Category Archives: Encouragement

Feb17

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on February 17, 2015 by lsgrlr

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

2 Kings 9. “Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, ‘Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?’And he said to them, ‘You know the man and his babble.’ And they said, ‘A lie! Tell us now.’ So he said, ‘Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you king over Israel.’ Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, ‘Jehu is king!’ (Verses 11-13). This section of scripture makes me smile. Why? Well Elisha sends his servant to anoint Jehu king. Jehu’s servants think Elisha is crazy, thinks anyone associated with Elisha is crazy. They tell Jehu that what the man said was a lie, and then proceed to do exactly what Elisha’s servant said to do. Why is that? Who would listen and obey a crazy person they thought was lying to them? No one. Here’s a truth just like Jehu’s servant, we ALL know God is just, we ALL know God is truth. These beliefs, no matter how hard we try to push them aside are deep with in us. Our creator, created us to know the truth, even if we choose not to acknowledge them. We all know that God is truth, we all know that there is more than what the world offers. Instead of fighting God, we should embrace His will, He really does have the best for us, because He knows us best.

Feb6

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on February 6, 2015 by lsgrlr

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

2 Kings 7. “Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, ‘Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.’Then that officer had answered the man of God, and said, ‘Now look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?'” (Verses 17-19). Note the underlining theme… “just as the man of God said”. If God said it, it will happen. We get so caught up in the right now, and the things happening in front off our eyes, that we forget God’s promises. He promises that His plans are good, He promises that He has a plan. He promises that He is for us, and not against us. He promises to walk with us through the fires, and the floods. Whatever God says, He will do. The problem is that we want it on our terms and on our time table. But God is always right on time. So take heart and remember it will happen, just like God said.

Jan25

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on January 25, 2015 by lsgrlr

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

1 Kings 21. “So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house'” (Verses 27-29). God forgives. Always. I want to interject my very human opinion here, Ahab did not deserve forgiveness, but God promised that if we come to Him with a contrite heart, He would forgive. Ahab humbled himself before the Lord, and God’s forgiveness means that the heart of the kings was genuine. However, God did not completely remove His judgment from Ahab’s house, he just removed it from Ahab. We are responsible for our own sins, and our own actions. God will not judge us based on another’s action, He judges us based on our hearts before Him. And even if it hurts His judgments are right.

(side note: there was a lot in this chapter… that I wanted to talk about. So please read Chapter 21. And Let me know in the comments, what you got from the chapter)

Jan23

DAY 23 (2015)

Posted on January 23, 2015 by lsgrlr

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The fences of our past aren’t meant to keep us out. No, sometimes they are saying…fight to get in.
(Picture by Lisa R)

I have been in training in my new job for close to three months now. The training is pretty intense, but really fun at the same time. One of the many things that we get as a result of the training is constructive criticism. Our trainers will monitor us and tell us what we did good, but they will also tell us what we did that was NOT so good. I am not bad with criticism, but that does not stop that stinging feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you hear you didn’t do something as perfectly as you thought you did. I have been pondering the feedback lately, and I had this thought; as much as I may dislike it, as much as it may make me feel uncomfortable, in the end it really is for my benefit. Then I compared the discipline of my trainers to the discipline that God sometimes gives, and I realize if my sinful, very human trainers discipline and give feedback for my good, how much more does God. God who created me, and loves me so much that He sent His son to die. I realize that when the trial and hard times come it is a form of God drawing the line and teaching me to move in a different direction. Don’t despise the discipline of God. Because if our human parents and leaders do it for our good, then God does it for out GREATNESS.

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, for whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3″11-12).

So what am I thankful for today? A loving God who disciplines me for GREATNESS.

Jan23

DAY 22 (2015)

Posted on January 23, 2015 by lsgrlr

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It is a gift from God.

So just so you know, I did not flake out yesterday on writing a post. In fact I had every intention of doing so, but for some unknown reason I could not stay awake when I got home. So I laid down to nap and didn’t wake up till morning. It was awesome!!! Therefore I am catching up on yesterday, today. Had I written this post yesterday it would have been different, but as I was reflecting on what happened last night. With me crashing like an elderly person, this scripture came to mind, “God gives His beloved sleep”. I needed it I have been so overwhelmed lately that my sleep had been fitful at best, but last night I slept, really slept. I woke up refreshed and ready for the day. It made me realize even our sleep is important to God, and when He knows we need it He gifts it to us.

“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones” (Psalm 127:2).

So what am I thankful for today (technically yesterday)? A God that knows us so well, He knows when we need sleep.

Jan21

DAY 21 (2015)

Posted on January 21, 2015 by lsgrlr

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We can’t do it alone, we all need help on the journey.
(Picture taken at House Of Hope, S. Korea)

So I got the best compliment ever today from a friend. Our friendship has had ups and downs and for a while, we weren’t as close. But a little while ago we repaired the rift in our friendship and took steps toward regaining our closeness. Today we were texting back and forth and she said the coolest thing, I think anyone has ever said to me. She told me that God had used me to help put her back on the right path. Now to some reading this it may not be a big deal, but let me explain why it is. I don’t always feel like I am doing the right thing, or saying the right thing. Especially with this friend, because I felt like I let her down a lot in the friendship. The beauty is that God restored it, and even in the midst of my insecurities and not doing it right, she still was able to find a “good”. After that text I realized God really does redeem our mistakes, He gives us beauty for ashes, and restores what the locust has taken away.

“The LORD says, I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you” (Joel 2:25).

So what I thankful for today? Friendship.

Jan20

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on January 20, 2015 by lsgrlr

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

1 Kings 17. “And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah'” (Verses 13-16). Where God guides, He provides. A truth I have been struggling with lately. Sometimes God’s small whisper is just there to remind us that we need to trust, need to believe. We need to know and remember that He ALWAYS does what he promises. The woman did not run out of flour. God’s supply is never ending, in the time of our need, He shows up with all we would ever need, and then some.

Jan15

DAY 15 (2015)

Posted on January 15, 2015 by lsgrlr

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On this journey you will have dark days. But God will always send rays of hope…
(Picture by Lisa R.)

Today this post will simple just a remind that no matter what happens in our day, in our life God loves us. He loves us even when it feels like it is all falling apart He will put us back together again and better than before. Here is a truth, simple and true: Life is hard, but God is… GOOD.

“For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

So what am I thankful for today? A good God.

Jan14

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on January 14, 2015 by lsgrlr

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

1 King 12. “Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.’ Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt'” (Verses 25-28). He built an idol for the people to worship in order to distract them from worshiping God. Sound familiar? That is the world we live in, filled with idols to distract us and keep us away from a relationship with God. The lie is subtle, Jeroboam’s excuse, “it’s too far to travel to worship, so just worship this instead.” The excuse today, “I can worship God anywhere… God is in everything…” So we worship every and anything, except God. Beware today the lies are subtle and feel so right, but they are designed to keep you from where your heart really wants to be, in the presence of God.

Jan13

DAY 13 (2014)

Posted on January 13, 2015 by lsgrlr

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God is the DIRECTOR of my path.

So yesterday I found out I had pink eye. I had to laugh, because I associate that infection with children. On Saturday I woke up with my eye swollen, red, and itchy. But let me tell you about how God used it for good. The company I work for, for the first 6 months has a 100% dependability policy. What that means is no absences. I started in the winter, in Buffalo it snows every day (okay this may be a slight exaggeration), I come from Florida. See where I am going with this? On Sunday the swelling had not gone away, and on Monday when I woke up my eyes was pink, watery, and throbbing. I had a bad, bad case of pink eye. But what that earned was a day off with no negative repercussion, which was awesome because on Monday it literally (not an exaggeration) snowed ALL day. God had once again stepped in and taken care of my worry even before I had a chance to worry about it. Today I woke up with a little bit of swelling, but no pink, and no throbbing and today the road were clear. God truly went before me to clear my path. His grace blows me away every single day.

“But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12).

So what am I thankful for today? Clear roads and a God that knows my needs before I even ask.