So Very Thankful… #soverythankful

so very thankful“In the beginning the word already existed.  He was with God, and He was God.

He was in the beginning with God.  He created everything there is.  Nothing exists that He didn’t make.  Life itself was in Him..

And this light gives light to everyone.  The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone about the light, so that everyone might believe because of His testimony.

John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light.

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world…
John 1-9

Oh Lord, how thankful I am for these awesome and powerful words…

When life doesn’t make sense, when pain, fear and sorrow come near.

Your word shines bright…

You are the light

How truly beautiful You are.

The darkness will never be able to extinguish Your light…

You created everything that is.

You came to give life and light to everyone…

Oh Lord, may we too be faithful witnesses to Your beauty and light…

May we shine of hope.

Of truth..  all that is pleasing to You…

How very thankful I am to have been chosen to be a part of this plan…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen.

Live in Love,

Lisa

You Are Colossal… #soverythankful

I am colossalYes. You.

 You are pretty great!

Life is so super messy…

Conflict is inevitable.

Forgive others quickly.

 Speak gently… walk humbly.

Don’t over think things… give your mind a chance to rest.

Live in the light of His all-encompassing Holy love…

Today is the perfect day to be happy :)

Father, forgive the times I dwell on the negative…

Please shine bright Your light of goodness in my heart, and give me the grace I need to be gentle with myself…

How I pray I would be a light of hope to my family… and those You draw into my life.

Keeping my eyes on You… Keeping my soul wrapped in Your warmth..

I enter Your gates with hope and thanksgiving…

I love You Dear Jesus,

In Your Name I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving go into His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and bless His name.

For the Lord is good and unfailing love continues forever…”

Psalm 100 4-5

I Give You My Today… #trust

peaceGood Morning Friend…

Praying God’s peace in around and through our hearts today…

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus…”

Phil 4:7

Dear Heavenly  Father,

Good morning… How I love you.  Need You.  And so very grateful for Your love in my life.

Father, today, as the world begins to awake, how I pray Your peace to surround my soul guarding my heart and my mind as I put in motion the things I need to get done…

Your peace soothes…

Your peace stops the noise and fills me with hope…

Give me the strength to just keep doing the next thing.

Living in Your light.

Walking in Your presence.

Loving those that surround my heart…

I give You my today…

I love You,

In Jesus Name,

Amen,

Live in Love,

Lisa

Pride < Compassion... #thebestmeicanbe

compassion1Pride … is a crazy thing isn’t it?

It can be so loud.. full of judgement and pain…

It can be quiet .. causing a storm that brews deep inside. Full of fear, jealousy, and anger.

When Jesus was being crucified, the two men with him acted so very differently…

How I pray to have eyes that see, and ears that hear…

“So you’re the Messiah, are you?  Prove it by saving yourself – and us, too, while you’re at it…”

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you are dying?

We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.”  

“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise…”

Luke 39-43

Oh Lord, how incredibly difficult  it is to picture this experience and wrap my mind around such pain…

We can all be so full of judgement and fear…

We can all miss the quietness of Your sweet goodness..

Please God have mercy on me… on us.  Soften my heart to see the hurting among us…

Help me to not miss opportunities to interject love, Oh Lord,  especially in times of conflict…

Give us words of grace… of peace.

Hearts filled with compassion…

Help me to extend my heart when I see a need…

Oh Lord, how we need Your tenderness and love.

I love You…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Striving to me the best me :)

Live in Love,

Lisa

A Sweet Whisper… #soverythankful

put your ear down by your heart“When he was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.

 Then their eyes were opened and the recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.

The asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us?

Luke 24:30-32

Their hearts burned within them as He spoke…

I know that feeling…

That sensation of His touch…

The purity of His words..

Jesus spoke words of  love…

He spoke words of  hope…

He spoke words of  peace…

of healing…and forgiveness..

He whispered to their hearts freedom…

Oh Lord,

How I thank You for drawing near.. I thank You for the warmth of Your embrace…

I thank You for the power in Your grace.

I thank You for Your truths that challenge and purse me…

Thank You for Your burning love that fills me.

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

Keep Going… No Matter What… #renew

keep going no matter whatDo the days seem to never end?

Do you find yourself thinking, “How did I get here..?”

Oh Dear Friend,

You are so loved…

God has reached down from heaven, chosen You.  Covered you.  Cleansed you from who you were..

Let His love break through…

“Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. 

When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you; when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..”

Isaiah 40: 28-31

God’s plan for your life is bigger and more powerful than your mess ups, struggles and fears…

Put your life in His Almighty hands…

Submit to who He is..

Dear Heavenly Father, I know I have messed up.  My heart aches with pain for those who I have hurt.  I know I have not been living the way that Your love would have me too..

Please forgive me my sin.  Come into my heart and life…

I need You more than ever.

I lay my heart at Your feet.

Please, Oh Lord, shine on me..

Thank You for washing me clean… Please lead me in the way I should go.

I want to be better than this.

I trust in You, and You alone..

In Jesus name, I pray,

Amen…

Live in Love,

Lisa

Keep Moving forward.  Soaking in His goodness.

Truly letting God’s kindness and favor penetrate your mind and flow through your soul.

Turning from what was.

Looking straight ahead to what will be.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to proper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future..”

Jeremiah 29:11

“Have mercy on me. O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed..”

Psalm 57:1

Live It… #shineon

live itWalking fearlessly in the shadow of Your light…

Letting Your voice touch my heart, and clear my mind…

Oh Lord, how  I am comforted by Your touch.

“Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of Your presence…”

Psalm 89: 15

How happy I am that my worship is not determined by how good or bad I am…

How happy; am I,  that I am completely, and wholly cleansed by Your blood.

I am free…

I am Your’s…

How I pray we would keep walking fearlessly in the shadow of Your wings…

Holding Your hand, and singing Your song…

I want my life to be an echo of all that You are…

Help me to live it… boldly and unafraid….

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may honor You. 

With all of my heart I will praise You, O Lord, my God.

I will give glory to Your name forever…”

Psalm 86:11-12

Truth… #love

how wonderful life is while your in the worldHow wonderful life is while you’re in the world…

It’s true!

It is :)

You are one of a kind.

Created for God’s  purposes.

How I pray I, we, wouldn’t  waste our minutes worrying about what others think of us…

(from my heart to God’s ears :)

I live big… I love big… Serve big…

I want to be the best I can be… Everyday.

We are truly God’s workmanship.  Created by God for God.

All for God’s glory,  and all  because of His tender love; and perfect grace…

You were created by God.  For God :)

You and I have been ransomed.  Redeemed.  Forgiven and even rescued!

I want to love big, because He loved me even bigger…

The biggest..

 Ever!

Thank You God for filling me with the love of Your heart for Your people…

Thank You for standing by my side and cheering me on when I feel overwhelmed and overspent…judged, or even condemned…

Those feelings threaten to pull my eyes away from Yours…

Your love is my lifeline…

I praise You for calling me out of the shadows…

Use my life, Oh Lord, that others will know You are for them…

I am so grateful that You are…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Lisa

Live in love,

Lisa

“For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew  in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago…”

Ephesians 2:10

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning… #courage

oh what a beautiful morningKeep fighting the good fight…

Keep standing in the light…

Dear God…

I am thinking about all the joy you have brought to my life…

All the beauty, and all the grace…

Your love has touched all the dark places… all the sad,  weary and distance places…

Oh, how I thank You for Your sweet love…

“Unfailing love and truth have met together.  Righteousness and peace have kissed!

Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven…

Yes, the Lord pours downs His blessings…

Our land will yield its bountiful crops.

Righteousness goes as a herald before Him, preparing the way for His steps…”

Psalm 85:10-13

Thank You for Your unfailing love…Your righteousness and peace…

Thank You for smiling down on me…

Thank You for this new day…

Oh, Yes!  What a beautiful morning…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

Don’t Give Up.. There Might Even Be Cookies…! #trust

reach as high as you canIt’s hard…

Super hard.

You  may feel like you are going one step forward, and two steps back…

It’s hard.

 Super hard…. when the annoyingness of your own self  keeps poking you in the chest…

“One day Jesus told His disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show the that they must   never give up!

“There was a judge in a certain city,”  he said, “who was a godless man with a great contempt for everyone.

 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her.  

The judge ignored her a a while, but eventually she wore him out.

“I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, but this woman is driving me crazy, I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this evil judge.  Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don’t yo think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with Him day and night?  

I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly!  

But when I the son of man, return, how many will I find who have faith?”

Luke 18:1-8

She wore him out!  That made me laugh out loud…

I feel like I can so relate to that woman :)

Don’t let “feelings”  like you are annoying God, or annoying even your own self,  stop you from constant prayer.

I am so encouraged that Jesus took the time to record this story…

He is for us…

He knows our weakness, and meets us right where we are.

Keep praying…

Keep reaching…

Keep going :)

We  might even get a cookie!!! Hahaha

Live in Love,

Lisa