Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 5 - Day 2

Reading Esther 5:4-5

S:  Psalms 20:4 May he grant your heart's desires and make all your plans succeed. 

O:  Grant my heart's desires and plans succeed. 

A:  As I align my life up with how God is directing my path, he will take care of me. I need to be more like Esther and trust and obey. I can do this by spending more time with Him and reading his word. 

P:  Father, thank you for always being by my side, carrying me if necessary. You provide for every need and even my desires. Forgive me for not always appreciating the over abundance of things you provide for me. I love you Lord and seek your will for my life. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 5 - Day 1

Reading Esther 5:1-3

S:  Paslms 34:7 For the angel of The Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. 

O:  Guards, surrounds and defends. 

A:  Trust. How many times do I not trust?  I fear and don't step out in faith and trust God's plan and His protection. I need to remember the puzzle he is putting together for me. The puzzle of my life. I need to remember he has all the pieces splayed out before him knowing exactly which piece is going into place next. I need to trust him and allow him to use me to press the edges in. 

P:  Father, God, Holy One, you are my defender. You are my guard. You surround me with a hedge of protection, my puzzle border.  I hesitate and sometimes never move. Give me the courage to trust where you are sending me. Give me the boldness of Esther to come out from under my covers to do your will. I ask in Jesus precious name. ~Amen

Please pray for my friend, Amy, who is trying to sell her house. She is living with her in laws and has found several homes but can't buy until hers sells. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 4 - Day 5

Reading Esther 4:15-17

S:  Psalms 32:8  The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you.  

O:  He will guide, advise and watch over me on the best pathway of my life. 

A:  I decided I need to make this personal. Not that I haven't but this week especially made me feel like God is really speaking directly to me. He is telling me what I need to do and what He is doing. I need to stay in His word to really learn and know his will for my life. 

P:  Father thank you for opening my heart. Thank you for a clear direction. Thank you for giving me all of what I need to be your child in his life. Thank you for letting me know this is not the end that you have an eternal home prepared for me. I need to share this so others may know your love and have your watchful eyes upon them. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 4 - Day 4

Reading Esther 4:12-14

S:  Esther 4:14  If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die.  Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just as such a time as this?

O:  I (insert your name here) was made for such a time as this. 

A:  Am I going to sit here and keep wondering what it is I am supposed to be doing to further the kingdom of God or am I going to keep sitting here waiting for it to come to me?  

P:  Father make me your hands and feet. I want to do your will. Sitting here wondering what it is or trying to figure it out isn't helping. Forgive me for passing on opprtunities you put in front of me because I don't want to get my hands dirty or get involved.  You give me opportunities everyday in big ways and small ways. Use me, Lord. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 4 - Day 3

Reading Esther 4:8-11

S:  Proverbs 20:28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love. 

O:  Unfailing love and faithfulness. 

A:  His unfailing love and faithfulness are what make me what I am today. Not anything I have done or do. He gives me the desire to be who I am. I strive to be more like him each day. I fall and I get back up. He is faithful to help me get back up. I could choose to lay there and wallow in my 'whoa is me state', but he loves me too much to let me there. 

P:  Papa, thank you for loving me and being faithful to me. Even if I was the only one, you would have still come for me. Thank you for making me who I am. I am not being prideful. I am just very thankful that you love me enough and care for me enough to not let me die in my sins.  Praise your holy name. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 4 - Day 2

Reading Esther 4:4-7

S:  2Corinthians 1:4 He comforts us is all our troubles so we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 

O:  Comfort in all our troubles. Give others the same comfort. 

A:  I have lost so much in losing my sister, but I also gained so much. God in his goodness and mercy has loved me and comforted me in this difficult time. He has taught me how to grieve and help others in their loss. He has silenced me when I needed to be quiet and given me words when I had none to offer. He has taught me in my loss. He has comforted me. 

P:  Father when I had no words and only tears you gave me what I needed. You comforted me even when I thought you weren't there. Thank you for teaching me even in my grief. Thank you for giving me opprtunities to comfort others. Use me to share your love with others especially with those who do not know you as their personal Lord and Savior so they can have a life living to serve you. Let me be your hands and feet, Lord. I ask in Jesus' name. ~Amen

TT:  I am thankful for oppotunities to minister to others and witness of God's love. I am thankful I didn't drown in my sorrow and become a bitter angry woman who blamed God. Thank God I am His. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 4 - Day 1

Reading Esther 4:1-3

S: Psalms 51:17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 

O:  Broken spirit. God will not reject. 

A:  Praise God. When I lost my sister nearly four years ago, I was so broken and so angry. While I am still broken and angry at times, I praise God for his mercy and forgiveness. And even though I still do not understand why, I am so grateful to have a closer walk with him because of this trial. I may have shared this before, but my favorite verse that helped me heal tremendously is:

1Peter 5:10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory be means of Christ Jesus. So that after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All glory to him forever! Amen. 

P:  Father I know trials come in this life and they are hard to bear. And even though I may not praise you at the time of the struggle, even though I should, I praise you for making me stronger and bringing me closer to you. Thank you for letting me know that it is all for your glory. Thank you for calling me yours. Thank you for always loving me in spite of my anger. Thank you for hearing my cries. Thank you for holding me and never letting go. In Jesus precious name. ~Amen

My prayer request this week is that we all take a look at the challenge placed before us by Whitney with LGG. Take the challenge right where you are. There is not one of us who is not given the opportunity to be used by God even in the smallest places. For me, this week I am going to challenge myself with my husband and daughter. We have been in a negative space lately. Even if it is to only pray or zip my lip, I am challenging myself to bring a positive influence and bring honor and glory to God right here in our home. We all are given many opportunities each day to make a change. My prayer request is for us to recognize the opportunities and go for it!  Bring honor and glory to God our Father in the moment. Be used. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 3 - Day 5

Reading Esther 3:14-15

S:  Proverbs 25:19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times if trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot. 

O:  Trusting in someone untrustworthy is not a good thing. 

A:  I need to be very careful who I turn to for advice. If I am turning to someone I barely know and is not a true man or woman of God I could be lead into a difficult situation. I need to be sure to turn to God first to direct me to Godly advice. 

P:  Father again your word reminds me of where I need to turn. And that is to you and your word. Everything I need to know has been written in your book of instruction. Lead me to people who know and love you and will direct my path. Help me as I search for a church here in our new home state. Give me confidence to walk in the doors of a new church.  I love you Lord and praise your holy name. ~Amen

FFF:  I am so blessed by each one of you. Each devotion paints another picture in my mind. I am so grateful for the picture Shirley paints of us crawling into our Papa's lap and Him holding us close, loving and comforting us and listening to each of our hearts desires. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 3 - Day 4

Reading Esther 3:12-13

S:  Psalms 63:9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. The will go down into the depths of the earth. 

O:  Those plotting to destroy and ruin will go into the depths. 

A:  Hope is the first thing that comes to mind when I read this. I have hope. I am saved by the grace of God, by the blood of Jesus. Whom shall I fear?  

P:  Father thank you for your Son. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for giving me hope and knowing that you are my God and protector. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 3 - Day 3

Reading Esther 3:7-11

S:  Psalms 52:2 All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor, you're an expert at telling lies. 

O:  Plot destruction. Cuts like a razor. Expert of lies. 

A:  Wow!  I am reminded how wretched I am. Sensationalism flows freely from my tongue making things better or worse than they really are for building up or sympathy. I need to be like Amy and zip it. I read something this week and laughed at it. Maybe I should take the advice of it:  Instead of lip gloss, some people should use a glue stick!  <-----yep, that's me. 

P:  Father, be my glue stick. Seal my lips and hold my tongue. You have provided. You are in control. Let my life be an example of that. Trip me. Get me out of your way. Oh Lord, I'm humbled by your instruction. Help me. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 3 - Day 2

Reading: Esther 3:5-6

S:  Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. 

The Message puts it this way:  First pride, then the crash - the bigger the ego,the harder the fall

O:  Pride. Destruction. Fall. 

A:  That's putting it bluntly. If I would only start each day, each moment with the words, 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength' instead of 'I can do this on my own.  I don't need any help'. That's pride and I do it all the time. And I crash hard, all the time. 

P:  Father, you know me and know my heart. While I am a good person, you know I am hard headed and want to take the credit for things. I am especially feeling the sting of these words today as I have been preparing my resume.  Thank YOU for giving me the skills I have. Thank YOU for the ability to get things done. Thank YOU!!  It's all because of YOU, not me. I love you Lord. ~Amen

TT: I am thankful for time with my daughter and listening to her tell me of her day and making wedding plans and buying a house and her dreams for her future. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study -Week 3 - Day 1

Reading Esther 3:1-3

S:  Psalms 95:6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before The Lord our maker. 

O:  Worship. Bow down. Kneel before The Lord 

A:  This verse made me really think about what it is I am worshiping.  I can think of quite a few things in my life that I worship. Some more than others.  There are things that take priority in my life. I need to reexamine my priorities. I am challenging myself this week to take a stand against those things I wrongly worship and ask God to stand in place of those idols. 

P:  Father, God, I know what stands in my way. Some idols more clear than others. You know what does, too.  Forgive me. Be my Idol, Father. Let nothing stand between us. Help me. Give me strength to break the chains of the things standing between us. Let me run to you when I feel my weaknesses taking over. I want to love you more than any other thing in my life. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 2 - Day 5

Reading Esther 2:19-23

S:  Proverbs 19:20 Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. 

O:  Advice/instruction. Wise the rest of your life. 

A:  Where could anyone find better advice and instruction than God's word?  I need to stay in his word and in this study with you wonderful women to gain as much wisdom as possible for the rest of my life. 

P:  Father your guidance and direction in your word is the best advice I could ever want or need. Thank you for putting me right where I am. Thank you for this group of women who help me each day to grown in wisdom with your word. Be with each of us this weekend. Restore us and strengthen us and give us each the comfort we need. In Jesus precious name. ~Amen 

FFF ~ I lift each of you ladies up today. You all have been such great support and prayer warriors to everyone in the group. I'm blessed and grateful for each of you. 

PS We signed on a house yesterday. Praise The Lord from whom all blessings flow!

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 2 - Day 4

Reading Esther 2:12:18

S:  Esther 2:17. And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. 

O:  Loved her more than the others. He was delighted with her. Declared her queen. 

A:  I honestly have to say this passage puzzled me. But then God gave me this. Esther was an orphan. She probably was very down and sad at this being an orphan at such a young age. But she was cared for and loved and obviously beautiful which caused her to be placed in a very important role for ages to come. 

P:  Father these words today remind me that no one is out of your reach. You care and provide for the fatherless, the homeless and unloveable. Continue to put this word on my heart that I would wholly understand what you would have me take from this passage. ~Amen

TT:  I am so thankful for this group of women. So many have reached out and prayed for me and others. It's such a comfort to know I am prayed for and loved. 

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 2 - Day 3

Reading Esther 2:8-11

S:  Psalm 112:1 Praise The Lord!  How joyful are those who fear The Lord and delight in obeying his commands. 

O:  Praise. Joyful. Delight. 

A:  I have been so down lately. I really needed these words today.  Praise The Lord. I need to remember he always has my best interest at heart. He loves me and directs my path just like he did Esther's. I need to stay in his word and obey him. But the best part is he loves me in spite of my faults. Hallelujah! 

P:  Father thank you. You love me and know what's best for me. Forgive me for not always seeing what you plan for me as good. Thank you for providing all of my needs. A roof. Food. Water. Heat and cool. A bed. Oh so much to be thankful for. Thank you for loving me. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 2 - Day 2

Reading Esther 2:5-7

S:  James 1:26-27 MSG Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

O:  I love how the Message puts it. Very blunt. Just words. Hot air.  Be real. Love the homeless and loveless. 

A:  I want to be like Mordecai. He took in this poor child, an orphan. Working from home has not been a good thing for me. I love people. I miss being engaged with people. But even when I am out amongst the people am I doing what is asked of me to love the loveless?  Really reaching out to help those in need?  I need to come out of this funk I am in and embrace our new home city and get involved in a church and our community. 

P:  Father, you know my heart. You know where I am. You know that I have been avoiding church and people. I feeling your nudging and I have blatantly ignored your calling me out. Forgive me. Give me opprtunities to engage. To love. To help. I ask this in Jesus precious name. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 2 - Day 1

Reading Esther 2:1-4

S:   Ephesians 5:15 So be careful how you live.  Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.

O:  Be careful.  Be wise.

A:  I was sitting here thinking about those young women the king's attendants set out to find.  I was thinking how vulnerable these girls were.  How exciting to be sought after and pampered in the event they were chosen for Xerxes' next queen.  What a way to lure someone in to the snare.  How easy that is for us today.  We are lured in by many deceiving things of this world.  Satan uses all kinds of lures.  I fall for them all the time.  I need to be very careful how I live and not fall for the tricks he has up his sleeves.  I want to follow God's plan and live a wise life.

P:  Father, I ask that you bind satan from my life and the lives of these women.  Don't let us be fooled by satan's lies.  Let us be fools for you, Lord.  Give us the discernment to know the difference between a lure to follow the ways of this world and what you would have us do to please you and your will.  Be with each of us this week as we study your word.  ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 1 - Day 5

Reading Esther 1:19-21

S: Ephesians 5:33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

O:  Love her as he loves himself.  Respect her husband.

A:  This is so interesting because I was thinking, 'well what if your husband isn't a spiritual leader and you aren't sure that his motives are of the Lord?'  I am not saying that my husband isn't a wonderful man and that he cares and provides for me, but I wonder if he loves me in the way God would have him love me.  Then I asked myself, do I love and respect him the way the Lord would have me love and respect him?  Just questioning that tells me that I don't.  I need to remember who is in control.  It is not my husband, it is God.  He loves me.  He cares for me and He provides for me.  He gave this man as my husband and who am I to question or disrespect my husband when this is God's command of me. 

I love how Jen puts it:

You can rest assured that whatever is happening in your life, God is already at work putting the pieces together. ~Jen Thorn

Isn't is a wonderfully peaceful feeling knowing who holds you in the palm of His hand, putting your puzzle together?  I love the song by Casting Crowns - Already There.  He is at the end of my life waiting for me, waiting to show me the completed masterpiece of my life, ready to say, 'See I planned this out all for you'.

P:  Father, thank you.  Thank you for planning out my life perfectly.  Thank you for giving me a wonderful man to care for me and love me.  Guide my steps in respecting this man and hold him in your hand and give him what he needs to provide for our family.  I pray that you bring him unto you, that he would want to know you and love you like I do.  Help me to be your witness to him by respecting and loving him how you would have me love and respect him.  In Jesus' precious name, I pray.  ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 1 - Day 4

Good Morning Ladies~

Reading Esther 1:13-18

S:  Proverbs 14:8 The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves. 

O:  Prudent =  having or showing careful good judgement. Fool = A stupid or silly person. 

A:  Sometimes I just need to define things and really see in black and white what things mean. I know there are times I'm a fool but I hope that as I gain more and more knowledge of God's word I will become more prudent. When I think of who Xerxes turned to when he needed advice, he turned to man. How many times do I do that? I should always turn to God first. Ask him how to handle things first. I love this:

I really need to pay attention to this.

P:  Father thank you for always being here for me. Forgive me for not coming to you first with all my situations. Thank you for giving me a new day to try again. Draw me ever close to you that you would be the friend I want to run to with everything before anyone else. I love you. ~Amen

Have a beautiful day.

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 1 - Day 3

Reading Esther 1:9-12

S:  Proverbs 12:16  A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

O: Fool=quick tempered  Wise=calm

A:  Oh how often I am so quick to say and do things.  I don't take the time to stop and think things through and consider all aspects of the situation.  Yet I think of the times when I am calm and wait and realize what I was overlooking in being quick tempered.  One of the things I continually need to gain from my time with God and his word is to stop and wait and listen to what he has to say to me.  There are times when I don't want to hear his voice because I am a selfish child and want what I want when I want it.

P:  Father help me to stay calm.  Help me to hear your wisdom.  Let me not be quick tempered.  Being quick tempered causes hurt and steals joy.  I want to share you and your love with others and staying calm and sharing your word is the best way to do just that.  Put your word in my heart and mind that I would always be mindful of you and what you would do in any situation.  I don't want to be a fool. ~Amen

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 1 - Day 2

Love God Greatly ~ Esther Study - Week 1 - Day 1

Reading Esther 1:1-4

S: Matthew 6:19-21"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.  Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

O:  Store your treasures in heaven.  Your heart will also be.

A:  It is so hard to go against the world.  People want things and more things and people think things make you happy and sometimes they do.  And when we let that happen, satan uses those moments to lure us in.  He makes 'things' look so good to us and we want more and more.  I love being in the word and hearing God speak to me and tell me that this world is not my home and that nothing here will make me happy.  The only thing worth striving for is heaven and sharing as much as possible with others about Jesus and his love for us that they will want to be there, too.

P:  Father, forgive me for loving things of this world and wanting to store things up here.  Nothing on this earth will ever fulfill the desires of my heart as much as you.  Present to me the opportunities of this day to share your love and goodwill to those I come in contact with.  Help me to be a witness for your kingdom so they will want a life in eternity with you.  I ask these things in your Son's precious name.  ~Amen

Please pray for our living arrangements.  I know God has a plan.  I need to trust His plan and stop beating myself up.   I have some dark thoughts going on inside myself and I don't like where these thoughts take me.