Tag: Faith

Grateful Friday

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This is one of my favorite times in the blog, when I stop to give thanks for life’s happenings over the past month. While I believe gratefulness ought to be personal and intentional, it’s good to be official and public about it sometimes, to encourage it in others. When I think of God’s goodness, even during what I deem as hard times, I can’t help but to be thankful and humbled by God’s constant thought of me. When you know of that kind of love in your life, you can’t help but to want to share it and pass it on. He is just that good. So here’s my list of thankful for this month:

Learning. I’ve previously mentioned that I’m taking an Adobe Illustrator class hosted and taught by Lauren Hooker of Elle and Company in order to serve this blog and other pursuits. The first few classes have gone great, and I’m making my way around a new program. I’m glad I’m still able to appreciate and receive learning and apply it to wherever God has placed me.

God’s gifts. God has endowed each of us with gift to glorify His name and to share His gospel to others. When you come to understand your particular calling, follow it. God wants to fulfill purpose through you, but if you aren’t willing to heed His call, then you’re only short-changing yourself, I believe. Why would you want to miss participating in the glorious work of building God’s kingdom? This is an awesome time to be involved in the work of God.

God’s sovereignty. No matter what goes on in the world, no matter what seems to crumble around you, you better believe God is in control. Don’t ever doubt His presence, His work, power, His hand in all things. Believe.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 KJV)

To Everything There Is a Season

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imageWinter seems to have left its cold, gray days behind. While it was often harsh, I learned to appreciate the quietness of the season, and certainly the beauty. Hot chocolate, warm cookies, and favorite blankets also made the season special.

Our hope now is for spring! Colorful blooms and sunny days await our beholding. Some see spring as a time for newness and starting over, a time of refreshing. A time for life again. The brightness of the season, I would argue, is best captured on Easter Sunday. Dresses, hats, and fun baskets filled with crazy eggs seem to make spring official.

Before the eggs and the hallelujahs of Easter, we face the season of death. Not just reading about Christ’s crucifixion, but looking at the destructiveness of our own sin – the reason Jesus went to the cross to begin with. It is dark and horrible, a place I don’t think one would normally visit voluntarily. But as faith followers, that is what we must do. We have to face the monstrous, distorted look of sin, the look that was put on our Christ as he bore it all for us, before the entire world.

We must face what we were, what He did, before we can face who we are. With Christ’s resurrection, we are raised to life also. We are resurrected. We can face who we now are:

Redeemed.
Saved.
Freed.
Forgiven.

Our hope might now well be for spring, but I’m aiming for something higher in this season. I’m aiming for Jesus and the hope of my salvation. My soul longs to be saved by my Savior, to be raised to new life in Him.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven… (‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ KJV)

What is New Day?

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What is New Day

Welcome March!

For new followers, I thought I’d take time to reintroduce New Day…

New Day is an expression of God’s faith, grace, and love as I have experienced and know them, and it is meant to celebrate the gift of life and of each new day we’re blessed to see. It is based on the scripture found in Lamentations 3:22-23:

His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (KJV)

New Day was born out of a gift for words and writing. So far, I’ve captured thoughts on life’s toolboxes, my nieces and nephews, why I started blogging, love and Valentine’s Day, gratefulness, even Dean Smith. Through it all, my hope is to honor the Lord and to share His goodness through these posted words.

Since the blog was launched on January 1, I’m learning to embrace life more. I begin each day in Him, I choose Him for the day, and I live in the day and path He’s set for me.

Let’s face it: life is hard sometimes. There are good days and bad days. But great IS the Lord’s faithfulness. Trust the One who holds the day, and make the most out of each moment. It’s worth it!

New Day is currently published weekly on Friday mornings. I hope you’ll keep following and engaging as we make this journey together!