Boat Floatin’

What floats yer boat of life? Oh, there are lots of things that we can look to for keepin’ us goin’ in life, but the Truth is nothing floats the vessels of our souls through life like the living waters of the Holy Spirit of Jesus. I chuckle as I think of the saying that you often hear people say as a reason why something happens “there must have been something in the water.” It was even said by someone who visited a local bank that I worked at when I was expecting my daughter along with 10 other women whom I worked with that were all expecting at the same time! Hee, hee! It was a joke that went around the bank for several months before it all worked out. Joking aside, there is something in the living water that flows through our hearts upon faith in Jesus – it is His Spirit in us to counsel us and lead us in Truth and action in accordance with our Father’s perfect will! It is what keeps us a float in life in just the right ways so we don’t drift off into unchartered territory. I have this painting below in my office that reminds me of our Father’s peace and that nothing floats our vessels through life peacefully like the living waters of Jesus! Floatin’ upon the living waters of Him makes for a beautiful peace-full life that just makes me smile everyday! It makes for an “all is well” mindset as in this song here. Have a listen, enjoy the light reflection of the words sung as inspired by His Spirit’s living water. With Jesus, all is well with my soul! Peace to you, too, beloved saints!

“I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

John 14:27 (NLT)

Jesus Understands

No matter what you go through, saints, you’ve got a friend who is always with you and has compassion upon you! He sees your hard work for Him and your efforts to help others. His name is Jesus. I love His sweet words spoken over His people of Israel when they were in a place of mourning over their children due to the enemy. Jesus said “restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded, declares the Lord.”  Raising children is a challenge and I just want to encourage your heart to keep speaking truth into their lives because it makes a difference! Keep seeking connection. Teenage years are challenging! I love the Words spoken to the people of Israel as they mourned over the enemies influence on their kids: “They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your future, declares the Lord.” As a once rebellious teenager myself that finally saw light, I know there is hope beyond teenage years (lol) and praise the Lord! Keep speaking Truth and keep seeking a love connection best you can and pray, pray, pray! If yer a teenager, seek Jesus and seek to honor your mother and your father in righteousness and pray, pray, pray for good understanding in your relationship! It is God’s best for you where you are in life! Jesus understands it all and loves us with unfailing, unconditional love. Love to you! Yer all soooo special! I love this verse:

“Why are you downcast oh, my soul? Put your hope in the Lord.”

“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus – I love this song here.”

I’m a gal praying and trusting in Jesus with ya! Got Jesus!!!! Woohoo!!!!

Blessing in the Quiet

Do you have a hard time being quiet? If you are like me, I am a people person and it is exciting to be able to see people and talk with people and our Father certainly desires that we have those times as He is all about relationships, but He also desires the times when He can have us come to Him alone, quiet and without distractions so that we can rest our minds and hear His voice and His heart to us personally. Now how exciting is that, saints, to be able to hear the voice of the God of the Universe! During this time, He desires to prepare us for being with people. Jesus was notorious for being with lots of people and then slipping away for some time with His Father and then back out into the world again in the right time – when His Father had equipped Him to go! One time He spent 40 days out in the desert preparing His mind with victory! Then when He went, He was rested up, energized and prepared for the tasks and victorious! Wow! Was He ever!!!! It’s kind of like football, when the players are playing hard and then the coach calls them into a huddle to prepare their hearts for going back out into the game! There is good stuff talked about in those huddles and no team member would want to miss out on that time! So when our Father, our coach calls you into quiet time, celebrate the privilege and opportunity to be able to spend some time with Him! Jesus, our coach will always guide us for victory! He may keep you on the side lines for awhile, sending someone else into work in one spot while you work for the victory on the sidelines, but this is sure, He has a plan and purpose for you being where you are at this time! Trust that the coach, our Father is working things out great with good reason and a good purpose right now and for the future! Woohoo!!! I love the quiet times of hearing my Father, making plans with His guidance, resting and I love the going times when I am sent out as well! It’s all divine and our Father’s timing is perfect! Our Father may not change your plans at all during a life huddle with Him. He may use it as a time for just refreshing you, giving you rest and a time to focus on Him and reflect upon the blessings of life, or He may guide you in a brand new way as you are where you are! One thing for sure, He knows the divine way!!!! Oh, I’m a gal stepping gladly where my Father has me today! I am trusting in Him because I know He leads me divinely. He hears from the Holy Spirit directly and prays for us, His kids, by the Spirit and with our Father’s perfect will over you and me. Now how win, win, win, win, win, win, win, is all of life, whether we are being blessed in the going or being blessed in the quiet! Rah, rah, ree, Father’s plan be, whether it is A or it is B! Now that thought just keeps me smiling through all of life for me! Cherish all of life as it’s all good, all divine, all the time for thee!!!! Love and peace to you! Our Father’s got a good thing happening always!!!! Let’s go with it! Soooo love life always!!!!

“Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Mark 1:35

Entering Today with Thanksgiving

Woohoo! Yippee! Hooray! Yesssssssss!!!! It’s a great day of celebration and thanksgiving to be doing life with the King today! Everyday all day long, our Father is worthy of praise and adoration! I agree with the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 34:1 “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” When ya take time in life to count your blessings, we realize we all have much to be thankful for! It begins with the fact that we have a Father who loves us with His unfailing, unconditional love and as He tells us in His Word “there is hope for our future.” Soooo, much to be thankful for today with even a bright future to come along just as the Psalmist said! Tomorrow will even be such His praise will on our lips!  Now that just has me entering the courts of my Father with great celebration today! Celebrating our Father all day long today and always!!!! Soooo love our Jesus!!!! Enjoy the gift of the King with us today! This song here always has me clapping and singing with a big smile of thanksgiving in my heart!!!!

Psalm 34:1; Jeremiah 29:11

The Great Protector

“The Lord redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.”

Psalm 34:22

It is a comfort in all  of life to know that our Father has us in His hands and nothing enters into our lives that does not first pass through His all loving, all wise hands. The One who holds us in His hands is an all-powerful, all loving God and He is watching over each one of us oh, so special! Find rest in His loving care for you, saint! He’s got us and we win in life! Keep trusting in Him! Here is a song for us to reflect upon as we ponder His great love and care for us! Love to you, wherever you are! Your safe with Jesus who is working nothing but good for you – keep seeking Him and keep trusting in Him!

“In the Name of Jesus”

Do you ever wonder how sayings get started that get repeated and repeated  again and again – like for Heaven’s sake, for Pete’s sake, I’m finer than frog’s hair, don’t let the tail wag the dog, that’s the cat’s meow, I’m like a fish out of water or a chicken with its head cut off. I don’t know who started them and who picked up on them and who keeps them going, but they are a going around that is for sure! They make me smile! Some statements are just worth hanging on to as they speak volumes in few words. Here is a Bible saying that holds lots of insight to a life also:

“And whatever you do, whether in Word or deed, do it all “in the name of the Lord Jesus”, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

To say or do something in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do so with dependence on Him, with His authority and to act as His representative in the world. I soooo agree with all of that! Jesus is the reason behind all things and so should His name be kept in mind as we say and do life. Oh, apart from Him we would not even be, have, think or do anything! Oh, for the love of Jesus! Just saying! He is the reason I’m a going in all of life and His message of love and grace and victory is a message that everybody should hear and as our Father’s ambassadors, what great opportunity do we have to shine that love and grace and victory in the name of the Lord Jesus! Oh, that His name may be praised by all! This little song here has me clapping and dancing my feet about in excitement for the name of Jesus! “In the name of the Lord Jesus,” “praise the Lord!!!!”

Colossians 3:17

More Jesus

Jesus IS love. Let’s face it – the world at times can be a brutal place with criticism and cruelty pointing into the lives of everybody. It makes sense because thanks to that devil dude, we have an imperfect world until such time our Father takes us to heaven. He wants to take as many people there as He can! Man, that is going to be one great big party of celebration when we all get there! Yippee!!! Until then, there is lots of great stuff happening where we are! Even Jesus who was perfect  had to live with the imperfections of the world, even though He being God become a man was without sin. He was crucified on a cross by this world! Yikes! But we know that our Father worked through that difficulty for the good and we all, even Jesus, had the victory through it! He’s still alive and seated in heaven at the right hand of His Father and His Spirit landed smack into our hearts to journey this life with us! Wow! Now that was victory lickety-split! Our Father licked Satan’s power over sin and death and enabled Jesus to split from death to new life – all in God’s perfect timing with not a second too soon! Whew! That was close, wasn’t it! So living in this world with its difficulties that we all deal with, isn’t it nice to have a reminder that in the eyes of Jesus we are loved unconditionally and with unfailing love and through our faith in Him, He sees us as holy and without accusation! He tells us there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Now how refreshing is that to our hearts that just want to be loved and believed in! Woohoo! It makes me smile and gives me all kinds of YESSSSSSS! My Father believes in me and you as something special and capable of being world changers in good ways! He believes in you and me as His kids to step out into this world and represent Him in the world and He has equipped each one of us in all the right ways, with our own unique ways to do so! Now how awesome are you and me? The answer is “divinely so!” So, let’s step into the world with confidence! You’ve got it baby!!!!! Go get life for Jesus!!! I’m a gal going with ya for our King because what this world needs is more Jesus love!

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3; Genesis 3; The Book of John; Romans 8:1, 28-29; 1 John 4:8

Lovin’ On Ya!

Hi, saints! Do you ever take the time to love on yourself? What? Some of ya may be thinking “that sounds selfish, Sheila,” but our Father has a perspective that thinks loving on yerself in the right ways is healthy! One of those ways is found in His “proverbial wisdom” in Proverbs 19:8 when He says:

“The person who gets wisdom loves their own soul; He who cherishes understanding prospers.”

In keeping in context, this wisdom spoken of here would be seeking Godly wisdom! Ya have to take our Father’s Word (the Bible) as a whole into context and therefore, we know that ungodly wisdom isn’t something to seek after if ya wanna love on yerself!  Oh, I soooo wanna see us all prosper as His kids, so I’m a gal seeking to study my Father’s Word and know that His wisdom and understanding reassures us all that through Jesus, we already have the victory!!! Done prospered through Him! Lots of good food to ponder in that thought!  Love you! I’m a gal seeking to love me in healthy ways, too! Going for the best to understand life as our Father shows us! His heart is for us to prosper in life through Him! Now how sweet is He! Glad He shares His heart with us for our well being, aren’t you? We have a Father who loves us much! Blessed are we!

Forever Ours

It sure puts a great big grin on my face today as I reflect upon what my Father has shared with me today as I looked into His love letter to us (the Bible). His Word that reveals His promises to us as His kids brings such joy and peace to life.  I love His Words spoken here:

“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.”

Psalm 119:111

Let’s zoom in on these words – our Father’s statutes, His Word that gives us His promises of hope and a good future that give us a secure life with Him are our heritage forever! Yippee! A heritage is something that is give to someone by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion. Upon faith in Christ Jesus, we are born again as children of God, heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus. So all that our Father promises us in His sweet Words to us are ours forever more. We can forever be secure in Him. Now how wonderful is that, beloved saints! Oh, it just fills my heart with great joy, just like the Psalmist knew back in his day! What was true of Jesus back then is true today and true for each of our tomorrows forever. Now how victorious is that! Oh, we win, win, win forever! Happy, happy, happy!!! Hope u’s happy, too!

Happy kids with happy Father – makes me happy!

Glad Tidings

Rejoice in Jesus with us, family! Jesus is good news in today’s world! Oh, He has made me glad!!! It is interesting how sometimes people can look at God and say I don’t want anything to do with Him because He takes away my life. Oh, the opposite is soooo true!  Jesus is the giver of life and His ministry on earth is described in the Bible this way:

“…He went into every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God.”

Here are some of the glad tidings He has told us in His Word:

• Whoever believes in Him as their Savior from sin and death will have forever life in the Kingdom of God where life is bliss and We will dwell with God who IS love!
• that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• We are loved with unfailing, unconditional love through our faith in Him.
•  He has good plans for our lives – plans to give us hope and a future.
• He wants to be our best friend in all of life.
•  Each one of us are amazingly wonderfully created and equipped in life to make a difference in this world to help others.
• He will never leave us nor forsake us and He lives in the hearts of all who believe in Him
• He works all things for the good of those who are called according to His purpose
• He wants the best in life for us
• We can cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us
• He prays perfect prayers for us with God’s will in mind who IS love and all wise
• He says He will strengthen us and help us have victory over the enemy of this world – Satan
• He has given us His written Word with His wisdom in it to help us make wise choices in life.
• He has victory over Satan and is not slow in taking us to heaven, but wants as many as possible to join Him there so He desires we let others know about the “glad tidings of His Kingdom” as well.

Yaahoo!!! The good news of our Father’s Kingdom – oh, it just makes me smile and I’m a gal that wants to share gladness with the world, too, ‘cuz He is the best news of today! Here is a song that just has me kicking up my heels in rejoicing over our King today! I hope you have a “glad tidings’ day where you are, too! You are loved!!! Me, too! Yea!!!! Good News!!!

Luke 8:1