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Listen while you read: "For Thy Mercy And Thy Grace"1 (Lyrics) |
As a teenager I gave my life to Christ, not fully understanding what it meant, but I wanted to take a stand for something very important that I believed in, so I took that step.
What followed were twists and turns to my mostly un-Christian walk. I tried to hold things together and do what is right. There was a period in my life when I really struggled. A personal relationship was completely fractured, my grade-three child was struggling in school, and my mom was dying with pancreatic cancer. I couldn't fix these things, and I was weary, burdened, and burnt out. I remember getting on my knees next to my bed and praying one night, "I don't even know what to believe, or how much of this is true, but You said, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'" (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
My prayer had only the tiniest amount of faith in it — really, I didn't think that anything would change. The next morning, however, a weight had been lifted, a calm assurance had come over me, and I started a deeper relationship with Christ.
Skip forward now, 20-plus years, to a new set of issues that include retirement, aging, and health. My spiritual life once again began to flounder — I was feeling drained. I heard about an Alpha course, which I took, and, once again, God blew me away, this time with the Holy Spirit freshly indwelling my life in power. I had not realized how much I had relied on myself to do what is right under my own steam — unsuccessfully.
Do you hear that still small voice nudging you to take a step closer to Him? We are about to start a new year — many of us look forward with hope that things will get better. We can fill our busy lives to overflowing with good things, but when we try to do life under our own steam, we are left feeling drained. Have you experienced the inner peace that He promised, made possible through the Holy Spirit?
Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
2 Timothy 1:14 – Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (NIV)
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Son, Who came that we might have eternal life and have it to the fullest. Thank You for forgiving our sin and for giving us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Counsellor Who can breathe new life into us. Open our eyes, Lord, and give us the strength to do Your will. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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daughter: "Update May 12, 2025: Please keep praying for my daughter. She needs the Lord in her life*** April..." 
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Your message was just what I needed. Thanks.
Thanks for the good word, Clara. Happy New Year.
This devotion is excellent!!
Have a good day!!
New Years message –
God was, is and always will be our comfort and strength.
Hey fellow Winnipegger and Manitoban!! Nice message today and thank you for it. What is an Alpha course? Thanks.
Thank you, Clara, for this very personal testimony that I’m sure related to many of our lives. And welcome to Presbycan!
Thanks for your New Year’s Eve encouragement.
Blessings and Peace and Wisdom in the New Year,
(ON)
Thank you, Clara, for a wonderful devotional to prepare us for the start of a new year. Keep writing!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Well said, Clara….good reminder for all of us who often need a boost in our religious lives.
(Texas)
Your devotion really spoke to me today! I am facing things that I can’t do by myself and needed to hear your message. Hoping for better days in 2024. Happy New Year to you and yours! Hope to see more of your devotions in the coming year as well. Blessings.
Dear Clara,
Thank you for sharing your message with us today. Jesus Christ our Saviour is never far from us. When we call on him, He is right there beside us.
Blessings in 2024!
Thank you, Clara, for this devotional reflecting on how the Lord has cared for you through various situations in your life. Yes, it is wonderful the joy and happiness that we receive from our loving Lord when we seek Him and follow His ways. Blessings for your positive and encouraging writing and an extra special New Year ahead.
Clara, thank you for your words that resonate with me as I also share similar concerns of old age and find myself thinking more and more about the end of earthly life and the eternal life ahead. That Holy Spirit Deposit is the evidence of the LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What an assurance for our new year. Happy New Year in Christ’s love!
Happy New Year Clara
Thank you for this encouraging reminder we cannot do things on our own. We have a loving Father and the Holy Ghost to help us. The peace that only He can give us is amazing!
Have a blessed day.
First thing I did this morning was to read your most excellent, from the heart devotional. I have been blessed.
Love your honesty. I think we all can relate.
Thank you.
God bless you and yours
(Ont)
What a strong witness to the changed life when God is in control! Thanks Clara, for sharing these amazing growths points in your life. I once saw a button on a lapel with PBPGIFWMY
“Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet!”
Keep it up in 2024!
(BC)
Thank you for your testimony and the sharing of those key verses. Yesterday a friend reminded me of Proverbs 3: 5-6 and how we need to claim it. We are both in our 90’s and making a move from our home of over 30 years to a two-bedroom apartment in a Retirement Village. Our children have helped us tremendously, and we will be moving this month. Pray that we may rely and trust on the Lord.
Good morning and thank you for your devotion, Clara,
My journey mirrors yours in so many ways.
Thank you for the New Years reminder of some of those transitional times along my faith journey.
May the Lord’s richest blessings rest upon you throughout 2024.
Dear Clara,
Thank you for sharing from your walk with the Lord. The struggle – the war of the flesh against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, that Paul writes about – I identify with what you are saying. And I join you in thanking God for His faithfulness. Your prayer – Jesus’ call and promise – is such a good image as I think of it: a yoke is for working (and usually, who wants to work?), but Jesus is saying that He will walk with us (and help us through the “work”/ trials of life), if we’ll just walk with Him. In fact, when we stumble, He is still there, yoked with us. How faithful and good He is!
I pray for peace and joy today and in the new year, as your walk with Him continues in the presence of His Spirit.
Blessings,
(BC)
Good morning, Clara,
Your devotional is so encouraging and inviting to all. There are times in all our lives when we struggle and try to do it on our own. We all need this reminder. I remember about 10 years ago when I was talking to my mother-in-law who was about 87 at the time and she mentioned she had washed some walls. I said how did you do that. She said she asked God for help as she always does. I have no idea why she wanted to wash walls – no kids putting fingerprints on them or drawing with crayons, but she did. I visited her last week, and she is now 97. I said I marvel had how she still does all she does. Once again, she told me that she asks God for help each and every day and that is how she does it. Her and her hubby raised 9 children and made it look easy. I wish I had that strong of faith. At 75 sometimes I still struggle with believing I can do it on my own before I ask God for help when He shows me that I can’t. Hopefully, I soon will always take your good advice.
Thanks for sharing some of your faith journey and wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. To God be the glory! Blessings.
Dear Clara, I was amazed how your journey paralleled mine. As a teen, because of hardships, I felt close to God, Jesus, (to me They are the same). And then, life happened, and the up and down journey followed. Only during the toughest times did I feel drawn back closer to God. As I look back, I have come to realize that through the challenges God tries to nudge, steer us back onto the right path that leads closer to Him. God bless.
A powerful message. Thank you.