"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Monday, February 14, 2022

Centering RELATIONSHIPS Around Jesus Today




One of my books for the year 2022 is "JESUS LISTENS" and after only a month or so following along daily, it's one of my favorites by Sarah Young. I'm pretty sure I either have them all or have read most of her books, but because I love Prayer, this one, by far, is my favorite (however, this blog post is not intended as a book review). I recently received an email that promoted an accompanying discussion guide for this book and so I downloaded it, but have not used it yet. As I was preparing for this post, I wanted to link you to the Jesus Calling website where you can also download it, but I found out that currently on Amazon Kindle it is available for 0.00 also. You can't beat that! Whether you have the book yet or not, I recommend that you download this discussion guide while you can at this unbeatable price, before it changes, because that way, I can share with you on my blog by pointing you to that section of the 56 Week guide. That is the reason I am here sharing this today ... because I'm skipping ahead to Weeks 21-25 in honor of this day ... Valentine's Day (also known as Day of Love and Friendship in most Latin American countries) so we can share the discussion on 

LOVE!  

There are 5 weeks (or 5 pages) which could actually be done one a day (5 days) whatever time you have to fit this in for the LOVE Discussion divided as follows: 

Week 21: Relationships
Week 22: Finding Confidence
Week 23: Centering Relationships Around Jesus
Week 24: Building Trust
Week 25: Pouring From & Refilling Your Cup

{some of you will understand why I chose this section out of this Discussion Guide}

Week 21 - RELATIONSHIPS

[based on the devotion and Scripture passages from April 19th in Jesus Listens]


photo from my book of Jesus Listens -April 19th

Scripture Passages (used in the prayer devotion above):

Psalm 139:1-3 NASB; 1 Corinthians 13:12 HCSB; Romans 3:22; Psalm 21:6


Reflect or Share any of your responses in the Comments:

[Questions taken directly from the Discussion Guide for Week 21]

1. Think about your RELATIONSHIPS - family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances. Do you believe that they are all accepted and loved by God? If you know that God loves them, how does this inspire you to treat each RELATIONSHIP (even the difficult ones) with that "love lens" in place?

2. Each of us has a unique identity as one of God's beloved children.
Do you or anyone you know struggle with feeling known by God?
What are some ways you can remind yourself and others of the depth of love God has for each of us and how He longs for us to know and be known by Him?

3. When a problem arises in your RELATIONSHIPS, is it your natural inclination to bring it to God in prayer? If not, how would your problem solving change if you had God's love at the core of how you respond to problems?


The following box has which devotion entry is used for each week from the Jesus Listens book:

Week 21: Jesus Listen entry dated April 19th
Week 22: Jesus Listen entry dated August 24th
Week 23: Jesus Listen entry dated October 8th
Week 24: Jesus Listen entry dated October 22nd
Week 25: Jesus Listen entry dated July 18th


The Discussion Guide has sections for these topics with 3 questions like above: PEACE (Weeks 1-5); HEALTH (Weeks 6-10); DISCIPLINE (Weeks 11-15); JOY (Weeks 16-20); LOVE (above); FREEDOM (Weeks 26-30); HEALING (Weeks 31-35); HUMILITY (Weeks 36-40); COMMUNITY (Weeks 41-46); OBEDIENCE (Weeks 47-51); RESPONSIBILITY (Weeks 52-56)

Each of these topics are wonderful, but I chose the one on RELATIONSHIPS - the one for Week 23 focuses on our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus and reads "Falling in Love with God" on the Discussion Question page. For me, this is the perfect LOVE for this Day of LOVE & Friendship! So I'll be turning to the Prayer (devotion) for October 8th and reading Psalm 37:4; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 118: 28 HCSB; and Psalm 62:8 as I LISTEN to Jesus and sing some LOVE songs back to God because there is no Greater LOVE to celebrate on this day then JOHN 3:16!


[various versions of this image have been around for quite some time, 
although many have it on Pinterest now; it didn't originate there]
I don't do Pinterest but had this image saved from previous blog posts

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!


I am so thankful for God's LOVE for each one of us and that JESUS LISTENS & demonstrated this Great LOVE willingly & sacrificially at Calvary! Please remember to thank God for His LOVE on this day celebrating LOVE! 

Monday, January 31, 2022

A NEW YEAR - 2022 STRONG Start & ReConnecting (with 21 days of Prayer)

{Actually continuing with more Prayer after just finishing 21 days of Prayer}


As usual, I cannot believe that the entire month of January has come & gone without any blog post sine New Year's Day ... and ending 2021 with my One Word STRENGTH strong with my recap, I chose to do this wonderful You Version plan

so that

I would continue into 2022 STRONG with the STRENGTH I discovered
through Jesus Christ that He strengthens me daily


Although STRENGTH is not the 2022 One Word for me, I must remain STRONG and most certainly needed a Strong Start (as this one definitely is). Since I finished it today (later than Belong Church), I wanted to at least share it briefly.

The following are the 14 days: 
(I personally needed some just to be ReFreshed & remain STRENGTHENED)


STRENGTH ...
1. ... for the Journey
2. ... to Overcome
3. ... to Endure
4. ... for your Weakness
5. ... for Impossibilities
6. ... in Suffering
7. ... to Seek
8. ... to Surrender
9. ... for the Work
10. ... to Grow
11. ... in Waiting
12. ... to Love
13. ... to Obey
14. ... for Success

with the Scriptures, video teachings, devotionals & prayers
(I was going to also list the Scriptures for each day but it's better to just go do their plan)

One Word like STRENGTH needs to be 
a continual process
because
daily we need His STRENGTH in all the struggles
and all the battles in this new era that we face 
after this coronavirus pandemic hit us
followed by so many variants

We need all the STRENGTH available in God's Word.

Can you guess which ones I really needed?
Which ones might you be needing for 2022?

or
maybe there are other areas that you can think of that you're sure 
you need more STRENGTH ... X-tra STRENGTH 

Together
You & I & JESUS
Holy Spirit
STRONG
reinforced with His power
daily we need to be filled
by The Word - The Bread of Life


Start your year with Belong Church (who provided this plan for) finding strength in the Scriptures for 2022! {It looks like Belong Church did this together on Facebook or Instagram or both in January (the 10th -24th) of 2022}


I hinted about the One Word for 2022 in 2021
but still not ready to reveal the
2022
One Word

meanwhile

for February
You Version has a Challenge

so I chose the
ReConnecting
plan
(which kinda connects a little to my 2022 One Word but that isn't it)

21 Days of Prayer: Reconnecting


There are seasons of life when we feel completely disconnected from
 the things we once held most dear. 
This plan is designed to help us reconnect with God, community, and our mission to the world.

{Sorry, but I could not connect with the link to the plan & a Google search gave me others but then I got it}


Looking forward to
RECONNECTING

This year also marks the 50th Year of our High School & a Reunion is planned in September 2022.

[Please pray that Coronavirus is better under control and behind us by then, for all of us.]
Also for Tracy (2nd time going through Covid, she's vaccinated & has pneumonia & worse) & her family also. Thank you.


Saturday, January 1, 2022

ABUNDANT BLESSINGS in 2022 FOR YOU!

[*credit on image]

A special video of
"The Blessing"


from
Numbers 6:24-26





{I read the note on copyright for this choice of image but I still don't know if it is. I will gladly remove it if it is. I saw that you can share to various media sites so I hope that means it is not copyrighted.} 

Friday, December 31, 2021

MY FAVORITE VERSES on STRENGTH part 2

Yesterday I shared my Favorite verse Isaiah 40:31, plus 12 more and today I'm sharing the last 12 that I have chosen on STRENGTH, although there are still more. 

*

These seem to be the ones I keep going back to renew my mind & renewing STRENGTH. In fact, that is the title of a complex but very thorough sermon by Charles Spurgeon on Isaiah 40:31 - well worth the read - theologically he covers so much of what I have not. But there's no way that I could ever come close to summarizing what he wrote, or any of the others that I read. I have spent time this last week, looking at much of what I've read & saved on STRENGTH. I realized that there is still so much I did not share or cover. That's the way it seems to be with our One Word each year. It's just a start of what God places on our heart & He keeps on pouring into us each day as we surrender to Him & seek Him & His Word first. All I know is the more we lean in to listen & focus on that One Word, His Word becomes more relevant to our daily life & STRENGTHENS us.

{I really hope that this first verse becomes my mantra as I continue forward in Christ's STRENGTH in a new & more powerful dependence on Him & the Holy Spirit as 2022 brings new challenges and new One Words to guide us.}


“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25  NIV


"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19 NIV

"The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation." Psalm 118:14 NIV

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15 NIV

"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

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” Romans 15:5

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13


" But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Ephesians 6:10

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

"But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3


A Prayer for Strength
Dear God, You promise to be with me and to give me strength when I feel weak. I come to You today ready for Your hand to guide me and Your peace to comfort me. I feel so burdened by the anxieties and struggles but I choose today to trust You. I give up trying to control things on my own and I pray for a stronger faith. Amen.


*

On this last day of 2021, I pray you find or found STRENGTH to meet your daily need(s) and know better the One who gives you the STRENGTH you lack. I'm sure when I ended my Tuesday post with this:

Wishing You & Your Loved Ones 
a Blessed & Happy New Year in
2022!

May you find & have all the
STRENGTH
you need in Jesus
to SOAR like
an eagle

💓

... you thought I was done & closing for the year; quite frankly, I thought so too, yet God kept speaking and I needed to somehow write on ... I hope you found the additional posts beneficial. 


God Bless and keep you healthy, wise in Him and deeply in love with pursuing God through His Word and your One Word into a brighter tomorrow. As with any RELATIONSHIP, it takes commitment & communication on both parts, time well spent together, listening & receiving the best from each other. Looking forward to more of this in 2022 and a Lifetime of growing closer! (with God and others in Christ Jesus), I remain ~ Peggy


* the images used today are some photos from my room (except the last one), just to reinforce how I surrounded myself with Eagle power & soared through 2021 & to confirm that it's true what I wrote about my fascination with the Eagle. It's too bad that the Bible Hub does not include TPT, MSG & The Voice but Bible Gateway has them & many others.


Thursday, December 30, 2021

MY FAVORITE VERSES on STRENGTH part 1

I have chosen 25 Verses on STRENGTH to share today and tomorrow from over 200 occurrences of the word STRENGTH in Scripture. Just as Pastor Morgan decided on 12 of these as strategies for Extra STRENGTH, I too have shortened my list to these. Of course, you already know my very Favorite: Isaiah 40:31


"But those who wait for Yahweh’s grace will experience divine strength.
    They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary,
    and walk through life without giving up."
The Passion Translation 




"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him— my father’s God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2 NLT

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV


"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9 ESV


"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always."
1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV


"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." 
Nehemiah 8:10 NIV


"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2


"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless."
Isaiah 40:29


More coming tomorrow
Part 2



To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy