Dirty Driveways, Preaching & Wet Goldfish by Debbie Beck

Dirty Driveways, Preaching, and Wet Goldfish

I had a funny experience recently that I thought would be fun to share, but also give us ladies some important things to consider as we live this precious life in Christ. I had the opportunity to share the Word at our home church during a midweek service a few weeks ago. It had been quite a while since I had done any pulpit ministry, so it was a mix of feeling a little nervous (it’s a big church!), yet being very excited, and as always privileged to be an encouragement to the Body. 

We had a wonderful time in the Word that night and the Holy Spirit was faithful to answer every prayer I prayed regarding the message. Folks were blessed and my pastors were happy – success!! When the service was over, my husband Pat went to pick up our five girls from the children’s ministries, and I stayed in the sanctuary to chat with someone who came over to give me a hug and share how the message had blessed them that night. While still talking to the person, my youngest daughter, three year old Elizabeth, soon came running up to me and wanted to put something in my hand. I tried to accommodate her and still hold the conversation, but she soon had my full attention when I found out the “something” she wanted to give me was a very wet, very slimy goldfish cracker! Needless to say, I was a little surprised and my friend and I got a very good laugh over it. After getting a tissue to clean up the mess, I remember saying, “I guess this is my reward for a job well done!” 

It was a simple incident that I wouldn’t have thought would make a very big impact on me, but that little wet goldfish stayed with me and really made me think about what real ministry is. Was my ministry over when I stepped out of the pulpit that night? Was my daughter an interruption, or in truth was that moment a continuation of what ministry really is? Unfortunately, even in the Church sometimes our views of success and ministry can get distorted, and we begin to lose the genuine definition of “ministry”, which simply means “to serve or wait upon.” Although preaching or teaching the Word qualifies as ministry and is one way to serve, there are many other types of ministry require no Bible and no pulpit, but just as much help from the Holy Spirit! 

Everyday my prayers are filled with requests and confessions of grace and wisdom to minister to my family, my pastors, my church family, my neighbors and anyone else God puts in my path that needs His service through me that day. I need the Holy Spirit to help me minister love and blessings to my husband, to minister grace and discipline to my children, to minister support and strength to my pastors, and the unconditional love of Christ to every person that crosses my path. Ministry isn’t real until it touches the lives of the people around us. Until then, it’s merely form or fashion. Ministry is not glamour and glitz; it’s tough decisions. It’s heartfelt prayers not just for me, but for others in need around the world. It’s kissing boo-boos and healing broken hearts. It’s cleaning up slimy goldfish crackers, balancing the checkbook for my husband, smiling at the cashier in the checkout line, and making dinner for a person in need. Ministry means keeping the right perspective in every situation, and seeing the divine opportunities everyday to reach out to those around us who need Christ.

In the last few months there has been quite a bit of construction in our neighborhood, which means lots and lots of dirt!! Two of the houses were built right across the street from us. Day after day more dirt piled up at the end of our driveway, which then came into our garage on our tires, and eventually made it’s way onto our hardwood floors. Yuck! I wish I could say we never complained, but I must admit at times we gave in and expressed our strong desires for the construction to be over and the contractors out of our neighborhood! When all was said and done, two very cute houses were up and soon new neighbors were moving in. Our girls had watched all the construction and got very excited to see moving trucks pull in across the street. They gave me play by play details of what was being moved in as they looked for signs of other little girls. Roars of excitement erupted when pink bikes came out of one moving truck. My oldest daughter, Ethecie, came to me later and asked if we were going to make a treat and take it to our new neighbors to welcome them. She caught me by surprise. Only having been in America from Haiti a year, I asked her what made her think of doing that. She said she had seen it in a movie and thought it was a good thing to do. Can you say CONVICTION?! My 10 year old had just awakened me and brought me out of my schedule and into ministry. I had paid a lot of attention to the dirt in the driveway, but hardly any to the new families that had just moved in. (Ouch!) So, pretty tins were purchased, cookies baked, and soon my crew and I headed over to make them feel welcome. We discovered that 8 year old twin girls and a toddler were in one house, and in another an adorable little boy with another one soon on the way. We left the cookies, our phone number, and a card from our church, but most importantly we left our smiles and warm greetings for their hearts to remember. 

My dear friends, no matter what continent you live on, what position you hold, or what others may think of you, if you love Jesus Christ – you are in ministry! Our positions and assignments in the Body may be different, but each one of us is necessary and valued by our Father. I Corinthians 12 teaches us that every single part of the body is honored by God. We must never, ever look down on ourselves in our assignments. 

You are not “just a mom.” You are the God-given mother to your children and the person privileged to help guide them into their divine destinies in Christ! You are not “just” a wife. You are the perfect help for your husband and having you has given him favor with the Lord. You are not “just” an employee. You are the one God has put at your place of employment to help your boss reach his/her goals and dreams, which gives you an opportunity to sow a good seed toward your own dreams coming true! Woman of God, you are not “just” an anything. You are who you are by the grace of God. As long as we each are faithful to do our part and fulfill His call on our lives, it doesn’t matter what title we hold or how many people know our name. Our names are written in Heaven, and we are the apple of our Father’s eye. Each day is a new opportunity for Him to use us in a special way to bring others closer to Him. Thank you to every lady reading this for your ministry in the Body to your family, to your pastors, to your church family, and to all those you touch every day. Life is not always easy, and folks do not always remember to say thank you for your tremendous efforts, but please esteem who you are in Christ this day. You are needed; you are special; you are loved!!!

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Facebook Wisdom - Arms of Love by Debbie Beck

Facebook Wisdom- Arms of Love

I made a statement on Facebook recently that really seemed to hit home for a lot of people, so on the advice of a friend (thanks Brooke!), I’m going to expound a little more in hopes that some more folks can be blessed as we continue to grow and learn together along the way. Here was my post for you to consider.

“When my youngest daughter gets tired, hurt or overwhelmed, she runs to me, crawls in my lap and goes to sleep. Was thinking how much better off we would be if during those times we as Believers simply learned to run to the Father and rest in Him.”

On the day I posted, my four year old daughter, Elizabeth, had climbed up onto my lap and promptly gone to sleep. She had been tired and probably a little cranky, but it struck me that when she gets that way she always knows where to go – right to mommy or daddy’s arms! 

Each of my girls has a special story and a special way they came to us through adoption – yes, all five of them! Elizabeth is the only child we have had since birth. The rest of my girls were between 3 and 9 years old when they came into our family.  Of course, our relationship with each of them is precious, but there are some differences in how Elizabeth relates to us since we are the only parents she has ever known. There are many things I could share about that and probably fill another 2 or 3 articles about it, but for now my point is that when Elizabeth is looking for comfort and assurance, she knows we have always been there to offer that to her and have never turned her away. Sometimes because of past painful experiences my older girls have had, they have been shy about coming to us with problems because of their fear of rejection. Not my Elizabeth! At a moment’s notice she will cry out “MOMMY!!” and knows full well that no matter what I am doing I will come running to be sure she is okay. Being only four, sometimes her situations aren’t quite as urgent as her call for me makes it sound, but it doesn’t matter. She is my child, and when she calls on me, I am ALWAYS going to answer her!

Does that sound familiar to you? Psalm 91 is a powerful chapter that can build your faith regarding God’s protection and love for you as His child. In verse 15 in the King James Version it says, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” Listen to what it says in the Message Bible, “Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.”

Yes, that is right my friend! It is possible to call on God and He ALWAYS answer you! My first thought when I read that verse is this – “How do I become that person? Who is the “he” the Scripture is referring to? We have to go back to the beginning of the chapter to get the context of who “he” is that is calling upon God and getting an answer. Let’s look Psalms 91:1. 

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” 

Now, look at it in the Message Bible. “You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "GOD, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!"  

The “he” that is calling on God and getting an answer is the person in verse one who has decided to stay so close to the Father that he is in His shadow. The “he” is the person who sits down in God’s presence and spends the night there, all the while declaring who God is to them. The secret to always getting an answer from God when you are in trouble is very simple – stay in His shadow. Don’t let God turn around without having to bump into you! That happens to me a lot with Elizabeth. I won’t even know she’s there until I’ve almost run over her sometimes. Does that bother her? Not at all! She just flashes that cute little smile and reminds me that she is right where she is supposed to be. Although at times it can be cumbersome to have her underfoot, she knows that is a safe place and I would never dare take that from her. Although she is now telling me that she is a “big girl big girl”, it is important that she not get to be such a big girl that she forgets that the safest place for her is always home base!

Where are you safe? Most of us ladies are looking for a safe place to hide our hearts; a place of warmth and acceptance where we are free from condemnation and hurts from past mistakes and experiences. With a heavy heart I must admit that even in the Body of Christ that can be a hard place to find. That is why it is of utmost importance that we pull ourselves into the shadow of the Father and stay there. No matter who has abandoned you or changed their mind about you, God never will! He assures us in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us or forsake us. When I stay close to Him in His shadow, I have the promise that He will be with me in trouble – never again will I have to face life alone. 

Stick close to the Father friends. Love on Him all the time, even if it’s for 30 seconds! Sing to Him. Tell Him how you are feeling, and if the feeling is negative, ask His help to change it! Talk to your children about the Father and be sure they understand He is a real person they can call when they need Him.  It is imperative in these times that we learn to run to God – not away from Him.  Are you tired, hurt or overwhelmed? Do you need arms of assurance to surround you and carry you through this time? Follow Elizabeth’s lead on this one and run to your Father, crawl up in His lap and rest. Close your eyes, worship for a moment and see yourself there in His arms. Lay your head and His chest and hear His heart beating. It’s beating just for you. 

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Speak To Your Mountain by Brooke Glass

     With the New Year comes the resolve to lose weight again for many people. For me this has always been an on-going mountain in my life. I guarantee that I have circled this mountain more times than the Israelites did theirs in the desert. I cry out to God, “Please, Lord, help me lose this weight!”  I start the insane climb of dieting and exercise. I lose it and then slowly it creeps back on without fail. I slide back down the mountain in the exact spot I started. I have often asked God, “Why can’t I keep this weight off and why won’t you help me Lord?”

     A couple of Sunday’s ago my pastor preached on speaking to your mountain. Mark 11:23-24 “ Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that it is granted to you and you will have it.” Being a word of faith believer I sat back ready to nod in agreement as he spoke. However, as he read that passage the Holy Spirit began to minister to my spirit in a way that gripped my very soul.; I heard the Holy Spirit say, “You have been praying for me to remove this mountain in your life far too long girl. It is time for you to speak to your mountain and tell it to move. I will give you the strength, but you have to start moving your mouth towards it.

      I was completely stunned. How many years have I read this passage and never once thought about applying it to this area of my life. That I have never understood that my struggle with weight was the same hindrance as sickness or poverty amazes me. I have spoken in faith to those things quickly and obediently and always the mountain moved. 

     I realized that I could ask God how He would have me deal with my body. Then in faith I must speak and command it to come in line with the Word of God. Glory to God, speaking in faith to this mountain has given me the power to overcome. I have the strength to subdue my flesh in the area of eating and exercise

     If you are struggling in this area of your life start talking to the mountain. Charles Capps has a excellent minibook entitled God’s Creative Power. In it he paraphrases several scripture and declares, “I don’t desire to eat so much I become overweight. I present my body to God; my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in me. I am not my own, I am bought with a price therefore, in the name of Jesus I refuse to over-eat. Body you settle down, in the name of Jesus and conform to the Word of God. I mortify the desires of this body and command it to come into line with the Word of God.” (Rom. 12:1, 1Corinthians 6:19) I for one have started the New Year with great resolve by using the Word to overcome this stronghold in my life. I pray that you will be empowered to do the same. He does not want us to live in defeat in any area of our lives. So, start talking to the mountain and declare victory!

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Great Guest Room Tips by Brooke Glass

Tips for creating a great guest room

1. Purchase comfy sheets, at least 250 count, (I love Beech Satin sheets…so soft) for your guest bed.  Beautiful linens are a wonderful way to make the room welcoming.  Also, try to have comfy pillows and not just some you have stuffed in a closet from the 70’s.

2. On the bedside table have an alarm clock, lamp, and reading materials you know your guest would be interested in reading. 

3. Frame a photo of you and your guest to personalize the room. 

4. Leave a basket with fruit, snacks, and bottled water in the room for your guest to snack on.

5. In the guest bath have a basket or cute tin with all the toiletries someone might need…tooth brush, tooth paste, facial wash, deodorant, hair gel, hair spray, razors, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner…etc…think of the things you use on a daily basis and provide that for your guest.

6. Have a hair dryer, curling iron, brush, and comb in the bath- room ready for use.

7. Make sure you have soft clean towels, wash clothes, and hand towels ready for use and hanging out to see.

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A Sacred Call by Brooke Glass

A Sacred Call

I have always had a passion for the things of God.  As long as I can remember I have been serving Him.  At church, at school, and in the workplace I have lived my faith out loud.  However, when it came to my home life well, I was just missing the mark.   It seemed like once I got married and started to have kids I became this person at home that I honestly did not know.   That saying “If mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy” rang very true at my house. 

During these early years of my married life I began to cry out to God for insight into why I was struggling to maintain godly character at home.  He began to show me that being a wife and mother was more than just washing drawers and filling their tummies.  It was sacred.  I could actually cultivate and grow my faith through my home life experiences.

   

Have you ever felt like “Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom”?  Come on you know what I am talking about.  Those moments when you are standing there red faced and finger pointing with no thought to your actions.  Yep, that was me until I had the revelation that I am the thermostat of my home.  My behavior and attitude affects the very atmosphere around me.  I set my thermostat by time spent in His presence and in His word.  With out this I am just an old thermometer…rising and falling with whatever is going on at that moment.  

In Proverbs 14:1 it says, “Every wise woman build her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.”  None of us want to tear down our homes with our own hands.  But sisters if we don’t get a revelation of the sacredness of our call as mothers and wives we are doomed to fail. I want all of God in every area of my life, especially at home.  Won’t you join me in answering this sacred call of motherhood?   In doing so you can build a legacy of faith that will last through eternity.

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He's Pushing My Buttons by Dawn White

He’s Pushing My Buttons

Scripture:  James 4:7

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Perhaps you’ve observed the scenario I’m about to describe. If you’re a parent, you may have seen it in your own children.  The scenario is where one individual is the irritator and the other is the irritatee, or the one being irritated.  I’ve told my own girls countless number of times, ‘Just ignore her and she’ll stop.  She’s only continuing because she knows it’s getting to you.’  Again, these are words that I have spoken more times than I can count.  

But, just recently, I got a new perspective on these words.  I have an accountability partner, who is a tremendous blessing to me.  She is so gifted in holding me accountable in love, which is the whole purpose of an accountability partner.  In one of our recent meetings, I was sharing with her a frustration of mine.  She told me that satan knew what buttons to push to cause me to ‘come undone’.  She suggested that I change my response and thus satan would quit pushing the buttons.

This is so simple, and yet was so profound to me.  So now my quest is to disable the buttons that have been hotwired for satan.  Why is it important that I disable the buttons?  

When I get frustrated, I have a strong tendency to start complaining about the situation/circumstance.  The Bible says in Philippians 2:14, ‘Do everything without complaining or arguing.’  Thus, when I complain, I am disobeying the directive from God.  And, there is a reason He gave us this directive.  When we start to complain, the devil takes that opportunity to make the issue bigger than life.  The more we meditate on it, the bigger it becomes.  In Psalm 77:13b it says – I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed.  Eventually, as stated in this scripture, our heart becomes overwhelmed by the situation.  

After I have complained and the issue has grown 100-fold in magnitude, at least in my mind, the next thing that follows is my attitude.  I then become irritable because of something that has mushroomed in my mind to be way more than it really is.  And then I began to speak words that I don’t like to speak, definitely not words of life.  

At this point I have become frustrated, irritated, and I’m saying things I don’t like to say.  This is just where the devil wants me.  I’ve disobeyed God and am no longer in right standing with Him.  And the devil has chalked up another victory.

Believe it or not, these situations are also what God uses to discipline us.  If we continue to give in to the temptations of the enemy and the desires of the flesh, we are not fully surrendered to our Lord Jesus.  God uses these to teach us to fully submit to Him.  The scripture above says, ‘Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.’  We have a choice to make in these circumstances.  Will we submit to God and resist the devil or will we give in to the devil’s temptations?  If we give in to the temptations, we have more training ahead of us.  

God desires in us a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).  He wants us fully dependent on Him, and He wants to help you.  When the enemy pushes your buttons, and the buttons are different for everyone, cry out to God for His help in fighting the good fight of faith.  He will help you to stand firm to do what is the perfect and pleasing will of God.  Joyce Meyer says she will lock herself in a room reading her Bible and praying until God changes her heart, and she can come out not being moved by the situation.

If we cry out to God, the enemy definitely doesn’t like that.  But, if we are persistent in not succumbing to his temptations, eventually he will give up.  It is a continual process of submitting to God and resisting the devil.  And, it is a process we cannot do in our own strength.  We need the strength of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  And, He is more than willing to give it to us; all we have to do is ask.

Until next time – I’m submitting and resisting!

Blessings!

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I Thought You Were Going To Help Me by Dawn White

 I Thought You Were Going to Help Me

Scripture:  Is. 41:13

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

This is an exciting time academically for my 6 year old.  Reading concepts are starting to gel and the sounding out of words is getting easier and easier.  However, as is our human nature, she really prefers for me to read for her.  We were working on a reading exercise just this week.  She quickly assessed the paper and determined that it was too hard for her and that she’d need help.  I assured her that I would help her.  She began reading the sentence and came to a word she didn’t know.  She looked at me for me to tell her the word.  I responded with, ‘Sound it out.’  And she replied, ‘I thought you were going to help me.’  

The instant she uttered those words, the Lord spoke to me and said, “And, that’s how it is with you also.”  You see, I had full intentions of helping her, after she did her part of trying to sound out the word.  Her expectation was that I was going to deliver her from that exercise.  And so it is with me and God.  I rely on His promises day in and day out.  But, along with those promises, I have my own ideas of how He is going to fulfill those promises. 

The scripture above promises His help, it doesn’t promise to take away the struggle, the trial, the burden, or any other situation that will build your character and grow you spiritually.  It simply promises help.  Numerous times I have missed the help because it didn’t come in the way I was expecting it to.

With my 6 year old, if I continue to read for her, I rob her of the opportunity to develop her own reading skills.  She has to do that work to develop those skills.  And so must we; we must do the work that God has placed before us, understanding that He is truly helping us.  He knows what lies ahead and what we need to do to prepare for that.

One of my daughters has a cleaning job for an elderly lady.  I was recently doing that job for her while she was out of town.  The morning before I was going to clean, I asked the Lord how I could serve Him that day.  He told me to clean the house for free.  That was not what I was expecting to hear and I have to admit that I cringed when He told me, as I had plans for that money.  But the Lord was looking at a bigger picture than just that cleaning job.  I was also believing for Him to provide me with the funds to purchase our school curriculum.  Within a week after cleaning the house at no charge, I had 10 times what I would have received from the cleaning job.  I needed to sow that money in order to reap the harvest that I needed for curriculum.  Praise God I was obedient or we might still be on summer break!!!

God will help you, He’s there and willing, if we just ask.  But be prepared, the assistance that you receive may be different than your expectations.  You may have heard the saying, ‘You can give a man a fish, or you can teach him how to fish.’  The essence of this statement is that it’s better to teach the man, than let him stay where he’s at, depending on others to provide him with fish.  God will teach you how to fish, I can guarantee you!  And we are better for it!  Let Him help you His way, you’ll look back someday and be thankful He did.

Be Blessed!

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The Main Thing by Brooke Glass

The Main Thing

A dear friend once said, “We just have to keep the main thing the main thing”.  As mom’s we often get so strung out doing the many things we think are necessary that we often lose sight of what is really important: imparting the things of God into our children.  Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (Amplified) says “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with your entire being and with all your might. And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be first in your own minds and hearts; then you shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when your rise up”.  Now that sums up how to keep the main thing the main thing.  We simply turn the hearts of our children towards God in everything we do.  When a child sees a parent loving the Lord with all their heart, praying, praising, giving selflessly and having the joy of the Lord they have something to follow.  We must make the most of every opportunity with our children.

I am a task-oriented person and once I start something I am like a dog on a bone.  I won’t stop until I get it done.  This is strength in some ways but a lot of times it has cost me precious teaching moments with my children.  I am learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and obey Him quickly when those times arise for me to impart a nugget of truth to my children. This often means stopping in the middle of something that has my attention.  I have often left dishes in the sink to go read a book. I have left laundry in the dryer to go take a walk and talk about what a wonderful creator God is.  I have many times sat down right where I am to hug and tickle. Oh how glorious it is to see the fruit of all the times that I have stopped what I was doing to turn their heart towards Him.  

I encourage you today to meditate on the scripture above and ask Him to help you keep the main thing the main thing.  As you do this you will begin to experience the blessing of seeing your children walk in the ways of the Lord.  Not just because you say so but because it has become rooted deep within their hearts to love the Lord. 

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What Is Good? by Dawn White

What Is Good?

Scripture:  Luke 9:23-24

Then He said to them all:  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

I recently have been reading a book that has challenged me in many different areas in terms of my walk with God.  One specific area is in the definition of good.  I’ve given much thought and consideration to this in the past few weeks.  In this teaching, I will share the ‘new’ perspective that God has given me about what is good.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines good as – being positive or desirable in nature.  Most of us would agree with this definition of good.  We tend to identify events/things as good if they are positive or desirable and we label them as bad or evil if they cause pain, suffering, and/or heartache.  

The Lord has shown me that this definition of good is a very selfish and self-centered definition.  That seems blunt and perhaps a bit harsh, but it is the reality.  You see when we identify something as good, we can easily overlook the sacrifice that has been made for the good to have occurred.  In a simple example, let’s consider the receiving of a gift.  I don’t know of anyone that doesn’t like to receive a gift.  That’s an event that we would consider good.  But, the giver has made a sacrifice of time and money to give you the gift.  When we are the receiver it is good.  

The gift is a simplistic example, but it illustrates the point well enough.  Now let’s give consideration to the life of Jesus.  For us, the life and death of Jesus was a good thing.  Because of it, we now have access to eternal life and abundantly at that.  But what about the perspective of God watching His only son hang on that cross and be brutally beaten.  What about the pain and agony for Jesus?  He suffered incredible physical duress, but the emotional pain and torment, I believe, were just as devastating.  And, what about Mary?  The bottom line is, she was the mother of Jesus.   It doesn’t matter that He was the savior of the world, she was still His mother.  I cannot begin to imagine and pain and suffering that this woman endured in the life of Jesus.  Yes, the life and death of Jesus was good for us, but it didn’t come without a sacrifice from many others.

Now let’s bring the goodness a little closer to home.  As Christians we are in no way exempt from pain, suffering, and attacks from the enemy.  We have been taught to fight the good fight of faith and stand firm.  And, this is what we should do.  But we’ve also considered these things to be bad or evil because they are painful for us.  We often cry out to God wondering where He is, why He isn’t doing anything, and asking why this is happening to us.  Sometimes our response is – What did I do to deserve this?

The Lord has challenged me to consider these painful events from a bigger picture.  In my mind I can see the saved standing on one side of a chasm and the lost or unsaved on the other.  The only way the saved can reach the lost is to have victory over the areas that the lost are struggling with.  When we have walked in their shoes and have had victory, then we have hope to offer them.  We have to meet them where they are at.  The bridge that allows us to cross is living out the same painful circumstances that they are dealing with.

Likewise, God knew that it wouldn’t be enough for us if He offered salvation from the heavenly realms.  We needed a savior to meet us where we were at, to come down and live our life.   If Jesus hadn’t walked the earth, He most likely would not have credibility with us.  Let’s face it, we are more apt to listen to someone who has dealt with what we’re dealing with.  

Jesus left the beauty and perfection of heaven to be born in a barn and to deal with the filth and stench of our sin and shortcomings.  From His perspective, I’m not sure it was a ‘good’ event.  But, the end result was life changing for us.

This new perspective is really about dying to our own selfish ideals.  The scripture above says we must deny ourselves and take up our cross (pain and heartache) and follow Jesus.  The essence of this scripture is about changing how we define events that are good.

The next time you’re in the heat of the battle, try to consider the good that will come.  I’m not saying that your whole perspective will change and the pain/suffering will be taken away.  But perhaps we can find hope in knowing that we can help and minister to others struggling in the same area.  The sacrifice that you make will be good for them.  You are building a bridge to cross the chasm.  And when you reach a lost soul and bring them back across that bridge with you, here’s what happens in heaven – ‘In the same way, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’  Luke 15:10.  The angels in heaven are in celebration when, through your victory over the struggle, you cross the chasm to the lost and bring that individual back with you into salvation and a life with Christ.   And that, my friend, is way beyond good!!

Be Blessed!

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Momma's Little Nest by Brooke Glass

Momma's Little Nest

As I stood at my back door gazing upon the fresh fallen snow and longing for spring, I happen to look up into our big Cottonwood tree that stands in all its grandeur in our small courtyard.  Close to the top of the tree a perfectly constructed nest swayed in the gentle wind.  I was amazed that it had weathered the harsh winter winds, rain, and snow.  The longer I stood there the more I thought about the momma bird and how she must have gone about building such a nest.  She probably busied herself flying here and there finding the best of items. Maybe she used a strong twig, a piece of string, while knitting it all together to make a safe strong home for her little chicks.

  

My husband has long since referred to our home as “momma’s little nest”.  In the same way the momma bird instinctively built her nest to weather any storm we too have to build a strong nest for our little ones.  The word nest actually means a place of retreat, rest or lodging.  I just love that!  We should be busying ourselves with the task of building our nest as a place of refuge, strength, and love.  

The things we build our nest with are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-25). These must be knit together with the Word and with prayer.  If we purpose to create an atmosphere where our children can grow in the light of His word and in the safety of our nest then, when they are ready to spread their wings and fly, they will soar and not fall.    

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Can I Help You by Dawn White

Can I Help You?

Scripture:  Is. 6:8

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here I am Lord, send me!”

Over the past several weeks, our teenagers have been gone quite a lot, sometimes for several days at a time.  This has given me a lot of individual time with our 6 year old daughter.  When it is just she and I at home, she sticks pretty close to my side.  As I’m doing household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, yard work, etc., I often hear these words from her – ‘Can I help you?’  If it is a task that’s suitable for her, I set her up to ‘help’ me.

As she begins helping me with the task, her commitment to the task is directly related to how much fun she thinks it is.  Once it becomes a little redundant or requires something she doesn’t want to do, her enthusiasm wanes.

Perhaps you know where I’m going with this.  We are often in the role that my daughter is in and God is the role of the parent.  I often find myself wanting to serve God and asking Him ‘Can I help you?’  Those words roll off my tongue very easily.  And yet, my commitment is really no different than that of my 6 year old. 

When the task or assignment He gives me is new and fresh, I have much excitement with it.  When the new wears off, my enthusiasm tends to wane.  And, if the assignment gets a little messy, or presents a ‘thorn in my side’, I begin to question if I heard the Lord correctly.  I will tell myself, ‘Surely God doesn’t want me to go through all this hassle.  I must not have heard correctly.’

But Jesus said in Mark 2:17 – “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Friends, it is the lost that we need to be reaching out to.  And because they are lost, the assignments sometimes get messy.  Let’s face it, sin is ugly, which means the assignments can be yucky!  But that’s who Jesus is focused on.  This doesn’t minimize His love or the importance of those who are already saved.  It simply means that now you are saved, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, get dirty, and go after those who are still lost.  They need to receive the touch of Jesus through us.

Let’s briefly go back to the scenario with my daughter.  Her words to me – ‘Can I help you?’ shed light on her perspective.  In her mind, she is genuinely helping me.  The reality is, I am able to accomplish the task, in most cases, without her help.  But it does bless her to ‘help’ me.  She does get some training in household tasks.  And, she feels good about herself knowing she has helped me.  

And so it is with God.  He is the creator of the universe and the author of life.  He hung the stars and the moon, created all animal and plant life, formed Adam from the dust of the earth, and formed Eve from Adam’s rib.  God doesn’t need us to accomplish the tasks before Him.  But He allows us to ‘help’ Him because it does train us, and it blesses us to know that we are helping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I recently read of a large church where an older gentleman attended.  The church building was absolutely beautiful and God was alive and moving in the services.  Every Sunday the older gentleman sat with tears streaming down his face through the service.  This went on service after service.  Finally someone in the church approached the man and asked him about his struggles.  The older gentleman shared a blueprint.  The blueprint was of the very church building the services were in.  You see, God had given this man the task, but for various reasons, he didn’t stick it out.  He quit when the going got rough.  As he attended services there, he realized that God had used someone else to accomplish the task.  His heart was broken and he struggled to move past the guilt.  He eventually did move on, but it was a tough mistake to get over.

Friends, God doesn’t need our help.  He allows us to help Him.  Why?  Because we receive the blessing.  But we have to be willing to ‘get dirty’ in some assignments.  It isn’t easy, but it is worth it!  I challenge you, when you hear the Lord asking, ‘Whom shall I send?’  Step up with ‘Here I am Lord, send me’ and be ready to stick it out through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  You will receive the blessing!

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Are Christians Really Chocolate Chip Cookies? by Dawn White

Are Christians Really Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Scripture:  Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

As I was on the treadmill this week, I was reflecting back on different seasons of my life.  Some were so fun and exciting and some were not.  Some were actually very painful. And since I’m not a person who enjoys pain, I began to ponder the difficult seasons in life.  Everyone has them and I believe that the vast majority occur because we live in a fallen world. 

This led me to wonder how those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior make it through the difficult seasons.  When times get tough for me, I spend much time crying out to my Savior.  I know that He will get me through.  He is my Hope.  But what hope is there for those who don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior?  

You see, as Christians, we know the end of the story.  The Bible has a promise for every situation you’ll ever face.  Find your promise and cling to it – that’s your hope and assurance.  The promised ending is an encouragement to me and one that keeps me going through the difficult season.  

Here’s what the Lord showed me.  When we’re making chocolate chip cookies, we know the ending is going to be good.   But, when we’re making the cookies, each of those ingredients individually is not real tasty.  Raw eggs and a stick of butter are not something that is appealing to most of us.  Or how about baking soda?  I don’t even like toothpaste that has baking soda in it; I’m confident a spoonful of baking soda wouldn’t go down well.  

As we’re putting each of those ingredients in, one would wonder how the end result would be positive.   But, we keep adding the ingredients, because we know if we are persistent, the end result is good.

Friends, that is the Christian life in a nutshell.  Those painful events or circumstances seem useless by themselves.  But, in the scripture above, God promises that all things work for the good for those who love Him.  Don’t miss that – it says ALL things.  All means all.  God uses all those painful and unsavory life events to make us into something beautiful for His Kingdom.  

In Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit is listed as follows:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  These are all manifestations of the Spirit living in us, but the reality is that many are developed.  It’s easy to be joyful when things are going well, but what about when they’re not.  You only get to practice being joyful in all seasons if you have varying seasons.  You only get to develop self-control if you’re faced with temptations to be out of control.  You only come to know the peace and assurance of God when He’s all you have to rely on.  

I’ve been in a season for a while now where God is developing my trust in Him.  There have been occasions where I’ve just had to say, “God if you don’t move, it ain’t happenin’.  I’m not sure how you’re gonna do it, but I’m trusting you.”  When I fully turn things over to Him, I have much peace.  Otherwise, I’m tormented and analyzing every possible solution and outcome.  I’m an analysis person, so for me to completely let things go has been a stretch.  But, I’ve come to truly know that peace that passes all understanding that is mentioned in Phil. 4:7.  However, that peace has only come as a result of the trials of this life.  

And, it is exciting to see how God will move.  He is not bound by our natural means, so He’ll cause things to happen that you never thought possible.  A few years ago I had taken a trip with a church to speak against some controversial issues within the denomination.  When we first began discussing the trip, each individual was going to be given about $200 from the church to put toward the trip.  Well, sometime during the trip, I found out that the plan had changed and we wouldn’t be getting any money.  This was not intentional; it was just a miscommunication.  At any rate, I was out $200 that I had not planned for.  I began praying about it when I returned and asked the Lord to reimburse us for that expense.  A month or so later, my husband got a bonus from his employer – you know the amount already – it was $200.  He had never received that bonus before and he never got it again in all the years he worked there.  That event was disappointing to me at the time, but had it not happened, I would have missed an important lesson about God as my provider.

Those painful threads in our lives may be the result of the schemes of the enemy.  But God uses those to make a beautiful tapestry with your life.  You will emerge stronger and wiser.  You truly are the savory chocolate chip cookie in the making….the ending is good!

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Believe It Or Not by Dawn White

Believe It Or Not

Scripture:  Mark 11:24

24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Doesn’t this scripture make it sound like answered prayer is a piece of cake??  It’s pretty straight forward – ask for it, believe for it, and you’ve got it.  I can do the asking and the receiving just fine, it’s that middle step, the believing that trips me up.

This past week, I had a situation come up that caught me off guard.  I felt like I was being manipulated and undermined at the same time.  I called a prayer partner and asked for prayer, specifically that I would have wisdom in what to say and that I would handle the situation correctly.  As a faithful prayer partner should, this individual reminded me that I needed to ‘Let go and let God!’.  She reminded me that when we completely give it up, we are astonished at God’s perfect outcome.  

That’s what that middle step, believing, is all about.  I was crying out to God to move on my behalf, but then turning around and rehearsing in my head all the scenarios for how it could turn out.  Friends, that’s not believing that God is going to take care of it.  That’s believing He’s not capable and needs my help.  

When we truly believe that He is going to move for us, we pray and then wait for the outcome.  Every time the temptation comes to try to figure out the answer to the prayer, we need to resist that temptation and instead praise God that He is faithful and is working on it.

And, let me just tell you, from experience, it is much more peaceful to release it and let God take care of it.  As we rehearse and meditate on the situation in our minds, it becomes bigger, more stressful, and more exaggerated.  Before we know it, we are in a frenzy, which is not at all necessary.  The God of the universe is willing and able to take care of it for us.  The question is, will we let Him?

He gives us the formula:

Asking + Believing = Receiving

Remember, you’re believing that He will answer your cry for help, therefore you do not need to work out human solutions and possibilities.  Joyce Meyer says it very well – ‘Worry is nothing more than worshipping our ability to solve the problem.’  We all meditate on something, it can be the problem at hand, or it can be praising God for taking care of the problem at hand.

We recently sang a song a church that says it so well.  They lyrics are:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious 

Oh for grace to trust Him more.

He’s a big God, and He is THE Good God!  You can trust Him to work things out for the best.   Won’t you let Him prove that to you?  

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A Quick Errand by Dawn White

A Quick Errand

Scripture:  Eph. 2:10

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I want you to imagine with me for a moment that you are in need of some items from the grocery store.  You have a son/daughter that is of age and able to run to the grocery store for you and pick up the items you need, which you have listed on a sheet of paper.  In order to pay for the items, you have given them a signed check; all they will have to do is fill out the ‘Pay To The Order Of’ and the amount.  

This seems like a simple task, pretty straightforward and won’t take much time.  You have supplied them with all they need to complete the task.  They have the transportation, the list of items needed, and the funds to pay for them.  Your expectation is that they will return in a short amount of time with the items you requested, in hand.

That’s the scenario from your perspective as the parent.  Now let’s examine the task from the child’s perspective.  They have access to the car by themself and have a blank signed check.  There is a rush of freedom and power that comes with having the car and a blank signed check.  

On the way to the grocery store, they decide that McDonald’s is sounding pretty good, as they are a little hungry.  With only one check in hand, they can’t use it at both the grocery store and McDonald’s.  Since the bank is on the way, they stop by and get cash with the check, enough to cover the groceries and a snack from McDonald’s.  The account always seems to have money in it, so no reason to believe that it wouldn’t this time.

After picking up the snack at McDonald’s, they head to the grocery store.  As they walk into the store, they run into a friend that is headed to the movies.  The friend asks them to come along.  Knowing they have cash in hand, they decide they can pick up the groceries after the movies.  Surely the movie can’t be that much.  Once at the theater, the popcorn smells so good, too good to pass up, so without another thought they purchase a large popcorn with additional butter.  They find a seat in the theater and settle in to enjoy a great movie.  

This scenario seems to be exaggerated, on one hand, and yet I believe it represents our daily life in the grand scheme of things.  The mother sent her child to complete a simple task, fully equipped to complete it successfully.  But the child got derailed with all the other temptations and options available.  

Friends, this is our lives.  God sent us to earth to do a task for him, as indicated in the scripture above.  We were created to do good works which God prepared for us in advance.  The grocery store errand is a simple and seemingly quick task to be completed.  And so it is with our lives.  Our life on earth is really no longer than a heart beat when considered in the grand scheme of eternity.  God sent us here with a job to do, and yet, how often do we get derailed, chasing down things that appear fun, appealing, beneficial, prosperous, etc. on the surface?  

I’ve said many times before that I write these teachings for myself more than anyone.  God has really been dealing with me over the past couple of weeks about how temporary life on earth really is.  And yet, I seem to get so caught up in it and lose sight of the grand scheme and the purpose for my existence here.

He reminded me just this morning that the priorities of the world are really of no value in the Kingdom.  My goal should be that I serve Him fully and completely each and every day, doing whatever He asks of me.  Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it isn’t.  Nonetheless, the rewards that I store up for my obedience and surrender to Him are eternal.  The rewards that we seek after in this life will perish and be left behind once we pass on.  

I invite you to join with me and set your sights on the things above.  Really press in and seek God for revelation on the good works that He prepared in advance for you to do.  There is only one of you and God has a job for you.  When we are obedient to Him, we feel so satisfied in this earthly life, but oh my, the rewards that we will receive for our life in eternity.  I can only imagine…..

Your life here is really nothing more than a quick errand for the King of Kings.  Focus is imperative for me, and perhaps you also.  And yet, He has fully equipped us to do the job.   

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By The Grace of God by Dawn White

By The Grace of God

Scripture:  2 Cor. 8:7b

  See that ye abound in this grace also.

I’ve heard the word grace defined a few different ways as I have listed below:

1)God’s unmerited favor

2)God blessing us with what we don’t deserve

3)God supplying what I’m lacking at any moment to be His ambassador

Regardless of the definition that you prefer, they all provide us with the message that we’re getting a blessing that we as humans could in no way earn.  A dear pastor friend of mine once shared a dream that she had where the multitudes of people were standing around the throne of God.  All at once, the hands of everyone stretched upward toward the Throne of God.  It was at that instant that everyone realized that all of their needs were met at the Throne of Grace.  

I’ve come to love that word.  As I’ve grown in my spiritual walk, I have come to better understand grace.  Although it is intangible, for me it represents a sweet, beautiful peace.  I now realize that grace brings victory in every area of my life.   When Jesus hung on that cross for 6 hours, He was the epitome of Grace.  Remember, grace supplies what you’re lacking at any moment, to serve God.  I love it…..I don’t deserve it, but I am very thankful for it.  

Most of us probably perceive grace as something that we are receiving from God, which is correct.  However, the above scripture says that we are to abound in grace.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines abound as being great in amount or fully supplied.  Thus, we are given a command to see that we are fully supplied in this grace.  Worded in this manner, it seems as though we have a responsibility to tap into the Grace of God.  

In Romans 5:2a it says – “through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”  From this we see that we tap into the Grace of God by faith.  Just as we believe for healing or provision, we also believe for God’s grace, His unmerited favor.

In Ephesians 1:7 it says – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”  So if God has lavished His grace on us, then why do we need to stand in faith to receive it?  Just because God has given you something doesn’t mean that you are going to enjoy it.  He has given us many promises in the Word, but it is only by faith that we can cash in on those promises.  He has given (promised) us redemption and forgiveness of sins.  But we all know people who have not cashed in on this promise.  It is true, God has lavished His Grace on us, but we have to reach out and receive it by faith.

When is it that we need to tap into grace?  I believe that it is in all circumstances.  Almost daily I decree that I will do the day gracefully; that I will do it with excellence as an ambassador of Jesus Christ.  I do that because in Job it says that as you decree a thing, it shall be established unto you.  In faith, I decree that I will tap into the grace that God has lavished on me.

The apostle Paul wrote 2/3 of the New Testament.  Many of these books were letters to churches.  He often opened and closed his letters by bestowing God’s grace on the churches.  Why?  Because regardless of the need, God’s grace is sufficient.  Remember, as my pastor friend dreamed, every need is met at the Throne of Grace.  Tap into God’s grace and do each day gracefully in all areas.

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