Devotionals – Page 31 – Oh Lord Help Us

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Worth: Strength and Confidence from Knowing Our Significance

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 24, 2018September 8, 2019

Our worth does not come from the affirmation of those around us. Once we know our significance, we have the freedom to live confidently, with strength.

I used to ask my husband to say ‘I love you’ more and tell me I looked pretty or beautiful. We’ve had several conversations, some highly emotional on my part, about my need to hear those phrases. Now, I know my husband loves me. I know he sees me as beautiful. But the desire to hear those things were deeply rooted in my soul. It took nearly two decades for me to stop needing that.

Learning to love myself as God’s remarkable and wonderfully made child has been a long journey. I grew up in a loving, secure home where I never once doubted my father’s love for me (or my mom’s). Then when I married my husband, I started down this unfamiliar path of feeling I needed his approval to affirm my worth.

When I would ask him to affirm me, it seemed silly to him. He would say things like, “I chose you to be my wife.” He believed saying that would make me feel honored; because his standards were so high. At that time in our lives, he thought he was a really. big. deal. He confesses now that that was about his ego; not about me. We were both seeking to fight for one another. The disconnect was, we were only fighting for our own perceived happiness. We failed to look out for the interests of each other. Not a good recipe for success.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4, ESV

Today, my husband and I are much more attentive to each other’s needs when it comes to showing support. I make myself available when he wants to call and chat during his ride home from work. He sits in the kitchen on a hard stool instead of the comfy living room couch while I make dinner because he knows I like having him near. I set up the coffee pot the night before so all he has to do is push the button when he gets up at 5am. He’s nicknamed me ‘Little Bear’ and it makes me blush. Every time. I can’t even explain it! We laugh a lot!

Significance

The beauty is, the pressure if off. Understanding my significance as God’s child frees me up to be a stronger wife, friend, mom and coworker. I am able to recognize when I am acting out of a wrong view of who God says I am. In that moment I can smash the lies of be more, you’re not enough, you should’ve known that, and destroy the arguments that counter the knowledge of God.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14, ESV

So why don’t I crave those affirmations anymore? God has taught me and my husband where our worth lies. We came up empty when we used accomplishments as a gauge. Our finite understanding of excellence doesn’t hold a candle to God’s! But as we are learning to know God’s character more through His word, we are resting in who He says we are. Daughter. Son. Adopted. Worthy, by the blood of the Lamb. God, who called us by name, who created us in a marvelous way, loves us to the point of death on a cross. Understanding this radical love dispelled my hunger for constant affirmation. Because my worth is sealed in Jesus Christ.

Understanding this radical love dispelled my hunger for constant affirmation. Because my worth is sealed in Jesus Christ. Click To Tweet

Annie Spratt

I was afraid, but God…loved me.

relationship, love, intimacy, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry

Relationship: From a Love Affair to an Intimate Closeness with The Father

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 22, 2018June 27, 2019

Love affairs are intense, exciting, and fleeting. Our feelings of love will fizzle over time, which is why we must be continually falling in love with our Lord. This maturing of our love leads to a deep, intimate relationship.

Every now and then I realize a need in my psyche to listen to chick music. I’ve told my husband that this is necessary for healthy, female existence…at least for me. It consists of different artists for each of us, but I imagine you know what I mean. Your gal may growl out her salty words or she may purr velvet blues, but depending on the day and my mood, I can bounce from Sara Bareilles wanting to see me be brave to Adele sending her love to his new lover. Probably like you, I can swing from Julia Fischers’ fingers dancing over her violin strings to Taylor Swift singing “Getaway Car.”

And that, dear sister, is where I landed the other day while upstairs doing particular household chores which I least enjoy. It was a Taylor day. Her song, “Sad, Beautiful, Tragic,” tugged at my heart in an unusually strong way. I replayed it several times, listening intently to the words as I questioned internally why this and one other song (“Begin Again”), on the album was arresting my attention. Most chick music falls in this category: girl meets boy; boy breaks girl’s heart; girl is shattered, can never trust again OR she’s tough, moving on, getting revenge, etc.

It occurred to me that too often over the years my relationship with God has been more like a love affair than an intimate, covenant relationship; maybe yours, too.

A Love Affair…

Love affairs are initially characterized by warmth, infatuation and hormones raging. Dr. Richard Schwartz, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a consultant at McLean Massachusetts General Hospital said that in the early stages of love our levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, rises in our system. In addition, love turns on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates the brain’s pleasure centers, and drops the levels of serotonin, which “adds a dash of obsession.” When this formula is added together, the equation always equals the exciting, crazy, dare-I-say silly feeling of an early infatuation/love. As the love-year progresses, chemicals gradually return to a normal balance and, if both hang around, a mature type of love follows. The hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin increases to produce calm and helps to cement the bond that is being created between the two people involved. Other brain specialists concur.

Pretty amazing how the Lord-of-all worked those little details out, huh?

The problem is, we humans like that crazy, exciting, OMG! first-love feeling all the time…in every relationship.

It might explain our divorce rate…might help us understand why so many singles hit the dating web sites night after night…

Might even explain our prayerlessness.

Falling in Love…

While some of us still possess the buzz of the first blush of being a new Christian, many do not. So, as John Wimber, (one of the founding leaders of Vineyard USA), said to his first pastor after a few months of sitting in a pew, “You mean I gave up drugs for this?” Wimber wanted to do what he saw Jesus doing in the gospels, but didn’t see it happening in his church. Unlike many of us, however, he didn’t settle for a cooling agnosticism to replace the fire of his first love. Wimber studied the scriptures faithfully and passionately; he learned that if our love affair wasn’t with Jesus, it would be with something else. “Show me where you spend your time, money, and energy, and I’ll tell you what you worship.” he often said. Further, Wimber later claimed,

It seems the more I think about not sinning, the more I sin, but the more I think about just loving Jesus, the less I seem to sin. Falling in love seems to be the key.

John Wimber, Power Evangelism

There it is, again – falling in love. But this love is ongoing, maturing. It’s the kind of love that is patient, kind, and not envious, boastful, or rude. This love doesn’t always have to have its’ own way, and isn’t irritable or resentful. It doesn’t do a happy dance at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love in its’ truest sense bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. In fact, it never, ever ends (I Corinthians 13:4-8).

Impossible, right? Why yes, it is!! Apart from the power of Christ within me, I am the antithesis of all of those attributes listed! I can be impatient, envious and rude -all in one breath! I can be irritable and demand my own way when my coffee isn’t prepared the way I like – all before 8 a.m.!

But God…

…has rescued me from the power of darkness and transferred me into the kingdom of His dear Son…

Colossians 1:13, NLT

It seems the more I think about not sinning, the more I sin, but the more I think about just loving Jesus, the less I seem to sin. Falling in love seems to be the key. ~John Wimber, Power Evangelism Click To Tweet

Intimate Love…

Why, WHY does the Father continue to rescue, forgive, and empower me?

Because He loves me…and you…with a deep, everlasting, intimate love that surpasses human understanding. When we became His children, God made a covenant with us through the work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:13-20). It is a covenant of grace, filled with mercy, authored by Love.

It seems like drinking from a cracked cistern, really, when we, you and I, continually search for a new ‘first love’ feeling or sense of fulfillment by sipping in new relationships or attractions, whatever those may be, when Love Himself, the fountain of living waters- who has loved us like no other – is available to us at all times. He is waiting to give you, and me, a fresh drink.

For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:13, NKJV

Sharon McCutcheon

You are fiercely loved…

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Life Verse: Discover Personal Meaning in God’s Word

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 19, 2018June 28, 2019

What is a life verse? Do I need a life verse? Am I the only one without a life verse? This discusses the what, why, and how to discover God’s personal message for us through His word.

It seems like everything we do at our church asks us to list our “life verse”. Baptism – life verse; New Comers lunch – life verse; Starting Point sign up – life verse; Awana – life verse; Join the church – life verse. You get it.

But here is the thing….I don’t have a life verse. Yes, I read my bible quite a bit. And I have a fairly good working knowledge of God’s word and love all the history contained within its books. I know that it is a road map of mandates that will help me see my heavenly Father one day and spend eternity with Him. There have been many times in my life when I needed guidance and the verse was there to help me through. No life verse though. So I began a quest for one.

Step one: What the heck is a life verse?

After reading many sources, it seems that a life verse is just your “go to” when you need reassurance of God and his position in your life. It is a verse that speaks truth to you no matter what else or who else crowds your life. The truth that God loves you, Jesus died for you, and the Holy Spirit can guide you through the trials of earthly life.

As with any question I start researching, I found a lot of information. Other blogs about how to find a life verse, lists of other people’s verses, and some cautionary discussions.

When I am struggling with something, I like to see all the sides. Take it apart and really look at the basic reasons for its existence. I think that God want us to be more conscious of His word. He gave us these stories to guide us through this life so we can join Him in the next. Being so familiar with His work that I can quote it chapter and verse seems like a good use of my time and will ultimately help me in my quest to be the best reflection of His light possible.

Step two: Choose some verses to “try on”.

I was light hearted with this at first and took a quiz. It did give me a pretty good verse:

Trust the Lord with all; your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV

But as I accepted that the quiz did a really good job giving me a verse that totally fit the criteria of a life verse, I realized something. I forgot to pray about it first. So I talked with God:

Father,

This idea of a life verse keeps coming up. I have no idea what to say and it keeps coming up. Guide me to the verse that You know will be a cornerstone in my life. Help me discern Your meaning and show me how You want my light to shine for You.

love,
me

Then I opened my Bible. I used my copy of The New Oxford Annotated Bible. I landed on The Wisdom of Solomon 18:1, “But for your holy ones there was very great light. Their enemies heard their voices but did not see their forms, and counted them happy for not having suffered.”

Problem is, Protestants don’t include this book in their Bibles. Catholics and Orthodox religions do. I’m not really clear on why, though that is now a question in my research log: A list of questions I don’t know the answer to, but would like to know more about.

Not one to give up too easily, I went and got another Bible. After a few flips through, I landed on one that spoke loudly:

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Matthew 22:37-39, CEB

But I really wanted a third option. I was really focused on the idea of the trinity here. So I pulled out my bible app and found the verse of the day. I admit, I read through a few before I found one that called out.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33, ESV

Step three: Pray and read the verses daily.

I am still on this step. I am asking God to speak His truth into my life. My problem seems to come down to this: I need all three of these verses in my life.

If I’m discouraged or unclear about God’s path for my life, Proverbs 3:5-6 seems like God’s answer. For those times when I am not being nice or am impatient with those around me, Matthew 22:37-39 helps me find my footing in God’s light again. And when life gets hard John 16:33 is full of encouragement.

I had hoped to have an ANSWER to the question, what is your life verse? by the time I was done with this post. I haven’t found it yet. However, it has dawned on me that the idea of a life verse doesn’t have to be permanent. It can be fluid and change as life changes and your faith grows. That thinking has made it easier for me to acknowledge that I haven’t found “THE VERSE” for my life yet, but the journey to find one (or three) has been enlightening and has caused me to be reflective of my life and God’s purpose in it, which I think is the point.

A life verse doesn't have to be permanent. It can be fluid and change as life changes and your faith grows. Click To Tweet

What is your life verse (or three)? Share in the comments.

Aaron Burden

calling, purpose, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, Christian, women, encouragement

Nudging: Wake Up to What God is Calling Us to Do

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 17, 2018September 8, 2019

Do you feel the nudging inside you to take action? Do you know what you are to be doing, but fearful to take the next step? You are not alone.

The Bud

For years, no matter where I moved, a colorful magnet was a constant fixture on my fridge. It read, “And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” This phrase was penned by Anais Nin, an author who was not exactly a bastion of wholesome purity. But her simple statement served as a powerful reminder: I too contained a bud, a story, that one day would flower into something beautiful to behold. But for far too long, my story remained an unfurled bud. My depression was a frost in spring. As it stung my petals with its bitter cold, I drew them back into my sheath so as not to feel a thing.

The Knot

I’ve known for a long time that one day I’d write my family’s memoir. But the undertaking felt so daunting that I could never fully wrap my head around how to begin. How does one recollect, let alone accurately redact, all the details of a lifetime? There were far too many tangled strands of story lines. The intricate braiding and painful upbraiding of my unconventional upbringing. The unsightly split ends and splitting of hairs caused by my folks’ radical life choices and failing relationship. Not to mention the rigidly combed parting of social isolation and the starched white bonnet covering of my fledgling faith.

The Unraveling

My story, like so many of our stories, consists of innumerable loops. Its strands, so tightly wound, that the painstaking process of picking them apart presented an impossible mental knot to untie. But the Lord is beginning to unravel the intertwined mess to unveil the underlying beauty. And He knows every hair on my head.

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:7

The Nudges

Within the last month, the Holy Spirit has nudged me to begin writing. Some nudges have been gentle; others more direct. One of the first nudges came during a sermon my pastor gave called “Creative.” In it, he quoted Psalm 139: 13-14, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

I’ve always loved the gentle image this scripture summons: God’s warm light hovering over a babe in its mother’s rounded belly. But this time, the take away for me was very personal: the epiphany set in that God has already written my whole story! He fashioned my petals, wrapped each one into the bud in my mother’s womb, and continues to cultivate my growth in ways I cannot even comprehend. He sees me as one of His marvelous works and longs for me to fully blossom! If that same God, through His Holy Spirit, now is nudging me and promising to lead and guide me perfectly, how can I not respond?!

God has already written my whole story! He fashioned my petals, wrapped each one into the bud in my mother’s womb, and continues to cultivate my growth in ways I cannot even comprehend. Click To Tweet

Gentle Nudges

The next nudge came the following day during a pleasantly lazy afternoon conversation on my screened in porch with my mother in law. Prompted by her simple questions, I was flooded with vivid memories of how my family had survived throughout my way-off-the-grid childhood. The petals of my story began to open. In one memory, I was holding up a large, lightweight screen to winnow wheat and then watch the soft chaff gently drift away. In another, my dad looked like an astronaut as he donned his beekeeping suit. As if slightly defying gravity, he softly and silently floated through the white boxed beehives. It was like watching magic to see him squeeze the smoker bellows, putting the honey bees to sleep before gently coaxing the treasured honeycomb from their hive.

Harder Nudges

Later that evening, more tightly wrapped petals of my story reluctantly revealed their edges: the fear I felt crouched in the dark shadows under the kitchen table as my parents screamed and violently flailed their arms at one another. And some of the thorny tips of my story’s stem pricked my heart. Like the night my mom, in a fit of rage, threw my beloved storybook Bible into the open flames of our wood heating stove. As my mind’s eye saw the edges of each sheet begin to curl, then smoke, then burn, it’s as if the Holy Spirit were restoring the pages of my own story. He was reminding me that because it has weathered strong winds of abuse and neglect, nearly drowned in rainy seasons of sorrow, and thirsted for life in the drought of depression, the little flower He fashioned is nothing short of a fearful, wonderful, marvelous work!

Laying It on Thick

A barrage of other nudges have come almost daily…

A pillow talk with my husband about hope and desire.

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13: 12

My friend’s testimony at a ladies’ Bible study. She shared how the Holy Spirit inspired her to write a book of historical fiction, weaving her personal testimony throughout the story.

A sermon from my pastor’s wife about “Holy Imagination” and how the Lord, “…is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20).

Another sermon called “Inspiration,” in which my pastor described how the Holy Spirit inspires and anoints us to do things we can’t do in our natural strength or intellect. He literally even said the words: “Maybe God is inspiring you to write a book that will bless others through the power of God and His Holy Spirit!” At that point I was like, “Come on Lord. You’re laying it on pretty thick!”

The Last Straw

And the last straw came a few weeks ago over coffee with my new friend, Rachael. She asked about my story, and I spent the next hour sharing many of the memories I’d been thinking about for a memoir. As our time was ending, she asked me if I might consider writing for her blog. For over a decade, I’ve written nothing more than short song lyrics and grocery lists. But feeling the nudge, I said, “Sure, I’d love to!”

Awake, O Sleeper

It’s as if I’ve been tightly balled up in that bud, restlessly sleeping, and someone has been nudging me to wake up. The bud would feel the spring’s soft rain and warm sunshine but quickly seek shade from an overhead limb. I would pull the covers back over my head. But the Light is softly stroking my hair. The songbirds outside my window are perched on the budding branches, chirping their early spring refrain: “It’s time to rise and shine!”

Wherefore, he saith, ‘Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’

Ephesians 5:14

Have you been spiritually asleep in a certain area of your life? Do you have a bud inside of you that longs to be exposed to the Light and refreshed with Living Water? How is He nudging you?

Michael Petrila

All scripture from the King James Version

exposure, vulnerability, relationships, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, ministry, encouragement

Exposure: Enriching Relationships With Vulnerability

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 15, 2018September 8, 2019

Exposing our hearts can be uncomfortable. Especially when it involves our spouses, friends, God, and even ourselves. Vulnerability has the ability to enrich our relationships and the results are beautiful.

Vulnerability. There’s that word. I shiver when I hear it and cringe at the thought of opening up. I need the comfort of my couch and a warm cup of coffee; STAT!

Over these last few weeks, God has pushed me to learn one specific lesson: exposure. One thing that is incredibly difficult for me to do is speak my mind. To verbally expose feelings I have. There are two reasons I have difficulty in this area. One: confrontations make me uncomfortable. Two: I NEVER want others to feel uncomfortable because of me.

So why is “exposure” my lesson from God? It might be that 8 years is the exact time it takes for me to confront real issues within my marriage. Maybe it’s because of the adult friendships I am learning to navigate. Or, I’m finally understanding the importance of being vulnerable with myself. Perhaps, my spiritual growth in the Lord is drawing me towards a posture of exposure. I’m certain, these all apply.

Types of Vulnerability

Marriage Vulnerability

One thing “they” don’t tell us about marriage: we will sooner or later be completely exposed. Yeah, we all know about physical exposure, but no one tells us our insides are completely laid bare for our spouse to see. This is something extremely uncomfortable for me.

When you are living every day of your life with someone, it’s inevitable they will see sides of you that no ones else sees…

My husband hears my true voice, sees my true reactions, and witnesses my most vulnerable moments. He sees the food I eat, the shows I watch, and when I have a booger hanging out of my nose. He’s seen me cry uncontrollably and that one time I punched something. Okay, maybe a couple times.

Because he sees all this, I feel the need to keep some things hidden. Something! Anything! I feel like I need to keep some sort of dignity. Or, that thing that is just too painful; it’s mine.

Relational Vulnerability

In any relationship, there is hurt. In my experience, pain comes most intensely when I’ve been unguarded, only to be rejected. Sometimes this happens instantly, but mostly this is a damage over time effect. Meaning, we slowly allow others a glimpse inside. Then, wham!! Which feels like complete betrayal.

My gut reaction if someone hurts me, is to walk away or distance myself. The flight response is strong in me. I build those walls, create boundaries, and mask my feelings. I hold on tight; they are mine.

Personal Vulnerability

I’m not sure about you, but I also build borders to keep myself away. Kind of like I’m refusing to be honest with myself. It’s uncomfortable to go there; to push through self-inflicted pain and allow healing.

Being vulnerable with ourselves, is to be completely raw with honesty. To acknowledge our part in the pain. It’s mine. No one else can see it, so why should I have to be brutally honest? Yeah, that’s not super fun for anyone, but it’s vital.

Spiritual Vulnerability

My past is so filthy, my sin too great, my road so dark…. I’m not sure what makes me think this is all mine. If I’ve truly given my life to God, all of it is His. Every dirty, sinful moment is used for His glory. It’s called testimony.

However, I often find myself trying to hide from God. If I have to endure one more probing of the Spirit, I may just implode. Not really, but we all know there’s a lesson to learn when we are vulnerable with the Lord. Most times, I’m a child and I fight against lesson learning.

My past is so filthy, my sin too great, my road so dark... If I've truly given my life to God, all of it is His. Every dirty, sinful moment is used for His glory. It's called testimony. Click To Tweet

Responding Vulnerably

So how do we overcome? We can all benefit from practical application. We need to know what to do. We need to let go of the “mines” to strengthen every meaningful relationship we care for…

Humility

Saying “I’m sorry” is so incredibly vulnerable. It proves we are human. It proves we are NOT perfect (gasp). We hurt the people we love, the God who created us, and even ourselves. I have this rule: if you feel sorry, just say it. It shows you are thinking of the other person’s feelings, apart from their words. Also, repentance is the key to our relationship with God.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves

Philippians 2:3, NIV

Prayer

This one is easy to apply to our relationship with God, but what about our marriages? What about our friendships? How often do we kneel with our spouses or start a coffee date with a prayer? Do we pray for each other face to face? I find it easy to pray for others, but shy away from praying for things I know I need help with.

Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all he is going to do for them.

1 Timothy 2:1, TLB

Scripture

Another easy one to incorporate in our walk with God. Maybe a little easier to have Bible time with our families, but what about our friendships? Do we approach times spent together with bible studies and scriptures close to our hearts? We should tackle issues and problems with the Truth of God.

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV

Alone Time

I find this most easy with my husband. Others find alone time with the Lord easiest. I find it most difficult to spend quality, one on one time with a friend. Mostly because…children. I would say, focus on a relationship where you know this is lacking. Even alone time with yourself (self-care).

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.

1 Corinthians 14:26, NIV

Working/Creating Together

I often forget that my ability to work and create comes from the Lord. When I say forget, I mean I don’t invite Him to help me or be a part of it. Allowing my husband to create with me, or see an unfinished work of art is completely vulnerable to me. The same is true in friendships. My creations are very dear to me (whatever it is) and I feel exposed showing others.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24, NIV

Common Ground

In almost all my relationships, salvation is a common ground. Testimonies are meant to be shared. My testimony is growing. God is shaping and molding it. I believe, with all of my heart, that my testimony glorifies Him…as long as I’m obedient and share it.

I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.

Psalm 22:22, TLB

I urge all of us to evaluate how we can actively utilize vulnerability to strengthen and enrich our relationships. I know, without a doubt, our obedience to the Lord’s design, will create beautiful, fulfilling friendships.

wayne dahlberg

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Source: Stop Toiling, God is the One Who Produces the Fruit

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 12, 2018July 30, 2019

Constantly toiling to do good works is draining. We strive to produce good fruit, missing the point. God is the Source, the One who produces the fruit. We are only to remain in Him.

God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:13, NASB

Sanctification means to be purified. Purification isn’t a one-time act; it is a continuous work of the Spirit. But that isn’t meant to be a frightening thing for believers. I have found much of my toil to be self-inflicted. I get an idea of what God requires of me as a Christian so I charge full speed ahead like, “I gotch-u, God!” Inevitably, the outcome of my valiant service doesn’t look at all like what I thought it would. Discouragement and frustration flank me and I start dissecting where I went wrong.

Purification isn’t a one-time act; it is a continuous work of the Spirit. Click To Tweet

The Source

One of the ladies in my bible study shared an enlightening interpretation of John 15 this past week. She said when Jesus described Himself as the vine and us the branches, we often misunderstand the call He is making. As branches, we strive toward producing fruit. Yet we cannot manufacture any of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) apart from being an extension of the vine. Therefore, our chief goal is not to produce fruit for the Lord, but to stay joined to Him. God will do the work of producing fruit through us as we seek to gain life from Him.

Our chief goal is not to produce fruit for the Lord, but to stay joined to Him. God will do the work of producing fruit through us as we seek to gain life from Him. Click To Tweet

The dilemma I keep running into is I forget my role as the branch. I want to be able to see how God is working and why. That way, I can help speed things along, you know? God usually moves at a snail’s pace. The Bible reveals that nothing happens without God’s knowledge or permission. But there are days when that isn’t comforting to me, because I want to know why.

The Mystery

A few weeks ago, when I was wrestling with this truth, one of my pastors brought some peace to my grappling. “Be more okay with mystery,” he said. In this information age we want to know and be in control of everything within our grasp. If there’s something we don’t understand or cannot explain — we reject it. Yet there is no way for anyone to know how some suffering or tragedy will be used to sanctify or bless someone else 50 or 100 years down the road. What Satan means for evil, God always uses for good.

There is no way for anyone to know how some suffering or tragedy will be used to sanctify or bless someone else 50 or 100 years down the road. What Satan means for evil, God always uses for good. Click To Tweet

Our enemy whispers to us that we need to understand more in order to gain a better grasp. If we can hold on to something, we can control it. It’s the devil’s way to use such a good thing for his purpose of separating us from God. It’s so difficult to just believe a truth without being able to maintain some sort of personal responsibility for it. It’s actually kind of funny. We often don’t want to be responsible for anything concrete and real. But we will kill and destroy for an idea that requires no responsibility at all.

The Fruit

Jesus is the vine; I am the branch. I do not always fully understand His methods or purposes for pruning in my life. Perhaps so I will know He is my refuge. He has never forsaken me.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.”

Psalm 16:2, ESV

My little branch is being sanctified, and I am confident my source of life is solely in the Vine. As I have stepped back from taking charge, God has been producing fruit through my faithfulness to Him. Instead of trying to peddle the value of kid’s ministry, I went to the Source and He is providing! I also have a desire to shepherd younger women, but I don’t have much formal training beyond life itself. But through studying God’s word and listening to my loving Master, He is bringing people into my life I didn’t even know. It is humbling, at times agonizing, and completely joyous. I LOVE watching God work.

Aaron Burden

Watercolor by Katie Braswell

hope, longing, desire, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, women, encouragement

Hope: Live with Longing and Expectation as Prisoners of Hope

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 10, 2018June 27, 2019

To hope in God is more than a wish. It is a longing and an expectation. It is this hope that sustains us through darkness. How do we live as prisoners of hope?

When I was a young girl, I hoped I would grow up to be a fabulous journalist. Later, as a teen, I began to see and understand the darkness of addiction that had insidiously invaded our family. Then I began to hope and pray for a Godly husband with whom to build a strong, enduring family of faith. Was I hoping or wishing…or both?

Wishing

Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen or be true…at least that is how Merriam-Webster defines it. This somewhat sterile definition sounds more like wishing to me. An online dictionary pared it down a bit more: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. But perhaps that’s how we use it today: “I hope it doesn’t rain; I hope we can get together soon; I hope you like this new recipe I tried for dinner.”

Hope has become a word we throw around like the word ‘love’ and several other words in our language; the meaning has been blurred, but we continue to use them. I can ‘want something to be true’ or ‘cherish a desire with anticipation’ all day long, but if that’s all I’ve got…well, as Paul said, then I am of all people most to be pitied (I Cor. 15:19 NIV).

Longing

When I hear the word hope my mind turns to deep longing; a blossom in the soul that is waiting to unfurl.

I found it interesting while researching meanings for hope online that after two definitions, every single entry afterward was about Christian hope.

Now, why would that be??

The answer might be found in a 1986 sermon by John Piper: “Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future.” There is no wishing here, no uncertainty in our hope. Piper said, “Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future; it expects it to happen. And it not only expects it to happen; it is confident that it will happen.”

Do you have that kind of hope? A certainty and confident expectation that God intends only good for you and your future?

Expecting

Sometimes, as the Psalmist urged, and Piper reminded, we must tap ourselves on the shoulder. We must say to ourselves in the mirror on those difficult mornings or those dark evenings when the clouds of doubt or the trials and suffering threaten to overcome us:

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

Psalm 42:5, NKJV

HOPE IN GOD! Sometimes, I want to tattoo that message on my forearm or over my heart so that I see it as a daily reminder that hope in God is the anchor of my soul. Beth Guckenburger said in her book, Start With Amen, “Hope keeps a medical diagnosis or wayward child from taking us under. It’s the best weapon we have on any given day. It says, “I don’t care how it looks or what I feel. I know this story isn’t over. I know Jesus sits on the throne…””

Besides Jesus, what better example than David do we have of someone who has placed utmost hope in God? Throughout his days we witness him praising in prosperous times and heart wrenching, sorrowful times. David dances with gladness before the Lord and falls before Him in repentance after he sins with shocking abandon. David portrays confident hope in Adonai, the LORD of lords Who is filled with compassion.

I love how Acts 2:25-26 reframes a Psalm by David in The Message:

I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.

Prisoners

Dear sisters, may we pitch our tents in the land of hope. Yes, may we even be ‘prisoners of hope,’ as Zechariah said in his missive. While we have been, and may at this moment be prisoners of many things, let us covenant to be only His prisoners, prisoners of righteousness and hope. Our Lord is faithful and true; He is worthy of our hope.

Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

Zechariah 9:12, NKJV

While we have been, and may at this moment be prisoners of many things, let us covenant to be only His prisoners, prisoners of righteousness and hope. Click To Tweet

This watercolor, painted by Rachael Smith, is available as a digital download in the Oh Lord Help Us Shop.

legacy, love, teach, Oh Lord Help Us, ministry, women, encouragement

Legacy: Teaching God’s Love by Living the Example

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 8, 2018June 28, 2019

Who has begun the legacy of love in your life, teaching you of God’s love? How will you continue this legacy of influencing others?

The warm sun came streaming in the window like a loving hug surrounding me as I stretched awake. The sound of waves crashing over the shore was so soothing and exciting at the same time. My little legs quickly kicked the covers off. I started demanding breakfast, my swimsuit, and when could we go out. Not the best way to wake up the adult you are sleeping with. I probably would fuss at my kids. My grandfather, though, joined in with as much childlike enthusiasm as his 6’2″ frame could contain. Genuine love beaming through every pore. My grandmother was already up, fixing a big farm style breakfast in the little camper that served as home for the week we stayed at Arrowhead Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC every summer of my childhood.

She turned and smiled with love and patience. It made me feel every wonderful and loving feeling all at one time. “Slow down, pumpkin. Let’s eat a bite, take our time getting dressed, and then we will hit the waves.” My grandma wrapped me in a hug that emoted so much love I can still close my eyes and feel how much heart was in the simple gesture. I can even smell the warm sweetness and the clean fresh natural smell that wafted from her.

My grandfather would say grace – a little long winded for my young wiggly body – as I waited for my turn to say “AMEN” with loud enthusiasm. As we ate, I was not just allowed to talk about whatever subject was rushing in and out of my little girl mind, but encouraged in my flights of fancy.

As we packed up our cooler and put on bathing suits and sunscreen my grandmother would sing. My favorite was “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart.” And I did. Great Joy. Joy for the beach, joy for my family, and joy for the God they were teaching me to love.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 36:7, ESV

Legacy: Living by Example

Love is a natural human emotion, but we are taught how to express it. My parents did a great job of teaching me what love was. They took me to church, encouraged me to find my true purpose and listen to God’s call. They came to everything I was a part of. I learned so many wonderful lessons from them, but my grandmother taught me the most about God’s love.

Love is a natural human emotion, but we are taught how to express it. Click To Tweet

She shared her love for our Savior with open abandon. You knew within the first thirty seconds of meeting her that she was a Christian in the marrow of her bones. No one ever left her presence not knowing that she loved them because Jesus loved them more.

I remember one time a lady came to her house to pick up a skirt my grandmother had made for her. My grandmother was a seamstress by trade and ran a small business out of her house. The lady who came was obviously poor and spoke very little english. My grandmother smiled that same warm smile that shined through her eyes, that she showed me. She asked the lady about her family and patiently listened as the lady told her about the hardships that their family was going through. My grandmother invited her to church, offered to come visit sometime soon, and told her she would put her family on her prayer list. The lady smiled with equal warmth. You could almost feel her burden lift a little. She paid my grandmother with a few dollars and a pie.

That night when we got to the part of our devotional where we lifted people up in prayer, my grandmother prayed for the lady and her family. Living life in service of others wasn’t lip service to her, it was a biblical imperative. She prayed daily. Read her bible and devotional nightly; even when she was too sick to get up out of bed. God’s love came through her until her last breath was taken.

For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

2 Corinthians 9:13, ESV

Legacy: Teaching Others

When my grandmother was at a hospice house the last few months of her life, she was still ministering to others. We would go visit and the nurses, other patients, and their families would tell us how much she meant to them. How they loved her. She loved them all right back. Every night she and my grandfather would read their devotional and pray. She would list them all by name. She would tell others everyday how much she loved them and how much God loved them.

One of the last times I came to visit she was sitting in the common room and there were three other families in there too. A nurse came in with a therapeutic golden retriever who nudged its head under my grandmother’s hand. She gave me the same smile, talked a few minutes and then asked me to read Revelations 21 outloud for everyone.

…The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city wea pure gold, like transparent glass.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelations 21:18-27, ESV

When I was done she looked at me and said, “That is what is waiting for me.” Then she took the hand of the nurse who had walked in and smiled at her. “That is what is waiting for all of us. God is so good, honey.” I broke down, put my head in her lap and cried. She lifted my chin and said, “Pumpkin, I love you, God loves you, we will always be with you.”

Legacy: Teaching Others to Teach

A few weeks later, right before she passed away, we all went to see her one more time. They were pumping her so full of pain medication she barely knew who we were. I spent three minutes with her right before I left. The fog seemed to lift for those three minutes. She smiled at me with all her love, she hugged me tight and that feeling of warm love enveloped me.

She patted my hair. “Why are you so sad, pumpkin?”

“I’m going to miss you so much. I love you, grandma.”

“I love you too, baby. We have made so many memories. I will live in your heart forever.”

I promised I would share her love and lessons with my children and that I would try to live the life that she wanted for me.

Your turn…

Who is the person who brings God’s love closer to you? How do they inspire you to draw closer to God?

Dear God,

Thank you for blessing my childhood and early adulthood with Virginia Vernon. You could not have given me a better earthly example of loving You than her. Help me to live the life You have planned for me. Help me to love others in the way You desire for us to love others, fully and without reservation.

Love,

Annie Spratt

expectations, Oh Lord Help Us, women, ministry, encouragement

Expectations: Letting Go of the Unrealistic and Gaining Freedom

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 5, 2018July 30, 2019

Operating with unrealistic expectations of others, ourselves, and situations, will only lead to frustration and disappointment. Let go of the expectations, and freedom will be found!

My husband had (at least) two expectations that were not met when we got married. He thought I was going to make sweet tea everyday. And he thought we would fall asleep snuggling at night. He was disappointed.

Having expectations is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s kind of like having a goal. It’s something to work for and strive to attain. Without goals we would become complacent and stagnate. Some expectations, however, can rob us of enjoying what we have, and who we are with. It can discourage our souls and cause relationships to crumble. Let’s look at three areas expectations can cause disappointment…

Expectations of Others

Problems arise when:

The expectations are not communicated.
The expectations are unrealistic.

Spouse:

As a woman I possess the power to read my husband’s mind and completely understand what he is needing at any given moment. Or, maybe not. So why do I expect him to read mine? Why do I expect him to know that I need something done around the house if I haven’t asked him to do it? Why do I expect him to know that I am struggling with fear if I don’t share with him?

There have been many times when he has “read my mind” and did exactly what I was hoping he would do. If I would remove my expectations, then instead of feeling frustrated when they are not met, I would feel cared for when they were. I don’t want my spouse to meet my expectations due to the fear of what will happen if he doesn’t. Rather I want him to meet them so that it will bless me when he does.

I also ~~have learned~~ am learning that I cannot expect my husband to be someone that he was not created to be. He is calm, level-headed, and steady (and praise the Lord that he is). I, on the other hand, am not. So when I am getting worked up about something and getting frustrated with him that he is not getting worked up, I am not being fair. I am expecting him to suddenly be a different person. (But seriously, isn’t that so maddening when you’re upset about something and the other person just sits there so calm!)

Children:

For some reason I feel like my children should have their acts together by now. Logically I know this is ridiculous, but my frustrations would show otherwise. I feel like I should only have to tell them one time to stop rubbing their hands on the wall, or to wash their hands before eating, or to give the dog food AND water, or pick up toys before bed, or…

If it is unrealistic to expect my husband to know what I want, how can I expect this from my children. Of course, I don’t have to tell my husband to wash his hands, but for now I do need to tell my kiddos. My 2 year old: I have to Tell. Her. Everything. She’s two. My 6 year old, I give hints. “What do you need to do before bed…?” And give him a chance to realize he needs to put his socks, shoes, jacket, backpack, pants, dirty clothes away. My 10 year old, well, he actually does do the things he needs to do without being told. Most of the time, anyways.

I’m still learning who my children are. I’m learning that my oldest may be super competitive with his brother, but not with friends. I want him to be competitive with sports, because he has the talent and that’s “what you’re suppose to do.” We keep putting him in sports and I keep getting frustrated that he is not aggressive enough. I’ve had a lightbulb moment. I’m trying to make him be someone he is not. And the thing is, I like who he is. He is sweet, and compassionate, and friendly.

Expectations of Ourselves

Problems arise when:

We are expecting ourselves to be someone we are not.
We are expecting to achieve something unrealistic, and/or in an unrealistic time frame.

I love to have dance parties. At home. With my children. I have always loved dancing. I have always danced badly. Thankfully, ever since college, this has not bothered me and I have accepted that I can’t dance and it doesn’t stop me from still enjoying myself. But when I was in middle school this was heartbreaking. I tried out for the dance team. Twice. Got cut on the the first go round. Twice. This is alright, I’m not scarred. But I did have to learn and accept the fact that this knobby knee’d girl looks awkward even doing the electric slide. After accepting this I was able to find a new love, running. And I still love it.

It’s also harmful to expect too much from ourselves within certain time restraints. I was naturally a good runner, but when it came to competing I expected too much too soon. My first race was 1500M (just shy of a mile) on in indoor track. I actually envisioned myself winning. Ended up I got lapped. I was expecting too much (and maybe a tad unrealistic) too soon.

After years of training I ended up running at a fairly competitive level. But I never “won gold.” And I was ok with that. There is ALWAYS somebody faster, smarter, wealthier. The most we can expect is our best. As long as we are doing that, we are good.

Expectations of Situations

Problems arise when:

We try to control outcomes.
We depend on those outcomes.

So many things are out of my control: taxes, weather, jobs, other people. And if I try to control those things I will end up living a life that leaves me feeling completely disappointed. There is nothing wrong with feeling disappointed when bad things happen. But ideally we don’t stay in that place, and instead use it as an opportunity.

My husband and I were married on a Friday. It just happened to be the 13th. As the ceremony was about to begin, I could hear people whispering around me in the room I was waiting in. Stress was rising. My sister-in-law came to me and said, “Remember what I said earlier about today being just a ceremony and that it’s your marriage that matters? And that there is bound to be something that will go wrong? Well, your florist thought the wedding was tomorrow. You have no flowers.” So I walked down the aisle holding tight to my dad with both arms. I rocked the no-flowers thing. People thought we did it on purpose.

It’s fine to plan and prepare, but then let go and remember what the main purpose is.

To Sum It Up…

To fight the temptation to focus on how we want things to be, we are to instead focus on truth. We are to express gratitude for our reality, and have hope for the future.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8, NLT

Life would be more peaceful if we could live without unrealistic expectations. Even so, expect to have expectations and remember it’s alright to “mess up.” That’s why we get to start over the next day. That is grace.

Focus on truth. Express gratitude for our reality. Have hope for the future. Click To Tweet

Samuel Zeller

rest, stillness, meditation, Oh Lord Help Us, women, ministry, encouragement

Stillness: Creating Oneness with God in Quiet Meditation

Devotionals, Stay SaneApril 3, 2018September 8, 2019

Stillness can be a daily habit to insure our whole being aligns with God. Creating oneness with God in our busy lives, becomes easier during quiet meditation.

Life is a whirlwind of happenings, appointments, activities, stuff. The world yanks us in many different directions and the multiplication of all of life’s intricacies, create huge “energy stealers”. In busyness, it can be incredibly difficult to focus in on God. At the extreme, it paralyzes our ability to even experience God. So, how can we overcome these pulls?

I recently wrote about rest and how rejuvenating our souls in the Lord gives us true energy. But, what should we do with that energy. Yes, the normal daily things come to mind… cleaning up messes would be a great use of it. However, I want to suggest one more step before we head off into our worlds of schedules and tasks… stillness.

Confused Stillness

I’ve touched a bit in previous posts that I tend to be more reserved and introverted. For a long time, I thought stillness and quietness were one in the same. That may be true in the worldly realm, but spiritually, they are quite different. I am quiet and also distracted. Yes, I can pray while I do the dishes, or contemplate God while folding laundry, but that is not stillness. That’s multitasking.

Stillness can also be confused with rest. Stillness uses energy. Whereas, resting causes you to gain energy. When you seek rest in the Almighty, you are trusting Him to fill you with supernatural energy. Oppositely, stillness uses that energy to zoom in on God within us, to provide peace, clarity, and joy.

What Is Stillness?

Not to get all Hippie-Dippie on you, but it’s a tranquil activity which produces serenity and calmness within. Stillness is a complete focus on God inside of us. Our bodies, minds, hearts being completely still before the Lord. Stillness insures we are hearing God’s voice, feeling His presence, and His goodness is filling us. A meditation if you will. In order to truly meditate on something, you must have energy. Just like in any activity, you need the power to do it.

Now, meditation can be a taboo word in the Christian community. It’s usually has association with other religions or practices. However, in my research, I learned that meditation is not linked to any religion, at all. There’s actually science behind what happens. Our bodies physically benefit from this activity, and, ultimately, our souls.

Quiet Meditation

Yes, messes are all around us physically, but our minds are no different. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God didn’t have to push through all that clutter in order to speak with us? To have an unadulterated oneness with the Lord, could you imagine? We are humans, so, this isn’t possible. However, we can create habits that drive us towards oneness.

I’m not a yoga teacher and I have no schooling in the art of meditating. All I can give you is what I have personally learned…

Clean Space

I noticed that when I need meditation most, is when there’s the biggest mess. So, finding an uncluttered, completely clean part of your home may be difficult, but it’s vital. Yes, our eyes are shut, but our minds are not fooled.

Breathe

We all know that a few deep breaths can bring calmness and clarity, but slowed, controlled breathing for periods of time, really brings a nice detox to the blood stream and the mind.

Posture

I am a sloucher. If I don’t change this habit, I see back issues in my future. Sit up straight. Really be mindful of the posture of your body. Sit in a comfortable position that allows for pristine spinal posture.

Shut Out

One part of meditation is the practice of completely shutting out the world. This is really important. As a child of God, I have a calling to not be OF this world, but to allow God to transform me. If I don’t minimize myself in meditative habit, I cannot be changed.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2, NIV

Thinking

This is the hardest for me; to combat human nature… I think all of the time. It’s so important to push out all our thoughts and really focus on God. I try to focus only on one thing about God: the cross, a specific characteristic, God’s work inside of me (physically or spiritually), specific scripture.

Hope for Stillness

Again, this oneness in the Lord is something only hoped for. However, stillness thins the line between hope and achievement.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

John 15:4, NLT

Jesus came to earth, lived as one of us. He saw our struggle then, and sees our struggle now. The world pulls us in so many directions; most dragging us away from our Father. Jesus knew this truth when He spoke those words. We cannot flourish in all we do, aside from God. Making stillness a daily habit insures our actions, attitudes, thoughts are saturated in God.

We cannot flourish in all we do, aside from God. Making stillness a daily habit insures our actions, attitudes, thoughts are saturated in God. Click To Tweet