Trust God and your own instincts in making decisions. Look to the positive side of life decisions, see the new opportunities that lie ahead.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up in my arms,
    but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with bands of love.
I was to them like those
    who lift infants to their cheeks.
    I bent down to them and fed them.

God’s love is as vast as the most magnificent landscape we can see (and then some!). Yet God chose to bring the greatest gift humankind could receive (salvation, hope, forgiveness, and an example of how we can live in peace and harmony in our broken world) in the form of a tiny human baby called Jesus.

Paul founded a church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. A moment came when Paul was thinking about this new church and the struggles they were having to hang in there when outside influences were pressing against them. So, Paul writes to give encouragement to these new converts.

David, the Psalmist, had sinned mightily in God’s eyes. Yet, with a humble heart, David prays this prayer for forgiveness. God does forgive. God blankets our sin or sins or evil thoughts, words, and deeds with such loving forgiveness that it is like snow covering the ground, the sin wiped or melted away because of God’s love. Wow!

Consider this. Much wisdom that we have is because we have watched a friend become successful in business or in a career and we have tried to mimic that success. When we read a book or attend a lecture, we are stimulated to read or study that topic more. Have you noticed how we do things a certain way because that is what our mom once said or did? Our practices for holiday celebrations are often copying the traditions we did when we were children.

…the Bible does not have an expiration date. If you need to get rid of a stain or scum in your life, or just want your life to shine more, open your Bible and experience its cleansing words of forgiveness, hope, and love. The words of God are sure, they do not change, and they are completely dependable.

When I was a child, my dad loved to dance. Obviously, my mother was not into dancing much, so as soon as I was able to stand on my feet, I stood on Dad’s feet and together we’d dance to whatever music was on the radio! Dad had this great grin of joy on his face.

Jeremiah received a call from God to do just that. God reminded Jeremiah that he was special in God’s eyes. God created Jeremiah to be a prophet; God would give Jeremiah the words to say; and God would protect him through it all. Jeremiah was to respond to what he saw and heard with the Word of God which would warn those who heard it of the danger before them. Some things just had to change, or the consequences would be disastrous for them or those around them.

I recall the biblical story of Luke 17—the healing of the 10 lepers. Ten were healed but only one said, “Thanks!” We often use this story as a reminder to give God thanks for his many, many, continuous gifts. However, it might serve us well to remember to give thanks to the many, many people around us who are making a difference in our lives or that of our community or church. Give it a try! Say “THANKS!”