joy

Start With Gratitude

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It’s an incredible thing…choosing to start with gratitude is a clear path to changing your perspective.  Ask yourself, ‘what am I thankful for?’ and it leads your thoughts and your mind to search for what is good, positive and optimistic.  If at first it is difficult and you find yourself quickly slipping into ‘what I don’t have’ or ‘the way things used to be’ consciously stop yourself and make a list of 2-3 things that you are grateful for.  The more we put this into practice the more our perspective will change.  If you struggle with this turn to Jesus Christ in prayer and ask Him to help you see the good that is all around you.  Trust in the Lord and give Him thanks for all that He has done for you.  Amen.

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Trust In The Lord

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Surrender the will of the self and you will find joy and peace.  This is not about happiness; joy goes deeper and has greater understanding than happy.  Happy is about you…joy is about your foundation of faith and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  God knows everything about you and He wants good things for you…trust in Him with all your heart like you never have before and see what God has in store for you.  Amen.

I Give You My Heart by Michael W Smith

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“Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:3-7

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass near the Montana and Wyoming border)

Renew

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To speak about faith as a journey is to remind us that it is ongoing…it is not a one-time event or ceremony…it is not something to ‘check the box’ as done and move on.  It is a journey of good times and hard times.  It is a daily recognition that we are broken and sinful and we live in a fallen world…it is about learning to surrender your plans to God and His plan…it is about finding the best version of you that God intended for your life.  Pick up a bible every day and renew your faith for your journey.  Amen.

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while standing on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Joy To The World

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Joy to the world on Christmas Day.  He is truly the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Day by Chris Tomlin

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“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Merry Christmas

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At Christmas time and throughout the year put Christ in the center of your life…with Christ you will know Hope, you will know Peace, you will know Joy and you will know that the Love of Christ in your heart will help you overcome anything this world can throw at you.

May we all see and know God’s blessings in our lives this Christmas and carry them with us all through the New Year.  Amen.

Merry Christmas!

Christmastime by Michael W Smith

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“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:11-14

(This photo was taken in December of 2013 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Self-Awareness

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This is defined as knowledge of one’s own feelings, motives and desires.  If we are able to understand more about ourselves, we can become more confident in our values and purpose.  Being more self-aware will also improve our relationships and interactions with others.  For example, if our motives and desires center around self-satisfaction we will most likely have difficulty in relationships as we are not accounting for the needs of others.  There is a balance between self-care and helping others that we should strive for and we don’t have to do it alone.  God is with us and because of Jesus Christ we can ask for guidance in finding this balance.  May the Fruit of the Spirit be in you and flow through you.  Amen.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Advent Season

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Today is the beginning of Advent.  The season of preparation and expectant waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas and His return at the Second Coming.  We have many resources to help us observe this season, with calendars, candles, special devotionals, etc.  Observing the rituals is one part of the process, actually preparing our hearts and minds with the meaning behind these symbols will help us to grow in our faith.  For me the Advent wreath and candles are the symbols I choose to learn more about, there are four candles one for each week.  Some traditions include a fifth candle called the Christ candle.  As with many things different religions have different ways to celebrate these weeks.  My preferred 4 themes are:

Hope–Peace–Joy–Love.

Hope is confidence in God’s faithfulness…even when everything going on around us is telling us something different, we can have hope because we know that God is working for our good in all things.  Spend time this week reflecting on where you have seen God at work in your life or in the lives of others and renew your hope by remembering these things.  Remember with God all things are possible.  Amen.

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in northern Colorado)

The Fruit Of The Spirit

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The way we think…the words we say…the actions and behaviors we put into practice in our daily life can be built on the nine qualities described as the Fruit of the Spirit.  None of these things cost money, they are free.  It is up to us to choose how we live.  Our best life is one led by God and His Holy Spirit.  Seek Him and live your best each day.  Amen.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling through northern Colorado)

Rest With Him

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As the summer is winding down and the schedule of activities and places to be cranks up, it is important to be consistent in taking time to rest in between the coming and going.  Making time and having a place to rest…truly rest…time to pray, read scripture and recharge your mind and spirit is so important.  We can’t be all things for all people all the time…been there, failed at that.  Even Jesus would make time to rest His mind and body…why do we think we could do more than Him?  Seek Him and ask Him to help you find rest in your daily activities.  Amen.

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“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31

(This photo was taken in August of 2012 while on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

The Fruit Of The Spirit

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When we come to Christ and seek Him, we are renewed.  The Holy Spirit within us encourages us to live by the Fruit of the Spirit more and more and to leave the evil, anger, hatred and darkness behind.  The more we use the Fruit of the Spirit when thinking about ourselves and while helping others the better our life will be.  Most of us are too hard on ourselves and too hard on others…things can be different.  Pick up God’s Word and read about it, pray and ask for forgiveness of your sins and to have the Fruit of the Spirit stirred up in you.  May God’s love, joy and peace be with you.  Amen.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling through northern Colorado)