Summer Bucket List | Thankful Thursday

Javan has to have a modified summer vacation in that he cannot go swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean. He is healing all through these summer months and we are praying he will be healed in time to go back to school. He was sad thinking about all of the things he loves to do in the summer but unfortunately this summer are off limits. So, I decided we should make a Summer Bucket List of fun things he CAN do and even if we do not get to all of them, he should be able to do some of them! What is on your Summer Bucket List?

This Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for the opportunity to stay home and take care of Javan. I am glad that I can change his dressings multiple times each day and watch the healing process. I am grateful that he is not in pain, though he does have moments of discomfort. I am thankful that we can plan how our summer will be, even though it most likely won't turn out anything like we plan!

PROVERBS 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

PROVERBS 16:9 A man's heart deviseth (plans) his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

PROVERBS 19:21 There are many devices (plans) in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

PSALM 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

PSALM 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

We can make our plans and it is fun to do so. We must not forget, however; to seek God's counsel on if they are good plans or not. They may not be bad things to do, but it may not be the direction He wants us to go. We need to cast all our care and worry upon the Master because He cares for us. We know that in life we are told to never sweat the small stuff. We are also told it is all small stuff. So, decide today to put your hand in the hand of the Father and walk with Him, even if it means not doing everything you planned on doing.

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your summer. It is hard to believe that the year is half over! Time marches on friend. While time will march on even after our clock stops ticking, we must be cognizant of the fact Jesus is coming soon. If you do not live to see the great second coming of King Jesus, you still must prepare your hearts to see Him. Are you ready? Do you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? If not, ask Him to save you and forgive you of your sins and He will do it! That is one plan that He wants to make happen for you!

What are you thankful for this Thankful Thursday? There is always something to be thankful for! God bless you friends!

~Bridgett Owens

God Uses Anyone Anytime | Thankful Thursday

 

When I was growing up, we were daily spending time with extended family. Our house was full of family and friends. My parents had four of us kids, my aunt next door had four girls, and my aunt who visited often had three boys. Most of my cousins and two of my siblings were older than me. I heard this phrase often, "No, Bridgett. You're too young." That was so frustrating because I did not think I was too young to participate in the conversation, the activity, or to watch the tv show or movie. I was one of the youngest granddaughters and so I was constantly told, "Not yet. Someday you will. It's just not time yet. Be patient, Bridgett."

After years of being told things like that, it is easy to start believing it. One day turns into weeks then months and even years. God has asked me to do so many hard things through the years and I might say things like, "I can't God because I am too young, too inexperienced, not educated enough, not popular enough, not (fill in the blank) enough." But God did not ask me to be enough. He is Jehovah Jireh God my Provider! He is the God of more than enough! So, on October 31, 2021 God gave this passage of scripture to me: Jeremiah 1:4-9. We are going to discuss it today and if you feel inadequate maybe you will be strengthened and empowered by the same verses God has given to me.

1. GOD MADE YOU WITH A PURPOSE.

Jeremiah 1:1-2 (1)Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (2)Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Before you were formed in your mother's womb, God already knew you. Before you were ever on the face of the earth, God knew all about you and sanctified you. He set you apart for His glory and His purpose. He made Jeremiah to be a prophet unto the nations. He has created me for a specific purpose and He has done the very same thing for you. You may be older now and look back and think of all the things you have done for your personal glory or satisfaction. Maybe you have regrets, but there's a Bible verse for that!

Isaiah 49:1-5 (1)Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name. (2)And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver He hath hid me; (3)And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (4)Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet, surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. (5)And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 

This reminds us that God named us, called us, and equipped us before we were ever born! Everything He has called us to do, He has already made provision for it. No matter if we used our strength for nothing and worked in vain, God is able to turn it around and get the glory. He is the single source of our strength! That is good news!! And when we ask for guidance and direction, He will give that to us like He did Moses.

Exodus 33:11-14 (11)And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. (12)And Moses said unto the LORD, See, Thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou also hast found grace in My sight. (13)Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this nation is Thy people. (14)And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Isn't this a beautiful glance into a very special moment of Moses and the LORD GOD? They speak together face to face like friends. Moses tells God, "Even though You have not said who You will send with me to do everything You are calling me to do, I will trust You because You know me by name and You said I found grace in Your sight. So if I have found grace in Your sight, please show me Your way. I just need some direction." (I paraphrased here.) God said to Moses, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." What a beautiful promise! And we know in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus promises to give us rest, too! But, just in case you think God only called Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Moses and so it must just be an Old Testament thing for a select few, let's read what Paul has to say about this.

Galatians 1:15-17 (15)But when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, and called Me by His grace,  (16)To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (17)Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went unto Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Paul is talking about his track record; how he persecuted the church and then God revealed to him the purpose and plan He had for Paul. Paul realizes it was when he was born and called into God's grace and plans that he had been destined to preach and teach about Jesus Christ. When Paul realized it was his destiny and purpose, he did not ask men their opinions, did not go visit the apostles who walked and talked with Jesus for three and a half years, but went to Arabia and came back to Damascus and if you continue reading this text he will speak about the rest of his journeys and eventually going to see Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. So, when God calls you to do something, do not go ask a bunch of people. In fact, do not even ask your pastor for confirmation. Ask God to bring you confirmation and He will do it, but often flesh and blood will fail you and cause you to miss your destiny and purpose because it often won't make sense to other people. Trust God and His plan for your life.

2. BREAK FREE FROM LIMITATIONS.

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. (youth) We hear God tell us to do something that seems too big for us to handle, too spectacular for us to be successful, and we say to God, "I can't do that God because I am too young, too old, too quiet, too loud, too (fill in the blank). We have to remember that God is not looking at our credentials, our bank account, our location, our immediate situation. He knows all of that but none of that is influencing His decision to use you for His great purpose. We are not alone in thinking that we are not qualified. Jeremiah did not give God a resume of all the reasons he should be picked, but rather was astonished God wanted to use him and he thought he should remind God he was so young. Moses did the same thing: gave God a reason to not want to use him but it did not work.

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O  my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken to Thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. The truth is that God already knew Moses was not an eloquent speaker, that he had a speech impediment. That did not disqualify Moses. Think about it, it only gives God more glory and honor and praise when He uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. Moses would never be able to say he did any of the great feats he accomplished apart from God. So it is with you and I. So, Moses overcame the insecurity about his speech over time right? Uh, not quite.

Exodus 6:12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 

Exodus 6:28-30 (28)And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt (29)That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. (30) And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

Moses questions God, "If the people You sent me to deliver do not listen to me, what should make me think Pharaoh will hear me? I speak slow and I am unskilled and inept." Have you ever thought about the things God is telling you to do and felt unqualified? I know I have. God told me to write books and I thought about it and was not sure I had it in me. Even after writing books, how can I publish them? I did not go to school for journalism, I went to nursing school. I do not have the money to pay someone to do the work for me: to publish my books. How can I do this big, hard thing when I do not know how to navigate these uncharted waters? But like God did for Moses, He will surely give me what I need and bring people beside me to help me do what He has asked of me. What big thing is God stretching you to do?

3. YOU ARE NOT GOING ALONE. GOD PROMISES TO BE WITH YOU.

Jeremiah 1:7-8 (7)But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (8)Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 

What a beautiful example of God meeting us right in our fears and insecurities and lovingly promising to not only give us success in all He is calling us to do, but then pledging that He will never leave us or abandon us. We are not out on a journey to do this hard task for God and left to fend for ourselves. No, God meets us where we are and is with us every step of this journey. Remember Jesus saying this in the Great Commission we just talked about?

Matthew 28:19-20 (19)Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20)Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It is not God's plan to send us out into the world and then not give us protection or provision. That would be a very unloving thing to do to His children and we have a perfectly wonderful Heavenly Father who loves us way too much to ever do that. But sometimes we are afraid of what God is asking us to do. God was sending Ezekiel to a rebellious house and so the work was going to be tough but God did not require Ezekiel to convert them. It was not Ezekiel's job to make these people repent, it was only Ezekiel's job to tell the people what God wanted them to know. Let's read about that.

Ezekiel 2:6-7 (6)And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. (7)And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. 

God just wanted Ezekiel to be obedient to Him and to say what He wanted Ezekiel to say. It was not up to Ezekiel to force them to believe what he said, it was only up to him to speak the truth.

Ezekiel 3:10-14 (10)Moreover He said unto me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. (11)And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the LORD GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. (12)Then the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place. (13)I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. (14)So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

We may not like the situation God is putting us in, or we may be upset about the sins of the people we have to go to, but no matter what God is asking us to do, we are promised that God will be with us and like Ezekiel we can feel God's strong hand upon our lives and know we are in His capable hands.

Exodus 3:12 And He said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

God is reminding us that we will know He is with us when we accomplish what He has asked us to do. He said to Moses and He says to us today, "Certainly I will be with you." We will know He is with us every step of the way because we will find ourselves saying and doing things we did not even know to say or do otherwise. God will equip us to do everything He is asking us to do. We must only trust and obey. It may not always be easy but Jesus did not have everything easy either and He is the Son of the Living God Most High.

4. GOD PROVIDES WHAT YOU NEED.

Jeremiah 1:9 Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth.

God is putting His words in our mouths, too. He is putting the tools in our hearts and is placing inside of us everything we need to be successful on the mission He is sending us on. Maybe we need to be healed of a speech or hearing issue. God is able to do that. Do you remember how He healed the man in Mark?

Mark 7:31-37 (31)And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. (32)And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech (begged) Him to put His hand upon him. (33)And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and He spit, and touched his tongue; (34)And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. (35)And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue (impediment) was loosed, and he spake plain. (36)And He charged (commanded) them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal (widely) they published it; (37)And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb (mute) to speak.

Sometimes God does not do the miraculous to heal, but He will give you someone to help you, like He did Moses. Do you remember that?

Exodus 4:11-16 (11)And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (12)Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. (13)And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send. (14)And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. (15)And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16)And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

God promised Moses He would be with him to help with the speech impediment. Moses had zero confidence in his own ability to do anything that important. He asked God to send someone else. God was angry with Moses because Moses not only had no faith in himself, but he had no faith that God would be able to use him. God knows the purpose and plans He has for Moses and He does not change His mind. He simply gives Aaron to Moses as a spokesman to be in the place of Moses' mouth and Moses is to Aaron in the place of God. In other words, God tells Moses what to say, and then Moses tells Aaron what God wants said and Aaron says it.

Friends, God always asks us to do things out of our comfort zones to bring glory to His name and to build up the Kingdom of God. God knows our limitations and our shortcomings, but He chooses to use us in spite of these issues. He does not throw us away and pick the stronger, the better, the wiser. Why? Because He made us with a specific purpose and whether we will run from it, or embrace it, is up to us. I hope this has helped someone today. It sure has been an encouragement to me. I am learning right along with the rest of you. Today I am thankful that God will use anyone, anytime, including me! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Change of Plans | Fuel For The Weekend

Welcome back friends to another blog post to fill up your tank this weekend! Are you running on empty? Have you been feeling a little low on energy, a little discouraged or unsettled? Do not fear! God is with us and He is helping us and He is for us! We are going to talk about how our plans may change in big or small ways but God's Plan will always remain. His plan does not change and He knows every detail of every moment of every single day of your life. What an incredible God we serve! Amen?

My childhood friend lives far away and this week she is here in Indiana. We wanted to see each other so we planned to meet for supper one night and that did not work out, due to an illness in the family. We rescheduled for breakfast with just the two of us and that did not work out either, due to another illness in the family. As much as our plans said we wanted to see each other, if only for a quick hug, it just was not going to happen. And that's okay because we are still friends and that will never change. We communicate regularly, pray for one another and our families, and sometimes in life, our best laid plans just do not happen.

Here in southern Indiana, we had some cold weather, ice, a little snow, and a lot of rain. The temperatures are hovering around freezing, but it is not too bad. I decided to go get myself some breakfast this morning after I dropped my son off at school. I knew I had a lot to do today and I need to get some work done this afternoon for the company I work for, so I stopped at Starbucks.

I got a delicious breakfast sandwich, a chocolate croissant, and a mocha cookie crumble frappucino.

I will be working on my frappucino for a little while. As I eat breakfast and sip on my frappe I am just meditating on God's Word and how sometimes we plan good things, like a breakfast out with a friend, and it doesn't happen, or (and honestly this part is what I am thinking about this morning) how we plan our future, assume the job will work out, the finances will be there, and then when it doesn't happen, it is easy to become angry, frustrated, insecure, and then doubt sets in. I don't want to operate from a place of fear or insecurity so I have been talking to God about my current job situation and what my future will look like after mid-March!

God reminded me of Joshua. God gave Joshua a big job to do. Let's read it together:

DEUTERONOMY 31:23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel unto the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.

In the book of Numbers, we know that God told Moses to send men out to search the land of Canaan that He was giving to the children of Israel. So Moses did that and Joshua and Caleb were two of the men that went to spy out the land. We read this in Numbers 13:1-16. Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who had a good word to say about the land. The rest of the men were negative and complained.

NUMBERS 13:32-33 (32)And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. (33)And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers,  and so we were in their sight.

They had already decided it was too big of a job for them to take it on. They failed to remember the signs and wonders and miracles God had already performed for them. They were so upset that they wanted to go back to bondage, and be slaves once again in Egypt. Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Aaron and Moses fell on their faces. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes. This was treason against God! They knew what He had done for them and when they are face to face with the promised land, 2 of the 10 men were excited and said, "Let's take it! It's ours!" And the other men were cowards and fearful, so they complained, "It's too big of a target to hit!" But Joshua and Caleb thought, "No! It's too big to miss! Let's take the land!"

NUMBERS 14:22-23 (22)Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice; (23)Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it.

Moses was so sick of dealing with those stiff-necked, hard-hearted people. They never would surrender to God's Plan and just let God be God. Moses tells them the only ones who were going to the Promised Land were Caleb and Joshua and their children.

DEUTERONOMY 1:27-38 (27)And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, He hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. (28)Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. (29)Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. (30)The LORD your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes; (31)And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. (32)Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, (33)Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day. (34)And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, (35)Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. (36)Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. (37)Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go thither. (38)But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.(34)And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, (35)Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. (36)Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. (37)Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go thither. (38)But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.(35)Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. (36)Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. (37)Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go thither. (38)But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.(37)Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go thither.(38)But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.(37)Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go thither.

So we see that Moses is stern with the people. He told them that all their murmuring and complaining cost them the Promised Land. Their fear and doubt and lack of faith cost them their inheritance. They wanted the past and the familiar. So now they were given a choice and they did not choose to believe God could deliver them out of the hand of the Amorites. After all God had done for them. God still has a plan to bless the children of Israel though. He is not blessing the complainers and the doubters. They will never walk into all God had promised them: a land flowing with milk and honey. Even Moses was not able to enter that Promised Land because of his disobedience to God.

NUMBERS 20:7-12 (7)And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (8)Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and it shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and beasts drink. (9)And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He commanded him. (10)And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? (11)And Moses lifted us his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. (12)And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

We may remember how Aaron caved to peer pressure and made a golden calf for the people to worship while Moses was up on the mountain with God. And now God has instructed Moses to speak to the rock and instead he gives himself the credit for giving the people water and he hits the rock twice instead of speaking to it. So instead of demonstrating to the people that the water came from God and it was His provision yet again, Moses made it about himself and Aaron. "Must we fetch you water out of this rock?" They were not able to do anything apart from God. So God told the brothers they were to lead the people to the Promised Land but they weren't going in to possess it and neither were the complainers in the camp.

That means that time has to pass and years go by. Joshua is getting old but he remained strong. And God was with him. 

JOSHUA 14:10-12 (10)And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. (11)As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. (12)Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

 A score of years is 20 years, so fourscore and five years means Joshua was 85 years old. He said that at 85 years old he had the same strength he had when he was 45 years old. God preserved his strength. The Bible tells us clearly in Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Joshua is a living, breathing example of that. He has waited for all of these years to do what God told him he would do. He is ready. He has been waiting well. He has not gotten ahead of God's timing and look at it paying off.

I do not fully understand what all is happening right now in the spiritual realm in my life and with my job and everything God is doing to shift some things. I do have perfect peace and I am trusting God. In this time of waiting, I have been actively serving God and serving others. I am busy with God's call on my life and I do not have time to think long or ponder much about where God is taking me. I am walking by faith and not by sight and the further He takes me, the more I know I can trust Him.

You see the complainers had seen God's provision time and time again. God said they provoked Him 10 times! He was long-suffering with them. He was patient and did not destroy them the first, second, or even ninth time they yelled in His face that they were mad He freed them from slavery and delivered them to a land of promise. Imagine! He has been a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day to show them which way to go. He protected them from danger and look at the strength he preserved in Joshua, an 85 year old man, fully ready to go to war and take the land he had been promised.

Let's get our resolve back. Let's forget what things look like and sound like. Are we going to focus on the giants in the land and the high walls of the city? Or will we shift our eyes to the giant slayer! Great God Jehovah is on our side and there is no wall high enough to keep Him out. There is no giant big enough to stop our God Yahweh! Whose side are you on? Will you see yourself as a grasshopper and allow others to discount your worth too? Or will you be like Caleb and Joshua who said, "This is a sure win! God goes before us and we will get the victory!" Your life, your choice, choose well.

I am excited to know that things change, but God does not. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Our plans may change. Our days and weeks and months and years may not go as planned. We may have mapped out the perfect idea of how things should go, but when we ask the Lord to order our steps and lead us, we may find that we have to throw our itinerary in the garbage. Trust me, God's plans are ALWAYS better than our own!

This weekend, let this sink in. Think about these passages and dig a little deeper into what God was trying to teach the children of Israel in the wilderness. What is He trying to show you this weekend? I hope something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Clarity | Thankful Thursday

Thankful for clarity?

I have been fasting this month. I do not say that to boast, because I could not do that if it wasn't for the Lord helping me. I am on a 21 day fast where I have chosen to give up one of the biggest conveniences in my life: fast food. I am on the road a lot. I travel a lot for work. My schedule is such that I can be pretty flexible with my schedule so if I want to run through a drive-thru and grab something to eat I am able. Giving up fast food has turned out to be a bigger sacrifice that I first thought it would be. But something happens when we fast and pray. God always hears and answers our prayers, but when we add fasting to our prayer life, it takes things to a deeper level. God starts revealing things to us. I have been seeking clarity in some areas of my life and He is definitely bringing it.

My word for the year is FOCUS. This is quite interesting, because I thought it was PLANS at first. Turns out as I was seeking God at the altar that God spoke to my heart that I am to FOCUS on Him. He said He has great PLANS for my life this year. He will bring it all to pass as long as I remain laser-focused on His Word, His love, His goodness, His grace, and His mercy.

One of the things I got clarity on was my writing. I am to stay on task for writing three blog posts a week. I am also supposed to finish the last portion of edits so my book, "Who Wants The Bread," can be published and made available to anyone who wants a copy. I have had multiple people ask about the Youth Prayer Journals and so I am excited about getting those uploaded as well. The Youth Prayer Journals turned out even better than I expected. I give God all the glory and honor. It was absolutely His ideas and design.

If you need clarity today for something you are going through, turn to God. He will give you wisdom and help you make your decisions. He is for you and not against you. He wants us to ask Him for things we lack in our lives. He is there to strengthen us, settle us, and surprise us with His wonderful blessings.

HABAKKUK 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

It is important to write down the vision we have for our future, including what God's plan is for our future. If we keep it simple and read it often, we can focus on where we are headed. God has done miraculous, wonderful, supernatural things in 2021 for us, but we are now in 2022. He is going to do big things this year, too. He has already done some wonder-working, awe-inspiring things this month. We have to keep the vision in front of us so we can run! We need to move forward rapidly to be a part of all that God is doing around us.

HEBREWS 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have to focus on Jesus and not take our eyes off Him. He is the author of our faith; it originated with Him. He is the perfecter of our faith. He finishes the work He has begun in us just like He said He would in Philippians 1:6. He endured the cross, so if we think this year is going to be all pleasant and delightful with no pain or discomfort, we are missing the work Jesus did on the cross. This year began with laying to rest my husband's uncle. We have had some fun times and happy moments so far this year, but it has not been without its share of disappointments and sad times, too. If we focus on Jesus, the rough times will be smoother and the good times will be even better.

COLOSSIANS 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The more we keep our eyes on Jesus and focus on heavenly things we will be content with where we are now. Storms may rage around us and threaten to destroy our vessels but God is with us and we will survive. This verse is one I am memorizing this month. It is important to set the things we care about the most in heavenly storage. The key to getting clarity is to stop looking around at the circumstances, or checking bank statements over and over, and to avoid letting these trials get us down. I once read a quote that says, "Ships don't sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what's happening around you get inside you and weigh you down." I love that quote. It is so true.

JAMES 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

What a great verse to encourage and uplift us. If any of us lack wisdom, we can ask our Heavenly Father, and He will generously give it to us without ridiculing us or putting us down for not knowing. I always disliked asking someone to tell me what something meant and then they end up making fun of me for not knowing. God never does that to us. He is willing and able to give us all the wisdom we need to navigate through this life.

I thank God for the clarity He has given me on many things already this month. What are some of the things you are thankful for today?

Stay thankful! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Working It Out This Weekend | Fuel For The Weekend

What are you working on this weekend?

I do not have to work this weekend and I am really thankful. I have a lot to do and it seems like I just get going good on a project and then I have to stop and get ready for bed. There never seems to be enough time to tackle everything on my to-do list. I save a lot of things for the weekend but it would be really nice to have a break and not really have any special plans for the days I am off. What are you planning on doing this weekend?

The Bible tells us some things we need to be doing, not just this weekend, but each and everyday. There are a few verses over in Colossians chapter three that I want to cover. I hope this gives you some insight on what God expects from us. I will be working on these things and I will be praying God strengthens you for the work He is calling you to do. Please say a prayer for me, too.

COLOSSIANS 3:12-25 (12)Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13)Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (14)And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. (15)And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17)And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. (18)Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. (19)Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. (20)Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (21)Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. (22)Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. (23)And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily; as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24)Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (25)But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

That's a lot to take in all at once. We will begin in verse 12 and dissect each verse to see what it is that we should be doing according to the Word of God. We may think we know what is expected and we may know in part, but it is always good to read it for ourselves and then ask God to help us get in line with His plans for us. That truly is the best way!

Verse 12 tells us to put on bowels of mercies. What does that even mean? This is a place of tender and sympathetic feelings. The world needs more kind, sympathetic people to meet them where they are, especially in the world crisis we are living in. It says to put on kindness. Just like putting a coat on before we go into the cold weather, we should be putting on kindness. We need to be kind to one another. It is a cruel world we live in and everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle, whether we know it or not. We are to be kind to others, whether they are kind to us or not. What does it mean for us to put on humbleness of mind? It goes along with being meek. It is not thinking more of ourselves than we ought to; realizing we are all flawed human beings and we all need grace, love, and mercy. Do I have to tell you about longsuffering? It is having patience, suffering long with others. We may get frustrated or upset when others do not respond the way we want them to, or as quick as we want them to, but friends may I remind you that you and I are still on the Potter's Wheel. We are still being shaped and formed into the men and women God wants us to be, to reflect His image. We must be quick to help with loving kindness just like Jesus does for us.

In verse 13 it continues the list of things for us to do. It tells us to forbear one another. That means to not punish someone when you have the right to do so. It is being merciful just like God is to us. He does not hold our sins against us after they have been nailed to the cross of Calvary and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. He could have made us all suffer death but instead He gave us eternal life. We are to forgive one another. It does not matter who is right and who is wrong. Choose to forgive those who have wounded you. It is not worth it to hold grudges and harbor unforgiveness in your heart. It clearly says we are to forgive others as Jesus Christ forgave us. And verse 14 tells us above all of the other things we put on, we must not neglect to put on charity. Charity, or love, is the bond of completeness. When you love others you will want to show them mercy and kindness and think more about them than you do yourself. You will quickly forgive because you know what it is like to be forgiven.

We get a benefit if we are doing these things. Verse 15 says the peace of God will rule in our hearts. We are called to live in peace and harmony with other believers in the body of Christ, and we are to be thankful. I keep a gratitude journal and I found it changed my whole outlook on life. I journal at the end of the day what I am thankful for. I have a little journal I like to write my top three things in. I have another journal that I just write a few sentences. It caused me to focus more on the good things in my life than on the bad. It changed how I looked at things I once perceived as negative. Now I can see good in nearly any situation. It is wonderful how many benefits come from having a thankful heart.

None of these things come naturally to us. We only know to do good things from reading God's Word every single day. In verse 16 we are urged to let the Word of Christ live in us richly in all wisdom. When we fill our minds with the things God wants us to know, to learn, and to do we will respond in a way that pleases Him when troubles and trials come our way. We are to teach and encourage one another, warning each other of danger that comes from living apart from God. We do that in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We are to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. We do not sing to one another, but our audience is One: Christ Jesus. 

You may already know what you plan on doing tomorrow and all weekend long. You may have everything planned and ready to go. So verse 17 applies to you, too. It says no matter what you do or say, do it all in Jesus's name and give thanks to Father God by Jesus. No matter what we say or do, it should always honor our Heavenly Father and glorify the work Jesus did on the cross. Whether we are going on a trip, spending time with others, or doing routine housework, we should make sure we are loving others and following the principles found in God's Word.

Verses 18 through 21 are directed to the family unit. We wives are supposed to honor our husbands and respect them as the spiritual leaders of our home. We are to respect their authority and place as head of the home. We should be praying for our husbands who have a great responsibility to lead us and the children. Husbands should love their wives and not be bitter against them. If they come home to someone who is constantly complaining, ignoring them, saying unkind things about them to the children or others, it could be hard to want to come home. We need to make sure our home is a safe place for them. We want them to find refuge in our home from the unkind, cruel world. They shoulder much responsibility and will have to answer for the way they led their families and we must not hinder them. Children are reminded to be obedient to their parents because this pleases the Lord. It makes Him happy to see the family unit working properly. It will not be perfect but if we follow God's guidelines it can be close. Fathers are instructed not to provoke the children because it can discourage them. A child who is picked on and teased mercilessly will tend to rebel and withdraw. We have to be so careful to love our children and rear them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. They will get enough provocation from the world.

When we work for someone we are to do our best, not in order to please them or get a promotion or self-gain, but so we can honor God with all we do. We do not earn salvation by doing good works, but when we know what a tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for us, it will cause us to want to do whatever we can to honor Him and please Him. We may get a paycheck from that employer but our provision comes from God and He will choose any company or organization He desires to meet our needs, so we need to work enthusiastically and sincerely for God when we go to work. If we are doing yard work, we need to do it to the best of our ability, thankful for the opportunity to do things that others may not be able to do. If we have the mindset that we want to honor God with our words and actions, we will find the day goes better and we have that peace ruling in our hearts. We know from verses 24 and 25 that God rewards our efforts. We will either be blessed because we have done the things that please God, or we will be punished for doing wrong. God does not play favorites. He does not bless one person and harm another. He daily loads us with benefits. He loves us so much that He has ransomed us from our sinful ways and redeemed us to be a part of God's family. We have eternal life to look forward to.

I hope that if you have any bitterness in your heart toward others that you will take it to God and ask Him to help you forgive and forget. Let Him help you mend the breach so that you will be surrounded by peace and joy and love. I am going to work on these things today and all weekend and not just for a few days. I want to make this a way of life. I have been working on it for years now and I know God continues to help me learn and grow as He continues to shape and mold me into His image. I hope and pray something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Finish Strong & Start Over | Fuel For The Weekend

This is our very last post for 2021! What a year it has been. I think back to a year ago when we moved back to Indiana and I see His hands all over our lives this year, but it has been none of what we expected it to be. We had hoped we would have a home and that hope is still alive in our hearts. Perhaps 2022 will be our year to see that happen. I have had different jobs this year and that has been interesting to say the least. I have lost an important friendship because the person was just not in a good mental state and it is so hard to see that dissolve, but God has given me richer and deeper friendships this year that has helped heal those old wounds. I think my best friend, Heather, and I have grown even closer as we have been one another's prayer warrior, advisor, confidante, listening ear, and source of laughter and joy. She has blessed my life so much this year and I have loved staying in touch with her, though the miles may be keeping us apart, technology has cemented our friendship all the more. Lots of sickness and illness in our family, several family members have lost their battle with cancer and our hearts mourn them. My mom moved back to Indiana, Paul and I flew to Florida to get her and drive back to Indiana with all her stuff. That was my first flight ever and I am glad I got to experience it but it was super scary for me. I am so thankful I had Paul with me for my first flight. Blue's Blessings, my small business, had some great success. We published a women's prayer journal and a men's prayer journal. I am going to launch a youth prayer journal that I am so excited about, and it will be available on Amazon. I am also going to make the men's and women's prayer journals available on Amazon, so the customization feature will no longer be available, but whomever purchases a journal can write their name in book on the blessings page if they choose to. I also have finished my book edits and ready to get it published in the new year. I am so excited for that!

Sometimes when we reflect back on a time in our lives we see great difficulties and struggles, and other times we look back and see celebrations and victories. Our lives will always be like that as long as we are pilgrims in this world. We do not belong here. We look for a city whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10) Right? We may have goals and dreams for 2022 and that is fine to make plans and to hope for good things, but we must remember that God has numbered our days and we must keep checking in to see if we are still in His Will and walking the paths He has designed for us to walk on. James says that our lives are like vapors and we shouldn't brag about going to do anything. Instead, we should say Lord willing we will do this thing or that. 

JAMES 4:14-16 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

We can make plans, but we must be sure to include God in them and then wait for His approval to make them happen. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." We can make plans and goals but when we put God as the head of our lives, the director of our days, then things may not work out like we want them to. We have confidence in knowing that He only wants what is best for us. Remember in the Bible where it says in Luke 11:11-13, "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask?" The Holy Spirit leads, guides, instructs, comforts, and helps. What a precious gift He is.

God has made plans for us according to Jeremiah 29:11-13. We must be seeking Him with all of our heart to find out what He wants to do for us. What dreams has God dreamed for your life? What does 2022 look like for you through God's eyes?

My family and I are going to do a 21 day fast to start the new year. I do not share that to brag or to do my alms before men. I am not looking for applause or acceptance. I am mentioning it only to share that we are choosing to give God the first fruits of our year. We are choosing to crucify the flesh of things it wants in order to savor the things of God. We will taste and see that the Lord is good when we go hard after the things of God. (Psalm 34:8)

This year may have been a banner year for you and your family. If so, that is awesome! It may not have been though, and for all of us, I say let's finish the year out strong. Let's keep our hand in the Master's and never let go. Let's step out of the old year and into a fresh new year with Jesus leading the way! We can finish the year strong in faith, hope, love, kindness, and mercy. We can begin fresh with forgiveness, gratitude, and hope for a brighter year. With God all things are possible.

My new word for 2022 is going to be PLANS. I looked up the definition, because I thought I might be just thinking of the word plans. After all I have multiple planners and I love making planners and writing in them and changing them out over and over. I read the definition and I am sure that PLANS is what He has given me for this new year. I know He has big PLANS for our family and for me and for Blue's Blessings and for this blog and my YouTube channel and my books and prayer journals. I am so excited to see what all He has planned for me.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey. I appreciate the comments, messages, texts, and phone calls letting me know how much these posts mean to you. It blesses me to know I have made even a small difference in anyone's lives. Ram Dass said, "We are all just walking each other home." I often quote that statement. It is very true. We are all supposed to uplift and encourage one another, sharing our love for Jesus with everyone, and telling them about the ultimate plan of God's, the plan of salvation. We are truly just supposed to be helping each other make it to our Heavenly Home. When I was younger, my brother and sisters and I would go visit my grandparents next door. They lived down the hill from us and their home was surrounded by big, mature trees and even with the moon out, it was dark to walk up the hill sometimes. I was terrified of the dark and my grandmother would often walk me to the top of the hill and then I would proceed to run the rest of the way home. There was something incredibly comforting about the walk up the hill with my grandmother and her flashlight in the dark. She let me hold her hand and she would remind me that the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him (Psalm 34:7) and it would bring me peace. I knew she loved Jesus and would never lie to me. I had read that scripture many times at her house. She had underlined it in her Bible and would quickly flip the worn pages to that familiar passage when I was afraid. 

I hope that in some way my blog can serve as a beacon of light, pointing others to the foot of the Cross of Christ. I do not know everything. I am definitely always learning. I just hope that something I have shared in my blog posts on any given day has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you and Happy New Year!

~Bridgett Owens

Who Are We? | Fuel For The Weekend

Another week is drawing to a close as the weekend is upon us. For many, today kicks off spring break, and marks the final days for others' spring break. I have thought back to the beginning of 2021 and it does not seem like we should be in third month of the year. I think back to goals I made at the beginning of January, and goals I reassessed in February, and now I am not sure how well I am doing with any of the goals made. Have you experienced that too? It's kind of a time to reflect back at progress made and sidetracked, derailed plans. The good news is that we can gather our thoughts, go back to what is most important to us, and start fresh with new goals. It's never too late to get started if you haven't made any goals.

Something I like to think about is God and His plan for my life. I don't have all the answers. Some days I don't feel like I have any answers. I know He does and that gives me peace and comfort in the tough days. It's been a rough season. We had hoped to find a house by now and others are in our same boat: nothing is available, and then once something good hits the market it is quickly snatched up, or it is grossly overpriced. Even when things look like they are not changing, no progress is being made, and even when it looks like things get worse instead of better, God is still good and He still has good plans for our lives.

I like what the Psalmist wrote in chapter eight. He talks about the excellence of God and how in awe he was that God would not just create mankind but He actually thinks about us and cares for us. Isn't that inspiring. Even if we are doing all the right things, waiting as best as we can, and keeping our eyes on Jesus, it is so hard to hold on when the winds beat our vessel, tossing us to and fro. It is in the times of uncertainty and not knowing that I can read this passage and be reminded if God can do all that, He surely can meet my needs and answer my prayers. Let's read it together.

PSALM 8:3-9 (3)When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; (4)What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? (5)For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (6)Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: (7)All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; (8)The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (9)O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!

It is the expression of my heart as well. I look at the night sky full of stars and the moon shining in its glory. I see the beauty in the night sky as stars form into amazing constellations and the earth is given light from these created light sources made by the spoken word of God. He breathed and the stars were formed. He named them and hung them in the exact location He wanted them to shine. Who am I that God would crown me with glory and honor? Who am I that He would take the time to think about or plan a glorious journey for me? Who are we that He would not only know our name and have a wonderful plan for our lives, but then He strategically placed us in the place we would shine brightest?

What would cause the majestic LORD and Creator to give us dominion over the beasts in the field and air and sea? What an excellent Savior we have who not only saw that we were lost and undone in our sins, but selflessly laid down His life for us so we could be free and forever live with Him in paradise! What an incredible gift of love and sacrifice that we will never know or experience because Jesus paid it all.

Friends, as we embark on this weekend and whatever that may look like for each of us, let's remember the God who created us is thinking about us and He has great plans for us. My father-in-law will be laid to rest on Monday and we have comfort and peace in knowing that Steve made his heart right with the Lord. He rededicated his heart to the LORD and now as we lay him to rest, we can continue the journey we are on toward Home knowing one day it will be our turn. One day, and no one knows when, it will be our time to step into eternity and if we have surrendered our lives to the Lord Jesus, put our faith and trust in Him, and believe the saving work He did on the cross at Calvary, we will be with our Savior. The Creator, the Savior, the Planner, the Healer, the Comforter, the Joy Giver will welcome us Home. Why wouldn't we want to serve Him? He is so wonderful.

May His name echo through all the earth. You are excellent in every way God Most High. Let's honor Him with all that we do and say this weekend. I am hoping something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

How To Be Sure We Heard From God | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

I would like to talk about how we can be sure we heard God even when others doubt. God has a plan for our lives. He tells us that repeatedly in the Scriptures. He has a plan for everyone's life, including His only begotten Son, Jesus. Often we think of Jesus as a little baby in a manger. We find it hard to believe that a great and merciful God would plan for Jesus to die the cruel death of crucifixion. If we think in the natural, we can understand someone questioning that. Jesus was more than a good man. He was God's own Son and so we cannot think logically, we have to think about God's plan supernaturally. The Bible is very clear on what God's plan was for Jesus. Let's look:

ISAIAH 9:6-7 (6)For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7)Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

MATTHEW 1:21 And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. 

ACTS 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

ACTS 5:30-32 (30)The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. (31)Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (32)And we are His witnesses of those things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him. 

2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-21 (20)Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead (behalf), be ye reconciled to God. (21)For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

JOHN 1:1-4 (1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2)The same was in the beginning with God. (3)All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. (4)In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

JOHN 3:16-17 (16)For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (17)For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. 

JOHN 17:3-5 (3)And this is life eternal that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent. (4)I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. (5)And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. 

REVELATION 22:1-7 (1)And He shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2)In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (3)And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: (4)And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. (5)And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (6)And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the Holy prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things which must shortly be done. (7)Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this book.

It is clear from today's reading that God's plan was to redeem fallen man by sending His pure and Holy Son Jesus to die for our sins. He has a place prepared for us and He is going to bring His people Home one day. Yes, the crucifixion was an unimaginable horrific sacrifice for you and for me, but it was needed. We would all be lost in sin and would be separated from God for all of eternity if Jesus didn't do that. All we have to do is believe that He did that. He did the very hard part.

The devil hates God and he hates God's people. He hates everyone! There is no love in him. He wants to confuse us of our purpose because he knows if he can get us distracted we can be tempted to go away from God's plan and step into his deception. Please understand it is important to know his tricks so we can be watching. He has no new tricks. He uses the "You sure?" tactic. He used it on Eve in the garden of Eden and he used it on Jesus in the wilderness. He still uses that tactic on us today because often it works. We get confused and discouraged and we give up. Let's look at what happened in Eden and again in the wilderness. We have to follow Jesus's example of how to handle the questions the devil plants in our minds.

GENESIS 2:16-17 (16)And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17)But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

GENESIS 3:1-6 (1)Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2)And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3)But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4)And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5)For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6)And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat. 

GENESIS 3:21-24 (21)Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (22)And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (23)Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from when he was taken. (24)So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

MATTHEW 4:1-11 (1)Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (2)And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. (3)And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (4)But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (5)Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple. (6)And saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. (7)Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (8)Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9)And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10)Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. (11)Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.

The devil questioned Eve in the garden. He twisted the words of God and asked if God really told her not to eat the fruit of any tree. God was very specific that they could eat of any tree in the garden as much as they desired except they could not eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. She listened to him and got confused and mixed up and then the deception began. He started to lure her in by promising she would have wisdom and be like God. He didn't mention that eating the fruit would be in disobedience to God which is sin which leads to death. He conveniently left that part out.

The devil questioned Jesus. He wanted to make Him question His identity. He kept saying "If you're really the Son of God..." He does the same thing to us. We are not exempt from this tactic. He wants to get in our minds and bind it up so we cannot think clearly. We forget what God told us as we listen to his lies and deceit we are tempted to stray from the path God put us on. We must not listen. Jesus fought the devil with the Word of God every single time. It is written. It is written. It is written. Do you hear the swish of the sword as He hit the devil again and again and again.

The devil will use people you care about to make you doubt. He will use your friends, your family, your pastor! He will use anyone he can to make you question if what you know you heard from God is really what God said. This happened to us when we were moving to Alabama. It sounded crazy to leave everything we knew and leave it behind. We left family and friends, a church we served faithfully in, and jobs we were promoted in. Our children left friends and family and schools. We went to a part of the country we never knew before. It was 16 months of God's plan unfolding before our eyes and He took us on a journey to change us. It's extraordinary what He did in that time frame. Yet, before we left we had people laughing at us, telling us we were crazy, that God doesn't talk to people anymore, and that we didn't hear God say that. They accused us of being irresponsible and selfish. Some even said they were praying against us that God would stop us from moving!

God will use people too. Even though we were fought hard, we knew God had told us to move, because it was definitely NOT our idea! God gave us great friends in the church and some of our family members who were encouraging, quick to pray for us and with us, and even blessed us financially and other ways to make the journey easier. I will never forget them and their kindness and I hold them dear in my heart.

We were questioned by some of those same people who didn't want us to go to Alabama when God lead us back to Indiana. He gave us a purpose of why we were to come back and what we must do. Just like the devil again tried to plant seeds of doubt in our mind through others who asked, "Are you sure you heard God? I thought God told you to go to Alabama. You better ask God what you did to deserve coming back here!" But God uses people, too, and He allowed us to have praying family and friends who were encouraging and kind and supportive; who gave us provision and prayers for the journey back and it was so amazing how much He has done for us since moving back, which was NOT our idea!

So now we know that God had a plan for His own Son, Jesus. We know He has a plan for us. We may even know some of the things God wants to do with our lives right now and maybe like Joseph we share those dreams and we are attacked. We are forsaken by our family and friends. They don't believe God talks to people anymore. They think you are a fanatic or have lost your mind. They question if you are sure you heard from God. So what can we do? How can we be sure we have heard from God?

There are those who desire to do something for God so much that they get ahead of His timing and His plan and then disaster happens! Then they question if God ever told them to do anything. The devil is quick to pour seeds of doubt and confusion into our minds and before long we give up and quit doing anything for God. Please know that there is a perfect time and season for everything. We must wait for God's direction.

We can be sure we heard from God when we read what the Bible says is God's plans and thoughts for us. We pray and ask God to show us what He wants us to do. Then we get quiet as we listen for His voice, read His Word, and obey what we have been told.

God doesn't want us left in the dark, wondering aimlessly through life with no sense of direction. We can find out God's plans and thoughts concerning us by searching the Scriptures.

PSALMS 139:17-18 (17)How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (18)If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.

JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

When we pray to Him, He hears and answers us. He wants to talk to His children. He enjoys hearing from us and He has a lot to say to us, too. Prayer is powerful because it prevents us from being tempted by the enemy. We are to lift our hands in sweet surrender to our Lord and Savior. We have to let go of anger and doubt because it does not please God. Sometimes we have to wait when we pray but we know He listens and hears our prayers.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13 (12)Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. (13)And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

LUKE 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

1 TIMOTHY 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up Holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

PSALMS 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 

Let's ask God what He wants to do in us and through us. If we need wisdom, all we have to do is ask the giver of wisdom and He will generously give it to us. When we ask, we must have faith and not doubt because we won't get anything from God if we do not trust He will provide. We need to ask Him to check our hearts and motives. Are we lining up our will with God's or are we asking Him to change His plans for us and follow where we lead? It is best to surrender to His will and His plan because He sees the end from the beginning. He wants to bless us and give us good things. He is a wonderful Father and He only wants to give His best to His children. Have we poured His Word into our hearts? Does His Word abide within us? Are we abiding in the True Vine? Are we seeking God's approval, or are we wanting His permission to do our own will? We can ask what we want from God and will get it when we have God's Holy Word in our hearts and allow it to guide our decisions.

JAMES 1:5-7 (5)If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6)But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (7)For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

PSALMS 139:23-24 (23)Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: (24)And see if there by any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

MATTHEW 7:7-11 (7)Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (8)For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and he that knocketh it shall be opened. (9)Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? (10)Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11)If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?

JOHN 15:7 If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

We must listen for God to answer us. Do not believe the lie that God does not talk to His people anymore. Of course He does! He does not change. He communicates with His children and He is our good Shepherd. We know His voice and another we will not follow. He tells us to call upon His name and He will answer us. It is very plain to see that He wants to tell us things, answer our questions, and give us insight for the plans He has for our lives.

ISAIAH 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

JEREMIAH 33:3 Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

In the book of Ephesians we are told that our spiritual sword is the Word of God. If we want to sharpen our swords, we must study God's Word. We cannot let someone else read it for us, or tell us what it says, because they could get it wrong. We need to study ourselves and learn and grow in the Spirit by feasting on God's Word. We cannot survive on natural food in the Spiritual realm. We must feed our Spirit God's Word. Open the book and devour it yourself. It is so good!

JOHN 8:31-32 (31)Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; (32)And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

2 TIMOTHY 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.

MATTHEW 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

JOSHUA 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

We can be sure we heard from God when we recognize He has a plan for our lives. He thinks about us and plans things, experiences, and opportunities to help us grow and mature into the man or woman of God He designed us to be. And once we recognize that He has enabled us with gifts and talents that align with His purpose and plan for us, we can then pray and ask God to help us use those gifts in a way to honor Him. It isn't about getting the accolades and the high-fives of this world. We must look to God for His approval. When we become still we can hear His voice, as we remember what His Word says, and we start behaving in a way to obey Him, we will be blessed and walk in the fullness of our purpose.

ROMANS 12:1-2 (1)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2)And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

PROVERBS 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

JAMES 1:22-25 (22)But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23)For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24)For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25)But who looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Don't listen to anyone tell you that God has stopped talking to His people. It is a shame more of us are not seeking Him and listening for His still, small voice. As we put these things into daily practice we can be sure we heard God's voice and no one can tell us otherwise. No well-meaning friend or family member, no doubting spouse or significant other; and definitely not our enemy can discourage us from following after God if we remain faithful to our King Jesus. I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened as you seek out His purpose for your life. Trust and believe He has big and exciting plans for you and He wants to tell you about it!

I know this was a lot to unpack. I hope it is something you can take the time to study more on your own over the weekend. Take your time looking up these verses and others as Holy Spirit leads you. Do not get discouraged. You can know for sure that Your Heavenly Father is speaking life over you and to you! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens