My God My Everything

At some time in our lives we have all felt that life was unfair. Something that we worked so hard for was easily given to someone else. Opportunities were offerred to others because of who they knew not what they could accomplish. Troubles always seen to fall us and we just can’t catch a break. If you’ve had any of those thoughts you know what it feels like when life is unfair. In our own circumstances it’s easy for us to judge what is fair and what is unfair. But when we look at them through our limited view we can miss God’s provision, protection and blessing especially in the…

In this fast paced world, waiting is not something we desire or like to practice. Instant gratification has become the challenge. The quicker the better. That mindset isn’t just for shopping, food or service, but it crosses over to our spiritual life as well. We want prayers answered quickly. We want problems fixed immediately. We want suffering to be kept at a minimum. No one wants to suffer.  But as believers, we are able to rejoice, even in times of suffering. Why?  How?  Because we know.  We know that God always has a purpose in all things.  We know that suffering is productive (that is, suffering accomplishes something). And we know that in those things God is working…

The definition of survived is to continue to live or exist; to endure or live through. There is a realty TV show called Survivor where the contestants have to face several different challenges and do their best to survive. Sometimes life can feel like our own version of Survivor. We often face challenges that we expect along with surprises that test us in ways that push us to our limits. There are moments of victory and moments of defeat. In the song “Held,” by Natalie Grant that I memtioned yesterday, is a phrase that says, “this is how it feels when the sacred is torn from your life and you…

Last week was such a beautiful week of revelation and in Godly fashion, it was in ways that I would never expect. While preparing for the weekly Grief Share meeting I was reviewing the material and came accoss a statement that I’d never noticed before. The statement simply said that a song had been written about the highlighted story of the week. I knew the song and was led to look up the lyrics and hear the song again and again. The song is called Held and is by Natalie Grant and speaks about the loss of a young child, the shock of the loss and the reality of where…

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.  He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.   This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.   Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. Acts 9:40-43 As you can imagine the raising of Dorcas (Tabitha) back to life must have been heard all over town. Dorcas had shown…

To “Die with your boots on” is an idiom referring to dying while fighting or to die while actively occupied/employed/working or in the middle of some action. A person who dies with their boots on keeps working to the end, as in “He’ll never quit—he’ll die with his boots on.” I recently saw this reference in the life of my friend’s husband. He had been diagnosed with cancer in January and given only 5-8 weeks to live. By the grace of God he lived a little over 8 months. During those God gifted months he never ceased praying for others and posting words of encouragement. He used every precious minute…

At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. – Acts 9:36 How significant are those last three words! Too many well-meaning people sit around and talk about charitable deeds that they never do. Sometimes they propose those works and leave it up to others to carry them out. Dorcas not only thought up ways to help the needy, but she also carried out her plans. She knew what she could do and she did it. We may think that we are not equipped or talented to carry out works of service for…

As a nation, we just celebrated Labor Day. A day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. Each day we rise either to the sound of an alarm clock, children, pets or by habit to begin a new day of service. That service may include our duties for our families, our homes, our jobs, the church we attend or the communities were we live. With so many options and so many different reasons to serve, it’s helpful to remember what should inspire our service. Yes it’s great to receive a paycheck and recognition especially if you are doing something you enjoy. But even deeper than those momentary…

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. (Acts 9:36) The very first description of Dorcas, even before her names were mentioned, was that she was a disciple. Through the Spirit-empowered ministry of Philip the eveangelist, a Christian Church was established in Joppa and from an early date the church was not only a center of fervent evangelism, but also of a well organized social service. Dorcas came to know Christ as her Savior in this church and caught the vision of how she could serve Christ with her money and her needle, but behind her sewing…