Encouraging.com

Obedience

Yesterday, we marveled at Abraham’s trust and immediate obedience when God commanded him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Today, let’s study, as Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story.”

On the way up the mountain, Isaac asked his father about the absence of the lamb for the offering. Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” (Gen. 22:8).

Mar 5

Mar 5 The God Who Tests

Faith/Trust

Abraham was living a mountaintop experience. God had given him peace in his home (Hagar and Ishmael moved away).He had provided peace in the land (covenant with Abimelech regarding a well), and had fulfilled the promise of giving him an heir. But then scripture says, God tested Abraham (Genesis 22:1a).

Mar 4

Mar 4 The God Who Hears

I wrote “no” on the slip of paper, folded it up, and handed it to Mrs. Byerly. Our cheerleader sponsor asked if we wanted to compete in the upcoming season.

Tears pricked my eyes as she read the answers from the folded pieces of paper. We were going.

Mar 3

Mar 3 The God Who Sees

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Many of my students pick invisibility, saying it is “the ultimate” to exist without others knowing. While I smile at their answers, I remember feeling invisible on more than one occasion, and it isn’t an enjoyable feeling.

Mar 2

Mar 2 God’s Timing

Strife and frustration describe my state of mind the year we tried to move to Lindale. We lived in Chandler. I taught in Lindale and had after school commitments in Tyler. This meant 30 minutes to work, 30 to activities, and 30 back home. My heart’s desire was for more family time in the evenings.

Feb 28

Feb 28 The One Thing

Serving

My daughter pulled a tangled mass of necklaces from her jewelry box. The intertwined chains resisted her attempts to untangle them. Not to be defeated, my daughter retrieved some wire cutters and began snipping some of the chains. She chose the necklaces she really wanted and cut away the ones that were less important to her. As she cut and extracted, the valued chains remained intact.

Feb 27

Feb 27 It's Just a Little

An idea - that’s how it all began.

A friend wanted to bring a little cheer into the lives of girls at a local temporary shelter. She took them to the park, played games and just had fun hanging out with them. Some of her friends joined her and a weekly Bible study began with the girls. A church class jumped on board and an activity night was added. Fast forward to today. In a few months a more permanent home for girls like these will open, providing much needed stability and love.

Feb 26

Feb 26 The Master Gardener

Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

I am a wannabe gardener. I love all kinds of plants, flowers and trees. However, gardening doesn’t come naturally to me. I am so excited when something grows that I can’t stand the thought of cutting it back.

Feb 25

Feb 25 A Multiplication Lesson

Faith/Trust, Obedience

Yesterday, a sweet friend presented me with a lovely figurine of a little hummingbird drinking from the throat of a tiny orange trumpet flower. I was transported back to a time several years before.

Feb 24

Feb 24 A Birdseye View

I gazed at the magnificent creature before me. Huge talons, sharp, curved beak, the characteristic white head. I have seen bald eagles in the zoo but not out in the open and certainly not a few feet away.

Feb 21

Feb 21 Shoes Just Her Size

Encouragement, God's Character, Love

Eme had outgrown her dance shoes. But it was just two weeks before her recital and the end of the season.

And really, Eme only needed one shoe. She has one foot larger than the other. They buy shoes to fit the larger foot. Unfortunately, the larger foot was growing quickly.

Feb 20

Feb 20 Walk with the Wise

I remember getting some parenting advice as a newlywed — four years before we would have children.

We talked with a Christian family raising five kids. After praying and reading many parenting books, they decided to do church differently from their friends.

Feb 19

Feb 19 One Glove for One Arm

Giving, Spiritual Growth

As my friend got ready for her garage sale, she found one lonely ski glove.

Who needs one ski glove? She thought and almost threw it away. After all, it’s highly unlikely that someone with one arm would ski.

Feb 18

Feb 18 Can You Point Others to God in 10 Seconds?

As the mom of two boys, I’ve learned to love Major League Baseball games.

But not for the reason you might think.

I love going to games to hear the walk-up music. I call it batting music because a short clip of the song plays as the batter walks up to the plate.

Feb 17

Feb 17 Three Lessons from Joseph

We teach third-grade Sunday School each week, and we’ve been studying Joseph’s life. These Bible stories aren’t new. Yet I’m amazed at how practical they are for us today — no matter our location or stage of life.

Feb 14

Feb 14 Trusting

Julie Smith

Faith/Trust

I play a little game with my son where I ask him how much I love him. He replies in numbers. The joke is that he usually says, “zero” or “one.” Then I correct him with the craziest number I can make up, which is undoubtedly unscientific, followed by tickles and laughter. There is no number that can express quantitatively how much I love my children. Though we play silly games, my son knows that I love him. He believes it. He trusts me, he trusts in my unfailing love.

Feb 13

Feb 13 Waiting

Julie Smith

God's Character

Have you seen all the hype about the releases of new phones, video games, etc.? People guess about release dates, and news is made when information about the product is leaked. People line up, maybe even camp out for days, to get the latest and greatest.

Feb 12

Feb 12 Falling

Julie Smith