April 12: GRACE ISN'T JUST WAITING FOR US. IT'S REACHING FOR US.

Affirmation: I am doing my best and that is enough.

Ponder, Personalize:  Today we add verse 4. Think about the “darkest valley” or “valley of the shadow of death.” How have you experienced that valley? What does the Lord, our shepherd promises us as we go through that valley? How does the rod and staff bring comfort?
1“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley (or the valley of the shadow of death), I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ‭‭Psalm‭ 23‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 
Michael W. Smith: This is How I Fight My Battleshttps://youtu.be/YBl84oZxnJ4?si=Fl2EY2xvPMIMM1KJ

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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Cultivate Gratitude and Joy. Let go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark.

Cultivate Intuition and Trusting Faith.  Let go of the Need for Certainty.

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews 

The Active Decision 

3. I AM A PERSON OF ACTION. I am Resilient 

I will create a new future by creating a new me. I inspire others with my activity. I am a leader. I will create a habit of lively behavior.

I do not quit. I am courageous. I am a leader. I seize the moment. I choose now. I am resilient. 

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff

April 12

GRACE ISN'T JUST WAITING FOR 

US. IT'S REACHING FOR US. 

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 

PSALM 18:16 

When Sweet Maria and I go to the lodge in Canada, one of our favorite things is hosting a small group. Our invitation is as simple as Jesus' invitation to His friends: "Come aside and rest awhile." It's a little bit like adult summer camp with lots of free time. We jump off cliffs, walk through waterfalls, and gener­ally get into some really fun mischief. At the end of our time together, we have a tradition where we each take a bit of nylon cord, wrap it around one wrist, and melt the ends together. The only way to take it off is to cut it. More than merely a cute tradition, we learned this from modern-day sailors. Have you ever tried to pull someone back in the boat when they've gone overboard? Because their hands are so wet and slippery it can be nearly impossible to get a good grip. Sailors use those cords so they have something to hold when someone goes overboard. It's the kind of knot a deckhand, not a captain, would wear. 

We wear those cords to remind ourselves that we are there for each other, to pull one another up when we go overboard. We're just the deckhands, not the captains of the ship. 
Plenty of our friends have gone for an accidental swim. Yours have too. But instead of shaming them or walking away, we lean over the rail of the boat like deckhands and start fishing for something to grab on to. 

That's what God does; that's what grace does. God never asks us to get ourselves back in the boat as if we don't need His loving grip. He isn't waiting for us to prove ourselves. Our biggest successes don't qualify us, and our even bigger mistakes don't eliminate us. He comes to us before we even know we need Him, He reaches out toward us, and He lifts us up if we're willing. 

 

In what ways can you see God reaching out to you?