Stay In The Moment!

I awoke to a whole houseful of my grown boys...oops I mean men. It was one of those heart swelling, overflowing moments. But then I found myself counting how many days I had before Jullien goes back to New York (4) and Elijah heads back to school in Missouri (5). Then I thought, "Why do I do that? Why do I jump ahead instead of staying in the joy of the moment? I have them here right now and I'm dampening my mood by focusing on next week already."

Today, I'm thankful for recognizing a habit that I all too frequently fall into. I'm thankful that in the noticing I can "take captive every thought", submitting it to The LORD in prayer, asking for HIS help to keep me right where HE has me. A time of over-abundant blessings, happiness, love, and heart-filled joy with my boys...men (I have a hard time thinking of them that way😬). So today I will soak it in. I will let it pour over me. I will stay right here and enjoy the day I've been given. 

Friends, join me in remembering that right here and now is a gift from The LORD. It may be a gift of overflowing, growing, learning, resting or even trials that teach the importance of drawing closer to JESUS...your Helper, Savior and Redeemer.

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."~2 Corinthians 10:5

Jump on the Thankful Train...what are you thankful for?

Finding the Faith

by: Lisa Petrarca

I've spent so much time in prayer and feel that the Lord always answers. When we received our new house without a single bit of effort on our part...we were then left with another lesson. He showed us His faithfulness and then continued to stretch our faith.

We were left without a single dollar to live on.

Now here is where my human nature began to kick in. I started to worry and doubt. I felt the stress overwhelming me.

Even after the Lord opened every single door...I still doubted that He would continue to provide.

Why?

I know that He has continuously answered my prayers, according to His will. But that doubt can be so powerful, so all consuming.

I stopped myself and began to earnestly pray for more faith and trust. To be free from the worry. As the day progressed, I found myself stopping whenever a negative thought entered my mind and I would pray.

What power in the knowledge that the Lord is with me ALL DAY, just at the call of His name. He is only waiting to hear from me.

As I let go and trusted, He once again provided for us.

The people we had borrowed some money from, told us that they prayed about it and they didn't want us to pay them back. This was the exact amount of money that we needed to live for the next month.

The Lord worked through amazing, faithful, caring, trusting, loving people.

So I ask myself and you...when the Lord sends you answers to your prayers, do you thank Him and then continue to worry about the next problem?

Pray for more faith in the coming weeks, so that you will know that Jesus gave us an example to live by, so that through Him we will be able to have complete trust and faith in our Father in Heaven.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:13-20