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| We all know the 12 Days of Christmas song. Most of us know that Advent has four Sundays to represent our waiting for the birth of the Chosen One, Jesus Christ. https://christian.net/special-themes/what-do-the-5-candles-of-advent-represent/ Since there are 12 Days of Christmas, here is my compilation of 25 Verses (Using chapter or verse number) to prepare you for Christmas. Please don’t judge me for not getting it out by the 1st. I just came up with the idea this week and it was harder to put together than I thought. I hope these verses will somehow prepare to meet the Savior in a special way during this blessed season. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Matthew 2:6 “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Titus 3:4 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Galatians 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman” Micah 5:2: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Titus 3:6 . He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” 1 Peter 1:8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Luke 2:10: “And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.'” Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” 2 Corinthians 9:15: “Thank God for his gift that words can’t describe!” John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” John 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. John 8:19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” Luke 2:20: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Phillipians 3:,,,21 we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Matthew 1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Matthew 1:23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Psalms 24:10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory. Isaiah 25:1 “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago“ “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” O Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Son!  I am grateful for you taking the time to read through these verses. May you experience the wonder of God’s love as we await the birth of His Son and our Savior. I would love to know your favorite Christmas verses. Please email them to me at [email protected] |
Blessings will flow when we open our hearts
| It has been said, “It is impossible to be simultaneously thankful and critical at the same time.” In this season of Thanksgiving, what if we all focused on the belief that the power of giving thanks could change the way we live our lives? Dan Britton writes, “With a grateful heart, much can be accomplished. Let the power of thanksgiving change the way we relate to others?” Billy Graham spoke about The 1st Thanksgiving. “The Pilgrims were facing many trials. During that first long winter, seven times as many graves were made for the dead as homes were made for the living yet they gave thanks. Their example reminds us that thanksgiving depends not on what we have but on being grateful for what we have. Not only are we called to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18); we are also told to “give thanks for everything to God the Father” (Ephesians 5:20) A grateful heart must be an open heart. It is the only way the light of love can get in to dispel the darkness of discouragement and resentment that can grow in all of us. We can’t wait for others. It has to start with each of us.  We would never see the beauty of a full moon if not for it reflecting the light of the sun.  So, as we gather around the table, let’s all try to open our hearts; Not just to the Lord but to each other. As we fill our hearts with God’s love, like the moon with the sun, let’s encourage each other (Colossians 2:2) to “change the word from a noun into a verb. It does not mean we have to agree but it does mean we can treat each other with respect. Known as the Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12 encourages us to treat others with the same kindness, fairness, and respect that we desire for ourselves.” A friend on Facebook posted “If you live in thankfulness and gratitude, it will always take you to a better than living in resentment and anger” The late Tim Keller observed “It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.” For all Christ has done, for all he is doing, and for all he will do. Let’s all choose to open our hearts today!Thanks for finding a reading my blog. If you haven’t subscribed, I would love to have you join those already on the email list. Please also feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] |
Why can’t we disagree on politics and still be friends?
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 I am travelling this week and have had the opportunity to attend two pretty cool sporting events. First, I got to watch the Bengal play the Patriots in Cincinnati and then supported UVA’s men’s golf team as they came back to win the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo. https://virginiasports.com/news/2024/09/10/virginia-comes-back-to-win-inverness-intercollegiate/ At both events, I was struck by the fact that after the contests, folks who cheered for their favorite team left the events as friends, even though someone won and someone lost. It made me think about why that can’t happen when it comes to politics? We aren’t always going to agree but it shouldn’t impact our ability to be friends. All of us should make a commitment to lead the way in this endeavor. Do not minimize what God wants to do with your life. What follows is a blog that I posted a couple of years ago which still is relevant today. I don’t know who it might have been but I am guessing someone inspired Dr Martin Luther King and that he had no idea what impact his life would have on our country, yes, even the world. Have you ever thought what would happen if, like Martin, you stepped out to start making a positive difference in your world? Let’s be clear. No matter who you are, you have the ability to create Unity in the world in which you live. What will the ripple effect be of you taking this first step? It is about being willing to lead; helping others find UNITY with an Uncompromised Never-ending Intensity Toward Yes! https://thankfulinallthings.com/if-you-focused-on-one-word-in-2022-which-would-you-choose/Jon Gordon writes in The Power of Positive Leadership, “Your one decision to be a positive leader will not only impact your life, but your relationships, your family, your friends, and your team. A life touches a life that touches a life. A person changes and they help others change. A leader inspires others and develops more leaders. The seed you plant today becomes the harvest you and the changed world will benefit from tomorrow.” https://powerofpositiveleadership.com The seed mentioned can also be a flat stone that you skip across a stream. It is not only fun to count the number of skips but the ripples that little stone creates as it bounces along represents the impact of our actions. We can create that same ripple effect in our quest to create Unity.One of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen shares this about this ripple effect in his book, Our Greatest Gift. https://henrinouwen.org/?book=our-greatest-gift “ I am surrounded by family members and friends. Even wider is the circle of those his actions and words have shaped my life and thoughts. Beyond all the many circles of the countless men and women whose names I do not know but who have, in their own unique way, made the journey I’m making and shared and pains and joys of being human.” We have the opportunity to be counted amongst those Nouwen writes about. To be people who strive each day to create ripples that impact others who we don’t even know. As we think back to when Martin Luther King was trying to move freedom forward, we are reminded that our country was divided then, like it is today but for different reasons. As he said in one of his speeches, “If democracy is to live, segregation must die. We have come a long, long way, but we have a long way to go.” We do have a long way to go. We won’t get there by standing on the sidelines waiting for someone else to step up and do the right thing. Will you be one to grab the baton from those who have come before us and lead us to where it is we need to go? If you do, by God’s grace and under His mercy things will be made better because like Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8) you respond to the calling by singing,“Here I am, Lord Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling in the night I will go, Lord If You lead me I will hold Your people in my heart “ Dan Schutte https://youtu.be/Z4ATBaI7ycY  Please subscribe to this blog ⬇️ so you can receive email notifications whe. New content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected] |
Is it OK to just be ordinary?
 Thankful in All Things I know. I know….It has been a minute. I really didn’t mean to take this much time off from writing. It just kind of happened. It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything to share. It was more that I wasn’t ready to share it. I needed and, quite honestly, still need time to get my head around the fact that is alright to just be ordinary. In fact, there is great power being faithful in doing ordinary things that you know will not create much fanfare. As a good friend says, “Do awesome things quietly.” Michael Horton in his book “Ordinary” https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Sustainable-Faith-Radical-Restless/dp/0310517370 writes, “Sometimes, chasing your dreams can be “easier” than just being who we are, where God has placed you, with the gifts he has given to you. However, the power of God unto salvation is not our passion for God, but the passion he has exhibited toward us sinners by sending his own Son to redeem us.” For my younger readers, this may not make sense because you have set goals for what you want to accomplish in your life. I understand and hope those dreams will be realized but the purpose of this post is to say it is alright if what you hope to achieve is not realized as long as you are pursuing that desire in the right way. Jon Gordon says it this way. ““I want you to know that in a divided and broken world filled with broken families, broken relationships and broken people (I am one of them) the answer is connection and oneness with a loving God that wants to heal us through a loving relationship.” I definitely have less years ahead of me than behind. I realize some things I had hoped to achieve or opportunities I thought might come my way didn’t happen. If I am honest, it does eat at me. I ask the questions, “Did I not work hard enough?’ “Should I have put more time into it?” “Why not me rather than someone else?” All are legitimate but at the end of the day I am becoming content with the answer, “It was not what God intended.” I am coming to grips with Hebrews 8:24,25, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Simply put, I am banking on this promise of a hope in what has been promised by God but I still can’t see. I am no longer working full-time which has been life changing. It is has been an easy transition except for figuring out why all the free time I was going to have quickly fills up. The challenge making it a priority to fill it up with the right activities. Even out of work, one must have a focus to make sure one day does not ooze into the next and then the next. It has been encouraging to me that my identity is in God and not my work. As I have shared, the challenge has been with the question, “has my life made a difference?” I believe over these last couple of weeks, God has answered that question. Unsolicited and out of the blue, I have received several texts or Facebook messages saying how my life has made a difference in theirs. They had no idea about what I had been thinking. I believe God used them to affirm that each of us can have a positive impact on others by just being faithful in the ordinary .which results in us encouraging others to do the same. Surprisingly, it brought me back to what we are taught in John 15. “Christ is the vine and we are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Paraphrased from Matthew 12:30,31 We are simply to love Him with all our heart. Go out loving and serving others as He has done for us. And then, not worry but instead, trust Him with the outcome. That will continue to be my focus. I hope you will choose to do the same.  Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Please subscribe if you would like to receive email notification when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected] |
The blessing of being included
 I woke up very early this morning. It could be from jet lag but is probably from the new sounds that come from the boat taking us from Amsterdam to Belgium. Dottie and I are on our first river cruise with 5 other couples we have known for 45+ years. We feel very fortunate to have been included and can afford this type of trip. It reminded me of a devotional I read right before the Masters last weekend. https://bit.ly/mastersdevotionDrew Hamilton writes about his dream to play Augusta National much less be a member. It made me think about what would it take to become a member of such an exclusive club? These criteria came to mind. 1) I would need to be somebody. https://golf.com/news/augusta-nationals-members-masters/“ You can see by this list not just anybody can join Augusta. 2) You not only need have made a name for yourself in the world but you also need to know someone. That someone needs to think that you are worthy of membership. 3) You need to be able to afford it. Although it doesn’t cost that much to join, you have to be financially well off to even be considered. 4) and finally, you will have to undergo a very strict vetting process and many are not offered the opportunity to become a member. As an example, for a very long time, people of color and women were not eligible to join. 5) Another way to become a member is to earn it 🙂 See below picture I am glad my entrance into God’s kingdom does not have these same type of qualifications. Drew sums it up nicely by writing, “I need to be grateful for the reality that I belong to an inclusive club with the greatest perk of all (citizenship in heaven)”http://”https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%203:20-21&version=NIV I am grateful that I don’t need to be someone special. I am grateful that I do know that someone, Jesus Christ, who gives me access. I’m grateful that Jesus paid for my inclusion through His death on the cross. Finally, I thank God that He accepts me with all my imperfection and that is all the vetting that is done. This time on the river cruise gives me a glimpse of what all this looks like. These other 5 couples were kind enough to invite us on this journey. It means so much to be included on this wonderful trip. It may not be as grand as a membership at Augusta National, but it is a blessing to travel through life with people who are willing to love me as God loves them. May we all seek out this type of inclusive community. Thanks for joining me here. I hope this blog helps you remain Thankful in all Things. I can be reached by email at [email protected] Thanks for joining me here. I hope this blog helps you remain Thankful in all Things. I can be reached by email at [email protected] |
Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat. A reflection of March Madness and Palm Sunday
 If you examine the image above, you’ll notice it’s my bracket for the Men’s March Madness tournament. I’ve not done too poorly, and I feel confident about selecting U Conn to take the championship once more. However, numerous red x’s mark where I incorrectly predicted the winning team. With only 16 teams remaining, 52 teams have suffered losses and exited the competition. What began with immense hope and cheering has concluded with tears, disappointment, and in many instances, supporters blaming players and/or coaches for their team’s premature departure. Some fans might have even removed their school’s apparel to avoid mockery. On Palm Sunday, while attending church, I was struck by the parallels between Jesus entering Jerusalem to the sound of “Hosanna in the highest” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:9&version=NIV and the 68 teams entering the NCAA tournament. Both the people lining the streets to worship Jesus with palm fronds and the losing teams’ boosters showing their school’s colors, ended up very disappointed. Peter was the ultimate disappointed fan denying Christ 3 times.https://biblehub.com/matthew/26-75.htm In both situations, people in the stands and on the road into Jerusalem, were putting their trust in man versus God. Fans called for coaches to be fired and in Jesus’ sake, the crowds shouted “Crucify Him”! https://biblehub.com/luke/23-21.htm  So the question for us this Holy Week is “where will we put our trust?” Do you yearn for what the Kingdom in Heaven or the world has to offer? Deuteronomy 8 https://www.bible.com/bible/111/DEU.8.NIV offers this great reminder. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” God through His son Jesus Christ (not coaches or players) gives us the ultimate victory. As we prepare for Easter, “Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. Deuteronomy 8:6-9 May your Hosannas be cried out whether you are being challenged or blessed. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I can be reached via email at [email protected] Please subscribe to receive email notifications when new content is published. HAPPY EASTER!  |
Lent is a time where we learn how to wait.
 Lamentations 3:25 says, “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” This verse is part of the lament of Jeremiah, who expresses his hope and trust in God in the midst of his troubles. Isaiah 40;31 says, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” What an encouragement for those of us who found ourselves weary. We are in the midst of the 40 days of Lent https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-lent-700774which started back on February 14th. We are now a little more than half way to culminate this time of waiting with Easter. I have always been intrigued with how many of God’s chosen were put in some sort of “time out” before God released them for His purposes. Noah, Moses, Abraham, Joseph, King David, Ruth, Esther, Paul, and of course Jesus just to name a few. This was written (author unknown) back in 2020 titled “just maybe” during Covid. My additions to it are in parenthesis. • 40 days the flood lasted…• 40 years the Exodus lasted…• 40 days of fasting in the desert where Jesus was tempted…• 40 days of appearances of Jesus after his crucifixion and resurrection…•Number 40 specifically in the Bible attracts much attention, even to today. • 40 days is what is recommend for a woman to rest after giving birth. • 40 is the weeks of gestation.• A group of theologians think that number 40 represents “change”, it is the preparation time of a person or people to give fundamental change. • Will something happen after these 40 days (of lent)• (During Covid) The earth was on rest for first time in many years. • Rivers are cleaning, vegetation is growing, air is clean due to less pollution, the starry sky in the evening is visible even where it was covered by pollution, less theft, less murders.• I would like to (how will you) take advantage of these 40 days.• In the Bible, every time number 40 appears there is a “change.”• So, (as you spend this season of Lent) enjoy it with family; it could be of great blessing, and we will see the changes God will make in our lives (as He did with those He put in time out)• The word quarantine is from Italian and means 40 days. (Just maybe Lent is supposed to be spent allowing yourself to lay low and finding ways to draw closer to God)  Just maybe we are to seek and wait upon the Lord like Lamentations and Isaiah encourage us to do. Think about why God made those He had chosen to do His work wait for a period of time. He forced folks like Moses, David and Paul into their times of waiting. Like them, how many of us might have tried to run out ahead of God before He was ready for you to do so? We are half way through but while you await the celebration of the resurrection, use these next three weeks to find ways to wait on the Lord with the intent of drawing closer to God Brother Lawrence writes about waiting on God in this way. ” Having a silent conversation with Him, a rest in Him, desiring the life and peace of our Soul.” May the rest of Lent be a time where you seek what Lawrence describes as an “unbroken communion with God, asking Him to supply all your needs so that you might find fullness of joy in His Presence.” May that unbroken communion and the fullness of joy result in you feeling released to do what He has willed for your life to accomplish His purposes. May you feel God’s face shining upon you and may His love for you reflect on those who God has cross your path. I can be reached by email at [email protected]  |
How is the Sabbath similar to Retirement
Finding your purpose outside of work
Those that read my blog regularly, know I led a group of men through Bob Buford’s book, Finishing Well. It is a book that helps individuals transition from our working lives to how we will live our lives after we no longer are expected to show up at the office every day. Bob Buford calls it the ability to leave the identity we found in our work to pursue a life of significance with the extra time given now that the daily work responsibilities have been left behind. The one quote that got my attention was, “Life after we stop working is not meant to be lived on the front porch in a rocking chair waiting for the hearse to come” This is where I started thinking about how the Sabbath can be compared to Retirement. It started with a Sunday School class on the Sabbath. My mindset has recently changed because of my decision to start the transition from full time work to retirement. I started asking myself the question, what could I do that wasn’t work but allowed me to pursue God with the time freed up by not having to be in the office every day?  The Sabbath is supposed to be about rest so that you can go about your work the other 6 days of the week. I am coming to understand that the same can be said about retirement. I don’t think there is any mention of retirement mentioned in the bible. Everyone has different ideas of what are and not to do on the Sabbath and for that matter retirement. Although there are many, for this blog post, I want to focus on one general concept for taking a day or rest and for spending our time once we leave whatever has been our full-time work. That concept is leaving work behind so that you can have the time to “Be Still and know that He is God.” https://biblehub.com/psalms/46-10.htm On the Lord’s Day, we are to take the time to come to the Father with the intent of laying our burdens down. https://biblehub.com/matthew/11-28.htm Making the day holy as He is Holy. The question that needs to be asked is, “How do I make the Sabbath a day that is different than the other 6 days?” I am asking the same question now that my work life has changed. “How do I make Retirement different that what I have done for so many years now?” It comes back to the desire to live a faithful life which creates significance and allows me to finish well. My hope is to not fill the extra time I now have with busyness but instead seek God in ways I haven’t sought Him before so that I can determine what purpose He has for me in this new season in life. Isn’t that really what the purpose of the Sabbath is as well? Taking that 7th day to stop and reflect on the fact that God loves us hopefully encourages us to live a faithful life during the work week. This rest and worship pause should help our actions have a significant impact on the lives around us. One thing is for sure. I don’t want to be that person waiting on the front porch waiting for life to end. I want to continue to practice the presence of God in my life so I can seek His purpose in all that I do. I hope you want to do the same. Brother Lawrence https://spirituallyhungry.com/practicing-the-presence-of-god/ sums it up this way. “God has infinite treasures to bestow. When He finds a soul penetrated with a living faith, He pours into it His grace and blessings plentifully. When He does, it will flow out like a torrent, finding a way around every obstacle; spreading out with extravagant and reckless abundance” May your Sabbath and/or in Retirement, provide you this hope and desire. I can be reached by email at [email protected]  |
Martin Luther King’s life should motivate us to serve others
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We celebrated Martin Luther King Day Monday on his actual birthday. His life, although flawed like the rest of ours, showed that He loved God and wanted to exhibit the fruit of His spirit noted in Galatians 5 https://biblehub.com/galatians/5-22.htm. For those of you who didn’t read my last blog post, https://thankfulinallthings.com/my-thoughts-on-how-i-will-grow-in-2024/ I share that this verse will be a focus for me as I try to live out my One Word for 2024 prayer. Here is what I wrote a couple of years ago on how we can be motivated to live better lives with a heart of service.  On this day do you remember? There is a reason that Dion’s song, “Does anyone here” https://youtu.be/a5hFMy4pTrs remains one of my favorites. When we fret about where our world is today, look back. I was 11 when JFK was killed and 16 when Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were also assassinated. It was a very divisive and scary time. My question on this MLK Day is not do we remember these men, but in our remembrance, how does it motivate us to be better men and women?In preparation for the MLK King Day in 2022, I had the privilege of helping our local newspaper find people to share their thoughts on what Martin Luther King’s life meant to them. Here is the link should be interested in what was written https://dailyprogress.com/specialty_publications/page-s01/page_ae2d0e53-5094-53ca-9d82-7d42579185d9.html Dr. King lived a life that left a legacy for all to follow. It causes us as Jeff Burton writes, to “ask ourselves, how is it today that I can act; what can I do to leave this place better than I found it; to do our small part to inspire others for good” Nathan Walton, in the publication noted above, asks, “What story are we telling?…..This day gives us an opportunity to tell a new story for our own moment” As we look back this MLK quote should help to move us forward. “We have come a long, long way but we still have a long, long way to go.”Former City of Promise ED, Mary Coleman writes that our story needs to be one where we have learned from the past so we can be exhorted to help make a brighter future. She asks, “Where do we go from here? Will we choose chaos or community in a unified manner that King describes as persevering togetherness.” Yes! There is my 2022 Word. Unity. Uncompromised Never-ending Intensity Toward YES! We can be motivated by others to make our story one that sets an example for those around us. It can be a story line that causes Breakthrough by lifting up others and like MLK, motivating them to pursue peace while making a positive difference in the world versus creating divisiveness and selfishly ignoring those who need our help. Dr King was in no way a perfect man. But he was a man who believed he was redeemed by His Creator and called into a work that would ultimately cost him his life. This gives me hope as I hope it will you. It teaches nothing is impossible for those who love God. Luke 1:37 promises us “that we have the privilege of serving a God who can literally do anything, and there is nothing that is impossible for him.Therefore let us strive to live out the beatitudes noted in Matthew 5:1-12Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you..Like Dr King, When we live our life this way, we will leave our personal legacy that others will continue because of the way you motivated them.Please subscribe to this blog so you can receive an email notification when new content is posted. I can be reached by email at [email protected]  |
My thoughts on how I will grow in 2024.
It is that time of year. We watch another year disappear and ponder on what the new year will bring. We think about things we didn’t achieve in 2023 and commit to being better about it in 2024. All of us focus on how we can make ourselves better people our regarding health, relationships, or in our work lives. Let me share with you how I plan to go about it this year. That way, you all can hold me accountable as the year progresses because we all need to encourage each other. https://thankfulinallthings.com/jesus-sent-folks-out-in-pairs-for-a-reason Jodie Berndt writes, How we walk through life together—for better, for worse—comes with the power to influence our communities, our churches, and our children, including future generations.” https://www.denisonforum.org/popular-culture/book-reviews-excerpts/praying-the-scriptures-for-your-marriage-excerpt-jodie-berndt/
Like a good presbyterian, I am going to focus on three ways I hope will make 2024 a year where when I look back, I can say that my life was changed and therefore, like Jodie, I helped positive difference in the world around me. I encourage you to consider one word on which to focus and build your year around. Here is the link to use if you have never done it before. https://getoneword.com/ As I went through this exercise, two words, Content and Prayer, rose top of mind.
In the end, I chose Prayer because I want to have a more consistent and strategic prayer life allowing me to draw closer so I can better understand what the Lord’s will is for my life. If I am successful, I am pretty sure contentment will occur as well.
Secondly, I will memorize and regularly meditate on https://biblehub.com/galatians/5-22.htm with the intent of impacting others with the Fruit of the Spirit listed as Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. If these characteristics can be made evident in my life, others will hopefully see that God is taking more and more control of my life. These fruits will be produced because I choose to honor Him in all that I do.
Finally, my goal is to visually put on the armor of God https://www.bible.com/bible/111/EPH.6.10-18.niv so that along with my focus on prayer, I can become strong in the Lord and experience His might power so that I might stand firm when adversity comes my way. Each morning I hope to I will mentally buckle the belt of truth around my waist and make sure God’s breastplate of righteousness is in place. I will make sure my feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace and that I don’t forget my shield of faith and helmet of salvation. I will pray for the Spirit to produce the above mentioned fruit and use God’s Word as my sword when I encounter those who want to question the reality of my faith.
My hope is that my 2024 One Word PRAYER results in a bushel full of spiritual fruit being produced in my life. I will go out mentally dressed in the armor God has given me. If I do all three, 2024 will be one that I draw closer to the Lord allowing me to experience the abundant life I have promised. My prayer is that you too, will seek to find your own way in 2024 to pursue the One who wants the very best for you.
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