Well, we're officially heading into holidays this week and although holidays are good, they can be tough times for many people. So as you head into Thanksgiving week today, do you feel like you could use a little pick me up or a little hope? I love Thanksgiving but honestly, as I head into this one, I'm feeling overwhelmed and a little stressed. My schedule has been packed full for the last month (and, yes, I've done this to myself). I've been traveling, doing extra projects for church, projects at work, projects at home, I've been sick (wow, I hear a pretty good whine here). Anyway, I've crammed so much into the last month that as I'm coming into this week, I kind of feel out of it.
So as I'm having all these feelings and concerns last night, I got out my Bible to read ahead on our Powered by 4 readings for the week and think about my blog for today (Monday). As you know, we're reading in the Psalms. When I got to Psalm 46, God really spoke to me. Right off in verse 1 He gave me a great reminder that He is my refuge and strength--not me. That was definitely something I needed to read. But as I read on, it was verse 10 that jumped off the page at me. I've read and heard this verse tons of times, but I sure needed it last night. Here it is. "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" All I could do was stare at those words and say Sorry, Lord. I haven't been doing a very good job lately of being still before You. Please help me be more focused on You and You alone this week. So here I go, heading into a week filled with lots of family staying at my house, cooking for Thanksgiving day, etc. and I need to make sure that I seek God and put Him first before all of the holiday busyness and stuff. I'm determined to do it.
Have a great Thanksgiving. I'd love to hear what you are thanking God for this week. I'll tell you some things I'm thankful for when I blog again on Thanksgiving Day so if you get a chance to slip away from all the holiday craziness, check it out. In the meantime, though, how about joining me in asking God to help you focus on Him all this week? Holidays can be tough for lots of reasons, so let God be your strength, refuge and helper this week. Tami W.
Good morning.
Tami, i'll join you this week, and asking God to help me focus on Him this week. I'm Thankful for that He give me Eternal Life. I'm Thankful for that we have food to eat, a roof over our head, a bed to sleep on, clothing to wear, shoes to wear, most of all, JESUS give His Life for me and You. And the Holy BIBLE to read in. And lots of more stuff.
Urgent Prayer request: Please is there anybody who would like to PRAY for our Church?
Thanks ahead. May God Bless you
Take care.
Hi Tami:
Belated Happy Thanksgiving and also early Happy Thanksgiving. As a Cannuck I have already celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks ago. But as American Thanksgiving has not yet happened I’ll wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from both sides of the border.
What am I thankful to God for? There are a number of things. But one verse comes to mind. Psalm 20:7 tells us that “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
There seems to be nothing but doom and gloom in the news. The markets are down and we are bombarded by words like “Global Economic Uncertainty”. When I put my trust in the TSX (Canadian version of the DOW) or in my job, or in this great country that I live in I am trusting in the modern day chariots and horses. When I do that, and it is oh so easy to do, I am on shaky ground. In this time of uncertainly I am very thankful for a God who invites me to put my hope and trust in Him.
Happy Thanksgiving to Tami and the rest of our P4 community. A huge ditto to the other comments! I'm so thankful for God and the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word in my life. It has indeed changed me. My daughter (a freshman in college) is coming home tonight for Thanksgiving! So I'm thankful for that as well.
Hey Susanna, I'll pray for your church. May God use you and your church for His glory.
Hi Tami,
I've been away from Powered by 4 for a while but not out of the Bible. I've been in a Bible study which required daily readings and answering mega questions, at my church. The study was called Loved by God by Liz Curtis Higgs. It was awesome. I even got to lead some of the class-time. But, until we get going in the New Year, I'll be with you again day by day.
Psm 46 is a beautiful one telling us we have a God who is looking out for us and is "ever-preset." There is none other that we can count on in the world to be ever-present and always have our best interests at heart. I often ask God to wrap his arms around me and keep me safe from different things, even from myself at times.
This is the US Thanksgiving, I see another Canadian has blogged and mentioned that our Thanksgiving was earlier, in October. But, I hope everyday I remember to be thankful for all I have and for having a God that is my strength, ever-present help, is always with me, and that I must be still to know that God is there. I've quoted this before on here "Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God" Ralph Waldo Emerson. Don't you think God planned it this way so that his voice would be a whisper for the very reason that we have to stop and be still, step out of the busy world for a bit, to actually hear Him and commune with Him?
I was reading David's Psalm of Thanks in 1Chron 16:7-36 this morning. It is a beautiful passage of scripture that is perfect for this Thanksgiving holiday time in the US. "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of his wonderful acts. GLORY IN HIS HOLY NAME (my emphasis); let the hearts of those who seak the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always..." Glory in his holy name, isn't that just beautiful. Glory, glory! His is the King of our strength and the Lord of our lives. Give thanks to his glorious name.
Would you all pray for our fishermen who just started the lobster season here. The wind is fierce and I pray there are none on the water today. The catch is down and the price is low. This will have a severe economic impact on our local economy. I have two step-sons who are fishermen. It's dangerous work, no doubt about it. Their boats look like little corks bobbing in a huge ocean. I wouldn't want to be out there with them. Thanks so much for your prayers.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I loved the reading today (Psalm 46) because it reminded me that God is so much bigger than what man can do and He is over and above any natural disaster that can come upon the world. Even though we can't always see or understand why certain things happen it is comforting to know that I trust in the Creator of it all. There is great comfort and security in knowing that I matter to God and that He cares for every little thing going on in my life.
A praise report - I got the job I interviewed for last week! I have been unemployed for almost a month so it has been very stressful. I start middle of next week.
A prayer request! - Since being unemployed I have had time to dedicate to this study as well as just being in the Word in general. Once I begin working again I am afraid that I will be consumed with "stuff" and begin slipping. Please pray that I will continue to dedicate time to God each day as I know how valuable this is. It is a sad thing when we KNOW how powerful these times with God can be yet we still fall into the pit of finding other things to occupy our minds.
Thanks to all!!
Tonya
Susanna,
I prayed that your church would seek after the one true God ... and that you would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a peace-maker and encourager in your church.
Paula
Thank you all so very much for Praying, God will reward you for that. I'll also will Pray for your Prayer request, Mary, Tonya, and others. God's Blessing
Thank you for your prayers in my financial status. Please pray that I can stay on a budget like focus or a BUDGET MAP.COM instead of going in 360 degree circles. The Lord is GREAT if only we let go let GOD and put Him to the test for our best. Happy Thanksgiving to you all; Jeremiah 33:3.
well.. it's like I knew!