“It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot.
The sky is still black. The world is still asleep.
The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive.
It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun.
The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day.
The calm of the solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace
Of the human race.
The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met…agendas and schedules…
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands.
It is NOW that I must make a choice.
And so, I choose…”
I CHOOSE LOVE…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. Hatred means to love less. I will give love freely with my motive to receive NOTHING in return. I choose love. Today I will love God and what HE loves. (I Cor. 13:3)
I CHOOSE JOY…
I receive JOY when I give Love away. Joyfulness is the spontaneous enthusiasm of my spirit when I am in fellowship with God. I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will see interruptions as opportunities in all the chaos around me. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem or situation as anything less than an opportunity to see God. I choose to get in harmony with HIM and HIS will. (Psa. 16:11)
I CHOOSE PEACE…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live. I will allow peace to govern me today. Great peace have those who love His law and NOTHING will offend them. I have no excuse!(Psa. 119: 165)
I CHOOSE PATIENCE…
I will overlook the inconveniences and conflicts the day presents. I will accept any difficult situation from GOD without giving Him a deadline to remove it. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long or chafing at an unexpected response from someone, I will thank God for a moment to pause and for a reminder to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at my current obligations, I will face them with gratefulness and courage. (Rom. 5:3-4)
I CHOOSE KINDNESS…
I will be kind to the unkind because HE was treated unkindly and I deserve no less. I will be kind to the poor because they are alone. I will be kind to the rich because they are afraid. I will invest whatever is necessary to heal the hurt of others. Kindness is an act.(! Jn. 3: 17)
I CHOOSE GENTLENESS…
Nothing is won by force or coercion. I choose to show personal care and concern in meeting the needs of others. If I raise my voice, may it be only praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only a prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself. Gentleness is an attitude or manner.(I Thess. 2: 7)
I CHOOSE GOODNESS…
I will see the goodness in others when it is hard to find. I will confess before I accuse. I will walk in humility, which is the gas tank for the other qualities.
I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS…
Today I will keep my promises. My spouse will not question my loyalty. My children will never fear that their mom will not be there for them. I will visualize God’s future in each life. I will use difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those HE has called me to serve. (Jn. 15:13)
I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL…
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose to be instantly obedient to the initial promptings of God’ Spirit. I choose God-control. (Gal. 5: 24-25)
To this I commit my day…understanding that my choice indicates that either I have ALL of these qualities or that I have NONE of them. This is not a smorgasbord! God-control means His Spirit is producing all of these in me. If I succeed, I will praise HIS Name and give thanks. If I fail, I will seek God’s face in repentance, with the reminder to keep shorter accounts with HIM.
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
