Tag: prayer

Posted in Moments and Musings

Steeped in God: Finding Joy in Today

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Some mornings, I wake up and life feels…ordinary. Or maybe a little heavy. The house is quiet for a moment, and I sip my coffee, watching sunlight spill across the kitchen table, thinking of all I have—and yet sometimes still feeling restless. Psalm 118:24 gently reminds me: this day is a gift from God.

“This is the day the Lord has made…” Every single day. Not just the spectacular days when everything goes right, but also the mundane, messy, ordinary ones. The days filled with dishes and laundry, phone calls and errands, or the moments spent watching my granddaughter toddle across the room with pure delight. God made this day, just as it is, with all its ups and downs, and He invites me to recognize it as His handiwork.

“…we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Rejoicing is not always effortless. Sometimes it takes conscious effort to shift my perspective from what’s missing or what’s hard, to what’s present and good. That’s where I come back to one of my favorite images: being steeped in God like a tea bag in hot water. When a tea bag is placed in the water, it doesn’t fight the process—it releases its flavor, coloring and enriching the liquid around it. In the same way, when I immerse myself in God—through prayer, scripture, gratitude, and simply noticing His presence—He saturates my heart with His love, joy, patience, and peace.

The more I let Him steep into me, the more my ordinary moments begin to taste extraordinary. The laughter of my daughters becomes sweeter. The quiet presence of my family at home feels comforting and grounding. Even the small things—my granddaughter’s tiny hands clasped in mine, the first sip of my morning coffee, the turning of a page in a book I love—become opportunities to savor God’s goodness.

Being steeped in God doesn’t mean that challenges disappear. Bills still need to be paid, deadlines still loom, and sometimes hearts still ache. But when I am fully immersed in Him, I carry a flavor of His presence with me into every interaction, every task, and every moment of life. My joy doesn’t depend on circumstances—it flows from the One who made the day.

Today, I want to be fully steeped in God. To let Him infuse me so that my heart, mind, and spirit are saturated with His love. To recognize the blessings around me, both big and small, and let gratitude and rejoicing become my natural response. Life is not perfect—but this day is God’s, and in Him, it can be beautiful.

Prayer:

“Lord, help me to be steeped in You today. Immerse me in Your presence so that Your love, joy, and peace flow through every part of my life. Teach me to see the blessings in the ordinary moments and to rejoice fully in the day You have made. May my life reflect Your goodness, and may my heart be glad in You. Amen.”

Photo by Lara John on Unsplash
Posted in Moments and Musings

Be Light

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Whenever something tragic happens, I try very hard to find the right words to say. Folks on social media are always talking in loud, screaming voices but mine is often never heard. 

That’s because I usually just choose to stay silent. I don’t want to offend anyone. I have people I love who believe all sorts of things so I don’t say much except to tell myself that I’ll just pray for the situation and that will be enough. 

It’s not enough though. Not anymore. I’m sick of being silent. 

Last night, we lost a young man. A father. A husband. A son and who knows what else Charlie Kirk was the people he surrounded himself with. 

I want to respond to this. I want to say something more than “I’m praying for the Kirk family” because that doesn’t feel like it’s enough. Like many others, I’ve looked at social media. Not for inspiration, mind you, but perhaps I just want to see what others are saying. I want to know there’s still some good in this world when proof of evil is so evident. 

Thankfully, I seen an outpouring of love. But I’ve also seen a lot that hurts my soul. Comments like, “karma…” and posting about how the far right supposedly reacted when so-and-so was killed. It’s as if to say “the Kirk family doesn’t deserve compassion. They deserve just what they got so why should we care”. 

It would be so easy for me to react emotionally to this. For me to remind them of a time when someone they loved was ripped away from them leaving us all to deal with the shock and awe of an unexpected death. It would be easy to say, “if that’s how you feel, unfriend/unfollow me”. I’ve heard many say that also.

But that wasn’t what Charlie Kirk was about. Moreover, it certainly isn’t what Jesus is about. 

Jesus is all about love. But make no mistake, some of us don’t understand what that means. Jesus didn’t love us the way some “churches” teach about love. He loved us enough not to tickle our ears with false words of comfort, or watered-down religion that cherry picks through the words of the Father so as not to offend. 

No, that’s not Jesus. 

He came to turn the tables over. He came to uninstall puffed up religion and install the hardware called a very real relationship with the Father. He came to replace outdated software with the Bible. And it’s not The Bible 2.0, or the new and improved version. The Word of God was never meant to change with the times. It’s not going to. Not ever. The Word of God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Fact!

Jesus came to be lifted up on a cross of love. It was the love the Father had for us that held Jesus there ever so much more than nails. It’s a love we cannot hope to ever understand with our mortal minds. It’s a love that requires trust and surrender. Everything Jesus ever did was because of love. 

I decided that will be my reaction to this – love. I don’t want folks who think Charlie Kirk deserved to die to unfriend or unfollow me. Trust me, if you truly feel that way, you need the same Jesus I did when I was locked in discord, unrest, hate and fear. He is the only one who can truly heal our hearts. Anything the world or other “religions” might have is fleeting.

Nothing and no one heals like Jesus. 

Will I pray for the Kirk family? Yes! I know the sting of sudden death and whether it’s through violence or accident, the venom that comes from that sting is every bit as painful. They’re going to need every single prayer any of us can muster during this time.

I will pray for my country and when I do, the words “conservative, Democrats, etc…” will not come from my mouth. We ALL need Jesus and he’s not interested in our politics.

He’s interested in our souls.

I will do my best to love like Jesus at all times, and I know I probably need to do better moving forward than I’ve done in the past. 

I will no longer be silent but instead, I’ll ask the Holy Spirit for the right words to say at the right time. 

I’m not going to worry if people want to leave my life because I choose to be uncompromising in the face of a world determined to make sin a way of life. 

But if you do choose to leave my life, know that I love you and I will never stop praying for you and you cannot stop me from praying for you. Know that Jesus is real and really loves you and you cannot change that either. You also cannot stop it anymore than you can change the FACT that he died on a cross a horrific death because he loved you just that much. Know that if you were the only person on the face of this earth, he STILL would have gone to the cross for you. 

I would suppose there are many who feel as I do in this moment. Let me urge you not to be counted among those who would sow discord. I know we’re grieving and angry but let me urge you to be mindful of your words and be guided by the Holy Spirit when you do speak. But also do NOT be silent. That time has come and gone. Do not let your souls be lukewarm anymore. This world is hurting. This world is dark. It needs the Jesus in us to be a light. 

So go….be a light. Be Jesus to the world. 

It’s all about Jesus anyway. It always has been. It is now. It always will be. 

I love you ALL and I’m praying for all of us.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Posted in Moments and Musings

When I Lift My Hands

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

“So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands”

Psalm 63:4 ESV

Years ago, I was going through a really bad time. I was dealing with depression and anxiety without any professional help. My marriage was falling apart. I felt like I was in a hole so deep no one could find me, not even God. I had two toddlers running around. Life was just not working at all. 

I remember one night after a fight with my husband (now ex-husband), I sat down on the couch after putting my babies to bed and just started to cry. It seemed like there was no way out for me. I knew I needed to be strong for my girls and learn how to be a better wife to my husband but I had no clue how I would achieve that. God felt very far away and I felt like a huge failure. 

For some reason, the verse 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 came to my heart: 

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 

Praise and worship have always been my favorite part of any church service. I’ve always loved to sing. At the time, I was part of a praise and worship team at my local church. I was well acquainted with the power of praise and knew how to raise my hands. However, in my depression, I was sure I had the strength. I remember being honest with God and telling Him I wasn’t sure if I could even lift my hands to him. I wasn’t sure why anymore. 

God very gently spoke to my heart. He said, “When your babies come to you and they lift their hands to you, what does that mean?” 

I replied, “It means they want me. They want me to pick them up and hold them.” 

God said, “And what happens when you hold them?” 

I said, “They’re comforted. They’re loved. It’s an act of security for them to be in my arms.” 

God answered, “Then lift your hands to me, daughter. I will lift you up and hold you. You will be comforted and you will know how much I love you. You’ll be secure in me.” 

Lifting my hands in praise and worship has been easy for me ever since that day because I always remember these words. I always remember how I felt that night as I lifted my hands to Jesus. Depression and anxiety melted away in those precious moments I was held by my Heavenly Father. Was my life perfect after that? No. The abuse in my marriage turned into adultery which then resulted in divorce and a whole new way of life for my girls. Yet, none of that really matters because whenever I felt waves overtake me, I just lifted my hands and let God lift me up. 

My daughters are grown young women. They haven’t received this revelation yet and are far too shy to experience total freedom in worshipping God. I don’t worry. I know deep in my heart that their own conversation with God is just on their horizon. One day, they will need to lift their hands and when they do, God will hold them, comfort them, provide for them and show Himself to be their Daddy and not just their Heavenly Father. 

Maybe you’re like I was and you’re in a well of darkness or depression. Maybe you need to be lifted up in some way. Can I pray for you? 

“Heavenly Father, we love you so much. We thank you for your Word that gives us everything we need in every season. Father, your word says to praise you in every circumstance. We know how important this is and how important it is to lift our hands to you in prayer as well as in praise. Sometimes, Lord, we admit we don’t always feel like it. Sometimes, we just don’t have the strength. But we know, Father, that you desire us to be free and to walk in freedom. We know you desire to be not just Abba Father but Daddy to us your kids. So we take a step of faith and we lift our hands to you, Daddy. And we lift our hands, we ask for you to lift us up. We ask to be seated on your lap, with your arms wrapped around us. We thank you for your love and comfort. We thank you for security and we thank you for not leaving us in the pit but placing our feet on solid ground. We thank you and we praise you for this, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Posted in Moments and Musings

Joy Despite Circumstances

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

I’ve been experiencing a case of the blahs lately. And for no reason at all. I have a good life. I have a beautiful apartment in an area I love. My girls are lovely, accomplished and living their own lives (still living at home, which is fine). I have a small measure of financial security. 

In short, I’m better off than a lot of people right now. Yet, I can’t seem to shake this case of the blahs.

The other morning, while walking my dog, Percy, I decided to attack this with prayer and praise. I love to praise God. I love reminding myself out loud all he’s done for me. I love to tell him what a wonderful Father he is and what a perfect husband he is to me. I began thanking him for my family, how he’s kept them all safe and secure and miraculously provided for them, even in this Covid season. 

As I praised him, this verse came to my mind. I said it out loud. “Thank you so much for this day, Father, for this is the day you’ve made and I will rejoice and be glad in it”. As sure as the last word left my mouth, the Lord quickly spoke to me and said: 

“Even when the circumstances and feelings tell you otherwise.” 

I understood God was giving me a command. He was reminding me that my joy comes from him, not from how I feel. I have gladness all day long because Jesus saved my soul, not because everything in my life is going the way it should. I can rejoice in every moment because God is for me and if God is for me, who can be against me. 

None of this is related to my circumstances or my feelings whether they be good or bad. My joy and peace come from the truth of God’s unconditional love for me – a love that sent a Savior to the cross. 

Perhaps this is why Paul is my favorite writer in the Bible. He never stops praising God. He never loses his joy. In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul writes, 

12 And I want you to know this, dear brothers: Everything that has happened to me here has been a great boost in getting out the Good News concerning Christ. 13 For everyone around here, including all the soldiers over at the barracks, knows that I am in chains simply because I am a Christian. 14 And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here seem to have lost their fear of chains! Somehow my patience has encouraged them, and they have become more and more bold in telling others about Christ.

Paul doesn’t yield to his circumstances. He doesn’t despair. In fact, he sees the bigger picture. He knows that while his situation isn’t good, God is working out something good through it all. So Paul doesn’t allow himself to be under the circumstances. But rather, he speaks from a place of deep joy and everlasting peace as one whose life has been transformed. Paul rejoices despite his circumstances which is knows is temporary yet he also knows God’s love and peace and joy is eternal. 

What circumstances are you under today? What’s causing you feel off? Can I pray with you? 

“Heavenly, Gracious Father, we love you so much and we are so very grateful for the precious gift of your son, Jesus. We can never thank you enough for the power of his Blood and the sweet salvation we get to enjoy because of it. Now, Father, we pray Psalm 118:24 over us for this is the day you have made and we are deciding right now, in this moment, to rejoice and be glad. We refuse to live under any circumstance. In fact, we speak to circumstances and situations and command them to line up with your precious Word. Devil, you’re a liar and these circumstances must yield to the power of the name of Jesus! We speak peace, health, provision and joy into all circumstances and we rise up out from under them. I thank for you supernatural joy and gladness this day, in Jesus name! Amen!”

Posted in Moments and Musings

God’s Plans Are Better

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Proverbs 16:3

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans. 

There are two key words in this verse. To ‘commit’ means to “to carry into action deliberately” while to ‘establish’ means “to institute permanently by enactment or agreement” 

Commit is an action word. It means we should do something. In this verse, it means we should be intentional about including God in our plans. When our plans line up with God’s word, he will establish them – or he will honor our agreement with him to make our plans permanent and secure. 

A few years ago, I was in a relationship with a man who himself admitted to having an adverse relationship with God. He’d suffered much and that suffering caused him to lose faith in the love God has for him. On the outside, the relationship was solid. We made our plans to get married. He loved my kids as I loved his. He was even willing to have my mom live with us after we were married. 

Then, one day, I heard God say to me, “Are you ever going to include me in this?” I knew right away what my answer was. I said, “No, because I know what you’re going to say. I know I’m unequally matched in this relationship. I know the compromises I have already made in my heart to be with this man.” 

Ever the gentleman, God waited. While he waited, he gently kept reminded me “My plans are higher and my ways are better.” My relationship with this man started to fray and unravel. I finally went to God and said, “I yield, Father. I commit this relationship to you and ask you to direct me. I want to please you more than I want to please myself.” I prayed for myself and for this man, for our hearts, for our healing and for healing in our children (he had 3 kids from a previous marriage). I broke off the relationship and in that moment, I felt shackles falling. The enemy lost. God saved me what was sure to be another divorce and more heartache. 

Friends, when we align ourselves and our plans with the Word of God, we really don’t need to do much else. The hard part is over. God honors his word and gets to work in our lives. He creates paths where there are none. He gives us ideas and wisdom. He provides for those plans because ultimately, they’re his plans too! 

If you want to know what plans God has for you, you need only to look to the Word. The Bible is more than just a love story; it’s a blueprint for how we should live our lives and it never fails. 

What plans are you making for your life? Have you included God in those plans? Can I pray with you? 

“Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for the plans you have made for me. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 tells me your plans are good and full of hope and not for my destruction. You have planned well for me, Father, and I’m so grateful. As I continue to align my plans with your word, I thank you that you are causing those plans to be established and to succeed. I pray for continued wisdom and for your Word to be a constant light to my path. I thank you for all this, in Jesus’ name. AMEN!”