Simply Trust Jesus

Every time I have a busy week with lots of commitments, I get a stressed out and wonder how I’m going to get it all done—and do a good job at everything I committed to do. The Lord reminded me this morning to give it all to Him and to trust Him—completely. That means to have no doubt and to have complete confidence in Him and that He will help me get through whatever I have going on in my life at the time.

Today,  I read a devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that reminded me to trust and have faith in Jesus so I want to share it with you too. Enjoy!

Have Complete Confidence and Faith in Jesus

# 310

Mark 4:40 (NLT)

And he asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?”

 Jesus and His disciples were in their boat crossing a lake when a fierce storm arose. The disciples were afraid they were going to drown and went to wake up Jesus who they found peacefully sleeping in the back of the boat. Then Jesus asked His disciples the question above. It is insulting to Jesus when we have Him in our hearts, yet don’t have faith in Him to deliver us from the storms.

When we accept Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, we are telling Him we believe in His ability to save us from everything—including going to hell. How can we believe He saved us from eternal damnation in hell, but we don’t have enough faith to believe He can get us through the storms in our lives?

When Jesus was inside the boat with His disciples and a storm developed all around them, He was sleeping in peace. How could He do that? Simply because He had complete confidence in His Father, and He knew that no matter what was going on in the world around Him, the Father would take care of Him. This is a revelation we must appropriate in our hearts.

If you accepted Jesus, then He is in you now and all that He is and represents is inside of you, in your spirit. Having Him in your life means you have His power, His anointing, peace, love, joy, and everything else God wants you to have to be successful in Him.

Meditate on this today and know that Jesus is in you. Have complete faith, trust, and confidence in Him. Know that no matter what you are going through in your life, Jesus is in control, and He will deliver you.

Finish What You Started. Your Plans Can Succeed.

Do you have projects, plans, or dreams that you’ve been working on but never seem to have the time to finish? Well, now is the time to finish them! Today, I want to encourage you to finish what you started and offer your work as unto the Lord. He will help you. Last weekend, I finished my second book and now I’m working on publishing it.

I want to share one of the devotionals from my book Devotions for Working Women that reminds us that our plans can succeed. Enjoy!

Your Plans Can Succeed

# 283

Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)

Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.

We all have plans we want to realize and be successful in executing. The King James Version of this verse says “commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Every one of our plans starts with a thought, an idea. When we commit our lives to God it includes our work and every area of our lives. When we commit our work unto the Lord, He will help us realize those plans and our thoughts will be established. Our plans will succeed.

Therefore, remember to commit your work to the Lord on a daily basis.

His Thoughts Are Not Our Thoughts

This week I have been reflecting on “my ways” versus “God’s ways” for my life. Sometimes we make plans for our lives and we are sure that those plans are what God wants for us. But when those plans don’t manifest the way we expected, then we get confused. Were we wrong with our plans? Or should we wait until God’s perfect timing, which is usually not ours? I don’t know what the right answer is but I do know that God’s plans are better than ours. Here is a scripture that helped me in a recent situation. Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NLT) “My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

I also want to share with you one of the devotionals from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that will encourage you to wait on the Lord.

Wait Expectantly on the Lord
# 143
Psalm 5:3 (NLT)
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

David’s plea to the Lord was a daily act of faith. Every morning he talked to God and made his requests known to Him. He then waited on God and expected Him to listen to his prayers and answer them. We often treat God as a magician. We tell Him what we want and expect Him to respond immediately, like magic! We don’t wait patiently on Him. Other times we pray to God and don’t even expect Him to hear or answer our prayer. Then we get discouraged and stop asking altogether. We lose our faith in God. Both extremes are wrong. We are to ask God to meet our needs and wait expectantly as David did.

When we wait on the Lord we put our faith, hope, and trust in Him. This act blesses God. He then gives us the grace we need to wait until His answer manifests. We must learn to wait patiently because His timetable is not ours. He knows what’s best for us and that includes the right time. When His timing comes, He will give us a solution better than any we would have thought of on our own.

If you need change in your workplace, a new boss, a different job, or want to change fields, wait expectantly from the Lord. Expect to receive whatever He thinks is best for you, not just what you asked Him for. Once you give your request to Him, sincerely believe in your heart that He will answer your prayer and thank Him in advance for the answer.

Remember God's Grace

Has there been a time in your life when you felt the world was against you because you did the right thing? Sometimes doing the right thing will have consequences that are painful. In those times, you will need to remember that God is still there with you and will give you the grace to go on. Today, I want to share a devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that reminds you of God’s grace so you can do the right thing—always.

God Gives Us the Grace to Always Do what Is Right
# 107
Psalm 84:11-12 (NLT)
For the Lord our God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right. O Lord Almighty, happy are those who trust in you.

When we first come to Christ, we move from living in darkness to living in the light. As we grow in the knowledge of God, the Holy Spirit teaches us all truth. As we become mature Christians and have a revelation of what is right and wrong, we have the responsibility to do what is right—always.

Doing what’s right on a consistent basis and on our own strength is difficult, but we can do it with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Bible promises the Lord withholds “no good thing” from those who do what is right. In the workplace, we must make a decision to always do what’s right regardless of the consequences—even if it includes losing our jobs. We have to trust God in every situation to give us the wisdom necessary to handle it correctly. We must trust Him to protect us and give us grace.

Our part is to not compromise our beliefs but rather to trust in God. His part is to protect us and be our light. He is our “sun and shield” (v. 11 KJV).

Listen to Constructive Criticism

This past year the organization where I work experienced significant growth. The company went from 30 employees to 43 and the year before another five were added to the team. So, in two years the company grew in number of employees by 72%. This growth had an effect on all the employees who were with the organization since inception and those that joined the team along the way during the previous six years.

Bringing new people to an organization from all different backgrounds can create sometimes culture shock to the ones that have been with the organization for several years before. The company has to go to through an adjustment period, roles are reassigned, responsibilities are switched or increased, and everyone is affected one way or another. During the process, people’s feelings can get hurt and criticism can occur.

Today, I want to share a devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that encourages us to discern between positive criticism and negative criticism. Once we make that determination, we can grow from what we learned during the process and move on. Growing an organization can be very exciting but, at the same time, it can be an opportunity for the enemy to come in and try to destroy us.

Listen to Constructive Criticism and Grow
# 351

Proverbs 15:31-32 (NLT)
If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

Nobody likes to be criticized. There are two kinds of criticism: constructive and destructive. We must learn to discern if we’re getting one or the other. If you know the person who is giving you the correction as someone who loves you and cares about you, then accept it as constructive criticism. Learn from it, thank them, and move on.

On the other hand, if the criticism comes from someone who hardly knows you or is ill intentioned, then drop it and move on. If you are not sure, then ask God to help you discern and confirm the correction.
It is wise to accept constructive criticism. God will put people at work sometimes to help you develop in your career. He will also send people in your family or friends to help you mature. Don’t get offended and blow them off. Take these opportunities to grow in understanding.

Give Your Burdens to Jesus

If you are going through one of those seasons in your life when you feel burdened by everything you have going on, I encourage you to give them all to the Lord. He is waiting with open arms to receive you with all your luggage. He will take up your burdens and carry them for you. The devotional for today will remind you that Jesus will take care of you.

Give Your Burdens to the Lord
# 302
Psalm 55:22 (NLT)
Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

How often do you feel burdened to the point of giving up? Most of us feel the burdens of life to be overwhelming at some point during our lives. The Bible tells us to give our burdens to the Lord for He will help us carry them. He cares for us and is always willing to carry us through every situation.
Anything can become a burden when there is no grace. But through His grace we are able to handle the trials of life and overcome difficult situations. Giving our burdens to God means we trust Him fully. It means we know He loves us and He will never abandon us.

Your work should not be or become a burden to you. If it is a burden right now, ask God what His will for you is, what your next step should be, and to help you carry your burdens. He will not let you fall. Remember, with Jesus, the yoke is easy and the burden is light (Matthew 11:30 KJV).

Always Do what Is Right

This year is almost over and usually, during these last days, we take time to reflect on what we did (or didn’t do) during the past twelve months.

During this past year, I had a situation in the workplace where I had to stand up and do what is right despite the fact that my reputation was on the line. In the end, everything turned out fine and I didn’t have to compromise my belief in always doing what’s right, regardless of the consequences.

Today, I want to share this devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, because it will remind you to always do what is right. God will always be there with you. Happy New Year!

When We Do what’s Right, We Are Righteous as Christ Is
#207
1 John 3:7 (NLT)
Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.

Doing what is right consistently is difficult. In the workplace, we are confronted daily with situations where we need to decide to do what is right—no matter the cost. Many of us compromise the truth and not do what is right mainly for fear of losing our jobs. Very few women who work don’t really need to work. Therefore, when our job is on the line, what do we do? According to the Bible, we are always to do what is right—no exceptions.

When we do what’s right, we are righteous as Christ is. We will have to trust God with all our heart that He will protect us and provide for all our needs. Our job is a need and, therefore, He will provide it for us. We have to believe and trust that He will never leave us nor forsake us—especially when we are doing what is right.

The Power of Forgiveness

Today I want to share with you about the power of forgiveness. We encounter opportunities to get offended almost on a daily basis and it is important to recognize when we carry offense in our hearts. Once we realize we got offended and that we are carrying a grudge against somebody, we then need to go through the process of getting rid of that luggage. How? Simply by forgiving the person that offended us.

I recently experienced this situation and when I chose to forgive that person, a great burden was lifted off my back. It felt like I did leave a piece of luggage behind. My attitude changed, my heart was changed. And then, the situation was turned around completely. Only because God helped me forgive so I could move on. The devotional I have for today from my book, Devotions for Working Women, is a reminder that when we pray, if we want our prayers answered, we must believe but also need to forgive others.

Forgive Before You Ask
# 157

Mark 11:24-25 (NLT)
“Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

We hear verse 24 all the time. Ask, have faith, and you will get your prayer answered. But we hardly pay attention to an equally or more important thing we must do before praying in faith. “First forgive…,” are the words Jesus used, “…anyone you may be holding a grudge against.” Forgiving others is key to having our prayers answered. Not only that, but if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive our own sins. Without God’s forgiveness, we are not going to enter His Kingdom. Being unforgiving is destructive in every way—physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is more destructive to our lives than to the person who offended us.

You can ask for anything in faith, but first you must forgive before you can receive your answer. Examine yourself on a daily basis and see if there is anybody who offended you whom you haven’t forgiven yet. Of course, I believe the easier way to do this is to not get offended in the first place. At the moment the offense occurs, you have the choice to take the offense or to let it go. It is a decision you can make in an instant, but if you choose wrong, it can take you the rest of your life to forgive. It will be your baggage and burden for years until you give it to the Lord and have Him take care of it. God is looking for pure hearts and pure hearts don’t have unforgiveness. The workplace is the perfect place to put this into practice on a daily basis, so start today.

Remembering a Loved One

This past week I lost a dear friend to cancer, one of my employees. The entire company was shaken up by his sudden death. Even though we knew he was fighting cancer, we were not ready to lose him so soon. This situation has made me reflect on my own mortality and all my relationships. I live with the awareness that I can be gone today and that my loved ones could be gone as well. It is for that reason that I always express my feelings towards all my friends and family. All of those who know me know how much I appreciate them, how much I love them, and that I am here for them in a time of need.

Today, I encourage you to tell your loved ones how much you love them. Tell them often, tell them in words, tell them with hugs—lots of hugs, tell them in writing—write them letters of love, tell them with actions—do something for them that only people who loves them would do. Don’t wait until it’s too late. There may not be a tomorrow.

My motto: Live my life as if today is my last day. Treat others as if today is the last day I will see them.

Seeking God in the Workplace

Have you ever wondered if you’re in the place that God wants you to be? The place where you can be the most effective to work for the Kingdom of God? I have been reflecting on that lately and have been praying for God to give me the opportunity to use me fully where I am. I truly believe our jobs go beyond doing a physical job in the workplace. I believe that God has called us to be where we are for a purpose and we need to fulfill that purpose while we’re there.

We all have a sphere of influence, a circle of friends and family, and also the circle of friends and colleagues in the workplace. How we behave, how we treat others, and the decisions we make—especially when we are in leadership positions—affect others in many ways. Co-workers observe our actions and from there they decide if we are walking the Christian walk or not. Words are nothing without corresponding actions.

Today I encourage you to reflect on the reasons why God has you in the place of work where you are during this time in your life. I encourage you to seek God and ask Him to show you ways where you can be a light in the workplace and to show you ways where you can show His love to others. I will do the same.

Follow Jesus

I have not written in a couple of weeks because I’ve had activities on Saturdays, which is the only time I have to write. I also went to New York on a business trip that I combined with a mini vacation. It was a lot of fun and a wonderful experience. The highlight of the trip was the visit to the 9/11 Memorial. The North and South pools are now open and they have the names of all the people that died that day all around the pools. Their names are forever engraved in that place so we can all remember what happened to our country that day.

Going to a big city like NY is great but there is nothing like coming back home where you can feel relaxed, be with the people you love, and get back into your routine. So today, as I get back into my Saturday morning routine to read and meditate, I would like to share with you one of the devotionals from my book, Devotions for Working Women. This devotional is about following Jesus and the example He gives us through the Bible to live our lives as Christians. With all the pressures of work and daily life, it is a challenge to follow Christ and it’s even more challenging to try to imitate Him on everything He did while He was on earth. But if every person knew Jesus and would follow His example, the highlight of my visit to New York would have been other than the 9/11 Memorial.

Listen to God’s Beloved Son
# 237
Mark 8:34 (NLT)
Then he called his disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. “If any of you wants to be my follower,” he told them, “you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.”

When Jesus was here on earth, He continually gave instructions to His disciples on how to conduct their lives as Christians. He also taught them how to do the things He was doing here such as healing people, casting out devils, and teaching the Gospel. Every person who makes a decision to follow Christ becomes His disciple. As one, we must follow His instructions including putting aside our selfish ambition, shoulder our cross, and follow Him. We have to carry our cross while we are here. The cross means to endure anything and everything up to losing our earthly life for the sake of the Gospel. Most of us will not have to experience that extreme, but our cross is also to put aside our fleshly desires on a daily basis. Our cross is choosing to be godly versus worldly.

God, the Father, is pleased when we listen to what Jesus says. During the transfiguration of Jesus (when He appeared with Moses and Elijah), a cloud came over them and a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7 NLT). God asked the disciples to listen to the teachings and the words of Jesus. We are His disciples as well, so this is for us. We must listen to what Jesus tells us through His Word. It is all recorded in the Bible for us.

Everything you need to succeed in your professional life, as well as your family life, is in the Bible. Read it, study it, and meditate on the words of Jesus. If you are going through hardship right now, believe that God will help you. If everything is going well, then don’t forget to be thankful to the Lord, the One who helped you succeed.

Let's Consider God's Ways

So many times we plan for things in our lives and we forget to ask God to direct our paths. How do we stay on track and involve God in our daily lives? One way is to pray often and asking Him directly to help us determine the best way to go, the best approach to a situation, and the best solution to a problem we may be facing. Today’s devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, reminds us that God’s ways are always higher than our ways. Enjoy!

God’s Thoughts and Ways Are Higher Than Ours
# 119

Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We will never be able to understand God with our natural minds. But that’s okay. We, as believers, walk by faith having the revelation that He loves us. God’s thoughts and His ways are so much higher than ours, so much bigger and different than we could ever imagine. How can we ever think our ideas are better than His? He already thought it all out, from the beginning to the end, from the moment we were born until our last breath here on earth and then in eternity.

Purpose to live your life God’s way and not your way. Follow His plan, not your plan. Get to know Him by spending time with Him. Ask yourself these questions: Are your work and career plans aligned with God’s will for your life? Are God’s thoughts and ways reflected in your life?

We Need to Spend More Time in Prayer

Recently, I have not been spending time in prayer as I would want to. When I don’t allocate special time to be with God, I can see how it affects me in several areas of my life. I start being more impatient, less compassionate toward others, and experience less joy in my life. Every so often, I need to recommit my time with the Lord and refocus on Him. When I do that, I can also see the results right away. I am more relaxed, more compassionate and patient with others, and I am simply happier with my life overall.

Today, I want to share with you a devotional from my book, Devotions for Working Women, that will encourage you to spend more time with the Lord in prayer. Enjoy!

Spend Time with the Lord in Prayer
#12

1 Peter 4:7 (NLT)
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

In this verse, Peter is talking to all of God’s chosen people, therefore, he includes us. No matter how successful we are or want to become in business, we cannot prosper without prayer. The Bible says we are to pray earnestly and we are to do it on a consistent basis. Prayer is what connects us to God, our Father. Through prayer we get close to Him, and He gets close to us. Through prayer we get to know the person of God, we receive His blessings, and the revelation of His Word.

We are to live our lives as if Christ is coming back today and as if the end of the world (the church dispensation) is ending soon. The signs of the end of times are evident in these last days. Therefore, spend time with the Lord, and schedule Him in your life as the most important appointment of your day. Just as you protect the time you have allocated for a customer or vendor meeting, or the time you allot for a special training, you need to protect the time you set aside to be with your Father. The meetings with the Lord and your time in prayer will help you succeed in all the areas of your life.

Don't Give up on Believing God

It is hard to keep the faith and continue the fight when you get bad news or when your prayers don’t get answered. But today I want to encourage you to continue and not give up believing God for an answer to your prayers. He does listen to you even though you may not hear back. Today, I would like to share with you a devotional from my book Devotions for Working Women that will encourage you and lift your spirit. Enjoy!

God Does Hear and Answers Our Prayers
#159
Psalm 116:1 (NLT)
I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers.

Part of trusting God is knowing in your heart and believing that He does hear your prayers and that He does answer them. What are you praying for lately? What prayers have you been asking God that He has not answered yet? Are you expecting an answer from Him? I encourage you to continue to pray until you see the answer manifested.

Some prayers take longer to be answered than others, due to various reasons. Sometimes we are not ready to receive the answer and we need more preparation. Other times, we don’t fully trust Him to perform what we’re asking. Other times we may not be in His will, and He knows that what we’re asking will harm us.
Every situation is different, every prayer request is different. If you are asking for a new job or for a work situation to be resolved, ask God to give you patience to wait for His perfect timing. If you are feeling He is not answering any of your prayers right now, thank Him for everything He has done for you in the past. This will lift your spirit and encourage you to continue to pray until He answers your prayer.

Are You One of God's Workers?

Today I would like to encourage you to consider yourself one of God’s workers and apply all your efforts to improve and get a promotion the same way you do in the workplace. The devotional I’m sharing with you today from my book Devotions for Working Women reminds us that we have a job to do for God’s Kingdom that goes beyond our jobs in the market place. Enjoy!

Are You One of God’s Workers?
#210
Matthew 9:37-38 (NLT)
He said to his disciples, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields.”

Jesus said those words after being with multitudes of people who went to Him with their problems. He was only one and He saw the great need of having more of Him on earth. As we become born again, when we ask Jesus to come into our lives, we become God’s laborers and workers of His field. The harvest is God’s, but He needs us to work it for Him.

Most of us consider ourselves good workers. In fact, we welcome and look for opportunities for promotion. As workers of the Kingdom of God, our attitude toward new opportunities should be the same, and we should ask ourselves some questions. Are we doing a good job for God? Are we bringing in the harvest? Are we looking to be promoted in the Kingdom of God? With God our jobs are not just a title. In His Kingdom, the higher the position, the more responsibility we have with people’s lives. Jesus said, “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44 KJV). The higher we go in God’s positions, the more we have to serve others.

Therefore, let’s ask God for more workers to help us with the great task we have ahead. But also, let’s ask Him to help us be the best workers we can be for His Kingdom.

Trust God to Give You Peace and Rest

I have been away for a few weeks and have not had time to write. I’m back from attending a two-week school and I’m in need of much rest. So today, I would like to share with you one of the devotionals from my book Devotions for Working Women that reminds us to trust God to give us peace and rest. Enjoy!

Trusting God Gives You Peace
#330

Psalm 4:8 (NLT)
I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Knowing that God is in control of your life will give you peace, joy, and rest. When you go to bed at night, examine your heart and ask yourself daily, “who is in control of my life?” If the answer is “me,” then stop and give that control to the Lord. Surrender to Him again. This is a daily prayer and act of trust. It is a normal tendency to take over your life and circumstances once again, after you just surrendered them to God. You must trust Him and know He will deliver you from the current circumstances you’re in and He will keep you safe.

If you have a job you love, thank God for it every day. If you are asking God for a new job, also thank Him for the future job He has for you and don’t get weary in believing and trusting Him. You are not alone. He will never leave you nor forsake you. When you know this, you will lie down in peace and sleep.

God is Faithful

After two tough weeks at work, today I want to share this devotional with you from my book, Devotions for Working Women. I encourage you to not get weary in well doing.

God Does Not Forget How Hard You Work for Him
# 177

Hebrews 6:10 (NLT)
For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians, as you still do.

Sometimes you may feel you are wasting your time and energy by being a good worker in your company because you feel it’s not making a difference. Other times you may feel that what you’re doing for another person, at work or outside of work, whether they are a Christian or not, is not worth continuing because you don’t feel appreciated.

Don’t get weary in working hard for the Lord. Dedicate your natural, as well as spiritual, work to Him. God is a fair God, and He will not take for granted or forget the time and effort you invest when working hard for Him. He notices it and appreciates it.

The Bible says in verse 12 that if you work hard, “Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and patience.” Therefore, continue working hard for the Lord with the expectation that this promise will come to pass in your life.

God Helps Us Every Day

Today I want to share one of the devotionals from my book Devotions for Working Women that touched my heart when I read it because it reminded me that God is always there for us. Enjoy!

God Helps Us through Grace by Faith
#161
Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Those are God’s words for His chosen people of Israel. We must grab hold of those promises as well because we are Abraham’s seed by faith. Galatians 3:14 (KJV) says, “The blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

If you have accepted and received Jesus in your heart as your Lord and Savior, then you qualify by faith to receive all of God’s promises to His chosen people. You are a chosen one too.

Read this verse again and capture the depth of this promise. God the Father, the Creator of all, promises to help you, to lift you up when you’re down, to strengthen you when you are weak, and to uphold you with His victorious right hand. What else can you want? He is the answer to all of your problems, hurts, desires, and needs.

It is difficult to believe these promises when you are going through difficult times in your life. But God can help you and get you through. He will give you supernatural grace to withstand the attacks of the enemy and win the fight. It is a special and unique grace to deal with every situation—one at a time. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV).

Focus on What's Important

I have not been able to write for several weeks because I went on a two week vacation to Paris, France. During this trip I had time to reflect in my life and on all the gifts that God has given me. Even though I had a great time and Paris is full of beautiful historical buildings, museums, parks, and amazing art, I still think America is the best place in the world to live in. My trip was over the 4th of July so I missed being here to celebrate the birth of our beautiful country. In short, I missed America!

It is still July, which I consider the patriotic month of the year, so take some time today to reflect on the wonderful gift that God has given you by being an American.

The other thought that I reflected on a lot is that it really doesn’t matter where you are in the world. What matters is who you are with in the world. I have a good friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and when you see life from that perspective, everything changes immediately for you. You start focusing on the things that are truly important in your life—the people you love and your personal relationship with God.

If only we would live with the constant awareness of what’s important, how much more we could accomplish during our time here, how much less we would fight with those we love, how many people we would not hurt along the way, and how much deeper our relationship with God would be. Today, I encourage you to reflect on your life and make changes where you see necessary to focus on what’s truly important and show your love to others.

Be Encouraged!

This week was very difficult at work because we found out that one of our employees is very sick with cancer. I have never experienced a situation like this where I need to be strong for everyone in the organization, stay positive during the journey, and encourage my friend to continue the fight. So, I decided to write him a “love and encouragement” letter and then also shared it with the rest of the staff. I took a risk because there may be employees who are not believers in the organization and they may think I’m either crazy or weird. But I still believe in sharing my heart and my beliefs with others.

These are good opportunities for us, believers, to share our faith in God without shame or fear. If we don’t take the step, who will? What if because of us sharing our faith someone will come to Christ? We don’t know where people are at and we don’t know how close they are of making a decision that will change their lives forever. So I took the chance. We will see how it is received.

Today, I want to leave you with a devotional, from my book Devotions for Working Women, that will help you deal with distress and grief in your life. Be blessed!

Dealing with Grief and Distress
#94
Psalm 31:9 (NLT)
Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. My sight is blurred because of my tears. My body and soul are withering away.

During the course of our lives, we experience times of great distress and situations when we feel we are withering away from grief. Losing our job can create great pain for us because our work is a major part of our lives. Yet the loss of a loved one could be much more impacting in our working life. When we lose someone to death like a child, our spouse, a parent, or a close friend, it creates a wound in our heart that only God can heal. Divorce, separation, or a child leaving home prematurely can also be as catastrophic.

These events change our lives forever, and it is in those moments that grief can settle into our hearts. It is normal to go through a grieving period, but we cannot stay there too long because it is deadly for us just as David said in verse 10, “I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Misery has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within.”

Even though we never forget tragic or sad events, we need to move on and let go of the grief and pain. We must continue the race God has set for each one of us and finish it. There are two things we need to do. First, just as David never gave up trusting God and kept running to Him for protection and comfort, we have to trust God that He will help us and lift us up. “So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (v. 24). Secondly, we need to do what Paul did. He said to the people of Philippi, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT).