​“Jacob said ‘For what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God.’” Genesis 33:10
​
Life should never be taken for granted. Each day is a priceless gift from God and should be treated as such. Today let us celebrate life with smiles on our faces and kind words on our lips. After all, this is God’s day, and He has given us clear instructions for its use. We are commanded to rejoice and be glad.

Blessings to You and Your Family as We close out another Blessed Year in the Lord and Prepare for even Greater Blessings to come in 2021!

“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7
​
Do you prefer to face your fears rather than run from them? If so, you will be blessed because of your willingness to live courageously. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he reminded him that the God they served was a bold God, and God’s spirit empowered His children with boldness as well. Like Timothy, we face times of uncertainty and fear. God’s message is the same to us today as it was to Timothy. We can live boldly because the spirit of God resides in us.

​Dear God, I am reminded again today of how cunning the enemy is. He knows just where I am weak and what may cause me to stumble and fall. I pray that you will help me to stand strong against him. I pray and ask that you will forgive me of my failures and ask that you help me to stand strong against Satan and his evil ploys. I pray that I will think before I speak or act. I pray that I will always have the mind of Christ and look to you in times of frustration and darkness as well as times of peace and light. Thank you for all of your provisions and promises. I am weak, but you are strong. My trust is in you. In Jesus' name I come to you, amen.

The angel said to [Mary], "Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever." Luke 1:30-33

Jesus is identified by many names stated or implied in the four Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Notice how Jesus is identified in just this one passage: child, son, Jesus, great, Son of the Most High, King, son of David, and leader of Israel (Jacob).

Jesus exhausts all descriptions, and yet chose to be limited to imperfect descriptions by becoming human. This flood of names and descriptions helps us find Jesus as our Savior in every trial and blessing of life. Jesus is Savior for all seasons!
​
In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:26-28

Wow! An angel comes to Nazareth to visit and speak with a young woman engaged to be married. Before the history shattering news is announced, she is given one key reminder that will be truer than she could imagine, "The Lord is with you."
​
In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.’ Psalm 143:10

We want the Spirit to work in us to be like Jesus. For this to happen, we must open our hearts to the will of God. For him to be God to have control over our lives and our wills.

This is a key part of loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. As we open ourselves to the Father in this way the Holy Spirit puts us on God's level ground!
​
In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

"He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:38

Jesus was the first to teach us we have a cross to bear. We may not necessarily look as if we are bearing one, but we are. Each one of us has some area of pain and suffering in life. The world around us would have us run from that burden, to resent it, hate it. We should embrace it, the Lord God told us He would not put more upon us than we could bear.

In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.’ Philippians 2:14-15

I guess it's only natural to think the problems of our time in history are due to the pervasive depravity of our time. Thankfully the Bible repeatedly reminds us that God's people have always had to swim upstream against culture.

As children of God, we are to be bright stars in the dark night sky of our secular culture. Rather than complaining about our worldly culture or this time in history, let's light the path for others to see another way to live!
​
In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.’ Matthew 5:14

For Christians, there is no playing hide and seek with the world. Having been rescued from darkness, we have to let our light shine. Which sometimes means others see God's light reflected in us and learn to glorify God through us.

At other times it means we stand out in a world of darkness and become targets because of our faith. Either way, there is no place to hide. We are light in a world of darkness; we cannot help but shine!
​
In His Love, Do All You Can, While You Can, As Long As You Can, To All You Can….Have a Beautifully Blessed Day!

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance….” Ecclesiastes 3:4 KJV
​
The occasional disappointments and failures of life are inevitable. Setbacks are simply the price that we must occasionally pay for our willingness to take risks as we follow our dreams. But even when we encounter bitter disappointments, we must never lose faith. God stands ready to protect us. Our responsibility is to ask Him for protection. When we call on Him in heartfelt prayer, He will answer, in His own time and according to His own plan, and He will heal us. While we wait on His plans to unfold we can be comforted in the knowledge that He can overcome any obstacle, even if we cannot.