The Places You’ll Go

I wrote this in early December of 2019 and never sent it out. I looked for another one I jotted down, but this one caught my eye.

Some of you may know that after a week in Tennessee, driving home on Thanksgiving, that night I packed another suitcase. On Friday, November 29 a friend and her daughter and I headed from rural Upstate, NY to JFK Airport in Queens, NY to go to Paris, France.

This airplane is from http://clipart-library.com/airplane-images-cartoon.htm
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I hadn’t been on a plane in a number of years. We flew economy because our final destination was a mission in Romania in Eastern Europe.

We walked past a number of rows of roomy seats into a narrowing of numerous mid-sized seats and past a second curtain to the third section of closer-set smaller chairs. Every seat on the plane was filled and the sections held more than two aisles across. We were the last group invited to board and when I finally got situated, an aroma of pretty perfumes mixed with unwashed body odors added to my sensory overload.

I sat quietly waiting for the take-off and felt my heart rate increase. A sense of foreboding washed over my nerves. I turned to my seatmate. “Are you feeling anxious?”

She nodded her head and whispered, “Yes.”

2 Timothy 1:7 says God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. So, I prayed, including that Scripture and we both took a deep breath and settled in for the long flight.

Our first leg of the journey to http://Beliefinmotion.org began and we tried to sleep. My chair reclined some, but not so for one of the seats in our row of three. So that person sat ramrod straight as she wore her black-out eye mask and tried to sleep without much success.

Our nine-hour layover in Paris, France hovered in my sub-conscious mind. We all anticipated a wonderful opportunity to see the famous city of Paris.

My friend quoted Pastor Joel Olsteen a few times over the ten-day excursion, and I hope I’ve got it right: “Oh, the places you’ll go, and the people you’ll see where God takes you!”

May God bless you! If you’d like to pray for me, I’m still awaiting my suitcase from the return trip from Rome. 😊

God Will Do A New Thing

I read Isaiah 43:18,19 today from a note. It said, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

At the end of summer this year, my husband and I went to an annual picnic hosted by friends. They always lock their dog in a bedroom near the bathroom because she’s bitten people in the past.

The owner invited me into her home and just before I entered, a song we sing at our church downloaded into my mind. I was surprised.

“For the spirit of heaviness put on the spirit of praise,” a paraphrase of Isaiah 61:3 (KJV).

Then, peace flooded my entire being. I walked inside and the dog began heading my way. “Don’t be afraid. She’ll be all right if you don’t show fear.”

“I’m not afraid,” I told her as my mind wondered, why is the dog out?

I felt the dog’s cold nose touch the back of my leg and the peace never lifted. The little canine got bored and went into another room. I’ve been afraid of dogs for over 30 years when my oldest daughter got bit and I stood by paralyzed by terror.

In October, I stopped at a farm to buy apple cider and apples. A mongrel came charging out, barking away and I scanned the yard for a farmer. I put the back of my hand out for the mutt to sniff and thought, surely, they wouldn’t have a mean dog interacting with the public in the middle of the day.

The dog sniffed me and off it went. I experienced no fear!

Fast forward to December and our trip to Romania to Beliefinmotion.org. We hear not to handle dirt because of all the wild dogs roaming the countryside. “You don’t know what may be mixed in the soil.”

Fear stayed away. Many homes had courtyards with canines chained just inside their metal-walled gates. Fierce barking greeted us and I veered closer to the house, respecting the dog’s right to protect its masters, but my heartbeat didn’t spike like it used to. How great is our God!

            May God bless you!

Old Men and Women Shall Dream Dreams

In the book of Joel there is a Scripture about the elderly dreaming dreams when the Spirit of God pours out His Spirit. It’s in Joel, chapter two, verse twenty-eight.

Today, when I thought about an older spoon I chose to stir my tea, wondering if it’s a cancer risk to use it, felt sure that God’s still small voice said, “Do I not see you and have I not taken care of you?”

I answered Him, “Yes, my God,” which reminded me of a dream from the other morning, a warning. An unsettling series of pictures and reactions.

I dreamt before waking up the other day. A dog-like creature in a cage with black severe eyes. Pointy ears, long pointy snout, and a very long tail, I knew it was Satan.

Before long, I became accustomed to him. He was out of the cage and some of my dread of him was gone.

Later, he’s rolling in the grass and I’m walking along looking at him acting harmless. Then, I woke up!

I felt alarmed that the most evil creature in all of creation whom Jesus said about in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy,” that creature felt so familiar.

Jesus continued to say in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

God is loving, strong, compassionate, and speaks clearly in Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

In verse 20 of Joshua, chapter 24, God says through Joshua, “If you forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.”

God has blessed America so much over the years, it’s rather incredible. Not that everyone is well off, we have our poor in America. When the Pilgrims came to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean from England via Holland, they were escaping from persecution for their Christian faith. They dedicated this continent to God and found friendship and help to live from the Native Americans that occupied the land before them. Thus, we celebrate Thanksgiving the last Thursday in November as a remembrance of God’s grace in keeping them alive.

Today, when visiting my daughter, she was listening to a report from Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. He described a temple built in New York City dedicated to Baal, one of the gods warned against by Joshua! Baal followers threw their children in the fire to their “god” Baal.

Americans have thrown babies and some of their moms to their death, so to speak, in abortion clinics across the land. God became furious with the Jewish people for leaving Him to follow false gods and for burning up thousands of their children to serve Baal. Imagine how He feels about Americans that have murdered over 63 million babies to the god of convenience, our own Baal.

The Israelis found themselves captured by aggressive, harsh captors and taken an incredible distance to ancient Babylon. Will Americans wake up and repent and return to a gracious, merciful God or will they rebel against God, ignore the enemy of our souls and suffer under the hands of conquerors?

After my dream of the other day, I sought God today as I haven’t for a while. Not that I haven’t been praying and reading Scripture, but today I quieted down to listen and to pray for this grand country that is filled with moral chaos in the minds and hearts of some. I fasted television and blogged according to God’s direction.

May God bless you and yours.

Virtual Reality

I finished reading Terminal Logic by Jefferson Scott yesterday. It’s published by Multnomah Fiction; Sisters, Oregon and copyrighted in 1997 by Jeff Gerke. This is the second book in a techno-thriller series and now I’m anxious to read the third one.

  (Photo from: https://www.amazon.com/Terminal-Logic-Hamilton-Technothrillers-Trilogy/dp/1576730387

 

It’s computer and Virtual Reality based. Terminal Logic scared me quite a few times throughout the reading. I wanted the heroes to thrive and survive.

 

I know a few people who own Virtual Reality head gear. Not only did I care about the folks in the story but those whom I love that have embraced the new technology.

 

I hold onto promises from God because I’ve seen Him remain faithful to His Word when fear tries to grab a hold of me.

 

Psalm 34: 15-19 are favorite verses of mine.

 

Psalm 34: 15-19, (ESV):

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Psa 34:16  The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Psa 34:17  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psa 34:18  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

 

Do you have a place you go to in the Bible in times of distress? How about for times of giving thanks?

 

May God bless you.

 

 

 

Walk It Out

Psalm 25:4-5 (NKJV): Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all day.

I began my day in a strange way today, thinking of the future with tears in my eyes as I pictured a sad probability. As I sat with my Bible and opened it to read, the first thing I saw was Psalm 23: 4b-6, (NKJV): I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Before I sat down to be with God, my youngest texted me. Mom, I have an idea for your blog on organizing/decluttering today: “If you haven’t used it in 6 or more months, get rid of it! Even if you really don’t want to.  It will help you break past emotional, materialistic issues.”

Most experts say if you haven’t used it in a year, etc. Some say to put the stuff in a box or bag, store it away and in a year if you’ve never gone near it, don’t open it! Give it to your favorite charity or sell it.

I got thinking of all the things I’ve held onto and I almost panicked. “Dear God, help  me.”

So I sat down to my cleared kitchen table – “Thank You, Jesus for the changes You are gently encouraging me to make.”

I read beyond Psalm 23. Psalm 24: 3-5 (NKJV) says: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol. Nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

“Is that my problem? Are things an idol to me, Lord?”

So, I speak the words, “I repent, Lord, I truly repent.”

Now for His grace to walk it out.

Be blessed my friends.

Quiet From Fear of Evil

The other day at our ladies’ Bible study we got talking about crime. One of the ladies mentioned that the previous owner of her house faced an intruder. Fortunately, it turned out okay, but that conversation led to thoughts of God and His protection.

One of our more elderly women moved out of a nursing home into an apartment where she’s able to live without assistance. She exercises and tries to eat healthy and she relies on God, which reduces her stress. She likes to tell us that she reads Psalm 91 almost every day. That is the psalm I included in a recent blog. It begins with the words, “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:2 (KJV) says:  “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

I noticed Proverbs 1:33 (KJV): But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

There are things going on around us that may cause people to fear besides crime. Some people fear the loss of income if they look to the future and consider circumstances that seem stacked against them. Others may fear declining health or the loss of a loved one.

Our Bible study is following a book by Lysa TerKeurst which I’ve mentioned before, Uninvited, copyrighted in 2016, published by Nelson Books, Nashville, TN. We’re coming to the end of the book and plan on purchasing another of her tomes in the near future. There are so many good Bible study books out there, it’s hard to choose sometimes. What we liked about Lysa TerKeurst’s book was her vulnerability, the sense of connection, her use of common sense and mostly how she brings us back to God – always. The aforementioned senior praises her use of great vocabulary. Our twenty-something year old member uses some of the phrases the author pens that society is exchanging. Rarely, we have to ask her to interpret for us, or is it from comments the youngest gives that follow the reading time that needs interpreting? Hmm? So, I took a moment to scan and found a page where she mentions BFF, (best friends forever). I’m pretty sure the octogenarian didn’t know what BFF stood for. We all like this cross-generational mixing.

When the older Christians tell how the Lord helped them through a fire and the loss of everything, or how they kept their marriage together for seventy years and ten months, or how they survived not one divorce but two – it gives us hope that God will strengthen us for hurdles that come our way. The gal with the longest marriage may say, “We pledged to love each other for better and for worse. We celebrated the better and lived through the worse. We didn’t always like each other, but we never stopped loving each other.”

After all those years, he finally went home to be with the Lord and she’s learning about widowhood in her latter years. She never talks of being afraid. She tells of how good her church family and her real family are to her. She mentions the local housing that she now calls home and the pool table for the residents, the affordable meals provided in the dining room, etc. The local food bank also brings a truck full of donated items for the residents.

Anyway, if the ladies had fears, they didn’t say much about them as they listened to God’s faithfulness to one after the other sitting around the table. I enjoy hearing how people come through the ease and the storms of life. If things go too well for too long, I may get tempted to ignore God some. I don’t want to do that. I know enough people though, that even if my life were completely free of problems, some of their circumstances would come to my attention and then I’d be acting on their behalf if I could or should, and most likely praying. I can’t imagine life on this side of heaven being without problems and being an imperfect being, if the unimaginable happened for a nanosecond of time, I’m sure I’d get in there and goof it up. 🙂

I wrote two blogs last night and then my computer acted up. Sometimes I wonder if maybe that’s a good thing. So, I saved them and filed them and started a fresh topic tonight.

How do you find quiet from the fear of evil?

May God bless you!

 

 

 

 

Fear Not

 

image from : https://www.christianbook.com/jesus-calms-the-storm/9780758606372/pd/606370?kw=606370&en=shopping&p=1012505

Jesus spoke to His disciples a few times saying, O ye of little faith, fear not; or something to that effect.

In Matthew 8:23, (KJV), the Word of God tells us: And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

Mat 8:24  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

Mat 8:25  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

Mat 8:26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Mat 8:27  But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

The next verses tell us:

Mat 8:28  And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

Mat 8:29  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Mat 8:30  And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

Mat 8:31  So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

Mat 8:32  And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

Mat 8:33  And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

Mat 8:34  And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

They feared what they didn’t understand, I think.

I remember many years ago, a visiting evangelist and her traveling companion ministered at a city church. They invited us to the altar area to receive prayer if we wanted it. I went forward. The younger lady asked me what I wanted. I told her I wanted whatever gift of the Spirit God wanted to give to me. Yet, I felt fear. She looked at me. “God won’t give you anything that you can’t handle. Do you still want me to pray?”

I told her I did, and then she said that God was going to give me the ability to speak in more than one kind of tongues by the power of the Spirit.

Why do we Christians fear what God may ask us to do? Has He not said in 1 Thessalonians 5:24: Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it?

It comes from this passage in the King James Version: 1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

1Th 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore.

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit.

1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings.

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1Th 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Th 5:24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

I remember the first Sunday that my husband was supposed to preach at the church that called him to pastor. The night before, he looked so ill that I began asking him to call someone to fill the pulpit for him. He tends to be healthy and he reminded me that he didn’t know anyone to call. I started telling him that I could just see it, we would wake up, he’d still be sick and I would end up preaching. He didn’t expect that to happen.

The next morning he still felt terrible. He began to prepare me to get ready to present a message to the church, to his aunt and to his dad who were traveling about an hour to hear him preach. I prayed like crazy and went through a message I heard the weekend before at a retreat for pastor’s wives. I stole most of the message, giving credit to the author so they knew it wasn’t my original ideas. When the singing part of the service concluded, my heart started working overtime and my knees knocked together and then I started imploring God, “Please don’t let me have a heart attack.”

By the end I didn’t want it to end so soon. Whether it was early or not, I couldn’t tell you. I went from almost paralyzing fear to the joy of connecting with the people over God’s Word.

I’ve been asked to speak at women’s groups but never to preach again. I found that God enabled me to stretch and do what I thought was impossible. He continues to lead me to circumstances that I don’t think I want to do nor think that I can do. With His help, they’ve all worked out. To God be the glory!

When fear comes knocking, I answer with the Scripture from 2Timothy_1:7 , (KJV): For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I’ve literally felt the fear lift off of me when I’ve spoken that Scripture out loud.

May God bless you.

Remember Who You Are

Our Wednesday morning Bible study had a lady attending who belonged to another church. She used to be a member at our church many years ago and then left. Part of her heart is still with us, so she attended Wednesday mornings for years. This year near the end of the year she backed out because her sister got a life threatening disease and she’s spending more time with her. I miss her because she’s a likable person and she added to the group.

Unfortunately, as Christians we may be well aware of our sins and shortcomings and spend more time on them than God may want us to. In the psalms, we are told that God loves us and forgives us.

Psalm 103:11, (ESV):  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Psa 103:12  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Psa 103:13  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

Once we truly repent, He does not expect us to continually beat ourselves up. He expects us to love ourselves in a healthy way, not a narcissistic way. These verses show God’s high regard for us loving Him and loving ourselves and loving others.

Mark 12:28, (ESV)  And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Mar 12:29  Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Mar 12:30  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Mar 12:31  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mar 12:32  And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.

Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

So, as I was saying, this lady attended our group and if we got down on ourselves, she would nicely tell us to remember who we are in Christ. We are forgiven. God calls us righteous in His sight because of the shed blood of Jesus for our sins. He took on the payment of our sins so when we stand before God at judgment day, we can claim that Jesus covered our debt or He wiped our slate clean so there’s no mark against us.

We must continue to seek God, despite distractions, despite our flesh crying out for entertainment or more money or whatever it is that keeps us from opening the Word of God. Thursday and today I intended to read the Word early in the day. Today it was almost one thirty in the afternoon. I’d done laundry, finished a writer’s magazine, did dishes, got myself ready for the day, called people, etc. My husband and I needed to be somewhere around four and I had to prepare some things before getting there. Plus, I needed to go to the store.

I made myself sit down and focus on the Lord. I remember doing that when the children were little. Putting all else aside for a short period of time and concentrating on the Lord. I told them to behave and to be quiet while I spent time with God and they did. When I don’t give time to the Lord the cares of this world press down on me, I feel lonely inside, I may become fearful over things. All those things are alleviated by spending time in God’s Word.

Hebrews 4:12, (ESV)  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Heb 4:13  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Heb 4:14  Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Heb 4:15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Heb 4:16  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

When the lady at Bible study reminds us that we belong to God by our own choosing, and that He makes us righteous, it always brings a smile to my face and to the others. She hasn’t had to say it a lot, but more than once.

We’re praying for her sister to recover and be perfectly whole.

May God bless you and yours.

Benefit of Reading

 

I love reading Christian fiction that reminds readers to pray, read the Bible, and also to wait for His still, small voice. Reading Promises to Keep by T. Davis Bunn, published by Bethany Publishing House, and copyrighted in 1991, it reminded me that I could run myself ragged and be far from following God’s will.

After reading the Bible today, I spent a little time in prayer. After I had breakfast and did the dishes, I decided to work on the Dragon Speak software program from Nuance, Company. I’m on a learning curve, but it’s getting better. My husband is watching a movie called, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. I think I’ll join him.

In the Old Testament, it says, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” in Nehemiah 8:10 in the last part of the verse, (KJV).

Don Knotts always makes me laugh. His movies may have a little bit of worldliness in them. This one had a group of women interested in the occult in it, which I forgot about. So, I laughed at his funny faces and enjoyed his courage in the face of danger. But, I was glad to get back to the blog and search the Scriptures for words of importance. God’s joy fulfills, whereas anytime I found enjoyment in shopping, or eating, or sports, or friends, or accomplishments, etc., the good feelings slipped away. Then, I’d go look for something else to do or someone else to talk to.

I’ve told my kids that only God really satisfies. That’s been true for as long as I’ve had the privilege of following Him.

May God bless you.

Moving Along

As an aside, Amazon.com sells MP3 versions of children’s songs, and this cover goes with  the song,”He’s Still Working on Me.”

I got a letter in the mail today. I work part time for a company with multiple sites on occasion. I always answer their survey, willing to work at a few different addresses and then I choose the ones closest to home. I really prefer the location I’ve always worked at, but I sincerely am willing to try other places. When I got the new location for my next assignment, I almost panicked. I thought, What’s up with this feeling?

I reminded myself that I am flexible, I like meeting new people, it’ll be fine. James said that we shouldn’t say we’re going to be here or there, but to say, if it’s the Lord’s will, I’ll be in a certain place or make a particular purchase. I’m paraphrasing Jas 4:13, (ESV): Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—

Jas 4:14  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Jas 4:15  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Jas 4:16  As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Jas 4:17  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

I’ve been telling different people, I’ll see you there when I work again. I told a little girl, “I’ll be working with your grandmother pretty soon.”

Oops!

Another thing I reminded myself of is that Jesus said to be anxious for nothing. In Phil. 4:6,7 the (ESV) says: do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So, when things don’t go the way I expect them to, I turn to prayer and do my best to hand things over to God. I whisper or speak aloud, “I trust You, God.”

Then I remember the good things God has done over the years in my life. Last night I got thinking about my earthly dad. I told a young man that I waited on in the library that I never went hungry unless I wanted to, growing up. I know that is a blessing. My dad worked hard to provide for his family. King David wrote in Psa 37:25  I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread, (ESV).

Jesus said in Matthew 6 that if we seek Him first, and His kingdom and righteousness all these things will be added unto us. He’d been talking about clothing and food. Then in the following verse, Matt. 6:34, (NASB), He said, “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

So, I choose to move along with Jesus, asking Him to help me not to be anxious when changes come. Change is a part of life. I know that, it’s just that I don’t always relax and go with the flow. “God’s still working on me,” as I’ve heard children sing many years ago on a tape of songs collected for other kids to sing along with them.

I used to love the high energy of songs on a “Bullfrogs and Butterflies” tape I bought for my little ones. In searching for the “God’s Still Working On Me” tape I noticed that the “Bullfrogs and Butterflies” have been digitally re-mastered from the originals from back in the day. This is from  Christian  Book Distributors.

May God bless you!