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Month: November 2020

The God of Second Chances

The God of Second Chances

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Lately, I have been thinking about a retreat that I attended a few years ago. The thing is that even though things have been different this year, I still find myself just as stressed out and tired as I was before. How can that be? I’m not working full-time in the office anymore. There is no pressure to participate in any of the activities I am usually a part of. So why do I feel like I am running at top speed, and not getting anywhere?

As I reflected on my time at the retreat, I realized that not once during that time did I stress about all the things I needed to do, or those things I had left undone. I was really able to get away from it all, and I actually had time to reflect on those things that I had been praying to God about. Those things that scare me a little just thinking about them.  

Grateful doesn’t seem to cover what I’m feeling right now. I thank God for His loving-kindness and His many blessings; for His faithfulness; and for His peace that really does surpass all understanding. Our world is a little upside down right now, but this I know…in the midst of it all, God is still good. And He loves us so much that we can’t even comprehend it.

Thankfully, we serve a God of second chances. He has given me a renewed sense of purpose…even in the middle of a pandemic. And this time, I don’t want to waste a minute of it. I want to do the things God is calling me to do, and not worry about the things I can’t do. And I am learning how to trust God’s sovereignty. Knowing that if He wants me to do something, He will provide everything I need to accomplish it.

Until next time…

Be blessed!

Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

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It’s incredible to think that we are almost at the end of the year, and as usual it makes me think back over the past year. I start wondering if I’ve accomplished at least some of the things I set out to do. I know this year has been different for all of us to say the least. But, even with that, I know I have fallen short on a few of the things that I wanted to achieve. The sad part is that I can’t even blame it on the pandemic (Which seems to be the “go to” for anything left undone these days).

There are many who didn’t make it through this year. And although that thought makes me incredibly sad. It also made me realize that it is going to be up to us, the ones who have, to share how grateful we are that we are still here…

I looked up the word grateful in the dictionary, and it  lists grateful as being, appreciative of benefits received; thankful. Although, that is a good start, it just doesn’t seem like enough. Psalm 9:1 says, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” There is enough negativity going around. We can’t keep dwelling on all the things that have gone wrong this year. Our job then is to take advantage of every opportunity to tell others about the great things that God has done. 

We have got to learn how to let go and focus on God without having an agenda. Let Him really take control. So, that’s what my personal goal is going to be for 2021. I’m going to learn how to let God be God in my life and not hesitate to tell everyone of His wonderful works. 

How many of you are ready to join me?

Until next time…

Be blessed!

This time of year

This time of year

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November always makes me feel just a little more thankful than any other time of the year. I guess it’s because the Thanksgiving holiday is on most people’s minds right now.  I am thankful for so many things…my family, my friends, my home, my work, but I am thankful most of all that God loved me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross for me. When I remember that…it always makes me want to do better.

I feel like we are on the verge of something so much bigger than us. There are obvious reasons for that feeling…namely, this last election. Well, actually the last four years, this pandemic, and everything else in between. It has been a time of awakening. A time to deal with the things we have been ignoring for way too long, and it’s time to just do it differently. 

Yesterday, I spent the day volunteering for an organization called, Fayette Street Outreach. It consists of local residents who have banded together to clean up and bring opportunities to their neighborhood. I think that’s what this last season has been all about. We have to stop playing the blame game, and waiting for someone else to do it. It’s time for healing to begin in our land.

In order to get there though, we are going to have to focus more on God’s plan. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.” Good ideas are not necessarily God ideas. Staying focused is going to be important in this new season. We have to get back to the basics of loving and caring for one another. We are our brother’s keeper. What happens to you, should affect me. We are in this thing together, and it’s going to take all of us to make it better.

I am so excited to see where God is leading us, and I am so thankful that we are all on this journey together.

Until next time…

Be blessed.