Anxiety is something we ALL struggle with: traffic, raising our children, burning dinner, getting married, being successful, death – all these things can make us anxious.
But, if we are anxious because we are sinning and not trusting – that doesn’t bring glory to God.
Do we believe Him at what He has said?
Let’s believe God!
Today my little boy turns one. One. Seriously?
And I think to myself I’ve had one year to teach him – to love him – to pour into him. What is he going to remember?
I hope he will remember the love, the kisses, the midnight feedings, the giggles and tickles.
What I hope he will always remember is that fact that his mommy and daddy love Jesus. We want him to know the truth of the Gospel. How will we do this?
We will pray that with endurance we will talk about the Gospel and live the gospel out in front of him and his brother every day they are with us. How can we do that?
Teaching him (as little as he is): the authority of God and His Word – and the love of the Father.
1. Use a chalkboard in your dining room to learn a Bible verse a week.
2. Sing songs in the car that speak of God’s love.
3. Watch shows that teach good things – and then talk to them about how the Gospel intersects with that.
4. Pray with them every chance you get.
5. Read Gospel-centered books to them – and teach them about God while reading any book you can.
God is strong, and he wants you strong.
So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials.
And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything
the Devil throws your way.
Ephesians 6 – The Message
Are you ever weak in your faith? Do you ever wonder what God has in store for you? Are you tempted to doubt?
I have these thoughts. I know many ladies who fight every day to believe that God is their BEST!
I love knowing that God is true to His Word!
Do you love where you live?
I mean the actual place you live – your home.
Right now our home seems a bit unsettling to me. Its 1000sqft smaller than our home in Little Rock. Its temporary. We’re renting. We’ve too much stuff for our space, but don’t want to sell it because when we move, we’ll need it. Ack! Anyway, my unsettledness in our home makes me think of how I want to be so settled in at home with God – like this verse says!
Steep your life in”
God-reality
God-initiative
God-provisions
Don’t worry about missing out.
You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Matthew 6 – The Message
I’ve learned a lot about having needs and having every single one of them met through God’s gracious giving heart and the people He uses to meet those needs.
Our life is rich. Even when my wallet got stolen.
God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
to stick it out through the hard times
Lamentations 3 – The Message
I know several friends, many of whom are new mommies, that struggle with the day to day like I sometimes do. Our kids are small, our husbands work long hours, sometimes other jobs are also on our agenda for today.
My one piece of advice that I was given that I also share the most with these friends is this:
You only need to get through today.
God gives grace enough for today – and tomorrow, you know what, HE is faithful to give more grace and show us his radically new mercies that enable us to fight the enemy:
Exhaustion
Impatience
Fatigue
Worry
Fear
Selfishness
His mercies are better.
I remember one of the worship pastors I had recently just engaged us with this Psalm every chance he got. It was his heart and his soul.
I love how the Message puts it. And I think the change in language makes it even more difficult to do – therefore needing all the more grace to do it!
They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words.
Titus 1
I love crime shows.
They all need evidence.
So does our Christian life.
Our life should reflect our calling.
I wear my wedding bands to show that I’m married to my Mister.
How do my actions reflect or not-reflect my Savior?
I want to drink God,
deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
Psalm 42
On your good days – do you think you can get by without thinking about God at all?
On your not-so-good days – do you cling to your pity and failures?
What about drinking down God?
You will always be satisfied and yet thirsty for oh so much more!
I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might,
I yell at the top of my lungs.
He listens.
Psalm 77:1 – the Message
Do you know and understand and realize and stake claim to the fact that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, the One who was before anything else ever came on the scene, the One who just spoke and everything came into existence – that God is the one who hears your prayers?
Shouldn’t that cause us to pray all the time – to seek him when we are troubled and scared and nervous and wondering what to do? He delights in us and desires us – and hears us!
And he would listen to us even if all we could muster up was a quiet whisper in the middle of the night.