Gratitude Archive

As I slept last night I was suddenly awoken by the sound of strong surging winds outside my window. It was thunderous and I immediately sat up in bed and looked at my clock. I don’t know why I always look at the clock, probably because I took the Citizen’s Police Academy a few years back and they told us it was always important to notice what time something happens. It was 1:11 am. Now hopefully you know from my other blogs that when I see 11, 111 or 1111 I feel God’s presence. Then it dawned on me. The strong wind and 1:11 quickly reminded me of the time Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in the Bible. It is one of my favorite passages. A passage I can so relate to! The wind is the Holy Spirit.

John 3:5-8   Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You  must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

This resonates with me because there are so many times I feel the wind of the Holy Spirit blow through me. Times of fear when I need comforted, times of joy sending me contentment, times of illness blowing in healing. I feel the wind swirling within me. That wind Jesus says is the Holy Spirit.

Last night was profound for me. The wind and the time signaled to me that God was hearing my prayers and responding strongly to let me know He is ever present in my ministry. The wind alone or the time alone would not have had this meaning for me. That is why God gave me both at the exact same time.

What about the time? 111 does that correlate to the Bible and my ministry? I have been praying constantly lately about my ministry and where God has been leading me. I pray to have the knowledge of how to grow my ministry to reach more people and share more gratitude hearts. Let’s see.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

God is reminding me to keep my faith that He will guide me and show His plan when it is time. I have learned the art of patience over the last few year knowing God was in control. I breathe and stand in faith and He is always good! Faith always makes life better. Knowing we have a protector that will never turn His back on us or ignore us.

Matthew 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

This verse really interests me. Is my Father teaching me and instructing me on my ministry as I am His disciple? I spend many hours in study every week on learning and understanding the Bible more fully. Is God saying He seeing my studies and I am heading in the right direction? Is He saying He trusts me to know and share His word properly? Am I His good disciple?

This next verse is the most powerful one for me.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

As I read this verse my heart jumps. I am following the example of Christ in my life the best I can at this point. I pray God is telling me that He sees that. Paul suffered and never lost faith no matter what! This year with COVID, riots, a parent with aggressive cancer, a friend on life support for 31 days and the world in turmoil I am working to stay kind, in faith and speaking the Truth as an example of Christ. I want to be that example. I want people to say, about me “I see God and His word through her!”

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Luke 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

I pray you are feeling God’s presence in your life and when you sleep. Look for His guidance in your life. It takes time and study but He speaks to you too. My love and gratitude-LoLo

A friend approached me recently after my last monthly inspiration meeting. She held out her hand and showed me the things she carries in her pocket every day. You too can see those items above in the title picture. The items she carries have significant meanings and importance to her. I began to think about this. What do I carry in my pocket every day? Also, what does a pocket represent to me?

I don’t carry anything in my pockets primarily because I don’t have pockets. As I think about this, I realize pockets could be my heart, my mind or something totally different. Let’s start with my pocket being my heart.

There are so many things I hold in my heart. Thankfully God has shown me how to remove hate from my heart. I carried that for many, many years but no more. My heart is the main pocket for the Holy Spirit to reside. This pocket holds the most precious thing I have. The gift that God has given me when I accepted Christ as my savior. Yes, my heart holds other things too like the love for my family, the kindness that our Father requires us to share and HOPE for those I am yet to meet.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

I realized this pocket truly hold the key to a better life. A life filled with joy when practicing gratitude and love. When God put in me a clean heart (or clean pocket to carry Him in) my life became more peaceful and serene. The drama diminished. The hatred ceased. I saw people with different eyes. Eyes that saw God’s children instead of people of the world and all their flaws.

Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Another pocket I carry things in is my mind. This pocket holds earthly thoughts that bring joy to my heart pocket. These joys are my memories. I to this day can hear my grandmother’s voice when she would call me almost every night at 5pm. I have to chuckle because when I would answer the phone she would always say, “Oh you’re home. I didn’t think you would be.”. This always cracked me up because this was long before cell phones and I would always think, “Why are you calling if you didn’t think I would be home?”. I think she just wanted to hear her granddaughter’s voice. I miss those calls but I am grateful God allows that memory to linger in my mind.

I also have a memory of my great grandmother’s smile when I would visit her in the nursing home. She has a pocket watch necklace she wore that I loved. She always had it on and I can’t remember a time she didn’t wear it. I loved the way she would look at the time on it. She lived to be 98 years old which I am sure will be more time than I will see. The mind is a great pocket to carry things called memories in.

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

If your pockets are filled with lint and dirt or tattered with holes you must clean them out and repair them. If your memories are of hurt and trauma you must turn that pocket inside out to clean it. Hurt and trauma need forgiveness to clean the pockets of your life. You need to heal and recognize that these negative things are not your fault. Forgive yourself and the offender to start brightening your pockets. This can be a long process but ask God to help you wash your pockets and make them white again. Pray this one scripture below, our Heavenly Father will hear. He knows everything about you and he wants you to ask for a pocket cleaning.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior then ask Him to come into your life so you can clean your heart pocket. He will gift you with the Holy Spirit graciously blossoming peace in your heart.  Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives.

Ephesians 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.   I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. ….

God wants the best life for you. He smiles on us when we are anointed with the Holy Spirit because He is with us and in us. In our pocket (our heart) to carry around daily. Please pick something special to you that is a peaceful memory ( a small cross, a special coin or maybe your child’s hospital bracelet) and carry it in your pocket. This can be your reminder that God is always with you. My love and gratitude-LoLo

We are living in a really odd time right now. People are isolated physically, emotionally and spiritually. Opinions are strong and emotions are running wild but that’s okay. We need this period of growth for our minds and for our hearts.

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33

Last February my pastor mentioned at church that this year we were going to reintroduce Christianity to our community. He said that some of society had created their own interpretation of the Bible and are teaching off script. I remember thinking to myself, “That is absolutely correct. I am going to study more and really watch my words. I am also going to listen for opportunities to teach GOD’S word accurately!” And then the pandemic hit almost like Satan tried to derail me and others set on this course of correction.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

I have found during the last five months that I see people drifting away from attending church. This may be because so many churches have been closed do to the pandemic. I won’t talk politics but churches, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc. should never have their doors closed or keep people from coming in. These are places that protect, heal and do good. Okay enough of that, off my soapbox. I have asked several people how they have continued to worship during the pandemic and I was surprised at the number of people that say they haven’t joined in online or only stream their church on YouTube when it is convenient for them to watch.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

You may say I am crazy and that’s okay too but to me the answer is simple. Go to the Bible. The Bible can be read online, in a book, on Kindle, watched on a video, shared by word of mouth and so on. It’s everywhere and it tells us everything. The first step to reintroducing Christianity is to read our Bibles. The Bible is the owner’s manual or instruction manual to life. It has every answer to every problem. I know people say to me that my approach is too simple and that life is more complicated than I make it. I say I respect their opinion but proceed to explain why I feel differently.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Hebrews 4:4

To me the Bible teaches the unconditional love that God offers us and the example he sets every time He offers grace and mercy to us. It shows how much He loved us to send Jesus to earth to reconcile us with Him and to forgive our sins. Do any of us show unconditional love to anyone? Love that has no conditions, just acceptance? Where would society be if we extended unconditional love? Accepting others as God’s children and here for reasons only known to God. I would have to say a whole lot better off than we are now. The sooner we accept that God chose everyone for His purpose maybe we can be more accepting.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7

I know we currently see many people constantly concerned about how everything affects them. They are more worried about how they will benefit rather than what is right. Is this a test from God to see if we will continue to follow His word instead our own free will? I’m not sure but I do know that in Galatians 6:9-10 it says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” God is telling us to always do good to have a better life. It doesn’t say to think of ourselves and what we want.

The Bible tells us how to love God first and then our brothers and sisters. Love not hate, love not condemn, love not judge, love as God commands. If more people practiced this simple way of life we would all feel more peace. If we loved more without judgement we would see the beauty in others that God produced. There are many that don’t know our Heavenly Father and we are here to share His word to them to have a better life. Be patient if they don’t know Jesus and help them learn and understand. Plant the seed even if it takes years to grow and bloom.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1

I would ask you to get into God’s Word daily. We can only practice kindness when we know our blessings that come with His promises written in the Bible. Understanding the simple teachings in the Bible draws us closer to His Holy Spirit living within us and the more in tune to Him, the more peace in our heart and the more love and gratitude we can express to God and others. Practice and teach basic Christianity to society because as Christians we are called to do this.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

My love and gratitude-LoLo

It’s my birthday!  I am 56 years old today and I’m grateful.  For those who know me well will understand the title of this blog.  For those who don’t, I will explain it later in this blog.

On January 1, 2020, I wrote a blog titled “Will You Be Remarkable in 2020?”.

Will You be Remarkable in 2020?

In this blog, I wrote about how the word remarkable was going to be my word of the year.  I would respond to every question with the response, “Remarkable!”  No matter if the person was asking about my work, my family, my faith, or anything else, the response would be the same.  Remarkable!  Well looking back, the year has been remarkable which means to draw attention to or noteworthy.  A dead-on definition of this year so far.  Unfortunately, I was thinking remarkable was going to be a positive word to use but then realize now that was my one-sided interpretation.

I have decided that since today is my birthday I will begin a new year today.  I am not living out the rest of 2020 in negativity and despair but starting fresh today!  Will you join me?

So let me go back a bit and explain the title of this blog 5+6=11.  People who know me well know that whenever I see the number 11 it is a connection for me to God.  It reminds me He is always near and when I see the number 11 many times it’s immediately after praying and brings comfort.  When my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several weeks back I let anxiety get the best of me one day.  I let Satan get in my head and draw me away for God’s goodness and healing powers that I know God offers.  As I worked at my desk that morning worried and broken in anxiety it seemed like I was inundated with sightings of the number 11.  I had 11 new emails, 11 Facebook notifications, it was 8:11 am then 9:11 am, invoice numbers on my work ended in 11 and it continued for about an hour until I said, “Yes Father, I see you are with me and have nothing to fear.”.  11, my comfort number and now 56 broken down is 5+6 which equals 11.  A whole year of 11!

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Who says a year has to begin on January 1st?  Yes, the calendar year begins in January but spiritually and faithfully we can choose any day to begin anew.  I am choosing today, August 19,2020.  I am walking forward fresh, renewed, faithful, confident, strong, loved, and blessed and I am bringing you with me.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Today I am walking as Jesus did in love, with forgiveness and blessing others before myself.  I am taking to kindness with a heart full of love.  No more darkness, no more negativity, no more letting the media take away my joy.  I am a child of God with a purpose here on earth that He is guiding and I am walking in that light.

When I realized my age added up to 11 it was a bright spotlight from heaven saying, “This is your year girl.  Go and get it in My name!”   No excuses!

In Luke 14 verses 16-24 talks about not missing opportunities with making excuses.  It’s a parable of a great and beautiful banquet that many were invited to but everyone had something more important to do.  They made earthly excuses and did not attend. They prioritized earthly things over the opportunity to experience the kingdom of God. I have done this many times but not today.  Today I am attending the banquet and staying.

Luke 14:16-24 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ …

Please join me in starting a new year, God’s New Year!  Goodbye to the earthly things that have robbed me of my joy and happiness for the last 5 months.  Hello again to gratitude, love, faith, kindness, peace, joy, and praise.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Psalm 96:3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

Thank you for sharing my birthday with me and beginning a new year in Christ.  My love, gratitude and God’s blessings-LoLo

I know recently I have blogged several times about praying.  Praying in a crisis, praying for others, praying to show gratitude, and so on.  Well, here I am again talking about prayer.  I guess because I feel it is the only answer to today’s problems and unkindness and that many people have turned away from prayer.  As Christians, I would like to remind us why we pray in hopes of drawing us back to prayer.

I recently heard Dr. Charles Stanley explain prayer and it sent a shockwave to my brain that opened my eyes.  I want to share some of those points with you.  I just love Dr. Stanley because he has such a loving grandfather feel when he speaks.

There is one main reason most people pray and this is fear.  Fear for a situation they are currently in whether it be financial, medical, relational, or pick a topic that would cause worry.  We sometimes don’t have time for prayer when things are going well for us.  It’s when that Mack truck of a situation hits us that changes our life immediately that we begin to pray again.  Remember that situation has been brought to you by God to wake you up and to grow you in your faith.

People also turn from prayer when they are living in sin.  Now I don’t mean living together outside of marriage all though Jesus tells us that is a sin.  I mean when someone cheats a business partner, takes something that is not theirs or is in an extramarital affair.   The prayers stop when we give in to the world and our own pleasures instead of upholding the righteousness God wants us to practice.  We turn in shame and embarrassment for our actions.  I guess we forget that God knows everything and you aren’t hiding anything from Him.

Let me outline what Dr. Stanley taught about why we are to pray constantly and sincerely.

The first point is so dear to my heart because I feel it daily.  We pray because this is how God meets our needs.  Although God knows exactly what we need, he wants us to ask.  God cannot answer prayers that have not been asked.  We need to ask to receive it.   I may pray in the morning for an opportunity for God to place someone in my life that needs my help and what do you know someone reaches out to me to help a domestic abuse victim.  Or maybe it a need to be able to pay a bill I am struggling to clear and my paycheck is more than I had expected.  He fulfills my needs in every way.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Next, we should pray during our trials and heartache so that we may be comforted.  Have you ever felt a blast of anxiety come on you and when you stop to pray you begin to feel God’s comfort?  This was a tough one for me since I didn’t connect these two things going hand in hand for many years. I didn’t know that when I was extremely anxious and couldn’t sleep that all I had to do was to ask my Father to calm my heart and allow me to trust in Him.  Folded hands can clear your mind.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Also, the only way to grow our intimacy with God is to pray.  Relationships grow over time and devotion.  We don’t obtain best friends or a mate in just a few days.  We have to talk to, listen to, confide, and trust someone to build that relationship.  It is the same with God and it comes through prayer.

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Next, let’s talk about prayer in times of temptation.  We all have multiple temptations daily we need to overcome and not give in to and prayer is the answer.  I know I personally go to prayer when I want to eat something when I am not hungry but bored.  I also pray when I am about to spend money foolishly online.  “Help me Father to turn my eyes back on You!”  Given a few moments in prayer, my temptations fade away.

Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

How about when we need forgiveness?  Yes, we need to turn to prayer when we have sinned no matter how large or small the sin may be.  Did you know that it is a sin to not do the right thing?  For example; if I saw someone struggling with their groceries but did nothing to help I have sinned? Don’t overlook the little sins to pray to ask for forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Prayer is the only true place to get guidance for our lives.  Yes, the Bible helps with this but going to God in prayer about your specific need offers a clearer answer.  Speaking to our Heavenly Father in prayer many times leads us to particular scripture that we need to hear.  That is God’s guidance.  There have been many times in the past 2 1/2 years of daily scripture posting on my Grateful Gratitude Facebook page that led others to leave comments that said, “Thank you I need this today.”.  I bet you have too!  God works through us to help others in this way and it begins in prayer.

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

You know, prayer also helps us understand God’s Word.    Just like I mentioned, God will lead us to references in His Word that will simplify your understanding.  I can’t tell you how many times I will read a passage in the Bible and scratch my head in confusion and yet when that passage pertains to my life it is clear.  God reminds me to read it again when I am in prayer and I understand.

Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law and keep it with all my heart.

Prayer is also a source of healing for myself and others.  When I study prayer I realize praying is not about me it’s about placing others above me.  Last week when I took my daughter to a doctor’s appointment I waited outside the hospital in my car.  You know with the pandemic the hospital is not a place I want to go in right now.  I was sitting in my car and knew I had an hour of waiting so I wanted to do something besides reading emails and look at social media.  I decided I would pray for everyone going in and out of the hospital.  I asked for God’s blessings and protection over the doctors and staff that came in and out.  I saw a man that had recently had part of his right leg removed and it moved me to pray more deeply

“Heavenly Father, I have no idea why this man had to have his leg removed but Father please bless him with healing and comfort.  I see he has a caregiver helping him that maybe is his wife, Father bless her too with strength and compassion.  Keep them both free on COVID and safe under Your wings.  In Jesus’ name I pray.”  I did this over and over  for the people coming in and out of the hospital for the time I was waiting.  My heart was so at peace and I felt closer to people I didn’t know.  These people didn’t know that I had prayed for them.  I suggest you try something like this too.  I felt myself become closer to God and more spiritually mature after this.

Timothy 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Finally, let us recognize that prayer is how we receive the Holy Spirit.  Upon Jesus’ accession into heaven, the Holy Spirit came upon all of us to live within us. Yes, God lives within us.  We are all blessed with the Holy Spirit and there is nothing more beautiful than feeling the peace and love He offers.  If you don’t currently feel the Holy Spirit in your heart, ask in prayer to open you heart to feel His goodness.  It will change your life.

Romans 8:26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

As I end this blog, know I pray for each of you too that read my blog.  I care about each of you.  Always remember, prayer unlocks the gates of heaven and locks the gates of hell.  My love and gratitude-LoLo