Oh, Lord, how great thou art..

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple..”

Psalm 27:4

Thank You for Your faithfulness..

 Thank You, my precious Savior,  for not setting my aside, but instead setting my apart…

You have called us to love and honor You…

To trust and to seek You…

May You grant us the strength to see our selves as You have called us..

You have called us to be strong: yet humble…

To not trust in ourselves, but to Trust in You with all of our hearts…

To be gentle… loving, kind, and compassionate….

Only by Your blood…

Only by Your grace…

Indeed, how great thou art….

Thank You for Your dwelling place…

I love You,

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

This morning as I read these words, I could feel my heart softening… my shoulders lowering..

The almighty hand of God covering me… gently holding me near…

Covering my fears and my shame…

 Reminding me everything’s going to be alright…

“I know all the things that you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. 

You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me….

Revelation 3:8

How lovely it is to enter Your gates…

How holy You are, yet You choose to come so near…

It almost takes my breath away…

“Surely goodness and love shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever…”

Psalm 23:6

Heavenly Father, please  hear this cry of my heart; as I carry these words of Psalm 131 to Your alter…

Please forgive me where I fail…

Please fill  my with Your grace…

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me..

But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with his mother..

Yes, like a small child is my soul within me…

Psalm 131:1-2

Bringing all that I am,

and all that I am not…

Changed by Your grace and filled with Your heart….

How I thank You for saving my life from the pit of darkness and disaster…

You have chosen me and have not let go..

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from the farthest corners I have called you.  I said, you are my servant.  I have chosen You and I have not rejected you. 

So do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and I will help you.

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand…”

Isaiah 41:9-10

May all that I am be a reflection of all that You have done…

Friend how I pray you will rest deeply in these promises….

God sees You…

He knows You…

And He adores You…

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“

Fearing the floodwaters?

My heart aches with yours…

 Fearing that the dam is going to break at any moment.  Your heart is so super  heavy .. You just don’t have the strength to hold back the flood you fear is imminent…

Living under pressure and worry..

So life draining.

The Solution…

“The Lord rules over the floodwaters.  The Lord reigns as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to His people.

The Lord blesses them with peace…”

Psalm 29:10

Oh, Dear Lord, How I need your peace, and Your strength… Thank You for Your  sweet promises of hope.

I chose to come before you this very day, laying down my worry in exchange for Your goodness and grace..

Please, Father, fill me with Your hope, peace, and strength.  Quiet my heart and my thoughts, Oh Lord.  For You have been so good to me…

I raise my hands in honor of who You are.

My God and My king..

“Give honor to the Lord for the glory of His name.  Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.”

Psalm 29:2

I am safe in Your arms, and protected from the floodwaters.  You are my great defender and lover of my soul…

Give me the courage to speak what is true.

May you walk before me, guiding my steps, and softening hearts…

May my day be filled with hope, and may other’s see the light of who You are through my eyes…

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

I rest in You…

When  thoughts of doubt.. worry, or fear invade your heart…

When you are where you are,

and you can’t change what’s going on around you…

We need only to be still and breath in His amazing words of peace,  strength and power…

He has you cradled  in His sweet hands…

“For He will conceal me there when troubles comes; He will hide me in His sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock..”

Psalm 27:5

There has been so many times in my walk with Jesus that I have heavily relied on those words..

I have visualized the storm raging all around my heart, felt His hands pick me u;p and place ever so high…

Away from all the turmoil and madness..

On top of that beautiful rock… In the open air, and gentle breezes…

That is where His peace surrounds…

He has never let me go..

The battles have raged on, but I have been safe in His holy sanctuary…

Oh, Dear Heavenly Father,

How I pray for my brothers and sisters.  May they be consumed by Your hand of goodness, and covered by Your great protection…

No matter what doubts or fears may be whispering to our hearts, may we find our refuge in You…

Not man.

Not friend.

Not mother or father…

Not worldly wisdom or advice.

But truly and wholly in You, Alone…

“The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life delighting in the Lord’s perfections and mediating in His Temple…”

Psalm 27:4

We come before You, this beautiful new day, Oh Lord, laying our burdens down, and resting in Your presence…

In Your sanctuary…

Help us to live in this day.. focused on the now.

Not the then, when or what ifs..

How we praise Your Holy Name for carrying the weight of those things that we just can’t change or hold on to..

We were called to live in freedom.. for freedom’s sake..

how amazing are, You, Dear Father!

Your love changes everything…

I love You,

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

I want to see the whole gigantic picture!

Uggg…

No matter what I am going through, I want to run to the end and see the prize!

I do that with cracker jacks…

Yes.

Cracker Jacks!

I put my huge hand in that tiny little box, and dig around till I find it…

THE TREASURE!

It’s messy and sticky but I seriously don’t care!

There’s a prize!!

I eat all the marshmallow treats out of my Lucky Charms Cereal first!

Yes!  They are magically delicious…

Just sayin ;)

When I buy Oreos at the grocery store, I can’t wait.

I pretty much eat as many as I can before I get home!

 Believe me!

Oreos stay in your teeth… and are very crummy!

Seriously!  I just want that creamy filling!!!

I’m just the worst prize waiter!

So when it comes to life’s challenges, I want to get through them… get to the other side, because I do believe with all of my heart…

There is always a prize!

As I walk through my daily life… I notice that when I cry out to God for comfort.  More faith.  Clarity…

He gives me a stepping stone..

A lot of times just one little stone that I can jump to…

Seeing his encouragement through a friend, an answer to prayer.  A laugh, or a quiet reminder that He is near…

I don’t have to dig for the prize, He quietly and generously lays them out for me

One stepping stone at a time…

“The Lord will work out His plan for my life for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. 

Don’t abandon me, for you made me…”

Psalm 138:8

Oh, Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for not letting me feel too overwhelmed on this journey called life…

We. I..  get so used to instant gratification, that when I don’t see the end, I so quickly feel abandoned and afraid that I have lost my way…

How I pray that today, we would remember to ask… to seek, and to knock.

That you will ever so graciously lay out our stepping stones… and we wouldn’t miss them.

Thank You for Your amazing faithfulness.

I am in awe of Your gentleness… once again!

I love You Jesus,

In Your name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; He who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened..”

Matthew 7:7

Don’t forget to ask :)

Do 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

Praying this morning over “Worry.”

“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”

Proverbs 12:25

We all know that this is true, right?

Worry darkens our thoughts and taints our joy.

Worry, locks our hearts up, and stops us for enjoying what is happening in our lives at this very moment…

We worry about things that haven’t happened, but might happen…

Worry defeats us before we even have a chance to see how things will turn out…

Worry silently destroys the good that God is pouring into our lives because we are expecting the worst..

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself, each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matt 6:34

Let’s just say No to the drama that worry creates,  and say YES to believing God has good for those who love Him…

“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 hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Dear Heavenly Father,  Good Morning, and thank You so much for Your words of hope and encouragement.  Your love seeks to pierce the darkness of worry, and light our souls with truth, hope, and strength…

Strength that says I am Your child, and You have my whole heart, for my whole life.

May You release me from the lies of worry… And draw me into the truth of today.

“Today is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24

Help me to live one day at a time, free from what may be, and full of what is true…

What is true is You love me, and have my heart for always…

May my heart be light, and may I encourage someone today who needs to have their burden lightened…

May they know that You are the God of love, amazing light, and hope…

I love You, Jesus,

In Your Name I pray,

Amen

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus..”

Philippians 4: 6-7

Take a minute to write down all of your worries… pray over them, and give it to God.

Let His peace transcend all understanding.

Live in Love,

Lisa

Trusting in something, and someone bigger than life.

Living to be beautiful in God’s eyes.

Unshaken by the dark voices of this world calling me to hide…

Oh Lord, Your mercies are never ending.

How I thank You for Your beauty and grace that draw me to the lake’s edge and beckon me to go deeper…

“Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish…”

Luke 4:4

May my life shine of all the beauty that You have shown me.

May I forever have the courage to go deep.  To let go of the things that are holding me back, and walk in the light of what is good.

Your love is good.  Your plan for my life is good.  Your mercies unfailing amaze me…

I will walk in the light, like You are in the light…

That is where I find all that I need.  In the light of Your presence, and the warmth of Your embrace.

I will go deeper, for I know You are holding me tight…

I love You, Jesus,

In Your name, I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you. God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him but walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 

But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His son, purifies us from all sin”.

1 John 1:5-7

“Peter said, “I swear by God, I don’t know the man.”  And immediately the roster crowed.  Suddenly Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”  And he went away, crying bitterly.

Matt 26:74-75

Can you imagine how Peter must have felt at that moment?  My heart breaks, and my body feels weak, when I think of the anguish and sadness that must have filled his heart and soul..

“He went away, crying bitterly..”

That was Peter’s only release to His heart ache…

  Peter loved Jesus.  Peter loved Jesus passionately.  Peter wanted to be all about Jesus…

Peter failed…

I so know that feeling…

But that’s not the end!

Jesus loved Peter.  Jesus knew peter would struggle.  Jesus wanted Peter to  be all about His glory and grace..

I love that so so much!

If you and I have truly accepted the free gift of grace God offers.. the gift of salvation and forgiveness for our failures…

Our heart-break…

Our sins….

 Then guess what?

He loves us.  He knows we are going to struggle.  He wants us to be all about His glory and grace!

Oh Dear Lord, how awesome is Your name.  How beautiful and amazing is your glory and grace…

I come before You this new day, saying, Please forgive me.  Please open my heart… and come in… I need Your cleansing and mercy.

My heart is tired.  I am lost without You…

I love You, Jesus, and thank You for dying for my sins, and chasing after me with Your ferocious, undying, and unconditional love…

I know I have sinned.  I know I want to be beautiful in Your eyes, and I thank You for Your grace flowing through my veins..

I want to be all about You.. Your glory and grace.

May other’s see You in my eyes…

Help me to reach out my hand, that the weary sense Your touch..

Thank You for Your Amazing Grace…

I love You, Heavenly Father,

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

“For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything He dies is worthy of our trust.  He loves whatever is just and good, and His unfailing love fills the earth..”

Psalm 33:4-5

.

Thank you so much Heavenly Father for never letting go.. Every high and every low I know you are here..

Through the calm and through the storm you are near…

You never let go and I so thank You for that…

We all need forgiveness.  We all need compassion…

We all need a savior, and I love You..

You took me as You found me, and I surrender my days to Your light of goodness..

I love You Jesus,

In Your Name, I pray,

Amen

“The Lord, your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing..”

Zephaniah 3:17

Be blessed by this beautiful song…