set your mind

Even on vacation ... one must follow the word of the Lord ....
From Joel:
Set Your Mind
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“Now set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God” (I Chronicles 22:19, AMP).
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Have you “set your mind” today? In other words, when you woke up this morning, did you make the decision to focus on good things and to follow God with all your heart? If we don’t set our minds, if we don’t purposely focus our thoughts and energy, then chances are, we’ll be bombarded by the cares of life. We’ll be tossed back and forth by every situation we encounter. We’ll be distracted by every phone call, upset by the traffic, offended by what someone said, and we’ll get off the course God intended. We’ve all heard it said that the best defense is a good offense. When you proactively set your thoughts, you are putting yourself on the offense. You are taking charge of your life. You are being an on-purpose person. You’re redeeming the time. Make the decision today to set your mind on things above. Set your mind on God’s eternal purposes so that you can stand in the victory He has for you.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, today I set my mind on You. I choose to seek You with my whole heart. Thank You for strengthening me with Your peace and joy today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

GRACE AND PEACE!

Continue to Pray

This morning I read 2 Chronicles 15:1-19. This is the story of Asa, one of the kings of Judah ...
From Stormie:
When we live a lifestyle of praise and worship, we keep out heart fresh and open to the working of the Holy Spirit in us. Spending time in prayerful worship keeps us in the right attitude to hear from God and be guided by Him. It positions Him as first priority in our lives and helps us stay dependent upon Him, whether things in our lives are going well or not.
When the Spirit of God cam upon the prophet Azariah, he told King Asa, "The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you" (2Chronicles 15:2) It can't get any clearer than that. If God is with us as long as we're with Him, that should increase our motivation to be with Him.
So what does it mean to be "with God"? We understand it pretty clearly in the bad times. We come to God desperate for help. What about when things are going well? The best advise when you are in a season of peace and rest is to use that time to build and fortify yourself in the Lord. Study His Word. Communicate with Him in prayer. Spend time in His presence in worship and praise. Get closer. Stay with Him. Use that time to fall in love with Jesus all over again.
King Asa did not always do everything right, but in the end he was described as a king who had a heart fully committed to the Lord. Even when you don't act perfectly, you can show God that your heart is perfectly in love with Him by the praise you give Him every day.

prayer: :Lord, I earnestly seek you - come close today. Help me to be a light that shines with your love and glory. Help me to become your obedient servant - always. Thank you for this peaceful time that allows me to draw you in. Strengthen my heart and mind in you. In Jesus precious name. AMEN.

I have to include From God Calling:
Be calm, be true, be quiet. I watch over you.
Rest in My Love. Joy in the very Beauty of Holiness. You are Mine. Deliverance is here for your, but Thankfulness and Joy open the gates.
Try in all things to be very glad, very happy, very thankful. It is not to quiet resignation I give My blessings, but to joyful acceptance and anticipation.
Laughter is the outward expression of joy. That is why I urge upon Love and Laughter.

GRACE AND PEACE!

we are here!

We arrived on North Captiva Island Saturday @ 9:30am ... it was overcast when we loaded the boat and full sun when we docked. We had a very smooth drive to Florida - uneventful, which is a certain blessing. All 3 cars cars met and slept in Macon,GA ... 2 cars arrived around 9:30 and the final car arrived 12:30. Everyone was up for breakfast at 7am - it was fun to see everyone, then we all headed out in 30 min increments to head to Ft Myers for Friday Night. Everyone arrived by 6pm.
Aaron and I got to meet up with my friend that lives in Cape Coral - that was great! :)

Today, Sunday morning we have overcast skies and it is stormy - it should all pass by noon. Which is perfect for our skin! WE all got just a little crispy yesterday. The house is perfect, I look forward to posting pictures when we return ... it is great to be in such a remote area.

On to my morning Joel .... it is completely refreshing to know continually how awesome our God is.

Free From Bondage
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“…I will free you from their bondage and I will rescue you with an outstretched arm…” (Exodus 6:6, AMP).
TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
No matter what’s going on in your life, no matter how somebody is treating you, God has a plan to free you from everything that would try to hold you back. He wants to rescue you and show you His mighty hand of favor and blessing. One translation says “with special and vigorous action.” What does that mean? That means, if you will stay in faith even in the difficult times, God is going to show up with explosive blessings. He is going to bring supernatural turnaround, supernatural breakthroughs, supernatural promotion, and supernatural deliverance. God is saying, “I’m going to free you from the bondage of poverty and lack. I’m going to free you from the burden of depression and discouragement. I’m going to free you from every addiction, every bad habit.” You don’t have to live in bondage to anything any longer! God’s arm of deliverance is outstretched toward you. He is setting you free from every bondage so that you can live the life of victory He has in store for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, thank You for delivering me from every fear, every concern, every obstacle, every form of bondage. I declare today that no weapon formed against me shall prosper because You are my deliverer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

GRACE AND PEACE!

preparing to leave

We are heading out in about 2 hours ... are we ready - as ready as we can be:) 

Last night Aaron shared that he dropped off his computer to have some work done while we are gone - so I do not think I will be posting while on vacation. Unless I can figure out how to use my sisters iPhone to post ... ? we will see. Otherwise, we will all be on vacation RIGHT! :) Which coincides with this part of my morning devotion:

So leave your foolish fears and follow Me, your Guide, and determinedly refuse to consider the  problems of tomorrow. My message to you is, trust and wait.

Trust and Wait ...  a reoccurring theme. I am looking on expectantly to be able to un plug, and listen for the still small voice of the Lord .... I smile thinking about what might be revealed. 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Pslam 27:14

GRACE AND PEACE!

So True!

thanks DURHAM FAMILY - I was blown away this morning:)

from God Calling:

I am with you. Do not fear never doubt My Love and Power. Your heights of success will be won by the daily persistent doing of what I have said. 

Daily, steady persistence. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain success for you, and secure your help for others. 

Never falter, go forward so boldly, so unafraid. I am beside you to help and strengthen you. Wonders have unfolded. More still will unfold, beyond your dreams, beyond your hopes. 

Say, "All is well" to everything. All is well.

after reading, I went to "my sisters verse" ... 

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ... 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those how have been trained by it. 12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Hebrews 12

PRAYER: Lord, you are simply amazing. I do not know how to thank you for all the blessings that have been poured out and continue to pour. I thank you for the future that you have planned. Continue to mold me into the woman you desire. Thank you for holding me close, for caring about me and loving me. Even when I am full of doubt and questions. Thank you for your living word and allowing it to move and speak to me. I wait expectantly for all you have prepared.  Continue to guide my steps on this LEVEL path, providing discernment along the way. Help my eyes to stay focused on you and your will for me. Thank you for the strength provided when life gets rocky. Thank you for providing STEADY persistence as we move forward into all you have desired. In the name of your precious son, Jesus. AMEN

GRACE AND PEACE!

wow!

from God Calling: 

I am here. Seek not to know the future. Mercifully I veil it from you. Faith is too priceless a possession to be sacrificed in order to purchase knowledge. But Faith itself is based on a knowledge of ME. So remember that this evening time is not to learn the future, not to receive revelation of the Unseen, BUT to gain an intimate knowledge of ME which will teach you all things and be the very foundation of your faith.

WOW - this was my daily reading for today, i never read ahead ... but I marvel how two days ago I was longing to know the future and understand ... this was waiting for me. All I can do is shake my head and chuckle. God is so good. HE continues to strengthen my faith in Him - and continues to build this precious relationship with Jesus, simply amazing! 

Looking ahead, the fam heads south Thursday. We are not technically car-a-van-ing ... but we are traveling on the same route, just various departing times. We will meet up Friday after 4pm in Cape Coral, FL. (North FT Myers) Which is SUPER great, one of my dear friends lives there now (we started teaching together 12 years ago and in 2002 she moved to Florida) I am looking forward to hanging out Friday with her:) Our boat to the Island, North Captiva leaves at 9am. We placed our grocery order today, they will be packed and picked up for us Sat early ... then we will be on our way to relaxation. We will actually be on the island Sat to Sat. I am looking forward to a the beach, the ocean and the sun. TOTAL rejuvenation!

Thank you for continued prayers.

GRACE AND PEACE!

outstretched

So yesterday was a day that I was upset, angry and questioning. I know there are no answers that my simple mind can even begin to comprehend the grandness that God has planned - and that is the reason for my feelings. Therefore when I read Joel this morning, it reminded me that the Lord has a plan - who am I to try and change that plan. It is the same scripture I looked at one week ago - amazing how in one week I can forget something so profound. 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

 “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who can annul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back”
 (Isaiah 14:27, AMP).

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

As believers, you and I have an advantage. We don’t have to go through life just depending on our own talent, our own ability, our own strength. The Scripture talks about how God’s hand is outstretched toward His people. That means there is a supernatural power behind every believer. God’s outstretched hand will help you accomplish dreams that you thought were impossible. His outstretched hand will cause you to get well even when the medical report says there is no way. The outstretched hand of God will help us to prosper even when the economy is down.

Let this sink down into your heart today. All through the day, imagine God’s hand outstretched toward you. It is a hand of healing, a hand of favor, a hand of restoration. No matter what you may be facing, you have to realize there is a force for you that is greater than any force that will ever be against you. You’re attitude should be, “I am not settling where I am. I know I have an advantage. As a child of the Most High, I know God’s hand is outstretched toward me.”

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, thank You for Your outstretched hand of protection and provision for me. I choose to lay aside every fear and every concern knowing that You will make a way for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

From my journal: 

Lord,I pray that you will help to subside these feelings. Fill me with love, strength and your glory. Continue to lift the veil covering my eyes that I may begin to recognize how you will use me in the Kingdom in a powerful way. Father, do not let me become paralyzed by fear or anger. Allow those feeling to run their course then move on. Strengthen me in faith and trust that you DO answer prayers all according to your will and perfect timing. I am ever thankful that you make all things new. Spring is coming - How I look forward to what this new growth will bring. How glorious is YOUR SON. I thank you for holding me close. I thank you for not turning away from me, but drawing near. I turn to you Lord, I pray to be obedient and strong in you. My soul is anchored in You. Praise be to you Lord, in the name of your precious son, Jesus. AMEN.

GRACE AND PEACE!