Come Join Me on the Pathway of Praise

Carol’s Praise, Prayer & Worship Invitation

PRAISE, PRAYER & WORSHIP WEDNESDAY

Without doubt, we are living in difficult times. Governments come and go. Economic systems are proving unsustainable. The cost of living is such that some people are facing the difficult choice of whether to eat or heat their homes.

After the unexpected disruption of our lives by Covid 19 and the global pandemic, we were perhaps looking forward to some semblance of normality. Alas! For many people this is not to be.

The good news, however, is this: wherever we happen to live in the world and whatever challenges we face, God remains the same. He is an unchanging God. He is a covenant-keeping God. It would be natural to look around us and despair but as people of God, we are asked to put our trust in the One who knows the end from the beginning.

Dear reader, will you accompany me today on the pathway of praise?

—————-ooo0ooo—————-

Praise

I will love you O Lord with all my heart

I will worship you my God, in Spirit and in truth

I will draw closer to you my Lord and Saviour

I will celebrate your goodness, steadfast love and unfailing mercies

For you are worthy of all glory, honour and praise.

Therefore by Him [Jesus] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.

(Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)

Prayer

Father God, your Word says we should not be anxious about anything but through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make our requests known to you. Your Word also states we should not be concerned about our material needs for you are aware of these.

Heavenly Father, the psalmist David declared he had never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their descendants begging for bread and the Apostle Paul said that you would supply all our needs. We therefore hold onto your Word and stand upon your promises during these difficult times.

Gracious God, remember our obedience in giving tithes and offerings for the purposes of ministry and for the poor. We ask that you demonstrate your ability and willingness to bless us and thank you in anticipation of your generous provision. Jehovah Jireh, we declare that you are our source of supply.

We believe that just as you provide for the birds of the air, so you will also meet our material needs for we are your children, and we are of more value to you than a sparrow. You said we should ask, and you promised our request would be granted.

Bountiful God, we thank you in advance for your timely provision. Thank you for your faithfulness, Father God, and thank you for this opportunity to exercise our confidence in you as our provider. Amen.

© Carol Hind (Adapted from: Petitions From My Heart)

When you’re ruled by circumstances and emotions you live on a rollercoaster. But if you look to the Lord of your circumstances and praise Him, you move from weakness to strength. (UCB Word For Today – written by Bob and Debbie Gass)

Tweet

*UCB Word For Today – For the current online version of this devotional please click here:

Worship

Wishing you all a peaceful and victorious week.

With love,

Carol – Author, Blogger and Prayer Advocate

Thank you for taking the time to visit today. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below? And if you know anyone who would benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Many thanks!

RESOURCES:

Do you long to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

__________________

Have you lost your spiritual verve? Has your Christian life become somewhat humdrum? Discover the secret to a vibrant and victorious spiritual life, through Holy Communion.

AMAZON UK: https://tinyurl.com/yz78s6su

AMAZON US: https://tinyurl.com/yswua69f

Advertisement

Let Us Adore Him

Praise, Prayer & Worship Wednesday

Thanksgiving:

We give thanks to you this day O God that One so mighty, high and lifted up, One so awesome in holiness, One so glorious with the brightness of your splendour—would deign to think of us, care about our lives and stoop to rescue us from eternal damnation, and even lift us out of our pits of depravity, depression and self-centredness.

Our hearts are ever grateful to you O Father God.

Praise:

Exodus 15:11 (NKJV)

Who is like You , O Lord, among the gods?

Who is like You, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Psalm 71: 19 (TPT)

For your glorious righteousness

Reaches up to the high heavens.

No one could ever be compared to you!

Who is your equal, O God of marvels and wonders?

Worship

Let us adore

The Ever-Living God

And render praise unto Him

Who spread out the heavens

And established the earth

And whose glory

Is revealed in the Heavens above

And His greatness

Is manifest throughout all the earth.

He is our God

There is none else.

He is our God

There is none else!

© Kent Henry (Lyrics)

Prayer

Father God,

Open our spiritual eyes and ears, and sharpen our perception regarding the magnitude of your greatness. Help us to remove you from the limiting cage of our human understanding. Extend our knowledge and personal experience of your greatness, since we desire to truly love and honour you to the maximum of our capability.

We ask this in the matchless name of your precious Son, Jesus.

Amen.

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!

NKJV = New King James Version

TPT = The Passion Translation

Why not share in a comment box below, which aspects of creation, or what personal insight you have which helps you to appreciate God’s greatness. I’d so love to hear from you and perhaps your contribution could be just what someone else needs to help them today.

—————-ooo0ooo—————-

Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

Bold, Brave, but Bleeding

I’ve ‘known’ Shell Vera for a number of years now as a fellow-blogger and recall her being one of the very first to engage with me in a meaningful manner, regarding one of my posts. As a newbie blogger, I appreciated this so much. To date, Shell Vera is still a regular reader and commenter at my blogs, so I had no hesitation about supporting this publication of her creative endeavours.

BOOK REVIEW: When I Stopped Remembering Tomorrow

Hang on I thought, how can someone remember tomorrow – let alone stop remembering it?

I was intrigued from the get go!

Apart from my curiosity over the title, it’s not often we have the pleasure of having a personal insight into the lives and hearts of people we know. Granted, I only ‘know’ Shell Vera as a fellow blogger but it’s still somebody I know a lot better than most authors I’ve read, whether famous or otherwise.

I bought the book.

I loved the book!

And now I’m sharing my response to Shell Vera’s powerful, poetic pieces.

I don’t know about you but when I don’t really know the author, I hardly ever read the front matter, unless it is pertinent to my understanding of the book. Now that I’m a published author and when I’m reading books from fellow bloggers, I peruse these pages with eager anticipation.

I was happy to see a dedication to fellow warriors and overcomers. Well that includes me! So from the short distance of the title to the dedication page, already my attention has been piqued.

But then I felt slightly put off after reading a comment regarding the church, which seemed harsh and unfair, and to which I could not relate  – was I going to like this book after all? Is there more of this kind of thing to come?

I read on.

The long and the short of it is that Shell Vera fell in love, met her true self for the first time and in doing so “truly met God.”

I like the framework.

Part 1 shares poetic pieces about her yesterdays followed by a separate prose section in Part 2, providing background information, or explaining what Shell had sought to convey in those pieces, or providing encouragement to hurting souls who have suffered similar abuse, and feel their dreams are impossible.

Often, we readers interpret poems according to our own, or vicarious experiences, according to literary evaluations, personal perceptions and conclusions, which usually differ to what the author originally meant or intended. It is therefore nice to actually know what the writer had intended to convey.

And now for my assessment of Shell Vera’s creative endeavours (bearing in mind the fact that I am not a poetry expert). I discuss in terms of my personal reactions to her work.

Heartfelt compassion stirs the heart of the reader, and contrasts with the cold uncompromising truth of the writer’s experience in pieces like Alone and Detached (1992): Here’s an example:

This girl has given up hope for the future,

She’s only living still because when she knocked,

Death refused to open the door for her.

Powerful pieces like The Final Nightmare (1999) will haunt you.

And in her poem The Dance (1999), Shell Vera’s beautiful and clever depiction of the dance of life, reminds us that either we ourselves, or the people with whom we tango, can become catalysts of change, for the good.

Her poems make you think. Force you to consider what it is you believe, how you interpret the gospel and how you embrace it within your own life.  After reading Wandering (2012), I wonder, how many of us need to take Jesus down from the cross of our limited imaginations and actually invite him to be a living breathing being in our day-to-day lives?

When you think of warriors, you tend to picture someone strong, staunch and solid, someone tough and triumphant, despite the odds. We think of people like Hercules, or Alexander the Great, or even King David, who was known to have slain his 10,000s.

But in our normal every-day life, particularly as a Christian where there is often pressure to present a false ‘super-spiritual’ picture, a true warrior is someone who faces the rigours and injustices of life and survives. They are warriors because they live to tell the tale. They are victorious overcomers because instead of remaining as downtrodden victims, they drag themselves up from the dust and mire of catastrophe or rejection, and push forward through the doors of hope.

Women of Warfare friends and followers, only when you have truly met and committed your life to the Lord, only when you have engaged in prayer warfare and entrusted your well-being into the hands of your Creator-God, will those negative circumstances of life become a spiritual launching pad, enabling you to soar as victorious overcomers.

So, if you are guilty of doing this, stop wasting your life yearning for tomorrow.

Start living in the present, praying in earnest, and yearning for meaningful spiritual encounters with the God who holds your tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I’d encourage you to buy the book!

Order here

You may visit Shell Vera at her website and blog  

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Start living in the present, praying in earnest, and yearning for meaningful spiritual encounters with the God who holds your tomorrow.

Tweet

Self-Care During Lent

I realise this is the season of Lent and whether or not you have jumped on board with the whole denying-self routine, here are a few things I’d like you to consider, as part of your journey as a victorious overcomer.

How about denying yourself the “luxury” of thinking about yourself in negative terms?

How about taking the time to meditate on those scriptures which build your confidence about who you are in Christ?

How about you making a quality decision to oust from your consciousness, the malignant lies of the Enemy?

Proverbs 23:7 tells us in no uncertain terms that as a person thinks (habitually) in their heart, so that is who they will eventually become.

Are your predominant thoughts and habitual thinking focused on what other people think about you?

If so, how is that serving you, particularly if most of the time those thoughts and opinions undermine, rather than raise your self-esteem?

Why not take this season of Lent to minister some spiritual self-care and love?

Begin with how you perceive yourself!

Have you ever been treated as if you are a person of no value?

How did you respond?

It is easy to take on board the negative opinions of others (e.g. ageist, racist, sexist) but I am here to tell you today that there are only two opinions in this world that counts – God’s and yours!

Now if God feels you are worthy enough for him to send his Son to this earth to die for you, then who are you, in fact, who is anyone else, to think or say otherwise?

My dear friend, you are of value!

Stop dwelling on the unkind behaviour or negative opinion of others, which are (or were) designed to undermine you.

The Bible is FULL of God’s positive thoughts and ideas, towards and about you.

Here are just a few thought seeds to sow in the garden of your heart:

I AM created by God with infinite care and love

(Psalm 139:13-18)

I AM loved by God with a love which never changes!

(Jeremiah 31:3)

I AM chosen by God and precious ­

(1 Peter 2:4)

I AM so loved by God that he has adopted me into his family

(1 John 3:1)

God has so many wonderful thoughts about me they cannot even be counted

(Psalm 40:5; Psalm 139:17-18)

God’s innumerable thoughts towards me are thoughts of peace, and they give me hope for my final outcome

(Jeremiah 29:11)

There is a banner of love over my life, which speaks of Christ’s undying love for, and commitment to me.

(Song of Solomon 2:4)

Consider this.

Just before Jesus was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, he received God’s ringing endorsement:

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.

(Matthew 3:16-17)

Child of God, you are much loved.

Believe it. Accept it. Declare it.

You are loved and you are valued. End of!

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

A God-Seeker in His Secret Place (Psalm 91:1)

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

SELF-SCRUTINY

• On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest), how valuable do you feel in terms of God’s economy?
• What steps will you take to raise that value (presuming you have not scored yourself a 10!)?

Dear reader, your visit is appreciated. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below? And, if you know someone who could benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.

Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

Come Celebrate With Me!

Hello dear friends and followers.

I’m celebrating the publication of a guest post, which has been published by a good friend (Holly) at her blog site, Wholeness Haven.

Whoo hoo!

Could you help me celebrate by visiting her site and supporting her? I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! She’s done a sterling job with the presentation of my message, and I feel so honoured and proud to be featured there.

My post has been set out in two parts and the links to these are as follows:

Part 1: God’s Master Key to Wholeness | Wholeness Haven

Part 2: God’s Master Key to Wholeness (part 2) | Wholeness Haven

Please don’t forget to leave your likes and comments and also share with your social networks. Many thanks dear ones.

Have a blessed weekend!

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!

Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

5 Snippets on Prayer

(1)

If you want to know about prayer, examine the life of Jesus:

1. He prayed when the pressures of life increased.
2. He prayed when important decisions had to be made.

It’s when you think you don’t have time to pray, that you need to pray most. Spending time with God is the secret to having power with Him.

UCB Word For Today* (Excerpt from Devotional 26 June 2017)

In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

(Proverbs 3:6 – The Living Bible)

——————————-

(2)

Whether placing stars or healing scars, no situation is too big or too small to get the attention of our loving God. To understand God’s healing expertise, look at the life of Job. No one in history lost more than Job did, yet God brought him through it all.

…Are you sad and heavy-hearted today? Do what Jesus did. Take time to pray about it.

UCB Word For Today* (Excerpt from Devotional 27 June 2017)

He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great he is! His power is absolute! His understanding is unlimited.

(Psalms 147: 3-5 – The Living Bible)

——————————-

Prayer shouldn’t be your last resort, it should be your first response. Prayer takes the situation out of your hands and puts it into God’s. #Christian #Prayer #SaturdayThoughts

Tweet

(3)

Jesus prayed when the pressures and expectations of others threatened to derail God’s plan for His Life.

…When you’re prayer-less you get careless. God has a plan for your life, and a schedule. To stay in sync with both you must pray regularly. Jesus realised He had only enough time to do what His Father wanted done, and that gave Him the ability to say no to other things.

UCB Word For Today* (Excerpt from Devotional 28 June 2017)

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

(Ecclesiastes 3:1 – NKJV)

——————————-

(4)

Jesus prayed when He was concerned about the people He loved.

…Prayer shouldn’t be your last resort, it should be your first response. Prayer takes the situation out of your hands and puts it into God’s.

…Invite God into the situation, then stand back and allow Him to work.

UCB Word For Today* (Excerpt from Devotional 29 June 2017)

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly].

(1 Thessalonians 5:17 – The Amplified Bible)

——————————-

(5)

Jesus didn’t wait until the hour of His greatest crisis before he prayed. For three and a half years during His early ministry, He had built a life of prayer.

…Jesus had such an intimate relationship with His Father that in times of pressure and pain He could go to God, confident He would receive His sustaining grace. Can you do that?

UCB Word For Today* (Excerpt from Devotional 30 June 2017)

…Men ought always to pray, and not to faint…

 (Luke 18:1 – KJV)

Wishing you a peaceful and prayerful weekend.

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

A Student in His Secret Place (Psalm 91:1)

*Free postal copies of UCB Word For Today (UK and Republic of Ireland only) are available from: FREEPOST RLTX-ABUL-GRAR, United Christian Broadcasters, Westport Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4JF

For the online version click here:

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

What’s your response to this post? Please share your thoughts in a comment box below. Do you know someone who could benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.

The Red Carpet of Welcome

God’s Red Carpet of Welcome

It’s Not Nice!

Ever walked into a room and realised you’ve just interrupted a conversation, where you were the subject of discussion?

It’s happened to me quite a few times!

The chief culprits were ex work colleagues. Not a nice feeling is it?

Especially when you realise that whatever was being said about you, was not complimentary.

During such times, you sense the tension in the air as the culprits desperately try to cover up by changing the subject. Sometimes the conversation would just cease abruptly, yet a strong signal is silently communicated: You are not welcome!

Why have I mentioned this?

Well, it’s not because I want to drag up the past. And it’s not because I want to share a story designed to make you feel sorry for me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s all in my past and that’s the best place for it!

However, I mention it because I want to use the scenario to highlight a complete contrast. A contrast between those who make you feel unwelcome and my Father-God, who fully embraces and welcomes you into His presence.  I want to remind you that our Father-God, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, has pulled out all the stops, to signal their sincere love and acceptance, for me and for you.

An Attitude of Gratitude

This week, I’ve been experiencing some wonderful times in God’s presence. I am always grateful and regularly express my gratitude to him for accepting me into his family, for welcoming me into the awesome, holy presence of his throne room. And whenever I’m reminded that God’s acceptance and welcome was not always available to me, I am even more grateful.

After all, as a Gentile, I had no covenant with God and was alienated from his mercy, love and favour. But now, my wonderful Father-God, who previously couldn’t even be approached by his own people (the Jews), unless they observed the correct protocol, now operates an “open door” policy to all and sundry.

God’s Wholesale Welcome -v- Man’s Routine Rejection

Christ’s sacrificial and vicarious death upon the cross, means I can come into God’s presence without a prior appointment. I can come without the need of a third party to announce me, or enquire whether he’s free. I can come at any time of the day and night and I can come to him as many times in the day (or night), as I wish, or feel I need to. And each time I come, I am welcome. I know it. I experience it. And it’s a beautiful, warm feeling.

Now, there are people in this world (whether ordinary folk, celebrities, the great and the good), who would not necessarily welcome me into their midst. And, let’s face it, there are those whom I would not necessarily welcome into my orbit!

In all areas of life, society operates on a pre-determined level of acceptance, such that I could find myself excluded from potential opportunities, on the basis of skin colour, gender, class, or a myriad of other reasons.

And yet, the one who is Supreme, the one who is most High and Holy, the one who is Mighty, the one who has every right to reject me on the grounds of unworthiness, has seen fit to make it possible for me to come and fellowship with him at any time, for as long, and as often as I desire.

A Royal Invite – A Red Carpet Experience

As mentioned, lately I’ve been enjoying God’s company whilst he rolls out the red carpet of acceptance and hospitality. In fact, I’m experiencing richer, deeper levels of relationship with the three members of the Godhead. And because I’ve been so, so, blessed by these special periods of intimacy with God & Co, I’d like to encourage all my readers and visitors to make a special effort to develop a deeper, richer relationship with Him. Father-God promises in his Word that when you make the effort to move closer to him, he will draw closer to you. (James 4:8).

We are moving rapidly towards the end of this year, a year which I’m sure many of you will agree, brought unwelcome changes into our lives. Changes which have forced upon us a “new normal”. Changes which have thrust upon us unexpected instability, uncertainties and insecurities about what the future may hold.

Whilst for many of us, these changes came out of the blue, our omniscient God was not surprised. He was not caught out unawares. It therefore behoves us to draw as close as we can to the one who is unchanging… to the one whose thoughts and intentions towards us, are for our best interests, whether we see it or not, whether we believe it or not… to the one who is able to cause all things (even this pandemic crisis), to work together for our good. (Romans 8:28).

Unsavoury media reports may be unwelcome. Politicians and international policies may confuse, and even make us feel unwelcome. Racists, or religious fanatics may commit reprehensible acts, in a bid to show us we are not welcome. And, contrary to Christ’s message of inclusiveness, Christian cliques may signal to those of us outside their circle that we are unwelcome.

But our God, who is unchanging and ever dependable, will never change the rules or move the goal posts when it comes to his criteria for acceptance.

Fellowship – Your Spiritual Key to a Victorious End of Year

Jesus has already paid the price for our inclusion! He has made the way open for anyone (Male or Female, Jew or Gentile, Black or White), to come into God’s presence and to come without fear, guilt, condemnation or any sense of inferiority.

So my dear friend, don’t waste precious time or opportunity. Spend quality time in God’s presence through prayer, praise, thanksgiving and worship. He will welcome you with open arms!

Women of Warfare friends and followers, I encourage you to end this year and make preparation for the next, by choosing to develop your God-connection and increase your spiritual awareness, so you can confidently walk forward in life, as victorious overcomers.

Wishing you a safe, blessed and happy week ahead!

With agapē love and affection,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

A Student in His Secret Place (Psalm 91:1)

The secret to enjoying a red-carpet experience with God is loving him with all your heart, mind and soul. Have you discovered this secret?

Tweet

Need further tips for ending your year well? Click here

Poetry lovers, if you enjoyed this post, you may want to read a related poem I’ve written – click here

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

Dear reader, your visit is appreciated. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below?

If you know anyone who could benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.

7 Reasons Why You Need To Be A Woman of Warfare

 

 

1. To secure and maintain possession of God’s promises
2. To secure peace and protection for your loved ones
3. Because Satan is roaming around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour
4. Because God wants you to conquer the Goliaths in your life
5. Because you are in a spiritual battle and you, plus your loved ones, are a direct target
6. Because there are other believers who require your spiritual strength and prayer support
7. Because sometimes we have to fight on behalf of others, so they can enter into their promised land.

 

Question:

Are you taking your place on the battlefield of prayer?

With love,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!

 

 

AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

 

 

If you are looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life, please don’t hesitate to check out the links above.

 

 

What’s your response to this post? Do share your thoughts in a comment box below. And, if you know someone who could benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.

 

The Love Factor!

Hello dear friends, fellow bloggers and followers,

I’d just like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to recent new followers of Women of Warfare and I’d also like to acknowledge those who’ve joined me over this past year. Your interest and support is so appreciated.

If you don’t do so already, may I encourage you to engage with me by sharing your thoughts and responses to my posts? Even if you do not agree with me, I would like to hear what you have to say.

Trusting that you and your loved ones are safe and well.

Best wishes,

Carol

Five Minute Friday: LIFT

Q: What is Five Minute Friday?

A: It is a 5min free write blog event hosted by Kate Motaung. Every Thursday Kate announces a one-word prompt on her blog at 10pm EST. The link-up is open for a full week, until the following Thursday evening. For further details on how to participate visit her blog at: Heading Home.

 

Five Minute Friday Prompt: LIFT

 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord

Who made heaven and earth.

(Psalm 121: 1-2 NKJ)

 

The above declaration implies that the writer has made a decision to change his focus.

How many times have you felt despondent… felt bereft of hope because life stood up and slapped you in the face instead of gracing you with the smile and gifts of fortune and favour? And how many times have you dwelt on your circumstances and decided that life is hard and unfair?

I recently felt this way.

I’d taken a blogging break and had planned to use the time to work on a long-standing project. My mother’s health suddenly deteriorated to the extent that she was eventually hospitalised and, following discharge, needed full-time care. I decided to take a break from work in order to provide that care.

Daily hospital visits, stress, weariness and the further demands upon my time meant my project was once again consigned to the back burner. The little scrap of time left to me late in the evenings meant I only wanted to eat and relax before going to bed (here read watch TV, or check and despair over my dismal blog stats!).

Added to this, I felt completely overwhelmed by the extra responsibility and was also concerned that I might not be patient enough, mentally or physically strong enough to follow through with this commitment.

My eyes were on my circumstances, on the enormity of my problems and not upon the greatness of my God. It’s easy to do right? To preach it and write or blog about it, but when it comes to the crunch, forget God’s commands and promises and fail to walk in his peace and strength. And before you know it, all the prayers and meditation and bold confessions, all the effort you’ve put in to familiarise yourself with God’s Word and endeavour to submit to his perfect will, have retreated from your consciousness and disappeared from your vocabulary.

“Hath God said…” whispers Satan within your mind and before you can say: “Get behind me!” you have fallen victim to overwhelming doubts, fear and even unbelief.

Dear reader, if these words speak to you where you are at right now, please join with me by lifting your heart and the eyes of your understanding and refocus them upon Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Please join with me by discarding your constrictive cloak of heaviness and don your glorious garment of praise and thanksgiving.

Let’s wholeheartedly lift our eyes to our Father God in Heaven (who graciously loves, protects and provides for us) and let’s declare our trust, faith and confidence in Him without reservation.

WoW! followers and visitors may you experience the peace of God that transcends human understanding throughout the coming weeks and may you rest in his comfort and abide in his presence.

 

***       ***       ***       ***       ***