Reading this account reminded me that, in reality, most of us really have nothing to complain about. Life may be hard but it could be a lot harder. We may not understand why certain things happen to us but God is still very good to us just like He was good to this family. It may not seem like goodness for God to let them lose their home and some of their family members but God has a plan and I trust that He will somehow use this for His glory. Maybe others will come to know Him because of the faith of this family. I don’t know but I do know that God’s love is strong for each of His people and He loves you as well. No matter what you are going through, take some time to thank God for His love and His goodness. Sing “It is Well” for, if you are a true Believe, it really is well with your soul and that is truly something to be thankful for.

Have you heard that song from the Kingdom Heirs? I get excited each time I hear it as I think about the reality of those words. Do you ever stop to think about what God saved you from? If you do, I don’t know how you could cease to praise Him from here to eternity. From the day we arrived in this sinful world, we have been deserving of Hell but thank God He provided a way of escape. I shudder to think where I would be today if God hadn’t found me but His timing is always perfect. I remember the days without Him and I have no desire to go back.

Have you taken time to share with someone what God has done for you lately? It seems like many people find it easy to hand out tracts and I know God can use that too but I think this world needs to hear personal experiences of what God has done for us, how He saved us from ourselves when we were wandering aimlessly with no hope and no purpose. He put a spring in our steps and a smile on our face which can never be erased. And He changed the course we were heading on so that we can spend eternity with Him instead of spending it in total darkness.

Thank You, Lord, for locking the gates and throwing away the key. I am so thankful that I can spend the rest of my days with You.

As Christians, it seems like we often think we shouldn’t have trials but Scripture says the exact opposite. “In the world, you SHALL have tribulation: but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). ”All who live Godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). It is a part of our life too but Jesus told us to “look up, and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). Now is not the time to get discouraged and quit. It is the time to raise our heads and look to Him who is not taken by surprise in anything. His plan for us is good and not evil. If you realize that, it will help you to totally relax in His arms. When you’re with Him, you will still go through fire and deep water but, in His arms, the rivers will not overflow you and the fire will not burn you (Isaiah 43:2). He will be a shield against the arrows of the enemy. The arrows will be thrown at you but, if you stay close to Jesus, they will be deflected so that they will not injure you.

Let’s show the world that it’s possible to do more than get through life. Let’s move forward in faith and victory with a song in our hearts no matter what comes our way.

This past week, I’ve been thinking again about what my life used to be: a life of hopelessness, trudging through each day dutifully without joy or peace. I cried a lot and longed to be taken out of the world.

Thank God for His mercy that saw this poor, lost, fragile girl and said, “I can use you. Will you give up yourself and everything you’ve ever known and follow Me?” It took several years of God reaching out to me before I totally opened up my heart and realized that His plans for me were good, not evil … and those plans haven’t changed.

Life with God has not been a life of ease but it’s been so much better than life without God. Without God, circumstances make one feel hopeless; with God, I know that “Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world.” Without God, even my greatest attempt at smiling was hollow and sad; with God, I’ve been told that I smile too big. He gets the glory for that. I thank Him often for saving me when He did. I shudder to think what my life would be like if He hadn’t but praise the Lord! Because of Him, I will one day have a new life where death and pain will be forever removed and I will finally get to hear Him say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy I’ve prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” What a day that will be! I hope you will be there to experience it with me.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

I have contemplated the topic of love a lot in the past year or so. When I read 1 Corinthians 13, I realize how far I have to go to truly become like Christ. Can I truly say that I love my neighbor as I do myself? Do I have that love that is willing to lay down my life for a friend? I’m convinced that, until we truly understand Christ’s love, we are unable to love others to that degree but Scripture describes love to us for a reason.

Love is more than words; it’s more than gifts; it’s much more than candy and (believe it or not) chocolate. Those things could be given in love but they could also be given by strangers. Let’s make sure that, if we tell someone we love them, that we show them our love by our deeds. Go step by step if you need to. Am I patient? Am I kind? Do I keep a record of wrongs? Do I serve self or do I truly serve others? If others wonder if you love them, you probably don’t but God can fill you with that genuine love that truly reflects Him.

Make an extra point today to show your loved ones how much you love them.

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement. 

But is that the true definition of success? At the end of my life, I will feel successful if I have stayed close to my Savior … if I’ve fulfilled His purposes in my life … if I was a light in a dark world to lead others into relationship with Him. If I’ve done all that, nothing that the world terms success will matter because it will all burn one day anyway. I can’t take worldly success with me when I die but I can take the people who come to know Christ as a result of me being a Godly success and, to me, that is worth more than anything this world has to offer.

It seems like most sermons I’ve heard have focused on “come as you are” instead of “don’t stay as you are.” Yet, over and over Scripture makes it clear, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). When a baby is born, he’s small, he’s cranky, he may even be ugly right after he’s born but, as he begins to grow, he matures, his looks change, his personality changes (sometimes), and he grows into an adult who is no longer the helpless infant he was born as. That’s how it is in the spiritual world. When a person surrenders to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes in and begins to clean house. It may be a fast process or it may be a slow one but change is inevitable if it is truly no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

Can you honestly say, “The life that I live, I no longer live ‘in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2)? If you can’t, it’s not too late to do so. Even if you have gone to church your whole life and given lip service to surrendering to God, God knows the truth and He will spit you out of His mouth if you insist on living a lukewarm lifestyle. Life is too short to hold onto your “reputation.” Wouldn’t you rather give up and let Jesus take over?

I’ve been wondering lately if the reason we don’t see God change more situations and circumstances is due to our lack of fervent prayer. Sure, we’ll pray for our own needs and desires but are we just as quick to fervently intercede for those around us? I’d guess that the majority of us aren’t.

When we’re going through a trial, we feel like our world is falling apart and we cry out to God accordingly. But how many times have you called a friend only to discover that they were busy or had their own problems they were going through and, therefore, couldn’t really be there for you? It’s an easy habit to get into but I feel like God needs more intercessors, those who will truly bear their Brothers’ and Sisters’ burdens before the throne of God. If those who weren’t going through the trial would pray as though they were, would we see a lot more miracles?

I’ve heard a lot of sermons in which there is a lot of emphasis on having faith but what about the fact that we are told to “let your requests be made known unto God”? (Philippians 4:6b) No matter how much we believe He can perform whatever task we’re needing, it avails nothing if we don’t ask Him to.

If someone shares a need with you and asks you to pray, don’t just pray that God will be with that person. He’s already promised to do that. Pray specifically for that person’s need and don’t just do it as a token so you can say you prayed. Continue to pray until the answer comes. Let the person know from time to time that you are praying for him or her. This helps tremendously in building the faith in the one who is going through the hard time.

At times you may need to ask God what His will is in a situation so that you know how to pray but, when you get His mind, pray in faith, “nothing wavering” and you will begin to see miracles like never before.

There are so many needy, hurting people in the world. We may not be able to help all of them but we can help those around us and it begins when we care enough to invest our time by going to the Father on their behalf. When we’ve done that, we can more effectively be His hands and feet and let them know we are with them in this all the way.

In a way, we have all been called out of Egypt and are on our way to the Promised Land. The road’s not always easy. There are giants we have to fight and mountains we have to climb but if we are obedient to follow God’s every command, we will conquer these things and win every battle until we have reached our Home.

As I ponder the past year, I see areas I’ve grown in and areas I’ve failed. I desire to succeed in those areas this year as I hope I have learned a few things along the way.

The one thing I know as I enter another year: God is still in control. I may not know the future but He does. Nothing is going to take Him by surprise so, as I take His hand and begin to walk this next trek with Him, I can rest assured that if I keep my eyes on Him and allow Him to hold my hand and guide me where He desires, I will be in the safest place possible, protected from every storm that comes and, because of that, I can face tomorrow full of expectation. Let’s continue on together as we journey to that land. Let’s encourage each other to keep pressing on because Home may be nearer than we could dare to dream.