A Grief Observed

God is closest to those with broken hearts. – Jewish Saying

  It’s been a year. 365 days. 52 weeks. 12 months. 365 days of grieving my mother’s death. 52 weeks of missing my writing sounding board. 12 months of monthly trips to Pennsylvania. You see, I have felt lost without a mother, but my daddy is the real hero here. He’s had 365 days of living alone. 52 weeks of missing his sweetheart. 12 months of try to adjust to his “new normal” life.

For the first time in 60 years he:

• Celebrated Thanksgiving alone
• Attended baby granddaughter Emily’s wedding alone
• Celebrated Christmas alone
• Stayed in “their” special Southern Ohio inn
• Didn’t buy a valentine
• Had cataract surgery
• Turned 80
• Attended church conference, youth camp and family camp alone
• Drove out (400 miles) – alone -- to see me 
• Had a son get a sarcoidosis diagnosis
• Watched that son go through life-threatening complications from meds 
• Had carotid artery surgery 
• Selected birthday cards for us kids
• Washed clothes (and yes, things turned pink)
• Ironed shirts
• Fixed his own Sunday morning breakfast
• Drove 25 miles to church every Sunday
• Matched his own daily wardrobe
• Missed telling his bride, “Pick out a flower bouquet for the dining room table.”
• Interpreted doctor’s orders alone
• Kept the house spotless

     His road of grief has seen many tears. It’s held hard, hard days. Sorrow has filled his mind and heart. Yet my daddy’s faith still holds. The core of who he is hasn’t changed. He’s still faithful to God’s house, cares deeply for the pain of others, and maintains his integrity unwaveringly. 

                 

     Unlike what many think, grief does not magically end at the end of a year. Often the finality of death is just beginning to sink in, while the loneliness intensifies. I believe Jesus continues to look for people to be His hands and feet for the grieving. People to visit, text, and call. People to brighten a day with a card or a sweet treat. People to sit down, cease their chattering, and just listen.

    The bottom line: From last November to this November, I’ve learned just how lonely “lonely” can be – and how big a hero my daddy is.

5 Steps to Know God More Deeply

The man who would truly know God must give time to Him. -A. W. Tozer

Rain, ground-soaking, refreshing rain.

I walked outside for a few minutes, just to watch and breathe deeply of the freshness. As I watched, I was reminded of a verse I read recently:

Let my teaching fall on you like rain;
Let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass,
Like gentle showers on young plants (Deut. 32:2).

While watching the ground soak up the rain, my thoughts gravitated to the desire of soul-soaking rain. I want to study His attributes more so I am daily learning more about my Heavenly Father, His holiness and the holiness He requires of us (not to be confused with man's definition).

My heart is ready to soak up the rain of God's teaching. I'm passionate about my desire to know more of God. The problem with passion is that sometimes it's all over the place. Being intentional focuses me, creating more of a tunnel vision, reducing distractions that prevent me from getting more accomplished. 

Here are my five steps to living an intentional life of knowing God more deeply.

1. Open Your Heart

Daily open your heart to God, asking to learn more of His attributes and, through them live more like Him. A Christian's main purpose is to know God. It is God who birthed this goal in us. This is a prayer God loves to answer.

2. Take Action
Ask yourself, "What one action can I take today to further my purpose of knowing God?" Without neglecting the Bible -- the best source to know God more -- are you reading Christian Living books, biographies of spiritual giants, or connecting with a mentor? 

3. Use your Bible
It's good to use devotional material, but it doesn't take the place of digging in the Word. Does your devotional mention a particular verse? Find it in your Bible. Does your devotional book include suggested verses to read? Read them. If you are studying the omnipresence of God, search for verses like, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3).

4. Write it down.

There's joy in looking back over what God teaches us. Write down verses and quotes, and journal about the ways you've seen God's omnipresence in your life. Ask yourself how you can personally apply what God is teaching you.

5. Daily Evaluations
Look back over your day. Did you pursue your purpose? Do you know God more deeply today than you did yesterday? On those days when life takes over, replace the frustration with praise God for who He is, while reviewing His attributes.  

The deepening of your desire will only be achieved if we are intentional and faithful to pursue it. As God's gentle showers fall, my heart is watching, breathing deeply of the freshness, renewing my passion to know God more fully. I've turned my umbrella over, put on my galoshes, and I'm heading out to dance in the rain.

The Chaos of Life

God's end is to enable me to see that he can walk on the chaos of my life just now. ~Oswald Chambers

There I was huddled in bed, one cold pack on the back of my head, and one over my eyes. The heating pad across my shoulders. I wasn't sure why everything was turning black when I tried to get up, or why I was shaking and my teeth chattering. A quick check of my sugar level answered the question -- 524, certainly higher than the 110 I aimed for.

I was distraught. There were writing projects to complete, a leadership conference to attend, speaking scripts to write, and my house was screaming for some loving.

As I lay there in the dark, my God began to calm me, helping me release the conference from my heart and gripping hands, silencing the dust bunnies playing tag on top of every surface, and helping me change some self-imposed deadlines. It was God walking on the chaos of my life. He wasn’t tiptoeing; He was embossing His footprints on my chaos. 

With my doctor doing some medicine-tinkering, my sugars are near to normal. My writing projects are all delivered. And through all the chaos, God has walked with me, encouraging, calming and blessing in spite of the chaos.

Women with Intention

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Titus 2 Tuesday

Intentional Tuesday

How Full is Your Prayer Bowl?

Prayer is...like sitting down at a table that God has prepared for us. He says, "I have everything you need today - all the grace, all the wisdom, all the provision that you need - but sit down at the table and eat. Don't be so rushed and so busy and try to live without My supply." Jim Cymbala

Prayers in Golden Bowls 

Imagine your prayers, rising from bent knees and bowed head, ascending to the throne of God. He holds out a golden bowl and the prayers gracefully settle into it, leaving a sweet fragrance from earth to heaven. That's what happens when we talk to our Father. My prayers mingle with the prayers of my father, pastor and friends. The collective fragrance doesn't come close to the exquisite perfumes we splurge on today. Nothing could prepare us for the glory of its scent.

Prayer. It is that magnificent, that important and yes, that necessary. So many of us get hung up on prayer. We don't practice it consistently, our words stumble over each other and embarrass us, we wonder, Is prayer important? Won't bad things happen even if we pray?

Communion with God

Prayer is communion. Communion with the Creator, God the Father through Jesus, the Son. We can come boldly before His throne with all the things we wish to share with Him. It doesn't need to be profound. We just have to be aware, authentic and full of assured faith. Just like with our friends -- we share all our most intimate secrets, our dreams, our plans. That's what God wants to share with us. He doesn't want the stench of hurried, demanding prayers. He wants our love for Him to show in our praises, our faith in Him to sit perched on top of requests and our silence to whisper "tell me more" in our listening.

Children of God who sit in rose gardens, prison cells or in a hut in India add to my own prayers --scented prayers, each as fragrant as the other. Saints gather in stained glass cathedrals, in humble chapels or hidden rooms in third world countries, and all churches in between the three, offering collective voices. It makes me wonder how sweet Heaven smells on the Sabbath with each congregation sending prayers heavenward. Do the bowls overflow?

We are flawed and sometimes fail, but God still accepts the prayers as they leave our lips. Our prayers pass through the nail printed hand of Jesus as He pleads--intercedes--for us. "For," the Bible tells us, "there is only one God, and one mediator, also between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus" (1Timothy2:5). God delights in the sweet smell. He whispers, "I delight to grant your wish," when our request will bring glory to Him. Sometimes God whispers, "Not now, my daughter, it's not the right time." Then there are those hard times when the soft words are heard clearly in our soul, "No, this is not my will."

God Knows Our Hurts

It is in the "no" times that God sends the Holy Spirit to minister to us. Our tears may still flow, but the comfort of the Spirit soothes, embraces and helps us to understand the "no" in light of the Father's will.

When we rise from our closet place we have the assurance our prayers were pleasing to God. And in the depths of our hearts we know it is time to face life again. We gained our strength from the Father who revels in our scented prayers -- yes, even preserving them in golden bowls -- from Jesus the Son, sitting at the right hand of the Father pleading our case, and from the Holy Spirit who gave us comfort. The beautiful heavenly Trinity taking part in our human prayers.

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My Children are His!

Guest Post by Tracey Thornton. We are focusing today on praying for our children. School is beginning, students are headed off for college -- let's pray for them. Add your child in the comment section so we can all pray for each other's children. Sons (and daughters!) are a heritage from the LORD (Psalm 127:3).

If you are a parent, you know about worry. We want to trust God, but it's easy to get bogged down in everyday life, and in being human Lately, I have let stress and worry about my children eat away at me til I've been worn down to a pathetic useless frazzle. It's my own fault. When we take our eyes off Him and start looking down at the waves, we will sink every time. Today I was reading an article and one sentence jumped out at me: "Children crave their parents’ attention because it makes them feel known—deeply and intrinsically” (Mia Mauss).

I hope and pray my children feel that I know them. Divorce rips apart families and no matter what, the children always lose. I can't undo the damage. I can't fix it for them. Those of you that have intact families, thank God for it. Don't waste that precious gift. Don't take it for granted. Make the most of it. I never thought it would happen to me or my children. It was not my choice, and not having my children with me for ANY amount of time has NEVER been my choice. It would be very easy to be bitter and just abandon hope. I've been at that heart wrenching, completely broken, point so many times. 

I would like to be able to tell you that God always bails out the children and they are protected from the pain and loss. But that isn't true. Mine have suffered great loss, they still do, they always will. I've fought, struggled, cried, prayed, beat down heaven’s doors, but in the end, I can't make it be the way I want for my children. They live in a sin-cursed world, just like me, and will always suffer because of the choices of others. It's not fair. It just isn't. It is reality.

But, I choose not to be bitter. I choose HOPE! I know that we love and serve a big God and that He is more than able to bring my children through and home safe to Heaven. He will even bring them joy in this earthly life! He loves them far more than I even do. He knows everything that has happened to them, every heartbreak, every triumph, every battle, every joy. He knows and He cares. He won't let them fall. He said He wouldn't and I believe Him! All the good and all the bad that has happened to them, HE alone, can work it all towards their good. That is His promise!

I have one right now that is pretty angry with God and has chosen not to believe in Him. He knows that and He loves them anyway. He knows their heart and soul and every single heartbreak they have suffered. He knows the pain and anger and anguish that has surrounded them. But more than that, He has a redemption for them -- JOY for them. I'm praying, I'm trusting, I'm believing that God will take this that we have created and redeem it. He has loaned my children to me for a little while, but they are HIS!

So today, I'm letting go of the stress, the fear, the guilt, the constant worry that breaks down my soul and shatters my heart. I'm letting go and grabbing hold of JOY. I’m trusting in a God who cannot fail! I’m resting in His big, powerful, sheltering, loving hand and putting my four beautiful children right there with me.

by Tracy Thornton 

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Finding Joy in the Everyday

When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy (Psalm 94:18-19).

Do you feel it -- that tightening in your chest that makes you think medical attention is eminent? That uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach when you think of your to-do list? Those tears when you think of those you love going through hard trials? The shadow that hovers over your heart as you deal with grief?


My “Everyday” this week encompassed all of those. Physical issues, writing deadlines looming, mixed with entertaining preparations, a continuing grief, and friends coping with cancer, empty nests, and frightening physical diagnosis.

But as I began my day I realized that while my heart is aches, frustration sits with tenacity in my stomach, heart shadows creep closer, my body wants to curl up without moving, I can still be joyous! 

The Psalmist asked God: Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14). This is the satisfaction that comes with beginning our day with God. Satisfaction from reading the love letter He left for us. Satisfaction from conversation with our Best Friend. Satisfaction from listening to worship music. It is out of this satisfaction that we can find joy in our “Everyday.”

Joy in the clear amber of my iced tea.

Joy in an egg casserole, RB-style.

Joy in a successful morning of writing.

Joy in lunch in a “hole-in-the-wall” diner.

Joy in West Virginia peaches, corn-on-the-cob, and cherry tomatoes from a vegetable stand.

Joy in a refreshing nap.

Joy in texts and laughs from my teacher daughter.

Joy in anticipation of family togetherness.

You see, I could let life irritate and overwhelm me – and I almost did. But I was reading Psalm 41 when verse eight stopped me. “I take joy in doing your will, my God.” God’s will is for us to live the “Everyday” with joy.

Joy when we’re not feeling well.

Joy when we don’t have enough hours in our day.

Joy when we stand at a loved one’s newly laid grave marker.

Joy when we are bearing others’ burdens.

Because when we choose joy, we find it waiting in every moment of our day, around every corner we turn, in every activity. Too often we use joy and happiness interchangeably. Nobody is happy with pain, happy when grieving, happy that our friends are suffering, happy with more work than hours. But joyful? Yes, for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

In the midst of a week of difficult circumstances, I found joy in my “Everyday.” 

 

Of Promises and Storms

A promise from God is a promise kept. These are His promises and His unbreakable commitment to keep them. Sheila Walsh

The lemonade stand is simply adorable -- crafted from scrap lumber by their daddy. Their momma designed and printed out the adorable swag sign. The kids…even the tiny boy…meticulously cut each piece. The oldest made cookies; the girl lettered with chalk. They all painted. The yard sale was set up and they were ready for business. Then there were rumblings in the heavens and drops of rain -- everything had to be covered. Ugh -- Ethan, Landon, Morgan and Camron took cover until the rain stopped.

This was a small storm, but bigger storms are on the way to interrupt their lives -- and I'll want the rain to stop, the thunder to cease. Storms like grief, disappointment, physical pain and lost hope. I can't prevent it, their Pawpaw can't, and neither can their parents.

But I know One who can -- Jesus can make sure the sun shines all the time. Even though He knows in advance that the storm is on its way, He will not necessarily replace it with the sunshine.

Dr. David Jeremiah said, "When Jesus and the disciples shoved off from the shore that day, He knew the storm was coming, yet He didn't prevent it. Why? First He knew He would be with them. Second, He knew that a life without turmoil has no real meaning, no real faith."

We will face storms all our lives. Children and teenagers will face different storms from those of their parents and grandparents, but they will be just as real and unsettling to them. Many times they aren't exterior storms, but inner storms of stress, shame, unhealthy relationships, eating disorders or peer pressure. Here are six promises for your children and teens to carry when life seems to darken and Satan’s unsettling storms surround them.

1. Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:17

2. Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

3. Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. 1 Peter 5:7

4. What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. Romans 8:18

5. Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

6. If your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return. 1 Peter 1:6-7

Fashion Blunder Surprise

Friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine. Oh, what blessed sweet communion! Jesus is a friend of mine. ~Joseph C. Ludgate

I had lunch with a friend today. One of those friends I can connect with in an instant. Between her schedule and my schedule it's been a long time coming. We laughed, we talked, we connected. It was just what I needed.

Eleanor is a fashion guru and she looked stunning as always. I thought I was pulled together okay.  I matched, navy in my top matching navy in my skirt.  Shoes went with the outfit. That's about as much as guru-ish as it gets with me. 

And then, after lunch I got out of the car at Michael's and looked down to discover my "pulled-together-okay" was suddenly not-so-okay. My skirt was as black as midnight. Which is what happens when you have the same skirt in two colors and you get dressed in a darkish bedroom. 

The best part of it? Eleanor didn't even notice! She just enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed hers. She wasn't intent on picking apart all the negative things about me. We could just "be."

I think God must desire that from His friends, too. To just "be." To spend time without the questions, requests, and yes, even whining. He wants us to laugh, talk, and connect. To be unconcerned about petty things, but just enjoy being with Him.

Tweet: God desires time with us. To just "be." Time without questions, requests, & yes, whining--to laugh, talk, connect... http://bit.ly/1eShzxC

Eleanor and I grieved with each other when our mothers died, have shared disappointments, and carried each other's heartaches. God has cared for me like a father and encouraged me through life's hard times. But sometimes, like today with Eleanor, we need to just enjoy the friendship.

Saturday Soire

Christian Mommy Blogger

Radiant with Joy

When we acknowledge our need for help, God will help us. ~Ben Carson


Her face is lustrous, glowing with a brilliance which does not come from a bottled cosmetic. Francine Rivers is someone whose bright eyes and joyful smile beckoned me each day I sat in her classes and joined her at lunch. I didn't want the week to end. 

Does Francine Rivers' glow come from her RITA awards, her induction into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, or the feature-length film version of her novel, The Last Sin Eater? Her novels have been translated into nearly thirty different languages, but even that doesn't produce her glow.

I believe her shining countenance comes from Psalm 34:4, Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy. Francine wrote for the secular market before Christ saved her. She realized she wasn't writing edifying material and worked hard to make sure none of the titles would be reprinted. 

She looked to Him for help --

Help to deal with a three year writer's block after her salvation.

Help to face her past abortion and to write The Atonement Child.

Help each day while Francine writes as a form of worship, challenging her readers to draw closer to God.

If you desire your face to be radiant with joy, go to God for help in facing each trial and opportunity God brings your way. Help for the grief in losing a loved one, or sadness dealing with the sins of one you love. Help with the pain in rejection or lost dreams. Help with fear as you step out in the ministry God gifted to you. 

 Look to God for help and your radiant face will draw others to the God who gives us joy. 

 

Anxiety or Confidence?

Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength -- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. Corrie ten Boom

The above quote by Corrie ten Boon grabbed me -- Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. How many days have I lacked strength because of my worrying?

Do any of you play the "What If" game? What if RB died, what if one of the grandchildren were abducted, what if Shawn or Jonathon fell off a roof, what if one of the girls had a serious illness...

Leslie's section on "Take Fearful Thoughts Captive" -- especially this directive -- spoke to me:

We may not be able to keep fearful thoughts from entering our minds, but we can kick them out the moment they arrive so that they don't take root inside our hearts and control our lives.

Tweet: Do let anxiety take root in your heart. Think on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. #ourshelteringtree 


These are the steps she gives for abolishing fearful thoughts:

1. Fill your mind with truth. Memorize some of the Psalms (She suggests Psalms 27, 34, 37, 46, 91, and 112).

2. Pray for someone else. Prayer for others...turns us outward instead of inward.

3. Ask God for strength to take authority over fearful thoughts.

4. Train your mind to dwell on His truth. (I love using the Philippians 4:8 list God tells us to think on: Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 

5. Develop the habit of immediately saying no to the Enemy's foreboding suggestions. 

Proverbs 31:25 says: Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. Make sure your fashion statement includes strength and dignity. Wear a smile, and chase your anxiety away.






#livefree Thursdays

3-D Lessons for Life

Decreasing...so God can Increase

If my thoughts revolve around myself...then I know nothing of Calvary love...If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or twentieth)...then I know nothing of Calvary love. ~Amy Carmichael


Self-promotion or self-denial...in Leslie's words, "we can easily become preoccupied with drawing attention toward ourselves instead of humbly pointing people to Jesus Christ."

As RB's musical talent became more and more apparent, his mother's mantra was, "Keep your talent dedicated to the Lord." I find even in my writing, I need to remember these words. While my mission statement expresses, "My ultimate goal is to inspire positive change in family, colleagues and readers through verbal and nonverbal development of Christ-honoring media," I need to keep every word dedicated to God. 

Questions to ask ourselves:

1. Am I doing this for God's glory or for my own applause?

2. When people observe this part of my life, are they drawn closer to Jesus, or are they merely impressed with me?

God blessed us with our talents. Charles Spurgeon said, "There is no beauty in any of us but what our Lord has worked in us." When we take the credit, we are counterfeiting what is His. The Psalmist said, You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you (Psalm 16:2). When we get out of the way and acknowledge God's goodness, it is God who shines through us.

Oh, I want to let Him shine!

Delighting in the Holy

Remember that it is not hasty reading, but serious meditation on holy and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian. Thomas Brooks

I was away for a week. Only one week. Seven days. But when my littlest grandboy saw me, he jumped into my arms, hugged my neck, giving me an exuberant kiss on my cheek. Did I feel loved? Yes! Did I think Camron was delighted to see me? Yes! His sweet boy arms and excited “Mamaw” made my day!

So often God speaks to me through His favorite people – the little ones – the ones Jesus rebuked His disciples for sending away. The ones He gathered to Him and prayed blessings over. The ones who listened as He told story after story. 

God spoke, and I was left with the question, How excited are you to see me? Sometimes when I listen to the words of Scripture, I have to bring my wandering mind back. Sometimes I am blessed by the words I hear. But excited? Hug-your-neck kind of excited? 

It was in those moments I heard the promise of Ezekiel 37:5, I will breathe into your dead bodies and you will come to life. Don’t you just love how God speaks through Scriptures we have memorized as a child? Every promise comes with a condition. God can’t breathe new life into me if I’m not there to accept it.

So there I’ll be each day, Bible open or audio cued – waiting excitedly to hug on God, as I meditate on the holy and heavenly truths.  

Daughters of Mine, Daughters of His

The art of mothering is to teach the art of living to our children. 
                                      ~Elaine Heffner



These daughters of mine
Dressed in pink
Lavender rosebuds 
Or the yellow of sunshine

Hair in pink curlers
Carter knits underneath
White tights waitingWith black patent shoes

These things I think of
Memories so clear
Of mothering daughters
In smocking and lace

Yet under the fancy
Importance far more
These daughters of mine
Are daughters of His

Made in God's image
Birthed in His love
Clothed in His righteousness
Living in Him

Now their days pass
In beauty and grace
Still daughters of mine
And daughters of His 

Dressed for Battle

Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength. ~Oswald Chambers

Blogging is such an honor. I'm so often blessed just thinking about God calling me to this place. It's completely out of my comfort zone -- this laying my heart out for all to view.

There are so many bloggers I admire. It's easy to pick out the ones who blog with authenticity. And there are more than you realize. It would be impossible to mention them all, but Jennifer from Finding Heaven: Opening to Jesus, Finding Grace and host of the Soli Deo Gloria, wrote a post that spoke to me today. It's a short post and well worth reading. 

I suspect I'm not the only one who fights the enemy daily. Fighting the constant reminders of the times I've failed. This is how Jennifer wrote it, Doubt upon doubt, drop by drop, until I am awashed in a sea of unbelief and self-criticism. I know it's the devil reminding me of yesterday's failures and failures of years gone by. He wins when he can get me to relive the failures and keep me from living victorious.

Jen's urging of putting on the armor of God really will defeat the devil. God's Word promises, Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm (Ephesians 6:13-16).

The belt of truth
    The breastplate of righteousness
          Speedy shoes to tell the Good News of the Gospel
               The shield of faith
                    The helmet of salvation
                          The sword of the spirit

Satan fights when we are weary. He fights when life brings extra joys. He fights in the middle of the ordinary. I remember once years ago when the Enemy just wouldn't let up. I was weary of the battle. I started each day mentally putting on God's armor. It was amazing what happened. Satan could not penetrate the armor! 

Reading the truth
      Brandishing the sword by quoting Scripture 
          Praising God for my salvation
               Telling others about my God and the peace He gives
                    Claiming victory in faith
                          Doing all I can to be obedient to God

Dress in God's armor. March through your day and claim the victory! 

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