From my pastor this morning: “Prayer is not complete without gratitude… Thankfulness is an exercise in Faith.” – Pastor George Pearson, Eagle Mountain International Church
Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, Philippians 4:6 TPT https://bible.com/bible/1849/php.4.6.TPT
We read in the story of Daniel and how he faced the lion’s den – not desperate or fearful. He was faithfilled and grateful. His prayers and thankfulness led to his deliverance . (Daniel 6)
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Daniel 6:10 AMPC https://bible.com/bible/8/dan.6.10.AMPC
I enjoy old movies. When recently thinking about being mindful to be grateful, I thought of the movie Pollyanna. I haven’t watched this movie from the 60s again just yet, but I found the story available on Kindle and I am reading it. If you want to learn more about the movie and see some clips, here is a link to Turner Classic Movies.
In the story, Pollyanna is an orphan who was born to missionaries and being sent to live with her wealthy, austere Aunt Polly. Early in life Pollyanna’s father taught her to play the Glad Game. The object of the game was to find something to be glad about no matter the situation or circumstance. To the chagrin of people around her (including her Aunt Polly–who did not want to hear anything about Pollyanna’s father), Pollyanna was very good at it! Although several did not like her positive attitude, eventually many of them found themselves learning to play the game too. She touched the lives of many around her, even the minister of the local church.
Not only do I enjoy Pollyanna’s story, I admire her courage and perserverance to do just what her father said, even when it was difficult — choosing to find something to be glad about. It seems that at the root, the Glad Game is quite biblical. It goes right along with the scripture below from Philippians. And with the following scripture that talks about the Lord being glad.
Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. Philippians 4:8 TPT https://bible.com/bible/1849/php.4.8.TPT
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/zep.3.17.NLT
So as we near this Thanksgiving season, I’m making an effort to do just that — to hear and obey the Word of my Father — to choose to fix my thoughts on what’s good, pure, lovely… And no matter the circumstance to choose to BE GLAD, BE THANKFUL, and BE GRATEFUL.
Here’s an example: I would really enjoy being able to sit and talk with each one reading this. That might not be possible, but I am glad to have the opportunity to share my thoughts and my faith with you. Oh how HE loves you and me! I pray you will find many reasons to be glad too!
I am grateful for good spiritual leaders, the ones I can look up to and want to emulate. Yet I remind myself that they are human and therefore not perfect — and that my hope must always be in the Lord.
I am also reminded that all those in positions of leadership need our prayers. If you are reading this will you please join me in praying for our leaders?
First – that they come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Next – that their ears, hearts and minds are open to hear and receive godly wisdom. And they willingly act upon it in every important decision. That they are protected from and refuse to take part in any evil plan.
Higher than the highest heavens— that’s how high your tender mercy extends! Greater than the grandeur of heaven above is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all who fear you and bow down before you! Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset— that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us. But Lord, your endless love stretches from one eternity to the other, unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you and those who bow facedown in awe before you. Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you’ve made passes from parents, to children, to grandchildren, and beyond. You arefaithful to all those who follow your ways and keep your word.
I have been reading and thinking a lot lately. There is a lot going on in our world and in my personal life. I have been feeling more emotional and find myself needing to be more diligent to remain focused, in faith and resting in Him.
I’ve been reading and meditating on Ephesians 6 (in The Passion translation) about warfare and the armor God has given us the right to use. I am sharing the lead in verses below, but I recommend reading to the end of the chapter. I hope you will find strength in it as I have. I needed the reminder of whose I am and the weapons He has provided.
Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. Ephesians 6:10-12 TPT https://bible.com/bible/1849/eph.6.10-12.TPT
We must gird ourselves with the belt of truth, put on the helmet of salvation, pick up the shield of faith, arm ourselves with the Sword of The Spirit (the Word of God), walk out the gospel of peace, and pray passionately.
Take a few moments to reflect on these words and be encouraged dear one. Oh how He loves you and me!
Higherthan the highest heavens— that’s how high your tender mercy extends! Greater than the grandeur of heaven above is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all who fear you and bow down before you! Fartherthan from a sunrise to a sunset— that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us. But Lord, your endless love stretches from one eternity to the other, unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you and those who bow facedown in awe before you. Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you’ve made passes from parents, to children, to grandchildren, and beyond. You are faithful to all those who follow your ways and keep your word. Psalms 103:11-12, 17-18 TPT https://bible.com/bible/1849/psa.103.11-18.TPT
Day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. We choose by what we say and by what we believe. Will we choosefaith in the goodness of God and that he has a good plan for our future? Or will we choose to allow fear and worry to preplay a “dreaded outcome” in our future?
Consider this….
Faith based on the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus (that he has set me free from the law of sin and death), believes more in the ability and willingness of God to save and keep me than it does in the ability of anyone or anything to harm or hurt me.
Faith receives. For it was only through this wonderful grace that we believed in him. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the gracious gift from God that brought us to Christ! Ephesians 2:8 TPT
Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. Hebrews 11:1 TPT
Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen. Hebrews 11:3 TPT
And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him. Hebrews 11:6 TPT
This is what I choose. I hope you will too!
We look away from the naturalrealm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God! Hebrews 12:2 TPT
Draw near, don’t hold back! Oh my child do not fear, I am not the accuser, I am your Father. I love you with a perfect, unfailing, everlasting love. Who you are is very precious to me. I call you into my presence to spend time with you. Not to tell you what you’ve done wrong — but to remind you of what Jesus did to make it right, to make you right in my sight.
I am longing for intimacy, trust, a conversation with you. I want to tell you how I love you, and how pleased I am with the good choices you’ve made, and how I have plans for you. Plans to fill your future with joy. I want to share myself with you, to overwhelm you and fill you with my love. There is nothing about you that surprises me, nothing I won’t forgive. Do not let the lies of the enemy keep you from me.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I was inspired to write this poem several years ago. It fell out of my Bible today and reminded me of the many benefits of my relationship with Jesus. I hope you know Him too and are experiencing the benefits of trusting in Him.
Rest I am your deliverer and salvation, You are my covenant child, I have justified you, I have made you righteous, I have made you holy through the blood of my son.
Rest You are hid in Christ, My Spirit is in you and with you always, I am at work within you, I am causing you both to will and to do my good pleasure.
Rest Trust in my love, I know the plans I have for you, I planned them before your birth, I see the end result, I am focused on your future, not your past.
Rest I am your Lord, I am King of Kings, I am working all things together for your good, I am the author and finisher of your faith.
Rest I am faithful to My Word, My promises are true, You are a branch of The Vine, Rivers of living water are in you.
Rest I am your life and light, The strength and might of my Spirit are being imparted to your inner man, along with My wisdom and My ability.
Now My beloved child, rest.
Hebrews 4:3a For we who have believed(who have adhered to and relied on God)do enter into that rest.
Learn more about Jesus…pick up a Bible and read the book of John, then see Romans 3:23 and Romans 10:10.
I’m praying that you find rest in Him. Oh how He loves you and me.
I’m smiling as I write this because it seems both amusing and lovely at the same time. I’m thinking about both King David and Anne of Green Gables.
If you haven’t seen the Anne of Green Gables series of movies with Megan Fellows, I highly recommend it. I’ve been known to binge watch all of them on a rainy or snowy weekend.
The things I enjoy most about Anne are her flair for the dramatic and her sensitive heart. Due to pride she sometimes gets herself into predicaments (some quite hilarious), and is moved to “the depths of despair.” But she also loves with all her heart, as in her relationship with Diana, her “kindred spirit and bosom friend”.
You might find it strange, but as I read the Psalms tonight, it seemed to me that she and King David may be a lot alike. Some of the Psalms are so very dramatic (due to real life situations), but the writing reminds me of “the depths of despair.” Then there are others that clearly reveal a tender hearted man with a deep love for God and how much He loves us. Below are examples, I can almost imagine how they would sound if Anne read them.
He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. Psalms 91:2 TPT
Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come. Your faces will glisten with glory. You’ll never wear that shame-face again. When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and he heard me, bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most. The angel of the Lord stooped down to listen as I prayed, encircling me, empowering me, and showing me how to escape. He will do this for everyone who fears God. Psalms 34:5-7 TPT
The peonies are blooming, the end of spring coming and summer is near. Some days are cold and rainy, and then suddenly we have warm and sunny days. Both are needed and beauty is found in fragrant blossoms even as they soak in the rain. Soon the hot summer days will take over and plants change their focus from blossoms to bearing seeds and fruit. The cycle of seed, time and harvest is in motion, it happens every year, just as the Father designed it.
In every season He is always good and He wants to reveal His grace, goodness and faithfulness. Just ask Him. Oh how He loves you and me!
For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation! ~Psalms 100:5 (The Passion Transkation)
Sometimes we all need to be reminded… Whatever the circumstances are around you today, whatever the trouble, wherever you are, know this – God is there. Jesus is willing to be your Savior, the Holy Spirit to be your strength, the Father to be your help and deliverance. Just ask, then run into his waiting, out-stretched arms, receive His love and hide yourself in his care. Oh how He loves you and me!
The image below represents over 41 different nations from which one or more people have logged on to read this blog. This “blesses my socks off!” because my desire is to share the love of God with everyone – everywhere. Although my feet may never touch these nations, my prayer is that those who have read it are encouraged, have had their hearts lifted, and that they get a glimpse of how very much they (and YOU who are reading this) are loved by God. I pray that HE is honored, and I thank you for honoring me. OH HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME!
This is the most personal thing I have written so far, but I feel led to do it. If you read this and pray, I thank you with all my heart.
It’s almost been 17 months since this journey began for Ed and I. Tonight I am moved to tears by his love. He is unable to do many things YET (like cooking or driving). But tonight he got leftovers out of the fridge for dinner and proceeded to fix both of us a plate and reheat in the microwave ( I recently had surgery and am using a knee scooter so he is helping me.) Sometimes it’s easy to forget how far he has come since last January, and to be overwhelmed by the “waves” of this storm. But for me this act of love was a needed reminder that God is with us, He is for us, He is faithful, He is love and He is working.
This is Ed on our 45th anniversary, about a month before he became ill. I thought a photo would make this article more personal, give a focus for prayers.
The good news is that as of April 30 he will be on no daily drugs for CNSV. The next thing for him is Cervical laminectomy and fusion of C1-6 on May 10, followed by 12 weeks in a neck brace.If you are someone who prays, please say one for him and those who will perform the surgery and care for him after.
I am adding my prayers too. I am thanking God that according to… Psalm 103 He heals all of Ed’s diseases Psalm 91 He satisfies Ed with long life Psalm 23 He restores Ed’s soul (mind, will and emtions) And that all medications given are helps to his body and do him only good and no harm. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Oh how grateful I am that He loves Ed and you, and me!
I am recovering from foot surgery and my sister-in-law/friend Jan gave me a fun journal called “Faith Outside the Lines.” The image below is from the page that said to write my favorite Bible verse with my “wrong” (not normal) writing hand. It is mostly readable but was not an easy task. It made me grateful for my hand that can write well.
It also reminded me that this faith walk I am on can be challenging at times but He sees my efforts through eyes of pure love. He isn’t expecting perfection, He is pleased that I try, that I am learning and growing by His grace. Oh how He loves you and me!
A Grateful Grace-full Life 