Honoring Others

by Elizabeth Stewart

It's been ten years since my mama went to heaven and there are still moments when I have an overwhelming sense of missing her. I think of the five grandchildren that have been added to our family since she passed away and how tickled she would be with each one of them. I think of questions I wished I had asked her about her life or how she made some of my favorite dishes. With the missing her, comes the knowledge that, at age 63, there are still times I find myself needing my mama. I don't need her to take care of me or to help me; I don't need her for what she could do for me. I need her for what she was to me. 

Knowing that we're wanted and needed is, I believe, a fundamental key to emotional health. I'm fond of telling my grandkids, "If all of the six year old boys, (insert age and sex of whatever grandchild I happen to be talking to at the moment), in the whole wide world were lined up in a big long line and God said, "Pick whichever boy you want as your grandson" I would always choose you." As we age I think it is still important to know that we are wanted and needed. Obviously, there's an unhealthy type of needing. If my grown/independent kids still need me to pay their bills and clean up after them, that's unhealthy. However, to know that you're a valuable and necessary part of someone's life, in the family circle or in the church, is extremely important in my opinion. My Mama's been in heaven ten years now, so I can no longer tell her that I need her, but there are a lot of people in my life that it's not too late for me to tell that they are a much wanted, much needed, important part of my life.

justfollowingjesus.com

If You Are Tempted to Stop Praying

 

By: Sarah Geringer 

Have you been tempted to stop praying? I have, but I've learned WHY God wants me to continue praying. And it's motivated me to keep praying on and on, even for years.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12 NIV 

The Bible clearly tells us to be faithful in prayer. Meaning, to do it day after day after day. But if God already knows the answer, why does he call us to do this?

God wants us to persist in prayer. My pastor says that for reasons we cannot fully understand, God chooses to act within his sovereignty to do certain things using our prayers. I have seen this mystery to hold true. So, all our asking, seeking and knocking (Matt. 7:7-12) really does matter in the heavenly realm.

Yet God has another reason for wanting us to be faithful in prayer. I can speak to this from my own experience. The act of faithful prayer changes MY thoughts and attitudes more than it changes the situation. Faithful prayer shapes me to be more like Christ.

In my own years and years of praying for the same things, God has shaped my character. Through faithful prayer, I've become more patient, compassionate, kind, loving, hopeful and joyful. I can see a big difference in these areas compared when I started praying with impatience, hidden doubt and even grudges.

God has softened me through faithful prayer. He's helped me gain spiritual maturity through the process. That's why I'm not tempted to stop praying anymore. I know that God will work in me as I keep praying, and he'll also answer the prayers in his perfect timing. He'll do this for you too, friend!

Want more encouragement for your prayer life? Check out my recent video testimony HERE and my prayer posts collected on one convenient page HERE.

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

Have a blessed weekend!

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

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Look for His Power

By: Jenifer Metzger

That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people

as well as their foremen, “Don’t continue to supply the people

with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and

gather straw for themselves. But require the same quota of

bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it.

For they are slackers—that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us

go and sacrifice to our God.’ Impose heavier work on the men.

Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to

deceptive words.” Exodus 5:6-9

Today in our Bible reading plan, we are in Exodus 5. God had called on Moses and Aaron to free the Israelites from Pharaoh. However, Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not free the Israelites. Instead, he made life harder for them.

We see in chapter 5 that Pharaoh ordered the Israelites to not be given the supplies they needed to do the job he required of them. My first thought is what a jerk Pharaoh was! While that may be true, we have to remember a couple of things.

First, we have to remember that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Why did He do this? To accomplish His perfect plan. Had Pharaoh just agreed to let the Israelites go in the beginning, the Israelites and Egyptians wouldn't have seen God's power. When we pray, God often answers with wait. In the waiting, we can see His power at work.

Second, the Israelites had to learn to surrender their own plans, thoughts, and desires to the will of God. Then they had to obey. God doesn't promise that everything in life will be easy and simple. Sometimes we will walk through hardship. We have to surrender our own plans, thoughts, and desires to the will of God and we have to obey.

The Israelites didn't see it yet, but their Promised Land was coming and it was going to be glorious. But they had to be patient. They had to obey. They had to go through this hardship.

What hardship are you facing? I want to encourage you to seek God. Put aside your own thoughts and agenda and seek His plan and His will. Remember that God will never harm you, His plans are for good, for His glory. So seek His face and obey His commands.

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.

The Key to Living the Victorious Christian Life

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy Of: Kelly Sikkema

"I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.....But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things." ~Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23

Seeking to live a victorious Christian life can be terribly confusing. There are voices which follow us every day, instructing us in exactly how to live out a Christ-honoring life—but they don’t all say the same thing.

Some voices out there will assert that we must rely on what is basically a version of legalism—with its man-made rules and expectations— in order to please God and live righteously. Others will say to just sit back and relax because, after all, we are saved and on our way to heaven, so what is the big concern?

Then there’s Paul.


In our passage today from Galatians 5, he not only describes the fruits of the Spirit, but he also provides us with a clear and proven blueprint for how to have those fruits cultivated in our day-to-day lives—a blueprint which has nothing to do with either striving for perfection or sitting around and doing nothing.

Instead, the key to living a victorious Christian life is to walk by the Spirit, for only then will we not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 

So, lean in, friend. Walk by the Spirit, study the Word, be constant in prayer, and you will see victory in your life as never before!

Until I Arose

 By: Joanne Viola

This past year has been a challenging one for most people; many would even call it difficult. Every aspect of our daily lives has in some way been affected and altered.

As women we are facing many emotions in managing our homes, our children, our jobs, and ourselves. But right there in the Old Testament book of Judges, we can find hope and take strength.

The people of Israel were constantly waging battle as they were oppressed by the kings and peoples of other nations. In the middle of one such battle, we encounter Deborah, a woman.

Deborah was a prophetess and a judge who encouraged a general (Barak) of the Israelite army. One would think as a commander, he would have had all the know-how and strength needed for battle. Yet it was Deborah  who spoke and commanded Barak how to move forward in one battle which brought victory.

In her own song Deborah states what had occurred:

“Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose,
until I arose, a mother in Israel.” (Judges 5:7, NIV)

It was when she spoke words of encouragement and instruction that Barak invited her to go into battle along with him. He may have had the stamina and the will to fight, yet he needed her words to gain the courage to go into battle.

During these challenging days we find ourselves living, may we realize the power of our words. They can build up as easily as they can tear down. They can bring hope and strength as much as they can bring defeat and discouragement.

As wives and mothers, we can’t just sit back and leave our families to the wiles of the enemy. We must arise and speak words of wisdom in our homes, in our conversations, and over our families so they, too, will arise and fight for good.

Never underestimate your worth as a woman –
“They held back, until I, (insert your name), arose,
until I arose, a mother in (insert your town).”

 Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash 

 

 

 

Rock Solid Truth You Can Count On

by Elizabeth Stewart

"You have bereaved my soul and cast it off far from peace; I have forgotten what good and happiness are.And I say, Perished is my strength and my expectation from the Lord. O Lord, remember earnestly my affliction and my misery, my wandering and my outcast state, the wormwood and the gall. My soul has them continually in remembrance and is bowed down within me. 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. The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being, my inner self ; therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. Lamentations 3:18-24

I love how gut level honest the Bible is. God's Word doesn't gloss over the way God's people struggle. Suffering, disappointment, frustration, doubt, fear and anger are common experiences and emotions for us all and the Bible reflects those experiences and emotions even in the lives of those we consider the Bible's heroes. 

Jeremiah, prophet to the people of Judah, was given a not so pleasant assignment by God. His job was to tell the people that they were going to go into captivity as a consequence of their continual disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Needless to say, Jeremiah, being the bearer of this bad news, was not received graciously. He was also grief stricken at what he saw happening around him. In the third chapter of Lamentations he gets gut level honest with God about how he is feeling, and it is definitely not pretty! But then, in the middle of all of his complaining he makes a deliberate choice. He chooses to call to mind, to remember, God's steadfast love and mercy. In remembering these things about God's character, he finds renewed hope.

Through 2020 and on into this year, understandably many of us are struggling to remain hopeful as we look at the condition of our nation and world. Then, added on top of all that are the struggles and trials we all periodically face in our personal lives. One thing we all have in common, besides the fact that we all face times of struggle and suffering, is that we all also have the power of our mind to shift focus off the temporary trial we are facing, and onto the eternal, steadfast character of God - just as Jeremiah did.

My father-in-law's favorite verse was Isaiah 26:3."You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You." My mother-in-law was a glass half empty type person. She was driven by negativity, worry and fear. In a way that I'm pretty sure annoyed her, her husband was always trying to get her to shift focus by quoting this verse. I'm sure that living with a mind that is at peace in the midst of life's trials seemed like an impossibility to her. And it is an impossibility, if we don't fill our mind with the truth about God's character and His faithful promises to us. We've got to have something more than positive thinking to set our mind on, we need to have some rock solid truth. Whatever you are facing today, God's steadfast love for you never ceases, His mercies for you never come to an end. That is a rock solid truth we can all count on no matter what life brings our way.

Meditating on God's Word for Deeper Faith

 

By: Sarah Geringer 

Every year I choose a theme verse for daily meditation. In 2018, I chose Mark 9:23, and here's how it helped me have deeper faith.

Jesus was approached by a father whose son was demon-possessed. The demon was torturing the boy, and the father was desperate for help.

The father said, "Do something if you can."

Jesus replied, "What do you mean, 'If I can'?"

It's easy to look down on this man, but I think he was simply being more honest than most. Most of us secretly pray with that caveat, because we don't want to be disappointed if the answer is "No."

But Jesus told him with authority and certainty:

"Anything is possible if a person believes." Mark 9:23 NLT

The year I chose that verse, God was calling me to deeper faith. Though I'd been a believer for a long time, God used the verse to challenge me. Each time I meditated on it, God posed the question, "Do you really BELIEVE in my promises?"

Within just a few weeks of meditating on Mark 9:23 each day, I saw my faith grow because God was testing it. Now, looking back on that year, I can see how God used that verse to grow my faith by leaps and bounds.

How is God calling you to deeper belief today? How might meditating on a verse like Mark 9:23 each day challenge you to deeper faith?

Looking for deeper faith during the Lenten season? Check out all my Lenten resources HERE on one convenient page!

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

Have a blessed weekend!

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

Photo from Canva.com

How to Find Happiness in the Darkness

 By: Shari A. Miller

“Rejoice in Hope, be patient in tribulation, be consistent in prayer.” - Romans 12:12

Do you ever find times in your life where you feel like your being covered in darkness? Do you ever feel like you have your own personal wars that no one else understands? These wars could be anything from financial troubles, a husband that has been looking at porn, problems with children or problems at work. The list can be never ending. It can be just one war your facing or multiple wars coming at you from all sides. It's right about here where you just want to dig a fox hole, like those seen in WW2, and sink down deep into it's darkness where none of your wars can get to you.

   

The problem with this is, if you stay in the darkness of your fox hole too long, your going to miss the happiness that's going on above. Just because there are trials going on around you, it doesn't mean that there’s not sunshine and happiness mixed in. 

When I go through a trial, whatever it may be, I try to remind myself that these times are the enemy tying to attack me and make me doubt God's sovereignty. I have a little mantra that I tell myself as I face my own personal war of cancer.

"I will not let the enemy destroy everything around me.  He's already taken so much with cancer, he's not going to take anymore. I have so much to be happy about during this time. There are birthday's, graduations, time with family, holidays and so much more. I will make sure to be present in these times and enjoy the sunlight of these times streaming across my face as my smile brightens with each passing moment."

You too can choose to look past your personal wars and see the sunlight/happiness in the distance. It's just a matter of actually choosing to get out of your sufferings for a moment and choose joy instead. Below are a list of five activities that help me find happiness in the darkness.

Six Ways to Find Happiness in the Darkness

1. Change of Focus - Every day, intentional look at the good things that are going on around you. Your husband's gentle touch, hearing I love you from your Mother. The mile wide grin on your child's face as he just made you breakfast in bed and brought it into you, with a homemade card and all. 

2. Prayer - Never forget to pray. Prayer is our connection to God. It allows us to express our concerns to Him and allows Him to speak to us as well.

3. Time in God's Word - It's so important to spend time in God's Word. It teaches us how to act, and gives us strength to face challenges. It also bring us happiness as it reminds us that God is always there for us and He will never leave us.

4. Scripture Memorization - When we hide God's Word in our heart we will always have it to look back on and ruminate on. Especially as we look into the future, we are seeing signs where we may not have our actual Bibles to read from. During these times, scripture memorization will be so beneficial.

5. Counting our Blessings - I have a journal where I write down my blessings that God has bestowed on me. It could be the sound of rain drops on the roof of my car, a neighbor who almost, always, shovels my driveway for me. One of the biggest blessings that I find this time of year is the sun setting latter and latter, I love to see the warm sunshine light up the days just a little bit longer.

6. Rejoicing in the traits that are being produced through suffering.  - As we face trials, there are numerous things to be happy about, when we are right in the thick of everything. In Romans 5:3-5 it states, 

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

We need to remember that when we are fighting through our own personal wars, there is still happiness right in the middle of them, because they are causing us to grow and mature and be made more into the image of Christ our Lord.

Doing all of these things helps to push my darkness away and causes the bright sunlight to stream through. I'm not always perfect at doing them, but when I do it makes a world of difference. What about you? What things do you do to find happiness during the dark times in your lives?

Use The Power

By: Jenifer Metzger

Look, I have given you the authority to

trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the

power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.

Luke 10:19

I was recently talking to a friend who was struggling with something deep. Something that has left her feeling hurt and unable to trust. As I was praying for her and trying to encourage her, the incredibly powerful scene from the movie War Room came to mind. Let me just tell you, that scene gets me every time. I have seen the movie so many times I practically have the scene memorized. Yet, I still get goosebumps and tears. If you don't know what scene I am talking about, watch below. If you know what scene I am referring to well, I encourage you to watch anyway.

This isn't just a movie scene. It isn't just a feel good thought. Friends, this is real. We were given the power to stand up to evil. We were given the power send our enemy packing. We have power!

When you accept Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Savior, when you walk in step with Jesus, you have the power. When the enemy is coming against you, when the enemy is on the attack in your home, marriage, family, ministry, job, health, finances, you have the power to remove him.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you

may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the wealth of His

glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable

greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the

mighty working of His strength. He exercised this power in Christ

by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens—

Ephesians 1:18-20

So how do we use this power?

Make sure that you are repenting of sin. We sin every day. We are human and we mess up. We need to daily repent of all sin. Sin is anything that goes against the Word of God, anything that displeases Him.

We need to pray the Word of God. When you pray Scripture, you are praying God's own words, Use the Bible and pray the Scriptures.

Pray with authority. As a parent, we know that sometimes we have to use authority in our voice and tone to catch our child's attention and let them know we mean business. When it comes to demanding the enemy get his filthy hands off of you, you have to tap into that authoritative voice. Don't go to the enemy and quietly ask that he leave you alone, demand it. Remember the video clip we just watched above? Priscilla wasn't quiet and nice, she was firm, demanding, powerful.

Not using the power we've been given is like receiving an incredible gift and not even unwrapping it. Sister, open the gift. Use the gift.

Let's be women who use the power of God!

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.

God Uses the Young, Too!

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy Of: Naassom Azevedo

"I thought that age should speak and maturity should teach wisdom. But it is the spirit in a person - the breath from the Almighty - that gives anyone understanding." ~Job 32:6-8

We are often told in Scripture to revere the elderly, to have the older women teach the younger women, to respect our elders, and to understand that, with the grey head comes wisdom and understanding. All of this is true!

But we also see a different picture in Scripture. We also see young Timothy being told to never let anyone despise his youth, but to instead be an example to the believers! We see young David being used by God to defeat Goliath. We see teenaged Mary being chosen as the mother of the Messiah. We see Jeremiah being chosen to be a prophet for God at, as many scholars say, the age of 17. We see Daniel as a youth refusing to eat the King’s delicacies. And on and on and on it goes.

Why? Why these two separate pictures?

Because, as Elihu points out in this passage, it is *the Spirit of God* which gives a person understanding. It isn’t merely long years of life experience which affords wisdom to folks. It is ultimately God Himself Who does that. And that same Holy Spirit of God is in believers everywhere - whether they are 13, 30, or 103.

So, if you fall on the young end of the spectrum (as I do at the age of 27), don’t despair. Don’t despise your youth or allow others to despise it. Instead, be an example to the believers! Of course, at the same time, don’t let this calling puff you up or cause you to not listen anymore to your elders. That would be foolish. But do glory in the God Who made you and called you to be a Great Commission ambassador for Him at the very age you are right now! 

8  But it ithe spirit in a person— ~Job 32:7-8

Choose To Be "All In"

 By: Joanne Viola

 

A recent article brought the fact that adults make 35,000 choices per day. Each choice bears a consequence, good or bad, which not only impacts us but can also affect those around us.

For instance, the alarm goes off and I hit the snooze button to get a few minutes more of desire sleep. In so doing, the others who depend on me to get them up and going, may also sleep in and then run late to get out the door.

Not every choice is as trivial as that one which is why some require careful consideration.

Joshua came before the people and gave them a choice, a decision to make. He was tired of them waffling back and forth between God and idols. One might say they were straddling the fence, keeping one foot on either side, wanting what they perceived as the best of both worlds.

The choice he put before them was: “Choose today whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). They could serve the Lord or they could serve a foreign god, but they could no longer serve both. Their choice would impact their lives as well as every generation to come.

Before making their choice, Joshua explained to the people - clearly and concisely - what would be required of them (in Joshua 24:14): 

1. “Fear the Lord.”
2. “Serve Him wholeheartedly.”
3. “Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped.”
4. “Serve the Lord alone.”

Only as our hearts are all in, fully committed to God, will He live His life through ours. It is then we are able to forge a path and leave a legacy for the generation to come.

After Joshua gave the people the choice, their response came:  

“The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.” (Joshua 24:24, NLT)

May we choose to be “all in!”

 

Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash 

 

 

A Gentle and Quiet Spirit

by Elizabeth Stewart

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward...rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV

 We had three growth groups meeting in separate areas of the main meeting room at our church. One group was posting their discussion on zoom. Later, when I watched the zoom video, I was dismayed to hear my own voice participating in the discussion with a completely different growth group halfway across the room. "Am I really that loud?" I wondered.  "Have  I always been that loud?" "Did I become loud because our family tends to be loud?" "Have I developed a loud speaking voice because of decades of public speaking?" To be honest, as is prone to happen, the thoughts magnified the more I dwelt on them and I became disheartened and wondered, "will I ever have the gentle and quiet spirit that is precious in God's sight?" "What does that even mean and how do I do it?"

I decided to try to unpack what God was really saying to me through those verses by using one of my favorite bible study tools. I simply typed the words, "greek lexicon for 1 Peter 3:4" in the search engine bar on my computer. Up popped Bible Hub  which took me to the definitions of the words of the verse in the original language. What treasure and reassurance and comfort I found!  

First of all, God's focus in these verses is on our innermost being. He is telling us that He is much more concerned about what is happening within us than our outward appearance. So, while I might want to try to tone down my speaking voice and while I definitely want to guard what I say and how I say it, God's primary concern is what is happening in the hidden person, (my inner secret thoughts, feelings and desires), of my heart, (my inner self, who I really am, the center of my being, the desire producer in me that makes me tick). This is the part of me that is incorruptible. My body is aging and decaying but the inner me is imperishable, un-decaying and immortal. God's primary concern is my transformation into Christlikeness in this part of me. It is there that He wants to see the beauty of a gentle and quiet, (still, peaceful, tranquil, settled, steady, calm, undisturbed) spirit. When God looks at me and sees His peace ruling in the innermost depths of who I am, He values it as something costly and of great value in His eyes.

What I gleaned from all of this was the understanding that God is much more invested in making me quiet, peaceful and tranquil within than making me quiet outwardly. However, as He changes me inwardly there will also be outward manifestations. In my opinion, God doesn't want to give me a completely different personality. He just wants to transform my personality back to His original plan and design for me-before sin and experiences and life tainted and twisted me in any way. He wants the God image in me that He put within me from creation to be more clearly seen through my personality. He is so good and so kind. He doesn't despise or shame me for falling short. He's not up there shaking His finger at me and asking me, "Why do you always have to be so loud?!" He's looking at my heart. He sees that my heart's cry is, "Lord, change me!" and every day He gives me new mercy and enabling grace to keep moving forward in my journey toward Christlikeness and maturity.

justfollowingjesus.com

If You Only Have a Few Minutes

 

By: Sarah Geringer 

Do you only have a few minutes to engage in your faith today? You can do much more than you think with just a few minutes!

I'm down to the wire in writing this post. Only a few minutes left until 6:00 p.m., when I need to start cooking dinner for my family. Yikes, only a little margin to write this, but I trust God will help me inspire you with these words!

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:17 NLT

Whatever you do or say in only a few minutes of faith needs to be done as a representative of Jesus. It can be done with a spirit of gratitude, when you ask God to help you shine your light for his glory.

Here are 10 easy ways to engage in faith in just a few minutes:

• Sing a praise song.
• Meditate on one verse of Scripture.
• Give a family member a hug, and tell them you love them.
• Text someone an encouraging message.
• Make eye contact and smile at a cashier or clerk.
• Leave three positive comments on three social media posts.
• Share a faith-filled post or picture on your stories.
• Prepare an old-fashioned card to send, and drop it in the mail.
• Order a faith-based gift for someone.
• Make a donation online.

Time's up for me! I hope you will try at least one of those 10 tips today, to engage with your faith and bless others too.

Looking for easy ways to engage your faith during the Lenten season, which starts next week on Feb. 17? Check out my Lenten resource HERE to engage your faith in only a few minutes every day for 40 days!

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

Have a blessed weekend!

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

Photo from Canva.com

An Important Key to Stop Worring

By: Shari A. Miller

I don't know about you but, there are times in my life when I give worry to much control. Whether it be in the area of marriage, politics, finances, problems with friends, health problems, or worries about the future. The enemy just loves to whisper that still small voice into our ears, "What if my husband is going to file for divorce? What if my kids will never give their lives to God? What if I have COVID? What if I'll never be healed?" Satan can fill our minds with so much doubt that it can make our heads spin.

Sisters, life doesn't have to be this way.

As I go through my journey with metastatic breast cancer God has taught me...

An Important Key to Stop Worrying.

He has consistently told me to get into His Word!

For example, one area that causes worry for me is my doctor's visits that reveal the answers to test results such as, PET scans or brain MRI's. While I sit in the lobby, waiting to be called back, instead of worrying, I pull out a deck of cards that my daughter gave me. These cards contain, scripture for overcoming worry. They are bound by a ring and neatly done. She got them off of Amazon. You wouldn't need to buy them, you could make your own by printing various verses on 3*5 cards, or you could just carry your Bible with you. The point is, to dig deep into God's truth instead of listening to Satan's lies. Below I have listed some of the verses contained in the cards for future reference for you.

"I know the Lord if always with me. I will not be shaken,  for He is right beside me." - Psalm 16:8

"You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." - Psalm 18:28

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." - Psalm 143:8

"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." - Psalm 73:26

"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:4

'He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." - Revelation 91:4

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry."  - Psalm 40:1

These verses are a small sampling of what you can use to draw closer in your relationship with God. We need to remember that worrying will get us no where. It will not solve our problems, it will not draw us closer to God, it will not set a good example to our children, friends, and family. 

However, reading and memorizing his Word will give you a sense of peace like you've never dreamed of.

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." - Isaiah 26:3

God's Word confirms what we've been talking about, we will have perfect peace when our focus is on our Savior because we will trust him. I am not perfect at following through with this, there are times I fail. However, when I follow through and hide his Word in my heart over and over again, I have a peace like I have never felt before.

Friends, what helps you to stop worrying? Do you have favorite scriptures that bring you peace?

The Mommy Wars and Our Call to Love

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy Of: Priscilla Du Preez

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~John 13:35

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person." ~Colossians 4:6

As we come to the end of our time together discussing how the mommy wars affect our understanding of the gospel, there is one more thing I want to share with you: the mommy wars adversely affect our ability to lovingly share the gospel with others.

The mommy wars, as characterized by all the drama, name-calling, and heated disagreements seen in mommy groups on Facebook, are driven by pride. I once believed I knew all there was to know in a particular area of parenting. I have viewed my decision as the best one, and believed that if others did not come to the same conclusion, they were sadly mistaken and in danger of harming their children. 

But, dear sister, when we, as Christians, become guilty of acting the way I once did, we are ruining our witness for Christ. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have a love for one another.” (John 13:35) Paul says we are to “Let [our] speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt,” (Colossians 4:6a). We are to “let no corrupt word proceed out of [our] mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:9)

As followers of Christ, we are to be known for our love, compassion, humility, and the grace we show others. If this is the case when dealing with topics which actually are expressly outlined in Scripture and are commands issued to us by God, how much more ought we show grace and humility when dealing with fellow mamas on parenting topics that are mere freedom issues!

We do the name and cause of Christ a disservice when we show to the watching world a group of moms who claim the name of Christ but who are judgmental, prideful, and condescending when dealing with one another on the topic of different parenting methods. That same watching world likely won’t want anything to do with us or the Savior whose name we bear if they see us treating and viewing one another in less than loving ways. The sobering reality is that we could actually prevent someone from wanting to know our Lord because of the unloving way we treat a fellow mama in the area of man-made traditions of motherhood! 

By God’s grace, may we seek to do better!