Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
~Mother Theresa
In the morning, start your day by taking a TRANSFORMATIONAL PAUSE (https://www.heatherdiascoaching.com/blog/the-transformational-pause) with God. There are FOUR ASKs sandwiched between THANK YOU's:
~THANK GOD… I find it helps my spiritual mindset to always start and end my prayer to God with a THANK YOU. Letting Him know how grateful I am for all that He has done and will do in my life and the lives of my loved ones. I try to be very specific, even though at times when I am feeling low, that can be a challenge.
~GUIDE … Next I ASK Him to be my GUIDE on my journey for the day.
God knows the plans He has for me and I only need His guidance as I take my steps throughout the day.
Shine His LIGHT on the next step.
“I am the LIGHT of the world. Whoever follows me will
not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
~John 8:12
GUIDE me and shine Your LIGHT on the next step... There are so many times that I have stepped out on my own. I LOVE to be ASKed for help and have a difficult time saying “NO” to others. I can count hundreds of times when I have said “YES” to things - volunteering opportunities being at the top of the list! Saying “YES” before ASKing God if this is where He wants me to be or am I to wait for the next ASK?
The consequence of immediately answering are often feelings of resentment and guilt. Resentment towards the person(s) who ASKed and guilt because there are other things and people that I want to be with …Can anyone relate?…
Over the years, I have learned the value of putting my answer on PAUSE and ASKing God to guide me in my YES or NO - because He KNOWs the plans He has for me … for everyone. Perhaps my unPAUSEd YES is taking away a place for someone else; for them to step into their YES. It is a lesson I have learned many times - to ASK God first for His guidance BEFORE stepping out in FAITH.
~SHOW… make clear to me and SHOW me the decisions I take, the choices I make, the way I use my time and talents for that day.
I ASK God to SHOW me “HIM” throughout my day.
Let me see you throughout the day - in others, in nature, in answers, in experiences…this leads to a heart of GRATITUDE, JOY, PEACE...
Seeing Him and thanking Him for all that I experience.
Show me your Glory - and then I will SEE YOU!
When I lived in Florida we had a preserve behind our house with lots of wildlife and one (or maybe it was many) beautiful red cardinal. Whenever I would see this cardinal - I KNEW it was God showing me His Glory and I would be so touched. That God would take the time to personally reach out to me and SHOW me Himself. It always felt like a HUG from God. My response - Thank you God for SHOWing me You!
How has GOD SHOWed you His GLORY?
~USE… how can I be an instrument of Yours today? How can YOU use me to SHINE your LIGHT (https://www.heatherdiascoaching.com/blog/one-true-light) on others - to point others to your LIGHT? How can you USE me to show COMPASSION to a hurting world today?
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. I only have today.
Use me Lord to LOVE your creation.
I love the words to the prayer of St Francis:
Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen.
This is a Sacred ASK.
~BLESS.…I close with a final ASK of God - to BLESS those I love and all I do for Him today. Proverbs 16:3 says to “ASK the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.”
…And then I end with another ~THANK YOU.
My Morning PAUSE:
Thank You.
Guide.
Use.
Show.
Bless.
Thank You.
EMBRACE.YOUR.JOURNEY! TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE!