Don’t Grow Up, It’s A Trap…! #trust

dont grow up its a trapChildlike faith…

Such a sweet picture of innocence…and trust.

I picture Jesus sitting outside, maybe casually hanging out.. just sitting on a tree stump, next to a place where the kids of the village are playing tag, and running around..

and this happens…

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?”

He called a little child and had Him stand among them.

And He said:

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes Me…”

Matthew 18: 2-5

Whoa!

That had to surprise them…

There they stand in their “grownupness”   waiting to hear who the greatest in Heaven would be…

(and maybe how they could be among the greatest…)

 Jesus’ words must have stung and confused their hearts for a quick minute..

Yet … all these years later,

how refreshing and encouraging are Jesus’ words…to my grown up heart!

 “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Humbling my heart before God, and man… always changes me..

By humbling myself, I take the pressure off of my heart …  I don’t have to try to  be someone, or something I am not…

I don’t have to question, or push anything…

By learning to keep our hearts humble before God and man, we set into motion God’s plan…

We aren’t trying to do things on our own..

We have come to Him for direction…

Trusting Him…

Seeking Him…

Depending on Him to show me the way…

Childlike faith…

That pleases God…

That sets me free…

Don’t grow up!

It’s for sure a trap :)

Live in Love,

Lisa

No Digging Allowed.. Ever! … #Trust

do not dig up in faithLetting the love of God’s heart touch deeply in my soul.

Learning to not quickly dig up emotions, and feelings I have planted in faith.

Once planted, I put my faith.

My hope.

My heart… In His hands.

“If God is for us , who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31

Dear Heavenly Father,

Coming before You this new day, I am reminded how important it is for me to really… really

TRUST

Your words of hope….

To take that extra minute and seek Your heart of compassion over  thoughts my mind is trying to dig up…

Elizabeth Elliot wrote…

“Do not dig up in doubt what you planted in faith..”

 I love those words…

Father,

You know my heart, and I am so thankful for Your perfect love.

You saw me get out the shovel… search for the hole…  and You stopped me…

Thank You for the power of Your love that changes hearts…

Thank You for Your promise to meet me whenever I call Your name…

Holy.  Holy.  Holy is our God All Mighty…

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

James 4:8

Dear Friend… hold nothing back from the eyes of God…

He is Your power and Your might…

He is Your strength…

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

Isaiah 40:29

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

Fierce Mind… Tender Heart. #trustinHislove

i am a daughter of the king“Instead of shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land and everlasting joy will be theirs.”

Isaiah 61:7

Your story is not over…

God is at work in and around your life…

How I pray we would be mindful of His touch, and loving care….

Every day, He is fighting for our hearts.. strengthening our minds, and preparing us for good works…

May we rejoice in His great inheritance, and hold close to His everlasting joy that is our portion now and forever…

Heavenly Father,

As I look to your loving care, I know I can’t do this day on my own…

Thank you for filling my heart with Your truths…

I am the daughter of the king most high…

I am safe…

I am strong..

May my heart be fierce with hope, and my mind focused on the joy of Your salvation…

My today is Your’s, Dear Father…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

Kind, Fierce & Brave… #trust

kind heartTucking my heart in the shadow of Your wing…

Relying, trusting, and fully consumed by the power that You are.

You are my Strength, and my Strong Tower..

Oh Lord,

How beautiful, how majestic is Your name.

“Let us go to the dwelling place of the Lord;

let us bow low before Him..”

Psalm 132:7

Father, as I walk in Your presence, and give You my day…

I pray my heart new courage, and strength.

As I turn to You, You make all things new.

Grow in me Your wisdom, flow through me Your compassion…

How beautiful it is that You don’t take Your eyes off of me…

I will trust You with my today.

I will keep walking forward in faith.

 I thank You for covering me with Your hope and strength..

“In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment.  He was a devout man who feared the God of Israel….

He gave generously to charity and was a man who regularly prayed to God.

One day He has a vision in which He saw an angel of God coming to Him, “Cornelius!” the angel said.

Cornelius stared at him in terror.

“What is it sir?”  he asked the angel.

And the angel replied,  “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have not gone unnoticed by God!”….”

Acts 10:1-4

Oh Lord,

I will keep praying, giving…loving, and learning…

You, Oh Lord,

know my everything…

How I praise You, Father, for Your comfort and strength…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

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

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

You Know Me Well… #trust

let the miracle take overHe knows your precious heart…

He knows my tendencies…

His eyes pierce deep within my soul…

He knows my strengths and my sorrows…

Oh Lord, You know me well..

“You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

You both precede and follow me..

You place Your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!”

Psalm 139:4-6

Father…

These words are a sweet symphony to my weary soul…

They touch  my heart with Your grace…

They fill me with peace..

Your precious words comfort and soothe…

Thank You for sitting with me..

Thank You for covering me with the shadow of Your wing…

I am so thankful for Your love and care… I find my rest in the hope of who You are…

I believe that You have great plans to prosper and not to harm me..

I am so thankful that In the quietness of Your  presence for this is the place I find my hope…

I find my strength..

Help me to move in Your spirit…

Help me to live; and to love…

Thank You for all that You are doing in my heart..

I can trust You with my days…

In Jesus Name,

I pray,

Amen..

Live in Love,

Lisa

“For I know the plans I have for You declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you.

Plans to give you a hope and a future..”

Jeremiah 29:11

 

There’s No Other Way… #trust

trust and obeyTrust and obey…

there’s no other way…

to be happy in Jesus…

than to trust and obey..

I love that sweet song…

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart..

and lean not on your own understanding. 

In all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight…”

Proverbs 3:5

Dear Heavenly Father, I love You…

I depend on You…

I come before You this new day trusting..

leaning…

and acknowledging You in all of my ways…

The big…

The small…

My thoughts.. and my dreams…

My heart, and my life are in Your hands.. ..

Please help me to keep walking,

resting, and trusting Your plan…

Help me live my today the best I can…

Shinning of Your beauty and light…

May others see through the hope in my heart,  that You are trust worthy and good..

I pray this In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa

Patience… #trust

be patient“Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. 

From his experience we see how the Lord’s plan finally ended in good for He is full of tenderness and mercy…”

James 5:11b

Oh Lord, thank You for not giving up on me…

Thank You for being patient with my heart.  Thank You for covering me with Your tenderness and mercy.

This is a day by day job…

Being patient.. still and calm.

Trusting You with my every thought..

Living to please You each day…

Walking in truth and trusting You with the rest…

Being patient…

 Letting Your beauty wash over me, as I lay my life at Your feet…

One day.  One moment at a time..

Help me to abide in Your care, Oh Father…  I seek to be used by  Your hand of grace to draw others into Your All Mighty presence…May they, too; see Your tenderness and mercy spilling over their lives…

In Jesus name,

I pray

Amen.

Live in Love,

Lisa

Trust The Process… #trust

this is your brain on joy“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus..”

Philippians 4:6-7

This scripture is the exact medicine for worry… :)

Dear, Heavenly Father, Good morning, and thank You for this fresh new day…

I come before You, this morning, seeking Your peace that transcends all understanding…

Today is a new day, and I am so grateful for Your faithfulness and hope…

Laying down my yesterdays, and seeking a fresh start.. I give you my heart, and my worries, praying over each one… Believing In Your promises of hope and comfort…

May I live today in joy…

Loving those You have near…

Reaching out to those who may need a word of goodness.

I love You, Jesus,

Trusting in You, and thanking You for Your amazing promises of peace…

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Live in Love,

Lisa