Tag: God Loves You

Give it to God

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Oh my goodness, this is the hardest thing to do but the most amazing thing to do too.  Life can be crazy.  You know it.  I know it.  Today was my oldest son’s birthday and he invited 4 friends over for the weekend.  My youngest son had a basketball tournament this morning and he invited a friend to spend the weekend too.  My middle son called me while I was at the tournament to let me know he was going to a movie with a friend this afternoon and needed a ride.  I needed to get my nails done and my parents came in from Waxahachie to see the tournament and celebrate the birthday.  How on earth was I going to manage everything that was going on today AND write a devotional?

I could have stressed about it all day.  I could have gotten grumpy or short tempered with everyone.  But instead, I took a deep breath and I prayed about it.  I thanked God that I have a big, crazy family.  I thanked God for birthdays and friends and fun.  I thanked God that my children are healthy and love to play sports (because I love to watch them play) and I thanked God that my parents live close enough that they can come visit me and the boys any time.  I requested God’s presence in my day, then I used my God given talents of time management (ha ha) and we worked together to get everything done. 

You may think that a busy day is not the kind of request that Philippians 4:6 is talking about.  But it is.  It says not to be anxious about ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING, present your requests to God.  Nothing is too small or too BIG to present to our Father in heaven.  He wants us to share everything with him that is bothering us and making us feel anxious.  So, present your sickness, present your financial burdens, present your broken relationships, present your doubts and fears, but present your busy day too.  Present your indecision about the paint color you are trying to choose.  Present the challenges of finding the right outfit for your next date.  Nothing is too trivial for our God.

Besides, it says in Matthew 6:27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”  So my advice to you is simple . . . Give it to God.  He is much better equipped to deal with the stress than I am.

Lord, thank you for loving me so much.  Help me to remember that you are my rock and strength and that you alone can carry all my burdens.  Amen.

It’s a God Thing

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Do you believe in coincidences?  Or do you believe there is a purpose for what happens to you?  God is doing things all around you every day.  He shows up when you least expect it and even when you haven’t asked for it. 

Ten years ago, when my oldest son was in 1st grade, he started having behavioral problems at school.  His grades were also suffering and towards the end of the school year the teacher asked if I would allow him to stay after school a few times a week for tutoring.  Of course, I said yes. 

After the first day of tutoring, a teacher that I didn’t recognize walked my son to the car and introduced herself as his tutor.  We talked a little bit about what she would be doing with him and during the short conversation I mentioned that dyslexia runs in my ex-husband’s family.  She said she was the dyslexia teacher for his school, and she would keep that in mind while she was tutoring him.  After the very next tutoring session, the same teacher came to my car window and said she would have my son tested before the end of the year. 

Typically, a teacher must complete an incredible amount of documentation before they can recommend a child for testing but what typically takes 3 months to accomplish only took us 2 weeks.  My son was tested and started the 2nd grade with the accommodations he needed to be successful.  There is no way I could have accomplished this on my own.  God put that teacher and my son together in the right place at the right time.  This was 100% a God thing.

The fact that my son has dyslexia is not a good thing, but the fact that we were able to identify it so early was.  God can turn every circumstance around for our long-range good.  So, remember, God works in “all things” – not just isolated incidents – for our good.  Pay attention.  Look around.  Notice what he is doing and then thank him for showing up.

Lord, thank you for taking an active role in my life.  Open my eyes to see what you are doing in my life and help me to be a witness to others. Amen.

Do You Have a Village?

James 1:2-3 (MSG) Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So, don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way.

This has been a rough week for me.  In addition to being a single parent of three teenage boys (which is hard enough), I have a full time job, I’m shopping for Christmas presents and I had something planned after work every day this week.  I haven’t finished decorating our house for Christmas, I haven’t had time to go grocery shopping and I haven’t cleaned the house in two weeks.  UGH!  But the icing on the cake this week . . . I let my work family down.  I scheduled a new photographer for both of our Client Christmas Luncheons and it was a total flop.  The photographer was unable to get her equipment working at either luncheon and now she is refusing to refund our money.  What a mess.  I felt just awful because we really wanted to have something special for our clients and I failed.  Afterwards, I felt beat down, sad, frustrated and tired.

After work that day I went to a friend’s house for game night.  When I walked in, they could tell the sparkle in my eye was missing.  Before we start playing our game, we always go around the room and ask for prayer requests.  All I had to do is say I had a rough week and the tears started to flow. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.  My friends prayed over me that night three different times.  My spirit was lifted and my sadness disappeared and I was ready to take on a new day.  I still have to deal with the aftermath of the failed photographer, but I know that my community of Christian friends are praying for me.

So that started me thinking . . . Do you have a community of Christ-filled friends?  A “village” of people that want the best for you?  Life is hard and life alone is even harder. When tests and challenges come at you from all sides, I want to pray for you.  I want to be your village.  So, if you would like to be included in my prayers, please let me know.  I will pray for you, neighbor!

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this week.  Thank you for the pressure that forced my faith-life into the open.  I pray that everyone who needs prayer will boldly ask for it. Amen.