Jani Norman's Blog

SPOILER ALERT:  Elvis Presley did not live the the healthiest life. He may have tried illicit drugs at some point, and he was partial to a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. Now brave souls call that sandwich "The Elvis," and they wash it down with gravy.

There's some debate over whether Elvis also put bacon on his creation. There is also debate about whether he's still alive.

The first bite:

Eva: Yes, they're competing.

Ian: If we're talking about N'SYNC, this sandwich is definitely Joey Fatone.

Ian: I'd prefer my bacon on the side.

Eva: Elvis never had anything on the side. He just had another one of these sandwiches beside his sandwich.

Mike: I just don't see what the fuss is about.

Ian: Maybe Elvis liked his so much because he also put pills on his sandwich. Peanut butter, banana, bacon, and quaaludes. 

Ian: I think when you're a baby banana, you never think this is where you're gonna end up. I mean, you know you're going to get eaten, probably by a monkey, but not this.

Eva: Yeah, you at least think you're going to be healthy.

Mike: This is the being-found-passed-out-in-a-pile-of-garbage of bananas. 

Mike: The problem, really, is it's not gluttonous enough, by today's standards.

Eva: Back then it was probably shocking, but the Elvis of today would be eating much worse.

Mike: Yeah, this is probably served somewhere now as a healthy snack for kindergartners.

Triumph of the Spirit
Finding Peace and Purpose in a Chaotic World:
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« Recognize the Limitations of Who You Used to Be
We Choose Our Joys and Sorrows »
Do Not Take It Personally

By Phil Bolsta

"Forlorn Adia" by Robert E. Harney

Virtually everyone, no matter how horribly misguided they may be, believes that the way they conduct their life is the right way, the best way, and wholly consistent with the way they see the world.

Pardon him; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature.

George Bernard Shaw

Therefore, do not take every transgression so personally; the way someone treats you says far less about you than it does about them.

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Even though the act that needs forgiving involved you, it often is not about you. You were simply an obstacle in the way or a convenient vehicle used in the self-absorbed pursuit of a self-centered desire. If it had not been you, it would have been whoever else happened to be in front of them.

How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.

Wayne Dyer

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
 

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,  because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an
experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, is real. But only for a season.!

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life!

Daily Devotional
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God’s Way
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A Life Of Success
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September 11 2010
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I believe a life of success is built on those things that are of great value in the eyes of God. A life of success will exhibit signs of inner spiritual maturity – not outward signs of material acquisition.

The Bible repeatedly describes the behavior, beliefs and actions that will lead to a successful life. Some of the most notable marks of spiritual maturity and a level of true success in life include:
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An Ability to Love... Love is giving. Love flows from having received love and value from the Lord. Spiritually mature people are givers. They are motivated to help others succeed, even more than they want to benefit themselves.

A Joyful Outlook on Life... True joy is not rooted in the material trappings money can buy. Spiritually mature and successful people realize that, often, the “things” we think will make us happy don’t. True joy is rooted in an awareness of the greatness of God and the many blessings He showers on us on a daily basis. Joy flows from the inside out, and is not based on external things, people, or situations.

A Peaceful Spirit... Striving for “outward success” can keep us restless, always on the hunt for something to satiate our anxiety, fears, or unsatisfied yearnings of the heart. Genuine peace is a feeling of wholeness and calm that stems from knowing one is in right relationship with God. Spiritual mature people have a genuine peace that stays with them even when the world outside is falling apart.

Patience... Spiritually mature people realize that true success in anything is very rarely gained overnight. Success comes from being able to persevere, and when necessary, wait for the desired result. Spiritually mature people have learned that long-lasting fixes and cures take time, slow-cooked meals are generally far better than fast food. Rewarding relationships require patience and take time to build. Often, success is sweeter and more sustainable when it comes slowly!

Attitude of Kindness and a Humble Stance... True success carries an attitude of humility, courtesy, and respect for others. A spiritually mature person allows others to express their opinions and make their own choices -- while still being strong enough to express and make best decisions for their own good. Before God, the successful person meekly carries the attitude, “Not my will, but Your will, be done.”

Faith in God... The spiritually mature person leads a life of success by putting their trust solely in God. They realize that to trust oneself is folly, and to trust others without question is naïve. They recognize the sovereignty, wisdom, and divine direction of God, and apply His Holy Word to their life on a daily basis.

Self Control... The successful, spiritually mature person has developed willpower and restraint, seeking what is best for all involved, in the ways and times that are most beneficial and appropriate.

When we seek to develop these godly characteristics, we are well on our way to creating a life of success – God’s way!

Scripture Of The Day:
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"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." - Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Monday 8/30/2010
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 \  /  QUOTEMEAL from HEARTLIGHT     --     http://www.heartlight.org/
--\/------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 The life of faith does not earn eternal life: it is eternal
life.   And Christ is its vehicle.
 
 
I need the God who stands between me and the terrors of the night!
 
I don't just need that God Who quietly gazes down on my serenity, but I
also need the God Who stands boldly between me and the terrors of the
night and rescues me from a thousand devils in pursuit -- the One Who
may be disappointed when I fail to walk on the raging sea, but always
reaches down a gentle hand to lift me up.
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And he has so many times for me................
 
Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything
you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great
that we cannot understand it now,  but it will keep your hearts and minds in Christ.
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(Philippians 4:6-7 NCV).

Consider Your Ways
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August 26*****
 

Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins? [Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you.] You have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put them in a bag with holes in it.
—Haggai 1:4-6

Beginning in Haggai 1:2, we see a group of people whom God had told eighteen years previously to rebuild His house. They still had not been obedient to what He had told them to do; yet they didn't understand why their lives were in a mess. They wondered where the blessing of God was. After reminding them of their disobedience to His instructions, the Lord spoke to them the verses above.

Does this sound like anybody you know? How often have you heard someone say, "I just don't understand what's going on, God. I just don't understand." Now look at the answer in Haggai 1:7, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways
(your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared.

In other words, if you are not satisfied with what is going on in your life right now, maybe you should look back and let God show you how the ways we have conducted ourselves has affected what is happening to us now. We must be willing to change our ways if we want to receive His blessing. If we are willing to change from the previous and present conduct
that is holding back God's blessings, we can have greater victories than what we have ever had before.
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>>>>Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. It is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. We can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments. All of us constantly go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings.

>>>>>If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.

>>>>>What is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts, and this usually happens, when we do something we love to do or when we get, win, gain or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events.

>>>>For most people happiness seems fleeting, because they let changing outer circumstances affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.

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God's Vision for You
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July 21
 
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. 
—Jeremiah 29:11

God’s plan for the people of the nation of Israel was only for their good. Yet they wandered around in the wilderness for forty years on what was actually an eleven-day journey. Why? Was it their enemies, their circumstances, the trials along the way, or something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination in a timely manner?

God called the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt to go to the land He had promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—a land that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine—a land in which there would be no shortage of anything they needed—a land of prosperity in every realm of their existence.

But the Israelites had no positive vision for their lives—no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they did not know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen in the past or what they could presently see. They did not know how to see with “the eye of faith.”

We really shouldn’t view the Israelites with astonishment, because most of us do the same thing they did. We keep dealing with the same problems over and over again. The disappointing result is that it takes us years to experience victory over something that could have and should have been dealt with quickly.

I come from a background of abuse. My childhood was filled with fear and torment, and my personality was a mess! I built up walls of protection to keep people from hurting me, not realizing that while I was locking others out, I was also locking myself in. I was filled with fear, and believed that the only way I could face life was to be in control so no one could hurt me.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I did not know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone with a past like mine ever be all right? It’s impossible!

But Jesus had a different plan. He said, “The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me . . . to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity]” (Luke 4:18).

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free—and that included me. However, I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I really could be set free. I had to get rid of my negative thinking and replace it with a positive vision for my life. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present could determine my future. Only then could Jesus free me from the bondage of my past—and free me, He did. What a marvelous miracle!

You may have had a miserable past; you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly: Your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Most of the generation the Lord called out of Egypt never entered into the Promised Land. Instead, they died in the wilderness. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to a child of God—to have so much available and yet never be able to enjoy any of it.

Start believing that God’s Word is true. Mark 9:23 assures you that with God all things are possible. Because you serve a God who created everything you see out of the unseen realm (see Hebrews 11:3), you can give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work on your behalf. All you have to do is have faith in Him and believe His Word—He will do the rest!

Pray this...
 
Dear Father, I thank You for loving me and having a vision—a good plan—for my life. I pray that You will help me overcome any negative thoughts of problems, past or present, that come against my mind, and make my life what You want it to be.

Amen.

Everyday Answers:
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The Power of Hope
 
Hope is defined as "the happy anticipation of good things." As we are aggressively hoping for something good to happen to us? We should wake up in the morning excited and expectant about life? We can do that by learning how to celebrate and enjoy this journey called life.

Everything in life is a process in motion. Without movement, advancement and progression, there is no life. Once a thing has ceased to progress, it is dead. In other words, as long as we live, you and I are always going to be heading somewhere, and we should be enjoying ourselves on the way. God created us to be goal-oriented visionaries. Without a vision, we become bored and hopeless. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, according to Proverbs 13:12, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

There's something about hope that makes people lighthearted and happy. You're not going to be happy if you don't have hope. The more hope you have in God, the happier you become. Biblical hope is a close relative to faith. I don't see how you can have faith without hope because hope is the foundation on which faith stands. Hope believes everything is going to turn out all right—hope is positive! To enjoy life you must maintain a good, positive attitude. God is positive, and He wants positive things to happen to each of us, but that isn't likely to happen if we're not filled with hope and faith.

Some people are afraid to hope because they have experienced so much hurt and disappointment that they don't think they can face any more pain. They refuse to hope so they won't be disappointed. Disappointment is painful! Rather than being hurt again, they simply refuse to hope that anything good will ever happen to them. This type of behavior sets up a negative lifestyle. Everything becomes negative because their thoughts are negative. Proverbs 23:7 says, For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he....

Your Future Has No Room For Your Past!

Many years ago I was extremely negative because of the devastating abuse that had taken place in my past. The result was that I expected people to hurt me, and they did. I expected people to be dishonest, and they were. I was afraid to believe that anything good might happen. I thought I was protecting myself from being hurt by not expecting anything good to happen. When I really began to study the Word and trust God to restore me, I began to realize that all of my negativism had to go. In Matthew 8:13, Jesus says that it will be done for us as we have believed. I believed everything was negative, so naturally many negative things happened to me.

I needed to let go of the past and move into the future with hope, faith and trust in God. I had to get rid of the heaviness of despair, depression and discouragement. And I did, once I dug into the truth of God's Word! I found out that God is ...a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3). I began to turn my negative thoughts and words into positive ones! Now, I am not saying that you and I can get whatever we want by just thinking about it. God has a perfect plan for each of us, and we can't control Him with our thoughts and words. But we can think and speak in agreement with His will and plan for us. We can practice being positive in every situation that arises. Even if what is taking place in your life at the moment seems negative, expect God to bring good out of it as He has promised in His Word. You must understand that before your life can change, your attitude must change.

Hope is a powerful, spiritual force that is activated through our positive attitude. We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose (Romans 8:28). What Satan means for harm, God intends for good. All things work together for good for those who love God. Satan wants to hurt you and have you spend your life distrusting everyone because somebody hurt you when you were a child, while you were in school, in your marriage, on your job, etc. The list of who, what, where and how you can be hurt is endless. You have to say, "No! That is subject to change! I am a child of the living God! Something good is going to happen to me!"

[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). What this means is that after all the painful things that have happened in your past have come and gone, God still wants you to enjoy every single day of your life. This won't happen, however, until you make up your mind to take hold of the abundant life that Jesus' death and resurrection purchased for you. Until then, the devil will always try to take it away. Jesus said, The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows) (John 10:10).

You are a new creation. You don't have to allow the old things that happened to you continue to affect your new life in Christ. As a new creature in Christ Jesus, you can have your mind renewed according to the Word of God: And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:23,24). Things will change for the better when you keep your thoughts filled with hope.

Rejoice In Hope

The Bible is full of hope-filled promises for you and me. Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God (Romans 5:2). Good things begin to happen to you when you rejoice in the hope of experiencing God's favor on a regular basis. Luke 2:52 tells us that ...Jesus increased in...favor with God and man. You and I are introduced to the favor of God by faith. All of God's promises are activated by faith. We shortchange ourselves when we believe in Jesus but don't believe in His blessings. Believe that you walk in holiness and righteousness (see Ephesians 4:24), believe that you are anointed (see 2 Corinthians 1:21), and believe that you are blessed with every spiritual blessing as promised in Ephesians 1:3. Believe Romans 8:37 when it says you are more than a conqueror!

Everything that is promised in the Bible is for us to rejoice in now. Be glad! Raise your expectancy level. Rejoice in the hope of experiencing God's glory right now. My husband and I believe for many things, but beyond them all, we believe in Someone—Jesus. We don't always know what is going to happen. We just know that it will always work out for our good! The more positive and hopeful we are, the more we will be in the flow of God. In Ephesians 1:17,18, the apostle Paul prayed, [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones).

This glorious inheritance is for you and me! Second Peter 1:3 says, For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).

The Hope Of Seeing Change

If there is anything in this world that you can be sure of, it is change. Something is always changing. Why is it, then, that we find ourselves thinking, "Nothing will ever change... I'm always going to be like this... My situation will never change... He'll never change... She'll never change... I'm never going to be as good as so-and-so"? The only thing that will never change is God. For I am the Lord, I do not change... (Malachi 3:6). Everything else can change. If you have no hope of seeing change in your situation, change probably isn't going to come. We endure so many things emotionally that we really wouldn't have to suffer if we put our hope in God and stopped looking at all of the circumstances we can't control. We will never enjoy life unless we decide to! In order to live as God intends for us to live, we must truly believe that it is God's will for us to experience continual joy. Then we must decide to enter into that joy, which is essential to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Proverbs 17:22 says, A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Hope makes joy available, just as a lack of hope produces misery. We can choose to enjoy righteousness and peace or stay in the midst of condemnation and turmoil. There are blessings or curses available, and that is why Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us to choose life and blessings. What do you do while you wait for change? You pray, believe and expect to receive. Maintain a positive attitude, knowing that God is working on bringing your change and that you will see it. Throughout your waiting time, the devil will scream, "It's not going to change; it's going to get worse!" Don't listen to this and become discouraged. Instead, wake up in the morning and say out loud, "This is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad! Something good is going to happen to me today! Everything in my life that is not right is subject to change! The One who never changes is changing my situation. And while He's doing it, I'm going to enjoy my life!" Put your confidence in God and stop wearing yourself out trying to make things happen. The decision to have a good attitude while your change is coming can change you! Now is the time to decide to enter into the full and abundant life that God wants you to have.

God Is Working Right Now!

Most of us have a hard time believing that God is working on our behalf until we see something happening with our natural eyes. This usually isn't the way God works. He works behind the scenes much of the time. Right now He is changing hearts and drawing sinners unto Him. Right now He is working in our government. Right now God has a plan for your promotion. He may be speaking to your boss about giving you a raise. God is busy working in your life as long as you believe. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

This scripture begins with the word now. Although the Greek word from which it is translated actually means “but, and, etc.,” rather than “at this point in time,” I still believe the term can be used to describe faith and hope. Faith and hope operate right now! Without them, life isn't enjoyable. Every time I lay aside faith and hope, I stop believing and I lose my peace. And as soon as I lose my peace, my joy goes with it. Make a decision to be a now person. God has a good plan for your life right now. Trust Him today. Believing God brings you into His rest and puts an end to the torment caused by impatience and anxiety while you're waiting. No matter how hopeless your situation seems to be or how long it has been that way, I know you can change because I did. It took time and heaping helpings of the Holy Spirit, but it was worth it. It will be worth it for you, too. Whatever happens, trust in the Lord and trust in the power of hope! My hope is in God who never changes. Nothing is impossible with Him. He is a big God, and I'm believing Him for big things. How about you?

Never Underestimate the Importance of YOU!
 
July 01, 2010
 
"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." -Philippians 2:13 (NLV)
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What gift has God born in YOU? What gift will you leave to generations yet to be? None of us knows.

The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. It did so for others and it does, still, for you and me, today. NEVER underestimate the importance of your every day...and the possibility of God using you to leave lasting joy in someone's tomorrow.

Prayer:

Lord, there are days - sometimes many, sometimes few - when I feel like I'm just barely "putting one foot in front of the other." I seek the confidence of self-assurance from You that I might recognize the potential to make a positive difference that You have born in me.

* * *

Direction, Not Intention, Determines Destination

No matter how much you and I intend on doing the right things in life, we need to assure that it is God who is directing and guiding our decisions, and not our individual pursuits and desires. More often than not, the paths many of us find ourselves on are driven by how we feel, and what we see, rather than the paths God may have for us, which are never bound or dependent on our senses.

Is there anything wrong with wanting a better job? Absolutely not. Is there anything wrong with wanting a bigger home, or nicer car? Again, not at all. And yes, I realize the timetable you set for getting married has come and passed, but before you try to grab the wheel and make something happen, allow these words to redirect you as they did for me:

Direction, Not Intention, Determines Destination

If you're heading down the wrong direction, it doesn't matter what destination you intend on reaching, you will never get there (no matter how hard you try or how hard you pray). God's laws of guidance do not bend towards us. We bend towards them.

Scripture Of The Day: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." - Psalms 32:8

In God's Hands
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God has a unique way of providing angels who step into our lives and help us navigate through the tough and uncertain times. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust God in spite of what we see, feel or think. God has a way of helping us navigate through life’s maze to achieve the ultimate God Goal.
I think about God’s power and authority to guide my life and my journey towards God’s preferred destination. It truly is in God’s hands.

Scripture Of The Day:
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"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)