Quiet Times and Still Harbors

"that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,"

1 Thessalonians 4:11

This verse was the topic for my weekly devotional this week. I found it ironic that it falls right toward the end of school. I wrote to myself in my devotional notes, "How can I find time for a quiet life in the midst of the end of the semester?" At first I decided that it would be impossible to have a quiet life during this stressful time, but God wouldn't let me end with that. He convicted me that although I cannot get out of any of my obligations for the next three weeks, I can still find a way to live a quiet life. I just need to find (as the book suggests) the small harbors. I need to take advantage of those moments here and there where I have a moment to be quiet and still. It may be for just five minutes before school or it could be only for a half hour at night before I go to bed, but those moments do exist. While I may not be able to live a "quiet life" right now, I can develop quiet moments until God gives me a chance to rest. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that taking these moments of quiet time before God, to refresh myself and just bask in His presence, will probably be one of the most important things when it comes to finishing up a stressful semester. I would encourage all of you to consider the same idea. Even if you cannot back out of your obligations to have a "quiet life" make a few minutes each day just to relax and have a quiet time before God. I hope this blesses you as much I predict it is going to bless me.
God Bless,


Dani ><>

You are Valuable!

I received this devotional in my inbox today and I thought I would pass it along. Sometimes we try so hard to "please God" in order to "win" His love. However, nothing we can do can ever be good enough to warrant God's love...yet He loves us anyway! These two excerpts talk about that very encouraging fact!




Enjoying Peace in His Presence
I love you regardless of how well you are performing. Sometimes you feel uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love. No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no. Your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out. I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions. I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction: Nothing and no one can reverse it. Therefore, your accomplishment as a Christian has no bearing on My Love for you. Even your ability to assess how well you are doing on a given day is flawed. Your limited human perspective and the condition of your body, with its mercurial variations, distort your evaluation.

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place, My Unfailing Love. Try to stay conscious of My loving Presence with you in all that you do , and I will direct your steps.

Jeremiah 31:3; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 31:16; Psalm 107:8

Excerpted from the devotional book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.


You Have Value... Just As You Are
With you very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me. Psalm 119:73 MSG

Listen closely, Jesus' love does not depend on what we do for him. Not at all. In the eye of the King, you have value simply because you are. You don't have to look nice or perform well, Your value is inborn.

You are valuable...not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. Remember that.

God takes you however he finds you. No need to clean up or climb up. Just look up.