Just Breathe

Little Things

"I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world..."
                  Louis Armstrong

You know it's the little things that make life wonderful.  It's the little things that can bring you true happiness.  It's the little things in life that matter the most.

There is something good in every day; sometimes we just have to look for it.  We have to notice the little things like a child's kiss, little arms around your neck, or a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day.  Or maybe it's your friends - your family.  Maybe it's when someone smiles at you, when someone holds a door open for you, or maybe it's the laughter you share.  The little things...the little moments...maybe they aren't so little after all.  Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.  These little things can add up to a lifetime of beautiful memories.  Celebrate every moment.

Learn to appreciate everything and everyone you have in your life because these moments will soon pass, and you'll wish you'd treasured them more.  Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have.

So the next time that child reaches for your hand, or you wake up to the smell of coffee in the morning, appreciate the moment.  Be grateful for today and never take anything for granted.  Life is a blessing, and the world is full of beautiful things - including you.

"In everything give thanks..."
I Thessalonians 5:18

Are You Ready?

Have you ever wondered what your purpose was?  Why you're here on this earth?  I know I have.  Even after I found Jesus and accepted Him as my personal Lord and Savior, for a long time I still questioned why I was really here.  It wasn't until I really focused on Jesus, read His word, talked to Him constantly...that's when I finally understood my purpose.  I was put here by God for God.  We all were.  But why?

Because God wants each of His children, every believer, to be a witness for Him for those who don't know Him.  He wants us to share with others what He has done for us.  He wants us to share with others who He is...our Creator, our Protector, our Salvation...He is God.  I believe He wants us to be His light in a dark and fallen world.  And the greatest way we can be His light and show His love is by sharing His gospel (good news) with others.

God loves you.  He sent His only Son, Jesus to die for your sins (John 3:16).  Jesus tells us in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  Jesus died for you, knowing that you might never love Him back.  His sacrifice was a precious gift to you...all you have to do is receive Him.  The Lord is coming back to gather His children (Matthew 24:44).  Are you ready?

If you died today, do you know where you would spend eternity? If you're not sure, then please give your heart to God today. He loves you, and He wants you to spend eternity with Him.

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." 
Romans 10:13

Just Breathe

Take Nothing For Granted

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
Dr. Seuss

What does it mean to "take things for granted"? The dictionary tells us that it implies a lack of appreciation or gratitude.  We fail to appreciate the people or things in our life.  To appreciate is to be grateful for...to be thankful.  That's what gratitude is...thankfulness.

When we take things for granted, eventually they will be taken away.  And that's when we learn to truly appreciate them...when we don't have them anymore...when it's too late.  So often we don't appreciate what we have until we lose it.  And the sad thing is, we knew exactly what we had; we just thought we'd never lose it.

Take this year, for example, how many of us have lost our jobs, our business, our home?  In the blink of an eye, everything changed.  We took for granted the luxury of being able to go to a movie, go to a swimming pool, or even go out to eat.  We took for granted the very things that most deserved our gratitude.  We are not the same people we were when this year began.

But most of all, we've taken God for granted.  God has given us so much, yet we take Him and all of His blessings for granted every day.  We've taken Him out of our schools, our homes, even our country.  Martin Luther wrote, "The greater God's gifts and works, the less they are regarded".  What was once a blessing to us has become routine or boring.

The same applies to the people in our lives - our family, our friends.  Don't take them for granted.  We were temporarily separated from them, and it didn't feel good.  Love the people God has put in your life.  They won't be here forever; He will want them back one day.

I think maybe we should ask ourselves - at least once a week - what am I taking for granted?   Life is short...be grateful and never take anything for granted.  It could all be gone one day.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above."
James 1:17

Just Breathe

Where Is God?

In life, as we all know, there are good times and bad times.  And it's been my experience that during the bad times, we often ask, "Where is God?".  I know during 9-11, I heard this question quite often.  And now, with what's going on in the world today...this pandemic, the riots, the protests, the hate...I'm hearing it again.  "Where is God"?

And while I don't know everything, here's what I believe...

I believe when bad things happen, God is with us.  He tells us in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always...".  And then in Isaiah 43:2, He tells us "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you..."

I don't believe God ever sends us into a situation alone.  He goes before us.  He stands beside us.  He walks behind us.  He said He would never leave us or forsake (abandon) us.  (Hebrews 13:5)  I believe He's right there holding our hand.  (Isaiah 41:13)

When bad things happen, I believe the Holy Spirit is praying for us.  When we can't pray ourselves, I believe He does, as is evident in Romans 8:26, "...the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us."

When bad things happen, I believe He takes us by the hand and leads us through the situation.  "He shows us or directs our path".  (Proverbs 3:6)

When bad things happen...when we don't have the strength to even stand, I believe He holds us up with His own hand.  (Isaiah 41:10)

The truth is that we are going to experience bad things in our life, but God promises that He will be there with us when they do.  We may not understand His reasoning or His wisdom, but He wants us to lean on Him...to trust Him.  He is teaching us to walk by faith.

Life may feel difficult and overwhelming at times, and you may wonder where God is or what He's doing.  But rest assured, He is with you.  He's praying for you.  He's leading you.  And He's holding you up when you can't stand on your own.  So don't ask God why He's allowing something to happen.  Instead, ask Him what He wants you to learn from it.

"Fear not, for I am with you..."
Isaiah 41:10