Satisfying Our Needs

If you have a moment check out this link. It's to one of the blogs I read regularly. What Lysa TerKeurst had to say today spoke directly to my heart. The world tells us that we can satisfy our needs through things, through food, through people, but God tells us that only He can ultimately satisfy our needs!

^"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19, HCSB).

Those Early Morning Hours

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every though, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, what whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things” (Philippians: 4:6-9, HCSB).

It’s the early morning hours that get me. It’s that time of day when I’m stumbling around, changing diapers, feeding the baby her bottle, and desperately needing a cup of coffee, that my mind is the most unguarded. It’s then that Satan likes to prey on my fears. It’s then that he draws up my worries and anxieties about this coming deployment. My brain tells me I can’t do it. I’m not cut out for this. I’m not strong enough. I won’t be able to take care of my little girl on my own. My brain asks how I’ll handle sickness, how I’ll handle those stressful days without my husband close by.

But my heart tells a different story. My heart reminds me that I serve a faithful God. My heart reminds me to focus on everything that is right and true. My heart reminds me how much closer I’ll grow to God through this experience. My heart reminds me to take captive every thought and to let my Jesus reign over each day.

If I only listened to my head I’d be a basket case. But instead, I’m learning to pay more attention to my heart. I’m learning to listen to that inner voice of my Savior, who whispers quietly and reminds me that He is there.

So be encouraged dear friends, that you never face this world alone. Vanquish all of the evil, self-degrading thoughts and focus instead on the wonderful words of your Savior. Scripture can be such a powerful form of encouragement. I don’t believe it was happenstance that I was reading Philippians 4 in my devotions this morning. No, I serve a Savior that directs our hearts and minds toward what is right and true. He gave me exactly what I needed to read this morning. He’s just amazing like that!

What is God saying to your heart this morning?

Words

Words. I need words. Sometimes I struggle. My day is busy. Guests are visiting. And I really don’t know what to write. I don’t know what to write in this place that I come to. But for some reason I need this place, for some reason I long for a moment or two of quiet. A moment when I can write down my thoughts and prayers and place them on this blog.

And so, I distract the baby for a minute or two. I find a quiet spot to sit. And I pray that God will speak to me. I don’t often have very long. Before I know it the baby will be crying. In fact, there she is now. Sigh. I’m glad I serve a patient God who understands the restraints of a new mommy. Because I truly wish I had more time to write each day. Before I leave to check on her, I’ll give you a thought to ponder.

In my devotions I recently reached Philippians 1. I love this portion of scripture. I know I’ve written about it before. It’s a chapter that reminds me how truly thankful I am for the people in my life. It’s a chapter that reminds me to strive for what is right and true in my own life. Paul writes,

^“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer” (Philippians 1: 3-4 HCSB).  After reading this, I asked myself how often I truly pray for the people in my life. Yes, I pray for them when their sick or struggling, but do I simply thank God for them? Do I pray for them on the good days? Do I send up prayers of thanksgiving for them? This is one area of my prayer life that could definitely improve.

And so there you have it. I did find some words to write after all. The words, I suppose, are prayers of joy and thankfulness for the people who make up my life.
What about you? What have you been learning through your devotions? What area of your prayer life might need improvement?