A.D.D. to your AGENDA being EMBRACED

Today's #6 is available in the You Version reading plan, day 4 or over here for

#6 "An Agenda That Will Never Satisfy"                     Mark 3:14-15

In my overly busy, younger days, I probably frequently found myself in this place of today's devotion, but not any longer. Guess that's one of the benefits of aging (lol) - you're just not as able or tire out for seemingly not much of anything so you learn to pace and rest. However, as I read this 'agenda', I could relate yet this is precisely why I need and have set aside my Fridays. This began in Mexico to prepare for ministry on the weekends or Friday evening through the weekend and longer. Yet even when I came home, I did not sense that God was releasing me of our special time set aside, so I  gladly continued even without the intention of ministry. I need this time (sometimes Friday to Saturday) to be filled up again by His Spirit. I really enjoy spending time getting refilled by God and believe it or not, I need it even more on this home front with battles or struggles that face, not necessarily daily, but ... my, oh my, when the onslaught comes, I really feel the drain and immediately know that I need to be refreshed and refilled -  step away and take this blessing of solitude with God. I cannot 'run at breakneck pace' any longer as Lysa writes and have learned this lesson of slowing down enough to receive. I treasure these moments with Him! (especially before going out to work for Him, but even now, I need to be "fueled by His power and encouraged by His Presence" - precisely what my day away with Him is all about! So thankful that I am able to do this

"Dear Lord, I'm choosing to stop in the midst of everything to just be with You. Let me never forget what a gift it is to spend this sacred time in Your presence. In Jesus' Name. Amen"

With this being said (written) you might think I'm running on a full glass, but sadly I often still find myself exhausted and overwhelmed, because frankly, fighting the enemy (on our own) wipes us out and that's when I know I need to run to Him, climb up into His lap and let Him know I need Him so - He's a much better Defender, Advocate and Warrior than I. Even with this time set aside, I, too, can identify with what Lysa wrote about being empty - "where your hands are full, but inside you're nothing but an exhausted shell" without being as busy as she ... I need God to breathe life back into my depleted and dead places. 

ABIDING

DELIGHTING

DWELLING

[A.D.D.}

"...all words used to describe us being with Him..."

"Fix your eyes, not on a worldly prize,

but on staying in love with Me."

"That's an AGENDA that's always

completely satisfying"

Lysa TerKeurst

*all words in this color are Lysa's in her devotion(s)

Tomorrow

FRIDAY

my date with Him

I will

EMBRACE

this

AGENDA

(of A.D.D.)

fully

and

#7 

{not in YouVersion}

"Preparing for Adventure"

Psalm 119:18

I'm sure I will!

{There is only one day left with You Version reading plan, but many more in Lysa's book, EMBRACED... #7-15 are in her book and not in YV plan, so the final one in YV is #16 in the book. So I am not sure if I will post on all of these or how often, and the other 3 parts of this beautiful devotion book; but I will at least post something for each of these parts that follow these first 26 in Part 1: Embracing the Pursuit of Him and His Direction. I will post #16 when I get there in the book. And we'll have to see about the rest. Yet know that this journey of EMBRACED, is being done with Him and that I realize it's only the beginning of this One Word and all God will do in me with this in 2019. Hugs!!!~Peggy}

EMBRACING Spiritual Discernment and Being Still

#5 today also is not in the You Version reading plan

{but click on the title below and be linked to read it in full}

#5 "Is This The Right Decision?" Philippians 1:9-10

How many times have I asked this? or worse, how many times did I fail to even ask, and just decided or acted? Embarassing. Shameful. Sinful. Impulsive behavior of my younger life. Just for failing to ask is this right? Should I give more time to processing this decision or choice before acting? My, oh, my ... if I had gone to God first and foremost. If only the Godly principles I believed, I lived and acted by, decided by ...
Lysa states:

"... Find that courageous yes. Fight for that confident no"... and move on. "Know it. State it. Own it."Lysa TerKeurst

What Lysa writes about knowledge, insight and discernment is worth its weight in gold! (page 17)
Trusting the Holy Spirit to do what Jesus promised in John 14:26
As I mature and develop spiritually, I've come to realize the importance of what Lysa ends this devotion with:

"... When we've done what we need to do to acquire knowledge and insight of truth, then the discernment of that truth is there. We must learn to trust and use that discernment because the more we do this, the more wisdom we acquire to make God-honoring decisions." Lysa TerKeurst

This is exactly what I hope to do, as well as those I know & love will do. I desire to make decisions that honor Our Lord Jesus Christ more and more every day. I ask Him not only for Godly wisdom and choices but that I develop spiritual discernment ... oh Lysa, you get me so well
I  EMBRACE Spiritual Discernment and being Spirit-led I pray

I've been saving emails that contain "EMBRACE" from Bible Gateway or any place. I think what Sheri Rose Shepherd wrote in the following certainly applies to this and sense God whispering this today:
EMBRACE BEING STILL

Beloved Princess,

I long to be closer to you. I’m never too busy for you, My beloved. If you will turn off the things around you that drown Me out of your daily life, you will begin to hear Me in your spirit. When you don’t know where to go, you will hear Me give you divine direction. When you are in need of a friend, you will hear Me whisper, “I am here.” When you need comfort, you will hear Me call to you, “Come to Me.” Don’t let your agenda distract you from time with Me. Quiet your spirit. Know that I am your heavenly Father and you are My precious daughter, and I love when you crave time to be still with Me.

Love,
Your King & The Voice Of Heaven

Today's Treasure of Truth
When you are still, I am closest to you. Draw close to me and I will draw close to you.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him. 
Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

For more about Sheri Rose’s visit HisRoyalFamily.com

Continuing EMBRACED ...

[I'm trying to respect and be a little cautious regarding copyright and what I share on here (not being aware or knowing is not an excuse), however I truly wanted to share this 100 day journey - EMBRACED - with you all (it'd be better if you actually had Lysa's book or at least the YouVersion plan). I'm not even sure how much Lysa has on her own website, because it's the publisher's, not the author (I think].


Anyways, today is the first day that the YouVersion 5 day sample plan does not have, and the next one they do have is #6. So, first I'm going to list the ones covered in days 1 -3, in Part 1: EMBRACING the Pursuit of Him and His Direction, then I will share #4.

#1 "Giving My First Moments to God" Psalm 86:11 (Key verse),  Psalm 81:10; Psalm 84:1 and Psalm 86:13

#2 "The Pineapple Principle" James 1:21-22

#3 "Stop Reading Your Bible" Psalm 119:34; Jeremiah 29:11

In Lysa's book

#4 "Great Sermons aren't Preached, They're Lived"  2 Timothy 3:16-17

Now, you may be thinking or reading this to see what these devotions have to say and that I am sharing my EMBRACED journey here to stay accountable (which in part is true) but it's always best to go to the source, in this case, the devotion Lysa wrote -  and as usual, each one so far, is like her other books and writings for me, true to my heart, as if I had written or said this, although so much better from Lysa - trust me (here's one of her paragraphs that stood out in this short 3 page devotion, after the Scripture verse of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, yet every single sentence rings true to this soul) "... essential that I view my time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation":

"... Every verse I read is part of God's preparation for me that day. So, instead of just rushing to check off my to-do list that I spent a few minutes with God, I must allow His teachings to seep into my heart and mind. Then I can prayerfully ask God to interrupt my natural flesh response and remind me throughout the day of the truths He taught me that morning." ...

That's what this journey is about ... EMBRACE all God has for me that will help me throughout the day so that I may LIVE what iBelieve and read in God's Word, that I would be the "greatest sermon" ... the only Bible page some may read; 

'Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.'

and not live by my natural flesh and react in the flesh to so much that is part of my every day encounters

"For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ." 2 Corinthians 2:15-17

After I read today's devotion, I changed what I was planning to share here, hopefully led by the Holy Spirit. I've been thinking since I began and shared that this Part 1 is about EMBRACING ... God's Pursuit and all that means, which is what I thought I'd write about today ... and then God's Direction. Clearly, this devotion today is about God's Direction; "not my will, God, but Yours be done" (Lysa covers this in her last page of this devotion, in her 'invitation' part of "recognizing I've just invited Jesus to do life with me" and that phrase"...minute by minute becomes" the theme ... in my thoughts, reactions, words and actions. My, how I desire to live like this and pray I will. Not a sermon preached but lived.

Yes! 

This is what each and every Christian should be doing and wouldn't this world and its darkness be much better if and when we do ... instead we disagree and judge others rather than addressing our own behavior and words. With God's Direction, we can live a message that speaks loud and clear "Jesus is true and the principles found in His teachings work." Well said/written, Lysa.

However, I really was thinking more about writing of God's Pursuit and what EMBRACING this ... looks like to me. By the end of these first 26 devotions, I'm sure to have a better grasp of how EMBRACING God's Pursuit draws me closer ... to know Him is to love Him. Today, I just need His EMBRACE ... and to know He is holding me closer (until I step out and am awakened to the reality of the world outside or around me, which for years I was away from and now have returned to the heartache and the unresolved conflicts that I left behind some 20some years ago, believing that with Christ and in Christ, "all things are possible" still ... at least tolerable. Some days are good and some days I want to runaway again, so I try to avoid or isolate, which isn't always possible - hoping to lower my high blood pressure and spend time with the Healer, His Embrace brings the healing and this is why I choose to spend Fridays with Him. He builds me up and gives me strength to meet another day, so I think ... until it happens ... 

Knowing that so many others face even more difficult days and situations, circumstances far beyond mine ... I feel trivial ever writing anything about my days and pray that God is near to all the broken hearted and the struggles that others face that He cares and is there.

Thankful for His everlasting EMBRACE - hoping I remember the lesson from today's devo.