February 10 Be Glad and Give a Cheer

Affirmation: Just because the water is calm doesn’t mean there aren’t alligators.

This is a reminder to be wise, aware and discerning.

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Choose a sentence or phrase from Isaiah 41:10. Write it down, memorize it. Focus on it today. I have landed on “I will strengthen you and help you;…” It is a promise from God and I am holding on to it for myself and for others in my circle of friends, family and our Cypress Tribe. What part are you going to choose from this verse?
”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.41.10.NIV

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Praying the Message of Jesus: A Year of Thoughts and Prayers

by Eugene Peterson

                      Feb 10

Be Glad and Give a Cheer

"Not only that-count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens -give a cheer, even! -for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble." 

MATTHEW 5:11-12 

If we take the offensive against our opposition, we are liable to harshness and bluster; if we get on the defensive, we lose initiative and appear timid and unsure. When we dance our faith, the enemy is disarmed and drawn into the celebration. Leaping joy is the sanity of blessing in a lunatic society. 

 

What do you have cause to rejoice in?

 

Lord God, I will not use the world's weapons to fight your battles, and I will not be backed into a corner by those who scorn your love. Be with me as I cele­brate my witness in joy and announce my confidence with gladness, for Jesus' sake. Amen. 
Catching Whimsy by Bob Goff
Distractions are a dime a dozen: stay focused on God‘s amazing plan for your life.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind Romans, 12:2

The thing that most often keeps us from growing is distraction. I wrote a book called, un distracted, and much of the difficulty I had in finish, and it was, wait for it, I got distracted. I have a friend and crown, who talks about the Enneagram, which is a personality trait, identifying system. The person who identifies as a seven in this system is described as an enthusiast, and, not surprisingly all indicators point to me being a flaming seven. He tells me it’s ironic that someone wired like me and so prone to distraction would write a book called undistracted. This was not by mistake. Authors get to write the books they need, and they are not alone in this. You also get to give yourself the reminders you need every day. 
try this exercise: ask yourself, what are the things distracting me right now? Write those down and keep track of them for one week next, come up with a practical strategy to deal with your distractions. For instance, if emails are distracting you, declare email bankruptcy in an auto reply and step away for a while. If the television is interfering with your focus, unplug it. 
satan doesn’t want to destroy you; he wants to distract you. And the reason is simple: destroying you is one and done, while distracting you is that un gift that keeps giving keeps taking.

If you are distracted, the people around, you will be distracted, your family will be distracted, and the other people your love will be distracted. And the cost that is heavier than all that? When we are distracted, we lose sight of the path God has laid out for us. 
If you were struggling with distraction, figure out who and what the culprits are and put some guard rails around them.

Whatever it is that eliminates the distractions and gets you to feed to the feed of Jesus, do lots of that.