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Exploring Faith With

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Redeemed. Restored. Unbroken.

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Shouting God's ability to make our lives Beautifully Unbroken

Bible Teaching with Dr. Chala Baker

Meet Our Ministry Leader

Experienced Bible Teacher, Author, & Speaker

From the depths of atheism to acquiring her Doctorate in Biblical Exposition, Chala has crossed wide gaps to learn more about God. She continually seeks Him in order to share with those who are hungry for the knowledge of God and how He can take their brokenness and make them whole--just as He did for her.

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What We Focus On

Understanding Biblical Truths

Inspiring Spiritual Growth

Empowering Christian

Believers

Deeper

Bible Study

Authoritative Speaking Engagements

Begin your journey towards a deeper relationship with Christ today. Join Dr. Baker as she explores the transformative power of the Bible.

Book Now

Let’s Dive Into God’s Word

September Book of the Month

"The Blue Parakeet" by Dr. Scot McKnight

"Rethinking How You Read the Bible"

Book Dr. Chala Baker to Speak!

Mustard seed faith.

Have you ever worried that you didn't have enough faith for something to happen? Often I have wondered if my faith was lacking when I didn't see something come to fruition in the Spirit like I believed it should, or didn't see something happen that I was praying for. Then, I think back to the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:20 and feel even worse. How could it be possible that I didn't even have a mustard's seed worth of faith to see something happen through Christ? What is wrong with me?

Beautiful ones, I'm convinced that we often miss part of the point when Jesus talks about having faith the size of a mustard seed. It is not the size of our faith that matters, but the power of God, which can do immeasurable things through the tiniest bits of faith!

God is faithful to bless even a mustard seed of faith, and it is His power that enables us to do so. When we possess a small amount of faith, perhaps it is because we are placing that faith in our own abilities rather than the might of our powerful God!

If you feel that your faith is small I want you to remember that God is big and place your faith in that truth. In addition, the more we seek out God and see His good works in our lives and the lives of those around us, the more our faith grows!

Put your faith in God, not yourself, and watch that mustard seed grow!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

#mustardseedfaith #growyourfaith #faith #love #powerfulGod #Godissogood

Mustard seed faith.

Have you ever worried that you didn't have enough faith for something to happen? Often I have wondered if my faith was lacking when I didn't see something come to fruition in the Spirit like I believed it should, or didn't see something happen that I was praying for. Then, I think back to the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:20 and feel even worse. How could it be possible that I didn't even have a mustard's seed worth of faith to see something happen through Christ? What is wrong with me?

Beautiful ones, I'm convinced that we often miss part of the point when Jesus talks about having faith the size of a mustard seed. It is not the size of our faith that matters, but the power of God, which can do immeasurable things through the tiniest bits of faith!

God is faithful to bless even a mustard seed of faith, and it is His power that enables us to do so. When we possess a small amount of faith, perhaps it is because we are placing that faith in our own abilities rather than the might of our powerful God!

If you feel that your faith is small I want you to remember that God is big and place your faith in that truth. In addition, the more we seek out God and see His good works in our lives and the lives of those around us, the more our faith grows!

Put your faith in God, not yourself, and watch that mustard seed grow!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

#mustardseedfaith #growyourfaith #faith #love #powerfulGod #Godissogood

You were created WITH intent, IN love, FOR purpose.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Ps 139:13-14 NIV)

Beautiful one, God did not create you and then remove Himself from you. Reading the words of the psalmist as he marvels at his creation through the hands of a loving Creator is stunning.

The psalmist marvels that the Lord's "works are wonderful" and he knows that "full well." He recognizes that all of the works of the Lord are amazing, are given care and forethought.......so why wouldn't that apply to him?

YOU were designed by God with intent, forethought, care, love, and placed here on earth for a purpose. Our first purpose is to love and serve God, followed closely by loving and serving others. There are then things that God has placed in your heart to labor over because you were "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:10 NIV)

Embrace this truth, hold it tight. Do not let the enemy whisper in your ear that you are useless or that your life has no meaning. Nothing could be further from God's glorious truth.

I'd love to hear what God has whispered to you regarding your individual purpose, beautiful ones!
Wishing you all God's love and smiles! <3

#purpose #plan #jesusfreak #phd #teacher #preacher #prophecy #truth #godstruth #knit #knittogether #creatorredeemer #prayer #Godlovesyou #psalms

You were created WITH intent, IN love, FOR purpose.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Ps 139:13-14 NIV)

Beautiful one, God did not create you and then remove Himself from you. Reading the words of the psalmist as he marvels at his creation through the hands of a loving Creator is stunning.

The psalmist marvels that the Lord's "works are wonderful" and he knows that "full well." He recognizes that all of the works of the Lord are amazing, are given care and forethought.......so why wouldn't that apply to him?

YOU were designed by God with intent, forethought, care, love, and placed here on earth for a purpose. Our first purpose is to love and serve God, followed closely by loving and serving others. There are then things that God has placed in your heart to labor over because you were "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:10 NIV)

Embrace this truth, hold it tight. Do not let the enemy whisper in your ear that you are useless or that your life has no meaning. Nothing could be further from God's glorious truth.

I'd love to hear what God has whispered to you regarding your individual purpose, beautiful ones!
Wishing you all God's love and smiles! <3

#purpose #plan #jesusfreak #phd #teacher #preacher #prophecy #truth #godstruth #knit #knittogether #creatorredeemer #prayer #Godlovesyou #psalms

Circles.

Yesterday during our life group, one of our members pointed out that everyone needs a "circle."

We ALL need community of some sort. God created us for community, for relationships. The fact is, we do life and our faith better with one another, building each other up, offering godly advice and wisdom, giving encouragment, and even gently admonishing where needed.

We all need someone to go, "That was awesome!"
We all need someone to go, "I'm so sorry that happened."
We all need someone to go, "This is hard. Let me help."
We all need someone to go, "Here is some biblical advice in this situation."
We all need someone to go, "I think you can make a better choice that will honor God more here."

If you don't have a circle, don't be content living like that. God has so much more for you. Yes, it can be a bit of work to find the right circle that doesn't gossip, that truly mourns when you mourn and takes part in your successes and joys, but they're out there! "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Prov 27:17)

If you are lacking a community that you can go to and depend on, ask the Lord for one. I often feel like I don't fit anywhere, so I spent many years asking God for just the right community. He so graciously delivered! "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it." (1 Cor 12:27)

You are the body of Christ, and you deserve to find your place in the community and enjoy its benefits. Seek God, pray over it, and you will find your place.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones. <3

Circles.

Yesterday during our life group, one of our members pointed out that everyone needs a "circle."

We ALL need community of some sort. God created us for community, for relationships. The fact is, we do life and our faith better with one another, building each other up, offering godly advice and wisdom, giving encouragment, and even gently admonishing where needed.

We all need someone to go, "That was awesome!"
We all need someone to go, "I'm so sorry that happened."
We all need someone to go, "This is hard. Let me help."
We all need someone to go, "Here is some biblical advice in this situation."
We all need someone to go, "I think you can make a better choice that will honor God more here."

If you don't have a circle, don't be content living like that. God has so much more for you. Yes, it can be a bit of work to find the right circle that doesn't gossip, that truly mourns when you mourn and takes part in your successes and joys, but they're out there! "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Prov 27:17)

If you are lacking a community that you can go to and depend on, ask the Lord for one. I often feel like I don't fit anywhere, so I spent many years asking God for just the right community. He so graciously delivered! "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it." (1 Cor 12:27)

You are the body of Christ, and you deserve to find your place in the community and enjoy its benefits. Seek God, pray over it, and you will find your place.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones. <3

God fills in the gaps and guides our steps.

Do you ever suddenly realize that you've dropped the ball? Missed the boat? Slipped up? Came up short? Let something slip through the cracks?

I'm quite sure that all of those things washed over me late last week while I was looking at my calendar for October, when I suddenly realized that I had a book proposal due to be sent off on the 18th in preparation for an upcoming publisher appointment. The problem was, that although I had all of the ingredients for the proposal in my head, we have been extremely busy and I hadn't had time to get it typed out. We're talking about some 20-30 pages that needed to be written out in less than two weeks.

I hadn't been slacking--family life and work has just been busy. So I asked the Lord to please give me supernatural writing power to get the proposal done in time. After all, He knows I've been busy looking after our business, family, and my ministry organization.

He is so good beyond measure, beautiful ones. The next day, I received some details about my appointment--and the publisher doesn't require an entire proposal from me.

Only a one-sheet.

Literally God filled in my gaps for me. I went from needing to write 20-30 pages, to simply having to write A SINGLE PAGE, which will take me a mere afternoon.

God is big enough to fill in our gaps. We underestimate Him and His love and guidance so much! He longs for us to seek His guidance and so often He gives better than we ask. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (Prov 16:3 ESV).

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand" (Prov 37:23-24 ESV).

Our role in receiving the guidance of the Lord is so small--we must simply "delight" in Him. Then God is so good to pave the way, fill in the gaps, help us in our times of need, and give us loving and patient direction. May you find those things in the Lord today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for you day, beautiful ones.

God fills in the gaps and guides our steps.

Do you ever suddenly realize that you've dropped the ball? Missed the boat? Slipped up? Came up short? Let something slip through the cracks?

I'm quite sure that all of those things washed over me late last week while I was looking at my calendar for October, when I suddenly realized that I had a book proposal due to be sent off on the 18th in preparation for an upcoming publisher appointment. The problem was, that although I had all of the ingredients for the proposal in my head, we have been extremely busy and I hadn't had time to get it typed out. We're talking about some 20-30 pages that needed to be written out in less than two weeks.

I hadn't been slacking--family life and work has just been busy. So I asked the Lord to please give me supernatural writing power to get the proposal done in time. After all, He knows I've been busy looking after our business, family, and my ministry organization.

He is so good beyond measure, beautiful ones. The next day, I received some details about my appointment--and the publisher doesn't require an entire proposal from me.

Only a one-sheet.

Literally God filled in my gaps for me. I went from needing to write 20-30 pages, to simply having to write A SINGLE PAGE, which will take me a mere afternoon.

God is big enough to fill in our gaps. We underestimate Him and His love and guidance so much! He longs for us to seek His guidance and so often He gives better than we ask. "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (Prov 16:3 ESV).

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand" (Prov 37:23-24 ESV).

Our role in receiving the guidance of the Lord is so small--we must simply "delight" in Him. Then God is so good to pave the way, fill in the gaps, help us in our times of need, and give us loving and patient direction. May you find those things in the Lord today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for you day, beautiful ones.

Silly little hobbies that remind you of the work of God.

Does anyone else have hobbies that others might consider silly or odd? One of my unusual hobbies is that I like to do diamond paintings. One can take me weeks to finish and this picture is the one I'm currently working on. I lay them out and usually it becomes a family activity; I fill in a little, one of the kids will sit down and fill in a little, and we're all proud and "oooohhhh" and "ahhhhh" over it when it is complete.

One of my favorite things about diamond painting is that it doesn't take much thought. I can decompress. So I can let my mind wander as I put the little pieces of plastic on the sticky surface and slowly watch the painting take shape. As I was working on this sunflower one day, it occurred to me that my diamond painting was much like my walk with God.

You see, there are places that are completely filled in; nothing is missing. Those are places where my understanding of Christ and my walk with Him is not currently in need of anything. Yet, there are other spots that have not yet been filled. A diamond missing here, a wide open spot there; those represent spots in my walk with Christ that I still need to grow. I have gaps in my knowledge that need to be filled in. I maybe have trials or experiences that God needs to lead me through before those places in my heart and my journey can be completed.

As I go through life with Christ, the gaps get filled in. Sometimes very quickly when I press in heavily, sometimes more slowly when I wrestle with Him. It is up to myself how quickly I bring sections of the painting to fullness.

When Paul tells us to "walk out our salvation with fear and trembling" he is acknowledging that we all have areas of growth that need to be watered and gaps that need to be filled in (Phil 2:12 NIV). In the folllowing verse, Paul notes that we are not alone as we travail the path towards fullness in our walk with God; God Himself is there, working in us (Phil 2:13 NIV). Thank you, Lord!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for this day, beautiful ones. Please, continue to pray for Florida. 💔

Silly little hobbies that remind you of the work of God.

Does anyone else have hobbies that others might consider silly or odd? One of my unusual hobbies is that I like to do diamond paintings. One can take me weeks to finish and this picture is the one I'm currently working on. I lay them out and usually it becomes a family activity; I fill in a little, one of the kids will sit down and fill in a little, and we're all proud and "oooohhhh" and "ahhhhh" over it when it is complete.

One of my favorite things about diamond painting is that it doesn't take much thought. I can decompress. So I can let my mind wander as I put the little pieces of plastic on the sticky surface and slowly watch the painting take shape. As I was working on this sunflower one day, it occurred to me that my diamond painting was much like my walk with God.

You see, there are places that are completely filled in; nothing is missing. Those are places where my understanding of Christ and my walk with Him is not currently in need of anything. Yet, there are other spots that have not yet been filled. A diamond missing here, a wide open spot there; those represent spots in my walk with Christ that I still need to grow. I have gaps in my knowledge that need to be filled in. I maybe have trials or experiences that God needs to lead me through before those places in my heart and my journey can be completed.

As I go through life with Christ, the gaps get filled in. Sometimes very quickly when I press in heavily, sometimes more slowly when I wrestle with Him. It is up to myself how quickly I bring sections of the painting to fullness.

When Paul tells us to "walk out our salvation with fear and trembling" he is acknowledging that we all have areas of growth that need to be watered and gaps that need to be filled in (Phil 2:12 NIV). In the folllowing verse, Paul notes that we are not alone as we travail the path towards fullness in our walk with God; God Himself is there, working in us (Phil 2:13 NIV). Thank you, Lord!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for this day, beautiful ones. Please, continue to pray for Florida. 💔

Beautiful ones, let's buckle down and saturate the heavens with prayers for both those who have been through Helene and those who are facing Milton.

When it's over, let us BE the church and reach out to help however we can. Donate supplies or money if you can. Travel to help with clean up if you can. Continue to pray, which we can all do.

In the Bible, God's biggest complaints with Israel were two things. 1st, they committed idolatry (meaning they served other gods). 2nd, they failed to take care of those among them who were in need. The Law of Moses circulates around keeping the people of Israel serving the Lord and one another.

It's why Jesus tells us that all of the Law and Prophets hang on the commandments to love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:36-40 NIV). May we fulfill these commandments well every day, but especially when we see our neighbors in great need, as they are now. Even if you don't have friends or family in these devastated areas, these people are our neighbors.

May we not continue our day as if our neighbors are not suffering. Lord Jesus, please be with them all.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones.
#prayforFlorida #milton #miltonflorida #HurricaneHelene #hurricane #neighbor #DisasterRelief #love

Beautiful ones, let's buckle down and saturate the heavens with prayers for both those who have been through Helene and those who are facing Milton.

When it's over, let us BE the church and reach out to help however we can. Donate supplies or money if you can. Travel to help with clean up if you can. Continue to pray, which we can all do.

In the Bible, God's biggest complaints with Israel were two things. 1st, they committed idolatry (meaning they served other gods). 2nd, they failed to take care of those among them who were in need. The Law of Moses circulates around keeping the people of Israel serving the Lord and one another.

It's why Jesus tells us that all of the Law and Prophets hang on the commandments to love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:36-40 NIV). May we fulfill these commandments well every day, but especially when we see our neighbors in great need, as they are now. Even if you don't have friends or family in these devastated areas, these people are our neighbors.

May we not continue our day as if our neighbors are not suffering. Lord Jesus, please be with them all.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones.
#prayforFlorida #milton #miltonflorida #HurricaneHelene #hurricane #neighbor #DisasterRelief #love

God is for you, beautiful one. His mind inclines towards you, and your trials and troubles are seen. Look for how He works in your life, both in joy and sorrow. God’s work is a beautiful thing to see.

Wishing you all God’s love and smiles. ❤️

God is for you, beautiful one. His mind inclines towards you, and your trials and troubles are seen. Look for how He works in your life, both in joy and sorrow. God’s work is a beautiful thing to see.

Wishing you all God’s love and smiles. ❤️

Well hello, October? Now what will God do with you?

October is my absolute favorite month. It's also already a busy one!

What are you hoping God will do this month? Teach you something? Grow you in an area? Restore a relationship? Let's start out the month praying in all boldness for our relationship with the Lord to increase!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones!

Well hello, October? Now what will God do with you?

October is my absolute favorite month. It's also already a busy one!

What are you hoping God will do this month? Teach you something? Grow you in an area? Restore a relationship? Let's start out the month praying in all boldness for our relationship with the Lord to increase!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones!

DELAYED ACCESS. THE LORD SAYS YOU ARE DELAYED, BUT NOT DENIED.

I was pondering on how Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before being allowed to enter the promised land. A little biblical summary of that story can be found in Joshua 5:6: "For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, becuase they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey."

When the spies returned from Canaan with their report on the strength of the people, they incited such fear in Israel that the people refused to trust God and enter the land He had promised them. This caused the Lord to incite judgment on that generation and He told them that they would never see the land because they had "despised" Him (Num 14:20-37).

Israel's access to the promised land was delayed because they failed to TRUST in God.

Some of you have something you're waiting from God for, but you are failing to put COMPLETE trust in Him. Therefore, your access to that thing has been DELAYED but not DENIED. Like Israel, you will wander until your trust returns to the Lord God.

You are delayed, but not denied access by the Lord. He wants you to fully trust in Him. Ask questions, but move forward. Pray and seek guidance, but move forward. Your delay will end when you begin to work on your trust.

Trust in God is of UTMOST importance in every area of your Christian walk! "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Ps 37:5 ESV)

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones!

DELAYED ACCESS. THE LORD SAYS YOU ARE DELAYED, BUT NOT DENIED.

I was pondering on how Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before being allowed to enter the promised land. A little biblical summary of that story can be found in Joshua 5:6: "For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, becuase they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey."

When the spies returned from Canaan with their report on the strength of the people, they incited such fear in Israel that the people refused to trust God and enter the land He had promised them. This caused the Lord to incite judgment on that generation and He told them that they would never see the land because they had "despised" Him (Num 14:20-37).

Israel's access to the promised land was delayed because they failed to TRUST in God.

Some of you have something you're waiting from God for, but you are failing to put COMPLETE trust in Him. Therefore, your access to that thing has been DELAYED but not DENIED. Like Israel, you will wander until your trust returns to the Lord God.

You are delayed, but not denied access by the Lord. He wants you to fully trust in Him. Ask questions, but move forward. Pray and seek guidance, but move forward. Your delay will end when you begin to work on your trust.

Trust in God is of UTMOST importance in every area of your Christian walk! "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Ps 37:5 ESV)

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones!

Ah, this cute little saying that goes around Christian circles.

That we have completely abused.

We take this saying to mean that when God calls us to something, we can just jump right into doing it. Who needs to be qualified?! We definitely don't expect our doctors to be qualified, right? Our teachers--we don't make them go through nearly 5 years worth of college credit before sitting them in front of students, right?

Except, we do.

We expect our doctors, teachers, lawyers, and accountants to be qualified. I won't be letting a nurse who was "called" to nursing yesterday stab me with a needle without any training, thanks. Why do we hold ourselves and God's calling on our lives to lesser standards?

"Well, Paul went right to preaching!" Nope. Full Stop. Paul studied with the other apostles for THREE YEARS before he began ministry. Because he needed to get qualified after God called him.

So God may have called you to something that you're completely unfamiliar with--homeless ministry, missions, to open a food pantry, etc. Absolutely wonderful! Now, do God a service and get prepared/qualfied so you can do those things and serve God to the best of your ability!

Stop disservicing the Lord by being too lazy to work towards your calling appropriately. He'll call you--and that's so exciting--and you need to go get ready when He does! David spent years running from Saul. Through that time he learned to commune with the Lord and listen to His voice in preparation to be king.

I'll be a doing a little video later today (when I don't look like something the cat dragged in) about the interaction that led to this post.

For now, tell me about God's call to you below!
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

Ah, this cute little saying that goes around Christian circles.

That we have completely abused.

We take this saying to mean that when God calls us to something, we can just jump right into doing it. Who needs to be qualified?! We definitely don't expect our doctors to be qualified, right? Our teachers--we don't make them go through nearly 5 years worth of college credit before sitting them in front of students, right?

Except, we do.

We expect our doctors, teachers, lawyers, and accountants to be qualified. I won't be letting a nurse who was "called" to nursing yesterday stab me with a needle without any training, thanks. Why do we hold ourselves and God's calling on our lives to lesser standards?

"Well, Paul went right to preaching!" Nope. Full Stop. Paul studied with the other apostles for THREE YEARS before he began ministry. Because he needed to get qualified after God called him.

So God may have called you to something that you're completely unfamiliar with--homeless ministry, missions, to open a food pantry, etc. Absolutely wonderful! Now, do God a service and get prepared/qualfied so you can do those things and serve God to the best of your ability!

Stop disservicing the Lord by being too lazy to work towards your calling appropriately. He'll call you--and that's so exciting--and you need to go get ready when He does! David spent years running from Saul. Through that time he learned to commune with the Lord and listen to His voice in preparation to be king.

I'll be a doing a little video later today (when I don't look like something the cat dragged in) about the interaction that led to this post.

For now, tell me about God's call to you below!
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

"I'm giving up my dreams to sweep."

This verbal irritation burst out of me this afternoon while I was doing the daily clean up of my house. I was venting to myself and the dogs, because no one else was home. It's a busy season for us--we have four kids in sports, I'm coaching one of those sports, our brokerage is busy, and we're finishing a house to get on the market. Some days my husband is currently out of the house from sunrise to sunset and I'm left to manage the household alone, along with a ministry and being the broker.

Right before my annoyance with having to sweep my house, I had come home with a car full of paint. Our living room needs a refresher after 5 years of use, and we have been removing peeling wallpaper on the stair wells in our 114 year old house--and that needs painted, too. Who is this left up to when my husband is running around doing other things? You guessed it.

So really, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. All I wanted to do was work on a book proposal for an upcoming publisher appointment. In my moment of overwhelmed all I could think about was how I was doing everything alone while my husband was out working on his real estate dreams.

Am I really giving up my dreams to sweep? No. What I needed--and what I swiftly gave myself--was a perspective shift. When Paul tells us to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances," it's for good cause (1 Thess 5:16-18). It's hard to get down on yourself when you're doing those things!

In reality, this season will only last for a little while. If my Life Group comes over and doesn't like the wallpaper missing from the walls, they're welcome to pick up a paint brush. It doesn't all have to get done in a day. I will have time to write. Our busy brokerage helps keep food on the table and enabled me to pay for my doctorate degree. My 9 children who keep me sweeping the house are a blessing from God. It's about perspective.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. These things will quickly end a poor perspective and the feeling of being overwhelmed.

They did mine.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for the day, beautiful ones!

"I'm giving up my dreams to sweep."

This verbal irritation burst out of me this afternoon while I was doing the daily clean up of my house. I was venting to myself and the dogs, because no one else was home. It's a busy season for us--we have four kids in sports, I'm coaching one of those sports, our brokerage is busy, and we're finishing a house to get on the market. Some days my husband is currently out of the house from sunrise to sunset and I'm left to manage the household alone, along with a ministry and being the broker.

Right before my annoyance with having to sweep my house, I had come home with a car full of paint. Our living room needs a refresher after 5 years of use, and we have been removing peeling wallpaper on the stair wells in our 114 year old house--and that needs painted, too. Who is this left up to when my husband is running around doing other things? You guessed it.

So really, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. All I wanted to do was work on a book proposal for an upcoming publisher appointment. In my moment of overwhelmed all I could think about was how I was doing everything alone while my husband was out working on his real estate dreams.

Am I really giving up my dreams to sweep? No. What I needed--and what I swiftly gave myself--was a perspective shift. When Paul tells us to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances," it's for good cause (1 Thess 5:16-18). It's hard to get down on yourself when you're doing those things!

In reality, this season will only last for a little while. If my Life Group comes over and doesn't like the wallpaper missing from the walls, they're welcome to pick up a paint brush. It doesn't all have to get done in a day. I will have time to write. Our busy brokerage helps keep food on the table and enabled me to pay for my doctorate degree. My 9 children who keep me sweeping the house are a blessing from God. It's about perspective.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. These things will quickly end a poor perspective and the feeling of being overwhelmed.

They did mine.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for the day, beautiful ones!

I have seen many, many people draw away from God because of suffering in their lives.

I get it. I was there once, too.

After all, God could have stopped the affair from happening. God could repair my spine and remove my disability in an instant, but so far He hasn't.

Yet, He is still good.

It's a matter of trust, beautiful ones. I trust that God knew what He was doing when He allowed the affair. His word says that He works everything for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). That means an affair. That means a disability. That means the loss of a loved one. That means financial problems. That means sickness. That means divorce. It means ALL of the suffering that we endure on earth.

Here's the thing that I have come to understand; God sees the future with and without that trial. And for whatever reason, I'm better for the trial. Would I have the marriage I have today if we hadn't fought through the pain of the affair? I'm just not sure, and I wouldn't trade the marriage I have now for anything. Job's proclamation is so profound to me when considering these things. Job says, "You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me." (Job 42:3)

When I question God--who sees and knows all--as if I know better than Him what is good for me, I am acting in ignorance! Job owns up to it, realizing his grave mistake.

So, yes, I suffer. Job suffered. And yes, God is still good. And yes, I trust that my good is coming of my suffering, because He promises it. No, I wouldn't return the suffering of the affair or of my spinal deformity.

Because I fully trust God in my suffering. I trust that He is working it for my good, and I trust that in my suffering, He will give me comfort. Not only do I trust it, I see it.

Praise the Lord.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

I have seen many, many people draw away from God because of suffering in their lives.

I get it. I was there once, too.

After all, God could have stopped the affair from happening. God could repair my spine and remove my disability in an instant, but so far He hasn't.

Yet, He is still good.

It's a matter of trust, beautiful ones. I trust that God knew what He was doing when He allowed the affair. His word says that He works everything for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). That means an affair. That means a disability. That means the loss of a loved one. That means financial problems. That means sickness. That means divorce. It means ALL of the suffering that we endure on earth.

Here's the thing that I have come to understand; God sees the future with and without that trial. And for whatever reason, I'm better for the trial. Would I have the marriage I have today if we hadn't fought through the pain of the affair? I'm just not sure, and I wouldn't trade the marriage I have now for anything. Job's proclamation is so profound to me when considering these things. Job says, "You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me." (Job 42:3)

When I question God--who sees and knows all--as if I know better than Him what is good for me, I am acting in ignorance! Job owns up to it, realizing his grave mistake.

So, yes, I suffer. Job suffered. And yes, God is still good. And yes, I trust that my good is coming of my suffering, because He promises it. No, I wouldn't return the suffering of the affair or of my spinal deformity.

Because I fully trust God in my suffering. I trust that He is working it for my good, and I trust that in my suffering, He will give me comfort. Not only do I trust it, I see it.

Praise the Lord.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

A Tale of Two Women and Their Deaths

A week and half ago now, my sister-in-law passed away. She battled Multiple Sclerosis for much of her life, but eventually she was confined to a wheelchair. Before she passed she was reduced to the use of only one hand. However, she was praised for being a prayer warrrior and exhibiting love in extreme to those around her. She used that one working hand to text fun emojis to friends and family to show them she loved and cared about them. Over and over again I have seen her legacy of love shouted by her family members. She may not have been able to "do", but that didn't stop her from loving and storming the gates of heaven for those around her.

Contrast that with another women. Days after my sister-in-law passed, I read a news story of a woman who had a severe lung issue. She was being interviewed because she was days away from flying overseas to her own death--she was headed to Switzerland, where she could participate in Physican Assisted Suicide. Her daughter was going with her and was clearly heartbroken. Throughout the story, the woman talked about how she used to work three jobs, run, bike, and "do" so many things that she could no longer participate in. She only found value in what she could do and not the love of her daughter or the love she could still give her daughter, who was hurting.

I was astounded at the difference. My sister-in-law, who could "do" very little physcially saw value in what she could offer--love. This other woman saw no value to her life because she could no longer "do" things, even though her daughter who loved her was right in front of her.

This is a shocking illustration of why we cannot place value in what we can do, but only in the love that we can give others.

Yes, Jesus tells us to "go" (Mark 16:15), but we cannot be consumed by the doing.

We must be consumed by loving. (1 John 4:7-8)

May this give someone clarity in their life, their walk with the Lord, and what's important today. Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

#life #death #handicapped #chronicpain #spiritualgrowth #Jesus #love #godislove

A Tale of Two Women and Their Deaths

A week and half ago now, my sister-in-law passed away. She battled Multiple Sclerosis for much of her life, but eventually she was confined to a wheelchair. Before she passed she was reduced to the use of only one hand. However, she was praised for being a prayer warrrior and exhibiting love in extreme to those around her. She used that one working hand to text fun emojis to friends and family to show them she loved and cared about them. Over and over again I have seen her legacy of love shouted by her family members. She may not have been able to "do", but that didn't stop her from loving and storming the gates of heaven for those around her.

Contrast that with another women. Days after my sister-in-law passed, I read a news story of a woman who had a severe lung issue. She was being interviewed because she was days away from flying overseas to her own death--she was headed to Switzerland, where she could participate in Physican Assisted Suicide. Her daughter was going with her and was clearly heartbroken. Throughout the story, the woman talked about how she used to work three jobs, run, bike, and "do" so many things that she could no longer participate in. She only found value in what she could do and not the love of her daughter or the love she could still give her daughter, who was hurting.

I was astounded at the difference. My sister-in-law, who could "do" very little physcially saw value in what she could offer--love. This other woman saw no value to her life because she could no longer "do" things, even though her daughter who loved her was right in front of her.

This is a shocking illustration of why we cannot place value in what we can do, but only in the love that we can give others.

Yes, Jesus tells us to "go" (Mark 16:15), but we cannot be consumed by the doing.

We must be consumed by loving. (1 John 4:7-8)

May this give someone clarity in their life, their walk with the Lord, and what's important today. Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

#life #death #handicapped #chronicpain #spiritualgrowth #Jesus #love #godislove

The In-Between Season

Where I live, we are currently in a somewhat frustrating time of year. Maybe you live in a place where you go directly from Summer to Autumn, but 'round here our seasons like to be a bit wishy-washy before they turn for good. One day it's clearly Summer and the next it's clearly Autumn. We wake up in the mornings and need a sweater, but by the time lunch arrives, the kids at recess are tossing those hoodies aside. And could someone PLEASE tell me the EXACT temperature needed to clear that fog off my windshield in the morning right now? I have yet to master that life skill.

The inconsistency and indeterminate nature of the in-between certainly comes with frustration. In my walk with Christ I have found myself in many an in-between season. A particular season of ministry, or life, has ended and I'm waiting to see what comes next. In the meantime, I might feel confused or like I'm floundering. What is it, Lord, that You want me to do? What temperature do I need, Jesus, to clear that fog and get myself back on the road again?

While a season of "in-between" might be frustrating, a perspective shift will show us the beauty. The beauty of time to reflect on the former season. The beauty of time to hear God's call for the next season clearly. The beauty of preparedness. Maybe I'm not ready to be on the road again quite yet. Can you imagine if one day we went straight from Summer to Fall? I'd be a mess trying to get warm clothes out of storage and Summer clothing boxed up! A gradual shift and a time of in-between is sometimes best.

The Lord knows that there will be in-between seasons in our lives. In 2nd Timothy 4:2 Paul exhorts Timothy to "be prepared in season and out of season." He wanted to make sure Timothy didn't become stagnant while in the middle! Use your season of in-bewtween to reflect, make changes if necessary, pray over your coming season (even if you can't see it yet), and prepare.

And maybe take a deep breath and enjoy how wonderful God's processes are.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

The In-Between Season

Where I live, we are currently in a somewhat frustrating time of year. Maybe you live in a place where you go directly from Summer to Autumn, but 'round here our seasons like to be a bit wishy-washy before they turn for good. One day it's clearly Summer and the next it's clearly Autumn. We wake up in the mornings and need a sweater, but by the time lunch arrives, the kids at recess are tossing those hoodies aside. And could someone PLEASE tell me the EXACT temperature needed to clear that fog off my windshield in the morning right now? I have yet to master that life skill.

The inconsistency and indeterminate nature of the in-between certainly comes with frustration. In my walk with Christ I have found myself in many an in-between season. A particular season of ministry, or life, has ended and I'm waiting to see what comes next. In the meantime, I might feel confused or like I'm floundering. What is it, Lord, that You want me to do? What temperature do I need, Jesus, to clear that fog and get myself back on the road again?

While a season of "in-between" might be frustrating, a perspective shift will show us the beauty. The beauty of time to reflect on the former season. The beauty of time to hear God's call for the next season clearly. The beauty of preparedness. Maybe I'm not ready to be on the road again quite yet. Can you imagine if one day we went straight from Summer to Fall? I'd be a mess trying to get warm clothes out of storage and Summer clothing boxed up! A gradual shift and a time of in-between is sometimes best.

The Lord knows that there will be in-between seasons in our lives. In 2nd Timothy 4:2 Paul exhorts Timothy to "be prepared in season and out of season." He wanted to make sure Timothy didn't become stagnant while in the middle! Use your season of in-bewtween to reflect, make changes if necessary, pray over your coming season (even if you can't see it yet), and prepare.

And maybe take a deep breath and enjoy how wonderful God's processes are.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

The persistence of children.

Little fingers under the bathroom door. Hiding in the pantry so you can have a snack in peace. (And ultimately being found!) Sitting down for a rest and immmediately having little people join you in your chair. Noise--SO much noise! (Which means they're nearby.) Having a shadow that is not your size, or your own. Feeling like a mama duck being followed everywhere.

Perhaps you recognize these feelings and this scenario. My husband and I have often joked that we didn't actually need a large house for our 9 children because they frequently just desired to squeeze themselves into whatever room he and I happened to be in. I no longer have kids little enough to follow me to the bathroom and incessantly talk to me through the door, but this morning I was reminded of how kids want to be near their parents when 5 of mine piled onto the porch with me.

While I was trying to work.

Eventually, I put my work away. I couldn't concentrate with them all talking. But there will be quieter days and times so I didn't send them in the house. I let them enjoy the outside and being near their parents. And I began to think--what if we wanted to be near our Father in the way that kids want to be near theirs?

My kids want to be around me persistently and they are unwavering about it. Even if I send them out of a room that I'm in, they eventually creep back in. What if we were like that in pursuit of the Lord? What if we desired nothing more than to be by His side, in His presence, and doing what He was doing? What if we were persistent and unwavering about seeking His guidance, His company, His wisdom, and His peace?

There are times that we can learn a lot from our children, and I believe this is one of those times. May their desire to be around their parents remind us how we should desire to be around God and propel us into seeking His presence at all times.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

The persistence of children.

Little fingers under the bathroom door. Hiding in the pantry so you can have a snack in peace. (And ultimately being found!) Sitting down for a rest and immmediately having little people join you in your chair. Noise--SO much noise! (Which means they're nearby.) Having a shadow that is not your size, or your own. Feeling like a mama duck being followed everywhere.

Perhaps you recognize these feelings and this scenario. My husband and I have often joked that we didn't actually need a large house for our 9 children because they frequently just desired to squeeze themselves into whatever room he and I happened to be in. I no longer have kids little enough to follow me to the bathroom and incessantly talk to me through the door, but this morning I was reminded of how kids want to be near their parents when 5 of mine piled onto the porch with me.

While I was trying to work.

Eventually, I put my work away. I couldn't concentrate with them all talking. But there will be quieter days and times so I didn't send them in the house. I let them enjoy the outside and being near their parents. And I began to think--what if we wanted to be near our Father in the way that kids want to be near theirs?

My kids want to be around me persistently and they are unwavering about it. Even if I send them out of a room that I'm in, they eventually creep back in. What if we were like that in pursuit of the Lord? What if we desired nothing more than to be by His side, in His presence, and doing what He was doing? What if we were persistent and unwavering about seeking His guidance, His company, His wisdom, and His peace?

There are times that we can learn a lot from our children, and I believe this is one of those times. May their desire to be around their parents remind us how we should desire to be around God and propel us into seeking His presence at all times.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

Autumn is proof that God understands the need for rest. After a hard growing season, even the plants rest.

Maybe it has been a hard growing season for you. Maybe it is just a hard season in general. Maybe your week is looking hard as you drive towards this office this Monday morning, or are looking towards another week of raising littles. (They go through rough growing seasons, themselves!) <3

In this portion of the book of Matthew, Jesus is explaining that following Him is less burdensome than the many human rules that circulated around following the Law of Moses. He gives rest from that burden. Indeed, He gives rest from so many burdens!

Throughout Scripture and God's creation, we see that He values rest. Today, many of us go into this week facing the weight of trials, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Sometimes the church makes us feel as if we should be immune to these struggles and the need for rest, but the opposite is true. Instead, we have a Savior who values rest and we can seek rest and refuge in Him.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, lean into Him today! Talk to Him, meditate on His word, reach out for prayer. Let's encourage one another as the body of Christ!

Here are some verses to look up and meditate on regarding rest and refreshing: Psalm 62:1-2 NIV, Jeremiah 31:25 NIV, Psalm 23:1-3 NIV, Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV.

When God's people seek rest, He is so good to deliver.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week, beautiful ones.

Autumn is proof that God understands the need for rest. After a hard growing season, even the plants rest.

Maybe it has been a hard growing season for you. Maybe it is just a hard season in general. Maybe your week is looking hard as you drive towards this office this Monday morning, or are looking towards another week of raising littles. (They go through rough growing seasons, themselves!) <3

In this portion of the book of Matthew, Jesus is explaining that following Him is less burdensome than the many human rules that circulated around following the Law of Moses. He gives rest from that burden. Indeed, He gives rest from so many burdens!

Throughout Scripture and God's creation, we see that He values rest. Today, many of us go into this week facing the weight of trials, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Sometimes the church makes us feel as if we should be immune to these struggles and the need for rest, but the opposite is true. Instead, we have a Savior who values rest and we can seek rest and refuge in Him.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, lean into Him today! Talk to Him, meditate on His word, reach out for prayer. Let's encourage one another as the body of Christ!

Here are some verses to look up and meditate on regarding rest and refreshing: Psalm 62:1-2 NIV, Jeremiah 31:25 NIV, Psalm 23:1-3 NIV, Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV.

When God's people seek rest, He is so good to deliver.
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week, beautiful ones.

Move. Towards. Pain.

As Christians, we are called to move towards pain, not away from it.

Yes, it's so much less of a burden to move away from pain. Ignoring the pain of others is much less troubling to our spirit than sitting with them in it. The broken are messy and we like things neat. The wounded pull us from our comfort zone and we despise discomfort.

Yet, it's what we are called to do.

How dare we turn our backs on the hurting, broken, wounded, and scorned? Jesus never turned His back on us! We carry the Comforter, we serve the Waymaker, we personally know the One who sets the captives free, makes paths in the wilderness, meets us in the valley, and releases the prisoner from bondage.

How dare we keep Him to ourselves?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 NIV

Pain is the opportunity to heap the love of Christ that is embodied within us upon another human being. When we move away from pain because we do not want to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced we are like the rest of the world who is "in it for themselves."

Move towards pain. It's uncomfortable, but it's a part of being salt and light to the world and loving others. In what situation do you wish someone had moved towards your pain instead of away from it?

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

Move. Towards. Pain.

As Christians, we are called to move towards pain, not away from it.

Yes, it's so much less of a burden to move away from pain. Ignoring the pain of others is much less troubling to our spirit than sitting with them in it. The broken are messy and we like things neat. The wounded pull us from our comfort zone and we despise discomfort.

Yet, it's what we are called to do.

How dare we turn our backs on the hurting, broken, wounded, and scorned? Jesus never turned His back on us! We carry the Comforter, we serve the Waymaker, we personally know the One who sets the captives free, makes paths in the wilderness, meets us in the valley, and releases the prisoner from bondage.

How dare we keep Him to ourselves?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 NIV

Pain is the opportunity to heap the love of Christ that is embodied within us upon another human being. When we move away from pain because we do not want to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced we are like the rest of the world who is "in it for themselves."

Move towards pain. It's uncomfortable, but it's a part of being salt and light to the world and loving others. In what situation do you wish someone had moved towards your pain instead of away from it?

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:6 ESV

I have found that when I give my problems to God, He always has the right answer. Although the problem may be new to me and completely out of the realms of my ability to handle, God is better at handling it, anyway!

There may be walls, muck, or confusion on the path you are trying to take through your problems, but when you hand it all to Him, he clears the way. So how do you begin? By acknowledging or seeking the Lord first. The NLT puts the Proverbs 3:6 verse this way, "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

Do you know which verse comes directly before this? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 ESV.

So when problems inevitably come your way, trust the Lord, seek His will, leave yourself open to whatever way He decides to work, and watch Him clear your path forward! I have seen God clear away the mud in so many hard situations. He is so good! Watch the Lord move in ways that only He can. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:6 ESV

I have found that when I give my problems to God, He always has the right answer. Although the problem may be new to me and completely out of the realms of my ability to handle, God is better at handling it, anyway!

There may be walls, muck, or confusion on the path you are trying to take through your problems, but when you hand it all to Him, he clears the way. So how do you begin? By acknowledging or seeking the Lord first. The NLT puts the Proverbs 3:6 verse this way, "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

Do you know which verse comes directly before this? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 ESV.

So when problems inevitably come your way, trust the Lord, seek His will, leave yourself open to whatever way He decides to work, and watch Him clear your path forward! I have seen God clear away the mud in so many hard situations. He is so good! Watch the Lord move in ways that only He can. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

This morning on my personal FB page, I shared how I was feeling grateful for my home. The Lord brought to my remembrance how He brought us to the purchase of our home, nearly 7 years ago, when we had absolutely no way to get it and were being asked to leave the home we lived in because our landlords wanted to sell it. Since the Lord had me thinking about it, I decided to share that testimony with friends.

We prayed over our home for 7 months! Many friends, family, and our church body joined us. During one open house, I annointed the front porch with oil as I walked into it, praying over it as I went. We had no way to afford it, but help came unexpectedly.

Turning to the Bible--Hezekiah also knew about prayer and it's power. While facing illness, he was sent word that he would not recover and would die. Yet, when he prayed to the Lord to spare him, the Lord gave him 15 more years!

King Hezekiah could have heard the news that he was going to die, curled up in a ball and accepted that fate. However, he knew that the Lord held his life in his hands. So intstead, he prayed. The Lord, upon hearing His servant's prayer, could have given him an extra month, or year. Yet, in His goodness He gave the king 15 more!

✨Hezekiah knew the power of prayer.
✨Hezekiah knew the goodness of God.
✨Hezekiah went to the God who could change things instead of giving up.
✨The Lord is always gracious to give abundantly.

Go forward in prayer today, friends. God hears the prayer of the righteous (Prov 15:29).
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

This morning on my personal FB page, I shared how I was feeling grateful for my home. The Lord brought to my remembrance how He brought us to the purchase of our home, nearly 7 years ago, when we had absolutely no way to get it and were being asked to leave the home we lived in because our landlords wanted to sell it. Since the Lord had me thinking about it, I decided to share that testimony with friends.

We prayed over our home for 7 months! Many friends, family, and our church body joined us. During one open house, I annointed the front porch with oil as I walked into it, praying over it as I went. We had no way to afford it, but help came unexpectedly.

Turning to the Bible--Hezekiah also knew about prayer and it's power. While facing illness, he was sent word that he would not recover and would die. Yet, when he prayed to the Lord to spare him, the Lord gave him 15 more years!

King Hezekiah could have heard the news that he was going to die, curled up in a ball and accepted that fate. However, he knew that the Lord held his life in his hands. So intstead, he prayed. The Lord, upon hearing His servant's prayer, could have given him an extra month, or year. Yet, in His goodness He gave the king 15 more!

✨Hezekiah knew the power of prayer.
✨Hezekiah knew the goodness of God.
✨Hezekiah went to the God who could change things instead of giving up.
✨The Lord is always gracious to give abundantly.

Go forward in prayer today, friends. God hears the prayer of the righteous (Prov 15:29).
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day!

Sustainability.

The Lord has been talking to me about sustainability. For someone who lives with a disability and chronic pain, I am finding that there are things that just aren't worth the wear and tear on my body, or the extra pain I will be in after I do it. Could I do certain physical things I otherwise abstain from? Sure. However, I find that they aren't worth the extra damage I will cause to myself, the extra pain, and my family having to take care of me for days after while I recover.

Therefore, I have been doing some minimizing. Over the Summer I sold all of my rabbits (I raised them), I have been careful to exercise in ways that work for me, and today my husband and I made plans to downsize my garden next year and move it to raised beds so I can more easily care for it. It's about the longevity of my physical abilities.

The Christian walk is about longevity, endurance, and sustainability, as well. The book of Hebrews speaks of having endurance in chapter 12, verses 1-2. Paul discusses running our races in 1 Corinthians 9:24 and further speaks of "pressing on" in Philippians 3:13-14.

We have to nurture habits and do away with sins in our lives that will create sustainability in our Christian walk. This does not mean stagnation--we must always be developing spiritual growth! It means that we do things that will create an on-going, long-lasting relationship with Christ. Some things that come to mind include; Bible study, prayer, service to the body of Christ, and fellowship with other believers. You may have additional things, as well.

It is through these things that we create sustainability in our walk and we are prepared to endure with the Lord to the end of our journey when troubles arise. I hope that gives you something to ponder today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones!

#jesusfreak #philippians #sustainability #spiritualgrowth #Christianwalk #DisabilityAwareness #chronicpain #godsgotyou

Sustainability.

The Lord has been talking to me about sustainability. For someone who lives with a disability and chronic pain, I am finding that there are things that just aren't worth the wear and tear on my body, or the extra pain I will be in after I do it. Could I do certain physical things I otherwise abstain from? Sure. However, I find that they aren't worth the extra damage I will cause to myself, the extra pain, and my family having to take care of me for days after while I recover.

Therefore, I have been doing some minimizing. Over the Summer I sold all of my rabbits (I raised them), I have been careful to exercise in ways that work for me, and today my husband and I made plans to downsize my garden next year and move it to raised beds so I can more easily care for it. It's about the longevity of my physical abilities.

The Christian walk is about longevity, endurance, and sustainability, as well. The book of Hebrews speaks of having endurance in chapter 12, verses 1-2. Paul discusses running our races in 1 Corinthians 9:24 and further speaks of "pressing on" in Philippians 3:13-14.

We have to nurture habits and do away with sins in our lives that will create sustainability in our Christian walk. This does not mean stagnation--we must always be developing spiritual growth! It means that we do things that will create an on-going, long-lasting relationship with Christ. Some things that come to mind include; Bible study, prayer, service to the body of Christ, and fellowship with other believers. You may have additional things, as well.

It is through these things that we create sustainability in our walk and we are prepared to endure with the Lord to the end of our journey when troubles arise. I hope that gives you something to ponder today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones!

#jesusfreak #philippians #sustainability #spiritualgrowth #Christianwalk #DisabilityAwareness #chronicpain #godsgotyou

"For God's word to be fruitful, there must be self-forgetfulness that is based on trust in God regardless of circumstances." --Karen H. Jobes

I wouldn't say my morning started out wonderfully (after all, there were no woodland creatures streaming into my home, prepared to do my housework), but it started out normally. Getting the kids ready for school was even a bit easier than normal! However, as my morning progressed, a series of things went wrong. Things that I thought were handled.

I found myself stress-snacking in the kitchen (a terrible habit of mine and now I have to skip dinner) while talking to my husband on the phone and telling him the issues. He reminded me that everything would be fine, which I already knew, but I still found myself telling the Lord, "I know you've got it all, but I'm FRUSTRATED!"

So what did I do?
I decided to make cookies for my kids as an after school snack.

How did that solve my problems?
It didn't.

Listen, I can't solve any of my problems, anyway. I can participate in solving some aspects of them, but 99% of them are up to the Lord. So I literally did what 1 Peter 5:7 says. "...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

I couldn't do anything else. I told the Lord my issues, told Him I was frustrated, cast that mess on Him, and walked away to make cookies for my kids. I surrendered. That word "casting" in 1 Peter 5:7 literally means, "to throw upon." I threw it on the Lord like a wet blanket! Because while I'm making cookies, God's got the rest of that mess handled. I'm just keeping an eye out for his work, and waiting for the testimony. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones.

#testimony #surrender #1peter #castyourcares #walkaway #cookies #Jesusfreak #jesusisbetterthanpumpkinspice #butIalsolovepumpkinspice

"For God's word to be fruitful, there must be self-forgetfulness that is based on trust in God regardless of circumstances." --Karen H. Jobes

I wouldn't say my morning started out wonderfully (after all, there were no woodland creatures streaming into my home, prepared to do my housework), but it started out normally. Getting the kids ready for school was even a bit easier than normal! However, as my morning progressed, a series of things went wrong. Things that I thought were handled.

I found myself stress-snacking in the kitchen (a terrible habit of mine and now I have to skip dinner) while talking to my husband on the phone and telling him the issues. He reminded me that everything would be fine, which I already knew, but I still found myself telling the Lord, "I know you've got it all, but I'm FRUSTRATED!"

So what did I do?
I decided to make cookies for my kids as an after school snack.

How did that solve my problems?
It didn't.

Listen, I can't solve any of my problems, anyway. I can participate in solving some aspects of them, but 99% of them are up to the Lord. So I literally did what 1 Peter 5:7 says. "...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

I couldn't do anything else. I told the Lord my issues, told Him I was frustrated, cast that mess on Him, and walked away to make cookies for my kids. I surrendered. That word "casting" in 1 Peter 5:7 literally means, "to throw upon." I threw it on the Lord like a wet blanket! Because while I'm making cookies, God's got the rest of that mess handled. I'm just keeping an eye out for his work, and waiting for the testimony. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles today, beautiful ones.

#testimony #surrender #1peter #castyourcares #walkaway #cookies #Jesusfreak #jesusisbetterthanpumpkinspice #butIalsolovepumpkinspice

Do YOU cherry-pick the Bible? Are you reading it correctly?
"The Blue Parakeet" by Dr. Scot McKnight is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever encountered about reading the Bible correctly and applying it "for our day and our way." You might be surprised what you learn about YOURSELF and how you read the Bible. This is 1000% worth the read.

Read a sample and pick it up on the front page of www.drchalabaker.org!
If you're serious about encountering and applying God's word in the best way, I cannot recommend this book enough. If you don't like to read, grab it on Audible and listen while you drive. It's THAT important.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

Do YOU cherry-pick the Bible? Are you reading it correctly?
"The Blue Parakeet" by Dr. Scot McKnight is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever encountered about reading the Bible correctly and applying it "for our day and our way." You might be surprised what you learn about YOURSELF and how you read the Bible. This is 1000% worth the read.

Read a sample and pick it up on the front page of www.drchalabaker.org!
If you're serious about encountering and applying God's word in the best way, I cannot recommend this book enough. If you don't like to read, grab it on Audible and listen while you drive. It's THAT important.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

I was headed to post something entirely different when I came across this picture and it screamed at me.

How often do we subtly put Jesus behind other things? How often do we do it in a joking manner? How often do we say things like, "All I can do now is pray?" (A sure indicator that we didn't go to prayer immediately, like we should have.)

I love a good coffee. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are my Autumn love language. The pour over in this picture looks amazing. But not before Jesus.

And, listen, I'm married to a jokester and love a good joke. But we have to be careful not to let those social media jokes that are cute and witty sneak in and become our perception of what is most important.

My KIDS don't come first. My HUSBAND doesn't come first. My TO-DO LIST doesn't come first. My FAVORITES don't come first.

Only my Jesus comes first. And when He does, everything else in my life lines up the way it is intended to. <3 "Set your minds on things above" (Col 3:2).

In what ways do you see other things subtly sneaking in to take the spot of Christ?
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

#kingJesus #Christfirst #Jesusfirst #Colossians #coffee #pumpkinspice #Jesusisbetterthanpumpkinspice #Jesusfuel #Jesusfreak

I was headed to post something entirely different when I came across this picture and it screamed at me.

How often do we subtly put Jesus behind other things? How often do we do it in a joking manner? How often do we say things like, "All I can do now is pray?" (A sure indicator that we didn't go to prayer immediately, like we should have.)

I love a good coffee. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are my Autumn love language. The pour over in this picture looks amazing. But not before Jesus.

And, listen, I'm married to a jokester and love a good joke. But we have to be careful not to let those social media jokes that are cute and witty sneak in and become our perception of what is most important.

My KIDS don't come first. My HUSBAND doesn't come first. My TO-DO LIST doesn't come first. My FAVORITES don't come first.

Only my Jesus comes first. And when He does, everything else in my life lines up the way it is intended to. <3 "Set your minds on things above" (Col 3:2).

In what ways do you see other things subtly sneaking in to take the spot of Christ?
Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

#kingJesus #Christfirst #Jesusfirst #Colossians #coffee #pumpkinspice #Jesusisbetterthanpumpkinspice #Jesusfuel #Jesusfreak

Christ alone is our cornerstone.

Our salvation is not based upon right theology.
Our salvation is not based upon the moments in which we don't exhibit the fruit of the Spirit to perfection.
Our salvation is not based upon perfection in our walk.
Our salvation is not based upon agreeing with the theology of others.

Let us stop telling our brothers and sisters in Christ that they aren't saved according to things OTHER than Christ himself. To do so is to cause the walls of our faith to crumble and our message to the world to be confused.

We are saved by the blood of the lamb and believing in Christ as our Savior. Let us not add conditions to His perfect sacrifice and therefore detract from all that He has done.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

#christalone #cornerstone #ephesians #drchalabaker #rock #jesusfreak #theology

Christ alone is our cornerstone.

Our salvation is not based upon right theology.
Our salvation is not based upon the moments in which we don't exhibit the fruit of the Spirit to perfection.
Our salvation is not based upon perfection in our walk.
Our salvation is not based upon agreeing with the theology of others.

Let us stop telling our brothers and sisters in Christ that they aren't saved according to things OTHER than Christ himself. To do so is to cause the walls of our faith to crumble and our message to the world to be confused.

We are saved by the blood of the lamb and believing in Christ as our Savior. Let us not add conditions to His perfect sacrifice and therefore detract from all that He has done.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

#christalone #cornerstone #ephesians #drchalabaker #rock #jesusfreak #theology

I used to love the idea that God meets us where we're at.

However, what I have come to love even more, and what I find to be more biblically accurate, is that the Lord travels with us along our various roads.

Our roads change with the seasons of life, just like is represented in this picture. The first part of the road is fairly clear, which might demonstrate an unencumbered and easy season of life. As the road continues, the season seems to change, and a smattering of leaves litters the ground. These leaves might represent a season in your life of grief, or trudging through something difficult.

So, yes--when we come to salvation, the Lord meets us where we're at as we accept Him as our Savior. Then, He comes alongside us as we walk our roads, never leaving though they may be sometimes clear and sunshiny or muddy and rainy.

"You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap." Proverbs 3:25-26 NLT

As you start your week, beautiful one, remember that the Lord is with you no matter what you are facing. Perhaps you are facing trials and troubles, grief, or uncertainty. The Lord travels alongside you as you go through your week, of that you can be certain! Lean on Him. If you need a reminder of this, I encourage you to listen to Tasha Layton's song, "Never." You are never forgotten by God!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week!

I used to love the idea that God meets us where we're at.

However, what I have come to love even more, and what I find to be more biblically accurate, is that the Lord travels with us along our various roads.

Our roads change with the seasons of life, just like is represented in this picture. The first part of the road is fairly clear, which might demonstrate an unencumbered and easy season of life. As the road continues, the season seems to change, and a smattering of leaves litters the ground. These leaves might represent a season in your life of grief, or trudging through something difficult.

So, yes--when we come to salvation, the Lord meets us where we're at as we accept Him as our Savior. Then, He comes alongside us as we walk our roads, never leaving though they may be sometimes clear and sunshiny or muddy and rainy.

"You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap." Proverbs 3:25-26 NLT

As you start your week, beautiful one, remember that the Lord is with you no matter what you are facing. Perhaps you are facing trials and troubles, grief, or uncertainty. The Lord travels alongside you as you go through your week, of that you can be certain! Lean on Him. If you need a reminder of this, I encourage you to listen to Tasha Layton's song, "Never." You are never forgotten by God!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week!

Lessons in surrender.

Surrendering things to the Lord can be difficult. Sometimes we don't even realize that we are clinging tightly to people, dreams, or items that we need to give up. That is, until we're tired.

Long ago, I surrendered my husband to the Lord. It was a major factor in our marriage being saved. I stopped worrying, living in fear, and watching him like a hawk, and turned him over to God. I literally told the Lord, "You can guide Matt better than I can." And I dropped him off at the foot of the cross. It was at this point that I started saying that no matter what my husband chose to do, Jesus and I had work to do. I repeat it often.

As suspected, the Lord WAS better at leading and guiding my husband than me, and when I surrendered him to God and let go of fear, my life improved and so did my marriage. So you would think that this act of surrender to the Lord would mean that I'm now good at surrending ALL things to the Lord, right?

Wrong.

Recently I discovered that I was, yet again, grasping tightly to something I needed to give to the Lord. It took me time to realize that I needed to loose my hold on it, and then it took even more time to figure out HOW to do it!

And what I found was a key to surrender (probably one of many). That key is to want the LORD more than you want the *thing*. Desire the Lord more than the spouse. Desire the Lord more than the job. Desire the Lord more than your plans!

Desire the Lord more than *insert thing* that you need to surrender. Be willing to set it aside for more of God. What I've found is that when we surrender it in favor of the Lord........God gives it to us, anyway.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

Lessons in surrender.

Surrendering things to the Lord can be difficult. Sometimes we don't even realize that we are clinging tightly to people, dreams, or items that we need to give up. That is, until we're tired.

Long ago, I surrendered my husband to the Lord. It was a major factor in our marriage being saved. I stopped worrying, living in fear, and watching him like a hawk, and turned him over to God. I literally told the Lord, "You can guide Matt better than I can." And I dropped him off at the foot of the cross. It was at this point that I started saying that no matter what my husband chose to do, Jesus and I had work to do. I repeat it often.

As suspected, the Lord WAS better at leading and guiding my husband than me, and when I surrendered him to God and let go of fear, my life improved and so did my marriage. So you would think that this act of surrender to the Lord would mean that I'm now good at surrending ALL things to the Lord, right?

Wrong.

Recently I discovered that I was, yet again, grasping tightly to something I needed to give to the Lord. It took me time to realize that I needed to loose my hold on it, and then it took even more time to figure out HOW to do it!

And what I found was a key to surrender (probably one of many). That key is to want the LORD more than you want the *thing*. Desire the Lord more than the spouse. Desire the Lord more than the job. Desire the Lord more than your plans!

Desire the Lord more than *insert thing* that you need to surrender. Be willing to set it aside for more of God. What I've found is that when we surrender it in favor of the Lord........God gives it to us, anyway.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles, beautiful ones.

So many are focused on Revelation and the end times--mostly out of fear. But what should the study of the end times really teach us?

The Bible tells the story of how God is working towards the ultimate establishment of His kingdom--the New Heaven and the New Earth. This will be accomplished no matter what, but the glorious good news is that He has invited us to take part in this story!

So for those of us who have "opted in" to the story through Christ, let's not waste our time on fruitless arguments and things that don't matter. May we not spend time fearing what is to come, regardless of if our fear is the end times, or something that might happen today or tomorrow--because no matter what comes, it is accompanied by Christ! May we invite others to God's table and His kingdom through our love. Find someone to love well today!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones!

So many are focused on Revelation and the end times--mostly out of fear. But what should the study of the end times really teach us?

The Bible tells the story of how God is working towards the ultimate establishment of His kingdom--the New Heaven and the New Earth. This will be accomplished no matter what, but the glorious good news is that He has invited us to take part in this story!

So for those of us who have "opted in" to the story through Christ, let's not waste our time on fruitless arguments and things that don't matter. May we not spend time fearing what is to come, regardless of if our fear is the end times, or something that might happen today or tomorrow--because no matter what comes, it is accompanied by Christ! May we invite others to God's table and His kingdom through our love. Find someone to love well today!

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones!

🌿 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." - Matthew 5:4 🌿

We live amongst some Christians who like to pretend that mourning doesn't exist or isn't appropriate for a believer. They act like joy comes in a can or package, and one needs to simply open it and pour it over the divorce, the loss, or the ailment in order to make the mourning go away.

However, if you look through the Bible, mourning is not only expected, it is an important part of life. If we didn't have periods of mourning, how could we possibly appreciate the lack of sorrow one day in heaven? If we didn't experience mourning, how could we learn to lean into God's comfort, promised in Matthew 5:4?

While we aren't to live in a place of mourning forever, there are periods in life where it will come. When we pretend that everything is happy and wonderful all of the time, we rob ourselves of experiencing a deeper relationship with God, we rob others of learning how to comfort a fellow human being in sorrow (Rom 12:15), and we rob the world of a much needed authenticity they need to see come from Christians.

Those who mourn are blessed, not because of the mourning, but because they will experience the comfort of God (Matt. 5:4). The weeping allows for a deeper appreciation of the joyful moments and a more intimate relationship as we are privileged to see God work in our weariness, sadness, and struggle. We come out the other side with a leveled up spiritual formation.

The world needs authenticity. Don't live in the mourning, we dare not plant ourselves there forever, but when it comes don't cover it up with pretend happiness, either. If you are mourning today, it will only last for a time, and you will be comforted. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

🌿 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." - Matthew 5:4 🌿

We live amongst some Christians who like to pretend that mourning doesn't exist or isn't appropriate for a believer. They act like joy comes in a can or package, and one needs to simply open it and pour it over the divorce, the loss, or the ailment in order to make the mourning go away.

However, if you look through the Bible, mourning is not only expected, it is an important part of life. If we didn't have periods of mourning, how could we possibly appreciate the lack of sorrow one day in heaven? If we didn't experience mourning, how could we learn to lean into God's comfort, promised in Matthew 5:4?

While we aren't to live in a place of mourning forever, there are periods in life where it will come. When we pretend that everything is happy and wonderful all of the time, we rob ourselves of experiencing a deeper relationship with God, we rob others of learning how to comfort a fellow human being in sorrow (Rom 12:15), and we rob the world of a much needed authenticity they need to see come from Christians.

Those who mourn are blessed, not because of the mourning, but because they will experience the comfort of God (Matt. 5:4). The weeping allows for a deeper appreciation of the joyful moments and a more intimate relationship as we are privileged to see God work in our weariness, sadness, and struggle. We come out the other side with a leveled up spiritual formation.

The world needs authenticity. Don't live in the mourning, we dare not plant ourselves there forever, but when it comes don't cover it up with pretend happiness, either. If you are mourning today, it will only last for a time, and you will be comforted. <3

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

I'm a very literal, logical personality and I do not deal well in feelings and abstract ideas. So when I first became a Christian and this verse was quoted constantly as something obvious--well, it wasn't obvious to me what "spirit and truth" meant. So for those other Jesus followers out there who have had a hard time with things that have seemed obvious to everyone else, I hope this explanantion will give you more of a solid foundation.

The Lord is intererested in those who are willing to worship Him in spirit and in truth. He indicates this when the woman at the well desires to argue about the place of worship. The response of Christ tells us that He doesn't care about the place, but there is a mental and spiritual posture that He certainly requires from those who truly follow Him.

In spirit, indicating our innermost being that is willing to give Him sovereignty over our lives. In truth, indicating honest, biblical concentration on the person of Christ, Who is the ultimate truth.

I pray this aids someone in their walk with Christ today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week, beautiful ones!

I'm a very literal, logical personality and I do not deal well in feelings and abstract ideas. So when I first became a Christian and this verse was quoted constantly as something obvious--well, it wasn't obvious to me what "spirit and truth" meant. So for those other Jesus followers out there who have had a hard time with things that have seemed obvious to everyone else, I hope this explanantion will give you more of a solid foundation.

The Lord is intererested in those who are willing to worship Him in spirit and in truth. He indicates this when the woman at the well desires to argue about the place of worship. The response of Christ tells us that He doesn't care about the place, but there is a mental and spiritual posture that He certainly requires from those who truly follow Him.

In spirit, indicating our innermost being that is willing to give Him sovereignty over our lives. In truth, indicating honest, biblical concentration on the person of Christ, Who is the ultimate truth.

I pray this aids someone in their walk with Christ today.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your week, beautiful ones!

In 2nd Kings chapter 5 we read of Naaman being healed of leprosy.

There are many interesting parts to this story, but the piece that I want to focus on comes after Naaman has followed Elisha's instructions and is healed. Importantly, the healing causes him to come to the Lord. Yet, he has a concern, which he voices in verse 18.

Naaman is the commander of the army of the king of Aram. Apparently, the king is in poor shape, because Naaman must help him bow to his god. Naaman's concern, and subsequent request, is that the Lord pardon him for helping his master bow to a fake god (2 Kings 5:18). He does not want the Lord to think that he is honoring this god. His request for pardon is granted.

And here's what Naaman's request teaches us: INTENT MATTERS.

You can be doing things that appear bad with good intent. You can also be doing good things with bad intent, such as selfishness! This is why the Bible tells us that only the Lord can weigh the heart (Prov 21:2-3). It is only the Lord that can measure the intent of the heart. Only He can tell if someone is serving out of a need for attention, or if they just want to serve the Lord. Only He can tell if someone is doing something to purposely dishonor Him or if it is for another reason.

Intent matters to the Lord. The heart matters to the Lord. But only He can determine if the intent is good or bad. But we can always win in His sight when our intent is to honor and follow Him.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

In 2nd Kings chapter 5 we read of Naaman being healed of leprosy.

There are many interesting parts to this story, but the piece that I want to focus on comes after Naaman has followed Elisha's instructions and is healed. Importantly, the healing causes him to come to the Lord. Yet, he has a concern, which he voices in verse 18.

Naaman is the commander of the army of the king of Aram. Apparently, the king is in poor shape, because Naaman must help him bow to his god. Naaman's concern, and subsequent request, is that the Lord pardon him for helping his master bow to a fake god (2 Kings 5:18). He does not want the Lord to think that he is honoring this god. His request for pardon is granted.

And here's what Naaman's request teaches us: INTENT MATTERS.

You can be doing things that appear bad with good intent. You can also be doing good things with bad intent, such as selfishness! This is why the Bible tells us that only the Lord can weigh the heart (Prov 21:2-3). It is only the Lord that can measure the intent of the heart. Only He can tell if someone is serving out of a need for attention, or if they just want to serve the Lord. Only He can tell if someone is doing something to purposely dishonor Him or if it is for another reason.

Intent matters to the Lord. The heart matters to the Lord. But only He can determine if the intent is good or bad. But we can always win in His sight when our intent is to honor and follow Him.

Wishing you all God's love and smiles for your day, beautiful ones.

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