jeannie waters - Page 15 of 28 - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

Embrace the New Day with Joy and Prayer

October 14, 2020Jeannie Waters24 Comments

I’m a “wannabe” morning person. How about you? Do you bounce up early, eager to get started? Or are you sliding under the comforter after midnight?

By nature I’m a night owl who’s trying hard to convert. I’d like to see more of God’s glorious colors painted across the eastern sky when a new day begins.

Three hundred and sixty-five times per year, God wraps a new day with fresh air and promises. Whether the package includes the sun’s rays streaming through the trees or rumbling thunder in an ominous sky, each twenty-four-hour period represents a gift.

When I wake up, I often repeat, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). The verse sets the tone for joyous gratitude.

Lest you think I spring up like Winnie-the-Pooh’s friend Tigger with extra energy and exuberance, I’ll admit my attitude on occasion is less than cheery.

When I’m tired or overwhelmed with a long to-do list, my response to the alarm clock sounds more like Pooh’s other friend, Eeyore, the forlorn donkey who sees the glass as half-empty.

On those days, as my hand reaches for the snooze button, my pillow entices me more than the smell of strong coffee. Gratitude hides deep under the covers.

Regardless of our mental state upon awakening, we can embrace each new day with gratitude for God’s gifts. After all, an additional dawn represents an opportunity to seek our heavenly Father’s will in prayer and to love and serve Him and others throughout the day.

Some believers spend concentrated time with God in the afternoon or evening. We’re all unique. As long as we engage in prayer and Bible study, we can grow in Christ regardless of the time of day. Some who have extended prayer and reading time later in the day, pray briefly in the morning to acknowledge God’s presence and gain focus.

Praying passages from the book of Psalms often jumpstarts my early moments. Focusing on God’s words pries open my sleepy mind and awakens my heart to converse with the day’s Creator. The verses below are some of my favorites.

Embrace-the-Day-with-Joy Verses to Pray

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:8

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
Psalm 59:16

But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Psalm 88:13

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.
Psalm 119:147

You may want to print the verses and add others to include in your conversations with God.

Please share how you turn “Eeyore mornings” into “Tigger days.”

Bouncing like the tiger character in the Winnie-the-Pooh story is optional (whew), but embracing the day with prayer helps us rejoice in the new morning God has made. Filled with joy, we can brighten someone else’s day.

Have a good day, dear reader friend, and enjoy time with God whether you meet with Him in the morning or evening. Thank you for your comments.

Bible verses are from the ESV.

Image by Pixabay

The Answer to Anxiety is on the Table

September 30, 2020Jeannie Waters16 Comments

When our entire family gathers in our home, I love to prepare everyone’s favorite dishes, even though I sometimes get anxious about doing a good job. Anxiety loses its grip when I pray. As the younger grandchildren arrive and stand on tiptoe to see what’s on the table, I take a deep breath and smile.

In a familiar psalm, after describing God as the good Shepherd, David wrote about His heavenly Father’s table:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies …
Psalm 23:5 ESV

I often read this verse and picture myself standing on tiptoe at the edge of God’s table wondering what He has placed there for me. One thing I know: I’ll find everything I need because He promises to provide (Philippians 4:19).

When anxiety taps on the window of our minds–as in my case sometimes–we can choose to focus on God’s presence and His table of provision, just as my littles do when they arrive at our house. The Lord serves generous portions of His peace to enable us to stand against the enemy of anxiety (Philippians 4:6-7).

I can personalize the verse like the psalmist did because as a believer, I too, am a child of God, a member of His flock. God prepares a table before me—Jeannie.

When I insert my name into the verse, my spiritual ears perk up, and I consider the responsibilities and challenges of my day. Sometimes I know what I require, yet there are needs I don’t foresee. God always knows. At the right time, He sets the table with every necessary provision.

Maybe today, I’ll need an extra serving of patience. It’s there.

If discouragement threatens to become the centerpiece of my day, I’ll find courage and hope at God’s buffet of blessings.

Perhaps beside my plate He placed an opportunity to encourage someone.

Without a doubt, God serves generous portions of peace to help me fight the enemy of anxiety.

Is something making you uneasy today? What’s tempting you to worry?

Our world teems with unsettling news reports which sometimes join forces with personal circumstances to war against our peace. Are you fretting over a difficult relationship or a recent medical diagnosis? Do financial concerns or important decisions keep you awake at night? Is fear making you edgy?

Try these suggestions when you feel anxious.

Insert your name into Psalm 23:5 and remember your heavenly Father planned today’s menu to meet your needs so that you can honor and serve Him and others. “You prepare a table before me, (insert your name), in the presence of my enemies …”
Thank God for your blessings which enable you to stand against anxiety and other enemies. Record them in a journal for one week.
List the needs you have and write an applicable verse of Scripture beside each one. Turn the verses into prayer requests as you converse with God.

What’s on the table for you today, dear reader friend?

Do you find it comforting to think about God preparing a daily table before you? I look forward to your comments.

The Safest Pandemic Fellowship

September 15, 2020Jeannie Waters16 Comments

After facing 2020’s canceled events with minimal social time, safe gathering opportunities fill my heart with joy. Family, friends, and Christian fellowship brighten our days.

Last week one of our granddaughters was giddy with anticipation to visit Poppy and Gigi (that’s us) for the first time in months. She danced around the room and with top-of-her-lungs excitement, shared her good fortune with siblings.

Two days later I was the giddy one. Our son invited us to join his family at a state park where he’d discovered a secluded, crystal-clear stream.

We waded, splashed, found wild muscadines, and watched a toy boat float in the current. We laughed when our grandson covered my feet with sand and applauded when our granddaughter climbed a fallen tree and jumped into the water below.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Stream-water.jpg — JeannieWaters.com

The fresh air and shady stream of our private haven delighted us, and family time refreshed our hearts.

Additional blessings–Sunday school Zoom meetings and online prayer with friends–refresh my soul and offer connection. I’m grateful for those opportunities, but in-person meetings are one step closer to the norm—warm pre-pandemic fellowship. Would you agree?

Last week when our ladies’ Bible study resumed, we skipped coffee, snacks, and hugs and viewed the masked faces of classmates from a distance. Still, we relished assembling to study God’s Word.

Even more important than gathering with family and friends is the privilege of one-on-One meetings with God. No safety measures or protocols hinder our joy or personal connection to Abba Father.

… In Your presence there is fullness of joy …
Psalm 16:11

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18

We may not be able to participate in all the gatherings we’d prefer to join right now, but we can be just as excited to spend time with God as our granddaughter was to play at our house or as family members were to wade in the stream. What if we replace the time we mourn over lost opportunities with quiet times of worship?

Spending time alone with God in our own private haven offers the peace and joy of His presence and prepares our heart to hear from Him as we pray and study.

When I take my Bible, a journal, and a mug of coffee to our deck, the freshness of morning and the melody of songbirds create a sanctuary for worship and conversations.

Do you have a favorite haven and a designated time for meeting with God? What joys do you experience as you “gather” with Him for fellowship?

Bible verses are from the ESV.

Help a Sister Out

July 7, 2020Jeannie Waters36 Comments

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image.png — Dawn Bata, Author

What joy to welcome my guest blogger today. Wife, mom, and writer extraordinaire, Dawn Bata is a new friend. When you read her short post, you’ll want to click on the book photo link at the bottom to check out her ebook. Her bio is there as well.

You may want to purchase the ebook or recommend it to a friend, relative, or neighbor who needs encouragement. I’m loving these short but powerful devotions with endearing stories. Here’s Dawn’s post:

Help a Sister Out

When our middle daughter, Sophia, was eight years old, she ran her first season of track…and her last. The track meet was underway, but unbeknown to Jeremy and me, Sophia was assigned the mile event. What was her coach thinking? Sophia had never run the mile event before! Eager to see the outcome, we waited.

The event started and off she went. Our family began shouting, “Go, Sophia!” She was making great strides, but our excitement soon turned to concern. Her pace slowed and the look of defeat was written all over her sweaty face. Sophia was out of steam. What happened next melted my heart. Big sister Meredith dashed onto the track to finish the mile with her.

Victory! Not in the means of winning the race, but in winning at life. Although Meredith was ten years old, in the eyes of her little sister, she was a hero. They finished the race together. Way to help a sister out!

Isn’t that what we are called to do? To run the race of life together, alongside our sisters in Christ? First Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are doing.”

Go ahead, and cheer on your sisters in Christ! We don’t have to run this race alone! Motherhood is a marathon, entailing long distances, deep breaths, and determination. Some days we need a friend to run alongside us to encourage us. Together we are stronger and more impactful.

If you see a sister facing hurdle after hurdle, overwhelmed, and discouraged, offer her a hand and finish the race together in His love and strength. Help a sister out!

Please share your thoughts with Dawn in the comment section below. Has someone helped you out?

Dawn would love to connect with you at dawn.bata@gmail.com

Dawn is a mom on a mission to share her passion for family, friends, faith, and home. She is a wife and mother of three who encourages and inspires moms to live and love life to the fullest! She is the author of In the Midst of a Masterpiece: Moments Celebrating the Joys and Struggles of Motherhood and Co-Founder of Moms’ Musings Writers Group. Dawn enjoys using her love for writing to encourage moms on this amazing yet bumpy journey of motherhood. Join her and navigate the joys and struggles of motherhood together.

What I Learned About Growth

June 24, 2020Jeannie Waters20 Comments

“I think she died,” I said to my husband as I lamented the appearance of my friend, the tree who once stood proudly along the fence line.

Each fall for decades she’d graced our backyard with a striking combination of colors. Every spring and summer her green waxy leaves provided beauty and shade. But on that mid-spring afternoon, she showed no signs of life. No leaf buds emerged from her long, bare limbs.

This mighty tree spread her branches at ninety-degree angles from the eighteen-inch-thick trunk. She stood in sharp contrast to the spring-green leaves and grassy lawn around her.

The black gum, otherwise known as black tupelo, owns a beautiful scientific name—Nyssa sylvatica. (I named her Nyssa for short.) Surely this fall, I would miss her glorious, postcard-perfect hues. As I grieved her demise, I researched a quick-growing replacement with pretty foliage to take her place.

Imagine my surprise when one late spring morning, I spotted tiny green leaves on Nyssa’s branches. In a few days, more leaves unfurled as her limbs reached out to embrace spring. Can a tree make a person as happy as I was that day? You bet it can.

Now my spring, summer, and fall views would be graced with beauty, and my walks around the yard promised to include the comfort of refreshing shade. My deciduous friend was simply a late “leafer.”

“Thank You, Lord,” I said with sincere gratitude.

As God accepted my thanks, He taught me a lesson—growth and potential are not always visible and may require time to bear fruit.

In my estimation—from outward signs–I pronounced my beloved black gum tree dead and began seeking a substitute. Unbeknownst to me, the stately “resident” of our back yard was teeming with robust growth under its gray furrowed bark. In a few weeks, verdant evidence popped into view.

Scripture instructs us to seek spiritual growth, but sometimes changes are invisible and seem slow to blossom into fruition.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:18

When we take the first step of our journey by seeking forgiveness for sin and surrendering to Jesus, God creates new life in us as surely as spring trees birth new leaves.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

Along the pathway, we sometimes struggle to be patient with ourselves and others when we can’t see signs of improvement. Thoughts of “I did that again,” and “I despise this sinful attitude,” are frustrating, but they lead us to our knees and serve as proof that God is transforming us.

Complacency and failure to seek God’s instruction and correction have no place in a believer’s heart. Obeying biblical truth is important, but when we remember it is the work of the Creator that molds us to the image of Christ, we have hope.

We can trust the One who generates new plant cells in dormant trees, to mature us season by season according to His plan. Resting in His strength to change us as we yield to His nurturing care, brings assurance and peace.

My back-yard nature lesson reminded me that spiritual growth is sometimes slow or invisible. We may not see instant evidence as God tills the soil and plants seeds of truth in our hearts. He later nourishes our development, prunes errant branches, and leads us “in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3). He promises to guide us.

What is our responsibility in the process? The Bible offers guidelines:

Pray

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Study the Bible.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11

Participate in Christian fellowship.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Listen to wise teachers.

Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:12

Find opportunities to serve others.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:10

Let’s ask ourselves these questions:

How can I follow biblical teaching to grow in Christ?
As I look back on my salvation journey, in which areas has God helped me mature?
Am I patient with others as God works in their hearts?

When we long for spiritual growth and insight but feel like a leafless tree—stagnant and fruitless, God offers the refreshing shade of His presence, the power of His Son’s light, and the rainfall of His love. He promises,

He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

How great are the works of our God!

Which biblical principles help you grow in your walk with Christ?

Bible verses are taken from the NKJV.