Do You Feel It?

Psalm 16:11 - You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

John 17:20-23 - "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and love them even as you love me."

Dear God, thank You for drawing close to me and drawing me closer to You. I want more of You each day. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Joy in Your Hardest Day

Psalm 21:6 - He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.

Proverbs 2:1-5 - My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find knowledge of God.

Dear God, thank You for the treasure of You. I am in awe of the daily treasure hunt to spend time with You and talk to You. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Tell It to Me

Job 1:21 - And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

I Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Dear God, I really do not like when You take things away from me. My grandparents, my pets, anything or anyone. But I thank You for giving me who I have and what I have. I appreciate them all. And yes, sometimes I want to throw a fit when You change things up on me. Did Job have autism like me? Maybe so. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

My Wonderful Works

Psalm 139:14 - I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Colossians 1:29 - For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

I John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 

Dear God, thank You for creating me just the way You wanted me. Crooked teeth, freckles, red hair, short legs, long torso, tubby, autism, ADHD, happy, emotional, loving, caring, passionate, compassionate, and talented. I am sure there are other things as well. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Be Real

Exodus 33:14 - And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Philippians 4:8-9 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I John 1:5-7 - This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Dear God, thank You for helping me to tear down the walls I had up all these years. Sadly, most churches seem to love having the walls to hide behind and when someone comes in who is not afraid to tear down the walls, they seem to suddenly forget what their mission is which is usually to share You with the whole world. That is what I experienced at Oak Mountain. As soon as they found out I have autism, they tried to hide me from everyone. It not only hurt me, but it hurt those closest to me as they saw me hurting. I still pray that Tom and I will be able to reconcile one day soon. But at this point, there is no reconciling with Oak Mountain. The damage they inflicted runs too deep. They made it clear that no person with special needs will ever be welcome there let alone safe there. I do not hide behind walls because it is scarier to do that than to just be open. Help me continue to be real with others. Help me to continue to love others with the love You have loved me with. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

The Good Shepherd

Isaiah 26:7 - The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.

John 10:14-15 - "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."

Dear God, thank You for being the Good Shepherd who does protect me from harm and refuses to allow me to go astray and leave the flock. When Tom claimed he was a shepherd when he hurt me and yet also acknowledged that what his church had done to me was wrong but still allowed it to happen, I honestly do not believe that he fully grasped the fact that a shepherd does not harm any sheep either. But he evidenced that he would rather forget the injured sheep and leave it behind instead of trying to rescue it from danger. Grace? Not there. The evil one? Was in that church. They made it clear that autistic people and other people with special needs are not welcome there. A good shepherd cares for all the sheep that enter his fold, whether they are sick or injured or whole. They never let them fall off a cliff. So thank You, God, that You are not just a good shepherd but that You are the Good Shepherd. You care about all Your sheep. And You never exclude them or throw them under a bus. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

You Are Valuable

Luke 12:22-26- And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?"

Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Dear God, I am glad I am valuable to You, but sometimes I feel like I am not valuable to anyone, especially when the news keeps saying the republicans are back at their old game of hate for the sick who need insurance the most. They are still threatening to repeal the ACA because they hate the color of the president's skin. I finally have a chance at truly getting better so I can work at some point and the republicans want to destroy it before I even get it. It is not fair and it is not what YOU would desire at all. It goes against what You said in Matthew 25:31-46 when Jesus spoke about how to treat the least of these and how the way that they are treated is the way He is treated. I guess that means the republicans would even deny Jesus affordable acces to healthcare too. Scary. But they also don't understand that it is illegal under another law. Many people who have pre-existing are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the ACA, with the pre-existing conditions clause, further extends the rights under the ADA that have always been there but that insurers refused to allow until the ACA extended the extra protection to them. People like me who have private insurance and finally have more comprehensive plans finally have a chance of getting better and some of us may even finally have a chance to work at some point, even if just part time. But the republicans do not want to hear the truth, they cannot stand the truth. They do not care how many people they hurt. They just hate the president and have hated him ever since he took their plan and ran with it to still get it passed. Now, we see the plan the republicans have and it is nothing but repeal and screw the people who are disabled because of their pre-existing conditions. They apparently want us to die so we are no longer a burden to them. Well, I didn't fight all these years for nothing. I will fight against every single one of them. And if they cause me to lose my insurance, I will show up on their doorsteps and insist they must allow my family to move in with them because they caused a veteran and a disabled person to end up going bankrupt to medical costs caused by their disruption and if they refuse that they are committing treason against this country because they caused a veteran to become homeless. As long as the current president is in office, the ACA is protected territory, and like he said, we don't negotiate with terrorists. The republicans are already to shut down the government again if they can't repeal the ACA. Well, that is a breach of contract with the veterans and the disabled. And I think it is time that Americans enter into class action lawsuit against them for the damages they keep inflicting. Yes, I will know them by their fruit, and although they say they are Christians, their actions don't show it. Matthew 25:31-46. Which candidates in my area are for the least of these? Mark Lester and Parker Griffith and seems to be anyone but a republican this year. God, I am glad you value me though. That does make me feel better in light of all the negativity out there. Help me value myself more. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!