Run the Race

So after a week of amazing Bible studies here at church as well as on the blog, God is impressing on my heart these thoughts today. I was going to do the "usual" devotion, but it seems that God wants to impress on your heart what He has impressed on my heart today during our Thursday morning study.

"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself."
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (MSG)

Loved this verse in the Message version. No sloppy living... what a concept! So, I went to my application Bible and here is what it says about these verses:

Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with vigor and stamina. Don't merely observe from the grandstand; don't just run out to jog a couple of laps each morning. Train diligently - your spiritual progress depends on it. At times we must even give up something good in order to do what God wants. Each person's special duties determine the discipline and denial that he or she must accept. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. With the goal of pleasing God, our denial seems like nothing compared to the eternal, imperishable reward that will be ours. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must be careful to practice what we preach.

Did that just make you exhausted to read? or excited to run a race like that? Are you doing the "workouts" needed to run this race? How is your prayer life? Do you go to God in everything or just when life gets tough? Are you in a Bible study? Or do you think I have done those and know the answers, God couldn't have anything new to teach me? Or have you never done a Bible study and are scared that people will know this is your first time? Do you take the time to come to worship each week and praise God with your mind, heart and soul? We all have our own race to win and we can choose to finish with a win or lose. We are each on our own race, so no one can beat you. You can win your race! But you do have to train hard for it and keep going even in the tough times and especially in the good times when you might forget that the race is still going.

I challenge you to really pray and think about your race. Not your spouses or your kids, the neighbors or even the person sitting in the next office.... YOUR RACE!! How are you doing? Do you need any strength training? I know I want to discipline myself to better serve God and not have a 'sloppy life'.

Keep running friend! God will help you.
Have a super Thursday

Genuine Wisdom

"The LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Proverbs 2:6

"Grow up. Gather the facts. Make wise choices." No doubt you heard similar advice when you graduated from high school and entered young adulthood. Even now your inner voice repeats these messages. But how can you experience genuine wisdom? Although you gain education through training and some maturity through experience, God is your source for wise and meaningful living. Enjoying everyday wisdom intertwines with knowing God intimately. Make deepening your relationship with Him your life goal.

Dear Lord, give me the desire to seek your wisdom in my daily life. Whether that day is bringing me busyness, sadness, joy or complete stress. Show me how to make a relationship with You my goal everyday when I get out of bed. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a great Wednesday
Blessings,

You Are Irreplaceable!

A friend of mine and I recently talked about how we both felt guilty for not being more like each other. I lamented to her, “I wish I could bake like you!” She also saw qualities and skills in me she’d like to have.

Next time we chatted we both laughed and shook our heads at our silly comparison game. But it reminded us that it’s easy to lose sight of God’s heart and unique purpose for each of us.

As women, it seems we often compare ourselves to each other. If someone is gifted in different ways than we are, we feel inadequate and wish we could change. Perhaps some of that perspective is encouraged by our individualistic society. We believe that one person could (and should) do it all.

But God has a completely different plan. Rather than making us self-sufficient He places us within the body of Christ with a specific role to fulfill. “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?” (1 Corinthians 12:17).

In The Cure for the Common Life Max Lucado says, “With God, every day matters, every person counts. And that includes you. You do something no one else does, in a manner no one else does it. And when your uniqueness meets God’s purpose, both of you will rejoice.”

Those around you will rejoice too.
The body of Christ needs you, just as you are, and no one can take your place.
The world only gets one you.

You with your gifts.
You with your smile.
You with those things you do.
So take your place,
take your chances,
take this moment to know...

You’ve got something to offer.
Something good and right and true.
Something God-given,
Heart-of-Heaven created.
And the rest of us need it, need you.

Oh, you think it’s no big deal.
Anyone could be that way.
Anyone could do it.
Nope.
Not true.

There’s just one irreplaceable you.

Dear Lord, thank You for the people You have put in my life. But, more importantly, thank You for the person You have made me and the gifts You have given me. Help me each day to know how to use them. In Your Name, Amen

Hope your Tuesday is going terrific!
Blessings,

When you need to get a lot done. . .

It's Monday! And as I make the list for the week at work as well as at home. I am already exhausted. Than this thought came to mind. I thought I would share it with you, as many of you may be sitting at your desk, at your computer, or on your phone running errands.
Rush-rush.

Aren't there ever enough hours in the day?

And it seems a Voice whispers to my heart...

"Not for your agenda--but always for Mine."

I stop, sigh, smile.

The most important "done" in my life is not the one I hope to write on my list at the end of the day. Instead it's the one I hope to hear at the end of my life:

"Well done, good and faithful servant."

Ah, yes, I'm called to relationship not accomplishment.

And I'm loved no matter how many items on my list are left unchecked.

Whew.

I'm so glad.

You too?

Dear Lord, be with me this week as I plan out the week and look over my list to see what has to be 'done'. Help me to realize that the relationships I have with those around me and with YOU are more important than my list. I want to do better this week, and not feel the 'rush' of the to-do list. In Your Name, Amen.

As we are half way through our Monday.... let us all take a breathe and just be still in Him for a moment. Listen for what He wants you to do in the next hour, the rest of the day, tomorrow, this weekend, next week . . . Keep Him at the center of your list. With Him at the center, maybe we won't stress out so much on checking things off. Our main check list He is keeping track of for us. Let's let Him.

Have a great day
Blessings,

Nothing can stand in your way

When you wake up in the morning, wipe the sleep from your eyes and the last traces of dreams in your mind.
You begin to get ready for the day, You can already feel fear coming down the track like a freight train.
The coffee steams and you try to carve out a safe space in the middle of the busy.
You whisper prayers and think about the future.
About plans and expectations.
You worry that you will fail.
The freight train whistles in your ears.
And then it seems you hear a whisper in response...
Nothing can stand in the way of the Lord.
And nothing can stand in your way when you are obedient to Him.
{Isn't that always the way it is? The fear is so loud and faith is always the still, small Voice?}
Your breath catches in your throat.
All those thundering wheels screech to a halt as you remember the Unstoppable lives within you.
You go on about your day thinking, 'I will go where I'm called to go, do what I need to do, and it will be okay--yes, even more than okay.'
The train is quiet.
And you're back on track.

Have a super weekend.
Blessings,

In God's Heart You Are . . . Strong

Women sometimes joke about feeling as if we need to be like Wonder Woman in our daily lives. We often juggle a career, kids, marriage, friendships, and church activities. We start the day exhausted and end it the same way. Yet we push ahead, feeling sure we too are called to be superheroines who save the world. We pay the price with our bodies, hearts, and minds.
Many of us also harbor a secret—one we share with only a few people. Despite our Herculean efforts, our endless giving, and our selfless devotion…they never feel like enough. There is always another load of laundry to do, another hurting heart to comfort, another Bible study to attend. We silently wonder, “If this is the abundant life, why am I so tired?”

I’ll admit that I’ve often struggled with this question. As a type A, motivated, goal-oriented woman, I can wear myself out in a hurry. Wonder Woman and I are a bit different. She knows her mission, and that’s all she does. She also knows both her powers and her limitations.

I, on the other hand, look at Philippians 4:13 and say, “I can do everything…so that’s what I’d better do.” But I’m learning that God never calls me to do it all. My mission isn’t to save the world; Jesus has already done that. My mission also isn’t to be like my neighbors or the women I admire in my Bible study.

You are either living your mission or you are living someone else’s. The world tells us we need to do it all; Jesus reminds us that we’re called to fulfill a unique purpose. We can recognize our God-given strengths and respect our limitations. And when we do, the power we have through Christ exceeds anything we can imagine.

In the kingdom of God, we’re all Wonder Women.

Life is hard sometimes—
crazy, mixed-up, messed up.
And there you are in the middle of it all,
just doing your thing…
being strong and brave
and beautiful
like it’s no big deal.
But let me tell you, girl,
it is.
Not everyone can do what you can do.
Not everyone can handle things the way you can.
And while you wonder sometimes
if you’re doing okay…
the rest of us are just
watching in wonder.

Dear Lord, help me to be the wonder woman you called me to be, and nothing else. Give me the desire to search for my strengths and know what You call me to do. Not my friend, the gal in the next cubicle, or the lady down the street, but me (insert name here) I want to serve You and be excited about that and not exhausted by it. Show me my direction. In Your Name, Amen.

Ok, wonder woman... take the time to pray about what God would have you continue to do in your life and your families life and do it. Let go of the things He may be leading you to let go of. Someone else will have that job to do, so give it up. Keep going... You can do it, with God's help I know you can.
Have a super Thursday.
Blessings,

Time-Out

"The LORD will not abandon His people." 1 Samuel 12:22

Do you remember when, as a little girl, you languished alone in your room as punishment? Or maybe you sat with your nose plastered to the corner in time-out. It felt like your parents had abandoned you, didn't it? As adults, we sometimes feel abandoned when that's not the case at all. We're actually in a place strategically chosen by a loving Father to teach us, broaden us, and improve us in the end.

Dear Lord, thank You for never abandoning me. Thank You for the spiritual "time-out' you sometimes put me through. It is a good time for me to really go to You and think and pray and be still and just listen. In these times You have never left me and You have strengthened me with just what I need at the moment. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super day. Any burning bush sightings yet in your life? I would love to hear about it, if you'd like to share.
I see my burning bush. Got a little burnt when I go to close to make sure that it was 'my' bush.... but it was. Now, to decide what to do with my burning bush. I will be still and listen for God's direction. I am excited to see where He takes me.

Blessings on your day,

YOU Are Chosen!

Imagine a little girl at recess waiting to hear her name called for a team.
She stands with her head lowered, staring at a scuffed shoe, waiting and hoping.

Picture a woman lingering at the edge of a party. Her eyes scan the room,
wondering if anyone notices she’s there, silently wishing for someone to talk to her.

See an older lady sitting in the foyer of a nursing home.
She watches as volunteers come through the door, slowly lifting her head, inviting someone to acknowledge her with a quiet smile.

From the time we are children to the end of our lives, something within us cries, “Choose me!”
Jesus answers that call of our hearts...

He says to the little girl, “I want you on my team. I even have a special position and purpose for you.”

He says to the woman at the party, “I think you’re beautiful. I want to know you and be with you.”

He says to the older woman, “I place great worth on your life. I see you and I hear you.”

And He says to you, “I choose you, just as you are, and I love you more than you can imagine.”

We long for someone to come for us, see us for who we really are, and want us anyway. We’ve already been chosen but sometimes we still try to fulfill that longing in other ways. Eventually we find that the love we’ve been searching for is right in front of us.

God has already made His decision. He’s standing before us with arms wide open. Once and for all He has said to us, “I choose you.” When we accept our Heavenly Father’s invitation to join His family then we truly belong to Him forever.

Dear Lord, thank you for choosing me. It is nice to know that if I am the last one picked to play that game, or standing alone in a group of people, You see me and love me more than I can imagine. Help me to notice others I come across that may need to be chosen and reminded of You their Heavenly Father that truly loves them no matter what. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a good day. Hope you have seen your burning bush! If not, keep looking
Blessings,

Good things are ahead for you this week . . .

I open my email. I glance over my to-do list. I look at the appointments on my calendar.
It seems like it will be an ordinary week.
And yet...
Something inside me, something inside you, longs for extraordinary.
I tend to think that those kind of moments just aren't part of our day-to-day.
What if it's more that I'm not always looking for them?
Or that I sometimes rush past them even when they're in my path?

I think of the story of Moses and the burning bush. Moses is in the middle of the desert tending sheep, the equivalent of being in the middle of a work day for us today. Yours might happen in a cubicle, in your kitchen with toddlers around your feet, or in an airport.
And right there in the middle of that ordinary, God shows up.

I love what comes next...
"When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush...." Exodus 3:4

When Moses stopped to pay attention.
When he took time to notice the extraordinary.
When he turned aside from his to-do list...God changed everything.

Yes, there are seasons when we're simply called to be faithful, to do the simple and even unnoticed. But you just never know when it's going to be your time for a burning bush moment. You never know when God is going to step in and do the gloriously unexpected. We don't have to make it happen. We only have to be watchful and then willing.
Because our burning bush might be just around the corner.
Maybe today.
Maybe tomorrow.
Let's keep watching, keep waiting--God has more than we can even imagine ahead!

Dear Lord, help me to be not to busy to notice the extraordinary in my life this week. I don't want to miss it. In Your Name, Amen.

Hope you have a great week
Blessings,

Finding Favor

"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Genesis 6:8

Ever wonder why Noah stood out head and shoulders above others in his generation? Why did God look upon him with favor? Noah walked with God and was righteous. Do you have what it takes to be a "Noah" in this generation? Walk with God daily. Don't let the things of this world zap your strength. Trust Him, live for Him, and watch Him rain down favor in your life!

Dear Lord, as I walk with you daily, give me the strength to trust You and live for You. I want You to rain down on me and I will watch for Your favor in my life. Thank You Lord. In Your Name, Amen.

I pray you are having a great week. Enjoying the cooler weather is nice.
Blessings on your Thursday

Strength

"Pile your troubles on God's shoulders - he'll carry your load, he'll help you out."
Psalm 55:22

You can gain physical strength by heading to the gym. However, spiritual strength is what you need to carry you through life. Instead of lifting weights, lift your eyes and prayers toward heaven. Stretch your compassion by reaching out to those around you in love. Get your heart pumping as you push beyond your own limitations and rely more completely on God. Through it all, God will be your strength as well as your personal trainer.

Dear Lord, just give me strength to tackle what comes my way. In Your Name, Amen.

Hope your day is going well.
Blessings,

Honey to the Soul

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24

One of the greatest blessings of the Christian life is a kind word, spoken just when you need to hear it.

Look at the unbelieving world, and how often will you find kindness? Once in awhile, in a rare human being. More often, you'll experience criticism and condemnation.

One thing that should set Christians apart from unbelievers is a caring kindness. When you don't find kindness in the church, something has gone wrong. A critical spirit isn't from God and can't help the soul and body.

But we also can't expect the church always to agree with all we do. When we've fallen into wrongdoing, it is the responsibility of caring Christians to confront us lovingly and set us on the right track. When we respond to that correction, we can again feel the kindness of those who have loved us well enough to tell us we've been wrong. We might have missed it when we were doing wrong, but wise Christians will still have used it to draw us back to the right path.

People have a hard time hearing critics, unless they know care is also there. A combination of correction and kindness often makes the difference in whether or not those words are really heard. Honey spreads easily on the soul, while criticism feels like sand in an open wound.

Whether you need to encourage or redirect another Christian, are you speaking kind words? If so, their sweetness may bring just the healing God has in mind.

Lord, give me the right words to encourage a friend or even to redirect a friend around me. Show me what to say and give me the right words to show them I care. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a great day.
Blessings,

Calmness

"Foolish people lose their tempers, but wise people control theirs."
Proverbs 29:11

Feeling angry doesn't automatically mean you've sinned. Anger is a normal response to injustice and wrong. God becomes angry over the disobedience of the people He loves. Jesus responded angrily to the corrupt money changers in the temple, but He didn't sin. It's when anger is allowed to rage or fester as resentment that it wreaks havoc with your soul and relationships. You're wise when you face your anger responsibly, discover its roots, and partner with God to control it.

Dear Lord, help me to listen carefully and hold my tongue. When I feel angry, help me to stop, listen and hold my tongue for a while. I know Your plan is for more peaceful relationships. As God's Spirit works in my heart, help me to give another person a second, a third, or even a hundred and third chance. As it says in 1 Timothy 2:8, 'I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." With Your help God, I can do this. In Your Name, Amen.

Hope your Monday is going well.
Blessings on your week,

A Time for Everything

What about…?

When will I…?

How can I…?

I could fill in those blanks a thousand different ways.

And yet this morning one passage from Ecclesiastes seems to be the answer to all of them…

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Each sentence flows over my soul. And I realize, if all the things we wanted or expected came in at once it would be too much for us. We'd drown in our desires. And so we wait, we watch, and we trust the hand and heart of the One who brings us what is best in its time.

Lord, we surrender to your ways. We yield to your rhythm. We who hurry choose to let each answer in our lives have its moment. Give us your time for everything…and help us trust you for all things. Amen.

Have a super weekend
Hope to see you in church this weekend
Blessings

Respect

"A kindhearted woman gains respect."
Proverbs 11:16

As you grow in God, you begin to demonstrate His character and nature in your thoughts, attitudes, and behavior. Through you, His goodness becomes evident to others, and their respect for you increases. This will happen not because you demand it but because it is a natural response to God's glory. For the same reason, you must respect yourself - casting down thoughts of inferiority and unworthiness. Respect God's presence and work within you.

Dear Lord, I know you desire my respect. I am Your child and You adore me. I pray I can give You respect through praise, worship, and adoration. You want to hear me -- Your precious child -- say Your name! "Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord." Proverbs 1:7. Help me show You respect. In Your Name, Amen.

Hope you are having a super Thursday. So glad tomorrow is Friday. It has been one of those short - long weeks
Blessings,

Open Homes

"Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless -- cheerfully."
1 Peter 4:9

Because our homes are our private places, the places we retreat to when we're tired to find new strength, it's hard sometimes to open our homes to others. It's bad enough that we have to cope with others' needs all day long, we feel, without having to bring them home with us! But God calls us to offer our hospitality, and He will give us the grace to do it joyfully.

Dear Lord, you open Yourself to me, offering me everything You have, and You call me to do the same for others. Just as You make me welcome, help me to make others welcome in my life. I don't want to reach out to others grudgingly, with a sense of obligation. Instead, I want to be eager for opportunities to practice the grace of hospitality. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a good day
Blessings,

Be Strong

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD."
Psalm 31:24

Hope is not some weak, airy-fairy kind of thing. It takes strength to put your trust in God when life batters your heart and soul. Weaklings rarely hold on to positive expectation for long, because it takes too much from them. But the spiritually strong put their trust in God and let Him lift up their hearts in hope. Then battering may come, but it cannot destroy them. Hope makes Christians stronger still.

Dear LORD, You have loved me completely. When I have hope in You, my faith cannot fail. Help me to make You joyful today by putting my trust in Your everlasting love. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a super week. I hope I will be seeing you sometime this week in a Bible study or maybe our online Bible Studies.
I would love to have you join us.
Blessings,

Feel the Love

"Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love." Ephesians 1:4 (MSG)

Need a boost of hope today? Read this passage aloud, inserting your name for each "us." Wow! Doesn't that bring home the message of God's incredible, extravagant, customized love for you? I am the focus of His love, and I bask in the hope of healing, wholeness, and holiness His individualized attention brings. You too, dear sister, are His focus. Allow yourself to feel the love today.

Dear Lord, thank you for the hope and love You give to me. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a great weekend. Safe travels to those of you traveling this weekend.
Looking forward to the start of all our Fall programing next week.
Blessings,

Spilling Over

"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."
1 John 1:4

Imagine you're in the process of filling a glass with water and accidentally pour too much in. The excess goes running down the sides, splashing your hand and anything else it comes in contact with. That's how it is when you're overflowing with joy from the inside out. You can't help but spill out onto others, and before long, they're touched, too. So, let it flow!!

Dear Lord, Show me today how to spread joy around to others I come in contact with. In Your Name, Amen

Have a good Thursday.
Blessings,