What Weere You Thinking? ~ June Foster ~ devotional

What Were You Thinking?

James 4:7 says "Submit yourselves therefore to God." Our choices, our words, our activities, our relationships. (I'm still working on all of this.)

But for me, thoughts are the hardest to surrender to the Lord. The Bible offers help. 

Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

I'd like to take each Biblical adjective and flesh it out. What exactly is Paul referring to with each word? A few examples.

True. I had a short conversation with my friend about her opinion of my novel. I mulled her words over until I fumed. I found myself exaggerating what she'd really said. And her words were merely constructive criticism. Don't I always appreciate helpful advice from friends and readers? Fact check: remember what she actually meant and not what I'd conjured up in my mind.

Noble means polite, decent, gracious. Dwelling on my best friend's faults isn't noble.

Right means accurate. Yes, my friend had spoken accurately, not with criticism but with love.

Pure. Purity of thoughts. (I struggle with this one.) Every critical thought about others, every mean-spirited conclusion I make about another, every covetous desire. I ask God to help me not entertain them, but instead fill my mind with wholesome or clean thoughts.

Lovely. Dwell on the beauty of nature. Concentrate on what God sees in another and not their shortcomings.

Admirable. Could be the checkout girl at Wal-Mart isn't very friendly, but she's fast and efficient. Think about her commendable skills.

Excellent. One of my relatives is a gossip, but her home is always organized and clean. Dwell on her ability to keep house.

Praiseworthy. I can't say anything good about some of our politicians, but God is in control. Center on the Lord's goodness.

My mind is a wild horse at times. But if I rein it in and take Philippians 4: 8 to heart, I'll do better.

Now, let's take a look at June's recent release

Back cover blurb:

If there's one thing Nadia Maguire knows, Jon Maguire robbed her of a godly marriage and left her in financial ruin. The night he was killed in an accident, guilt threatened to suffocate her. She wasn't sorry he died.

When Nadia accidentally sits on a stranger's lap in the graveyard where Jon is buried, she's horrified to learn the good-looking guy with salt and pepper hair is her new boss.

Jared Abrams is a widower who longs to move on. He's intrigued by the beautiful woman who puts God first in her life. But as their friendship grows, an unexpected obstacle separates them—his daughter Sarah. No one can replace her mother. Especially not Nadia Maguire whose son harmed her in high school.

If Nadia can't find the funds to get her house ready to sell, she'll have to balance two jobs with no time left to nurture a relationship with the man she loves. Will she and Jared find a Harvest of Blessings or a season of drought?

purchase link: https://tinyurl.com/yah8fbjr

 About June:

June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. 

She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her contemporary romances. 

June's characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom. Find June at www.junefoster.com.