One of the hardest lessons for me has been to learn that in the flesh, I will never be “strong enough” to live out my walk with God for “the rest of my life”. The only way this can be done is the lesson I’ve so needed to learn–one day at a time. One of the best ways of showing me the truth of this lesson is the counseling work I now do. I hear things like, “I never want to be what I’ve been;” “I will live for Jesus from this day forward;” I never want to turn my back on Jesus again;” and the list goes on and on. These are things I’ve said so much of my life and yet my commitment would only last as long as my flesh could stay strong which would be for a few days to a few weeks or months.

I truly understand our wishfulness to never be sinful again, but the strength to do so isn’t found in our flesh. It is found in the truth that today we can rely on the Strength of God being with us. I find it when I consciously choose God’s Strength for today each and every day as it arrives. Helping others find this reality for themselves has been so helpful for me remembering this truth isn’t just for others, it’s for me too. The God who calls Himself I AM is found in each and every TODAY. And, it is so worth the focus of surrendering each day to Him!

The graduation of my grandson I wrote about in yesterday’s blog was a splendid event. Each one graduating had a personalized message given to them in front of the audience by one of their instructors. They were then given a chance to speak. It was a great send off from the school to their workforce. The interview he had the day before had resulted in the job being offered to him also yesterday. How enjoyable it is to watch God working in one’s life very dear to you.

While I was at the graduation I had a message sent to me from a niece who lives here in the valley. She was hoping to touch base soon for some guidance which at this point I know nothing about. We set the time for 8:00 am this morning. In the early evening of yesterday I was given a voice message from a person at church seeking help. In between sessions I set a time this morning for us to talk and set a counseling schedule. As I got home last night from the last session, I had another message from a recent counselee who had moved out of state. He was hoping to do a phone call this morning to talk about some new things he’s encountered since moving.

I don’t usually have days like this. So, this morning I was asking God to help me be a good steward of His Wisdom. His response was immediate. He reminded me that if I put my faith and trust in HIm, He in turn is faithful. I don’t need to fret about each of these just because I don’t know what we’re addressing. God already knows and I know I can trust Him. With that gentle reminder, I’m ready for this morning. God is so AMAZING!

Today my second oldest grandson is graduating from barber college. He had an interview yesterday afternoon which he said went very well. He’s been cutting my hair for the past 6-7 months while in school. It is fun to see him moving into his adult years. In a few hours we will get to watch this event take place.

When I am counseling folks I often remind them to take a step back from what they are dealing with and look at the situation as though it belonged to someone else. In so doing, what would you advise them to do with it? Today, I get to take a step back from this grandson’s life. He has been a very close grandson having lived with us his earliest years. It is a joy to experience how God is developing him more and more.

Life always has much drama in it. Yet, if we just take a step away and look at it from that balcony view, we get to see a perspective that better resembles how God sees you and me. I want to live one day at a time, and I can better do that when I remember Who is always watching and interceding for us. How good God is!

As only God does, He turned the angst of yesterday into times of blessing. In each case that I wrote about yesterday, He had already been working. The together times we had were used to put plans in place for our living in God’s obedience instead of wanting to live there, but still choosing pathways of flesh.

The reality that God’s discipline is always to teach a lesson is so very true. In each of these cases, once man’s eyes were off of self and onto Jesus, the problems being faced grew into steps we can now grow from. Instead of hiding from things done, putting them right in front of us allows those problems to be the reminders and motivators for following God’s plan rather than that of our flesh.

Once I brought all of the secrets of my past out in the open, God was able to begin for me the lessons he wanted me to learn (and He is not done for I am of my own flesh). Yet, God never stops working with us as long as we keep our eyes focused on Him, our ears open to His teaching–His Spirit’s Voice within us, and then obey. The desire of my heart is to TRUST AND OBEY–for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to TRUST AND OBEY.

This morning I awoke with a troubled spirit. I began to write about it in my journal not being able to put a finger on the root of it. I had a text last night from one I’ve been counseling for most of a year. We had met late last week. She was hoping we could meet again soon as much trouble had arisen in their home. I suggested a time for tomorrow trying to keep today free. Her response was a hope for Monday–today. Along with this I am seeing a family member earlier today who is dealing with much anxiety. As I was journaling all of this I began to see a very dark evil which awakened me to the root of my troubled spirit. At this moment I began to see God’s Light and Its Purpose–permeate the darkness. I surrendered this darkness to the Light of Jesus knowing the darkness must flee in His presence. These two opportunities to help others find Jesus in the midst of their storms will be today’s purpose.

When the journaling first started I was having my own attacks wanting to step into old temptations. “Just set aside all of this and enjoy a moment of gratification,” was the evil’s temptation. The root of evil–Satan himself, has so many deceptive ways which man can, in his flesh, sees as pleasure. Today, this very morning, God’s Light is shining. I have put my trust in God and surrendered. I know His Spirit will be present and I’ve prayed He is already working in each one’s life and they are responding to Him.

God Light has replaced my troubled spirit with an anticipation to see Him work today. To God be all Glory!

Being an early riser I love the sunrise. The light of day is never anything but a blessing. It is the one reason I don’t care for daylight savings. I have to wait an extra hour in order to have the beauty of the sunrise. I go through the anticipation of this as winter begins. Then, I go through it again when daylight savings comes about. It is a little thing, but for me, its worthy of writing it. Now for the rest of the message—-.

Our quartet had a singing engagement yesterday late morning for an assisted living place. This afternoon we are doing another concert for an assisted living facility close to Boise. The one yesterday seemed to be loved by the folks attending but I didn’t feel good about it for my voice was a little raspy. As I was journaling this morning I asked God to help me be at my best for Him today. (I selfishly want to sound my best if I’m going to sing). Of course, as soon as I wrote this I heard my dad’s voice coming through with his message–“all you want is to feel better than anyone else, just go do your thing and forget we even exist.” This message was never true for me,but is is true that I want to sound good if I’m going to sing. God provided a much richer message as I heard His response to my request. His message, “Let me take care of this. Your role is to do your part trusting and believing I will do mine. I want the performance to glorify Me. The spirit of the singing is what glorifies Me most.”

Getting my eyes off of dad, off of me and onto Christ is just what I needed to hear and be reminded. How I love this Savior and Lord we have–Jesus Christ!

Today is one of those days where I have much I “want to get done” and yet there is much I know I need to do to honor my walk with God. That selfish side of me wants to set some other things aside so I can get to some gardening needs. As I began my journaling this morning I was sensing this strongly within me. So, as I asked Jesus what He wanted me to know from Him for today? He noted this controversary. He simply said that if I’d just give it all to Him He would direct my paths and once again, I’d be amazed at what was accomplished. I know this so well, but each and every time I come against a day like today I spend more time anguishing about it than anything else. Just a simple reminder from dear Jesus is what I needed. God is so GOOD! This day is now another day committed to God.

I don’t know about you, but when I step into something selfishly knowing it is selfish on my part and thinking, “it won’t hurt anyone,” I am sacrificing God’s Peace. I’ve known this most of my life and I’m sure there isn’t a person alive who has asked Jesus into their life, that won’t acknowledge the truth in this. There is always a sense of guilt that manifests itself throughout our body. Our thoughts center around regret, our stomach may churn, our enthusiasm wanes, etc.

This morning’s devotional centered around this theme–Seeking God’s Peace. A quote within it says, “Perhaps you’ve heard people say, ‘I don’t have peace’ when speaking about a particular decision. They are referring to the fact that when you are either outside God’s will or working against Him, you’ll feel spiritual friction. But when you’re in the center of God’s will, you will feel harmony with Him.”

There isn’t a person our couple I work with that hasn’t talked about being outside of God’s will and they want to find His Peace. I know full well the feeling of this peace vs the feeling of regret, remorse, guilt, shame. There is no peace in any of them.

In Celebrate Recovery’s step study one is asked if you have done anything to harm your body? I always hear responses about drug use, alcohol use, sexual disclosures, over-eating etc. spoken in response to this. This morning as I read this devotional I was shown how stepping outside God’s Will hurts our body even when it is something we think “won’t hurt anyone”. It hurts ourselves and God wants us awake to this. He wants us in the center of His Will where we will find Peace and Harmony. I don’t want to stray from this. Thank you God for this lesson!

Yesterday’s post just showed me again why Trusting and Obeying is so important in my walk with God. He didn’t want me preparing any materials for the two new clients. He wanted instead for me to be a good listener to each of them and to His Holy Spirit. I want to counsel well and having substance in hand somehow makes “me” feel like I’m better equipped when God wants me to quit thinking like me and to listen to HIm instead.

One of the young men I meet with on Wednesday’s struggles with his value. If he doesn’t live out each day “sinless” he is a failure. This young man is also in the Saturday morning group where this Saturday we are working through the topic of God’s discipline as it relates to our own discipline measures we use or were used with us by our parents.

As I was journaling this morning I asked God how I could better communicate with this young man helping him to see his value to God? It was amazing that instantly I heard His Voice saying to help him see the difference between God’s discipline and that of man. We often call our discipline punishment and tie it to something we did that was bad. As we grow up we begin to think that anything we do “bad” makes us a bad person. When God punishes (disciplines) He wants us to learn from what we did. He uses discipline to grow us. That makes us a “learner” and not a “bad” person.

This young man has been believing the lies of Satan that he is bad. God wants me to help him see that he truly is a good learner who is in the middle God’s lessons. I’ve lived where this young man is and I’ve finally learned the truth God wants us to understand. Yes, we will battle our flesh, but God’s discipline helps us learn how to put our flesh in check so we can live in His Freedom and not in Satan’s bondage.

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” These words are the closing line of the old hymn TRUST AND OBEY. They are brought to mind somewhat regularly by God’s Spirit within me. There are times when I just don’t know which way to step and I pause waiting for some insight. It is then I will often hear this song and these words. In other words, don’t fret, just wait for God’s timing to be your timing.

I have always been a person who, once I know what I’m suppose to do, jumps in with both feet to get going. It is after I’ve done this that I’ll begin to realize there are prep steps needing to be taken and I’ll have to slow down and take care of these steps.

I have two new clients asking for counsel I’ll meet with later today. The rationale given in their intake forms for their counseling needs are unique. I want to jump in and prepare but this morning early as I was pondering this I had these words singing through my mind once again. The phrase “happy in Jesus” happens when I trust, and obey my trusting. So, today I’m going to go into these two sessions with the intent to listen to the client and to God’s Spirit within to see just what any next steps are to be. I am going to TRUST AND OBEY.