Scripture: Psalms 139:1-6

God doesn’t have problems…He has plans!

It was incredible! I got to accompany an international star’s tour, and as we were standing at the airport in London, I overheard the concert promoter pull out his cell phone and call his daughter: 

“Good morning, sweetheart. Why don’t you put on that thick, red sweater today and those jeans you love? I checked the weather, and it’s going to be surprisingly cold today. Then in the evening, I’ll be all yours, and you can tell me all about your day!” 

Although he’d had a stressful day himself, and I’d witnessed firsthand that everyone wanted something from him every second, his priority was always his family. He had everything so planned out that he had a solution ready for every eventuality. I was impressed! 

I had to smile this morning when I thought about it. Your loving heavenly Father is like that and even better! Even if you don’t feel Him right now, He has a plan for you! No matter what the weather will be like in your life today, no matter what unexpected news you’ll hear, God already knows! 

“You have searched me, Lord, and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise…You are familiar with all my ways…You hem me in behind and before and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”(Psalm 139:1-6, NIV) 

The beautiful truth is that God doesn’t have problems—He has plans! You can trust in those plans. The important thing is that you answer when He speaks to you, as He’s doing right now through these words. I encourage you to take time to talk to Him; allow Him to participate in your life; and let Him decide what you wear today, figuratively speaking. 🙂 

Since He knows what you need today, He has a plan. I can’t even allow myself not to trust God because I have too many problems—and without Him, I know I will not see the answers! 

God has a good plan for you too! Do you believe it, even if you don’t see it? 

You are a miracle! 

Scriptures: Isaiah 46:10, 2 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:18

Keep looking up!

I don’t know about you, but these times are really taking their toll on me. Who would’ve imagined what we would experience in the past few years? 

Who? God!! Yes, indeed, God knew that you would live in this time when a little virus would turn the whole world upside down! “‘I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come…’” (Isaiah 46:10, NIV). 

I watched a powerful movie last night about slavery in the United States in pre-Civil War days, and it reminded me how well we have it now in spite of everything! How horrible it must have been to be whipped! Never in my life would I want to change places with the people forced to live as slaves! 

Paul also experienced this cruelty. He was whipped several times in his life, yet he said, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair…” (2 Corinthians 4:8, NIV). 

He said this while still waiting for his solution, for his rescue, for his deliverance. Paul’s life was definitely not a bed of roses, but he held on to a hope that overcame hopelessness, a comfort stronger than his pain: 

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV) 

What is unseen is what gives you the strength to survive. No matter how great your pain may be today. I want to encourage you not to look at the pain but at the hope that God promises you through His Word. 

Take time today to read the Bible and listen to worship music. In doing so, you will strengthen yourself from the inside out and remind yourself of the truth—your story does not end with your pain. 

You are a miracle! 

Scriptures: Hebrews 13:9, Luke 24:21, Luke 24:25, Matthew 28:20, Psalms 50:15

Do you see Jesus?

“Can you remind me again of Jesus’ cell phone number? I can’t reach Him anymore.” I had to smile when someone wrote that to me on Facebook. 

I think we all know that feeling, especially when things in our lives don’t go the way we want, and we’re worried about the future. Maybe you’re feeling that way right now. Maybe you also have the feeling that you can’t reach Jesus at the moment. 

May I ask you something? Where are you looking for Jesus? In a ritual that you always do out of habit? In an attempt to not sin under any circumstances, thinking that if you succeed, He’ll surely show Himself to you again? 

But that is a far cry from what Jesus wants to give you through His GRACE (see Hebrews 13:9). Maybe that’s exactly His plan! While you may think He is far from you, perhaps He only wants to teach you to really see Him! 

When Jesus died, He left behind His disciples, who were also worried and concerned. “What will happen now that Jesus is no longer with us?” 

Then Jesus, who had recently risen from the grave, was suddenly standing next to them! They had been talking to Him but hadn’t recognized Him! They said to Him, “‘…We had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel…’” (Luke 24:21, NIV). 

“He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” (Luke 24:25, NIV) 

You can go on even without seeing the solution, but you should keep your eyes open so as not to pass Jesus by! He is not as far away as it may feel to you. He has promised to stay with you: “‘…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:20, NIV) You can build your life on that promise. 

You can find Jesus’ cell phone number in Psalm 50:15: “‘…call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.’” (NIV)This call is free of charge, and Jesus is always available. Are you also available for Him? 

You are a miracle! 

Scripture: Psalms 18:6

Are you giving up

I had just told the congregation about the worst experience of my life—my rape—and as you can imagine, it was a very moving moment. I’ve come to understand that I am not what happened to me. I get to be free of the past and know that I am worth something! 

As soon as I told my story, I wanted to move straight into my song, “You’re Worth It,” and emphasize the message with it, but after the first chorus, the technology broke down, and the playback stopped. 

It was the decision of a millisecond: do I give up here, or do I continue? I kept singing, even without the playback. Even if nothing goes as planned, I can still carry on in faith and share the message. 

Yes, at the moment, it felt like a problem, and yes, it required more strength from me. But maybe that’s what it took to show people how real the message really is! I could have given up and said, “What kind of technology do you have here?” but then no one would’ve been moved by this special moment. 

My heart asked God, “What are You trying to do right now?” As I continued to sing, I prayed inwardly, “Now I need You and Your work all the more. God, it’s Your turn now!” And He brought the message through. No one addressed the problem in the end because everyone saw that God had another plan. 

“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” (Psalm 18:6, NKJV) 

I want to encourage you today to keep going, even if it seems like the “technology” of your life isn’t working right now. 

You, too, can pray, “God, now I need You and Your work all the more. It’s Your turn now!” And you will see what God can do! 

You are a miracle! 

Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:11, 1 Kings 19:4

Enough is enough!

“I can’t take it anymore!” Have you ever said these words? Maybe you feel like this right now, like everything inside you is screaming, “Enough!” 

Then it’s so good that you’re reading this! I can tell you that I’ve also felt this way. We’re not alone…the Bible tells us about many moments like this. 

For example, Elijah had just fled to Beersheba under fear of death. He walked through the desert, alone and lonely, until at some point, he fell to the ground in exhaustion:“…’I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” (1 Kings 19:4, NIV) 

What’s crazy is that just moments before this, Elijah had witnessed God performing great miracles through him! God had caused fire to fall from heaven and then finally made it rain again after Elijah prayed! And now? Where had that faith gone? 

Do you recognize yourself in this story? 

God’s plan doesn’t end with your last victory. He leads you on, all the way to the destination He has planned! “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by…’” (1 Kings 19:11, NIV). 

So often, we hope and expect God to simply speak to us as we continue to suffer, yet we do not put ourselves in a position where we can hear Him. We cry out, “Enough!”, but we do not call out to the One who has known what would happen. 

Today God is calling you out of your cave of self-pity, hopelessness, and negativity. He lovingly says to you, “I will pass by you and give you strength for this new day.” 

Elijah later did position himself to hear from God, and there he experienced not only help for his problems…but also completely new, divine plans! 

Be encouraged! The same can happen for you! 🙂 

You are a miracle! 

Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:15, 1 Kings 19:4, Luke 5:4, Luke 5:5, 1 Corinthians 10:13

Try again!

For those of you who read these daily miracles to your family, please know that today’s “miracle” has some sensitive content.

Do you know how many times, back when I was trying to get free from bulimia, I vomited again after eating and then cried out to God, “It’s not worth trying. I’ll never make it—I’ll never be free!” 

“The Lord said to [Elijah], ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there…’” (1 Kings 19:15, NIV) 

I’m sure Elijah had no desire to go back where he’d been. After all, he had just walked through this dry desert, where he’d collapsed and wanted to die! (see 1 Kings 19:4) 

Go back through it one more time? Really? Yes, because God had given him a new mission. That seems to be God’s recipe for success. Jesus even commanded His disciples, who had caught no fish all night, “…’Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” (Luke 5:4, NIV) 

The fishermen were frustrated. Simon responds, “…’Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything…’” (Luke 5:5, NIV). But now, listen carefully to what Simon says next: “‘…But because You say so, I will let down the nets.’” (Luke 5:5, NIV) 

The fishermen had probably the biggest and best catch of their lives because they took the commission seriously! 

Yes, God is also saying to you today, “Try again! Go back through the desert! Cast your nets for a catch!” Maybe you, too, have returned there a hundred times without success, but when God asks you to do something, keep at it anyway because He promises to help you: 

“…And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV) 

God has a plan for your problems! That’s why you can keep going forward, even without understanding, and experience His power. 

It’s going to be a wonderful day! Cast your net. Try again! 

You are a miracle! 

Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 1:17, 2 Chronicles 1:10, 2 Chronicles 1:11-12, Matthew 6:33

What would you ask for?

God has also given you a mission through your circumstances, so you may become a blessing for yourself and for others! 

Imagine God appearing to you personally! What if He asked you what you wanted from Him? What would your answer be? Maybe “Please give me the right numbers to win the lottery” or perhaps “Let me get well again”? 

Solomon, the son of David, had that very miracle happen to him: “That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.’” (2 Chronicles 1:7, NIV)! 

I’m sure Solomon had some personal issues he would’ve liked to have settled as well, but he responded to God’s questions with a greatness that overrode his personal concerns. 

“‘Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people…of Yours.’” (2 Chronicles 1:10, NIV) You may be thinking, “Ahhhh, how could he have missed such a great opportunity?” 

But he didn’t! Solomon realized that something greater than himself was at stake. God had given him a commission through his position and situation that allowed him to become a blessing to more people than just himself! 

God has also given you a mission through your circumstances, so you may become a blessing for yourself and for others! Don’t ask yourself, “Why did I end up here?” Rather, I encourage you to ask for wisdom, as Solomon did, to properly classify and use your situation, thus becoming a blessing to yourself and others! 

“God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor…wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions, and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.’” (2 Chronicles 1:11-12, NIV) 

If we ask God for the one thing greater than solving our own problems—indeed, if we seek what He wants to accomplish for others through us and our situation—we’ll be amazed to find that He’ll also give us everything else on top of what we personally long for! “‘But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’” (Matthew 6:33, NIV) 

Ask for wisdom, and you’ll experience freedom! 🙂 

You are a miracle!