It’s always such a huge ordeal deciding who is going to be “It” in childhood games:  age, size, social standing, idea creator, etc., all determine the rank of authority.  (Note: I haven’t seen kids “putting their feet in” to decide the matter in a lonnnnggggg time…have you?!)

As God thinks about you, you are always “It” to Him!  He chooses you every single time!  He wants you on His team!  He wants you to win with Him!  He wants you to “tag” others for Him! 

No more Hide and Seek – we’re all “It!” Let’s just Seek the Lord’s calling together!

“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.”  Ephesians 1:4

God is saying something to you – yes YOU!
What is He saying? How can you know?

Read His Word
Spend some time alone
Spend some time with other believers
Listen in prayer
Fast for focus
Connect with creation
Roll up your sleeves and serve
Give until it hurts

Taking a break from our fast paced world will help us hear God better…..but more important than dwelling on the answer, is the blessing of dwelling with Jesus Himself!

“Those who know Your Name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.”  Psalm 9:10

Life can be so complicated.  Aaaaand we seem to complicate things even more!
Sign here
Click here
Enter here
Return this
Deposit this
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

But what is God – not culture and not the expectations of people – reallllllly saying to you?

2 Kings 5:10 tells of God healing after a simple command to “Go, wash yourself.”
That’s it.  No fanfare.  No special attention.  No fancy hand waving.
Just faith.  It’s enough.

How can you Keep It Simple Sweetie when it comes to submission to God?

“so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:5

How do you measure success?  

Subscribers?  Follows?  Likes?
Want to be a REAL Celebrity?  

Try holding your spouse’s hand, calling your mom or sitting down to play with a child!  You may not hear man’s applause or see your name in lights, but selfless love is a prize that never grows old!

“Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
I Corinthians 13:7

What kind of noises influence your life:
People?
Places?
Things?
Thoughts?
Dreams?
Fears?
Love?
Money?
Work?
Play?

How’s the volume working for you?  Can you hear the Lord speaking to you?
Maybe it’s time to turn these things down a bit so you can hear His voice singing over you!

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

Isn’t it amazing to witness the living history unfolding in the passing of Queen Elizabeth II?  The honor!  The formality!  The reverence!

Yes, Queen Elizabeth led an extraordinary life…which God clearly ordained for her….but God created each person for His extraordinary purpose!

Maybe you won’t have a crown resting atop your coffin when you die, but you are worthy of attention and respect as you LIVE for God today!

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”  I Peter 2:9

Beautiful sunshine
Two precious grandchildren
Thundering ocean waves!

A perfect recipe for fears and tears – except not with my grandchildren!  🙂

As long as their Mom was nearby the kids could face the wildest, wettest waves!

“Come to Mama,” I would hear, and the children would scramble and scamper to get safe and secure in their Mom’s care.

Having a tough day?
Getting beat up by life?
Understood and underappreciated wherever you go?

Come to Papa!  Call on Your Father God – He is waiting with open arms to rescue you!

“In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.”  2 Samuel 22:7

Would you offer your bank account info to strangers?
Would you shop for groceries in the trash dump?
Would you open your doors and windows to a flea and tick invasion?
Hopefully your answer is “no” to all of the above!

Then whyyyyyy do we subject ourselves – the precious creation and vessel of God – to other types of dangerous substances?
Hurry
Worry
Stress
Fear
Bitterness…the list is long!

Call the security system, lock the front gate, and barricade your mind, body and soul from intruders!

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  Proverbs 4:23

It has been quite the summer in PA.  Long, hot spells coupled with lack of rainfall  left lawns and trees and gardens dry and crunchy.  The flowers weren’t blooming well.  The corn stalks looked like pineapple plants.  And the creeks and ponds looked like small puddles.

But GOD satisfies!
Can you just hear your grass and your flowers saying, “Thank You God” after this week’s rain?!
Can you feeeeeeeeel the refreshing relief from the dry, parched drought?Doesn’t everything seem healthier and happier after being revived?

How’s your spiritual life?  Stuck in a drought?  Dry and crunchy sometimes?  Not blooming?

Perhaps it’s time to spend some time with The Living Water.  He alone can satisfy your every need and desire.

“The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”  Isaiah 58:11

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Get yourself ready:  Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God and Prayer….

Passport ready?
Labor and Delivery bag packed?
Mortgage papers signed?
First day of school outfit ready?

Big moments of our lives require us to get ready.  Lots of details need to be figured out!  

But what do we do AFTER we know we are ready?  We take a deep breath in recognition of our preparation.  And we stand.

That’s how our Christian life needs to be:

“…and after you have done everything, to stand.”  Ephesians 6:11-13