Tag: prayer

Chasing Joy
Faith · Inspiration · Life Hacks · Spiritual

Chasing Joy

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“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

This world can be a difficult place some times; and during certain seasons of our lives, maybe more often than not. I’ve found myself moving down some good old paths as well as starting new things. I love new beginnings. But I realize new beginnings can be difficult too. New beginnings are even more difficult when you’re navigating them alone.

It’s not that I want to exclude people. In fact, I think, now more than ever, I’ve become more inclusive. But at the same time, I’ve learnt to be completely cool with being by myself. We won’t always have the pleasure of other people’s company especially the pleasure of the company of like minds. And some times, we wish, only wish, someone else would physically come alongside us on our journey. At least I feel that way.

Sometimes, I think, in the middle of all this, we have to chase joy. Joy can be elusive. We have to actively look for joy in the Lord, because the joy of the Lord is where our strength lies.It’s not an easy thing to do. Some days we just want to drown in the pool of our self pity. It’s much easier – less tasking.

Joy requires a little bit more energy than self pity, but its reward  is so worth it. There are some dark days, when the only thoughts that come are thoughts of failure, loneliness, confusion, worthlessness, but joy is always so near if we would only reach out just a little bit.

It usually takes one painful step to get to joy. It takes looking away from all the ugly, closing your ears to the heartless voices and looking up. Just one act and then another. It begins with lifting up your head, your eyes shifting their gaze. Then you utter one word and then another. God… Lord… Father.

Father, help me. Help me. I trust You. I choose You. Help me, I have no strength of my own. Your joy is my strength. Thank You for joy. Thank You for making my life so beautiful. Thank You for never leaving me or abandoning me. I’m so glad You think of me. And You love me, and You’re with me. I cannot be brought down because You lift me up. I can never be ashamed because it is Your face that shines on me! Hallelujah! God is with me now!

So one first move, and then another. Look to Jehovah and give thanks. Thanksgiving is a wonderful expression of our faith in an amazing, unchangeable God (who is Love, by the way). So chase joy; don’t let it slip away. Chase joy in God; He is never far away from His family.

And finally, you can be a part of God’s family by calling on the Name of His Son, the Lord Jesus, who has already paid the price for your sins. Is sin a dirty word? Yes, but perfect to ascribe to us. No one, not one is righteous. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory. Call on the Lord and discover the joy of the Lord as your strength! Choose God; choose joy.

You can comment or email me directly if you have any questions about this call to God’s family. You can comment or email anyway!  😀 I pray that you will know God’s joy, love and mercy in Jesus Name. And so it will be.

Dreams and the Future · Faith · Life Hacks · Spiritual

Beloved, and Loving the Wind of Change!

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I’ve been navigating some difficult things this period of my life; the silence, the confusion…did I say the silence?

It seemed like on the things that mattered to me, God was silent. It seemed like God was unfair for allowing me to experience the pain I did. I struggled some and triumphed some, but I still wondered if God was with me. I knew it but I could not feel it.

Today, God opened my eyes to the thorn in my side. I said to my Father, now, in my mind, I am free, but I do not feel free. I asked Him to MAKE me free. He showed me something WAY bigger than I could ever have anticipated. He freed me from the bondage of ignorance. He blew on me a wind of change.

God made me realize that He is love, and as large as He is, He wants to pour every drop of Himself into me! So I saw through His eyes, how precious I was (am) to Him, and I began to thirst for every drop. I have become convinced – FULLY convinced – that God wants to give it ALL to me!! To Him, I am worth every drop of His amazing love. I am precious in His sight. All His love is for me to desire and receive and experience. I am the Beloved of God!

Today, I cried out to my Father, “You are just! And Your judgements are fair O God!” God is indeed just and merciful for allowing me to go through the darkness and pain. I could not see it when I was in it, but when I came out of it, I saw that it was by the mercies and love of God that He took me through the valley of darkness. I praise You God, for You are merciful; all Your ways are true!

Now, I can begin again, in full assurance of God’s love because He patiently took me through this place from which I have come. I am eternally grateful. I would have given much to know what I know today. Dear fellow sojourners, if you see me, you will see a thirsty soul, thirsty for the love of God. You will see an insatiable soul, because I will never say enough! Oh God! Your love is better than life and I want EVERY drop!

    

Faith · Inspiration · Spiritual

Re Dedication

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“Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My [strength] may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my life. He is mine forever.” -(Psalm 73:23-26)

I wrote the following in my journal on the 13th of June. It’s so relevant to me today.

Rededication:

  
Maybe I’m the best person to write this because I know what down looks like.

I tentatively accept the embrace of my Heavenly Father who has been waiting patiently and hopefully for my form to appear in the distance- prodigal.

LORD, lead me wherever You will. A day with You is better than a million elsewhere. Your love for me is what keeps me together in spite of myself-my self, which is sinful.

I love You back, LORD, and with everything in me. I give me wholly to You. You know everything about me. Please fill me with You. I want to be like You.

LORD, You can have everything – every moment of my life. Please accept me broken and unclean. You know how to bring light out of darkness. I’m all for You- You alone have the words of eternal life.

I accept Your own way. Every thing about it. I’m the freed and enslaved of Christ. I know You will never leave me. You will preserve me. 

Preserve me.

Amen.

Dreams and the Future · Faith · Inspiration · Spiritual

Little Faith and Faith in Little

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“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that will I seek after- for me to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 (MEV)

Elijah was escaping from the hands of queen Jezebel and was led by the angel of God to the mountain to speak to God. The Bible records that a great wind came, but God was not in the wind. Then an earthquake-God was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire. But God was not in the fire. After, the fire, a still small voice. That’s where God was found: in the simple, small, quiet and ordinary.

There’s something new God is showing me in my life; something I’m embracing the whole way now. 

LORD, I’m choosing to follow this way You’re carving for me. I’m choosing to take everything in the little doses You let me experience each day and each moment. Drop by drop. Piece by piece. In little portions. Little seed sized faith to little seed sized faith.

I’m not going to seek the great wind or the earthquake or the fire. It’s faith to faith and its mustard seed-sized. I don’t know why, but it is in the little, quiet, humble and ordinary that I find You- that I hear You clearly and experience You fully. It’s like You like to dwell in the mustard seed-sized ordinary moments.

Now I’ll be quiet like a weaned child. We’ll wait together. I hear You, LORD.

Amen.

Bible Studies · Faith · Spiritual

A Prayer Close to God’s Heart

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Dear LORD, You are present everywhere, every time, always.

You are infinite, rock solid.

You are here now and in tomorrow. You are everything and in everything.

You see me and hear me and You listen. I can listen to You and hear You.

Your words are life- You are life. Everything You do is good. Everything You say is truth.

I want to be with You- long to be with You. I want to know Your love that’s infinite.

Father, please fill me with Your purpose- fill my heart with Your love and the knowledge of Your love. Help me see Your fingerprints in everything. Help me listen for Your voice as You speak to me inwardly.

My heart is a book- please write on it. Mould me and make me as You want to. Fill me with Your love and the knowledge of Your love. Help me tell always of the good news of Your wonderful grace.

You are everything and in everything- fill me with You LORD. Let me rest in Your presence always, and experience Your goodness, always.

LORD, You are good, always. You are my rock and shield. I love to dwell in Your secret place. Fill my heart and mouth with songs upon songs of praise to You.

I love You LORD. Let me rest in Your love and be close to Your heart.

I love You Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit. Let me rest in You forever.

Teach me. Heal me. Keep me. Bless me. I wait for You- for Your words. Please use me to sow seeds of Your love.

Amen. 😊

Faith · Inspiration · Spiritual

A Trust Prayer

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Dear LORD,

I’ve been struggling with trusting You.This morning I prayed to You and told You that I wanted to let go, but still needed Your direction.

You heard my prayer and answered swiftly. 😀 I know that is what it means to experience Your love and mercy that You give me as I am.

You always direct me in the things I need to know and do for the time or season. You remind me that You hear me and You listen to me. It’s true that I can’t and don’t see everything clearly now, but You’ve proved beyond all doubt that You do listen and You answer not just as You please. I also know that it pleases You to love me. That’s great because I can always count on You doing the things You do out of love for me. 😀

I know now that if I can’t see some things clearly, I should trust still because You know all things and You love me. I can know ; I can be confident that when the time is right, I will also receive clarity and Your guidance about specific things.

Today is beautiful, and Now is always a good time to experience and express Your love with the resources You give me.

You have given me all things freely and richly to enjoy. I trust You Father. Thank You for loving me. I love You.

P.S. Thank You for adding another year to my sister’s life today! 😀

Faith · Inspiration · Spiritual

For The Things We Have

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Dear Father,

Thank You. 

Every day I breathe in holds its blessings. Small and big. Things and people. Old and young. Frail and strong. Through the darkness and in the light. In the words I hear and in the thoughts I speak. Gifts of all shapes and sizes. 

There are also the moments like the plains in between the hills and valleys, that don’t seem to have anything. Sometimes I’m tempted to fill the plains with sadness because I forget the gifts that He already gave me. Sometimes I think of what I don’t have and what does not seem to be given and I count it as some of my losses. 

I realize that that is a terrible way of thinking. I have the choice to look closely at my Father and remember every good thing or to mourn the things I don’t have. My life could be full and rich when I realize how FULL and RICH MY LIFE IS.

I think I’ll say that again: my life can be full and rich when I realize how full and rich my life already is; when I count the blessings that my Father always gives to me. Small and big. Frail and strong. Old and young. Through the darkness and in the light. In the words I hear and in the thoughts I speak. For the blessings that come in all shapes and sizes.

My life changed when I understood that Christ Jesus came not to judge me, but to save me. I have the wonderful chance to be a child of God who can always enjoy His love and presence. He promised to never leave me or abandon me. I can look at my life always, and thank Him for the things I have-the things He has given.

Thank You Father for every good gift.

Faith · Inspiration · Life Hacks

I Think I Just Owned My Life!

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Oh LORD,

Please help me to embrace my life- to own every part of it. Help me to acknowledge that even the painful parts are mine.

Sometimes I’m tempted to run away from it- to deny that it is mine. Help me not to run away but to own it and give it to You. If I acknowledge it then I can say, “LORD, I give You MY pain,” and You can be Lord over it.

I’m owning it all now- everything.

It’s not easy, but I feel at home now in my own skin and in my own life. If I am pinched, it will hurt. If I’m embraced, it would put a smile on my face.

I don’t understand it all, but I think I just owned my life!

Thank You LORD! ☺️

Uncategorized

14 December 2014

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14 December 2014

Dear Father,

Please help me to be content with what I have. Help me see that You have given me all I need right now, and You’ll supply my needs always.
Sometimes, I think wrongly that if I have something that is currently out of my reach, I’ll be better , happier and more fulfilled.
I want to be at peace. I am at peace when I realize that You’ve given me and will give me what I need.

Please LORD, help me see the full riches of Your supply in my life. Please help me to receive it with all my heart.

Thank You LORD.
Thank You also for keeping my mom safe to celebrate a new year in her life!
🙂