Today, The Morning Thing shared some insightful bible verses for the various emotions that we face in our daily lives.
What do you do when you feel nervous? lonely? frustrated? tired? overwhelmed?
We encourage you to check out this list of bible verses.
We hope they can encourage you like they are encouraging our WNZR Crew!
We pray for God’s blessings upon your life as you dig into the living Word of God.
Most of us start the day in a frenzy, jumping right into our daily routine and task list.
The Morning Thing today, shared some valuable insight from crosswalk.com about starting our days with God.
This habit can be life-changing for all of us. It is also biblical to take on this practice.
“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch” (Psalm 5:3).
Pamela Palmer wrote an incredible article for Crosswalk that shares 7 reasons WHY you should start your day with God and 8 practical tips on how to do it.
Pamela is a writer, speaker, and the founder of upheldlife.com
Click HERE to read the full article for all the insight on each tip.
Before the day takes off and you begin to tackle your to-do list and tasks, as a believer, it is spiritually edifying and beneficial to start your day with God. This will make a powerful impact on how you go about your day. There is an account in the Gospel where Jesus even got away in the early hours to spend time with God (see Mark 1:35). Jesus has set a wonderful example for Christians to follow.
Here are seven reasons to begin your day in fellowship with God.
1. God Desires Relationship with You
2. You Were Made for Fellowship with God
3. You Can Ask God to Guide Your Day
4. You Will Feel at Peace
5. You Can Give Thanks
6. It Can Help You Have a Right Perspective
7. It Will Transform Your Heart
If you are feeling excited and inspired to start your day with God, here are some tips to make that happen. Starting this spiritual practice may feel intimidating or challenging, but the best thing you can do is to ask for the Holy Spirit to enable you and utilize some of these tips to begin starting each day with God.
1. Pray about It
2. Make a Plan
3. Set Your Mind on Jesus
4. Spend Time in Prayer
5. Read Scripture
6. Listen to the Audio Bible
7. Meditate on a Verse
8. Worship
Pamela Palmer is a writer, speaker, and the founder of upheldlife.com, the platform on which she produces devotionals and faith resources to inspire keeping faith at the center of life. She is in pastoral ministry and gets to share in the emotional and spiritual lives of others. She lives and thrives on Jesus, coffee, and music. She is the author of Living a Deeper Faith: Nurture Your Relationship with God and Live a Faith-Fueled Life. Pamela married the perfect man for her and they have two beautiful kiddos. She has been published on herviewfromhome.com, and you can follow her at upheldlife.com or on Facebook.com/upheldlife.
This is Talk Money Week!
The hope behind this week is that more people will start talking about money. If people can share their financial problems, then they should find it a lot easier to deal with and manage their money.
Click HERE to find out more about this special week.
Today, The Morning Thing shared 13 money saving tips from Crown Financial Ministries.
They are a great program partner of WNZR. You can hear their program “My MoneyLife” each weekday at 3:50pm on WNZR.
Click HERE to connect with Crown for biblical financial resources.
Click HERE to read the FULL article with these money saving tips.
If you are paid biweekly, you actually receive 26 paychecks a year instead of 24. Instead of budgeting based on those 26 paychecks, budget based off getting paid twice a month – 24 times – instead.
Sometimes you can be your best source of motivation! Challenge yourself (or your spouse or a friend) to spend $3 less per meal every time you go out to eat.
Automating a certain amount to go straight from your paycheck to your savings account will help you reach your goals quickly. If you can’t see the money to spend in the first place, then you won’t be tempted to spend it!
Adjust your withholdings so you have that extra money in your account every month. However, you will need to plan in case you owe the government money come Tax Day!
Apps and browser extensions make it easy to shop with coupons and earn money back from rebates. Download apps like RetailMeNot, and Ibotta. Install extensions like Honey so you never miss a deal when online shopping.
A lack of planning is a major spending trap. Before you go shopping anywhere – the grocery store, Walmart, the mall – make a list. Then stick to it!
It may be uncomfortable if you’re not a natural bargainer, but it’s always worth it to ask for a discount. Try this especially with your cable and internet provider once a year. Ask about loyalty discounts, sales, or other offers they have going on.
Ask your friends to share when they find good sales. Ask around for the best prices.
Before you purchase a big item, spend time researching to see if you can find a better deal. If you find a better price non-locally, ask for a price match. A few minutes online can save you lots!
One of the Crown staff members has most of her Christmas shopping done by September. She finds and purchases gifts for members of her family throughout the year when she finds a good sale. By doing so, she avoids the stress and markups of the Christmas season and can actually relax and enjoy the holidays!
Goals will motivate you to keep saving. Proverbs 29:18 says, Where there is no vision, the people perish. If you don’t have a vision for your savings, you won’t make any progress. Decide on a realistic amount of money to have saved by a certain date and then align your budget to reach that goal.
Every time you reach a goal, celebrate, make another, and keep going. You should always have short-term and long-term goals!
If you use cash for all of or some of your budgeting categories, commit to saving every $5 bill you touch. Proverbs 21:5 says, Steady plodding brings prosperity. Start plodding!
Switching to only water can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year. A latte out costs around $5. A soft drink or tea at a restaurant costs around $2. If you have one coffee and one tea or soda out every day, by switching to water, you’ll save around $2,550 a year. And it’s significantly better for your health!
Crown also recommends that you start by saving $1,000 in an emergency fund.
Once you have $1,000 in an emergency savings account, work your way up to 12 months’ of living expenses. The Money Map can help you set and track financial goals like these. Download it for free here!
Today, The Morning Thing approached a difficult, but important topic – mental illness. If you know and love someone that struggles with this issue, it can be difficult to know what to say, how to react or what you should not do as you try to encourage them.
Below, we share a list of Dos and Don’ts when you want to provide that support.
Click HERE to access the full article from the Providence Center.
For our Friday Favorites today, The Morning Thing hosts shared their favorite bible verses to offer encouragement to anyone struggling with mental health. Click HERE to be encouraged by these powerful verses of hope!
Let them know they’re not alone and tell them they have your unconditional love and support. Be available to listen…really listen, without judgment.
Although you may think you’re being helpful, comments like these can make someone feel criticized and humiliated for feeling the way they do. Their condition is serious and likely cannot be brushed off. Try your best to make them feel comfortable and secure in sharing their emotions.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your friend doesn’t expect you to already understand what they’re going through. Respectfully ask about their symptoms and how they are feeling. They may not want to give you all the answers, but that’s okay; they’ll know you care simply because you took the time to ask.
While you may experience periods of sadness, refrain from comparing those feelings to their current situation. Although it is nice to have someone to relate to, drawing comparisons may make them feel as if the reality of their situation is being minimized.
Find out if the person is receiving the necessary care. If not, offer to help get them the help they need. They may refuse to seek help and even get angry with you. It is important to remind them that mental health problems are treatable and they don’t have to feel this way forever. For more information, visit: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/friends-family-members/
For most people with mental health disorders, taking medicine is a big step and can be scary. Today there is still a stigma surrounding the medical treatment for these conditions. However, there are a variety of drugs that can really help patients feel like themselves again. So, be patient, supportive and, most importantly, non-judgmental as your loved one finds the medication that suits their specific needs.
Living with a mental health issue can make simple, everyday tasks extremely difficult to accomplish. Getting out of bed can feel like a chore. Wondering what you can do to help? Grab the mail, wash a few dishes, or take out the garbage. Any small act of kindness can really help and will be appreciated.
You may think a day trip or a night out will take your loved one’s mind off their issue. Do not hesitate to invite them to such social events, but also don’t expect that they will accept the invitation. Whatever they may be dealing with is not easily solved by kicking back and relaxing to snap out of a bad mood. Keep this in mind and trust that their decision to not take part is the right decision for them.
You may feel like they’ve pushed you away, and maybe they have. Those suffering from mental illness tend to distance themselves from their loved ones, not because they dislike your company, but because they feel like a burden. Don’t pressure them to spend more time with you or to talk about their problems. As frustrating as it may be trying to help someone who does not seem to appreciate you, don’t give up on them.
Remember that what they’re going through is not about you and is not your fault. Give them all your love and don’t expect anything in return because they may not be able to give it to you. Whether you think so or not, they need you now more than ever.
Today for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing celebrated National Forgiveness Day. The hosts shared about a time when they experienced forgiveness.
Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Alyssa Sidle of The Morning Thing had the privilege of talking with Actor, Nick Shakoour who plays Zebedee on The Chosen. Zebedee is the Father of James and John.
He shared his excitement about the CW Network’s plan to air the series. He shares why he thinks the story has been able to connect to so many people all around the world.
Nick also shares how the Holy Spirit’s presence on set changed the way the crew and cast were able to engage with the story itself.
Nick shares his journey with The Chosen Project and how his life has changed.
Click HERE to hear their full conversation.
The Chosen will debut on the CW Network this Sunday, 7/16 at 8pm. A new episode will air every Sunday night until the finale airs on Christmas Eve.
Click HERE to see the schedule for the CW.
Click HERE for more information about The Chosen.
Today, The Morning Thing shared an article from The Positivity Blog – The Power of Gratitude: 5 Small Tips for a Happier Life.
How have you been feeling lately?
Excited about each day? Or dreading the day before your feet even hit the floor?
Check out these 5 small, simple tips. Look through the lens of gratitude and the positive sides of life look a lot clearer!
Click HERE for the full article from Henrik Edberg.
1. Pause and look around yourself.
A first simple step to building the gratitude habit is simply to pause in your everyday life and to ask yourself questions like:
2. Look towards yourself.
Don’t just look outward.
Ask yourself:
What are 3 things I can be grateful for about myself?
3. Take a closer look at the very smaller things or what you may take for granted.
Don’t just focus on the big and obvious things you can be grateful for.
Think about what very small things you can be grateful for too.
4. Do it early or late in your day.
Two things that I have found effective are:
5. Express your gratitude.
Don’t just keep the gratitude on the inside. Express it.
What does the bible have to say about gratitude?
Ephesians 5:20 – Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 107:1 – “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Click HERE for a list of 23 bible verses on gratitude!
Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some insight from author Lynette Kittle from Crosswalk.com
She created a powerful list for couples – 7 Ways Praying Together Strengthens a Couple’s Marriage
Click HERE to read the full article.
1. Praying Together Breaks Down Barriers
2. Praying Together Opens Hearts
3. Praying Together Brings Unity
4. Praying Together Prioritizes
5. Praying Together Cultivates Spiritual Connectivity
6. Praying Together Builds Camaraderie
7. Praying Together Brings Results
1. Voice your request. Express to your spouse how you would like to pray together. Ask his or her thoughts on what day, time, and location might work best for you as a couple to pray. If possible, be flexible and rearrange your schedule to do so.
2. Just do it. Rather than just thinking about it, set your time and begin praying together. Be committed to learning as you go in what pace and format works best for you and your spouse. Give yourselves time to adjust and adapt to each other’s way of praying.
3. Keep going. Your prayer time may start out awkward at first but don’t give up. Keep plugging away. Soon you’ll discover how prayer strengthens your marriage and draws you closer together as a couple.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
The bible is the best source for encouragement for our daily lives. This week, The Morning Thing is honoring Dads, just in time for Father’s Day.
We found over 30 verses that talk about God’s love for us, instructions for fatherhood and inspiration for husbands. There are also verses about love and faith. It is our prayer that these verses will encourage Dads and their family members.
Click HERE to see the list from CountryLiving.com
Here are some of our favorites:
Are you asking yourself this question – Does God have a plan for my life?
We found an insightful article from jesusfilm.org
Click HERE to read the FULL article – 5 Tips For Finding Your Purpose in Christ.
1. Keep yourself in God’s Word
2. Surround yourself with wise counselors
3. Pray for wisdom and discernment
4. Prioritize doing God’s will
5. Pay attention to your passions
Rise and Shine 