anitasanecdotes

Isaiah 52:7   ⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Everyone loves to hear good news and to be encouraged by someone who has walked the same path they want to take. As we begin to experience the positive effects of our better choices in life, we are excited to tell others about it. We encourage others to start or keep going as they try to make changes as well. We can share the good things that are happening to us and promise that those changes will happen to others, too.

Our faith story is filled with good news: times when we felt God’s presence, times when we were given courage and peace to deal with difficulties, times when we were comforted in grief. We can encourage others in the faith because we have experienced the same things and God has been faithful.

Be the one to help another walk on the path of the faithful. Both of you will receive blessings as you walk that path together.

Lord, you have been so faithful to us. Help us encourage others in the faith so that they may experience your steadfast love and faithfulness, too. Amen.

Mark 6:48-50 ⁴⁸ When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by.  ⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

 We often encounter things we don’t understand. Our first response is to become afraid. Our perception of what we are experiencing is clouded by misunderstanding. What we think we are seeing, hearing, and experiencing may not be reality. If we had all of the information we would realize our error and be able to move forward. As it is we are stopped in our tracks.

We need to push forward in spite of our fear. We must trust that all will become clear as we learn more about our situation. And we must pray.

We need to remember that especially in difficult times in our lives, God is with us. We are not alone. God is guiding us, calming us, and giving us the courage to face whatever comes our way.

Lord, when we are frightened, help us to see you. Take away our fear and lead us forward. Amen.

Isaiah 42:16  ¹⁶ I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

There are times in our lives when we don’t know where our life is heading. We feel like we are in the dark and walking blind. We see no way forward and cannot plan for the future. There are just too many unknowns that could affect our ability to move ahead. We are in a holding pattern. We become anxious and fearful of what we do not know.

If we put our trust in the Lord we will see that God has been active in the waiting times. God is putting things in place for us to move forward. He is removing obstacles, providing assistance, and smoothing the path we are to take.

We may not know where we are headed but God does. God is there guiding our steps and leading us in the way we should go. Do not be afraid. Put your hand into his and let God lead you forward. He will always be there for you.

Lord, when the way is dark, be our light; when the path is uncertain, be our guide. Help us to put our trust in you. Amen.

Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.

It is never too late to make the changes necessary to live a better, healthier life. Experts agree that any changes, even small ones, done at any age will improve our health and our outlook on life. What it takes is a commitment to doing the new things consistently, living a different lifestyle than we did before, and being patient while the changes take hold.

It is never too late to change direction and follow the Lord’s path. What it takes is an admission that the way we have followed is leading nowhere, doing the things that will bring us closer to God, and the faith that God is changing our hearts to walk in his way.

The results we desire will take time, because it requires not simply a change in activities, it requires a change of attitude, a change of heart, a different way of thinking. These changes happen incrementally but when they finally take hold they will transform our lives.

God promises to be with us, to walk with us, to change us, and to lead us into that new life in him.

Lord, help us to make the changes to bring about a new life. Transform us into the people you want us to be. Amen.

Deuteronomy 8:6-10   ⁶ Therefore keep the commandments of the LORD your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him.  ⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, ⁸ a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey,  ⁹ a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper.  ¹⁰ You shall eat your fill and bless the LORD your God for the good land that he has given you.

As we take the step of faith toward a new life or faith practice we hope that it will lead us to a better way of life. We hope that we will be healthier, more fulfilled, stronger, and more disciplined.

God encourages us to keep up the disciplines that will lead us to that new life. The more fervently we walk in his ways the more we grow in faith. The more avidly we follow the path to wholeness the more we take on the habits of a healthy life. The more faithfully we keep on moving toward the goal the more likely our desires will conform to ones that keep us on the right track. We will be blessed.

Lord, help us to keep on track. Guide us in the way you want us to go so that we will be changed and blessed by you. Amen.

Mark 8:23-25  ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?”  ²⁴ And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.”  ²⁵ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

There are times in our lives when we do not see things clearly. Our vision may be obscured by wrong assumptions, past hurts or poor counsel. Often we cannot see clearly because we don’t have all the information necessary to make a good choice. These obstacles blur the true picture of our situation and make it difficult to see the best way to go.

We see things from our human point-of-view, looking at the individual trees of immediate problems or short term vision or obscuring opinions. We cannot see past the trees to see the entire forest and take in the overall picture of our situation.

When we put our trust in Jesus and allow him to guide our thoughts, he will open our eyes to new possibilities. He will let us see things as they are and reveal the wrong thinking that obscures our view. We can then walk forward seeing clearly.

Lord, help us to see our life situations through your eyes. Let us see clearly and walk confidently in your love. Amen.

1 Kings 2:1-3  When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying:  ² “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous,  ³ and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.

Parents pass many things on to their children. They pass on good or bad health practices. They pass on their feelings about education and hard work. They pass on their ability to make good or bad choices with good or bad reasoning practices.

We also pass on our faith to our children and our children’s children. If we are faithful, we will include our children in our faith practices. We encourage them to ask questions about God and the scriptures. We make faith something all of us do as naturally as breathing. We place as much importance on living out our faith as on getting a good education and having a healthy body.

God loves us and our families. He wants to have a close relationship with everyone. If we grow up in the faith we are more likely to continue to walk in his ways as we age.

Lord, help us pass on our faith to our children and grandchildren. Let us be a good example to them and lead them along your path. Amen.

Psalm 139:7-10   ⁷ Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?  ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.  ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.

 No matter where we go God is with us. God is there to help us make right choices. God will guide our steps if we trust him to do it.

Sometimes we feel like we are in a place where God will never find us. We have made poor choices; we have not asked God’s counsel; we have gone our own way. We might think that God does not want us anymore because of the choices we have made.

There is nothing further from the truth. God has never left our side. If we look for him we will find that he is already there. He wants us to turn to him. His right hand is there to guide us back: to make choices that are good for us, to make relationships healthy, to bring us peace and wholeness. Turn around…God is waiting.

Lord, help us to see your face wherever we are. Lead us back to you. Help us to walk in your ways. Amen.

Proverbs 3:25-26   ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden panic, or of the storm that strikes the wicked; ²⁶ for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

In the times we live, there are many things that can cause fear, anxiety, and terror. We are afraid to unlock our doors. We are afraid to walk our streets. We are afraid to travel. We want to stay home and stay safe. But even there, panic sets in when we hear noises in the night.

Whatever may come our way, the Lord is with us. He gives us peace in the midst of the chaos. This peace allows us to walk with confidence and face situations head on. We do not fear because we are secure in the Lord.

Are you facing a tough situation? Are you dealing with difficult news? Are you fighting for justice in the midst of injustice? Are you struggling to stay safe in a dangerous environment? Trust in the Lord. He will guide your steps. He will give you wisdom and discernment. He will give you peace.

Lord, there are so many things in our lives that make us afraid. Help us remember that you are here. Amen.

John 5:2-9  ² Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes.  ³ In these lay many invalids– blind, lame, and paralyzed.  ^4,5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.  ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”  ⁷ The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.”  ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.”  ⁹ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

 We say we want to improve ourselves. Maybe we need to get into better shape or we want to take some classes. We should be getting prepared, making arrangements, and even getting started, but we find ourselves putting things off and making excuses rather than making plans. What we need to do is to take that first step. Once we get started it is easier to keep going.

We are often this way with faith matters as well. We say we want to read our Bible and pray every day or we want to get more involved in ministry and mission, but we find ourselves being more talk than action. We have faith, but we can’t seem to get ourselves moving. Jesus says to us, “Stand up and walk.” Take the first step and commit.

Lord, help us take that first step of faith. We know you will walk with us. Amen.