Always Available
Summer seems to go by so quickly.
Everyone is traveling different places for family vacations, weddings, and work.
It’s hard to keep track of where my friends are sometimes.
I even attempted to start a Google Calendar for our group, as it has become more and difficult to find a day that works for everyone to get together.
Gratefully, today is a day that works!
And as I am sipping on my coffee, looking out at the ocean waiting to catch up on the latest happenings, my thought is this:
How wonderful it is the God knows where we are at all times.
He doesn’t require a calendar, electronic or paper planner, to know His children’s schedules.
Our Creator is always available to sit with us and listen to what is happening in our lives.
How comforting it is that there is One who understands us so well.
Friend, wherever you are going today, rest in the knowledge that God is with you.
His calendar is always open for His children.
“You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid your hand on me! This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength. Where could I go from your Spirit? Where could I run and hide from your face?”
Psalms 139:3-7 TPTShare this:
The One Sent
If you search online for the most popular Bible verses, John 3:16 will in many places be number one.
It is God’s love for us defined in a few short lines.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 (ESV)Jesus was the one sent for us.
A few years ago, after receiving one myself, I decided to use the pennies pictured as a visual reminder of His love to share with others.
I loved the idea of the “one cent.”
But what if the story ended at John 3:16?
What if the disciples decided to keep the story of Jesus and His resurrection to themselves?
Now when I look at these pennies, I am reminded of two messages.
First, of God’s great love for us.
Second, that we are called to continue to share His story with others.
Look at what Jesus tells His disciples in John 20:21.
“Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
John 20:21 (ESV)When Jesus left this earth, He instructed His disciples to continue His work.
He sent them.
Friends, we are the ones who are sent now, to be His hands and feet in a broken world.
Share His story.
Share His love.
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The Choice to be Present
To do lists never seem to end.
Dishes.
Laundry.
Yard work.
Insert your household chore of choice here.
Being good stewards of what we have is not a bad thing.
In fact, we are called to be good stewards.
To offer hospitality to others.
But sometimes in doing so, we forget that being still is not laziness, but the act of being present.
Mary understood this.
Instead of choosing to help her sister, she sat at the feet of Jesus, drinking in His every word.
I really want to be more like Mary, but sometimes my Martha heart stops me from being fully present with Him and the ones He has graciously put in my path.
The dishes will not go anywhere.
The laundry can wait.
The grass will get cut.
Friends, I am talking to myself here, but in case you are like me and need to hear it, too:
Go outside and swim with your friends.
Play that game with your kids.
Have coffee with someone who needs a listening ear.
Sit quietly and read His Word.
And even if you struggle putting down that to do list, remember this.
Jesus still called Martha beloved, even when she got caught up in the distractions around her.
He calls you beloved, too.
“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared. But Martha became exasperated with finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.” The Lord answered her, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.””
Luke 10:38-42 TPTShare this:
Your Gifts
What gift do you have that you can share with others?
Maybe you are a good cook.
Maybe your gift is organization.
Maybe you love being outside and doing yard work.
Whatever that gift is, use it to bless someone else today.
That is one way to share His love.
“Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!”
1 Peter 4:7, 11 MSGShare this:
What Are You Grateful For?
It’s easy to complain.
Maybe too easy sometimes.
Someone cut you off while you were driving.
You had to wait in line longer than you wanted.
The outcome was not what you expected.
In reality, there is always something to be thankful for.
My kids will tell you I am like a “Positive Polly” – always looking for the good in every situation.
Truthfully, there are days I don’t always feel that way.
But in His word, we are told to be thankful and sing His praises.
God has been so good to me, I only need to open my eyes and take in a deep breath in the morning, and I already have 2 things to be grateful for each day.
And there is so much more.
So what can you tell Him thank you for today?
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,”
Psalms 92:1-2 NLTShare this:
Always Near
We were walking back from an event the other night.
My gaze was fixed on the spot ahead where we going to meet our Uber driver.
My son found something different to fix his gaze on.
And I had walked right past it without noticing.
Off in the distance was The Papal cross, it’s silhouette unmistakable against the night sky.
How many times do shift my gaze to the things of this world, and forget that He is always near?
Friends, today be reminded today that the One who loves you is always close.
And if you see someone looking elsewhere, remind them, too.
Share His love.
“Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.’”
Isaiah 41:10 TPTShare this:
Holding Love
As we were walking around on our first day of vacation, we came across this stained glass window of two hands holding a heart.
What a beautiful representation of carrying love.
Holding love for one another is one of the most important things we can do.
It is how we can best honor the One who is Love.
“Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous. Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another.”
Romans 12:9-10 TPTShare this:
A Ready Heart
Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
The pearl was set between two kissing dolphins.
The perfect symbol of love.
During our first vacation together in Hawaii, my now husband and I stopped at an outdoor stand where you could pick your own pearl.
I carefully searched for my oyster.
Did you know that pearls are the only gems that come from a living creature?
I could not tell you what the necklace cost, but to me it was a priceless treasure.
That is what our heavenly Father considers us to be.
A treasure.
So much so that He sent His only Son to pay a huge price for us.
His life for ours.
In the beginning of Matthew 13, we see Jesus addressing the crowds, who had gathered on the shoreline while He was in a boat.
Jesus communicated through parables, weaving eternal truths into earthly stories.
It was through these stories that He helped to prepare the hearts of those who were listening, like preparing good soil for seeds to grow.
His disciples questioned why Jesus spoke in parables instead of just saying what He meant.
But Jesus did not look like or talk like the King that many expected.
His explanation from this version in The Message says this:
“The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”
He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening.” Matthew 13:11-15 (MSG)Jesus knew the ones that His message was clear to were those whose hearts were ready to hear.
The ones who searched for Him, like a merchant searching for treasures.
“He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:9 (ESV).
Each of the parables Jesus shared pointed to eternal value.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13: 45-46 (ESV)
The pearl in ancient times was thought to be one of the loveliest gems.
Surely it made sense that one would want to possess something so beautiful.
Just like the pearl, Jesus is the priceless gem coming from a living God who wants nothing more than to welcome His children into His kingdom.
The way into His Kingdom is through His Son.
The pearl of great value.
If our hearts are ready, we recognize the value of this indescribable gift.
And like the merchant, would surrender all for something more valuable than any earthly treasure.
Jesus gave everything to pay the price for us.
A perfect symbol of His great love.
His Kingdom is precious and worthy of total surrender.
The cost of not surrendering our all to Him is spending eternity without Him.
Is your heart ready?
Father God, we are so grateful for the indescribable gift of Your Son, Jesus. The pearl of great value. Ready our hearts and help us to recognize that the things of this world pale in comparison to Your immeasurable love for us. Help us to surrender our all to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A little extra : Natural pearls are formed without human intervention. Cultured pearls are created by human methods. They often are substituted for natural pearls because while they still appear beautiful, they cost less. Jesus’ Kingdom is precious and comes at the cost of our total surrender. When have you substituted His genuine love for something of less value because it cost you less?
How easy it is to want the reward that comes quickly or to attach ourselves to what the culture deems valuable. There are times that I do not always want to give up my comfort and control, surrendering all to Him. But I know in my heart that nothing in this world has lasting value or compares to what God has given us.
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His
Sometimes we are recognized by our position or roles in life.
“This is so and so’s girlfriend.”
“Aren’t you so and so’s mother?”
“You were my 10th grade teacher!”
We even define ourselves this way.
But did you know that the Creator of the universe knows you by name?
God simply calls you His.
Years ago, I ordered a coffee mug with His on it.
Because you can never really have enough coffee mugs, although my husband might disagree.
When it arrived, it had a chip on the rim.
It was broken.
That mug has lived on the shelf in my family room ever since.
It’s a beautiful reminder that even though I am broken, I am still His.
God is not concerned with any of my titles or my perfection.
He has already called me His own.
Above all other titles or positions, that truly defines who I am.
Even though I love being known as John’s wife and Jon and Dan’s mom, I hope that is how you recognize me.
As His.
Friends, regardless of how others see you or how broken you may feel, remember this:
God knows you by name and calls you His.
“But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” Isaiah 43:1 MSG
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Show Your Roots
Looking out the window while on the treadmill this morning, I noticed the exposed roots of a tree.
The area surrounding it appeared to be dried up.
The roots were easy to see.
Though not completely sure what type of tree this was, its roots appeared to run deep.
The tree was still standing, despite the erosion around it.
When we are deeply rooted in Christ, we are given the strength we need to stand tall.
Just like that tree.
I wonder if my roots are easy for others to see in the dry seasons?
Do I stand tall, grateful to not be swept away by the storms around me and showing gratitude to the Creator?
Or do I shift my focus away from the roots to what’s going on around me?
Friends, may you be strengthened today in faith knowing you are rooted in Him.
May our roots be visible for all to see.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
Colossians 2:6-7 NIVShare this:
