Zody's

It was a warm, Late August afternoon in sunny California. The year was 1974 and I was in the 7^th grade.  This time period is very vivid for me. Maybe it is because of where we went that day, or because of the excitement of being a 7^th grader, I remember it well!

On this day my mother said the most exciting news, "We are going to Zody’s!”  This made my heart skip a beat! My mind began to race as I started categorizing my shopping list. After all, school was starting in a few weeks and I was in Junior High.  Zody’s was the local, economical, department store. The precursor to Target or Walmart.

We walked into the store and there before my eyes was the most beautiful sweater that I had ever seen!  A brown and orange striped sweater beckoned me to it. I knew instantly that this was on the must have list! After trying it on and lovingly admiring myself in the mirror, I showed it to my mom.

“This is kinda expensive, how about this one instead?”, my heart sank as she made the suggestion that my perfect sweater might not be going home with me! Could she not see the incredible value and beauty of it? This purchase meant that I would be cool, pretty, skinny and popular if I could just get it out of the store and wear it to school! 

Seeing the devastated look on my face, my mother made a final proposal that I look around the store and if I really wanted the sweater, I would have to reduce my amount of back to school clothing. Ouch! This was going to be difficult, but the longer the sweater was hanging on my arm, and close to me I knew that it had to be mine!

Honestly, I have no idea what else was bought that day! All I know is that the sweater and I went home together and we had some great times in 1974!

Have you ever longed for that perfect purchase? The one that would make all of your dreams come true?

Perhaps for you it is:

Clothing

Furniture

Car

Home

Jewelry

Unfortunately these things don’t satisfy for long. We can end up wishing we never spent that money or craving for even more!

The most import transaction that we can make in our lives actually requires no money, but all that we have!

The good news is that this transaction is more precious than silver and more costly than Gold. Psalm 119:72 

It will not tarnish, it is renewed every morning! Lamentations 3:23

It is God’s Grace! Romans 3:23-26

Do you know it? Have you received it?

This grace is better than any purchase, any transaction and is guaranteed for eternity!

Thank you Father, that your grace is better than any purchase! Thank you that you give it freely to everyone who calls on your name and declares Jesus Christ as Lord. I am humbled by your love for us! 
Jann

My Father

From christdaily.tumblr.com

AMEN!

May you be blessed with this knowledge today!

Jann

What are you hoping for?

Leaning up against a gas station wall stood a disheveled man, shivering from the cold. In Grand Rapids there are many homeless people and it is quite possible that he also fell into this category. 


In one hand he held his gloves and in the other he grasped a lottery ticket that he was furiously working on. Hoping it would be a winner. 

I wondered what else he was hoping for? Why would he spend the money that he begged for on such a slim chance? The odds of winning the lottery usually have odds 18 million to 1 and some have odds as high as 120 million to 1. 

With those odds it will take a lot more than hope to win the lottery!

Where is your hope? Is it put in something or someone that you can trust? You can put your hope in God! 

He is trustworthy. 

His word is trustworthy

The law of the LORD is perfect, 

refreshing the soul. 

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, 

making wise the simple. 

Psalm 19:7

He is trustworthy

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13

No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. Psalm 25:3

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

He is the definition of hope-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. Romans 15:13

Father, you are trustworthy and I put my hope in you and you alone! Jann

Memories of Jesus

I saw something this week that brought back a flood of memories! A picture that was created for Crossroad Youth ministry took me back, way back to 1976!

From 1976-1980 while I was in High school, this greeted me each time I entered into the building. It holds a deep, deep place in my heart! I have incredible memories! Memories of hundreds of high school students declaring their love for Jesus and encouraging others to do so also!  I remember the first night that I came into this room and by the end of the evening I was a part of God's family! I remember silly dramas, deep conversations, convicting messages and learning what it means to fall, deeply, madly, whole heartily, un-embarrassingly in love with Jesus! I remember the evenings of competitions, team chants and cheers. I remember all of it! 


This picture is how I envision Jesus. I know that it may completely false, but it is a part of me. Actually I attribute more feeling to this picture than what is portrayed. 


The Jesus I know is kind and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and grace.  He is the one who has saved me from my sins and from myself.  He has changed me and remade me! He is everything to me!


This picture represents the beginning of a life spent with the savior! Thank you Lord that on that warm summer day in 1976 you asked me to come and be a part of your family! Thank you! Jann

Combative Cover ups

I am so fortunate! My mother loves to iron and every week she comes to my house and irons. meticulously creating creases on my husbands shirts and proudly lining up her completed masterpieces, she is am ironing wonder! I am so blessed by her love of ironing!

This week, upon returning home from school, I walked into an interesting sight. On the kitchen floor was a bright blue sheet wadded up against the dishwasher. My mother declared that the dishwasher was spitting out water! 

A couple things ran through my mind.

• I had turned the dishwasher on before I left in the morning.
• Did she use dish soap in the dishwasher?

Mom, What soap did you use? I carefully questioned. I knew the answer before she even came over to the kitchen sink. As she picked up the bottle I could see why it had been confusing to her. My husband, who loves a good deal had bought the econo size container of liquid dish soap. 


This indeed was the culprit! I explained to her that we use  little square dishwasher tablets and not the liquid. 

Embarrassed, my mother reverted to what I like to call combative cover ups. "Well, you should put them on different sides of the cabinet!", she barked at me. I hate to tell you, but it gave me so much pleasure to open up the other side of the cabinet and reveal the dishwasher tablets!  If that wasn't enough I also sarcastically said, "like this?"

Why did I need to do this?  I really was just wanting to show her that we had the dishwasher soap and that she should use those in the future if she wanted to run the dishwasher, but in a blink of an eye, I had become combatively sarcastic! 

Why combative? I have the disease known as I am right! At least I think I am or I am going to make you believe I am!  I am sure I inherited it from my mother! This disease gets in the way all the time! It causes me to say and do things that I would never believe that I was capable of!  Do you know of this disease?  Has it found it's way into your heart?


James 3:6 says that our tongue can set the course of our whole world on fire. (ouch) 

I am a work in progress and so is my mother.  My tongue has gotten me into a lot of trouble over the years. For this reason, James 3:1-12 is important to me.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:1-10

Thank you Lord for teaching me through dish soap! May I reflect whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—may I think about such things. Jann

The Descendants

I went to see the movie The Descendants this week. I love George Clooney and had heard the buzz about how good the performances were. I did not know anything about the plot, characters or setting. All I knew about this film was that my friend George ( I have a slight crush) was in it.

Sometimes I invent a scenario about a movie before I see it.  In this case I predicted that the movie was going to be about family relationships through out the generations, hence the name The Descendants.

The movie was not what I expected although many reviewers raved about it.  Rotten Tomotoes said, "Funny, moving, and beautifully acted, The Descendants captures the unpredictable messiness of life with eloquence and uncommon grace."

Matt King (Clooney's character) must deal with a comatose wife, an angry teenage daughter and a young daughter who doesn't understand what is going on. He must wrestle with the reality that he hasn't passed anything on to his daughters, and is now in need of a relationship with them.

Mix the drama with a lot of cussing, the beautiful backdrop of Hawaii and the movie, The Descendants unfolds. In my opinion there were some good scenes but not as many as one would expect for such a highly touted film.

My favorite actor in the film was Patricia Hastie who played the comatose wife. Each time she was in the scene I was drawn to her contorted body and her solemn face. Gazing at her hands turned inward and her sallow, pale skin I was reminded me of a dear friend Vicky who is now with Jesus. I wonder what she would say was the most important thing she passed down to her children?

I love that God 

Calls us his Children 

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1

Gives us a Rich Inheritance.

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:14

Gives us something Valuable to pass on to our Descendants

Proverbs 3:1-35

Deuteronomy 4:9

Deuteronomy 11:18-21

No matter if your kids are grown, or still at home you can pass on a rich inheritance to them.  

What do you want to pass on to your families?


Father, show me what to share with my girls. Direct me as I strive to honor you and build into them the truth of your love and your word. 

River otters chasing a butterfly!

Watch this video of River otters chasing after a butterfly.

It reminds me that joy can be found in simple things. When you know the one who created all things you can have joy.

Joy can be found in

A smile

a bike ride

Time in prayer

Extra time to sleep

Looking at the sunset

God's word shared with you

The bible verse that hits home

A book, blanket and a fireplace

Snuggling with your kids
The perfect cup of coffee

Long conversations
A loving embrace
Yummy desserts
Dark chocolate

When you see God in the midst of 
these and other events of your day there is Joy! 

Seek Him! Look for Him today!

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Jeremiah 29:13

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 

Psalm 16:11


Show me your joy today!  

Flower Pins

What can be done with old clothes? Women's pants, skirts, blouses, sashes and scarves, bridesmaid, prom dresses, Men's shirts and suits, and even curtains? 

Flower pins of course!

These pins were all made from old, ready to be given away clothing. 

How did we do it? One word Pinterest! This online gathering of everything crafty has tutorials for step to step directions.

I am so amazed at how many new things I can create using recycled clothing. 

Taking something old and making it into beautiful new article of clothing reminds me that God has done, and is doing this to me.

“Behold, I am making all things new" Revelation 21:5

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

No matter what the past has held for you. No matter what you have experienced or done. Today you can be made new!

This is truly the Good News of Jesus! 

He can take the worst of us, clean us up, and make us new!

Even if you have tried before

feel worn out

are embarrassed

feel unworthy

are ashamed

feel discouraged, depleted, despairing

He is able to make all things new!

Father, often I forget that you have this redeeming desire for us. You want us to be made new in the likeness of your Son. 
Thank you for this opportunity of newness! 

Unaware

How often am I unaware of what is happening around me? 
This question came up as I was having dessert with some friends.

On a snowy night as we sat together at a restaurant eating pie, chocolate sundaes and anything else rich and gooey a question was asked of my friend, "Are you from England?" Puzzled, we all looked at her and wondered why this was asked. My friend giggled and politely responded "no, but why do you ask?" The woman went on to explain that she noticed my friend using a fork and knife to gather together and eat her cheesecake and it reminded her of the way the English eat.

Here's the funny thing. Only when she is eating does she use her left hand. Even more humorous was the fact that her husband of over 20 years had never noticed that she did this! 

How often do we do this with God? We miss the everyday occurrences that point us to our creator. 

We can fail to see
His hand 
as 
He leads and guides us
 into His plan
 at 
His time 
and
 In His way.

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 
Psalm 15:11-13

Today, as you 
Eat and Drink
Work and Rest
Sit and Stand
Laugh and Cry

Remember to notice the one who notices you. 2 Timothy 2:19

Father, May I never miss your touch, your leading, your whisper. May I always see you in the joy and the pain, the laughter and the sorrow. Reveal yourself more and more to me. I want to see you more and more! 

Jann

Reflecting on Pizza

A simple lesson of making pizza in our first grade classrooms taught me an enormous lesson! Working together can be fun, frightening, faith renewing and filling.

Fun- watching 50 first graders roll pizza while they sing roll, roll, roll your dough almost made me fall over giggling!

Frightening- This was the maiden voyage of this lesson, I was nervous that it would even be successful! Helping these students spread the sauce without spilling it all over the carpet kept me on my toes. 

Faith Renewing- Watching all four groups of students and teachers be fully engaged in learning was why I became a teacher! My nervous thoughts were dissipated, the Pizzas turned out fabulous! Why had I ever been nervous?

Filling- Eating the Pizza was great, watching the students enjoy their educational experience and enjoying their work of art filled me up! Simple joy in the moment.

What I learned

God gives us experiences to help us grow and to understand Him better. These can be fun, frightening, faith renewing and filling. Sometimes this means that we must stop long enough to Reflect on what has happened.  A process that I often overlook.

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.Psalm 71:17

Take some time to Reflect over your week and answer these questions.

• Where did I see God at work?

• What caused fear or unbelief?

• How did this cause my faith to grow?

• I praise God for ______ because it taught me _________.

I would love to hear from you and how these questions have helped you Reflect!

Jann

Submit????

Submission is never easy!

Spunky is my dog on the left and Bailey is my daughter Jeni's dog on the right. This was their very first visit. 

We have had an interesting time getting these two familiar with each other.

 Dog's have a process they go through to show dominance and submission. Besides the normal sniffing each other in the most intimate places, there is a doggie dance that they do.

The more dominant animal must show their leadership. This is Spunky's house, she is older and bigger and feels the need to show Bailey that she is in charge.  This is accomplished by nudging Bailey and cornering her until Bailey flops over, all four paws in the air.  You can almost hear her say, 

"You win, I submit!" 

It happened again while rolling on the carpet and snuggling up against each other, Grrrrrrr- yelp then a mad dash away and straight under the bed. Bailey instead of finding comfort in playing was frightened by the harshness of Spunky. She retreated to the safest place she could find.

 One that Spunky couldn't reach. 

I also have a difficult time submitting. Give me a way out and I may to run, scurrying off to the safest place that I can find.

Maybe it is my rebellious nature?

Or the need to be in control?

Or because I want to be the top dog?

There are many scriptures referring to submission

Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. 

2 Chronicles 30:8

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Job 22:21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Hebrews 12:9

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Father, I have to admit I have an easier time submitting to you than I do to people. This is an area that I am working on little by little. Take this stronghold and make it yours. Help me to scurry to you. 

Jann

Hugo

Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. Internet Movie Database

During Christmas break we went to see this movie. 3D movies always intrigue me. Often I take off the glasses because I want to see what the movie looks like without them. It's blurry!

Hugo the twelve year old boy in the film is gifted at fixing clocks and machines. He soon discovers that people can be fixed too. 

My favorite quote from the movie is;

"If you don't have a purpose you are broken."

I was overwhelmed with this quote.  For those who know me, purpose is everything.  Often I ask, what is the purpose of this event, why are we doing it? Sometimes we can get lost in the midst of busyness, and the day to day routine. We can feel like we do not have a special purpose!

It is easy to feel broken, useless and worn out. 

I have Good News for You!

You and I have a purpose! 

We do Not have to live broken!

God will restore you!

God created each of us with a plan in mine. Jeremiah 29:11

He created us with gifts that must be utilized. I Peter 4:10

We are called to Reflect His glory and make His name Known. Isaiah 26:8

Father, May your purpose be fulfilled in our lives. Reveal it to us that we may walk in it.   Jann

Cirque de Noel

Sitting in the audience of the DeVos Performance Center we anxiously awaited the show to begin. The orchestra were finely tuning their instruments as the location filled with the buzzing sound of excited people. Behind us sat a family that included two very grey haired Grandparents, their young Grandchildren and their parents. A little girls voice could be heard asking, "When will it start, Where do the people fly in from?" 

Our seats were in the middle of all of the excitement! I sat in between my two daughters as my husband sat proudly on the end. (This was after all his idea!) the lights dimmed and the distinguished conductor walked onto the stage.

The orchestra masterfully performed Deck the Halls and then the magic began! An aerialist climbed up some fabric and began to perform high above WITHOUT a net! 

I could feel my heart racing as I watched with excitement, fear and wonder at this amazing woman! All night long we stared in awe at the performances that we witnessed. 

By far my favorite was the act the was done with what looked like a hula hoop that was suspended from the ceiling. Like a child playing on a swing she swayed back and forth showing us her incredible strength. What happened next took be by surprise! The woman was hanging from the ceiling by her feet in the hoop and she had NO net! Honestly it was difficult to catch my breath! I kept thinking, "What if she falls?"

I glanced at my daughters during each performance, there eyes were filled with wonder and their mouths wide open in shock as each act demonstrated unbelievable strength, flexibility, showmanship and "death defying acts". 

I had an interesting reaction to this show. "Why would these people purposefully do things that could result in their harm or death, without a net?"

Jesus wants to provide you with an amazing gift of peace, love and forgiveness. Why keep trying to do everything alone, unprotected and fearful?

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Hebrews 4:7

Every time we try to do life without Jesus, we are living without His net! He is our net! He is the one that provides access to the Father and to all things good.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Father, may each day be filled with your love, peace, and safety net! Help me to hear your voice and respond. Thank you for your protection and care. Jann

Russian Christmas

Russia, has been on my mind. I have never been there and frankly never really have thought much about the country or it's people. Recently my heart and mind has turned towards this vast land.


The Lord is doing something, I  just don't know what He is designing. As I have learned this year, I will "get up and go" and then I will find out my assignment.  No I am not going to Russia, yet!


 I am intrigued however. 

Here are a few Russian Christmas facts;

• Christmas was banned throughout Russia in 1917. 
• The winter holidays were celebrated as a New years holiday
• In 1992, Seventy-five years later, the holiday officially was given permission to be celebrated. 
• Christmas is celebrated around January 7

Recently a poll (Deutsche Welle) interviewed 1000 Russians regarding how they view Christmas.

• Over 80% celebrate Christmas
• One third see themselves as religious (They go to church on holidays)
• 3% say they are deeply religious
• 11% are atheist
• 6% are not religious but observe Christian traditions (weddings, baptisms)

People in Russia are very much like Americans! 

They are Religious- 

Religious

1.imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly: a religious man.
2.scrupulously faithful; conscientious: religious care.
3.pertaining to or connected with a monastic or religious order.
4.appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances.

This is where we all need to be reminded that being a Christian, a follower of Christ,  is about a relationship. 

We need a Relationship- 


Relationship


1.a connection, association, or involvement.
2.connection between persons by blood or marriage.

We have been given a gift from Jesus to have a relationship with Him. He gave us this gift by coming to us as a baby and leaving us as a servant, a shepherd, the one who has died so that we may live. 

This year may we offer Him more than a religious affiliation and give to him the relationship of our hearts and lives.

There are some exciting things happening for Jesus in Russia.

Pray for these ministries as they extend the love and grace of Jesus!


Moscow Good News Church  is making an impact and changing lives.


Russian Ministries Is living out the good news by coming alongside of people and sharing the love of Christ.

Father, thank you for giving us the gift of Jesus!  I pray for the people in Russia and here in the United States who know about someone called Jesus but do not have a relationship with Him. Make yourself known this Christmas! Empower your people to love and share with others.  Thank you for being so much more than a religion! Jann

Guest Blog-Lessons from Sydney

Lessons from Sydney #2

“I just love Zoe”.  Not the words you expect from a 6 year old that just had 2 legs broken by a dog.  Now, I knew it wasn’t the dogs fault.  As a matter of fact I was busy blaming myself for not stopping it.  Zoe was only acting like dogs do, and Sydney’s bones were so fragile from being non-weight bearing.  

But Sydney not only forgave her, but was proclaiming her LOVE for her.  Her next move was to call my nephew, the dog’s owner, because she didn’t want him to feel sad. 

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:13-14

God calls us not just to forgive each other, but to forgive as he forgave us.  

Without holding grudges

 Without blame, 

and as Sydney reminds us, 

to forgive and to love.

Kami 

You can read more about Sydney's story here.

Blame it on the Olibollen

"Do you know what we are having for dessert?", Kevin excitedly prodded us. Then he blurted out. Oliebollen! We all looked at him with a "huh" look on our face. "Doughnuts", he explained!

 Kevin and Tina eat mostly organic and doughnuts seem so out of character. Tina is very creative with her cooking and uses farm fresh ingredients. Her blog Return to the garden is full of exciting cooking techniques and healthy recipes.

Olibollen is a tradition in her family. Every on New Years Eve they are made. Oliebollen is the Dutch version of doughnuts and when translated means "oily balls".  

Oliebollen recipe

Gluten free doughnut recipe

I eagerly watched as she made the batter, a gluten free variation that also included chopped apples. As a pan of oil was heating up the kitchen began to smell of grease and my stomach began to turn.  I love fried foods, but they do not like me so much! 

Into the grease the batter was spooned and when browned these olibollen were placed on a towel and doused with powdered sugar. 

They were delicious!

I only had one because I was afraid of the deep fried effect. The men in the house ate at least 3 each!

As we played a game together the effects of these olibollen began to be seen. It was difficult for some of the men to concentrate, their minds were feeling the effect of the grease and sugar.  During the game when ever someone made a mistake or could not think clearly we began to say, "It's the oliebollen!"

What I learned

We must be careful about what enters our minds and our bodies. Oliebollen is fine in moderation but eat too much and you may feel differently.

We have so many choices in life. 

Mary and Martha had a choice.

Peter and the disciples had a choice

The woman at the well had a choice

We must choose wisely 

what we see

what we hear

what we say

what we do

 But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

Jann

The Fish Bowl game

Recently our small group gathered and played a game, Fish Bowl. 

These are the directions. 

1. Each person writes a sentence on a slip of paper. These are put in a bowl ("the fish bowl"). 

2.Players describe each sentence. They receive a point for each slip they get correctly. You cannot skip slips. 

3. A timer is set for 2 minutes, at the end, the teams switch. This continues until all the slips have been correctly guessed.

4. Next, the slips are put back in, but this time people can only act it out (not speaking). Timer is set for 1 minute

5. Finally, the sentences are put back in and the individual trying to give away what they are can only say one word. If they say anything (e.g. "shoot", "hmmmph", "ahhh") this counts as their word and they can't skip the slip or say anything else. Game Secretary

We had so much fun! At first no one thought that they would get the sentence but amazingly, all sentences were guessed. This was no easy feat! Here is a list of some of our sentences

It is raining in the fireplace.

Gabby is skipping down the yellow brick road.

The Detroit Lions are going to the playoffs.

Chocolate covered coffee beans make me happy!

Oh say can you see?

They lived happily ever after.

It is indeed a beautiful day outside.

Snow fell on Christmas.

I noticed that as each round went by it was easier to guess the sentence because we were more acquainted with it, the sentence was familiar to us. By the third round where only one word was given as a clue, our minds quickly raced to the sentences and we were able to complete it. Even when someone said "umm", the team started rattling off the sentences and we were able to get the correct answer.

What I Learned

The more that we spend time with God getting to know Him and His word, the more we will be able understand

His ways,

His leading,

His promptings.

We will not be surprised,

Rather because we are so acquainted with Him,

Familiar of His ways,

We will be able to follow Him more fully.

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 

Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount 

all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes 

as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts 

and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; 

I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:10-16

My Prayer Lord is this;

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; 

give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 

Psalm 86:11-12