Nae's Notes

Many times, you hear people say to wait on the the Lord. This is true because you don’t want to make a move without his approval or go on a path that is not for you. Waiting means to “look forward expectantly”. (Merriam-Webster online). The phrase “wait on the Lord” is often also used to imply we should rest and be peaceful while we wait. Sometimes when we wait, we get lazy or restless. We are ready to go-ready to move forward. We can lose interest quickly when the waiting takes longer than we think it should take.

Psalm 59:9-10 says, “You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me,” (NIV). This verse tells us to watch for the Lord instead of waiting on him. Watch means to be attentive or vigilant (Merriam- Webster online). We tend to be more focused when we watch for something because we don’t want to miss it. This implies more focus and attention needed than when we just wait for something. Being attentive also implies we are actively doing something. While we watch we should be attentive to His word and seek Him as He strengthens us. This will help us to thrive not just survive!

The verse, “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning,” (Ps 30:5b NIV) is one that you hear often. If you back up to verse 4 and the beginning of 5, you see this, “Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime.” This is demonstrated in God’s relationship with Israel. Throughout the Old Testament we see how God would save Israel, they would turn away from Him, they would repent, and He would save them again. Even though they messed up, God didn’t let His favor fall away from them. He was always sending a prophet to warn them and lure them back to Him. He saved them every time, but they had to turn back to Him to experience that favor.

The same is true for us. We mess up each day: say the wrong thing, make a rash decision, ignore something we should be doing. God doesn’t leave us there. He wants us to live in His favor, in the good things He planned for us. When we admit our mistakes and turn back to Him with praise, He helps us continue to walk in His favor-for a LIFETIME! Not just that day, but everyday we put Him first. That is when we will go from surviving each day to thriving!

Most Christians don’t think about the title with the word “you” in it but the word “God”. All of our focus should be on God and what He wants for us. Sometimes that works against us when we let busyness take over. We get so busy in this life, doing the things we think we should do. That’s where the trap comes. We are so focused on the activities that we often forget to take care of ourselves. It’s often during these times that we become more focused on the tasks and less focused on our purpose for being here. That becomes lost as we spend more time doing and less time with God because our schedule is full. In order to fulfill your purpose, you have to do something for you. You have to spend time with God, letting Him give you rest and direction to make sure you are where He wants you to be right now.

I know the thought of doing one more thing seems impossible or overwhelming. It will be more overwhelming if you try to complete things without God’s help and direction. Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing and health to all their flesh. ” (AMP) God’s words are life to us! We cannot try to do our days without reading His word and seeking His direction and refreshing. Even though it feels like one more thing to do, it is the one thing necessary to keep you moving in the right direction-to help rejuvenate and refresh you. So many days we feel like we are just surviving. How much more could we thrive if we take time to let His words be our life!

Proverbs 4:11-12 in the NIV says,” I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.”

When you first look at the beginning of these verses, it feels like something is missing. How many of you tried to put the word “will” in front of “guide”? It doesn’t say He will guide us…it says He guides. It’s not a promise that will happen in the future. It’s the present reality for each day. So why doesn’t it always feel like He is guiding us in the moment?

When walking through a parking lot parents grab the hands of the children and make sure they stay on the path that is clear and safe. They don’t want any chance of them straying into danger. This is difficult at times because kids are curious by nature and want to see all the things around them. They are easily distracted and may not remember how to get to the car. What kids don’t realize is that the parents know how to get to the car and see the other potential dangers around them. This is what God does for us, when we let Him. Look at the verse written in The Passion translation, “I have taken you by the hand in wisdom’s ways, pointing you to the path of integrity. Your progress will have no limits when you come along with me, and you will never stumble as you walk along the way.”

This explains how God the Father takes us as his children by the hand to lead us in His wisdom. His wisdom, not ours and what our eyes want to see. The promise when we hold His hand is that our progress isn’t limited, and we will not stumble. He gets us where we need to be without having to start over or get mired down in mistakes. When we hold firmly to His hand, we continue on the path He has for us and avoid costly distractions. There will be obstacles because the enemy comes to get us distracted. Like the parent in the parking lot, God doesn’t let go or let us get off track. He helps us thrive on our journey, not just merely survive!

Welcome 2026! How did I get here? I’m sure that’s a question each of us has asked at least once in our lives. Sometimes it is in regard to good things. You have the job you like, the house you want, and the family you love. You marvel at the good things around you.

Maybe it’s just the opposite. You have a job you don’t enjoy, a house that is just ok, and your family seems distant. You struggle to find something good.

Either way, God is there for you in whatever capacity you allow Him into your lives. He wants to celebrate the good things with you and bring good things to you. If you are facing challenges and disappointments, He wants to bring you peace and guide you into the good things He has for you.

January is typically a month where everyone resets and sets new goals for the year to improve something in their lives. Maybe make one goal for this year to find one thing to be thankful for each day and write it down. Some days may be more challenging than others. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.” (TPT)

We all want God’s perfect plan for our lives. Make 2026 the year you don’t just survive but you thrive by switching your mindset to thankfulness each day!

I watched a video clip the other day about 2 people going up on an escalator. The escalator stops suddenly when they are only a few steps from the top. They call for help and just stand there waiting for someone to start the escalator again. A repairman starts coming up on another one to help them and his stops moving. Now they are all stopped on an escalator calling for help. 3 people essentially stuck waiting for help, not realizing all they have to do is walk a few steps to the top.

I’ve never been stuck on an escalator nor would I stand still and call for help when the solution is right in front of me. We do this all the time in daily lives as we go on our journey. Something happens to stop our progress or movement forward, and we act like we are helpless and don’t know how to start moving forward again. Our help is actually an easy solution that we often ignore when unexpected things happen. God is right there with us to help us start moving again. We often don’t go to Him or His word first. We stop in our tracks and look for people to fix our situation. We grasp for anything we can see to give us direction when we should be looking to God for our direction. In the video, all the people end up stuck waiting for help. That can happen with us too. It’s important to have faith friends who encourage and support us, but they should not be our main resource for help.

God may clear the way and get us moving again, or He may want us to wait for a time until the path is clear for us to move forward. Either way, He is right there to help us and knows the whole situation, not just what is seen. The next time you get “stuck on an escalator”, don’t just survive waiting for an answer. Look to God and His word to help you thrive!

“A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24 NIV. This verse was circled in my Bible, so it was not the first time I saw it. However, it felt like a new revelation.

Anyone who believes in God and follows Him knows that God has a plan for our lives and lead us in that plan when we seek Him. That knowledge doesn’t keep us from questioning and wondering why God asks us to do certain things or leads us in a way that we don’t understand. The New Living Translation says it this way, “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” Proverbs 20:24 NLT.

We often wonder why God leads us in certain ways to do certain things, even why some people come into our lives and others move out of our lives. If we count the hours spent wondering about these things, it probably adds up to years over the course of our lives. What could we have done with those hours or years spent trying to understand all of God’s leadings in our lives? We aren’t supposed to know what God is doing or why because He’s God. He sees everything that we don’t see. He knows things we don’t know. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Trying to figure out the purpose of events is like trying to put ourselves in God’s place.

The next time you face something you don’t understand, don’t just survive and lose time trying to figure it out. Go to God and submit to Him so you can thrive!

We find this reminder in Matthew 6:34. The Message version says, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” How many hours a day do we spend worrying about something that isn’t even a thing yet? Actually putting those hours into days would be shocking. By worrying about things we imply that we are the solution to the problem. Worry isn’t the same as concern. Concern in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary lists to relate or belong to as related phrases. You can be concerned over a situation, relating to or having compassion for the person involved. You don’t have to worry about it. Worry is defined as mental distress caused by concern. (Dictionary online). It implies you are continuing to dwell on the situation. God doesn’t want you to spend hours or energy worrying about something. He wants you to focus on Him and let him take care of the situation. We will be able to deal with the problem for effectively and thrive through it rather than survive!

In a world of uncertainty and tragedy it’s sometimes hard to remember that there is a God who loves us no matter what is going on in our lives. We experience times of doubt, lack of forgiveness, unbelief, heartaches, and disappointments. Sometimes it seems we have more of these moments than ones of peace and rest. Our moods, circumstances, and situations change day by day-sometimes even hour by hour. Thankfully it’s in those times we can look to God’s word and find words of comfort. Psalms 36:5-6 says, “Lord, your constant love reaches to the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea.” (GNT). These qualities of God are compared to things that we can’t measure because God is bigger than anything we face in our lives. Sometimes we go through events where it doesn’t feel like God is with us. It can feel like we are struggling just to survive. Set yourself on a path to thrive by remembering that God is bigger than anything we face in our lives because His love for us is constant and reaches farther than anything we can measure.

We are always trying to find a better way to do something. In our own strength, our options are limited on how to make things better. We often look for short cuts which may save time but sacrifice quality. One area this happens frequently is in diet and exercise. Setting the goal is not the problem. The first 3 weeks go well. Then you hit week 4. You have seen minimal results for the amount of work you put into planning healthy meals and exercising at they gym. Is it really worth it if it is going to take more time?

This happens in other areas of our lives also. You set goals, make plans, and even execute the plans for a time. Then you realize the road to the end is long and paved with distractions and roadblocks. Think about how much time we spend researching and planning to reach our goals. We want to draw from the experience of others and try to make our path easier. What we forget is that we are all individuals-no two people are alike. What worked for one person may not work for you. We get frustrated and feel defeated when our meticulous plan fails or take too long. What did you do wrong? At the beginning of the journey, did you seek God’s help and direction? Oftentimes, that is the piece we forget. Psalms 37:5 says, “Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly!” (TPT) He wants you to be the best you can be on your journey. You cannot do that unless you bring God into all areas of your life and let him direct you. You will still experience setbacks, but if you let God direct you, you will thrive instead of just survive!