Tag Archives: christianity

Feb21

DAY 51 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Choosing God.

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DAY 51 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Choosing God.

Lately, the state of the world and America have been heavy on my heart, for lack of a better description, what I am seeing grieves my heart. It scares me to think about where we are heading, especially as I watch people I respect and some I love fall into the trap of the world and its traditions. If we, who are called to be salt and light, look like the world, what hope is there? This question has been an ever-present fixture in my heart and mind for a while now. Sometimes it leads me to a sweet time of reflection and growth as I seek God and His words for direction and wisdom, and other times, it leads me to deep sadness and near depression because instead of looking to my Lord and Savior who walks on raging seas, I focus on the darkness I see engulfing us.

Here’s a reminder from God’s word of who we are and what God has given us, but most importantly, it’s a reminder that sin is subtle, it sneaks in, like satan in the garden, and distracts us with half-truths and tries to redirect our hearts and minds with questions like, “Did God REALLY say…” How do we combat this? By KNOWING WHAT GOD DID SAY.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments…See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ…Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch,” (Colossians 2:2B-4, 8, 21).

Our hope is Christ, our guide and the director of our path is Christ. Christ is who we look to when the world is upside down. Christ is where our hope and safety are found, NOT religion, NOT man, and NOT the world. God says DON’T handle, DON’T taste, and DON’T touch. We are God’s representatives to the world. Our call is to represent Him correctly, and God takes this charge seriously; we should, too.

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.” (Joshua 24:14-15A).

Here’s the truth, friends, we are going to serve something. Whether that be self or God is our choice to make. I hope, like Joshua, your answer is, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15B)

So, what am I thankful for today? That we can choose God.

Jan14

Day 14 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God’s Light

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Day 14 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…God’s Light

Part of my devotions took me to the book of Kings, 2 Kings to be more precise. Currently, I am in chapter 15. What I have been noticing about the kings who “did right in the sight of the Lord” is that they did right, but did not lead the people of God to do the same. In verse 34 of chapter 15, we meet Jotham, the son of Uzziah. He was twenty-five when he began his reign. Picking it up in verse 34, “And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all his father Uzziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord.”

Smushed in between “he did what was right” and “he built the upper gates of the house of the Lord” is this statement, “Nevertheless, the high places were not removed.” Why is this statement one that requires acknowledgement? Because the people were not sacrificing to the God of their fathers, the God who brought them into their promised land, the God who gave them David, the God who has their good at heart in all situations. No, they were sacrificing to idols, false gods made by hand. A god of their own making, a god they could control.

We do the same today; we have places in our hearts, minds, or lives that are off limits to God. That place we try to hide from His view. That place where we’re like, “No worries, God, I got this.” However, we don’t have this; a god of our making is not God. If you’re wondering why you are not where you want to be with the Lord, why He isn’t opening the flood gates of blessings upon your life. Maybe take a step back and check whether your “high places” have been removed. We can’t move forward with God if we’re holding on to the world, to sin, to gods we have crafted in our image.

Surrender is the name of the game, friends. Give God that part of your life that you have locked away, let Him do His perfect work in your life, and I guarantee, God will make your dark places beautiful.

“Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life'” (John 8:12).

So, what am I thankful for today? Light that takes away my high places.

Jan13

Day 13 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Compassion

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Day 13 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Compassion

This week has been difficult on many levels, some of it my doing, and some things I have no control over. This is why I find it interesting and so very God, that on Sunday my pastor was in the book of Job. Job did nothing to incur the trials he faced, the loss, devastation, saddness and sickness. What I find very beautiful about Job is that he did not have the hindsight that we have been given in the Bible, God’s words to us. Job did not have the book of Job to reflect on, as he listened to bad advice and personal opinions from those who were supposedly his friends. Yet, despite it all, Job believed in God and trusted Him.

Job gives us an example of lamenting, a speech where we tell God what is on our hearts, the gritty, dirty truth of injustice, where we ask God why we are in this valley, and we fill Him in on the things we don’t understand, while knowing that God is still faithful, even in our darkness. Here’s what lamenting isn’t: whining, nor is it unrighteous anger. Lamenting is a “language of people who believe in God’s sovereignty, but live in a world of tragedy” (Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy). You see, we can be in despair; we can feel pain and discouragement, and we can bring all of that to God. He is not afraid of our questions or our lamenting. He wants us to come to Him because He is the answer to our needs.

So, friends, if you’re walking through the midst of a storm, you don’t understand, cry out to God. Bring Him your pain, your anger, your confusion, because God understands your heart, knows that you love Him, that you want His will for your life. He will have compassion on your pain because He is not afraid of it. He loves you. His compassion is new every morning. He won’t allow your pain and anger to consume you.

“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

So, what am I thankful for today? That my Father has compassion on my pain.

Jan8

Day 8 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Lessons.

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Day 8 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Lessons.

Today, part of my devotions took me to Deuteronomy chapter 8. The entire chapter is a call to the children of Israel to remember the Lord their God. Not because they’re prone to forgetfulness (although history proves they are), nor because God was going on a trip to a faraway land and wouldn’t be around (our Father is forever beside us). No, it was a memorial, an understanding of why those forty years in the desert were necessary and what the consequences of forgetting and repeating the same mistakes would be.

Moses charges them to remember that their clothing never wore out, their feet did not swell, and when they were hungry, God provided them manna, which literally fell from heaven. All so they would understand that He could meet every single need they had. As I read this chapter, I thought to myself, forty years is a long time to learn one simple lesson. The truth is, in our humanness, we often want to rush the lessons, learn things quickly, so we can get to our promised land faster. But God doesn’t skimp on time, because the lessons are necessary, the waiting, the hurting, the pain, and the discomfort are all necessary. Why? So we don’t believe the lie of pride. So that when we enter our promised land, we know it wasn’t due to our own strength but to God’s.

“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth'”(Deuteronomy 8:17)

Don’t try to hurry the lessons, friends, let God have His perfect will in your life, “that He might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.” (Deuteronomy 8:16)

So, what am I thankful for today? All the lessons.

Jan7

Day 7 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…A Constant God.

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Day 7 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…A Constant God.

Today I feel, well, blah. That honestly is the only way to describe my current condition. I am awake, walking, and moving, but I feel off. Not sick, just blah. Ever felt like that? There is nothing wrong; you have a roof over your head, food to eat, and most importantly, God is still on the throne. However, you just don’t feel like yourself, don’t feel like talking, smiling, or even like (dare I say it)—praying. There are days like this, and today is one of those days for me. I’ll be honest: I dislike it. It makes me feel as though I don’t love God enough, don’t trust God enough. It makes me feel messy and yucky, and yeah, blah.

So, what do I do on days like these? I do what I always do: I get up, I tell God good morning, I have breakfast, I do my devotion, and I pray. Being a Christian doesn’t mean I feel happy every day, nor does it mean I feel like a sparkly, happy firecracker of joy every second of every day. Being a Christian means that no matter how I feel, I understand whose I am. That even when I feel like I’m walking with a dark rain cloud of unhappiness following me around, I can still trust that God is who He says He is and that He is doing all He says He will do. You see, being a follower of Christ isn’t about us; it’s about Jesus, and thank God that He never changes.

So, friends, if you’re feeling blah today, it happens. But know that Jesus is still the same, and He always will be.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

So what am I thankful for today? A God who remains constant.

Jan6

Day 6 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Gifts and Talents.

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Day 6 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Gifts and Talents.

Had an interesting conversation with my dad recently. He said God gives gifts and talents, and that those are two very different things. Gifts are spiritual and for the advancement of the church and the strengthening of the body of Christ. Examples include pastors, teachers, and prophets. Talents are physical human abilities that God grants you, such as being good at science, math, writing, or photography.

I’m on a journey of using the talents God has given me with my photography (site coming soon) and this blog (Journey of Thankfulness). What I’m learning is that God will bless the gifts and talents He’s given us when we are willing to use them for His glory. My mother always told me that I have the spiritual gift of discernment, and I can genuinely say that that gift has saved me and others on more than one occasion. Photography allows me to see the beauty in everything God has made, while writing allows me to express what He’s showing me and to share it with others. Here’s a truth: the enemy of our souls does not want us to use our gifts or our talents. He wants us to feel useless, as if we don’t have a purpose or a reason to exist. Here’s another truth: we are God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

So, friend, if you’ve put your gifts under the bed or your talents on the shelf, pick them up and dust them off. God’s not done with them or you yet. He has a purpose for giving them to you. So don’t be afraid to use them.

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

So what am I thankful for today? God-given gifts and talents.

Jan5

Day 5 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…A God Who Hears.

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Day 5 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…A God Who Hears.

I have had an annoying and debilitating crick in my neck for the past three days. It’s not a life-altering issue for most people, even though it is inconvenient and irritating. A crick can happen from sleeping poorly, overuse, and even bad posture. All very normal, natural, and dare I say mundane reasons. However, for me, a crick in the neck can be a sign of stenosis (a narrowing of the veins) or of the vein expanding, which could lead to rupture. It sounds very dramatic, and I guess in a way it is. What looks pretty average on the outside can mean life-threatening results for me.

As I struggled to move my neck while doing my devotion today, I had this thought: this crick in my neck is a lot like sin (no, not that I have it because of sin). But just like a seemingly mundane pain in the neck, there are sins in life that seem so normal and uneventful. At times, we do them without thinking, because it’s the norm in the world we live in, yet at their core, these “sins” want to steal our joy and peace, narrowing our view of what God is doing in our lives and expanding our hurt, pain, and weariness. Things as simple as a wayward thought, sarcastic words, and doubts can lead to devastating outcomes.

What sets the child of God apart from the world is not a lack of sin, but hope in a God and Father who forgives our sins and hears us when we call out to Him in surrender. So, cry out to God, friend; He will hear you and rescue you from your troubles. He will take your broken heart and crushed spirit and give you His peace. Now that’s some good news!

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of their trouble. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:17-18).

So, what am I thankful for today? A God who hears.

Jan4

Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

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Day 4 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Redemption.

It never fails to amaze me how God speaks directly to my heart and meets me exactly where I need to be met. It shouldn’t surprise me, but it does, every single time. He sees my fears, my questions, and my uncertainties. I think the awe comes when I realize this: the God who spoke the world into existence and made it with such intricate detail and creativity that trees can communicate with each other about dangers and food sources. That very same God cares about my fears and understands my shortcomings.

When I feel like I’m walking far from His will for me, He gently reminds me that He is carrying me, that He has wiped out my offenses, casting them as far as the east is from the west. Life on this earth is never going to be perfect. We will have troubles, trials, and tribulations. We will have fears, and we will fall short. But here is the truth, friends, a hope that you can hold fast to. Our fears, sins, and messes have no power over us. No, really, it’s true. How? Because God loves us and has redeemed us in Jesus.

So, if you feel like you’re failing, falling, or have messed up so bad that God can’t forgive you. Take comfort in God’s words to us through the prophet Isaiah and know that you are redeemed in Him.

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22).

What am I thankful for today? Redemption.

Jan2

Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

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Day 2 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Eyes That See.

This morning, my devotion took me to 2 Kings 6. It is a glimpse into the life of Elisha, the prophet. The chapter, at its core, is about faith, not just the “I believe” kind, but the kind of faith that gives sight to what is unseen. The type of faith that takes God at His word without question and moves in whatever direction he says to move. The kind of faith that has no fear, because it understands that fear is not of God. This is the faith I desire, the kind we all hope to have. In verse 15, Elisha’s servant wakes up and finds that they are surrounded by their enemies. Horses, chariots, and armed men, everywhere, in fear, he runs to Elisha and exclaims, “Alas, my master! What shall we do!” (verse 15b). Elisha’s reply is eye-opening, literally.

“He said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (verse 16-17).

God is not hiding His might from us, even when we’re in our valleys, walking through trials, or facing immovable mountains. There are horses and chariots of fire all around us, ready to stand in battle with us and protect us. God’s love for us is immense.

In my life, I don’t always perceive or feel God’s presence when I am walking through the fires and floods of life, and that isn’t because I don’t love God or believe in Him. It’s because, like Peter on the water, my eyes are on my circumstances instead of the Lord who has power over my storms.

Here’s why Elisha’s story is beautiful: he never asked God to remove the problem. Instead, he asked for eyes to be opened, so that God’s power could be seen. It lets me know that, like Elisha’s servant, when we ask God to show us His presence, He will. Here’s the great news, friends, God is always with us, always fighting for us, always walking with us, even when we don’t feel it, and if we ask Him to open our eyes. He will.

Today, I am thankful for eyes that see,

Jan1

Day 1 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For… A God Who Never Fails.

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Day 1 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For… A God Who Never Fails.

Happy New Year, everyone! The past year went by like a whirlwind and, to be very honest, at times felt like a fever dream. I missed so much of what God was doing last year, plagued by fear and uncertainty and not putting my complete trust in Him to do what He said He would do. However, every time without fail, God met my needs, every last one of them. Shocker, I know.

I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions, mostly because I find them to be unrealistic and grandiose. This year, however, I am not making a resolution so much as stating a hope. As I start this new year, my hope is that at the end of it, I can look back and see clearly how much I have changed and grown in my walk with the Lord. That I can look back and see a renewed me. That I can be a living example of Romans 12:2.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

If you want to join me on this journey of thankfulness and renewal, then come along and let’s grow in the grace and might of God together. God never promised rose petals at our feet or a perfect life. What He promises is to be with us in the fires and floods of life (Isaiah 43:2). He also promises that His plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Life happens; and will seek to choke out the promises God has made to us, but He also promises that if we seek Him with our entire heart, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Today let’s join hands together in a journey toward trusting, hoping, and believing the promises God has made, because He never fails.

“For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37).

Today, I am thankful for a God who never fails.