The Benefits of a Deep Root System

Planted by the Water

The Hebrew word for planted is shathal. This verb means:

1) (Qal) to plant, transplant
When we were born again, we received a transplant of the heart from God.

Our Strength provided us with new roots that began to deepen in the living water of Christ.

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." ~ John 7:38 (NIV)

The Greek word for living is zaō. This verb means:

1) to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead)

2) to enjoy real lifea) to have true life and worthy of the nameb) active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God

3) to live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and actinga) of mortals or character

4) living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul

5) metaph. to be in full vigour

a) to be fresh, strong, efficient,

b) as adj. active, powerful, efficacious

I love this description of water. It describes the type water I want my heart to have it's roots in. Because this water is active, blessed, and endless in the kingdom of God, I know my roots will be well-nourished. It inspires me to be fresh, strong and efficient and gives me hope that I can continue to be so, even when times are tough.

Roots That Run Deep

Our roots were sent out toward the waters of grace and mercy given by God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. The Hebrew word for sent is the verb shalach, which means, in part:

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

a) (Qal)

1) to send

2) to stretch out, extend, direct

The Hebrew word for roots, mentioned in the verse above, is sheresh. It means:

1) roota) root (literal)

b) root (of people involving firmness or permanence) (fig)

c) root, bottom (as lowest stratum) (fig)

Just as the tree's roots do, our roots reach deep into the true Living Water. They are strong and firm and have permanence.

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." ~ John 10:28 (NIV)

Fearless

Because the tree (our hearts) are planted by the living water, we have no need of fear when the heard times come. During times of drought, we should have enough of the living water stored up within us to see us through. Our leaves should always be green, bearing fruit for Christ. We should have confidence, not fear, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

The Hebrew word for The Hebrew word for not fear is actually the word for see. Ra'ah means:

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

a) (Qal)

1) to see

2) to see, perceive

3) to see, have vision

4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

6) to look at, gaze at

b) (Niphal)

1) to appear, present oneself

2) to be seen

3) to be visible

c) (Pual) to be seen

d) (Hiphil)1) to cause to see, show

2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

e) (Hophal)

1) to be caused to see, be shown

2) to be exhibited to

f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

I went through an eight year period of infertility. During this time, I was able to pray because my roots were planted deep. The waters seemed to dry up around me and I felt at odds, but I was sustained. I read God's Word every morning and prayed diligently for myself and for others further into my journey. Then the pregnancy and miscarriage came. Had I not stored up during that 8 year period, I would have been in deep trouble, my friends. I cannot tell you the internal pain I went through at the loss of Sydney Michel. I could try to explain it but it was so intense and personal that I could not do it justice. When I was unable to even think clearly, God sustained me. I felt His peace and comfort and was able to make it through the hard times. I was able to survive on the water my roots had soaked up and subsist on the promises of God's Word. One year and eight months later, I had a hysterectomy. Finality. I would never bear fruit from my womb, but I clung to the promises of God.

"He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD." ~ Psalm 113:9 (NIV)

Don't Worry, Be Happy

The Hebrew word for no worry is da'ag. This verb means:

1) to fear, be anxious, be concerned, be afraid, be careful

a) (Qal)

1) to be anxious, be concerned

2) to fear, dread

No matter what our circumstances are, like the tree whose roots are planted by the water, we have no cause to be fearful, anxious or concerned.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:9 (NIV)

We can count on God to meet our needs during springtime and drought. Our hearts should never fail to bear His fruit when we trust in His Word and store it up inside us like the roots of the tree do the water.

His Word Never Fails

The Hebrew word for never fails is muwsh. This verb means:

1) to depart, remove

a) (Qal)

1) to depart

2) to remove

3) to be removed (of inanimate objects)

b) (Hiphil) to remove, depart

We can trust God never to depart from us and we can trust Him not to remove the promises of His Word from us.

Later in my life I saw the promises of Psalm 113:9 fulfilled in my life. I praised God for the privelege of raising my bonus daughter in our home with her father from the time we married until Kristyn married. I received immense joy in seeing her grow from age 6 to 20. She matured and grew into a sweet young woman. Now she has gifted us with two precious grandsons, Nolan and Liam. Further still, I am an aunt to Blake, Reese, Kaci, Austin, Tyler, Ashley, and Ethan. I remembered the order of their birth! Blake, Reese, Tyler and Ashley are Steve's brother's children. Kaci and Austin are Steve's sister's children. More recently, I was blessed with my first biological nephew. My sister's son Ethan was born August 19, 2008. He is a doll. Further still, I am surrounded by children when I go to my grandmother's. Jimmy & Susan have James and John. Lee & Paige have Jackson and Gracie and Baby Noah is due to make his appearance any day now. While I am not a biological mother to these children, God has surely settled me in my home and I am happy! I pray that my influence, larger on those closer to me and smaller on those farther away, will move them closer to Christ.

Bearing Fruit

The tree mentioned in the verse above always bears fruit no matter what. We have seen that in all seasons of life we grow through, we can bear fruit if our roots are deeply planted by the water. I love the definitions for bear. We can only bear by God's strength, and it is up to us to drink deep from the Source.

The Hebrew word for bear is `asah. This verb means:

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

a) (Qal)

1) to do, work, make, producea) to do

b) to work

c) to deal (with)

d) to act, act with effect, effect

2) to make

a) to make

b) to produce

c) to prepare

d) to make (an offering)

e) to attend to, put in order

f) to observe, celebrate

g) to acquire (property)

h) to appoint, ordain, institute

i) to bring about

j) to use

k) to spend, pass

b) (Niphal)

1) to be done

2) to be made

3) to be produced

4) to be offered

5) to be observed

6) to be used

c) (Pual) to be made

2) (Piel) to press, squeeze

The Hebrew word for fruit is pĕriy. It means:

1) fruit

a) fruit, produce (of the ground)

b) fruit, offspring, children, progeny (of the womb)

c) fruit (of actions) (fig.)

What an incredible promise from God! Despite our condition, we can truly honor God by yielding fruit.

Wrap Up

Questions for Reflection: Are your roots deeply planted? Do you find it difficult to bear fruit even in the "off" seasons of life? If you aren't sure about the first question, why not email me at

magnoliaheartbeats@yahoo.com and we'll talk more about it.

Verse for the Day: "He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." ~ Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the Word that You have given us. I rejoice in the promises held in it and learn so much life application from it. Keep me thristy for You and keep my roots growing deep. Help me to bear fruit even in the off seasons and to always draw from Your Living Water. Thank You so much for Jesus. In His Name I pray, Amen.

P - Purpose in your heart to stay near God. "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." ~ Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

L - Lean on God's promises. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

A - Ask God for the things you need to help you bear fruit. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." ~ Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

N - Nourish your roots with the Word of God. "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees." ~ Psalm 119:10-12 (NIV)

T - Take heart in the coverage of the Vine. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." ~ John 15:5 (NIV)

E - Encourage one another in the Word. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." ~ 1 Thessaloniains 5:11 (NIV)

D - Deal with the weeds in life so they don't choke out the root system. "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." ~ Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Note: This post originally ran 04.15.09

Daughter of the King

He Reigns

"But you, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth." ~ Psalm 74:12 (NIV)

"On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." ~ Revelation 19:16 (NIV)

The Lord reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. There is no other God but Him. I rejoice at His power and sovreignty and might. I am humbled by His holiness and brought low by the grace He gives.

The Greek word for King is basileus. It means:

1) leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king

My Father, the King

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." ~ Romans 8:15-16 (NIV)

The Greek word for Abba is, suprisingly to me, abba. The outline of Biblical usage is:

Abba = "father"

1) father, customary title used of God in prayer. Whenever it occurs in the New Testament it has the Greek interpretation joined to it, that is apparently to be explained by the fact that the Chaldee "ABBA" through frequent use in prayer, gradually acquired the nature of a most sacred proper name, to which the Greek speaking Jews added the name from their own tongue.

Abba is of Aramaic origin. 'Ab is a noun which means: father.

Now Father, or patēr, in Greek, means:

1) generator or male ancestor
a) either the nearest ancestor: father of the corporeal nature, natural fathers, both parents
b) a more remote ancestor, the founder of a family or tribe, progenitor of a people, forefather: so Abraham is called, Jacob and David
1) fathers i.e. ancestors, forefathers, founders of a nation
c) one advanced in years, a senior
2) metaph.
a) the originator and transmitter of anything
1) the authors of a family or society of persons animated by the same spirit as himself
2) one who has infused his own spirit into others, who actuates and governs their minds
b) one who stands in a father's place and looks after another in a paternal way
c) a title of honour
1) teachers, as those to whom pupils trace back the knowledge and training they have received
2) the members of the Sanhedrin, whose prerogative it was by virtue of the wisdom and experience in which they excelled, to take charge of the interests of others
3) God is called the Father
a) of the stars, the heavenly luminaries, because he is their creator, upholder, ruler
b) of all rational and intelligent beings, whether angels or men, because he is their creator, preserver, guardian and protector
1) of spiritual beings and of all men
c) of Christians, as those who through Christ have been exalted to a specially close and intimate relationship with God, and who no longer dread him as a stern judge of sinners, but revere him as their reconciled and loving Father
d) the Father of Jesus Christ, as one whom God has united to himself in the closest bond of love and intimacy, made acquainted with his purposes, appointed to explain and carry out among men the plan of salvation, and made to share also in his own divine nature
1) by Jesus Christ himself
2) by the apostles

How intimate, yet holy, our Father is. As Creator God, He holds the stars in the Heavens and the stars in my eyes. I am captivated by His holiness yet how personable He is. He is our Father God.

What a privelege to be called children of God.

Many people have a hard time identifying with God as a loving Father, especially if their earthly father was less than loving in word or deed. I have mentioned before that my earthly Daddy was an alcoholic (recovered now)and was emotionally and verbally abusive. Despite my rebellion in my teen years, one thing I knew clearly when I was younger and know even more now is that I was and am loved. There was no lack of love in our home.

One of my earliest memories is of me being sick one hot summer day and Daddy coming in from the garden after picking butterbeans. He sat down for a minute before he hit the shower and I hopped up on his lap and nestled my chin into the folds of his neck. He may have been sweaty and grimy and a little stinky after working so hard all day, but he was all I wanted. I needed comfort and love and just to be held. Tears are pooling in my eyes as I type this because I remember that just a few months ago, when I had that awful bronchitis and sinus infection and ear infections and respiratory virus and ached from head to toe, my Dad came up and I told him I was sick. Instead of backing away like I had the plague he let me get my hug. I was held then and I was held now. If I was smaller I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could have nestled up to him without him fearing catching what I was had. Why? Because that's what Daddy's do.

Our God is the same, yet even much better. We can run to Him and nestle up to Him and just be so comforted and loved. We can be held by the King of the Universe. How AWESOME is that?! He loves us *that* much!
Who We Are in Christ

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." ~ Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)

Oh, how thankful I am to be the Daughter of the King. Christ Jesus gave us the justification through our faith in Him. We have actually gained access to His grace by our faith and because He loves us! What an honor!

The Greek word for access is prosagōgē. It means:

1) the act of bringing to, a moving to
2) access, approach
a) to God, i.e. that relationship with God whereby we are acceptable to him and have assurance that he is favourably disposed towards us

Can you imagine that He died just for you?! Death on a Cross! Death could not hold Him and He rose again. Now we rejoice in the hope of eternal life with Him.

Questions for Reflection: Do you make the most of your access to your Heavenly Father? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? If not, email me at magnoliaheartbeats@yahoo.com and let's chat.

Verse for the Day: "But you, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth." ~ Psalm 74:12 (NIV)

Prayer: Father, what a privelege to call You Father. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to die for us. I praise You that we have access to You through Him. I cannot express enough my gratitude at the comfort, love and peace You give. I just don't have the words. My heart is full to bursting, Lord, and I praise You for giving me the privelege of being the daughter of a King. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.


A - Approach God with confidence. "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." ~ Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

C - Connect with God in prayer daily. "Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" ~ Psalm 66:20 (NIV)

C - Choose to learn more about God's love for you and His ways through reading His Word. "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." ~ Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV)

E - Expect to spend eternity with the Father who loves you so much. "Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." ~ Jude 1:21 (NIV)

S - Seek to honor God as your only King and Father. "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." ~ 1 Timothy 1:17 (NIV)

S - Share His love with others, encouraging them to know the Lord. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." ~ Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

For more WFW's, visit http://pennyraine.com/blog/

Note: this post originally ran on 4.16.09

And Still We Praise Him

Each time I say it, it becomes more real. My husband was diagnosed with kidney cancer on January 22, 2010. He is in Stage 2 and will have surgery on February 17, 2010. Wow. It became even more real. Dr. Daily is hoping to remove only the tumor and part of his kidney but told us that having to remove the whole kidney is a possibility, a strong one. The good news is that you can live with just one kidney. The great news is there will be no chemotherapy or radiation as the tumor is contained. The awesome news is that the survival rate is in the high 90%'s.

Of course we are concerned about the surgery, the possibility of removing the whole kidney, the recovery, etc.

And still we praise Him.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28 (NIV)

While we don't rejoice because of our sufferings, we can rejoice in the midst of them. How? Through faith. We know that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Why? Our faith is in God! God is the ultimate Victor!

We are reminding ourselves to never forget to praise Him in the storms of life.

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." ~ Psalm 42:11 (NIV)

We also are reminding ourselves to come before Him constantly in prayer.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." ~ Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

The Greek word for devote is proskartereō. This verb means:

1) to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one
2) to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing
3) to continue all the time in a place
4) to persevere and not to faint
5) to show one's self courageous for
6) to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly

This is where we are right now. We are perservering and continuing steadfastly to pray about this situation. Quite frankly, it's the only thing keeping me going. I'm nervous about it but I feel a peace when I pray that is like a healing balm. I know the Lord has not forgotten Steve and holds Him in the palm of His hand. We know that we must remain courageous as an example to other believers and to show our faith to the One who can heal.

The Greek word for watchful is grēgoreō. This verb means:

1) to watch
2) metaph. give strict attention to, be cautious, active
a) to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one

Oh, be sure we are watching for what the Lord will do through this trial. We are not going to waiver and fall asleep on the job, as far as recognizing His blessings and mercy.

The Greek word for thankful is eucharistia. This noun means:

1) thankfulness
2) the giving of thanks

We are already thankful for the good news that has followed. Things could definitely be worse, and we thank God daily that they aren't.

And still we praise Him.

Will you join me in prayer and praise for what we are dealing with? Cancer is a scary thing and we need our friends and family to join in prayer regarding the outcome of this, that it's as good as the news we've heard so far, that the surgery goes well, that the recovery is speedy and easy.

Thank you,

Thankful Thursday - Wisdom


Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage is hosting Thankful Thursday for the month of January.






I am so thankful for the wisdom God grants us. Truly the fear of the Lord is what leads to this wisdom.

The Hebrew word for fear is yir'ah. It means:

1) fear, terror, fearing
a) fear, terror
b) awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
c) fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
d) revered

I do fear and revere the Lord, not in a scary kind of way, but in what I call "holy fear". It's a healthy respect of honoring God for Who He is. Once we have this fear of the Lord, the wisdom that comes from Him begins in our lives.

The Hebrew word for wisdom is chokmah. This noun means:

1) wisdom
a) skill (in war)
b) wisdom (in administration)
c) shrewdness, wisdom
d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
e) wisdom (ethical and religious)

The Hebrew root word for the word for wisdom above is the verb chakam. It means:

1) to be wise
a) (Qal) to be or become wise, act wisely
b) (Piel) to make wise, teach wisdom, instruct
c) (Pual) to be made wise
d) (Hiphil) to make wise
e) (Hithpael) to show oneself wise, deceive, show one's wisdom.

This week I am thankful for the wisdom that He has given me in choosing the right doctor to go to, the wisdom to know my physical limitations during illness, and the wisdom to learn more about prudence and discretion in conversations. I'm also grateful for the wisdom that has come through reading His Word. He has given me a spirit of wisdom in seeking Him and thirsting for His Word that I have never found before.


Each time I think I am full, my cup just overflows with the blessings found in His Word. If I hadn't ever feared the Lord, I know I wouldn't recognize the signs of wisdom He has placed before me in seeking Him through His Word. I have really enjoyed reading through Genesis and Exodus as of late, as well as Acts and Psalms. I'm beginning Exodus 26 tomorrow and in the New Testament will be reading beginning with Acts 24.

There are many ways to exercise the God-given wisdom we have been given through fearing the Lord. I am so thankful for each opportunity to use wisdom and pray that I do use it often and in a way that brings God glory.

W - Wisely seek God's will for your life. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." ~ Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

I - Intentionally spend time in the Word of God. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." ~ Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

S - Show your wisdom by being obedient to the commands of God. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." ~ John 14:21 (NIV)

D - Determine to remain humble in your wisdom. "The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor." ~ Proverbs 15:33 (NIV)

O - Offer good characteristics with wisdom. "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." ~ James 3:17 (NIV)

M - Maintain a healthy fear of the Lord. "The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous." ~ Psalm 19:19 (NIV)

Thank you, Lynn, for hosting this month, and for choosing such a great topic! Be sure to visit other Thankful Thursday posts by clicking on the button below and link up, leaving a Thankful Thursday post of your own.

Note: this post originally ran 03.04.09

Possibilities

‘Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not

with God. For all things are possible with God.”’ ~ Mark 10:27 (ESV)

Have you ever looked at a situation or circumstance you've faced and thought, "This is impossible! I'll never be able to..." I've done that several times. What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Do you find some of them difficult, if not impossible?

The Greek word for impossible is adynatos, which means:

1) without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled
2) unable to be done, impossible

I wonder how many of our dreams we render powerless and disable by this thinking. When we despair over the things we see as unable to be done we need to turn them over to God in prayer. We can be sure that if our dreams are His will, they will certainly be possible and will most definitely come to pass. As we saw in the verse above, Jesus Himself declared, "For all things are possible with God."

The Greek word for possible is dynatos, which means:

1) able, powerful, mighty, strong
a) mighty in wealth and influence
b) strong in soul
1) to bear calamities and trials with fortitude and patience
2) strong in Christian virtue
2) to be able (to do something)
a) mighty, excelling in something
b) having power for something

Possible is a word infused with faith and hope, assurance and trust. In times of crisis, we can trust that God will step in where we are weak and be our strength. He loves us so much and wants to do the possible for us.

I've seen time and again in my life how He has shown Himself able, powerful, mighty and strong, how He has born calimities and trials in my life with such astounding patience, and how His power and strength have worked in me to cause me to believe in His ability and strength when all else was bleak.

This week I am thankful that God has shown that He is able to do the impossible. I rejoice that He is not a weak or powerless God but that He has shown Himself to be more than able and ready to do the possible things He desires in my life.

I look back at how far I've come through so many seemingly impossible things (infertility, miscarriage, divorce, illnesses not only for myself but also for family and friends) and praise Him that I have grown stronger in my faith and in my walk with Him. Each time He has strengthened me in faith by revealing Himself to me as a God of the possible. When He reveals Himself to us in this way, we should always be quick to give thanks. I've been able to leave alot of the old behind, and what I haven't, I have certainly gained new perspective on. He truly is a God who makes all things possible!

Are you struggling with something seemingly impossible right now? Many times we try to make things possible ourselves, but we must remember the promise from Jesus in the verse above. Take heart that with God all things are possible!

P - Pray about your desires. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." ~ Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

O - Openly praise Him for His blessings. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." ~ Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

S - Simply delight in God. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." ~ Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

S - Strengthen yourself in your walk with God. "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." ~ Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)

I - Imitate the faith of those who have gone before you. "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." ~ Hebrews 13:7 (NIV)

B - Believe that you can do all things through Christ and not of yourself. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

L - Leave worry behind. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" ~ Matthew 6:26-28 (NIV)

E - Exalt God and remain humble. "Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." ~ Isaiah 29:19 (NIV)

Note: This post originally ran 01/15/09.