by Alisha | May 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
1. Morning time with the Lord
My days always seem to run a bit more smoothly when they begin in my study — the one place in our home that is solely mine. This is the place where I spend reading and meditating on the Word, and fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer. This is the time when my spirit is strengthened, my soul is restored, and my attitude is adjusted. I crave this precious time when the Lord speaks His tender love to me, showing me His mercy and grace, and romancing my heart. Time in His presence is vital.
2. Hot tea
A nice hot cuppa always accompanies my morning time with the Lord. It’s also a lovely little “pick-me-up” for the kids and me around 3pm. (Hey, we’re not Brits, so we don’t have to wait til 4- or 5 o’clock!) My daughter, Olivia, and I also usually have another cup around 8pm. And depending on what kind of day it is, we may have another sprinkled in there. I must say, I thoroughly and completely agree with the following statement:
3. Quality time with my husband
Ahh…I love this man! And I love spending quality time with him. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be “quality” time as long as we’re together. Whether we’re on a date at a nice restaurant, having a heart-to-heart discussion in which we share our hopes and dreams together, or just sitting in front of a Braves baseball game at home while he reads and I write, I just love being with him. And now, since he travels overseas ministering so often, time with him means even more to me!
4. Spontaneous hugs from my kids
They’re not so little anymore…not under my feet like they used to be. In fact, they are all involved in their own little worlds and their own interesting hobbies. But it sure does this mama’s heart good when they come up to me and give me a big ole hug! Two of them are taller than me now, so it’s not the same as it used to be…but they’re still my “babies.” And they still know how to make my day!
5. Family time
Another thing that makes my day is our family time. We enjoy game nights, family dates out, movie-a-thons (we’re currently in the middle of a Doctor Who fest — for the 3rd or 4th time), or getaways whenever we can. Most of these times are spent laughing with or at each other! We love to laugh!
6. A hard workout & dripping buckets of sweat
Well, I must admit it has finally happened. The girl who couldn’t stand to sweat or do cardio of any sort has fallen in love with it! I must say I amaze myself! đ That awesome feeling after giving 100% during a strenuous workout totally makes my day. I know I am doing something wonderful for me as well as for my family.
7. Rainy days
There’s nothing so wonderful to me as the sound of the heavy downpour of rain, and especially when it’s accompanied by rolling thunder. As a teen, I loved to wrap up in a blanket and sit on our front porch swing during a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the position of the porch swing of our current home would leave me drenched if I did that now. So, I’ve settled for curling up on my comfy sofa under my goose down comforter to listen to it pour outside my windows.
8. My down comforter
And, as mentioned in the above point, I love to snuggle under my down comforter — even in the summer (as long as the air conditioning is on). Soft, fluffy and extremely comforting, it makes my day and night. The joke in our family is, the moment I lie down on the sofa and cover up with it, I am “out like a light” — even during the middle of an extremely LOUD action movie.
9. My laptop (and iPhone)
Is it weird that my laptop or smart phone can make my day? As a writer, it’s hard to be without my laptop since I can type faster than I can write out by hand (although, I’m not so fast on the iPhone). But I thoroughly love having the “world” at my fingertips through the internet. I love to be able to connect with friends near and far. I love being able to encourage others with the Word of God through this blog on my little laptop. A couple of times I have left it at church or at my mom’s overnight, and it felt like I had left a child there. (Hmm…I guess that is a little weird, huh?)
10. Anything that reminds me of England
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I am an Anglophile. And anytime I get to read an update or see a picture that reminds me of the time my husband and I spent in England, I get a little bit of a thrill. I can’t wait to be able to go back and take my kids there to visit! Hopefully, it will be very soon! (The picture below is of Dove Cottage, the home of poet William Wordsworth. It is located in Grasmere, in the beautiful Lake District of England.)
What are some of the little — or not so little — things that make your day? Leave me a comment below to let me know!
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Linking up with the lovely ladies of iHomeschool Network for the “10 in 10 Series” & with Many Little Blessings for “Top 10 Tuesdays.”
by Alisha | Apr 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
How do you smell? Iâm sure youâve probably had a shower this morning â or if youâre a mother of small children, hopefully youâll get one sometime this week! đ But thatâs not really what Iâm talking about.
What sort of spiritual fragrance are you giving off?
Have you ever hugged someone wearing really âloud-smellingâ perfume, then afterwards walked away reeking of it? Perhaps you regretted that embrace for the rest of the day!
Or a much nicer scenario: Maybe youâve put on your husbandâs jacket to warm up and the moment you wrapped yourself in it, you smelled his cologne, so strong and masculine, like him! The jacket smells like him because heâs worn it close to his body on a regular basis.
The same thing can happen to us as we spend time in the presence of the Lord. By being close to Him on a continual basis, we can become âfragranced with His presence.â
Letâs look at a verse from the Song of Solomon. Remember that this is a story of marital love, but it is also an allegory of Godâs love for Israel and Christâs love for the Church (His Bride). So, when we read of the man (or bridegroom), we can apply those words to Jesus:
Song 1:3 (GNT) There is a fragrance about You, the sound of Your name recalls it. No woman could keep from loving You.Â
Jesus has a fragrance about Him. And Ephesians 5:2 (AMP) speaks of His fragrance: Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and it is a sweet fragrance to God the Father. The New Living Translation says it is âlike sweet perfume to Him.â
2 Cor. 2:15-16 (NLT) says, Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God⌠a life-giving perfume.Â
As we spend time in the Word, fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer, being obedient to His will, and walking in love to the people around us, we become more and more like Him. We pick up that sweet fragrance of Christ which is a life-giving perfume to others.
When we live our lives in union and communion with Him, we become fragranced with His presence. People around us may not realize that fragrance with their physical sense of smell, but they will sense His sweet presence and peace emanating from us.Â
We will radiate a confidence, an assurance, a peacefulness, a joy â even in the midst of trials and tribulation. Why? Because weâve been in His presence. We know He will care for us and provide for us no matter what. We donât have to worry or be afraid. We know from being in His presence that He loves us and will always be faithful to us.
Determine to spend time in His presence so that you will be a sweet perfume to the Lord and to those around you. Become fragranced with His presence!
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by Alisha | Jan 21, 2013 | Uncategorized
Philippians 3:10 (AMP) For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearlyâŚ
You have a God-given purpose for your life, and itâs a purpose that only you can fulfill. That purpose will bring you great joy, contentment and a deep sense of satisfaction. It will be a place of fruitfulness and a source of pleasure and delight!
However, there is another purpose that we all must have: We must be like the Apostle Paul and have a determined purpose to know the Lord. I love the wording of this verse in The Amplified Bible: âthat I mayâŚbecome more deeply and intimately acquainted with HimâŚâ
What better purpose in life is there than to become intimately acquainted with the One who loves us unfathomably â the One who gave His very life to bring us back in fellowship with Him?
âIntimacyâ suggests a closeness and familiarity with someone, a confidentiality, a sense of love, understanding and affection.
Imagine how beautiful life would be if each day we were to purpose to know the Lord more deeply and to become more intimately acquainted with Him! Every day would be a progression of spiritual growth and immense joy.
How do you know the Lord more deeply? You start by establishing a foundation of the Word of God in your life. Make a daily habit of reading, studying and meditating on the Word each day. But don’t just stop there, you can know the Book from cover to cover without really knowing the Author of the Book. Therefore, it is vital that you spend time in daily fellowship with Him as well. Through prayer, praise and worship, and by learning to be led by His Spirit, you will come to know Him more intimately.
Having the Spirit of the Living God abiding in our hearts is an honor and a tremendous gift. We should never lightly esteem that.
Ephesians 4:30 (MSG) says, Donât grieve God. Donât break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for Himself. Donât take such a gift for granted.
I refuse to take His presence in me for granted! My determined purpose is to know Him more and more each day, to become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, so that I can be more like Him, and so that I can please Him. Â What about you?
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by Alisha | Aug 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
So many people think that when they pray, they have to be very formal with God. Iâve even heard lots of people using Elizabethan English to address Him. They throw in a few âThees,â Thousâ and âThys,â apparently thinking that they will sound more spiritual to the Lord. Huh?!? Since when did the language of Shakespeare become the spiritual means of communication with our heavenly Father?
James 5:16 (AMP) says, âThe earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available â dynamic in its working.â
So, from this verse we see that itâs not the words we use that make our prayers effective. Instead, itâs whether or not the prayer we pray is coming from an earnest, sincere heart toward the Lord. If someone is just rattling off a prayer from their head instead of speaking to the Lord from the depths of his or her heart, then that is not an effective prayer.
Prayer is simply talking with God from your heart. Prayer is your avenue for communicating with Him. And it is very important that you cultivate the daily habit of talking to the Lord. This is something you must schedule into your day right from the beginning.
Itâs important to remember that because prayer is such a vital time for each Christian, this is one area the enemy works especially hard to hinder or destroy.
In just a couple of weeks you can develop the habit of daily prayer so that talking to God will become as natural to you as breathing.
What is your plan for daily prayer?
It is helpful to schedule a specific time each day when you will meet with the Lord and share with Him from your heart. You may want to start your prayer life by using some of the suggestions listed below.
To get into the habit of daily prayer, you may want to start a systematic program and keep a prayer journal. As you become more comfortable in prayer, you will depend more upon the Holy Spirit and less on lists and programs. However, many times in the initial stages of developing your prayer life, some prayer tools can help you develop discipline and consistency in your prayer life.
Daily Prayer Suggestions:
- Praise & worship God for Who He is. (Ps. 107: 1)
- Thank God for what He has done & for what He will do. (1 Thess. 5:18)
- Confess any known sin. (1 Jn. 1:9)
- Make specific requests for yourself & others. (Phil. 4:6)
You may also want to make a list of those you want to pray for. Your list might include the following:
- Government leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-3)
- Ministers (pastors, missionaries, leaders) (2 Thess. 3:1)
- Fellow Christians (Jms. 5:16)
- Enemies (Mt. 5:44)
- Non-Christians (Ps. 2:8)
- Personal needs (Phil. 4:19)
God has given us anointed prayers in His Word. We can pray these prayers for ourselves and others, and we are guaranteed to get results. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul and others to pray certain prayers that are recorded in the New Testament. Use them as a pattern for your own prayers. To pray them for yourself and others, simply insert your name (or anotherâs) in them. You will see dynamic results!
These prayers can be found in:  ⢠Ephesians 1:17-20 ⢠Ephesians 3:14-20 ⢠Colossians 1:9-12 ⢠Philippians 1:9-12 â˘
How to pray for a specific need or request:
- Decide what you want from God. (James 1:6-8)
- Read scriptures that promise the answer you need. (Josh. 1:8)
- Ask God for the things you want â praying to the Father in the Name of Jesus. (Mt. 7:7-8; Mt. 16:17-18, Jn. 14:14, Jn. 16:23-24)
- Believe you receive when you pray. (Mk. 11:24)
- Forgive when you pray. (Mk. 11:25-26)
- Meditate on the promises. (Pr. 4:20-22)
- Give God the praise. (Phil. 4:6)
- Depend upon the Holy Spirit in your prayer life. (Rms. 8:26, 1 Cor. 14;4)
- Pray the prayer of intercession. (Rms. 8:26)
- Edify yourself by praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 20)
This post is excerpted from my book, A Life That Flourishes. Click on image below to purchase.
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by Alisha | Aug 20, 2012 | Uncategorized
Is there something that youâve prayed about but you havenât received yet? If so, I want to encourage you to not give up. Keep standing in faith. The answer is on the way!
Jesus said in Mark 11:24 (NKJ), Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.Â
And 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJ) says, Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
There is almost always a waiting period from the moment we say âAmenâ until the moment we receive. But if youâve asked according to the will of God (His Word), and if you believed that you received when you prayed, then according to these scriptures, you can be confident that the Lord heard you and that you will receive what youâve asked of Him.
But what do you do while youâre waiting â especially when the answer is l-o-n-g in coming?
Hebrews 6:12 tells us that through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God.
And Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT) says, Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
So first of all, exercise patience. Donât be quick to give up just because it takes some time to receive. Donât throw away your confident trust in the Lord. Keep believing!
James 1:6-7 (NKJ) says, But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
If you want to receive, then make sure that you donât allow doubt to creep in. If the Word says you will have it, then you will have it. God is not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19). He is always faithful!
Heb 4:3 (NKJ) says, For we who have believed do enter that rest…
Another thing to remember is to rest. You donât have to beg, manipulate or try to persuade God to answer your prayer. If you prayed in faith, then enter into rest. Itâs not up to you to figure out when and how the answer will come. Itâs up to you to trust and rest.
And finally, learn to be thankful, (Ps. 100:4, Col. 3:15). If you believe that the Lord has answered your prayer, then thank Him for doing so. Donât wait until you have the full manifestation â thank Him in advance. When we are thankful to the Lord before we receive the answer, it demonstrates our faith and trust in Him.
Godâs Word is true. If you pray according to His will, and believe you receive when you pray, you will have the thing you asked of Him.
Keep standing in faith. Keep exercising patience. Keep believing that you will receive the thing you asked for. Enter into rest and just thank Him for the answer. Donât give up. Donât quit. Keep expecting. The answer is on the way!
(Image by Š Royalty-Free/Corbis)
