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What Is Enough?
After a year of being married, Wade and I bought our first house. It was fifteen years older than I was and life hadn’t been as kind to it. But we had plans and a little bit of money plus support from family to pull down wallpaper, paneling, carpet, and paint and refinish hardwood floors. Even after all our work, there were areas we couldn’t afford to fix such as the kitchen and the one bathroom. We didn’t have money for furniture either so we had one sofa which seated three and a glider rocker. If we brought the four squeaky, old antique caned chairs from the kitchen table into…
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Longsuffering – Suffering Long
Ah, longsuffering. I might describe it as patience on steroids. Crummy steroids. However, it is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and unfortunately, one which grows only under trial. Let me remind us all that because it is a fruit of the Spirit, it is not a suggestion but a command and something we are to strive to achieve. Longsuffering is when whatever trial we are going through we have faith that the Lord is going to keep His promises and see us through it. We have a holy confidence, fully trusting His sovereignty. We are patiently enduring with great faith. Has there ever come a time when you…
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All That Labor
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 In the late 1800s the average American worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week to attempt a basic living. It was an era of United States history when even children as young as 5-6 years old were working in mills to help support their families. Tensions were high across the country. On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a holiday. (link to more history on Labor Day) While many Americans still work long hours, fair pay, safety regulations, and scheduled work breaks have definitely turned…
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Peace is a Person
In ourselves there’s no way we can naturally live in peace each and every day. Yet it is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and something as believers we are to strive to obtain. The Apostle Paul locked in a horrific prison in Rome wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Can we say the same about our lives? Let us look at the different kinds of peace we can have when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Peace with God First, to even attain peace, we must accept Jesus Christ’s free gift. Once we put our faith in…
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A Bridled Tongue
“I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” Psalm 39:1 Studies show men and women speak around 15,000 words a day depending on how talkative you are. (And let me point out recent studies have shown men and women say about the same amount of words a day!) That is almost 5.5 million words a year which is a lot of opportunities to say the wrong thing! However, that is also a lot of chances to speak words of love and encouragement. There are well over 300 verses…
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Living in Joy
Life is a crazy up and down ride, and the joy we are supposed to exhibit as a fruit of the Spirit may seem impossible. In fact, when I wrote about love – the first fruit of the Spirit – it seemed pretty impossible too. It is impossible to do on our own, and that is why it is a fruit OF THE SPIRIT. We need the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells us as believers to follow this command. However, I believe when we love others as Jesus Christ commands, then joy promptly and easily follows. Sometimes people get confused about the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness…
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When My Strengths are My Weaknesses
It’s no secret to my friends that I like to keep a clean house. It’s kind of who I have always been. Even as a child I tried to keep my bedroom clean and organized. Most would say it is one of my strengths. However, I have found it can also be one of my weaknesses. How? During Memorial Day weekend we had guests coming to stay for two nights. Besides providing meals, I also decided we should have a cookout on Monday and invite additional guests. My “Game Plan” was typed (literally) and ready to tick off by the Wednesday before with all the things I needed to do…
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When You Feel Left Out
Lonely. Left out. Uninvited. These are words probably all of us have felt at one time or another, maybe more than what we feel is our fair share. Maybe you are feeling it right now. You scroll through social media and see where YOUR friends have gotten together…but you weren’t invited. You hear friends at church, school, or work making plans or talking about something they did together, and once again, you were left out. It is completely possible to be in a room full of people, but loneliness overwhelms your being. I’ve been there; it seems like more times than not. It hurts. You wonder why you weren’t invited.…
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Wake Up! Open Your Eyes!
What’s your spiritual thermostat set on? Our nineteen year old daughter, Elizabeth, finished her first week as a counselor at a teen camp this past Saturday. If you could outline what a perfect week would be like for a first-time counselor, then she had it: sweet, well-behaved ninth grade girls, the opportunity to lead several girls to the Lord as well as counsel others about assurance of salvation, great weather (for the high desert regions of CA), and precious times of testimony and prayer with these girls. As you can imagine, she is currently on a spiritual high. (It does this mama’s heart good too.) In one week, she grew…