MyDivineJourney

My one word for 2014: do. Proverbs 16:3 Whatever you do, do it as service to Him, and He will guarantee your success.  I decided to challenge myself this year to get things done that matter to me. To achieve the things that are important to me. I needed a word that would motivate me to get life done.  It didn't take long to find my significant word: DO. Do has been powerful so far in January. I've been blogging consistently because - well - I do. If there's something to write. Then I do. And I have! I'm also on a downsizing kick. Decluttering needs action. Do does the job.  I joined a group that encourages 52 weeks of consistent but not complicated decluttering. Do has worked wonders! I can do it, if I want. I also want to do more reading. I joined an online book club to do that. Not only have I read the selection, but I'm enjoying the books already on my Kindle app.  I've spent time with those I hold dear to my heart this month. I took ...

  Proverbs 16:9 The human mind plans the way,  but the Lord directs the steps. Goal setting should be a big part of living on purpose - God's purpose for our lives. But I have not previously looked at goal setting as something to do in front of God.  Sure. I pray over my goals, but can you imagine if I gave them over to God before I ever committed to them? Don't let unimportant things take on a life of their own.        --   Chip Brogden I enjoy listening to Chip Brogden's CrossWind podcast. So when I learned that he put together a teaching on living a balanced life, which includes goal setting - well - it wowed me!  I took these notes from Chip's message on why goals are important.  - goals bring our purpose to pass. - goals give us ability to make choices. - goals help us make best use of our time, energy and money - goals help us decide what is important each day; don't let unimportant things ta...

Proverbs 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.  If we don't put effort into actively planning and making things happen in our lives, what we really want will never happen.   Believers often say, "If God wills ..."  The Lord gave us brains and the capacity to make decisions. But we'll never have the pleasures of achieving goals if we make God responsible for action instead of ourselves.   God actively participates when we step out to do. In my case, God has pulled people and circumstances together for my benefit in big and small ways while I've been actively pursuing my goals - professional, personal and in ministry. But I had to DO ! There was action on my part!  We either become better or bitter.  We make it difficult for God to use our gifting when we are lazy, lack goals or motivation. We won't be successful in any area of our life if we make others or circumstances responsibl...

How do 17 days zip by so fast? The first two weeks of 2014 are history. What have I done? I've been fighting flu complications for the past four weeks, but that hasn't stopped goal planning. I wrote down 3 professional goals and 3 personal goals in December. I also pulled together resources and ideas to help me achieve the things I'm planning. But at the end of day, the only thing that matters is to DO what I say I'm going to do.  I can make all the to-do lists, plans and preparations, but will I do what say I'm going to do?  Joining a group of like-minded people is what I needed. So I joined the OneWord365.com community by choosing one word for 2014. I've chosen a word before, but I had never chosen a verb like DO . Do requires action. Action accomplishes what I want to DO!

SALVATION OF YOUR SOUL Psalm 62:7  My salvation and my significance depend ultimately on God; the core of my strength, my shelter, is in the True God.  Psalm 85:7  O Eternal One, show us Your unfailing love; give us what we truly need: Your salvation.  Psalm 85:9  Without a doubt, His salvation is near for those who revere Him so that He will be with us again and all His glory will fill this land.  Psalm 96:2  Sing to the Eternal of all the good things He’s done. Bless His name; broadcast the good news of His salvation each and every day.  Luke 19:9  Jesus told him, “This shows that salvation has come to this home today. This man was one of the lost sons of Abraham, and I, the Messiah,* have come to search for and to save such souls as his.”  John 3:14-17  And as Moses in the wilderness lifted up the bronze image of a serpent on a pole, even so I must be lifted up upon a pole, so that anyone who believes in me will have eternal life...

ENDURANCE Hebrews 12:1-2  So since we stand surrounded by all those who have gone before, an enormous cloud of witnesses, let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us.  Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor.  We may feel alone, but we aren’t. We are surrounded by an army of witnesses. They have run the race of faith and finished well. It is now our turn. ~ The Voice commentary  James 1:2  Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to ...

  BOLD CONFIDENCE 1 John 5:14-15 We live in the bold confidence that God hears our voices when we ask for things that fit His plan.  And if we have no doubt that He hears our voices, we can be assured that He moves in response to our call. “This act of total surrender is not merely a fantastic intellectual and mystical gamble; it is something much more serious. It is an act of love for this unseen person, who, in the very gift of love by which we surrender ourselves to his reality also makes his presence known to us.” ― Thomas Merton

John 14:1 NCV  TRUST Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me." We experience calmness beyond comprehension when we submit to His will and trust Him to meet all our needs.   ~ Dr. Charles Stanley