Yesterday, I posted “Woo Hoo”, all about how God woos us and draws us in to refine us. Today, when I arrived at the Smyrna shop, the devotional for yesterday made me *squee* a pinch. Very exciting.
Also exciting was sweet Godversation with Miss Karen, without having met her in person yet. Thank you, Jesus.
As for writing about church yesterday, I am not being directed to detail it. Mark had a great one-on-one with Thomas and I met Thomas’ wife amd daughter. For now, I must let some spiritual processing continue and ai will share about one of the songs we sang yesterday.
Rather helpful, as I posted the following to Facebook yesterday, while writing about wooing here:
George Bennard performed The Old Rugged Cross on June 7, 1913, after meditating on John 3:16 and needing to express his understanding in song. I will link a full story behind the hymn HERE.
We sang the hymn today at Creekmont Church. I was nudged when we sang:
“A wondrous beauty I see; For ‘twas on that old cross—Jesus suffered and died—To pardon and sanctify me.”
The nudge was a response to the word ‘sanctify’, calling back to Jesus’ prayer from John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Yessir! The Word of God and the work of the cross are inseparable to me. Together, they are how God sanctifies us—how He takes us from brokenness to holiness, from wandering to belonging with Him.
Considering this morning began with a lesson on how the Master of the Universe woos us, I consider myself most appropriately wooed. 💜✝️💜
Before Mark gets home from work, I need to note time in Esther. The link above does a good job of walking through the one book of The Bible which does not mention God even once.
Still, I sense His Hand was on Esther and Mordecai. I see what he did there , at least on a macro level.
Meeting Marcus and Brad from Missouri was a blessing. The 120 bucks was a nice sale, yet the Godversation is the treasure. Marcus commented about how pleasant it was to just talk to another human. The topics changed and ultimately, he REALLY appreciated my stating the obvious about why race was a non-important factor in our Godversation.
Simply standing on a simple little truth burst the entire Godversation wide open. Thank you, Father God.
Suddenly, I am mentally and spiritually back in Judges 7 from this morning. I am pondering Gideon and how God moved through him.
Nikita is bringing me my “Welded Heart” today. Lord, may it make my heart dance to your beat and may the words out of my mouth praise and point to you.
Ok. I have returned after receiving this piece and I am struggling for words. Quickly, I see I didn’t finish typing my prayer out. Since everything I ask is always in the powerful name of Jesus, I don’t think it’s a prayer issue.
While I appreciate the craftsmanship and time spent, this is not anything like the welded heart I described to Nikita last month.
I wear a heart necklace and one of two crosses around my neck each day. The vision was a barbed wire looking heart with a cross rising out of it- similar to how I wear my necklaces. Part of the heart would appear extra protected and part would be open.
Tears traversed my face. I couldn’t understand them in the moment. In retrospect, I think I understand the source.
Like everything, He is the source. Duh! She could tell I wasn’t thrilled with her effort, despite my attempt to be gracious in disappointment. She was clear she had zero desire to keep it, as she is not a Christian. She refused to let me pay for it, too.
It makes me sad to hear someone say they literally do not know a single person who would appreciate a cross. She said she does not know any Christians. None. She was painfully clear on the point and it pained me.
I am reminded of all I have experienced with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit since beginning this Daniel study on April 30.
There is a Jesus Calling devotional in our Master Closet and the long form tabletop version of Jesus Calling is in our kitchen.
I failed to read either at home today, as Mark and I were enjoying an in-depth chat about Psalm 143 and blessing our perceived enemies with prayer. I needed to get cleaned up and get to work
Much of what my husband said is in our Smyrna shop devotional Today’s message in One Minute with God 💜✝️💜.
Today, we was like an extra sweet hug from Jesus to read this devotional.
Rather than give life to a negative thought, I praise God for giving me the answer four days ago to stand on His Word this morning. Praise, praise and more praise!
I posted about Judas yesterday. This was a second post on my Facebook page :
I woke to this response and a heavy heart as a result.
It continued with my exact response from four days ago. Reading it now, again, I am convicted He gave me the answer in advance. What else could I have said other than what He clearly gave me?
Nathalie Anne , it’s okay if we disagree as humans. Please understand I am always going to defer to the example of our Savior, Jesus. We are all broken and all need a savior. Jesus was interceding for ALL of humanity on that cross.
Reading your prayer, I had no choice except to speak up for those you seemed to exclude. I didn’t realize just how intentional the exclusion until your response. Jesus is our eternal intercessor according to Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25.
Reading your comment this morning, there isn’t a better, shorter or different response. I have no scales of bad or good people. I am grateful to know The One who owns the scales of justice. He is clear to pray for our enemies, too.
Nathalie, bad fathers are not going to begin their “good arc” without God. So, yes, I will continue to pray for ALL parents to be compelled to know better, do better and be better. I will also pray for all single people the same. I will pray for addicts to meet Jesus and to be delivered from addiction in all its forms. The list is endless and always inclusive.
Praying for all who love Jesus to reveal that love in truth and action. 💜✝️💜
I love you, too.
Thank you, Father God, for the comfort and peace today. Thank you for reminding me of big truths in small ways, too. I love seeking you in everything.
Betrayal comes in many forms . Praise God, I was blessed with a call from Miss Futina this morning. I heard how she was betrayed and my heart was cracked open. Answered prayer, especially before we close this store at the end of October.
Lord, you have all my praise and thanksgiving, please send a few more of my “stranger angels “ back into the store before we close up shop here and return solely to our original store. Hugging them would bless me. In Jesus name, amen.
Driving to work, I heard a song for the first time. I should not be surprised it’s five years old, or from Hill Song . The Lord has been clear with me on NAR and other musical nonsense. When He gives me a song, I am listening intently. This was used beautifully and my husband loved it, too.
Living means different things to different people. I am only living because of my relationship with Jesus. Modeling my life after His makes PERFECT sense to me.
This morning, moved by the Spirit through Futina’s call and “This is Living”, I posted scripture and a sentence on Facebook.
I have been praying for Father God to reveal the next piece of dross which must be removed from me. It seems to be related to Judas, which is both biblical and a necessary reminder.
We all have a little bit of Judas in us, since none of us are perfect.
Where is “my Judas” trait? For that answer, just like every other question under the sun, I go to scripture.
Scripture told us long before Jesus came that the Savior would be betrayed. “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). Judas sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, just as Zechariah foresaw (Zechariah 11:12–13). The Psalms even prayed, “May another take his office” (Psalm 109:8), fulfilled when Matthias replaced Judas in Acts 1.
But Judas is not just a figure in history—he is a mirror for our hearts. Every time we love money more than Christ, every time we complain about how someone else worships, every time we choose self over surrender, we let a little bit of Judas creep back in. That’s why Proverbs says, “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel” (Proverbs 25:4). The Lord, like a refiner’s fire (Malachi 3:2–3), keeps burning away the greed, envy, and pride that would betray Him.
We must face the truth: there is a Judas streak in all of us. But the good news is that God never stops refining. He promises, “I will remove the heart of stone… and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Daily, He calls us to let Him skim away the dross, until the only thing left is His love shining pure in us.
Let YOUR LIGHT shine, Lord. More Jesus and less Carol is always the best equation. 💜✝️💜
This morning I stepped into Creekmont Baptist Church for the very first time. My former long term hairdresser, Becky, invited us to join them for worship when I got my hair cut on Tuesday. For a few years, I went elsewhere. I see His Hand in that timing, too. We first met before Mark and I were married!
Her husband, Shad, was asked to fill in as pastor a little over a year ago, and now he serves there permanently. We just learned today it was a customer of hers that asked him to step in, temporarily.
Wowza. Five days.
Today has been a day of many fives.
We pulled in the parking lot and we both voiced prayers before going inside. From the moment we walked through the doors, we were greeted by multiple smiling faces. The warmth could be compared to walking into a loving family gathering. The building itself carried a simplicity that reminded me of churches from the 1970s — plain, clean, without distraction — but alive with heart and spirit.
The music was from an electronic piano and carried a sincere vibe of the late 70’s or early 80’s, a style my husband grew up loving. They opened with Everlasting God, and by the closing stanza, liquid was traveling from my eyes, down my cheeks. The words settled into me deeply, “strength will rise as we wait upon The Lord…you do not faint, You won’t grow weary.”
No, sir, you do not grow weary. #ISWYDT
During the offering, the children collected the coins as they played an old tune through the speakers. “I may never march in the infantry, ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery. I may never fly o’er the enemy. But, I’m in the Lords Army! Yes, Sir!”
What a joyful moment — innocence and faith braided together. For “YESSIR” to be a lyric was extra special for me.
Godwink moment- Mark thought Holy, Holy, Holy would be the first hymn in the hymnal. It was number 55. He said something about 5 by 5 being “loud and clear”. Yes. To the right was “Love Divine”. The most powerful lessons to be were in Matt 5, Mark 5 and Thess 5.
An older gentleman gave the welcome, opening with 1 Peter 5:7 — “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” His words were clear testimony and biblical truth.
I typically would not be aware during worship, but I saw tears in my husband’s eyes as we sang Amazing Grace. He said it felt like a church from his youth. To me, this was confirmation we were in the right place.
Pastor Shad preached from Matthew 5 while weaving in John 7, Mark 5, 1 Thessalonians 5, and even 2 Thess.
Shad is a gifted teacher. Notably, he began by reading most of Matthew 5. The message itself was rich: he spoke about the Beatitudes as a kind of moral inventory — behavior as it should be for those who belong to Christ. You must live out Matthew 5:1–12 before you can truly be salty and filled with light.
Then he asked: What would you give up for two weeks — salt or light? Most of us would struggle either way. His point was clear: both are essential.
What struck me the deepest was how the Holy Spirit used Shad’s extended reading of Mark 5 to deepen my understanding. We are now home and I am heartbroken how Mark five concludes with Jesus being asked to leave. Treasuring pigs over people, I pray His Children came home. The point is the Holy Spirit used Shad to bring the demon-possessed man into vivid focus for me
I digress. I must document the heart of this first visit for reasons I don’t fully understand.
There was something pure in the feeling of the church today — no flash, no pretense, just warmth, worship, and the Word. It is a place where you sense that light still shines, that salt still preserves, and that children of God are called to live as children of the light.
We will definitely be going back. Today marks the beginning of our Creekmont story.
After the service, we attempted and failed to eat at GG’s and Metro Diner. We quickly succeeded at the new Italian place , Penne Pazze. We shared a pizza, gnocchi and a salad. It is most authentic food we have enjoyed since being in Italy two years ago! I am already looking forward to the leftovers.
No shocker the table number we were guided to for seating. Thank you, Lord! 💜✝️💜
Last night I was compelled to post John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”
This morning I opened my Bible and landed on Matthew 18, and immediately my mind went back to my friend Julie’s post and the comment section.
God is weaving things together for me in a new way. The ultimate and absolute Dream Weaver is Father God. I am convinced Gary Wright knows how God directs our dreams based on the stories behind his song.
My Matthew 18 pages are filled with tons of notes and notations. Today, I was nudged to write “Julie Mauck 9/20/25” . I was not nudged to put “Luke 17:2”, likely because there is a printed corresponding scripture beginning Luke 17:1.
Dated notes from October 2017, January and February 2023, May 8, 2024, July 13, 2025 and today. Three key notes struck me hard. The notes about being His Child, honoring is greater than wallowing and “confirmation is Biblical (Matt 18:16) stood out to me.
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As I sat with it, I realized how John 17 and Matthew 18 fit together. Well, my John 17 pages are all kinds of noted, as well, with a big YADA YADA. Divine Humor, once again! 💜✝️💜
In Matthew 18, Jesus calls us to humility like children and warns us not to cause “little ones” to stumble. Jesus says it would be better to wear a millstone around our necks than to mislead them and the millstone takes me back to Hebrew dreams last winter. He goes on to show that forgiveness must flow endlessly — seventy times seven.
In John 17, Jesus defines eternal life: “that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (v.3). The Hebrew word yada — to know — means deep, intimate relationship, not casual acquaintance. I had even scribbled in my margin a reminder that yada yada (so often a throwaway phrase in our culture) actually calls me back to the seriousness of truly knowing God and His Son.
No big shocker. I just wrote about Daniel 9 and seventies and sevens the other day. Every single detail is intricately woven to another.
Put side by side, the message is clear:
To truly know God and Jesus (John 17) is to live in humility, to guard the vulnerable, and to walk in radical forgiveness (Matthew 18). His prayer for unity in John 17 comes alive only when we practice the hard, daily work of forgiveness in Matthew 18.
And I’m reminded — unity in the Body isn’t a theory; it’s built every time I choose to forgive, every time I guard someone’s faith instead of wounding it, every time I walk humbly like a child
So today, I’m holding these together:
Intimacy with God (John 17)
Protection of the vulnerable (Matthew 18:6)
Unity through forgiveness (Matthew 18:21–35)
That’s the kind of community Jesus prayed for. That’s the kind of life I want to live.
Oh, and I used technology to make Julie and all Biblical Warriors an accurate hoodie. Thank you, Jesus, for all good inspiration ! 😇
I have written about Rich Mullins many times. He was killed 28 years ago on September 19. Leaving home to go to work, I have a sixteen minute video talking and singing both The Color Green and Creed. To be clear, you can hear my car giving safety alerts, clearly hear my iTunes playing and hear me singing.
I know what The Holy Spirit was saying to me. He has been singing over me for over three months. Here is just the last minute.
The Lord clearly used Rich Mullins and his music in my faith journey. Today, I want to honor my Father in Heaven and thank him, again, for how He used Rich to grow my faith.
When we pause to look at chapter 9, verse 19 across the Scriptures, we find a chorus of voices crying out to God — for justice, for mercy, for guidance, and for strength. These verses together form a testimony of His sovereignty and our dependence.
Psalm 9:19
“Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.”
➡ A call for God to rise up against human arrogance and establish His justice.
Jeremiah 9:19
“For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.”
➡ A lament of deep sorrow, acknowledging the consequences of forsaking God.
Nehemiah 9:19
“Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.”
➡ A testimony of God’s unfailing mercy and guidance, even when His people strayed.
Daniel 9:19
“O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.”
➡ A bold intercession, pleading with God to act quickly for the sake of His name and His people.
Job 9:19
“If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?”
➡ A confession that God alone holds ultimate power and authority in strength and justice.
✨ Reflection
Taken together, the 9:19 Scriptures give us a pattern:
Psalm calls for God’s justice. Jeremiah mourns the cost of disobedience. Nehemiah remembers God’s mercy. Daniel pleads for God’s swift action. Job acknowledges God’s supreme strength.
They remind us that in every season — lament, wandering, intercession, or confession — God’s sovereignty and mercy remain steadfast.
Oh, Father God, your loving kindness makes my heart sing.
Last night, we met with our small group of nearly a decade to study Daniel 9. I am giddy. I thought we started late May, but we began on April 30. I had forgotten about a week skipped over the summer and one skipped while we were on vacation. We only meet twice each month.
The timing of the study and how impactful it has been since May 8 are undeniable. I shared a nudge with my husband as we were drifting off to sleep. I woke with the inherent need to document the intensity of the nudge and to attempt to document what He is teaching me.
I flipped to Ezra. Again. Then nudged to connect 2 Chronicles to Daniel and Ezra. All the while, I have the SHIN of Jerusalem tattooed on my heart from Daniel 9 last night.
Here is a lovely post that does a good job of connecting much of my heart here:
To me, Daniel 9 is Divine. Yes, the entire Bible is infallible and from God. Still, there was extra powerful revelation last night which means I must notate it accordingly. The way He works with me, I am to acknowledge Daniel 9 is Divine for both its prayer and prophecy, as well as the power forged through the spirit. No doubt, this entire lesson was necessary. Thank you, Lord!
Daniel’s prayer of repentance, followed by Gabriel’s prophecy of the seventy “sevens,” is unlike anything else — both a cry of the heart and a roadmap laid out with mathematical precision.
God answered with mercy — and a plan far greater than Daniel could see. Soon after, Cyrus fulfilled Jeremiah’s words (2 Chronicles 36 / Ezra 1), sending God’s people home. But Gabriel also revealed a deeper timeline pointing to the coming Messiah.
That layered fulfillment has opened my eyes. God is faithful in the immediate, and He is faithful in the eternal. What He promised through Jeremiah, answered in Daniel, fulfilled in Ezra, and completed in Christ — He is still doing in my life today.
Daniel had been reading Jeremiah’s prophecy about 70 years of exile. He knew the time was nearly complete, and so he pleaded for mercy: for forgiveness, restoration, and for God’s name to be honored again in Jerusalem. God’s answer came in two layers: yes, the 70 years of exile were ending — but His plan reached far beyond, stretching into the coming of the Messiah.
Praise God! 💜✝️💜
That’s exactly where 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 and Ezra 1:1–3 pick up. The last words of Chronicles and the opening words of Ezra declare the fulfillment: “In the first year of Cyrus… the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation…” The exiles returned, the Temple was rebuilt, Jeremiah’s prophecy was fulfilled. That was the immediate answer to Daniel’s prayer.
But Daniel had also been shown something greater — a second countdown. The seventy “sevens” would ultimately point to Christ, the true Anointed One, who would be “cut off” not for His own sins but for ours, bringing “everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 9:24).
For me, seeing this layered fulfillment has been profound. It reminds me that God’s Word works on more than one level: the historical, the spiritual, and the deeply personal. What Daniel prayed for, Ezra recorded and Jesus fulfilled is the same story the Holy Spirit is writing in my life.
Just as He brought Israel out of exile, He has been bringing me out of old ways of thinking and into a deeper closeness with Him.
Sometimes you don’t realize how far you’ve grown until the Lord opens your eyes. Last night, through Daniel’s prayer and prophecy, He opened my eyes to deeper truths.
Next, we will talk about how God can use anyone, even a Persian King, to fulfill his purposes.
Father God, thank you for all you’ve done since the beginning of time. I am beyond grateful for all you are currently doing in our lives. I am excited to see your plans unfold for our future. I shared “your song” with Mark last night. Thank you for his sweet response and for giving me a faithful husband who loves me and the kids so well.
All I need , you know. Whatever your will may be, I submit. I love you. Please keep refining me and removing the dross. In Jesus powerful and precious name, Amen.
While not exclusive to the murder of Charlie Kirk yesterday, my heart has been heavy. The world can feel violent, chaotic, and exhausting. Sometimes it is tempting to look away completely, or to let weariness settle in like a fog. But Scripture reminds us again and again that even in the darkest times, we are called to keep pressing forward in goodness.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). This verse has been mine for decades after being dubbed a Blonde Polish Chick by an NFL Coach in Chicago.
I hear that and think — it isn’t a call to ignore the pain. It’s an invitation to remember that our labor, our small daily choices to love and to serve, are never wasted. The harvest may not come today, but it will come.
Paul echoed this in his letter to the Thessalonians: “Never tire of doing what is good.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13) And Hebrews reminds us to look to Jesus: “Consider Him who endured such opposition, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:3).
And here’s the hope that carries me: we are not meant to do this in our own strength. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.” (Psalm 28:7) “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.” (Exodus 15:2) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1).
The truth is, God knows we get tired. He promises to renew us: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles… they will run and not grow weary.” (Isaiah 40:31).
So today, instead of letting my heart sink, I choose to lift my eyes. I choose to trust that love still matters, kindness still heals, and faith still carries us through. We may grow tired, but with Him we do not grow weary. In due season, in His Timing, there will be a harvest. 💜✝️💜
My God Room 