“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”
Deuteronomy 4:7 NIV
Good morning from the City of Southern Charm! One thing I have noticed since Hurricane Michael hit has been the beauty of our City lies not only in what is visible in the surroundings, but also in the hearts of the people who live here. It’s amazing how grateful people are despite their extraordinary losses. In a world that seems to promote the wrong values, the attitudes of the people who live here are refreshing! I’ve heard very few people complaining. Usually when I ask someone how they are doing since the storm, they reply “I’m thankful and blessed to be alive”. That’s how I feel too. There have also been many people from all over the country here trying to help with restoring power, maintaining order, responding to emergencies and providing food, supplies and shelter. All these people are doing business here in the businesses that are able to open. Good can come out of bad.
Today’s Try Something New Tuesday. Every Tuesday I ask my staff “what will you try?”. I’ve heard some serious and some silly responses over the years. It can be difficult to think of something new, because it requires us to extend ourselves beyond our normal routine and to think outside of the box. I have to admit, sometimes I find it hard to think of something new. While I was at the conference, I bought a book, which I already had a digital copy. The book is small enough to fit into my bag and I can carry it wherever I go. It’s called “The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word” and it’s written by Joyce Meyers. What makes the book special is the contents have a list of emotions, issues and blessings that you can look up by topic. For example, you might look up civic duty with the election at hand. When you turn to the pages on the subject you will find scripture based on the topic. I gave it a try yesterday. Amazing! Yesterday, I looked up contentment. I prayed using the scriptures from this little book. What will you try?
I would like to encourage Americans to exercise their right to vote. Often people take this opportunity for granted. Pray about your decision and vote. Christian values have been lost in recent years and your vote really does make a difference.
Have a wonderful day and try something new! God Bless You.
Over the past few months at work I have had the opportunity to write stories about local businesses for both local newspapers. It’s a way to promote businesses in a small town. I love writing, so I was excited about the opportunity from the very beginning, but knew that it would be additional work for which I would be responsible. In other words, I have the same amount of work plus this new assignment. Yet, I have not once hated or dreaded working extra late or early. You might wonder why. The reason is, I have been given a gift to see people in a different light. An hour of talking with someone who would normally visit my office for an unwanted permit has changed me as a person.
cried with him as he revealed his story of how God turned his life around and how promising his future has become. I interviewed a couple who had recently lost an adult child. I spoke with two ladies that God brought together as business partners to help autistic children, and one lady who added to her husband’s business, while he was out-of-town, a ladies boutique called “Mustard Seed” because of her faith in God. I interviewed a lady who went out on her own and opened a business to make others feel better about themselves, and a lady operating her business while caring for two aging parents. That’s just a few of the many touching stories.
Are you having trouble forgiving someone? Do you find yourself facing the same old aggravating stuff with that person all the times? Have you thought to yourself, how many times do I have to put up with this mess? When Peter asked Jesus how many times, I feel pretty certain he wasn’t expected to be told 490 times. It makes me chuckle to think of this conversation taking place, because I know I’d being saying “What?”. Yet, how many 
times has God forgiven us? For me it has been more than 490 times. In fact, it’s been more that 4,900,000 times. It’s so nice to be loved and forgiven. It is important to treat others well, even when there is something that really aggravates you. It is equally important to forgive yourself.
Yesterday morning I woke up hardly able to move. The weather has been rainy and it takes a toll on my joints. I was so tempted to go back to bed, but I knew that I had a commitment to teach Sunday School. So, I got ready and left early for church with my husband. In retrospect, after I started getting ready, I felt better. So, I sat down in the pew, said a prayer and pulled out my sermon journal. I’ve been keeping notes the last few weeks just to reflect on. That’s when I looked up to see our minister. He said “I need help” looking into my eyes. I responded “with what?” His mother has been unwell and I had told him that I was willing to help him anytime. He said “with everything”. Wow! You know what that means. I said “I’ve never done that.” That wasn’t a problem, he was willing to walk me through it.
