For a few days, God tried to get me to rest and He tried to give me peace, but I didn't want to accept it. I was heartbroken, angry and I just plain didn't understand what He was doing and why??? Hadn't I prayed almost constantly, plus fasted? Had I not asked many others to pray along with us for the situation? But it still didn't work out the way I wanted it to. To be honest, I still don't understand why things happened the way they did, but I do know there have been some lessons He wants me to learn through this.

Baby Jesus - Christy Collins

Is there anything more wonderful than a brand-new baby? I’m pretty sure there is not. Because I’m in between the stages of having babies and, hopefully someday, welcoming grandbabies, I eagerly squeeze the babies of my younger friends at every opportunity. There’s a new little guy whose parents attend church with me, and I love to stare at that boy’s beautiful face. His very presence brings me joy! Anytime I hold, or even see, a tiny baby, I’m definitely “in the moment.” I look that child right in the eyes and I am literally in awe of the miracle before me.

Children, Faith, Love of God, Trusting GodAmy SappDecember 23, 2021Baby, Babies, Jesus, Christmas, Christ, Baby Jesus, Love

Love the Lord Thy God - Rebekah McCullough

How can I love the Lord with all my heart? We use this term loosely and without much thought. I believe God is asking us to love him with all our passion, all our feelings. There's things I'm pretty passionate about, my family (obviously), missions, politics, history, coffee.... Most of these things, just thinking about it, can bring me to great joy, anger, or tears. It's easy for me to get emotional and passionate about these things because I care about them so much. I've invested time, energy, and money into them. I think God is saying for us to love Him with all our emotions, our feelings, our passion. That will require time, energy, and frankly, money. (Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.) Honestly, loving God with all our heart might be the easiest one for us ladies since we tend to be more emotional creatures by design. That leads to the next one.

A Teacher Named Grace - Niki Lott

Grace is a gift – not earned and not deserved. It is given to us because God is good, not because we are. For those who are reading this who have already received this grace, we realize that our salvation depends wholly upon it. For those who may have never understood or received the grace of God, I want you to know that God’s love, mercy, and grace are available to you because of the kindness and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Christian Life, Encouragement, God's Will, Love of God, Peace of GodAmy SappApril 12, 2021Love, Mercy, Grace, Teaches, Teaching, Teach, Salvation, Peace

Loving God HIS Way! - Sarah Komondor

I love God. I believe that you love God or you would not take the time to read this article. However, do I love God the way He deserves? That is a work in progress and, if I’m completely honest, some days are better than others.

The first step to loving God the way He deserves is to KNOW what the Bible teaches on this subject. Once we understand what God wants, then it’s just a matter of having the character to apply it to our lives every day.

Christian Life, Encouragement, Faith, God's Will, Love of God, Trusting GodAmy SappFebruary 22, 2021Love, Love God, Affections, Bible, Deserving, Affection, Heart

Learning from Covid - Barb Jackson

God is sovereign and I know He allowed my husband and me to have Covid. He had a plan and a purpose. I prayed and thanked God for giving us Covid and that I believed it was His will. I admit it was a stretch for me to thank Him for Covid, but I knew I was to thank Him for all things. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” and Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” There is a song by Lynda Randle “God on the Mountain”. One of the verses says “You talk of faith, when you’re up on the mountain; But talk comes so easy, when life’s at its best; Now it’s down in the valleys, of trials and temptations; That’s where your faith, is really put to the test.”

Anxiety, Christian Life, Faith, Illness, Loneliness, Peace of God, Trials, Trusting GodAmy SappFebruary 1, 2021Comfort, Covid, Faith, Fear, Care, Love, Memorize, Meditate

Give the Gift that Counts: A Labor of Love - Jo Beth Hooker

I Corinthians13:13 says, And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. I love that verse! There is so much in this one verse. For example, the word charity is a term that means benevolent love. It is a term used to describe sacrificial love. God never does anything by accident, so it is no accident that He chose to use the word charity. Many modern versions of the Bible have opted to translate the word simply to love, but the word love does not mean the same thing as charity. The word love has many definitions; it can mean many things to many people and not necessarily does it mean sacrifice. I believe God uses the term charity because it implies giving without expecting anything in return. If I give something to Goodwill or to Amvets, I don’t want it to show back up on my doorstep. I’m giving it away. I don’t want it to come back. According to I Corinthians 13, this is the way true love is to be given-freely, with no expectation of return- but given because true joy, peace and happiness is found in what we give, not what we get.

Christian Service, Christian Life, Faith, Love of GodAmy SappDecember 7, 2020Gift, Giving, Jesus, Labor, Love

Thankful Even in the Storm - Jen McMillan

I spent many days pouring out my heart to the Lord. We took the leap of faith to enter this adoption plan and I was hoping the understanding would come as to why he said no. Now I can look back at that storm and see how the Lord grew me. How He used this hard time to show me it was Him that I really needed, not that baby boy. He could be my joy, my comfort, and my strength. It changed my view to asking God what He is wanting to do through me instead of why He is doing this to me.

Faith, God's Will, Love of God, Peace of God, Trials, Trusting GodAmy SappNovember 2, 2020Adoption, Trials, Trusting, Faith, Love, Thankful

Glory in my Infirmities - Courtney Bartels

This verse is my life verse, but sometimes our own life verses are hard for us to declare. Last summer the Lord had me carry two precious babies for a very, very short time. I didn't understand why, and it was extremely hard. Shortly after the Lord blessed us once again with a precious baby. I was so scared, I even went to the ER thinking I was going to lose yet another baby. It turned out to be some complications from the previous miscarriages that went away on their own, praise the Lord. But the whole pregnancy I was so nervous. When the time came the Lord gave us our sweet baby girl, the delivery went well but she didn't seem right. She ended up being rushed to the NICU

Children, Faith, Love of God, Peace of God, Prayer, Trials, Trusting GodAmy SappOctober 12, 2020Infirmities, Miscarriage, Babies, Promises, Love, Praying, Trials

Pearls for God - Dawn Hamm

God’s example of a pearl, just as the Church was formed from the redemptive act of Jesus at Calvary who bore our sins upon the cross, a pearl is formed out of suffering and it is only when we as “pearls” come to the end of ourselves that we can look up and see the beauty and love of a God who loves us and paid the ultimate price just to prove that love on Calvary. Pearls like people are a combination of things; it takes at least 3 materials to form a pearl; calcium, the irritant material, and the oyster’s saliva

Christian Life, Christian Service, Faith, God's Will, Love of God, Trusting GodAmy SappOctober 5, 2020Pearls, Love, Price, Struggles, Precious, Gem, Treasure, Material

In the Silence, My Mother Heard God - Jennifer Dignan Morales (with Mistie Owens)

May is a wonderful month because it is when Mother’s Day is celebrated. I have utmost respect for my mother any time of the year, and always strive to honor her. However, during this month of May, I want to reflect on how she taught me the virtues of being a godly woman and mother. As Proverbs 31:26 says, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness”. This verse evokes warm thoughts of her. Mom is wise, sweet, loving and it shows in how she interacts with others.

Friendship Makes Everything Better - Tina Dail

Our Savior, in His time on the earth, was our example in every way. He not only
taught us how to live, but He showed us how to live, how to behave, and how to treat
others. One of the things that stands out to me about the life of Christ is the relationships
he developed with the twelve men he hand-picked to be with Him. These men, who came
from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, were all uniquely loved and cherished by
Jesus. It is obvious that they meant more to Christ than merely the men who would carry
on His work after he went back to Heaven.

Children, Christian Life, Encouragement, FriendshipAmy SappFebruary 24, 2020Christ, Friendship, Joys, Parenting, Love, Children

Loving Like Jesus - Sarah Davis

An easy way to try this is to send flowers to someone’s home anonymously. You could leave a treat on someone’s car or desk. Mail a gift card to their home. Your heart will follow what your hands do and your lips pray. Remember Jesus example of love included a costly sacrifice, humbleness, and a tangible action--we have to be willing to spend our resources and make a sacrifice if we are to love like Him!

Christian Life, Encouragement, Friendship, Love of God, Trusting GodAmy SappFebruary 10, 2020Love, Jesus, Others, Enemies, Friends

Let It Snow, Let It Snow! - Amy Dice

I love the snow! I know, I know, some might think I'm crazy, but I just love seeing the gentle falling flakes cover the world with a beautiful soft white blanket. There's just something calming and quiet about falling snow that bids me to "be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

Anxiety, Christian Life, God's Will, Life Changes, Love of God, Peace of God, Trusting GodAmy SappJanuary 13, 2020Be Still, Calming, Snow, Bible, Peace, Love