Hebrews 11:6 says, But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is a necessity, not only in pleasing God but also in obtaining His promises. Without faith, we have nothing. Everything in God’s world requires our faith, from receiving Him as Lord and Saviour to believing that every need is met. Sometimes we find our faith wavering, especially if we have had a long battle that has gone on for some time. It's hard to believe during those times. Faith acts as a barrier between us and the trials we face. We cannot afford to neglect our faith, and if it is wavering, we must repair it as soon as possible. How do we increase our faith? Romans 10:17 says, So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Consistent exposure to the Word of God through hearing, reading, and meditation is necessary for faith to grow. The greater our immersion in the Word of God, the more our faith will flourish. As our faith grows, so does what we receive from God. I have learned in my life that when my faith is not where it needs to be, it's time to increase my Word intake and build it up again. Get my confidence back on track, knowing God is able. Staying in the Word daily and feeding my faith helps me stay strong and assured that God is with me. If a problem looks too big, increase your Word intake until the situation stops overwhelming you. You can only believe in what you are confident God can do for you. If you feel anxious, it's time for some faith fuel. You can never overdose on God’s Word. The more of it you have the better things will be for you. Now that’s something to get busy doing.

When experiencing a panic attack, it's recommended to soothe oneself by concentrating on taking deep breaths. Inhale deeply and count to four, then hold your breath for seven counts before exhaling slowly for a count of eight. The purpose is to shift your focus from panicking thoughts to counting. Well, I think we can take this exercise up a notch. Inhale deeply and repeat the phrase, "Jesus loves me. " Hold your breath and repeat the following phrase, "I entrust this concern to Him, knowing that He cares for me." With a deep exhale, whisper, "Thank you, Jesus. I trust you to handle my problem." Jesus is the only one that can calm your storm. If you connect to Him when anxiety rises, it can quickly calm down your troubled thoughts. We were never promised a life without trials and problems. But He has promised us that if we keep our minds on Him, He will surround us with His peace. You can go through a storm, but in you, is a peace you cannot explain. Knowing who our God is and that He takes care of everything that comes our way should give us hope and relief. You will never do life alone. There will never be a situation that God cannot help you with. So if you feel a panic attack coming, practice speaking to it while you do your breathing exercises. I know for a fact that Jesus will calm your anxious mind down and give you peace. Anxiety Scriptures Philippians 4: 4-8 Isa. 6:1-3 Hebrew 13:8 Lam.3:17-20

The answer to anxiety is to establish your life with a strong belief system. Believe in God's Word and promises. Have habits and moral boundaries that anchor your soul. A stabilizer that keeps you grounded in the faith. When the wind blows and anxious thoughts come, you have a sturdy belief system to fall back on. Your foundation is firmly planted in God, who will not disappoint you. You won't be shaken and you won’t quit cause you know who your Redeemer is. You know the scriptures and you answer that anxious thought with the truth of God's Word. Your belief system is sound and firmly grounded. If your foundation is weak, it will move you, tossing you back and forth. Anxiety will be your constant companion. Knowing how much God loves and cares about you will calm your troubled mind, replacing anxiety with His peace. Rejoice in God and believe that He’s for you. Let Him have control of your life and rest in His arms. Fill your mind with God’s thoughts, not what ifs and maybes. Remember the times He has seen you through. Keeping your focus on Him will take your mind off your troubles. Anxiety passes as trust in God’s love for you increases. God has got you and is for you. There’s nothing that could happen that God can’t take care of. Scripture reading Lamintations 23:21-26 Isaiah 26:3 Jeremiah 17:7-8

This week I had the opportunity to lose my cool and throw all my toys out of the cot! Someone took advantage of me and stole some of my money without my consent. I spoke to them, and they blatantly thought they were in the right and that a refund would not happen. The song, “Somebody done me wrong,” kept repeating in my head. I lost a night's sleep as I stewed over this incident. My peace went out the window, and frustration, tears, and anxiety replaced it. Then the wise words from Elsa from Frozen reminded me to, “Let it go!” My friend, I know you can relate to this. Every day, the devil is trying to steal our joy. Daily, there is an opportunity to step into strife and get frustrated about something. You must consider whether it is worth it - the answer is a loud NO. I soon realized that my joy was gone. Besides feeling so tired, I felt disconnected from God. I repented of allowing this to get under my skin and gave the situation to God. I prayed for the person who did this, forgiving them for stealing from me. Then I rebuked the devil and told him that he couldn’t steal from me and had to return sevenfold. See Proverbs 6:31. Like you, I am believing God for many things, and this one incident is not worth the trouble it wants to cause me. Strife stops your prayers from being answered. Anxiety causes pain in your body and mind. The Word of God says to cast ALL your cares onto the Lord. See 1 Peter 5:7. God wasn’t suggesting this. He tells you to do it because He knows what will happen if you don’t. We need to stay on the love walk and not allow anything to take us off that path. Anxiety and situations will come, but how you deal with them is up to you. Give them to God and let Him take care of you. After all, He can do exceedingly above and beyond all you can ask or think. See Ephesians 3:20-21. Now that’s something to think about.

Feeling stuck? Not sure which way to go? Should I do this? Should I not do this? Are there more questions than answers? This is not the way God intended you to live-frustrated and confused. He has a plan for you. Strategy means: Planning in any field a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan. It's time to ask God for a plan of action specific to you. Whenever people called on Him, He provided them with a plan to escape their predicament. He instructed the Israelites to march around the Jericho Wall seven times. He instructed Peter to throw his net back into the water and catch a huge amount of fish. God has a purpose for you, a one-of-a-kind plan for your life. But you have to find it; tap into it. How? By finding the time to be still and contemplate His presence so you can hear Him? One word from God can change your life. If you follow God, it will always result in a positive outcome and accomplish success. His strategies will not fail you, but help you carry on knowing that He’s guiding your steps. It’s a perfect plan, one that works. So put aside some time and seek His face diligently to get the strategy and plan He has for you today. Press into His presence and wait till you hear from heaven. Achieving a clear vision of your life could have a tremendous effect on living a tranquil life, and who wouldn't want that? Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6.

I love Easter. It makes me want to lift my hands up high and give thanks to my God. Praising Him for sending Jesus to save me from my sins and grant me eternal life. Even if God never did another thing for me, I will still be happy and blessed. To have the assurance of an eternity in His presence. Life here is difficult because of its obstacles and difficulties. Easter reminds us we don't have to go through life by ourselves. He is with us always. Are you aware that our faith is the only one that you can't point to the tomb of its leader–as it's EMPTY? Glory to God! Jesus has risen. Resurrection Sunday would be an ideal day for Jesus to return. That would bring His redemption work to a full circle. He ascended to heaven on the same day, two millennia later, He came back. What a concept! But in the meantime… Occupy and run your race till He returns. My friend, it's a difficult situation to make it in this world with rising prices and inflation. Yet, recall that through the cross you have been given control over this world and its ruler- the devil. You don’t have to lie down and surrender. Instead, you can stand firm and keep your head up high because you are not without strength. He has given you the name above all names. JESUS. Every knee must bow to that name. You may not always remember this, but our adversary never does. He will persist in attacking you from all sides as long as you permit it. As soon as you summon the name of Jesus, the enemy's work will immediately cease. Remain faithful as you stay close to God through prayer and His Word. Strengthen yourself and call upon the name of Jesus with confidence. And your world will change. Get back the power. Your circumstances must submit to that name. You will come out victorious. There is plenty to celebrate this Easter. You are a conqueror, a heroic one, a champion, and an undefeated one. Now is a good time to have a praise break!

Pursuing a closer relationship with God will give you answers for your life. Drawing closer to Him changes your perspective on your circumstances. He will reveal deeper insights into them, causing you to adjust your thinking and thoughts about them. Doing this will empower you to experience the abundant life that Jesus died to give you. Sometimes there are issues about our problems that may involve something deeper. Only God can reveal that to you. Allowing God and His Word to have a greater influence in your life, your capacity for compassion, patience, empathy, and other elements essential to your life will grow stronger in you. As you change, so will the circumstance change, responding to the changes in you. What once used to trouble and concern you, will no longer have a hold. Remember when Moses spent time with God, his face shone so brightly that he had to cover it? As you spend quality time with God, you will shine from His presence, and the insights you receive from this time will cause your circumstances to change. Where light is, darkness cannot also be. The more time you spend with the Father, the more He will shine out from you and the greater His wisdom will be in your life. Are you needing help, direction, or ideas? Time with God will give you these answers. Is it not motivation to spend time with God? SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Acts 23:1 Deuteronomy 31:6 2 Chronicles 32: 7-8 Psalm 27:14

Happy New Year! Wow, it's 2023 already. Where did the time go? That is the one thing about time. It keeps moving. It doesn’t wait for anyone. Therefore, time is your most important asset. How you spend it reflects on who you are and what you will have in life. We all have 24 hours a day, yet some people achieve amazing things in life. How? Because they manage their time. The beginning of the year is always a time to reflect and set goals and new year's resolutions. The problem is not how you start, but how you finish. I have a screen saver on my phone that says–“How bad do you want it?” And that is the secret. How bad do you want it? Do you want it bad enough to prioritize it over everything else? Are you willing to give 100% of your time and dedication to achieving it? Everything is attainable, but there's only one problem, YOU. You are the one who has to do the hard work, put in the extra time and do all the effort required. God will lead you, He will guide you and send help to you. But He will not do it for you. That’s your part. So, I ask you, how badly do you want it?

Do you have a dream that overwhelms you? Not knowing how or if it ever will happen? Well, let me encourage you today. Mary–Jesus' mother found herself in the same boat. Out of the blue, an angel appears to her to tell her she will conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son, Jesus, who will be called the Son of the Most High. We can only imagine the confusion and how disturbed Mary was at hearing this news. Yes, she was obedient to receive what was promised to her, but being a virgin and pregnant certainly had its problems, especially in those times. She must have worried about how she was going to explain this to her parents and to Joseph her fiance. Who would believe her? Even today, people still do not believe it. Mary decided to visit her aunt Elizabeth. She probably had a good relationship with her and felt comfortable sharing her news. I'm sure on her journey to Elizabeth she would have rehearsed how she would explain her situation. Fear would have been knocking on her door continuously, telling her Elizabeth would reject her. As scripture tells us, the moment Elizabeth saw Mary, the child in her womb jumped–John, Jesus' forerunner and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied over Mary. God went ahead of Mary and prepared the way for her. They had a wonderful few months of fellowship rejoicing in the upcoming events. God went ahead of Jesus and prepared the way for His ministry by sending John six months ahead of Him. Even when Mary returned home, Joseph had received instructions from God to marry Mary still and that her pregnancy was a gift from God. God prepared his heart to stay with Mary. No matter how impossible your dreams seem, God is going ahead of you, preparing the way. We know God provided for Jesus from the moment He was born through the wise men who brought gifts for Him. If God has given you the desire to do something amazing for Him, rest in it because He is able. He can move mountains. He can meet your every need. Let Him lead and guide you every step of the way, as Mary did. God will connect you with the correct people that are waiting for you. Don’t let go of your dreams. Someone is waiting on the other side of your obedience. Take the first step by being obedient and God will lead you to the next one. It's not for us to know the how. We are to trust and obey using our faith every step of the way. It is called Pro-Vision. God sees ahead what you need and provides the supply before you ever know that you need it. God can take care of you! Scripture References: Luke 1: 26-56 Ephesians 3:16

You become what you think! Have you noticed that if you think about something negative, upsetting, or depressing, how your mood changes? Your thoughts can affect you in different ways. Think discouraging thoughts and you become discouraged. Think positive, hopeful thoughts and you become positive and hopeful. Your life will follow your thoughts. You will become what you think about!! If a thought enters your head, it doesn’t mean you must think about it, allowing it to take root in your life. Override the negative thought with a positive one. How? With the Word of God. Speak the Word to the negative thoughts and refuse to think about them. If you want to stay encouraged and positive, focus on good, happy thoughts. When the enemy of our soul puts a negative thought into your mind, resist it with the Word of God. Be disciplined with your thought life and don’t meditate on negative thoughts, you will find your Christian walk a lot easier. If you have a bad thought, it doesn't mean it will happen. Don’t fall for the enemy’s lies. They have proved almost 90% of what we fear will never happen. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Isaiah 55:7-8 Philippians 4:8 Matthew 6:31-34 1 Peter 5:7 Confession: I only think of good, pure, and happy thoughts. My thoughts are pleasing to the Father. I resist negative thoughts. The truth will change facts

Let’s look at an example from the Bible - Matthew 14:22-33 tells us about the time Peter walked on the water. Who else besides Jesus and Peter has walked on water? It doesn’t matter if the water in the swimming pool is as smooth as glass. Will you be able to walk on it? Peter did, why? Because Jesus gave him the word - “COME.” This illustrates how powerful the Word of God is. Was Peter walking on the water? No, he was walking on the Word of Jesus. Water is a natural element, but God’s Word is supernatural and overrides the natural. When the Word says in 1 Peter 2:24…. by Jesus' stripes you are healed, do you look at your natural symptoms or the supernatural Word of God? What happened when Peter looked at the surrounding wind, he sank. Why? Because fear gripped his heart. This happens to us when we look at our symptoms and circumstances. Fear grips our hearts and we sink. Keep your eyes on God’s Word. How do you do that, when sickness attacks our bodies, we stand on God’s Word by saying what the Word says…” no sickness can come upon me, for by Jesus' stripes I am healed”… that is walking on the Word. Apply this to every situation that comes against you. God's Word is full of “supernatural” scriptures we can stand on to fight our battles… and win. Never QUIT

To see the results you want from the Word of God, make a quality decision that you will stand until you see the desired results. There must be a point of no return in making a 100% commitment that you will stand until you have the victory. Continue standing till you see that loved one saved, the healing in your body, the victory over bad habits. It must be an irreversible decision from your heart. You are going with the Word of God. Stand firm in your mind and spirit, making a quality decision. Speak the scriptures from the Word into existence in your world. His Word will become alive in your situation by applying the Name of Jesus and the authority you have in that name. This takes time and patience on your part. Keep applying the promises to the problem. That’s why you have to make a quality decision, speaking only as if your miracle has already happened and not what you see in front of you. No matter what the devil throws your way, stay committed to the Word and the victory that is yours. The closer you get to that point of no return, the more pressure the devil will put on you. Don’t be fooled, he is a liar trying to get you to back off. Keep applying the pressure on him with the Word of God and your victory will come. We have God’s promise on that. Scripture references Romans 4:13-21 Romans 8:37 2 Corinthians 2:14 When vision is clear, the results will appear