Wellspring. Karen Moore

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      February 16

      What'd You Say?

       What fills the heart comes out of the mouth. Good people bring out good things from their good treasure. But evil people bring out evil things from their evil treasure.

      —Matthew 12:34-35

      Pascal remarked that "kind words do not cost much, yet they accomplish much." What does it mean to you when someone says the right thing at the right time? Words of encouragement and support, words of love and caring are all part of what cause us to thrive as human beings. The words that come from the heart of a loving person offer healing.

      It's not surprising then that what we speak to each other is so important. What you say can stay in the mind and heart of another person for all the years of their life. If you offer good words, kind thoughts, and loving messages, then you add to the health and positive growth of someone else. If you allow the harsh words, the negative attitudes, and the cruel behaviors to come out, you can crush the spirit and change the way that person embraces life.

      What you say matters. If you speak from the heart, let it come from a source of love. If you speak from anger or insecurity or from some other depression of the mind, you may do great harm. Today, you can choose how you will speak and what kind of message you will deliver. Make it a great day for someone to hear from you.

      In the Flow

       Lord, help me speak kindly to others, to give what I can, and to share my heart in truth and love. Amen.

      February 17

      It's Noisy out There!

       Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don't be troubled or afraid.

      —John 14:27

      Some days it's difficult to get your head above the noise. It might be the literal noise of traffic or construction or the person on the phone in the cubicle next to yours. It might simply be the noise in your head of too many worries or too many things to do so that you're feeling overwhelmed.

      John reminds us in this passage that Jesus left us with a gift when he ascended back into heaven. He left us something the world cannot give us. He left us his peace.

      We can tap into him at any time and he will show us how to get back to him, how to feel the depth of spirit that brings us peace again. He alone can provide that measure of peace, the kind that stills the troubled waters of our minds.

      In the Flow

       Lord, thank you for providing a way for me to come back to you and renew my strength and rest in peace. Grant me peace of mind and soul and spirit today. Amen.

      February 18

      Living Out Your Purpose

       Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes.

      —Philippians 2:12-13

      When Rick Warren wrote his life-changing book, The Purpose Driven Life, he helped us develop an awareness of how important our relationship with God is.

      God designed us intentionally, and he alone knows what he has called us to do. No amount of self-searching will get us to the answer.

      You may still be hoping to discover your life purpose, feeling slightly off center, somewhat less than fulfilled in your current career. If something is nagging you, causing you to be uncomfortable, urging you to shift your attention in a new direction, then today is a good day to stop and listen. Today is the day to go back to your Father for clear guidance and direction.

      As Albert Einstein once said, "The life of an individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful. Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value to which all other values are subordinate."

      In the Flow

       Lord, thank you for loving me so much and for designing me for a very real purpose. Help me keep coming back to you for guidance until the way is clear. Amen.

      February 19

      When Nothing Fits

       Don't be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God's will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

      —Romans 12:2

      Sometimes you may feel like a square peg in a round hole. No matter how much effort you put into getting in line with the thinking of the team at your office or the friends in your circle or the people in your Bible study, you're just not on the same page. Is it you or is it them?

      It's probably both. It may be a good thing that you're struggling to fit, because the truth just may be that you DON'T. That's okay. Even if the group you're part of is doing wonderful things for the community, or building a new vision for the company or finding a new mission, they may not be a part of your unique calling. You don't fit for a reason. God created a little discomfort in you to get you moving again.

      You're God's child and so you always fit with him. You fit into a great design that he constructed and only you can do the part he made you to do. Go out today and be purposeful about your choices. Give God every opportunity to shape you and mold you so you fit according to his will and purpose.

      In the Flow

       Lord, help me see what you see. Help me be what you want me to be and give me the courage to be uniquely transformed by your loving hand. Amen.

      February 20

      Was It Ever All About You?

       People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit.

      —Romans 8:5

      A few people in the world grow up with so much privilege that they believe everything is about them.

      Most of us realize there's another side to life, and that we're not all there is, but we probably have days when we'd rather think about ourselves first. It may be a temporary selfishness, until we remember Jesus. We'd be hard pressed to think of a time that he wasn't very aware of the people around him. Of course, Jesus was a selfless giver.

      In terms of things of the Spirit, we may need to check in with СКАЧАТЬ