No Tanks!

When I was a kid, we had a large fish tank with several goldfish. I didn’t like cleaning it even though my dad did the bulk of the work. When we were down to the last goldfish, I was completely fine with giving it away and being done with the whole thing.

Although my children have had the occasional fish in a bowl over the years, I have never ever desired to do the whole fish tank thing again.

Fast forward to five years ago. My youngest child wanted to volunteer at a local aquarium and a parent needed to do it with him because of his age. Always willing to support budding new interests, I gamely signed us up as docents.

I had envisioned that we would just be sharing information and guiding visitors. Imagine how shocked I was when I found out that the first part of every shift involved cleaning the aquarium tanks. Ugh.

Wanting to set a good example for my son, I put my personal feelings aside and determined we were going to do our very best. Having managed many people over the years, it is always my priority to be the kind of worker that I would want to see as a leader. I follow instructions, ask questions when I need to, and work hard without complaint. In all my adult life, I have never had anyone be completely unsatisfied with my work.

Until these fish tanks.

Cleaning the tanks ended up being something that I truly dreaded every time we volunteered.

It wasn’t because of the super freezing water or the fact that I had to stand on the top rungs of the ladder to be able to clean the tanks (#shortpeopleproblems). It was the fact that each time I volunteered, someone different was in charge and had their own ideas of how to properly clean the tanks. And most of the time, their instructions contradicted what I was told the last time I volunteered. 

Every time I asked about the conflicting processes, I would get long explanations about how the way I had been previously told to do it was not correct and would ruin something. There wasn’t a manual or written instructions on how to clean these tanks. There was only the ever-changing leaders’ instructions and corrections.

As someone who is a rule-follower, this became extremely frustrating for me as I was always being told I was doing something wrong. Often, I was warned that some horrible consequence would follow because it was done incorrectly, like (1) the brand-new tank was going to be scratched or (2) all the fish were going to die.

After several months of volunteering, my son decided he wanted to be done. I can’t tell you how quickly and happily I agreed!

As I was sharing this story with my nephew today, I was thinking about how helpful it would have been to have standard written instructions so that everyone was on the same page.

Aren’t you glad that God had that idea?!

We’re constantly inundated with different information, opposing ideas and dire warnings if you don’t subscribe to a certain practice or philosophy. It’s overwhelming and truly impossible to know what and who to trust. The slightest misstep causes offense or someone to be canceled. How do we even navigate it? What argument or position is the right one?

Thankfully, as Christ followers, we don’t have to wade through all that. We have God’s precious, unchanging Word.

It is the standard that we must measure all other things against. No matter how compelling an argument is, if it doesn’t line up with His Word, it’s not from God. Period. 

PSALM 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

It is imperative that you regularly study & know His Word. We often hear scripture taken out of context to support an opposing argument. I cringe when I hear this! It’s straight out twisting God’s Word for personal gain. The enemy does this! We see a perfect example of how he used scripture to tempt Jesus in the desert. (Matthew 4:5-7)

How easily we can be deceived and have wrong thinking if we do not know God and know His Word! Do not let this be you! Be in a right relationship with Him, get into a church that preaches the whole counsel of God, and spend time praying and studying the Bible daily.

And then stand firm.

When you know who God is and trust Him at His Word, you can stand firm on His solid foundation knowing that the creator of the universe is always in control.

Walk faithfully, my friends!

MATTHEW 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Wake Up!

This is a word that the Lord spoke to me this morning. I feel a sense of urgency and that it is a rallying cry for all of us.

BE ALERT & VIGILANT!

Your enemy is ready & willing at all times to attack. You need to be ready, too!

1 PETER 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

BE STEADFAST!

No longer accept little compromises because it is easier, more fun, or doesn’t rock the boat.

1 JOHN 2:15
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

JOHN 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

BE ALIVE IN CHRIST!

Now that things aren’t quite so “intense” and we are experiencing the relaxation of some of pandemic restrictions, it is easy to be lulled into a sense of complacency. Resist this! It is vitally important to run our race and keep our eyes on Jesus!!

HEBREWS 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Take heed, my friends. Now is the time to get out of your slumber. Shake off your sleep.

Spend time daily in prayer and in His Word. Ask the Lord to reveal to you the areas in your life that you have “fallen asleep”. Wake up and start moving!

ISAIAH 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Unexpected Blessings

Recently, we were presented with an unexpected opportunity to serve. It came at a super crazy time for us as we had just come home from a trip and were getting ready for a huge event the next weekend. 

I had meticulously plotted out the week to prepare for the event. Each day had its long list of tasks to complete.

But when the Lord called us to switch gears, we said yes without a second thought. In the years we have been walking with the Lord, we’ve learned through many experiences that God is not bound by our timing or plans. When He wants to move in a new direction, saying YES is the only way to go! So we set aside our expectations and plans and trusted that God would take care of the details. 

And did He ever! Even though our entire life shifted for a couple weeks, we were so tremendously blessed.

While we were busy with other things, God provided the extra help needed to move forward with our event. 

When it started to seem overwhelming, He provided rest and fun so that we could relax and experience His joy and peace, as well as clear vision and purpose.

When there were obstacles, God met our needs in big ways.

Seeing God move throughout the couple of weeks was incredible and faith-building! What was even more amazing was that God used the entire set of circumstances to prepare our hearts for another unexpected situation that came right after our serving opportunity came to an end.

What would have happened if we hadn’t said yes to serving? I’m not sure, but I do know that we would have missed unimaginable blessings. We also would have been less spiritually and emotionally prepared to deal with the situation that came up right after.

It’s not always easy to say yes and put aside your own plans when the Lord calls you to do something. I know there are several times in our past when we talked ourselves out of saying yes to an opportunity to serve with arguments of “How can we fit it in our schedule?” or “We can’t afford that!” I am saddened to think of blessings and growth experiences we missed by not being obedient and saying yes!

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Just to clarify, we should never say yes with the idea that we are going gain something from it. We should be saying yes to be obedient to what our Heavenly Father has called us to do. Obeying God is not without cost – it can be challenging and can require you to give up more than you anticipated. The reward in obeying is the joy of obedience and having the Lord use you in His plans. That outweighs any physical blessing we might imagine.

Isaiah 6 tells of the calling of the prophet Isaiah. This has always been a favorite passage of mine because I love the willingness of Isaiah to serve. It is such great reminder and encouragement to have that same immediate response when the Lord is calling me to do something.

Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

I encourage you to always be ready to say YES to the Lord’s plans! Prepare yourself now with saying yes to the “little” things (which are not little things at all!)– read the Word and spend time in prayer daily, obey God’s commands, go to church. These are the building blocks for a bigger YES in the future. We need to be firmly rooted in the Lord so we can be ready for all that He wants to do through us!

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Walk faithfully, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Just Turn Away

There is commercial currently playing in which everyone speaks entirely in acronyms. Honestly, I don’t even know the meaning of most of them. But thanks to having a teenager and Google, I do know a few.

One that I hear a lot is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). We often fear missing something fun, not fitting in or being accepted, not being able to do what we want to do, not being safe…our constant media consumption exposes us with never-ending messages about how life would be better if only ________ (fill in the blank). It is easy to feel driven to not miss out on the latest trend, hot topic, social message, activity, etc. The fear of missing something can lead us to making choices that are not pleasing to the Lord. It becomes detrimental to our relationship with Him as we become more and more focused on the world.

I grieve for those who have walked away from a relationship with the Lord. If you have been a Christ-follower any length of time, you probably know at least one person who appeared to be strong in the faith but have traded in righteousness for what the world has to offer. As a former “prodigal son/daughter” myself, I understand what it is to find yourself in a place where you don’t want to be. Where you know you aren’t supposed to be.

The enemy is quick to point out how far you have fallen. How low you have sunk. How wrong you have been. And more importantly, he wants you to feel like everything is ruined. That you can’t go back. It’s condemnation and hopelessness, all designed to prevent you from seeking the Lord and keep you shackled in sin.

Sure, there are moments of fun in worldly things. Have you ever noticed that you can indulge in worldly pursuits, but the fun and excitement that is associated with it quickly dissipates when you are finished with the activity? Then you must continue chasing after the things of the world in order to have that fun, happy feeling again. Why isn’t this fun long-lasting? Because “fun” does not equal “joy” – true contentment of our spirit rooted in Christ.

The enemy wants to trap us in this endless cycle. Sin, Good Feeling, Condemnation, Hopelessness. And then repeat because you want that short-lived Good Feeling again.

When I had stopped walking with the Lord, I remember filling up my time with all sorts of things. Non-stop people, activities, causes, offenses, entertainment…anything to distract myself from feeling the emptiness, shame, depression, and hopelessness.

I had believed so many of the enemy’s lies about who God was and what my life would be like if I returned to following Him. His rules are too restrictive and old-fashioned and they didn’t really apply for today. Everything would be boring if I followed Him…I couldn’t have any more fun. I wouldn’t be able to do the things I wanted to do. It’s enough to believe that He exists. I wouldn’t have any friends. Those are just a few of the reasons I avoided returning to the Lord.

Then there came a day when circumstances forced me to slow down. During the long, sleepless nights, the Lord brought me to my knees in repentance. I couldn’t avoid Him any longer. Praise God that He kept pursuing me! I recommitted my life to the Lord twenty-seven years ago Christmas Eve and I have never looked back.

2 PETER 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

MATTHEW 18:12-14
“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Is my life different now? Absolutely! I barely resemble the person I was. Did I have to stop filling my time with worldly pursuits? Over time, yes, I did. But I desired to because the Lord changed my heart. Do I live a boring life now? No way! Walking with the Lord is anything but boring. It fulfills me in a way that is indescribable!

I am sharing all of this with you because it illustrates how easily we can overcomplicate things and get bogged down with the enemy’s lies.

Although my story is about returning to the Lord after walking away, the message applies to (1) believers who have allowed sin to take root in their lives. (2) those who have walked away from the Lord, and (3) those who have yet to know the Lord.

It is simple. JUST TURN AWAY.

Repent to the Lord and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior (if you haven’t already), turn your back on your sin, and start walking toward Him. Don’t look back.

JAMES 4:7-8
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

JOHN 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

So simple, yet it can be the most difficult thing to do. But you can start right now, at this moment. Don’t wait another minute.

God did not make this complicated!

Yes, there are a lot of changes involved when we walk with the Lord. Spending time in prayer and in His Word, finding a church that uncompromisingly preaches the Word, dying to oneself and living for the Lord – these are all part of a Christ-follower’s fruitful walk.

But they happen after we take that first simple step.

And when we follow Christ, we will miss out. But there is no need to fear it! You will miss out on being trapped by sin, hopelessness, condemnation, shame, confusion, fear, a life without the Lord…all things we are better off without.

Walk faithfully, my friends!

1 JOHN 3:6-7
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Get in Shape!

I recently have come to terms with the fact that I need to lose some weight. I’ve been watching it slowly creep up on me. I didn’t own a scale, so the increased weight was fairly easy to ignore until I started transitioning into my summer clothes. I found that I have exactly one pair of shorts that fit. It was time to face the music. I had ignored all the other “less obvious” signs, like increased reflux issues, the occasional item of clothing that was a little too snug, being out of shape, low energy, and pictures that made me look a little heavier than I thought I was. The final straw was realizing that I will have to upsize my summer wardrobe unless things changed.

I just started my new “get healthier” lifestyle, which I nicknamed “Project Mama Lose Weight”. Last week, I bought a scale, cut out most sugar, began walking daily, and increased my water intake. If I’m being honest, I was really disappointed when I got on my newly purchased scale this morning and I only lost less than a pound. Argh!

I thought that with all my hard work and healthy choices, that I would see a huge impact on my weight. I was really wanting it to be at least 5 lbs. (after all, I implemented major changes in my life!) Then, since I have about 20 pounds to lose, I would only have to keep up with this healthy lifestyle nonsense for about a month.

LOL. I know that isn’t realistic and I wasn’t seriously thinking that, but secretly I was hoping!

Now that I’ve just revealed my deep dark secrets, there is a spiritual application that I think we could draw from this.

How often do we get a little lazy and apathetic in our spiritual walk with the Lord? I didn’t get to be 20 pounds heavier overnight. It was a slow change of healthier habits. Working more on the computer and not moving around as much. Nightly dessert that just kept getting a little larger as the weeks passed. High calorie, sugary drinks instead of water.

In the same way, we can find ourselves at a point where we do not have a vibrant, dynamic relationship with the Lord. We have to take an honest look at how we ended up that way. Unless we made an active choice to not follow Him, it’s usually the little things that creep up on us.

Here are a few…

1) Occasionally missing daily Bible reading eventually leads to skipping Bible reading for the week. We need to be meditating on His Word!

PSALM 119:15-16
I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

2) Poor choices in our media consumption leads to compromise as we are tempted to add more and more worldly entertainment and news to our lives. Never doubt that the media (news, social media, tv, movies, music, books, etc.) is designed to keep you coming back for more!

It can be sensational, it excites emotions and a sense of worldly justice, and it usually is the biggest timewaster in our lives. It’s a major tool of the enemy! Seemingly insignificant concessions in media can quickly bring us to a place where we tolerate and are consumed with ideas that do not glorify God. We need to be meditating on His word!

PHILIPPIANS 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

3) Staying up late causes us have trouble getting up early enough to spending time with the Lord, which can greatly diminish the quality of our prayer time.

In many seasons of my life, I have deceived myself that quick one-sentence prayers are all that I need in order to maintain a healthy relationship with the Lord.

There is nothing wrong with the one sentence prayers, but imagine if you ONLY communicated with the occasional, one-sentence request to your spouse or loved one. Your relationship would certainly suffer and you would grow distant. How much more is this true with the Lord!! A dynamic relationship with the Lord includes both set-aside time to spend with Him and the quickie conversations during the day.

ROMANS 12:11-12
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

4) Occasionally skipping church leads to frequently skipping church! It is so important to fellowship with other believers. The Lord uses other believers to encourage and exhort each. As a church body, we are accountable to one another. When we don’t do this, we are missing out on a vital part of relationship with Him!

HEBREWS 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

What we do “every once in a while” can lead to doing it more and more, and then eventually to doing it most of the time.

Like my story earlier, those little slips and compromises aren’t noticeable at the beginning. But after a while, we can find ourselves distant from the Lord, wondering how exactly we got to the point where God seems far away, Bible reading is boring, and we really don’t feel like going to church, let alone spend any time praying. That point when it stops being a relationship and starts being a dreaded obligation.

We don’t want our relationship with the Lord to be “out of shape”! It is vital that we make sure our spiritual life is healthy, especially in these perilous times.

I encourage you to take an honest accounting of your walk with the Lord. Ask Him to show you the habits in your life that are preventing you from having a deep, vibrant relationship with Him. Through prayer and obedience, FIX IT! It involves diligence, perseverance, and sacrifice, but He is so worth it!

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Walk steadfastly, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Do You Remember?

I was visiting my sister the other day and we spent some time looking at her photo albums. They were filled with pictures I haven’t seen in years or had never seen at all. There were fun pictures of my childhood and very special pictures of family members who are no longer here. I had to laugh at some of the crazy hairstyles and outfits my husband and I wore over the years!

Going through of the old photos brought back memories of people and events that I had long forgotten. Joy comes with seeing how faithful God was to bring us through all our happy moments and our times of struggles and trials. What a blessing it was to spend some time remembering!

I’m in the middle of reading the first five books of the Old Testament. I’ve read through these several times before, but this time I am reading them out loud. I am amazed at the different things that stand out to me, simply because I am speaking the verses instead of just reading them.

One of the things that really stood out to me was the number of times Israel’s history and laws were repeated. In many situations, the Israelites were called to remember what God had done for them. They were called to remember how God saved them from the Egyptians for the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 13:3) and when they kept the Sabbath Day (Deuteronomy 5:15). When they were afraid of their enemies, they were to remember what the Lord did to Pharaoh and all of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 7:17-19
“If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.

There are so many more examples throughout the Bible, in both the Old & New Testament.

Among other reasons, Israel was called to remember as a memorial, as a reminder when they were unfaithful, or when God was about to do a new thing. Remembering what God had done in their lives and their forefather’s lives served as a reminder of His faithfulness, sovereignty, and holiness!

Like the Israelites, we are also called to remember these things! Not just what is written in God’s Word, but all the things that He has done in our lives. We need to be purposeful in this. When God blesses us in a situation, I think it is so easy to thank Him and then quickly move on looking for the next blessing. I admit that I don’t often take the time to reflect on all the ways He has rescued me, blessed me, and cared for me.

As I looked on my sister’s pictures, I recalled so many ways that the Lord guided me and protected me. Redeemed impossible situations. Performed miracles. It made me so thankful for His faithfulness, even when I wasn’t so faithful. I am so grateful for His salvation through Christ Jesus. Where would I be if I didn’t know Him as my Lord & Savior?! Not in a good place. I would be without hope, my friends.

Aside from another opportunity to give all praise and glory that it is His due (which is reason enough to remember), remembering what the Lord has done is faith-building and serves as an encouragement to me in all of the challenges that I face today. Bleak situations are not insurmountable to the God I serve! He has shown His sovereignty and might time and again in my life.

While it is so important to remember, we cannot dwell in the past or expect that God is going to move in exactly the same way He did before. He is always doing new things!

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.

While it might be easier to limit God and have Him always do the exact same thing in each situation, God is so much bigger than that!

I want to encourage you to spend time remembering what God has done in your life. Thank Him for all that He has done. Share it with the next generation. Shout it from the rooftops. Let your story be a witness to the mightiness and faithfulness of our God!

Walk faithfully, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

When There is Only Silence

I almost didn’t get this blog post written. 

I don’t usually struggle with writing. Normally, it follows a fairly predictable pattern. In between posts, I jot down thoughts and ideas and then I pray about them in the days before I sit down to write. Frequently, the Lord will use a certain event or situation to illustrate a certain point. I will start writing about it and then the blog progresses from there.

Most of the time, the blog doesn’t go in the direction that I originally intended. I’ll have an idea of what the Lord wants me to communicate but when I start typing, He brings to mind Bible verses and points that I need to talk about and it becomes an entirely new message. It’s really kind of fun to see final results!

This time, however, I had no thoughts, ideas, or inspiration for the last several weeks. I’ve been praying and thinking about this post for some time and…NOTHING. As the time to sit down and write drew near, I started to panic.

Where was the inspiration? Why was I not hearing from the Lord on this?

I tried desperately to come up with ideas on my own, but they went nowhere. I have several partially written blog posts that fizzled out after the first couple of paragraphs. There is one that went on for a whole page, but it was so wooden and forced that I knew it was not at all what I was supposed to write.

My goal was to have this post written yesterday. It didn’t happen. Now a day later, I spent much time in prayer, worship, listening to sermons, and Bible study.  It was all edifying and encouraging, but I still did not have a direction for this blog post.

I asked my husband to pray for the Lord to provide insight on why I am having problems.  He felt like the Lord was saying that the message was there, I just need to be patient.

That didn’t seem very helpful to me. Patience when I am anxious for a solution is not always my strong point.

However, I trusted that this was a good word so I decided to stop actively worrying about it.

After a time, the Lord showed me a few things…

His timing is not our timing. We may think our problems need an immediate solution, but God knows exactly what the situation needs.  We need to trust that He is fully in control and has a good and perfect plan. We just need to wait for it!

PSALM 27:14
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

We need to examine ourselves and make sure that we are not the problem! Ask Him to show you if you have any sin in your life that you need to deal with!

PSALM 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

We may be doing all the “right” things (prayer, worship, reading His Word), but we cannot rush God or force His Hand. It is truly enough that He is our sovereign God!

ROMANS 11:33-35
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past finding out!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?”
“Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

Do not try to fix it on your own! We can only look at the numerous stories in the Bible when people tried to do something in their own strength. It never turns out well!!

Finally, ask the Lord what He wants to show you while you wait. It may be that the Lord is growing something in you, like patience or perseverance.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day
of Jesus Christ;

I encourage you to keep pursuing God even when He doesn’t respond to you WHEN or HOW you want Him to. Let us be steadfast in our walk with Him!

Walk faithfully, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

Return

I love worship music and it is pretty much all I listen to. Worshiping our Lord is such an important part of my walk as a follower of Christ. Because I have songs running through my head most of the time, I am super picky…it is important that song is biblically accurate and glorifies God.

With that said, I am so thrilled to introduce an Worship Album compilation, co-written, performed, & produced by a loyal reader of this blog. It is AMAZING!

The album RETURN was inspired by Zechariah 1:3 –

“Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

You can stream it on major streaming platforms. Here is the link to Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/37YRKzT76V6MzVX4nTJwQT?si=QPshNs3nTTqwmVYXyPXfUw

Or you can go to the website and download album. https://www.laurabradford.org/

If you are like me & dabble in music, you will want to do this because it comes with chord sheets (a couple of different keys for each song).

I don’t receive anything for recommending this album. I was just really blessed by it and I want to support up and coming worship artists!

🙂 Walk worthy of His Name, my friends!

The Little Things

Every year, we celebrate Christmas morning with my mom. sisters, and their families. All the food, games, noise, presents, chaos, time spent with family, and laughter makes it one of my favorite parts of the holiday!

Years ago, when all our children were small or not born yet, the adults would exchange gifts as couples. As our families grew, this became expensive and so the adults switched to exchanging handmade gifts. While fun, I’m not sure this cost any less and after a few years we had used up all of our creative ideas. I think we did a white elephant gift game one year, but it didn’t really catch on as a yearly thing.

Then, several years ago, my sister came up with the idea of doing stockings for the adults. Each person could only put one $1.00 item in each stocking. This was such a hit that we have continued it ever since. My brother-in-law built a stocking “tree”, we all send out stocking gift lists to each other, and every year the stockings are filled to overflowing. When the kids turned 18, they stopped receiving gifts and joined in on the adult stocking gift exchange. It’s a graduation of sorts. Every child that turned adult will tell you that they much prefer the stocking gift exchange over the gifts. And I understand why!

The $1.00 items we get in the stockings are all things that might be picked up throughout the year. Nail files, pens, a spatula, an ice scraper, a pair of fuzzy gloves, a pair of dollar-store reading glasses…none of these are the spectacular gifts we once dreamed about as children, but they are fun to open! Throughout the year, when I use my nice-smelling soap or open up another pack of pocket Kleenex, I remember when I received them and how much I appreciate them.

Reflecting on this makes me realize how much we take the little blessings from God for granted. During this time of year, it seems like we are surrounded by reminders to be thankful. Most of those reminders are so commonplace that they are easy to tune out. We are thankful when the Lord answers our big prayers, but do we take time to thank Him and appreciate the “little” blessings or do we not give them a second thought because they are always there?

I am not just talking about the physical things, although we have so much to be thankful for. But do we thank Him for the intangible things, as well? A sunny day? Laughing with a family member? Doing a load of laundry (because you have clothes & soap to wash them with)? An opportunity to serve? The privilege to come alongside fellow believers and share their burden in prayer? The ability to come together and worship the Lord and hear the Word?

These are precious blessings! They may not seem like a big deal until you think about what it would be like without them. These are all the provision of our loving Father.

He so loved us that He sent His Son to die for us! How is it that we can make any “little” gift from Him so commonplace that we don’t take time to acknowledge or appreciate it?

We are to “enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4)

When we start practicing thankfulness, we will start seeing the Lord’s work all around us. And then how can we help but to give Him all honor and glory and praise for all that He has done!

Ephesians 5:20
…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Psalm 9:1-2
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.
http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/

What Are You Saying?

I want to share something with you that hit home with me recently.

Let’s take a look at James 3:5-12:

“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”

What a particularly challenging passage of Scripture! And yet it is so appropriate for a world that is experiencing tremendous division and outright hatred. Battle lines have been drawn and people have chosen sides. If we are “connected” to the world in any way, it takes very little time before you run up against the vitriolic, barely-concealed rage of one group against another. We are seeing everything from aggressive outrage to wishing physical harm on people to division among family and friends.

This is being played out everyday on TV, social media, workplaces, stores, family gatherings, etc. The ugliness of what I witness is especially disheartening when I see my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ engage in the hostile “debate tactics” that look like the rest of the world. And this should not be! As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to be different.

1 PETER 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Does this mean we don’t speak truth?  Are we not to engage in the battle? Defend what is right in God’s eyes?

Of course we are supposed to!! Make no mistake…I am NOT telling you to sit in the background while the war wages in front of you.

But our weapons are different from the world. We do not battle with demeaning words, sarcasm, or name-calling. Nor do we wish suffering as punishment, yell the latest catchphrase more loudly than someone in opposition to us, be intimidating, act aggressively, devise evil, or vent our feelings by “reading someone the riot act.”

We are to be strong in the Lord and His power. Our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We deflect the fiery arrows of the enemy with our shield of Faith. We are to put on the whole Armor of God – girding ourselves with Truth, our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, taking up the helmet of salvation and putting on the breastplate of righteousness. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

All of these are so that we can stand and withstand.

But that’s not all! You are to be about our Father’s business.

We are to pray with all prayer and supplication. Read the Word! Pay attention to how many people experienced major victories because they prayed & fasted!

We are to repent & turn away from sin!! We are to lay aside every weight and sin and run our race with endurance, looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2)

We are to be OBEDIENT to the Lord and all the He calls us to do! (Acts 5:29)

We are to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:19)

We are to confess the Lord before men (Matthew 10:32) and make disciples! (Matthew 28:19-20)

We are to praise God and give Him all glory, at ALL times. (Hebrews 13:15)

Nowhere in a God’s Word do we see God’s people winning battles by hurling insults, mocking other, throwing around snide comments, or making loud declarations driven by fear.

We cannot be praising the Lord and declaring we love Him, and then turn around and speak evil, sowing discord, wishing evil upon others. Doing this misrepresents the Lord and what it means to be a Christ-follower to the rest of the world that so desperately needs to know Jesus. Plus, it sows discord among your brothers and sisters and is a stumbling block as it entices other Christians to participate.

It’s time to look different, my fellow believers. It’s time to stand, not in defiance based on an “I’m going to do what I want to do” mentality, but on the solid foundation of our Lord. 

We are not to wage war like the world. Our purpose and calling are still the same. Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, being obedient in all He has called us to do. Share the good news of Jesus with others. Stand firm in a way that is worthy of the One who has called you His own.


Walk purposefully, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon

Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.
http://www.faithandvictory.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuburnChurchWa/