Many are headed back to school right now, choosing classes that will hopefully help them be successful in this life. But there is another school for those who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior; a school that never ends; where classes are not picked as in a physical curriculum. It is one where the classes have been chosen before the foundation of the world. These needed classes have been designed by the Master Teacher and Principal–God, Himself.

If we intend to be a good student of His, there are significant classes we must take to learn the lessons we must learn from A to Z. This semester, you might be enrolled in a class to learn about love, joy, and peace. On the other hand, you might be enrolled in one that teaches how to relinquish or respond to hate, malice, or deceit; especially during this time of pandemic. So don’t be surprised, if in this semester (or the next), you are enrolled in classes that involve disappointments, failures, forgiveness, rejection, impatience, or even loss.

If God have you enrolled in such classes as these, I hope you learn the lesson; not so that you can simply say you’ve passed the test, but that you’ve learned how to endure and be victorious through them. I pray you will come to discover that as we grow in Christ, there are always more to learn in God’s school of life. The Headmaster surely knows what every class will entail to equip every student’s need. He is there to teach students how to follow His lesson plan, and how to trust Him during each course. Let us embrace Him and His curriculum.

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” ( Hebrews 13:20-21).

I will keep on thanking God because He knows the lessons I need to learn in His school of life. Dear Lord, thank you. Please help me to be a better student for your glory in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/keeponthanking.com

The Holy Bible tells us that without a vision the people perish: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). We see from this statement there is a danger in not possessing a vision, and how important it is to have a vision. It keeps us from perishing; from perishing in hopelessness, in doubt, in purposelessness; from coming to complete ruin or utter destruction.

In order not to fall prey to any of these damaging qualities, we must have the kind of vision that causes us to lift our eyes above our struggles. Are you facing any challenges? See yourself coming out. Let me rephrase… see yourself ”out’! Refuse to walk in hopelessness, doubt, and purposelessness. Walk in victory no matter what you’re experiencing in your immediate surrounding. Visualize your end result and work to that end. See the picture you have in mind before you draw a single line, and let it formulate before the architect sketch his design.

“And the Lord answered me: ‘”Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end; it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come: it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

I will keep on thanking God for a vision of victory.

Dear God, I thank you for the victory despite what I see. I thank You for helping me to lift my mind above what I may be going through in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/keeponthanking.com.

Dear Lord, giving You all thanks and praise, especially in these dark and uncertain days. Grateful, You know all about this Covid-19 Pandemic. Who else would have known 2020 would bring in this kind of climate! It was no surprise to You; the One who knows all things, through and through.

There is no doubt 2020 came in with a bang! Not the kind we’d hoped for, but just the same, with a different kind, it came! Tragedy after tragedy, worldwide, on every side; people dying, mothers, fathers, children crying! Oh Lord, we hear everyday how another have passed away! When will it stop? When will it end? Help Lord, we say today “Please take this pandemic away!

You said in Your Word, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” ( 2 chronicles 7:14).

Now Father, we confess our sins. We acknowledge we have sinned as a people, a nation, a world. Forgive us, Dear Lord, we humbly pray. Please heal our land that we may once again, to You, faithfully stand.

I will keep on thanking God that He is the answer to my plea in any situation. Dear Lord, thankful, we who trust in You have this confidence, “Nothing is too hard for God.” Oh, how we love, hope, and look to You, to get us through, in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/keeponthanking.com

This post will only take a moment of your time. As we know, no one can predict what a day will bring, nor can it be said what a moment will contain. Some can be so precious; others may not. Nevertheless, whether precious or not, we have moments for a reason and can very well learn from them. Could it be that the moment you are experiencing (right now) has a God given purpose? Paul said, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). I encourage you to look beyond what is seen to that which is unseen. No matter what, be assured God is right there ‘in your moment’ and is able to deliver. Though it may seem long for us… on God’s time table, it’s only just a moment in time.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I will keep on thanking God for being ever present. Dear Lord, thank You for never leaving me for a moment, and help me to take in each one, giving You all glory and praise in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington keeponthanking.com

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). Some people think when bad things happen in their lives, they are being punished by God. Do you think that way? Especially in light of the Covid-19 Pandemic, many are now looking within and taking a retrospective view of their behavior for the first time, which is not a bad thing to do. The Bible does tell us to examine ourselves. But are you one who thinks, “God must be mad and allowing this terrible sufferings in ‘my life’ because I may have done wrong?” None of us possess an all seeing eye, nor is the judge of right and wrong. But let me encourage you, if you have sinned, repent. For indeed unrepentant sin brings forth punishment. But God is faithful to forgive us of our sins. The point of this post, however, is to encourage you that when bad things keep happening in your life, it is not always the result of sin. Just keep praying no matter what happens. Briefly, let’s consider a few of the biblical characters that experienced bad things in their lives.

Job was a righteous man. Was he being punished because tragedy after tragedy kept occurring in his life? Clearly, Job was in his own pandemic; He lost all except his faith, his life, and his wife. Remember, Job also lost 10 children in one day! Was Jeremiah being punished when he was thrown into the deepest part of the dungeon for preaching the Word of God? What about Daniel, who was thrown into the lion’s den for praying? How about the three Hebrew boys; Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, who refused to bow to the king’s command? As a result, they were tossed in the burning fiery furnace. Surely, Scripture bares record that these men were not being punished because of the bad things that happened to them. They were men of faith willing to suffer for the cause of Christ. Like them, Scripture speaks of many more.

But there was another in particular. One who stood above the rest and was subject to like passions as we are, but did no wrong. His name is Jesus and He lives today. He is Savior. Was God punishing Him when He was ridiculed, spat on, whipped, pierced, died, and was buried? Absolutely not! Instead Jesus willingly took on the punishment for our sin. He was God, wrapped in flesh and sinless; yet allowed wrong to be done to Him that we might have life eternal. In view of this, no matter the cause of the pandemic you maybe  personally facing, when perilous times comes think on Jesus. Definitely repent if you have sin in your heart, and be thankful Jesus paid the price of sin’s punishment for everyone.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

I will keep on thanking God that although bad things do happen, those that trust in Him can find rest for their soul. Dear Lord, I thank You for your assurance that You have forgiven me and took on the punishment for my sin. In times of trials, I can still rest, in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/keeponthanking,com

***Lifting prayers for all who risk their lives during the Covid-19 Pandemic and all  families affected.

Mother’s Day is a day that has been set aside to celebrate moms. Although this is true, I hope you’re not waiting only for this day to remember and celebrate your mom; use every opportunity. For a mom, everyday is Mother’s Day. She deserve to be honored. She deserves the best.

Although my precious and dear mom left this earth in 2007, she will never leave my heart. She left me something more valuable than money, the knowledge of what it means to possess the love of a mom. Remembering God’s love demonstrated in her helps me to love the more. So in this post, I’m calling all moms that truly are moms: the birth moms, stepmoms, adopted moms, godmoms, grandmoms, mom figures: auntie moms, spiritual moms, teacher moms, life coach moms, and especially those moms on the front line of the Covid-19 Pandemic. We love you, and we remember who you are. You’re not only the vessel by which our Heavenly Father chose to birth children into the world, you are the initial carriers of the future. You are that face of love. You are the light in your child’s eye. You are the voice of lullaby, singing, hush little baby don’t you cry. Moms, we love you.

You are APPRECIATED. You are LOVED. You are so SPECIAL. I CELEBRATE YOU

“Hear my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck” (Proverbs 1:8-9)

“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her; Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all” (Proverbs 31:28-29).

I will keep on thanking God for the genuine love of a mother. Dear Lord, I thank You for giving me a mom that not only told me about Your love, but demonstrated Your love to me. I also thank You for every mom-like figure you’ve placed in my life, in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/keeponthanking.com

“You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).

Dear LORD, we look to You, and thank You too,

For this day of Your divine mercy and Your grace;

Knowing that You are LORD, and You are God; nothing for You is too hard.

Therefore, we are thankful again and again that we have You, our Savior, our friend.

In light of this COVID19 pandemic, help us to pray, and not to panic.

Help us to rest in You, that You know just what to do.

You are mightier than any storm, in any climate; especially this coronavirus pandemic.

Clearly it’s no match for You; it can only do what You allow it to.

So Dear LORD, we confess, at times, we don’t know what to do… not even having a clue.

But now LORD, we’re beseeching You to grant us Your wisdom on how to get through.

And yes, LORD, we will be thankful again and again, knowing that we can count on You, Jesus our Savior, our friend.

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

I will keep on thanking God for His sustaining comfort in times of uncertainty. Dear Lord, I thank You for keeping me and being our friend during these perilous times, in Jesus name, amen.  By Hertistine Washington/ keeponthanking.com

***Prayers lifted for those on the front line of this pandemic and their families, bereaved families, government, and the entire world, during COVID 19.

I thank God when I woke up this morning I heard the word “blessed” resounding in my Spirit! I immediately began thanking God for His blessings, especially in times like these. I thanked Him, for being counted among the blessed. I then sighed deeply when I thought of His unmerited favor toward me, giving Him praise knowing I hadn’t done anything to earn His mercy and lovingkindness to see another day; yet He still counted me among the blessed.

As we know, after a certain amount of years, everyone is asked to fill out a census application. This is a way the state identifies who we are, where we live, how many of us there are, and so much more; it is a way of being counted. Unlike the State, I thank God that He does not have to literally count us, but He does take count of us. An application is not necessary for Him to know that we are still here. He knows every hair on our head, and He knows us by name. For it is He who provides every move and breath we take. Grateful, we are counted among the blessed.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ( Numbers 6:24)

“For “‘in him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,”‘For we are indeed his offspring’ (Acts 17:28).

I will keep on thanking God for His divine favor. Dear Lord, I thank you for your unearned, unmerited favor toward me, as being one still counted among the blessed, in Jesus name, amen.  By Hertistine Washington/ keeponthanking.com

***Prayers lifted for the front liners and their families, bereaved families, government, and the entire world, during COVID 19.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weights him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Proverbs 12:25, ESV. We are aware how important communication is, especially in times like these. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, it can be life saving! However, as I was walking on my treadmill and watching the TV for the latest update from the CDC (Center of Disease Control), about the CV (coronavirus), my mind reflected on something I feel is so important during this time__the CCC (Call, Check, Converse) Connection.

Many of us, before the coronavirus epidemic, were busy going about living life as usual.  But despite our business, some would still find time to text in order to check on love ones, if they didn’t have time to call. But now, there is time. I encourage you to pick up your phone and call, for many are living in isolation and fear from what they’re hearing about the CV from the CDC. Too much silence can leave one feeling alone and possibly depressed.

So as we (WE) keep informed through the TV from the CDC about the CV, let us connect with our love ones by way of the CCC: Call your love ones. Let them here your voice. No need to talk long, but only texting can be wrong. Check on them. Ask them how they are doing. Converse with them. Hear what they say. Your voice could be the only one they’ve heard that day. Simply call and ‘say’ hello; you just might make their day!

Proverbs 25:11 (ESV) “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver” 

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

I will keep on thanking God for vocal communication. Dear Lord, I thank you in times like these that you have provided a way to stay vocally connected, in Jesus name, amen.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you. I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Many of us have experienced how difficult it is to hear in a lot of commotion, in big crowds, in an uproar. In light of the spreading of the coronavirus, we’re seeing this today around the world. Many are in extreme anxious mode right now from fear: fear of the unknown, fear of infection, fear of lack, and fear of death. What is the answer? How can we get everyone to do what they need to do, and to remain calm__ including ourselves? Well, here it is. Jesus is the answer. Seek Him in His Word and you will find what to do to calm yourself down. So get away from the panicky crowds, get quiet, and listen to God for revelation. He’s speaking right now. In His Word, He promised never to leave or forsake us.

In quietness of reading and meditating on God’s Word, I pray we hear that God is all we need. He has all the water, for He is the Living Water. He has all the food, for He is the Bread of Life. He has all what we need, for He owns cattle on a thousand hills. Can you hear Him say, ”’I Am” the Living Water.”‘  “‘I Am” the Bread of Life.”’ “‘I Am” the Comforter.”’ With these affirmations and so many more, let us calm down, trust that God is in control, working all things according to His divine purpose, and knowing He has all of us in His righteous right hand.

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you” (Isaiah 41:13).

I will keep on thanking God for a calm spirit in the mists of alarm. Dear Lord, I thank you for being in control of this situation and calming all my fears, in Jesus name, amen. By Hertistine Washington/ keeponthanking.com