Dear Ones,
Hope your day is full of sunshine. We left yesterday morning after a  wonderful time with our son’s family. We made it as far as Brownsberg, Indiana last night, after going 600 miles. Always so thankful to get to our motel after a day of heavy traffic and then we went for a long walk. Our thank you again for prayers. Lily is back to school now and needs no pain medication. PTL! Marlene got Covid while in the hospital recovering from her hip surgery even though vaccinated. Appreciate prayers.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We have only one life to live and let us live it for the Lord! Only what is done for Him is lasting.
I was reading this morning a prayer of King David after God saved him from his enemies and from Saul. He was so grateful for how God had protected him and rescued him and given him victory. His heart was full of praise and he says in II Sam. 22:21-25 (The Message), “God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him. When I cleaned up my act, He gave me a fresh start. Indeed, I’ve kept alert to God’s ways; I haven’t taken God for granted. Every day I review the ways He works, I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I’m watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes.” 
Isn’t that true for all of us that when we give Him all the pieces of our lives? He cleans us up and puts us back together, giving us a fresh start, a clean slate. We don’t ever want to take that for granted but thank Him and like David, review His goodness to us every day. Before we shut our eyes at night, we can think over our day and remember the ways He has been there for us, maybe rescued us from tight situations, provided us with a necessity, or given us the right words to respond to someone. David goes on to say that God’s way is perfect and He is a shield, a rock and refuge, the one who gives Him strength. He even expresses that his feet are like a deer that has firm footing on high places.  He sings this song of thanksgiving to the Lord. 
What about us? Maybe we need to check our own hearts to see if we take the Lord for granted. Instead of praise we find ourselves complaining. Of course, we can’t always understand at the time what the Lord is doing in our lives; but David says that there are other times God’s light suddenly floods his path and the darkness is gone and he sees clearly. There are many things that happen to us in life, and we may wonder His purpose in it; but we can live in praise and trust for He will make a way for us and give us peace and a solid place to stand.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to be with you through your day and then praise Him tonight as you see His hand at work in your life.
Blessing on your day and prayers and love, Judy