Good Morning Gorgeous!

It’s a brand NEW day!! A fresh new start!

And ALL things can be made NEW!

Not only is the Creator of the WHOLE universe making things NEW

A new sunrise

A new hope

A new move of His Spirit

A new breakthrough

A new vision

A new clarity

A new provision

BUT YOU have an opportunity every single day to offer up a NEW surrender unto the Lord..

You can offer a NEW level of faith today.

A new level of obedience.

A new level of radical worship. 

We are on a journey and no matter where you are today, there can be a NEW offering of your life as a living sacrifice. 

I have a neighbor who lives directly behind me and he likes things quiet.

I shared a blog post in 2021 about him cursing at me and how I handled it.

Here’s a link to that story if you wanna get all caught up.

What to do when your Neighbor Yells Obsecenities

Recently, we experienced almost the SAME situation all over again.

I had the pest control company at our home and Junior was barking and barking.  (Last time it was Maxwell, now years later it’s Junior.)

Ever since the last incident, I’ve been over the top careful that he doesn’t bark outside for long. If I hear him, I bring him inside right away.  But Junior was irritated that there were visitors in our home that he didn’t know and he was barking.

I excused myself from the conversation and said I have to go get my dog before he upsets the neighbor……. too late!

I stepped out to call Junior inside and there was the neighbor yelling all kinds of obscenities f bomb and all.  One of the things he said was, “You never get your dog. You just let him bark and bark.”

I was very kind and I just looked across the fence at him and said, “That’s not true and I am so sorry he’s bothering you now. I’m taking him inside right away.  I’m really sorry.”

And I ushered Junior inside. The pest control man was speechless. His jaw was hanging open and he was angry.  He had heard the whole exchange.  I told him that my neighbor just likes things really quiet and we try our best to accommodate when possible.

He left. I started homeschooling Nia and forgot all about it. A few hours later we heard a knock at the door and Nia yells,  “It’s Mr. Ray!”

I was startled because he’s our neighbor, so I didn’t know what to expect. I opened the door and Nia runs out saying, “Hi Mr. Ray!” She was wearing homemade wings with colorful feathers and trying to fly.

Mr. Ray said he was really sorry and that when I corrected him earlier and said, “That’s not true.”, he realized it wasn’t true. He told me he appreciated how quiet I keep Junior and thanked me..

He told me about some hard times he has been going through and how difficult it’s been for him and his wife.

I asked him if I could give him a gift and went inside. I pulled out a copy of my book, Surviving the Midnight Hour.

I signed the inside and stepped back outside. I told him I wrote it and wanted him to have a copy.

He was so thankful and left smiling. 

And with that…… the enemy LOST.

Through our humility and both of us being willing to apologize, we will remain at peace.

If he reads the book, he’ll meet the story of how Jesus saves and redeems us even in the dark trials of life!

And the spirit of offense, anger, and division LOST its grip!

Friends,

Be slow to anger.

Quick to forgive. And even forgive AGAIN if needed. 

And remember the POWER of your tongue!

You can literally put a FIRE 🔥🔥 out with your words!

You can give a soft response and watch the Spirit of offense lose its hold.

You can rise above the fleshly desire to be RIGHT.

You can lean into Holy Spirit and ask for the fruit of self control to show up in your speech.

You are marked, set apart, and HOLY. You can respond like Jesus would and be a vessel of His Peace this Christmas Season.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Come and do a mighty work inside of us so that when people encounter us, they encounter YOU. Lord, enable me to guard my tongue and speak with kind words. Make me slow to anger and quick to forgive.

In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

Blessings and sweet speech!

Vanessa Lynn