As we begin a new year, I’m bringing you two messages from God for this email community—one is about your boat, and the other, about Jesus’ prayer for you.
And then I want to share something happy that’s been on my mind all week that you can enjoy, too!
When It’s Time to Move On
One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” (That’s from Luke 8:22.)
You’ve likely heard about Jesus going to sleep in the boat, and the fierce storm, and how the disciples and Jesus responded to that event.
You’ve probably also heard what happened immediately when they arrived at the opposite side of the lake from Galilee, at the region of the Gerasenes. A man possessed by many demons came to meet Jesus as he got out of the boat. Jesus delivered the man from his torment, and then a herd of possessed pigs ran over a cliff, and then the people who lived there begged Jesus to leave—which he did.
If the boat had been in a parking garage, I wonder if Jesus would have paid for just 1 hour’s parking.
Jesus once explained that he did only what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19-20; John 12:49). Therefore, going across the lake to deliver one man from demonic oppression was what God was doing. And then coming right back across the lake to heal Jairus’ dying daughter and the bleeding woman—which is what happened next, just as Jesus arrived—was what God was doing.
When you are doing what you see the Father doing, sometimes your boat is needed sooner than anyone might have thought.
What Jesus Prayed for You
John recorded a prayer (in John 17:20-26) that Jesus prayed for all who would ever believe in him. If you believe in Jesus, then he prayed this prayer for you.
In it, Jesus expressed his deep desires for us, and the reasons behind those desires. He declared truth over us. He blessed us with specific spiritual treasures, and he made breathtaking promises to us.
Today is a good day to meditate on this prayer of Jesus, in order to align ourselves with his priorities for us, and to value the gifts and promises he gave that will allow us to live according to his kingdom agenda.
Read Jesus’ Prayer for All Believers (at BibleGateway.com)
Parting Words
This week on the calendar is a big deal in the fictional world of the Valley of Artisans (where my new Christian fiction series takes place). Which isn’t frivolous at all, when you know that every good thing from God that my fictional characters celebrate is available to us in the real world, as well.
In my new book Open for Miracles, we learn on a Monday that Heaven has broken through to Earth with a much-needed miracle, and by Friday of that same week, everything has been turned upside-down in the best way—for many people.
In A Winter Wedding in the Valley of Artisans, we get to spend New Year’s Day celebrating God’s far-reaching goodness to many people in the Valley—and some beyond its borders.
I think those particular Valley of Artisans stories have been at the forefront of my mind this week because I’m still celebrating with gratitude so many amazing things I’ve seen God do in the past year—including more miracle healings.
If you haven’t read the new Valley of Artisans series yet, this weekend is a great time to check it out. The links are below.
I’d love to hear what these stories are doing in your life. You can hit reply to send me an email.
To your freedom, health, and wholeness,
AmyLu
Inspiring Christian Fiction by AmyLu Riley
Remembering: Valley of Artisans – Book 1
Open for Miracles: Valley of Artisans – Book 2
A Winter Wedding in the Valley of Artisans: Valley of Artisans – Book 3
Ordinary Miracles: Valley of Artisans – Book 4
Recent Christian Non-Fiction by AmyLu Riley
All content copyright 2022 by AmyLu Riley.