 Photo by Pixabay My family and I have had an extremely busy summer. With two teachers and a custodian that works for the school board in our home, we pack our summers full of activity, as this is when we get most of our time off. We have visited Mackinac Island, Frankenmuth Michigan, my brother's cottage in Tobermory and a small community called Puslinch to stay in the cutest tiny home you ever did see. Throw in two amazing concerts, a play, a wedding weekend away and a visit to my childhood church camp, it truly seemed this summer our theme song was "On the Road Again." I am not trying to brag or complain, by any means because although it has been very busy, it has been so enjoyable. Many times, I have remarked how blessed I felt to be able to GET TO do all these amazing activities.  Photo by Elina Sazonova at Pexels As a kid growing up, we would faithfully go to Florida during March break as a family every year. God bless my mom as she would navigate our 22 hour trip in the passenger seat confidently guiding my dad with a paper map all the way. Add that to the long list of my mom's amazing skills and qualities. She was truly a remarkable woman in so many ways. To say I did not inherit her sense of direction is an understatement. I am your girl who can get turned around in my own hometown. No joke! That is why my best friend when traveling, my total BFF is the GPS. I cannot tell you how that genius device has been a game changer for me. I now confidently head out in the driver's seat and know I will make it to my destination because I am partnered with the one who knows the way.  In Psalms 32:8 it says ~ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye. Our Heavenly Father is our ultimate guide. When other advice and wisdom fails, He has promised to give us the RIGHT direction we must go EVERY TIME. He is the ONE who ULTIMATELY knows the way. When seeking HIS direction, unlike the GPS at times, we must wait for direction for our next move. This is something that we do not enjoy. It can be very frustrating as patience is something that many of us lack. Sometimes my car GPS says "connection lost" and my anxiety begins to set in. My connection is NEVER lost with my Heavenly Father, although I would be lying if I said that I have walked through some dark times when it might have appeared that was the case. He has proven Himself faithful to me time and time again and though His direction for my life may not always follow my schedule, one thing I know for sure is that I can 100% trust His leading in my life. This is something that I NEVER take for granted and I am truly humbled that the Almighty God will take time out of His VERY busy schedule to give me advice on my problems, or point me on the right path. Truly incredible! Are you seeking direction in an area of your life my friend? If so, I encourage you to pray and seek God's will for you in that area and ALL other areas of your life as well. He will NEVER steer you wrong and He is ready and willing to put you on the right path 24 hours a day. Trust Him. You won't regret it. Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you that you are always available to help and guide us when we are needing wisdom and direction. Help us to trust you more and know that if you have the WHOLE world in your hands you are more than capable of helping and instructing us on the way we should go in ALL areas of our lives. May we find comfort in this and rest in this assurance. In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Danasalms: 32:8
Tags: God's will, needing directions, traveling, seeking guidance,vacations, summer, GPS
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 Photo by Ben White on Unsplash Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be carefree like when we were little kids? My students make it their personal mission every day to get one of the three blue chairs we have in the classroom. It seems because these chairs are different than the other burgundy chairs, they are deemed somehow "magical" or more special. One little guy this week even called himself "the chosen one" when he happened to luck out and get a blue chair for the day. Funny what we prioritized or worried about back then, seems so trivial now. Stress is relative they say, yet somehow as adults we long for the "good old days" when life just seemed well, a whole lot simpler. It is easy to feel overwhelmed on a daily basis. This is why the Bible clearer instructs us to seek help to carry our burdens. In 1 Peter 5:7 ESV it says to "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." This is good news because the heaviness that you feel ... that weight in your chest that makes it hard to breathe... does not have to be handled alone. You can share it! Cast your anxieties on him Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash Why do we try to go it alone when it is clearly not necessary or part of God's plan for us? Think of your worries or stress like a very heavy backpack. You will never feel relief by ignoring it, denying it, covering it up or believing the lie that dealing with that heaviness is just the way it is going to be for you, forever and ever AMEN! You only truly get relief from that heavy burden when you lay. it. down. Where you lay it down though, is key. Putting it at the foot of your bed, or at the front door only to be picked up again and again, makes no sense. Instead, I encourage you to lay it at the foot of the cross. Jesus took all our anxiety, stress, needs and brokenness upon himself when he died for us on the cross. He has it all handled and he will help us manage and solve our problems when we partner with him. He cares for you God's love is beyond anything we can imagine. No love on earth can even remotely compare. He loves us with an agape love, which is unconditional. There is NOTHING you could do that would cause God to love you any less. He is ALWAYS ready and willing to welcome you with open arms. You are loved. You are chosen. You are valued. If you are full of anxiety or have a heavy burden, come to Jesus. He will help you and love you with a love beyond your comprehension. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you that your word instructs us to cast all our cares on you. You have big shoulders, and you can handle it. Help us to trust you and fully comprehend how wide, how long, how high and how deep, your love truly is for us. In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Copyright: © 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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