March Prayer Topic: After putting God first, then what?

Life More Abundant

John 10:10 …I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

My day, get up, have devotions, exercise, breakfast, get ready for work, at the office for nine or more hours, fight traffic, maybe get groceries, fix supper, on Wednesday nights, I have bible study with three other people at my place, after they are gone, I get lunch ready for next day, and clean up, and finally before falling asleep, I like to take hot shower, then I get to do it all again the next day.

I look at the list above, and I am exhausted just looking at it.  How many of us look at that list, and can actually add things to it?  We have filled our lives so full.  Is that a good thing?  Do we have life more abundantly? 

Here is another question, are you so glad that the weekend is here, instead of enjoying every day as God intending?  We have filled our lives with so much stuff.  Is it worthy stuff?  Absolutely, and don’t get me wrong, these things are important.  However, have we filled our lives so full that we have lost prospective of why we were made?

For me, I realize that I have filled my days so full.  Maybe, I can have a new outlook on my day to day.  Instead of a checklist of what I need to do, I can see if I can do them praising the Lord.  Will that change anything?

So, let’s see if I can change my outlook.

·      When I get up, I have worship.  That it is an easy one.  I start my day praising the Lord. 

·      Next, exercise, there are days that I don’t feel like it.  However, I try and go for a least a walk for about a half an hour or so.  While walking, I can put my I-pod on and listen to Christian music.  Or, if I go to the gym, then I can do the same things, and listen to Christian music instead of the loud music playing in the gym.

·      Eat breakfast & get ready for the day.  Praise the Lord that I have food in my refrigerator, and a job to go to.

·      Work – take the opportunity to be a witness to those that I work with and come in contact with at the office.   So, instead of growling over the list of things to do, I will praise and be joyful for the job that I have.

·      Driving home in traffic – Sometimes I wonder where people learned to drive, or if they even took Driver’s Ed.  How do I tackle that one?  Yes, I can change my outlook on that one too.  I can turn my radio to positive Christian music, and sing along.  I have been known to sing other songs at the top of my lungs.  Why not Christian songs?

So, you see there are several things that I can do to change my outlook.  Maybe you can think of your own ways.   Another idea is what we want to pray and see if the Lord will reveal in you what ways we can change our outlook.

Dear Lord, please show me a life more abundant.  I don’t want my life to be a checklist that I look at, at the end of the day to make sure I got everything done that needed to be done.  I want my life to be a praise to you, and no matter what I do, let me do it to your praise. Amen

Written By - Laura Maxson

Sometimes it Takes a 2x4

In the last blog post, I mentioned that God sent me a little Valentine ’s Day card.  It was not lost on me that the card was 2x4.  Sometimes it takes a 2x4 to refocus my mind towards what is becoming the most important relationship to me.  My relationship with God.  To continue on with my word for the year Trust.  I trust that He will always be there, and will not hurt me.  He will never leave me nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6)  He has promised that He will always be there.

We moved a lot, and it sometimes seemed that just as I was getting close to someone we would move.  After a while of that happening, I put up a wall in my heart.   It wasn’t just because of our moving, it was a past that I really couldn’t shake either.   I wouldn’t let anyone pass a certain point.  So, people were held at arm’s length.   

I was doing that with God too.  He kept trying to get closer to me, but I had my walls up.  I would only let Him in just so far. I really didn’t know if I could trust Him.  I felt like a hypocrite saying that, and would not admit that to myself.  Even as I write the words, I wonder to myself how I could think that.   Yet, our God is a patient God, and He did not give up on me. 

 

His love never changes.  It is I that changes, whether for the better or the worse.  It is I that moves closer or further away from Him.  No matter how far I went away from Him, He was always right where I left him.

Today, I am so close to Him, and becoming more in love with Him.  I trust him, and through that trust, I have allowed myself to be emotional healed from all the past.  I am a new person in Him.  To have that freedom of past pain and hurt, is something that is…I don’t think I can describe it.  What I will say is that because of my God, I am not the same person I was a year ago.  I am not the same person I was three months ago.

My relationship with God has also transformed my relationships with people as well as transforming me.  They are no longer held at arm’s length.  I have a new love for those people in my life.  Sometimes He shouts to get our attention, sometimes He whispers, and sometimes He uses a 2x4 card.

Dear Lord, thank you for being ever present in my life.  Thank you Lord for saving my soul….Thank you Lord for making me whole.  I love you. Amen

By: Laura Maxson

Valentine from God

Jesus Loves Me

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son… John 3:16

In the book “All In” by Mark Batterson, there is a line that really touched my heart.  Mark writes, “Jesus loves all of you with ALL of Himself.”  I grew up singing “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”  Yet even now the term love is becoming something more special to me.  It has become personal to me.

The morning of February 11, as I was having my devotions my thoughts would drift onto work that I needed to do.  I tried to refocus on the words, and I finished, I was able to retain some of it.  Yet, I felt lacking in it.  How could I not just focus on my devotions for thirty minutes? What was God thinking of me?

As I was getting ready to walk out the door, I grabbed a box of tea to take with me to the office.   A card dropped right in front of me on the counter.  It was a little 2x4 card.  I picked it up and looked at it.  It said, “I love you.”  It is my Valentine’s Day card from God. 

There is no reason that card should have been in the spot where it was.  The card had been giving to me many years ago from a friend, and I had forgotten all about it.  Yet, God had not forgotten about it.  He knew that I needed that card at that moment.

Yet another example of a Valentine from God.  Do we truly realize the kind of love God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has for us?  God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and me.  Jesus chose to die.  He chose to come to this world as a baby and go through the hardships of life.  He was mocked, ridiculed, bullied, and beaten.  He was ultimately killed for you and me.  He loved us that much.  He knew that we would need a Savior. 

 

Isn’t that an amazing love!  He chose to feel every lash of the whip on his back, ever thorn of the crown on his head, and every nail in His feet and hands for us.  He stayed on that cross for us.  Even if there had been only one person, He still would have stayed on that cross. He loves us that much. 

“Dear Lord, you sent me a valentine’s day card.  Even when our minds are busy, you are still pursuing a relationship with us.  You have shown me Your Love in so many ways.  You show me Your love every day, and every day I fall more in love with you. Thank you for the card.  Amen"

Contributed by Laura Maxson

February Prayer Topic: Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine – God

At one time or another, most of us have received Valentine’s Day cards.  Most of the time, they are these cute little cards with animals or flowers on them.  Will you be my Valentine?  How cute?  We all wanted the cards, and would laugh and blush when we received them.

God gives us Valentine’s Day cards through His Word.  Did you know that God is pursuing us?  He wants an intimate relationship above all else.  Isn’t that amazing?  The Lord of the Universe wants a love relationship with you and me.  He wants to be our Valentine for forever, not just one day a year.

This month, we are praying that God will be our Valentine.   I want God to be the love of my life.  We often have other things that take priority instead, family, jobs, dreams.  However, God wants to be the number one priority in our lives.  Is that such a difficult thing to do?

            Just to rewrite it, the Lord of the Universe wants a personal relationship with you and me. He is pursuing you.  How can we deny that?    We need to respond to Him.

Dear Lord, I want You to be my Valentine, and not just for one day a month, or even a month.  I want that intimate personal relationship with You.  Thank You for never failing to pursue me for that relationship.  I respond to You and want You to be the love of my life.  I love You, Lord, above everything and everyone else.

AMEN

contributed by Laura Maxson

His Word

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” ~ Psalm 13:5

It is almost the end of the month.  We all should have our Word for the year.  Now that we have our word, how is that going to impact our year?  We need to pray that God will keep that word in our hearts, and our focus on Him.  He gave us the word, and it is different for each of us.

I have written my word in my journal.  Also, I have written in my journal all the Bible verses that have that word in them. Every day is a step closer to God.

I found this picture on Pinterest.  I completely fell in love with it, because it depicts my growing love for my God.   It shows that I am holding tightly to Jesus.  He is the only One that will continue to guide me.  He is the only One.  My Jesus, I love you.

“They Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11.

Dear Lord, please continue to use the Word to help me grow and become the woman that you want me to be.  I love you so much Lord, and each day, you show me that you are with me always.  The more I get to know about you the more I love you.  Your love for me will be the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Thank you.  Amen.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV

Laura Maxson