Precious Promises

It is not secret that 2 Peter 1:3 is my current focus verse..I love the promises there. I have been reading the verses immediately afterward as well, and I am loving that the the promises keep coming!

 ^"3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 

 ⁵For this very reason, (to participate in the divine nature and escape corruption) make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 ¹⁰Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."   2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)


Very great and precious promises, indeed!

I looked at this same section of scripture in the New Living Translation as well ...

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises... ⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I know that I am not alone in that desire to feel like I have accomplished something at the end of the day, or when I feel like I am getting older. I desire to be productive and useful!  So much of my stress happens when I dont feel that way.  God must know me pretty well to know how that promise would comfort me :)

I am (almost) speechless with appreciation that God promises so clearly to provide us with the tools and resources that we need to accomplish what we need to receive a "a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  vs. 11

It is because of that appreciation, that I want so much to make sure that I am using my "everything you need" as He intended it. I want to be productive and useful to Him! I want to receive a rich welcome!

Thank you, Kelly for giving me pause to consider my favorite passage of scripture! 

BTW ..I really do read and love other areas of scripture, you wouldnt know it lately but I do! :)

{Welcome ifellowshippers! ..I am so glad you hopped over!}

Everything We Need

As women, we have a pretty impressive job description. We are wives, moms, lovers, sisters, daughters, and friends. We are cooks, counselors, nurses, housekeepers, guides, teachers, life coaches, office administrators, students..the list goes on and on.

On top of all of that, we have to do it well and for the glory of God...no pressure, right?

We are so blessed to be promised in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.."   


Everything we need!

Then why do we SO overwhelmed so often? Well, I will just speak for me ...I feel so overwhelmed so often! :) There are times and days when I feel that I dont have even a fraction of what I need, much less everything!

Even so, I trust His "very great and precious promises" ...2 Peter 1:4. So, what is happening to my "everything I need"?

The Less Stress journey is all about that for me! I need to discover how to use that "everything" the best way I can.  If I dont feel that I have what I need to accomplish all that God has planned for me, then where are those resources. What has happened to them?

I have three ideas ...

1. I dont think we are fully aware of what our resources are!  ...so we must ask God to show us what those resources are
2. I dont think we realize how we are misusing those resources ...so we must ask God to show us how we are misusing those resources he has given us

and, 3. I just realized the past few days, that the promise that He will provide "everything we need" is related to what HE has planned for us ...not necessarily what I have planned for me!

Simple, but I think we can get caught up in good things, while missing out on what God has perfectly planned for me.  If we are missing resources, then maybe it is because we are using what we have to accomplish the wrong, or not the best tasks for God (even for God!).

I may have planned on the house being clean and the school done by end of day, but God may have a different plan. I may have planned to use my resources to get the bills paid, but God may have a different use of my time today.  Because I am trying to use my resources effectively, but not on what God has planned for me, I am going to feel overwhelmed and stressed.

So, we have to ask that God show us what He has planned for US. Today. Right now.

What has he specifically given us today, to accomplish the tasks He requires of us?

Are you short of resources because you dont know what they are, or because you have misused them on not worthy things, or are you perhaps using your resources to efforts that may be good, but not God-best?   


I will pray for you today as I seek to discover which of those that apply to me the most today!

Back to Basics

As I look back over the journey of the past couple of years, I see that my walk to a more simple life and one that reflects God better in my life has meandered slowly but efficiently.

I see where I am now, and where I came from and I find the walk an interesting one.

I am so thankful to myself for keeping track of it on this blog, because I am sure I suffer from short term memory loss at times :)

For my own benefit, and perhaps my reader friends as well, I want to put down where I feel like I am in this journey. I want to clarify for myself where I am right now, and see where God has brought me at this moment in time. It is sure to change, I am sure it will as I learn and grow in Him every day.

Today, I am here ...

I believe that God has given me everything I need to be all the things he desires me to be ...

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

I believe the Spirit in my life is that "everything" ...

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:25-26 - NTSB

I believe that the Spirit uses the resources God has given us each personally to accomplish what God has planned for us ...

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians 4:10-11

I believe too, that we has Christian woman carry a burden that is greater than God intended us to. I believe that our harried schedules, unrealistic expectations of ourselves, constant comparisons, overworked bodies, distracted relationships, and overall STRESSED OUT existence prevents us from fully experiencing God and His Spirit in our lives.

I believe that God has given me very personal resources that He wants to use to fulfill His will in my life and that if I am aware of them, I can use them more efficiently.

I believe that my resources are anything that is in my control to be used for God. Its time, energy, finances, home, my background, my relationships, my thinking, my passions ...my resources are abundant.

I believe that if we dont feel like we have all that we need to be what we need to be for God, it is because we misuse what we have been given for His purpose.

I believe, that when we use the resources God have us the way that God intended, the Spirit can move more effectively through my life and thus my life can resonate with His peace more powerfully.

I desire to have a life that is more reflective of God in my life, and I believe peace reflects that better than stress does. 

And, so the journey to all that continues.  My journey entails constantly learning what my resources are, how I am misusing them, and in what ways I can better use my "everything I need." I would be most honored if you would continue the journey with me! I have learned so much about me and what God has planned for me ..and it is good! :)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:!1

All that we Need

A favorite verse that I find much comfort in these crazy days, is in 2 Peter 1:3.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by tho own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world, caused by evil desires. "

I am so comforted and driven by the idea that for all the things I feel so necessary to be and do, in order to be the wife, mom, friend, sister and daughter I feel like GOD wants me to be, he has given me EVERYTHING I NEED to do those things.

I think that we get so overwhelmed filling all these roles, that we often are left feeling less than provided for in these areas. We know we desire to be all those things, but feel like we just dont have enough of us to go around.

I have contemplated this for a while, and here is what I have determined ...

1. God HAS given us everything we need! (brilliant, I know)
2. I am not always aware of what He has given me to accomplish His tasks
3. I often misuse those things he has given me to accomplish those tasks

For me, as I have asked God to open my eyes to how he has fulfilled that particular promise in my life, I have seen amazing ways he has already prepared me for my tasks at hand. I have realized that I really do have a pretty full toolbox of resources that He uses specifically in my life to accomplish all these worthy things I desire in my heart.

Over the next few posts, I would like to look at a couple of things ..namely, what are our resources? and how am I misusing them?

I have written on these topics before ..but as God continues to teach me and open my eyes, I have been so encouraged by these new thoughts and I hope I can share them in such a way to do the same for you!