To purchase the “Little Children”  Moses Basket shop our Blessed Occasion™  line at  www.count-it joy.com

In a similar fashion, there is a sense of growing spiritual refreshment—from large conferences taught by renowned ministers like Joyce Meyer to small and simple women’s retreats in your hometown. Each offers a wonderful time for calm, community and communion with God.

The Psalms speak of a God that “refreshes and restores my life [myself]. He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him- not for my earning it, but] for His name sake” (Psalm 23:1-3 Amplified). This refreshing and restoration is a sure promise if you have already made the Lord your Shepherd.

If you don’t know Him in a personal way, you can pray today and ask Him to become your Good Shepherd—one that will care for and watch over your soul all the days of your life.

As the countdown to summer’s end begins, remember to take time for refreshment and restoration. It is the pathway to spiritual renewal. Below, I have posted a few lines for reflection from our Meditations of The Heart Devotional. The devotional is designed to help you pause daily to reflect and meditate on the goodness of God. Consider these words in your moments of refreshing….

LORD, restore my soul and let me see,
The child that I was meant to be.
LORD, restore my soul and let me walk,
In Your perfect liberty.
LORD, restore my soul,
And let my thoughts rest solely on Your Word.

Be Blessed,
Joyce

However, those who have participated in our online discussion of Mother’s Day:
* Have been honest enough to share their truth in love.
* Have chosen to honor their Mother by accentuating the positives.
* Have committed to growing and learning to become the best Mother that they can possibly be.

The message then for all of us is a reminder that no matter what our circumstances may be, we can still choose to focus on the positives and learn and grow from the negatives.

Thanks to all who posted on our Mother’s Day Celebration on facebook. This new poem was inspired by you! Feel free to send this to your MOM.

MY Precious MOM

To my precious MOM on Mother’s Day,
This little note has come to say;
That I honor you in a special way!
To my precious MOM on Mother’s Day,
This little note has come to say;
That my love for you is here to stay.
To my precious MOM on Mother’s Day,
This little note has come to say;
That you have inspired and encouraged me-
To be the person that I am today!

LORD, when I pause to think of Calvary,
And the liberty that You bought there for me;
I praise You!
When I think of all that You went through,
Over sinful deeds that You never knew;
I bless You!
When I think of how You interceded,
To the Father over every need;
I thank You!
When I think of what my life once was,
And the Mercy shown from God above;
I exalt You!
When I think of all Your faithfulness,
In securing me a place to rest;
I adore You!
When I think of how they pierced Your hands,
And the work of God’s redemptive plan;
I honor You!
When I think of how You were denied,
But the Father’s will You did not defied;
I worship You!
When I think of what a privilege,
It is to call You LORD;
I love You!
When I think of all Your Heavenly Host,
And the power of the Holy Ghost;
LORD, I will live for You!

Sisters In The Struggle

We are true sisters in the struggle,

And the fight for our cause will never be forgotten.

We are true sisters in the struggle,

For we have overcome many a silent battle.

We are true sisters in the struggle,

We are a voice for today;

And a light for tomorrow.

We are true sisters in the struggle,

We are an example for the future generation to follow.

We are true sisters with a mission,

And we must endeavor to fulfill our vision.

We are true sisters in the struggle,

And we must carefully weigh every thought and decision.

We are true sisters with a purpose,

And we must maintain our stand and our focus.

We are true sisters in the struggle,

But the reward for our pain will surely be doubled.

This first poem is entitled The Mountain:

As I journey on through space and time,
The mountain seems so hard to climb.
And as I count the miles ahead,
The horizon seems unlimited.
So I have learned to leave the wind behind,
For the hidden treasures that I must find.
When I grow weary in my toil,
I shed tears for pain untold.
And when life’s questions seem unclear,
Or mysteries won’t unfold;
I lift my heart with songs above,
Assured that God in all His love is watching over me.
He sends me sunshine through the day,
To light my path and show the way.
And through the thunder and the rain,
He helps me count each loss as gain.
The strength that He gives me on my way,
Will lead me to a better day;
Where pain no longer will surround
But all of God’s glory will abound.

I agree that not everything that happens in life can be called good. However, God has the power to transform us in the painful process and work out everything together for His purpose and our good. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28(NKJV). The key is that we must love God, commit to His will, and trust Him even when things do not make any sense to our natural minds.

I have found that an attitude of thanksgiving is an effective way of dealing with the unanswered questions and disappointments in life. It is also a way of magnifying God above the circumstances.

As you embrace this holiday season I would encourage you to write down at least one thing that you are thankful for. Let that one thing become your focus of attention. Open your mouth and thank God for the one thing that you have identified. As you do, He will break through the darkness and flood your heart with His joy and peace! Happy Thanksgiving.

No one ever said that life would be easy! And whether our pain has come from the hand of others or by our own foolish mistakes, we still need the gift of forgiveness.

At times it may feel difficult to forgive someone depending upon the wrong that they have done to us. It may seem even harder to forgive ourselves for our own failures and shortcomings. Yet, Jesus in His dealings with Peter demonstrated that forgiveness is a choice and not a feeling. Jesus provided an example of love and forgiveness to a man who denied Him not once but three times.

As a result of receiving forgiveness Peter was restored to fellowship and was able to continue in service to the Lord. It was that same Peter who stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached a powerful sermon that impacted the lives of many people. Acts 2 (NKJV)

The same love and forgiveness that was available to Peter is also available to us when we miss the mark. God expects us to always receive forgiveness and extend that same mercy to others. Receiving forgiveness releases us from fear, quilt, shame and condemnation. Forgiving others releases them from wrath and judgment. John 20:23 (NKJV) says,” If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any they are retained.”

Today, let us pause and take inventory of our lives. As we do, let us ask God to help us to release anyone including ourselves from  unforgiveness. Bitterness and unforgiveness is not a healthy way to live. But love and forgiveness are two pearls that we can always choose to give!

If you listen long enough to what people are saying you can hear an element of fear rising in the atmosphere!

Merriam Webster dictionary describes fear as “Frighten, to feel fear in (oneself) to have a reverential awe of (fear God), to be afraid of: expect with alarm, (fear the worst), to be afraid or apprehensive, (feared for their lives.)

The only fear that we should entertain from the above definition is a healthy respect of who God is. Having this type of reverential fear will cause us to gain knowledge and walk in wisdom. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Fear in any form must be resisted for it is contagious and it will bring torment to the heart and mind. Therefore, let us not be afraid of the things that we see and hear. For no matter what is going on in our lives God’s Word says we are to fear not!

Stop living your life,

In the fear of man,

And do not stress over things

That you cannot understand.

Stop living your life,

In the fear of man;

But daily seek for God’s wisdom

And do what you can.

Stop living your life,

In the fear of man;

But look for the true favor

That comes only from His hands.

People are in a hurry and patience is a fruit that nobody wants to bear! Yet James 1:4 (NKJV) says that we are to let patience do a perfect work in us. Cultivating the fruit of patience seems to be part of God’s plan for our spiritual growth and development. Ouch!

I have to admit that the word patience can conjure up thoughts of pain and long……. suffering! However, I have learned over the years that waiting on the Lord is never a state of inactivity. This a time of seeking wisdom, receiving instruction and doing what you know to do in the natural.

*Waiting on God’s timing with a grateful heart will build strength and endurance. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

*Waiting puts you in a position to inherit the promise and can be an example for others to follow Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV)

* Waiting on the Lord can keep you from making the wrong decision and ending up with an Ishmael.

I Will Wait

Lord, in patience I will wait on You,

For wisdom to know when and what to do.

Lord, in patience I will wait on You,

With a confident trust;

That You will see me through!

Lord, in patience I will wait on You,

For the path that is before me;

I am not able to see.

Lord, in patience I will wait on You,

For Your spiritual timing and fulfillment;

I believe I will see!