Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. I have made a proclamation and sealed it with my signet ring … “The Germans may never return home. They are the only ones who know where my stuff is.” Haha. Years ago when the kids would come and visit, we would randomly look for something. It was then that my daughter-in-law would produce it from wherever it was that I had securely placed it and promptly forgot. If memory serves, I even texted her one day, after they had gone home, and asked if she knew where something was. I had already searched the house; why not ask the expert. Haha. Last night, a friend had come to borrow a stadium seat and cushion. I found the seat just fine, but could I find those stupid cushions …NO! I knew I had stacked them together, but I could not remember which safe place I had put them in. Just as I was about to give up, the oldest little came into the room I was leaving, told me that she knew where they were, and pulled out a seat cushion from the bottom shelf of the shelving unit. Eight hours later, I vaguely remember putting them there, but she is following in her mother’s footsteps … they may not leave. Haha. Yesterday was a complete blessing day. Our son earned some money helping a friend. The littles and I went on a walk by ourselves. Then we went on a walk to the park with the other Oma. Afterwards, my hubby and I went to the doctor and picked up supper. Then I was able to secure two extremely valuable boxes of Bluey ice cream for the littlest of littles and become her favorite again. (bribery works…haha) Had a good visit with my sister and a great walk with the other Oma. Today is looking to be a challenging but good day. Challenging because hubby is in pain from the swelling in his legs, but good because we have a family day planned. Tomorrow we will be celebrating his birthday with all the kids and enjoying God’s love. To be honest, I know that there were some uglies yesterday; however, they are buried in the positives … deeply. I am sure that there will be uglies today, but I am just as positive that the blessings will completely overshadow any potential attempts from the enemy to darken our day. What was your positive for yesterday? Did you have more than one? Do they overshadow the enemy’s attempts to steal your joy and peace? Shout them from the rooftops and embrace them as they create an armor of godliness. Today, walk in the Peace of the Lord and seek his righteousness … in doing so … the blessings that He has will manifest before your eyes. The possible darkness will be blinded by His presence and will have NO stamina in your day. I look forward to standing with you in His light today and embracing His love. Have a great day. Be blessed. **Give thanks to the Lord, for his is good; his love endures forever. – Psalm 118:1

Today is the 75th birthday of the man who first taught me how to win souls for Jesus. Nick Kinn continues to oversee the evangelism ministry at Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. A former alcoholic, Pastor Nick has enjoyed the new wine of the Holy Spirit for the past half-century. Tomorrow happens to be the 50th anniversary of his salvation. He came within hours of getting born again on his birthday. Thanks again, Pastor Nick, for your faithful service to our Lord!

13 August 2026 would have been the 90th birthday of the late Rev. David Mainse, we remember with gratitude the founder of Crossroads and 100 Huntley Street—known to so many as “Canada’s Pastor.” 🇨🇦 David had a remarkable heart for people 💙 He believed deeply that every person should have the opportunity to hear the hope of Jesus, and he carried that conviction with courage, creativity, and a pioneering spirit. At a time when broadcast technology was still new, he saw its potential to bring the Gospel into homes across Canada and beyond. That same vision is still bearing fruit today. In June 2027, 100 Huntley Street celebrated 50 years of daily broadcast, sharing the hope of Jesus through inspiring stories, biblical teaching, music, prayer, and so much more. This spring, we expect to answer our 15 millionth prayer call, and through YouTube, millions of digital engagements are carrying that same hope to people around the world. 🎥 The technology has expanded, but the heart of the mission remains the same: reaching people with the life-changing hope of Jesues. We honour David’s faith, his vision, and his pioneering spirit—and we continue to pray for God to move powerfully across Canada

Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter; Chelsea Dorreah Kajjongolo. it's six years since God gave you to us. Mum and I love you for the beautiful daughter you have become. Yours shall be a delightsome land in Jesus name.

Two weeks before Littleman’s birthday, I said goodbye to him—one of the most difficult moments of my life. On his special day, Hurricane Helene struck, devastating my home and deepening my grief. It has been a challenging journey of healing and rebuilding. However, I am grateful to share that we have begun to turn that painful chapter behind us. The loss, the destruction, and the hardships are gradually giving way to blessings and new beginnings. In my heart, I knew it was time to open my home and my heart once again, and to welcome a new furry friend. I prayed for a tiny teacup Chihuahua—a little bundle of love to bring joy and comfort back into my life. I am truly thankful to say that the Lord blessed me with Charlie, a sweet and gentle little guy. Many of you have asked how you can help or what Charlie needs. I’ve put together a small registry, and if you feel led, you can bless Charlie by choosing something from this list. Your kindness will help him feel loved and cared for. Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support. It means the world to me—and to Charlie. ~charlotte Please click on the link

What if your birthday became more than a celebration—what if it became a sacred opportunity to pause, reflect and prepare spiritually for the year ahead? Many of us celebrate another year of life without intentionally looking back, thanking God for His faithfulness or prayerfully placing the next chapter into His hands. That is why I created Number My Days, a guided birthday prayer retreat app based on my book, Number My Days: A Guided Birthday Prayer Retreat Journal. Inspired by Psalm 90:12—“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”—the app guides you through Scripture, meditation, prayer and private reflection in twelve important areas of life, including: * Thanksgiving and remembering God’s faithfulness * Bringing your sorrows honestly before God * Repentance and renewed consecration * Intimacy with God * Identity and purpose in Christ * Family and future generations * Health and well-being * Calling and service * Finances and stewardship * Relationships * Spiritual warfare * Vision for the year ahead Although the app was created around the meaningful milestone of a birthday, you do not have to wait until your birthday to use it. The Scriptures, prayers and reflection prompts can support you whenever you need to pause, seek God’s direction, renew your commitment to Him or prayerfully begin a new season. Created for your birthday. Meaningful for every season. The app is almost ready for its official launch, but before I introduce the paid version, I would love the help of a few people from this Christian community to test it. You can create an account, explore the different sections and use the app as you normally would. For the purpose of testing, your birthday does not need to be near. Simply choose a prayer journey and experience it as a personal retreat with God. Afterwards, I would be grateful for your honest feedback: * Was anything confusing? * Did you encounter anything that did not work? * Was the prayer journey easy to follow? * Did your entries save correctly? * What did you find most meaningful? * What could make the experience better or easier to use? During this testing stage, the app is available free of charge to selected testers. You can begin here: 🔗 [https://numbered-days-retreat.lovable.app] If you decide to test it, please leave a comment or send me a private message so that I can follow up with you for feedback. Thank you for helping me shape a resource that I pray will encourage people to enter every new year and season of life with greater wisdom, gratitude, clarity and surrender to God. 🙏

🎂 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘵. Another candle on the cake. Another year has passed. Is a birthday merely a worldly custom, or can it become an occasion that truly honors Christ? You've celebrated every birthday you've ever had. But have you ever stopped to ask: — 𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺? Before answering too quickly, let's sit under one verse and allow it to search our hearts. 📖 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏 (KJV) “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘦 𝘥𝘰, 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” Paul wasn't speaking only about worship services or special religious occasions. He was talking about everything—ordinary moments, daily activities, celebrations, and yes, even birthdays. Here is the challenging truth: If you're not celebrating your birthday to God's glory, you're not celebrating it according to His purpose. That may be difficult to hear, but it's a question every believer should consider. ✅ The Birthday Checklist That Changes Everything — Look at the glass you're holding during your celebration. 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥? — Look at the clothes you're wearing. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? — Look at the music, movies, conversations, guests, and activities surrounding your birthday. Ask yourself: "𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥?" Let's be honest. How many of us can confidently say that our last birthday celebration was truly centered on honoring Him? This isn't meant to rob us of joy. It's meant to sanctify our joy. 📖 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞: 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 Some people argue that birthdays are neutral because they are rarely mentioned in Scripture. Yet the two birthday celebrations specifically recorded in the Bible should make us pause. 📖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝟒𝟎:𝟐𝟎 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘩'𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴…” 📖 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝟔:𝟐𝟏-𝟐𝟐 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘦; 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥…” Pharaoh's birthday was associated with an execution. Herod's birthday eventually led to the beheading of John the Baptist. Does this mean birthdays are evil? 𝐍𝐨. But it does remind us that a celebration without God at the center can quickly become a platform for pride, self-indulgence, and sin. That is why Paul's command in 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏 is so important. It transforms a self-focused day into a God-centered one. ✨ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 "𝐃𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝"? Scripture gives us clear guidance. — To glorify God means: — To act with gratitude. Recognizing every breath and every year of life as a gift from Him. — To walk in humility. Refusing to make everything about ourselves. — To seek His approval. Valuing God's pleasure above likes, comments, and human praise. — To live in obedience. Aligning our choices with His Word. 📖 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟑:𝟏𝟕 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘮.” Your birthday can become an act of worship, or it can become an act of self-indulgence. The difference isn't found in the cake. It's found in the heart. ❌ 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟏. "𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." This can drift into legalism. Scripture gives believers liberty in matters not explicitly forbidden, while calling us to honor God in all things. Romans 14:5–6 (KJV): “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.” Colossians 2:16 (KJV): “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” 1 Corinthians 10:23 (KJV): “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” A birthday can absolutely be celebrated in a God-honoring way. 𝟐. "𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧, 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." If our music, entertainment, speech, or activities do not glorify God, we should not dismiss them as harmless. Colossians 3:17 (KJV): “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Romans 14:7–8 (KJV): “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (KJV): “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 𝟑. "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥." True. But the Bible does command us to glorify God in everything we do. That part is not optional. 1 Peter 4:11 (KJV): “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 𝟒. "𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡." No day belongs to us. Every day belongs to the Lord. Romans 14:8 (KJV): “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Psalm 118:24 (KJV): “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV): “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” 🎁 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 Thank God for the gift of life. 📖 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝟏𝟑𝟗:𝟏𝟒 “𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦...” 𝟐. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝 Share a testimony. Offer a prayer. Sing songs that exalt Christ. Let your celebration point others to Him. 𝟑. 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 📖 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟐𝟎:𝟑𝟓 “𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦.” Consider helping the poor, supporting missions, sponsoring a child, or blessing someone in need. 𝟒. 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 If the music, jokes, or activities would not honor Christ, they have no place at a celebration meant to glorify Him. 𝟓. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 Every birthday marks one year closer to eternity. Let it remind you that life is brief and that Christ is worthy of our remaining days. 💭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬 Every birthday you've ever had was either lived for God's glory or for your own. One day, every believer will stand before Christ and give an account of how they lived. 📖 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟐 (KJV) “𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” Will your birthday celebrations be remembered as opportunities used for God's glory? Or opportunities wasted? The choice is before us. And we don't need to wait until our next birthday to make a change. ❤️ 𝐀 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 This message isn't meant to crush your joy. It's meant to redirect it. God is not against celebration. He is the Author of true joy. 📖 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟏 “𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘰𝘺...” He created the feast, the family, the laughter, and the blessings we enjoy. So yes, celebrate. Blow out the candles. Eat the cake. Rejoice in the gift of another year. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲. And may your next birthday be the one where you can honestly say: "𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥." 🙏 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

🐞 Miss Tillia’s Garden 🌳 🎂 The Birthday Girl Who Forgot to Have Fun 🥳 🎉 Lily had been waiting for her birthday party for what felt like a hundred years. Actually, it had only been eleven months and twenty-nine days. But when you are a child waiting for your birthday, eleven months and twenty-nine days is practically forever. And today was finally the day! Lily had planned everything. There were colorful balloons tied to the garden fence, flowers arranged around the picnic tables, games waiting to be played, and a beautiful birthday cake sitting safely beneath a little cake cover. She had even made a special sign. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY! She stood back and admired everything. “Perfect!” Then she frowned. She walked over to the balloons. “Are you all tied tightly?” She tugged one. The balloon bounced. “Good.” She checked the cake. “Still there.” She checked the games. “Still there.” Miss Tillia watched as Lily checked everything in the garden. “Lily,” she called, “your party doesn't begin for another hour.” “I know!” “You've checked everything three times.” “Only three?” Miss Tillia laughed. Lily giggled and went back to work. Soon the first guests arrived. “Happy birthday!” Each of them handed her a present which she immediately put on the table she had set up just for presents. “Thank you!” Lily hugged her friends. Then looked over their shoulders. “Did everyone get their party hat?” She handed one to each child. “Okay! Now the games are over here." She watched as all her friends began to play. "When we're done playing, we can enjoy a snack. The food is over there. Don't forget the lemonade." Everyone looked at the table with little sandwiches and chips. "And we're going to have cake after presents, but don't touch the cake yet because—” She stopped. All of her friends were staring at her. “What?” “You're not playing.” “Of course I am!” “No, you've been telling everybody else what to do, but you haven't been joining us.” Lily looked around. “Oh.” She hurried over to the first game. “Is everybody ready?” They played a beanbag toss. Lily watched carefully. “That's one point!” She straightened the beanbags. “That's two!” She picked up one that had rolled away. “Okay, everybody throw again!” She noticed one of the balloons had come loose. “Oh no!” She ran after it. She tied it back up. Then she noticed the lemonade pitcher was getting empty. She filled it. Then she noticed one of the children had dropped a napkin. She picked it up. Then she checked the cake. Then the presents. Then the games. Then the balloons. Then the cake again. Miss Tillia's leaves began to wiggle. Not from the wind. From laughter. “Lily,” Miss Tillia said, “when was the last time you had fun?” Lily blinked. “I am having fun.” “Are you?” “Yes.” “Then why haven't I seen you smile?” Lily opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She looked around the garden. Everyone was laughing. Her friends were playing. Someone had put a party hat on a garden statue. Two children were racing to see who could carry the most balloons. And one little boy was trying very hard to eat a cookie without getting the powdered sugar on his nose. He failed. Everybody laughed. Lily smiled. Then she looked at the cake. “The cake!” She started toward it. Miss Tillia's branches suddenly stretched across the path. Lily stopped. “Miss Tillia?” “You forgot something.” “What?” “Your birthday.” “My birthday is right here!” “No, dear. Your party is right here.” Miss Tillia's leaves fluttered. “But the birthday girl seems to be missing.” Lily looked around. “I’m right here!” Miss Tillia shook her branches. “Nope.” Lily giggled. “What do I have to do to find her?” Miss Tillia pointed one branch toward the children. “Stop checking.” Lily looked at the party. “But what if something goes wrong?” “Something probably will.” Lily's eyes widened. “What?!” Miss Tillia laughed. “That's what makes parties interesting!” Just then—POP! A balloon burst. Everyone jumped. Then they laughed. A little later, someone spilled lemonade. Everyone grabbed napkins. Then they laughed. One of the games didn't work the way Lily had planned. So the children invented a new game. And it was much sillier than Lily's original one. Lily finally stopped trying to fix everything. She ran. She played. She laughed. She got frosting on her nose. She accidentally stepped on a balloon and jumped when it popped. She even wore the party hat that had somehow ended up upside down. For the first time that day, she wasn't checking the cake. She wasn't checking the presents. She wasn't checking the games. She wasn't checking whether everyone else was having fun. She was having fun too. When it was finally time for cake, Lily stood beside Miss Tillia and looked around at her friends. “This isn't exactly how I planned it.” Miss Tillia's leaves rustled. “No.” Lily smiled. “It's better.” Miss Tillia's leaves danced happily. “And what did you learn today, birthday girl?” Lily thought for a moment. “That making everything perfect isn't as important as being there to enjoy it.” Miss Tillia laughed. “And?” Lily grinned. “And sometimes the best parts of a party are the things that go wrong!” Just then, the little boy with the frosting-covered nose sneezed. ACHOO! A tiny puff of powdered sugar flew through the air. Everyone laughed. Lily laughed the hardest. Miss Tillia's branches swayed above them. Because sometimes the happiest memories aren't the ones where everything goes perfectly. They're the ones where everyone is together... laughing, playing, making a mess... and enjoying the moment they were given. And Lily? She finally remembered that she wasn't just the one who planned the party. She was the birthday girl. And birthday girls are supposed to have fun too! #misstilliasgarden #christianwriter #christianfiction #christianfantasy #stacyfrantz

What if your birthday became more than a celebration—what if it became a sacred opportunity to pause, reflect and prepare spiritually for the year ahead? Many of us celebrate another year of life without intentionally looking back, thanking God for His faithfulness or prayerfully placing the next chapter into His hands. That is why I created Number My Days, a guided birthday prayer retreat app based on my book, Number My Days: A Guided Birthday Prayer Retreat Journal. Inspired by Psalm 90:12—“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”—the app guides you through Scripture, meditation, prayer and private reflection in twelve important areas of life, including: * Thanksgiving and remembering God’s faithfulness * Bringing your sorrows honestly before God * Repentance and renewed consecration * Intimacy with God * Identity and purpose in Christ * Family and future generations * Health and well-being * Calling and service * Finances and stewardship * Relationships * Spiritual warfare * Vision for the year ahead Although the app was created around the meaningful milestone of a birthday, you do not have to wait until your birthday to use it. The Scriptures, prayers and reflection prompts can support you whenever you need to pause, seek God’s direction, renew your commitment to Him or prayerfully begin a new season. Created for your birthday. Meaningful for every season. The app is almost ready for its official launch, but before I introduce the paid version, I would love the help of a few people from this Christian community to test it. You can create an account, explore the different sections and use the app as you normally would. For the purpose of testing, your birthday does not need to be near. Simply choose a prayer journey and experience it as a personal retreat with God. Afterwards, I would be grateful for your honest feedback: * Was anything confusing? * Did you encounter anything that did not work? * Was the prayer journey easy to follow? * Did your entries save correctly? * What did you find most meaningful? * What could make the experience better or easier to use? During this testing stage, the app is available free of charge to selected testers. You can begin here: 🔗 [https://numbered-days-retreat.lovable.app] If you decide to test it, please leave a comment or send me a private message so that I can follow up with you for feedback. Thank you for helping me shape a resource that I pray will encourage people to enter every new year and season of life with greater wisdom, gratitude, clarity and surrender to God. 🙏

Happy Birthday 🎈🎂 To You. keep shining, keep winning. Wishing you a Continuous Growth in good health and longer life 🙏 Congratulations 👏🎉🎉. Nwannem. 🤗🫂🫂❤️🎈🎂✅🕊️