Be Still

"Be still, know that I am God." - Psalm 46:11

Although we somehow think life is supposed to be fair and easy, it's really not. Situations come into our lives that make us want to explode. Sometimes it's financial issues, sometimes it's drama with family and friends, or sometimes it's an illness that brings us down to rock bottom. How could we not scream out in despair and totally lose it when things seem to be getting worse? If you believe in God, He will give you the strength and the peace to endure.

I had the chance to put this into practice recently. I was so upset, but usually when I would cry, I told God it's in His hands and I felt fortified. You see, if you believe in God, then you know that He prepares you for whatever happens, no matter how difficult. You have to trust that, and when you trust that, you are confident in His promise. You can be still although things are crumbling around you… you can be still because He is God… and being God, He controls all for your benefit. If you show fear and anxiety, that means you don't trust God, you don't know Him… it means you have a bit more to walk until you allow yourself to surrender into His protection.

Today's Prayer:
My God, it's really hard for me to just let go and let You handle these things that are hurting and worrying me, but I want to surrender. Help me from this day forward to just be still and know that You are God, and You will show me the way. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Precious In His Sight

"Since you are precious in my sight, and important - for I have loved you, I give men in exchange for you and people in return for your life." - Isaiah 43:4

There are some days we feel misunderstood and alone. Sometimes it just feels like no one is on our side and everything is going wrong. These are the times when only the love of our Father in Heaven can uplift us. When I read this verse in Isaiah, it's as if the entire world disappears and I am alone with God who tells me how precious I am in His sight. Just when I feel I can't manage to get anything right or that nothing is going to work out for me, He tells me how He exchanges and returns things for my well-being. It doesn't even matter who doesn't believe in me or who puts me down, I have my God with me. If we really believe in God, then we must know how much He loves us and all the lengths He goes through to protect us. These words of God should make us feel how much we're worth. They should build great confidence in us. They should melt away all fears and lead us to trust in His promises.

Today's Prayer:
My God, thank You for loving me
so much. You always tell me not to fear, help me keep all my trust in You and Your Word. In Jesus' Name, amen.

The Handmaid of The Lord

"His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever He tells you.'" - John 2:5

Growing up Catholic, I prayed to the Virgin Mary as a little girl. I always understood her to be my mother too since she was Jesus' mother, and like a good mom, she brought me closer to her son. Now that I'm older, I see her as an amazing role model for my faith. Her words are seldom mentioned in the gospels, but whenever she did speak, the words backed up her exceptional obedience and confidence in the Lord. When the angel Gabriel saluted her and told her about God's plans for her, she said in complete obedience and trust, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said." This young woman, probably only 15 at the time, faced dishonor, bringing shame upon her family and fiancee, and death, yet her faith and humility before God was greater than everything else! Sometimes when I'm on the train and begin to pray, I get a bit embarrassed if someone sees me doing the sign of the cross… look at how far I am from her rock solid faith! And more importantly, Mary understood that all things God brings us is for our ultimate good, no matter how devastating, impossible, or burdensome they may seem to our limited human understanding. How many of us would say no to the angel because we're worried about how things are going to work out and what people will think of us? We hardly ever look beyond the inconvenience to ourselves and never accept in faith that what God asks of us or brings into our lives is actually to do something amazing for us. The Virgin Mary looked beyond herself and all the obstacles. She had tremendous faith and obedience to God at a young age, faith that literally bore fruit to the light of the word, Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Therefore, whether we're Catholic, or any other Christian denomination, let us take Mary as a role model for our faith, she who tells us as she told the servants at the wedding at Cana, "Do whatever He tells you."

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, only a woman of exceptional faith, virtue, love, and obedience could You call Your mother. Allow us to model our faith and acceptance of Your Word after hers. Help us to see that all You ask us to do is for our good. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Fear

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?'" - Mark 4:40

Some times we need trials to tell us where we are with God. I write to you everyday about faith but even I can falter. I was scared about something today and contacted a friend of mine for advice. Her first question was, "do you believe in God?" She knew the answer to that question but asked so that I would realize my mistake in worrying and not entrusting God with my fears. She said the same thing to me that Jesus said to His apostles when they were out at sea during a storm. And the fact is that she is a 100% right in asking me this. If I have faith, that faith is proven true both in the big things and in the small things. Fear and faith cannot exist in the same person. There are things that can really worry us but the outcome is always positive if we put our trust in God.I believe God can understand our fears. Afterall, He sent His only son to become human and live among us with the same joys, worries, and sorrows we experience. Fear exists and can creep into us but we should always try to keep it away from our minds before it seeps into our hearts. In my case, the Lord put my friend in my path to snap me out of it. I know better and my faith is better than that. I hope you also take steps to encourage someone else's faith and not let them walk in fear.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for allowing fear to enter my heart and mind before I fully put my trust in You today. Thank You for the people You put in my path to lead me back to Your truth. In Your Name we pray, amen.

I Messed Up, But God Was There

"Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have called on You." - Psalm 31:17

I almost messed something up reaaalllyyyy bad today! You know how we always hear that we should trust in God, and for us, that's really hard to do! We have trouble believing He's there, let alone trusting Him! Today God confirmed a huge lesson for me, one that taught me that I am correct in trusting Him and made my love for Him greater.

Here's my story - I'm doing marketing for a band on Sony BMG. About two weeks ago I booked them for a live studio session while they're in LA for a big magazine. The magazine invited about a 100 fans for the private performance/ interview. So tonight, I get an email on my blackberry from the guy at the magazine asking me where the band is because everyone is waiting. I was driving when I got the email and immediately pulled over because I had the feeling something was wrong. I called the band's publicist and she said the session was tomorrow, the 4th and not today. When she said the 4th, I remembered there was so much back and forth between doing the session the 3rd or the 4th, that I probably gave the guy the wrong date! I wanted to die! I quickly searched through my emails and found where I had told him the 4th at 6pm, but realized that he had written back, "ok, the 3rd at 6pm then." I did give him the correct date, but I should have caught his error in reading the 3rd. I wrote him back and said he was mistaken about the date, but he then forwarded me the email where he said "ok, the 3rd at 6pm" and he had cc'ed everyone at the label! My clients, the people that hired me! Plus, there were about 100 fans that had been waiting for the band for the last hour…and it was all my fault! So what did I do then? I prayed. For the first time, I prayed with absolute confidence that although things were my fault, God would help me. He would not let me be put to shame. I told the Lord that I trusted Him and to please help me. I copied and pasted back where I had said the 4th and stood by, nervous, waiting for his reply, yet knowing God would make it ok. A minute later, I get an email back from him saying, "it's cool Audrey, there's actually another band in town that came to visit and we could have them do it. The fans are having a great time and don't mind coming back tomorrow."

This is the God that I worship!! And this is the God that wants to work on your behalf too! He is REAL, He is GOOD, and He is waiting for you to call on Him so that He could do even bigger things in Your life. Don't think that He can't or that He won't do it for you, because it's taken me a very long time to come to this point where I can call on Him confidently without doubting. Keep going on your journey because He will show Himself to you in amazing ways!!

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank You so much from the bottom of my heart for all You do for me. I don't deserve the way You are with me but You still look out for me, protect me, and defend me from being put to shame. Please let me be forever grateful to You for Your mercy and care. In Your Name we pray, amen.

God's Goodness Will Follow You

"Goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life." - Psalm 23:6

When you believe and develop a personal relationship with God, He takes you to another level of faith.At this level, you have made God the most important thing in your life. His will becomes your will and you learn to give Him thanks constantly for how good He is. Also at this level, you begin to walk by faith and not by sight, or fear. In the beginning of this Psalm, King David says, "although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are beside me." Here, David is showing confidence in the fact that God will shower him with goodness and kindness for all of his life. This is something God wants to do with all of us, believers and non-believers, but what this new level of faith is is being as confident as David was in God's favor. It is putting away the fear and knowing, just as the sky is blue, that the Lord Almighty is your God and He will protect you, uphold you, listen to you, and be there for you right now and until the very end of your life.

Do away with any fear. Be confident in His promises and joyful because He is at work in your life

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, I thank You because You take special care of me each and every single day whether I acknowledge it or not. You bless me without me deserving it or giving enough gratitude. Help me to always trust in You. In Your Name, Amen.