Sometimes it’s in the least expected moments that God teaches and uses you.

One of the greatest things we can hear as believers in Jesus is that it’s not up to us to fix ourselves. We only need to be aware of our brokenness and sin, acknowledge it to the King of kings, and accept His redemptive forgiveness. Then, as His Holy Spirit takes up eternal residence within us, He begins to make room for more of Jesus in our lives. He shapes and molds us to be more like Him. Our job at this point is to surrender ourselves to His leading, to bask in the wonder of His word, and to worship Him all the days of our lives. The more we submit to this, the greater the impact He will have.

I admit that self-control is one of my weak points. It’s something I’ve prayed over and worked on with the Lord. But He is so gracious. He gave me a verse that has held me accountable and helped my perspective in this area

The streets were boisterous as people came from all over the country to bring their harvest to the temple. They were about to celebrate the new year together with a great feast. The air smelled of fresh barley. The honey was sweet and the figs fresh. People had their donkeys strapped with carts full to the brim with fresh fruit, oil, and barley as they entered the bustling city. The Inns were sold out and every home was filled with relatives from afar. The noise was intense. The animals tried to make their voices louder than their owners. It was a wonderful time of the year.

…Something very special has come from that time. I found myself repeating the first two verses many times when I went to bed at night. This led me to praising the Lord for His love and faithfulness that day. Then it turned into meditating on the ways the Lord had been faithful to me, which led to be going to sleep with a thankful heart….

Today is Thanksgiving. It’s a fun way to kick off the fall season and get excited about the coloured trees, bonfires, cooler weather, and all things apple and pumpkin. But in the busyness of this holiday, we can tend to forget the One who made it all. Let’s take some time today to pause and give thanks back to the Lord for His marvelous work.

It’s good to ask questions because it should cause you to look to the Bible to find the answers. In searching for truth with an open heart, the Lord will guide you to the answers you’re looking for. The question today asks, is God good? Though I could do a whole study on this, here are some of the answers I have for you today:

Kindness is something I haven’t really thought of much until recently. What does Biblical kindness mean? Why does God tell us to be kind? How do we show kindness in a troubled world?

Have you ever prayed for patience? Do you remember why you wanted it? If so, what was the result?

It can be very difficult to find peace in the chaos and calamities of life. If you’re in a busy and loud season or a quiet and somber one, peace often seems to be the first thing that goes missing. How can you find peace “when sea billows roll”?⁠