Tag: blogwithmarie

Transformative Prayer Inspired by Colossians 1:9-14

A Prayer for Everyone – Colossians 1:9-14. As we read Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, we can pray with confidence God’s will for ourselves and others.
Fill us O God with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. That we walk in manner worthy of You, bearing fruit in every good work. May we increase in the knowledge of You through Your Word. Strengthen us with Your power that we remain steadfast. We joyfully give thanks to You always, for all You have done for us.
Imagine the effectiveness of your prayers when you shift the emphasis of your petition on the Lord’s desires. He’ll transform you and the people you  intercede for. 🙏 

The Artist

The Artist studies the blank canvas, rubbing His chin, deep in thought. How will it turn out? As one who likes to doodle and sketch, I imagine the Father looking from the night sky to the blank canvas before the start of a new day. The night sky twinkling with shining stars give way to the colors that streak across the the morning sky as the sun rises escorting in a bright and beautiful day. Have you ever looked at the sky and thought “wow” what an amazing view. The awesome sunrise or sunset and the brilliant colors weaved throughout. Even a thunderstorm with its whipping winds, heavy rains, and claps of thunder and lightning. The beauty of the storm as the sky grows dark and then just as quickly as the storm arose its over with and the sky grows light once more. The water dripping from the trees and the dew on the grass sparkling like diamonds reminds me of His grace and mercy.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

His grace is more than enough for us. His strength perfected in our weaknesses. At the start of a new day, I am reminded of His grace and mercy. In our weaknesses, He is strong. In His strength, we are made whole. Ever stop to wonder about the intricate details that go in to create an amazing masterpiece? The love brimming to overflowing, if you only stop to really see what is before you? When I think about the Master and what He has created, I imagine a parent waiting to share and teach a child. The Father patiently showing us what He created and why or how it works.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

We are His workmanship created for good works. I used to see the world in darkness, living in the dregs of the underbelly of the world. Unable to see beyond the darkness until one day, a pinpoint of light pierced through and a hand reached out drawing me back into the light. When I see God’s beauty all around, from beautiful blue skies, to a sunrise or sunset bursting with color, to the vibrant colors in the plants all around, to the people I come in contact with on a daily basis; I am in awe of all that He did for me. What He does for each of us when we let Him. When we invite Him in. Spend time with the Master and explore all that He has for you. God bless! 💗

Add Title ~ Seriously? But God…

So, one of the hardest things for me is to come up with a title for the posts. When I first started blogging I read some of the ins and outs of blogging. You have to have this or that. You have to post every day. The title needs to be an eye catcher or people won’t read it. You need, you need, you need. I used to think I could come up with a title after writing and discovered that didn’t work for me. I also tried picking a scripture and writing about something that related to the scripture and yeah, that didn’t work either.

God knew before I started blogging exactly how He wanted me to write. I’m pretty sure He was prepared for my insecurities about writing. I imagine He chuckles every time I sit down to write because it seems like I think a post is going in one direction and it takes a totally different direction leaving me to have conversations with the Lord about whether He’s sure that’s the direction I’m supposed to head in. I can almost feel His gentle touch on my shoulder as He says, Trust Me, and of course I do as we go down the path He’s guiding me on. It’s a good thing you aren’t sitting with me because you’d probably hear things like: “Are you sure about this?” and “Okay if that’s what You think…are You certain?” Get the idea? Don’t misunderstand, if I’m not on the right path, I eventually find my way there as He waits for me catch up. I’ll get to where He is and even though I may have wasted time writing my way, He patiently guides me even with all my questions. But that’s okay to ask questions. I think He would rather we ask and seek than keep silent and not find.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

What is it that you want? What are you seeking? As you stand before the door with your hand poised to knock are you ready for it to be open to you? For when you find the door opened to you, you will find the Master waiting to welcome you. God bless! 💗

Different Yet The Same

When you see the homeless person on the side of the road, do you look away for fear of them knocking on the window and asking for help? Or do you buy them a meal? What about the person in the parking lot struggling to load their vehicle, do you stop and offer to help? I am reminded of how people come from many walks of life and yet we are all the same. We may have different skin tones, hair and eye color, our height and weight may vary, and yet we are all the same. We were created by God in His image. His image.

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

So, are you the person who tries to ignore the homeless because they make you uncomfortable? Or do you buy them a meal? One look at their tattered, ragged, dirty clothes and maybe you hope they won’t come up to you asking for help.

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

John 7:24

What about the person in the parking lot that you stopped and offered to help? When you look at these two people can you see beyond their appearance and realize that though they are different, yet they are indeed the same?

If there is one good thing that has come out of this pandemic it’s seeing people come together and help out their fellow man. Will it continue after the restrictions are lifted and life returns to normal? I pray so. There are so many people who sacrificed so much to keep the public safe, informed, protected, and fed. When your life comes to a standstill you begin to realize just how much you rely on people, who on the surface may seem insignificant but in reality they are important. Did you ever stop to think about the grocery clerk stocking the shelves or ringing up your purchases? Or the gas station attendant who stayed open so people could buy gas to get to work?

When life returns to normal… the real normal with a sprinkle of the new normal…remember all of the silent workers who helped to keep you fed by keeping their drive-thru open. The gas station that remained open so you could buy fuel for your vehicle. The countless grocery stores that worked hard to keep the shelves stocked so you could buy food while maintaining social distancing. Say a prayer for them, for their families and remember – we are all different, yet the same. God bless! 💗

The Nudge

Recently I was having coffee with a friend of mine and she said to me I think you should write a book with your devotionals. Or something to that affect. And of course I gave her that deer in the headlights look. It started with a nudge. Normally I send my text devotionals only to the people on my list unless I’m asked to add someone. In fact I almost ignored the nudge thinking to myself that I was just tired and I had pulled her text feed up mistake. The feeling wouldn’t go away so I did what any obedient person would do and I sent it to her. She liked it so I added her to my list of family and friends that I send the devotionals out too.

Continue reading “The Nudge”