Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

You are here: Home / Archives for encouragement

10 Tips for Making the Most of Online Community

by 29 Comments

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

Maybe we’re in our pajamas. Maybe it’s 3 a.m. Maybe we’re not even in town.

But in our new world, these are no longer limitations.

For example, in this little corner we gather any time, from many different countries, to memorize scripture together.  We come to encourage or share a photo or ask a question (what does “portent” mean in Psalm 71:7?).

It’s online community. It’s relatively new to us all. And it’s quite an opportunity.

With only a keyboard and screen, we can type out love for God and others from wherever we are to any person with internet connectivity. While online encounters should never replace in-person ones, they are legitimately useful in our modern lives, a positive addition to our global neighborhood.

Here are ten tips to make the most of your online community:

1. Be you
Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, have lots to say or little, you now have a turn to talk. Your voice—be it quiet or loud—has never had greater opportunity to be heard as widely as now. So be authentic and give what only you can—you and how you are seeing the Lord in our world. Stay within boundaries of comfort, safety, and appropriateness when you share, but do be real.

2. Genuinely listen
Turn up the volume to hear what others have to say. It’s tempting to quickly scan what others write, but tune in to their stories. Listen to their comments. Hear their hearts. Just because they can’t see whether or not you’re paying attention, read thoughtfully anyway.

3. Talk back
One-way communication doesn’t create community. If you want to establish relationships, leave a grateful comment after reading an encouraging post. Answer a question on Twitter. Message a Bible verse that would be helpful. Skype for back and forth conversation.

4. Pray
And don’t just say you will; do it. If an online friend shares a prayer request on a forum, pray as you read so you won’t forget. Or type out your prayer and email it out to them as well as up to God.

5. Go deep
Invest in a handful of online friends that you truly connect with by giving them extra attention. Nurture a smaller community within a larger one, such as the small groups of six in the Soli Deo Gloria community.  Stick with the same blogger’s link-up for several weeks until you recognize who’s who.

6. Spread wide
Just as with face-to-face friends, you can only go deep with a few, but you can say a kind word to many—a quick “like” or “Happy Birthday” on a Facebook page keeps connections alive. I communicate with just a few words to many Spanish-speaking friends in El Salvador (thanks to Google Translate).

7. Accept limits
Monitor your time online; don’t sacrifice in-the-flesh companions because you’re tied to your iPhone. Don’t publish what you might regret; online words are documented and permanent. Slow down to respond; just because you can reply immediately doesn’t mean you have to. Honor confidences shared privately. Create appropriate boundaries with opposite-sex relationships.

8. Take it offline
Surprise an online friend with a card in your handwriting or a small gift via snail mail. If you’ve established a trusted relationship, and an opportunity arises, meet in person at a conference or restaurant or church.  Talking online is good, but worshiping side by side—hearing each other sing praises or praying together—brings you even closer.

9. Be a resource
Recommend relevant sites, software tools, Pinterest boards to others who can benefit from them. Retweet helpful links. Welcome newbies to an online group you’re already in. Post helpful book reviews on sites like Amazon or reading groups like Goodreads.

10. Above all, love
The greatest command applies online as well as off—love God, love others (Matthew 22:36-39). Let this question be the final one you ask before you hit send or publish: “Am I loving God and loving others with these words?”

Our advancing technologies continue to provide new mediums to nurture friendships and build faith. Now that we’re online, let’s stay connected . . . for God’s glory and each others’ good.

Created for Community

Share your experience with online community. What social media do you use for community? Have you met online friends in person? Please leave a comment below.

Time to wrap up

by Leave a Comment

This December we celebrated the beauty of the season with the word of God and the Word himself spread throughout our days.

With just days left before Christmas, we want to offer you this platter full of inspiration one more time.  As you plan your Christmas Eve and day, perhaps one of these posts will add to your joy. We hope this has helped you savor God Himself during this season of peace on earth and good will to men. It’s not too late to find one way to add the word to your merry making.

We pray that the word will be found in all of your Christmas season!

Sharing the Word Through Service

by 7 Comments

I love words, and words carry power.

But action itself speaks, meets needs, and shares God’s love (and, yes, His Word in action) in affective ways.

With less than a week until Christmas, we might be tempted to say, “I didn’t serve as much or as well as I wanted this season. And now it’s too late.”Sharing the Word through Service - Ideas from Do Not Depart

It’s not too late! Below are several ideas you can implement this week to share God’s love and His word through serving others. Build these activities into family time, and worship through serving others with His heart.

Sharing the Word with Action

Here are a few ways we can serve people now and share God’s love through action:

  • One of our team writers, Teri Lynne, shares 10 Ways to Help in Your Community on her personal blog. These ideas require little planning and most can be implemented in an afternoon.
  • Grab a few friends and/or family members and go caroling in a neighborhood. When you carol, choose songs spreading the joy of the season. Sing one or two, wish the neighbors a “Merry Christmas,” and then move on to the next house! It’s a non-pushy, fun way to spread word of His birth.
  • Set up Christmas lights between two trees or in your yard simply forming the word “peace,” “joy,” or “love.”
  • Prioritize your emphasis on the season and intentionally renew your focus on Him daily, inwardly and as an outward example. Christmas is not about a certain number of gifts or how busy we can be, but is about celebrating His birth, presences, and grace. (Verses that help me when I begin to feel stressed: Luke 2:10, Luke 10:41-42, and Ephesians 2:8-9.)
  • Make homemade gifts with your kids with the Word included, like these chalk pastel paintings, this “Joy” word sign, this Christmas carol plaque, or this verse-a-day gift.
  • Lead a group of (willing) neighborhood kids or a church preschool class in nativity-focused games and activities, like this Find and Fill Nativity Lesson.
  • If it’s cold enough if your area, make a few of these beautiful ice ornaments and include wooden letters spelling out “joy” or “peace.”
  • Stick these tags on your gifts and give away the bookmarks!
  • Donate to worth-while and Christ-focused causes.

A few ideas you can jump in on now and save for next year:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

 

How are you and your family sharing God’s Word through service this season (and throughout the year)? What’s one way you include His Word in your gifts or actions? Share in the comments below.

A Verse a Day – Personalized Gift Version

by 7 Comments

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with Lisa, wherever Lisa goes.
Joshua 1:9

Is there someone on your Christmas list that could use some real encouragement? A special touch? A personalized gift from God?

With a little time and thought, you can make an investment in your friend or family member’s soul that might remain long after Christmas 2012 has been scrapbooked and/or forgotten.

All it will cost you is a 7-day pill organizer, some paper, and PRAYER.

Here’s what you do:

1. Get a container

Find a 7-day pill box (or any container of your choice).

2. Choose verses

Click on the Verses-Original here or the box below. Pray as you read through these verses (or choose your own) and mark which ones would be meaningful to your friend. Decide on at least one verse per day (a total of seven verses) or up to five verses per day (a total of 35 verses).

You can choose verses by category (one for each day of the week) or ignore the categories and just choose randomly. If you don’t want to personalize (using step 3), print out the verses now.

3. Personalize verses

If you do want to take it one step further and personalize these same verses you’ve chosen, click on the Verses-Personal here or the box below (same verses as above, just reformatted).

Either write these verses by hand, inserting your friend’s name in the appropriate spots OR for computer printing, save the Verses-Personal as a Word document on your computer, then use the simple “Find and replace” command to have the computer make all the changes for you in one clean swoop, using–Find what: [NAME], Replace with: Ashley, and “replace all”. With one keystroke, all the verses are now personal.

Example:

Change this:
May the God of hope fill [NAME] with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit [NAME] may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

Into this:
May the God of hope fill Ashley with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit Ashley may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

4. Cut and fill

Cut the verses into individual strips. Fold and insert one verse per day (or up to five) in each box of the pill holder.

5. Wrap in prayer

As you wrap it up or place in a gift bag, pray for your friend to be blessed by the Living Word through your gift of these written words. It’s a gift of love and life that will be appreciated each day.

And don’t be surprised if you, too, are blessed as you put this gift together at Christmas or any time of the year!

What’s a favorite scripture you would recommend sharing with a friend?

 

Unshakeable Faith Lesson 7 ~ Faithful in Persecution

by 3 Comments

Jesus said that if the world hates Him, the world will hate those who follow Him. Those called by His name should expect persecution. There are some parts of the world where Christians suffer today, but there are other countries where followers of Christ don’t know persecution first hand. Lesson 7 of Unshakeable Faith showed us how those who call themselves by the name of Christ should be ready to share about their hope, fighting back fear of those who oppress them. Today we want to share about women who faced persecution with a strong faith.

If you were unable to see the video click here.

What does the possibility of persecution make you feel? How are you strengthening your faith today so that you are prepared to stand firm in the days ahead?

His Word when we’re burned out

by 13 Comments

Woman crying head in hands From where I sit, I’ve had a close up view of people following hard after God who have fallen hard in their pursuit of living for Him.  We’re all susceptible to wanting to please people. Expectations sometimes sweep away passionate people who wanted to do their best and end up worn out. Without meaning to, family, bosses, relatives, friends,  and church people have needs that may drive the most well meaning woman to a weary place before she even knows it.

In his book Leading on Empty, Wayne Cordeiro cautions that, “You will burn out sooner on the inside than you’re able to see on the outside.” We may want a quick “fix” to this slow growing problem, but that covers up the true need to recharge, figure out what brought us to burnout, and change the way we do life. No one is exempt from a burned out condition.

Some signs of burnout

  1. Work becomes difficult
  2. What once gave us joy feels like a heavy drain
  3. Decisions paralyze us
  4. Our creativity is stifled
  5. Physical symptoms or depression arise
  6. We feel swept along by life, but out of control

God’s Word records worn out words from some of God’s heaviest hitters:  Moses (Numbers 11:14-15), David (Psalm 69:1-2), Elijah (1 Kings 19:2-4).

Do Not Depart

God’s Word for the weary

Elijah came away from victorious battle with 850 prophets of Baal and the evil King Ahab, leaving him with a target on his back in the eyes of the even more evil Queen Jezebel. Physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, the Prophet ran away into the wilderness and collapsed under a broom tree. He uttered a prayer to ask God to end his life. He was “over it.”

There under that tree, God sent an angel to speak words of understanding to the burned out, battle -weary man. Do you ever wish God would speak to you in your battle-weary place beside your laundry pile, at your bedside, at your desk, or in the pew? He might say what the angel said to Elijah:

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God (1 Kings 19:1-8).

God knows we have limits, yet He has no limits. He invites us to let Him care for our needs, ceasing from doing and receiving His invitation to rest, letting Him be our Protector and Provider. The undeserved favor He shows can shelter us when we’re so weary we wish we could die.  Even the man after God’s own heart, the anointed shepherd-king David experienced the feeling of being in over his head:

“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.” (Psalm 69:1-2).

God has an answer for seasons of weakness when life is heavy on our shoulders of flesh:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Have you ever been under a broom tree? Eat what the Lord has prepared to give you strength, rest with Him watching over your circumstances, and follow Him one more step at a time. The power of Christ will rest on you.

 What words would you share with someone who is under the broom tree?

His Word When We Doubt

by 30 Comments

You read the Bible. Study the Bible. Even have portions of it memorized.

But what happens when real life seems to drown out what it says? Or when the words seem stale?

I confess I’m a Bible-believing Christian. I’ve rested on truths in the Word for years. Yet—as much as I hate to admit it—I can still wrestle with the simplest precepts when I’m faced with the unknown.

Like this spring and summer. When the opportunity came to return to El Salvador, I knew I wanted to go. And when a volunteer was needed to head up the VBS team, I knew it should be me. I prayed about it; God confirmed it; I signed up.

So what was the problem? The obstacles loomed too large—we lacked enough Spanish-speakers; we lacked enough adult helpers; we lacked enough people, period.

Yet the real problem?
I was doubting God’s goodness.

I knew He loved me enough to die for me, to make me whole, to save my soul. But did He love me enough to actively work a VBS with me in Central America?

Maybe it’s not logical, but I wanted to know more than I was forgiven or justified or sanctified. I needed to know I was cared about like a little girl by her father.

Doubts withstanding, I wrote skits. I ordered stickers. I bought jump ropes. Pray, plan, and press on.

Then something happened.

For months I’d been working on Psalm 103. “Bless the Lord, O my soul…” For months I’d wrestled with getting the words right. For months I’d wondered if I’d ever get the last verses in order.

But exactly one week before my mission trip, instead of working the Psalm, I surrendered to it. I made a counterintuitive move—instead of forging ahead with much-needed packing for VBS, for one day I’d pack nothing, speak nothing, do nothing but sit with God. And Psalm 103.

And there he uncovered the missing piece I’d been looking at all along—a scripture I’d read ninety-nine times, but needed to read a hundredth.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13

The words “shows compassion” communicated boldly.

If I could spend months and dollars and emotions on plans to show compassion to kids I didn’t even know, how much more would my Father show compassion to me, a child He did know, and know intimately?

Not only would He go with me to El Salvador, but He also had been planning for months, setting up gifts of grace for me to receive there, gifts of His tender compassion for a daughter He loved.

With one verse, in one day, old words I’d underlined three Bibles ago were made new again, breathing fresh life into the empty crevices of my soul.

His Words never die because He continues to speak them.

Never give up reading what you think you already know. Because they’re not just words on a page; they’re the heart of a Savior. They’re more than scriptures to sharpen a doctrine; they’re love letters from a Father. For child after child, year after year.

And was God compassionate to me in El Salvador? Oh my, yes. In ways a little girl couldn’t have imagined.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11

Reading the Bible isn’t just about gaining knowledge. It’s about the Spirit changing our lives.
What old words have touched you in a new way lately?
How have you experienced the Word as still alive?
Please join in the conversation.

His Word When We Wait

by 10 Comments

We all wait for something.

We wait for phone calls. We wait for friends. We wait for jobs, for answers, for hope fulfilled.

Sometimes we wait years for an answer to a prayer or a new path to take. Sometimes waiting might mean only a few hours for test results, but it’s a life-halting wait.

In my family’s own (current) waiting, waiting for so long without foreseeable results causes me to feel helpless. Helpless and unable to affect a situation positively. How do we endure this waiting?

God speaks to this struggle, too. He shares in His Word wisdom on waiting.

What To Do While We Wait

  • Watch for wisdom while we wait: “Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
  • Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” – Proverbs 8:33-34
  • Wait on God, even when trouble presses in: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!” – Psalm 37:7
  • “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14
  • Wait, knowing God will answer, even if it’s not in the way we may have thought: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” – Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
  • “But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” – Psalm 38:15
  • Even while we wait, rejoice in our loving God: “…yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:18 (Read Habakkuk 3:16-19)
  • “…live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope…” – Titus 2:12b-13a (Read Titus 2:11-14. Read also Jude 1:20-21.)

Why to Trust While We Wait

  • Christ suffered for us all, and offers salvation which we can look forward to during our waiting: “…so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” – Hebrews 9:28
  • “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” – James 5:7-8

 

What verses encourage you while you wait for needs or answers? How do you use God’s Word to help others in their wait-filled struggles?

Love Like Him – Love is Patient Because Jesus Suffered Long for Me

by 10 Comments

Jesus suffered long for us. Hebrews 12:1-3 shows us such.

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” – Hebrews 12:1b-3 (emphasis added)

He endured during His life, with trials and temptations of every kind (Hebrews 4:15). He endured during His death – for us. For our salvation, for our hearts, for our inclusion as God’s children.

Photo credit

He asks us to suffer long for others.

What does Suffering Long Look Like?

First Thessalonians 5:14 says:

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

That additional use of “brothers” (or “brothers and sisters,” if you read the NIV translation) indicates Paul was including all believers within the Thessalonian church, not just the leaders he referenced in the previous two verses.

We are all called to be patient and long-suffering, as Christ was and is.

What does patience look like towards others?

  • “Admonish the idle” – Patience includes redirection. Sometimes we need direction. And we need patience during that time of redirection. Or patience and long-suffering includes faithfully readdressing an issue to help someone’s heart.
  • “Encourage the fainthearted” – When someone experiences sadness for an extended period of time, reacting patiently can be difficult, but we are called to encourage and love.
  • “Help the weak” – Suffer along side someone who has endured trials and affliction.
  • “Be patient with [everyone]” – Christ showed patience with all types of people. As can we, through His strength.

In all of this patient living, we seek to serve. Serving, by nature, calls for patience, endurance, and selfless action. Christ served regardless of if He was served in return.

“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Remembering the Goal

We do grow weary. But, when we do, we can remember His life, His heart, His strength, His patience, and endure longer. Let us run this race together with patience and love for each other – all for and because of Him.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

What truths, promises, and commands did you discover during this week’s #LoveLikeHim reading? What patient love captured your heart this week?

Here I Raise My Ebenezer: When God’s Timing Seems Off

by 21 Comments

Time runs out

She came too early. And left too soon. And where was God?

A difficult pregnancy left me sleepless and aching and worried. I wanted my baby girl to stay inside me as long as she could because she was safe there. But time would soon run out.

Sooner than I knew. I went into premature labor with Kali at 32 weeks. Outside of my body, she only lived 1 hour and 17 minutes.

Even though I knew she lived on, I wondered how I would. All I had of her was a clipping of her soft black hair, a copy of her handprints and footprints, and a few pictures that a nurse had taken after she died.

Pictures of a face that my memory would fade into the past.
Pictures of a body that would never see the future.

God says now

I received the pictures a few days after her death. I was afraid to look. Her body had retained so much fluid during the pregnancy that I knew it would be distorted. But who wouldn’t find her own baby beautiful, regardless of the disfigurements?

So I looked. And I saw beauty. But I was still afraid to share her picture with others. What would they think? Would they be repulsed? My mother instinct said protect her, don’t share. Lord, help me.

A week went by. And another. And another. The time still wasn’t right. But with December 25th around the corner, God pointed at the calendar. It was time. Give the gift of trust. Have faith that family would love Kali regardless of how she looked.

So on Christmas Eve, packaged with tears, I nestled a picture of Kali in a Christmas card for each of my siblings, parents, and in-laws. It was an act of faith, a gift of love, a mercy of God’s timing.

I watched as they opened. Everyone was grateful. Including this mom.

Perfect timing

God had shown me He’d walk with me one step at a time, with just the right stride. Never too slow (even when I lunge forward to speed Him up), and never too fast (even when I fight to hold Him back).

His pace is perfect. I can trust Him not only with the situation itself, but also with the timing around it.

Nineteen years later, I can still walk into my mother-in-law’s bedroom and see a picture of Kali on her nightstand. I can pull out a card my mom had given me saying she often sat and looked at Kali’s picture. I now display Kali’s picture on my living room wall, eager to share her story with anybody curious enough to ask.

And when I begin to doubt God’s timing of help in a new circumstance, I can look at Kali’s face and remember how the Lord always has, and always will, bring all things together at just the right time.

May you also trust His mercy to encircle you behind and ahead, and trust His grace to show up exactly when you need it.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Do you struggle with God’s timing, too? Do you wish he’d speed up or slow down? Leave a comment or prayer request and we’ll talk to Him about it together.

If you know of a family losing a little one, gently point them toward Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a ministry of professional photographers who donate their time to preserve precious memories. Sharing the faithfulness of God

Here I Raise My Ebenezer: Little Victories in a Big War

by 9 Comments

God Hears

When the Israelites pleaded for Samuel’s prayers for salvation from the Philistines, they witnessed God’s mighty hand in its active power (1 Samuel 7:3-14).

“He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.” – 1 Samuel 7:9

The New Bible Commentary reveals the impact of this act:

“In reality it was probably only a minor victory, but it was enough to keep the Philistines out of Israelite territory for some considerable time, and it was the beginning of a period in which Philistine power declined, thanks to the hand of the LORD.” (p. 303, bold emphasis mine)

Later, Samuel placed that stone of help, called Ebenezer, to praise Him for His victory – no matter how small – and to remind the Israelites (and now us) of His deeds.

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” – 1 Samuel 7:12

Not Always A Whale-Sized Act

God is active in our lives, and God deserves our praise for His love in action. But not every act is as large as a tumbling Jerusalem wall or divine plans for an ark. The little acts God completes within our bigger battles can mean just as much.

Light shines through the darkness

Samuel set up this memorial Ebenezer stone for what seemed to be a relatively small “win” within the larger view of events. But just because an act is minor doesn’t mean it should lack praise.

Little Victories and Big Praise

In my family’s current circumstances, we’re fighting a huge medical battle against slim odds. But God’s “little” victories boost our morale and remind us He is ever present.

A fantastic nurse giving care. A small check surprising us to support our financial needs. Regular smiles from our boy in spite of suboptimal conditions. All these acts may seem minor, but we experience the fullness these feats emit.

God shows us a small victory when He places the right doctor in our path. He whispers He is here when He puts it on a friend’s heart to email a prayer. He declares His hand in our situation each month we “somehow” are able to pay our bills.

Each step along this incomplete journey is sprinkled with signs of how He has helped (and continues to help) us. And each verse we read, God reminds us we read evidence of a greater victory in the battle He has already won.

I witness these little victories again and again (and again), and it could only be by God that all these things work together and surface. All this good, no matter how big or small, all presents itself thanks to His hand.


Extol His name with me (Psalm 145:3-7); how have you seen His mighty acts in your life?

God Willing

by 13 Comments

Katie here. I’ve hacked into Caroline’s post to make a special announcement and request! Caroline just had her second child—a sweet baby girl! 

Sweet big brother, holding sissy's hand.

Will you join with me, and pray for their family today? Just leave a comment below, of blessing over these early, wonderful, sleep-deprived months! 

And now, Caroline’s post…

There’s nothing like having a son in the hospital to see how little is in my control… and to see the powerful truth and amazing nature of the words “God willing.”

The words “God willing” hold outstanding power and meaning, but sometimes fit with many Christian phrases (“Christian-ese,” if you will) that tend to be overused and misunderstood:

  • “Bless her heart” becomes a phrase of pity rather than a true request for God’s blessing.
  • “Amen to that” shares simple agreement (I do this, too!) rather than “verily” or “so be it” – an acceptance of what is given regardless of consequence (*see source below).

And then there’s “God willing.”

These phrases, when used well and correctly, share His love and grace powerfully.

God Willing, God Permitting

God has been teaching me the true meaning of these two strong words, “God willing,” lately.

Not meaning “to get what I want.”

Not meaning “perhaps if I plead with these words, what I desire will come true.”

Instead, meaning God permitting. God allowing what He knows best, not what we see as right or needed.

Hebrews 6:1-12 discusses God permitting further knowledge in this faith. (See a parallel reference of the NLT and ESV here.) The use of “God willing” here shows dependence on God for growth.

Acts 18:20-22 shows Paul relying on God to will His journey as God sees fit (Parallel source). Paul certainly possesses his own desires to see certain people at certain times (Romans 1:8-17) – and for good reasons in the ministry – but still knows even his path of spreading the gospel is directed by God’s purposes, not his own. (Paul exemplifies how God uses our desires and passions for His will and purposes in Romans 15:17-22.)

Decretive and Perceptive Will

A distinction exists between what God wills for Himself to accomplish and what He wills—in orders and commands—for us to accomplish. What He wills He will do. His “decretive will” (as the New Bible Commentary labels it) actually happens, no doubt. What He wills us to do (love others, follows His ways – “perceptive will”), He graciously allows us the choice of obedience, which I so often fail to complete. (**See source below.)

The New Bible Dictionary says, “God’s will is not arbitrary, but acts in complete harmony with his character.” What God wills is not determined on a whim, but instead on His supreme intelligence (Isaiah 55:8-9), which comes from a heart of love (1 John 4:7-12).

We know because of His Word and His heart that God wills good things to those who seek to serve Him (Psalm 34:10). Copyright Under God's Mighty Hand

As my husband and I continue to discover more about our son’s medical needs, we wish, we pray, and we ache for whole healing and deliverance from these troubles. But, I tend to want to over-control. And God is showing me: it’s His will, not mine. There were times in the hospital that I had no control over what happened to my son. So, what were my choices? I can worry incessantly or I can trust the God I know to be loving, even if events we endured as a family were not what we would want.

What God Wills

Perhaps I’ll know sometime in this life why He chooses certain things for our family. Perhaps I won’t. But, I do know that God wills what is ultimately good.

Though we may not always understand why certain events occur in our lives, we can trust God loves and provides what we need to live our lives spreading His love.

 

How do you understand and accept God’s will? How have you seen in your life that God’s will is ultimate and ultimately good?

 

Sources:

– *New Bible Dictionary, p. 29 – “Amen” is also described as the “promises of God, uniquely fulfilled in [Christ].”

– **New Bible Dictionary – pg. 419

I Thirst, He Satisfies {Run to Him Psalm 63}

by 9 Comments

Psalms Bible Study, How to run to God, Psalms study

Scott was gone to youth camp, I was home with a sick little girl.  She’d had a stomach bug and still wasn’t 100%.   She woke up one morning sobbing about how bad she felt.   “Please, Mommy, just take me to the hospital.  Please.”  When your child, who has seen her Daddy in ICU, begs to be taken to the hospital because she feels so bad, you do it.

I loaded her up and called Scott from the car to tell him what we were doing.   We got to the ER and within a few moments, my nine-year-old had an IV with a bag of fluids pouring into her.   About halfway through that first bag, she started asking for popsicles which the nurses kept bringing – grape, orange, cherry, whatever she wanted.  By the end of that first bag of fluids, her color was back and so was her cheerful personality.

She had completely dehydrated.   But there was a simple solution.

Have you ever been dehydrated spiritually? 

Worn out from the push and pull of life, overextended by the demands on time and energy?

We need that Living Water Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman at the well.   Our souls thirst for the fullness of Christ in us.   David speaks to this insatiable longing in Psalm 63:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;

My soul thirsts for you;

My flesh faints for you,

As in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (v. 1)

We thirst for Him.   We were created to thirst for Him.

Desperate for His presence in our lives.  Longing for His power in our circumstances.  Pleading for His provision in our need.

And He, this God who sees us, He satisfies.  Completely.  Abundantly.  Fully.

 

His love is steadfast. (v. 3)

His provision is certain. (v. 5)

His help is constant. (v. 7)

His protection sure. (v.9)

He upholds us with His mighty right hand. (v. 8)

And He reigns. (v. 11)

 

So often we languish in our deserts, wandering in a dryness that is not intended for us.

Just as my sweet girl needed to be hooked up to the IV and receive the fluids that would revive her body and restore her spirit, so we believers in the Living God need to be connected to the Word and the Word-Made-Flesh. 

As we allow His living water to pour through our lives, we are revived in body, restored in spirit, and find our satisfaction – full and complete – in Him.

How have you found yourself wandering in that desert-place lately?  What prompts you to run to Him when you are dry?  Is this your first thought?   How can you retrain your mind and your heart to live in the truth that His love is truly better than life?

Top Ten Android Apps for Spiritual Growth

by 33 Comments

Heather’s “Top 10 iPhone Apps for Spiritual Growth” post was great, but I am an Android user. (I did send it to all my iPhone-owning family members and friends who found the post useful though.)

So, below you will find some Droid apps that I have found to be helpful for my spiritual growth. (Some are the same as on iPhone, but links are to Android apps.)

Best Bible Study Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Droid Apps 1. YouVersion Bible (FREE)
*Read/listen to the Bible with over 150 Bible versions and almost 200 Bible reading plans to help you read the Bible and track your progress.
*Easily search the Bible for either a reference or a keyword.
*Connect Twitter and Facebook accounts to easily share Bible verses.
*Bookmark your favorite Bible verses and sync them with YouVersion.com.
*Make public or private notes on your bible reading.

 

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps daily 2. Daily Bible (FREE)
*Daily Bible Verse with daily notification
*Daily Bible Reading Plan
*Easy & Fast Search any Bible verse or topic: Easily search any verse of any topic.
*Daily Bible devotionals: Choose from a huge list of podcasts. Read or listen from devotions. Save a podcast and listen to it offline.
*Save or share Bible verse or plan or devotions easily on Facebook, Twitter, email, text etc.

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 3. Logos Bible Software (FREE)
*Thousands of books and tools for Bible study
*Easy to read, verse preview, footnotes, and easy navigation.
*Includes powerful study tools: Passage Guide, Text Comparison, and Bible Word Study.
*When you download the app you get access to all features and more than 30 resources. When you sign up for a free Logos account, you get access to an additional 30 resources as well as access to over 16,000 resources for sale from the Logos and Vyrso libraries.

 

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 4. MySword Bible (FREE)
*Multiple off-line Bibles, Commentaries and Dictionaries
*Bible version verse comparison
*Highlighting
*Bookmarks
*Type your personal notes and insights
*Search (concordance) for Bible, Commentaries and Personal notes
*Dictionary, Commentary and Journal/Book picture support
*Paragraph or Verse mode for the Bible view

 

 

 

 

Scripture Memory Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 5. RememberMe Bible Verses Memory (FREE)
*Listen to verses
*Study flashcards and play word puzzles
*Obfuscate a passage and fills in the gaps
*First letter and placeholder methods
*Line by line practice
*Daily reminders
*Flashcard widget for your home screen
*Numerous Bible translations
*More than 100 verses preloaded

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 6. Fighter Verses ($2.99)
*Over 520 verses included
*Add ANY VERSE using “My Verses” and optionally define topics for topical memory.
*SIX Bible translations – ESV, NIV, NASB, HCSB, KJV, LBLA
*Fill in the blank QUIZ
*SONGS to help you learn verses (ESV only)
*TOPICAL index for topical memory
*Configurable SCHEDULE for weekly memorization
*REMINDERS to memorize daily or weekly

 

 

 

Best Prayer Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 7. Prayer Journal ($0.99)
*Keep a running list of topics that you are praying about
*Share entries or the entire journal with friends (email/text messaging)
*Set notifications to remind you to pray for the topic.
*Upload journal to Google Docs.
*When you feel you have reached an answer to your prayer topic(s), mark them as answered and keep them available for later viewing, to remind yourself of God’s goodness to you in those requests.

 

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 8. Prayers to Share (FREE)
*Share your prayers with people around the world
*Pray along with others
*Write out your prayers
*Keep track of those you pray for
*Share your prayers anonymously with others who can pray along on our Social Prayer Network
*…or just keep them private
*Receive inspiration from reading everyone’s prayers

 

 

 

 

Best Worship Apps

Christian Android Apps

Christian Droid Apps

9. Pandora (FREE)
*Personalized radio streams music to your phone.
*Type in the name of a favorite artist, song, or composer and a station will be created to play their music and music like it.
*Here are some of the stations on my Pandora app:
Casting Crowns, Addison Road, Nichole Nordeman,
Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, and Brooke Fraser.
If you use Pandora, what stations do you have for your worship times?

 

 

 

 

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 10. 1000 Gifts (FREE)
*Quotes on awaking to the joy-filled power of grace and gratitude at your fingertips … to get you started
*Photo and video stream, texts, and voice recordings of your gifts … to keep you going
*A one-tap option to instantly share captured gifts to Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr … to keep friends and family inspired on their way to their one thousand gifts

Thanks Heather, for reminding me about this one!

 

 

 

11. And I have to sneak one more in here: KLOVE Positive & Encouraging (FREE). Commercial-free contemporary Christian music.

Which apps for spiritual growth would you add to the list?

 _______________________________________________

 

Joyce is a business major turned PreK teacher turned stay-at-home mommy to 2 little girls (ages 5 and 2.5.) She likes to dabble in a little bit of everything, from writing newsletters (for our family and for MOPS) to crafting to trying out new recipes…basically just trying new things.

She loves God, family and friends, date nights, board games, books, and blogging. You can visit her over at Keeping Up with the Moys.

 

 

 

Ten Verses for Trying Times

by 9 Comments

What do you do when you start feeling anxious, troubled, scared? Do you pray? Do you run to a spouse, a friend, a family member?

I wish I could say I always cry out to Him first. But I don’t.

I feel like it’s up to me to fix something, deal with trouble, solve a problem.

But it’s not.

God is always there.

How can I focus every bit of my heart – in every moment of life – on Him first, rather than on worry or “self-sufficiency.” How do I train my heart to seek His shelter rather than scrounge for my own?

A few ways helping me so far (and maybe able to help you?): Store up His Word in our hearts! Seek out verses to memorize, leading to quick recall when those trying times occur. Place His Word first in our hearts over and over and over again so we form a habit of going to Him first.

How can we find these guiding verses?

  • Pray first for God to open your heart to His leading and heighten your awareness of applicable verses for your situation.
  • Use a concordance (found in most study bibles) to find a topic (I searched for grief, trouble, fear, worry…) and read verses listed.
  • Use online bible study resourcesto search a specific topic.

    Image from Microsoft Clip Art
  • Study one passage (a chapter, a book) for several days in a row, asking God to lead you to needed truths at the right times.

Ten Verses for Trying Times

Here are ten verses I’ve found helpful in getting through hard times:

  1. Hebrews 12:7 – Hardships train us.
  2. Psalm 27:13-14 – Wait for and trust in Him in all things.
  3. Psalm 16:7-8 – God counsels.
  4. Psalm 34:2-5 – God hears.
  5. Psalm 34:18 – Brokenhearted? He remains near. (Our Run To Him reading for this week speaks on His redeeming us from troubles!)
  6. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 – We need not hold on to grief for we have His hope and joy in the midst of grief.
  7. Psalm 10:14 – God sees our troubles and helps.
  8. John 16:19-24, 33 – Grief caused by this age will be wiped away in the age to come. (John 16:33 is one of my personal favorites.)
  9. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – God comforts our troubles, and then we can share His comfort with others going through similar troubles.
  10. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – These troubles, no matter how severe they are, are nothing compared to the eternal glory coming. I have to remind myself of this perspective sometimes.

How does God share what you need through His Word?

Where are you safest? {Run to Him – Psalm 27}

by 23 Comments

It’s been almost one year since tornadoes ripped through neighborhoods hauntingly close to mine. The weathermen had warned April 27 would be bad, but until my own trees and fence blew down, I didn’t believe them.

By the end of the day, it was a war zone. Wind versus everything else. On the outside, it appeared wind had won.

But on the inside—for those hidden in shelters—there was safety.

Who is the enemy?

David knew wars. Enemies surrounded him. Yet he had the audacity to ask, “Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

Um, I could make a list, David. A long list.

And not just for him, but for me, too. I’m leery of new situations, confrontational people, even hints of danger. And that’s not even counting “evildoers assailing me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes” (Psalm 27:2).

So what do we do in times of danger, or perceived danger? In Alabama, many are buying tornado shelters. Our instinct is to protect ourselves from vulnerability.

But what did David ask?

David did one main thing. He asked the Lord, “Can I stay in Your presence?” (Psalm 27:4). There was safety. There was shelter.

In God’s presence, he could sing with joy, he could cry for guidance, he could learn His ways.

Can we be that dependent? Can we be vulnerable enough to stop striving after stronger fortresses, and instead trust the One already built for us?

Can we let go of trying to be more—if I pray more, study more, mop my kitchen floors more—and instead let God be more?

He didn’t tell us to build a spiritual storm shelter. He said He would hide us in His.
He didn’t say to bring our own tents. His can cover us just fine.
He didn’t even point toward a big rock and say climb up. He lifts us up and places us on top.

So what do we do?

Let’s start by repenting. Instead of wasting resources building our own walls of protection, let’s ask His forgiveness for our attempts at self-sufficiency. And become dependent instead.

Then let’s stand firmer in our faith. Can we let down our guard in a relationship that needs more authenticity? Perhaps we can try a new ministry, trusting He will lead us. Or maybe “waste” more time with Him, simply delighting in His presence.

If we want more peace, more rest, more confidence—and God to receive more glory—let’s live and love out of the home base of His shelter.

We don’t have to design it.
We don’t have to manufacture it.
We don’t even have to pay for it.

We just worship in it with joy. God is our shelter. Nowhere else can be safer.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
Psalm 27:5

Psalms Bible Study, How to run to God, Psalms study Is it easy or hard for you to abandon self-sufficiency? In what areas do you most realize your dependency on the Lord?

Please share something that helped you this week from Psalm 27.

Find Us on Facebook


Recent Posts

Archives