Greetings, Everyone!

And to my new visitors, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to bless and encourage you along your way...

With the frantic pace we keep and the seemingly endless lists of tasks that beg our attention, how do we adjust to the easy yoke and the light burden Jesus promised us?

Are we doing something wrong if the weight of our burdens is more real to us than the weight of His glory?

Some things in life we have no control over, but there are some things we can do to make the load lighter.

In fact there are five things you can do today that will change everything...

Give...

Give the Lord the first part of your day. Even if it means you have to get out of bed fifteen minutes earlier. There's no stock investment that will give you the kind of return you will receive when you start the day acknowledging your need, affirming your relationship with the Lord, and opening your ear to hear His voice. As you sit with Him, your heart will begin beating in rhythm with His, and like a divine blood transfusion, you will begin to care about the things He does. You'll begin desiring for your life, the very things He has planned for you. The grace will lift from the tasks that you're not appointed for and you'll know it's time to move on. Give Him the first part of your day, and you'll receive all of the direction and energy you need.

Choose...

Make choices today that support the direction God is taking you tomorrow. Make a plan to graciously step back from committments that drain your perspective and steal your joy. When your eyes begin to glaze over because the day spins out of control, choose to look up and notice the beautiful sky. Remind yourself that if the Lord can speak the universe into being, He can help you through your day without lifting a finger (but He won't impose Himself on anyone who doesn't think they need Him). Make choices that nurture the life you have in Christ.

Acknowledge...

My life verse is this: "And so I walk in the Lord's presence as I live here on earth" (Psalm 116:9). Acknowledge His presence throughout the day as often as you think of it. Whisper prayers as you go along your way. Make declarations of faith regarding the things you are believing God for (e.g. "I thank you, Lord that You will supply all of my needs! You are the one who establishes my purpose and direction!").

Believe...

Believe with all of your heart that God is carrying the world in His hand, so you don't have to carry it on your shoulders. When life gets too heavy, stop and ask God, "What part of this do I need to give to you, Lord? You promised my yoke would be easy and my burden would be light. Help me to get there again, Lord."

In his book, "Language of Love" Graham Cooke wrote this wonderful insight and I want to pass it along to you:

"Successful ministers plan for the future but live for today. They place their lives in day-tight compartments, taking everything one day at a time. At the end of the day, such ministers know how to shrug everything off, cleanse their hearts and minds and be thankful for the blessings God has given them. When they awake the next morning, they awake anew to the tangible mercies of God. Those mercies are like a first cup of coffee or a first mouthful of food." (p. 55)

Keep it in a "Day-Tight" Container:

Borrowing from Graham's fabulous insight, the ONLY way we will find sweet joy in our day is by learning to keep our lives in a day-tight container. We embrace God's forgiveness of our past. We entrust our glorious future to Him, and walk expectantly through today with our eyes lifted towards Heaven. We refuse worry and we embrace hope, because this is what Jesus told us to do.

We have all that we could possiby need for today...and then some.

Reach up and recieve all that God so lovingly wants to give you today. You have more than you need to walk powerfully through this day.

Be blessed, my friends!

Until next week...