Shauna Millar, Author at Paxx Enterprises

Show a kindness

by Shauna Millar | Jul 14, 2017 | encouragement, Fruits of the spirit

How often are we given the opportunity to show a kindness and we let it pass by? Sometimes it is the simplest of things, offering a smile to someone. Yesterday, a man on the street was asking for change; I have change, so I gave it to him at the light. His response, “God bless you”. This stood out to me simply because most of the time the people who are asking for money on the streets don’t really give this type of response when you give something to them. Yet, this gentleman who was asking for so little was also grateful enough to offer a blessing back.

What we put out returns to us. Some people will call this ‘karma’; yet the bible shows us time and time again how when kindnesses were given, they were returned as well.

2 Samuel 2:6 And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing

David had just been anointed king, and his predecessor Saul had been buried by men of Jabesh-Gilead. They didn’t have to bury Saul. We know this simply because David says they showed a kindness by doing it. Then, David does two things; he asks that the Lord show them kindness as well as saying that he will ‘repay’ the kindness that was done.

Doing this one thing, showing a random act of kindness, they were going to receive double in return. What do we learn from this? When you give you receive.

Kindness is one of the fruits of the spirit yet it is often found lacking. It is easy to simply to pass over an opportunity we are given by saying or thinking “someone else will show it” or “someone else will do it”. Remember, what you give you receive. If you want to receive kindness, you need to give it.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Today, as you go through your daily activities and the opportunity arises, take a moment to show kindness. It costs nothing yet gets returns.

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Lord,

We thank you that you constantly show us kindness and mercy in our lives. Teach us to pass this attribute along to others. To allow us to be an example of your light through not only our words but our deeds. Our actions.

We thank you for all that you have given us each and every day. We thank you for helping us to grow and become more like you. Lead us along the path your would have us to go. Help us to stop skipping over the opportunities to show your love to others as we grow in your grace.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Eye of the Storm

by Shauna Millar | Jul 7, 2017 | General, Lord Hear Our Prayer

God is doing a new work in you! He is renewing your spirit. Refreshing your mind. He is giving you joy where there once was sorrow. He is preparing a place just for you!

Be encouraged! Know that the storm you are going through is only temporary. You will find yourself in its eye, filled with silence and quiet, a time for you to refresh and renew before being swept away again. Fear not! For He is with you! What He has planned for you is joy, peace, prosperity and love. What you receive, make sure you give it away to others. So their lives can be filled with His blessing and His presence. Don’t be afraid to walk through the valley. He is with you!

Whether you find yourself on top of the mountain or in the depths of the valley. Rejoice! Praise! Pray! Talk to your Father, for He truly cares for you. He wants the best for you. It is in the storms we learn to lean, trust and rely on Him. We become stronger in Him. He takes our weakness and exchanges it. We seek Him and learn His voice in that quietness that is the eye of the storm.

Prayer

Father,

We know that you love us. We know that you keep us sheltered. Yet, sometimes we forget when we are in the midst of trials and tribulations. Help to remind us in each moment that you are surrounding us with your love. That you are taking care of us and loving us. Help us to remember that when the storm rages, you calm the tide, you give us rest when we are weary.

Remind us that it is okay to give you our burdens. Not only is it okay, but you want us to. Remind us that we don’t have to travel these paths carrying things that we can place in your care. That you want to relieve us and teach us to trust you in each and every situation.

We thank you for your love and your mercy each and every day.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

For you I am praying

by Shauna Millar | Jul 5, 2017 | Lord Hear Our Prayer

My own struggles are often at the forefront of my mind: the challenges I am going to be facing and the journey that I am on. Yet, when I went to pray this morning, my thoughts were for you.

For the one who comes across this blog post, I want you to know. I am praying for you.

I don’t know your name or your situation. I don’t know where you are or where you are going. I do know that I am praying for you. I am praying that you will allow God to direct your path and your journey. That you will know His love and His light. That you will know you are surrounded by His angels as they keep watch over your each and every step.

Know that God is there to give you strength, to lean on, to help you through until you reach the other side. He cares for you, even when you don’t care for yourself. Even when you curse His name for the wrongs you find in the world. He is there. He is there waiting. Offering you hope and peace. He is there to comfort you if you will allow Him.

Even if you don’t want Him in your life; for whatever reason, know this one thing: that someone somewhere cares enough to pray for you as you read this. That God has placed it on the heart of a complete and total stranger to pray for your well-being and that you will know His love.

Our journeys are never easy. We look at the things that are happening in the world and we blame God. We don’t place the blame where it belongs; we don’t remember that He has given man free-will and power over the earth. That is it our choices that bring about so many of the things that are happening. The choices made in the garden of Eden brought about the fall of man – and our choices since then that continue to perpetuate so much of what is wrong with the world. However, we don’t need to place blame at all. We need to learn to trust God and know that He is with us; the He is suffering with us, that by allowing Him to be a part of all we do, we are stronger. We are in a better place in our hearts and our lives allowing us to give to others.

So know this, I am praying for you.

Steve Halama

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Back to Basics

by Shauna Millar | Jun 26, 2017 | encouragement

Isaiah 40:28

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.

Tom van Hoogstraten

Is this your season of renewal? Have you been worn down by the weight of the world? Are you struggling to make sense of things that are going on in today’s society? I admit to being puzzled by all these ‘movements’ that insist they are seeking change in order to help make the world a better place. Often you find people united under one banner – yet they are all pulling in all different directions. Going nowhere fast. It is confusing to me how people will talk about creating something better and yet often, they are not willing to allow for spiritual purpose in their lives.

Christianity is often used as a negative instead of a positive. We find ourselves at the end of the blame stick. We know that we fight against spiritual principalities and powers, that the battle isn’t in the flesh, yet sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, does it? When you are faced with harsh confrontations and there are people who use the label of Christianity to promote some unseen agenda that does not show any of the attributes of the fruits of the Spirit, it can be difficult.

I want to encourage you to remember that we are called to show His love through our actions, words, and deeds. We need to remember to be productive in the way we treat, not only other believers, but those who don’t believe – by showing them the fruits of the Spirit. You can’t produce if you are tired, drained, emotionally discouraged. This is when you need to find time to renew. How do we do this? We seek God first in all things in our lives. We understand that HE never faints nor grows weary – but we do. We find our strength in Him. Take a time out. Seek Him. Hide under His wings while you recharge in His word. Find the peace and joy only He can give. Then when you feel strength returning, move forward covered in His love and share it with others, not just in word, but in deed.

Prayer

Lord, we come to you today and we seek your strength and love. We ask that you continue to renew our hearts and our minds. That we put you first in all things. We ask that you help us to be a light to the world as we reflect the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. Help us to understand your will in our lives today and every day. To glorify you in all the things that we do. Renew our minds, refresh our spirits and continue to guide us along the path that you would have us to journey. Remind us that you are always with us, even if we can’t always recognize you there.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

Do you know me?

by Shauna Millar | Jun 23, 2017 | encouragement

Here is an exercise for today. Go to a mirror and look at yourself. I mean, really, look at yourself. What do you see reflected? Do you see your flaws? Do you feel unhappy with what you see? Do you find yourself picking apart the reflection in the mirror? So many of us won’t even take the time to look at ourselves because all we see are the flaws. Sure, you use a mirror as a necessary evil to prepare for your day. Or for some people, it simply hangs on the wall and you do what you can to avoid it.

Here is a reminder: You are beautifully and wonderfully wrought. The physical body not only can change, but does change with time. Sometimes you may not like what you see, but take a moment and look deeper. Look in your eyes and what do you see there? Do you see the reflection of Christ? Do you see the light that has been set aside? Do you see what God sees in you? How perfect you are? You remain perfect just as you are.

Psalms 139:14

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

<a style="background-color:black;color:white;text-decoration:none;padding:4px 6px;font-family:-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.2;display:inline-block;border-radius:3px;" href="http://unsplash.com/@domenika?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=photographer-credit&utm_content=creditBadge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Download free do whatever you want high-resolution photos from Tiko Giorgadze"><span style="display:inline-block;padding:2px 3px;"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="height:12px;width:auto;position:relative;vertical-align:middle;top:-1px;fill:white;" viewBox="0 0 32 32"><title></title><path d="M20.8 18.1c0 2.7-2.2 4.8-4.8 4.8s-4.8-2.1-4.8-4.8c0-2.7 2.2-4.8 4.8-4.8 2.7.1 4.8 2.2 4.8 4.8zm11.2-7.4v14.9c0 2.3-1.9 4.3-4.3 4.3h-23.4c-2.4 0-4.3-1.9-4.3-4.3v-15c0-2.3 1.9-4.3 4.3-4.3h3.7l.8-2.3c.4-1.1 1.7-2 2.9-2h8.6c1.2 0 2.5.9 2.9 2l.8 2.4h3.7c2.4 0 4.3 1.9 4.3 4.3zm-8.6 7.5c0-4.1-3.3-7.5-7.5-7.5-4.1 0-7.5 3.4-7.5 7.5s3.3 7.5 7.5 7.5c4.2-.1 7.5-3.4 7.5-7.5z"></path></svg></span><span style="display:inline-block;padding:2px 3px;">Tiko Giorgadze</span></a>

If you look in the mirror and see a stranger, take the time to get to know yourself. Know “me”. If you find something in yourself that isn’t reflecting the person you know you should be, remember you have the power to change it. You have the power to grow spiritually. You have the power to improve your body, the temple of Christ. If you love what you see reflected at you, if you know you are on the path that God has for you. Rejoice in that. Don’t let vanity rule your life. Don’t let the standards of the world make your decisions for you. Understand that God doesn’t make mistakes, He makes miracles. You are that miracle.

Let your reflection be of kindness, not only for others, but for yourself. Let your reflection be of love, not just showing it to others but showing it to yourself. Let your reflection be of grace and forgiveness, not only for others but for yourself. Are you starting to see the pattern here? God doesn’t just want us to show others He also want us to show ourselves. How much greater can you give when you know the power that giving and accepting who you are and how you have been transformed by having Christ in your life? Transforming power. Changing the way, you see yourself will allow you to also change the way you see others. Step by step, day by day, as you grow in His power, strength and love, you can and will change your world. From the inside out.

Prayer

Lord,

We thank you for creating in us a clean heart. For helping us to grow along both physical and spiritual lines. We ask that you help us to remember every day who we are in you. Help us to remember to rejoice in your love, mercy and grace. Help us to see ourselves through your eyes.

Teach us day by day, moment by moment, that we are not only willing but able to do the things that you have set out for us. Help us to find the strength and resolve to move forward in who we are in you. Help us to see ourselves the way that you see us. Fill us with your love to over-flowing so that we may both know your love and therefore be able to share it with others.

We ask this in Jesus name,

Amen