Dear Ones, 
Hope you have a beautiful day in every way. The house is full of aroma as I made G.F. cookies on a stick and have a meatloaf in the oven now. I had a lovely birthday yesterday and also good news as my MRI was negative. PTL! Today we are going to friends for coffee and fellowship and tomorrow we are having another birthday celebration here as the friend we walk with has a birthday too. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  Sometimes those small decisions we make turn out to be the doorway to bigger things. It is very important that we pray even about what we may call insignificant decisions as they may play out to be bigger than we can imagine. I was reminded of that just recently on my birthday. It was such a pleasant day that started even the night before when our door was plastered with a banner, gifts and birthday cards. The next day proved to be even bigger as there were cards on the door every time I opened it, and more gifts. It prompted me to thank the Lord that he brought us to this place, where we now reside. Almost 5 years ago we were making a decision to move off of the lake to find a place in Brainerd. We prayed and visited one place several times that we were ready to sign on, but waited and prayed and then looked here at Northern Lakes. There was a two year wait but felt if the Lord wanted us to get this place it would come up sooner… and It did. When we went by one day to ask where we were in the placement line, the manager said, one apartment just opened up and you can look at It now. We saw it and loved it and signed that day for it was like a gift from the Lord.
   But what if we would have made a decision to take the first place without praying, I don’t think we would experience the kind of life we have here. We are blessed to have Bible studies, opportunities to have fellowship, coffee times all throughout the day and evenings if we like, parties, and being around people that care for one another etc. 
  We don’t always know what is ahead in our journey, but we must just take the first step in obedience, and he will show us the next, one day at a time. We don’t know the future as He does, so we must seek His will. We can go to the Word and find promises to lay hold of. As the song goes by Amy Grant, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet/ And a light unto my path/..When I feel afraid/ and think I’ve lost my way/ Still, you’re right there beside me/ Nothing will I fear/ As long as you are near/ Please be with me to the end.”                                                                                    We don’t want to miss what God has for us by jumping ahead and we don’t have to know what is far ahead in the future but just to trust Him for today and doing His will. As it says in Psalm 119:105 (Message), “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back from living by your righteous order. “ Let us walk in obedience and just walk one step at a time in His will.
Challenge for today: Let the Lord guide you in all your decisions and seek His will first. 
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy