But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:10-12 NIV

As my husband and I were heading home from a recent beach trip with family, I was thinking of how blessed we are. Though we have had trials, God has always been there to help us navigate them. How God directs us made me think of traffic signs. Traffic signals are meant to warn us, prepare us for possible danger and to send us the route that will get us where we want to go.

God does that for us! When we choose HIS way, He signals us in the way and direction and time we should go. Just as a traffic light has three different colored lights to tell us what to do to stay safe on the road, God also tells us how to stay safe. When we pray and ask Him about something, He may, like a red light, direct us to stay put and not make a move, because it is not time yet. Maybe other things need to happen first, maybe He wants us to be still a bit longer or maybe He has a reason we do not know about. But the truth is…

He knows what He is doing and what we should be doing. For that reason, we need to stop, be still and trust Him sometimes, even when we want to forge ahead. Whatever His reasons, they are good ones and we need to look for and obey His signals.

The warm yellow of a traffic light kind of makes me think of the Holy Spirit. It is the loving light within me that guides me, way better than I can do myself. After all, who am I to know what is best, according to God, unless I have Him in me? Isn’t that an amazing thought that we have the Holy Spirit of God as a resource and ever present guide? We have God in us! We do not have to make decisions blindly with our own knowledge, or lack of it. The Holy Spirit tells us when to slow down and proceed with caution. He sees what we do not, that sometimes slower is better.

Sometimes, we get the “green light” from God. It is a very special feeling when we have prayed for a certain direction and He gives us the go ahead! To know we are on His path in the right direction and He is with us, cheering us on…well, there is nothing better. To purpose to please Him and to be given encouragement in the form of a “green light” is to know we are in His will. His approval means everything. We can proceed, knowing it is the right time and right way, because He said so.

God,

Just…thank You for Your truth, wisdom, guidance and encouragement. You knew we would need all of it to navigate the highways of this life. Please forgive us for going ahead sometimes without asking Your opinion first. Guide us please in YOUR way and not our own. That is where we will find purpose and fulfillment of this life You have given us. With Your Holy Spirit, urge us in the way to go and at the right time. You are good and we love You so much! Amen

With love from the Father to you, have a great day,

Christina

Our country is in crisis; we all know that. We might know, or think we do, some of the causes and the necessary solutions and where to place the blame. But what really matters is that we absolutely know who is in control of it all. That is what will keep us in the place God wants for us…in the know.

What am I talking about? Well, to remain “in the know,” we must know what is worth knowing and that is what our soul knows to be true. What our soul knows to be true can carry us through anything. Even though we cannot know or control all that goes on in the world, we can know in our souls that our God can carry us through anything.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Being “in the know” also means we know who is responsible for good works and we praise Him accordingly.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 NIV

The most important things to know are those that never change, things you can count on. Just to name a few, for encouragement:

God loves the whole world and made a plan so that we could be with Him forever.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV

God is in control of the whole world. He sees everything going on in the world.

Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 113:5-6 NIV

God knows all that we do not. Being “in the know” means knowing we do not need to know it all, but trust the One who does. We are “in the know” if our souls know who our Savior and Lord is and we trust Him like no one else in the world. There is a great peace that comes from knowing He has our present and future in His capable hands!

With love from the awesome Father to you, have a great Monday!

Christina

Good Morning everyone,

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want it, right? This weekend I had a back issue pop up again, just when I thought it had so improved. No worries, I am good now, but it did force me to lay low for a couple of days and let John wait on me. Instantly, I was angry about it. “This again? There are things I want to do this weekend!” But you know what? So many people have it worse. And there is always something to praise God for. Always.

So this morning, as I rolled out of bed and put my feet on the floor slowly, to see if my back would let me get up, I realized something. I have so many other blessings! I have this home, a beloved husband, family and great children, a wonderful church, an upcoming wedding where I will gain another son! How dare the enemy try to make me focus on what I wish was different. It’s great to focus on what is the same…each day. And what IS the same every day? Every day is a day that God loves us. Every day is a fresh new day to love Him more and praise Him more than we did yesterday!

So…What do I want to say, at the end of today, that I accomplished? I want to say that I filled it up with praise to God. There are so many minutes and hours to fill! Isn’t it great to have those hours?

Read this beautiful verse and feel David’s love for our Father. In this chapter, David’s spirit is failing. He needs hope and direction, so he goes to the unfailing source, God. That’s a perfect way to start each day, to bask in God’s love and declare that He is the One we trust with our day.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8 NIV

Dear God,

Thank You for always loving me and guiding me, when I do not understand things and when I need encouragement. You are the best! Thank You for this day that You gave me. Thank You for my blessings of husband, family and friends. Please send comfort and guidance to the people stranded in Afghanistan. Let them feel You near and feel Your love and our prayers. Please bring them home. Please guide our leaders to make good decisions for them. Protect them, Lord, as only You can do. We ask these things in Your name because we know for sure You can do them. Amen.

May your day be filled and felt with God’s love.

Christina

In my devotions today, I read in Exodus 17 that Moses was praying on the mountain while Israel was at war. Just that thought stopped me in my tracks. Up on the mountain, seeking God, is where we should all be when we are in trouble, isn’t it? Moses had his arms stretched high as he prayed to his Father, but his arms grew weary and dropped. Aaron and Hur came to his side and held them up again. Isn’t that just like what our friends do for us? They support us in prayer. 

When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. Exodus 17:12 NIV

Did you notice in this verse, that they helped him to rest and made his hands steady? So should our hands be in prayer to God. Steady and always raised to Him who is able. Sometimes we need encouragement and support from our friends, though, just as Moses did. Know what’s cool? Moses did not ask for help, but His men supported him at just the right time.

Prayer props up people, plus, a holy purpose provides people with possibilities.

(I just had to have some fun with the letter ‘p’!) Seriously, though, Just as Aaron and Hur did for Moses when they propped him up, we are the prop that someone needs! How special of a job do we have! Think about that. WE are the answer to a need. We serve God well when we respond to a request for help. But, oh so much better and obedient, that we take it upon ourselves, to the glory of God, to seek out someone whose need we have the ability to fill:)

By the way, what I didn’t reveal….Whenever Moses’ hands were up, Israel was winning the war. When his hands were down, the Amalekites were winning. Know what? This tells us that prayer can change things. We must always remember, though, that GOD has the ‘upper hand.’

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. Exodus 17:11 NIV

Dear Father,

We know that we can go to You in prayer and You will listen. We feel Your love and care surrounding us. Help us to surround others with love and care by meeting their needs and praying with them. Thank You for being our God and our friend. We do not deserve being loved by You but we praise You for Your goodness. Help us to do Your will and be a prop for someone else. We are Your willing servants. We love You so much! Amen

With love from the Father to You,

Christina