Honest Reflections

 “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13 NIV

The covenant God is making above is with Noah.  The world has been flooded, God has done a massive cleaning job of the earth.  Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives are left to start the world again. They have been commanded to be fruitful and fill the earth,” (Genesis 9:1 NIV).

Noah had a tough journey in his time on earth.  The Bible isn’t clear how long it took Noah to build the Ark, but it’s estimated between 100 and 120 years.  Everyone thought Noah was crazy when he started building the Ark, no one believed God would flood the earth. Most people did not believe in God when Noah started building the Ark, they thought he was nuts.  Can you imagine the ridicule he endured day after day? But build it he did, and into the history books of the Bible he now lives.

Have people ever thought you’re crazy for following God?  I know I have been perceived as crazy. People don’t understand why we do the things we do in God’s name.  We have to be very careful when we’re following God not to interject our will into situations, and then blame it on God.  The truth is, when God asks us to do something, we don’t often know why. God wants our obedience, not our commentary.

God wants our obedience, not our commentary.

Noah didn’t argue with God when he told him to build the ark, he just started building.  He trusted God, day after day, he kept building. For decades, he persevered under the taunts and jeers of those around him.  We can learn from Noah’s dedication. We can apply the same principle to our lives.

Walking with God requires daily interaction with Him.  Each day, we move forward, little by little in our relationship with Him as we trust Him a little more.  Each day, when we apply His word, His teachings, His ways to our lives, we’ll grow closer to Him. Wherever you are in the journey, it’s just the beginning.  Each day His mercies are new, His direction different. But if we don’t seek Him, if we don’t cling to Him, trust Him, follow Him, we’ll miss the boat. If Noah hadn’t stayed the course, day after day, for years, he would have missed the boat.  But instead, at the end of the flood, he offered praise to God.

We may not understand why God nudges us to text a friend, buy lunch for a stranger or donate to a charity, but God knows why.  God created each of us for a special purpose. The lives we interact with each day are unique to us. When we’re following God, we can impact those lives for Him.  But first we have to follow Him, daily, just as Noah did, then He will direct our steps.

Question of the Day:

What is God asking you to do for Him today?

Further Reading: Genesis 8:1-10:32 NIV, Matthew 4:12-25 NIV, Psalm 4:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 1:20-23 NIV

“Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Matthew 4:7 NIV

This verse, found in Matthew comes from when Jesus is being tested by Satan after 40 days in the desert with no food or water.  To set the scene, Jesus has just been baptized by John in the Jordan river. Heaven has opened up and Jesus has been filled with the Holy Spirit.  God proclaims,  “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV).  The very next verse, we find Jesus being led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.  But the tempting doesn’t start until after 40 days of fasting and prayer for Jesus (Matthew 4:2-3 NIV).  This is how Jesus started His three year ministry, by fasting and praying in isolation, seeking the will of God.  His first assignment, endure Satan’s taunts.

How often do you start anything out like Jesus?  How often do you take time to get alone with God and pray?  Have you ever considered fasting and praying? When you are enduring the taunts of Satan, have you ever thought it is a way to glorify God?

We want Jesus’s blessing for what we are doing, but we don’t want to ask Him first if we should even be doing it.

I remember when I bought my first car after I had some success in my career.  It was a lazy Saturday, I was spending it with a friend. We decided to go looking at cars.  I found a fully loaded, custom Mazda Tribute that someone had ordered and then refused once it arrived.  I loved it immediately, and with no money down decided to buy it. I was driving 50,000 plus miles a year for my job, I thought I deserved the car.  It was while the salesman was running my credit I thought about God. I went to the bathroom, got on my knees and asked God’s permission to buy the car.  I didn’t ask Him IF I should buy the car, I asked Him for His permission. I told Him if He didn’t want me to buy the car, don’t let the transaction happen.  The transaction did happen, I drove home with the car and a $611 car loan for the next five years. Because of all the miles I drove for work, the car was quickly worth less than the amount I owed on it.  God used this car to teach me a valuable lesson. Seek Him first.

I didn’t seek God first in that purchase.  I just told God what I was doing and asked Him to bless it.  If I had truly prayed and sought Him, I wouldn’t have bought the car.  I would have known I couldn’t afford it and I didn’t need it. The car did become a financial burden, but through it God taught me a valuable lesson.    Through it, God taught me to seek Him first.

Question of the Day: 

Where are you placing God in your decision making process?

For Further Reading:  Genesis 5:1-7:24 NIV, Matthew 3:7-4:11 NIV, Psalm 3:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 1:10-19 NIV

Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:13 NIV

My heart aches for Eve in this moment.  I know how she feels, I’ve experienced that moment in time when I realize I’ve been deceived. Eve has just realized the mistake she has made. She has been living in the garden with Adam, life has been amazing as they’ve lived their days in the lap of God’s luxurious blessing.  Then one day Satan started whispering in her ear, in the form of a serpent. “You can eat from that tree. What does God know? He’s trying to keep you from having fun? One bite won’t hurt?” Slowly Eve begins to believe the serpent’s lies. She begins to think she deserves to eat of the forbidden fruit.  She has a right to taste of it’s delicious nectar. God wouldn’t deny her one bite. She begins to believe that she knows more than God does, especially about her own life. I’ve fallen for the same lies.

I’ve believed that I was deserving of a blessing God didn’t intend for me to have. I’ve believed that God doesn’t want me to have fun like the rest of the world.  I’ve listened to the lies that Satan whispers, “Just one bite won’t hurt you.” My battle with weight loss is a perfect example of falling for lies. I’ve had a bad day, things didn’t go the way I expected, I deserve that piece of cake. But the cake isn’t going to solve my problems, it’s only going to make it worse.  Just like eating the fruit changed everything for Adam and Eve. God has given us so much, yet we deceive ourselves into thinking we need more. We think we deserve everything, when in reality, we deserve nothing.

We think we deserve everything, when in reality, we deserve nothing.

Deserve means “to merit, to be worthy of.”  When we decide we deserve something, we’re making a decision that is truly God’s to make.  The sadness in this thought process, we’re selling ourselves short when we make that decision.  Adam and Eve were living in the lap of luxury in the Garden of Eden, yet it wasn’t enough for them.  They thought they needed more, they thought they deserved it all. In hindsight, I bet they wish they hadn’t taken that bite.  I know, I’ve regretted the bite I’ve taken that I shouldn’t have. But there is hope, God’s grace is there for us in our darkest moments.  God was there to clothe Adam and Eve in their sin, with His love and grace. He’ll do the same for us, once we follow Eve’s example and say, “I was deceived.”

Question of the Day:

Is there an area of your life where you have been deceived that you need God’s love to pour into today?

Further Reading: Genesis 3:1-4:26 NIV, Matthew 2:13-3:6 NIV, Psalm 2:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 1:7-9 NIV

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NIV

Happy New Year!  We have officially survived the holidays!  Praise Jesus!

And now we are starting a new year.  For me, a new year is like a blank page, waiting to be filled.  We have a choice of what we fill our pages with this year. I plan on letting God be the author of my story, I’m praying you’ll let Him write yours as well.

This year at the bottom of the devotion will be an area for Further Reading.  The verse will come from the reading. The reading is just an opportunity to dig a little deeper into God’s word and the day’s devotion. You can do just one of them, or none of them.  If you read them all you’ll read through the Bible in a year. The choice is yours. All you have to do is click on the link and you will be guided to that day’s reading.

God created us, He deemed us good.

Today’s verse reminds us that we are God’s creation.  We see God’s love for us as He looks over what He has made and decides it is good.  As we start this new year, let’s remember we are God’s creation. In Genesis chapter 1, God stands back 5 times and says His creation is good (verses 4,12,18,21,25).  And the sixth day He made man: ”So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).  And after that, as our verse of the day reminds us, He said it was good.

His creation, us, we’re good.  Let’s start off our year with that reminder, God made us, we’re good.  Whatever happened in 2019 that beat you down, whatever struggles you had, lay them at the foot of the cross.  Begin to focus your thoughts on God’s love for His creation, His love for you. He knit you together in your mother’s women, you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14 NIV).  God doesn’t make junk.  He makes people with purpose, people with passion, people with love.  We may not be perfect, but we are His. He calls us good.

Question of the day: 

How does knowing God created you, AND He deemed you good give you hope?

For Further Reading: Genesis 1-2:25  Matthew 1-2:12, Psalm 1:1-6, Prov. 1:1-6

“I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:24 CSB

We have done it.  We have completed 365 days of growing our faith in 2019.  Tomorrow starts a new year, a new challenge, a new day. How do you end a year like this?  By looking to the Lord for hope in the days ahead (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

I’m going to end the year with you guys, like I end the year in my own life, in prayer.

Dear Lord,

I can’t believe we’ve persevered through 365 days together.  I”m grateful for every mountain we’ve climbed, every tear we’ve cried, every smile we’ve shared.  I’m thankful for the devotion of these women who have daily turned to You. I’m thankful for the growth that we have each experienced, individually and together.

I’m sorry Lord for the times we’ve failed You.  I’m sorry for the times we’ve shown hate instead of love.  I’m sorry for the times we’ve lacked self-control. I’m sorry for words that have torn down instead of built up.  I’m sorry for the times we’ve glorified ourselves instead of You. I’m grateful Your mercies are new each morning.

As we turn to a new year, a fresh start, we ask for You to lead us.  We ask for Your guidance and direction in the year ahead. We ask for Your wisdom and discernment to direct our paths.  We pray You will illuminate blind spots in our lives that we need to work on. We ask Your blessings and favor to be upon us, today and always.  We ask that You be glorified in all we do in 2020. Help us to love You better, to love others better and to love ourselves better, Lord. Help us not be known as people who judge, but instead, as people who love.

Our lives are Yours Lord. Our hope is in You.  We give You control.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

God just called an audible in my life.

The picture below is this morning’s sunrise, I’m still on the beach. One of my favorite places to spend time with God. I was just praying about the year ahead when He changed my word and verse for next year. I know I wrote in a devotional the other day what it was, but I was wrong.

My word for 2020 is ENOUGH. My verses are Proverbs 30:8-9. I’m super excited to see what God does with it in my life next year.

First time ever I’ve had Him call an audible with less than 36 hours to go in the year. Life with Him is never boring!

“Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 CSB

I put financial and physical goals together, in my mind they are the same type of goals.  They both require self-control, they both require work, and both of these are imperative to good health.  According to this article by Very Well, 72% of adults report being stressed about money, whether it’s paying rent or drowning in debt, money causes stress.  The article gives four ways financial stress affects our health: poor physical health, delayed health care, poor mental health, and unhealthy coping mechanisms.  When our finances are controlling us, they are controlling our health. When we learn to be the one in control, we will find better health and peace.

Only you can answer what your financial and physical goals can be.  For years, my financial goal was to pay off debt. Once I had accomplished that goal, my financial goal was staying out of debt. In addition to staying out of debt, I developed saving goals, then investment strategies.  Every year, my husband and I look at our finances together, decide on an area we want to fine tune, then make that our goal. I set a personal goal not to go over my own personal budget. My husband and I each have an amount in our budget we’re allowed to spend without asking the other one about the purchase.  I have gone over it twice in 2019. Since I didn’t come in on budget all 12 months, I’m keeping the same goal for 2020. I want to come in on budget EVERY month in 2020.

My physical goal I’m changing.  Last year my goal was to take 2 classes a week.  I didn’t achieve it, but I did start walking 5 days a week.  My goal for next year is to walk five days a week, hopefully with my husband.

Whatever you decide your goals are going to be in this area, make them realistic.  If it’s paying off debt, which debt? How are you going to do it? If it’s physical, making it something you will actually do.  I have never set a goal of going to the gym five days a week because I know that is something I will never do. I hate going to the gym, I’d much rather go for a walk.  Therefore, setting a goal of walking five days a week is much more achievable for me. And make sure your goals are measurable. I can easily tell you if I come in on budget any given month, or if I have walked 5 days in any given week.  Then just do it. If you fail one week, give yourself grace and keep going.  

I’m going to find rest in my financial and physical goals.  How can you find rest today?

“Above all, keep your love for one another at full strength, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 CSB

My relationship goal is a marriage goal.  As you know, I did not get married until I was 42 years old. My goals were still marital goals before I was married, I just called them relationship goals.  What I learned in all of those years of singleness, learning to be a good friend is key to having a great marriage. God did not waste those years I worked on having better relationships.  I call it marriage goal now, but I used to call it relationship goal.

For my husband and I, we are constantly working on our marriage.  Up until this year, we read a couple’s devotion together each day.  What this looked like in our marriage: I would read him whatever the days devotional was and we would talk about it.  Last year we decided to read through the Bible together in a year. We found a year long plan we both agreed on, and then we read it individually.  We used YouVersion. My favorite part was the notes we could send each other at the end of the day’s reading. I used it as an opportunity to pray for my husband specifically, telling him what I was praying for that day.  You can do the same thing with a friend, or a bunch of friends. YouVersion allows you to have multiple people reading the same plan together.

We haven’t decided what our goal will be for next year.  We decide it together, I’m writing this at the beginning of December, we’ll be talking about it in the month ahead.  What I found with my relationship goals when I was single, they often had to do with an area of my life I wasn’t giving to God.  My relationship goal often included a command from God that I needed to implement in my life. One year I worked on trusting, one year I worked on not assuming, one year I worked on boundaries.  All of these things helped prepare me for the marriage I have today. Practicing healthy relationship skills in all of my relationships have helped me develop a healthy marital relationship.

One relationship we can all be working on together is our relationship with God.  When I worked on trust, I worked first on trusting God and believing what He says in Proverbs.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV).  When I worked on not assuming, Isaiah helped me: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord.” (55:8 NIV).  And when I worked on boundaries, I followed Jesus’s example. Here is a great article detailing how Jesus set boundaries from Soul Shepherding.  All of these goals helped me to develop healthy relationships, and continues to help me.

Today I’m going to find rest in relationship goals.  How can you find rest today?

“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5 CSB

In my opinion, the first important goal to set for the new year is your spiritual goal.  I say this because in my life, I prioritize who comes first. My husband knows, God comes before him.  After God comes my husband, then family, then others. Those are the main priorities of my life. Therefore, since God is first, defining my spiritual goal comes first.

The first thing I do is pray.  I simply ask God, what do You want me to work on next year?  He knows the areas I need the most work.  Psalm 139:1 NIV says, “You have searched me, Lord, and You know me.”  He knows what He wants to work on in me, I want to let Him.  After I pray, I wait. I have never waited more than a couple of days for my verse to come.  Sometimes it has come immediately. This year, when I asked the Lord what my verse would be for 2020 I knew immediately.  “But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:3b NIV).  This is the verse next year for the group, it came immediately to mind when I asked the question to God.  I’m taking that as His answer.

Once I have the verse, I search for the word within it.  There are not a lot of words in my verse for this year. God has made it very clear to me, it’s love.  These two combined will be my focus for next year. My life motto is “Love God, Love Others.” It’s an abbreviation of my life verses:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these”  (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). Living these verses are very challenging already. Loving God can be difficult, loving people can be difficult.  God is hopefully going to make me a little better at it next year, than I have been.

That is how I set my spiritual goal, I talk to God.  I go to the source and ask for His direction, then wait to receive it.  As you start thinking about your spiritual goal, talk to God. You don’t have to be in a special place, or set a special mood.  This year, when I asked God for my verse, I was blow drying my hair. God is available all the time, no matter what you are doing.  Seek Him, ask Him, then wait for the answer.

Today I’m finding rest in my spiritual goal.  How can you find rest today?

“Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Prov. 16:3 CSB

We’ve survived the holidays, hopefully we’ve had a day of rest in our created Sabbath.  Now our thoughts are turning to the New Year, and the anticipation for all that we are hoping for in the days ahead. 

Approximately 10 years ago, I changed how I approach the upcoming year. I used to make resolutions, and break them by day three.  Now I make goals, I find a scripture that will be my focus for the year, and within it’s words, I find my one word for the year. Then I write it out and place it somewhere I will see it daily to remind me what I am working on for the year.  I’ve found it is much more effective than making New Year’s Resolutions. Over the last few days of 2019, I’m going to share my process with all of you, and invite you to join me.

I have four categories of goals: Spiritual, Marriage, Financial, Physical.  I write out one goal for each category. My Spiritual one is always whatever my verse and word are for the year.  For instance, this was my verse this year:

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4 NIV.

My word for this year was Perseverance.  My spiritual goal was to persevere this year, which may sound easy, but it was not.  This past year I started working on my Masters. Not only did I have to persevere in my efforts to go back to school, but I had committed to writing daily devotions for this group.  I had no idea on Jan. 1st, 2019 what either of those things meant for my life. Now I do, because I persevered. That perseverance did come with suffering, it did produce perseverance, build my character and give me hope.

My marriage goal was to read through the Bible together with my husband, we have now done that.  My physical goal was to take 2 exercise classes a week. My financial goal was to come in on budget each month.  I did not do 2 exercise classes each week, but I have started walking 5 days a week. I came in on budget almost every month, I missed twice.  I can look back over my goals, my 2019 and quantitatively tell you how I did. We’re going to close out 2019 by setting our goals for 2020.

I’m resting in anticipation today.  How can you find rest today?