Greetings Cherished Neighbor

Welcome to My Thoughtful Place Ministry. 

A little disclaimer to remind us of the purpose behind our ministry.

We will review ways to rejuvenate our commitment, check our priorities, and rethink our normal. We all have areas in our lives that need more work. Even though we may have asked Jesus into our lives, every day we discover there is something more we need to change in the way we think and do things. 

Isaiah 55:8 Easy English Bible says..."Remember! My thoughts are not the same as your thoughts. The way you do things is not the same as the way that I do things."

On our life's journey, He expects us to encounter detours and stray from the path from time to time. God shows grace, not wrath. His way out of the troubles we get ourselves into is different than what we expect. 

He has given us all we need about His ways and His thoughts in the Bible. His Word will do exactly what He intends it to do. If we make His thoughts our thoughts and if we make His path our path, He will do His part. 

We must think this through carefully and honestly. Asking ourselves: "Do we have a regular, daily time with the Lord? Are we seeking Him and His ways? Are we interacting with Him in prayer about what He has taught us?"

Be mindful, there's a multitude of study guides, explanations, and websites filling up the internet with just about everyone's take on the Bible, what a personal relationship with the Lord "should look like",  and what a prayer time "should be". We can easily get intimidated by the magnitude of choices. 

They can be helpful; they are often based on opinion. So be careful! The only take on what we should be seeking, especially amid the worldly options, is God's Word. Let's look at what Ecclesiastes 12:12 in the Amplified Bible version has to say:

"But beyond this my son, [about going further than the words given by one Shepherd], be warned: the writing of many books is endless [so do not believe everything you read], an excessive study and devotion to books is wearying to the body."

It's reassuring there's a "how to book" (The Bible) as a resource to help us work out (resolve) life's deterrents. 

Let's give God credit for what He has already accomplished in our world today! He provides the instruction and guidance needed in His Word. It is a great resource to explore and discover. We can apply His words to our daily tasks and learn how to interact with people in general. 

Please be careful with any information you discover. As always, remember, the Word of God is the ultimate authority in all aspects of our lives. 

My Cherished Neighbor, don't just take my word (or anyone's). Be sure to take the time you need to read the Bible. Do your homework! Explore and discover His Word for yourself. Ask Him to reveal His plan and purpose for you. 

No matter where you are on your walk with the Lord (a beginner, a backslider, a lifetime achiever, or sitting on the fence about all this Jesus stuff), we pray this blog will provide encouragement for deepening our relationship with the Lord and enhancing the roles we maintain within our family circle.

Thoughtful Pause: In our postings, family circle refers to all people, our family, our friends, and even our co-workers. These are people God has placed within our lives on a daily basis.

Spiritual Toolbox

Do you enjoy an adventure? Me, too!

Adventures are more spontaneous than your average “trip” or “journey”. On an adventure, we are never quite prepared for what lies ahead. That, of course, is why adventures can be so rewarding. We don’t know what lessons will be taught along the way; the element of surprise captures our attention. As it is not a planned “trip”, we are more open to whatever changes may come across our path.

Whereas a “journey” or “trip” implies that we have set a definite course or agenda, we have taken time to chart a course. When we are taken off course we tend to get distressed because we may not get to the next point on our course as predicted. We aren’t as open to changing our course or agenda.

Do you think there is a connection, here, between what we think our path should be as opposed to what God would want our path to be?

Mm…if we travel God’s path for us, isn’t it more like an adventure? We may not know where He is taking us, but, we can believe it will be a life changing experience.

When we persist in charting our own course or agenda, we struggle to keep from overturning the boat!

“Your ears will hear sweet words behind you: “Go this way. There is your path; this is how you should go” whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left.” Isaiah 30:21 The Voice Bible

Far be it from me to take the spontaneity out of an adventure, I am an adventurous person. But, on this particular adventure we need a few items to be equipped for what lies ahead.

Click on the image to begin the Spiritual Toolbox message. 

Point Out The Road For Me

Verse of the day is from Psalm 25:1, 3-5

O Lord, I give my life to you. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O Lord, point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

An additional thought:

For when a thing is impossible then we who are prone to move things by force of our own being can say "Lord, it has to be you, I am utterly, absolutely nothing."

Isn't great to have God in our lives! I remember all too well how my life was before asking Jesus into my life. I do not want to ever go back to that. So many times I pick and choose what I think the Lord should handle for me. After all, I am capable of doing something. Silly Silly Silliness. Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive my foolishness. I am sorry for the mess I have made it.