Ephesians 5:8-10

Good morning, everyone! :)

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Ephesians 5:8-10
At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light. The light produces what is completely good, right and true. Find out what pleases the Lord.

"Living in the light" sometimes seems like a cliche phrase that Christians throw around without really knowing what it means. But this light vs. dark issue is a matter of life or death, spiritually speaking! The first step to walking in the light is to place our trust in Jesus' death and resurrection for our salvation from sin. So then we are in the light "because of what the Lord has done". Yet living in the light is our responsibility, a day by day (moment by moment!) decision to live in a way that pleases the Lord--a way that is "completely good, right and true".

Father, help me to choose to walk in Your light day by day, moment by moment--finding out what pleases You and living it out in my life!

May the Lord bless you richly as you live like a child of the light!

Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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Colossians 2:9-10

Happy Wednesday, everyone! :)
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Colossians 2:9-10
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Complete in Him. What a thought that is! Not just "good enough", but complete.

whole.
lacking nothing.
me.

Not just others who are awesome and amazing and whom I admire, but me. I am complete in Him!

In Him. Not of myself, which means I don't have to be "strong enough"--He is. I don't have to be "smart enough"--He is. I am:
Free to be weak--because He is strong.
Free to not know the answers--because He knows it all.
Free to fall--because my identity is not found in me; it is in Him!

But I am also
Free to be strong--because He is my strength.
Free to be wise--because He gives wisdom to His own.
Free to run--because He has laid this race out before me!

Father, thank You for the joy of being complete in You; for the freedom that is brought by knowing and resting in that fact!

May the Lord richly bless you as you discover the freedom of being complete in Him!

Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you would like to receive the Mornin' SunShine e-mails on a regular basis yourself, you can e-mail me at mornin_sunshine@psalm686.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. If you would like to unsubscribe, just e-mail me at the address above with "unsubscribe" in the subject line and I will take you off the list.

Psalm 18:1

Hey, y'all! :)

This Mornin' SunShine is pulled from a journal from a couple years ago. Remember yesterday's e-mail about "the simplicity that is in Christ"? This journal entry is what brought that concept back to the forefront of my mind and reminded me that sometimes, it's the simple things that are the most precious. Apparently, I was memorizing Psalm 18:1 by repeating the verse over and over, emphasizing a different word each time, and this is what I jotted down as I did. Since the verse is a prayer, my little "notes" are also in a prayer format.
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Psalm 18:1
I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

I--no matter what anyone else thinks or does or says, this is my choice and I will stick by it.
will--No ifs, ands, buts, or maybes; I will do this. Through highs and lows, thick and thin, I make my choice.
love--with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength; surrendered completely to You, walking in constant, intimate relationship with You--whatever that may mean or look like on a day to day basis.
You--You and You only! Not that I won't "love" other people, too, but that love will come more as a result of loving You than anything; You will be first and I will cling to only You.
O--I almost skipped this word; at first glance it seems so insignificant. But then I paused to think and realized--putting this "O" in here means that I stand in awe of You and all that You are; that I count You worthy of honor and reverence.
LORD--Jehovah God, the self-existing one; eternal, unchanging, wonderful, powerful, holy, just, merciful--paradoxical!
my--You are mine, all mine! As surely as I belong to You, You have allowed Yourself to belong to me. How sweet that is! You are such a precious, personal God!
strength--I am so weak. But that's okay, because You are my strength! You give me grace and hope to keep going; You carry me when I am too tired and weak to carry on.

Father, wow! That short little verse is so packed with rich sweetness! God, You are so good! Every day I love You more; I just can't help it!

May the Lord richly bless you with a new sense of amazement at how amazing He is!

Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you would like to receive the Mornin' SunShine e-mails on a regular basis yourself, you can e-mail me at mornin_sunshine@psalm686.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. If you would like to unsubscribe, just e-mail me at the address above with "unsubscribe" in the subject line and I will take you off the list.

2 Corinthians 11:3

Good morning, y'all! :)
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2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Growing up in an ultra-conservative, Biblically centered homeschooling family, I had a LOT of "Bible knowledge". I was the little kid in Sunday school that the teachers loved and the other kids were not so fond of--I knew all the answers and loooooved impressing the adults in my life with that fact. As I grew older, of course my Bible knowledge had to grow, too. What impressed people when I was 7 is no longer impressive now that I'm 25!! Somewhere along the way, I started putting a lot of pressure on myself to find deep, amazing things in the Bible. Now, of course there are deep, amazing things in the Bible, and they are certainly worth finding! But sometimes, the things God wants me to see are the simple things; and I miss them when I'm after my own idea of "amazing"--mainly, stuff that will "wow" other people.
God is not complicated. Complex, mysterious, paradoxical, and impossible to wrap my little finite brain around, yes--but not complicated. There is a "simplicity that is in Christ", the reality that God makes Himself very accessible to us when we are willing to approach Him with open hearts and eyes, willing to throw aside our own ideas and preconceived notions and just see Him. In all His glorious simplicity!

Father, I'm coming back to the sweet simplicity that is in You. Teach me from Your word what You would have me learn; help me to keep my eyes and ears and heart open to You alone.

May the Lord bless you richly as you delight in the "simplicity that is in Christ"!

Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you would like to receive the Mornin' SunShine e-mails on a regular basis yourself, you can e-mail me at mornin_sunshine@psalm686.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. If you would like to unsubscribe, just e-mail me at the address above with "unsubscribe" in the subject line and I will take you off the list.