Needing Jesus - Month by Month
Encouragement is like air. Our vision, dreams, love, gasp for it and a deep breath of it sends the suffocation of discouragement away. When my spirit is running low and progress is difficult to see, turning back the pages in my journal lifts my eyes again.
Because it has been far too long since I’ve shared my heart and life with you, I thought I’d take you with me month by month to see what Jesus was speaking to me, and what I was pouring out to Him. I hope that if you, too, are needing a steady breeze of encouragement these excerpts will be transformed by the Holy Spirit into a breath of life for you, as well as for me.
April 7, 2025
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you; abide in my love.” - Jesus (Jn. 15:9)
“We love, because He first loved us.” (1 Jn. 4:19)
-Love being loved by God and share His incredible love through Jesus with others.
-Stay connected to the source of love, life and faith - drink from His Spring, draw near to Him, fight the current, and don’t let anything pull you away.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me (Jesus), you can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5)
Oh, dear Jesus, keep me connected to you, fully ingrafted, all the fiber of my being mixed with yours so that we are one as You and Your Father are one. The branches on our oak tree outside are just extensions of the tree itself. The tree’s wood is their wood. The tree’s sap and water all flow through each branch. Father, keep me a healthy, vibrant, connected branch. Don’t let me become dry spiritually. Prune me down to make your life blood flow vibrantly to my every branch. Keep my branches from breaking off. Let me always abide in You —valued by You—fruit bearing for you. Flow through me that the fruit of my life would be sweet and not bitter, wholesome and not sickening! Fill me with your love.
May 6, 2025
“Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John12:3)
The greedy world scoffed and tried to condemn her but Jesus saw the beauty of what she had done. He knew that she had anointed Him for His upcoming burial. She had spared no expense because she loved Him so much. It was not a waste! It was her worship and if she had more she would have poured out more. Jesus saw her sacrifice—He saw her love and that she understood that He would die soon. He stood up for her. He cherished what she had done for Him.
Father, please give me Mary’s heart of worship for Jesus. Please make my offering acceptable and a blessing to You.
Pouring out my offering to Jesus is never a waste! If all my writing is nard poured out on Jesus’ feet to bring Him delight, pleasure and joy then it will never have been done in vain! I will not have failed. May all I pour out before Him be used by Him as a fragrance of salvation for the lost and the fragrance of encouragement for the saints. May it please Him all the more.
June 30, 2025
You are pleased by faith, dear Father.
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
If it is impossible to please you without faith, that means that if I do live by faith—walk by faith and exercise faith that You Are, and that You are good—You are pleased! All the time. I do not need to be ashamed or feel that I do not measure up or am not good enough. If you correct my behavior or my heart attitude or convict me of sin, even then, that does not mean that I am all wrong or defective, etc. It means You want me to grow and to be made more like Jesus. Let me always know that I truly am secure in Your love.
Thank you, Jesus, that “by one offering You have perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
You have put Your ways into our hearts and minds and You promise to “remember our sins no more” (Heb. 10:15)—that doesn’t mean we can or will go on willfully sinning—never— You paid the highest price and you give the severest warning about “trampling underfoot the Son of God” or “regarding unclean the blood of the covenant by which that person was sanctified” or “insulting the Spirit of grace”! (Hebrews 10:26-29) We must remain tenderhearted and obedient—but it is not works, it is a whole new nature imparted to us. I hold fast to the truth that you have “perfected” me — “perfected” my life “for all time” as You have sanctified and set me apart for You.
July 13, 2025
“Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we have forgiven those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever.
Amen
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Father God, I praise You for who You are —Holy, set apart, in heaven, yet You allow us to access your heart from earth, and You sent Your very heart to earth in Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for making a way for us to meet You!
Father, may your Kingdom—Let Your Jesus-centered world reign on this earth, in our homes, in our communities, our states, our nations, our world. May people everywhere be reconciled to You and filled with Your light and goodness. May Your perfect, pleasing and acceptable will be done!
Set things right—order things right on this earth and in the lives of people You created in Your image.
Father, please keep meeting our needs each day — each billing cycle, each grocery trip —that we will have an abundance for the good works You have for us to do. I believe You when You tell us in 2 Corinthians 9: 8-11: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written:
‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.;
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
I choose to walk by faith, believing You.
“Deliver us from the evil one.”
On every level, Lord God, fight for us and put Satan and all his lies down.
My dear Jesus, I want You to be my subconscious mind and rule my conscious mind. I truly want to have the mind of Christ, not just on the surface, but deep down. Please replace my old faulty beliefs and conclusions with Your truth, Your loving thoughts, Your grace, Your kindness. Please live Your beautiful, one-of-a-kind agape, gracious, righteous, incredible life through me and through all Your people. Oh, Lord Jesus, as John prayed, “(You) must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) I must “cease striving and know that You are God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Thank you for Your promises in John 3:33-34, “He who receives (Jesus’) witness has set his seal on this, that God is true. For He whom God has sent (Jesus) speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” What an amazing truth and promise. I rejoice in Your lavish love!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
August 6, 2025
Father God, please remind me of the spiritual lessons you’ve been sowing into my heart this summer. I want to walk by faith and not by sight.
Lesson #1 - “Prayer is the primary calling of a Christian.” (author unknown) Timothy Keller’s book on prayer as well as a sermon I heard at South Tongass Alliance Church on prayer has been reminding me again and again that prayer is our lifeline and “the true mark of who we are.” Do I treasure God? Do I seek His face? Do I intercede consistently and faithfully? Is prayer my go to when things fall apart? May it be so!
Prayers of faith and love change things!
Lesson #2 - Genesis 15:1 (KJV) says, “After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.’”
My God is my very great reward. He is my delight, and it is absolutely incredible that He delights in me.
Oh Lord God, when my heart is prone to wander and look to other things, please draw me back to You. Truly as the hymn says, please bind my heart to Yours.
Lesson #3 - From Dr. Josh Axe’s book THINK THIS, NOT THAT - My beliefs about my past history or my current circumstances are much more significant than the event or experience itself.
Dear Father, make me know truth and believe truth in my innermost being. When I get strongly triggered, I need to ask You to show me the untrue or limiting belief behind what I’m feeling. When I do, you will help me mature in Christ and live much more freely.
Lesson #4 - “No one can serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24a)
Lesson #5 - Treasure the unity of the body - preserve it. Satan works overtime to divide us and create wedges and walls. Don’t fall for His bait!
Love one another. Keep fervent in your love for one another.
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
September 29, 2025
Thank you, LORD, for being TOTALLY trustworthy, totally reliable, totally truthful. If You say it in Your word, You mean it. “Surely, You will show Yourself to be faithful and loving on every path you choose for me.” (Amy Carmichael paraphrase of Ps. 25:10)
My life is hid in Christ with You. I have nothing to fear. You are our refuge and strength. You are our Defender, Provider, and Friend. Jesus, You are the well that never runs dry, the bread of life, who always satisfies, the I AM - the Messiah, the long, expected One. You are wise and good, always. Please calm my anxious heart. Please have mercy on me and come get into this “boat” to get me to the other side of all these struggles that are like that contrary wind. Redeem it all as only you can. Please Father, move me by Your Holy Spirit. Lead my desires, my thoughts, my choices, attitudes, associations, actions and activities. Draw me to Your will and Your will alone. I ask in Jesus Name.
“I love Thee, O LORD, my strength.”
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (Psalm 18:1-3)
My eyes are on You, Lord. Make me patient and faithful, as only You can.
*****
Blog Cover Photo Credit: Sixteen Miles Out - White and pink flowers on white ceramic teacup on white table photo – Free Spring Image on Unsplash
Honeysuckle plant photo credit: Annie Spratt (@anniespratt) | Unsplash Photo Community- A bunch of flowers that are on a tree photo – Free Wildflowers Image on Unsplash
Prayer Photo Credit: Ben White (@benwhitephotography) | Unsplash Photo Community
