Journaling 1189

Author: Stacy Duplease

  • MARCH 05, 2026, THURSDAY

    WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS JOURNAL ENTRY

    – THE EVENING OF MARCH 04, 2026, WEDNESDAY

    • EVENING THOUGHTS
    • MORNING OF MARCH 05, 2026, THURSDAY
    • THE THREE O’CLOCK HOUR
    • ONE POST PER DAY
    • I THANK THE LORD FOR… 
    • A MORNING PRAYER
    • HOW EVERYTHING WE DO CAN BE BLESSED (with some stipulations)
    • PRAYERS OF THE DAY
    • WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING?
    • GIFTS, STRENGTHS, WORKAROUNDS, AND ACCIDENTAL ANSWERS
    • BIBLE VERSES FROM TODAY
    • THE EVENING OF MARCH 04, 2026, WEDNESDAY
    • EVENING THOUGHTS

    I find it… interesting… how about the time you realize you are in a better place with the Lord, then things happen to try to sidetrack you or frustrate you. That is what I am dealing with at the moment actually it’s what I’ve been dealing with the last couple days about the time I get traction, about the time I start feeling that peace that transcends all understanding.

    Doesn’t that just figure? But it is what it is. I am trying to roll with a punches. So far, I am just rolling my eyes and are not and internalizing it so this is good. Now, I pray, that I can continue being this way.

    I blame my positive reaction on the fact that I have been focusing on giving thanks. It puts things into proper perspective. So I thank God for this. It is a testament to how giving thanks works. It helps me chill and deal with things easier and more laid-back.

    Thank the Lord.

    (Oh dear, the cat just sat on my phone so all sorts of crazy things were just journaled by accident. Whoops.)

    • MORNING OF MARCH 05, 2026, THURSDAY
    • THE THREE O’CLOCK HOUR

    Gulp. For the last week or so, I have been waking again at the 3 o’clock hour. It had been months since I had done that. There are many reasons why I wake up at that time, and there have always been.

    Usually, it is a call to prayer.

    But sometimes it is because of health reasons.

    Sometimes it is because I am worrying, ruminating, replaying moments that I try to dissect and figure out exactly what was going on, I forget to stop looking at my cell early enough that the blue light gets me (even though I have a filter), I get too hot, I get too cold, or I just can’t sleep. And sometimes, this is a combination of any above. Last night, however, and the last several nights, I think it was because of the blue light I need to be handwriting my journaling again from 5 PM and on.

    Regardless, I think that it is always a time a prayer and a time to be alone and still with God.

    The three o’clock hour can be a very sacred hour, if we choose to combat all the negative things that may have woken us by turning to the Lord. Spending quiet, close, alone, and still time with Him is imperative. It can make our day, week, month, year, and future years God-centered, rather than self or world-focused.

    This hour helps us listen more to Him. We do not have other noise interfering.

    Embrace this hour. It is special and sacred time.

    • ONE POST PER DAY

    Out of interest of ensuring there are not too many journal entries each day, I have decided to do one blog post (mostly) each day of the workweek, and will post it around noon EST in the US. Consequently, each blog post hold entries from noon the previous day to just before noon the day of the blog post.

    Therefore, I will have a summary of each journal entry from that day inserted at the top of each day’s blog post for easier navigation.

    • I THANK THE LORD FOR… 
    • Yesterday
    • Today
    • The grey cat that has been snuggled up on my chest as I journal and is keeping us both warm 
    • My new cell
    • I changed platforms with it
    • The new platform is a game changer, and I do not think it is possible to overstate that
    • Today we will be getting new exterior doors installed at our house
    • How the war in Iran against the present regime is going
    • A clean guest bedroom 
    • A fresh smelling house after having the windows opened yesterday all day
    • I now have an orange cat between my ankles
    • I am waiting to receive a special package from a mail carrier, which will hold my new tablet
    • I cannot wait to receive my new tablet because of everything that I’m going to be able to do with my journaling and my blogging
    • Everything that God and I have already done this morning
    • AI (never in a million years did I think I would ever say something like that)
    • The almost 17 years that I have had with Sinan the orange cat
    • All of the verses that the Lord has given me today so far, and it is still early morning
    • Discovering better ways to do things
    • Learning new things
    • The ability to learn
    • How we can constantly learn
    • So far, I have walked 1 mile and it is still relatively early in the morning. Hallelujah.
    • My husband got a notification that, in fact, my tablet is on its way to be delivered sometime today. I am so excited, Lord.
    • How an old dog can learn new tricks, as I have been on my new cell, with the way that I journal
    • Thank you, Lord for my new system with journaling and blogging. It is making a big difference. And it seems with every single minute this week, I have been drawing near to You and getting closer. Thank You.
    • I am also liking the new way that I am doing one blog post a day
    • I am seeing the great benefit of my new format and how I am blogging
    • I am receiving great benefit spiritually in this new journal and blog format
    • Dishes
    • Dishwasher
    • Eyeglasses
    • Peanuts
    • A good book
    • The ability to read
    • I am grateful for how easy it is to save things on the Internet so my Journaling and my blogging is saved automatically online when I save it to the (Internet)
    • That brings great peace of mind.
    • I am thankful for how easy it is to go back-and-forth between my personal journal that I will not save online and my Blog journal
    • That I can dictate all of my journaling and writing, and AI will turn it from speech to text
    • That saves a great deal of time and effort
    • It is also helping me with my vocal skills. After all, I am a better communicator with Writing than I am with talking. Dictating is helping me to become more verbal, where it is taking less time for me to form a complete thought. And the complete thought actually makes more sense. The more I am doing dictation.
    • The previous reasonings are more reasons why I like this new cell phone and my new Journaling and blogging system. I am very thankful Lord.
    • I am grateful for tea.
    • An electric kettle for boiling water
    • Filtered water
    • Electricity
    • Plumbing
    • Running water
    • Speaking with hubby
    • 1.57 miles walking so far 
    • I have never used the blogging platform that I am using now. Hence there is a steep learning curve for me. I start the blog journal four days ago and ever since I started it. I have been trying to figure out how to search the blog for something that I’m looking for. Having a new cell phone has also added to the learning curve. I am so thankful because I accidentally just stumbled on how to use search within my own blog. I laugh. But it was important for me because if my readers can’t search the blog, would essentially make the blog unusable, and let’s face it, I also need to be able to look for information on my blog so I am grateful that I accidentally stumbled upon the magnifying glass so I could do searching of my blog. I did check it to see if it works. It does. Thank you, Lord.
    • Finding accidental answers
    • Using a step counter again.
    • I have walked 2 miles so far 11:14 AM
    • The opportunity for laughter. Or should I save the multiple opportunities of laughter?
    • That I can laugh at myself
    • I moved my trashcan last night from out with the end the kitchen proper and moved it to underneath my kitchen sink. Do I need to mention how many times I keep going to that original location of the trashcan? As a matter of fact, I was doing something early this morning, without drinking much coffee mind you, and I realized that I was in the wrong place for the trash when I walked close and was getting ready to drop something in the trashcan and it was not there so I walked a few steps to the kitchen sink and put it there then I am not kidding less than a minute later I was doing something and I have more trash so I need to throw it away. And what did I do? I went to that same old location again I am rolling my eyes, just thinking about it and chuckle at myself we are such creatures of habit, but Lord, thank you that I can laugh at myself and realize that there are so many far more important things to get worked up and upset about. My silliness and forgetting where a trashcan and is not one of those.
    • God, I am thankful that I have spent a majority of my morning on giving you thanks. It has been a very sacred and special time.
    • As much as I wish the installers came an hour and a half ago, I would not have had the opportunity to spend so much time giving you thanks
    • Your plans are so much better than mine. Thank you for this reminder. What a special one that I can cherish
    • How it seems multiple obstacles keep coming our way. I know the reason for the obstacles is to get us to lose our focus l, and not keep our eyes, our hearts, and minds on you. Thank you that I have this realization. Help me to remember it please.
    • A MORNING PRAYER

    Eternal One, Faithful One, Holy One, the Most High, there is none like You (Exodus 15:11; 1 Chronicles 17:20; Jeremiah 10:6-7). You are the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). You alone deserve our praise and thanksgiving. This is the day You have created; therefore, we will rejoice and be extremely glad in this day (Psalm 118:24). Thank You that have provided for us and have already given us the bread, and everything else, we need this day (Matthew 6:11). There is comfort with this acknowledgment. We know we cannot do anything without You (John 15:5). Help me remember constantly how if You did not want me alive, and on earth, and for a purpose, I would not be. Thus, You have a purpose for me to accomplish this day. Help me to live for You today, and every moment, not for myself, not for anyone else, not for anything of this world, but only for You. To You alone, be the glory, the honor, and the praise.

    HOW EVERYTHING WE DO CAN BE BLESSED (with some stipulations)

    It is rather mind-boggling how God can bless every single thing that we do. But, of course, it has stipulations. Naturally, it needs to be something within His will and line up (agree) with the Bible.

    Then, there is this: We need to be mindful about everything that we do. And in doing so we need to commit literally everything that we do to God. After all, when we do so, our plans will succeed. Will. Not possibly. But our plans will succeed. It is a promise. (See Proverbs 16:3.)

    However, there is that stipulation. Our plans will only succeed, if we commit them to the Lord. And that is not a one time at the beginning proposition rather, it is an ongoing thing that we are to do. It is to be mindful, intentional, and purposeful.

    Therefore, everything that we do can be blessed. We just need to be intentional about committing it to the Lord, and do so constantly this in itself is a great blessing.

    • PRAYERS OF THE DAY

    – Lord, bless Israel. May there be peace in Jerusalem.

    – God, protect Israel, and the United States with all that is going on with Iran. May Your well alone be done.

    • Help the installation of our exterior doors go well today. May it be a good team.
    • WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING?
    • Pray
    • Read the Bible
    • Praise Him
    • Count your blessings; give thanks for literally everything
    • Exercise
    • Journal
    • Keep your mind busy so it does not have time to focus on your struggle. Therefore take your thoughts captive, as it says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
    • Read a good book
    • Call or text your spouse
    • Call or text a friend
    • Look at this blog. Over time, there will be many additional resources, journal entries, and blog, posts, that can help with this
    • Pray, pray, pray
    • GIFTS, STRENGTHS, WORKAROUNDS, AND ACCIDENTAL ANSWERS

    One of the reasons I love the Lord, and how He works, so much, is also one of the reasons that I can become quite frustrated, stressed, and anxious at times.

    I always find it amazing how God works in that things happen in ways you don’t expect, that are very unlikely, and is something that could not have happened any other way, so it proves that God is real. And that He is in control, not us.

    I had the following on my thank you Lord list, my counting a blessings list. However, I thought that I could turn it into a journal entry, and it would be more effective to do so. After all, it is a good illustration and parable of sorts, where we can learn how to live the life of faith, a little bit different differently and a little bit deep deeper.

    Here is what I wrote as an item on my I am thankful for list:

    God, I thank You for a gift that you have given me. I seem to have the ability to find answers that other people cannot find at the time. Somehow, my brain keeps ruminating and trying to figure out a solution. Moreover, if one solution doesn’t work, I am really good with finding a workaround, another option. I do not mean to sound prideful about this at all. It is just a strength that I have. And let me prove how it is not prideful. How I find the answers is usually accidental in my search rarely is it intentional. While I may be looking for an answer, how I find the answer, is what is accidental. And a lot of times I can’t tell you how I find the answer because it was accidental and I wasn’t paying attention as to precisely how I found the answer. After all, I was focused on trying to figure out how to find the answer and thinking on that so I didn’t pay attention to all of the steps and finding the answer. So finding answers is accidental a lot of times for me. But God works through me and somehow I usually am able to find the answers. Lord, I am thankful for this.

    So that was one of my counted blessings for today.

    I think that this accidental discovery, and through the realization of how it is a gift and strength that the Lord has given me to find answers, it gave me a new thought or insight.

    Isn’t it just like God to work through us and such odd, funny, and lively ways? Where He makes our strength and gifts creative. And what I mean by creative is unique, different, and colorful even.

    God does work in mysterious ways.

    His ways are unique.

    Our God is an awesome God. How he works through the flawed and the week. Through the unexpected people and an unexpected ways He chooses people in ways that do not make sense whatsoever. He uses people and gifts them in such a way that if people are paying attention, it is obvious that it can only be God working through them, and through the circumstances around them.

    Hence, if He can use little, real, raw, unrefined, simple, and greatly flawed me, He can use anyone. And He does.

    Look at the Bible. Look at the stories of the ancestors of Jesus. They were all flawed. Some more than others. Some were quite unexpected, and He did great and mighty things through them and did so an extra extraordinary ways that can only point to Him, to His work, and to His existence.

    As a believer, as someone who is of the faith, as someone who tries to live the Bible, trust God. Trust that even in the unlikely, even in the unexpected, even when we cannot see Him, even when we cannot feel Him, even when it seems, He is distant, He is working in us, through us, and around us. And through it all, He is fulfilling His purpose in us and through us and around us. And His purpose is to point all of people throughout time that Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer. He is the long awaited Messiah.

    So trust that even in unique you, He is working mighty. And you can trust Him in that. He has given you strengths and weaknesses, and has given you time so that he can be with you and work through you to point everyone to Jesus, it is the best and greatest story of all time and you are part of it. Even flawed you.

    • BIBLE VERSES FROM TODAY

    Exodus 15:11; 1 Chronicles 17:20; Jeremiah 10:6-7; Philippians 2:9; Psalm 118:24; Matthew 6:11; John 15:5; Proverbs 16:3; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

    • A PRAYER

    Father, this day is Yours. Thank You for it. Help me to seek you first for the rest of this day and all of this night. Thank You for using my flawed self and my flawed writing, as it is just journaling. Help me to continue looking at this journal entry, this blog post, and continue to listen to what You want to say, and pay attention to what You want to do through it. Father, I pray that anyone who reads this is inspired, comforted, moved, and changed. This day, this journal, this blog, is all about You and it belongs to You and to You alone. To You alone be the glory, the honor, and the praise.

  • MARCH 04, 2026, WEDNESDAY

    WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS JOURNAL ENTRY

    • A BLOG POST A DAY (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
    • I THANK THE LORD FOR…

    A BLOG POST A DAY (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)

    I have been debating, and trying to decide, how best to do the format of this blog journal. After all, I could technically do between one and twenty journal entries a day. However, it just dawned on me for whoever subscribed to this Journal, you probably don’t want 20 emails a day. As a matter of fact, you might not want one a day. However, with how much I want to share, I don’t want blog post or journal entries to be fifteen pages long. That is why I will keep this at mostly a Monday through Friday content schedule.

    I apologize that I have not thought about subscriptions until now. Please forgive that oversight. I will change things from this point forward.

    I THANK THE LORD FOR…

    The weather is finally nice enough that I have my windows open to air out the house

    It is a beautiful sunshiny day

    Since my windows and sliding glass door is open, I can hear the birds chirping

    I can also hear our wind chimes as there is a very slight breeze

    Things are just as they should be in this moment

    My gray cat is basking in the sunshine

    My husband is coming home early

    What a blessing it is that my husband can work from home a little bit each day

    It is so nice to be still for a moment

    I am so thankful because there are so many things that I need to be doing, but I trust You, Lord, that they will get done. Therefore, I can stop between tasks and spend a quiet moment with You

    I just heard a bird make a call that I have never heard before. How interesting. Glory

    How quiet our neighborhood is

  • PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THE MESSINESS

    I started this blog journal three days ago and consequently, it is brand new. I am trying to get into the swing of things so to speak.

    Because this is a journal, it is extremely real and raw. You will see that I use improper grammar. You will see that it is not formal at all this is not a professional blog by any means. In fact, it is very much a what you see is what you get blog journal. And I will admit, this will not change. The focus is being a Journal.

    Since this blog journal is so new, you can see how it is a work in progress. (It is definitely that.) However, I need to warn you, that this journal will be a constant work in progress. In fact, it might appear rather erratic, jumbled, and messy even. However, in time, you will see that there is a method for the madness. You will see that there is a reason for it as well. Themes and things will come together. Just give it time.

    And please keep checking back here so you can see the progress, so you can see the rhyme and reason.

    While this is my personal journal, it is written with God as my first audience, but also for you, my sisters and my brothers. After all, we are on this rock called Earth together. We are doing life together. And the purpose of this journal is focusing on living the best life possible. And the best life possible is not done in the vacuum. It means linking arms together and walking the journey together.

    So while this journal is new, and while it may appear chaotic, I promise that things will come together.

    Also, I have the ability to learn. Needless to say, I will find a better way of doing things as we go.

    Thank you for joining me on this journey and I pray that we can live the best life possible together.

    Have a very blessed day.

  • A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING 

    Since 2012, I have been trying to live a life focused on giving thanks. Of being grateful. Of counting my blessings. And it has radically transformed me in my life.

    I must be honest and share how I do not focus on giving things nearly as much as I need or should. Nonetheless, when I do remember, and make it a lifestyle, it changes things and it changes me.

    When you give thanks for everything, for the good, for the bad, and for the indifferent, it changes your perspective. It helps you see. You no longer have blinders and are no longer blind. You are no longer numb or just going through the motions.

    Giving thanks brings whole new life.

    I have not focused on giving Thanks for a long period of time in way too many months. And I realize that this has been my downfall in many ways. After all when you do not give thanks for everything, and I mean, literally everything, you began to lose perspective, and you even begin to lose yourself.

    With that being said, it is easy to focus on self and I am what you think and on what you want, not on what God wants.

    When you give thanks, it helps you look outside of yourself, to look around, to see, observe, and notice. You began to observe the world and see things afresh, as you are no longer focused on self or circumstances.

    When you give thanks to God, you focus on Him. Our focus is to always be on Him, not on the things of this world, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-2). And it is amazing when we focus on Him, not on the things of this world, because it frees us from this world. We no longer are dependent on anyone or anything of this world, but become focused and dependent on the only one we can truly trust which is God.

    When we focus on God, not on the people or things of this world, we actually can love people more. We also can serve Him more. We can bring Him more glory. And that is because when we give Thanks our eyes, our hearts, our minds are open, and are fine tuned to Him, and when we are focused on Him, we live for Him not for the things of this world. And this takes so much pressure off of us. It frees us. 

    Living a lifestyle of Thanksgiving means fully living. It means being free. It means loving more.

    A PRAYER

    God help us to give You thanks for everything. You deserve no less. We want to appreciate everything that you have given us. We want to focus on You, on what you are doing, and live for You. Thank You for freeing us from this world thank You for helping us fully live. We realize that this can only come through giving thanks for everything. Nothing we have is Yours. Everything belongs to You. Thank You for all that we do have, for we have everything that we need. To You alone, be the glory, the honor, and the praise.

  • I THANK YOU, LORD, FOR…

    My salvation

    Today

    Yesterday

    My husband

    My marriage

    My home

    My cats

    My turtles

    Being able to talk with friends that live in a different state

    Coffee

    A beautiful day

    Getting back to the basics of faith, making things less complicated

    A new perspective

    Water

    Electrolytes

    My two favorite devotional books

    How I have been reading those two devotional books a great deal over the last week and they are making a major impact on me, on my faith, on my life

    I realize that for a long time now I have forgotten the simplicity of the faith, and because of that in some ways, I realize that I had become more legalistic in a way. Over the last six weeks or so, I have realized my error and have been taking active steps to stop that and I am extremely grateful because of it I am transformed because of it.

    I am thankful that I have begun the process of being set free again from components of legalism. After all the problem with legalism is, whether we realize it or not, we tend to become judges of others. So with legalism, we become judgmental, and we tend to be a great deal harder on ourselves. I am extremely thankful to realize how I have slid into this and and being set free from it. I am grateful that I am being transformed. It has been a painful process, but it has been quite worthwhile.

    In our walk of faith, the focus needs to be on being with the Lord, not on the doing. When we focus every moment on the Lord, and I’m being with him, we draw closer to him and realize even more how much he loves us. Consequently, we end up, living the Bible, living his word, because we enjoy being with him, not out of obligation. I am thankful that I am focusing more again on being and not on doing.

    Quiet moments

    When my cat talks with me

    Remembering everything that God has done in my life

  • BIBLE: A MAIN PAGE (A TABLE OF CONTENTS AND INDEX OF SORTS)

    Note: I am going to use this page as a table of contents or index, which will help me find verses later, along with all of my journaling. (And I figure it might help you.

    This page will be constantly changing, so keep coming back here to see what has changed.

    Genesis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

    Exodus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

    Leviticus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

    Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

    Deuteronomy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

    Joshua 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

    Judges 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

    Ruth 1 2 3 4

    1 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

    2 Samuel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

    1 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

    2 Kings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

    1 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

    2 Chronicles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

    Ezra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    Nehemiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

    Esther 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    Job 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 3031 32 33 34 35 36 37 3839 40 41 42

    Psalms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 6566 67 68 69 70 71 72 7374 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105106 107 108 109 110 111112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125126 127 128 129 130 131132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

    Proverbs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

    Ecclesiastes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

    Song Of Solomon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

    Isaiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 6566

    Jeremiah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 3738 39 40 41 42 43 44 4546 47 48 49 50 51 52

    Lamentations 1 2 3 4 5

    Ezekiel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

    Daniel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

    Hosea 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

    Joel 1 2 3

    Amos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

    Obadiah 1

    Jonah 1 2 3 4

    Micah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

    Nahum 1 2 3

    Habakkuk 1 2 3

    Zephaniah 1 2 3

    Haggai 1 2

    Zechariah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

    Malachi 1 2 3 4

    Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

    Mark 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

    Luke 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

    John 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

    Acts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

    Romans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

    1 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

    2 Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

    Galatians 1 2 3 4 5 6

    EPHESIANS

    Ephesians 1 2 3 4 5 6

    Philippians 1 2 3 4

    Colossians 1 2 3 4

    1 Thessalonians 1 2 3 4 5

    2 Thessalonians 1 2 3

    1 Timothy 1 2 3 4 5 6

    2 Timothy 1 2 3 4

    Titus 1 2 3

    Philemon 1

    Hebrews 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

    James 1 2 3 4 5

    1 Peter 1 2 3 4 5

    2 Peter 1 2 3

    1 John 1 2 3 4 5

    2 John 1

    3 John 1

    Jude 1

    Revelation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

  • WRITING OUT VERSES

    You may notice how I do not write out verses of the Bible, and just refer to the content of the verses. There is a reason for it. I realize that everyone has their own favorite translation or version of the Bible therefore, I do not want to give mine, which could result in diminishing the impact of the verse in our lives. Since I do not write out the verses, it means that we can look them up in our favorite translation or translations, which is a good thing.

    Furthermore, I do not write out the verses because it is far more powerful when we look up the verses for ourselves, even if we know the verse by heart. When we look up each verse, it is within the very word of God. That is sacred, powerful, and should never be overlooked or skipped.

    I hope this helps explain why you will see I do not write out verses of the Bible.

  • SIX MONTHS OF SIFTING AND REFINING

    The last six months have been a painful season for me, my husband, and our group of friends. (Friends that are in the faith and closer than a brother, where iron sharpens iron.)

    It has been painful because of people, circumstances, and ourselves. We have had to confess much and have been transformed by the Lord.

    Let me tell you something I am sure you know already: It is quite painful to be transformed by God, to be stretched, sifted, and grown.

    It is hard when this happens once. It has been week after week for six months for all of us, for our group.

    The Father loves us. We are His image bearers, so He will not leave us where we are. Nope. He sifts us like wheat and chaff, and refines us like dross and silver.

    And why does He sift and refine us?

    Stop and ponder that for a moment. Answer the question, please, before you read ahead in this journal entry.

    I have, at times, thought He did it to challenge me and/or punish me. But is this reality?

    This morning, I thank the Lord, He gave me a new perspective or point-of-view. I am giving Him praise, honor, and glory because of it.

    I just realized that since things have happened that caused great pain, and I have done wrong things and missed the mark, I have been quite hurt and beat-up. It has been very personal to me. I feel it every single day, and oftentimes throughout the day. My enemies have surrounded me and I have made mistakes. So this has been very personal.

    I wonder what all is wrong with me.

    I wonder why He has allowed it.

    I know without a doubt I deserve no grace whatsoever.

    I also believe I deserve punishment and discipline for what I have done and for how I have missed the mark.

    (I also have known the wrong thinking with all of those. But those admonishments and fears still come.)

    Adonai (God) just revealed something to me about all this that I just journaled this morning (and what a lesson to learn!):

    If we are in pain, and/or realize we have done something wrong, that is very personal. Of course. But when it is personal, we tend to act more off of emotion than off of thinking things through. And when we focus on emotion, and act on emotion, this leads to us not thinking clearly or rightly, and we tend to think and do foolish things. And this gets us in trouble. It compounds our pain and delays healing. This also means we do not turn to God like we could or should. Nor do we hear from Him like we could or should.

    Therefore, I have foolishly and stupidly thought through this season of pain I deserve it and He is disciplining me. And that the enemy was doing His greatest work in and through the circumstances.

    Umm… not really.

    Rather, the Father is sifting and refining me and my life because He loves me. He does not want anything to hold me back from living freely and fully in Him. He is getting rid of the junk that prevents me from abundant and fruitful living, where He can work mightily. He wants all of me, not part of me.

    I cannot fully know Him or His will if I have junk that prevents me from being all in at all times.

    Sifting and refining is about relationship with Him. He loves us. He wants us to be set free (fully healed; not encumbered) and to live fully for Him. It is how He shows us His great love.

    So I need to quit taking things so personally.

    And I need to thank Him for removing the junk in my life so He can be my all and at all times. After all, every moment of this painful season has been a blessing. They have driven me to Him and have helped me trust Him even more. Glory!

  • THE GREATNESS OF GOD

    It never ceases to me, amaze me how the Father works. He usually surprises me, and because of it, I am quite humbled and grateful.

    This just happened to me again this morning. I met yesterday with a friend who shared some prayer requests and struggles with me, as iron sharpens iron she asked my thoughts regarding her struggle. She knows how my husband and I do coaching, mentoring, counseling, and whatever else you want to call it. Therefore, she came to me in that regard, but also as a sister in Jesus. 

    If there is one thing, I know it is that when we share our thoughts, our wisdom, our advice, it is absolutely imperative to pray. To make sure that we hear what God is telling us to say, and what he is telling us not to say. I did my best to do that, but I also realized I could have done a much greater job with that. Nonetheless, I had the sense that regardless of how things went when we spoke, that God would work and do a great thing in her life. Consequently, I could not wait to see how things would unfold in the next week or two. I could not wait to hear her story.

    Little did I know that the entire situation far exceeded what I could have imagined in a couple of weeks, let alone that night. My friend did the work that was necessary for things to turn around. She was willing to take the extra steps, regardless of how difficult they were. I won’t lie. What I asked was extremely difficult for her. However, this is another example of what happens when we do not avoid the hard, or the difficult, or the challenge. She went against everything in her body, in her mind, and her heart that was screaming at her that her situation was difficult, but she trusted God and moved forward anyway.

    I do not think I can stress this enough what she did. She did the impossible. It took everything in her to do what she did after we spoke.

    Talk about an inspiration. It never stops to absolutely astound me how when we trust God, and we do the hard, he honors that. And it is more than that. He does not just honor it. He shows up in a powerful way.

    Because my friend trusted in the Lord, and did the hard thing, she was blessed tremendously.

    What a reminder to me of how important it is to go against your nature that does not want to do something, but to do it anyway because you know that it will honor God, and it is the right thing to do. The easy way is rarely the right way the hard way is usually the best way.

    This is a reminder that the best life we can live is the hard path that is ripe with challenges. It is the path that we walk knowing we cannot do it on our own, that we have to trust God and we have to walk with God. Living the best life possible means doing things that are so hard that we can’t do them, that we had to step out in faith and trust and know that God will be with us, catch us, and carry us. 

    Doing the hard thing is necessary for living the best life because we step outside of ourselves, and we have to trust in God. And when we do this, it is obvious that God is real, and God exists,  because we could not have done it on our own. There is no way. We could not have planned it to happen that way. We do not have it in our ourselves to achieve the results of what ended up transpiring. Doing the hard is literally living the best life.

    How often do we even think in these terms?

    How often do we act with this knowledge?

    How often do we choose the easy way and we miss out on so much because of it?

    My friend did the impossible yesterday. And because she stepped out, and did the hard thing, God was able to work in her and through her and bring healing.

    I am amazed by what she did.

    God gave her his perfect and infinite strength. She didn’t just do one hard thing, she did three hard things. And each of them went against her heart and her mind. She did not want to do them, but she did them.

    Oh, how much I have to learn from this beautiful woman.

    A PRAYER

    God, you are amazing and are so good. We are grateful because of what you have done and because of what you have taught us. Thank You for always being with us.  Thank You for your healing. Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to trust you and do the hard thing. Help us remember that living the best life possible is doing the hard, it is not avoiding it, it is trusting You no matter what. To You alone be the glory, but honor, and the praise. 

  • ABOUT 1189, THIS BLOG JOURNAL (THE GOOD, GREAT AND THE NITTY GRITTY LIFE)

    This is how many chapters of the Bible there are. Hence,  it is not a random number. Rather, it is very intentional and gives some hints as to part of what can be expected from this blog journal. And since the number is in the name of this blog, it shows how important the number, and its meaning, is. 

    This blog journal will be mainly about this.. this journaling through the Word of God, the Bible.

    After all, this blog journal is about living the best life possible. Period.

    Let’s be honest here. We can look live a really good life outside the Bible. This is fact. However, it is not lasting or sustainable. Never mind how this also usually depends on multiple things, which we cannot control.

    I will talk about through this blog journal how to live a good life and how it can be sustaining and not depend on things.

    Note how there is the good life, and there is the great life.

    There is a difference.

    The greatest and best possible life is only found in Jesus (Yeshua) and through living the Bible. Period. There is no other way, contrary to the lies we can fall for and believe. 

    This is the main purpose of this blog journal.

    This blog journal is about journaling through the 1189 chapters of the Bible, as they help us live the best life possible.

    And this blog is about the nitty gritty of how hard life can be. 

    Sure. We want to live the best life possible.

    But life happens.

    The very tough stuff happens and the challenges come.

    And we make mistakes.

    And we live in this world.

    And we can get lost or sidetracked…

    … all while trying to live the best life possible.

    This blog journal is about the good, the great, and the hard stuff.