Remembering What Matters

PRIORITIES

Luke 10:38-40 – “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’”

There was a period, about a month ago, where I found myself praying and journaling about feeling overwhelmed by the weight of my responsibilities and my “to do” list. My brain constantly goes a mile a minute, mentally juggling all of the balls that I have in the air, trying to ensure that not even one of them drops. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I always have. It’s definitely an area of growth for me—acknowledging that the world WILL NOT END if I take a breath, take a break, and take care of myself for a moment. I’m trying hard these days to be intentional about finding balance; about shutting off my phone and laptop and spending time with the people and things that matter most to me.

I was reading the Word one morning, when I stumbled upon a nice little divine reminder of the importance of remembering what really matters. The story? Mary and Martha! I’m sure you know it well. Jesus drops by Mary and Martha’s house with a big crowd, and the two women are technically responsible for providing a meal for the group. While Martha gets right to work, fretting about all that needs to be done and worrying about getting everything just right (or so I imagine); Mary, her sister, leaves her to it and simply sits at Jesus’ feet to soak in as much peace and love and wisdom as she can. When Martha realizes that Mary has left her to do everything alone, she is furious and complains to Jesus that Mary needs to get up and get to work!

Jesus responds to her (and it felt at the time I read it, to me) by saying, “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

I’ve read this story so many times, but on that day, I was truly convicted. How often do we run around, frantic, because we have so much to do and so little time to do it. We believe that if we don’t carry the weight of it all ourselves, or take responsibility for the lion’s share of work, it won’t get done, and…well…the world will basically end (or at least that’s what we tell ourselves). We work ourselves to death sometimes trying to do it all…have it all…but in the end, we wind up neglecting what really matters—our relationships, our spirit, ourselves…

This scripture is a great reminder that although we may have a tendency to worry about the countless tasks, situations, responsibilities, and challenges in our lives, few of those things really matter in the grand scheme of things. Most of the time, the world really won’t end if we stop and take a moment to rest our minds and bodies, renew ourselves, revive our relationships, and reconnect with our Lord and Savior, who promises to give us peace, rest, and relief from our heavy burdens. (Matthew 11:28)

Shine Your Light!

Additional Scriptures

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Photo Credits

Photo 1: https://online.jwu.edu/blog/how-make-your-priorities-priority

Photo 2: http://www.lifechurchbuffalo.com/podcast/2018/1/3/first-things-first

Photo 3: https://lutonmuslimjournal.com/heart/which-acts/attachment/priorities/

Photo 4: https://www.davidirvine.com/tyranny-urgency-many-priorities-means-nothing-priority/

Speak Life

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

A couple of months ago, I found myself having a bit of a rough time, and I didn’t felt like myself for weeks. At the same time, my professional life ramped up to the point where I would feel overwhelmed even had I been in a normal state of mind. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time filling my husband’s ears with all of my woes, bemoaning the challenges that this confluence of events was presenting to my relative sanity.

Eventually, though, God reminded me during my daily study about the key role that the words that we speak can have on our reality. I can assure you that my rants included very little positivity, and I realized that I was contributing to my own challenges simply by focusing on (and reinforcing through my words) the negative.

The Word says that death and LIFE are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), and what we say matters; the things that we speak over our lives affect our attitudes and our energy, and have the potential to reinforce both the good and the bad in our lives.

Even when the trials come, and the outlook seems bleak; it is still incumbent upon us to speak life over our situations…even the ones that seem dead and without hope of revival. Romans 4:17b states that God “gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” No situation is truly dead when our God is involved, and your word of faith—which can set off a chain reaction in your spirit and that of those around you—may be just what God was waiting for to move in a mighty and miraculous way in your life.

The next time you find yourself in a situation that seems hopeless or insurmountable, make a conscious decision to speak life over your circumstance. You’ll create an atmosphere for God to breathe life into a seemingly dead situation.

Speak Life!

And Shine Your Light…

Additional Scriptures

Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (NIV)

Matthew 12:36 – “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” (ESV)

Matthew 12:37 – “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (ESV)

James 3:3-6 – “The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (NLT)

Photo Credits

Photo 1: https://dashthebook.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/speak-life-in-the-parcc/

Photo 2: https://churchgraphicsinc.com/product/speak-life-sermon-graphic/

Photo 3: https://lorettachandler.com/speak-with-faith/

Waiting for Rain

PERSISTENCE AND FAITH

1 Kings 18:43-44 – “Go and look toward the sea, [Elijah] told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times, Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ The seventh time, the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’ So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” (NIV)

I love biblical stories about Elijah and Elisha. To me, they’re like biblical superheroes. With their mighty faith, they were able to achieve such miraculous wonders, second only to Jesus. But I’ll explore them more fully on another day.

In today’s passage, the land of Israel experienced a great drought because they had turned away from the Lord. After three years, God sent Elijah to King Ahab to tell him that the drought was over and the rain they so desperately needed was on the way. After delivering the message, Elijah went up to Mount Carmel to pray. At first, he saw no response to his prayers, but he persisted. He sent his servant seven times to look for any evidence of a rain cloud, and on the seventh time, a small rain cloud had begun to swell…

It didn’t matter the report, what eyes saw, or ears heard, Elijah trusted the Word of God, believing, persisting, until he saw its manifestation.

It’s often challenging to have that level of faith today. There are so many things to distract us from the deep, singular relationship with God that such faith requires. But Elijah stands through the ages as a model of what real faith looks like, and what it can manifest in this earthly realm, particularly when we are seeking God’s will above our own.

Are you in a posture of waiting? Hoping for a response from God? Stand firm and persist in your faith. God will ALWAYS answer in time.

I mentioned before that my husband and I are in a posture of waiting in faith. We have received several reports that things were not looking good for us, but we have persisted in prayer and have continued to stand firm in our faith that God has the final say. A few weeks ago, during Sunday service, I sought God for confirmation that our waiting would not be in vain, and I received it! Our blessing, our miracle, is on the way! I see the tiny rain cloud and will continue to pray in faith as I “wait for rain!”

Shine Your Light!

Additional Scripture

1 John 5: 14-15 – “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (NIV)

Songs

There Is a Cloud (Live) – Elevation Worship

Rain on Us – Earnest Pugh

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Photo Credits

Photo 1: https://www.theoakleafnews.com/variety/2019/10/08/waiting-for-rain/

Photo 2: https://www.campsitephotos.com/blog/campground-reviews-adventures/roll-with-the-changes/

Photo 3: https://time.com/4521057/megadrought-california-climate-change/

Photo 4: https://www.thriftyfun.com/Storm-Cloud-Photos.html

Photo 5: https://fadingmeta.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/waiting-for-that-rain/

God’s Plan

SURRENDER

Jeremiah 29:11-12 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’”

This scripture is a great companion to the one that I noted in my previous post (This Little Light of Mine):

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

My husband and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary (we’re marriage veterans now! 🙂 ). I know I’m still technically in the newlywed/honeymoon phase, but I have to say that I really do love being married. I highly recommend it (with the right person 😉 )! Despite the joy that my husband brings to my life, our journey this past 1.25 years has had its challenges, and life has definitely thrown us a few curve balls; but with God’s strength, we have made it through each and every trial.

Since we first married, my husband and I have been praying and hoping for a specific move of God; and as yet, the move we seek has not manifested. We have experienced disappointment and frustration because of this delay, but we remain steadfast in our hope, because we know that God’s plan is to prosper us and give us hope and a future. This faith has given us certainty that, at the right time, God will move in a miraculous, undeniable way!

Now, while we would prefer that this move happen sooner than later, we have to remind ourselves (often) that God’s perfect timing, His perfect plan, is always better than anything that we could imagine. Ultimately, we have to trust Him, leaning not on our own understanding, or on our own vision of how and when things should be. We have to maintain that trust…that faith…when (even in the temporary) the miracle doesn’t manifest.

God is sovereign. He is in control. And if we say that we surrender our lives to Him, we must do it completely, even if it means a delay, or even an outright denial, of our most ardent prayers. God knows best, and as always, we must remember that ultimately, everything will work for our good and His glory.

Shine Your Light!

SONGS

I Surrender – Hillsong United

I Surrender All – Israel Houghton

This Little Light of Mine

FAITH

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

I love this scripture. It is definitely one of my favorites. It’s a poignant reminder that God’s work and move in our lives is not always going to make sense to us…and that’s okay. “His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

What we do know, and can always cling to, is that our God is all-powerful, all-knowing…He stands outside of time. He sees and knows things that we cannot, and He can see an infinite number of moves ahead to perceive how everything comes together to work for our good and His glory. Knowing this makes it easier to trust Him, even in the trials of life, because we understand that He is guiding our path and leading us through the test.

I was watching a TV show the other day, about a woman who was waiting on a miracle that never came. She waited and prayed in faith. She remained steadfast throughout it all. During a conversation with a nonbeliever, after all was said and done, she shared that she was okay, at peace, even though she did not receive her miracle. She explained to him that faith was about continuing to trust and believe, even when the miracle doesn’t come. Touched by her faith, the nonbeliever declared that even though it wasn’t something he did, he would pray for her. She smiled softly and replied, “Wow, that’s a miracle right there.”

I loved that scene, and must admit that I was touched, as well. It was a great depiction of how our decision to trust God, with all our heart, in the midst of our struggle, when we don’t see Him move, when the miracle doesn’t come…can be just the thing that someone observing our walk may need to come to Christ. Your faith shines bright and draws other to God.

Shine Your Light!

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

Matthew 5:14-16 – ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

SONGS

This Little Light of Mine – Addison Road

Touch: The Love Language Series (Part 2)

Service and Compassion

2 Corinthians 5:20a – “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

John 13:15 – “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

It’s been a while sense I posted the first blog in this series on “Quality Time,” but I wanted to revisit this exploration of how Gary Chapman’s five love languages can apply on a broader scale to our daily walk. Today, we are exploring the love language of Touch.

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When Jesus walked the Earth, He had a servant mentality, showing love and compassion to the masses—to the sick, the discouraged, the outcasts of society. Before His ascension, He exhorted us to follow the example that He set for us, doing for others as He has done for us. Now that Jesus sits at the Right hand of God, He looks to us to show His heart and His love to His people by being His metaphorical hands and feet, touching hearts and lives as our divinely-led spirits take us into places where He is needed most.

Romans 12:13 – “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” (NLT)

In Romans 12:13, Paul asserts that we should exist in a posture of compassion, where we are always willing and ready to serve…to reach out a hand in love and hospitality…when we see God’s people in need. It’s in these moments that people really have an opportunity to see the love of God in action…through you and your decision to act…and it may be that one simple act of kindness that truly touches a heart and turns it to Christ.

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Shine Your Light!

Nobody’s Perfect

SELF-LOVE

Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.”

What do you think about yourself? What words do you speak about yourself? Are they positive and uplifting, or do you have a tendency to dwell on all of the ways that you fall short of perfection? I was reminded today of our tendency to focus more on our shortcomings, our mistakes, our areas of weaknesses, than we do on our God-given strengths and talents. It’s not that we need to become boastful, touting our every attribute at the top of our lungs; but it is okay to see ourselves as God see us—perfectly flawed…beautifully and wonderfully made—and to acknowledge the gifts that He has bestowed upon us.

Dwelling on our shortcomings is a slippery slope that can easily lead to lowered self-esteem and a distorted self-view, and it is a very easy way to become discouraged and find ourselves in a pattern of negative thinking. Nobody’s perfect, and I’m sure that few of us would find it difficult to uncover that first string of self-doubt to pick at and pull, until eventually, we unravel our healthy view of ourselves. There are too many people in this world who will be quick to judge you and point out your flaws; don’t add your own name to the list!

In 2018, let’s strive to love ourselves as God loves us—unconditionally—acknowledging and learning from our errors, but then moving past them with the understanding that while we are fallible human beings, we are also beautiful, loved children of God, and He doesn’t make mistakes. His works are wonderful, we know that full well…and you are one of His most amazing creations!

SHINE YOUR LIGHT!

On another note…HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know I’m a bit late, but I wish you all a prosperous, adventurous, fulfilling, and fruitful year that is filled with all of the love, joy, and peace that your heart can hold!

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Agape Love

LOVE

(I thought I’d re-post this one from 2014 in honor of Valentine’s Day)

Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Reflections: Have you ever felt truly loved? I’m not talking about that fly by night, flash in the pan, fleeting love; I’m talking about everlasting, AGAPE LOVE, where you are seen and known and cherished unconditionally and beyond measure…the type of love that, in reality, you can only find in the heart of your Heavenly Father…

Our souls long for this love, our hearts yearn for this connection; but far too often…

We seek it in all the wrong places

In a sea of blank faces

In the company of false friends

Winding up at dead ends…

…And ultimately, we end up feeling unfulfilled, because THAT love—that soul-fulfilling, heart-wrenching, mind-blowing, never-ending love—is only available in one place: the arms of our almighty God.

As Valentine’s Day draws near, and we are surrounded by people consumed by the pursuit of love, know that you don’t have to look far to find it. You have only to look to the Father, who waits for you with open arms and an open heart to hold you close, take away your cares, and give you peace and love that surpasses anything you’ve ever known.

Happy (Almost) Valentine’s Day! (You are truly loved!)

Song: How He Loves Us by New Breed (Original)/How He Loves Us by Anthony Evans (Remake)

The Everyman

SURRENDER

The other morning, I was thinking about how much Jesus was like the “everyman.” He wrestled with anger and fear; He felt disappointment when His friends let Him down; He experienced loss, rejection, false love, and betrayal…trying situations and emotions that most of us have experienced at one point or another in our lives. But the difference between Jesus and so many of us (outside of His being the Son of God and all 🙂 ) is that He knew exactly where to turn when He endured these earthly trials. He turned to His Heavenly Father and gave himself over, fully, to God’s will and His way. He surrendered Himself completely to God’s plan for His life; and in return, God gifted Him with abundant wisdom, unshakable peace, boundless courage, unfailing love, and a power beyond anything the Earth had ever seen!

What wonders could we accomplish, what mountains could we move, what strongholds could we demolish if we were only willing to give God our whole selves…holding NOTHING back? We would be earth shakers, mighty warriors of God, bringing His light and His love to a desperate and dying world and demonstrating with clarity to all around us the power and freedom that lies in complete and total surrender to God.

Luke 22:43 – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Song: He Wants It All by Forever Jones

Shine Your Light!

Wrestling Angels (A Poem)

Wrestling Angels

A Poem by Nichole H. Stewart

I’ve been wrestling angels…

Raging
against the whispered words
speaking truth
into my soul

Warring
against the calling
I know is mine alone
to pursue

Fighting…
a soldier
on the wrong
battlefield…
a warrior
evading the cause

Struggling
to arrest the fear
fluttering in my heart
the doubts
coursing through my mind

WHY ME!!???

It would be so easy
to run and hide
to leave the task
to one better than I
but I am Yours, God
and You are mine
and if You call me…
I will come

I’ve been wrestling angels
Pleading
Resisting
Just one swift strike
And I am felled

Accepting
I rise
Blessed
now set apart
to take the path
You’ve set before me

I am flawed
I am afraid
but I am Yours
and I will fight
for You.

Isaiah 6:8 – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Genesis 32:22-31

This work by Nichole  H. Stewart is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

Choosing Gratitude…

Romans 8:28: – “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 – “But it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'”

I found this pic online, and I saw that someone had commented, “That’s when you really believe that God is in charge.” The truth of the above quote, and this subsequent response, really resonated with me, because I have begun to have this realization myself as of late. When I pray and pray for something, yet don’t get what I want or pray for; I, like most people, am REALLY disappointed! However, the easiest way for me to find peace in my disappointment is to acknowledge that if that thing, that situation, that person, that opportunity were for me, God would have provided it; to remember that God is in control and nothing can thwart His plans for me; and to take comfort in the understanding that every situation will ultimately work out for my good, because what God has planned for me is better than anything that my mind can conceive. So I choose to trust Him, and in that moment, I can thank Him despite my disappointment. And He, in turn, gives me a peace that passes all understanding. 🙂 Hallelujah!

Worry vs. Peace

Give It to God…

SURRENDER 

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Matthew 11:28-30 –  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reflections: The other day, after averting crisis number 1,892 :), I realized that I tend to follow a pattern, of sorts, when unexpected challenges pop up in my life. First, I may experience a brief moment of panic as I realize what’s happening, and then I get this laser focus as I set about trying to find a solution to the problem at hand…in my own power. Oh, yes, I may mumble an offhand, “Please, God!” as I go about this process; but oftentimes, it’s not until I hit a wall in my own efforts that I stop, find my center, and turn my focus and attention to the one who promises to take all my burdens, handle all of my cares, and assuage all of my fears.

In that moment, any remaining panic or frustration is replaced with a sweet peace, as I FINALLY seek God in the midst of my storm. As I begin to surrender my problems to Him, it becomes so much easier to accept my limitations and trust God to work it out and see me through. And you know what? He ALWAYS DOES! EVERY time! WITHOUT fail! Sometimes He is subtle with His solutions, and other times, He works in ways that are nothing short of amazing! It makes me wonder why I insist on going through this habitual process instead of just seeking God in the first place. 🙂

If you, like me, tend to try to solve your problems in your own power before tapping into the Power of God, maybe it’s time to adopt a new approach (I know I’m giving it a go!). 🙂 We’d save so much time, energy, and STRESS if we would lean on God instead of relying on our own strength, if we would focus on Him instead of our circumstances, and if we would trust Him to guide, direct, and see us through whatever problems we may face instead of thinking that we can do it all on our own. Who really wants to do that anyway? 🙂 He’s our Way Maker, and He promises that if we surrender our cares to Him, He will give us peace, clarity, and rest for our souls.

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Shine Your Light!

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Do it Anyway…

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE…

GRATITUDE (PART 2)

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Ephesians 5:20 – “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Reflections: Some days, it’s easy to focus on what we lack, especially when we are going through a trial or are in a posture of waiting. We focus so heavily on that one thing that we don’t have that we forget to take comfort in the myriad blessings that we’ve already received. God has blessed each of us abundantly in so many ways, and remembering this…acknowledging His grace, mercy, love, and provision…can brighten even the darkest day.

Today, let’s make a point not to take God and His blessings for granted. Let’s look around and really SEE all that He has done. I bet that we won’t have to look far to see Him working and moving in our lives. And as we acknowledge His presence with gratitude, we make way for Him to move in a mighty way and shower us with new and miraculous blessings.

Be grateful!

Song: Smile by Jonathan McReynolds

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Shine Bright!