Believing is Seeing

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Believing is Seeing

They say, “seeing is believing, “ and I’m sure you’re familiar with that old clichè, but let me caution you to not believe everything “they” say. Based on what I read in God’s Word, which is oftentimes quite contrary to what you hear from the world…


“Believing is seeing.”


What exactly does that mean, or better yet, how do you “believe” more consistently so you can “see” more clearly? I’m glad you asked! And if you asked (like I have, and still do, so often), it’s likely you’re currently having hard time “seeing“ God at work in your life. Am I right? Are the prayers you’re praying becoming mere whispers in the weariness of waiting?

If this is true and it describes you, don’t lose heart because you’re in the perfect place to start! Start believing God at His Word. Start trusting His promises. Start believing He’ll do what He says. Don’t you dare give up. We LIVE by believing. But don’t take my word for it, take His Word for it…



“For we live by believing and not by seeing.” 2 Corinthians 5:7


‬‬We regain our strength by holding on to hope, trusting in His timing, and believing He goes before us. He does the work, we simply trust and obey. Listen to Him and do things His Way.



If you are waiting to “see,” simply believe. I promise there is a reason for the wait, purpose in the perseverance, and blessing in the believing.



Believing is seeing, so keep believing His promises, and you’ll see His power and glory as He keeps doing what He says.



“Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”” John‬ ‭11:40‬

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When Trials Try to Triumph Over Me...

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When Trials Try to Triumph Over Me...

When trials try to triumph over me,

whether an assault of the enemy

or the fault of my own iniquity,

I will trust in God’s Sovereignty.

In Christ alone I find true victory.


James 1:2-4 reminds us that trials WILL come.


It’s not an “if...then,” it’s a “when...then”


So WHEN they DO inevitably come, THEN this is what we DO...


(v. 2) we consider (NIV & NLT) or count (ESV) it pure (NIV), great (NLT), & all (ESV) JOY...


because the testing of our faith


(v. 3) produces perseverance (NIV), gives endurance a chance to grow (NLT), & produces steadfastness (ESV)


and in light of the victory,

Christ has already won for you and me,

our response to those trials should be...


Simply to embrace God’s grace in them

so He can finish the work He is doing through them.


“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~ James 1:4 (NIV)


“So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ~ James 1:4 (NLT)


“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” ~ James 1:4 (ESV)


Wow. It’s ALL for His glory and our growth, and ultimately, for our good. In order to grow and mature and lack nothing, God not only calls us to endure the trials we face, He also wants us to find joy in them, as we trust Him, knowing that only in and through Him can we triumph over them!


The enemy breeds enmity.

Enmity feeds our iniquity.

Our iniquity impedes our unity.


But God, in His Sovereignty,

because of his great love for you and me

waged war against the enemy,

paid the price for our iniquity,

made a way for true unity,

and claimed the ultimate victory.

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When the world pauses me by fear and fret, the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...

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When the world pauses me by fear and fret, the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...

When the world pauses me by fear and fret,

the Word causes me to draw near and not forget...


🧡In Christ, I am perfectly loved, and Perfect Love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” ~ 1 John‬ ‭4:18‬‬‬


🧡In Christ, I do not have to be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:6)

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians‬ ‭4:4-7‬‬‬

🧡In Christ, I can confidently call out to God. (Psalm 145:18, Hebrews 4:16)

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” ~ Psalm 145:18

“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

🧡In Christ, I am strong and courageous and never alone. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬

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Surrendered and Reawakened

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Surrendered and Reawakened

As I SURRENDER to what

I don’t fully understand,

I can REAWAKEN to His glory

as He reveals what only He can.


Stuck. It may not be a word we’d choose to live by, but it sure is one (especially for the past couple years), with which many of us can identify.


Stuck by the crippling grip of fear.

Stuck under the weight of unforgiveness.

Stuck in the loneliness of isolation.

Stuck on the pedestal of pride.


No matter how you spin the kinda stuck you’re in, only God can truly set you free to begin again.


As I ponder and pray through the two words God’s placed on my heart for 2022, I was struck by (and ironically stuck in) two passages of scripture this morning — two passages about one church, two descriptions praising these people while at the same time pointing out the one thing that had them stuck, and that’s when those two words for 2022 hit a little different.


They stuck out to me in to get me unstuck.


As I SURRENDER to what

I don’t fully understand,

I can REAWAKEN to His glory

as He reveals what only He can.


Those two passages of scripture are Ephesians 1:3-21 and Revelation 2:2-5. I encourage you to go read the first one, a greeting by Paul to the beloved church of Ephesus as a reminder of all the blessings they have in Christ — blessings, We as children of God have inherited, too.


The second passage, I’ll include below — an encouragement from Jesus Himself, through the words of John in the book of Revelation to the church of Ephesus...


“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” ~ Revelation 2:2-7 ESV


There’s ALOT I don’t understand about God, about this world He created, about the people He placed in power, and about His perfect plan and the purpose He has in all of it.

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Instead of this year being a CATCH 22, Let God, in Christ, by His Word, catch, capture, and keep you!

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Instead of this year being a CATCH 22, Let God, in Christ, by His Word, catch, capture, and keep you!

Catch 22 — a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions;


a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule;


the circumstance or rule that denies a solution; an illogical, unreasonable, or senseless situation;


a measure or policy whose effect is the opposite of what was intended;


a situation presenting two equally undesirable alternatives;


a hidden difficulty or means of entrapment


Well, we are almost a full week into the new year, and in year’s past, by now, I’ve chosen and shared my “one word for the year” complete with why I chose it and the how I plan on living it.


But this year’s word had been a bugaboo. You could say, it’s been a CATCH 22...


(I’ll interject here, my husband knows me and my love for words well. He knows my word in 2020 was vision, for obvious reasons, so as 2022 has rolled around, he’s been hinting that my word should be “catch,” and while that’s not my word, the whole concept and meaning behind “catch 22” has got me thinking about the significance of choosing a word for the year...)


So even with it being a bugaboo and a bit of a catch 22, with God’s help, I narrowed it down to a few, but in the search, He impressed this upon my heart:


ONLY ONE WORD CAN TRANSFORM YOU.


It’s not a man-made word found in the pages of a dictionary, It’s the very Word of God found in the pages of The Holy Bible — breathed by Him, penned by men — our daily bread given to us by the Bread of Life — sustainable, unchangeable, infallible.


Instead of this year

being a CATCH 22,

Let God, in Christ, by His Word,

catch, capture, and keep you!

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Even on the Darkest Day, His Perfect Light is Making a Way

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Even on the Darkest Day, His Perfect Light is Making a Way

December 21st.

The darkest day of the year.

The day that declares

winter is officially here.

Darker days

coupled with cooler weather

ushering in

the Light of the World,

our greatest treasure.

In the beginning

and still to this day,

God’s light continues

to make a way.

When He made the world

and when saved it,

in the dark of night

by His power and might,

God said,

“LET THERE BE LIGHT!”

And it was good.

And it’s still good today.

Even in the hard times,

the dark times,

it’s making a way.

Jesus is the light

and He shines brighter

against the backdrop

of a cold, dark world.

Winter may be here,

and the world full of fear,

but that darkness and despair

only highlight

the HOPE of LIGHT and LOVE

given for us.

An innocent babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes.

A vulnerable world

wrapped in His unending love.

The darkest night

Wrapped in His perfect light.

Pure and holy.

Blameless and true.

A winter welcoming warmth

For me and you.

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Words Have Been Hard, But God is Still Good

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Words Have Been Hard, But God is Still Good

Words have been hard, but God is still good.

{Ironically the image I chose to go along with this post is of the Pierce family at Dewayne’s Celebration of Life service where God very powerfully spoke through Dewayne’s wife and each of his five kids with words and tears and supernatural strength. God gave them each perfect words to honor Dewayne — from leading worship to telling funny stories to thanking God for the amazing husband and father Dewayne was and the legacy they’ll each carry on in word and deed.}

I’ve been a little MIA lately on the blog and social media. I know I don’t owe anyone an explanation, but I’m sharing one just the same, because well, God prompted me to attempt to share in words what He’s been sharing with me in and through His Word. So, here goes...

December’s usually when I’m posting the most — Advent’s my favorite, and I usually have lots of thoughts to share as I journey through my Advent devotionals. December’s nostalgic, and I usually have lots of memories to share as I journey through pictures of Christmases past, traditions that have transitioned, and the love that still lasts.

But this year, this season was ushered in by pain, loss, sadness, and questions. Our family lost a dear friend. My best friend lost her husband. My husband lost his best friend. It’s been hard, but God is good.

As we try to make sense of it all, we’re faced with the reality that we will never fully make sense of it all, but even still, God is reminding me in His Word and in this season (that is known for hope and joy and peace) even if...

Words have been hard, He is still good.

Luke 2:18-19 says, “And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

While the weary world rejoices around us as we all wonder and marvel at the goodness of God in the message of the Gospel, God’s calling me (and maybe He’s calling you as well) to embrace verse 19 — “BUT Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

You can treasure and ponder SILENTLY AND PRIVATELY — intimately between you and your Savior, not for the whole world to see. And that’s ok. And God’s still good. And His Word is still true, even when and if words fail you.

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“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed” He is with you. He is the Way.

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“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed” He is with you. He is the Way.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

This verse is the capstone completing God’s commissioning of Joshua. In this verse and the eight that precede it, God is calling Joshua to step up and speak out as he continues the work of his predecessor, Moses.

More than a commission, this charge from God Himself is a command, and the seven words smack dab in the middle of this verse caught my eye and moved my heart...

“do not be afraid, nor be dismayed”

The two words AFRAID and DISMAYED not only sound similar, they have similar meanings. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines them this way:

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Fight Fire with Water, not Fire. Be a Cooler, not a Fueler.

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Fight Fire with Water, not Fire. Be a Cooler, not a Fueler.

I know the familiar phrase, “fight fire with fire" can be taken a few different ways, so let me take a few paragraphs to set the stage…

I’ve always heard that phrase and thought it was a fairly good thing, implying that we should never back down and always stand our ground. Until, that is, when I heard Kayleigh McEnany reference it in the keynote speech she gave at a fundraising event for the Pennsylvania Family Institute. She closed her address with a spin on the popular saying, a spin that was spun by one of her political mentors. His advice to Kayleigh, for some rather hot, heated, and fiery debates she’ll likely find herself in, was simply:

“Fight fire with water, not fire.”

And as she passed that piece of advice on to her audience, it resonated deeply with me. And here’s what I mean…

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If Something is Reality, It Cannot be Conspiracy

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If Something is Reality, It Cannot be Conspiracy

For a year and a half, we’ve lived in a world plagued by a pandemic. We’ve watched life as we know it drastically change in ways that suggest it may never be the same. I’ve written a few articles on the debates fueled by these changes — the first couple about masks, specifically, and my strongly held view of the bigger picture surrounding them, the third about the bigger picture itself, and the last and most recent, a response to an article by John Piper. You can read them at the links below:

The Great Mask Debate

The Great Mask Debate

The Greatest De-Bait

Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated

My issue all along has not been with a piece of cloth or a shot in the arm, it has been with mandating these things must be done in order for this battle to be won. One thing this past 19 months has revealed is that this war wages on well beyond a pandemic.

And if we continue to give in, this war will never end.

One mandate sets the stage for the next, but even the lunacy, hypocrisy, and inconsistency surrounding the mandates has not been enough to convince the masses that…

If something is reality, it cannot be conspiracy.

Lest I be accused of mincing words, let me put it this way:

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Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated? — A Response to John Piper’s article: “A Reason to be Vaccinated: Freedom”

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Isn’t Freedom a Reason To Be or Not To Be Vaccinated? — A Response to John Piper’s article: “A Reason to be Vaccinated: Freedom”

You can read (and/or listen to John Piper read) the article in its entirety at the link below. I did both hoping that hearing his tone would help me better understand his heart and his reason for the article, but honestly, it left me confused and concerned about a well respected Christian influencer’s interpretation of freedom.

A Reason to Be Vaccinated: Freedom (Article by John Piper posted on 10/19/21)

Granted, Piper’s article focuses on freedom FROM the fear of man in which he concludes, or rather assumes, for his audience, this freedom leads to a reason FOR vaccination, not FOR choice. He glosses over those who may have chosen not to be vaccinated for various reasons, to focus on those he fears are falling prey to dangerous ideologies or conspiracies that might be the peer pressure holding them back from getting vaxxed.

Isn’t freedom a reason to be or not to be? Isn’t there peer pressure on both sides?

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An Invitation to Conversation

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An Invitation to Conversation

On Thursdays, I BJ’s. I drop Isaac off at co-op, and I head just down the road to our local BJ’s. I had just started a podcast on the three minutes it takes me to get there, and as I was gathering my things to get out of my vehicle, I was tempted to grab my AirPods, put at least one in, hide it behind my hair, and continue listening to my podcast while I shopped.

Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to do this, but I just felt this nudge to not do it. I knew I could finish it later in the day, and so I left them in my car and headed in to shop. I knew what I needed to get. My coupons were clipped. And I thought this would be a quick trip.

But God had other plans.

On the cleaning products aisle, I ran into an old friend. We chatted and laughed. We hugged and encouraged one another in the Lord. We caught each other up on our “kids” — my boys, her girls. It was nice. It blessed us both and made us smile.

And that conversation led to another.

A few minutes later, back at the deli, a lady approached me, apologized if her reason for striking up a conversation seemed odd, and proceeded to tell me she was new to the area and couldn’t help but overhear my conversation with my friend moments earlier. She was craving connection. We chatted about church, community, and how different life had been for the past year and a half. We exchanged contact information, and are planning on having coffee soon.

And that conversation led to another.

After I added a few more items to my cart, as I was pulling a package of deodorant off the shelf, yet another lady approached me with a similar salutation as the last conversation. “I hope you don’t mind, I heard you talking to the lady at the deli and you seemed really friendly and approachable...” She was not new to the area, but she was new to BJ’s and had some questions. We chatted about coupons and the app and a little bit of this and that, and quite honestly, it was lovely, and she was so grateful I took the time to explain these things.

So, as I walked toward the check out and checked the last item off my list, I thanked God for the invitation to conversation He had extended to me before I even stepped foot in the store.

It made me realize how much I’m on my phone and in the zone and how much that affects my body language and tone. Saying yes to an invitation to conversation extends that invitation to others.

3 conversations. Each leading to the next. Invitations to conversations.

How will you say yes to an invitation to conversation today?

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I Have Something to Say about Any Number of “Easy” Ways

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I Have Something to Say about Any Number of “Easy” Ways

I’ve been in the author/speaker/teacher world for a few years now. That being said, I’m really a nobody next to the somebodies in the industry — my friends and followers few, my platform as small as the audience that surrounds it.

So, if being successful in the industry, adds to my validity, you really have no reason to listen to little ol’ me.

That’s why I will forever beg you to not listen to me, and instead listen only to Him. No need to follow me. Just follow Jesus. He will never lead you astray.

As long as I have breath in my lungs and God’s Word in my heart, my boast will forever remain in Him. My source of truth and the reason for everything I do will forever be because He made me, forgave me, and saved me.

If I want others to have an abundant life in Christ, my words must always point them to God’s Word.

His Way.

His Will.

His Word.

My words will always fall short.

His Word never returns void.

When I first started writing more publicly, the advice I was given was that “easy sells” and “less is more.” Consolidate your thoughts into 3-5, maybe up to 10 things/ways/keys to a better this, an easier that, but whatever you promise, make it STAT!

And I can do that. And I have done that. And then I think, “who am I to promise a foolproof way of doing anything?”

Remember, I’m a nobody. A nobody that is loved by God Almighty. He alone gives me the keys to practicality.

People want practical. Hey, I’m wired that way, too. I’m not knocking practical application of Biblical truth.

But empty, gimmicky promises, while they may sell, do not age well.

Life is not formulaic, it’s a mosaic that God designs and refines using the fragments of a broken life molded by the pressure of living in a broken world.

I don’t want to grow my audience, I want my audience to GROW — in maturity, not quantity.

I want to build God’s Kingdom, not a platform.

I want to give others a “Who Through,” not a “how to.”

I desperately want to know Him more so I can make Him known in this desperate world.

3 keys to this...

5 steps to that...

10 ways to a better...

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There are Two Sides to Every Story...Until There’s Not, and Then What?

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There are Two Sides to Every Story...Until There’s Not, and Then What?

There are two sides to every story until there’s not, and then what?

On April 21, 2020, a month into a global pandemic, there was a whole lot going on in my heart (there still is), but there were also a whole lot of unknowns, a whole lot of new ideas, theories, and data, and a whole whole lot of personal opinions. I processed my take on it all in this social media post entitled, There are Two Sides to Every Story months before I began officially “blogging” on my website.

And I FELT every word of that post, and I meant it, too. I still do. There are passionate people on both sides. Passionate for extremely personal reasons. Passionate because of this incredibly hard season.

Fast forward almost a year and a half later, and while there are still (and always will be) unknowns, there is a whole lot more research, data, and experience forming and fueling these ideas and theories (and a theory can be just that, a plain ol’ theory devoid of any conspiracy).

That being said. I still believe...

There are two sides to every story...until there’s not, and then what?

What exactly do I mean? Well, let me explain by telling you what I see...

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The Most Important Decision You'll Ever Make

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The Most Important Decision You'll Ever Make

I heard a song yesterday (one of my favorites actually), but yesterday when I listened, it literally did what the lyrics describe — It took me back to the time I met Jesus, not the time I said a prayer or was baptized, but the time I truly understood and experienced His love, grace, and forgiveness in my own life. It was a time when the complexities of Christianity became, for me, a simple reality through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

God is no longer distant to me, He’s near to me through the person of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. He saved me, redeemed me, and set me free from the bondage and burden of sin.

In this world, there are a lot of decisions vying for our immediate attention, but yesterday as God took me back through this song to the most important decision I’ve ever made, He nudged me to simply share about it with you, too. So, I’m inviting you to simply push pause in your day, stop scrolling, and give me just a few minutes to tell you about this life changing decision that requires your undivided attention.

And the song that prompted it all and literally took me back — “Take Me Back” by Meredith Andrews.

The lyrics are simple, but their meaning is quite profound, and it stirred up something my cynical and sarcastic heart needed to feel. This heavy and hurting world has a way of making us all a little callous and cold — numb and maybe even naive to the false narratives it’s insisting we believe. Sarcasm and cynicism are my go to coping mechanisms, but unfortunately they have no power against the real enemy.

Only Jesus, the son of God, sent to save us. He alone holds the authority to rescue us from the enemy. He has our back. He can’t wait to take us back.

Take me back to the day I met You

When my dead heart came alive

I was running but You came chasing

You couldn’t wait to take me back

God longs to “take me back.” He longs to “take you back,” too.

You see, we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We literally, because of our sin, are separated from Him...spiritually dead. And as long as we go our own way, do our own thing, live by our own worldly standards, we stay separated from God.

But...

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9

A price had to be paid. A way had to be made.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ Romans 6:23

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” ~ John 14:6

His great love was manifested in His amazing grace.

As I reached the chorus of the song, the tears started to flow a little more freely as I was reminded of my freedom in Christ made possible by the power of Gospel...

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The Power of Praise on the Harder Days

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The Power of Praise on the Harder Days

Have you ever had a really good cry? You know, the guttural cry that takes your breath away, the cry you think could last all day?

The tears won’t stop, and the more they flow, the more they show — revealing the source of the heartache, exposing the place of the pain.

I’ve had a few of those lately. Maybe you have, too.

I know my tears never have nor will they ever bring people back, annihilate evil, calm chaos, change minds, or mend broken hearts, and yet, that’s the reason many of them fall...

The brokenness of this world keeps breaking me down. I know it’s likely breaking you down, too.

When the tears fall and my heart cries out to God to save the lost, expose the evil , calm the storms, change minds and lives, heal the hurting, and mend the broken...

It’s then that I witness the power of praise on the harder days.

In Psalm 22, David reminds himself as he cries out to God, and we should let it remind us, too, God literally inhabits the praise of His people. He dwells in our praise. Our praise enthrones Him.

So, when we are down, the most powerful thing we can do is lift Him up. When we do, we can experience the power of His presence, and in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10)...

The power of praise on the harder days.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” ~ Isaiah 61:1-3

What can you praise Him for today?

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The World is Heavy, but God Still Holds It

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The World is Heavy, but God Still Holds It

The world is heavy, but God still holds it.

Remember the song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”?

Well, I’m here to testify, that He does in fact have the whole world in His hands even if it seems too heavy for anyone to hold.

And no matter how heavy it gets, he can handle it. He can hold it. He will always uphold it. And we, well, we get to behold it.

His arms and hands are big enough to hold this crazy heavy world, and still have room and strength to hold you, too.

He is mighty to save. Mighty to heal. Mighty to redeem. Mighty to set free.

No matter how heavy the world gets.

In this heavy world, we must lay down our heavy hearts, and lift up holy hands.

Praise Him. Testify to His Sovereignty and Might. Nothing and no one will thwart His plan. Nothing and no one will remove the world from His hands.

He made it. He sustains it. And while it may be heavy, He still holds it.

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” ~ Psalm 95:3-5

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

The world is heavy, but God still holds it.

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When My Heart is Shattered and My Thoughts are Scattered, Your Word is All that Matters

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When My Heart is Shattered and My Thoughts are Scattered, Your Word is All that Matters

When my heart is shattered and my thoughts are scattered, your Word is all that matters.

When my heart is shattered...

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” ~ Psalm 34:18

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~ Psalm 147:3

When my heart is shattered and broken by the things of this world, I can remember, the Lord is not only near, He hears and He heals.

When my mind is scattered...

“do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

When my mind is scattered and overwhelmed by the things of this world, I can remember He is my source of peace and when I focus on Him, I watch my stress decrease.

C’mon Church, we should recognize the enemy’s tactics by now. He’s not creative or innovative. He keeps doing the same thing. If he can distract us, he can divide us.

Shatter and scatter. That’s his plan. Deter our hearts and minds away from the hope we have in Jesus Christ, question the standard God has already set, and taint the Good News of the life giving Gospel with bad news of the death and destruction running rampant in this fallen world.

But try as he might to tempt our hearts and minds to live in fear and doubt and remain shattered and scattered, we know the Truth. We have direct access to that Truth for a reminder when we need it.

It is a Truth and not only reminds us, it defines us. We are more than conquerors in Christ. (Romans 8:37) Our only offensive weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and we must wield it well in this battle against the enemy.

Eyes off Jesus, we sink. Eyes on Jesus, we soar.

Keep God’s Word in our hearts and in our minds to guard against the enemy’s tactic to shatter and scatter.

Know his game. Defeat him by the truth you proclaim.

So, when my heart is shattered and my thoughts are scattered, your Word is all that matters.

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The Greatest De-Bait: Taking Authority Over Our Real Enemy, so he Can’t Have Power Over You and Me

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The Greatest De-Bait: Taking Authority Over Our Real Enemy, so he Can’t Have Power Over You and Me

Well, it’s been over a month since I posted on the blog, and it’s been just under a year since I posted the original Great Mask Debate, that, true to its title, stirred up a rather great debate. All in all, it was civil and cordial, and I am quite grateful for the great debate that it was. I do not post things flippantly or insensitively, and if/when I eventually hit “post,” it’s likely been after a time of prayer and reflection. This post is no different. It’s my heart’s response to further reflection on a couple posts I keep revisiting as I continually check my motives and message.

Those posts: The Great Mask Debate and The Great Mask Debate {Revisted}.

Why do I keep revisiting them? Well, I assure you it is not to beat a dead horse, but rather to reassess them in light of new data, new studies, new information, all the while holding them up to the light of the unchanging Truth of God’s Word.

I can’t quite put my finger on why I’ve been silent this past month, but I do know that maybe like a lot of you, words are just plain hard these days, or at least finding the right ones, and when it comes to these sensitive subjects that impact lives (and have literally driven a wedge between families, both in homes and in churches), well, I want to be solely dependent on God’s Word above every other thing I read, see, or hear from any other reputable or non-reputable source.

So, I’ve been directing my feeble attempt at words to God in prayer (the most powerful use of my words) and to my husband in processing (a great filter before I spill them out into the world). Honestly, my heart’s been shattered and my thoughts scattered as I've tried to make sense of all the nonsense, and then it dawned on me…

I’m calling this post “The Greatest De-Bait” because I believe when we truly dig deep into God’s Word, then we’re able to recognize all these debates as the bait of the god of this world. (Honestly, I’ve fallen prey to his tactics more often than not lately, thus the reason for feeling scattered.)

The enemy baits his hook with enticing little lies and wants nothing less than to lure us away from Truth of God’s Word. He distracts us by breeding division, dissension, and confusion among us. He is the father of lies and takes pride in our compromise because it leads to decisions that are unwise — we’re watching this happen before our very eyes! And that is why we must recognize this bait for what it is and engage in the greatest de-bait known to man — exposing the enemies lies by lifting up the name of Jesus and surrendering to His Authority.

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Wheat is Wheat. A Grain by Any Other Name Just isn't the Right Thing. Be the Wheat.

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Wheat is Wheat. A Grain by Any Other Name Just isn't the Right Thing. Be the Wheat.

Wheat is wheat. A grain by any other name just isn’t the right thing. Be the wheat.

There are a lot of different names for a lot of different things these days. Understanding Biblical Truth through the lens of a Biblical Worldview demands that we define our terms, name our nuances, and think critically within the context of the conversation.

We don’t have time to mince words. It’s time to submit to God’s Word, and in order to obey it, we must seek to understand it.

Did you know that true believers are compared to wheat in the Bible? And in every reference and translation, the word is “wheat.” However, there are several “imposters of wheat” or “competitors of wheat” called out in the Word as well, primarily in the book of Matthew.

In Matthew 3, when John the Baptist was preaching repentance and testifying of the fruit that would be produced after true repentance, he said to the Pharisees and Sadducees:

“‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’” ~ Matthew 3:7-12 ESV

And again in Matthew 13, teaching through a parable, Jesus said,

“‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”~ Matthew 13:24-30 ESV

(In the KJV, weeds are referred to as tares.)

Chaff, by definition, is the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing or threshing. It is likened to trash or worthless things.

Weeds are “wild plants growing where they are not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants.”

And tares were known as “injurious weeds resembling wheat when young.”

Chaff, weeds, or tares. Call them what you want, none of them are wheat. None of them are substantive or useful. They are worthless substitutes that cause harm and are cause for alarm.

And it’s high time, we recognize the danger of being deceived by imposters.

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