Help For Your Daily Walk

Joy is a funny thing. It is a feeling within us that shows. Sometimes it is shown through a smile, a laugh or a touch. Sometimes is is shown though a tear that sneaks out and rolls down your cheek. When you go through life thinking joy just wasn’t meant for you, it is so different. You show your unhappiness in that downward turn of the mouth, that scowl on your face and the sad way you look at life. Life has seemed to treat you unfairly and you shed tears of sadness…the oppos

Finding true friendships can be hard to come by these days, but oh so worth it. Having someone that has your best interest at heart is one of the most valuable things in your life. Sometimes, that friend is also family. But whether they are family by birth, by choice or by marriage…the point is, they are there for you. I know you’ve heard this from me in the past, but it is worth repeating. “To have a friend, you must be a friend.” To expect the kind of friendships that you d

There will always be someone trying to drag you down to their level. Don’t fall for it. Your self worth is not decided by them. They are just noise in your somewhat quiet peaceful existence. They want to steal that peace. There should only be one solitary opinion that matters in our lives. That is the one that comes from the Lord…who loves unconditionally and wants so much more for us than we want for ourselves. Quit trying to please others just for the sake of their opinion.

It is cool to be recognized for doing something sweet for someone…especially when unexpected. But sometimes, there are those that will only do a “kind” deed if they can have the spotlight put on them. A couple of phrases keep popping up in my head, “All show and no substance!” And… “He/she sure talks a good game!” May we all be more like the following story… I read a story of a man who retired from an engineering job and decided to take a job as a night janitor of a local sch

It’s been a few years since I’ve had a fireplace, but I still remember how important it was to allow the embers to die down and go out before the damper was closed. If you have ever had a campfire, it may mean dousing those embers with water to stop them from starting up again. You definitely would NOT add more sticks and kindling to it. Today’s subject is one that is on the same vein as adding kindling to a fire. Gossip is an activity that can cause a raging fire in someone

We’ve been taught to share since we were toddlers. And most times we weren’t exactly keen on that concept. If it was something that we treasured as a child, we were selfish with it more times than not. So, sharing became a dreaded part of our childhood. The most treasured thing in our lives as adults is time. Time at work, time with family, time to cook, time to eat, time to relax, time to sleep, time to study, time to share, time to shop, time to … see what I mean? When we s

Today’s devotional is to help me as much as it is to help any of you. I hope I never come across to anyone that “I have it all together”, because I don’t. I am still learning and trying to (with Gods help) get my act together each and every day. So, when something happens in my life that is heartbreaking, it causes self-reflection and anxiety just like everyone else, that I have to deal with. There are so many lessons to learn as we age. When someone we are close to passes fr

When Jesus made His entrance into the world those many years ago, one of the many titles given to Him was, “Prince of Peace”. That’s our topic in today’s devotional. Just what kind of peace does the Prince of Peace have for us? It’s a Jesus kind of peace. Check out the list I have below and see how His peace has and continues to be such an important part of your life. *The kind that can bring folks from all over the country to be nearby. *The kind that can face temptation and

Today’s scripture doesn’t beat around the bush whatsoever! It plainly states to “do everything without complaining and arguing!” As I’ve heard it said, “what’s left out of everything?” Not too tough to answer. Nothing is left out. This should cause all of us to take a step back and examine how we approach life. I have been out to dinner with folks that always find something wrong with their food. If it were just one time I wouldn’t think anything of it, but when it happens mo

Strength or Struggle? Yes. There is a choice in this. Will you continue to struggle in whatever direction you have chosen, or will you decide today to make a change? The choice is yours. God has already made the provision, now you have to do the acceptance of that provision. Some folks walk around thinking the Lord has turned His back on them, when in reality, they have done the turning. They have chosen to go their own way, thinking it is so much better and seems to bring a

Take a moment today to think about your life and how far you have come. There were days when you didn’t know if you could even take another step, but you did. Then you took another and another. Most times, there was no choice. You had a husband and children that you loved dearly and depended on you taking those steps. Even in gut wrenching moments you came through. Think about when fear gripped you so strongly, you felt as if your heart was in your throat. You had to be fearl

Jesus had just asked Matthew (a tax collector) to be one of his followers. He accepted that invitation, and Jesus went to his house for a meal with him and his friends. When you think about who would be there, would it be upstanding and wonderful people? No. It would more than likely be other tax collectors and those that really needed to hear what Jesus represented. And you know what? Jesus was okay with that. It didn’t matter what the Pharisees said in “earshot” of Jesus. H

It is easier to move forward with your life when you have the support of others. Even if what you’ve experienced in your life has been catastrophic, the knowledge that there is a dependable friend that “has your back” can help you through it. Maybe you’ve experienced that very thing, or maybe you have been that for someone who you love. I have been on both sides of the support system in my life…needing someone and being that someone. I have also experienced a time when those

Before someone speaks or performs before a crowd of people, they usually test their microphones. They will say something like, “testing-testing” to make sure they will be heard when the time comes to do their program. It is simply that, “a test”. We are tested a lot in our lives by aggressive and aggravating people. Sometimes it’s not people, but our “state of affairs” …which could be financial, economic or social. How do we respond when unexpected things happen? Remember whe

There is a game that you may have heard of before called, “Truth or Dare”. You are asked the question, “Have you ever______? And you decide whether you want to answer the question or take on whatever challenge they want to throw your way. Sometimes the questions could take a turn and there would be “no way” you would ever answer them. But then there were other times those queries were benign and just fun. It all depended on who was asking and how you fell in the mix of the ga

Don’t you think it is a little crazy that when someone takes the witness stand in a courtroom, they have to put their hand on the Bible and say that they swear they will tell the truth? But we live in a world where truth is hard to find. Knowing who is being straight up with you and who is manipulating the truth to fit their narrative can be exhausting. Just when you think you can trust your source, you realize they weren’t trustworthy after all. You begin to recognize holes

We’ve heard that the “joy of the Lord is our strength”. That has been put to the test in many folks' lives. Have you ever been around someone who is really “going through it” yet you can’t tell it by their countenance? They have learned something we all should learn. You can’t live your life based just on the circumstances that surround you. Sure, things might be tough at the present moment, but your joy should never be coming solely from the good stuff anyway. It comes from

How cool would it be if people looked to you as their example and it was a really good one? On the other hand, being someone who constantly throws caution to the wind, would not be such a cool example to follow. We need to think long and hard about what kind of person we are, and also who we ourselves follow. Those two things can make or break you so to speak. You be that good person that seeks God and follow those that give you the absolute truth from the Bible. Sometimes it

There was a song I recall from years past…”The more I trust Him, the more I love Him, nothing good for me He'll deny. The longer I know Him, the better I can show Him. I couldn't stop now if I tried. It gets sweeter as the days go by.” If you want to live a life that is strong and fulfilling, it’s gonna take a faith that is strong. It’s gonna mean that you must trust God with everything. Your faith must be rooted deep in His love. His love is where your strength comes from an

The first part of our scripture for today says, “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God.” When you stop and think about the goodness of God, the word “overwhelmed” is not an “overstatement”. The words to a song, we used to sing at a church we were a part of in Tennessee says it better than I can… “When I think about the Lord How He saved me, how He raised me How He filled me with the Holy Ghost Healed me to the uttermost When I think about the Lord How He picked me up,