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There are no shortcuts with God. None. Zilch. Zero. He doesn’t need your foot on his accelerator. He doesn’t need my help with his plans.

But can we agree that all of us at times have chosen the quick and easy route? That sin, at its root, is the unwillingness to wait? To trust? To follow God’s plan? We take matters into our own hands.

Of all the blessings of heaven, one of the greatest will be you.

Dare we think that God is paying attention?

Three parables, each with a party. Three stories, each with the appearance of the same word: happy.

When you stop obsessing over what other people think, say, or do, you finally have the energy to focus on your own life. You stop reacting and start living.

Don’t do this life alone. Just make sure those around you are willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s not what you want to hear. They are the people you need.
And whatever you do, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them. Be sure to say thank you.

I hold on to this:
Every “no” makes space for an even better “yes.”

“We do what we do because we have our gifts to share. All of us do.”

If it’s boring the life out of you, it’s not your life.

When you’re young, you know without being told when something is seen by others as “not good.

God speaks to us through his Word. The first step in reading the Bible is to ask God to help you understand it.

If we are to be just like Jesus, we must have a regular time of talking to God and listening to his Word.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3 NIV)

HOW LONG SINCE YOU LET GOD LOVE YOU?

On the card was a printed verse: “I’d rather do nothing with you than something without you.” Beneath the verse she had written these words:
I forgive you. I love you. Let’s move on

Please understand. Relationships don’t thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.

“Pray about what bothers you, and let God take care of your problems.”

“It is easy to find fault with others, but in the process of doing so, we often forget about our own faults”

“Sometimes we are thankful out of the overflow of our hearts, and sometimes we have to remind ourselves to be thankful by looking back at how life used to be compared to how it is now”

“Thankfulness is the overflow of a humble heart, just as complaining is the overflow of a proud heart. Proud people think they deserve everything they have and even think they should have more. But humble people realize they deserve nothing and are therefore extremely thankful for all that God has done for them.”

Some businesses have a complaint department, but heaven does not have one.

Although I know I am not perfect in all my behavior, I do know that God loves and accepts me.

God takes the difficulties and mixes them with blessings, and somehow it all works out well in the end.

“I can testify that even when something we think is terrible happens, it can still work out for our benefit if we will continue believing that God is good and that nothing is impossible with Him.”

“I woke up, I have clothes to wear, I have running water, I have food to eat, life is good, God is great, I’m thankful.”

God’s love never ceases. Never. Though we spurn him. Ignore him. Reject him. Despise him. Disobey him. He will not change. Our evil cannot diminish his love. Our goodness cannot increase it. Our faith does not earn it any more than our stupidity jeopardizes it. God doesn’t love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God’s love never ceases.

Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
COLOSSIANS 3:13 TLB

Our hearts seem so far from his. He is pure; we are greedy. He is peaceful; we are hassled. He is purposeful; we are distracted. He is pleasant; we are cranky. He is spiritual; we are earthbound. The distance between our hearts and his seems so immense. How could we ever hope to have the heart of Jesus?

He could find beauty in lilies, joy in worship, and possibilities in problems.