by Amy Spear | Jan 4, 2017
I don’t mean to brag, (well ok, maybe just a little) but I have the cutest nephew in the world! And he is going to change the world if he keeps hugging that oh so special present he got this Christmas!
Christmas morning, we woke up rushed to our stockings and Christmas tree and ripped open those long-awaited presents. It takes 10 times as long to shop for and wrap each present as it does to open and play with them, but hey, that’s a part of a mother’s job (and Santa’s)! After quickly opening our presents we rushed to get ready for church. Yep, Christmas was on a Sunday this year, and like many of you we rushed off to our place of worship.
As we sat there in our seats, my 4-year-old little nephew comes and plops down right beside me. Smiling as big as his face would let him, he loudly whispered, “Look at my new Bible Amy! I got it for Christmas!” He was so proud of his new gift that undoubtedly weighed almost as much as he did.
“That is amazing Andrew! Let me see!”
We flipped through the pages for a few minutes to get the full scope of how cool his new gift really was. I couldn’t help but notice how the excitement for his new Bible never wore off through the entire service. He held it right in front of him every time we stood up, he cradled it in his lap when we sat down, and he flipped through the pages when the pastor (his Papa) was preaching.
This sweet little boy made me pause and reflect:
“Lord, help me cherish Your word like that! Remind me of how precious it is to have Your Living Word in my hands, that I can hold it close to my heart and it (You) excite my soul.”
My soul longed for Andrew. For him to fall in love with God’s word, for him to always cherish his new Bible the way he was at the moment, for him to realize what a precious gift he had truly received.
Watch out world! If this 4-year-old does that, he will change this world! He will be a person God could use to speak to a lost generation; he could be a daddy who loves his children and passes God’s word on to them; he could be a lawyer who stands for real truth and justice; he could be a high school kid who stands firm in the wake of trials and temptations; he could be someone who shines the light of Christ in a dark world; he could… be used by God.
Do you want to be used by God this new year? I know I do.
Then may we cherish His Word more this year than we did last year! May we get excited to read and study it! May we show others, as Andrew did, the joy we have found in God’s Holy Word.
May we pursue His Word more in 2017 than we did in 2016, because that is a Worthy Pursuit!
by Ginger Gann | Jan 3, 2017
My Labradoodle – she acts just like a toddler.
I’m not saying she is spoiled. But… let’s just say she has become accustomed to certain expectations being met.
Last year, challenging circumstances prevented us from following our normal life routine. For several months, start and stop times for our daily activities were skewed. We weren’t able to supply this pampered pooch with her normal life “treats”. No morning hide-and-seek, no evening walk, no Frisbee, no Rachel Ray soup bones. Day after day spent completely void of every predictable tail-wagging delight.
One evening coming home late, I received no greeting at the door. Searching the house, I discovered her lying on the floor, head down on paws – looking just pitiful. In the moment my heart whispered “awe… you poor thing”. My head however, couldn’t help but fashion a big ol’ smile.
You see, what she has no way of knowing at the time is –In two short days, she will be face-to-the-wind. Surfing the lake. Posed like Vogue on the bow of a Pontoon. Hiking trails. Hotdogs by campfire. Running with lightening bugs.
The plans we have for her include everything she loves.
Blessings of joy marked on the calendar –which she knows nothing about.
Yet, here she sits –sulking, just like a toddler.
This past year, you may have been accustomed to some “things.”
You may have certain expectations which are far from being met. You may be experiencing circumstances preventing you from enjoying your “normal life routine.” Days, weeks, maybe even months void of anything to wag your tail about. 2016, might have been just a little “skewed.” Okay… a LOT skewed!
You may be tempted to just lay down and look pitiful.
I understand. Especially when expectations have crossed right on over into bitter disappointment –possibly even full blown despair.
Don’t do it! Don’t give up. Lift your head up, my friend. You have no idea what God has penciled in, just for you, on the family calendar! It’s a new day, it’s a new year. Dog days are over. God is working on a new thing!
Watch for it.
Position yourself next to the door of your heart, then wait – expectantly! You won’t be waiting in vain, I promise.
“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation My God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).
Here are some things to do while you wait:
1. See for yourself, in these scripture examples below, just what your God could be up to for your life in 2017.
- Joseph – Genesis 45
- Hadassah – Book of Esther
- Rahab – Joshua 2
- Woman at the well – John 4
- The Widow – 2 Kings 4
2. Begin now to thank God, in advance, for all the good things He has written on your kingdom calendar.
3. Keep a journal – document every tail wagging treat God brings your way in 2017.
This year, resolve to attend a Bible-believing church or doctrinally-sound small group, or join a Sunday school class. Then, share how God turns your sorrow to joy and your weeping to dancing.
Be a head lifter.
Be an encouragement to those around you, who still wait – expectantly!
“This God — His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
by Hannah Hanzel | Dec 28, 2016
Nearly everyone I know has a guilty pleasure. Be it hours of Soap Operas, hoards of chocolate or an undying devotion to Cross Fit, quite possibly every Believer has a habit, object or show they just can’t seem to live without. While I wish my guilty pleasure were more of the latter of my examples, mine consists of watching America’s Next Top Model (ANTM).
I’m not quite sure why I’m drawn to this show so much. It could be the creative and challenging tasks they must complete. It could be the amazing stories that come out of each contestant. It could even be that, deep down, I know I missed my calling as a Cover Girl model.
More than likely, however, I believe I’m drawn to the show because of the drama. Every episode, we see a collision of personalities; a showdown between cat-walkin’, eye-linin’, hair-flippin’ “adult” women. Many times it’s the nice girl versus the mean girl – a fight between good and bad, adding more intrigue.
Much like an episode of ANTM, we see the development of two key hypothetical women in the Bible. One is a kind, knowledgeable, compassionate lady; her name is Wisdom. The second woman is prideful, loud and sneaky; her name is Folly. We see them and their battle best described throughout Proverbs.
First, we meet Wisdom. Her story, as Proverbs 8:23 tells us, began even before men were created. God fashioned her before the world, and she dwelt within each creation that the Lord willed. She delighted in creation and day-by-day became more joyful in God’s presence (Prov. 8:30-31). Wisdom seeks knowledge, reaches for the lost and fears the Lord. She’s a lady through and through.
Then, of course, we have Folly. She has been around, ironically, since a little before the fall of man. She won one of many battles as she convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. She’s been after mankind since the beginning and often times succeeded. Her job is much easier than Wisdom’s, as she strives to get man to cave into himself. She’s a very real force of deception.
As these two women race to become the model of humanity, we examine three key tasks that these women have in common. While the tasks are the same, you’ll find their tactics are rather opposite.
1. They both reach out to the simple-minded. First, we see Folly caressing the ego of the simple-minded in Proverbs 9:16-17. “Come,” She says, “let us see what we can do in secret.” She knows the simple-minded and their shortcomings, because at her core, she is no more than them. She thrives off of the simple-minded person’s foolery. Their downfalls are her drug – her unwavering addiction.
Proverbs 9:4 shows Wisdom calling to the simple-minded. She beckons them to learn and to gain knowledge. Her joy is in releasing chains of ignorance and weaving threads of discernment. She even stands at every city entrance in attempt to collect and instruct the unwise (Prov. 8:2-6), while Folly remains stationary as she traps those walking by (Prov. 9:14-15).
2. They both speak openly. Wisdom speaks openly throughout all of scripture. She calls to every patriarch and matriarch at their times of desperation, decision and crossroad.
With Folly, we see the same thing. We can see where Folly ensnared Abraham to sleep with his wife’s maidservant. We can see where Wisdom instructed Rahab to assist the Hebrew spies.
Folly appears to direct Judas as he betrays the Lord. Wisdom so obviously leads Paul to take up writing. They both speak openly and their results are staggering.
3. They both know God. Wisdom was created and grown by God. She seeks Him and knows Him. Wisdom submits to God as she is a mere tool in His hand.
Folly, likewise, knows God but only as an enemy. She knows, in the end, she will not abide in eternity. She, therefore, takes all she can down with her.
It’s easy to see which woman would be ideal for us as believers to choose as our model for life. Proverbs 1:31 tells us that we will “eat the fruit of our ways.” What are your ways today? Do you place Wisdom or Folly as your model?
I encourage you, as the New Year approaches, to examine your ways; examine who you are in your decisions every day. Search scripture for Wisdom’s advice and steer clear of Folly’s traps.
by Caleb Moore | Dec 15, 2016
Danish philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard once said, “A saint is someone who can will the one thing.” To “will the one thing” means to focus your entire being in one direction. It’s an endless obsession over a single goal or object.
When I was young, I thought being a good Christian meant adding lots of Christian attitudes and actions to my personal list. I needed to read my Bible more, pray more, listen to more Christian music, go to church more, share Jesus more, and the list never seemed to end. I find what Kierkegaard said interesting because it is not about adding more, it’s about narrowing down the list to the bare essentials, knowing that, as long as you are focused on the right thing, all the other essentials tend to fall into place.
We always admire people who have this very specific kind of focus. Olympic athletes don’t get to where they are without having their entire hearts and minds set on their sport. They let so many other things in life fall to the side, and I believe it is getting harder and harder to have that kind of focus.
We can’t even focus on simple tasks anymore like driving without being preoccupied with our phone. Every day on my way to work I see people with one hand on the wheel and one hand on their phone. Besides being illegal and dangerous, texting and driving is a sign that we have become so preoccupied with the little things that we rarely focus on the important things, like not crashing our car.
As I have been trying to study the story of the birth of Christ, it is hard to get past the familiarity of the story and let it humble me way it truly should. This is where the story of the Magi is helpful. We know very little about them. We don’t know if there was three or more, we don’t know exactly where they came from, and we don’t even know their names. But what we do know is they had a single focus.
They followed the star they saw in the sky for days. The star was in the sky for everyone to see, but only those who were paying attention knew of its meaning. Herod showed fake interest in the birth of Jesus, but he couldn’t be bothered enough to make the short journey to Bethlehem while the Magi were willing to travel great distances to welcome the King.
I want that kind of focus. Scripture tells us that the path is narrow and in order to stay on the narrow path we have to have a narrow focus. My prayer for us all is that we desire to “will the one thing” and that Jesus is always the object of our desires.
by Amy Spear | Dec 13, 2016
In the midst of name calling, slamming doors and yelling, my mom would remind me and my sisters that one day we would be best friends. Staring angrily at each other’s eyes while sticking our tongues out when mom turned her back, as if to say, “Yeah, right! As if!”
But guess what? Mom was right! My sisters are my best friends and I would do absolutely anything for each of them! (I have three!) We experienced life together; we were a part of each milestone in life together, and we can truly be ourselves with each other.
As I went to college, God saw fit to continue to surround me with amazing women. He placed a group of friends in my life whom, once again I got to share life with. We lived in the same sorority house for four years and spent countless hours talking, laughing, studying, watching that oh-so-drama-filled TV show, and did I mention, studying?!
Never again will I be able to live with my three sisters or my group of college friends. Never again will I be able to spend that much time with someone other than my children and husband.
As I sat and did my quiet time recently, God reminded me that my friendships were so close and meaningful with my sisters and friends because of all the time I spent with each one of them. Time talking with them, getting to know them, asking deep and meaningful questions, getting to know their personalities, what makes them tick, what is most important to them, what their pet peeves were.
In God’s sweet subtle way, He reminded me of the time He longs to spend with me.
How He waits during that allotted time we have together. Whether I show up or not, He is there waiting for me. My burning desire is to know Him more and more, but how can I do that if I don’t spend time in prayer and in the Word? If I want to know more about who He is, to know the deep things of His word, to ask meaningful questions that I long to have answers for, to know more of His personality, to know what makes Him tick, I must be willing to set aside some time! Time is what makes deep meaningful relationships.
How much time are you giving God? I know, I know, we are so busy! Trying to figure out how to give God time seems to be a problem. I’m being serious! I have a hard time trying to fit my quiet time in with Him every day! Other things seem to press in and the call of the urgent over shadows the call of the Patient One.
Yet, it’s not a problem for God to give us time. He waits for us every day.
As we rush around getting our to-do lists done, He waits. As we spend time with others, He waits. As we watch our favorite show, He waits. As we ……., He waits.
Let’s vow to not make Him wait anymore! Let’s answer His call, the God of the Universe who sent His son to die on a cross for you and for me, and spend time with Him today!
Father, forgive me for all the times I have made you wait. I long to know you more. I long to have a deeper relationship with you. Time seems to be my enemy most days. Help me to prioritize You first Lord and everything else will fall into place. Thank you for calling to me. Today, I answer Your call.
by Amy Spear | Dec 6, 2016
My heart jumped as the little boy stood on a lightweight flimsy table.
“Jump!” said his daddy. “I will catch you. I promise.”
The mother in me wanted to yell, “No! Don’t do that on this concrete floor! He will bust his head open!”
But since they were complete strangers I thought it best to keep my mouth shut. Surely the daddy will catch him, right?
Stomp, stomp, stomp went his little feet as he worked his way to the edge of the table then….
Leaping into the air, a silence hung as a tried to watch without showing the disapproving emotion on my face that my heart was feeling.
“Yay! You did it!” exclaimed daddy with laughter and hugs.
Whew! Now I can breathe again.
As the landing ended in celebration, it seemed so silly for me to doubt that daddy’s love for his child. Once I saw that little guy wrapped in his arms with love and tenderness all my mothering worries disappeared.
Sometimes our Heavenly Father sets us on uncertain ground, and our footing wobbles back and forth. In that moment, our first reaction is to doubt. Will He really catch me before I fall? Does He know what’s best for me? This doesn’t look very safe! Trusting Him to catch us after we leap feels like the biggest trust exercise!
The thing I can’t get over is the excitement in which that little boy ran, right into the arms of his daddy. The one he trusts, the one who has always caught him, it must have been a game that had played a thousand times. He knew his daddy would catch him, so he just ran. He soared in the air with delight and joy, and when he landed in his daddy’s lap, they rejoiced!
Could we dare to fly into the arms of our Father? Could we be so bold as to run to the uncertainty and enjoy the ride, so when we land, we can rejoice and celebrate with our Daddy? Could we run because we know He will catch us like we have done a thousand times? Could we be so brave?
My prayer today is that we learn to soar. We trust the One who has always caught us. Not only do we take that leap of faith, but we enjoy the ride along the way, and then we celebrate when we land in the loving arms of our Father!
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa. 40:31).
