Be Still

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul." Psalm 131:2a (NIV 1984)

I'm a talker; always have been.

When report cards were sent home, my parents never expected anything better than a C beside the word "conduct." One of my elementary teachers politely called me "very social," while most were much more blunt. 

"She talks too much. 

She could learn more if she would talk less."

Unfortunately, old habits die hard.

I brought this trait of talking too much into my quiet time with God, filling the silence with words ...

lots and lots of words.

 I wonder if sometimes the Father looks to the Son and says, "I can't get a word in edge-wise with this girl! She could learn more if she would talk less."

To be honest, silence wasn't easy for this girl who likes to gab. I wanted to tell God what I thought would be good solutions to my problems. To-do lists ran through my head, instead of peace and quiet.

 Dusty shelves and piles of toys distracted my attention.

It felt unnatural not to be talking, so I resisted it.

I shared my uneasiness with God but knew silence and stillness were things I needed to practice. During these times I heard God's gentle encouragement, "Shhh. Be still. It's okay to be silent. You don't have to say a word."

Gradually I felt something I couldn't name until I read this verse: rest.

My spirit felt renewed and at peace. In silence and stillness, God united His heart with mine, allowing me to experience the rest I needed.

As we fill the reservoir of our soul with the true refreshment from God we learn to relax in the rhythms of His grace. We experience real peace and rest that only come from the silence and stillness of being with Him. We carry this refreshment with us as we face the challenges of our day.

Do you have the gift of gab like me?

Do you find it challenging to sit quietly with God?

Ask Him to help you practice and enjoy silence and stillness. Your soul will find refreshing peace. God's rest is exactly what our restless soul needs.


Dear Lord, my soul is having a hard time being still. I lay down my resistance to silence and commit to five minutes of silence with You for the next month. I praise You in advance for what You are going to say to me in the silence. I thank You for the rest only You can give. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Beautiful Warrior

I have been under spiritual attack of late. 

 

Several things have happened that have quite frankly...knocked me for a loop and questioning God and my ability to trust Him and His goodness? 

 

Why is it that MY insecurities in myself...lead me to question God and His infinite love for me? 

 

Why is it that when MY plans are thwarted....my first response is that God has forgotten me? 

 

I tend to forget my PURPOSE. 

 

My objective in living this life to the fullest as a woman of God. 

 

I was reading a study, authored by a Rabbi, about the Proverbs 31 woman. He said that in the original language, she is referred to as a soldier and a pearl. 

 

As a soldier, I should be on the offensive about the welfare of my family. I don’t know that much about war and battles...but I do know this...you do not just sit around passively waiting for the enemy to attack. 

 

You formulate battle plans. 

 

You research your enemy. 

 

You discover his weakness. 

 

You prepare your weapons. 

 

You strengthen yourself. 

 

You educate yourself on the where the battle will take place. 

 

As Christian women, we are warriors. We are warriors for our families, our churches, our communities, our country, and our own hearts. 

 

As school resumes session, let us determine to be warriors for our children and grandchildren. Let us educate ourselves on the ways they are attacked by Satan. Let us not be more concerned about them doing their homework, or being liked, than we are about their spiritual battlefront. 

 

Let us vow to cover our husbands in prayer before he leaves the house, aggressively claiming the protection of God over his heart, mind, and marriage. 

 

Let us faithfully, put on our armor and gird ourselves as the warriors we are. Let us turn off the TV and get in the Word. Let’s stop comparing ourselves to the “published version” of other lives and live the lives we have been given for God. 

 

Now….for the Beautiful… 

 

May I say this is a struggle for me? 

 

Honestly….I do better as a warrior. 

 

I struggle to see my beauty. 

 

I minimize my worth. 

 

And….whew…and this is really hard…. 

 

I don’t allow others to see the “pearl” that I am because of the suffering and issues of the past. 

 

I was chatting with a friend this week, I mentioned that I had felt that God had deserted me during the time of my divorce. She was shocked….she thought that I was a widow. 

 

This is a woman that I have known many years. 

 

God pricked my heart. 

 

During my divorce, God took that pain and used it to create a pearl…a pearl that I was willing to portray as a counterfeit because I did not share what God had done for me. 

 

Isn’t that one of the reasons of the Bible? 

 

We see the failings of Moses, David, Solomon, Peter and then how God worked in the lives of ordinary men and women. This gives us courage and encouragement. 

 

We should be sharing those things that God has done…those pearls He has created in us. 

 

Beautiful Warriors…let us begin again as the women God has ordained.

The Overwhelmed Mother

The overwhelmed mother. 

 

We have all seen her, and as much as we hate to admit it, if you are a mother, there are moments you have been the overwhelmed mother. As wonderful and fulfilling it is…it is also exhausting at times. 

 

I am not sure how or where it started, but it seems to be acceptable now for women to bash each other. 

 

The working mom bashes the stay at home mom. 

 

The stay at home mom bashes the working mom. 

 

Public school vs Private school vs Homeschooled 

 

The list goes on and on. Why? Let us vow as followers of Christ to stop this nonsense. Instead, let us look at why a mother is overwhelmed and find solutions to ease her burdens.

 

· Offer to help with household chores 

 

· Tutor her children in difficult subjects 

 

· Give her a few hours to herself 

 

· Cook a meal 

 

· Do her mending 

 

There are other situations that are outside of the normal that overwhelm mothers, so let us please not forget the homeless mother or the mother of a terminally ill child. 

 

The average age of a homeless person is 8. We tend to think of the homeless as the old man who wasted his life drinking. The reality is that the homeless population is primarily mothers with children. 

 

Do you keep Blessing Bags in your car? Does your church have a homeless ministry? Does your community have a safe place for families to rest at night in safety? Do you pray for that mother that has the same hopes and desires for her children that you have? 

 

The mother of a terminally ill child (no matter the age) ….oh how my heart breaks for her. 

 

How can we bless her? 

 

First, by covering her and her family in prayer. That is always the most important thing we can do. 

 

Then, what are her practical needs? Are they able to be near their home? Do they need meals? Are there other children in the home that need attention? Are they struggling financially? What is she doing those long hours at a bedside? Can you teach her to knit or crochet? Many people find that such activities not only help with the emotional toil, but it offers them a way to give back by making items for other patients. 

 

Lastly…let her talk. Don’t judge the feelings that she is having. Let her unburden her heart about her fears, her frustration, and her lost dreams. Be there for her. There may be times that you want to cover your ears and run from the room, but be there. Love her lavishly. Remind her that God is in control and loves her more that imaginable. 

 

What are your thoughts? 

 

How have you been a blessing to the overwhelmed mother?

The Expectant Mother

Part two of our eight part series is the Expectant Mother.

 

Oh what a joyous time in a woman’s life. 

 

A new child is coming into her life. Someone who needs and wants her tender care and devotion for a lifetime.

 

The Expectant Mother can take on different forms and each has their own set of challenges and opportunity for ministry.

 

The first is the Single Expectant Mother. She is alone on this journey to parenthood. She may or may not have the support of family members. She may be afraid, and struggling financially. She may have people in her life encouraging her to end this precious life within her. 

 

As Christians, we are pro-life and support the birth mother to carry the child to term, but we should not end our efforts there. I recently heard of a ministry that does an amazing job supporting the mother through the whole pregnancy and birth experience. I would encourage you to explore Embrace Grace and make it a part of your church ministry.

 

The second Expectant Mother may be in a secure relationship...but she may have concerns about her health or the health of her child. She may have questions about the birth experience or be worried about those first few months of motherhood. Make yourself available. Answer questions, offer advice. Let her know that God will be her helper and that He has chosen her out of all the women in the world to mother this particular child.

 

The third mother is the Adoptive Expectant Mother. Her longing for a child is being satisfied. Her heart is full of grateful appreciation, but is also fearful that it will not happen. She has faced many disappointments and is cautious about being too excited for fear of her heart being broken. Let us wrap our arms around the mother and support her. Lift her up before the throne of grace in prayer. If within your means, contribute to the adoption expenses. Be openly joyful and encourage her to open her heart and rejoice during the period of waiting. 

 

How are you being an encouragement to the Expectant Mother? 

 

Does your church have a ministry?

 

Please share your thoughts and ideas so that we may all become more effective in our purpose.

The Perfectly Perfect

"When I constantly try to measure up I put myself in bondage to pretense" 

 

Can’t we just say “Goodbye” to that girl?! You know the one, right? The one who is always perfectly groomed. Perfectly trim. Perfectly poised. Perfectly calm. Perfectly in-control. Perfectly cheerful. Perfectly kind. Perfectly friendly. Oh, and let’s not forget that her children are also perfectly well-behaved. And perfectly neat. As well as perfectly polite. Her home is perfectly cozy. Perfectly clean. And perfectly decorated. In a way that’s perfectly specific to each season and holiday. Her cooking is perfectly delicious. Her photos are perfectly gorgeous. Her job is perfectly fulfilling. Her husband is perfectly romantic; she is perfectly submissive. And her ministry? Perfectly amazing.

I bet a face or two came to your mind as you read those descriptions. Am I right? It’s because we all know that girl. And we know how she makes us feel… Inadequate. Incompetent. Inept. Inferior. Like we should be doing this, ought to be doing that. Or perhaps we should be more like this, ought to be more like that. And let’s not forget that we could look like this, if only… And so we berate ourselves. We agree with that voice in our heads that tells us we’re not enough. That we’re less than. Or we might try to find fault with that girl to make ourselves feel better. We criticize her in our thoughts. And sometimes even in our words, indulging in gossip that tears her down…to make us feel bigger.

So why should we say “Goodbye” to that girl,once and for all? Though there are probably numerous reasons, here are four: 

 

1.) Comparison sets us up for discontentment. When we’re comparing ourselves with others, discontentment is the inevitable result. Discontentment with our job, with our possessions, with our own talents and abilities, with the areas of ministry God has given us, and even with the people in our life. Anything we tend to compare is fertile ground for seeds of discontentment. Because when we’re wrapped up in “should,” “could,” and “ought to,” we all too often follow it with “if only.” 

 

2.) Comparison harms our relationships. When I’m constantly trying to measure up, I put myself in bondage to pretense. I can’t let anyone see the “real me” because the “real me” is flawed. And so I painstakingly keep up the pretense of being as-perfect-as-possible. I keep my mask firmly in place. And I don’t let anyone get close enough to see what’s behind the mask. 

 

3.) Comparison breeds failure. Comparison is a habit. We often don’t just compare ourselves to a single person. Most of the time we are chronic comparers. We compare this weakness to this person, and that flaw to that person, this sin to the other person, and this blemish to that person over there. We compare ourselves to the best of so many people, there is no way on this side of heaven we could ever measure up. We are erecting an impossible standard for ourselves. And so we doom ourselves to feelings of failure. 

 

4.) Comparison looks a lot like Satan. I know that’s not fun to read; it certainly wasn’t fun to write. But who is the one who wasn’t satisfied with his role? Who was discontent with who he was? Who looked at Someone and felt less than (though rightfully, in his case)? Who wanted to be more than he was? Who looked at Someone else and said, “I want to be like Him”? 

 

It’s best for us all to just say “Goodbye” to that girl, and stop comparing ourselves with others. What are some other reasons to stop comparing ourselves come to your mind? 

 

I would love for us to expand on this by sharing your thoughts 

 

 

 Jessica Little Castleberry

Guest Blogger

 

I am Somebody

This is who I am 

 

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. 

 

For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT) 

 

You are not your past. 

 

You are not your failures. 

 

You are not your state. 

 

You are a child of the King. 

 

You already know who God is, now be reminded today of who you are in Him: 

 

I am smart. I am important. I am a world changer. I am brave and courageous. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful. I am called by God to do great things. I am strong. I melt in His presence, yet stand strong in the face of adversity. I can’t stop running because Jesus didn’t stop for me. I am a finisher. I am the right woman for the job. I am a winner. I am so loved. I am richly blessed. I am rooted and grounded. I am abundantly graced. I am my brother and sister’s keeper. I am empowered to lead. I am an overcomer. I am more than a conqueror. 

 

Greater is He that is in me than He that’s in the world. I am a daughter of the King no matter how I feel and no matter how it looks I will see His promises manifested in my life. 

 

I am patient and kind. I am truthful. I am hidden in Christ. I am an end time soldier in His army. I was born for such a time as this. I have what it takes. I am resourceful. I am wise. I wear God’s grace beautifully. I am who God says I am and I will do what He says I will do. 

 

Father, help me stay reminded of who I am in You. 

 

Help me not to let my problems define me. 

 

You define me. 

 

In Jesus name, Amen.

Jessica Little Castleberry

Guest Blogger

 

In His Service

I found this great site today.  I love how she gives ideas that everyone can claim and do as we live our lives with purpose.

I would love to hear what you do to minister to others.

http://www.satisfactionthroughchrist.com/2014/04/everyday-ministries-for-any-christian.html

Do you believe in God?

Believing in God is important. By believing in and understanding that God is holy and just, we can understand what we need to do to spend eternity with Him.

 

God gave us the Ten Commandments to point out to us that we all have sinned and that our sins separate us from God. God is holy and sin can not enter into His presence. We have all sinned. You...and especially me. Every person that has ever lived with the exception of Jesus Christ the perfect Son of God. Jesus is God incarnate. Being God, He was able to be the required atonement for sin. He alone can pay the price that God demands for our salvation.

 

If we believe that God is who He says He is...then we must also believe Him when He says who we are and what we must do to live in His presence. God gave a list to Moses that outlines His laws.

Exodus 20:2-17

1. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
5. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
6. “You shall not murder.
7. “You shall not commit adultery.
8. “You shall not steal.
9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Pretty clear. These are specific things, but they also are an indication of the heart. Try as we might...we can not keep even these 10 commandments of God's. So what is step two? It is knowing, and admitting that we have sinned against God. No one...no matter how good they believe themselves to be can honestly look at this list and say....Yes...I have always kept these commandments.

 

We have discussed that you believe God, and that God says that we have all sinned. We looked at the list of commandments and we know that we have broken many if not all of them.

 

Romans 3:23 Tells us that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

This means that our sin separates us from God. God is holy and pure, He can not and will not allow sin in His presence.

 

Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Wow...He even said the "wages" ...we worked for it...we earned death because of our sins.

 

Death here means spiritual insensitivity. When we are still in our sin, we have no life with God. We are alive physically but dead spiritually. If we continue in that condition, we will be separated from God for all eternity.

 

The wages of sin is death. but God's free gift is eternal life. While wages are earned, a gift is offered... no strings attached. God says He will give us eternal life - life with Him - in the place of sin's payment of death.

 

How can God remain true to His holiness and forgive unholy sinners? Because Jesus, His Son, has paid the price for sin by His death on the cross.

 

Second Corinthians 5:21 says, "He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we may be made the righteousness of God through Him."

 

Jesus arose from the grave to conquer sin and death for all who receive Him as God's free gift.

 

"For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13

 

How can you receive God's free gift of love and life?

 

Romans 10:9-10 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

 

A person receives God's free gift of love and life by placing faith in Jesus Christ. To believe is simply to take God at His word. With our heart (whole believing) we believe that Jesus is God's Son who died for our sin on the cross and arose from the grave to live in us as Savior and Lord.

 

To believe in Jesus will result in confessing that faith with one's mouth.

 

Do you acknowledge that your are a sinner?

 

Do you believe by faith that Jesus, God's Son, died for your sin on the cross?

 

Will you now confess Him as your Savior and Lord?

 

Romans 10:13 "for Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

This verse says that any person who will call upon the name of Jesus, the Lord, shall be saved.

 

To call means simply to ask in prayer. The verse does not require one to know more... do better... clean up one's life... or in any way try to add to what Jesus has done for us.

 

Will you now call upon Jesus to save you from your sin so that you can know God's love and forgiveness?

 

Pray like this: "Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner, and I am sorry. I need a Savior. I know I cannot save myself. I believe by faith that Jesus, your Son, died on the cross to be my Savior. I believe He arose from the grave to live as my Lord. I turn from my sin. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive my sin and come into my heart. I trust you as my Savior and receive you as my Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me."

 

When anyone calls on the Lord in this manner, that one is saved according to God's Word. If you pray a prayer of repentance and faith, you are saved. You have God's word on it.

 

If you have any questions, please let me know. I will be happy to talk to you one on one and answer your questions to the best of my ability.

 

Nothing will give me greater joy than to know one day, we will spend eternity together with Christ.