As I sit this beautiful morning and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I am thinking about STRENGTH. What makes us strong? Usually when something difficult comes our way, a special trial or a great sorrow, something that really reshapes our world, that is when we grow STRONG. When God wants to strengthen us, HE allows us to enter a storm. After the storm, we have to clean up the debris. We look around and then we REBUILD. We do things differently too, so that we will be ready for the next trial. And when we look back, we will see that the trial and separation the storm brought was needed to bring us closer to God. And that has made us STRONGER.

Today, I am grateful for the trials, the storms, those moments when I am afraid, because they have made me stronger in my relationship with Christ. I may be battle-scarred, but I have learned that it’s not the TITLES we carry BUT the TESTIMONY that matters.

Have a blessed day, knowing you can handle the storms when Christ is your Lord.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about LIFE. Yesterday, my seven- grandson got a Happy Meal and in it was a miniature version of the game of Life. We played it for a couple of hours and laughed over and over again.

Sometimes we can take LIFE too seriously. Instead of basking in the beauty of God’s creation, the little miracles HE shows us each day, we get caught up in the problems of LIFE. To truly live means to have a LIFE.

Every once in a while I say to someone, “You need to get a LIFE!” But the life that God has planned for us is perfect! Sometimes we need to just surrender and go with the flow. There will always be things that challenge us in this LIFE, but when we allow Jesus in, there is nothing we cannot handle.

Today, I am going to celebrate LIFE, not just my personal LIFE, but the LIFE of my community, the life of my family, and the life of my friends. Today, I will celebrate LIFE, with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a quote from St. Francis de Sales, who says, “Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either HE will shield you from suffering, or HE will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations and say continually: the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in HIM and I am helped. HE is not only with me but in me and I in HIM.”

There is so much more we can learn and so much more PEACE we can achieve if we only LISTEN to the Lord. He will give us all we need for today. So, forget about yesterday and don’t fret about tomorrow. Live today THROUGH HIM, WITH HIM, AND IN HIM!

Have a blessed day serving HIM!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about the word PEACE! It is really an amazing word. We can use it to describe inner peace, peace in the family, or peace in our world. I think that, before we can strive for peace in our world, it has to begin in our own hearts.

The world sometimes forces us to slow down. If we can take a deep breath and be present in the moment, we can find HIS PEACE. If we don’t look at the past and don’t worry about the future, but live in the present, in HIS presence, we can find peace!

Today, I’m going to be aware of my own breath. I am going to take time to look at the changing season. I’m going to become aware that, even in chaos, I can find peace. Jesus said, in John 14:27, “My PEACE I leave you; My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled And do not be afraid.”. If we can find this PEACE, then we can pass it on.

Have a PEACE-filled day! And remember, Jesus is called the Prince of PEACE.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a quote from St. Augustine. It says, “God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” So the question that we need to ask ourselves is what am I filling my hands with? Am I filling my hands with worry, wringing them daily? Am I filling my hands with busyness? Am I filling my hands with greed, or envy, or anger? Maybe I fill my hands with violence, or disrespect, or idleness. Maybe I close my hands all together and keep out love, and grace, and peace! To receive all that GOD gives us, we need to greet HIM with OPEN hands.

Today, I’m going to let go of all the things I’m holding onto so tightly and OPEN my hands to the Lord! While my hands are open, I will offer HIM praise and thanksgiving for all that HE does for me and for all the blessings HE gives me every day. With open hands, I will sing HIS praises.

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about all of the people who have been talking to me about loneliness and depression. Both are very real things. If you are one of the lucky ones who doesn’t suffer from these afflictions, know that you still play an important part in the lives of those who do.

Throughout my life, I have dealt with depression. I’ve had some times of loneliness, but I’ve never really felt alone. Part of that is because I’m an extrovert and I like being around people. But these are serious issues and the SCRIPTURES offer us great help when we are feeling down or alone. One of my favorite scriptures is Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord HIMSELF goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

So, if you suffer from depression or loneliness, know you’re never alone, for the Lord IS with you! And if you don’t suffer from these afflictions, know that a simple phone call, a kind word, or a text can make all the difference to those who do! Never be afraid to reach out to someone!

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on a quote from John Henry Jowett that says, “God comforts us not to make us comfortable but to make us comforters.” Oftentimes, God allows us to experience difficult moments and takes us to places we do not want to go. He does this so that he can use us. He teaches us to COMFORT others.

Do you wonder why you’ve had to go through certain trials, suffering, or pain? In time, you will see God needed you to experience these things to carry out HIS plan. HE will bring people and situations to you so that you can be the COMFORTER! You will be able to share your story of suffering and how GOD carried you through. God will use you as a gift to others. God will use you to bring hope in times of despair. And I believe there will become a time when you may even praise God for the trial, for it is HIS Grace that has given you TRUE FAITH!

Today, I will strive to accept GOD’S plan and allow HIM to use me as HE needs! And I thank God for the COMFORTERS in my life!

Have a blessed day.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus this morning, I was reflecting on the word CHANGE. Everything in the world is in motion, and whether we like it not or not, everything is always changing. It says in Romans 8:6, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE.” And Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will RENEW their strength. They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

When God takes you on a journey where you have to face change, embrace HIS WORD. God does not want us to get too comfortable in this life, for this life is not HIS promise. Jeremiah 29:11 has always been my life verse. It says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE”. So, when God takes you out of your comfort zone and brings CHANGE into your life, it’s for HIS purpose. As difficult as that is; embrace it, celebrate it, and live it.

So today, look and see what God is bringing about in your life through change and DON’t be afraid. Get excited, because the best part of your life is about to begin!

Have a blessed day!