The world calls us to insecurity, judgment and fear, but God calls us to know Him…to know He loves us and that He is the Protector of our bodies, souls and spirits, the Keeper of our mercy, peace and love in abundance! And that is security!

Dear Followers, I am so thankful for you! On this day and every day, ‘Thank You’ is the not-so-secret password into God’s presence. We enter the very courts of His heart as we speak praise to Him, worship Him and sincerely thank Him! Happy Thanksgiving!!

The Lord has done great things and He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise. It is an awesome privilege to worship Him with thanksgiving, and to make His glorious Name and His wondrous deeds known among the nations, beginning right where we are!

We have so much to be thankful for even in the midst of pain, rejection, failure or loneliness…. We have a Heavenly Father who is head-over-heals in love with us just as we are and hides us under the shelter of His everlasting arms. We are safe in HIM!

GOD is faithful, God IS faithful, God is FAITHFUL! When the pain, need or desire is so great, we have to remind ourselves of this truth! Regardless of how long it may be taking for that prayer to be answered or that dream to come true, HE IS FAITHFUL!!!

God’s love is everlasting and His mecies never cease. Even the sheer delight of smelling the turkey roasting and tasting the blend of spices in the dressing are blessings from Him. We have so much to be thankful for…best of all , hearts to know HIM!

Our names are engraved on the palm of His hand, written on His heart, and ‘we’ are blessed to have His Word in our hands and to carry it within our own hearts. What a gift, to have this kind of relationship with the God of the Universe through His Son!

God our Savior not only rescues us from our sin, but continues to redeem us every day! As the Lover of Our Souls, He continualy guides us in His truth, gives hope to our hurting hearts, restores strength to our bodies and revitalizes our spirits…as we hold onto Him!

“Who am I that you are mindful of me, That you hear me, when I call? Is it true that you are thinking of me? How you love me, it’s amazing (Who am I Lord). I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, He calls me friend!” —Israel Houghton

Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. How grateful we can be for God’s extravagant love, His boundless grace and His compassionate mercy toward His beloved sons and daughters who cry out to Him for help.

It never ceases to amaze…how putting a new worship song to our God on our playlist – and ultimately in our hearts – can change the way we look at Him, ourselves and others, and how ‘that’ affects how others see God through us! All because of worship! Wow!

God is no respecter of people. As soon as we welcome His Son into our lives, HE welcomes us into HIS family, the abundant life now and the eternal home HE has prepared for us in heaven. Everyone is welcome at God’s table of love, grace and mercy!

Our Father wants to be our Joy and Cheerful Delight even in the midst of our struggles. By faith, we can trust and choose joy in Jesus Name by giving ourselves permission to be happy and thankful in the now, knowing He will make all things beautiful in His time!

Often times, loving one another can be downright difficult! But we have a constant example, the Lover of our souls. And as we look to the LORD, all He has done for us and how He loves us unconditionally, we won’t have to try because His love will simply flow.

God sees our attitude while we wait. He knows we are waiting and what we are waiting for, and He simply asks that during that time we find our rest and hope in Him…that we don’t grow weary or lose heart, but that we trust and strengthen ourselve in Him alone!

God’s Word is packed full of promises, and the most vital promise to apply before all the others is this…. Call on the Name of Jesus Christ to save us from our sin and shame and we won’t maybe or kind of be saved, we will be saved! Grace and mercy reign!

God desires nothing more than to meet with us face to face, and He is always there…everywhere. It is our choice to accept the sheer privilege of opening the line of communication with Him and walking in His presence throughout the day!

Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world… Our Lord is the Final Authority, the Vindicator of every accusation brought against us, the Defender from every foe we will ever face, the Victor in every battle we encounter! Our Lord is for us!

When we see our deep need and come to the Lord with our emptiness, thirst and helplessness, it is then that we find His richest blessings! He fills our emptiness, quenches our thirst and helps us in every way as no other ever could or can!

Who else overwhelms and amazes people, and of whom can we say, “He has done everything well?” Everything? There is only One, the Lord Himself!

As much as we each desire to love and be loved, trust and be trusted, life teaches us that the Lord is the only One that is truly infallibly righteous, perfect and faithful in all His ways and in everything He does…and He is more than enough!

Confidence in God’s love for us is as vital on the peaks of victory as it is in the valleys of despair. We have either felt the power of His hand in the past, are clinging to Him in the present or will in the future. His loving hand ever envelops our own!

We are sheltered by His love, He is with us through every twist, turn, up and down. “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand…” —Frances J. Crosby

God is the perfect, complete answer to every one of our deepest needs. When this truth is rooted deeply within the chasms of our hearts and minds, we will walk it, talk it and breathe it through every part of our lives. He is the whole answer to everything!!

Corporate worship is an outpouring of personal worship – something we can do every day and in any place – brought together for the glory of God and the fellowship of believers! Though meant for Him, it is amazing how much it lifts and blesses us too!

The Lord’s comfort and compassion in our lives is something worth shouting, rejoicing and singing about. As the heavens sparkle with joy, the earth rejoices with creation itself and mountains sing at the blowing of the wind…all to the glory of God!

Faith is like driving a car. If we look back to where we’ve been, we may end up in a ditch, or worse! But as we keep our eyes on the road ahead, holding onto God’s promises, we will arrive at the destination He has mapped out for us. He is faithful and His way is sure!

When Deception and Dismay lurk in the shadows, we can trust Grace and Mercy – our lifelong, faithful Companions – to dwell with us in the house, follow us wherever we go, and protect us from the enemy’s threats everyday of our lives and forevermore!

God binds His love and faithfulness to our hearts through the covenant He signed upon our hearts with the blood of His Son. Once we enter into agreement with Him that we need a Savior, His love and faithfulness will never leave us…NEVER!

No matter how long or challenging the journey through this life may seem, and regardless of the detours we may take at times…our Lord, the Great Covenant Keeper, is ever true to His Word and keeps His promises for those who seek Him!!

King David celebrated the presence of the Lord God Almighty with unbridled worship, playing to an Audience of One! Jesus is ‘God with us’ every minute of every day, and that is reason enough to celebrate Him. Ahhh, to do so with unbridled worship and praise!!

God said of His Word, “It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Yes, hearts that are bathed in the water of His Word will certainly flourish like a saturated garden at winte’s end!

Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains! Without it, we cannot believe that we have a Father God in heaven who loves us, or His Son who sacrificially died for our sin, or His Holy Spirit who is ever with us. Yes, a little bit of faith is HUGE!

God’s thoughts…who can know them all? No one, but we can all learn some, and continue learning. Like an open jar, as opposed to a closed one, opening our minds and hearts to His thoughts allows us to grow and overflow with His knowledge and beauty!

What a way to begin the day…taking our eyes off of our weakness, failures and problems and focusing on God’s strength, love and protection! Praise and worship to our Lord and Savior is infused with power to lift our very souls as high as the sun rises in the sky!

Battling unbelief is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it anything new. Even those who met the Savior face-to-face struggled to believe. As with wisdom, we can ask for help to believe…like the man who said, “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.”

We can remind the enemy of his ultimate failure because God’s ultimate victory over sin, death and the grave was won at the empty tomb! So whatever the enemy attempts to do in our lives is under the Final Authority of our Risen Savior, who is our Victory!!

God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save a world that was already condemned by sin. He came to redeem our souls, and to remove our shame, fears and humilitation. He even came for relationship with us, to rescue us out of our loneliness!

No matter where we have been, what we have done or what’s been done to us, Jesus takes away our sin, sorrow, sickness and fears. He is all things wonderful and He wants to fill our lives with His riches of righteousness, joy, health and peace!

In this world of temporary things, we are blessed to know that God’s Word is eternal and, with it, so are His promises to us of redemption and a home in heaven with Him forever!

Our Loving Shepherd strengthens, qualifies and equips us in every way. Regardless of the mountain’s height or the valley’s depth, He guides us with the light of His Son, the map of His Word and the compass of His Spirit…from now until forever.

God values us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins, giving us everything we need in Him. He simply asks that we encourage others with the same love we have been so freely given…trusting that as we lift them up, He will continue to lift us!

In every situation – through every high and low – we have an advocate with the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He is with us as we celebrate the birth of a newborn baby or mourn the loss of a a loved one, and everything in between.

If God said ‘as far as the north is from the south,’ there would be a destination where we’d to find our sin again because the earth has a North and South Pole…But east and west never meet, there is NO destination! And so it is, He removes our sin forever! Hallelujah!

From our rollercoaster lives and perspective, it is difficult to fathom God’s faithfulness because HIS goes on and on – from one generation to the next generation – eternally! And even if we are faithless, He remains faithful! How amazing is that!!?!!

The Lord never asks us to do anything for others that He has not already done for us Himself. He said to cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us, so when He asks us to pass that on, we are simply showing others the same compassion we’ve been freely given.

Not one whispered prayer goes unheard by the ears of God.

Once we believe He is God’s Beloved Son and know what we think about Him, we begin to learn more about who we are and where we are going. We, too, are God’s beloved sons and daughters, bound for a heavenly home that He is preparing for us!

Desert seasons often give us no choice but to be still and know He is God. And it is during these times of conflict, tragedy or loneliness that He reveals His Presence, provides for our needs and speaks through His Word…just as He did so faithfully in ancient days!

The more humble the beginning, the greater the opportunity for God to work a miracle in our lives. Even as we take our first small step in His direction, we’ll find He is already there waiting to give us a greater future than we can ever give ourselves!

Never, never give up…Keep believing and walking forward in faith, knowing that our Savior endured greater opposition than you will ever face! He overcame sin, death and the grave, and you can trust that He will miraculously work things out in your life too!

Our time with the Lord is more valuable than silver or gold….It refills us with strength and courage for the day, knowledge beyond that of institutions and wisdom capable of astounding the wise. Our souls are recharged and refreshed with plenty to share! 

We can run with every promise the Lord gives us. He is true to His Word…sometimes, not as soon as we’d like, but in His time! When He reveals Himself to us in a personal way, we can trust that He will deliver…and that is something to shout about!

He makes all things new…. A new way through the valley to mountains of blessings, through spiritual drought to springs of Living Water, and through the wilderness to pastures of peace and abundance. As we release the old, yes, He brings NEW!

We are no longer lost orphans without a home. We have an eternal Kingdom, a home belonging to our Father, the One who bids us to call Him Abba, Daddy! Yes, in Christ, we are beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God, the King of the Universe!

“The prodigal son” story is about a loving father who tirelessly watched for his beloved son to come home, and the minute his dad spotted him walking afar off, he ran to him, embraced him and kissed him. And so it is with God. When we return to Him, He runs!

Rest for our souls is found in Christ alone. He is our Refuge, our Rock Eteranal, our Defender, our Fortress, our Strength, our Wisdom. When we turn from our own ways and accept His Way, we are welcomed into His everlasting arms, now and forever!

He withholds His anger and nothing else…showering us with His comapassion, grace and love. He IS Love and abounds in the “I Love You” to each of us! HE is the ‘I.’ The action word is ‘Love’ – His relentless love! And the ‘You’ is YOU, the priceless object of His love!

If we truly believe God is at work in our lives conforming us into His image, and that He allows certain things to come into our lives for the completion of His purpose, and He is a loving God with only our best interests at heart…we will trust Him without fear.

All the pour widow had was one small jar of oil, but in God’s hands that is all she needed. As she did what the man of God instructed, that little bit of oil kept flowing until she ran out of jars. Little is enough…even much…in the hands of God. You are enough!

That deep, deep longing in our hearts – the one that calls to us to call on HIM – is exactly what we need to find the most blessed place to dwell…in the presence of the Lover of Our Souls, the One that says, YOU are HIS Beloved Child, in whom HE is well pleased!

Praise the Lord, the Living Lord, exalt our Savior God, our Rock and Firm Foundation!! He will not be shaken, therefore, neither will we. Yes, praise the Lord!!

The Lord blesses us with the indispensable qualities of a deer…to be agile in spirit, swift to think, and surefooted on the path before us. He is our strength, confidence and security…the One we trust in the valleys and on the heights!

Our service to the Lord and others brings us the greatest joy when we do so with a pure and humble heart. This is what truly matters to God. Others – and we do this to ourselves too – measure success by our performance, but the Lord measures the heart. 🙂

Faith walks through each struggle knowing that God has a purpose and asking Him to reveal what we can learn in the midst of it. Trust is obeying what He says and doing it. Hope is looking ahead knowing He is true to His priceless Word.

It takes heroic courage to trust in the love of God no matter what happens. The children of Israel obeyed God’s command to march around the wall, and it came down as He said it would. Unwavering trust is a precious thing through which walls still fall down.

God loves you and your loved ones more than you can even begin to imagine. Thus, He sends His angels – not only sends, but commands them – to guard and watch over you and those you love in ALL ways! That means everywhere, in everything! THAT IS AMAZING!

How can we begin to love, forgive and show mercy, grace and compassion to others? Even in Paul’s day, young Timothy ‘stood out’ because He trusted the Lord for his own care and genuinely reached out those around him. So as we trust, we will do the same!

Jesus said, “…Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” You are His beloved child; He gave His life for you so that you can live secure, without fear and know you are fully loved! The God of Heaven will never forget you, never!

God’s Word is like a treasure chest overflowing with riches, knowledge and wisdom. When we dig deeply for these precious nuggets, we are guided, encouraged and strengthened for our journey…so much so, that we can cheer on others as well!

When idle chatter leaves you cold or lonely, remember, it’s not about how big your storm is but how big your GOD is. He is HUGE, GIANT…yet, He is intimate and personal. He will appear on your behalf to defend you and, through you, HE will be glorified!

God has given us the Key to His unshakable kingdom in the here and now through Jesus, our Risen King. He is the solid Rock on which we stand to praise and worship His holy Name now and forevermore! We will not be shaken!

Making a concerted effort to think on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy will not only lift our own spirits, but those around us as well.

Jesus laid down His will before the Father, trusting the greater plan. Thus, the deceiver’s plan…undone! Salvation for mankind…purchased! Jesus…free, rising in power! Our surrender also thwarts the enemy’s plans and powerfully frees us to rise above it all!

Trusting the One who controls the Universe helps us to see His hand in everything, and this is a daily choice. In trusting and choosing contentment in Him – rather than what we have, who we’re with or what we’re doing – we will be the most joyful people on earth!

Jesus showed us the value of getting alone with the Father. This time is vital to refill our hearts and minds, renew our spirits, refresh our attitudes and rejuvenate our bodies. Time with the Lord is not selfish…rather, it makes us better, ready to live and give again!

Sometimes life is like a wild rollercoaster ride…fast-moving and packed full of ups and downs! But God gave us an unchangeable hope in Jesus Christ. As we hold onto Him every moment of every day, we will ultimately say, “WHAT A RiDE!”

The One that changes everything… “is more than a story, More than words on a page of history, He’s the Air that I breathe, The Water I thirst for, And the Ground beneath my feet, He’s Everything…Everything to Me…” —“He’s Everything to Me” by Selah

We are told to love the Lord with all our hearts and to love others as we love ourselves. This may include feeding into the lives of others the very thing we need desperately…like a word of love and encouragement, or a hug. The good part, we’re encouraged too!

There is no truth more certain than God’s, no opinion more valuable than His, and He has entrusted it all to us…to be His vessels. So let it pour freely, speaking the truth in love to a world in need. It is a great responsibility, but also a blessed privilege!

In the beginning, HE made it all. The great Three-in-One God – the Father, Son and Spirit – collaborated, planned and created everything! Jesus was there from the beginning, and even at the beginning of you. Yes, YOU were His idea and He said, “It is very good!”

It is far better to be motivated by truth than by selfish ambition. Jesus was motivated purely by love and obedience before His Father and His followers. Imagine the impact we will have for the Kingdom of God as we follow HIS example! WoW!

Worry has never added a slice of bread to our tables, a hair to our heads or a day to our lives…it only robs the morning of its song, the day of its joys and the evening of its peace. How much better it is to trust God’s word, say a prayer and embrace today!

Do not be afraid…for even in the very presence of God Himself, John was comforted! Can you begin to imagine what it was like for him to feel the Lord’s hand on him…and what peace flowed through him? That same peace and comfort is yours, don’t be afraid!

Nothing is too hard, too big or too small for the Lord… He used a mere five loaves of bread to feed 5,000 people and there were leftovers, twelve baskets full! Jesus can do more with less when we put it in His hands. Nothing is too hard for Him, nothing!

Our Lord is kind, just and righteous, and He gives us free reign to ‘boast’ that we understand this and know Him! HE actually ‘delights’ in exercising these things in our lives, and seeking and knowing Him opens our eyes to see His heart more clearly.

As we follow the Lord’s lead – yoked together with Him, placing our burdens in His hands – we find that HE knows our limitations, so He takes our burden and does the heavy work. The more we trust and yield to Him, the lighter our yoke becomes!

God knows what hurts you, why you are hurting so deeply, why you feel so alone, and He is with you. Your Loving Father and Comforter, He who holds the Universe in place…HE catches your tears in a bottle and holds YOU close to His heart even now, especially now!

Life is full of wins and losses, health and sickness, joys and struggles, but God promises a double portion and joy in the here and now. Plus, being joint-heirs with His Son, we have everything He has…including full access to the Father and joy everlasting!

When we come into relationship with Jesus Christ, He makes all things new as He transforms us into His glorious image one day, one step at a time. The change can be as mesmerizing and beautiful as watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon.

Once our righteousness becomes fully dependent upon that of our Savior, we inherently have His favor on our lives as well. Until His time came to walk the rugged road to Calvary, He was immortal and protected, as are we – from now until we reach glory!

When we taste and see that the Lord is good, we find that we not only have eternal life, but that He is the source of abundant life in the here and now. To know Jesus is to know the Father and Creator of all things…the One who daily gives us the breath of life!!

God longed to reveal His love TO US, and He did through Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, exchanging our sin for His righteousness before the Father forever.. He doesn’t have to do one more thing to prove His love to us, but He does…because HE LOVES US!

Jesus’ love changes our life and motivation. We have ALL we need through Him who strengthens us to love others as He loves us. His obedient, forgiving, dying-to-self, perfect love is not a reaction to what others say or do, but an action of the Christ within us.

Jesus wants us to trust HIM in our times of trouble so HE can rescue us and we can give Him glory. He said that in this world we will have tribulation, but He has overcome the world, and HE even gives us peace and courage to praise Him sacrificially through it all!

God’s love for us is better than life or lobster! It is from everlasting to everlasting, an endless supply that will never need replenishing, it will never run out. Today and every day, He lives to satisfy our hunger for love and fill our hearts to overflowing praise!