New Year 2015

Happy new year! I'm so excited to start 2015. Each year brings a plethora of new choices, new adventures, and new opportunities; each one is a chance for new happiness, and changes.

I can't wait to see what 2015 will bring. I hope it brings much happiness, lots of fun, many blessings, new opportunities to serve and learn about God, and chances to make people smile.

Today I read a great quote that I love even more every time I see it. "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one."

I rarely make resolutions, and when I do, I always break them. Usually, they're something like "Lose weight," or "Watch less TV." So, this year, I wanted to make resolutions that really fit me, ones I can keep.

My five resolutions for 2015 are:

1. Be happy
2. Be healthy
3. Be positive
4. Help others
5. Say yes

These are ranked in order of their importance. "Say yes" is number 5 because even though I want to start saying yes to more things, and have new adventures and experiences, I don't want to say yes to something that would conflict with the other resolutions.

What are your resolutions for this year?

What do you hope to write in your 2015 story?

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"This is what the Lord says--he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters...'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:16 &18-19).

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Alabaster Box

One of our pastors sang this song in church on Sunday. I had never heard it before, and I absolutely love it! She usually sings songs I am unfamiliar with, and my list of my favorite worship music grows every time she does.

It's amazing when you stop to think about the significance of the tears, and the oil (perfume) the woman used to wash Jesus' feet, and the meaning behind it. How important the message is not only in this song, but in the story behind it.

The whole of this story in the Bible is awesome. I encourage everyone to read it if they haven't. I'm only going to use a portion for this post.
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"A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them" (Luke 7:37-38).

We Have to Be Ourselves

Karen Wheaton from The Ramp said "You'll never operate in your anointing as long as you're trying to copy someone else. You know when you are your best? When you're completely the DNA that God made you to be."

This is very true. We have to be ourselves. When we accept God into our lives, and begin following Him, learning from Him, and we become His children, then we are truly the people we are meant to be. Then, and only then, can we truly be ourselves.

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"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Colossians 3:12).

'Tis the Season

In general, I find that whatever your religion or denomination, the Christmas season makes people a little happier and more giving. In general. This isn't always the case, of course.

In the days before Christmas, the streets and shops are filled with last-minute shoppers rushing to find the perfect gift, or get those last few items for the meal.

For some, of course, the holidays (not just this one) are a time of stress. Some people get so caught up in what they have to do that they forget to enjoy the season.

So, this holiday season, from Christmas Eve through New Years Day, please take some time to enjoy your families, your friends, and all the little things - the beautiful lights, the crisp winter air, the twinkling stars - and remember that this season is a time of giving.

It's the time when Christians pause to remember how God sent His only son to be born on earth, so that we could have the greatest gift of all - eternal life.
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"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

What I Learned from the Kings

The book of 1st Kings that is. Soon, I'm going to start working on the post about Elijah (as I mentioned, I want him to have his own post) but as he appears in the book of 2nd Kings as well, I want to be sure I have all my information, and I just don't feel up to reading 2nd Kings right now. I think I'm going to start Ecclesiastes. Yay!

I digress. The main thing I learned from 1st Kings is that the kings didn't fare so well. Well, some of them did. Some of them were stupid. You know, like people can be. I learned that all the kings who opposed God and His people not only failed, but got themselves killed, and their lineage cursed. Yep. That's what I learned.
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"The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah' ' The king should not say such a thing,' Jehoshaphat replied" (1 Kings 22:8).

Noel

Though I will sometimes listen to Christmas songs throughout the year, often I won't hear some of them for a whole year. This song is one I haven't heard since last Christmas season. It came on the radio today, and it made me super happy!

I hope you all enjoy my favorite version of this song:

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"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:13-14).

Gird Up!

I randomly found this blog one day. It has a post about girding your loins. Seriously. It's about how to literally gird your loins. It has a really neat diagram too!

Have you always wondered what that meant? Neither did I. But it was really neat to learn anyway! For anyone curious about how men girded their loins back in the day, this post will be of particular interest. It was so cool to learn, even though I'd never wondered before.

Basically, girding one's loins meant making ready for battle. Literally, as the clothing they wore would get in the way if not gathered up and tied like shorts.

But it can be used figuratively too, as today's verses point out. We can gird ourselves, focus, and prepare for battle - mentally and spiritually.

It's kind of a neat phrase if you stop to think about it.
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Today's verses are from the KJV, because it mentions girding one's loins, while the NIV has changed the wording.

"Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning" (Luke 12:35).

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13).

She Knew

When I was younger, I didn't like this song at all! I'm not really sure why. As I grew older, however, I forgot my dislike of the song. Now that I've matured, and have really paused to listen to the words and the meaning behind the song, I love it. I think it's fantastic. 

So, today I want to share with you this Christmas song, though I'm sure you've heard it many times before. This version is sung by one of my favorite bands:

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"'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her" (Luke 1:38).

What's the Attraction?

Last night, we watched the newest Sweeney Todd movie, with Johnny Depp. Tonight, we watched the original play with Angela Lansbury. I enjoy musicals, and I have to admit that Johnny Depp's Sweeney Todd is in my top 5.

While watching the movie tonight, I had a thought. Why do people enjoy these types of movies? Why are we drawn to them?

Then, I thought it must be the revenge aspect - the thought that somehow, evil people get stopped, even if it isn't in a good way.

So, that's basically all for today. Just my musing and speculation about why people like these types of movies.

When We Just Don't Want to Do It

I've talked a bit about laziness before, but what about the other alternative? What about when we don't feel lazy, but burnt out? What do we do when we just can't stand the thought of going to work or class another day?

Today I finished my final paper and edited it, thankful that I'm only taking one class now. After four years of college, you'd think I'd quit going back to school. Now, I'm finishing my prep-work for the presentation that goes along with the paper. My hands are tired of writing note cards, my brain is tired of thinking, and the part of me that is studious keeps screaming "You should have finished it earlier!"

Basically, I'm tired of the whole process, not looking forward to my presentation, dreading the hard work of studying for the comprehensive final that follows later this week, and wondering why on earth I took this class.

What do we do when we feel this way?

Well, my answer is this: we just do it. We muddle through the things that make us feel this way, knowing it isn't permanent, that once we get it over and done with, it'll be an end to it. We might also remember times that were fun, or rewarding at work or in class.

And, I think, we can help ourselves by remembering that even when we struggle with something that we might think God considers mundane, that even we consider mundane, He is still with us, always. He might not reach down a hand and provide a divine reason not to go to class, but His presence will remain with us, reminding us that whatever we are struggling with, be it mundane or otherwise, will pass, and that He will be with us the whole time, even when we seemingly have to tackle part of the hill on our own.

That's my thought for today.
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"Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand" (Psalm 73:23).

Self-Promotion

Matthew 6:1-4 - Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

I think these are very important verses. I also think this applies to getting tax breaks for donations. Though I can see a purpose to that, I think not bragging about it, and doing it in secret where no one knows except God is best. Then, for sure the reward will not come from man, as though we were trying to please them, because they won't even know about it.

Sometimes I think this might be harder than others, like when a person donates hair. Friends and family will probably notice, and one shouldn't lie about why it was cut. I think, however, in that instance it isn't bragging, as long as someone has asked about it first.

So, don't make any donation in public to be witnessed and praised by many, and certainly don't brag about it, but don't lie about it. If asked about it, tell the truth, but do so humbly.

Friends of the World, or Pleasure Seeking

So, this is gonna be long. Bear with me.

James 4:2-6 - You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."

James 4:7-10 - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will life you up.

OUCH! When I read this, I couldn't help but think that some of it was directed just toward me. Of course, I also can see patterns in the world today with what this is talking about. We live in an extremely self-fulfilling, self-gratifying, pleasure-seeking, do-it-ourselves world.

It's not like that's really new either. The world has been like this for a long time. Generations of people have acted this way. And many people from those generations have chosen instead to humble themselves and glorify and serve God instead of succumbing to worldly desires and pressures.

Even we who believe in God sometimes do not ask of Him with the right attitude. Before asking, I think we should truly search our hearts and think "Why am I asking for this? Is it to glorify God, to further serve Him? Or is it for personal gain and pleasure?"

So, that's my thought for today. I was originally going to tackle a post about jealousy, but found this chapter of James to be much more relevant today.

Soul Bread

John 6:35 - Then Jesus declared "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

This is a great verse. The chapter continues with many more of Jesus wonderful teachings, but today I want to focus on this one.

In a former post, I talked about how Jesus is the living embodiment of God's Word.

Jesus is the bread of life because He is God's Son, God's Word sent to us.

Naturally, this isn't talking about physical hunger or thirst, but spiritual.

How wonderful to believe in Jesus and know that He will take away the hunger we felt before we knew Him. How wonderful that He feeds our souls with the very "bread of life," and that we can be sustained and fulfilled through Him. He is bread for our souls.

The Book of Kings and Elijah

Finally! The book of 1 Kings is interesting again! I feel so bad for saying that. There were some good things to be learned from the kings who ruled after Solomon. I guess I just don't find the account of those rulers as interesting or relevant to my life.

Finally, however, I am into the part of 1 Kings that starts Elijah's story. After him, I'll be reading Elisha's story. I'm so super excited!

I have a few thoughts about Elijah so far, but I want to wait and give Elijah his own post.

I really do love reading my Bible, but there are some books I relate to better, and some stories I find more interesting than others. Maybe I shouldn't think that way...

Still, I am slowly reading my way through the whole Bible. One day, I'll know right where my favorite verses and stories are, and I'll be able to go back and read them all over again. I have no doubt I'll learn something new every time, as often happens.
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"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word" (Psalm 119:11/16

A Strange Question

While reading Rainbow Valley, the 7th book in the Anne of Green Gables series, one of the characters asks a question. He says "Can God make a stone so big He couldn't lift it Himself?"

Now, I think trying to answer this would get into theology, and I am not a theologian. Rather than trying to answer the question, I just wanted to share it. The question made me stop and think.

Honestly, my first response was "Of course He can. God can make anything!" And then I paused. After more thought, my response finished with "But God has command of everything He created, so if He wanted it moved, He could move it."

I don't have an answer for the question. I don't think we're supposed to come up with answers to questions like these. I'm perfectly content knowing there are things I shouldn't know, things I don't need to know. Still, I found the question interesting.

The character in the book who said it had only recently been talked into coming back to church, and was looking forward to asking that question of the minister. (He never does, because it isn't relevant to the story.)

I just wanted to share.
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"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

For Everything, We Give Thanks

Thanksgiving can be a very special holiday for Americans. It is a day we pause our usual routines to spend the day with our families, usually gathered from far and wide. And though it is also a day many families gather to watch sports, it is, above all else, a day to give thanks.

Today, I am thankful for all of my blessings. From food to eat (especially the kinds I like), to a roof over my head, to warm clothes to wear, to dear friends and family (both near and far), to my two adorable cats, to the warm weather that came in today, I am thankful for it all.

God has truly blessed me in so many ways, even though I don't deserve it.

He deserves our thanks and praise every day, but on this day, as many Americans are gathering together with families for this special holiday, especially.

So today, for everything, I give thanks.
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"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (Psalm 100:4).

Thankfulness, Day 7

Today, the day before Thanksgiving, as I sit watching old episodes of Army Wives, I find myself thankful for my freedoms. Yesterday I was thankful for the freedom from sin we have through Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Today, I am thankful not only for that freedom, but also the ones we have in America. I am thankful for the freedom to worship God, the freedom to gather together, the freedom to get an education, the freedom to use that education, and the many others.

I am also thankful for those who dedicate their lives to protecting our freedoms and the freedoms of those who live elsewhere. For all those who fight to defend us, both at home and abroad, both military and civilian, I give thanks to God. I pray for their safety, and that they will put their trust in God.
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"I will give thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you" (Psalm 35:18).

Thankfulness, Day 6

Today I am thankful that we don't have to stay the way we were. I am thankful that God gives us a choice, and a way out of the sin that had sucked us in. I am thankful for the change that occurs once we give our lives to God, and the chance to change our lives through Jesus Christ.

I'm thankful that God loves us enough to pull us out of the muck when we sincerely ask, and that even if we slip up, He is willing to forgive us when we're sorry.

That's what I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful that we have a chance, and that we don't have to live the way we did before God found us.
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"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe" (Hebrews 12:28).

Thankfulness, Day 5

Today, even as I smile at the changing seasons, and prepare to welcome winter, I am thankful for the essentials. I am thankful for enough food, a warm shelter, plenty of clothes, and extra blankets. Today I am thankful that God always provides what we need, whether it's survival essentials, or something else.

Even when not everything is going exactly the way we want them to, there is always a reason to pause and thank God.

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"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Thankfulness, Day 4

Today is day 4 of the "week before Thanksgiving" thankfulness posts.

Today I am thankful for my church. I am glad that God led me to them just when I really needed them. I am thankful that they are all so nice, and that they were so welcoming, especially since I was terrified that first day.

There are still weeks when I don't want to go for some reason (I'm tired,  I have things to do, etc.) but I'm thankful that I have a church to go to. I'm also thankful that God provides ways for me to get to church, no matter what.

Today, since it's Thanksgiving week, we sang songs of thanksgiving. We sang praises to God this morning, and it was wonderful. The first one we sang was "This is the day the Lord has made." 

It says "I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart..."

Normally, I'd match that song with the verse it's pulled from, but I'm going to save that verse for another post.

It's been really fun finding all these verses about thanksgiving, and I can't wait to find more!
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"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High" (Psalm 7:17).

Thankfulness, Day 3

Today is day 3 of my Thanksgiving week thankfulness posts.

Today I am thankful specifically for my mother. She's always there when I need her, and she loves me unconditionally. She has taught me everything I needed to know to grow into the woman I am today. Though we don't always agree on everything, we agree when it counts, and she would stand with me against anyone. She is always willing to discuss big decisions with me, and though her opinion may differ, she will support my decisions.

So, today I am very thankful for my mother. I love her very much. I am very grateful God made me her daughter.
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"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise you glorious name" (1 Chronicles 29:13).

Thankfulness, Day 2

Today is the second day of my thankfulness posts. I will be doing one every day through Thanksgiving.

Today, I am thankful for my family and friends. They are there when I need them for something, and they are there when I don't need anything at all. They love and accept me just as I am, even with all my faults. I am thankful that God has placed so many amazing people into my life.

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"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" (Psalm 106:1).

Thankfulness, Day 1

Amazing news! I went to the eye doctor earlier this summer, and for the first time ever, I don't need a new prescription! My eyes aren't any worse, and should be leveling off. Praise the Lord!

With Thanksgiving coming up, I wanted to do at least one post about thankfulness. Then I thought: Why only do one? So, for the next 7 days I'll be doing a post about something I'm thankful for. It just seemed right to start with this amazing news.

So, today I am thankful for my sight. I am thankful that even though I have to wear glasses, my eyesight hasn't gotten any worse this year.
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"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

Wednesday Service

I have often wondered if it's necessary to go to church on Wednesdays, or days other than Sunday.

I finally came to this conclusion:

If you have the time and the means to go to church, do it. Any time spent in fellowship with our brothers and sisters learning about God's Word, is time well spent, I think. However, I don't think we have to go to church on days other than Sunday.

In fact, it's our choice. We don't have to do anything. But we should. If we can only go one day, we should probably go on Sunday. We should take full advantage of our rights (speaking as an American) and our freedom to worship God. We should look forward to going. Go to Sunday school. Go to service. Spend a little time talking to the people you may only see once a week. We should enjoy taking the time to learn from the pastors and elders in the church.

If we can't go to Wednesday service for some reason, I personally don't think it's a big deal. We just have to be careful that it doesn't lead to a pattern of slacking off from church, or reading God's Word.

Then again, perhaps it's best to go as often as we possibly can.
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"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Just Visiting

Sometimes I feel out of place among people. The world's ideals are much different than my ideals, and God's ideals. But it's okay that I feel out of place here sometimes. We aren't meant to live permanently on this earth. We are meant to reside in heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21 - But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

John 15:19 - "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

John 17:15-16 - "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."

Romans 12:2 - 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.

It's okay if we don't fit in with everyone, and it's okay if we don't conform to the world's standards. In fact, we shouldn't. We aren't meant to fit in here, because we are chosen out of the world, as God's children. We are meant for a heavenly dwelling, and we should act like it, no matter what the world thinks.

Don't Say It Lightly

I once learned that "Amen" means "I believe." It doesn't. Today in church, I learned that it means "It is so," or "Let it be." Either way, it's an agreement. When we say "amen," we agree with whatever is said, especially in the context of God's Word. Dictionary.com says it can also mean "verily," or "truly."

I learned something new today! How exciting! So, now when I use the word "Amen," it takes on new meaning. It doesn't just mean that I believe what is said. It is an agreement with what is said. Does that make sense? It makes complete sense in my head.

Anyway, that's just something cool I learned today.
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"To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Philippians 4:20).
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen" (Philippians 4:23).

Troubled Times and Distressed Days

Psalm 119:143-144 - Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.

Even during distressing days or troubled times, God is always with us. We can find peace, and even delight in the worst of times if we only trust in Him, and follow Him. The peace and wisdom that only God can give us can calm us even in the fiercest of storms, and light even the darkest nights.

Trust Once Broken

Trust. What is it? How do we learn it? How do we lose it? How can we learn it again?

We read this book in Sunday School, and it was great! It has some thought-provoking information, and great exercises to help work through trust issues that inevitably happen over the course of human lives. I highly recommend it.

It is very difficult to trust again once it's been broken, especially if it happens a lot. The key, I've found, is to begin to let it go. Easier said than done. Give it to God. Of course, if our trust in God is broken for some perceived wrong, then this becomes very difficult to do. This book has sections on learning to trust people, and learning to trust God...again.
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"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you" (Psalm 9:10).

Behave!

Ever notice that Peter tells us to watch our behavior a lot?

So, I was absolutely going to try to tackle one of the many topics I have saved as drafts. But when I checked my Bible app, the verse of the day was interesting. So I'm going to do a post about it instead. :)

1 Peter 2:15-17 - For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. Show proper respect for everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

So, basically...behave ourselves. We have to conduct ourselves as God's children, as God's servants. When we behave as we should, when we conduct ourselves properly, as God tells us to do in His Word, His glory can be seen, and others will take notice. We have to believe in what we're doing though. We have to feel strong conviction for obeying God.

In high school, it so wasn't cool to be a virgin. Yet, I was, and still am. I choose to wait until I'm married and share that only with my husband, as God commands. That has always been something I feel very strongly about. I expected to be ridiculed because it was standard high school behavior - to ridicule those who remain virgins. Of course, it was also a small town around the Bible Belt, but still...it's high school! No one ever ridiculed me though. If asked, I would reply honestly, always with conviction. I like to think that the certainty in me, the conviction, that nothing would ever change my mind, stopped the ridicule, at least in part. High school is tough enough without that kind of ridicule.

So, we have to stand firm in our beliefs. We have to believe them, and live them every day, so that others can see God through us.

We must love our fellow believers, and respect others and those in authority.

I think 1 Peter is going to be the next book I read when I finish 1 Kings. I keep finding such interesting verses in it.

Slack

So, I know I've been slacking in my blog posts. I missed a post yesterday because I didn't do it when I was supposed to and time got away from me. I have a lot of posts saved as drafts and they're almost ready to go. I just have to do a little research. That's fun for me! I like doing research, and I love learning about God's Word.

So, why is it so hard for me to sit down for a set time every day and work on my blog? One word: slack.

I'm slacking. I've let my inspiration go slack. I've let everything else I have to do (or want to do) become more important than studying the things I want to learn about God's Word. It's bound to happen that life gets away from me sometimes, but if I know I'm going to be super busy one day, I can do the research early - a day or even a week before - so that I don't miss that lesson.

I still have a lot to learn. Part of that is learning how to combat the procrastination that sneaks up on me. I'm starting to get my drive back, and I think I've almost worked out a better schedule. I hope to do better in future!
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So, I found several Proverbs dealing with slack and laziness, but I didn't like them when applied to this situation (of course) so I'm going to use a different verse.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:23-24).

God's Splendor

If you haven't read the book of Job, I recommend it. Not only does it teach a very good lesson, but it provides amazing descriptions of who God is.

Today's Bible verse of the day was from Job 37:5-6.

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

Later in the chapter it says:

He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lighting through them. At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love (Job 37:11-13).

God has control over everything, even if it's as small as a drop of moisture.

Job 37:22-24 - Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness he does not oppress. Therefore, the people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?

Of course, with Jesus loving sacrifice, God is no longer completely beyond our reach. No longer unattainable. But He is still exalted in the heavens, still revered forever.

Talking to God

I don't think talking to God always has to be a formal affair. Sometimes we absolutely need to turn off everything, kneel down, quiet ourselves, and pray humbly and respectfully to The Lord.

Kneeling isn't always possible when we need to talk to God. If something's gone wrong and you have to get out and go for a drive to calm down, and you talk to God while you're driving, that's fine. Fantastic even.

We can talk to God anytime, anywhere and He will always listen. It doesn't have to be super formal. We don't have to get into a "prayer closet" to talk to God. Sometimes we need to find that quiet place to spend a longer amount of time with Him, but not always. He is with us all the time, so we can talk to Him whenever we have a quiet moment, or whenever we need to. It can be a quick prayer inside our hearts, or an hour-long rant.

The thing is, we need to talk to God. We need to talk to God. He loves us and wants to know what's going on. He may not always offer an immediate solution, but talking to Him lifts burdens and brings peace. It's wonderful.

Talking to God deepens our relationship with Him, just as reading His Word does.

Still, we do have to be careful of the way we talk to God. Though it doesn't always have to be formal, it should be loving and respectful. We aren't always though. We're human. We doubt. We slip up. We question. But God forgives.

I also just found this article where the author does a good job of covering the subject of both talking and listening to God. I'm glad I took the time to read it.
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"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

You're Worth It

Matthew 10:28-31 - Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

God cherishes us, and loves us. He knows what will happen, and though He would spare us pain, He gives us free will, and sometimes the choices we make lead to pain down the road. There are kinds of pain, of course, that have nothing to do with the choices we make, but everything to do with the progression of life - the death of a family member. Perhaps they died too young in our eyes. But we don't know God's plan. He sees all. Maybe that one incident that caused their death made them look up and see God, and truly believe in Him. Perhaps if they'd lived beyond that point, they would have strayed from God and never found their way back, and so He takes them to be with Him so that when eternity comes, we can see them again.

God cares about each and every one of us. He knows the number of hairs on our heads! Let me repeat that. He cares enough about us to learn the exact number of hairs that grow on our heads. Wow. No matter how much I loved someone, I would get bored far too quickly to learn that! God's love knows no limits.

Following Blindly

When I posted about respecting those in authority, especially those in government, I realized I wanted to do a follow-up post too. Today's post is about not following those in authority blindly.

In God's Word, we learn how those in authority are supposed to act, and how we are meant to respond to those in authority. There are stories of those who act against the will of God, and His people. There are stories of those who try to act for their own gain, but fail. There are stories of those in authority who start out doing God's will, but slip up.

There are many stories of God appointing leaders according to the prayers of His people. And there are stories of how God will turn away from His people when they aren't truly serving Him, especially if it's a whole nation.

Just because someone is in a position of authority in our government, doesn't mean they are always right. Only God is God. When God's people begin to blindly follow those in authority instead of recognizing when something goes against God's laws, I believe God will stop listening. In that way, they are putting the those in authority (this especially applies to government) above God, and thus, treating them as gods, as though their laws were higher than God's. So, we have to pay attention to what goes on in our government, and the laws they want to pass. Above all, we have to pray.
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"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

The Reigning King

Sometimes I need a reminder of exactly who God is. I don't mean the endless adjectives we could use to describe Him either - faithful, all-powerful, loving, good, truth. I mean who He is. God is The King, and He rules a kingdom.

A king has absolute power. Absolute authority. He makes the laws and the people follow them. If they don't, there are consequences. That's how it is with God. A relationship with God isn't a democracy, but it's not exactly a dictatorship either. We have free will. We can do as we please, but there are consequences to actions that go against God's laws.

We are His children. We are His servants. We are His. And what an amazing feeling, to know that we belong to The King of Kings.
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"The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity" (Psalm 9:7-8).

Mocked

Psalm 119:51-52 - The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them.

God's people will be mocked by those who do not believe. Some will never understand God's ways, or why we follow Him. Even when we are opposed, we must still follow God's laws.

Matthew 10:22 - You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

There are people who will oppose those who believe in and follow God. We must stand firm, and unwavering. It will be unpleasant, sometimes painful, and sometimes it may seem hopeless. But I know that I serve a God who is above all things, who reigns victorious.

Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

I love this verse. "God cannot be mocked."

The Amplified version says "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap" (Galatians 6:7).

So, normally I don't like the Amplified version as much, but I really do like the additional information in this verse.

"God will not allow Himself to be sneered at...by His precepts being set aside."

There are those who will try to put aside God's laws. But God cannot be mocked. Those who try to be God in place of God by considering themselves higher than God, and the laws He has put in place, will not succeed. Perhaps He will allow it for a time, because, as I mentioned yesterday, we get what we ask for, but in the end, God is still in charge.

Respect for the Government

So, a lot of people have issues with the decisions of those in authority in their governments. It happens in America all the time.

And today's Bible verse of the day just happens to be:

Romans 13:1 - Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

So, we should respect those in authority. Even if we don't agree with them on everything, they deserve our respect. Why? Well, because God put them there. Even if they don't serve God, they can still fulfill a part of God's plan. In the Bible, God gave His people leaders when they asked, often ones they chose. Those leaders didn't always work out, but the people got what they asked for. And when it didn't work out, they called on God to change it. So, we can do that too. One thing we should always do is to pray for the leaders in our government. God can guide them. God can change their hearts. And God can remove them, if need be. Our God is bigger than absolutely anything, or anyone, especially the government.

We get what we ask for. Sometimes it won't really be good for us, but often if it isn't, we'll still learn a valuable lesson. Hopefully that lesson will be: God knows best. When electing officials to positions of authority, we should pray and ask God's guidance.

We don't know everything that goes on, but He does. We have to lean on His wisdom, rather than trying to decide based on our own understanding.

A Heart Full of Worship

In church today the praise & worship team sang this song, and I was super excited! I absolutely love this song!

When we get rid of everything else, and focus solely on God, then we can worship Him truly, with every single part of our hearts. That's what He wants. It's all about our attitudes. Sometimes it's hard to get into the mindset of total worship. Sometimes we just need to make the time. Often, this happens in church on Sundays. Some Sundays it's difficult to get into this mindset too. That happens. But if we truly focus completely on God and His Spirit, we can get into this mindset very easily.

So, today I just wanted to share this song, because when the praise & worship team sang it today it made me super happy.
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"Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs" (Psalm 100:2).

Our Hearts' Eyes

Ephesians 1:18 - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people...

This is today's verse of the day on my Bible app. I check it every day to see if the verse speaks to me and inspires me to do a post. Today it did.

We need to see not with our eyes, but with our hearts. In order to see God, we can't look with our earthly eyes; we must look with our spiritual eyes. God can open the eyes of our hearts so that we can see what we are meant to see in every situation.

This song is one of my favorites.

I Can Do More

Today I did something interesting. I washed my clothes in the regular washer, and then I hung them up on the backyard clothesline to dry in the sun. I know. Not very exciting. But I learned a lesson. I think.

I can do it! I can do more than I thought I could. When I first heard that we'd have to dry clothes outside, I thought "Ludicrous! What era are we living in?" Really. I did.

Yet, I was able to do without a fancy modern dryer, and hang laundry the old-fashioned way. It was kind of fun. For now. I'm sure the newness and adventure will wear off fast, but I will still know that I can do whatever I need to do. Sometimes it's not the big things that surprise us, but the little things. Sometimes proving that we can do even the little things is a really good start. 

I draw the line at washing clothes the old-fashioned way though...
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"Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands" (Job 4:3).

The Necessities

How much stuff do we need? How much is enough? How much is too much? We live in a world of consumerism, where we are taught that enough is never enough.

Lately I have been downsizing (because of a move) and I realized how much junk I have that I don't need. Some stuff I want to keep because of sentimental value, but I doubt the person who gave it to me even remembers.

I looked around today and realized "I don't need this stuff." I don't need it to be happy, and all it does is weigh me down and clutter my life.

So, even though the move is over, the removal of clutter will continue. I don't know how much stuff I will have once this is all over, but I'm hoping it'll be a lot less.

Just making this decision today made me a lot happier! From now on, I'm going to focus on the necessities by asking this question: "Do I really need this, or do I just want it?" And I think it's okay to have some things you just want. But don't let them accumulate too much.

I'm not going to do it all at once either. I think that might send my system into shock. Rather, I'm going to do it in stages. First, I'll start with movies I no longer watch. I'm already reading through the books I've accumulated so that I can get rid of them when I'm done.

As the months go on, I'll get rid of knickknacks I don't really have any sentimental attachment to. One day, I hope to be rid of all the unnecessary miscellaneous things that have cluttered and taken over my life. Hopefully by the next time I have to move, I won't have nearly as many things I don't need, or really want.

I encourage anyone who is struggling with clutter, or throwing things out to look up minimalism. Often the blogs and websites have great strategies for letting go of things we have sentimental attachment to, or think we need, but actually don't. Usually, they have steps and stages, so that you don't go into shock.
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Jesus said "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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Hmm...

What does one say when there's nothing to say? Do I just create a blog post filled with nothing just to make a post? Do I fill it with fun stuff just to entertain you? I'm not sure.

Today was a good day. I'm taking a business class at the local community college. We had our first quiz today and I did well. Our first test is Thursday and I'm a little nervous, but I can do it.

I'm not sure I want to go back to school though. I wanted to get a degree in business, but I don't think I have it in me anymore to study like I used to. I've been out of college for only 2 years, but I just don't feel like I can study like I used to.

The class is fun though, and I'm learning a lot. Whether I use it to start my own business, or just to be more informed as a consumer, it'll be helpful. I really needed this class, but I don't think I'll take more.

God truly does provide opportunities. You just have to be willing to take a chance.
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"You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way" (Psalm 18:35-36).

Open Rebuke

This has been bothering me for a while now.

Should a pastor call out a sin in front of the whole congregation? Should a pastor throw people who won't listen to correction from the church?

I guess it makes sense in a way. If a person at church continues to sin even after being confronted by the pastor, then it could infect the whole congregation.

I guess my hang up with this is the embarrassment factor. But I guess it could embarrass someone to the point of giving up the sin. Personally, I don't think I could go back to that church though. I absolutely hate to be embarrassed. And if someone else does it to me, it's worse. So, personally speaking, it might encourage me to stop committing that sin, but I would be unable to return to that church.

I guess it would be one thing to do it quietly, but in front of the whole congregation just seems too much to me. I could be wrong, of course. What do you think?
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"Better is open rebuke than hidden love" (Proverbs 27:5).
"Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning" (1 Timothy 5:19-20).

C.S. Lewis -

“I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait." - C.S. Lewis

I love quotes from C.S. Lewis. They're always so inspirational!

We don't know God's plan. He doesn't keep us waiting for stuff to hurt us. God has perfect timing. He knows if we need to wait for a time before we can truly appreciate something. He knows if we truly need something. God will give us exactly what we need in His timing, exactly when we need it.

And yes, I know I've talked about God's timing a lot...
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"As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).

The Lord is My Shield

Psalm 18:30 - As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.

Okay, so I love the Psalms. A lot. They're just so amazing, and inspiring, and helpful!

When I wrote out another verse from this chapter yesterday, my eyes were drawn to today's verse.

God is perfect. His way is perfect. His word is without any flaws. He will never lie. His Word does not lie. God is truth. He will guide us, protect us, and help us.

Psalm 3:3 - But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

Psalm 7:10 - My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

Don't be a Diva!

Words matter. The words we use matter. The words we use to describe ourselves matter, even just in fun. We have to be careful of the words we associate with ourselves, and what we answer to.

Diva is an old Italian word for goddess. It has other definitions too. "Prima donna." "Divine (one)" (Dictionary.com). It also has lots of negative connotations. I don't think it's a word Christian women should want to use to describe themselves.

We are meant to be humble. We can excel in what we do, and even outshine others, but we can't keep the glory. It belongs to God. Someone who is a true diva can't put God first because she thinks first of herself. Divas also have "attitude." By society's standards that is okay, if sometimes not nice. By God's standards, it isn't okay. We aren't meant to exalt ourselves above others. We aren't meant to have "attitude." We are meant to humble ourselves, be compassionate, and serve others, as Christ did.

Just a thought for today.
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"Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:3).

"You save the humble, but bring low those whose eyes are haughty" (Psalm 18:27).

Be There for Each Other

Hello to everyone who reads my blog. Just a quick note: I'm moving! This shouldn't have any effect on you, my dear readers, because I'm scheduling posts for this weekend. However, if something happens and there are no posts, it just means something went wrong with my scheduling. Not to worry. When I get Internet back, and have time to look at my blog, I will fix it.

Now, on with today's post...

Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We are meant to help each other, and uplift each other. When one member of the Church suffers, we all suffer, so we have to take special care to be there for one another and take care of each other.

Sometimes this means helping a neighbor or friend with a project. Sometimes it means being a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes it means listening without judgment. Sometimes it's enough to just let someone know in some small way that you're there for them.

John 13:34 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

The Trouble with Stress

The trouble with stress is that it steals our joy. It consumes us until we can only think of the thing that's stressing us out. It causes doubts.

Everyone gets stressed from time to time. Currently, I'm taking a business class at my local community college. It's only been 2 years since I was in college, but I find that I am not used to doing homework anymore. So today was pretty stressful. I think I will normally be able to use the weekend to do homework so that I don't have to play catch up on Wednesdays.

There are many reasons for stress. Some are natural, and produce good results - deadlines, and the fight or flight response. Other scenarios can end in arguments, tears, or physical illness.

So, it's important to know how to deal with stress. There are many techniques to relieve it. The one that I have found most useful of late is reading my Bible. Seriously. Once I moved from the book of Acts to the 1st book of Kings, I find that I'm enjoying it a lot more. It's a wonderful stress reliever.

So, when you get stressed, take some time to do something just for you. Take a bubble bath. Read a chapter in a book. Read something from your favorite book of the Bible. I find that the Psalms can be very comforting and inspiring.
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"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31).

A Great Book, A Great Blog

My dear friend Ms. Birrer has a dad. Her dad has a blog. His blog is the place where he can post chapters of some books he has written. They're very good. Sometimes instead of chapters, he comes out with inspirational posts instead.

The blog, Walking with Faith, is one I would recommend to everyone. He is also looking for constructive feedback on his book, so feel free to give him some advice.

I hope you all enjoy it! It's very interesting.
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"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29).

"For we live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Solomon Succeeds David

Well, I've put aside the book of Acts for now, and have started 1 Kings. I have already read both books of Samuel, and am excited to start the books of Kings. The first chapter starts with David declaring Solomon his heir, and Solomon becomes king that day, instead of Adonijah who presumed (wrongly, and without consulting his father, David) that he would be king. Such drama. The first chapter ended well though - no one died.

I'm excited to read about Solomon. 1st and 2nd Kings also contain the stories of Elijah and Elisha. While I mostly know their stories, I am super excited to finally be reading them for myself.

So, I guess that's what was missing from my reading of the book of Acts - the excitement. How strange. I suppose I'm just not ready for the book yet. That's okay. I don't feel ready for the book of Revelation either, but I'll get to it eventually.

I'll try to post interesting tidbits about Solomon's reign as I read them, but they'll probably be broken up by other topics. I do encourage everyone to read David's story, as well as Solomon's.
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"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long" (Psalm 25:5).

A Strange Predicament

I don't like the book of Acts. So far. I can't really explain why except, well, I'm bored. Is that normal? Or is it just me?

I just can't seem to connect with the book. So I think I'm going to take a break from it and go back into the Old Testament. Though I know them, I haven't yet read the stories of Elijah, Elisha, or even Moses. 

I've been told Peter's books are good and that he's more relatable than Paul so I have a lot of options. Of course, there are other books I haven't read, but I think I'll just keep my choices limited to these for now.

I guess I don't really have much to say today. I'm just chronicling my need to take a break from Acts, and asking if it's normal to feel that way about the book. 

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"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me" (Psalm 51:12).

The Goodness

In spite of the way things are going in the world today, overall, I still believe in the good in people. Most of the time. I have to. If I didn't believe in the good, I don't know how I could get through each day. 

I know, that no matter how bad it gets, God is still The King. He is still the Victor. I know how the world ends, and it ends in favor of God, and those who truly believe in and serve Him. It may not turn the way we want or expect it to, but God knows exactly what He is doing, and all things will happen in His perfect time.

So, I still believe in the good in people. I believe that most people genuinely have the capacity for good, and that many of them genuinely want to do good. I believe this, because I know that nothing is impossible with God. He can turn any heart toward Him, and use any person for His purpose. Look at Saul. He was a really bad dude, but God gave him a spiritual experience he couldn't doubt or forget, and he began to serve The Lord, under a new, renewed, name - Paul.

In spite of the way the world is, in spite of all the bad stuff that's happening, I still believe in the good, because God is good, and He is still in control.
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"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13).

The Open Door Policy

Tonight I watched Disney's Frozen again, and the song Love is an Open Door is now stuck in my mind.

It sparked this thought: God's door is always open, if only we will seek entry. It isn't hard to gain admittance to God's kingdom, and it's free, because Jesus already paid the price in full. All we have to do is want to walk through the door and live in God's courts. This includes, of course, being willing to live by the laws of His kingdom.

In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Pleasing to God

Psalm 19:14 - May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.


This is what we should always strive for. I pray, and meditate, and do my best to make sure that what I put on my blog will be pleasing to God. We should always pray that the words we speak, and the thoughts we think are pleasing to God, and that they glorify Him always.

Now, sometimes we will mess up; we're flawed, after all. But the majority of the time, we should be able to control the thoughts and especially the words that we know would displease God.

When it does become difficult to control thoughts or words that we know would displease God, we can pray for strength, and temperance, and that God would guard our words.

If we slip up in thought, word, or deed, we will usually know. Then, we can sincerely ask for forgiveness. I have had times when I needed several hours to truly feel sorry for a thought or a word against someone, usually the amount of time it took for me to think more rationally about the situation. Then, I was able to truly, and sincerely ask forgiveness for sinning against that person either by my speech, or just in my heart.

The heart part counts. Sometimes we don't have to say something in order to sin. Sometimes all it takes is a wrong thought in our hearts. That part is most difficult to control. After all, our thoughts are private. No one will ever hear them - except God. So we have to be especially careful in this regard, to keep even our thoughts pleasing to The Lord.

We may not succeed all the time, but I believe that the more time we spend in prayer, meditation, and actively seeking God, the easier it will be, and the fewer displeasing thoughts we will have.

Great Things

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." - Mother Teresa

I agree. We aren't all called to do big things. But I think even the small things can be great. We each have abilities, and we use those abilities to serve God the best we can.
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"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21).

People of a Particular Sort

“We might think that God wanted simply obedience to a set of rules: whereas He really wants people of a particular sort.” - C.S. Lewis

God calls us for purpose. We aren't just here to grudgingly follow the rules, and try to live a good life. It's much more than that. When we accept Jesus as our savior, and accept God into our lives, our innermost self is transformed. We will begin to desire the things God treasures, and to want others to experience the wonder of truly knowing our Heavenly Father.

It's a life-changing experience.
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"Do not conform to the pattern of the 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).

Skies of Blue

One thing I have decided to do here is to promote and recommend Christian blogs that teach, encourage, and engage me. Today's post is the first of (hopefully) many.

Chasing Blue Skies is amazing! Real life examples and engaging stories pull together for a wonderful Christian blog. She doesn't post every day, but does post often. You can subscribe via email if you wish (and you get a free ebook if you do). I use Feedly to subscribe to most of my blog posts, but I have subscribed to this one via email.

I encourage you to check out this blog. It truly is wonderful!
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"My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long" (Psalm 35:28).

In Appreciation

October is Pastor appreciation month. It is a month we can dedicate to the celebration and appreciation of those who teach and lead us spiritually in the church. We can reflect on all they do to assist us, and to help us grow - individually and as a church.

Today the church honored our non-senior pastors and teachers with flowers and gifts.

Next week, we will be honoring the senior pastors. There will also be an appreciation dinner after church. What will your church be doing?

Even if something isn't organized, remember to appreciate your pastors. They do work very hard, and they're never off the clock!
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"Now here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever desires to be an overseer [bishop, etc] desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money..." (1 Timothy 3:1-3).

"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other" (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

Thanks for the Grub!

Why do we give thanks before meals? Why specifically mealtime? This is my random thought for the day.

This is what I came up with: It's to show appreciation and thankfulness for what God has given us. It's not just about the food. It's about being grateful that we have enough to provide for our basic needs, and put food on the table. That's why I think we give thanks at that time. It's a moment to thank God, not just for the food, but for everything He has done for us.

It is a time when the whole family is gathered together, traditionally at least, so mealtime is often the best time to give thanks to God for His blessings.
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"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" (1 Chronicles 16:34).

Be Wary of That Train

I love when a secular song speaks to me spiritually, especially if it's on purpose. I find that this happens most with country music.

Today's post includes the song Long Black Train by Josh Turner. I'm super excited about this.

The devil is waiting for just that one chance to snatch us up, but remember that Jesus has already given us the victory!

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"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).