Author: Lori Casto

Joy’s Completion

Written by Lori Casto on April 5, 2025. Posted in Devotionals.

Recently I completed a scripture study about joy, or at least I thought it was complete. You can refer to “Until Morning Comes”, a devotional from March 29^th.

The Holy Spirit then led me to study the subject of love. I’ve been reading in 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John as well as other areas in the Gospel of John and of course, I took a look at the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. You can see most of the scriptures in past blogs or devotionals, but I will try to post all of the scripture references below.

I’ve been challenged to dig deeper. Every time I’ve searched, read, and studied as much I can without my eyes glazing over in exhaustion, The Lord wakes me up the next day to dig even deeper. It’s been exciting and exhausting at the same time.

Are you walking in the fullness of Joy God has for you? I believe it’s God’s will we walk in joy. The bible is full of references that end in… “so that your joy may be made full.” Our strength comes from The Joy of the Lord. Joy is ours. I want to walk in it, don’t you? There are so many things that come our way attempting to steal the joy of The Lord in our lives. My studies brought me to this conclusion as referenced in an earlier devotional post:

Hope + Praise + Morning = Joy

I think if we want to experience joy, we must do a self-exam. I think we need to be willing to ask God to search our hearts.

What keeps you from experiencing God’s joy? What keeps me from experiencing full joy? Over the past several days as I’ve been reading about love, God is showing me that another key component to experiencing joy, is to be walking in love. I’ll say it again. If I want to walk in joy, I must be walk in love.

If I want to walk in joy, I must walk in love.

Hope + Praise + Morning + Love = Joy

Joy is a fruit of the spirit – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

Joy is a constant, deep happiness that comes from confidence exercised and dependent on God and not dependent on the circumstances or situations we may find ourselves facing. (my definition after looking at many)

A Crushed Spirit = Crushed Joy

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

What circumstances attempt to crush the spirit?

Hurt, anger, death, grief, sickness, exhaustion

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse (Mean, contradictory, bad, difficult) tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4

How can we replace a crushed spirit with joy?

Hope brings joy

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

The hope of the righteous brings joy, Proverbs 10:28

Praise brings joy

* Praise always, not just when we feel like it (Choose a priority of praise)

Rejoice always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6

The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart

Leaps for joy and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

KEEP PRAISING UNTIL MORNING COMES

Love brings joy

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

Morning brings Joy

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psalm 30:11

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:22

Hope + Praise + Love = Morning, which brings joy

Self-reliance is not God reliance. We must “live & walk in The Spirit” to possess joy.

Love Scripture Meditation

Written by Lori Casto on April 4, 2025. Posted in Devotionals.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. 1 John 2:3-5

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.1 John 2:15

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16

Perfected Love

Written by Lori Casto on April 4, 2025. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.

1 John 2:3-5

The Attributes of Love

Written by Lori Casto on April 3, 2025. Posted in Devotionals.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11

When I think about the attributes of love described in 1 Corinthians 13, considering 1 John 4:7-11, I am challenged. Stay with me as I attempt the study & these 2 Bible passages.

Twenty-Three

Written by Lori Casto on April 3, 2025. Posted in Blog.

April 8^th I officially celebrate 23 years at Wedgewood Estates in Mansfield. When I look back over the past 23 years, I can’t help but feel over abundantly blessed.

Jeremiah 29:11 says it all: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper, not to harm. Plans to give you hope and a future.”

I’m honored and privileged to have met and continue to meet some amazing people who have made Wedgewood home. Whether it be family members, residents, or staff, my life is better because of the friends & family I have made through Wedgewood.

Dear Heavenly Father-

Thank you for blessing Wedgewood Estates. I pray as people walk through the doors of Wedgewood they feel the presence of The Holy Spirit. Thank you for your protective angels that always surround Wedgewood. I thank you when people move into Wedgewood, they enjoy a life that thrives. If there are those who move in who don’t know you, may they not leave Wedgewood without making you Lord and Savior of their life.

May everything I do and say be pleasing to you as we strive to serve the people you have entrusted us with. May we never take for granted the stewardship you’ve entrusted us with and do our very best to utilize it for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

At All

Written by Lori Casto on April 3, 2025. Posted in Daily Scripture.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:5-7

Jesus Is…

Written by Lori Casto on April 2, 2025. Posted in Devotionals.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…

…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-5, 14

Jesus is The Word

Jesus is life

Jesus is light

Jesus was/is God

Jesus was with God in the beginning

God made everything through Jesus

Jesus became flesh and lived among us

We’ve seen the glory of Jesus who came from God the Father

Jesus is full of grace

Jesus is full of truth

The Word Was God

Written by Lori Casto on April 2, 2025. Posted in Daily Scripture.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…

…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-5, 14

The Love of Christ

Written by Lori Casto on April 1, 2025. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

My Father’s Child

Written by Lori Casto on April 1, 2025. Posted in Blog.

2 years before dad died, he had a minor heart attack. During testing and time in the hospital, we found out dad had 2 major arteries that were 100 percent blocked and one that was 90 percent. There was nothing the doctors could do, and the diagnoses was grim. He was a brittle diabetic who played basketball & ran many 5ks. No matter what he did to take care of himself, his diabetes caused so many health issues…kidney failure, toe amputation, and artery blockage.

During the last 2 years of his life, after learning about the blockage, I found myself privately mourning. I often cried myself to sleep. My time with him became even more precious than it already was. Time was like gold. Dad was my best friend. I was blessed to be my father’s child. His loss was the first and only time I have experienced true heart ache. My heart literally ached for about 6 months. Every day on my way to Wedgewood, I would play the medley by Nicole C. Mullin My Tribute/My Redeemer Lives. I played it over and over and over again. (Less than 8 months after his death covid protocols began)

This July will be 6 years since dad went to be with Jesus. I miss him the most when I want to talk something over with him. Dad and I could talk about anything, and I valued his opinion.

As I think of my dad today, I think of my heavenly Father. I’m thankful I can talk to Him about anything. My relationship with my heavenly Father is precious. He’s brought me through so much over the past 6 years. Noone understands like Jesus. He had wiped my tears, held me until I fell asleep, and brought me through the darkest moments of my life. He grieves with me, and He celebrates with me. I am blessed to be my Father’s child.

Obey

Written by Lori Casto on March 31, 2025. Posted in Daily Scripture.

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28

Obedience

Written by Lori Casto on March 31, 2025. Posted in Devotionals.

Obey– to follow the commands or guidance of ; to conform to or comply with (willingly)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; Isaiah 1:9

Author: Lori Casto

CONNECT WITH LORI

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY

PRAYER REQUEST