On almost every spiritual gift assessment I've ever taken, I have tested highest in hospitality. For some reason, it scares me to say that "hospitality is my spiritual gift." (Although I'm sure saying that anything was my gift would scare me.) If I actually say it out loud, people will start expecting me to be...well....hospitable. And then, they will judge me on said hospitality.
TheResurgence.com says that the spiritual gift of hospitality is the ability to welcome strangers and entertain guests, often in your home, with great joy and kindness so that they become friends. Hospitality is supposed to include one's family (I Tim 5:8), friends (Prov. 27:10), Christians (Gal 6:10), and strangers who may not be Christians (Lev. 19:34). The people with the gift of hospitality tend to have an "open home" where others are welcome to visit. This gift is often combined with the natural talents of interior design, cooking, and event planning.
So I'm not sure about the great joy and kindness part. Or the natural talents of interior design, cooking, and event planning. BUT I do enjoy having people in our home and Eddie and I have prayed that God would use our home to glorify Him.
OK, enough with the intro...on to what the post is about. I want people to feel welcome in our home. I want our guests to have everything they could need. I don't always succeed. We had friends come in this weekend, so I decided to make a list of what they would need to feel "at home" in our home. I decided to share this list with you. Some of these are no-brainers. But some are things I seem to forget to do until it's too late!
1. Clean your house. It doesn't have to be spotless. I know that my guests realize that I have 4 children and they will be forgiving. But, clean the bathrooms, clean the kitchen and at LEAST sweep/vacuum the floors. You want your guests to feel comfortable - not wanting to call the nearest hotel! If you don't have time to really do a good cleaning, PLEASE clean the bathroom they will be using! Toilet, vanity AND tub. If they are going to be showering there, don't make them regret not bringing their shower shoes.
2. Change the sheets. Do this at least for the bed they will be sleeping in. Then, make the bed up so it is nice and ready for them. Guests in my home have to stay in a kid's room. I do not have the luxury of having an extra room to use as a guest room. And, let's face it, kids can be dirty. Give your guests clean sheets!
3. Empty the trash cans....again, at least in the room and bathroom they will be using.
4. Prepare their bathroom. My guests also have to use a kid's bathroom. So, I try to remember to put adult towels and wash cloths (not hooded towels), an unopened bar of soap or at least a shower gel (this is one of my biggies when I visit somewhere....I don't want to use a bar of soap that has been used by every other guest that has been there. Gross!), and adult shampoo and conditioner. Also, wash the bath mat and hand towel. Make sure there is an extra roll of toilet paper where they can easily find it.
5. Have extra pillows and blankets in their room. If my kids are in a sleeping bag on my floor so someone can have their bed, they'll need their pillow. Which means there isn't one in the bed. Some people (like me) bring their pillows everywhere they go, but some don't! Also, an extra blanket. We like to keep our house colder than the general population, so I try to remember to leave a blanket out just in case our guests get cold.
6. Have plenty of drinks and snacks available and make sure your guests know where they are.
This is obviously not an exhaustive list. It's also not a difficult list. These are a few easy suggestions to help make your guests more comfortable. I want to become a better hostess, and the Bible tells us to "practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13). It's a work in progress. But I will keep practicing and hopefully keep getting better!
What are your tips for making your guests feel welcome in your home?
I will be back for Hospitality, Part II....Entertaining Dinner Guests! Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Stats from 2011
So, I've only been blogging since September, but it's so exciting to me to look at my "stats".
In September, my total pageviews was 807. (This doesn't mean 807 different people...just that my blog was looked at 807 times.)
In October, it was 1,114.
November 1,792.
And December 1,808.
Pretty cool!!
Interesting search keywords (things people searched that led them to my blog):
*Teresa Strasser (Who?? Why would this lead someone to my blog?!)
*clean eating (ha! what is clean eating?! I'm pretty sure you won't find that at my house with 4 kids!)
*if someone wants to be a part of your life (aww)
*cardigans and crayons song (maybe I should write a theme song for my blog!)
And....my Top 5 posts from 2011 (according to the number of pageviews)
1. Monogrammed Swap - No surprise that this was #1. I linked up with Kelly's Korner and she has like 6.4 million followers, so it shot a lot traffic my way for people wanting to buy monogrammed stuff.
2. It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - I'm glad this was #2. This was my post with pictures of my Christmas decorations and pictures from my open house. I worked really hard and was proud of how it turned out! Glad somebody wanted to see!
3. Birth Story - Sam, Part 2 - Love this. Kinda self-explanatory on what the post is about!! :)
4. I am 1 in 4 - This was the hardest post for me to write. Cried the whole time I wrote it. It talks about the miscarriage of our first baby.
5. Birth Story - Sam - The first part of my precious baby's entrance to this world after a time of infertility and miscarriage
In September, my total pageviews was 807. (This doesn't mean 807 different people...just that my blog was looked at 807 times.)
In October, it was 1,114.
November 1,792.
And December 1,808.
Pretty cool!!
Interesting search keywords (things people searched that led them to my blog):
*Teresa Strasser (Who?? Why would this lead someone to my blog?!)
*clean eating (ha! what is clean eating?! I'm pretty sure you won't find that at my house with 4 kids!)
*if someone wants to be a part of your life (aww)
*cardigans and crayons song (maybe I should write a theme song for my blog!)
And....my Top 5 posts from 2011 (according to the number of pageviews)
1. Monogrammed Swap - No surprise that this was #1. I linked up with Kelly's Korner and she has like 6.4 million followers, so it shot a lot traffic my way for people wanting to buy monogrammed stuff.
2. It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - I'm glad this was #2. This was my post with pictures of my Christmas decorations and pictures from my open house. I worked really hard and was proud of how it turned out! Glad somebody wanted to see!
3. Birth Story - Sam, Part 2 - Love this. Kinda self-explanatory on what the post is about!! :)
4. I am 1 in 4 - This was the hardest post for me to write. Cried the whole time I wrote it. It talks about the miscarriage of our first baby.
5. Birth Story - Sam - The first part of my precious baby's entrance to this world after a time of infertility and miscarriage
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
My View from the Moving Van
Moving stinks. There are great parts about it. But it's hard. And it never seems to get easier. I should know. In my 33 years on this earth, I have moved 12 times. If you weren't a math major, that averages out to every 2.75 years. That's a lot. My family is NOT a military family, either!
Of those moves, 2 were dorms in college, and 6 were moves to different houses in the same town. So those weren't so hard. But it sounds more dramatic to say I've moved 12 times. But I have seriously lived in 6 different towns in 3 different states in 2 different time zones. For a girl who likes putting down some roots, that's tough.
Our last move was the toughest. We moved all 4 of our children (one of them being only 5 days old) to a whole new state. Sam, our oldest, was in Kindergarten, so thankfully the kids weren't leaving a ton of friends behind, but he still misses his one best friend.
But this move has been the toughest for me. The ironic thing about this being the toughest is that this is my favorite place we have lived so far. I LOVE where we are. I love our church. I love our house. I love the town. I love the people. But, still, change is hard.
I have realized over the last few years how precious (and rare) real friends are. And, honestly, it's hard to make real friends if you're moving all the time. My closest friends are a few girls who I grew up with. When I went home over Christmas, I got to have dinner with two of them. I CHERISH these times. I feel most like me when I'm with them. They know me. I know them. There doesn't need to be any pretending. No convincing. No posturing. Just love. And understanding. And being confident that somebody "gets" me. I know typing it out, it sounds cheesy even to me. But that's really how it is, and I love it.
Our dinner last month, though, was hard for me. I may or may not have broken down into tears at my favorite restaurant. Being there with my friends made me realize how much I miss them. And how much of them I miss out on. There is WAY too much catching up on each others' lives. I wish I just knew what was going on. They both knew what was going on with each other. It was just me who didn't. I know they live in the same town and get to see each other more, but I hate the feeling of being the odd man out. Not that they leave me out. It's just how it is. I don't live there. It can't be helped. I can accept that, but I don't have to like it.
Then there are my Georgia friends. Before we moved here to Louisiana, that was our home for 5 years. I made a few good friends there, and even some GREAT friends. But the thing with that....the people who live there have lived there for years. Most of them forever. So, I moved in, and tried to figure out my place there. I did have some fun, great, sweet friends. But, once again, I moved. They didn't. Their lives remained the same, or worse, returned to life exactly the way it was before I came there. Like I never even was a part of their lives. Sure, there are the exchanged Christmas cards or "checking in" texts/facebook posts and promises of visits. But it's different. And unlike my hometown friends, there is no history. I don't know their "backstory" and they don't know mine. Nothing that creates that cement that friendships need to survive. So keeping up with these friends takes a lot work. From both parties. And sometimes life gets too busy to be able to put in that effort.
So, now, here in the present...I've been in Louisiana for a year now and I'm in that "trying to figure out my place" role. There are tons of really sweet, really Godly girls here that I love. I hope and pray that we are gonna be here for a long time. Previous pastors have stayed 20+ years and I want to be in that category!! But right now we're still in the new phase. People here already have their groups of friends. And so many of these groups have been so wonderful about welcoming me and including me and making me feel loved. But I still know that I'm not part of the group (YET!). I know that's normal, and again, it's just a part of being the new girl and that everyone has been there and I'm not alone. But it's still a hard place to be when you're there.
I desire close friendships with girls. I want real friendships. Ones that aren't just surface. {which is also difficult because sometimes it's hard for me to get real with people who are church members since my husband is the pastor, but that's a whole different post} I am trying so hard not to just give up even trying. It would be easy for me to say "it doesn't matter" or "it's not worth it." But I refuse to do that! I believe that close friendships are a wonderful gift from God. And I am determined to be a better friend...to those I've known my whole life, to those I only knew a short time, and now to those that I'm just becoming friends with.
Disclaimer 1:
I also know that part of it is just where I am in life. I have young babies at home. I am in the midst of schedules and diapers and naptimes and getting everyone where they need to be. I know that things will change sooner than I'm ready and that I'll one day have time to meet friends for coffee and lunch and trips to Target. I know that. But this post is about how moving has affected me. And that's where it has hit me the most....in my friendships.
Disclaimer 2:
I also know that I have not been the kind of friend that I am saying I want. I realize that all friendships take two people to make it work and I don't always invest like I need. I don't always take the time to cultivate my friendships. I don't call/text as often as I should to check in with people. I'm not whining that I'm the perfect friend and that my friends don't reciprocate. Again, not the point of this post. This is just a post saying that moving a lot makes making and keeping friends harder than it would be if I had stayed put.
Of those moves, 2 were dorms in college, and 6 were moves to different houses in the same town. So those weren't so hard. But it sounds more dramatic to say I've moved 12 times. But I have seriously lived in 6 different towns in 3 different states in 2 different time zones. For a girl who likes putting down some roots, that's tough.
Our last move was the toughest. We moved all 4 of our children (one of them being only 5 days old) to a whole new state. Sam, our oldest, was in Kindergarten, so thankfully the kids weren't leaving a ton of friends behind, but he still misses his one best friend.
But this move has been the toughest for me. The ironic thing about this being the toughest is that this is my favorite place we have lived so far. I LOVE where we are. I love our church. I love our house. I love the town. I love the people. But, still, change is hard.
I have realized over the last few years how precious (and rare) real friends are. And, honestly, it's hard to make real friends if you're moving all the time. My closest friends are a few girls who I grew up with. When I went home over Christmas, I got to have dinner with two of them. I CHERISH these times. I feel most like me when I'm with them. They know me. I know them. There doesn't need to be any pretending. No convincing. No posturing. Just love. And understanding. And being confident that somebody "gets" me. I know typing it out, it sounds cheesy even to me. But that's really how it is, and I love it.
Our dinner last month, though, was hard for me. I may or may not have broken down into tears at my favorite restaurant. Being there with my friends made me realize how much I miss them. And how much of them I miss out on. There is WAY too much catching up on each others' lives. I wish I just knew what was going on. They both knew what was going on with each other. It was just me who didn't. I know they live in the same town and get to see each other more, but I hate the feeling of being the odd man out. Not that they leave me out. It's just how it is. I don't live there. It can't be helped. I can accept that, but I don't have to like it.
Then there are my Georgia friends. Before we moved here to Louisiana, that was our home for 5 years. I made a few good friends there, and even some GREAT friends. But the thing with that....the people who live there have lived there for years. Most of them forever. So, I moved in, and tried to figure out my place there. I did have some fun, great, sweet friends. But, once again, I moved. They didn't. Their lives remained the same, or worse, returned to life exactly the way it was before I came there. Like I never even was a part of their lives. Sure, there are the exchanged Christmas cards or "checking in" texts/facebook posts and promises of visits. But it's different. And unlike my hometown friends, there is no history. I don't know their "backstory" and they don't know mine. Nothing that creates that cement that friendships need to survive. So keeping up with these friends takes a lot work. From both parties. And sometimes life gets too busy to be able to put in that effort.
So, now, here in the present...I've been in Louisiana for a year now and I'm in that "trying to figure out my place" role. There are tons of really sweet, really Godly girls here that I love. I hope and pray that we are gonna be here for a long time. Previous pastors have stayed 20+ years and I want to be in that category!! But right now we're still in the new phase. People here already have their groups of friends. And so many of these groups have been so wonderful about welcoming me and including me and making me feel loved. But I still know that I'm not part of the group (YET!). I know that's normal, and again, it's just a part of being the new girl and that everyone has been there and I'm not alone. But it's still a hard place to be when you're there.
I desire close friendships with girls. I want real friendships. Ones that aren't just surface. {which is also difficult because sometimes it's hard for me to get real with people who are church members since my husband is the pastor, but that's a whole different post} I am trying so hard not to just give up even trying. It would be easy for me to say "it doesn't matter" or "it's not worth it." But I refuse to do that! I believe that close friendships are a wonderful gift from God. And I am determined to be a better friend...to those I've known my whole life, to those I only knew a short time, and now to those that I'm just becoming friends with.
Disclaimer 1:
I also know that part of it is just where I am in life. I have young babies at home. I am in the midst of schedules and diapers and naptimes and getting everyone where they need to be. I know that things will change sooner than I'm ready and that I'll one day have time to meet friends for coffee and lunch and trips to Target. I know that. But this post is about how moving has affected me. And that's where it has hit me the most....in my friendships.
Disclaimer 2:
I also know that I have not been the kind of friend that I am saying I want. I realize that all friendships take two people to make it work and I don't always invest like I need. I don't always take the time to cultivate my friendships. I don't call/text as often as I should to check in with people. I'm not whining that I'm the perfect friend and that my friends don't reciprocate. Again, not the point of this post. This is just a post saying that moving a lot makes making and keeping friends harder than it would be if I had stayed put.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Devotion Time Selections...
Here are some things I am using in my quiet time with the Lord right now that I would love to suggest to you!!
1. Jesus Callling by Sarah Young....I start my time out reading the thought for the day in this. It is short and written as if Jesus was talking to you. It is a wonderful way to focus my attention on Him and bring my thoughts to Him.
2. The One Year Through the Bible Devotional (published by Tyndale)....It has the Bible divided into sections to read, and it has a devotional thought to go along with it. I love this because sometimes (especially in the Old Testament...especially in the who begat whom sections) I tend to kinda skim. This devotional suggests parts to focus on and helps me think about the passages with background on it or thought provoking questions about it or ways it can apply to me today.
3. The Bible. Obviously. I use the New American Standard version. It's a word for word translation (instead of thought for thought like some, such as the New International Version). I like the NAS because it's accurate and easy to read and understand.
4. Journal....I have journaled off and on, but I am trying it again. I am writing down anything God teaches me as I read. I am writing down things that stick out to me. Questions I have. What I'm praying for. Sometimes it's long, sometimes it's one sentence. One of my biggest problems in my spiritual walk is that I can get legalistic. I'm not setting up any rules for myself in this journal. Just write down what I feel like I need to write down! But it's important to keep me focused and not let my mind wander.
5. Prayer time....this is another component I have struggled with in focus. Right now I'm going through the Louisiana Baptist's 21 Day Prayer Journal. I am liking that in that it gives me Scripture to pray about and helps focus my prayer time. I am also enjoying the journalling part of this...sometimes I write my whole prayer and sometimes I write down bullet points.
That's what my quiet time is composed of. I am also going through (for the 2nd time) the Bible Study "Satisfy our Souls...a Cry from the Desert" by Frances Worthington. I do this at a different time than my quiet time because I don't want to let this take the place of my quiet time. So I do it after everyone is in bed at night on the nights when I can.
I love this study because I can relate SO much to it. Her paragraph on the back of the book says "Do you find yourself thriving in mountain-top experiences only to plunge into barren, arid desert reality that chokes out your joy? Your shoes are full of sand and your heart is dried out. You're gritty and grumbling and wondering why this keeps happening."
YES!! It's all about learning to let God satisfy our souls "as with the richest of foods." Psalm 63:5
Well, this is what I'm doing. I am feeling really excited about my own revived time with God. I hope you will make time for Him, too!
What does your devotional time consist of? Any suggestions for me??
1. Jesus Callling by Sarah Young....I start my time out reading the thought for the day in this. It is short and written as if Jesus was talking to you. It is a wonderful way to focus my attention on Him and bring my thoughts to Him.
2. The One Year Through the Bible Devotional (published by Tyndale)....It has the Bible divided into sections to read, and it has a devotional thought to go along with it. I love this because sometimes (especially in the Old Testament...especially in the who begat whom sections) I tend to kinda skim. This devotional suggests parts to focus on and helps me think about the passages with background on it or thought provoking questions about it or ways it can apply to me today.
3. The Bible. Obviously. I use the New American Standard version. It's a word for word translation (instead of thought for thought like some, such as the New International Version). I like the NAS because it's accurate and easy to read and understand.
4. Journal....I have journaled off and on, but I am trying it again. I am writing down anything God teaches me as I read. I am writing down things that stick out to me. Questions I have. What I'm praying for. Sometimes it's long, sometimes it's one sentence. One of my biggest problems in my spiritual walk is that I can get legalistic. I'm not setting up any rules for myself in this journal. Just write down what I feel like I need to write down! But it's important to keep me focused and not let my mind wander.
5. Prayer time....this is another component I have struggled with in focus. Right now I'm going through the Louisiana Baptist's 21 Day Prayer Journal. I am liking that in that it gives me Scripture to pray about and helps focus my prayer time. I am also enjoying the journalling part of this...sometimes I write my whole prayer and sometimes I write down bullet points.
That's what my quiet time is composed of. I am also going through (for the 2nd time) the Bible Study "Satisfy our Souls...a Cry from the Desert" by Frances Worthington. I do this at a different time than my quiet time because I don't want to let this take the place of my quiet time. So I do it after everyone is in bed at night on the nights when I can.
I love this study because I can relate SO much to it. Her paragraph on the back of the book says "Do you find yourself thriving in mountain-top experiences only to plunge into barren, arid desert reality that chokes out your joy? Your shoes are full of sand and your heart is dried out. You're gritty and grumbling and wondering why this keeps happening."
YES!! It's all about learning to let God satisfy our souls "as with the richest of foods." Psalm 63:5
Well, this is what I'm doing. I am feeling really excited about my own revived time with God. I hope you will make time for Him, too!
What does your devotional time consist of? Any suggestions for me??
Annoying Phrases
*I know, right {I have to agree with your "I know"??}
*It is what it is {Well, of course it is}
*Amazeballs {What? Who makes this stuff up?}
*At the end of the day {What about tomorrow?}
*irregardless {This is not a real word, people!}
What phrases annoy you??
*It is what it is {Well, of course it is}
*Amazeballs {What? Who makes this stuff up?}
*At the end of the day {What about tomorrow?}
*irregardless {This is not a real word, people!}
What phrases annoy you??
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
New year, new ME!
I'm not really one to make resolutions. I did, however, reflect on my last year and figure out where I wanted to change. Where I wanted to improve. What I wanted to do with my new start.
With the husband: I want to be more of an asset to him and his ministry. Since we started dating in 1997, my prayer has been that I would never be a hindrance to his ministry. I'm sure there have been times I have come up short in this.
I am very sensitive. And I'm not good at hiding my feelings. If I'm thinking it, you can read it on my face. And I'm most sensitive and can be most defensive about my husband. And sometimes people can be insensitive. And thoughtless. Mean, even. Sometimes even church people. I hope and pray that as things have happened in the past, that my responses and reactions have not reflected badly on Eddie.
I want to be more of an encouragement to him. I want to be a place of refuge for him. I want him to never doubt that I support him 100% and will always "have his back." I want to complain less. I want to be more positive. I want to make less suggestions. I want to jump to conclusions less and give him the benefit of the doubt more. I want to make fewer assumptions.
I want to be the wife with a gentle, quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4). I want to be more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23).
With the kids: I want to be more there. I want to watch them play less and play with them more. I want to cook for them less and cook with them more. I want to read to them less and read with them more. I want to listen to them giggle less and laugh with them more.
I want to them look at me and see my delight and love, and not an angry, disappointed, frustrated face. I want to be more patient. More gentle. More fun. More relaxed.
I want to be a better example of God's love for us and to encourage them to grow in to Godly men and women.
With me: I want to be more intentional and consistent in my time alone with God.
I want to be a better friend. Be more compassionate. Be more generous. Be less focused on me and more focused on others. Be more helpful. Be proactive instead of reactive. Be more gracious.
I want to worry less about what I should have done or need to be doing and just enjoy my life and my family and the blessings that God has given me.
I want to have less expectation. Especially for my children. I have really high expectations, which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing. God expects perfection from us. But He is more gracious and loving with me when I fail than I am when others don't meet my expectations. I need to realize that my children are just that...children.... and be a better guide in showing them how to live instead of impatiently and angrily telling them when they get it wrong.
Wow. This is kinda an overwhelming list. Impossible, even. Thank goodness that "with God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)
What changes do you want to make?
With the husband: I want to be more of an asset to him and his ministry. Since we started dating in 1997, my prayer has been that I would never be a hindrance to his ministry. I'm sure there have been times I have come up short in this.
I am very sensitive. And I'm not good at hiding my feelings. If I'm thinking it, you can read it on my face. And I'm most sensitive and can be most defensive about my husband. And sometimes people can be insensitive. And thoughtless. Mean, even. Sometimes even church people. I hope and pray that as things have happened in the past, that my responses and reactions have not reflected badly on Eddie.
I want to be more of an encouragement to him. I want to be a place of refuge for him. I want him to never doubt that I support him 100% and will always "have his back." I want to complain less. I want to be more positive. I want to make less suggestions. I want to jump to conclusions less and give him the benefit of the doubt more. I want to make fewer assumptions.
I want to be the wife with a gentle, quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4). I want to be more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23).
With the kids: I want to be more there. I want to watch them play less and play with them more. I want to cook for them less and cook with them more. I want to read to them less and read with them more. I want to listen to them giggle less and laugh with them more.
I want to them look at me and see my delight and love, and not an angry, disappointed, frustrated face. I want to be more patient. More gentle. More fun. More relaxed.
I want to be a better example of God's love for us and to encourage them to grow in to Godly men and women.
With me: I want to be more intentional and consistent in my time alone with God.
I want to be a better friend. Be more compassionate. Be more generous. Be less focused on me and more focused on others. Be more helpful. Be proactive instead of reactive. Be more gracious.
I want to worry less about what I should have done or need to be doing and just enjoy my life and my family and the blessings that God has given me.
I want to have less expectation. Especially for my children. I have really high expectations, which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing. God expects perfection from us. But He is more gracious and loving with me when I fail than I am when others don't meet my expectations. I need to realize that my children are just that...children.... and be a better guide in showing them how to live instead of impatiently and angrily telling them when they get it wrong.
Wow. This is kinda an overwhelming list. Impossible, even. Thank goodness that "with God, all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)
What changes do you want to make?
Monday, January 2, 2012
Thoughts for the New Year
This was yesterday's devotion from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. What a wonderful thought at the beginning of this year. Hope it speaks to you as much as it did to me.
Come to me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year. Instead, seek My face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully attentive to You. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts embrace You in everlasting love. I also know the plans I have for you: plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.
Romans 12:2; Jeremiah 29:11
Wow! I am ready for Him to change me! I am READY to let go of my old ways. I am ready for this adventure.
Are you?
Come to me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year. Instead, seek My face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully attentive to You. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts embrace You in everlasting love. I also know the plans I have for you: plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.
Romans 12:2; Jeremiah 29:11
Wow! I am ready for Him to change me! I am READY to let go of my old ways. I am ready for this adventure.
Are you?
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