Mother's Day Spa for the Soul

This is a post from a previous mother's day, just wanted to share.-Jen


Breathe Deep and Relax in God...

Soak 

Soak up quiet moments with God. Psalm 46:10 states, "Be still and know that I am God."  Sometimes it is good for us to sit in God's presence.  We need to become quiet.  Sometimes it's easy to have quiet around us but we if have so much inner noise going on, we can't truly be still.  We need to clear our minds and focus on God's presence.  Think about His love for you...Be still and know that He is God.

Exfoliate

Hyssop was used in Bible times as a cleansing herbal agent.  It was also used for purification and sacrifice. When David wrote "Purge me with hyssop" he was asking God to cleanse his heart to make him clean and free from sin.  Sometimes we need God to "scrub" away attitudes of unbelief, anger, depression and guilt from our lives.  This weekend is a good time to spend time in prayer asking God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Cry out to Jesus, He is ready to listen.

Tranquility

"My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27  Focus on God's peace.  Turn your fears and worries over to Jesus, the One who cares for you.  Let the Prince of Peace rule in your heart. As the hymn says,  "Turn your eyes on Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."  

Restore

"He restoreth my soul." Ps. 23:3 Literally means He causes my life to return.  He causes me to live.  Sometimes life becomes difficult and so stressful, that we need God to restore our souls.  Let the One who gave you life, restore your life.  If you are becoming weary in your journey, ask God to give you new life.  Ask God to breathe new life into you. 

Renew

True renewal is a deep renovation of the heart.  Let God transform your thinking.  You can do all things through Christ. You can make it. You have a purpose. Your life is meaningful. You are loved by a living God who cares for you.  Let God renew you.  "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." Romans 12:2  Life brings it's share of challenges, take some quiet moments to let God renew your mind. Start thanking God for the good things that He has blessed you with.  "They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as an eagle." Isaiah 40:31

A Lesson from Savvy Grace

The following blog post is written by my 13 year old daughter. She actually used this lesson for her Sunday School class.  I thought it was too good not to share. God Bless You!



Throughout the book of Psalm we are told to give thanks to God.

Psalm 136:1

"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever."

Psalm 118:21

"I will give thanks, for you have answered me you have become my salvation."

 

Psalm 28:7

 "The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusts in him and I will give thanks to him in song."

What are you thankful for ?

Even though it's not Thanksgiving  we should give thanks everyday and today is a great time to start!
Some people withhold praise and thanks to God when he has blessed them. Some people only praise and thank God when they want something from him.  Sometimes we don't realize how blessed we are to have something till its gone. Sometimes we don't understand our parents or relatives  until they go out of town or move and you realize how they helped you so much.  Sometimes we fail to thank God for the simple things He has blessed us with.  For example, we realize how much help it was to have a dishwasher when it breaks, you realize how much help it was to have it.

Sometimes instead of thanking God for who he made us to be we complain about how "Oh I hate my hair or I have a funny nose or I'm fat or I don't look like a model." Whoever said you had to be like that? Why try to change the beautiful creation God has made you! Just be thankful that you have a body that is healthy and nothing is really wrong with you. It's just how you see your self. It doesn't matter if your nose is weird or hair is frizzy or your a bit overweight--because you should just be thankful you are alive! Psalm 139:14 I praise you because  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Even when life isn't perfect, even if your day doesn't turn out right--
still thank God for every minute you have with your friends and family and just enjoy life!

A Prayer for Life

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this day. Thank you for this fragile moment and every millisecond you've given me.

Help me realize that this day may hold surprises--unplanned events.

Let me know that your plans and your ways are perfect--even when I fail to understand.

Allow me to feel secure in you. Give me the reassurance that your hand is in mine as we
dance this Life waltz, together.

Just for today help me to forgive and-- please forgive me.  Let me take advantage of every opportunity to show kindness and love to others.  Use my voice, my hands and my feet.

Please DON'T let me live my life as a checklist. As I go from one activity to the next, help me to SEE, FEEL and EXPERIENCE the treasure of TODAY.

Let me always remember that I find my passion and purpose by talking to YOU first. You know what today holds, what's best for me...that is enough!

Help me prioritize, Your WILL first. What you want me to do today is more important than anything else on my agenda.

Let me be a carrier of your message for Your glory and Your namesake.

In Jesus Name I pray.

Amen.---J. Lyn Jones

Turn Your Eyes...

Hi Friend,

I just came back from a much needed family vacation last Sunday.  It's amazing when I'm on vacation how things look different.  Suddenly, the road I've driven down one thousand times seems smoother. All at once I notice birds flying in formation. The orange blossoms smell sweeter.  An awareness of God's creation fills my mind, cleaning out cobwebs of mundane life.  Even the rain clouds look better. 

A lot of life is perspective. Have you ever noticed that if you get focused on worrying about something, that it starts to consume you?  I've had days that the sun is shining, but there's a dark cloud of anxiety and gloom over my heart.  I've had days that I wanted to hide under the covers of my bed and not come out.  Depression? Oppression? Maybe.  Whatever the reason, sometimes we just don't want to face LIFE! It is times like these that we have to remember, this life won't last forever.  It is at these moments we need to focus our attention on JESUS.

As the old song, by Helen Lemmel says...

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of this world will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

When we allow Jesus to be the focus of our life, our perspective changes. He lifts our minds and emotions to a higher place.  The miracles that He does for us each day, giving us breath, life, love, friends, and a new day, is enough. Everyday will not feel or look like a vacation day.  However, if you're going through a trial of your faith, turn your eyes upon Jesus, cast your burden on Him and let Him bring the sunshine back into your life. Love & Blessings--j.lyn jones