Your Daily Cup of Inspiration!

No "Oops" Moments with God

Recently, one of my close relatives, along with her husband, purchased a rehab property (Better known as a fixer-upper) from the City for only $1. Though the purchase price was wonderful, the house needed a significant amount of work done to it. I remember my initial walk-through; I noticed right away how beautiful the overall structure of the house was, but there was a pretty intimidating amount of work that needed to be done to it.

Walls, window frames, floors, outdoor siding, plumbing etc. all had to be corrected in order to make the house inhabitable and bring it up to code. Though the husband and wife pair were optimistic and determined to complete most all of the repairs themselves, excluding major work like plumbing and siding, many people close to them thought they might run into some issues. It seemed inevitable to the skeptics that they would need Contractors to finish the job.

Well, yesterday, I went for a second walk-through and my jaw nearly hit the floor. I knew they had been working tirelessly on their new property, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Truly, I could not believe my eyes. Without assistance from anyone, these two had added insulation, put up drywall, repaired window frames, smoothed out walls, added primer, cleared out lots of the junk and so much more. When I tell you it looked like a new house, I mean it.

I stood their gawking, half in shock.

You know, that walk-through got me thinking. Sometimes, as we travel the road toward purpose, we often get intimidated by what we see. We often allow the enormity of the task and all the potential roadblocks to cause us to shy away from what God has called us to do. But we have to remember, anything the Lord commissions us to accomplish, He equips us to do it successfully.

I don't care how implausible, impossible, or improbable it seems, you've got to know that the Father has already empowered you to prosper in whatever area He's thrust you into. Have you taken into account the fact that God already knew (and still knows) what you were and weren't working with, long before He gave you that assignment?

It's not like He chose you for the job and along the way said, "Oops... I didn't know you didn't have such and such." He's the Omniscient one, thus, there are no "oops" moments with God!

In Exodus 3, when God, The Great "I Am," selected Moses to speak on His behalf and deliver the Children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, he didn't say, "Oops, I didn't know you had a speech impediment Moses...guess I need to find another speaker."   God already knew Moses' challenge; yet, it didn't matter, because Moses was chosen... just as you are.

Before you were formed in your mother's womb, the Bible says, God already new you. (Jeremiah 1:5) So, no matter what you appear to be lacking, the power of God at work in you, compensates for all that. You might feel too small for that big job, but the Holy Ghost dwelling in you makes the difference.

What others might need a crew and a specialized team of people to accomplish, God will give you the strength and wisdom to do it all on your own. So, don't  don't allow what you don't have, to become that crutch that makes you say, "If I had this or that I would..."

No.

Use what you've got and watch what God does.

Just like Jesus fed the multitude with the 2 fish and 5 barley loaves (Mark 6), as the saying goes, "little becomes much when you place it in the Master's hand."

Don't be discouraged by the size of the task. I know you might feel like you don't have the strength to carry out God's will... and you're partly right. You don't have the strength on your own,  but you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you.

Just like my family members are giving that house an overhaul on their own without prior experience, formal training, or outside assistance, you too, can take on whatever God is challenging you to do.

Step out and try God. All you need to be is a willing vessel and He will do great and awesome things through you that you never dreamed possible.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time...may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

He'll Give You a Song

I'm a music lover. When I say that, most people might imagine that I have a huge collection of CD's and enjoy listening to all types of music. But that's not really the case for me. I don't have very many CD's in my collection. Actually, I can't even really call the paltry number of CD's I own a "collection." I guess it's because, a song has to really minister to me and move me before I'll go out and purchase those tunes.

But there are some songs that really move me to my soul--that invoke worship, praise and thanksgiving every time I listen to them. Well, this morning, I woke up with some things on my mind. I wasn't feeling particularly preoccupied or troubled, but I was just thinking about a few things. Then, I heard Kaleb's little three-year-old voice ringing out with such clarity. He was belting out one of my absolute favorite songs with such conviction. He was serious about that thing too!

I just stopped for a moment and listened; before I knew it I had gone from just thinking to thanking. That little song reminded me of the wonder of God's grace. Here's the song Kaleb was singing. Then, not long after, my husband came through and began singing another of my favorite tunes.

Now, I must tell you, my husband can't hold a note in a sealed container! He's that bad. The first time I heard him sing, I laughed so hard. I didn't think I had ever met anyone with such an extreme lack of voice control.  Trust me. Kenya knows God hasn't gifted him in that area and will be the first to admit it. We often crack up about it together.

But when Kenya began singing today, it was more about the words to the song he sang that captured my heart.

I've told you on more than one occasion that, God will give you a song to meet you right at your point of need. Whether he drops it in your heart, or whether someone else sings it, when the Lord gives you a song, you'll know it's for you. It'll pierce you to your core and cause you to elevate your mind above your circumstances.

You'll stop focusing on all the issues that seem so pressing in your life and begin dwelling on God's faithfulness, goodness, mercy, kindness, omniscience, omnipotence and awesomeness.

When you need it most... He'll give you a song.

I pray that a melody from heaven will touch your heart today, just as it has mine, and remind you that God is with you through whatever you're going through!

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

What's On Your Plate?

 Yesterday, my family and I ate Memorial Day leftovers. Is it just us, or do you always over-cook for holidays? It's such a bad habit of mine; I think it's because I come from an especially large family. We used to cook like we were feeding a whole football team on every special occasion.

Since my husband and I didn't have any company stop by our house on Monday, we weren't able to tell them to "take a plate" to help us to get rid of the excess, which could've helped us avoid having to eat it for several consecutive days. I dont' know about you, but we don't believe in throwing away food at my house...not if we can help it. I grew up in a household where we couldn't afford to be wasteful!

Well, Tuesday afternoon, my three year old, Kaleb, was chomping on his hot dog for lunch. After only a few bites, he looked up at me with those big brown puppy dog eyes and said, "Mommy I don't want my 'ot dawd' anymore."

I looked at it and thought, "Neither do I."

But since I hadn't eaten my lunch just yet, I decided to go ahead and eat the cold wiener myself, even with it being drowned in ketchup and all.  But no sooner than I elected to eat it, I saw Kaleb studying me inquisitively.

"Mommy, whatchoo eating?" he asked.

"A hot dog," I said still chewing and loathing every minute of it.

"Tan I tate it?" Kaleb asked, reaching his hand up, craving a taste of HIS hot dog that he had rejected just seconds earlier. Remarkably, when he thought his abandoned lunch was mine, he suddenly had a renewed interest in it. Kaleb never made the connection that he was simply eating what was already on his plate to begin with.

He ate the whole hot dog too!

I began thinking,  we behave just like that  sometimes too, don't we? By that I mean, we often don't appreciate what we possess, because it's ours. But we'll look over at our "neighbor" and admire what they have, when in truth, we sometimes possess the very same thing!

Today, God is challenging all of us to begin seeing and valuing what's inside of us, instead of being distracted by what someone else has. Listen, no matter who you are and where you're from, God has endowed you with extraordinary gifts and abilities to carry out the work of the Kingdom. But you've got to begin seeing that the gifts, talents, and resources God has given you are equally as important as anyone else's.

I believe that devaluing who and what God made you to be, opens the door to jealousy, envy, bitterness, resentment and strife. That's why it's crucial to realize that all God's children are equally special. As it's often said, "There are no big I's and little You's" in God's Kingdom. We're all marvelous in God's eyes. He made us all in His image and likeness. You are fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139:14)

You've got to know that, if God can use your neighbor, He most certainly can and will use you too. Though our individual gifts and roles  aren't all the same, they are all from God and for God. 1 Corinthians 12:4 says, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."

I want you to begin cultivating what's on your plate and rediscovering how awesome the gifts and abilities God has given you truly are. Then, once you get a new outlook, you'll pick that vision up again that you had once laid down. You'll begin replacing those feelings of worthlessness with a renewed sense of value and optimism.  You'll move forward with a deeper revelation of  God's purpose and plan for your life.

I've gotta ask you: What's on your plate? In other words, what's right under your nose that you just might be passing over, thinking it's not good enough?

I implore you; don't reject what you possess. The world needs what's inside of you. Now pick it up off your plate and don't throw it away!

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Don't Dig It Up Again

Yesterday turned out to be a wonderfully relaxing day. The kids had a great time playing in the dirt; they seemed to take special delight in digging up worms and collecting piles of earth for them to burrow in. They must have found at least 20-30 worms. As I'm sure you can imagine, they all got a real good scrubbing after their adventures!

One of the most interesting things I noticed is, after digging up their worms, they'd put them into a makeshift mountain of dirt they gathered and cover them up; thus, denying themselves access.

Kenya and I smiled as we watched all four of them huddled together, peering down at the home they had proudly "built" for their worms.

 "I wish we could play with them," Kaiah sighed... as if she was expressly prohibited from digging up the worms she and her siblings had caught in the first place.

Somehow, in their minds, once they buried the worms, that was it. It was over. There was no digging them up again.

I wonder; how much better off would we be if we knew how to bury some stuff and never dig it up again? Just like those earthworms, what if we released our past issues, offenses, and negative memories and reckoned them dead and buried?

Wouldn't we experience a greater sense of wholeness?

I think we would. That is, if we let things go the proper way. You see, some of us bury things we don't want to deal with and cover them up only until something triggers that pain again. That's not the kind of "burying" I'm speaking of. Rather, I'm dealing with forgiveness and the ability to move forward without digging up things from the past over and over again.

Unfortunately, we often hang on to things that have happened to us: Past failures, mistreatment, abuse, heartbreak, and disillusionment. Sadly, by not letting these things go, the unresolved issues plague our minds, causing us to dwell in a perpetual state of regret, bitterness, hurt, and even anxiety about the future based on what happened in the past.

I know somebody can relate to that right now.

But God wants us to be free from all of the things that bind us up and keep us stuck in days of old. He wants us to be delivered from the yoke of bondage that keeps us tied to negative events in our personal history. The Father wants to awaken you and me to a new freedom that only comes from letting go of the past.

Bury what needs to be buried, and don't dig it up again. Sure, some things may have been severely painful, but still, God is able to set you free from the hurt. He'll pick you back up after you've been let down.

Today, if there's something you need to bury, then do it. Don't let it hold you back any longer. Don't hold onto it another day.

Bury the grudge; bury the hurt; bury the failure; and bury the negative thoughts. Once the burial is complete, then a resurrection can take place... resurrection of your joy, peace, love, productivity and fulfillment.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

I Want to Care

Today is a great day.  Kenya doesn't have to work. I don't have to  am not going to do any work. Instead, we're gonna fire up the barbecue grill, cook some burgers, hot dogs, play outside with the kids and just relax. Hopefully, you'll have a relaxing day too.

But, even though this is a "free" and fun day for my family and lots of others, there are many families that will be mourning and remembering loved ones who have died while serving our Country. For some, Memorial Day evokes mixed emotions--feelings of pride, coupled with sadness for their enormous loss.

Though I've never lost anyone close to me due to the perils of war, my heart still goes out to those who have. As a mom, I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a child; as a sister, I can't fathom the pain of losing a sibling; as a wife, I can't grasp the deep agony of losing a husband. As a friend, I can't know the kind of void the death of a close companion creates.

But someone knows that excruciating pain and emptiness all too well.

For them, today is not a day of celebration, light-hearted conversation, or joyous fellowship; rather, a day of solemn remembrance and re-opening of old wounds.

So, even if you don't personally know of anyone who has died at war, still, take time to say a quiet prayer for someone else today. That doesn't mean you can't have a great time and enjoy family, friends, and fellowship. It simply means, you and I have to be compassionate and mindful of others.

I know that, if we haven't been through it, we can't fully understand the real intensity of the pain in such a sensitive area, but we can pray. We can sympathize. We can allow ourselves to feel and be touched by the infirmities of others. "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (Romans 12:15).

You know, I never want to get to the point where I'm not affected by the pain of others, just because everything is OK in my world. I don't want to be selfish and so "me-centered," that the unfortunate plight of others doesn't move me at all.

I want to care.

I know you do too.

I always want to be aware that none of us is exempt from tragedy, pain, and loss. It's an inescapable part of our human existence. That's why, when all is well with us, we must remember to uphold those who happen to be in the midst of a storm. After all, we have no way of knowing when we will need someone to lean on, to comfort and pray for us in our time of need!

*Note: The yellow ribbon you see posted is symbolic of the families waiting for the return of military troops who are temporarily unable to come home. Pray for our troops!

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time...may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

No Regrets

"When I die, I want to die empty." I'm not sure where I was, or exactly what book I may have been reading when I first learned that quote by Dr. Myles Munroe, but I do know it impacted me. At the time, I can remember thinking about how unfortunate it would be to simply go through the motions in life, without ever tapping into my divine purpose.

"When it's time for God to call me home," I thought, "I want to know that my life has been well-lived." I genuinely remember thinking that. And by well-lived I don't mean just material wealth and the acquisition of things, but I want to be completely sure that God has gotten glory out of my life. I want there to be no regrets surrounding the effort I put forth in carrying out the ultimate destiny God preordained for me.

We must be ever in pursuit of God's will.

I don't want to look back on a bunch of "should've, could've, and would've" scenarios. I want God's purpose to be fulfilled through me, whatever that may be. Otherwise, my living is in vain.

I wonder, do you feel that way too?

You know, I think we all, on some level, want to live purpose-filled lives. This is true of believers and non-believers alike. We want our lives to mean something beyond an empty, hollow, and mundane existence, that consists of going through the motions of daily life, without making any impact in the world.

But in order to live the "no regrets" lifestyle of the sort I'm describing, it requires submission to God and a willingness to pursue the course He lays out for you. Unfortunately, we often allow fear, heartache, hardship, discouragement and other roadblocks, to stop us from launching out. But we don't have to live that way.

Today, I'm encouraging you to do what God has placed in your heart to do, so you don't one day look back on missed opportunities with feelings of regret and disappointment. You see, we all have been given a specific amount of time to walk this earth. Although that time varies from person to person, the same is true for each of us; we have to get a sense of urgency when it comes to being about our Father's business. Jesus understood this very well when He took on the likeness of flesh and walked among man. He said, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4 KJV).

Work that vision; work those gifts; work your plan... and above all, work your faith.

That's how you live a life of no regrets.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Why I Do This

People ask me often, "How do you blog everyday?" They wonder if I ever get tired or if I run out of things to say. So, today, I want to share with you why I do this. It's certainly not just a hobby, or the "flavor of the month" sort of thing. For me, it's a calling; I feel compelled to reach others and help prepare them to be all God has called them to be.

For me, it's a mission.

You see, there's a yearning in my soul to see God's will carried out in the earth. But quite often, the voices of those that love God and embrace His laws and values,  are drowned out by the numerous voices of those that embrace secular ideals. There is a moral decay and decline that we are witnessing in this day and age.

And God needs someone to stand up for Him.

That's why it's my passion to empower you, because I know it can be all too easy to get weary in this fight of faith. Trials and tribulations come; the storms of life come to toss you to and fro; and the winds of discouragement blow and beat upon you constantly.

That's why there's such a great need for revelation, inspiration, and encouragement each day.

I feel called to help provide the fuel you need to carry out the will of the Father in your little corner of the world. Though I may not know you personally, I do know that, because you belong to God, there's a great mission and purpose you have to fulfill in the earth. There's something significant you've been chosen to do. There are souls that are thirsty for the living water inside of you. They need filling. But as you pour out, you need someone and something to replenish you. Of course, your personal relationship with God, your devotional time, and your time of worship, all serve to strengthen, revive, and invigorate you.

I just feel led to give you an extra boost whenever you need it. That's what the "Daily Cup of Inspiration" is for. Whether you need it everyday, or just from time to time, whenever you're ready, I'm always here with a fresh "cup" waiting for you.

I always pray that God would give me what to say each time I prepare a post, so that I may say like Isaiah, "The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple" (Isaiah 50:4 NASB).

As I hear from God, I'm then able to impart to you what I believe He has shared with me.

Trust me; if I depended upon ME, I would have run out of things to say a long time ago. But as I open my heart and my ears to what God is saying, He in turn pours into me, so that I may pour into you, and so that you may pour into others.

This is why I do this... to build you up so that you can build up the Kingdom.

At the end of the day, that's what it's all about, right?

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

BE the Change...

Last night my 3 year old, Kaleb, came to me complaining.

"It hurts," he whimpered while pointing to a spot on his big toe. Initially,  I couldn't see what he was talking about. "Show Mommy again," I said leaning in closer and squinting at Kaleb's toe, which seemed to be perfectly fine. But when he pointed directly to the the area that was ailing him the second time around, I could clearly recognize what was wrong.

Right underneath the surface of his skin on top of his big toe, was a thin, brown sliver of wood. Immediately I knew. He had gotten a splinter lodged in his foot, most likely from crawling around on the natural hardwood floors, rolling his little Matchbox cars through the house.

I knew exactly what to do; it was something I'd seen my mother do "hundreds" of times when I was a young girl living at home.

I got a sterilized needle and some tweezers and went to work. With my needle, I gently lifted the skin and exposed the wood that was trapped underneath it. Then, I got a good grip on that wooden sliver with my tweezers and with a steady hand, pulled it out. Although it was mildly uncomfortable for Kaleb, causing him to let out a few "Ow's,"  after about three minutes, that pointy little stick was dislodged and plucked out.

I was able to do that so easily, though, because I had seen it modeled for me over and over again by my mother. It's pretty easy to master something that's been repeatedly demonstrated for you, right?

But what about when you're faced with the responsibility of carrying out a task  for which you have no point of reference? How do you deal with that?

It's something you and I must consider because, many times, God will challenge us to step up to the plate and pursue a course we've never seen anyone close to us go after. During these times, God will force us outside our comfort zone and push us to change the pervasive patterns we've seen all our lives. He nudges us toward our destiny by encouraging and admonishing us to BE the change, rather than the conformer.

I know it's not easy to be a change agent. Trust me I do. Yet, it's necessary in order for us to seize and lay hold of everything God wants to do for, in, and through us in the earth.  Without a doubt, it's very easy to feel unsure of ourselves when placed in unfamiliar predicaments.  But I'm here to let you know that, feeling unstable doesn't mean you're unable.

I'll say that again.

Feeling unstable doesn't mean you're unable.

You can be the change God is calling for. It doesn't matter that you haven't seen what you'll become before. No matter what has happened with others, I believe God has something different and better in store for you.

You've got to believe and know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He's already equipped and empowered you to do great and mighty things for the Kingdom. It might not be as simple as plucking out a splinter after witnessing it countless times; nevertheless,  whatever your assignment, you can successfully complete it.

You have it in you. God has given you all the tools and resources you need to effect change in your family, your neighborhood, your community, and the world at large.

Don't look anywhere else for the change this world needs. Instead, you rise up and BE the change.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

You Still Got It

I stopped by my Mom's house last evening to visit her. She made some delicious chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, sweet peas, and the fluffiest fresh baked dinner rolls I've seen in a while. I chatted with her and ate way too much. I was so stuffed by the time I was finished. Actually, I think the third dinner roll took me over the edge.

Anyway, after I finished gorging myself and chatting with Mom and my sisters, Mom said, as she was walking away, "Oh! Dianna, come here. I wanna show you this book I have." So, I followed Mom into her bedroom, eager to see what she was talking about. Then, she headed over toward her bed and picked up this huge yellow book. It was so thick, it reminded me of one of my college textbooks. I cracked it open and saw that it was full of great exercises and recipes for healthier living.

A twinge of guilt swept over me for the "sin" I had just committed with those dinner rolls.

As I thumbed through the pages, gawking at the difficult exercise positions being modeled by the petite woman in a black leotard who looked as though contorting your body into a pretzel actually felt good,  I thought of a time when I used to successfully perform those exact same exercises... only with lots more grimacing. Now, however, I've gotten away from some of the highly effective floor workouts I saw in the pages of the book Mom said I could borrow.

Though I do still exercise, I don't do that stuff,  not anymore at least.

But I'd like to get back into doing some serious strength training. I just don't look forward to the pain!  You know how it is. When you don't utilize certain muscles, they will atrophy over time, becoming weak  and feeble. If this ever happens, provided there's no major injury that prevents usage, once you engage those same muscles with consistency, although it can be pretty painful, you have the power and ability to build strength in those weakened areas.

Still, it's not easy to challenge yourself and shake yourself out of a state of complacency. Who wants to abandon their comfort zone, right? 

You know, I think that, in some form or another, we all have experienced those times when we slacked off in a specific area. If we're really and truly honest, we can see how we were once more disciplined, diligent, and determined; and then, somewhere along the way, we relaxed our standards. Yet and still, we have the power to find that place we need to be again.

Maybe for you, it has nothing to do with reaching certain fitness goals, or perhaps, it does. It's quite possible that you've lost your way and now you're longing  to snatch back control. Maybe it's a relationship, your emotions, finances, career, health, spiritual life, or some other area.

If that's the case, I'm here to let you know that "You still got it."  No matter how far away from your goals you seem to be today, God has given you the power to master any area that seems out of control.

Who knows? Maybe you allowed your muscles to atrophy because of fear, frustration, or distractions. It could be that you just grew tired of pressing forward in the midst of  your trials, tribulations, and painful circumstances. But, whatever the cause, you don't have to remain weak. You can get back in the swing of things and begin doing what you know you need to do with consistency. As I said yesterday, consistency is the key to forward progress.

You have what it takes to be productive and to thrive.

Today, I encourage you to identify those areas of your life that may be a bit off track. Ask God to help you realize that, you do indeed have the power to reclaim and reorder your life.

Despite how far you've fallen or how much time has passed, I always say, it's never too late to begin again.

I pray that God will give you the courage and fortitude you need to get back up in the saddle and try again. That doesn't mean the road will always be easy, or that things will snap back into place overnight. But as the saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

Take things one day at a time and as you take one step, God will take two.

You still got it.

Just use what you've got.

God will do the rest.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Keep At It

Consistency is the key to forward progression. Never forget that. Unfortunately, many of us don't follow through on things we intend to do. Either we start and stop, or we procrastinate altogether and never end up doing anything at all. But if we're ever to complete the unique mission God has given us, we have to be tenacious and consistent.

Too often, we allow lack of results to cause us to get discouraged. Consequently, when things don't fall into place fast enough, or pan out the way we hoped they would, we find ourselves walking away from them prematurely. But we'll never get the opportunity to see the full potential of a thing if we abandon it in its infancy.

Don't make that mistake.

Remember, there are different seasons we have to go through: Seasons where we invest and sow into something and other seasons when we reap the harvest of what we've sown. Sadly, too many of us dread the "sowing season." We don't want to plow the field, fertilize the soil, plant the seed, water the ground, and wait for it to yield a harvest.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to live my life in a perpetual state of frustration because I'm impatient with the process and lack follow through. I want to be the type of person that does what one of my favorite Bible teachers, Joyce Meyer, says: "Continue to do the right things even when you're getting the wrong results," and eventually, the right results will manifest.

If you and I just keep at it--whatever our "it" is--God will give the increase. But we can't stop and throw in the towel. We can't begin thinking that just because things haven't manifested by now, that they never will.

No.

We must be confident that if we follow certain God-ordained principles and practices, sooner or later, we'll see a manifestation of fruit. We just have to continue believing and doing the right things consistently and if we don't faint, we'll reap in due season. (See Galatians 6:9)

It will come together in due time... in God's own time.

But in the meantime, encourage yourself. Tell yourself, "It's not all in vain," because it's not. All your praying; crying out to the Lord; remaining faithful to Him even in the hard times; striving to do the right things consistently; and refusing to walk away, will all pay off in the end.

Just keep at it. "Keep on keepin' on" and surely, God will come through for you. That harvest will spring up and you'll reap the rewards of your efforts.

Today, I admonish you to remain strong and faith-filled. Know that the Lord is on your side. Whether you're being challenged on the job;  in  your local ministry;  in business; in relationships; or even in your health, don't stop doing the right things.

Again, be consistent. Be vigilant. Be diligent. Above all, be willing to keep at it even when you don't see the benefits of your efforts. Just know that God sees and He has not forgotten you.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com