By Paula Williamson, guest writer Have you ever been around someone whose presence left you feeling as if you had just been vomited on? I have, and I have been one of those people. I remember sitting at the dinner table with my dad, who pushed his plate away, looked me square in the eye, and asked, “Do you have anything good to say?” Ouch! My words had taken his appetite. What we say and think affects others. Our words should reflect what we believe. If we are followers of Christ, they should reflect Him. It Is Written PSALM 91:9 -11 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. Count Blessings Bad things happen, but we do not have to make them the focus of our conversations and thoughts. We live in an imperfect world that will never be perfect, and we are either part of the problem or part of the solution. What if the focus of our day was counting our blessings? We have the incredible opportunity to speak life, hope, and love; to build up, restore, forgive, encourage, and express gratitude, and so much more. How many of us can see, hear, and walk without pain, or do not have a terminal illness? We can find a multitude of things for which we can be thankful. I dare you to count your blessings. Prayer Lord, when I become pessimistic and critical in my thoughts and words, convict me, correct me, and change my heart. I have so many reasons to be thankful. You created this beautiful world, with nature reflecting Your beauty in flowers, trees, sunrises, sunsets, seasons, smells, tastes, puffy clouds, and twinkling starry skies. Each day is a gift! That’s why it’s called the present! Help me spread Your beauty, forgiveness, restoration, and hope. Takeaway Your words may be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer I battled fear for most of my life. I thought it was part of my nature, but those beliefs contradict so many scriptures. Our minds are fascinating! We can believe anything we wish, and the chemicals in our bodies align with those beliefs. Why would we meditate on things that make us fearful and anxious? Why would we watch movies that inspire doubt and fear? Why would we listen to music that reinforces depression, pain, and hopelessness? It Is Written PSALM 91:4-5 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. My Rainbow Story One day, as I was driving down a long road, a rainbow appeared in the distance. As I got closer to home, it seemed to be right over me. I had to make a 180-degree turn to head home, and the image of being under the rainbow exploded in my spirit. His promises cover us with His protection. We do not have to fear. His word is the opposite of fear and anxiety, bringing peace and hope. Why not flood our minds with these things? My Under the Rainbow story is in the book Listen for His Whisper at coadwordbooks.com. Prayer Lord, thank You for Your Word and for the life and hope it contains. Thank You that You keep Your Word and that those who set out to disprove it only find more evidence that it is true. It is life and health to me. Help us to read it, meditate on it, and believe it. Takeaway God’s Word brings life.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer We live in a fearmongering world. Every news headline is filled with words like urgent, imminent, and happening now. Whether a fearful thought is real or imagined, it has the same adverse effect on our bodies and floods us with these chemicals: Adrenaline: Boosts your heart rate, expands your airways, and releases stored energy for quick action. Noradrenaline: Increases blood pressure and redirects blood flow to your major muscle groups. Cortisol: Keeps your body on high alert and floods your system with extra glucose for sustained fuel. The long-term effects of chronic fear can include: · Brain changes: The amygdala can grow larger and hyper-reactive, while memory and calm-thinking areas like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex can shrink. · Mental health: Increases the risk of persistent anxiety, depression, and severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). · Physical toll: Keeps blood pressure high, which strains the heart and weakens your immune system over time. It Is Written PSALM 91:2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Vitamin G Vitamin G is God. Yep, I made that up, but we are quick to look for a cure for what ails us. Why not try trusting God and His Word? It is filled with promises that do not promote fear, gloom, doom, or despair. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 38 million people take medication for anxiety, and 16% take medication for depression. According to a Stanford report, faith improved health after COVID. Prayer Lord, I choose to take control of my thoughts and not let them run amok. Your Word in 1 Corinthians 10:5 tells me to take every thought captive, and 2 Timothy 1:7 says You do not give us a spirit of fear but power, love, and a sound mind. Help me take personal responsibility for what I read, listen to, meditate on, and believe. I want to trust You. Takeaway He is my refuge and my safe place, and He is trustworthy.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Do you ever get tired and wish you could find a secluded place to rest? I imagine we all do. Scripture tells us there is such a place to rest and refuel. The price? Time. It may mean getting up earlier or finding a quiet moment in the afternoon or evening, but Scripture promises rest. It Is Written PSALM 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. PSALM 23: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3he refreshes my soul. Be Still When I feel weary, I find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Most days, I wake before the sun rises, grab my blanket, and sit in a quiet, dark place. Sometimes I sit and imagine myself under the shadow of the Almighty God. I rest there, counting my blessings and sharing my heart. Other times, I sit in silence, journal, read His word, or whisper my prayers. Sometimes my tears are my prayers, and words seem unnecessary. When I am finished, I am refreshed. Prayer Lord, help me make time to rest in Your shelter, under Your shadow. Show me how to be still and know that You are God. Speak to me, to my heart. Your word says You are my Shepherd and that I lack nothing. Lead me beside quiet waters and refresh my soul. Takeaway Under the shadow of the Almighty, I find rest.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Do you ever feel like you are on a treadmill going nowhere or trapped in the movie “Groundhog Day,” accomplishing nothing? It’s terribly discouraging to feel like you are not accomplishing anything or never getting ahead. I’m not sure why it’s so easy to be talked into buying things that promise much but deliver little. Scripture makes bold promises. It Is Written PSALM 1:2 -3 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. A Bold Promise According to this verse, delighting in and meditating on the law of the Lord comes with the promise that we will be like a tree planted by the riverbank, bearing fruit; our leaves won’t wither, and we will prosper in all we do. We get sucked into trying weight-loss plans and vitamins that promise all kinds of things but deliver no results. Why not try this one? There is a great free Bible app with a wide range of devotionals in any Bible translation you choose. You can even compare verses across translations to find the one that speaks best to you. YouVersion https://www.youversion.com Prayer Lord, I am going to try to delight in and meditate on Your word. Show me where to begin. I want to be like a tree planted by the riverbank, bearing fruit with leaves that do not wither. I’d like to prosper in all I do. I ask for Your help. Takeaway Delighting in God's Word yields good fruit.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Often, we find ourselves in situations where we do not know what to do. I have found myself in them more often than I care to admit, including relationships, financial stress, the future, which car or house to buy, career direction, the death of a loved one, new situations, and many more. We only need to open our eyes in the morning to find ourselves in situations each day that require wisdom and direction. It Is Written MATTHEW 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God [ above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Letting Go When we find ourselves beyond our knowledge and physical and emotional limits, we are pushed to seek help beyond ourselves. Today we tend to Google or ask CHATGPT, but there is someone with far greater knowledge who knows our future. Many times in my life, I have called upon God in such situations and have been astounded by the outcome. It’s always far greater than I can take credit for or than I can give to anyone else. I am learning to let go and trust Him for the outcome. Prayer Lord, why would we go to anyone else but You? You are far wiser. You care more for us than anyone else, know the motives of our hearts even when we don’t, and promise to grant wisdom when we ask, a promise no one else can make. I take all my uncertainties and lay them before You, trusting You with the outcome. Takeaway When I put God first in my life and follow Him, He will supply my needs.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer We live in a world of imperfect people, all of whom have rights and opinions, and we are one of them. The exercise of those rights and opinions carries consequences we all have to live with, whether or not they stem from our own choices. We each have to take responsibility for the “I” in our lives. Anyone who looks backward and doesn’t like what they see in their lives has the incredible power to do something different. It Is Written PSALM 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Rid Yourself of Blame Blame keeps us right where we are, so if we want something different to happen, we need to take personal responsibility and act differently. We only deceive ourselves when we go around singing the “Somebody Done Me Wrong” song. My life begins when I take personal responsibility for my actions. Prayer Lord, remove self-deception far from me, and allow me to look into the mirror and hear myself when I begin to blame others. Help me take personal responsibility for my actions. Help me stop making excuses and blaming, and walk in a new direction. You know me better than I know myself. Help me seek You, put You first in my life, and obey Your still, small voice. Takeaway A better life happens when I take responsibility and stop blaming others.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer It’s easy to wonder whether God hears and answers prayer. Prayer is the connection between heaven and earth. When we pray, things happen. In Scripture, Daniel prayed, an angel was dispatched, and a war invisible to him broke loose in the heavens. DANIEL 10:12-13 Then he said, “Don’t be frightened, Daniel, for your request has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day you began to fast before the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet you. 13 But for twenty-one days the mighty Evil Spirit who overrules the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the top officers of the heavenly army, came to help me, so that I was able to break through these spirit rulers of Persia.” It Is Written ISAIAH 65:24 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! Faith is the Substance of Things Hoped For When we walk in fellowship with the Lord, He listens to and answers our prayers. We have His Word on it. Can you imagine your prayers unleashing a war in the heavens between good and evil? Wow! The scripts of superhero movies are filled with battles between good and evil. There is something deep within us that believes, or wants to believe, that good always wins! Scripture promises that this is true. We are not exempt from trouble, but we have someone who walks with us through it, angels who minister to the heirs of salvation, and One who gives us power and the courage to overcome. Prayer Lord, it’s hard to believe that our prayers dispatch angels, have power over evil, and affect heaven and earth, yet Your word clearly says so. You do not lie, but You watch over Your Word to perform it. I want to be one who stands in the gap and prays prayers that make a difference in heaven and on earth. Give me wisdom, direction, and discernment to turn my worries into prayers that make a difference. Takeaway God answers before our lips form a prayer.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me. What a lie! Words can be very hurtful but no one can make you feel inferior without your permission. We are not helpless victims of our upbringing, failures, mistakes, or circumstances. We were given a powerful gift when we came into this world: the power to choose what we believe. The space between our ears is only 5 to 6 inches, but what an impactful space! We choose what we believe. Just because someone says something doesn’t make it true, or does it? It Is Written ISAIAH 64:12 They will be called “The Holy People” and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.” And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place” and “The City No Longer Forsaken.” Your Choice Holy, redeemed, desirable, not forsaken. What powerful words! God makes the impossible possible! He gives us new names and redeems us from the places where life and our choices have led us. Every day is a new day. Yesterday is gone and cannot be changed. It need not be part of our future unless we carry it. Let it go! The future is full of possibilities. Prayer Lord, I let go of the past today, including regrets, mistakes, failures, things my ears have heard that I wish I had not heard, things my eyes have seen that I wish I had not seen, things I have done that I regret, and all the baggage of my past that I wish had never happened. Thank You that You are a God of second chances. Thank You that You redeem, restore, and rebuild. You can turn my history into His story. Thank You that nothing is impossible for You. Takeaway He makes the impossible possible.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer People can be terribly cruel. Sometimes it’s a parent who calls us names like arrows that pierce our hearts. Other times it’s kids in our neighborhood or school, sometimes even at church. Sometimes it’s unintentional, like when someone compares you to others. Maybe it’s even ourselves. There is someone who calls us names that do not pierce but heal. We choose whom we will believe. It Is Written ISAIAH 64:3 -4 The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—a splendid crown in the hand of God. 4 Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride. A New Name My daughter married a man with two children, and they debated what to call me. I told them my grandchildren called me Nana, but they could call me whatever they wanted. We played checkers that day, and the oldest kept asking me to have mercy on him and not jump him. Of course, I honored his request. By the end of the day, he decided my name would be Mercy. Being called that name changed me from the inside out. What we are called affects us deeply. Do you need to change what you are called? God has a new name for you. Prayer Lord, we have all been called many names in our lives. We ask for healing for the places that pierced us deeply. Remove those arrows and pour Your healing into those wounds. The names You have for us are names we feel unworthy to bear, the City of God's Delight, the Bride of God, but if You call us by those names, we choose to believe them over the names that once pierced our hearts. Thank You for new names. Takeaway God gives us new names.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer David and Karen Mains wrote the book "A Girl Named Dirty," which tells the story of a young girl who lives among pigs and loves being dirty, but eventually recognizes her poor state and longs to be clean and accepted by the King. It’s a lovely story about our human state without knowledge of the King of Kings and of the life He offers us. It Is Written ISAIAH 61:10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. Clean Clothes What Jesus did for us we cannot do for ourselves. He offers us a fresh start, a new life, a clean heart, and a new spirit. David experienced this forgiveness after Nathan the prophet pointed out his grave sin. ISAIAH 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” saith the Lord. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. What a gift! Prayer Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to live a sinless, perfect, and selfless life in our place. Thank You that when we surrender our lives to You, His robe of righteousness covers us with a garment of salvation. Thank You that He did what we could not do. We surrender our lives to You. Takeaway No stain is too deep for His grace.

By Paula WiIlliamson, guest writer I once heard a story that has stayed with me my entire life. An old missionary saw a man carrying a huge load on his shoulders and stopped to give him a ride. The man accepted and sat in the back seat. As they traveled, the missionary glanced in the rearview mirror in surprise to see the man breathing hard and still holding the load on his shoulders. He asked why. The man replied, “You were so generous to give me a ride. I can’t ask you to carry my load as well. As foolish as this seems, we do the same thing with the baggage of shame. Jesus paid for our forgiveness and shame. We need no longer carry it. Let it go!” It Is Written ISAIAH 61:7 Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. Easier Said Than Done This story is a powerful reminder of how absurd it is to continue carrying our shame after Jesus paid for it with His life. He left nothing undone. His last words were, “It is finished.” It is time to lay all our burdens at the feet of Jesus and receive the gift of forgiveness He paid for with His life. For the joy set before Him, He endured the shame. It would be an insult not to receive such an extravagant gift and to live in the freedom He purchased. Takeaway He promises me everlasting joy and a double portion of honor rather than shame.