As we Walk Through the Word today, let's look at what 1 Thessalonians 5:11 has to say about how we can be a blessing to each other in simple, yet powerful ways. This verse says: "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." What does encouragement look like? It can come in many shapes and forms and can be very specific for the person who needs it. Here are three ways you can give encouragement easily starting NOW. Give compliments freelyNever underestimate the power of a kind word or compliment. It could be exactly what that person needs to hear that day. Some people have never been complimented or told that he or she is valued. Our words can be like an oasis in the desert to someone who desperately needs refreshment. I recently heard of what is called ICNU statements. The way it works is to say to someone you want to encourage something like this... "I see in you such greatness, or I see in you so much creativity," or whatever you happen to notice or want to validate. Don't just think about it, but instead actually say it. People cannot read your thoughts and your compliment could be the only positive word that this person has heard in a very long time. Listen without judgementPractice being a better listener. Don't just wait to respond but listen to understand. Get comfortable with a one-sided conversation if needed, where you are mostly or only the listener. Sometimes people do not need advice, but rather the opportunity to share the burden or vent. Give nonverbal support, like a smile, a head nod, a hand on the shoulder and direct eye contact. Give the message that you are my priority, you matter, and you have my full attention. Your gift is your time and your presence, and you can't put a price on that. Pray for themAsk your friend or family member how you can specifically pray for him or her and do it often. Text them and let them know that you are praying for them. Follow up with who you are praying for and get frequent updates. Find out if there are new concerns, praise reports or more to the story. Stay involved as a prayer partner and let them know that with God as part of the problem-solving team, miracles can and do happen. You have the power to make a profound difference in someone's life. Why not do that right now and share some encouragement today? Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father: Please help us to look for opportunities where we can be an encourager. Open our eyes and ears to look for people who need us. Empower us to love as you loved and to be the hands and feet of Christ to those who need that today. In Jesus' name, Amen. Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
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How great is our God? Have you ever stopped and asked yourself that question? Like really stopped to ponder how truly GREAT our God is? Sometimes we kind of grasp that concept, yet sometimes we also can be guilty of limiting God or thinking that God should only answer our prayers a certain way. In Ephesians 3:20, it talks about God being able to accomplish for us things that are beyond what we could ask or even think! God can blow us away with his plans for us. Let's discuss this. We are human beings. We have limited potential. We can certainly problem solve and accomplish things each day, but our human ability only takes us so far. When we partner with God, inviting him into every area of our lives, a whole new realm of possibilities opens for us. He is the Same Yesterday, Today and ForeverThe Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. What he has done in the past, he will do again but it may not be quite as we expect. God has unique ways of bringing about things in our lives. He will do it his way and in his time. We do not have the right to dictate to God how things should be done. Sometimes we don't like his methods, but they are always out of a heart of love for us. Unanswered prayers can sometimes be the BIGGEST blessings in our lives. I cannot tell you how many times that I have thanked God that my prayers were NOT answered in the way that I THOUGHT they should be. Had it played out in my little "perfect" scenario that I imagined, I would have missed out on some of God's greatest blessings for me. God's plans are perfect for us, yet we often feel we need to step in and tell God "What's what." He sees the beginning to the end, and we only see one very small part. This is where trust comes in. I encourage you today to take your requests to God with confidence, pray for his will and truly "let go and let God." He has it all figured out for you and his ways are so above our ways. Sit back and watch what a GREAT God will do for you. Don't limit him in your mind. Dream big! Ask big! Trust big! He can do truly above and beyond what we could ever think or imagine. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father: Thank you for the reminder that you can do so much more for us than we can even fathom. May we trust you fully, knowing that you know us best and are able to do more for us than we could even imagine. In Jesus' name, Amen. Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Tags: answered prayers, trust in God, dream big, God's plan, prayer, prayer life, prayer list
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
"You never go wrong by being kind." ~ Marilyn Lear A little kindness goes a long way, and a very wise woman, (my mom) always said "You never go wrong by being kind." I have always tried to follow in her footsteps and share kindness freely and generously. I remember chatting with Mom on many occasions and asking her advice regarding whether I should or should not reach out to specific people who were going through hard times. My mom's answer was always the same. She would say "Why would you even hesitate? You never go wrong by being kind." Truer words were never spoken. In Ephesians 4:32 in the Living Bible it specifically instructs us to be kind to each other. It states: Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ. Let's unpack this verse together. Be Kind and Tenderhearted to One AnotherIn the first part of this verse, it gives a very clear directive to us as believers. We are told to be kind and tenderhearted with each other. When we are tenderhearted, we exhibit grace and empathy with others. Having a tender heart means you are moved by compassion and open to God's leading. You have an attitude that if someone you know is in a bad way, you can be the answer to his or her prayers simply by being an encourager in some way. Encouragement comes in many forms. It could be a card, an email, a basket of muffins, or even as simple as a timely hug. Never underestimate the power of a small gesture. Sometimes those make the biggest impact on those who are hurting. Forgive Others As I Have Forgiven YouTo experience all that God has for us we are to have a forgiving nature, just as Christ does. He does not keep a record of our wrongs, and he looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. We are to emulate that to the world. We are told in his word to be the hands and feet of Christ. Forgiveness is not always easy. It can be quite a complicated process, but God will help us to do this if we ask him. For more advice on just how to implement forgiveness into your everyday life click here. We Belong to ChristThe fact that this verse says we "belong to Christ," gives me goosebumps. The Almighty God calls us his own. We are so unworthy, yet he still looks at us and says "See those people right there? I love them so much and they are MINE! " If we are representatives of Jesus, we must model his characteristics. This is not always easy as we are only human. When Christ is in us however, we have the capacity to love in a supernatural way. The "above and beyond factor" has been imparted to us as God's children. I don't know about you, but I want to be able to say at the end of my life that I left NOTHING on the table. I want to love as he loved, bless others as he did and always take time to be kind. The beautiful thing about kindness is that what you give out comes right back to you. What do you say? Let's start a kindness boomerang. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father: Thank you for the kindness that you continuously bestow on us. Help us to do the same for others. In Jesus' name, Amen. Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Tags: kindness, kindness boomerang, kindness chain, hands and feet of Christ, Ephesians 4:32, forgivenessCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
"Let's just pray" It is a phrase that I am very familiar with as all through my childhood, no matter how big or small the issue at hand, we took it to the Lord in prayer. My parents raised us with a deep faith in God and a strong belief in the power of prayer. Even as a adult when I would call my Mom crying or broken-hearted over things I was facing, she would listen wholeheartedly and as soon as appropriate, without fail would always say "Let's just pray." Today we are examining Philippians 4: 6 and 7. We will discuss what it says about prayer and the advice it gives about incorporating prayer into our daily lives. The NIV Bible phrases these verses this way: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.” Let's look a little closer at these verses together. Do Not Be Anxious About AnythingDo not be anxious about anything. Wow! Now that is a TALL order indeed. This is most likely because it seems there are more people suffering from anxiety these days than ever before. It is normal and common for us to worry about situations yet, if not kept in check our worries can easily escalate into anxiety. In our own humanness it is easy to get nervous about our concerns, but when we learn the practice of channeling our stress into heartfelt prayers, carrying our burdens becomes a shared experience, not a solo act. It is so much easier to feel peaceful when the load is shared. Pray About Every SituationIn this verse we are told to pray about EVERYTHING! I remember hearing of a debate between two elderly women, named Hazel and Edna. The heated debate was about what to pray and what NOT to pray about. Hazel shared with Edna a huge list of everyday things, as well as some more serious needs that she committed to prayer each and every day. Edna responded with immediate disapproval in regard to what she deemed the "minor issues" on Hazel's prayer list. Edna said in a condescending tone "Hazel, you don't pray about little things! God is way too busy to care about those! You only pray about BIG things!" With a twinkle in her eye, Hazel cleverly clapped back "Sorry Edna, but you are wrong there! Don't you know the God we serve? Everything is a little thing to Him?" Way to go Hazel! She is right. If it matters to us, it matters to God, so bring all your needs to the foot of the cross. Nothing is a BIG thing to him! He can do anything. The Bible says actually that he can do more than we could ask or even think, and all requests are important to our heavenly father. Present Your Requests With ThanksgivingWhen you pray, consider it handed over to God and thank him in advance for what he is about to do in you, for you and through you, in regard to your requests. When my daughter Shannon was very young, I asked her to pray about a tricky situation our family was facing. In her sweet little voice, she prayed a touching little prayer over the situation. Right after she closed with an enthusiastic AMEN, I proceeded to tell her AGAIN how worried I was about the issue. Shannon promptly cut me right off mid-sentence and said, "Now Mommy, we JUST prayed about that, now stop worrying!" Wow! Wise words from a little one. She sure told me. The Peace of God Will Guard Your Hearts and MindsWhen we take our struggles to God in prayer, we have now taken the issue from trying to handle it in the "natural realm" to instead harnessing the unlimited power of the "supernatural realm." Prayer changes things. There is peace in knowing that God now has it in his very capable hands. There is such a sense of relief that comes when we invite God to take control of our situation as we can then experience what the Bible says is called "the peace that passes all understanding." It is to our benefit to incorporate prayer into our everyday routines for so many reasons. If you are not familiar with how prayer works, or don't know how to start, you are not alone. Many have felt that way. Do not worry about formalities. Just speak from your heart. God is your friend, so talk to him the way you would a trusted confidant. I encourage you to harness the power of prayer in your life. Develop a daily prayer routine. It is a proactive and positive way to address your issues with the best Problem Solver out there! It will change your life. I guarantee it! Tuck that in your heart today!
Tags: prayer, prayer time, Why should I pray? Philipians 4:6-7, pray for me. pray for you, the power of prayer, pray about it, let's just pray, prayer changes thingsCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
In our society there are so many messages in the media that encourage the unmatched power of willpower. We are advised to white knuckle it, grit our teeth, buckle down and make it happen for ourselves. Daily we are bombarded with mantras that advise us that we can: harness the power within, and change our lives for the better with sheer determination. We are led to believe that a person needs nothing or no one else to transform his or her life other than good old me, myself and I. Although there is truth in the premise that for lasting change to happen and positive problem solving to take place, one must be fully committed, there is much more to examine here. In addition to needing family, friends and mentors in your corner to aid your success, I challenge you to invite God to join your problem-solving team as well, and perhaps even act as the captain if you are ready. In Philippians 4:13 it says: I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I would like to break that down a bit to provide advice on why this enlightens us to understand why willpower alone often falls short. I Can Do All ThingsIn this verse it says I can do ALL things. It doesn’t state I can do the following things and the following things alone... with God by my side. It says I can do ALL things. Drop. The. Mic. With God as our pilot even the most problematic path seems surprisingly manageable. I am a singer and I love to sing a song by Scott Wesley Brown that is entitled He Will Carry You. The song lyrics state: "There is no problem too big, God cannot solve it There is no mountain too tall He cannot move it There is no storm too dark God cannot calm it There is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it" I don’t know about you, but I would say that certainly covers it all! Never does it say independently I can do all these things, because the verse does not stop there. There's more! Let's move on. Through Christ Who Give Me StrengthWe were never meant to walk alone. We were never meant to do life in our own strength. That will only carry us so far. Life is just plain hard, and we need something greater than ourselves to keep us moving forward, especially during tough times. God is our ever-present help in times of trouble. His mercies are new every morning and He is always ready to empower us with His presence, offer His strength and provide a shoulder to cry on as needed during our darkest days. It is so exciting to grasp that you don't have to carry your burdens alone. Won't you consider allowing God to take the reins or if you already have Him on your team, allow Him to take a larger leadership role in your life? You won't regret it. Trust me. When it comes to problem solving, you and God are truly a match made in Heaven! Tuck that in your heart today! Prayer: Dear Heavenly father, Thank you for the reminder that we do not have to try to handle our situations on our own. You have promised us to give us the strength to get through and You are the best problem solving partner anyone could ask for. Help us never to forget this, In Jesus Name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Tags: Why the power of willpower falls short, willpower, power will, will power, God and strength quotes, quotes about strength from God, God quotes for strength, God quotes on strength, quotes about strength from God, life skills, living skillsCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
Let’s walk together through Proverbs 3: 5 – 6. In these verses, it says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. There is a lot to unpack in these two verses, so let’s begin. Trust in the Lord with ALL Your HeartWe need to know that God is the only constant in our lives. Trust can be very difficult at times. People and circumstances let us down regularly. With God, it is so different though. What He says, He will do. His promises are solid and failproof. He is the same yesterday, today and forever and what He did for those in the past, He will do for you. He is the SAME God, and you can 100%, beyond a shadow of a doubt trust Him with ALL your heart, not just some small piece. This could be something very complicated for some of us to grasp depending on our spiritual backgrounds and whether we have had any trust issues in the past or present. I understand that but believe me you can trust God as He always has your best interests at heart. My daughter Shannon has a sweatshirt, that says God’s Got Me, and that message is so very powerful and true. Lean Not to Your Own Understanding Do not try to figure out what God is doing in your individual situation. Just. Trust. Him. God sees the beginning to the end. He does not owe us any type of explanation, and He already has it all figured out. We can truly only see a very small part of the big picture. Many times, we do not get it. We are so heartbroken and frustrated. We want to say “God, what are you doing?” Unfortunately, we must go through the storm to get to the rainbow, though we so wish that was not the case. I remember before I went to teacher’s college, my husband and I were at a crossroads growing our family. We had just had another miscarriage and at this time it was a potentially fatal, ectopic pregnancy. Our hearts were shattered. We decided through prayer and soul searching to permanently close the door on that chapter of our lives and start a new and exciting one that included me going back to school. As I walked on campus for the first time I thought, I could be home with a sweet, little baby right now, but knew that instead God was enlarging my territory to minister and serve many children. Christian teachers are so needed in the public school system and that is not lost on me. It was God’s plan for my life. Many things we may never understand and only when we get to Heaven may we get our answers. In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him I challenge you to let God into every aspect of your life. Invite Him into your decision making, relationships, career, and finances. Let him be the Lord of your life in all aspects. He is the God of the universe, our firm foundation, and He desires to help us in all our life areas, no matter how big and small. He Will Direct Your Paths God knows which way your life will go. Often it is not a straight path, but instead a rollercoaster or winding road. We will ultimately get to the destination He chose for us, but often we would NEVER have chosen that route. It often takes so much heartache to get to your heart’s desires. At the end though, we can look back and see that God was truly ordering our steps even if it seemed completely confusing at the time. The Bible confirms that God orders our steps in Psalms 37:23. He doesn’t always shine the path with a flashlight, but rest assured He will be holding our hand in the hard times, always. Tuck that in your heart today. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father please help us to know that we can trust you completely. We are your children, and the Bible says that you hold us in the palm of your hand. When we don't understand reassure us that you are always there and help us to understand that there is always a purpose for what we go through. In Jesus Name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Tags: Can I trust God? What does trust in the Lord with all your heart mean? Proverbs 3: 5-6, Where is God in the hard times? What does lean on your own understanding mean? faith, trusting in God, What does it mean that God orders our steps?Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword (Dana Romualdi)
Welcome to Walking in the Word. Come join me on a weekly adventure through God’s word. I am very excited to be your tour guide. We will have many thought provoking stops along the way. Let's linger together and examine my favourite verses and passages of scripture that have brought me joy, comfort and peace in so many different and difficult situations. My prayer is that these verses will resonate with you as well. So, with no further ado, let’s begin! Do we have any “old school” Sunday school friends out there? I am sure I am not alone. Being raised in the Pentecostal church, in Sunday school class it was almost certain each week that we would sing the familiar, little, church chorus, entitled This is the Day. Sadly, it is not sung as much in church these days, and I really do miss it. Recently I led worship at our local Salvation Army and had the unique pleasure of bringing it back. Brought lots of smiles in the crowd and great memories for me for sure. We all have good days, bad days and days that are just somewhere in between. I can’t help but notice though, that this verse says THIS is the day that the Lord has made, not yesterday was or tomorrow will be the day that the Lord has made. EVERY day is a gift from God, and we need to realize this and celebrate that simple fact. Many days bring heartbreak and sorrow. I have had so many of those days lately in my own life yet isn’t it interesting that the Bible still says THIS, as in those days also are the days that the Lord has made. Every day has purpose and is meaningful and can hold something we can find joy in, even if the reason to "rejoice" shows up much, much later. The gift of another 24 hours on earth is not something to take for granted. A new day is something that many are not privileged to have. If we are not careful, we can get so caught up in a “when I, then I, mentality.” I knew someone like that. It went something like this... “It will be better when the weather changes, or it will be so great when my kids are older, or when I have saved more money.” You get it right? Not now, but when things are changed in some way, then this will be the time that I will “rejoice.” Do you even realize how much precious time is wasted with this type of thinking? Instead, the Bible instructs us that the time is NOW to rejoice and find meaning in each day. THIS day is the day that the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it. Look for the good in each day. There is always something to be thankful for, even if it is something very small. There is always something worth noticing. Always keep your eyes and heart open. On our best and worst days, God is still there. On our hardest days He stands with us, with a broken heart as well, as He leads us and guides us to brighter days ahead. God is with us on EVERY type of day and with His strength we can rejoice no matter what comes our way because He just loves us that much. With God at our side, we can face every type of day TOGETHER, hand in hand. Tuck that in your heart today. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your presence in our lives and that you have promised in your word to be always with us. Through this rollercoaster called life you are right there with us, no matter what type of day we are having, and we are forever grateful. In Jesus name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana P.S. To read my blog post about how there is a time for everything click here.
Tags: This is the day, gift of a new day, Psalms 118:24, enjoy the present Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
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