Oh that Holy Spirit!

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

Romans 8:26, NLT

I've always loved and found comfort in knowing that when I don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit does and can take care of that for me. For example, I know a friend is having troubles but I don't know what they are, I can just pray, "Holy Spirit, whatever it is that s/he needs right now, that's what I'm praying for." And I know it will be done.

Really love them

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:9-10, NLT

Oh pretend love is hard but often still much easier than real love. Is it a step along the way to real love or does it create a barrier to real love?

Hope

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13, NLT

I remember when John Wiley Price, a well-known Dallas County Commissioner from South Dallas, came to speak at Leadership Richardson. He spoke about the differences between South Dallas and North Dallas. He said that the worst thing that can happen to a human is to lose hope. He talked about how kids in gangs and people who commit heinous crimes, even killing random strangers, don't care because they have no hope. Hope is so powerful and so important in our lives. I pray that I will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit! I will and must continue to trust in God, the source of hope and I thank Him daily that he completely fills me with joy and peace (and continues to do that, even on the days when I get sidetracked and don't focus on Him and trust in Him).

How to handle work...willingly

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24, NLT

Labor Day Reflection

Unless this love is among us, we can kill ourselves with work and it will only be work, not love.  Work without love is slavery.

Mother Teresa...now Saint Teresa (as of yesterday)!

Joy

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.
Psalm 119:143, NLT

This was Air 1's verse of the day. I read it and kinda decided to ignore it. Finding joy is one thing, finding joy in God's commands...well following his commands is something I choose to ignore a lot.

Then my friend Denise forwarded the email from Air 1 to me with the same verse. She wrote, "I pray your academic year is off to a great start and you are finding joy in all your great work!" So ignoring it and hoping it will go away doesn't work. God will find a way to get His message to you even when you don't want it. I love that about Him! He never gives up on me! And that brings me joy.

Proclaim His Greatness!

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:8, NLT |

Walk the talk...need to work on this one

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18, NLT

Give thanks to the Lord

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34, NLT

Back Door Travel Philosophy

From Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door

"Travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something's not to your liking, change your liking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"fanatically positive and militantly optimistic"... I can do that. :-)

Pay It Forward

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NLT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So this is the ultimate in role modeling. Thank you, Lord, for being an incredible model for me for how to live my life. Help me to be better at it and to grow more in understanding you so that I may be better at it.

Answered Prayers

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.

Psalm 17:6, NLT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't think he even has to bend down. He's right here beside me, every step of the way, answering my prayers before I even know what to pray for. Praise God!

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.

Psalm 16:1, NLT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've always said, "I try to be cautious without being paranoid." It's a fine balance. One of the things that makes it easier to not be paranoid is this prayer. I actually don't even say the second half most times, I just pray, "Keep me safe, O God." Knowing that he will keep me safe keeps me from being paranoid and focused on the negative.

A Cheerful Heart

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

Proverbs 17:22, NLT |

So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.

Ecclesiastes 3:12, NLT |

Appreciating Diversity and Talent

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10, NLT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are each crated uniquely and should appreciate each other for those gifts! And of course, use our gifts to serve one another and not ourselves. A tall order!