While it is normal for us to feel some anxiety and concern as we approach a new school year, today we choose to run to God and His Word.
1 Peter 5:7, says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
God, we cast every care, worry and concern for this upcoming school year upon you.Let us remember that You are on the throne.You reign over the heavens and the earth.You are Lord over all things.We ask that You dispatch your angels to cover our school buildings, our teachers, administrators, our children and over each family.
I pray Psalm 4:8 which says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord make me dwell in safety.”
May our teachers, students, parents and administrators feel peace as they lie down each night before bed.May they be confident that God goes before them each day.May they all experience sweet sleep as they trust in You.
Lifting Up Our Teachers & Administrators
Deuteronomy 28:12 states,“The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand.”
Lord, we give you our teachers, staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, librarians, principles and administrators.We ask that You bless the work of their hands.Please fill their hands in abundance with everything they need.Fill them with wisdom, patience, joy, strength, and understanding. Be everything they need in their body, mind and spirit.We lift up their families to you and ask that you invade them with Your goodness today.
Lifting up Students
Jesus, You are the Author and Finisher of our faith.You formed our children in the womb and You made them Your wonderful Masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
We pray that our children walk in their God-given calling.We thank you that you have prepared good works for them in advance.Thank you that our children do not need to strive or run breathlessly, but they can simply walk into their God-given destiny as they are obedient to You.
Help us as parents to love them and teach them about You.Remove every distraction of the enemy and the lure of this world.May they hear God’s voice above all and may they come to know You as Lord and Savior if they don’t already.
Lord, You are their good Shepherd who tenderly cares for them.May your hand be upon them each day as they go to and from school.May you hand select their friends.Bring the right people around them and keep them from all wrong influences.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
We ask that you give each student the mind of Christ and help them in their academic endeavors.May the grow in their mind, body and spirit and fulfill all that you have called them to do on earth. We rebuke every plan of the enemy and declare that only Your plans will prosper over them.We ask that you keep them under the shelter of Your wings (Psalm 91).
Welcome Holy Spirit into our Schools
Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Holy Spirit, invade our school hallways, classrooms, teacher lounges, bathrooms, playgrounds and every inch of our school’s property. We ask that You would put the right person, at the right time, in places of need. Where there is bullying, misunderstanding or evil intent, bring the right person, at the right moment, whether it be a person in authority or a student to handle and influence an atmosphere of peace in our schools.
So…let me start by sharing with you one of my FAVORITE Women’s Podcast – Be Still Be Free: www.bestillbefree.com If you are just hearing about this podcast – run over quickly and subscribe now, you’ll thank me later!
Monica and Sara are the real deal and each week they share truth, encouragement and God’s Word. I recently had the honor of being with them. I’d love for you to click on the link below and join in on our conversation on Emotional Wellness Part One & Two:
Most days you will find me in yoga pants and a t-shirt while driving carpool, changing diapers or preparing dinners for my family, but some days I have the privilege to counsel women, write and speak. This past Thursday was such a day where I was able to put on some cute shoes and share with hundreds of moms at Moms with Swords how GOD IS GREATER than fear, GREATER than our emotions, How God’s TRUTH exposes lies and deception, and how God longs for us to RECEIVE from Him each day…I like to say it this way, “God loves it when we take from Him!”
So, for the days when you feel overwhelmed with your to-do lists and the stress of life is coming down on you – take a few minutes with me to listen because GOD IS GREATER!
May Jesus bless you as you listen or watch today:
This past Thursday was week 6 of our Spring 2017 session: ESTABLISHED with special guest speaker Tracy Hurst.
You can also go to our website and click on Week 6 to hear Tracy Hurst: at www.momswithswords.com/podcasts to listen – Remember to click on Week 6 to hear Tracy!
OR you can watch live on Youtube:
“MWS Established, Week 6 with Tracy Hurst-
“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Quiet strength, Discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
Colossians 3: 12-14, The Message Translation
Ask any woman and she will tell you that a simple black dress will take her just about anywhere in life. For example, throw on a black dress, add a pair of high heel shoes and ‘hi-ho-hi-ho’ off to work you go. You can run errands around town by sliding into your favorite pair of flip-flops. You can enjoy a formal evening out by placing a strand of pearls around your neck. Not to mention that as you dash around town in this all-purpose black garment, you will look simply elegant! Every woman needs a go-to black dress.
However, when we enter our closets each morning, we typically select our outfit based on a mood, habit or inspiration. Psychologies Magazine states, ” Clothing choices are rarely neutral, and our inner secrets can be read in our choices.”
What many of you may not know is that God is interested in what we wear, spiritually speaking that is. He has picked out some articles of clothing that He believes are essential for every believer’s closet. So, let’s do some inventory shall we? Would I find the following items within your spiritual closet: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive?
I will admit to having most of these, yet I seem to wear the same things over and over again! For example, I regularly wear a shirt of compassion, slacks of forgiveness and shoes of kindness, but I often pass by the jacket of discipline! If we are all honest, there are probably a few of the mentioned garments listed above that we have a hard time putting on…which one is it for you?
But, there is one all-purpose garment (like that essential black dress), which God states we are NEVER to be without:
LOVE is the one piece of clothing we need to be wearing at all times – no matter the season, predicted weather forecast or agenda of our day. The garment of love is to be extended to others, ourselves and to God. It is the garment that will bring success our way no matter what. So go ahead and wear your black dress, but don’t forget to put on some LOVE to go with it! I promise you that with that combination – you will look fan-tab-ulous!
Prayer: Lord, I want to wear what you have picked out for me today. I choose to place upon myself this day: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, I desire to be even tempered, content with second place and quick to forgive, but importantly I choose to walk in love. By choosing to wear the articles of clothing listed above – I am dressed for success. Thank you for loving me this day. Amen
“God will show me the path of life; In His Presence is the fullness of joy; At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 NKJV
*Lately, I have been on a quest to add more fun into my life. I realized that I needed additional fun when my husband and I went to see a romantic comedy at the movie theater and after the movie I could not control the tears that ran down my face. My husband looked at me totally perplexed (ladies, you know the look), he assumed that after viewing a fun, romantic comedy, I would feel encouraged and uplifted, but instead a deep sense of sadness filled my heart. I felt as if I was “missing out,” that everyone else was having fun, except me (do you hear the violin playing? LOL). And so began my quest for FUN!!!
The next day my husband and I sat down and made a list of the things we considered, “fun.” Of course, our lists were completely different! My husband, who is a ex-paratrooper and Golden Knight for the Army, listed various adventures, such as: jumping from planes, mountain biking, getting his pilots license, watching Brave Heart and Blackhawk Down. My list consisted of things such as: more girlfriend time, dinner parties, buying new shoes and travel.
So my husband began watching his war movies, doing his “guy stuff” and I bought some new pair of shoes (sorry honey), met girlfriends for coffee and together we hosted a few dinner parties, but these activities DID NOT SATISFY our desire within.
Finally, one morning during my quiet time with God, I asked Him why we were having such difficultly implementing fun into our lives?
Then God led me to Psalm 16:11:
“God will show me the path of life; In His Presence is the fullness of joy; At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
The truth is, nothing on earth will bring us eternal joy. Don’t get me wrong, a mountain bike and new shoes are great, but both will eventually end up in the junk yard!
The truth is, we were looking for fun in all the wrong places! Only the Lord can provide the JOY that can satisfy your soul. Fun is fleeting, but JOY is eternal.
EXTREME JOY is only found in God’s Presence, JOY is seeing God bring breakthrough and healing into people’s lives, JOY is telling people about Jesus and how good HE is!!
As Psalm 16 sank into my spirit, a smile spread across my face. I found what I had been longing for in the Word of God.My quest had been fulfilled! That following weekend, my husband and I hosted a Bible study and I sensed God’s Presence in our home. As I looked around the room I thought to myself, “NOW THIS IS FUN!”
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for looking to the world to bring joy and satisfaction into my life. Nothing this world offers can bring me eternal peace. It is only in Your Presence that I am filled with supernatural joy. And this joy is not dependent on my circumstances. I choose to no longer look for fun in all the wrong places, for it is only in Your Presence that I am filled to overflowing! Amen.
*A Published Article by Tracy Hurst, “Atlanta Christian Chronicle”, June, 2004
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in TRIUMPH IN CHRIST, and through us manifests the fragrance of His knowledge in EVERY PLACE. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Are there days when you “feel” totally defeated? And are there times when your circumstances sometimes pile on top of you to the point that you can barely breathe? Well, no matter what you are facing – God will lead you to triumph in Christ!
Let me encourage you today:
Do not give up. Do not lose sight of who you are and to whom you belong. You are the righteousness of God. You are His beloved child. You are an over-comer in Christ Jesus. No weapon formed against you can prosper. Every idle and dishonest word that is spoken against you, God will condemn. You are the apple of God’s eye. He formed you in your mother’s womb. You are not forgotten and never forsaken. You are above and not beneath. You are the head and not the tail. The blessings of the Lord will chase you and overtake you. What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn it around and use it for your good. Our God is willing and able. He is your healer. He is your Abba Father. He is your provider. He is your vindicator. He is mercy. He is grace. He is love. He is EVERYTHING you need!
What is that “place” you need victory in today? If you allow Him, Christ will lead you to triumph in that very place. And as you walk out this victory, God’s fragrance will manifest around you. Whether you realize it or not – People watch you and they know something is different about you. They notice the smile on your face even through you are walking through the greatest trial of your life. They see a peace resting over you that no words can describe. And according to the scripture above – they will also see you TRIUMPH in EVERY PLACE!
Smith Wigglesworth (one of my faith heroes) said it well: “Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs come only out of great trials. Every stumbling block must become a stepping stone. And every opposition must become an opportunity.”
Prayer:
“Lord, You lead me in triumph in every place of my life. You will not leave me in the valley of the shadow of death. You send your rod and staff to comfort me and you will pull me out of the pit of destruction. Many will see my life and give praise to Your Name. You are Jesus. Your Name is above every name. This situation that I am walking through must bow its knee at your Word. I declare triumph. I declare Your fragrance be manifest in my life. Thank You for your love and mercy. I worship You Jesus. You are everything I need.” Amen.
Tracy became a Christian at the age of 16 and her life was changed forever. She went from being a depressed, suicidal, rebellious teenager to a dynamic leader for Christ. Immediately after accepting Jesus as her Savior, Tracy fought the school board in order to begin a Bible study on school grounds at her high school in Illinois. The dramatic transformation in Tracy's life has inspired many, including her own mother, to give their lives to Christ.
