One of my favorite gifts this year ❤️ . It has several things that I love . Prayer prompts for every day of each month, list of those I’m praying for , things I’ve learned this month , a place to record favorite passages, spiritual and personal goals ,answered prayers and what I’ve learned this month. It’s a great way to document my prayer life and see how God is moving over the year . . One of my favorite things to do is to look back and see how God has answered prayer request that sometimes are months or years in the making. . Do you use a prayer journal? I would love to hear what you use .. and If so, what’s your favorite thing about it?Drop a comment below ⬇️
What amazing wisdom in these words spoken so many years ago. I am continually learning the power in prayer . So many things in our daily life that we have no control over like schedule changes, extra work handed to us, last minute school projects,attitudes of others,and the list goes on . . What we can control is our reaction to those things.Prayer has been a comfort to me . Knowing that I am praying over how things will go , inviting God to go before me in situations,asking God to be with a loved one or friend who has not been kind, asking God to shut doors that are not His best and so many more . . Praying has giving me a perspective to see the situation from different angles and to put on humility, compassion and empathy when I otherwise want to fix it or make it better in my own way and trust me that never seems to work out.. anyone else? . When I pray I’m able to take what ever is coming or causing stress and lay it at the feet of God . That doesn’t mean it goes away but it does mean I lay it down and I don’t pick it back up. I trust God with whatever is next knowing I have given it to him and I am fully submitting to his will in the next steps. . What are your thoughts on prayer? Share in comments below. I would love to hear!
Holy Week Wednesday .. did you know it’s also known as Spy Wednesday? It is a solemn day in the Christian liturgical calendar, as it marks the beginning of the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, which is commemorated on Good Friday.
As I read the scriptures this am,I couldn’t help but think of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. Judas saw the miracles and had an encounter with Jesus like no other. We see the whole story as it played out in scripture but in those moments and the moments leading up what was Judas thinking? Was he wrestling within, did he almost run and confess it all to Jesus or was he always plotting ? And the while time Jesus knew.. he knew it all .. how it was going to happen,who would be the one to betray him and yet he still loved him❤️I can only imagine the heartbreak in knowing this and how Jesus felt as he washed Judas’ feet .
And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present” (Luke 22:2-6).
“He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.””
Matthew 26:23-25 ESV
Holy Wednesday is often marked with a service of Tenebrae (Latin for ‘darkness’ or ‘shadows’).With the reading of psalms while candles on a candelabrum are gradually extinguished, creating the sense of growing darkness.This symbolizes the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples.
What is Holy Week? Growing up , I never really heard the term Holy Week. We celebrated Easter and talked about the sacrifice that was made but that’s where it stopped . As I’ve gotten older , I have wanted to learn more about Holy Week ,lent and fasting. Some of these special moments and observations around my faith.I am still learning and by no means an expert but it’s been so good to actually learn what they are .
Holy Week is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It is a week to reflect on the great sacrifice that Jesus took for each of us on the cross.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is ⬇️ …
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 ESV
…. notice that it says All of our trespasses and that He forgave us and canceled our record of debt!!! Praise God!
I pray this week as you remember the greatest gift that God gave us through His son Jesus that you will remember that all that he did, He did for you and for each of us. He willingly went to the cross . He did that so that we would be able to one day be with him in heaven.
This week ,I encourage you to spend time in prayer thanking God for this tremendous gift. If you don’t know God , this is a great time to talk to him and tell him hey I don’t know you and I don’t know if you are real I hear what others say but it’s hard to understand or to believe. If you are there can you make yourself known to me? Show me and help my unbelief . Then watch how He answers .He will❤️
And for those who feel like you could never be forgiven or your too far gone .. if God can redeem my life, and he did in a mighty way, then he can do the same for you! What better week to accept that forgiveness and walk in freedom.
Recently,I have been doing a study on Habakkuk from the #thedailygraceco Let me start by saying that even though I have read through the Bible several times and knew it was a book of the Bible , I really had no idea what it was about.
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It’s a super short book but there is so much in there. Habakkuk is living in a time between kingdoms . The Babylonians are ruling the roost and Habakkuk is overwhelmed at what he sees and doesn’t understand why God is allowing all of these things. He starts with telling God all of this and asking why haven’t you done anything and where are you in this. And guess what? Does God stay silent? No. He answers him .And in his response , you see no condemnation .. you see love and gentleness. Again Habakkuk responds with more complaints His heart and soul are so overwhelmed and he is grieving not really knowing how to continue and to keep going. Guess what? God responds again, not in a fussy way of oh come on get it together attitude, but in a loving gentle way . The book ends with Habakkuk praising God .
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There are seasons where the mud we are treading turns to concrete and you feel so stuck that you can’t move. Trust me, I have been there. In those moments,It’s so easy to complain, want to give up and lose hope. What if we looked at that concrete filtered through what God says and what his word says? Maybe the mud turned to concrete to keep us still ? To hold us in place as God works? To keep us from running ahead to fix it in our timing ?
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This verse is one I have claimed being ground in by the concrete around my feet . I will chose to take joy in the God of my Salvation even when I can not see any fruit of what he may be doing. I will trust.
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I pray that if you are reading this and treading mud or being held still by concrete, that you will keep your eyes on God. He is working even when we cannot see or when we don’t understand. I am praying for you today ❤️
This beautiful journal. It’s been a great addition to my quiet time . It invites me to write scripture, share my thoughts and write out a prayer each time I open it up.
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Journaling has always been a struggle to me , but there is something freeing when I do. It almost feels as though it empties all my thoughts and allows me to refresh.
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Ofcourse, the best part is being able to go back and read how God was working and moving in that season .
One of the truths that keep popping up in the Bible as I read through it , is how powerful prayer is. . I have recently been reading through David’s life and came across this example of prayer ⬇️
When David was running from his son Absolom and one of his top advisors had deflected to his sons side. He prayed for that the advice of that advisor would be foolish . And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” 2samuel 15:31 . And then God answers that prayer ..
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordainedfn to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom. 2 Samuel 17:14 . This is just scratching the surface of this story and I encourage you to go through it and read the text commentaries @blueletterbible .. there are so many “nuggets “ like that advisor being Bathsheba’s grandfather.. and so much more. . I think prayer is the most important tool we as Christian’s have. We get to intercede on others behalf to our Heavenly Father , we get to invite God into our daily lives , and we can raise mountains just by kneeling and inviting our Heavenly King into our daily life.
