Rhythms of Remembering: The Best Gift Ever

I thought last month’s blog on digging up rocks was a bit intense. I mean, if you really think about it, the work of digging up anything can be messy and intense. I also knew that praying Psalm 139:23-24 (Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way) was a bold prayer to pray but I did it anyway because I know that I know that I know the beauty God creates always outweighs the uncomfortable, and sometimes painful, process of removing rocks.

But let me just tell you that I was unprepared for the rocks the LORD began digging up in my life starting the very next day after my blog went live. I learned a valuable lesson that sometimes rocks that inhibit growth in our life aren’t due to sin in our life but rather how our souls have settled into Rhythms of Remembering that are unhealthy and unhelpful to growth. Let me explain.

The day after I posted my blog I heard someone share their testimony and like we often do, I found myself in part of her story and began to contemplate my own story. I started wrestling with an already confessed and redeemed situation in my life and asked the Lord what to do with it. As I was visiting with a friend over lunch, out spilled parts of my story as I remembered a situation from long ago. Having been brought to the surface once again, the next ten days I wrestled with memories and thoughts, pain and regret, and, frankly, it became quite consuming and miserable. At one point, I opened a document on my computer and typed out pages of painful memories seeking to release these to the Lord once and for all.

Less than 24 hours later something wonderful happened. The LORD gently reminded me that all these sins were washed away. This debt was paid. I no longer had to be bound by the shame of my past. I was Set. Free. I took that document and deleted everything on the page. Even though it had already been dealt with and restored years ago, shame had to be dug up and released once and for all to the LORD. This was the moment I realized that some rocks that inhibit our growth are not current sin to repent and turn away from but is sometimes a Rhythm of Remembering that needs to be restored.

You see, I was taking this time of my life and remembering it through a lens of shame instead of a lens of redemption. But nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to hold on to shame! Instead, the Bible tells us, ‘Whom the Son [Jesus] sets free is free indeed!’ My responsibility with these memories, my Rhythms of Remembering, was to release my perspective of the past and instead clothe myself in Christ’s perspective of my redemption. Bought by the blood. Redeemed and Set Free.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

Psalm 103:11-12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. 12As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Throughout this process of God searching my heart, and then surrendering my concerns to the Lord, He showed me that it was HIS rhythms of remembering that He wanted me to embrace, not my own. His rhythms lead us to remember His story of faithful love, merciful redemption, and Resurrection Hope.

As we enter into the holiday season, we also embark on many different Rhythms of Remembering. Whether we realize it or not, when we decorate our house, buy and wrap gifts, or play familiar carols, just to name a few, we embark on rhythms of remembering as old traditions hold fast or new ones are created. In fact, how many times do we participate in a holiday tradition simply for nostalgia’s sake or, on the flip side, avoid something during the holidays because of the memory it evokes instead? Yes, whether consciously or unconsciously we all have Rhythms of Remembering that we fall into. Some are healthy and elicit cheer and thankful hearts, while others are unhealthy and inhibit growth, which is where I found myself earlier this month. Praise the LORD that He searched my heart and showed me, again, the Truth of who I am in Him. Bought by the blood. Redeemed and Set Free.

Do you find yourself cycling through Rhythms of Remembering that need to be redeemed and set free? Perhaps painful memories where you feel like God has forgotten you, or shame from your past that wants to define you? Or maybe you find yourself trapped in rhythms of ‘not being enough’ or the dreaded Comparison, once again? If so, You are Not Alone. The Enemy is real, and he wants to keep you locked into rhythms of remembering that leave you feeling isolated, unworthy, unloved, or forgotten. But I have good news for you. Those are lies and you can break those painful patterns by replacing them with God’s Truth. And Beloved, the Truth will Set You Free.

Here are “10 Rhythms of Remembering” God’s true redemption story for all mankind.

1. We have all sinned and don’t deserve grace.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – 9not from works, so that no one can boast.

2. Jesus — born as a baby — is the greatest gift of all.

Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

3. God didn’t send His Son to condemn but to save.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.

4. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life.

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

5. Jesus paid the debt for our sin.

Romans 5:8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

6. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord can be saved.

Romans 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

7. We are Set Free from the bondage of sin.

Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

8. In Christ we have Redemption.

Colossians 1:13-14 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7-8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.

9. We have Resurrection Hope — a living hope through the resurrected Christ.

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

10. We are Not Alone — God is with us.

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

Matthew 28:20 “…And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Beloved, have you been stuck in a Rhythm of Remembering that doesn’t align with God’s perspective of you? For far too long, I lived stuck in cycles of hopelessness, feeling so alone. It is time to reset our Rhythms of Remembering by releasing perspectives of our past, or even our present, and clothing ourselves with the perspective of Christ. Bought by the blood. Redeemed and Set Free. This doesn’t mean we eliminate the painful memories of our past. That is impossible. It does mean that we remember differently—with a future and a hope.

Are you ready to reconstruct your Rhythms of Remembering? You can print off your own copy of 10 Rhythms of Remembering: Clothing Yourself in God’s Truth and place it somewhere you can read every single day (the fridge, your bathroom mirror, inside your Bible, etc.…). Begin a new Rhythm of Remembering today knowing that through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you were bought by the blood and can be redeemed and Set Free. Though our feelings try to betray us, we are truly Not Alone! In Him, we have Resurrection Hope! This is the Best Gift Ever.

Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – December

Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

John 3:16-17 (ESV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  

Psalm 103:11-12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. 12As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

PRAYER:

Dear God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins so that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Thank you, God, that you are our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. You truly are the Savior of the world, who has come not come to condemn us but to offer us salvation by grace through faith in your Son, Jesus.

Thank you for your faithful love toward all who fear you, and we praise you for the work you have already done and continue to do in our lives to Set Us Free.

YOU are our greatest gift, our Resurrection Hope, and with you we are Not Alone!

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – November – Digging Up Rocks

I absolutely love flowers and the idea of gardening so much. We have a small yard, but I have dug up a lot of ground to plant the beautiful things that we now enjoy – a couple of red maple trees, three blueberry bushes, two blackberry bushes, a few rose bushes… and more. Each time that I’ve dug into the ground to prepare the soil for planting, I have also dug up a lot of rocks—small rocks, medium rocks, large rocks, and one ginormous rock! I quickly learned that no matter where I dug in my yard, I would always find rocks of various sizes. Despite the annoyance of finding this excessive number of rocks, my great desire to remake my backyard into something beautiful was always greater than the lengthy task of preparing the soil, even knowing it was full of rocks!

As we come up on month ELEVEN (yay!) of Speaking and Praying Scripture I feel like my life has been the soil, infiltrated with sinful rocks, that God, in His great love for me, has a plan for remaking into something beautiful. Just as I would reach down in determination to uncover and eventually dig up each rock so I could plant something beautiful, God has been reaching down and uncovering and digging up ‘rocks’ in my life to make something beautiful out of me. You likely remember my blog post from last month where God addressed the sinful nature of my tongue. I think God worked more in my life in the past month while speaking and praying these scriptures and meditating on them than He has in the other months combined.My attitude shifted from wanting to merely stop my behavior to wanting to glorify God through my behavior.

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

This redirection was not my own doing, but the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. And let’s be honest, the Holy Spirit’s work is not done. Through His kindness and mercy, He uncovered this very ungodly rock in my life and has begun the good work to remake it into something beautiful. This uncomfortable yet necessary work in our Christian life is called sanctification. In very simple terms, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to remake the ungodly parts of our life godly. Since we are sinful creatures, this calls us to walk by the Spirit, so we do not carry out the temptations of our flesh – as was my case that I shared in October, the sin-nature of my tongue.

Galatians 5:16-17 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.

I hope my husband and children can testify that there has been slow but intentional change happening with minding my tongue – less of me matching my children’s temper when they blow up, a little more disciplining with a gentle tone instead of a harsh or shameful tone, and hopefully less accusatory statements directed my husband’s way when I’m irritable. I’m far from perfect at any of these. In fact, I know my family would say I’m still a work-in-progress, but this big sinful rock in my life is not buried as deep as it used to be. God, in His great love and kindness, has reached down and uncovered this ‘rock’ and has begun the work to dig it up.

Romans 6:15, 22 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! 22 …Since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification – and the outcome is eternal life!

I know that the soil of my life will never be completely rock free until the day that I enter into eternity and all my sins are washed away for good, but I also know that while I am here on Earth and walking in step with the Holy Spirit, God will continue to reach down and uncover and dig up sin in my life and this is a good thing! Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely. Discouraging sometimes? Yes. Is it worth it? One hundred percent! If I hadn’t uncovered and removed the rocks from my yard, we wouldn’t be able to have the beautiful trees and plants that I enjoy so much. My yard would be dull, lacking character, beauty, and hope, and quite literally, there would be no fruit! The rocks would have inhibited their growth. In the same way we need God to uncover and remove the sinful rocks from our lives so we can grow in the life that God has planned for us and bear His fruit. Sin in our life, left undealt with, will inhibit our growth.

Do you have a heart that wants to grow and learn more about God? If so, I encourage you to pray this heartfelt prayer with me this month:

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

Friends and family that have spent time in our backyard typically notice the many rocks that line our flower beds and trees. That is when the grass is mowed, and you can see them, of course. When they ask me where I got all my rocks, I’m all too eager to share with them that it was through blood, sweat, and tears…okay… just sweat, determination and perseverance, that I dug up all those rocks out of the ground. The very rocks that threatened to inhibit the growth and beauty of our yard now adorn our yard and have become a testament to the work of the creator. Sin in our life is much the same. Rocks that threaten to inhibit the growth and beauty of our lives, when dug up and redeemed, become a testament to the work of our Creator God and His great love for us.

Now, I’m sure by this point if you have never been to my house, you might imagine that my yard is full of flowers and plants and overflowing with beauty. You might even think it is large, professionally mowed, and always has fruit. It’s not. In truth, it is small and simple, and you might find nothing wonderful about it at all. But as the creator, if you will, of my yard, I lovingly disagree. Why? Because I am looking at it with different eyes. When I look at my yard, I see three things: what it once was, what it is now, and what it could become. Understanding this point of view is essential for understanding the heart behind it.

For the last six months I have been meeting with a sweet college girl. When we kicked off the fall semester of school, she had the great idea to memorize Psalm 139. So far, I have memorized the first six verses which read:

“LORD, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away. 3 You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, LORD. 5 You have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me. 6 This wondrous knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.”

Meditating on this scripture has been so impactful. Do you know what I see when I read these verses? I see a God that pursues me because of His great love for me. A God that has known me, not just knows me right now. A God that understands me when I feel complicated or hormonal. A God that knows what I’m going to say before I say it. A God that surrounds me with His presence and places his hand on me. (October connection: Makes sense that He can ‘Set up a guard for my mouth and keep watch at the door of my lips’ since he knows all about what I want to say before a word even gets to my tongue! Psalm 141:3).

When I am reading, speaking, or praying these six verses I feel so comforted. Think about it. A God who pursues, knows, understands, guards, surrounds, protects, and touches me with His love is a God that I can trust when He reaches down into my life to continue His good work of making something beautiful out of me. Me with imperfections. Me with rocks of all sizes in my soil. Why? Because He is our Creator-God and He loves us so much that He sent his only son into the world to save us from eternal death.

Psalm 139:13 For it was you who created my inward parts, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.

John 3:16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

If I, the creator of my yard, with its imperfections, simplicity, and small size, look upon it with love and admiration, regardless of what anyone else thinks, how much more does my Creator-God look at me with love and admiration, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks? He alone can fully look at the soil of my life and see three things: what I once was, what I am now, and what I could become. And yet, He loves me still.

Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.

Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven! His faithful love endures forever.

 As previously stated, understanding this point of view – our Creator-God’s view of us – is essential for understanding His heart for us. Friends, just as I would reach down in determination to uncover and eventually dig up rocks so I could plant something beautiful, God wants to reach down, uncover, and dig up rocks in your life – and my life – because He wants to plant something beautiful in you. While it may sound scary, intimidating, or just simply not fun to dig up and remove these rocks, it is necessary work for spiritual growth in our life.

Titus 2:11 – 14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

What rocks in your life need to be dug up?

 What area of your life does God need to redeem?

Whether you can’t think of any rocks right now, or are like me and feel like the list is never-ending, don’t be discouraged. When you speak and pray these scriptures with us this month, just remember that it is not in your own strength or best effort that you dig up rocks in your life because you aren’t the Creator of your life. God is. Our job is to surrender our life to Him, and join Him in the process as He lovingly, and mercifully, reveals and redeems each rock in our life, knowing that it is His faithful love that will complete His good work in you. Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely. Discouraging sometimes? Yes. Is it worth it? One hundred percent! Why? Because He has good plans for you to remake you into something beautiful. Something that looks a little bit more like Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

As always, remember You are Not Alone! In Him, we have Resurrection Hope!

See below for November Speaking and Praying Scriptures. You can access FREE PDFs of all Speaking and Praying Scriptures here and print your own copy to begin Speaking and Praying Scripture today!

November

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

PRAYER:

Dear God, You are a good, good Father that loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins so that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead we will be saved.

Thank you, God, that you love us with an everlasting and faithful love. Help us to love others with our words and actions, knowing that we love because you first loved us. God, I ask that you specifically help us have Christ-like love for ________. God, we thank you that you reveal our sin to us and redeem us and make us into something beautiful. Search our hearts, LORD. Dig up sin in our life and lead us in your everlasting way so we can look a little bit more like you.

We know that your plans for us are often different than the plans we have for ourselves, but we trust you and your good plans for our life to redeem us and give us Resurrection Hope. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit in our life so we can know that we are truly Not Alone.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – October – “Minding My Tongue”

Hot-tempered, foolish, jealous, and judgmental… that’s only the beginning of a long list of who I am without Christ. Please don’t ever put me on a pedestal because you will be so disappointed. In fact, I get a little embarrassed when people who don’t know me say things like “You’re so sweet! I bet you never…” while in front of my family who knows my flesh. Y’all, I’m a wretch, and if you see anything good in me then it’s either Jesus shining through or you just haven’t gotten a closer look. But aren’t we all prone to works of the flesh? Galatians 5:16-26 addresses the spirit versus the flesh, and I too often find myself on the wrong list; works of the flesh instead of fruit of the Spirit. As Christians, however, we are no longer slaves to sin and instead can enjoy freedom in Christ.

Romans 6:6-7 “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin.”

This death is not referring to our physical, earthly death, but about our spiritual death to our old self – our sinful nature, selfish desires, and life apart from God. Hallelujah! The Lord knows more intimately than anyone the many ways my flesh tries to enslave me. But Praise God! I do not have to submit to that bondage because of my identity in Christ (Galatians 4:7). In fact, the Bible clearly tells us that if we walk in the Spirit then we will not gratify the desires of our flesh (Galatians 5:16-18). Though none of us can ever do this perfectly, how wonderful to know there is hope for a wretch like me!

If you’ve been around for a while, then you know the Lord has been using these monthly Speaking and Praying Scriptures to faithfully address situations within myself or our family. I’m sorry to say that this month what I’ve needed most is for the Lord to get a hold of my tongue! For the people that know me best (or worst?), they probably aren’t that surprised. As much as I love to encourage and celebrate others, I unfortunately have a tendency to use that same ‘sweet little mouth’ to say the ugliest most horrible things to people I love, or in this month’s case the vice-principal of my son’s school. That’s right. I’m sure you’re gasping in shock and believe me, I was too! Most of you know that we have a son with special needs and with that comes important meetings that can be stressful and emotionally ridden. In one unguarded moment I let something slip out of my mouth that was really disrespectful. I was immediately stunned by my own behavior and simultaneously embarrassed by my lack of self-control. I know I’m not alone in these moments where our flesh appears at the most inappropriate times as if we haven’t worked on godliness ever in our life. In that moment where the rawness of my flesh appeared Satan immediately began to isolate me in my shame. Is there anything good in me at all? My friends would never talk like this to the vice-principal; they would have self-control! Who am I??  And while it could be easy to try and justify my response with the pressures of these kinds of meetings, previous negative experiences that led to my heightened emotions, or the misunderstandings that led to the meeting in the first place, my response was not pleasing to the Lord, and I knew it. No excuse was going to be good enough to excuse my sin. Praise God that in his loving kindness he calls us out of our sin and sets out feet on solid ground.

Psalm 40:2 He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.

After this fateful meeting, that actually went well despite my little comment, I had the weekend to repent to God and set my feet straight. One of the ways I am setting my feet straight is daily repentance when I fail! (Ha! For real though…) The other way I’m setting my feet straight is, you guessed it, Speaking and Praying Scripture. From a misfortunate event to the fortune of knowing the Father… here are October’s Speaking and Praying Scriptures:

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.

I don’t think I could have come across a more perfect verse. In Romans 3:13 the Apostle Paul talks about our tongues being filled with evil and having poisonous effects while James 3:5-6 compares the tongue to a fire that sets a forest ablaze. What power there is in our tongue! But we already knew this, right? That’s why we use it the way we do. To uplift or tear down, to judge others’ choices. It’s why we work to teach our children to be respectful and honoring. It’s also why the Lord called me out of my sin and set my feet on solid ground. Lord, how desperate I am for you to pour out your Holy Spirit on me so I can walk in step with you (Galatians 5:16-18), guarding my mouth and the door of my lips!

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her hands.

I chose this verse because I’ve really felt convicted lately with how I’m speaking to my husband and children. Home is the place where I am the most raw and probably the least godly. Wow. It’s true though, right? Especially for someone that is a verbal processor! (My sweet husband.. he’s been listening to me verbally process life for 18 years now.) How often do I forget how sacred the space is between the walls of my home and how tender the hearts of those who inhabit it? When I went to scripture to seek the Lord about this problem with my tongue (and later my anger, since I’m being honest), this verse jumped out at me visually. I visualized building a home log by log (think Lincoln Logs) with all the things I do to invest in my family: making pumpkin muffins, writing notes, cleaning the house, telling them over and over ‘I love you’. And then after I carefully and intentionally place log after log, I open my mouth with annoyance, frustration, or anger and out comes poison that affects the air they breathe or sparks a flame that sets the logs on fire. Oh, the imagery! It doesn’t matter how many muffins I make, how many times I say ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m sorry’ if I cannot control my tongue. I know there is grace, but at some point, the poison and the flames are suffocating, and a new pattern must take place.

Lastly…

Ephesians 4:29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

I think it’s important here to understand that foul language doesn’t just mean curse words. Other versions of the Bible use the words unwholesome talk (NIV), corrupting talk (ESV), foul or abusive language (NLT), corrupt communication (KJV), and harmful words (CEV). The book of Ephesians is about us being reconciled to Christ and then living out our new identity as followers of Christ. Thus, Ephesians 4:29 exhorts us to live in step with the Holy Spirit by eliminating foul language and replacing it with speech that builds others up and benefits them. This aligns with my illustration of building my house log by log yet poisoning it or setting it aflame at the same time. True repentance is to stop the sinful behavior and replace it with God-honoring behavior. My foul language in my home must stop and be replaced with what is good for building up and giving grace.

A few months back I encountered this same sin issue. Incredibly jet-lagged and sleep deprived, my emotions, language, and outbursts were uncontrolled and setting my home on fire. I literally cried to my husband one night because I was tired of apologizing for the same thing over and over. Emotionally distressed I cried out, “How can I ever change?” With gentleness in his voice he replied, “Through the Holy Spirit.”

Ladies – Men – whoever is reading this… If you are like me and have had a problem controlling your tongue, you don’t have to try and conquer this battle on your own. If you are in Christ,

You are Not Alone!

Only being in step with the Holy Spirit can we begin to eliminate poisonous speech and make any real change with good and grace-filled speech. After all, it’s His fruit that we are trying to bear, not ours (Galatians 5:22-23)!

It’s also important to remember that the war we are battling with our tongues is spiritual! I talked about this in my Armor of God post back in June, that Peter 5:8 warns us the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour and Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against all types of spiritual forces. When my blood pressure spikes and my defenses quickly rise, the enemy wants me to be short tempered and angry, using foul language that poisons my home and relationships, even school relationships. But as stated in the very beginning, as Christians, we are no longer slaves to our sinful nature but instead can enjoy freedom in Christ as we walk in step with the Holy Spirit. Lord, help me to hold fast to your Word, guard my speech, and give me the humility to repent and rebuild bridges when I do sin.

If you are a Christian, then your identity is secure in Christ, and you have freedom from the bondage of sin. It might take a heap of humility to walk that path towards repentance and freedom, but you won’t be walking it alone. Every single person is a sinner only saved by grace, but we all have sin patterns and struggles that we have to work through. Not only is it encouraging to know that we aren’t isolated in our struggles, but it is the power of the Holy Spirit working in us that makes us truly Not Alone. Unfortunately, we will never outgrow sin, but fortunately, we have Resurrection Hope!

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

If you aren’t a Christian and want to experience the freedom I talked about in Christ, check out my page on Resurrection Hope.

October

Psalm 141:3 LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

Ephesians 4:29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

PRAYER:

Dear God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins so that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead we will be saved.

Lord, we come before you with humility and ask for your forgiveness for all the ways we’ve used our tongues to dishonor you and those around us. We ask for your Holy Spirit to come upon us and help us have self-control against all hatred, strife, jealousy, and outbursts of anger (Gal 5:20). We ask that you put a guard on our mouths and keep watch at the door of our lips. God, for myself I pray that you would give me wisdom to build my house with the fruit of the Spirit and help me to walk in step with the Spirit. Help me to have godly character in my home and outside my home and help our children to imitate us as we imitate God. I pray that no foul language, or any language that stirs up strife, will come out of our mouths but only what is good for building others up and giving grace to one another. We thank you that because you first loved us, showed us how to live, and then died for us we are no longer slaves to sin but can walk in freedom in our identity in Christ.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – September

Rush rush rush. Busy busy busy. Our culture demands it. Our schedules demand it. As a mom of four kids in four different schools this year, I am finding myself in the insanely busy rush of life where sometimes my prayers feel powerful and really connected with God and sometimes my prayers are an exhausted exhale of “God, you know how tired I am…”. In this whirlwind state of the middle years of parenthood (for which I am very grateful to experience) I am so thankful that God transcends time and seasons. He is never too rushed, never too busy, never too exhausted to be my Father God. Every prayer I pray, no matter how short, is an act of worship and connects me to the only One who is steady and unchanging, an everlasting rock on which to build my life. So let me share our Speaking and Praying scripture verses! The Bible calls God a fortress!

Psalm 62:2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

What is a fortress? A fortress typically refers to a walled structure that provides safety and defense from attack. God is our fortress because he is our trustworthy refuge and shield against the attack of the enemy. You can learn more about God being our shield by reading about the Armor of God & The Power of the Gospel on my blog and you can also join us Praying through THE ARMOR OF GOD!

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 91:2 I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

One of the best things about God being our fortress and our steady rock is that he doesn’t sleep, and he doesn’t change! This is one of many reasons that God is our steady rock in turbulent times and why we can praise him even in the hard times.

Psalm 121:4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 113:2-3 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! 3From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!

But not only should we praise God for who He is, but we should fear the Lord. Does that mean we should be afraid of God like kids are afraid of the dark? Certainly not. Several years ago, my life got turned upside down and my mind and body seemed to shut down with it. I had full blown anxiety and one of my biggest fears was that God was… real! That was not a healthy fear but my body’s response to trauma in my life. After weeks of counseling and a few years later, my brain healed, and I returned to a healthy fear of God – awe, reverence, and respect. This type of healthy fear is important because God is a God of love, but He also holds a standard of perfection that no one can fulfill. This is why Jesus, in his perfection, came to take our punishment and offer us Resurrection Hope – eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Once we have Resurrection Hope then we, as God’s beloved children, are instructed to fear the Lord, walk in His way, love Him, and serve Him with all our heart and soul. But remember, He is with you! You are Not Alone!

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

September

Psalm 62:2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Psalm 113: 2-3 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! 3From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

PRAYER:

Dear God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins so that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead

we will be saved. Thank you, God, that you are a steady rock that never changes. Thank you for the gift of salvation that provides a fortress of protection for us from the enemy.

 We know that with you we will not be shaken and have Resurrection Hope for eternity.

God, we count it a joy to worship and praise your name from the time we get out of bed in the morning until the time we fall asleep at night, and we ask that you help us have a heart of worship and thanksgiving in all circumstances, especially when we feel grumpy in the mornings.

God, I also pray that our family has a healthy fear of the LORD of awe, reverence, and respect, knowing that healthy fear leads us in humble obedience unto Christ. I pray that we walk in all your ways, loving you and serving you with all our heart and soul.

And God, when we fail, I ask for your grace and help. We know that we can’t do these things alone with our own strength but only with you.

Thank you for loving us and for giving us the gift of Resurrection Hope.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – August

My husband, Micah, had an important medical appointment last Tuesday at a well-known and very large institution. I don’t know if I had a preconceived idea of how I thought this appointment would go but I had some hopes. I hoped that the doctor would have an astounding depth of knowledge and be able to address our specific concerns about Micah’s current treatment plan, but within minutes of the doctor walking in I realized that this appointment was not going to go the way I wanted it to. He walked in thinking this was an open and shut case with routine answers, and we walked in hoping for new direction and insight, neither of which he could offer.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7 was chosen for August’s Speaking and Praying Scripture in reflection of this doctor’s appointment where the outcome was not what was expected or desired. It would be easy to keep our focus primarily on this frustration and live under a dark cloud of disappointment, but as Christians we have hope that is greater than our circumstances. We are instructed and encouraged to walk through life by faith that Jesus is who He says He is and trust in the promises of God, knowing he is with us and we are Not Alone.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (NIV)

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 100:4 and Psalm 63:3 is complimentary in my mind and reminds me of a phrase I remember my mom telling me from time to time that is, “When in doubt, worship.” I admit I really didn’t enjoy hearing that advice and rarely chose to try it. I would be frustrated, angry, or hurt in a situation and wanted empathy and the situation to change, not to praise God! But I was missing the point. God deserves our praise, adoration, and thanksgiving because of who He is, not because of our situation. Even more so, worship repositions our eyes on Christ and his steadfast love reminding us of our firm foundation that we have in Christ alone.  Psalm 100:4 tells us the best way to begin this worship, with thanksgiving!

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

If you are struggling, know that you are Not Alone. I have been there so many times and the pain, grief, and heartache is very real. Remember that our faith and hope is because of the Resurrected Christ, not our circumstances, and that this life is temporary. It is not easy, but I encourage you to lay down your pride and pain at the feet of Jesus and worship him through it. He is the author and creator of Resurrection Hope and with Him, we are Not Alone.

August

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

PRAYER:

Dear God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins so that we can have a relationship with you and know that we are never alone.

God, I pray that you help us to walk by faith and not by the sight of our circumstances. Help us to stand firm in the Truth of who you are and trust in your promises.

God, because of your steadfast love you are more wonderful than we can imagine, and we thank you that you love us and give us the gift of eternal life, our Resurrection Hope. Your steadfast love is better than life itself and we praise your Holy name.

 In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Armor of God & The Power of the Gospel

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Each new month in 2025 I feel a level of surprise at its arrival as if I expected that this month time will slow and its rapid pace lessen. But alas, a new month is here, and I have had some verses on my heart that I’ve been wanting to share with you. I want to share them with you because of the profound impact they had on my life during a very difficult season—when I found myself unprotected, lacking God’s armor, and caught in a very real and intense spiritual battle. More than anything, I want you to know and experience the power of the gospel in your own life. Even though this passage is lengthier than I normally cover during speaking and praying scriptures, don’t stop reading too quickly, because I also want to share with you what the Armor of God is not.

The Armor of God

The apostle Paul, imprisoned at the time and likely seeing Roman soldiers every day, used the familiarity of powerful Roman armor to paint a picture of the power of the gospel in his letter to the Ephesians. He does this by using the six pieces of a Roman soldier’s armor – a belt, a breastplate, shoes, a shield, a helmet, and a sword – to connect specific parts of the gospel to each piece. The belt becomes the belt of truth, the breastplate becomes the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes become the readiness given by the gospel of peace, the shield becomes the shield of faith, the helmet becomes the helmet of salvation, and the sword becomes the sword of the spirit, God’s Word.

In Ephesians 6:11 we are instructed to “put on” the Armor of God, but what does “put on” mean and how can we do that? Is it a daily prayer? Action steps of our faith? If I don’t pray through the armor of God each day, am I not protected from the enemy?

I ended up seeking the wise counsel of my pastor who explained to me that the Armor of God is how we dress ourselves in the gospel. The Gospel is the ultimate Truth. It is the eternal plan of salvation through Christ Jesus which gives us our Resurrection Hope! Each piece of the Armor of God is a way for Paul to describe the gospel, reflecting on the same message of power and Resurrection Hope that he has been writing through his entire letter to the Ephesians which is now recorded and given to us.

So, with that in mind, let’s dive into the significance of each piece of armor!

Belt of Truth

A Roman soldier’s belt was typically the first piece of armor they put on to get ready for battle. They used it to secure other pieces of armor and to tie up their clothing so they could move freely in battle. In the same way, as soldiers in God’s army, we need to put on the belt of truth first. It serves as the foundation for the rest of God’s armor and helps us stand firm in the battles we face.

 Perhaps you’ve heard the story of how experts prepare to identify counterfeit money. They study the real thing! You need to know Truth so you can recognize lies that come your way. Some of the biggest lies of the enemy are the ones that have parts of Truth interwoven in it which can cause confusion. These partial truths—remember that a partial truth is a lie—are happening all around us every day, and it can be really challenging to discern what Truth is if you think truth is defined as your own truth. It’s not. There is One Truth, the Gospel, and the Truth of the Gospel is that Jesus is the Son of God (John 14:6) and his word is Truth (John 17:7).

John 8:32 “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Breastplate of Righteousness

The purpose of a Soldier’s breastplate is to protect their most vital area – the heart – which is the center of their being. In the Bible, righteousness represents being in a right relationship with God. The only way we can be right with God is through Jesus’ work on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we learn that, for our sake, he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we are putting on our identity as children of God.

How do we put on the breastplate of righteousness? When we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we are believing that God is who he says he is, and we become a new creation, children of God, saved by grace through faith (Romans 10:9, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:8). If you have already done this, Hallelujah!, but you’re not done. Salvation is not a one-time event, and neither is putting on the breastplate of righteousness. While working out our salvation is never works-based, God’s grace works through our lives daily to grow in holiness (Ephesians 2:8). We also continually put on the breastplate of righteousness—our identity—in multiple ways: through remembering God’s work on the cross, through speaking Truth over yourself, and through having faith in the power of the gospel.

Romans 5:1 says Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Shoes – Readiness and Gospel Peace

A soldier’s shoes provide a firm foundation, protect the feet, and enable safe movement when called to go. What is our firm foundation? The gospel. Because of our sin we were destined to eternal death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. We have a living hope that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God and that no matter what happens here on Earth, we have Resurrection Hope for eternity (Romans 6:23, 1 Peter 1:3). The Truth of the gospel is our firm foundation and “putting on” this truth is what enables us to be ready to go in peace and share the gospel with nations.

Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Shield of Faith

A Roman soldier’s shield had multiple purposes. Defensively it was used to protect the body from enemy weapons. If combined with the shield of other soldiers, it could be used as a protective wall from the enemy. Offensively it was used to push against the enemy line or to bash enemies or knock them aside. When we pick up our shield of faith, we are trusting that God is who He says he is, and our future is secure in Him. This trust gives us strength to not listen to the lies of the enemy or succumb to his attacks. For example: When the arrows of comparison come our way, our shield of faith extinguishes those lies with Truth that we are made in the image of God for a purpose, fearfully and wonderfully made (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 139:14). When the arrows of doubt come our way, we have faith that God keeps his promise that all things work together for good to those that love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28). Our shield of faith, trusting the power of the Gospel, is our defender against the enemy’s arrows of persecution and harm.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Helmet of Salvation 

A soldier’s helmet protects the head, which in turn protects the brain and mind. In the same manner, salvation in Christ protects us and delivers us from the bondage of sin and eternal destruction (Romans 6:6-7, John 3:16, John 3:36). Two ways that we can protect our mind is to take thoughts captive and to renew our mind in Truth (2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 12:2). This is important because the Bible also shows us that the mind influences the heart, and we should guard our heart above all else, because everything we do flows from the heart (Proverbs 4:23). Therefore, putting on the helmet of salvation is critical to protecting our mind and safeguarding our heart, too!

Here is an example of taking a thought captive and renewing our mind in Truth:

Lie – I have done too many bad things for God to forgive me.

Truth – Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 10:13 Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

When we put on the Armor of God, we cannot forget the helmet of salvation and its critical role in the power of the gospel for our hearts and minds.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sword of the Spirit – God’s Word

The primary purpose of a Roman soldier’s sword was for close-quarters combat, and God’s Word is for close-quarters combat, too! Ephesians 2:17-18 reads, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication…” We know that the enemy comes against us with lies to personally attack us, but God’s Truth is our offensive weapon against the power of the enemy(Psalm 119:160). Jesus demonstrated using God’s Word to combat the enemy when he was tempted by the devil in the Wilderness. Each time the devil tried to entice Jesus into sin, Jesus responded directly with Truth (Luke 4:1-13). Every time we speak God’s Word and pray scripture, we are wielding the sword of the Spirit!

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,

who can be against us?

Summary

We all need the Truth and power of the gospel, and this passage is a reminder to dress ourselves in the Armor of God and the power of the gospel to daily walk out our faith. With the Armor of God, we have:

  1. Belt of Truth – The Truth of the Gospel (John 8:32)
  2. Breastplate of Righteousness – Our identity in Christ (Romans 5:1)

We are made righteous because of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.

  • Shoes – Readiness given by the gospel of peace – Firm foundation in the Truth of the gospel and sharing it with others (Matthew 28:19-20)
  • Shield of Faith – Trusting in God’s faithfulness (Romans 10:17)
  • Helmet of Salvation – Living out our salvation by taking thoughts captive and renewing our minds (Philippians 4:7)
  • Sword of the Spirit – God’s Word – Speaking and Praying Scripture (John 16:33, Romans 8:31)

What the Armor of God is not

Now that we’ve covered some practical steps for putting on the Armor of God, I want to make sure to address a concern that I know I had before I studied the armor of God.  My concern was, “If I don’t pray through the armor of God each day, am I not protected from the enemy?”  I think that is false. Despite what I once feared, the Armor of God is not a legalistic prayer that you check off each day to be safe from the enemy. Instead, it’s greater than that. It is a call to action that there is a very real spiritual battle going on every day and we need to be dressed in the gospel to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

My life

I wish I could type this out and not have a personal example of this in my life, but I do. There was a time in my life when I thought I knew Truth. However, when I was beat up to my core, the devil came at me, and I was tossed into confusion and a very real and intense spiritual battle that I was unable to recognize at the time. Life took on an entire shade of gray that I did not understand, could not speak reason to, and did not know how to combat. I was in the fight of my life, but without any armor. I did not know to dig into God’s Word to find Truth and my feeble foundation of the little Truth that I did know was crumbling. I was in danger. After several months, in a moment of desperation, I remembered the armor of God and prayed it over my life, and a miracle happened. The chains of death broke free, and it was in that moment that I fully realized the spiritual warfare that I had been battling for so long. The healing journey continues, but Praise the Lord that He rescued me, restored my soul, and is leading me in paths of righteousness for His namesake.

Psalm 40:2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Last words

If you have also experienced confusion in your life, you are Not Alone. The power of the enemy is great, but the power of our Creator is greater, and I am here to tell you that complete, pure Truth is found in Jesus Christ alone and you can experience the power of the gospel in your life. Pray it, live it, and let the power of the gospel be your faith-story. When we live out the Armor of God, it is God’s power made perfect in our weakness because it is HIS armor that we are putting on, and we are NOT ALONE when we use it. So, armor up, Soldier, and stand firm. There is a battle waging, are you dressed for it? 1 Peter 5:8 tells us the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, and John 8:44 warns us that Satan is the father of lies. Clothe yourself in the Truth of God’s Word and stand firm, praying at all times. You will face hardship, you will face battles, you might even be shaken to your core, but remember you are Not Alone. We are strong because we are strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, not our own (Ephesians 6:10, Isaiah 41:10). 

This world is tough, and dressing yourself in the Armor of God is critical, your very soul is at stake. But do not fear. Remember Jesus’ words to his disciples in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Speaking and Praying Scripture – May

Hooray for another new month! If you are a parent, a teacher, or in school yourself, then you know that May is a BIG month! So much activity and change happen in the month of May at the end of the school year, especially if you are preparing to graduate! I know that no matter what month we are in I always find myself getting caught up in any and every type of busyness. I want to encourage you to continue Speaking and Praying scripture! If you have created a speaking and praying routine, keep going! You won’t regret it! If you haven’t started yet, now is a great time to get started! God’s Word is so powerful and always has a purpose.


Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”


Last month we intentionally chose verses that targeted negative behavior and were working to replace it with Christ-honoring behavior. We did this with Colossians 3:12 Therefore as God’s chosen ones, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. If I had thought about it, I would have attached the following verse to last month’s scriptures to help provide more context for our kiddos about why our behavior needs to change and how it can change, Christ’s work in us. While we talked about it, this verse says it clearly.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.

This verse is significant for several reasons. First, we all have access to becoming a new creation. Why? There is nothing we can do to earn salvation; we only receive it by grace through faith. We spoke this verse last month!


Ephesians 2:8 We are saved by grace through faith,
and this is not from ourselves, it is God’s gift.

Second, creating something new out of something old requires it to look very different. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, then we, as God’s creation, take on a new appearance or way of life. Some of these things happen very quickly but other changes can happen very slowly or take a lifetime. We will never outgrow needing Jesus and his work in our life to make us more like him. The fancy word for this process is called sanctification.


Our next verse this month is a small cluster of verses. It may feel intimidating, but truly the rhythm of the passage becomes very memorable once you start speaking it!


Psalm 103:1-5
1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Isn’t this passage so beautiful? It is one of my favorites. The notes in my ESV Study Bible told me that Psalm 103 is a “hymn of praise”, and I can tell, and I love it! This hymn of praise is a remembrance of how God sustained the Israelites in the wilderness with his steadfast love and was intended for community worship. The recollection of benefits as a child of God in verses three through five serve to increase admiration for God’s steadfast love in how he cares for us. God’s steadfast love and care did not stop with the Israelites, God loves and cares for you, too. If you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior then please head over to my Resurrection Hope page to learn how you can be a new creation, too. In Him, we are Not Alone! P.S. I’m cheering for you!

May

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold the new has come.

Psalm 103:1-5
1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Prayer:
God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, then we will be saved.
Thank you, God, that through salvation in you, the old me has passed away and the new me has come. My old sin patterns, my old attitudes, my old way of living no longer define me, I am a new creation. Help me live a life pleasing to you.
And Lord, we bless your holy name! You alone are a God that forgives sin, heals diseases, redeems our broken lives, satisfies us with good, and renews our endurance in our faith. You are worthy of all praise, glory, and honor and we love you. Amen.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – APRIL

It’s hard to believe that once again we are at the beginning of a month. Life has felt like a blur lately and I can’t really put my finger on why except that we have a lot of life happening within the walls of our home and maybe even more outside our walls! I’m so thankful that speaking and praying scripture has become part of our daily habit each time we get in the car in the morning because if it weren’t for this intentional daily task, I don’t think we’d be memorizing scripture at all! But don’t put us on a pedestal by thinking that my children are cheerfully participating each morning, and we somehow have life figured out. Pretty much the exact opposite is happening! A lot of days I’m the only one attempting any type of cheer as we speak these scriptures and if I ask one of our children to read the prayer out loud for the family it is often done with drudgery. But I’m not stopping. Because I know that important life lessons are taught through consistency even when we don’t feel like doing them. In our house, brushing teeth, showering, doing laundry, and cleaning the kitchen, are all commonly done with drudgery by our children, but I’m sure you’d agree they are all important life lessons! Teaching our children (or teaching ourselves!) to speak and pray scripture is not just important, but powerful and life changing.


It is the Spirit who gives life…The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63


May you be blessed as you speak and pray scripture in April!
Jenny Leigh
P.S. You’ll find all the FREE downloadable PDFs for Speaking and Praying Scripture under Resources > Prayer Resources

April


Ephesians 2:8
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves;
it is God’s gift.

John 1:16
For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones,
put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

PRAYER:
God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much.
Thank you that you give us the gift of salvation through your son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Help us to remember that this is not something we need to try to earn through good works but instead is a gift that we receive by faith.

Thank you for giving us undeserved grace upon grace. As we go about our day, I ask that you help us to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience knowing that the grace we receive from you we should also pass on to others.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Speaking and Praying Scripture – MARCH

Here we are again! Another month has gone by. Are you speaking and praying scripture? I hope you are, because I’ve been finding (and I had been hoping) that even as we have taken the pressure off of ourselves to memorize these scriptures that they are in fact being hidden in our hearts as we speak them every day. If you haven’t joined us yet, take a screen shot or print off the PDF and join us today! You won’t regret it.

March

Psalm 42:1
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Isaiah 26:3-4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,
Because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

PRAYER:
God, You are a good, good Father who loves us so much.
Thank you for providing flowing streams of nourishment and rest for our weary, broken souls. No matter if we are experiencing joy or sorrow, we know that our souls will always need the life-giving water that you provide because you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and nothing else in life will satisfy us like you do. Come and fill up our lives, Lord, and give us a desire for you.

Thank you, God, that you provide the path to true and everlasting life through a relationship with you. Where you are is where we find joy that extends beyond our circumstances and where true life begins.

God, help me to keep my mind stayed on you, not wavering in my anxiety or pain or temptations, but trusting that You provide my greatest need through the gift of your son, Jesus. Help me to trust in you and build my life on you, our everlasting rock. In you alone we have Resurrection Hope and discover that we are truly Not Alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A little more about the verses….

As these verses were on my mind for this month, I wanted to dig a little deeper to try and understand the meaning behind the verse. Just a reminder that I’m not a Bible scholar so this is my amateur version of trying to study God’s Word… if nothing else, I hope this points you to Jesus or inspires you to dig a little deeper for yourself to find out who God truly is.


About Psalm 42:1

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Why would a deer pant for water? Why is that important to me and in understanding this verse? What I read was that a deer only pants for water when they have experienced hostility of some sort or a high level of exertion to which they are desperate for water to cool them down, so they won’t die. So in this verse the Psalmist is expressing a deep, intense, desperate, and life-saving need for God’s presence, not just a cool refreshment. This is how we need God. Desperately, intensely, every. single. day. Not just a cool refreshment from time to time.

About Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures evermore.

I read this verse and for the first time realized that the path of life is not just “the right path for my journey in life” but THE path of LIFE!!!! I think it was a story on the radio that talked about not being upset by your story being your story because this is the path God is using to bring you to Him. There are so many times I’ve said I don’t like parts of my story, and I get angry about different paths I’ve had to wade through in life. But would I be here and desiring Jesus like I am if the ugly or hard parts of my story didn’t exist? I kind of don’t think so. I think I’d be at risk for thinking I needed Jesus like a cool refreshment instead of realizing my desperate need… my panting… for a Savior. It is because of the stories that make up my life that I am here and able to understand better the lifesaving and grace-giving message of Jesus Christ. And it makes me want to share it with you! So, back to this verse… LIFE. The path of LIFE is where we find joy and Resurrection Hope that will never ever disappoint us or leave us. Not the hope of circumstantial change, but true hope that lasts for eternity.

About Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

What does perfect peace mean? Perfect peace is keeping our mind steadfast on the Lord, not wavering back and forth as we experience waves of life. This requires action from us. It means taking every anxious and disbelieving thought and giving it back to the Lord to transform our thinking to what is truth. This intentionality transforms our hearts and minds and keeps us in perfect peace as we trust that He is who He says He is. It is a lot easier said than done and also doesn’t mean the pain of your situation goes away. But it does mean that you can know that you are Not Alone while you experience the storms of life. He IS our everlasting rock!

Enjoy speaking and praying scripture this month!
Jenny Leigh

P.S. Head over to the Resources page and then click Prayer Resources if you’d like a Free Downloadable copy of any of the Speaking and Praying Scriptures documents.

Speaking and Praying Scripture – FEBRUARY

I hope you have been joining us throughout January in this new rhythm of Speaking and Praying Scripture! Here are the verses and the prayer for February! Let’s live Not Alone by Speaking and Praying Scripture together this year!

February

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

PRAYER:
God, you are a good, good Father who loves us so much. Thank you for your true Word, the Bible, that tells us that you are the way, the truth, and the life and that there is no other way to access these things except through you.

Help us to not be anxious about the world, or our future, or by the things going on in our lives, but help us to bring our prayers and concerns to you through a thankful heart.

God, with everything going on in the world around us it is easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. I pray that you help us to remember that this life is temporary, but you are an eternal God and if we have a relationship with you then that is our future and our hope.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.