No matter how far you have traveled into the shadowlands. No matter how long it has been. No matter how many times you have stumbled. No matter how big a mess you have made.
It’s not too late to be made clean.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about our faith is that we have embedded, at its core, redemption. We don’t even have to believe in ourselves—that will come later. We only need to believe in the power and mercy of God. He can right our wrongs, work all things together for good and give us a fresh start even when we feel we have spoiled everything.
Sometimes, we must get to the bottom of our own muck to see that we can’t do this on our own. That is the moment, the initiating point of transformation, when we realize that even if we don’t know what to do next, we know we cannot keep doing what we’re doing. So we humble ourselves; we cry out to God. We surrender our egos, and we open to the power of creation. We are made new.
Lord please hear our prayers and bring your light to all those who have been hurt, killed and impbacted by terrorist attacks. Come to the side of those experiencing violence in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur, and the Sudan. Please hear the pleas of all those suffering around the world - and give them strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Send them your light. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen
God is consistent! He does not change. In our salvation story we come face to face with a God who loves us and never gives up on us in our given unfaithfulness. In the muckiest times of our lives, God comes through for us. God is Love! When we mess up, He does not retaliate, but gives us time after time a chance to reconcile, to be at peace with ourselves and to experience the depth of His love for us. Our salvation is independent of our actions but lies solely in God's love for us from the very beginning of time. Blessings Living Faith Family.
*** I am so overjoyed and grateful this morning for how (By His Grace) and what (For His Glory) God has done in Jessi's day just yesterday not recounting all the blessings in all the other days!!! God is sooooooo good and sooooooo patient and sooooooo faithful with us ????✝️???? *** Before I knew Jessi had to speak last night, I had a conversation with our BSF Assistant Student Supervisor yesterday morning that Jessi was so down and felt so empty questioning God not filling her with joy and that her cup was empty! I thought she was like the older son in the prodigal son parable complaining :-( My prayer was for God to manifest Himself to Jessi in such a way to encourage her and to overflow her cup! And God answered that prayer mightily ✝️ *** Famous For by Tauren Wells Jenn Johnson https://youtu.be/o15X2yZ1LT8?si=jCVP8CmZlbZjGOfo ******* Now I pray for Jessi that she continues to experience the Truth (Jesus) because she doesn't belong to the lies she belongs to the Truth ✝️ Truth by Megan Woods https://youtu.be/5fSVWVYkh2A *** P.S. praying for travel safety and God's presence, protection and power over her trips to Cancun 1/17-1/21 (high school friend's wedding), Peru 1/25-2/2 (mission trip), Crsted Butte CO 2/2-2/5 (medical conference), London/Scotland 3/31-4/13 (vacation) and Vancouver Island 4/26-5/7 (graduation trip to bear hunt with Dad) ✝️ *** Proverbs 3:21-23, 26, “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble…for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap!” Amen! *** Romans 15:13, "May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy. May you have perfect peace as you trust in Him. May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope!" Amen!
Thank you Kristin for this thought provoking reflection. I will be thinking about it for quite awhile. "Your wealth is measured by the lack of your needs, not by the abundance of your possessions."
So true…a lot to ponder on that Irene.
Wonderful devotion today, Kristen. Amen!
*Kristin. I apologize for the misspelling.
Kristin thank you for those words. How inspiring is that to think that although I am human and may mess some things up ,I can start again to be all that God wants me to be and still help others. Miguel A. I always love the prayers you post, Thank you. Ken praying for Debbie, Anna, Christine, Stephanie and Chris may they heal. For Jess and all she is doing and for all that struggle each day. Blessings to all the LFF. May those with extra needs feel his love and guidance today and may we all refresh ourselves and spread Gods love through all the world.
AMEN!
Wisdom of the Saints for today is " God sends our friends to be our firm support in the worldpool of struggle. In the company of friends, we will find strength to attain our Sublime ideal," Saint Maximilian Kolbe Padre Pio's saying for today "If we Wish to reap, It is necessary not so much to so abundantly, As to spread the seed in fertile soil. And when this seed becomes a plant, our chief anxiety should be to watch that the weeds do not suffocate the tender plants." VickyG, Pam, Jane, Stormy,Bill, Cheryl, Peggy,and Patrick you guys are all sowers of seeds. Please pray for Debbie and her daughter Anna, Christine and Stephanie and Chris who is experiencing health issues. Ken
Salina, keep us updated on Jessi’s travels in Peru so that we may pray specific for needs and give praise for the Godly things she does. Ken, I truly believe that our prayers go beyond time because God goes beyond time. What we pray today has an effect on yesterday and tomorrow and so praying for those souls in purgatory helps them in ways we can’t fathom. Thank you for being so faithful to that mission, it makes my heart warm with thoughts that so many who would otherwise not have someone on this side to petition for them are not being forgotten.
For some reason my focus today was one particular piece of the gospel. In Mark 1: 40-45 we hear of the healing of the leper. Specifically Jesus’ words “… but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” My thoughts on this: Healing beyond physical. Why did Jesus tell the man to show himself to the priest? Because the priest was the one that could declare the man fit to enter back into the community, to participate and have contact with others again. Jesus was healing the man’s inner self and his life of belonging and fellowship. Healing fellowship: the touch of others, the interaction, the laughter. Jesus came to be with us, participate in our group activities, to laugh with us! He recognizes this as important in this life and as beneficial to our spiritual life. We should too. Thank you Lord for this community and our fellowship here. May you continue to bless each one of us with each other and in the ways you know we need.
As humans we are wired for connection. The re-inclusion is part of our renewal after we have fallen and healed with God’s help. This happens over and over! Continued repentance, renewal and re-acceptance is so critical to who we are as God’s children! Amen. So happy to hear about Garrett and his miracles. He is the gladiator fighting for every step. Amen. Vicky, I am at a cooking program here. It is wonderful and Irene, I will try to make it to Assisi. Have to figure out how to get there as I’m far south!
My prayer "Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and make me clean and whole in body, mind, and spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to tell others of your mercy and compassion."
He is there to lend us a hand, to pull us out of the muck. Thanks for the words today. It gives me hope. Amen!
Thank you Kirsten for those powerful words of forgiveness and restoration by our God. Words of hope that God never gives up on us even when we give up on ourselves.
Kristen, this is a most powerful devotion today! Thank you!
Amen
Amen.☮️
Amen... thank you always Kristin for the reminder of our Lord's never ending love for us
There are two options! *** 1 John 1:8, 10, “Suppose we claim we are without sin. Then we are fooling ourselves. The truth is not in us… If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar. His word is not in us! *** 1 John 1:9, “But God is faithful and fair. If we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure!” *** Therefore, harden not your hearts! Hebrews 3:7-9, “That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested Me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried My patience, even though they saw My miracles for forty years!” ******* Do you know what happened to the generation of Israelites God set free from slavery in Egypt? Go check it out…only two people (Joshua and Caleb) from that generation got to enter the promised land…not even Moses…that’s what “harden your heart” looks like :-( Numbers 14:30, “You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun!”
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Kristin, such a beautiful devotional. Redemption is at the heart of our faith. Every day, every minute. God is there to help pick us up and try again. God’s ways are not our ways. Lord, please walk with Debbie and her daughter Anna, Christine, Stephanie and also Chris who is experiencing health issues. Please let them know your comfort and peace. In addition, be with my friend Brenda who needs to have two biopsies (breast and under armpit). Allow her medical team to accurately find the tissue for testing and provide the information needed for a precise diagnosis and treatment. Sending her light for this rocky path. Amen.