by Anthony Emmanuelli‚ All News Pipeline: There are many ways the government can hijack‚ seize‚ appropriate‚ and subsequently take control of land: – utilize eminent domain to take private property (and even personal and intellectual property)‚ allegedly for public use and for public benefit; – give the green light to the CDC to enact “eviction moratoriums” in […]

A Prayer against an Anxious Heart and MindBy Chelsey DeMatteis “For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD‚ my God lightens my darkness.” – Psalm 18:28 I was out running errands when I felt the pang of anxiety strike. It was as if the ocean began to swell and the waves were going to swallow me. How could one thought from the enemy lead to a full on onslaught of my mind&;#63; Does this sound familiar to you‚ too&;#63; I wish I wasn't in good company with what I felt in that moment and what I was going to feel for the several weeks that followed after. But‚ the reality is‚ we have all been here. Most likely not the same thoughts‚ but most of us can relate to those feelings.  As I made my way through the fog‚ and at times‚ crippling fear‚ I found myself pleading with God to remove what I was feeling. I prayed that he would reveal where and why the anxious thought entered to begin with. To my surprise‚ though it shouldn't be a surprise‚ God answered in very miraculous ways. I'm not one to pray ‘Gideon prayers’ for lack of a better term. However‚ I was desperate for answers in the same way Gideon was. As I pleaded with God and asked Him to reveal what was going on in my mind and in my heart‚ He revealed pains of my past that made me susceptible to this type of anxiety. He then showed me that out of the sensitivity of my heart‚ I had built up walls due to fears surrounding topics that had nothing to do with myself. The Lord showed me‚ out of the goodness of his heart‚ that he would use this trial to not only draw me closer to him but also reveal areas of my life that he needed to tend to. Anxiety is one of those things (as painful and debilitating as it often is) that God turns to good as He reveals areas we need to work through and shows us how to draw closer to him. I mentioned Gideon at the beginning of this devotion‚ and there's a good reason for that; my hope is that this encourages you to pray those prayers in the times that you desperately need to see the Lord.  Gideon's prayer: &;quot;Gideon prayed to God‚ &;quot;I know that you promised to help me rescue Israel‚ but I need proof. Tonight‚ I’ll spread a sheep skin on the stone floor of that threshing place over there. If you really will help me rescue Israel‚ then tomorrow morning let there be dew on the skin‚ but let the stone floor be dry.&;quot; And that’s just what happened. Early the next morning‚ Gideon got up and checked the sheepskin. He squeezed out enough water to fill a bowl. But Gideon prayed to God again. &;quot;Don’t be angry with me‚&;quot; Gideon said. &;quot;Let me try this just one more time‚ so I’ll really be sure you’ll help me. Only this time‚ let the skin be dry and the stone floor be wet.&;quot; That night‚ God made the stone floor wet with dew‚ but he kept the sheep skin dry.&;quot; – Judges 6:36-40 As you pray those bold prayers‚ understand that God may not answer you in the way you were hoping‚ but He will answer you in the way that draws you closer to Him. I began to feel the shift in my spirit as the anxiety lifted‚ and God so sweetly ministered to my heart‚ with Psalm 18:28‚ “For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD‚ my God lightens my darkness.” Let this truth soak into the deepest parts of your heart. He is the light in our lives‚ and He will lighten the darkness we walk through. It would be outside of His character not to do so‚ and we know that we can trust in who God says He is. Let’s pray: Lord‚ I thank you so much for your willingness to walk with us in the darkest seasons. You never shy away from wanting to teach us more about who you are‚ and what you desire for our life. I thank you for being the light of my life and being the light‚ that shows me where to walk and how to live. I thank you for this relationship with you. I love you‚ Father. In Jesus' name‚ amen. Photo credit: Unsplash/Joice Kelly Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him‚ Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine‚ Crosswalk.com‚ and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com. Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below&;#33; Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU&;#63; Click the button below&;#33; Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer against an Anxious Heart and Mind – Your Daily Prayer – April 20 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1818 - Napoleon Bonaparte bids emotional farewell to his old guard at Palace of Fontainebleau 1896 - John Philip Sousa's operetta &;quot;El Capitan&;quot; premieres on Broadway at Broadway Theatre‚ NYC 1912 - Tiger Stadium in Detroit opens‚ Tigers beat Cleveland Indians 6-5 1936 - 40th Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown in 2:33:40.8 1982 - The Provisional Irish Republican Army explode bombs in Belfast‚ Derry‚ Armagh‚ Ballymena‚ Bessbrook and Magherafelt; 2 civilians are killed and 12 injured 1987 - US deports Karl Linnas to USSR‚ charged with Nazi war crimes 1997 - &;quot;Gin Game&;quot; opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 144 performances 2004 - In Iraq‚ 12 mortars are fired on Abu Ghraib Prison by insurgents‚ killing 22 detainees and wounding 92. 2007 - Johnson Space Center Shooting: A man with a handgun barricades himself in NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston‚ Texas before killing a male hostage and himself. 2023 - Colombian President Gustavo Petro meets with US President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1818 - Napoleon Bonaparte bids emotional farewell to his old guard at Palace of Fontainebleau 1914 - US President W Wilson‚ having dispatched more naval ships to Mexico‚ asks a joint session of Congress to approve armed force if necessary; Congress approves 1947 - Frederik IX becomes King of Denmark 1962 - NASA civilian pilot Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 63‚250 m 1963 - -30] All Africa Conferences of Churches opens in Kampala Uganda 1975 - 29th Tony Awards: &;quot;Equus&;quot; (play) and &;quot;The Wiz&;quot; (musical) win More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1904 - Bruce Cabot‚ American actor (Diamonds are Forever‚ King Kong)‚ born in Carlsbad‚ New Mexico (d. 1972) 1919 - Richard Hillary‚ Australian Spitfire pilot and author (The Last Enemy)‚ born in Sydney‚ Australia (d. 1943) 1924 - Leslie Phillips‚ British stage and screen‚ screen‚ and radio actor (Carry On; Harry Potter films)‚ born in Tottenham‚ England (d. 2022) 1936 - Pauli Ellefsen‚ Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (1981-85)‚ born in Miðv&;aacute;gur‚ V&;aacute;gar‚ Faroe Islands (d. 2012) 1943 - Edie Sedgwick‚ American actress (Ciao Manhattan) and socialite‚ born in Santa Barbara‚ California (d. 1971) 1971 - Terry Smith‚ NFL wide receiver (Indianapolis Colts)‚ born in Clemson‚ South Carolina More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1912 - Bram Stoker‚ Irish theater manager and author (Dracula)‚ dies at 64 1935 - Lucy‚ Lady Duff-Gordon‚ English fashion designer‚ dies at 71 1951 - Ivanoe Bonomi‚ Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1873) 1968 - Mabel Stark‚ American tiger trainer &;quot;crazy Mabel&;quot;‚ found dead after her suicide at 79 1998 - Trevor Huddleston‚ English Anglican bishop in South Africa and anti-apartheid activist (wrote Naught for Your Comfort)‚ dies at 84 2015 - Bob St. Clair‚ American NFL football player‚ 1953-63 (San Francisco 49ers)‚ known as &;quot;The Geek&;quot;‚ dies at 84 More Famous Deaths »

In a world of materialism‚ narcissism‚ and‚ well‚ unrelenting noise‚ God freely offers that which is priceless: Salvation. A loving community called “the church.” Marriage‚ family‚ Christian growth‚ and assurance through the promises of His Word.

If you are Christian‚ then you are born again. And if you are not born again‚ then you are not a Christian.

Anxiety is one of those things that God turns to good as He reveals areas we need to work through and shows us how to draw closer to him.