Like Little Children

By: Joanne Viola

 If you have spent some time with little children, you quickly come to recognize how they truly enjoy life. A toddler lives with a transparency that expresses their wants and emotions, putting them out there for everyone to see. 

My thirteen month old granddaughter knows exactly where to go to get the Rice Chex cereal when she wants a snack. When she is thirsty, she points and yells for my cup of water. At the mere sight of pasta, she wants to sit and partake.

At the sound of music, she begins to dance without caring if anyone is looking, in complete and utter abandon and enjoyment of the music.

And Jesus says to us:

“I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3, NLT)

The phrase has been stuck in my thoughts for days – “like little children.” Jesus calls us to become like little children but what does this mean?

• Children are humble. They do not have any intentions of making a name for themselves. They are not yet caught up in status nor in being recognized.
• Children know they need help. Unlike adults, who can think they can do a task on their own, children are aware of their need of help. They know when a task is too difficult to attempt solely on their own efforts.
• Children ask, and keep asking. They are not ashamed to ask repeatedly for something they are wanting to eat, drink, or do.

It’s the last point which has had my attention, for God, our Father, wants us, His children, to come to Him in prayer and ask.

In her book, The Jesus Who Surprises, Dee Brestin writes:

“Satan wants to cause attachment disorder between God and us. This is a term to describe children who have trouble attaching to anyone because of abuse in their formative years. Satan wants to convince us that God does not love us and does not want the best for us so that we will back away and stop talking to Him, throwing away our only lifeline.” (page 100)

We must stay attached to our Father, for He is our lifeline through the power of prayer.We must be diligent in our fight to stay attached, daily coming to Him in prayer and making our needs known.

"He made us, He knows us, and He longs for honest communication. Intimacy is possible only when pretense is gone."(also from The Jesus Who Surprises, page 105)

Perhaps Jesus knew of our propensity towards “attachment disorder” and this is the very reason He bids us “Come".

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” 

(Matthew 11:28, NLT)

Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash

Clear Out the Old to Make Room for the New

by Elizabeth Stewart

Last January, as the new year began, I wrote a post about this verse from the book of Isaiah, and as the year is winding down it's still on my mind and heart.

"Forget about what’s happened;

    don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert, be present. 

I’m about to do something brand-new.

    It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?

There it is!

 I’m making a road through the desert,

    rivers in the badlands." 

Isaiah 43:19 MSG

I don't think God is ever about ho-hum, boring, and status quo. We may feel stuck in the rut of our ordinary life. We may feel like an old dog that's too old to learn new tricks. But our God is a God of new life, new seasons, renewal and new mercies for every new day. He wants to do something brand new in our lives.

Just a few days ago was the first day of autumn, the start of a new season. The leaves are beginning to change color and fall off of the trees making room for the new growth that will come next spring. Perhaps the reason we aren't experiencing new growth in our walk with God is because there are some things we have to clear out in order to make room for the new. 

-Let go of the past. It's impossible for you to walk expectantly into the future carrying all of the baggage of the past along with you. You cannot change the failures of your past. You cannot change the hurts and disappointments you've been through in the past. With God's help, you can repent of your failures, receive God's forgiveness, and move on. With God's help, you can forgive those who hurt or failed you and receive healing for your wounded soul and walk forward into your future. With God's help, you can stop going over your old history, shut the door to your past, and walk forward into the new season that God has for you. 

-Let go of bitterness. One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Lamentations three. I think I love it because it's just so gut-level honest. In this chapter Jeremiah is telling God what a bitter lot in life God has given him. For twenty verses he rehearses all of his suffering and then in verse 21 a shift happens, Jeremiah lets go of his bitterness and embraces God's new mercy.

" But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation: It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23 AMPC

-Let go of fear.  Change can be scary. The familiar always feels safer than embracing change, But, in God, we should be in a state of continual growth and change. We should be like a tree, bearing fruit when it's harvest time, letting go when it's the season to shed our old leaves, sprouting new leaves in the spring, constantly growing, changing, maturing. We have to let go of our fear, trust God and yield to this process in our lives.

"And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]." Psalm 1:3 AMPC

It's a new season, autumn. It can be a new season in our lives as well. Are we willing to make room for the new thing God wants to do?

justfollowingjesus.com

Sitting Still With God

By: Sarah Geringer

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

Fall is my favorite time of year, but it also tends to be my busiest season. This fall will be no different.

Recently I was listening to a podcast while I was working. One sentence stopped me in my tracks. The teacher said, "Make sure some of your Bible study time every day is just for you and God."

I thought, "When is the last time I simply sat still with God?"

For the past 16 years, I've met God in the morning with my One Year Bible. To be honest with you, my daily Bible habit falls to the wayside when I get super busy. That's probably contributing to the stressed, busy feeling that hunts me so often.

As I survey the rest of the fall, my schedule is not slowing down. But if I don't make time to simply sit with God, my peace will be destroyed.

I'm going to resume my morning Bible study. I've also decided to meet God in the narrow space of time that's available to me daily: driving.

For the rest of autumn, when I'm alone in the car, I'm planning to sit with God. When I drop my children off, I pretend I'm picking Jesus up and asking him to ride in the passenger seat. I'm turning off the radio and talking to him. (If you pull up beside me and see me talking to "no one," you'll understand why.)

I'll praise him and thank him for my blessings. I'll talk with him about what's going on. I'll ask him for help and guidance. In this way, my drive time will fill up my peace tank. Since I'm in the car alone about an hour each day through the week, that's five or six hours I can spend alone with God. Hooray for reclaimed peace!

I have a feeling you're dealing with stress and busyness too. Will you use your drive time for time with God? If driving won't work, what other time can you use to reclaim peace? I'd love to hear back from you on creative ways you're sitting still with God. 

If you want to share feedback on this post, please leave a comment below. You can always share at my site if you have any trouble leaving a comment here.

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Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings and God's peace to you,

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

Photo from Canva.com

Reflection questions:

1. What is stressing you out the most right now?

2. When is the best time for you to sit still with God every day?

Just As I Am

By: Jenifer Metzger

Recently my husband and I were discussing old hymns. Many churches like to stay away from hymns, thinking they just sound so old. But have you ever listened to the words of an old hymn? Really listened. Have you ever just let the words of these classic songs flood your heart?

Hymns were written in times of despair, when all they could do was lean on Jesus. Hymns were written in times of rejoicing, praising His holy name. Hymns weren't written to entertain or make money. They were written out of a place in the heart of someone truly seeking God.

The words of hymns can impact our lives still today. Just As I Am was written by Charlotte Elliot in 1835. Charlotte was disabled which at that time caused her to not be able to attend and serve in the church. She was hurt and angry. She realized she was wrong and decided that she had to clean her attitude up so that she could come to God. A pastor told her to just come as she is. This was a life changing moment for her and she penned the words of the beautiful hymn. A hymn that is still has meaning today. Many people still think they can't come to God until they clean up their life. But we truly can come just as we are. Jesus loves us, junk and all.

Read the words of Just As I Am and let them fill your heart today.

Just as I am, without one plea

But that thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,

Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because Thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown

Has broken every barrier down

Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

What is your favorite hymn?

It's time for Share A Link Wednesday! Each Wednesday we invite you to leave a link to your latest blog post in the comments. We still desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories.

Who are You Making a Name For?

By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of BBH Singapore

"And they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.' But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, 'Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.'So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth." ~Genesis 11:4-9 

Working and ministering in the book-writing, blogging, podcasting, and speaking space, I know just how easy it is to fall into the very same desires and temptations expressed by those who built the Tower of Babel. Everywhere I turn are entrepreneurial gurus sharing their best tips on how you can  get noticed on social media, increase your engagement, build your platform, and get your name and brand out there.

The problem is that, as believers, this life was never meant to be about us. We have been created as image bearers of God, tasked with the mission of being ambassadors of Christ who are spreading the good news of the gospel wherever we go. We are to make much of Christ, and seek to make His name great and His truth known.

Instead, however, many believers (including myself, at times!) battle with the temptation to make a name for themselves, desiring to be famous in the eyes of the masses. But this will not ultimately fill us up, nor will it make us truly impactful for the kingdom of God. Rather, pride comes before a fall, as Proverbs tells us.

If we want to live lives of impact for the kingdom of God, we need to be about the work of spreading the name, goodness, truth, love, and character of God - not ourselves. We need to be comfortable with fading into the background so that Christ can shine forth through us. We need to be willing to be humble and lowly in our service to Christ was just as Christ Himself was when He came to serve us.

That, my friend, will lead to your living a truly fruitful and world-changing life. If, however, you seek to hold fast to your life, your popularity, and your fame, you will lose it all.

Our Unbreakable Spiritual Lifeline

By: Joanne Viola

Hope.

It’s the feeling things will turn out for the best, or what one is desiring will be obtained or achieved.

“We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline …”
(Hebrews 6:18, MSG)

 

As we face hard or seemingly impossible situations, our hope often wanes. We can feel like we have lost our hope. There seems to be no signs of change, of improvement, or a resolution.

It can be hard to be patient and wait for things to get better. Sometimes we get tired of trusting and being patient. We lose our desire to even hope.

This is when we need someone to hold on for us.

Once we experience hope, the writer of Hebrews encourages us to grab hold of the promised hope, hold on with all our might, and never let hope slip from our hands.

Hope becomes our unbreakable spiritual lifeline, the lifeline we hold onto for ourselves and to offer others.

With hope the clouds split, the sun shines, and the day dawns, as the promise comes.

We receive hope from others and in turn, we offer that same hope to others when they need someone to hold hope out. It is a most precious gift to be the recipient of someone hoping on your behalf.

We receive the lifeline of hope,
so we can offer the lifeline of hope.

Photo by Roan Lavery on Unsplash 

To Be Like Jesus

by Elizabeth Stewart

Have you ever looked in the mirror and realized that something has got to change? "I need to get a haircut." "It's time to get serious about losing some weight!" "This outfit is not flattering on me at all!" We can choose to respond to what we see in the mirror by making the needed changes or we may choose to respond by avoiding the mirror and the truth it reveals to us.

God's Word is the mirror that God has given us to show us the areas in our life where change is needed. Similarly to the way we may respond to the mirror that hangs in our home, we can choose to respond to God's Word by making the needed changes or by avoiding God's Word and the conviction that it brings into our lives.

When I was a young girl there was a song we used to sing that went like this, "To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, is to be like Him." The more we grow and mature in Christ, allowing Him to show us what needs to be changed in our lives and then letting Him help us to change, the more we become like Him.  Amazing things will happen if we dare to pray, "Lord, change me" and then yield and surrender to God as He begins to do so.

First Corinthians 3:18 gives us some practical insights into cooperating with God as He changes us.

1) Approach God with an unveiled face.
When we read God's Word, come to Him in prayer, or enter His presence in worship, it's important that we come unmasked and unhidden. God desires us to come before Him in openness and honesty.

2) Continually look at Jesus through His Word.
The Bible is the tool that the Holy Spirit uses for renewing our mind, restoring our soul and transforming us into the image of Christ. The more we grow in knowing and understanding and loving the Jesus of the Bible through a lifestyle of spending time in the Word of God the more we will become like Him.

3) True change within is a supernatural work of God's Spirit.
God convicts us of areas we need to change. We agree with what He is showing us. We choose to take the necessary steps to change in those areas. But, the actual inward transformation of our mind and heart that changes us in our innermost being is something supernatural that the Holy Spirit does as we yield to His work in us.

4) True change is progressive.
We are never too old to change and we are never too old to need to change. As long as we are breathing, we should be growing and changing, from glory to glory, becoming more and more mature in our walk with God and more and more like Jesus.

The good news is that as long as we are willing to change, as long as we are yielded and surrendered to God's word and His work and His will in our lives, then we will continue to grow and change more and more and more until that glorious day when we are with Christ and fully, completely, wholly transformed into His likeness.

justfollowingjesus.com

When Burdens Weigh You Down

By: Sarah Geringer

Are you feeling weighed down by heavy burdens?

I have been carrying around a few burdens lately. Some are expected in this busy season of launching my book. Others have been handed to me without my consent, yet I must deal with them. They are pressing on me like a weight I can physically feel.

When we feel burdened like this, we must turn to God first for help. He never intends us to carry our burdens by ourselves. He delights in helping us. None of your burdens are too heavy for him.

Jesus promises to help us carry our heavy burdens. He wants to teach us in his gentleness and humility. He tells us that his yoke is light--that's because he's doing the heavy lifting for us (see Matt. 11:28-30).

God showed me a meditation verse in my One Year Bible reading to help me deal with my burdens this week. I want to share it today to encourage you:

"Give your burdens to the Lord,
    and he will take care of you.
    He will not permit the godly to slip and fall."
Psalm 55:22 NLT

When we give our burdens over to the Lord, the pressure falls off. Knowing that he will take care of me and keep me from slipping and falling brings me comfort. Does it bring you comfort too?

I've been naming my burdens to him in prayer and holding my hands out as I imagine releasing them. By using my voice and hands to engage in this prayer, I feel the weight lifting off of me. Sometimes I have to do this again and again to truly experience God's peace. Yet day by day, God is helping me get stronger in faith as I surrender to him.

How will you release your burdens to God today? I encourage you to meet him in honest prayer. Name your burdens and pretend like you are handing them over to the Lord. Repeat Psalm 55:22 out loud, gaining comfort from the verse. I pray that you will be strengthened by God's Word and his loving presence.

Here's a prayer to bless you this week:

Heavenly Father,
I praise you for your mighty strength.
With your help, I don't have to carry my burdens on my own.
Lord, you know all about the burdens I carry.
I give them over to you now.
I trust that you will take care of me
and not let me slip or fall, because you love me.
Lord, continue to do the heavy lifting for me today.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

If you want to share feedback on this post, please leave a comment below. You can always share at my site if you have any trouble leaving a comment here.

If you enjoyed this post, please share on your favorite social media site using the buttons below.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings and God's peace to you,

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

Photo from Canva.com

Reflection questions:

1. Which burden is heaviest for you right now?

2. How can meditating on Psalm 55:22 help you release this burden?