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Doubtful Moments
Many of the people God used to accomplish great things started out as real doubters. With all of them, God showed great patience. Abraham and Sarah doubted when they were told they would be parents in their old age. Moses doubted his abilities to return and lead Israel from slavery. The Israelites doubted when they faced difficulties in the wilderness. But Mary’s response to God’s miraculous will was met with gracious submission. She believed the angel’s words and agreed to bear the child, even under humanly impossible circumstances. Doubt can easily set in when we grow impatient waiting for the promises and will of God in our lives and the…
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Me too?
Whenever I take my car through the automatic car wash I try to remember to give out a “You Matter” card and a nice tip to the people who prep the car. Their work is making my life easier and I appreciate their efforts. The other day I gave the attendant on the driver’s side a card and a tip. He was surprised and said thank you. A few moments later I felt I was to also give the attendant on the passenger’s side the same thing. I motioned at the window to get his attention and when I gave him the card and the tip he said, “Me too?…
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Willing and Available
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8 Mary’s response to the call of God on her life was one that God waits to hear from every believer, and it comes from a heart that is willing and available to go and do whatever God has planned and purposed. The call on your life might be frightening and filled with unknowns. You may question whether you are capable or if it’s even possible, but with God all things are possible. If God calls you, He has already equipped you. Mary was…
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Changed
As I began reading the the introduction to the book of Matthew in my bible, I had to re-read one section which said, “Matthew was one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. Once a despised tax collector, Matthew’s life had been changed by this man from Galilee.” I believe that the same could be said of every believer, our lives have been forever changed because of Jesus. To say that Mary’s life was changed by Jesus is quite an understatement. From the moment that the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she was to be the mother of the Son of God her life was forever changed. She would see…
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Dream For You
As we begin our study of Mary, the mother of Jesus, I believe that we can relate to her humble beginnings. She was a young girl who dreamed about her future with her soon to be husband, Joseph. Living in Nazareth, her families heritage and obedience to the law were treasured truths as the entire village awaited the coming messiah. Her days were filled with the necessary tasks to serve the family and community. In this small village, everyone knew each other which was both a blessing and a curse. How many times as young girls did we daydream about what the future might hold for us? Perhaps a wedding,…
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Meet: Mary – The Mother of Jesus
For the month of December we will discover some the many lessons that can be learned from studying the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Overview – A Mother’s Love Mary of Nazareth had the unique privilege of being mother to the very Son of God. Yet most of the pains and pleasures Mary experienced in motherhood can be understood by mothers everywhere. Mary was the only human present at Jesus’ birth who also witnessed His death. She saw Him arrive as her baby son, and she watched Him die as her Savior. When the angel told her that her baby would be God’s son, her reply was, “I…
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Encouragement from God’s Word
It can be difficult to maintain faith during hard times. It’s certainly tough to trust in the good when every single thing in your life seems to be unnecessarily challenging or just plain awful. But these bad times are when faith is most important. It can be a life raft in a storm. And faith can always be restored if we are willing to seek it out. The bible is a great place to fill our faith reserves. There’s a reason they call it the “Good Book”—it’s great for getting us out of our bad spots and into better frames of mind. Take hold of God’s word and be encouraged.…
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Lessons from Jochebed
Over a year ago when I first wrote Jochebed’s name on the pages of the Daughter of The King manuscript I wondered if there would be enough content to fill an entire month of lessons. To my surprise I have found the study of her life to be one of my favorites. While she is only given a few verses in the bible, the way she lived her life had a tremendous impact. She trusted God when her circumstances seemed hopeless and her faith was rewarded for it. Through a series of events God’s miraculous work became evident in the story of her life. Over the last month I have…
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Using What You Have
On Thanksgiving morning I participated in a 5K Turkey Trot. The start of the race was delayed because of the incredible turn out of runners on that very cold (20 degrees) morning. As I waited I found out a little more about the young man who organized the event. The run was his senior project and the proceeds from the event would go to families who have kids at Primary Children’s hospital. That is what first caught my attention when I saw the post on Facebook advertising the event. While talking to a friend at the race I found out that the young man was well acquainted with the financial…
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Always Something
I spent some time today browsing through the many posts on Facebook from the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was nice to see people celebrating, breaking bread together and writing about what they are thankful for. There were also posts about those who would not be celebrating with loved ones due to their jobs, location or because of the loss of a loved one. So many emotions. So much love. In one of the Grief Share videos there is a story of woman who was about to turn 60 years old. She decided that she would make a list of all the things she was grateful for so that on her birthday…