Category Archives: Thanks & Praise

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March 28, 2016

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Holidays & Holy Days, Holy Spirit, Salvation: A New You, Thanks & Praise

EASTER – 2016

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. [John 11:25 (NLT)]

Holy Name Catholic church

Father we thank you for the three days that impacted eternity for us all: the day of Christ’s birth, the day of His death and the day of His resurrection. Thank you for the gift of Christmas and sending your Son to us – to teach, comfort and lead us. Thank you for the sacrifice of Good Friday when you met our guilt with grace and redeemed us. Thank you for Easter and its hopeful message of sin’s defeat and everlasting life. Let your Holy Spirit fill us and gives us the power to live in faith and obedience so that we may become the people you want us to be.

O God,
who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross,
and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy:
Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live
with him in the joy of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
[1979 Book of Common Prayer]

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! [2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)]

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March 9, 2016

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Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Nature, Salvation: A New You, Thanks & Praise

WHITER THAN SNOW

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. [Isaiah 1:18 (NLT)] 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! [John 1:29 (NLT)]

Steamboat Ski AreaIt’s springtime in the mountains and I’m thrilled to see that it’s snowing. Although I was hoping for at least one more powder day on the mountain, that’s not why I’m pleased. I’m happy because, once again, everything looks pristine and clean. You see, March’s warmer temperatures and sunshine have been busy melting the nearly 300 inches of snow we’ve had this season. As that white stuff gradually disappears, ugliness is uncovered. Hidden under those mounds of snow is four months’ worth of unsightly litter, pollution, exhaust and smoke residue, scoria and gravel. That filthy accumulation is now making its appearance along the roadways. As the snow recedes along the footpaths, it’s not just lost mittens, discarded tissues and cigarette butts that emerge but also the dog dirt and moose and elk pellets from the animals who have ventured onto the trails. As beautiful as springtime in the mountains can be, this ugliness is part of what we call “mud season.” Today’s snow covers it all up again and I can briefly forget the filth hiding beneath it. It’s sort of like sweeping dirt under the carpet or painting over handprints on the wall; although the grime is still there, it doesn’t bother us because it can’t be seen.

As I look out at the snow falling, I think of God’s words in Isaiah that our sins will be “white as snow.” Although the snow falling outside merely conceals the dirt, God’s grace washes that filth away. With God’s forgiveness, when the snow melts, no grime will remain. Instead of hiding the dirt under the carpet, God vacuums it away and rather than concealing the handprints, He scrubs them until they disappear. Indeed, our sins will be white as new snow!

Thank you, dear Jesus, for the cleansing power of your blood; thank you for taking away the sins of the world.

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Lay aside your garments that are stained with sin
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean.
O, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
[Are You Washed in the Blood?” by Alan Jackson]

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. [Psalm 51:7 (NLT)]

Copyright ©2016 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
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February 3, 2016

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Faith & Hope, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Knowing Him, Thanks & Praise

BECAUSE HE LOVES US

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time – to show us his grace through Jesus Christ. [2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT)]

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)]

passion flower (scarlet) - NBG736webOne morning, while getting ready to go out for a day with my friends, my husband brought me a small box. Upon opening it, I was stunned to find a beautiful silver and inlaid stone necklace that I’d admired more than six months earlier. When I asked what the occasion was, he simply replied, “I’ve been waiting to give it to you and thought it might match your outfit.” Flabbergasted at seeing the jewelry, I felt undeserving of this lavish gift and regretted my sharp words earlier that morning. It wasn’t my birthday, Valentine’s Day or our anniversary and I had done nothing special to deserve such a gift. It was just a beautiful, “Because I love you!” present. When we’re surprised with a gift like this, a gift from the heart, we tend to question our worthiness to receive it and feel uncomfortable because we have nothing but our thanks to give in return.

We are all undeserving of the most wonderful gift we have ever received: Jesus Christ. God gave His only Son and sacrificed him for our sins. That is the most magnificent and unwarranted gift ever and we did nothing to deserve this splendid present. In fact, we have done much that is wrong. That, however, is the astonishing thing about God’s grace: it’s not something we deserve and it’s not something we earn. It is something given to us by God simply because he loves us.

Thank you, Lord, for the gracious gift of your Son and our salvation. As unworthy as we are, fill us with your Holy Spirit. Empower us to do your work and honor this precious gift by the way we conduct our lives.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. [2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NLT)]

Copyright © 2016 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.

 

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February 1, 2016

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Challenges & Difficulty, God's Grace & Love, Knowing Him, Peace of God, Thanks & Praise, Trusting God, Worry

COMFORT ME

As a mother comforts her child, so I’ll comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem. [Isaiah 66:13 (MSG)]

9-26-15Family-WEBRecently, a new mother I know had to leave a restaurant in the middle of dinner. The sitter had called in desperation; nothing would stop the baby from crying and she was at wit’s end. I’ve had that happen both as a sitter and a mother. We’ve probably all had an occasion when there is a fussy baby and his mother isn’t near; it is not a good situation! The infant is passed around from person to person. The baby is sung to, bounced, rocked, jiggled, walked, patted, and even tickled; the binky is offered, diapers are changed, funny faces are made, and a bottle is tried. The adults try in myriad ways to comfort the crying baby but absolutely nothing works. In fact, the child usually gets more agitated the harder everyone works at calming him down. Then, miracle of miracles, his mother returns to the room. She reaches out her arms and cradles her child. Almost instantly, he quiets. These are arms he can trust; he knows he’s loved and that all of his needs will be met.

We are God’s children and, sometimes, we’re not much different from that crying infant. Something is wrong in our lives and nothing and no one can still our troubled hearts. Fortunately, God is like that mother; while other people, try as they may, can’t calm us or ease our fears, He can. When we let God’s arms surround us, He will bring us comfort. We just need to be still, feel His embrace, and accept His reassurance; we are safe and loved.

Thank you, Lord, for the life you gave us. Thank you for nurturing and sustaining us through the years. Thank you for the comfort you offer us, the caress of your arms as you hold us, the tenderness of your voice as you soothe our troubled souls, and your gentle touch as you dry our tears.

Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! just the way you promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to. [Psalm 119:76-77 (MSG)]

Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I’d never forget you—never. [Isaiah 49:15 (MSG)]

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January 29, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Joy, Peace of God, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

THE GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. [Psalm 106:1 (NLT)]

pine grosbeak Last week, I started a new gratitude journal and thought back to when I first started keeping such a record of daily blessings. More than fifteen years ago, we were spending the entire winter in our Colorado mountain home. Having had the misfortune of breaking my knee the first day skiing, my outdoor pursuits were over for the season. Watching family and friends hustle out the door each morning, seeing their happy faces upon their return, and listening to them recount the day’s exploits became an invitation to my pity party. During a lonely afternoon, while everyone else was out having fun in the snow, I watched an Oprah show about gratitude. I was clearly in the need of an attitude adjustment so keeping a gratitude journal seemed a good idea. Every night, I listed five things for which I was thankful; some days it wasn’t easy but I kept at it. Later that winter, Oprah and several audience members shared some journal entries. Their entries were long, introspective and weighty while mine, for the most part, were simply a list of ordinary everyday things. People wrote of finding sacred spaces, authentic selves, true paths, and deep spirituality while I’d been grateful for figuring out how to manage the stairs in a multi-level house, chocolate chip cookies, seeing a cardinal on the deck, cable TV, and that the library had the Stephen King novel I wanted to read! My gratitude for pizza delivery, ibuprofen, warm fleece blankets and home-made granola seemed shallow when compared to the philosophic reflections that were shared. Some people had even fashioned beautiful hand-made books while others used handsome leather-bound journals—I was writing in a little appointment book we’d received from our accountant!

At first, I thought I’d done the whole gratitude journal thing wrong but then I was thankful that I hadn’t turned gratitude into work (as it appeared many of those women had). Regardless of the kind of book used or the words chosen, the journal worked its magic. Daily gratitude changed my negative attitude and what could have been a miserable winter became a wonderful one, just not the winter I’d expected. Gratitude journals don’t need to be works of art or literary masterpieces, they just need to be written with a grateful heart.

I’m thankful for Jesus, forgiveness, salvation, love, answered prayers, memories, my family, the Bible, and a host of other things and I thank God daily. My gratitude journal, however, makes me look for specific blessings of each day. Sometimes, my list is deeply introspective but, most of the time, it makes for rather boring reading. I list the ordinary things and events that make each day extraordinary—fireflies, a stranger’s smile, children’s laughter, warm slippers, fresh corn on the cob, rhubarb jam from the farmer’s market, the grosbeak at the feeder, or finding shoes that fit. It really doesn’t take much for me to feel full of gratitude and for that I am thankful!

Most of us live rather simple lives; the people we meet, the things we do, and the places we live are pretty run-of-the mill. Fortunately, life-changing events are few and far between. Just because our days are ordinary, however, doesn’t mean there’s nothing for which to be thankful. Without writing in the journal, there are many small things in my day (like the ninety-eight cent pineapples I got yesterday), that easily would be overlooked. Keeping a gratitude journal reminds me that every day with which I am blessed is a good one! While some days may be better than others, every day brings reasons for thanksgiving.

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the many simple blessings in our lives. Help us realize that gratitude for the little blessings of life gives us both strength to endure and joy to sustain us during the many troubles and difficulties of life.

It’s not happy people who are thankful, it’s thankful people who are happy. [Anonymous]

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:24 (NLT)]

 

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January 28, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Joy, Love & Works, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

SMILE – IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

smilecrop-horzWhy are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. [Psalm 42:5 (MSG)]

Good news! There’s something more satisfying than a Snickers or Dove Bar and it’s non-fat, sugar-free, and zero calorie! Apparently, smiling stimulates our brain’s reward mechanism far better than chocolate! I’m sure this is good news for all those who made (and didn’t keep) New Year’s resolutions about health and wellness. According to “healthy aging expert” Mark Stibich, smiling boosts the immune system and lowers blood pressure. It reduces stress, elevates our mood, helps us have a positive outlook, and feel good. If that’s not enough to convince us to smile, he adds that a smile makes us look more attractive, appear younger, and seem more successful. Smiling certainly takes less effort than dieting or going to the gym and has much the same effect.

When in Florida and I walk through the park taking photos for the church website, I see how easily a smile can change someone’s looks. Since taking pictures of the congregation, my entire concept of beauty has changed—there is nothing more beautiful than a smiling face. No matter what the person’s age, no amount of plastic surgery can equal the beauty of a smile! Beauty has nothing to do with youth, a flawless complexion, perfectly coifed hair, wrinkle-free skin, fashionable attire or a model’s figure. Beauty truly does come from within and shines out through a smile. Physical beauty is only skin deep but someone’s inner beauty radiates out from the heart through his or her smile.

Now that I’m in northwest Colorado and attending our mountain church, I continue to notice smiles and must agree with Dr. Stibich’s final claim that smiles are contagious. At both our Florida and Colorado churches, we always pause to greet one another early in the service—and that greeting isn’t just a little courtesy nod to one’s neighbors. People walk from row to row, chatting, shaking hands or hugging one another. Sometimes, we’re slow returning to our seats but not because we’re uninterested in the day’s music and message. It’s the smiles! Along with the handshakes and greetings, there are smiles galore and those smiles are infectious. Once we receive a smile, we have a smile and simply have to pass it along to someone else, and so it goes. No matter how serious the sermon, no matter what is happening in my life or the world around me, I have never left either church without joy in my heart and a smile on my face.

What do smiles have to do with God? It’s certainly not necessary to believe in God to wear a smile and lots of non-believers smile quite nicely, at least when life is going well for them. A believer, however, fixes his eyes on the Lord and can wear a smile even when life has dumped a big load of bad. Having a relationship with God—resting in His peace, experiencing His joy, having a grateful heart, being confident of salvation and knowing we’re safe in His hands—that just can’t help but bring a smile to anyone’s face.

If you haven’t done a good job of keeping those New Year’s resolutions about health and fitness, don’t give up—keep trying. In the meantime, do yourself (and the people around you) a big favor by smiling. God is love and sharing a smile is just about the easiest way possible to share His love with the world—and get some valuable side benefits, as well.

Smile at each other. smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other—it doesn’t matter who it is—and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other. [Mother Teresa]

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing! He forgives your sins—every one. He heals your diseases—every one. He redeems you from hell—saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal. He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence. [Psalm 103:1-5 (MSG)]

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (MSG)
smiles