Faith in Action by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Bridget

Last week I talked about strengthening our faith. This week I want to focus on faith in action. If we are to walk in faith and not in fear, we have to take action accordingly. The action steps for faith versus fear will look completely different.

  • When we walk in fear, we will hide in the midst of a storm. When we walk in faith, we will take a stand because we know that God is by our side.
  • When we walk in fear, we won’t help the needy because we are afraid of lack. When we walk in faith, we trust God with our finances and know that He will provide.
  • When we walk in fear, we might not take chances because we think we will fail. When we walk in faith, we seek God’s will and step forward with courage.

My husband is not the fearful sort. He is the first to stand up for integrity and justice. But he doesn’t like airplanes and has never been on one. His reason is a logical one. He says that if the plane has engine problems, we can’t just pull over to the side of the road, as we could in a vehicle. So when I asked him what fear and faith looked like to him, he said fear looks like an airplane ride. Faith looks like an airplane that is stuck on the ground because it doesn’t have an engine. Ha!

My husband was joking, of course. But this does bring up a good example. If we are fearful of something like flying, we will avoid it at all costs. But if we have faith, we know that we are covered by God’s protection.

My husband did follow up his first comment with another: Faith is knowing for a fact that God answers prayers. This brings me to the exact point of this post. Walking in faith means that we trust God and take faith-filled action.

Let’s take a look at a Biblical example. After the citizens of Judah had been exiled to Babylon, God planned to bring them back to their own country. They returned to their home land in three phases. During the second phase, there was a man named Ezra who played a key role. He was a priest and teacher of the law who led some of the people back Jerusalem and ultimately back to the Lord. But the people had a journey ahead of them. They had to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the road ahead was not safe. They might meet opposition along the way, people who wanted to harm them or steal from them.

In Ezra 8:21-23 it says, “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

There were several action steps that Ezra took towards faith:

  • He proclaimed a fast. Fasting can help us to discern God’s will, it can help us to follow God’s lead, and it can profess the power of God.
  • Ezra asked God for a safe journey. Turning to God in prayer is always key when facing our fears. When we walk in faith, this doesn’t mean we will never feel fear. But we can overcome it when we realize the Most High God is the source of our strength.
  • Ezra did not act in fear by asking the king for soldiers and horsemen. This was not only faith in action, but it also demonstrated the power of God.

Ezra 8:31 says, “The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.”

When we act according to our faith and not our fear, we will come to fully realize the power of God, we will see miracles take place, and we will be blessed by God’s goodness. That is faith in action. So the next time you are faced with a fork in the road, one paved by your fears, and the other paved by faith, I encourage you to take the latter. God will be with you every step of the way.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

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Blowin’ in the Wind

Posted on May 6, 2020 by jrcoggins

I am a baby boomer. I was a teenager in the 1960s and in university in the first half of the 1970s. It was the era of the sexual revolution, the youth movement, the civil rights movement, the drug culture, hippies, the peace movement, and massive upheavals in the social, political, and economic realms. The times, they were a changing.

The “prophet” of all of this change was Bob Dylan, a songwriter and singer who inspired a host of other singers and songwriters, as well as political movements.

One of the key songs of the era was “Blowin’ in the Wind” written in 1962 by Bob Dylan and sung by a number of other artists, most notably Peter, Paul and Mary, who were—let’s face it—far better singers than Dylan.

Christians (I included) were puzzled by all of this. They didn’t know what to make of it. On the one hand, we could appreciate some of the ideals of the youth movement—their advocacy of love and peace, their concern for the poor and the weak, their seeking after justice.  And yet, in other ways, the youth movement advocated for a lot of ideas and actions (including drugs and the sexual revolution) that were far from Christian.

I remember a young Christian youth pastor in my area who wrote a response that said Dylan was wrong—the answer was not blowing in the wind but was in Jesus Christ. I think someone else wrote a version of the song that said, “The answer is in the living God.”

I sort of agreed, but I noticed that the youth pastor’s writing and the writing of the alternative version were not nearly as artistic as Dylan’s. Both have been forgotten today, while Dylan’s song endures.

Looking back more than a half-century later, I think that, to some extent, both sets of writers might have been writing about, if not the same thing, at least somewhat similar or related things. After all, Dylan was widely recognized as a secular prophet. His songs are full of biblical imagery. He is a Jew who later espoused Christian faith, although he has remained so enigmatic and reclusive that likely no one is exactly sure what he believes.

“How many times must a man look up before he can see the sky” is a much more profound way of saying, “How long does it take someone who is searching for ultimate truth to finally recognize the reality of God and encounter Him?” It better captures the condition of the seeker, who is not sure what he will see when he looks into things.

As well, the wind is a biblical image for the Holy Spirit of God (John 3:8). So, in a sense, “The answer is blowin’ in the wind” is a more artistic and beautiful and rich and profound way of saying: “The answer is in Jesus.”

Now, make no mistake. I am not saying that Dylan was a Christian when he wrote the song or that he intended it as an expression of Christian faith. Dylan was a seeker rather than a believer in 1962.

Furthermore, the answer to life is not a vague image with no specific meaning. The answer is Jesus. The Biblical Jesus. The Son of the Living God. But, looking back now, I realize that Jesus is far more mysterious and majestic and profound than the two Christian responders (and I) understood. Jesus is the answer, but Jesus is greater and grander than our simple statements. One evidence of that is that, even though Dylan was not aware of it and he certainly didn’t intend it, there is a sense in which Jesus was speaking through Dylan as well as through the youth minister—and through Dylan He was speaking to people that the youth minister, with his simple answers, could not reach. Bob Dylan did not have the answer in the 1960s, but he probably inspired many young people to search for truth and justice. I still find his song inspiring today.

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Wait a Minute! (by Hannah Alexander)

Posted on May 5, 2020 by alexanderhodde

These little guys are fast! They look very much like the pets I played when I was growing up in SoCal. But those pets in CA were tamer. In our desert here in Wyoming they always run. They also serve as a nice heads-up for rattlers, because if horned toads are out, so are the snakes.

These cute little suckers are everywhere, but they run so quickly I can’t catch one to show Mel how they flatten into a hard disc when touched. But I’ve decided to leave them alone because I don’t want to scare them. They don’t understand that I’m only trying to share a part of my past. And actually, maybe these high desert toads don’t flatten like the California ones did. How would I know if I haven’t seen it happen?

I don’t like the thought that my actions, undertaken in innocence, might actually cause misunderstanding, fear, or pain to another, whether that would be a reptile or our cats or another human.

We are living in a moment in history during which misunderstandings can cause catastrophic relationship breaks. Reactions to this present pandemic stretch from fear to anger to rebellion to logic to frustration to apathy. Yes, apathy, because after a while all those wild reactions flashing across Facebook and Instagram and email and text just get so old I don’t want to see more. I suspect many others feel the same. I have especially been turned off by the outrage and name-calling and bitter ugliness when one’s written truth is in complete opposition to  another’s. Reactions are out of control.

Each of us has our own truth about COVID19 depending on where we get our information, and whether or not we have already built up immunity, and whether or not we are healthy. Since Mel and I have long since had the virus and are immune, we only wear a mask for the comfort of those around us.

However, I recall experiencing abject terror in March when I received a call from Mel asking for prayer because he was going in to see his first suspected COVID patient in the ER. My prayer life became much richer at that time, though my fears were short-lived; the next day we discovered we had been exposed two weeks before. Therefore the Covid-like symptoms we’d been experienced for a couple of weeks proved we already had the virus and were living through it. But I do vividly recall the fear and can identify with those who are still living under the threat, some who are dear friends with lung conditions who need immunity, some who are older than I, some with family members fighting the virus.

So you see, we are all in different realities. I pray for the safety of friends and family at higher risk. I thank God that Mel and I (and Colleen and Melvia and many other friends) have had the virus and discovered that, for us, it was not as severe as the flu had been a few weeks before. And I also fear for those whose freedoms are being curtailed by overzealous officials who lack logic and are ticketing cars for parking where they’ve always parked, and for those who are financially struggling because of the shutdown.

I must be more understanding of those who have been attacked by the gossip-mongering news stations on a minute-by-minute onslaught of terror. It’s hard not to catch that fever. My job is to pray for the victims of those attacks and recall my own days of fear, and be gentle. I must even keep my mouth shut sometimes when I receive outrageous reports of one type or another. Waging a battle against every single piece of erroneous news is ridiculous because, quite honestly, I’ve found that most pieces of news are wrong, exaggerated in some way, no matter what side of the fence you are on politically. Gossip is flying, and God hates gossip. He hates it.

As Vicki said yesterday, we must seek the truth. Seek the source. Our Source must be from One above, not fear-mongers below. Our Source will not allow anything to happen to us without going through Him first. And when that happens, perfect love casts our fear.

May you walk in love today. May you find the perfect peace of Christ, and know how much you are loved, how precious you are.

 

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THE TRUTH IS IN THE SOURCE by Vicki Hinze

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Vicki Hinze

The Truth is in the Source, Vicki Hinze, Christians Read©2020, Vicki Hinze

This Corona Virus has had a consequential impact on all of us.  I don’t need to reiterate how it has impacted you—you’re only too well aware of that.  But it does seem like a good time for a reminder to us all that the whole of life is a series of hills and valleys. 

Sometimes we’re up, scaling mountains because things are going so well, and sometimes we’re down, tromping through sludge in the valleys.  That is the nature of life.

For the most part, we deal with the joys, triumphs and successes just fine.  Well, aside from the occasional terror of success where we wonder if it was a mistake, if we can do what we did again—the normal fears.

But when we’re down in those valleys, often we don’t know exactly how we got down there, though in the case of Corona, we know only too well.  So that isn’t the big question to address here.  What is the big question? 

How do we get up?

Instinctively, we know we do not want to stay down.  We want to scale and soar, yet how exactly do we go about making that happen?

The truth is, like a lot of other situations we face, the process begins in your mind.  Your attitude.  Your perspective, which is to say, it’s how you see things.

These days, too many try to tell you what to think.  What they’re really doing is manipulating your mind and outlook so that you think what they want you think.  The challenge is you’re a unique individual, and because you are, you will never be content allowing another—any other—to think for you.  You must think for yourself.

And you should.  Because you will rise or fall based on your choices and your actions.  With that in mind, those actions should be based on what you think is best and right and wise.

That doesn’t mean anyone shouldn’t seek advice or wisdom on a matter.  Actually, we’re instructed to seek knowledge.  So seek it, but also assess the value of the knowledge you receive. 

What is right for one well might not be right for another.  It’s up to you to weigh your situation, seek your knowledge, assess it, and then act on it.

That requires a clear head.  A positive mindset.  An “I can do this” attitude.  You’re capable of all that, of course.  Oh, you might need to turn off the voices in your life that are focusing on “doom and gloom.”  That could be news, social media, or some negative individuals in your inner circle.

You know who and what those doom-triggers are, and you know innately that doom and gloom is destructive to people trying to be constructive. 

I’m not advocating sticking your head in the sand.  I am advocating that you discern what is essential to know because it is important and you recalling that bad news sells, good news doesn’t. 

In other words, when you take in outside information, ask yourself if it is presented in a clear, logical and reasonable way or if it is being manipulated to keep its own ratings high and to manipulate you into thinking what it wants you to think.  Whether to keep you down or because others are down and want your company, so they don’t feel badly about themselves and their choices or actions.

Because either, or an entirely different reason that has everything to do with something else and nothing to do with you personally, can be the case, put news reports or advice through the paces.  That will expose the wisdom in going directly to the source for your information. 

Let me share an example.  While watching a briefing, it occurred to me that while the President was putting out guidelines, some Governors were issuing mandates and arresting people who violated them.  Let me get a little more specific…

One Governor ordered the arrest of citizens on the street in front of a beach because they “violated the stay home order.”  This same Governor had just released a group of convicted prisoners from prison, including some who had committed sexual assault crimes.  Does that seem logical?

In another state, an individual who reopened his business was arrested for violating the state mandate to stay closed.  The business owner sued and won.  I wanted to know how and why.

The media talking heads (pundits) had a field day but failed to answer the how-and-why questions.  And to be honest, listening to them, I thought, surely the world is coming to an end.  So I turned them off—and sought knowledge at its source.  If you want to know law, there’s no better place to start than the justice.gov website.  Sure enough, the law on these matters were addressed.

I got my answers and with my mind at ease, I went about my day.  Yet  something significant had changed:  my perspective.  The world was not coming to an end.  And there was far too much doom-and-gloom talk, much of it inaccurate, by the “talking heads.”

The big takeaway was the lesson of going directly to the source for “just the facts” rather than listening to others’ opinions which are by nature subjective.  Even one trying valiantly to be objective is human and therefore subjective.

That lesson had been learned long ago on spiritual matters.  The Bible is the ultimate Source on those, but I had failed to relate—largely because of the passage about rendering unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s—legal matters to the Bible.  Silly me.  Of course, they’re covered. Much of our laws are seated there.

The point is, good lessons come from even significant tragedies.  Truths are revealed.  It’s up to us to discover them, and we can’t always believe what we are told by even the most expert in the fields.  We can discover on our own, by giving less weigh to opinions and experts, and seeking the source information ourselves.

During this challenge, I’ve learned an enormous amount about viruses, read clinical trials and studies, anecdotal evidence, examined the histories of experts and found motivations for their opinions; some good, some not so good.

The Bible instructs us to seek knowledge.  If confronted with a challenge or an opportunity, we should do that first.  Not only for the current challenge or opportunity, but because both tend to build on prior experiences.

They prepare the path before us.  The knowledge and insight we gain builds a foundation upon which we build—and continue to build our entire lives.  Those insights and experiences give us notice, like an advance warning system.  “Heads up, there’s an opportunity in this or that!”  An inner alarm that signals us spin is being served to us as truth.

Bottom line, we see patterns of what works out well and what doesn’t.  Physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Experience is history, and the amazing thing is it isn’t limited to our personal history.  We gain knowledge and insight from all of history.

So, if you’re overly worried or fearful of this virus, ask yourself why.  Are you fearful because of the facts, or from the opinions of those selling you on doom and gloom?

If you aren’t sure, follow the advice in the ultimate Source—the Bible.  Seek knowledge.  When you do, you will develop discernment and know the answer. 

That’s the gift of seeking the truth in the Source.*

Blessings,

Vicki

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Being Happy with Manna by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Nancy J. Farrier

I have to confess. I’ve been struggling with envy. Huge amounts of envy. Not all the time, but every time I see certain posts on social media, or I see someone having something I can’t have but want. Let me explain.

For years, I’ve suffered with dietary problems. Over fifteen years ago, I had to give up eating meat because of an allergy. That allergy grew worse to the point that even a little cross-contamination makes me extremely sick. 

Six months ago, my doctor did tests because of further dietary and other issues and found that I have an auto-immune disease. That meant going on a gluten free, dairy free diet on top of being vegetarian. Not much fun as I wept over the block of cheese in the refrigerator. (That isn’t much of an exaggeration. lol)

A few weeks ago, my doctor did a food allergy test and found out I’m allergic to most foods, so now I’m on a stricter diet to eliminate the biggest problem. On this diet I can only eat certain vegetables, dried beans, quinoa, raw nuts, eggs, and a few other items. I can’t have coffee at all, which is very dangerous for my husband. lol It’s so limited, I can’t even look at my husband’s cheese in the drawer. 

Why the envy? Because as we go through the pandemic, people are cooking and baking. They are sharing recipes and food pictures. None of these are on my diet, but they all look so delicious I can almost taste them. 

I got to the point where I started to grumble. Mind you, I want to do this diet so I can start to heal some of my allergy issues, but giving up so much is hard. Seeing people who eat whatever they want and not suffer creates envy if I’m not careful. A lot of envy.

That’s when God reminded me of the Israelites. In Exodus 16, the Israelites are in the wilderness and they complain. Loudly. 


“And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:3 (NKJV)

After God brought them out of the horrors of slavery in Egypt, here they are bemoaning their lack of variety and abundance in food. They are envious of their past lifestyle. Sound familiar? They looked back and wanted what wasn’t good for them, just like I looked back and longed for what made me sick. 

The Bible says that manna tasted like wafers with honey. I imagine the taste was very good. How long did they eat the manna? 


“And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.” Exodus 16:35 (NKJV)

They ate manna for forty years. Forty. Years. Wow, that’s a long time to eat the same food day in and day out. Yet, this is what God provided for them along with the quail that came later. He always supplied what they needed.

I truly understand why the Israelites complained. And, I had to repent of my complaining attitude and envy. After all God has done for me, I should never wail about some small discomfort. He has provided wonderful vegetables that make an excellent soup. I can have a stir-fry with a variety of vegetables and egg added in. I love stir-fry. On Easter, I even made a loaf of dairy free/gluten free/sugar free/yeast free bread. And it was pretty good. (Pictured above.)

I may not have much variety on my diet, and I may miss a lot of the sauces and tastes I love. And coffee. Coffee. Sigh. But, God has provided for me. He is giving me what I need and why should I look at something with envy when it isn’t good for me?

This applies to food. To material goods. To gifts. And to many other areas in my life. I must be content with what God has given me, not envious of what others have. 

I am blessed beyond belief.

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Strengthening Our Faith by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Bridget

Lately I have been hearing the Lord talk to me about faith. In times of fear, does our faith seem to shrink in the shadow of whatever is looming tall in front of us? Or do we step forward with confidence, facing the giant in front of us, because we know who our God is? I want to be the latter. Always.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

But it seems the enemy is great at scaring many of us. He wants to make us feel insecure, stressed, worried, and doubtful. If the enemy can keep our focus on the problem we are facing, then he can keep us from being effective and strong. We have to be intentional about keeping our eyes on God, especially in times of trouble.

However, I think prior to times of trouble, we should train ourselves to be better in this area. We should be working on strengthening our faith at all times. This will help us to stand taller and stronger when we are facing an issue.

This doesn’t necessarily mean we are strong enough to take on whatever we are facing. But we won’t fear because our faith is strong and we will fully rely on the strength of God. We will know without a doubt that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6

When David defeated Goliath, he faced him with confidence. No one else was brave enough to face Goliath. Then David came along with a few stones and a slingshot. But there are two important things to note about this story.

First, David’s faith was strengthened prior to this incident. When David tended his father’s sheep, he had to face lion and bear who came after the sheep. In those incidents, David could see how the Lord was by his side. This helped him to stand boldly in front of Goliath. Which brings us to the second point. David knew that the Lord was the true source of his strength. He knew he could face anything because he had God Almighty by his side.

No matter what level of faith we have now, I believe we all can continue to grow in this area. We can always take time to sharpen our swords and strengthen our faith. How do we strengthen our faith? Spending time with Him daily by reading the Bible and praying is always a good place to start. The Bible has many champions for faith we can read about and learn from. Reading the Bible daily also draws us closer to God. And this helps us to keep our focus on Him, which is another step we can take to strengthen our faith.

We all have been walking through difficult times over the last several weeks. It is easy to look around at what’s been going on and allow fear to creep in. However, when we begin to feel fearful, we can remind ourselves to turn our focus back to the Lord. He is our provider. He is our source. He is our strength. So no matter what may be happening in the world, we do not have to fear. Instead we can turn to the Lord and strengthen our faith.

I will discussing some Biblical examples of faith over the next several weeks. So be sure to check back next Thursday for practical tips on how you can strengthen your faith.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

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Photo courtesy of Pexels.

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From Grave Clothes to Grace Clothes

Posted on April 29, 2020 by juliearduini

Take Off Your Grave Clothes

Last time I shared the resurrection story of Lazarus and how it took Jesus four days to reach His friend. Yet because of that “delay,” so much more took place than a healing. Everyone witnessed a miracle. It’s a great reminder as we wait on signs of this pandemic ending and the good things we are praying so hard for on the other side of it.

As I wrote that message, I also felt God’s gentle nudge that I wasn’t done. What did Paul Harvey used to say? “Now, for the rest of the story.” Well, it’s time to share. I’ve said it often, but I only write when I feel God’s leading, and only the words I feel I’m supposed to. So here goes.

Imagine. Lazarus makes his way out of the tomb bound with linens. Alive. But as Martha pointed out to Jesus when they arrived at the stone, Lazarus had an odor. Another Bible version said there was a stench. But dead for four days. That’s going to be a horrific smell, and the look can’t be any better.

So what if while everyone is rejoicing and praising Jesus, Lazarus hopped off in those linens to continue with his new life?


Days later he’s at the market browsing the figs when the vendor smells Lazarus before he sees him. And when their eyes meet, that’s about all the fig guy can see, Lazarus’ eyes. Because he’s still in grave clothes.

Of course the thought is ridiculous, and fiction on my part.

Yet, how many of us experience a fresh start, a healing, a second chance—and we walk around in the old? We carry the stench of death with us, and hop around in our proverbial grave clothes?

In the New International Version, NIV, once Lazarus emerges, 

“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:43-44

The last week or so I have felt a new direction in prayer. Beyond decreeing this virus be destroyed by the blood of Jesus, not to return, beyond praying protection, health, and provision for the front line workers, I feel it’s time to pray for our lives once restrictions lift. Will we stop in our tracks every time someone sneezes? Will we feel tempted to load up, really load up on toilet paper just in case? 

Because I think there’s a difference between fear and wisdom. I think living in fear is the same as staying in the grave clothes. Life IS going to be different. When I watch old TV shows and see a crowd, I already think about social distancing. It’s a new way to think. But instead of grave clothes, it needs to be grace clothes.

Let’s take the lessons we hopefully learned in isolation and make them our new way of living. Immense compassion. Abundant generosity. Amazing reconciliations and forgiveness. 

Because we are close to returning to public living outside our home. Let’s make sure the grave clothes are off, and our fragrance is sweet.

***

One isolation accomplishment was my daughter Hannah and I completed our series, Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’, with You’re Brilliant. It’s available for pre-order and will soon be in print. Although it’s part of a series, it can be a stand-alone as well. This is for young teens and women of all ages. Check it out!




 

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In the quietness…

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Kristin

This lockdown should be a writer’s dream.  There are no interruptions save the dog.  My book is nearly finished and yet, it’s the little things that drive one towards insanity. The inability to get an espresso at 10:30 p.m. — or a.m. for that matter. Having to stare at my bare feet with no nail polish because one can’t get a pedicure.  Not being able to sit in a restaurant or coffee shop and meet with friends.

It’s Zoom and Facebook meetings for all of us now and a lot of time to sit and think.  Why God?  Why us?  Why now?  What are we supposed to learn from this quietness and the freedom from our normal daily life?  If we’re supposed to learn what’s important, I already got that aspect of life.  People are important.  People are the only thing that matters.  We are here to sacrifice for others and keep the weaker, healthy.

“Whoever loves his brother lives in the light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” 1 John 2:10

Living alone during these times makes the empty nest that much harder, but God is sharpening all of us.  He is reminding us what’s important.

And He is giving me time to finish this book without excuses.  What have you found is the best part of lockdown?

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A Time to Thrive by Tara Randel

Posted on April 27, 2020 by tararandel

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I’ve had this orchid plant for a few years now. My daughter gave it to me on my birthday. I absolutely do not have a green thumb, so I wasn’t sure about the poor thing’s life span. But every year, it blooms, each time even more beautifully than the year before. It thrives, in spite of me!

When I took this picture, the colorful petals reminded me that no matter our circumstances, we thrive when we put God first.

As we are still staying home, this has been an interesting time. On the positive side, we are with family, perhaps talking more with friends. We’ve slowed down, whether we want to or not, and found new rhythms in our daily routines. Taking walks. Talking to God more frequently.

On the flip side, our schedules are in a state of flux, we may not be working and concerned about finances or, on the opposite end, working overtime. Let’s face it, things are not the same, but we can still thrive.

“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.” Eph 3:20-21

I’d like to encourage you to keep your eyes on the Father. He is the great Almighty and has everything in hand. Take this time to rely on Him more. To search Him more. To feel Him more in your life. Let this become a new and permanent pattern.

As we grow stronger in Him, may we then help others in whatever way possible. God will open doors of opportunity for us to give our time and finances. To be better neighbors. To reset our mindsets toward others.

So, despite our current circumstances, thrive! God is good!

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.

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The Danger in Anger by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Bridget

Have you ever noticed that by adding the letter D to the front of the word anger, it turns into the word danger? This struck me recently. I think there is something we can learn from that. It might be appropriate to be angry in some instances. However, there are a lot of people walking around with unhealthy anger in their hearts. And this is dangerous territory. Anger can lead to Danger.

You might be familiar with the story of Cain and Abel. We meet the two brothers in Genesis 4. Almost since the time of creation, man has had problems with the spirit of anger. Basically, the two brothers brought very different offerings to the Lord. Cain’s offerings did not please the Lord, while Abel’s did. This caused Cain to become angry.

“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’” – Genesis 4:6-7

Well, you likely know the rest of the story. Cain murdered his brother Abel. In the end, Cain “went out from the Lord’s presence” (v. 16).

Anger is still a big problem for many people today. Sometimes we feel anger over small annoyances. It might be more of an irritation. Something under our skin. It can be subtle at first. But it’s still there, nonetheless.

Sometimes we harbor anger inside of us for many years or even decades. After spending so much time with anger, we might be hesitant to let it go. It might feel like an old friend. But the truth is that it is not a friend at all.

Anger can sometimes cause us to burst out inappropriately. Someone might say something completely innocent to us, and we snap at them. It’s not really because of what the person said. It’s because we have been hiding anger in our hearts.

Anger can lead to strife in our relationships. Proverbs 29:22 says that “An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”

I believe that in many cases, the root of our anger comes from the enemy. When we feel unhealthy anger, this is the enemy trying to bring us down. When we are angry at another person, the enemy is working to cause division among us.

In Galatians 5, Paul lists “fits of rage” as one of the acts of the flesh. And he said that “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit.” So it is obvious that unhealthy anger is not of God.

The Bible contains quite a few verses instructing us not to play around with unhealthy anger:

  • My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. – James 1:19
  • Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. – Ecclesiastes 7:9
  • Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. – Psalm 37:8
  • A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

What should we do if we feel unhealthy anger in our hearts?

God told Cain that “sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Cain did not listen to this advice, but we certainly can.

The first step we need to take is to pray about it. We should humbly confess our struggle to the Lord and ask Him to help us overcome it. In the case of Cain, he had a chance to do this, but he didn’t.

We also have to take action. Just as God had instructed Cain, we “must rule over it.” When we feel unhealthy anger boiling inside of us, we have a choice to make. We can remind ourselves that this is coming from the enemy and we must not allow him to have the upper hand.

Repeating one of the Bible verses listed above (James 1:19, Ecclesiastes 7:9, Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 15:1) can help you to feel calmer. There is power in God’s Word! If you can’t remember the Bible verse off the top of your head, then simply saying to yourself, “I will not get angry” can also be a big help in cooling your temper.

If your anger involves another person, you can choose to walk away and come back to discuss the matter at another time.

Anger issues can be overcome, if we take the right steps to work on it. We do not want to risk leaving the Lord’s presence, as Cain did. The good news is that God is always there to help us when we need Him. He wants what is best for us, and will gladly guide us towards healthier feelings.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

boys brother children country

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

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Urgent and Important

Posted on April 22, 2020 by jrcoggins

Have you ever met people who just have to talk? If they know something, they just have to tell you?

Take the other night, for instance. My wife woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me I was snoring. Now, that was useful information, but it wasn’t urgent. It could have waited until morning.

But sometimes my wife tells me things that are both useful and urgent. When I am driving the car, for instance, my wife is constantly saying things such as: “Stop at the red light.” “Don’t hit those parked cars.” “Watch out for the kid on the bike.” and “Don’t run over those people on the sidewalk.”

The story of Jesus is like that. It is useful, important, and urgent. Sometimes people get annoyed when we talk about Jesus, but that is only because they don’t know how useful, important, and urgent it is.

On Palm Sunday, when the crowds were proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, the religious and political leaders told them to be quiet. But Jesus said that if the children were silent, the stones would cry out. The message is so important that it must be told, no matter what. That is how useful, important, and urgent it is.

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Irony? (by Hannah Alexander)

Posted on April 21, 2020 by alexanderhodde

Folks in our community have explained to us that this past winter has been the worst they’ve seen in a very long time. We were iced in for 2 1/2 months, unable to escape in any direction. We couldn’t walk outside because the ice was thick and snow was piled high. It has only been recently that we were able to safely drive out of town. And then we were asked to shelter in place.

So yesterday, the first day we have felt like it in six weeks, Mel and I escaped town. And do you know where we went?

Yeah, does that make any sense to you?

I’m calling this irony, but I know there’s got to be a better word for it. Would a wordsmith out there please suggest a better one? No, not idiocy. Not insanity. We had actually driven south toward the mountains for a nice hike in the desert, but since we were there, we couldn’t resist playing in the snow. Actually, we hadn’t been able to do that all winter because of the horrific wind and cold.

We had a good hike. Another irony? My allergies acted up because, despite the deep snow, there is pollen blowing around out there. The temp was in the 50s.

I grew up in Southern California and Southern Missouri.

This looks nothing like those places. If you live north of us, you’re laughing at me. But seriously, is irony the right word?

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Starting the Day by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Nancy J. Farrier

My husband and I are so different. He gets up before the sun, has his coffee, something to eat, and is ready to go. I do not get up before the sun unless there is an earth-shattering reason for me to do so—like catching an early flight. J I sleep in until six-thirty or seven in the morning. Then I take some meds, take a walk, and have coffee, breakfast, and Bible reading when I return. 

Neither of these ways of getting up in the morning are the right or wrong way. This is the way we are both wired and how we choose to start our days. 

Whether I start the day by jumping out of bed raring to go, or I drag my exhausted carcass to the kitchen for the first cup of coffee before anyone dare speak to me, the most important choice I make for my day is expressed in the following Psalm.


O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NKJV)

There are four points that stand out to me in this one verse. I’m sure you can see them too.

  1. O God, You are my God—Every day I must make a decision on Who or what will be my God/god. Self is a big contender as I want to please my selfish desires. If I choose to please myself, even saying I’m doing an action for God, without consulting Him first, then He is not my God. I must choose to put Him first. Right away. Every day.
  • Early will I seek You—I try to pray first thing, before I open my eyes and even consider getting out of bed. Does that always happen? No. Life happens and sometimes I have to jump out of bed and rush off to handle some minor crisis or another. I remind myself it is okay because as soon as possible, I can seek God’s counsel. Also, I do not set my alarm so I get up first to seek God. This isn’t a case of the early bird gets the worm. God’s grace doesn’t run low as the day goes by. Early is in reference to an individual’s sleeping pattern, because some people don’t have the option to rise early in the day.
  • My soul thirsts for You—There have been few times I’ve been without water long enough to be truly thirsty. There is an element of suffering in the Hebrew word for thirsty. I don’t know if I’ve ever suffered from thirst. But I can imagine and read accounts of others. My soul thirsts. 

But does it? Is God just a passing thought or prayer to me? Do I pray something like, “Morning, God. Help me with my day,” and then go on about my business without another thought about Him? Sometimes, it’s true. But, that isn’t a soul suffering thirst. I want to feel the thirst for God and to do that I have to drink of His word every day to the point that I can’t start my day without Him.

  • My flesh longs for You—Not only my soul should be longing for God, but my flesh too. It’s like every cell in my physical form should be tuned in to God and longing for His filling and His presence. Not just my heart. Or my brain. Not my hands or my feet. But every particle of me should be His and be longing for Him.

Even though I have time when I don’t follow the above truths, I still strive for these values. To make my day start right, I need God at the opening, throughout the day, and at the closing. 

Then whether I’m up early, early like my husband or sleep in until noon, my day would be pretty perfect.

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Sabbath

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Bridget

Sabbath is something which God has been speaking to my husband and me about this year. We kept hearing this theme come up long before social distancing, quarantines, and staying at home became the norm. Now all across the globe, things are shut down, and people are being forced to slow down. This is the perfect time to start implementing some new habits in our lives. But after this is all over, we should hang onto the new habits we created. And I hope that honoring the Sabbath, and slowing down in general, are things all of us will continue.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. – Exodus 20:8-11

In the Ten Commandments, one of the instructions God gave us was to observe the Sabbath. According to biblestudytools.com, “The origin of the Hebrew sabbat is uncertain, but it seems to have derived from the verb sabat, meaning to stop, to cease, or to keep.”

On the day of Sabbath, God is telling us to stop and rest. God made the heavens and the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. So He commanded us to also rest on the seventh day. This can be difficult to do in our normally fast-paced world. Prior to the pandemic, many of us were often running from one thing to the next.

When I was around ten years old, I remember going camping with my family. My parents, grandmother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin, and even my grandmother’s dog were all there. It was a nice opportunity for us to spend quality time together. One thing I especially remember about this trip is the story my mother relays about it at times. She had a difficult time just sitting and doing nothing. This is how many of us are these days. It seems to have gotten worse in recent times with all the devices we have now.

But resting is essential for our well-being, our spiritual life, our emotional state, and our physical bodies as well. It is not good on us to always be going and going. Eventually something has to give. We will burn out if we do not seek rest.

Ironically, as we are currently forced to stay home, I have heard a lot of complaints of boredom. Personally, I have not been bored for a single moment since I have been in isolation. Perhaps this is because I am a homebody. And I am working remotely, so my weekdays are still consumed with work. But after my working hours, I have been enjoying the slower pace. I am not making light of this situation. My heart breaks to think about how many people are suffering in different ways right now. Of course I do pray that the pandemic ends soon. However, in the meantime, I believe the Lord is trying to teach us all some things during this season.

This is the perfect time for all of us to learn to slow down and savor our time. Spend quality time with those in our household. Play a board game. Read a good book. Watch a movie. And most importantly, spend time with the Lord.

Resting in God’s presence truly refreshes us. Different versions of Psalm 23:3 say: “He refreshes my soul” (NIV), “He renews my strength” (NLT), “He restores my soul” (ESV). This is so true. Recently one Friday afternoon I was exhausted after a long week. For about twenty minutes I closed my eyes and just talked to the Lord. Afterwards, I felt rejuvenated.

In my opinion, resting also plays into hearing from God. If we are always busy and filling our head with different things, we do not have room to hear from the Lord. But when we take time to quiet our minds and focus on Jesus, we can truly see miracles in our spiritual lives.

Something I have been trying to do in preparation for the Sabbath is to get ahead by doing as many chores as possible the day(s) beforehand. I also try to stay off devices on the Sabbath, which helps me to quiet my mind and focus on the Lord. Devices can be a big distraction which takes our attention away from God and from our families. I believe staying off of devices one day a week can help refresh our minds and souls, especially if you have come to rely heavily on your devices. I also am intentional about being present. This helps me to have more quality time with those around me. When I do these things it helps me to have a peaceful day and gives me a renewed strength.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31

Please share: Is there anything specific that you like to do (or don’t do) on the Sabbath? And have you been working on any new habits related to slowing down these past few weeks?

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

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Four Days Late by Julie Arduini

Posted on April 15, 2020 by juliearduini

During this season where we’re home and so much is unknown, my newsletter subscribers asked that I share weekly content that encourages. This message has helped me through a lot of personal valleys, and once again served as a reminder. I shared this in my most recent newsletter. I pray it encourages you.

Lazarus lives because Jesus was four days late. Pixabay image. Click on image for video.
I’m not going to lie, celebrating Easter is surreal this year. For our family, I designated myself as the only shopper weeks ago and last week my husband encouraged me to get enough to last for two weeks. That meant I had to get the Easter dinner fixings, along with ingredients for our traditional chocolate peanut butter eggs and basket items with other grocery items. Weird, right?

Beyond that, the shelves were mostly cleared out and I was growing frustrated with the lack of compassion from other shoppers to the clerks. Social distancing was not being adhered to at one store. I know overall our personal situation is full of blessings. We are safe, healthy, my husband is working, and we have food. Yet, on the drive home from that excursion I lamented to God, “When is this going to end?”

I got my answer days later.

Years ago my husband used to sing special music back at our home church in Upstate NY. One song that continues to impact me long after he finished singing it was “Four Days Late,” a southern gospel song by Karen Peck and New River. It’s the story of Mary and her sister Martha, regarding the death of their brother, Lazarus. Jesus was great friends with the three of them, so when word reached Him, you’d think He’d run to get to him.

Not so.

To our eyes, and to Mary and Martha, Jesus took His sweet time. 

When He finally arrives on the scene, Lazarus is dead, wrapped in linens, and buried. The grief Mary and Martha were experiencing, well, I can’t even imagine. What I can picture is the sisters asking Jesus what took so long? Don’t you care? 

If you know this story from John 11, Jesus was overcome by their grief, and His own. Lazarus was his friend. He asked Martha to take Him to Lazarus and Martha’s like, “You don’t understand. You’re late. He’s gone. He died four days ago. He’s buried.” To be specific, he was rotting and smelly. Dead, dead, dead.

Jesus wept, and ordered the grave stone moved. And with a command, He ordered Lazarus to come forth.

And Lazarus did.

Here’s what I love about the song. When the sisters ask where were You, don’t You care, they realize in the resurrection of Lazarus that had Jesus showed up when word reached Him, where would the miracle have been? A group of people saw Lazarus leave his own tomb very much alive. Can you imagine the commotion? People running home to tell everyone, EVERYONE the miracle they just saw. Thanks to Jesus.

As the song goes,”He was four days late but right on time.”

We are a month into isolation. The stats we see on the news are scary, devastating, and hard to process. The texts I receive from my friends in healthcare, I don’t understand. That is so much for a human to see. Doesn’t Jesus get it? Doesn’t He care?

I know the answer. So do you.

There are purposes to His timing. In this isolation I’ve seen reconciliations. Churches rise up in safe ways to encourage the world. People speaking out and lending a hand in ways that lets be honest, wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

To us, Jesus is late. But He is right on time.

I believe with everything in me that this Easter and Passover timeframe is monumental in heaven and that we will see things on earth shifting. In a good way. I am praying that not only is the virus destroyed with no option to mutate/come back, but that restrictions will lift maybe not immediately, but sooner than the experts are telling us.

Because Jesus is right on time. Always.

I know it’s odd to share an Easter message about a resurrection and it not be Christ’s. Yet, without the miracles of Jesus during His ministry, we would never comprehend the power of His own resurrection and all that means for us.

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