Perceived Attitude

Psalm 146:2 & 5 "While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.  Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." 

 

Praise, help, hope...these words speak to my heart on so many levels.  I have found that the more I spend time with our loving Father the more my soul sings & shouts His praises.  The more I set my hope in Him the more I can feel His help.  Truly if we can experience God's love on the personal scale He is offering it to us then we will find that praise, help and hope tie into our everyday lives more and more.  That is not to say that life will miraculously become an easy street of excessive happiness where nothing ever goes wrong, that is not realistic...  However, I have been learning and relearning that the more I fully trust and hope His promises to be true then the less difficult it becomes to remain positive and praiseful during the hard times.  In any type of "customer service" position the employees are often reminded that "perception is everything", if a client perceives an injustice then it occurred.  I believe, as Christians, attitude is everything...well, ok not everything but roll with me here...if our attitude is positive than any situation that arises can be turned into a positive.  Our attitude is in direct connection with our perspective - so if we have a good attitude than chances are we'll have a good perspective.  Life has ups and downs, friends get sick, money gets tight, loved ones are too far away, fill in the blank with endless sad things but then remember that a sick friend is an opportunity to share God's love through your actions, God will provide for all your needs monetary included, vacation time is just around the corner & you'll cherish that visit all that much more since time is precious.  If we shift our attitude to a praiseful one, singing His praises morning, noon & night we will find our perspective becomes a bright happy one because we can dwell in the hope & knowledge that God is our help and will always be with us.  Let's pray this week that we may keep our attitude in the right perspective according to His Word, knowing in our hearts & souls that He helps us in all things if only we let Him.  Please continue to join me in daily prayer for our service men & women both overseas and here at home, their jobs never cease and neither should our prayers for their protection.  Summer continues her healing path via God's miraculous answers to everyone's prayers.  She also continues to have a long path ahead of her and as we continue to praise God for all He has done we also please ask that according to His plans may He continue her healing.  As we keep praying for Summer's healing may we please also remember Kayla Aguero and her family, God is good and His miracles continue to amaze me.  May we please also pray for all who may be hurting whether physically, mentally or emotionally, asking God for His comfort, peace, healing and love to surround them every minute of their days.  I am honored and extremely thankful to be welcomed into your email box each week and I pray that God may bless & protect you each surrounding you with His love and favor.  Have a blessed week ahead!!!

Love through Christ,

Niki

If the LORD had not...

Psalm 124 "If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel say- if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.  Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.  We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.  Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

 

I apologize for my tardiness, I had the stomach flu this weekend and was on bed rest as much as possible...

 

I read this and it makes me think of the current drought we are living through here in the southeast...I know northern  Georgia is in the news for how bad theirs is but here locally we may not be far behind them...I think of the fires in California, the wars in the Middle East, the many troubles and challenges we all face day to day.  It reminds me of not only all the tragedy, sin, darkness but especially of how our loving LORD saves us from the worst.  I think about how we trust in Him and He in turn delivers us.  I remember the "Footprints" poem and the idea that He carries us when we must muddle through the worst of times.  I additionally reflect on the saying, "If God brings you to it then He will bring you through it!"  These thoughts lead me to shouts and songs of joy, praise, glory and thanksgiving...I am moved to happy tears as I recall all the things God has lead me through in my life and all the trials He has brought me around because He keeps His promises and His holy Word tells us He will never give us more than we can stand up under.  Many times it takes steps in the wrong direction to point us back to the right path, to draw us closer to Him and to bring us to the mind-set of ever giving thanks...I know that I have been off and on the path back and forth and never could have allowed the Spirit into my heart and soul the way He has been lately if I had not learned many lessons from doing it the wrong way so many times.  If we lift each other up in prayer, if we remember that every mistake is a learning opportunity and if we keep our faith in Him Who is our strength, our light...our everything, then we will find ourselves praising His name from the highest mountains for all He has delivered us from and also from all He has brought us through.  Please join me in praying for our views of every situation in life to bring us to thankfulness for all He has done, is doing and will continue to do to be on our side and bring us through or around all trials in our daily lives.  I continually thank you for joining me in daily prayers for our troops, for those in need of healing & comfort including Summer who continues her path of recovery.  She has come a long way from when we first started praying for her and I know her family and friends appreciate our continued prayers as God continues to work His miraculous healing in her.  I am personally grateful for your time and support each week as you read my messages and I pray for God's blessings to flow continually through each of your lives.  I hope & pray that you have a blessed week ahead!!!

Love through Christ,

Niki

Fall Into God

 

Psalm 118:13-14 "I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.  The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation."

 

I probably cannot count on two hands the many times I have felt a personal struggle of being pushed back from God by temptations, worries and other things of this world...and rather than just about to fall I have fallen many times from His path for my life.  Humbly I come back to God each time asking His forgiveness and He helps me, He strengthens me.  By His mercy, grace and His Spirit's welcome presence in my heart I have slowly gotten better at falling into His open arms, giving Him the control in my life...for a recovering control freak this is no easy road!...He is patient, gracious and welcoming and as in verse 14 He is my daily song; He truly has become my salvation!  I am not even sure that words can possibly begin to describe the peace within me as I let go more and more and on my knees ask Him to guide me on His path for my life, to lead me towards what He would have me do, to allow me to serve Him and bless others through the talents and blessings He has afforded me.  As an empty stomach yearns for food so does my soul more and more yearn for His precious Word which is food for my spirit.  I pray that we may each reach for our loving Lord's hand to help us when we are pushed back, that we may ask Him into our hearts and souls to be our song & strength each and every day.  I continue to ask that we please join together in prayer for Summer and for all who are in need of God's continued healing hand.  May the Lord grant those who are suffering physically, mentally and/or spiritually peace, strength & comfort in their spirits as He surrounds them with His loving arms.  Please also join with me daily in prayer for the protection of our military and their families.    I am personally keeping you each in my prayers and asking our heavenly Father to bless & protect you and to grant His favor before you each day.  Have a blessed and awesome week ahead!

Love through Christ,

Niki

Oct. 7: Blessing God In All Things

 

"Blessed be Your name, On the road marked with suffering, Though there's pain in the offering, Blessed be Your name...Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise..."  

***Full Song  --> Matt Redman - Blessed Be Your Name Lyrics

We are extremely blessed in that we have 3 wonderful Christian music stations to choose from on the radio, the Bible belt has its perks, ya know?  I love that after my morning prayers I can turn on the radio and sing His praises all the while I am getting ready for my day.  As I drive to work I can sing to the Lord and prepare my heart and mind some more for glorifying Him in all I will do.  As I drive back home I am able to unwind from any stresses of the day by singing again to my wonderful Lord and thanking Him for the blessings that are present in all situations.  It has been a seemingly long road to get me to this point where I want to daily, hourly and sometimes each second connect with my heavenly Father (though at 28 most would say how long could it truly be but perspective is different to each person).  I am continually still growing in God and I still stumble often but I have learned that in all things God is good and His name should be blessed.  I know there are a hundred analogies that can be made about life's ups and downs but the one constant is that God is always there for us and He should be praised and blessed by our words, deeds and thoughts.  God has promised us in many passages in His precious Word that He will always be with us and He has promised us salvation through nothing we have done or earned...He loves us unconditionally and without end.  Blessing, honoring and praising His good name seems like so little in comparison.  Maybe it speaks more to me because music has always touched me on such a spiritual level, or maybe it is just what I needed to hear at this point in my life...whatever the case may be I pray that God may bless you abundantly.  I pray that we all remember to bless His name unapologetically in this world where doing so may be a little politically un-correct.  Let us all join together in prayer for Summer and for all who are in need of God's continued healing hand.  May He grant those who are suffering physically, mentally and/or spiritually peace in their spirits and comfort as He surrounds them with His loving arms.  Please also join with me daily in prayer for the protection of our military and their families.    I am personally keeping you each in my prayers and asking our heavenly Father to protect you and grant His favor before you each day.  Have a blessed and awesome week ahead!

Love through Christ,

Niki