Joy........

My Thought for this Day........Rest assured you have been given this day not to worry, fret or envy. Instead, hold out your cupped hands and watch them fill with precious moments that are your life. How sad to live with fisted palms that allow the joys to roll off and never be retrieved.

Ruth......

My Thought for this Day.....No doubt, some of us are called upon to be more of a Ruth than others. It's not punishment, it is not Karma, it's life. These Ruth women, they are warriors in their days. They are powerful, made of steel, and fire has not consumed them. They have drawn deep on their Father and He has lifted them on wings of faith. How marvelous are the Ruth's in our lives.

Row......

My Thought for this Day.......Don't expect God to send a cruise ship when a rowboat will do. We can't always sit by the pool and bask in the sun. Make sure you know when to pick up your oars.

Fly........

My Thought for this Day.....May we all realize that life should not always be the plodding of sure steps. Take a leap of faith. If it requires strength to the very depth of your soul, then you will learn the lesson of courage and faith. How powerful. And if you fall, the limb will still be there, and your lesson will be success takes times and bravery. But if you fly, you have risen on wings you never knew you had.

Faith........

My Thought for this Day........I wonder how our world would be if we insist on walking by sight. Would we be eternally envious of those we see around us because they have more? Would we be horrified because we can only see disaster and cruelty around us? Would we be saddened because of the everyday plight of mothers who lose babies to starvation, daughters to sex trafficking, themselves to the shadows of living in fear. Would we live scared to take a step because it might lead us into unsurvivable circumstances. I don't take walking by faith lightly. It is, my friend, the only way for Joy. Have faith that our Creator loves us more than we can ever imagine and even though we do walk in darkness from time to time, we are never alone. His path is light. His walk is genuine. His steps are strong and unyielding. His love is Agape.

Glory.....

My Thought for this Day....If only we all could understand this. Life is an ever changing flow of circumstances. Mine eyes have seen the glory.......and I will dwell within it.

Day.......

My Thought for this Day........You don't have to be the bigger person. You don't have to be the better person. You simply have to be the person, who, at the end of the day, can say I did the best I could in this day. I did it without malice, nor hate, nor intention of hurt.

Thank You.....

My Thought for this Day........Thank you Lord for my days, my heartbeats, my joy and my sorrows. May these things become Lessons of My Life. May I walk under the umbrella of the knowledge that it's not all about me, but about my contribution of a life not only well lived, but well appreciated and shared.

Book......

My Thought for this Day......My story is not yours, nor yours mine. But when we weave our stories together, they become a book, some chapters harder to read than others. Yet, it is our story, a thing to treasure because no matter then ending, it is us. I cherish each book on my shelf; I hope you know that.

You.......

My Thought for this Day.......Sometimes we depend on outside things to make us happy. Possessions, people, occasions. But really, the best, most real and authentic happiness comes from within. Everybody will have sad times, everybody will suffer, and we all will, at times, cry out in grief and pain. Yet when we realize that we are worthy of joy and happiness, the curtains of darkness are easier to part. It takes work, faith and grace. It means dwelling in the light, even when the darkness overwhelms. We can never diminish our sorrow until we weather the storm and courageously walk into the light. I wish for you Joy, and courage and power to make the journey.

Bucket.....

My Thought for this Day.......When blessings rain down, do you have your bucket cleaned out, sitting in the open, shiny, and ready to fill to the brim? Or is that bucket full of a black cloud attitude, rusty from neglect and turned over in your shed of despair? I hope you don't miss the drops of today, due to the shadows of yesterday. And even more so, I hope tied on your blessing bucket is a big heartfelt Thank You note. Thankfulness opens your heart to more of what fills your bucket with blessings.

Basement.....

My Thought for this Day.... Today you may be in the basement of life. Don't let it define you. Let it inspire you. You are worthy. Put in the work. Do the job. Be that person who claws their way up and then bends down to help another.

Silence....

My Thought for this Day.....How dangerous is the Sound of your Silence? How safe it is to hold your tongue? How comfortable it is to sit in your corner cloaked in knowledge that it your truth, but remain with the words locked in your mouth? Yet how liberating is the Grace that is given to you when you speak your truth with dignity and righteousness and when you look out of your consciousness with clear eyes that focus not only on you, but on your fellowman? When the time comes to step from your corner into the limelight, do so with the self assurance that your truth is as important as the person's to your right and to your left, but not more important. And that IF you voice it with respect and character, you do no harm. We all have a story. It is not only in the living....it is in the telling, the relating, the passing on of experience. And most if all....the telling of what will instruct, help, and ultimately take that story from your world and pass it on to those who take the time to listen. But...and this is a very important but.......you can only tell. After that, walk away, your journey is complete, your race is over, your baton is passed and you may live with the knowledge that you have spoken your truth. The listening is not your responsibility.

Courage......

My Thought for this Day......I woke with the word courage in my thoughts. Courage to face your demons or run. Courage to stand tall in your life or slump. Courage to step out in a crowd with conviction or blend in. Courage to hold a hand when needed or disappear. Courage to stand for the Cross and kneel at the Throne. Courage to heal. Courage to be in the game, bat up, eye on the ball and hit life out of the park. Courage to raise your hand, and with conviction say, 'Pick me! I'll walk by your side'. I wish courage for you. And for me.

We......

My Thought for this Day..........At times, when faced with a hard decision, I think you must step back and forget about the ME , and think about the WE. You just might need to stay in your path, not because you need it, but because there is someone else who needs you there.

Time........

My Thought for this Day......There is a mystery about time. We know it passes both swiftly and slowly. We know it is inevitable. We know that problems, situations, hurts, worries and even happiness can and will pass with time. Yet it remains mysteriously obscure. The why's of time and timing are not now, nor ever will be predictable. I find that time takes care of itself. We must trust that whatever season we may be in at this moment, is the season in which we are meant to be. And the truth of the matter is time can not be fought. It is bigger than we. Stop the struggle. Learn to reside in this day and in this time.

Heal......

My Thought for this Day......We all need to be healed. We have been hurt by others. We have been sliced by ourselves. We have suffered at the hands of friends, family, and strangers. In today's world hurting comes fast and often. We live in precarious times. No matter the source of your pain. No matter the depth. No matter the width or breadth, you have a spring of wellness that resides deeply inside your very being. Draw on that well. For it is without end.

My Thought for this Day.......Even the strongest among us are weak. It is a human condition. It is a truth lived out daily. It is the door opening to negativity and hopelessness and guilt. It is a defeat that takes away Grace. It steals joy, and purposefulness and gratitude. And it comes like the proverbial thief in the night. So what is our defense? Awareness. Simply awareness. We live under the umbrella of God's holy grace, and if we fall into the pit, we are, in the moment, hour, day, week, month, losing a most precious gift. A free gift. A miraculous gift. We are told to put on the full armor of God. It's that simple, yet at times, that difficult. Be present in your emotional well being. Recognize the pitfalls purposefully put in your path. Be victorious in life. These actions, my friends, will girth you for war. And we, today and everyday are at war with the unseen enemy. I pray for your victory, and mine. Stand on your mountaintop and shake your fist at today's atrocities, and then step into the ring.