guidance – Oh Lord Help Us

Impact with Fear: Preparing to Influence Others for the Kingdom

DevotionalsOctober 27, 2019October 27, 2019

We are called to positively influence everyone we come into contact with for God’s Kingdom. Preparing to act even through fear comes only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We can impact with fear.

Some of my favorite time spent with my husband is late at night, snuggling under the covers, having meaningful conversation. Recently during one of our pillow talks the Lord convicted me when we were in the middle of a conversation about a friend who doesn’t know Jesus.

Stewardship

I’m a believer in being a good steward of the things the Lord gives us. Just as I believe in being a good steward of our home and our finances, I believe that the people in our lives are there strategically. We are called to be good stewards to them. How many days go by where we hardly think anything of that?

Hear me: I’m not saying we should walk around stopping every stranger. I’m simply suggesting we consider this question: what would happen if we learned to be more sensitive to the guiding of the Holy Spirit? Movements? Maybe even miracles?

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9, NIV

People in our lives are there strategically. We are called to be good stewards to them. Click To Tweet

Great Commission

“Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations” Matthew 28:19. This is the Great Commission, it’s a command to us from the Lord. So why are we so stagnant in this regard? Why do we mosey around like we’ve got all the time in the world? We don’t. Job 14:5 says our days are numbered, Friend.

I listened to this speaker once who gave the most perfect visual of earth versus eternity. In his talk he had a rope. The first five inches or so were red. The rest of the rope, which seemed like miles long, was white. He said that the red part of the rope represented our time spent on earth and the white part of the rope represented the time we spend in eternity. His emphasis was on sharing Jesus because we are not given much time here on earth.

It created an urgency for me. It put things into perspective. The things I claimed to be important, couldn’t compare to the importance of this: Souls. Hearts. Eternity. We, as Christians, are to be salt and light. So what are we waiting for?

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

Impact with Fear

It used to be, if I came across someone with a different belief or someone who didn’t have a personal relationship with God, I just didn’t talk about Him. I know that it’s not all in the talking. But I realized the reason I didn’t talk was because of fear.

Fear is paralyzing. I was afraid of what other people would think of me. Afraid that they would be mean to me because I believed differently than them. And the worst, I was afraid that they would ask a hard question about Jesus that I wouldn’t be able to answer.

Well friends, the truth is… none of us have all the answers. I had to learn to trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit and just share what He has done in my life. And what the Lord has done in my life is far too great for me to stay silent about it. I have also learned that it is more about loving someone well instead of “convincing” them into Christianity. Love will take you farther than persuasion ever will. We can love even though we are afraid; we can impact with fear.

Holy Spirit Guidance

When you don’t know what to say or have no response to a “God question”, silently ask Him to give you the words. Trust that He will give them to you. Let Him work through your vulnerability and be willing to be bold. Let Him guide you to impact with fear. After all, you may just experience something pretty amazing.

So let us keep on coming boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16, ISV

Annie Spratt

guidance, God’s will, peace, renew, transform, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Renewing: Training Our Minds to Seek the Will of God

DevotionalsApril 9, 2019April 9, 2019

We strive toward our own plans but we must allow God’s word and voice to direct us, daily. This provides a supernatural renewing and calm to our minds.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2, CSB

Relocate the Trashcan

I get bored easily. When this happens I relocate things around the house as I clean. My husband has learned to accept this about me. Too many times he has come home from work only to find the couch has yet again been relocated to a new spot in the living room. Please tell me I’m not alone in this?!

On this particular day, I found myself doing this very thing in my kitchen. It was time to find a better place for the trashcan. It was originally by the back door, but everyone kept running into it, so it had to be relocated. I decided to move it on the other side of the kitchen beside my refrigerator. The flow of my kitchen instantly became more functional. The trashcan had finally found its new perfect home. My kitchen finally felt clean and organized.

Training My Brain

Do you know what muscle memory in the brain is? Well, I do now! Even though I loved the new location of the trashcan, my brain seemed to still have trouble finding the new spot. I can’t tell you how many times I went to throw away trash by the back door. Naturally, I knew it would take a few days for my brain to get used to the new flow, but I never thought it would take this long!

After about two weeks or so of still having issues with finding the new location, I found myself seriously considering moving it back to its old spot. I figured, just give my brain what it wants, right? Instead, I resisted the temptation and stuck it out another week. Lo and behold, my brain accepted the new location of the trashcan! I no longer find myself throwing trash away by the back door! Hallelujah! It’s as if I never had any issues with the switch. It sounds like a silly analogy to use, but it works perfectly for what the apostle Paul is talking about in Romans 12:1-2… “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind“.

Renewing Our Minds

I had to train my brain to find the new location of the trashcan. In the same way we, as sisters in Christ, need to train our minds to find the will of God, instead of our own. This will seem frustrating at first, just like it was for me; because, let’s face it, we all naturally want what feels comfortable. Yet, Dear Sisters, God is calling us to a much better place! One that will make the flow of our lives function more smoothly, and operate WAY better.

If we choose to open our hearts and let God’s word saturate our minds, then we can begin the transformation required to function properly in this world. Walking in the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God provides immeasurable peace and joy that our souls crave. We might be born into sin, instinctively desiring to follow the world, but we are also God’s creation that He made to desire Him.

Walking in the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God provides immeasurable peace and joy that our souls crave. We are born into sin but we are also God’s creation that He made to desire Him. Click To Tweet

Ask, Seek, and Knock, Ladies…

Finding God’s will provides us with an understanding of what renewing should take place in our lives in order to function efficiently and effectively as His followers.

In Matthew Chapter 7 verses 7 – 12, Jesus teaches His disciples to ask, seek and knock. Ask God for help. Seek God first in everything. And knock continuously on the door to God’s Kingdom. If we seek Him, we will find Him…

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Matthew 6:33, CSB

Today, Dear Reader, if you are struggling like me to find the new location of the trash can, then DON’T GIVE UP! We have all felt this way at one point or another. Today’s a new day! Ask God where He wants you. Seek God in all you do. Knock like crazy on the door to His Kingdom. And when He answers, Dear Friend, follow Him. His will is always worth pursuing.

Prayer of Renewal

Father, I need your guidance and direction in order to find where I will function best in my life. I know your will, Father, is good and pleasing and perfect for me. Lord, give a renewing of my mind that chases after your will daily. Thank you for patiently waiting for me. Thank you for forgiving me when I willingly choose to test the waters outside your will. God, keep my feet from wandering from the path you have relocated me to be. Protect me and give me your supernatural strength to face the unknown. I trust you, Lord! As I travel outside my comfort zone into this dark world, I have peace knowing your light will lead me to where I need to be. I pray all these things because of my Savior, Jesus Christ; without which none of this would be possible. Amen.

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

Pslam 119:105, CSB

Perminder Klair

guidance. peace, disappointment, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Holding Fast: Letting Go and Allowing God to Guide Toward Peace

Devotionals, Stay SaneOctober 3, 2018January 13, 2019

How do we respond in the unexpected disappointments of life? We must learn to let go of our natural responses. Holding fast to God, while He guides us towards peace.

We find by losing. We hold fast by letting go.
We become something new by ceasing to be something old.

Frederick Buechner

Letting go, so we can hold fast? This is a paradox I can definitely relate to recently…

The Unexpected

Five months ago, when my husband and I made the decision to transfer our lives from Louisville, Kentucky to Wake Forest, North Carolina, we could not have foreseen the crazy chaos that accompanied the last week leading up to our move. Nor could we have known that we would be attempting to outrun hurricane Florence as we drove across the mountains of West Virginia.

Believe me, by the time we stopped to sleep a few hours into the journey, our excitement of living closer to our grandchildren was momentarily overshadowed by crushing weariness. Holding fast to God still seemed like a given…

Who knew that it would take an extra U-Haul truck to hold forty-six years of marriage? (What’s the meaning of purge, again?) Who knew it would take 4 days and exhausting our friends and family to load the two trucks?! (And that doesn’t count the 2 weeks of packing.) Who knew the moving truck would bust a hole in our driveway, which delayed loading?

…In Disappointment

Thankfully, we were unable to see the little foxes that were waiting to eat our vines, (Song of Solomon 2:15). Otherwise, the discouragement may have thwarted everything…because the mini-catastrophes didn’t stop once we arrived. Due to Lady Florence, the banks froze all mortgage funds to the Carolinas. Canceling the close of our new home and delaying the moving trucks 5-7 days.

Up to that point, I had been taking it all on the chin, staying positive, grateful for God’s goodness and our friends, thankful for safety. For some reason, the last news update about the moving truck triggered a short-lived meltdown for me and the angry tears flowed. (My daughter-in-law said it was about time; she was getting worried about me NOT having one!)

Holding Fast By Letting Go

All of a sudden, I realized how easily my heart pulls away from holding fast to my Provider. Especially when my plans continue to go awry. While the Spirit of God has matured me to be able to handle some hiccoughs and delays, through many years and painful situations, this was one blow after another. I had reached my limit, or as Psalm 107:27 honestly states, I was at my wit’s end. I had to let go of my idea of what should happen so that I could hold fast to my Lord and to whatever He had planned for us. His vision is clearer than mine.

Hear me, I believe God understands when I feel disappointment or sadness or anger. He isn’t intimidated or surprised by any feelings I may experience. In fact, He created all of us with feelings. However, when I use those feelings to express doubt concerning my Father’s provision for me, then I am questioning His character, which is sin on my part.

When I grip my plans tightly in my fists, insisting they happen according to my timetable, rather than holding fast to Him, I am heading for my own personal chaos. However, if we will cry out to God from the midst of our disappointments, foiled plans, storms of life, etc., He will rescue us…time and time again.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107:28-30, NIV

God will Guide

I could weep when I slip away and sit before my Father, meditating on His goodness during this move…during this small piece of our journey. No, as of this writing, we still haven’t closed on our house – and there is no set date. Our furniture remains sitting on a truck in a hub somewhere. Our lives are in limbo. But God will guide us to our desired haven. He will receive glory, honor, and praise in the midst of it- not because I have been a super-Christian (if there is such a thing)…

But because He is a Supernatural God.

When we grip our plans too tightly, rather than holding fast to God, we are heading for chaos. However, if we will cry out to God from the midst of our disappointments, He will rescue us...time and time again. Click To Tweet

prayer, giver, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, Women, ministry

Giver: Surprising Answers to Our Secret Heart Prayers

Devotionals, Stay SaneMay 9, 2018June 28, 2019

God is the giver Who gives what we don’t even know we need. He knows the depths of our hearts and answers the secret prayers within us, surprising us with His blessings.

I want to share with you my first prayer I wrote a little over a year ago when I started writing my prayers down with some regularity.

Dear God,

Thank you for Your messages in my life. You are moving mountains and have held my hand, comforted, and carried me. Thank you seems less… insincere. Your mighty works are awesome and great to be praised. Continue to help me accept the next challenge You are asking me to accept. I love to write and I keep feeling a pull from You to tell a story. Please guide my pen, words, and desires so that the story I tell is pleasing to You. Let me keep You as my truth and light. Bless my beautiful children. Guide them to find Your will in this season of their lives.

Love,
me

Answered prayer…

About six months later I mentioned in our church small group that I was feeling God pulling me to share my love and experiences. Rachael implored me to share what that meant exactly. I really didn’t want to say more, so I hemmed and hawed. Used some big words that meant nothing. She took my hands in hers and she said, “I need to hear the words. What is in you heart?”

“I want to write.”

“I’m going to share an opportunity. You can join in, or go a different way and I will be your biggest cheerleader…”

Can you imagine? I am tearing up thinking of it now. God answered a prayer, guided me on a path, and brought me an awesome new friend.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Unknown prayer…

I have felt so free and my spirit has been opened in ways I didn’t know could happen. Writing and sharing it with others has brought so, so much to my life. I have connected to my friends and family, my co-workers and small group members in deeper ways. People ask me to pray WITH them now. I think that has been the biggest privilege God has created for me. I still feel a little self conscious when I do, but that is more of wanting to find the right words.

A verse that has been helping me be more comfortable praying out loud with people is, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7, ESV)

When this verse showed up on my Facebook timeline back in January, I wrote this prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for your answers to prayers, Thank you for guidance and direction, Thank you for opening my heart and ears. Miracles surround us. Thank you!

Love,
me

Surprise prayer…

All this has lead to several talks with you, lovely readers, who have brought so much hope and inspiration to my life. You have shared words that have buoyed me. Comments that boosted me when the dark side of depression has tried to wheel its way into my life. I have felt love and connection when parts of my story have resonated with you. And I have reconnected with friends and family that I had resigned myself to losing.

Right before I wrote my story about my grandmother and grandfather, I saw the verse, Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). As I reflected on this, I prayed:

Dear God,

Surprise me with ways I can influence others in Your light. I feel you talking to me, but there is so much, I’m not sure what is me and what is You. Help me to discern the difference. Let the Holy Spirit speak to me and let my heart hear.

Love,
me

Heart prayer…

A few days after that post, I had the most amazing conversation with my brother. We connected in a way that we haven’t since we both became grown ups. Life becomes busy, families grow, distance, both literal and figurative, pushed us apart. No, we never fought. We see each other a few times a year. Have been on vacation together a few times, but never spent time sharing what was on our hearts. God is so good; He gives us what we didn’t even know we need.

God is so good; He gives us what we don't even know we need. Click To Tweet

God is amazing. If you let Him speak to you, your life will become fuller. Mine is far from perfect, but the ugly parts are so much more bearable and the good parts are so much more glorious. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Allow Him in. You will be so glad you did.

Sammie Vasquez

still, quiet, listen, Oh Lord Help Us, women, Christian, ministry

Quiet: Intentionally Finding Space to Hear God’s Voice

Devotionals, Stay SaneMarch 27, 2018June 28, 2019

Life is busy and noisy. It takes being intentional with our priorities to be still and quiet, finding space to hear God’s voice, and follow His guidance.

As you know, I’m a planner. I like to have everything laid out just so on my schedule and roll down my check lists like an advancing army. If I have anything left undone I have a hard time moving on or stopping.

For years now I have been “on go” until I am so exhausted that I can’t take another step. Then I am so lazy and lethargic that I can’t move for a week. By then the next thing is coming around and the whole cycle starts all over again.

But I am learning the art of rest.

When I am in a frantic season of life and everything is on “GO”, my time becomes so limited. I neglect myself, my husband, and unfortunately God.

I have been seeing this more clearly lately and know that I have some priority shifting to do. God is my father. He is the creator that gives me breath and life. Clearly he should come first.

Priorities: Finding Space

In reflecting on this I can see that God is asking me to re-evaluate my priorities and give Him the ability to work in my life. It is in the quiet peaceful moments of life that I can experience God most. Therefore, I need to create these times (or leave time for these moments) more often. I try to start my day off with God and end my day with Him as well. Often I get distracted and start thinking about other things or worse – fall asleep. I totally get the disciples falling asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to say to him.

Mark 14:40, GNT

I recently was reading a new bible study called “Whisper: How to Hear the Voices of God” by Mark Batterson. He asks a question that stopped me in my tracks “Are we human doings or human beings?” I think I am often a human doing and then a human exhausted.

I am often a human doing and then a human exhausted...It is time to be a human being. Click To Tweet

As a teacher in a year round school I work for nine weeks then take three weeks off. My son has after school activities three days a week after school. On those days we often don’t get home till seven o’clock. I try to cook dinner at least 4 days a week. Our daughter plays college soccer and we go to all of her home games. That means we are on the road about two days a week from August through November. We are so busy that our house does not get cleaned like it should, our clothes can sometimes get piled up before I do laundry and the dishes occasionally spend the night in the sink.

I’m not trying to impress you with craziness, but show you I am just an ordinary wife, mother and teacher trying to “fit it all in”. What I am beginning to see as well is that I am a daughter of God and I need to give him a proper space in my life. It is time to be a human being.

Guidance: Hearing God’s Voice

The Lord says, “I will teach you the way you should go; I will instruct you and advise you. Don’t be stupid like a horse or a mule, which must be controlled with a bit and bridle to make it submit.” (Psalms 32: 8-9, GNT) This struck me in the same way as the question. Maybe I have been stupid for quite a while now. I have so much noise from the world: do this, go here, be this, achieve that, see this, hear that, think about this… I need to realize it is within my power to control this. It is time to be more thoughtful about the time and place I speak with my father daily. I can ask him for guidance and discernment in choosing my priorities.

So I’m making this pronouncement now to all of you in the hopes that I will be more faithful about my prayer time/quiet time. I will put God first in my day. Instead of trying to pray while I am getting ready in the morning, I will start my day with my bible and my prayer journal. I will find a quiet space in my house or as the weather warms up, out on my back deck. As I’m writing down my prayers I will focus on Your will.

Dear Father,

Thank you for answering my prayers faithfully. I know that you have been telling my for a while to stop and listen more carefully. Help me stay faithful to my promise to focus on You and less on the world.

Love,

If you have found this inspiring, share the encouragement…

Daria Nepriakhina

Impact: Being Prepared to Influence Others, Even With Fear

Devotionals, Stay SaneNovember 8, 2017January 13, 2019

We are called to impact all of the people we come into contact with. We need to be prepared for this, and know how to act. Even if we feel fearful.

Impact: The People

Both hands raised, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of overlooking people placements and just focus on me and my day. But actually, every lunch appointment, every barista, every stranger that we pass in the post office, every neighbor, all of those people are strategically in our path for that day. Hear me when I say this: I’m not saying we should walk around stopping every stranger, I’m simply suggesting for us to consider this question, what would happen if we learned to be more sensitive to the guiding of the Holy Spirit? Movements? Maybe even miracles?

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Impact: A Command

I listened to this speaker once who gave the most perfect visual of earth versus eternity. In his talk he had this rope, the first five inches or so were red. The rest of the rope, which seemed like miles long, was white. He said that the red part of the rope represented our time spent on earth and the white part of the rope represented our time we spend in eternity. His emphasis was on sharing Jesus because we are not given much time here on earth.

It created an urgency for me. It put things into perspective. The things I was walking through my day claiming to be important, couldn’t compare to the importance of this: Souls. Hearts. Eternity. We, as Christians, are to be salt and light. So what are we waiting for?

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

Impact: With Fear

As our pillow talk conversation got a little deeper, I shared with my husband that I haven’t always been able to freely talk to people about the Lord. Until about the age of seventeen I was incredibly shy. Over the years boldness developed. That boldness came from encountering the Lord, growing my confidence in Him. It used to be, if I came across someone with a different belief or someone who didn’t have a personal relationship with God, I just didn’t talk about Him. I know that it’s not all in the talking. But I realized that the reason why I didn’t talk was because of fear.

Fear is so paralyzing. I was afraid of what other people would think of me. Afraid that they would be mean to me because I believed differently than them. And the worst, I was afraid that they would ask a hard question about Jesus that I wouldn’t be able to answer. Well friends, the truth is… none of us have all the answers. I had to learn to trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit and just share what He has done in my life. And what the Lord has done in my life is far too great for me to stay silent about it. I have also learned that it is more about loving someone well instead of “convincing” them into Christianity. Love will take you farther than persuasion ever will.

Impact: The Guidance

I encourage you, the next time you are around that table with your family, on that bike ride with your friend, bumping into that neighbor while at your mailbox, or grabbing that coffee from the barista, lean into the Holy Spirit and trust His guidance. When you don’t know what to say or have no response to a “God question”, silently ask Him to give you the words. Trust that He will give them to you. Let Him work through your vulnerability and be willing to be bold. After all, you may just experience something pretty amazing.

So let us keep on coming boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16, ISV

If you have found this inspiring, share the encouragement…

...the people in our lives are there strategically. And we are called to be good stewards to them. Click To Tweet

Krissia Cruz