I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Cultivate Healthy Relationships
Imagine planting a flower seed...
If you want the seed to grow into a healthy flower, you have to care for it properly by giving it enough of what it needs to live—good soil, water, sunshine, attention and care.
Now think of the people who are there for you during hard times. The ones who love and encourage you, the people you enjoy experiencing life with. These relationships are much like seeds—we need to care for them properly if we want them to not only grow, but thrive.
"I thank my God every time I remember you."
Philippians 1:3 NIV
In the Bible, we learn that Paul started a church in Philippi. While he lived there, the people were generous and kind to him—partnering with Paul to share the Gospel. But even when Paul eventually continued on with his travels, the Philippian church continued to support him.
And so, after he was put in prison, Paul wrote them a letter. He could have chosen to write about his troubles, but instead, Paul prayed for his friends and encouraged them to continue to live God-honoring lives in the face of hardships and persecution. Paul recognized the sacrifices they were making, and chose to appreciate and encourage them.
In a similar way, we can help our relationships grow by expressing gratitude and appreciation for the people who impact us.
This could look like praying for them, giving them a word of encouragement, or going out of our way to serve them. It could mean slowing down to truly listen to them, or expressing thanks for something that might otherwise go unnoticed.
God gave us the desire to pursue relationships with the people around us. This means that, like Paul and the Philippians, we have an opportunity to encourage one another and pursue God together.
But in order to do this, we have to be willing to care for our relationships and be intentional about helping them grow and remain healthy. One of the best ways we can do this is by pausing to appreciate the people who support and encourage us.
So today, take some time to thank God for the people who’ve poured into you and, if you're able, let them know how they've impacted your life.
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, ...
Fulfillment of God’s Promises
Hundreds of years before Jesus, the people of God were in trouble.
They were stuck in life, unable to help themselves, and perhaps beginning to doubt that God would save them. Have you ever felt the same way? If so, you might relate to the original audience of this verse—the exiles in Babylon.
The Babylonians conquered God's people and land, sending them hundreds of miles away. Maybe they thought that God had abandoned them, or that He couldn’t hear their cries. But God is always close—especially when His people call on His name.
Isaiah let his people know that God would provide a way out of Babylonian captivity. And God kept His promise, allowing His people to return home.
Generations later, many of God’s people saw themselves as being in a new exile. They were home, but all was not well. So they remembered this verse and its promise—that no matter how dark or desperate our situation might be, God is able to provide a path out of brokenness, ...
