Choose thankfulness...

My prayer:

I am reflecting on your provision for us God. I never cease to be amazed at how you always provide what we need. You don't always provide it in the way we want it or the way we think you are going to, but you always provide. 

I wonder sometimes if you provide in unusual ways to see if we will recognize the blessing when it is wearing different clothes. Like when we are praying for financial provision and we are hoping for a raise and instead, you put it on someone's heart to send us a check (always for just the right amount). 

Are we as grateful for the check as we would have been for the raise? We should be. The outcome is the same. You provide for our need. But I bet, most of the time, we are less thankful when you bring us what we need but not in the way we think we want it. 

That is wrong thinking God. I know I have done it, but it is wrong.

Help me to see all of your blessings. Help me to be grateful for all that you do, no matter how you do it. Give me a truly grateful heart God.

What God Said Tonight:

It is not a grateful heart that you need. It is a grateful life. You ave the heart. You need the practice. 

Thankfulness, like most everything, is a choice. A decision that you get to make, every day, every moment. I have given you free will and this is one way that you get to exercise it. 

Choose thankfulness. Choose to be grateful. I have put it in you. Choose to use it. 

I love you daughter. You are my joy.

The seat of peace...

My prayer:

You were awesome today God. You kept me in perfect peace despite the storm around me. I didn't even have to try. You just kept me there. THANK YOU! 

Any time you want to do that again, I am completely up for it!

Love you!

What God Said Tonight:

I have not yet begun to unravel the complexity of this world and this life for your. Your peace comes from rising above the complications and dwelling with me. 

I have a view and perspective that allows perfect peace. Seeing the big picture, the daily mess becomes much less worrisome. When, you dwell with me, you get that view and perspective too. 

It does not mean that you are not accomplishing things here on earth at the same time. You are. The saying that someone is 'so spiritual they are no earthly good' is a real phenomenon. But, when you dwell with me you get the benefit of the peace while still living the life you were intended for. You will accomplish more from the seat of peace than you ever did from the seat of stress. 

I love you. More for tomorrow.

Spiritual battle...

My prayer:

Today was a slice of heaven God. Thank you for the peace and the break from the craziness of the world. 

There are a lot of things I could ask tonight, a lot of concerns I could share; but you have heard them all and you continue to reassure me that you are in charge and will work all things for our good. So, instead of giving you the laundry list, how about I list all the things I love about you. I have not done that in awhile. I have been complacent.

I love that you are all powerful. I love that you care about each and every one of us, not just those with the big names doing the splashy stuff. I love that you listen every single time I talk to you. I love that you love us so much that you sacrificed your son just so we could be forgiven and know you better. I love that you take such good care of me, making sure I have everything I need when I need it and a whole lot of things that I just want. I love that you never get tired of giving me second chances. I love that you teach me. I love that you talk to me. I love that you let me know when things are coming, changes are coming. I love that you protect me. I love that you give me wisdom to help me to understand this life. I love that you make me a better person and a blessing to other people. I love your presence and who you are. I love your love. 

What God Said Tonight:

Hi my dear. Thank you for that. 

There is a spiritual battle taking place right now and the fighting is intense. The winner is predetermined but the battle is ugly. I will be fighting this battle for a while. 

It is good for you to pray for strength and victory in this battle. The sooner it is over the sooner the suffering will end. 

I love you and I am fighting for you, now and forever.

Heart to help...

My prayer:

What a great day again God, thank you! I am thinking about the message tonight God about how the enemy tries to discourage us from a very young age from our purpose.

I have always wanted to help people and had big dreams of what I would do when I was younger. As I got older and realized that helping people is not as easy as I thought. I began to realize that sometimes I can have the best intentions to help and end up making things worse. 

That discouraged me for a long time but then I started understanding how, when I trust you and invite you into situations, you are able to help people more than I could ever hope to. So now, I still try to help when I can but I leave the heavy lifting in your hands. My job is really to pray and let you have your way. 

So, does that mean the enemy discouraged me from my calling or does that mean that I learned that our real help comes from you? Maybe both? 

Eager to hear your thoughts.

What God Said Tonight:

Satan beat you up pretty good when you were young. There is no doubt about that. However, like I will always do, I turned that for your good. I have made what was meant to hurt you into something that has taken you to the next level of maturity in Christ. 

I am your ever present help. Both for you and for the people in your life. 

Your instinct, your heart to help comes directly from my heart. Your ability to be effective comes from your deeper understanding of who I am and what I can do. 

I love you sweet knees. 

Real worry...

My prayer:

Thank you for a wonderful day Lord. You are so generous. My mind is still racing and worrying a bit but not as much. I seem to be letting worry get the better of me quite a bit these days. That is not usually a problem for me but lately my worry is outweighing my trust. 

I know I shouldn't let it. I know it does not good. I am doing all that I know how to stop it. But, I have not yet succeeded. 

I ask for your help.

What God Said Tonight:

The worries, the struggles and the battles are all very real. This is not a case of your mind playing tricks on you. Your worry is a result of the reality around you. 

However, there is another part of the reality around you. There is the part, the point that I am God. I am in charge of you and and your life because you have asked me to be. I will not let the circumstances, no matter how dangerous, get to you. You are mine and rely on me to get you through. 

My children have always had to live in circumstances that are threatening, because this world is not your home. 

In God's arms...

My prayer:

I am worn out God. This week has gotten the better of me. I am ready for your beautiful and rejuvenating rest. Thank you for always sticking with me and always bringing me through every situation. I love you and could not live this life without you.

What God Said Tonight:

Come, into my arms and rest. I will keep the world and the stress from you, at least for a little while. I will keep you in my peace. I will keep you in my protection. 

The world will still be there later. For now, rest in me and let the worries and stress of the world slide off. I am with you, I love you. You are being made well.

Stars...

My prayer:

Today was long and annoying. Nothing horrible but annoying. I don't want to dwell on it, that will just make it worse and bigger than it was. But, I don't seem to be able to think of anything else except for the long list of annoyances. 

Well, like the old saying says, since I don't have anything good to say, I shouldn't say anything. I can listen though God. Can you tell me something wonderful that erases this day?

What God Said Tonight:

I made the stars. Have you looked at them lately? They are pretty great. I made the mountains and the trees. I made you. 

The world is full of beautiful things that I made just for you, my child. My love for you is evidenced all around when you look in the right places. 

Get your eyes off of the barriers and  the problems for a minute and look instead upon what I have put here, now, for no other reason than to give you a bit of joy. I sprinkled your day with them. Spend some time hunting through your day and I bet you see them. 

I love you and tomorrow's focus will be better.