Great is Thy Faithfulness!

What a wonderful song and reminder of God's faithfulness, "Morning by morning new mercies I see, ALL I have needed thy hand has provided, great is the faithfulness, Lord unto me."

A thankful, grateful heart, and posture is a pleasing sight to any parent, including God. Am I grateful? Do I see the small and large things God has done for me? Honestly, not so much....without deliberate reflection and remembering his mercy!

Having lived in a city of cats in Istanbul,Turkey, it was our observation that most survived quite well on the streets, since most people fed and took care of them. We also had taken to feeding some of the ones around the apartment and occasionally would bring one in. 

One day my husband brought one in to visit as it was cold outside, and he perceived it to be lonely. Well our pure-breed cat did NOT take a liking to this and trashed at my husband for bringing in the kitten, with a vengeance. Personally I thought  it was hilarious, because our cat knew exactly who to blame and let him know it! He on the other hand was not too pleased with her attitude. He admonished her as if she understood, saying "You always have food and shelter, this little waif is without all the time".

Does that not describe us sometimes though? We are privileged, why? Because of God's grace and mercy, not because of anything we did. This morning's reading brings me to Micha 6:8 . What does the Lord require of thee? To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with they God.

Hmmm.....Now this kitten did not stop purring as loud as could be the whole time she was inside. She was grateful and appreciative for the "little" things. Just a moment of warmth, food and favor. Not a lifetime, but a moment.

"To Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly".....but for the grace of GOD where would we be? Thought to consider. How are we showing our gratitude, today?

Song: "Great is Thy Faithfulness" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60o3UP4Kjwg

A New Season

We all go through frenetic seasons of our lives and adjust to the fast pace and then ultimately things slow down. We reach the mountain peak, we accomplish our goal, school is over, winter is here and we have to adjust to starting over and planting new seeds again for the next harvest.

During this time of rest, planting, reflection and slowing down, what do we do? How do we set new goals that are realistic and stay motivated to do the ordinary necessary behind the scenes tasks that are less visible, yet equally important for our success in all areas of our lives.

The ability to stay the course during our planting season requires experience and perseverance. Sometimes when we don't see the evidence of our hard work immediately, it is easy to give up, get discouraged or think we will never accomplish our dreams, and fall just short of them. Yet for a seasoned and experienced person, they know that after the planting of seeds, there will be a time of waiting, planning, maintenance and upkeep.

Surrounding ourselves with people who are further along our path can help us to stay the course. They can serve as motivation and reminders of what can and will happen if we persevere. I love it when my daughter surrounds herself with those who are stronger, more accomplished than she is, with an intrinsic understanding that she can learn from them what she is yet to encounter, and even when she wants to give up, she is encouraged to stay the course, because they are tangible proof that it can be done.

Daily steps, perseverance, even when things are difficult, boring and uneventful, with a knowing that this time will pass and what we do during this time will ultimately affect how successful we are in the next season, as Christians, professionals, students and or athletes. There is a time for every season. Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Do not be tricked, fooled or misled. Our life will reflect everything we do, even when we think it does not matter. Today is "your gift" from God. Make the most of it and accomplish all he has placed in your heart, trusting him each step of the way. Godspeed.....

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF-5aO2GYiY

Rested, Relaxed and Rejuvenated!

After a long break and time with family and friends, I am back to my routines and my own bed! Blessed with so much, my heart is filled with gratitude and thankfulness! I looked back at my post from last year at this time and feel so blessed to be provided for in supernatural ways, and grateful for another year to encourage each of you on your journey!

One of the best ways I can think of doing that is to reflect back on your own year and make a list of all the things God has done for you. When we look back we should be wowed and excited, encouraged to keep pressing on to higher goals, dreams and aspirations. Knowing God has been with us each step of the way, has the ability to spur us on to a faster pace, with increased confidence.

Just the other day I was taking my daughter to the airport in fog that limited our view. In the natural I couldn't see too far ahead, however my high tech daughter had a GPS system on her phone that she was very comfortable using. With some persuasion she convinced me to trust her and her device to go an unfamiliar route, to avoid wrecks and reach our destination on time. I cannot say I was comfortable, but I followed her leading and as a result of the success, I have now grown in my confidence.

Is that not the same way it is with Christ. He takes us through difficulties and shows us the way even when we can't see. He lovingly guides us, despite or fears and encourages us to trust him. My daughter explained to me it was a "generational gap" that allowed her to be more confident in trusting technology. I smiled with understanding. With that thought in mind, how much more is our heavenly Father trying to get us to trust him, despite the huge "wisdom gap". First Corinthians 1:25 "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength".

My encouragement today is to keep pressing on, with a new confidence and assurance that God is on your side and he is working all things to the good of them that love him and are called according to his purpose. Start each day with a renewed sense of purpose and commit your ways to the Lord. He will take you places you've never dreamed of!

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt0WluTpFTg