Day 8 of 47 for Lent Plan

GOD, I HAVE BEEN ENJOYING THE BIBLE READING PLAN YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING ME THROUGH. I’M SORRY TO BE SO LATE GETTING THEM ON, BUT WITH YOUR HELP WE’LL GET THEM ON LITTLE BY LITTLE.
NO RUSH. JUST CONVALESCING WITH YOU, AND FOLLOWING YOUR LEAD IN SHARING WITH OTHERS.
YOUVERSION (A BIBLE APP YOU HAVE BLESSED ME WITH)
IS DOING A PLAN CALLED LENT: REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF JESUS.

Day 8 of 47 for Lent Plan – “Jesus Preaches Throughout All Galilee”
Reading: Matthew 4:23-25, Mark 1:35-39, Luke 4:42-44 KJV

Further Study

  • What things did Jesus do while He traveled throughout Galilee?
    – Preached and Healed (and taught)
  • Jesus healed people with various diseases. List what these were.
    – sicknesses, disease, torments, possessed with the devil, lunatics, palsy, casting out devils
  • What is the reason Jesus gave in Luke 4:43 as to why He was sent?
    – to preach

Reflect

  • Worship: Write down one attribute of God and worship Him for who He is.
    Healer. Thank You, God, for caring about even the mentally ill, no matter kight or severe. All my life anyone who had a mental health issue were simply “mental,” “crazy,” “”off their rocker.” My own Aunt Mildred was treated horribly. We were told not to listen to her or have anything to do with her because “she was crazy.” Later she was found to have been misdiagnosed in her 20s when the doctors told our family she had schizophrenia, put into a mental institution, given electric shocks, and put on medication for life.
    The neurologist who treated her for her stroke in 2006 (in her 70s) said the MRI of her brain showed scarring from several small strokes, probably in her 20s, which were worsened by the electric shocks, and left her speech impaired, and gave her severe shaking.
    Thank You, God for improving science, medical knowledge, mental awareness, and medications, and society’s improved acceptance. So many were used for jokes and cruelty! My anxiety feels like a curse most days, or a plague that renders the most brilliant and talented doctors ineffective because they are so intimidated or overwhelmed by it. Thank You for education on both sides.
    Most of all, thank You for my therapist. Thank You for his patience, his compassion, his understanding, his skill, and all that You give him, and allow him to share with others… like me. Thank You that not all counselors/psychologists are bad. I pray for all of them because even the ones who try to genuinely help, they are human and have their own issues. And though they can’t help cure everything, they are not You either. Only You, God, know the human mind, the human spirit, and the human body perfectly. You allow healing, and You allow illness. Sometimes it is even by Your design.
    Thank You for allowing Jesus to be our Wonderful Counselor as Your word says, and thank You for allowing the Holy Ghost to be our Comforter, and thank You for being such a loving Father, and a caring God. You are a good, good Father. It’s who You ARE!You’re a good, good Father, and I’m loved by You! ❤ I love You too! ❤ 🙂
  • Prayer: Pray for the salvation of people in your life who don’t know Jesus.
  • Remembrance: Think about a need you have met in someone else’s life. How did that make you feel?
    – You bring to mind taking care of Bobby (my stepddad), and Mom as well. It makes me feel humbled, grateful, amazed. I would have thought I was unable to, and that no one else would have thought so either. Especially after I spent many years hearing You clearly telling me to respect Mom with submission until of age, then to move out and do it without any guilt or desire to come back. To continue to respect her as my Mother, and to leave how she was into Your hands, to focus on my own behavior, attitude, and my relationship with You. To remember that I am to be surrendered, submitted, and respectful to You… obedient. You had me carry Proverbs 3:5-6 with me.
    “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
    And, Lord, You are reminding me that I took care of Dad too. I often forget that. I just don’t think of taking care of someone as “something I did.” I’m supposed to do that because You tell me to, and You provide the strength or whatever else I need to do it as You promise. And anything I lack, You always show me purpose in it, and use it mightier than the strength You provide… even for the one who needed whatever it was that I couldn’t give… like healing. Again Your word comes to mind.
    “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” – (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)
  • Self-Evaluation: Is there any part of you that isn’t well? Whether it’s emotionally, spiritually, financially, mentally, or physically, bring this concern before God.
    – Oh, LORD, my dear Father God. I think the positive would be to find what IS well. My spirit is well when I keep my mind on You! That’s why You constantly have me sing, “It is well.” The first line is where my soul is always drawn to AND comforted no matter the circumstance.
    “When peace like a river attendeth my way,
    When sorrows like sea billows roll;
    Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say,
    “It is well, it is well with my soul!”
    It is well with my soul!
    It is well, it is well with my soul!”
    – It Is Well, hymn lyrics by Horatio Gates Spafford
    Even the pain becomes a peace like I can’t put into words, and like nothing else can do. No medicine can touch the peace that passes all understanding! The God of peace provides His peace the way He sees best! ❤ 
    **Side note** This question made me smile after talking with my therapist yesterday (now day before). I will try to make a better effort in making notes. By Your grace and in YOUR strength.

A Kind Act

  • Write a note of gratitude to Your mail carrier.

 

Day 33 of 47 for Lent Plan

God, I have been enjoying the bible reading plan You have been walking me through. I’m sorry to be so late getting them on, but with Your help we’ll get them on little by little.
No rush. Just convalescing with You, and following Your lead in sharing with others.
YouVersion (a bible app You have blessed me with)
is doing a plan called 40 Days of Lent.

Day 33 of 47 for Lent PlanTeaching: The Beatitudes.
Reading: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 6: 20-26

Further Saturday

  • According to the Beatitudes , what kind of people does God bless?
    Poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those that are persecuted for His name’s sake.
  • What happens to those who mourn, those who are humble, and those whose heart are pure?
    – Those who mourn will be comforted.
    The humble shall inherit the earth.
    The pure in heart shall seed God.
  • What should the attitude be of those who are mocked and persecuted? What is their reward?
    – Rejoice and be exceeding glad for they have a great reward in heaven.

Reflect

  • Worship: Write down one attribute of God and praise Him for who He is.
    Blesser. Thank You, God, for all Your promises and blessings. You are faithful to Your Holy word!! ❤
  • Prayer: Pray for the people you work or go to school with.
  • Remembrance: Think of a time when you were mocked or persecuted for doing the right thing. Write about that.
    – Lord, You bring to mind when our family used to treat Aunt Mildred (my great-aunt) so horrible. They always taught us to ignore her because they said she was crazy. They would make fun of her and provoke her, but when she left the house (or escaped into the public as they saw it.) They would call the law on her, sometimes having her institutionalized.
    Through the years You taught me to treat her with just as much respect as my other elders, and with more kindness, compassion, and patience because of her illness. I thank You for the beautiful relationship You allowed between her and my son. You eventually allowed me to see she could understand… very well. She always asked about Anthoni when she lived in Richmond Hill Nursing Home, and saved candy for him that they would give the residents on holidays and special occasions.
    Anthoni and I ended up taking her with us to church whenever we went. Then Gran saw Mildred could behave and enjoy time together, so she started having us get Mildred on Fridays after we got Anthoni from school, go get us all our fish dinners from Long John Silvers, and watch classic movies together. That’s where Anthoni developed a fondness for Bing Crosby.
    After Gran died, the family fought over who would take care of Mildred because they assumed there was an insurance policy for whoever took care of her, or some kind of trust fund. When they found out different, they quit fighting over her. She ended up coming to stay with Mom.

    After Anthoni graduated, Dad died, and not too short of a time before Charlie died, Mildred had a stroke. While she was in the hospital, the neurologist told Mom they had more advanced imaging that recognizes scars from strokes. They said her imaging had several old scars leading them to believe she had been misdiagnosed years earlier with schizophrenia. They believed Mildred had a serious stroke in her 20s, and that when her husband had her committed for being unable to talk the electric shocks made it worse. Mildred spent the last two years of her life in a palliative health care home.
    Yes, I received a lot of persecution, but Mildred was the One who who suffered rejection, persecution, physically cruelty, mental torment, and a life of mockery with her own family being added cruelty. Even mocking her with laughter. Her funeral was such a disgrace. Thank You for allowing me to learn how to rightly see her, and teach my son to do right by her.
  • Self-Examination: Is it easy for you to see the big picture when it comes to times of struggles in your life.? Why or why not.
    – Not always. Sometimes He allows insight, sometimes He remind us He is God and owes me nothing, not even explanations.

A Kind Act

  • Thank a police officer or firefighter for their service to the community.