Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you! Hope you have time to relax and rest. Today I did food prep and  cleaned our apartment and this afternoon we are having friends over for coffee and fellowship. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
 How do we feel when someone gets what we have been longing for? It could be a job position or it could be a vacation home; maybe even a place on the worship team or any number of things. We might have assumed it was to be ours and all of a sudden it is given to someone else and we are left disappointed.
I had a humorous situation that happened. One day I made some frosted brownies and the aroma seeped into Al’s study and he asked if he might sample them. Since I was making them to take somewhere, I gave him only a sample. Later I saved out two more pieces and told him we could have them with our coffee later. After a short nap, I was all set to have my brownie with coffee and both pieces were gone. I asked Al what happened to mine and he responded by saying he thought both of them were small and intended for him! Al got what I thought was intended for me and I was left disappointed. (we also had a good laugh!)
   But in life, that happens on a bigger scale and we can respond with jealousy and envy. We want what someone else has and they took what should have been ours! It isn’t fair and we may say we are better qualified, or have put more work into the position we had hoped for than the one who got the job. If we stew on that for a long time, we can get bitter and angry and others become our rivals. We can resent them and the unity of the Body of Christ is broken. We begin to feel alienated from others and no longer want what is best for them but only what is good for us That is a miserable place to be as it robs our peace.
    How much better if we surrender our lives to the Lord and let Him decide what is best for us. If He opens a door for us to go through, we can rejoice; but if He closes a door for us, we can also rejoice for it was not part of His best plan. Then we can just rest and be content for we know His way is perfect. In Proverbs 19:23 (Amplified) it says, “The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it rests satisfied; he cannot be visited with (actual) evil.” Let us be satisfied and at peace as we let God lead our lives and we follow.
   Challenge for today: Guard against envy and be satisfied with whatever gifts the Lord pours into your life and receive with gratitude.  
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and Love, Judy