October 15, 2025

Psalm 124
“If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us;  the flood would have engulfed us,  the torrent would have swept over us,  the raging waters would have swept us away.
Praise be to the Lord,  who has not let us be torn by their teeth.  We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare;  the snare has been broken,  and we have escaped.  Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

I have really identified with this Psalm. It hit me like a ton of bricks a few weeks back. I read it every day, and I cried. God has been on my side. I know God has saved me from being swallowed alive, from being swept over, and swept away.

I indeed escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare. My snares were selfishness, guilt, sorrow, and addiction. Praise the Lord, those snares are broken. And I escaped! Only by the grace of God.
It truly is amazing grace.

“My chains are gone, I’ve been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy reigns.
Unending love, amazing grace.”

The most important thing now is for me to remember where I was versus where I am now. I never want to be that person again. In times of struggle, I need to remember to have faith. Faith that brought me out of tougher spots than this, or maybe less challenging, but still through. I heard an analogy this morning about how we always have blind faith in a chair. We just sit, trusting it will hold us up. Yet, we constantly question God’s plan and timing. I am not always good at it, but today I am choosing to trust in God, to be my chair, to hold me up, and to give me rest.

What are you choosing today?

October 7, 2025

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

Final Reflection

Gratitude is a powerful tool that shifts our focus from problems to God’s provision. By choosing to cultivate a thankful heart, we align ourselves with His will and invite His joy into our lives.

What kind of steps will you take today to replace complaints with gratitude and experience God’s peace?

Below are also the scriptures to go a long with this Guard Your Heart study.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” ~ Philippians 2:14 – 15

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ~ Romans 12:2

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” ~ Matthew 6:19-20

September 30, 2025

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

Practical Steps to Cultivate Gratitude

Daily Reflection: Keep a gratitude journal to list God’s blessings, both big and small.
Speak Life: Replace complaints with declarations of thankfulness.
Serve Others: Acts of kindness remind us of our blessings and draw us closer to God.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: Begin and end your prayers with praise, focusing on God’s faithfulness.

September 17, 2025

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

Jesus’ Example: Gratitude in the Face of Trials

Before His crucifixion, Jesus gave thanks during the Last Supper, knowing the suffering He was about to endure (Luke 22:19). His gratitude wasn’t rooted in circumstances but in His unwavering trust in the Father’s plan.

Life Lesson: Like Jesus, let gratitude flow from your trust in God’s sovereignty. This attitude not only honors Him but also inspires others to seek His goodness.

September 9, 2025

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

Gratitude as a Command and a Choice

The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Gratitude is not just a feeling but a deliberate choice to honor God, regardless of our circumstances. Paul, writing from prison, demonstrated this by praising God in the midst of his suffering (Philippians 4:4-7).

Life Lesson: Gratitude shifts our perspective. When we choose to thank God even in hardships, we invite His peace into our hearts and find strength to endure.

September 3, 2025

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

The Israelites in the Wilderness: A Cautionary Tale

The Israelites, having been freed from slavery in Egypt, quickly turned to complaining when faced with challenges in the wilderness. They grumbled about food and water, doubting God’s provision despite witnessing miraculous signs like manna from heaven and water from a rock (Exodus 16:2-4, Numbers 20:2-5). Their ingratitude not only delayed their journey to the Promised Land but also revealed their lack of trust in God.

Life Lesson: Complaining blinds us to God’s blessings. Instead of focusing on what’s lacking, recall how God has provided in the past, trusting Him to meet your needs in His timing.

August 27, 2025

Over the next several weeks we will incorporate the Bible App into our Guard Your Heart Study

Guarding Your Heart in a Challenging World
The Bible App Study

Grumbling and Complaining: Cultivating a Grateful Heart

This series addresses key areas where we often face internal and external struggles—grumbling and complaining, peer pressure, comfort and complacency, etc. Each blog focuses on practical spiritual lessons to help believers stand firm and live with purpose, even in the face of challenges.

Do you find yourself complaining when things don’t go as planned? How can gratitude change the way you navigate life’s challenges?

Grumbling and complaining may feel natural when faced with discomfort or disappointment, but they can rob us of joy and strain our relationship with God. The Bible warns us against this behavior, highlighting the Israelites’ journey as a cautionary tale. Gratitude, on the other hand, is a powerful antidote that transforms our hearts and deepens our trust in God.

August 12, 2025

Guard your heart cause it hold the word of God.

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”~ Psalm 119:11

We study the word of God so we know it and more importantly, live it. We store it up like a treasure because God’s word is our blueprint for making choices, how to treat others, and generally live life. By knowing and understanding the way God tells us to live we can stay aligned with His will and avoid worldly temptations. We should valuing God’s word so deeply, it becomes part of who we are.

The word guides our thoughts, emotions and decisions in real life situations. When dealing with anger, recalling “Be slow to anger” (James 1:19) helps de-escalate conflict. During anxiety, remembering “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6) can calm our hearts. When tempted to lie to avoid consequences, we remember “Speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) helps us choose integrity.

We can also use the word to help others by teaching our children and helping loved ones. Living the word should show the world that we have a heart of peace, generosity, and love. “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” ~ Proverbs 27:19

July 22, 2025

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
— Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Our heart, even more important than our brain, is the cornerstone to our being, physically and in Christ. When we are conceived the first organ to work is out heart. It beats after only 22 days. It directs & sustains life. Everything we are is shaped by the heart.

Scripture emphasizes that God desires to dwell in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17) and to transform them (Ezekiel 36:26). Guarding your heart helps create space for that work to happen—it keeps distractions and corrupting influences at bay.

Our hearts are vulnerable and intense, cradling our deepest emotions. Think of how lovely the heart feels at the first kiss or joy at hugging a missed loved one, but also the deep pain and sorrow of death or disappointment.

We must guard our heart from content, relationships, and sinful human nature. We can also guard our hearts proactively by reading scripture and praying. What is in our hearts molds our character and identity in Christ.

July 8, 2024

We know from Psalm 119: 105 that the word of God, which is the Bible, is a lamp unto our feet. It’s lighting our way in the darkness. When we walk through our dark house at night we are in danger of tripping, falling, stubbing our toe, or bumping into things clumsily. But, if we would just turn on a light we can navigate things without that danger. We can [lace one foot in front of the other at an appropriate pace and complete the task we set out to accomplish.

The gospel is that light, the word of God, preventing us from stumbling clumsily through life. The Bible gives instructions, a guide, a shining light on how we should live. That light assists our decision, illuminating our steps.

Hebrew 3:12 also tells us that the word of God is living in active, meaning this light is shining on our paths as we go. It’s ever revealing, ever teaching it’s ever enlightening.

Just like we can feel more confident walking around a bright house at night, the scripture sheds light to give us direction in uncertain times. The more scripture we read, the more light we will have shown on our path. The darkness become not so overwhelming and we will know what to do because we have instructions.

June 18, 2025

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” ~ Ephesians 5-14

I feel like this section of scripture is pretty cut and dry. Once we have been born again, we move from the darkness into the light. All the darkness within us or from our past, becomes light by the blood of Jesus.

As believers we actively strain for the light. And just as we discussed last week, we exude light and illuminate all those around us. We should be distinctively different in our life style. Christ is light, He radiates light and we reflect His light.

What does it mean to “live as children of light”?

June 8, 2025

“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” ~ John 3:21

We should be so deeply committed to living a Godly life that we are never ashamed to step into the light. Our Christian walk ought to be a living testament to God—so much so that our mindset, our responses, and the grace we show cause others to wonder, “How can they live like that?”

The answer we can confidently give is: Because of God. Because of our faith. Because of the peace He gives us. Do others see Christ in the way I respond to challenges or conflicts?

Remember what John 3:20 says: “Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” Those who avoid the light live far from God, trapped in deep darkness and shame in His sight.

Many people resist the light because they are afraid of what it might reveal. Are there times you’ve avoided the light of God out of fear of what might be exposed? I did for many years. I had unescapable guilt and shame, until I stepped into the light.

May 29, 2025

Does anyone remember this song as a child? “This little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine? Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine.” It was one of my favorites as a child.

Jesus is speaking in Luke 11:33-36

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,^[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,^[b] your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. ³⁶Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Christ is the lamp illuminating the world.

Obviously, light and darkness represents good versus evil. My study Bible says that evil and sin make your eyes less sensitive and block out the light. The darkness makes it hard to see God at work in the world or in our lives.

Our perception and intentions should be light and not distorted or filled with envy, greed or deceit.

When we are focused on Christ, our eyes and our spirit are healthy. Then we can also illuminate the world to his goodness and help spread His light. But when our eyes become dark and unhealthy, filled with sin and evil, then we cannot shine His light, effectively hiding it under a bushel.

Are there things in your life that are not only blocking the light of Christ to come into you, but also blocking the light of Christ from coming out to shine on others?

It was important that we stay authentic to who we are in Christ, maintain moral clarity, and be vigilant spiritually so we can shine brightly. Not only for ourselves, but to spread Christ’s light throughout the world.

May 21, 2024

Over the next few weeks, we will look at light! What does light mean in the Bible? What does it mean to us as Christians? And how can we relate that into our everyday life?

To start I’d like to give you a look from the book, Taking the Long View: Turning Deep Sadness Into Deep Joy by Building an Identity in Christ.

“Every year around St. Patrick’s Day I buy a plant. I love plants, and on St. Patrick’s Day they always sell clovers. These clovers will grow inside. I had a clover in my living room, and it started off really beautiful, green and full. As the days went on it started to dwindle and it lost its luster. I thought maybe it needed some water so I gave it some water. It didn’t perk up; it actually got worse. I thought maybe it was drowning it.

Eventually it dawned on me that this plant needed more light! I took this plant to my office where there’s all these big windows that flood the sun in beautifully, bright all day, every day. This did the trick, and a few new sprigs started growing with new clovers and tiny white flowers. Not only was this plant flourishing, but the little stems were growing towards the window. I thought it was looking a bit lopsided so I spun it around so the stems were facing away from the window, but the very next day, they were towards it once again. They were hungry for this light!

Jesus is the light of our lives, we must strain towards him. John 8:12 tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. We’ll never be in darkness. Psalm 119 tells us his word is the lamp unto our path. No matter what environment you’re in or what direction you’re going, you need to adapt and adjust your growth towards the light, and just like a wilted plant seeking the sunlight, you will flourish.”

May 14, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Seventh Step

Expect miracles.

Lastly, I want to remind you that expecting something good is a choice. It is an act of our faith. A person with a renewed mind has positive expectations in the forefront of their mind. Do not let your imagination create an image in which things will go bad for you, such as sickness worsening, relationship breaking, business failing, etc. Replace those negative imaginations with promises from God’s Word.

I heard a funny story of a young couple who got married, and every night the wife would get this feeling that someone was in the house trying to rob them. She would ask her husband to go and check the house. Night after night, he would check the house and find no one there. This continued week after week for a long time. However, out of love for his wife, he continued. One time during a nightly routine check, he was surprised to see a thief in the house. The robber told him not to make any noise and to give him all the valuables. After the husband gave him what he demanded before the thief left, he asked the robber not to leave so soon but to meet his wife since she had been expecting him for all those years!

This story represents our expectations. Expectations are a breeding place for miracles. Some people wake up in the morning with a feeling that something bad is going to happen to them that day. If that happens to you, it is from the devil.

Choose to trust in God and expect His grace and mercy, not accidents, tickets, or all hell breaks loose.

Does that mean we will never have bad days? No! But live as though you’re not expecting them.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for helping me understand the practical steps to bring about change in this area of my life. I pray that as I continue on this journey, you will give me the grace to have a permanent change and that this transformation will be a testimony of Your power in my life.

May 7, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Sixth Step

Celebrate the process.

It is going to take time to see a change in your mind. I think there is a reason why God took six days to create the world instead of one day. I believe that He wanted to show us how to go through the process of change.

In the account of creation, we see that each day God did something great, He would end the day by celebrating what was done instead of complaining about what was still not done. On the third day, when there was still so much work to be done, God saw that it was good.

Similarly, the process of renewing the mind happens when we celebrate small victories and focus on what God is doing, instead of what He is not doing. Also, it is worth noting that God never compared the messy process of creation to the beautiful heaven where He resides. The devil will try to mess up the process of your mind renewal by making you compare your progress with someone else’s.

We are all on different days of progress. Therefore, it’s important that we fix our eyes on the Creator and not compare ourselves with others. Comparison kills contentment. We are encouraged to run the race looking to Jesus, not to another runner, to see how we compare with another’s journey (Hebrews 12:1-3). The greatest joy in life is to know who you are and who you are not, to be comfortable in your own skin and happy with the path that God has you on, even if it looks like you are way behind everyone else.

Remember, you are complete in God; you do not need to compare yourself to others. Comparing leads to complaining, which can lead to breaking the 10th commandment of coveting. And, coveting kills God’s creative process of renewing your mind.

April 28, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Fifth Step

Resist negative thoughts and assist positive thoughts.

One thing that is important to remember is that positive thoughts are not going to automatically stay in our minds, and it is our job to assist them. Similarly, negative thoughts are not going to leave automatically, and therefore, they need to be resisted.

In the first of Jesus’s parables, He speaks about the seed, soil, and the sower (Matthew 13), teaching how bad things, like weeds, need to be pulled out and good things, like seeds, need to be planted. All good seeds need nurturing for them to sprout. However, for the bad seed to grow, you need to do nothing. They grow on their own. The same goes for thoughts. Bad ones will not leave; good ones will not stay.

Therefore, the best way to change your mindset is to understand the importance of consistency in introducing godly thoughts. We must assist the Word of God in our thoughts by making room for it in our hearts and resist the evil thoughts of the enemy by taking them captive and bringing them into submission to Christ.

Remember, you cannot stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair. Bad thoughts come, but they do not have to stay if we speak against them with the truth of God’s Word.

Let’s Pray:

Father, help me to continue on this journey of renewing my mind. May my mind be a place that is pleasing to you, full of thoughts that are godly and pure. Help me to change this area of my life and to resist the negative thoughts that come my way.April 22, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Fourth Step

Confess what you believe, not what you feel.

It’s important to understand that we possess what we confess. We possess salvation by confessing Jesus as the Lord of our lives. We possess God’s promises by confessing them with our mouths. I believe that when you regularly confess only what you feel and see, you are hurting your faith and not helping to remove the negative thoughts.

When God saw the world in darkness, void, and without form (Genesis 1:2-4)– He did not use His words to describe the situation. Instead, He used the power of His word to change the situation. In the same way, I want to encourage you to not use your mouth as a thermometer, which only reads the temperature of your current condition, but instead, allow God’s Word to turn your mouth into a thermostat, which changes the temperature of your life by confessing what God says.

The Lord instructed Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8). Joshua not only had read the book and studied it, but he also needed to speak it. We also see in another portion of Scripture that Jesus did a similar thing in the wilderness while being tempted by the devil. Satan probably tempted Jesus the way he tempts us–through His thoughts. Regardless, we see in Scripture that Jesus did not merely think about the Scriptures to combat the devil’s arrows; instead, He spoke the Scripture.

When evil thoughts attack your mind, it’s a powerful act to open your mouth and speak in line with God’s Word, not your feelings or current circumstances. As it says in Joel 3:10, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” Don’t speak what you feel all the time, otherwise your mind can’t change. Learn to speak God’s word instead.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I pray that you will help me to focus on your Word and Your faithfulness. Give me grace to not focus on how I feel over the truth of Your Word and Your nature. I pray for clarity in mind and heart.

April 15, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Third Step

What you feed your mind with becomes a mindset.

A mindset is impossible to change without first changing what fills your mind. Typically, when we hear the truth about breaking strongholds or renewing the mind, we get busy trying to change our mindsets. Then, we quickly learn that it is not an easy task.

A mindset is what controls you; the mind is what you control. The only way to change your default thinking is by filling your conscious mind with new information about God’s truth. Once the conscious mind is filled to the overflow, it slips into the subconscious mind.

It’s important to note that so many of our behaviors are automatic, meaning they are unconscious actions we take. This is why we often set goals but do not reach them. Setting goals is the function of the conscious mind, but reaching them is the task of the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind occupies most of the brain. It does not work by logic; therefore, it believes anything that is told repeatedly by the conscious mind.

This is why it’s important for us to feed our minds with information from the Word of God. When we do, the Holy Spirit turns that information into revelation, and this soon becomes our new mindset. Every time you give an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to bring a revelation from God’s Word, you can be sure that He will turn the revelation of that Word into a manifestation of that Word, producing visible results in your life.

Before there can be a manifestation in your circumstances, you must allow the Spirit of God to bring revelation into your spirit.

I want to encourage you to read, memorize, and meditate on the Bible, listen to podcasts, and read Christian books. Fill your mind with the truth, and the Holy Spirit will make it come alive, which will, in turn, change your mindset and transform your life.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for leading me to understand how my mindset can change. I pray that You would awaken a new hunger in me for Your Word and a devotion to storing it in my heart. Help me to understand the value of your Word and the privilege it is to have it.

April 8th, 2025

7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

Second Step

Stop believing that you can’t control your thoughts.

The second lie that must be repented of is the belief that you cannot control your thoughts, but rather they control you. This excuse is not Scriptural. When we look at the Bible, we see that it commands us to “think about these things…” (Philippians 4:8) and to “meditate on it day and night” (Joshua 1:8), meaning that we can choose the thoughts we entertain.

We must understand that the mind is a servant either to our spirit or to our flesh.

When our inner man is weak, the mind runs errands for the flesh by thinking negative thoughts. But, when we constantly build our spirit by communion with the Holy Spirit, our mind comes under the influence of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit who lives in us. It is then that we are left with the choice to think godly things or let the mind go with the flow of life.

For example, every country has border patrols to stop people from entering who are not supposed to enter. It is for the protection and safety of the country. In the same way, it’s important that you set up “border control” in your mind to stop all thoughts of doubt, fear, and negativity from entering and living in your mind. They only bring harm to your life.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for your Holy Spirit. I pray that you will help me be aware of moments when I am entertaining negative thoughts. Help me to think of things of the Spirit so that my inner man may be strengthened.

April 1, 2025

In the next several weeks I would like to share with you a study I recently did in the Bible App about mind set. Our mindset in life and as Christians is so important. We can’t live to our full potential unless we have the correct mindset.

The importance of mindset can’t be overstated, especially when it comes to our daily lives and spiritual journeys. Our mindset shapes how we think, feel, and behave. It is the lens through which we view the world and make decisions. Having the right mindset influences the way we approach challenges and success, even relationships.

Ultimately, our mindset is the architect or our reality. Romans 8:6, Paul says, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Aligning with God’s truth is a key factor in reaching our full potential in Him.

The following is 7 Ways to Renew Your Mind by: Vladimir Savchuck

First Step

Stop waiting for an outside miracle to change your mind.

Most of those miracles will never come until you get rid of the chaos in your mind by filling it with God’s Word. However, the renewing of the mind will never start if you believe the excuse, “The reason why my mind is so negative is because my life is so hard.” Have you ever thought that maybe the reason your life is so hard is because your mind is so negative? You cannot experience miracles regularly if your mind is a mess.

We see in Scripture the importance of soil for a seed to be planted (Matthew 13:4). Some soil will make it easy to bear fruit, while others will cause the seed to be choked out and unfruitful. Stop making your mind a sidewalk for the Devil to trample on; instead, make it a disciple to the Word of God. Do not let the Devil walk on your mind as a sidewalk, otherwise the Word of God has no chance to bring change. The birds will steal it from your heart.

We see in the Old Testament a glimpse into how the people of God thought. Israel thought that more miracles would change their minds, but most of them died as victims in the wilderness, even though they witnessed more miracles than any other generation has had a chance to see. We also see that the Pharisees believed this same lie: If Jesus would do a few more miracles, then they would believe He was the Son of God. However, despite all the supernatural things Jesus did, including the resurrection of the dead, they remained unconvinced.

Do not get me wrong, we need miracles, but they alone do not change our minds without our humility and willingness to make God’s Word the standard for our lives.

Remember, the same sun that melts the ice also hardens the clay. Miracles are like that—for those who are hungry for God’s Word, miracles help increase faith, but for those who refuse to allow God’s Word to have dominion over their lives, miracles are never enough.

If you stop blaming your circumstances for your negative thinking, God will start powerfully working on you.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for helping me come across this reading plan and for allowing it to challenge my thinking. Please highlight the negative thinking I’ve held onto for years and help me to remove it. Bring about change in my mind by the power of your blood. In Jesus name I pray.

March 25, 2025

If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6:33-34

Seeking God’s kingdom first can actually lead to a simpler, more peaceful life. When we focus on God’s priorities and trust that He will provide for our needs, we can let go of the constant pressure to do everything on our own or chase after things that aren’t aligned with His purpose for us.

Jesus tells us to pursue God’s kingdom first, and then all the other things we need will be added to us. This means that when we center our lives around God’s will, we don’t have to strive endlessly for material success or worry about the future. We can find peace in knowing that He will provide what we truly need, and we can prioritize things that align with His values, like love and kindness.

This approach helps to reduce the busyness and stress that can come from constantly trying to juggle too many responsibilities or chase after the next thing, and the next thing and the next thing. By aligning our lives with God’s kingdom, we begin to live with purpose, and that often leads to a greater sense of rest, balance, and peace.

It doesn’t mean we stop working or being responsible, but it does mean that we approach everything with faith, knowing that our ultimate provision and peace come from God. The commotion of life starts to shift from exerting our own strength to flowing within the rhythm and guidance God provides.

March 18, 2025

If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~ Psalms 46:10

This Psalm encourages quietness and calmness. It invites us to stop our busyness and block out distractions. It’s a call to pause, to find peace in the midst of life’s chaos. Only in that peace can we truly hear God.

So, the full meaning of the verse can be understood as a reminder to stop and rest in God’s presence, allowing ourselves to trust in His power and control. In times of trouble or uncertainty, it encourages believers to find peace and security in the fact that God is with us and He is in charge. We do not need to constantly strive for we know God is working all things for our good.

March 11, 2025

If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

Today we look at another verse that relates to the business of life in 2025.

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.” ~ Proverbs 23:4

Proverbs offers a lot of wisdom on finding balance in life, especially when it comes to work and material pursuits. Many proverbs emphasize contentment, the value of hard work, and the dangers of chasing after excess. In a world where it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of wealth and status, these lessons can serve as a reminder to focus on what truly matters: living in a way that’s sustainable, meaningful, and connected to our values.

Are you pursuing your goals in a way that aligns with your values, or are you chasing after things that might bring temporary satisfaction but lead to long-term emptiness?

March 4, 2025

The other day my father sent me a meme that said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”

That really hit me hard. I am so busy. Busy doing great things. Giving a lot of myself to things that matter. Playing sports, helping others, working, exercising, taking care of my home and loved ones. I often find myself thinking I don’t have time for Bible study or to do my prayers and morning reading. With everything so demanding of my time it’s easy to lose sight of the need for spiritual nourishment. The thing is, the more I give to others and the more I invest in other responsibilities, the more I need that connection with God to sustain me.

We must make time with Him a priority. Neglecting time with God is NOT an option. I constantly have to remind myself that prayer, Bible study, and reading are non-negotiable. Whatever I need to give up or skip or delay, it can’t be my God time.
Everything else may come and go, but my spiritual health has to come first.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28

Matthew 11:28 reminds up to come to God for rest. In that rest I believe we can seek spiritual connection, meditate in prayer, and read the word. That rest isn’t just physical, but also spiritual and emotional as I have written about before. In that rest, we can find peace, renewal, and a deeper connection to God. These practices can really help center us and guide us back to what’s important. Prayer helps us pour out our hearts and listen for God’s voice. Meditation can allow us to still our minds and invite God’s peace into our lives. And the Word? It’s a source of wisdom, comfort, and strength that grounds us when we need it most.

Next week we’ll look at another verse that supports this idea of not being too busy for God.

How do you manage to make time for God in your busy schedule? Do you have certain routines or practices that help you stay consistent?

December 3, 2024

Today I was listening to my favorite morning Podcast, Circle Time for the Soul, and the host blew my mind!

I think sometimes it is east for us to dislike the word obedient. It often has a negative connotation. She said (paraphrase) when we are obedient to God, we get to partner with Him. OMG! We GET tp partner with GOD!! Wow, that’s such an amazing insight! That just made me so excited. Who doesn’t want a partnership with God? Obedience is not a burden, but a collaboration. When we are obedient, we can join God on the path he has for our lives. We already know that His plan is even better than what we could even imagine.

Anyone who knows me, knows that mind set is everything. The above perspective shifts obedience to a wonderful co-operation. The idea of obedience not as a restriction, but as an invitation into partnership with God is so empowering and joyous.

We really are a team with God and what a special opportunity to participate in something bigger than ourselves.
I’ll be taking a break at Christ I.D. until the New Year to focus on rest, family, and friends. I pray you all have a beautiful and blessed Christmas Season. I look forward to working with all of you in 2025.
Joy to the World! The Lord has come!!

November 20, 2024

The following is a story I’d like to share from a wonderful Podcast I found, linked below. 2024 for me has been all about keeping my peace. Not just keeping my peace, but also giving peace and kindness to others. It has been such a joy for me not only to feel peaceful, but the spread peace to others.

https://circletimeforthesoul.com

“Hey, sis, and happy Thursday. I actually wanted to share a story with you today to begin. On Tuesday, I took myself out to a little lunch, and I was chatting it up with the server, enjoying myself as I worked a little bit on my laptop.

And when it was time to pay for the bill, the server took my card, left, and then swiftly came back. And y’all know what that means, right? She said it so sweetly too, but for some reason, when it’s said, it feels like they’re yelling.

She said, I’m sorry, your card has been declined. I said, well, hold up, wait a minute. I had just balanced out my accounts to ensure I had money in the right place to even fund this little lunch.

So let’s take a look. I checked my accounts and sure enough, everything was exactly where I had placed it. I gave her another card from the same bank and a different account.

Maybe it was a mistake, right? On their part. I’m talking about the restaurant’s part.

Would you believe? This woman came back with it and said, I’m sorry. Again, she was yelling.

I don’t know why. Declined as well. She did not yell, but it always feels like that.

I said, well, ain’t that something? Good thing I had another card or this story from another bank, or this story may have ended quite differently. After that, I got in my car and called the bank, of which it said that there were 47 people in the queue ahead of me.

I automatically knew it was something going on. I asked for a call back because your girl was not about to wait on that 47 deep line. And when the lady called back, she gave me the rundown before I even had a chance to even ask anything.

I said, listen, I’m not even mad at y’all because I’ve never had an issue with this bank. And y’all have always been nothing but kind in your customer service. So don’t even worry about it.

Y’all, she was shocked by my response and thanked me for being so understanding. I said, but now listen, if I didn’t have another bank card, this might be another conversation that was just playing with her. But I told her that I’d be praying for her and wished her a good day because I knew that what was ahead of her was not going to be easy.

And she said, yes, please pray for me. And I said, no, for real, I most absolutely will. And y’all, I did.

As soon as I hung up, before I went on to the next item on my mental to-do list, I prayed for her. And number one, first off, I was like, you never know who you’re going to encounter and who is actually ready to pray for you in your life. I often think of that, like people, strangers who pass you and are praying for you.

But here’s the thing, that’s the type of gratitude that I have for God today, okay, because unlike what we expect from others on a daily basis, whenever we mess up or things are going wrong, you know, just like this sweet customer service woman, she was expecting me and everyone else she encountered to just be belligerent. But God responds to us in love. He welcomes our hurt, our frustrations, our disappointments, our sorrow.

And the difference is that he can actually do something about those things in your life, right? We technically can’t change everything for other people, but what we can do is offer kindness. God offers change from the inside out.

You know, then I started to think about the woman who was taken in front of Jesus, where the scribes and Pharisees expected Jesus to give them the okay to stone her because of her sin. Instead, Jesus in John 8, 7 tells the one with no sin to cast the first stone. They all end up leaving, all the scribes and Pharisees one by one until it’s just the woman and Jesus left.

You know what Jesus said? He told her to go and sin no more, that he was not there to condemn her. He saved her life and he saved ours too.

I encourage you to be the epitome of kindness today, to someone who doesn’t expect it. Do what Jesus would do in the story in which he would love first.

Lighten somebody else’s burden today. Not sure why this story was on my heart to share, but amen. And I pray someone needed to hear that and be reminded today before they walk into their home, that office, or whatever it is God has for you today.”

October 29, 2024

Don’t be THAT Christian.

I love the song If We Are the Body by Casting Crowns. Here’s the problem:

“It’s crowded in worship today.
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces.
The girls’ teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know,
farther than they know.”

“A traveler is far away from home.
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row.
The weight of their judgmental glances
tells him that His chances are better out on the road.”

Unfortunately, I have seen and attended far too many churches that exude these types of behaviors. A vibe of judgment. When really, they should be comforting, welcoming & warm, a soft place to land. This is not to say there aren’t wonder churches also. No space is perfect, but if you look around and ask people why they don’t go to church what do you think their answer will be? I am willing to bet that the number one answer will either be, the coldness and judgment OR “they just want money”.

Man that is a hard truth to examine. We need more young women and men in church. We need more travelers, homeless, and folks that don’t fit. We need them to feel comfortable so they can be themselves and learn about God. Everyone fits into God’s house and are welcome. It is not up to us to decide who is worthy when, we ourselves are not worthy. Don’t be THAT Christian. Here’s the solution:

“But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way.

Jesus is the way.”

We need to be reaching, healing, teaching. We need to be going to help. Showing his love through our actions. Jesus will make a way where we see no way. Be THIS Christian.

Christians have a generally bad reputation for being cold, stuck up, and judgmental. Do be THAT Christian. Let’s change the perception of this. We are all sinners. We all fall short of God’s glory.

Romans 3:23-24 states, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”.

There is not one reason one of us should be welcomed and not the other. I am sick of the stigma. We are called to LOVE first. That is the only way we’ll ever be able to help. The only way we can reach people, especially people coming to seek God. The only way to do that is to be Christ like in our hearts, words, and actions.

October 15,2024

I was sitting in my kitchen the other day having dinner with the neighbors. They had just been through an emergency. No one was hurt, but the family was in the midst of a trying time. We were discussing God and His plans for us, His plans for our neighbors, and His plans for humanity. My neighbor asked me where do I go to church?

I feel like that is always a tricky question and it shouldn’t be. I should be able to say to him, “Hey, I go to XYZ church. I love it the people there are great. It feels supportive and normal to be a human”. Unfortunately, that is not the answer I gave.

We are all spiritual beings, having a human experience. I will not take credit for that. I heard it somewhere else, and I don’t know where, but it’s true. Our spirit is always fighting with our physical surroundings. The two are often at odds.

My answer to him was that I’m not going to church right now. I do not have a building or a space where I go to once, sometimes twice a week to sing, praise and worship. Or to study God‘s word, or to have a minister teach me what he learned in theology school for a better understanding of the Bible. Not that there is anything wrong with these things. I have belonged to many wonderful churches, and some not so wonderful ones.

I used to feel bad about that, not having a church. I used to feel unworthy, because the Bible does tell us we should sing to the Lord, study God‘s word, and have fellowship with other Christians. But that isn’t why I was feeling guilty.

I was feeling guilty because when I tell other people that I don’t go to church, that they will automatically discount me. They may imply that my answer diminishes me as a Christian. They may invalidate my spiritual growth, the maturity I have in Christ, and the knowledge that I built about the Bible. I have come to believe those things in myself regardless of what others think. My not having a home church at this time in my life does not diminish my relationship with God in anyway, so I no longer feel guilty. I don’t feel guilty anymore about not always having a church and we’ll discuss that more next week.

September 25, 2024

When I think of Spiritual rest I think of a safe haven, snuggling up close in the arms of God in peace and comfort. My favorite Psalm is Psalm 91, Verse 1 says: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

There is no safer place than dwelling in the in the shelter of the Almighty. Spiritual resting is resting calmly in your faith. It is resting in the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Practicing spiritual rest can increase resilience and rejuvenate us. We can lay down our cares, worries, and burdens. Matthew 11 says we can find rest for our soul!

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ “~ Matthew 11:29-30

Prayer, meditation, and studying the Word are wonderful ways to cultivate spiritual rest. They create space for reflection and connection, helping to deepen your faith and center your thoughts. Incorporating moments of stillness, even in busy days, can really enhance our sense of peace. Do you have a favorite practice or scripture that particularly resonates with you during those times?

September 18, 2024

Today we will chat about emotional rest. Each day we face an array of emotions. It could be stress, fear, anger, laughter, or sadness. Too much or too heavy emotion can lead us to burnout, poor sleep, low motivation, and even depression.

To combat this we need to take a break from our emotions. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:4-5 that there is a time for our emotions. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to be anxious for nothing, but rather to be thankful and prayerful. Psalms 62:8 even tells us to pour our heart out to God.

Following these instructions we need to take time and process our emotions. Then we pour out our hearts to God with prayer and thanksgiving. Other things we can do is read our Bible or book, avoid stress, journal, spend time in nature, even exercise and eat healthy.

Last week to talked about physical rest so get enough sleep. Lastly, my practicing mindfulness we can listen to our bodies to identify emotions cues and settle them before they get out of hand.

Sometimes emotions like sadness, anger, or depression may overwhelm us. In those times it is okay to meet with a professional. I think everyone should go to a counselor. There is nothing wrong with seeking advice from a person who has studied emotions, chemical balance, and tools to navigate overwhelm.

September 12, 2024

Today we are going to look at physical rest. In our society it is so common to glamorize the hustle. And although I agree there is something to be said about working hard, avoiding idle hands, and all that, we must balance it out with rest. We are allowed to rest and replenish. Without those, we are unable to serve God and help others to our best ability. Not only are we allowed, we are commanded to rest.

^“Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.” ~ Exodus 20:8-10

Let’s take a look from the book, Taking the Long View:

“But also make time for yourself. I have started getting up several hours before work. This gives me enough time in the morning to drink some water, read my Bible, say my prayers, and maybe do a chore or two. Sometimes I do yoga, meditation, or stretching. I can leisurely get ready for work without being in a rush.

You don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn, but budget enough time to start your day without hurrying and being stressed. Your day will flow better. You will make better choices, get more done, and this will lead to a better future.

Lastly, practice self-care that resets you. Do some meditation. Sit down in a quiet place, focus on your breathing, on God. Listen to God. Take a bath, smoothe on a face mask, or read outside. Chill in the sun, get a massage, or take a nap. Doing things for yourself is so important.”

Some say that rest is the foundation of physical health. During rest muscles are restored and become stronger, it can boost our immune system, improve memory, energy, and stamina. It can even increase creativity. So, go ahead! Get some rest

September 6, 2024

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” ~James 1:19

So many times we react to quickly. We react out of anger or emotions. Although these feelings are valid, the reaction is rarely productive or even the reaction we want. In the next few weeks we’ll take a look at rest. Physical rest is crucial for our bodies to recover and function properly, emotional rest, to give ourselves space to process and heal from our feelings, and mental rest, to clear our minds and reduce cognitive fatigue. We’ll even explore spiritual rest for peace and a sense of purpose.

Let’s take a peek at Taking the Long View:

“I heard something on the radio the other day from Jud Wilhite. He was talking about how you can simply press the pause button. He was talking specifically about pressing pause on drama in your life, but we can just press the pause button on so many things in our lives.

We can press the pause button on depression. We can press the pause button on anger. We can press the pause button on hate. We can press the pause button on sin. We only need one moment to readjust.

Once we press pause, we can review our options. We can choose our peace, and we don’t have to press “play” again. Instead, we can pray about it, take a five-minute meditation, or a few deep breaths.

If we react to the drama, or depression, or give into sin, we are making a bad decision that may lead to dire consequences to our current well- being and future self. That moment of drama and depression will pass. The anger or fear will subside. The temptation will flee.”

August 27, 2024

As discussed last week, we often have trouble keeping our peace. Just this weekend I reacted to a situation that was less than peaceful. Although, I am more successful in keeping my peace than in the past, still have bad times.

More importantly, it is important to show my peace to others who may need it. My journal has the following prayer by St. Francis of Assisi.

Prayer of Peace
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

This prayer is such a wonderful guide to how we need to live as Christians. Give peace. Replace hate with love. Forgive. Replace doubt with faith, despair with hope, darkness with light, and sadness with joy.

Console others, seek to understand, love more, give, and forgive again. Isaiah tells us that we can keep our peace if we trust in God.

“You will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” ~ Isaiah 26:3

August 20, 2024

Our newsletter today is about peace. As children of God, we are given the gift of peace. Not just the peace of being calm in stressful situations, but the all-consuming peace we get from our faith in God and trust in His timing. Philippians 4:7 describes this as “the peace of God which transcends all understanding.”

There are so many times in our lives that people may steal our peace, we may lose it, or give it away. The best way for us to perform in life, especially stressful or frustrating situations, is to keep our peace, to guard our peace. When we do this, we remain calmer, make better choices, and are kind to others. Maybe this happens to us in traffic, a confrontation with a loved one, or a an unfair occurrence at work.

^“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27

This is Jesus talking to his disciples in John. He is telling then how he is leaving for a while (the crucifixion), but that they need not be afraid. He is giving them peace. Not the same peace as the world, but that peace that surpasses all understanding.

This peace is God’s gift to us! When we react to situations at a time when we have abandoned our peace, we are rejecting a gift that God has given us to cope.

Later in this chapter he says:

^“I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me…” ~ John 14:30

The prince of this world is Satan. When we reject the gift of God’s peace, we are allowing Satan into our lives. The Bible tells us that Satan is a lion on the prowl; he is hungry, and actively seeking to destroy. When we keep our peace and embrace this gift, we can resolve situations, prevent escalation, and save emotional distress as well as physical stress. But Satan has no hold over us!

Anger and stress increase blood pressure, which is bad for our heart. It disrupts our digestion, which is why our stomach often hurts in conflict. It increases respiration, increasing anxiety. It also blocks our frontal lobe, which is the part of our brain responsible for reasoning and logic. The chemicals our brains release in high stress and frustrating situations can take hours and even days to regulate.

Being angry at the driver that cut you off on the way to work, can physically have effects on your body all day and even interrupt your sleep. God doesn’t want this for us. He gave us the gift of peace to use whenever we need it. Let’s practice keeping our peace and utilizing this amazing, generous gift.

No one is perfect. We all fall short. There will be times when we don’t act like we want or even the way we know is best for our mental and emotional health, but keeping our peace more often can help us lead a happier, more compassionate, and graceful life.

July 23, 2024

The Bible is filled with verses that encourage and uplift us in times of weakness.

2 Corinthians 2:10 – Strength in contentment
Joshua 1:9 – God is with us
1 Corinthians 10:13 – Strength through endurance
Isaiah 40:29-31 – God gives us strength
Deuteronomy 31:6 – God is with us
2 Corinthians 12:9 – Strength in rest

There are many, many more examples. One of my personal favorites is John 16:33 that says,

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

God has overcome the world in death. He has already fought our battles.

Another great one is Romans 8:31 that says,

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

God is with us, nothing is greater than his prescience on our side.

And finally Psalms 91, the whole thing really, but 14-16 says,

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Nothing will ever be perfect or burden free, but through the plethora of God’s promises to all of us and the presence of God in our loves we truly have nothing to fear. Trusting in God’s promises and feeling His presence can provide a deep sense of security and peace, even amidst life’s imperfections and challenges. God is with us. God will not leave us. God protects us. God covers us. God will answer us. God will deliver us. God will satisfy us. God will heal us. God will give us salvation, and so much more.

July 18, 2024

Strength comes from faith. We talk a lot at Christ I.D. about God‘s promises and how they are for me, for you, and for everyone. I believe this to be true, but we also have to keep up our end of any relationship.

In my study of Psalms 34 last week, I realized that although God freely gives blessings, He freely gives blessings to those who seek Him. According to commentary on Psalms 34 in my study bible:

“God promised great blessings to his people, but these blessings require our active participation. He will deliver us from our fear (34:7), save us out of our troubles (34:6), guard and deliver us (34:7), show us goodness (34:8), supply our needs (34:9), listen when we talk to Him (34:15), and redeem us (34:22), but we must do our part.

We can appropriate his blessings when we seek Him (34:4), cry out to Him (34:6, 17), trust Him (34:8), fear Him (34:7,9), refrain from lying (34:13), turn from evil, do good, and seek peace (34:14), are humble (34:18), and serve Him (34:22).”

My book, Taking the Longview, also talks about reciprocating a relationship with God.

“God is all things, from Father to Friend. Just like any other friendship, you have to cultivate and prioritize it. It’s like a gas tank. You only get as many miles as the gas you put in it. If you only fill the tank halfway, you’ll progress half as far. If you only fill the tank once a week, you are limited in how far you can go. But, if you consistently fill the tank with gas, your progress is endless. “

In this, our faith in Him, our fear of Him, our seeking Him, is the source of our strength. Cause even in the unknown, we are able know it will be well.

July 10,2024

So many times we feel as if we don’t have enough strength. The bible tells us over and over again that God is our strength. Drawing strength from Him can provide a deep well of resilience and hope. Many people find comfort and courage in their faith, believing that through connection with God, they can access strength beyond their own. This can be especially comforting during challenging time and offers a sense of guidance.

“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.” ~ Psalms 28:7

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ~ Nehemiah 8:10

“But they who wait for 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

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” ~ Exodus 15:2

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” ~ Ephesians 6:10

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~ Philippians 4:13

These verses are powerful reminders from the Bible. There are many more that emphasize God providing strength to those who seek Him. When we feel weak or inadequate, we can turn to God for the strength we need. I encourage you to investigate more of them today and be assured that we are not alone in our struggles.

June 27, 2024

I’ve been struggling this week. Whenever that happens I instinctively reach out to my earthly father, but also lean heavily on my heavenly father. Then, I landed upon Psalms 121.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.”

This Psalm is full comfort and promises. If we will only look up we will find help. Help from the creator of the universe. How amazing is THAT!?! He will not let us fall, he’ll cover us and protect us from harm, as we come and as we go. All of the time and forever! <3

In true Christ I.D. fashion, we must include the powerful song based on this scripture. It’s Praise You in the Storm, by Casting Crowns. Go and give it a listen.

June 18, 2024

Genesis 6-9 Noah

One of the greatest Father’s in history is Noah. Noah was tasked with preservation of humanity and the animal kingdom after the world had become too corrupt for redemption. Noah was a man of God and a father to three sons.

Noah received instructions to build the ark. From my research, it is estimated that it took approximately 75-100 years to build the ark. All this time he tried to warn people, but he was only harassed and humiliated. Yet, he still kept building. It’s easy to do something that everyone encourages or supports, but it is a major struggle to do something with constant naysayers calling you crazy. It is especially hard when violence is carried out against you and your family. And you must wait so, very long for vindication.

Noah set a great example as a father. First, he showed faithfulness to God’s instruction through all the years. He preserved through the prosecution and endless mockery. He clearly had a wonderful relationship with him sons if they followed him blindly and trusted him enough to help build the boat based only on his word. He was also hard working and saved his family and thousands of animals from the flood. He followed his task through 40 days of rain of so much struggle and doubt. Then pushed through 150 days of water covering the earth.

June 11, 2024

Let’s take a look at Ephesians 6: 1-4

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

I think most people like to just stick with Ephesians 6:1, the honoring of your mother and father. Although this is very important and I believe we should honor our mother and father. It’s also important to recognize that the second part of this says that fathers should not exasperate their children. What does that mean?

My study Bible talks about how children and parents have a responsibility to each other. It’s specifically says that children should honor their parents, even if their parents are demanding and sometimes unfair. And parents should care gently for their children, even if the child is disobedient and unpleasant.

The second part of verse four says that instead of children being provoked, we should bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. We should raise children in a loving and patient manner while still being stern. The discipline should be out of love instead of frustration and anger.

No matter how old we are today, we can all balance honoring our parents with gentleness with children.

June 6th, 2024

I thought it was reasonable for the June newsletter to be about Fathers. In my research, I came across this acronym for father on The Weirton Daily Times.

“F-A-T-H-E-R: The Six Attributes of a Godly Father”

The “F” in father stands for Faithful — Good fathers are Faithful.

The “A” in father stands for Action — Good fathers are people of action.

The “T” in father stands for Teacher — Good fathers are teachers.

The “H” in father stands for Hope — Good fathers offer hope to their families.

The “E” in father stands for Example — Good fathers are a positive example.

Finally, the “R” in father stands for Reliable — Good fathers are reliable.

As fathers are head of the household (see our previous study of Ephesians), they must exemplify these qualities. We all know fathers are not perfect, and great fathers have the support & guidance of great mothers. I hope to examine these qualities further this month and even look at some fathers we see in the Bible.

May 30, 2024

God began the entire universe with light.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
~ Genesis 1:3-4

God sent Jesus, who is often referred to as the light of the world.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
~John 8:12

God gave us the gospel, which is a light unto our feet.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
~Psalms 119:105

The bible tells us that darkness can never overcome the light.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
~John 1:15

There are so many more instances of light in the Bible. God creates light, he sends light, he sheds light, and nothing can overcome the light. What we’ve studies about the light is so encouraging.

As Christians we must live in the light and remember that the light ALWAYS shine. We must strain TOWARDS the light. We have to let out light SHINE on the world, because the light will NEVER be overcome by darkness.

May 21, 2024

The sun is the source of all life. We get light, heat, and even energy from the sun. God is also the source of all life, light, warmth, and energy. I mean, He created the sun to sustain life, but He created life. I used to sing a song folk, gospel song as a child in Sunday school. It popped into my head a few days ago during a difficult time. Some of the lyrics are below, as well as the related scripture. As I was thinking about the past few Newsletter entries, I realized that although it seems I have been in darkness, the sun is always shining. God is still there in my trouble. I thought about how I needed to strain towards Him in times of sorrow, like the plants straining to the light. I thought of my light, God within me, that must shine regardless of my circumstances. Even more so in difficulty.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine!
Let Satan blow it out? No!
I’m gonna let it shine.
We will sing in peace, we will sing in harmony.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ Mathew 5:14-16

May 14, 2024

As we continue to talk about His light, let’s take a look from the book.

Taking the Long View: Turning Deep Sadness into Deep Joy by Building an Identity in Christ ~ Rebecca Shoop

May 7, 2024

It’s important for us to remember that even when it’s dark, the sun is still shining. We just can’t see it.

It’s often easy to get stuck in the darkness where we feel far from God and hidden from His light. Even in the dark He is still shining. Just like the Earth facing away from the sun, we may be facing away from God. The sun is always shining and God is always there.

“God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.” ~ Genesis 1:16

There is always a great light, but it may not be shining upon us if we aren’t in the correct position. Genesis tells us that even in darkness, there is still light. Perhaps it’s not that God is far from is, but that we are facing away from him.

April 30, 2024

Today I feel like I don’t have much to give. Today I’m feeling funky, a little melancholy, and just really pondering events as they unfold.

It’s important for me to share this because I’m not always “on”. I’m not always optimistic. I worry and I get anxious and I doubt.

However, y’all know I love my music. I Have this Hope ~ Tenth Avenue North

But sometimes my faith feels thin
Like the night will never end
Will You catch every tear
Or will You just leave me here?

But I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You’re with me and You won’t let go

Part of Christian life is feeling this way. Sometimes we have critics asking, “ If we believe in Jesus, why do we doubt?” That is an excellent question. The answer is that Christians are still humans, subject to human emotions, just like everyone else. Hopefully, the difference is, that we always have that hope, in the depths our soul, that He is with us wherever we go. Our faith may thin, but it is still there. Our mind may doubt, but we still hope. We have long nights, but joy comes in the morning.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” ~ Lamentations 3:22-24

April 24, 2024

Jesus said “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. ~ John 13:35

As Christians one of the most important things we are called to do, is to love. In our current climate this is more important than ever. It is so east to be divided, to be labeled, and to be afraid of what we don’t understand. The greatest demonstration of the fact that we are Christians is that we love one another.

We must remember, there are no prerequisites to love. You don’t have to agree with someone to love them. You don’t have to approve of their lifestyle, or their choices, or their activities. You don’t have to fully support all their ideas to love them. You don’t need love in return to love someone. You don’t have to have money, or time, or even emotional bandwidth. You can simply just love them.

You can love them silently. You love them from a far. You can love them actively. There are no limits. What does that mean how we act towards someone. We talked about last week with reckless love. God doesn’t protect himself from getting hurt by us when He loves us, but as humans we often do need to protect ourselves from getting hurt or being put in bad situations. We don’t have to be hurt to love. We don’t have to engage. We just can.

So many things prevent us from loving, when really love is the easy part. We don’t need to be afraid of love.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” ~ 1 John 4:18

April 18, 2024

Let’s talk about the love of God.

I wasn’t going to talk about this in the Newsletter to day, but then I heard the song Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. Go and take a quick listen. As part of our Christian Living Series we need to love recklessly.

It is our human nature to guard ourselves from being hurt by others. We rarely love recklessly. We put limits on our love in so many ways. We deem who is worthy of love and how much. We can’t even fathom the love God has for us. He sees everything we do and don’t do. He knows the truth of our heart; he forgives us over, and over again. The bible tells us He will come after us, even just one.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? (Luke 15:4)

Just let that verse sink in and realize what it means. He loves us so much and His compassion for us will never fail. NO MATTER WHAT. Each morning we have a clean slate, and new opportunity to be who God made us to be. We are going to fall, but God’s faithfulness is great, and his love for us endures forever.

God loves with reckless abandon, he loves truly unconditionally. We say we’re sorry and we ask for forgiveness, and it is freely given.

Now, we are not God—we are human and have many mental and emotional barriers. I often wonder if we are missing out of things because we chose to limit our love. Loving someone doesn’t mean that we have to let people treat us badly. We can distance ourselves from that and still love and pray for the person.

We may have a troubling past with family or friends. We may even stop talking to them because of the damage they continually deal. However, we love them. We love them very much. We pray for them and pray for blessings and for their happiness.

Don’t allow hurt to get in the way of love.

Should you stay with an abusive spouse, absolutely not. Should a parent abuse a child? Of course not. You can love someone and not have them in your life. Love strangers, love people you’ve never met. Have empathy.

The joy from the magnitude of God’s love for us is unfathomable, astounding, and immeasurable. Even more stunning is that we can never lose it.

“Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the 99
And I couldn’t earn it
I don’t deserve it, still You give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God”

April 9, 2024

I don’t feel guilty anymore about not always having a church and this is why…

I’ve read the entire Bible and I’m not saying that to brag I’m saying that because I have put in the work and I have studied it. Even though I have read the Bible and continue to study it, I still feel I have a very minuscule amount of knowledge. The bible is so vast, I truly think it takes a lifetime and I continue to learn each time I read something. Every time I read a verse, every time I read a chapter, every time I read a book, I find something new I see something differently than I did the first time.

I devoted five years of my life, writing a book to help young, Christian women. I mentor a few women on life and a Christian lifestyle, and help them embracing the promises God has for their life. Helping them believe they are worthy for no reason, and they are child of God.

I run a business in that same area where I share Bible verses, sharing Christian songs, write a weekly newsletter, and digging into prayer, and Bible studies. I also have a weekly Bible study with my parents and read my Bible and pray most days of the week, as well. I try to live my life in accordance to God’s biblical instructions and set a good example for others. I am not perfect and I still fail. This how Christian life looks for me. It may look differently for you. Each of us has a unique relationship with God. We have unique weaknesses and strengths, unique spiritual gift, and a unique purpose. Just because your journey doesn’t look the same as “the churches” doesn’t make it any less valuable in His kingdom.

I don’t allow the journey, my knowledge, the strong faith I have built, or my relationship with God to be negated by other people’s opinion of if I should go to church. Now let’s get back to that question where do I go to church? I don’t go to church, but that doesn’t make me any better or worse than those who do.

April 2, 2024

I was sitting in my kitchen the other day having dinner with the neighbor. They had just been through an emergency. No one was hurt, but their family has been in a trying time. So, obviously, we were talking about God and His plans for, His plans for our neighbors, and His plans for humanity. My neighbor asked me where do I go to church?

I feel like that is always a tricky question and it shouldn’t be. I should be able to say, “Hey, I go to XYZ church. I love it the people there are great. It feels supportive and normal to be a human”. Unfortunately, that is not the answer I gave.

We are all spiritual beings, having a human experience. I will not take credit for that. I heard it somewhere else, and I don’t know where, but it’s true.

My answer to him was that I’m not going to church right now. I do not have a building or a space where I go to once, sometimes twice a week to sing, praise and worship. Or to study God‘s word, or to have a minister teach me what he learned in theology school for a better understanding of the Bible. Not that there is anything wrong with these things. I have belonged to many wonderful churches, and some not so wonderful ones.

I used to feel bad about that, not having a church. I used to feel unworthy, because the Bible does tell us we should sing to the Lord, study God‘s word, and have fellowship with other Christians. But that isn’t why I was feeling guilty.

I was feeling guilty because when I tell other people that I don’t go to church, that they will automatically discount me. Or that my answer would diminish me as a Christian. Or invalidate my spiritual growth, the maturity I have in Christ, and the knowledge that I built about the Bible. I have come to believe those things in myself regardless of what others think. My not having a home church at this time in my life does not diminish my relationship with Christ in anyway, so I no longer feel guilty. We’ll jump into why, next week.

March 26, 2024

Our song, Your Grace is Enough by Matt Maher is based on 2 Corinthians 12: 9.

In 2 Corinthians 7-10 we see Paul asking God to take away a physical affliction making him weak. In verse 9 Jesus says, “my grace is enough, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Despite this weakness Paul had, God promised to show power in it. For this reason Paul embraces weakness. The scripture even says Paul is glad. He delights in weakness, limits, hardships and persecution. For he knows in his weakness, God can show His glory & power. God uses this weakness to humble Paul and to increase Paul’s trust in Him.

After all, we do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) We can even recognize that our weaknesses draw us closer to God by making us more dependent on Him.

And once again we see one of God’s promises. He promises that his grace is enough. We are covered in his love.

His grace is enough for me.

March 19,2024

What is the joy of the Lord? And how is this our strength? Is not the joy of God, but our joy in the Lord.

The Israelites in Nehemiah were rejoicing because their city walls and faith were being restored, even though that turned away from God several times.

For us, this joy is our strength because we believe in the many promises God has made to us. We know our strength from is from Him. He is for us, not against us. We rejoice!

Here at Christ I.D., believing in God’s promises is a foundational teaching. We can live with the joy of the Lord in our hearts regardless of circumstances that may surround us. Because of our faith we can be confident that all things will work for our good and that we are who God says we are.

Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin also ties back to our Song Connection verse last week in Isaiah 6. “Holy is the Lord God almighty. The earth is filled with his glory.”

Go listen to this song. You won’t regret it!

March 12, 2024

Our Song Connection today comes from Isaiah 6. Pop over and read that verse. Then you can listen to You Are Holy by Christ for the Nations.

This verse describes Isaiah’s vision. He saw the Lord and God was majestic. Not just to Isaiah, but to all creatures, angels, and even inanimate things. The pillars shook! The book of Isaiah was written in the 8^th Century. During this time kings would stitch together pieces from robes of their conquered enemies. The longer the train, the more powerful the ruler was.

Seeing God’s robe fill the temple signified God as conquering force of all things. He defeats every enemy. The presence of God, in that robe, was so glorious and powerful, Isaiah couldn’t comprehend His greatness. Isaiah felt small, full of sin, and unclean. Isaiah was given a task for which he felt unworthy.

We feel unworthy of tasks given to us by God as well. We feel undeserving of His blessings, but He is the mighty conqueror of ALL our enemies. We are undeserving, we are unclean, but through God’s grace and His holiness we too can be conquerors.

March 5, 2024

There is nothing like music to evoke so many wonderful feelings and transport me to a higher level. So many song lyrics speak to my soul and help me feel connected. Along with beautiful music it just evokes primal emotion. I feel understood. This month I have decided to dig a deeper into some of our favorite songs. Linked to our lyric of the week, we are looking at Meredith Andrew ~ Not for a Moment. Go quick and listen to that now.

This song is based on Isaiah 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

This article I found on RETHINK summed it up so perfectly.

“Today we are surrounded by a seemingly infinite number of things to be afraid of. Yet the promise found throughout the Bible is that we can find peace in God. The meaning of Isaiah 41:10 provides solace and comfort during times of uncertainty.” You can click the link to read the full article.

This verse holds God’s promises to us. 1 – God is with us. 2 – He will strengthen us. 3 – He will uphold and protect us. Remember, God’s promised are for you. They are for everyone!

https://www.rethinknow.org/meaning-of-isaiah-41-10/

February 20, 2024

We are often faced with circumstances that are difficult; times in our life when we don’t understand. Why is this happening? How do I deal with it? How can I move forward?

The ultimate answer is – God. You can do hard things and you can declare victory when you have ultimate faith in God.

This week we are looking at a trifecta of Queen Ester.

First well, look at Ester 4:14 “ — And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ~ Ester 4:14

Everything in our lives leading up to big moments has prepared us to have courage and faith to meet the our biggest challenges. We can do hard things because God has prepared us in advance. But, we must have faith in God’s plan for our lives and remember that he works all thing for our good (Romans 8:28).

Next, we’ll take a look at one of my favorite songs based on this verse by Crystal Lewis.

“For such a time as this, isn’t much too great a risk?
I’ve never flown from the edge of a cliff.
Never walked on the water.
But if I turn away, how will I know what I have missed?
Have I waited all of my life for such a time as this.”

These lyrics remind us of the great rewards and works we can achieve if we have faith to take the risks associated with these big, scary, unknown times.

Another part of this song states:

“I’ve often wondered what’s eluding me. A struggling meant to free me from complacency. But the way is steep and a storm may come.”

So many times we see that the path leading us to victory is daunting, but these trial are meant to strengthen us and even prepare us for even bigger things ahead. Which is why the crescendos in this song is:

“Sometimes the thrill of soaring NEEDS to begin, with the fear of falling.”

You were mad for such a time as this. Face challenges head on. You have all you need if you have faith.

Lastly, since this is our prayer series we need to pray. ~ Lord give me strength to take the scary roads that lead me to big rewards. Increase my faith that I am where I am supposes to be. That you have not given me more than I can handle and that you work all things out for my good. Help me believe that you have made me to be courageous. I declare that you have not given me a spirit of fear, but of power. You have called me to be bold. Help me believe in your promises so I can do hard things. In Your name I pray – Amen

February 13, 2024

I just recently heard of the I don’t know prayer, thanks Michelle!! It’s hard sometimes to know what to pray for. Sometimes it’s even hard to pray at all. But, we don’t have to know what, why, or how, just that God knows.

“I don’t know. I don’t know where to go from here. I don’t know what is happening. I don’t know how to process this. I don’t know what to do with these emotions. I don’t know how to handle this situation. It covers a lot of I don’t knows. And then with whatever tiny grain of faith you have, you say. But “Lord you know!””

Pray your I don’t know prayer and then, put it in the God Box. Below is an excerpt from my book, Taking the Long View:

“Then I heard about the “God box.” I have to hand it to my sweet mother-in-law. As far as I remember, she is the first person who gave me this tool. We’ve all heard the sayings “Let go and let God” or “Give it to God,” but many of you reading this know that it isn’t as easy as it sounds. The God box is a proverbial box where you put your emotions, thoughts, and worries, to give them over to God. Then close the lid tight.

It was so therapeutic for me to think that all those thoughts and feelings were still there. They kept their meaning, but I didn’t have to absorb them. I could unload them into the God box.

Look, when God forgives you, He forgives you forever. It is our human nature to hold on to guilt, failure, and pain. Now, I could put these things in the God box and store the box away. I thought about the God box for over a year, but I hadn’t used it. How can the God box help you? Use the God box anytime for anything you don’t have control over.”

February 6, 2024

I found this small prayer as I was reading this morning and really liked it for a quick boost! This both protects us from others and also from ourselves.

“Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” ~Proverbs 30:7-

January 30, 2024

Our next tidbit isn’t a prayers, but it came to mind a lot this week. There is a popular verse in Jeremiah.

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

That is where most folks would stop with this quote. Although that verse is amazing and I site it often, as we continue to read I think it becomes even stronger and speaks of prayer.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” ~Jeremiah 29:12-14

Wow, not only can we trust in God to sustain us through a trial, but also to prosper us and give us a future. Further, we can then pray to Him, call upon His name, and He will listen! Prayer is such an important aspect of our relationship with God. It is everywhere and should be throughout our day.

How any promises do we see here? 7

God promises – that He has a plan for us, He will not harm us, He will give us hope and a future, He promises us He will listen to our prays, that we will find Him if we seek with our heart, and to bring us from captivity.

God’s promises are for you! They are for everyone!!

January 23, 2024

Continuing with our 2023 prayer series I found this on the Jesus Rocks Facebook page and it really encompassed a lot of what I needed and all the promises God has made to us. Strength, hope, peace, comfort. Simple and effective.

“Father, when I’m tired, You give me strength. When I’m discouraged, You give me hope. When I’m afraid, You give me peace. When I am feeling alone, you give me comfort and You fill me with Your peace. Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.”

December 5th, 2023

This is part of Chapter 81 in Taking the Long View.

“You can also care for yourself through prayer. Though I have always found it easy to pray for others, praying for myself felt selfish. Not only should we pray for ourselves, but we must pray for ourselves. We cannot pursue the goals God has made for us unless we are strong. It’s not selfish or putting yourself first – you are including yourself in God’s blessings.

You will find a wonderful way to pray for yourself in Scripture, like Ephesians 6:10–18. This passage illustrates putting on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

The belt of truth will secure our bodies and wrap us in God’s truth. The breastplate of righteousness will guard our hearts. A breastplate protects our vital organs. Our feet should be fitted with the gospel: we study to allow us to tread longer and further. We are literally walking on the Word and promises of God. Shoes keep us comfortable, allow us to stand straighter, and support us to walk longer.

The shield of faith shields us from fiery darts of the enemy. No matter what comes our way during the day, we can deflect it. The helmet of salvation absorbs any force meant to hurt the command center of the body. We need it protected to make the right choices, think logically, and run our bodies. Finally, the sword of the Spirit gives us power against negativity and evil. We can slash and thrust through any challenges we face. God has given us the sword of the Spirit as authority to deflect our enemy’s blows and fight back.

Simply praying each day to be covered in the armor of God encompasses everything we need. We all have time for a ten-second prayer: “Jesus cover me today with the armor of God.””

November 29th, 2023

Another little nugget from my book Taking the Long View: Turing Deep Sadness into Deep Joy by Building an Identity in Christ.

“I don’t pray because that is what good Christians do. I pray to talk to God, to praise Him, to thank Him, and to let requests be known to Him. I pray to lift others up. Sometimes we just chat. God is your ultimate BFF. I say, “Well I am really struggling with this today can you help me?” Prayer will help you be different.

Love the Lord your God with all of your mind and your thoughts. Make him the most important person in your lives. Think about him every day. (Deuteronomy 6:5, my paraphrase)”

November 19th, 2023

Below is an excerpt from my book Taking the Long View: Turing Deep Sadness into Deep Joy by Building an Identity in Christ.

“Don’t get hung up on prayer. It doesn’t need to be regimented and systematic. Praying is just talking to God. You can do it quickly before you eat and thank God for your food. You can pray in your car for your family on the way to work. You can pray for protection and peace before you sleep. You can have a prayer list and pray after you read your Bible. There is no right or wrong way; you just need to talk to God. It can be long, it can be short, it can be anything you want—as long as you are doing it!

When you pray, you can tell Him your troubles, chat with Him about your struggles, and thank Him for your victories. Talk it out. Ask questions. You can also pray by being silent and concentrating on God. Don’t get caught up on what the world thinks prayer should be. Just talk to God as your father and friend.”

November 7, 2023

The Serenity Prayer is one of the most well know and popular. Reinhold Niebuhr wrote the original version of the serenity prayer in 1951.

“O God and Heavenly Father, grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed, courage to change that which can be changed, and wisdom to know the one from the other through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

So simple, yet so effective. Another example of how simple prayer doesn’t have to be long or complex. Better to say a quick prayer than no prayer at all.

October 27, 2023

After a much needed break, we’re back and going to jump right into where we left off! Many tried and true prayers can be found right in scripture. Below is one I was reminded of this week by a wonder family member.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

~Psalms 51:10-11

It may not always sound so formal and doesn’t have to. It can be, “God soften my heart” or “give me understanding”. Maybe it sounds like, “Lord, give me patience and strength”. Or even, “Give me rest so I can feel rejuvenated and happy”. Or simply, “Lord, be with me”.

October 3, 2023

I try to say this prayer whenever I leave my home.

“Jesus, walk through our home and take away all of our worries and illness. Please watch over and heal our family and friends. Bless our home, family, and friends with peace, love, and joy!”

In addition I have started including the below in my morning prayer. I saw it online and it really resonated with me. I have paraphrased and made it my own.

“Jesus please help me to be grateful for the life you’ve given me and never take it for granted. Help me to be off good cheer even when things are not going my way. Allow me ears to hear you and the courage to follow in your ways. In the name of Jesus I pray these things – Amen.”

These, in conjunction with any personal prayers I have for the day have been come my morning prayer habit. I hope you are encourage to start your day with prayer. It brings me peace and joy to start my day this way and be grateful.

September 29, 2023

Today, I’d like to start a prayer series. Pray doesn’t have to look or sound a certain way. It just needs to be from your heart to God, with thanksgiving! I ran across this prayer by accident, in a prayer journal for women, that I found at at used book sale. It fit in perfectly. It is full of words I needed these past weeks during times that I have felt failure & discouragement. So, I share it with you. We sometimes forget that failures are part of the nature balance of life. We also forget that we do not have to carry them around with us.

Failures, Successes, Healing

‘Lord, I commit my failures
as well as my successes
into your hands,
and I bring for your healing
the people and the situations,
the wrongs and the hurts of the past.

Give me courage, strength and generosity
to let go and move on,
leaving the past behind me,
and living the present to the full.

Lead me always to be positive
as I ‘entrust the past to your mercy,
the present to your love,
and the future to your providence’.

~St. Augustine

September 19, 2023

So far we’ve discussed several things to make reading your bible easier and more beneficial.

Use SOAP
Start with prayer
Take notes
Read often
Access different versions
Read in a quiet location
Minimize distractions
Read a little at a time
Read in chronological order
Look for scripture links
Connect people & events

The last things you can do is simple. If you don’t understand something or can’t follow a story, skip it! And read something else.

There is no shame or problem to skip something and go back to it at a later time. The Bible has a ton of information. You may not be mature enough in your journey to grasp a concept. Or you may just need more information to connect the dots.

The important thing is that you study the Bible, in a way that you feel comfortable with and that you understand it’s contents.

You do not have to fit into a box or read it how someone says you should. What I’ve learned is there is no wrong or right way as long as you are reading for understanding. I hope some of these tips and trick will help you feel more comfortable reading your Bible.

September 12, 2023

Another thing I have found helpful is to join a bible study.

I have been in several bible studies through out my life. Last year, during the holidays, I was in a ladies bible study. This one was geared towards the hope, joy, peace, and love of Christmas. It was a bible study book with specific scriptures and topics to study and discuss.

In the past, I did a bible study with my sister-in-law that guided us through scripture to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Currently, and for that past several years, I have been in a bible study with my parents. Here we study each book of the bible, a chapter per week, and simply discuss what we read. Then apply it to life.

The point is that you don’t have to do bible study any certain way. There are so many options. As long as you find something bible based and rooted in Christ you’ll be learning and usually having fun!

Some other options may be:

Work bible study
Parenting bible study
Youth bible study
Church bible study
Online bible study

September 6, 2023

Scripture links are another thing that helps with Bible comprehension and connecting events or people. Since I have been studying Zechariah, the most current scripture link I can reference is Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:4-5.

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells the disciples to bring him a donkey. They do so and he rides into Jerusalem. This is when we celebrate Palm Sunday. Zechariah predicted this in 586 B.C.

“Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

~Zechariah 9:9

Alternatively the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are a tellings of the same story, but in different perspectives of the author. I see these scripture links often in my reading. I will jot them down as I see them and write a follow up.

August 22, 2023

Another thing that was helpful for me when studying the Bible was that I read in chronological order, not from cover to cover. That is, in the order the events took place. That was beneficial to see how the people and events were connected.

I was able learn about Moses and the prophets that cam before Christ. It was neat to read about the kings and how they ruled. David defeated Goliath and then grew up to be king. Joseph was separated from, and then forgave his brothers.

Then the birth, life, and death of Jesus as it unfolded into the A.D. and letters from Paul. As well as how it all ends in Revelations. These links help with understanding and it becomes a whole picture with a timeline. In my study Bible there are also scripture links. We’ll be exploring those more next week.

August 15, 2023

One of the things I find useful during bible study is to look at other translations of the bible. If I don’t understand something I can look at the same content is a new light. There are so many translations, but why? I found a great article on Blue Letter Bible that I linked below. Here it is in a nutshell, but I highly suggest you reading the article.

The truth is that all translations are done to meet some practical need. New translations of the Bible will always be necessary for the following reasons:

1. There Are Always Changes in Language

2. Words Change in Meaning Through Time

3. Ambiguous Words and Phrases Need to Be Updated

4. There Are New Manuscript Discoveries

5. We Now Know the Meaning of Some Terms

6. Some Ancient Customs Are Now More Understandable

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/bible-translations/question4-why-so-many-translations-of-the-bible.cfm

For me the King James version gets to be too wordy and with language we don’t use any more. Let’s take an easy example with John 3:16

The King James Bible: ^“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

And now, the Living Bible: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Same content, context, and meaning, but one may be more understandable to some than to another. Looking at the same verse from different angles sometimes makes the message more understandable or easier to relate to.

August 1. 2023

Two great things I do when studying the bible is to read often and take notes.

I read about 5 minutes each morning. But, sometimes life gets in the way and I skip a day or two. In the past, I have skipped more than that and I end up kinda forgetting where I left off. So a great tip is to ready your bible often. Now, I try never to skip two days in a row.

To keep track, since I sometimes jump around, I will take notes. I’ll jot down the date and what Chapter I am on. Or I’ll note scriptures that hit me or that I might want to look up later. I also jot down questions I may have or something that I need to look further into. So, take notes.

July 25, 2023

Today we continue with more tips for Bible reading and comprehension. Aside from praying before you read, it is a good idea to read in a location that has minimal distractions. Read in a quiet location away from TV, people, or phones. I read my bible usually in the morning.

My husband is asleep, my dog is calm, and I have no electronics on. The house is quiet and I am able to dedicate, sometimes even five minutes, to a portion of the book of the bible I am reading. I also keep water near me, a pen, paper, and Kleenex so there is no reason for me to stop for something I need.

I like to read everyday and since I have previously read through the whole bible, I am not in a rush. I will read a small paragraph or a few sentences. It is important not to go to fast. I sometime read the same few sections twice if I need to understand it better. I am reading for understanding and not length.

Another tip is to read a study bible. This give explanations and scripture links to passages or scripture. It may explain why what you read is important or how it has historically significance. It may even explain how the reading applies to a real life circumstance or pose questions for you to ponder.

This is also why I only read a small paragraph at a time. Then I also read about what my study bible has to teach me. These things really help me a lot and I hope they might help you too.

July 18, 2023

I read and/or study my bible almost daily. Lately, I have been running into difficulties understanding some of the material. I am telling you this so if you too are having difficulties, you won’t feel alone. Don’t give up!

I have read the entire bible. It took me about 5 years. There is so much information that as I am re-reading/studying books, chapters, or verses, I sometime have little recollection. Or I see the same things I have previously read in a new light, understand it more, or find it more applicable to my life.

I sometimes find bible reading challenging, but usually come to a good understanding after studying more, talking to others, or research. There are many different approaches you can take to read the bible for understanding.

Today, I will introduce you to a method I often use. Then in the coming weeks we can go over a few more. One thing that stands, no matter the method, is to start with prayer. I have listed one for you below if you need it.

SOAP

Scripture – read the Bible, then write down key verses that have impacted you
Observe – see what you can learn each time you read, or what stands out to you
Apply – how can what you just read change how you live your life?
Pray – pray for God to lead you into His truth

Lord, I thank you for today and your many blessings. I pray for understanding while reading your word, guidance, and practical application.

July 11, 2023

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Our salvation is a gift from God. We talked about this before in our study of Ephesians. Since it is a gift, that no one has earned, we can’t be boastful. As a Christian you are highly favored, but it isn’t because of anything you did, it is born from God’s mercy and His love for us, he has shown us grace.

Below are some lyrics from Casting Crowns – Who I am. God tells us in the Bible who we are. Say that again to yourself… God tells me who I am! We are saved by His sacrifice. He loves us. He knows our name. He hears us. His promises are for us. We are His!

“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way for my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean), a vapor in the wind
Still, You hear me when I’m calling, Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours”

June 19, 2023

This week we hear from my niece, who wrote part of the forward for Taking the Long View. I feel she is wise beyond her years, steadfast, and bold. I love how she thanks God for the good and the bad and sees the blessing, even in the trial.

“Extremely blessed by @fugecamps and @fuge_westcoast this week for taking the time to host a church camp and share the word of God and spread the gospel to us middle and high school. The theme this year was “In His Image ” We focused on how God made us exactly how we are supposed to be and how He knit us together in our mothers womb. We focused on how we are fearfully and wonderfully made and how the world can distort what His image is supposed to look like and we can get lost in that, but God can renew the image. We talked about how, despite any flaws, God still loves us anyway and how He gave them to us to help us grow closer to him. We talked about how God loves everyone and yes, that means everyone, each and every single one of you. We are made in His image and we are just the way we were made to be. Isn’t is crazy awesome that God looked at his world that He created from scratch and said the world needs one of you too! He made you exactly how you are supposed to be, whether that be brown hair, green eyes, tall, short, thick thin, introverted, extroverted, quite, or loud. God did that. He made you exactly the way you are for a reason. He loves you through everything. He is always there and will never leave.

So, I thank God for so many things today and every other day, but here are few.
1. I thank God for making me a Potsie
2. I thank God for my broad shoulders
3. I thank God for the sunshine
4. I thank God for Music
5. I thank God for my Family
6. I thank God for missions
7. I thank God for my church family
8. I thank God for rain
9. I thank God for the gym
10. I thank God for tacos
11. I thank God for the shakes
12. I thank God for dance parties

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalms 139:14 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

June 13, 2023

It’s summer time and I know a lot of folks have kids that are now out of school. What does that mean for you as a Christian women? Summer offers us sun, pool days, and vacation. It also poses challenges for our time spent with God. In order to keep up on your personal study & pray time, you may consider the following.

get up fifteen minutes earlier than your family for bible reading, gratitude journal, or prayer
give the kids a weekly movie night and use the first twenty minutes to read your bible or faith based books – then watch the movie with them
start or join a weekly bible study
Load a bible app on your phone to read during travel
subscribe to a daily verse email for a quick reminder of God’s promises
pray in the shower, while getting gas, or driving
listen to praise and worship music or audio-books/bible while you clean

We don’t have to spend hours a day to please God. We can do small check-ins to stay grounded and connected. He should be a constant in our day. One of the things I love to do is based on Deuteronomy 6:5-9. I often stick posts notes with my favorite verses on doors, mirrors, on my computer, or in my car. I have also framed some on pretty paper around my home.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.” ~Deuteronomy 6:5-9

I hope these things will help during summer when our routines aren’t always free or predicable.

June 6, 2023

I shared this with some lovely gals at work today. A lot of my focus in 2023 has been on balance. I know we all work very hard at work, in our homes, and in our relationships, but we must also break up and cultivate our soil.

Isaiah 28:24: When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?

Be cognizant this month of, not only working hard, but resting. A few things we can do in 5 minutes or less:

5 minutes of yoga or meditation
Sit outside and listen to nature
Sit and enjoy a cup of coffee
Take a 5-minute walk
Memorize a bible verse
Close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths

Try to incorporate 2 of these into your schedule this week & next. They seem small, but they make a big difference. I love y’all and wish you a blessed week.

May 30, 2023

How we spend our time is so important. I have included a link to one of my favorite Podcasts, “7 Good Minutes”.

How we spend our time is who we become. Focus, discomfort, balance, rest, and growth. Before you listen please read:

Genesis 1:14

Psalms 90:12

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r2H7Izv0H7zzABqkHyx7o?si=54a1f51c6f734abf

May 23, 2023

Psalms 91 is one of the most popular and most quoted chapters in the Bible. In fact, topverses.com ranks Psalms 91:1 at 1,175. With over 31,000 verses total that is the top 4%. With good reason too! It is overflowing with God’s promises. It encourages us to have confidence in Him and rest in Him. Pslams 91 is like a blanket in the midst of a storm. It is a gift to us.

Psalm 91

¹Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]
²I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

³Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹²they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴“Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

It also is a wonderful base for prayer.

Heavenly father I will rest in your shadow. Thank you for being my refuge and my fortress. Protect me from all danger & disease. Please cover me in your feather so I will have comfort and not fear. So many bad things may happen all around me, Jesus, but none of them will overtake me. Your angels will guard me. You have power over all wickedness. Thank you for loving me and protecting me. Thank you for your promise to come when I call in troubled times. Thank you for my long life and salvation. In your promises, I have hope and peace that passes understanding.

In your name I pray, Amen

May 9, 2023

Now that we finished the study in Ephesian you can see how we can take a closer look at the bible as we break it down into smaller parts. Remember, you can read your bible however you want. Don’t be pressured into feeling like you must complete a book or a chapter or even a sub chapter.

You are allowed to go as slow as you like. You are reading for understanding and not completion. I have read the entire bible cover to cover. It took me five years. Although I am proud of that, it’s not a “one-and-done” type of book.

As I re-read sections I know I’ve read before I come across things I don’t remember or I see something I haven’t see before. Sometimes, even though I didn’t understand a passage the first time, it clicks and I understand it now.

Knowledge from reading the bible is like sedimentary rock being formed. Sedimentary rock is forms by other pieces of rock and debris breaking away from their original location, and then getting trapped somewhere else. This is buried and becomes compacted forming a hard rock.

Likewise, you are slowing gathering bits of the gospel at different times and from different locations. These settle it into your mind and solidify.

As this resonates with you, the knowledge becomes compacted and forms a solid foundation of wisdom. Each time you read you build this foundation more. Don’t be intimidated by the bible. Just take a little at a time and it will build up.

May 2, 2023

Read Ephesians 6:10–24. This is one of my favorite sections of the bible. It illustrates putting on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. The following is a re-publish from the January blog when I talked about prayer and definitely worth re-visiting.

Simply praying each day to be covered in the armor of God encompasses everything we need. We all have time for a ten-second prayer: “Jesus cover me today with the armor of God.”

April 26, 2023

Ephesians chapter 6 is full, full, full of instructions. There is more controversy, but I see balance. Go and read chapter 6 now.

It begins with children and parents, an essential place where I went wrong. The simple instruction is honor the mother and father. Had I done that in my youth, I would be in a very different path. Lots of parents like to point out this scripture when their children misbehave, disagree, or disrespect them. They are fine to do so as long they are always acknowledging the next part.

It says, Fathers should not provoke their children, but rather discipline them. Many children like to bring this up to parents as well. Also fine, as long as they take the verse to in consideration.

You see both parties have responsibilities. There are instructions here for both parents and children. Each person must participate and take heed in the instructions to make the relationship work. Of course we will never be perfect, but it’s a good place to start.

Now, we are only on verse 5 and even more controversy ensues. “Slaves, obey your earthy masters…” Wow, even I said, “Really?” These slaves were Roman slaves. My Application Study Bible explains there may have been several million slaves in Rome at this time. The church had to address the issue of slavery as many slaves and slave owners became Christians. Again we see Paul showing that each person must participate and take heed in the instruction. Slaves do good work and slave owners treat them well. At this time in Roman history women, child, and slaves had little rights, but the church awarded freedoms that society didn’t. Paul tells the slave owners to be caring.

Now days we may be treated poorly in the work place, but we need to work as if we are working for Christ, not our earthy boss. We were placed in our position for a reason, to do good works, to grow spiritually, and to intercede with others. We do not know God’s plan, but we have faith that we are where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there.

It goes on to say, essentially, that slave owners should treat their slaves as Christ would treat them. It says that both slave and slave owner are equal in the eyes of God. This reminds me of one of my favorite songs by Crystal Lewis.

“Remember who you are in Jesus.

He sees you as his own.

It pleases Him to know.

That you remember who you are.”

It’s His name you wear.” Above and beyond any earthy circumstance we need to remember who we are in the eyes of God. Next week we will wrap this study up with one of my favorite parts of the bible that gives up simple instructions for prayer and protection.

April 19, 2023

Today we are looking closer at Ephesians 5: 21 – 33. We begin with one of the most controversial sentences in all of Christianity, “Wives, submit to your husbands.” Oh boy does this put Christians and non-Christians alike, up in arms! Maybe now more than ever, but before y’all get too upset, read on. Verse 25 says, “Husbands, love your wives.” Both husbands and wives have instructions.

I’m no theology scholar, but as Christ leads the church so should a Husband lead the household. Everything we join has a leader. Companies have CEOs, stores have managers, churches have pastors, and schools have principals. Now, does this mean CEO, managers, or teachers run those organizations alone? No, they have help, Vice Presidents, Assistant Principals, Associate Pastors, and more folks down the line. A lot of different people work together to make the organization work. Just like many people make a household work. However, there is one person in a household that shoulders responsibility as a gift to the rest. If you are single, this may be you, but often children are also consulted in decisions as well.

My husband by no means restricts my voice in household decisions; we discuss things together and make many decisions together. Other times we defer decisions to one another. However, as the ultimate head of our household I respect him to make some final decisions. There are many factors that go into this.

Men and women were created to compliment one another. When a husband loves his wife he consults her, he trusts her, and he respects her. No husband who truly loves his wife will be a dictator. They are a team through submission and respect.

Every team has a coach, but no one gets mad at the coach for telling the team what plays will occur. Everyone knows that the coach is in charge of that team and the team plays better for playing as a united front. Often, if a team does poorly, a coach is blamed, this is the responsibility the couch shoulders because they love their team. How much more important is a family that a sports team? The coach loves the team and the players submit to the coaches decision making.

Verse 29 goes on to say that a man should love his wife in the same way that he loves himself. He should care for and nourish his body (their household).

Verse 33, “each one should love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Respect doesn’t mean you have to put up with abusive, neglect, or have your voice stifled.

I recently read a great explanation of this verse.

“Submission in marriage means selflessness, service, accountability, and respect for your partner, which should be mutual; it is not slavery or a woman’s call to lose her voice. The fundamental rubric on which The Christian marriage is built is love, and love is anything, but the desire to control.”

April 11, 2023

We are again breaking Chapter 5 into parts. Today we will look at Ephesians Chapter 5: 1-20.

Ephesians chapter 5 starts again with simple instructions, to follow God’s example. And walk in love, just as Christ loves us. We can’t compare to Christ. He was perfect and obedient even to death. He did not sin, he did not judge, he loved everyone, no matter what, unconditionally. He was a servant.

I know that I am so far away from the person that I want to be. I want to be like Christ. I want to be obedient, non-judgmental, and love unconditionally. I want to be a servant and to serve others, help others, and lift others up. I just really want to do more. To be more. Each day I strive to be better. Often I feel inadequate because I fail so much to be the person I want to be. We all do and we should be supportive of one another’s shortcomings. No matter how inadequate we feel God knows our hearts. We need to pick up, dust off, and keep striving. Verses 3-7 tell us how to start. Simple instructions.

We’re putting our old life away and beginning a new life in Christ. We have a new attitude. We believe God’s promises to us. We are holy, righteous, redeemed, sealed in the Holy Spirit. Chapter 5 continues to tell us to come out of what was darkness and into the light. I have lived in the darkness. It’s cold and it’s heavy and it’s hard to see, focus, or concentrate. The dark is deceitful and tricky and scary.

But the light… the light is free and crisp and warm. It shines on me. It shines on us! The light is good and truthful and shows us everything clearly. The Bible refers several times to Jesus being the light unto our path. We need the light to prosper and grow. Everything on Earth would die with out light and warmth of the sun. We need to live in the light, now more than ever, and have Jesus shine his light upon our path. If not, we’ll stumble straight into the darkness.

Verse 15 says be very careful and WAKE UP! Make the most of every opportunity and pay attention. We should not get drunk. This is controversial, even to Christians. In my opinion, it doesn’t say don’t drink wine, it says don’t get drunk. Nothing good has ever come from being full on drunk. We can’t be careful or alert in a drunken state. You will have to study the bible and make your own choice to drink or not drink. I do not have all the answers. I drink and I have drunk too much, too many times. I choose not be be drunk. It’s not good for the spirit and it’s not good fro the body. Above all this we must always give thanks. Simple instructions.

April 5, 2023

Chapter 4 again starts with simple instructions for us to be humble, gentle, and patient. Paul urges us to keep the peace and be bonded through unity. God has given us separate gifts to serve with so that when we are unified, we may become one body of Christ. Each person does their work and we build one another up to become strong and steadfast.

In my study bible the heading for verse 17 plainly says “Instructions for Christian Living”!

Verse 17 tells us that we don’t have to live in darkness now that we are close to God. We are no longer living in ignorance. Our hearts have softened and we are sensitive. We won’t indulgent impurity, self-destructive or selfish behaviors. It goes on to tell us to shed our old skin and step out into the world and live new. Let’s move forward and grow from what we once were to something better. Better for ourselves and better for the world! We must do better. We must not be vengeful, mean, or gossip, but BE KIND to one another. And forgive, as we were forgiven.

March 29, 2023

Today we take a closer look at Ephesians Chapter 3. Go and read it now. Paul is in prison at this time, arrested for preaching about Christ as the Messiah. Through his trials he still believes God to be in control.

Are you ever wondering if God is in control during your trails or the bad thing occurring in the world? It is easy to question God’s control or motives, but faith tells us that, although we don’t understand, don’t be discourage because God does have a plan and is in control.

I have been completely devastated in the past by a job I didn’t get or a relationship that ended, only to see later those heartaches were blessings in disguise. I would not have been spurred on to work on my book so diligently, had a job I wanted panned out. Nor, would I have met my husband, love of my life, made just for me, as I did if another relationship had lasted. To understand faith and God’s plan, we must take the long view.

In verse 7 he talks about grace that God has given to him to reach people, even though Paul is the least of these people. You and I may not be important or high ranking, but each day we have an opportunity to reach, love, and serve people. We are all given special talents and gifts to use to help or encourage others. Any act of kindness may seem small, but it makes a big difference. More simple, biblical instruction to live in faith and be humble.

At the end of Chapter 3 Paul says a prayer for the Ephesians. This can be used as a sample prayer for us. We can pray for ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world to have strength and power. That we may feel the richness and depth of the love Christ has for us. That we might feel fulfilled, even without human understanding.

Verse 20: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”

March 23, 2023

Continuing on in verse 11, Paul reminds us that we were all sinners at birth and separated from God. God wants us to choose Him and not force us to follow Him. What good is any relationship unless you choose to be there willingly? By choosing to have a relationship with God we are drawn nearer to Him by the blood of Jesus Christ. The closer we are to the Lord the better decisions we make, the better person we become, and the better we love. Christ becomes our peace.

Before Christ we were held to the law and sacrifice. Through the resurrection of Christ we are made new and forgiven. Holy, righteous, redeemed! We are now all joined, saint & sinner, Jew & Gentile, citizen and alien, being built together to become home to the Holy Spirit.

How lovely is it that we are all made whole, in unity, to have the Holy Spirit within us? This unity is important now, more than ever!

As Hillsong sings,

“My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness.

Christ alone.
Cornerstone.
Weak made strong in the Saviour’s love.”

March 14, 2023

Today we take a closer look at Ephesians Chapter 2. This chapter is jam packed with things to study. We are going to separate it into two parts. Go read Ephesians 2: 1-10.

Wow, Ephesians Chapter 2 starts with a bang by addressing you, the reader, directly. Once we were in the dark as we sinners. We lived in a way that wasn’t as beneficial as it could have been living in Christ.

By living in the world we follow our own selfish desires and do as we please. This delights the enemy. We are sinners by nature and must focus each day on being better, striving to be Christ like. The truth is, we will never stop sinning. We will learn, grow, and improve over time, but we will never be perfect.

Let’s talk about grace vs. mercy. A previous pastor of mine explained it perfectly. He said, “Grace is getting the good things we don’t deserve. Mercy is being spared of the bad things we do deserve.”

Gotquestions.org has explained it this way:

“Grace and Mercy are closely related. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not exactly the same. Mercy has to do with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken of in the context of God’s not punishing us as our sins deserve. Grace includes kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea of bestowing a gift or favor.

Verse 4 tells us we have received the gift of salvation because we love Him and because of his great mercy. It is a gift, nothing we can do to earn it. Only by grace are we saved in Jesus Christ to forgive our transgressions. Since it is a gift, that no one has earned, we can’t be boastful. As a Christian you are highly favored, but it isn’t because of anything you did, it is born from God’s mercy and His love for us, he has shown us grace.

Chapter 10 is one of my favorites. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for us in advance to do.”

Here are the simple rules for living my Dad speaks of. Our instructions are simple. He made us to do good works in His name. Even prepared a way for us in advance. Go do good works. This can been helping children or animals or it can be ministering in church. It can be helping a co-worker, helping a friend through a hard time, or taking care of someone who is sick. Just do good works to the glory of God. It’s that simple.

Then the scripture tells us that He takes us to be with him where there is great power and strength. All this mightiness is in us to do good works in the world. As we do good works in the world, we are making good decisions. Our good decisions are going to be beneficial, not only to the people we are helping, but also to ourselves, and to our future.

Nothing we do that is good can hurt our future. However, when we are making bad choices, those bad choices can be hurtful in the present and also hurt us for years to come.

March 7, 2023

Ephesians is such a wonderful book. For me it was a blueprint of how to live life. My father always says, “The Bible often give us, plain and simple instruction.” Ephesians provides reasons why we need look no further than the power of God to guide us. It justifies our stability as an adopted child of God. Let’s go through it together. Go read Chapter 1.

Ephesians starts off with a bang by telling us we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Not several, not lots, but every blessing.

It goes on to say He chose us even before He created the world, to be holy and blameless. It declares us, you and me, as holy and blameless. God says this to us in His word! We are the adopted children of Christ! You are a daughter of the Almighty God. You have been cleansed by His blood and marked with the seal of salvation of the Holy Spirit. He knows our faults and short commings. He chooses us anyway!

Later, Paul remembers us in his prayers and he keeps asking God for wisdom and revelation. We seek wisdom each day. To do this we must give our lives to God each day. Seeking wisdom daily will help us make good choices for our future. In this way we will know Christ better and become more Christ like. God has called us to hope. As a scripture link, Hebrews 6:19 says hope is an anchor to our soul. He has called us to hopw, which is an anchor!

The remainder of chapter one explains how Christ has incomparable power and has put everything under his feet. And because of this, everything is under our feet! He has a mighty strength that rules heaven and earth with all authority, all dominion. No title can be greater than His own. Our Father fills everything, everywhere, all the time. This is the God we serve as told to us by Paul.

January 31, 2023

Don’t get hung up on prayer. It doesn’t need to be regimented and systematic. Praying is just talking to God. You can do it quickly before you eat and thank God for your food. You can pray in your car for your family on the way to work. You can pray for protection and peace before you sleep. You can have a prayer list and pray after you read your Bible. There is no right or wrong way; you just need to talk to God. It can be long, it can be short, it can be anything you want—as long as you are doing it!

January 25, 2023

Simply praying each day to be covered in the armor of God encompasses everything we need. We all have time for a ten-second prayer: “Jesus cover me today with the armor of God.”

January 17, 2023

Remember to care for yourself through prayer. Though I have always found it easy to pray for others, praying for myself felt selfish. Not only should we pray for ourselves, but we must pray for ourselves. We cannot pursue the goals God has made for us unless we are strong. It’s not selfish or putting yourself first – you are including yourself in God’s blessings.

January 10, 2023

The questions below are not the right questions to ask. The correct questions are – do I believe in the word of God? Do I believe His mercies are new everyday? Do I believe in the promised He provides for all of us? The answer is, yes. Yes, I do. You do too.

I pushed through these step and they did the work. It wasn’t always pretty or comfortable. It was messy and painful, but the benefits have been inexpressibly beautiful. They are available to all of you too.

“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.”

― Cynthia Occelli

January 3, 2023

This realization was so heavy on me. I struggled to talk with my husband about it and he tried to help, but there wasn’t anything he could do but be supportive, which he is really good at.

I struggled to talk with my father, but I never really said what I meant. I was embarrassed. I only said how I felt. He gave me great advice and encouraged me because he is awesome.

I had an outing with a good friend in Texas. The next time we met we had planned on going out into nature and I was going to tell her how I was feeling. We set it all up, but we never did it. I never did it. I don’t know if I was too embarrassed or if I didn’t think anyone would really understand me. People told me I didn’t have to feel bad, but I did. They told me I was holy, righteous, and redeemed, but I didn’t believe it.

I believed God’s promises whole-heartedly for others. I believed they could be forgiven, they deserved it, and they were redeemed. But I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I knew how to forgive others; I didn’t know how to forgive myself. My world was upside down. I didn’t know where to go from there.

A little bit after the Twelve Steps sermon at church I came to the realization that I needed to forgive myself. Still easier said than done. I believed my grandparents loved me and I believed they knew it. Especially after going to heaven.

I had been trying and trying and struggling to move on. It weighed substantially on me. I didn’t know if I would ever heal. Would I? I had said I would be forgiven many, many times, but I just never really believed it. I never believed I truly deserved forgiveness. I had been rotten and nasty to them, the people I love most in the world. Why should I be forgiven? What had I done to deserve forgiveness? There wasn’t anything I could do to make up for the awful decisions I had made. I couldn’t, but God could.

December 20, 2022

Finally, use your new awareness to carrying the message to others in need.

“And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.”

(Luke 9:2)

Help others. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Some people want help, but they don’t ask or they don’t know how to ask. Some folks don’t know they need/want help, and still others are very bitter, lost, or just plain caught up. Offer help in these situations, but understand a person has to be ready to accept it. If they want help, we can offer it as much as possible. Give examples of what helped you, give them the steps, or give them this book. Or best yet, give them the Bible and tell them about God.

There are a few things I do to try and help others. First, I like to give compliments. I really enjoy letting someone know I like their hair, outfit, or idea. I even compliment strangers. I let friends, co-worker, and teachers know the things I appreciate about them. I point out and thank them for their strengths.

Second, I love to encourage others by telling them they are doing a good job, that I am proud of them, or if they are struggling to encourage them to hang in there. Third, I love to give my time. I like to give gratitude with baked goods for neighbors, co-workers, and first responders. I enjoy helping someone clean or organize their home. I like sending cards for no reason at all.

You can do all these things too. Maybe you like to help people with home improvements or fixing their car. Maybe you enjoy helping with computers or walking dogs. Maybe you like to babysit kids for a busy mom. Find what you are good at and what brings you joy and share it with the world.

You may struggle through these steps. They are challenging and sometimes exhausting. You’ll need to go at your own pace. I started taking the steps and I didn’t get very far before I stumbled. I was going through and listing all of the people who hurt me and forgive them. I struggled with this step. Not because I couldn’t think of people who had hurt me, because many people had. Not because I couldn’t forgive them, because I already had, but because I couldn’t forgive myself for hurting others.

I hurt other people. I hurt myself. I did this. All the deep sadness was because of me. I had no one else to blame for the sinking feeling I had in the very depths of my soul. So I stopped the Twelve Steps.

December 13, 2022

Seek enlightenment and a connection to God through prayer and meditation.

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Pray everyday, throughout the day and talk to God. Pray for yourself and pray for others. Make a list, wing it, say prepared prayers, pray before dinner, while you drive, pray before you leave home, in the shower, or before bed. Do this even if it’s just one sentence. “God, I pray for wisdom.” “God be with my mother today”. “Jesus guide me”. Prayer doesn’t have to be formal and all drawn out. Jesus is your best friend, talk to him as such.

Meditate to clear your mind. Just sit alone and try to clear your head. Focus on your breathing and how your body feels. There are a lot of apps out there to help you learn how to meditate. Just sit, enjoy the silence, and take a minute, or three, or five, or twenty to re-center and listen to Him. Meditation is a small break, but it can reset you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Set an alarm to do this. Mine is set for 11:15am every weekday for 3 minutes.

I began, and continue to pray whenever I can. Prayers don’t have to be rigid or long. There is no right or wrong way. Just talk to God. Express your thankfulness and praise. Express your hurts and fears. Express your worries and doubts. Ask for help and don’t forget to pray for yourself.

December 6, 2022

Continue to take personal inventory and admitting when you are wrong.

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”

(Matthew 12:36)

Admiting when you are wrong is hard at first, but do it each time you are wrong. Most people will appreciate this and if they don’t, then do not allow them to make you feel bad. You were wrong, you admit it, and you are going to do better.

I had to first have the courage to be honest with myself. I knew I felt bad, I knew I regretted my decisions, but I always pushed it to the back of my mind. Anytime the bad feelings arose, I would think about something else. I never faced it. I know it is sounding monotonous, but I said it out loud. I admitted it to myself, to God, and to trusted others.

You are going to have to face your shame too. You are going to have to say it out loud. Write a list of all the times you were wrong. Times you didn’t want to admit because it was painful or you were embarrassed. Be honest, confess, and make amends as needed. This is a continuing process, but the need should reduce in time as your grow closer to the women you want to be.

November 29, 2022

Reach Out to Make Amends – Part 2

Write a list of people you think about from the past. People you feel guilt over or people you know you’ve mistreated. Then try to reach out to those people. I have mostly used social media outlets through private messages. If you are unable to find someone, write a letter and then burn it. Profess your apology to that person to God out loud and ask for forgiveness.

“God, please let Jennifer know I am sorry for the treatment that may have hurt her. I wish her blessings and peace.”

Some people do acknowledge the apology and it is nice to get a reply or forgiveness, but it isn’t the reason you are doing it. I knew a young woman when we were in high school. I still am friendly with her family even today. I stole a ring form her 25 years ago. It wasn’t a fancy ring or the prettiest one she had. I didn’t need the ring and never even wore it. I had plenty of my own. I had no motivation to take this costume ring from her.

This action plagued me year after year. I wanted to give it back. I wanted to tell her I was sorry and that it was stupid of me, but I was ashamed. I didn’t want her or her family, who I value, to think I was a thief. Really, I wasn’t I just made a bad choice as a young women. I was embarrassed.

Finally, about five years ago when I got the courage to contact her. I told her all the things. She was so gracious and forgiving. I still have her ring. I kept it so safe through many moves and the next opportunity I get to see her; I am going to return it. I have had people be gracious and some people not even respond. Regardless of the outcome I was able to heal and move on from guilt and shame.

November 23, 2022

Reach Out to Make Amends – Part 1

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

(James 5:16)

Call people, write people, text people, Instagram, or Facebook. This is such an awesome time in history to get in touch with people. If you can’t reach them, apologize out loud. Ask God to help them know you are sorry for what you have done.

I have reached out to several people over the years, even before this sermon. First I apologized, and then asked for forgiveness. Two girls from high school I had trouble with I contacted and apologized to. I never heard from them. The important thing is I made an attempt to admit my fault in the relationship and tried to make it right.

Don’t fret about these people who don’t respond. You don’t know their headspace. True, they may have completely blown you off, but they may have not remembered. Often we feel we wronged people and others have let it go. Maybe they accepted the apology, but felt it was awkward to respond. Or may they really don’t forgive you. Their acceptance or denial of your apology is none of your business. You do not need their acknowledgement for this to work. You don’t need permission to heal and move forward.

November 15, 2022

Making a list of wrongs done to others (or by others) and be willing to make amends for those wrongs.

“…when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.” (Leviticus 6:4-5)

Get an old fashion pad of paper and write this down. Who have you wronged? Who has wronged you? Be detailed – this is for your eyes only.

I wrote down all the people I hurt, mistreated or wronged. The people with the worst offence I couldn’t talk to because they had passed away. A therapist told me to tell them anyway. She said, “Talk to the out loud as if they were in the room and could hear you.” I know, it sounds silly. At the time I remember thinking it was dumb and that in no way would it work. However, I did it and to my surprise it was very therapeutic.

November 8, 2022

Asking God to remove your shortcomings

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (Peter 5:10)

Ask God forgiveness for shortcomings and indiscretions. Pray they will be removed from your life completely.

Each day as I worked on things. I reminded myself to pray that I would change from the person I was and evolved into the person I longed to be.

Write down the person you’d like to be. Write down things you like about yourself. Write ways you’d like to improve. What attributes would you have? How would you react to and treat others? Whomever the women you envision yourself to become, start to believe you are her. Pray to live your improved life daily! God who will give you the strength, but it is a journey to be taken one step at a time.

November 1, 2022

Be ready to have God correct any shortcomings in your character

“For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”

(Proverbs 3:12)

What is your character? What type of person are you? What type of person do you want to be? You have to be willing to let God change you, willing to do the hard work to change you. Change is hard. It takes time, but the dedication and hard work will pay off. You didn’t become deeply saddened over night, nor will you heal immediately. It is a process that takes your active participation.

I made poor choices, and my character wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I wasn’t the person I wanted to be. My heart didn’t match my actions. Even my head didn’t match my actions. I had to recognize my flaws in order to correct them.

I had to allow myself to be corrected, to give up old ways and embrace a new lifestyle. Getting aligned with who I wanted to be is hard work too. It is a daily decision. The easy way is easy, but it’s also fruitless and stagnant.

Now that you have identified bad choices, behaviors, and habits, you can change them. Through prayer, you ask for forgiveness. Ask God to change you. Ask Him to guide you. When the opportunities for change come, you must take them. Change your old ways of reacting. Change your old habit of assuming. Change your mind and change your heart.

October 25, 2022

Be able to admit to God the wrongs you have done.

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

(Proverbs 28:13)

Confess why you are hurting, worried or angry to yourself/others. Then admit it to God. Confess all the things you feel you’ve done wrong. Tell God, out loud, what you’ve done. This is very beneficial and will lighten your burden. Isolation and shame lead to depression and deep sadness.

I thought about my deep sadness and guilt a lot, but I never really talked about it. I never said it out loud to anyone. I even avoided acknowledging it to myself. Then one day I spoke to my husband about it. He encouraged me to speak to my father about it. I did, but not completely revealing my absolute guilt and grief. Finally, I said it out loud to the Lord. This process was over the course of months.

Come clean with yourself. It may feel embarrassing to do this. It is uncomfortable to face these things head on. Confessing to yourself is the first step. Next, speak to a trusted family member, spouse, or friend. This is also hard; as this may also cause feelings of shame and worry they may not understand you. Do it anyway. Lastly, confess to God and fully let him lift your burden. These smaller steps make the higher steps more attainable.

October 18, 2022

Take a personal inventory.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:40)

This is important. What are you ashamed of, scared of, or angry at? Why do you feel guilt, anxiety, anger, etc.? What do you want to hide? Why do you feel unforgiving? Who do you feel unforgiving towards? Why do you feel unworthy? You must answer these questions in order to heal and move forward. You can’t give it to God if you don’t know what it is you are giving.

I was ashamed of my sexual indiscretions. I felt guilty of the way I interacted with and treated my family. I wanted to hide those things, the things I said, and the ways I acted. I was angry with myself and felt I was unworthy based on my past when forgiveness was always in my future.

Answer these questions. Write it all down. Get them in front of you so you are better equipped to draw the road map to forgiveness. Recognize patterns so you can take step in healing.

October 11, 2022

Turn control over to God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.”

(Proverbs 3:5–6)

You’ve heard this before, and it sounds trite even to me, but it couldn’t be more concrete. Let go and let God! Give over your burden, your sadness, and your trials to God every single day.

This is harder than it sounds, and I often have to give myself pep talks, “Rebecca, God is in control. It is all going to work out the way it is meant to.” Be steadfast, believe, and have faith. T here will be trials, but you will see His greatness.

Submit yourself fully to God’s will. Not just with one thing but everything. Not just the bad things but also the good things. Not just one day, but everyday.

October 5, 2002

Believe a higher power can help.

“No matter what burden in your life seems too big to carry, put your trust in God. No matter what is happening, when you go through deep waters, He will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2).

It is crucial we believe God can take our burdens. God wants to take our burdens because He loves us. He is delighted when we trust in him to ease and guide us. I trusted God would take the guilt, sorrow and pain I felt from my past. I didn’t know how, but I had to fully trust He would. So, I finally gave it all to him, keeping none to fester. I visualized myself holding a bunch of balloons. Each balloon had a guilt, shame, sin, or wrong doing on it. Then I let them go and saw them floating away from me and up to the sky and into the heavens.

You can trust in God. Tell him what to take. Feel the weight lift off your shoulders. Visualize it. You may feel tempted to let the negative feelings creep back. Do not let them! Again, say out loud to God, “I trust that you will fully heal me from this stress, anxiety, guilt, anger” (or whatever burden you are carrying).

Believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the creator of heaven and earth. His mercies are new each day, and he has washed us clean with the blood. I believe he can heal all wounds. I know this to be true. I couldn’t do it myself for over ten years! Now, I am set free from the deep sadness that was created by many situations.

September 27, 2022

Admit your powerlessness.

“One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: ‘Power belongs to you, God,’ (Psalm 62:11).

We are powerless to change the things we have done. But God is not. We need to recognize this, admit it out loud, and accept we need help. Although, I knew this, I never fully embraced it until that day on the expressway. I said, out loud, “God, I can’t make this guilt stop. I am giving it to you. I’m putting it in the God Box, and I am never taking it out!” Any time I feel tempted to take it out, to worry, or feel the guilt gurgle up, I say, “No! I gave this to God. He has forgiven me, and I am set free from it.

You can also take stock of your life. What things do you regret? What things are you powerless to change? Write them down. Go to a quiet place and say them out loud. Admit them to yourself or to a trusted friend. Better yet, talk to God about it. Write a letter. Then move on with the next step.

September 20, 2022

I avoided healing for so long because I couldn’t face the guilt I carried. I was attending a church in Austin. I would cry every single service. Partially because I missed my family, partially because I missed home, and partially because I was mentally and emotionally worn. I was so overwhelmed by God, His presence, and His promises for me. God was fully working in me.

There was a sermon about a 12-Step program. “12 Steps to Heal Deep Sadness.” I kid you not, that is what the sermon was titled. At that exact moment I realized what I had. It was deep sadness, but what was I to do with it?

The 12-Step are a set of instructions developed by Bill Wilson in the 1930s, which effectively is what we know today as Alcoholics Anonymous. The twelve steps as outlined in AA are:

1. Admitting Powerlessness

2. Believing that God can help

3. Deciding to turn control over to God

4. Taking a personal inventory

5. Admitting to God, oneself, and another person the wrongs done

6. Being ready to have God correct any shortcomings in one’s character

7. Asking God to remove those shortcomings

8. Making a list of wrongs done to others (or by others)and being willing to make amends for those wrongs

9. Contacting those whoe have hurt you, unless doing so would harm the person

10. Continue to take personal invetory

11. Seek enlightenment and connection with God via prayer and meditation

12. Using your new awareness to carrying the message to others in need

Over the next several weeks, we’ll look at these one at a time.