The Tyranny of Temptation

We recently encountered some visitors in our garage. After a few squeals from the kids, my husband proceeded to The Home Depot to purchase some mouse traps. Now, keep in mind that he’s of that general mentality that if one is good, fifteen must be even better. While I thought it was a bit excessive, at least I was encouraged that he took his job of mouse hunter seriously.

But now, the garage was effectively booby trapped so I warned the kids of the dangers of letting our dog out there. We became vigilant in keeping one eye on the dog at all times and remembering to close all doors – something that seems to be a tough thing for my kids.

On the first night of mouse warfare we experienced success. I’ll spare you the details, but Mickey (and friends) were now gone. Night two, not a creature was stirring. And so, by night three, I felt confident that our problem was resolved. Yet, I wanted some insurance should any others return. My concern: how would we possibly keep the dog out of the garage and away from the peanut butter laden traps for an extended period of time?

Then, I spotted the answer. Our dog crate, which the dog boycotted long ago, was now in the garage. I placed the plethora of traps in the crate and secured it – mice could go in should others decide to visit, but the dog couldn’t. I could monitor daily to make sure the visitors hadn’t returned.

The plan was working. Or so I thought.

The next afternoon, ear piercing screams echoed from the garage. My daughter was pleading for me to come. She stood, gasping for breath, pointing at the crate. And much to my amazement, there sat our dog – inside the crate with all of the loaded mouse traps, trying to help himself to a snack of peanut butter. I somehow extracted him and his nose wasn’t shredded by the traps. I’m still not sure how he managed to not get snapped.

I wish I’d had time to capture a picture of him sitting in the crate with all the mouse traps. It’s a perfect picture of how we live life sometimes. We have so many freedoms in Christ, yet, we tend to find the one place that’s out of bounds and try to park ourselves there. Our dog had the freedom to go anywhere in our house and yard. He has an abundance of love and food and toys and warm beds. Yet, he fell to the temptation of the smear of peanut butter and was barely spared from damaging consequences.

What are we tempted by today? Is it gossip, or laziness, or distorting the truth to protect our image? Are we tempted by lust or envy? Are we tempted to think that we’re better than someone else and judge their behavior?

I pray that we’ll focus on the many freedoms that we have and run from the cage of temptation. We might not be as lucky as my dog, Duke, and instead experience the pain and burn when the temptation bites back.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Cindy Schufflebarger
Author and Speaker
www.cindyshufflebarger.com

A Carrot, an Egg and a Cup of Coffee!

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity…boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Proverbs 24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Peggy Stokes
Ind. Senior Sales Director - Mary Kay Cosmetics
www.marykay.com/pstokes

Fallow Ground

Last Sunday as my red van rolled along the dirt road departing UCYC, this prayer came to my lips, “LORD, may those seeds take root and grow.” You see, for weeks prior to UN1TE, there had been a theme in preparation for the message God asked me to prepare: fallow ground. What did that mean? The definition of fallow in reference to farmland is “plowed but left unsown for a period in order to restore its fertility.” Over time it became clear to me this “fallow ground” was the hearts of women hardened by hurt, disappointment, and brokenness; but God wanted to redeem and restore their hearts through His love.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the story of a farmer planting seeds in his field. The story tells that some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them; these seeds represent those who hear the message about God’s kingdom but don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed planted in their hearts.

…other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock, which represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy but fall away as soon as they have problems.

 …other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants, which represent those who hear God’s Word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth. 

…some seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced an abundant crop. This seed represents my prayer for YOU – those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a great harvest!

Seeds of truth, hope, and love were sown last weekend. God worked His redemption and restoration in many hearts. He planted NEW seed in fallow ground to restore your life to fruitfulness (productiveness, luxuriance, richness).

Water the seed by listening to the Master Gardner – Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4, emphasis added). Take time daily to express your heart of gratitude, tell Him of your love, and ask Him for help. Open your Bible (His voice to you) and listen to His exhortation and expression of love.

No doubt, as you nurture this NEW seed daily, it will take root and grow!!

Joy OLander
Grow with Me's Founder & Director
www.growithme.com

The Gospel for Anxious Women

The whole thing was so ridiculous I could hardly take my toddler seriously. My husband and I were bringing food from the kitchen to the table when she panicked that she wouldn’t get dinner.

I hollered over my shoulder, “Don’t worry sweetheart, we’ll bring you food.”

Tears burst out, “I wowwied, Mommy! I wowwied!”

Eventually she acknowledged that -- in theory -- we always feed her. But as soon as it was time for seconds she lost it again, “I need something to eat. Daddy’s going to eat it all gone!”

Later that night my husband remarked, “She really doesn’t believe we’re good.”

I began feeling uncomfortable. The incident made me laugh, but I knew that I was the punchline. I’m the ridiculous one who worries that God won’t give me bread.

As soon as anxiety comes up I shift my weight a bit looking for a more comfortable place to go. I know that it’s ridiculous. I can’t shake it.

“But,” someone will say, “the Bible tells us exactly what to do about anxiety!”

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

The guilt piles on because I have said all those magic words. I have said them with thanksgiving. They didn’t cast out my anxiety.

But the Bible is not a book of spells. It is a book about a Person. Before Paul tells us anything about anxiety he reminds us in verse 5, “The Lord is near.”

The Lord is near. Therefore, do not be anxious about anything.

Who is the Lord? What is he like? He is true. He is noble and pure. He is right. He is altogether lovely.

He is admirable. He is excellent. He is praiseworthy.

What do we do when thoughts of our kids or our marriage or our jobs are filled with anxiety? What do we do when it’s three in the morning and no matter how many times we flip over or how we arrange the covers our anxious thoughts linger?

The Psalmist writes, “On my bed I remember you, I think of you through the watches of the night” (Psalm 63:6).

The Lord is near. Remember Him. Has He promised to take care of His children? Has He promised to work evil for good? Tell yourself the story, the gospel story. He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for you. After all that will He now withhold something that you need? Tell yourself what God is like. He is good. Think on these things.

Melissa McDonald
Author
www.thecrossandthekitchensink.com

Nothing is too hard for him

Recently, I was sitting in an AWANAs class listening to a little first grader named Noah recite his memory verse for me. Noah loves God and the Bible. He looked at me with his dark brown eyes and recited this verse from memory: "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27)

You know when God speaks to you through a Bible verse and it seems amplified somehow? I knew God was speaking this verse to me. Over the next few days, I kept thinking about it. God said, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" I thought about the question. When you think about it, the answer is obvious. The answer to that question is no. Nothing is too hard for Him. Think about that for a second. NOTHING is too hard for him. He can do absolutely ANYTHING. There is nothing He cannot do. That means anything is possible. Anything.

Is there something in your life that seems too hard for God to do it? It's not. Nothing is too hard for him. Put your faith in Him like a little first grader. He is the Lord, the God of all mankind. Nothing is too hard for Him.

Jill Addison
Online Video Producer
www.JillAddison.com

Look to the Book

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you knew if it weren’t for all the bad luck you were having you wouldn’t be having any luck at all? We all go through times of trial and attacks. Some would say as Christians we should be able to cope without resorting to complaining, but we’re human, not perfect. I’ve been walking with God for a few decades and I’m ashamed to admit how skilled I am in the art of whining and complaining.

The Israelites got themselves in a whole mess of trouble for whining and complaining. So much trouble that God let them wander in the desert for 40 years, when in reality the trip to the Promised Land should only have taken 11 days.

These were people that had the benefit of clear cut direction from God day and night with clouds during the day and fire at night. How many of us today wouldn’t love that kind of direction from God! Even though they saw God do repeated miracles they still grumbled and complained.

When the urge to complain hits us, we have to go back to basics. The Bible says we WILL have trials here on this Earth but to take heart because God has overcome the world. (John 16:33).

When we are under attack it almost sounds too easy to simply suggest prayer or reading the Bible. Suffering demands an instant fix and many discount the relevance of prayer or the Bible for 21st century trials.

I find answers when I open the pages and read encouraging passages on my favorite dog-eared pages. When I get in a real pickle, I have to remind God of His Word by reading passages out loud to Him that are relevant to my situation – just in case He’s forgotten what’s written in The Book.

Sure, it would be nice to have clouds and pillars of fire, but we’ve got something the Israelites didn’t have … we’ve got Jesus and we’ve got the written Word of God, God’s instruction manual for life.

Blessings in Christ,
Kathy Kurlin
Author
www.kathleenkurlin.com

Side-to-Side

I’ve got rhythm. When I listen to music I catch myself bobbing my head or moving side-to-side. I guess I’ve got the music in me! But going side-to-side isn’t always a good thing especially if it means I can’t seem to walk a straight line. The world can influence us to stay in a rhythm of going side-to-side instead of moving forward.

I know a woman who at 50 years old decided to live the party lifestyle and because of it eventually lost her husband and children. The reason? Her mother and grandmother died of Alzheimer’s and she saw no reason not to party since she will probably have the disease too. Her gain was a ruined marriage, messy divorce and two sons who are ashamed of their mother.

That woman started moving side-to-side. She didn’t move forward to appreciate what she had or look ahead to overcome the things that frightened her. Instead, she moved side-to-side with alcohol and a lot of one-night stands, digging a rut deeper and deeper.

James 1:19-21 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

The rut we make going side-to-side can make a big dip in the road. We need to stop that motion, take a few steps to gain momentum, run and jump over that rut! If we listen to our hearts and make decisions slowly and thoughtfully we will not give in to worldly suggestions. Then, move forward with a lifestyle that is not self-centered. Make choices that don’t allow you to move side-to-side.

 …Unless you are dancing to the music.

Sherree Fischer

loveSTRONG ministries

Speaker/Facilitator Team Leader

www.lovestrongministries.com

Be Like Me

I recently attended a women’s conference intended to inspire and encourage. My best girlfriend and I packed our bags with as many girly, pampering items as we could fit. As mamas to kids under age 7, we planned to maximize our fun with grown up meals, accessories that wouldn’t be tugged or chewed and even face masks and hair color for do-it-yourself mommy makeovers. I was ready to be transformed inside and out!

Yet I came away feeling a bit overwhelmed. The main speaker’s ideas sounded beautiful and peaceful, effective and life-giving…for her. I didn’t catch the conflict at first but as I listened to woman after woman tell me she was overwhelmed by the speaker, I realized that instead of allowing ourselves to be inspired, we were choosing to compare. God didn’t intend for us to be the same as the mommy or wife or friend next door. He didn’t design a human race of clones. Instead He gifted us each uniquely – from the color of our hair (even that gray I was trying in vain to hide) to the things that inspire us or bring peace to our busy lives. My cup of tea on the beach may be your hot coffee on a mountaintop. Yet as women, we are so good at comparing and coveting instead of embracing who God made us to be. In a world of Facebook and Pinterest, there is always something else to aspire to. How many times do we add extra stress in our lives when we compare ourselves to others or try to live up to the 15 word Facebook post someone has shared about her life? The only One we should be trying to become more like is Jesus!

In Psalm 139, the Bible tells us that God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs. He created us uniquely in His image. This doesn’t mean I shouldn’t work on my areas of weakness nor that I should have pride in other areas of strength, but rather that all glory goes to Him and all strength in my weakness comes from Him. Embrace who you are and make it count for the Kingdom.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 4:10

Lynette Chang
Writer

Don't just be content...

I consider myself a pretty content person, happily married to my best friend, blessed with 3 healthy children and surrounded by great family and friends. I recently had the opportunity to take part in an exercise about contentment which asked me to write down a list of my "needs" and a list of God's provisions. I'll be honest, at first it seemed so generic and so simple that I almost skipped the exercise completely. But being the type A, rule follower that I am, I couldn't just not do it! So I started my list and as I first predicted it was generic and simple, my list of "needs" had only a few things: food, shelter, clothing.

 Next as I began working on the list of God's provisions, I started writing the obvious things that God provides in contrast with my "needs." I started to write out the word food and as I did, I began to think of all the food God provides, all the amazing, yummy, nutritious food that He provides. He doesn't just provide me with food, He provides me with delicious, colorful, flavorful, delectable yumminess on a daily basis!! (By the way I'd like to give a special thank you to God for ice cream, oh yeah, and chocolate.) And now I was onto something - my list of God's provisions started to look and sound like a descriptive thank you letter, thanking Him for not only my "shelter" but my beautiful, comfortable house. Thanking Him for not only my "clothing" but for the all the fun fashion I get to shop for and wear!

I don't have the biggest house, biggest budget, or fanciest clothes, but I was able to see His provisions in a whole new way with not only a content heart but a thankful heart overflowing with gratitude.

I encourage you to make your own list of your needs and of God’s provisions. The list may reveal a reaffirmed content, thankful heart.
Or
Are there areas where you struggle trying to keep up with societies expectations rather than God’s? new car, new house, more money…

Here are a few scriptures that I turn to when I get that feeling of discontentment that we all feel at times, I pray they encourage you!!

My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have, for God said “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content, whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13

Michelle Brott
Writer

Don't do it alone!

When it rains it pours! All bad things happen in 3’s. Do those two quotes describe the current or past season in your life? Have you ever feel like you are in a hail storm of mishap, tragedy and bad luck? Believe it or not, you are not alone, every human being feels that way at some point in their life. Although the level of life circumstance varies among us, the overwhelming feeling of doom or the question ‘why me’ is a common thread among humans.

Someone I loved dearly passed away not to long ago. It was a tragic accident and he left behind a beautiful wife, beautiful home, a job he loved, hobbies he had fun with, two dogs he adored and his unborn daughter that he and his wife tried desperately to conceive for a long time. He touched so many lives both in life and in his death. The sadness was crippling for his wife, but through the tears, she picked herself up, dusted herself off and proceeded with life. She was inundated with love and support from family and friends, and also from her church. Months later her daughter was born, and that baby was the most amazing blessing to her mother and all of us who loved and missed her daddy as a piece of him was with us all again. The excitement of a baby was softened by tears, as once again her mama was reminded of her loss. She had to pick herself up, dust herself off and proceed on, again with the support of family, friends and her church.

A couple months later tragedy struck once again for her as both of her dogs were attacked by coyotes and passed away, the pain once again was crippling. So many of us asked, “Why God? Hasn’t she been through enough?” But the truth is, God didn’t want this for her, God didn’t choose any of this to happen to her, God knew it was going to happen as he knows every hair on our heads, and God did what He could by giving her so many family and friends to surround her during this time of strife.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Many of us are unfamiliar with a “yoke.” A yoke is a device for joining together (usually animals) to enable them to work together to pull a load. In that passage, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you . . . my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.” Jesus wants to join forces with us to make our load easier to bear. The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings wants to help bear our load.

All hail storms are different. Some last longer than others, some pieces of hail are larger than other, but none the less, a hail storm is a hail storm, and Jesus does not want us to battle it alone. The young mom in the story above has been yoked with the Lord as well as her family and friends. That is how she is able to continue to pick herself up, dust herself off and proceed through life. She cannot do it alone, and neither can you. When life gives you more than you can handle, yoke up with Jesus and He, too, will make your burden light.

Kristie Fields
Writer

The weight of our debt

Eight months after our wedding day, my husband and I thrilled to learn our first baby was on her way. Seven months after her arrival, our second child lit up the ultrasound screen. When she reached the ripe old age of nine months—you guessed it, we learned a third child was in the works; and when he was not yet two, his baby brother joined our family. Four, three, nearly two, and new . . . that’s how we introduced our brood. And they introduced us to something too—debt. All those babies and bottles and diapers and wipes added up quickly, faster than the income my husband could make working three jobs.

Insurance payments meandered their way to plastic (who am I kidding? They scampered effortlessly to become besties with our 22% interest rate), so did postage stamps (to mail the bills), groceries—necessities. Throw in a bad choice in the vehicle leasing department and we were sunk. God graciously provided us a home after an astounding tax return, but we found ourselves with a lot of financial catching up to do . . . while still addressing the needs of our little crowd of growing babes.

I learned a lot about sacrifice in the years that followed; wistfully watching as the other ladies at church sported new seasonal ensembles, while I dug out my worn-through jeans to wear . . . again. The only time we saw the inside of a restaurant was when doting grandparents came to town, offering to foot the bill. Oh, there were a thousand ways we penny-pinched and scraped to get by, all in the hopes of getting rid of our financial debt.

And then . . . a great day came; a final check eliminated forever the oodles of credit card debt we’d accumulated in our children’s youngest years. The unrecognized weight that lifted off of our tired shoulders, the buoyant joy that filled the anxious places where memories of financial woes stayed hidden, what a beautiful relief!

Colossians 2:13-14 says, “You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.”

How wise our great God is to describe Jesus’ sacrifice for us as a debt paid! What a tremendous relief for our tired, heavy souls that our countless sins are removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), they are blotted out of God’s memories (Isaiah 43:25), and we are free to embrace the luxury of His rich love as He purifies our inmost selves (1 John 1:9).

God’s greatest provision for our eternal “accounts” is His one and only—His child, His heart, Himself. Astounding, and so very loving. If you have yet to experience the sudden “payment” of peace that Christ offers in the face of an insurmountable mountain of “soul debt,” for Pete’s sake, give it a go! Forget the bank book, you’ll be in the Book of Life. Ask Christ to forgive the mistakes, bad decisions, the junk you thought you needed (but discovered only pulled you down) and promise to put your heart and efforts into obeying Him from here on out—it’s instant debt relief. Paid in full.

Jesseca Newton
Writer

Grumbling

Numbers 14:26-30 (NIV)

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall--every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.”

As we can see from Numbers 14, the Lord takes grumbling seriously. Here, we see it was so serious that it landed the Israelites back into the wilderness for 40 years! The dictionary defines grumbling as “muttering in discontent; complaining sullenly; to express with complaining.”

We can also see from the passage that God takes grumbling/complaining personally. In Numbers 14 the Israelites were bemoaning the fact that the people in the Promised Land were too great for them and they would never be able to conquer them. Yet, when they complained, God said they had grumbled against HIM. Their grumbling refused to acknowledge God had promised them victory ahead of time and He was in control. When we complain, we are doing the same thing; refusing to acknowledge that He is in control over all our circumstances, (yep-even the small ones). Everything that God allows into our lives is used by Him to make us more dependent on Him and to increase our trust in Him. When we complain, it really means that we don’t believe God is sovereign; that He has a reason and a purpose for allowing every circumstance into our lives.

If we look at the Hebrew word for “grumble,” it also means “to tarry, to stay, to lodge.” This is no accident. As long as we respond to areas of our lives with complaining and grumbling, like the Israelites, we can’t move forward in our walks with God. We will continue to stay “lodged” in those areas until we are finally able to acknowledge his sovereignty and thank Him and trust Him regardless of our circumstances. Only then will we be able to move forward into a closer relationship with Him and to inherit all the blessings He has promised us.

Have you acknowledged that God is Lord over all the circumstances of your life? In what areas have you been “lodged” or stuck? Today, and throughout this week, take note of when you’re complaining; whether in your thoughts or your words. Then tell God you’re sorry, acknowledge His sovereignty, and begin to replace your complaining with praise and thanksgiving that He loves you, is all-powerful, is all-wise, and uses all things for our good.

Cathy Constantz
Writer

Grace to Load the Dishwasher. Again.

I was at a bridal shower recently. I don’t have any idea what she got because I was playing with my toddler in the other room while the bride opened her gifts. A friend joined me. Her oldest daughter is getting married soon so her days of hiding out in the toddler room could be long gone. But she sat down to relieve me of my shape sorting duties so I could bounce my 6 month old.

As we visited she said something about how we always think we need grace for the “big” things but we really need just as much grace to load the dishwasher, again.

“Here, mommy!” begins the unloading the dishwasher chant. Miriam hands me a glass that’s a bit too heavy for her and likely to come smashing down if I don’t take it quickly enough.

“Thank you sweetheart. How about you put the silverware in the drawer?” Two little fistfuls of silverware clunk in the drawer.

Next she goes for a bowl which, from the angle she’s at, definitely won’t come out. “Stuck! Stuck!” She pulls harder. “Oh, if you stand over here it’s easier, see?” I quickly pull it out before another one of the prongs in our dishwasher snaps off.

More glasses. More silverware. More bowls. A sigh of relief.

Miriam stays behind, rolls the empty shelves in, closes the door, and pushes the start button. I cancel the wash. “Remember, we can’t push the button until Mommy puts the soap in.” I scan the counter filled with dirty dishes and swarms of fruit flies.

I need grace to load the dishwasher.

I need grace to not just plop down on the couch. I need grace to be patient. I need grace to be joyful. I need grace to bypass the pity party.

My prayer is simple, “Help me load the dishwasher.” It’s short because that’s all I have time to say. But I really mean that I can’t do it in a way that makes God look beautiful to my children unless He helps me. He wants me to realize I’m dependent like that.

This time all the dirty dishes fit. I fill the little container with soap. Miriam gets to push the button. And in less than 24 hours I will need grace to load the dishwasher. Again.

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

Melissa McDonald
Author
www.thecrossandthekitchensink.com

Weeds

A couple weekends ago I pulled some weeds in my backyard. I've only been a homeowner for two years, and we usually have a gardener come to do our yard work. But our weeds had gotten so out of control, and the gardener was just weed-whacking them down to the roots, not pulling them all the way out. I always hear that you have to pull weeds out by the roots or else they'll just keep coming back, so I took it upon myself to pull my own weeds.

It looked like a daunting task. They were covering about 40% of the yard. But when I actually got down on my hands and knees to take care of them, I found that they were spreading weeds. Each weed was spreading out to cover about 3 square feet, but I could actually just sweep around and collect all those sprawling tendrils that were all connected to one root, pull them out by the root, and in this way I was able to clear the lawn pretty quickly. I noticed that when I pulled them out, I would feel the roots start to give, and then the whole plant would come up out of the ground whole. It was actually really satisfying! And then underneath those weeds, all my grass was still there, growing and perfect.

It made me think about "weeds" in our spiritual lives. We might think it's too hard to pull them out, but when we really address it, there might be just one root sin we can pull out and then a bunch of others will go with it. Underneath we'll find our healthy soul, still green and growing, just waiting to be exposed to the sun again after the weeds are cleared away. Is there gardening that you can do in your own spiritual life today?

Jill Addison
Online Video Producer
www.JillAddison.com

Tortured Bananas

While watching a food show one day, my husband saw the host wielding a blow torch for the purpose of caramelizing a dessert. Of course, from his vantage point, he saw a very cool toy and just needed an excuse to buy one. So, in the name of sacrifice and dedication to my love of sweets, he set out to the nearest home improvement store to acquire a blow torch suitable to his needs. In my mind, anything that is purchased in the home improvement store (other than a major appliance) is not fit for playing in the kitchen, but he saw things quite differently.

Now that he was armed, he needed something to caramelize (read: torch). He decided to test his abilities on some unsuspecting bananas. He sprinkled a little sugar on them, lit his torch (as we all took cover) and he was on his way to discovering one of our family’s favorite desserts. We never named his coveted recipe, until recently. My daughter who has a refreshing way with words, asked him to make her some “tortured bananas” – named in honor of the now infamous blow torch. My husband and I had to restrain audible belly laughs realizing that she really meant to say “torched bananas”, which of course was really just as funny. Nonetheless, the name has stuck and we love to eat tortured bananas.

As I thought of the process of torturing those bananas that transformed them into a delicious treat, I thought about my life. While I’m certain God doesn’t torture us, I do think that He sometimes allows tests in our life that feel like torture. However, we can rest assured that He’s got His eye on us and won’t let us scorch under the intense heat. Just as my husband has to watch carefully that the bananas don’t burn, so too God has His protecting hand over us. And, if we allow His work in our life, we can be transformed and exude delicious character and beauty in our life. I challenge you to embrace your trials, look for God’s guiding hand and be transformed in His image. Oh what a delight you’ll be to Him and those around you!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Cindy Schufflebarger
Author and Speaker
www.cindyshufflebarger.com

Grow in Love

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! ~ Psalm 106

 His steadfast love endures forever! As we wrestle with obedience inspired by love as opposed to performance based on poor self image - HIS steadfast love endures forever! As we struggle with desiring loopholes for the parts of HIS word that we want to edit with the black highlighter - HIS steadfast love endures forever! When we grow impatient with the pace HE has for the transformation of our lives, as opposed to the magical overnight fix we might really want - HIS steadfast love endures forever.

 In the face of HIS love, there is only praise and trust. In the face of HIS request for obedience, there is a deeper understanding of why it matters so much to our God. It matters because our Lord desires the best for us. He desires a deepening of character and love from us. In order for that to be a collaborative effort we have the opportunity for our lives to follow HIS guidelines, just as a plant follows the rules (slats) of a trellis.

 When plants that need a trellis don’t get one, two horrible things happen: 1) the fruit rots on the ground and 2) the root system is shallow. We are much the same, until we are willing to follow the loving guidelines of our Jesus, as outlined in scripture; we live without legacy fruit and a dissatisfaction of our shallow relationship with Christ.

 Perhaps today is the day to dive into the heart of Christ in a new way; meditating and treasuring the Word; especially the Promise Scriptures that are attached to a request for obedience. This spiritual discipline can become a powerful key in seeking a more meaningful and robust life with Christ.

 Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!

Pamela Barker
Speaker/Consultant
Genesis Strategic Planning
www.gsplanning.com

Google This...

We live in an age of information overload. We’re inundated with internet news stories, Facebook articles and You Tube videos. We can Google and fact-check on Wikipedia and Snopes. It surprises few of us when we learn that so many of the stories are fake or the pictures we see are the result of photo-shop or computer generated images.

In this techo-age we’re learning not to trust anything that we see or read. How then can we believe what we read in the Bible? How do we believe in an unseen God?

Rather than debate theology, I’d rather share a story about a woman who has spent her entire life following Jesus. Carmen is an 87-year-old woman living the last days of her life. Carmen has end-stage dementia and the simple things of life that most of us take for granted are now totally foreign to her.

Carmen can no longer remember how to dress herself, speak coherently, go to the bathroom or swallow her daily food. Carmen needs help with the simplest of things. She can barely string together complete sentences or thoughts and is reduced to random noises and grunts punctuated with irregular exclamations. Even as the dementia slowly pecks away at her memories and normal body functions are shutting down, Carmen’s love and commitment to Christ is buried so deeply within her soul, she instinctually calls on the one name that will bring her peace. Disease has robbed her very essence from her, yet her love for Christ cannot be stolen from her. Carmen’s grunts and babble are interspersed with words of love for Christ and pleas for His peace.

We may not be able to Google “factual evidence that Christ is real” but we can look to those that have spent a lifetime following the Savior.

None of us ever know what the future may hold for us, but we can rest in the knowledge that if we’ve spent our life pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ – as Carmen has – Jesus will not leave us or forsake us in our final days. Even if we forget our own name – His name will forever be on our lips and in our hearts.

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

Blessings in Christ,
Kathy Kurlin
Author
www.kathleenkurlin.com

Orangey Goodness

Yesterday I picked a bushel of oranges from our orange tree in the backyard. As I was doing it, I thought that after eight years of living here this orange tree finally produced oranges that were sweet enough to enjoy. It made me wonder if I am growing sweeter as I age.

Life is full of ups and downs, surprises, disappointments, and plans that come to fruition. All along the way we are aging and hopefully learning. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, your are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing.” God is referring to us living our lives in His hands, hearing His words and showing His love. With life changing at each turn, we need to keep our roots in Him or our fruit will not be sweet.

Today I peeled, cut and juiced that fruit only to taste orangey goodness. It didn’t matter to me what a mess was made during the process because the taste of the juice was so sweet and refreshing. There have been times when a mess has hit my world and the clean up was sticky but my hope is not in me but in a God who made me to take a drink of His sweetness relying on His direction. Each time I think I’ve got it under control I am reminded that it’s not about me. It’s about God and His timing.

The words, “Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit.” say it all. I’m not the root. I’m not the vine. I am the fruit. God is my root. God is my vine. The juice that flows from me should be sweet not bitter.

Consider your life. Are you a sweet example of God? Are you tackling problems alone without consulting the One who loves you most? Are you remaining in Him and His Word?

Sherree Fischer
loveSTRONG ministries
Speaker/Facilitator Team Leader

www.lovestrongministries.com