 Is it just me, or does the world seem to just be getting busier and busier? As the to-do list grows, there seems to just not be enough time or energy to get it all done. Many times, I feel overwhelmed and inadequate when it comes to meeting the daily demands of me. Falling short, time and time again, it is very natural for discouragement to set in at times. With so much to do and so little time, it is very easy to overlook the value of quiet time and the practice of just. being. still. The Bible says in Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." Oh, how I need that reminder in our fast-paced society to "be still." Be still and know that I am God means a few things to me. Here's my thoughts. Take a breather Photo by Andrea Piacquadio To be still, we literally have to stop moving. As obvious as that sounds, we cannot quiet our hearts if we do not first quiet ourselves. Newsflash: There is no trophy for getting it all done, and there is no reward for working ourselves to a frenzy. Our jobs and responsibilities are important, but not more important than our peace. It is ok to take a break and be still. It is okay and crucial for our mental health. Do some reading. Take a nap. Listen to a podcast. Linger over a cup of coffee. Take a walk. Read a favourite book. You deserve it. Schedule these times in and treat them like actual appointments. Value these times of stillness. Our lives so easily get out of balance and soul care often gets put on the back burner. Make times of stillness a priority in your life. God has your back Photo by Tara Winstead One of the names for God is Prince of Peace. He wants us to have peace in our lives. The Bible tells of the "peace that passes all understanding" that can be ours when we trust that God already has solutions for our problems. (Philippians 4:7) He is very capable of handling any situation that comes our way. He has the whole world to worry about, yet we are his priority. He is never too busy to hear our concerns and help us when we cry out for help. "Know that I am God" speaks to me that this is our reminder to be aware of who we are partnering with. He is the God of the universe and when it comes to our situations, he literally says I. Got. You. He is the same God he always was, and he will help us in our times of trouble. You can take him at his word and count on him for everything. No one else on earth can give us that guarantee. Invite stillness into your life. You will be a better person for it and the world will benefit as well as a better you will emerge. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father: Help us to realize that life is all about balance. When we are refreshed we are better for everyone. May we be reminded that you are God and you are always working behind the scenes to help us with our needs and situations. Help us to relax in the knowledge that you have us in the palm of your hand. In Jesus' name, Amen. Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Tags: quiet time, stillness, be still and know, trust in God, me time, self care, God's got youCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
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 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 freely Never 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 judgement Photo by RDNE Stock project Practice 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 them Photo by Liza Summer Ask 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
 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
 Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash "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 Another In 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 Christ Photo by Ben White on Unsplash The 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 Situation Photo by Tara Winstead In 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 Minds Photo by Andrea Piacquadio When 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
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