Your steps follow what you think. Consider that which is honorable, true, pleasing, and commendable.
In your mind, you choose the path of life or death? Of hope or hatred?
I give you choice. Freedom.
Love forced is not genuine love. I allow you to direct your mind and your decisions.
When you choose to love me, it comes freely. Not forced by me.
This love is rich and deep and holy. I want such love for my children.
Choose my love, my child, in the freedom and life I give.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Listen, my child, to the music of the air as the breeze whistles through branches. The air is fresh with the cool scent of the morning. As the sun rises in the east, birds join the orchestra.
Creation sings praise to me.
Lean into me, my love. I give you a fresh day, a day of love and hope. Look ahead to find the joy of each dawn, the music of the rising, the faith of the morning newness.
Take my hand and we will stroll into the songs of creation. I want you to sense the vibrations of new life.
You delight me as you find hope in shattered dreams, joy in fallen rocks, purpose in each dawn, because you walk with me.
Together we will find newness in this day. Joy. Love. Purpose.
I am always with you, and healing happens in my presence.
My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Ice crystals chime in the trees, joined by hollow notes as frosty twigs twist in the breeze. Walk through this ice palace of crystal and sweet music.
For a moment, the cold temperatures fade as you heed the charm of sound and sight.
In this world, crisp weather produces discomfort yet reveals beauty. Choose where you look and what you notice.
Seek my beauty in hidden places. Relish it as my gift to you. As you draw near to my artistry, your soul will be replenished.
Hear the notes chime as the tang of icy weather strokes your skin. Soon spring blossoms will poke through the ice and snow, but now, my dear one, in this white and frozen time, rejoice in my life and my beauty.
Embrace the grace of this day.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
A blacksmith builds a blazing fire before he pushes the metal into the flames. But the metal must get red hot – softened – and then he pounds it into something useful.
You have been pushed into the fire of grief and loss with raw and searing pain.
But I have pulled you out and begun re-forming you.
Trust me, dear one. I won’t crush you to uselessness, but I will form you into something new.
This fire of grief and loss is changing you. You are being made new.
I act with love and purpose. You can’t see what I see, but trust me, I have a plan for you.
Unlike the metal in the fire, you have the power to step away. And you might consider it because you want to avoid the pain of a scorching fire.
But if you won’t endure the pain of the fire, you won’t see my transformation.
Trust me, dear one. Let me work.
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
Take my hand and let’s stroll out onto the dance floor. The orchestra music lifts your spirits. Smell the sweet flowers decorating the walls. Conversations with soft voices drift to your ears.
You wear an elegant gown of purple silk. Diamonds at your neck. I have given you the attire of the ball.
Don’t pull away fearing you don’t measure up to this. I am the king of the dance and I brought you here.
Don’t run back to the shadows like a self-conscious middle schooler. Walk with me into the light.
You are loved with an everlasting love.
Allow the beauty of this place to give you confidence to join the dance of life, the feast of love, the gathering of freedom. This is my dance and you belong here.
I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
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