​Bible readings...
​“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” Proverbs 23:19
“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.” Proverbs 22:17
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21
“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” Proverbs 23:26
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​Hello everyone…and a big welcome today, to Sunday Inspiration…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so happy to have you with me today…and my prayer for you; is that you will truly find Jesus and all the answers you need to life’s questions…deep within the heart!

 
How many times are we going to live in confusion and a frustration that only makes our problems worse; before searching for the answers to our needs…deep within the heart? It seems as though we take the long route…before even taking the time to enter the heart; to see what Jesus may have in store for us.
 
I remember a time in my life, when it was always about me. Diane seemed to know more than Jesus at that time; so Diane tried to make it work her way. The only problem with that; is that I never knew what to do in the first place; so I was actually putting myself through days of needless suffering…all because I wouldn’t humble myself and see what the God of my life had in store for me, at that time.
 
After walking down a rough and rugged road…of trying to figure out life on my own; I finally humbled myself before God and began to listen to Him, rather than myself. In my mind’s eye, I traveled deep within the heart, where Jesus had already been residing. From there, the Lord and I began to pull up a chair and spend long hours together. The best thing; was that He seemed to listen a lot, when I needed to vent; then He would begin to show me on the tablet of my heart, as to what needed to be done. The more answers I received, by turning to Him…the more I longed to spend time with Him even more.
 
Even to this day, I listen with my heart. When I have found myself on some detour road that seems to be pointing me in the wrong direction…it’s deep within the heart; that I find the map to where I should actually be headed. When I prepare to write; but yet I feel empty and drained from so much; it’s deep within the heart; that I find words that God has left behind for me to share…etched within the wall of my heart.
 
One thing I can’t quite figure out; is why do we allow Jesus to come and live within our hearts; but yet we tend to try everything else first…before entering the heart; to see what He truly longs to do, as a means of helping us? Have we already forgotten the One who truly holds every answer, to every need? Think of it this way…if you were going on a trip; but had never been there before; then wouldn’t you take a map, to help you find the way? Well…in a similar way; the wall of the heart becomes a tablet; where Jesus leaves directions behind, as to where we should go and what we should do. If we never check the heart…especially during times of confusion and frustration; then we just may end up on a different road…some detour road that Satan will use to take us further away from where we should actually be.
 
One thing I love about my relationship with Jesus; are the times that we have spent together…deep within the heart! One thing I have come to see through time; is that the heart has never disappointed me. Maybe the heart doesn’t always lead me, to where I long to be; but later, I do find out that the direction of the heart, has truly led me to something better…something I never expected for my life.
 
Today, it’s time to quit listening to ourselves and begin anew, by listening to the heart…and if we truly know Jesus as our personal Savior; then we will be sure to find Him there…for every visit we take…deep within the heart. One thing I’d like to know; is how is it that we pray for Jesus’ help…but yet we seldom look for it within the heart…where He resides? If we have already admitted through a time of prayer; that we don’t know what to do or what direction to take; then that should tell us that we don’t have the answers; and that it’s time to search the heart, for the answers that Jesus already has awaiting us.
 
Today, can you say that you are listening to your heart or are you listening to yourself? I can guarantee that we will never find the answers we so desperately need within ourselves; for I have truly found that the only way to know what’s next in our lives; only comes, when we are willing to tune everything else out and listen to the heart!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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Bible readings... 
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
Deuteronomy 33:27
“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12
“Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1
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Hello everyone…and a big welcome today, to Sunday Inspiration…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so happy to have you with me today…and my prayer for you; is that you will find God’s loving arms, to be a safe haven…a refuge from the fierce storms that may come your way!
 
When I look back on all the difficult…and what seemed to be the most hopeless moments of my past; I also see many moments, when I had unknowingly taken refuge in the circumstances that attempted to take over my life…that is, until God gave me a clear picture on what that appeared to be at the time.
 
In my mind’s eye, I saw a so-called place of refuge; but this refuge that was surrounded by a fierce storm was broken down. The ceiling and walls weren’t secure, so the blunt of the storm I was facing was still whipping me around. I was afraid and felt lost in this so-called place of refuge and there was no warmth to these moments or arms of love to shelter me and comfort me, while the storm raged around me.
 
For several years of my life, I remained sheltered within this broken down circumstance. I guess that was my way of giving into a circumstance that seemed to have control at the time. Even though I longed for a better place of refuge, I just didn’t have the strength to leave where I was at that time…and even if I did; then where was I going to go?
 
Finally one day the walls and ceiling of this so-called place of refuge that I had found in my circumstance was beginning to fall apart even more and life became even more difficult than before the time I took refuge there.
 
As I cried out for help, I began to see arms reaching out through the cracks of the walls…and as I began to feel more desperate and afraid, I began to leave the shelter that I had been in for many years…to run towards the arms that were reaching out to me. As I fell into these strong and loving arms that had been beaconing me, I began to feel lifted up above the storm, as these arms became wrapped around me. From there, the wind that had tossed me to and fro, for many years of my life had become calm, as I felt myself being drawn into a shelter that was made from the arms that had taken hold of me. There I remained, until the storm had passed by and as everything began to quiet down; those arms that had held me close were now opening, as I was being placed on a path that was full of sunshine and beautiful flowers…and even though the storms come from time to time; the arms that once saved me from a storm that was so out of control...continue to shelter me once more.
 
One thing I have come to see through time; is that no one can escape the storms that come our way…just as we can’t escape moments here on earth that change from sunny days to the dark clouds, rain and thunder of a harsh storm; but I have truly come to see that there is a refuge to run to…one whose arms of love can shelter us…sustain us and protect us, from the damaging winds and evil bolts of lightning that attempt to destroy us…and those arms belong to Jesus Christ.
 
As we close our time together, may I encourage you to never seek refuge in a broken down circumstance…because these shelters aren’t safe and will never keep you protected from the harshness of a storm. Today…why not run into loving arms that can lift you above the storm; to a place where you can be free from the fierce moments that are attempting to take you down.
 
Remember…Jesus is already waiting to help you; but first, you must choose to run away from the circumstance and the broken down moments that will only worsen and lead you to further moments of defeat. Instead of looking deep into a circumstance…whose only aim is to destroy; why not look for the loving arms that are being held out…just for you…arms that you can run into…arms that will take you away from the storm.
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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Bible readings... 
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“We love because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
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Hello everyone…and a big welcome today to Sunday Inspiration…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so glad to have you with me today…and I pray that this God inspired writing will truly become a reminder, as to how much Jesus truly loves you!
 
You know…isn’t it amazing, as to how a circumstance can seem like a dense fog…something that tries to separate us from the love of Jesus and even convince us that He is no longer there. I have come to see how these difficult moments not only make us feel distant from Jesus’ love…but also, as to how easily we can find ourselves forgetting that He even loves us at all.
 
As I look back to the most difficult times of my life; I remember moments, when the circumstances I was facing at the time, actually made me feel like a piece of nothing. The pain from many surgeries…and the counseling that was taking place at the time...to mend a broken heart that was completely shattered, had definitely brought me down to nothing.
 
One thing I could never come to grips with; for the longest time was this…how Jesus could love someone like me. Never did I realize it at the time; but it wasn’t me that was feeling that way; but rather, it was all these circumstances that were making me feel like this. The shame and brokenness, due to sexual abuse and a dysfunctional home life had pretty much made me feel like a worthless piece of junk. In fact…I felt so low at the time; that I would say to my husband…if I die, just bury me in a trash can…because that is all I felt at the time.
 
As I rethink these thoughts of the past, I now see that I couldn’t expect Jesus to love me because I didn’t even love myself. In fact, I was so focused on how bad of a person I seemed to be at the time; that I began to believe that Jesus felt the same way too.
 
Later…as I started to work with Jesus on every problem that needed to be fixed; He led me to a Bible verse in I Samuel 16:7, which reads… “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” After reading this verse, I came to see that the Lord wasn’t interested in my outward appearance…or even the appearance of what I was seeing deep within myself; but rather, He was interested in my heart…something that I hadn’t felt close to in a long time.
 
Isn’t it amazing, as to how we as humans become so caught up in the outward appearance of ourselves…or even as to how our circumstances are making us feel at the time? One thing that Jesus has truly taught me; is that when we become too tightly focused on these ways of thinking; then we soon find that these thoughts not only manipulate the heart; but we also find ourselves bypassing the heart and the perfect love that resides within us. In other words…we become more in tune with what is happening, rather than the One who longs to love us through what’s happening.
 
Once I began to see clearly, as to what direction I had been heading in for so many years of my life; I began to turn around and quit following the path of deceptive thinking…and instead, I began to listen to the One, who could counsel my heart and lead me in the right direction.
 
Today, I would like to say with all my heart that Jesus truly loves you! I know this because I came from a place where I felt that no one could ever love me…not even Jesus…and now as I walk a new path…one that is taking me in the right direction this time; I am truly experiencing One who shows a deep and lasting love, through the loving ways He works within me.
 
If you are headed in a direction that is only led by the way your circumstances are attempting to lead you…a direction that makes you feel unloved and all alone; then ask Jesus to help you get on the right path and turn away from the deceptive thoughts that are controlling your heart. One thing I know… the moment that you choose to let go of the thoughts that seem to be bringing you down, rather than lifting you up…that will be the moment, when there will be room within the heart…to experience a love that goes way beyond any love you could ever experience!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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Bible readings...
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
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Hello everyone…and a big welcome today, to “Sunday Inspiration”…through the Risen Hope Ministries! It’s so good to have you with me today…and I pray that as we spend some special time together with God that we will all come to see how we can truly make it through this life with Him!
 
How many times have we ever said… “I can’t make it anymore!” I remember saying that to my husband many times. Life had definitely taken a toll on me, after facing multiple surgeries…counseling for a dysfunctional home life and abuse…along with the loss of many things in my life. It seemed that the wilderness I was lost in at the time was so full of so many ugly things that I just couldn’t see the light of day…or any light at all, which only made me say… “I just can do this anymore.”
 
You know…even though my strength was gone…and my faith too; Jesus never gave up on me. It was as though He was determined to show me that I could make it through anything with His help. It seemed that the very moment my strength failed me…His strength began to kick in and even though I didn’t feel it at first; He was slowly lifting me to my feet and making me strong.
 
Isn’t it amazing how easily we can speak the words…“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”…that is, until we are faced with an overwhelming moment of pain or deep heartache. It seems that as we get slapped in the face with a trying circumstance; that this when we lose the feelings we once had for verses like Philippians 4:13.  
 
No matter what we face…and no matter how grim life appears to be at the time, there is a God whose strength can be made perfect, through our moments of weakness. I think what happens to us at times; is that we start focusing too much on the weakness and where it’s taking us…or where it might take us; then before we know it, we find ourselves believing in every word that circumstance is attempting to convey to us.
 
I will never forget a moment in my life, when my husband had gone to work and I was alone with my circumstance…which at the time was a recovery period, from one of many knee surgeries. I was so low that day…feeling that I would never make it, due to the long and drawn out days of pain and recovery. As I sat in the recliner…staring at a picture of Jesus over the fireplace, I began to talk with Him, as tears flowed uncontrollably down my cheeks. As I poured my heart out to Him, I felt prompted to open my Bible and immediately He led me to some Bible verses in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, which are now my life verses. As I reached verse 9, I read…“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” At a time when my head was so full of despair…only portions of this reading was penetrating my thoughts; so I said to Jesus… “Why would I ever glory in pain and deep heartache”…for that didn’t make any sense to me. Little did I realize at the time that I had missed the most important part of that verse, which says… “…that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Instantly, Jesus showed me that it wasn’t about the circumstance; but rather the One who had the power to exchange my weakness for His strength…and the One whose power could come to me, at a time when all hope and strength had failed me. One thing I can actually say today...is that these were the words that saved my life.
 
Instead of listening to the words…“You won’t make it," from a broken down weak circumstance, why not lean on a power and strength that can pick up from where you left off…a power and strength that can once more lift you back to your feet and walk you out of despair. Remember one thing…we never make it, when we make friends with a circumstance; but we do make it when we let go of the circumstance and connect to the One whose perfect strength can help us to make it.
 
No matter what you are walking through today...don’t sit in the midst of a broken path that only takes you deeper into despair. Believe me when I say…that this does not take you anywhere in life. Instead, turn to a love that will lift you high and cause you to rise above these moments of despair and one thing I know...He will stand on the promise He’s making to you and do just that…because this is exactly what He did for me! Praise Him!
Blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane