"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power" - Ephesians 6:10

Some of our strength to fight evil comes from our experiences in the past, from the encouragement of others, and from our knowledge of the truth in the Scriptures. Ultimately, however, our strength comes from God's mighty power. Paul uses his letter to the Ephesians to remind Christians that this power is what raised Jesus from the dead (1:19-20). Through that power in us, God can do much more than we can ask or imagine (3:20-21). Most important of all, as we put on our spiritual armor and dedicate ourselves to spiritual discipline, God blesses us with his power and might. We can be strong in God's mighty power.

PRAYER:

O LORD God Almighty, my Abba Father and loving Shepherd, strengthen me with your might and grace so that I can withstand the attacks and temptations of the evil one. In Jesus' name I ask it.  Amen.

(Taken from http://www.heartlight.org/)

"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine." Ephesians 3:20


This has become one of my favorite verses as I've walked this journey. This is where I got the name of my blog.  We are all truly abundantly blessed.   As human beings, we truly cannot begin to envision how much God can do for us. We cannot begin to imagine how much God loves us. God’s power and love are so vast and infinite. Because of our own limited understandings we actually limit how God can act in our lives. To find healing and hope we need to be open to the unimaginable power of God to break into our lives and give us far more than we can comprehend. We limit the answers God gives by limiting what we think God can do. Don’t go to God in prayer with preconceived answers about how God should respond. But go to God with a spirit open to accepting God’s amazing power and limitless love. You will be in awe of what can happen.

I come to you with an open heart, O God, ready to receive all that you give to me. I know your help is far greater than anything I can perceive. Amen.

We all have some problem or trial we are dealing with. The Lord told us we would have troubles in this life. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I began to see that even though I had this diagnosis, the Lord still LOVES me. HE didn't give me this disease, but He surely will see me through. And He promises that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I had to make a decision whether I would choose to trust Him with this or not. I decided that whatever He has in store for me has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. I also had (and still do) to choose to not become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to him for help. I realized through the love shown to us through others who came when they heard our news how much He truly loves me. I know I never fully understood that until all this happened. I can remember putting Chris Tomlin's song "How Can I Keep From Singing" on in the car while I was alone, tears running down my eyes, crying out to the Father as I felt His arms of love wrap around me. I felt abundantly blessed during that time and am still in awe at His goodness to me and my family through this journey. Take a minute to listen to "How Can I Keep From Singing?" by Chris Tomlin below.

This was written in honor of a cancer survivor who believes that despite his cancer, life is good.  If you are a cancer survivor, you can truly relate to what it says.

Life is Good

How can you say that life is good when you have cancer?  What’s good about it?  You have a disease that threatens your life.  You often have pain, discomfort.  Your abilities and the control you have over your life keep shrinking, while your schedule of medical visits, tumor markers, and  fears keep growing.   Your future appears bleaker, your days shorter.  There’s just a lot going wrong, it seems. It’s frankly, overwhelming.  And a lot of people say some of the most insensitive, unhelpful, hurtful things.  But you still say that life is good?  How can that be?  What is it that you see that still convinces you of life’s goodness, joy, wonder, beauty?  You’ve been through the wringer.  Your life has changed  and it can never  go back  to what it once was.  But that is your answer.  It can’t go back and you don’t want it to.  In spite of and because of your cancer it can’t go back.  That’s your answer!  You have learned in spite of your cancer that God is stronger than the cancer is, that you are stronger than the cancer too.  You have learned because of your cancer that the fragility of life makes life that much more special, precious, worth living fully.   You have learned to love more deeply, forgive more quickly, laugh more freely, risk more boldly.   You have learned, it seems, to search more seriously for God’s face and in your search, you see God’s face in so many more places than you ever had before.   You really do see life as good, because life is meant to be good  and when you found that truth you decided to begin to live it, to be fully alive, to be free.



Copyright © 2009 by Michael Gingerich. All rights reserved.

"He took our infirmities and bore our diseases." Matthew 8:17b

I just have to share this devotion with you that I received today.   Please take a few minutes to read this and really take in what it says.   We serve a big God and whatever we are facing today, He already knows about it.   He is not caught off guard.  We must choose to release our cares and let Him carry our burdens.  I know it's hard to release that control, but what better place to be, letting go and letting God take care of things.  What a relief we find when we do that!

Here's the devotion:   We are created in God’s image. God knows us intimately and perfectly. God wants us to find relief and release for our disease and pain. Because God understands us so fully, God is the one to whom we need to connect to know how we can best find help. God’s business is about offering us healing, hope and new life. God does not want us to suffer and neither does God want us to live in despair. We need to know and believe deeply within our souls that God’s purposes are only for our everyday and eternal best.

In love you have made me. In love you exist to save me from myself, from my fears and from my distress. I will live confidently today because of this deep love for me, dear God. Amen.
 
Living with hope,
 
Molly

A challenge to change your thinking about life

"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will exult in the God of my salvation." - Habakkuk 3:18

To place our deepest hope in the One who knows the depth of eternity is to set ourselves on the strongest foundation of all. God wants only the best for us to have life and to have it abundantly. God offers the abundance to us and invites us to delight in it. How will you delight in this day God has given to you? How will you accept the love that lifts you above the everyday turmoil of this world? How will you react to challenges in a more healthy way? How will you find sacred meaning in even the most routine of tasks? When we think purposefully about these things each day and strive to do them - we will be amazed at the peace we will begin to achieve.

Lord, help me to rethink the way I approach each day. Help me to look at challenges and frustrations in a more positive way. Help me to react to them in a manner that lifts me higher, not pulls me down. I look for your guidance to set me on this better way. Amen.

Share your blessings with others that they may be encouraged.

"No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. " - Matthew 5:15

It is essential that we share the blessings we have been given. It is in sharing that we receive far more than we give. In this dark and difficult world, it is far too easy to see only the disappointments and frustrations around us. But that only makes our vision darker and of course, that's exactly what the enemy wants us to focus on.  When we allow the light that does pierce the darkness to shine from us and through us, we change not only our own outlook, but also begin to influence the understandings of those around us. There are untold blessings in our midst.  Take a few minutes today to write down your blessings.   There is always something we can be thankful for.   Remember the things that the Lord has done in the past for you.   Remember His faithfulness.   We can illuminate them and allow them to illuminate us to see the greater hope that God provides.

Lord, you put a light within me which warms and helps me every day. Even when I travel through this valley of illness, I realize I can help to shine that light all around me. As you bless me, help me to be a blessing to others in return. Amen.