In the Little Things

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast.    Wow we are so excited because we are at our 20th podcast this week!  Thank you for joining us on our 20th! We are so tremendously blessed with our listeners and those who prayed over the very thought of doing a podcast! It hasn't been easy to get here, but God has equipped us, sustained and inspired this podcast. If we only STOP and know He is God, He is in control, and His plans are bigger and better than our own. This week we are reflecting on God's goodness, by continuing to look at His blessings “IN THE LITTLE THINGS!” Take a listen to this week's "True Story", we hope this encourages YOU as we take a look back to where we were and appreciate where we are! Just Take a deep breath and TRUST ME!”

Scripture: 

Genesis 2:7  “Then the Lord God formed the man out of dust from the ground and BREATHED into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature!”

Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord!”

Phillipians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God!”

John 25:19-23 Jesus Appears to the Disciples -“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to the, “Peace be with you.”When he had said this, he showed them is hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they say the Lord. Jesus said them again, “Peace be with you, As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”And when he had said this, he BREATHED on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Application:  Are you feeling drained, exhausted, fatigued or strained? It is not easy to “Let go and Let God!” however you have to choose to “Trust God”  He not only knows what He is doing but He is still on His throne.  Every time you take a breath, remember WHO has given you that breath, your blessings, and life itself! Trust God.

Devotional Insight: It's okay to be not be okay.. For God knows what you are going through. I even think of the anxiety that Jesus felt right before he knew that they would soon be captured and go willingly through such a torturous death on the cross for us! Yet Jesus spoke unceasingly with His Father! He trusted the Father's plans of redemption and reconciliation for us. We must do the same. We must pray in all things without ceasing and trust Him!

Challenge: So this week's challenge is quite simple.   We have to choose to lay our burdens and hardships at Jesus's cross and surrender it all  to the Will of God! It has become much easier to trust Him in His strength! So this week… “Take a deep breath and LET GO and LET GOD be GOD of your life!”

“Heavenly Father, Thank you for being with us during all this chaos. Thank you for sustaining us through our trials and storms. Every breath is proof of Your unending love for us!  In Jesus Christ precious and glorious name, Amen!”

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast.   In Post 2020, many of us are looking back to before Covid hit us. We can remember the freedoms we lived in, such as doing things without masks and restrictions. Living with restrictions is more difficult than living without restrictions. For example, ask yourself, how many times have you stepped out of your car and have forgotten your mask inside the car? Today we are talking about why it is importance of repetition and practice in our faith.

Scripture:

Colossians 1:9-10 “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God!”

1 Timothy 6:11 “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.

2 Timothy 316-17 “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Hebrews 10:36  “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Application:  When God gave us His instruction manual, the Holy Scripture/Bible, He gave it to us so that we us the privilege to able to meditate on it… “practice” our faith out loud. No other animal or creation has the ability to commune in His presence like we do.  However, just like learning a sport, skill set like music, art, second language or trade,  you must first learn through the skill of practice. You must read and apply God's instructions every day and every moment.

Devotional Insight:  “Discipline”  is the key to learning and applying God's word to your life.  Growing your spiritual life is “perfecting your faith” and standing on it, through thick and thin. You have to be strategic and intentional in your walk with the Lord, in order to mature your spirit, you HAVE TO HAVE DISCIPLINE!

Challenge: So this week's challenge is quite simple.  Find yourself a quite place where you will not find any distractions and have complete  privacy. Meditate on the word of God and go to Him and ask Him, “Lord God help me to stand firm in Your promises. Help me to be intentional and disciplined in reading your word and meditating on Your will for my life. Help me to set a time and a place to connect with You and help me to become the child of God that You have intended for me to be!

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving me the privilege of knowing You! Thank You for Your Holy instruction manual. Thank You Lord for the mind that can be molded and taught to follow Your teachings. Thank You for Jesus, Your son, who showed us how to be intentional in our walk with You. Help us to practice our faith and listening to the Holy Spirit's guiding and counseling. Let our practice build a stronger walk with You, so that we can be a beacon of light to those in our path.  May our practice” here on earth bring YouGlory, In Jesus Christ precious and glorious name, Amen!

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast.   Here we are in the beginning of 2021. Don't get me wrong, I am still praising God for His Mercy and faithfulness in this new year, but I'll admit it has been hard at times, as we recover from 2020. Praise God that He is our Rock and our Fortress! Wow, we are living in a time in which we are looking back at 2020. Praise God as we walk in the aftermath of Covid 19… God is an amazing God!!! This week, we come and ask, “what is our foundation built upon and are we a bridge to peace or turmoil? What is your bridge made of?  Listen to this week's True Stories...

Scripture:

Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord!”

Proverbs 3:21-23 “My son, do not lose sight of these- keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.

Ezekiel17:8 “It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.”

Psalm  40:2 “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

1 Chronicles 28:10 “Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

(You can search the song: THE SOLID ROCK )

Application:  So what are you standing on?  Is your bridge solid or frail? We have to rely on God's Truth, Wisdom, and Strength to be able to cross a sturdy bridge. We can only do this by 1. Asking God where the weak parts of the bridge are  2. Seek God's word for His revelation of Truth and 3. Stand firm on His Solid Rock, His Promises and Truth! By remaining close to Him and being in constant relationship with God… Can we grow stronger roots of faith, stronger and richer soil to stand on, and be strong during all the storms of this life!

Devotional Insight:  “Trust God”  He not only knows what He is doing but He is still on His throne. When you feel the ground is shaking or that the soil is like quick sand. Go to God and commune in His presence. Ask Him to reveal His strength in our weakness. GOD IS THERE WITH YOU! HE IS YOUR SOLID ROCK!

Challenge: So this week's challenge is quite simple.  Find yourself a quite place where you will not find any distractions and have complete  privacy. Meditate on the word of God and go to Him and ask Him, “Lord God help me to stand firm in Your promises. Help me to walk and not stumble.  Reveal Yourself to me in such a way that cannot be explained any other way but through an intimacy with you! Reveal the areas that I am weak and help me make them stronger.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our firm foundation to stand upon. Thank you for showing us that we need You in our lives and only in You can we be strong. You are so amazingly good to us and know all things.  Let our lives show others how to build a strong bridge  of love, kindness, forgives, selflessness, peace, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; is only through and in -You! Thank you for revealing Your love for us so intimately and may our lives be for Your Glory, In Jesus Christ precious and glorious name, Amen!

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast.    Wow, we are living in a time in which we are looking back at 2020. Praise God that we made it through. God has been faithful to carry us through and yet there are many who are still suffering with many losses. One thing that I have seen in every story is ….. God's faithfulness, provision, hope, and assurance of Who He is during a storm like this…  God is ultimately unchangeable, constant, and absolute LOVE! Listen as we share some stories in our lives as to how God has revealed truths in our lives with such grace and compassion!

Scripture:

Genesis 3:9-11 “But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, 'Where are you?, ' And Adam said, 'I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself”.

1 John 1:1  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 4:16-24 Jesus reveals himself to the woman at the well.

John 8:1-10  The woman is caught in adultery.

Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, which is, and which was, and is to come, the Almighty. Forever and ever.”

Luke 2:41-46  When Jesus goes with his parents to Jerusalem and is left behind by his parents, who did not know he had stayed behind, discovered him three days later at the temple, sitting among the teachers, answering their questions.

Application:  Why are we hiding?  There is truly nothing that God doesn't already know. Sometimes we have to be willing to admit that we have fallen short of keeping our walk closely to God and must be willing to come to Him with a sincere heart and ask Him 1. for forgiveness of our own disobedience and 2. We need to come out of hiding and get closer to Him for Him to help us walk righteously. Remembering always that He is for us and not against us! He is a loving Father who wants us to stay close to Him, wherever we go!

Devotional Insight:  “Trust God”  He not only knows what He is doing but He is still on His throne. When you feel that You do not know where God is in your life or you feel that God is not caring or with you… Ask yourself, “Have I moved away from God… Have I hidden myself from Him?” If you go to Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to you… Trust me … HE WILL in such a loving and amazing ways!

Challenge: So this week's challenge is quite simple.  Find yourself a quite place where you will not find any distractions and have complete  privacy. Meditate on the word of God and go to Him and ask Him, “Lord God where are You?”  Reveal Yourself to me in such a way that cannot be explained any other way but through an intimacy that I can only have with You! Reveal to me Your love that has carried me this far and help me to always be close to You!

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are so amazingly good to us and know everything.  You spoke everything into existence, so why would we believe that You would hide from us.  Help us to realize Your love is bigger than our sins. You have paid the ultimate price on the cross for our sin and rose to conquer death… so that we would not be separated from You.  Thank you for revealing Your love for us so intimately and may our lives be for Your Glory, In Jesus Christ precious and glorious name, Amen!

 Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast.  Today, we’re going to consider how easy it is to cling to control over our lives.  Sometimes, we even remind ourselves that God is a God of order to justify hanging onto that control a little too tightly.  And then we get frustrated when things don’t go as planned and we are faced with unmet expectations or a sudden turn of course.   Well, I’m here to tell ya I was kind of like that.  But then I learned loosening my grip on my plans ended up leading to some pretty awesome experiences!

Scripture:

Proverbs 19:21  Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Proverbs 15:22Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.  (Our revised, loosely-held plans for travel took into account the advice of others who had gone before us.)

Application:  Are you a control freak?  Seriously… do you have a hard time letting anyone else run the show other than your organized, detailed calendar?  While having a schedule and living an organized life can be very good things, enslaving yourself to the idea of how you THINK things should be done and not allowing room for God to move can keep you from something bigger and better He has planned for you and your family!

Challenge: Ask God what He wants you to add to your calendar and where He might want you to leave wiggle room.  When asked to take on a new activity, go to the Lord first to make sure it’s something He wants you to do.  And when things don’t go as planned, don’t freak out!  It’s okay; God’s got this. Ask Him if there’s something He wants you to see or do. You never know if He might be teaching you something or connecting you to someone who, for example, might need to hear about Him or would be an encouragement to you!

Devotional Insight: “Let go and let God” is more than just a cute phrase.  It doesn’t mean we live our lives willy nilly and never make plans.  But let’s write those plans in clay rather than stone!  Ya never know when the Lord will put something amazing in your path, and you could miss it if you’re too busy being frustrated with a sudden change in plans.

Thank you for listening to today’s podcast. It’s “in the little things” we  see  God’s love!  If you enjoyed this podcast, I encourage to hit the “like” button.  And if you do not want to miss any, please hit the “subscribe” button. Please share this podcast with anyone you feel would be inspired, encouraged and strengthened by it. If you would like to support Annabelle Ardent’s Ministry, please go to AnnabelleArdent.com where you can learn more about the ministry and Annabelle.  May God bless you as you encounter Him  on your journey, and I hope that you will see His love ‘in the little things!” See you next week! Until then, Keep  smiling! Remember, you  ARE indeed precious!!!! (Proverbs 3:15)

https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/antelope-canyon 

travelnevada.com

Welcome to this week's “In the Little Things” Podcast.   In our last podcast we talked about how to see God in the daily grind of life. As we continue to experience the ripple effects of COVID-19 and the aftermath of the storm, we are starting to see, in some places, the beginnings of normalcy. Places are starting to get a policy in place, people are starting to re-gather, and lives are becoming more stable with a vaccine in place. However, we still have a long way to go in our healing process... Listen as Annabelle shares a partial testimony of how God miraculously healed her!

“True Story”…   “Paralyzed to Purposed”

Devotional Insight: God allows us to go into circumstances that we choose by freewill, so that we can see His goodness, wisdom, and provision. It's only when we disobey or make the wrong choices or quite frankly rebel against God's will that we find ourselves in trouble. We push God away, take Him out our institutions or lives, that we find out the hard way that we should have listened to God. That day that was caught in the six car crash, I was not able to control my car because I was too close to the car ahead me and we were all going over the speed limit. I knew not to tailgate and I knew not to go so fast, but I chose to ignore the rules and follow the directions. God did not cause the accident, nor was He caught off guard by my accident. I instead chose to not listen and obey the rules of the road and made all the wrong choices!

Scripture:

(1 John 4:19) “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us!” (Ephesians) “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)(Psalm 107:1) (Psalm 118:1) “Oh give thanks to the Lord, For he is good; For his steadfast love endures forever!” (Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!” (Mark 2) Jesus heals the paralyzed man. (Romans 8:28) “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to is purpose.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Challenge: I do believe that we reap what we sow.  Each decision we make, in our freewill.. we have the choice to follow and believe God's goodness for us or not. My challenge this week is to seek God in every decision and ask Him, “Lord what is it that I should do here? What is Your Will for me in this? And How can my decision teach me something of Who You Are?”

Guided Prayer: “Heavenly Father, Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for always lifting us up in times of trouble. Help us to trust you and ask you for Your Will in our lives. May we have Your favor in our lives and have our brokenness healed. May we look to You once again! We thank you for Your faithful love, in the powerful name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, Amen, Selah!”

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” podcast. I believe this week’s topic will speak into the lives of many who are walking through a season in which sometimes it feels like just getting all the laundry off the floor or putting a meal on the table is enough.  It’s all they can do to get through the day and collapse into bed at night, exhausted but grateful that at least everyone is fed and alive! I have been “Mommying” for 18 years now, and I STILL have those days!  It’s like, “Did anyone die?”  “Nope!”  “Awesome!  I feel accomplished!”  Except in reality, I’m feeling anything BUT accomplished…

True Story: THE DAILY GRIND!.. Listen as Jennifer tells you of her amazing story as she transitions from one chapter to the next, and always searches how to serve God in all things; even IN THE LITTLE THINGS!

Scriptures: Matthew 10:42  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

Proverbs 31:10-31 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies! A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Application:  Do you feel enslaved by the daily grind?  Does the unending load of dishes and insurmountable pile of laundry make you feel like your purpose is lost somewhere between dirty plates and stinky socks?  Remind yourself that God has a purpose for you right where you are, and He didn’t make any mistake by putting you there!  Can we sometimes end up doing things we HAVEN’T been called to do?  No doubt about it, which is why we need to pray often and let Him guide us the way He wants us to go!  But if you’ve done that, you have no need to wonder whether you are where you were meant to be and whether God is using your life for His glory, even in the little things of daily life.  The answer will always be, “YES!  He is!”

Challenge: Memorize some verses from Proverbs 31 that cover chores you do in your home. Post them around the house.  And then consider the way the Bible described the woman who did those things:  noble, clothed with strength and honor, praised, precious.  That is YOU!  Serve your family with purpose and joy!

Devotional Insight: God uses us wherever we are to serve and honor Him.  And it doesn’t always look big to us or to other people.  But every choice we make to honor the Lord by doing what we do to the best of our abilities brings Him glory!  Not only that, but in Matthew 10:42, Jesus promises us a reward for things as “little” as giving a child a cup of water.

Guided Prayer: Lord, we are so grateful to know you love every little thing we do for you! Please help us not to lose sight of that and to honor and serve you well by doing every task you give us to the best of our abilities.  Help us to use our talents to your glory, whether it’s preaching to a stadium of thousands or sewing on a button.  And help us to remember you don’t value one more highly than the other the way we often do.  Thank you for giving us purpose, even when we don’t always see Your plan. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen!

Welcome to this week’s  “In the Little things” Podcast.  How has social media impacted your social life and your faith?  Before there was even the notion of smart phones.. I wrote in my journals  my encounters with other people because I didn't want to forget what God was showing me. Now with our phones we can go back and see every “comment”, Q & A, or emoji. Today I will share a story that I wrote in my journal..

Scripture:

(1 John 4:1) “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.”

(Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!”

(Matthew 14:28-31) “Lord, if it's you, Peter replied. Tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come”, Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when hew saw the wind, he became afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, SAVE ME!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. “You of little faith”  said Jesus. “Why did you doubt?”

(John 20:24-29) "Now Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,I will not believe. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it int my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus then said, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed!"

(Mark 9: 24) “Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!”

Application: This is how the Bible provides instructions that help you navigate pass the stormy waters of life. But in order to have smooth sailing, you must have FAITH in what you read to be ABSOLUTE TRUTH! If you don't fully believe or have a hard time with your belief, than pray to God to help you in your disbelief. He will prove faithful!

Devotional Insight: God has given us a natural curiosity and desire to explore, learn, and grow.  He delights in watching us use these inclinations to grow in His Word, learn more about Him, and test what we hear, think, or believe against His absolute Truth by studying scripture for knowledge and understanding.

Guided Prayer: “LORD, thank you for your unfailing and unchanging Word!  Thank you that we can have a Truth to know and stand on in an ever-changing world full of ever-changing values and beliefs.  You are never wrong, and Your Word always holds firm and stands the test of time.  Please give me a curiosity that leads to exploration of Truth, and give me a love for your Word that will guide me securely through life!

Welcome to this week’s “In the Little things” Podcast.  In our last podcast, we talked about how God is The God of the Valley. As I  thought more about how God can rescue us in the valley, I realized that the angle in which we see our obstacles, really does matter. Only in and by God's mercy and help, can we see our way out of the valley! The more I thought about it, I realized that through trials, tribulation, turbulence, chaos, and our valleys; God matures us into whom He has created us to become... BOLD AND COURAGEOUS! Case in point … This week's stories will give us “real life” application and example of the importance of relying on God's Angle during a storm! Listen now as Jennifer and I, share our true stories of triumphs in the mist of a turbulence and storms.

“True Stories”… 

Scriptures:

(1 John 4:18) “There is no fear in love. But perfect loves drives out fear.” (John 14:27) “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (James 1:2) “Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!” (Matthew 14:28-31) “Lord, if it's you, Peter replied. Tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come”, Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he became afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, SAVE ME!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. “You of little faith”  said Jesus. “Why did you doubt?”

Devotional Insight:  God allows us to go into crashing waves sometimes for us to 1. Learn to ask Him for help… Pray. 2. Learn to trust Him in the waves. And 3. To allow him to show us His perspective and see the waves from His angle! 4. God is bigger and stronger than anything that you can confront you head on. 5.  God is faithful to pick you up and carry you through the crashing waves, if you only you let Him! For He is truly a good good father!

Application: By seeking Him, He shows us His angle on any given situation and shows us that He alone can make us triumph over any given storms in our lives! It's in the storms that He shows us that He is bigger, wiser, and stronger than the storm but He shows us a glimpse of His power, authority and mercy, in our own lives. Through eye witnessed and spirit filled history (in the bible) we see throughout that we need God. Many times in the bible it shows how God's angle is sovereign and sufficient! His perspective gives us a mere glimpse of His power and His mercy.  

Challenge: Step out in faith during the hard times and ask God, why is it that I have this huge wave coming at me? What is it that You want me to learn from this experience? How can I see this from your perspective? And finally, acknowledge that He is the only One who can help you through those big waves!

Guided Prayer: “Heavenly Father, Thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for always lifting us up in times of trouble. Help us to trust you and ask you for your angle  and special insight that we can not see from where we stand. We know that You are a loving God and that everything works out for our good for those who love you!  We thank you for Your faithful love, in the powerful name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, Amen, Selah!”

In the Little Things:  Is God in the Valley?

Introduction

Welcome to the “In the Little Things” podcast! Sometimes, it’s easy to worship God when life is great!  When it feels like we are standing on a mountaintop, overlooking His vast creation, an endless horizon in all directions, inhaling fresh mountain air; it is easier to see the horizon or the light.    Praise can come more natural!  How can we NOT stand there in awe of the Creator?  However, isn't God,  the God of the valleys, too?  When our view is confined rather than expansive, and when we feel lost and can’t see beyond our circumstances, are we trusting? God knows exactly where we are. He can get us out of arms way! He  will even walk beside us through the valley the whole time?

True Story: Listen closely as Jennifer shares a very deep and difficult story of her childhood that so many of us can relate to and how we can rely on God's sovereignty , provision, and goodness during our valleys!

References: “Footprints in the Sand.”   "My son, my precious child,

What a Friend We Have in Jesus" - Song by Joseph Scriven (1820-1886).  

Scriptures:

Psalm 23:4

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

1 Kings 20:28(Should you ever doubt!)

“The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord’.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Matthew 28:20b(on the heels of the Great Commission)

“…And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Application: God is with you!  Always!  When you aren’t sure what to do next, turn to Him!  As a matter of fact, I challenge you the next time you face a difficulty to first take it to God in prayer.  So often, we immediately call a spouse, friend, or parent to express our frustrations,  fears, and worries.  Next time, take it first to God in prayer.  Let Him show you something in scripture as well.  And then ask Him to be with you in your conversations before you ever pick up the phone to relate your situation to someone else.

Devotional Insights:  God already knows what we need, and our predicaments never take Him by surprise the way they do us.  Things that completely derail us don’t throw off His plan or leave Him scratching his head, wondering what to do next.  Because God knows all, we can trust Him to direct our steps in complete wisdom and knowledge.

Guided Prayer:  Lord, you know all things and are in all things.  You never leave me and never expect me to face any situation alone. Whether I see it as trivial or terrifying, you are with me.  Please help me to trust and know you are there. Help me turn to You first in prayer and then allow You to speak to me through Your Word before I ever take a situation to another person.  Give me faith and let me see You move mountains on my behalf!  In Jesus’s name, amen!