Broke - Part 1

Job 1:1 - "In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil."

This past Sunday, my husband preached the first sermon in the series "Broke - What is Nothing Worth?" In this series, he is leading an in depth study of the book of Job. Job's story is one of brokenness, faithfulness, perseverance, and restoration. His story is an example of God's providence and favor.

His story begins with a meeting between satan and God. Satan complained to God that he had been wondering to and fro looking for someone to tempt and ultimately destroy - what he does best. God confidently answered, "Have you ever considered my servant Job? There's no one else on earth like him. He loves me and obeys me." (paraphrase) Satan retorts to the Lord that the only reason Job stays faithful to God is because of all that God has blessed him with. The deceiver further states that if God were to take away all Job's blessings, he would turn his back on God. The Lord says, "Go ahead, then, all his possessions are in your power. Take them if you want, but you cannot lay a finger on him." (paraphrase)

Satan does this very thing. Job was a very wealthy and prosperous man. God had richly blessed him with livestock, children, and good health. Within a day, Satan took Job's livestock, servants, and children, leaving Job in utter shock.

I want to pause at this point in the story to ask, "What would I do in this situation?" How would I react if I lost all I hold dear in a matter of moments? Would I get angry at God for not intervening? We may have never gone through a circumstance quite like Job's, but many times throughout our lives, we are faced with situations that cause us to make a choice of allegiance. Maybe the unthinkable happens, and we are left in deep despair. Maybe we suffer a loss so shocking and hurtful, we're not sure how we'll go on.

"Consider my servant Job..." This is the statement God told satan at their initial meeting, and it's the statement that will hold true throughout time for all of us. Job's reaction to his sufferings was weird, unexpected, and powerful. He not only didn't get angry at God and curse him - he worshipped him immediately upon learning of his losses! In our fleshly minds this makes no sense whatsoever. How can you worship in a time like that?

The answer to that question lies in your perspective. There are two types of people in Christianity and in the secular world. There are those whose lives revolve around themselves, and there are those whose lives revolve around God. When we take into perspective that sometimes God allows, not causes, certain things into our lives for our eventual good and His glory, it makes more sense as to why Job would worship through the trial. God's hand will never leave those that follow Him. Even in the trials, we have a Creator who loves us and walks with us. However, His plan and purpose is far above ours. His plan is for our good, not our demise. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I was both convicted and encouraged after this message. It left me looking at my own life during times when I haven't understood why I was going through the things I was going through. Sometimes, we go through things, not because we have sinned or because of our character, but because it is part of a grander plan. I hope to never have to go through the things Job went through, but I do hope to have the same amount of confidence from my Father as he had toward Job. He knew Job would keep the faith. He knew Job would not give up. He knew Job would still love him.

Sometimes being "broke" doesn't mean your empty. In fact, like in the case of Job, it can mean your quite rich.

Walking on Eggshells

Psalm 121:3-8 "He will not let your foot slip -- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will not slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you -- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Ever feel like your walking on eggshells? We use this expression to symbolize having to be careful in what we say around certain individuals, but does it ever seem that you have to be extremely cautious in all you do in all facets of life? Does life ever seem to be so overwhelming that at any moment things could just crack and break completely like an eggshell?

I believe we have all felt this way at one moment or another. Trials we face can cause us to be unsure of our "footing." We begin to question things that are happening to us, trying to find the reason as to why we would be going through such a test. We sometimes live in fear of the next blow the devil will have for us, afraid that it will be the one that completely does us in. "When it rains...it pours" - as the old saying goes. But what if, just maybe, these things we go through - these things we tread upon, might not be about to break? What if the things we face are actually not making us weaker, but part of a grand scheme that is making us stronger?

I know what you're thinking. How can cancer, divorce, infidelity, loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, and things of the like make me stronger? Does God really desire for us to face such awful circumstances? Does God care if we feel weak and about to break?

It is absolutely true that God loves us beyond our wildest imagination. It is true that he is a healer, deliverer, and savior. It is true that he is able to work miracles in our darkest situations. It is also true that our lives will not always be smooth sailing. It is also true that sometimes, God does NOT cause, but allows us to go through situations. It is also true that as he waited four days to raise Lazarus from the dead, sometimes he waits to deliver us until the moment he deems perfect.

If I told you to take your carton of eggs from your refrigerator, open them up, and step on top of them, you would think I was crazy, wasteful, and silly. However, it is a scientific fact, that it is possible to stand on top of eggshells that are placed in the correct position. The egg's shape is actually one of the strongest structures on earth. The arch shape of an egg allows it to be able to withstand weight hundreds of times more than its own. Now, an egg laying on its sides, will be crushed immediately at the slightest amount of pressure. An egg standing up, however, is strong enough to walk on. It's all about the design and position the egg is in.

Just like an egg, God has allowed things into our lives, not to crush us under pressure, but make us stronger. When put through a test, we are always stronger when we come out. God has designed a plan and a way for trials to make us overcomers. How? When he sent his son, Jesus, to earth to die for us, he conquered every sickness, pain, and hardship we could ever and will ever face. All we are called to do is keep walking, trusting, obeying, and holding to our Father. Just as the egg was designed by its Creator to withstand large amounts of pressure, those things in our lives are designed by satan to make us weak, but God takes them and makes us stronger through them.

Another element of the eggshell experiment is the design of the egg carton. The egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle in 1911. His design positioned the eggs in a way to where they were their strongest. As long as the eggs remain in that position in the carton, they will be safe. If one would by chance fall down on its side, its weakness would then be exposed. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Similarly to an egg in the upright, standing position, we are strongest when we stand. This strength does not come from our own power, but from the Father. His hands are like our egg carton, holding us steadfast. We won't succumb to the pressure of the trial if we continue to stand firmly in his hand.

You were designed for greatness and victory. Jesus has already won the battle. He's already conquered the trial. These things, these eggshells, we seem to walk on are not meant to give us unsure footing, but to allow us to display our times of greatest strength through Christ. Never ever for our own glory -- but always for his! Sometimes, it's okay to walk on eggshells.

The Prisoner in the Third Cell

What do you do when life doesn't go the way you think it should?
What do you do when things don't end up the way you had planned?
What do you do when God doesn't meet your expectations?

If you're any normal human being, you've been disappointed with some things in life. A lost job, a betrayal, loss of a child, an illness - these things and more can bring more than just disappointment. They can bring shear despair. How will you react when things don't go the way you thought they would? What will you do when God doesn't move in the way you expected Him to?

If you are struggling with situations such as these, I hope you will take the time to read the following book written by Gene Edwards. It's called Prisoner in the Third Cell. It is a story featured around John the Baptist, one of the most devoted followers of Christ to ever live. John the Baptist faced a life of hardship and a death far worse. This book depicts his possible questions, feelings, and reactions to a God that didn't come through the way he thought he would. I hope as you read this book, it blesses you, encourages you, and puts a deeper devotion to God inside your heart. It did mine! At some point or another, life will take a turn. Will you stay true to God, or will you crumble and retreat under the pressure? How will you react when God doesn't meet your expectations?

An Epic Destiny

"Epic": -adj of heroic or impressive proportions, -n an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted

Why are we here? What is our purpose? What does tomorrow hold? Is this all there is to life? Does my voice really matter? These questions and more I believe have raced through the mind of every human being at some point or another. Let's face it, life's not always easy. For some, to survive the day is considered a victory. Others find success in life, but struggle to understand their purpose. Others question their very existence. In this whole scheme we call life...is it possible to make a difference?

Even believers in Christ who know they were created to worship him, can allow questions like the above to linger. This dangerous ground has caused many Christians to fall away and be consumed by life itself. I think to some it seems that we come out of one battle only to turn and face another. We get into a rut of just existing. If I can just make it to the weekend...If I can just make it to the next church service...If I can just make it until God moves in my situation. If I can just make it...

This whirlwind of mediocracy in our lives is not, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how our Creator meant for us to live. We were fashioned, designed, planned, purposed to be EPIC. Being epic means being heroic in impressive proportions. It's facing "life" and all the fiery darts of our enemy head on. It's going toe-to-toe with hardships and overcoming through the power of our great God.

In one of the definitions of the word "epic," the Old World Dictionary states that it is "an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted." In our lives, we will face enemies, battles, hardships. We will fight tooth and nail against the devil on a regular basis. We will have to kill our flesh and succumb to the leading of the Spirit everyday. Sounds impossible? It might be to something that was created to be ordinary or mundane. It might be too much for something whose existence was not meant for more than just that...existing. Not you, not me. We were meant and destined for heroic acts. We were meant to be epic.

There will be times, everyday in fact, that you will be called upon to be heroic. Does this mean that you will be called upon daily to sell all your possessions and go be a missionary in the Congo? No, not necessarily, but there might be a co-worker considering suicide, a neighbor facing divorce, a prostitute who doesn't understand her worth, a child who's being abused, a fellow Christian who faces severe discouragement, or your own flesh warring against your spirit. In times like this, our most heroic and epic acts can take place. Don't get me wrong, it has nothing to do with us in and of ourselves, but it's when we allow Christ to use us to minister to these individuals that we see our epic purpose unveiled.

These battles, although huge in the scheme of life, are easy to overlook. We walk around everyday, almost blindly, to the fact that individuals need us to be selflessly heroic. This world is dying. It's decaying and rotting in the filth of bondage and sin. There are people, who may not even know they need rescuing, that need us to face danger (persecution, humiliation, rejection) to save their eternities. Don't overlook your moments to be epic. They happen every day. God has set us up for epic destinies, because he has a divine plan and purpose for his glory. He is an epic Father, therefore he can make us epic children. Keep your eyes open. Don't miss your "episode in life in which heroic deeds are to be performed." Don't worry, don't fret. If GOD be for you, does it really matter what's against you? Be EPIC.

The Wedding Dress

Revelation 19:7-9 "Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

This past Sunday night, our administrative pastor, Pastor Josh Adkins, preached a sermon entitled "Dress for the Wedding." In his sermon, he expressed the importance of "dressing" for where your ultimate destination is and not simply for your stops along the way. He used the illustration of someone traveling to a wedding that makes a pit stop at a gas station to fill up or buy a snack. Your outfit would be one that would fit at a wedding - suit or fancy dress. On your pit stop at the gas station, your outfit would clearly be out of place, because you would be overly dressed for the place you were currently in. However, you would be perfectly dressed for your ultimate destination - the wedding. 

This illustration depicts our spiritual lives, ministries, and callings. Although we may be just beginning a new ministry or calling for the Lord, we should "dress"/conduct ourselves for the place we ultimately want to end up. If I'm opening up a bakery, I wouldn't serve mediocre cupcakes to my customers, using the excuse that I'm just opening. You wouldn't be in business for long behaving that way. You would want to put your very best foot forward and provide the best product possible, because your ultimate destination is a successful, fully-functioning bakery. Even beyond this, when God lays a calling on our hearts, we ought to "dress" for the outcome we want in that ministry and not make excuses that we are only beginning and can't give it all we have. 

Another aspect of dressing for the wedding is making sure that not only our ministries that involve other people are where they should be, but we also need to make sure that our own personal relationship with the Lord is where it should be. The Bible equates the church/God's TRUE followers to a bride adorned for her wedding day. A bride will spend countless hours, days, weeks, and even months preparing for her special day. She chooses only the most perfect dress for the occasion - one that will knock her groom right off his feet in love and adoration for her. On the day of her wedding, she will take the utmost care of that dress, making sure that it doesn't get tarnished, stained, or ripped in any way. In like manner, we must keep our lives untarnished, unstained, and whole so that on that awesome day when we join with the Bridegroom, He will be pleased and full of overwhelming love with the way we have prepared ourselves for Him. He deserves our best, because He gave His best for us.

We, God's people, are the bride and His Son Jesus is our bridegroom. Our Bridegroom is preparing a place for those that love Him and follow His commandments as you are reading this blog. To be a part of this wonderful celebration, you must know Jesus as Lord and Savior. We must recognize that we have sinned and are in need of God's grace. We then must make Him Lord of our lives and keep Him at the center of each day. One day, on that awesome wedding day, He will receive us, His bride, to Himself. We will feast in a celebration to end all celebrations! Let's keep our "dress" as pure and untarnished as possible. Let's not lay off our wedding clothes for any reason. Dress for your ultimate destination - not for your current location. 

Class is Not Dismissed

Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."

This past Friday night I had the privilege of speaking to our women's group at church a message entitled "Class is Not Dismissed." In this message, I talked about the importance of our encounters with God. Every time someone spends time with the Lord, it should be looked at as an opportunity to learn. Everything we go through in life is meant to be a learning experience to elevate us to the next level in our walk with God. There is an extreme importance in the process of learning. When we stop learning, we stop growing. When we refuse to learn, we choose death.

My husband teaches a leadership class at our Wednesday night Audacity service. In his class he asks the following question: "Who is the most dangerous person in the church?" Most people answer this question by saying the hypocrite who tries to live a double life, the church gossip who stirs up strife, or the "negative Nancy" who seems to want to keep everyone else down. It is true, all three of those types of people are dangerous and will destroy a ministry if not lovingly dealt with, however, none of those three are the MOST dangerous to the church. The most dangerous person to darken the doors of a church is someone who is unteachable - someone who refuses to learn. This person will always hold a ministry back, because they will never see the necessity of learning and growing. They feel they have arrived and are no longer in need of assistance from anyone...including God.

This past week was the first week back to school for students in Roane County. I teach 5th grade at a small elementary school. It amazes me the different types of learners that sit in my classroom. Some learn by listening, some by music, some by organization and pattern, some by bodily-kinesthetic strategies, and some even by sitting alone and reading a book. However, across the board, students learn best by DOING. If you can practice it and master it...you've learned it. Sometimes the reason I think people become unteachable is because they fear the learning process. They are afraid to go through the necessary training that might hurt, require patience, or require commitment to obtain the knowledge their Teacher wishes them to know. We must not fear the learning process, but rather embrace it as a mechanism for growth and ultimately spiritual survival. Louisa May Alcott, a famous author, said it well: "I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship."

No matter our age, current status, or prior knowledge - learning is never done. God has an unlimited supply of astounding things for us to learn, one of those things being His infinite love for us. There's more to learn, because there's more to be done. Let's not let our brains atrophy while a lost and dying world is abandoned of the knowledge of who God is and what He has done for them. Class is not dismissed. There's more learning to do. Sit at His feet. Learn from His heart.

Do I Serve a 10% God?

Luke 17: 11-19 "Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out with a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us.' When he saw them, he said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him - and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, 'Where not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'"

This past Sunday morning, Pastor Nick delivered the first sermon in the new series "Make It Rain." In this first sermon, he mentioned the story of the ten lepers. In this story, as you can read above, Jesus is traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Along the journey, he encounters ten lepers. He heals these lepers and instructs them to show themselves to the priest to prove their cleansing. Only one of the men return to give thanks to the Lord for what he did for them. As Pastor was speaking on this the Lord truly spoke to me and showed me a few things that I need to work on. Here they are...

The first thing that jumped out to me is that out of ten men - only one returned. That's 1/10 or only 10% of all those that were healed that gave thanks for what Jesus had done. Leprosy was a disease that automatically made you an outcast because of it being highly contagious. Lepers were quarantined away from society, their families, their homes, their jobs, their way of life in general. Jesus wasn't just giving these men back their health, he was giving them back their life. It was truly a wonderful miracle! If you lost everything you own, your family, your job, and your way of life, then someone came along and gave that all back to you free of charge and in an instant - wouldn't you leap for joy and fall at that person's feet in gratitude? We would think so, but the truth of the matter is, I have been given an even greater gift than these leprous men. I have been given salvation, hope, an abundant life, eternal life, love beyond my wildest dreams...do I only thank the One who gave it to me 10% of the time? What about in other areas of my life? Do I only give God 10% of those too? What about my job, my time, my family, my addictions, my insecurities, my worries? Do I give all of me or only 10%? Do we tell God, "Here Lord, here's 10% of me. The other 90% I think I'll keep though." We give ourselves a pat on the back for the 10% of our lives we give God, but in reality, we don't serve a 10% God. We serve a God that wants and expects all of you. Yes, I know that my tithe (10% of my income) is owed to God. He requires that, and yes, it is disobedience if it is not given. But, do I ever go beyond that 10% in my financial giving? Do I heed to the voice of God when he asks me to sacrifice monetarily? I hope that when God sees me - He sees someone that gives 100%, not just 10%. Think about it this way...what if God kept His promises and was faithful only 10% of the time? What if he met only 10% of your needs? How would we feel then...

Another thing that stuck out to me was the fact that the one man that returned was a Samaritan. In those days, Samaritans were outcasts to Jewish people. They did not get along. Our awesome Jesus was walking along the border between Samaria and Galilee - between the outcasts and His own people. It amazes me that it wasn't his own people that came back to give thanks, it was an outcast. Those of us that have been raised in church our whole lives or have been in church for a long time can grow very complacent about serving the Lord and remembering what He has done for us. We forget that we had a condition far worse than leprosy. Our sins, no matter what they were, had us bound and destined to live eternity in hell far from God. I, one of His children, who ought to know better, am the first one to criticize, be lazy, and be an ungrateful spoiled brat about a lot of things. Sometimes, those of us that have followed the Lord for awhile need to take a step back and rekindle that gratitude. We need to watch the zeal of new converts and try to recapture that excitement and passion for God. I know I am guilty many times of not doing this. Jesus was standing on the border between these two countries. Similarly, He stands in gap between His people and those that are lost and are searching. He died for us all. He paid the same price for us all. We were all bound for the same destination without His grace and mercy, yet many of us think we can sit back and only skim the surface of what God wants from us. We think we'll be "good enough" to receive the reward He has for us. The truth is - we are missing the point. He has redeemed us for a relationship with Him. We don't deserve it by any means, but His love for us caused Him to make the sacrifice of His Son for our redemption. This lost world needs to see a zeal and passion for God from His people. We need to show them that He is the missing piece they have been looking for.

I don't serve a 10% God - so let's give him the gratitude He deserves.

We Are Family

Judges 8: 18-19 - "Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, 'What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?' 'Men like you,' they answered, 'each one with the bearing of a prince.' Gideon replied, 'Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the Lord lives, if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.'"

This past Sunday, my husband, Nick, preached the last sermon in the series "Against All Odds." This sermon, like several others in this series, was about Gideon. In the verses above, Gideon was chasing after two kings that had fled. He asked for food for his famished men in two cities along the journey. Both cities refused and even discouraged Gideon in his quest to find these evil kings. Gideon vowed to not only capture these kings, but to then repay the two cities for their unkindness toward him and his army.
The main point that my husband made through this sermon was that the body of Christ should be loving and encouraging toward each other, toward those believers that are struggling, and also toward those that may not yet know Christ. This message really caused me to take a good, hard look at myself and how I treat my brothers and sisters in the Lord. In the verses above, Gideon asked the two evil kings he was pursuing who they killed at Tabor. The two kings replied that the men they killed were like Gideon - they resembled him. Brothers and sisters in a natural family often resemble each other. They have features that are alike which causes other people to recognize which family they belong to. In the body of Christ, we as God's children, resemble each other, because we were all wonderfully saved by grace and we should be displaying common spiritual fruits because of our decision to follow Jesus. There's a very popular song that says "They will know we are Christians by our love."When you are a follower of God, love will be your most prominent attribute. You will strive to love not only those that love you, but even your enemy that may hate you. You will deeply love your brothers and sisters in Christ - wanting them to go farther and continually grow in the Lord. You will love the fellow Christian that is struggling, trying to hold on through their circumstance. You will love the unbeliever, because you want them to understand that their life can become more personally meaningful, purposeful and abundantly awesome by surrendering all to God.
When Gideon realized that these two kings had killed his brothers, he was infuriated and would not stand for the wrong that was done to his family. In the same way that Gideon was righteously angry about the injustice done to his brothers, we should also protect our brothers and sisters in Christ. When the devil attacks them, we should pray and encourage them as we would want to be when we are going through a trial. We should offer help not insensitivity. I wish I could say I've gotten this right every time, but unfortunately there are times I have failed in this.

 In the picture I have posted above, you can see a marathon runner working very hard to finish a race. To the side of the runner, you see people holding signs that encourage the runner to continue. I absolutely love this photograph, because I think it is an example of how we ought to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with those we want to see come to the Lord. If you look closely, you will see the sign says, "Go, random stranger, go!" Even though they have no clue who this runner is, they still knew the importance of cheering her on as she completed a difficult race. The Bible compares life to a race. It won't always be easy and many times we'll feel like giving up and sitting down. That's when we need our brothers and sisters the most. Whether we know them well, or even if it's someone we don't know that well - we need to offer our support, help, and encouragement. If we could know the thoughts of the runner in the photo, I have no doubt that she appreciated the support of her "cheerleaders" and pushed herself onward to finish her race. Wouldn't we win a lot more souls to the Lord if they saw us loving and supporting each other than tearing down one another? I pray that we all grab ahold of this and really take a step back to look at our lives and how we perceive and treat our fellow believers, because "they'll know we are Christians by our love..."

Photo taken from http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/bmo-marathon-cheer-squad/

The Little Foxes

Song of Solomon 2:15 - "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."

My amazing father-in-law, Bishop Donnie Hill, preached for us in our evening service this past Sunday. In his sermon, he used the illustration of a vineyard to represent our lives. One verse that he mentioned that I hold near and dear to my heart was Song of Solomon 2:15.
As you can read above, this scripture talks about foxes. Creatures like foxes are notorious for destroying vineyards and gardens. They are a menace to a hard-working gardener, because they like to feast on the produce from the garden - robbing the worker from his reward. I love how the Lord made sure that we knew that it wasn't the bigger foxes that were destroying the garden - it was the little, seemingly insignificant foxes that were causing the damage.
How often in our lives do we allow "little foxes" to destroy us. Bishop Hill stated in his sermon that the way these little foxes spoil the vineyard is, because of their size, they have to jump to catch the grapes off the vine. By doing this, they continually are pulling at the vine and end up doing more damage than a larger fox that can get to the grapes more easily. The little foxes in our lives serve one purpose, and that is to steal the fruit that we bear from the One we bear it for. In the gospel of John scripture says, "He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." Producing fruit in our spiritual lives is highly important to the Lord. In fact His word says that every branch of our lives that doesn't produce fruit will be cut off completely. It's cut off, because it's no use to the Lord. That's a scary thought to think that I could potentially be of no use to the Lord, because my life doesn't show the characteristics of someone that claims to be a follower of him. God takes this very seriously and, likewise, so should we. What are these fruits? They can be found in Galatians 5: 22-23 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Does my life show these fruits to the best of my ability? Is there something in me that needs to be cut off so that I can be of use to the Father?
Another reason these little foxes cause so much damage is because they are hard to catch. They are quick little guys that, because of their size, can hide in small burrows that might be hard to detect. I know in my own life, sometimes out of no where an old feeling or insecurity can creep up and, if I don't take care of it right then, can lead to serious damage and destruction. We have to have our eyes open and on constant surveillance for these foxes. They may come in the form of lies from the devil, insecurities, guiltiness from past sin, or seeds of bitterness that we just haven't quite given up yet. No matter what they are, they must be caught and destroyed.
How do you destroy these little foxes? I did a little research on this subject and I found 4 ways to get rid of foxes in a garden. 1 - Cover the garden with a fence. In our lives this "fence" would be prayer, worship, and Bible reading. The fence has to be sturdy and strong and must always be kept in tact. In the same manner, so should our personal relationship with the Lord. 2 - Keep your garden clean. Living a clean life is a characteristic of a Christian. In Psalm 51, David wrote, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." We have to make sure the things we do in public and more so in private exemplify that of a follower of God. Will we make mistakes? ABSOLUTELY! I'm the first one to admit that, but we must pick ourselves up, repent, and allow God to clean us up so that we can keep the foxes out of our garden. 3 - Buy a dog. The people we surround ourselves with should be those that will help us keep our garden/lives at their best for the Lord. A dog protects a garden. It doesn't allow destroyers to come and hurt the growth of the produce. Those that are closest to us need to be encouraging people that will help us reach our goal of bringing glory to God. Sometimes the people we allow in our lives may seem to be a dog that will help defend our vineyard, but in reality they may be a fox also, only out for selfish gain. We must be able to detect the difference. 4 - Call a wildlife control officer. Sometimes, foxes can just get out of control and at that point, it's time to call a higher authority - one that knows more about getting rid of foxes than you. In our times of distress, when we feel that we are about to go under, when we just can take it anymore, all we have to do is cry out to our great God and he will answer us in his loving, compassionate, and gentle way. He will rescue us in our time of need, pick us back up, dust us off, and set us up for growth and beauty again.
I don't know what your "little foxes" are. I know mine and I must keep daily, vigilant watch to make sure they are not consuming that which belongs to my Father. God wants to make something beautiful of our lives for his glory. It's time to kill off all things that don't help us bless him. Don't be fooled, don't be tricked, don't be complacent toward these little foxes - destroy them now so you will have a bountiful life now and in the days to come.

Recipe of the Week: Nutella Cookies

Several months ago Nick and I discovered something we had been missing out on for a long time - Nutella! If you've never tried Nutella, it's a chocolaty hazelnut spread that is super yummy! I like to eat it on toast, an english muffin, and even pancakes. I found the following recipe on Pinterest, tried it, and loved it!! These Nutella cookies have the consistency of a cake cookie. One things for sure though...they are rich! Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Nutella Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 whole egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients together. Roll into 1" balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten with hand or a glass. Bake 7-8 minutes. Allow enough time to cool and firm up.

Against All Odds

"This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up!
This he did, blow after blow. 'Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it of and step up!' He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity."
-Author Unknown, taken from "Moral Stories" academictips.org

Pastor Nick has been preaching an awesome sermon series called "Against All Odds." Each sermon has centered around the difficult situations that we face and how to overcome the obstacles that may lie in our path. This past Sunday, Pastor Nick's sermon centered around Gideon. Gideon was called to be a mighty warrior to lead God's people in battle against the Midianites. After much arguing with the Lord about how he wasn't mighty and how God had forsaken them, Gideon finally began the task that God had told him to do. Gideon's army numbered about 32,000. An army that size would seem to be powerful and ready to fight. The Lord spoke to Gideon and told him that 32,000 was too many men. God continued to allow the army to dwindle until it numbered a mere 300 men! Why would the Lord do this? Wouldn't God want a strong, powerful army of his people to win the battle? No. In Judges 7:2-3 the Lord says, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.' (NIV) God will not share his glory with anyone. No one else deserves it and it will not be taken from God. The Lord wanted to show his people that he was strong and would fight for them. He used Gideon's little army - something that no doubt Gideon was frustrated with - to win the battle and ultimately give God the glory he deserves.

In our lives we face obstacles often. In fact, we face them daily. When faced with obstacles, we have a choice. We can complain and get angry with God for allowing those obstacles to come our way, we can give up and choose not to face the obstacle, or we can use the obstacle to accomplish what should be our goal in life - to give God praise. The mule in the story above, could have allowed his adversary, the farmer, to bury him. He could have gave up and allowed himself to be buried in the well. However, he chose to use his obstacles to obtain his goal of getting out of the well. The truth is our enemy, the devil, wants to bury us. He wants to put us as far into the ground as possible so that we can't fulfill our purpose of giving glory to God. He may use those closest to us to give up on us and bury us. No matter what tactic he may use, we must "shake it off and step up" as the mule did.

God will not fail us, but we will fail if we don't put our faith in him and obey his commands. He deserves our praise, our obedience, and our hearts. Be encouraged today - God's working things out for you!    

The Plate Set Before Us

In a book I am currently reading, the author wrote this statement: "Accept the size of your plate and fill it." The author was spiritually speaking and the quote truly challenged me and caused me to think deeply about my life and it's purpose.
No matter where you are in life, the Lord has a "plate" he wants to set before you. Each person has a purpose, a special job that God wants you to do. Some plates are big and some plates are small, depending on spiritual maturity and/or seasons in life. The further along we are in our walk with God, determines our various positions and jobs. We wouldn't expect a new Christian to become a pastor the day after they were saved, nor would we expect a believer that's been saved for 30 years to not be mentoring, teaching, etc. Another important factor in the size of your plate is where you are in life. Sometimes God calls us to center our focus on a different task that is more direct than broad. No matter the size of your plate, it is important and necessary to the kingdom of God and in obedience, we need to keep it filled.
Every plate has a main dish and sides. Your "main dish," your main job/calling may be teaching, pastoring, mentoring, leadership, behind-the-scenes tasks, etc. Regardless of your main calling, it must be centered around one thing - bringing glory to God. God gives each of gifts as he sees fit, and we are to use those gifts to spread the good news of salvation in Christ and ultimately give God the worship he deserves. Not only does a plate have a main dish, but it also has side dishes that should compliment the main dish. We have our main calling from the Lord, but he also allows us to participate in other jobs or tasks that compliment our main calling - glorifying him. These sides dishes may be our titles in life - spouse, parent, boss, fireman, governor, or cashier. No matter what our "side dishes" are in life, they must not compete with our main calling of brining glory to God. When a side dish takes the place of the main dish - the plate is no longer serving its purpose.
Some people try to overcrowd their plate. Have you ever seen someone, or yourself, overfill their plate to the point where it becomes a mess? The plate is no longer appetizing and the feeling of overeating will cause sickness. Sometimes, we have to learn to say "no." This is extremely difficult for some people because of various reasons. We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, we want to be involved in everything, or we have the fear of being left out or left behind. Overcrowding your life will only lead to being burnt out. Long periods of burn out can lead to depression and bitterness. Not every opportunity that comes across our path is beneficial to our plate and doesn't compliment our main dish. Because of this, we must pray daily for wisdom and guidance. We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's direction for our lives.
On the flip side of an overcrowded plate, we must not have a plate that is too bare. Being a complacent Christian equals an unsatisfied Christian. Saying no to the things God says yes to will lead to a life of misdirected purpose and is basically selfish. A bare plate will lead to depression, loneliness, and lukewarmness. Whether your plate is big or small - it needs to stay filled in order to fulfill the plan that God has for you.
We all have things we want to fulfill in life, but it is of utmost importance that our goals match our Father's goals for us. He knows what's best and what's needed most to achieve the greatest life possible. We must trust in his plan and be sensitive to the size and contents of the plate that he has set before us.

Recipe of the Week/Milky Way Treats

This week's recipe is definitely not one for those counting calories...sorry! However, it is a tribute to my momma. As far back as I can remember, my mom has made Milky Way Treats for every family gathering, and they are always one of the first things to be finished. I don't have a picture to post of them, but trust me, you want to try this yummy dessert sometime. :)

Ingredients:
1 pkg crescent rolls (original)
8 fun-size Milky Way bars
melted butter (this will vary - you need just enough to dip the crescent rolls in after you have wrapped them)

Icing Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 t. of cocoa
3-4 t. of milk (start with 3)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Unroll crescent rolls. Place 1 Milky Way bar onto the larger side of each crescent roll. Roll the crescent roll toward the smaller side. Pinch up the sides of the crescent roll to make sure the Milky Way is completely covered. Dip the sides of each crescent roll into melted butter then place in a muffin tin. Bake for 11-12 minutes.

Icing Directions:
After Milky Way Treats have finished baking and are cooling, begin to make icing. Mix all icing ingredients together and the spoon on top of Milky Way Treats.

Variations:
You can use any type of candy bar you would like as long as it's fun-sized. I believe my mom has used this recipe and substituted a Reese for a Milky Way. However, Milky Way has always been our favorite!
Thanks, Mom!! Enjoy!

The Terminal:What do I do when I'm in transition?

This past Sunday we had two awesome words from God at Courts of Praise Church! In the morning service, we had the Cole Family minister to us in word and song. Bro. Faron Cole gave us five points on how to thrive in this life and not just survive. In our evening service, Miss Delores Galyon preached a very encouraging and challenging message to those that are in transition. As I was reflecting on these two messages, I realized how closely the two related. I feel so excited and encouraged, because I know God's doing great things, and he's setting us up for even greater things in the near future!

Being in transition is not easy! It can be extremely difficult to wait on the next season in life, a job promotion, a spouse, a child, healing, etc. Oftentimes we feel that the Lord has forgotten us. It seems as if he has left us sitting by the wayside waiting while he's leading others to what we feel should be our blessing. I don't know about you, but when I'm in transition, it seems like everybody I know is receiving the very thing that I'm waiting on. We must beware of these feelings however, because they can be a trick of the enemy to cause us to covet and become impatient. God's timing is perfect, and his ways are not our ways. Instead of becoming jealous of what others are receiving, we must rejoice with them knowing that our time is coming. GOD NEVER BREAKS A PROMISE! If he said it would happen...it will. He never leaves us or pushes us to the side. He wants what's best for us and therefore does everything in due season.

One of Bro. Cole's points that he made was to "work worshipfully." He made the statement that whatever we are doing, we should do our very best at it. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Colossians 3:23 restates this idea and adds, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Everything we do should be done with our very best efforts. What a witness it is in your workplace, home, or church to do your best at every task. When we give something our all, we worship God. He has given us the ability to work for him, and he gives us the opportunities to work for him. We are not only disobeying God when we don't give something our all, but we are not going to receive all the blessings that he wants to give us when we do something half-heartedly. Think about it...if you hire someone to mow your grass and they only do half the yard, are you going to be satisfied with their work? No! What makes the Lord any different?

Another part of working worshipfully found in Ecclesiastes 9:10 is to be looking or searching out ways to work for God. Notice it says "Whatever your hand FINDS to do..." To find something, you must be looking for it. There are way too many complacent Christians who are content with sitting back and letting everyone else do the work. We don't want to be bothered with the work of God, because we have our own agendas we want to see fulfilled. This will not lead to the abundant life that God wants for us if we are not seeking out opportunities to work for him. If you don't know what to do, go to your pastor or a church leader and ask for a job. There is no job too small or insignificant in God's kingdom.

In 2004, there was a movie released starring Tom Hanks called The Terminal. This film was about an immigrant who was detained for a very long amount of time at JKF airport. He could not get into the US because of complications with his passport, and he couldn't go back to his native country because of war. Hanks' character was told to wait in an area called a terminal. While staying in the terminal, Hanks' character sets to work. He finds ways to make money to buy food, plays matchmaker for a catering car driver and a customs officer, and falls in love with a flight attendant. Being in the terminal didn't stop this man from surviving or from helping others. In fact, he used his waiting time at the airport to bring good to many people.
If you are in a time of transition, there is no better thing to do then to continue to work worshipfully. Don't be discouraged in times of transition. Be encouraged as Sis. Delores said. God's taking you somewhere great! Work worshipfully in your transition. In my education classes, they taught us that it is vitally important to not lose any time during transitions. This could be moving from one subject to another, one activity to another, or one class to another. During transitions, an educator could sing a song or have some type of daily routine so that the students don't "check-out." In our spiritual times of transition, the same principles need to be applied. We shouldn't be losing any valuable time waiting. Instead, we need to work worshipfully while we wait. A wonderful pastor's wife said it like this: "Turn your waiting room into a work room." In other words, don't ever stop just because things are changing. Keep working through the change.

As I stated before, transitions aren't easy. Change is usually not enjoyable but is extremely necessary. Regardless of the difficulty, we can't put God's work on hold just because we are waiting on the next step. We need to work through the transition to see God's kingdom grow. "WHATEVER your hand finds to do..." Let's give it everything we've got this week to work worshipfully. The Father is worthy of our best.

Recipe of the Week/Italian Red Potatoes

I love to cook!! I wish I was better at it, and I really wish I did it more often. I found the following recipe the other day and loved it! It was an easy side dish to prepare, and for those counting calories, not too bad on the waistline. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Italian Red-Skin Potatoes

Ingredients:
-2-3 lbs red potatoes (This should be adjusted per family. With just two of us, 2 pounds gave us enough to have for dinner and the next 2 days.)
-1 packet zesty Italian dressing mix
-extra virgin olive oil
-minced onion
-salt/pepper (to taste)
-grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Cube red potatoes with skin left on. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Add packet of zesty Italian dressing mix and stir to coat. Add minced onions for flavor and salt and pepper to taste. Put in single layer on a baking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top and bake another 2-3 minutes.

Nick and I had this for dinner with Italian sausages with sautéed  onions and peppers. It was a very yummy meal! Enjoy!

Power Outage: The Importance of Staying Connected

This past Sunday my husband preached a sermon entitled "Power Outage." This sermon dealt with the issue of staying connected to the "Power Source" which is God and God alone. As he was preaching I was frantically writing down things that stuck out to me, as well as a few thoughts I had resulting from the sermon. Here are a few of those notes:

- It is essential, vital, of utmost importance, top priority, A #1, to stay connected to your Power Source. If we went without food for as often as we went without reading our Bibles or seeking God, how weak would our flesh get? In the same manner, we HAVE to stay connected daily to God. Salvation is not the only experience we should have with the Father. He wants to continually pour into us. He desires to be in a covenant relationship with you and me. I don't know about you, but that excites me!

- Not only are we to stay connected to the Father, but we need to stay connected to fellow Christians. God never ever meant for us to be alone. As Pastor Nick states in many of his sermons and classes, Jesus always sent out his disciples in groups, typically pairs. Why do we need each other? As the old saying goes "there is strength in numbers." In Deuteronomy 32 it says that with God's help one can put 1,000 to flight, but two can put 10,000 to flight. Every service at Courts of Praise Church is like a surge to my spiritual battery. My brothers and sisters not only encourage me, but together we overtake the enemy's territory. My husband has preached a sermon before called "Beware of Loneliness." When you isolate yourself, you are asking for major trouble! The devil preys even more on us when we are lonely.

- My hair dryer has a reset button on it. Sometimes my hair dryer will be plugged in, but will not work because it needs to be reset. Just like a hair dryer, we may be connected but we aren't exuding any power because we need some time to "reset." Whether you've been saved for 4 days or 40 years, we need time to reset ourselves by renewing our covenant with God. Like couples renew their vows to strengthen and refresh their marriage, we must refresh ourselves often with the Lord to make sure our flame for him isn't dying out.

- When there's a problem that needs solving, the best place to start is at the source. I hate losing things! It's one of my biggest pet peeves. When attempting to find the item I have lost, I always try to start back at the place I last remember having it. The same is true for our walk with God. When we find ourselves lost or venturing off the path, we need to go back to the source. We need to remember our soul's first love (Revelation 2: 1-7). When a breaker blows, you go straight to the breaker box - the source - to fix the problem. When we have a problem, we must go to our source - the Father.

My prayer is that we stay connected to the Father this week more than we ever have. Also, get connected somewhere. If you don't attend a church - find one and get connected!! Get involved! We are all responsible for connecting ourselves to the Father and to each other. No one can do it for you. Thanks for reading...

A Pulpit of My Own...

As a pastor's wife, I have the honor of getting to hear my husband preach each Sunday. However, I also often get a "preview" of each sermon before he ever stands behind the pulpit. I am often astounded at the things the Lord speaks through him and love the creative way my husband and staff of Courts of Praise Church bring forth that message each week. Even though I do get those "previews," I am still challenged to do better in my walk with God and left with lots of thoughts after the service has ended. 


The Lord has laid it on my heart to share some of those thoughts. Even though I am not one to get up and speak from behind the pulpit, I am a firm believer that every Christian should use whatever is at hand as a "pulpit." Just because we don't have the title of "pastor" or "evangelist" doesn't excuse us from sharing the gospel with others. We must daily be searching for the opportunities that God places in our path to be an encouragement to someone. Yes, HE DOES THIS DAILY. Somedays those opportunities may be seemingly small and insignificant to us, but to someone else it may mean the choice between life or death. 


My goal in this blog is to be not only an encouragement, but to just have a place to be real about everyday life. Sometimes we get so caught up in our "churchy" conversations that we overlook the simple, everyday things of this great life that God has blessed us with. Anyways, enough rambling for now. Be on the lookout for your "pulpit" today. Thanks for reading!!