Once, when Hannah was around 4 years old, she and I met one of my friends at a restaurant for lunch.  While we were there, Hannah told my friend, “Momma’s going to die.”  As you can imagine, my friend looked so shocked and immediately met my eyes with question to see if this was in fact true.  I was equally shocked and still, to this day, have no idea why Hannah said that.  I assured my friend it was nothing.  Later I did take it to God though.  I asked Him if He was trying to tell me something through my little child.  He said, “No,” and comforted me with this verse.

With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.  Psalm 91:16

Over the years since, I have recited those words in my mind anytime something might challenge that statement.  On the rare occasion that I get sick, I recite this.  When I’ve gone in for medical procedures and face fear, I recite the verse.  When we were laid off in November, I reminded myself and I would be satisfied with long life, not living out misery.  Banner verses in our lives are so important.  Meeting with God over any questions in life, is pivotal.  I have been provided with a large and firm foundation because I repeatedly go to God with all feelings, emotions, questions, challenges, etc.

Ironically, this practice of going to God and living from that firm foundation of banner verses and experiences with Him has led to me feeling as if I am indeed living a satisfied life. Isn’t God good?!

Prayer Moment:  Today I encourage you to seek out a banner verse.  First, go to God with anything pressing that you are experiencing and ask Him to speak to you through His word.  Clear your mind of worry and first simply experience His presence.  Then open your Bible, while asking Him to lead you to a scripture.  Who knows, you may hear one in your mind even before you open the word.  If so, make sure to look it up and read it completely to fully receive the blessing, then write it down.  Return to it often until it’s engrained upon your heart.  Then, you have it as a ready weapon of warfare!! You’ll be so glad you did this!!  I’d love to hear from you about what God shows you, or speaks to you through this exercise 😊

If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the Lord, Who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  “Because he loves Me,” Says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”  Psalm 91:11-16

 

 

Recently, I have thought a lot about this word, steadfast.

Steadfast is an adjective that means: resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.  “steadfast loyalty”

I’ve been called steadfast lately, which is ironic because I have heard that word over and over in my spirit for quite a while.  I truly desire to be steadfast.  I was also intrigued because of the “steadfast loyalty” term I read in the definition.  When I take any type of personality test, I rank highest in loyalty every single time.  These two things are very important to me, being steadfast and being loyal.

Today I want to ask you this question, “Are you steadfastly loyal to God?”

This question can sting many of us.  At different times in my own life, I found no place for steadfastness.  Before I really gave myself over to a walk with Jesus, I couldn’t even conceive of true loyalty.  This shows me where my steadfast loyalty comes from, it comes from Him.  He gives it to me.  That tells me He is also steadfastly loyal, because you can’t give what you don’t have.

This is not a time to question God’s loyalty to us.  This is a time to lean into His steadfast heart and partner with His loyalty.  It will pull you through all of this.

God sees.  He sees everything that’s going on right now, both in public view and in secret.  He knows how high the stakes are and He will not let you go.  When you feel yourself beginning to question His faithfulness, remember that He sees all.  He holds you in His hand and will never let you go.  You are the apple of His eye, He can’t look around without seeing you. Our God, Who is faithful to the end, has not forgotten you and He never will.

Prayer Moment:  God, today I reaffirm my steadfast loyalty to You.  I know I only give to You from what You have given to me, so I thank You for Your love.  Thank You for being mine.  I give You my loyalty.  I give You all my love.  I exalt You, Abba.  My Eternal Everlasting Father.  I adore You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.  Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.  I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is Your love, higher than the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth.  Save us and help us with Your right hand, that those You love may be delivered.  God has spoken from His sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth.  Gilead is mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah My scepter.  Moab is My washbasin, upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”  Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?  Is it not You, O God, You Who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?  Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.  With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.         Psalm 108

 

 

 

 

 

As I walked through Walmart the other day, I was again taken back by the emptiness of some shelves.  These same shelves abounded with products and choices, merely a few weeks ago.  I know that none of us ever imagined anything like this happening, but what are you doing with it?

I mean, when you walk around a once full store or when you drive by a restaurant that was a favorite, but now is closed until further notice, or your favorite boutique…the list could go on and on, how do you process it?  I admonish you to ask God to keep your heart and mind wrapped in His abundance.  It is possible, even expected of God’s people, to find abundance within our hearts and minds under all circumstances.

We have access to a river that never runs dry.  Our God supplies all our needs according to His glorious riches, and we must learn to live in a contentment that is independent of our current circumstances.  This is the heart of gratitude, and that is where abundance is found.

Paul reminds us in Philippians:

I know what it is to be in need, and 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.  I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:12-13

And

And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

The words in verse 19 especially ring in my heart.  They remind me that God provides abundantly for us, from His abundance.  He is not lacking in anything.  Remember that every moment of every day, especially right now.  Our God has ALL we will ever need.

Prayer Moment:  God, I thank You for Your faithfulness, but I also thank You that there is no poverty within Your Presence.  Everything about You is abundant.  I am so grateful that when I bring You whatever I have, You meet it with excellence and abundance.  I am never lacking.  Thank You for being my God.  I will follow You forever.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.  Ephesians 3:20

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.  He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children.  Praise the Lord.  Psalm 113:7-9

 

 

One interesting/sad thing about this social distancing phenomenon that’s forced its way into our lives during this brief season is, how it makes friends and family feel like strangers.  I had this thought as I was driving to the store recently.  I was reflecting on how I never know if I can hug someone I see now, or if they are not willing to be touched.  Also, some of my own family has opted to remain quarantined away from me, my husband and kids during this time and quite frankly, it’s hard to process.

When it comes to friends, I love to hug people, so not knowing what is permissible with each person is a unique challenge, and mostly feels like a divide.  Where family is concerned, it feels so unnatural to be avoiding each other, especially because in my heart family is always an exception.  Family is always welcome.  Family extends beyond boundaries.  Family is family.  Yet, here we are.

After reflecting on these two groupings I had the thought, “I feel like everyone is a stranger right now, except for my husband and my own children.”

After a momentary sadness, I felt an invitation to fully embrace my own family unit in a deeper way. I can perceive this “social distancing” challenge in one of two ways, feeling sorry for myself and grieving those I can’t be around, or I can press into the Father’s heart and listen as He teaches me a greater love for my immediate family.

Family, that’s really what all this quarantine has led us toward.

It’s interesting because a month or so ago, I felt God showing me He was going to restore and strengthen the family unit, and I felt excitement and at the same time a deep curiosity at how He could accomplish this task given the hostel climate toward the family unit that had become entrenched in our world.  Now, here we are a short time after, and the exact thing the enemy had been attempting to destroy, God is now strengthening more than ever.  I love when God takes a plan of the enemy and flips it to use it for His purpose! What a mighty God we serve!

Prayer Moment:  During this time of isolation, I encourage you to truly seek God’s face for your own family.  What would He have you change?  What is He proud of?  How does He want you to pray for your family?  These are all questions we can directly ask Him.  Take them and any other questions to Him and journal His answers.  I am convinced you will find encouragement and a burst of strength from this exercise!

The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.  Proverbs 15:29

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.        Proverbs 15:14

 

Rampart: A defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet.  A defensive or protective barrier.  Verb- fortify or surround with or as if with a rampart.

Over the years, I have developed a deep affection for scripture, and I often use it as a rampart.  Around my house you will find several paintings of scripture that I look at frequently to remember the promises.  Each painting is from a portion of scripture that God highlighted for me at one time or another.  Today, I am going to share some encouraging, paint worthy scripture with you.  Some scripture that could serve as a rampart over your life.

O Lord, be gracious to us; we long for You.  Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.  Isaiah 33:2

He will be a sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge, the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.  Isaiah 33:6

“Sing about a fruitful vineyard:  I, the Lord, watch over it; I water it continually.  I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it.”  Isaiah 27:3

You will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:3-4

The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, You make the way of the righteous smooth.         Isaiah 26:7

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.  O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.  Psalm 84:11-12

Prayer Moment: Lord, I ask that You would set these words in our hearts.  Let them act as a rampart when the world feels uncertain.  You are a sure foundation for those who fear You.  Justice flows from Your throne.  Thank You for being God.  Thank You for guarding our hearts.  Lord, I ask for Your blessing today, over all those reading these words.  Let Your favor shine upon us as we walk through this valley season.  You are our Hope.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

As we have had a forced slowdown in life, I am finding myself feeling grateful for the time to stop and reconnect.  Our family generally keeps life small, but it gets busy just like everyone’s does.  This time to stop and refocus has been amazing, in many aspects.

No, I don’t wish for this quarantine to continue, but I do believe in making the most of every opportunity.  I also love to find the goodness in all things.

It’s been fun to witness my children growing ever closer to one another, and to me.  Many evenings are spent with my two oldest sharing their hearts with me and the two youngest have been going to the track with me almost every day.  It’s been exciting to see my kids playing together more and our house has been largely harmonious.  The fighting and bickering have been minimal.  God loves to shine on all the parts of our lives.

The kids have also been very gracious as we’ve begun “homeschooling”.  They’ve been mostly diligent in getting things done, and even make sure that I take a minute to sit in the quiet, so I don’t get overwhelmed.  Can you believe it?  Sometimes, our kids just need an opportunity to be stretched into a place where they begin to consider others more.  At least, that’s been my experience.  It’s good for our kids, and for us, to sometimes be inconvenienced.

God loves to bring good out of all things.

Prayer Moment:  How have you made the most of this slowing down time?  Are you finding the gold in every day?  I encourage you to take time everyday to count your many blessings.  Every breath is a gift from God.  Every time we have enough food to eat, a home to live in and a bed to sleep in, we have so much to be grateful for.   We are so blessed.  Take time to glorify God for all He’s done for you!

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.  A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.  Proverbs 18:15-16

Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.  Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.  Proverbs 24:13-14

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118: 29

 

Today I want to highlight Psalm 118.  This Psalm is so very powerful and is full of things you can declare over yourself and promises you can cling to every day.  At the end of this devotional I will list some of the specific promises and declarations from within this scripture and hopefully you will write them down and come back to them over and over again to renew, restore, and replenish your strength!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Let Israel say:  “His love endures forever.”  Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.”  Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.”  In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered by setting me free.  The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?  The Lord is with me; He is my helper.  I will look in triumph on my enemies.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.  All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.  They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.  They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off.  I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.  The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.  Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:  “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!  The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”  I will not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done.  The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.  Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.  This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.  I will give you thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation.  The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  From the house of the Lord we bless you.  The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us.  With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.  You are my God, and I will give you thanks; You are my God, and I will exalt You.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118

DECLARATIONS!!

God’s love endures forever.                                                                                                                                             The Lord sets me free!                                                                                                                                                           The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid.                                                                                                               The Lord is my helper.                                                                                                                                                    I will look in triumph on my enemies.                                                                                                                               It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than trust a man.                                                                                      The Lord has done great things!!                                                                                                                                 I will give thanks to the Lord!                                                                                                                                       This is the day the Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.                                                                    You are my God, and I will exalt You and give You thanks.                                                                                        God is good.                                                                                                                                                                       God’s love endures forever!!

Every day is a good day to advance the Kingdom of God upon the earth.  I have found that during this time when many are quarantined and all our lives have been affected by this virus, we are advancing the Kingdom.  At God’s leading I began making encouraging videos once a day, and many others are doing new things to encourage people and direct them to God during this time of isolation.  I also love how churches are relentless about getting God’s word to their congregations during this time, by using all sorts of media to deliver it.  It’s wonderful to me that our response to this was to immediately begin to remind others Who God is and to make it public.

God is and will continue to be glorified in this situation.  He is having the victory!!

Let’s not forget that we can continue to advance His kingdom right in our own homes too.  This is a perfect opportunity to begin to establish or re-establish a strong spiritual backbone within your own family.  This is a great time to pray together and worship together as a family.  The enemy thought he would discourage us with quarantine, but God is using it to strengthen the family unit.  This is so interesting and exciting to me because God had told me that revival would start within our own families.  The family unit, which has been under heavy attack for many years, is now being encouraged more than ever.  People are likely getting to know each other again, within their own family unit.  I know for us it’s just refocused us on how to interact with each other daily and honestly, all the time together has been a HUGE blessing.  Even the “homeschool” has been a blessing.  As I sit with my kids each day as they do their lessons, I am giving them that one on one quality time that we sometimes don’t have enough of when life is running at its normal pace.

If you look for the blessings you will find them.  Likewise, if you desire to see the Kingdom advance during this time, God will give you ways to partner with Him.

Prayer Moment:  I encourage you to begin to look for opportunities to first, bless your own family and reignite relationship and holiness within it, and second, to ask God for unique opportunities and creative ideas on ways to advance His Kingdom on the earth.

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.  For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.  Psalm 117

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.  Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.  1 Chronicles 29:11

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:33

 

 

It’s during times of such stretching, like those our family has endured for so long recently, that it is completely necessary to remember that God fancies you.

“My little songbird” that’s what He called me as I ran around the track.

My youngest son was talking about how if God was with us on the track, He’d be saying, “I made that bird. I made that tree.” etc.  I looked at my son and said, “Yes, and He’d look at you and say there is one of my absolute favorite creations.”  Then I heard God say, “You’re My little songbird.”

Isn’t He sweet?!

Never forget this, God isn’t surprised by anything.  He is Sovereign over all things and has seen time to the end already.  He knows every day of your life before you live one.  Remember that He’s not up in heaven wringing His hands and wondering how He’ll get us through this.  No, instead He saw this coming and even packed surprise blessings within this stretching, just because He loves us.  He went in advance and made it so many parts of this situation would turn into good for us.  In short, He’s got this!

All you have to do is stay focused on Him and let Him guide you through it.  That should be pretty easy, although I know quite often it’s not.  Let me encourage you with two familiar verses.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path smooth.              Proverbs 3:5-6

These verses remind us that we only need to yield our understanding and trust in Him.  And then if we also acknowledge Him in all that we do, our paths will be smooth.  That’s pretty awesome, right?!

Prayer Moment:  Today, no matter what you see or hear, I challenge you to lean on God’s wisdom, not your own understanding.  I encourage you to go to Him first (acknowledge Him) and ask for His direction as you glorify Him simply for Who He is.  He is God, both now and forevermore.  You can trust His path for your life, He wrote your story.

(Another familiar verse, but I hope it will encourage you to remember how He feels about you every day.)

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you.  He will quiet you with His love.  He will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are Your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand- when I awake, I am still with You.               Psalm 139:16-18

Today as I was considering the events of the world right now, and the way many are responding to it, I thought about the story of Elisha….

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city.  “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?”  the servant asked.  “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered.  “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”  Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looks and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  2 Kings 6:15-17

I know I’ve recently referenced this story, but it felt relevant again.

While my husband was on a recent mission trip to Africa and he fell ill with a severe stomach sickness (which was the result of Malaria meds he was taking) I was speaking with him and I felt concerned.  I asked God to show me He was with Chris, and then I saw a large angel standing in the corner of the room and suddenly my fear and apprehension melted away and I became supremely confident he would recover quickly.  I also told Chris about the angel I had seen, and I could see the comfort it brought him to know it was there.

Life is all about perspective.  I just want to make sure my perspective is always Heavenly.

Friends, right now we have an opportunity to tap into the eyesight of heaven and to share what we see with the world around us.  We do not have to bow to the facades of the earth.  We do not have to be pulled into the hysteria that may surround us today or tomorrow.

We are the light of the world!  We are called to bring light to the vision of those around us.  We shouldn’t be bumping around with our eyes closed during this potentially wonderful time.  No, we should be leading the charge!!  We are the light of the world, aren’t we?!  Scripture says we are.

“You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16

Prayer Moment:  Before you begin this day, ask God to help you find ways to be the light.  Throughout this day, remind yourself of who you are called to be.  We are to be a light in the darkness.  I pray that God will open your eyes to the activity around you today.  God, I pray for spiritual eyes to be opened and for spiritual ears to be unplugged, in Jesus name.  I pray for bravery to fall upon everyone who reads this devotional.  I ask for You to shift their perspective, so they can see what You are up to in the midst of all that’s going on.  Thank You God for being God.  Help me to be the kind of light that draws others to glorify You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.