*If you missed the first writing, before this one...click here!

​Good evening everyone…and a “Happy New Year” to you! I don’t know about you; but I’m not only looking forward to leaving this year behind…but even more, I’m anticipating the new things that God has in store for me in this brand new year, which truly gives me hope…and something to look forward to, in the days to come!
Well…here we are once more. Are you ready to join me this evening…and take that final step into the year 2020? As we lift our foot, to make this final step…we are now going to prepare our minds, for the unknown days that lie ahead of us. Can we all say today that our minds are set to walk in a direction that will lead us to the things in life that can bring joy and happiness; despite what we may be facing at the present time? If we could just prepare our minds, to see each new day as something special from God; then life wouldn’t seem so overwhelming. Even now, as we prepare to enter the New Year, we are taking it one step and one day at a time. If we could continue this throughout the entire year; then we would also find ourselves in sync with God, which would always keep us connected with Him.
As we prepare to take the final step forward, let’s read Lamentations 3:22-24 and we read… “His compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. (23) Great is his faithfulness; his lovingkindness begins afresh each day. (24) My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him.”
As we begin to put our foot down into another New Year, are we aiming our lives in God’s direction or are we testing the waters, by attempting to figure life out, as we take one baby step at a time, while possibly dreading the moments that lie before us? If so; then these moments will detach ourselves from God and make life much more difficult to get through, which only makes us feel like giving up on life. Also…are we allowing stress and anxiety to control our lives and dictate our feelings or are we looking for God to lead us peacefully, from one day into the next, while anticipating His very best for our lives? If we would stop dragging the problems of yesterday, into the moments of today and look for a fresh new start each morning; then we wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed by the difficult moments we face. When we see God as our aim in life; then instead of living with dread, doubt and fear, we will live with a hope that will carry us down each path in life. We need to remember that the connections we make in life, will determine how we cope with life and how the tough moments come to an end.
Now…as we place our foot directly into the year 2020, can we say that we’re willing to leave the old way of thinking behind and step into thoughts that will relay a message to God, of the things we truly desire? One thing we should think on today is this…how we enter this New Year, will either give us a rough start or a new beginning. We also need to remember that resolutions can become empty words that never reach their destination. If we want to experience the better things in life; then we need to pursue them, with a heart and mind that isn’t willing to give up, until we have found what we’re looking for.
Now that we are focused on God’s purpose for our lives, while leaving the excess baggage behind, let’s begin to aim ourselves in a direction that will help us to walk one day at a time through this New Year with God. Here we go…let’s close the door to the old year and enter a new year that is filled with hope…new possibilities and all that God has in store for us.
Happy New Year everyone…and remember one thing, as you begin this brand new journey; that when you anticipate God’s best…your sight will always be looking in His direction.   
Blessings on your New Year!
Goodnight & God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane 

Hello everyone…and a very “Happy New Year’s Eve Day” to you! I hope that your day is off to a good start…and that you will truly experience God, in this final day of 2019!
This morning...before visiting with you, I had a talk with someone who has been struggling to live with reality. It’s amazing how we can easily find ourselves creating a world that is so unreal…a world of our own choosing. The only thing bad about this; is that when we don’t live with reality…then we find it that much more difficult to handle what is set before us.
As I have been thumbing through some Bible verses this morning…God led me to one in Philippians 4:8, which reads… “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Even though reality can make us feel discouraged at times…like me living in constant pain; there are thoughts that can help and encourage us along the way…like knowing that we are surviving these difficult moments, as God sustains us, from one day into another.
So many times, we find ourselves caught up in what is happening to us; that we either try to make it less than what it is…or we become too deeply focused on everything…to the place, where we can’t find the good through the bad.
In my own life…it’s not always easy to see life going downhill; but rather than focusing on where I once was…and where I am today; I begin to look for the things that can become worthy of praise, even in the midst of what I’m facing. When we can do this; then I have truly found that a light of hope always remains flickering within the soul.
As we prepare to enter another new year…may I encourage us all to face reality with God…but not in a way, where reality takes complete control over our lives? When we can face these difficult moments with God; then we will learn much…like how to lean on Him, during these difficult times…or even on how we can deal with what is before us.
When I was a young girl...I was brought up in a home, where I was made to feel that everything was always ok…or it was always perfect, when it actually wasn’t. Because of this…I pushed so many hurtful feelings deep within the heart…feelings that should have been dealt with at the time…and due to this; everything that had been pushed deep within the heart; erupted in the early years of my adulthood, which made it even more difficult to deal with.
No matter what we face in life…we need to accept it for the time; so we can work with God, to rid our heart and soul of these hurtful moments; that we may learn how to also find something good, in the midst of what seems to be the very worst. When we can do this; then instead of being attached to the problem…we begin to see that we are now becoming more deeply connected to God.
Well…I have truly enjoyed this time with you today…and these thoughts have become a great reminder to me as well. I sure hope that you will enjoy your day…and don’t forget to come back here this evening…around 8:00 pm EST, as we take the final step together, into the year 2020.
Have a great Tuesday & God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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Good evening everyone! It’s so good to be with you this evening, as we prepare to finish our journey through the year 2019…to enter another brand New Year of 2020! You know…sometimes it can be difficult to enter a New Year, due to chronic pain and illness…no job…grief or some other deep embedded heartache that we are experiencing at the moment; so I thought that if we walked into the New Year together; then we could learn how to leave the old year behind and anticipate God’s best, in the New Year to come. Are you ready to begin a journey with me…one that will eventually walk us into a brand New Year? Ok…let’s begin…
As we lift up our foot to take that first step towards the New Year…one of the first things we need to do; is to get rid of the excess baggage of the past…along with worry, doubt and fear, so the journey ahead can be a lighter one. Many times, we find it difficult to press on and face another new year because we are already drained and sometimes overwhelmed, from the year that we have been living…so it’s time to get rid of some unwanted baggage.
As we begin, let’s read Philippians 3:13-14, which reads… “No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, (14) I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us.”
The first piece of unwanted baggage we need to lay along the wayside; is to realize that we are not perfect people…and life will always be a continuous time of learning…for this is how we gain the knowledge and strength we need, to continue our journey through life. As we prepare for another new year, we need to begin, by not living up to people’s expectations and begin to live up to God’s expectations. When we make God happy; then we have succeeded in life and will find that through time…the journey through life will be much easier.
Now that we have left one piece of unwanted baggage along the wayside…by not living up to other people’s expectations; let’s let go of another one, by leaving the past behind; because when we choose to live in the past moments of hurt and pain; then we will never be able to enter the present moments, which will only make us feel as though we are not making it in life…which only leads to giving up. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t deal with the past because there may be moments when we need to do so; but at the same time, we shouldn’t make plans to remain in the past. When we can learn how to let go of the pain and heartache from the past; then we will soon find that we have also let go of one more piece of unwanted baggage.
The final piece of baggage that we need to unload, before entering another New Year; is to quit studying the mistakes and wrong turns we’ve made in life and continue to focus and strive for the prize that will become the reward we receive, for a journey well-traveled. When we begin to study everything that is wrong in our lives or even the hurtful moments of the past; then these moments only become other obstacles that enter our path, which only keeps us from pressing on. 
Many today suffer with chronic pain and illness, along with deep heartache…and these moments can make it difficult to enter another new year because we tend to feel as though this journey never has an end; but rather than focusing on what is happening for the moment, why don’t we do as Paul did and strive to reach for the moments that can allow this awful part of the journey, to serve some great purpose in our lives.
Today, we can find hope and a reason to prepare for that second and final step into another New Year, when we are willing to leave all the unwanted moments of our lives behind, while choosing to exchange the negative thoughts and feelings, for a better outlook on life….knowing that a new year will also bring us new possibilities. When we choose to enter the New Year in this way; then we will find that the journey does become easier…the load does become lighter…and there’s much more room for God to work in our lives.
Well…I don’t know about you…but I have now laid aside all the unwanted baggage…and now, I’m ready to walk through a new door…into a New Year. I hope you will join me tomorrow evening, as we take that final step together, into another New Year…a year of new hope and new possibilities.  Goodnight…and God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane    

*To read the second writing...click here!

Hello everyone…and a very happy and blessed Monday to you all! I hope your day is going well! It’s a beautiful morning here…in fact, we had a light dusting of snow this morning, which actually makes it look like someone took a can of powdered sugar and shook it lightly all around me. Thank you Lord…for giving me such a beautiful start to my day!
This morning, as I’ve been sitting here in my office…the Lord placed a thought on my mind, which reads… “We experience Christ, when we listen for His still small voice.” In I Kings 19:11-12, it says… “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
Have you ever wondered where the ideas that pop into our heads come from? First of all…they can’t come from us; so they have to come from something or someone else. I would say that the wrong ideas; that attempt to deceive us and sidetrack us in life come from Satan…but I believe that the ideas and thoughts that actually help us in life…truly do come from the Lord.
How many times has a thought or idea popped into our minds; but yet we do not listen. Instead, we choose to try it our way…only to find out later that just maybe we should have listened to the idea or thought that came to us instead.
I have no doubt within my own life; that there is a still small voice that comes from Christ’s heart to ours…after all; that’s how I write. It’s not an audible voice…but a soft and quiet voice that enters our spirits…our thoughts or even what is placed upon our hearts…and when we choose to follow through with these thoughts…plans and ideas; then we are truly following Christ.
We must remember as Christians; that Christ lives within us. He’s the one, who reads each of our thoughts and feelings…thoughts and feelings that are etched upon the heart. From there…I truly believe that this is when He begins to work within the heart and even the mind…to help and sustain us through these difficult times…and sometimes that’s through the still small voice of His Spirit.
No matter what we face in life…or no matter how destructive life may seem; Jesus knows it all…and I believe that His first desire; is to come running to us…to speak to us, in ways that can truly become the remedy and cure, to a hurting heart…body and soul. The only thing we need to remember; is to not only pray…but listen for His response. So many times we suffer needlessly; because we have our minds and hearts shut off from His presence.
Today, may I encourage you to anticipate Christ’s presence within you, rather than everything that is going on around you? I truly believe that when we take time to listen, rather than always talking…that is when life will get better…Amen!!
Well…time for me to begin my day; but before I go…don’t forget to stop by this evening…sometime after 8:00 EST, as we begin to start our walk into a brand New Year! Take care…have a great Monday…and I will see you this evening…God bless!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
 
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