dear daughters,
TGIF! (Thank goodness it’s Friday!) By the time Friday rolls around, most people are ready to put their feet up and do nothing. I think it’s true with teenagers these days as much or more than with adults. Younger people just getting started in life have a lot of pressure these days. Pressure to perform. Pressure to be perfect. Pressure to please. Pressure, pressure, pressure!
What happens to a tire if its pressure gets too high? It can blow! Just like a balloon that gets filled too full of air, it can just pop. Jesus knew that we can feel like that balloon sometimes, like we are ready to explode. That’s why He told His disciples in Mark 6:31 “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile.” Notice Jesus said “Come away”, not “Go away.” He wanted them to come away with Him. He said it again in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
But weekends can be just as busy as the weekdays sometimes. There are sports and friends and church and family commitments, and oh yeah, that project due Monday. This weekend, find a quiet place away from all the people and pressures to relax in His presence. He promises us rest if we will take the time to be alone with Him. I pray you take time to rest in Him this weekend!
living to love, loving to live,
momma b
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Joyful Walk
dear daughters,
Have you ever been in the same room with somebody, but they act like you don’t even exist? I have. It makes you wonder if they are just trying to be rude, or if you are really that unnoticeable or that insignificant to them. I bet God wonders that about us sometimes. Even though He’s always in the room, we don’t always act like it. Sometimes we forget it, but a lot of times we try to ignore it. We try to pretend He isn’t there and doesn’t see what we are doing. We do our thing and certainly don’t strike up a conversation with Him. In those moments, we are telling God, “You are not important right now.” But that doesn’t mean He leaves. He just doesn’t keep interacting with us when we are obviously not interested.
I used to wonder how some people can be so joyful all the time. One day, God showed me the answer in Psalm 16:11, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Wow! There is joy in His presence, but wait…He is always present, right? So why am I not always joyful? There’s a difference in being in the same room and being on the same path. When we choose to listen to what He tells us about life, and walk with Him on the right path, even when things are hard, then He will fill us with joy! I think it’s sort of an overflow of His joy that He feels for us when we are walking with Him and obeying Him. Kind of like the joy we feel when we know we’ve made our parents happy. Joy is contagious! So make your Father God joyful today, and allow Him to fill you up with His heavenly joy!
living to love, loving to live,
momma b
Have you ever been in the same room with somebody, but they act like you don’t even exist? I have. It makes you wonder if they are just trying to be rude, or if you are really that unnoticeable or that insignificant to them. I bet God wonders that about us sometimes. Even though He’s always in the room, we don’t always act like it. Sometimes we forget it, but a lot of times we try to ignore it. We try to pretend He isn’t there and doesn’t see what we are doing. We do our thing and certainly don’t strike up a conversation with Him. In those moments, we are telling God, “You are not important right now.” But that doesn’t mean He leaves. He just doesn’t keep interacting with us when we are obviously not interested.
I used to wonder how some people can be so joyful all the time. One day, God showed me the answer in Psalm 16:11, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Wow! There is joy in His presence, but wait…He is always present, right? So why am I not always joyful? There’s a difference in being in the same room and being on the same path. When we choose to listen to what He tells us about life, and walk with Him on the right path, even when things are hard, then He will fill us with joy! I think it’s sort of an overflow of His joy that He feels for us when we are walking with Him and obeying Him. Kind of like the joy we feel when we know we’ve made our parents happy. Joy is contagious! So make your Father God joyful today, and allow Him to fill you up with His heavenly joy!
living to love, loving to live,
momma b
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Every Day is Sunny with God
dear daughters,
What a beautiful day outside! I love the fall. The weather invites us outside to enjoy God’s creation. Somehow being in His creation on a sunny day feels not only warm on the outside of me, but on the inside of me, too. We somehow feel God right there with us when we are outside enjoying His creation on a beautiful day. But gloomy, rainy days can sometimes feel lonely. When we are stuck inside, trapped in the walls of our manmade rooms, we lose sight of God’s creation and His presence with us. When we aren’t reminded of Him by our surroundings, we can think that He’s not around. But He is! The Bible says God never leaves us. Over and over again His Word promises that He is always right beside us.
Even if it’s not raining outside, we can feel like it is a rainy day. Maybe when you’re at school you sometimes feel lonely, afraid and discouraged. Maybe you wonder if God even knows. Well, He knows and He cares! He loves you and wants you to live your best so you can enjoy life the most. And He promises to walk right beside you while you do it. God said in Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." God said to be strong and courageous not once, not twice, but THREE times in just four verses! He doesn’t want us to be weak and timid, but strong and full of courage, trusting in His promise to be with us all the time and help us in all we do. Loneliness vanishes when we remember we are never alone.
living to love, loving to live,
momma b
What a beautiful day outside! I love the fall. The weather invites us outside to enjoy God’s creation. Somehow being in His creation on a sunny day feels not only warm on the outside of me, but on the inside of me, too. We somehow feel God right there with us when we are outside enjoying His creation on a beautiful day. But gloomy, rainy days can sometimes feel lonely. When we are stuck inside, trapped in the walls of our manmade rooms, we lose sight of God’s creation and His presence with us. When we aren’t reminded of Him by our surroundings, we can think that He’s not around. But He is! The Bible says God never leaves us. Over and over again His Word promises that He is always right beside us.
Even if it’s not raining outside, we can feel like it is a rainy day. Maybe when you’re at school you sometimes feel lonely, afraid and discouraged. Maybe you wonder if God even knows. Well, He knows and He cares! He loves you and wants you to live your best so you can enjoy life the most. And He promises to walk right beside you while you do it. God said in Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." God said to be strong and courageous not once, not twice, but THREE times in just four verses! He doesn’t want us to be weak and timid, but strong and full of courage, trusting in His promise to be with us all the time and help us in all we do. Loneliness vanishes when we remember we are never alone.
living to love, loving to live,
momma b
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