Peace.

66. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24ESV

67. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

68. Genesis 26:31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace.

69. Leviticus 7:13 With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread.

70. Numbers 6:26…the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Peace. This morning I am seeking peace. I found it in the scripture. I found it in my old Teaching Journal. I found the scriptures there too. I found peace in knowing that my journey then and now is evolving with the maturity in faith and the reassurance of God’s peace. He gives us peace if we seek Him out.

Dear God, You are my peace. Forgive me when I become prideful and try to do things on my own strength. I need you. I love you. Give me your Holy Spirit today. Thank you for the peace that passes my own understanding. The peace that always prevails if I concede that I need it. I need you. Amen.

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Weight Loss Celebration!

61. Losing enough weight to cross over from the 160s to the 150s!

62. Eating healthy for 30 days is paying off. On week #2 this week.

63. Going dairy and gluten free hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be.

64. Increasing my fruits and vegetables has been great!

65. Drinking new flavors of tea has been fun too!

I’m doing the 30 Days to Healthy Living Challenge through Arbonne. If you haven’t heard of Arbonne it’s a company that sells plant based products for nutrition, skincare, and makeup. I’ve been using Arbonne products since 2008. I started with their skincare, moved onto their makeup, and just this year have dabbled with their nutrition. I’m impressed and thankful for the botanical goodness.

Botanical products can be affordable and usable. I encourage you to consider what you are putting on your skin and into your body. Is it safe, pure, and beneficial? We can all make adjustments one choice at a time. God made the plants so it makes sense that we use them wisely!

Dear God, You are the Creator of all things. Forgive me when I choose the things of man versus the things of Your hand. Give me the continued grit and grace to eat healthier foods and exercise. Thank you for the results I’ve had so far. Help me to maintain the momentum and celebrate the victory! Amen.

Sabbath Thanksgivings

56. Darjeeling tea in my cup…the champagne of teas in my opinion

57. Brightly colored shot glass for some odd reason on our desk (likely from B) with the Caribbean map on it to remind me of cruises, of travels, I so love those places…those islands bring beauty and joy.

58. Soft Christian music playing in my ears

59. Pictures of the Florida State University Bobby Bowden field that remind me of our college days and our family trips back to see the football teams play. It’s also a place of joy!

60. My American Speech Language-Hearing Association framed certificate of clinical competence that reminds me that I have been chosen for a field that helps others…a field that is often misunderstood or unrecognized, but a field that matters.

Dear God, Today is the Sabbath, the day of rest. You wanted this day to be holy and a day of worship. Forgive me when I seek to do, do, do. Give me a heart that will be, be, be. I want to relax today. I want to find that balance of work and rest. Today, give us rest. Amen.

Genesis 2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Hot Tears

51. Hot tears that remind me to breathe

52. Hot tears that allow emotions to escape

53. Hot tears that allow my words to flow

54. Hot tears that release hormonal flux

55. Hot tears that stream down my face and remind me that I feel deeply. I’m sensitive.

Hot tears were flowing last night. I received an upsetting email, and it was the tipping point of a day that left me physically and emotionally spent. I can look now at the tears and realize it’s not bad that they fell. It’s just that they needed to flow so stuff…words, emotions, hormones, could be released.

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Dear God, You made us each to feel. Forgive me when I forget that you made me in your image–which means you cry too. Thank you for giving me a good night’s sleep after the hot tears and talk with my family. I am so thankful for my husband who holds me when I cry and listens to my woes. I am blessed. I am a feeler. I am accepted by you in all ways. Amen.

Relief. Sweet Relief.

46. Relief from anxiety

47. Relief from depression

48. Relief from stress

49. Relief from tears

50. Relief from fears

Relief.

Sweet relief.

Relief from so many feelings.

There is now a time of balance.

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A time of relief.

I’m relieved that I feel normal, whole, and joyful!

Dear God, You are Healer. Forgive me when I doubt your ability to heal. Thank you so much for these blessings. Give me a continued sense of relief. Give me peace. Fill me with your Holy Spirit always. Amen.

Job 32:20 I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

Joining the Five Minute Friday Community today. Prompt Relief.

Our Faith Can Move Mountains, or Can It?

41. Time to write.

42. Stamps to be able to mail cards and bills.

43. Aspirations

44. Clocks that tick tock.

45. Beautiful old decor lamps

Our faith can move mountains, Matthew 17:20…Can it really? That seems like a bold statement. But, I think our faith can move mountains of worry.

I think our faith can move mountains of laundry through acts of service.

I think our faith can move mountains of stress through positive breaths and exercise.

I guess our faith can move mountains after all!

I hope you have a blessed day and move a mountain or two.

Dear God, You are mountain mover. Forgive me when I doubt your power. Give me grace for the journey and strength to move mountains. Thank you for the chance to be a mountain mover alongside You. Amen.

Clean House, Clean Heart

Cleaning our clutter is something I try to do often. Clutter bothers me. I really like a tidy house, but the two boys and one husband I live with sometimes let clutter build. I have a good partner, don’t get me wrong, but he and I both have our fair share of papers and stuff.

This quote above is a good one. I want a dream home, but am I willing to make the sacrifice of getting rid of stuff and saving $$ toward improvements? It’s hard. It’s worth it.

I created a vision board last Saturday at a day retreat with Arbonne ladies. I really enjoyed it, and I have a picture of a newly renovated gorgeous kitchen in the top left corner of my poster board. I do want a dream kitchen one day. But, first we need to pay down our debt (a car, and a house), and save for our kids’ college funds in addition to retirement. We both have jobs that can contribute to those dreams.

We’ve got this!

We can clean.

We can save.

We can make our home our dream home step by step and day by day.

What do you need to clean today?

Do you need to change your spending habits to achieve a dream?

Dear God, You are the Divine Giver. Forgive me when I get greedy or messy. Give me Your Spirit of Truth, Love, and Light to shine into the dark corners of my heart and home. Give me energy to clean out my heart and house. I love you Lord. I need you Lord. I celebrate my goals, and I thank you for the inner voice that motivates me towards better living. Clean my heart out for You. Amen.

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