Finding Safety in an Unsteady World - Martin Wiles

As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Exodus 33:22 NLT

She had been abused and needed a safe place. No one ever said finding safety in an unsteady world was easy.

Johnnie was in a situation of her own making. For thirteen years, she had endured an abusive marriage—one she entered to escape the harsh atmosphere of her upbringing.

When the opportunity came for Johnnie to move out, she took it. Jim seemed like a good guy when she dated him, but his true identity revealed itself shortly after she said, “I do.” Abusive words, demeaning remarks, bruises. They all became the norm. Johnnie tried to fend them off but had to admit they were taking their toll on her self-esteem.

Eventually, Johnnie decided she’d had enough, but she needed a safe place. She didn’t turn to a home for abused women but rather contacted her parents. By this time, her dad had mellowed. She thought she could endure life with them until she could make other arrangements.

Moses needed a safe place, too. While he was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the people were below, partying as if they had no God to whom they were accountable. When God told Moses to leave the mountain and take the people with him, but that he wouldn’t be tagging along, the declaration was more than Moses could stand. God decided to give them another chance, but Moses needed reassurance. So God placed Moses in a crevice and let him glance at his presence as he passed by.

Life is tough and filled with many experiences we’d rather not repeat. Wallowing in self-pity or in the memory of the event only keeps us smelling the toxic nature of what we have experienced. A better course is asking God to put us in his safe place.

When God places us in His safe place, he reassures us of his presence. If separation has taken place, it’s because we left him—not because he left us. He promises never to abandon his children. In God’s safe places, we’re also reminded of who he is and who we’re not. He is the all-powerful Creator, qualified to lead us through any and every circumstance and protect us in the process.

Moses had nothing to fear; nor do we. When life gets tough, ask God to put you in his safe place where you can find grace, reassurance, and peace.

Father, thank you for the safe places you provide when life is more than we can handle.

 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Be a Person of Excellence - Patricia Jordan

Give my greetings to the brothers (and sisters) at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Colossians 4:15 ESV

Not many women of excellence will see their names written in a book or be remembered a few generations from now. Nevertheless, their commitment to do what is good and right influences generations to come. Their reputation for excellence will always be a light for others.   

A lifestyle of excellence includes wise use of time, thought, and energy; honesty; and responsibility for the use of resources, with consideration for all involved.

Those who build a legacy of excellence change people’s lives for the good of humanity. Those who show benevolence, protect life, and honor God by avoiding profanity and immorality build an honorable legacy.  

Nympha was a biblical woman who did those things. Nowhere do we read that she sought self-glory. What we know is that she left a lasting legacy of excellence through her Christian commitment and hospitality in helping to establish the Laodicean church. Her brief but important mention in Paul’s letter indicates she was wealthy enough to have a house large enough for the church to meet in and to provide refreshments to guests, as was customary then and still is today.

Also, helping to establish a Christian congregation shows she was a woman of influence. Nympha may have been a seller in the marketplace where she would have had many contacts, including those from polytheistic cultures. That is where she invited people to church and spread the gospel message

Nympha may have been Jewish and knowledgeable about the Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah. What we do know is that when she heard Paul preach about Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, she received the message of salvation.

Many Laodiceans also received salvation through the preaching of the gospel by Paul and his evangelistic team. They then spread the gospel message everywhere they went.   

Nympha showed that our acts of kindness lift people of all generations out of spiritual darkness. This first-century woman’s actions still influence us today.

Let God show you how to be a person of excellence. 

Dear God, you know my thoughts, my coming and going. Nothing is hidden from you. Let my thoughts and actions be pure and acceptable to you, Lord. Amen.

Patricia Jordan is a seventh-generation southerner from the Appalachian Mountains. She is thankful to return and live there after living in various parts of the world with her retired military husband. They have raised three daughters. She has published You Are Valuable (Westbow), which is her story of how she overcame chronic low-grade depression through Bible study, prayer, and talk therapy. Lately, she has turned her writing talents to writing devotions about walking with God.  

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

When Sorrow Feels Overwhelming - Martin Wiles

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Matthew 26:38 NLT

When sorrow feels overwhelming, it can be a bitter pill to swallow, and I felt as if I were being swallowed by it.

Days stretched into months. An act of betrayal by another had turned my family inside out and headed it straight for dissolution. Although the situation could have been fixed, it wasn’t, and the shadow of depression soon hung over my head like a thunderous cloud.

Unemployment followed on the heels of everything else that had disintegrated. Months passed as I sent out hundreds of applications to various places, looking for anything that would help me support my family. Finally, a job opened, but the depression hung around. My outward appearance and actions seemed normal, but my insides churned.

Various trips to the emergency room for chest pains alerted my family doctor that something was wrong. “You’re depressed. Take the medication I’m giving you, and stay out of the emergency room,” he said. I followed his advice, and slowly the depression receded.

One translation has Jesus saying, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow.” I suppose he felt that way. He was overwhelmed by what was ahead, but his disciples couldn’t keep their eyes open to comfort him. He felt alone … as if he were fighting a battle by himself. And He was. The disciples could not accompany him to the cross and die for humanity’s sins. Only a perfect person could. He wasn’t sorry he was doing it, but the weight of what was ahead had the power to swallow his soul in sorrow.

Situations that cause grief and intense sorrow aren’t easy to face, but we can face them more healthfully when others support us. Trying to face sorrow alone often leads to depression, whereas having a support system tends to ward off the dark clouds of depression. If Jesus needed companionship in his time of sorrow, we do too.

Of course, our greatest support system is found in our relationship with Jesus. We can’t physically experience him with our senses, but we can feel his presence in our spirits. This spirit-to-Spirit relationship surpasses anything we might experience with our senses.

Don’t try to face times of sorrow alone. Depend on God and godly people to help you through your trying times.

Father, thank you for your presence and the presence of others when I face sorrowful times that want to swallow me. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Casserole

 Ingredients

2 CANS PILLSBURY CRESCENT ROLLS (ROLLED OUT FLAT)

   6 EGGS (SCRAMBLED)

4 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE 

1/2 CUP MILK

1 CUP SHREDDED CHEESE 

2 BAGS OF OSCAR MEYER REAL BACON BITS

1 ONION (MINCED)

SALT/PEPPER

Directions

PLACE DOUGH ON COOKIE SHEET, PIZZA STONE, OR IN CASSEROLE DISH. 

SCRAMBLE EGGS. ADD CREAM CHEESE, MILK, SALT/PEPPER.

LAYER ON TOP OF DOUGH: EGGS, BACON, CHEESE, ONION.

MAKE 8 CUTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE DOUGH AND PULL OVER TO BRAID THE TOP.

BEAT 1 EGG WHITE AND BRUSH OVER DOUGH.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 18-20 MINUTES.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Contentment Is Harder Than It Sounds - Martin Wiles

So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 1 Timothy 6:8 NLT

I carried them out by the handfuls—a seemingly endless task. Contentment is harder than it sounds.

Our move was complete—except for moving our clothes. Although my wife doesn’t buy fancy clothes—nor buy them from expensive stores—she loves new outfits … or at least ones new to her. Her closet brimmed with pants, dresses, and blouses.

Of course, my closet didn’t look much better. The difference is that I don’t buy new clothes. I don’t have to because my wife does. By the time I finished emptying my closet, one car was full. Then I started on my wife’s. This filled the second car and taxed my nerves.

This is ridiculous, I thought. We both have enough clothes to wear for two months without washing. I thought of the old days when houses didn’t have closets. No need for them. Over time, closets were added, but they were small and dark. Not much to put in there. People had one or two Sunday go-to-meeting outfits, and maybe a few pairs of work pants and shirts. And in developing or impoverished countries, this is still the case.

Paul’s instructions to young Timothy were for him to be content with food and clothing. I suppose we should throw shelter in the mix. Perhaps Paul takes for granted that we’re smart enough to know we need protection from the elements. But how much clothing or food?

When I was a teenager, contentment meant name-brand jeans—Levi’s. It also entailed a certain brand of tennis shoes—Converse. And when it came to a bicycle, it had to have high handlebars and a banana seat. Later, my contentment was measured by larger things with higher price tags. I’m certainly not high maintenance, but neither am I satisfied with a Spam sandwich every night and two pairs of clothes.

But true contentment isn’t measured by things—or even power, notoriety, or recognition. Contentment is found in a restored relationship with the Creator, followed by trusting him to meet all our needs, not wants. Since God is all-knowing, he knows what we need—along with how much of it. We don’t have to have mounds of anything; we do, however, need mounds of his love and mercy.

Find contentment in a close and growing relationship with Christ. Nothing else will satisfy.

Father, may I find joy and satisfaction in my daily walk with you.  

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Pancakes - Lynne Phipps

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV

My granddaughters love pancakes and request them for breakfast whenever they stay overnight, which is frequently. Since I make the batter from scratch, the girls are always anxious to help by fetching ingredients and stirring the mixture for the pancakes. 

One day, seven-year-old Ade asked if she could try making the batter. Ade is a bit like a hummingbird: never still and always moving quickly rather than cautiously. I was tempted to say no, sure a mess would ensue if I granted her request, and I do so hate a mess. Still, I mused, she did need to learn sometime and maybe today was the right time. Thus, I reluctantly agreed.

First, I had her read the recipe through, and we discussed the meaning of the measurement symbols. Then she retrieved the ingredients from the pantry. Next, we measured the wet ingredients, along with cracking the egg. Dry ingredients followed, and then we added the wet to the dry, then mixed everything. She had accomplished her task. 

Yes, flour was on the counter and the floor. Milk had slopped over, and I had to pick eggshells from the batter. Ingredient containers littered the countertop. Yet, Ade’s beaming face and confidence in her success far outshone the cluttered, messy countertop. Today, she not only makes the batter with little mess but also is adept at pouring the batter onto the griddle. She also knows when the pancakes are ready to turn and flips them with ease. She also cleans up.

In the book of Acts, Paul had a sharp disagreement with Barnabas over taking along a young disciple, John Mark. For some reason, Paul had dismissed him earlier. Barnabas disagreed and felt the young man should be given another chance. He was not willing to give up on him. 

Later, in the book of Timothy, Paul realized that John Mark was a good and helpful worker. Thankfully, Barnabas had persevered with patience and gentleness, aiding this young follower of Christ to grow into a mature and valued Christian man.

Likewise, each of us has many opportunities in our daily lives to be patient and gentle with those who are still growing and learning. After all, who among us can ever say that we have nothing more to learn? 

Let us therefore pray for open eyes and hearts to see those whom God places in our pathway. Additionally, we can teach them in whatever ways God may reveal to us. In this way, we can encourage their confidence and maturity. After all, isn’t this what God does for us?

Father God, help me today to be willing to help others grow and mature as the need and opportunity arise. In Christ’s name, amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

Stirring Up the Gift Gave You - Martin Wiles

Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

I sat in the ladder-back chair, wondering what I should do and feeling a bit useless. I needed to stir up a gift. 

The day before our move arrived, but my wife and I were already at our new residence, unpacking boxes. At least, she was. With no internet or satellite, what could I do? If I unpacked, I’d have to wait for her to tell me where to put it. So, I sat.

“Is there something I can help you do?” I asked.

“No, just sit there,” she replied. So, I did.

A few minutes later, she yelled from the next room, “See if you can find me a magic marker.”

Finally, something I could do. I walked into each room, perusing the boxes. No magic marker. How she expected me to find such a small item among the mounds of boxes and bags sitting in every nook and cranny, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

“I don’t see one,” I finally surrendered after searching in vain.

“Well, it won’t jump up and grab you,” came her curt reply. “Look in the boxes.” I searched again. No luck. I failed at my one chance to do something.

Tomorrow would be different. I’d have something to do. Move in the large pieces of furniture and hang pictures.

Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father and had commissioned him into the ministry. Now he reminds him to stir up that gift of pastoring a church.

Sitting around in a ladder-back chair twiddling my thumbs isn’t the way to discover God’s gift to me. God has things for all His children to do, and He gifts and talents us accordingly. There have been times when I’ve wondered what my gift was—or if I had one—but each time God showed up and showed me what it was.

Through prayer and effort, we can discover God’s gift. When I wondered if he had gifted me to teach, all I had to do was try. Had teaching not been my gift, I would have quickly discovered it—or someone would have kindly let me know. Some gifts all believers have—such as serving—but God gives all believers gifts. Gifts are his presents, so we can accomplish his kingdom work in this world.

Don’t sit around wondering what your gift is. Ask God to show you, and then find yourself stirring up the gift God gave you.

Father, thank you for giving me gifts so I can do your work in the world. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.