Receive the Joy

When faced with an uncomfortable situation the only option for a positive outcome is to lean on Jesus. For many this is a “no brainer”…for others it is a foreign idea. As we live our lives it is imperative to be open and proud that we are Christians. We are able to show those without a relationship with God or Jesus how much better life is. Our language, behaviors and treatment of others displays the conduct and actions of Christian living. What a privilege to be aligned with God and in a relationship with Jesus. Let go of negative sour attitudes, choose friends who are positive and joyful and walk the walk of God’s commands. We have a mission as followers of Christ to empower those around us with the knowledge of God and Jesus. Let us remember to ignore the values and morals of society and place the importance of God’s moral judgment and the love of Jesus in our hearts and displayed through our lives. John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Thank God for the blessings and opportunities before us, enjoy the salvation received through Jesus and experience the over powering joy of the Holy Spirit. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors

Kid Proof

When my children were little I was always concerned when taking the boys to Grandma’s house because her house wasn’t “kid proof”. We always had the talk before entering and gave them the look if they became too rambunctious. Spending time and building memories with their grandparents were some of my sons most memorable times. Now we talk and reminiscence about the good old days. Well, I am now the one watching the furniture, cleaning up spilt milk and wiping fingerprints off the end tables. What a blessing it is. I now understand the joy my parents experienced when playing or watching their grandsons. God blesses us in so many ways and one is the priceless experience of grandchildren. I pray we have opportunities to receive the benefits of older age and build memories with them. Let’s remember to thank the Lord for each blessing we receive and to share the love of God with our grandchildren. We can simply do this through the socialization of prayers, manners and stories from the Bible. As we live our lives as God fearing and Jesus loving Christians we model the importance of our faith. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Praises be to God for the blessings of our families and love of Jesus through our faith. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors

Humble Heart

Life is unique and wondrous. We are given the opportunities to spread our wings and excel. Many times when accomplishing our goals we begin to believe our lives are more important, more exceptional and more extraordinary than any one else. Yet, as we live our lives it is crucial to keep our hearts aligned with God. Striving toward love our neighbors as ourselves; remembering our lives are not above or below others keeps our hearts and minds focused on the Lord. It is easy to think we have more to offer and believe God’s plan for us is more valuable to society than our neighbors; however God wants each of us to live with a humble heart and to keep the devil at our backs. Allowing arrogance to enter our thoughts only permits negativity to infiltrate our thinking and diminish our modesty. We are blessed with options that enhance our lives and increase our self-worth. I pray we continue to follow God’s commands through prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship. Let’s take pleasure in the life we have today and remember to thank God for each and every opportunity. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Life is a joy and a challenge…walk in love, humility and forgiveness and feel God’s Grace. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors

Encourage Strength

When our families and friends are facing a crisis do we encourage strength through God’s promises or do we encourage weakness through lack of faith? Now I am not saying if you feel stressed, confused or concerned you have little faith. What I am saying is we show our faith through our reactions, responses and behaviors. Walking with God and Jesus through each crisis is how we grow in faith, grow in God’s wisdom and grow in strength. What a blessing to know that leaning on Jesus during a stressful situation allows our needs to be met with grace and mercy. Helping each other through tough circumstances is done by encouraging each other with God’s words and promises. We are never alone and only need to ask for strength, endurance and peace while walking through our trials and tribulations. God has promised us that our prayers will be heard; and He will take care of our needs and be with us always. Romans 8:28 We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. I pray we are hearing the call from God and following his plan. Spend time with Jesus through prayer and Bible study; while enjoying Christian fellowship with those around you. When your loved ones are facing uncertain times and situations encourage them to pray to our Father for strength and to feel His comfort. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Kaitfors

Live Expectantly

As I was going through my day it seemed the faster I went the further behind I got…so many things with a deadline, responses needed or calls to make. Yet, as we continue to live our lives with the patience and coolness of God I know we can accomplish our list of chores and responsibilities in due time. I find this a blessing knowing that God is handling our lives. We just need to give Him the reins and allow our paths to be cleared. Living a life of expectancy is heartwarming and uplifting. We are allowed to grow in faith, to trust and to love. Our lives become serene with God leading us and Jesus displaying mercy. I pray we always remember which path to choose as we enjoy life, persevere through challenges and allow God to shine through us. The devil is constantly waiting for the moment to pounce and infiltrate our lives, therefore keep him at our backs through prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship. We have the satisfaction of communicating with God and Jesus every minute of every day… 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Go forth praising God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and rejoice in the day. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors

God is in Control

When our lives are rolling along without mishap we enjoy all aspects of our day. It is when the streets are beginning to get bumpy, the wind is blowing against us and we feel the pull of negativity seep into our thoughts. This is the time to dig deep into your spiritual life and remember who is in control. When we allow the devil to take over our thoughts and actions we stray from the power. The power of God and Jesus Christ is the direction of our thoughts, actions and responses. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, stressed and concerned over situations that God will handle; let us begin our prayers for strength and wisdom. It is important to feel the power of the Holy Spirit in our souls as we reach out to God. He will take care of our needs and knows our hearts. What a joy to feel His love. Lean on Jesus through the tough times and rejoice with Him in our times of delight and pleasure. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. What blessings we receive when trusting God. Today let’s enrich our lives as we continue to pray, enjoy Christian fellowship and learn through Bible study; all the while praising Jesus. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors

Easy Way

When faced with a project, exercise program or challenges of life; there are times we would like to take the easy way, skim through it with minor details, little dedication or lack of priority. I am inspired by those who work diligently and keep their responsibilities on the front burner. When watching, reading or hearing about people with a drive of continuous and strong work ethics it is empowering. As we strive toward the goal it is important that we keep everything in balance. Many times we hear about the “workaholic” whose focus is all about the career and ignores the family and ones faith. God gives us gifts, skills and talents; He expects us to use them all the while thanking Him for the opportunities before us. We are able to plant, nurture and produce the results God has for us. Life is not without challenges however, our dedication and faith allows us to accept the trials and tribulations with renewed energy knowing we have the strength of Jesus. Ephesians 3:19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life. I pray we value this day as we feel the empowerment of God’s grace, work toward our goals and experience the joy of being a Christian. Let’s show the world our Christian spirit by treating each other with love, compassion and forgiveness. Smiles & Blessings, Cynthia Collins Kaitfors