I Choose Today...

I Choose Today my Abba Father

The churches in our area have partnered up with the county to host guests who need a warm, safe bed during these cold winter nights. On one such night when it was our churches opportunity to host, my husband and I were able to be hands and feet. During dinner, we had the opportunity to hear some of their stories. One gentleman was regaling us with stories of his youth; how he was a sports phenom of his day. He was making the papers, setting new sports records, had college offers which would set him up for life. During the course of the evening we spent with him, he kept talking about he had life by the tail when he was young. When asked what changed the trajectory of his life, he said drugs. But then, through further conversation, he tearfully explained his reason for his pain; what hurt he was trying to cover through the escape of drugs. He explained, with all of his games he had in high school, all the accolades he received from everyone at school, in the community, with college coaches, there was something missing; someone missing. You see, his dad never came to one

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I Choose Today God’s Best

Recently, my husband needed to make some changes to his diet based on some lab work that he received. Nothing serious, however, left unchecked, it could turn into something serious. So, being the loving wife that I am, and the fact that I love him so much that I want him around living his best life, I started gradually making those changes for him (bc I am the one who cooks and shops for the family). At first there was a struggle with my husband. He wanted what he wanted, not necessarily what he needed. Soon he started to see the validity of the changes and started to own them. Now, 6 months later, he can look back and see that even though it wasn’t what he wanted, he made the changes that were needed. That is the same with God. He gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. He too does it out of love for us and to see us live our best and purposed  life here on earth. ”Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show

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I Choose Today to Not Be Enticed

Satan is arrogant. He was arrogant to think he could entice the Son of God to sin. Satan waited until Jesus was weak from hunger to tempt Him. ”Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”“ Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ He also spoke to Jesus’ arrogance (if He were) to do things out of the will of God: use His power to turn stones into bread; give Jesus the whole kingdom if He bowed down and worshipped Satan. He was speaking to His flesh, His arrogance. That is what he did to Adam and Eve (that they would know good and evil like God). That is what he does to us. That is what he does to me. Waiting for the opportunity of weakness to strike. But Jesus is the opposite of arrogant; He is humble. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. He wants us to follow the example He sets

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I Choose Today to work on small things

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” We tend to think of this verse for the big things: not getting a job, losing a loved one, a medical diagnosis, etc.. But what about the small stuff, the little things? Recently, I had a conversation with a customer service person about a mistake that happened on a shipment. After explaining the problem (there was a glitch in their system), she started off her explanation by saying I needed to be better at checking things on my end. Well that just got my heckles up and I responded in a negative way. The conversation escalated to where we were each responding negatively to one another and not really resolving the issue. The Holy Spirit convicted me so I stopped the conversation by asking her to talk to my husband because I needed to get to a meeting. The conversation between this rep and my husband lasted 3 minutes in which resulted in a resolution of the situation. So, how is this for good, you ask? Seems to me that

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I Choose Today to rejoice even though

Habakkuk lived in a time with a lot of challenges where it seemed like God was either not present or not loving. But yet, he chose to rejoice as he sang, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will REJOICE in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” Hab. 3:17-18 Even though the circumstances of God’s people seemed dire (and it was), Habakkuk chose to rejoice in the Lord. Drawing a parallel from Habakkuk’s unwavering joy in the midst of adversity, I found myself facing a profound test of faith when my 5-1/2 month old son tragically succumbed to SIDS. No explanation, no signs, no perceivable reason. Did I ask God why He took my son from our family? Yes! But honestly, if God Himself came down to tell me all the good things He was going to do because of Bobby’s death, it wouldn’t have made sense to me or been a good enough reason in

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