Dear Ones,
Hope you are keeping toasty warm on these cold days and it is so good to see the sun. This morning Al went to Men’s group and I did food prep, washing etc. and went downstairs for donuts and coffee with a few others. This afternoon we have Bible Study here and then I suspect we will walk inside.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  Do we live our daily lives our way or God’s way? Every day we have a choice if we will let God lead us or if we will manipulate to go our own way. It works well when we are receptive to His plan and His plan becomes our plan, and we follow as He leads.
   I am reading Ann Voskamp’s book, Waymaker, and she writes things in such a way that I am left to ponder her comments for some time. She said, “Prayer is moving us to do things God’s way on earth—not moving heaven to do things our way.” Like we pray so often in the Lord’s prayer, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” do we really mean it?
  God is wanting a relationship and communion with us but maybe we would rather have clarity to know what God is going to do next. Ann asks us why God should give us a road map of what He is going to do when He can give Himself. We need Him!
    The Lord desires that we be receptive and attentive and to wait for His timing, rather than pushing our own agenda. Perhaps we aren’t so good about waiting but Ann says, “Waiting is letting go to let something grow. The waiting need not destroy the soul but grow the soul. Waiting isn’t loss; it’s enlarging.” Our hearts can actually expand as we hold onto what God has for us, if we are willing to wait as grace grows within.
  The bottom line is that we don’t need to know all the answers but we need to trust Him. As Ann said, “Prayer isn’t giving God information to act upon but God giving intimacy to rest in.” We can always be at peace when we remember that He is holding onto us and will show us the way. As David said in Psalm 16:8 (NRSV) “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord for His plan for you today and stick with His, not yours!
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy