I'm praying about some different things I have on my heart and thoughts that have popped into my head to do with this blog. I want so much to encourage all of you as you hunger and thirst after the only One who can truly satisfy you - the Lord Jesus Christ. But before I do anything, I am in much prayer about this and would appreciate your prayers as well.

I want everything I have and everything I do to represent Christ and Christ alone. I want nothing more than for the brilliance of His beauty to emanate through all He has given me. And I want to honor the "mission" He's given me for my life; which is the same mission for this blog.

So while I'm in this time of prayer, I thought it would be good to share a couple of personal journal entries with you, as this is the direction I am sensing the Lord leading me with regards to this blog. I know He wants me to get more personal, but what I don't know yet is how that will look and how it will all play out.

Thank You Father for Your love! Thank You for Jesus. Thank You for teaching all of us, caring for us and disciplining us. I love You Father. I lift up my thoughts and prayers in the holy name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

I wrote the following entry after I read what Jesus said in John 15:10-11. In this passage, Jesus explains to us what His delight; His joy is - to keep the commandments of our Father God. And He shares how His desire is for us to have this same joy, this same delight. I then read Psalm 37:4 to confirm that Jesus' joy came from complete and total obedience to God the Father out of love and not out of duty. Then I came upon Psalm 40:8 which brought the first two passages together, as I continued to search God's word to help me live in the joy, the delight of my Master and Lord, Jesus the Christ.

As I read God's word, I was very disappointed to find out that my delight was not in obedience, but only in receiving blessings. From my broken heart, I wrote the following entry:

So Father, when do I "delight" to do Your will? It seems it is only when Your will is easy for me. But when You challenge me, when You grow me, I feel stumped. I lose my footing and become totally unfocused. Why? Why does this happen to me?

Because I do not lean on Your understanding and Your ways, but my own, I become discouraged and confused; frustrated and floundering.

But You Father, my God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, You alone, make my paths straight. Teach me, lead me, make me the woman You have planned for me to be. Let me put off my old ways. Let me not dam up the stream of Your Living Water. Let me have no walls, obstacles or stumbling blocks that might impede the work You have set before me.

I want to "delight" in pleasing You. I want all my joy to be set on You. I want You to be the sole foundation, sole purpose of my being. I want every part of me, to be of You...and You alone.

Praise be to You Father. Oh sweet Abba Father in Heaven! Praise Your holy Name! Thank You for Jesus!

And what about you? Have you every only delighted in God when you were blessed and not when He challenged you to grow in your faith? What is your hearts cry to God right now? How do you want to live each day? And what do you want your days to be filled with?

I pray that somehow, God will use this to bless, encourage, and exhort you to be all that only Christ can form within you.

This is a music video of Casting Crowns' song, While You Were Sleeping. It is only five minutes long. Please take the time to listen, with an open heart and open hands to receive all that God chooses to give you.

May we be led into repentance as we encourage others to do the same. And should our Bridegroom return soon, may He not find any of us "sleeping", but awake and alert; always prepared to do His will¹ and offer to Him, our abandoned love.

And what about you dear brothers and sisters? Will you watch for our Lord Jesus Christ with me? Will you commit to pray for yourselves and for others to abide in Christ alone? When He comes, will He find us faithful? I pray that He does.

Regardless of who you voted for, as Christians we have the privilege to honor our Lord God, not only with our lips, but with our abandoned hearts, to pray for our new President God raised up - and allowed to take office.

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him."
~ Daniel 2:20-22

God's word does not return to Him void, but surely accomplishes the purpose in which He sent it. And we trust in the LORD God Almighty; not in personal comforts, fears, anger, disappointment or the opinions of men.

But in all things, as children of the Most High God, we are confident, no matter our circumstances, for our lives are not held by the decisions of mere men, but only by the good and sovereign will of the Lord of Hosts.

"Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before You!
Put them in fear, O LORD!
Let the nations know that they are but men!"
~ Psalm 9:19-20
(emphasis added)

Therefore, we ought to restrain ourselves from slander or any other form of malice regarding our new President, Barak Obama. And we must commit to pray for him. Pray for the salvation and protection of him and his entire family. Pray for God to give him wisdom to lead this great nation. And pray that every believer in Christ, take more seriously and appreciate more deeply the freedoms we have to worship our King Jesus.

Remember dear brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, why we are here. We are visitors, sojourners; not permanent citizens of this world. We are not here to become so passionate about all that is temporary. But instead, we are to strive for that which is eternal - salvation in Christ Jesus; and sharing our hope in Him with the world.

With this in mind, will you join me in prayer for our new President and not against him?


For more inspiration from God's word today, please join me at:

Hello my beautiful sister in the Lord Jesus Christ!

I wanted to remind everyone to vote your faith today. Vote based on your love and devotion for Christ, our Savior and not based on fear, personal comforts or the opinions of man - from the world, or even from well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ. Search God's word, and seek His counsel as you would do with anything else in your life. Then rest in peace, trusting that God will never forsake His children.

Please do not neglect your Christian duty to vote. It's better to be an absentee voter than to not vote at all. And please remember to keep everyone in your prayers today....you are all in mine! :-)

Now about absentee visitors. Unfortunately, I am not able to visit with you today, as I am compelled to live what I teach. :-) Therefore, I thought it would be good to refer you to some articles that I've already written in order to encourage you through various trials you may be enduring at the moment.

So today, I will be an "absentee visitor". While I may not be blogging today, my heart and prayers are with you all and in a sense I am still "visiting" with you in the best place possible....in Christ! :-)

If you or anyone you know is/are struggling, suffering or wondering how to discern between Satan's guilt and the Holy Spirit's conviction, please read:
The Difference Between Guilt and Conviction

For encouragement to no longer remain a victim of your circumstances or Satan's wicked schemes, please read:
Victors Not Victims


If you're battling with unforgiveness, and you're ready to win the battle in the Name of Jesus, then please read:
When and How to Forgive

Do you want to have Heaven's view of how the attitudes of our hearts ought look like, in our average day-to-day activities? If so, please read this excerpt from Max Lucado:
Each Day....

To understand how God loves us (with agape love) and how to extend this pure and beautiful gift of love from our awesome Father God to anyone around us, please read:
Freedom to Love


If you want to see an example of me oozing with joy and thanksgiving to God during one of my recent surgeries, then please read:
No Greater Joy


Do you ever wonder if Christians ought to be completely sinless? If so, please read:
Christians Sin Less

To read about why God saves us and how He expects us to see ourselves and others, please read:
Not Merely a Better Me

And last, but not least. For those of you who are struggling with and tired of the cycle of mediocre living, please read:
Mediocrity Starts With "Me"


I pray that today, that the LORD our God will direct all our hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness; the perseverance of Christ Jesus, our Master and Savior. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)