Novemeber 25, 2020

Dear Ones,

A blessed Thanksgiving whenever you celebrate. So many plans have been canceled but our hearts still give thanks to the Lord. I heard from Taylor today who many of you have prayed for and she and her boyfriend have COVID and quite sick. This morning I made a meatloaf for our lunch and a pie for tomorrow. This afternoon we have errands to do and also ice cream treat at Culver’s drive up. Tonight is the Thanksgiving service at church but no pie afterwards like years past.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

How do we care for our soul as well as our body? I get e-mails daily about health concerns and ways to detox and to take good care of our body etc. I was fascinated when Craig Groeschel wrote about Soul Detox and how important that is for all of us. Just as we wouldn’t knowingly physically swallow poison, why would we consume hazardous poison to our soul? Everything we allow into our minds has an impact on us and will affect our souls. It’s important to identify lies that we have grabbed hold of especially from our culture that lead us away from God; then we need to replace them with the truth of what God says. Just like our bodies need detoxing, we need to clean our thoughts of what is unhealthy and focus on how God sees things. Craig tells us to choose positive words that create and heal and avoid negative words that destroy. Sometimes we need to analyze words that others have said about us and ask God if they are true. It’s important to deal with our hidden sins and confess them to the Lord and seek forgiveness. If there is bitterness and unforgiveness we need to get rid of it for it is toxic to our souls. Envy of others has to also go, and instead of comparing, thank the Lord for what He has blessed us with. When anger bubbles up, we need to listen before responding and deal with anger productively, not destructively. If we are plagued with fear, we need to break free by trusting the Lord more deeply. Or if we are surrounded by toxic influences like unhealthy people, materialism, media etc. we need to separate from such things and spend time in ways that lead us back to the Lord. Just as it is Thanksgiving tomorrow, let us start today in giving thanks with grateful hearts. Let our mindset be on His goodness to us for as we do this it is as a cleansing flow through our souls. Like wise King Solomon said in Proverbs 3 (The Message), “Trust God from the bottom of your hearts…Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go…Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! “Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal toxic influences in your life and be willing to detox.