Granola Bar Devotional

Granola Bar Devotional Catalog

2011-11-08T20:28:00.000-06:00

Please come in, relax and browse through our large selection of inspirational devotionals. You can browse the devotionals using the alphabetized catalog below or by contributing writers' names with the Blogroll button. Or check out the most recent devotionals by clicking the Newest Devotionals button on the navigation bar.

If you would like to contribute a devotional, please read our Info Page.

2009-07-07T21:08:00.007-05:00

Please use the alphabetized catalog (on the homepage) or the contributing writer list (on the blogroll) to browse through our devotionals.

2009-07-06T21:06:00.007-05:00

Please use the alphabetized catalog (on the homepage) or the contributing writer list (on the blogroll) to browse through our devotionals.

I'm Not Job

2008-10-26T21:03:00.000-05:00

Recently my friend and I had a conversation about abundance. I'm in a space where my faith is wavering due to my 13 month unemployment status and my perpetual left sided handicap due to stroke. It's difficult for me to see from where the abundance is coming because I'm in the middle of my trial. My friend asked me a simple question that I can't get out of my mind. The question was, “Don't you think that God is big enough to deliver you from unemployment and back to complete health into the abundance of His promise?” Well, I didn't answer him in the moment, but I'll answer now. I was taught to spew stock answers like, "Stand on God's Word," "Hold on to God's unchanging hand," and "Have the faith of a mustard seed - just believe." The truth is that I can't see the result, so I feel that I have no faith. My observation is that before I became ill, three years ago, I always had favor in the workplace. Whenever I interviewed for a job, I always got it. And now when I interview, I am often told that I'm not the "right fit." I'm even experiencing employers and friends with hiring influence not returning my phone calls. So 13 months and counting, I still have mortgage payments, food to buy and bills to pay. Without employment how am I going to survive? I liken myself to Job who had God's favor with family, money and abundance and then it was all taken away in order to test his faith. I actually feel like God's forgotten me, so when I'm asked if I believe that God is abundant and wants us to be also, it's difficult to say yes. I'm in the fire, and I even stopped attending church on a regular basis. What is the point of praising a God who is allowing this trial to go on and on? Whether I praise God or not, I'm still without gainful employment. You see, Job was phenomenal as an example of someone who has faith; I'm honestly not there. No example at all. However, within the 13 months I've not gone one day without a meal and my bills get paid. So I realize that God is looking after me. But I'm not Job, I'm white knuckling my life day after day and I'm ready for the abundance to flow. I also realize that I must be obedient and be in communication with God regularly, so I can hear when he speaks to me. That is when He'll release the latch off the barn door of blessings and tell me He's been with me all of the time. He's just waiting to hear my voice.

Memory Verse:
"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
-Matthew 6:30 (KJV)

Prayer prompt:
"Father, first I want to thank You for the many blessings that you've given to me through this rough physical and financial time. Please forgive me for my unbelief, and I thank You for loving me and giving me the gift of life after a traumatic illness. I know that You inhabit our praises and we as believers can praise our way through hard times. Give me the desire to keep Your Word on my mind, in my heart and in my conversation. It's not about me; it's about You, Your way and Your time. Thank You for the strength to endure. Thank You for divine favor and for the people in my life that love me. You are the only living God ,and I do desire to be unwavering in my faith. Thank You in advance for the gift of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please You. . .”

Contributing Writer:
Dale Ottley

Got a Hammer?

2008-10-26T21:02:00.000-05:00

With dirty dishes in the sink, baby food stains on my clothes, play dough stuck in the carpet, meat trying to desperately defrost ten minutes before dinner, and hair in a messy pony tail, I tend to lose perspective. Suddenly, my husband goes from the love of my life to a lazy, never around dud as fast as Clark Kent changes into Superman. This is the attitude that hits my husband like a Mac truck as soon as he walks in the door after a long hard day at work. It is no surprise that a fight too ridiculous to even admit to ensues. We then spend the evening having a quiet dinner and watching TV with ourselves. Can you see where that evening went wrong? Can you see that even a tiny act of disrespect can erode at a marriage? The descent of a marriage begins with a hint of selfishness and disrespect. When we begin to forget that we are on the same side, we begin to feel isolated, unappreciated and frustrated. Those are feelings that build up in our marriage like a poison builds up in our body. This does not mean that a wife holds sole responsibility for the health and well being of a marriage. However, we can only change our own attitude. We need to face our failings and take ownership of our flaws. A wife tears down the walls of her marriage each time she allows herself to disrespect her husband based on her own frustration. Your husband cannot be held responsible for the dirty dishes and play dough on the carpet while he has been at work just as you are not responsible for his boss yelling or not finding a good parking space that day. We need to see each other as a haven, instead of allowing the frustrations of the day to rule our attitudes or cause us to blame the other person. Your husband walking through the door should be like the desert experiencing the rain not another dirty dish thrown in the sink. Greet him at the door with appreciation for the time he puts in at work. Smile! Build the walls of your marriage on teamwork, love, respect, admiration and a sense that the two of you are on this life’s journey together. I promise that he will join you by adding bricks to that wall! When you experience bad days, let this remind you that he also experiences bad days, and you need each other for comfort. So instead of having a quiet dinner because you can’t yell and swallow at the same time, have a quiet dinner embracing the peace of mind you bring to each other. If your husband replaces chocolate and becomes a relaxing element in your life, you may even loose a few pounds.

Memory Verse:
“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”
- Proverbs 14:1 KJV

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Heavenly Father, as we build our homes and families, please allow us to never forget who we are in You. Allow us to remember the building blocks of love, compassion and respect that must go into our homes. None of us, Lord, want to tear our homes down. We rely on you to guide us daily and order our steps so we can fulfill the role You have granted us. Help us to remember to trust in You and reflect your love, especially when we’re building . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Richele McFarlin

I'm Pregnant with...SETH

2008-10-26T20:58:00.000-05:00

Humans are made of three things: spirit, soul and body. The spirit has five faculties: hope, faith, reverence, prayer and worship. There are two types of hope: human and divine. Humanity is carnal, sinful in nature. Therefore, it is imperfect. Human hope common to all human societies is optimistic desire. There is no guarantee with human hope. Now Divine hope is optimistic assurance. This type of hope is our guarantee. Praise God for an assurance with life in relationship in Him. In the Old Testament language, Hebrew, SETH means compensation. Seth was the son born to Adam and Eve after Cain killed Able. So Seth was the compensation in Eve's life for abrupt absence of Able. Seth was the physical manifestation of divine hope. God whispers to us in our spirit through messages at church or in conversations with people that no matter what things look like His word does not change. Along the journey towards faith some people must discover hope. The resilience of the human spirit is justified by divine hope. God gives us divine hope because He's a God of equity which in turn fills us with optimism. When hope is under constant attack, something we desire will ultimately be fulfilled. In the past three years since having a stroke, I've been on five formal interviews for full time work (I've been freelancing on projects in between in order to sustain my life). I didn't land ANY of the full time positions (the most recent one was two weeks ago), but I'm filled with divine hope. Although I don't see the opportunities ahead, I have an assurance in my spirit that I'll be offered exactly what I've been waiting for. It's so unexplainable that all I can say is that I'm pregnant with SETH – THE DIVINE HOPE OF COMPENSATION! Over the past three years, I've adopted a philosophy based on my own past failures; therefore, I made it my destiny to embrace my own failure as my life. Today I feel – no – I know that my desire to eat, grow myself and stay out of foreclosure will be fulfilled. I haven't believed anything in three years and for some reason this morning God has given me the gift of faith. I'm so fired up that I had to share this with you all.

Memory verse:
"Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.”
- Psalm 119:138 (KJV)

Prayer Prompt:
"Thank You, Father, for the gift of faith. Thank You for trusting me and choosing me to be a part of Your kingdom. Only You know the plans that You have for me. Thank You for Your love, love enough to sacrifice Your son to save the world. Thank You for allowing me to be impregnated with SETH. You gave Your son, and now I will birth this devotional to encourage someone’s life who feels that her faith is out of reach. You are a God of abundance, not lack and I praise You for . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Dale Ottley

One True Thing

2008-10-26T07:25:00.003-05:00

Hands clutching a mug of sweet coffee, I pinch my eyes closed to hear the sound of the ocean in tree leaves. Wind sways them like waves. I open my eyes to return to the reality of neighbours, concrete and hydro lines. Far above it all, wind pushes thick layers of grey cloud toward the single patch of blue sky. I consider how it must look above the clouds –sunny, clear sky, a perfect day. The patch of blue shrinks and is swallowed by a sky of grey. All is cloudy and grey from where I sit, yet I know the sky above has not changed. It is still blue, sunny and clear – just hidden from my view. I understand Solomon’s rants about how life is, in many ways, useless or unfair or impossible to understand. My feelings, views and beliefs seem real and concrete to me but are, in fact, full of deception. They change based on circumstance or as I gain new understanding. How, then, can I maintain any opinion, belief or feeling when it may not be real or true? What can I rely on? The only constant is our unchanging God. “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.” What I feel, believe or understand won’t ever change who he is or his plans for me. As I know God more and more, I become more confident of who I am, my purpose, and I am assured that he is the one right thing. He is true. He is good. He is alive and real. Sometimes I can’t see him beyond my grey clouds of misunderstanding, but he’s still there and still the same. Of all the things I’ll never know or understand that is one thing I can know for sure. God is real and good and unchanging.

Memory Verse:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
-Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank You, Lord, that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. My sight is clouded by the worries of this life and sin, misunderstanding, guilt, lies, selfishness, pride. Please forgive me for believing these lies instead of Your Truth. Lord, thank You for opening my eyes more and more as you reveal Yourself to me. Please don’t ever stop, even when it’s painful. I love You and want to know You more. Lord, help me to see past the clouds of this world, and into the blue sky of Your truth and eternity....”

Contributing Writer:
Kimberly Dawn Rempel

Like A Child

2008-09-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

The movie was over, and we made our way to exit into the mall. Her little heart was full and overflowing with praise. We had just seen “The Prince of Egypt.” That was back in 1998; still the memories are fresh today. With her little hand in mine we walked along the corridors of the mall, but those little hands just had to be free. As she broke loose from my grip, both small hands went up in the air and she began to praise and worship God. “Thank You, Jesus, for Moses and for the movie. Thank You for keeping him safe in that basket. I love you Jesus.” No, she didn’t care if people were looking at us; she paid no mind to this Mamaw (grandmother). She was lost in her task of praise. Oh! To be totally lost in our praise! So lost that we do not hear the naysayers of life as we praise our Lord. Completely absorbed in our love for Him, our eyes are on the prize without counting the cost. Do you ever simply long to be in His presence with no distractions? Do you simply find that you do not want to leave the sweetness of His presence? Still the maturity of life, the responsibilities of life keep calling to us as we must get on with our day. Today with child-like faith, I am going to lift my hands high. Naysayers will just have to excuse me for the day.

Memory Verse:
“And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
- Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank You, Jesus, for the ones of faith that have gone before us. Thank You for keeping me safe in my basket (pit), but thank You even more that even as Moses was not left in the basket, You did not leave me in that pit. Thank You for deliverance for the Israelites and for me. I love you so much, Jesus….”

Contributor:
Linda Jurek

Perspective

2008-09-28T14:39:00.003-05:00

I am often encouraged by a beautiful sunset. It appears majestic—ribbons of soaring light peering through couplets of clouds draws in my heart. I don't seek God in the sunset, but I search the heavens and thank Him for what He created. I look at sunsets when I feel overwhelmed and need encouragement because of the minute things of life. Sometimes everything feels overwhelming. Reading through Job is a funny way to be encouraged. The daily difficulties of a man being sifted by Satan is not appealing on the surface. But deeper into the thickness of the Bible, I found a gem that puts it all into perspective. The latter part of Job contains some of my favorite chapters in the Bible. God tells Job to brace himself: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me" (Job 38:3, NIV). God proceeds to ask Job where he was when He created the earth's foundation, the dimensions, the stars, the limits of water and land, the light, and the darkness; where were you, Job? When I read through these verses, my entire world is plunged into perspective. The laundry, my writing, the bills, the grass that needs to be mowed, the devotions I forgot to read for Sunday School, all form their place outside of the greatness of God. At that moment I remember that I am bothered and worried for nothing. When put into the correct perspective, the daily, weekly, and monthly tasks eventually get checked off my to-do list without me losing my witness.

Memory Verses:
“I said the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’"
- - Psalm 16:2 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank You, Lord, that You are faithful to us. Help us to remember You in your daily life. We know that You are our help. Help us to see our lives from Your perspective. And encourage us in our daily life….”

Contributing Writer:
ML Michaels

Perspective

2008-09-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

ML Michaels-Chronicles of a Writer mlmichaels.blogspot.com

A Weaving in Process

2008-08-08T22:46:00.000-05:00

I have been a weaver for many years, and I’ve gradually learned the art of weaving, honing the skill until it became my own art and different from every other weaver. God has created each one of us as unique creations – absolutely one of a kind. We are woven by God. A weaving begins with a loom, a frame, a hoop, and some type of firm outward structure. Upon the structure the warp is strung in parallel lines with a strong yarn that holds tension, such as linen, cotton, or tightly spun wool. Woven over and under the warp is the weft (also called woof), which is usually a wool (sheep, llama, or yak), camel or goat hair, or cotton or flax (linen). The progression of row upon row of weft climaxes to a weaving, a creation. (Final steps vary depending upon the use). From the front, this woven piece of art has composition filled with pattern, color, and texture. It is creative and beautiful looking to the eye. From the backside, there may be loose ends of yarn of every color and of various lengths spaced unevenly throughout. As the artist, I can't help but question my creativity, even my ability, if I only look upon the back. If I am God's woven piece and I see myself from the back, taking note of the unraveling, the mess, what some might call the worldly view; then I give myself freedom to feel incomplete, ugly, and unworthy. So how does God see me since I am His weaving? From the front or from the back? He knows me. He created me. He sees me wholly, knowing the beauty of me and the parts of me that have been honed to be more like Christ. He also sees my loose ends that need trimming, tucking in, or rewoven. He knows those incomplete areas of my life and that my character still needs work. God wants me to see His work, me, as His masterpiece from the inside-out, the outside-in, and from front to back. Although I may look more like the back of the weaving today, in Eternity I will be complete in Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) reminds me, "...that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." I humbly submit myself to my Creator and to His good work.

Memory Verses:
“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”

- (Psalm 139:13 NASB).

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, You are my Creator. You knew me long before You even began weaving me in my mother's womb. You love me as I am today. You also see me complete. I am being woven into the image of Christ. I do praise You, Abba Father, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Forgive me for allowing the world or my own self-talk to tell me otherwise. Precious Lord, I desire to see myself as You do. Help me to submit areas in my life that need reweaving and the loose ends that need trimmed, including . . .”

Contributor:
Linda Gill

My Heart Belongs to You

2008-08-08T19:24:00.000-05:00

On Easter Sunday, I was feeling weary about serving in the children’s ministry. I talked to God about it that morning. Then, I opened my Bible; and in my assigned reading for the day, I read the verse above Mark 9.37: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me" (NIV). God told me through this verse to keep doing it. So I did, but my heart wasn’t in it. I was doing it out of obedience. I went to church. I served. I went to service. It was a great message. At the end of service, I witnessed many people give their hearts to Jesus. I heard a voice in my head asking, “How many of these people were able to give their undivided attention to the pastor’s sermon because they didn’t have to worry about their children disturbing service?” It was awesome! God revealed to me one of the reasons why I have to serve. Finally, the service was over and it was time to pick up my 5 year old son from class. I picked him up and as soon as he walked out of the classroom, he said, “Mommy, did you know that Jesus died on the cross for you and me? And now we can go to heaven!” It took everything in me not to cry….a joyful cry, of course! So needless to say, I was totally convicted from that day on. I want to ensure that my heart is in it 110%. We serve for the kingdom of God, and God promises to bless us!

Memory Verse:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
- Mathew 6:33 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank You for using me to grow Your kingdom. I pray that You bless the faithful leaders who volunteer at church every Sunday. Continue to give them strength to do Your will. Please help me be obedient in serving in every area of my life, including. . .”

Contributor:
Angelica Estrada

Only the Go-Between

2008-08-08T15:56:00.010-05:00

My friend does the coolest God-thing with her kids – she opens doors for God to show Himself to them. I’ve seen this happen several times in my experience, but I’m sure it’s a consistent pattern in my friend’s family. One morning I was shopping and I felt the urge to buy my friend’s daughter a pair of earrings. I brought the earrings to her little girl that afternoon; and after I presented them to her, my friend squatted down and told her, “You see! I told you God would bless you today!” My friend’s daughter was learning a new level of responsibility, and my friend encouraged her by telling her, “God is going to bless you for it!” Instead of blessing her daughter herself (which she easily could have done), she opened a door for God to show Himself. . . . and He did! I think many times that I, as a parent, get in the way of God blessing my children. I want so much to give them everything, but I need to leave room for God to show Himself. Everything comes from God, but my kids will have trouble understanding that unless I keep pointing the blessings back up to Him. They need to understand that I am merely a go-between. I am not the source of blessings. I want my kids to know that all good things come from God; so that when things happen that are out of my control, they know to look to Him.

Memory Verse:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
-Ephesians 1.3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“God, please help me to make it my priority to show You as the provider of all things. I know You want to bless me children. Help me to give You credit for all my family’s blessings. I want to start teaching my children and others in my life to trust and depend on You. Show me what I can do now to keep me focused on shining Your glory. . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

No Doubt About It

2008-08-08T15:55:00.000-05:00

Back in October of 2009, God began stretching me in a particular area. I felt that He was asking me to take a huge step of faith. There were moments when I found myself doubting I could do what I felt God was leading me to do. I questioned God by asking Him, “I’ve already got so much on my plate. Are You sure about this timing?” I thought, “How in the world could I accomplish what He’s calling me to do?” The answer to that question was simple: I couldn’t; at least not on my own. However, God could accomplish those things through me. I took the step of faith and God was faithful to enable me to do what He called me to do. Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we “…can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (NASB) When God calls us to do something, He does not expect us to accomplish the task on our own. Quite the contrary! He wants us totally dependent on Him then and always, knowing that it’s only because of Him that we can do anything. It is our nature to doubt that we can do what God calls us to do. However, God has no doubt that we can accomplish the tasks He has called us to do because it’s His strength that enables us to do those things. Is God calling you to take a step of faith and to trust Him to help you accomplish what He is calling you to do? Are you willing to take that step of faith? There’s no doubt about it…God will help you do what He calls you to do. Trust Him. He is faithful.

Memory Verse:
"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NASB)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for enabling me to do what You have called me to do. Help me to take the step of faith You are asking me to take. Help me to trust You to accomplish what You are calling me to do. Lord, with you all things are possible, including…”

Contributing Writer:
Karen Lowe

What Will She Choose

2008-08-08T15:53:00.000-05:00

Two long weeks had passed since the incidence took place that seemed to shake the foundation of her faith. She had replayed it time and again in both her heart and mind. Thoughts of betrayal, fear and doubt had almost become second nature during these two weeks. Had she indeed heard and obeyed what she thought were instructions from the Lord? If so, why had it become as soot and ashes so quickly in her eyes severing no purpose? Once again she glanced at the clock, past midnight. Sleep seemed to be unattainable tonight. She cried out, “Why, Lord, can’t I simply put these thoughts out of my mind?” Like a warm summer breeze blowing over her God’s word came, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.” She cried, “But there is no truth, justice or pure to be found in this incidence. Did I not obey You? Why do people choose not to believe?” There is was the word she had so often preached about and taught about. The word she herself had heard so often from the Lord: “Choose.” The breeze once again blew and His words brushed against her heart. “Did I not tell you of the woman who now must choose to allow me to heal her from past abuse? Did I not tell you time and time again of those who will choose to allow me to do a work in their lives and that there will be those who will not? You once made a choice to follow me no matter the cost, pain or inconvenience to your life. Now you must choose to put this bothering incidence aside. You must choose to think of the times I have shown you how I can heal and change lives. Meditate on these things.” She now understood. She could relive this incidence in her heart or she could shake the soot and ashes from her heart and move forward. What will she choose? I choose to meditate on all the times I have seen God’s detailed answers to prayers. I choose to meditate on the healings I have seen in the lives of His daughters. I choose to believe it is better to obey even if the results aren’t as I thought they would be.…I choose God!

Prayer Prompt:
“Abba Father, again today I choose to follow You. Again today I choose to believe not only Your written Word but Your spoken word to my heart. Father, You alone are Truth and Justice. Today may I truly remember all You have shown and taught me of Your loving kindness. Today and everyday that remains of my life here on earth, may I choose You over all things….”

Memory Verse:
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.”
- Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

Contributor:
Linda Jurek

Snatched and Saved

2008-08-08T13:27:00.001-05:00

My son and a friend were walking around the neighborhood the other day when they saw one of the neighbor cats coming out of the woods carrying something in its mouth. “What is that?” asked my son. “It’s a squirrel!” his friend yelled, “Get the cat!” The chase was on. From what I hear, they had quite the adventure, yet they finally cornered the cat and rescued the stunned but living baby squirrel. My son’s friend is trying to nurse him back to health. God is just like that! Peter compares Satan not only to a cat, but to a lion (1 Peter 5:8). He prowls around looking for someone to devour – someone who has carelessly wandered too far from the nest. However, when Satan sees his opportunity and catches someone, God springs into action right away. He’s relentless, chasing Satan down until He corners him and makes him drop his prey. Peter tells us to be self-controlled and alert to avoid such a perilous situation as that little squirrel found himself in. Yet, should we or someone we love be snatched, it’s comforting to know our God is ready and able to render immediate aid.

Memory Verse:

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
–1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:

“Almighty God, please make me and those I love self-controlled and alert, giving Satan no opportunity to capture or harm. Today I pray for those who have been snatched and live in peril. Please hurry to their rescue, Lord, and render needed aid. Make them strong, firm, and steadfast once again. Specifically, I’m praying for these . . .”

Contributor:
Janet Reeves

The God Who Sees Me

2008-08-08T13:21:00.002-05:00

As the economy continues to drag and employment is limited at best, my heart sinks for everyone touched by this struggle. The news forecast seems bleak and hope seems far from us all. Speaking with a dear friend who spoke very honestly about her fears, she said she worried that God had forgotten about her and her family. I simply didn’t know what to say to her, but I sat and listened to her fears. For her it seemed like her prayers were not being answered and she was being overlooked during one of her darkest hours. Yet, in those times we may be tempted to take matters into our own hands, being tired of struggling and praying without an answer from God. I think of the story of Sarah and Hagar as an example of this. Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham, because Sarah wasn’t able to conceive after the Lord told Abraham, "To your offspring I will give this land" (Gen.12:7, NIV). Sarah didn’t trust God that He would provide for her and walked ahead of God in the process, even after God promised her offspring.
Hagar took matters into her own hands as well when she ran away from the problem. The Lord found her in the desert, a place that some today may feel they are trapped in. But the Lord answered her and she said, “You are the God who sees me"(Gen.16:13, NIV). I know that running ahead of God, because I don’t see His answers to my prayer, isn’t the best way to serve God. But I am comforted as a woman to know that like Hagar, I am certain God sees me and I know I can put my trust in Him.

Memory Verse:
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint."
-Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help us to trust in You and to wait on You through our difficult time. Help us also to walk with those who are struggling. Show us how to trust You and give us strength and the assurance that You see us and that You are with us. Please, help us to remember Your promises, including…”

Contributing Writer:
ML Michaels

A Mother's Influence

2008-08-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

One morning while brushing my teeth, I looked up and saw my mother staring back at me in the mirror. I was so startled I swallowed some toothpaste. How could this be? With haste, I ran into my bedroom and the sight of what I found stopped me dead in my tracks: the full length mirror. I squinted hard and ever so gingerly I turned around. There it was . . . right there in front of me . . . well, behind me really. My mother’s butt! When I was 11 years old, I distinctly remember making a pact with myself that I would never become my mother. I vowed never to wear comfortable shoes, lose touch with the top 40, or embarrass my daughter by asking her friends silly questions. Yet, there I stood in comfortable shoes, unable to name one pop tune to save my life and about to ask my daughter’s friend if her mother will be home while my daughter visits. I look to the left and see my 11 year old daughter standing next to me. I can tell she is making the same vow that I once did. Helpless to stop the giggle from becoming audible, I think of the day my daughter will look in the mirror and see me staring back at her. As I recovered from the shock of this event, I realized there is a lesson to be learned in all of this. A mother’s influence lasts a lifetime. If we will one day become our mothers, then one day our daughters will become us! What will our daughter’s see in that mirror looking back at them? A day should never pass when we forget that we are not only influencing our daughters but our granddaughters and great granddaughters. We are forming a legacy of the women in our family through our words and actions. What is the legacy of the women in your family? We need to be careful to speak God’s Word and show God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.

Memory Verse:“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
-Proverbs 25:11 (KJV).

Prayer Prompt:“Dear Heavenly Father, please grant us the wisdom to use every word from our mouths and every action of our hands to profit the children You gave us charge over. Allow us the foresight to raise children infused with Your love and filled with Your Word so they become Your grateful servants. . . .”

Contributor:
Richele McFarlin

Lean into the Sun

2008-07-22T20:23:00.002-05:00

We live in an older neighborhood. It’s your average-middle-class-built-in-the-’70s-typical-ranch-at-the-end-of-a-quiet-cul-de-sac kind of house. The houses sit fairly close together, so our backdoor window and kitchen window overlook our driveway and the neighbor’s side and back yards. Standing as a wall of separation along the edge of the driveway is the neighbor’s chain-link fence, where the previous owner loved to plant things. The fruits of her labor protrude over the fence, concealing the chain-links in a wall of green foliage. The other morning, as I waited for my second cup of coffee to reheat in the microwave, I looked out the backdoor window to enjoy the view of my side of the garden. The brightness of spring had pounced out from behind winter’s shadows and awakened the neighbor’s sleeping rosebush with its streams of sunlight beaming down along the fence. As I stared at this now fifteen foot tall “bush,” the profuseness of its cheery rosebuds thrusting themselves into the sunshine looked like little, pink heads with pixy faces, straining to absorb every ounce of warmth and light from the sun that was possible. As the little, rose pixy heads had blossomed on our side of the fence, their beauty was obscured from the neighbor’s view. I thought, “Lord, the neighbors aren’t enjoying these beauties as much as we are.” Then, the Lord impressed me with the thought that this is a picture of death with its wall of separation. Though obscured from our view, those who have left this earthly life have, in reality, blossomed on life’s other side. If Jesus said that those who believe in Me have everlasting life and that He was the vine, then, as believers in Christ, those of us who continue in our earthly existence remain united with those in heaven. Though physically separated, we continue to be linked together through the eternal life of the Vine. A smile then spread across my face, as the Lord whispered to my spirit, “The beauties of life on your side of heaven may fade and disappear, but they gain a new quality as they blossom on My side of heaven’s fence. Just as the outburst of beauty of My roses comes from leaning into the sun, so, too, the beauty of My children comes from leaning into My Son. Whether on earth or here with Me, their beauty explodes in profuseness when they lean into their Source of warmth, peace, love, and joy.” Filled with that peace, love, and joy from my companionship with my Source, I took my coffee, walked into the family room, and leaned into the warmth of the Son.

Memory Verse:
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with Me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant.”
- John 15:5 Msg

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, I thank You that because of Your love for us all, You sent Jesus to be the connecting Vine to eternal life. As we are each a part of the Vine as a branch, we are connected to that eternal life, and death has no separation from You. Please help me to stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit, so I may continually lean into the warmth of the sun . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Lynn Mosher

Living "I Love You."

2008-07-22T20:11:00.001-05:00

My son Mychal has inherited my love for life. He’s a vivacious young man and brings great pride and joy to my heart. So often I hear myself telling people, “Yeah, he looks like his dad, but he acts like his mom.” I’ve watched him grow up and have always let him know how very special he is to me. I love all of my children, don’t get me wrong, but Mychal and I have a special connection – a bond. He was standing in the kitchen last night telling me how nice his friend’s mom is. He said that when he went to leave his friend’s house that his friend’s mom told him to drive careful. He told her, “I have to. My mom tells me to drive careful every time I walk out the door, except for when I go to school.” He added, “She isn’t up then” (He’s right about me not being up. He has an early bird class, and his dad sees him out the door in the morning). He continued, “Then I drive like I want.” He was just kidding, but it made me stop and think about how very concerned I am that he be careful when on the road. I appreciate that he takes note of that concern. So often we lavish our hearts and our love onto our children, and we don’t realize how much they are actually listening to us. Just today he was told by a gal that is the director of a play he’s performing in that she likes him. He told me that he told her, “My mom really likes me too, and I believe her.” Then he goes on to say, “She tells everyone how very much she likes me.” As he told me this in the kitchen, he was smiling. And I was smiling too. “I do like you,” I affirmed. I more than like Mychal, but he knows that too.

Memory Verse:
“The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’”
- Jeremiah 31:3 (NAS)

Prayer Prompt:
"Lord, help me to have such a love for those around me that they will know that I am sincere, and please let that love draw us all closer to You, the author and the finisher of our faith. I especially want to thank You for those You have put in my life, including . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Audrey Semprun

Ready Bride?

2008-07-22T19:49:00.005-05:00

He shuffled his feet and wiped his sweaty palms on his jacket. His face twitched, producing a peculiar, cockeyed smile. Then, the bride began her promenade down the aisle, and the groom’s whole body radiated with delight. They were so anxious to look their best for each other. All decked out in their wedding finery: He, fit to meet the bride; she, fit to meet the bridegroom. As I sat in the chapel praying for them, the thought occurred to me: Jesus is fit and ready to meet me as His Bride, but am I fit and ready to meet Him as my Bridegroom? If Jesus died that the church, His bride, might be “without spot or wrinkle or any other defect - holy and unblemished” (Eph. 5:27a Weymouth); then, as part of the Bride, how am I dressed? When the heavenly Bridegroom arrives, will I be dressed in an old rag, spotted with worldly residue? Or will I be “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev. 21:2 NIV) in a spotless gown of holiness? What am I doing to keep myself pure and holy and ready to have my Bridegroom carry me across that heavenly threshold? Will He radiate with delight in me, His bride?

Memory Verse:
“Be prepared - all dressed and ready - for your Lord’s return.”
- Luke 12:35-36a (TLB)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, You loved me enough to die for me, to give me a pure wedding garment of holiness. May I love You enough to keep that gown unsullied from the world and meet You in holiness on Your return. May I be continually dressed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Help me to prepare in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Lynn Mosher

A Trial in Faith

2008-07-22T19:49:00.004-05:00

After a church home team meeting, we picked up our son and daughter from the sitter. Hailey our daughter had started to run a fever. As a parent you’re frustrated because you don’t want you baby to be sick and you know a sleepless night is ahead. The fever started Tuesday night and continued to Friday morning. I finally decided it was time to see the Doc! She had no symptoms other than a fever; she would just lay there weak and boiling. At the doctor’s office they took many tests. Everything came back normal, which was great; but it still did not answer any questions. Friday night her temperature was 101.8 under her arm; we gave her Motrin and put her to bed. Now I’m truly frustrated. No one knows what is wrong; she barely eats or drinks. What do I do? I sat in bed and realized this is not my fight. It was time to give up this burden; it was never mine to carry. I got on my knees and prayed, “Lord I do not know what to do anymore, but You do! I give her to You; she is in Your hands now.” God had healed in the past, and He will continue to do so in the future. I knew He could heal now. As I finished praying, I felt the need to check on Hailey. We put her to bed at 9:00 p.m. and it was 12:00 a.m. When I touched her, she was fever free! Then came the real test: do I believe she is healed or do I thank the Motrin we gave her three hours ago? Then I told myself that faith can be as small as a mustard seed. I stated out loud, “Lord, she has been healed by Your hand at this moment and will wake up with no fever.” I truly needed God’s help with this one; I needed for her to wake up fever free. I started to wonder if I even had faith as small as a mustard seed. When I woke up on Saturday, I honestly was scared to check. I didn’t want to feel like a failure in my faith. Then I heard laughter. My husband was with her in the living room. I called out, “Is she happy and fever free?” My husband called back, “She’s fine.” It took me a minute to grasp the fact she was healed. Unfortunately, the test of faith did not end there. Of course, Satan wanted to spoil it and tell me the fever could come back. I freaked out, thinking, “What if it comes back because I’m questioning and losing faith?” But God gave me His peace. I knew the fever was not coming back. The beauty of it all is that when God told me to check on her the night before, He just wanted to show me that He had already healed her.

Memory Verse:
“We live by faith, not by sight.”
-2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, please help me to have the faith of a mustard seed. You are an all-powerful God who can make all things happen according to Your will. Help me now to have faith in . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Estella Smith

The Power of Prayer

2008-07-22T14:31:00.002-05:00

My husband and I have been going through some difficult times financially since our move. I had started down a new career path, and he was finally getting back into the swing of things with his job. Then we found out we were going to have a baby. We were so excited! Everything was going great until morning sickness or ALL DAY sickness kicked in. I was miserable and couldn’t continue to work. That has hurt us badly. We were already living paycheck to paycheck, just barely covering our bills and living on credit for other necessities. One payday, I was sitting down figuring out the bills and noticed we had exactly enough money to pay our bills if we didn’t tithe. I became weak and decided to pay the bills without first talking to my husband. After telling him, he became upset that I wasn’t strong enough with my faith to know that God would provide for us. There was nothing I could do about it now. For the next two weeks, I kept hearing our pastor talk about tithing out of obedience and stealing from God. It was really weighing on me. When the next payday came around, I sat in front of my computer, prayed to the Lord for forgiveness for what I had done and asked him to help bless our financial situation. This time I tithed first. Then, I went on to pay all our bills, and I realized that we still had money left over to live on. I thought, “Wow! He heard my prayer.” That same day, I had a wonderful lady come clean my house; since I have been so sick, it hadn’t been cleaned in months. She worked so hard all day and after she was done, I pulled out some cash to pay her and she wouldn’t accept it. She told me that this was the first time ever that she felt the Lord was telling her to do this for free. I argued with her to take the money because she had worked so hard and I couldn’t allow her to take no payment. After all my trying to convince her to take my money, I gave in. I couldn’t go against what she was saying was God’s will for her. After all of this, I have still been praying and God has still been obviously answering my prayers. I could still go on just in the last few weeks of prayers that He has answered.

Memory Verse:
“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”
-Deuteronomy 4:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, I thank You that I can come straight to You, Father, with my needs and worries. I’m thankful that I have learned to listen when You speak to me with Your answers. Please continue to help me with strengthening my faith and putting all my trust with . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Tasha Schaded

My Child

2008-02-13T22:59:00.001-06:00

I was talking to a woman today about our childhoods and the pain that could be found there. As we spoke, I was reminded of when my emotional healing of my formative years was complete. I had experiences as a little girl that had left me scarred and broken. I didn’t know how badly I had been affected; that is until I dared to allow myself to go back in my mind’s eye to the little girl that I had once been. It all started when I was watching a talk show, and the hostess was telling the audience that we could actually go back in our minds and rescue the child of our youth. The thought was frightening, but I was willing to try because I felt that I had abandoned her. I didn’t want anything to do with the little girl who had been Audrey. I could envision myself as a little girl sitting on a cold and lonely set of stairs. In my imagination I approached my young self. As I came near to the little girl that I had once been, my heart went out to her. I knew her pain. The adult in me bent down and lovingly put my arms around her. I held that child and we both cried. As we cried, a healing washed over us. The adult in me stood up and offered my hand to my past self. Little Audrey looked up at me with hope and trust in her eyes. “Come with me,” I told her. “We are strong now. We can do this together.” And little Audrey grabbed a hold of the acceptance that was offered, and together we walked side by side into healing. I am no longer haunted by the feelings that once diminished who I was born to be: a child of the King. And on those days when the child of my youth and I are feeling down and dejected, I reach my hand out to the One who has rescued us: Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Just as I had gone to my inner child and given her a place of hope and belonging, Jesus had come and given me a place of hope and belonging. Without Him, I could never have rescued the child of my youth.

Memory Verse:
“Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy shall be theirs.”
- Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Whenever I am down and lonely, please help me to remember that You love me and will always be there for me. I am grateful for Your presence, Lord. Please be with me when. . . .”

Contributor:
Audrey Semprun

Sins of the Spirit

2008-02-13T22:51:00.006-06:00

Lord, today I was angry. When friendship was extended, I responded coolly. I felt justified. After what she had said, I had a right to treat her that way. About whom does she think she is making such condescending statements? I haven't done anything to deserve her cruel comments. In the long run my refusal of her friendship will teach her a valuable lesson: Her behavior is unacceptable. I will not reward such dysfunction. After all, her attitude is totally despicable, and it goes against the teachings in Your Word, Lord. I certainly don't want to enable her. I've settled it once and for all. I am right! No doubt about it. There is no need in my discussing it any more. I am positively . . . positively . . . miserable! "Why am I in such unrest, Lord? How is it possible that I can I be right and yet be so wrong?" In the depths of my soul, I discerned that I also am part of the problem. I am like the prodigal son's older brother who had a spiritual disease: He was angered by his father’s mercy. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for giving me a much-needed diagnosis: I have sins of the spirit, a spiritual malady, which can render the patient unable to give love. Many times spiritual manifestations can be masked and difficult to detect. The symptoms include polite coolness towards others, consumed with proving my point, a need to persuade others, and loving my opinions more than people. But, if we are willing patients, the symptoms only last for a short time. The Holy Spirit gives the biblical antidote, so that the disease does not spread to vital organs.

Memory Verse:
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.”
- Luke 15:28 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to love as You love today. Thank You for helping me forgive those who have hurt me. Forgive me, Lord, and help me to right my wrong. Life is too short for me to feed this grudge. Bring to my mind someone I need to forgive today, including . . .”

Contributor:
Dixie Phillips

Follow the Leader

2008-02-13T22:50:00.002-06:00

I work as an aide for the disabled and the elderly. I love my job. I get to help people in real and tangible ways every day. The other day I was chatting with one of my clients, and she was pleasantly chatting back. She was in her wheelchair, and I was standing off to the side of her. I didn’t mind spending the time talking to her, but I work on a pretty tight schedule. I go from place to place throughout the community, and I really do need to stay on task. I kept trying to use my body language as a gesture to encourage her to follow me into the other room so that we could work and talk at the same time. I didn’t want to be rude and so I kept leaning myself into a forward motion and still she sat there. I needed to take the situation under control. “We can talk while you shower.” I finally spoke out loud as time was quickly passing and we had a lot to accomplish in our designated hour. My client looked at me and smiled kindly. “The bathroom is that way.” She pointed to the doorway that she had been sitting right in front of so patiently while I tried to coax her in the wrong direction. I have to wonder how many times we think that we are leading someone to draw closer to the Lord when we ourselves are going in the wrong direction. In our daily walk with the Lord, we need to be careful that we are not trying to wander off in the wrong direction and that we are not trying to lead anyone else astray either. The only way that we can be certain of which way to go is by following the expressed Word of God. Only then can we be confident that we are going in the right direction. We need to be certain to follow our leader, Jesus Christ. Only then will we be fit to lead others.

Memory Verse:
“See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
- Proverbs 139:24 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, I ask that You be my strength and my guide. Please help me to live pleasing to You that I may lead others in a plain and right path. I ask for Your direction as I . . .”

Contributor:
Audrey Semprun

Not Supposed to be Here

2008-02-13T22:40:00.002-06:00

After leaving the family nest to go to college, I got a little off track! I strayed from the path. I wasn't going crazy, like going out partying and drinking. I just was lost because I did not have a good Christian foundation. I was five hours from home without a church and church-going friends. Everyday was the same: I went to class and hung out with friends. I was living in my own world that I had fooled myself into believing was good. Then, one day I believe God got tired of watching me wander around aimlessly, so He called out to me. He woke me up and told me to look around me and see the chaos. I had created this chaos by living a life that I thought was great. Boy! Did I get a wake-up call. I look back now and see that I was in a trance. My life seemed perfect, but it was an illusion the Enemy had created. When God spoke, it was like a veil lifted from my eyes, allowing me to see the real world I was living in. When I looked around me and saw the truth, I thought I would die! I, of course, asked God the classic questions: How could I have gotten here? How could I have allowed myself to get so lost? I was completely blind! Now when I look back, I can start to gain understanding of why my life unfolded as it did. I also know why God allowed me to get to that low point in my life. He showed me that when I forgot about Him, He NEVER forgot about me. He was always there for me and always will be. Now I never lose sight of Him. There is no worse feeling than waking from a bad dream and realizing that you’re living it. I did not realize how lost I was until my Father reached out His hand and walked me back home.

Memory Verse:
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'”
- Luke 15:4-6 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, there are times when I find myself where I'm not supposed to be, and somehow You are always there to guide me back. Thank You for remembering me even when I forget You. I pray for those in my life who are lost and need to be brought back home, including . . .”

Contributor:
Estella Smith

Laundry

2008-02-13T22:38:00.001-06:00

One of my least favorite jobs is doing laundry. There are just too many steps that must be taken to get the job done. First, I have to get the laundry downstairs. Then I have to sort it and add it one load at a time in the washer. (It really doesn’t like it when I try and put two loads in at once). Next, I have to move it to the dryer, fold it, and put it away. I can get the laundry in the washer, and I can usually get that load in the dryer and the next one in the washer; but beyond that, it takes what I call mountain-moving faith. I end up with mountains of sorted dirty clothes trying to invade the laundry room and mountains of clean folded clothes sitting in baskets in other rooms. By now you can probably guess that I typically don’t enjoy laundry. Last night I had an interesting experience with my laundry. As I was trying to get a few loads done, I came and sat on the couch dreading the idea of finishing the rest of the laundry. I noticed that I could smell the laundry drying. All the sudden, I just almost shouted, “I LOVE the smell of laundry drying.” My husband looked at me strangely, and I smiled and laughed. I yelled, “I really do!” Now this may sound strange, but now doing laundry doesn’t seem as bad. In fact, I keep laughing as I do it. Why? I finally found something lovely to think about it. Instead of griping about how much doing the laundry hurts my back and how annoying laundry is to mess with, I found the lovely thing about it. The Bible tells us to think on what is true, noble, right, admirable, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy. If we can get our minds adjusted to think on these things, then we will be able to enjoy even the most mundane of tasks.

Memory Verse:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
-Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, I thank for bringing things into my life that are lovely and excellent. Help me to keep my mind on the right things and to always remember to praise You in all things, including . . .”

Contributor:
Jennifer Wennekamp

In Celebration of Grandma

2008-02-13T22:33:00.001-06:00

Recently, I traveled from home to be with my daughter and three young grandchildren who were grieving the loss of their grandmother. As expected at their age, our time together was filled with a mixed bag of emotions. One minute the kids would be playing and laughing, and the next they’d be climbing onto a lap for another round of cuddling and kisses. Occasionally, one child would quietly ask another question about Grandma and why she had died. It was obvious their young minds were trying to understand the implications of her death and their loss. One evening we all dined at a local restaurant. Menus were colored, dinner was ordered, and the food was delivered to our table. As we joined hands to give thanks for our meal, my nine year old granddaughter asked if she could say the prayer, so we bowed our heads to pray in silence with her. Her prayer this evening was profound in simplicity and sincerity: “Thank You, God, for my family. Thank You for letting my Mommy come home and be with us. Thank You for our time together. Thank You for this beautiful day.” Then she paused and added, “Thank You, God, for letting Grandma go to heaven.” Tears sprung to my eyes, and joy filled my heart as I realized she was thanking God for the most important gift of all. The promise of Heaven: a life beyond death. And in a blink, her prayer ended. My daughter and I locked eyes across the table, both realizing the wisdom of her words. Then, that sweet darling girl raised her glass and said, “Let’s make a toast to Grandma!” So we all raised our glasses together in celebration of their grandmother’s life, clinking glasses with shouts of “To Grandma!” But in my heart at that moment, I was celebrating the faith of a child and the promise of our Father who reserves a place in Heaven for all of His children.

Memory Verse:
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
- Mark 10:14-16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Heavenly Father, thank You for my children and grandchildren and the wisdom I gain from their childlike faith in You. I pray they will always seek You and claim the wonderful blessings You have in store for each of them. Lord, I pray for parents and grandparents everywhere, that they will be an instrument in sharing Your good news in their families, neighborhoods and communities. Right now I pray especially for . . .”

Contributor:
Vicki Beck

I Am That I Am

2008-02-13T22:23:00.002-06:00

Have you ever gone through a series of crisis that occurred simultaneously? Though you've come through it all with your sanity and faith intact, you feel exhausted wanting only to crawl into the comforting arms of someone who will hold you with compassion and understanding until your soul is replenish. That's how I felt! Since February, I have been bombarded with crisis upon crises in every major area of my life that left me feeling abandon and isolated from family and friends. No one could connect with me in my loss because they hadn't been where I'd been. "Lord!" I cried, "I need a hug from someone who can feel and understand what I've been through. Isn't there anyone for me who can give me the comfort I need?" As I sat with my head in my arms sobbing, I heard in my mind a sentence being repeated over and over again: "I AM THAT I AM." Yes, Lord, I understand that You are self-existing. You are before all things. You know the beginning and ending of everything that exists because everything that exists was created by You! But what does that have to do with me and my present needs? Tears began to roll down my cheeks as God began to speak to me. "Anna, I am the God of your past, your present and your future. I was there when you were conceived in your mother's womb. I was there while you were growing up when you were rejected, humiliated and misused; I was there! I felt your pain when you were deserted and betrayed by those close to you. I know how you feel! I know what it feels like to be abandon and betrayed. I was with you then. I am with you now, and I will take you safely through to your future." Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus! As I praised and worshipped God with tears of gratitude and thankfulness, I felt the comfort of God surround me, hugging me. The weariness was gone, my soul was replenished. I was now able to enjoy life again.

Memory Verse:"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way; just as we are---yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
- Hebrews 4:15, 16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, thank You for hearing and understanding my pain and sorrows. Thank You for drawing me into Your presence, and comforting and reviving my soul. Comfort me and hug me with Your love during my trials of . . .”

Contributor:
Anna Caison

Measure of a Mom

2008-02-13T22:09:00.001-06:00

Before I was blessed with my wonderful son, Caleb, I had all sorts of ideas on how I would raise my children. Usually, these ideas came from experiences of watching others around me parent their children. I often found myself thinking, “When I have children, I will never let them act like that!” A toddler throwing a tantrum in a store when his mommy refused him candy would be filed away in my mind under the “What Not to do” category. I had high standards for parents, and those around me seemed to always fall short. In my own mind, I was Dr. Spock and other parents were top candidates for The Super Nanny! Fast forward to the birth of my beautiful and spirited baby. When he was a newborn and cried uncontrollably or when he would scream for a “cookie” at the grocery store as an energetic toddler, I found myself falling apart inside. I second-guessed every move I made as his mother. Was I making the right decision? Did I handle that situation correctly? Is everyone looking at me as a bad mother? As I prayed for my son and the strength to be his mother, the Lord reminded me of the sin of judging. Only my heart heard the voice of disapproval in my head, which I thought was meant for other people. The same measure that I had once used on others was being measured out to me as a mother. I was my accuser, not the disapproving eyes in the checkout line. Through the gentle convictions of Jesus, I am learning to be more compassionate and merciful with others. That condemning voice in my head is being replaced with one of confidence and trust that God will give me the strength to be the mother Caleb needs; no matter what the situation is, He will work all things for His good. The less I judge others, the less I feel judged or insecure in my ability to parent. The more mercy and grace I send out, the more flows back.

Memory verse:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measure to you.”
- Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to be quick to show mercy, kindness, grace and compassion to others. Show me how to be confident in Your abundant mercy and love for me. Help me to be an encouragement to those around me today, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Amy Patton

Holy Deafness

2008-02-13T21:57:00.002-06:00

My friend hurt my feelings. She spread “her view” to several other friends. Her comments waltzed their way into my house and infuriated me. I was sure I had been fatally wounded. Falling to my knees, I wailed, “Speak to me from Your Word.” I opened my Bible to the gospel of Mark: “But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken…” It was soul food. I knew I needed “holy deafness,” or I would become part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. I sat quietly and began to pray. Lord, give me holy deafness when hurtful words are said. Help me to continue to be about my Father’s business and not be shipwrecked because of cruel comments that have pierced my soul. Help me to pray as You prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Sometimes, Lord, those You have called me to serve sting, and I find it difficult to wash their feet; but, You, Master, washed Judas’ feet and called him, “friend.” You knew from the beginning what was in his heart. Yet, You humbled Yourself and ministered to him just hours before he betrayed You. I openly admit, Lord, that my heart sometimes resists and screams, “I can see through them!” But, You, Lord, plead with me, “See them through.” My stubborn will hollers, “I’m not budging an inch.” But, You, Lord, entreat me, “When they ask you to go one mile, go with them two.” I can go the second mile as long as You go with me, Lord. You make the bitter sweet. Lord, grant me holy deafness, so I can obey Your Word. I’m in earnest when I say I want to be like You. I place Your cup to my lips, Lord, and I drink. I realize it’s the only way our world will ever come to know You. You, Savior, must live out Your life through Your children. Lord, give us holy deafness to the careless conversations with those we come in contact with, but give us keen hearing to Your Holy Spirit.

Memory Verse:
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
- Matthew 13:43 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, Lord, help me to not heed the harsh words that people can sometime say. Please show me how to have holy deafness. I want to keep my ears directed toward You, Father. Show me how to love those who hurt me, including . . .”

Contributor:
Dixie Phillips

God Speaks

2008-02-13T21:51:00.001-06:00

I consider myself a baby Christian in a way. I was raised in church, saved when I was thirteen and always said I was Christian; but I didn’t have a personal relationship with God. Since I’ve found Bay Area Fellowship about four years ago, my relationship with Him has grown deeper. But, I feel like I’m not completely getting the fulfillment out of knowing God like everyone else is. It seems that God directly speaks to everyone but me. The craziest thing is I know God communicates with me, but I’ve never heard him “speak” like everyone else says He does. I brought this up at my hometeam gathering, and my group was so enlightening on the subject. They explained to me that He does speak to me. So, after the meeting I went home washed up and went to bed. I fell asleep before I could say my prayers. That next morning about five minutes before my alarm went off I was awakened by God! All He said was “Tasha.” I sat straight up in bed already knowing that I had heard God. I received two very important things about my relationship with God from this experience. First, He knows the desires of my heart even if I fall asleep before telling Him. Second, when He has something to say to me, He’ll say it.

Memory Verse:
“The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.”
- Psalms 50:1 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank You for the renewing of faith that You gave me by speaking to me. As a baby Christian I need to know that You hear me. I want to believe in You because I know You, and not because I’m told to believe in You. Thank You for speaking to me so that my faith and trust in You would be strengthened. Please speak to me now . . .”

Contributor:
Tasha Schaded

For Such a Time as Jim

2008-02-13T21:46:00.001-06:00

I am looking forward to a time of new beginnings. Our church has just elected a new pastor. I like him and his family already. They are going to be a great addition to our church and to our community. Our new pastor has compassion and vision. As he finished up the first sermon that he delivered at church on Sunday, he stood there and he looked around and then he asked us who was missing? Who had we decided to give up on? My mind wandered and so did my glance. I turned my eyes to Jim. He was sitting a couple of rows up from my husband and me, sitting with his mother – the same mother that has asked for prayer for her son for years and years. And I would pray. I love that boy as one of my own. And Jim . . . Jim’s not your run-of-the-mill boy. Jim’s hair hangs in long and gangly strings, blocking a clear view of his eyes. Jim isn’t really that much of a boy any more. Jim is in his early thirties, and I know that his mama has been praying him into church and fellowship with the Father for at least the fifteen years that I have known her. In all of those years that young man had not darkened the doorway to a church. But God was moving. While his mother was on a short trip to visit Jim’s grandmother, Jim had a message from the Lord. When his mother returned from her trip, Jim told her that he heard from God and that he was going to go to church with her on Sunday. And Jim did go. Jim was present at church in flesh, heart, spirit and understanding. God in His infinite grace and mercy broke through all of the barriers that had held Jim in such bondage. God spoke directly to Jim’s heart. After service I went to tell Jim once again how happy I was to see him. “The message,” Jim said, “It was like it was just for me. I feel like I belong, like I’m loved. I like the new pastor.” “Yeah, me too,” I beamed.

Memory Verse:
“Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”
- I Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)

Prayer prompt:
“Lord, help us to be ever mindful of the Jims in the world who are ready to belong. Please teach us to pray for the lost and to do our part helping them to find their place into God’s church. Show me right now who I can be praying for and who I can begin to encourage. . . .”

Contributor:
Audrey Semprun

Light's Aquarium

2008-02-13T21:37:00.002-06:00

In the house I grew up, there were large skinny windows on either side of the front door. These windows allowed sunlight to shoot into the house like laser beams. One of these laser beams landed directly in the middle of the staircase that was located in front of the door. I used to sit on a wooden step and allow the heat and light of the sunbeam to penetrate me. I waved my hands through the sunbeam and exposed different parts of my skin – face, arms, legs, neck – to its light. I would stretch up on my toes and reach my hands up to the ceiling so I could drown my entire body in its warmth. Needless to say, I could sit and play with my sunbeam for quite a while. However, one particularly bright afternoon, I noticed something. I could see little things floating around in my sunbeam. It looked like a tiny ocean of living creatures dancing and swimming in the light. I couldn’t believe it. I looked all around the sunbeam for more floaty-things, but couldn’t see any. They only existed in the sunbeam’s light. I sat staring at the beam trying to understand why I had never been told about tiny little life forms living in the rays of the sun when I realized that the life-forms were actually everywhere – the sunbeam had just illuminated them. My face scrunched up with disgust as I took another breath -- I was breathing in little floaty-things! After a few breaths, I decided that I wasn’t going to die and that the little life forms wouldn’t hurt me. Although I didn’t like seeing the floaty-things, I continued to visit my sunbeam because it was too special for me to let go. This sunbeam reminds me a lot of my relationship with God. God fills my life with warmth and light, but He also causes the ugly floaty-things in my life to be very transparent. God is all-good, so everything not-so-good is very noticeable. I sometimes get tired of constantly having to spring-clean my character, but it’s worth it if I am able to sit with my savior, enjoy His presence and bask in His warmth.

Memory Verse:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
- 1 John 1:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please illuminate my sin so that I may be more like Christ. I know that loving You is not always easy, but my heart’s desire is to please You, Lord. Show me now what sins that I have been ignoring and help me lay them down at Your feet, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Coming Home

2008-02-13T21:25:00.001-06:00

My family and I recently moved back to our home town after being away for nine years. There was such an excitement to encounter new opportunities, to spend time with family again, to get back to our roots, and to see what God had in store for us. However being back home has brought a whole new array of insecurities that we weren’t prepared to handle. When we were in a city away from our hometown, my husband and I were able to establish a legacy all our own that did not revolve around family members. We love our families dearly; but living so close to them now, we have had to accept the struggles that go with being nearby. Also, we cannot turn our backs so easily when we see a need arise among them because we are only minutes away from the situation. We started to feel very overwhelmed within the first few weeks of our move. Questions started to arise in our thoughts. What if we never get a chance to minister to the rest of our new church because we are spending all our time tending to our families’ needs? What if we get sucked into a well of obligations and start to lose sight of our own goals and dreams? Praise God the Holy Spirit did not allow us to sit and ponder too long. God spoke very clearly to us that how we handle family issues, prepares us to handle issues of the lost and other believers. We should be honored to help those we love and feel blessed to help a relative in need. In fact, 1Timothy 3:5 asks the question, “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” Wow! God is very precise here. Our families are NOT burdens, rather they are an opportunity to serve our precious Father.

Memory Verse:
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
- 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank You for the gift of family. Even though times can get tough, and emotions often run high, You created us to live in peace and harmony with our relatives. Help me see them as You do. Let Your light shine through me, and let me be a witness of grace and love as I interact with . . .”

Contributor:
Susie Mozisek

Parental Substitute

2008-02-11T22:18:00.001-06:00

My mother passed away when I was one year’s old from a car accident. My Dad was young and overwhelmed by the thought of raising three children, so he gave us to his parents to raise. I can remember thinking when I was a child that my life was normal. Everyone had to know what it was like not to know your mother. As I started getting older, I realized that it wasn’t normal. All my friends had mothers and fathers and all lived together like one happy family. About 3rd grade, I can remember crying on Mother’s Day because I didn’t have a mom. My Grandparents would try to comfort me by telling me God needed her and she was an angel in heaven watching over me. I didn’t understand why my mother was taken, and her death made me mad at God. Now that I am a mother, I look back on my life and thank God that He gave me my wonderful grandparents. I think to myself, “What kind of person would I be if my parents would have raised me?” I think that I am a better person because of my grandparents. I had security, consistency, and so much love. I now try to raise my children with the morals and values that my grandparents raised me with. I know now that God put these awesome people in my life for a reason. I am a stronger, more compassionate person because of them. My Dad passed away about three years ago, and I know my parents are together in heaven. One day I’ll be with them both.

Memory Verse:
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
- Psalm 100:5 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, I thank You so much for the wonderful people You have placed in my life. I don’t always look at my situation as Your work, Lord. Please help me to see the blessings around me, even through the storms in my life. I thank You for the people You have blessed me with, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Tasha Schaded

Land Sold

2008-02-11T21:50:00.001-06:00

When my father-in-law wrote his will, his first-born son (my husband) and I lived in Alaska, so his youngest son was named executor of his estate. We were back in Tacoma, Washington, when my father-in-law died in November 1988. Terms of his will required the real estate he owned be sold. Even though the property consisted of several lots with one large house and one smaller house, my brother-in-law used a residential realtor rather than a commercial one. No one asked either my husband or me to double check the property lines when the larger house was sold. The house was sold for $34,000 with repairs to the roof and deck. After the sale was final, it was discovered that the property line for this parcel came to within 20 feet of the smaller house. About three years later this property sold for over $100,000. I couldn’t understand this big increase. Sometime later, I drove by the property and saw that two houses had been built on the property in between the large house and the small one. We had given away two whole building lots -- I was furious, but nothing could be done at this late date. Our family had been robbed. I later prayed and thought I had forgiven both my brother-in-law and the realtor. However, I kept talking about this to friends. Every time a discussion came up about real estate, I mentioned it. Recently, during a study on forgiveness, I realized I had not completely forgiven the realtor or my brother-in-law; if so, I would not have constantly discussed it in anger. I knew this was blocking me from receiving God’s blessings. I prayed a new prayer of forgiveness and determined to give it to the Lord once and for all. I feel calmer and in obedience to the Lord.

Memory Verse:
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
- Luke 6:37 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, please help me to forgive those who have wronged me. Show me how to let go of my hurt, so that I may better serve You. Bring to my mind people whom I need to forgiven, including . . .”

Contributor:
Sherry Jackmen

Stuck

2008-02-11T21:45:00.001-06:00

About six months ago my son moved from his highchair to a booster seat. We would buckle him into the seat and scoot him up to the table to eat. He started wanting to buckle himself into the booster seat, which was difficult because he had trouble clicking the latches together. When he finally learned how to do it, he was ecstatic! Every time we would try to buckle him in, he would throw a fit. He wanted to do it all by himself. He continued to buckle himself in every time he sat at the table, even when it was apparent that he no longer needed the support. My son didn’t care. He liked the comfort and the routine of it. However, there was one problem: He did not know how to unbuckle himself. My son is a slow eater, so sometimes I would leave him at the table so I could wash the dishes or change his baby brother’s diaper. Many times I would hear him yelling, “Mommy, I’m done! Help me, Mommy! I’m done eating!” He wanted to get up and do something else; but because of his routine of buckling himself into the booster, he was stuck. This example reminds me so much of us as Christians. We cling onto a routine or tradition so tightly that when God moves us in another direction, we’re stuck. We don’t know how to unbuckle ourselves from what we are comfortable with. I wonder how many times we miss out on God’s awesome plan because we continually go back to what is comfortable. We strap ourselves into the same situations, and then we scream out to God to get us out of them. Feeling comfortable, secure and protected is wonderful, but sometimes we need to feel those things in God alone and not our routine.

Memory Verse:
“And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!”
- Mark 7:9 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:“Lord, please help me not get too used to a tradition or routine that I’m unable to move when You call me. What is most important to me is pleasing You and reaching Your lost children, that You love so dearly. Help me to recognize any routines that have caused me to lose sight of Your will, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Faith

2008-02-11T21:44:00.001-06:00

It seems that everyday my faith is tested. Each test seems a bit more challenging. About three years ago my brother was living with us in New Orleans. We added him on our car insurance and allowed him to drive our cars that we worked really hard to pay off. It wasn’t long before he totaled one. Good thing it was the car that started having problems, but still it was our paid off car. We were furious with my brother! We worried about our resources and having another car payment. Our insurance gave us $5900 to total it out and within a week we paid cash for a better car. We thanked God, but felt foolish for not trusting him to provide for us. Recently, our family took a vacation for two weeks leaving behind that same car to sit in our driveway unused. We have married friends who both work and have three children and one unreliable car. The obvious thing to do was let them borrow the car, and make life easier for them for two weeks. So that’s what we did. About one week into our trip, my friend called me in tears. I thought someone died; she was so upset! Someone hit her in our car and totaled it. She was fine, but our car wasn’t. To make it worse, the insurance didn’t give us very much money. Again, our faith was tested. My husband and I prayed together asking God to give us a peace about it. My husband and I prayed and agreed to give it to God, completely! It sounds so simple, but to completely trust God that our transportation needs would be met and that we would be able again to pay cash for another vehicle was tough. We had no accessible cash, and both of us needed transportation to and from work. We made it work and truly trusted God to provide for us. After a month of trusting Him, He provided for us in an awesome way! We sold our business, profiting a small sum. We also won a bid on a car on EBay! The seller of the car was a used car dealer that had about 100 cars listed for auction. We actually bid on the car as a joke. We offered much, much less than the asking price. Several people offered more than we did; but the seller didn’t respond to the other offers in time, and the seller accepted our offer. People may say that it was luck, but we say that it was God! God provided for us again! What is the point of worrying? I learned to trust God, again. While it may seem petty, we learned not to rely on cars, money or people. We learned to rely on God! What a freeing experience!

Memory Verse:
“What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?”
- Romans 3:3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, help me to have faith in Your faithfulness. I want to be able to give all my worries to You, even when I feel like there is no hope for my situation. Help me right now to have faith with . . .”

Contributor:
Elisa Hyman

I Matter

2008-02-11T21:12:00.002-06:00

As a young girl, I took note of the differences between my siblings and me. We are a very good mixture, and we all look very different. We are a mixture of Caucasian and Mexican. My sister turned out to look like Penélope Cruz. My brother is 6 feet tall and a cutie. I am barely 5 feet tall -- "The girl with the great personality!" My sister, Maria, and I have a great relationship, even though we are complete opposites. As I said before, she was the beauty and I the athlete -- "with a great personality." She had no idea that I wanted to be like her. I wanted people to accept me and say to me what they said to her so often. I remember once we were shopping with my mother when we were young, and my mother ran into a friend. The nice lady began to tell my mother how beautiful Maria was. At this moment I felt that I were invisible because, naturally, I know the lady would have said the same about me! That really hurt me because I did not feel beautiful. I also remember when we were at church people would always come up to Maria and say, "God is going to use you; you are going to do something great for God." Eventually, I got to a point in my life when I thought, “What about me? Am I not beautiful? Does God not want to use me? Do I just not matter?” I went through most of my life listening to what the World had to say, comparing myself to others and the World’s ideas and values. This just led me down a road of low self-worth and value. Then came the epiphany (at a JANES Bible study) when I realized that all my life I had been tuning out God's Voice. I was listening to the World. Most of us don't realize there is a Voice of Love that tells us every day that we have value, that we are beautiful, and that we are destined to do a great work. It was always there; I just had to listen. Now, every day I listen to a Voice that loves me and a Voice that inspires me! God allowed me to realize that He would not have breathed life into my body if he had no purpose for me. I HAVE A PURPOSE! I MATTER! What a relief it is to know that God's value in me is the only one that counts and matters!

Memory Verse:
"Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt: “Lord, give me strength daily to get past the views, comparisons, and voices in this world. You have given me purpose and have made me beautiful and valuable. You have called me to be who I am. Open me up to Your voice, a voice that Loves and Inspires. Show me how I can understand the full depth of how much You love me. . . .”

Contributor:
Estella Smith

Christianity and the Art of Motorcycle Riding

2008-02-11T21:11:00.004-06:00

I was flipping channels while doing my daily 30 minutes on my elliptical as usual. I normally watch E-television or VH1 when I work out, even though, deep inside, I know I shouldn’t. I rationalize my ungodly TV viewing by thinking, “I only watch TV while I work out and 30 minutes of ungodly television won’t hurt me.” Joyce Meyers is also on the television when I work out, but I immediately skip over her channel. Another rationalization, “How can I work out while thinking about godly growth? I won’t be able to concentrate.” Therefore, I watch E-Television, so I can be updated on all the celebrity gossip. Today, for some reason, I decided to give Joyce Meyers a chance. Amazingly enough, Joyce was discussing how our thoughts have a huge influence over our lives. She reported that many people assume that their thoughts have no bearing on their actions, and they are gravely mistaken. I know thoughts do influence our lives, but I had been rationalizing those 30 minutes of ungodly TV, wouldn’t affect my life. Then I remember that just yesterday I was telling people how my 10 minute Bible study influences my entire day. So if 10 minutes influences my entire day then, by the same standard, 30 minutes will influence me for 3 days! Suddenly, I found my rickety “ungodly television viewing” rationalization smash to the ground, and I heard a voice from heaven yell, “AMEN!” After my rationalization crumbled, an image popped in my mind of me on a motorcycle in a motorcycle riding class I took a few years ago. One of the major points the teacher drilled into our heads was this: You will drive your motorcycle towards whatever you are looking at even if you are trying to avoid it. For example, if you are trying to avoid a ditch but you keep your eyes glued to it, you WILL drive into it. While riding a motorcycle, you have to keep your eyes glued to where you want to go and not on what you want to avoid! I am positive that if I apply this “motorcycle rule” to my Christian walk, I will avoid unnecessary life-ditches!

Memory Verse:
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
- Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, help me to keep my eyes focused on you; so that when life’s ditches come my way, I may be able to avoid them. Show me how I can stop those negative influences in my life that are pulling my focus away from You, including . . .”

Contributor:
Christina L.K.

Come, Let us Sing a Song

2008-02-11T21:09:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I have short-term memory loss. I was telling one of my friends that I couldn’t remember what I had forgotten and we both laughed. I don’t get too concerned about my forgetfulness. My maternal grandmother was quite forgetful, and my own mother can get lost in the same town that she has lived in for years. Even my own daughter has her times of memory lapses. With this propensity to forget or confuse things, I’ve got my own way of keeping things straight in my mind – important things that is. Things like what kind of cake makes me a real life “Betty Crocker” and what kind of raisin bran cereal suits me best. If I’m at the store and I can’t remember what kind of cake I like for baking, then I sing a short line of a commercial… “Pillsbury does it best” and “Two scoops of raisins in my Kellogg’s Raisin Bran.” My songs may seem silly, but they help me to remember things that are important to me. I have used songs in my Christian faith also. One song a girlfriend and I started singing out loud as we wandered around the campus of a retreat stated, “I anticipate the inevitable, supernatural, intervention of God. I expect a miracle! I expect a miracle!” We were desperate for two different reasons. My girlfriend wanted to be in a room where the women were going to be up half the night; and I just wanted to rest! I was on retreat, and I didn’t want to have to go home to all of my responsibilities all burned out! We ended up so full of joy and excitement for what the Lord was going to do that we were dancing from here to there looking for our place to belong and singing our hearts out! It worked out so miraculously that all we could do was praise the Lord! He had so very greatly provided! She ended up in a room full of cackling hens and could not have been happier. I ended up in a room that actually had the conference leaders in it, so the evenings were quiet as we all wanted to be well rested. The mornings were full of songs in the Spirit when we were getting ready to minister the Word to the women! What a blessed adventure, and it all started out with a song of anticipation and belief!

Memory Verse:
“Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
- Psalms 30:4 (KJV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Help me Lord never to forget your lovingkindness and the goodness that you have shown to me. When I am down please bring a song of remembrance to my heart. Help me to remember when . .”

Contributor:
Audrey Semprun

Belly Laughs

2008-02-11T21:04:00.001-06:00

I sat on my couch reading until a loud “bang” caught my attention. I peered over the back of the couch into the entryway. My 2-year-old son, Caleb, was teaching his 3-year-old friend, Gracie, the new trick his older cousins taught him the night before: run full speed into the door with arms in face-blocking position and palms facing out. With a controlled bounce off the door, Caleb would fall backwards on his bottom and then laugh uncontrollably at his blunder. Gracie caught on rather quickly. I sat and watched the two toddlers take turns running into the door, hitting it with a loud bang and then falling back onto their bottoms. As one performed, the other would watch while standing 3-inches away in anticipation. Once the backward fall was complete, the watchful toddler would erupt in a loud belly laugh. Then, as if they were taking their cues from a hidden teleprompter, the audience toddler (while still laughing) would reenact the hilarious stunt while the other toddler took over the role of spectator. This went on for several flawless rounds. Each time a diaper-covered bottom hit the floor, the standing toddler would laugh as if seeing the trick for the first time. The roaring laughter raised a few notches with every body-slam into the door and plop on the floor. As I watched them, joy welled up inside of me. Their intense laughter was so powerful; it almost brought me to tears. However, my laughter was limited from inside – not allowed to bubble to the top and burst out like the laughter I was witnessing. Initially, I chalked it up as my adultness. I assumed my stifled laughter resulted from my lack of interest in watching toddlers fall down for humor. But soon I realized that all my worries from the day that I failed to release into the loving hands of my Savior had smothered the fire of laughter in my heart. I realized at that moment that those two toddlers were much wiser than I. They were enjoying the moment so intensely because they had faith – faith that all their needs would be met and they were safe and loved. If they had faith in me, an imperfect person, how much more could I have faith in Jesus, who calls me to cast all my cares on Him because He cares for me?

Memory verse:
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
- Matthew 18:3

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank you my Abba Father that You love me and care for me. You know the number of hairs on my head. I lay everything at your feet – my sin, my anxieties and my burdens. Help me to trust in You alone. Help me to offer my worries to You, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Amy Patton

You are Beautiful

2008-02-07T21:21:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I become so busy and self-absorbed that I forget the beauty of the people I care about. I forget the beauty and respect that I have for my husband. I miss the beauty and strength that I see in my sister. I overlook the beauty and the joy I feel for my son. And I see through the beauty and wisdom of my friend. Worst of all, I close my eyes to the beauty and majesty that exists in God. But I am reminded. I am reminded by a song on the radio, the words of a believer and the glory of the sun-touched bay that God is beautiful. He is beautiful and He has created everything in this world to be beautiful. I close my eyes in shame and plead for God to forgive my insolence. How could I have forgotten Your beauty? How could I have forgotten Your Majesty? How could I forgotten Your love? I pray that God reminds me every moment of His beauty. I pray that He reminds me of my husband’s beauty, of my sister’s beauty, of my friend’s beauty, of the stranger’s beauty, of my enemy’s beauty and of my own beauty. God is beautiful and His creation is no less lovely. I want to be able to separate the sin from His creation and see the beauty that exists underneath. I want my focus to be seen through the lens of God’s magnificence, so that all that I see will be valuable to me. I am blessed to be a part of God’s splendor, and I do not want to live life with my eyes shaded by the ugliness of sin. Though I will never fully understand fullness of God’s beauty, I pray that I can experiences glimpses of it and never forget the awe I feel to be in His presence, living in His creation and forming relationships with His people.

Memory Verse:
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”
- Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, help me to see past my sinful nature so I may be surrounded by Your perfect creation. I want to see the beauty in the people that you lovingly made and willingly sacrificed Yourself for. Bring to my mind the people I have taken for granted and show me their beauty, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Writer's Cramp

2008-02-07T21:20:00.002-06:00

A few months ago, the Marked Writers of Bay Area Fellowship (BAF) was formed. I was asked to help spread the word and encourage the women of BAF to contribute devotionals to be included in a daily devotional booklet. Several women in our prayer group and Hometeam groups started writing and they gave me several devotionals to pass on to the editors. I also had been asked to write, but I have to admit that after reading some of the devotionals my friends had written, I was a bit intimidated. I sometimes wonder how God can speak through me or use me…especially in this way. I’m not a writer, and I often wonder what the fruits of my labors are. These doubts give me writer’s cramp. It was tonight after I received a fresh copy of the first edition of The Granola Bar Devotional that I could not help but express my thankfulness for each and every entry. I wanted to read the devotional from cover to cover! I hungered for the encouragement that I found in those words from my Sisters in Christ. Page after page I read until my eyes fell on a devotional that brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart deeply. I knew that God truly worked through my spiritual sister’s writing to give me encouragement. Her words showed me that God has placed in my heart a ministry to bless and encourage others. My ministry is to serve God’s children and to show them God’s love, and the fruits of my labor will be hearts that have found acceptance in His Kingdom. I thank God for His goodness and mercy, hearing our prayers, blessing us, and for giving us Christian friends to share this life with. I thank God for the encouragement I found in those pages, and I encourage anyone reading this to not be intimidated from sharing your experiences with others. You never know how God will use your words to fulfill His purpose.

Memory Verse:
“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord God, my God, is with you.”
- I Chronicles 28:20 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, I thank You for allowing me to approach You in prayer and thanksgiving. Lord, I want to thank You for placing special people in my life who worship and adore You and are not afraid to write personal devotionals and words of encouragement. I thank You for their examples of devotion and prayer. I ask that each and every person who reads these devotionals will be blessed and come closer to You, Lord. And Lord, help me to be in Your will daily, to be encouragement to others, and not be fearful in . . .”

Contributor:
Cheryl G.

Work in Progress

2008-02-07T21:19:00.004-06:00

I am a practicing Christian; a work in progress. I attend church, go to Bible studies, pray, tithe and talk about God and His impact on my life. I don’t pretend to have it all figured out, but I do acknowledge that I am on the right path. Life is wonderful, but my thoughts sometimes drift to my past self. I don’t think about her much because she abused drugs and disregarded her sexual boundaries. I wonder if she will ever have a part in my current life – the life I have managed to scrape up from her ruins and have allowed God to make beautiful. Will she embarrass and shame me again, or could God use her for some purpose? It has taken my so long to crawl out of the hole she left me in. If I mention her existence, will I dive back into that hole and pick up a shovel? Will I change people’s current positive views of me? I believe we go through trials in our life for a reason and God can turn something ugly into something beautiful. I have seen God take that young self-destructive woman and change her into the hard-working, faithful, happy woman I am today. I know God will continue to change me, and tomorrow I will be an even better person. I believe that God may have a place for my past self in my future, and she may possibly help others going down the same destructive path. My present self has a heart full of God’s love and a changed focus that is firmly on Him. I pray that my future self can look back at the girl I once was, grab her out of the dirt, clean her off and show her God’s mercy so that she may be able to influence the hearts of others for Christ.

Memory Verse:
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
- Titus 3:3-5 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please help me to not feel shame, an emotion Jesus never attended us to have. Instead, show me how I can make my past into something that could be used to further Your kingdom. Reveal to me now ways that my mistakes can be used for good. . . .”

Contributor:
Anonymous

Whispered Amens

2008-02-07T21:18:00.004-06:00

As my husband drove the babysitter home after our date night, I went up stairs to check on our son. Every night when I put him to sleep, I always pray over him. The prayers usually sound very similar: “Father, thank you for allowing me to be Isaac’s mommy today. Thank you for all the wonderful activities we shared together. Please put a hedge of protection around him while he sleeps. Help him to have the most beautiful and peaceful dreams. I pray that You fill his room with angels and fill his heart with love, hope, peace and joy. Surround us with the love of Jesus Christ and the blood of His sacrifice. Forgive us of our mistakes and help us to make the right decisions for You. In Your name I pray. Amen.” Every time I say the word, “Amen,” Isaac whispers his “Amen,” and I lay him in his bed. On this particular night, however, the babysitter had already put Isaac in his bed and he was sound asleep. I put my hand on his tiny chest and I began the prayer that I’ve prayed over him all his life. He didn’t budge or change his breathing. When I finished, I whispered the word, “Amen,” and stared down at him for a moment with motherly love pouring from my face. A few seconds later, Isaac inhaled and a barely audible, “Amen,” floated from his lips. He was deep asleep, yet repetition caused his two year old mind to subconsciously react to the prayer. I was amazed. I didn’t grow up with consistent prayer and thanksgivings in my house, but I know that my children will. Praying will be so natural in their lives that they will whisper their “Amens” even in their sleep.

Memory Verse:
“On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’”
- Joshua 22:27 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, I want to share Your love with my children. I want them to know how much You care for them. Please help me to be an example of Your love until they day they start a personal relationship with You. Show me today what I can do to start a lineage of faith for my children. Right now bring to my mind ways that I can express this love. . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

A Walk on the Wild Side

2008-02-07T21:18:00.003-06:00

Has God ever called you to step out of a place that had become so familiar…so comfortable…and join Him in a new adventure that would require great faith? It’s what I would call a “walk on the wild side” and about a year ago, that’s exactly what happened to me. I was comfortable in my surroundings and content with life as I knew it, but it soon became evident that God had a plan that was about to shake up my cozy little world and stretch my faith like never before. During this time, I had been studying the book of Isaiah where God’s people had been in captivity in Babylon for years. What resonated with me was that when the time came for God to set them free and return them to their homeland, many did not want to go because they were “comfortable” in their imprisonment. They felt safe in their foreign land because, for many of them, that was all they had ever known. In order to make the journey home, they would have to leave the land of familiar and trust God through the treacherous trek back to freedom. God had big plans to bless them tremendously, but some chose to remain prisoners because of fear of the unknown. I could see the reward that lay in store for the Israelites…miracles waiting just around the corner. But God’s rewards weren’t so clear in my own circumstances. I had a choice to make. I knew that I could stay in my comfortable surroundings and continue living in mediocrity or I could trust God and live life to the fullest. So I did it. I grabbed the hand of my Savior and joined Him on a journey that has forever changed me. I can’t tell you the many blessings that I would have missed out on if I had let my fear conquer my faith. So now I’m walking and, yes, it is definitely the “wild side,” but it is by His side…and there is nowhere else I’d rather be.

Memory Verse:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
-Isaiah 43: 18-19a (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, I am so grateful for the privilege of joining You on this adventure called “life.” I don’t want to miss a single opportunity to know You more. Help me to trust You in every circumstance, even when I’m called to move from my comfort zone and set my fears aside. I commit to step out in faith and trust You for . . .”

Contributor:
DeeDee Sharon

Water Boy

2008-02-07T21:17:00.002-06:00

Reading between the lines, I could sense the heartache and frustration that were overwhelming my son. Never before had he been around so much suffering and death. He would write me expressing, “We work as hard as we can and still they die.” He is working alongside other Christians at Chidamoyo Christian Hospital in Zimbabwe, Africa. They worked day after day to save the souls and bodies of people suffering from AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and a myriad of other illnesses. My heart ached as I read his accounts of the delivery and deaths of premature twins and of the death of a small boy who had been badly burned. There were also accounts of the many young pregnant women suffering from AIDS. Some of them had learned enough about their God to sing His praises in chapel. But through all of this hopelessness, there was still a glimmer of hope. We must never think that because we can’t do everything, we can’t do something of eternal value. What could I write to my son and the faithful workers there in the hospital to encourage them? The words of Jesus in Mark 9:41 came to mind: “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” So I wrote: “Dear Son, for the most part you will have to leave the lives of those suffering people in God’s hands. You are the water boy, a very important member of God’s winning team. Just let God’s love flow through your smile, your words, and your touch. There is enough of the pure Water of Life to quench the thirst of any and all that come. He just needs more water boys like you.”

Memory Verse:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”
- Mark 9:41 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please help me also to be a “water girl” for You. I know that there is a lot of suffering which I can not explain, but show me what I can do to better Your kingdom here on earth. Bring to my mind people You would like me to bless today and what actions I can take to share Your love. . . .”

Contributor:
Nadine Reed

Tummy Time

2008-02-07T21:16:00.005-06:00

While I was cooking dinner, my six month old son was having tummy time on the kitchen floor next to me. He cannot crawl, so when I saw him struggle to reach for a toy, my initial reaction was to put the toy within his reach. About to move, I felt God impress on me not to assist my son. I knew there was a special life lesson He wanted me to learn. So I anxiously watched my son struggle to reach his toy and waited for what God had to teach me. A few seconds later, my son gave up reaching for his toy and was very still. After a few moments of stillness, he began to pivot his body clockwise. He pivoted a couple of inches and began to absorb the brand new perspective. After thirty seconds, he pivoted again and had another totally new perspective to soak in. My little baby did an entire 360 degree turn and was able to discover lots of different perspectives from only one position, yet he never left his spot on the kitchen floor! God is so amazing because I have been feeling “stuck” in my present environment, and what I desire is currently out of my reach. Here is the special life lesson God taught me: I can choose to be consumed with what is out of my reach or pivot a couple of inches and gain a better perspective. God is so wise! If we are frustrated and unable to “crawl” out of unwanted circumstances, maybe God is telling us to “pivot” instead and find a fresh perspective. There is probably a special life lesson God has in store for us!

Memory Verse:
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
- Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to find a new perspective. I want to be content with where You have put me, and I want explore the possibilities that You have placed at arms length from me. Father, help me today with accepting . . .”

Contributor:
Christina L. K.

Tragic Awakening

2008-02-07T21:14:00.004-06:00

We usually take the important things in life for granted until tragedy strikes. Over a year ago I woke up in the middle of the night because something did not feel right. I got up and checked on my son, and he was fine. I was walking back to bed when the phone rang. It was a 3:00-o’clock-in-the-morning-something-is-wrong kind of phone call. My brother-in-law was calling me with devastating news: my identical twin sister had been in a car wreck and was in critical condition. Her injuries were so severe she had to be helicoptered to the trauma center in San Antonio. I fell to my knees disbelieving the news. Two hours later I rushed to San Antonio. When I finally got there, I went straight to the emergency room. There I saw someone I had loved all my life on the verge of death. My twin sister’s body was broken and she was in intense pain. I asked the doctor if she was going to live, and he replied, “I don’t know.” All pretense of security in my life vanished. The family, the health and the comforts of this world are all gifts that God has given me, and I deserve none of them. Life is so precious and I couldn’t believe how much I have taken it for granted. My sister did live and underwent many months of rehabilitation. She maintains several large scars, a metal hip and some nerve pain as evidence of her near-death accident. I will never take her for granted again. In fact, I no longer take anything precious to me for granted. I thank God for allowing me to be a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter and a friend every single day. The important things in life take a lot of work, but that work is a privilege.

Memory Verse:
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
-Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, please help me not to take the important things in life for granted. Help me to work hard at relationships, my health, my work and my walk in Christ. Please help me in the areas that I have been faltering, especially in the areas of . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

The Treasure of our Heart

2008-02-07T21:14:00.003-06:00

Sometimes my life gets so hectic I lose focus of what matters most to me – the treasures of my heart: spending time with my family and friends, quiet time for study and prayer, taking long drives on the Harley with my husband, or strumming my guitar. Have you ever read the story about Mary and Martha in Luke Chapter 10? Mary and her sister, Martha, have an unexpected visit from Jesus and His followers. Martha quickly dons her party hat and begins tending the details for an unplanned feast, while Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, listening. I think God included this passage in the Bible to remind us about our priorities. Like Martha, we all have unexpected circumstances that force us into action and fill up our schedule. Life happens. And sometimes we get so busy with the demands and responsibilities of our daily life that we lose focus of what’s important. I’m a Martha, but I want to be like Mary and refuse to let busyness rob me of the things that matter to me. When life feels overwhelming, I try to remember the story of Mary and Martha and remind myself that the treasures of our heart are played out by what we do, and how we live our lives. That truth makes it easier to let priorities, not circumstances, set my course.

Memory Verse:
"‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’"
- Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Slow me down, God. Help me take stock of what matters most in my life, and then give me the direction and wisdom to be true to You and those priorities. Help me by . . .”

Contributor:
Vicki Beck

Thought Bazooka

2008-02-07T21:13:00.002-06:00

I have discovered the hard way how powerful our thoughts can be. I realized that I needed to stop my every thought in micro-second speed and check it out and interrogate it before it made its way further into my mind and set up residence. If it was able to forge a home in my mind, it would be free to return at will holding me prisoner to its influences. I had occasions where my husband would say something that I would take the wrong way, and I would be reduced to tears. My mind would be flooded with all kinds of thoughts ranging from “I deserve better than this,” to “He doesn’t love me anymore.” The more I wallowed in those thoughts, the more my mind rambled; and at the end of my pity party, I’d always feel worse than before. One day, however, after thinking about the captivity of thoughts, my husband said something and I went sulking into another room. As I began to mumble the same old thoughts again, I stopped and decided to try this captivity thing. I had a discussion with myself and laid out the negative thoughts one at a time and matched them each with reality. The “He doesn’t love me anymore” was the first to fall. I lined up the acts of love that my husband does for me on a daily basis. Many times he goes beyond his arthritis comfort zone to be of service to me. When I pictured the tenderness and sensitivity in his eyes, I knew that he loved me, no matter what thought was trying to get in. I remember saying out loud with a little laugh, “That’s crazy! I know he loves me!” It was as if I had instantly shot that thought down with a bazooka! I felt release, and I proceeded with the next thought. That afternoon was so liberating; and as God is my witness, those thoughts have never entered my mind again.

Memory Verse:
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dearest Lord, help me to remember to be watchful and shine the light of truth on each thought before I allow it take residence in my mind. I want nothing but the truth in me. I desire to stay free in You so that I can be a victorious, effective witness to all. Help me demolish current negative thoughts that are robbing me of joy, including . . .”

Contributor:
Theresa Childress

Those Kids

2008-02-07T21:12:00.002-06:00

My kids have such a rich Christian heritage. They are blessed to have both my grandfathers that are ministers, a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins serving the Lord in their churches, and the privilege of being educated in Christian schools. They have always been good kids that love the Lord and have felt secure in their “sheltered” world. A couple of years ago my husband and I knew that God was telling us that our kids were to be moved to public school. Although I did not struggle on the outside with the act of being obedient, I did internally struggle, praying that God might change His mind. I worried about the influence “those kids” would be on my children. As I tearfully sent my children off into the “cold cruel world” of public middle and high school that first day, I again prayed for that hedge of protection around them. Later that day a friend called to check on me and said exactly what I needed to hear: “I don’t understand why you are so worried about your kids - they are strong Christians. You have no idea how many non-Christian kids at that school NEED your kids.” She was RIGHT! I had been so self-absorbed. I had not even thought about the other kids in that way. God convicted me of my selfish attitude and reminded me that He loves my kids more than I do, and He has a job for them to do. They, like us, have been called to be a light in a dark world, and the Great Commission applies to them as well. To those that have received much, much is expected. It is time for them to share their rich Christian heritage with others!

Memory Verse:
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
- Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, help me to be obedient to Your will, especially when it comes to my children. I know that You love them more than I and that You know what is best for them. I trust You, Father, and I give my children over to Your care. Allow me to pray for each of them now. . . .”

Contributor:
Deana Reed

Thinking of Others

2008-02-07T21:11:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I went to a Janes Prayer Bevy meeting, where we exchange mugs filled with the prayer requests of another member. Each member is then committed to praying for another woman’s prayer needs for a month. I quickly wrote down all of my prayer requests that dealt with my and my families current needs and placed my list in one of the mugs. Each lady took a turn choosing a mug and looking over the list of prayers of their chosen prayer partner. By coincidence, I picked my friend Jen’s mug, folded it up and placed the list in my Bible without looking at it. This morning as I sipped my coffee, I took her prayer list out, unfolded the paper and read her requests. I couldn’t help but notice they were almost all for other people! I started crying as I thought, that is so JEN of her. Here is her opportunity to ask for prayer for HER needs, and yet she can’t help thinking of the needs of her friends. It dawned on me that she is one of the most compassionate people I know. She constantly thinks of others first, always lifting them up in prayer and encouraging them with her sweet smile. In my life, she is a subtle reminder of the compassion of Christ, who lives to intercede for us. She also encourages me to look outside myself, so I may be able to intercede for others as well.

Memory Verse:
“Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”
-Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Jesus, thank You for Your compassion and mercy. I am humbled to know that You daily intercede for me and my sins. Thank You for giving me friends who willingly pray for me. Give me Your compassion for others that I might lift up the requests of the people you lay on my heart, including . . . “

Contributor:
Mariah Froehlich

The Wounded

2008-02-07T21:10:00.002-06:00

One day my little grandsons, Cole (age 5) and Mason (age 8), were playing with some toys in the playroom. All of a sudden, Cole started screaming, “I’m bleeding! I’m bleeding!” He held up one little finger with a tiny drop of blood on it. His brother, Mason, shouted, “Shut up Cole! Jesus was bloody all over and He didn’t cry!” After hearing this story from their mother, we all had a good laugh, but then I thought about the spiritual lesson from this story. Christians in the United States sometimes cry over the smallest of injuries, while others in third world countries have been martyred for their faith in Christ Jesus. We are so soft and easily wounded by small incidents that are trivial. Maybe we need to think about what happened to Jesus when He died on the cross for our sins. He took our punishment, so we could have eternal life. He was bloody all over for us. What have we done for Him? When things happen that hurt our feelings, do we go off and scream to others? What does this do to the body of Christi? New Christians can be affected by our petty grousing and complaining. Do you love Jesus enough to let go of your hurt feelings in order to have harmony in the Church?

Memory Verse:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humilility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
-Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, forgive us for the times when we lose our focus on You. Help us to continue to overcome our human, imperfect nature and make us more like Your son, Jesus. Help us to think of the sacrifice made for us whenever our minds, hearts and mouths start to complain. Especially help us with our negative attitudes toward . . .”

Contributor:
Ann Cornelius

The Last Word

2008-02-07T21:09:00.004-06:00

We are so quick to justify ourselves, to rationalize our standpoints and to have the last word. What drives us to have to prove that we are right? I was a shy person when my husband and I met, but I quickly learned to debate him on issues. In the twenty-seven years that we’ve been married, I have had periods of compromise and periods where I stood against him on every issue. I enjoy the periods of compromise much better because of the peace. However, when I argued with him, I’d bring out logical points to prove that I was educated and knew what I was talking about. Sure, I was right; but in the process I was conveying, “I know what I’m talking about and you don’t.” This belittled him and made him feel like less of a man. I was not showing him respect. Besides, I was not choosing my battles; rather, I was expending my energy on every little skirmish. In the end, he was hurt and I felt drained. I didn’t feel like I had gained anything, even though I had laid out what I thought was compelling evidence. Big deal! What good was it to win an argument when I had hurt the man I loved? It didn’t take long for me to come to my senses, and I learned what things not to pursue and what things were worth standing up for diplomatically and with love. God put me with this man for a purpose: to learn from him as well as to teach him . . . and to practice saying, “I’m sorry.”

Memory Verse:
“Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
- 1 Peter 3: 4 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
Dear Lord, I know I can trust You to continue giving me opportunities to practice humility, a trait that You feel is important for me to have. Though the fleshly side of me rebels and groans and doesn’t want to yield an inch of ground, the desire of my heart is to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ my Savior. Help me to develop a gentle spirit in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Theresa Childress

The Other Woman

2008-02-07T21:09:00.003-06:00

I love my husband. We’ve been married almost thirty years, and I still enjoy spending time with him and giggling when he teases me. Like most marriages, we’ve endured some tough times: parenting challenges, financial difficulties, job insecurities and death of friends and family members. But the toughest time came just before our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was quite possibly the most painful yet beautiful time in our marriage. We were in the midst of a lot of change. My husband was unemployed; I was in between jobs. Money was tight and parents were terminally ill, and my husband’s friendship with another woman threatened our marriage. I knew things weren’t quite right between us, but I wrongly assumed his state of distraction was due to our plate full of challenges. When he confessed that his distraction was, in fact, an emotional attraction to another woman, I was stunned. I never expected that the months leading to a marriage milestone would be precipitated by a crisis in our marriage. Thankfully, my husband recognized that his feelings for the “other woman” were wrong, and he stood firm in his commitment to me and our marriage. And while the personal struggle he faced ending that relationship caused indescribable pain for both of us; miraculously, it also strengthened our commitment to one another. We sought professional counseling and guidance from a pastor who was also a close friend, and we asked God to heal our hearts and marriage. We talked more, prayed more and touched more. And God led us into a deeper relationship with Him and one another. Now I’m counting the months and looking forward to our next milestone. But when I think back on our twenty-fifth anniversary, I thank God for showing us how to persevere in our love and marriage; and, most of all, I thank God for His continued blessings in our lives.

Memory Verse:
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:6-7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
Good and gracious God, thank You for the joy of marriage and for the gifts of love, friends and family. Draw my husband and me closer to You when we face struggles in our marriage and show us how to be true to You and each other. Help us now in our marriage with . . .”

Contributor:
Anonymous

The Good Lollipop

2008-02-07T21:08:00.002-06:00

I was getting my son's haircut at a salon. He did a great job, and afterward the hairstylist gave him a lollipop. She gave him a butterscotch one, which I have always hated. Inwardly I was very upset at this lady. How dare she give my son the worst flavor lollipop! Did she not want to waste a good one (strawberry or watermelon) on my son!? After she gave him the lollipop, she squatted down to his level and gave him a big smile and said, "Butterscotch is my favorite flavor. I got that one just for you!" Once she said that, I was simultaneously upset at myself and touched by the woman's thoughtfulness. She had chosen her favorite for my son. I had caught myself being self-focused again! I needed to understand that my best and someone else's best may be two totally different things. I also realized that people are going to do things for me and my family with the best intentions, and I need to stop looking through my own narrative to really understand where they are coming from. I feel sometimes that we have become Kings and Queens of our own precious worlds. But, I don't want that! I would rather be a servant of God than a Queen of my own opinions. My opinions are meaningless! I could have told that hairstylist to give my son a different flavor lollipop, but I would have robbed her of giving her best to my son. I want her best, not the stupid strawberry lollipop. I pray that God will allow me to see past my viewpoint and to the good intentions of others!

Memory Verse:
“A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.”
- Proverbs 18:2 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to look beyond my own opinions and into the heart of others. I want get over my selfishness, so I may catch people giving their best. Father, help me today to encourage another person’s viewpoints. I want to let her know that her opinions are so important and precious. Bring to mind a person that I can encourage today . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

The Day After

2008-02-07T21:07:00.004-06:00

I look forward to the Christmas season like a snowman looks forward to the winter – I just can’t wait until it arrives! I love watching old Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music on the radio, dressing up in red and green and going to Christmas parties and, most of all, I love Christmas traditions – baking cookies, sending Christmas cards, decorating the Christmas tree and opening presents. I also enjoy driving around the city and looking at all of the Christmas decorations and lights on everyone’s homes. It is so fun to connect the Christmas decorations with the people that live there. Some people decorate their homes with simple white lights, some people use the colorful lights and some people go all out with a fake snowman, candy canes, reindeers and icicle lights. It’s so wonderful to see the homes that have big lighted crosses or nativities in their yard. I remember driving to my house the day after Christmas last year. I saw all of the decorations and thought that they looked so depressing. They were a reminder that Christmas was over and I would have to wait another year to get back that Christmas spirit. Then it dawned on me. As a Christian, I didn’t need to wait an entire year to have the Christmas spirit; I could have it all the time. It didn’t matter that I had to put all of my decorations back into storage for another twelve months. Christ came to this earth to give us an eternity with Him. I can keep the joy and wonderment of His birth with me every day. I felt so special that those Christmas decorations could, theoretically, stay up on my house all year long. If we are Christians, Christmas can be more than just a holiday; it can be everything our walk with God is based on. We have the privilege to shine the Christmas spirit from our lips, actions and lives every moment all year long.

Memory Verse:
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
- Luke 2:11 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank You for giving me the privilege to carry the Christmas spirit with me all the time. I pray that I can acknowledge Jesus’ birth not only on Christmas, but every morning of every day. Today let me start shining forth Jesus’ love in every aspect of my life. Help me to show this joy in the areas of . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

The Gift of Hope

2008-02-07T21:07:00.003-06:00

Hope. It is a small word, but its power is amazing. After trying to conceive for six years, all that was left in me was a small ember of hope in my heart. With every negative pregnancy test, I would cry and turn to God in pain. He would comfort me with His words and promises; and like adding kindling to a fire, I was strengthened to try again. After numerous tests, surgeries on both my husband and myself, and medications that played havoc with my body and emotions, I was exhausted. Many times I felt just like someone running an uphill marathon in a mudslide. It seemed impossible. When I had a very early miscarriage, my husband and I were devastated. I spent lonely hours crying and in mourning, but I knew I had a choice. I could become negative and bitter, or I could hold on to God's promises and the hope that they give. I have learned that hope was an action, and I had to choose to believe God’s promises. After taking a break from fertility treatments, we decided to try again. I can't fully express how scared I was not only of failure, but also that my hope would die. It took us over six years to have our son, but I praise God every day for the strength He gave me. Today, as I look at my wonderful nine month old baby, I see the ember of hope realized, and it is beautiful!

Memory Verse:
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life..”
- Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
"Father, help me to learn to completely trust in Your word. Help me to have patience to wait for the fulfillment of Your promises. You know my heart best; help me to hope in You for these needs . . .”

Contributor:
Laura Emmons

Thank God for the Fleas?

2008-02-07T21:06:00.002-06:00

As I attempt to rush my three children to the car without them being attacked by the blood-thirsty swarm of mosquitoes, I am reminded of an unforgettable book, The Hiding Place, I read as a young teenager. The story is the account of Corrie ten Boom’s horrific, yet, inspirational ordeal in a Nazi concentration camp. Her family was apprehended while hiding Jews in their home, and, as a result, suffered unimaginable miseries. These are the type of circumstance that either leave people in utter spiritual despair or strengthen their faith and hope in the Lord. Corrie’s sister, Betsie, was an example of the latter. She smuggled in a small Bible and led secretive Bible studies late at night in the concentration camp. Betsie offered prayers during this time, thanking God for the opportunity to worship Him, and praying for the hearts of their captors. One night while offering thanks, she even praised God for the fleas that infested their miserable, crowded bunks. Thank God for the flea? thought Corrie. Wasn’t this taking faith a little too far? Later, Corrie discovered that the only reason the Nazi guards disregarded orders to patrol their bunks at night was to avoid the fleas. The very fleas that Betsie had thanked God for were actually what enabled them to have their Bible studies! If the Nazis had patrolled the bunks at night, there would have been no opportunity to speak freely of the Lord and lead others to Christ. Remembering this story convicts me to stop complaining and start finding something to thank God for. Thank You, God, for good mosquito spray!

Memory Verse:
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
-Psalms 34:1 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, help me to remember that You are with me in all circumstances, and forgive me if I have ever doubted your faithfulness. I will continuously praise Your name. Thank You specifically for being with me during . . .”

Contributor:
Tammi Slavin

Thank God for Aunt Seennie

2008-02-07T21:05:00.002-06:00

My mother, Jo Ann, grew up in post-Depression rural Kansas. She was a very sad and frightened little girl. Her family was falling apart, and she felt that she was completely alone. However, we now see the hand of God in her life even at an early age. At the age of five, Jo Ann would walk to school everyday. Along that route was located her Great Aunt Seennie’s home. Aunt Seennie knew of Jo Ann’s family circumstances, and she always greeted Jo Ann before school and welcomed her inside for lunch. She spent this time introducing Jo Ann to someone she did not know. . . . someone who loved her unconditionally and would never leave her. Jesus was introduced to my mother’s life during those precious visits. And because of Seennie’s efforts, my family’s lineage has been forever changed. Aunt Seennie simply gave my mother what she could. There were no eloquent prayers or deep theological discussions. Seennie simply taught my mother how to pray directly to her loving Father in Jesus’ name. I believe that even without Aunt Seennie, my mother would have eventually come to know Jesus, but Seennie also gave my mother love and comfort during a time that she needed it most. To this day, my mother has one of the deepest relationships with Jesus of anyone I have ever known. She still prays the way she was taught – with wonderful, childlike faith. My prayer is that I will continue Aunt Seennie and Mom’s legacy and simply share Jesus with those who need Him.

Memory Verse:
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
-Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, thank You for others who have obeyed Your call and have influenced my family forever. Please help me to also seize the opportunities that You put before me. Today, show me where I can be a witness for You. . . .”

Contributor:
Jeannie De La Garza

Stress

2008-02-07T21:04:00.006-06:00

I, like many women, have a HUGE problem with stress. It seems like I am always stressed out over something or another. Most of my stress stems from worldly worries, such as does this person like me, is there dust under my couch, what birthday gift do I have to buy next, what type of jeans are currently in style? About a month ago, I was browsing around in Half Price Books and came across a self-help book discussing stress. It discussed the many long term implications of stress, including allergies, digestive disorders, anxiety, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, lowered immunity, and muscular aches. Thinking of my own problems with stomach ulcers, it dawned on me that I must put a lot of effort towards stressing out in order to cause physical illness to my own body. I realized how useful that energy would be if I put it towards God’s plan instead of stressing out over the worldly worries I am so consumed with. I concluded that the solution would be to start doing the basic “Christian” acts, I already know I need to do, such as reading my Bible, praying, and helping others. Not only will this help me understand God’s plan for my life, but it will also keep me so preoccupied that I don’t have time to stress over worldly worries.

Memory Verse:
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
- Matthew 6:27 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, You know my struggles and my worries. Please direct my energy away from myself and onto the plans that You have for me. Help me to recognize my worries and to give them over to You. Let me start by giving you . . .”

Contributor:
Christina L. K.

Stop

2008-02-07T21:04:00.005-06:00

I had a list of ten things to do this morning while my daughter was in school. I knew if I got started right away, I could fit it all in before picking her up at noon. God, however, had different plans for me. As I was dropping off the kids at school, my eyes started itching; and by the time I got home, I had rubbed them so much that they were now swollen shut. I calmly took some Benedryl and thought to myself, “I can give myself a little time. Then my eyes will get better, and I can get dressed for the day.” Nope, that didn’t happen. Now my eyes were puffy and red. I wasn’t going anywhere. During this time, I decided to take a hot bath and read my one year devotional which was on my to-do list but saved for later in the day. It was then that God spoke so loudly about an important chapter in my life that was closing. God is there for me; and when I lay down people, places or things that get in the way of me becoming more Christ-like, He will have a “harvest of righteousness and peace” waiting. God was reminding me that He should be on the very top of my to-do list. Now I have started my day under God’s agenda, and it only took red, puffy eyes for me to do so.

Memory Verse:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
- Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please remind me to put You first above all of the to-dos in life. When I become overwhelmed, help me . . .”

Contributor:
Susie Mozisek

Steps of Christian Walk

2008-02-07T21:03:00.002-06:00

We have all seen babies learning to walk. They usually learn to stand very shakily. They test a couple of steps and fall flat on their faces. There are many times that they make it from one piece of furniture to the next without falling and usually to a raucous applause from their family. After a while they are cruising across halls and out in the park. They love it until they find a hidden pot hole or mole hill. That’s when they fall. However, loving moms and dads come, pick them up, brush them off, kiss their scraped knees and let them go again to play. These are almost the exact steps for our Christian walk. We learn to stand for the Lord, though we may still be shaky. We test a couple of steps and usually fall. We begin to use other Christian people and places to help us move from day to day with a raucous applause from the Father and angels in heaven. Soon, we are cruising. We are telling everyone how we feel. We are moving faster than our friends and family can keep up, until we find that hidden pot hole – the person at work who drives us absolutely up the walls, the actions of our significant other that makes us want to positively tear our hair out, the bill that just never seems to get paid – and we end up flat on our faces. Don’t spend too much time worrying about the fall. Spend your time allowing the Father to pick you up, brush you off, kiss your scrapes and let you go so you can continue to do His will. Remember, it’s not how you started the race; it’s how you finish it. With God’s help even the slowest and clumsiest runner will come out in first place.

Memory Verse:
“The steps of a good man are led by the Lord. And he is happy in his way. When he falls, he will not be thrown down, because the Lord holds his hand.”
- Psalm 37: 23-24 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, You know at times that I walk really fast; in fact, I’m usually running. And many times I run right passed You and Your will. I know, though, that when I lose my way, You are there to lead me back in the right direction. Thank You for caring for me when I fall. Carry me in the areas of . . .”

Contributor:
Kristen Ruggles

Staying Calm

2008-02-07T21:02:00.002-06:00

My best friend is in town this week and for the last four days she and her two kids have spent time with me. I love visiting with her; it has been such a blessing. We haven’t been together like this in almost two years. She made comment the other day about how calm I am through all the adventures of raising a teenager, a preteen and a toddler; and that she is often not as calm. She said that I have had a calming attitude since she has known me. Okay, I would just like to know who is she talking about, and where can I find this woman that she’s describing. I really do not consider myself a very calm person. I’m at times stressed from chasing a toddler, explaining life to a preteen and trying to win an argument with a teenager. Where does the word calm fit into the equation? A mother who wants peace needs to work at creating peace. I notice so many times that when I flare up, my kids flare up. When my husband comes home from work and my attitude is negative, then instantly his entire mood sours. As a mom we create so much of the mood in our family, and it takes effort to create peace. It can be somewhat exhausting trying to be calm and continually trying to manage a peaceful atmosphere, but it is worth the effort. Therefore, when my girlfriend tells me that I’m a calm person, I just laugh and simply say, “Thank you.” I then say, “Thank you,” to God. He is the One who instills the peace within me. I’m in constant communication with God everyday. I often try to visualize Him hanging out with me in my kitchen because that is usually where my family’s life revolves. True, there are days where I get angry and frustrated and the whole family is in total chaos, but I know that God is with me during those crazy moments, reminding me that I am who He says I am: a gal who is calm and at peace with whatever life hands her. Now who could resist a compliment like that?

Memory Verse:
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
- Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, today help me to find the calmness in my soul. Help me to exemplify that with constant communication with You, we can have peace during all situations. When I reach out to You, You are there to guide me along a peaceful stream. I can find comfort that you are in control, and that You will restore peace and calm in me the moment it is depleted. Help me find calmness in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Tiffany Locke

A Tack of Forgiveness

2008-02-07T21:01:00.004-06:00

I remember as children my twin sister and I would wake up early in the morning and put tacks on the stairs. We would strategically place the tacks with the point facing up where we thought someone would step on them. Then we would each hide on either side of the stairwell and watch as our groggy mother stepped on a tack, scream out in pain and try to take the tack out of her foot while trying to not fall down the stairs. My twin and I would cover our mouths to try and stifle our mischievous laughs. We were horrible! I still can’t believe we used to do that! We didn’t fully realize at that age that hurting people was wrong. Years later we remembered our horrifying deed and asked for our mother’s forgiveness. I think back to this every time someone hurts me. Many people hurt others; and for any number of reasons, they don’t really comprehend that what they are doing is wrong. Yes, we may become upset; but at some point, we’re going to have to give the pain up to God. Even if they have never asked for forgiveness, it’s up to us to forgive them and let it go. And, hopefully, others will forgive us for the hurt we unknowingly caused them.

Memory Verse:
“To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
- Acts 26:18 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please forgive me for any sins that I have committed without fully understanding of the repercussions. If possible, help me to ask forgiveness from those that I have hurt. Also, help me to forgive those who have hurt me, including . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Stationary Bike

2008-02-07T21:01:00.003-06:00

In today’s society, everything is instant: instant meals, instant drinks and instant mail. Everything is faster now than it was even ten years ago. Waiting has become a foreign concept to us Americans. Waiting a whole ten seconds for an Internet page to load is irritating, and heaven forbid we have to wait a full minute for the stop light to turn green. Waiting for God’s blessing – Mr. Right, the right job, the right house – is always hard. As a woman who is perpetually waiting, I know how tough it is; however, I still believe that God will come through. In the book, Lady in Waiting, (which I might take a second to shamelessly and highly recommend) there is a chapter that explores the topic of being a lady of diligence. That particular chapter delves into the life of Ruth. Ruth was an amazing woman and definitely the kind of woman worth studying. She never took the time from her situation to feel sorry for herself, even though she had plenty to be sad about. She lost her husband, left her people and went into a foreign land with her mother-in-law. But, instead of being upset or trying to do her own thing, she worked diligently obeying God’s will until He sent her a blessing. We learn from Ruth that sometimes our place in life is to diligently wait for our next cue from God. However, we can’t confuse waiting with stagnating. We need to realize that obedience sometimes means riding the “stationary bike.” We pedal and pedal every night; and even though we don’t move forward, there is progress and change. Our muscles get stronger and the numbers on our scales go down. All the while we are preparing our bodies and minds for a wonderful blessing: a new dress size or crossing the finish line of a marathon. Sometimes God is having us wait so we will be prepared for the next big step in our lives. Faithfully waiting on God can be one of the most daunting but most rewarding steps of obedience we can take.

Memory Verse:
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
- Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, renew me daily as I wait diligently for Your next instruction. Help me to run the race You require of me and not get tired. Show me how to obediently wait on You, specifically in the areas of . . .”

Contributor:
Kristen Ruggles

Spiritual Stains

2008-02-07T21:00:00.002-06:00

Stains are everywhere. Just today I cleaned two kitty vomit stains, one potty training stain, two shirt stains and a bright pink stain on my handmade quilt. The work trying to salvage the stained items can become overwhelming. However, these are just the stains I allow myself to see. I realize that there are many more stains from which I look the other way. Pen marks on the leather furniture, water stains on the wooden coffee table, spill stains on the SUV’s upholstery, oil stains on the driveway and sun stains all over my body (freckles). I’m surrounded by stains! How could I possibly keep up with all of them? This thought makes me think of my spiritual stains. I probably make more spiritual stains in one day then I make material stains in a year. Does God ever tire of cleansing my spiritual stains? Do I show Him enough gratitude for caring so much for me? Do I allow God to cleanse me or do I hold onto my old stains? Does God actually enjoy cleaning my stains? I believe God takes pride in caring for His children, though sometimes we are ungrateful. God has created the most effective stain cleaner around: salvation! He has given us the gift of Jesus Christ, which is the easiest and most effective way of cleansing us. Because of Christ, our stains are not only covered, but they are erased indefinitely. When I think of the tiny material stains that surround my life, I am more appreciative of Christ’s sacrifice and the love God has shown us for giving us Jesus. Keeping up with material stains may be overwhelming, but keeping up with spiritual stains would be impossible.

Memory Verse:
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
-Psalm 51:2 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank you for constantly washing away my spirituals stains and cleansing me of my sins. I do not take for granted the price Jesus Christ’s salvation and the freedom of guilt it has given me. Help me to release the stains of my past, specifically . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Spiritual Scrapbook

2008-02-07T20:59:00.002-06:00

Every year on my son’s birthday, I dress him up in one of my husband’s old work shirts and take his picture. I slip the picture into a special album, along with a note about the things he’s accomplished that year. I can then flip through the album to see how much he’s grown. (Yes, it is a cool idea, and I totally stole it from Oprah.) I could stare at those pictures for hours! I love the way he wears the shirt a little better each year. And I wonder if God sees us that way. Does He take a spiritual snapshot of me each year on my birthday and compare it to a picture of Jesus? Do I look more like Him this year? Act more like Him? Have more compassion than I used to? See things the way He does? Funny how I would never expect Jack to fit into his daddy’s shirt at age four, but I sometimes expect to look like Jesus all at once. I think our Father takes pleasure in watching us develop, grow, learn and change, just the way I marvel at what my son can do now that he couldn’t before. God isn’t looking at my picture noticing all the things I lack. He’s looking at it with Fatherly pride, knowing my path and my potential, knowing all the ways He’s made me special and knowing that He will complete a good work in me. So as I approach my thirtieth birthday this week, I hope to see myself more as God does this year: His daughter who is growing in the image of His Son.

Memory Verse:
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is.”
-1 John 3:2 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank you for being my loving Father. Help me to grow in your grace and love. I want to look more like your Son. Make me more like Him in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Mariah Froehlich

Soiled

2008-02-07T20:58:00.005-06:00

I was lying in a hospital bed in severe pain, body broken, unable to move, alone in the dark, physically and mentally exhausted but unable to sleep due to the pain. This was the story of my life for an entire February. On this particular night, I had urinated all over myself. My body, hospital gown, and sheets were soaking wet. Due to my broken bones, I was unable to lift my body on a portable potty, and the nurse staff was too busy to assist me. My pride felt as shattered as my body. At 3:00 a.m. I remember looking at the ceiling crying and whispering to God. I told Him that I could bare the pain and the lack of sleep. I would suffer by myself, soiled in urine and not make a single complaint. But the one thing I couldn’t bare was having the over twenty physicians and residents parade in my room, as they did every morning at 7:00am, with me being soiled with my own urine. My pride and spirit would be crushed. I prayed that God would send me a certified nursing assistant to help me clean up, and at 6:30 a.m. God sent me an angel. She was an older Hispanic woman with a huge smile and desire to help. She asked me if I needed anything, and I asked her for help to the bathroom and help with cleaning my body. My angel moved my limp body on a wheelchair and helped me to the bathroom. She cleaned my sheets, cleaned my body, and brought me a new hospital gown. Even with my broken bones and penetrating pain, I felt like a new person. I thanked her with all my heart, and the minute she left the parade of physicians began. I said a small prayer thanking God for the angel He had sent me. She may have thought she was helping me with a simple task, but it meant the world to me.

Memory Verse:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
-Romans 8:35 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, Thank You for being with me every instant of my life, especially during the difficult and painful times. God bless the people who put forth the small efforts that make such a difference. Please bring to remembrance those who have helped me, including . . .”

Contributor:
Christina L. K.

Snow White: It's Not Just a Fairy Tale

2008-02-07T20:58:00.004-06:00

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? A holy king adopts a lowly peasant girl to become a princess, an heiress to the ruler of all kingdoms and they live, literally, ever after. But this is not a fairy tale! In Romans 3:23 scripture informs us, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” There is not one of us who is pure and spotless before God, and, aside from his help, we are without hope. In Isaiah 64:6 we learn that our righteousness (the very best we have to offer) is as filthy rags compared to Him. This is because sin has separated us from our loving Father. Because He is holy and just, He can’t tolerate sin; therefore, we are not fit to stand in His presence. But no matter what mistakes we’ve made or what our past holds, God loves us so much that He makes a way for us to have fellowship with Him. John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus paid the price when He died on the cross. In order to be washed as white as snow, a debt was owed and Jesus paid it for us all! All we have to do is accept that free gift. What is His Perfect Plan? We are to admit we are sinners, ask His forgiveness and accept His free gift of salvation. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous. Where once a peasant girl stood now emerges a princess, a daughter of the King, and an heiress to the Kingdom!

Memory Verse:
“ . . . Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
-Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Holy God, I am that lowly peasant girl turned princess; not because of my own merit, but because of Your boundless grace and mercy. I am not deserving of Your extravagant love; but because of Your desire to have a relationship with me, You have crowned me with forgiveness and called me Your own. Thank You for Your incredible plan of salvation: a free gift to us all! I ask you to . . .”

Contributor:
DeeDee Sharon

She's Ready

2008-02-07T20:57:00.002-06:00

How can she be 18? I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true. It seems like only yesterday that she was just a baby. And now my baby girl has become an amazing, incredible, beautiful young lady with a love for life that matches her love for our Lord. High school graduation is behind her, and in just a few short weeks she and her most necessary and prized possessions will be moving to a college seven hours from our home. These days I find her sorting through boxes, drawers and endless piles trying to decide what goes to her new home in the dorm and what stays behind. Porcelain dolls will be wrapped up and stored in the attic along with the box of dress-up clothes and miscellaneous keepsakes from her childhood. Her stereo and new TV, DVD player, laptop and dorm-size refrigerator will make the move, along with photos of friends and family and other reminders of home. Knowing she’s the last of our four children to leave home, friends ask me constantly if I’m ready for “the empty nest.” Usually I just smile and say I think so, but mostly I’m just thankful that she’s ready. Not because she’s had the love, support and encouragement of her family and friends, or even because she’s worked hard and excelled in school. I know she’s ready because she’s packing her rock collection – and these are no ordinary rocks. These rocks were claimed one Sunday morning during a church service when hearts were anxious as our members prepared to move into a new, larger building. Our pastor invited us to take a rock for every milestone we had experienced in our former building – a reminder of all that God had done in our hearts and lives in that place. Just as college is a milestone in her life, those rocks symbolize her spiritual mountaintops, epiphanies and covenants – milestones she’s shared with her God. Salvation, baptism, a call to mission work, a promise of faithful tithe, regular quiet time for prayer and Bible study are all promises she has made. Is she ready? Yes, thankfully God has prepared her and me for this moment. And though I know it’ll be tough letting her go, I find peace in knowing God will be with her every step of the way!

Memory Verse:
“That I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
- Deuteronomy 30:19b-20 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank You for giving us free-will. Help us to make the right decisions that lead towards a blessed life. Thank You most of all for Your son, Jesus, who has died for our bad choices and our mistakes. I pray for those close to me who are in the middle of challenging decisions, including . . .”

Contributor:
Vicki Beck

Service

2008-02-07T20:56:00.004-06:00

Service! What an interesting word. I thought I understood this word; after all, I spent almost ten years serving customers in eating establishments, and I’ve been a mom for almost five years. It wasn’t until recently that I learned what service really is. I have been a stay-at-home mom for two years. This job has given me more responsibility with the upkeep of our home. This is not something I’m good at or like doing at all! I’ve been doing it though because it is my job. But God showed me that my definition of service was all wrong! My motivation was about me and not Him. My attitude was “Poor me. I get it done because I have to.” And I truthfully wasn’t doing a very good job. Paul tells the Galatians, “Through love serve one another.” We are pleasing God when we serve others. True servitude comes from a reverent fear of God. We cannot be sincere about allowing God to change us into His image without a deep respect for Him. Our motivation for serving Him, as well as others, must come from that respect. I guess I was serving from the desire to receive rather than the desire to give. God will be pleased if we serve him cheerfully.

Memory Verse:
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve on another in love.”
- Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, remind me every day to praise and revere You > Show me ways that I can cheerfully serve You and others. Bring to my mind the people in my life that I can start serving. . . .”

Contributor:
April Atkinson

Shaping the Future

2008-02-07T20:56:00.003-06:00

I was recently out with a group of my friends celebrating the upcoming wedding of our close friend. I was having a wonderful dinner and enjoying the time of relaxation and fellowship. As the night wore on, the conversation turned to our children and the joy and craziness of motherhood. We began to talk about how challenging it can be with the daily grind of taking care of the little ones, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, etc. We also discussed how easy it was for us to wonder what we were contributing to this world. I think this is very common for many women and something that I really struggled with after having my son. Before I became a mom, I was used to my identity being wrapped up nicely in my job, in the areas that I volunteered and in physical exercise. I think that regardless of whether a woman is a stay-at-home-mom or she works outside the home, she may question whether or not she is contributing to society. God has really been working on this issue with me as I have struggled to find my purpose and to feel that my life is important. I have heard it said so many times that as mothers we are amazingly powerful and influential. I am sure we have all heard the saying, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." We are literally shaping this next generation. This is something that has taken a hold in my heart. What an amazing responsibility. I know I make a difference every time I play with my son, read him a book or pray over him at night. I am shaping his future. Being a mother is not about giving up and sacrificing our dreams; it is about helping the next generation accomplish their dreams by giving them everything they need emotionally and spiritually so that one day make their own mark on this world. Mother Teresa illustrated this point best when she said, “If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.”

Memory Verse:
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
- Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
"Lord, thank You so much for entrusting me with Your child/children. I pray that I honor You as I live my life out before them. Help me to be an example of You to them. Help me to make my mark in this life by . . .”

Contributor:
Laura Emmons

Seasoned Church Member

2008-02-07T20:55:00.002-06:00

My family and I have been with our church, Bay Area Fellowship, since the beginning stages when there were roughly 125 members. We knew just about everyone in the church. I remember when we had only one Home Team and now Home Teams are multiplying rapidly. Our church has grown in so many ways. We have matured in love and faith and encountered only a few growing pains along the way. BAF’s growth resembles my growth as a Christian in many ways. When I began going to church, I did not know the Bible or how to pray. I didn’t know how to journal my growth in Christ, and a “quiet time” was beyond my understanding. Quiet time to me was putting the baby down for a nap, so I could watch TV for a few hours. I was a baby Christian who didn’t know what God wanted from me, and I definitely didn’t know what I wanted from Him. However, I took steps of faith that helped me grow as a Christian. Volunteering at the church was one of the best steps I could have taken. I’ve volunteered in so many areas of the church over the years that I finally discovered my talents and capabilities: Women’s Ministry and registration. I love the ministry I’m in. I get to talk to many different people and fellowship with those that are volunteering in the same area as I am. People often comment on how huge our church is, but I don’t see it that way. Though our church has grown tremendously, I still feel the cozy feeling of a loving family ready to greet me with open arms every time I walk through the church doors. The secret to having the closeness of a tight-knit family feeling is to volunteer at church. It gives us a sense of belonging to our church, and we will suddenly feel the closeness of friends and family that we were craving. And when we feel like God is too HUGE and AWESOME and OVERWHELMING to spend time with us, we can start volunteering time in our relationship with Him. We can pray to Him and read His Words whenever we want. He always has His doors open and His arms out ready to greet us like a Father.

Memory Verse:
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
- Romans 12:11 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, sometimes I feel so lost in Your presence and not sure where I fit in to the equation of the plans You have for me. I want so much to know You and Your Word. I yearn to feel the coziness of Your arms and the warm welcome of when You call me by name. Help me to create that tight-knit family feeling at church by volunteering in . . .”

Contributor:
Tiffany Locke

Scar

2008-02-07T20:54:00.003-06:00

I have an extremely large and very visible scar on my left hip. It is one of many. My scars symbolize months of incomprehensible physical pain and suffering. These bodily scars are connected to an overabundance of non-visible scars that represent incomprehensible emotional pain and suffering. These emotional scars bring back horrible memories of ambulance rides, life flights, BiPAPs, central lines, vascular filters, catheters, bed pans, chest tubes, leg traction, nerve pain, hundred plus hours of physical rehabilitation, morphine detoxification, crutches, wheelchair, walkers, shower chairs, anxiety, depression and tears. These scars symbolize many horrific experiences, but they also symbolize many amazing and wonderful experiences. When I take a second glance at my scars, I see devoted family and friends who gave up the comforts of their homes to be by my side in the hospital for weeks on end. I see a husband who held my hands, carried me, pushed my wheelchair, shaved my legs and helped me dress over the course of 4 months. I see hundreds of get well cards and gifts, such as food, clothes, teddy bears, and candy. I see 300 paid vacation hours donated to me by loving co-workers. I see amazing physicians that God blessed with exceptional skills. I see nurses, physical therapist, and occupational therapist with big smiles and even bigger hearts. I see prayer, kindness, strength, sacrifice, and especially love. I will never fully understand the reasons I had a car accident; but because of it, I fully understand that I am loved. God knew I was both physically and emotionally broken; therefore, He sent hundreds of people to profess His love for me.

Memory Verse:
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
- Hebrews 6:10 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank You, Father, for helping me through that time of pain and brokenness. I don’t quite understand suffering, but I know that You are a God of healing. Thank You for showing Yourself to me through the people around me that cared and loved me. Show me what I can do to help others. . . .”

Contributor:
Christina L. K.

Running Circles

2008-02-07T20:53:00.001-06:00

When I was about twenty-one years old, I was running on the track at the Corpus Christi Athletic Club. I was running pretty fast (I was a lot more in shape back then), and I stayed on the outside lane for runners. I remember passing a young teenager who was doing her very best in the inside lane. She was handicapped and pushed a walker in front of her. I ran past her many times during my three mile jog. I remember feeling sorry for her because she couldn't go any faster. Toward the end of my run, I wanted to get a good look at her face. I wanted to see what emotions she was feeling. As I looked at her, I was humbled. There was an expression of devoted determination on her face; and I realized that if she wasn't handicap, she would have been running circles around me. I was moved by the effort of her unwavering will. As I thought about it, I've come to understand the destructiveness of comparisons. That young girl was probably putting more effort into her walk than I have ever put into any of my workouts. On the outside it looked like I was achieving more; but in reality, she was progressing way more than I was. We compare ourselves with others without realizing the defeat in it. We can't compare our hearts, our will, our determination, our loyalty -- only God can do that. All we can compare is the material effects which vary and give little indication of what's inside of us. If we compare, then we have judged others and ourselves based on extremely distorted information. It's a waste of time and energy! Comparing comes so naturally to us, but it's so freeing to just let it go. It allows us to stop asking ourselves, "Why can't I be more like her or have what she has?" and start asking, "God, will You help me achieve the beauty of Your unique design for me?!"

Memory Verse:
“We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:12a (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, God, please help me not to compare myself to others. I realize that You designed my life for a specific reason. I want to focus my attention on my purpose in life and not worry about things that do not matter. I want to be content with the woman You made me to be. Show me how to find peace in an area that I have been struggling, specifically . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Roo

2008-02-07T20:44:00.002-06:00

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been very routine when I leave the house. One of the many things in my routine is to make a quick prayer over my home and my puppies. In the past few months, I’ve heard God speaking to me LOUDLY that He is watching over me. He gives me small signs that He is listening. One of most poignant signs He has given me came recently. While leaving for work one day, my oldest dog (nicknamed Roo) was sick. I didn’t think it was anything major; she had just thrown up. I thought nothing of it, cleaned it up and left. When I came home that night, she had again been sick. I had a vet appointment the next morning for another one of my dogs, and I made a mental decision to bring Roo as well. When the veterinarian staff worked her up, I mentioned that I’d felt a lump in one of her mammaes (breasts) a few months ago. I explained that due to its nature, I thought it was probably just a cyst. They said they’d check it out. Later that afternoon, I received a call from the vet. Dr. Stacy told me that Roo was feeling better and the blood work was fine, but she had come back with markers for breast cancer! I was devastated! Roo has been with me for 6½ years; she is my closest companion who has endured lots of changes while I’ve been living so far from home. Dr Stacey recommended radical surgery, which included removing that breast, the adjoining one, and her adjacent lymph node, as well as spaying her. I agreed immediately, and the surgery was soon done. Roo bounced back wonderfully following her MAJOR surgery and has been blossoming under the added attention she’s been receiving. I, on the other hand, have been having such a “why” attitude towards the whole affair. Why Roo? Why me? I called my best friend who has been a big part of my Christian walk in the past few years. Tiffany said, “Sister, that’s amazing!” Amazing??? She went on to remind me that if Roo hadn’t been sick the night before, I wouldn’t have brought her in to the vet’s office the next day and remembered to mention the lump I’d felt so many weeks before. It may not have been diagnosed until her next bi-annual check-up. She said, “It’s so God!” I felt God WINK at me just then. I heard a song in my head that I hadn’t heard since being in the Catholic Church years before: “I Will Never Forget You,” by Carey Landry. God was once again shouting to me that He is watching over me!

Memory Verse:
“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.’”
- Isaiah 49:14-16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, God, thank You for never forgetting me and for watching over me even when I don’t realize it. Help me now to recognize all that You have done and are doing for me, starting with . . .”

Contributor:
Robin McNaueal

Rock Star

2008-02-07T20:43:00.002-06:00

I was leading worship not long ago and we were about to sing one of my favorite songs. The band had an awesome intro and we had the congregation up on their feet, clapping, and about to blow the roof off the place. The crowd was pumped and we hadn’t even started singing yet! The energy was amazing! The drums were pounding, the bass was vibrating in my chest, the electric guitars had this great lead going on, and off I went…bustin’ out like a rock star…when very quickly I realized that I was in the wrong key! For those of you who aren’t musically inclined, that means I was singing loud and proud, but strong and wrong! Very wrong! The band was playing one tune and I was singing another. A “wrong-key” intro is an automatic “crash and burn” and it was quite embarrassing to say the least. I hate to make mistakes. One mistake like that could haunt me for three sleepless nights, tossing and turning, wondering how I could mess up like that on the Sabbath…leadin’ the singin’…in the sanctuary? Ahhhh! But I’ve learned and I’m still learning that God does not expect perfection from me. I think sometimes we get “excellence” mixed up with “exactness.” God just wants a heart He can use. All gifts aside, He really just needs someone who will show up. Humbling, isn’t it? But what a load off! I have a long list of embarrassing moments, but there’s not one moment that God, in His infinite grace, couldn’t have used if He needed to, with or without my help. So be encouraged! If you have a willing heart, there’s nothing God can’t do through you. Sing it loud and sing it proud…and let God do the rest. He will. And by the way, as soon as I get to Heaven, the first thing I’m going to do is audition for the Band with my new “glorified” voice. I can’t wait to lead worship…heavenly hosts as my back-up singers…band going crazy on the intro…and me…bustin’ out like a rock star!

Memory Verse:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
-2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, what a relief to know that I do not have to be perfect or have it all together in order to be used by You! You take my feeble attempts to honor and serve You and turn them into life-changing events…for me and sometimes for those who are in range of the grace splashing around me. Thank You for the talents and gifts You’ve entrusted to my care. Give me the courage to bust out like a . . .”

Contributor:
DeeDee Sharon

Rewarded Obedience

2008-02-07T20:42:00.004-06:00

I am a wife and working mother who spent nearly ten hours a week commuting to my job. During almost every prayer, I would ask God to open up a position closer to home. One evening during First Wednesday service at BAF, God told me to “stay where you are.” I was devastated. How could God ask me to stay in a job that kept me from my family? I did not know the reason, but I conceded and stayed were I was. I quit asking God to move me and started asking him to use me. A short time later, I was sitting in church praying and an image flashed into my head. I was standing in a classroom where I work, holding hands in a circle with a group of my students I had grown close with during the semester, and we were praying. I nearly fell off my chair at church. I thought that surly God did not want me to pray with my class in a government institution (I wasn’t sure just how many rules that would break)! I spent the next two days talking with God trying to convince Him that this was not a good idea. I walked to the classroom very nervous and still not sure if I would obey God’s request. As I entered the room, I could not believe my eyes. One of my students was dressed EXACTLY as I had seen her in my mind! I made my decision and announced, “Today we are going to pray.” I nervously told the class about my vision (including God showing me what the young lady would be wearing) and that I believe that God had special plans for this group. Another student – a big football player – popped up from his desk and said, “Amen, let’s do it!” So we gathered around, held hands, and I said a prayer. After class had ended, the young lady told us that she had bought that shirt she was wearing for her graduation; and that she usually tried on several outfits before deciding on the right one. However, that particular morning she grabbed her new blouse and just put it on. Now, if that wasn’t amazing enough, one week later I received a call that a new position was just created for a job right down the street from my home! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I knew that the job was mine because God always rewards obedience.

Memory Verse:
“In everything that [s]he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, [s]he sought [her] his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so [s]he prospered.”
- 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, please help me to open my heart to You and listen to Your will. Give me the courage today to obey Your requests even when I do not understand the purpose, and thank You for blessing Your faithful servants. Encourage me in the areas that I have been struggling, including . . .”

Contributor:
Liette Ocker

Roasting Marshmallows

2008-02-07T20:42:00.003-06:00

Tonight the men in my husband’s small group roasted marshmallows on our back porch. It was hot and muggy outside and I could see sweat dripping down their faces; but their laughter was contagious, drawing my daughter and I outside to join them. The men meet weekly in our home for Christian accountability, sharing their lives and Christ with one another. Their walk with Christ is stronger because of the relationship they share through Him. But on this night, they were sharing the art of preparing s’mores with one of the guys who had never heard of the infamous campfire treat. They had all the necessary ingredients on hand: a couple bags of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers and several thick Hershey’s chocolate candy bars. I watched as they took turns loading their hanger with marshmallows and then holding the hanger close to the flames from their makeshift “campfire” on our patio. Instructions for roasting the “perfect marshmallow” were exchanged. Chocolate was slipped in place between two graham crackers, ready to receive the puffy, golden brown marshmallows which would melt the chocolate, warm the crackers and transform the ingredients into the rich, delicious dessert known simply as s’mores. While they laughed and slapped one another on the back enjoying the experience and fellowship, I offered a silent prayer of thanks to God for surrounding my husband with Godly men and for allowing my daughter and me to witness their joy in one another and the Lord. What a beautiful and perfect thing it is when God’s people come together in His name and roast marshmallows!

Memory Verse:
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up! But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. . . . Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
- Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank you, Lord, for marshmallows and the simple joys in life which remind us of Your presence, and for friendships which strengthen and sustain our relationship with You. I pray we remain faithful to You in all we say and do. Help me strengthen my relationships by . . .”

Contributor:
Vicki Beck

Red Light

2008-02-07T20:41:00.005-06:00

On a hot August morning in 1983, I set off to take care of some last minute details for my daughter's eleventh birthday party. My three children were home, and I had a limited amount of time. I hurried on my way to get the engraved Bible I had bought her. My little red Volvo and I were making very good time. I had developed the habit of praying as soon as I got in my car. My children were usually with me most of the day, so I had learned to take advantage of "pieces of time" with only Jesus. On this day, as I was pulling up to a busy intersection in town, I got into the left turn lane. As I stopped at the red light, I immediately heard a word in my heart: “Pray.” I recall thinking, “What?” Then stronger and more urgently I heard the voice of God say, "Pray." I finally started to pray. I heard being whispered in my mind, "People don't always stop at red lights." As my light turned green and before I could fully process the thoughts in my mind, a car that had apparently been picking up speed ran the red light, turning right in front of me. I sat there for a moment like a child whose dad had just jerked her off a train track an instant before a huge train went tearing thunderously by. Finally able to turn, I drove a moment or so until I could safely pull over. As I sat there thanking Jesus, I saw the faces of my children in my mind. I thought about what their lives would have been like without a mother to take care of them. There were many thoughts, but the strongest most desperate thought for a mother is taking care of her children. My heart was so broken at the thought of them being alone without me. In that moment of pain, I understood a little of God's tender love for us . . . the way He wants to take care of us. God is our Father in every sense of the word. The tenderness, watchfulness, and the desperate love He has for us is more than I can humanly understand. God tenderly jerked me away from that "train track" in my life, and let me know that His desire is to take care of us in every way.

Memory Verse:
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
- Psalm 34:1 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, thank You for Your tender, watchful love and divine protection. Help me to always be aware of Your presence. I praise You today for never leaving me. I especially praise you for being with me when . . .”

Contributor:
Jeannie De La Garza

Restoration

2008-02-07T20:41:00.004-06:00

Restoration for me has always been a term related to old houses or furniture or fine paintings. Today, this word took on a new meaning. I like to think of myself as a calm person. In my mind's eye, I walk down the street, light on my feet, living life on an even keel, almost skipping, and ready for anything that comes to pass (I even sport a cheery yellow daisy top, lemon capris with lace edged legs, a thick white headband, and a cute pair of lemon espadrilles). Unfortunately, there's nothing like a bit of destruction at the hands of my son to challenge my finely tuned vision. This destructive behavior generally occurs during his regularly scheduled naptime, and indefinitely delays that intended restoration period. He takes it upon himself to undo what his dad and I have so carefully and lovingly created for him, and my patience is tested. This time period should be restorative for my little family. As of late, it is proving to increase my work- and stress-loads, and increase my desire for a mom's-week-out. At some point each day, after our one-boy-wrecking crew moves through, we work together to restore his room to our version of a preschooler's paradise. We discuss how to care for the things we provide for his protection and enjoyment, and talk about appropriate activities during his restoration-intended naptime.During my own period of restoration, I reflected on a recent message from Pastor Bil. Bible in hand, I reviewed specific passages and points he'd made, and I saw restoration in a new light. When I'm not keeping my eyes on God, thinking of His plan for me, and above all, spending time with Him, I potentially destruct my intended restoration. Thankfully, God's even more patient than I. When I awake from my "path-nap," He is always ready to help me put my life back where it belongs and continue on my path towards Paradise with Him. Now if only I could find a Bible which restored itself after a brief encounter with wet hands . . .

Memory Verse:
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
- 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, thank You for being a God of restoration. I know that this life can sometimes be difficult and tiresome, but I trust in You to provide all the restoration I need in order to achieve the purpose you set out for me. God, help me to find restoration during . . .”

Contributor:
Janel Sohl

Rainbow

2008-02-07T20:40:00.005-06:00

I remember as a little girl swinging on a swing set in my back yard, looking out over one of the many wheat fields of Kansas. There was a beautiful rainbow stretching across the clear sky, and I could see that the rainbow’s end was somewhere in the golden hills just beyond my house. The day was warm with a cool breeze, and I enjoyed imagining the pot of gold that was hidden just out of view. I remember thinking that I should go find the gold, but imagining it seemed safer and much more interesting. That has always been my problem. I have a very detailed and wonderfully colorful imagination, and it has always been easy for me to dream up stories of beauty and greatness. God has been working on me, however, to stop my idle dreaming. He has been prompting me to be obedient in the little things. If I’m not obedient in the little things – serving, praying, learning, and writing – how can He ever bless me in the bigger things? I had to give my imagination over to God because it had been used as a tool to immobilize me for so long. Now that God has ownership of my imagination, He is using it to bless others. Yes, I’m a lot busier than I used to be. I have a lot less time for self-serving things (dreaming); but when I gave my schedule over to God, my desires also changed. I now enjoy sitting down to write my stories. I now enjoy reading His Word. I now enjoy conversing with Him daily. What excites me most is that my obedience to God can affect the lives of others. I look forward to the day that someone comes up to me and says, “Because of your obedience, I have become a Christian.” I will know that all the work I put into being obedient in the little things was worth it, for it is the little things that provide the foundation for God’s glory. I can’t wait until I get to Heaven and Jesus hugs me tight and says, “Daughter, I am so proud of you.”

Memory verse:
“Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”
- Romans 1:5 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, thank You for helping me to be obedient in the little things. I am so glad that I can give everything to You so You may use it for the purposes of good and for the advancement of Your kingdom. I give You my dreams and desires, and I trust You to arrange my schedule that I may have the time to accomplish the goals that you set for me. Help me now with . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

The Old Recipe Box

2008-02-07T20:40:00.004-06:00

The Old Recipe Box

We were sorting through donations for a rummage sale when my friend and I spotted a small, rusty old metal box. One of the hinges on the lid was missing; probably because the little box could barely contain its contents. Worn corners of aged index cards and newspaper clippings peeked out, beckoning my attention. I sensed the box held something very precious. The moment I lifted the lid I knew that it was someone’s old recipe box – a history of what one family had enjoyed around the dinner table. There were handwritten recipes and other recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines. Recipes stained by chocolate, vanilla and even food coloring. One 4x6 card simply read, “Henry’s Favorite Rice Dish,” and then listed the ingredients and directions for preparation along with a notation which read: “Serve with pot roast, collards, sliced tomatoes and strawberry jello salad.” In my mind that old recipe box represented the life of a family I never knew. It reminded me of wonderful memories of my family gathered around the table, giving thanks and sharing meals. At Christmas time, we would eat tamales prepared by our family, served with Spanish rice, beans and chili. Thanksgiving dinners were so plentiful that the food covered several tables. We had warm, homemade cinnamon rolls shared over a picnic table in our backyard. We shared meals at family reunions, which included bread and butter pickles made in our own kitchen and vegetables grown in our garden. Someday, recipes from my little recipe box like “Vic’s Favorite Dill’s,” “Mom’s Cornbread Dressing,” and “Dad’s Bleu Cheese Celery Sticks” will represent layers of my life passed from one generation to the next. I hope when my children and grandchildren read those recipes years from now, they remember the love in our family and our thankfulness for God’s provisions.

Memory Verse:
“. . . and my people will be filled with my bounty, declares the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 31:14 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“God, You are our Great Provider. All that we are and all that we have come from You. Thank You for Your faithful and generous provisions, Father, and for family and friends with whom we can share Your bounty and blessings. Thank You, Lord, for Your gifts, especially . . .”

Contributor:
Vicki Beck

Rags to Robes

2008-02-07T20:39:00.002-06:00

As Christians we can choose to take a step of obedience or stay resolutely in our self-will. If we choose to be obedient, we find ourselves in a situation that is outside of our comfort zone. Insecurities and doubts begin to plague our minds. We may feel confused, lost, scared, anxious, unworthy, inept, uncomfortable and a dozen of other negative emotions. We may become frustrated because our step of obedience has stripped us of our carefully constructed image based on our own accomplishments. God strips us of our worldly rags only to offer us royal robes. But those royal robes scare us to death! Some of us never put them on and we demand our rags back. Others put the robes on, but feel out of character. Many of us stand naked an exposed because we don’t want to put our rags back on; yet, we will not put on the robes. We wallow in our despair and wonder why we are not fulfilling the purpose God has designed for us. But we need to stop wallowing, put on the robes and feel safe in the fact that we will quickly grow into them. We might feel like phonies at first; however, we will grow into the image God desires for us. But be careful! Once the robes really start to feel like a second skin, God will ask us to take another step of obedience into a brand new set of robes. So, be obedient to God knowing that all of your worthiness comes from Christ Jesus and not from yourself.

Memory Verse:
“Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’”
- John 14:23 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, helped me to obey Your teachings and to obey Your will in my life. Let me not be pulled down by doubts and insecurities. I want to obey you and allow you to cover me with Your righteousness. Specifically, help me to obey . . .”

Contributor:
Alisa Hope Wagner

Praying for Her

2008-02-07T20:38:00.004-06:00

I sat in the pew with my eyes closed and head bowed while the pastor was praying one Sunday morning. As I meditated on God, He revealed a face in my mind of an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. He laid it upon my heart to pray for her. I prayed for her then, but for the next several weeks, God continually impressed on me to offer my old friend up in prayer. I prayed for her daily, though I didn’t understand what I was specifically praying for. I had lost contact with her, so I had no way of reaching her. Finally, while driving in the car, God again urged me to pray for my friend. I did, but this time I asked God to please reveal to me why I had been praying diligently for my friend these past several weeks. I needed affirmation for the spiritual step of prayer I was taking in my walk with Christ. I arrived at the store to which I was driving and parked in the parking lot. I glanced out the window before getting out of the car and guess who was sitting in the car in front of me? It was my old friend I had been praying for. I immediately got out of my car and went to her. She was upset and obviously had been crying. She talked with me for several minutes and told me that she had been going through some rough times and that she was confronted with many difficult decisions. I told her that several weeks ago God laid it on my heart to pray for her. God used me to show her that He cared about her struggles and that He loved her, and she was comforted. I know my friend saw God that day, and I’m glad that I was obedient to God and prayed for my friend without understanding why.

Memory Verse:
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
- James 5:16 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, please encourage me to pray diligently for those you have laid upon my heart. Help me to take only a few moments out of my busy day to pray because I know that my prayer will be both powerful and effective. I want to start by praying for . . .”

Contributor:
Tammy Andrus

Pure Joy

2008-02-07T20:38:00.003-06:00

Pure Joy

Pure joy during trials always seemed like an oxymoron to me. I could understand having joy after the trial was over and everything turned out okay, but joy during a trial seemed unimaginable. However, there was a season of trials in my life through which God finally taught me how to find pure joy when surrounded by despair. During this time of trial, I experienced one of the worst days of my life. It was the darkest day of this season of suffering. On that particular day a miracle happened: it snowed in November! This may not seem like a miracle to most people, but snow in the part of Texas where I’m from is very rare. As I sat at my desk looking out at the snow, I realized that God had given me a gift. He had caused it to snow just for me! It may seem egotistical to believe that God influenced the weather to give me hope, but I knew that God was showing me that He loved me. Noah has his rainbow; I now have my snow! Other difficult times have come and will continue to come; but, I’ve learned to lean on God more and anticipate with joy the steps to continued maturity that He promises. I’ve realized that I can not experience a mature, complete life as a Christian without having my faith tested. The tests of my life have led me to a deeper prayer life, a more intimate relationship with Him, a better understanding of my walk with Christ and a desire to be more dependent on Him. I must learn to persevere during the trials of life even though I want to give up. I must fully rely on God to sustain me and give me wisdom. And during the darkest hours, I want to surround myself by the pure joy that He has for me.

Memory Verse:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- James 1:2-3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Father, help me to find pure joy in the trials of my life. Show me how to persevere through the difficult times and sustain me with the knowledge that Your are molding me into Your image. Help me now while I’m facing the trial of . . .”

Contributor:
Debbie Garison

The Power of Words

2008-02-07T20:37:00.002-06:00

Have you ever caught yourself repeating the words of your mother? I recently told my six year old daughter, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” This is a quote my mother often sang to her very sensitive daughter, who happens to be me. I know she meant well in sharing this, but I can’t understand why I would repeat such absurdity to my own daughter knowing it isn’t true. Words do hurt. They can literally change a person’s attitude for better or worse. There are several negative things I can remember hearing throughout my life which have had a profound effect on how I feel about myself and my abilities. Those words were often spoken to me in haste or without thought. Many times the words were not even necessarily true. On a positive note, there are many more affirmative words I’ve heard as well. Words that told me who I am in Christ, and words that brought forth beauty and confidence. I have also been given words that tell me of a God who loves me with an everlasting love. These words weren’t always spoken to me by man or woman. They were often given to me through the Holy Spirit by reading my Bible. God has also spoken words of encouragement through my husband, my family and my friends. A kind word spoken at the right time has actually caused my heart to leap, or at least feel like it’s leaping. Sometimes it will be a note of encouragement, a sweet phone call, or even a beautifully written email. I don’t know about you, but I want to be someone who gives joy and praise through my words. If you have an ability to encourage someone with a kind spoken gesture, please do so. You have no idea how much it may mean, or what lasting effect it may have on them.

Memory Verse:
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”
-Proverbs 3:27 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, I want to thank You and praise You for Your written words in the Bible. These words guide us to understanding who You are and who You created each of us to be. Help me today to embrace the life-giving power of words. Allow me to pass on my Christian faith through my words as I speak to my family, my friends and my other relationships. I want to specifically encourage . . .”

Contributor:
Susie Mozisek

Potty Training

2008-02-07T20:36:00.002-06:00

When my son, Jack, first started to make the big transition from diapers to underwear at night, he would frequently wake me up with a 5 a.m. emergency. Dazed and annoyed, I would either (depending on the emergency) rush him to the bathroom or start the familiar process of changing his sheets and his pants. Then I would jump back in my bed and shut my eyes tightly, determined to get the sleep I desperately needed. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has a hard time falling back asleep, and I found myself with the rather unfamiliar predicament of quiet time alone. At first I was completely irritated with God, asking Him why I had to consistently wake up SO early when He knew I was a girl who NEEDS her sleep, lest I become Monster Mom the next day. Eventually, though, I started making the best of the situation by reading the Bible and praying with a regularity I hadn't had before. It became a habit, so that even when Jack stopped waking up early, I continued. That pre-sunrise time before the kids woke up became precious to me as I grew closer to Christ. It dawned on me one day that God had used potty training to train His daughter to have consistent time with Him. Now I won't give it up. Yes, I've had to adjust my bedtime to 9 p.m. so Monster Mom doesn’t rear her ugly head, but it's been worth it. Each night I look forward to my early morning coffee and quiet time, thankful that God delights in spending time with me.

Memory Verse:
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness, and peace for those who have been trained by it."
-Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
"Father, thank You for loving me enough to teach and train me. Please mold me into Your likeness, and give me a teachable spirit, especially in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Mariah Froehlich

Picture Perfect Puzzle

2008-02-07T20:35:00.004-06:00

I love puzzles! I especially love the 1,000 piece puzzles. I have three beautiful Thomas Kinkade puzzles matted, framed, and on display in my house. It’s the only way I can actually afford one of his paintings. With each framed puzzle, I can recall exactly what I was going through during that season of my life. Each puzzle reminds me of the struggles I was experiencing and what I was doing to figure out the solutions. They are each like a personal testimony of my life. The last two months I’ve managed to work on two puzzles. I’m going thought a lot! Right now my life feels like a puzzle and God is holding all the pieces. They are hiding in his shirt pocket and He’s only revealing to me one piece at a time. When putting a puzzle together, I turn over all the pieces and make sure I have all the edges and I connect them. Then I start filling in the middle. This is kind of like what God does with each of us. He sets up boundaries (the edges) and then piece by piece He reveals to us the perfect picture that He has for us. As I sit at the kitchen table finding pieces that will form a beautiful picture and thinking about life, I sense God directing me and reminding me that He has all the pieces. He is telling me that He is the artist. I just need to “be still” and learn that with each piece He will reveal a new direction and a new awareness. Once again, I will hang on my wall reminders that He has all the pieces of my puzzling life. My hope is that when people look at my life after all the pieces are put together, the final picture will be of Jesus in all that I’ve done and all that He has done in me.

Memory Verse:
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
- Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, at times I feel like I’m one jumbled mess. I’m so overwhelmed with the stresses of just being a wife, a mother, a daughter, and a friend. I know You have all the puzzle pieces of my life and You know what every day and hour is suppose to look like. Help me to be patient with the pieces that You have not shown me and help me to visualize the entire finished product through Your eyes. Help me with the pieces of . . .”

Contributor:
Tiffany Locke

Pity Party Foiled

2008-02-07T20:35:00.003-06:00

As I sat on an airliner looking at the lights of a city disappearing into darkness, tears welled up and I started to cry. I loved living in that city. I had a lot of wonderful friends. But now I was moving to another city that I did not like, starting a new job, and moving into a new neighborhood. Somewhere below me a moving van was traveling the same direction as I, delivering all my earthly possessions to the new location. I felt all alone. I began to have a real self pity party right next to the window of the airplane. I could not hold back the tears. I questioned God’s will in this and could not understand the chain of events that brought me to this place. Between sobs, I heard the voice of a child ask, “Lady, are you sad?” Not wanting to be rude but also not wanting to talk to her, I just nodded a yes and continued looking out the window. “Lady, please don’t cry,” I heard. I took a deep breath and told her, “It’s okay,” and again looked out the window. I continued to cry, feeling really sorry for myself. Soon, the plane started it’s decent. “Have you ever been to this city?” came the small voice. “Oh, yes.” I replied. She added excitedly, “Do you like it? I hear that it’s beautiful and there are lots of wonderful things to do here. I can’t wait!” I sighed not wanting to tell her my true feelings. At this point, her mother intervened and said, “I hope that my daughter hasn’t bothered you. She is so excited about our new life here. This is her first time in the US. We have just been evacuated from the last boats out of Vietnam. We had to leave all of our friends behind, and we do not know their fate. We lost everything and are here with just what you see, but God is good! He has brought us to this new home. A pastor is meeting us at the airport to help get us settled.” She finished by saying, “We can hardly wait to see what He has in store for us here!” All I could say was “Oh, my.” I turned back to the window, looked out and whispered, “Dear Lord, I hear You . . . I really HEAR You.” Wow, what an attitude adjustment I experienced that night. The Lord certainly knows how to break up a self pity party. Sometimes, God puts others in our path to give us a wake up call. This was a life changing one for me. Through this experience, I learned the true meaning of being joyful in all circumstances.

Memory Verse:
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
Dear Lord, I thank You for the many ways You speak to me and for putting people in my path to help bring Your message home to me. I pray that I can find joy in all things and all circumstances, including . . .”

Contributor:
Cheryl G.

Thank You, Lord, for Picking Us Up

2008-02-07T20:34:00.002-06:00

This morning I was reminded how precious my God is and how He really cares for us as a loving Father. My five year old daughter was getting out of the car to run into school. I say run because she only has one speed and walking is not one of them. I always wait in my car until she gets into the building and this morning wasn’t any different. She saw a friend and started waving as she was running and didn’t notice she was coming into wet grass. At about 6o miles per hour she fell flat on her belly and slid as if she were closing in on home plate. I was watching from about twenty-five yards away, and I so badly wanted to yell “Safe!” As any loving mom would do, I rolled down my window and signaled her to come to me. She was covered in grass from head to toe and the flood gates were opened. I took her into the car and brushed her off, wiped her tears and told her I would fix her up in no time. I never said, “Haven’t I told you not to run?” or “You should have been watching where you were going.” Instead, I just comforted her and loved on her. Her pain and embarrassment will be enough to remind her what can happen when she disobeys. The Father we have in Jesus is so like the experience I had this morning. God does comfort us and nothing could change the love He has for His children. He doesn’t want us to experience pain and suffering, but He allows it so that we may grow and mature in obedience to him. Just like my daughter, I hurt when I stumble and fall during the trials of life. But, just like her, I have a reassurance that my heavenly Father will always be there to pick me up, to brush me off, to wipe my tears, and to fix me up in no time. My assurance comes from God’s word which reminds us that God will never leave nor forsake us. What a wonderful promise we have in being called a child of God!

Memory Verse:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, thank You for Your constant presence in my life. I am comforted knowing that nothing can separate me from Your love. Please help me remember You love me unconditionally and are there for me when I stumble. Help me to remember You are with me even when I . . .”

Contributor:
Susie Mozisek

God's Perfect Path

2008-02-07T20:33:00.002-06:00

My husband and I were in total shock as we learned our two year old son was severely hearing impaired, and that a battery of medical tests were still needed. Immediately following the appointment, I dropped my son off at his daycare and went to fulfill a volunteer commitment I had previously agreed to. I was so confused. I wondered why I had chosen to leave my son after learning he is nearly deaf. Wouldn’t a normal mother in this situation want to hold and comfort her child instead of leave him behind, especially since I knew I could easily get out of my commitment with a simple phone call? I did not know why I was doing it, but I just wanted to run away from my child and his problem that I knew I could never fix. I just wanted so desperately to keep my mind busy so I would not have to think about the seemingly impossible life-sentence my son was just given. In the midst of my confusion, I did not see that God had a perfect plan, and He knew exactly what I would need that day. I drove right into the arms of one of the godliest couples I have ever met. Ironically, I had agreed to help assemble and staple the Granola Bar Devotional booklets with Cheryl and Doyle Grundy. I told them about our son’s hearing tests, and they prayed for my family and our son. Immediately the burden on my heart lifted. God knew that Cheryl and Doyle would provide the love and support necessary to minimize my problems and maximize our God. Although that morning I did not think it was possible, I spent the rest of the day thoroughly enjoying the fellowship provided by God through two amazing people.

Memory Verse:“As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.”
- Psalm 18:30 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Thank You, God, for providing me with the perfect path, even when I do not know where it is leading. Help me to take refuge in You and to trust You in every area of my life. Help comfort me in the area of . . .”

Contributor:
Liette Ocker

People Pleaser or God Pleaser?

2008-02-07T20:32:00.001-06:00

Our Creator is the author of great ideas and magnificent plans, and He has an eye for eternal purposes. He uses us, as His creation, to carry out wonderful tasks that are a part of His story. But isn’t it funny that when we receive our “action items” from the Lord, our first inclination is to seek the approval from someone we respect or admire? I did it just this week. I’ve been questioning an idea that I felt was from the Lord and sought out the counsel of a trusted friend. We are so blessed to have those friendships! But what happens when we receive opposing comments? What do we do when we feel strongly that God has called us to this action, but our counsel suggests otherwise? Is it possible to be inspired to act on a calling yet have little encouragement from those around us? Absolutely! For instance, Noah was called to build an ark, but he met resistance from his entire generation. The people had never seen rain before. They must have thought Noah had lost his mind. But Noah obeyed God despite the lack of support he had from others. Can you imagine the inner struggle he must have dealt with? It was years before the first raindrop fell. . . . plenty of time for the townspeople to claim that Noah’s project was a failure and that the rain would never come. As a “recovering” people-pleaser, I know very well that there is no greater reward than the approval of our Heavenly Father when we are obedient. If God has called us to a task, the only affirmation we need is His. If Noah can do it, surely, with God’s help, we can too!

Memory Verse:
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
- Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Oh, Lord, I want to be like Noah with his unwavering faith! Help me to trust in Your calling at all costs. May I never be tempted to turn my back on Your plan in order to preserve my reputation or please another. I pray for strength and courage to go before me as I strive to point my generation to You, even when it looks like the rain will never come. Give me direction as I seek to . . .”

Contributor:
DeeDee Sharon

Ordinary People

2008-02-07T20:18:00.002-06:00

I've always thought myself a "fringe" person. In middle school, it was the cusp of sitting at the cool kids table; college, the cusp between being a trusted friend or just another acquaintance; and now as a parent, the cusp between having it "put together" and any number of steps away from that ideal. I'm guilty of basing my worth on the acceptance of those who I perceive to be on the "cool" side. My parents stressed the importance of acceptance, and I try to include everyone in my circle. My own neuroticisms convince me that I'm not worthy of sitting at the cool kid's table. God has recently convicted me on this idea. After my daughter was born, I suffered from postpartum depression; and as common as this affliction is, I was hesitant to admit this to others. How would others treat me? Would this confession permanently banish me to the "uncool" table? What I came to realize is that I had built up others during the snapshots I'd had into their lives. During my brief observations, I'd made decisions on their "coolness," their "put-together-ness," and in the process defeated my own accomplishments. Example: during the National Prayer Breakfast, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff poured coffee for Mrs. Bush, but forgot President Bush. Does his unfortunate mistake, forgetting his boss’s needs, negate all his decorations, his achievements, and banish him to the "uncool" table? Absolutely not! He is an ordinary person, like I am an ordinary person. So the next time I feel the urge to compare myself to the "Supermom” or “Superwife" down the street, I'll remember General Pace and that cup of coffee. She is an ordinary person, too.
Memory Verse:
“Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. We each must carry our own load.”
- Galatians 6: 4-5 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, please remind me of who I am in You. Help me not to compare myself to anyone else because You designed us each for Your will. We are all ordinary, but You make us extraordinary by Your grace. Father, forgive me for comparing myself to . . .”

Contributor:
Janel Sohl

It's Only Money

2008-02-07T20:17:00.004-06:00

It was May and God had been doing some amazing things at Bay Area Fellowship. My husband and I felt compelled to take $1000 out of our savings account and donate it to BAF. This was a big deal for us. We are avid savers and have always liked the cushion of our savings account. Little did we know that God was soon going to ask much more of us. I was driving home one day and saw a woman carrying a newborn in a carrier walking down Staples Street. It was hot and there were mosquitoes everywhere. I felt like God was calling me to give her a ride. I picked her up and learned that her car had broken down, and she was taking her six week old baby to the hospital for a sinus infection. I dropped her off two miles from where I picked her up and started my drive home. Before I got very far, He spoke to me as clear as day: "Go back and help her." I wasn't sure how, but I knew I wanted to be obedient. I went back to where I dropped her off, and she was still in the waiting room. I sat by her and told her that I felt like God wanted me to help her with her car situation. I told her I wasn't sure how or what I was supposed to do, but I got her phone number and told her I'd give her a call. I left that doctor’s office in tears. I knew God was truly calling me to do something, and I had never felt this sure! After talking it over with my husband, he agreed we needed to help her. We went out to dinner and prayed for God to give us a number. We prayed that God would be clear and obvious. Well, He was! We paid for our meal with a gift card that only had a balance of $14.00 on it. We knew we were going to have to make up the difference; however, the waitress brought the gift card back with a little piece of paper that read $34.98 as our remaining balance. We knew that God had shown us a miracle, and at the same time He was telling us, "I'll take care of you!" God had given us the number we prayed for. We wrote out a check for $3498.00 that night and it emptied our entire saving’s account – our safety net – to the dollar! We gave the check to the woman and she was in tears. Later that week, we got a thank you card telling us how that check helped renew her faith in God! God had shown us that He does provide and that we needed to keep our safety net in Him and not on our savings account. Besides . . . it's just money!

Memory Verse:
“But whoever listens to me will live in safety, and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
- Proverbs 1:33 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Father, help me to put all of my safety in You. I no longer want to rely on money to provide me security. I want to be obedient to You, and I give You all the authority over my finances. Show me now how I can be obedient with what You have blessed me with. . . .”

Contributor:
Anonymous