Category Archives: Spiritual Growth

Are you Stressed, Tired, and Burnt-out?

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“Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land…”   Psalm 63:1

Life can be very difficult at times.   The stresses that we face each day can often be overwhelming and leave us exhausted and frustrated.  There is a deep well within us that must be filled up daily. When this well has not been filled, you will find yourself dry and thirsty.

Jesus said, “If any man thirst let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37) Jesus is the fountain where we go to drink; He  is a fountain that will never run dry. When we spend time with Him praying and reading His Word, we are drinking from the “living water”. The Word brings life and refreshing to our spirit just as a drink of natural water refreshes us when we are dry and thirsty.

Are you stressed, tired, and burned out from the pressures of life? IF so, I would like to encourage you to get up early in the morning, and spend some extra time drinking from the Word of God. Drink until you are filled up with a renewed strength. As you spend time in the Word, you will also experience a renewed hope that everything is going to  be all right.

How to Create Your Home as a Safe Place

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“Love one another” – 1 John 4

We all want to make our home a safe place for ourselves and those we love. To establish your home as a safe place read the following statements. If you agree with these statements ask God to remove any blocks or stones in your heart that would hinder His love from flowing through your heart into your home.

1) I want my home to be a safe place where love abounds.

2) I will express love to my family in verbal and nonverbal ways without stipulations or conditions.

3) I want my home will be a place where thoughts and ideas will be appreciated, accepted and respected.

4) In my home we will encourage each other to share their heart.

5) I will regard each person in my family as a valuable part of the family.

6) The unique gifting of each person will be affirmed and acknowledged.

7) In my home each person will feel safe to express their emotions in healthy ways.

8) In my home we will acknowledge and take responsibility for mistakes and ask for forgiveness.

9) In my home we will talk about painful situations on a daily basis. We will not ignore them and sweep them under the rug.

10) In my family we will develop an atmosphere of trust.

Read and declare these statements until they permeate deep within your heart and you will begin to see the fruit in your home.

I am Safe During any Storm!

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   “For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.” –  Psalm 27:5

If tomorrow you have a “day of trouble” can you keep your heart fixed on the goodness of the Lord? When you keep your heart fixed steadfastly on His goodness you are able to weather any storm. You will travel safely though the terrible storm just like Noah was kept safe inside the Ark.

Think for a moment, what if the Holy Spirit quickened to your heart that you must be prepared for a “day of trouble,” what if He said this day is coming soon and you must get prepared. The way to be prepared is in that same verse. David said: “He will hide me in His shelter.” I believe that being hidden in His shelter works in two ways:

  1. As a Christian we are safe and hid in Christ, so we must never give in to fear. (Colossians 3:3) If you are in Christ, you are hidden from the powers of darkness.
  2. We must hide God’s Word inside our heart.  You hide the Word of God in your heart by memorizing it, and meditate upon it.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” -Psalm 46:1.

In a time of trouble He is there.  As you hide God’s Word in your heart your spirit man is prepared to be steadfast, unshakable, and unmovable even through the toughest storm.

Finding a Safe Place

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  “Create in me a pure heart, Oh god and renew a right spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:10

There was a time in my life that I needed a safe place for God to do open heart surgery. My heart was broken and as hard as I tried, I could not recover. During that time, well-meaning friends said things like, “Can’t you snap out of it and just get over it?” No, it wasn’t that easy. I needed someone safe to understand what I was going through- to listen to how I was hurting and help me release the pain. I cried out for a miracle and God heard my cry, He created in me a pure heart and renewed a right spirit within me.

My healing didn’t happen overnight; it lasted for two years. At the end, I asked the Lord, “Why did it take so long?” The Lord told me I had taken the long journey so I could minister the shorter journey to others and help them find a safe place for their healing.

For the next few weeks you will be on a “journey of healing.” Each day as you read the devotionals you will be looking at your past to identify wounds that have not been healed. Unhealed wounds are painful and very sensitive, and they can affect how you feel about yourself.

Once your heart is healed, you will be free from the fear of rejection and you will be able to love others unconditionally, regardless of their mistakes and shortcomings. Unconditional love never fails, and it turns a home into a haven.

Heavenly Father,
As Your Word says, “Create in me a clean and pure heart, and renew a right spirit within me.”

You Are Chosen and Have Purpose

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“He hath chosen us in Him…” Eph 1:4

Have you ever thought about what it really means to be chosen by God?  Do you remember an event or a series of events when it became clear that you were chosen?  Did you feel God’s sovereign hand protecting and guiding you?

You have been chosen to be God’s child so you can be His representative on the earth. Paul said in Ephesians 1:5, that He planned for us to be adopted and revealed as His own children. This is our identity and purpose in one verse.

Once you discover your identity and God’s specific purpose for your life, you will no longer get all tangled up in the world around you.  He has chosen you to carry His peaceful plan into a world of chaos and confusion.  Represent Him, speak what He says, and carry His peace into every situation.

The world can not produce peace.  Your presence should bring peace and order into the world around you.  You walk in a very special purpose and calling.  Let that calling shine to others around you.

“Grace be to you, and peace, from our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Eph1:3.