Amy Layne Litzelman's Blog, page 14

This Day

“This is the day the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24
As I’ve been pondering the new year, one thought keeps coming:

One day at a time .

I know this isn’t original, but with each day it seems to increase in importance.

Live this day.

Not yesterday, again.

Not tomorrow, yet.

Live today – fully, thankfully, without worry or regret.

Live today – leaning into the voice of God; laying down what He asks of you; taking up what He requires – knowing these will lead to a life fully...

Worship: The Holy Exchange

Worship – the Holy exchange.

When heaven meets earth

And earth embraces a Kingdom bigger than itself.

When my heart, my mind, my desires and circumstances

Give way to the circumstances, desires, mind, and heart of my King.

When my spirit exchanges weariness for Strength,

despair for Hope,

fear for Love,

shame for Grace,

guilt for Forgiveness,

mourning for Joy,

doubt for Courage,

Death for Life.

Jesus spoke of worship

when He taught the disciples how to pray:
“Thy Kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it...

The Beauty of a Dream

“Thus says the Lord:

Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears,

for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord;

and [your children] shall return from the enemy’s land.
There is hope for your future, says the Lord;

your children shall come back to their own country.”

Jeremiah 31:16-17 (AMP)

I read a quote that I just can’t get out of my mind:

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

As children of the one true God, we belong to an asse...

Fountain of Life

“…Jesus stood and He cried in a loud voice,

If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”

John 7:37

If you’re like me, I often write bible verses or quotes from good books on cards and hang them around my home. My fridge is covered. My bulletin boards, mirrors, and the bar by the kitchen sink – the same. I often open a drawer or a book and find a dog-eared note: precious reminders of a Father who loves to speak to me.

The only problem is, when I get busy these miniature signposts start to...

That You May Know

“I do not cease to give thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know

what is the hope to which he has called you,

what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe…” Ephesians 1:16-19

Ephesians is an amazing book. I...

Real Change

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:9-10

Some years ago I began praying for my nation.

Maybe you have prayed these words as well:

“Father, bring truth.

Bring justice.

Reveal every hidden thing.

Let Your Kingdom come.”

Every time I said those words, however, I had this nagging feeling that I was not only praying it for my nation but over myself.

You see, if God is going to reveal truth, if He is going to bring justi...

Such Love

“In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him

was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:1-3

As I read John 1 this morning a wondrous, terrible thought cut me again to the core:

The perfect One, the One who created all things, knew when He created man that we would turn against Him.

He knew when He said “It is very good” that it would not remain so.

Jesus knew that a portion of th...

Be Still

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah”
Psalm 46:10-11

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of...

A Witness

“You are My witnesses, says the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know Me, believe Me and remain steadfast to Me, and understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:10-11 AMP

In the depths of despair, You are the living river.

A drink, deep to deep.

You are my hiding place, my comfort, my hope.

You show me how bright Light is in the middle of the night;

how powerfu...

My Permanent To-Do List

“Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

I confess: I’m a list-maker. I think I enjoy making them almost as much as I enjoy completing them. They keep me organized and in line. Somehow a neat, orderly column pulls an overwhelming task down into the realm of possibility.

A few months...