Life Imagined

  “When fear has entered the imagination, it starts to fill in all the blanks.” - Carrie Pickett Oh my goodness, what a true statement! My responses can sometimes be provoked by fear, and Carrie is right! When I respond to fear with my thoughts and words, fear “starts to fill in the blanks” for me. Then the fears grow, working to be bigger and louder than the Word in me, limiting God. I bet you can relate to this as well!!   My response should be the Word, which gives me a positive imagination, encouragement to dream and dream bigger . This is where I find confidence to conquer my fears, where my faith grows, where I find that peace reigns, where I remember that there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment (1 John 4:18).  So, if I let it, God’s love pushes out fear, taking away it’s power, instilling me with hope, reminding me that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)  Friends, if fear ha...

We just spent the last several days in Myrtle Beach.  The weather and the views were perfect!! And, of course, we ate well.  If you happen to visit: I think we would all recommend the Flying Fish. The food was SO good, and we may have eaten there twice to try a couple of other menu items 😉. The Grouper and the Seafood Linguini were our favorite Entrees. The Seafood Nachos were a big hit as well. The hubby loved the oysters, but I can't make myself try them😁.  We also tried the Chesapeake House, and it was good as well. The hush puppies and cinnamon rolls served before the meal were yummy!  Lulu’s had a super cute atmosphere. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite, though still good.  Barefoot Landing at Myrtle was a really beautiful place to eat and shop. Flying Fish and Lulu’s were both located there, and the baby had her first carousel ride there. This was such a good time of rest, relaxation, and laughter. At the last minute, one of our daughters and 18-month-...

Good morning, friends. I'm sitting outside this morning doing my devotion and journaling…my favorite part of the day. My verse is Colossians 3:15.  “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” ‭‭As I sit here, that's exactly what I feel — peace and thankfulness. This is a good life! And to think that God still has good plans for my today and ALL my tomorrows excites me! Restoration is still happening for me, more restoration is coming. You see…my God restores the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). I've tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), and my soul just feels satisfied. How could I not praise Him? How could I not trust Him? How could I not want to please Him and share His goodness? If I’m being honest, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with the changes of this new season because I get in a hurry. But this morning, as I slow down and spend time with Him, that overwhelm fades away.  As the sun k...

Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you (Psalm 63:3).  Praise - To express admiration.  To celebrate.  Have you taken time to praise God today, for His lovingkindness that is better than life , because His thoughts toward you are good?  I know that in my praise, in my time with Him, mountains are moved, my understanding is enlightened, revelation is found, and His plans for me take shape. Praise God!  He promises that if we seek him, we WILL find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). It’s there, in praise, that the Holy Spirit reveals, speaks, communes with me. It’s there I’m reminded I can trust Him with everything…ALL of it. I can rest and leave it all in His hands. I will praise him when all is well, and I will choose to praise when it doesn’t feel easy. He is my rock, my refuge, my strength, my shield. He is my friend. I will   praise Him! I don’t know what today is like for you. Maybe you’re on cloud nine, or maybe today is hard. Pra...

  I'm in a new season right now, and the Holy Spirit is reminding me to slow down, rest, and focus on Jesus. He has given me this gift of time, and I want to use it wisely.  One synonym of focus is nucleus , which means the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.   Wait...my focus influences my activity and growth ... that's important!  Have you ever let your focus drift to something negative, and then decide to talk about it?! Have you noticed how that negative thing grows into something bigger when you give it a voice? Y'all, that's activity and growth!! And it's not the direction I want to choose.   We are all believing for something, expecting something, growing in something. I believe that where our thoughts are fixed, our lives will follow. Philippians 4:8 (above) reminds us what things we should think on, all good things.   Guys, let's fix our eyes on Jesus and gr...

  A few days ago, I was talking with someone who was talking about the business they work for and the money it takes to run efficiently, the expense for equipment, etc. I made a statement about making those decisions prayerfully.  And what he said made my heart sink a little.  He told me God doesn't care what the business spends money on.  "He has bigger things to worry about." Well, let me tell you about my Jesus . I said, "Of course He cares! He wants us to run Christian businesses that are successful. He cares about the biggest and smallest details of ALL our lives." How do people not know the heart of our creator? Do you know that Jesus is in the details? He is interested in the smallest day-to-day details of our lives. His love fights fiercely for us, yet also loves us in the most tender way.  Matthew 18:12-13 says He would leave the 99 just to find one that has gone astray. That's me and that's you!   Y'all, He cares about the details...I'v...

You know, I have lived so much of my life saying things like..."I just don't fit in”, or I just don’t fit in well with groups."  I'm realizing these words put me right where the enemy wanted me ... separated, quiet, not participating.   But I'm reading in 2 Corinthians 3:6 that He says something very different about me.  It says He has qualified me.  The KJV version says He has made me able .  The AMPC says He has made me to be fit, worthy, and sufficient .  Do you hear that??  Man, I hope those words are speaking to you like they speak to me!! The mirror of His word is changing me, changing what I see, who I am, increasing my confidence in His promises.  This verse says His spirit gives me LIFE!  May the whispers of His life-giving Word be louder in my ear than the lies.   Oh friend, I hope you hear this.  If you feel like you don't fit in, that's a LIE!!  You absolutely do "fit"....right into His good plan.  Ch...

 1 Corinthians 15:22 - For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ ALL will be made alive.  Most days, I feel ALIVE and BLESSED, and I feel it to my core!  But every once in a while, if I'm being honest, I don't feel it so much.  Maybe on those not so much days, I just need to lean into Jesus and be okay with that while I renew my mind in the word, spend some time with Him.  Feelings fluctuate, the Word never   does.  Jesus is for me.  He has made me ALIVE  in Christ.   Don't you just wake up sometimes feeling tired??  I usually enjoy my mornings, but I woke up one day this week feeling tired...Jesus never is.  I wanted to crawl back into bed...He never lays down on me.  Sometimes I feel a little nervous about things I feel like he has told me to do, but He doesn't waiver.  His provision has been promised to me, and His word never fails.  Everything I may feel or worry about, you see, it was nailed to the cros...

I lift 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  HELP is defined as to give assistance or support.  To provide someone with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end.   When I have a moment of discouragement, I have to remind myself where my help comes from☝.  My worries are null and void when I'm reminded He provides what is necessary.  He will never tell me to move without providing what I need, even when I can't see it.  And yet, I still hesitate. Lysa Terkeurst titled my devotion today "A Little Girl's Dance."  I remember so well singing and dancing for Jesus in front of my mother's full-length mirror as a little girl.  Oh man, I loved him even then 💕.  I danced and sang...just a little girl who felt confident and able, so she did.  I bet some of you remember a little girl just like that.   I try to remember...

Ephesians 4:32...And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.   Well, here we are, winding down 2023 and getting ready to begin a new year.  Another opportunity to do something new, start fresh, leave the past behind.  God has really dealt with me about forgiveness over the last few months.  I had the opportunity to sit in on a class with my sister recently where we talked about forgiveness. We both shared what that has looked like in our lives.  I shared something the Holy Spirit had spoken to me very recently and I want to share it with you. Several years ago, I had been hurt so deeply that I felt like I didn't know what forgiveness was anymore. I know, I know... You have to forgive, right?  That's what the Bible tells us, right?  A couple of months ago, I was driving and the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "You know, God sees the person who hurt you exactly the same way He sees you." ...

Hebrews 10:23 -  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.   The definition of unswerving is steady/unfaltering - not wavering or weakening.  Hope is to  desire with expectation ,  to expect with confidence .   Boy, that's good, isn't it?! We are heading toward the end of 2023.  What is your hope for the future?  Are you expecting something good?     There was a time when I didn't have much hope for my future.  Man, I was tired...  But, Jesus walked right into my situation and brought me through to the other side, restoring my heart, my mind, my finances, my hope.  These things, these stones of remembrance remind me of why I find my hope in His word.   He is faithful and my hope in Jesus should be FULL of confidence and expectation.  Hope sparks my imagination to see God's vision for me.  My husband and I often talk about our vision for the future, ...

Deuteronomy 11:22-23 - If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow - to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him and to hold fast to Him - then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.   What things are trying to take hold of me, give me stress and anxiety?  What about you?  What things are whispering so loudly to you?  When the whispers become all I can hear, where do I go?  When life's whispers become louder than the voice of my maker, I have to stop and remember this promise in Deuteronomy that says if I love the Lord, walk in obedience to Him, and hold fast to Him, He will drive out these things that seem bigger and stronger than me. Oh, praise God!!  When I feel like I'm drowning, He rescues me.     When I remember to run to the One who has shown up time and time again, I will find my deliverance.  I will find my Savi...

  Matthew 17: 20 tells us that if we have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move.  Nothing would be impossible.   I see this verse and know it's true and yet, some days, my mountains seem to stop me in my tracks and taunt me, trying to remind me that I'm stuck.  But this verse tells me quite the opposite.  It tells me if I just have faith, trust in Jesus, I can move my mountains.  Jesus tells me " Nothing would be impossible."   God has told me He is doing a new thing, He asks if I perceive it, He tells me He is making a way and giving provision (Isaiah 43:19).  I'm searching my heart.  What is God speaking to me?  What are the desires of my heart?  And what is the mountain that is keeping me stuck?  He has brought me so far, through so much, and together we have moved what seemed like mountains to me.  Praise God!  It makes me excit...

Man, God is really speaking to me about my treasure.  Matthew 6:21 says your heart will be where your treasure is.   What do I value?  What is precious to me?  What do I find myself thinking on, focusing on?  Those things expose my heart.  And when my heart is exposed, what do I see?  I treasure so many things in my life.  My  wonderful husband, my family, my friends, but Jesus...He really is my most precious friend, my lifeline.  He holds my today and my future...Praise God!!  He writes my story, gives me good gifts, makes me better, and life is SO SO good with Him in it.  I owe Him so much and as I think about what He has done for me, my heart overflows and rolls down my cheeks 😭 (but they are happy tears ).  If you know my story, then you know 😊👏❤️ Friend, I hope you experience Him this way.  A way that fills your heart SO full that it overflows.  

Hey, friend!  Thanks for coming!  My verse today is Proverbs 4:20-22 - My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to My words.  Don't lose sight of them.  Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.   This verse is one of my favorites.  We are encouraged here to listen carefully to His words for they bring life to those who find   them and healing to their whole body.  When I saw the word find  in this verse ,  it made me think of treasure, something of great value, something worth searching for.  His word is full of great treasure that we are blessed to find, to discover.  God's word is living and full of power (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV).  It awakens us, revives us.  It brings life and health, power and wisdom, provision, and even correction when needed (just like a good father does😊💕).  It just keeps giving, changing us...

Good morning, friend!  I hope you are ready to enjoy this weekend!  I know I am! 1 Peter 3:3-4 tells us that beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.    I read this and think about how we look at ourselves in the mirror.  What do we see in our reflection?  I remember a time not long ago when life had really taken a toll on me.  I was a Christian woman, but I was emotionally spent and exhausted.  I didn't like the person I saw in the mirror anymore.  And when I found myself at the end of my rope, hurt, alone, and desperate to pull myself back together, I began to lean HARD  into Jesus. I was depending on Him.  As I spent more and more time with Him...time in the word, devotions, journaling...things began to chang...

I typically enjoy my mornings.  First, I wake up, tell the Lord good morning, and let Him remind me why I'm getting out of bed so early 😁😁.  But, once my feet are on the floor and I'm awake, I'm usually feeling good and ready to start my day.  My routine looks the same most days.  I make my morning drink, sit down to do my devotion and journal (my favorite part of the morning), then do a workout with someone like Caroline Girvan or MadFit on YouTube before getting ready for work.  But today was a little slower...I was a little tired and had something on my mind.  I mentioned this to my husband who quickly reminded me to pray and let the Holy Spirit speak to me about it (what a good hubby😍).  I read my devotion and still felt uninspired as I stared at my blank page.  I thought about just putting it away and trying again later, but then I asked the Lord to help me hear what He would have me hear. I decided to just start writing and see where that...

Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.  Romans 8:34  Intercede means to intervene on behalf of another (to negotiate, arbitrate, to step in, take action).  Romans 8:34 above says Jesus negotiates and steps in for us.  He did it all on the cross and yet still intercedes for us.  He steps in, negotiates, and takes action...For US !  He never stops...never leaves...never gives up.  Praise God!   Oh, how I know the truth of this verse because there was a time I needed Him to take action for me, to step in on my behalf, and He did!!  I watched Him change people's minds and reveal truth to them.  He reminded me that NO weapon formed against me would prosper and that I would refute EVERY tongue that accused me (Isaiah 54:17), and then I watched as person by person reached out to me proving that no weapon formed against me was prospering, truth was reveale...

Who doesn’t love a good vacation?!?!  We just came back from a trip to Tybee Island and Savannah, GA, and boy was it HOT!  I loved every minute of this vacation and did not  want to come home!   No high-rises on Tybee! I love the “Nicholas Sparks” vibe it gives me 🥰. Ugh…Take me back!!  Beach walks, long talks, sunshine, ocean views, the sound of waves crashing, time with my hubby, no real plan, just time… Savannah, GA…Mossy trees (all the feels), old cemeteries, the city squares, fountains, cobblestone streets, watching the barges on River Street. What a beautiful city 😍 We ate pretty well, so I thought I’d share the places we tried… We got a local suggestion for Bubba Gumbo’s on Tybee. The floor was leaning 😂, which was a little awkward, but the food was good!  The Crab Shack on Tybee was a neat place with outdoor dining on the water.  It was surrounded by trees and had an alligator pond where you could feed those cute little guys 🐊 The Shrimp Fa...

 Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord.  "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Accepting Jesus as our savior cleanses us of our sin, tosses them away never to be remembered again.  That's good news!  A clean slate, a new start!  But what happens next is up to us.  Change in our human nature isn't automatic but as we build relationship (connection, bond) with Jesus, we will begin to see change, to desire change.  I completely believe that time with Jesus changes everything .  In my own experience, time with Him will change things we didn't even realize needed to be changed.  My husband often says he doesn't recognize the man he was before he really began to spend time with Jesus and build relationship with Him.  I've heard him say he was a believer, but now he believes Him.  That is powerful!  That's personal, that's...