Bridget A. Thomas

In the book of Daniel chapter 2 we read about a time when Daniel was facing a battle of life and death. We all face many battles in our lifetime, and I found that this story provided some key insights that can help us in our own battles.

(You can read the whole story here.)

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a dream that disturbed him. He sought help from magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers, as he wanted someone to interpret the dream for him. But there was one catch. He didn’t want to tell them what he dreamt. The king felt that if they could tell him what he dreamt first, then he could trust that their interpretation was accurate. Well the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers were unable to tell the king what he dreamt. So the king ordered that all the wise men in Babylon be put to death. However, this also meant that Daniel and his friends would be put to death as well.

Here are some key points that stood out to me in this story. I believe these points can be helpful in many battles we face in our own lives.

Daniel took action – When Daniel learned about the decree, the first thing he did was go to the king and ask for time to interpret the dream. Daniel trusted God in this story. But trusting God doesn’t necessarily mean we sit back and do nothing. Often times there are steps we can take, depending on the circumstances we are facing.

Daniel had a godly community – The next thing that Daniel did was speak to his friends and he urged them to pray. Daniel had godly friends who he could rely on. It’s important to surround ourselves with the right people. Are the people you spend your time with Christians? Do the most important people in your life bring encouragement or discouragement?

Daniel and his friends prayed – Prayer is vital in any battle we face. Turning to God and seeking Him shows God that we trust Him. And it shows God that we know He is the only One who can overcome every mountain.

Daniel praised God – During the night, the dream and its meaning was revealed to Daniel. He immediately praised God for His goodness. When God answers our prayers, do we remember to give Him thanks?

Daniel gave God the glory – Daniel then asked to see the king, and he was able to tell Nebuchadnezzar what he dreamt and what the meaning of the dream was. However, Daniel was also sure to tell the king that he did not have this power on his own. God was the one who revealed the mystery to him.

Trusting God can be difficult. Our human eyes can only see so much. We often can’t comprehend how God could possibly fix the situation. But our God sees it all, from beginning to end. And He can make a way where there is no way. When we are facing a battle, I pray we can learn to immediately trust God, as Daniel did.

God will do awesome works beyond our highest expectations (Isaiah 64:3). He is the God who performs miracles (Psalm 77:14).

Whatever you are facing today, remember that God is trustworthy and faithful. We can turn to Him and seek His guidance in the situations we are up against. He will show us what steps to take. But most of all, He will never leave us. He is with us, every step of the way.

Thank you for reading. Please say a prayer for my family. And continue to share your prayer requests with me as well. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading in Lamentations 3. Several verses in this chapter brought me encouragement.

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him! The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” – v 21-26

Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. – v 32-33

But I called on your name, LORD, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!” Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.” – v 55-57

These verses reminded me to hope in the Lord. Things in life are always changing. But God is constant. That’s why we can’t go wrong when we put our hope in Him.

When we keep our focus on the Lord, we remember that He is faithful, He is loving, He is merciful, He is good, and He is compassionate. He hears our prayers and He helps us when we call to Him.

These things are part of God’s character. He cannot change who He is. He cannot be anything but goodness and loving and merciful and faithful.

In the words of Dr. Charles Stanley, “We can do nothing to change his love for us—it is unconditional and flows freely from his throne of grace. He never changes, and he is faithful to keep all of his promises.”

How comforting that is! But often times we have to remind ourselves of truth. The enemy will try to discourage us and make us doubt. Especially when we are facing something difficult. Our minds will start spinning and worrying. We will have fear over what we’re facing. But the Bible tells us that when we seek the Lord, He will not turn away from us. So it’s important to hold on to Jesus, and keep our focus on Him. When we have Him, we always have hope.

“Jesus invites us into His presence without shame, without our past baggage, without the need to cover ourselves or to be someone we’re not, without the enemy’s constant taunts in our ear telling us we’re not enough, and without the self-deprecating slurs we constantly hurl at ourselves. He wants us in His presence, full and free, healed and whole, expectant and full of faith. Jesus wants to heal us deeply so we’ll more readily believe that He loves us completely. And when we start to grasp how secure we are in Him, we’ll be more apt to pray and believe from that sturdy place. We’ll learn to trust His promises, rely on His goodness, and rest on His unchanging grace.” – Susie Larson

Whatever you are facing today, keep your hope in Jesus. He doesn’t like to see you hurting. He walked this earth, so He understands everything you are going through. He loves you and He is with you every step of the way. Call on Him. He hears your prayers. And in Luke 18 He reminds us to keep praying and don’t give up.

Thank you for reading. Please say a prayer for my family. And continue to share your prayer requests with me as well. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

There’s a reason why I haven’t chosen words like “trust” and “surrender” to be my one word for the year. I’m afraid if I pick a word like that, then a trial will come my way to help me grow in that area. Have you heard the saying – Be careful what you pray for? It’s been said that if you pray for more patience, for example, that will bring situations into your life to help you become more patient. God won’t just snap His fingers and turn you into a patient person.

I admire my blogger friend, Judy, whose one word this year is “surrender.” She has been teaching me a lot with her posts that reflect on this word. In Judy’s post on Thursday, she brought encouragement with these words: “Surrender sometimes means taking the next step when you can’t see where you’re going, when you’re tired beyond words, when the only thing holding you together is your faith in God, trusting God’s plan, whatever it is, is better than your plan.”

That’s how it feels some days. But I am also learning that I need to remind myself to hold onto the Lord, hold onto faith, surrender, and trust.

On Wednesday, Rainer at The Devotional Guy™ examined the question – “What could you let go of, for the sake of harmony?” Rainer provided several possible answers, which I agreed with wholeheartedly. And another answer that came to mind dealt with control. I realized that lack of trust and lack of surrender to God is a sign of trying to control everything in life. When we don’t have control, this ushers in frustration, anger, fear, worry, and more.

God is the One with ultimate control. Yet it can be difficult to hand over the reins. We look at situations with our human eyes. And we can’t imagine how God will make a way over the mountain. But God is able to do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think, infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams!

And on top of our own struggles, we also have an enemy who comes to steal our peace. He wants nothing more than to see us doubt God and His promises. That’s why we have to stay strong in the face of a battle. Prayer and Scripture are two ways to activate our faith.

“Whatever Goliath you face, you need to bury one truth deep within your heart: God loves you, and when you place your trust in him, he will help you to triumph. You may go through times of failure. Life may not always turn out the way you planned—but ultimately, God will be glorified, and you will be blessed. Every challenge presents an opportunity for the Lord to display his faithfulness and love. Instead of yielding to thoughts of fear and failure, make a commitment to trust God, even when you do not know what the next day will bring. Train yourself to look beyond what you can see to what he sees.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

Whatever you may be walking through, know that God is trustworthy and faithful. He wants what is best for you. He never forsakes those who seek Him. His unfailing love surrounds you. I hope you will hand your worries over to Him. He cares about everything you face. Let Jesus be your anchor.

I sat down one day and searched through the Psalms for verses that dealt with trust. I found several that really spoke to me. You will find them listed below. I hope they bring you comfort as well.

Thank you for reading. Please say a prayer for my family. And let me know how I can pray for you. God bless you!

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Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. – Psalm 9:10

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. – Psalm 28:7

…the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. – Psalm 32:10

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. – Psalm 56:3

Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. – Psalm 86:4

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

[Those who fear the LORD] will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. – Psalm 112:7

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

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© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

I can’t decide if June sped by or crawled by. 🤔 Either way, here are some reminders that came my way…

Every Day is a Gift – One thing I learned in June is that everything can change in an instant. We shouldn’t take one day for granted. Every day really is a gift.

Habits and Routines – I learned something about good habits and routines. Habits and routines that are well established in our lives, as well as habits and routines from which we have seen progress – those habits and routines have a better chance of standing their ground when adversity strikes. However, any newly formed habits and routines from which we haven’t seen true results yet – those might easily be whisked away.

For example, for over a year I have been doing leg exercises three times a week. (Don’t be too impressed because it only takes about ten minutes of my time.) But I have seen results from this routine. Therefore, I have been able to keep pushing myself, even when I don’t feel like it. (Okay, to be honest, I never feel like it.)

On the other hand, about a month ago I told you all that I was trying to do Pilates more often. This routine did not get a good footing, though. So when circumstances took a turn, I didn’t hold onto it. (One day I’d like to get back to that practice.)

That’s why it’s important to form good habits and routines sooner rather than later. If possible, develop them in good times of life, and don’t put them off.

Perspective – I also learned that what seems to matter changes with the seasons of life. You might have thought that something in particular mattered; however, when circumstances change your perspective, what matters changes as well. Something that might have seemed important in the past, may no longer seem to be as vital, in light of a new perspective. In each season of life, we change as our circumstances change.

Prayer – In June I’ve been reminded that prayer is a gift. And when you have family and friends praying for you or a loved one, that is priceless. (Thank you for your continued prayers for my family. They are very much appreciated. More than you know. And please continue to share your prayer requests with me.)

The Bible – Staying in God’s Word is a treasure as it guides us on good days and bad days. God will use Scripture to speak to our hearts and encourage us.

God Speaks – However, God will also use other avenues to speak to us and encourage us. A song on the radio, words from family and friends, a blog post, words in a book, even something on television. He will speak to us in any way He can reach us. It’s important to keep our hearts open, so we can hear Him and receive His messages.

“We complicate things when we expect God to talk to us the way He talks to others. Or we see someone who claims to hear Him in detail and we wonder why we don’t enjoy such clarity. But if we can learn to trust His love and enjoy His presence, we’ll eventually learn to rest in His care. We’ll go about our day, trusting that if we’re about to lose our way, the Holy Spirit will convict and correct us as needed. And if there’s something we need to know, God will make sure to let us know.” – Susie Larson

Faith – I’ve learned that when it’s difficult to cling to our faith, that is when we need it the most. We can’t give up. We have to keep believing and keep hoping. God is on the throne and He can handle all the difficulties in our lives. He is bigger than any mountain we face. He can make a way where there is no way. He can do it, even if the world says it can’t be done. Jesus is our healer. And what a gift it is to know that He loves us and cares for us. He is with us, every single moment.

I created a playlist titled “God’s Got This.” If you need some encouragement, feel free to check it out. These songs and their lyrics remind me that God is in control and He can do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond anything we ask or think (Eph 3:20). 🙌

How did the month of June go for you? I’d love to hear about it.

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

There are times in life when we hit some really difficult challenges. We feel overwhelmed and helpless. But no matter what we are facing, we always have prayer. And I believe prayer is our strongest weapon. The Almighty God of the Universe hears every word we pray. And He is bigger than any mountain we face.

Jesus urged us to keep praying and never give up (see Luke 18:1-8). So that alone should encourage us to keep praying. It helps us to know that God really is listening.

And when we have seen prayer alter situations, it motivates us to pray even more. Even other people’s answered prayers can inspire us.

For example, many years ago two missionaries, who were also husband and wife, spoke in front of our church. They talked about how little they had when they were on mission trips. But they also talked about how God provided for them. One night they prayed for soap because they didn’t even have a bar of soap to bathe with. The next morning they discovered a bar of soap where they were staying. It had teeth marks in it and it appeared as though God had used a rat to transport it for them. When I heard them tell that story, it left an impact on me. This is a good reminder of how powerful prayer is and how much God wants to help us with our needs. (Some of you might recall me sharing this story before.)

I would like to share another powerful prayer story with you. In his book, “The Spirit-Filled Life,” Dr. Charles Stanley tells about a time when he and “In Touch” ministry faced a challenge. They had a deadline and needed to relocate from the building they were occupying. They found a building that was promising, but it had a hefty price tag – $2.7 million. They thought about borrowing the money, but didn’t want to get into debt. The board members had a difficult time in agreeing on the best route.

So, Charles Stanley and the board members decided to stay at some cabins in a nearby state park and pray for several days. During that time, they did get some helpful news. The owner of the new property agreed to lower the price to $2 million. But they continued praying.

When they were leaving the state park, they weren’t sure what it was, but they believed God had a plan worked out. When he got home, Charles Stanley had a message from a man he never met. When he returned the call, the man said, “Dr. Stanley, I have had you and your ministry on my mind the past several days. I notice that you never ask for money on the broadcast, and I was wondering if you had any needs.”

Charles Stanley wrote that he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He told the man about the situation they were in. The man asked how much the building cost. When Charles Stanley gave the price of $2 million, the man said, “I think I can handle that!”

(I tried to summarize this story a bit. But the full story can be found in The Spirit-Filled Life © 2014 by Charles F. Stanley)

What a powerful story that is. This shows us how vital it is to pray about the things we face. And it shows how God really cares about every thing we go through – big or small.

I have seen prayers answered many times in my own life. Times when God protected me or my family. Times when God provided wisdom or guidance. Times when God brought comfort to family members who were sick or dealing with fear. Times when God put a shield over us in the midst of severe weather. Even times when God changed hearts in a way only He could.

Sometimes we might be so overwhelmed by our circumstances that we don’t know what to pray or how to pray. The good news is that the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26) and Jesus intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). How comforting that is! Sometimes, our only thoughts are “Jesus, please help.” But that’s okay, because He understands. And He is helping. He is working on our behalf, even when we can’t see it.

Do you have any powerful prayer stories? I’d love to hear them.

Please continue to pray for my family. Thank you so much. We appreciate it more than you know.

God bless you all!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).” – Hebrews 10:23 KJV

The book of Hebrews was written to the early church. As you can imagine, they suffered through much discord for their belief in Jesus. Some were even tempted to turn away from their faith. The author of Hebrews encourages these Christians to “hold fast” to their faith.

According to the Cambridge dictionary hold fast means “to firmly remain in the same position or keep the same opinion.”

The verse above is just as applicable today as it was two thousand years ago. Every day we will have things come against us and our faith. The world mocks our faith and the principles we stand on. The enemy will send spiritual battles our way. And we will face difficulties in life that will tempt us to doubt.

Just as the early church needed the reminder to “hold fast” to their faith, so do we.

This means that on a daily basis, we need to choose faith. Faith is a choice that we can make.

Choosing faith means holding on to God’s promises. Choosing faith means praying like we believe The God of the universe is listening and working on our behalf. Choosing faith means speaking words of hope, instead of words of doubt.

“Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” – Ephesians 3:12 NLT

“I want to spend the rest of my days speaking truth born of a fully convinced heart. God accepts me and radically loves me. He embraces me and calls me His own. Who He is and what He is up to in my life—these things are worth boasting about.” – Brady Boyd

“Declare right now, that though you can’t see it, God is at work in your midst. He moves when you pray and He absolutely cherishes your faith. Believe it. Embrace it. Because it’s true.” – Susie Larson

Also in the book of Hebrews, we are reminded that it’s impossible to please God without faith. But that same verse (11:6) also goes on to say that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. What an awesome promise. I pray we each hold fast to faith and diligently seek the Lord.

I know life can be discouraging and some days we will face hard battles. But that’s when we need our faith the most. We have to choose faith over doubt.

Believe that God will make a way, even when you can’t see it. That’s what faith is – believing what we can’t see.

And even when we feel like we’re barely holding on, we can be thankful that He is holding on to us.

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” – Isaiah 41:13 NKJV

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Thank you for reading. Please keep my family in your prayers. We really appreciate it. And let me know if you have any special prayer requests. For those of you who have asked for prayer recently, I’m still praying. Sometimes we feel helpless in the things we face. But we always have prayer and God hears! God bless!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

Friends, I would like to start today’s post by requesting that you please, please say a prayer for someone near and dear to my heart. Thank you! It means so much to us. God knows the details. And I believe He hears our prayers and He is with us.

Also, tomorrow is Father’s Day in the USA. So I wish all the men out there a Happy Father’s Day. And a special wish to my own father. He is a strong person, who has been through a lot. But he doesn’t let it bring him down. He has taught me so much through his actions, about life and unconditional love. 🥰

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Life can be really hard. And we have an enemy who is out to get us. But we also have a Mighty God! He is bigger than anything the devil throws at us.

We have to keep holding onto the Lord and His promises, no matter what. It’s not always easy. When blindsided, it can be difficult to trust Him. (More on that in a future post.)

Recently we got some troubling news. But the following day when I was reading my Bible, I just so happened to read Isaiah 53 and 54. Several verses jumped out at me in light of the situation.

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5 NKJV

Also in my reading that day, the words is Isaiah 54:8b brought encouragement “‘…with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,’ Says the LORD, your Redeemer.”

In my reading, I was also reminded of the power of praise. Praise moves the heart of God. Praise tells God that we are trusting Him, with every step.

And later in the week I heard a powerful version of “Break Every Chain” on TBN. I was unable to embed the video. But here is the link, if you want to hear it.

These things weren’t a coincidence. The Lord will speak to us, if we listen. And I am claiming and receiving these words on behalf of my loved one. God’s Word does not return empty, void, useless, or without result!

Unfortunately, though, we have an enemy who will bring fear and worry. The enemy will try to keep our focus on the battle.

God gently reminds us to keep our eyes on Him. He is the God of “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think!” (See Ephesians 3:20.)

If you have Jesus in your life, then you have the resurrection power in your life. (If you don’t have Jesus in your life, why wait? See this page here.)

Thanks to Jesus, we have so much in this life. Including a victorious ending. Jesus wins! And through the battles we face on this earth, we have the powerful name of Jesus that we can call upon!

The Lord is in control. And we can trust Him because He loves His children. He doesn’t want them to suffer. “Since [God] did not spare even his own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32)

It’s not easy. Believe me, I know. Worry and fear continue to creep in. But we have to make a choice. Will we keep looking at the enemy? Or will we turn our focus, our attention, our hearts, and our hope to Jesus?

“Jesus is your strong tower, your shelter against the foe, your defender, deliverer, and mighty God! His strength and power inhabits your soul! You have Him! You have His power. And you have His promises.” – Susie Larson

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
– Psalm 103:1-5

Whatever you are facing today, remember that God is with you. He wants only what’s best for you. Don’t let the enemy take your focus away from Jesus. The Lord is fighting for you. Hold tightly to Him. Call upon the name of Jesus. There is power in His beautiful name!

I would like to end this post with a prayer…

Dear Heavenly Father, O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? (2 Chronicles 20:6) We are each facing different battles today. But our eyes are on You (2 Chron 20:12). We are seeking Your help and assistance with the road ahead. Jesus said that He came so we may have an abundant life (John 10:10). But some days our battles wear us down. We don’t always feel like we have the abundant life. So we are asking You for breakthrough, for healing, and for restoration. We know You are fighting for us, and we are so thankful. There is no one else who we trust more. You love us and You care about every moment of our lives. We are thankful for You, Lord. And we are grateful to know You go ahead of us and You protect us from behind (Isaiah 52:12). We call on You, our God, for You will answer us; turn Your ear to us and hear our prayer (Psalm 17:6). There is power in the name of Jesus, and it is Jesus’s name that we pray these things. We believe. We are holding on to You. Thank you. Amen.

God bless you all ♥️

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’” – Isaiah 48:17

What a gift we have in the Lord. When we first become Christians we might think that our new path is all about salvation. And while that is a big part of it, there is so much more. We now have a relationship with the Most High God, thanks to Jesus.

Our relationship brings many blessings through our earthly life. The verse above is an example of the gifts we have in the Lord. God teaches us what is best for us and God directs us in the way we should go.

As long as we are on this earth, we will face challenges and obstacles. We will continually need God to teach us and to direct us. And it brings a lot of comfort to know that He is there and He wants to help us. We don’t have to do it on our own.

I have heard Dr. Charles Stanley say in his sermons that when we are facing a difficulty, we should ask God what He wants us to learn from it. Everything we face, God allowed. He will not send us through a difficult situation to hurt us. He loves us and only wants the best for us. But when we do have a challenge in our lives, God will have a reason. And ultimately He will use it to help us change for the better.​

However, even in our daily lives we have much we can learn and we need much guidance. When we think we have it all together, we run the risk of not seeking the Lord for His help and His strength. So it does us good to lean on Him, no matter what we are walking through.

“God is loving, compassionate and intimately involved in our lives. He is eternally committed to our best and wants us to know how much he cares for us.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

When we are facing a decision, we have limited knowledge. We can only see today. But God can see tomorrow, a year from now, and ten years from now. That’s why He will know what the best route is. Going one way might make more sense with what we know of our lives at this moment. But going a different route might be the best route when viewing the bigger picture.

Whatever you are going through today, I hope you will turn to the Lord for guidance. As children of The Most High God, He wants to guide us and teach us. And remember that no matter what you are facing, The One and Only God of the universe sees you and loves you. He cares about every moment of your day. And He is working all things together for good.​

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” – Romans 8:28 AMP

“That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” – Romans 8:28 MSG

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend.

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

Hello Friends! I’m back! And I am bringing another monthly “blessings and reminders” post.

Reset

As you might know, I was offline for a few weeks. I wasn’t blogging or on social media. I tried to limit my time on email and such.

Also, my husband and I didn’t eat any snacks or desserts after dinner. We were in the habit of eating something every night. This was something I looked forward to, as though food would bring joy. I also added some sort of movement, such as Pilates, into many of my days.

Mainly I made an attempt to eliminate distractions, so I could place my energy on the right things. I have a tendency to get overwhelmed when there is too much on my plate. Taking this break helped me to reset, in order to create a better balance in my life.

This time brought several reminders. Less stress brought more peace. This might seem obvious, however, this really confirmed that I do need to find a better balance each day. Less distractions overall helped me to focus. And slowing down was also beneficial to my attitude. I tend to be edgy when I feel overwhelmed. I hope this helps motivate me to make better choices in the future.

I love to read and this break gave me time to read more meaningful books. Currently I am reading several devotions that focus on the love of God and prayer. I’m finding that when we are intentional about tuning into God’s presence in our lives, it helps open our eyes to His goodness.

Another takeaway in regards to reading, and also in regards to faith, is that when we have more bandwidth, so to speak, we are better able to process what we are learning and apply changes to our lives. Last month I had time to evaluate my actions, reactions, thoughts and words.

Trust

Towards the end of the month, we had a financial concern. The check for our mortgage payment got into the wrong hands. Someone altered the check, put their own name on it, and deposited into their bank account. (We’ve heard about this sort of thing on the news before. So just a warning to be careful, as these things really do happen.) It’s a long story, so I will try to whittle it down. At this point we have not gotten the money back, but we are hopeful that we will. They know who did it, so hopefully this guy will have consequences for his actions.

One thing that struck me, though, was that I wasn’t really worried or stressed about it. I had to take time off work to go to the bank. We had to put a lock on our old account and open a new one. We had to switch a lot of things over from the old account to the new one. But I was okay with all of this. In Philippians 4:7 it talks about “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.” We can have this peace in the midst of a trial when we truly trust that God is with us through everything we face.

I admit that I am not there yet with all the worries in my life. However, it was nice to see that I was able to trust God in this situation.

Awareness

Last weekend I had Monday off for the U.S. holiday Memorial Day. (In case you are not familiar, this is a day to honor those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.) I also took Friday off, which means I had a four-day weekend. The two middle days, Saturday and Sunday, I noticed that I felt rested and peaceful. Monday I started feeling nervous and anxious. Some things going on with my car played a part in this, but I also believe my weekend coming to a close also added to that.

I have a great job that I love. However, this incident helped me understand better that even when things in life are going well, I have a tendency to stuff down my stress and worries. We need to stay aware of what is going on the inside and also incorporate ways to bring restoration into our lives.

Your Turn!

Now it’s your turn. Please share some highlights from your month.

Also, if you have any special prayer requests, please let me know those as well.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed weekend.

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