Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:5 (NLT)
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)
In 1998, I was working about 60 hours/week in a high-pressure nursing management position. I had been saved in 1995 and had learned how important my daily time with the LORD was. If I spent time with the LORD every day, my day might still have its stresses but I was prepared and the day would end with a much lower level of fatigue. I was blessed in my job to have two women who also saw the need for prayer in their days and we tried to meet in the morning before work but then we were told we couldn’t have prayer meeting on the property and our schedules became ridiculous. So we prayed for another option. God laid on my heart the option. I began writing a daily devotion. I began writing a daily devotion and sending it out by email for whoever requested it. It grew and produced a book and then a website.
And so here I am 12 years later and I am thanking God for everyone of you. Yes, I am thankful that God used you to teach me about His faithfulness. You may not be surprised to know that I have had days when I did not feel like spending time with God. There were times I thought I was too busy or too tired. But except for 5-6 weeks of vacation and some holidays, God has faithfully met with me and given me His Word.
I like to remind people periodically that if they feel conviction – God convicted me first! If they feel ashamed, I am the one over in the corner with her head bowed. If they aren’t sure about something, well, God isn’t done with me yet either. I continue to study and listen to Him. He will correct me as I grow.
Honestly, I do not think I would have been still writing devotions if it had not been for the dialogue that has occurred between myself and others. It is that dialogue that keeps “iron striking iron†as the writer of Proverbs has said (Proverbs 27:17). I am grateful for that encouragement; the questions and comments. Today we can take the internet and use it as a wonderful outreach, touching people around the world. How very cool is that?!
Thank you. Thank you for joining me every day in seeking the wisdom and knowledge of God. Thank you for sharing His Word with others. Thank you for caring enough to write me, asking questions and encouraging me to keep writing. Thank You, LORD, and may You receive all the glory.
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:3-11 (NLT)
