What does summer mean to you?  Time to relax; time with the kids now home for the next couple of months; or maybe some travel time for a vacation. Perhaps your plans include some over-due yard work or updating/painting the interior of your home.  I know the majority of our time will be spent refreshing some painting in our home and new flooring for our office.  And, of course, some time for some vacation trips; though they will more than likely incur daytrips rather than traveling. 

My summer plans are to continue to include writing this blog, and zero in on the three books that I’ve begun and need to finalize.  Then there are the songs that need to be musically notated.  I think my summer is pretty much filling up. Then amid all these natural responsibilities and activities, I have a lot of reading to catch up on; and especially spending time with the Lord.

I also want to encourage you to make special efforts to spend more time with the Lord.  Make sure you are spending time not just reading a chapter a day – or whatever your reading schedule is – but also spend more time in prayer.  Our families, neighbors, city, state and Country need our prayers. Be specific with your prayer to includes names of people and address specific issues that concern you.

Our prayers help to restore relationships within our families and Country, even our churches.  People need healing that only God can secure for us when we turn to Him and keep our eyes fixed on Him and His Word. Pray for the eyes of your loved ones to be open to the voice of God.  Our prayers work as defense mechanisms that give God authority to intervene not only is our own lives but others as we pray for them. 

We are told to not grow weary in well doing in Galatians 6:9; praying is well doing. 

Proverbs 3:11 instructs us to not be weary of God’s correction.  In fact, we should be grateful when He shows us something that is not pleasing to Him, so we can keep our heart and life pure before Him. 

We are not to be anxious or fretful about anything but bring everything to God in prayer, and cast our cares upon the Lord for He cares for us.  (Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7)

We are to believe in God and maintain good works. (Titus 3:8) 

John the Baptist cried out for the people to prepare the way of the Lord in Matthew 3:3; that is to check one’s heart to see if they are in fellowship with Him.

We prepare the way for the Lord to come and reign in our heart by spending time with Him by reading and studying the Bible; prayer; and worshiping and praising Him.   

Make your summer plans now to include the Lord in your life every day.