Author Archives: Matthew, Karen, and God

Friends

We all need friends in our life! Most are placed here by God, not all, but most. These friends can be huge motivators in our walk with God and can influence you to take that next step. I cannot count how many times I prayed asking God to confirm one of my prayers or many of my prayers for that matter and all the sudden I get a phone call or run into a friend that day who inspires me talking about what I had just prayed for! In some way or another they had an answer to the prayer I just had helping me through a difficult situation that they didn’t even know I was going through. Take this morning for instance I woke up with a ball of anger inside of me that I just couldn’t shake. Thoughts were running in my head that I wasn’t a good friend or parent or husband and felt like I just couldn’t get anything right. I went and dropped my kid off and ran into a friend who paid me a compliment. She was thanking me for some of my writings on this blog saying that it helped her through some tough times. Little did she know I was anger stricken that morning and didn’t even want to open my mouth for fear that something dumb and hurtful would come out. Her words of encouragement however changed my day for the better and I almost started to cry with the warm feelings that were placed inside of me. I felt like I was actually useful and appreciated unlike what I was feeling earlier. I decided to start my day all over again wiping my slate clean from earlier. I went to the gym and ended up running into another friend who works there had a pleasant conversation about life. After that I headed home and decided to call a different friend who also helped to change my mind around a little bit more on some different notes. I’m not sure what my life would look like if I didn’t have friends in it that were from God. I could take a wild guess at how lonely it would be and unproductive. I need to praise God more often for the people in my life who care for my mental stability and spiritual care. If you’re one of those people that feel like you need to be left alone all the time then I would advise going out and making at least one friend. I need at least three or four in my arsenal everyday just to keep me going. If you were lonely angry scared or confused today then I challenge you to pray asking God to place special people in your life. I promise you that he will give you someone in your life that will help you immensely. Please join me in prayer right now. Dear heavenly father thank you so much for yet another beautiful day. Thank you for us being able to just take the breath of Life and be able to worship you with our lips. Lord thank you so much for the people that you have placed in our lives Lord to help encourage and inspire us to be more faithful to you. Thank you for using these people to get your messages through to us. Lord we can always use more friends in our life so if there’s someone out there that needs a friend then please introduce us to that person today. In Jesus precious name, amen!

Prayer

Heavenly father thank you for this wonderful day! Help us, lead us, and guide us in this brand new day to draw closer to you. Touch our minds, heart, and soul moving us in the direction that you want us to move. We are open and willing vessels ready for whatever you have for us today. If someone needs our help Lord please put us in that person’s path whether it be to change a tire, lend a hand, or just be an ear to listen. Give us the words to say to those people who are struggling right now and we lift up all those people who are suffering and are in pain and agony waiting for you Lord. We ask that you are with every person out there that has any kind of problem. Comfort them like only you can Lord wrapping your arms around them and holding them tight, listening to everything they have to say. Thank you for being with us, around us and in us, in Jesus precious name amen

Imitating Christ’s humility!

Yesterday was a really nice day being as though I got to spend time with my daughter. We went around to a couple different stores just browsing and having fun. One of the stores we went into had a whole bunch of school supplies on sale at really reasonable prices. As we were looking at all this stuff we started piling different items into the cart which turned into quite a bit but still didn’t hurt the wallet. I felt like God put it on my heart to get a couple extra things that I could donate to the school that way people who couldn’t afford much could have some also. So we put some more things into the cart but I didn’t feel as though that was all God wanted me to do. A woman and her child had come in looking at different items, picking them up then shaking their head and putting it back down. Everything that they were picking up had to do with school like a backpack and paper. I kindly asked if they were shopping for school supplies and they said no that they were just looking. The Holy Spirit prompted me to go over and help them out. My daughter followed me as I went up and asked the lady if we could bless her with the purchase of all of her school supplies and the woman was very excited. I told her to put whatever she wanted to into the cart and that we would purchase them before we left. She didn’t get as much as I thought she would get but it was just what they had needed to start off the school year. This reminds me of every time we’ve needed help and prayed about it God placed someone in our lives that helped us out as well. My family and I love blessing others as much as we have been blessed. It doesn’t stop there however, those people turn around and show others the love of God as well making a ripple effect all over this world. The most important thing however was at the end of the purchase and the conversation I told her God bless you. Letting her know that it was God who prompted me to help. Philippians 2:1-4 therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same Love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interest of the others.

Let the Good Shepherd lead the way! 🐑🐏

Healing takes time and so often happens in layers: one memory, one truth at a time. You don’t have to figure things out on your own. Just follow Jesus. He’s such a gentle Shepherd; He knows how to deliver you in a way that won’t destroy you. He knows what lies that you picked up when life let you down. And He’ll move at a pace that you can keep. He’s not in a hurry. You can trust Him. Let your Good Shepherd lead the way. Get out of your head and trust Him with your whole heart. He’s more committed to your wholeness and freedom than you are. So, enjoy the journey. Smell the flowers. Notice the little things. Stay grateful. And stay expectant. God is always up to something new. Susielarson.com

Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV) ~ The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Prayer

“pray without ceasing,”
‭‭ I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/1th.5.17.NKJV

Thank you so much for everything that you do for us, Lord, each and every day. Thank you for just the fact that we can roll out of bed in the morning and go out and do the things you have for us set out for us to do. There isn’t even a second that you are not with us, Lord. Even if we feel down a little and lonely, you are always there right next to us to collect all of our tears and hold us gently. You’re creating something new in us even if we think we are useless. You have given us all specific gifts, Lord; sometimes we don’t believe that we’re very special, but in your eyes, we are a gem that you are polishing each and every day until we shine the brightest. Lord, give us the strength to make the right decisions today to the best of our ability and to continue on your path. Hold our hands and guide us so that we don’t stray off onto the broad path that the devil has for us. We place our entire day in your hands, Lord, so that you can show us what needs to be done in order of your importance, in order of your will. In Jesus’s precious name, amen.