Focus

I couldn't sleep because I had too much to do, waking up early with the list revolving in my head. As I logged in my computer, a page popped up that made me stop and focus.  I was obsessed, consumed, and distressed by my work of  Melissa's Prayer Journal,  but all that God wanted was for me to be devoted.  I needed to let go and let God.  So ironic that my ardent desire to do ministry gets in the way of actually being with the Lord, which is what He most wants from me!   So, I took a deep breath, prayed and felt the peace that passes all understanding.  Sending this peace to you. ~ JBM

Inspiration

Sometimes I sense God's inspiration in helping me write or say just the right thing!  I can feel the Lord giving me the words, the message, and the voice tone to meet the needs of those around me.  Such a fabulous feeling!  Thanks to today's daily reflection,  I just learned that obedience is far more important than perceived inspiration!  Even when I have an "off" day, when I am not my best, when my emotional tank feels empty, I need to continue to meet the needs of those around me.  Even when my best at that moment is far from my best ever, I need to keep moving and trust God to use whatever imperfect effort I am capable of for that moment.  What a relief to be reminded that the Lord will use my most flawed attempt, as long as I am following His lead!  Melissa didn't worry about performance with people.  She just prayed for God to use her and loved those around her!  That's the plan: stay connected to the Lord, connected to others, and follow Christ.  Thank you, Lord, that your power is so much greater than my imperfection!   Have a great day and stay connected. ~ JBM

Little Things

I so often take God's biggest gifts for granted: unconditional forgiveness, purpose to my life, and eternal life with Christ.  I have a much harder time trusting the Lord with my daily details.  I unconsciously feel little, petty needs are beneath God's dignity.  I avoid praying about daily concerns, feeling a bit ashamed that such superficial things are concerning me. I have often shared with other people Melissa's words: "God answers our needs with the little things, so we can trust him with the big things."  So I cognitively know I'm suppose to pray over trite concerns, but still feel pathetic doing it.  This week, God immediately answered my prayer for a special dress for a special occasion.  Now this is a really superficial concern, right?  But our Loving Lord made a point of rapidly giving me just the right dress in the perfect color to make a point: to show me how much He loves me.  After all these years of living with the Lord, I'm still learning to talk to Him about everything!  I hope you are, too.  Because there is so much of God's love for us to experience! Blessings on your day!~  JBM

Arguing with God

I have the unfortunate habit of arguing with God.  I don't mean to be disrespectful or rude, difficult or rebellious, I just don't always appreciate the direction I'm being told to take.  I just don't want to do what the Lord is asking!  For example, this summer I felt I was suppose to write a note to one of my top superiors in my new job complimenting her on a bit of wisdom she shared at graduation.  Even though I believe passionately in the importance of spreading as much sincere, specific, positive thoughts as possible in the universe, I felt self-conscious and uncomfortable about this note. The individual has never even met me, and certainly would think I was simply flattering!  So, I didn't do it.  After about six times of having that person come to mind while I was reading a reflection or in prayer, I caved it.  I wrote the note many weeks later.  I don't know why God thought my little note would be meaningful to this person, but our role is to follow Jesus, not argue with him. Mind you, I have never won an argument with God, and I certainly do not recommend it!  Melissa struggled and questioned God in a prayer that she wrote in her cancer journal.  Questioning God's wisdom is the natural, human reaction to the difficult things in life. I used to feel badly about arguing with my Lord, but I just listened to a sermon that encouraged struggling, questioning and arguing with God.  The important thing is remaining in dialog with God!  As long as we keep talking and listening to Jesus, we will be OK!  When we turn away, we are in danger.  I also realized that God wants to help me with the difficulties in my life!  He can only do that when I bring them to Him, so I can realize HE is helping me!  So, pray today about the tough challenges in your life as well as the reasons to praise. And let our awesome Creator not only help you through those things, but also hold you and keep you and fill you with joy that goes far beyond our circumstances!  Blessings ~ JBM

Priorities

Melissa starts her Prayer Journal  explaining to God: " You need to be my priority because You are the key to the fruitfulness of my life, the preservance of my well-being, and, most of all, the closest to heaven I can get to on earth.....I would be lost without you, and somehow that can slip my mind.  So it's time to prioritize. Come into my heart and stay." Melissa's Prayer Journal, p.4   Melissa knew how much God loved her, how well God cared for her, and how thoroughly God's presence turned her life from suffering to joy.  That full knowledge only came after she really gave her life to God, the night she was diagnoses with cancer and cried out to Him.  We have to take that first step of faith, then we have to prioritize to reap all the abundance in life that God wants to pour out on us!  God is good, all the time. So, spend some time with Him today, and feel real love straight from heaven. Blessings, JBM

Who's Making You Crazy?

I have been listening to a series on how to deal with the "crazy-makers" in your life.  Mind you, I consider myself reasonable skilled at interpersonal relations, and actually have decades of evaluations as evidence for that statement, but this series of classes are amazing.  So, I emailed almost everyone I know to tell them about it.  The feedback from everyone who has viewed these free online classes has been widely enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive.  The series can be found on my favorite online spiritual nourishment source: Saddleback Church.  (If this link doesn't work for you, go to www.saddleback.com,  click on "media", click on "archived services", and click on the "all" tab. Also available through a free app for iPhone or iPad).  Take a look at the topic titles and start with one that hits you, like "resolving conflict".  But they are all well done, excellent mental health and relational health solid content with a spiritual foundation.  No one asked me to plug this series, by the way. I honestly just want to share valuable resources with everyone. So far the content most helpful to me has been: how to handle people who manipulate you with their anger, expressing my anger in healthy and helpful ways rather than destructive ways, and setting clear boundaries.  Melissa was amazing at her ability to practice these things.   She writes in her Prayer Journal how she handled a difficult conversation tactfully and the response was perfect, which she attributed to being prayerful before the conversation and asking for God's help!  And the Lord came through for her, as her joy in the entry describes!  So, even if you don't take the time to listen or watch these helpful videos, stay prayerful, like Melissa did!  The Lord comes through every time!! - Blessings - JBM