Hope: A Courageous Journey of FaithSample

DEVOTIONAL - TODAY'S DISCUSSION Prayer is our direct access to God. In the beginning, he walked the earth with Adam and Eve each day in the beautiful Garden of Eden .. can you imagine it? We know through the book of Revelation that once Christ returns again, we will walk with Him and he will be the light of the world. But for now, we must "Rejoice always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV) God's desire is to have an intimate one-to-one relationship with us. He wants us to be thankful for everything throughout our day; the beauty of a flower he masterfully designed, the delight of a child’s giggle. It's easy to only go to God in prayer when times are difficult or at a scheduled time. It's easy to forget to delight in God's majesty throughout our normal days. But he desires our full attention and when we thoughtfully give it to Him, He is glorified. If we allow our day to overpower our faith, we disallow God to have the glory that He desires. "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ." (Romans 8:6 NIV) The daily tasks of life, both good and bad, should not stop us from focusing on Jesus and spending time getting to know Him. FROM "TAYLOR'S GIFT" THE BOOK  That night I went to bed early. I hugged and kissed Tara and the kids, including a hug and kiss to Taylor in heaven. I said my prayers, and before I fell asleep I got out my notebook and wrote. The next day I would post it on my blog: I miss her so much, but know she is with me all the time. Thanks for being there with me, Christ. Thank you for allowing me to process this grief and put it to good use each and every day . . . and when I don’t feel I can, continue to show me the path. Another day. Another 15th. Good night. TODAY'S REFLECTIONS How often do you go to the Lord in prayer? Is it only every night before you go to sleep? Do you see things throughout your day that you can thank God for? Today, thank God for the good and the difficult times in your life. Pray for Him to show you the path and for you to have His wisdom to follow. The next time you see something beautiful or moving, thank Him for it so He can have the glory!