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Loaded Up

Every morning starts the same – coffee brewing, prayer and Bible reading. Somedays little distractions shorten the time frame but that has been my morning meditation for years. Never routine – always a blessing.

Here we are just a few days before Thanksgiving and other than the grocery store commercials not a lot is being said about this day that was set aside for giving thanks.

Our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness.

God has been gracious and kind. There may have been disappointments and even heart aches in the last year, but God remains faithful and trustworthy.

He continues to bring blessings and benefits into our lives.

” Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].

19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; ” James 1:16-19 AMP

He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and He does not change. We need to listen more and murmur less. This will definitely bring us closer to thankful hearts.

Maybe you are a bit apprehensive about the Thanksgiving gathering. Different people with different opinions. Different customs, different football teams (that’s a big one for some).

Invite the One who never changes, there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes], Let Him lead the conversation. Seek those who are hurting – listen instead of speaking. Be a quick listener and a slow speaker.

Listen to the elderly and listen to the littles. Their world is so different from the one we were raised in. They need our prayers and our words of wisdom. They need our unconditional love.

“We praise you, Lord God! You treat us with kindness day after day, and you rescue us. 20 You always protect us and save us from death.” Psalm 68:19-20 CEV

One translation of this verse says ” Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”

Daily, He loads us up with benefits…Selah (stop and think).

When I read this verse, I think of being in Montana where each morning I had my arms loaded up with firewood. Firewood is an essential in some parts of the world. Without fire there’s no cooking, heat, purifying of water and there is no fire without firewood. It’s lifesaving and although it may seem like drudgery, those who depend on the wood, carry it gladly.

In the verse above says that He daily loads us up with benefits. Never tire of holding out your arms to be loaded up with benefits that come from the Father.

Let God use you to bring life-warming benefits to others!

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A Hundred Billion Times

The last couple of nights Dave and I have spent time sitting on the porch at the fire ring. Our conversation always centers on how much God has blessed us.

The life we’ve had, our family, the experiences that have molded and shaped our lives. The friends, the breath-taking moments and the mundane, He has always been present.

Last night friends joined us and told us they will probably be going to Portugal next fall for a destination wedding. How wonderful! Since you’re there you must go to Greece. Greece for us was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Not for all the touristy reasons. It was the sense of the presence of God. I know I’ve told you before, but the most remarkable part of our trip was engaging in conversations with the locals and listening as they told the stories of the cathedrals and the godly influence of their communities.

Those are the stories that we recounted to our friends.

The presence of God – “the heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shows His handiwork”. (Psalm 19:1)

“ Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it. 19 When we love others, we know we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God. 20 But even if we don’t feel at ease, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if we feel at ease in the presence of God, we will have the courage to come near him. 22 He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him.” I John 3:18-22 CEV

These are the words of the Apostle John. Feeling at ease in the presence of God – that is what we experienced while we were in Greece.

In the wee hours this morning, my heart began to sing.

“God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain, no syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science, follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky, a canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You, so will I
So will I

If the stars were made to worship, so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I
If the wind goes where You send it, so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times!” So Will I (100 Billion X)

This is a song we sing frequently in Sunday worship but when it comes rolling out of my heart at 2 a.m. it has a greater depth of meaning.

In just a few days our nation will have a celebration of Thanksgiving. The focus wasn’t football or parades, not family gatherings, or food; it was a gathering of people who had survived immeasurable hardships, and they were giving thanks to God Almighty.

Make a resolve this Thanksgiving, if all of creation will praise You, so will I!

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The Greatest Love

My heart is filled with the great love the Father shows me on a daily basis. For over 40 years my focus has been on His goodness and love.

Before that I was caught up in the do’s and don’ts, the rules and regulations of religion and not in the relationship that the Father offered me. This morning, I was reminded of something I wrote years ago and feel it is just as honest and true today as it was then.

I hope it touches your heart.

20th Day of Thanksgiving.

There was a time when I was very insecure and was hounded by feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem. I just didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere. I hope none of you have ever felt that way because it’s awful.

Yes, I knew that God loved me but at that time those were just words in my ears and not a truth I held in my heart. I can’t tell you how the Lord did it but He made His love a reality to me personally!

I came to see in the Scriptures that God saw me as valuable, lovable and worthy of His attention.

This morning as I was reading Jesus prayer to the Father from John 17, I saw that again.

“I am not asking you to take them out of the world. But I am asking that you keep them safe from the Evil One. 16 They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 17 Make them ready for your service through your truth. Your teaching is truth. 18 I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 I am making myself completely ready to serve you. I do this for them, so that they also might be fully qualified for your service.

20 “I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 21 Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.” John 17:15-23 ERV

Verse 20 and 23 are the verses that really hit home with me. First Jesus said he wasn’t just praying for his followers that were with Him but that He was praying for those that would believe in Him because of their message. That meant He was praying for me. And secondly, He prayed that the world would know that the Father loves us as much as He loves Jesus! Did you get that? He loves me as much as He loves Jesus!

That was life changing for me!

Today that is my prayer for each one of you – I want you to know, really know, down deep in your heart know, that the Father loves you as much as He loves Jesus!

Yes, today is a day of gratitude. I am grateful for the love of God!

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Time to Celebrate

I remember years ago when our oldest daughter was just a toddler we had bands of sheep across the road in the fields. I would walk her across the road and she would watch the sheep.

My husband grew up with sheep herders and had the opportunity to watch their ways. Interesting people. One man with several working dogs could control a large band of sheep – protecting them and moving them from one field to another.

Shepherds care for their sheep. They live with them in the field. They don’t abandon them. They protect them personally and then leave the dogs with them to keep them safe from predators in the night.

The shepherd makes sure they have plenty of grass in the pasture and when it is eaten down they move the sheep on to the next field. Shepherds also make sure their flocks have plenty of water. They pay close attention to the weak and injured; nursing their wounds and seeing that they aren’t picked on by the stronger rams.

I have a good shepherd. He loves me, He cares for me, He feeds and protects me and He searches for me if I get lost and He brings me back to His fold!

” Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.

4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away…

7 Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8 Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9 I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.

10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd…

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.” John 10:1-16 CEV

“Then Jesus told them this story: 4 If any of you has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won’t you leave the ninety-nine in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 And when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder 6 and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:3-6 CEV

I am a loved sheep -> lost but now I’m found. It’s time to celebrate the Shepherd’s great love!!

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More Than Enough

When I was a little girl, I was intrigued by one of the Thanksgiving decorations I saw. It was a cornucopia or otherwise named, horn of plenty.

I learned that big word and liked using it. For a seven-year-old, a five-syllable word was a big deal.

Wikipedia describes it like this: “In classical antiquity, the cornucopia, from Latin cornu (horn) and copia (abundance), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, or nuts.”

A symbol of abundance and nourishment.

I believe you know what I’m going to say next. Reminds me of the promises and blessings that are in God’s word.

“The Lord will love you and bless you by giving you many children and plenty of food, wine, and olive oil. Your herds of cattle will have many calves, and your flocks of sheep will have many lambs.” Deuteronomy 7:13 CEV

Moses was preparing the Israelites for their new life in the promised land. God wasn’t taking them to an impoverished home, on the contrary, He was leading them to a land that was “flowing with milk and honey”.

The Lord made them some very specific promises and they still hold true today.

“You will have many children. You will harvest large crops, and your herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats will produce many young. 5 You will have plenty of bread to eat. 6 The Lord will make you successful in your daily work.” Deuteronomy 28:4-6 CEV

When I look at the cornucopia now, I see overflowing abundance. Most of the items are fruit. The very thing that Christ says will be produced in our lives when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.” Galatians 5:22-23 ERV

My thoughts take me to the mountainside where Jesus multiplied the fish and the bread of a little boy’s lunch.

“Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat.” John 6:11 CEV

But more than that, I remember another mountainside message.

“Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” 32 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. 33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.” Matthew 6:31-33 CEV

When we put God’s word and His will first place we will have a virtual spiritual cornucopia. In Christ we have more than enough.

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Just As You Are

Yesterday Dave and I worked hard the entire day. We had planned to get together with friends in the evening but ended up staying home, feet propped up and watching a movie on tv.

It was a movie that made me cry. No, not a Hallmark movie. The movie title is “A Carpenter’s Prayer”. Very good, I recommend it.

The premise – a drunk, who has carpentry skills, helps a church who is building a new complex. They love him just the way he is. They help him with work, food, friendship and finding Jesus. I won’t tell you how it ends but at one place in the movie the man realizes that Jesus will accept him just the way he is.

I went to bed remembering my own experience and realization that Jesus loves me just the way I am and that I needed a Savior. I’m so thankful that we don’t need to be “good enough” to be saved.

“God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.

8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about.” Ephesians 2:7-9 ERV

We come to relationship with Christ just as we are.

We don’t wash our cars before we take them to the car wash. That would be silly. It isn’t our good deeds that get Christ to love us. His love is unconditional; His grace is unmerited; His sacrifice paid the price for everyone.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 ERV

I grew up hearing “I’m just an old sinner saved by grace” nearly every Sunday evening. But that’s not true. We WERE old sinners but once we are saved we are a new creation. We are now called saints; we have become a child of God.

“ All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. 24 But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.” Romans 3:23-24 CEV

God doesn’t want us looking back to who we once were, that part of our life is dead. He wants us looking forward to who He created us to be.

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Smile on Me

Well, not that I’ve gotten your attention with that silly smiling horse let me explain the thoughts that came to me this morning.

Yesterday I explained to you that my life “in a nutshell” is a love for God’s word and the practical direction it gives me for daily life. Decisions are easier when I trust God to lead me with peace. Worries are less as I roll the cares of life over on the Father. Fear dissipates as I know that He has promised to never leave me or abandon me, even in the valley of the shadow of death.

My future is secure because I know that for me to live is Christ but to die is gain as I join my heavenly Father in heaven.

His word brings me joy, strength, forgiveness, grace, mercy and provides for all my earthly and heavenly needs.

And then this morning, I found this verse, that I know I have read 100’s of times before but it jumped off the page and into my heart.

“ Smile on me, your servant, and teach me your laws.” Psalm 119:35 CEV

But chapter 119 of Psalms, the longest chapter in the Bible, highlights a love of God’s word and the benefits of reading and obeying it in 176 verses. It really is my theme chapter.

“Your teachings are wonderful, and I respect them all. 130 Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people. 131 I honestly want to know everything you teach.
132 Think about me and be kind, just as you are to everyone who loves your name. 133 Keep your promise and don’t let me stumble or let sin control my life. 134 Protect me from abuse, so I can obey your laws. 135 Smile on me, your servant, and teach me your laws. 136 When anyone disobeys you, my eyes overflow with tears. 137 Our Lord, you always do right, and your decisions are fair. 138 All your teachings are true and trustworthy. 139 It upsets me greatly when my enemies neglect your teachings. 140 Your word to me, your servant, is like pure gold; I treasure what you say. 141 Everyone calls me a nobody, but I remember your laws. 142 You will always do right, and your teachings are true. 143 I am in deep distress, but I love your teachings. 144 Your rules are always fair. Help me to understand them and live.” Psalm 119:129-144 CEV

For those who think the Bible is just “the good book” but don’t really take the time to read it I encourage them to pray this short prayer. “Lord, I want Your Bible to come alive for me. I want to learn from you. Teach me Your Ways. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

That honest, simple, heart-felt prayer will be the beginning of a wonderful adventure discovering the personal message from God to you. Then you will see why the psalmist says “Your word to me, your servant, is like pure gold; I treasure what you say. “

Remember this:

“Then we will never turn away. Put new life into us, and we will worship you. 19 Lord God All-Powerful, make us strong again! Smile on us and save us.” Psalm 80:18-19 CEV

I can see the Father smiling on us now.

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In A Nutshell

As I sat quietly this morning, it was a time of introspection. “My life in a nutshell”.

How to describe it? How would others define it? What am I most grateful for this Thanksgiving season?

God’s word – simply and emphatically. God’s word.

Oh yes, I am extremely grateful for Dave, the kids, the grands and great grands, my health and home, my friends but without God’s word these would be shallow. Without God’s word I wouldn’t know of His endless, boundless love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. Without His word, peace, joy and hope would be fleeting and that would seriously affect my family, health and friends.

What has had the greatest impact on my life, kept me on a firm foundation, been my source of strength and wisdom is God’s word.

“I deeply love your Law! I think about it all day. 98 Your laws never leave my mind, and they make me much wiser than my enemies. 99 Thinking about your teachings gives me better understanding than my teachers, 100 and obeying your laws makes me wiser than those who have lived a long time. 101 I obey your word instead of following a way that leads to trouble. 102 You have been my teacher, and I won’t reject your instructions. 103 Your teachings are sweeter than honey.” Psalm 119:97-103 CEV

I spent a large portion of my early years, up to my thirties, not searching the Scriptures as my daily bread. I was too busy to take time to study the Bible. Oh yes, I loved the Lord. I was a Christian but a shallow one. I worried and fretted with the best of them. I could be short-tempered, easily frustrated and stressed.

Then little by little all that changed. Just a few minutes each morning – time was short so I had to be quick. After a while I realized without my morning time spent in God’s word and prayer the day just didn’t go as smoothly, and I wasn’t prepared for the challenging situations that would arise.

Just as I began to put fingers to keyboard this morning the words of this old song came flooding in:

“Wonderful Words of Life”

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

Sweetly echo the gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
Sanctify forever. [Refrain]”

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

Once when Jesus finished a teaching, a large portion of the multitude that followed Him left. They said it was a “hard” teaching.

“ Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they also were going to leave him. 68  Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. 69 We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God’s Holy One.’” John 6:67-69 CEV

Words of Life!

My greatest joy – my life in a nutshell – is to know God’s word in greater, practical depth each day.

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No Greater Love

Last evening I joined a few friends for prayer. I am always blessed to join a prayer gathering.

“ I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you.” Matthew 18:19-20 CEV

Knowing the Father is right there with us when we pray is hard to imagine but He said it so it must be true!

Why would He involve Himself in our little prayer meeting? The answer is two-fold. He loves us and He is concerned about those things that concern us.

He cares!

We have been a part of God’s heart since the beginning of time. Once again, that is a hard statement to comprehend but it’s true because God, the Father, told us it is.

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! 4 Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.” Ephesians 1:3-6 CEV

God is kind and He had Christ choose us before the world began. Before “let there be light” God chose us to be His children. As His children He invites us to come to Him with everything, we have an open-door policy into His throne room.

“ So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

That’s what prayer is – coming bravely with our concerns and needs. He is trustworthy and He will help.

Why?

Because of Jesus – his life, his death, his resurrection. He chose us from heaven, and then He came to earth to bring us to Father. It cost Him His life, but He was willing to lay it down for us all.

“Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God, when his body was put to death and his spirit was made alive.” I Peter 3:18 CEV

“ No one can have greater love than to give his life for his friends.” John 15:13 NLV

No greater love!

What more does God need to do to prove His love for us? We were chosen before the foundation of the world to be His children and then He sent His Son to earth to pay the price for our salvation.

No greater love!

Father God, I pray for those reading this short message. Fill their hearts with the wisdom to understand Your great love. Fill them with hope; fill them with peace. Give them confidence to know that we can all come boldly to Your throne and find help in our time of need. We need You every day. We bring our families, our health, our finances, our nation to You. We trust You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

There is no greater love than this and I am grateful to be a recipient of that love!

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Thoughts of Peace

Yesterday morning we talked about decluttering our thoughts. It really is freeing to let go of the worries, the what-ifs, the constant bombardment of unsolicited thought and focus on what the Spirit of God is teaching us.

“We who have the Spirit are able to make judgments about all these things. But anyone without the Spirit is not able to make proper judgments about us. 16 As the Scriptures say,

‘Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?’

But we have been given Christ’s way of thinking.” I Corinthians 2:15-16 ERV

The Apostle Paul was continually instructing the new Christians on how to have a renewed mind. He wanted them to have their thinking conforming to God’s word and in turn he knew it would transform their lives.

“ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:3-11 NLT

To be like Christ we need humility. We let God’s word and will be done in our lives. Learning to serve and care for others, knowing that God, Himself, is committed to caring for us.

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 NLT

Our hearts are the treasury of God’s love, and we can make daily deposits into our account by what we think and by following through with corresponding actions.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 NLT

We choose to think on the good things, the things that are godly and pure. We capture thoughts that go contrary to God’s word. When we do, we have peace, God’s abiding peace!

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