A Baby Changes Everything

Any mother will tell you that you will never be truly prepared when your first baby comes. No amount of advice or wisdom from other people will prepare you for the experience of birth or caring for your baby. How this tiny human will become your whole world and change who you are as you care and love someone before yourself. The sacrifices you will make, the pain you’ll feel, the time and expense. But also the joy of seeing them laugh for the first time, seeing them take their first step, their first word. These moments of joy will erase all the moments of pain. And at that moment you realize you would willingly give your life for your child. A baby changes everything.

2000 years ago a baby came into the life of Mary and Joseph. It changed the outlook of those around them as Mary was looked down on as an unwed mother. It changed her body as the baby grew within her. It changed her mindset at the mystery of the child within her being conceived of the Holy Ghost. The mystery that this helpless child that needed her and His earthly father to care and protect Him was also her Savior and Redeemer. No wonder in verse Luke 2:19 it says,” But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” A baby changes everything.

A baby changed my life. When baby Jesus grew into a man and went to Calvary to take away my sins. He saw the moments of pain that I would cause Him, but He saw the moments of joy and then He knew He would willingly give His life for His child. I’m so thankful for my risen Savior who has given me eternal life. He’s changed the way I walk, the way I talk, the way I act.

He can change whatever you need today. He can give you salvation today. Whatever trial, sickness, or hardship you’re going through. He can change everything.

 

                                                    -Written By: Katie Linsey

Praise Him In The Storm

 

A popular Casting Crowns song states it best, “I was sure by now, God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away,” but what do we do when God hasn’t stopped our pain and suffering? This year has been especially awful for many people in all walks of life, across the entire world. We have been suffering with this pandemic and how to overcome the ill health effects as well as the effects it is having on the economy, our daily lives, and the church. This year has proven that even though the storm is raging, lasting longer than anyone could expect, we must still continue to praise the God of the storm and the God that ‘gives and takes away’. 

Job loss has been one of the greatest hurdles to overcome during this time. While we are all mindful that our health should be of great concern, many people have struggled to keep food on their table and feed not only themselves, but their families and children. With much of the country shut down for several months, the people were forced to rely on other means in order to get food, water, and even shelter in some areas. How could they focus on praising God when such horrible things were happening to them? My question: how could we not praise God when this is happening? I looked to the scriptures to find that encouragement to keep pressing on in the face of chaos and fear; Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (Deuteronomy 31:6). The Lord will never leave us to fend for ourselves, he will not forsake me and toss us to the wayside. He will provide in the time of need. Whatever we have need of he will make the way to provide it. Even in these great times of uncertainty, God is still certain, and still providing.

As churches were closing their doors to keep their saints safe and out of harm’s way, we saw a new church begin to rise. The ‘Online Church’ was birthed in this storm and has given new life to many who may not have attended services in person. In this case, God shut the doors to the church and opened that window we’re always hearing about. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). The Lord knew what was going to happen this year, it didn’t surprise him. He had already formed the plan to allow the church to continue to prosper and reach the lost even in this time of crisis when everything was shut down. He knew the church would continue.

From my personal experience I can say with certainty that praising God during the storm is the easiest way to get through it. I’ve faced many challenges in life, not just this year alone, but over time, and when I’ve ignored God and pushed Him away, the problems only festered and grew. When I gave in to what God wanted, praised Him even in the midst of hardship, He made a way and saw me through the storm. I often lean on songs in time of need, they stick with me and comfort me, and remind me that even ‘when trials fierce assail me as storms are gath’ring o’er, I rest upon His mercy and trust Him more.’ I cling to these songs that remind me that God is not absent in the storm, He’s right there keeping us anchored and steady through the storm. I must trust Him more in these desperate times, not less. He is the only one who can see the beginning from the end, He knows the struggles we have and never leaves us. He’s as close as his name, Jesus, and He will never leave me. So when the storms start raging, things all fall apart in life, when we don’t know what else to do, simply praise Him in that storm, when there is nothing else you can do, you can praise Him.

-Written By: Meghan West

Feed My Sheep

 

2020 has been a rough and frightening year for everyone. The dreaded COVID-19 turned our worlds upside down. We suddenly found ourselves working in our homes, indoor church services became online services, and masks became the norm. Fear swept the nation and we all try to cope to the best of our abilities. Now there are riots sweeping across the nation and fires spreading, forcing people out of their homes. People are losing everything; their homes, their belongings, their businesses.
           
It isn’t the year we expected and it only seems to be getting worse. Fear and anxiety have taken place in people’s minds and hearts. They don’t know where to turn and I found myself in the same situation.
           
All of my life, I have struggled with fear and anxiety, so of course I was no different. My world was changing quickly and I couldn’t do anything about it. As a mom and wife, I worried about my husband and my children. I wanted to fix it all. I wasn’t in control and I didn’t know how to handle it.
           
Recently, my health took a big decline. I was so sick, I couldn’t eat and what I did eat my body rejected. I found myself unable to get out of bed because I was so miserable. It was yet another thing I couldn’t fix and I found myself in a very dark place. I was scared.
           
But God. I found myself often falling on the floor crying out to God in desperation. He would always meet me and would give me a release from everything I was feeling and give me peace. I have come to a point where I depend on Him - I need Him to get through all of the anxiety, fear, and darkness.
           
This brought me to ask myself, where do the lost turn to? How do they manage?
           
I came across a post on Facebook where some moms were talking about how COVID-19 was affecting them. They were specifically discussing their experience at Costco. They commented how everyone was acting crazy, hoarding and fighting over products. They also commented that it was bizarre seeing everyone wearing masks, and how reality was setting in. It put them in a place where they couldn’t even go into the stores anymore. They would sit in their cars and just cry. People are scared and we have something so special and so sweet. We have the answer!
           
Last night, as I lay in my bed, God placed this single thought in my head. “If you love me, feed my sheep.” So today I dove into His Word. I knew it was the scripture passage where Jesus was talking with Peter, so I went there and started to study. What I found struck me cold and convicted me.
           
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19, ESV)
           
In verse 17, after the third time Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, we see that Peter was grieved in his heart. Why would His Lord and Savior keep asking this? Did He doubt him? God knows everything! And he so tells God so!
           
Jesus wanted him to remember this moment. It was important that Peter felt the impact of His words. Jesus goes on to tell Peter His will for Peter’s life- one that Peter may not want, but is asked of.
           
God was asking Peter to spread the good news and that this would ultimately lead him to his death; a death, while scary and hard, that would bring even more glory to God. Historically, Peter died by crucifixion, similar to His Savior.
           
I feel God was asking Peter to follow His example. Everything Christ did was for His Kingdom. Jesus’ ministry was always for the lost, even His own death. If you recall, in the Garden, Christ, too, didn’t want to be crucified. His flesh was weak and He asked three times that this cup may be passed from Him (Matthew 26:36-44). BUT, He always ended His prayer by saying, not my will, but your will be done. He died so that we could be saved!
           
So I believe that He was asking Peter to live his life as He did, by reaching the lost. Then Christ goes on to say Peter would have a death that he would not want, but his death would bring glory to God’s Kingdom. So here, I believe He was asking Peter to, again, follow His example by putting God’s Will before his own.
           
This passage made me reevaluate my life. Who have I reached out to? Have I become just a pew sitter, doing the minimum and skating by? God wants us to reach the lost, not just to skate through life. He gave me life, what can I do in return?
           
Then the song “my life is not my own, to you I belong” popped into my head. and conviction took place in my heart. Things may happen in my life that are out of my control, but I shouldn’t be trying to control everything. My life is HIS. Like Peter, God is asking that my life be given back to Him for His glory.
           
As Christians, we need to remember His great commission:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:29)
           
Our mission is to lead the lost Home. Things will happen in our lives, but God can use those things to bring glory to His Kingdom if we let it. Life alone is a beautiful gift. However, the best is yet to come. He has gone to make a place for us - a place where there is no fear, no anxiety, no pain, no loss. Just one of great joy!

                                                - Written By : Faith Richardson
            

The Back End of the Race

Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
 

Last October, I did something that has been a dream in my heart for some time. 

My first full marathon was in full force, a steady run so far, no injuries, and I was feeling good, making good time and pacing where I wanted to. My knee started bothering me so I slowed down, and was getting separated from the girl I was running with. She had kept me going for miles and had suffered an injury previously, and I wanted her to conquer her goal that day. No worries, I told her to go on ahead. I was comfortable and kept running, confident in my progress thanks to her pushing me through the first few hours of the day and helping me learn to pace. 

I found myself alone about 14 miles in, down a pretty cobblestone street in Victorian village, but I couldn’t see any other runners. 

Your thoughts go dark as you imagine that every single person, all 15,000 racers, have finished and are already stuffing their faces with victory pizza and Gatorade. I pictured the finish line being torn down and crickets chirping by the time I got to the end. My day had started before 5am and it’s now about 11 and I’ve been running for hours. I’m tired, and crabby and hot and I start to doubt myself. All the hours and months I spent training my body to take the pain, learning to find the energy I needed inside, pushing for another mile, to trust the process and mentally run through the doubt, one foot in front of the other, I’m starting to forget ALL of that. 

Feeling defeat looming in the background, I suddenly hear the shrieking of my name behind me and turn to see two of my crazy runner girls coming up from behind. I had lost them miles ago and was convinced they were already celebrating at the finish line. I was SO happy to see them. We stuck together for several miles and they helped me get through my wall. They went ahead when I slowed down to nurse my knee and help another runner with an injury to an aid station, and I happily finished my race confident in my own time and my own pace. All 26.2 miles pounded out with determination and a few good pushes.

 What got me through, I realized, wasn’t the elites, the runners who were perfect, at the front of the pack, with expensive shoes and personal trainers, and zero body fat who finished hours before I did, those few who make careers out of this sport, whom I can never compete with. What pushed me was to see the back end of the race, women and men past their prime, with scars and mistakes and worn out shoes and no experience. The first timers, who like me, had a heartbeat and a goal and zero clue what we were doing, but doing it anyway, one step at a time. 

THAT, ladies, is your witness. Your wounds, your mistakes, your smelly shoes and your doubt. THAT is what speaks to people about where God can take them. Your perfection in Christ is not what it’s about. It’s not a testimony to hide your injuries and fears and only advertise your victories. Your scars and fear and coming in DEAD LAST are your testimonies. 

Don’t think for one second that because you are behind someone else that you can’t be what gets them through. Those beautiful, crazy, messy women with scars and pain and stink are what pushed me when I needed it. They were scared and crabby and tired and hungry, too, and they made sure we were all in it together.

When you choose to encourage someone through your pain, and fear, and doubt, and sin and mistakes, THAT my friends, is where your light shines on the path. 

So be the back end of the race, be the slow one, be the inexperienced one, be the one with not a clue what you are doing. Take someone’s hand and pull them along kicking and screaming and clueless like you and be proud of it. HE will get you to the finish line, no matter your experience or lack of. All that matters is your heart’s desire. And that the path, the road, the race, leads you, and the hand you are holding, to HIM.

 

-Written By: Robin Nash

Dangers Of Night Time Driving - Buckle Up & Stay Alert

As Covid-19 hit our world in March 2020 and life practically came to a screeching halt, I began the joyous, important task of teaching my 16 year old to drive.  Amidst the quarantine, with people staying at home and things shut down, I decided it was a great time for driving lessons.  Landon began getting in the driver’s seat every time we went somewhere. 

 From day one of our lessons, I repeated over and over again the very important instructions of driving a vehicle:

-buckle up

-pay attention

-keep both hands on the wheel

-be careful

-stay alert

-don’t get distracted

-stop and look

When the quarantine was lifted and more folks were going back to work and shopping or whatever, suddenly there were a lot more cars on the roads!  While Landon was doing a great job, it now felt like we were in a different level of driving lessons because it was more nerve wracking with all of the traffic now.   There were more fellow drivers we had to stop and look out for, and we had never put a “Please be patient, Student Driver” sticker on the back of the car.  

One night we were driving home from visiting our daughter and her husband.  We took a different route than usual.   The night was very dark and it was difficult to see where the next turn was.   As Landon made a turn onto what we thought was a road, we quickly realized it actually was just a very short driveway and dead end!  We both had missed the road we should have taken a few yards back.   This got me thinking how easy it can be to get lost, to take the wrong turn, especially in the dark of night and unfamiliar surroundings. 

The scriptures tell us that in the last days, many will be deceived!  We must buckle up and stay alert!!  We must be aware of what’s going on around us!  Whether it’s daytime or nighttime, whether there’s a little traffic or a lot of traffic, whether we’re student drivers or experienced drivers, we must stop and look!  We must keep a firm grip on our faith!!!  We may have lived for God for years, but we can still be deceived if we’re not paying attention!   We can gradually merge onto a WRONG WAY street or DEAD END road!  

So take some time regularly to think about where you are.  Are you drawing closer to God during these unprecedented times or are you growing distant from Him?  On this journey there are detours, roadblocks, road construction, blind spots, falling asleep at the wheel, road rage, inclement weather, resulting in hazardous reduced visibility making conditions extremely dangerous.  

 Driving gets more dangerous as the light fades.

I read that 50% of traffic deaths happen at night.   In general, it’s more difficult for our eyes to see at night.   Our depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision can be compromised in the dark.  The glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle can temporarily blind a driver. 

We are living in the last days!  Days of darkness!  Days of seducing spirits!  Stay on guard!  STAY ALERT!   What influences are you under?  Are they positive or negative?  Is there sin in your life that is separating you from God?  We need to surrender all to God and ask Him to show us where to go and what to do.  Are you truly seeking the Lord for direction in your life?  We can’t always see what’s coming around the bend or over the hill, but we can trust that the Lord promised to never leave us or forsake us.  If we know that we have taken a wrong turn we don’t have to lose hope!  God can turn us around and get us back on the right road!  There are sometimes though that it may feel like we are on the wrong road when actually God has put us there and we must be patient and obedient to do His will.  That’s why it’s so important to stay close to the Lord through prayer, reading the WORD, and being renewed in the spirit so that we will be able to hear His voice and be led by HIM.   

 I Peter 5:8-9

Be sober (self-controlled), be vigilant; (adjective watchful, alert, on the lookout, careful, cautious, attentive, circumspect, wide awake, on the alert, on your toes, wakeful, on your guard, on the watch, keeping your eyes peeled – The Free Dictionary) because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Life Application Bible Commentary

“Lions attack sick, young or straggling animals;  they choose victims who are alone or not alert.  Peter warns us to watch out for satan when we are suffering or persecuted.  Feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other believers, so focused on our troubles that we forget to watch for danger, we are especially vulnerable to satan’s attacks.   During times of suffering, seek other Christians for support.  Keep your eyes on Christ, and resist the devil.  Then, says James, “he will flee from you”.  (James 4:7)

 I Timothy 3:13-14

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

 Don’t isolate yourself.  Encourage others.  Encourage yourself in the Lord.  Keep praising and worshiping Jesus.  Keep praying.  Pray more.  Keep reading and studying the Bible.   

It is our roadmap.   

-Written By: Sis Tibbs

Standing For Freedom

We all know the story of Esther and how she replaced Queen Vashti who would not appear before King Ahasuerus during his feast while entertaining all his nobles and princes in the Provinces of his kingdom.

After Esther is settled into her duties as Queen for about seven years, trouble arises. The King decides to promote Haman, the Agagite, to be second in command and he despises Mordecai, Esther's older cousin, because he would not follow the command  to bow and also because he was a Jew. Haman was a descendant of the Amalikites who are descendants of Esau and they were enemies with the Jews since the book of Genesis, and this mutual contempt carries on today.

Esther 3:5 says that when Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow or pay him reverence, he was filled with wrath! Once wrath and bitterness enter into a person's heart, if not taken care of immediately, that person can come under a bondage that festers and controls every thought and imagination of vengeance until that anger is pacified. For a whole year, Haman, his family and friends schemed a plan of revenge towards Mordecai and his people.  Revenge never just affects one, but it reaches to everyone around us and can eventually destroy the person who harbors it.

Finally, Haman presents his deceptive plan to the King. But he doesn't name names, he just informs the King that there were "certain people" who didn't keep his laws and they should be destroyed.  Of course the King is going to agree.  Kings have always feared takeover of their kingdoms.  They surround themselves by trusted friends and counsellors in order to protect their thrones.

The plan is put into action and proclamations are distributed throughout the entire Province which was most of the Middle East into Africa and north to Greece. The really heartbreaking thing is this action was proclaimed publicly on the day before Passover, the Jews’ most holy time of remembrance celebrating their deliverance and freedom from captivity under Egyptian rule. What a horribly cruel punishment this must have felt like to them. Here they are getting ready to celebrate freedom only to find out their lives could be snuffed out in a few months.

We will soon be celebrating Independence Day when our country declared separation from Great Britain. There was so much fighting and warring between our two countries that it was inevitable something had to give, and our forefathers crafted the Declaration of Independence which was adopted July 4, 1776.  Every person that signed that document paid a price but they had to stand for freedom for themselves, their families, and for the future of this country.

We are living in such perplexing and unpredictable days with worry and anger all around us, It looks like the enemy is winning.  I wonder if this is how they felt in Esther's day. Even though they were far away from their homeland and settled into the culture to which they were accustomed to living, they were making the best of their circumstances, and then the ax falls only to remind them this isn't home.  The prophets had prophesied that one day the Jews would be back to their promised land and they would one day be free of their adversaries.  This hope was passed on from one generation to the next. They did not give up hope because they knew their God was a covenant keeper and never went back on His promises.

We know Esther goes before the King after she asks her people to fast and pray for three days. Her daring words in Esther 4:17 "...if I perish, I perish" have gone down in infamy.  Because of her bravery, her people were delivered and set free from their enemy and they celebrate every year still to this day the Feast of Purim commemorating their victory and what God did for them. 

God has positioned us in this time of history and has placed in each and every one of us His glorious Spirit.  I am reminded that this world is not our home, it's only temporary until He takes us to our heavenly home that He is preparing (John 14) located in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21). He has entrusted us to fulfill His plan in this dark hour to be the light wherever we are.  Esther had no idea what she was walking into when she became Queen. Vashti lost her position when she refused to appear before the King and now Esther was making her appearance without pre-approval.  She knew her life was on the line, but what else could she do? She made a choice.  The King not only granted her favor by holding out his scepter, but he also helped to turn their dire situation around.  We have to make a choice and know that we're in God's favor and trust that He's got our back!

When Haman's proclamation was stamped with the King's ring, it could not be reversed.  Today's circumstances are not permanent for the Child of God.  It may not look that way but our God has a plan and it is stamped with His ring of approval and nothing can reverse it!

John 8:36:  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The trouble that is going on around us is the result of sin and bondage. The enemy knows his time is short and is working overtime to pull everyone into his snare hoping that even God's people will get all caught up into his trap of hate and division.  I have news for him, our God has set us free from his power and he has no hold on us.  If we will keep seeking God's face and continue sharing His Word, we will see others delivered from the enemy's grasp.  We can stand on God's Word and know He has everything under control.  

Isaiah 54:17:  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Freedom didn't come for Esther and her people just because she was queen, it came because she took a stand for the sake of her people and followed a plan of action. Freedom didn't just show up in this country on its own, but brave men and women had a plan of action and stood and fought to protect the rights that we hold dear today.  Jesus Christ stood for the sake of His Kingdom and followed a plan of action to set the world free from sin by His death, burial, and resurrection.  We too must take a stand for the sake of our world and follow the plan of action by speaking God's Word into people's lives and fighting our spiritual enemy wherever we are.

Ephesians 6:12-13:  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

-Written By: Becky Spann

Bold Women Of The Bible

Bold Women of the Bible

Deborah (Judges 4), prophetess and judge of Israel, had to humble herself and become bold. When Barak asked her to go to the battle with him instead of trusting God for himself, she said she would. But, God would not let him have the glory for the victory promised. Sisera was killed by Jael, another bold woman. Israel became victorious because of Deborah’s humility, bravery, and obedience in hearing from the Lord.

The Syro-Phoenician woman (Matthew 7:26) became desperate for her child. She would not entertain the thought that Jesus would not heal her child! She kept up her desperate plea even when he called her a dog! Did that make her slink off and whimper? No way! She became persistent until her daughter was healed. Ladies, we need powerful, desperate, and persistent prayers to set the lost free and to heal the sick and diseased. Don’t give up. Keep knocking!  Luke 11:9, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto.”

Hannah was another bold woman of God who was accused of being an alcoholic! Eli thought she was drunk.  She was praying desperate prayers for a child quietly. Eli could not figure out what she was doing. He definitely was not in tune with God. She cried to him, “No, my Lord! My spirit is sorrowful because I have not been able to conceive.” (1 Samuel 1) The Lord promised her a child and sure enough she conceived. But, she kept her vow. She had promised that this child would be given into the service of the Lord. When we make a vow, we must keep it. She gave praise and glory to the Lord. When a need is answered we must be quick to give God the glory. We must praise Him! God honored Hannah’s vow and praises to Him, and she was later blessed with three more sons and two daughters! What a victory!

The only qualifications we need to be bold women is faith! Speak to the situation as though it were already accomplished.  I recently read about another bold modern mother stricken with polio. Her husband was an evangelist and away when she fell ill. She literally stayed on the floor. She couldn’t walk and could barely breathe. The Lord led her to ask her son to pray for her. He was a very young child. He prayed for Jesus to heal his mother. In a matter of just a few minutes she gradually received strength. She was brave and bold! She was obedient to the voice of the Lord and had taught her son as well. What a heritage to pass on to our families!

I learned very early in our ministry to be bold when asking requests of the Lord. Many times we had to rely on God supplying our needs. One doesn’t always learn everything from attending a Bible college. Ever hear of the school of hard knocks? As a young minister’s wife, I had to get ahold of the Lord! I had to be as bold as Deborah in the book of Judges. We were at war, a spiritual war with consequences if we weren’t victorious. Souls were at stake. Loved ones were in jeopardy! Souls came to the house late at night to be set free from their sins. What a harvest we had! We took the church having 17 members and it grew with souls to a record breaking 90+ before the Lord directed us to St. Augustine.

In our young ministry I realized how important prayer was. Ministers are targets of the enemy. Satan wants to neutralize them. Ministers’ wives have to learn early on that they must fight for their husbands’ protection from temptation. We had only been married a couple of years when I became a Deborah for my husband. I saw the danger and went to battle for him. We were victorious! Ladies become Deborahs against the enemy! With humility, acknowledge you need God’s help and then lead the battle and fight in the Spirit! Humble yourselves before the Lord. You will have victory. You will be guided. Times will not be easy, but they will be fruitful.

Be humble.  Be persistent.  Be bold.  Be a woman of prayer.  Be a worshipper.

You will win your battles!  

Written By: Sis. Jeannie Collins

A Brand New Mother's Day

On our calendars is a date to celebrate mothers.  It is to bring attention to women who have had children.  Correct?  I don’t think so.  There are many women who haven’t been mothers, but they have the motherly instinct built in them.  This comes from our creator.  Maybe you know a woman who loves to do things for people, but doesn’t have children of her own; perhaps a neighbor lady or a “crazy aunt”.  A mother (to me) means a woman who loves taking care of others and puts their needs before hers.  There are many mothers mentioned in the Bible.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, being the most famous.  She had a hard job even though she had the perfect child.  Mary had to teach and train her son in what was right and wrong.  The responsibility of raising children is an enormous endeavor.  Endeavor means to work with a set purpose.  We as mothers have a set purpose in mind.  As our children are born, we start teaching and training from day one.  We do our best to raise them as GOD instructs us.  We have a manual called the Bible to teach us how.  GOD gives us examples throughout His word.  Do not deviate from His wisdom.  We want our little blessings to be saved and live for GOD.  As women of GOD we should seek out newborn babes in Christ to take them under our wing and love and be a mentor to them.  They may not have had a loving mother as they were growing up.  We, as mothers, when we had our first baby, loved that child so much and probably thought we couldn’t love another one as much as we loved the first one.  But we found out we have so much love for all of our children.  GOD’s love is unending, and it is a good thing because he has a lot of children.  When we come to GOD, we should have an unending supply of love.  Sinners are usually saved when they feel the love of GOD drawing on their heart.  Let us love people to GOD.  By GOD’s love they will know us, and by HIS mercy and grace and perfect love they can have eternal life with Him. 

 Let us make a new calendar and add “Love someone to Jesus” day and celebrate it 365 days a year.

Written By: Sis. Linda Tatman

When Your Children Ask

When Your Children Ask

The moment I discovered I was going to be a mom, my life changed! I wanted nothing more than to protect the unborn baby that I now carried. I would eat right, take my vitamins even though they made me sick, rest when I felt the need to, go to monthly appointments because life was about taking care of this baby that would soon be. At my son’s birth I felt love like I had never felt before. The helplessness of a newborn causes the heart of new parents to swell in a way that it causes them to spend several hundred dollars to purchase everything from a box of diapers to throwing money into a future college fund!

As our children become toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, and on into the teens and adulthood years, a mother never stops wanting to protect, teach, pray for, guide, and counsel her children. As we have entered into a place we have never journeyed before because of the pandemic called Covid-19, or the Coronavirus, I have wanted to reassure my young adult sons that God is with us and is going to take care of everything! A mother is always hopeful that she is giving the right advice, counsel, and reassurance. I believe the Lord understands our uncertainty in all of this.

Because Journeys and Devotions is a blog written by women and about women, I would like to come to the story of the crossing of the Jordan found in Joshua 4:8-24 from a mother’s point of view. If I had my two small boys by the hand and was looking at a sea of water that could not be crossed without being swept away and the man of God said we are going to cross! My heart would be pounding and there would be a feeling of panic because I would not be sure I could keep hold of my children in the midst of heavy wind, tons of water, and to the physical eye, no way through this river. But God! But God opened the water for Joshua just like he did for Moses. I can just see Miriam trusting the words of Moses as he stretched out his rod and said “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!” Miriam knew her brother to be a man of God who was in tune with the voice of the Lord. Can you just see her grabbing her children and being the first to take them by the hand and saying come, children! And because of Miriam’s trust in God and the man of God, other moms took heart. A holy boldness came upon them and they began to lead their children across the Red Sea!

Miriam is gone, Moses is gone, most of those who left Egypt have died off except Joshua and Caleb. Here they are at the Jordan River. Joshua may have been thinking I remember you doing this for Moses, but I am not Moses. Mothers standing at the bank of the River. Maybe Miriam is still alive but much older and frail, but her grand-children and great -grandchildren are standing at the bank of the river and a mom is worried about if God is really going to come through for her and her children. I can see Miriam making her way to the edge of the Sea and standing with her shoulders as straight as her body will allow and a wave of faith comes over her along with a flood of memories of that day so long ago when the Red Sea opened to them. Miriam puts a foot into the water and assures the other moms that it is ok to take their children through a place they have never been!

Rocks were taken out of the middle of the Jordan and set up as a Memorial and God said to Joshua, this is a place you can bring your children. “When they Ask,” you can tell them the story of how God was with Moses, with Joshua, and now with you!

Stories will be told of how God brought us through this pandemic! Testimonies will be written down and read by our children and children’s children. As we are in the midst of an uncertain time, crossing territory we have never been through, gathering new information each day, gather some stones, write some stories, record testimonies of things God shows you along the way so “When Our Children Ask!” we will have details and we will show them how God was with us and hopefully we can tell them about a few lost people we picked up along the way!

-Written By: Patty Hollaway