Why and How Should I Tell Others?

I read through the book of Revelation last year in a Bible study group. It was confusing, terrifying, and then opened up to such beauty and hope that my life felt different with this new understanding of the end of the story. I felt compelled to share, but conflicted because of the intense and graphic nature of this book of the Bible. How exactly do you let people know that you believe that the end of the world is coming with horrific beasts and monsters, but if they believe in Jesus there will be streets paved with gold?

God calls us to share his message because his mercy and love is for all his children and he wants us all to come back home. But sharing that message will look different and sound different for each of us.

My dad died suddenly and unexpectedly this summer. My family was together getting ready to celebrate the fourth of July at the family cabin. Instead of watching the fireworks display over the lake we buried the leader of my family: the oldest son, the big brother to five siblings, my one and only dad. Normal life stopped as we tried to make sense of this new reality. Who were we all now without him? How could any of us feel joy or see good in this world? It was in these times that I found verses from Revelation and other places in the Bible coming out of me as if it were my own words.

I sat on the couch with my uncle and told him that I didn't know exactly what heaven would be like, but I believed in it and I believed that Jesus has gone before us and prepared rooms for all of us in his father's home. (John 14: 1-4). I laid in bed next to my mom and told her that one day God would wipe every tear from our eyes as tears poured down our cheeks. (Revelation 21:4). I told my sons when they couldn't sleep that Papa was now in a place where there was never night or darkness or reason to fear because God is a glorious light that fills every corner. (Revelation 21:23-25). And I told my grandmother who had lost her husband a year and a half before losing her oldest son, that nothing could separate her from the love God has for her (Romans 8:38-39). I told her not to grow weary of doing good and not to doubt her faith, (Galatians 6:9). She has been our family's arrow to Jesus and even her terrible grief is not enough to make that change.

I could say these things because I knew they were true. I didn't have to search for words of comfort for those grieving all around me because the words - God's words - just came out of me. I had read, studied, prayed and when the unimaginable happened I had my heavenly father's comfort to offer to others. I didn't have to look for an opening to share God's truth - I had to speak as I watched His children grieve and question and cry out for answers.

As time has passed and the shock gave way to a different stage of grief, my resolve grew a little shaky, my hope a little dull, my urgency to share a little less important. My Lord felt distant and silent, but even then I had God's word to rely on. Like Aaron and Hur holding up Moses's arms when he grew weary I found support from others when I felt weak and alone. I saw that two are better than one because if one falls the other can help him up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) and I felt the Lord's presence near my broken heart through the kindness and understanding of others (Psalm 34:18).

Sharing God's word won't be the same for everyone. I know some are able to share their beliefs without the need of tragedy ripping open their hearts. For me, when my heart was torn open I found that what came pouring out was not only my sadness and grief, but my trust and faith in how much God loves us. That was too powerful for me to keep silent. As my heart heals, I may be a little less vocal, but that sharing has changed me. I pray that it changes you too.

Blessings,

Meghan Hemenway

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} Matthew 28:16-20

{Day 2} Matthew 5:13-16

{Day 3} 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

{Day 4} Acts 4:23-31

{Day 5} Mark 4:1-20


Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

How Can I Resist Evil?

The battle is constant. I feel exposed and vulnerable in so many ways. I practice many strategies, both offensive and defensive. I am aware that evil exists and I know his tactics. I ready myself with the full Armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-18)

But often I feel like all of my efforts aren't enough. I feel weak and weary in spite of putting all the things I've learned into practice. I'm clinging to it all desperately, but the attacks are still getting in and I don't seem to be recovering quickly.

Feeling alone and isolated by the weight of it all, the thought of sharing the load with someone else is both tempting and repulsive. You know you'd find relief if someone joined you, but you'd first need to expose yourself and your stuff, making you vulnerable in a real way to judgement and rejection. This time instead of hearing the voices say "you're not enough," you hear "you're too much." Too messy, too needy, and no one has the room/time/energy/desire to join you in this.

Who does that sound like?

The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV

When these moments of desperation overcome the fear provoked by the idea of inviting someone else into my mess I seek out those who also practice these strategies. Someone who is also fighting for their relationship with Jesus, saturated in God's word, humble and kind, but bold with truth. 

This person helps me identify the lies and wounds, proclaims truth, and carries the weight of my burdens with me. 

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

Matthew 18:20 KJV

As in scripture when the four friends carry the paralyzed man to the house where Jesus is and lower him through the roof to be placed at the feet of Jesus, we can borrow strength and faith from those God has placed around us. We can lend it to those around us when we find them "paralyzed". 

What is your plan? How do you resist evil? 

This analogy just came to me. I'm writing this on a computer. The program often automatically saves my work. The computer has a program that guards against viruses. I get a warning when the battery is running low. I will upload this post via an internet connection through a router and a firewall. The blog host will save it to a server and that company has protocols that include routine backup saves and likely a disaster recovery plan in the event that their home office location gets destroyed. They have a known secondary location, key employees know where it is and what to do to get them up and functioning again as quickly as possible.  

If this is how a company plans, prepares, and practices for influence and events that could move against them, how much more should we plan, prepare, and practice the strategies laid out for us by God to do the same?

Blessings,

Nanette Haskin

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} 1Peter 5:6-11

{Day 2} Genesis 3:1-7

{Day 3} James 4:1-10

{Day 4} Romans 6:5-14

{Day 5} Ephesians 6:10-18



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

How Does God Guide Us?

I didn't have a volunteer to write this week's blog. Certainly, God has guided me and I could offer my own story. My mind began organizing my thoughts to do just that. But when I sat down to type out those words I thought of all the stories I heard from so many. Actually, many stories were repeated, the details just a little different.

Then this thought popped in my head, "give those stories a voice." I haven't asked anyone's permission, but I feel like these stories are so prevalent that they could belong to anyone and everyone.

Scripture: Sometimes it just POPS off the page. Sometimes it leads me to thinking about something I wouldn't have otherwise been led to think about. Sometimes a verse "randomly" crosses my path in unexpected or unplanned places that fit the state of my heart or circumstances perfectly.

The Holy Spirit: Sometimes a thought, idea, or feeling comes to me that is quite different than what I had been thinking or feeling. Sometimes I feel like I'm supposed to do or say something that seems random and unlike me, specifically to encourage, help or build up someone else. Sometimes I hear a song that fits the state of my heart or circumstances perfectly.

Wise Counsel: Sometimes someone randomly shares or speaks scripture or an encouraging and helpful word. Sometimes processing with someone who is also trying to follow Jesus provides perspective.

Circumstances: Sometimes the way seems to be prepared for me. Sometimes the way seems to be blocked. Sometimes when experiencing difficulty or in a long season of waiting I've been put in places where I'm prompted to remember all God has already done for me.


We can be confident God is always guiding us.

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8 

God's guidance will always:

• be in line with the Bible
• be loving
• be strengthening, encouraging and comforting
• bring the peace of God

Currently, this song seems to speak to me.





Blessings,
Nanette Haskin

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} John 10:1-18

{Day 2} Acts 12:6-17

{Day 3} Acts 16:6-10

{Day 4} John 14:15-31

{Day 5} Acts 2:1-47



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

Why & How Should I Read The Bible

It was June of 2010. I was a brand new mommy to my son Quinn. He was colicky. Breastfeeding was a disaster, but I was determined to keep trying. He did not sleep. The truth about this period of my life is that I was miserable. My dreams and lofty expectations of a sweet and warm transition to a family of 3 were totally shattered. I remember feeling resentment towards the moms around me…the ones who had newborns that slept and didn’t have a ‘difficult temperament’ as the doctor observed about my son. I felt resentment towards my husband as he left for work each morning while I looked at the day ahead with an honest ‘how AM I going to make it?’ I was deep into a place of self-pity and asking God, why?? I thought I was going to be a wonderful mommy. I had read all the books, I had babysat many children in my life, I had taken all the classes, I had known I wanted to be a mommy my whole life! But here I was, a very tired, stressed mommy who thought her baby hated her, and I wasn’t doing this well. It was one of the darkest times in my life. 

Then, when my son was 4 months old, God broke in and told me to get to work. My amazing mother in law offered to take me through a bible study, and I said yes. A very intense, women’s study specifically about suffering, where I would memorize a new passage of scripture every week for 15 weeks. Now, before all this, I would have told you that I was a strong believer in Jesus. It wasn’t until this difficult period of motherhood that I learned how shallow my faith really had been. This was when I fell in love with God’s word, and it changed me forever. I was in His word, meditating on it, every single day for 15 weeks. 

The first verse I memorized was ‘I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word’ (Psalm 119:16). 

Through this period of time, I learned to truly ‘delight’ in the life-giving laws and words of God. I learned to make His words my own. I could see that His promises in the Bible were actually for me.

 I would go into my son’s room in those dark hours of the night repeating scripture to myself such as ‘God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, I will not fear’ (Psalm 46:1,2).

 I would use the countless night wakings to review the verses in my head, solidifying their place in my heart. God helped me to persevere through this rough season. I understood His sovereignty in a new way. I understood that He had me in this hard time for a purpose; He could have taken it away, but He didn’t. 

I called to mind that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love Him’ (Romans 8:28) and that I was given a challenging baby for my ultimate good (even though I couldn’t see it at the time).

 I worked hard to reprogram my old tendencies towards self-pity to trusting that God was weaving all of these experiences into a grander plan for my life, beyond my dreams of having a happy baby. His words were truly a light that broke into my darkness, my blindness.

Now, I can’t say that motherhood was a breeze from then on. After all, difficult babies sometimes grow up to also be difficult children. I have made many mistakes, and there have been many times that I’ve chosen to trust my own understanding, instead of God’s beautiful redemptive plan for my life. But I can say that I will always have His words hidden in my heart. I can call them to mind no matter where I am or what I am doing. When I am sleepless at 4am, when someone has hurt me deeply, when a friend needs encouragement, or when I am looking out at an incredible sunset that He has made. They are there in my heart. They give me life. If you’ve never given scripture memory a chance, I strongly encourage you to try it.

 If you haven’t read the Bible, there is no time like the present. You will not regret it. It will cut you to the core in the most tender of ways. It will change you. That’s what it was designed to do. 

‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12).

Blessings,

Kristi Brooks

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} 2 Timothy 3:10-17

{Day 2} Proverbs 4:20-23

{Day 3} Matthew 7:24-29

{Day 4} John 15:1-11

{Day 5} James 1:19-25



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

Why & How Do I Pray?

I worry. I worry a lot. You could probably say that I am the dictionary definition of a worry wart (whatever that really means). I thought I worried a lot before…then I became a mom. Oh. Boy. Luckily for my kids, my husband is level headed.

I once was told that worrying is not a thing from God, but rather trickery and mind-play from Satan himself.

Realizing that worrying is a sin was mindblowing to me. I mean if I really think about it I probably knew it was a sin. But much like white lies, occasional gossiping and speeding through yellow lights, I just brushed it off like it was no big deal.

Then God sent me the ultimate test in worry – he made me a heart mom. My son Connor was born with a Congenital Heart Defect. At 20 weeks gestation we knew he had something wrong but even after countless ultrasounds and monitoring we really wouldn’t know what we were facing until he was born.

This is when the prayer warrior inside of me really came to life. I always knew praying was good and I did try to do so every night (if I didn’t fall asleep first…oops) but when you are faced with something this big I knew I had no choice but to turn to God.

Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘ Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand’. This verse became my mantra and I called to my prayer warriors to help.’

July 29th our little man arrived and was the most precious thing I had ever seen. And much like all new moms you anticipate holding your baby right away and getting to know him. That was not my experience. Connor was immediately taken to the NICU to be monitored and before I even had a chance to hold him, was being whisked away to Children’s Mercy for close monitoring leaving me alone, baby-less and quite full of worry.

Connor was diagnosed with hypoplastic aortic arch, which is just a fancy way to say  that the blood wasn’t flowing through his arch correctly. After many days of getting to know our baby, the doctors decided he would indeed need surgery. At 9 days old my husband and I handed our tiny baby over to a surgeon to fix his broken heart. It was truly up to God now.

Why do I pray? I pray because I know it works. When I asked all my friends and family and their friends and family to pray for Connor - those hundreds of prayers were heard and filled when my little guy rocked his surgery and today is a spunky 3 year old.

I pray because I know God is listening and fulfilling his plan for me. I pray because I don’t have any reason not to.  I pray because when I do, I don’t worry or at least I worry a whole lot less.

Praying is something I continue to work on daily. This year, my husband and I welcomed our second heart kiddo, Nathan, into our family. Even though Nathan’s heart condition is still being monitored and unrepaired, I continue to find peace in prayer to God for him because I know He is eagerly listening and saying ‘Kristy thank you for coming to me first…finally’

I once saw a meme that said ‘ Worrying is like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain’. I can’t say I don’t worry anymore, but I am certainly trying to put my umbrella away more often and use my hands to pray instead.

Blessings,

Kristy Smith

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} Matthew 6:5-14

{Day 2} Philippians 4:4-9

{Day 3} Matthew 7:7-11

{Day 4} Romans 8:22-26

{Day 5} Luke 11:1-13



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

How Can I Have Faith?

I think believers and unbelievers alike often ask themselves this question in some form or another. How do I do this? How do I keep going? Especially when we feel like we're up against the ropes.

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as "The Hall of Faith"

There we find a picture of what having faith looks like:

Acknowledging that God created this world and everything in it, every person and people group.
Admitting that God exists and our heart longs for Him.
Attempting to follow His instructions, even when we don't see the reasoning or know the destination.
Asserting ownership of God's promises, as impossible as they may seem.
Aching for the heavenly places prepared for us.
Appreciating and blessing those around us.
Audaciously expecting Him to protect you, guide you, and strengthen you.
Accepting and abiding in His unconditional love and presence.

When my faith feels shaky and I'm questioning how to proceed, I lean-in and lean-on God. Even when all my emotions direct me to the opposite. We can look to the Word of God for example after example of what walking by our faith looks and feels like.

The definition of courageous is not deterred by danger or pain.
The definition of brave is to endure or face something in spite of fear.

Practicing my faith, even when my emotions would have otherwise, gives me courage and makes me brave.


Blessings,
Nanette Haskin

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} Revelation 3:20

{Day 2} John 10:22-30

{Day 3} Hebrews 11

{Day 4} Romans 8:1-17

{Day 5} Ephesians 2:1-10



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

Why Did Jesus Die?

He came already knowing the end,
to be mocked, spit on, and beaten,
to suffer as only He could,
to serve and give His life as ransom for many.    
For Me.
For You.
For All.

His body broken.
His blood poured out.
Laying down His life,
to take it up again.
By choice, He laid it down.
By power, He laid it down,
and took it again.
In obedience to the Father
For Me.
For You.
For All.



He who is holy and righteous,
For Me, a sinner;
For You, a sinner;
For All have sinned.

Making a way,
rescuing the lost from the darkness,
reuniting that which sin separated,
to gather the furthest to Him.
For Me.
For You.
For All.








Offered Himself,
the one and only
pure and perfect sacrifice.
Eternal payment for all the world's sin.
For Me.
For You.
For All.

To save us from our past,
to gift us a new inheritance.
To forgive,
to restore,
to redeem,
to rescue.

Me.
You.
All.

By:
Nanette Haskin

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day 1} Isaiah 59:1-3

{Day 2} Romans 3:21-26

{Day 3} Acts 10:39-43

{Day 4} Romans 5:12-21

{Day 5} 1 John 1:5-2:2



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

Who is Jesus?

How many of us look to our own strength and talents to get us through our days? We as women in particular, feel the need to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and rise above. This could manifest in so many different ways—overcoming personal illness to care for children (or husbands), delaying sleep to finish on a deadline for work after volunteering for this or that, going above and beyond the call of duty preparing a meal for a friend with a newborn baby simply to prove that we have everything together and in perfect order. I'll even divulge, I'm currently multitasking by writing this post on my phone, in the car on the way to a wedding shower (do not worry, my husband is driving)! Can anyone else relate?

I have been a follower of Jesus almost my entire life. Raised in a church-going, Jesus-seeking, abundantly-blessed home. I have known his faithfulness and his mercy. However, it was not until recently when the rubber has truly met the road in my life—in the health of my immediate family, my marriage relationship, my career, etc. I’ve always known my need for Jesus, but mostly as an intellectual concept. Never once has it felt that without him, my life will rip apart at the seams and fall into a million pieces.

It has been in this place that I have come to see Jesus as my calm in the storm, my sole provider, and my only source of strength. In all of these situations, I have no control. I cannot “fix” any of them on my own. My manager personality is on the fritz as I, by myself, cannot solve anything. So in the midst of hardship, Jesus has become more immediate and more real. My need for his person-hood is a gut wrenching, cry from my heart.

Who is Jesus to me in this context?

First, Jesus is the redeemer of the earth and all in it—including the land, animals, humankind, Americans, Kansans, my family, myself. He is the only one who can bring about wholeness in the world. Even if I may want to, I cannot force it on anything or anyone, only Jesus can bring it about.

“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.” Isaiah 54:5

Jesus is the calm in the storm, a moment of respite from my overly busy days (I’ll admit, in this season of life, I’ve heard his prompting to prioritize the important things. Listened to his voice to remove extra activities that while good things, may not be of most significance).

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8

Jesus is my ultimate source of strength. He knows better than I what is the ideal in my life, even if I disagree in that moment. Perhaps I should try going to him in prayer first, trusting that he knows more than me? (I personally find this very difficult to do!)

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4: 12-13

So ladies, take heart in who Jesus is! We are not alone, and do not need to single handedly save the world. Let him take the wheel.

He is the better driver anyway!

Blessings on you all,

Sherèe Lutz

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.


{Day1} Matthew 4:1-11

{Day 2} Luke 22:39-44

{Day 3} Mark 14:53-62

{Day 4} Isaiah 53:1-12

{Day 5} Matthew 27:62-28:10



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?

Isn't There More?

How many of us couldn't wait to reach adulthood?  Wishing to put childhood behind us and move on to bigger and better things, experiences, freedom!  Childhood wasn't easy...or fun.  Sure there are bright spots that stand out to me but in reality, I don't have a very sunny filter on my growing up years.  They were hard.

I didn't know Jesus nor did my family.  The scales were heavily tilted in the direction of dysfunction and I was an only child.  I can't imagine what life would have felt like to have a comrade by my side, fighting through the insanity, with me, for me, part of me.

My transition into adulthood, mercifully accompanied my decision to give my life, what was left of it, to Jesus.  He had his work cut out for Him.  I was a confused, untrusting, hurting soul and His patience with me was long.

Fast forward to many years spent with Him, knee deep into raising a family and all the crazy, busy, upside down that can be.  With a full measure of laughter, tears, easy breezy and gut wrenching alleys this assignment of marriage and parenthood took us down, it was beautiful.  It was ashes sprinkled on new ground. 

My childhood and adulthood, are polar opposites.  By design.  The goal was to re-write my story with a happy ending and a whole lot of functional on each page leading up to the last chapter.  God is good.   His grace showed up in my failures, His strength was there in my weakness.  He had proven that He was faithful and that by following Him all the days of my life, there was more, so much more than there ever could be without Him.
I had found the "more" I was searching for.


 Then life got real hard.  The kind of hard that breaks.  The kind of hard that sends you reeling so far from what you know that you're not sure where you will land.  It was in this place of disillusionment that my heart again questioned, "Isn't there more?"  More promise?  More joy? 

God answered.  He said to me in the kindest of voices that life is hard.  There isn't a magic formula.  Faith is confidence in what we hope for.  Assurance in what we do not see.  We won't always understand.  Do not have idols.  People, dreams, efforts can be idols, even if it's the happily ever after you've always fought for.  Fight the good fight of faith.  He taught me that it's a fight.  Sometimes life is a fight.  But it's worth fighting for.  Even when it gets real hard.  Pray Always.  Keep praying.  He proved that darkness brings Him into sharper focus, that we grow in pain and we walk in sync with Him best when He is carrying us.

He showed me that "He" is the more.   When we feel overtaken by fear, loss, confusion, He is our Comrade, fighting through the insanity, with us, for us, part of us.  We can choose to go it alone or go with Him.  He offers us eternal life with Him.  He gives hope.  He shouts joy at sorrow and wraps comfort around hurt. 

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 

He wants to walk this journey with us.  He longs to be our "more to this life"  He is there at the top of the mountain where the sun is the warmest.  He is there in the deepest valley where our bones catch a chill.  I choose Him.  I choose Him to write His goodness on every page of my life.  I choose Him even when my heart is broken.  I choose Him in the smiles and the tears.

Because He chose me, I can choose Him.  Because I choose Him, there is more to this life...


"When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
Colossians 3:4


Blessings,
Debbie Kirk

At-Home Study

Pray: ask God to reveal Himself to you through the scriptures, to help you receive the message He has specifically for you today.

Read: each passage twice in 2-3 different translations.
 

{Day1} John 14:1-14

{Day 2} Luke 4:42-5:11

{Day 3} John 6:26-40

{Day 4} Romans 6:15-23

{Day 5} 2 Corinthians 5:11-21



Observe: What is happening? What catches your attention? What is the message of this passage?What thoughts or feelings does it provoke?

Reflect: Why do these things catch your attention? Why do you feel or think certain things from reading it?

Apply: What does this say about God? What does it say about people? What does it say about God's plan for us? What does this mean for you? How can you apply what God is saying to you?