When U Pray

If this is your teary-eyed testimony, you’ve found your tribe!

Sing it with me:

I vow to praise You (when you gon’ praise Him, church?)
Through the good and the bad
I’ll praise You (whether happy or sad)
Whether happy or sad (I will)
I’ll praise You (thank You, Jesus)
In all that I go through (yeah)
Because praise is what I do
’Cause I owe it all to You
— Songwriters: William Murphy III
Praise Is What I Do lyrics © Lilly Mack Music, M3M Music

Sometimes in life, you just have to stop pretending—drop the façade, take the makeup off, remove the masks—and simply cry out to the Lord! Cry out to Him in joy or in sadness, in pain or in peace, in trust or in doubt—just cry out! Crying out to the Lord begins the healing process.

“In my trouble I called to the Lord. Yes, I cried out to my God for help. There in His temple He heard my voice. He heard my cry for help.”
— Psalms 18:6 (ERV)

There are times in life when crying to your best friend feels right—and other times when you don’t want to burden them. Sometimes sharing your worries with your spouse or significant other seems like the right move, but it can lead to tension or misunderstanding. But I can promise you this: crying out to the Lord is always the best bet.

“In my trouble I called to the Lord. Yes, I cried out to my God for help. There in His temple He heard my voice. He heard my cry for help.”
— Psalms 18:6 (ERV)

So I said all that to say: cry if you need to, but take your tears to the Lord. He is willing and able to get you to your expected end. Trust Him with your situation. Trust Him with your joys and your pains. Trust Him with your questions—because He has the answers.

It’s wonderful to have people in your corner, but it’s a blessing to have God on your side.

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (ERV)

“Give all your worries to Him, because He cares for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:7 (ERV)

“The glory belongs to God forever and ever. Amen.”
— Galatians 1:5 (ERV)

Some of the things we do are automatic—no thought, no planning, just muscle memory.

Muscle memory: the ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired through frequent repetition.

I remember when I had a bowling coach who would have me throw the ball over and over again. “Step up to the line, aim between the two arrows, raise your arm and hold it.” We’d repeat the same motion for hours. I once asked him why we kept practicing the same thing, and he said, “Your body needs muscle memory. If you practice the right way, your body will know what to do without thinking.”

That conversation made me think about my relationship with Christ. Over time, by repeatedly trusting Him in every situation, I’ve developed spiritual muscle memory. The heart is a muscle. So is the brain.

When I face adversity—problems, concerns, difficult decisions, or challenges—I remember who my God is. My brain remembers, my heart remembers, and my spirit begins to recall His faithfulness.

“Lord, I remember what you have done. I remember the amazing things you did long ago. I think about those things—all the time. God, everything you do is holy. No god is as great as you are.”
‭‭Psalm‬s ‭77‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭ERV‬‬

It’s not always easy to surrender and let God take over. It’s not easy to lay down burdens—because those burdens begin to feel like close companions, and parting with them can be hard. Trusting that God will take care of it requires faith in action.

It’s easy to say we trust God. But walking that out? That’s where spiritual muscle memory kicks in.

That’s when I begin to quote:

“The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need.”
‭‭Psalm‬s ‭23‬:‭1‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
‭‭Psalm‬s ‭56‬:‭3‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“Remember what happened long ago. Remember—I am God, and there is no other. There is none like Me.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭46‬:‭9‬ ‭ERV‬‬

And now, after years of trusting Him, I believe this to be true:

“So I am not the one living now—it is Christ living in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God. He is the one who loved me and gave himself to save me.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭ERV‬‬

As I sit on my porch, watching the happenings on my street, I get to witness the splendor of the Lord.

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭26‬ ‭NKJV

In the early hours of the morning, I sit among the critters of God and marvel at how great He is. I watch the birds fly around, picking worms off the sidewalk. I watch the squirrels scurry and play, digging up previously buried nuts or planting new ones. I watch the wild cats run and play with each other, and I’m in awe of the freedoms they possess. Once in a while, I see the rabbits from my backyard neighbor hopping down the road. With birds chirping and the wind rustling through the trees, it’s the perfect place to read a good book or simply enjoy the quiet.

As I sit here, I get frustrated by a pesky problem: flies! Ugh—I can’t stand them. But while seeking a solution, I ran into God.

During creation, He knew exactly what He was doing. And as much as I dislike flies, they have their place on the earth. I was reading about natural predators in hopes of getting rid of them without pesticides, and I came across this note:

“One of the most common predators of flies, including fruit flies, is the frog. Although frogs eat a diverse diet, they feed on flies as often as they can. Spiders are also common predators of fruit flies. These arachnids spin their webs as traps for flies.”

Everything has a purpose, and sometimes we forget that when God created us, He made provision for everyone and everything. That thought brought me back to the scripture above: if He cares for the birds of the air, He will surely care for me. If He provides for the lilies in the valley, He will provide for me. God has given us everything we need—if only we trust Him.

I’m reminded, by the wonders of God, that I can rely on His love every single day.

“Lord, all living things depend on you. You give them food at the right time. You give it, and they eat it. They are filled with good food from your open hands… I will sing to the Lord for the rest of my life. I will sing praises to my God as long as I live. May my words be pleasing to him. The Lord is the one who makes me happy.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭27‬–‭34‬ ‭ERV‬

Earlier today I was watching a comedian on TikTok and he was talking about the difference in his children, his son wanted to make it on his own but his daughter, she said unt unt. His daughter said she wanted to be a kept woman, and allow her daddy to take care of her.

My spirit shouted “ME TOO SIS”!

You ask how? Surely you jest, God is so amazing in my life I want to jump and shout. I’m not saying my life is perfect or that I don’t have problems but he keeps me in perfect peace in the middle of them. 

He keeps me quiet when I want to scream and shout because things aren’t going my way, and he gently reminds me. 

 “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.26.3.NKJV

He keeps me fed mentally, physically and spiritually!

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/php.4.19.NKJV

He keeps me filled with joy, even when things aren’t going my way. 

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.5.11.NKJV

He keeps me in all the ways that I need to be kept. 

He keeps me from falling, because you know there are a million stumbling blocks along the path. Not sure if you know it , but I’ve often been called stumblelina, because my feet often misspell a step. I give thanks to the God who looks out for me even when I am not worthy. 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.1.9.NKJV

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,”

‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/jud.1.24.NKJV

I had  this conversation with myself because I sometimes forget and allow things to wear me down and make me forget who I belong too. I forget that God is able and willing to work things out for me. I thought I would share my thinking with you. 

I too am a kept Woman!

What do you do when the next steps in life are unclear? How do you move forward when you’ve lost your footing?

I’m not talking about life being hard and dramatic—one crisis after another. I’m talking about those seasons when everything seems “normal,” yet you feel lost. When you feel separated from God and can no longer hear His voice—how do you find your way back?

People will say: search the Word for answers, pray more, trust God, hang in there, talk to your pastor, ask others to pray for you.

Every single piece of that advice is true.

But here’s the thing—there isn’t one right answer. Each of us navigates life differently and carries different needs at different times. It’s easy to lose our way when the enemy steals our time.

We often picture the enemy attacking us head-on. While that may happen, his most cunning strategy is distraction. He doesn’t always tempt with blatant sin—sometimes it’s just… busyness. He keeps you constantly in motion: running errands, signing up for one church committee after another, cooking, cleaning, or tending to your favorite hobby.

He’ll whisper that it’s “just a season” when Sunday games replace church. He’ll nudge you to take that Sunday overtime—“you could use the extra money.” It’s not that those things are meaningless—but they quietly pull your focus away from the Lord. And that’s the trick.

So here’s my prayer:
Stop. Look closely at your daily routine.
Where are you spending your time?
Is that why you feel lost? Empty? Disconnected?

If any of that resonates, ask the Lord to show you how to return to Him. The first step is acknowledging where you are—lost, alone, or maybe afraid.

If you trust in the Word of the Lord, He will guide you.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
— Matthew 7:7 NKJV

“Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take.”
— Psalms 119:105 ERV

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
— Psalms 61:2 NIV

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
— Philippians 4:6 NKJV

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy…”
— Jude 1:24–25 NKJV

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
—Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)

Trust, by definition, is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

In the Bible, “trust” literally means a bold, confident, sure security.

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in people.”
—Psalms 118:8 (ERV)

What a concept: bold, confident, sure security! To me, that means you can walk boldly, knowing that God has your back. It’s one thing to depend on people—knowing there’s only a 50/50 chance they might come through—but trusting in God is a sure thing. You can be confident. I get goosebumps just thinking about that.

I found this scripture that literally says trusting in the Lord brings blessing:

“But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed. They know that the Lord will do what he says.”
—Jeremiah 17:7 (ERV)

And here’s another scripture that confirms the Lord will help you:

“Depend on the Lord. Trust in him, and he will help you. He will make it as clear as day that you are right. Everyone will see that you are being fair.”
—Psalms 37:5–6 (ERV)

And if you add this scripture to the mix, you’ll know you’re covered. With bold assurance, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish—no mountain too high, no valley too low. When you internalize these scriptures and let them shape your life, trusting God becomes like breathing. You just do it.

Soon, you start to realize that all the events in your life are preparing you for what God has prepared for you. Things that once seemed random begin to make perfect sense. You’re reminded of that old Southern hymnal: “You will understand it better by and by.”

“We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. These are the people God chose, because that was his plan.”
—Romans 8:28 (ERV)

I’m not trying to suggest that trusting the Lord is easy. I don’t want you to think I take that lightly—it’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever be asked to do. I’m asking you to trust a God you cannot see, even when the people you can see have hurt you. I’m asking you to live like you’ve never been wounded. I’m asking you to surrender your will to a divine one.

But, baby, when I tell you—there is freedom in this. It’s the best feeling in the world, knowing God has your back. That’s when you’re free to truly live.

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.”
—John 8:36 (ERV)

Well, I’m a week late with a Father’s Day message—almost on purpose. Last week we took time to celebrate and honor our earthly fathers, and I wanted to be intentional about setting aside time to celebrate our Heavenly Father.

Our Father in heaven is worthy to be celebrated, worthy to be praised, and worthy to be honored. I was looking for a scripture to begin with, and this came to mind:

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
— Matthew 6:9 KJV

Our Father—this phrase alone sends me straight into worship. “Our Father” speaks to the loving relationship we have with Him. It reflects the kindness He shows us, our willingness to surrender to His authority, and the deep truth that He belongs to us and we belong to Him.

Hallowed be Thy name reminds us to keep His name holy, and to live out a relationship with Him that reflects that holiness.

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
— 1 Peter 1:15–16 KJV

This isn’t about judgment or condemnation, but about honoring the Father whom we all—purposefully and thoughtfully—chose to follow. Think about it: no one can make you be in a relationship with God. You walked down that aisle and gave your life to Him. You chose Him in your heart. You decided to give Him a try. Honor your choice.

“For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”
— Psalm 95:3 KJV

“For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.”
— Deuteronomy 10:17 KJV

“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
— Deuteronomy 7:9 KJV

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
— 2 Thessalonians 3:3 KJV

I think you get the point—Our Father, who art in Heaven, is an amazing Father. He keeps His word and keeps us—even when we are disobedient, even when we’re willful, even when we don’t get it right. Like any good father, He cheers us on, teaches us, and allows us to grow and flourish. But whom He loves, He also disciplines.

“The Lord disciplines everyone he loves; he punishes everyone he accepts as a child.”
— Hebrews 12:6 ERV (Proverbs 3:11–12 referenced)

So today, let’s celebrate a Father who loves us and cares enough to correct us—a Father who cared enough to send the very best.

“Yes, God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him would not be lost but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16 ERV

What a way to be greeted. It’s a Monday morning that is full of possibilities, let’s enjoy it.

No, everything may not be perfect in your life. No, everything may not be perfect on your job. No, everything may not be perfect in your relationship.

So what, that is not your business anyway. Our Lord has your back.

““Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest. Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is light.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/mat.11.28-30.ERV

And he said this!

“He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭29‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/isa.40.29.ERV

And he said this!

“Give your worries to the Lord, and he will care for you. He will never let those who are good be defeated.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭22‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/psa.55.22.ERV

And I’ll end this quick note with this! Also from our Lord!

“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭3‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/jer.31.3.ERV

And then I’ll remind you,

Have An Amazing Day!

Good morning,

I pray that this finds you in good health and amazing spirits. I pray that your family is well and your faith is strong. I also pray that you will be open to allow the work the Lord is doing in your life to continue unto its completion.

Our God is an amazing God and because of your faith, his work will continue in your life. I know it’s not easy these days. If your life is like mines there are times when the money does not stretch far enough. The family seems to be in turmoil, the news is sad and depressing and the political landscape is scary. If your life is like mines there are times of frustration and deep depression and you don’t have the energy to do much more than the basics every day.

These are the toughest times to pray; or is it just me? It seems like the world gets heavy and you lose focus of what’s important, a prayer life. I know, I get it, you don’t even know what to pray for. You feel like God is not listening or paying attention to what’s happening. People love to say that all things work together for your good to explain why you appear to be spinning out of control. They are NOT WRONG! It appears that God is silent or absent because how could he allow these things to happen? How can a loving Father stand by and see your struggle and DO NOTHING?

He is not standing by, he is not absent, he can’t be. God’s word cannot return to him without accomplishing his goals so if you gave your life to him, he is with you.

”Be strong and be brave. Don’t be afraid of those people because the Lord your God is with you. He will not fail you or leave you.”“
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/deu.31.6.ERV

He is not doing nothing, think back to the last time you felt like this? I am assuming you survived because you are STILL HERE!

”I thank God every time I remember you. I thank God for the help you gave me while I told people the Good News. You helped from the first day you believed until now. I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.“
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬, ‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭ERV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/php.1.3-6.ERV

Co-worker: “While on vacation, I got to hold a sloth!”  

Me: “A sloth? That’s a real animal?” I started laughing so hard—I truly thought they were fictional! Needless to say, my employees laughed with me. I told them, “I’m a city girl. I don’t venture into places that have sloths.” We laughed and moved on.  

Later on… 

Me: Wow, God—a sloth?”  

God: “Yes, just as there was a need on earth for a sloth, there was a need for you.”  

Me: Humbled, grateful, excited, and ready.  

I’m ready to share with anyone who will listen:  Yes, the same God who made an exotic creature like a sloth, a breathtaking rainbow across the sky, or a mighty waterfall at the end of a river, saw a need for you too.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  

 Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

(https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.139.14.NIV)  

Often, the enemy uses our past mistakes to convince us that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. He pounds us with reminders of every misstep because he needs us to forget that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. He wants us to believe we are unloved and unforgivable so he can stop us from being used by God.  

However—I’ve read the end of the book. YOU WIN!

Nothing you have done or that has been done to you can change the fact that God loves you. He created you **for a purpose, on purpose. The one thing the enemy cannot create is life—but God can! You were created in **God’s image and likeness**, and because God is within you, **you cannot fail.**  

 “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”  

Genesis 1:26 (NIV)

(https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.1.26.NIV)  

No matter what, because of WHOSE you are, YOU WIN! 

 “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”  

Psalm 46:5 (NIV)

(https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.46.5.NIV)  

 “The Father has loved us so much! This shows how much He loved us: We are called children of God. And we really are His children. But the people in the world don’t understand that we are God’s children because they have not known Him.”  

1 John 3:1 (ERV)

(https://bible.com/bible/406/1jn.3.1.ERV)  

Becoming a mother at 17 was not part of *my* plan, but apparently, the Lord had different plans for my life. I still remember the shock of discovering my pregnancy—the fear of telling my then-boyfriend, the anxiety of how I would break the news to my mother and father. What would happen to me? I was living with a relative, and all I could think was: *How could I dare bring a baby into the home of the people who had so graciously accepted me?* I was terrified.  

I had no idea how to be a mother—I was still trying to figure out who I was. But God had a different plan. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on May 12, just three days after Mother’s Day.  

Motherhood forced me to grow up. It made me consider someone other than myself. It changed the way I made decisions—every choice had to be in reference to her. It was a major adjustment for both me and her father, who was also 17.  

But we made it! With God and a whole lot of prayer, we figured it out.  

Through this journey, I have learned that my life reflects many of the mothers in the Bible.  

Mary, the mother of Jesus, accepted her calling with faith. I wasn’t given a heads-up by an angel, but my response was simple: *I was willing to carry this life.* After all, the one thing the devil cannot create is life.  

 *“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”*  

 **Luke 1:38 (NIV)**  

I was also like Hagar—I felt that the Lord heard me in my despair and made a way, even when I wasn’t in covenant relationship with Him. Like Hagar, I would have preferred to run away from my own actions, but the Lord held me accountable while I sat in my wilderness experience.  

 *“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”*  

**Genesis 16:13 (NIV)**  

I also took lessons from the Shunammite woman, who learned to trust God in her most traumatic moment as a mother—when they told her that her son had died.  

*“Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, ‘Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child?’ And she answered, ‘It is well.’”*  

**2 Kings 4:26 (KJV)**  

I could go on and on with examples of women who turned to the Lord in their darkest times, but I think you get the point. **Trust God!**  

Raising children doesn’t come with instructions or a map for what to do when they act up—think teenage years, think young adulthood, when your role shifts from caregiver to advisor. It’s not easy, and none of us were as prepared as we wanted to be. But we keep showing up—day after day, decision after decision—knowing we won’t always get it right.  

The one thing we can always do? **Trust the Lord!**  

*“I called to the Lord, and He heard me. He heard my cries. He lifted me out of the grave. He lifted me from that muddy place. He picked me up, put me on solid ground, and kept my feet from slipping. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see what He did and worship Him. They will put their trust in the Lord.”*  

**Psalms 40:1-3 (ERV)**  

“As one piece of iron sharpens another, so friends keep each other sharp.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭ERV‬
Proverbs 27:17

Has someone asked you to pray for them, and you ended up in the Bible, studying the Word so you could add power to the prayer? Yeah, me too. What I have learned is that we all need prayer. We need people who are willing to pray with us, believe with us, and pray for us when we are unable or unwilling.

I say unwilling because there have been times in my life when I was rebellious, angry, or just tired and didn’t go to God with my concerns, problems, or issues. There have been times when I was so frustrated that all I could do was pick up the phone or grab a friend and utter those three powerful words—not “I love you,” but “Pray for me!”

I understand that everyone goes through struggles, and for some, it strengthens their faith. For others, it defeats them. But in both situations, knowing someone is willing to go to God for you can be life-changing.

It takes a love of Christ to be willing to go to Him and believe with someone that God can do what He said He would do—to believe that God is with them, even when they can’t feel Him. To believe enough to sacrifice your own needs to pray for them. That’s what activated means.

When someone asks you to pray, they are activating your faith! So pray—you don’t know what it took for them to ask you or how your prayer could change their life.

These scriptures came to mind:

“Some people brought a paralyzed man to see Him. He was being carried by four of them. But they could not get the man inside to Jesus because the house was so full of people. So they went to the roof above Jesus and made a hole in it. Then they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, He said to the paralyzed man, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven.’”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭ERV‬
Mark 2:3-5

I’ll leave you with this:

“We pray that our God and Father and our Lord Jesus will prepare the way for us to come to you. We pray that the Lord will make your love grow. We pray that He will give you more and more love for each other and for all people. We pray that you will love everyone in the same way we love you. This will strengthen your desire to do what is right, and you will be holy and without fault before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy people.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭ERV‬
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’”
— Luke 23:39-42 (NIV)

As Jesus hung on the cross, He was between two men—one mocked Him and demanded He save Himself, while the other understood the profound sacrifice Jesus was making. Where do you stand today? Knowing now that He died and rose again with all power in His hands, do you believe in Him or mock His sacrifice? Will you choose Him?

The man asked the other, “Don’t you fear God?” and I wondered why he asked that. So, I researched scripture about fearing God and discovered what David wrote in Psalms. I realized that fearing God comes with its blessings.

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me. I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!”
— Psalms 66:16-20 (NIV)

Do you fear God?

I love the Lord and fear His wrath, but I also understand His character. While we face challenges in this life, they’re not meant to harm us. Let’s be honest—some hardships are the result of choices we made without considering Him. Yet, I truly believe nothing bad lasts forever. Jesus is present in every situation, willing to stand and fight for us.

Choose today whom you will serve; it could change your life.

In Joshua 24, the author highlights how people were not loving and trusting God like the generations He delivered out of Egypt. They heard the stories, but to them, it felt like something that happened to others, not themselves. Now, they were faced with the decision to choose God personally.

“But maybe you don’t want to serve the Lord. You must choose for yourselves today. Today you must decide who you will serve. Will you serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River? Or will you serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land? You must choose for yourselves. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
— Joshua 24:15 (ERV)

I encourage you today to fear the Lord and choose to love Him, lean on Him, depend on Him, trust Him, and allow Him to be your Lord and Savior—like the other man on the cross.

“But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called ‘today.’ Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change.”
— Hebrews 3:13 (ERV)

“The Lord watches over His followers, those who wait for Him to show His faithful love. He saves them from death. He gives them strength when they are hungry. So we will wait for the Lord. He helps us and protects us. He makes us happy. We trust His holy name. Lord, we worship You, so show Your great love for us.”
— Psalms 33:18-22 (ERV)

These are some of the lyrics to the Gospel song, by Anita Wilson

You do what you do

And just let God do the rest

It’s a decision you won’t regret

Eventhough…

Everything that you’re going

Through, Don’t you let it worry you

I’ve seen Him work

Gave me peace…

Please allow me to encourage

You, to get ready for your breakthrough

All: Grab a hold and don’t let go

He’s in control

I’ve seen him work/4x

Because I’ve seen Him work

I’ve seen him work… till fade

When they sing this at my church, I scream and shout because, Lord knows, I’ve seen Him at work in my life, my friends’ lives, and my family’s lives too. I’ve prayed with people who felt helpless and hopeless, and God showed up and worked it out. 

I’ve seen Him work!

When the doctor looked me dead in my face and told me my 17-year-old daughter had an entire leg blood clot and there was nothing they could do, I did what most mothers would do—I shut that hospital room door and prayed heaven down to earth. My daughter is almost 43 now…

I’ve seen Him work.

When my husband returned from prison and couldn’t find a job, he considered lying on the application. I did what a wife should—I shut the door to our bedroom and prayed heaven down to earth. The Spirit of the Lord told me to tell him to go to that job and tell the truth. He did, got the job, and worked there for years until he changed professions. 

I’ve seen Him work.

When my marriage was failing, there was no more trust, no more hope, and I wanted to throw in the towel, the Spirit of the Lord told me to shut up, be still, and know that He is God. I prayed to Him to heal me because I was in a broken space. He healed me and my marriage. I am now living in an answered prayer. 

I’ve seen Him work!

Those are just a few examples from my life. Can you think of the times in your life where you’ve seen Him work? When your thoughts were in jumbles and the enemy told you that you wouldn’t make it, yet here you are reading this. Maybe the enemy took a loved one, and you weren’t sure you could go on without them, yet here you are with me. I bet you can testify that you’ve seen Him work too. I bet you can tell me of multiple examples where He showed up—where you’ve seen Him work.

Hallelujah! Singing: I’ve seen Him work.

“When you are angry, don’t let that anger make you sin, and don’t stay angry all day. Don’t give the devil a way to defeat you.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭ERV‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/eph.4.26-27.ERV

I had to confess to God that I have been angry. I mean the kind of anger that settles in your bones and makes your heart ungrateful. I have allowed the things of this world to affect me to the point that I got mad. I know how good God has been to me, and I know that anger is not healthy. It affects your heart, your mind, your soul, and your body. I know that anger is destructive, and still, despite my best efforts, I found myself angry.

I wish I could pinpoint what happened, but it’s not one thing. It has been a continual list of things—starting with the election cycle, then minor health concerns, then finding out people whom I love secretly hate or resent me, and then work, with all the changes happening at once. But I finally had to admit:

I’m mad as hell!

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ‭ERV‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/mat.11.28.ERV

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I will tell you—I have repented. I poured my heart out to God. It felt amazing to go to Him and just rest in His presence. When He tells you He will give you rest, that is exactly what He means. Don’t let me pretend He is a genie in a bottle who will snap His fingers and give you miraculous relief. But He will let you know He heard your cry. He will start to allow your mind to rest so you can concentrate on Him and those things that bring you peace.

So, I’ll give you this short scripture prayer so when you feel overwhelmed, angry, or just plain mad, you can use His words to comfort yourself:

---

Dear Father,
I will not worry about anything but pray and ask You for everything I need, always giving thanks for what I have.
And because I belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all my thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.
You said, “I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world, you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world.”
Lord, I thank You for answering my prayer. I thank You for saving me.
Now, our God, we thank You, and we praise Your glorious name!

By the blood of the Lamb, Amen.

---

All of those are scriptures; I took a few liberties, but I think you get the picture. Now that I’ve repented and given my thoughts and feelings to God, I have to get back to the business of lifting up my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need—whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you. And don’t make the Holy Spirit sad. God gave you His Spirit as proof that you belong to Him and that He will keep you safe until the day He makes you free.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭ERV‬
https://bible.com/bible/406/eph.4.29-30.ERV