Category: <span>thoughts by Mary Pinckney</span>


“For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” Job 3:25 (HCSB)

Fighting to maintain a peaceful mindset has been a daily battle for me having dealt with the seeds of fear being planted at an early age; all I knew was fear. I didn’t know that peace belonged to me. I didn’t know that I could be at rest trusting God will take care of everything that concerns me. Fear was so implanted in my heart that it seeped out in every area of my life.

Freedom came for me upon exposure to truth from God’s Word. I began to realize whatever I give my attention to is what will grow in my life. In the face of fear, we are faced with a decision; believe God or give into fear. Fear has no power over us except what we give it.

It behooves us to pay attention to what we allow to grow in the garden of our minds. We can accept or reject negative thoughts. We must be proactive in receiving God’s truths from the Bible. It is only then that we will be able to allow peace to flood our hearts rather than fear.

I challenge you today, instead of worrying about what may happen, begin to replace those fearful thoughts with scriptures of God’s promised protection. In doing this, we will allow ourselves an opportunity to make the right decisions in fearful situations. The next time you are faced with fear, make a choice to remain in the peace that God has already given you. Trust in His unfailing love for you.

Lord, too often we have allowed fear to dictate our decisions. I pray that you will help us to be mindful of what thoughts we give attention to. I pray that our main focus will be that of peace and your plan to give us an expected end, a future and a hope. Not only were you bruised for our iniquities, but the chastisement of our peace was upon you as you hung on the cross. I pray that we won’t take your sacrifice for granted. Thank you that you keep us in perfect peace as our minds are stayed on you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Grace and Peace to you

By Mary Pinckney
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Thoughts by All thoughts by Mary Pinckney Thoughts by Women


As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[a] to experience salvation — a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Who are you? What is your place in this world? This question often baffles us. In our quest to be prominent or recognized, we tend to overlook the obvious fact that each person brings something distinct to this world. And God often chooses to use our own struggles to bring about change and healing in the lives of those who find themselves in a similar place.

God chose us to be vessels of His grace in the lives of others. Truth be told, this doesn’t always look glamorous; we sometimes have to bare our souls or show our vulnerabilities. But we have been called to help transform lives. When we begin to embrace that call, to be instruments of love and to lead others to the divine grace of our Lord, we find that it is only by God’s grace we are able to do what He has called us to.

He has equipped us with everything we need to carry out our function in the body of Christ. Our calling may not look like the calling of others. And it may not be our “ideal” assignment. But our part is necessary in bringing the Good News to those who are in need of the same grace that we have received.

Lord, teach us to recognize our value to the Kingdom of God. You have called each of us to impact the lives of those around us. Help us to embrace the place that we have been called to, even when it appears that our part seems small and insignificant. Help us to remember that we have been called to help bring Glory and Honor to your name and not our own. In Jesus name, Amen

By Mary Pinckney
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Thoughts by All thoughts by Mary Pinckney Thoughts by Women

“I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.”  Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT)

I wrote a piece a few years back called “Look Again.” This phrase has been popping up in my spirit again lately.  Many of you have been facing challenges in your life, business, ministry and/or relationships, etc. Even in the midst of these challenges you have lost sight of who you are and what you have to offer. God has been prompting you to go forward with what He has placed on your heart. Fear has set in and hindered your forward progress because your eyes have been on what happened in the past.  No longer look to the past God is saying, behold I will do a new thing.  At this point and time, God is looking for your obedience.

Many have gotten sidetracked by the hardships that you are facing. The enemy’s plan was to blindside you to keep you from seeing the true picture.  I say to you today, look again. God is at work even in the challenges. I once heard a preacher say, that trouble often comes to hide the blessings.  If you take your eyes off the situation long enough you will begin to see that all things are beginning to work together for your good.

I am reminded of the eagle. When the eagle is entering a storm its wings begin to lock down and the eagle begins to soar to new altitudes.  It rises above the storm. This is the posture we need to have in the midst of the storms of life.  When we take time to pray and worship our Heavenly Father, our perspective changes. Our focus becomes more in tune to His will and His ways. We begin to lose sight of what we considered obstacles and begin to see solutions.

Today, I encourage you to take your rightful place. Position yourself back in a place of warfare through prayer, worship and return your focus to the promises of God.  As you do, I guarantee you if you look again, you will begin to see through the lens of your Heavenly Father. The situations you thought where hopeless will no longer look the same. When we look through His eyes we begin to see possibilities.

God, thank you for opening the eyes of our understanding and allowing us to see what You see;  our focus is often on what is right before us.  When we are challenged we lose sight of Your promises. Today, help us to stay focused and in tune with You at all times. Help us, I pray to understand that every obstacle we face, You are able to work it all out for our good. Nothing is ever lost when You are at work in our lives. It’s in Jesus mighty name we pray, Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
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I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
John 16:33 (AMPC)

I’m not sure who came up with the concept that following Christ would be a cake walk. It’s false ideology. We have been hoodwinked!  In our referenced scripture Jesus plainly speaks of the challenges we would face as disciples, disciplined followers of Christ.

Can we just be real for a moment?  Upon becoming born again believers or accepting Christ as our personal Savior, a new nature is birthed on the inside of us. Our spirit man is reborn; according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 we become new creatures in Christ. So on one hand we have a regenerated nature, one that looks and acts more like God. On the other hand we have the same fleshly housing that is accustomed to doing what it wants when it wants for all these years.  That in itself is a challenge.  Outside of the pressures we face every day outwardly, we are now faced with the “enemy within me,” the inner battles that sometimes end up being our Achilles heel.

All of this in the face of dealing with a world view of Christianity that preaches Christians are perfect or should be perfect.  But the truth of the matter is we are far from perfect.  Every day we have to deal with the truth about our own selfish desires, selfish ambition, sinful thoughts, our own failures and shortcomings- those things that keep us in cycles of sin.  Like Paul we see ourselves as the chief of all sinners- grateful for a God who is so gracious to still choose to use us in spite of our mess.

Am I giving us a license to sin and keep living according to this pattern, of course not? My assignment today is to encourage you not to accept the lies you see every day.  The truth is we are not perfect, but we are perfectly forgiven. You see, God never promised the absence of pressure but He did promise His peace. Peace in knowing that Jesus has already conquered the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life every point that we are tempted in. Peace in knowing that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave is ALIVE and ACTIVE on the inside of us to help us to live an overcoming life; a life full of grace and freedom when we rely on Him and not ourselves.  Peace that He is with us and will continue to work in us the will and the desire to do His good pleasure.

Instead of accepting defeat today, let’s pick up our gloves today and war against every lie that has come to keep us in bondage.  The pressures of this world are lightweight compared to the Champion Fighter on our side. Team up with the One who never loses and outlast the enemy of your soul, the enemy within, and the pressures of this life.

Prayer: Lord, may we take comfort in the peace that You have left us. May we find the courage and the grace needed to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us. Thank You for walking with us through the process and bringing us to overwhelming victory in You. In Jesus’ Mighty name we pray. Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
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The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have.” – Judges 6:14 NIV

But God I am not qualified…

But God I don’t have a degree…

But God so many others have what it takes to do this…

But God I don’t have enough money…

But God I don’t have what it takes to make this relationship work…

And the list goes on and on. What is your excuse today? What is it that God has called you to that you are still trying to wiggle out of because you feel unqualified?  The truth is, if you could do it on your own, it may not be an assignment from God.  God always calls on us to do greater than we can imagine. The assignment He gives requires more than we are willing and often times able to do in our own strength.  Normally the assignment stretches us past our place of comfort.  This is what we see taking place in Judges Chapter six. Gideon is being called a mighty man of Valor by the Angel of the Lord.

Gideon believes his family is the weakest in Manasseh and He is the weakest of his clan, yet God is calling him to go out to battle the Midianites.  Go in the strength that you have, are Gideon’s instructions each time he reminds God of what disqualifies him.  This story brought back so many memories from my very own life. I have had the similar conversations with the Lord reminding Him why I was not the one to fulfill the purpose He called me to. I compared myself to others that were called to similar assignments.  I was taunted by fear of not measuring up or not being able to fulfill the assignment because of my inadequacies BUT GOD.

Just like Gideon I had a wake up call. I began to see that if God has called you, you do not need anyone else’s approval. I was enough simply because I have been called. I was enough because He qualified me.  And so are you. God is not concerned about our qualifications but our willingness and obedience to His voice.  He needs soldiers that are armed with His grace, power, strength and love. He needs soldiers that are not afraid to give Him the glory for the victories we receive in His name. He needs humbled hearts that are willing to fully rely on His strength and not our own.  When you stop to think about it, God is a master at taking the foolish things to confound the wise.  We do ourselves a disservice when we compare our strengths to others.

My challenge for you today is to accept the assignment you have been given and Go in the strength that you have.  Remember as God told Zechariah, it’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.  You already have what it takes to get the job done. Again, Go in the strength that you have.

Abba it is only by Your grace that we are able to walk out the assignment You have given us.  We recognize our insufficiencies but help us to focus on Your strength and not our own in our times of weaknesses. Thank You for choosing us to partner with You in advancing the Kingdom of God. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
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I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33 (AMPC)

I’m not sure who came up with the concept that following Christ would be a cake walk. It’s false ideology. We have been hoodwinked! In our referenced scripture Jesus plainly speaks of the challenges we would face as disciples, disciplined followers of Christ.

Can we just be real for a moment? Upon becoming born again believers or accepting Christ as our personal Savior, a new nature is birthed on the inside of us. Our spirit man is reborn; according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 we become new creatures in Christ. So on one hand we have a regenerated nature, one that looks and acts more like God. On the other hand we have the same fleshly housing that is accustomed to doing what it wants when it wants for all these years. That in itself is a challenge. Outside of the pressures we face every day outwardly, we are now faced with the “enemy within me,” the inner battles that sometimes end up being our Achilles heel.

All of this in the face of dealing with a world view of Christianity that preaches Christians are perfect or should be perfect. But the truth of the matter is we are far from perfect. Every day we have to deal with the truth about our own selfish desires, selfish ambition, sinful thoughts, our own failures and shortcomings- those things that keep us in cycles of sin. Like Paul we see ourselves as the chief of all sinners- grateful for a God who is so gracious to still choose to use us in spite of our mess.

Am I giving us a license to sin and keep living according to this pattern, of course not? My assignment today is to encourage you not to accept the lies you see every day. The truth is we are not perfect, but we are perfectly forgiven. You see, God never promised the absence of pressure but He did promise His peace. Peace in knowing that Jesus has already conquered the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life every point that we are tempted in. Peace in knowing that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave is ALIVE and ACTIVE on the inside of us to help us to live an overcoming life; a life full of grace and freedom when we rely on Him and not ourselves. Peace that He is with us and will continue to work in us the will and the desire to do His good pleasure.

Instead of accepting defeat today, let’s pick up our gloves today and war against every lie that has come to keep us in bondage. The pressures of this world are lightweight compared to the Champion Fighter on our side. Team up with the One who never loses and outlast the enemy of your soul, the enemy within, and the pressures of this life.

Prayer: Lord, may we take comfort in the peace that You have left us. May we find the courage and the grace needed to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us. Thank You for walking with us through the process and bringing us to overwhelming victory in You. In Jesus’ Mighty name we pray. Amen

By Mary Pinckney
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“ Hannah became pregnant and in due time bore a son and named him Samuel [heard of God], Because, she said, I have asked him of the Lord.1 Samuel 1:20 (AMPC)  

I want to speak to those that have been following hard after God in obedience; you have been living by the Word of God, fasting, praying but there are still requests you have made to the Lord that have gone unanswered.

You have been waiting but it appears your waiting is in vain. You have been praying and fighting but still nothing. I come to encourage you to press on, don’t give up in well doing.  You will reap in due season.

Let’s look at the life of Hannah in 1 Samuel chapter one. Hannah was the wife of   Elkanah. Out of his two wives he loved Hannah more. She found favor in his sight. It would appear that she had it altogether, but Hannah was not able to conceive children unlike Peninnah, Elkanah’s second wife. And to top it off she flaunts it in Hannah’s face.

Hannah’s distress drove her to the throne of grace. Her prayers were fervent and passionate to the point that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. In her passionate pleas Hannah asked of the Lord to give her a child. She coupled her prayer with giving by vowing to give the child back to be raised in the temple. God answered. Samuel became a well-known Prophet in his day and age. The Bible declares that every prophecy he spoke came to pass.

There are times God will take us through seasons of denial because He needs to prepare us for what He has for us. He needs our hearts to be in line with His will not our own desires.  God desires that we partner with Him in fervent prayer to bring to pass His desires for us.  Even Jesus endured this same process in the Garden of Gethsemane as He prayed for His will to come in line with His Heavenly Father’s.

It was known as place of the oil press located near the Mt of Olives. This is important because the olives had to be pressed and crushed to get what was of value from it, the oil. That is what God is doing in many of our lives, even on the verge of quitting we must realize it is because of what He has placed on the inside of us that we need to keep going. People need what we have. If we quit now, someone will lose out on their breakthrough.  Our yes is the direct link to someone else’s freedom.  Press on and keep the faith, your breakthrough is on the way.

Lord, many are struggling to hold on to their faith during seasons of disappointments. I pray that You will infuse them with inner strength and power on today and allow them to see Your hand at work in their lives. Give them glimpse of hope Father. As they continue pressing, send others to help refresh them for the journey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By Mary Pinckney

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Like a city broken into and left without a wall, so is a person who lacks self-control.Proverbs 25:28 (GW)

Self- Control is hard to regain when you let your guard down. It is so important for us to set up boundaries to help keep us focused and disciplined as a Christian. Boundaries are for our protection. Some practical examples of boundaries may be not watching X-rated materials in order to keep a pure thought life, or single Christians choosing to avoid being alone with the opposite sex to discourage immoral behavior. Whatever the case may be, boundaries help to keep us on track as we aim to live a holy life.

When we choose to live outside our bounds, we are like a city without walls — anything goes. Self-control must be maintained to see the fruit of our labor. Whenever we move past the boundaries we set, it is much harder to regain control. Paul says it best in 1 Corinthians 9:27 (ERV),

”It is my own body I fight to make it do what I want. I do this so that I won’t miss getting the prize myself after telling others about it.’

I beseech you my dear brothers and sisters, stay on track. Make it a point to be protected by good boundaries in order to see the growth you desire as a Christian. Finish the course that you have been destined to complete. Surround yourself with a great support network, and fight the good fight of faith in the power and might, which has already been provided by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Victory belongs to you.

Lord, so often I let my guard down, thinking that I have time to get it all together, not understanding that I am giving the enemy a foothold in my life. Help me to move past discouragement and fear into my place of breakthrough and peace. Teach me to tap into your strength in my times of weakness. Help me not to rely on my own devices but to trust totally in your power to help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought— Are you the type who tests their boundaries? Find a mature Christian who will be your accountability partner.

By Mary Pinckney
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Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.“ Psalm 51:6 (AMP)

How often have you allowed a few days, weeks, or months to pass before reading the Bible?

How often have you pursued your own desires and the pleasures of this world?

How often do you bring your thoughts under control by the Holy Spirit?

Does your life reflect the will of your Heavenly Father?

I am sure many of you have cringed as you read each question, but I am not here to condemn you but to encourage you to use this moment as a point of self-reflection. There are times in our lives that we have to be honest with ourselves about where we are. We must face the ugly truth and make a choice to move forward.

The Lord longs to help us in our times of need, but we must first surrender ourselves to Him. For us to live a life controlled by the Holy Spirit we must learn to control our thought lives. When our mind has been conditioned through prayer and meditation upon scripture it is not as easy for demonic attacks to succeed against us. We war with our flesh every day, but the point is not to give up. Turn your attention to the Word of God and receive the strength you need to live a spirit-filled life. I have provided a few go-to scriptures that have helped me along the way.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now Your word do I keep‘ [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. Psalm 119:67 (AMP)

Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.’ 1 John 2:15 (AMP)

That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time— remember, you’ve been raised from the dead! —into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God. Romans 6:12-14 (MSG)

[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.’ Philippians 2:13 (AMP)

Father, forgive us for picking up your Word only after our ways fail us. Forgive us for not remaining focused and intent on doing your will. Too often, we get caught up in our everyday routine and lose sight of your will for our lives. Forgive us for giving ourselves over to every thought, craving, and desire, for Your Word says we should not give any part of our body over to sin. Help us Lord to get ourselves back on track fully committed to you and your plans for our lives. Help us to submit to your good will and pleasure. Help us to rely on your Strength and not our own. Help us to surrender our will to yours. We know that you have our best interest at heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
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Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping — believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!’ And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead — and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.” Romans 4:18-20 (NLT)

It is highly frustrating when you are waiting on God and expecting your current state to change. God doesn’t always show you how things will turn out, but He often gives you a glimpse into what He has waiting for you. Let’s look at Abraham, the father of faith.

Even though they had passed child bearing age, God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son of their own. I can imagine the anguish I would have felt even after the promise was made. I am someone who needs to know the exact details. I need to know the “ins and the outs” of how it will all work out.

Unfortunately, this is not the walk of faith.

Faith believes that what God says will take place without a shadow of a doubt. Faith believes that we will see the promises of God unfold even when it looks impossible. Faith believes in what we can’t see, and knows it is there.

We learn a lot from Abraham as we watch him wait upon the promise of God to be fulfilled in his life. The Scriptures tells us that he hoped against hope, believing that God was faithful to perform that which he had promised.

As Abraham walked out his faith, we also learn what not to do. We learn that it is much better to wait on God rather than working out our own plans. When we believe we have the answers, we miss God’s best.

Father, I come today asking that You strengthen those who are still waiting for what You have promised. Grant them a glimpse of hope today. Help them to see what You are doing during the process as they await Your next move. You always have our best interest at heart. May we learn to trust You, just as Abraham did. In Jesus’ name, amen.

By Mary Pinckney
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Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP)

How to trust God is not always easy to explain, but the Lord gave me an excellent illustration. When I was younger we would go to camp for the summer. While there we participated in high and low ropes courses among other exercises. The one I remember the most was the trust fall.

The trust fall we participated in was a five foot platform. We stood with our backs turned to our group. At the camp counselors instructions we were told to fall back into the arms of those that were designated to catch us. You talk about scary. With much hesitation and the greatest bit of courage I could muster, I fell backwards. All the while hoping and praying they would not let me fall! At this time I did not have a relationship with the Lord. Now I do and it makes it a lot easier to place my trust in the One that will never fail me.

As I stated earlier, the Lord brought this example back to me to demonstrate how we are to trust Him. Can we trust that He will catch us and not allow us to fall? We trust in people easily, only to be disappointed. It is now time to lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord. Instead of trusting our own ability and relying on the strength of those around us, let us fall back on the Lord today and trust Him fully.

Father, thank you for teaching us how to trust you; we look to you daily for our instructions. May we acknowledge you in all of our ways. In Jesus name Amen.

Are we willing to fall back on Him when you can’t see your way?

Thought: Take a moment and inventory your life. If you are quick to run to others in the place of God, make a decision to put God first.

By Mary Pinckney
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Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now.” Genesis 50:20(GW)

Joseph was a dreamer. In his dreams he saw himself in a position of authority. Pay attention to the route the Lord allowed Joseph to travel to get to his place of purpose; the pit, the prison, and then the palace. The Lord used the challenges Joseph faced to mold him for greatness. Joseph had to humble himself and wait on God’s timing. He also had to forgive his brothers as we saw in Genesis 50:20. He discovered what they did was only a part of the Lord’s greater plan.

This should encourage us today. No matter what we may have encountered along our journey, it helps to know that the Lord has purpose in our pain. He desires that we learn to forgive and release those that hurt us. We must learn to trust that the Lord will not allow any of our experiences to be wasted. He will take the broken pieces and create a glorious masterpiece if we allow Him to heal our hearts.

Many of us are still bound because we have not fully forgiven others or ourselves. It is time to move forward. Make a decision today that you will no longer walk in bitterness, anger, or defeat. Make a choice now to forgive. Forgiveness frees you. It does not give the offender permission to hurt you again. It brings you to a place of freedom within. The choice is yours.

Father, grant us the grace to move forward just as Joseph did. We recognize how much pain and turmoil our decision to hold on to the past has caused us. We are aware of the joy it has stolen from us daily. We recognize that holding on to unforgiveness will only hinder us from seeing Your best plan for our lives. We want to be free Lord. Teach us to rest in Your peace as we allow You to heal our hearts. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Is there anyone that you are still holding unforgiveness towards? Then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to forgive. Read: The Power of Forgivenesshttp://www.thoughts-about-god.com/reflecting/hb_forgiveness.htm

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

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Then He (Jesus) arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm
Mark 4:39

Every day we are faced with the choice to rest in the promises of God or to stress over the problems we encounter. It should be an easy decision to make but yet we find ourselves often caught between two opinions. On one hand we want so much to trust and believe that God will do just what He says. On the other hand we find ourselves doubting that He actually cares. After all, God has so much more on His plate than to be concerned about our issues.

I am so glad that God is not like man. He is much greater than we can ever imagine. His love for us spans wider than the ocean. Before we were even a thought, He knew us. He predestined us, made us a part of His master plan. That should be grounds for our trust. I have found that it is much easier to trust a God that has a proven track record. I would rather take my chances with God any day than to walk in fear and doubt on a regular basis. I have been there and done that too many times. Today, I choose the peace that comes with trusting that God will perform what He has promised. I may not know when. I may not know how, but I can be confident that He never fails. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again.

Lord it is so easy to get caught up in the turmoil of everyday life and to focus on what we see rather than what You have said. It should always be an easy choice to trust you and rest in Your promises but even the best of us struggle. Teach us daily to renew our mind on Your promises and meditate in the scriptures that speak of Your love, grace, and assurance. May our hearts take courage in knowing that You have left us Your peace. In Jesus name Amen

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

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When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”  Romans 12:13 NLT

I used to feel like a prisoner locked inside my own world not knowing how to escape. Have you been here? Have you noticed that it is hard to talk to others around you about you? I consider myself a very private person. It was always hard for me to open up and share with others how I was really doing.

Over the years I have seen so many people betrayed because they shared intimate details about their lives with others they felt could be trusted. I knew at that point I didn’t want to be in that place having to suffer the embarrassment and the pain they experienced. Out of my own need God birthed a desire in me to become a safe place for others to heal.

We all need someone. We all need an outlet. We were never meant to be an island isolated from everyone else. It was never God’s plan for man to be alone. It is so freeing to be able to know that we have people in our corner that are genuinely concerned about us and our well-being. If you find yourself where I once was, ask God to lead you to the person you can be open with. Someone that has His heart for you. It may be a trusted friend, counselor, or pastor. Once you begin getting the help you need, will you also consider becoming a safe place for others to lean?

Lord, I often find myself drifting back into isolation out of fear of being hurt again. I ask that you lead me to the safe place of healing that is available for me. I ask that you teach me who to trust with my innermost thoughts. I pray that even as You heal me that I too will become a safe place for others to heal.

Thought:  Make a list of people you know that you consider a safe place. Then pray and ask God to lead you to who maybe the best for you to open your heart to. As you begin to sort through all of this, journaling is another form of unloading our hearts.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

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thoughts by Mary Pinckney Thoughts by Women

Don't Give Up

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.
1 Kings 18:41-44(NLT)

I want to encourage those that are on the verge of giving up and throwing in the towel. Lately it seems as though nothing has changed. You have prayed fervently. Asking, seeking, and knocking, but no response. Don’t give up yet, God says look again.

Elijah prayed fervently for rain after a 3 year drought. He sent his servant to look for rain as he prayed. He saw nothing. Elijah said look again. The servant returned seven times, awaiting the expected rain. On the seventh time he reported seeing a cloud the shape of a man’s hand.

I say to you today, look again. If you don’t see anything immediately, keep looking; just as the servant did. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Do not allow what you see in the natural to overrule what the Lord is doing behind the scenes. The Lord will reward your persistence. If you do not faint, you shall see the manifestation of the Lord. Remain steadfast and unmovable. Do not stagger at the Lord’s promises. He is at work on your behalf, even now. Look again; your breakthrough is on the horizon!

Father I lift up those that have been struggling in their relationships, health, finances, and life in general. I ask that you will infuse them with inner strength. Father, they have been holding on so long for things to change. I ask that you begin to show them a glimpse of your goodness. Lord continue to strengthen and develop them during this process. Increase their faith. May your grace and peace rest upon them as you wrap them in your loving arms. We graciously await your response Lord. In Jesus name Amen.

By Mary Pinckney

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Thoughts by All thoughts by Mary Pinckney Thoughts by Women