“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
~ Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

I am thankful for the passage from Isaiah. Isaiah is proclaiming God’s grace and mercy to the ones who repent and turn from their ways; these particular verses give me great comfort.

I have tried so many times to do things my way, just to fall flat on my back. As I had mentioned last week, I have given it all over to the Lord. And no, I am not taking it back either. Many of you know that I love photography; I want to truly make a living off of it. But it is hard to find clients when you work full-time.

Over the last 5 months I had at least one client; which is really good for me. I am excited to have another booking this up-coming Saturday – Yahoo. Thank You Lord for Your provision in that field. Who knows where the next session leads – God is Good – All the time.

What are you thankful for this week? Please share in the comment section or by leaving your link to your Thankful Thursday post below; I will make sure to stop by .

Thank you again for stopping in; remember: God’s ways are much higher than ours, trust Him with your thoughts and dreams.

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.”
~ Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

The other night I watched my all-time favorite, German TV show called Tatort (loosely translated “crime-scene”). The detective in this particular episode investigated a homicide that kept leading her back to her boyfriend she deeply loved…

Join me today over at Laced with Grace to read the rest of my short devotion.

Photo: 1st TV Station Germany

Current Mood: Blessed †

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
~ John 16:33 (ESV)

I just wanted to pop in really quick to let you know about a free MP3 that you can download from Max Lucado’s website (download here). Max Lucado encouraged the audience to fear less…and trust more!

Remember: God is always with you, even when you think/feel that He does not hear you — He does. See you on January 25th with more on living fear-LESS in 2010…

Current Mood: Okay

“And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
~ Mark 11:22-24 (ESV)

I know I am a day late on posting my thankful post for this week, but none the less, I am thankful from the bottom of my heart…for prayers.

I am always thrilled when some of my friends ask me if I could pray for them. You know, it is such a privilege. I mean, I do have a list of friends I pray for daily, but if I know specifics, it is very humbling. Not only do I pray for my family and friends, but also when my day goes not so well; I break away to pray.

Jesus is telling us in Mark 11 that we need to believe the prayers we are praying and we can move mountains. You know what? It is true. My sweet friend Lynn is a great example of not giving up on prayers; God is faithful and will answer prayers in HIS time (note: in HIS time)…I too have learned to be patient to wait on His answer (although it is hard at times)…

Yes, I am thankful for prayer – for others and myself. I can come directly to the throne of grace because my Lord has a made a way for me. And if I don’t have all the words, or be eloquent in my prayers, His Spirit will intercede (Romans 8:26-27)…

What are you thankful for this week? This week, my sweet friend, Laurie at Women Taking a Stand is hosting Thankful Thursday; please visit her to link up.

Thanks for still stopping by this week…Remember: God does hear your prayers – be patient waiting for an answer – even if takes until eternity…

Current Mood: Blessed † & Thankful

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” ~ Matthew 14:27-29 (ESV)

The people who know me in real life can attest to that I am really a shy person. Some might even think that I am a snob; I really don’t mean to be…I am just quiet until I know the person for a little while. After the first ice is broken, I can be quite funny …

Please read the rest of my devotion this morning over at…

Blessings on your day…

Current Mood: Blessed †

“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
~ Psalm 9:9-10

You know, I love the Psalms. They have become a huge part of my life. The best thing about the Psalms is that most of them are an encouragement instrument (at least it is true for me)…I am encouraged that David who wrote most of the Psalms, struggled too with ‘every-day’ life. But God was His tower, His strength…

The other day I was thinking (again) about how faithful God has been in my life. Even when I was faithless, He never gave up on me. And to top everything off, He made sure that I (and all who believe) have a way to spend eternity in heaven with Him. It still boggles my mind that God would go this far to give up His son so I can be redeemed — marvelous indeed.

Seriously, how I can not trust God with the little issues in my life when He did the most important part — taking care of my Salvation…

We are currently uncertain how long my beloved has his current job (he been at the same place for the past 10 years — budget cuts), but I am not even a little nervous. I believe that what ever happens, happens for a reason. I will trust God to work everything out for the good…

So, this week, yours truly is thankful for trusting God – Who was, is, and will be forever…

Have a super blessed Thursday…And don’t forget, next week, Thankful Thursdayers will meet back here for the month of August…Thrilled to be back blogging/sharing my thoughts we you all. The sabbatical from blogging did me good …

To find more Thankful Thursday participants this week, please visit my sweet sister in Christ and friend, Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Current Mood: Thankful

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: … a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…”
~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV ~ emphasis mine)

The other night on my way home I thought about our son (as I do often…and pray for him)…I can not believe that he is on his own for a year already.

As I was thinking about the past year, I thought about all the seasons – not only the yearly seasons, but the seasons of life. And I finally got the passage of Ecclesiastes…we have to let go of the past and look to the future…So my focus today is on the seasons of my life and how the Lord helped me grow through them…

• Lord, thank You for being there for me in all the seasons of my life. No matter how far away I was at one point, You made sure that I don’t fall off the edge completely. You always has me in sight…
• Lord, thank You for allowing me to grow in my marriage. Although not always the perfect wife, You helped me to become better at it…
• Lord, thank You for allowing me to be a mom. Motherhood has helped me to become more patient. Thank You for helping me through the hard years of teenage hood…
• Lord, thank You for the childhood I had. I am for ever grateful for my parents. Their love for you has left an imprint on my heart…
• Lord, thank You for all the friendships you have brought into my life. The past and current ones. All the friendships have helped me to grow into the woman I am today…
• Lord, thank You for all the wonderful Biblical teachers in my life. With the power of Your Spirit, they have helped me learn more about You…
• And Lord, thank You for what You are going to do for the next season in my life. Lord, may I have an open heart and spirit to follow you, no matter what…

What are you thankful for today? I would love for you to link up your post below.

Thank you for stopping by today. Remember: no matter what season in life you find yourself in, cherish the past, but look with joy to the future…

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“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” ~ Psalm 42:11 (ESV ~ emphasis mine)

First of all, I would like to thank your wonderful participation over the last couple of weeks – you ladies are so wonderful sharing your grateful heart – you all ROCK!!!!

This week I will not really give you a list, but share my reflection on hope with you. I have looked up ‘hope’ in Webster: “to cherish a desire with anticipation”….Wow – what a definition that is.

As of lately, I only survive on the hope I have – a hope that all things will work out for the good. In Romans 5:4-5, Paul shares: “…and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

What if I wouldn’t have that certain hope? What if I were hopeless like so many these days…It makes me shiver…I am glad that I can put my trust and hope in God. Even when the days don’t seem so sunny, I do always I have Sonshine. My Lord makes my journey lighter.

I so now can understand Christian teachers like Pastor Greg Laurie, who just lost his oldest son in a car accident. If the foundation is not Christ, but our own ability to make it through life – we would be lost. Lost in hopelessness.

I was never a great journal-writer, but over the last couple of months, I have shared – in writing – with my Lord the hope I have. The trust I put in Him. Although I always have prayed, I have never expressed my prayers in writing. As I am looking back over my prayer journal, I can see the changes. All I can say (as the Psalmist states) “For I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God”.

One of my current favorite songs is “My Hope is You” by Third Day. I listen to it often. Let me share with you the chorus:
“My hope is in You – show me Your Ways – God being truth – In all my days…My hope is in You…”

Yes, God is the only hope we can really hang on to, because He has a wonderful ‘record’. He has shown His faithfulness over thousands for years – and I know that He will be faithful until eternity…Hope in Him never disappoints …

Thank you so much for stopping by today. What are you thankful for this week? Please link your Thankful Thursday post below…

1. Gina’s Public Diary 2. Twinkle Mom 3. Heather@mommymonk 4. Angie 5. Cheryl 6. Denise 7. Tänia of Faith Prints 8. toknowhim 9. Felicity 10. Aisha 11. Susan @ Forever His 12. Ann/mom2HandH 13. BP @ Raindrops & Rainbows 14. Peggy 15. Peggy@3Ms..aMazing Grace 16. Nancie 17. Pia @ My Life’s Journey 18. Paula @ Refined By Him 19. Cheryl@Hope 20. Laurie @ womentakingastand 21. Cara Lynn 22. Linda 23. Millie 24. Willnette 25. Lynn (Spiritually Unequal Marriage) 26. LaDonna 27. Tracy @ Thirsty for Him 28. Sherry(@myjourney) 29. Amanda 30. Ladynred 31. Michelle 32. Lisa@blessedwithgrace 33. ari_1965 34. Ice Cream, Family and… Hope? 35. Joanne@ Blessed… 36. genny

37. Serendipity Park 38. alihsee @ remember the moments 39. Tami @ The Next Step 40. Colored Heart 41. Susanne 42. Schotzy 43. Renee @ In Christ Alone 44. Kim aka GoofyMamma 45. Stacy 46. Amanda Bowers 47. Heahter @ Not a DIY Life 48. Willow 49. Mary 50. Robyn@Overflowing Grace 51. Tammy 52. Brianna 53. Gina@chats with an old lady 54. Mama Bear 55. Kristi@ Kikis Corner 56. akash 57. flmom 58. Michele-ScreamFree Parenting(this works) 59. Erica 60. Mamasmurf (Chrissy) 61. Tracey @ Cheese and Whine 62. SharonB 63. Carrie – Oak Rise Cottage 64. Karen 65. In Light if the Truth 66. mhstultz@hotmail.com 67. Tracy @ Seed Thoughts 68. Karen – Focusing on Relationships 69. Julie 70. Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage 71. Rosheeda 72. Prairie Chick

73. Lea 74. Mommy Magee 75. Annabelle @ Christian Momma 76. Front Porch Legacy 77. Nancy @ Homemade Blessings 78. Diane 79. Donetta at a life uncommon 80. jennifer’s joyride 81. Michele 82. Tea with Tiffany 83. Irene *The GreenGreek* 84. Bella Mama 85. Beverly 86. becky aka theRAV 87. Kathy C. 88. pam @ without fear 89. Laurie Ann 90. Kim @ Scattered Stones 91. Janet @ Daily Provision 92. Mariah 93. Heather 94. Linda aka Yellowroseli 95. Janera 96. Nessa @ Ramblings of a Texas Housewife 97. Marsha 98. Nette 99. Tessa @ Jesus-Filled Hope 100. Kathy 101. Edie @ Rich Gifts 102. Kathy @ Joyful Journey Journal 103. Rocks-thankful for the HOpe 104. Kathleen 105. Pat 106. Blessedw5mom (Heather) 107. Kathy S

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“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
~ Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)

Trust no one! Well, except the Lord and the ones that are very close to you or know you for a little while.

I really wavered between ‘Trust’ and ‘Gift’ for Thankful Thursday this week, but ‘Trust’ ‘won’…Again this week I was reminded that we really can trust only a handful people this side of heaven. There are a lot of mean-spirited people in this world. But I digress, so here is my thankful list for this week…

• I am thankful that I can trust the Lord with everything in my life. I can pour out my heart to Him without Him sharing it with anyone. I can trust that He will give me comfort and peace in times of distress…
• I am thankful that I can share my heart and concerns with my beloved. Even when I loose total focus on a matter, he is there to comfort me. He helps me to see reason (thank you Lord for placing this particual treasure in my life)…
• I am thankful that I can trust a handful of friends with whom I can share my hurts and feelings…no matter what – they do not judge…
• I am thankful that I can trust the Lord to give me strength for days where I don’t seem to have any strength left to ‘swim up-stream’…
• I am thankful that I can trust that everything will work out for the good and that all mean people will be exposed in due time…
• Last but not least, I am thankful that I can trust my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to be my protection until eternity…

Before I let you go, I want to say publicly ‘thank you’ Mama Bear and Jenileigh for the wonderful gifts you have sent me. Yeah – can you believe that I won two drawings in the month of June/July . I hope to share a digital LO with you soon that feature the wonderful prizes.

So, what are you thankful for this week? If you have posted your own Thankful Thursday post, please link it below.

Thank you for stopping by today…and remember: even when you think there is nothing to be thankful for, just step back, take a deep breath — the Lord is always worthy of our thanks – no matter what

1. Felicity 2. Stacy 3. mama meji 4. Melanie 5. Lynn (Spiritually Unequal Marriage) 6. sharon 7. Denise 8. Ann/mom2HandH 9. Peggy@3Ms…aMazingGrace 10. Angela (sons & jobs) 11. Laurie Ann 12. Chelsey at Joyfully Living 13. Mary 14. Pia @ My Life\’s Journey 15. Gina\’s Public Diary 16. Angie 17. janet 18. lalaine 19. Laurie @ womentakingastand 20. Serendipity Park 21. Lisa@blessedwithgrace 22. Colleen 23. Susan @ Forever His 24. the cookntchrmom 25. Linda 26. Cheryl @Hope 27. Beth@TheAccidentalPharisee 28. Lynn 29. Marsha 30. Donetta at a life uncommon 31. Willnette 32. Rocks

33. CQ 34. Mari 35. Miriam Pauline 36. Kim aka GoofyMamma (my daughter) 37. Aisha @ The Holley Herald 38. Kim @ Scattered Stones 39. Beverly 40. Heather@mommymonk 41. Renee @ In Christ Alone 42. jen 43. Tammy 44. Kristi at Kiki\’s Corner 45. Sheila ~ To Love, Honor and Vacuum 46. sHaE-sHaE 47. Twinkle Mom 48. flmom 49. Tracey @ Cheese & Whine 50. lori@allyouhavetogive 51. Sarah 52. Rosheeda 53. Kathy 54. pam @without fear 55. TrustingDaily 56. It\’s All About Him! 57. Carrie @ A New Heart 58. BP @ Raindrops & Rainbows 59. Darlene 60. cowgirl for chirst 61. Millie 62. Prairie Chick 63. Nancy the Romancechick 64. Tami @ The Next Step

65. Peculiar 66. Tracy @ Seed Thoughts 67. toknowhim 68. Terri Sue 69. Mom Of Faith 70. genny 71. Cheryl 72. Nancy @ Homemade Blessings 73. Irene *The GreenGreek* 74. gail (first time here) 75. Carrie – Oak Rise Cottage 76. Susan (A Happy Heart at Home) 77. Erica 78. Paula 79. Mary 80. Michelle 81. Crystal 82. Sherry 83. Laura of Harvest Lane 84. Leanne from Canada! 85. Cathey 86. SharonB 87. Janet @ Daily Provision 88. Lea 89. Cathy (TRUST – the 5 letter word) 90. Tea with Tiffany 91. Barbie 92. Jane Anne@GravityofMotion 93. Peggy 94. Michele 95. Amy @ My Artful Heart

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