Year 8-Day 78: Today, I am grateful for agents of change.
Every one of us has experienced change in these past two weeks. A virus is sweeping the world and there are questions, concerns and people suffering. It is so easy to pray, "Take it all away." Stranger prayers have been answered.
On a different train of thought, we can ask God what he wants us to observe, learn and do in the midst of "social distance" and people responding to fear with panic. For heaven's sake... we can't even buy toilet paper in most places, although there is no real shortage.
This quote struck the perfect chord in my soul today:
"The circumstances we ask God to change are often the circumstances God is using to change us." - Max Lucado
How is God using the current climate and conversations to reach and teach us? Are we talking to Him more. Are we listening in the slowed down version of our lives to the Spirit's direction when we see or hear of a need?
We were called to be agents of change in a world that is broken and hurting. We are collectively battling a new illness, but the COVID-19 is merely the "latest" thing. When it wanes, there will be something else to take it's place. It is what changes inside of us as we face the battle that matters. Ultimately, we need to come to a place of trust and surrender. In the surrender, he can begin doing a new thing in our lives.
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."-Isaiah 43:19
Claim it. Believe it. Receive it. Freedom comes with perfect peace in knowing we can trust His will to be done. The new thing might seem crazy, but His ways are perfect. We can trust His hand and His heart. Don't let the crazy season steal your joy. He is great... and He is good!
Today, I am grateful for agents of change.
Year 8-Day 77: Today, I am grateful we can do our best.
"Some days are better. Some days are worse. Look for the blessing instead of the curse. Be positive, stay strong and get some rest. You can't do it all, but you can do your best."
What a lovely thought. It is a reminder that doing our best is enough... and rest helps.
There will always be hard seasons, but they are temporary. We have to learn to be resilient and flexible. My friend, Krys, says we have to bend "like Gumby". If you are under 50, you might have to look up "Gumby and Pokey". Being flexible helps us weather the storms.
How can we bend to helps someone else? How can we stretch and save ourselves time and energy when we don't have any to spare? We have to get some rest to do our best.
I am reminded of Jesus who longed for some quiet time. He would slip into the wilderness places to pray and spend time with the Father. He actively pursued rest and restoration. He created space when he needed it.
"But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer." -Luke 5:16
He set an example we can follow. I am reminded, too, of the 23rd Psalm that most of us know.The familiar passage can evoke feelings of calm.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name." -Proverbs 23:1-3
"He lets me rest." Perfect peace even when things seem unsure. Remember, this too shall pass. Trials are temporary. His love is forever. We can press on.
Today, I am grateful we can do our best.
Year 8-Day 75: Today, I am grateful we can think, stay and dance.
Some days, I need an attitude check. Today, might be one of them. Uncertainty can make us tired and most of us... including me... are not at our best when weary.
This image is a great one for the day, the week and the month.
"Think positively.
Exercised daily.
Eat healthy.
Stay strong.
Worry less.
Dance more.
Love often.
Be happy."
There are scriptures for every one of these thoughts if we dig a little deeper. Today, I needed to take a deep breath and reflect on the wisdom of the Proverbs. In uncertain times, I need the reminder my Redeemer is strong. He has expectations. He instructs us to commit ourselves to instruction.
Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge." -Proverbs 23:9-12
Remember the defenseless and don't cheat your neighbor. Don't waste our breath on fools. All of these things instructions are wise.
Take a deep breath. Think, exercise, eat, work, stay strong, trust, dance, love and choose joy.
Today, I am grateful we can think, stay and dance.
Year 8-Day 74: Today, I am grateful for patience .
Patience is one of those things that can't be purchased. It comes with practice. In this stressful time, patience becomes even more important in caring for others and ourselves.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.-Proverbs 15:18
Patience helps calm a child...and grown-ups, too. It helps when times seem topsy-turvy. A spirit that hurries can increase our worry.
The more we practice patience, the more we can choose it in difficult days.
Today, I am grateful for patience .
Year 8-Day 73: Today, I am grateful a good book.
There is nothing like a cozy chair and a good book to pass the afternoon. Most of my reading is done with audio books, the I savor the old fashioned kind of reading.
I remember the little library next to the grocery store in Clifton. Mama used to take me after grocery trips. I would stock up on Nancy Drew books, the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden. A trip to the library added joy to any ordinary day. I would anticipate the day I could return to the library for new books.
"A book gives us a place to go when have to stay where we are."
A perfect quote for a season when people are hunkering down and staying at home. It makes me grateful for libraries and online access to books, too.
There is a verse in the Bible that talks about Jesus countless miracles and wonders. It creates a word picture.
"Now, there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." -John 21:25
We can only imagine it, right?
Today, I am grateful a good book.
Year 8-Day 72: Today, I am grateful we can be patient in affliction.
Most of us try to avoid afflictions. We don't seek out and sign up for discomfort. In life, days of discomfort come and go, and it is easy to become discouraged.
The best plans can be interrupted by circumstances outside of our human control. We can fret or we can let it roll.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12
I've long appreciated the phrase "hope floats". It does. It rises above the trial. When we are faithful in prayer, it is easier to tolerate the discomfort that comes with affliction.
The scripture can be simplified into three simple instructions:
Be joyful.
Be patient.
Pray faithfully.
Times of trouble come and go, but He never leaves us alone. We are not forsaken.
Today, I am grateful we can be patient in affliction.
Year 8-Day 71: Today, I am grateful for hydration.
With everyone talking about the coronavirus, I am reminded of the blessing of living with plenty of options for hydration. Water is life. We currently have access to many ways to restore our bodies when they become dehydrated. We live with an abundance of water, juices, sodas and teas. There are beverages aimed at restoration and fighting dehydration. Fresh water is the best thirst quencher.
The body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. Your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is necessary for overall good health. We take it for granted until we don't have enough. The body is somewhere between 70-80% water. Water is life.
There are many scriptures that speak about water and desert places. 2000 years ago, they understood that without good, fresh water, death was inevitable. One of my favorite conversations in the Bible occurs between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. Culture said he should ignore her. He didn't. He engaged her in conversation because her soul was at risk.
"Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” -John 4:13-14
Who will we engage today because a soul is at risk? How do we saturate our thirsty souls with hope with messages that provoke fear at every turn? The spring of living water is available to all who seek to know Him. We choose to seek that living water... or we ignore our need for it.
We can choose the living water and it will heal like nothing else can.
"He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." -Psalm 23:2-3
Water is life. He is the living water. He restores my soul.
Today, I am grateful for hydration.
Year 8-Day 78: Today, I am grateful for agents of change. 
