Personal Message From the Christmas Story

“And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

          As I sat down last Sunday morning to read the Christmas story, I asked the Lord to speak to me through the story of Jesus’ birth like never before and for His Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word and deepen my understanding of the scriptures I was about to read.

          While I read the story about Zachariah and Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and about the angel Gabriel who visited Mary to inform her she was going to give birth to Jesus, Luke 1:45 jumped out at me for the first time—despite the fact I read this story practically every year. In its context, Elizabeth in her old age and pregnant was rejoicing that Mary came to visit her. Elizabeth exclaimed that Mary was blessed as well as the fruit of her womb, because she was carrying the Lord Jesus. Elizabeth also exclaimed that Mary was blessed because she believed the things the Lord had spoken to her and that they would be fulfilled. Then Mary began to enthusiastically praise the Lord.

          The fact that Mary was blessed because she believed what the Lord had spoken to her would be fulfilled really resonated with me. There are many prayers I’ve prayed over the last 16 years and continue to pray, and they still haven’t come to pass. And there have been and still are times I lose hope and just want to give up. But God reminded me in that passage that He has given me promises: promises for my marriage, promises for my family, promises regarding my career, and countless promises concerning the blessings I have in Christ. And he reminded me that I should continue to believe them, and that they will be fulfilled—and not to lose hope.

          So as I celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah this Christmas season, I will once again meditate on the promises the Lord has spoken to me and recommit myself to believing that they will be fulfilled as Mary did and be blessed. If you’ve ever experienced times of great stress, doubt, and hopelessness due to life’s circumstances, join me this holiday season and do what Mary did: Believe the things that the Lord has spoken to you and that they will be fulfilled, so you too will be blessed!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you that you love me perfectly, that you’re gracious, compassionate, and know me intimately. Gently remind me this Christmas season of all the promises you’ve given me. Strengthen my faith and my belief in those promises so I can be blessed and continue to experience your blessings. In your name I pray, Amen!

Public Speaking? I Think I'd Rather Die

“O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” (Exodus 4:10-11)

     Last week, I traveled to Las Vegas to attend my company’s first annual Spring Symposium for Today’s Dietitian magazine, a two-day event that included several continuing education sessions presented by highly acclaimed nutrition professionals in the dietetics field. I was asked to introduce some of these presenters each day and host a panel discussion of prominent RDs about the value of speaking and writing in their field. My first reaction was “Oh no, I don’t like public speaking. I get too nervous; I stumble and stammer over my words. Oh my goodness!”

     Then I remembered the panel discussion I participated in last year at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Houston. I was just as nervous of the thought of speaking in front of an audience, but once I started talking I was fine and I really enjoyed the experience. So I said to myself, “OK, if I enjoyed last year’s panel discussion maybe I’ll enjoy introducing some of the speakers and hosting the panel discussion.

     Here I was again relating to how Moses felt when the Lord commanded him to confront Pharaoh and demand he set the Israelites free from slavery. Moses was concerned about the very same thing I was concerned about. He was afraid of speaking to Pharaoh and what the Egyptians would think of him just as I was afraid of speaking in front of 275-plus nutrition professionals. Yikes! I was afraid of stuttering and worrying what they might think of me.

     Some people aren’t afraid of public speaking. They can stand in front of an audience with ease and give a wonderful presentation. But I’m not one of those people. So I prayed and asked God to take away my fear and give me a deep sense of peace that transcends all understanding and to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. He promised to be with me and give me the words to speak, so I trusted Him in that and everything went well. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be, and I didn’t stumble and stammer over my words. In fact, the presenters liked how I introduced them, and one of them invited me to speak with her on another panel discussion she wants to host next year at a national nutrition conference. I said “I’d love to.”

     I’ve come to learn that whenever you ask for the Lord’s presence and His peace, he answers pretty much immediately. He promises to keep you in perfect peace if you believe Him and your mind is focused on Him. So whatever you may be facing that you’re deathly afraid of, just bow your head, ask for His presence, power, strength, peace, and Holy Spirit to be poured out on you. Meditate on scripture about fear and a promise that speaks to your situation. And believe me, God will answer—and people will take notice. They’ll notice there’s something special about you. They won’t be able to put their finger on it, but you’ll know it’s the Lord’s favor, a display of His glory.

     I’m not sure what God is doing in my professional career, but He’s surely stretching me and my faith in ways I’m not expecting. He seems to be elevating me by thrusting me into the spotlight. He knows I’m nervous about being in the spotlight, but He has me doing it anyway, and He’s right there with me. He assures me there’s no reason to be afraid, and He’s right. May I praise His holy name!

Vacation Blessings

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.” (Psalm 128:1-4)

       The adage “God is watching over you” is truly an understatement.

       This past week my husband, son, and I enjoyed a vacation, a college experience, and a celebration of my son’s early acceptance into Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).

       My son (a soon-to-be high school senior) enjoyed a weeklong stay at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa., where he attended a business leadership conference. He learned about all aspects of business and how a company works in today’s economy. He roomed with a high school buddy of his in a dorm, met new friends, and learned firsthand what it would be like to live away from home at college. Just this morning my son said, “I can’t wait to go to college. I’m so excited!”

       While he was away, my husband and I enjoyed our own getaway. We drove to Virginia, where we soaked in the sun on the beach and at the pool, and wined and dined each evening at Catch31, one of the most popular fine-dining restaurants along the Virginia Beach shoreline. The live entertainment wasn’t so great this year as it was two years ago so we didn’t hang around to listen to the bands. 

       I took loads of pictures of our road trip to and from Virginia, while at the beach and the pool. I even took some video. I wish we could’ve stayed in Virginia longer than just four days, but we had to go home to prepare for our trip to Indiana. We took a different route to IUP this time, which was shorter and more direct. We attended what’s called Early Decision Day, where you take a tour of the school and learn that day whether or not you’re child has been accepted. After the 90-minute tour and a complimentary lunch, we picked up a letter at the admissions office. We were all thrilled to learn he was accepted! The school is absolutely beautiful, everything from the campus grounds and office buildings to the library, fitness center, and dorm rooms. It all makes me wish I were young again so I could attend this school and get my college education. But the Lord quickly reminded me that I enjoyed my opportunity to go away to college years ago and that this is my son’s turn. And what a blessing it is.

       Our vacation was hard-won. I prayed earnestly for it in light of the fact this is the busiest time of the year as editor of my company’s nutrition magazine. Due to the workload, I didn’t think I’d get the chance to take a vacation this summer. But God answered my prayers by providing me with extra help to make my vacation possible. And God gave me the wisdom to prioritize my work to get it all done. I owe it all to Him who sits high and lifted up, to the one who sits on the throne. Without Him, none of this would’ve been possible.

       I encourage everyone who might be in a tight situation, a seemingly impossible circumstance to find promises in scripture that relate to what you’re going through, claim them as yours, and pray through them first before taking action. That way, you give God the chance to go before you and prepare the hearts and minds of those with whom you need to communicate. The Lord worked in a mighty way for my family and me, and I’ll be forever grateful. Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness and unfailing love. Amen!

Prayer and Fasting With Diabetes

"Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord." (Joel 1:14) 
       In the July issue of Today's Dietitian, we published an article titled Prayer and Fasting With Diabetes. If you're a person of faith who has diabetes or know someone of faith with the disease, this article is a must-read. 
       The American Diabetes Association reports that more than 23 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Seventy-nine million have prediabetes, a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels, which place them at high risk for developing the disease later in life. And each year, there are now 1.5 million people newly diagnosed with diabetes. African Americans are disproportionately affected by this disease and suffer more complications, such as blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy, and heart disease, than other races. 
       Given these statistics, you can surmise there are many people of faith with diabetes who set aside time to commune with God while abstaining from food, drink, or both. But the question is can they fast safely without putting their health at risk? 
       In this article, we discuss that fasting is practiced by the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths and how these practices differ from one another. We review how fasting can impact the health of those with diabetes and provide strategies for fasting safely. Please let me know your thoughts about the article. If you have diabetes or know someone who has the disease and fasts safely, I'd like to hear about your  experiences and theirs. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did in assigning and editing it.


* Linking up with Spiritual Sundays here.

Those Who Will Not Enter the Kingdom

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

In my bible study group last week, we focused on several passages that discussed the work of the Holy Spirit. Of all the passages we read, this one gripped me the most. It begins by listing the habitual sins of those who will not inherit or, in other words, enter the Kingdom of God. If any one has ever had a question about what God considers sin and who won’t enter heaven when they die, this verse, among others, plainly provides the answers.

The passage, written by the apostle Paul to the Christians in Corinth, begins by saying the sexually immoral won’t enter heaven: That’s anyone who’s not married and is having casual sex. Idolaters are people who worship anyone or anything that takes first place in their lives other than God, such as work, family, kids, the pleasures of life, money, drugs, alcohol, themselves, false gods, etc.

Adulterers are those who have sex with someone else outside of their marriage. Then the passage mentions male prostitutes and homosexuals, those who are in sexual relationships with people of the same sex (men or women). The Lord mentions thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers (people who regularly say vicious and false statements about others), and swindlers (individuals who often obtain money or property fraudulently—hence the phrase “ill-gotten gains”).

Then, Paul writes “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” This part of the verse is most comforting, because just as the Christians in Corinth received Christ when they were still practicing these sins and were then washed clean by the Holy Spirit, so was I. The Corinthian Christians were not without sin before they received Christ, and neither was I. But once they came to Christ the Holy Spirit washed them clean. They were now holy (sanctified) and forgiven (justified) of all these sins. And once they were washed clean, they stopped practicing these sins to live a life that honors the Lord. That’s what the powerful work of the Holy Spirit does in our lives the moment we place our faith in Christ for our eternal salvation. The Holy Spirit washes us clean from all our sins, makes us holy, and gives us the power and desire to turn from sin.

May we pray for our friends and family members who don’t know Christ and who are habitually practicing the sins mentioned in this passage without remorse, which will prevent them from inheriting (entering) the Kingdom of God. There was a time when I was not qualified to enter the Kingdom, but because of God’s grace and mercy, I was able to respond to His call to salvation and have now crossed over from death to life. May we bless and praise His Holy Name.

Farewell to Whitney

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” (Psalm 39:4-5 / NLT).

       Like millions around the world, I watched Whitney Houston’s funeral service. We all said goodbye to a beautiful legendary singer who died way too young—way too soon.

Notable Attendees

       Her homegoing service was wonderful, tastefully done. News reports said about 1,500 invited guests attended. Many well-known family members, singers, pastors, actors, and screenwriters were present, such as Dionne Warwick, Tyler Perry, Kevin Costner, TD Jakes and his wife, music industry executive Clive Davis, Oprah Winfrey and Gale King, R. Kelly, Alicia Keyes, Stevie Wonder, Rev. Jesse Jackson, gospel singers Bebe and Cece Winans, Marvin Winans, Rev. Kim Burrell, and Donny McClurkin, among others. They all said incredible things about Whitney and paid tribute to her in Holy-Spirit-filled song. They truly honored and blessed her.

       Tyler Perry preached his heart out, telling attendees that nothing could have separated Whitney “from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39). He said “God’s grace carried Whitney throughout her life and even carried her home.” Perry also said Whitney “loved the Lord.”

Songs and Words of Tribute 

     Bebe and Cece Winans, Marvin Winans, Alicia Keyes, R. Kelly, Stevie Wonder, Donnie McClurkin, and Kim Burrell all sang beautiful, emotion-filled songs to and about Whitney. Kevin Costner and Clive Davis gave moving speeches about their experiences knowing Whitney as a first-time actress and fledgling singer. They raved about how beautiful she was as a person and how beautiful her voice was when she sang. “You wait for a beautiful face like that and a voice like that for a lifetime,” Clive Davis said. “And when you find it in one person it takes your breath away. I loved her very much.”

     One of the most memorable moments was the speech of her bodyguard Ray Watson who declared he, too, was a Christian. He said he was with Whitney almost every day, and she would carry her bible with her wherever she went. He said “her bible was torn up” from her reading it each day. Whitney had passages underlined and highlighted, he said. And if she thought she’d forgotten it, she would look through her bags and belongings until she found it. 

     Whitney’s homegoing was a testament to the love, power, and faithfulness of the Lord. Despite how Whitney died, the Lord was glorified through her life and homegoing service. I learned quite a bit about Whitney since her sudden passing. I always suspected she was saved because she would mention Jesus, her faith, and prayer in her television interviews. What I learned was that Whitney knew and surrounded herself with many Christian music artists who know and love God. She was a close friend of Kim Burrell and the Winans. Marvin Winans gave the eulogy, emphasizing the importance of seeking “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), “living lives pleasing to God” (Colossians 1:10), and getting to know Him by inviting Him into every aspect of our lives. Whitney wasn’t without prayer partners and a constant prayer covering from those who knew and loved her. This gives me great comfort. But I wrestle with questions about the ultimate victory in her life that probably no one can answer.

Unanswered Questions

     Why wasn’t Whitney totally set free from her addictions? Whitney knew and loved the Lord and surrounded herself with others who knew and loved Him as well. Whitney prayed daily and joined others in prayer for her life. So why didn’t God set her free? I’ve heard many stories of people who were set free immediately from drug and alcohol addictions when they went to the Lord. So why couldn’t this have been the case for Whitney? Why weren’t those prayers answered? Why wasn't she completely delivered? I just don’t understand. This grieves my heart. 

       The Word of God says nothing is too hard for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:27). And “if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). So why did Whitney’s life end this way? Why?

     The comfort I have is knowing that she's with God in her heavenly home. She’s at rest, at peace. And one day we’ll see her again.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please strengthen Whitney’s mother and daughter Bobby Kristina and all of her extended family members and friends who loved her during this difficult time. Draw them closer to you and enable them to get to know you better, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Losing My Spiritual Mother

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” (Titus 2:4-5)

       “My mother passed this morning,” Vernesha said sorrowfully. It was 7:30 am Sunday, July 10.

       “Oh my gosh,” I gasped. “I’m so sorry.” “I know. I’ll be in touch to give you the details about the services later this week OK? “OK,” I replied.

       Tears spilled down my face.

       My spiritual mother Dorothy was gone.

       On Friday, just two days before, I rushed to see her after learning she had slipped into a coma after suffering a stroke earlier in the week. During my visit, I talked to her, sung to her with her grandchildren, and held her hand. She responded to my voice, but she couldn’t open her eyes or speak. I trust she knew I was there, because I had prayed that she would. After visiting with her and her family for about 3 hours, I planted a kiss goodbye on her forehead and headed home.

       Deep down I knew this would probably be the last time I’d see Dorothy. And I was right. 

Gift from God

       Dorothy had been a tremendous blessing to me since the day I met her in church. She came into my life when I was in the midst of tumultuous family issues that left me longing — even desperate — to talk to someone who could relate to what I was going through. (She was an answer to my prayers.) Dorothy sensed I was going through great difficulty based on a few conversations we had, so she gave me her phone number one evening at church and said, “If you ever need to talk, don’t hesitate to call me.” I took her up on her offer. That was 13 years ago. And we were in touch ever since — talking, laughing, and praying together. We sent each other Christmas, birthday and Mothers’ Day cards and called each other often. So many times I’d called her sobbing, wanting to give up. And she was always there for me with a listening ear. “Stay encouraged,” she always said. “Pray and never give up.” Every morning at 5 am Dorothy got up to pray for her family and friends. And she suggested I do the same. “I’ve seen God move in awesome ways,” she’d say. “There’s power in prayer.”

       Power indeed. Dorothy was a prayer warrior. She prayed faithfully for several people each day. “I call the names of all of your family members every day,” she’d say. “Your husband, son, your brother and his family. Your mother and father. I pray for them continuously. Oh yes.”

       Dorothy firmly believed and lived according to Titus 2:4-5. She taught the younger women how to love their husbands and families and use godly wisdom. Often, she gave me wise advice concerning my husband and family; wise counsel that to this day is probably responsible for my family remaining intact.

 Incredible Homegoing

       My spiritual mother’s homegoing service was beautiful. Her family and I couldn’t have asked for anything more wonderful. The Pastors and many who served in ministry with her said very loving things about her. The Senior Pastor preached a powerful sermon that uplifted our sorrowful hearts. He preached about how Dorothy “fought the good fight of faith”; he talked about the resurrection and that we’d see her again, and that she was now in glory in the presence of the Heavenly Father. After the sermon, I felt so much peace. That’s the awesome power of our Lord. In the midst of great sorrow and despair, He’s able to bring peace to our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit.

       Don’t you just love that about God? “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) These are comforting words from a Lord who loves us and looks forward to dwelling with us forever.

Dear Dorothy,

I love you, and I miss you. But I’m at peace knowing you’re with the Lord, and I’ll see you again. You were wonderful to me. You loved me and treated me like a daughter, and I loved and honored you as a mother. I’ll miss your voice, our phone conversations, and our prayer times. You’ll always be in my thoughts, and you will hold a special place in my heart.

Love Your Spiritual Daughter,

Judy


** This post is linked to Brag on God Fridays here.
** This post is also linked to Spiritual Sundays here.

Major Testimony!

“Now to him Who, by the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]. (Ephesians 3:20)

       Just last week a miracle happened!

       After almost two years of prayer, I was offered a leading Editor position at a business-to-business healthcare publisher of print and online magazines. I am in awe of what God has done.

       The journey I was on to search for this dream job was painstaking at times as some of you know, but along the way God enabled me to learn much about the changing landscape of my profession and reconnect with many of my former colleagues from years past. He also introduced me to new colleagues who encouraged and counseled me.

       

New Role

       In my role as Editor, I will be considered the face of a leading healthcare magazine, responsible for developing story ideas, assigning articles to junior staff and freelance writers, helping to create design concepts with graphic artists, communicating with readers on Facebook and Twitter, as well as editing and writing online content — everything I want to be doing in magazine publishing.

       God has truly answered my prayers. He gave me every single desire and secret petition of my heart (Psalm 37:3-4)!

God's Schooling

       Not only did I learn more about my profession, but the Lord taught me more about Himself, how He works, and that He never left me for a second even though at times it felt like He had. Each step of my journey, He placed many people in my path who helped me revise my resume, gave me jobs leads and great encouragement. All along God had the perfect job all picked out for me. He kept telling me to wait, be patient. And when the job became available, He led me right to it. All I had to do was apply and go through the interview process. From the moment I applied for the job to the day I received the offer was 7 days. God worked quickly. And I'm so thankful for it. 

Busy as a Bee

       During the first week of June the Lord gave me the incredible idea to create my own Website — an online portfolio of my writing and editing samples from previous journalism jobs. And guess what? I did it. For the past four weeks, I've been diligently scanning and uploading articles and supplements, launching another blog, and organizing the site. Which explains why I haven't had time to write articles for this blog or post new photos on my photo blog. I'm so thrilled with the way my Website has turned out. Please visit the site at judithriddle.com and my new blog, and let me know what you think.

Back in the Saddle

       Now that things have calmed down a bit, I'll be able to kick back, relax, post more articles and photos, visit your blogs, and leave comments again. I miss you guys. To God be the glory for all He has done. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your awesome love and power in our lives. When our faith wavers, you are still faithful. Thank you for your patience, compassion, mercy and grace. Where would we be without it? In your Name I pray, Amen!

** This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays here. 
** It is also linked to Brag on God Fridays here.

Experience God's Resurrection Power

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength.” (Ephesians 1:17-19)

Three weeks have whizzed by since we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And while some of us may have moved on with our lives and placed the significance of that day behind us, it’s important to reflect on the impact and the difference the resurrection should make in our daily lives.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we can have intimate fellowship with our Heavenly Father and get to know Him better. And we need the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation to accomplish this.

God wants us to get to know Him better and experience His resurrection power in every aspect of our lives — His incomparably great power for us who believe. Just the idea of being able to experience God’s power in every facet of my life gives me goose bumps. Hope. And great joy.

My Pastor said we can miss God’s power if we’re not in tune with Him, which is why we must have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to discern when His power is at work.

However, my Pastor did say that even though we believe in God’s power, that doesn’t mean that everything is always going work out exactly the way we want it to. That grabbed my attention, especially since I’ve been praying and praying and praying for a successful career move for more than a year and not much, if any, fruit has resulted. “Why isn’t God answering my prayers?” I complain. “Is He not listening? Am I doing something wrong? Is God mad at me? How long, O Lord?” 

My Pastor reassured that God’s power is at work in our lives even though we don’t see it. “Whew! That’s a relief,” I thought. For a while, I’ve been wrestling with the horrible, unwarranted thought that God has abandoned me. I know He promises to never leave me nor forsake me, but lately I’ve just been feeling distant from God — as though I’ve entered a dry spell. My faith had been wavering back and forth.

“God’s incomparably great power is available today, right now for those who believe,” my Pastor asserted. I do believe. I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and I want to experience His great power in my life every day. I’ve experienced it plenty of times before, so why not now?

Shameful question.

I know God has blessed me immensely and continues to do so. I have a great husband, son, and family, wonderful friends, and all of my needs are met — and then some. So yes, God’s mighty power is at work in my life indeed. Because Jesus is alive, I have great hope; you have great hope; and our world has great hope.

May we ask the Lord to give us His Spirit of wisdom and revelation to get to know Him better. May we come to know the hope to which He has called us, and experience His incomparably great power as we daily believe and put our trust in Him.

* This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays here.

Cross in the Sky

“Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?” (Job 37:16)
     I wiped away my tears following a misunderstanding with my husband. I called my best friend for prayer and encouragement. She asked the Lord to give me strength, fill my home with peace, soften my husband’s heart as well as my own, and protect my marriage. Then my friend asked the Lord to please give me a sign to let me know He was there. The next morning, I hopped in my car and ... 
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Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

     “The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him.” (Psalm 28:7)

     “I’m so tired. I don’t think I’m going to go to church tomorrow,” I whispered to the Lord last Saturday. “I have to go grocery shopping. Wash, blow dry, and curl my hair. And cook dinner,” I reasoned. “If I go to church, I’ll have no energy to do everything I need to do, so I’ll just stay home.”

     Ever feel so tired and weary that you just want to drive your car out of the fast lane, pull over, and put it in park indefinitely? That’s the way I’ve been feeling lately. Worn out from the heavy workload on my job that zaps all of my strength during the week coupled with the tiresome errands I run on the weekends. I got up Sunday morning and decided not to go to church.

      I cooked bacon, eggs, and toast, and made hot tea for my husband and son. We all sat down and ate together and enjoyed each other’s company. All the while, I felt God nudging me to go to church — to the later service. After wrestling with the idea for an hour or so, I changed my mind and got ready to go.

     “Lord, please prepare my heart for your Word this morning,” I prayed. “Minister to me through the worship songs and through your Word, and give me the strength I need to do all that I need to do today, amen.”

     Within minutes after arriving in the sanctuary, God started answering my prayers. He began speaking to me through the worship songs, and when my Pastor preached the Word. He brought additional scripture to mind for me to meditate on all week to renew my strength, and He gave me a great sense of peace. 

      If I hadn’t gone to church, I would have missed these blessings that God had stored up for me. The blessings of His presence, power, comfort, renewed strength, and the peace I so desperately needed to begin a very busy, challenging week. I probably would have gotten everything done that I wanted to get done, but I would have felt empty and even more depleted. Turns out, I didn’t get everything done, but I was able to complete it all by the middle of the week. A small sacrifice, considering the blessings I received from the Lord.

     What I’ve learned is that life will continue to tire you out. But the Lord promises to renew your strength if you trust in, rely on and wait on Him. You can wait on Him anywhere and anyplace, and He’ll be there for you with open arms. Of course, the key to receiving what He has for you is to seek Him with all your heart. In doing so, He will be found.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when we find ourselves tired and weary from our busy lives, put a desire in our hearts to seek your face, so you can renew our strength, give us your presence, and fill us with peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

** This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays. 

"Beyond Scared Straight' Where is Jesus in our prisons? Part 2

“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” (Malachi 4:6)

       Last week, I was reminded of the horrors of prison life from a spectator’s perspective as I watched Beyond Scared Straight, the critically acclaimed hour-long documentary series on A&E that follows inmate-run intervention programs that expose at-risk teens to the realities of life behind bars.

       The prison environment is hostile, violent and chaotic at best. Fear, anxiety, anger, wrath, and rage are the predominant emotions. Inmates scream and yell obscenities within their cells. You can be killed, beaten, stabbed, raped, and assaulted any minute of the day.

       My question was why? Why? I just didn’t understand it.

       Why is there so much hate and violence among the prisoners? Where is Jesus in the midst of this hell? I know prison ministries exist, but from the looks of things the kingdom of darkness seemed to be winning the war against the Kingdom of Light.

       Not so at Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola State Prison — a maximum-security facility that won a reputation for being one of the most bloodiest, violent jails in the country. Reason: Jesus stepped into the picture through the Awana^® Lifeline™ prison ministry. Many inmates have received Christ, and as a result, the entire prison environment has changed. The Lord walked in, and the violence walked out. The prisoners were set free from the rage, violence, and other besetting sins that plagued them.

      Lifeline is touching the hearts of these inmates through its ground-breaking prison program Returning Hearts Celebration™ and Malachi Dads™. Returning Hearts Celebration is a carnival-style event that allows day-long interaction between inmate fathers and children. Inmates have the opportunity to reconcile with children they may not have seen for years. The program debuted at Angola and has expanded to 17 other prisons and jails across the country.

       Malachi Dads is a yearlong program that trains and equips inmates to become better fathers and spiritual leaders to their children. Last year, 119 men graduated from the program at Angola (Source: Christian NewsWire).

       This is great news that should bring us infinite hope as Christians. That there is power in the gospel to change lives, even the lives of those who seem to be eternally lost. Take a few moments to watch this powerfully inspiring video. As one of my friends warned: It will bring tears to your eyes. Enjoy!


** This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays where you can visit Charlotte and Ginger's incredible blog that gives glory to God. Enjoy! **

Let Your Light Shine!

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

       Remember this song? Many of us sang this in the choir when we were children or witnessed our own children sing this well-known hymn. As you already know, the light this song refers to is the light of Christ.

       As Christians, we have a high calling that sometimes seems unattainable. We’re called to live as Jesus lived and to have His same attitude. To develop His character and let His light shine from within us — a tall order when we’re going through a tough time, when we’re in a bad mood, or in the heat of conflict with a loved one, friend, or coworker.

       But believe it or not, it’s during these challenging times when we have an amazing opportunity to exude Christ-like character. We can speak kindly when someone is rude to us. We can show mercy when someone steals from us or deeply hurts us. We can pray for someone who threatens us, abuses us, slanders us, or undermines us.

       Just the other day, by God’s grace, I slipped away to a quiet place to pray instead of raising my voice with hands on hips to scold someone for spewing hurtful words that weren’t warranted. And it made a world of difference.

       God answered my prayers that very evening, and He continues to do so at this writing.

       When we choose to do things God’s way, He intervenes and the enemy flees. As we mature in Christ and ask to be filled afresh with His Holy Spirit each day, we realize that He is on the throne and in full control of all that concerns us. And knowing this makes it easier to respond God’s way in difficult situations when our flesh wants to take over and ruin the outcome. My prayer is that God will continue to give us the desire and power to walk in the Spirit and not according to our flesh, so that we will be blessed in all we do. May your light shine!

Can God Really Move Mountains?

“Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed.” (Isaiah 40:3-4)

“I am so exhausted!” said my dear friend and prayer partner some weeks ago. “My job takes everything out of me. The meetings. The long hours. The paperwork. My boss.

“I feel like God wants me to go to seminary and serve in leadership in my church, but I don’t know how that’s ever going to happen. I don’t have the energy or even the time to take that first step.”

Unfortunately, I often feel the same way my friend does. Overwhelmed. Stressed. Anxious. Frustrated. Worried that I’ll never be able to serve the Lord the way He wants me to.

After speaking with my friend and spending some time alone in prayer, the Lord assured me that He could move the mountains in our lives to not only serve him in ways we never dreamed of, but we could ask Him for the seemingly impossible and He would do it (Luke 1:37).

First, the Lord reminded me that all we need is faith as small as a mustard seed and say to the mountains in our lives, “Move from here to there, and [they] would move. Nothing would be impossible” (Matthew 17:20-21). But God said only his Spirit would move our mountains, not our own strength (Zechariah 4:6).

Mountain-moving Power

The Lord showed me just how powerful He is when it comes to moving mountains in the book of Zechariah concerning Zerubbabel, whose mission was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after the release of the children of Israel from Babylonian captivity. Zerubbabel faced great opposition, but the Lord assured him, “Nothing, not even a mighty mountain will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will flatten out before him!” (Zechariah 4:7) In other words, the temple would be rebuilt by the power of God, and nothing would stand in the way.

God reminded me of a similar situation Nehemiah faced when the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem following Babylonian captivity. Nehemiah, a mere slave at the time, prayed his heart out, asking God to give him favor in the eyes of the King so he could ask him for the seemingly impossible: to take time off to oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls that were destroyed during the Babylonian invasion; for protection while he traveled to Jerusalem; for permission to haul timber to reconstruct the walls and build a residence for himself (Nehemiah 1; 2:1-8).

Overcoming Obstacles

And guess what? The Lord gave him favor, and the King gave Nehemiah everything he asked for (Nehemiah 2:1-10). But the story doesn’t end there. Nehemiah faced great obstacles. The enemies of Israel fought him and the Jewish people tooth and nail to stop them from rebuilding the city walls. But despite the fierce opposition, the walls were eventually rebuilt. God’s ultimate will prevailed (Nehemiah 4, 5, 6).

The lesson for us all is that no matter what mountains or obstacles we face (ex., a tremendous workload, a job loss, limited resources, family opposition, physical/mental exhaustion, or even depression), just know the work God has prepared for us to do will be completed. His work through us may experience delays, but in the end we will complete all the tasks he gives us as we persevere and don’t give up. And if we ask Him for the seemingly impossible, He will do it. Why? Because God’s plans can’t be stopped (Job 42:2)!