Author: Christine

Thank you, Lord, for a beautiful, sunny, hot September morning. Riding bikes with a thankful heart. Thank you, Lord, for Your beautiful creation to get out and enjoy. Thank you for the ability to ride a bicycle. Thank you, Lord, for the shade that cooled us down!

What are you facing today? Upcoming surgery, job search, stormy relationships, illness? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Let us pause in our worries, our anxieties and praise God. When we look around and look up, God is always worthy of our praise. Find something to be thankful for today and give thanks to God.

Isaiah 25: 1, 4 “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago… You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.”

Psalm 100: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving  and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

If you have angered a hive, you know a swarm will come after you. If you live in Florida, you have experienced driving through a swarm of love bugs.

As a Christian, have your doubts, fears, stresses swarmed your heart, where you are unable to see? To stand? To clear away? Waving your magical faith wand won’t clear them away. Coming to God in prayer, confessing, renouncing and believing will. Does it happen overnight? Sometimes. Other times, it takes patience, it takes faith, it takes understanding that God has the power. Under your control, my control, we are weak. When we submit to God and truly believe that all power and authority is His, in heaven and on earth, the swarm fades and we clearly see a path to God. He can hold all our doubts, stresses and fears. Nothing is going to overwhelm Him. He already knows. Take time today to re-acquaint yourself with the One true, holy, sovereign God, the Creator of all things. Allow His power to work in you, through you, and for you. “To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen.” (Galatians 1:5)

Did you just break into song? Think of Elsa as she lets herself be the person she was born to be. Building a castle of ice, amazed at the beauty she has created. She feels free.

As Christians, we too, can have that same freedom. When we confess our sins, repent of our sinful ways, and leave them at the cross, we are free. Free to live for Christ. Free to live the life He desires for us. So, come to the cross this morning. Lay down the sins. Let them go. Be forgiven and live for Christ today!

Hebrews 12: 1b-2a “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Galatians 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.”

Who doesn’t love a free ticket! To the movies. A theme park. On a plane. There is no catch. It is being offered out of kindness, a perk, a thank you.

I recently read the following quote: “From the millisecond you believed Jesus forgave you, you didn’t just get a ticket to heaven, but a whole new identity.” (Matt McMillen) I’ve heard young people say, “Yes. I want to go to heaven.” So, believe these scriptures, get baptized, and you are good to go.

Confessing your sins and believing in His atoning sacrifice is where faith begins. The redeemed Christian, however, is not content to stay here. Learning more about your Savior means reading your bible, attending church, serving others. Your life is transformed from the inside out. You are slowly putting self on a shelf and living for Christ. Your old life is just that- old, in the past, dead! You are a new creation with new desires, new attitudes, new want to’s.

Is it free? Yes! Is there a cost? Yes! Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Galatians 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Things that make you go “hmmm!” Cause you to pause. Stop.

I work out in my garage on specific days so I am used to seeing bugs. It is what it is. Thankful to be able to “go” to the gym, just steps away. This morning, in the middle of a cardio block, out jumps Mr. Frog! I pause the workout. Try to shoo him away. I am now standing, just watching where he goes. Eventually, he climbs on some weights so I can calmly finish the cardio.

Yes, this is probably silly to many of you, but we all have interruptions in our daily routine. Do we allow the interruption to upset us? Can we calmly assess the situation, take care of it and move on with our day?

Thank you, Lord, for the unexpected this morning. Because of the frog interrupting my workout, I was able to pause, focus on You, Lord, and write this morning’s blog!

Charis: a Greek word, meaning grace. Grace, the unmerited favor of God.*

Charis Coffee Co, in Manteo, North Carolina, has a wonderful ministry. Not only do they serve delicious coffees and teas, they play positive, uplifting Christian music, offer a quiet respite from the heat and touristy traffic of the area. My favorite, though, is the prayer wall they offer to all who walk through their doors.

What a blessing to be able to sit down, write out a prayer request, and have some quiet time with God. I watched many people taking pictures, like I did, who may have never seen the power of prayer in action or who want to implement something like this upon returning home.

In today’s world, where there is stress, relational issues, differing opinions not respected, it is nice to know a small coffee company, in a small tourist town, is a beacon of light to come to God, to lay their burdens here. I pray the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, continues in this place as it ministers to the weary and burdened traveler.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

* gotquestions.org (your questions/biblical answers)

Who hasn’t had a bad day! A disappointing day. Things did not go as planned. A sharp word from a boss. Loss of a job prospect. Car, AC, refrigerator all goes kaput!

I have had several encounters with people who have shared with me how an encouraging word, wise counsel, a listening ear made all the difference with each conversation I had. Theses encounters, filled with encouragement, was exactly what they needed to hear at the precise time they needed to hear it. Encouragement goes a long way in spurring someone on towards a goal, to not give up hope, to know his/her hard work is valued and appreciated. When given the opportunity, be an encourager. You won’t regret it.

If you are in need of some encouragement today, here are some uplifting scriptures to read and meditate on:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.  And do everything with love.

Romans 15:5-6 “May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.  Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Sitting on the deck. Watching the birds skim the water. Listening to the waves crash. I look closer at the walkway, then the stairs. The sand is all around. I notice sand fully engulfing the lower stairs, filling the middle, while the upper stairs remain relatively untouched.

How are we living our lives for Jesus? Are we like the lower stairs: fully engulfed by His Word? Allowing His ways and His thoughts to become our own? Maybe we are more like the middle stairs. We know the Bible is God’s Word. We believe in Him but we are not yet fully committed. We are not quite ready to give it all up and allow Him into every area of our lives. The upper stairs? Well, you may say you believe in God yet there is no evidence.

As Christians, I imagine many of us find ourselves on the middle steps: Belief. Right living. Study. Pray. Yet, there are still areas of our lives that we are not trusting to God. I pray that we may all have the faith, the courage, the boldness to live on the bottom. Fully engulfed with God. Humbly serving. Much, much more of Christ in me and so much less of self and this world.

Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sister, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.

It’s time. You’ve put it off long enough. Your schedule is open. Take the plunge!

Today is clean, organize, declutter the spare bedroom day. When your house is less than 1,000 sq ft, things can quickly stack, pile up, take over. Mercy Me is on, my mind is quietly talking to God as I take this “me” time, not only to accomplish a goal, but to commune with God.

Worship doesn’t have to be dressy, loud or even known. Sometimes, it is just enough to worship God alone. Offering up prayer, thanking Him for all He has done, ponder the future with Him, reciting favorite verses back to Him and maybe even a little dancing unto the Lord- especially when “Happy Dance” starts playing!

Psalm 150: 1-6

“Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heaven!
 Praise him for his mighty works;
    praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
    praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
    praise him with strings and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
    praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!”

Do you have a favorite alone time space? When I was young, it was a beanbag chair in my room. I could escape the noise of a house of eight for a little while, enjoy the solitude and refresh.

This morning, it is at my desk. Reading my devotional study on the book of Jonah. Collecting my thoughts. Gazing out the window, reciting my favorite “good morning God” verse. I think everyone needs a quiet place, a reflection time. It is good to be alone with God. Unburdening your heart, remembering that He is faithful and true. Singing quiet hymns of praise.

Psalm 143:8 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”