Lately my mind and my “to do list” have been focused on clean, clean, clean. You see, my house could use a good cleaning from top to bottom. Especially before we drag out all of the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations and bring in a whole new lot of toys, games and clothes. Since both kids have birthdays near the end of the year and Christmas presents will be coming in soon, it can get to be a bit overwhelming. That’s why it especially struck me when twice this week, once in chapel at school with my kids and then at church, I heard the story of the leper Christ healed.
Category Archives: Devotional
Worry to Praise…
Several weeks ago, my husband challenged me to change my thinking. He suggested that whenever I get worried about something, instead of sitting in fear, I turn my worry into thanks.
For example, if I was worried about finances, I would recognize the worry and then thank God for providing for our family and for His abundance.
I fought doing this.
Like crazy.
I wanted to sit in my worry — because I knew all the answers, right? Slowly, I found that instead of trusting I was becoming a bit pessimistic. And this, my friends, goes against my nature. So Todd, my husband, asked me again to praise whenever I was fearful.
His Love Endures Forever
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His loves endures forever. Psalm 136:1
Each of the twenty six verses in Psalm 136 ends with the words, “His love endures forever.” It’s hard to wrap our brains around forever. The dictionary defines forever as: through eternity. Always!
What things can you think of that last forever?
I went looking for quotes on the topic of “forever” and discovered yet again why it’s hard for us to understand this word.
- “Everything is temporary. Everything is bound to end.” ~Keren Ann
- “This too shall pass.” ~Author Unknown
- “This is just a phase.”
Living in Community
Hebrews 10:24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
These are verses we often hear discussed within the context of telling us we should not miss church on Sundays. I’ve been reading a book- Broken Down House– by Paul Tripp, and one of the things he discusses in the book that has really made me think is this idea of living in Christian community. He suggests that living in community is much more than just meeting at church for an hour on Sunday.
Multi-Taskers Anonymous
Hi. My name is Melissa and I need to find a multi-taskers anonymous group.
{insert awkward chuckle here}
For years I have thought it was some sort of great gift to be able to do lots of different things at the same time. Like it was some sort of super power or something, but it’s not.
I’m not sure if it is from our go, do, right this minute, super-hyper, go, go, go culture or just something that I’ve developed over the years, but in the last couple of months I’ve been hit with the harsh reality that this may not be a good thing.
How Do You Measure Success?
Are you successful? By what means do you measure your success? How do you define it? The dictionary defines success in this way:
• the attainment of popularity or profit: the success of his play.
• a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity: I must make a success of my business.
• archaic the outcome of an undertaking, specified as achieving or failing to achieve its aims: the good or ill success of their maritime enterprises.
Recently a wonderful friend was praying for me. As she prayed, she asked the Lord to help me to not put unrealistic expectations on myself.
It’s Okay to be Bad
We’re all sinners. No one is all good. Not one. When God looks down from heaven, He sees us all the same. Prostitute, deacon, drug dealer, preacher.
We’re all sinners.
Though there are many people who do not serve God and who still do good, the difference is the standard or the measurement we use to determine good.
In Dwight Edwards devotional, Experiencing Christ With, he explains:
“We can easily slip into a ‘street level’ view of goodness. It’s like walking down a city street sidewalk and comparing the heights of those you pass by. A few people happen to be well over six feet tall and really stand out from the crowd.
You Want Me To Help Who?
Think about that person who really annoys you. You know who I mean. We all have someone. What about that person who is deliberately mean to you, who has hurt you again and again? What about the person who has hurt your friend, your family member? Just thinking about those people can produce some unpleasant feelings.
Now, imagine that God is speaking directly to you, telling you to reach out to that person.
What? Are you sure God? Let me remind you what they’ve done.
This is what happened when Saul, who became Paul was converted.
Acts 9:10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”