Happy Monday!

So, in obedience to what God has revealed over the weekend, we are going to take each of the five ways to live in victory that He has shown, and go over each one slowly. We will dissect each direction with The Spirit, one way per week, for five weeks.

Friends, I have no idea what He is going to say. We will learn together. Let’s pick up the diamond of this truth and hold it up to The Light. When we turn it this way and that, we can see many facets.

The Spirit said, “Receive God’s Love and Company.” Today let’s put the facet of the first two words up to The Light and look at the colors there.

Receive. Receive – (verb) – be given, presented with. God has given you a new day. Your every breath comes from Him. He has presented to you a new 24 hours and has allowed you to be in charge of what you do with it. This is a load of power that we don’t usually perceive in full. We get to choose our course (we aren’t His robots) and He guides us along as we go.

Receive God’s. Let’s look at God (singular) and God’s (possessive) because both of them are there.

Every morning, you have been presented with God. God Himself presents His Presence to you as you wake up. I suddenly see it! His Presence is in His Presents! Vice-versa… His Presents are in His Presence. Do you see it? YAY, GOD! I love that! Thank you, Lord! Oh, He knows just how to say things….yay!

He is with you in full. He is All-In-All. His being with you (Presence) is a gift (a Present) because He is The Gift. And in Him all things tie together. Jesus our Lord stands by your bed every morning!

 ^“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”   Colossians 1:15-20

In order to receive a gift you have to actually open it. I may give you something, but until you open it you haven’t truly received it. Have you been ignoring God in the morning? He is there with you and is your GIFT. Have you passed Him by, in order to do something else? I do this sometimes, I am sorry to say. And when I don’t sit at His Feet in the morning, it is obvious in the way that I think, speak, and act. Listen! Being with God in the morning is vital to mental healing.

Open up the Gift Of God’s Presence (and Presents) every morning. Receive God. Receive God’s. Run to Him first thing in the morning. In order for you to be healed on a daily basis, your daily foundation must be The Living Foundation.

Specifics: Find a spot where you won’t be distracted once you’re up and about. Whether you sit with The Spirit before or after breakfast is up to you and Him. Your choice. No phone, no electronics, nobody else, just you and The Spirit in silence.

Have your Bible nearby if you’d like…but don’t open it until He says to do so. That one is kind of shocking. Right now you’re not doing Bible Study, you are talking to The Author. The Spirit will tell you if and when to open it.

Oh God, Your Presence and Presents are Awesome! So are YOU!

May God bless and keep you until we are together on Wednesday…

Hi Precious Friends,

Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays are my days to post. On Friday, I was going here and yon and life got in the way of my posting. This morning, my intent was to post and again, life got in the way. It is my deepest desire to be obedient and move with Christ. Mania gets in the way of things and the next thing I know, I am painting the house! (Not really, but you know what I mean…)

God sent Julie, His beautiful daughter who sparkles. A sweet note to encourage the things of The Spirit and there you go…our God truly dots every “i” and crosses every “t”. Thank you, God! Thank you, Julie.

All of this is to say that it’s okay to fall down. You know what? We aren’t going to be perfect right out of the gate. We have it on Good Authority (remember that God will never lie) that it’s the relationship that He desires. He wants your heart, your company, your love…in fact, loving Him back is a natural response, given that Christ died for us.

These things happened to remind all of us that the point is the upward trend. As you go forward, every day will still be different, even though being at home right now, every day seems to be the same.

It takes time to do each of the things that I’ve written about. 

Getting up and giving God your full attention, going for light, making a schedule, being still, and speaking truth will not happen overnight. It takes time to do these things. Writing them only takes a little while but doing them takes a long time.

So for now, let’s slowly digest those things that God has given to us already. Right now, there’s time to respond to The Father. Being at home, even if you’re working from home, there is more time to work on these things. God allowed this virus and it can be a blessing. If you allow The Spirit to work within you a new way of living in response to God drawing you close, this can be the best time of your life!

Shall we all allow The Spirit to s-l-o-w-l-y work these truths in us? Cause if you’re like me, you find that it’s e-a-s-y to feel like a failure if you set yourself up for perfection at the start. I don’t know, I think that if I don’t get it absolutely right (especially typing out to everyone what I hear in my heart from The Spirit) well, I am an utter fraud. Those thoughts are from the enemy. God never calls us names. Ever.

Let’s agree to work hard to get better and better as we go through this together. You will fall down, you will forget things, you will purposely be disobedient because you don’t feel like doing what you’re supposed to do, and it may seem as though you’re going backward instead of forward.

Never fear, sweet friend…you are not retreating. You’re going forward, especially when you fail, because you’re learning. In order to learn, you have to mess up and see how to do things differently. Be kind to yourself. Do not fall into the guilt trap that Satan sets for you.

Through Moses, God told the Israelites, before they conquered the Promised Land, “The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.” Deuteronomy 7:22.

Take comfort in that verse. One thing at a time, one day at a time…little by little. Life happens and each one of us has different “wild animals (that) multiply”. The wild animals in your life could include something like perfectionism, arrogance, pride, or confusion.

Mania is running it’s course over here…and has been for months. I have been “up” for a very long time and it’s okay. I am okay. You are okay. So you’re house-bound for awhile…well, you’re going to come out of this thing stronger than ever because Jesus is going to do a mighty work in you! When you fall, He is there immediately to pick you up. Remember how fast He came to Peter when they were walking on water and Peter began to drown?

He is there faster then lickety-split when you need Him. Let Him help you up. May God grant you rest, joy, and peace as you fall into His Arms, you wonderful, amazing, imperfect child of The King.

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:1-3

We’ll meet again (God willing and helping me) on Monday! Some time during the day, I will post. Stay safe, wash your hands, and allow God to wash your heart!

Hello Friend, Happy Wednesday.

How are you doing today? Have you sat at the Feet of your Lord today, receiving His Love and Company? Most importantly, are you living out Psalm 46:10? Are the curtains opened and is light pouring into the room?

You can do this, dear friend!! You can do it! If Jesus is your Lord and Savior you have Him to give you the power. Don’t stop, don’t ever stop walking with Him. He has something sweet in mind for you and Him. Sweet. There is joy. Joy in the light, joy in the dark, joy in life…keep walking.

I hope that you have made a schedule of sorts for your everyday living at home. It’s important to have a schedule in order to keep things orderly. God is a God of order. Our minds work better when there is order to our day. It’s hard being at home when you’re not used to it. It’s kind of like a vacation, because if you’re out of the house most days at work, you’re only home all day on weekends, holidays, and vacations. It’s easy to get into the mindset of those things during this pandemic.

Mental issues are worse when there is no schedule. It’s important to make one. God will help you tweak it as you begin to live out what you write down. Order is a good thing, and that God Himself is orderly is proof!

So now you’re waking up with Jesus, allowing light into your soul and your house, and working on having a good schedule. What is next?

How are you speaking to yourself? We have one weapon, the sword of The Spirit, the word of God. God’s living Word, our Lord Jesus, embodies all that we need and is our Helper in time of need. He has given us His Spirit, full of power, and The Spirit has given us a weapon…His word. So we have the Living Word — and the spoken word.

There is power from God in your tongue. Power to dispel hell. Power to make demonic forces run. Now here’s the rub: do you believe this and are you willing to use this power? Or sit in your prison cell?

Speak truth! The enemy cannot read your mind. Only the Triune God can read your mind. You have to speak to the enemy and tell him to leave. Remember that during His temptation, Christ used the word of God to refute the enemy. If Jesus Christ Himself used this, now would it make all the sense in the world for you and I to do the same?

Jesus is your True! Are you satisfied being half-way to healing? Do you want to be healed? Next to focusing on Christ, His every word and direction, your speech is paramount to your healing. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7…so how are you thinking?

Christ says that you are righteous, worthy, and loved. If you’re hearing something else, it is NOT from Him! Christ can not lie to you, lying isn’t Holy – Christ is Holy. If you’re hearing junk about yourself, then use your weapon, friend, and get rid of the enemy. Go all the way with Him, and use the weapon already in your hand. It is important, and important enough for Jesus to use during His temptation. Speak! Speak! Speak!

Here are some good examples to begin with…say these out loud! 

“With God we (I) will gain the victory, and He will trample down our (my) enemies.” Psalm 60:2

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves, rests between His Shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” Ephesians 1:4

“Because of the LORD’s great love, I am not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22

“In repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength. Whether I turn to the right or to the left, my ears will hear a voice behind me saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.'” Isaiah 30: 21

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

“…Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

“Set your hearts on things above. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1b,2

“Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” Proverbs 14:26

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Well, that ought to get you started. Sit down with your Bible and ask The Spirit to show you more. Learn to use your Bible to research and find what you need. In God’s word you will find diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and every jewel we don’t know exists. Both Old and New Testaments are full of God’s Glory!

Now go forth today — and SPEAK! God bless your tongue as you go…

Happy Monday to you. Today I’m led to share with you what God keeps saying to me, and this word is coming from everywhere. He will not let up on this. It’s something He’s already said to us. There’s something very, very powerful about what is going on right now in the earth. God has allowed this virus to occur for deeper things. Christ specializes in making roses grow from ashes.

What I am hearing from The Spirit’s dictation is to not move so quickly in His directions that we take these things He gives us and use them as a “quarantine checklist” of sorts. You know, checking off everything that He says to do…doing this, and that, and the other thing, and wow! I am full of joy all of a sudden! That isn’t how He works. HE is the destination, not the joy and peace, but the Source of the joy and peace.

We are seeking sweet relationship with Him, not the things He gives. He is The Point. The healing you need will come from Christ for sure. Go and be with Him. Here is what He will not stop saying: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10.) He has literally allowed most of the activity on earth to be stopped. Halted. Stilled. Something deeper is happening and His words to me for days have been from Psalm 46:10.

So for today our encouragement from His Spirit is to be still before Him. Abiding in Him is where you will find everything that you need and even more than you can imagine.

Did you write up a schedule for yourself? Does it include the first thing we learned? That thing about receiving God’s love and company the first thing every morning? Everything in your life hinges on your sitting with Him every day. I can’t stress enough how He is pointing to this again and again.

When the God Of The Universe says something once, it’s important, and we better listen up. When He repeats it over and over, pay even MORE attention! Something is up for sure. He desires your heart and your being with Him.

Sit with The Spirit after you read this, even if you already have sat with Him today, do it again. If you haven’t, go and do it now. Be still, be quiet – don’t talk, just think about Him (He will help you) and let’s see where He is going with all of this. To repeat, something deeper is going on than this virus and He wants you to be a part of a beautiful work. In the middle of the dark, His light shines. Allow His light to shine both in and on you today.

Talk to you on Wednesday. Now go and do Psalm 46:10.

Happy Friday, dear friend!

You have now, I hope, pondered and practiced the importance of sitting with Christ every morning, allowing light into your soul, and are throwing the curtains open when you get up and allowing light to get into your body. You’re on the right track. Building on the proper foundation is key to living the Abundant Life in Christ.

When we build on the Foundation of Christ our Rock, and allow Him to light our soul, rains come down, floods come up – like this virus and staying home all the time – and our “house on the Rock” stands firm.

Now let’s build another layer onto what we have been given. To combat depression, it’s important to have a schedule of sorts during this time. For me, the days of the week are garbled and I don’t know Monday from Thursday. In fact, I have to remember that today is Friday. I was talking with a sister and we agreed that having those boards such as in hospital rooms that indicate the date, day of the week, and year would be good right now. 🙂 It’s just that with being at home every single day, with things not changing much, it’s hard to tell one day from the next.

So then, here is where we lay the bricks for layer two. In depression it’s textbook to stay in the bed, chair, or sofa for hours upon hours upon hours. Here is today’s word from your Lord.

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.^”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. JOHN 5:1-9

There you go. With the help of the Spirit, make a schedule. Write down on a card a general idea of what to do daily and when to do it. I understand that it is monumental getting out of the bed, chair, or sofa. I am in the same boat…this one is coming from a fellow-sufferer. Christ is here to help you get up and walk. The power is inside of you. AS you get up the power will kick in. THE POWER WILL NOT BE REVEALED UNTIL YOU CO-OPERATE WITH THE SPIRIT. That is in all-caps for a purpose. The Spirit moves “as” we obey.

“Do you want to get well?” Did you notice that the invalid offered an excuse? Are you offering excuses; do you really want to get out of this dark place? If not, why are you reading this post? You’ve been called here, and God entreats you to grow and be healed.

But know that God is not your genie. He set the rules and they are such that you have to co-operate with Him to grow. You must do your part. He will give you the power to do your part. Ask Him for His help and then move your legs and stand. Walk.

Please know that I suffer from scheduling problems. As I write I am laughing….ha ha — God is telling all of us. Am I writing to myself? 😀 Yes. I am with you, friend. Let’s ask God to give each one of us a schedule that He says is best, then write it down, and then follow it as best as we can. I am also a student in this time of quarantine.

Want proof? I am writing this after 12 Noon. It really should be available for everyone to read by 9 AM. I suffer with you.

Sit with The Spirit, ask Him for help, and then write down a schedule for yourself at home during this time. Do it. We can do this, everyone. In Christ we can do all things!

Rise up and walk! Get up! Talk to you Monday…

Hello, dear friends! I am strongly led to “dust off” the website, write words of encouragement, and share some tips that I have learned to help those who struggle mentally as we stay at home through the pandemic.

In addition to this new post, enjoy the other posts and short story on this site that I have written in the past. I incorrectly stopped writing, but I am drawn back by The Spirit who dots every “i” and crosses every “t”; somebody will get help through these things. God’s word never returns void.

How are you doing with staying home in this pandemic?

These are crazy and trying times right now. Sharing thoughts and feelings help those of us already battling mental challenges in “regular” life. Being inside the house every day is harder on many of us. So we’ll sit at the Feet of Christ and I will do my best to type His dictation.

How are you doing mentally? Are you unmotivated, confused, angry, sad, or all of those? Being with others is a balm to life. We are created to be social people and we need each other.

Oh, I miss being at worship and Sunday School with my brothers and sisters! I miss choir, Bible study, my prayer group, laughing in the hall with everyone, and all the hugging. I miss my friends – our lunches, shopping, and coffee get-togethers.

Most of all, I miss my family!! Not being able to be with them physically, hug them and hold them is breaking my heart. This being inside stinks in more ways than I can count. I know that I’m not alone in those feelings.

In isolation, mental things sometimes seem to grow larger than they really are. God knows what you’re going through, what you’re feeling. He showers on you His love, His care, His provisions, His Very Life. He gave Himself through His Son Jesus, Who is “The Very Life Of God.”

This website is a little place online to help those who need to closely tend to emotions and mental states, such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and addictions. Here we will praise God and learn about some ways to co-operate with God in order to live in His freedom while having to remain inside our homes. Remember that we’re doing the right thing to be inside. It’s hard some days, but staying inside is the right thing to do right now.

While we’re inside, let’s grow…in Christ, in wisdom, and together!

TWO THINGS TO DO DAILY – BEGINNING TODAY AND TOMORROW:

The suggestions and tips for today are important to combat mental difficulties. The first one is VITAL. Do not minimize them; pay attention.

First, every morning, receive God’s love and company. This is the most important rule in life. How? If you haven’t been sitting with Him quietly before, at this time you have no excuse. You’re in a position where you have time to sit with Him every day. It doesn’t matter how long…just do it. You don’t have to talk or say anything. Just sit in a chair in a quiet place and see yourself at His Feet.

Understand one important thing about this…you will not go from 60 mph to standing still in a few minutes. So don’t go saying, “Oh, I can’t do this because my mind wanders.” Well of course it does! It takes time to be stilled…wait on God. Ask Him to help your thoughts. Wait. Wait. Wait on God. In a little bit, He will help you. (Warning: this is a habit-forming, glorious activity.)

Second, get as much light as you can at the very beginning of each day. In the morning, when you get up, throw open every curtain in your house. Turn on the brightest lights inside as soon as possible. Then get outside to get the most important light of all – sunshine! Even in cloudy weather, you will get the light! Keep the light going all day. Stay in light! (I think there’s a sermon here…)

May the Holy Spirit of our salvation bring you joy today, both in your home, and more importantly, in your heart. I’ll post again on Friday…

This morning I’m led to encourage someone reading; somebody who’s going through a serious bipolar phase. Is this you?

Jesus is like a Holy River that runs sweetly through your heart. He will never leave you or forsake you – no matter what you go through, what you’re thinking, or how you’re feeling inside.

He is right with you, right NOW – at this very moment. Be still before Him, as quiet as you can be, and allow Him the opportunity to bring you the refreshing cleansing that He brings! He is your Hope, your Life, the One Who loves you more than anyone else could love you.

You CAN do this…you CAN allow Jesus access! If you need help to do the “CAN,” then ask Him for help right now. Hang with Him and wait. He is not a “Genie” – He is way outside the realm than something man can “make up”…He is Real. He is Living. And He is Present with you.

He stands before you now with Arms outstretched to bring you calm joy. Step into His Arms…

Read Psalm 139.    Believe. Those. Living. Words.    I’m praying for you!

There we are, walking with Jesus along the path on this Road Trip. He gave us the choice of route and we chose the narrow road, the one less walked by others. He’s talking all along the trip, and we’re enjoying the summer with Him. Some days are better than others in this walk. But we keep going, always putting one foot in front of the other. We’re trusting The Spirit to give guidance and warning when somebody decides to wander off. We’ve learned to stay with Jesus, ooh, we don’t want to wander off again for sure!

As the road bends, there’s another sign. DIP. Hmm…dip? Okay, that means the road will go down and then back up. Dip.

On your walk with Jesus this summer, have you had days where you found yourself in the pits? Is this summer road trip not showing itself to be the one that you envisioned? Are you tired of walking with Jesus?

Let’s stop here and talk to Jesus about the DIP.

A dip in the road – a sudden low place; a decline followed by an incline; a slant down followed by a slant up. DIP. What does a dip teach us about Jesus and our abundant life?

Dips are going to happen anyway. That’s the way life is, that’s the way the road goes. The question to ask yourself is: what is your response going to be when you face a dip? It’s a fact that when you go down in a dip, you will again go back up.  Where will you go up after you’ve been down? 

Shall you go back to the place you once were, before Jesus freed you from the cell where you sat? Remember when you left? You said, “Never again will I go back there.” Free at last…and intending to focus on Christ! He invited you on this road trip to enjoy Him, to learn and experience abundant life. Here and now. So after the down, which side of the down will you go up?

The world offers lots of different ways to go up out of the dip. Distractions abound, and there are band-aids to help you. Some of the dressings look like cures. There’s worldly gauze, bandages, ointments, steri-strips, and tape. In fact, some act like cures. For awhile, that is. The problem with these items is that each one tends to the top places of the hurt and even when an ointment sinks inside your wound, it only can go so far down in there. To be fully healed, God wants to do surgery on this low place, so that it will be totally healed, inside and out. Some surgeries are easy and quick, some are hard and long.

In any event, your Creator knows perfectly how to tend to you. He tends lovingly to all those who are His. And He does all of this while you walk with Him. Jesus walks with you into the DIP and will walk with you out of it if you trust Him and follow His instructions.

After you allow Him access to do surgery on your hurt, you will have a scar. This is left to remind you of God’s healing power, and also for you to show to others who need Him. For God will allow you to spread the word of His healing to those who walk into the same dip. He chooses to work this way, allowing you to work alongside, so that He can be the Surgeon in the lives of others who need Him.

What is your dip today? Are you going through sickness, depression, grief, fear, or worry? Be still before God and allow Him to speak to your hurt. Make sure that you go to Him Alone. Only the power of God can guide you up the proper side of the dip. Allow Him total surgical access. 

There, on the other side, you will find Godly wisdom, and smack dab in the middle of that, you will find joy wrapped up in all of God’s love that you can stand!

Praise the healing Name of Jesus!

Scripture to ponder:   Daniel 4

Today’s weapon:  “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.” Daniel 4:34

Walking on a Road Trip with Jesus is always interesting. A person can never say that doing anything with Our Lord is boring! There’s always something up, but you have to pay attention to see it. We miss so many things that Jesus does, I do believe, because we are not paying attention to the movement of The Spirit of God.

How are you doing walking with Jesus so far? Are you doing your best to be with Him at the start of each day? Are you settling for second best and going back to your old way of doing things and your old way of thinking?

God’s mercies are new every morning, (Lamentations 3:22-23) so every day that you wake up is a fresh page in your notebook. Remember to allow God to write a new entry for you. Your new page is clean, white, and ready to receive a word from The Father. Are you allowing God the opportunity to write a fresh word in your heart each day? Please do not shortchange yourself here. The abundant life requires your co-operation. God abides by His own rules (which always amazes me) and He has created you with a will. You must do your part – He is not your “Genie.”

Are you open to receive this word from God today? Read at your own risk…He has something to say to all of us on the journey. Please God, open the eyes and ears of our hearts…♥

So then, today we’re walking in a beautiful land. Picture it if you will, it’s green, lush and full of life. This morning I saw that a bird has made a nest in one of my ferns on the front porch. Life! Singing, singing, singing…mom sang to dad and dad sang to mom and it was just beautiful to hear. Pay attention as we walk along, because God is showing us life – the abundant kind that we get to live here and now. 

And what is this that is now before us? An intersection. Hmm. Interesting.

One of my favorite poems is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. The first three stanzas are as follows:

 

 

We can go either way here. Looking at one path I notice that it’s wide and trampled flat. The other one is kind of grown over and is more narrow. The thing is, what we hear in scripture from Jesus Himself, the path that has “the better claim” is really not worn the same as the path with undergrowth, even though it looks that way. The path with undergrowth can’t be the same (which we learn in the last stanza) because it is less traveled upon.

What an interesting place! Which way shall you go? Jesus says that you get to decide the route. He is in charge of the itinerary, and today He says that the route we take to our destination is up to you. 

Which route is best? Choose your route well! The route you take really matters to the joy that you will get out of the journey. If you are unsure which road to take, ask God, Who is ready to give you the wisdom from on high. When you take the road He points out, your soul will be at peace. I can’t explain it in words, but you’ll know it when The Spirit bestows it upon you.

Please understand ahead of time that the proper road is not always easy, but the reward will far outweigh anything you may bear. Far. Outweigh. Anything. God is prepared and willing to amaze you, and to do so on a daily basis. Can you believe this? Do you dare to take the narrow road?

Today’s Weapon:  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

There are many definitions for the word “abide.” Here are some:  (1) To remain, continue, stay, (2) to have one’s abode, dwell, reside, (3) to continue in a particular position, attitude, or relationship, (4) to last, (5) to tolerate, put up with, endure.

Another word in modern English is “remain.’ Stay.

As you set out on the summer road trip with Jesus, talk as you walk, and begin by going over the first lesson learned. Stay with Jesus. No more running off. So Lord, how can I stay with You?

Let’s begin by looking at the word of God and The Spirit will reveal it.

The first thing to consider: why run in the first place? Let’s give the Spirit of God the floor. Some of these lessons may be something we have already gone over, but something that we need to hear again.

(Lord, please keep this simple so that all of us can remember it, knowing that You will bring anything we need to our minds.)

(1) “Something else has caught my attention.” As I go with Jesus, there will be sparklers, firecrackers, booms, and fights all around me. Do you remember being in elementary school and a fight broke out on the playground? Somebody yelled, “FIGHT!’ and everyone ran to where the fight was happening so that everyone could watch! It was always a sight to behold. There they were: two people going at it with all their heart and fists. Until a teacher pulled them apart and marched them inside the schoolhouse. People are drawn to excitement, and those who are manic right now (after all, it is summer) are drawn to excitement like a magnet.

The enemy knows exactly what will distract you and the very second you agree to a road trip with Jesus, he begins to pull out the stops. The thing that entices you to divert your attention will sometimes immediately happen when the enemy sees that you are serious about everything regarding Jesus. The Spirit is telling you these things up front, so watch out and pay attention.

“So, Lord, what can I do to ignore this?” Remain in prayer. Remember that prayer is in your backpack and is vital. We must continually be in communication with The Spirit. God’s word says, “Pray continually,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17.) Doesn’t this sound so puny? Such a short statement to such a problem. Well, when distractions occur, do you automatically yell out for Jesus’ help? Chances are, you don’t, but plow on ahead and run to the distraction. To stop this, cry out to Jesus…yes, be a “tattle-tale” to Jesus. He knew it was coming, He saw it, He never leaves your side. When distractions happen and you realize what’s going on, cry for help as soon as possible. Pay attention, for you will get help and get help quickly. Just watch.

(2) I am becoming bored because this isn’t as exciting as what’s happening in the world. Yes, one problem with staying with Jesus is that the distractions look so fun. Walking with Jesus just isn’t as fun as something else that I could be doing, running around the earth with gusto and glee and playing around the camps that seem to be having a party. This walking trip isn’t as crazy-loud and as fun as what’s going on next-door.

“So, Lord, tell me the truth about what I’m seeing that looks so fun.” God tells us that what we see is a lie. God can NOT lie to us. If He did, He would not be Holy…and He is Holy. Lies are born of the enemy, because Jesus Himself called the enemy “…a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44.) God (Father, Son, and Spirit) loves us too much to tell us anything but the truth. Do not believe what you see, little lamb, because once you get over that fence you will understand that not only is the grass not as green as it looked (it’s almost black,) but that it tastes really terrible. Too many who have gone before (both alive and now in heaven) have tried it and testify: do not go over that fence!

God’s word says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 What do we do then? Cry out to Jesus! He never tires of your crying out – again in this situation, ask Him for help.

(3) “I am just too tired to walk.” Are these thoughts running around your mind: “I thought I’d like to do this with Jesus, but honestly, now that we’re walking, I realize that I am just too tired to go on this trip, because I need a break from church stuff.” Often in the summertime we are ready for a break with “church stuff;” we are tired of the demands and thinking about it all. So we associate going on a road trip with Jesus as more “church stuff.” More demands, more thinking about church work.

“Lord, You know I am tired mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I need a break, so what do You have to say about that?” Guess what? There is amazing and wonderful news for you! Abundant life is about being with Jesus, enjoying His Presence, not about “church stuff!”  You are hereby relieved of associating Jesus with “church work.” YAY, GOD! Doesn’t that feel awesome? Christ asks us “to be.” He is I AM and we are “to be” in the Spirit. And the work that we do (with Him – by the way,) is born out of our being with Him. First, we are “to be” … to be enjoying His Presence every day. Any work we do with Jesus is done out of love for Him. The road trip is about hanging out with Jesus this summer, not about work. 

God’s word says, “…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31  One definition of hope is “a person (in this case Person – capital “P”) in which expectations are centered.” God is our Hope. So we center our expectations on the Person Of God – Father, Son, and Spirit. Hope is expecting Him to move all around us – to be with us, to speak to us, to listen to us, to live with us, to have fun with us, to cry with us, to do life with us.

What do we do then? Again, cry out to Jesus! He said to expect to see Him because He IS with us. Right now, as you read? He is beside you. He never leaves you. Hang with Him, sister! Hang with Him, brother! He created you so that you can enjoy His Presence! Do your life with Him, and you will be amazed! 

How to abide, then? How to keep walking with Jesus on this road trip? Stay in communication with every step.

Here is what the Spirit is telling everyone on the road trip: “Keep talking as you keep walking! (See the first sentence in paragraph 3. God answered at the very beginning of this post! Don’t you just love the way God does things?)

Scripture to ponder: John 15 (the entire chapter — read it!) 

Today’s weapon: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7