Don’t miss out on what He has for you because you are set in your own ways.
Even something that seems right can in reality be wrong if it’s self-seeking instead of Kingdom-seeking.
If we would just allow God to truly take over – if we would release the reins to the one who reigns – then our purpose here on earth could be fulfilled, and it would be better than anything we could have ever planned out on our own.
Don’t miss Him.
Don’t miss out on your best life.
Cause your best life is the one where you seek Him and His will first.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Psalm 89:15 “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.”
Lately I’ve taken the term “walk with the Lord” quite literally. Each day after work, I take the opportunity to get my daily dose of sunlight while also getting some time in with the Lord. I use this time to process the day, express my gratitude, and really get vulnerable with God in prayer and reflection.
During this time, the Lord recently brought my attention back to a time when walking with Him in the sunlight didn’t come so easily to me.
As believers we are not immune to hard times, and the truth was that during this time I was really going through it! I was tired, hurting, and I felt desperately alone. I prayed to the Lord about the deficits in my life, and He was faithful to meet my needs. I was thankful, but I was left surrounded by blessings that I felt like I couldn’t enjoy. I reminded God of His promise to me.
John 10:10 “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”
I was not feeling the abundance. I asked the Lord, “God, why do I still feel this way after all you have blessed me with?”. I felt a stirring in my spirit, “Ariel, what are you doing with it?”. I was not lacking in physical provision, but spiritual satisfaction. I was so scared of going without that I had a death grip on the blessings God gave me and I was robbing myself by hoarding them all. My pain had left me cold, rigid, and closed off, but our blessings are not supposed to stop with us.
Isaiah 58:11 “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
Investing in our blessings is the ultimate “pay it forward”. Once I leaned back into His love, I began to receive the fulfilment I was truly hungry for, and then some. By moving and using the blessings we are given, the warmth of His love is multiplied exponentially for many to feel, including us!
One thing the Lord will never do is fail to exceed our expectations. I encourage you to lean in, find ways to invest in your blessings, and feel the warmth of spiritual satisfaction under the light of His goodness today!
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
We are finally coming out of the dark, dreary days of winter and entering the warm, sunny days of spring.
Springtime represents new life, new beginnings, and new blessings.
All seasons have a purpose, but spring really allows us to see our Creator at work in nature! It is a beautiful time of year. I always get a desire to spring clean my home inside and out. I love the feeling when my house is neat and tidy and all the dust is wiped away(at least for a few days).
I also love when our grass is freshly mowed and all the ugly weeds are gone! These aren’t the easiest tasks to accomplish. It takes a lot of work This got me thinking about how important it is to not only spring clean our homes and yards but also our spiritual lives.
Sometimes things build up in us and we need to clean out our lives and hearts.
So, how do we go about spiritual spring cleaning? I think it is important to go to the Lord and ask Him to bring to light anything in us that offends Him. A few examples of things we can ask are:
*Is He pleased with our actions and the way we treat others?
*Are we careful with our words or are we quick to gossip?
*Are our hearts and motives pure?
*Are we truly living in a way that leads others to Christ?
*Do we have a forgiving spirit for others and ourselves?
*Are we fulfilling the purpose He has for us?
When we go to God with these questions, He will answer! He will speak to our hearts and minds through His Holy Spirit. Each of us has something that we need to wipe clean from our hearts. He will cleanse the dirt away. All we have to do is ask, listen to His answer, and then go to Him in repentance. He makes it so easy!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12
Then like the newness of spring, we will be renewed. What a wonderful loving Father we have! He allows us to have beautiful new beginnings, and our sins are remembered no more.
The other day I heard some scripture that I’ve probably heard hundreds of times before, but now, in this season, it hit me a bit differently.
”Now a man was sick, Lazarus, from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one You love is sick.” When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.“
John 11:1-5 HCSB
”Having said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” As soon as she heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and told Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died! ” When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved.“
John 11:28-29, 32-33 HCSB
We know from previous scripture and what we read here in John 11, that Mary had an intimate relationship with Jesus. She had spent much of her time at the very feet of her Teacher…learning, resting, loving, serving, and weeping. So when she is confronted with the deepest sorrow, it’s no surprise that we find her falling at the feet of Jesus. We can’t know the tone or intent of Mary’s comment for sure, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” But, empathizing with the grief of loss, I imagine it going something like this, in a very raw and real way…”Where were you, Jesus? Why weren’t you here? Why didn’t you save him?”
You may be thinking, how dare she?! You can’t BLAME or question the Almighty God and still worship Him! I’ve certainly had those thoughts at some point in my walk with Christ. Why did Mary feel safe to question the Messiah? The answer is right there…she was in an intimate relationship with Him. She was seen, known, and loved at a time when it was taboo for women to be taught anything by a man. She was safe at the feet of Jesus to be her true self, if nowhere else, because He’d proven that fact time and time again. Also, she and her sister understood that ultimately, all power and authority belonged to Him as the Messiah.
And how does Jesus receive Mary’s supposed insubordination? “He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved.” Mary’s pain moved the heart of her Creator to action. Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus and their cries did not go unnoticed by Him.
Thirteen years ago, to the month, my mother and I sat weeping over the body of my sister, who had passed away in bed from an apparent accidental overdose of prescription medication. It came as a complete shock to our family, as we’d never even been aware that my sister had a problem. Our world was completely and utterly turned upside down. One day, she was here and healthy, and the next day, she was gone. I wrestled for months and even years about what I could have and should have done differently.
Most significantly, I wrestled with God. At my very lowest, crying from the depths of my soul, “Where were you, Jesus? Why weren’t you here? Why didn’t you save her?” I’d seen and heard stories of addicts have near death experiences and close calls. Why couldn’t we have had just one close call to alert us that she even had a problem?!
The same God that I’d spent my life, up until that point, learning about and singing to and serving…He heard my cries. When I was weeping at His feet…He was moved. I didn’t and still don’t fully understand the bigger picture of the need for my sister to be taken to heaven as a vivacious 34-year-old woman. But because my God has been faithful to me always, I can rest assured now that His purposes will prevail. “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
I know each of you has a story to tell. Some of you have experienced far more grief and sorrow than I could fathom. If you have yet to experience it, I pray that this sort of grief never finds you, but if it does…sister, stay at the feet of Jesus. Throw yourself before Him, ask Him all the questions, and trust that you are seen and loved.
As a student athlete, I often find my schedule very busy. It’s filled with practices, games, tests, and just life.
All of these things are good. However, there are so many good things to fill our schedule up with, and it’s our choice on what we spend our time on. I have come to realize that one way the devil will attack us as christians, is by throwing all of these distractions at us to where we won’t even have time nor the energy to talk/spend time with God.
This CANNOT happen.
We are called to pick up our cross daily, to be in constant conversation with Him,
and to submit to his authority. However, if we have busy schedules and we don’t make time for God in our daily lives, then we can lose track of our priorities and put up a wall between us and the Lord.
I am very guilty of this, and I am learning how to put God over everything in my life.
Some scriptures that help me are James 4:8 where it says, ”Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.“
And also 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
God wants to talk to you, and He wants to get to know you because He loves you and created you. But if we don’t give Him the time or attention then we will stray away from Him. He gives us every opportunity. We just have to take it, and trust me it is so worth it!
For me, I have time set aside at night to spend time with the Lord because I am a night person. The solution to finding time for God is slowing down and getting your priorities straight, and then aligning your schedule with your priorities.
What you do with your time is a choice and we all have the ability to eliminate unnecessary distractions. It’s just as easy as not spending that extra thirty minutes on your phone, or reading the Bible during your lunch break.
So, I challenge you to look at your daily routine and find what is workable for you. Everyone is different. So how will you make the most of your time?
As a student athlete, I often find my schedule very busy, filled with practices, games, tests, and just life. All of these things are good, but there are so many good things to fill my schedule up with that sometimes it’s just too much! And I find myself missing out on my time with the Lord! I have come to realize that one way we can get off track as Christians is by allowing distractions to come in and take up all our time so we don’t have the time or energy to spend with God. If we allow this and we don’t make time for God in our daily lives, then we can lose track of our priorities and put up a wall between us and the Lord. I am guilty of this at times, and I am learning how to put God over everything in my life. I want to hear His voice but if I don’t take the time, I probably won’t. Some scriptures that help me are James 4:8 where it says ”Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.“ And also 1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
God wants to talk to you and he wants to get to know you because He loves you and He created you. But if we don’t give him the time or attention then we will stray away from him. He gives us every opportunity we just have to take it, and trust me it is so worth it! The Word says if I come near to Him, He will come near to me! And also, he cares about all my worries and I can give them to HIm because He cares! I love that!
For me, I am not a morning person so I have time set aside at night to spend time with the Lord. I don’t do it every single night but most nights I do. Because that’s when my brain is most focused on being with Him and the house is quiet. Now, my little sis loves to sleep with me and this has given me a great opportunity to read the Bible and talk to her about the Lord often too. The solution to finding time for God is being intentional about slowing down and getting your priorities straight, and then aligning your schedule with your priorities. What you do with your time is a choice and we all have the ability to eliminate unnecessary distractions and it’s just as easy as not spending that extra thirty minutes on your phone, or reading the bible during your lunch break. So I challenge you to look at your daily routine and find what is workable for you, because everyone is different. So how will you be more intentional about your time with the Lord?
Luke 15:4 reminds us, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”
Reflecting on this scripture during a recent devotion with other ladies brought to mind a touching story shared by a friend about her son’s journey to becoming a shepherd. After graduating from high school, he pursued his dream and found employment on a large sheep farm in South Dakota. Occasionally, newborn lambs would face rejection from their mothers, earning them the nickname “bums.” While it’s easy to envision a quaint farm where children lovingly care for these lambs, the reality on this industrial farm was different. With every employee focused on the daily tasks of caring for the thriving sheep, there was little provision for nurturing these rejected lambs. However, hope came in the form of a compassionate woman known as the “bum lady,” who selflessly collected, bottle-fed, and provided care for these abandoned lambs. In the midst of rejection and neglect, she became their rescuer.
We are all familiar with the metaphor of humans as sheep in the Bible, portraying us as vulnerable and in need of guidance. While we recognize Jesus as our ultimate rescuer, I suggest that as disciple-makers, we are called to reproduce the compassion of the “bum lady” for those who feel rejected and neglected. By offering nourishment and a chance at life to the marginalized, we fulfill our mission as followers of Christ. Like the “bum lady” who prioritizes the one in need over the crowd, we too can choose to extend kindness to those who have been forgotten, embodying the love and care of our ultimate rescuer. So, when you encounter someone battling rejection and neglect, take a moment to appreciate the opportunity given to you by God to be a source of comfort and care, just like the “bum lady.”
”A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.“
We all have motives to explain the things we do and why we do them. Why do you believe what you believe?
We can be persuaded and inspired to believe all types of things. Do you believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior? Would you be able to explain your reasoning why to someone else?
A family member or friend may have been your first motive to open the Bible or sit in a church pew. That is a blessing in itself, but it doesn’t stop there. Just opening the Bible and attending church will not save you on their own accord. They are both ways to get to know the true Jesus and foster a relationship with Him; they are essential to experiencing His saving love and grace.
Our motive for a relationship with Christ should be rooted in our understanding of the attributes of His character, not just the eternal reward. That ticket to Heaven is great, but we are not deserving of it…at all!
God is all powerful, all knowing and the creator of all things. He deserves all of the praise and glory for giving us the free gift of salvation. Our faith in the Lord will not waver based on circumstances, if our motives to believe are in the right place. Seek Jesus because of who He is and what He has done!
”For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.“
It’s an iconic moment for the show FRIENDS as the character Ross shouts these words to Rachel and Chandler that are trying to help him with moving a couch. One of many quotes that live rent free in my head to be honest but lately it’s become more of a thing I tell myself — Pivot!
A shift or change in my perspective or attitude or expectation while still remaining in a fixed position as I endure transition.
“Change is outward, transition is inward…”
These words were a revelation for me when I heard them earlier this month. I’ve always used change and transition interchangeably but here I could tell there was a stark difference.
Transition. It’s such a tricky thing and many of us are probably going through it in some way or another. Transition is the space between; the process of getting from point a to point b and it’s happening within us. It’s when our heart is preparing for seasons or rhythms of life we know are changing or have changed. For me personally it’s going on the mission field, for others it could be having a baby, getting married, graduating, a new career, becoming empty nesters, or even processing the loss of a loved one or a relationship. Outward changes and circumstances that affect our inward life.
”My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.“
Psalms 57:7 NKJV
Psalm fifty-seven seven played over in my mind – a prompting from the Lord to look it up. I had no idea what the scripture actually was and when I read it I certainly didn’t understand because my heart actually felt anything but steadfast. However, I do like to dig into Hebrew meaning, a semblance of verse mapping so hopefully y’all will stick with me on this.
Steadfast in the Hebrew could mean:
Be enduring
Be securely determined
Be arranged
To be prepared, be ready
To be established, be fastened
And those are just some. I didn’t stop there though, I also looked into “sing” and “give praise”, including root words and finding things like:
Travel, journey, go
Trim, prune, pluck
Stand, tremble
It was then I felt I could proclaim the same as David in this transition. My heart is steadfast, O God, I will sing and give praise because He’s preparing my heart in the journey. And He’s preparing yours too. In whatever transition you find yourself. He’s our fixed point, our firm foundation! Some things are pruned, some pivoting needed in our inner life at times, but we will find a song along the way and stand and tremble in a deeper awe of God. It’s only when we refuse to make some adjustments that are needed or refuse to continue on the journey that we end up stuck in this transition, never seeming to go further inwardly. And perhaps, like in the show, frustrated. Yet when we fix our eyes on Jesus (again) – pivot our focus – and trust Him in the process we find ourselves smoothly entering into the next phase of life and ourselves fully ready. We’ve been prepared.
This also makes me think of the process of new wine and how we need to be new wine skin that it may be preserved:
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.“
Luke 5:37-38 NKJV
Transitions aren’t meant to take us out, they are meant to make room for new, a segue.
May you find your heart steadfast and giving praise to the author and finisher of your faith, Jesus, in this transition and trust the process and purpose of the new.
Rays of Sunshine inc 