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"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." ~ Luke 2:14 NLT
Dearly beloved by God, may your spirit receive this blessing from God’s Word. Beloved, be blessed to come daily to Jesus Christ with an open heart. From his abundance, you are promised one gracious blessing after another. (Jn.1:16) Jesus knows about all the trials and hardships of the past year. He was there with you. Be blessed to release them to him, along with all the regrets and frustration that may have hidden themselves in your heart. Make room for his good gifts. Be blessed as you surrender every part of your life to your Lord and Savior. Then expect him to fill the void made there with his unending love and peace. Stop and receive it. Allow the Holy Spirit to cause your spiritual ears to hear God’s voice ever more clearly and to open your eyes to see into the spiritual realm. There you will be blessed to experience God’s special love for you. You belong to him and he belongs to you. He knows you and knows exactly what you need. Dear one, as you discern more of God’s work in and around you, receive the blessing of his spirit of gratitude that opens the door to receive his peace and the strength to endure and persevere through any hardship. Receive the gift of thanksgiving, and do not doubt, as you recognize blessings designed uniquely for you. Our loving heavenly Father is the life-giver and the source of all light. As his adopted daughter, be blessed to live as a child of the light. Allow his life to shine in and through you. His light is meant to shine in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (Jn.1:5) Be increasingly blessed the more you align with God, his time and timing, his plans and desires for your life. You have been given goodness, compassion and wisdom so you can plant them like seeds where his Spirit directs you. Be blessed to believe God will water the seeds, causing them to grow and multiply, producing a rich harvest for many. May you reap the full benefits of his mercy and increasing favor. Highly valued daughter, wherever God leads you know that Jesus is with you, and in seeking him along the way, your life will overflow with blessings. God’s goodness and unfailing love will pursue you all the days of your life. (Ps.23:5,6) Be blessed in the name of the gentle, merciful Son who came so that you might have new life. Amen. Christmas, 2021
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Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28 NLT
The holidays are upon us, and many of us are revving up our activities. We may be among those who believe that our family and friends expect us to make this Christmas a success, keeping everyone happy by giving them the perfect gifts and filled with plenty of the traditional good foods. That may be putting more stress on an already stressful life. Recently, a beautiful young friend expressed feeling stress and as a result was not sleeping well. As she looked to me for help, I suggested we ask Jesus. Clearly, she heard, “Rest.” She looked up at me, and asked, “But how do I rest? I have been working hard to try to rest.” Suddenly, we both realized what she had just confessed. We began to laugh! Hearing it out loud, we realized that working hard to rest was not going to produce rest. Rest and work are clearly at odds with each other. Jesus has given us the answer to the question, “How do I rest?” In Matthew 11:28 he tells us, “Come to me.” It is only in the presence of God, through Jesus, that we find true peace of mind and heart. In God’s presence, we are able to trust him and to let go and give him all the concerns and heaviness we’ve allowed to accumulate. We may even be able to discern that the anxiety and stress was coming from others’ expectations, not the Lord’s. Are you starting to feel the stress and are allowing it to rob your peace and joy as Christmas approaches? Then hear Jesus saying to you, “Come to me, beloved. Come into my presence. Soak in my peace and love. Sit with me and release every burden you are carrying. Trust me to deal with them. Release the tension and stress. Breathe it out. Breathe in my love and peace. Stay with me in the awareness that I am always with you. I never leave you. So, my rest is always yours. Come receive it!” Dear friend, be blessed as you choose rest this Christmas. Be blessed as you refuse to carry the weight of others’ expectations and choose only to please God. Develop the habit of daily coming into the Lord’s presence, and be blessed with being filled with his love and peace. May you overflow with the atmosphere of Heaven so that you change the environment around you. Be blessed to spread Jesus’ love and peace wherever you go! Amen. Mary Sumner ~ December 2, 2021 |
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September 2024
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