My Lord,
Ahhhhhh......exhale. Thank you that I still live on the beach.
Thank you that the list could go on and on until you call me home.
When I think about your goodness....I cannot believe nor do I understand your great love for me. And, looking from the inside out...the world probably does not see me as having a life of abundance, but I so do. I have a simply life and an AMAZING God.
I have a love that has no boundaries, a peace that blankets me from head to toe and a joy that no one can steal.
I was listening to Focus on the Family today and the state of our selfish world views and the trouble that our society is in because of our "free will" to want to do things our way. Our belief of entitlement and the desire to have what we want, when we want it is going to be the death of us if we do not submit our weak flesh to the one true God.
My Lord, thank you that my desire is to please you. Yes, before I was saved, I was apart of the world and my desire was to save money for a rainy day. It was to keep things "in order" and it was to make others happy in spite of my deep insecurities and unhappiness inside. I had no idea that I was operating in that way....a way that was "pleasing" to man and not to you.
Thank you that you help me to see that in others. Thank you that you have removed the scales from my eyes and helped me to see that so many are wounded, lost, ignorant and have no idea that you died on the cross for their sins.
Thank you for the opportunity to share your story with anyone who will listen. Thank you for my new friend and the fact that you set the whole thing up. She needs you Father and I'm trusting and believing that she will come to you. Thank you for your gift of wisdom and discernment and that she understood and was not offended. Thank you that her ears were open and that she now knows about your sacrifice and your grace. Lord, please keep a close watch over her and show her that your love is real and that she doesn't have to do anything to earn it. Father, comfort her as only you can and keep us connected so that we can grow together and build a lasting relationship.
Thank you for the rest and the time to finish my homework. In one of the chapters it made mention of the word "failure" and how we hate that word. And then it asked, "When was the last time you felt that way?" I immediately thought of this past summer when I had so much stuff going on that I did not get the chance to finish our study on "God Quest." I know that you don't condemn us and that you never will, but I felt like a failure and I did not like it. I never want to be too busy for you.
I have made a commitment to only take on what I know I can handle and finish. I don't want to get so overly involved in "stuff" that I'm missing my quality time with you or that I'm following the world in the pursuit of meaningless things that add no value to your kingdom work.
Father, I thank you that you have gifted us with free will and the ability to delight in the things that make us happy and bring us joy. I know that you want your children to laugh, smile, relax and bask in the wonders of life. I know that you want us to live a life of abundance....your word says just that. But my Lord, please never allow me to get so sidetracked or distracted that it becomes more about me and less about you.
I cannot do life without you and I do not want to go it alone. I can go without a husband, but I simply cannot go without YOU!!!! I don't want to get to a place of regret and defeat and look back to wonder: "How did I get here?" I know the right way and the straight path and that journey is inside your will. I don't know what the next moment, hour or day holds but I want to go in that direction holding tightly to your righteous and gently hand.
Prayers: JT is retiring and I ask that you would please bless this next chapter of his life with peace, love, joy and a deeper relationship with you. I pray that you strengthen his health and his marriage, that you would bless his children and prosper all future things to glorify your name.
Again, thank you for my encounter yesterday with my new friend.
Lastly, Father, please bless the marriages. There is so much selfishness going on and so much that is taken for granted. Soften the hard hearts and bring back the love that once lived inside of them. Help them to see that its sole purpose is to glorify you and not one another. In Jesus' precious name, amen.
Eternally yours
