Impartial Eyes

By Makenzie Allen –

Sitting beside a rosy-cheeked, bubbly little girl, I listen as she describes things about her room that bring an element of excitement to her childhood. She introduces me to her dolls one by one, who are all tucked in bed. Moving from one thing to another, she reaches her bookshelf and pulls out her favorite book. And there on the cover stands the main character. With a smile she says, “I always pretend she is you.” And in that moment I am struck by the realization that she claimed me as the living, breathing version of her favorite character. I feel a grin spread across my face that beams with happiness at her admission.

Something I’ve noticed recently is how real children are. They don’t plaster on a smile when they are upset, nor do they say things just to gain an alliance. If something is on their mind, they say it without hesitation. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how refreshing that kind of honesty is.

Scary as it can be, she looks up to me. And I wonder how many times I haven’t been the kind of example I should be for her and other children. How can I be worth looking up to? What can I do to be a true and beneficial example?

Walking along the lake with my little cousin, I look down at her tiny hand clutching mine. My heart melts at this small gesture of companionship. Peering up at me through blue eyes, she giggles at the silly face I make. And yet more laughing as I reach down and weave sticks through my hair. In her slowly improving speech, I hear her say, “Makie so silly.” Makie. I love it when she calls me that. And on we walk, everyone thinking I’m the one blessing her when really, it’s just the opposite.

Have you noticed the moment a child accepts you, a day that felt like failure practically shouts with success? For me, not many other things bring more happiness than when a child decides that I seem fun to be with. Maybe it’s because I know that the friendship they give isn’t just for show. They truly want to be with me, not because of what I look like or who I’m associated with, but because they enjoy my company. It’s as if children see things through impartial eyes, worldly qualifications don’t matter to them. And it’s so reviving to see how children look at the heart, just as God does.

A Benefit of Failure

By Jarrod Spencer –

Failure is a part of life. No one is going to have a life (from birth to death) without some areas of failure. Also, there will be repeated failures. Not all failures are going to represent “giving up.” However, they may facilitate the idea of giving up.

It can be frustrating as a parent when you know your child is capable of achieving something and they are not seeing it yet. They are failing and want to give up. You see the bigger picture, know their abilities, and try to help them to make it to the next mountain peak, rather than be sullen in the valley.

One of the few benefits of failing is to learn from it and have a new tool to be able to help you through life. Thinking on that brings me to this quote from Samuel Becket, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

As I mentioned, it can be difficult for a parent to be able to cause a child to go forth with something that they know the child can accomplish. With that said, don’t you think that God, as our Heavenly Father, may look at us sometimes and think “You can do this” while we are saying “I just want to quit.”

We are like that more often than we think. Our challenge is to try to look past the obstacle and see the opportunities. So even if we do fail, we fail better!

What have you had success in regarding a “do over” and what have you learned in the process? Remember, even if you fail, you fail better.

PRAYER: Father, I am thankful that though I fail, I am a new creation in You. I am thankful that You allowed Your Son to die for my sins. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to have my sins forgiven when, by faith, I am baptized, being immersed, into water. I am thankful that even when I make a mess of things later, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses me from those wrongs. Thank You!

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 ESV).

Curly or Straight?

By Janet Morris Grimes –

Hair. Have you ever wondered if we put too much thought into it? Pay too much attention to it? Discuss it too often?

I have. As my daughter and I discussed how we have to yield to the power of our curly hair, especially next week while we will be at church camp for the week, away from mirrors and conquered by humidity, I decided to make a list off the top of my head, (pun intended) of terms that have to do with our hair.

An A-Z list, if you will.

Adorned. Ash. Auburn. Askew. Accessorized. Asymmetric.

Bold. Beautiful. Banded. Bandana-ed. Bushy. Broken. Banged. Bi-leveled. Bleached. Black. Buttercup. Braided. Bunned. Baby soft. Baby fine. Baby fuzz. Barreted. Bowed. Beaded. Bonded. Blonded. Balded. Blue. Bed-head. Blunt. Beveled. Blunt. Barbed. Bump-it.

Clamped. Combed. Crowned. Crispy. Conditioned. Covered. Coal black. Creamed. Curly-fried. Coiled. Curled. Crimped. Coated. Cropped. Copped. Cupped. Cowlicked.

Dangling. Dolloped. Down. Dry. Departed. Decorated. Dull. Dented. Dread-locked. Dishwater Blond. Diffused. Detangled.

Extended. Egged. Eared. Edged.

Flat. Frizzy. Flossed. Fake. Flowered. Fingered. Flowing. Fuzzy. Feathered. Fixed.

Goldi-locked. Golden. Gelled. Glossed. Glazed. Gnarled.

Highlighted. Halved. Heavy. Hung.

Inter-twined. Ironed.

Juiced. Jaded. Jeweled.

Kept. Knotted.

Long. Lotioned. Light. Layered. Luxurious. Loosed. Low-lights.

Misted. Moistured. Mayonaised. Moused. Milked Missing. Mulleted. Made over.

Neat. Not. New. Naped.

Oiled. Orange. Oval.

Pencil straight. Pinned. Permed. Pig-tailed. Penciled. Parted. Purple. Platinum. Pink. Pony-tailed. Perfumed.

Quiet. Quelled. Quilted.
.
Red. Rolled. Riced. Ribboned. Razored. Rubbed. Raven.

Sprayed. Shellacked. Surrendered. Sideways. Scissored. Stroked. Soft.. Sweated. Sweeted. Scented. Scarved. Sculpted. Silver. Salt and Peppered. Shiny. Soaked. Sprinkled. Sparkled. Shaped. Spiky. Split. Shaved. Short. Stripped. Smoked. Snow-covered. Strawberry Blond. Swept. Sectioned. Scrunched.

Teased. Tapered. Trimmed. Twisted. Thick. Thin. Tow-headed. Tousled. Toupe’d. Topped. Tossed. Tea-ed. Textured. Tucked. Tangled.

Up. Under. Uncombed. Uncovered. Undone.

Veiled. Viled. Vexed. Vined. Volume.

Wet. Waved. Worded. Wrapped. Wound around. White. Wind-blown, Wigged. Wagged. Weaved. Wild.

X – Factor.

Yellow. Yanked. Yucked.

Zoned. Zinged. Zany.

Wow! Is it really worth all of that effort? That list makes me tired just thinking about it. And personally, it makes me thankful to have a week when we won’t have to worry about it. What you see is what you get, especially at church camp.

Jesus mentions hair in two different places in the Bible, using both to remind his disciples, and us, that we were created by God, and that we are always in His care.

“And do not swear by your own head, because which of you can make your hair either white or black?” (Matthew 5:36 NIV).

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for creating us as individuals. Curly or straight, we are your craftsmanship and long to represent You in all that we do. Forgive us when we try to bring glory to ourselves, instead.

Life After Sin

By Janet Morris Grimes –

I grew up as a Christian, surrounded by people who were sincere, walked out their faith, and lived by example. To this day, I am truly thankful for the way they demonstrated how I should live my life.

But none of that mattered once I crossed the threshold into sin.

I’m not referring to the little mistakes one might make as I grew up. I am talking about big, life-changing stuff. The kind of stuff I promised myself I would never do. The kind of stuff I thought I was strong enough to handle. The kind of stuff that stays hidden for a while. But eventually, the truth comes out. And the whole world knows it.

It’s the kind of sin that suddenly made me aware of how much I needed a Savior. The kind that proved that on my own, I was not nearly as strong nor as great as my adoring public thought I was.

And that journey led me straight to Peter.

He, like me, thought he could handle it. Jesus, on the other hand, already knew he could not. That he would fall. And it would hurt.

Sometimes, this story is overshadowed by that of Judas. The King of the Betrayers. But in a scene that may be more important, Peter shows us, by example, what happens after the sin.

In the upper room, during what became known as The Last Supper, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial of Him. But He does more than this. He blankets the situation with prayer, in advance. And not only does He predict the fall. He predicts the healing. The overcoming. The triumphant life, after the sin.

It all happens in Luke. Once Jesus confronts Judas about his pending betrayal, a discussion breaks out among the twelve. But, Jesus quickly turns the conversation to Peter.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31 – 32 NLT).

Before Peter is even aware of his weaknesses, Jesus prayed over it. And this happens before Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Him three times on that very day.

And then Peter falls.

It is important to note how Peter responds. Everyone is in turmoil over the death of Jesus. Peter, perhaps more than others because of his own failures. He is not sure how to handle his own guilt.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to.

Because, once Jesus had risen on the following Sunday, the angel who told Mary and the others about it had a special message for Peter.

“Now, go and tell the others, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died” (Mark 16:7 NLT).

Jesus wanted to make sure Peter knew He was alive, and that He would see him soon.

And Peter was thrilled with that news. What happens next, once he hears that the tomb was found empty?

Peter ran.

He ran to the tomb to see for himself. He ran back to Jesus with open arms. He accepted forgiveness without looking back. He ran to the future, without fear.

And when he had repented and returned to Jesus, he strengthened his brothers.

Just as Jesus had prayed.

Peter proved that the triumph comes by running to the Savior, after the sin.

Back to School Believer

By Art Fulks –

Our congregation has been active in serving our schools collectively and last year, we were blessed to be a part of seeing many students receive Christ on campus. It was the most joyful year of school as a parent or pastor that I have ever experienced.

Statistics suggest over 90% of all who trust Christ do so before age eighteen. Our typical strategy has been promoting programs at church through which we hope to see life transformation. But four years ago, I stopped by the principal’s office and simply asked how I could help him personally and if I could pray for him.

Four years later, I still battle with the same attitude that suggests that I pay taxes for the school to serve my child. That may be true. But my approach should be different.

Let me share a few examples of my struggles.

We have four children. Two will be in college this fall, one in high school and one in middle school. But, with no student in the middle school, would I still be willing to serve and build relationships with students and faculty? With no child in the high school band, would I still provide snacks during summer camp? Although our son finished his senior season, would I still volunteer at a fundraiser for next year’s team? Would I help stack chairs on my child’s last day at the elementary school?

I am sure that God still has work to do in my life because my first response to each of these opportunities was not positive. It is certainly easier to convince myself to serve when it benefits my child or to give their teacher a positive perception of our child/family. But He is challenging me to look for opportunities that would reap no personal benefits. I need to consider serving to give people a better perception of my God. That is my calling as a follower of Christ, to reflect Him to the world so that they might know Him.

A new school year is about to start and I am excited to see what God will do. Will He allow me to engage in new partnerships and relationship for the Kingdom? Who’s life will He change?

I know that He will continue to change me. It’s back to school, Believer!

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB)

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