“but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3 NIV

Lord,

It was a hectic morning!  Help me breathe and relax a bit.

I made all-sorts of decisions…meal choices, grocery list, finance updates and so much more. I even readjusted my attitude a few times and somehow managed to face the unexpected.

Forgive me if I didn’t redirect my attention to your priceless treasures in your Word today. I do rush at times!

“Busyness” is the enemy’s tactic to distance myself from you. He is definitely crafty but I’m determined to have victory in Christ and flourish one day at a time.

Help me set time aside so I may pour out my heart, rest in you and be encouraged always. When I reflect on your teachings, it resets my mindset  and comforts me, and the Holy Spirit guides me throughout the day.

I want to stay close to you, Lord. Yes, I do!

Your Truth is my delight and brings joy to my heart.  

I love you, Father. I’m resting in your arms right now. I welcome your unfailing grace, and I’m embracing your never-ending love!

Let it be your will not mine.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Your beloved daughter Adriana

(make this prayer personal, replace the name with yours)

(Photo Credit: Alex Blajan)

Did you ever doubt God’s ability to transform your life?  I certainly did.

Be on alert. Our enemy is crafty and he uses people to plant seeds of doubt and steal our dreams.

In high school…

We had gathered outdoors in the patio for a short recess, and held an informal conversation about college application and scholarship opportunities with the school’s guidance counselor. Everyone was inspired about future possibilities and asked relevant questions. Staff acknowledged everyone’s concerns.  I was intrigued so I listened attentively. When our morning break ended, everyone rushed to their scheduled classes except me. I was unassured of the aptitudes needed to succeed in college so I solicited staff’s recommendations for a tentative career plan.

After a brief silence, she answered gently “I don’t see you in college…”

“Ugh? Did I hear correctly?” I silently asked myself, was downhearted then walked away in disbelief.

“Was I not good enough for college?” it repeatedly echoed in my mind.

Discouragement settled in my heart soon thereafter. I never inquired again about college admission, SAT prep courses or career choices. Unintentionally, the self-deprecating message ‘not good enough’ replayed in my mind intermittently for almost three decades.

I wrestled in learning the nuances of the English language when I relocated to the United States at a young age. Mom secured tutors for Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. She even enlisted me in a Reading Comprehension, after-school program in an attempt to boost SAT scores. I didn’t appreciate History or Science. I would easily be sidetracked or bored in classes or would lose interest on a subject matter (except the Arts). If you would have inquired about a career plan, I would have given you a list of character flaws instead. I sure hustled all the way until the last exam in graduate school. No subject matter or licensing board exam was effortless.

 “Academic life was ferocious!”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10 NIV

When we trust in God’s precepts, our minds are renewed and our souls are refreshed. Our God then rewrites the text of our lives leading us to unimaginable heights both in our personal and/or career dreams. (Psalm 18:24 MSG)

God is our strength when our flesh or hearts have failed. He never abandons us (Psalm 73:26).

I often prayed, “Lord, help me… I’m overwhelmed” He was my refuge and fortitude and He will always be.

God’s Grace is sufficient.

Dad loved me unconditionally, supported all of my career endeavors, and highlighted every strength, skill and ability he would notice. His enthusiasm and optimism played a key role in my career development. Because of Dad’s encouragement, I mastered academic challenges, and even earned ‘distinction’ at the end of graduate school. When I was undecided on my college major, Dad suggested piano performance. He envisioned his beloved daughter becoming an international, concert pianist. Nevertheless, the intensity of ‘performance’ anxiety in piano recitals and the demands of practice drills in preparation to Guild competitions were substantial.

“I sure miss daddy today!”

By breaking down challenging tasks into manageable action steps, developing effective study habits, and learning from past mistakes, I overcame hurdles in both my personal life and career development. God granted me the confidence to overcome insecurities, fear and doubt.

In Wilkes’ book titled “Jesus on Leadership”, he noted ‘God grants confidence to those who trust him. Divinely directed confidence is the certainty that God has created you, bought you through the death of His Son, and called you out to join in the worldwide mission of hope.’

I trusted Jesus to lead the way so I never lost hope and flourished in every leadership role I had. In Christ, my spirit was renewed every day, a steadfast character was built, and spiritual maturity evolved over the years.

The unexpected materialized twenty years later…

I poured freshly-made, Colombian coffee in a mug, grabbed the wireless, headphones out of the leather tote then rushed to the home office at sunrise, “Lord help me be alert, organized and articulate in today’s conference call”  I whispered to myself.

As I dialed the conference number, I meditated on His promise, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV). It had been five months since the initial meeting with the State Commissioner. I was astonished about the progress we had made so far in previous conference calls. I was also invigorated when the Commissioner’s genuine appreciation for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) was initially displayed.  ABA is a treatment modality for children and adolescents who are diagnosed with intellectual disability and/or pervasive developmental disorder.

Never in my wildest dreams, did I expect to be in a regional leadership role much less conversing with a State Commissioner at 8 a.m. on a monthly basis!

God’s vision is bountiful.

Even before we were ever conceived in our mother’s womb, our Creator fearfully and wonderfully equipped us for the future (Psalms 139:14). We are His masterpiece regardless of what others may think of us today. In Christ, the enemy is defeated. The Lord orchestrates all our circumstances to work together for our welfare. His plan always prevails regardless of our struggles, character deficiencies or self-doubt.

The Lord will do the same for you as long as your eyes are wide open to His truth, allow Him to capture your heart, and He will do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine.

Be ready to defeat the enemy along the way by claiming His Word upon enemy’s assault.

Abba Father, you are Holy, full of compassion and merciful.

An amazing God indeed!

We praise you for a new day filled with your grace, mercies, and filled with unlimited possibilities for our lives.

We come to you humbly with an open heart and embrace all of your precepts. We want to know you better, learn more about your character, and grow much closer to you.

Encourage us to read, reflect, and hide every Scripture in our hearts so we may always have wisdom and discernment when navigating thru confusion, turmoil or chaos, and conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel.

You are our Abba Father who provides and protects us. You are our only Savior, Deliverer, Healer, and most importantly the wisest Counselor who guides us thru the narrow path while we are finishing the good work you started in us.

We are rejoicing today as we stand firm on your Word. We celebrate your presence as You walk with us and we are forever grateful for the Peace and Hope We find in you alone.

We praise you for your never-ending Grace, forgiveness and faithfulness. 

We continue to nourish our souls with your precepts, renew our minds and set us free from strongholds. We are grateful for being the ‘chosen ones’ who were once lost yet convicted  by the Holy Spirit, and turned away from our sins and idols so we may serve you today and always.  

Help us to love others who may be difficult, maintain peace everywhere we go, encourage the disheartened, help everyone in need, be patient, strengthen our hearts so we may be blameless and holy in your presence, stand firm on your Word, and hold fast to your teachings. 

We want to be children of the light and children of the day today and always.

Deliver us from evil and protect us wherever we go. 

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

Kathy Bornarth is the founder of nacjw.com, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a published author who loves to journal!

In Kathy’s book titled, “Write Changes: Stories of Transformation Through Journal Writing”, you will find short essays addressing the benefits of journaling by ten different women including herself. Her published book was easy to read, informative and encouraging; it was 54 pages long. I highly recommend it for those who are considering journaling for the first time. Even though I have journaled in the past, Kathy’s book reminded me of the importance of self-examination and offered me fresh perspectives on the art of journaling.

Are you considering journaling today?

Creative Bible journaling, prayer and gratitude journaling are three of my favorite styles. I love to be colorful, worship God and have fun coloring Scriptures too!

There are so many ways to journal. It all depends on your needs and focus.

I’m about to learn more about ‘verse mapping’; it will probably be an extension to bible and scripture journaling. Kristy Cambron offers Verse Mapping 101; her two new journals on the book of Luke and Acts will be released in May 2018.

I have found journaling to be quite therapeutic in nature. The exercise of writing down personal thoughts and emotions provides clarity, insight, and self-awareness over time. When I engage in creative bible, prayer and gratitude journaling, I deepen my relationship with the Lord.

Voila!

It’s an excellent way to interact with His Word at sunrise or at sunset if you’ve got a full-time job.

If consistency is an issue just know it takes approximately 28 days to establish a new habit.

‘Therapeutic writing’ was popular in 1960’s. In mid 1980’s, Dr. James Pennebaker researched the impact of ‘expressive writing’ on trauma, and Kathleen Adams (1999) published an article titled, ” Writing as Therapy” and acknowledged the therapeutic benefits of writing in the healing process.

Newman added space for journaling after each devotional. Yes! it was an excellent way to navigate thru grief and loss. I’m still in the process of healing.

If you are in need of a journal, try the ‘sheic’ journals at sheicjournals.com. The colors are bright and perfect for any season. The size of the journal is convenient for a purse or tote, and it’s comfortable to carry all day long.

I just love the color of my new journal!