Ladies, the trials of this life are temporary, but the JOY of eternity is forever. Revelation 21:4 promises, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” When we focus on the eternal joy that awaits us, we can endure anything with a smile.
Read MoreJust as God commanded the Israelites to fear Him and not any other gods, Christians should purge their lives of both internal and external influences that would seek to steal their worship, obedience, and reverence that belongs to Him alone.
Read MoreAs we know, true Joy is not seasonal or situational. It doesn’t arrive with the lighting of the tree or Amazon Prime and then somehow disappears like the last Christmas cookie.
Read MoreGod’s Word has placed in my mind this beautiful picture of my Heavenly Father always standing at my right side with his left hand opened and waiting for me to take hold in absolute trust and confidence while He battles for me with the might of His right hand.
Read MoreSeveral years ago, Bro. Dan Martin made a statement that has stayed with me to this day. He said, “What if we woke up tomorrow with only the things we were thankful for today?”
Read More Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others!
Others, Lord, yes others—
Let this my motto be
Help me to live for others
That I may live like Thee.
Read MorePsalm 84 is a psalm of longing for the presence of God and the blessings that come from dwelling in His house. Within these verses, we find a powerful metaphor about making wells in dry places—a calling for us to create life-sustaining resources not just for ourselves, but for those coming behind us. Today, we will explore how we can live in such a way that we leave spiritual “wells” for others.
Read MoreFirst, we have the peel. This will represent our lives. Each peel is bright and beautiful. Every lemon has a peel. Just like we all will face trials. Notice James did not say IF you fall into diverse temptations, he said When you do. We need to remember that each person we pass or are around is facing something no matter what the outward appearance portrays.
Read MoreHave you ever looked at your hands and wondered what impact they could make in the world? Not just when they hold a baby, stir the soup, or wipe a tear, but when they are folded in prayer.
Read MoreThink of someone who “says all the right things” but lives a very different life behind closed doors. We all know or know of someone like that. Or maybe more than one "someone's".
Read MoreIn May of 2021 my husband, Jesse, was very sick and eventually was hospitalized. After many tears, much prayer and fasting, God’s will was for Jesse was to leave this world and enter Heaven on June 1, 2021. As the days went on after Jesse’s death I found myself getting angry with God because things did not go the way that I wanted.
Read MoreHave you ever bitten into a lemon expecting something sweet? The sour shock wakes up your taste buds! Lemons can be intense, but they are also refreshing, and full of nutrients.
Read MoreRecently, I was reminded of Philippians 4:8...again. It's not like I don't know what I'm supposed to think about and avoid thinking about, but here we are...again. I have a very active imagination and often find myself imagining in great detail negative scenarios that COULD become reality but have not.
Read MoreAs a young girl I loved sour things. Rhubarb, green apples, dill pickles, gooseberries, black raspberries and cherries, but I especially loved to eat lemons. My parents had a fit claiming that I would get sick or get a belly ache from all of those sour things. Eating them in abundance never seemed to bother me, and no doubt they were more nutritious than the typical diet of today.
Read MoreHave you ever been disappointed when you volunteered for an event or production, and you imagined yourself playing a significant role, only to find out that you were assigned to help clean the toilets and take out the trash? It is so easy to build imaginations and expectations of how our lives will be, and the type of role we will play. Often, those thoughts include God using our lives in ways we view as important and valued by others in our circles.
Read MoreObeying means doing what someone says. It’s about actions.
We teach kids to obey quickly, completely, and with a good attitude. But the focus is on the doing.
You can obey without honoring.
Read MoreOne of the biggest reasons we miss His plan is simple: we move without prayer. Proverbs 3:5-6 urges us, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” But how often have we rushed into jobs, relationships,
Read MoreAs we were traveling back from a Youth Conference in Tennessee, I looked out my window and saw a sign posted on a tree that said, “Don’t forget Jesus.” When I saw that sign, I thought to myself how many times do I forget about Jesus. Jeremiah 2:32 says, “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire?
Read More“Make lemonade!” That’s cute… And a great go to saying.. but what if God doesn’t want lemonade? What if He wants lemon meringue pie?
Life isn’t always sweet. Sometimes it’s sour. And confusing.
As teens, you are constantly being asked:
“What’s your plan?”
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