Resurrection is real!

Dearest friends:

These next few days are the most important and central to our faith. Christ was killed, buried, and He rose from the dead. Lazarus died, was buried, and Christ raised Him from the dead.

Loved ones die, our finances go to ruins and sometimes, things seem to get much worse, before they get better. At times, God allows our situation to go from bad to worse because he has bigger plans in store! Hold on! He has a greater purpose that will bring glory to God- and He's using us to get it done.

If Jesus can raise Lazarus from the dead, surely He will get that job. He will give you more than anything you can ever ask or dream of (I am a living testament!)

Believe in resurrection! The miracle of Easter and the Resurrection of Lazarus will happen for you too!

Have a blessed weekend,

K.

Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead - Bible Story Summary

Scripture Reference:

John 11:1-45

Story Summary:

Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were friends of Jesus. When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When Jesus heard the news, he waited two more days before going to Lazarus' hometown of Bethany. Jesus knew that he would do a great miracle for God's glory and, therefore, he was not in a hurry.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. When Martha discovered that Jesus was on his way, she went out to meet him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again." But Martha thought he was talking about the final resurrection of the dead.

Then Jesus said these important words: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Martha then went and told Mary that Jesus wanted to see her. Jesus had not yet entered the village, most likely to avoid stirring up the crowd and calling attention to himself. The town of Bethany was not far from Jerusalem where the Jewish leaders were plotting against Jesus.

When Mary met Jesus she was grieving with strong emotion over her brother's death. The Jews with her were also weeping and mourning. Deeply moved by their grief, Jesus wept with them.

Jesus then went to the tomb of Lazarus with Mary, Martha and the rest of the mourners. There he asked them to remove the stone that covered the hillside burial place. Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed to his Father, closing with these words: "Lazarus, come out!" When Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus told the people to remove his grave clothes.

As a result of this incredible miracle, many people put their faith in Jesus.

Points of Interest from the Story:

• Jesus also raised from dead, Jairus' daughter (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:41-42; Luke 8:52-56) and a widow's son (Luke 7:11-15).

Others who were raised from the dead in the Bible:
In 1 Kings 17:22 Elijah raised a boy from the dead.
In 2 Kings 4:34-35 Elisha raised a boy from the dead.
In 2 Kings 13:20-21 Elisha's bones raised a man from the dead.
In Acts 9:40-41 Peter raised a woman from the dead.
In Acts 20:9-20 Paul raised a man from the dead.

• Through the raising of Lazarus, Jesus showed the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death. Many believed that Jesus was the Son of God and they put their faith in him after seeing this miracle. It is absolutely essential to our faith as Christians that we believe in the resurrection from the dead.

• In this story of Lazarus, Jesus speaks one of the most powerful messages ever: "Whoever believes in me, Jesus Christ, receives spiritual life that even physical death can never take away."

• Jesus revealed his compassion for people through a genuine display of emotion. Even though he knew that Lazarus would live, he was still moved to weep with the ones he loved. Jesus cared about their sorrow. He was not timid to show emotion and we should not be ashamed to express our true feelings to God. Like Martha and Mary, we can be transparent with God because he cares for us.

• Jesus waited to travel to Bethany because he knew already that Lazarus would be dead and that he would perform an amazing miracle there, for the glory of God. Many times we wait for the Lord in the midst of a terrible situation and wonder why he doesn't respond more quickly. Often God allows our situation to go from bad to worse because he's planning to do something powerful and wonderful; he has a purpose that will bring even greater glory to God.

Questions for Reflection:

Are you in a difficult trial? Do you feel like God is delaying much too long to answer your need? Do you trust God even in the delay? Remember the story of Lazarus. Your situation could not be any worse than his! Trust that God must have a purpose for your trial, and that he will bring glory to himself through it.

Make wise choices

Dear Friends:

As we focus on the final days of Christ this week, reflect on His temptations and His decisions. We're faced with temptations and decisions every day and the consequences can set the tone for personal and professional lives.

Who do you go to when you need to make a decision? Do you act on emotion, logic, or your world view? Who or what informs your world view?

In Matthew 4, when Christ was led into the desert and tempted by the enemy, He knew the Word. Shouldn't we do the same? When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He called on His Father. As Christians, we have the same access. Maybe we should call on God before calling a friend.

Review the verses below and think about making wise choices. If you rely on the Word, you won't go wrong.

Stay blessed and make wise choices,

K.

Proverbs 2

The Benefits of Wisdom

¹ My child,^[a] listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
² Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
³ Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
⁴ Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
⁵ Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
⁸ He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.

⁹ Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
¹¹ Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

¹² Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
¹³ These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
¹⁴ They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
¹⁵ Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
¹⁷ She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
¹⁸ Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.^[b]
19 The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.

²⁰ Follow the steps of good men instead,
and stay on the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For only the godly will live in the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it.
²² But the wicked will be removed from the land,
and the treacherous will be uprooted.

Pray about Everything

Dear Friends:

Happy Holy Week!

I pray that all has been well and that you remain in perfect peace. Today's message is brief but designed to help us maintain a peaceful presence to the outside world.

In all things, pray. There is so much to do and so much to worry about but if you know who you are (and whose you are), you can rest assured that God answers prayers.

Don't worry about the outcome, God knows your needs and He knows how to respond. He will handle the situation so that others will see the good He's done and be drawn to Him. Our responsibility is to stay faithful and know that God's will will be done. No need to fret or worry- just trust and know.

In the meantime, stay blessed. It's good to be with you all again.

K.

EPHESIANS 6:18 (NIV): And pray in the Spirit on all

occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With

this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying…

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (NLT): Don’t worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything.

Prayer: Dear Father, I know You

care about every aspect of my

life and that You want to guide

me in every decision and

choice I make, so I come to

You daily, as a spiritual act of

discipline, seeking Your insight

and perspective because You

have the answer to every unanswered

question in my life.

Adapted from: http://www.cccinfo.org/uploads/consecration-fast.pdf

A word on Haiti

Psalm 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Acts 20:35
I have shown you all things, how that by so laboring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Dear Friends:

There are no words to describe the devastation and the depth of my sorrow about this tragedy. It is so difficult to fathom why and how this could have happened to our brothers and sisters in Haiti and because of that, I haven't spoken on this issue before today. All I can do is ask three favors from you as Christians:

1) Don't believe the hype about Haiti. Haiti is a CHRISTIAN country filled with resiliant people who rely heavily on their faith in God. Please don't allow stereotypes, false prophets, and the media prevent you from seeing this catastrophe in the way that Christ would.

2) Pray incessantly. Imagine if your family members were a few hours away and you think they could be hurt or worse- but you had no way to reach them. Imagine seeing images of your hometown destroyed, children unattended, and your neighbors begging for water. You can't imagine it, even if you are in this situation. Pray as if your life depended on it because prayer changes things.

3) Give. Give until it hurts. Give to organizations that are on the ground doing the work. Did you know that people are being rescued, only to die later on from a lack of adequate care? Broken bones and contusions are resulting in death because, without proper care, our brothers and sisters are dying from blood borne diseases. One such organization trying to help is the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad. This is an American organization of Haitian doctors (or Haitian descent) volunteering to care for survivors of this disaster. These doctors can hit the ground immediately and bypass the language barriers that hinder quality care.

There is a description of the organization below, along to a link to their website. PLEASE, please consider donating to this organization. 100% of your donation goes directly to patient care.

Dear friends, these catastrophes can happen and we feel helpless. I send this message because as Christians, we are activists for Christ. With this information, consider yourself equipped to help.

Stay blessed,

K.

http://www.amhe.org/

Haitian Physicians Abroad Working at General Hospital HUEH in Port-au-Prince Dr Marnell Moore Dr. Moore's group, Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad, is working at the Port-Au-Prince General Hospital. The hospital, by a miracle of God, is still standing and in good condition. This building is very close to the Haitian White House, which was destroyed by the earthquake. She mentioned that they do not have lighting in the hospital, making it more complex to help those in need. Marnell told me that different doctor groups from around the world are now showing up, and many of them present themselves as “being in charge”. This is very frustrating for Marnell's group, because these groups are coming in and assuming that her group are unqualified local doctors, not highly trained Haitian-American physicians from the United States. So, they come in barking orders, and these doctors spend all of their time arguing with each-other, trying to prove they're in charge, while the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad group hastily tries to take care of all the wounded. There are about fifty Haitian-American Doctors from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad group, and they are able to speak the language – and they know the people. Marnell feels that a Haitian doctor (from the hospital) needs to be put in charge, but there are too many egos involved to get things running smoothly. She informed me that the level of care at the hospital before they arrived was very bad. Many of the patients treated after the earthquake did not receive the proper follow-up care, and have wounds that will likely cause them to die. Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad nurses are busy delivering babies (she told me at least 12 were born last night), many premature. Many broken bones had gone untreated since the earthquake, even on patient's that have already been seen by doctors prior to the group's arrival. Dr. Moore is putting out a plea for assistance. She has informed me that their group in Haiti DESPERATELY needs pain medications (narcotics) and wound care products. Without them, they cannot do the work that needs to be done. If you have some way of providing these products, please contact Paul Nacier MD pnacier@aol.com or Eric L. Jerome, MD FACP eljerome@pol.net Also, please visit http://amhenj.org/Update.html for more information. This organization is MAKING A DIFFERENCE NOW. If you have the means to donate to this organization, I am being told that 100% of the funds are being used to help Haiti. Please visit http://amhenj.org Also, she mentioned that they desperately need news coverage on the ground for their Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad group currently in Haiti in order to increase awareness of their situation at the hospital. - Scott

A great example to follow...(please read)

Dear Friends:

Today's scriptures are so powerful (especially in the Message translation of the Bible) that I'm going to refrain from additional commentary. Please be blessed and guided accordingly!

Hallelujah!

K.

Luke 11 (The Message)

Keep Your Eyes Open

^{29 -30}As the crowd swelled, he took a fresh tack: "The mood of this age is all wrong. Everybody's looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind. All you're looking for is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. But the only proof you're going to get is the Jonah-proof given to the Ninevites, which looks like no proof at all. What Jonah was to Nineveh, the Son of Man is to this age.

^{32 -31}"On Judgment Day the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about 'proofs.' On Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that condemns this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon's is right in front of you, and you quibble over 'evidence.'

^{33 -36}"No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer. It's put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they're going. Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don't get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room."

Frauds!

^{37 -41}When he finished that talk, a Pharisee asked him to dinner. He entered his house and sat right down at the table. The Pharisee was shocked and somewhat offended when he saw that Jesus didn't wash up before the meal. But the Master said to him, "I know you Pharisees burnish the surface of your cups and plates so they sparkle in the sun, but I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil. Stupid Pharisees! Didn't the One who made the outside also make the inside? Turn both your pockets and your hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands.

⁴²"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required.

^{43 -44}"You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery. Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under."

⁴⁵One of the religion scholars spoke up: "Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you're insulting us?"

⁴⁶He said, "Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help.

^{47 -51}"You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed. The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets. That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.' What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay.

⁵²"You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won't go in yourself, and won't let anyone else in either."

Are you hungry enough to throw it all away?

Hello Dear Friends!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday week and looking forward to the weekend. I read this scripture yesterday and I started thinking about all of the plans (and pressures) we place on ourselves.

Goals are fine. Pressure isn't even a bad thing. But how far are you willing to go to feed hunger? Are you willing stay in an abusive situation because you hunger for companionship? Is your hunger for financial security hindering your ability to make clear (and ethical decisions)? What's you're hunger driving you to do?

This passage is not meant to pass judgment (because we're all hungry for something) but don't give away your birthright to satisfy your immediate needs. Stay the course. Work it out. Rely on God to see you through.

Stay blessed,

K.

Genesis 25: 22-34 (The Message)

Two nations are in your womb,
two peoples butting heads while still in your body.
One people will overpower the other,
and the older will serve the younger.

^{24 -26} When her time to give birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb. The first came out reddish, as if snugly wrapped in a hairy blanket; they named him Esau (Hairy). His brother followed, his fist clutched tight to Esau's heel; they named him Jacob (Heel). Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

^{27 -28} The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

^{29 -30} One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stew—I'm starved!" That's how he came to be called Edom (Red).

³¹ Jacob said, "Make me a trade: my stew for your rights as the firstborn."

³² Esau said, "I'm starving! What good is a birthright if I'm dead?"

^{33 -34} Jacob said, "First, swear to me." And he did it. On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn. Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils. He ate and drank, got up and left. That's how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.

You can plan for tomorrow but live for today

Dear Friends:

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful day with little stress. I started to write my message for the day and was blessed to find this old message about the importance real living. I hope that the message blesses you in a new way and moves you ahead.

My love to you all.

Stay blessed,

K.

Dear Friends-

I'm watching a television listening to people who claim to have had a spiritual awakening as a result of recently released book on spirituality. Without focusing on the actual book, I began thinking about the principles-and why I wasn't so awestruck by the "new" information I had heard. The reason was because the principles weren't new. They were God's words repackaged. The authors used buzzwords to make the principles sound more mysterious than they really were. God gives us instructions for our lives. However, when we view His principles, from OUR perspectives, and make them more palatable to follow, we've made our needs more important than serving God.

A few years ago, I had a mentor who told me that cancer was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. It took me a few minutes to "get over myself" and really hear her. Regina believed that it wasn't until she received a seeming death sentence that she understood what it meant to be fully alive. Regina had a way of talking to you that made you feel like what you had to say was the most important thing in the world. She stopped, looked you in the eye, and HEARD you. She didn't answer her cell, she didn't think ahead to her next appointment, she listened and heard. Every event, every activity, every conversation was the most important thing to her at the time because she was so intent on living every moment that she didn't want to miss anything.

I'll never forget that lunchdate. She told me not to worry or spend too much time concerned about the future because it was a bad habit that was difficult to break. God gave Regina the gift of cancer to wake her up and make her LIVE (even though she didn't consider it a gift at the time). We never stop making plans or looking to the future but, if you MUST look ahead, live while you plan. Be present with your spouse. Be present with your children. No matter how real it feels, our lives and problems aren't really real because they're actually the sum total of our choices.

Your faith and obedience to God, your engagement in relationships and your service to others is all that really matters.

Don't wait for your "cancer" to snap to attention. Consider this you wakeup call. Live!

Stay blessed,

K.

Matthew 6:

²⁵ "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[d] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Stop and be at peace...

Good Morning Dear Friends:
Today's Word was very timely for me and I hope the passages are a blessing to you too.
I've decided to stop fighting in 2010- no more petty arguments, no more proving myself and no more fighting for other people's respect (or approval).

As long as God is pleased and my loved ones are blessed, that's all I care about. If you take a step back and ask yourself "will this matter in 10 years?" and the answer is no, stop fighting.

Love you all,
K.

Luke 6 (The Message)

You're Blessed

17 -21Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding. You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
22 -23"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
Give Away Your Life

24But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get.
25And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.
And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.
26"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
27 -30"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously

Do what you are called to do!

Good Morning Dear Friends:

I hope everyone is doing well on the first work day of the New Year. This morning's verses are short but powerful because so many of us get caught up in the "small battles" that present themselves every day.

When someone challenges you or treats you poorly for seemingly no reason, these are distractions. Don't allow distractions to diminish your focus on the task at hand. If Jesus was persecuted for performing miracles and teaching the truth, expect that you may not be appreciated for your talent or the good works either. It doesn't make us feel good when we're not appreciated by those we work with, but we should expect this, and use the "hate" as the energy we need to keep us focused on what we're called to do.

Stay focused and prayerful today. Also remember, as Jesus said, no prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown.

Have a great one!

K.

Luke 4 (The Message)

^{16 -21}He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

God's Spirit is on me;
he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to
the poor,
Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
recovery of sight to the blind,
To set the burdened and battered free,
to announce, "This is God's year to act!" He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place."

²²All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?"

^{23 -27}He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown.

Happy New Year to my Dear Friends!

Dear Friends-

I pray that your holiday has been wonderful and blessed. 2009 has been the year of completion- completion of an era or a stage of development. 2010 begins a new season of expectation, work, and return on our investments. But dear friends, please be mindful.

You can't embrace the blessings of tomorrow while holding onto baggage from the past. You can't receive when your hands are closed. Open your hands and your hearts to the opportunities that present themselves this year. Forgive the ones who let you down.

Let go of old regrets. Regret is simply disappointment because YOUR plans weren't realized. Everything that happened last year was part of God's plan for your life.

Continue to be God-filled as you experience trials and setbacks. Don't allow anyone to steal your joy. Continue to operate under the armor of God and accomplish your goals. Health, happiness, and prosperity will remain yours because you stand on His promises. Take care, God Bless, and I'll see you in 2010.

My love to you all!

K.

Psalm 21

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹ How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!
He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
² For you have given him his heart's desire;
you have withheld nothing he requested.Interlude

³ You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.
You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.
⁴ He asked you to preserve his life,
and you granted his request.
The days of his life stretch on forever.
⁵ Your victory brings him great honor,
and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.
⁶ You have endowed him with eternal blessings
and given him the joy of your presence.
⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord.
The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling.

⁸ You will capture all your enemies.
Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you.
⁹ You will throw them in a flaming furnace
when you appear.
The Lord will consume them in his anger;
fire will devour them.
¹⁰ You will wipe their children from the face of the earth;
they will never have descendants.
¹¹ Although they plot against you,
their evil schemes will never succeed.
¹² For they will turn and run
when they see your arrows aimed at them.
¹³ Rise up, O Lord, in all your power.
With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.

Praise the Lord!

Dearest Friends:

I love you and have missed you all. I hope you are all enjoying the season of our Lord's birth. Please forgive me and pray for me because it's been a struggle to deliver these messages. My new responsibilities have been overwhelming and at times, I didn't have a message to share.

I'm praying for discipline so that you will receive your messages regularly and without fail.

Whatever you stand in need of, I will be praying for you. Even when the messages stopped, my thoughts and prayers were always with you. I hope to see and speak to everyone sometime before the new year.

Stay blessed!

K.

Passage Psalm 34 (NLT):

Psalm 34

^[a]A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.

¹ I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
² I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
³ Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
⁷ For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
¹⁰ Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
¹² Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
¹³ Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
¹⁶ But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.
¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

¹⁹ The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
²⁰ For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken!

²¹ Calamity will surely overtake the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
²² But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

If we walk the path of the godly....

Dear Friends:

I hope everyone is well and had a good weekend.

Today's message is short but I hope you find strength in these scriptures.

The scriptures are a little long but the part I want to focus on is Psalm 37: 23-26:

²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.

²⁵ Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
²⁶ The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.

Though they stumble, they will never fall.

Though we stumble, we will never fall.

Though we stumble, we will never fall.

Though we lose our homes, we will never fall.

Though the bank accounts are empty, we will never fall.

Though our marriages are shaky, we will never fall.

Though we have disease, we will never fall.

Though our children are failing, we will never fall.

Brothers and sisters, if we walk the path of the godly, we will never fall because the Lord is holding our hands. Stay faithful. Stay prayerful. Give God the praise and KNOW that we will NEVER fall.

I love you. God bless you and have a great week.

K.

Passage Psalm 37 (NLT) :

Psalm 37

^[a]A psalm of David.

¹ Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
² For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

³ Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
⁴ Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

⁵ Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
⁶ He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

⁸ Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
⁹ For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

¹⁰ Soon the wicked will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
¹¹ The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the godly;
they snarl at them in defiance.
¹³ But the Lord just laughs,
for he sees their day of judgment coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw their swords
and string their bows
to kill the poor and the oppressed,
to slaughter those who do right.
¹⁵ But their swords will stab their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ It is better to be godly and have little
than to be evil and rich.
¹⁷ For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,
but the Lord takes care of the godly.

¹⁸ Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent,
and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
¹⁹ They will not be disgraced in hard times;
even in famine they will have more than enough.

²⁰ But the wicked will die.
The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
they will disappear like smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and never repay,
but the godly are generous givers.
²² Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.

²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.

²⁵ Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
²⁶ The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good,
and you will live in the land forever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.

He will keep them safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will die.
²⁹ The godly will possess the land
and will live there forever.

³⁰ The godly offer good counsel;
they teach right from wrong.
³¹ They have made God’s law their own,
so they will never slip from his path.

³² The wicked wait in ambush for the godly,
looking for an excuse to kill them.
³³ But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed
or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.

³⁴ Put your hope in the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.

³⁵ I have seen wicked and ruthless people
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
³⁶ But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

³⁷ Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
³⁸ But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.

³⁹ The Lord rescues the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
⁴⁰ The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.

Ask for guidance

Dear Friends-

Have you ever had a plan that you were following and someone came along and planted a seed to make you question your plan? Which one was inspired by God- the plan or the person who made you question your plan?

I'm in that situation- and I'm sure some of you are there too.

I don't have a solution for you but God does. Read the following passages, pray and reflect on what's right for you. Over time, God's purpose (and the right plan) will become crystal clear.

Stay blessed (and don't change anything until you know for sure!)

K.

Proverbs 4

A Father’s Wise Advice

¹ My children,^[a] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
² for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
³ For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.

⁴ My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
⁷ Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
⁸ If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”

¹⁰ My child,^[b] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
¹¹ I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
¹² When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
¹³ Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.

¹⁴ Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
¹⁵ Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
¹⁶ For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!

¹⁸ The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

²⁰ My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
²¹ Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
²² for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.

²³ Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

²⁴ Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.

Let's recommit...

Dear Friends-

I am so sorry about the delay in messages. I have been struggling to balance my new schedule with my responsibilities to you and I hope that I have your forgiveness. Unfortunately, I have allowed busyness and exhaustion to prevent me from doing what God challenged me to do but today, I have a short message to share.

Sometimes, we fall down but God's grace allows us to get back up again. No matter how difficult, how busy, how upset or how tired we are, God requires our commitment to His purpose. He won't compete for our attention to His work; the work will remain undone until we start again.

This message is not written to be judgmental because we all struggle at times. I write this message of support to remind us that we can't forget the Lord. If we commit to fulfilling the requirements of this world (like going to work and paying taxes), we must be equally committed to fulfilling God's requirements.

Give him a little time in prayer and worship. Set aside time for quiet reflection- or better yet, find a way to serve His people.

For all that we invest in the things of this world, let's make sure we invest in the One who created it.

My love to you all.

Stay blessed!

K.

Matthew 6:19-24 (NLT)

Teaching about Money and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

²² “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. ²³ But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Luke 20:20-25 (NLT)

²⁰ Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. ²¹ “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. ²²Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

²³ He saw through their trickery and said, ²⁴ “Show me a Roman coin.^[b] Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

²⁵ “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

Don't fight the season!

Dear Friends-

I hope this email finds you blessed and highly favored.

I've been struggling to balance my life now that I'm back to an official 9-5 (hence the spottiness of your messages from me).

Today I was blessed with a few minutes of quiet and I thought about being so extraordinarily busy after 18 months of consulting on my own. I thought about the concept of reaping and sowing but couldn't figure out what season I was in.

God spoke to me and now I understand. The scripture below illustrates my understanding even further...

The years at my last job were for learning and hard work. Those were my sowing years. The early years of marriage, the job you had before you were laid off, the years after financial ruin, these are all "the sowing years" characterized by learning, hard work, mistakes, pain and occasional fun.

The Bible verses below tell the people of Isarael ..." sow, and then REST!"

No matter how we much fight the season of rest and eat from "untended vines", God will shut all doors of opportunity until we stop. When the kids grow up and leave home, when you reduce your living expenses, and when we're unemployed, these are periods of rest.

How do you know you're in a period of rest? Everything you do to take advantage of "the next best solution will fail.

Finally, after working and sufficient rest, God will shower us with favor- overwhelming favor. We will reap what we've sown and it is such a wonderful blessing when it comes.

Don't worry, the right job will come soon and your financial matters will work out.

Accept your season and plan for the next one!

Stay blessed,

K.

Leviticus 25:1 (Whole Chapter)
[ "The Land Will Observe a Sabbath to God" ] God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai: "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When you enter the land which I am going to give you, the land will observe a Sabbath to God. Sow your fields, prune your vineyards, and take in your harvests for six years. But the seventh year the land will take a Sabbath of complete and total rest, a Sabbath to God; you will not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Don't reap what grows of itself; don't harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land gets a year of complete and total rest. But you can eat from what the land volunteers during the Sabbath year—you and your men and women servants, your hired hands, and the foreigners who live in the country, and, of course, also your livestock and the wild animals in the land can eat from it. Whatever the land volunteers of itself can be eaten.

Grace and peace

Dear Friends-
Hello! I'm sorry that I've been offline for the last few weeks but my new schedule has made it difficult for me to send you these messages. Please pray for me because I believe that sharing these messages is the most important thing I do as a Christian.
Thankfully, I had time today.

Despite the busyness- and the occasional curveballs that life throws our way- the Lord gives us His Grace (His Divine power and favor) to move us through our challenges.
Grace keeps us from going crazy when we just can't take any more. Grace keeps us from making irrational or dangerous decisions when we receive life altering news.
Grace keeps us strong when all we want to do is fall apart.
Whenever we become troubled by the difficulties of life and we wonder, 'what's it all for?', now we have an answer. It's because the Lord wants us to rely only on Him. He gives us His grace everyday so that we can keep going and achieve His purpose.

Please enjoy the scriptures below.

Stay blessed and stay in prayer for each other. Some of us are on the verge of a major breakthrough and others will be blessed by a long awaited 'Aha' after a long period of confusion.
Love to you all,
K.

Psalm 84

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
² I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
³ Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young
at a place near your altar,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
⁴ What joy for those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.Interlude

⁵ What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
⁶ When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,^[b]
it will become a place of refreshing springs.
The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
⁷ They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.^[c]

⁸ O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Jacob.Interlude

⁹ O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!
Show favor to the one you have anointed.

¹⁰ A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
¹¹ For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
¹² O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
what joy for those who trust in you.

If you're the smartest one in your group, you need a new group!

Dear Friends-
In apologize in advance for sending this message to people who already receive Joel Osteen's messages but this Word is SO good, I had to share. Today's message has been a running theme in my life for the past month and it has presented itself in multiple ways at multiple times.

I share this with you with the prayer that you prune every relationship that doesn't feed you or help you grow. I pray that my relationship with you is nurturing and fortifying and that you are better because you know me- not worse. If I am not doing what God has called me to do for you, please let me know. If there is a loved one or friend who is not feeding you in the way that God has called them to do, let them know in love.
As a child of God you deserve it.

Stay blessed,
K.

Who Are You Walking With?
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm"(Proverbs 13:20, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Sometimes, in order to embrace the destiny God has in store, you have to be willing to make some changes in your life. You have to be willing to examine where you are and what you need to move forward. This may mean you need to change some friends that you're spending time with. Maybe they were fine for a season in your life, but you've outgrown them. This is a new season, and in order for you to rise higher, you have to break away from relationships that are limiting you. You have to develop some new friendships with people who are going to pull you up and inspire you to rise higher.I've found if you're the smartest one in your group, your group is too small. Find people who are smarter than you are, people who will challenge you to stretch to the next level and become everything God's created you to be. Remember, he who walks with the wise becomes wise. Choose your friends wisely so that you can walk and live in the destiny God has in store for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY"Father God, thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for the good plan You have for my life. Help me choose my friends and companions wisely so that I can continue to move forward in the destiny You have for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Love your enemies...no matter how much you want to hate them

Dear Friends-
Today's message is a reminder of a lesson we know well (but don't always do). This is a hard one but the Lord is waiting to give us favor and He won't give it, if we don't obey Him.

What does it mean to "love your enemy"? The Bible offers some examples but these situations won't necessarily happen to us in daily life. What does happen?

People talk about us, spread lies about us, deny us opportunities, cheat on us, steal from us, refuse to pay us our worth, or just plain hate on us. The reasons don't matter and sometimes, they don't apologize even though they KNOW how hurt we are.

God says pray for them. Love them enough to pray for them. Love them enough to forgive them and move on. Love them enough to help them if an emergency arises in our presence.
I know...it won't be easy.
We don't have to subject ourselves to these people on a regular basis. God just wants us to do the right thing whenever we do interact with them. They know you're a Christian and they want to bring out the worst in you.
Show them "God" in you and resist the urge to do what YOU want to do.

Trust me, I know how hard it is. But you may bring them closer to God by not addressing their actions with demonic responses.

Stay in prayer and stay blessed,
K.

Luke 6

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Do Not Judge Others

37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”

You can't engage your enemies and choose God...

Dear Friends-

I hope everyone is well now that the busy Fall season is back in swing. Along with a busy schedule is the increased interaction with people who cause us grief.

Some mildly annoy us; others are purposely evil, and seek to bring out the worst in us. If this is happening to you, please read today's scripture. God not only brings us comfort, He saves. Don't allow toxic people to cause you to sin. Cursing and yelling may feel good for a moment but it distances you from God.

The more attention we pay to negative people, the more important we make them (and the less important God becomes). God won't compete for our attention and as long as we make our enemies more important, He won't be there to save us.

Separate yourself. Focus and do what you're supposed to do. If your enemies attack you while you're trying to do the work of the Lord, don't give it a second thought. God's got your back!

Stay blessed!

K.

Isaiah 59

¹ Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,

nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
² It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, he has turned away
and will not listen anymore.
³ Your hands are the hands of murderers,
and your fingers are filthy with sin.
Your lips are full of lies,
and your mouth spews corruption.

⁴ No one cares about being fair and honest.
The people’s lawsuits are based on lies.
They conceive evil deeds
and then give birth to sin.
⁵ They hatch deadly snakes
and weave spiders’ webs.
Whoever falls into their webs will die,
and there’s danger even in getting near them.
⁶ Their webs can’t be made into clothing,
and nothing they do is productive.
All their activity is filled with sin,
and violence is their trademark.
⁷ Their feet run to do evil,
and they rush to commit murder.
They think only about sinning.
Misery and destruction always follow them.
⁸ They don’t know where to find peace
or what it means to be just and good.
They have mapped out crooked roads,
and no one who follows them knows a moment’s peace.

⁹ So there is no justice among us,
and we know nothing about right living.
We look for light but find only darkness.
We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.
¹⁰ We grope like the blind along a wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
Even at brightest noontime,
we stumble as though it were dark.
Among the living,
we are like the dead.
¹¹ We growl like hungry bears;
we moan like mournful doves.
We look for justice, but it never comes.
We look for rescue, but it is far away from us.
¹² For our sins are piled up before God
and testify against us.
Yes, we know what sinners we are.
¹³ We know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord.
We have turned our backs on our God.
We know how unfair and oppressive we have been,
carefully planning our deceitful lies.
¹⁴ Our courts oppose the righteous,
and justice is nowhere to be found.
Truth stumbles in the streets,
and honesty has been outlawed.
¹⁵ Yes, truth is gone,
and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.

The Lord looked and was displeased
to find there was no justice.
¹⁶ He was amazed to see that no one intervened
to help the oppressed.
So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm,
and his justice sustained him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness as his body armor
and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance
and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.
¹⁸ He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds.
His fury will fall on his foes.
He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
¹⁹ In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord;
in the east, they will glorify him.
For he will come like a raging flood tide
driven by the breath of the Lord.^[a]

²⁰ “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem
to buy back those in Israel
who have turned from their sins,”^[b]
says the Lord.

²¹ “And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Think before you do!

Dear Friends-

I hope this email finds you well. I'm just getting my head above water with the new fall schedule and know you've been busy too.

Today's message is a replay of a previous message that is very appropriate for this time of year.

Before you send that next email joke, surf the web, or watch
television, stop and think. Is this email critical? Is this activity
that serious? Or could I be doing something to accomplish my goals?

Be thoughtful about the time you spend and who you spend it with.

If you are too busy to spend time in joyful activity or activity that brings glory to God, what's the point? Be prayerful and purposeful in everything you do. Ask God to your steps and keep it moving!

Stay blessed people!
K.

Too Busy for Joy?

Today's Scripture

"...then God blessed them, and said to them, 'be fruitful and
multiply; fill the earth and subdue it...'" (Genesis 1:28)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Are you missing out on the joys of life because you are too busy? Are
you over-committed? God never called you to be busy–He called you to
be fruitful. Don't get activity mixed up with productivity. Just
because you are on the go, and always doing things–even godly
things–doesn't necessarily mean that you're fulfilling God's best plan
for your life.

Let me encourage you to prayerfully take inventory of the different
activities in your life. Ask the Lord to show you which areas need to
be pruned, and which areas need more focus. Ask Him to show which
relationships to move away from, and which relationships to cultivate
in your life. Stop allowing the unfruitful areas of your life to
consume all of your time, focus, and energy. As you make adjustments
to bring balance to your schedule, invest in the activities and
relationships that bring you joy and peace. As you do, you will
experience God's abundant blessing in every area of life!

A Prayer for Today

God, order my steps today. Help me to prioritize and to focus on those
things that honor You and fulfill Your plan for my life. There may be
relationships, commitments, and activities that I have to let go
of—give me the courage to do so. I want to slow down, restore balance
and experience more joy in my life! In Jesus' name – Amen.