Loving Jesus in the Little Years
Rebekah McGilligan
Anyone who knows Rebekah knows she is beyond thrilled to be a mother! She puts her all into the God given responsibility of being a mom and a keeper of the home. These thoughts are incredible for not only Mom’s, but also for anyone who is looking to have a strong, consistent walk with God.
This will come as no surprise, but the devil has set the world on fire and is desperately trying to consume our homes.
As the world swirls in fiery, angry bands around us, our homes need to be fortresses secured in the Word of God and unfazed by the angst of our society.
How do we do that? How do we build a firm, secure home? Where does that start? It starts with Mom spending time with God.
If you're not a mom, stay with me. I’m going to specifically address mamas of small children, but the principles I’ll hit on can apply to any person in any lifestage.
Moms of littles, I can see you now sleep-deprived and frazzled. Your dishes and laundry are competing in height. The baby needs to be fed and changed. The toddler is dumping and destroying. Your school-aged children need piano practice, homework help, and yet another snack. You're juggling a husband, house-keeping, mothering, ministry, and perhaps homeschool or a side-business—your task-lists, hands, and hearts are full to overflowing.
As a result, finding time to love Jesus may have moved to the bottom of your “to do” list or perhaps it's buried under that pile of laundry.
“How?” you ask, “How can I love Jesus during the messy, busy, exhausted season of motherhood?”
Spending time with Jesus. Easier said than done, right? I know. Stay with me, I’d like to give you a few ways to love Jesus right now in the middle of messy motherhood.
Bible Reading
I know you’re tired, but your relationship with Jesus and the spiritual condition of your home and family is too important to sacrifice on the altar of sleep.
Make it a priority. When are you at your best? Early morning, naptime, before bed? Find out and give that time to Jesus.
In contradiction, when you’re tired, rest. “He giveth his beloved sleep.” God will not be angry with you for resting when you need it. No one gets brownie points for barely functioning because they martyred themselves to get out of bed. Pride can easily sneak its way in here. If you need some extra sleep, take it. Find another moment in the day to spend with Jesus.
If your brain is too foggy to comprehend what you're reading, listen to the Bible. The Youversion App has an audible function. Grab your headphones, and let the Word literally speak to your heart.
One thing that has helped me love Jesus through the little years is studying the Bible in manageable bite-sized portions. While reading the Bible through in a year is a worthy goal, the little years may not be the best time to do that. The goal is to get a hold of Jesus. Jesus can feel far away when you’re zombing your way through four chaptersa day in a lifestage when you can barely remember if you brushed your teeth.
Remember. This is just a season. You will sleep eventually, and one day you’ll find you have the margin to spend more time with Jesus.
Prayer
The great thing about prayer is that it goes with you. Your brain may feel like it jumped ship, but I promise it’s still there.
Praying through the little years takes a spiritual awareness, a shifting of your thoughts from yourself to God.
Create a prayer list. Keep that list near you and near to your heart.
Pray scripture over your children. Curate verses that highlight truths or behavior you wish to see in your kids and pray those verses back to God.
Pray your day. My mom once told me she prayed for my dad while ironing his dress shirts for work. I have a strong aversion to ironing so the concept falls a little flat, but the principle remains. Pray over your family while meeting their needs. The ordinary details of your life are worship when done in service for the Lord. (I Corinthians 10:31)
Music
Fill your home with spiritual music. It’s as simple as that. Play upbeat music in the morning to get sluggish little (and grown!) bodies going. Play soft, instrumental hymns to settle everyone down for dinner and bedtime. Crank the worship music to blaring while running errands.
We are commanded to “Sing unto the Lord.” A desire of mine is that my children remember seeing their mom praise Jesus through song, not only at church on Sunday, but also while doing ordinary things in the middle of the week.
God inhabits praise. Wherever praise is offered, Jesus will meet you there.
Motherhood Is Sanctifying
Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves to show me how much I need Him through my relationships with my children. When I correct my children’s disobedience, I am reminded of my own rebellious heart. Their attitude is usually a direct response to mine. My pride and selfishness are revealed when I become angry with my children, not for disobeying God’s law, but for not immediately falling in line with mine. Too often I’ve idolized my time, sleep, and a clean house at the expense of my children.
Motherhood has taught me to humble myself, get down eye-to-eye with my little one and say, “Mom was wrong. She lost her temper. She should not have done that. It did not make Jesus happy. Will you forgive me?” Their mercy, grace, and forgiveness reflects the Savior’s when they throw their littles arms around my neck, kiss my check, and say, “Yes, I forgive you!”
Motherhood is humbling, and mother is sanctifying.
There are so many more ways to love Jesus through the little years. Taking a walk in nature; listening to podcasts, sermons, and audiobooks; serving God together as a family (please make church a priority!); fellowshipping with other Jesus-loving mamas-it is possible. You do not have to sacrifice your relationship with Jesus during the little years. These years are vital to the spiritual health of your family.
The devil wants to destroy your home, but he has no power over those who stay connected to Jesus.
If you’re not a mom, and you’ve stayed with me, thank you. I pray that these ideas will help you wherever you are right now, and in the future.
Dear Mama, Jesus loves you! He wants you to be near to you. Connect with him today!
It’s All in the Details!
Amanda Rossi
Amanda is my second cousin! She is one of the most thoughtful people you will meet. She is truly a supporter, and an encourager. She loves to make people feel special.
Amanda has the gift of having an eye for detail! If you are planning a wedding, you will definitely find this post to be helpful! If you are planning any event, this post is sure to give you help!
"Wedding Planning? It's all in the Details!"
Details. I am all about the details! When it comes to planning a special event, I firmly believe that the recipe for success is in the thought out, personalized little details. Whether a wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, hosting a dinner or a special event honoring someone you love- you can’t go wrong by adding that extra little “wow” factor!
I am a very "detailed" oriented person. I have always had a love for all things personalized, monogramed, and synchronized! I hoard personalized stationery (hello, Etsy), and I would monogram every article of clothing if I was a millionaire. I have an eye for the little details, sometimes to a fault! So as a recent Bride, I planned my wedding around my love for details! After all, it's not every day that you get to express who you really are... so when it came to planning our wedding, I knew I wanted the little personal touches to be the highlight of our big day.
With that said, wedding planning in general can be a bit overwhelming- ask any Bride. With Social Media and Pinterest at your fingertips, it can quickly turn into a plethora of ideas and “must haves” that are not always needed or necessary. Trust me- it can become very overwhelming, very quickly. As I started to plan, I realized that you don't have to have every new trend for your wedding to be amazing. Sometimes keeping it simple and classic is the recipe for success. I am no wedding planner or event planning expert (far from it!), but I am going to highlight some simple steps that helped me create a wedding day of my detailed dreams.
Step One: Pick a Location, Size of your Guest List and Venue (this relates to details, promise!)
Last November, my husband and I "tied the knot" at a small, intimate wedding in Key West, Florida. When it came time to plan our wedding, I knew our day was going to be different than the “norm”. I was never one of those girls that dreamed of my wedding growing up, I wish I was! I never thought too much about it, other than I knew I wanted to someday get married in the Florida Keys.
Growing up, I was very blessed to have Grandparents who had a home in the Keys… and even more blessed that they shared their beautiful home with their grandchildren. I have wonderful memories from my childhood, teen years and my twenties of time spent with my family, friends and my now husband in the Florida Keys. When my Granddad passed away a few years ago, I always felt a special closeness to him when visiting our beloved Florida Keys. When my now husband, Phil, popped the question, I knew right away that I wanted to say “I Do” in the Keys.
I knew that the location of our wedding would determine the size of our guest list. A destination wedding often means less family and friends are able to share your special day. My husband and I both agreed from the start that we wanted a more intimate setting for our wedding day. We knew that we really wanted to be able to spend quality time with each of our guests on our wedding day. Yes, we realized that meant sacrificing having everyone we love in attendance, but we also knew that we wanted that “one on one” time with each guest that traveled for us. Once we narrowed down the estimated size of our guest list, that helped determine which venue would accommodate us best. This is where we branched out a bit and opted to go with an all-inclusive, coastal venue rather than a church ceremony and separate reception. It’s not for everyone, but we loved it!
Quick side note: We got married in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. As the pandemic and challenges progressed, we adjusted our sails quite a bit throughout wedding planning to pull off our November 2020 wedding. At the end of the day, we said “I Do” on the beach and had a beautiful reception INSIDE (thank you Lord) which was unheard of for the few weddings that took place in 2020. Wedding planning is not for the faint of heart, but those of us who did it in 2020 earned a few extra brownie points in my opinion! Ok enough about that… back to the fun stuff!
Well mostly fun stuff… let me be frank- your budget is also a huge factor in the venue selection and the size of your guest list. We had several venues that we liked, one that we loved, and several that were “no’s” from the start. To secure the venue that we loved, we knew we had to adjust our guest list even more to meet our budget. For us, that meant fifty guests total. Because we had both agreed on a small, intimate setting- our budget and guest list aligned. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard not having all of our family there. However, we knew that the limited guest list would create special moments for us and our guests that a large wedding might not.
Step Two: Style
Once you nail down your venue, this will help determine what “style” you want to embrace for your big day! I personally don’t like the term “theme” when it comes to a wedding. Your wedding day should be all about you and what you love, it shouldn’t have to fit into a “theme” per say. There are so many different ideas, Pinterest boards and Social Media trends nowadays that provide inspiration, but you really want to focus on what YOU like. The details will come easy when they are focused on what is unique to you and your style. After all, when do you get a day that's all about you and you husband? Embrace it and pick what you like. If that means “themes” intermix- who cares!
When it came time to start planning the details of our big day- I embraced my personal style and channeled it into the style of our wedding day. I have always leaned heavily towards a classic preppy style with a love for all things nautical, New England, Ralph Lauren-esque flair. When we selected our beach venue, I knew I wanted to embrace a more “New England Coastal Prep” vibe versus a “Key West Beachy” vibe.
Once you have the desired style of your wedding day nailed down, that will help with the fun part- selecting the attire for the big day! Your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, and groomsmen attire will all fall into place once you know what style you want for your wedding day. I did a lot of research on coastal and New England weddings, and I knew I wanted our bridal party to look like they had just stepped out of a Ralph Lauren advertisement. My ladies and I went on the hunt for a classy, navy bridesmaid dress with sleeves…not an easy feat, let me tell you! As many of you ladies know, finding a modest, flattering bridesmaid dress nowadays is hard. Through a blogger I follow, I found a site called “eShakti” that allows you to custom build a dress! You can select length, whether you want sleeves and the sleeve length, neckline, and so on. It was heaven sent! We designed a beautiful, modest, flattering, classy dress that made my ladies look like Queens! The groomsmen’s attire was the easy part. Who doesn’t love a guy in a classic navy blazer?
Step Three: Pick the Details!
This is the fun part! Once you know where you are saying “I Do” and the style you want to embrace for your big day- you can start planning the fun, personalized details that really bring your style to life! From invites, to flowers, ceremony setup, reception centerpieces and everything in between- this is where “who you are” shines through! This is where I went a little crazy… I started stalking Pinterest, Esty and Instagram for all things coastal/preppy weddings. Early on, I knew I wanted to incorporate a monogram or logo that would be the focal point of our wedding day. I looked at different stationaries online and stumbled upon an artist on Esty who I fell in love with. She designed everything for me, including our wedding logo, save the dates, invitation suite, wedding weekend itinerary, menu, program, seating charts and thank you cards. I really had to budget other items so that I could elaborate in this department. I’d strongly suggest focusing your budget on what you love! Everyone has their own special interest, mine was the stationary!
Save the Dates and Invites: It all started with the Save the Date’s for me! I went with a fun, colorful Key West map template that highlighted our venue and other “must see” locations in Key West. I loved how colorful it was, and the artist was very open to working with me on specific details such as making the wedding ring look like mine and adding the local residents of Key West… the chickens (obviously a must!). I LOVE stationary, so I knew the first thing I wanted to do in the wedding planning process was create a unique “one of a kind” invite that captured our wedding day style, yet still embraced who Phil and I are. I wanted to incorporate Key West and our venue, so the artist added beautiful subtle touches that highlighted both our style yet emphasized the important information. This was also where our wedding logo was “born”.
Wedding Day Stationary Details: We used the same artist to create the beautiful “day of” details for our big day. We incorporated our logo on our programs, menu and seating charts. I had SO MUCH FUN with creating these details. I know this area of wedding planning is not for everyone, but this is where my creative style and attention to detail came to life. I firmly believe that it is the small details that take the event from good to unforgettable.
Flowers: I think this is one of the simplest steps in the wedding planning process! Pick what you like and stick with it! Honestly, I don’t think it matters what time of year it is or what venue you pick- if you like it, that’s all that matters. I love Ginger Jars; my eyes are immediately drawn to anything blue and white. I knew early on that I wanted Hydrangeas and Ginger Jars as our ceremony décor and reception centerpieces. I also added subtle details to our flowers such as a monogrammed ribbon for my boutique and my Matron of Honor’s bouquet. My Bridesmaids bouquets were adorned in blue and white, nautical ribbon that really complimented their dresses. They were small details, but they really tied everything together.
Favors: I knew that I wanted something to represent “home” at our destination wedding. We decided to go with a classic- Johnson’s Popcorn. I had tags made that said, “A little taste of home…” and we handed them out at the end of the evening.
Special touches: From personalized coke bottles, sparklers with personalized tags and labeled matches for our send off, and water bottles with our wedding logo- the little personalized details came together beautifully. These were relatively inexpensive touches that really added that little extra “wow” factor. As the saying goes, “when you pay attention to detail, the big picture will take care of itself.”
Leading up to the Big Day: I didn’t stop at the wedding. We had a few fun things planned for the days leading up to our big day since everyone traveled for our wedding. A Bride Beach Bash for me and my girls, a fishing trip for Phil and his groomsmen, a sunset sail for our guests (that sadly got nixed thanks to Hurricane Eta), and our beautiful rehearsal dinner were all special occasions that called for “attention to detail”. Each event created opportunities for creative, personalized details. I gifted my Bridesmaids their personalized gifts at my Bride Beach Bash, where I had fun monogrammed cups and personalized beach balls! I also made favors that featured fun lobster candies with cute tags for our Rehearsal Dinner. From napkins, menus, personalized cups and more- the possibilities are endless for adding that extra personal touch! (Ps- this explains why we needed a U-Haul to travel south for the wedding 😊)
So, yes, you could say I went a little crazy in the details department for our big day, but I had the time of my life doing it! Keep in mind, your budget and size of your guest list will determine what you can and can’t do. Since we had such a small guest list, we were able to do a little more in the personalized details department. Etsy was a great source for me. I did quite a bit of research for the best pricing and quality available. I will also note that it does not have to be a grand, elaborate, expensive gesture to make an impact. A simple personalization, or synchronized color scheme can speak volumes when it comes to making your wedding (or any event) extra special. There are so many resources and downloadable “do it yourself” items now that you can create a lot of content for relatively inexpensive.
Brides, the most important part of wedding planning is that you have fun! At the end of the day, only you will know if something didn’t go “as planned”. The details you decide to incorporate into your big day will be the special touches that you will remember for years to come. I’ll be married a year next month, and I can remember every little detail like it was yesterday. I learned that no detail is too small. Your guests will notice the care and love that you pour into every small, special touch to make your day beautiful! This approach is not for everyone… but if you embrace your unique, creative style- all the details will fall into perfect place. Happy planning!
Contentment
Madison McNeese
How often do we find ourselves envying others, their abilities, looks, or possessions? Without intention in this area it can feel as if it is natural to be discontent with what you have and who you are. Thankfully, this is not how God desires for us to live and has given us many helpful tools through His Word to help us overcome discontentment. One of the first verses that comes to mind is Phillipians 4:11. Paul wrote these words while he was in prison and they say, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” How convicting that these words were penned by a man imprisoned for his faith. Typically, when I remind myself of Paul’s circumstances, my circumstances seem a lot less difficult.
As women, our mindset plays a vital role in our lives.
Our viewpoint towards a task or a person greatly affects how we handle ourselves and treat others.
Our mindset holds a tight grasp on how we live through whatever phase of life we are in -- whether we will have a heart and mind of gratitude or one of discontentment.
This past May, I married my best friend, and I am so thankful the Lord gave me a spiritually strong husband in a world where so many are falling away. The months prior to our wedding, I was living in NJ, attending Bible college, serving at my church in MD on the weekends, and planning our wedding in my spare time. During that season it was very easy for my desire of the future to be greater than my contentment in the moment. In that season of life, the Lord began working on my mindset toward my circumstances and more specifically my contentment in those circumstances.
A verse the Lord used to help correct my mindset towards each moment/day was Proverbs 27:1 which states, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Any time I would find myself discontent I would quote this verse. It is a great reminder to do your best in each moment and find purpose in every hour because we are not promised tomorrow. The second half of that verse says, “... for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Those words are also a great reminder that each day brings unique opportunities. We never know all that God has for us and what He is preparing us for.
Wherever you find yourself in life, I encourage you to find contentment in the Scriptures for where God has you right now and who He has placed around you.
God has purpose for all of us everyday, we just have to be willing to see our season through His eyes.
Lessons my Child has taught Me
Skylar and titus
The Lord has taught me lessons my entire life, but there is something so incredibly special about learning them through your child. These lessons that He has taught me during my sons life have all had a common thread: Surrender. So many times throughout my pregnancy and these first few months I have had with my son, I’ve found myself firmly gripping my hands around what I thought God should do. I would plan out what I think is best and find myself in a state of constant worry hoping that my plan would unfold just the way I wanted. But I have learned that just because I believe it’s something a good God should do, doesn’t mean He’ll do it- because He is a good God, but He is also a God with thoughts far above mine.
When I became a mom I realized that I can very easily worry about every single “what if?” if I choose to. But my anxiety does not disappear when I know the plan for tomorrow, It disappears when I choose to rest in the God of Every Tomorrow’s plan.
And every day I’m learning, whether it be the easy way or the hard way- that those are the plans I desire for myself, my son and ultimately my family.
Jari, Tommy, and Demi
When I became a mother I instantly felt the responsibility to be my child’s greatest godly influence. I felt it was my job to make sure they “made it” spiritually. While my children are still so young, I realized pretty early on that I can’t control my children into perfection or into having a heart for God. I can’t think for them, I can’t make them do what’s right, and I can’t make them be who I want them to be. I was reminded that God is truly sovereign over my children’s lives. He has a plan for them that may be different than what I desire, and I need to be okay with that. For someone who has a slight need to have control and “have a plan” this won’t always be easy. This doesn’t mean I won’t be used to influence their lives, I 100% will.
But their faithfulness to God or lack thereof, doesn’t solely depend on me. God has a bigger story for my kids than what I could imagine.
So I will continue to love on my children, pray fervently over them, control my own personal relationship with Christ and leave the rest to Him.
Sarah and Avalon
My child is teaching me dependence.
I thought I knew what it felt like to have a kid depend on me. Being the oldest girl in a family of 8 makes you learn that quickly. But, I was wrong. The beautiful responsibility, and weight you feel when you look in the eyes of the baby God gave you, will change the meaning of that word! My daughter, from the moment she was born 19 months ago, has depended on me for her every physical and emotional need. The feeling of fulfillment when I provide what she needs is like nothing I’ve ever felt, it’s amazing! But what if she went hungry instead of coming to me for food? What is she was cold instead of coming to me for warmth? What if she was lonely and didn’t cry for me to come comfort her? It would be unnatural and heartbreaking! She was made to depend on me. I’ve sat with her so often and thought how much I do that with my Heavenly Father. Instead of just calling out I try to fix problems on my own, carry the weight of trials alone, and worry about things I can never control.
We were made to depend on God- there is no difference between us and our sweet babies who look to us for their every need.
I have never loved anything, as much as I love being Ava’s everything and I NEVER want her to know what it feels like to want her mom, but I’m not there. I’ll do everything in my power and give up anything I need to, every single day, to make sure she never feels that. I hope I don’t deprive my Father of that same feeling. He’s always there and always will be there for my every need, all I have to do is pray, and depend.
Matthew 7:11- “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Amanda, Keira, and Sienna
Recently I was feeding Sienna, my five week old, and while I was feeding her Keira came up to me and said “Mommy, baby Sia on floor.” She said it multiple times and it came to the point to where she was practically begging me to put the baby down. Finally, I gave in. Just as I put Sienna down Keira climbed on the couch and gave me a big hug and said “love you mommy!” My heart literally melted! All she wanted was to hug me and show me love! I felt so bad that I gave her a hard time and took so long to put the baby down! Her hug and affirmation of love was just what I needed but I didn’t know that’s why she wanted me to put the baby down! It made me think, I bet that’s how God feels when he asks me to do something and I fight against him but He’s persistent and gives grace. Once I do what He says, He always gives me exactly what I need! I didn’t deserve Keira’s love in that moment just like I don’t deserve God’s love but I’m so thankful and blessed they do love me, unconditionally!
I pray for Gods love to come through me to my girls. I love them with my whole heart, but I want nothing more but for them to feel the perfect love God gives!
Christiana and Michael
I’ve only been caring for little Michael about 4 weeks now, but he’s already taught me some things for sure. One thing that he has taught me is unconditional love. Although that sounds cliche or common, it’s still very real the second I met Michael. All the sudden things that I wouldn’t normally so willingly give up, ie. sleep, time, energy etc. all the sudden became easy to give for his sake.It was no question, as soon as he was born his needs came before anything else I wanted. It’s not a burden or problem, it’s just immediately instinct. I believe that’s the way God views us as his children. He gave his literal life for us, because of the natural love he felt.I am so thankful to know that when I pray to God, I’m praying to someone who loves me with an even more pure love then I have for my son.
The Power of Words
Melinda Clark
The Power of Words
Did you know that on average women speak around 20,000 words a day? That’s a lot! Honestly, I probably speak more than that. (oof) But regardless of how many words you speak, your words hold A LOT of weight.
We are given a choice on how we use our words. We can either use them for good or bad. We can either be positive or negative. We can uplift or tear down. We can pierce or we can heal. We can complain, or we can thank.
The Bible says a lot about our tongue and the words that come out of our mouth.
Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.We are accountable for the things that come out of our mouths, and sometimes I think it’s easy to forget that.
Heal or Hurt
Proverbs 12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [is] health. // Proverbs 18:21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Think about it.
Do the words that we say pierce wounds into people? Or do they put a “bandaid” on wounds that someone may already have?
We have the power through the Holy Spirit to put a spiritual “balm” over someone’s hurts with the words that come out of our mouth. Too often, instead of healing, we hurt.
Build up or Tear Down
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Do we build up with our words? Do we encourage people to help them up, or do we “kick” them while they’re down? When we see someone struggling physically, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally we can use our words to share scripture, be an encouragement, or to push them to do well. With our words we have the power to make someone feel better or to make them feel worse. It’s important.
Gossip
Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: so where [there is] no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. James 4:11 - Speak not evil one of another, brethren…
I truly believe that gossip is one of the biggest sins that Christians struggle with. It seems like it’s harder for us to fall into the sin of alcohol, drugs, immorality, etc. But we will so quickly go talk about another person with zero thought to how they would feel if they heard the words come out of our mouth. We criticize, make fun, judge and belittle people with our words. The Bible says that gossip literally hurts people. I think if we thought about the person and how they would feel before we talk about them, we would stop talking. We talk about the appearance, struggles, and personality of someone that the Lord created and loves.
Praise and Worship
O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. Psalm 117:1-2
Psalm 63: 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
On a more positive note, How many of our words are spent on praise and worship?
It should be natural for us to go throughout our day and praise God and worship Him. I think the easiest way to do that is through song. Have a song in your heart and keep it on your lips throughout the day.
The Bible says “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” And “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable:”
Lastly, not everything that comes in our mind should come out of our mouth. We don’t have to say everything. Positive or Negative. Use your words wisely, be purposed to use them for only good. Let them be a well of life that people can draw from!
The Comforter
The Comforter
Trisha Garner
In the book of Lamentations, I was recently reading of Jeremiah lamenting (lament in the Bible means: to mourn; to grieve; to weep or wail; to express sorrow) over the consequences the Jewish people were suffering because they chose not to obey the Word of the Lord. I was captivated by Lam. 1:9 where Jeremiah says “she had no comforter” and again in he states, “For these things I weep: mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.”(Lam. 1:16) His lament is so great that he says “mine eye, mine eye runneth down like water”.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been in so much sorrow because of something you have done that the tears are falling like running water? Have you ever felt like there was a great distance between you and the Lord? I know I have. I have gone before the Lord and wept, mourned, grieved, expressed sorrow like Jeremiah because I began feeling the consequences of my disobedience. I heard a preacher say one time “You can choose your sin but you can’t choose your consequences”. The older I have gotten I have found that to be so true.
I have laid in bed at night full of regret and shame. But, I have never, ever felt the real sorrow of having the Comforter far from me.
Your Heavenly Father loves you and me so much that He said “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (John 14:16) “Also, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18) Jesus came to this earth to die for us but He also returned to heaven for us. Jesus says “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7) He says also “Peace I leave with you, MY peace I GIVE unto you.” (John 14:27) We have an Omnipresent Comforter that never leaves us hopeless because He left us HIS peace.
The devil likes to deceive us into thinking that when we sin and do not obey the Word of the Lord that the Comforter is far from us.
So, let us look for a moment at two different women in the Bible. First, the Woman with the issue of blood. The Bible does not say that she had this issue as a consequence of sin. Just that she had this condition for twelve years, spent all her money and nothing had helped. She heard of Jesus and knew that if she could get through the press and touch the hem of his garment, she would be healed (Mark 5:27-28). She fights through this crowd of people thronging him (Mark 6:31) and reaches down to the hem of his garment. Instantly she is healed. Secondly, let’s look at the Woman at the well. Jesus says in John that He needed to go through Samaria (John 4:4) and then sent the disciples away to buy food (John 4:8). Here He is alone with this woman who has also heard of Jesus but we soon find out lives a life of sin. Her condition was self-inflicted. She was choosing the sin she was living in yet the Creator of the Universe went out of His way to have a one-on-one meeting with her to tell her about Living Water so she could also instantly be changed. Isn’t that amazing!! The Devil tries to deceive us into believing the exact opposite. He wants you and I to think that when we sin the Lord is so far from us and we have to fight our way through a crowd of people just to crawl on our knees to touch the hem of his garment. But, that’s not the case at all.
Friend, Jesus loves you so much that He left us the Comforter that will never leave you or forsake you and is just waiting with outstretched arms for a one-on-one with you.
While we may understand Jeremiah’s lament. We will never understand his loneliness.
In God’s Hands
I don’t know about you, but I take the term “overthinker” to the next level! “Worst case scenario” is my middle name. When it comes to thinking about every single possible twist and turn of a situation, I’m your gal. I can’t watch the news without my thoughts wandering to all the possibilities of the world ending. Because of this over-thinking, I get myself worked up pretty quickly and cause myself to have some really bad anxiety.
In times like today, with unsettling and controversial news at our fingertips, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. It seems like everywhere you look, there is more bad news. Just with the virus alone, there is so much uncertainty; when you add in the election and other political issues, you have directions leading straight to Anxiety Central! With all of this going on, peace can seem almost impossible to obtain.
If we’re not careful, we can forget that we have access to the Prince of Peace.
Bonus Gifts
Kate Grego
I am a sucker for samples! “Buy this and get this for free”, and buying kits that come with a little something extra for the same price. I call those- “bonus gifts”. I love that I am already getting what I need and then the company decides to throw in a little extra. I can’t be the only person who finds such gratitude in these little treasures. Fellow shoppers, are you with me?
Colossians 2:10 says, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone say- “once I get a husband”, a baby, a car, a house, a new job, a new church, etc., I will be complete. Friend, if you know Jesus, you are complete. You might be saying to yourself, “I don’t feel complete”. I have to be honest, at some point in my Christian journey, I have felt the same way before. I have longed for something so much that I found myself feeling incomplete without it. I was wrong. Unfortunately, for me, I didn’t realize the truth of being complete in Christ until I had to have many things ripped from my hands, leaving me with only Jesus. When Jesus is all you have, you realize He is all you need.
When I got saved, Jesus completed me. I don’t need to wait on anything in this life to give me that feeling now. Jesus is the greatest gift we can ever have, and because I have Him, everything else is - you guessed it, BONUS! I won’t downplay your desire to want things in this life that are natural, like a spouse or a baby, but, if you never get those blessings, YOU ARE STILL COMPLETE! If you really get this biblical truth, it will make those bonus gifts in your life SO much more special. I am eternally grateful that God heard my prayers and gave me my husband. He has been such a blessing in my life, but if God decided to never bring Him, I still had everything I needed.
Jesus’ love can fill EVERY empty space in our hearts. He loves us SO much that He would purchase us with His own blood. He needs nothing, and needs no one, but yet He wants us anyway… I’d like to think that we’re His bonus gifts.
The Importance of Prayer
Kayla Clark
The Importance of Prayer
Prayer is one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. Praying is so simple but somehow, we make it so hard. I often find myself making prayer the last thing on my “to do list”. I have found that the more time I put into my prayer life, the more I enjoy praying, and the easier it becomes. Praying takes work! So I am going to share some practical things that have helped me prioritize prayer more.
1. First thing- is keep a list of prayer requests on your phone. If you are like me your phone is pretty much with you all of the time. I have found that having a list on my phone allows me to fill wasted time with prayer instead of social media etc. I have different lists for different topics. For example: I have a list of people with health issues, a list for people I know who struggle with anxiety, I also have a list of people who I have met that have Type 1 Diabetes. These are just a few examples, but having separate lists keeps the list shorter and not as overwhelming to pray through. When you have 5 minutes between a class period or while waiting for an appointment try praying through a list, I promise you the people on that list will appreciate it.
2. Secondly, pray while doing something. Now, I know we need quiet time alone with God, and it is very important, but sometimes I find myself spending my prayer time focusing on what I need to get done. So instead of spending little time in prayer and not getting done what I need to, I have found I can do both at the same time. I try and walk my dogs a lot so instead of listening to music I try to spend that time in prayer. Driving, cleaning, whatever it is you need to do that day- try praying instead of just letting your mind wander. We can never pray enough!
3. Thirdly, keep a “Thank You List”. Two summers ago, I started a list on my phone with a few things I was thankful for. If you can’t tell, I am definitely a list person:) I typed in the date at the top, and each day I started typing a few things I was thankful for before I went to bed. This has become one of my favorite parts of the day. I put down anything I can think of, big things like my family and my students, to small things like fuzzy socks and coffee. Anything that I am thankful for that day! This allows me to end my day on a positive note and focus on the good things God has blessed me with. Whenever I have a bad day, or I find myself complaining I can scroll through and be reminded of all that God has done and given me.
Prayer allows us to become closer to God, but it’s up to us to determine how close we want to be.
Spiritual Gifts
Jennifer Clark
Have you ever asked yourself, “what are my gifts, what am I good at?” I have - many times! For a long time I asked my husband that question over and over. He would answer, “you have the gift of mercy”! I would say to him “no, really, not that, I mean what am I good at? What is my gift?” And then one day, a few years back, I was listening to a message by Pastor Doug Fisher on gifts, and what he shared that night from God’s Word completely changed my way of looking at the gifts God gives us.
I Corinthians 12 has much to say concerning the Holy Spirit and gifts. The first thing to understand is that when we get saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. When the Holy Spirit comes in - He brings a gift or gifts!
My responsibility is to discover my gift or gifts and then to exercise them in the body of Christ. Remember, we are talking about gifts, not talents. When we speak of talents, we think of things like playing a musical instrument, or singing, or perhaps being good at a sport, etc. Those can also be gifts, but when we are referencing gifts here, we are talking about things that the Holy Spirit puts within us that make us who we are.
We have all been given different gifts - don’t compare yours to others! When thinking about the human body, imagine if every member were an eye, or a nose, or a foot! Our body wouldn’t work too efficiently. In the same way, in the body of Christ we all have different members or gifts to complement each other! If we can realize and understand that God gave us all different gifts, which therefore make us uniquely special, we won’t look at being different from others as a bad thing!
Maybe you are asking yourself “How do I find my gift?” There are a few things that will help you to discover your gifts and use them for God’s glory.
1. Pray and ask God to show you
2. Ask God to make them evident to you through the reading of His Word
3. Ask others what they gifts they see in you…sometimes others can see something in
us that we can’t see ourselves
It is not arrogant to understand that you have been given a gift, and to work on that gift! How can you develop your gift? USE IT!
Here are just a few examples of some gifts God may have given to you:
1. Mercy
2. Giving
3. Knowledge
4. Wisdom
5. Faith
6. Helping
7. Government
8. Discernment
9. Kindness
10. Patience
11. Counsel
12. Dependability
13. Flexibility
14. Faithfulness
Take a few minutes now to consider what your one word Gift or Gifts of the Spirit are. Let God show you, and then be willing to use that gift to bless others! Have a great day☺