“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 NIV
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.”
Job 19:25 NIV
(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Wyoming)
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.“
Philippians 4:12-13 NIV
When whatever you are facing feels too hard and overwhelming
Whether it is a difficult task or person
Remember your ability to move forward is not found in you
God knows all about you and your life
Seek Him and His Kingdom
He will guide you and lead you
Nothing is impossible with God
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Isaiah 40:28-29 NIV
(This photo was taken near Arches National Park in Utah)
“In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
Sometimes I struggle with my faith when it comes to opening up to the Lord for all things
Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms
I have come to learn…it does not work like that
God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all
All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love is for everything and everyone
His grace and His mercy will endure forever
It can be so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love
He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we do feel more of His presence
He is also the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and He is the Lord what you do…He is the Lord of everything
The best part of all? This means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it…everything
If He is your Lord and Savior that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good…yet He is with you through all of it
May we know God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness in everything in our lives…everyday
“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 23:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
Father God, I want to submit to You
Please fill my mind with thoughts that honor You and other people
Guide me to speak in a way so that my words can bring life and encouragement to others
Transform me into a new person by helping me grow from the inside out
In Jesus name, Amen
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
(This photo was taken while driving on Beartooth Pass in Montana)
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.“
Galatians 6:9-10 NIV
Our lives are filled with moments and memories
Some are good times and some are difficult
We all tend to embellish a bit in our memories, the memory of good times seems to be really good and the memory of bad times seem to be really bad
Sometimes our bad memories start to take us down a path so that even the present moments of our life are seen through a negative perspective
This is a quick spiral downward and we can get stuck in the swirl of negativity
We must have the courage to choose a new perspective, a more balanced view of everything
Fortunately, the Word of God along with our relationship with Jesus Christ can provide that perspective
When times are hard and it feels like you are making no progress on anything…do not give up
Keep pressing on, keep believing…that is your faith at work
Goodness will come to those who believe in the hope that God provides through Jesus Christ
May God’s peace be with you
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Colossians 3:12 NIV
(This photo was taken in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)
“I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14 NIV
Father God, You are good!
No matter what goes on around us-You are good
You are worthy of praise because You are good
You provide for us, strengthen us, deliver us, and heal us
Even when we do not see you at work in our lives, that does not change the fact that You are working
There is no one like You
So regardless of what we face today, we will praise You
In Jesus name, Amen
“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”
Psalm 146:1-2 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
Live in the present today…what is the next right thing to do?
God is with you, right where you are
If we are always looking towards the past or the future we may miss who or what God is putting right in front of us…today
Do your best for God today, wherever you are and no matter who is around you
He will take care of the rest!
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
(This photo was taken near Glacier National Park in Montana)
“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”
Matthew 28:5-6 NIV
The truth about all of life…only God can bring us peace
And Jesus is the One who has proved it
Reflect today on how much God loves you
And rejoice in what the risen Savior Jesus has done, is doing and will do to show you this love
Happy Easter!
“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Mark 16:4-6 NIV
(This photo was taken on a lake in central Minnesota)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 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
Living a life with faith first…it sounds so simple, yet life in the world is hard
The Bible is a great guide for life…the world will tell you it is not
There are those who believe it is an outdated book filled with stories that are more like fairy tales
People say the world is so different now than when it was written that it is not applicable to life today
That is exactly what Satan wants us to think
The fact is the Bible is the truth, based on actual events…it is the Word of God
Take time to read it every day and it will change your life
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“
Matthew 6:31-34 NIV
(This photo was taken while driving in northern Colorado)
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 NIV
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.“
Psalm 23:1-4 NIV
(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)
Take Your Faith With You 