Prescription for the blues.

Artwork used by permission from Jen at BettyandMaude

Prescription for  the blues:

Read this scripture several times out loud. 

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  Zepheniah 3:17
 

Memorize it. 

Sing it. 

Shout it. 

Laugh about how much your God delights in you, his child.

Yes, you fail at times, yes you mess up, but He loves you, still. 

He delights in you. 

Yes, YOU!  

Imagine Him rejoicing over you with singing. 

God - singing over you. 

Wow!

Let's stir things up!

Artwork used by permission from Karla Dornacher

What are you good at?

Singing or playing a musical instrument.
Art - drawing, painting, sculpting
Crafting - turning trash into treasure, repurposing, upcycling
Writing

Maybe you're a good listener, an encourager.  Maybe you have a beaming smile and the knack for making people feel welcomed, loved, encouraged.

Are you a good teacher?  Organizer? Cook?

God has built into you, skills, talents, knacks because he knows what's needed by the people around you and he placed you right where you are so that you are able to use those things that you are good at to help others.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

If you've let your talent go dormant, if you think what you do well is not really important, please think again. God can use you to accomplish His work in the lives of people those He has placed in your path, so stir up that gift. Get going and be a blessing to someone today!

The Golden Rule - Sowing and Reaping

Artwork used by permission from Abby of LittleBirdyBlessings

You've heard of the Golden Rule, right?

"Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you."

This directive came from Jesus as he summed up the whole of the Old Testament in one verse...

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12

Do you want to be shown kindness? Be Kind.
Do you want people to forgive you? Forgive Others.
Do you want to be loved? Love.
Do you want to be helped? Lend a helping hand to those in need.

God has promised that what we sow, we will reap. A farmer does not sow corn and get wheat. No, he reaps a harvest of the very thing he planted. Likewise, you will reap a harvest of the things you plant in life.

So, as you go through this day, carefully plant those things which you hope to see enjoyed in your own life, for God always keeps his promises, but be patient. Even the farmer has to wait for the seeds to grow and mature before he can reap the harvest.

Hush - be still!

Artwork used by permission from Erin of ArtbyErinLeigh

Usually, my morning devotions consist of some scripture reading, some journaling and end with prayer, but when I'm really in a dither, when what I really want to do is rant and insist that God give me some answers, I've learned that best thing to do is to just get quiet.

I turn on some soothing music, grab a cup of something warm and comforting and sink down into the cushy chair in my bedroom and just sit and soak up the peace of God. There is a peace that comes no other way than to spend time in His presence, asking nothing, saying nothing.

In this, I find a clarity and confidence in knowing that He is God, that He is with me and that He is in control.

Joyful - Patient - Faithful

Artwork used by permission from Jen at BettyandMaude

Joyful - Patient - Faithful...

three wonderful words. Words that we want to describe us, but when I look at what's between those words-at WHEN we are supposed to be joyful, patient and faithful, my face gets a little red.

I'm supposed to be joyful in hope. When I think about what it means to be "in hope," I realize that the only time we are in hope is when we don't have something we long for...when we're hoping that we get it or that our circumstances will change.  It's hard to be joyful when we are longing for things to be made right.

Likewise, being patient in affliction (pain & suffering).  What? I'm supposed to be patient when I'm in pain? When I'm suffering? Patient?  I just want it over as soon as possible!

And finally, faithful in prayer.  I pray. A lot. But my prayers do tend to slack off when everything is going well or when I've prayed about something several times and not received an answer yet.

Looks like the Lord and I have some more work to do on me!

It's a really good thing that HE is 

Joyful, Patient & Faithful!

Trusting God in the Midst of the Pain

Artwork used by permission from Karla Dornacher

"She blossomed, not despite her pain, but because she chose to trust God in the midst of it." So often all we want is for God to deliver us out of our struggle and make the pain go away but, more often than not, God wants us to trust Him enough to let Him raise us up and cause us to grow... and even blossom... in the midst of our most painful circumstances.

by Karla Dornacher

You can visit Karla on her website or connect with her on her blog.

*Note from Jan - I love Karla's work. It's bright and beautiful and glorifies the Lord. I saw this piece and knew I wanted to feature it on my blog. Karla has given me permission to do so. I usually write a devotional based on the artwork I feature, but what Karla wrote about this piece was so perfect, I just had to use it instead.

Finally, Daddy's Little Girl

photo used by permission from Abby at LittleBirdieBlessings

What little girl hasn't dreamed of being her Daddy's little princess? I know I did. Unfortunately, that didn't work out so well.  I'm the only girl in a family with 5 boys.  You would have thought I would have been spoiled rotten, but that wasn't the case.

My Dad and I didn't really have a close relationship as I grew up. I don't think that was on purpose. I just think that he really didn't know how to relate to a girl child, so I wasn't Daddy's little girl, but when he was nearing the end of his life, I had the privilege of caring for him through his year long battle with cancer.  We had fun. We got close.

The best memory I have of my Dad came toward the end of that year. The living room was full friends and family. Dad sat in his favorite chair. Everyone else had a seat on the sofa or loveseat. There were no seats left, so I took a seat on the floor next to Dad's chair. One friend played the guitar while we all sang hymns together. At one point my Dad reached out and twirled a lock of my hair round and round in his fingers. Something most fathers do at some point in their little girl's life, but mine never had...until then. It was at that moment that I finally became Daddy's little girl - at 51 years of age.

For those of you who don't have a close relationship with your natural father, take heart. During those years when I longed for a close relationship with my Dad, God was my perfect Father. He filled my heart with love and acceptance. He wrapped his arms around me when I was hurting, picked me up when I fell and protected me from those who tried to harm me. He provided all I needed and lavished me with blessings untold.

My Dad is gone, now, but I'm still Daddy's little girl, because my Heavenly Father is with me always and He has made me his child - his precious daughter.

Thank you, Father!

 And, "I will be a Father to you, 

and you will be my sons and daughters, 

says the Lord Almighty." 

2 Corinthians 6:18