just who they are. It is not because of anything they have done or not done. It just is. So it is for you - you are made in my image - walk boldly and with your head held high knowing that you are Mine and that you look like Me! Look in the mirror and be satisfied and then go out in boldness for you carry My likeness!!
 
Lord my prayer for all of us today is that we would walk in full confidence of who we are because You are our Father and we all carry something wonderful from You!

Loss.... someone asked me to write on it lately. The thing is: I've never lost anyone close to me so I didn't think I qualified. But then I started to think of other losses. I lost a most beloved dog when I was a child. I lost a video tape of my kids when they were babies. I guess I have suffered loss to some degree.

We all suffer loss even if it's not necessary a loved one to death. There are many other things that we can lose that can also be very painful and affect us greatly. So how do we deal with loss? I would never pretend to have the answer to that one because we are all so different and deal with our issues so uniquely but I can tell you how I deal with loss.

I try to think of life in terms of eternity. Most of us have 80 to 90 years here on this earth. In that time we will lose people we love and things that we treasured. The things will eventually disappear but the people - that is what we should be focusing on. Life is eternal and people are important - Jesus showed us that when He was here on earth.

Don't allow someone to pass from life to death without knowing that Jesus is the Way. That is the greatest loss of all! Life is short - let's be willing to step out of our comfort zones and share Jesus. It is the biggest gain that someone will ever know!

Good Monday morning to all of you!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."  - Psalm 119:105

For many of you the above verse is probably very familiar. If you have been raised going to church, you've probably sang Sunday school songs about this verse and had to memorize it as well.

This verse is presently part  of a study I am doing and re-reading it several times has given me a little different take on it. I've often thought of this verse as redundant. Why the lamp and the light. I get it, Lord, you are showing me where to go. But upon closer inspection, I now see these two phrases as separate. His word is a light to my feet. If you've ever gone camping and then walked outside at night, it is SO dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face. However, with a flashlight, you can see where to place your feet. The flashlight won't necessarily light the road ahead of you but you will be safe with each step that you take because you can see where you are placing your foot. The lamp to my feet speaks to me of the present - of where I am walking right now. The 'light to my path' speaks to me of a larger light - perhaps like a street light showing me the path ahead of me. This speaks to me more of the future.

God is there for each of us and has given us His Word for direction in our lives both for right now and for where tomorrow is to take you. My hope and prayer for you is that you would take time to see Him in His Word and you will find direction and guidance. That is His word to us.  Lord, I pray today that for each of us, you would light our way and make it plain. Help us to choose to walk in Your light because that is the path of Your best for us.

Good Monday morning!! Another week to love and bless those around us!

Lately I watched a documentary about a young man who was determined to be a billionaire and that is exactly what he did. However he was not kind and gracious as he made his way up into his riches. He pushed others out of the way and all in all, seemed very angry and unhappy in his life.

I couldn't help but think of Jesus' words in Matthew 16:26 - "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?". The media would have us believe that once we have a lot of money, our life will be good. This is SUCH a lie! Satan would have us believe that more is better so that we will focus on that and not on what is really important - people. When we spend our lives just trying to fill our bank accounts, we will never be satisfied. It is a trap and it will never be enough. We will always be dissatisfied and disillusioned.

Don't misunderstand me. Having lots of money is not a bad thing if you are Kingdom-minded. Then those riches will be a blessing to you and to those around you. I think of George Mueller - a pastor who lived in England in the 1800's. He housed over 10,000 orphans, started 117 schools and gave Christian education to over 120,000 children (most of them orphans). He trusted God for every penny and during his life time, thousands and thousands of dollars passed through his hands.
 What an amazing legacy and an example this man has left for us! How many relatives of those orphans are still living today and serving the Lord and continuing to give and to love because their great grandparents were given a chance and loved?

As we walk out our weeks, let's remember what's important - people! Look around you - who really needs to be loved and blessed by you today?