So as you go throughout your day remember to think about how you are speaking just as much as what you are speaking. So many of life situations can be handled so much better if
we guard our mouth and how we communicate with others. Psalm 141:3 - Set a watch (guard), O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Striving to remain humble. Realize that all we are and all we have is because of the Lord. Having a humble attitude as we go through a trial will allow the Lord to teach us things that we need to learn in that trial.
Read MoreAs society continues to normalize sin, it has become even more important that we provide and
promote safe environments for children. As parents, grandparents, and caregivers, this should be
a top priority. As society tries to make sin into “right”, we must continue to hold steadfast to the
Bible’s definition of sin. Also, as society seeks to normalize abnormal sexual and relational
behavior, they are making it easier for predators to pursue victims. Activities that are now being
disguised as “family-friendly”, leave children vulnerable to harm.
Read MoreHave you ever gone somewhere and took more luggage than what you needed? I remember on numerous occasions taking way too much! Most of the stuff I didn't need. It was frustrating dragging all of it around.
Read MoreTheir, Joy, their contentment was the key that unloosed their chains. HE WAS ENOUGH FOR THEM! He was everything they needed. There wasn’t a material possession that they lacked because their contentment was in the ONE who delighted in them!
Today we celebrate the national holiday called Memorial Day first observed in 1868. It is a day established for us to remember all members of the United States military who gave their lives protecting our freedoms and rights as citizens of the United States of America. Originally observed each year on May 30th, its observance changed in 1971 to the last Monday of each May. When I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s our family would take this holiday to visit the graves of fallen soldiers where we lived and my parents would tell us the importance of remembering what these men and women sacrificed so we could live with the rights and privileges guaranteed by our constitution and Bill of Rights.
Read MoreAs we go through our lives and about our daily business doing all the right things, all the good things, are we living “in him”. It can be so easy to go into auto pilot. If we are not careful we can almost become robotic. Not intentionally, not even with a bad spirit, but we are doing all the things and checking off all the boxes of things to be done without giving our full attention or full spiritual awareness to them. Stop and think about it for a minute.
Read MoreI was an eighteen-year-old girl with no knowledge of the Bible, but that truth was clear to me that night as a soulwinner took me off into a room at the First Baptist Church of St. Clair, Missouri and explained to me that all the good things I was trying to do would never be enough for me to get to Heaven.
Read MoreThe ocean is one of my most favorite places on earth. The overwhelming enormity of both its sight and sound is always a reflection of the thoughts of my heart, both good and bad. I am always overwhelmed with something. And while on this journey of sanctification, I see-saw between the overwhelming “somethings’ of God’s goodness and my own sinful tendencies.
Read MoreI've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! I just love this little chorus, and many mornings I sing it while I'm getting ready for the day! It always helps me to get my mind focused on joy instead of perhaps a situation going on in my life or the cares of this world.
Read MoreEvery person I meet is someone MY best friend loved enough to die for
Read MoreThere is nothing better for refreshing my soul, uplifting my hurting heart, or encouraging my spirit than being in God’s amazing creation! God definitely meets me at these special moments. Because of this, on the anniversary of my husband’s home going, I always plan an outdoor adventure. Along with that, I send up a balloon with a tract attached to it. My husband was a passionate soulwinner and it is a way to honor this important part of his life.
Read MoreAnd there’s the gem. Those two little words Trina would use so often in her conversation. MY Jesus. The most important lesson I ever learned from Trina, though I wouldn’t even realize it until YEARS later, was that He needs to be ‘MY’ Jesus. When you speak of your Saviour, it should be personal. The same way you say, ‘My kids’ or ‘My husband’. Possessive. Loving. Is that how you think of Jesus, or do you not really think about that relationship much at all? We all hear quite regularly in preaching that we need to have a relationship with God(Jesus), but do we really think and ponder and try to figure out what that entails? Oh sure, there’s the ‘read your Bible more! Here’s a 1 year plan!’ and don’t you dare misunderstand me, reading your Bible is paramount in a Christians life, but are you just going through the motions of Bible reading so that you can check off a little chart? You’ll be closer to Jesus than if you weren’t reading at all, sure, but would you feel that possessive love? Trina challenged me without even saying it to get that possessive love. To thirst for it. And it’s so funny because, the closer you get the more you want.
Read MoreWe have all heard someone say or have ourselves said something that we don’t intend to act upon. But why would we say something we don’t mean? Most of the time we quickly forget what we said or thought, but what damage have we caused? I have started thinking about this more and have become more aware of it after I heard a phrase in a sermon last year. The phrase was “don’t rehearse evil.” DON’T REHEARSE EVIL. You might be thinking it’s not that bad, it’s not evil because they or I didn’t mean it. If it’s not Phillipians 4:8 worthy it’s evil. If it’s not righteous it’s evil. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” and in Matthew 12:34b, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” What is in our hearts? God destroyed all of mankind with the Flood because “…every imagination of the THOUGHTS of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5b) What is in the heart will eventually spill forth to our mouths. “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Psalm 34:13 We need to be on guard for even the tiniest splinter of evil. How do we keep those thoughts and words of destruction from forming?
Read MoreAmy’s known for her “choose joy” mantra and we all know she DOES!!!
Let’s live our lives choosing joy, Praising God, and having a gratitude attitude.
“God is good… all the time…. All the time… God is good!”
Read MoreSingle girl, go find people! Ask God to send you people to love. Learn to see those around you and really love them.
Read MoreLet’s be real for a minute and please let this question sink into your beautiful soul. Do you feel the need that your life must be all wrapped perfectly and tied up in a perfect bow? Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up to other people’s expectations? Do you ever feel like the expectations are too? How about an example; do these thoughts or similar ones ever creep up in your head? “Look at that perfect Christmas tree…mine doesn’t look like that.” “That family picture is so beautiful…I wish we could do that so others can see us look that good.” “They always get such amazing Christmas gifts…we can’t afford those but I’ll get them anyway.” “It all has to be perfect…I have to do whatever I can to make it perfect.” I am using Christmas time as an example because I sincerely feel that not-measuring-up can be a dominating feeling during and after the holiday season.
Read MoreI heard a sermon illustration about a bee. It was said that if you put a bee in the bottom of a glass jar, the bee will never fly out. Why? Because the bee never looks up to realize that the way out is right above him. I think that all too often, I am the same way. When I face problems, I tend to look around for answers, but forget to look up for His answer. I am so thankful that my Father is a “very present” help. (Psalm 46:1) He’s right there---every step of the way---even when I don’t realize it. He promises me in His Word that He will never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5-6). The key is that I lift up my eyes. I need to turn my eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face! When I do, the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. When days are dreary…look up! When the long nights are weary….look up! Jesus cares! When the sun is shining….
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