And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:28,29

Grace in Jesus the Christ brings a freedom and a joy that is contagious through our journey. Grace does not just forgive and save us from our sins, it saves us from ourselves. If salvation in Jesus the Christ means anything, it must work where sin begins, not merely where it ends. It changes us at our very foundation so that we are no longer suspicious, hateful, jealous, stingy or moody. God's grace does not just deal with a record book, it refreshed, renews and gives freedom to the foundation of our character. On this new day may you feel the freedom of grace in every detail of your journey. May you notice the joy in your tone of voice and the expression of your face. May your hope and encouragement cause you to delight in the freedom of being conformed to the character of Christ. Go ahead, enjoy!

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2,3 NLT

We are not expected to count pain and sorrow as good things in themselves and therefore the source of joy. These disappointments and sorrows that come into our life are opportunities for our development in our life of grace and faith. We are to rejoice not because troubles come, but because of their possible benefits. George Muller of Bristol put it this way - "When trials come, we should say - My heavenly Father puts this cup of trial into my hands, that I may have something sweet afterwards." We are told that when a grain of sand presents itself into the oyster, the irritation that is caused is stopped by encrusting it with a pearly formation. A true pearl is therefore simply a victory over irritations. On this new day may you cover all the details of your life with that which has no irritation, the grace of God that is in Jesus the Christ. Your attitude, your thoughts and your emotions will be overwhelmed with delight and those around you will see the beauty of grace through you. Enjoy!

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let all that I am praise the LORD. Psalm 104:33-35 NLT

Something happens to us when the Lord is not just a thought or some kind of belief system. When his grace touches our lives we begin a relational journey with him that impacts our goals, our desires, our thinking and our emotions. His grace brings our soul to life just as yeast would impact dough. Once the yeast has been put into the dough, the dough will never be the same. So is the grace that is given in and through Jesus the Christ. Grace begins the journey of enjoying the Lord and its by-products impact our family. Grace changes our focus and gives us the freedom of giving encouragement, blessings and praise. In this place there is no irritations. On this new day may you allow his grace to express his life through your actions, your words, your goals and your money. Your enjoyment of the Lord will bring praise and rejoicing to him and be of a great delight to you and those who know you best. So go ahead and express yourself in the fragrance of his grace. Enjoy!

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

How much do we miss in our journey of life because our eyes are held down by discouragement, doubt, boredom or just plain unbelief. Faith is sure, hopeful and certain as to what God has said and promised. Grace that is in Jesus the Christ is renewing in our emotions and thinking so that our faith is confident that our Lord is in the details of our life. On this new day that has never been before nor will come again, may you find joy in seeking him, instead of seeking what he can do. There is no one like the Lord and his presence changes everything. Relax, enjoy and praise him on this new day for he has a plan and a future for you that will blow your hair back.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder.  Write them deep within your heart.  Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.  Proverbs 3:3-4

Being overwhelmed by grace allows us a great freedom of thinking, living and esteeming others as more important than ourselves.  Loyalty and kindness are two beautiful parts of grace and when they are allowed to live in and to be expressed through our lives our Lord is blessed and people are refreshed.  That being true, we then are filled with joy and goodness.  On this new day that has never been before, may you enjoy these expressions of his grace in you.  May your journey have situations for loyalty and kindness to be expressed through you.  Relax, smile and get ready to be blessed. Enjoy!

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

There is something outstanding about relationships that are truly joyful and filled with compassion. In moments like these we are overwhelmed with gladness and find our world a little bit better no matter where we are. Well, the grace of God that is given in Jesus the Christ is like that. Grace changes everything from just thoughts or beliefs into a real enjoyable relationship with our Lord that is just outstanding. Freshness, goodness and joy are always around when grace is welcomed into our lives. On this new day may you enjoy the results of a relationship with our Lord that is filled with his grace. Although you cannot even imagine what he is preparing for you, may you sense his grace in your life that is worry free and always ready to give you encouragement and kindness. Being overwhelmed by his grace sets your heart free to enjoy blessing and being encouragement to those around you. All things are new today and you have been given the freedom to smile, relax and celebrate his love and grace in you. Those you meet today will be refreshed and blessed by your attitude and presence. Enjoy!

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:8,9

The beauty of the life that is given to us in Jesus the Christ is a freedom to rejoice and relax in the midst of our journey. The power of his grace is that we will be in his presence someday and in that place we will be blameless because of Christ. This being true, for God cannot lie, lets us encourage instead of being irritated. Bless instead of cursing, trust instead of being suspicious. The joy of knowing we will be blameless, is that he keeps us strong in and through the storms of life. Grace is always refreshing and therefore allows a positive perspective which can be seen as joy. On this new day may you experience the strength of his grace. May your old habits that do not take you where you hoped to go, be lost in the life of his grace. The habit of grace in your life will bring a delightful attitude, a refreshing emotion and wonderful thoughts about God, you and those around you. Today, may those who come in contact with you sense the fragrance of Grace. Enjoy!

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Lamentations 3:24,25

What a wonderful journey life is, even with all its highs and lows. The awe of falling in love and finding that someone else loves you as much as you love them. Wow, what a refreshing time that is, and as wonderful as that is, it gets even better with age. When the Lord becomes a reality to us in the journey of life instead of some kind of belief or religious system, his grace begins to overwhelm us. Let us remember that his grace is his love expressed and given without condemnation and with his grace in our lives we now have the freedom to enjoy expressing and giving love to others the same way that he has done for us. With grace we find the joy of giving more than receiving and now our thinking and emotions can really enjoy our journey. On this new day may you enjoy the Lord as your portion, knowing how much he loves you. May all who meet you see and hear your hope and joy in him and may his grace allow your life to overflow with gladness. His grace will do things through your life and speech that will blow your hair back and it will feel like you have lost weight. Enjoy the freedom of the Lord and give his grace to everyone, it will put a smile on your face and all those around you. I told you love gets better with age. Enjoy!

Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean Hebrews 10:22

Sometimes along our journey we feel or have some kind of sense that God is not interested in the details of our lives. That feeling or sense is real, but it is not telling us the truth. Here again we have in God's Word a wonderful picture of his grace working in and through our lives. We are invited to come into his presence with our full emotions and intellect, allowing the faith and grace he has given to express itself before him. And here again we are reminded that we now have no condemnation, guilt or shame because of the blood of Christ. So on this new day, may you enjoy your journey of grace and go right into his presence with the details of your life. He desires your good and your refreshment is his delight. So smile, relax and let your heart give thanks to the Lord for his joy in you.

He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. Proverbs 15:31

Our natural nature that we are born with does not like being told what to do and if left on its own has a very difficult time listening to correction for it feels like criticism. Grace, however, gives us a different ability to hear, see and understand. When living overwhelmed by grace we do not hear a rebuke as criticism, but as a good voice to help and encourage us along our journey. This being true, we actually feel refreshed, encouraged, loved and valued. On this new day, may you enjoy the journey of God's grace that gives you the freedom to receive input from others and allows you to walk and live among the wise. Your home, work and community will never be the same and you will see your world with new eyes. Your day will be a delight. Enjoy!