TIME FOR AN UPLIFT

Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

On the days when you look in the mirror and think you could do with a face lift why not turn your thoughts to something that gives you peace, that makes you smile and you’ll have an instant facelift.😊

I love positive input, those words and thoughts that lift our spirits and help us see things from a better perspective. It’s always good to counteract the things that pull us down with God’s thoughts because God is never depressed or scratching His head wondering how it will all turn out. We serve a God who knows the end from the beginning, who promises us a future and a hope when our trust is in Jesus.

So I thought I’d pass on some encouraging, uplifting thoughts:

It’s good to take it one day at a time. Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow because God knows what you need and promised to provide it.

You’re doing better than you think. God loves you. He says you are His masterpiece, so you are amazing.

Better days are coming because God knows the plans He has for you which are to prosper you and not to harm you.

Every small step forward brings you closer to all God has for you.You have come further than you realise.

You’ve survived 100% of your bad days with God’s help and He will make all things work together for good to those who love Him.

It’s ok to be yourself because God made you and He says you are His special treasure, you’re precious in His sight and you matter.

You are stronger than you think so keep going and God promises to hold you up and help you as He takes you into the next season because His heart is to bless you.

You are who God says you are, you can have all God says you can have, and you can do all God says you can do.

As we go into our new week I hope something in those God thoughts will lift us up to help us remember we are a wonderful work in progress and even on hard days we can still know the inner joy of God being with us no matter what comes, and that our faith in Jesus and all He’s done overcomes the world each day. Amen. 😊

DANCING STRAWBERRIES!

Isaiah 30:18 AMPC And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you… Blessed…are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

While choosing which strawberries to buy the other day, as I turned the punnet upside down to check there were no bad ones underneath, suddenly the unexpected happened and the strawberries all started to fall out and dance across the supermarket floor! I hadn’t realised the cellophane lid wasn’t sealed properly and we had strawberry chaos on our hands! It was like a sketch from a comedy show as we dashed to capture them before they disappeared below the cabinets. Honestly, the things that happen!🤣

Things do happen unexpectedly though and they may be funny but embarrassing, like my strawberries, or they may be one of God’s blessed interventions when He steps in to surprise us in a lovely way. 

Our verse describes how God lifts Himself off His throne in order to bless us. He has surprises lined up for us we know nothing about. Those times when He puts us in the way of a big discount on a bill which happened to us last week, very unexpectedly! Or when we suddenly feel much better and we can’t explain why, or He connects us with someone who will be a blessing to us. They are unexpected wonderful God blessings and surprises.😊

It says God is expecting to do those good things for us, not because we deserve them, but just because that is His nature and He loves us. It’s like when someone gives you a surprise present. It shows they care, that they’ve been thinking about you, that they want to bless you.😊

Psalm 23:6 NET Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,… 

God wants us to believe for that because it’s God’s heart for us today and every day, so be expectant - not for the strawberries to do a dance on the floor, but to be able to see the funny side of things, to expect people to be good to you because the favour of God surrounds you like a shield. 

It has nothing to do with whether we deserve it or not, it’s all to do with the wonderful grace of God who is lifting Himself up today to do unexpected lovely things in your life too. In Jesus name. Amen.😊

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash