I feel like giving you some motherly advice today. Do you feel like your life is out of control? Do you feel like you're losing your grip on things and life is running away from you? Life has a way of being on autopilot, and if you're not careful, it can just get out of hand. You find yourself running from one thing to another. Decisions are made for you, and you feel like a puppet with someone else pulling the strings. This is where the overwhelming feelings come in, and you can't cope. But, my friend, remember this: It's your life. You are in control. Take back your control. Maybe you have released control of your life and given it away to someone else. Well, now it's time to start saying "No" and start thinking about yourself. You are in control. It's your life, your mind, your body. Take control back. Start making decisions that work for you and not against you. Prioritize yourself. You have needs too, and only you know what they are. We can ask God for help, and He does help us. But if you won't say "no" to anything, what can God do? He wants to help you, but you have to work with Him. You need to be on the same page and work with Him. My friend, look after yourself. Self-love is important. God wants you well and whole, but are you doing things that are stopping this?

Sometimes life is hard; you get tired and weary. This doesn't mean you have lost your faith or belief that God is not coming through. It simply means that your tank is empty; you have used all your resources and need a top-up. Think of it like your petrol tank in your car. You fill it up and off you go and go and go until the needle on the dial reaches E; then an orange light comes on, a warning caution sign that you need to top up. If you don't obey that signal, you will stop somewhere on the road and won't be able to go any further. Maybe that's you. You have an orange warning light blinking louder and louder; you are empty. You have fought and fought and spoken the Word, but tiredness has set in. It's time to listen to God to set everything back into His presence and back into His Word. Take the time to top up. It may be days, depending on how empty you are, but to fight the good fight, you need to keep your spiritual tank full. TO stay strong for the race and journey ahead, you need to stay full. So find your top-up place and seat in His presence and fill your tank up to overflowing.

Before God visited Abram, he was getting on with life—doing the daily grind and living in his own world. He didn't even know God; his family worshipped the pagan gods of that time. Then God visited Abram and revealed His plan for his life and Sarah's. He changed Abram's name and gave him a new vision for his future. Abraham didn't have to do anything; God did it all. Abraham simply entered into what God was doing for him, and that became the turning point in his life. He trusted what God did to set him right instead of trying to do it on his own, and in his strength. The truth is, there was nothing Abraham or Sarah could do to make their bodies suddenly produce an heir. The task was far too big for them. So what did Abraham do? He trusted God. Are you facing something that seems impossible—something too big for you to even think about without becoming worried or anxious? Take a lesson from Abraham: trust God. Trust that He will put everything right for you. He will fix the mess and restore what has been lost and broken. No matter how hard you try, there are some things only God can do. As you trust Him, He will turn your situation around and bring your life back into order. It's a wonderful gift from God. He will do His part; all he asks is that you trust Him too. Scripture Reference: Romans 4 Genesis 17

Do you know that you have a safe place—a place where you are protected from the world and the devil? A place where you can be comfortable, relaxed, and completely yourself. It's in the presence of God. He is your home, your haven, your safe place. You can run to God every time you have a problem—and you should. He is always waiting for you, never growing tired of seeing you. He longs for your presence. He longs to hold you and help you. God had you on His mind before the foundations of the world. He sees you wrapped in the blood of Jesus. He sees you as holy and without fault in His sight. (See Ephesians 1:3–4.) God has already blessed you with every spiritual blessing. He has already given you all the resources you need to reign victoriously in this life. When the days seem dark and trouble is on the horizon, you can run to your safe place and receive the supply you need to continue your journey. God is like a filling station for your soul, and I don't know about you, but I need a lot of filling up. So run to Him. Refresh yourself in His presence. Find your peace, your strength, and your purpose. Renew your hope and faith so you can move forward. The longer you stay, the more refreshed you will feel. I don't know about you, but that's good news to me. Excuse me, now I have to go to my safe place. I need to be topped up!

Do you think your sin is too big for God to handle and forgive? Maybe you've done something you never thought you would have and can't forgive yourself, and you just know that God couldn't forgive you. My friend, God forgives all sins. He doesn't have a category list with levels of sins, large sins, or tiny ones. Sin is sin to God. The apostle Paul had many sins he had to work through and work past. I'm guessing you haven't killed or murdered hundreds, even thousands, of people. Well, Paul did, maybe not directly, but he instigated and set into motion one of the most brutal attacks on Christians in history. Yet God called him to follow Him and do many mighty works for Him. He even wrote large parts of the Bible. Now, if God hadn't forgiven him, would He have allowed that? Paul said in Philippians 3:14-14 that he forgot what was behind, and we know there was a lot there, and he pressed on, looking forward. God forgave Paul and used him mightily for His kingdom. So if you think your sin is too bad to forgive, remember Paul and take heart. God can and will forgive you. You haven't blown it, and God is still able to use you and restore all that you thought was lost. Now that, my friends, is good news and something to shout about. Scripture Reference: 1 John 1:9 Romans 8:1 Isaiah 1:18 Psalm 103:12 Lamentations 3:22–23 Joel 2:25 Hebrews 8:12

I woke up this morning with these words on my heart: "The joy of the Lord is your strength." — Nehemiah 8:10 We tend to think that joy comes from our circumstances. If things are going well, we are joyful and happy. If things are difficult, we become sad or even depressed. Our emotions fluctuate, and our joy rises and falls with our circumstances. But true joy comes from within— from our spirit. You see, it is God's joy that gives us strength, not our outward circumstances. What happens around us should not determine our joy because, deep inside, we know that God loves us, cares for us, and will take care of us. No matter what we see or hear, we are safe in Him. The closer we draw to God, the deeper our joy becomes, and the longer it remains full. We find strength in our relationship with Him. He feeds and sustains us. God replenishes our souls, and joy is a fruit of that replenishment. So spend time with Him daily. Read His Word, pray, worship, and rest in His presence. As you do, He will keep your joy gauge topped up to 100%. May you know the joy of the Lord today, for it truly is your strength.

Have you ever been hurt by someone close to you? It took you by surprise and left you hurt? Jesus understands your pain. One of His closest disciples, who had been with Him for three years, betrayed Him—Judas. Someone so close to Him. Someone he had walked with, taught, and cared for. Scripture tells us that Jesus was deeply troubled by the betrayal. It cut deep. Perhaps you can relate. Jesus did not run after Judas, begging him not to do it. He told him to go and do what was already in his heart. He did not plot revenge or cry out, "I've been your friend for three years. I've supported you, walked beside you, and cared for you." Instead, He let him go. Of course, we know from the story that someone was going to betray Jesus. But did it have to be someone from His inner circle? You see, the betrayal was already in Judas's heart. He allowed the devil to influence his thoughts about Jesus, and over time, those thoughts took root. He opened his mind to the negative suggestions that were being planted there. This is something we need to be careful about as well. Negative thoughts, when entertained and nurtured, can lead us far from where God wants us to be. Jesus allowed Judas to do what he had chosen to do. But when Judas finally came to his senses, he could not live with what he had done. Revenge is not yours to take, no matter how much you hurt or how unfair the situation may be. God will take care of you. Cast your cares on Him. Trust Him for healing, wisdom, and direction. Then let the person go. What is in their heart will guide them, and you do not want to be drawn into that path. God has you in His hands, even in your pain. The road may be difficult right now, but if you stay close to your heavenly Father, He will carry you through. See the story in the Gospel of John 6:64 and 13:11)

Are you allowing your unanswered questions and the whys to hinder your walk with God? Life takes unexpected turns, and things happen that we don’t understand. If we don’t guard our hearts, doubt can creep in and separate us from believing that God is for us and not against us. We have to know that God loves us. Not everything that happens is His doing. People have free will, and sometimes things are set in motion that move outside of His perfect will for our lives. God cannot violate His Word or His promises, but He requires our cooperation to fulfill them in our lives. Often, we don’t have the capacity to receive an answer for the why. For example, you wouldn’t give a six-year-old the keys to your car. Why? Because as much as he may want to drive, he doesn’t yet understand the rules of the road or how a car works. He still can’t even see over the steering wheel! So he has to wait until he grows in understanding, grows in stature, and grows in knowledge. As the lights come on, so will the understanding. Allow this process to apply to your whys. Allow God the grace to answer your questions as you continue to seek His face. But don’t allow your why to hinder your walk with Him. Don’t pull back and grow cold. That’s what the enemy wants, but it won’t help you. God is your only hope. There is no plan B here. Stay close to Him, lean in, and let Him help you understand and see things more clearly.

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13 Life throws many things at us, and they often catch us unaware, leaving us shocked, traumatized, disappointed, and helpless. Sometimes we struggle to move forward because the pain of our past keeps piercing our hearts and minds. But don’t lose faith, my friend. God is working behind the scenes to restore what has been lost. He may not give you back your childhood, but He can shape your future into something better, brighter, and worth living for. We must choose to move forward with a forgiving heart so that God’s peace and joy can replace the hurt and disappointment. We must shift our thinking from despair and loss to victory in Jesus. Don’t let your thoughts keep you trapped in your past. Break free through the Word of God, and replace negative thinking with truth-filled, inspiring scripture—scriptures that lift you and fill you with hope. As you change your thinking, you will grow and transform, and your life will reflect the bold steps you have taken. Scripture References: Psalm 23 Romanas 12:2 Psalm 147:3 Isaish 41:10 Joel 2:25 Romans 8:28

I wanted to reassure you that God loves you. Yes, you. You don’t have to be perfect to earn His love—gosh, God would have to wait forever for that. There isn’t a perfect one of us. Even your favourite pastors have flaws—we all do. God isn’t looking for perfection, and He isn’t waiting for you to complete a perfect to-do list. We can’t earn His attention or His affection. All we have to do is receive it. Yes, it’s that simple. God loves you for you. There is nothing you can do that will change that. He wants you—just as you are. So stop hiding. Stop thinking you’re not good enough. Stop feeling discouraged and disappointed in yourself. Because God truly loves you. He pursued you before you ever said yes to Him. He wants you in His family, and He cares about every detail of your life. My friend, relax… breathe… and let God be your support. Allow Him to guide you and help you in all the details of your day. Ask Him to show you His love for you—and watch what He does. Scripture reference: Romams 8: 28-30 Galatians 3: 20 1 John 4: 19 Jeremiah 31: 3 Romans 5: 5,8 Deuteronomy 7:9

Allowing negative thoughts to take over our thinking can quietly lead us into a place of discouragement, heaviness, and even despair. It often happens so subtly. A thought slips in … and before we realise it, we’re turning it over in our minds, agreeing with it, and believing things like, “life is so unfair.” It can leave us feeling helpless. But my friend, this isn’t God’s heart for you. Living in that negative space doesn’t bring life or peace. Instead, we’re gently invited to shift—to bring our thoughts back to Him. To begin thinking in a way that aligns with His truth and what He says about us. When we lift our thoughts and keep our focus on God—on His goodness, His strength, and His faithfulness—something begins to change within us. Joy starts to rise. Peace settles in. And that heaviness begins to lift. God has made a way for us to experience peace, even in a troubled world—and it begins in our thoughts. So today, let’s choose to keep Him as our source … and rest in the truth of who He is. And that, my friend, is truly good news to hold on to. Scripture Reference: Romans 12:1-2 Phil. 4:8 Isiah 26:3

When feelings become our way of thinking — and we cannot think beyond how we feel — we will never change. To change, we must learn to think greater than our feelings. To ground our thoughts with God's word and allow the Scriptures to renew our minds When you feel the way you think, you will begin to think the way you feel. Without even realising it, you reinforce the same emotions by replaying angry or frustrated thoughts, which only makes you feel more angry and frustrated. Your feelings begin to control your thinking, and your body starts driving your mind. But the secret to a successful Christian walk is allowing your spirit to lead, not your emotions. Emotions rise and fall. They shift from moment to moment. But your spirit, grounded in Christ, remains steady, fixed, and strong. When everything inside you feels scattered, it is your spirit that anchors you and keeps you stable and focused. Sometimes the most powerful prayer is simple: Holy Spirit, I don’t know how to pray about this problem. Show me what I need to know. Lord, let your peace control my mind as I yield myself to your thoughts and will. Lead me. Help me receive my breakthrough. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.