In the midst of the chaos, the swirling events of each day, and the uncertainty that the thoughts of tomorrow bring, remember to take time to BE STILL.

One reason that we so often become overwhelmed, flustered, and beaten down is our great lack to take time to just be still and hear God’s voice. To take a real, physical break to sit, listen, pray, and read the Word. To recharge for whatever may lay ahead, but now with our hand gripped firmly in the infinite One’s.

Jesus promised He would give us a water that will quench our thirst. We are constantly struggling, striving, pushing to meet the demands of this world and our society. We are thirsting for fulfillment, for approval, for acknowledgement. All along Jesus is by our side with the one thing which will quench us and satisfy our soul-hunger.

Being still in a world that is never still is something that is near impossible. The world constantly moves, changes, morphs into new trends and ideals - life is a struggle to keep up, to never fall behind. But for the Christian, taking time to be still is something that must happen, and not just once a week in Church - no, daily. 

When we lose our way and we don’t remember who we are because we are chasing the dreams, the aspirations, the goals that we have set for our own feet based on a worldly measurement of success or greatness, we realize something very fast. Our chase is never ending, always exhausting, and forever draining. As our dreams fade into the distance, we wonder where we went wrong. What we did that created this pain.

Have you ever thought that it was because of our lack of communication with the one who wrote our life-story in the first place!

It's like building a home and not looking at the builder's blueprint. We say, "I got this, leave me be!" We don't consult the builder and instead try to pick up random pieces and stick them together to "make them work". Of course, this fails miserably, and we end up with a mess with all the pieces jumbled and falling apart.

That is why we must turn to God for for the heart-quenching answers that He can only give.

Remember this, you are a child of God. God knew your name before you were born. He formed you. He loves you unconditionally. And He never gives up on you. He sees your brokenness and through it tries to speak. 

Yet, how often we  are so caught up in either only seeing our troubles and becoming full of self-pity, ignoring our troubles (and also ignoring anything to do with fixing them), or trying to pretend nothing is wrong, and we are “fine, thank-you very much”. Inside though, our heart does not lie about the real situation. We want to be heard. We want to find our life-purpose, our mission. We want the pieces to fit together.

If we would SIT STILL and just take time to listen. To really listen to that still small voice, we would realize what the problem is. We’ve been relying on our own strength rather than God’s mighty power in our life - grace. We’ve been filled with self-pity in some cases and loathing in others, instead of seeing who we are through God’s eyes - a wonderful creation, formed for a reason. A reason far beyond breathing each day, just “getting by”, and finishing each week of work.

My friend, we are here for much more. God has a purpose for YOU! And He wants to talk to you. Will you take a moment to listen and spend time with Him? Just as a friend wants to spend time with you, because they want to get to know you more, so Jesus wants you to spend time with Him too so that you can get to know HIM more. 

In the chaos and uncertainly of this world, we will only find our strength and courage in Christ. We can only find it if we go to HIM asking, learning, and soaking it all in.

In a world that focuses on being constantly busy to cover up the heart-cry for something more fulfilling, let us take a few moments to be still. And wait for the still small whisper in each of our hearts.

Life is not easy, yet it is not impossible with God by our side. He will make a way when no way is seen and He will open doors when we see only a wall of discouragement.

But we must first ask, and to ask we must take a moment to be still and know that “HE IS GOD”.

PRAYER:

Lord, I know that in a world of hurry and rush, I can get so caught up in it that I forget to seek your face. So, Father, help me to make time to hear your whisper in my heart and come away from the all of the busyness of life, to spend time with YOU. I gain my strength from YOU. I gain courage from YOU. And my hope is found in Your Son’s sacrifice for my sins. I pray that I will tune my ear to hear your voice in my heart and that I will become spiritually strong in Your name. I pray this in Jesus Name, Amen. 

My children don't worry take my hand

I'm taking you down this road you don't understand… yet

There may be tears while your waiting for these answers

You only see the picture I can see the future

"The May Be Tears" - Scott Cunningham Band

There is no way to know what your future holds, but with a little faith and belief that God has it all in

HIs hands, you can be sure - very sure - that “it will be alright”!

Many times the things we are confident are steady, secure, and built to last crumble before our very eyes.

That plan you made for yourself 5 years ago,  crumbles away to nothing and you find yourself in a very different place than you

ever imagined. That friendship which you valued and felt would always be there fades away. That job which seemed so

steady becomes uncertain and unpredictable. The plan you had for your life seems to be the very opposite of what you had envisioned. You feel despair creep up, ready to smother you with fear and doubt. “God my life is impossible! I cannot make sense of it”, you cry out. 

But the Lover of your soul whispers, “My child, I know your future, I see the big picture, I know what’s best. Don’t let yourself become so enwrapped with your idea of your life and its direction that you cannot see the grand story. It  is so much bigger than the small picture you see. ” Think of it this way: God can see your whole story, the whole intertwined tale of your life - while you can only see the tunnel vision which is one part, of one aspect, of one tiny sliver of your life.

My friend, one lesson we must learn in this life is this: You don’t know your future and you cannot play king or queen of your destiny. Sometimes things go out of our control and we must accept that the bigger picture is worth all the pain.

God sees the big scheme of things. He takes you down paths that you don’t understand. The impossibilities with man become great opportunities. The seeming failures become His canvas for a bright future. There may be tears, there may be heartbreak, but God has your life in His hands and before you were even born He had a perfect plan for it.

It’s going to be alright! Have faith! Just take the Lord’s hand and walk with Him one step at a time, letting Him lead.

One day, if it be in this world or the next, we will understand why the pain, the heartbreak, the change, the direction of our life went the way it did. 

I like to think that we are not just separate individuals in this world. We are individuals connected and interconnected with all those around us, those people connected to those around us, and beyond. It’s a tapestry woven by God’s own hand of connections, opportunities, and miracles. The hardship that you are going through may be what it takes for one of your connections to be inspired by your faith-walk and come to the knowledge of God.  The joy that you just experienced may be a testimony of God’s great faithfulness and that neighbour you just shared with will ultimately change the course of his life just because of it.

My friend, in all of this, one thing is very certain. By faith and believing in God it will all work out; one way or another. We may not see it now, we may not understand, we may not feel joy at first, but I can tell you that God KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING!

And the most impossible dream is a possibility with God!

So don’t be afraid to dream,  don’t be afraid to hope, but put every one of those hopes and dreams in the hands of the Maker of Heaven and earth. And then your future will be secure and your questions will all be answered in time.

For now, enjoy. believe. rest. Be held in the Almighty Arms. You are safe, very safe, in those Hands of grace and love.

Each of us has a Jericho. Each of us has a Goliath. Each of us comes to the walls, look up and cringe at the heights. We see the giant of a trial and our hearts shudder.  

Yet, something becomes apparent very quickly. We either go forward or fall back. We either shrug off our fears or let them overtake us. 

Do we want to take the wide path, the way paved with deceptive ease? Or do we say “NO!” And overcome through Gods grace with a “I WILL FIGHT, LORD”

Living safe does not mean living stronger. Sometimes turning our back on comfort and striking out on the conquerors path means letting go of our fears and just going forward in faith. 

Fear will cling to you and eat away at your very soul. It holds your heart captive, robbing you of joy, but letting God’s love in will let you truly live free again. 

You will be stronger with God’s love. Braver. Free. The one conquered by fear will be victor through Christ Jesus our Lord.

No longer afraid. ashamed. a slave to fear. 

First say, NO LONGER. I don’t want to live half alive. I don’t want to live frightened. I want to have my heart on fire for God and want to bless others freely and selflessly. 

Remember who you are. As you look up at the stars, remember you are a child of the Almighty GOD. You are precious, desired, wanted by the Lover of your soul.

So rest in that and boldly go forward. Each day a step forward, each moment a conquering of your fears and realization of God’ will. Knowing that the bonds which held you are broken and you are free - truly and wholly free.

How many times have I passed by the little things? Only to go after the big ones - the big dreams, the lofty ambitions, the huge opportunities?

How many times have I aimed for the moon, falling back to earth only because I could not, would not appreciate the stars?

How many times have I not appreciated what I am blessed with already because I am too busy searching for something greater? Dreaming about something which may not be in God's plan? Not being satisfied with right now, right here - exactly where God has placed me?

For truly, it is the little moments that count. It is the time spent with family, a friend, a loved one - the laughter, the sweet words, the heartfelt talks.

It is the sunset on a warm summer evening, painted by the hand of God, telling of His unfailing love, and attention to the little details.

It is in the miracle of a butterfly - the transformation from something with little beauty to a dainty, intricate creature that makes us stop and wonder. 

It is in the spiritual gifts from God that He gives to me. 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galations 5:22-23

And have I forgotten about the fact that God has given me HIS love - the greatest treasure of all?

Have I forgotten that I have been placed right here, right now for a purpose of God's calling? Have I missed the whole picture in seeing only my plans, and not God's way?

___________

What about the small talents I have been gifted with now - how am I using these "little things" for Christ?

God places each of us in certain capacities, I believe, to work our characters and test our faith."What will you do with that talent I have given you?" ,  Jesus asks.

Just as in scripture (Matthew 25: 14-30) the man with servants gave each different talents according to their capacity, so we are given distinct and unique talents. God wants to see how we will use them.

Our goal is for Our Lord to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23)

God fits us for bigger tasks by placing us with the little tasks. And it is the little tasks that shape us, and mold us for the greater ones.

If we are faithful in carrying out His mission in the small capacities that we now hold, and increasing these opportunities with our determination and faithfulness, God will open up new doors for us to walk through.

If we are pining for things that God has not revealed yet, and wish for that which we were not placed in, then how are we carrying forth the divine commission to be faithful in the few things? 

My desire is that I will notice the little things in my life that God has given me. The little tasks He has entrusted in my care. And do them well. Do them with a heart tuned to the melody of heaven and eyes fixed on the cross.

My prayer is that my heart will be soft to notice when others are in need of a kind word, helping hand, or silent prayer in their behalf. When someone lonely needs a smile to brighten their day. For, I cannot know when that word in season changed a life for the better. 

It's the little things that shape us, make us, and mold us into the individuals that we are. 

For, it is through the "little things" that we are able to reveal the love and character of Christ and touch one soul, one heart at a time.

Sing to me the song of the stars

Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again

When it feels like my dreams are so far 

Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again ~ lyrics, "ONLY HOPE"

There's a melody in each of our hearts, a beautiful strain that can't be contained. It has been planted in our soul by the infinite One. The wonder of the universe, and the great welling desire to be loved and belong.

Because of sin, humanity is left with a missing piece in their souls. So often mankind fills this void with anything and everything that they think will complete them. 

It doesn't. They are left empty, and alone. 

But God is there all along. He has the piece that completes. The missing piece to the puzzle is in His hand. 

That's when He breaths into our hearts the love He has for us, the plans he has in store, the completeness He can offer. 

He's our only hope.

So, lifting our hands, bowing our heads, opening our hearts, let us allow God to complete us. 

We must surrender our destiny, our plans, everything we were and are now to the One - the only One who can provide peace and completeness for our soul.

When we surrender to Him, He fills the dark void with His light - the light that gave dimension and breathtaking beauty to the galaxies. 

Then, our one desire will be to belong to Him. And our heart-song? To be a part of his endless symphony of love. 

Lord , I'm in the dark, Seems to me the line is dead when I come calling. No one there, the sky is falling; Lord, I need to know. My mind is playing games again, You're right where You have always been. Take me back to You, The place that I once knew as a little child; Constantly the eyes of God watched over me. Oh, I want to be In the place that I once knew as a little child... "I will rest in You"

When your mind is running ahead of God's plan, when waiting is painful and dreaming occupies your days, remember to just rest in God. Remember to be as a little child - in faith, trusting that what you do not understand right not, what you can't see,  what seems to make no sense at this moment is known by our loving Heavenly Father.

There is a beauty, a peace in just resting. In saying, "Lord, I don't know much, and what I think I know is nothing compared to your infinite mind. So, I rest in Your plans, Your ways, Your love."

But this means in no way that we should stand idle. Look for that job, search for the home, pray for a soul-mate, but never lose your child-like faith and the simplicity of just resting in God's hands.

When your mind seems to be playing tricks on you, when you can't seem to see a clear path for your feet, "look up".

Just as Pilgrim in Pilgrims Progress had to look at the light above him when he went through the slough of despair so that the steps would become visible, so we should look to heaven when things become unclear and uncertain.

Open your Bible, ask Godly council, pray continually - and the way will become visible to your stumbling heart. The answer might be "wait" and that waiting time will be exactly what you need to prepare for the soul journey ahead.

But the answer will come and when it does, when the steps are illuminated - take them. Don't hesitate. Move forward confidently, for heaven has made a way for you to walk through even the most difficult situations.

Just rest, knowing that God will make a way when there's none. He will make a path when there's an ocean of impossibility between. When there's no oasis for miles around a spring will well up from the very desert. You are in good, good hands.

So trust as a child trusts its parent implicitly. "Trust and obey! There's no other way to be happy, but to trust and obey"

And rest, knowing that God has everything in His hands and is watching over you, guiding each step - each heartbeat - each breath.

Each breath we take, each heartbeat that beats is a precious gift, a beautiful reminder. A reminder that we are not in control. It is a blessing of God. 

So what will I do with this breath that I have been given?

I was reminded of the fragility of life just recently and my heart was touched knowing that I could bring hope to another human being with a very simple gesture. You will never know what a card, smile, or simple word of encouragement will do until you’ve tried.

If we would love more, hate less, bless more, take less - our lives would be so much more full and satisfied.

The love and be loved.

To bless and be blessed. 

This is what fills up our cups and overflows them. God blesses us in our lives so greatly. Our paths will definitely not be smooth the whole way, but look around. Has HE given you breath? Has HE given you a warm place to live? Family & friends that love you?

And most of all, HIS love. Hasn’t Jesus given you this as well? Didn’t He give you life over death, freedom over bondage?

In Christ we find our love, our life, our hope - why not share that with someone else?

As we touch another’s heart we not only change their lives but we ourselves are blessed.

Our lives are like wisps of smoke that come and go ever so quickly. How will you make the most of what God has given you?

How will you tell someone today, “You life is precious. Don’t give up”?

Truly, our life is a beautiful gift. What will you do with this gift?

Do you ever wonder as the days blend into months, the months to years, just what your mission is?

What the epiphany of life is? Why you are here?

Deep down, God has planted in each of our hearts a desire. To be something. To accomplish. To succeed.

To run the race. 

As a Christian we realize our destiny. But the rain and the storms dim our eyes. Our hearts become weak. We’re not sure if we’re ever going to make it. We feel torn down, broken.

But that flame is there, flickering still.  Deep in your soul, you know that you were made to run the race - the race of light over darkness, freedom over bondage. And as we go through life, we plant seeds of kindness, courage, and hope in others’ hearts.

Don’t give up. The prize is ahead, waiting just around the corner for you. This is not the end. That flame in your heart was given to you to be a shining light, so that you can fulfill your life mission: to bless, serve, and minister to others.

Courage will come in the darkest nights. You were made for this day. You were made for each day that is given you. Each breath is a gift. 

And your life is unique. Only YOU can accomplish the mission you were given. Each of us were gifted with talents that we can use to God’s glory. 

Will we let discouragement take us captive or take hold of Faith and let God free our hearts?

Don’t lose hope, focus on the mission at hand.

How can I BLESS Someone TODAY?

How can I REACH OUT to someone TODAY? 

How can I bring HOPE to someone today?

We were all were made with a desire, a yearning to accomplish something great. And this is our ultimate mission. To become light-seekers and reflect that light of Jesus Christ to the world.

We may not find ourselves in influential positions, meeting world-changers, and making life-changing decisions. But who says that smile you just gave that sad elderly man did not bring hope back into his life? Have you ever wondered what just one kind word, smile, or simple gesture can do to the receiver’s life?

The power of our actions are unprecedented. The reach of just one smile could light up the whole town. 

By blessing others, we are blessed. By loving others, we feel loved. By touching another’s hearts we light up ourselves.

So, next time you are discouraged, find someone to bless or even pray for that day. See if it doesn’t change your heart!

Sometimes we lose sight of the true meaning of laying our helpless, hopeless plans in the hands of the Infinite. We forget that Jesus is the way, truth, and life. 

He is the reader of our dreams, the secret observer of our heart yearnings, the quiet listener when we whisper our deepest desires and hopes, the one that lends a sympathetic ear to our anguished filled prayers. 

We forget that He is the light on our path, guiding, leading, gently orchestrating our life.

When you do not know your next step, When the next minute, hour, day, week, month, and year in the future is unknown - just remember that it does not matter if we do not know.

If Jesus is the one leading you, your future is sure. He will be by your side, and that is a certainty you can rest in.

When you cry out to Him, He's there. When your anguished heart reaches for hope, He touches your soul through circumstances, others on your life journey, and everyday miracles. When you seek guidance, He will provide it. 

Just listen. Many times we cannot hear because we refuse to listen. 

When your dreams are bigger than so-called reality? Just place them completely in the hands of the good shepherd. He will lead your heart and open doors that you imagined were bolted and locked. 

He sees the fallen tear. He has a book of remembrance for each tear that falls.

He knows your deepest longings. A prayer for a loved one who has gone from the truth, a prayer of deliverance from a sin, a deep heart desire for a closer walk with Him - He hears it all.

Zacharius in the New Testament prayed for a child for years, and only when he was aged in years did that prayer become reality. Yet, the prayers of the years of waiting had been heard and in the right time and right place they were fulfilled.

God hears every one of your prayers, if they are done in sincerity and truth. You may be left with what seems to be a waiting time, but fear not if it is God's will in the right moment at the right time it WILL happen. And no power on earth can stop that prayer from being answered when that time comes. 

So have hope. There is a listener to every one of your expressed heart desires. And He just wants you to take it all to Him. Don't hide. He sees what is in your heart before you say it. Lay it all bare. 

Open your heart. And let the peace in knowing that God is in control and knows your future wash over you.

Rest in that. Rest in Christ's love and be blessed beyond measure by it.