What's your #ONEWORD for 2021?

     So we all know it has been a year... as we sit back on NEW YEAR'S EVE 2020, we can reflect on the year that has passed and wonder about the year ahead. Most NEW YEAR'S EVE nights are spent with friends or family, enjoying food and festivities... but again 2020 threw a wrench into those plans, and the government and their Covid-19 regulations have put an end to getting together. Again they want to throw us into isolation and try and put fear into our lives as we enter the new year. But we are not isolated alone, we always have GOD with us. He is our wisdom, strength, peace and more!

     Usually during the end of the year, and the beginning of the next year, people make resolutions. They decide on things that they want to change or need in their lives. Some people choose to make more time for family; make more time for God; read the Bible more; lose weight or have a more proper diet or choose to eat more healthy foods; etc. However, most people don't stay with some of the resolutions they make, and so for the last several years people have chosen #oneword or #onelittleword for the year ahead.

     I somehow don't have a record of words I have chosen, but I remember in 2017, I (along with Holy Spirit) chose "resolute" and "#finishwell" in 2018. I don't remember what word was chosen for last year... I know "vision" was a big theme as it was 2020. Our vision sure was cleared this year, physically and spiritually. We saw that although the world was in chaos around us, our GOD was still in control and on His throne and gave most of us PEACE. Our vision was altered as we shifted our vision on things of the world to things of the Kingdom. During the first quarantine, we grew closer to God and His Word. He allowed our vision to be focused on Him. This year, I believe Holy Spirit is leading me to the #oneword #onelittleword PURSUE. Pursue after Him... Pursue after Truth... Pursue after what is Right...  I was led to a Bible Verse found in 1 Timothy 6:11 which says, "But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."

       I enjoy learning more about WORDS and ETYMOLOGY (the study of words).  The word etymology derives from the Greek word ἐτυμολογία (etumología), itself from ἔτυμον (étumon), meaning "true sense or sense of a truth", and the suffix -logia, denoting "the study of". The word pursue in the Greek means; "to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after; to press on: figuratively of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal; to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavour to acquire". I also like to take words apart and choose other words to go along with them... so taking the letters in the word PURSUE, I can pull out different things that I will PURSUE this year. 

PURSUE

        Prayerful - 1 Thess. 5:17

        Understanding/Wisdom - Exodus 35:31

        Righteousness - 1Timothy 6:11

        Spiritual Truth  - Psalm 86:2 & Psalm 78:2

        Unwavering Faith - Matt 21:21

        Excellence - Proverbs 31:10; Ruth 3:11; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 4:8

    I love to learn and am a #lifelonglearner and have always loved God and His Word. But it means a lot more when you walk in relationship with Him and gain understanding and revelation when reading or being taught His Word. This year will prove to be a time of greater growth in the Lord spiritually and I have #greatexpectations to what is going to happen.

What's your #ONEWORD?? Let me know in the comments and I can keep you in my prayers when I am reminded of you. THANKS!

BE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!

"Talk to the Father"

DAY #26 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "You do not have because you do not ask." James 4:2 HCSB

Talking to the Father... a very important and sometimes overlooked detail in our days. God doesn't just want to speak with us at mealtimes or at bedtime, He wants to be able to communicate with us all day long. When you are communicating with someone, it's usually a two-way conversation. Sometimes we feel that God should do all the talking. Why isn't He talking to me? When we are in trouble, one of the first things most of us do is call on God... or blame God. He wants us to share our hearts with Him, He knows our thoughts, our desires, but He wants to hear us ask Him for them. Sometimes as was shared in a previous devotional, the busyness of and the distractions in this crazy world around us get in the way of 'praying at all times'. (Romans 12:12 & 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We too often try to rely on our own resources, knowledge and strength to get through our day... yet a simple call out to God can do so much more. With God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, and we need the faith to believe that is true. God is the provider of all the grace, strength, love, patience, wisdom and more that we need throughout the day. All we need to do is 'A.S.K.' -- Ask, Seek & Knock! "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV) 

Faith in God opens so many doors of blessing that God has for us. There is an old song with the lyrics, 'Prayer is the key to Heaven, but Faith unlocks the door'. Are there unopened doors in your life right now? Would you like God to just open them for you? Well He cannot without you asking in faith for Him to do so. He is just waiting on our actions sometimes. Faith without works is dead afterall. (James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." and James 2:26 "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.")


... so as you go through your day, speak to the Father, and ASK for the things that you need. Even little things are important to God. Speak blessing and healing over people's life that you pass by and don't forget to thank Him for His many blessings in your life. It's amazing what a little 'faith can do'.

Check out this song by Kutless, 'That's what Faith Can Do'...


...and the lyrics, as they are powerful... yet not as powerful as God Himself!

Everybody falls sometimes

You gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think its more than you can take
But youre stronger, stronger than you know


And dont you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining


Ive seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesnt ever end
Even when the sky is falling
Ive seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
Thats what faith can do

It doesnt matter what youve heard
Impossible is not a word
Its just a reason for someone not to try
Everybodys scared to death
You may decide to take that step
Out on the water
But itll be all right


Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
Overcome the odds
When you dont have a chance
(Thats what faith can do)
When the world says you cant
It will tell you that it can


(Repeat Chorus)


BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Prayer Now"

DAY #19 -- 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction; be persistant in prayer." Romans 12:12 HCSB

Prayer is important... and should be something that is done all day long, each and every day. Persistence does pay off. Is there something that you are hoping for, or something that is afflicting you... for most of us, that is probably a resounding YES! Well, then this verse says that you should be persistent in prayer.

What is the definition of 'persistent'?
–adjective

1. persisting, esp. in spite of opposition, obstacles, discouragement, etc.; persevering: a most annoyingly persistent young man.
2. lasting or enduring tenaciously: the persistent aroma of verbena; a persistent cough.
3. constantly repeated; continued: persistent noise.
4. Biology .
a. continuing or permanent.
b. having continuity of phylogenetic characteristics.
5. Botany . remaining attached beyond the usual time, as flowers, flower parts, or leaves.

So, in spite of opposition, obstacles or discouragement we are meant to be persistent and persevere through and pray. We are to rejoice in faith and hope, knowing that our Creator and Father is watching over us and that He is in control of the entire world, and our little life in that entire world. Having faith in God that He will take charge and fix our problem should allow us to be patient in affliction or times of trouble. God is our Father and our friend. Prayer is just simply communicating with Him. It doesn't always have to be a long drawn out 'Oh gracious Heavenly Father, hear our humble cry...'; it can be a simple 'Help me Lord...'.

Most of our big prayers are at mealtime, or at bedtime or the like... but we should be communicating with God all day long. He knows what we want, and He knows what we need, but He still wants to hear it from us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 it says, "...pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (NIV) Continually, means it should be always on our lips. If we are to continually breathe in and out, then that means we breathe in and out ALL the time. It just comes natural to us, that our body just does it. Prayer should be the same.

Usually we keep trials, troubles, despair, discouragement, tough decisions in our minds... we think them over, try to fix them ourselves, sometimes we let ourselves get filled with bitterness or despair. The mind is a battlefield... yet we are to turn those problems over to God, and not dwell on them. His power is greater than our power, His thoughts and ways are always higher & greater than ours. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9


It has been said, "Pray as if it's all up to God, work as if it's all up to you." (Anonymous) and that is so true. However, it is all up to God so you can pray accordingly. If it's God's will for you to have that desire, then He will grant it under certain circumstances. If it however is not in the will of God, then God will grant you something else to fill that void. Yet His love is always the best filler!

So, open up your heart today, NOW, and more times throughout the day... it may be a quiet whisper, or a regular voice tone, or even a loud shout. It may even have to be a prayer in the mind. Take authority that He has given over your rough situations. Ask for healing in your own body, or for those around you. Ask for those desires that are sitting in your heart unfulfilled yet. But please don't forget to THANK Him for all He has done for you... that is an important part of prayer too. But first of all, remember to repent and ask forgiveness, so that you may BOLDLY go into His throneroom. We can repent for the sins we commit in THOUGHT, WORD & DEED, intentionally and unintentionally, consciously and subconsciously. (Some things you have done require forgiveness, and you don't know that you even 'sinned'.) Jesus' blood covers and cleanses us clean as the snow. You can even tell Him your struggles, yet remember the devil is listening too, and he likes to add to those, so you can pray those in your mind or you can speak in tongues (if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit), cause that confuses the devil. HA HA HA! Remember we are to NOT FEAR the devil... there is NO fear in God. The devil is under our feet, and you can stomp on him throughout the day while you go about your day, and especially while you are praying! You are an OVERCOMER!

"Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." (Romans 16:19-20 NIV)


Have a great day, be blessed and be a blessing!

"The Donut and the Hole"

Day #16 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life." Proverbs 4:23

Are you a pessimist or an optimist? Barbara Johnson once quoted, "A pessimist is someone who believes that when her cup runneth over she'll need a mop." Do you see the glass half-filled with water, as half-empty or half-full?

Our devotion today starts out with a cute story, "On the wall of a little donut shop, the sign said: As you travel through life, brother, whatever be your goal. Keep your eye upon the donut, and not upon the hole." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 12. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202) Do you have the bad habit of looking at the negatives in life, such as the hole in the donut? Fortunately, there are such things as 'Timbits' which turn the negative hole into a positive (which I can hear some of you saying... well timbits if you are Canadian - or someone blessed with Tim Horton's).

God wants us to look positively at things in our life... that's why He told us to be joyful, be thankful and pray in ALL circumstances. (see a devotional on that verse here) "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV If you are a true Christian, then Christianity and pessimism should not mix... God should be filling you to overflowing with His joy and peace, and you should be looking on the bright side. (Well that makes me think of the funny song by Monty Python -- yes not a Biblical song, as it speaks of the crucifixions of the Jews by the Romans... but the words are super-true.) I posted the song in a little better version than the movie... at the end of this post. Sorry if I offended anyone by playing it... but I always try to look on the bright side of life... and it makes me smile. Hopefully it makes someone else smile too!

God wants us to be filled with His "joy unspeakable that won't go away" (I will post that song at the end of this message too). We will be filled with an inexpressible joy... "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV)

Our joy will be bubbling up inside of us, that we will want to share the joy and optimism with those around us. Then both you and they will feel better. When someone starts saying negative things, or even when you do... catch yourself, and think of a positive. Actually I've heard that for every negative, you need to say two positives... or something like that anyway. So try first to THINK positively, then you will act and speak positively. Your mind is a terrible thing to waste on negativity. Be glad and rejoice, even in the roughest and toughest of circumstances!

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Here's the Monty Python song, "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life"...


... and here's 'Counting on God' sung by Desperation Band which talks about the 'joy unspeakable'... except we sing the words, "MORE THAN enough strength..." instead of "just enough strength..."

 
ENJOY!

"Joy is..."

Day #14 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV

Joy is not just a superficial happiness based on the circumstances or things around you. Joy is a welling up of the Father's love inside of you, and can be outpoured to those around you, even in times of trials or temptations. God's joy can and will be our joy. He gave us His joy, so that we could inturn share it with others, who will then share it again. We need the JOY of GOD to go on with our daily lives. Each day we will meet and face things or people that will change our thoughts, circumstances, etc for the 'negative'... but through the love and blessings of God, we can face those trials, and overcome them with Joy. Happiness can change to sadness, mourning or even anger in a moment, but with Joy we can accept the peace that comes in knowing and having a personal relationship with God.

The verse above states that we are to be joyful, pray all the time and to be thankful giving thanks in everything at all times. Is this the way we truly are? I know in truth I'm not... I am striving to be, but it doesn't work all the time, as we let our circumstances or others behaviour get to us. We just cannot allow anger and bitterness to get a foothold in our lives. Bitterness is a quality that no one should live out in their lives, for it also rots you from the inside out. In the Bible (in the book of Ruth), Naomi and her family made some wrong decisions, and things turned out pretty bad for them. Naomi's name means 'pleasant', but because she was looking at her circumstances, she wanted to change her name to Mara because it meant 'bitter' for she thought that's how the Lord was treating her. Eeek... It is in times like this I feel compassion and pity for people... I try very hard not to allow bitter feelings to be portrayed in my life, and try to live through the JOY of Jesus, but as in the names Mara, or even Mary, Mitzi is a derivative and also can mean 'bitter'. However, I do not let that 'characteristic' truly tell who I am. I am trying to live a life of example for those around me, to not 'sweat the small stuff', but it is hard when those around you continuously do it. It just serves as a reminder that we are to be a 'light' in this 'dark' world, and be different! So if you are struggling with rage, anger, or even bitterness, know there IS a way out... His Name is Jesus! "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

So, if you have this JOY, then share it with the world... Go and Do... Go and Be... Go and Shine! If you however are struggling, or have not found this 'JOY' or a relationship with the giver of joy... then your first step is as simple as A...B...C!

1. ADMIT you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") Tell God that you are not perfect, that you are struggling, that you are a sinner. ('Cause yep, we all are.) You also have to repent of that sin... be sorry for it, and TRY not to do it again. (But when you do, 'cause yep we all are tempted to, just repent again.)

2. BELIEVE in your heart that God is real, and that He sent His Son to die for YOU. (His Son now does live again, as He was raised from the dead by His Father) Sin is only punishable by death... Jesus has come to make a way. (Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.") Don't be afraid to ask God if He is real, He wants you to seek Him from your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you, and guide you into the truth. We all know, but do not truly understand the full meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life."

3. CONFESS your faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. ("If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 NLT) Let God know that you want to change, you want Him to fill the voids or holes in your heart that you tried to fill yourself with things of the world. Some of you have tried drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc to fill that void in your life... but it can only be filled by LOVE! The Love that the Father has for each one of us.

When God hears you pray this pray with your own words, from your own heart, He is blessed. The angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner repents. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent... In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 7 & 10) When you pray this prayer, and allow God to move by the power of His Holy Spirit, you will NEVER BE THE SAME! (Let me know if you've prayed this prayer... for the first time or for the 101st time... just send me a comment, I won't post it if you don't want me too. I'd love to pray alongside you. Even if you just write your name. Thanks!)

May you be blessed with the ABUNDANCE of JOY, and may it OVERFLOW out of your belly and may you be a blessing to others around you, so that they will receive this JOY as well!