Jill's June J-Mail Devotional: Rising Early To Be A Blessing

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

If you find it hard to drag yourself out of bed in the morning to have time with God, Jill’s J-Mail will inspire you to see what God will do with that extra 10 minutes you give him each morning.

Early Bird

The “early bird always gets the worm,” or so they say! So one day, I made a commitment to get up very early and look for nourishment.

This would be different from the other ways I feed my soul, which take more time and, of course, must not be neglected. I decided that I would pass on what I discovered early in the morning to at least one other person during the day. This would be different from other devotions I had written. It would not only be for myself, but for others! It was at this moment I realized how self-centered I had been in my personal communion with God! It had really only been about me and mine! How horrible! Sorry, Lord!

When I asked the Bird Maker who I should send this early information on to, He said He would tell me day by day. This would require quiet moments at the conclusion of my own enjoyment of discoveries to allow Him to bring the right person or people to my mind to bless. How exciting! Think about it: I could be a blessing before breakfast! Fun!

From then on, I purposed to rise a little earlier than usual. (I found that ten minutes will do if you want to follow suit.) Spreading my wings the next morning, I took off, keeping my eyes open, my soul expectant, and my heart ready for a good result! I knew I would not be disappointed. Listening to my thoughts, He who loves all His birds reminded me with a smile – “Don’t forget: ‘The early bird always gets the worm!’”

Pray for us as we “fly” to visit other birds and minister in Beijing, Bangkok, Myanmar, and Hong Kong. Stuart’s book on Proverbs, published in Mandarin, will be the first order of business. It has passed the government censors and will be in bookstores all over the country. Wonderful! We will have the joy of having two of our grandkids with us: Drew, 20 and Jordan, 18. Please pray for safety and that we will all be a blessing.