God's our Shield

Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.' But You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head. Psalm 3:2-3






We receive messages about ourselves from the important people in our lives. We internalize these messages and carry them with us, repeating them to ourselves as if they were gospel truth. When the messages are shaming messages then the internal chorus chants 'You are not lovable. You are beyond repair. Even God cannot help you.'

This chorus is a chorus of lies. The psalmist rejects these lies. And we need to begin to reject these lies as well.

The Lord is a 'shield around me', the psalmist says. A shield protects. It comes between the blows of an enemy and a person's vulnerable places. Most shields are small and can only protect a limited area from attack. But the shield which the Lord provides completely surrounds us. We can let this shield protect us from these attacking messages.

The psalmist also says that the Lord 'bestows glory on me and lifts up my head'. Heavy burdens of shame, neglect and abuse have bowed our heads. The Lord listens, pays attention and cares about us. God's love counters the voices of our internal shame-chorus so that we can lift our heads. God replaces our shame with glory. It is a picture of a ragged, neglected child whose head is bowed and shoulders are bent. A king sees the child and goes to him. The king gently lifts the child's chin until his eyes meet his own smiling eyes. He asks the child to come home and live as royalty with him. The child is loved, honored, protected. You are the child. God lifts your head and bestows glory.

Father, I pray that You help me to stop listening to lies about You. Help me to stop listening to lies about me. Be a shield around me. Bestow glory. Lift up my head. In Jesus' name, amen.

Note to Encouragers - Are You Feeling the Weight?

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10






Know that if you're an encourager, the enemy will attack you with the opposite of that gifting ... discouragement. If you're gettin' hit with depression, in part it's because the enemy is scared of you and the damage you're doing to his kingdom.

If you're feeling discouraged, get in the Word and read until you get your peace back. Being an encourager can drain your strength, so continual feeding on God's Word and spending time in His presence is essential. Are you feeling the weight? When you help someone through something, be sure to ask the Lord to fill you back up and cast that persons cares on Him instead of walking around trying to hold yourself up under the weight of everyone's burdens. If you can, pray with the person you're helping right then and there, so ya'll can lift the burden to the Lord together. Burdens are too heavy for our shoulders and we weren't designed to carry them.

Cast your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you and HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU; He will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

God's placed a beautiful gift within you. Don't let it be trampled on and smothered, lift your head high knowing that your heavenly Father is with you and is carrying you and rooting you on.

At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate. You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:5,11

Be encouraged all you encouragers ... YOU ARE GONNA MAKE IT. You're gonna make it, after all.

You CAN do it.

Father, I pray that You encourage us, give us joy, and give us words in due season for Your people and speak them through us. Be in agreement with me, Lord as I speak LIFE and HOPE to all those who just don't think they can take it anymore ... you WILL go thru, in Jesus' name.

Believing for a Loved One?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4




The Lord has really been good to me, I AM so grateful that He spared me from the road I was traveling on. God's no respecter of persons. What He did for me, He CAN do for your loved ones.

The best advice that I can give is to not grow weary. Do what you know to do (pray and be supportive). What's left after having done all is to STAND. The Lord is loving and cares for our loved ones deeply, and He knows just how to reach each one. The Lord's gonna be patient and wait for them to come to Him for help, just like we all have to. We all have to get to that point of desperation. I know that our heavenly Father is pleased with us, sees and feels our heart, and will answer our prayers in His timing. We can't rush the work of the Father.

Our loved ones are really blessed to have people like us in their life, who loves them and hasn't given up, even if everyone else has. We're doing right when we aren't judging or rejecting them... just loving them ... LOVE WINS ONE OUT.

LOVE WON ME OUT.

Prayer: Father God, I pray that You woo our loved ones by way of the Holy Spirit. Draw them to You. Love on them. Be there for them. Help them to call out for You, for You have never rejected those who seek Your face. Minister to them, love the hurts and pains of the past away, take away ungodly addictions, help them to live for You. Keep them safe from all harm and be gentle with them as You work to reach them. Help us to know our part, be loving and supportive (but not enabler of ungodly actions or addictions) and give us peace and renew our hope as we wait on You to move ... suddenly. In Jesus' name, amen.

Don't Expect It

I am Safe by Natalie Grant

The days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings]. He who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]. Prov 15:15

Stop being afraid, it doesn't matter what it looks like. A lot of times, God works behind the scenes ... but He's still at work.  Why live in fear, expecting bad to happen like it always has in the past? Live forward and trust your Father for better days. 

They do not fear or dread bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. Ps 112:7,8

When good things are happening to you, don’t wait for the ball to drop, instead, believe you’ve seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

I had fainted (given up), unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

You CAN face the unknown in confidence with Jesus by your side. There are no guarantees in life other than the promises found in Jesus. BE STILL. The things we worry about, stress about, and busy ourselves with are just distractions for the enemy to deter us from His cause to win souls and heal hearts.

Don't live in fear or dread of what MIGHT happen. Step on your fear and it'll turn to courage.

We usually get what we expect.

Expect good.

Father, speak to our hearts. The battles rage within, and only You can quieten the restlessness, fears, anxieties, and questions.  Our hope lies in You Lord God, drive our hurts and fears away with Your presence and love. We don't have to be afraid or fear the future anymore, because You're with us. Thank You Lord, in Jesus name, amen.

Turn to God

One who has unreliable friends soon
comes to ruin, but there is a Friend who
sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

A friend is someone you can be yourself with. A friend is someone who knows your weaknesses and respects your strength. A friend is someone who believes in you, when you cease to believe in yourself. A friend is someone who answers your call before you call. Jesus is our Friend. The best friend we could ever have. He wants us to come to Him, be transparent with Him, and tell Him anything and everything. We need to turn to God in our times of need. Our heavenly Father will NEVER desert us or turn His back on us.

The Lord is a friend to those who fear Him. He teaches them His covenant (shares His secrets with them). Psalm 25:14

It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Be real and be willing to seek out help from others if the Lord leads, pride isn't going to bring healing. The people around us can be used by God, they can be 'Jesus with skin on' to us. If someone comes to you ... be supportive. Listen. Pray. Don't be judgemental. If you want respect, you gotta give it. If you wanna keep a friend, treat 'em like a friend. If you have nothing nice to say PLEASE don't say anything.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. Proverbs 27:9

Don't let feelings rule you. A lot of times healing can be painful --- go for it anyway. Quit tryin' to justify that sin.

Father, help us to come to You when we're having trouble or have a need. If You have a person that You'd like to use to help us or bless us through, lead us to that person and help us to ask for help. Bless those who are willing to counsel and walk alongside of us. In Jesus name, amen.

God's Hand

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I feel safe, knowing God is holding my hand - leading me, guiding me, and rescuing me.

Thank You, Father.

Thanks, Mom

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?Though she may forget, I will not forget you (says the Lord). Isaiah 49:16

Have a child who hasn’t surrendered their life to the Lord or have you not seen or talked to them in awhile? There were SO many years that I said no to my mom about going to church and a few years that I didn't talk to her at all, because I was hiding in my shame living my life the way I wanted and because of the way she used to treat me. But now, I with honor serve the Lord with gladness, and I see my mom so much she's probably getting tired of me (I learned to forgive her by realizing that though she messed up a LOT, I believe that she really did do the best she knew how). If you’re wondering if your child will ever come to the Lord or if your relationship with your child will ever be repaired, find hope in one prodigal (me) that found her way back. Be encouraged, God's not finished ... He's the Repairer of the breach … His arm IS NOT shortened that it can’t reach into your circumstance and bring healing, no matter how long the hurt and pain has been there.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up. Galations 6:9

Has your mother passed away, left you, or don’t want to see you? Our loving, heavenly Father will never leave us, reject us, or stop loving us.

You've always been right there for me Lord; don't turn Your back on me now. Don't throw me out, don't abandon me; You've always kept the door open. My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in (adopted me as His child). Psalm 27:9,10

You may know someone who appears to have no children. Please be sensitive. There are many mothers whose children are in heaven already, due to miscarriage, illness, abortion, etc.

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you;I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaah 46:4



This is a picture of my mom from last week (we're holding hands). My mom’s getting older, doesn’t get around as well as she used to, and doesn’t remember a lot. But she’s my mom. And I’m grateful for her. I so thank God for her. For a godly heritage. For not giving up on me. For praying for me. For loving me, though we don’t see eye to eye on so many things, she still tries to be there for me. Sometimes I think she’s still trying to make up for all the lost years we had … her for the way she treated me, and me for shutting her out of my life for so long. I forgive you, mama. I forgive you. From the bottom of my heart. I release you from having to make up for everything. I’m so sorry for all the years I disrespected you and tried to (subconsciously) make you pay for the past. Forgive me. I love you mama, Happy Mother’s Day.   

Mother/daughter relationship issues? Open your heart to anything God might want to do to heal the broken places. Jesus came to set the captives free - but we have to ask Him and be willing to receive the healing. Ask the Lord to teach you to love your mother in spite of rejection and troubles. No matter how much it hurts to come face to face with our own failings, God wants to reveal them so He can replace our weakness with His strength.

Pick up the phone, send a card, pay a visit … love on your mother NOW, you never know how long you’ll have her around.

Father, love on mothers, and all those acting in a mother capacity today. Bless them, mend relationships. For those who are without, bring comfort. Fill the voids.  I pray for unity, peace, healing, and salvation in families  Help us to be a blessing to our moms, like they have tried to be for us. May we always treat them with the respect and love that they’re due. In Jesus’ name, amen.