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Proverbs 17:22 say that a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. A positive happy life can help you live longer. So that probably means that depression and sadness steal days from your life. Have you ever done a word search in the Bible on the word joy? There are so many joy “texts” in the Word. There are more joy scriptures than one for every day of the year. I love this Yiddish proverb, what soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. Laughter is necessary to cleanout the dirt that tries to attach itself to our soul. Laughing through hard times is actually healthy. For most of us, that is the hardest time to laugh. But, we can laugh your way to a happier life. Remember and celebrate happy times. Create your own laughter journal. Especially if you have young kids, you will forget the funny things they say and do if you don’t write them down. Having a laughter journal is a great way to lift your spirit even as we reread about funny things that happened years before. Since we know laughter is good like medicine, and as a bonus, it helps tighten the abs at the same time!
When you count it all joy
Circumatnces change
our joy is renewed
In His joy we remain.

There is joy for the journey
Even joy through the pain
Our joy is renewed
When in joy we remain

So take heart and choose joy
Your Sadness erase
Dark days have to leave
Let His joy take its place

Reserve is a word that shows we have placed a priority on something. We make reservations at a restaurant, or a hotel, in advance. Why not reserve some time for you and God in advance, and keep your reservation. Whether you are an early bird like I am, or you thrive in the evening hours, make your appointment with God and keep it. In a few short weeks of doing it day after day, it will become a habit, and then you’ll create a lifestyle of reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God. We know that each word in the Bible is God breathed and good for us. We appreciate the men wrote it, and appreciate that you gave us something we can hold on to and can read and study to know you more. We are created for your pleasure and purpose, and thank you for creating the Word for our pleasure and so we can know our purpose.
In the secret place
I reserve a room
A quiet time
Just me and You
Restored renewed
Hidden away
Reserved for You
I seek Your Face

It does take discipline to study the Word. But as Christians, we are disciples, which means disciplined ones. So as a daily discipline we get to savor the Word, like a delicious meal. Disciples talk to their master….we get to as well as we spend time talking to the author of the Word. Most of all we get to ingest it, and make it a part of who we are. As we believe what we read, and put it into practice, and become a doer of the Word, (James 1:22) we will gain a greater appreciation for God’s love letter to us. I hope you are daily reading God’s Word. A fun way to do your Bible reading is to read a passage from the gospels, a passage from the epistles, and a Psalm and a Proverb every day. There are so many ways to get the Word in your life, don’t live your life without it!

Your Word Oh Lord
Is all I need
Your word oh Lord
Is what I seek
To be made whole
In every way
I need your Word
Everyday

One of my passions in life is getting others to fall in love with reading the Word of God. Along with knowing and loving God, I always want to know Him better, and I can do that as I study, read and meditate on His Word. In God’s Word we see the character of Jesus, and learn not only what Jesus would do, but why He did what He did. I know that reading God’s Word has been a lifeline for me, and it is the way for us to have a closer relationship with God. If I really am His sheep, I really want to know His voice. He speaks to me through His Word. He wants to speak to you through His Word too. His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Ps 119:105) If we want to know where to place our next step, we need to use the illumination of God’s Word. His Word directs us to His will for us.
The words in the Word are just ink on pages unless they become rhema to us. The word rhema means freshly spoken. The Word becomes rhema to us when it is fresh revelation in our life. Because God’s word is living and active, the Word comes alive to us as we read, meditate and study it. The Word is our blueprint for life. Don’t build without it.
The Word is our source for truth. In a world where truth changes constantly, it is great to have a foundation that is ROCK SOLID. Our lives become firmly established with consistent time with the Word made flesh. Even when storms come, we will not be shaken.

Give me the Word
Make it plain and clear to me
Give me the Word
It the light that I can see
Give me the Word
It’s my total victory
Over every situation
Give me the Word
(not my song, but one I heard and love from who knows where!)

Eph 1:5 is such a great verse to consider when we realize that God chose us, and wanted us as a part of His family. God’s goal, so to speak, in sending Jesus was so that we could be a part of His family. He wanted a way for us to be joined with Him, connected in relationship and totally comfortable and welcome in His presence. Because of who we are as His chosen ones, we can set our goals in line with His will. Instead of being distracted by the world’s system, we can align ourselves with Him. It keeps our eyes above, on the things that really matter. I especially love this scripture, because we have adopted a son. In 2003 a little 2 ½ year old boy came to live with a house full of daughters. It has been an adventure, but in retrospect, we can see God’s goal for his little life was mapped out by our wonderful loving God. He knows that he has a first mom besides me, and that she couldn’t raise him, so God gave him to us. I remember when he was little asking if he came from my tummy, and I replied with not from my tummy, but from my heart! Certainly each of us, who God has adopted were birthed from His heart. What a loved and cherished place to be. It’s a place of belonging, where we can know that we are totally valued as His child. Because we are in that place of total and complete love, God’s heart for expanding His family is placed in us too. We can help others come into the kingdom, by living for Jesus full on!

Birthed From the Heart

A sweet little soul came to live in our home
A house full of family to be called his own
Scared and confused as to what life could be
His world was enlarged, before he was three

Each day that went by, more secure he became
A family to love, and he took on their name
Bringing healing and life for his body and soul
A sweet little soul, becoming made whole

Who would imagine the joy he would bring
The song in his heart, he’s beginning to sing
Giving proof to the thought, that God gives new starts
Not birthed in the womb, but birthed from the heart

If you desire to successfully reach the dream in your heart, make sure you remember the 4 things a successful Christian does after trusting God: 1) they trust themself, 2) accepts responsibility for themself, 3) invests in themself, and they 4) expect the best. During this season, I am impressed and challenged to be more organized about goal setting. Obviously, successful Christians plan! We may as well learn from others who have put it into practice and have the success to back it up! Another thing we see about successful people is that they are positive about life. There are enough Eeyore’s to go around so why not be a Tigger?? Show some excitement, be passionate about life and live life abundantly with some bounce in your tail! Choose to live life positively!

Show some passion
Live in the light
With purpose and passion
A posiive life

A glass half full
Some bounce in your tail
By sowing good seed
You will reap without fail

Promoted by God
Increase He will give
In His provision
Contentedly live

Success is good, and it should be something we expect as Christians. Bible characters who were successful worked from God’s principles and God brought them success. I believe that success is a blessing from God, why people frown on it, especially as believers, is a mystery to me. I think we should be excited for the success God gives us, and excited for the success God gives others. Let’s embrace it! As much as we hear in the world about people looking for “the secret” to successful living, God laid it out pretty plainly in the Bible. In a simplified explanation, the secret to successful Christianity basically has to do with sowing and reaping, It comes as a result of believing, meditating and speaking God’s Word. (Gal 6:9, and Josh 1:8). That is the BIG SECRET!!!! Don’t forget to tell everyone! When we keep on doing what we know is right, we will reap in the long run. Be consistent in the small things….they pay off in the long term. Do what is right when no one is looking, because some ONE is looking all the time!
Is it a secret?
No way, no how
The secrets revealed
Right here, right now
If you will listen
Here is a big clue
I’ll let you know
Just what to do
Take seed you’re given
And begin to sow
Under the soil
The seed begins to grow
Sooner than later
The harvest is ripe
Increase will be given
That’s the secret all right
The law of the farm
You reap what you sow
This is God’s secret
He wants you to know

Feb 1 Monday
Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. Did you know that you can overcome fear? Fear can stop you in your tracks. It can produce pain and even paralyze you. (Think of childbirth or public speaking!) Fear has all the same properties as faith, except it is going in the opposite (negative) direction. Turn your fear to faith, and overcome any negative self doubts, and live fear-less, so you can achieve your dreams. This is your time! It’s my time too. I’m doing just that with #50songs50days. Here is your dailyeword.

A few years ago I heard this statement by Oliver Wendell Holmes, “most of us go to our graves with our music still inside us”, and it was a light bulb moment for me. For those of you who know me personally, you can probably know that worshipping God is my passion. I love writing songs, singing and playing for the Lord. I have written so many songs and poems some which have been set to music, and all of the others are either hidden in my heart or hiding in my file cabinet, and many I have unfortunately misplaced. So I am telling you all, and God that I did get the hint….no lightning bolt needed! After writing the Advent devotional this November, God spoke to my heart to do 50songs in 50 days in the New Year. So, that is what I am doing. How about you? What has God asked you to do? Don’t die with your song still inside of you. What is your song? What is your gift, your purpose, your passion? Find your song and sing it! You can confidently write your song, sing your song, play your song, live your song! It is risky, but worth every bit of the risk!
What is your song?
It’s time to sing it
What is your gift?
It’s time to give it
What is your bent?
Its time to share it
Your purpose and passion
God has called you to do
Because what you’ve been given
Is not just for you
#50songs50days

I think it is encouraging to know that others have had big obstacles to overcome and have made it to their dream. (Golda Meir, Gerorge Bernard Shaw and Benjamin Franklin, even Ronald Reagan are examples of 4 who didn’t let their age deter them from destiny.) Obviously we know that there are lots of people who go to their grave without accomplishing their dreams. Let that not be us!
Hudson Taylor said, “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.” As believers we know that it is faith that pleases God. We are in a faith walk, a faith fight, a this life is a life of faith. Faith is required for believers! The things we are believing for, take faith in action….and that applies to dreams as well. To pursue the dream that God put in our heart, we get to put our faith in action!

Keeper of my Dreams
Painter of the sky
Lover of my Soul
You hear my every cry
Friend of all things broken
The hurting and the weak
Jesus you’re the answer
For every single need

I worship you in spirit
My hands are lifted high
I worship you forever
I give you all my life.

Airborne or crash, that is what can happen with dreams. They can soar or they can plummet! They can succeed or they can fail. That seems to be the challenge with dreams! They have the potential to be absolutely fulfilling or a dismal failure. Thankfully we know that God wants the best for us! If He gave us the dream, it can come to pass. Too often we think the opposite; that dreams can never come to pass, or only come to pass for a very small percentage of the population. I have heard it said that if your dreams don’t scare you spit-less, they aren’t big enough. There definitely is a measure of risk with dreams, but we were created to dream big dreams! So what are your dreams, and how can you see them realized?

Keep on Dreaming, Keep your eyes upon the prize
Keep on seeking, Your dreams can be realized
With the strength of God inside you
There is nothing you can’t do
So keep on dreaming, keep your eyes upon the prize
Keep on seeking, your dreams become realized