Category: Uncategorized

by Tammy Phillips
September 7, 2021

“Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6 KJV)

I have a red shirt that I purchased a couple of years ago when we were out of town watching Parker, my youngest son play baseball.  I bought it while shopping with my mom and my husband.   It was, and is my favorite red shirt.  I wear it all the time.  I wore it to a fourth of July celebration this year.  Some fireworks went rogue.  We were probably sitting too close.  Unbeknown to me, and only realized when we got home, some embers slightly burned my shirt.  I was bummed.  As I said before,  it was my favorite.  I was not willing to just throw it away.  I could have bought another, but it would not be my beloved red shirt.  I tried to clean it.  I tried to scrub it and made two tiny holes in it.  Nothing worked.  Finally, I decided to cover it.  I washed it in different color.  Actually, I took a sharpie and drew my logo over it.  I took something I loved that had been burned, ruined, scarred and I created something even more beautiful.

This is exactly what Jesus did .  He loved us first.  He loved us at the cross.  He loved our burned, ruined, scarred, filthy sinner selves, first.  He loved us where we were, where we are and where we will be.    It is who God is.  His ineffable name is Yahweh, He who was, He who is to come.   He loved us first in our sin, then He chose to wash us from all our sins, burns, and scars in His precious blood.  He cleansed us and made us white as snow.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 KJV)

The LORD was with us and loved us in our past.  He is with us  and loves us now, and He will always be with us and love us, if  we are with Him.  He will take our lives and create something more beautiful with His washing. 

I enCOURAGE you to know how very much Jesus loved you. Do not look at your past, nor current situations to determine how worthy you are to be loved by Jesus.  Look to the cross to see how much He loved you.  Like my favored red shirt, He willingly gave His life blood to wash your past, present and future sins.  He loved you and washed you.  So put Him on and walk worthy of your call.  You are His favorite “red shirt” that now looks perfectly white as snow in His eyes.  He was, is and will always be faithful.

 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV)

by Tammy Phillips
September 6, 2021

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8 NKJV)

I do not believe there is anything that the Lord asks us to do that He has not done himself.  He poured Himself out for us and He pours Himself into us.

TRUST
Hope
Have confidence
Be confident
Be secure
Be bold
Be careless
Hide for refuge
Fear nothing

IN HIM

AT ALL TIMES
At happy times
At unhappy times
Today
Tomorrow
At morning time
At evening time
Every time
Every season
In loss
In gain
When things are up
When things are down
Now
Always

YOU PEOPLE
Nation
Tribe
Kinfolk
Whole human race

POUR OUT
Shed
Cast out
Gush out
Empty our
Spill it

YOUR HEART
Soul
Mind
Inner man
Guts
Self

BEFORE HIM
In His direction
In front of Him
In His face
In His presence

GOD IS A REFUGE
God is a shelter
God is a shadow of protection.
God is a place to flee.
God is a confidant.
God is someone to trust in.

FOR US.  SELAH.
Pause.
Rest.
Be silent.

In Psalm 62:8 the LORD asked us to trust Him every time and in everything.  He poured Himself out to and into us.  He asked us to pour out ourselves in His presence.  He sees and knows all, anyways.  It is not like we can hide anything from Him.  I have trusted confidants that I run to when I feel like I cannot do life alone.  The LORD wants to be that confidant.  He wants us to come before Him when we are good and bad; happy and sad; up or down. 

I enCOURAGE you not to let infantile pride keep you from turning your face to His.   Do not think you have to do it all by yourself.  I did that for far too long.  Big mistake.  Do not allow your misguided thoughts to lead you away from Him.  Do not be afraid of anything.  Do not fear that you have messed up too many times to go to Him.  It is not too late.  Allow Him to be your confidant.  Trust Him.  He is your shelter, protection, someone to trust in, and a place to flee.  Spill it.  He can take it.

 

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 5, 2021

“For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” (Jeremiah 31:25 KJV)

To be honest my tank was a little empty.  I wanted to crawl back in bed and stay for a while.  Instead, I chose to exercise my faith and arise.  Thankfully, our everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor grows weary. (Isaiah 40:28) He filled me up.

To the thirsty soul, He gives a large drink, a “Big Gulp”

To the dry soul, He irrigates the barren land of your heart.

To the dehydrated soul, He is the Living water.

To the bone-dry soul, He soaks.

To the craving soul, He abundantly satisfies.

To the withered soul, He drenches.

To the exhausted, empty soul, He fills up to overflowing.

To the melting soul, He makes whole.

To the withering soul, He refills.

To the pining soul, He fills the vacant space.

To the faint soul, He restores.

To the sinking soul, He abundant supplies.

To the yearning, He refreshes.

To the languishing soul, He completes.

I enCOURAGE you to go to the Lord if you are running on empty.  Let the power of His word fill you up.  He alone can satiate and replenish your weary soul.

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 4, 2020

 ^“‘Call to Me and I will answer you and show [and tell] you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).’” (Jeremiah 33:3 AMPC)

Formally, a calling card, also called a business or visiting card, is a small card with the name, title, address, phone number and email of a person, for presenting when making a business or social calls.  Informally, a calling card is any mark, sign, trace, characteristic, or the like by which someone or something can be recognized.  A calling card is also called phone card.  It is a prepaid card that can be used to make a telephone call at home or away from home.(dictionary.com)

The Lord left us His calling card in Jeremiah 33:2-3.  In verse two He establishes who He is and gives us His name.  His title is Maker, Former, and Establisher of the earth.  The Lord is His name.  In verse three, He literally “text messages” us,  “Call me!  I am the Lord. I made it all. I formed it all. I established it all.  If you need to know anything about anything, I know it.  Call me.  I will answer you!  I am eager to show and tell you great and mighty, hidden, fenced in things…things you do not know.   If you call me, I will show and tell you all about it.  Know what that means?  I will make it conspicuous.  It will be obvious to your eye and easily seen.  I will put  it right in front of you.  It will stand out boldly because I will make it manifest to you. I will show you.  I will tell you.  I will give you a report. I will message you. It will be in plain sight; I will bring it to the light. It will be clearly visible.”

The Lord wants to be in business with us.  He wants to partner and reveal Himself to us.   He wants to lead and guide us.  He wants to show and tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it.

I enCOURAGE you not to tuck His card deep in your wallet, but to remember it.  Pick it up.  Use it. “Text” or call Him.  Your calling card is also a prepaid card.  It was paid for with the precious blood of Jesus and can been used anytime to reach the throne of God.  I guarantee He will answer, text, show and tell you great and mighty things.  

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 3, 2021

“A man [who has] friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend [who] sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 NKJV)

I love my friends and I am so very thankful for every one of them. As I said in yesterday’s encouragement, we all need strong, iron friends. (Please read it if you have not, it will enhance this encouragement.) My closest iron friend, although I probably would call Him my diamond friend, is a “friend who sticks closer than a brother” and who loves like no other.  He is the one and only, Jesus, my Lord.

He is a friend who…

• Has never forsaken me, although I have turned my back on Him. (Hebrews 13:5)
• Is always with me. (Matthew 28:20)
• Has been with me through every trial and trouble. (Psalm 23:4)
• Always answers when I call. (Jeremiah 33:3)
• Has always been faithful. (Psalm 119:90)
• Has never failed me.  (Deuteronomy 31:8)
• Walks with me through deep water. (Isaiah 43:2)
• Restores my soul. (Psalm 23:3)
• Forgives me every time. (1 John 1:9)
• Laid down His life for me. (John 15:13)
• Died so that I could have a better life. (John 10:10)
• Loves at all times. (Proverbs 17:17)
• Is always on time and never late.
• Calls me friend. (John 15:14)
• Sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
• Always amazes me. (Luke 5:26)

My very best Friend, my Lord, my God blew my socks off again.  Actually, He sent me a pair of socks. 

Follow this crazy, loving, amazing story…

My lifelong best friend and sister in Christ, Pam Verma, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, sent me a Christmas gift, last year.  She sent it to Maryville, Tennessee, where I had not lived in ten years.  When we discovered her mistake, I asked our old neighbors, the Winders, to go next door to see if the package had been received; it had.  They brought the gift home. My iron friend that I spoke of yesterday lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.  She went and picked up the gift to give me the next time that we met. We have seen each other a few times since Christmas, but for different reasons the exchange was not made.  In fact, she brought the gift to my son’s wedding in Florida, where all my best friends were all together, including Kristi and Pam!  AGAIN, we did not make the exchange.  It was not God’s timing yet.  I was in Chattanooga this week with my husband for work.  Kristi met me for lunch and brought the gift!  I took it back to the hotel room and let it sit unopened for a day.  As I was packing up and consolidating things, I decided to open the small gift, so the contents could be easily packed away.  When I finally opened the package, I was amazed!  My BEST FRIEND, my Lord, had used my earthly best friends, Kris, Kristi, and Pam, to deliver me an on-time gift that took eight months to receive.  It was a sweet cross ornament and a pair of socks!  It was what was on the socks… a verse that I used just the day before and one of my favorites, Joshua 1:9! 

What a friend we have in Jesus!  He wove and aligned all that craziness, just so that I would receive a blessing from Him in His perfect timing.  “To everything [there is] a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV)

I enCOURAGE you to get to know Jesus as your friend. He wants to be your best Friend and do this crazy, amazing life with you.  He is the best and will just blow you away if you give Him the chance.  His love and timing are perfect and amazing.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV).   

Nothing like the love of my best Friend who “sticks closer than a brother.”

by Tammy Phillips
September 2, 2021

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NKJV)

Iron is a lustrous, malleable, ductile, silvery metal.  The element symbol, Fe, was shortened from the Latin word ‘ferrum‘ meaning ‘firmness’.  It has a melting point: 2800°F and a boiling point: 5182°F.  Pure iron is fairly soft and can easily be shaped and formed when hot. 

It is the second most abundant metal element in the Earth’s crust and is primarily used to produce steel, one of the most important structural materials in the world. It is strongly magnetic. Exposed to a strong magnetic field, any piece of iron can be magnetized. Scientists believe that the Earth’s core is made up of about 90% iron. The magnetic force produced by this iron is what creates the magnetic north and south poles. (Bell, Terence. “Metal Profile: Iron.” ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/metal-profile-iron-2340139.)

IRON IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN LIFE. IT is in every body cell. Around 70% of the iron in the human body is found in the hemoglobin of red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to all the other tissues. Iron deficiency in humans leads to anemia, which forces the heart to pump harder to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood. (https://azironsupply.com/2020/02/19/ten-fun-facts-about-iron/)

We all need “iron” friends that have high melting and boiling points.  We need companions that are strong under fire, but are also soft, flexible, and can be easily shaped in the fire. We, gals, need lustrous friends that help us sparkle. We need magnetic mates who keep us aligned north to south, straight up, like the world and it poles. We need iron confidants that help up us breathe in Jesus and breathe out Satan.  Most of all require strong, firm friends in our lives that keep us on the straight and narrow.   Iron brothers and sisters are essential to our spiritual life.

I was recently talking with my iron sister, Kristi Stephens.  She is all of five foot tall, but a spiritual giant on fire for the Lord.  She would tell you that she was a six-foot woman trapped in a 5’2” body.  I confided to her that I awoke feeling this-way-and-that.  I had some symptoms that were not good.  I mentioned that I thought, “Oh, no!”  She immediately corrected me as an iron friend would  do.   She emphatically said, “We do not do ‘Oh, no!’”

“Oh no!”
“Uh oh.”
“I am afraid…”
“This is killing me.”
“I am worried…”
“I am troubled…”
“I am upset…”

These are all statement that are born out of fear and not faith.  The word of God says:

DO NOT FEAR

“Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I [am] your God. I will strengthen    you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

DO NOT BE DISMAYED…which is the “OH NO!” 

“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your    God [is] with you wherever you go.”” (Joshua 1:9 NKJV) 

 DO NOT WORRY

“Do not worry about your life… Do not worry about tomorrow… do not worry about        how or what you should speak. (Matthew 6:25, 6:34, 10:19

Kristi and I, as iron women for God, choose to obey His word.  She sharpened me by reminding me that we do not do what God tells us to do not do. “We don’t do, ‘Oh no!”’

I enCOURAGE you to find your iron.  Find someone who will hold you accountable to the word of God.  I encourage you not take the word of God lightly.  Be obedient to His word and remember, “WE DON’T DO, ‘Oh no!”’  Instead, we call out to Him in faith

 

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 1, 2021

Raise your hand.  Who has a problem asking a friend or family member for a favor?  This used to be me.  Like a baby, I would pridefully think that I could do it all by myself.  I did not want to be a “bother.” I did not want to ask anyone for anything.  I did not want to put them out of their way.  The truth is I did not want to be rejected in shape, form, or fashion.   

Is this why we do not pray to God about everything? Do we have infantile pride?  God created it all.  Who better to ask about anything and everything?

Prayer is simply going to God and asking him a favor.  Prayer is an appeal with zeal.  Prayer is confessing to God that we cannot do it all by ourselves and that we need His help.  I love one of Webster’s 1828 Dictionary definition of prayer: “In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, thanksgiving for blessings received and supplication for mercy.”

The New Testament of the Bible direct us to pray in the following way:

“But you, when you pray, go into your room,
and when you have shut your door,
PRAY TO YOUR FATHER WHO [IS] IN THE SECRET [PLACE];
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
(Matthew 6:6 NKJV)

“But I say to you, love your enemies,
 bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU.”
 (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)

“Watch and
 PRAY, LEST YOU ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.
The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”
 (Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38 NKJV)

“When you PRAY, SAY:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.” 
(Luke 11:2-4 NKJV)

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to
PRAY AND NOT LOSE HEART,” (Luke 18:1 NKJV)

“Watch therefore, and
PRAY ALWAYS THAT YOU MAY BE COUNTED WORTHY
to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  (Luke 21:36 NKJV)

“PRAY THAT YOU MAY NOT ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.” (Luke 22:40 NKJV)

“PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV)

“PRAY EVERYWHERE, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;” (1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV)

“PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16 NKJV)

At this point in this post I have used 458 words, Jesus only used 50 words when He showed us how to pray in Luke 11:2-4.  We don’t have to pray many words.  In fact, Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.” (Matthew 6:7 NLT)

I enCOURAGE you to ask the LORD for a favor.  Pray all the time, everywhere, and for everyone.  It’s what He tells us to do.  He is God.  He knows best and He has THE answer you are searching for.  He is full of grace and eager to grant your favor.  Pray.

 

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
August 31, 2021

“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NKJV)

I was talking with a loved and trusted sister in Christ about a serious concern. Afterwards, our conversation went in many different directions.  At one time, I thought we were going down one path.  She went in a completely different direction and caught me completely off guard by asking me the question I am asking you, “What is the desire of your heart?”  I was confused.  She expounded, “If you could ask the Lord to do anything or many things for you, what would you ask Him?  What do you want?”  The question was provoking.  I gave her an answer with little thought. I think I said, “to delight  in the Lord and to get published, whatever that looks like.”

This question deserved more consideration. It would require me to put on my mud boots and to dig deep.  After I replied to her, I laid the question down on the table beside my comfy chair.  It was Saturday night and I had to get ready for a party.  I determined I would pick it up again another day.

Fast forward five days, I was perusing Instagram and read the following @THEZIGZIGLAR: “Are you ready to start crushing your goals?”  My memory was stirred, “What is the desire of your heart?” The screen above the Zig Ziglar question read:

Setting Your Goals in Four Easy Steps→

( I swept right to the next screen.)

STEP ONE:
Let your imagination run wild, and write down everything you want to be, do, or have.  When you write, your concentration is greater and you burn the idea more undeniably into your mind!

(Zig Ziglar was posing the same question formatted a bit differently.  I guess I needed to pick the question back up.  It had been posed to me twice within a week.)

Swipe right again…

STEP TWO:
Wait 24-48 hours and answer the question for every goal you wrote down.  If you cannot verbalize it, then it is a dream and not a goal. 

Swipe right…

STEP THREE:
Divide your goal into three categories.  Short range (1 month or less); intermediate (1 year or less); Long range (1+years)

Swipe right…

STEP FOUR:
Prayerfully choose four of your goals that are most important and decide what you need to start working on today.  Remember, motivation comes after your start a project.

As a new month rolls around, it is a time for new beginnings.  Seasons will change, and I believe it is time for a new season in my life.  How about yours?

I enCOURAGE you to join me and answer the question, “What is the desire of your heart?”  If you have already accepted this challenge and are well on your way, CONGRATULATIONS!  Pray for the rest of us.  If you have not responded, do not table it for too long.  You are only delaying your destiny.  

“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass.” (Psalm 37:5 NKJV)

(Credit for the four steps @THEZIGZIGLAR on Instagram)

 

by Tammy Phillips
August 30, 2021

 “Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44 NKJV)

It is wedding season!  We celebrated our oldest son’s marriage in May and have been to several weddings since then.  I cannot even count how many weddings the kids have attended this year. I awoke at 3 AM this morning thinking about my youngest son’s future wedding.  He told me about a unique idea he had for his groom’s cake, NEXT YEAR.  My creative, artist brain started running in an attempt to come up with a design.  Then Holy Spirit kicked in and reminded me of His words that have been echoing between my ears for weeks:

 “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,” (Matthew 24:38 NKJV)

“They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27 NKJV)

I am sure that the people thought Noah was crazy!  They had never seen, nor did they know about rain, so that had no real concept of a flood.   The earth was watered from the Lord’s irrigation system in the ground, a mist that rose from the earth not from rain that fell from the sky (Gen.2:5-6).  I assume there were many conversations around the construction of the ark, but the Bible does not say so. The only thing the Bible alludes to was that Noah was a “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5)   They Bible does not say that Noah warned the people of the impending flood. Also, Noah was told to build the ark when he was 500 years old, and the flood did not come until he was 600.  People kept living however THEY wanted, unrighteous and ungodly, just like today. 

The Lord saved the righteous but destroyed the unrighteous with with a flood. He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and made reservations in hell until judgment day for the angels who chose to sin against Him.  He came quickly, without warning and executed justice.  For most of my life, at least the last forty years, I have believed that Jesus was coming soon. Christians have believed in Jesus’ eminent return since His death over 2000 years ago.  The disciples believed that He would return quickly and set up His kingdom.  The Bible tells us repeatedly that Jesus is coming quickly…

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” (Revelation 3:11 NKJV)

“Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:7 NKJV).

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward [is] with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12 NKJV)

“He who testifies to these things says, “Surely, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20 NKJV)

I know what you all are thinking…two thousand years is a long time and Jesus has not come yet.  News alert, time is irrelevant to God, to us it might be 2000 years of grace, but to the Lord it might be two years of grace.  “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8 NKJV)

The question is really not, “when is Jesus coming again?”  He is coming!  Jesus will come quickly and without warning.  He has been so good to us and warned us over and over and over again.  He has given us chance after chance to get our lives right.  The real question is, “Are we prepared to meet Him?”  Have we kept on doing what we want to do?  Have we been our own god?  Have we kept on eating, drinking, marrying, and partying and forgotten the LORD our righteousness?  

I strongly, strongly, enCOURAGE you with everything that is in me to get right with the Lord.  Choose Him as your Savior and allow Him to be Lord of your life.  As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; … There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10, 18 NKJV) ” (Romans 3:10- NKJV).  Don’t let this be you when Jesus comes.  You cannot do, nor be good enough for the Lord.  You are only made righteous and justified in Him.  He is your Justifier, and He is your Righteousness.   I do not know when Jesus is coming.  It could be today, tomorrow or hundreds years from now.  I am going to live like He is coming today and prepare for the next 100 years. 

If you read this far, you have been advised and you have been invited.  Have you accepted the proposal of Jesus, the Groom? Have you Répondez S‘il Vous  Plaît?  Have you RSVP’d to the party of all time, the marriage feast of the Lamb?  Are you ready? Please respond! 

 

 

 

August 29, 2021

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

I don’t know why I thought of this but somebody needs to hear it.

When God calls us to step out in faith and do something that is way out of our comfort zone, He will give us everything we need to do it. When He first called me to write, I was like…”What?” I am still amazed that every day He gives me the words to say.

Today, I am “old school” writing. I am sitting in our hotel bathroom, trying not to disturb my sleeping husband. Tapping away on my phone. When I first answered the call to to be a scribe for the Lord. I had pen, paper and my phone. I would jot encouragements on my small device. The small device was problematic at time, so I challenged the Lord. I prayed, “if you want me to work for you, I need the correct equipment.” I ask Him for a laptop, but I didn’t tell anyone about it. I was determined not to buy one. I kept plugging away on my phone.

Christmas of that same year, the last gift I received was from my whole family. My youngest son had written on the box, “Do not cry mom.” Around Thanksgiving, The Lord had placed it on his twenty-something-year-old heart to buy me a laptop. He enlisted the support of his oldest brother and Father. The Lord used my whole family to bless me with my request. He accepted my challenge and what else could I do but tearfully submit to His.

I enCOURAGE you to boldly answer the call of the Lord. He has good plans for your life. You were created for a purpose. Just ask Him! He will deliver and give you everything you need to go in His name.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 NKJV)