Category Archives: Encouragement

Dec10

Day 344 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Flood and Fires

Posted on December 10, 2025 by lsgrlr

Today God said lock in, and follow His way, His will, His desires, and make Him the number one in my life. I thought about what that meant and wondered if it was something I could really and truly do. The answer: on my own, no. But in the strength that I have access to through the blood of Christ, absolutely! Does that mean I will suddenly be perfect, or that all my problems will dissolve into the wind? No, no, it doesn’t. Does it mean I will always make the right choices, right decisions, and always be in line with God? No to that as well. What exactly does it mean then? Well, I am glad you asked. It means, Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.“

God doesn’t promise to remove the water and floods of our lives. He doesn’t say He will quench the fires that threaten to burn everything we hold dear. What He does say is, “I WILL BE WITH YOU.” He promises that the rivers won’t overflow us and the fire won’t scorch us, because He will be there wading through the rivers with us. He will stand with us in the midst of the flames. In this fallen world, life will never be perfect, but that does not mean disaster. It means we get to walk with God and let Him

turn our ashes to beauty like only He can. So, LOCK IN friends, hold on to Christ and let Him be your fourth man in the fire.

Today, I am thankful that Christ is with me in my floods and fires.

Dec5

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…Today I Am Thankful For…Sight (Day 389 of 2025).

Posted on December 5, 2025 by lsgrlr

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Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…Today I Am Thankful For…Sight (Day 389 of 2025).

Today has felt dark, as though I am walking around with a rain cloud following me everywhere. It feels heavy, uncomfortable, and if I allow it, it will blind me to the good and excellent things around me. In John 1:46b, Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and SEE.” In verse 29 of that same chapter, we read, “The next day John SAW Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘LOOK, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.'” In Revelation 1:17, John writes, “When I SAW Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead, and now LOOK, I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Philip called his friend to come and SEE the Messiah. John the Baptist SAW the Messiah and testified to what he SAW. In Revelation, John SAW Jesus and fell at His feet, but Jesus told him to LOOK. Without sight, we wander around blindly, bumping into doubt, worry, trouble, guilt, and shame. The world and its webs keep us tangled in our darkness, hiding the light of sight from our view. But Jesus said, ” LOOK, I am alive forever and ever.” But more than that, He came to be our light and give us sight. John 1:4-5. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has NOT overcome it.” Today I am thankful for the sight that comes from the light of Christ.

Dec3

A Return to Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…

Posted on December 3, 2025 by lsgrlr

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A Return to Random (hopefully inspired) Thought…

I started this blog in 2013 after realizing the importance of thankfulness. It came from a desire to give thanks to God for His mercy, grace, and love, whether my circumstances were good or bad. That desire hasn’t changed; my heart is still determined to thank God in all circumstances. I want to have a heart like Paul’s in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 when he says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Thankfulness is God’s will for us. I fell off this blog for a (very long) bit and, honestly, had forgotten about it. Then, one day, in a conversation with my brother, he randomly brought it up and told me God had used it to teach him discipline. I believed when I started this blog that God had a reason, and I still believe that now. He still has a reason. So, join me as we journey together through the ups and downs of life and give God thanks for ALL of it.

Mar25

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on March 25, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 25. “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around” (Verses 8-10). Lately God has been bringing me to scriptures that show the consequences of a life without God’s grace. Israel had taken their faith from God and placed it in “stuff”. They felt safe and protected because of the wall around their city. Invincible, if you will. Not realizing that it was not the wall that kept them safe, but the God who instructed its construction. They had forsaken Him and put their faith not in CREATOR, but in creation. So God allows the destruction of the wall. He allowed the destruction of their city, He allowed the enemy to come in and take them captive. ALLOWED. Sometimes in trials and tribulations it feels as though God has forsaken us, as stepped aside and left us to fend for ourselves. But that’s not the case. He allows opposition so that we can do what needs to be done: turn back to Him. He broke the wall, and they became captives, but captivity reminded them of their freedom in God. Many times trials are there to remind us… THERE IS A BETTER WAY.

Mar22

DAY 81 (2015)

Posted on March 22, 2015 by lsgrlr

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What we cultivate is what we’ll give to those around us.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Mmmm… it’s be awhile with the DAY posts. I feel regretful about that. I have been caught up with many things. Things that many times have kept me from where I know I am suppose to be and from what I know I am suppose to be doing. Which is why today’s post is so fitting and so God-breathed. Today’s praise and worship was beautiful; I could feel God’s spirit literally breaking down that walls I have (over the past few months) been building. We came to a particular song, one that we have sung many times before. But today the song resonated in my heart and soul in a different way. Today the meaning of the lyrics came to life and it was as though I was understanding them for the first time. The lyrics:

It’s Your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise

pour out our praise

It’s Your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise

To You ONLY…

The question came while singing. Do we? Do I… Pour out praise to God only? Honest answer… no. My praise is not always for God alone. I give my praise to many things, things that are not really worthy of it. Things like: friends, family, work, and attaining more stuff. However, none of those things came to earth to stand in the gap for me. None of those things gave up their one and only beloved for me. None of those things blew their breath into my lungs. Therefore they don’t deserve my praise. It is reserved for HIM only.

It’s God’s breath in our lungs. So we should pour out our praise to Him ONLY.

“Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

So what am I thankful for today? God’s breath.

Mar7

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on March 7, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 20. “And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David” (Verses 4-6). I use to read these verses and think, “Wow, Hezekiah changed God’s mind. But as I have gotten older and wiser in my faith, I have come to realize this is not the case. I realized that God answered Hezekiah’s prayers. God wanted the king to ask, wanted him to communicate, the God of heaven wanted relationship with His creation. For me that is way more awesome than being able to change God’s mind. Why? Because I can have a real relationship with Him, where I can talk to Him, and learn from Him. It doesn’t mean that when I pray the answer will always be yes, but it does mean that whenever I pray… He will ALWAYS hear. Yeah, I kinda love that.

Mar6

Random (hopefully inspired) Thoughts

Posted on March 6, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 19. “Thus you shall say to your master, Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land” (Verses 5-7). God will always take care of His name, and take care of His people. The king of Assyria was threatening the people of God, telling them that God was not on their side, that God was not strong enough to save them. But God proved the man wrong, when He defended His people, and won. It is easy to feel like we are somehow greater than God, but everyday He proves us wrong, in the most simple of ways.

Feb24

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on February 24, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 14. “For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and whether bond or free, there was no helper for Israel. And the Lord did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash” (Verses 26-27). I don’t know if you all see the subtlety of these verses. But if you read the entire chapter you will. God never said He would wipe Israel out, in fact His promises to them have always been the opposite. Although their actions and love of sin and disobedience would have given God the right to change His mind, He chose instead to keep His promise. This is comforting to me, I am not always obedient. I fail, I fall, and I make more mistakes than I care to admit, but despite all that God is ALWAYS faithful to do what He promises. Rest in the knowledge that our God is an immovable, unchanging ROCK.

Feb23

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on February 23, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 13. “Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet” (Verses 20-21). The power of God. Ever felt dead, lifeless? Like nothing you do means anything? Rub up against God, yeah it sounds odd, but that is the kind of power that emanates from Him. He can bring life to our dried bones, He can revive our lifeless state. The man in this chapter was dead, but his dead body touched the bones of the “man of God” and death left him, and he regained new life. So the statement stands, want to feel alive? Touch God.

Feb18

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on February 18, 2015 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

2 Kings 10. “However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan. And the Lord said to Jehu, ‘because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.’But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin” (Verses 29-31). There are days that I want to apologize to God that we are the instruments He has to use. This scripture is a great minder why. It is so easy for us to turn away, so easy for us to forget what God said, what God did. Jehu obeyed and followed God’s plan until he felt like doing his own thing. We do the same in a bind, when we are scared, when God is showing Himself powerful on our behalf, we listen we obey. But the moment He tells us to do something outside of our plans, we act as though we don’t understand. The beauty and awesomeness of God is that He, “remembers our frame, He knows we are but dust”, this is why we are not consumed. Today let’s not use God for our own gain, instead let’s obey His word and spread His love to a world in need of Him.