Dear Ones,
   Hope you are enjoying this day! This morning I made bars and stroganoff and went to my exercise class. Al did a communion service next door at Assisted Living and tonight we have Bible Study at church.
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
   Sometimes it is just good to act on our gut feeling even though others may try to influence us another way. I found that out recently when Al and I were deciding to go for our walk on the Paul Bunyan trail. We usually go 2 1/2 miles but yesterday there was a problem since a storm was noted on the radar. Not a big one and it looked like it would touch just the edge of where we were going. I told Al I didn’t trust the radar as I could see the dark clouds forming close by. But my adventuresome hubby was going with or without me and so I went. We hardly got half way before we knew we were in trouble as it started thundering and rumbling and then the rain started. Soon it wasn’t just a little rain but a downpour and even hail. We were still a mile from home and by the time we got to our door, we were saturated to our skin and looked like soaked rats. The gals who were busy doing puzzles took one look at us and burst into laughter! We were quite a sight!
   This was such a small decision I made to go on this walk but it had no lasting consequences other than having to take a shower and washing our clothes; but often when we have a gut feeling we should not ignore it for it could be the Holy Spirit warning us. We may not see the long-term consequences but we need to heed the warning. I’m sure we all have regrets when we didn’t listen and things happened that could have been prevented and affected our future.
   The Lord wants to be our constant guide and we need to stop and seek His help and direction rather than doing our own thing. King David said in Psalm 32:8 (NLT), “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’”
  There are often so many ways to go and decisions to make but we have Someone who wants to instruct and teach us and it is vital that we listen to Him and heed what He says. Let us take the first step in faith and obedience, and He will guide us the rest of the way.
   Challenge for today: Give up your own plan and listen and follow how the Holy Spirit would lead you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

.