No other gods!

My husband’s unconditional love (most of the time) and his servants’ heart are incredible gifts. And I could fill your ears with the things I love about my children. Don’t even get me started about my adorable grandchildren, Naomi & Titus. Can this grandmother show you some pictures!

It is true, I am blessed and many of you could agree God has blessed you beyond measure. The Giver is greater than the gift! God’s blessings were never meant to fill the role of god in our lives. Only God Himself can fill that role!

Alarmed Prayer!

Most of us have experienced a ringing phone at an awkward moment. We usually scramble to silence the ring as quickly as possible.

As I was speaking at a Women’s Retreat a phone went off in the auditorium. I continued speaking assuming it would quickly be silenced. Then I realized it wasn’t just one phone, it was multiple phones throughout the room.

Overwhelmed by All of You!

I had no idea God would speak deeply into my heart through the words of so many of you. Over 80 people committed to the challenge. As the month progressed you overwhelmed me with your sweet emails, Facebook postings and personal conversations.

Your words have encouraged me to read more and dig deeper in my own daily quiet time with the Lord. One friend said she needed to talk and have someone just listen to how God was speaking to her heart. She said, “If I don’t talk to someone I’m going to explode.”

Stop Being So Happy!

You know the type! Their life appears to be too good to be true and their relationships look perfect. Sometimes I just need to know people are real: they have struggles, have an occasional spat with their spouse and even question God from time to time, or just have a bad day.

As I was preparing to teach a class, I became overjoyed reflecting on God’s goodness in my life. I just couldn’t help myself. He is so incredible! He doesn’t need me. Yet, He allows me to serve Him and calls me to love on people. He has even equipped me to do so.

Before I stood to teach, I prayed and asked God to help me contain my joy. I wanted to “Serve the Lord with gladness!” (Psalm 100:2) but I feared I had turned into that obnoxious person who gets on people’s nerves because of my elevated state of gladness.

I can rejoice and be completely genuine in my service to Him knowing “God is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:25

Are you serving the Lord with gladness? I warn you, if you spend time reflecting on who He is and how He has & is working in your life you too may need to work to contain your joy!

Photo by Seth Doyle/Unsplash

Why Bother Reading the Bible?

I set a goal in 2016 to read the Bible all 365 days. Rather than experiencing disappointment over missing three days, I am more interested in focusing on the value I gained having met God in His word 362 days.

Many of those were average days, hanging out with God in His Word, exercising a valuable Christian discipline. But I must confess, some of those days were heart changing!

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness”
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

Lost Keys, Found Forgiveness

Heading out the front door for work I discovered my keys were missing. I am insanely persistent to place them in their proper place since wasting time looking for items makes me crazy. The moment invested in depositing an item in its proper place saves me the future headache of searching.

My keys had just arrived in the mail the day before. My husband had taken them as a spare set on our out-of-state road trip and accidentally left them behind. They were missing for a week which was incredibly inconvenient and now the very next day after their return they are missing AGAIN. I felt frustrated, “Where did HE put my keys?”

Then something humbling happened! I remembered I had gone outside 5 minutes earlier to start my car for warm up. My missing keys were in the ignition right where I had left them! Instant conviction flooded over me. The Lord would no longer allow me to deny the bitterness I had allowed to take root in my heart. I was embarrassed by my own ugly sinfulness. I felt so indignant toward him yet I was the problem.

I was self-righteous as if I never make mistakes or disappoint. I can assure you that is not the case. This girl errors regularly. I was holding him to a double standard. I want to be forgiven but I didn’t want to forgive him of his perfectly normal mistake just because it had caused me such inconvenience.

My mind filled with Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31. I am called to love my husband as I would want him to love me. I definitely want him to forgive me of my mistakes and not hold grudges or be bitter. I’m so thankful for a Savior who loves me enough to correct me and call me out on my sinfulness!

Has someone made a mistake that has inconvenienced you? Are you holding it against them or harboring bitterness? Could you reflect on your own lack of perfection and consider forgiveness?

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:47 NKJV

Photo by Katy Belcher/Unsplash

Full Belly, Full Soul

It’s challenging to eat a delicious Christmas meal without finishing overly satisfied. Consider the full belly you had when you pulled away from the Christmas table. Some of you are so family rich you may have experienced multiple Christmas tables. Now ask yourself, “Am I spiritually satisfied?” Have I fed well on spiritual food? Have I indulged in God’s Word?” Do you ever tell yourself, “This is the last bite!” as you discipline yourself to stop feasting on God’s Word?

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Word became flesh. (John 1:1) Bethlehem is said to mean “house of bread.” In John 6:36 Jesus called Himself the bread of life! “…whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Jesus nourishes us spiritually! Only He can satisfy our spiritual longings. When we trust in him we do not hunger. Our spiritual longing to know God will be satisfied.

James says, ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…” One way we draw near to God is through reading His Word. God speaks to us through the Bible. If you are interested in taking your spiritual nourishment to the next level, would you consider joining us in a 31 Day Bible Reading Challenge? It is as simple as committing to read your Bible all 31 days in January. You can read 1 verse a day, a chapter or an entire book of the Bible. It’s completely up to you how much you read!

Ask God to give you a spiritual hunger for His word and please join the challenge today by clicking on the below link:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHALLENGE

Photo by Brooke Lark @ Unsplash

Spread the Word

After the angel told the shepherds the good news of the Messiah they hurried off to take action!

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:15 – 18

Friends, we too must follow the example of the shepherds. We must hurry off to share the good news of the gospel of Christ!

Corrie, a 96-year-old family friend lives in North Carolina. For years she has resided in the same facility with a woman who would roll up next to her and not speak. Recently, the Lord impressed upon Corrie to tell her silent (not so friendly) friend about Jesus.

So she asked, “Do you know where you are going when you die?” Her silent friend responded, “Yes, my daughter is having me cremated.” Corrie said, “No, I mean do you know you are either going to live with Jesus in heaven, in a glorious place, or be in a terrible place called hell?” The 95-year-old woman looked at her and said, “No. No one has ever told me about that.”

I admit I was suspicious in believing that she was in her right mind and has lived 95 years in the United States without hearing about Jesus. Yet our sweet friend confirms she shared the gospel of Jesus with her and they prayed together as she accepted Christ as her personal savior.

Ask God to put on your heart a specific person(s) to spread the word of Jesus. Now follow the example of the shepherds and hurry off to take action! No matter their age, they may have never been told the good news about Jesus.

photo by Josh Felise from Unsplash.com

The Time Came!

Although our society caters to instant gratification, some things just can’t be rushed. Time feels like it stands still when awaiting the birth of a baby. Mary and Joseph had been waiting for months and the wait finally came to an end.

“…the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6b-7 ESV)

God chose the exact timetable when the religious, cultural and political conditions were in place to bring history to fulfillment in the long awaited Messiah – the birth of Jesus Christ.

Waiting for God’s timing in our own life can be a great challenge. His timing continues to prove to be perfect even when our trust is not. Whether you desire to hurry the arrival of a joyful event, rush past the pain of your current heartache, or receive the desire of your heart we can remain hopeful in spite of our wait! The birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of what God said He would do. Jesus is evidence that God always keeps His promises.

Take a moment to thank God for His perfect timing in your own life and remind yourself of Isaiah 40:31.

³¹But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

A Baby’s Feet” Image courtesy of shaniamsalem at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Messed Up Plans!

Are you deep into your Christmas planning or maybe you like the thrill and crowds of the last-minute shopping? The first Christmas was not part of Mary’s plans. She already had plans but her plans were interrupted by the announcement of the angel Gabriel.

“…Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Luke 1: 28-32a)

But Mary already had plans! She was pledged to be married to Joseph and this so called “favor” was not part of their plan. God’s favor was about to mess up Mary & Joseph’s life.

Are you willing to allow God’s favor to mess up your plans? For years, I’ve prayed for God’s favor on my own life and my family. We often think of favor as status or a blessing to our own lives but God’s favor does not set us up for status. Favor is for service and always involves blessing other people. This Christmas season, how can you specifically serve another with the favor God has placed on your life? It may require you lay down your own plans to serve others!

“Jesus Manger Shows Birth Of Christ And Christianity” by Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net