As my eyes opened to a pleasing morning view of fluffy white clouds in a bright blue sky, I began to ponder my thoughts with the many things filling my head. As I presented them before the Lord with question and wonder, He tenderly breathed the word, ‘Oasis’ into my being; filling my soul with breathtaking peace, joy and love. Freshwater springs, palm trees with dates, a healing pool in the middle of the desert, a gentle voice that whispers our name, sheltering us from the storms of life… No matter where we are, no matter how far, no matter how dry or empty we may feel, God is calling us into a thanksgiving oasis, to enrich us with the gifts of strength, hope, cheer and comfort!

God created us out of His love and is forever faithful. The cross is a reminder of how much God loves us. How he wants us to rely, trust and come to Him with our all. We should never put God in a box, in other words, limit His personal and majestic intervention. After all, He is the creator of all things and we are His mosaics, every tiny piece of us counts. God’s Love is not a smorgasbord, to pick and choose the parts we like and want. We need to receive God entirely in all areas of our life. In big things or little things, and the things in-between. Happy times or sad times in healthy days or in sickness, we need to know His Word, trust in Him and follow His way.

A friend once shared with me what his friend shared with him, “It’s impossible to be perfect, in an imperfect world.” This is true, but still, it is important for us to think about what’s important to us each day and to do our best in reaching that goal. Whether it’s tending to the home, family, friends, job, ourselves, writing a blog, etc. we all have purpose and responsibility. Here’s a sweet reminder from, Fulton J. Sheen “God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us.”

The psalmist said in Psalm 63:1-4: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your Name I will lift up my hands.”

A priest once said, “I fell asleep and had a dream that life was a joy. When I woke up, I saw the reality that life was a servanthood, and in serving, I realized that the joy of life was in serving others.”

A teacher is not so much responsible for what our students know, but more so for the seeds we plant to help them grow.

Father in the Name of Jesus, by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, be with us, direct our path, fill us with the riches of Your grace, transform our mind with a healthy balance that is good for our body and soul. Guide us with Your gracious love, that we may press forward to being all that You created us to be. In Your Holy Name we pray… Amen

Sweet blessings always,

Deanna Danielle

Deannadanielle.com