Blessings in Your Day

It was a normal Monday morning after Easter. I rushed out the door for work and while driving along Pacific Coast Highway, I felt a tinge of envy. Everyone was out jogging, riding their bikes, walking in wetsuits, board in hand heading out for a surf session. Several women where pushing their babies in strollers...it was a perfect spring day in Orange County, CA; which usually means...beach day.

I crossed over the ocean bridge, gazing out...glistening white sails speckling the bay. It was too nice of a day to be in an office for eight hours. I quickly pushed aside the negative thoughts and remembered to give thanks to the Lord for my job and living in a beautiful city. I may not be able to do everything I'd like to all the time, but I can remember to remain thankful for the blessings I've received from the Lord each day. I've been working on this a lot; removing envy/negativity and replacing it with thankfulness. The Lord has blessed my life in ways that I never expected or deserve.

Once at work I settled at my desk, prepared to spend the next eight hours doing my job. After an hour, one of my bosses said his brother was sick and wouldn't be in, (I do most of the work for him.) He told me I could go home since there wasn't anything for me to do.

My first though was, "I'm going to the beach...YES!"

As I sat in front of the crashing waves, seals playing in the water, pelicans dive bombing into the ocean for food and swarms of small birds flying in front of me at the oceans edge; I'm once again giving thanks for the unexpected changes in my day.

Remember to thank the Lord each day for blessings, both big and small. He is watching over you and blesses you for your gratitude to Him.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts wit praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:4

"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Luke 24:36

"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." Psalm 40:5

"I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8

Easter/Resurrection and You

Turning the corner to head to my sisters house for Easter dinner, I saw my nephew on his skateboard. He's been struggling with drug addiction for years now. My sister & brother-in-law had to make the difficult decision to kick him out of their home in order to save not only their family from his violent, drug induced outbursts, but also to save him & try to convince him to go into a rehab facility by taking away his daily comfort.

I hadn't seen him in a while so we honked, waved & pulled over to say hi. He asked if we could give him a ride to his friends house a few blocks away. While driving him it was obvious he was under the influence of drugs. He was ranting & raving about something. I began to silently pray for him. He needs to be set free of his addictions, he needs prayer for protection, redemption, freedom & peace found only in Jesus Christ.

As we pulled up to the house, I quickly jumped out of the front seat to run around and hug him before he left. I told him I loved him as I squeezed him tightly. My heart and soul breaking for the decisions he's making and the pain he's in because of drugs. I got back in the car and began sobbing. It's so hard seeing someone you love destroying their life. As I continued to cry, my husband grabbed my hand and we prayed together for Jason. Knowing the pain I was feeling, I thought of the Lord and His love for us; stronger, deeper, higher, and wider than our human minds can comprehend. I can't imagine the pain He feels for each of us and His heartbreak over our poor choices...we're His children. He wants us to come to Him with whatever we're going through. He wants to heal, restore and bring each of us into His loving embrace.

Don't let the enemy continue to lie to you & tell you that you're not worthy, you're not loved, you're beyond help. Let Jesus' unselfish, loving gift; His sacrifice for your sins not be in vain. He fulfilled God's will and took on the burden of your sins. He rose to life on the 3rd day...resurrected, fulfilling God's promise. He made it possible for you, I and my nephew to be free, saved, and forgiven so that one day we can be with Him for time and all eternity. Take the gift and accept Jesus Christ today. Let Him guide and direct you in your choices. Let Him set you free!

GOD LOVES YOU!

"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Luke 24:38-39

Should I?

I walked around, hoping the nagging feeling would disappear. I called my husband, "So what do you think? Should I do it?" He wasn't going to give me the answer I wanted, he just said, "It's your decision. If you feel good about it, do it." My head was screaming, "NO...I want you to say yes, go ahead...it'll be fine." But what I said was, "C'mon, tell me what I should do, is it okay?"

Nope, nothing. He said I had to decide and I already knew how he felt about it. GREAT! I wandered around the store for another hour, walking by the item, walking away from the item, by it, away from it...waiting to feel good about it. While, "No, don't do it," played like a broken record in my mind.

I spent time justifying why it was okay to purchase it. If the item was for me, I wouldn't have any problem walking away (I don't feel the need to buy myself things very often & am fine going without the extras.) But this was for my son. It was a birthday present he's wanted for years. Truth be told, it's a Christmas/Birthday present he's been asking for; for the past 5 years. But we never have an extra $300.00 for a PS3. I wanted to get it for him, so badly, but knew it would put us in a hole. Finally, unable to rid myself of that "feeling" as I circled around one last time, there it was again...I tried to push it away, only to continue to feel increasingly uneasy in my stomach. That was it...I walked out of the store. I didn't have a peace about it and I've definitely learned the importance of listening to the promptings of the Lord; even in the little everyday things like whether to buy something or not. It took some time to get through my own rationalization process and actually make the right decision, but once out of the store, my peace returned.

Today, if you feel the Lord prompting you to walk away from temptation, purchases, a lifestyle, certain decisions, addictions...LISTEN. He has a good and perfect plan for you. Listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance is not only wise, but will save you from future detrimental consequences. Be willing to deny yourself momentary pleasure to find true, lasting, pure happiness. Pray in all things, all decisions and all areas of your life. Let the Lord guide you into all truth...His Wisdom! In doing so, you'll find a Peace like you've never known before. Don't continue to ignore His promptings. God wants the best for you and is trying to guide you in the right direction. Yes, even the little areas!

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." 

Jeremiah 33:3

"Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." 

2 John 1:3

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." 

Proverbs 3:5

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?" 

1 Corinthians 3:16

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

Romans 8:11