How many ways have you been blessed by God? Relationally? Materially? Spiritually? Physically? His blessings are all around us, but we too easily get distracted. Consider an activity where you write in your journal or on a sheet of paper all the different ways God has blessed you.
Whatever God has done for you, stop to remember His blessings in detail. And say a word of thanks.
Have you discovered the wonder of gratitude? Click here for a reminder of the power of a thankful attitude.
Share this link with a friend who might need a little encouragement today.
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
St. Ambrose
The prayer of the upright pleases Him.
Proverbs 15:8
We are promised that God hears and will answer our prayers. But does that mean we’ll always get what we ask Him for?
Not exactly. Prayer is a relationship; it’s not magic. God has invited us to commune with Him in prayer. When we ask Him for good gifts – something He encourages us to do – we should remember that we’re talking to someone who loves us, wants what’s best for us, and knows what we really need.
Need some encouragement to keep praying today? Click Here for a celebration of the gift of communing with God through prayer.
And pass this along to someone who could use the same inspiration today.
Prayer is request. The essence of request, as distinct from compulsion, is that it may or may not be granted. And if an infinitely wise Being listens to the requests of finite and foolish creatures, of course He will sometimes grant and sometimes refuse them
C. S. Lewis
May 6th, was the National Day of Prayer. Though there may be some controversy in the media regarding this national event, there’s no law that can stop you from praying.
Whether you’re able to join your local congregation to pray or you will be praying privately, we encourage you to take some time today to lift our nation and leaders up to God. To help you, please enjoy this excerpt written by Billy Graham from our book A Time for Prayer:
Billy Graham’s Prayer for the Nation:
Our Father and our God,
We praise You for Your goodness to our nation, giving us
blessings far beyond what we deserve.
Yet we know all is not right with America. We deeply need
a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many
problems we face.
Convict us of sin. Help us to turn to You in repentance and
faith. Set our feet on the path of Your righteousness and peace.
We pray today for our nation’s leaders. Give them the wisdom
to know what is right, and the courage to do it.
You have said, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
May this be a new era for America, as we humble ourselves
and acknowledge You alone as our Savior and Lord.
This we pray in Your holy name, Amen.
We encourage you to participate today – you can find out more information at the NDP website. Be sure to get a copy of A Time for Prayer to continue your prayers for the nation. . Click here for more details about A Time for Prayer.
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This Sunday is Valentine’s Day. Watch any romantic movie, and you’ll see displays of eros love, the kind of love that we associate with February 14th. It’s true…Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to express to that special someone how much you care. But I’d like to encourage you to let this Valentine’s Day remind you of the love that God has called you to show everyone in your life.
In the book of Jeremiah, God tells the prophet that He knew him when he was still in the womb. Think about that…before he was born, God loved him for who he was. Just as God loves us, He calls us to love one another.
Think of the love that Jeremiah’s mother had for him as she carried him. Mothers are such an amazing reflection of God’s love. This Sunday, don’t forget to show your mother how much she means to you. Please enjoy this excerpt from our book,Mother’s Are Heaven’s Scent.
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An Excerpt from Mothers Are Heaven’s Scent, written by Paula Fox Mothers are like flowers…each one is uniquely beautiful in her own way, and each is designed by God to bloom where she is planted. The Lord created a variety of different flowers to show us the beauty in His diversity, and He uses them in His written Word to illustrate how we are to be like flowers…a reflection of His beauty, spreading His fragrance throughout our world. “Through us [He] diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14–15 NKJV). This is especially true of Mothers. Not only are they sent from heaven for a very special purpose, but they are also heaven’s SCENT, as they are given the awesome responsibility of being the life-giving aroma of God in their homes. What a beautiful picture! As a Mother is conformed more and more into the image of Christ, she “reflect[s] like a mirror the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18 Phillips). Walk with me now through the Lord’s own garden as we look closely at some of His extraordinary creations. The heart of God…the beauty and heavenly fragrance of Christ Himself…can be seen in each of these flowers and is reflected in a Mother’s heart. Red Rose The Red Rose symbolizes a Mother’s love for her child. When a woman becomes a Mother, she begins to understand more fully the great love God has as a parent for each of us as His children. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. “Not until I became a Mother did I understand how much my Mother had sacrificed for me. Not until I became a Mother did I feel how hurt my Mother was when I disobeyed. Not until I became a Mother did I know how proud my Mother was when I achieved. Not until I became a Mother did I realize how much my Mother loves me.” P.S. Today, Mothers are Heaven’s Scent with a leather gift box is on sale for only $15.95. The book, by itself, is only $12. Offers end Friday, 2/12/2010 at 11:59PM CST. Shipping to your mother or a friend? Use our new “ship to” option to send it directly from our warehouse to their address. click here to learn more.
Be Inspired and Inspire Others,
Troy Johnson |
Over the last few months, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with our friends at the National Day of Prayer Task Force—the organization that leads worldwide prayer initiatives, including the gathering of millions of people at the annual event on the first Thursday in May.
Prayer is one of the most powerful ways God accomplishes His acts in the world. Prayer invites us to spend time with God and connects us to an intimate relationship with Him.
Prayer is our source of strength, protection, and offers hope in all things.
What is prayer to you? Why do you pray? Our new inspirational movie, “A Time for Prayer” is a wonderful reminder of the power of prayer, its significance, and our daily need for it.
Click here to watch. Be sure to bless others by sharing this movie with your friends and family.
Be Inspired and Inspire others,
Troy Johnson
P.S. You can pre-order the book, A Time for Prayer which includes a free copy of the movie on DVD. Click here to order. Your order will ship in 2-3 days. .
This past Wednesday, Inspired Faith introduced our new inspirational movie, A Time for Prayer. If you didn’t get a chance to watch it, then please click here.
Today, we introduce the book,Today, we introduce the book, A Time for Prayer. Both the book and movie are an inspiring and powerful reflection that “prayer is our pathway to a personal, ultimate relationship with God.” —Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force . Both the book and movie are an inspiring and powerful reflection that “prayer is our pathway to a personal, ultimate relationship with God.” —Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force
In the excerpt below, Shirley Dobson illustrates how prayer is a vital component that enriches our lives and our relationships with God. She also highlights the significance of praying for others and the impact it will have on their lives.
You are going to love this book. It’s beautifully designed. You’ll find the content inspiring and empowering. A Time for Prayer is filled with quotes, prayers, and excerpts from spiritual leaders such as Billy Graham, Charles Swindoll, Beth Moore, Max Lucado, Luis Palau, and many others. The book also includes a foreword by Franklin Graham, the National Day of Prayer Task Force’s 2010 spokesperson.
But don’t take my word for it, click here to learn more about the book. It makes a great gift for friends, family, your small group study, and more. Give a copy to your church pastor or to a lay ministry leader.
We have so much to be thankful for as a nation, but simultaneously so much to pray for on a daily basis—for needs and requests close to our hearts, as well as around the globe.
Praying for you, our nation, and the world,
An Excerpt from A Time For Prayer, writings and compilation by Lance Wubbels
Introduction by Shirley Dobson, Chairman, National Day of Prayer Task Force
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1
In today’s tumultuous times, we all have moments where we are afraid, anxious, and worried. But there’s an antidote for this anxious age. It connects us to the greatest source of peace, hope, and security that we could ever imagine. The cure is the remarkable gift from our loving and merciful God. It’s called prayer.
Though many may call the twenty-first century the Age of Anxiety, our current troubles are not new. Mankind’s future has always been uncertain. Since the days of Noah and his family, Moses and the nation of Israel, the persecuted early church, the Pilgrims, and America’s founding fathers, the answer for people facing adversity has always been the same: Almighty God.
Simply put, there is no security apart from Him. When problems threaten to engulf us, we must do what believers have always done—turn to the Lord for encouragement and solace. We never need to face the fury of life’s storms on our own. He keeps His promise: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). He stands just to the side, ever watchful, waiting to embrace us the moment we ask His presence. His words to Jeremiah apply to us all: “Call to me and I will answer you” (Jeremiah 33:3).
Prayer is our pathway not only to divine protection, but also to a personal, intimate relationship with God. The Lord desires a personal, two-way conversation with me and with you. You are His child. He wants you to seek Him, to love Him, and to spend time daily with Him. When you do, He hears and responds (Matthew 6:6). You prayers never go unanswered. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no, and sometimes it is wait. But our heavenly Father is there even in the most troubling of circumstances.
Are you ready to renew or increase your commitment to prayer? Do you want contentment in your heart and peace in your world? If your answer is yes—or even maybe—keep reading and discover God’s remarkable gift called prayer. It will change your life, the lives around you, and even the course of history.
P.S. To get your copy of “A Time for Prayer” today, click here.
As we move our attention to starting another new year, we often find ourselves asking questions like, “What can I expect in the coming year?” or “How can I achieve my goals in 2010?”
You’ve heard the quote, “To achieve something you’ve never achieved, you have to do something you’ve never done.” To live a life of purpose, you have to live intentionally. You have to know where you’re going and stay on that path.
In Paula Fox’s book,The Second Mile, we learn that everyone can live with purpose and a promise of victory in the new year. This book also helps answer the questions I raised earlier…and perhaps the answers are simpler than we think.
As you start the new year, remember that God is right beside you. He has already walked a Second Mile for you and if you let Him, He will develop you into a Second Mile person!
Below is an excerpt from The Second Mile. Enjoy!
Anticipating great things ahead in 2010!
An Excerpt from The Second Mile: “The Second Mile…Is a Promise of Victory“
“He gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ…
So stand strong…Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
(I Corinthians 15:57-58 NCV)
On the wall in front of my treadmill hangs a beautiful poster entitled VICTORY. It’s a picture of a group of sailboats racing on the water, with their colorful sails billowing in the wind. The caption beneath it reads… “You can’t control the winds. The race can only be won if you have the ability to adjust your sails.”
I love this daily reminder
that victorious living is all about making the right choices… We can’t always control the circumstances in our lives, but we can control how we choose to respond to them…
We can choose to be a “victim” and feel sorry for ourselves… or we can make the empowering decision to be a “victor” as we adjust our sails and go the Second Mile… “Let us throw off everything that hinders us…and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NIV) We can choose God’s promise of “VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
An inspiring story of a Second Mile victory is the true life adventure of Pete Goss, an expert yachtsman whose dream was to win a solo, non-stop, round-the-world yacht race. His extraordinary story of triumph over adversity is told in his book, Close to the Wind.
Over a period of ten years, he made many personal sacrifices in order to achieve his dream, including selling his house and his car to help finance and build his boat, the Aqua Quorum. Finally, on November 3,1996, he set sail in the race of his life, the Vendee Globe.
He was doing well in the race, overcoming incredible challenges and dangers, and managing high winds with waves as high as six-story buildings. Then, a third of the way through the race, his radio picked up a message that 160 miles away, one of his competitors was in desperate trouble and needed help. At this point, Goss made the heroic decision to give up his chance of winning the race, “adjust his sails” and go the Second Mile.
He turned his small craft into a deadly hurricane in an attempt to find and rescue this man he barely knew… a stranger lost on a life raft somewhere in the midst of a vast ocean. Somehow, unbelievably, he managed to rescue the man and was able to complete the race. When he finally reached the finish line, he was welcomed home by a crowd of 150,000 people who had gathered “to cheer not the race’s winner but its hero!”
Pete Goss came in fifth, but he won the VICTORY by going the Second Mile!
Real VICTORY is not about winning races… It’s about living a life of significance. When faced with the choice of whether or not to give up his dream and attempt a dangerous life-threatening rescue, Pete Goss said, “I had to go, I knew that. It was that simple… When someone is in trouble… you help.” He was committed to Second Mile living.
Watch the inspirational short movie, The Second Mile. Pay it forward and share this with your friends and family. It’s a perfect way to encourage others or yourself!
Inspired Faith
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. At least it’s supposed to be, isn’t it? I realize there is very little “white space” left on your December calendar, and there are only 23 shopping days left before Christmas.
That is why Inspired Faith wants to make it easy for you to find value-driven gifts that inspire and encourage yourself and others at affordable prices—allowing you to give the gift of inspiration this holiday season.
The Simple Blessings of Christmas
| If you are like me, you buy gifts for the closest people in your life around the key gift-giving seasons of the year: birthdays, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. But the other day I asked myself, “When was the last time I purchased a gift for that significant person outside of a special occasion?” I couldn’t remember. So I put into action what I haven’t done in a long time. I got online and purchased a gift for my mom.
Inspired Faith offers you the perfect “just because” gift to present to your mom as a special way to show your love and appreciation to her. Mothers are Heaven’s Scent, a book every mother will enjoy, looks at the beauty and fragrance of flowers, relating each one to how God looks at and loves every mother. So when was the last time you purchased a gift for your mother outside of her birthday or another gift-giving season? Share the gift of inspiration with the one who continues to love and inspire you today. To learn more about Mothers are Heaven’s Scent . click here And, please enjoy an excerpt from the book: |
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DOGWOOD
The DOGWOOD is a picture of the sacrifice of a Mother’s love. The blossoms are formed in the shape of a cross with the crown of thorns in the center and the nail prints at the tip of each petal… reminding us of the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord. A Mother’s love enables her to give up her right to personal freedom in order to care for her baby. She is willing to sacrifice “self” for the sake of her child, just as the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself for each of us. “Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2 (NIV) Before you were conceived, I wanted you. The deepest fountains of love are found at the cross of Christ and in a Mother’s heart. “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:10 (NIV) Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. (Elizabeth Stone) |
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| I hope you enjoyed that small excerpt. Today is your opportunity to give the gift of appreciation ..Be inspired and inspire others!Troy Johnson Inspired Faith
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Customer Love
It will inspire individuals to utilize their unique talents and serve from the heart. See
more about the book by clicking here.
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