Do you ever feel lost? Do you ever wonder if your life will really change for the better? Do you sometimes think that your life is so messed up that there is no hope for it? Don't despair, there is always hope with God. The song, Beautiful Things, by Gungor will help you remember that.
It is one of my all-time favorite songs.
Think of any relationship that you have. Why do you like or love that person? Why do they like or love you in return? Is it because they do things for you that you enjoy? Do they listen when you're down, provide a shoulder to cry on or surprise with a simple kind gesture when you really need it? Or, do you love them because they just make you feel good when you are around them? Does this person like or love you because you do something similar for them?
The answer is... probably. Most human relationships are based on reciprocity, meaning that people like you for what you can do for them or what value you add to their lives and you like people for what they can do for you or what value they add to your life. Before you start shaking your head, saying that you're different, and you're not just out to get things from people or gain something by having a relationship, just think about it for a moment. If you do, you'll realize that it is true. Family, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, teachers, role models... whatever relationship you have. If you serve no purpose to someone, do they still love you? If someone serves no purpose to you, do you still want them around? Chances are, the answer to both questions is no.
But what if there was one relationship that was not like this? What if there was a relationship in which you knew that you had absolutely nothing to offer that was really needed, but you were still loved in return?
THRILLING CHRISTIAN FICTION! The spiritual realm exists just outside the range of normal, human senses, but a select group of people have been blessed with supernatural abilities that allow them to see into this realm. These gifts make them a target for the forces of evil, and also empower them to be a force for good. These people are called the Invisible.
Ruby and her niece have both recently developed strange new abilities. Ruby has tried her best to keep these abilities a secret, unwilling to expose both herself and her niece to the world's censure. But when a strange man arrives out of the blue, asking questions about things he should know nothing about, Ruby is thrust into a maelstrom of danger and deception. Will she be able to protect her vulnerable niece from the threat that stalks them both, or will her worst fears come to fruition?
Mercy (Invisible Book 4)
Have you ever wished that you had a shield? Perhaps even one of those invisible sci-fi shields that protect from all things? Guess what… you do! God is your shield!
I’m severely allergic to wasps – severely! Any time I see a wasp, I run in the other direction. I’m always on the lookout for these little stinging menaces in the summertime. Quite often, I’ve had perfectly enjoyable moments ruined by the appearance of a wasp.
The other day, I stood at the screen door admiring the bounty of flowers in the front yard and just enjoying the cool breeze on my face. It was one of those truly, peaceful moments that happen so infrequently. Suddenly, an enormous wasp showed up to admire the flowers closest to the door. It was so close that I could hear the flutter of its wings as it hovered near my face. A chill raced down my spine as my body recognized the danger - but I did not run.
Have you ever felt held down by life or society? Have you felt chained to the way things are? It doesn't have to be that way!
The story of how I Can Only Imagine, the popular song by MercyMe, was written has been made into a movie!
Wow! I watched this movie tonight with my mother and my sister and it was great! Inspiring! Affecting! Life-changing. You've have GOT to watch this movie. I don't want to write anything about the movie for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that this is one of the best movies I've watched this year.
Watch the trailer on Youtube
Share Pslams and Proverbs with your friends. Color these cards and give to others, or just keep them for yourself. I saw these on Amazon and thought they looked fun! What a great artistic way to share verses with others.
Lately, I've been struggling with feeling depressed. I'm normally a happy person, so these pervasive feelings of sadness do not feel normal. I was praying about these feelings of depression when the verse Matthew 6:34 came to mind in which Jesus says "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (KJV)
I've read that verse many times in the past, but today, it just seemed to hold special meaning. I had to step back from my depressed thoughts and take a look at my life. When I did, I realized that, in that exact moment, nothing was really wrong or depressing. All was actually quite good in that moment. It was my thoughts for the future that were causing the black cloud to hang over my day. Thoughts like "things are never going to change" and "it will always be like this" and "I don't know if next month will be better" and "it's only going to get worse from here" were intruding upon my every moment and making me feel a sadness that just did not exist in the moment.
We all know that reading the Bible is important, but few may realize the benefits of daily study done in the morning.
1. GET A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE REST OF THE DAY -Studying the Bible first thing in the morning will start your day off on the right footing. By getting His Word into your mind before anything else intrudes, you'll have laid a strong foundation for the rest of your day. "Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock." Luke 6:47-48
I've come to believe that God often works through His people to answer prayer. Though He does still provide miracles, most of His work is done by His people.
Have you ever experienced a moment when you saw someone having a hard time or heard something about a problem another Christian was suffering with and thought "I am just the right person to be able to help them"? Or, conversely, have you ever been in the midst of a problem yourself and, suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, you receive EXACTLY the help that you needed? Or, have you ever just experienced a series of events that seemed to slip into place just when you needed them because other people had started the sequence, seemingly unknowingly, prior to your needs? I know that I have certainly experienced all three of these phenomenons, and in those moments, I can feel God working in my life.
In multiple verses throughout the Bible, Christians are
