Facing some dark days in my own life, I felt that God was speaking to me through that verse. Life can be like Holy Week yearlong-we must go through some dark Fridays and silent Saturdays to get to the beauty of a Sunday’s sunrise. But throughout it all, we can sing praises to Him.
Facing a dark season in my life made me think of those bugs. Even though they were trapped, they continued to let their light shine. They didn’t panic because they were still getting air from the holes in the lid of the jar.
When you're faced with a decision, what guides your response? Do you act based on emotion in the moment, or do you pause, pray, and thoughtfully consider your options? And when you sin—what’s your first reaction? Do you blame, ignore, make excuses, or repent?
That’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do. This is our assignment as His followers: to join Him in bringing healing and restoration to a world fractured by sin. When sin entered the garden, our perfect relationship with God was broken. But God sent Jesus to repair that relationship, and now we are called to reflect His image, to share the story of salvation, and to bring hope to the lost and hurting.
Sometimes, He calls us to a role for just a season. Other times, the assignment lasts for years, even a lifetime. When I was actively serving and encouraging women in vocational ministry—walking alongside women’s leaders while living life, parenting, church, and community—I came to realize that discipling and leading women wasn’t just something I did. It was a deep calling. And it still is.
The Bible warns us we have a spiritual enemy lurking too. And like the snakeskin, we can see warnings. Those might include conviction, a scripture that stands out, or a friend’s concern.
Are you spending time in God’s presence through prayer and worship? Are you being nourished through fellowship with other believers? How are you multiplying God’s kingdom by discipling others?
Faith works like tendrils, connecting us to Jesus, our trellis. When God draws us to Christ, faith coils around Him like a tendril finding its support. Connected to Jesus, we naturally produce fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, and patience.
Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that our hearts are deceitful. We can rationalize our hidden sin. We can overlook our blind spots. We can deceive ourselves into thinking we don’t need a Savior.
So much joy occurs in watching your baby take the first step! It is so exciting! Picture grandparents crowding around with the camera ready. Mommy, behind the baby, holding her up. Daddy, with outstretched arms, inviting his baby to walk toward him, encouraging her to take that first step… and each one after that!
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Do you detect the urgency and excitement in these questions? If someone said that to me, I would want to know more. What information might the person have that I did not? I would definitely listen to what was said next.
By the end of May the Covid threat was lessening, so when aunt ‘Chelle called to recruit blueberry pickers, grandson #3 and I jumped at the chance. It was a gorgeous day. Didn’t matter that we had to drive twenty minutes. Didn’t matter that they had to take our temperature. We were free, our masks were off, and the blueberries were plentiful. Armed with the secret to efficiency—attach your pail to your belt so you can use both hands—we found a row to ourselves.
How many of you can relate to the feelings of the disciples in our passage? Have you ever been caught in a storm in your life? Have you had a time when your problem seemed too big and your faith was too small? Have you ever felt threatened by the storm and its uncertainty?
My girls love to eat blueberries. Once we get our delicious batch of this fruit we are to wash and look through them to pick out all the shriveled up blueberries. Sometimes there are bad blueberries mixed in with the good ones. The bad blueberries get tossed and the juicy and plump ones get to be enjoyed as a wonderful snack or dessert for the whole family to share.
What lesson can we learn from Satan's fall? First, we need to be alert and guard ourselves against our own pride. Satan and his demons love to see prideful Christians. Our testimony is damaged and we are hurt in the long run.
Paul encourages me day by day… to go through my life, focusing on my relationship with the Lord and the supernatural power of God’s presence within. This is the treasure! My strength will be renewed by His Holy Spirit. I am to trust Him to fill me with His amazing love, strength, and peace. He will help me live the worthy and called life.
I have learned there is a difference in knowing God’s truth in my head versus accepting God’s truth in my heart. When God’s truth moves beyond my head, fills my heart and touches my soul – at this point – I change and become more like Jesus. God’s truth becomes such a part of me, that obedience follows my heart change.
