Search Results for: prayer posts

Seek and Find: Maggie and the Relentless Search

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Maggie the Wonder Dog is usually the most placid of early-morning risers. She wakes up just enough to go outside for a quick potty trip, then hurries back upstairs to snooze on the end of the bed while I study, write, shower, and get dressed. Mornings are not her favorite. Today, however, I put her back on the bed after her visit outside and she sniffed something interesting on the covers. She went nuts, sniffing, scratching, and trying to get under the sheets. Nothing I did helped settle her down. She’d had a bone on the bed a few days earlier, but long since moved to a better place. I retrieved it in the hope of calming her frantic search. The bone wasn’t “it.” I offered her a stuffed bear, a chew toy, and another sliver of bone. She rejected them all. I commanded her to sit. She ignored me, completely intent on her search. Finally, I opened my Bible and left her to it. She sniffed, scratched and searched all through my quiet time. “That dog is driving me crazy, Lord. You’ll have to speak loud for me to hear over her scratching,” I prayed. (I know. Maybe not the most churchy of prayers.) Seek and you will find… What I read next made me laugh out loud. “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah29:13 nasb The words of Jeremiah came alive as I watched Maggie’s focused, relentless, energetic search. She was so much like us humans. Some search for power, control, peace, or security, but we’re all searching for something. Our quest gives direction to our lives and, in some ways, our destiny. For what are we searching? What is the one thing we want more than anything else? Do we seek God with unrelenting focus? If so, we have an iron-clad guarantee. If we turn from the things of this world and seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. Today, let’s turn our hearts heavenward. Put our search for God and His ways before all the worries and concerns of this world. Seek Him, His Kingdom, and His righteousness and everything else will fall into place. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 nasb Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Worship at the Judas Rock: When We Identify With the Betrayer When the God of the Universe Knows Our Name Asking Why and Finding Answers Repentance and the Benefits Package [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Want to know more about Leanna Hollis and her ministry of prayer and outreach? Click here to find the latest ministry newsletters Scroll down to sign up for her blog/writing newsletter. It also includes links to current ministry newsletters. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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gratitude

One Practical Way to Appreciate the Amazing Year Ahead

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]My gratitude Jar project started in late 2015. Small slips of paper on which were written notes about answered prayers, evidence of God in my life, and things for which I was grateful went in the jar throughout the year. The stack of papers grew a little more every year. On New Year’s Day a couple of years ago, I went through the slips and read every one. It was amazing to see how all the hard times turned into good. I was stunned to see how often I’d felt on the brink of disaster in the last few years, as well as the ways God had carried me through. I wept as I read them, not from sorrow, but pure, overwhelming gratitude. The tiny notes were precious, so I kept every single one in the Gratitude Jar, even the “outdated” ones. Last year, my Thanksgiving notes became fewer and farther between. I didn’t record much, which makes me sad. It was an amazing year. The good times are still clear in my mind but not as fresh as if I’d written a wonder-laced note in the moment. Recently, I read through all the slips from past years and felt the sense of deep thanksgiving all over again. Even during the toughest times, there was always something for which I could give thanks. During those years, my employee of three decades developed worsening dementia. I moved him into my home and provided hospice care night and day for months. He died after a long and difficult season. I felt adrift and unsure of how to take care of my property when he died. The simple act of mowing my lawn was unfamiliar and difficult. My learning curve was tremendous. They weren’t easy years. They were agonizing, weeping-in-the-night years. Because of the blessing jar, I know they were also miracle-around-every-corner years. Friends and family stepped up and helped me when I didn’t know how to help myself. Learning new life skills became an adventure. I had many little victories along the journey to self-sufficiency. If not for the blessing jar, those tiny God-moments would be lost forever. I want to do a better job of preserving my gratitude during the coming months, so I’ve slipped a supply of paper strips in my planner. They’re blue for the photo, but I’m changing to white strips for ease of reading. When a moment of gratitude comes, I’ll be ready because I’m prepared ahead of time. Decide in advance to give thanks, and make preparation for gratitude. href=”https://leannahollis.com/one-practical-way-to-appreciate-the-amazing-year-ahead/”> It’s a Biblical principle we’d do well to consider. Giving thanks doesn’t happen automatically. It’s much easier to give thanks in hard times if we decide in advance to do so. Our willingness implies a decision to look past our circumstances to find the blessing in the midst of difficulty. Most of us choose to set goals and make plans to achieve them. Let’s make sure gratitude is one of the goals we set. Let’s live intentionally grateful and give thanks in all things, whether easy or hard. Why not prepare for gratitude by adding a few slips of blank paper to your planner? Make a note of even the smallest moment of thanksgiving, the simples blessing, and store in your Gratitude Jar. When next year rolls around, you too can read through your blessings one by one and celebrate the decision to live grateful in a blessed life. “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:28 nasb [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Seven Steps to Regain a Heart of Gratitude When I Traded My Happy Heart for Grumbling and How I Got it Back Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Repentance and the Benefits Package [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Want to know more about Leanna Hollis and her ministry of prayer and outreach? Click here to find the latest ministry newsletters Scroll down to sign up for her blog/writing newsletter. It also includes links to current ministry newsletters. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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be still and know

When You’re Too Busy to Be Still but Rest Isn’t Optional

It felt strange to maintain digital silence during my three-week-long trip to the Middle East, especially when I’m so dependent on the prayers of my online tribe. It still does. Because of security reasons, however, I had no choice. I still don’t. Although I can’t share the details of the trip online, I can share what I’ve learned. The first lesson was the importance of rest. I can’t believe those words are coming from a lifelong workaholic, but it’s true. The importance of rest Travel time from here to there was about twenty-eight hours. I never sleep on planes but managed four hours straight of good sleep, plus napping after that. It was the longest (and probably the best) sleep I’d had in months, which says a lot about the weeks leading up to my trip.  I wanted to hit the ground running. I arrived to find the plan was for me to take some time to rest. After my sleep on the plane, I felt more rested than I had for so long, I didn’t think I needed to be still, but I did.  My first day was spent at rest. I sorted through what I’d packed, read my Bible, and prayed. Uninterrupted quiet time, with no needs to meet other than my own, was precious and restorative.  One of the families there observes Shabbat and the Sabbath, and I was invited to join them. On Friday evenings, we met for a brief service. We always had a time of personal examination of our actions over the last week, followed by confession and forgiveness. It was beautiful to listen to children confess being unkind to a sibling, parents confess to children, children to parents, followed by the offended one offering forgiveness.  A time of communion served as the beginning of a full day of rest. For once, I didn’t clean house, do laundry, write, or sort through anything. I read books, took walks, and rested. Two paintings hung in the bedroom. One said, “Be still,” the other, “And know that I am God.”  For the last three weeks, despite both hard times, many hours of work, and breathtakingly beautiful moments, I’ve been still. I’ve known, in a deeper way than ever before, that He is God and He’s in charge of every detail. I intend to continue the ritual of Shabbat and Sabbath now that I’m home. Yesterday didn’t turn out as I’d planned, but I still managed a very modified evening of reflection, Scripture, and stillness. Tomorrow will be my day of rest. It’s already planned. Being still isn’t popular in this country. We’re a busy people, and we leave little room for rest, but that doesn’t mean our busyness isn’t sin. In fact, it puts the emphasis on our ability to work hard to accomplish our goals and robs of us a deeper understanding of the sovereignty of God and His ability to work in our lives. Are we too busy to be still?  If so, why not stop, confess, repent, and change. It’s not easy, but it’s also not optional if we want the relationship with God He intended for us. My experience of stillness over the last few weeks left me wondering how much more we could accomplish if we did things God’s way. What would He do in our six days if we truly gave Him the seventh? How might He expand our reach? Extend our efforts? I don’t know yet, but I intend to find out. Why not join me? Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” Exodus 20:8,9 /> />Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Repentance and the Benefits Package The Benefits of Sabbath Rest Four Reasons We Should Honor Sabbath Rest Today Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay)    

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forgive and forget

The Capture-Bag: When Letting Go of Hurt and Anger is Way Past Due

[vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”middle” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] I was at the bedside of a dying woman some years ago. In her last few days, she talked about her brother. She didn’t describe what he’d done, but she was still angry more than 75 years later. The memory gnawed at her all her life and left a root of bitterness so deep it became anchored in her heart. We talked about the importance of forgiveness, but she chose to hold the memory and the anger close as if it were a kind of prize. Holding the memory was a prize, but it wasn’t hers. Her tight-fisted hold on the past was a trophy for the evil one. When bad things happen, and they will, we can process the bad thing, forgive, and find the healing only Christ can give, or we can hang onto it and let it devour us with anger and bitterness. The choice is ours. Which one makes sense to you? Overcome evil with good Evil abounds in this world, but we are to overcome evil with good. That’s not my own Pollyanna-style foolishness. It comes straight from Scripture. “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21 NLT Sometimes, terrible things are done to children, and they leave a lasting impact. I hate those wicked deeds. There are acts of betrayal that feel like you’ve been kicked in the gut and trampled in the mud, and they can leave a lasting impact, too. I hate those acts of betrayal. What I hate more, however, is the way those terrible deeds and acts of betrayal gain the upper hand and destroy the rest of our lives. They can, in a way, train us to believe we deserved the evil or that everyone betrays, everyone will act in an evil way. Those are lies from the evil one and there is no freedom in them. Choose freedom “It is for freedom that Christ set us free…” (Galatians 5:1) Christ died and rose again to give us freedom over the wickedness in our own hearts and the wickedness of others perpetrated on us. Processing our hurts may not be easy and freedom isn’t cheap, but it is possible and we can have it if we want it. If we’re willing to work for it. I’ve had my share of hurt and betrayal and I’ve tried to let God heal it all. Recently in staff devotions, I mentioned a beautiful thing that happened. Years ago, someone said terrible things about me and was unkind. I forgave it, mainly because forgiveness was better for me than holding on and letting bitterness have a root. God eventually restored the relationship. I now enjoy the sweetness of restoration. “I know she hurt me, but the odd thing is I can’t remember what she did.” That’s healing. Not only has the hurt lost its power over me, but it’s also lost its hold in my head. I took those thoughts captive and asked God to remove them, and He did. Is it possible to forgive and forget? “I can forgive but I can’t forget” is a common adage, but it’s not Scriptural wisdom. Let’s agree to stop quoting this bit of trickiness from the evil one. If God can help us forgive, He can handle forgetting, too. You may not believe this right now, but, it is possible to forgive and forget. If we’ll take our thoughts captive and give them to our Heavenly Father, He’ll deal with them. We can’t keep pulling them out of the capture-bag and massaging them to see if they still hurt, though. Do we want a free heart and free head or not? It’s easier than we might think. Here are a few simple steps to forgive and forget: Remember the beginning of the hurt. Examine the original hurt an look for all its roots in our lives. Address each area, “dig it up,” then forgive it. Offer the hurt to God in a metaphorical capture-bag. Continue, one by one, through the hurts in our lives until the thought-capture-bag is full, then hand it over to the Only One who can remove it. Stop rehearsing the hurt. When the memory resurfaces, speak forgiveness again. That sounds simplistic, I know, but the theory is right. Only God can help us process the biggest of hurts, but He’s more than able. He stands ready and willing. He’s waiting for us to choose freedom. We may need help from a pastor or Christian counselor, and it may take time, but we can be released from all our hurts if we want it. Today, let’s choose freedom. When we do, we’ll find we’ve made more room for God “.…and to know that love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19   /> Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Repentance and the Benefits PackageMissed Lessons and the Failure to Change Finding Good in the Midst of

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Well done good and faithful servant

Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

[vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”80″ position_vertical=”middle” align_horizontal=”align_center” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/1″][vc_column_text css_animation=”bottom-t-top”] The Unfaithful Servant Jesus told the parable of a master who entrusted a bag of gold coins to each of three servants. He didn’t give them detailed instructions. Instead, he trusted them to do something with what they’d been given. When the master returned to receive their report about the money, two servants heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but one did not. The unspoken expectation was for them to use the money to make a profit. One servant was afraid and hid the money in a hole. When the master asked for an account, the money was safe but the servant had no profit at all. He made all kinds of excuses. He didn’t trust the master, but he was also afraid of him. The faithless servant wanted to do the safest thing. The master accepted exactly none of his excuses. The Leanna paraphrase is coming up: “You knew I expected you to do something with what I entrusted you and you did nothing. I’m done with you.” He turned to one of his other workers. “Take the money I entrusted to him and give it to my best servant, the one who did the most.” No doubt the faithless servant felt it was unfair. He probably whined all the way out the door but his excuses made one thing clear. He knew his master expected something from him, yet he refused to make even the least effort. His lack of effort brought no reward and, in fact, reflected both his poor understanding of his master and their tenuous relationship. Well done, good and faithful servant The other two servants understood their master’s expectation for a return on his investment and were eager to please him. They made a profit from the money they’d been given and presented it with enthusiasm. In return, the two faithful servants heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” from their master. It was high praise from an exacting taskmaster. Jesus compared their experience to the final judgment when He sits on his throne. The sheep on his right will be surprised by his commendation. (The Leanna Paraphrase is coming up again.) “Well done, good and faithful servant. You served me in so many ways. Come on in and receive your reward.” Those servants will be so surprised! “Jesus, I don’t remember doing any of that.” He’ll just smile. “Dear one, I saw every act of service as if you’d done it to me. Thank you.”  (from Matthew 25:34-40) Those are not the exact words, of course, but you get the gist. How to be a good and faithful servant: Know whom you serve The first step in becoming a good and faithful servant is to know the one we serve. The faithful servants clearly knew their master well. They knew he had high expectations but was also fair and rewarded hard work. Their efforts reflected their relationship with the master. In the same way, we serve Jesus most effectively when we know Him in an intimate way through time spent in prayer, in-depth Bible study, and steadfast obedience. When we make an effort to know Jesus in a personal way, we begin to learn what He expects of us and the kind of selfless, loving service He expects. How to be a good and faithful servant: Recognize your talents  Last night, I had an experience with my little dogs that brought the moment of “Well done, good and faithful servant” into focus in a new way. I let Maggie and Mamie, my two Shih Tzus, out the back door one more time before we went to bed. Mamie was surprisingly efficient and was back inside in no time.  Maggie, however, was another story. The rumble of the train as it passed through our town was barely audible in the distance. Maggie doesn’t like the deep rumbling sound so she barked her hardest to make it stop, just as she always does. I finally grew tired of the barking, stepped outside, and walked toward Maggie. Her little barking did nothing at all to stop the big train, but I said what she waited to hear. “Good job, Maggie. You can come in now.” It’s a Shih Tzu’s job to be territorial and protect its owner. When Maggie barks at the train, she’s doing what she was born to do and waiting for affirmation of her faithfulness. Like Maggie, we are also uniquely created and equipped to serve in specific ways. Whether we are best equipped to preach, teach, sing, or serve meals to hungry people, we all have gifts and abilities we can use for the kingdom of God. We were never intended to keep our “talents” to ourselves nor to hide them in a hole. How to be a good and faithful servant: Do something with what you have The master didn’t expect the servants to make a million dollars from their bag of coins. He simply expected a good effort and he rewarded those who did something with what he’d entrusted to them whether they’d made the biggest return or not. In the same way, Jesus does not expect us to preach the greatest sermon ever heard, sing the most popular song in the world, serve the most hungry people, or give every penny we have to the poor. He doesn’t expect us to bring every person in the world to Him on our own. Jesus simply expects us to follow where He leads and serve with the gifts and abilities He’s entrusted to us. If we are gifted in childcare, he expects us to serve children with love to the best of our abilities. He expects a cashier in a grocery to serve faithfully, honestly, with love and good cheer. If we’re a writer, He expects us to write and let someone read what we’ve written.

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