Yielding to Yes

Ecclesiastes 11:4

Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.  If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

Sometimes, it’s just as important for a Christ follower to say ‘Yes, as it is to say ‘No’.  God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, as well as knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore.    I Kings 3:12 says that God told him that He would give him a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have.  So, when the person with those traits speaks advice, we should listen. 

Here, Solomon is telling us that waiting for things to be perfect will result in you doing nothing, because things will never be perfect.  Some folks have a tendency to “watch every cloud” when making a decision, therefore ending up missing the opportunity that presented itself.  Others may make a quick analysis and decision.  Which end of the spectrum are you on, or are you wisely planted in the middle?  I find it interesting that when speaking with married couples, it almost always seems that one of them is a cloud watcher, and the other is one to make quick analyses and decisions, which tends to strike a good balance in their relationship.

My family is currently in a transitional period.  I have a son who is away at college, and I have a daughter who is a senior in high school.  My husband recently accepted a job 7 hours away from our home.  We have moved several times.  In fact, my friend, Shawna tells me that I owe her another “M” page in her address book because she filled hers up changing my address so many times.  When my husband and I made the decision to accept his job here 5 years ago, we determined that we would not move our kids again until they finished high school.  So, over a year ago when murmurings started happening about this new position opening up, we stayed firm in that decision.

I prayed and thanked God for the opportunity that was being presented to my husband, but I also asked Him to delay the start date until my daughter graduated from high school.  Running down a list of why the date should be postponed, and reasoning out the logical thinking that I had going on in my head.  Wow! That’s bold, huh?  Telling God WHY He should do something.  Well, guess what?  He didn’t listen to me.

 He did, however, provide a peace in my heart and as the time approached and things became official, I actually had a sense of security about the whole thing.  After all, with every move we have made, I have met some amazing people that have blessed and enriched my life in immeasurable ways.  Why wouldn’t I trust Him to take care of this situation?  I had no reason except my prideful ways of thinking that I knew best.

To no surprise, I have already been proven wrong.  We, luckily, get to see my husband frequently as he is traveling back and forth a lot, but in the time that he has been away, about 50% of that time has been spent somewhere else: doing research, in meetings, etc. preparing for next year.  Let me sum up what that would have looked like if God had done this on my timeline.  45 year old woman whose youngest child just went away to college is in a new town, with no established relationships other than her husband who is out of town 50% of the time.  That, my friends, would have been a recipe for disaster.  Instead, while he is transitioning and prepping for next year, I get to be surrounded by familiarity and enjoy my daughter’s senior year with her.

He knows best!  If we truly believe that God has our backs, then we should have a spirit of adventure and a willingness to try things when we feel we are supposed to.  God doesn’t provide a spirit of fear.  He provides a spirit of power, and love.  If there is something you feel called to do, or if there is a major decision looming on your horizon, trust Him and if He is telling you to go for it. Then…GO FOR IT!!  Ask God for wisdom.  He loves a humble heart.

We might be at a place in life where we are in this position, and we might be at a place where we are watching our adult children find their “pace” in decision making.  Share your experiences with people and let them know how faithful God has been to you.  What are you waiting for?  Yield your pride to Him, let Him guide you and honor Him by saying “Yes”.

 

Passages to Ponder:

2 Timothy 1:7- For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

I Kings 3:10- The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.

Job 12:13- But true wisdom and power are found in God;  counsel and understanding are His.

 

Contributors:  Karen Bromby and Kim McClure





A Foundation of Faith

Matthew 19:5

And He said, "This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."

I saw the picture above on Pinterest and it really spoke to me.  We, parents, always hear that our children are watching and learning.  When those children get to be teenagers and young adults, what have they learned about marriage by observing us?  It’s a scary thought.  When it's time to choose a spouse, it's one of the most important decisions they will make.  It not only affects their future, but the future of our families as well.

When discussing this topic, we discovered that many of us had grandparents who prayed consistently for us in this area.  I remember my grandmother telling me that she was praying about that, and at the time I didn’t think much of it, but I am so thankful for it now.  Today, I pray about this daily for my children.  It is important for them to know that God does care about this, and while they might be like the young me and not think much of it, hopefully they will be thankful one day too.  We wish we could just protect our children from making poor decisions to avoid the pain that comes with the consequences, but we can’t. So, we have to do what we are called to do which is to pray unceasingly for them, and set an example through our own marriages.  We have no idea what lies before us.  It could be sickness, job loss, moving, etc.  Our kids notice how we handle these situations and where we find our strength. 

Marriage can be a beautiful union when both people share the same faith in God.  This is important so that when issues come up, both people take them to the Lord to be resolved instead of getting advice from the world.  Unfortunately, in our current society, the corruption of the family unit, starting with the marriage is so twisted and tossed around in the public eye that we are constantly bombarded with news of infidelity among celebrities.  If someone better comes along, and catches your eye, divorce is considered “doable” if you have the support of your friends and family.  Hold up and wait a minute!  Your family and friends are NOT in your marriage unless you’ve let them in by complaining and gossiping about flaws, mistakes, and bad habits.  These actions do not reflect leaving your parents and clinging to your significant other.   

What can we do?

·         Stress the importance of sharing the same beliefs and of respecting people.  Let them know that you can’t change people.  God can, but the person has to be willing to be changed.

·         Pray for the protection of our own marriages daily, asking God to help us love unconditionally and selflessly.

·         Make sure your actions toward your husband- both privately and publicly are respectful and loving.

·         Let your children know that your priorities are: God first, marriage second, kids next.

Keep the lines of communication open with your kids about their relationships.  Be honest with them and share your experiences. They might not “hear it” but they are listening.  Pray that you find the right words to say and even though they might bring home a few “toads” along the way, ask God to protect their hearts, their purity, and their character until He reveals the one that He has chosen for them. 

Passages to Ponder:

2 Corinthians 6:14- Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers.  How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10- Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.  But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

Jams 5:16- Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

 

Contributors: Monica Brown, Kathy Derda, Jodi Dunbar, Kim McClure and Kristy Tolley







Let Your Life Be A Light

Hebrews 10:24

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

 

 

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel sad or discouraged?  We all have.  Now, think about what made you come out of that feeling.  It's very likely that your mood was lightened because someone said a kind word to you, or took the time to see how they could help you and followed through with it.  We, as Christ followers, are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  We should be encouragers.  When we encourage others, we are speaking words of love.  We are allowing ourselves to be used by God for His purpose in the world.

The world needs to see and hear love through the actions and words of Christians.    Paul says in Hebrews that this is a way to grow in faith and live in obedience to God.  While doing good works is not required for salvation, helping others is a good witness.  When we motivate each other to do good things, not only are we encouraging the person to whom we are speaking, but we are also encouraging them to continue the good that they are doing.  We will never know how far doing something good for someone will affect other things in the world.    I’ve seen people post many times on Facebook about the person ahead of them in line paying for their coffee and that prompted them to do the same for the person behind them.  That is such a simple act that means a lot to someone, because it’s an unexpected kindness, a bright light in what might otherwise be a really dark day.  It’s like The Butterfly Effect, which is the idea that even the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can affect a series of actions that could have cosmic effects.

It’s important to build relationships with people.  Dr. Paul Brand points out that every cell in the body has a specific job, in interdependence with every other cell.  The only cells which insist on being independent and autonomous are cancer cells.   Look for opportunities to encourage others even with the smallest things.  Telling someone that they did a great job or asking how their day was might just totally turn around someone’s outlook on life. Small acts of kindness, like a word of encouragement can go a long way in the lives of others.  Most people just need to know that someone cares and is on their side.

You might be thinking “I can’t do that. I can’t put myself out there and show that I care.”  Well, just think of Moses and David and Paul in the Bible.  Many of the greatest things that occurred in the Bible were done by the most unlikely people, or people who didn’t think they were capable of fulfilling what they were asked to do.

 How do we know when we are being asked?  We don’t audibly hear the voice of God as they did in the Old Testament.  Have you ever seen a situation and a thought comes to your head to help in some way, and your heart starts to beat really fast?  That could be the Holy Spirit prompting you to act, to reach out and build a relationship by helping.  Our contributor Kristy shares that she tries to operate under the assumption that whatever kind word or deed she can give to someone might be the only bright spot in their day.  She has followed through with the Holy Spirit’s prompting to call someone to just say, “Hey!”, and to let them know she was thinking about them, and they have said that it made a difference.  That spurs her to keep her ears and eyes open for other opportunities.

So come on!  What do you have to lose?  Smile at someone, ask them how they are and listen to their response!  Decide to participate in an activity that will help others and invite people along to join you.  Choose to be positive and reflect the light of Christ through your words and actions.  You never know who will be impacted…but God does.  Allow Him to use you today!

Passages to Ponder:

Philippians 4:8- And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable,  and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

I Thessalonians 5:11- So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

 

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Tammy Holtzapfel, Jamie Leary, Kim McClure, Marla McDonald and Kristy Tolley

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Be Brave and Simply Believe

Mark 10:15

I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.

 

Research from Samaritan’s Purse shows that 64% of Christians accept Christ before age 18.  The majority accept Christ as a child.  Jesus points out how important children are to Him repeatedly.  Children aren’t afraid to ask for what they want.  They do so without any pretense, and they believe they’re going to get it because they have confidence that their every need is going to be met.

Jesus is giving us a clue in this verse not to let the world destroy our faith.  We tend to let rules and religion get in the way of having faith like a child.  When we allow, fear and worry to take over, that is an act of pride. It’s like saying, “Hey, God, I got this one.  You sit back.”  In contrast, God wants us to cast our cares on Him as an act of humility, understanding that He is in control.  It is only as we become adults that we lose the ability to believe like a child.  What happens:

·         Do we become too educated to believe the unseen?

·         Do we become too sophisticated to embrace the miraculous?

·         Do we become too hardened to love?

·         Do we become too scared to hope?

·         Do we become too sinful to acknowledge grace?

·         Do we become too worldly to accept free gifts?

 

Let’s look at Mark 5:25-34. Note the faith of this woman and Jesus' response to her.

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.  She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better.  In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind Him through the crowd and touched His robe.  For she thought to herself,” If I can just touch the hem of His robe, I will be healed.”  Immediately, the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.  Jesus realized at one that healing power had gone out of Him, so He turned around in the crowd and asked ,” Who touched my robe?”  His disciples said to Him, ‘Look at this crowd pressing around You.  How can you ask, “Who touched me?”   But He kept on looking to see who had done it.  Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of Him and told Him what she had done.  And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace.  Your suffering is over.”

This woman knew that if she could just touch the hem of His robe that she would be healed.  She had to be brave enough to fight through the crowd to get near Him, and she had to be brave enough to speak up when Jesus asked who had touched Him.  She did it!  She simply believed that He would heal her, so she took that risk, and what was His response?  He wasn’t bothered or annoyed.  He was pleased with her and told her that she was healed because of her FAITH.  She simply believed!

I encourage you to:

Trust-  What’s the worst thing that can happen if we just trust that God will do what He says?  Children believe what their fathers tell them.  They don’t argue with him or try to prove him wrong.  We should be the same way with God.  He is our Father.  Believe!

Praise-  Children love their parents and praise them without even thinking about it.  God deserves our praise in every circumstance because He knows the end of the story.  Believe!

Explore-Remember being unafraid when you were a child?  Kids see new experiences as adventures.  Be brave and take a new journey with Him.  Believe!

Forgive-How many children do you know that hold grudges?  Read books, see counselors, join support groups, cry..whatever it takes to loosen the bondage of a grudge.  Ask God to help you let go of the pain.  Believe!

Ask-    Pour out your heart’s desire to God.  Do it over and over and over.  We let the adult in us rationalize ourselves out of coming to our Father because we think that what we want to pray about isn’t as important as so many other prayers going up for other things such as cancer, or job loss or any other number of things.  The truth is if it matters to you, it matters to God.  He cares about every little thing that you care about.  Don’t let someone tell you that what you’re praying about isn’t important and it will just all work out.  He cares!  Believe! 

Passages to Ponder:

Matthew 7:7-8 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Psalm 116:6- The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death and He saved me.

Mark 9:23- “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?”, Jesus asked.  “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

 

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Kathy Derda, Kim McClure and Kristy Tolley

 

 

Me? Selfish? You Must Be Mistaken

 

I Corinthians 13:5

Love is not rude.  It does not demand its own way. 

 It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

 

 Can you imagine this world without love? This verse is in a passage that is read at many weddings.  This kind of love is not only helpful for marriages, but in every relationship.   The Greek word for this kind of love indicates a selfless concern for the welfare of others, not because they are easy to love, but because we are called to love people out of obedience to God no matter how unlovable and selfish they may be.

 Selfish people are rude, they demand their own way, they are irritable, and they don’t forgive easily, because their world is centered on themselves.

·         Have you ever been busy doing something and someone interrupts you?  I have, and my response has been rude. I have cut that person short or said something hurtful just because I want to get back to what is important to me at that time.

·         Do you have someone in your life that chooses to do things their own way even though it doesn’t match up with the way you would do them?  I do.  Even though, I’m sure my way is best, and I can’t understand why anyone doesn’t want to do it the way I do, I can’t demand things to be done my way all the time in a healthy relationship.

·         Do you have someone in your life that doesn’t live up to your expectations?  I do, and it makes me irritable.  I have also been the person in someone’s life that doesn’t live up to expectations. I know the pain that causes. I need to remember that perfection only exists in God.  I can’t be perfect, nor can anybody else.

·         Have you ever been betrayed or hurt by someone you trusted?  I have, and it’s hard to forget about.  Harsh words are going to be said in any relationship.  God wants us to forgive any words or actions done against us, and move on leaving the past in the past. 

 

I don’t think of myself as a selfish person, but if I measure myself against this verse, I seem to fit the characteristics at one time or another in my life.  While I might find it hard to love someone who exhibits these traits to me, I am called to love like God does and He loves me unconditionally… even when I am being a selfish brat.

I need to get over myself sometimes, do you? The world wants love to feel good, and if that means sacrificing morals or the feelings of other people, then so be it.  That’s not how God wants us to love.  We have to be selfless.  Love is not only a feeling, but it is a choice.  I need to choose to:

·         Treat others with kindness, even when they’re rude to me.

·         Compromise with people, and refuse to pout during the process.

·         Stop nagging when people don’t do things the way I want them to.

·         Stop bringing up past mistakes 

Today, I am going to praise God that He loves me no matter how unlovable I am, and ask Him to help me love others the way He loves me. That’s a tall order, because I am human, self-centered and weak, but I’m going to try…really I am.  

Passages to Ponder:

I John 4:12 No one has ever seen God.  But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.

Philippians 2:3-4 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

James 3:15- For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.  Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

 

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Kathy Derda, and Kim McClure

 

 

 





Watching Our Words

James 1:26- If you claim to be religious, but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

Babies come into this world totally innocent.  Parents get excited when the first milestones are reached, and a big deal is made when a baby says their first word.  Then before you know it we are saying “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” to them.   Where did these innocent babies and kids hear the “not nice” words they are using? It could be the tv, but most likely it’s from us.  Words are powerful.  They can build people up or tear them down, and we can turn people on to God with our words, or completely turn them off.     

Have you ever seen the look on someone’s face when your words hurt their feelings?  Even in the closest relationships where we encourage and pour positivity into people, one statement that is hurtful can tear down the good things that have been built up.  We lose our patience with ones we love due to their behavior and our expectations, then words are said that can’t be taken back. We might find ourselves saying, “Did I just say that out loud? Yikes!”.   It’s important to make sure that we take the time to be humble and apologize when we see that we’ve hurt someone that we love. 

Gossip is worthless.  Gossiping means sharing information with the intent to harm or embarrass someone.  The line between sharing information out of concern, and sharing it out of gossip is a fine one, and sometimes it is easily crossed.   God gave us all free will and the ability to judge what we should or shouldn’t be a part of. This measure of judgment can be nothing but the Word of God.  The tricky part is listening to the Spirit when He is trying to tell us “Ssshhh!!”.  Self-control is a fruit of the spirit.  Our amount of self-control is a way we can measure our growth in Christ.  By exercising self-control, we proclaim who we belong to.

Beth Moore said, “The key to self-control is the refusal to allow our enemies (the flesh, the world, or Satan) to rule or hold us captive in any way.  Christ has given us victory over our flesh, our world, and our accuser.  They cannot presume authority over us.”  Whatever is in your heart flows from your mouth.  Just like a lion pursues its prey, we must pursue godly speech.  It doesn’t just happen.  How can you live this victory?

·         Feed your spirit with the word of God

o   Read your Bible. When Satan tempted Christ in the desert, Christ resisted by using the Scriptures.

o    Participate in a Bible study

o   Discuss your thoughts with people who share your faith. 

·         Pray as we move about in your day

o    Prayer isn’t a formal ritual, it is a conversation between you and God. He is ALWAYS listening, and available.

o    If you’d like to grow in this area, go to the page on the blog titled A Praying Life  book study, click on the eventbrite link and join us as we learn and grow together.

·         Keep  your thoughts captive

o   Think before you speak.

o    Ask God to help you capture any words that may be harmful and keep them in.  This takes practice and self-control.

Guess what? We are still going to fail.  We are human.  The beautiful thing is that Christ experienced every temptation that we have, and He is able to sympathize with us.  God loves me! God loves you!  He knows we won’t be perfect, He knows what I said that was hurtful and worthless..and He still loves me.  Focus on His words of love and His perfect and unending grace for messed up people like me (and you too).  He can lift the weight of our words from our shoulders and let us start over through His forgiveness and grace. 

Passages to Ponder:

Romans 7:18-19 “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing.

Psalm 19:14- May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer

Luke 6:45- A good person produces good things from the treasure of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.  What you say flows from what is in your heart.

 

Contributors: Karen Bromby, Jodi Dunbar, Jamie Leary, Kim McClure, Marla McDonald and Kristy Tolley

 

 

 

 



Hurdles

Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Life is full of obstacles.  We can be happily strolling down the road of normalcy, when all of a sudden a hurdle appears.  What are you going to do? Gather strength and jump over it, or just sit there and hope it will disappear? We don’t know what the future holds for any of us, and what we consider normal can change in the blink of an eye.  God wants us to come to Him instead of being scared and discouraged.  We can only see that hurdle from our viewpoint.  God sees the whole thing from every angle, and from beginning to end.  Understanding the heart of who God is will make relinquishing control to Him much easier.  Giving it up to Him will require faith.

God will allow those hurdles to be put in our paths because just as our bodies need exercise to remain strong, so does our faith.  We have to use it to make it grow stronger.  It’s only in the most difficult times that we are challenged to put our faith into action.  He is able! He is good! He will hold you up! Read these testimonies about dealing with a chronic illness, unexpected changes, and trusting as a parent to help build your faith.

Dealing with a Chronic Illness

Chronic and unpredictable illness, since 2008, has truly tested my faith and continues to do so.  There are days (and weeks) that I could drop into the abyss of discouragement and never again rise up.  Things like:

·         Sending my family on our annual beach trip without me

·         Staying home instead of attending a 50^th birthday celebration

·         Watching our small group Bible study disintegrate partially due to my unreliability

·         Cancelling, yet again, on friends for dinner

·         Missing church for the 7^th week in a row

·         Turning down incredible jobs one after the other

·         Having yet another procedure/test prove nothing

·         Hearing the 8^th doctor say, “I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do for you.”

Discouraging doesn’t even begin to cover it.  I could easily slip into the fear that I will be like this for the rest of my life…BUT God hold me up with His victorious right hand! He strengthens me and helps me every single day.  Through His presence, His word, and His people, He lifts me up and gives me faith that this isn’t the end of my story.  He is my portion and He sustains me.  I fear not!- Karen

I have pleaded with the Lord to take me home or take away the relentless pain.  I have felt like a drain and a burden on my family even though they have done nothing but love me unconditionally.  It is limiting in so many ways.  It requires using a pencil, not a pen, when writing in your planner. It changes your perspective.  He is never surprised- He goes before me! Even though I am limited, I have a Father who is limitless.- Jodi

 

Unexpected Changes

Rich and I had been married for five years when he felt he should go to Law School.  He already had a Masters Degree and was working full time.  In order for us to do this, we would have to pick up our life and move to Morgantown, WV.  We had two small boys (aged 4 and 1), and I was about to finish my teaching degree.  I was not happy about it.  When the notice came that he hadn’t gotten accepted within the first round of applications, I was thrilled on the inside.  I kept thinking, “God, why would you move us into the unknown when we are finally getting settled into our lives.”  Weeks passed, and a letter came in the mail.  I can still remember where I was standing, and where he was sitting when he stared at the letter from the Law School.  Before he opened it, I looked at him and said, “We are moving to Morgantown.”  He opened it and asked how I knew.  I told him that God had given me peace and the faith to know that everything would be okay.  He will provide the food, shelter, jobs, and anything we need.  Rich moved within two weeks, the boys and I followed within the month.  Doors opened there for great ministry opportunities for both of us and I never looked back- Tammy

Trusting as a Parent

I have always been gently reminded by my mother that I was the least likely one of her five children to be a parent due to my “self-interest”, but I pleasantly and surprisingly got over myself and have raised three children and helped with two nephews.  The struggles of parenthood are real.  God gave me an extra challenge when he blessed me with my second son, who has Asperger’s Syndrome.  His future has always been unknown, but it has been placed in God’s hands.  I am ecstatic to say that he will be returning to WVU this month for his senior year.  Hooray!  That accomplishment is monumental in my eyes.- Monica

 

Whether you are struggling with chronic illness, unexpected changes, problems in your family, infertility, job loss, or another hurdle in your life, know that He is victorious!  The same power that is in Christ is in us.  We just don’t always use it or believe it.  The Bible doesn’t say to live by writing out pros and cons, it says to live by faith.  Think how different life would be if you had the faith of a mustard seed. Jesus said that’s enough to move a mountain if we believe it!  That tiny mustard seed is the smallest of herbs, but it can grow up to 20 feet tall however, we won’t see the fruit of that mustard seed and see how far it can grow unless we sow it.  I would really like to move mountains, wouldn’t you?   The first step might be trusting Him to help get you over that hurdle in your life. Jump! He will hold you up. Believe it!

Passages to Ponder:

Lamentations 3:22-24 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him.”

Matthew 6:34- So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 17:20 You don’t have enough faith, Jesus told them.  I tell you the truth, if you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain. ‘Move from here to there’, and it would move.  Nothing would be impossible.”

 

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Monica Brown, Kathy Derda, Jodi Dunbar, Tammy Holtzapfel, Jamie Leary, Kim McClure, Sherri Payne and Kristy Tolley