Hello friend,
            God loves you and so do I.  I am concerned about you and just wanted to spend a quiet moment with you before you begin your hectic week.  Are you rushing already?  Or do you feel centered and calm?  Chances are that you have a lot on your plate this week. Everyone seems to!  We need instant coffee because we don’t have enough time to let it perk.  Or we stop at Starbucks to grab a cup on the go.  We are always frantically rushing. Even at home we rush from one chore to another until we mindlessly plop in front of the tv exhausted.  Is that what it is like at your house?
            I love the fact that you and I can make choices.  If you truly want to have peace in your soul, choose it!  Jesus and his disciples were out in a boat and a great storm arose.  The disciples were terrified.  Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat and the disciples woke him.  “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm  (Mark 4:39).  Three little words from Jesus and the storm stopped.  He still speaks to you and me.  Pause long enough to brew your coffee this morning.  Sit quietly and meditate on the above scripture.  Whatever storm you may be facing this week, know that Jesus offers peace.  Be still long enough to hear him whisper to you, “Peace.”  Pour yourself a cup of coffee and relax.  Those few minutes of calm can set the tone for your entire week.                                         Love you,
                                                                                     Linda

     Pray without ceasing.                                       I Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)


Hello Friend,
                Have you ever wondered just how it is possible to pray without ceasing? Well, the Bible has advice for busy people who struggle with time and hectic schedules when trying to make room for a balanced prayer life.  Prayer time can be engaged in at any time of the day and it is quite beneficial to focus on the quality rather than the quantity of your heartfelt words. 
            Morning can be a good time to set the tone for the day.  Mark 1:35 says, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He (Jesus) went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”  Some relevant tips are to take care of some of the morning preparation the night before and include the family in prayer around the breakfast table. 
            While a hectic schedule can make the afternoon pass quickly, there are still opportunities to grab a few minutes for prayer.  Acts 3:1 says that, “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.)” If the family or your co-workers gather for lunch, a five-minute devotion and prayer is possible.    If possible, go outside your workplace and find a quiet spot and just rest your mind.  Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
            Lastly, don’t let your head hit the pillow before offering a prayer.  It is often a nice way to wind down.  “And when He (Jesus) has sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.”
            Prayer time is Anytime.  Pray without ceasing.  The Lord longs to hear from you!
                                        My focus is on the Lord at all times,                                                                                                                       Linda

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16
 
Hello Friend,
          God sent his Son, Jesus, to bring believers forgiveness for our sins and eternal life.  While Jesus is no longer physically present with us, He sent His Spirit to be with us always.  The Holy Spirit leads, guides, and directs our steps.  Our task is to follow the Spirit’s promptings. Today, I feel strongly in my spirit that I am called to remind my readers to put down the cell phone.  Drop the clicker.  Please don’t pick up the game controller.  Pick up your Bible instead.  From cover to cover, the Bible is a love letter written just for you.  Inside you will find stories of Jesus that have been passed down to you as a valued treasure for centuries.  First, the stories were told from generation to generation orally.  Later, they were written down, and after the printing press, were available to the people.  Sadly, most people have a Bible somewhere in their house, mostly gathering dust.  How is God going to reach you with his love if your mind is captivated by electronics muting the promptings of the Holy Spirit?  Can you be silent enough, long enough, to hear God speaking to you?  Will you so treasure Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for you that you will take the time to learn about His nature, His love for sinners, hear His teaching parables?  This Easter Sunday is coming to a close.  Will you celebrate Jesus’ resurrection by resurrecting your faith practices?  Your life depends on it!            Linda