Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a sunny day!  This morning I went to Aldi’s and made a new chicken/spinach/quinoa dish. Al and I went to Best Buy to get his new computer as the one that we waited to arrive yesterday wasn’t even in the warehouse. He now has a different one and soon we are going back to get transferred everything from his old one. Emoji 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Have you broken any of your New Year’s resolutions yet? Many people don’t go more than 3 weeks before they break them and fewer than half the people keep their resolutions for 6 months. I like to write down some goals and then just pray for the Lord to give specifics of moving towards them. Mine are pretty broad and I wait and listen to the Lord to fill in the details. Besides if I do them in my own strength, I will soon run out of energy and desire. Chris Bolinger wrote on Crosswalk.com about One Resolution that will improve our whole lives which includes our health, behavior, and spiritual walk. That is to read the Bible every day. Regular reading helps us physically, emotionally and spiritually for we can release our stresses and all our worries to the Lord which has a definite effect on our bodies and emotions. In the Word we are reminded that God wants us to give Him all that concerns us and that means we don’t have to carry the heavy load around with us.  As we read the Word, we get wisdom and instruction that improves our lives, for God’s ways bring peace as we do what He says. Our behavior improves as well for as we read about His ways, we are less likely to drink, have immoral sex, view porn, gamble etc. Reading the Bible each day can bring us closer to God for He reveals Himself through the Word. The more we read with open hearts the better we come to know Him. He is all the while wanting to free us from our old patterns that have not worked and reveal His love. The enemy will try to give us all kinds of excuses of why we don’t have time to read the Word for he knows that he will have less influence on our lives when we are steeped in the Word. The Psalmist said in Psalm 119:9-11 (The Message), “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.” Let us not neglect the Word each day for when we take it to heart, we will experience peace, get instruction and wisdom, and a desire to live closer to the Lord. We just might surprisingly find we are living out some of our New Year’s resolutions also!
Challenge for today: Set a time in your daily schedule to spend in the Word each day.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy