I've kind of gone back & forth on what to write. I feel like I've had a couple things going on that would, hopefully, give you encouragement. But everytime I go to say something the thing that seems to be the strongest on my mind is Peace!! I went to the movies last night & saw The Shack, wonderful movie!! I read the book years ago & it also was wonderful & so the movie followed course. I cried & cried, just about from the moment it started. I guess because I kinda knew what was coming, but when it was over I just felt peace. I thanked God all the way home, into the night, & this morning for that peace. The verses that kept coming to my mind were John 14:26&27- But the Councellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things & will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave w/ you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled & do not be afraid. Aren't those such wonderful verses to have in your mind!? We are never ever alone. God has given us the Holy Spirit to remind us of the things He teaches us, of the things He's said. I'm glad He doesn't give like the world gives...superficial & only looking out for it's self. God gives so that we have strength, courage, that we feel His love, & that we have His peace. There are going to be things that come up in our lives that we're not going to understand or that there isn't any good answer for, but we don't have to be stuck in confusion. We don't have to let those things consume us or define us. What we need to do is keep going to God, let Him be what comforts us & consumes us. As we do that He just covers us. His love is mighty & He gives us His peace, & those are the things we need. Those are the things that are going to get us to the place God wants us to be. Not stuck in despair, but going forth w/ encouragement. So if your feeling like a hot mess, remember God has not left you alone. He's given us His Holy Spirit to remind us to not be afraid. I hope that this gives you the peace that it has truly given me & you will go forth today filled w/ the Holy Spirit & ready to do what God has asked!!!

In Sunday school we were talking about how important the bible is. I was supposed to be the teacher but I'm telling you the girls taught me way more than I ever did them!! They're teenagers, 17, juniors in high school. I've had them for many many years in youth group, well 1 of them I'm raising lol. But you know how it is w/ that age. They may know stuff but you wonder how much is head knowledge & how much is heart. So one of the questions is: "what's your favorite bible story & why?" I thought I'm not telling them mine b/c they'll just be like, "oh yeah, mine too." Well 1 of the girls says, "I like the book of Job. My favorite part is in Chp 39 where it talks about all God does for the horse & I know if He does that for the horse He's going to do way more for me!" Oh Wow!!! Okay, I was not expecting that. The other 1 liked the book of Ruth. The way she followed & trusted & waited. She said, "but my favorite verse is Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. I like that. I like to think about that." Wow, wow, wow. That's all my mind kept saying. I honestly thought I was going to be met w/just your typical teen answers or lack there of, but no!! These girls know God. They don't just know "of" Him--they know Him!! With their hearts. They may not always understand, which at 47 do I always understand His answers or His leading? No. But they know His works are good & His plans for them are great. I walked out of Sunday school, reading that chapter in Job & looking at it the way she did. Thinking of the book Ruth again & thanking Him for the example that not only she was but Naomi too. God is so amazing the way He works & the way He teaches. I pray that we can all take time to get away & read His word & apply it to where we are right now in our lives. That's why we have His word...so He can speak to us. Let's take time & really listen & then as we hear...obey!! Psalm 119:9&10- How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

2Samuel 6:14 & 23- David was dancing before The Lord w/all his might. "I will become even more undignified than this, & I will be humiliated in my own eyes....this is one of my favorite stories. David was excited!! He was bringing up the ark of God & he was rejoicing!! He didn't care who was around or watching he was filled w/ Gods joy & he didn't care who knew or who saw him. Of course when his wife found out she scolded him for how he acted & that's when he said, "I can get EVEN MORE undignified!! What happened there...that was nothing!" He loved The Lord & he was going to celebrate & he did!! Well as I'm waiting for my mom to get out of surgery, there were quite a few different people also waiting. Well this one lady was very animated in a lot of the things she talked about & did. But all the sudden the news came on & she stops what she's doing & is listening intently to the story. Well she got so excited b/c of one of the stories. She was praising God--with hands raised!! She was thanking Him for answering her prayer for this situation. Thanking Him for watching over & taking care of the people involved. She probably told me 4 or 5 times how she was praying for this boy. It was starting to get to the point that others were looking at her--she didn't care. She kept saying, "thank you thank you thank you!!! You are good!! You are so good!!!" As I'm watching & listening to her I thought, "well she's a little over the top." Then, of course, God reminds me of this story. I sat there for a few minutes just thinking about David, thinking about this woman that I will never see again & thinking, "we should all become undignified for God." When our prayers are answered--why not say, "YYEEESSS!!!! Thank You Father!!!" Why not dance before The Lord, uninhibited. Okay maybe we don't do it right there in the hospital waiting room, especially if your a little funny about that kind of thing, but why not, atleast, be thankful right there--where people might see. God is good--so good!! He answers prayers & He takes such good care of us. He is "a good good Father. That's who He is & we are loved by Him--that's who we are!!" Let's celebrate Him! Let's become undignified & tell of His great works & love!! I'm thankful for that woman & her love for the Lord & that she didn't care to share it & let those around her know of Him. I think....I know we'll never ever be sorry we shared that great news!!

I'm sitting here this morning trying to drink my coffee & wake up & there is this fly that will not leave me alone!! Now this isn't any ordinary fly--it's HUGE!! I'd say the size of a baby chick!!! Okay, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but it's not like a small fly that bugs you when your trying to have a picnic outside in the summer. At first I thought it was a wasp, but it landed & stared at me & I realized it was just a fly!!! So I'm looking for something to kill it with & I'm thinking, "why did God make him? He's annoying & he's getting on my nerves!!" I was so afraid he was going to land in my coffee and that would have been the worst!! Wasting a perfectly good cup of coffee over this dumb fly!!! So as I'm asking God what the purpose of this fly was, the chorus, "You make everything glorious, You make everything glorious, & I am Yours..." kept playing in my head. And I thought, "really?? It's a fly & it almost got in my coffee!!" So I looked up the verse & here is what it says, Ecc 3:11- "He has made everything beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Wow, okay so maybe it's a little more than this fly bothering me, it's about God reminding me of who He is, all He's done & continues to do, & most importantly how He feels about me!! He loves me, created me to do good works, & I am His!!! My heart has been in a weird place for a little while, nothing concerning just trying to figure things out, & I've cried out & cried out & don't you know God used this annoying fly to remind me of...Him!!!! To quiet my loud thoughts & calm my aching heart. To bring back to me the peace I've been missing, longing for. He's so good the way He takes care of us!! And for some reason I'm now thankful for this fly--again, God changing my thoughts!! So this morning if you've got something annoying bugging you remember this verse, keep it close & maybe look at what's going on & really see all that God is doing around you & most importantly in you!!!!! Oh & the fly--well I'm pretty sure when I picked the swatter up, he went somewhere else!! So no flies were harmed in the writing of this devotion!! Lol

Yesterday a friend of mine said, "I'm going to tell you something b/c I need you to pray." So of course I said yes & I knew that also meant don't ask to many questions b/c they couldn't really say. Which is fine, I just really need their name & I'll pray. They were saying that their friend was going through a hard time & in that time had made some choices that weren't necessarily the best & definitely weren't God lead. So anyway I said yes I would be praying. Well I couldn't get them off my mind. I kept thinking how often I've made almost the same mistake. I've been caught up in peer pressure or my own selfishness & have made not so good decisions. I'm sure we all have been in similar situations. As I was praying I thought, "what would I say to encourage them?" God said, "my grace is enough!" What!? So I went to 2Cor 12:9 & this is what it says, "But he said to me, ' My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" Yes, we mess up & we (as my good friend says) are knuckleheads at best, but we don't have to stay there. God offers His love, His forgiveness, & His strength. We can know that on our own things are bad & can get worse, but w/ God all things are possible & He will provide exactly what we need. So that's some of what I would say to my friends friend & as I was praying that God would let them know that, I had to just thank Him, b/c I most certainly needed that reminder too. I was thankful to go to His word & at the very end of the chapter, v.10, read these words, "For when I am weak, then I am strong!!" Remember His word always & when mistakes are made don't beat yourself up, go to God, go to His word & let that be what helps & encourages you. His grace is always enough for each of us & He offers it so freely!!!

We were talking in Sunday school about how important it is to look at ourselves the way God looks at us. I never really thought about how important that is. He created us in His image. He loves us, cares about us, & he died for us, then He rose again...for us!! I know it's easy to get caught up w/ how others think or w/ the images we constantly see on tv or magazines, they tell us we aren't good enough. But we've got to remember we have control over it--we can keep things in perspective w/ Gods help. So let's know that God created each of us w/ potential & He will use us if we let Him--if we give our lives to Him. He loves us as we are, not for what we think we should be. So let's go forth w/Gods mindset being what pushes us forth!!! Psalm 139:13&14- For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you because I am fearfully & wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Trevor, Britney, & Kynlee came over yesterday & of course Monte & I stop what we're doing & we do whatever Kynlee wants to do. She jumped on the trampoline, rode her quad, & played sword fighting w/ all the sticks in the yard. Ringo joined in the sword fight. The one, though, who enjoys the visits the most is Lambeau. He loves when Trev comes over, because, even though he's a dog, he loves Trev!! He usually knows they're coming long before we see him, b/c he hears his jeep. He gets here & he jumps all over him. He comes inside & Lambeau does all he can to sit on his lap. If you've ever seen Lambeau you know he's not a lap dog, he weighs about 120pnds. Trevor talks to him, pets him, brushes him, gives him extra treats & spends as much time w/ him as he can. Lambeau is happy. Or atleast it seems that, for a dog he is. After everybody was gone & the ones that live here were in bed I went to make sure Lambeau was not tangled up & was ready for bed himself, yes I know I'm weird--I treat these dogs like they're humans, anyway, he was on the porch, laying on a blanket. He seemed very content. When I opened the door he raised his head to look at me & I said, "are you happy? You like when your person comes & sees you!" He layed his head back down & I never heard another thing from him. Which is a miracle b/c I promise you--he is nocturnal & barks at every little thing, especially at nite. So anyway I'm thinking about how we should be like Lambeau w/ Trevor. In John 10:27 it says, "My sheep hear my voice, & I know them & they follow me." Jesus calls to us-we hear Him & we should be excited, we should follow Him. He loves us & has good plans for us & that should make us content & satisfied. We chase & run after things that mean nothing, that sometimes are even no good for us. We need to be listening for our Saviors voice & then obeying what He's saying. We need to spend time w/ Him & be content in & w/ that time. Let's try & do that today. Let's start looking forward to time w/ our good shepherd, hearing His voice & getting excited about what He says!! And let that just flow through out the rest of our day. Following after Jesus is way better than anything we could follow after on our own. He'll never lead us astray, never contradict what He says, & His promises are true!! What great hope that should give us today!!

I've been having trouble sleeping lately, well since about November, it stinks!!! Part of the problem is temperature. I go to bed fine, pajamas, blanket, sometimes socks on-depending how cold it is or I am. I wake up....beyond hot!! I'm ripping blankets off, socks off, whatever I can get off. Well then it's hard to get back to sleep for me. So you know how it can be when your tired, it effects everything else in your life. Well it has mine anyway, the only thing I think of is sleep, I might be a little dramatic but you get the idea. I get up in the morning get done what I need too & sleep till I have to get ready for work. I come home from work & think, "maybe I can nap for half an hour." I feel grouchy & hateful. I don't like it, it's not who I want to be. Then I was talking to somebody about it & I know their intentions were good but they said, "oh your just getting started!! This could go on FOR YEARS!!!" WHAAAAT!!!!! I can't do this for years!!! Well this morning when I woke up, for the 2nd time, it was b/c I was freezing!! Are you kidding me!? The 1st time I'm sweating like a politician in church & the next time I couldn't get enough blankets on--frustrating. Well it brought this verse to my mind: Revelation 3:16- So, b/c you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. I thought, "well, yes Lord, I am either hot or cold--doesn't seem like there's much in between." But that's not what He's talking about--I know that & I'm gonna be honest w/ you all....spiritually---I feel like maybe God would spit me out. I don't want that--I want to be on fire for Him. I want my daily routine to get back to it's normal routine. I don't want to be tired anymore. I know a lot of this will pass. I know that God sees way beyond my upfront self. He knows the desires of my heart & sees what's going on in my mind, He will do in me what needs to be done to give me a revival of the heart & a renewing of the mind. I know His work is being done even as I write this. So I guess I want to encourage each of you, that if you've been feeling "lukewarm" don't give up. Don't just think, "I'm going to be spit out & that's it!" It's not it. Go to God, tell Him what's going on. Let Him do the healing in you, before we all know it, He's going to set a Holy fire in us all that cannot be contained & how wonderfully great that will be, for Him & us!!!

Isaiah 58:9- Then you will call, & The Lord will answer; you will cry for help, & he will say; "Here am I..." I came across this verse last night & I was just so excited. I read it over & over & over again. For me, it's so encouraging--when I call out God says, "I'm right here!" He here's me!! We all want to be heard, we want to know that what we say is important & that somebody is listening. Well God couldn't be any clearer....He says, "Here am I!" I hope this gives you encouragement also. I hope that you'll continue to go to Him & talk to to Him, pray to Him & seek His answers!! He's available, He's listening. His answers are always for our good. There is hope in Him always!!! Don't give up & don't stop calling to Him. That would be my encouragement to us all today. I pray you find your hope in & through His word!!

Isaiah 55:1- Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters....I started thinking about this verse when I woke up & my throat was so dry & all I wanted was water. As soon as the water hit I was like, "aahhh--better!! Much better!" Thats kind of how it is for us when we're not soaking ourselves in God!! When we're ignoring our quiet time w/ Him, it will make us dry & parched. It will make us want something-anything to take that dryness away, to quench us. I love coffee but when I get so thirsty coffee doesn't help, I need just water. That's how we are spiritually, we're dry, so we pour all this stuff in us trying to take it away & nothing is going to work but just getting w/ God & letting Him pour Himself in us--on us. So if spiritual dryness is something your dealing w/ right now, do the only thing that's going to make you thirst no more...go to Him & let Him just pour it out on you like rain!! I promise you will feel so much better, you'll be saying, "aaahh! Much-much better!!"

I am sick...again!!! I hate it. I'm sure you know the feelings, your tired & just don't feel like yourself. My family really doesn't like it when I'm sick, for obvious reasons, but 1 of the main reasons is, I don't feel like joking around. Trying to watch tv & Matt insists on singing the theme song, most of the time I'm singing along w/ him, but my head hurts & I don't want to sing. I don't even remember what Natalie said, but the response I gave her wasn't what she thought & so then I got a, "WOOOW!" Sorry I'm sick. I take a shower, make some tea, grab a blanket & sit on the couch. As I'm sitting there w/ my tea it made me think of my grandma (tichawa-she lived in Chicago)she was a HUUUGE tea drinker. It made me think of both of my grandmas really. When I was in labor w/ Jake & waiting for Monte to pick me up, I was at my Gma McGhie's, she lived in town, well as my contractions are coming & I'm getting anxious she says, "you want me to make you some tea?" So tea has always been kind of comforting & soothing for me. When I was drinking it last night it just brought a little bit of peace to me. Good memories came flooding back & I thought, "thank you Father for putting those 2 ladies in my life," they were different in many ways, but the thing that made them exactly the same was love. They both loved w/ all they had & they had very big hearts!! They were welcoming & hospitable. And I thought, I hope as I start having grand kids that they will think those things of me. That beyond anything they know about me, they will know & remember my love was strong. It's important that we show & share that love with all those around us, even if we're sick & don't necessarily feel like it, our love needs to flow. So let's all do our best to make sure our love faucet is on high--what a difference we might make to just 1 person & that's really all we need to do--is reach just 1 person!! God will always do the rest & more seeds will be planted, & love will be shown. Just let it start w/ you....& maybe some tea ;-)) 1John 3:11...We should love one another. 1John 3:16- This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers & sisters.

Psalm 61:3- For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe....what a great reminder that God is our ultimate safe place. Through any kind of storm He remains steady. No matter what might be going on in our lives, He remains constant. This world changes constantly, & sometimes that's okay, but sometimes it's just not. It's scary, confusing, & can make us tired & weary, but my prayer for each of us is that we would take comfort in our Strong Tower. We would go to God & let Him restore us & remind us of our hope in Him. Hope isn't found here, in this world, but it sure is found in our God!!! So remember this verse as you go through out your day & always take your refuge in Him!!!

"You are loved by God from before time began." I'm not sure where I came across that little quote but I wrote it down in my journal & just came across it again. I thought it was worth sharing, b/c I don't know about you...but I forget that sometimes. My mind goes so fast & of course satan loves to throw up all my mistakes, past & present, & I start to think, "I'm not very lovable or even like able." But my God is so good & so faithful & He certainly doesn't want me to think that way. Yes, He wants me aware of what I'm doing, doesn't want me to sin, but even when I do, He offers His forgiveness & He throws those sins in the sea of forgetfulness. He doesn't bring them back up to me, in fact this is what He says in 2Cor 12:9- He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness," He knows my weak spots & He gives me His strength to get me through!!! I'm thankful for that!!! I'm thankful for Him!! I pray that in your weakness you would know this too & take comfort in His word & in Him. That we would all know that Gods standard & viewpoint about us is the most important viewpoint & standard there is!! So as you go through out your day today remember Gods great truths about you: you are loved--you are forgiven--you are chosen/hand picked by God!! I pray these truths keep your eyes fixed on Him & your head held high!! Matthew 25:34- Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepare for you since the creation of the world."

I just wanted to give you all some encouragement this morning. Maybe your good right now, which is wonderful, but these are just a couple verses to keep in your head & heart for those moments when things seem out of control. I think we all have those times when we're not sure how things are going to turn out & we get nervous or scared. We've got to remember that even when things seem out of our control, they're never EVER out of Gods control. He tells us exactly what we need to do during those anxious times. What great hope & comfort He gives to us!!! Praying your able to recall His word & do exactly what it says--give it to Him!! Hope your Monday is a good one. 1Peter 5:7- Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Psalm 55:16&22- As for me, I call to God, .& The Lord saves me. Cast your cares on The Lord & he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

One of my favorites books is Esther. I love everything about it, all the people in it, how God (of course) worked everything out. I think my favorite verse from this book is Esther 4:14b- "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this." God called Esther-she answered. She had some help along the way, someone encouraging her, reminding her of the work God was doing through her. It always makes me think, "what has God called me for?" He's called me for a lot of things, I have taught Sunday school & still help when I'm needed, worked w/ youth. He's called me to play in the praise band--love love love!!! But He's also called me to be like Him!! He's called me to show love, even to the unlovable. To be kind, even when there's no kindness in return. To be His light in this dark world, to point people always in the direction of Him. I'm thankful for this calling. I'm thankful that I can look at that verse in Esthet & say, "yes! I have come to this place/position for this such time!" He's called each of us, by name, for His purpose. He will equip us to do the work & we just need to listen to His voice & obey what He's saying. Not always the easiest, but He is w/ us...always...to the very end. So that even through the hard days/times we can still, through His grace, keep going. So let's make sure as we're going through our busy day, that we show Jesus to each person that we come in touch with. When we act or look or speak like Him, it makes an impact or plants a seed in the person we are with & I always think that God is just smiling & thinking, "yep, that's my kid--they look & act just like me!!!" What a wonderful thought as we go through out our day :-)) that we look like our Heavenly Father & that pleases Him!!! Couple verses to help remind you of Gods involvement through out your day... Phil 1:6- ...that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Heb 13:20a & 21- Now may the God of peace...equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever amen.