Category: {Faith}

Hilary's Posts, {Faith}

{Sunday Mornings} Finding Victory in Christ

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Written By:  Hilary Cobb

Monday morning of this week. My kids started bickering the moment they woke up, my son announced he was completely out of pants (and it’s 40 degrees in the morning here), and I couldn’t find the dress pants I needed for work. I felt edgy, irritable and resentful. I was driving my kids to school, and I realized I was already completely and utterly overwhelmed. And it was only 7:50am.

I dropped off my children and drove to work. As I pulled up to my job, I could barely muster up the motivation to get out of my warm car and venture into the cold. I felt defeated before I even opened the door.

Just as I was getting out of the car, a song came on the radio. “My Victory” by Crowder. As I listened to the lyrics, the last line of the chorus just about knocked me over:

A cross meant to kill is my victory

I was immediately convicted. Was I acting victorious? Was I living each day remembering that Jesus gave his life so that we would have victory over everything? Or was I acting beaten down by my daily struggles?

Sure, it’s easy to know intellectually that God has given us victory over death and sin, but in the day-to-day moments, when I struggle with anger, fear and bitterness, it is so easy to forget that God has given us victory. I am not a weak, pathetic person, controlled by my own negative thoughts and circumstances. I am a victor!

There are so many wonderful verses about victory in Him. Deuteronomy 20:4 says, “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 reminds us: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

These verses remind me that I am not meant to stay overwhelmed and defeated by my children, my life, or my finances. God has given us the ultimate weapon in the form of victory over everything, even death.

For those of you who are feeling overwhelmed, defeated, or crushed by the day-to-day stresses – a bounced check, sick children, the check engine light pops on yet again – remember that you are a victor over all of it. A champion because of God’s incredible power and love for us. Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

You don’t need fancy weapons, perfect children or the nicest house to feel victorious. John tells us, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5).

All we need is Him to defeat those dangerous enemies of fear, anger and insecurity. That powerful realization sustained me as I opened my car door and stepped out to face my day. Not as an anxious, frazzled mess, but as a victorious daughter of the King.

~ Hilary

photositeHilary Cobb is a born-and-raised California-girl who now lives in beautiful Boise, Idaho. She lives with her amazing husband of 12 years and their two beautiful (but crazy-makin’) children. Hilary received her master’s degree in social work in 2008 and works as a therapist part-time, doing counseling with children, adults and couples. She is also the Family Ministries Director for her church, speaks at events and schools, and writes for her blog: www.blessedbyhislove.com. When she has some downtime, she loves coffee, running and crochet! Her life verse is Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up,” and she is grateful that God has allowed her to serve Him throughout her life.

A blog about God, life and love from a social worker mom!
Kerrington's Posts, {Faith}

{Faith} 10 Days later.

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Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

10 days later…
It was May 1st, 2016, the beginning of a brand new month. A chilly spring afternoon. Didn’t know it then but can tell you now, I didn’t really have a clue that later on in to the evening, I would be entering into a brand new season for the rest of my life. A season I had waited for, desired for, and prayed for, for many months. Something I wished now that I had more time to prepare for.

That evening Joshua asked for my father’s blessing in a dating relationship. I was beyond flattered. I would be dating the young man of my dreams. He was truly my hearts greatest desire.

That evening Joshua and I went for a stroll, even in the chiller weather, we didn’t care. It was exactly 8 side walk blocks away from my bonogolo-styled home into our walk, that the moment I had waited for, for so long had came true. Joshua asked if he could have the honour of being my boyfriend and of course, I couldn’t say no to that sweet guy! Nor did I ever want to 😉

The first step we took hand in hand as a dating couple…even if it was just around the block, we had no clue, we had just entered into a place of war in our lives.

An unknown place. A place of finding a new balance. Filled with fears, emotional highs and lows. A place of finding pure love in the culture we live in.

It was…
10 Days of just two.
10 Days of joy.
10 days of sweet contentment.
10 Days without worry.
10 Days without fear.
10 Days without anyone “looking up” to us.
10 Days of just Joshua & I getting to know each other on new levels of vulnerability.

It was on the 10th day of our happily ever after relationship, I received a phone call on our first date night out at a local coffee shop. This call would make or break our relationship. This call would mold us into the people we are today. This call would change our lives drastically forever.

The very next day early in the morning,
I was hired as a Children’s Pastor at a church, 2 towns away from mine at the age of 18.

I left the church that day after being officially hired, with excitement and mounds of fear. Anxious thoughts, unsettled emotions and complete unrest, swirled around me as I attempted to ‘hold it together.’

Joshua & I were no longer, just Joshua & I.

We had just stepped into something so fresh. I had no words to describe the emotions I was experiencing through that time. All I could do was chain myself to the words of hope the Lord had given me:
You were created to be fearless, by the fearless one.

The Giants would come, the many never ending expectations would come, the oppressing constant pressures would come, the corrupted voices of the enemy would come, and the twisted words and labels on us would come. But we knew, they were NOT our portion. We knew we didn’t have to be enslaved.

We knew what we were getting into saying “Yes” to God. We knew the possibilities, we knew the stats, we knew that this could potentially ruin and fracture the foundational moments in the beginning stages of our relationship. Yet, we said yes. The calling of ministry God had placed upon us, we then turned around and placed it at His feet.

Giving Him our all.

10-days-blog-post

Unsure of really what else I was to do, I sought refuge in one of my close mentors and asked him to cover me in prayer. I knew, I could share with him in this journey. I knew, that I could trust him, with this special portion of my heart. I just knew that I knew, he was placed in my life to truly lighten my load. Especially, when my load unexpectedly became a little heavier than usual.

Continued Next Week with “10 Days Part 2.”

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} What, Not Why

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Written By: Tricia Underwood

“Mom, why do I have to go through this?”, my daughter asked me, while her face was covered in tears, but I had heard this question just as many times from my son as well over the last two years.

I had run out of “textbook” answers.

To be honest, I had asked God the same thing myself.

Why did either of them have to suffer the things they’ve had to over the last couple of years? Why have I had to go through the pain that has left me a completely different person than I used to be just a short two years ago? Why did my husband have a form of cancer and now even though thankfully (oh, so thankfully) he is cancer-free, he still fights another chronic sickness in and of itself, that I would argue is equally as debilitating, called anxiety caused by stress and worry?

Why does this issue of sickness seem to affect every single one of the members of our household, including our fur-babies (our pets!)? As crazy as it sounds, even our pets have had some major health issues over the last two years, including our cat having to go on daily medication in order to live and our dog who is currently battling cancer at a young age.

It seems that our unwellness seems to cycle from being being badly sick, to being baseline unwell (our new “normal”)… always waiting for the next BIG thing to come along and take one of us down again. It’s like there is a stronghold over our family right now, despite a LOT of prayer and fasting.

So when my own children (twins, who are 12 years old) ask me WHY~ WHY are they in pain, WHY does our functional practitioner prescribe a certain diet that has taken away their previously favorite foods, WHY do they have to take so many supplements or drink herbal teas, WHY is it that despite all this they STILL have health problems~ WHY is it that I can’t give them an answer that I feel at peace with? It’s easy for me to want to find an answer by blaming things the research tells me may have caused all of our health issues, sure. Yet, somehow I feel their question deserves a much deeper answer. As if just knowing the scientific answers aren’t (and would never be) enough.

We may never be satisfied with the hard “why” questions in life, even if we are given the logical answers, without knowing the full reason of WHY God let us go through this season in our life to begin with.

A local pastor that I admire and respect, Pastor Steven Furtick, said this:

“What would happen if you stopped asking, ‘God, WHY am I going through this?’ and started asking, ‘God, WHAT are you preparing me for?’”

Wow~ do you see the difference in the two questions?! The first focuses on ME. Woe is me… I am suffering… WHY am I the one going through all this?!

The second question focuses on God and asks Him to provide the answer, as only He can, to WHAT is His PURPOSE behind what He is doing through this trial or hardship… what is He preparing you for?

Talk about game-changer!!

I am all about perspective changes in my life, and this was certainly one of them!! This was like a Peter walking on water towards Jesus moment for me.

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and onto the storm, he began to sink~ like my family and I are feeling every.single.day. Each time a new “wave” of sickness or physical injury “attacks” us, to be honest, we haven’t been focusing on Jesus really. Sure, we pray and ask for His healing, but IN THE STORM, while the waves are crashing in on us, we are giving too much focus to the storm itself! We need to focus on Him and Him alone.

In doing that, I love how Pastor Furtick guides us to ask the Lord what He is preparing us for through these waves of hardship. I have never once asked the Lord to show me this, and I wonder what have I missed in the past two years because I have failed to do so.

One of the ways I’ve often answered my daughter as to the “why” she has had to endure what she has, is that perhaps God will use her to be a comfort to someone else who goes through a similar situation, perhaps even a child one day, since now she knows what it’s like to face this at such a young age.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

But again, I’ve focused more on the future than in asking God to show us what He would like for us to do NOW~ how He wants to use us NOW.

My husband and I have oftentimes thought of ourselves, and this season in our lives of sickness in our family, as the Job Season (Job as in the person in the Bible, as we are praying and trusting this is just a season). I’ve been clinging to this passage for hope~

Job 42:1-5 (ESV) 
Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you

I’m so hopeful that in changing my perspective to, “Lord, please show each of us, make known to us, what you are preparing us for through these painful and hard times,” rather than a “WHY, God, why” prayer, that the Lord will begin to show Himself, His ways, and His plans for each of our lives to each one of us.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (AMP)
For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendour and an endless blessedness]!

Romans 8:18 (AMP)
For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!

Until Next Time,
Tricia

 

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

Faith

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Written By: Patti Pierce

Today I am choosing to write about Romans 5:1. This verse is another one that I have heard my husband speak about at different times.  Being justified by our faith, we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Having faith brings peace through the knowledge and certainty of our salvation.  Sometimes faith comes easy and other times faith takes a tremendous amount of work.  There are times keeping the faith becomes more difficult. So often people tell others, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”  But those words can be hard to hear and often fall flat rather than providing comfort.  When things are going well, it is much easier to believe in a loving God.  But in times of hurt or times of difficulty it can be more challenging.

Faith takes effort.  Believing that Jesus loves us and died for our sins can be a little easier.  But when difficulty, challenges or frightening times arise, knowing and believing become two different things.  In those times, we must draw closer to God and draw strength from His Word and from fellow believers.  But these believers need to truly demonstrate the love of and faith in Christ rather than just throwing around empty platitudes or saying words with no genuine actions.

When my husband wound up in the hospital with what we were told was a gall bladder attack, peace escaped me at times.  Finding comfort when sitting alone in a hospital room with a spouse who is hurting and unable to be truly helped makes peace fleeting.  At other times, when a fellow believer simply walks into the room because he or she heard you were there gives a tremendous amount of comfort and peace.  A hug and a prayer or other demonstration of love bathes the room in peace.  Hearing a doctor inform a patient and his spouse to “google” a condition does not provide peace.  Reading on “Google” can completely destroy an individual’s peace.  Driving home from the hospital alone without your spouse and not being sure of when he or she is coming home makes for a stressful time.  Bringing your spouse home does wonders to bring peace and tranquility to a person’s soul.  Knowing fellow believers are praying about your situation overwhelms a person with peace and faith.  Having the support of an adult son who can life the burdens at home provides peace.  Knowing that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you more than you ever could imagine provides peace.

Faith helps provide tolerance for the difficult things that life hands out.  Also, faith allows a person to know everything is only for a season and provides hope for the future.  It provides for our heart’s desires.  We can reach out to God and know He will provide for us in ways we cannot begin to imagine.  When we were in the process of moving from Pennsylvania to Texas, I had faith God would provide us with exactly the right home for our family.  And in time, He did exactly that.

A quiet word, even a word read on a computer screen, from a family member, friend or fellow believer provides so much comfort, peace and faith.  It ensures someone believes in the God that created the universe.  May faith bring you comfort today.

~Patti

 

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

A Dog’s Faith

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Written By: Debbie W. Wilson

I felt like a traitor luring my dog into my vet’s lab room. I did it to save his life. But Max doesn’t know that. Does he think I’m heartless to let the vet draw blood from his thin leg before I take him home?

For months after Max was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, the vet had to draw his blood to check his electrolyte and hormone levels. One week Max stayed planted when the technician came for him. I got to follow the tech, and he willingly followed me.

This made me consider how I trust God when I hurt. It’s easy to believe that if I understood the purpose, I’d trust God better. But is that true?

Imagine explaining Max’s condition to him. I could read him the symptoms off the Internet. I could show him his lab reports. I could remind him how he almost died. But would that help Max have his blood drawn?

My knowledge concerning the treatment of Max’s illness is better than his. I know the pain of the needle is brief and the benefits are lasting. Sometimes God allows us to see the benefit of our losses. But many of our “whys” remain unanswered.

Isaiah 55:8-9 offers some understanding.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” (NIV).

The difference between my thoughts and my dog’s is so much less than the distance between God’s thoughts and mine. If Max can’t understand why I take him to have his blood drawn, do I think I can understand why God lets pain touch me?

But God has not left me without assurance. He has promised:

  • “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV).
  • “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18 NIV).

A child of God can’t lose a hair without God noticing. Perhaps Romans 8:31 (NASB) best sums up all we really need to remember. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

Life on this planet is a vapour. But how we live it affects eternity. Pain, loss, and confusion are opportunities to trust our Master. The pain is real, but He allows it only for our greater good.

When I see Max romp across the yard without a symptom of Addison’s, I thank God for blood tests and shots. I remember how sick he was without them. He doesn’t understand the connection. He doesn’t need to. Max only needs to understand that I take care of him.

Bio: Debbie W. Wilson is an ordinary woman who has experienced an extraordinary God. Drawing from her personal walk with Christ, twenty-four years as a Christian counsellor, and decades as a Bible teacher, Debbie speaks and writes to help women discover relevant faith. She is the author of Little Women, Big God and Give Yourself a Break. She and her husband, Larry, founded Lighthouse Ministries in 1991. They, along with their two grown children and two standard poodles, enjoy calling North Carolina home. Share her journey to refreshing faith at her blog.

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} A Prayer for the Days Everything Is Falling Apart…

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Written By: Teri Lynne Underwood

The past few months have been full of hard days.  More often than not my prayer has simply been, “Help me, Lord!” Maybe you have been in one of those hard seasons too?  Maybe if feels like everything is falling apart?  Maybe all the dreams and plans you had for your life seem to be crumbling around you?  Maybe you are tired and weary?  Oh friend, I get it!  I’m there with you.  And this is a prayer for days like today, when it just seems as though everything is falling apart  . . . 

Lord, it feels like everything is falling apart around me.  I’m barely hanging on, Lord.

My heart is aching today . . . 

For hospital beds in living rooms and prayers for a peaceful passing from this world to Your arms.

For girls who long to be loved and look everywhere but You, the only True Love, for sick little girls who just want to feel better, for mommas who ache to make it all go away.

For choices made in the dark and broken hearts when all things come to light.

For all the unspoken needs, hidden deep within our hearts.  For all the desperate pray-ers, calling out for You to be near.  For all the aching hearts, longing for hope and peace in the middle of the storm.  For all the weary ones, waiting for the next piece of heartbreaking news to come.

My heart is aching today, Lord.  Help me remember Yours is too . . . and even more.  Remind me, Lord, that You are good—no matter what.

You are comfort for the aching.  You are healing for the hurting.  You are hope for the desperate.  You are not surprised or shaken.  And You are in control.

You capture my tears and hide me under Your wing.  You are my refuge, my strength, my strong tower.

You are good.  You are here.  And I am Yours.

In Jesus’ name.

 Amen.

{This post was originally published on Teri Lynne’s blog in March 2016.}

Teri Lynne Underwood is a Word lover and idea slinger. She’s been married to Scott for 20 years and they are both trying to figure out how their baby girl is already 16.

Teri Lynne is passionate about encouraging and equipping busy women to live well. She is the founder of Prayers for Girls, a thriving community of girl moms who are committed to praying God’s Word for their daughters.

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} Why Didn’t They Choose Me…

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Written By: Kelly Basham

Have you ever felt left out?  Unappreciated?  Forgotten?

Disappointment crept in as I read the message from my friend.  There was a new project getting ready to start at church.  I longed to be a part of this project and I desperately hoped they would ask me to help.  When my friend shared she had been asked to help instead, I was heart-broken.

I didn’t understand why I wasn’t chosen to help.  Was I not good enough?  Did they not like me?  Did they think I wouldn’t be able to handle it?  Or worse, what if they didn’t even consider me for the position at all?

As I pondered all of the reasons why I might not have been chosen, the wheels of negativity started spinning in my head.  My thoughts were driving my emotions over the edge fast.  If I didn’t get them under control I was going to end up taking a wrong turn down Angry Lane.  What I needed to do was get directions.

When unsure of which way to go, it’s wise to stop and ask for directions.

It’s easy to get lost in our emotions when things don’t go the way we want them to.  When I wasn’t chosen to help I felt like unfriending my friend and never going back to church again.  That may seem extreme, but in the heat of the moment it’s exactly what I felt like doing.

If the enemy sees us in an emotionally vulnerable state of mind he will pounce without warning.

While I was busy worrying why I wasn’t chosen, the enemy was busy whispering his lies.  He loves to make us think we aren’t good enough, strong enough, or worthy enough.  And he would have loved nothing more than to have seen me isolate myself from my friend and my church.  Thankfully it didn’t come to that.

It’s important to seek God’s truth in every situation.

In Lysa TerKeurst’s book Unglued she says, “Feelings should be indicators, not dictators.” We don’t have to let our emotions control us.  We can choose to seek God’s wisdom.  All we have to do is ask.  James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

When I brought my disappointed, hurt, emotional heart to the Lord, He was quick to remind me that He has a plan and a purpose for me (Jeremiah 29:11).  It may not look the way I expect it to, but it’s a good plan and it’s better than anything I could ever come up with on my own (Isaiah 55:8).  I may not ever know exactly why I wasn’t chosen to help with that particular project, but I can trust His wisdom on the matter. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God always has a good reason for everything He does.

I’ve been looked over, not chosen, and told “No” dozens of times over the years.  But not without good reason.  God always has our best interest at heart.  Here are a few things to consider:

1. Maybe you’re not ready.  God knows us better than we know ourselves.  He won’t release us to take on something new until we are mentally and spiritually ready.  If we aren’t ready we may crumble under the pressure of the role.

2. God has something else for you to do.  God can see things we can’t.  There may be something down the road he wants us to do.  If we were to take on this role we probably wouldn’t be able to do the other one.

3. It may not be the right time.  God’s timing is always perfect.  This may not be the right time to take on a new role for us or our family.  It may add unnecessary stress to our life, preventing us from giving everything the attention it deserves.

4. It would have hindered you from using your gifts.  God knows where our gifts will bring Him the most glory.  He wants us in roles that utilize our gifts.  If we’re in a role that stifles our gifts we won’t be able to serve Him to the best of our ability.

Chances are, you have experienced something similar.  Maybe you weren’t picked to be the “room mom” for your child’s class or perhaps you didn’t get the promotion you were hoping for.  Whatever it was you weren’t chosen for, remember that God has a good and perfect reason. You may not ever know the “Why”, but you can trust it was for your protection.

Growing Deeper:

Do you struggle with trusting that God has a plan and purpose for your life?

Read Jeremiah 29:11  God does have a purpose and plan for you.  And it’s a good one!

Read Psalm 121:7  How does it make you feel knowing that God watches over you and protects you?  We can put our trust in the Lord.  Even when it doesn’t feel like it, He is always watching over us.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, I thank You for Your wisdom and protection on my life.  I ask that You guide my steps as I make my way through this world.  Your Word tells me that You give wisdom to those who ask for it (James 1:5).  Help me to remember to seek Your wisdom when my emotions start to get out of control.  Your word says that You have a plan and a purpose for my life (Jeremiah 29:11).  Help me to walk in this truth when things don’t go the way I want them to.  In Jesus name I pray Amen!

Join The Conversation:

Have you ever gotten a “no” about something you wanted to do and later realized it was actually Gods protection?

Meet Kelly Basham

Kelly is passionate about pointing others to the nourishing truth and wisdom found in God’s word. She hopes to encourage and inspire women to blossom as they study, meditate, and reflect on God’s word. Kelly lives in the

Nashville, TN area with her husband Brandon, their two children, and a very quirky little dog named Velvet. Connect with Kelly at Blossom In Faith to read more and to download her new Petals of Wisdom Coloring Journal.

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone.

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Written By: Vickie Munton

It’s the kind of step that makes you want to sit down.

You are about to be asked to do something that is way out of your comfort zone, and the easiest thing to do would be to say no.  Back away.  Avoid the risk…

For me, saying “yes” rarely means that I have the confidence it takes–it simply means that I’m willing to step out in faith and believe that God has something He wants to show me or teach me.

“For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Maybe this is an overused verse.  Maybe it was meant for those Israelites that were living in exile.

But maybe just maybe it was meant for me, too.

I know it is not a blanket promise that says, “if you just follow the Lord, He will make sure that everything runs smoothly.”  But I just happen to be one of “those people” who happens to believe that this Holy Book called The Bible was written by men, yes, but men that were inspired by God to write His message down, so future generations could know Him–including you and I.  Words of love and hope and encouragement.

He is not a god made by human hands–He is the Creator and giver of Life.  He is not a god that demands sacrifice–He desires obedience.  He is not a god that set the world in motion only to leave it to fend for itself–He stepped out of heaven and walked among us. I also happen to believe that He gives each of us a free will.  Just as He gave Adam and Eve the choice to obey Him or not, we too have to make the choice to live by His words and His example or go our own way.  I’m still reading the Old Testament prophets and over and over again God says, “IF YOU” do this, then “I WILL” respond.  God goes on to say in the following verses that we should pray and SEEK Him, and that if we do, we will find Him.

“You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:12-13

You would think that the older we get, the more simple life would become–but it’s just not true.  Some things get easier, some harder.  What does get easier for me is saying “yes” to God.  He has proved Himself faithful in the past, and as the days, months and years fly by, I find myself desiring to know Him more–to seek Him more.

So the question you might ask is, “what does that look like?”.

Glad you asked.

Prayer becomes not just something I do–it becomes a part of who I am.  My thoughts and my cares are immediately directed toward God.  “What would you want for me, Lord?”.  “How should I react to this situation?”.  “What would honor/please you, God?”.

Bible Study isn’t just a chore to check off my list–it is time treasured.  Time stolen away any chance I get.  I don’t just read it–I hunger for it.  I crave wisdom and direction and revelation.

Fellowship with other believers becomes crucial.  I miss it when I don’t hear from the pulpit or fellowship with other believers.  I long to experience His presence and feel His power in my life.

Obedience becomes more urgent.  I don’t know if it’s my age, or the condition of my heart, but I do know that I can’t put off any longer the things that I DO know He wants me to do.  Wanting to please Him isn’t just about my actions–it’s just as much about my attitude.  I really do want to get that part right.

Attitude

You’ve heard the phrase, Whom God Calls, He Enables?  Well that’s me.  I’ve been given the task of preparing for a large event for women.  It would have been much easier to say no, but I was eventually convinced that this would be something that would honor my Savior, so I said yes.  He knew that I would be asked, and He knew that I could accomplish the task with His hand guiding me.

So, here I Am.

Stepping out in faith.  Stepping out of my comfort zone and out into the great unknown, and I’m actually excited now to see what He will do–how He will encourage the minister’s wives that will come to this event.

About Vickie:

Vickie blogs at wateringcanblog.com where she writes about faith, family, and encouraging words.  She writes with a desire to inspire women of all ages.  She is a mother to four grown children, seven grandchildren (three in Madagascar!), and has been married to her high school sweetheart for 34 years whom she serves beside as a pastor’s wife.

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} When Will My Journey End?

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Written By: Stacy Lee Flury

For many parents with a teen who is struggling or in crisis, it seems that the road they are travelling on is much like the Great Wall of China.  The question most often asked, “When will this be over?” can resonate in a big way when it relates to that very distinctive road.

The journey for many is long and tiring, filled with highs and lows and twisted turns that are not expected.  It involves strength when many parents feel so weak.  Sometimes there is confusion and frustration if a parent is wondering if they are doing the right thing or going in the right direction.

In the dark moments, it is very difficult to see the path of wisdom that guides a parent into the right decisions that need to be made.  Fear can overwhelm a parent and stop them in their tracks, keeping them from finding the help they need.

What parents do not realize is that there are others on the same path.  They are trying to find answers and an end to their journey just as much as the other parent passing them by.

There really is an end to this journey, just like there is an end to the Great Wall of China, into the Bohai Sea.  I never thought there would be an end to the journey of my teen’s depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and other issues my teen was suffering from.  But they did.  How?

With God’s help, guidance and wisdom, He gave us the strength to get through it.  It didn’t happen overnight.  It took time, lots of time with prayer and His Word to bring about healing and hope.  We didn’t have to walk alone on the journey either.  He was there by our side through it all.

Looking back, I am thankful for that journey.  My faith in God changed to an intimate relationship with Him that I would never want to lose.  It increased our prayer life.  Even in our brokenness, we were vessels that God used to minister to others in their time of need.  Our hope was restored and there was not just healing for our teen, but for our whole family.

Are we still on that great journey?  Slowly, we are coming near the end of the path.  What I offer to you is this:

  • Pray – Prayer is powerful.  Using the scriptures as your prayer module is even more powerful.
  • Seek the Word of God for your wisdom in all matters.  He will guide your every step and bring others to help you.
  • Get involved in a support group who understands your needs and pain.
  • Seek counsel from a therapist, clergy, and doctor if needed.
  • Try to find rest – You need rest to gain strength and keep your health intact.
  • Listen to uplifting and encouraging music.  My favorite is KLove.
  • Find one person you can trust to share your prayers and needs with ( such as someone else walking the same journey).
  • Remind yourself that God is BIGGER than any problem, crisis or circumstance.  He knows your teen better than you and loves them just as much.  He knows what their needs are.  Just rely and trust in the Lord!

Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)

Psalms 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (KJV)

About Stacy:

Stacy Lee Flury was just a mom with two daughters.  Ten years ago she found her youngest spiralling out of control from sub-cultural identity problems to self-harm, body issues, depression, and suicidal thoughts along with many other struggles starting at the age of nine.  Crisis after crisis, Stacy hid her daughter’s problems from friends and family because she felt like a failure as a parent.  Ashamed, guilt-ridden and embarrassed, she too spiralled into a life of depression trying to help her daughter on her own.  However, with God’s intervention, He turned her situation around and her broken family began the journey of healing.  With the encouragement from her daughter, she began the ministry of Anchor of Promise, a support blog for parents with teens in crisis.  She is now working on several devotional and prayer books for parents with teens in crisis, which she hopes to have published at the end of the year.

Guest-Writers, {Faith}

{Faith} “His Still Small Voice – Can You Hear It?”

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Written By: Michelle Slauenwhite

His Still Small Voice – Can you Hear It?  Humour me for a moment, will you?  Stop what you are doing.  Close your eyes.  Remember that good old childhood song favourite ~ Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?  With your eyes closed (yes, I’m really asking you to do this – and no peaking!)  hum the tune in your head (without making a sound). 
Could you hear the tune, even though your vocal chords weren’t actually producing an audible noise?
Years back, when I was a child in Sunday School, I remember Pastor Julia (my Children’s Pastor) explaining to a group of us kids, about how the exercise that you just did is very similar to what God’s still small voice sounds like.  God’s voice may come to you in the sound of your own voice, yet it is God speaking to you.  I find that He uses words and phrases that I would use  (not complicated wording or old English!).
When you hummed Twinkle, Twinkle in your head, you could almost “hear” the words and the tune, couldn’t you?  That’s exactly how God’s voice sounds to me!
 I remember back as a kiddo, thinking to myself ~ well how will I know if it’s God’s idea in my head or something I conjured up in my own mind?  Pastor Julia must have known that we would all have that same question because she continued on, explaining that if the idea or thoughts in our heads were Biblical, and something good, that we would then know it was a “God thing”.  God has spoken to me time and time again! 
Whether He asks me to bless someone financially, to drop a coffee off to brighten someone’s day, or to send a letter of encouragement to a friend ~ I just love the moments when I’m sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit to hear His leading!  Not to mention all the times He speaks to me about my own spiritual journey, and reveals His love and direction to me, especially in moments that I truly need it!  Pastor Julia’s lesson never left me. 
Even as an adult, life can become quite noisy ~ phones ringing, texts dinging, Facebook messages pinging and TV’s blaring.  It’s no wonder that often, no matter what our age, God’s still small voice can be drowned out by so many of life’s distractions.  I would encourage you ladies to take a few quiet moments throughout your day to give God room to speak to you. 
Silence the noise that you find around you, and quiet yourself with Him, asking that He would guide you and direct you.  Ask Him what His plans are for your day.  Ask what you can do for Him each day.  Ask Him to reveal truths to you that will encourage you in your spiritual walk.  God is always near – but He is waiting for moments to connect with us in meaningful ways.  Let’s not miss an opportunity to hear His still small voice.  After all, it will change everything!
  About Michelle:
Bio Pic 2
Michelle loves doing life with her handsome husband, Shaun, and her two beautiful girls, Braeya & Analeigh.  Michelle is a pastor’s wife and loves to see God working through children in their local church!  She also enjoys being a stay-at-home mom and doing ministry together as a family.  You can often find Michelle in high heels, in search of candy, and enjoying life’s everyday moments.