My Devotion Today
I use two daily devotionals. One is a book called "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence" by Sarah Young (Link to Info) and the other is an email I get from Proverbs 31 Ministries (Link to Info). I highly recommend one or both.
God is currently working on my heart in some areas in my life. Well, he's always continuing to develop this broken vessel, but lately I've been feeling the growing pains of active molding and the spiritual warfare that comes with it. Now that I've recognized it, I'm trying to embrace the process rather than fight it. I'm reminded of the Rich Mullin's song lyric that says, "surrender don't come natural to me." Ha! Due to this, I was moved this morning when both of my daily devotionals spoke directly to me. I want to share them with you. I have no idea where you are at with God but I feel led to share this and pray it touches the life of whoever the intended reader may be.
Jesus Calling
by Sarah Young
(emphasis hers)
Keep your focus on Me. I have gifted you with amazing freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind. Only the crown of My creation has such a remarkable capability; this is a sign of being made in my image.
Let the goal of this day be to bring every thought captive to Me. Whenever your mind wanders, lasso those thoughts and bring them into My Presence. In My radiant Light, anxious thoughts shrink and shrivel away. Judgmental thoughts are unmasked as you bask in My unconditional Love. Confused ideas are untangled while you rest in the simplicity of My Peace. I will guard you and keep you in constant Peace, as you focus your mind on Me.
Psalm 8:5: Genesis 1:26-27; 2 Corinthians 10:5 and Isaiah 26:3
Multi-tasking Mayhem
Proverbs 31 Ministries
by Karen Ehman
... (I'm taking out the first several paragraphs that set up the point for the sake of time/space)
It wasn't until later that night that it hit me. Yes, I may not try to dangerously multi-task when it comes to driving my car, thereby putting myself and others at risk of a collision. But in my day-to-day life? In my schedule? In my "sure-I-can-take-on-one-more-responsibility-so-everyone-will-like-me" way? Well, I sometimes dangerously multi-task to the point where I too am headed for a crash.
God nudged my heart a few years back, after dealing with some stress-related medical conditions that would not go away, that I needed to do a major plate scraping in my life. Taking on too many responsibilities, no matter how "good" they may be, can often render women ineffective for service to God. He knows our limits. He understands are capacities. He is willing, if we will ask Him, to help us navigate the waters of busyness and activity that often drown many a woman.
On one of my so-busy-I-couldn't-breathe days, I read today's verse. While I'm sure that the author David was talking about actual physical enemies -- men who could chase you, catch you and ultimately hurt you – I thought that day of busyness as the enemy. Too many activities and responsibilities outside of my four walls were abou t to do me in. They chased me, they cornered me and worst of all, they were about to go in for the kill.
Thankfully, God rescued me from the barren life of busyness. And He can do the same for you. He's longing for us to hold our too-full plates up to Him, scrape off all the activities and responsibilities, and then, place back on our plates only the items HE longs for us to possess.
Then, we can create white space in our calendar and places of sweet respite in our days where we can connect with the God of the universe who is just waiting for us to slow down and sit still; to listen and learn from the very Creator of time itself.
~~
And finally, the lyrics I mentioned earlier:
Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down I'm falling on my knees.
~Hold Me Jesus by Rich Mullins
God is currently working on my heart in some areas in my life. Well, he's always continuing to develop this broken vessel, but lately I've been feeling the growing pains of active molding and the spiritual warfare that comes with it. Now that I've recognized it, I'm trying to embrace the process rather than fight it. I'm reminded of the Rich Mullin's song lyric that says, "surrender don't come natural to me." Ha! Due to this, I was moved this morning when both of my daily devotionals spoke directly to me. I want to share them with you. I have no idea where you are at with God but I feel led to share this and pray it touches the life of whoever the intended reader may be.
Jesus Calling
by Sarah Young
(emphasis hers)
Keep your focus on Me. I have gifted you with amazing freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind. Only the crown of My creation has such a remarkable capability; this is a sign of being made in my image.
Let the goal of this day be to bring every thought captive to Me. Whenever your mind wanders, lasso those thoughts and bring them into My Presence. In My radiant Light, anxious thoughts shrink and shrivel away. Judgmental thoughts are unmasked as you bask in My unconditional Love. Confused ideas are untangled while you rest in the simplicity of My Peace. I will guard you and keep you in constant Peace, as you focus your mind on Me.
Psalm 8:5: Genesis 1:26-27; 2 Corinthians 10:5 and Isaiah 26:3
Multi-tasking Mayhem
Proverbs 31 Ministries
by Karen Ehman
... (I'm taking out the first several paragraphs that set up the point for the sake of time/space)
It wasn't until later that night that it hit me. Yes, I may not try to dangerously multi-task when it comes to driving my car, thereby putting myself and others at risk of a collision. But in my day-to-day life? In my schedule? In my "sure-I-can-take-on-one-more-
God nudged my heart a few years back, after dealing with some stress-related medical conditions that would not go away, that I needed to do a major plate scraping in my life. Taking on too many responsibilities, no matter how "good" they may be, can often render women ineffective for service to God. He knows our limits. He understands are capacities. He is willing, if we will ask Him, to help us navigate the waters of busyness and activity that often drown many a woman.
On one of my so-busy-I-couldn't-breathe days, I read today's verse. While I'm sure that the author David was talking about actual physical enemies -- men who could chase you, catch you and ultimately hurt you – I thought that day of busyness as the enemy. Too many activities and responsibilities outside of my four walls were abou t to do me in. They chased me, they cornered me and worst of all, they were about to go in for the kill.
Thankfully, God rescued me from the barren life of busyness. And He can do the same for you. He's longing for us to hold our too-full plates up to Him, scrape off all the activities and responsibilities, and then, place back on our plates only the items HE longs for us to possess.
Then, we can create white space in our calendar and places of sweet respite in our days where we can connect with the God of the universe who is just waiting for us to slow down and sit still; to listen and learn from the very Creator of time itself.
~~
And finally, the lyrics I mentioned earlier:
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down I'm falling on my knees.
~Hold Me Jesus by Rich Mullins
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