Because Of Him

Today I went to my last post-surgery eye appointment. It's official...the doc said that my eye looks perfect! Now I can start exercising, lifting, doing whatever I want...not that exercising is something I want to do but it is definitely needed! I was thinking about all of this and realized that my eye condition...and subsequent surgery...wasn't noticeable by anyone but me. The doc went inside my eye and fixed the problem. The tear wasn't visible and the scar from the surgery isn't either. Kind of like what Jesus did in my heart...

Before we become Christians we have many tears, holes and scars in our hearts. Some of them are so big, and go so deep, we think they can never be repaired. I like how Ann Voscamp says...soul holes. I'm pretty sure...even if you lived a good life before becoming a Christian...that you have had soul holes. Sometimes we think that there is just no way that all of the scars and holes will ever be healed. I thought that way every now and again about my eye. And...if I'm truthful...have thought that way about my heart and soul too! What I have found out though is you do have some of the control on how fast you heal from both kinds of surgery. For physical surgery you need to do what the doc says for as long as he says. Do you want the surgery to work or not? The choice is yours. When God works on your heart you also have a choice. Ask Him to heal your scars...your wounds...your hurts...your addictions. Anything that is holding you back...give to Him. Totally open up your life to Him in areas that you need healing. It's not always an easy thing but if you are sincere and really want it...He will meet you where you are and begin the healing process. From experience I can tell you that He doesn't always heal you immediately. But, keep going back to Him about it. When you are really ready for that area in your life to be healed...and want it more than anything...He will start the process and sometimes do it immediately! That's why I think that you have some control over the healing of some things in your life. You have to be ready and willing to really give whatever it is over too Him! Don't give it up and then take it back. Play games as it was put to me...and rightly so. Then it seems when you have been healed in one area, God is ready to start work on something else in your life. So, sometimes...it seems as if your life is a roller coaster. A subject for another post...another day!

One thing that I have found about all of this is...

When you have been healed of something in your life God will give you opportunities to share about it at some point. For me the best thing has been the excitement it puts in my day to day life. A renewed sense of what God is doing in me. Since September 19th I have had more boldness to say what needs to be said, to a friend, about Jesus. She has always known I'm a Christian but in conversations I would sometimes be afraid to tell her exactly what she needed to do to change her life. I was always afraid of offending her or making her mad. The last two weeks I have just been plain and honest about what I tell her...and she is good with it. She just keeps coming back, most days, for more conversation.

God is so good. He is healing me, and making me whole...more everyday. What do you need Him to do for you today? Whatever it is just call out to Him. He wants to bind up those old wounds. Repair the tears and holes in your heart, soul and mind. Call a friend...e-mail a friend...get together with a friend...ask them to pray with you for your healing. The Word says this...

Matthew 18:19-20

 ¹⁹ “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰ For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

When things go south for me it's as if I get stuck. At some point I can't even hardly pray anymore. I know then I need to contact a friend I can trust and ask for prayer. If it's really bad...I'm really bad...I need to talk it out first and then pray together with them. God has never failed me yet. When I am ready...when you are ready...He is willing.

They Can't Take It Away

It doesn't matter how good your life is. Everyday things come up against us...people cause problems for us. We get stressed about one thing or the other. Life is really never everything we thought it would be. But, there is one constant in your life if you are a child of God...He loves you! Why? He loves you...because He loves you...because He loves you! The one thing in life we can always count on! Nobody can take that from you!

Romans 8:38-39 NLT 

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wait Quietly Before Him

Psalm 62:1-2 NLT

¹ I wait quietly before God,
      for my victory comes from him.
 ² He alone is my rock and my salvation,
      my fortress where I will never be shaken.

Just sitting and waiting quietly is a hard thing to do! My mind starts wandering not long after I try to "sit quietly". I ask myself why is it so hard to do that? With good intentions I read my bible and pray then...try to wait. It's hard but I think maybe with practice it will become easier. I'm pretty sure that I lose out on some amazing times with God because my mind is always rushing on to new thoughts. Today, I'm going to commit to reading the Word, praising and praying, and then listening for a response. Missing out is something I'm tired of doing!! If I want to see more victories in my life then I believe this is one thing I need to do.

Psalm 62:5-8 NLT

 ⁵ Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
      for my hope is in him.
 ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation,
      my fortress where I will not be shaken.
 ⁷ My victory and honor come from God alone.
      He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
 ⁸ O my people, trust in him at all times.
      Pour out your heart to him,
      for God is our refuge.

God is our Rock...our Safe Place. Cry out to Him. He wants to do more than you could possibly imagine.

I have a great friend in my life that always reminds me...I need a lot of reminding at times...that satan is a liar! All the time, he is constantly working on us. Just trying to get into our heads. Ruin our day if at all possible. Last Monday God did something in my life that for me was a miracle. Set me free from some old stuff that I was letting hang around. The next day, Tuesday, was an exceptional day. Then Wednesday came...

At 5:45 in the morning I got in my car to go to work and satan tried to ruin my day. For some reason I had this funny feeling...hair standing up on your neck kind of feeling. So, I turned around to look in the back of my car. It's an SUV so there is a lot of room in the back. Immediately it was as if this voice in my mind said...It's me. Right away I recognized the voice in my thoughts. It was one I used to listen too all the time. But as quick as I did I said out loud...Jesus is with me. Then continued to say...I am a child of God and I am covered by the blood of Jesus and you...satan...can't hurt me. Then I backed out of the garage and started on my way to work...continuing to pray and thank God for all He has done in my life. It was a good day. The lie didn't take root in my life. Then Thursday came...

On my way home from work I was sitting at a stoplight when the thought came to me...Remember the hand on your chest...it was mine. Remember when you had terrible nightmares and you would wake up with someone shaking your leg? Remember when you would have to sleep with the light on because you were so afraid? Yes...I did remember. I didn't know then who it was but I do now. Satan the liar who lives in the dark! Hadn't thought about it in a while but, I did remember. Then my thoughts were good. Do you remember when you came to Me and I took all of that stuff away? Remember when you gave your life to Me and the nightmares stopped? Yes...I remember! I am with you now and you have no reason to fear! You have nothing to be afraid of because I will always be with you!

The most amazing thing happened when I gave my heart to Jesus. He took all of that away. There were times when I slipped back a little...listened to the lies from satan...and had to sleep with my light on again. But not anymore. You see, every time the Lord delivers you from something the liar...satan...is going to do everything he can to try to ruin it. The stuff that used to fill you with fear...cause you to doubt...take away your joy...the liar will use those things again. Why? Why not...they always worked before. You have to set your mind and your heart on things above and not listen to him! Don't believe the lies and tricks. You have got to keep your mind continuously thinking about things of God and heaven not things of this world. You have got to live out your new identity, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Stand up to satan and all of his schemes and let him know that he is not welcome where you are.

The same way that God set me free from nightmares...He set me free from thinking I needed to feed an old addiction. Once He sets you free it is your own self that takes you back there. The liar satan will try to get you to go back but you have the power to not go there. Just immediately thank God for what He has done in your life and tell satan to get away from you. You belong to God...you are a child of the King!

Colossians 3:2

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

When satan starts  putting these thoughts in your mind what do you have to remember? To call on the Lord. He is always with us. He is our help when we get in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,
      always ready to help in times of trouble.

Psalm 91:15

When they call on me, I will answer;
      I will be with them in trouble.
      I will rescue and honor them.

While I was writing this Psalm 23:4 came to mind. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For You are with me!! YES!!! The LORD is with me every step of every day!
I have nothing to fear from the liar!

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;
         I shall not want.
 ² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
         He leads me beside the still waters.
 ³ He restores my soul;
         He leads me in the paths of righteousness
         For His name’s sake.
      
 ⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
         I will fear no evil;
         For You are with me;
         Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
      
 ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
         You anoint my head with oil;
         My cup runs over.
 ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
         All the days of my life;
         And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
         Forever.

tag you're it!

Jedidja from kostbaar.blogspot.com/ tagged me to tell 10 things about myself. So here goes!

1.  I only talk alot when I am blogging!

2.  My favorite color is black.

3.  Favorite candy is...Lucky Country Blackcherry Licorice...Aussie   

4.  Love popcorn with way too much butter on it.

5.  Favorite book is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voscamp

6.  Favorite music Christian group is Casting Crowns

7.  Favorite drink is coffee

8.  Favorite food is Mexican or Chinese...they tie for first!

9.  I like to play Scrabble or the on-line Words With Friends

10. JESUS is the Best thing that ever happened to me!!

Okay. Now I am too tag 5 other people to play. 

So...

Tracy mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com/

Denise friskychile.blogspot.com/

Desiray woman4virtue.blogspot.com/

pinks relyingonhim.blogspot.com/

Esther Joy esthersjoyinthemourning.blogspot.com/

One More Time

It's a good week! GOD is good and yes...HE is faithful! Many things have happened this week for me. I have learned some useful things...the main one being how to put a link on my blog!!! Woot...Woot!!!

So...I would like to thank Debbie @ Writin' 4 Him Cafe for the One Lovely Blog Award she gave me!

Her link is writin4him.blogspot.com/ and I'm praying this link works. Still not real confident that I'm doing this right.

Debbie this is such an honor to get this award. I am blessed by it and really quite humbled...not to mention quite happy to accept it!

I want to tell you that your blog and comments are an encouragement to me. Thank you.

From your picture, and some things I have read, we have more in common than blogging and God.

That would be...coffee!!!!

So now I need to pass this award on to some others and I am happy to do so.

When you get this...

Thank the person who gave it to you.

Copy and paste it to your blog.

Pass the award on.

I would like to give this award to...

Tracy @ mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com/ 

Kristin @ ponderingsbykris.blogspot.com/

Erin @ mynuggetsoftruth.blogspot.com/

Lisa @ lisaphelps.org/

Blog Awards

Over the last couple of months I have been surprised, blessed and humbled. In fact I don't even have the words to say the many things I have felt as I have read the comments on my blog from all of my bloggy friends! All of you are so good at encouraging and I appreciate it.

So...now for an apology. I have received a few blog awards from some of you in the months of August and September. I am not very technical at all and for the life of me could not figure out how to link back to any of you. So, I think I have finally got it!! If not, I guess I can always try again! I feel very undeserving and I truly do apologize for not doing this sooner. 

Thought I would combine both Tracy and Lisa together. I hope that is okay with both of you??

First to Tracy at mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com/

Thank you for both the Versatile Blogger Award and the Liebster

You re an encouragement to me!

Then to Lisa at theheartandhome.blogspot.com/ 

You are an inspiration to me!

Thank you for the Versatile Blogger Award

Your blog always blesses me!

For the Versatile Blogger here are 7 things about me.

7 things about me you may not know...

1. I love dogs and have a Cocker Spaniel named Zach.
2. Coffee...Coffee...Coffee is my favorite thing to drink...strong with sugar!
3. Of course, cookies with my coffee makes it even better!
4. I love music. Mostly Christian but listen to classic rock and country sometimes too.
5. Winter is my favorite season. I like to be where there's a fire burning with a good book.
6. I love talking about GOD and the bible with other Christians. I learn so much from them.
7. My favorite dessert is Cherry Upside Down Pudding! But I will settle for berry pie with cool whip!

And I will pass this on to...

Jedidja kostbaar.blogspot.com/
Child Of God cprezra823.blogspot.com/
Debbie  heartchoices.com/
Donna Lynn Grace  daydreamsanddesigns.blogspot.com/ 
Vilisi  islandmusings-shuni.blogspot.com/  
Pinks relyingonhim.blogspot.com/

The rules for the Versatile Blogger are...

Thank the person who nominates you.

Share seven random facts about yourself.

Send to seven blogs of your choice.

Copy and paste award to your blog.

I will pass the Liebster award on to...

Lisa theheartandhome.blogspot.com/
Denise  http://friskychile.blogspot.com/ 
Desiray woman4virtue.blogspot.com/


Rules are...
This is given to blogs with less than 300 followers.
Thank the person who gave it to you.
Copy and paste the award to your blog.
Choose 3-5 blogs that deserve a bigger following.
Leave them a comment so they know they received it.

Matthew 11:28

Matthew 11:28 (AMP)

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

This verse just works for me tonight!! Up until last night that described me quite well. All who labor...are heavy-laden...overburdened...cast down...down trodden...sad...joyless...tired...the list could just go on forever! Did you notice something I wrote though? Up until last night! What do you think that means? Maybe that last night I threw the towel in...gave up...told God I had had enough and I quit! I was there...really close to doing just that yesterday. But that's not what happened. Last night it all changed for good. There is a little something that I have always liked...But GOD!!! God showed up in my life last night and worked a miracle for me! He set me free from something that I have struggled with for quite sometime. God is a miracle working God. Always has been and always will be!

When you get to that situation in your life where you just don't think you can take things anymore...
When you get to that place in your life where you know that you just have to give it up and "let go"...
The day you finally realize that nothing is going to change until you "surrender all" to the Lord...
In yourself you believe that you have done everything you can to fix a situation in your life...
The situation that will not change unless GOD steps in...

Those times are what I refer to as "But GOD" moments! Moments when there is nothing left for you to do except cry out to GOD, and pray in JESUS Name, for Him to come and take control of whatever your problem is. Only then...when you surrender totally to HIM and tell HIM so...GOD in all HIS might and power comes in and takes care of things!

But GOD!!!

Commit It To Him

Sometimes I sit
just try to hold on
Alone with my thoughts
where did I go wrong                  
Where does He go
in times like these
He's waiting for you
to fall on your knees
You ask Him to come
quiet your mind
Help you to focus
one moment at a time
You finally decide
to try yet again
Pray to your Savior
to help you to win
Search me dear Lord
humbly I plead
Help me this day
oh how my soul bleeds
Right now at this time
here in this place
I commit it to You
the pain I can't face
I'm asking for mercy
praying for peace
At Your feet I'm falling
into Your arms outreached                 
I know You've been waiting
listening for my cry
So here I am now
You won't deny

James 4:7-8a
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

1 Peter 5:7
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Psalm 9:9-10
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
      a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
      for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Do you ever get tired

of the struggle you face

Always the same

it comes back with no grace

Your body is tired

your mind is a mess

What to do now

you've been givin' it your best

Why is it Lord

you ask Him again

That I need to do battle

will I ever win

I'm so tired of fighting

I'm down on my face

Am I going to fail
or will I keep pace

Do you ever feel like this? Is there something that just has a grip on you and it seems you may never get past it?

Yesterday at church they talked about Heaven. I'm thinking it will be a great day when Jesus comes back. We won't have to fight these battles anymore!

Until then...take the battles to Him!

Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Thoughts On Sunday

I get a Lucado devotion everyday and they are always so good. They usually get me thinking...in a good way! Today's was called Decorating. Here is the devotion and some of the thoughts I had after reading it.

Decorating  (Max Lucado)

“Do good to me, your servant, so I can live, so I can obey your word.”  Psalm 119:17

God loves to decorate. God has to decorate. Let Him live long enough in a heart, and that heart will begin to change. Portraits of hurt will be replaced by landscapes of grace. Walls of anger will be demolished and shaky foundations restored. God can no more leave a life unchanged than a mother can leave her child’s tear untouched.

When I read this today I thought of so many things. Things that HE has changed for me just in the last year. I never thought of what GOD does as decorating but that is a great way to put it. It makes me think of what my heart must of looked like...or anyone's heart...before becoming a Christian.

I think of it as a dark and gloomy place. Cobwebs hanging all around it...a musty smell...no a death smell. There are all the little "rooms" you have in your heart. I remember way back in Sunday School and how the teacher related...somehow...about rooms in our hearts. I don't remember exactly but she said there were rooms. Anyway, there are rooms with hate in them...bitterness...unforgiveness...anger...deceit...lies...unhealed hurts...pain caused from things done to you...pain from the things you do to yourself...all of these in little rooms. Some rooms have no light on in them at all anymore...some just a flicker of light, like a candle. Then one day, when you ask JESUS to come into your heart, it all starts to change. Little by little HE starts sweeping out. First HE gets the small stuff...cobwebs. Then HE goes after all the muck and grime that's stuck to the walls and floors. As HE works the death smell starts leaving. But, HE doesn't work to quickly because HE knows it's a process. HE takes HIS time so we can adjust to the newness of HIS life in us. GOD knows if HE brought all of our pain and hurt out into the light at one time it would be too much for us. Besides, some of the stuff you just need to work through before you can get over it. As HE goes through each room the light starts coming back on. Lights that may have been off for your entire life. Then you really start living in the light! After that, the decorating stage...and I think GOD decorates for each of us differently according to what we need. Isn't that cool. Since we're all different HE does different things for each of us. I'm not sure what the decorations might look like. Maybe besides landscapes of grace some of them are things like barrels of happiness and jars of joy. The point is, HE changes you...little by little...until you don't hurt so much anymore. You have more good things in your heart...light things instead of dark things.  If you work with HIM, and let it all go, you will be a new person. Changed from the inside out!

For me it seems that I must have as many rooms as the Holiday Inn because there is always a new one HE is cleaning out and changing. The good part is...when the light comes on again! I never know how HE will decorate it... but it is always with something good! 

He's In Charge

GOD Is In Charge (Lucado)

“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” Matthew 6:13 RSV

“Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” What protection this . . . phrase affords. As you confess that God is in charge, you admit that you aren’t. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit that you don’t. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain.

I read this from my Lucado Devotion this morning and realized something. No matter how much we think we are in charge of our lives...we aren't. Recently I have realized that I don't really want to be. When I take charge, life becomes a real mess. Then after realizing it's a mess and trying to fix it...myself...it becomes an even bigger mess! The key words here are I and myself. Through all of the mess of my life there has been one constant factor...me.

Today...and always...I need His protection in my life. God is the ultimate power that I want to be in charge of me. When He is not it is so true that my brain does get "dizzy"! He is Lord and I want Him to be Lord of all of my life. Up to this point me has not done a very good job of things. So, again...this morning...I turn my life and all of it's mess back over to the Lord. Doing that is the only way that I know everything will work out today.

Psalm 143:8 NLT

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
      for I am trusting you.
   Show me where to walk,
      for I give myself to you.

A New Beginning

Today is a new beginning. I woke up thinking of a song. I don't remember the name of it but here are the words that keep playing over and over in my head as I get ready for work.

Glory forever, Glory forever, King over everything

Holy and Righteous are His names, JESUS

I'm sure I heard it in my sub conscience last night because I play worship music for most of the night as I sleep. Really...so I can sleep.

So...this morning I awoke with a new attitude and a plan. I'm thinking it's more of God's plan that it was mine. It is my new goal.

Get up early and read the  Word and talk to God. I had no idea what I was going to read today so I will have to get a plan before tomorrow.

But...today I opened my bible and this is the first thing I saw.

Jeremiah 32:40

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me.

Then I read 38-39

They will be my people, and I will be their God. ³⁹ And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.

The "reflection" in my Bible says;

Because God is all-powerful, I can do anything with His help.

I need His help everyday...more and more. He is an awesome God and He is just waiting for us to call out to Him. To worship Him. He is everlasting. Our Strength, our Savior, our Healer...anything

that we need Him to be for us...HE IS!

Today, as I go thru my day, I know I have to lean on Him for many things. That's okay because that is what He wants me to do. Worship HIM and call out His name. Let HIM be my GOD.

Oh...That I Can Remember This!

Psalm 46:10a

Be still, and know that I am God.

Sometimes in life it is so hard to just be still and "know"...isn't it. Sitting here this morning I have read my bible and talked with God a bit. My want for today is that I could just sit here and continue to talk with God and just be in His presence instead of being with others. Reality is...Not gonna happen! Life goes on around us...and with us...whether we sometimes want it to or not. And that's okay. I am thankful for the time I have had this morning that has been quiet. That I have been able to "know" that God is with me. For this moment...in this part of the day...He is real. Whatever happens now is up to me. What I do with Him the rest of the day is up to me. The things that I let start to wrap me up and put me in a place I don't want to be...is up to me. Keep God at the front of my thoughts and the devil under my foot. When it gets to be a bit much just...Be still, and "Know" that He is God!

GOD Loves You So Much

I love you so much...

That's what I said to my doggie this morning. It wouldn't have mattered what I said as long as I was paying attention to him. Immediately...almost before the last word was out of my mouth...this thought came to mind.

God loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you! 

I just thought...Wow! How do I let myself get so far away sometimes? Even better...where do I go?! I have asked myself that many times and I still don't really have an answer. All I can say is that I am so thankful He brings these thoughts to my mind so that I can reflect on them. I am someone that listens to what is said to me...thinks on it for a while...then reacts. I'm thinking that because I'm slightly stubborn and hard-headed, LOL, it can take a while for good things to really sink in and take hold. 

All kidding aside there is one thing I have to say...

I may still be struggling with issues in my life but giving up and giving in is the wrong solution. Accepting JESUS into my life...and everything He has done for me since...is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I struggle...mess up...get lost...think about giving up...and fail big time...but HE is always there waiting for me to come back. When I do I am accepted as if I hadn't strayed. Why?....

Because...GOD loved me so much He sent His One and Only Son to die on the cross for me...and you! 

Think about that.

Under Our Foot

Do you ever think that your failures and shortcomings surprise God?! Do you think that He just gives up on you?! 

I've been thinking about that today. I know that God knows everything. Everything I am doing and everything I am going to do. 

I had one dream...so to speak...my whole life...

That God would decide that He loved me, that regardless of how I had been, He would somehow decide to accept me.

I didn't understand that it wasn't God that was keeping me from Himself. It was me because I was believing the lies that satan had been

feeding to me my whole life. So now when I struggle or fail I sometimes go back to that same type of mentality. I start believing that if I

could just be "strong enough" I wouldn't struggle with past issues. I wouldn't be so afraid that I was going to fail. And, I wouldn't think

that there is just "no way" that God could continue to love me because I am weak. Fear comes over me and I think nothing has really

changed.

How wrong is my thinking! Not knowing what to read today, I have been reading Psalms. I have been reminded of the many things

the Lord has done for me since "I accepted HIM!"...not since..."He accepted me." I have been reminded of  all the times I have struggled

and yes..."even failed!" God doesn't like it when we struggle and I'm sure He isn't pleased when we fail. However, He does "know" that

we are going to. What He wants is for us to turn to Him when this happens. For me that can be a real challenge. If my struggle is what

I perceive as something that could be "life altering" for me...I turn inward and start to panic. What I should do is "really seek Him" with

all the strength I have! Turn my struggle over to God and tell satan to get away from me. Unfortunately,

that isn't how my brain processes things!

I was also reminded that satan knows our weaknesses. He knows the temptations that are hardest for us. Things we have used in the past

to mask the pain we have felt. Sometimes things will come up that remind us of how things used to be...in our past. People will contact

you that will bring back memories...events will happen...things will just pop into your thoughts...whatever it is, satan will use it.

As someone told me...and illustrated...last night,

"Put satan under your foot, step on him and then grind him into the ground!" 

As I think about that today that is such a powerful illustration! Compared to GOD satan is so small. In our thoughts...especially when we

aren't feeling like a warrior...satan is like a giant Looming over us...at least that's how I feel at times. Then there is reality...satan is nothing

more than a little ant that GOD...the MIGHTY WARRIOR...has no problem blowing away with one minute breath...or smashing into the ground! GOD doesn't even

have to put any effort into blowing him away. We have to take the first initial "step" and tell satan where to go. Then to show him we mean

business...put him under our foot and go on! 

Last night I was also told..."Tomorrow is a new day." Yes it is. Everyday we get up is a "New 24" for us. What we do with it is up to us.

It's not up to anyone else or our circumstances. We make the choice in what we will do with our day...our thoughts...our actions. Most

importantly...Whom we will serve! 

There are many verses I read today that are so good. But...Today is a "new day"...and I am praying that it is for you as well!

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT)

 ²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

      His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
      his mercies begin afresh each morning.