Author: Christine

Birds. Flying. Soaring. Seeking. Perching. As they take flight, they are changing their view. While on the ground, they see only the food they are seeking. Perched higher, they can survey a larger area. Water source. Food availability. Nesting sites.

What is your view today? Are you on the ground, seeing only what is right in front of you, surrounding you? When we feel we can’t escape, wherever we go, there it is. Take hold of the One who is able. God sees more than just your current situation. He is the beginning and the end. He is sovereign. Isaiah 44:6:“This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” Lift up your burdens, your cares to God. He will answer you in His timing. Remain faithful, believing in His sovereignty over all. As you turn everything over to God, you are changing your vantage point. You are trusting in Him, believing His word.

Luke 18:27: “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

How big was the fish you caught? If you’ve been there, you know the fish gets bigger every time the story is told.

When we talk about our God, how big is He? When you have a godly encounter, a God wink, do you recognize and give thanks to God for these moments? No care or burden is too small or too big for our God.

God thoughts. Jesus’ miracles on earth. His love towards us. All too many, too much to be counted, measured, written. How big is our God!!

Psalm 40:5 “Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.”

John 20:30-31 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe  that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

In today’s culture, are older women looked upon with respect as a person who can share wisdom over life’s trials, to be a teacher, a confidant, a lover of God?

In the book of Ruth, we meet Naomi. She is a Jew from Bethlehem who left with her husband and children to move to Moab to flee the famine in Israel. Her sons grew and married Moabite women. Naomi welcomed them into her family, quietly sharing her faith with her pagan daughter-in-laws. As Naomi decides to move back to Israel after the death of her husband and sons, one daughter-in-law, Ruth, goes with her. By law, Ruth could go back to her parents’ house and re-marry. However, as Ruth tells Naomi, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

How did Ruth, a Moabite, pagan woman declare her allegiance, not only to Naomi, but to her God, the God of Israel, the great “I AM?” Ruth must have been watching and learning about this God from Naomi. When push came to shove, Ruth chose God over her family and the pagan gods of her youth. As the story continues, so does the teaching by Naomi to Ruth. Ruth grows in maturity, in her faith and God ultimately brings the kingly line of David to Jesus through Ruth.

So, the question to you today is: Who is your Naomi? Who has taken you in, encouraged you, has patiently been teaching you about God? About sin and your need of a Savior? About the unfailingly love of a Savior who knows your every need, your every desire? Treasure that woman. Pray for her. If you are like me, there are probably many women God has brought across your path since your first declared your faith in Jesus. Because of these women, you have grown and matured in the faith. If you are older, maybe it is time for you to be someone’s Naomi. Share your testimony with someone who is in need. Come along side someone who needs encouragement, who needs to know Jesus and have a saving relationship.

As women, let us hold fast to our faith, as a community of believers, as sisters in Christ, that we may encourage, help, teach, prepare the next generation to love and serve our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Keepsakes. Mementos. Cherished pieces. I have an outfit I have saved in my closet since August 1985. It was a gift from an older sister as I embarked on a career that has spanned 37 years. As this career comes to a close, I look at that outfit and remember an excited, nervous, energetic young teacher. I have grown over the years in knowledge and wisdom. I am not that same beginning teacher. I have aged and matured and am now a veteran.

As a Christian, as you reflect on your new life in Christ, are you still in the same place you were when you first gave your life to Christ? Or, have you grown and matured in your walk? Have you studied and learned more about Christ and your call to serve Him?

Let us pray that we continue to grow in love and knowledge, that we may mature as a Christian and walk in ways pleasing to Him.

2 Peter 1: 5-8: “Make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Delight: deep pleasure in; joy

The child is such a delight. This cup of tea is delightful. What do you find delightful? Your job? A hobby? Travel? As I was reading Psalm 40, the word “delight” caused me to pause. To pray. To search my heart and ask myself, “Do I truly find delight in doing the will of God?”

As you go about your day, meditate on the word, “delight.” What brings you delight? As Christians, let us not lose our delight in doing the will of God.

A few sunrises have come and gone since last Sunday. You went to church with family and friends. You heard the Easter message. Does that pertain to me? Can I go back to living my life my way? What do I do with this Easter message of Jesus’ resurrection?

Do what the apostles did after Jesus’ resurrection. They followed Him. When He appeared to them, He continued to teach them. Start by reading the Bible. Begin with the gospel of John. Continue to go to church. Seek godly counsel. Ask questions. Pray. As you do, God will convict you, lead you. Listen to that still small voice and let your life be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:36-38: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The disciples, the women, the other followers, were distraught over the death of their Lord. They were fearful and in hiding. The women went to the tomb early Sunday morning, wanting to prepare the body with spices. When they arrived, the stone was rolled away. The body, gone. They run, in disbelief, to tell the apostles. The apostles, stunned and unbelieving, run to the tomb to see for themselves.

Imagine what is going through their minds. “The body was stolen.” ” The Romans are going to blame us.” Chaotic thoughts. Stressful thoughts. Fearful thoughts.

An angel calmed the women’s hearts by reminding them of Jesus’ teaching. That He would be crucified and be raised on the third day. The disciples were calmed when Jesus Himself appeared, asking “Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your minds?” Luke 24:38

On this Easter morning, Resurrection Sunday, what doubts, fears, stresses are weighing on your mind? Do we, as Christians, believe God’s word today without the gift of “seeing” and “hearing from” our Savior? Rest assured, we can hear and see today. God speaks to us through His word. Read and study to uncover His truths. He reveals Himself to us through the pages of Scripture. When Jesus declared, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) on Good Friday, He is telling us there is nothing we can do , nothing we can bring. We come humbly to the cross, bringing our sins, declaring our belief and faith at the foot of the cross. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24

Today brings the victory! He is risen. His victory over death is the hope of our salvation. Let this message today be one of hope, joy and bring you peace.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

The “I have to’s, the must do’s.” The daily grind. We are focused, intentional in the job at hand An attitude of work.

Then, a holiday weekend. A chance to relax and unwind. An attitude of cheer. A spring in our step. An “I can do this” attitude.

I have noticed as the weeks go by, I am tired. Here we go again, attitude. But when I have something fun planned, I am eager, energetic, hopeful. The attitude changes.

Should it be that way? Shouldn’t I be excited for every new day God has given me? A day to live for Him regardless of what lies ahead?

Lord, help me to be thankful, hopeful, excited for each new day on Your created Earth. Let my attitude be one of joy and expectation. I pray I am serving and working where You are that You may be glorified. Thank you for this new day, that I may say with my whole heart, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

According to Oxford Languages, the phrase “empty handed” means: having failed to obtain or achieve what one wanted.

You go into a meeting, a relationship and walk out empty handed. You didn’t get what you wanted, either from the job or other people.

How do we approach our relationship with God? Do we have an agenda, a preconceived idea of what we “get” from God? Do we go to church, walking away afterwards feeling “empty handed?”

What if we changed our attitude, our mindset when worshipping God. Come to Him with nothing but a humble, lowly attitude. Allow God to fill your mind. Let His word wash over you as you meditate on Who He is. The great I AM! Creator of heaven and earth. Our Redeemer. When we do, we will not walk away empty handed. God will reveal Himself to you, showing you He is all you need. Unto Jesus we come. Unto Jesus we cling.

Romans 4:4-5 “When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.”

As the year comes to a close, I find myself reviewing the year. The highs, the lows. The goals I set and finished as well as the goals I set but have not yet attained. I look at the things of the world, what has happened culturally, politically, economically.

But most importantly, I look at my life in view of a holy God. I am not yet who I want to be in Christ, but I continue to strive. I do no know all I want to know about God and His word, yet I continue to study. I continue to seek where God wants me to be so I am in prayer.

Where are you today in your relationship with God? Do you have one? Have you seen your sin in light of a holy God and repented? Today is that day. Are you a Christian yet see yourself falling short, walking away? Turn back. Today is that day.

Wherever you are today, it is a new day. A new day to believe God is who He says He is. A new day to read God’s word and believe its truths. A new day to walk with God and follow His commands.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. “

1 Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”