Fill Your Mind

 

Toby Mac Speak Life

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Inventory Of Our Hearts

 

It’s easy to discount the bad habits or the casual things we do when we are bored, like Copper grazing on grass. But friend, it is time to recognize that sometimes those are the very things that are leading us away from becoming who God is calling us to be.

So let's take inventory of our hearts and be intentional with every moment, even the boring moments of life. Let’s pay attention to what we are watching, listening to, thinking about, and reading when we are alone and bored. -Simi John

Read More: https://incourage.me/?p=240262

Just Love

 

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Love, Linda

Joyful, Praying, Thankful

 

Today Featuring 

Women of Faith

So often we wonder what is God's will is for our life because there are so many options and so many distractions. What I LOVE though is how simple the Living Word makes it for us.

Always be joyful.

Never stop praying, and

Be thankful in all circumstances.

This is God's will for you!

The next time you are looking for direction, turn to God!

He always has the BEST guidance, the BEST answers and the BEST direction for your life.

Alita

@alitareynolds

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬

womenoffaith.com

Fed Up & Frustrated

 

In all you are facing, in the constant barrage of things to get done and people to care for, all while juggling your own mental health and deep loneliness, Jesus sees you.

Oh friend, we get so busy running from one activity to the next, trying to keep everything going, and we worry that if we stop for even a moment, it will all come crashing down. But today we want to remind you that God doesn’t love you for all you can get done. He doesn’t wait to condemn you if you’re struggling through a day. He loves you and He wants to offer you the rest your soul needs.

Jesus tells us in His Word, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) If you are feeling weary and burdened today, this is for you, and He promises that He will give you that deep soul rest you really need.

In your frustration…He loves you.

In your weakness…He loves you.

In your overwhelm…He loves you.

Friend you have been prayed for.

Pray For A Friend

 

If you’re struggling to pray for a friend today, borrow these words…

Lord, today I lift up my friend in prayer. While life hasn't been the easiest for them, I trust that You will meet their needs. Lord help me to be an extension of your loving kindness and generosity toward them during this difficult season. And when words begin to fail them, help me to intercede in prayer on their behalf. (Romans 12: 12-13)

Help me to be sensitive to their pain, gentle in my response to what they’re going through, and patient with their availability as they navigate the unknown. (Ephesians 4:2)

Lord, help me to reassure them that you hear her cries and prayers and you have not forsaken them. (Psalm 6:6) Amen.

Save this prayer for your friend facing difficult life circumstances. Let this prayer be the encouragement or reminder that they don’t have to face hard things alone.

#faith #prayers #simplifiedpurposefullife

Take Courage, Keep Trying

 

I need to make an important decision and have no idea what to do. I’m worried that I’ll mess everything up. As I prayed, my heart had a realization: I don’t have to get everything right because I serve a God who makes everything right in the end.

When I try to get everything right, I become paralyzed by fear, live in a state of self-criticism, worry about every detail and carry the weight of the outcome on my shoulders. But God never asks this of us!

The Apostle Paul said, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). “All things” includes our mistakes, our imperfect efforts, our guesses when we’re not sure what to do. But before God can work in all things we have to give Him something to work with, which means not letting fear stop us from even trying.

Jill Churchill said, “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” I think that applies to every area of our lives. There’s no way to be a perfect friend and a million ways to be a good one. There’s no way to be a perfect leader and a million ways to be a good one. There’s no way to make a perfect pie crust and a million ways to make a good one.

Take courage, keep trying. What you’re doing is enough. You don’t have to get everything right because we serve a God who makes all things right in the end.

 Pray with me: Dear God, You are so good. Thank You for staying with me in the mess and making all things right. I offer what I have to You today, and I trust You to make it beautiful. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Why You Don’t Have to Get Everything Right

 https://holleygerth.com/get-everything-right/

Praying for you

hugs Linda

When Someone Is Hurting

 

It seems right now the whole world is struggling and in a tender place. Now more than ever, we need to know how to be kind to each other. Some of that is, of course, expressed in what we do. But our words matter too.

What do we say when someone we care about is hurting? Perhaps even more important, what do we *not* say?

I’ve created a short Say This, Not That printable guide based on my work as a counselor, life coach, and fellow human who has said A LOT of things she wishes she could take back.

“The words of the wise bring healing” (Prov. 12:18). Your words make a difference, and our hurting world needs them more than ever before.

(The "Say This, Not That" list is available as a *free* printable! Enter your email here and it'll arrive in your inbox within 5 minutes: https://bit.ly/20phrasesPDF)

Holley Gerth

I Choose To Trust You God

 

"Over the history of our world, humanity has offered up a number of solutions, deities, potions, crystal balls, and formulas for affecting good outcomes in our life. But there's only one solution that involves the Creator of the Universe leaving heaven to bodily walk inside every ache a human faces, and then letting us carry His Spirit inside us as both a comfort and compass. He has His eye on the sparrow, and He has His eye on you." - Jennifer Dukes Lee

Today, some of you woke up with swirling thoughts of uncertainty and worry, even anguish.

You had high hopes for what you wanted this next week/month/season of your life to hold, but it's feeling up-end-y and off-kilter at the moment.

These are the tender moments that have you sighing at the kitchen sink, crying in the shower, and anxiously twirling your hair at the stoplight.

Choosing to trust God in moments like these is not an act of weakness. In our do-it-yourself culture, you would be applauded if you decided to fix it single-handedly and then charge down the path you've charted in your mind.

The bravest act looks a lot like surrender, laying down our ideas of what life is supposed to look like. Bravery looks like bringing Him both your tears and your trust. Bravery looks like letting Him steady your shaking hands in His.

Over the history of our world, humanity has offered up a number of solutions, deities, potions, crystal balls, and formulas for affecting good outcomes in our life. But there's only one solution that involves the Creator of the Universe leaving heaven to bodily walk inside every ache a human faces, and then letting us carry His Spirit inside us as both a comfort and compass.

He has His eye on the sparrow, and He has His eye on you.

Here's a prayer for you to pray today, and I am praying it with you:

Dear God,

Sometimes I have no idea where

you are leading me, but I will

choose to trust the plans you

have for my life anyway.

Amen.

God's Voice

 

Dear friend, where do you go to find comfort when the events of life weigh heavy on your heart? Do you sometimes try every possible option and then, as a last resort, run to God?

Did you know that God is always ready, willing and able to hear your prayers, speak truth, and bring comfort to your situation?

We can take our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears to Him. In His lovingkindness, God sends His comfort to us every minute of every day. At night, He sings a song of love over us.

Let’s hold fast to these words.

“By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8 NIV

Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study

Do Not Fear

 

When God says “do not fear” in Scripture it’s almost always to someone who’s already afraid. It’s not a rebuke but a reassurance, much like a scared child finding comfort and security in the arms of a loving parent.⁣

When we’re afraid, our natural tendency is to hide. We physically or emotionally retreat to where it feels safer. (I’ve done this by literally diving under the covers in my bedroom. Or I’ve hidden my heart by putting on a smiling face when I felt broken inside.) God knows of this tendency we have as humans and He doesn’t tell us *not* to hide. We aren’t in trouble for this instinct!

What God does want to change is *where* and *how* we hide. God Himself wants to be our “hiding place.” Psalm 32:7 says, “For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.”⁣

⁣

Instead of running *from* our fears, we can run *to* God with them. He is our strength and security. He gives us courage and makes us brave. His love and truth are bigger and stronger than anything we fear.⁣

--⁣

A GIFT FOR YOU: I'd love to send you a *free* download of 12 fear-fighting, faith-building Scripture cards. Enter your email on this form and you'll receive them within 5 minutes: https://bit.ly/fearfightingcards

Holley Gerth at HolleyGerth.com

God is With Us Always

 

When uncertainty swirls and fear threatens our obedience, God’s Word lights the way. His voice, through His Word, tells us His power is with us and is able to protect us from the enemy. His Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, Word and presence through prayer are with us. Even if we see hardships all around, our Savior, Jesus, has promised He will be with us always — and not only with us as a community of believers but with you and me personally as His Spirit dwells in each of our hearts.

-Andrea Chatelain #First5

If you are facing an uncertain situation today, how can you give it over to God?

First 5

Season of Waiting

 

Friend, I hope and pray that you will join us over the next eight weeks for What a Mess: How God Can Bring Good Out of Any Situation, A Study of the Book of Judges. Judges is going to show us some messes. But it is going to teach us so much through them. Gifts are great but they're never greater than the fruit. Having more talent than we have character is a recipe for a mess. So our goal this week is to just slow down. Make sure your gifts are not outrunning your character. And if God has you in the season of waiting, trust that He's doing an important work in you. The growing of fruit is not easy or fast, but it is a beautiful work. So let's just take just a moment to ask God to focus our minds, our hearts, our ambitions and our desires, on walking and growing with Him.

-Kayla Ferris #First5

What one thing can you do to slow down this week?

First 5 is an online Bible Study, feel free to drop in anytime.

OUR CURRENT STUDY

What a Mess: How God Can Bring Good Out of Any Situation, A Study of the Book of Judges

A free eight-week study in the First 5 app starting June 27.

In the book of Judges we see God take messy people and a messy nation and raise up leaders. We see that each and every mess they got themselves into, God was always there — and out of the mess, God brought something SO good.

He brought us JESUS from those messy people!

So what are you facing right now? What mess is keeping you up at night? Does it feel hopeless?

Can we remind you that we serve a great big God?

There is no mess too big for Him to bring good out of it.

Get my study guide

Just For Today I Will

 

We all feel so much pressure to do “big” things but more often it’s the small things that make a difference. You’re getting out of bed, showing up in your life, doing your work, loving your people, clinging to hope, trying again, making art and messes, whispering prayers, asking for help, taking the next step, refusing to give up for one more day. And it all matters so much more than you know, more than you can feel in the hard and awkward moments of being human. Just wanted to remind you of that today. Well done, you.

By Holley Gerth

Breathe Peace

 

Psalm 4:8, AMP "In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety and confident trust."

Friend, find sweet rest tonight knowing that you are held in the love and protection of Jesus tonight.

Proverbs 31 Ministry

https://www.facebook.com/P31OBS/photos/a.143145529078265/5142759989116769/

Words For Our Soul

 

Just hold on. God knows what HE's doing. Amen

Toby Mac #speaklife

If you would like for me to pray for you, leave a short comment below. 

This Christmas, you need to do less, not more

 

This Christmas, you need to do less, not more. By simplifying your life, you’ll have more enjoyment, more fulfillment, and less stress.

At one of the busiest times of the year, you need to make sure you’re filling your calendar, your mind, and your heart with what’s important, not trivial things that won’t even matter in five years, much less for eternity.

The trivial things I’m talking about are not evil things. 

You can fill your life with good things that keep you from spending time with God. You can be involved in ministry all the time and be so busy working for God that you don’t leave God any time to work in you.

An example of this is Mary and Martha, who were sisters and also friends of Jesus. One day they invited him to their home for a meal. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to his teaching. Martha was busy worrying about the food and making sure everything was in place.

Doesn’t that sound like Christmas? You spend months buying and wrapping gifts, decorating the house, putting up the lights, fixing the tree, sending out the cards, preparing the meals, planning parties. Then, when Christmas arrives, you realize you were so busy with the preparation that you didn’t make any time for Jesus.

“Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:40-42 NIV).
Mary knew there was one thing worth her time: getting to know the Son of God.

Nothing else will matter in eternity. God didn’t put you on Earth just to work and then retire. He put you here so you can get to know him. ~ Rick Warren

Photo Credit The Painted Porch

Devotional Rick Warren