Author: cindygrasso

Cindy Grasso is a writer, speaker, and the Discipleship Pastor at Cape Christian in Cape Coral, Florida. She has been married to Bobby Grasso for 23 years, is the proud mom of two amazing teen boys and has a cat with no name.

Covered

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Today I want to remind you that you have a place of refuge in Christ. A fortress of strength to love from. A tower of trust to give from.

Live from the truth of who Jesus is and what he has done for you on the cross.

You are restored and redeemed.

You are accepted and forgiven.

You are cherished and loved.

When the strong sun of adversity beats down, rest in Shaddai’s shadow. Tuck yourself into His side and remind yourself whose you are.

“You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: ‘GOD, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!’ That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91:1-5 MSG‬‬

When fear screams the loudest, run to the refuge of the cross. Jesus died for you so that you could have this: an unhindered relationship with your Father in heaven who has strong arms and strong love.

Hide in Him.

Fear nothing.

He’s got you covered.

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Best Time to Pray

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“From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.”

Jonah 2:1 NIV

When is the best time to pray?

– when you have run from God.

– when you have been disobedient and rebellious.

– when you have done your own thing, your way and find yourself in the center of a  devastating storm.

– when you realize that God is BIGGER than your fear and STRONGER than the storm.

– when you are in the very center of something that is far bigger than you and you have no power to get out of it.

– when you are ready to let go of your preconceived ideas of what God is calling you to and willing to serve wherever you are, with whatever God has given you, right now. 

When is the best time to pray?

NOW… whatever your “now” looks like.

What’s keeping you from prayer? 

What have you been running from? 

What is Jesus asking you to do right now? 

Stay Salty

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“You are the salt of the earth.”
Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ NIV

Salt has been used as valuable currency, it is a precious food preservative and it is an additive that enhances flavor.

Wherever God has placed you, whoever He has surrounded you with, whatever job He has given you to do, He has you there for a purpose and it is not as complicated as you think it is.

You are there to add value. That alone is a gift that so many people are craving- simply the recognition that they are valued and they are valuable to God– so valuable that Jesus paid the ultimate price to love them.

You are there to be a precious preservative to the world you live in and in the work you do. Preserve respect, show dignity and honor those around you.

You are there to enhance the essence of who God has created them to be. When you celebrate what God has put in them, you liberate them to see it as well.

May God shake you up and pour you out for someone who desperately needs to know that they are precious and valuable to God. May you bring honor with you and enhance every relationship you engage in today. 

Stay salty.

He Goes Before You

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“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

You can face today with strength because God is with you.

You can face the future with courage because God goes before you into it.

The scripture above was spoken by Moses as he commissioned Joshua to take the children of Israel into the promised land.

A nation of former slaves facing a future of freedom.

They knew it would not be easy.

They knew they were going to have to fight for it.

They were leaving their past behind and venturing together into a new normal.

You don’t have to know all the details of what is to come. You just need to know God has called you to it and he will give you what you need, when you need it, to live it.

Rest well, stop worrying and meet the battle head on to take possession of God’s promised land for you.

What is your next step?

What will be your new normal? 

What will you have to fight once you get there?

In Season or Out.

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Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ NIV

There are seasons of life that you are where you are supposed to be and doing what you are supposed to be doing. You are “in” season. You are inspired, motivated and moving forward.

Then there are seasons when you feel downright out of it. You are not where you want to be and not doing what you think you should be doing. You are in an “out” season. You are discouraged, unmotivated and stuck.

The thing is, Jesus will use you in both seasons to reach out to people who need his love.

In fact, it is often the seasons that knock you to your knees that impact other people the most:

  • When the diagnosis doesn’t shake your faith. 
  • When you face a hard time but it doesn’t harden your heart.
  • When you are brave in the face of uncertainty and transparent as you lean on God for strength. 

Be prepared to walk with God in the good times and bad, easy seasons and hard ones because God is prepared to walk with you through it all.

If you are available, He will use you to minister to those around you.

God’s love is always in season, may you be filled with it today.

Parking Places

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Parking places are meant to be a temporary place to stop, not a final destination – you do what you need to do and then get back on the road.

Friend, you are on a life journey with Jesus. Don’t get stuck at a rest stop. Don’t start living at the gas station. Don’t let a parking place become a permanent place.

Get moving.

Remember the reason you were called to this journey in the first place – Jesus has a plan for you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Don’t get distracted.

Don’t settle.

Jesus has new places for you see, new people to meet and new opportunities to glorify God.

Rest stops are important but aren’t meant to be permanent.

Get back on your road.

What has gotten you off track on your journey with Jesus? 


What do you need to do today to get back on the road for the calling God has placed on your life?

Get Moving. 

Someone out there needs you.

Forget It.

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The longer you walk with God, the more you realize how much you need Him.

How much you can’t do it by yourself.

How much you still have to learn.

The first time I heard this was just months after I began walking with God. My college pastor described it like how it is when you are walking towards a bright light- the closer you get, the more you see your own flaws.

It was good for me to hear early on in my walk with God that I would never get to a point of “being an expert ” or “being perfect”.

It was good to know that the closer I get to God, the more I will see my imperfections and know more intimately my own flaws.
Your life with God is a journey. 

It isn’t a skill to excel in, it is a relationship to have. Through the good times and bad times, the easy times and the hard times. Through ALL the times.

“Brother and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ NIV

Why does Paul say “forgetting what is behind”?

I think because we tend to focus on all the things we are not, all the things we haven’t conquered, all the things we haven’t grown in.

All those things take your focus from God and put it on yourself.

So, forget it. 

Forget it all.
God didn’t choose you because someday you would be perfect. He chose you because He loves you and He is perfect enough for the both of you. 

Forget what is behind you even if it happened five minutes ago.

Love God for who He is and let Him love you for who you are- His child.