May 6, 2012

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8

Thoughts ~

When we go to bed at night and talk to the Lord before falling asleep, we have praises and joys to thank God Him for. But, sometimes we climb into bed, dragging all kinds of accumulated negative junk from the day with us.  It’s the kind of junk that can threaten to keep us from a peaceful sleep, giving us tired eyes and a grumpy attitude the next morning.

I’ve learned, over the years, that the last thing my eyes should see is God’s word. I don’t have a TV in my bedroom because it’s a time for me to read in bed and wind down from a hectic, full day. I read a lot of Christian fiction (Jerry Jenkins, Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury and more) but after my wind down time, I turn to a daily devotional called Bedtime Blessings (Chuck Swindoll) and read a super short paragraph. Chuck always includes scripture so I reflect on that and turn off the lights, ready for some prayer time.

As I pray, I give all the negative junk and issues to the Lord.  Every detail that might keep me from sleeping well. I put my trust in Him and believe that the next day, morning will be there, refreshed and waiting for me to begin a new journey. And know He will show me the way to go.

Action ~

When you see God’s word last in your day and speak to Him, giving Him our praises, joys, and needs, you will have a better night’s sleep. For some people, it is an instantaneous experience they embrace. For others, it takes some discipline to get in the sweet habit of spending the last minutes of their day with God.

Please consider trying this for one week. By trusting God with your life as you lay your head down on your pillow, believe that He will show you where to go. Mornings will bring you a sense of His love, knowing He is in charge, not you.

Pray ~

Thank You, Lord, for taking all of the junk that threatens to keep me tossing and turning through the night and giving me a sweet peaceful sleep. Show me through Your Holy Spirit how and where I should go the next morning.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

May 5, 2012

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 19:14

Thoughts ~

I have been blessed, so far, with two grandsons. Joey lives a couple of states away but Michael lives near me. When ten month old Michael comes to visit, his grin is so huge when he sees me through the glass door. After I open it, he nearly jumps into my arms in a wiggling joyful ball of energy, wanting a hug yet wanting “Gramma Boo” toys too.

Too often we grownups forget the joys of childhood and think we need to act calmly and without too much emotion. Michael’s presence in my life has been a constant reminder of how I should come to God: delighting in His presence and laughing in delight. We need to come to Jesus as little children: open arms, trusting and learning from Him.

Action ~

Think about the children in your life or the ones you see throughout the day.  Watch how they live their life with such abandonment. Allow them to teach you to come to Jesus. They are the ones who will be dancing with Him in heaven one day.  Let’s join them!

Pray ~

Father, may my faith always be child-like in the sense that I trust You completely. I know You want me to grow as a strong believer but never let me forget I am your child.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

May 4, 2012

And we know that God causes all things to work together 

for good to those who love God, 

to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Thoughts ~

It is a wonder that this verse is not displayed all over my home because it certainly is plastered on the walls of my heart. Every time a “lemon” type situation comes my way, I give it to God and He makes the most delightful lemonade out of it. Now I don’t always give it to Him immediately because sometimes I tend to spend some time fretting. However, as I have grown in my faith over the years, I know without a single doubt that He is going to work things out for my good. He has taught me well.

Today started out fine with my morning coffee and computer time. However, when I opened my Trust in the Lord email, I discovered it had been blocked from sending replies or messages and I slightly panicked. But if His purpose for me is to share encouragement with believers around the world, I knew He certainly wasn’t going to allow a silly email problem stop that.

I spent the entire morning and afternoon setting up a Gmail account and searching for the best possible solution. I soon realized I would continue to have the problem with “mass” mailing no matter what server I used and I would need to pay to have the Daily T.A.P. sent out by companies that would take care of my emailing. Not wanting to spend a lot of money, I decided a blog would be better and it’s free. More people would be reached so more would be encouraged.

As I began setting up the new blog page, I realized I could link it to the Facebook Trust in the Lord and I laughed out loud.  Literally! The enemy was trying very hard to stop me from sending out the Daily T.A.P. and also was hoping I would get so frustrated I would give up. I laughed in his face. My God has a purpose and He indeed caused all things to work together for my good because I love Him so much and it is His purpose to see people encouraged and refreshed. God took a lemon situation and made the new version of the Daily T.A.P. better than ever. Sweet lemonade!

Action ~

Buy some fake lemons and set them in a bowl in your kitchen as a reminder of this beautiful promise! I did and they are a great opportunity to share this wonderful verse with your friends.

Also, make a lemon list and ask God to make lemonade out of the sticky situations you are traveling through. Sometimes His purpose isn’t revealed as quickly as mine was today.  But I guarantee, if you love Him, He will cause things to work out for your good.

Pray ~

Lord, I love You so much that you do cause everything to work together for our good when we love You. Remind us before we panic. Before we start fretting. Your love is so real.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

May 3, 2012

So Jesus answered them and said,

“My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”

John 7:16

Thoughts ~

When I spend time with the Lord by reading His word, I often flip to Proverbs, Psalms, Acts and other favorite New Testament books. Recently God impressed upon me to study the Words of Jesus, the “red letter words.” I had never done this, other than general reading of the gospels. I was excited to do this and decided that for my artist and student “left-right” brain, I wanted to create my own journal of Jesus words. I started with Matthew and am barely through the first few chapters. I am recording each verse with colored flair pens and meditating on each one. Jesus did not hold back!

In today’s verse, Jesus pointed to the source of His teaching. He wanted His disciples to know that nothing new came from Him, but, directly from God in Heaven. In the copy cat world that we live in, it’s refreshing to me to see how Jesus did not take credit for His words but directed everything back to His Father.

As I read and record Jesus words each morning, I am understanding with new insight just how outspoken and confident the Son of God was. On Trust in the Lord (Facebook) I’m making a new graphic each day called “And Jesus said” which is also helping me share with the fans of the page the wisdom of the Lord.

My hope is by the end of the year I will have read and understood everything Jesus said. While Paul and others in the New testament were strong and God inspired, there is something “up close and personal” about getting to know the truth directly from the Son.

Action ~

I encourage you to read the red letters in your own Bible. There is no need to journal like I am but simply read what He has to say. It will change your heart in many ways. Jesus doesn’t give suggestions. He gives to do’s that challenge us to become more Christ-like. Start with Matthew and read one chapter a day. Let me know sometime how it impacts your life, okay?

Pray ~

I’m so glad, Lord, that You gave us Your word, Your love letter to all of us. Fill us with wisdom and knowledge, that we may apply it to our lives.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

May 2, 2012

If we confess our sins,

He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Thoughts ~

We all have a few Bible verses that we call ‘Life Verses’ or favorites that encourage us tremendously in our faith. Bible Gateway published an article in January, listing the top ten most searched for verses. Starting with John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:13 and Genesis 1:1 were in the top five. The next five were Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 3:6, Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:6 and Matthew 28:19.

The article asked what verse was missing from the top ten lineup and it concluded that it was not listed until #19 . . . which is 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  (Article:

http://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/01/the-top-10-most-searched-bible-verses-whats-missing/).

Sin is all around us: we see it, hear it, experience it and are deeply thankful that Jesus took our sins upon Himself so that we might have eternal life. But do we stand firm against sin? Do we rationalize that it’s okay to sin because after all, we are forgiven? Do we have mind lists that categorize our sins as ‘BIG’ sins and ‘little’ sins? To God, sin is sin, no matter if it is adultery, murder, stealing or telling someone a “little white lie”.

God knew that as believers we would still sin. BUT because the Holy Spirit is now indwelling us, sin isn’t as much fun or as frequent.  We feel convicted, guilty, regretful and beat ourselves up when we stumble. That is actually good news!  A mark of belonging to God, is knowing sin for what it is. It sure isn’t from God but straight from His enemy. It’s time to confess and move on, not allowing satan to remind us of our short comings, but reminding the enemy of our forgiveness.

Action ~

Are there sins you are trying to cover up instead of giving them up to the Lord?  It might be time for a checkup: ask the Holy Spirit to reveal things He wants you to discontinue. And then ask for His help to refrain from sinful activity. And when you do sin, confess it right away so satan doesn’t step in and encourage you to continue. Sin no more and give God the glory.

“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Romans 6:6

Pray ~

Lord, thank You for showing me the truth about my sins. Strengthen me with the Power of Your Holy Spirit to grow up and sin no more.

Trusting in the Lord,

Becky

May 1, 2012

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

Thoughts ~

As a believer who played it “safe” many years ago, I did not show total dedication to the Lord or share my faith with boldness. Of course, I rationalized; I didn’t want to offend anyone.  I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. And I didn’t want to lose friends.

And then one day God knocked on my heart and said “STOP playing Christian and go out and share my love with people.” I was terrified I would become the sort of person people run from. Trembling, I asked Him how to not offend people.  The Holy Spirit impressed on me two things.

1.   Share with a gentle spirit but be bold in an un-obnoxious way.

2.   Wouldn’t I rather offend on earth than have someone wonder why I never shared Jesus with them when they are sitting in hell?

OUCH!!!! God never seems to tire of surprising me with the truth in dramatic ways. And in a flash, I realized He was oh-so right and I needed to stop worrying about offending people. I began asking Him for opportunities to use me and the gifts He had given me. And doors opened to my delight and I watched my life change before my eyes. My faith grew, my friends listened and did not get offended (much) and a few came to know the Lord too.

There are handfuls that do persecute me, making fun of my faith like they do Tim Tebow. I no longer care. I live for the Lord and not a single other person. I am true to my beliefs and hope someday to hear God say “well done Becky.” Mostly though, I love having Him on my side and enjoy the ministry He has given me. He is my all.

Action ~

Are you trembling after just reading a few short paragraphs about sharing your faith? It doesn’t need to be that way.  Let me share my secret with you. You know how when you are in love, mad passionate love? Or when you found a fabulous new café with low prices? Perhaps you just read a book that you want everyone you know to read too. During these moments of excitement, you openly share with everyone your news of wonderful love, a super café or a great book. Treat your faith just like that. Share with a relaxed excitement and in an ordinary way that people will understand. You do not need to go armed with tons of verses. Just your joy in Jesus. God will do the rest.  It’s all up to Him anyway.

Pray ~

Oh Father, thank You for loving me and understanding my fear about sharing the Truth about Jesus.  It’s a ploy of your enemy to tell me I can’t do it.  In your name, I ban satan from my conversations as I share my faith in You. Give me boldness.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 30, 2012

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Thoughts ~

Wouldn’t it be nice to never grow weary? There are times we cannot lift our feet another step, open our mouths to simply talk and find our eyelids growing heavier by the minute.  Often, days that are very busy . . . where we had much to accomplish . . . have worn us out physically.

Other times weariness invades our souls from adding too much clutter that is not necessary. When weariness threatens to bring discouragement, it’s time to step back and ask if our schedules are keeping us from spending time with the Lord. Sometimes it’s time for a clean sweep, a time to de-clutter our lives.

In this verse, Jesus is inviting us to come to Him, to be refreshed, to allow Him to carry our burdens. He invites us, ordinary you and me, to be in His amazing and loving presence! When I get weary, I long to sit at His feet and be refreshed, allowing Him to give me needed comfort and relief of my burdens.

Action ~

When you feel burdened by weariness, take a minute to ask yourself what has caused it. And then run; don’t walk, to the Lord Jesus who has promised to give us rest. Ask Him to help you find time in your day to spend time with Him. A quiet time, prayer time, a praise time will refresh your soul and your weariness will be lifted. When we take our eyes of ourselves and place them on the Lord, perspectives change

When we add too much world to our lives, our weariness seems to grow out of control.  Slow down. Get the rest from the ONE who loves You and has called you by name.

Pray ~

Only You, Lord, can truly give me the rest I need.  Thank you for carrying my burdens and inviting me to be your child.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 29, 2012

He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs.

Psalm 107:35

Thoughts~

I live in Arizona where cactus surrounds the city. While I love the stately saguaro that lifts its arms skyward as if praising the Lord, I am not a huge fan of much of the other desert life.

There are hundreds of varieties of cacti and people love to transplant them in their landscaping. Not me! I love the lush green of other locations, where winding paths intertwine with trees, flowers and waterfalls. Truthfully, cactus reminds me of the desert experience that believers in the Lord travel through sometimes.

If you have never found yourself in a “desert experience” let me warn you it’s a tough time. You feel far away from God, totally hopeless and your joy is limp. We know God didn’t move; it is us that took a few steps away from Him. We wonder why and can’t quite figure it out. We simply know we feel a distance from God. And desert experiences are felt by all Christians, including the spiritual giants. One of the “giants” is Chuck Swindoll. He is my spiritual hero and has spoken volumes into my heart with his honest approach to life.  I first “met” him in 1982 and have been influenced by his love for the Lord and care for people’s growth as Christians ever since. But mostly his honesty as he shares some of his desert experiences in various books and online.

USUALLY the reason we feel distance is that the enemy of God has pulled us ever so lightly away: getting our eyes off of God and onto life’s details. The enemy isn’t dramatic about it and it happens without you even knowing it has occurred until all at once, you feel stranded in an island of dry sand, parched for His love and His word.

God will never leave you stranded in the dry desert. He doesn’t want us there anymore than we want to be there. He uses these times in our lives to build us up in our faith and helps us to find balance in our lives.

Actions ~

If you find yourself in a desert experience, find time for quiet time with the Lord. A weekend, a day, whatever is feasible?  Turn off the noise makers in your home, sit quietly in a place that you are comfortable, and open your mouth for the Living Water. Tell God you need Him to refresh your heart and show you the way back from the desert. Spend time reading His word and listening for His whispers of love and encouragement.

Pray ~

Thank You Father, for giving us a way out of the desert and into the lushness of fellowship with You.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 28, 2012

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Thoughts ~

Most Christians love Philippians 4:13. According to Bible Gateway it is in the top ten favorite verses every year. It’s almost as familiar as our very own name . . . and so why do we forget to allow it to soak into our hearts?

When I read the verse slowly it seems to sink in the best. Word by word, I say it and when I get to the word “all” I say it louder. God strengthens me; He prepares me with courage and any other trait I am lacking.  He props me up and says “You CAN do ALL things. I WILL strengthen you with exactly what you need.” When life seems bleak, I call on the strength of the Lord to show me how to do ALL things!

Like Paul, we may be learning to be content no matter what state we find ourselves in. Whether with little or with plenty, Paul hung in there and relied on Christ for his strength. We need to copy Him. He is our brave example of dependence on the Lord.

Action ~

It's time to make a list of the “ALL’s” in your life that you think you can’t do. Maybe YOU can't . . . BUT HE CAN! Turn them over to the Lord and watch Him go to work! 

Pray ~

Father, what a blessing it is to have you love us and take care of our emotional needs. Thank you for giving me the strength to press on towards the goal.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 27, 2012

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; 

an outsider, and not your own lips.

Proverbs 27:2

Thoughts ~

There are people we have all met that brag, boast, and praise themselves so much we want to choke. Those are the people we often shy away from. We are human beings who have been created to praise God, not ourselves, even though we sometimes think we need the extra attention. But God clearly does not want us to go around talking about how great/giving/loving/helpful we are.

Sometimes exuberance and excitement can be mistaken for boasting. It happened to me recently when I was sharing how thrilled I was that over 53,000 people “liked” the Trust in the Lord page on Facebook. When I see the numbers growing, I know that many more people are being encouraged in their faith.  Some do not read the Bible at all and the scripture they see on the TITL page is it for them.

But this day, in sharing my excitement, my friend reacted in a cold manner towards me. I soon realized she does not want to hear about ‘Trust in the Lord’ (she does not use Facebook or cubits) and to her, I was boasting. I do not take any credit for the growth; it is all God directing people to the page. Yet, because I offended her, I decided not to share this with her anymore. Even when I did not mean it as praising myself, she took it that way. Sometimes we are misunderstood. And sometimes we really are boasting. We need to know the difference and watch our intentions. When we are likeable, more people will listen to us share our love for God.

Action ~

Simple action today. Ask yourself if you are boasting or praising yourself. I ask myself this often.

Pray ~

Lord, thanks so much for the wisdom of Proverbs and how You use it to make us wiser and more likeable. Amen.

Trusting the Lord,

Becky

April 26, 2012

I waited patiently for the LORD; 

   He turned to me and heard my cry. 

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, 

   out of the mud and mire; 

He set my feet on a rock 

   and gave me a firm place to stand.

Psalm 40:1-3

Thoughts ~

When I was a little girl, I saw a photo of quicksand in a school book, and to this day, it is the first thing I think of when I read verse two. Quicksand became a fear of mine when I was small . . . which is ironic since I live in the desert. But children don’t understand these things.

The way we get stuck in life happens to all of us over the course of our lifetime and it is, for believers, one of God’s great blessings to lift us out of the situation. And when He places us on firm ground, there is reason to celebrate and praise His name.

Psalm 40 is my favorite of all the Psalms because it speaks of my relationship with the Lord. I love this Psalm so much I have memorized parts of it to remind myself that no matter how stuck I get, God will be there to place my feet on the rock. He always does.

Even when the enemy of God wants you to believe that there is no way out of a situation, let me assure you there always is when you have the King of your heart on your side, just waiting for the perfect moment to lift you to a higher ground. 

Action ~

Have you ever felt like you were slipping and sinking like you were sloshing around in mud?

Please take a few minutes to read Psalm 40 and then re-read it, allowing it to sink in to your soul.

I printed it out, using Biblegateway, and have it in several special places to remind me of the Grace of God. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%2040&version=NIV

Pray ~

God, You are my help and my deliverer and I praise You for all You have done in my life to bring me closer to You. Thank You for lifting me out of the quicksand moments and placing me on firm ground.

Trusting the Lord,

Becky

April 25, 2012

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, 

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Thoughts ~

When I think about the Lord knowing the plans He has for me, I want so much to say “tell me, tell me!” But God doesn’t work that way.  Things need to fall into place perfectly, the plans unfolding like a beautiful butterfly from its cocoon. The plans He has for me intersect with the plans He has for others, and in His divine plan, He orchestrates our lives like an amazing symphony. Oh, what an awesome Conductor He is.

The part of this verse that I love so much is when He says HE has plans to give us hope. I thrive on hope, but then, I think we all do. There is something amazing about looking forward towards the future with hope in your heart. Otherwise, depression can set in and we take our eyes off the Lord. I much prefer knowing He is writing His symphony with me in mind.  With all of us in mind.

Action ~

If you had to choose one hope for your future, what would it be?  Would it glorify God? Is it something that He could use in your life or in the lives of others? If so, share it with Him and ask Him to take it and use your hope in your life, according to His will. God’s creativity is amazing and He will surprise you with either the fulfillment of your hopes and dreams or change your mind about them. The closer we walk with Him, the more we take on a life that reflects Him.

Pray ~

Lord, whatever You plan for me, whatever You want to do in my life, I am ready to serve You and ready for the next part of the plan to begin. And Lord, thank you for hope. I really love it. Amen

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 24,2012

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

T.A.P.

Thoughts ~

It was one of those days where I did not want to give thanks for my circumstances.  I was ready for some serious change in my life and wanted God to tell me in a loud booming voice what I was supposed to do. All I heard was silence.

I felt stress trying to creep into my life, and knowing that stress takes my eyes off the Lord, I prayed for His help.

“Lord,I want to be in the very center of Your will…not to the left or to the right, not in a corner peeking out, not circling around Your plan for me and certainly not looking at the past but waiting in anticipation for the surprises You have in store for me.”

Immediately (!!!) I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper encouragement into my restless soul as He pointed out that if God wanted me anywhere else, I would be there. Ahhhhhhhhhhh . . . relief and a sweet security filled my heart. THANK YOU Lord…THANK YOU in these circumstances of being in a holding pattern.  I don’t understand it but I will give thanks as I wait for Your next move

Action ~

Make a list today and include everything you are thankful for.  Carry your paper around with you and keep adding to it. Don’t forget to add the present circumstances you find yourself in. God uses all of our ups and downs to refine us and teach us we can truly Trust Him with our lives. Date the list and place it somewhere so you can look at it in a month or two and see how God used your present circumstances to bring you closer to Him.

Pray ~

Thank You Lord, for taking care of my heart when I begin to stress out. You really know me so well, and I am so grateful for Your perfect will in my life. Amen.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 23, 2012

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. Psalm 139:1-4

Thoughts ~

When my children were very small, they loved playing hide and seek with me.  I loved seeing their little feet sticking out from behind a curtain or hear them giggling as I got close. They seemed to think if they couldn’t see me, then certainly I couldn’t see them.

Even though I can’t see the Lord, I know He can see me.  And not just see my exterior but see my heart and mind.  He knows the whole essence of who I am and I cannot hide anything at all from Him. He knows my thoughts before I speak them. And so, knowing this has helped my prayer life, my spiritual walk and the way I live my life.

My prayer life is honest. I tell the Lord absolutely everything. My walk is more consistent because I know He sees my steps. My lifestyle choices involve decisions I know He would want me to make. He may have billions of people to watch over, but I am aware I can never hide myself from Him.

Action ~

Think about some ways you might be “hiding” from the Lord. Are you mentally covering your ears to what He has to say to you?

Pray ~

Father, thank You for loving me even though You know the real me more than anyone else does. I love you.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 22, 2012

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. Thessalonians 3:3

Thoughts ~

I really don’t like to give the enemy of God much devotional writing time. However, today I felt led to. Not even wanting to capitalize his name, I feel he is not worthy of distinction. He is not just evil but the worst kind of evil known to mankind. His greatest thrill (when it comes to believers) is to get our eyes off the Lord and onto ANYTHING else. Hating it when we pray, he will use all his tricks to keep prayer time from happening.

Fortunately, God has more power than our enemy and will battle for us when we come under attack. The closer you get to God, the more the attacks may seem to come.  But don’t let that get you down: God will give you the strength you need and keep you loving protected.

Even when we lie on our beds with tears covering our pillows, God is there. No matter what the situation that has troubled our hearts; God is there and will not allow His enemy to win us over with doubt.  Cry out to Him! Trust in Him; rely on the God of your life.

Action ~

When the enemy will not leave me alone, I picture gnats. While I know nothing can happen to me that the Lord doesn’t allow, those continuous attacks seem like an angry swarm of gnats sometimes.  Bothersome. Distracting. Annoying.  I get so tired of swatting at them.  Then I picture, in my mind, a giant gnat-swatter held by the hand of the Lord. Victory!

Pray ~

Lord, You are so faithful and protective of me.  Thank You for all You do in fighting Your enemy on my behalf. Thank you for giving me the strength to endure.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 21, 2012

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

Thoughts ~

When I see the word ‘still’, it takes me to a quiet place immediately. Sitting with the Lord alone, basking in His love and listening in my heart for His wisdom, I love still times with Him. There are not enough. In the busy days of life, I often long for a retreat where there is nothing on my mind but Him.

We all get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily living that we forget to carve out a special quiet time just for the Lord.  Maybe its 15 minutes, maybe longer, but no matter what the time looks like, it’s the quality that matters. Turning off our phones, TV’s and eliminating distractions is so hard to do but it can be done. And it’s so worth the time that becomes a sweet habit that you long for everyday.

Action ~

Give yourself the gift of one week with the Lord via a quiet time of prayer and meditating on His word. Not a study time where your desk is piled high with concordances or Bible dictionaries, but just you, your Bible and the Lord of your heart. Try this for one week for 15 minutes a day. After the week, you will long for those times where His word jumps off the page and into your soul and you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you into a particular action.

Pray ~

Oh God, forgive me for the wasted times where I have neglected my quiet still time with You. Create a place in my heart that craves this time alone with You more than anything else in my life.

Trusting in Him,

Becky

April 20, 2012

"Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. 

Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness." 

1 Peter 2:2-3

T.A.P.

Thoughts ~

When we fall in love, we want to spend every moment with the focus of our attention. We write love letters, day dream and carve out time for our beloved in our day. They are all we think about and we finally understand love songs for the first time in our lives.

In the same way, when I first came to know Jesus, I craved knowing more about Him. I loved reading my Bible and meeting with others who loved Him too. I started a journal and wrote poems about Jesus. Back in High School, my favorite book of the New Testament was Philippians, a book about finding joy in Jesus no matter what your circumstances.

As Christians, we should all crave knowing our Father better, like babies craving milk. This "pure spiritual milk" that Peter writes about, is found in the Bible: it’s God’s word of course. In the beginning of our faith we need someone to feed us but as we grow up, we slowly learn to feed ourselves.

In order to know God well, we need to spend time with Him, in His word. As new believers, sometimes devotionals like this one, or even the images found on Trust in the Lord, are all we get.  But slowly, we will begin craving much more, and these will be additions to our own Bible reading.

Action ~

When you are new to the faith, sometimes it’s confusing so here is a short list to get you started.

1)   Pick a book of the Bible to read through.  Try the gospel of John, Philippians or any book that you feel drawn to. Read a chapter a day.

2)   Underline words and verses that encourage you.

3)   When you find a verse that “speaks” to you, write it on a card and memorize it, “tucking His word into your heart.”

4)   Start the process all over again with a new book of the Bible.

Pray ~

Thank You Lord for your word and direction for living.  Show me your truths and help me apply them to my life.

Trusting in Him,

Becky