A Picture of Trust

I was out for a Sunday drive recently with my cousin and her daughters, one of whom happen to be my very cute goddaughter.

While my cousin and I were chatting in the front I happened to glance in the back and saw the sweetest sight... my goddaughter looking like a little angel, still in her church outfit had fallen fast asleep. As luck would have it, I had my camera with me because I couldn't resist taking a photo of such a perfect picture of innocence and complete trust.

Later as I looked at the photo I thought that it told a story without saying a word. My gooddaughter fell asleep knowing that she was safe and surrounded by people who loved her. Oh what trust. Her photo reminded me that God's word tells us that "unless we become as a little child we cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven." He expects us to have the same childlike faith in him that children have in their parents. In fact he reminds us to "cast all our cares upon him because he cares about us."

So, I encourage you to put all the things that concern you in God's hands. Put a picture in your mind this week of the little children you may see and the trust they display. Remember that God wants us to display that same trust in him.

Lessons from the Road

Bump, bump, bump, jerk, screech.... Today as I took my weekly sixty plus miles ride to church I tried to take a little nap. However I was unable to because the road is under construction. The road is being worked on in sections hence there some parts that are smooth and some parts are riddled with pot holes. So unfortunately for me, every time I made myself as comfortable as I could on a crowded church bus I'd feel a bump and jerk forward in my seat. This was my cue that the next few minutes was going to be a bumpy ride.

I could have gotten grumpy because I couldn't enjoy my nap but I didn't. I endured the rough parts because I knew that in a few minutes I'd be enjoying a smooth ride and ultimately it would all be smooth sailing.

As I was on a particularly rough patch, (since I couldn't sleep) I thought about life. Just like the road I was traveling on life has parts that are smooth and parts that are rough. Unfortunately, sometimes I get so caught up in grouching and complaining over the bad times that I forget to enjoy and thank God for the good time. In fact sometimes I'm tempted to spend most of the good times anticipating the bad times. However, today my journey to church really taught me a lesson about life.

So during the course of this week I encourage you to think about the goodness of God and all he's done for you and thank him for it. Also, if you're going through a rough time, remember the words of Yolanda Adams, this too shall pass.

Yolanda Adams -

In the middle of the turbulence surrounding you
These trying times that are so hard to endure
In the middle of what seems to beyour darkest hour
Hold fast your heart and be assured

THIS TOO SHALL PASS
Like every night that's come before it
He'll never give you more than you can bear
This too shall pass So in this thought be comforted
It's in His Hands

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (New International Version)

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Welcome to Girl Talk's Weekly Devotional. Thanks for your interest in seeing that the updates started regularly again. This journal will be updated every Saturday or Sunday night starting March 5, 2006.

I've also added all the old devotionals so be sure to check them out.

A Heart Like Yours

A Heart Like Yours
A heart like yours is my desire
A heart like yours is what I’m searching for
Full of compassion nothing wrong within
Please hear me Lord give me a heart like yours
Cece Winans
CD Throne Room

I think the lyrics to Cece Winan's express exactly what I'm feeling. I can't state it any clearer than those words. They express my every desire right now, to have a heart that is more like that of my heavenly father. This week I will pursue my desire to have a heart that is more like His by making the choices that will please him even if they aren't the easy ones to make.

March 30, 2004

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

Bible Passage: Psalm 28 7-8 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.


I’ve felt such a sense of spiritual joy lately. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. I know that God is doing something in my life and I just want to thank him. Today, I feel like David must have felt when he wrote that Psalms. God has heard my cry for mercy, he has delivered me from my feelings of depression and self doubt. Today, it simply isn't enough to just say it but I want to express it in a poem to Him, Jehovah, My Song.

Jehovah My Song

Jehovah you are my song
You’re the reason I belong
You’re the reason why my life
Is no longer filled with anger and strife

Jehovah, you are my song
You’re the reason I go on
Life had ceased to have meaning to me
When you stepped in and made me complete

Jehovah you are my song
You’re the reason I belong
Your arms have become a refuge for me
A place of safety, joy and peace

My Lord Jehovah, you are my song
You’re the reason I am strong
When I think of your goodness and grace
I just want to stand up and say…

Oh Jehovah you are my song
You’re the reason I belong
The reason I go on
You’re the reason I am strong

You’ve brought meaning to my life
You’ve become my one great choice
One I’ll cherish all my life
Oh Jehovah you are my song!

November 12, 2002

I love the Lord, he heard my cry...

Univited Guest

Bible passage: Luke 7:37-39

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner.".....

My Thoughts

How hard is it to go to a party when you weren’t invited and you know you were not wanted? If you happen to be bold enough to go to the party are you bold enough to walk up and monopolize the attention of the guest of honor? Well when we want something badly enough we have to be willing to do the unexpected.

The woman with the alabaster box wanted something from Jesus. She knew that something was missing in her life and she knew Jesus was the only one who could fill it. So she ignored the jeers and sneers of the crowd and went straight to Jesus.

This woman is someone I want to emulate. I want to be so focused on Jesus until I don’t even notice when others have a negative attitude towards me. I want to be so focused on him that my every thought is to please him in everything I do. I want his presence to fill me overshadow me, empower and mold me into his image. I want to be more like him everyday. I want when others look at me they see Christ in me.

2002

Happiness is a Choice

Bible verse: Why art thou cast down oh my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Psalms 42:5

We have a choice in everything we do. As complex as our emotions may seem sometimes, we have a choice in them also. We have a choice in whether to be happy or sad, downcast or uplifted. David himself felt depressed and downcast however, he spoke to himself. He encouraged himself. He told his soul to hope in God. David chose to be happy. Although everything may not go the way I want it to go today I have a choice in how I feel about it. Today, no matter what comes my way, I choose to be happy.

February 24, 2002

Are you Making Today Count?

On Thursday, last week I awaken to the sound of my sister crying. I was dismayed to find that our cousin had died during the night. She had been suffering from breast cancer but we all had faith that she would be healed... however, God knows best.

My cousin's passing brought home to me my own mortality and the fact that tomorrow is not promised to me hence I have to make sure that my today count. I have to make sure that I am doing the things that God wants me to do. Yes I know that absent from this body (to a Christian) is present with the Lord but I don't want to stand before him until I've finished the course that he has set for me.

My cousin was a vibrant, cheerful, fun-loving, godly woman. I believe that in her 37 years she touched many lives. I believe that she completed the course that God had set for her. I don't think that she would return to this earth even if she had the opportunity. I want to leave behind my cousin's type of testimony that I touched lives in a positive way.

February 3, 2004

What does my conversation say about me?

July 18, 2004


Bible verse: Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ that whether I come to see you or else be absent that I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27

My Thoughts

It's quite easy to fall prey to participating in the wrong type of conversations. Sometimes we do it without even being fully aware of what we are doing. However we should be very careful about which type of conversation we allow ourselves to get involved in. There are some people we will never get to share our testimony with or witness to about the goodness of Jesus. However many of them watch the lives we live. They listen to the conversation we participate in and judge us from there.

The Bible admonishes us not to stand in the way of sinners but we do it sometimes unknowingly. When they see us participating in ungodly conversation they are distracted from the real issue, the fact that Jesus Christ, the son of God died for their sins. What is your conversation saying about you? Would your Christianity stand the test of your conversation? I vow today that I will try to ensure that the conversations I participate in show my Christianity in a positive light.

March 28, 2002

Is Excellence in You?

July 11, 2004


Bible verse: Then Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Daniel 6:3

My Thoughts

It is important that everything we do be done with excellence. When we do things with excellence we attract attention, we stand out from mediocrity. Daniel moved from prisoner to prime minister in a strange land only because everything he did was done in excellence. If I want to attract God's eye, if I want to attract positive attention excellence has to be in me.

Sept 10, 2002

Where's the Good?

July 4, 2004


Bible verse: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

It's easy to look at situations at times and complain and get depressed or even question God as to why we go through certain things. However God never promised us that everything would go our way all of the time. What he did promise was that no matter how bleak a situation looked some good would come out of it. So in every situation I will find something to give God thanks for.

July 22, 2002

An Invitation to You

August 22, 2004


Bible Verse: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1

It never ceases to amaze me the sense of child-like awe, wonder and expectancy I feel when I enter God's house. I am excited as a child about to unwrap a much awaited and longed for gift, not sure what it is but knowing that something wonderful awaits within.

The beautiful thing about going into the house of God is that I always leave feeling refreshed, renewed and eager to face whatever challenges life throws my way. I can totally relate to how David felt when he said, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." God's house for me is a place to lose myself in the wonder of his presence and allow his sweet Holy Spirit to minister to my hurts, lift my burdens, renew my joys and give me courage to face another day with him by my side to guide and direct me.

I invite you as a friend, this week to "come let us go into the house of the Lord, it's really a special place to be.

July 11, 2004

Oh to See Him!

August 15 2004


Bible Verse For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4

At this moment I'm reading the last book in the Left Behind series, Glorious Appearing. I've just reached the part where Jesus appears in the clouds. It brought goose bumps to my skin. I actually find myself being envious of characters in a book, that they beheld my Lord before me. I can only think upon reading, "Oh to see Him, to look upon his face!" I find myself echoing the words of many of the characters in the book, "come Lord Jesus!"

What about you? Are you looking forward to his glorious appearing? Is he your Lord? Jesus will indeed come one day, the condition we meet him in is up to us.

July 12, 2004

My Prayer of Thanksgiving

August 8 2004


Bible Verse You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:28-29

Lord I thank you for your grace, for your mercies,
for your loving kindness towards me.
Every time I look at the beauty of nature
or listen to your voice whispering in the wind
Every time I think about you Lord I stand in awe of who you are
and all that you have done.
I stand humbled by the fact that you love me, you care for me,
that you actually sent your son to die for me.
Your goodness and your grace Lord, it still amazes me.
I don't understand it, I know I don't deserve it,
but I'm grateful for it.

Silly, Fanciful Me

August 1 2004


Bible Verse How great you are, O sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you. 2 Samuel 7:22

Sometimes the silly, fanciful girl in me wonders what my life would have been like if I had chosen another path. If I had not become a Christian at the age of 16, what type of choices would I have made? Where would I have been at this moment? The mature woman in me is thankful that I never have to find out. God saw my future without Him and how bleak it would have been and he saved me from myself and all the silly, dumb choices I would have made.

He is indeed the love of my life and the hope that I cling too. I cannot imagine life without him. I cannot imagine waking up one morning and not feeling his presence. I can’t imagine going through one single day without him. He is my everything. I am just so grateful that he saw something that was worth saving in me. In fact he sees something worth saving in all of us. My prayer is that this week I will share him and how much he means to me with someone.

February 19, 2004