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TT.003: How Do You Normally Start Your Day?
I don’t know about you, but my least favorite time of the day used to be waking up in the morning. It is such a rude reality that we cannot spend our entire day in bed where we are safe, warm, and comfortable. Inevitably the time for rest always ends and we are forced into a new day of work and responsibilities. I said that I used to hate this time of day the most. I still have my mornings where I wish I could stay wrapped in my blanket cocoon for all eternity but for the most part, lately, I have been learning to appreciate my mornings. I am not consistent in this but I am getting better at it, when I wake up in a bad mood, I try to pray first thing and remember these words from Psalms and Lamentations:
“Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
Psalms 5:1-3“Yet this I call to mind and therefore have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’”
Lamentations 3:22-24These passages are just a couple from God’s word that help us to know the best way to start our day, which is in prayer! Let God be the first one you speak to each morning and I assure you that your day will go better! He hears us all the time but in the morning, when we speak to Him first thing, He listens and honors our devotion of our day to Him from the start. The end of both of these passages also point out a critical follow up posture to maintain throughout your day that is, expectancy and waiting.
When we invite God into our day with us, we must then wait expectantly for Him to show up. If you invited a friend to meet up someplace and spend the day shopping or exploring a new area with you, you would expect them to show up and go with you right?! And if you expect that, you would also wait for them at the place you planned to meet. You wouldn’t leave without them or return home instead, you would wait. I think too many of us have been let down too many times by unreliable friends. This inhibits our ability to expect follow through which in turn makes us unwilling to wait but God is our most dependable friend, He will always show up and follow through! Wait on Him and when He arrives, go with Him!
His mercies are new each morning. You don’t need to carry the pain, frustration, or problems of yesterday into today. He will give you new strength for each day to face its problems. Don’t look back and harp on the past and don’t worry about tomorrow, focus on today and look for God. He will meet you where you invite Him and with Him by your side, you can face all things!
Blessings FAM!
How do you start your day? If it is not in prayer, give it a shot! I promise you it will change your life! Where have you needed to invite God to meet you? Maybe you have invited Him to those places. If so when you are in that place do you look for Him? Or do you get caught up in the stress and check out? Don’t be a flaky friend to God who invites Him someplace but then doesn’t show up or wait for Him themselves. He will be there if you ask Him to be. You need to show up too! Expect Him to be there and wait until He shows up!
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WW.003: Every Move I Make | by David Crowder Band
“Waves of mercy, waves of grace” These are the lyrics that made me choose this song for this weeks Worship Wednesday spotlight. If you grew up in church like I did and 30 is creeping up on you, then you are probably vary familiar with this song! The moves we did were slightly different than this video but for the most part, they are the same. I loved this song and still do but for different reasons. When I was a student I loved it for it’s energy and excited movements. I served in the children’s ministry at my church back then, leading the small children in worship which, with them, always had to be full of creative movements. Most songs we lead them in had to have moves made up for them and I have many fond memories of choreographing those songs with my fellow KidZone Singers! (You know who you are! I miss you all and those sweet times we had together!)
My love for this song has taken on new meaning in my current season. As I was thinking this morning of what I wanted to write about for this post, I couldn’t stop coming back to one of my favorite analogies for when things in life look overwhelming. I liken it to standing on a beach and staring out at the water during a major storm which creates this giant wave! Think of the tallest wave you can and then double or triple it’s height! When we see things going on in life that are outside of our control, it can be easy to react in fear. Those things that seem so big and inevitable are like that giant wave. It is one hundred stories tall and coming straight for us. We feel like we may drown or be washed out and lost to the sea.
But “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” {2 Timothy 1:7} We can only control ourselves and we can choose to stand our ground against those waves by His power! In the end, just like that giant wave is pulled down to earth in submission to the moon’s tide, The waves in our lives will be crushed beneath our feet in submission to the unmatched power of God! Just as the wave, after crashing down, still comes towards us to softly ripple over our toes and around our ankles, the waves we face in this life will still come for us but to produce in us refreshing ripple effects of growth by God’s grace and we will see more clearly each time just how well we are surrounded by God’s merciful protection!
‘Waves of Mercy, Waves of Grace” Lord help us all to remember that the giant waves we face in this life all work for Your glory! You bring lessons and reminders of your grace and mercy in each one if we will only stand firm in Your power and look for the blessings. We trust that you will protect us and force these waves to bow at your power and break in your time!
Blessings FAM!
What are some waves you are facing or have faced in the past? How has God blessed you through them or how are you praying for His blessings out of the ones you are currently facing? If you are not praying to Him about them, why not? He cares about us through every situation. Go to Him with your fears even if they seem silly. Sometimes when we are less mature in our faith, even the small waves in life can scare us. There is no shame in that, just remember that no matter what we bring before Him, He will help us through. Worry about nothing, pray about everything and He will bring you peace!
