Avoid ~ Day 16 ~ 31Days2019

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,” Acts 2:46 (NIV) / Pixabay

Avoid

There are lots of things we avoid. I would guess that some of the what I avoid, you do too. Things like snakes, bats, closed in spaces, the dentist, and others. Then there are those things that since moving to my rural, farming town I’ve had to learn to avoid the hard way: such as being stuck in a manure pile, an angry rooster, or eating raw ramps. And of course, there are those things I’ve learned to avoid by mistake, specifically swallowing a chicken bone, trusting my GPS, and brightly dying my hair the day before leaving on a trip with my friends.

On the flip side, we all have things we avoid that we shouldn’t. I’m thinking of things such as exercise, a yearly check-up (including the weigh in), ** cleaning out our closets, and getting together more often.

Why is it that most of us don’t make time to gather with friends and family anymore? Yes, we’re busy. But are we really too busy to find time to share a meal, have a game night, sit around and talk with those we care about or do we just no longer make it a priority? I’m asking myself these same questions. Knowing there’s so much pain and suffering in the world today and time is short, shouldn’t we want to be with each other more rather than less?

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

Just imagine the difference it might make in our lives, our communities, our world if we’d come together more to support and be supported, to inspire and be inspired, to minister to and be ministered to. Or, to simply laugh and have fun. I think it’s about time to make a change. How about you? What if we stop looking at our phones and watching our T.V.’s as much, left work a little earlier, cleared a day on our calendar, and instead shared some of that time with friends and family? Let’s challenge each other starting today, to scratch gathering with one another off our “to avoid” list and begin making it a priority to “not neglect our meeting together”. Are you with me?

Now, who wants play a game of Yahtzee and have some popcorn?

This post is written as part of the 31 Days of Five Minute Friday Free Writes Challenge. You can read posts from other writers on the same topics over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com I hope you know that I so appreciate you being here! God bless, Cindy

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Reach ~ Day 13 ~ 31Days2019

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“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NIV)

Reach

Standing at the corner of my house, I can almost reach out and touch our church. Yes, my next door neighbor is my church. Our lawns connect. The church parking lot serves as a safe place for my grandsons to play and our driveway provides extra parking support when there’s more need than the lot can handle.

I love living side by side with my church! With just a few steps I can find myself within the walls of God’s house: a sanctuary of worship, a haven of peace, and an atmosphere of prayer. My close proximity also allows me to lend a helping hand to those who come and go (not that I’m THAT kind of neighbor who watches out the window, or….maybe I am!). And when we’re lacking something at the church, I can just run over and gather what we need from what I have at home.

Pondering what it means to have the church so close to me, I’ve realized that we are to be the church next door to those living around us, too!

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” Galatians 5:13-14 (NLT)

” ‘Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked. The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.’ ” Luke 10:36-37 (NLT)

To share love and mercy, we must first reach out to others, finding ways to connect with them. We need to ready ourselves to offer a safe place and extra support when another’s life feels like more than they can handle. As we walk side by side with our brothers and sisters, our lives should be open doors leading them to God through our words and actions. Being close also allows us to be on the watch for ways we can reach out a helping hand and fulfill a lack or need. Yes, we are the church to our neighbor and maybe the only church they will see. Let’s do everything we can to be sure they love living alongside us, too!

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or place to stay. God has given each one of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”
1 Peter 4:8-11 (NLT)

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First ~ Day 12 ~ 31Days2019

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“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2 (NLT)/steve_a_johnson / Pixabay

First

My first idea went by the wayside,
The next didn’t make sense at all.
The third had a hopeful beginning,
But then I hit a wall.

I paced and did some thinking
Kept looking at the clock.
You can be sure this isn’t the first time
I’ve been hit with a Writer’s Block.

I’ve heard if first you don’t succeed
Try again another day,
So let’s hope that when tomorrow comes
That darn block’s moved out of the way!

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Deep ~ Day 11 ~ 31Days2019

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“It was strong and beautiful, with wide-spreading branches, for its roots went deep into abundant water.” Ezekiel 31:7 (NLT)

There are lots of hard decisions to make in life but I never really expected one to be about a tree. We went back and forth, pros and cons, heart and logic, but in the end, hard as it was, we decided it had to come down.

A beautiful tree, it stood tall above our roofline and that was the problem. Building a new house in its shadow was risky. A storm with a strong wind could topple the giant right onto our home, crushing everything underneath. It made sense to simply push it over. As it turned out, there was nothing simple about it! Our majestic pine had roots that ran wide and so deep that even with a backhoe bucket pushing with all its might, the tree held tight. With persistence and hard work, the towering conifer finally shuddered and fell, revealing an intricate and strong root system when it did.

There is a lesson for me, for us, in the example of our tree:

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)

The storms of life come at us, too. We can easily be blown off course, crushed in spirit, pushed to our limit! That’s why we need our hope and confidence to be grounded in God. ** Paul said it better than I ever could:

“I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)

As we ponder on these words today, let’s remember that though we may sometimes find ourselves trying to stand firm in the midst of a whirlwind buffeting our souls or that our peace has been tempest tossed: We are rooted in love! And not just any love, but an intricate love so strong and so deep that it nailed Christ to a tree that we may be made complete in Him. When we make the decision to accept His sacrifice, we can be confident that despite our circumstances we’re able to stand securely, spread His beauty, and live fruitful lives, no matter where it is we find ourselves planted.

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Scared ~ Day 10 ~ 31Days2019

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“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV) / Pixabay

Scared

Several years ago I took my class up on a mountain to the highest point in our state for a hands-on, nature-filled, educational adventure. As it turned out, it was a little more adventurous than I could handle. As the leaders explained to the kids what the next activity would be, my pulse quickened and my hands began to sweat. A cave. We were headed underground. I. Was. Scared.

For as long as I can remember, even the thought of small, closed-in places cause panic to rear its ugly head, and to actually go in to one? Well let’s just say it isn’t pretty! But there I was the teacher….so with assurance from the guides that it would open up into a wide cavern, I put on my hard hat and hesitantly ventured in. Squeezing through narrow passageways my heart felt as if it would burst from my chest. As the entrance disappeared from sight, I had a hard time catching my breath. Finally, we reached our destination below the earth and they were right, it was a larger space. What we failed to talk about was that it was also pitch dark! Sitting on the cold damp cave floor, not being able to see my own hand let alone my students faces, the space became very small and fear took over. All I could think of was escape!

A kind caver had to lead this shaking in the knees ole teacher back out, where I then waited for my class’ return. Disappointed in myself? Completely! Wish I’d trusted those who were leading the way more? For sure! Embarrassed to let my** kids down? Most definitely! Thankful to be sitting in the light and wide open landscape? Absolutely! With a wide open view, peace returned and my fear retreated!

Guess what? A dark cave isn’t the only place where fear steals my breath. Sometimes in the dark of night, lying in my own bed I. Am. Scared. Health issues whirl in my mind: my pulse quickens. The well-being of my children and grandsons dominate my thoughts: I begin to sweat. Life’s worries consume me: I can’t see a way out. The walls of anxiety seem to close in around me and all I can do is hope for an escape! I suspect some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Recently, I came across these verses in Psalms and they’ve been like a light in the darkness to me. I hope they are for you too:

“When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.” Psalm 118:5-6(NIV)

As I’ve pondered on them it’s occurred to me that as much as I try to avoid small, tight spaces, I’ve allowed my worries and fears to trap me in just such a place, hard pressed on all sides! I hadn’t thought about it in that way before. Disappointed in myself? Yep! Wish I’d trust God’s leading more? Beyond any doubt! Embarrassed that I still let anxiety take me down? Without question. Here’s what I’m thankful for though: We have an “Escape”! All we have to do is cry to him and He brings us not just out into the light, but into a spacious place: A boundless place where we can breathe in His Spirit, a comfortable space where our hearts will beat to the rhythm of His peace, a generous place where our fear will finally retreat. A cave, an airplane, a high ledge, our own beds, it doesn’t matter. Fear can’t trap us because we have an Escape and He’s with us always everywhere we go.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

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Join~Day 9~31Days2019

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“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. Psalm 18:6 (NIV)

Join

A small, quiet beach in North Carolina has been my family’s summer vacation spot for many years. It’s one of my very favorite places to be! There used to be one bridge that joined the island to the mainland and what a welcomed sight it was each time we’d visit! Somehow stress just seemed to disappear as we crossed over the Inter-Coastal Waterway leaving the bridge and the mainland behind. There was one problem though….

While driving across the bridge to get onto the island was relaxing, trying to get back to the mainland a week later along with all the other departing vacationers was anything but!** The few miles from our beach house to the edge of the island were slow at best BUT once we reached the bridge it was bumper to bumper traffic that resulted in a complete stand still. We knew what we wanted and where we needed to go but it felt like we’d never see the other side. Now, just picture that scenario with a hurricane evacuation added into the mix! Talk about a traffic jam! With the threat of a storm and the path that joins where you are to where you want to be blocked, anxiety levels rise!

Sometimes our prayer lives can feel the same way. Prayer is what joins us “vacationers” on earth to God in our Heavenly Home. When the sun is shining and the road is smooth, it seems our prayers are moving right along and we’re getting closer to where we want to be. But when the thunder and lightning of an unexpected storm crash our calm, we often find ourselves coming to a sudden stop! We try to maneuver this way and that, steering our prayers in the direction we want to go, but find ourselves feeling blocked, unable to move, and that’s when worry and anxiety take the wheel.

“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:25-28 (NIV)

No one wants to have to evacuate and cut short their vacation and worse yet, in life, we don’t want to have to pack up our plans and leave them behind. Both happen though. We hope the storm veers off shore while we anxiously wait. We “honk our horns” because we don’t know what to do next to get things moving again and then we wait some more. Thankfully, we’re not waiting alone. The Spirit himself takes our noise joins it with his own and delivers it directly to God’s ears. We can loosen our grip! Stop clenching our jaw! Leave our worries in the rearview mirror. God’s in the driver’s seat and we can trust that He’ll get us exactly where we’re supposed to go! (Which will be our favorite place for sure!)

Yes, prayer offers us a bridge to God. Through the Holy Spirit, prayer joins our wants with God’s plans. Let’s cross over, leaving our stress behind, and pray the prayer that keeps us moving in the right direction:

“Thy will be done.”

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Gather~Day 8~31Days2019

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“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11 (NIV) / Pixabay

Gather at the River

A small crowd gathered on the bank of the river this past Sunday to witness the baptism of some young people from our church family. Raindrops fell but spirits could not be dampened. Temperatures dropped but praises were raised. What a joy and a privilege to experience a person coming up out of the water into a new life in Christ!

“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 (NLT)

When I was a child, a group gathered with me as I was baptized, too. Water was sprinkled and at the front of the church that morning, through this act, I shared my testimony for the very first time as I confessed my faith in Jesus. Funny, I haven’t thought about that day for a long time so of course it has me pondering…”Glorious hope, one Lord, one faith”…have I continued to share** this testimony with those I gather with?

“And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross-not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. so we have these three witnesses-the Spirit, the water, and the blood-and all three agree. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son.” 1 John 5:6-9 (NLT)

Jesus proclaimed God’s love for all people to the crowds who gathered around Him to listen, but He didn’t stop there. His actions on the cross affirmed all He had said. Do my, do our, actions testify as well? Do we:
~Put God’s will and the needs of others above our own? ~Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42 (NLT)
~Forgive others? ~Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34a (NLT)
~Care for the grieving and the lonely? ~When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ ” John 19:26 (NLT)
~Use the gifts God has given us to complete the plans He has for us, all the way to the end, even if it isn’t easy?~ Jesus said, “It is finished.” John 19:30a (NLT)

Yes, our words and actions should declare the message of eternal life through the truth of the Spirit, the water, and the blood of Jesus to as many as we can, so that one glorious day, we all can gather side by side at the beautiful, beautiful river flowing by the throne of God.

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Problem~Day 3~31Days2019

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV)Skitterphoto / Pixabay

Problem

You just don’t expect anything to go wrong in a new house and yet there I was with a problem. A MOUSE problem! As I sat in the early morning quiet, drinking coffee, and minding my own business, an unwelcome sound interrupted the peaceful atmosphere. It couldn’t be! Surely not! But yes, it was the dreaded noise of little gnawing teeth that had caught my attention. Cautiously, I tip toed into the kitchen and there right before my eyes was a furry, pointed nose covered in whiskers poking out from underneath the corner of my stove! I don’t know who was more startled or disgruntled! My first thought was, “How dare this intruder find a way into my home!” and the next was, “How am I going to get rid of it?”

Since then I’ve also realized I have another intruder. When it’s quiet, especially in the middle of the night, he finds his way into the corners of my thoughts, gnaws away at my confidence, and steals my peace of mind. You may have** guessed it: I have a devil problem, too. Now, how am I going to get rid of IT?

Funny as it seems, the devil and a mouse are an awful lot alike.( Awful being the key word!) A mouse likes to get into what’s stored in your cupboards while the devil digs up what’s stored in your past. Mice leave an evidence trail of filth behind and Satan pollutes our view with evidence of our failures , fears, and temptations. A mouse can actually look cute from afar and the devil knows exactly how to make his ways appear attractive to each of us, too. The mice soon learned how to remove the bait we left without triggering the trap and the evil one is even more cunning than that, ready to take what he can, when he can.

It wasn’t until we found and blocked the place where the mice were actually getting in, that we were finally able to keep our house free from further intrusion. We must do everything we can to block the devil’s attempts to enter into our lives as well.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10, 13-17 (NIV)

Living in the country, our mouse problem will probably always be on-going but we’ve learned a few things and have gotten some tools to help us keep them out of the house. Living as a Christian, our devil problem will be a continuous one too, but God reminds us to stay alert and He provides each of us with everything we’ll need to make the devil flee: His truth, righteousness, and peace, our faith in Him, our salvation in Christ, and His Word are the perfect tools to help us ultimately be victorious problem solvers once and for all.

Because God’s children are human beings-made of flesh and blood-the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.” Hebrews 2:14 (NLT)

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Gift~Day 2~31Days2019

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“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:16 (NIV)/RyanMcGuire / Pixabay

The Gift of Thank You

My Bible is stuffed full of special things that I treasure. There are photos, letters, drawings, and special thank you notes. Thank you. Two little words that speak volumes! When words of thanks are shared they bring with them joy, usually result in a smile, and like the ones I’ve received, are treasured. The rewards are not just for those on the receiving end though, as it turns out, the ones offering them benefit too.

There’s power in the gift of a thank you! Power to mend when forgiveness is given. Power to build up when a job’s been well done. Power to honor when a sacrifice has been made. Power in ways we can’t even imagine. Such little words that make a big difference! Why then, are they used less today instead of more?

Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you told someone thank you and not just as a passing thought but really thanked them? I’m asking myself the same thing. With regret, I often think about people who are no longer with me and how I wish I’d let them know how much I appreciated them when I had the chance. Are there those you think of too? Unfortunately in our world today, we allow ourselves to get so busy, distracted, or self-absorbed that we often take what others do for us for granted and many times don’t think about the impact they’ve made on our lives until it is too late to tell them. We need to make a change. **

Do you remember the story of the ten lepers? Jesus heard them crying out and so he told them to go show themselves to the priests. On their way there, they were healed of their Leprosy.

“One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? What about the other nine?’ Luke 17:14-15 (NLT)

So, who are we going to be like? The one or the nine? Here’s a little challenge for you (and me) to help us be like the one: At this very moment, I want you to stop and think about someone who has made a difference, large or small, in your life. Now, let’s go send them a text, an email, or better yet a handwritten note thanking them for what they’ve done. Most likely they aren’t even aware they’ve made a difference so our words will be a precious surprise . And who knows? Maybe our thanks will encourage their thanks. Maybe the giving will feel so good that we’ll offer it more! Whatever the result, there’s one thing I’m sure of : the gift of a thank you is a gift that keeps on giving! My Bible mementos are proof of that! So, let’s not delay and start giving it today!

Oh, and one more important thing to remember:

“And whatever you do or say, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

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31 Days of Pondering Lessons in the Everyday

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“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

October brings brilliantly colored leaves, pumpkins of all sizes, cooler weather, and of course, the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes Challenge! I actually considered not joining this year as my calendar page is already filling up with commitments but it’s something I really look forward to. So, here’s what I’ve decided to do: I’m committed to doing my best to stick to the five minute** time limit (if you’ve been here before you know that really is a “challenge” for me) and to write to as many of the prompts as I can. It’ll be like a little adventure. Are you with me? I sure hope so! It’s a lot more fun with you along!

I’ve recently gained a new blogging skill and so all my posts for the Challenge this year will be right here in one place! Just click on the link in the Table of Contents below after it goes live to read each post. As always, I appreciate you stopping in and I pray that the lessons I’m learning this month will be meaningful to you, too!

~Table of Contents~

Why

Gift

Problem

Listen~Out of town

Other~Out of town

Notice~Out of town

Same~Out of town