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HOARDING OF THE MIND

A recent poll showed that 90% of doctor’s visits are related to stress. The mortality due to stress-related illness is alarming. Emotional stress is a major contributing factor to the six leading causes of death in the United States: cancer, coronary heart disease, accidental injuries, respiratory disorders, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. Wow!

I am sure you have been stressed many times in your life. I know I sure have. Recently I was stressed trying to find someone to help me with my taxes. I have several things going on in the next couple of weeks and wanted to get it done. I will have people over for either a devotional, play bunco or a teen girls class. (One good thing is that I will have a clean home, having so much around the same time as each other!) I also am planning towards the event in mid-April, I go to each year in Wichita, where I have a booth to sell my books. So, I also had to throw into the mix getting my taxes done by the deadline! The feeling when friends helped me and I got them filed without costing me an arm and a leg, was thankfulness and peace! I was able to take a deep cleansing breath. But guess what, there is always something else we can stress about, around the corner, just waiting for us.

I have mentioned before, that my daughter and I love the hoarding shows on tv. (I think part of what we like about them is, we look around at our homes and think, oh, maybe our home doesn’t look so bad after all!)  We look at their homes in disgust and unbelief! How can the people live like that? They have hoarded so much stuff that they can’t even see the floor of their homes and they only have a small path to walk on. The smell is unbearable. Then, when professionals come to help them clean out their clutter, they want to keep things that have rat droppings on them or they get stalled in the process because they want to look at everything that has been hidden for years, sometimes decades! Stress starts to overwhelm them to the point they shut down and want to keep it all.

Isn’t that the same way we are about hoarding of our minds? We hold onto so many things, that eventually they take over our minds and hearts. We zero into something that is stressing us out. We hold onto that stress until it takes over our minds to the point that we want to keep-hoard that stress. We forget what is truly important in this life on earth. We forget the reality that we are only on a short journey on this earth. Eternity waits for all of us. There are so many things we can hoard-hold onto, that tend to mess with our minds and hearts. Some of them are: unforgiveness-worry-arguments-anger-stress-depression-money issues-loneliness-lack of confidence-lack of time-selfishness-negativity. There are so many other things you might add to that list. Did you recognize yourself in any of those mind hoarding things? Well, I have held onto all of them at one time or the other, and some of them at the same time!

So how do we release and throw away all those things that we hoard in our minds. Well, we first have to realize we are holding onto all those things. Of course, our next thing we need to do is pray to God to help us see what we need to do. We sometimes need to reach out to someone we trust, to help us see the reality of what we are doing to ourselves. We need to go to God’s word that “speaks” to us giving us insight into what to do and how to find peace.

Genesis chapters 37-50, tell us the story of Joseph. We have all read about the tough road he had to follow, which was none of his doing. He was thrown in a pit and sold by his jealous brothers to Potiphar, who was an Egyptian. He was framed by Potiphar’s wife that he had tried to rape her and he was thrown into prison unjustly where he was forgotten. There are so many attributes, from the list above that he could have hoarded in his mind and heart. He had been unjustly mistreated beyond his control. But the scriptures tell us that God was with Joseph and after years he ended up rising to leadership power. Because of this power, he saved the Jewish nation from starvation in the famine. In Genesis 45:5 he tells his brothers, “…God sent me before you to preserve life.” Also in Genesis 50:20 he tells his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” God had a plan within Joseph’s life to bring a better future for the Jewish people. Joseph could have held onto all the normal feelings his life could have hoarded in his mind and heart. If he had, the future of the Jewish nation would have been a whole different story. I honestly don’t know if I could have been so forgiving as he was. Do you? Do you think he had a bit of stress in his life?

We spend so much wasted time holding onto those things in our mind that we cannot release! We step on them and mash them down into our hearts. We are headed down a very stuff filled road. Not seeing the obvious and only seeing what our minds have been trained to see for so long. All those things in our minds we hold onto, only threaten to swallow us up into the hoarding of the mind, showing us a distorted reality.

Try to see yourself like God does: loved-saved-honored-blessed-more than the things of this earth. Don’t start or keep holding onto things in your heart that are negative, causing hoarding of them, and you just don’t think you can get rid of because they have intertwined within us to the point of hoarding in our mind. God does not want us to live like that. Neither should you. If you recognize that you are hoarding in your mind, you have become stressed, reach out to God-the scriptures-to a trusted friend-a trained Christian professional. God has told us how to rid ourselves of what we thought were treasures!

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Till next time!

                                                              Keela 

ONE SECOND IN TIME

ONE SECOND IN TIME

Recently, here in Kansas City, in one second, we were enjoying and celebrating our town’s Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, and the next second shots rang out, killing one and injuring 22. Nine of those were children. Thousands were gathered smiling and shouting for our win. So many families. Even schools suspended classes for that day. Then, one second in time, chaos ensued. How could this happen at such a joyful occasion? Why would a person or persons, shoot randomly into a crowd? The police have found two people who got into an argument. Got angry. Pulled out their guns (my question is why did they have the guns there anyway) and started randomly shooting into the crowd, causing so much physical and mental pain for those who were there and those of us watching it on tv. Many are seeking out professional help because of the trauma. How can that happen? How can anger stir up someone to do that? In one second in time, the men who shot the guns, are facing prison sentences-a family started burial arrangements-sweet children’s parents sat by their bedside in shock.

Have you ever been angry? I know I have. I am angry at those who killed and hurt people the day mentioned above. It is a normal response to what is going on around us. But we have to learn how to control that anger. Those men who used their guns and shot innocent people that day, let anger take control of them. Let’s look at a couple of verses about anger.

1. Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”    Psalm 4:4 “Be angry and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.” These verses show getting angry could lead to sin and anger can let the devil within our hearts. Instead of immediately reacting to a situation, God tells us we need to think before we act. Anger is a foothold in our heart to do wrong!
2. James 1:19-20 “…my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Romans 12:17-21 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” When someone wrongs us or gets angry with us, the natural reaction is to retaliate,  verbally and/or physically. But this response does not glorify God. We can demonstrate Godly love by being “slow to speak, slow to wrath.” There will be situations, when peace is not in our control. We need to remember that God will punish those who sin against us. We have to actively defuse the anger in OUR hearts. We will answer for OUR lives when we stand before God. We need to be swift to hear and try to defuse the situation with love. Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
3. Colossians 3:8-10 “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man…” Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” When we are a Christian, we are to become a new man (woman), doing away with our old self. We are to do away with the immediate reaction to all the things that so easily come out of our mouths in anger; those emotions that tend to want us to lash out at another. We are to be kind to each other and forgive readily when others sin against us.

I feel I have the personality of being slow to anger. Although, if someone says or does something to or against one of my family, the “momma bear” in me comes out. There were many times when I was caring for my husband, that he said, did or did not do, something that caused me to “blow.” I am sure you have something that causes or has caused your anger to rise up. We all do. That is part of our human emotions. God created us and He also tells us what to do when we get angry. Notice the verses under number 1 above, which start out with, “Be angry…” God knows there will be things in this world that cause us to become angry. But He does not create in us that emotion without showing us how to deal with it. God does not want us to stay in or hold onto that emotion of anger, because it can totally destroy us and others! We cannot hold onto it! Notice the above verses and the words that I underlined that give us the tools to overcome that emotion-feeling of anger.

Anger is a warning signal to stop and think. Some things we can do when we get angry, are: take a walk, listen to God’s nature, make a positive list about the person or thing we are angry to or about, meditate on God’s word the bible, go to a quiet place and pray, do something good for another, talk to a trusted friend, journal about the situation, make a plan to solve the reason for the anger, take a deep breath and simply breathe. It seems if I get those feelings out to God, written on a piece of paper or talk to a trusted friend, that the anger starts to dissolve away. If the anger does not dissolve, it can turn into sin. Reach out to someone or the anger can lead to so many different sins. The anger I mentioned at the top of this article, led to murder!

God allows a type of righteous anger when we experience injustice or wrong is done to us or another. But this type of anger is not driven by selfishness, pride, desire for revenge and its ultimate goal is not to harm others or assert control. We should never be led away from our faith or morals. Instead use the power of your emotions to bring about righteousness. Jesus exhibited righteous anger in Matthew 2:12-13, by overturning the tables on the steps of the temple. Also read, John 2:13-16. Right after, in Matthew’s account, we see Jesus healing people in the temple. His anger turned to healing.

Proverbs 16:32 says “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” We all get angry. We all have injustices done or said about us or those we love. But the point of this blog, is to say, when we get angry, let it go and let God. If we let it swirl in our hearts and thoughts and stay there, anger can only lead to sin. Rather, as Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8-9 “…whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Anger can be like an erupting volcano! Stop it before it destroys you and others! One second in time in anger, can change a person’s life forever!

Till next time!                                                  Keela

CHILDREN OF LIGHT

CHILDREN OF LIGHT

If you have been following me for very long, you know of my love of anything that produces light, especially lighthouses. In this blog, I want to talk about the strength of the lighthouse and the fact that we are to be a beacon of light, children of light in service to God. Ephesians 5:8-14 tells us, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore, He says: ’Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’” Manifest means: “to display or show by one’s actions or appearance, to be clear or obvious to the eye or mind.” (Oxford Languages) These verses show me that we have to put into action our light. We have to live our lives in such a way that when we go into a room, others can see that we are different. They can see, hear and are drawn to us as children of light.

Lighthouses are generally made with brick and stone masonry. They are usually built on rock. They are constructed in such a way that the harshest conditions, which seem to have the ability to blow them down, beat against them and yet they stand strong and firm. They have stood and lasted for generations because of what they are made of and the foundation they are built on. Even the fiercest storms do in fact blow around and against them, yet they continue to shine out of the darkness. They are made to withstand the darkness and boisterous winds. Beaten on, but still standing firm.

Isn’t this how we are to be also? Matthew 7:24-27, when Jesus was talking to His disciples reads: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wiseman who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall for it is was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain descended the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall.” There are so many verses in the Bible that tell us who is the rock we are to build our lives on. (look under rock in your concordance or google search) One is in Psalm 62:2, “He only is my rock and my salvation, He is my defense, I shall not be greatly moved.” Even when the storms come our way, God is by our side giving us strength!

What are some things we can learn from a study of these verses? One big thing they all tell us is: that our Lord is the ONLY rock we are to build on to withstand the crazy winds of this life on earth. This world tries to build their lives on worldly things: drugs, alcohol, sex, riches. These things do not help us to stand firm when the effects of them, end up sending us into darkness. God is the only way to find the light! Another thing is: we have to do something-put action into building on the strength of our God. How do we do that? How do we know how to build? How do we get to know Jesus-God-Holy Spirit? How do we get the strength to do the task of building our lives, so we can be children of light? The easy answer is, we have to first know how to build our lives. The builders of lighthouses drew up plans and knew what to use to make them strong and able to withstand the blowing wind, the flood of water overtaking them and the wind that would threaten to blow them down. So, what is our plan to follow? Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” The Bible, the Word of God is our plan! It shows us how to get strength so we can withstand the evils, the pain, the depression all the things of this dark world that can try to blow our lights out. We have to sit down and focus on the words God has given us to follow. In order for us to reflect the light of Jesus, we need to absorb light by studying the Word of God. God’s way is how we become children of light-the worlds’ way leads us to be children of darkness.

“Sometimes we need only a single star to follow one point of light to unite and guide us showing us in the darkness something greater than ourselves” -anonymous-               

When our light is showing, we are children of light. It can shine in the grocery store-at work-at home with your husband or children-when we are stuck in traffic-when you have been on hold for a long time on the phone (that is a hard one for me)-when someone has told a lie about us-when we are backed into a corner and don’t know how to get out without going into dark thoughts or actions. There are so many scenarios you could add to the everyday experiences we all have. We have all felt the pressures of this world that move our emotions to fall back into darkness. But if we keep our light shining, at least lit, we can keep that light beaming from us to help others. What if we are the only point of light that a person sees in their life? What if we have missed an opportunity to shine for the Lord to let others know there is hope, strength, power and promises? What if we were the light that a person has been looking for?

There have been many times that the devil tried hard to extinguish my focus of God’s light. When the world comes so hard on us and causes our light to dim, we have to stir up those embers and cause the light to come into our focus again. When we shine with light out of darkness, we are pushing the devil away who is darkness. Faith is seeing light in your heart when all your eyes see is darkness. Never doubt in the dark, what God told us in the light.

Lighthouses symbolize: danger-when not looking at the light and following its warning, strength-the light is on the rock cliffs on a good foundation, safety-showing us the way and the way not to go, hope-first sign of land and safety pulling ships to it showing land ahead, no death-if we follow the message of the lighthouse to stay away from the darkness and focus on the light, end of journey-the end and promises are welcoming us into its light eternally.

We, as children of light, are like the lighthouses. We need to be a symbol of hope and security, a guide for safe passage and shine showing the protection given only through our Lord and Savior. The lighthouses that no longer are in use, no longer shine, only show loneliness without their light. They are strong but yet they need their powerful light to fulfill their purpose and shine showing the ships the safe, light filled way. The lighthouse is built to withstand the violent storms. In the same way, we, as children of light, are built on a strong foundation to stand strong and firm when the violent winds of this life threaten to blow our light out!

Isaiah 60:19-20 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light and the days of your mourning shall be ended.”

Did you realize that a lighthouses’ light and our light, shines brightest when it and we are in the darkest of storms? Can others see that we are children of light or have we let our light go out and we are children of the dark? If the last option is who you are, take out the Word of God and come back into God’s marvelous light! The darkness of this world is searching for the light! Searching for us, the children of light!

Till next time!

                                                                    Keela

WAITING

Do you like to wait? Most of us would say no. By the time we pass away, we will have waited a total of six months of our life. Even the word wait brings us a bad feeling, makes us nervous and so stressed. The word wait means: “stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens” and “used to indicate that one is eagerly impatient to do something or for something to happen.” (Oxford Languages dictionary) What are some things we wait for? Meals to cook, responses to emails or texts, waiting for payday, we have all looked at the clock when waiting for someone or the end of the work day and thought, did the clock stop? We have all sat in the hospital surgery waiting room for a loved one. We have all said we couldn’t wait till we became older. Even our pets, wait for us to feed them or to get home. My daughter and my four grandkids in Norfolk, Va. have waited nine months for my Navy son-in-law to come home from deployment. (Praise God, he came home this week!)

Why do you think life and God makes us wait? Why do we not just automatically get what we want? Let’s look at a couple of possible reasons.

One reason is: waiting is necessary for our emotional and spiritual growth. Often waiting helps grow our character and build the patience muscles that help us embrace satisfaction for what we currently have. When we think of the word wait, it also involves patience. During my rough trials, there were so many years that I waited for so many prayers to be answered. But they never came. But now I can see that God was preparing me for my best future. My waiting helped me to grow into a strong woman who leans on God’s promises and knows He is in control for my best life. I have realized that part of the purpose for the rest of my life, is to tell my ten-year struggle, heartache, fatigue, bitterness of when my husband was mentally and physically sick. God prepared me to be a witness to others who are going through hard times. I can show them that God is by their side even when they don’t think He is. Times when we don’t think He has answered our prayers, like we think He should answer them. God gave me hope, comfort and peace even during the hardest times. I want others to know that God has a plan in their waiting, for their good and His purposes. If God brings you to it, God will bring you through it!

Another reason is: God is using your life to fulfill a purpose. Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. Joseph was sold by his brothers becoming an indentured servant to Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife tried to entice him to sin. He was falsely accused and thrown into prison. He waited and waited there to be released. He eventually got out and was made the governor of Egypt. Genesis 41:40 reads “You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” It is thought that from the time he was put into the pit by his brothers and he provided food for his brothers who were in a period of famine, was about 25 years. Think about all these things that happened to Joseph in his life! God used Joseph’s life and the waiting he did, to save the Jewish nation from the famine that could have caused their annihilation from hunger. Genesis 45:5-8, after Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers, reads “…do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” God had a purpose in Joseph’s life and he remained faithful through his period of waiting!

Did you realize that wait-hope-faith-patience all work together? Those words of hope, faith and patience, don’t sound like they go together with the negative word waiting. Waiting is involved in active hope towards a confident expectation of a future, that you are holding faithfully to, during the waiting. Our faith in the goodness of God helps us to wait patiently! Psalm 27:13-14 “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!”  Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  

Most of the “major” people in the Bible waited for something. Abraham waited to obtain the promise of a son. Moses waited to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Joshua waited for the promised Land. Ruth waited for a husband. David waited to become king. Elijah waited for rain. Job waited for suffering to end. Paul waited for release from prison. These men and women waited in hopeful faith with patience while serving their families and those around them-they learned more about God in their waiting-they prayed from deep in their souls- they lived their lives the best they could in obedience to God while they waited for the promises that we actually still have today. We wait with earnest expectation for the day we can go be with God in heaven!

When we are young, we say we can’t wait until we get older. Then when we get older, we say we cannot wait until we leave this life to be with our Savior, away from the pain and evil in this world. But what we need to do, no matter if you are young or old, is to live your life in service and obedience to God! Life is unsure how long you will live. Be prepared while you are waiting!

Waiting! Let’s think of that word more as a positive! Let’s remember there is purpose in our waiting! When we wait and do not realize there is purpose for it, we forget to see the beauty and opportunities of today! God uses waiting for our benefit and His purposes!

Till next time!

                                                                          Keela

NEW CALENDAR

At the first of the year, I always get a new calendar for my dad and I. I am still old school with a paper calendar to record birthdays and appointments. It helps dad to remember to call and sing happy birthday to our family members. It helps me to keep all my and dad’s appointments straight. When I go through the previous year, I can get a quick view of some happenings in that past year. This past year of 2023, I think and smile remembering my daughter and my four littlest grandkids, coming this summer for a couple of weeks. My dad turned 90 this year and he got over 90 cards and well wishes. Some great, happy memories. I remember the precious people who have passed away, two funerals within two days. In August, I remember the pain I had in my face and neck. I had to be in the hospital for a week. Not the best memories of 2023. Happy-sad memories. They are all a part of a year gone by.

How are you spending the first day of this new year of 2024? I am being very lazy. I am finishing the rotel dip that I took to dads for him to enjoy. I will sit and read for a while. Dad gave me sixteen books to read of my favorite authors for Christmas. So, ladies who I share books with, I have enough to share this new year! The other day dad called and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was ordering a book off of Amazon. There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. Of course, I was kidding and gave him a good laugh. What are you doing today?

Did you make New Year resolutions to only break them in a few days, like in past years? I try my best but I end up messing up every year. Sometimes I center on a negative happening in the past year and just can’t get past those bad feelings. Maybe you have lost a loved one and you feel guilty and sadness that you did not spend more time talking and spend time with them. Maybe you took another drink of that alcohol which you had been trying to get past those feelings of want and need. Maybe someone said something hurtful to you and you just can’t get past that feeling of sadness, deflation and self-guilt that you felt. Maybe your New Year resolution last year, was to spend more time with your family. But you let life and work get in the way of that goal. Maybe you promised God, on that fresh new day of a new year, that you would put Him back as number one in your life and would spend more time in His word. But you have let worldly things become your center once again. It is after the holidays, and you feel depressed because all the lights and activities are all gone. All those positive hopes for a new year, have become like dust that you have trampled down and forgotten.

This life is hard! Time passes so quickly and before we know it, we are starting a new year. We feel regret for those promises we made and did not keep. So, when I feel those feelings of regret and depression, I turn to the only place that will help me-the bible, the words of my God, which He gave me to help me through this world. I remember that God does not waste any of my experiences and He uses them for my learning. God does not forget His promises. God gives us unconditional love, no matter what we have done or who we are. 1 John 4:16 says that “God is love…” He is all we need.

Instead of dwelling on the past mistakes of the previous year, we need to make the choice to dwell on those promises only God can give us. We need to forge into another year, learning from our mistakes-pushing those negative feelings about ourselves in the past-move past feeling guilty and shameful for what we have done-pushing away those old regrets. We have to renew each and every day to follow God and push forward knowing that one day we will be blessed to live with Him forever.

Here are a few verses I turn to when I need a reminder and a push of positivity.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” When I am trampled underfoot with this life, I need to remember that God is right there with me and He is the only true strength.

Psalm 34:17-18 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” When I have lost a loved one and do not know how I can go on, I need to remember that God is near me, hears my cry and gives me peace.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are the called according to His purpose.” When trials come my way, and they will, I need to remember that I am allowed to go through that pain to help my future and what it holds for my life.

Lamentations 3:22-24 “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I hope in Him!” The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.  I am refreshed every morning to walk one step at a time and make a new future. Every day presents me with a new opportunity to discover and experience more of God’s love.

Matthew 6:14-15 “for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” I have to learn to forgive others who say hurtful things to me, but even harder, I also have to forgive myself for all those missteps I have made during the past year.

There are so many verses that can help us with each and every day. So many to give us hope and excitement for the next chapter in our lives. God has given us a self-help book. We need to stop looking, leaning and building on the things of this world and only look, lean and build on the promises and hopes of our Lord and Savior!

We will make mistakes this year and feel pain, that is a fact! When we once again turn the new page of a new calendar of each year, we need to remember to get into God’s word and feel the peace and love that only God can give us! This world is not the answer. God is the only answer!

Till next time! Happy New Year!

                                                                  Keela