Good Company

By Robin J. Steinweg –

“One of my students needs the same things repeated every week,” I said. “It’s like she’s never seen a quarter note before, and she still can’t identify the keys. She’s bright; her parents say she practices, so it must be me. Do any of my words stick with any of my students? What’s the point?” I had lain awake wondering if most of my life had been spent pouring water into a sieve.

My husband, Tom, responded, “How many students have come into our home over the years? Of those few hundred, how many have continued to play or sing—one percent? Two at the most?”

The question kicked me in the stomach. I’d already imagined that if I worked for a large company, Quality Control would’ve handed my head to HR (that’s Human Resources, AKA Heads Rolling) on a tin platter. In Willy Wonka’s factory, I’d have gone down the Bad Egg chute.

“Wait! Hear me,” Tom said. “After years of lessons I don’t play piano anymore, even though I’m a musician. But the impact those lessons had on me will continue to affect my life forever. It’s not just about playing piano. The time you spend with that little girl… you just don’t know. That is priceless.”

My husband isn’t named Thomas—“good company”—for nothing. Those encouraging words have fed me for years. He’s given me an example to live up to. My goal this new year and every year is for my words to be good company, just like my husband, Thomas.

QUOTE: Words are the most powerful thing in the universe…Words are containers. They contain faith, or fear, and they produce after their kind. –Charles Capps

BIBLE VERSE: “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is.” (Proverbs 15:23 ESV)!

Wait For It!

By Janet Morris Grimes –

“God? Are You there?

I’ve been meaning to talk to You about a few things.

No offense, but I’ve kind of been wondering what You are up to. I kind of feel like Moses, standing at the Red Sea with no way to cross it. I keep pointing upward, hinting that something big is about to happen. The stage is set for You to do something miraculous, brilliant, and unforgettable.

But then, nothing happens. Or at least, nothing big. Nothing anyone would notice, if they were watching from a distance.

Maybe my timing is a bit off. Maybe I hurried so fast to the sea that I missed an important leg of the journey. Maybe I took a shortcut, or tried to rush things a bit.

Just know that it feels as if I jumped off a cliff; that same cliff You told me to jump off of, but I have yet to land. And if You don’t mind me saying this; it’s taking too long. If I just knew when or where I might land, I could start on my ‘to-do’ list. You know; to help You get everything settled when the time comes.

I try to be patient, but even that would be easier if I knew what You were up to. Waiting is something I do in between all the big events in life, right? I mean, transition should never become my destination. It’s just a small part of the journey. Right?

So, here I sit, waiting for something big to happen. In the meantime, to prevent boredom, I thought I might flip open my Bible and see what You had to say, in case You were watching. What could it hurt for You to catch me being overly obedient? Thought it might speed things up a little, and might remind You that I’m still waiting.

How about the book of Habakkuk? That ought to score me a few points. No one ever reads Habakkuk, do they?

Hmmm. Let’s see what old Habakkuk has to say about waiting….

Oh, wait. I think I’m beginning to understand. Maybe it takes a major transition in life to get me to be still and listen to Your instruction. Maybe You aren’t too worried about my ‘to-do’ lists. Maybe my desire to be in control interferes with Your desire to provide for me daily.

If that’s the case, You know where to find me. I’ll be here, beside the still waters. Learning. Growing. And waiting.”

BIBLE VERSE: “Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” (Habakkuk 1:5 NIV)

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank You for loving me enough to make me wait. Whatever it is that You are up to, I’m sure it will be worth the wait.

Epic

by Elaine James –

“The last Harry Potter movie was epic,” my 16-year-old daughter blurted out. Almost daily I hear someone saying the word “epic.” I have noticed young people like using the word “epic” quite often. Daily we have stuff to deal with and sometimes we may even say our moments are bigger than big, so we refer to it as “epic.”

Elijah had an epic encounter with the Lord. He followed God’s very detailed orders to deal with Ahab and his false prophets and it was successful. The result was that Ahab’s wife Jezebel did not like what Elijah did so her anger rose up with vengeance. It scared Elijah, so he ran for his life, saying “”I have had enough, LORD, take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

Isn’t this exactly what is going on today in our world? Things seem hopeless. The mind tricks people in to believing things are so bad that they want to die. Suicide rates with our teens are rising in great numbers. Why? Because the lie going through their mind is “There’s no way to resolve this.”

In an “epic” moment, we need an “epic” hero. Elijah’s all knowing hero, God, rescues him in a gentle, loving way. God starts by letting Elijah rest and fills him with food. Quickly, Elijah gains tremendous strength and is able to do something not many of us could do. He travels by foot 40 days and 40 nights. Wow!

Are you amazed at what God can do for you? We can be empty, out of strength and filled with worry yet God steps in and creates an “epic” ending to a situation. Our “epic” hero.

Get up and eat! I can give you strength! –GOD

QUOTE: Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” – Charles Spurgeon (Maybe when I am lacking strength, it’s because I am not lacking worries.)

BIBLE VERSE: “The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night” (1 Kings 19:7-9 NIV).

A Personalized 2012

By Carin LeRoy –

Now that we’ve entered another New Year, what resolutions will you make for 2012? Usually they are something practical like lose weight, de-clutter the house, take a vacation or eat healthier. But have you considered what type of spiritual resolutions you might make to grow stronger in your walk with God? Let’s consider a few thoughts.

Prayer. That’s never been my personal strong point, and who doesn’t need to think about that one? Keep a notebook of one-line requests and pray through them briefly. Save a space to write out the date when the prayer was answered. Or write out your prayers to keep your mind from wandering and read them as you pray.

Faith. Which of us can’t use more of that? Ask God to give you the ability this year to trust Him more. Even the apostles asked God to increase their faith (Luke 17:5). Be active in helping your faith to grow this year. Stand on promises in Scripture that will build up your faith.

Thankfulness. Instead of focusing on the negative, let’s learn what it means to have a grateful heart. Not only should we thank God for His blessing to us, but show appreciation to those around us. A person who is gracious and appreciative can change someone’s day. Be that person.

Think through spiritual resolutions that you want to consider this year, and personalize it. This list provides only a few ideas to get you started. Ask Him what He wants to change in your life. There is always room for more growth, and God has a plan to take you to the next step in your relationship with Him. So grab a steaming cup of coffee and find a quiet place. Sit down with a Bible and notebook and get started. Let’s see what God has in store for 2012!

BIBLE VERSE: “In Him and through faith in Him, we approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12 NIV).

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for another new year. Help make this a year of growth in my life and strengthen my relationship with You. Show me the areas that need change, strengthen my faith and give me a heart to listen to Your voice.

Losing Fear

By Jarrod Spencer –

It lurks around, a g-force, always present and more powerful than gravity, keeping you down. It is fear. It lurks even in the daylight. It doesn’t have to jump out to scare you anymore; you’re already past that point. You know it is there. It has encompassed you to the point that you think about it throughout the day.

What causes this fear for you? Would you like to be free of that fear? Would you like to be fearless?

To identify the possible fears that many people share would be a writing that would be way too long. But, all fears have similarities. They consume. They errode common sense thinking.

Jesus’ followers also were afraid when the storm came while they were on the water. They exclaimed in panic, “Lord save us!” Similarly, in a loud voice, since it was in the midst of the storm, Jesus replied, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?!”

In the midst of your storms, times of panic, or times of desperation Jesus is calling these same words out to you.

Perhaps we can use this section of text to help us conquer our own fears. First, make a list to identify your fears. Writing them down may make it easier to visualize, which may make it easier to confront and overcome.

Secondly, remember that as the thunder roars, Jesus snores. Imagine trying to sleep on a hammock while it was being tossed back and forth. I don’t know if the storm was that rough, but Jesus was able to sleep in the midst of it. I find value in the fact that He was able to sleep, which should bring peace to me in my storms, knowing that I can “sleep” as well.

Thirdly, you’re not just a “number.” We are so valuable to God that He knows the numbers of hairs on our head and our worth is greater than the sparrow (Matthew 10:31). God finds so much value in you that He gave up His son for you.

Finally, Jesus is always available. He is on call “24/7”. So, “do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1-3) and take advantage of that availability whenever you feel fear weighing you down.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for calming the storms in my life.

BIBLE VERSE: “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-25 NIV).

« Previous Page — Next Page »