Mindful Monday Devotional -Don’t Neglect the Eternal!

Mindful monday devotional - Dont neglect the eternal

We’re all so busy with the rush of daily life.  Get the kids off to school, get the house clean, go to your meeting, doctor’s appointment, get home in time to take the husband’s suit to the dry cleaners but make sure to be home before the school bus does, to get the kids off the bus.  Get the kids happy and settled and start dinner.  Serve dinner, get everyone happy and collapse on the couch for an hour exhausted, get the kids to bed and go to bed yourself.  Rinse and repeat 🙂

Even those of us who are planners and bullet journalers. We make sure to get everyone’s appointments down on our calendar.  We write down the days we need to do certain chores to keep up on it all so it doesn’t build up and come crashing down around us (because most of us know that if we don’t do it, it won’t get done, right?)

But as today’s devotional reminds us:  Don’t neglect the eternal!

In all your planning, make sure you pencil in some time for the Lord. If you don’t put Him first, nothing else will fall into place in any kind of effective way.  If if falls together physically, often we are left empty and exhausted and our spiritual and mental health suffers as a result.

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Scripture Writing Plan for September 2017

 

Wow, did August fly right by, or what?  Barely over a week from now it’s September already!  Well for those of us who journal and/or plan,  I know we like to prep our pages ahead of time for the month that’s coming up.  So, here I offer to you our scripture writing plan for September. My Facebook group, Christian Planner Journal and Craft Fellowship and I enjoy doing it together and discussing it each month.  I hope you enjoy these monthly scripture writing plans and use them to grow closer to our Lord as a result! I’d love to hear from those who are using it in the comments below!

Click on the image below to pull up the full-sized PDF file for printing –>

September 2017 Scripture Writing Plan

End of the Age Prophecy Updates for 8/20/17

It’s the day after the Great American Eclipse and we are all still here 🙂 Life has gone on as it has and we are still awaiting the return of the King of kings!  See my post about the eclipse here.  So what do we prophecy watchers do now?  Continue to watch! It hasn’t happened yet, but we are assured by the Bible that it WILL happen!

 

Pastor J.D. Farag:

 

(Pastor J.D.’s Video List Here)

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Free Printable – Proverbs 31 Monthly Tracker

Hi everyone! Well it looks like we all survived the eclipse; and as far as I know, we are all still here 🙂

It’s been a while since I shared a printable, so today I am sharing for us all, my newly created Proverbs 31 Woman Monthly Tracker for our bullet journals (or regular journals or planners).  It’s sized to fit an A5-journal (8″ x 5.5″).  I will share the pdf, then under that will be a short tutorial for how I’m planning to use mine.  So let’s get right to it 🙂

This is an update from my weekly tracker and last-minute attempt to turn that one into a monthly. You can get the weekly from that post here.

Click on the thumbnail here to pull up the full-sized pdf file to print –>

Proverbs 31 woman tracker

Now that you have the file, I suggest you Continue reading

Mindful Monday Devotional – Back to Life!

Mindful Monday Devotional -Back to Life

This week I would like to contemplate the phrase, “Back to Life”.  What does that mean when we consider that phrase?  Most of us Christians would first think about Jesus’ death and resurrection, of course.  Aside from that, what does it stir up in your spirit?

For me, I’m digging my way back to life after a season of deep depression.  It all started with entering menopause at the same time we lost the house we had built and brought our son into the world in.  An extremely hurting ending to a 10-year ministry and fellowship with a large women’s Bible study group happened about that same time as well and we moved back to my hometown to be near my mother who had to enter a nursing home having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  Being an autism mom and daughter of an Alzheimer’s mother has taken its toll.  I try to stay close to the Lord and having the commitment of reading the Bible to my son every night as he falls to sleep keeps me in the Word.

I encourage you to find a way to be accountable to read the Bible daily!

I read this devotional during my evening devotional readings on You Version after my regular read-through-the-Bible in a year plan during which my sweet son fell sleep with his head on my shoulder.  It touched my spirit and I hope it does yours as well! —>

 

        Back To Life

        Devotional by Mandisa

I have read, meditated on, and heard messages on Ezekiel 37, the valley of dry bones, for as long as I can remember. It’s one of those passages that I’ve heard so many times, I wasn’t sure what else I could possibly get out of it! But after experiencing my own valley of dry bones, and inhabiting a pit of despair for several years, God has illuminated this familiar passage for me.

God very easily could have spoken to the dry bones Himself and seen them come to life. Instead, He commanded Ezekiel to listen to His words, then repeat them to the bones. It was only when Ezekiel obeyed and spoke life that the bones responded.

Similarly, I find that this is how God lifted me out of the dark. Rather than experiencing immediate deliverance, God lifted me out bit by bit, allowing me to learn valuable lessons in the process. He taught me how to prophesy His words over myself:

I breathed out shame, and breathed in grace
I breathed out fear, and breathed in peace
I breathed out weakness, and breathed in strength
This is not to say that I felt these things immediately. But in the beginning of this process, I knew I needed to do what Ezekiel did—prophesy God’s truth over what felt dead. As my friend TobyMac says, I needed to speak life!

I ended the deluxe edition of my ‘Out of the Dark’ album with a worship song that illustrates this process perfectly.

“Shame and depression And all anxieties They have no power over me Addiction and strongholds And every disease They have no power over me”

Even as I recorded those words, I felt shame. But as I repeated those words over and over, the shame lifted. Sometimes our behavior follows our acts of faith. For reasons we may not fully understand, there is great power in God’s Word, and in worship. When I least feel like opening my mouth to praise or proclaim Truth is when it is most important for me to do so. By magnifying Jesus, our circumstances grow smaller in comparison. In those moments when we feel like all signs of life are gone, proclaim the breath of heaven into that situation, and watch God bring those dry bones back to life.

Mandisa Out of the Dark

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21 ESV

You can check out Mandisa’s “Out of the Dark” CD here –>

Out Of The Dark

The Rapture MIGHT Happen Monday During the Eclipse (smile)

The Rapture MIGHT happen Monday during the eclipse!  Don’t sneer –it just MIGHT 🙂

It might happen in my next breath. It might happen Tuesday or in September or two Septembers from now.  The point is, it could happen ANY time.  BE and STAY ready!

The Rapture MIGHT Happen Monday

Just my two cents for those concerned that the Rapture will occur on Monday, during the eclipse:

We need to live every day as if Christ is returning that very day. No day should be less important to us than the one we are in right now. We are to watch, It could happen today or any day, but we cannot know the very day and hour. God gave us all the prophecy we need in the Bible. Any extra-Biblical prophecy isn’t necessary. He gave us enough.  The point is:  BE Ready!! STAY Ready!!

We can’t know WHEN EXACTLY it will happen, but it will happen! Be ready each and every day as if it will happen this very day because it just might!

It’s awesome to watch (Jesus told us to!!) BUT don’t pronounce that any given day will be THE day it will happen.  Why?  If the day you expect it to occur doesn’t happen, you will become discouraged (exactly what the enemy wants) and you will give the world a very bad testimony of Christians (again -the goal of the enemy).  It’s enough that some unbelievers joke that those of us who believe in Bible prophecy are “tin-hat wearing” paranoid people (and worse). Don’t give them the ammunition!

  1.  Make sure you are ready to meet the Lord every day.
  2.  Make sure those around know have heard the gospel (good news)
  3.  Be loving and wise to have a good testimony to all.

 

We can’t know the DAY and the HOUR:

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” –Mark 13:32-33

 

Still we will know the SEASON, otherwise Jesus would not have told us to WATCH:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” –Matt. 24:42

 

We will not be in darkness referring to the Day of the Lord:

 “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.”

–1 Thes 5:1-4

Mindful Monday “In Awe of Love”

Mindful Monday devotional - In Awe of Love

While reading this devotional the other night, in my YouVersion app, this one really struck home.  At first because of the story of Rich Mullins and his “Ragamuffin band“.  I’ve loved Rich’s music  for a long time and I came to appreciate his story so much when I saw the movie about his life, Ragamuffin.

I bought the DVD 3-4 years ago and when I first watched it, I cried like a baby.  Not only for my compassion for his relationship with he and his father, but because of how parallel it was to my own relationship with my father.  I watched part of it again last night on YouTube while preparing for this post and was on the verge of tears again when I closed it.  That heart break never goes away even though I made peace with my father before he went on to be with the Lord in 1997.  It stays with you.

I was a victim of severe bullying as child.  Not only at school (thought that was really bad) but also at home. I taught a Bible study on this and shared my testimony regarding it for my Bible study group and posted it on my YouTube Channel in hopes of it ministering to others.  It’s so much more rampant today than it was when I was a child in the 70’s and 80’s and I can’t image it being worse than it was for me, but at the same time I’m so grateful to not have to contend with cyber-bulling the kids have to endure today.

I share that to say this:  The worst part of my bullying was the divide it placed between me and my heavenly father.  It was really difficult to view my heavenly Father as a loving, giving, compassionate father, when the other father figure I’d ever know, my earthly father, was irate, berating, screaming and shaming.  Now I see that my dad was a victim of sin as we all are, and that Jesus died for him just like he did me.  My father died with us both loving each other very much.  Thank you, Lord!  However…those scars remain and those old tapes continue to play in my view of God no matter how much I fight it and stay in the Word and read the truth.  I’ve come to understand that it’s a prime weapon of the enemy to discourage me in my faith.  The thing I look forward to the most is meeting my Savior face to face and feel His arms of love around me, never again to struggle with the old tapes again.

Having said that…this week’s devotional:

 

 

In Awe of Love

Creation discloses a power that baffles our minds and beggars our speech. We are enamored and enchanted by God’s power. We stutter and stammer about God’s holiness. We tremble before God’s majesty…and yet we grow squeamish and skittish before God’s love.

 

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End of the Age Prophecy Updates for 8/13/17

End of the Age Updates for 8-13-17

Hello everyone 🙂  Is everyone else getting ready for back to school or are your kiddos already back in school?  This coming week is the last week of summer break for my son.  It’s a financially tight summer for us or we’d go and do something special.  My son is looking forward to school though. He can’t speak words (till the Lord’s timing…) but when I mention school he lights up.  When I ask him if he likes school he does his cute nodding he’s developed these past few years 🙂  He may have autism, but he is smart and bright and very present. I couldn’t ask for a better-behaved and sweeter child if I wanted to. He is so good and sweet and loving.

In light of all the world news and the scare we all feel (and fight to not feel), I’m trying to cling to my faith and the blessings the Lord has given me like the gift of my son.

How do you cope?

 

Pastor J.D. Farag:

(Pastor J.D.’s Video List Here)

 

Amir Tsarfati:

(AMIR’S VIDEO LIST HERE)  (Amir’s Facebook here)

(Amir’s blog here)

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Mindful Monday Devotional – Feeling Anxious

Mindful Monday - Fighting Anxiety

This week we’re talking about a topic that most of us know really well:  Anxiety.  So many of us seems to fight it on a daily basis.  If not, we give in and let it overwhelm us while we climb under the covers and hope it will go away.

I’m definitely a resident of Anxiety Avenue. I was bullied badly as a child and young adult (a post to come about that soon) both at home and at school.  Most recently, in the past 12 years:  my then-baby son was diagnosed with autism, my husband had a heart attack, he went into kidney failure and endured 5 1/2 years of dialysis, had a kidney transplant, years of therapies for my son (who is 14 years now and still non-verbal but sweet and smart and very present.  After two years of fighting tooth and nail, we lost the house we built and lived in for 12 1/2 years, moved back to my home town to be close to my mom who had to be put in a nursing home suffering with alzheimers.

I’m very acquainted with the beast of anxiety 🙂  I’ve come a long way and continue to be taught that God knows best and will guide us through the times of life that feel like our heart will be ripped out of our chest.  It didn’t take Him by surprise, and He will bring us out the other side and we will look back and be thankful for the things we learn through it that we could never learn any other way.  That’s a lesson we take with us into eternity and for that much, we can be thankful.

I hope this week’s devotional will minister to you and I both!

From the devotional, “Healing Negative Emotions“, by Kimberly Taylor in her book, “Take Back Your Temple”:

 

Feeling Anxious

When I read the 23rd Psalm, I am taken to a place of tranquility and peace instantly. My anxious thoughts quiet down at just the first sentence: “The Lord is my Shepherd.” I love the image of God being my Keeper, Protector, and Deliverer. I am not alone. I have His Presence with me at every hour of the day.

Have confidence that the Lord makes you to lie down in green pastures, which means that He is taking you to a place of rest and stillness in Him: “Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).”

If you are always running around and don’t have quiet time with the Lord, then how can you receive restoration in your mind, will, and emotions? Modern life can drain you dry if you let it. That is why so many people are emotional wrecks. They are running on empty. But God promises to restore us.

Once you receive rest and restoration in the Lord, then you can walk with Him as He leads you in paths of righteousness. He shows you how to think right, believe right, and live right.

Even though your circumstances may make you feel like you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, you will not fear because you know the Lord is with you. God’s goodness toward you will be so visible that even your enemies will see His handiwork upon your life. They will see God’s grace abounding toward you.

What is God’s grace? Grace is everything God is and God has made available to you. In old movies about royalty, you see people addressing the King or Queen as “Your Grace” as they bow down. Jesus is “Your Grace.” He gave His very life for you. In Him, you have a new identity as the beloved of God.

In Jesus, you have forgiveness of sin and victory over sin. In Him, you have peace and joy because He left you with both. In Him, you have love and with His love, you are empowered to love your neighbor as yourself. When you consider this, then you see that material things cannot compare with the riches of His grace! Because Jesus is your Shepherd, then you indeed shall not want when you meditate on all you have in Him.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23:1‭-‬6 ESV

You can read this reading plan on YouVersion –>

Fighting Anxiety Devotional