Month: September 2021

Philippians 1:9-11
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I can’t believe September is finished. Fall is my favorite time of year. I love apples, pumpkins, sunflowers, fall leaves, and the beautiful colors! OK, I also love the cooler weather when it actually comes. . .LOL! Still sitting here with my AC on today. I also love curling up on my porch with my hit tea and bible in the morning enjoying a few moments with God.

As we say good-bye to one of my favorite months, I would love to pray today’s scripture over you. I hope you pass the blessings on to others in your life.

Lord, please be with my dear friends. Help them grow closer to You so their love abounds more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. Give them the ability to discern what is best so they may be pure and blameless for the day of Your return. Fill them with the fruit of righteousness that comes through You. We give You all the glory and praise. In Your precious name, Jesus, we pray. ~Amen

Lord thank you for all the seasons you provide us with. ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Wise is not in a diploma, just ask the Wizard of Oz. The Scarecrow had brains all along. He used them to get Dorothy all the way to Oz. The Wizard spoke of how lots of so called intelligent men sat around boasting about themselves and never doing a single intelligent thing. I don’t know about you, but I have several people floating through my mind who fit that discerption.

Personally, I have taught kindergarten through undergraduate university level students. I myself hold several degrees. However, when it comes to wisdom my money is on preschoolers! You give them any challenge and they will flourish. No one has told them anything is impossible. They tackle each new challenge with wild abandonment. When they can’t figure something out they reach out for help from anyone with no shame. Could you imagine what a group of politicians could learn from them! We would have world peace before snack time and ready for a nap!

My point is simple. No amount of education makes a wise person. A wise person is one who works for answers by reaching out to others and not to tare them down. They add to the solution and not the problem.

Lord, I want to be wise. Show me where I can build others and be part of the solution and not the problem.

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Philippians 2:13 NIV
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

There are some days I look at someone or something and have to pray, “Lord make me willing to be willing!” There is no way by my strength am I willing to do the right thing. Please tell me I am not the only one who has this issue sometimes. Well either way, I am happy to say God honors my prayer!

You see, it is God who works in me to WILL and ACT in order to fulfill His good purpose. I don’t have to rely on my strength. I don’t have to rely on my feelings. Let’s be honest, that is awesome. I am sure there are some spouses, children, students, coworkers or relatives that are still alive today because of this promise. . .LOL!

Let me put one more thought into your head today. How thankful are you for this promise? I don’t mean because God gave you the strength to offer grace and love. I mean how thankful are you that God provided that same strength to someone else and you are here to live to tell the tale? Just asking?🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank You Lord for helping me be willing to be willing! ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 89:1-2
1 I will sing of the LORD’S great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

I heard something on the radio today that I disagreed with, I know fancy that right! The lady was saying that God cannot stop loving us. He will love us forever. Now, I understand what she was saying or what she meant, but it struck me as wrong. It tarnished God’s love for me. She was encouraging people that there was nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you. Yes, this is true, but I prefer to not think God can’t stop loving me, but that God won’t stop loving me. I know it is semantics, but let me explain why I see it this way.

If I say God cannot, it sounds like He is incapable or He has no choice. That doesn’t speak love to me. If I say God will not, it means He has a choice and He is choosing me. That makes me feel special. He actually wants to love me. He is not force to do it.

Again, I know it is semantics and she didn’t mean anything wrong by her words. Like I said, she was trying to encourage people. In the end, we were both right about one thing, God Loves You and He Always Will!

Thank You Lord for always loving me! ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

James 1:18
He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

My Daddy went shopping with me the other day to help me find a new belt for my mower. He got out his ID to get his military discount, I paid the cashier and we turned to walk out. The lady quickly stopped us and said, “Sir, I believe this fell out of your wallet.” As I reached for it, I quickly recognized the picture. It was from my freshman year in high school. It was worn and well loved, I am going on 50. Dad took the small snapshot, smiled and said, “Thank you! I have carried this with me for a long time.” Then he tucked it back in its place for safe keeping.

Do you realize Abba, means daddy. It is one of the names for God. It is more intimate than father or even dad. It is a special name that represents the child like relationship we have with God. That run to Him to kiss the boo-boo or make the bully next door quit picking on me relationship. For me, it is that can I sit on your lap and You just hold me for a minute love.

No matter how your earthly father ever treated you or was even in your life, I know one thing for certain. If Abba had a wallet, your picture would be in it!

Abba, thank You for loving me. ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Psalms 100:4
Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

Want to know the ultimate password. . . “Thank You!” Ok, maybe not the best for your computer, but it is the best password to get into anyones heart. People like to be appreciated. A simple small thank you can bring the biggest smile to anyone’s face. See a tired customer service worker, smile and say thank you after they check you out. You almost always get a smile back and put a little sunshine into their day!

Do you know who else loves to be appreciated for every thing He does in your life? Yep, God! Who else does as much for you at any given moment more than Him. We are all so quick to run to Him when we have our problems, but do we ever just say thank you? How about just saying, “Thank you Lord for just being You!”

You want to unlock God’s smile today, use the password Thank You. Remind Him how much you love Him too. By the way, thank you for taking a moment to read this today. It means a lot to me!

Lord, I love You. Thank You for being a part of my life! ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Malachi 3:6-7
6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

I grew up with a momma who could give “that look.” You know the one I am talking about. The “Choose your next words or action very carefully because your very life depends on it” look. I have been told by my children and students that I inherited that same look. As a matter of fact, I once asked a student why he paid attention to what I said, but acted so badly for my student teacher. His reply was simple, “Cause, Mrs. Frick, when you say touch that again and I will break your fingers, we are pretty sure you mean it!” I promise I never broke fingers, the point was he knew I was serious and did not change my rules.

When I read today’s verses in the Message bible, I hear that exact same voice with that exact same look. I can even hear God using Israel’s full name with “Descendants of Jacob.” I see the hand on the hip and one hand pointing at you. Here is how it reads. “I am GOD—yes, I AM. I haven’t changed. And because I haven’t changed, you, the descendants of Jacob, haven’t been destroyed. You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven’t done a thing I’ve told you.”

Just like my momma’s look, I find these statements comforting. We are in a safe place. We know the boundaries. We know the rules to the game and they don’t change. We know exactly where that cliff edge is and it will not move on us. There is never any guessing. This is a comfort in knowing this fact, even when we screw up.

Lord, thank you for providing solid boundaries. It makes me feel safe. ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Romans 12:11-12
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Want to keep that zeal in your life? Need help finding your fervor for serving the Lord? Anyone else think I sound like a informercial right now? Sorry, but these are questions that do come to mind when you are having one of “those” days, weeks, months, maybe even years. . . 2020, just saying. Well God didn’t just leave us with verse 11. He gave us the instructions in verse 12!

Be joyful in hope.! Never give up on your hope. Even if you have to bring out your inner Annie and start singing, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” Hope helps you always look forward and not get stuck in the present.

Be patient in affliction. Sometimes we just need to remind ourself like Scarlett O’Hara, “After all tomorrow is another day.” I can wait this out. Tomorrow is coming and will come. Time always marches on and never back.

Be faithful in prayer. For this I reflect upon my favorite writer, CS Lewis. “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” Prayer is not a one and done, only when you need Him, once in a while thing. It is constant communication with your best friend who is always there for you through ups AND downs.

So grab that zeal and fervor. Be joyful in hope. Be patient in afflictions and Be faithful in prayer!

Lord today I am going to work on my zeal and fervor. I want to be joyful in hope, patient in afflictions and always faithful in my prayer. ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Today, I am at the hospital for a pretty routine procedure for me. The past two days prepping for it was fun as usual. It left me nauseous and with a migraine. This in no way is even a blip on the radar of horrible things people do through but we all have a hope we can hang onto to get us through. THE LORD IS MY HELPER! Just keep hanging on to Him. I promise you will find Him at the end of your rope.

No matter what you are going through today, I would like to pray 1 Kings 8:56-60 over you. Remember you are adopted and anywhere it says Israel, it is speaking of you. “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.

Lord thank You for being at the end of my rope! ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I really wish I could somehow make you read this part in that deep voice over they use for action film trailers. If you know what I mean read the next sentences just like that! “In a world where everything is changing at the speed of light and no hope can be found, one man came to battle for the masses. One man came to instill peace where no peace can ever be found!” Yep, that is exactly how John 16:33 plays out in my head. . . LOL!

I wish when we became Christians all the troubles of the world just vanished, but they don’t. Sometimes we get to pick which troubles we will be a part of and which ones we will walk away from but that doesn’t always happen either. As the old saying goes, trouble has a way of finding us. Somedays I have the starring roll!

Although I cannot fast-forward through the troubles, I do know a way through it that always works. I rely on the man that already saw the movie. No matter what special effect Satan spins around you, it is just an illusion. Jesus is directing the film. I am not saying you won’t feel the hurt, pain, confusion or whatever other emotions pop up. What I am saying is, despite of these emotions, you will find peace too. You will know that you can get through this holding the hand of the one who wrote THE END. So what do you say let’s “Roll credits!”

Lord thank You for being the writer, director, and producer of my movie. I know there are some scary parts, but I will get through it holding Your hand. ~amen

Copyright © 2021 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved