Five things to ponder today

1. Be Thankful. Give thanks for today and for all you have. God’s Will for our life includes a constant spirit of gratitude regardless of our circumstances. When we choose to give thanks, even if our circumstances don’t improve, our perspective certainly will. 

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 118:24 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-28 

2. Don’t Worry. Refuse to let fear rob you of your peace. God is bigger than whatever you’re stressed about! Give your worries over to Him. 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ~Philippians 4:6 

3. Seek God. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to pursue His Kingdom because you will eternally be part of it. 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~Jeremiah 29:13 

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ~Matthew 6:33 

4. Help Others. We live in a selfish world, but selfishness isn’t part of God’s plan for any of our lives. He wants us to care for others every chance we get. 

Doing the right thing in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. ~James 1:27 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ~1 Peter 4:10 

5. Trust God. Every difficult circumstance in your life is something God will use for your good and His glory. He has great blessings in store for you. Trust Him and don’t give up! “

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:28 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  ~Jeremiah 29:11

I am not the original author of these five points. I'm really not sure who is. It's something that came my way and I loved it so much, I just new I wanted to share it with you. I hope each point and each verse blesses you in immeasurable ways. 

Today's Prayer

Dear God,

If I never receive another gift in my life, I'm pretty sure that would be okay because the gift You offered me, that You offer us, to humanity is more than enough. And it's more than we deserve, for sure. Oh that You know us and love us so deeply and unconditionally is more than my mind can comprehend. It's amazing, extraordinary and lavish. Thank You for sending us Jesus. Thank You for the gift of salvation and eternity and peace and love and joy. My gosh ... it's so sweet! ... so wonderful!

I'm so thankful today. Thankful because of your goodness and blessings on our lives.

My cup runneth over when I think about Your love, Your grace, Your goodness and Your mercy.

Thank you for the gift of a beautiful eternal life with You. I receive it.

And Lord, I want to mention a few more things today before I close this prayer. I realize that this is an especially difficult season for many people in our world. I've seen it in many faces this season. You know who they are Father God. You know their hearts and you know their circumstances intimately. I want to lift up these precious people in prayer today.

There are so many people today who are desperate for peace, desperate for love, desperate for You. They are desperate for You and they don't even know that it's You that they need.

Oh  ... if only they knew that peace that surpasses human understanding is only found in You through a relationship with Jesus.

Oh if only they knew that unconditional love is from You, that you love us unconditionally, no matter what.

Oh if only they knew that You are the only One who can heal all the broken places in their lives.

Oh if only they knew that You are a great restorer and will restore and mend the broken relationships in their lives.

Oh if only they knew you will heal their loneliness.

Oh if only they knew that confidence, boldness and courage is birthed through a relationship with You. You are that and so much more.

Lord, please reveal Yourself to every person who is hurting, who is desperate for peace, desperate for love, desperate to feel whole, desperate for connection, desperate for community, desperate for joy and desperate for healing.

Restore and increase their hope. Heal them, restore them, show them, guide them, equip them, empower them, comfort them, and help them feel Your love. Help them feel Your power and Your presence.

Deliver them from fear and reveal to them what Your words says in 2 Timothy 1:7. It says that You have not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power and love and self discipline.

Father God, help them understand that You will patiently wait for them to accept the gift of love, the gift of salvation, the desire to enter into a relationship with Your Son, Jesus.

Father God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, reveal Yourself to each of these people in a fresh new way and share with them that the best is yet to come because it really is!

Put the right people in their lives in their path.

Place the right desires in their hearts.

Open the right doors of opportunities and bless them in their coming and their going as they seek You to understand more and to learn more about your goodness.

Pour out Your grace, Your mercy and Your favor on them, Father God.

Father God, help them understand that when they follow Your ways of doing things, they will find real rest and real peace.

Help them understand that when they plant the seed of Your Word into their hearts and into their lives they will find rest and assurance that Your Word can not and will not fail.

I love what Psalm 16:11 has to say because this is what I desire for each of these people.

Show them the way of life, grant them joy in Your presence and pleasures of living with You forever. ~Psalm 16:11

Thank You in advance for what You're about to do in their lives. I'm believing with faith, that Your power and Your love will be manifested in each of their lives and that great things will begin to unfold now and in the coming new year and the years ahead. I pray these things in the beautiful and powerful name of my Messiah, Jesus, the name above all names. For He is the Prince of peace, our wonderful Counselor and His name is Immanuel which means God with us.

I'm so thankful that You are always with us God, whether we feel You or not.

~Amen

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ~Jeremiah 29:11

No Room

Some of the saddest words on earth are:  “We don’t have room for you.”

Jesus knew the sound of those words.  He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, “We don’t have room for you.” (Luke 2:7)

And when he was hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection?  “We don’t have room for you in our world.”

Even today Jesus is given the same treatment.  He goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter. Every so often, he’s welcomed.  Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay.  And to that person Jesus gives this great promise: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.” (John 14:2)

What a delightful promise he makes us! We make room for him in our hearts … and he makes room for us in his house!

Written by Max Lucado 

The above devotional is found in one Max Lucado's devotional books called Grace for the Moment. It's one of my favorites. 

To hear an audio clip of Max Lucado's devotional for the day, click here.

Happy Christmas!

From my house to yours ... Happy Christmas!

Peace and joy to you and to the ones that mean the world to you. I pray that each of you are experiencing the beauty, blessing and significance of what this beautiful season has been all about. 

Blessings to all!

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

Positive and Wise People

Below you will find a list of attributes that make up a positive and wise person. I put this list together today after pondering all the wise and positive people who have blessed me through the years. Their influence in my life and God's love, grace and influence have awakened me to live my best life and to live wisely and to bless others. Enjoy ... 

Positive people who are wise love God and recognize that their positive ways of thinking and living are a gift from God. 

Positive people who are wise love God and love people.

Positive people who are wise inspire and bless others and desire the very best for others. 

Positive people who are wise are encouragers who make people feel comfortable in their presence.

Positive people who are wise make great leaders.

Positive people who are wise breathe life into people with their words and wisdom.

Positive people who are wise have infectious personalities. It's difficult not to experience joy around these beings. 

Positive people who are wise are life long learners who are committed to learning and growing and being a blessing to others because they have an innate desire in making a difference.

Positive people who are wise are thinkers and love to contemplate what they are learning and how to apply it to bless others.

Positive people who are wise are committed to excellence not perfection.

Positive people who are wise are affable.

Positive people who are wise practice gratitude and grace daily. 

Positive people who are wise believe the best, expect the best from God and desire the best for others.

Positive people who are wise encourage themselves through what they read, what they believe and through an active prayer life. 

Positive people who are wise encourage you to live your best life, to practice gratitude and to practice grace.

Positive people who are wise will share with you that there is great redemptive power in forgiveness.

Positive people who are wise are in tune with God's Spirit, perceive the invisible, sense the intangible and achieve the impossible.

Positive people who are wise recognize and believe that nothing is impossible for God. 

Positive people who are wise rely on God's provision and grace to accomplish great things.

Positive people who are wise are sensitive to the needs of others.

Positive people who are wise believe that faith and prayer activate God's power in our lives.

Positive people who are wise who believe God recognize that confidence and courage come from God alone.

Positive people who are wise recognize that wisdom comes from God. 

Positive people who are wise believe in God and trust God.

Positive people who are wise give people space and grace to learn and grow.

Prayer

Sometimes prayer is talking to God, sometimes it's listening and sometimes it's a combination of both. Whatever it is, however often you do it, just do it because prayer changes things specifically when we pray according to God's will. You may not see things change right away, but don't let that discourage you because in the spiritual realm, things are changing. Give God time.

Until next time, keep praying.

xx, Ruthie

Ten things I want to share with you today

1. No matter what you’re up against, always choose goodness.
2. No matter your circumstance, always choose peace.
3. Promote unity and eradicate division.
4. Play to your strengths and be true to who you really are.
5. Refuse to live being governed by fear.
6. Don’t let your fear cause you to make poor decisions. 
7. Choose wisely. Live wisely. Love radically.
8. God is still on the throne. He is still in control. Trust Him!
9. Try gentle, try softer, try grace.
10. Mark this on your heart today: God loves you! Always!

Grace

Yesterday morning while my son and I were on our way to Streets of Woodfield, I was rear-ended by a young man while we sat at a stop light exiting interstate 290, approaching Higgins Rd. As I made my way to the back of my SUV to access the damage, I locked eyes with the young man who hit my car and watched him lip the words “I’m so sorry” as he sat there in unbelief over what just happened. He then bowed his head and placed his hands on his head. I could tell he felt awful. Surprisingly, there was no damage on either vehicle. Only God! 

Two minutes later, we spot a homeless man who appeared to be in his sixty’s at that intersection. He looked wet, tired and cold. My son opens his wallet, nudges me with his elbow, and passes me a $5 dollar bill. He then tells me to give it to the homeless man standing in the rain. The man initially had part of his back toward us. When he turned around, I waved him over and gave him the five dollar bill. When I placed the five dollar bill in his hand, I locked eyes with his and told him: “God bless you.” When I said those words, I said it with my eyes and my spirit too. I really wanted him to feel that I wanted God to bless him. I really did and today I still do. 

In less than five minutes, two men, one young, the other older, experienced grace. We did too.

As I recall what took place yesterday, I’m so thankful for grace–filled moments.

And as I continue to ponder what took place yesterday morning, I wonder if we would have missed the opportunity to give that man some money if we weren’t rear-ended. It’s amazing that our cars were not dented. Sometimes I think God allows what might be perceived as an initial inconvenience to open doors for us to do good. Yesterday, we experienced one of those moments. Thank you God!

My son shared with me yesterday and again today that it felt really good to give. It always does son. It always does …

What I think is also really cool about this story is that the young man who hit my car yesterday, got to witness me placing money in the hands of the homeless man just minutes after bumping my SUV. He might have thought I was initially angry or irritated but I wasn't. Instead, he got to witness another human being helping someone in need. I believe things happen for so many reasons. Sometimes we will never know all the reasons why. I trust that each of us yesterday felt God's goodness in our lives. God is so good and He inspires each of us to do good because of His love, because He is love, because He is merciful and kind and full of grace.  

Grace as I know it is unmerited favor. Grace is never earned. It's a gift from God. Max Lucado describes God’s grace as more than we deserve, greater than we could ever imagine. It's a powerful five-letter word. One that I am super grateful for. 

Until next time, 

Ruthie

Trusting God

I don’t have everything and I don’t know everything and every day I'm convinced that I still have more questions than answers. I have a very curious personality and I love discovery and I love research. I think I like this because it's how I'm wired. I'm an answer kind of girl. I love answers. I love knowing. I love learning. I love being informed. Not having answers to all of life's questions I’ve learned through the years is okay. But I wasn't always okay with that. In the past it use to bother me a lot. In fact it made me feel quite barmy because HELLO ... as a woman, I just wanted to know. Can anyone relate??? But through the years, I’ve learned that it's okay to have more questions than answers and I've learned to trust God more and more. Today, I trust Him with everything. 

Trusting God isn't always easy because sometimes there are many voices that you must silence so you can first enter into and develop an ongoing relationship with the One and only living God. You must learn to listen for His voice, to trust Him alone.

To say you trust God when life is going well is easy but to say and to practice that you trust God when life is difficult is a completely different story. Trusting God can feel intimidating when your mountain or your giant is facing you right smack in the face. And it's especially daunting when you don't know God's Word or His promises for you. And beloved reader, there are so many beautiful promises in the Bible to read and remember. Oh how I wish all people knew them. Trusting God is a process of hearing God's Word, reading God's Word, and believing God's word. It also includes opening yourself up to God in conversation, through prayer. And like every healthy relationship you invest in, it grows more intimate with time. 

Half of my life has already been lived and already I can tell that I have a pretty long history of God's faithfulness in my life. One of the benefits of journaling is that I can go back and re-read old journal entries to remember God's faithfulness and how He brought me through a difficult season in my past. That has been an incredibly helpful exercise that increases my faith in Him when I'm going through difficulty. 

What I've learned about trust is this: You can only trust someone when you really get to know them and only when you feel comfortable enough with them. But here's the caveat and a pearl: Even when you feel like you can trust someone, man is capable of letting you down but God will NEVER let you down. God never disappoints and He only desires and provides you with His very best. 

Through the years I have invested time and energy learning about God and getting to know Him and His character through Jesus Christ. I've come to learn that He can in fact be trusted. Trusting God is a life long activity. For me, it's includes surrender and asking God to take my worry and replace it with rest. It's about surrendering fear and asking Him to replace it with peace. And through the years, I've actually uttered the words: "Okay God, I'm tired of doing it my way. My way isn't working. Let's do it Your way. If You lead me and guide me, I will follow." I've learned that God desires the very best for us but He will never force Himself or His way on us. We must choose Him and His ways. The choice is ours. And because God is our Abba Father, He knows best. 

For forty five years, God has provided for my every need. Notice that I didn't say my every "want." Everything I have needed, God has provided. When I think about how my life started and where I am today, I feel rich, rich in every sense of that word. Rich is all encompassing and it's not just about money or things. I'm so thankful for His goodness. God has always been there for me and He has always been more than enough. Through an active prayer life, I'm learning that God's answers are always right on time. Sometimes God answers yes, sometimes He answers no and sometimes He says be still and trust Me. Waiting hasn't and isn’t always easy but I’ve learned that His answers are always timely, just and best. I've learned that I can't always see what He sees but what He sees and what He desires for us is good and it is He who I trust. I want what He wants for my life. I want to live at the very center of His will and I want to become every bit of the woman He created me to be. 

Sometimes when I think about how much God loves us, it overwhelms me. Have you ever experienced that? When I sit quietly and ponder this, I am filled with so many wonderful emotions and so much gratitude. Today was one of those days where I sat and pondered His love for me and it overwhelmed me. Today my spirit feels a deep sense of gratitude for who He is and for what He is doing in my life. I can’t always see it, but my spirit senses it. Have you ever felt that?

Through the years I have also learned that nobody could ever really love us unconditionally. Sure, people try but only God can love unconditionally. And nothing you could ever do or say or have ever said or done or didn't say or do could EVER make God stop loving you. Ever. Please re-read that last sentence as often as you need to. I've learned that man does in fact desire to love unconditionally but he is not capable because he is not God. Man is human. God is not. Human beings often stop loving because of deep hurts or disappointment or fear but God never stops loving you. Never. Only God can love unconditionally. Oh that He knows us and still loves us amazes me. That God hears the cries of our hearts and responds so tenderly moves me to tears.

Today, I’m thankful, so thankful for God and to God. I’m thankful in the midst of where I am and who I am. I'm thankful that He is faithful and that I can trust Him. Last week Wednesday, my Pastor's wife, Grace was teaching and within the first five minutes of teaching she said the words: "Trust God alone." I can't remember what else she said that evening only that she said to trust God alone. That was my take away. That was my word from God. It is He who I trust and I'm trusting Him alone. 

God you know me and you love me anyway. Thank you for your unconditional love. My cup runneth over …   

Until next time,

Ruthie

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever. ~ Psalm 136:1

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.        ~ Proverbs 3:5

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." ~ Psalm 31:14

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. ~ Psalm 84:12

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud,  to those who turn aside to false gods. ~ Psalm 40:4

Legacy

Today's thought for the day ... 

It’s never too late and it’s never too early to think about the kind of legacy you want to leave behind. ~Ruthie

A note to my girls

Below is an e-mail that I sent to my favorite girls this morning. These girls are the women I do life with. These are the women that I love and trust, women who have blessed me immensely through the years, women who have been there when I needed them. Through the years, we have done so much together: coffee, dinners, movies, dancing, concerts, road trips, sleep overs, drive by's for hugs and flowers and countless of hours talking and listening. We've cried together, laughed together, prayed together and have loved and supported each other through life's most difficult seasons. Today, I'm super thankful for these amazing women and for the gift of friendship. 

Several years ago, I ran into my 4th and 6th grade teacher at a grocery store in Park Ridge, IL. Her name then was Miss Farrell and yes, she was my teacher both in 4th grade and again in 6th grade. Our encounter occurred as I was shopping for dessert, I was headed to a dinner party that evening and she was shopping for provisions. We spotted each other somewhere between the produce section and the dessert area. I was thrilled she remembered me, probably because she taught me for 18 months and even happier when she shared with me that my face hadn't changed a bit since she last saw me. Really??? Bless her heart for sharing that with me. That made my day! As we chatted and tried to catch up on twenty-five years of life, she shared with me that she eventually married but had just lost her husband that year due to an illness. I think she said cancer but I can't remember clearly. She shared with me that she met and married him late in life. She added that although she met him late in life, she experienced a beautiful marriage and the years that she had with him were wonderful. I was really glad for her because he left her with fond memories of love. That's a beautiful gift. 

I will never forget what she taught me that day. She said to me, "You know, Ruth, if it wasn't for my girlfriends, I would have never survived such a painful season in my life." She added that she was grateful that her years as a singleton allowed her time to invest in her friendships because it was her girlfriends who were there for her when she needed love the most. Her parting words to me that day were: "Invest in your friendships and never take them for granted because it's your girlfriends in life who will be there for you when it matters the most." Two and a half decades later, this lovely woman was still teaching me. Isn't that amazing? God bless her where ever she is. I have never forgotten those words!  And I will never forget her or her teaching spirit. Thank you Miss Farrell!

Below is the note I sent to my girls via e-mail this morning:

Well Good Morning my darlings, 

How are you on this fantastic Monday morning???

The verse below from the book of John really ministered to me and encouraged me yesterday when I read it and again this morning when I re-read it. Seriously, this verse makes my heart smile. Sometimes, God's word just WOW's me. Doesn't it WOW you sometimes? I love those WOW moments. I live for those WOW moments! And last night and again this morning, this is the verse that has me saying: WOW! I wanted to share it with you, my lovelies who I love so much! Each of you bless me in your own unique way and if I haven't told you lately, thank you. Thank you for being you and for being part of my life and for your goodness and for how you bless me. I never want to take for granted that I have such amazing, beautiful women and friendships in my life. 

The coming days and weeks will be busy, no doubt. This is always such a busy season but this year, during this season, I'm being super intentional about spending extra quiet time with God. I even deactivated my Facebook account so I can stay focused. I know!!!! Can you believe it?!!! Even Michael is shocked! LOL! (I think he thinks Jesus might be coming if Mama deactivated her Facebook account. LOL!)  ; )

Dear ones, I'm wishing for you an awesome week filled with gratitude, gratitude for life, love and God's goodness and blessings. Girls, He is so good to us and He loves us so much. Even though our lives are less than perfect, life is still so beautiful and filled with such beauty. I'm being intentional these days about so many things and lately, I'm looking for beauty in the ordinary, in our every day lives. And you know what? It's there. We just need to look for it, even when things feel hard and dark, even when we feel frustrated and sad, even when things don't look like they're changing. 

My sweethearts, may God's favor be upon you today and every day and may He bless you with wisdom, discernment, good health and peace. And may He provide for your every need during your journey. I love you. Never doubt that. 

With Gratitude for our friendship,

xx, Ruthie

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. ~John 16:13

Creative spirits never "really" retire

Here's what I've observed through the years about creative people: creative spirits never "really" retire. They may take sabbaticals here and there but they always return to do what they love. For me, my creative thing is writing. I love to write. Seriously, I just love, love, love to write. Professionally speaking and by definition I am not a writer, but at the very core of who I am, I am a writer. It’s what makes me feel most alive. It’s what I love to do when I have down time. It's what I love to do when I want to communicate to a loved one what I'm feeling and what they mean to me. Writing for me is easier than speaking because I'm able to share and express myself from the heart in an uninterrupted manner. It's an opportunity for me to leave people with words, my words, words of encouragement, words that communicate: "You're important to me, you matter and I love you." I never want to minimize the power of words. Words are SO incredibly powerful. And the gift of words, the right words, words expressed with love and gratitude are incredibly valuable. When you write someone a letter to encourage them or to communicate how much they mean to you, you are giving them an indelible gift. They will then be able to read and re-read that letter as often as they need to. It's something tangible for them to keep, to hold on to, it's something valuable that will help them remember. And sometimes, we just need to remember. 

From a very early age, I have always loved words and how people string words together to communicate. Seriously, it has always been so fascinating to me. And rarely do I meet people who share this same passion but when I meet one of these lovely creatures, I get ridiculously excited and our conversations are always fantastic!

When I sit to write I feel like it clears my head and helps me record and communicate what I’m thinking, what I’m processing, and what I’m learning. Writing has been very good therapy for me through the years. At times, it’s been incredibly cathartic and sometimes we just need to find a way to release what we feel. For me, writing is that thing that helps me communicate what I feel. Writing is my release. For others, it’s calling a friend or talking to their therapist or praying to God. Admittedly, I have done all three but writing is what helps me the most, it’s what heals me, it's what helps me learn because as I write, I learn so much about myself. Undoubtedly, writing is that thing that makes me feel most alive. And I think it's because there are so many emotions involved when you write. Writing for me is my safe place, a sacred practice a very necessary thing for me. People feel most alive when they do the thing they love to do, what they were wired and created to do in life. And I believe I was born to write.

Many people have shared with me through the years that my writing inspires them. It's such a blessing to hear that because it's confirmation for me. It confirms that I'm doing the very thing that God created me to do. Writing is important to me and the content of what I write about is important to me. It makes me feel really good inside to know that my writing is making a difference. One of the reasons why it makes me feel good is because often times when I write, the heart of many people are on my mind and I trust and pray that when they read my words, it will bless them in some small way.  

Not today, and not tomorrow but one day I will be old and if I get to have my way in life, I will continue to write until I take my last breath. I may take a sabbatical here and there, but I will always return to what I love the most. And what I love the most is writing and who I love the most is God. Today, I am thankful that God created me to write. 

Love and blessings to you and yours ...

xx, Ruthie

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Proverbs 3:1-35

Have you ever read Proverbs 3? I mean, have you ever REALLY read this Proverb??? Well if you read the Bible with any regularity, you've probably read this one more than once. And I've read it more than once too. In fact, I've read it alot through the years but NOT like today. Today I read this Proverb three times, yes three times S-L-O-W-L-Y. Today, I was so-o drawn to this Proverb and to every single verse in it. I read each verse slowly, soaking in every word and I gave myself just enough time and space to pay attention to what I was thinking and what God might be trying to communicate to me through this Proverb. What a blessing and what a gift to experience this today.

My conclusion: This REALLY is a GREAT Proverb! And God is a GREAT God! This Proverb is too great and wonderful not to share. So that's why I'm here, blogging about it. It's brilliant and covers so much. These are great words to heed. And I can already tell that I will need more time soaking it in. My goal for this week is to continue reading Proverbs 3. Something in my spirit tells me that I've only experienced a glimpse of what God wants to reveal to me through this Proverb.

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you have probably already gathered that I love God, like alot. Yeah, I'm a pretty big fan. :o) And I super love His Word. One of my favorite things about reading God's Word is how a specific verse or how specific verses can jump out at me, speak to me, teach me, bless me, comfort me and encourage me right when I need it. Those are oh my gosh, AMAZING moments. I super LOVE those moments! The right verse at the right time is ALWAYS such a blessing and it's just one of the many ways God speaks to us. 

Today, for the very first time, I'm experiencing an ENTIRE Proverb in ways I hadn't experienced before. I super loved every single minute I spent reading this Proverb. It's rich, so rich in content and the experience was rich. Rich, rich, rich! Can I say the word enough??? And I hope you'll read this one too. I hope you'll read it slowly, soaking in each verse. Today, I'm believing and praying it will bless every single person who reads this Proverb in rich and surprising ways. 

1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
    Store my commands in your heart.
² If you do this, you will live many years,
    and your life will be satisfying.
³ Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
⁴ Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
¹⁰ Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

¹¹ My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
¹² For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

¹³ Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
    the one who gains understanding.
¹⁴ For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
    and her wages are better than gold.
¹⁵ Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ She offers you long life in her right hand,
    and riches and honor in her left.
¹⁷ She will guide you down delightful paths;
    all her ways are satisfying.
¹⁸ Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
    happy are those who hold her tightly.

¹⁹ By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
    by understanding he created the heavens.
²⁰ By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
    and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

²¹ My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
    Hang on to them,
²² for they will refresh your soul.
    They are like jewels on a necklace.
²³ They keep you safe on your way,
    and your feet will not stumble.
²⁴ You can go to bed without fear;
    you will lie down and sleep soundly.
²⁵ You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
    or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord is your security.
    He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
    when it’s in your power to help them.
²⁸ If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
    “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

²⁹ Don’t plot harm against your neighbor,
    for those who live nearby trust you.
³⁰ Don’t pick a fight without reason,
    when no one has done you harm.

³¹ Don’t envy violent people
    or copy their ways.
³² Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord,
    but he offers his friendship to the godly.

³³ The Lord curses the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the home of the upright.

³⁴ The Lord mocks the mockers
    but is gracious to the humble.

³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
    but fools are put to shame!

Give God time

Sometimes when we're going through difficulty, we need to remember that we must be patient in our afflictions. Beloved, if you're experiencing a storm, a difficulty or a difficult season, give God time. Give God time because Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that He makes ALL things beautiful in His time. I've learned through the years that His time table is not our time table. Timing is everything. Sometimes we think we know the right time but God's time is always right and He's always right on time. Isaiah 55:8 says, "His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways." We must trust His ways over our ways. His ways are better so don't grow weary in waiting or in your difficult season. God knows what He's doing so don't get discouraged and don't lose hope. Difficult seasons happen. They happen to the best of us but they eventually pass. Dear one, keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep declaring God's promises over your life, and your circumstance and over the lives of others. I know it's hard sometimes, especially when you don't see anything changing but don't give up! He knows what you're feeling. He knows your heart. He knows your desires. He knows your every wish and your every dream. He knows you intimately beloved. He knows you better than your best friend, your parents or your spouse. He really does. And He see's you and He hears you. Don't believe for a minute that He doesn't. He knows your every thought and every word you speak even before you speak it. 

What ever you're going through, what ever you're feeling, it's not over. It's not over until God says it's over. Here's what I've learned through the years: If God is in it, there is no limit in the blessings He will pour out, no limit. So if He hasn't whispered that it's over, you be patient. You hang tight. Keep praying. Keep believing because He's working things out. (Romans 8:28) You have to believe that. So don't give up, don't throw in the towel because you might be "feeling" weary. Remember, life isn't based on "feelings." Feelings come and go. Life is based on truth and the truth is: God is for you and He loves you and He wants to bless you, so give God time.

Until next time, hope fully!

xx, Ruthie

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the LORD. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. ~Isaiah 55:8

He makes ALL things beautiful in His time. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11

God causes EVERYTHING to work together, for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. ~Romans 8:28

Trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you. ~1 Peter 4:19

Day 6: Gratitude

Day 6: No one, any where under any circumstance is ever too lost for God to redeem. If He could do it for me, He can and will do it for anyone. If you’re praying for the lost or someone who is lost, don't lose hope and never give up. Give God time. Keep praying even though you don't see change. Keep praying even if its been years. Keep praying because that's why Jesus came and that's who Jesus gave His life up for. Jesus came for the lost. He came for you, He came for me. He died for you. He died for me. I once was a very lost girl, lost and spiritually blind and dead. I'm no longer lost or blind or dead. I've been redeemed and saved by a great Savior. His name is Jesus. Our faith and our prayers activate God's power and that's why I pray, that's why we should pray and keep praying. And when you pray, pray in the mighty name of Jesus. There is power in that name. 

There are many who are blind, spiritually dead, lost and broken and they need our prayers. Don't stop praying. Don't give up. Let's keep praying. Let's keep believing! Love unconditionally, hope fully and believe. Remember believing is based on faith, not feelings. Faith is believing the unseen before it happens. Believe and your feelings will eventually catch up with you. 

Today I'm thankful for so much. I'm thankful that God was relentless in His pursuit for me, so thankful! I was a stubborn one, no doubt about it. God is so patient! I'm also thankful for those who prayed for me through the years and for those who never gave up on me, who believed in me, encouraged me, helped me and loved me. We all need people to believe in us. I'm also thankful that God is the God of second chances, thankful that He is full of mercy and for His amazing grace.

Lastly, I'm also thankful for the gift of prayer and that now I'm able to pray with faith for those that God places on my heart who are lost and weary, those who are hurting, those who struggle to forgive, who live with anger and bitterness and brokenness, those who need godly wisdom and discernment and those who need a revelation from God and His healing touch which will transform their lives in beautiful and radical ways. A touch from God will transform any soul in ways that they could never imagine. It's something super-natural and it's something that has to be experienced for anyone to understand it. 

Do I have any believers reading this today? If you're a believer, say: Amen. If you're not a believer, or if you struggle to believe, pray to God and ask Him to help you believe. I learned a few years ago through a Beth Moore Bible Study that we receive little, because we ask for little. Learning that changed the way I prayed. Beloved reader, God is a big God. So let's pray boldly and confidently because nothing is impossible for God.  

Until next time, 

xx, Ruthie

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

Gratitude

For three years now, I post something every day during the month of November on Facebook sharing with friends and family what I'm thankful for. I do this because I want to encourage others to think about gratitude and to live with gratitude and also because this practice helps me slow down long enough to share what I'm grateful for. It helps me recognize how blessed I really am to be alive and to experience such blessings. Every day may not be a perfect day but every day has something in it that we can give God thanks for. 

Living with gratitude is a practice and I live with gratitude daily to a holy God for His goodness in my life. Everything I experience I've learned has something to teach me and I've learned to be thankful in all things. Someone once said that gratitude turns what we have into enough. Such true words ... As I get older, I'm learning to become content in all things. I don't have everything I want but everything I need I have and for that I'm grateful. I never want to take for granted that I live in such a rich country. When I consider how others live in other countries, it makes me feel like a spoiled brat when I want more, more, more. Sometimes, I just need a reality check and I must remember, that I have all I need. In fact, I spent most of 2012 purging and gave away so much. It wasn't easy but in the end, it felt good and I feel SO free! Less really is more. It's about dynamic equilibrium. That's just a fancy way of saying: balance. ; ) 

At age 45, I've come to recognize that I want to live the rest of my life appreciating every waking moment as much as possible. I realize its not always possible but every day I've learned is a gift from God filled with beautiful and sacred moments. I want to recognize and acknowledge these extraordinary and sometimes quite simple moments and whisper quiet thank you's to God Almighty for allowing me to witness and experience such beauty.   

I found a video on gratitude tonight on Pinterest. I really enjoyed how it slowed me down for six minutes and how it made my heart smile and feel grateful. I'm pretty sure it lowered my blood pressure too. It's a lovely and ponderous video. Click here to view it. I hope it blesses you.

So ... tell me. What are you thankful for today?

Until next time, love and blessings to you and yours ...

xx, Ruthie

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you. May He be gracious to you, lift you up and bless you with His peace.  ~Numbers 24-26

When God’s face shines upon you, that’s Big Daddy smiling at you, beloved.

2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Friday, October 26, 2012

Most people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And on Friday, October 26th, some of my colleagues and I hosted our 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the office. It was a deliciously pink day at the office filled with sweet treats, information about breast cancer, some giveaways, great conversations and lots of pictures. See pics below. If you've been following me here for over a year, you might remember that we hosted our first event at the office last year. Click here to read about last years event. 

Many of my colleagues and friends helped me in so many ways. Thanks to my colleagues, we had plenty of food and they helped with decorating, setting up and clean up.

And much to my surprise, many women from different divisions within our company showed up with breakfast treats the morning of the event. From the kindness of their hearts, these women showed up with goods without being asked to help. That made my heart feel really good. What a blessing! Although our company has many different divisions, I was reminded on Friday that we really are one company and one family, who demonstrate one love for a good cause. 

One company, one family, one love!!! That's rich!

This year, I encouraged donations to the American Cancer Society and I'm happy to report that we raised $710 across multiple divisions! This is in addition to the approx $700 I raised two weeks ago when I participated in a 5k walk through the American Cancer Society. 

This is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart as I'm a breast cancer survivor. This fall I celebrate 3 years being cancer free, no small thing. I can't begin to express in words how thankful and grateful and blessed I am to be cancer-free. As a survivor, I feel like I have a responsibility to do something to help create awareness and to raise money to fight this nefarious beast. 

Hosting this event is one of the many things I do each year now to make a difference.  

The purpose of these events at the office is to equip women with information related to breast cancer and to shine a light on the importance of self-breast examinations and mammograms. Both helped me discover my breast cancer in the very early stages and that's what saved my life. Everyone walked away with a pink bracelet (my gift to my colleagues) and a pink ribbon lapel pin (compliments of the American Cancer Society) to shine a light on breast cancer awareness and to encourage them to get involved in the cause. 

I made some new friends that day and learned about and heard many stories about how breast cancer impacted their lives because breast cancer happened to their mother or sister, an aunt or a friend. Some survived, others didn't. As listened to their stories, I learned that one colleague lost her mother to breast cancer when she was only 13 and I think that's the story that gets me the most. I can't imagine ... 

Many people, including men wore pink on Friday and that made my heart smile every time I saw someone in pink. The support and love I felt and the hugs I received and gave that day made my cup overflow with gratitude. I work with a terrific bunch of people and Friday's event reminded me that people are always willing to get involved and to help make a difference. I'm really thankful for their support and their generous donations. 

Below you'll find some photos that were taken that day. It was a great day, one that I won't forget because it was filled with goodness, connectedness and I made some new friends through out the day. 

If you're among the many who helped that day, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I can't describe how grateful I am for your love and support. I couldn't have done this without you!!!

And a special thank you as well to Jennifer Briggs, Regional Health Health Director at the American Cancer Society for sending me the pamphlets and the pink ribbon lapel pins. 

Oh! And congratulations to all eleven (11) raffle prize winners. Raffle prizes consisted of gift cards to restaurants: Jameson's Charhouse, Wildfire, and Bravo. Winners also won Muvico movie theatre tickets in groups of two. 

We made a difference on Friday and for that, I'm thankful. 

Enjoy the pics ...

Until next time, keep thinking pink! 

xx, Ruthie

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead