Good Morning, Friends! How was your week?
I am actually writing this post Thursday morning. We are in New Orleans for a few Mardi Gras events, including a ball. We are hoping to visit family, too.
God is so, so good. His timing is perfect. And I know I have been saying that a whole lot lately, but it's true. The timing of this week's lesson, "Near to the Brokenhearted," is, well, perfect.
The Lord is close to the brokenheartedand saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Thank-you, Father. Thank-you.
We have studied this Psalm (#34) several times over the years. This week's lesson focuses on verses 17-19, but there are also a few excellent nuggets in the Psalm. I always archive the graphics for this blog, and I thought it would be fun for me to post them and look back on them. You can usually tell what time of the year we read and studied the verses, too, based on the photos and artwork. Fun fact: I have three different graphics for Psalm 34:8, but I'm only sharing one of them today.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for Kitty’s son, Mike. He needs a comprehensive plan to manage pain from previous back surgeries.
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan as she finishes her masters program this semester. Pray that she will stay healthy, and that she will manage her time well for work/school/life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. Let's especially lift up our National Guard as they are deployed both here at home and abroad.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL. Pray that other family members will step-up and will be discerning about what's best for her care.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Continue to pray for Kris's husband Terry.
- Rita's friend Pam has had yet another setback with blood gases from sleep apnea, and had to be on a vent this past week, still weaning off of it. She will need to be in a higher skilled facility beyond what rehab can offer, so she will likely be transferred next week to a place southeast of Pittsburgh, further from home. Please, everyone, pray for her spirit to be calmed. She is extremely anxious.
- I have an unspoken request.
- Please pray for travel mercies for Trip and me this weekend.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! Y'all....I am tired. I haven't been sleeping well. And living through a home renovation of a kitchen and bathroom is NOT for sissies. So I'd like to apologize in advance if this isn't my best post.
This week's lesson is entitled "Waiting Is Difficult," and it centers on Psalm 13. David wrote this Psalm during a time of great stress, and we can all relate to that. He had to fight for his very life and go into hiding so often during his lifetime. And even later in life he was distraught about his son Absalom's betrayal and coup attempt. And I think I have problems....
Here's this week's scripture:
But I trust in your unfailing love;my heart rejoices in your salvation.I will sing the Lord’s praise,for he has been good to me.
The lesson also includes Isaiah 40:31:
This scripture never fails to encourage!
I am trying to embrace this lesson and be encouraged. But it's hard because of the mistakes being made in our renovation. Hopefully by the end of spring, when this is all behind us, I can look back and laugh, but I'm not there yet!
Are you going through a difficult season of waiting? Can you share an example from your own life when the waiting was excruciating?
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for Kitty’s son, Mike. He needs a comprehensive plan to manage pain from previous back surgeries.
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan as she finishes her masters program this semester. Pray that she will stay healthy, and that she will manage her time well for work/school/life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. Let's especially lift up our National Guard as they are deployed both here at home and abroad.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL. Pray that other family members will step-up and will be discerning about what's best for her care.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Continue to pray for Kris's husband Terry.
- Rita's friend Pam has had yet another setback with blood gases from sleep apnea, and had to be on a vent this past week, still weaning off of it. She will need to be in a higher skilled facility beyond what rehab can offer, so she will likely be transferred next week to a place southeast of Pittsburgh, further from home. Please, everyone, pray for her spirit to be calmed. She is extremely anxious.
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After Bible study, I'm off to get my hair cut this morning.
I hope you have a calm and peaceful weekend!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends! First of all, I want to thank-you for all the prayers, cards, emails, calls, and text messages since my mother's passing. I could feel the Holy Spirit's comfort and peace at my mother's Celebration of Life. Thank you so much! God is so good, and I am so thankful for your willingness to show god's love through your kindness.
Everyone I requested to be present at mother's Celebration of Life was there. It was small and private, but due to the very cold weather it was not a graveside service like she wanted. She was always cold natured, so I think she would've understood. The flowers above were the altar flowers from my cousin Lori. It was a gorgeous arrangement, and I broke it down and made three separate arrangements (the one above is the largest of them).
This week's lesson is entitled "Savor His Favor," and its focus is Psalm 5.
I really shouldn't be surprised about God's timing. Psalm 5 was the perfect Psalm for me to read and meditate on while preparing for my mother's funeral and burial. A lament is a passionate expression of grief, loss, and mourning. The psalmist (King David) wrote it as a morning prayer for guidance and protection against his enemies. He probably wrote this Psalm as he was grieving the betrayal and loss of his son Absalom. I love that David prioritized morning prayer and worship: It really does set the tone for the rest of the day. I hope that you enjoyed the guided meditation for this Psalm, especially the reminder that God's favor is truly a gift as it is unearned, unmerited, and undeserved.
What are your thoughts?
I know I probably need to update the prayer requests. Please leave a comment or email me so I can get them up to date.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for Kitty’s son, Mike. He needs a comprehensive plan to manage pain from previous back surgeries.
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan as she finishes her masters program this semester. Pray that she will stay healthy, and that she will manage her time well for work/school/life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. Let's especially lift up our National Guard as they are deployed both here at home and abroad.
- Praise: Our Westie Finlay received a fantastic report from his ophthalmologist, and both eyes have healed well from surgery.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL. Pray that other family members will step-up and will be discerning about what's best for her care.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Continue to pray for Kris's husband Terry.
- Rita's HS Friend Pam because she has had numerous complications from her cancer surgery, and has had to have follow-up procedures. PRAISE: for Pam's overall stable standing. She will soon go to rehab.
- Pray for those in the path of this weekend's winter storms.
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I hope y'all stay warm this weekend and enjoy a warm drink and either a good book or movie!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
Happy Friday, Friends. I hope your first week of 2026 has been filled with peace. I am trying to find peace, and I just had to laugh while reading Psalm 33 due to the timing for me personally. But I have had my moments this week while driving, listening to praise music (especially CeCe Winans).
I will have to keep this post very brief because I need to meet mom's hospice nurse this morning, and I'm already running late. I need y'all to share and discuss in comments this week!
Here are the bible verses mentioned in this week's lesson. I chose a foggy graphic because we have had unprecedented dense fog for the past week!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for Kitty’s son, Mike, who is excited about working on his own idea. Pray for Kitty that she can be supportive and encouraging to him as he shares his ideas and developments with her. He is such a good guy and needs something wonderful to happen in his life.
- Pray for Rita's daughter Megan as she finishes her masters program this semester. Pray that she will stay healthy, and that she will manage her time well for work/school/life balance.
- Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.
- Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. Let's especially lift up our National Guard as they are deployed both here at home and abroad.
- Pray for my mother as she is under hospice care.
- Pray for our Westie Finlay. He had to have eye surgery in his other eye yesterday.
- Please pray for Kris's MIL because she has been having some heavy health issues, and Kris is currently her full time nurse. Pray that God will help and bless Kris as she cares for her MIL. Pray that other family members will step-up and will be discerning about what's best for her care.
- Kitty's younger brother is having health issues. Please lift him up in prayer.
- Continue to pray for Kris's husband Terry.
- Rita's HS Friend Pam because she has had numerous complications from her cancer surgery, and has had to have follow-up procedures.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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