Be Bold!! ~by robin moroney

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Ephesians 6:18

Remember when your children were little (or maybe you remember doing this when you were a child) and they really, really wanted something? They would come to you with their little child scrunched up face and their little child voice and say “Please, please, please, can I have that!!!” And maybe they would even scrunch up their arms and bodies so you would know that they were really serious when they said “I HAVE to have that!!” They were so excited and earnest that you just couldn’t resist their little child enthusiasm. So you said yes. And when you said “Yes,” the joy on their faces made your heart melt.

Last week I thought of that child-like excitement when I wanted something ~ I really wanted to go to the Florida Gators game in Gainesville. I didn’t mind making the drive but I didn’t have a ticket and the game was sold out. So I thought about praying for it. But, to be honest, I felt a little selfish asking for something so, well, insignificant. And when I thought of all the things going on in the world around me, it sort of felt like I was bothering God. But I really wanted to go.

So on Wednesday as I was on my knees praying, for some reason I started thinking about that little child who asks so enthusiastically for something she really wants. And I wondered if God wants us to ask for things with that type of excitement and enthuasism. So, in the privacy of my own bedroom, I scrunched up my face and arms and with child-like excitement I asked God if He would please get me a ticket to the game. After I prayed, I felt a little silly. But I also waited in excited anticipation for what God could do. I knew the game was sold out. But I also knew that if it was ok with God for me to go to the game, then He could do all sorts of things to make it happen. So I trusted that if it was ok with Him, then He would find a way.

Well, at about 4:00 that day, I got a text message from my friend, Faith saying “I have a ticket sitting beside me. Can you come?” And, honestly, it brought tears to my eyes because I knew that God had seen my child-like excitement and had answered my request. And for just a moment, I could almost feel His hand patting my head and hear Him chuckle at my enthusiasm. And right there in my office I yelled “Hooo-hooooo!!!” then thanked Him for such a wonderful gift. And on my way home from work that day, I just got so overwhelmed at God’s kindness that I cried some more. And I thanked Him again and again. I was so touched by His gift.

I’ve been thinking about prayer a lot lately. I’ve been wondering how many of us don’t pray for certain things because we don’t want to be disappointment when we don’t get what we ask for? How many of us don’t ask because we don’t think God gives us what we want ~ only what we ask for others? I fear that a lot of Christians think that being a Christian means that we have to always be sad and burdened. That being a Christian means that we don’t get to be happy. But God really does want to bless us. The Bible is full of Scriptures that tell of God’s love and blessings to His children. Ezekiel 34:26 say:

"I will bless them and the places surrounding My hill.  I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing."

I wonder how many times we don’t ask God for something because deep down, in the deepest, secret places in our heart, we don’t really believe that He can do what we ask of Him. Maybe we ask but we really aren’t sure that He can pull it off. Over and over the Bible tells us to believe God and to believe that He can do all things. James 1:6 says:

“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind.”

In 2004 my mother was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. The doctors told us that there was nothing they could do and that she had six to eight weeks to live. We were devastated. And so I started praying. I prayed that my mother wouldn’t go blind. I prayed that she wouldn’t be scared. I prayed that she wouldn’t be in pain and that she wouldn’t suffer. I prayed non-stop for all of these things. And God answered every one of these prayers. None of these horrible things happen to my mother as the doctors predicted they would.

It wasn’t until about three years ago that I realized that of all the things I asked God for concerning my mother, I never once asked Him to heal her. Not once. It broke my heart when I realized that I had taken the doctor’s word for it when he said that there was nothing that could be done for my mother. It never even occurred to me to ask God to heal her. I think that I didn’t ask because I didn’t really think that He could or that He would heal her. And I didn’t want to be disappointment if she didn’t get better.

When my mother was diagnosed, I remember praying, “Let Your will be done, Father.” I wonder how many times we really don’t expect God to grant our requests so we pray for His will to be done to sort of give Him an “out.” I wonder how many times we don’t ask because we feel like we don’t deserve a blessing from Him. I wonder if we don’t ask because we really don’t believe He can. So we ask for everything but what we really want. And then we say “Let Your will be done.”

Now I’m not suggesting that we don’t want God’s will to be done. We absolutely do want to be in God’s perfect will for our lives. But I wonder how many times we put God in a box and try to tie His hands just because we’re afraid to ask.

Coming to the realization that I didn’t pray for healing for my mother was a cold slap in the face to me. And I determined from that moment on that I will always go boldly to my Father’s feet when I have a request. Whatever I pray for I always pray with unashamed boldness. When I’m praying for someone who is sick, I pray for complete healing. When I pray for a family that is falling apart, I pray for complete reconciliation. And when I ask, I fully expect and believe that God can do what I’m asking Him.

Does this mean that God gives us everything we ask for? Absolutely not. God has very, very good reasons for not giving us everything. But when I pray boldly and with complete belief that God can do all things, I know that if He does not grant my request then it truly is His will. And I know that when I don’t get what I asked for, it wasn’t because I didn’t even ask or because I didn’t think He heard me. Or, worse, because I didn’t believe that He could do what I asked. When my prayer isn’t granted, I know that it’s not because I was afraid to ask but because God has a very good reason.

I think a lot of people don’t ask God for something because they don’t want the disappointment of not getting it. But I would rather ask and wait in excited anticipation for God to show up in a big way. I ask then watch Him at work. I get so excited just thinking about the ways He will reveal Himself. Even if I don’t get exactly what I ask for, I know that God will do something amazing. And I get giddy with excitement just thinking about it.

How about you? Why haven’t you gone to God with confidence and boldness? What is it that you are holding back from God because you are afraid you don’t deserve it? What do you want to ask from God but you really don’t think He can do it? Go ahead, ask Him. You may be amazed at the way He will answer you.

Remember: “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:5-6

Precious Father, give us the courage to pray boldly. Help us to know that You want so much to hear from us and that You want to bless us in ways that we can’t even imagine. Please comfort us when Your answer is “No.” Help us to know that if our requests are not granted, then You have something much better for us and that it is because You love us. Thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers. I am so glad that You find pleasure in our child-like enthusiasm. I hope we never lose our child-like excitement and enthusiasm for You.  We thank you in advance for answering our prayers. I cannot wait to see what You do next. Amen.  ~robin

Do You Trust Me? ~by robin moroney

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
A few months ago Megan and I went to Tampa for a friend’s wedding. While we were there, we used Megan’s GPS to help us get around. Since I was driving and wanted all my concentration on the road, Megan would read the instructions from the GPS to me and I would turn where she told me to. Each time she gave me a set of instructions, I would ask her for the next turn after the one coming up. She teased me about needing all that information and then I said to her, “Is it such a big deal to give me more information so I’ll feel better about where we’re going?"

I’ve asked God this same question recently, “Would it be such a big deal for You to give me a little more information so I’ll feel better about this?” . . . . . . Silence. Apparently, it would be a big deal.

I like to know where I’m going. I like to know when I’m going to get there. And I like to know how I’m going to get there. When I travel, this is easy to do with a map. Even if I know the route I’m taking, when I’m on a long trip, I like to look at the map. It lets me see how far I’ve gone, how much further I have to go and it gives me little milestones to look forward to. Like, “Oh, in 20 miles I’m going to pass Macon.” It kind of breaks up the trip for me. And there’s something about knowing how long something is going to take that just makes me feel better. Like when I’m stuck in a really bad traffic jam, I wish so much that I could stop someone going the other way and ask them how long I’m going to be stuck in traffic. I just think it would make the waiting so much easier if I knew how long it was going to take.

I thought this would be a great idea for my life too. My first thought was that if I knew I had to wait, say, three years for something to happen, I think it would make it so much easier to wait. But when I really think about it, the cold hard fact is this, I’m pretty sure that if God told me something was going to happen in three years this is what I’d do: In year two, day 360, I’d start looking for the thing to happen. And I’d become so focused on the thing I’m waiting for that I’d miss everything else around me. And as year two, day 365 got closer and closer, I'd become more and more anxious for the thing to happen. I would be obsessed with the thing. I wouldn’t be able to get it out of my mind. I’d be looking for it everywhere, “Is that it?” “Is that what I’m supposed to be waiting for?” “I wonder if that was it and I missed it.”

Here’s another scenario: In year three, day five ~ oh who am I kidding ~ in year three, day two, I’d start to doubt and wonder if it was really going to happen. I’d start to doubt that I had heard from God or that God even had a plan for me. I'd start to think that I needed to do something to move things along. I’d also probably be like Abraham’s wife Sarah and take matters into my own hands. And we all know what happened there (Genesis 16).

The fact of the matter is this . . . . my need to have all the details and to be in the driver’s seat makes me feel in control. It makes me feel safe and comfortable. And I think the hardest lesson that I will ever have to learn is to let go and let God be in control. I’m not going to lie, I break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it.

God knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. And, He knows that if we had all the details, we’d mess things up in a very big way. He also knows that there are some times when we just wouldn’t be able to handle all the information that He has. For instance, if He told me something I really wanted wasn’t going to happen for like 15 years, I’d get pretty cranky and start trying to get it done quicker on my own.

God has the whole picture. He has the entire map. Only He knows were we are going and the best way for us to get there and the proper time for us to arrive.

When I get right down to it, if I’m completely honest with myself, my need to feel in control is all about trust. That’s what it all boils down to. Do I really trust that someone else will do things the way I want them done? Do I trust that things will be done in my timeframe? What if someone else is driving and I want to go in another direction? Or what if I don’t want to go where they are going?

But isn’t that the whole point? We’re not supposed to go where we want to or when we want to go. God wants us to trust Him completely and rely on Him and only Him. Remember, He has the entire map. Only God knows the route that is best for us to take.  Therefore, He is the only One who can lead us.

In Joshua 3:3-4 the officers tell the Israelites, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go . . .”

In other words, God is in the lead. Not Joshua, not the officials, not the priests and not the people. God and only God will lead the way and show us where we need to go.

Sometimes God gives us a direction and wants us to step out in faith before He'll make the path clear.  Joshua 3:13 says, “And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, it’s waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” God didn’t tell them to go stand on the bank of the river and wait for Him to stop the water. He told the priests to step into the river first and then the waters would be held back. God wanted His children to take a step of faith first. It was only after they took that step that God held back the waters of the Jordan River.

God doesn’t want us to have a complete map of where we’re going. Because if we did, we would follow our own route ~ we would go the way we wanted and when we wanted to go. God knows that if we had the complete map, we would rely on ourselves to get there and not rely on Him.

I think that my unwillingness to relinquish control stands in the way of God being able to accomplish certain things in my life. Because my need to run things over and over in my head trying to figure them out, causes me to focus on the thing and not on God. Only God knows His plan for me. And, therefore, only He can lead me there.

Have you ever been in a car with a “backseat driver?” They are constantly telling you where you need to go and what you need to do and it gets very confusing and frustrating. Invariably you get so confused that you take a turn that you weren’t supposed to take. Then the backseat driver starts yelling at you and the next thing you know, you’re lost.

I wonder if that’s what it’s like to God when we try to tell Him where we think we should be going? He doesn’t get confused, but we certainly do. And the next thing we know, we’ve taken a turn that we shouldn’t have and we get lost. And if we take too many wrong turns, eventually, we have no idea how to get back to where we’re supposed to be.

Thankfully, though, God will show us the way if we just trust Him. If we let Him lead us, if we let Him take control, then He will take us back to where we belong and He will get us to our ultimate destination.

A few years ago I went to a concert with a friend. As we left the arena, I thought we should go one way to get to the car. My friend said we should go another way. The way I suggested was crammed full of people but it was the way we had come in so it was familiar to me. I hate large crowds. I always feel very claustrophobic when I’m in a huge crowd. My friend knew this and suggested we go another way which looked clear but to me it didn’t seem like the right direction. So I said, “Are you sure?” He turned to me, took my hand, looked me straight in the eye and with all the boldness and confidence in the world, asked “Do you trust me?” I looked back at him and immediately replied, “Yes I do.” He was right. He knew a way to get out of the arena that was much quicker and easier than the way I thought we should go.

God is there for us every single day knowing which way is the best way for us. And every single day God takes us by the hand, looks us straight in the eye and asks us with the ultimate boldness and confidence, “Do you trust Me?"

Do you?

Remember: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for not giving us all the details of our journey. Thank you for protecting us from information overload and from ourselves. Please forgive us for all the times we try to take control and don’t put our trust in You. Help me, especially, to relinquish control and let You lead me. I could be here a very long time trying to learn this particular lesson so thank You also for Your patience as I get in Your way. We are so grateful that you are so faithful and trustworthy. Guide us in Your ways, Lord. And help us to not get lost.  Amen. ~robin

A special thanks to one of my Bible buddies, Tyson, for pointing me to Proverbs 3:5-6.

Blessings in the Midst ~ by robin moroney

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:2-4

Rejoice in our sufferings? Really? Ummm, I don’t think so. I’m not so happy and thankful when I’m in the midst of a trial. And, honestly, sometimes Paul’s “happy, happy; joy, joy; everything-is-wonderful-even-though-my-life-stinks-right-now” attitude can get on my nerves. And until just recently, I felt like I was a bad Christian because I don’t feel thankful for the difficult times in my life.

I am, however, very thankful for the blessings that have come out of those trials. Maybe that’s what Paul meant. Maybe he didn’t want us to be thankful for the actual thing that caused our suffering (a death, a disease, etc). But maybe he wants us to recognize the blessings that God gives us when we are in the midst of those trials.

For instance, I am not thankful that my marriage ended and my mother passed away (within a month of each other). I am, however, so very thankful for the blessings that God gave me during Hell Year 2004 and since. During that year, God brought me into a wonderful group of women who comforted me, counseled me and helped me through the darkest time of my life. God knew I needed the help of these awesome women and He knew that they needed a lost sheep to help. In the midst of a trial season that I thought I would never survive, God surrounded me with incredible blessings that helped me in ways I never thought possible.

Since that time, God continues to send blessings that I would have never experienced if I had not gone through that dark time. When I was in the middle of my divorce, I was in a nothing job that paid peanuts. There were times when I had to decide whether to buy groceries or put gas in my car. I thought that I would have to live in a cramped apartment the rest of my life. But a year after God brought me to Atlanta, I was able to buy my very own house in a nice neighborhood with lots of space. And out of that move to Atlanta, I have gone on wonderful family vacations ~ something else I thought I’d never be able to afford again.

If I had not gone through Hell Year 2004, I would not have moved to Atlanta and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get closer to my cousin and her awesome children, who I absolutely adore. Kyle, Leah, Maddie and Brenna are one of the very best blessings to come out of my trial season. I cannot imagine my life without them in it. I love, love, love being around them. And if I had not moved to Atlanta, I would not have met my best friend, Carole, who is such a blessing to me. I cannot imagine my life without her in it either.

A few years ago, I went through another difficult time in my life. Am I thankful that my heart was broken again? No I am not. But I am thankful that out of that time, I got closer to my precious friend, Faith and her family who I just love. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know this wonderful family. And if it hadn’t been for that heartbreak, I probably wouldn’t have joined the ladies Bible study group at my church where I have met wonderful women who have helped me grow closer to God.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to find the blessings when we are in the midst of a trial season. And sometimes we miss the blessings because we are too wrapped up in the hurt, sadness and disappointment of our trial. But the blessings are there. We just have to recognize them.

All our blessings aren’t always big and life altering. Sometimes it’s the little things that happen. Like a note or phone call from someone who was just thinking about you just at the right time. Or maybe it’s a rainbow after a rain storm or a butterfly that just happens to fly across your path. Or the perfect parking spot close to the store when it’s dark and you’re nervous about walking in the parking lot alone. Those are blessings too. At those times, we need to stop, recognize it as a blessing and thank God for such a gift.

Last week, I went to McDonald’s for lunch. It was a rainy day. I was very busy at work. I was feeling overwhelmed with all the things I had to do at home and at work. I wasn’t in the best of moods. But when I got to the park and opened my bag of food, I discovered that I had THREE packets of bar-b-q sauce instead of the usual two. Ok, this may seem like nothing exciting to you. But if you like to dip your French fries in the bar-b-q sauce like I do, you know that two packets just isn’t enough. This was a big deal. And I chose to think of it as a blessing from God. So I stopped and thanked Him. And I’ve gotta tell you, thinking of that extra packet of sauce as a gift from God brightened up the rest of the day for me.

Ezekiel 34:26 says, “I will bless them and the places surrounding My hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.”

God gives us huge blessings like healing someone who is sick and saving marriages. But He also gives us small blessings such as bright sunshine on a cold day, a hawk soaring overhead and the sound of laughter. The thing is, are we going to recognize God’s blessings only when they are for the big ticket items? Or are we going to recognize them even when they seem small and insignificant?

I challenge you to recognize the blessings ~ big and small.  Especially the ones that come in the midst of your trials. You may think they are hard to find, but they are there. God loves us too much to let a day go by without blessing us in some way. What blessings has God brought you in the midst of your trial and because of a trial you had to go through? Think about it. I bet you can recognize quite a few.

Remember: “From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16

Precious Jesus, words cannot express how thankful I am for the blessings you have given me through my trials and the blessings that have come out of those trials. May Your light shine upon us in big ways and in small ways. I pray that each of us will recognize the blessings you give us each and every day. Especially the ones that come in the midst of our trials. We love You and we are so thankful that You love us so much. Amen   ~robin

Fear Not ~ by robin moroney

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

I had a massage this past weekend. I don’t pamper myself very often so it was a wonderful treat to lay on the table and have someone rub my sore muscles. The problem was that at first I couldn’t really enjoy the massage because I couldn’t shut my head up. First I was thinking about how I didn’t want the massage to end. Then I started thinking about the awesome things I was going to be enjoying the rest of the day. I was thinking about the nap I was going to take. Then I thought about the good food I was going to have for dinner and the glass of wine I would enjoy with my dinner. Then there was the fabulous chocolate fondue that I would finish up for dessert. And, aw man, how much was I going to enjoy the new shower head I had bought that day. Oh, I had such a great day planned. And the weather was warm and sunny. And on and on I went. Finally about 20 minutes into the massage I realized that I wasn’t relaxing and enjoying the massage at all. I was too busy thinking about the next exciting thing then the next and the one after that. I was letting myself be distracted to the point of missing out on an awesome blessing.

Thankfully, I was able to rein in my thoughts and enjoy the rest of the massage. But as I left, it made me wonder how many times I may have missed out on the blessings that were happening right in front of me because I was too caught up thinking about the next one. Or too busy thinking about the things I had to do or the things I haven’t done. How many times have I been too distracted to take the time to enjoy what God has placed right in front of me? And how many times have I been so wrapped up in looking forward to the next blessing that I’ve missed the one that is happening at that very moment?

Satan feeds on those moments. He just loves to stoke the fires of our minds to keep us busy and distracted so that we don’t focus on God and His blessings. And Satan will use whatever method he knows works best on each one of us individually. Sometimes he stokes the fires of anger and bitterness. He grabs onto our minds and puts thoughts in there that stir up the anger we had towards a past hurt. I know from experience that bitterness and anger can cloud our every thought and action. It can get in the way of friendships and relationships and it can get in the way of us enjoying the life that God wants to give us. And you can bet money that if we have unresolved anger in our hearts, Satan will jump on that and stir it up every chance he can.

Satan knows what each of us struggles with. And he knows exactly how to use that thing to get in the way of our enjoyment of God’s blessings. At this point in my life, the thing Satan knows will get me every time is fear. I don’t fear illness or the loss of my job or the normal things that most people fear. What I fear is my relationship with God. I’ve been struggling with God on something for over two years. All because of my fear. I’m afraid I got the message wrong. I’m afraid that maybe I really don’t hear from God. I fear that maybe I really don’t have a relationship with God and it’s all in my head. I fear that I misinterpret what God tells me. I fear that I’ll go in a direction God doesn’t want me to go. I fear that I’m waiting for something that I think God has told me will come but He really hasn’t said that. I fear . . . I fear . . . . I fear. And Satan is all over that like a tick on a dog. Satan uses that fear over and over again to keep me from enjoying the blessings that God has for me.

God does not give us a spirit of fear. First John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”

I know that when fear is present in my heart and mind, it’s Satan talking. And I know that Satan wants to keep me away from God’s blessings by filling me with fear. If Satan can use my fear to keep me away from God, then he is all too willing to use that fear again and again and again. You would think that I’d stop listening to Satan and stop giving him a foothold. But NOOOOO. Every time Satan is there, I’m all too willing to open the door and inviting him in. “Oh, come right in. Would you like some tea? Hey, don’t forget to bring in your bag of fear. Because it’s been a while. I’ve been going along nicely for at least a few weeks now so I think I need to rummage around in that bag of fear some more.” What’s that all about? Thankfully, God is patient and doesn’t mind telling me, as he did Joshua, “Be courageous and strong.” Unfortunately, all too often, I listen to Satan instead of God. And all too often I allow my fear to get in the way of enjoying the blessings God has for me.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed so much since moving to Atlanta is hiking on Kennesaw Mountain. Being from Florida, I think it is pretty darn cool that I have a mountain practically in my backyard. It is amazingly beautiful and such a blessing. And, it gives me great pleasure to hike on it. I think it is one of the most awesome blessings God has given me since He brought me to Atlanta. For a long time, I was not afraid to hike that mountain alone. But a few years ago, a young girl was hiking alone in the North Georgia mountains and she was kidnapped and killed. It was really, really sad. And it made me think of all the times I’ve hiked on Kennesaw Mountain. And since that time, I have not hiked alone. My fear has kept me from enjoying one of my favorite blessings from God. But I can’t let my fear continue to get in the way of something I know God wants me to enjoy. I’m not saying that I shouldn’t be cautious. Certainly it would be crazy for me to hike alone in an out of the way area. But on most nice weekends Kennesaw Mountain is full of people. I don’t want to be afraid any more. And, more importantly, I don’t want to miss out on such an awesome gift from God just because I’m afraid of what might happen.

Satan has kept me in the grip of fear for a very long time. And not just about hiking the mountain. He has used my past mistakes and my insecurities to stop me from enjoying the journey that God has me on. He has used my fear to convince me that I really don’t know God and that God really didn’t say what I think He said. Genesis 3:1 says: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” And that’s just what Satan says to me. “He really didn’t say that.” Or “You really didn’t hear that.” Satan uses my fear to confuse me and to make me doubt my relationship with God. And while I’ve been rummaging around in Satan’s bag of fear, I’m sad to admit that for a while, I missed out on the blessings that God had placed right in front of me.

I’m not saying that all fear and anger are bad. God gives us emotions for a good reason. Sometimes a good dose of fear can stop us from doing things that are harmful. And it’s ok to be angry ~ even Jesus got angry. But anger is never good when we hold onto it until it turns into bitterness. And fear is never good when it keeps us up at night and causes us to stop living the life that God has for us.

What is it that Satan is using to keep you from enjoying the gifts and blessings that God so deeply wants to give you? Is it fear? Is it anger and bitterness? Is it unbelief? Maybe it’s that you’re so excited about the next blessing that you can’t take the time to enjoy the current blessings.

God wants to pour out His love on each one of us. And even when things are really crappy, there is some kind of blessing in there somewhere. Maybe it’s as mundane as a butterfly landing on a flower. Or as small as “I managed to get out of bed and brush my teeth today even though I feel like giving up.” Rejoice in those blessings and enjoy them. Don’t let your fear or your anger or your unbelief make you miss them. Even though blessings may be hard to find, they are there. And God is just waiting for you to embrace them.

Remember:  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."  Ephesians 1:3
Precious Jesus, thank You so very much for the blessings You give us each and every day.  Help us to fight Satan and his wicked lies that stop us from seeing You and get in the way of our enjoyment of the blessings you want to give us.  You are awesome, Jesus.  And we thank You for the beauty that surrounds us.  Amen    ~Robin