Tag: God

Fuel Your Walk Friday

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Fuel Your Walk Friday2 Comments

Fuel your walk with some Jesus and Joe.

I love Jesus and I love me an iced cuppa fresh cold brew halved with vanilla almond milk. What better way to combine the two and perk up the beginning of your weekend, than to “Fuel Your Walk” with some Jesus and Joe. Once a week, I will be posting a little snippet, thought, or question to ponder in relation to your walk with Christ. So grab your favorite mug, pour yourself a delicious cuppa Joe and get comfy as you let this question percolate in your mind:

In his book, Through the Eyes of a Lion, Levi Lusko said “This destruction by distraction is difficult to detect when it’s happening, because it doesn’t involve bad things but good things to take the place of the most important things.”

Are you allowing distractions to take the place of what’s most important?

ABC’s of Growing in Your Walk with Christ

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Other2 Comments

Acknowledge and thank Him for His blessings daily

Be of service to others

Confess your sins and make changes with His help, where needed

Disciple others

Each morning, dive into His Word and bask in His presence

Forgive others, and you too, will be forgiven

Give more than you take

Hide in Him, instead of indulging in distractions

Invest in loving others

Joyfully work as though working for the Lord

Keep seeking Him-even when life doesn’t make sense

Love Him, first and foremost

Meditate on His Word day and night

Never go to bed angry and give the enemy a foothold

Obey His commands

Pray about everything

Quietly sit and be still before Him, listening to what He has to say

Remain in Him throughout each day

Store your treasure in heaven, not on earth

Tell others about Jesus every chance you get

Understand that you will not always comprehend His ways

Value Jesus above all else and strive first for the Kingdom of God

Wait upon Him when unsure what to do

eXercise your faith muscles by choosing trust over fear-then trust Him with your all your heart

Yearn for Jesus and make Him your best friend

Zip it when anger strikes and take it to Him first, in order to keep the peace

When You Need Strength…

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Hope and Strength4 Comments

Running on fumes with nothing left to give? I have definitely been there. But, we have a Source available to draw strength from daily. Let’s see what the Bible says about getting our strength from God:

1. Seek His presence continually

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! -1 Chronicles 16:11

Are you all out of give? Then look to the Lord and His strength. His Word says to seek His presence-not just sometimes, but always. How can we keep going if we aren’t filled up? We must be in the Bible and in His presence, filling up on His Truth, in order to have the strength to continue running this marathon called life.

2. He helps me

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. -Psalm 28:7

God is our helper and our protector. When we run out of strength, we don’t stop trusting. Instead, we remain faithful-with a joyful heart, while continuing to praise Him, and being confident that He will help us.

3. God arms with strength

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. -2 Samuel 22:33

He is the One who supplies strength. And He is our Replenisher when we run dry. To avoid getting parched in the first place, however, let’s make sure we are intentionally connected to Him at all times, so that we are getting the proper nourishment and walking in His strength. Because like a branch cut from it’s source that withers and dies, it is in this place of disconnect, that we too, get weak and thirst for our Source.

4. God will be with you wherever you go

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:9

For we need not fear, because our strength is right here beside us, at all times. God commanded Joshua to be strong. This wasn’t a suggestion. And it’s not a suggestion for us, either. Just as God walked with Joshua leading the tribes across the Jordan river, so will He walk with us. By putting our confidence in Him, knowing that He is with us at all times, we can be strong and bravely traverse the rivers put on our path.

5. Be strong in the Lord

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. -Ephesians 6:10

Paul doesn’t say to be strong in the flesh. We weren’t made to walk in our own strength. We were made to walk in God’s. And we do this by putting on His armor everyday before entering into battle. In this way, we can stand firm in Him and in His Truth.

6. I can do all things through Him

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -Philippians 4:13

Even the hard things, we can do…through Him. They may not be easy, but through Him, they are possible because nothing is impossible with our God. Our God can do the unimaginable, and so can we-with His help.

7. God is the strength of my heart

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -Psalm 73:26

Our bodies are wasting away with each day that passes and our minds and hearts may fail us, but God never will. We can rest securely, knowing we have everything we need in Him. He is enough and always has been enough. We can put our faith and trust entirely in Him, holding onto His eternal promises. And holding onto the promise of eternity can give us that extra strength to keep going and finish the race strong.

8. A wise man is full of strength

A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, -Proverbs 24:5

The Bible says that Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and Proverbs 24:5 states that when we are wise, we are full of strength. Wisdom and knowledge give us power. And this knowledge and wisdom come from the Lord, as well as other other wise Christians. Part of walking in wisdom is knowing when and where to seek counsel and guidance. It is realizing we need the strength of God, and sometimes other mature Christians to help us.

9. Hoping in Him=renewed strength

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired. -Isaiah 40:31 (AMP)

According to Oxford Languages, the meaning of renew is: to give fresh life or strength to; (to) revive. God will strengthen our weary bones. He will revive us and breathe fresh life into us, but we must do our part by seeking Him with our whole hearts and placing our hope and trust in Him. It is then that we will run and not grow weary.

10. When I am weak, then I am strong

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:9-10

There is no shame in weakness and hardship, because it is in those places of weakness that He is glorified. In fact, we should rejoice in our weaknesses, because it is in those times of deep dependence upon Him that His power shines for all to see. When our flesh fails, when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, His power is made perfect. And as He is the One who upholds us, we realize that He is plenty.

Autumn Misty Mountains

On By Aimee PhillippiIn PhotographyLeave a comment

I recently introduced a new element to my blog: Majestic Marvel Monday. Since Mondays can often be one of the tougher days of the week and for many, it means back to the daily grind, what better way to put a smile on your face than to marvel at His majestic wonders! I absolutely love photography! It is both a creative outlet and passion that brings me joy. So, each Monday, I will post at least one photo of God’s majestic marvels I’ve captured. See and be in awe of His creations and beauty! And, as an added bonus, I get to share a little bit of Alaska with y’all.

Today’s photo, Autumn Misty Mountains, was taken in September of last year, just after we landed in Alaska. It was cold, but hadn’t quite hit freezing temperatures yet.

“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. -Job 37:14

My Quiet Time With God – Free Printables

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Free Printables2 Comments

Need help being consistent with counting your blessings and getting quiet with the Lord? Use one of “My Quiet Time with God” printables below. One of my goals this year was to teach our girls to spend time daily with God in order to begin growing their relationship with Him, so I have been creating “My Quiet Time With God” printables that will help them do just this. I’ve had so much fun making them that I decided to create a men’s version, women’s version, boy’s version, and girl’s version that the whole family can use. Just click on the links below to download and print each free pdf. Then, start each day in His presence by digging into His Word!

mens-my-quiet-time-with-godDownload
womens-my-quiet-time-with-godDownload
boys-my-quiet-time-with-godDownload
girls-my-quiet-time-with-godDownload

*These are for personal use only. Permission is not granted to sell the “My Quiet Time With God” printables.

Fuel Your Walk Friday

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Faith and Trusting God, Fuel Your Walk FridayLeave a comment

Fuel your walk with some Jesus and Joe.

I love Jesus and I love me an iced cuppa fresh cold brew halved with vanilla almond milk. What better way to combine the two and perk up the beginning of your weekend, than to “Fuel Your Walk” with some Jesus and Joe. Once a week, I will be posting a little snippet, thought, or question to ponder in relation to your walk with Christ. So grab your favorite mug, pour yourself a delicious cuppa Joe and get comfy as you let this question percolate in your mind:

Oswald Chambers said “Beware of harking back to what you once were, when God wants you to become something you’ve never been.”

Are you still looking back or are your eyes on Him and what He wants you to become?

My Hope Anchor

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Depression, Poetry5 Comments 
The dark cloud has touched down
Keeping my head up
Trying hard not to drown

Everything looks gray
The feeling of blah, 
smothering me each day

Needing some shining light,
The gloominess though,
hangs out night after night

Motivation lacking
and energy drained,
my outlook's been blackened

Color has washed away
Dullness sitting in,
despair I can't escape

Passion has disappeared
With joy long gone
depression's back, I fear

Thoughts, easily they spin
like a big vortex
don't want to get sucked in

So I'm hanging on tight
grabbing onto God
praying with all my might

He's my anchor of hope
and will lift the cloud
But not yet, so I cope

It may not happen soon
The weeks might drag on,
hopefully, not till June

Again, the sun will rise
In time, this will pass
and there will be blue skies

Smiles for another day
when the darkness leaves
and the cloud dissipates

Right now, nestling close,
in His wings I'll rest,
in the love that He shows

Copyright © 2021 Aimee Phillippi

Peek-a-boo Shine

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Photography2 Comments

I recently introduced a new element to my blog: Majestic Marvel Monday. Since Mondays can often be one of the tougher days of the week and for many, it means back to the daily grind, what better way to put a smile on your face than to marvel at His majestic wonders! I absolutely love photography! It is both a creative outlet and passion that brings me joy. So, each Monday, I will post at least one photo of God’s majestic marvels I’ve captured. See and be in awe of His creations and beauty! And, as an added bonus, I get to share a little bit of Alaska with y’all.

Today’s photo, Peek-a-boo Shine, was shot last week, in the woods behind our cabin in Alaska. The sun was beginning to go down and I caught it playing Peek-a-boo in the snow-covered trees.

“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. -Job 37:14

5 Things I’m Learning in a Season of Monotony

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Surrender and Acceptance2 Comments

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. -Ecclesiastes 5:18

The monotony of the days have been taking their toll lately and I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated and irritable. Like painting with those messy Crayola watercolor paints. One color runs into the next in the plastic, oblong case, and, in no time, there’s a muddied mess. This can happen when we don’t find satisfaction in the day to day work God has given us. The resentments build, anger and frustrations arise, covering up and muddying the beautiful fruits underneath that He’s trying to sprout in us. If we aren’t careful and paying attention, these can also conceal the many blessings He has given us. Just like the muddied watercolors, underneath each puddle are vivid colors, we just have to clear away the muddy mess to see them. God taught me five things recently about finding color in my life in a season of monotony:

1. See the good

While in Ecclesiastes, He spoke: find satisfaction in work. This doesn’t mean I’m supposed to turn work into an idol. What He meant by this was to find enjoyment in the work that I have been given during this season of life, rather than grumble my way through it. On my YouVersion Bible app, another translation stated find enjoyment in his toil and when I clicked on the word enjoyment, it further stated or make his soul see good. One way we can see good, is by counting our blessings daily. And, instead of seeing our daily tasks as just tasks, we can think about what good will come from accomplishing them, whether in the short-term or long-term. This brings us the second thing I learned about how to see good.

2. Start the day with “I get to”

On Instagram, Dr. Caroline Leaf posted about beginning each day with an “I get to” mentality, rather than “I have to”. I get to wake up and teach my girls at home, I get to wash dishes for my family, I get to prepare and cook for my husband and our daughters. Not everyone gets to do these. When we change our perspective and reframe our thoughts from “I have to”, to “I get to”, we can see the colors for what they are-bold and beautiful blessings that can wash away the dark and dreary.

3. Get creative and cultivate more joy

As far as enjoyment goes, when I asked God how to find satisfaction in my work, this popped into my mind: get creative. Creativity calms me and brings me joy. We can use our creativity by mixing up those mundane tasks and making them fun. How? Here are some ideas that occurred to me:

Tired of…

  1. Making dinner? Why not involve the family and have a dinner dance party. Grab a cooking utensil as your microphone, crank the tunes, and break out your best moves in between meal prep and cooking tasks. And if you live alone? Who says you can’t cut a rug to your favorite jams too?
  2. Homeschooling? Add some simple arts and crafts projects to your week or interrupt a day here or there with impromptu nature walks, scavenger hunts and photography challenges.
  3. Cleaning? Have at it with cleaning karaoke-80’s style. Choose your favorite hits and clean through two songs, karaoke through one, clean through two, karaoke through one and so on-or if the whole family is cleaning, the songs can be divided up and rotated through. If it’s not your song, clean. When your song comes on, belt out your number.
  4. Meal prep? Why not create some new meals? And if you aren’t super confident in the kitchen, start small. Alter recipes by adding new ingredients or experiment with new spices.

Yes, some of these may sound silly, but why not? Life is supposed to be enjoyed.

4. Embrace the mundane with a cheerful heart and glorify Him

Not only do I need to worship God in the wilderness, like He’s been showing me lately, but by embracing this season of monotony and doing the work He’s set before me with a cheerful heart, trusting Him with the season and tasks He’s given me, and doing it for Him, I’m glorifying Him in the process. This is a form of worship.

5. Be eager to work for the Lord

As I was reading in the Word tonight in Exodus, the words eager to help in the work the Lord had given stood out so I circled them. And on the next page, eager to get to work leapt off the page. He was telling me that I need to be eager to do the work He has given me. According to macmillandictionary.com, eager is defined as: very enthusiastic about doing something…So, in other words, I need to get intensely excited about working for the Lord. He chose this work for me and rather than just seeing these as dull repetitive duties to be completed, I need to see them as the Lord’s work and be be eager to do His work.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. -Colossians 3:23-24

Fuel Your Walk Friday

On By Aimee PhillippiIn Fuel Your Walk FridayLeave a comment

Fuel your walk with some Jesus and Joe.

I love Jesus and I love me an iced cuppa fresh cold brew halved with vanilla almond milk. What better way to combine the two and perk up the beginning of your weekend, than to “Fuel Your Walk” with some Jesus and Joe. Once a week, I will be posting a little snippet, thought, or question to ponder in relation to your walk with Christ. So grab your favorite mug, pour yourself a delicious cuppa Joe and get comfy as you let this question percolate in your mind:

Francis Chan said “We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.”

Are you just living life or are you being deliberate in your Christian walk?