A couple of helpers

I am so happy that we live in a world where we can carry around our devotionals, bibles, and apps that help us in our daily faith walk- right in the palm of our hand- in our smart phones.

 I mean, how great is it that when you're in line, waiting on car repairs, or on the train, you can have a few precious minutes with God? Amazing!

So, I thought I'd share some of my favorite lock screens from She Reads Truth, one of my all time favorite apps. The lock screens help with my scripture memorization, so I change them every time I memorize one. Every little bit helps!

What apps or aids do you use to help get in more of God's word in this busy world? List everything below so we can share!

Leave a Comment encouragement, faith, Jessy H.

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This could have many titles.  I couldn't  pick just one, so...

Goodbye status quo 

New normal 

Mouse to a lion

Living the life Jesus made for you

 I like music when I am thinking, so here is an amazing song to go along with my thoughts. 

What's holding you back? Do you want a life that is full life? Do you have the God designed life? You can't have it with things holding you back.  John 10:10

To grab on to promises you can't hold on to what is holding you back.  Ephesians 3:20 

Some steps to get this life. Find the excuse. Stop listing to the voices. Don't get in a rut. Always look for ways to show Jesus. People in the bible used excuses also. Moses. Giddion, Jeremiah they all found the excuse but then went on to make history. 
Let it go. Most excuses are linked to fears. 
Replace it with something. Replace it with a verse. 2 Timothy 1:7. 

See the life that God bought for you. Forget the land you have been living in. Think about your promised land that God has given you. Israel went to the promised land in 40 years. It should have taken 11 days. We as humans we mess up His plan so much but he sees His plan through when you are ready to let it go. Don't be the person that misses out because you are holding on to mediocrity. Joshua in the battle of Jericho, before the battle he was told he had already won. Then was given the battle strategy of walking around walls for seven days, their faith of carrying out the crazy battle plan since they already knew the promised land. Joshua 6:2

 Ready to step into life after giving up what's holding you back? Psalms 37:3

 Trust God! Take the first step! Joshua 3:8

 In the scripture they had to take the first step before his promise was fulfilled. His opinion is the only one that matters. Don't you think Joshua's fighters felt weird and thought other would think they were crazy for marching around a city and blowing horns? Accept his promises in your life and know they are for you.  Psalms 37:3-5

 Get in the habit of looking to him first. Take delight in Him. Get to know him, get to know his heart. Experience his hearts Psalms 37:4-5

Commit everything to the Lord. Romans 12:1-2

God brings out the best in you and develops well formed maturity. He is the great I am. He wants to show the best of us. When Moses, Jeremiah, and Giddion were telling his excises, God said, "I am. I am with you."

Yeah 6 easy steps right?! Ha! It was easy to type but is hard to actually do in your life and my life daily. I will have to remind myself daily, when I am picking up my cross and following him. The John 10:10

life is waiting on you, when you lay down your life and live His. 

Leave a Comment Emily Anne T., encouragement, faith, scripture

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5 ways to keep God in your Daily Life

In today's world, we are all so busy. Rushing from this event to that, grocery stores, kid's schedules, household chores, work, friends, family events... it gets overwhelming!

And sure, we may carve out a few precious minutes with God in the morning, or you may have your time at night. But, is that enough? I'm guilty of shooting up a quick prayer when things get hairy, "God, please let me find this place. I've been circling for minutes," and so on. 

However, is that truly enough for our Father in heaven? Sometimes I don't think it is. Deep down, I know I need to do more. 

So, I've come up with 5 tips to keep God in your Daily Life. 

1. Bring God into your little spaces- bathrooms with scripture on the walls | Cars with a cross on the rear view  | Work cubicles with scripture in picture frames | Kitchens with plaques of inspiration on them. Each time you see any reminder of God, offer up a quick prayer, or even a heartfelt "Thank you," to God. 

2. Buy a pocket bible. These little bibles fit wonderfully in your purse, briefcase, office desk drawer, wherever! When you have a moment or two of down time, say in a waiting room or in line somewhere, break it out and just flip to a page if nothing else. Read and savor every word and try to keep it in your mind throughout the day.

3. Plan and set aside more time with God than what you think you have. That way, if you can't have 3, 30 minute bible studies maybe you will make sure to fit in 2 because you feel bad about canceling the first one. 

4.  Put crosses (or other signs of your faith) everywhere. And I mean, EVERYWHERE! I've started to Sharpie crosses on my chapsticks, just little reminders every time I use the chapstick to shoot up a quick word or feeling to God. I use chapstick like nobodies business, so I send many shout outs to the heavens in a day. 

5. Find an accountability partner.  This can be your current BFF, this could be your Mom, Sister, Brother, a stranger at church, just someone that you commit to checking in regularly about your walk with God. You and your accountability partner can decide to do a bible study together, or just read the books of the bible together. Checking in with someone daily, weekly- whatever you choose can really make a difference in your life. I think we all could use someone holding our feet to the fire so we don't let life get in the way of our walk.  Our little Prayerful Bloggers community has started an accountability partner program. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, 1. Sign up to join Prayerful Bloggers here, 2. Sign up for the Accountability Partner Program here. 

I hope these tips help you! And please, if you have any that I haven't listed above, please feel free to comment with them below! Share the knowledge!  

1 comment Bible Study, encouragement, faith, Jessy H.

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Long-distance relationships are hard.

It is so easy to feel frustrated, misunderstood, and generally disconnected. So what makes a long-distance relationship worthwhile? Should you stay in it? Should you go your separate ways? Before I continue, I should note that I am not familiar with every one's circumstances and am not presenting a diagnosis or prescription. Bad things can proceed from what appears good, and good things can proceed from what appears bad.

So this is not so much of a "how-to" as it is a "how we"-- how we made it. It is part of the story of how my husband and I survived (and thrived) through four years of dating long distance: years of great joy and great pain, but mostly joy. If you are considering going the distance, here are some good reasons to give it a try.

  1. You have a relationship trajectory. This does not necessarily mean that you have agreed to get married, but you do have an idea of where the relationship is going. You know why you are with this person. You both desire the same things in your lives and in your relationship. You've got a shared direction.

  2. You can thrive without them. This does not mean that you won't miss this person, sometimes deeply and painfully. It also does not mean that your life isn't greatly benefited by their presence. But you do know that you can grow in the ways you want to grow, succeed in your work and play, and genuinely experience joy, even when the other person is not around. You can build friendships without him or her. You can enjoy community without him or her. You see yourself content even when you miss him or her. This will help you survive the distance in a healthy way.

  3. You're not interested in other fish. Some people land their finest and forever love in their first relationship. This was true of my husband. Others would like to date more than one person before settling down. I'm not talking about unfaithfulness; just the stage of being genuinely unsure. If this is not a nagging doubt in your mind-- even in the deepest recesses-- then long-distance is on the table. But if you want to meet more people and be open to the possibility of seeing others (one at a time, of course), then a long-distance relationship will stand in your way, and breaking up later will be painful.

  4. You are disciplined and have good daily habits. This is a tough one but an important one. We are created to be in close physical proximity to those we love, but long-distance relationships require a certain type of attentiveness that normal relationships do not. With regular daily rhythms and the ability to stick to a schedule, you can commit to chatting with this person on a regular basis. You can make time for them and listen to their needs and experiences. And, most importantly, you can keep those habits that make you who you are-- so that when they see you again, they'll still recognize and know you.

  5. You are practiced at conflict-resolution. Conflict is inevitable in long-distance relationships (and relationships in general). Miscommunications happen, as do surprises. One of my biggest struggles during long distance was that we were unable to share close friends. For some time I felt misunderstood and unknown by his community. These are natural and painful aspects of the long-distance season. But being able to healthily and gently resolve conflict can help rebuild that trust and closeness. "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you" are words you can become accustomed to saying. And as time goes by, your conflict-resolution skills will improve for the better. My husband and I spent the year before our wedding in the same neighborhood. What a huge relief it was!

Still, in so many ways I remain grateful to this day that we were apart for those years. We learned so much. Many people have asked me how I knew that he was the one I wanted to marry. While I would love to tell that story some other time, I'll share this piece by Olive Chan on how to know whether you've found the man (or woman) to marry. Now that I am married, I know that I couldn't agree with her more!

1 comment Daisy R., encouragement, relationships

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Remember To Breathe

Have you ever had a moment when you found yourself gasping for air? No, I don't mean literally, but you can feel it.  It seems like everything around you is going so fast that you just can't seem to catch your breath. I know that you know what I'm talking about. It's that time in your life when you feel like you are spinning around in circles, getting dizzy, and are about to pass out because you aren't getting enough oxygen to your brain. Those are the times when it is imperative for us to take time away.  It might be a vacation.  It could be a day.  It could be as simple as a few minutes out of the time that you spend being super busy.  Where ever you make the time to do it, that time becomes your point of rejuvenation.

 How do I know?  Well, it's simple.  I've been there. I've been at a point before where I was trying to be everything to everybody.  I thought that being a good woman, friend, and Christian meant that I had to say "yes!" and do it all...all the time. That's when, thankfully, God's Holy Spirit stepped in and began to tell me something that I will never forget.

BREATHE...Don't forget to breath

Hearing those words caused me to feel like someone cared about all that I had been experiencing and that I was important too.  I began to realize that I didn't have to pour out everything in order to be the woman that I believed that God had created me to be.  It was OK to slow down or stop at a point when I knew that it was too much. I became more encouraged as I felt the Holy Spirit unction me to say "No, I'm sorry.  I understand, but the answer is no."

 Today my life is a bit more balanced.  I am no longer the same woman that I once was.  I know, now, how to say no.

 So, why am I writing this? I'm writing this because I believe that it is important to share my story so that I can help someone else.

 If you are reading this and life seems to be moving at the speed of lighting, take a moment and breathe. Find time throughout your day, week, month, and year to simply look up at the clouds or the sky...the trees, the stars...watch the kids play and as you do, remember to breathe. Thank God for all you have and all He is in your life. Put one foot in front of the other and continue to move forward. I hope you found comfort and encouragement in this.

 Until next time...God bless you

Written by Makeda

Leave a Comment encouragement, Makeda

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Words of Encouragement: My Favorite Scriptures

Many times in my life when I needed some encouragement, there was no one to be found, besides family, of course.

Yet, I longed for more.  I wanted to be able to sit down with a girlfriend and discuss the troubles that I was facing.  I wanted someone that could encourage me and not just let me wallow in the mud.  Instead what I found was a great friend in God.  He showed me how much He cared for me and how much He thought of me.

Why do I say that?  Well, if we look at the Scriptures, it becomes evident that God had us on His mind as the Bible was being written.  For a long time, it was a part of my Christian emergency on the go kit.  (before the Bible app)  I quickly learned that if I needed encouragement, I had to encourage myself through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Over the years, it has really helped me to know what God says about the things that concern me and various other topics.  I find myself remembering how much He loves me because of how much I seen His word say that He cares in so many different ways.

So today, I want to share a few of my favorite scriptures with you.  (By no means are these all of them.  Just a few that I want to share for today.) Beside each of the scriptures is a description  of what it helps me to remember or when I needed it.

Romans 10:11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. (When I needed boldness to stand on God's word)

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (When I needed to understand how to go to God and what He expected of me)

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (When I needed to know that God could do the impossible and that I could trust Him to do just that)

Matthew 6:33 But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (When I needed to know that God would take care of me, so I could seek His face and work in His kingdom without worrying about my needs and wants)

Isaiah 54: 4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. (When I was afraid of what was to come and of what would be said about what happened)

Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. (When my heart was broken)

Isaiah 54: 13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children. (Whenever I was...am concerned for my children)

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD. (When I am concerned about what others will say)

I really love all of Isaiah 54...it really speaks to me

Psalm 91:5-12 (for overall protection)

You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation;

There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Psalm 34 (ALL)

verse 4: I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (I needed to be reminded that the Lord hears me)

verses 8-10 (the promise of God for my personal needs and wants)

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.

O fear the LORD, you his saints: for there is no lack to them that fear him.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Psalm 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (When I would pray for people to get saved.  A reminder that God would hear me and His promise to act)

1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. (A constant reminder that God cares about everything the I care about...all of it)

James 5:14-16 (A reminder of the power of prayer)

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  And the prayer of faith shall deliver the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (When I want to draw near to God, He want to draw near to me too)

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (Encouragement and reason to study...this scripture was the foundation for my Bible study life)

As I said before, these are not all of my favorites, but the one that came to my heart to share right now.  I hope you have found some encouragement in this.

What are some of your favorite scriptures?

Madeka

Leave a Comment encouragement, Makeda, scripture

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