A New Year Prayer for 2020

The Day After Christmas

The day after Christmas I wake up; the excitement and anticipation I felt the day before; it's not gone, but it's different. Now, instead of planning and making preparations for the big day, I wake up in a more reflective mood realizing that now the countdown begins to the end of the year, the beginning of a new decade. 

The only plans I'm making right now is to read my Bible more, pray much, much more, and to draw closer to Jesus as if my life depends upon it. With all that is going on
here in the U.S. and around the world, I'm just so thankful that I can still say every day God opens my eyes and blesses me with the use of my limbs, clothed in my right mind; 'Thank you.' I will rejoice and be glad.


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From the Heart: Everyday Thanksgiving

Reminding myself, that the first miracle I experience when I wake up in the morning is feeling my heart beating. The second miracle is opening my eyes and being able to see. I reach out for my glasses in the chair next to my bed, and once I put them on and everything in the room comes into focus, the third miracle is that I have use of my limbs, and to make sure, I swing my legs over on the side of the bed, slip my feet in my houseshoes, get up, and walk toward the door. I realize that I am also clothed in my right mind. Raise up my hand and take a moment to say: Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of this new day that you've made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you, Lord, for your mercies that are new this morning. Amen.

What Will Your Last Words Be?

I found this quote in an article entitled 'Last Words of Famous Men," p. 295 - The Project Gutenberg EBook of 'The Scrap Book, Vol. 1, No. 4. June 1906. Patrick Henry, one of the Founding Fathers of the new republic of America; it is his most famous speech, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" that we remember him for. Yet, at the end of his life, before he took his last breath, his one regret was not reading the Bible. A hard lesson to face before meeting God. I don't want that to be a regret for my life. Neither do I want that for you. Let's make a promise here and now, to read God's Word while we are yet able. And not only read the Word but live it out in our lives. Let no regrets overtake us as our eyes close for the last time in this world.

From the Heart - Proverbs 1:24-25

I'm so grateful God did not give up on me. In my youth, I felt the pull of God many times, but I chose to ignore Him. Moving when I felt the Lord say 'Stay.' But in my hard-headedness, His mercies and loving kindness followed hard after me, when I didn't deserve or even appreciate it. I look back now and just shake my head at the foolish girl I was. I continue to thank God for His never leaving or forsaking me. I cannot even begin to image, where I would be right now if God had left me to my own devices.

From the Heart - Psalm 1.1-3 NLT

O what joy floods the souls of those who walk in righteousness. God rewards those who diligently seek Him 

( Hebrews 11:6).

From the Heart - Isaiah 38:16-17

This summer several members of my family have experienced serious health issues. 
In our recent family Bible study, we have been reading scripture verses on healing. 
Presently, one of my sisters is in the hospital and while she sometimes gets down, 
she encourages herself by knowing that God has not left her. 
This is one of the verses that we pray together. 
We all trust that she will be healed, no matter how it looks. 
We've experienced one miracle. We know that God can do it again.