Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 22, 2026

Even Kings Need The King

“You must never return to Egypt.” Deuteronomy 17:16 (NLT)

Have you ever wished God would speak to you directly? Many times we believe if we could just hear from Him, we would make different choices and our lives would be so much better off.

God did just that-without even being asked! Solomon had the opportunity of having the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, and he had the crazy privilege of having God appear to him two times. Two times God Himself directly spoke to Solomon!

WOW! How amazing is that? If God would speak to us like that we would forever choose to follow Him and honor Him, right? I mean, what more could we ask for?

1 Chronicles tells the story of Solomon’s first acts as king. He offered one thousand offerings on the bronze altar before the Lord. He spoke with God the first night of his reign, acknowledged God Himself had made him king, and asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern God’s people. Not only did God answer Him, but God added wealth, possessions, and honor like no other king will ever have!

God finished speaking to Solomon in verse twelve and verse fourteen states, “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses….” and by verse sixteen goes on to say, “Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt…”

That may seem like an insignificant detail, but if we go back to Deuteronomy 17, God gave explicit instructions to the nation of Israel, in particular to the king.

 “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself

or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has

told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not

take many wives for himself because they will turn his heart

away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts

of wealth in silver and gold for himself.”  Deuteronomy 17:16-17

Solomon could have bought his horses from other countries,  but he defiantly sent his merchants back to Egypt to buy horses there.

Why? Why did Solomon do what he wanted and not what God asked? Even with God speaking directly to him. Even with God adding multitudes of extra blessings on him. King Solomon, the wisest man who has ever lived, still decided what he wanted was greater than what God wanted.

Why do we do the same?

Sometimes we forget what God wants and asks. When we are not spending time in His Word, we can become like the people in Judges where everyone just, “did what was right in his own sight.”

We may also assume we know what God wants. God answered our prayer yesterday, so we neglect consulting Him today.

We second guess God or try to justify our actions. Surely God didn’t mean ________. Fill in the blank.

Our lack of humility also rears its ugly head. We are sure we know best. Sadly, we just do our thing for so long, we can be used to being the one calling the shots and not include God in our lives.

Seems as if we are not that different from King Solomon.

When we realize we are making our decisions on our own, we need to repent and change directions or we will continue walking away from Him.

Solomon continued on, and he violated all three of the instructions God gave in Deuteronomy. He did get his horses from Egypt, he took many wives for himself, and he accumulated large amounts of wealth for himself, over and above what God blessed him with. It was not until the end of his life, when he wrote Ecclesiastes, that he realized the waste of not allowing God to be the Driver of his life and bow his heart to our King.

While we still have today, let us humble ourselves to Him, acknowledge Who He is, and actively decide to follow Him each day.

We will never regret choosing Jesus and giving our lives to Him.

“Father, help us to follow You and allow You to be our God.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (www.TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 21, 2026

Do You Have 30 Seconds?

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

Remember those good ol’ pre-COVID days when people ran real errands, interacted naturally, and actually chatted in waiting rooms and on airplanes? (But the real, “don’t you miss those days” was prior to the “smartphone” and “social” media era commenced, cultural norms that are producing much dumber and antisocial/isolated people…I know, I know…I digress. Again.) And while digital distraction has kept our heads in the cloud (the one where all-information-ever floats awaiting retrieval), division and vitriol has been increasing over the past couple of decades to replace common goodwill. So, it seems that sparking conversations with strangers through a simple observation or commonality—just to make a pleasant connection—seems to sadly have ended with us Gen-Xers.

But no matter our age, we believers are called to do this very thing—with great purpose: Through simple observation or commonality, make a pleasant connection through conversation with others. The purpose? To share the good news of the Lord’s salvation and tell of His glory and wonderful deeds (Psalm 96:2-3). This can be a daunting task, for sure! But it doesn’t have to be hard.

First, it’s vital to know how to speak out the gospel message simply. Here’s one way: God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life, die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and rise from the dead in victory, offering forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life to all who believe. This truth is vital to proclaim, for sure, but it’s also imperative to be able to share your testimony—your personal miraculous story of salvation. Although someone might quickly reject what the Bible has to say, it is much harder for them to dispute or deny how the gospel has impacted your life. See, whether you were saved at age 7 during VBS or the Lord rescued you last week from some vile darkness and brought you into His glorious light, you have an amazing story to tell. You are a walking miracle! So, you—and I—need to be prepared to speak our story in a quick, conversational way. We need to be ready to make an account for our hope without intimidation (1 Peter 3:14-16).

So, I’m giving you some homework, sweet friend: Create a 30-second testimony. Your transformation story, expressed simply and clearly. Step 1: Pray to the Lord to reveal to you what He wants you to share.

Step 2: Take some time to write out what He shares about (a) your life before Jesus, (b) how you encountered/surrendered to Jesus, and (c) your life in relationship with Jesus. Here’s a simple tool to help, and there are many online. Step 3: Whittle down your testimony to a 30-second version. This could be as simple as, “There was a time in my life that (insert struggle here). I realized (insert need to trust Him here). Since giving my life to Jesus (insert the difference He’s made here).” Here’s an example, which happens to be my story:

“There was a time in my life when I was searching for satisfaction, trying to please God and negotiate with Him—it was exhausting. Then God revealed His grace to me, that Jesus did for me what I could never do—all I had to do was trust Him. Now, in Christ, I am free from running after the things of this world—I have peace and purpose. Do you have a story like that?”

Remember, beloved, we’re called to be witnesses—not the judge, jury, or defense attorney. We just need to be able to tell others what we’ve seen and heard (Acts 4:20; Acts 22:15). Then, let’s keep our eyes open for connection opportunities. At the gym, in the waiting room, at the airport. Look up from your phone or computer and look around at the lost and broken people. They need Jesus! And how are they to believe on Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without someone opening their mouth (Romans 10:11-15)?

“Lord, give me the boldness to share the Truth of Your Word and the miracle of my testimony, opening a door to Your miraculous saving grace.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 20, 2026

Why “Keep” Is Crucial

“Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart.” Psalm 119:2 (ESV)

What’s your inspiration for the day, the week or a year?  Are you a goals kind of girl?  Perhaps you’re one who selects a special word as your focal point.  Statistics reveal that halfway through the first month of a new year is the time when people are tempted to let their yearly inspiration deflate.  Why?  Because it takes courage, discipline, hard work and consistency to row forward day by day.

Ushering in new habits isn’t easy.  We’re so accustomed to “same” us that the possibility of “new” us derails us.  Far easier to slip back into our norm than press forward.  But if we are keeping it real here, settling for anything less than our inspiration leaves us facing regret.

Several years ago, I wasn’t even thinking of or considering a special word for the year.  Can’t say the same for God. He knew exactly where I needed to focus. He’d seen my list because we’d had a long prayer session, and it wasn’t that God didn’t approve – He just had something better in mind.

What was my word?  “Keep.”  You got it. Right in the midst of decluttering and throwing things away, God redirected my attention to “Keep.”  Confusion was definitely written across my face until I remembered where my Bible study had taken me.  Settling into Psalm 119 for the previous few weeks, I’d read the word “Keep”  twenty-six times (ESV).

When I think of “Keep,” I naturally default to saving, holding on to and definitely not throwing away.  Webster even gives us a look into the depth of “Keep” such as retain, take notice of, faithful, maintain, preserve, stay in accord and watch over – the list was endless.  All great descriptions especially since Psalm 119 zeros in on the importance of God’s word.

As much as I love Webster’s thoughts, the Hebrew for “Keep” is what mesmerized me.  “Keep” means simply to conform.  The Psalmist’s references to “Keep” were strategically placed to compel us to be doers of the word and not just hearers.  To allow God’s words to shape, mold and transform us.  Yes, we should cling to, memorize and meditate on His words, but all of that is in vain if we don’t let them change us.

The real question is do we want just another day, month or year of old me or a new season of a changed me?

I think God’s best far outweighs any goals I could ever attain.  He knows that when my ways align with His ways then everything else will fit together.  When my heart and soul reflect His then the changing of me will be absolutely beautiful.

“Father, as each day unfolds it offers us glorious opportunities to seize those moments to treasure, know and keep (conform to) Your words. Praising You for teaching us to welcome Your transforming work in our lives.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 17, 2026

When Overcoming Is Our Only Option

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” I John 5:4

Ever felt the sting of defeat? Ouch – not fun. No one wants to cower in the corner and admit failure. No one wants to proclaim, “I’m a loser!” But often we tie those labels easily to self when we miss the mark. Perfection is elusive in this world…..we just gotta keep getting back up and moving forward. Learning from mistakes while seizing wisdom birthed in hard places. Leaving the past in the past.

Love these power packed words from the Apostle John declaring believers in Jesus Christ as overcomers in this world. Courage, boldness and bravery unfolding from those words. Regardless of the task, regardless of the circumstances – we don’t have to sulk and give up. We can rise above what seeks to hold us back.

Overcoming isn’t for the faint hearted. Life throws a lot of stuff our way. Messy trumps us at every turn. Difficult situations and heartaches attempt to steal away our resilience. But if we keep our eyes firmly planted on Jesus and our faith clings tightly to His word, overcomer will be our name. It will define us and refine us.

The very One who rose from the grave defeating death lives within the heart of His children. Empowering, strengthening and destining us for victory. Try wearing that sweet friend! So the next time despair, defeat and loser threatens to steal our joy, girlfriend just remember who you are. A child of the Mighty God who leads us in victory. With God on our side, we don’t have to worry about threats, injustices or misguided wrongs.

One day the enemy will be defeated. He might reign long and hard attacking us at every turn, but we get the final word. Revelation 22:3 proclaims the best promise ever, “and there will no longer be any curse.” This world as we know will fade away and perfection will at last be ours…..for now, we simply keep believing, trusting and overcoming until we meet our Savior face to face.

“Sweet Jesus there are days when we want to cower and hide the evils of this world are too much to bear. But You have shown us, You have told us – we are more than conquerors – we can overcome this world if we stay in step with You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 16, 2026

Surviving A World Gone Mad

“Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!”  Psalm 12:1 NLT

What a heartfelt prayer from King David, who was genuinely fearful that Israel would not be fit to fulfill its God-given purpose, to provide the Messiah for the world. He knew that even with royal authority behind him, he could not turn the situation around himself.

Have you watched a news program recently? Have you had the same thoughts as David as he wrote the words of Psalm 12? He wasn’t the only one who despaired of the evil in his generation. Elijah thought he was the only faithful servant left after God used him to defeat the prophets of Baal. Micah also cried out, “The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth.” Flip over to the New Testament, and it’s the same story. Paul told Timothy that everyone from the province of Asia had deserted him.

It is easy to think in terms of “all” and “everyone,” especially when you turn on the TV and see evidence of a world gone insane. Wrong is celebrated as right and is even put forth as normal and desirable. Citizens are killing each other as they go about their daily lives in numbers never seen before. As Christians, standing against the culture takes determination.

Paul was right when he said in 2 Timothy 3:12, “…everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.”

How shall we deal with all of this?

There is a Biblical recipe for the prevention of discouragement and wrong thinking. Paul writes in Philippians 4:8: “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.” This doesn’t mean we blind ourselves to what is happening around us, only that there are higher things to allow our minds to dwell on.

You know, the faithful have not vanished from the earth. There are millions of Christians around the world. We and our small circle of friends are not the only ones left. Let us pray for one another that we will be able to think rightly and live victoriously despite the pressures of a world gone mad.

“Father, we admit our tendency to dwell on the negative and believe we are overwhelmed by evil. We know You are still in charge of world events, so we pray for Your help changing our focus and standing firm.”

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 15, 2026

Why Are We Surprised By Our Emotions

“God is our Refuge and our Strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”  Psalm 46:1(NLT)

Why do believers in Jesus Christ separate their emotions from their walk with Him?

I have talked to so many people who have walked through painful and tragic circumstances, and they almost always apologize for their emotions. Sometimes there is even a sense of shame. Shame for being angry or depressed because they have been betrayed by the one they have committed their life to. Shame because grief overwhelms them, and some days they cannot get out of bed because of the losses they’ve endured. Shame because they are isolated and feel so unseen by everyone. They are angry because they desire relationships and cannot attain them.

Are these emotions from God? Does God want us to feel shame about them?

God is not surprised at our emotions. He has them, too, and we were created in His image. Does that mean every emotion we feel or act on is godly? Of course not! I think we would all agree on that. When our emotions are in control, the Holy Spirit is not; however, that does not mean our emotions are not fully felt, can be valid, and that God understands them.

I want to take a look at a few verses in Psalms to share with you that feeling emotion is not a sin and can actually draw us nearer to God if we are honest and continue talking with Him.

-Psalm 143:7-”Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.”  (depression, sadness, fear, anxiety)

-Psalm 142:2-3-”I pour out my complaints before Him and tell Him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, You alone know the way I should turn.” (feeling heavy, angry, anxious)

-Psalm 137:8-9-”Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!”(revenge, anger, unforgiveness, rage)

There are many more verses in Scripture, but these showcase emotions without sugarcoating. These were real people facing real challenges, difficulties, and heartbreak. God does not condemn them for feeling this way.

Notice two things-

  1. They are talking to God. The only One Who “…is near to the brokenhearted,”(Psalm 34:18) can “Work all things out together for good,”(Romans 8:28)  and can answer us, “…because You are faithful and righteous.”  (Psalm 143:1).
  2. They are being honest about where they are emotionally.

God does not ask us to hide our pain, anger, or anxiety from Him. In fact, He says just the opposite. Psalm 46:1 states, “God is our Refuge and our Strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

When we are overwhelmed by our emotions, it is a reminder to run to Him. Generally speaking, we feel strength when we have pleasant emotions. It is our painful emotions that lead to sin-our words hurting others, our anger being out of control, our anxiety causing us paralyzation, our vengeance overtaking our mind, or our grief controlling us. Our emotions are not sinful; it is how we choose to handle them.

There is absolutely a time for our emotions, but it is not for those to control us. Ecclesiastes tells us there is “a time for everything” and chapter 1 verse 4 says, “ a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,”

Feelings are allowed. Behaviors that do not honor God are not.

C.S. Lewis talks about pain this way, “Pain insists upon being tended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Pain is not the enemy. Walking away from God because of our pain is. Not talking with Him anymore, acting out on our pain, and choosing to blame Him because of the pain of living in a fallen world are all dangers we face.

If you are in a difficult or painful season right now, please run to Him. Find a place of solitude and share your emotions with Him-He can handle it. He is not surprised. And it does not change how He feels about you. He adores you, and He wants to be the One you run to.

“Father, help us to run to You first when the waves of pain and emotion rise to drown us. Thank You for understanding us and loving us through everything.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson – www.TerrieTollerson.com
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 14, 2026

Seeing Myself In the Wandering

“For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.” Hebrews 3:4-6

Do you ever read the Exodus events and think, “Good grief! How could those Israelites be so dumb? How could they complain and continue to be so disobedient when God (a) miraculously rescued them from slavery in Egypt and (b) continually and miraculously provides for them daily?” They see His glorious works, yet when He tells them what’s next i.e., entering into the Promise Land—they’re like, “Nope. We can’t possibly trust Your plan, God. We prefer to do things our way.” Silly Israelites.

Early on in my walk with the Lord, whenever I studied God’s people in the Old Testament, I’d practically shout at the page as if they could hear me: “You literally just experienced God’s Sovereignty and provision! How could you respond with complaints and gripes—or worse yet, turn to worship idols?!” But the older I get and the longer I travel with Jesus, the more empathy I have for those Israelites (and the less harsh I judge them). It’s not that I read these incidents with any less head-shaking or perceive the people as any less dumb…I just have come to recognize the same foolishness in my own life.

See, just like the Israelites in the Exodus events, believers like you and me are surrounded by God’s miracles every day. And—I’ll speak for myself here—I find myself complaining way too much and even turning to idols. I kick against the goad of what the Lord is telling me to do…and I trust more in my plans and ways (asking Him to bless them) versus trusting in His higher ways that are unfathomable to me (Isaiah 55:8-9). I mean, how much different from the Israelite crowd would I have been, really, given my own behavior today? Sadly, I’d likely be whining about how good things used to be in Egypt, how sick I am of manna for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and how delicious a quail sandwich would be.

Friend, the Israelites’ experience foreshadowed our abundant life in Christ. Consider these truths with me:

  • The Israelites were spared death through the blood of a lamb and rescued out of bondage to the Egyptians (Exodus 12:1-13). I was spared eternal death through the Blood of the Lamb and rescued out of bondage to sin and darkness.
  • They had the glorious presence of God leading their every step—a pillar of smoke during the day and fire at night (Exodus 13:21-22). I have the very presence of God living in me—the Holy Spirit—guiding, counseling, convicting, and leading me every step of the way (if I yield to Him).
  • The Israelites were given daily bread from heaven (manna) to feed their bodies and fuel their journey to the Promise Land (Exodus 16:4). I have been given the Bread of Life, Jesus, who nourishes my soul and fuels my journey to the ultimate Promised Land: Heaven.
  • The Israelites were provided water from a rock to quench their desert thirst (Exodus 17:1-7). I have Living Water from the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ—never to thirst again for the things of this world that will never satisfy.
  • The Lord visited the Israelites in the desert, coming down to the mountain on the third day—but they could not go near the mountain for threat of death (Exodus 19). Oh, sweet friend, God came down again—Emmanuel—to visit His people. And after His brutal death on the cross (the death we deserve), He rose again on the third day to end the separation with God and bring us close to Himself.

As followers of Jesus Christ, my life and yours is truly filled with miracles—the greatest being our salvation by grace through faith. Let’s step away from the complaining crowd. Instead, let’s keep our eyes open to see God’s Providence, provision, and glorious work each day. Let’s put away the griping and the “my way” attitude, yielding to the great God-glorifying things He is doing around us.

“Lord, forgive me for taking my eyes off of You and pushing away Your hand in my life. May I focus (without complaint!) on the daily miracles You provide—and join You in Your work.”

 For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 13, 2026

Avoiding Spiritual Drought

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 ( ESV) “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

In case you haven’t already heard – we’ve been in a drought.  Yes, Virginia is experiencing a prolonged season of extreme hot and humid weather with very little rainfall.  My beautiful flowers beg for water every day, and I have to admit some days the humidity is so high, I simply don’t want to go outside. While quenching their thirst doesn’t rank high on my list, I do love  vibrant blooms.  Reality is the trade-off is to endure the sweat or lose the beauty.

Ever felt as though you were in a drought?  A dry season when life appeared dull or empty. God seemed far away as our prayers hit against the wall.  Joy faded quickly and worship was -let’s just admit it – nonexistent.  Our enthusiasm and desire for God’s word hit an all time low as stunted spiritual growth stared back at us in the mirror.  And the evidence of our actions displayed  more of us and less of Him.

Wow – not the place any of us would really want to land, right?

Just like soil needs moisture to nourish and grow its crops, we physically can’t live without water, nor can we thrive without “living water ” to quench our spiritual bodies. As believers in Jesus, we have been given this overflowing well of living water through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.   The evidence of this living water enables us to produce spiritual fruit and walk in obedience to God.  Yet if we suppress, hinder or extinguish the influence of the Holy Spirit and seek to do life on our own terms then drought of the soul will eventually define us.

Best solution is to recognize the signs of a spiritual drought before it has time to overwhelm us.  When we easily skip over our time in God’s word on repeat, we are setting ourselves up for a parched soul.  Void of a connection with God, we will find ourselves apathetic towards His truth.  Joy will definitely fade as emptiness attempts to fill the void in our lives.  Pivotal truths we learned will be excused or compromised to better fit our agenda.

Bottom line, spiritual drought can be avoided if we heed the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and walk in obedience to God.  “Search me and try me O God and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting, echoed from the lips of David, a man after God’s own heart.  We would be wise to utter these same words every day and genuinely welcome what the Holy Spirit reveals in us. Confession is a beautiful gift if we offer it to God from a truly repentant heart:  confess sin (name it) seek the Spirit’s help in turning away from it and walking in obedience to God empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“Father, help us to avoid a spiritual drought by intentionally choosing to be transformed by the Holy Spirit’s work in us so we will radiate Your beauty to our world.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 10, 2026

Godly Friends Dig Deep

feb-22

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

Arms full, I sat down my computer bag and darted for the Coke machine.  Road trip thirst had left me longing for some caffeine.  Quenched my parched throat and headed to the hotel reservation desk.  Checked in, glanced at watch 11:30 pm and dragged myself to our room. However, the organizer in me couldn’t quite slip into bed without first unpacking my bags, nibbling on some stale cookies and recharging my computer.  Problem was my computer bag was missing.

Trying to calm myself, I searched the room, however, panic returned quickly.  No bag found, we began retracing our steps and then I remembered lugging it into the hotel lobby.  Last place, I’d seen that bag.  A return trip to the front desk and I found my now “suspicious bag” in the manager’s office and rescued it before they called the police. Amazing how our world now views anything left, discarded as suspect.

Got anything in our lives that looks suspicious?   Any reasons for others to question or be alarmed by our behavior, our words, our Facebook posts, etc.  Now one might quickly respond that others shouldn’t judge, question or zero in on our world.  One might even be tempted to dismiss a friend’s probing conversation.  But God’s word reminds us that “iron sharpens iron” – don’t we want iron in our friendships?  Don’t we want to be more than acceptors and excusers when things don’t seem to be okay?

What if the suspicious bag in the hotel lobby was not my computer?  The safety of all the guests could have been compromised.  Same thing is true in our world.  I’d much rather explain what looked suspect than dismiss what could be a huge red flag. Godly friends dig deep because they value the souls of those they love.  They pray and seek God’s wisdom and timing in asking hard questions.  They always confront the issue without attacking the person. And they treat others the way they desire to be treated – full of grace, love and mercy.

“Father, You have safeguarded our lives with those who have earned the right to speak into our “suspicious” places. Give us courage and grace to be iron that sharpens iron.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Mercy, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 9, 2026

About Our Father’s Business

“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2:49 (NIV)

I have seen many a t-shirt and many a hat with the words “Gone Fishing” printed on them. While these two words are there as a simple joke to let others know of one’s love of fishing, they also serve as a reminder to the people wearing them that they have a love for the sport. They will make time and find a way to go fishing as often as they possibly can. While I have not fished more than a handful of times, I do have a couple of passions of my own, which include, of course, writing. Give me pen and paper or a laptop, and I am a happy camper! Filling blank pages with words is something that I would not trade for just any other activity. While I can write about anything; however, I choose to use my gift of writing to tell Bible stories with the intent of bringing my readers into the stories with me.

The Lord Jesus was such a wonderful role model of ministry to others; He was passionate about His Father’s business and would pass up anything else He could be doing just to be with people, teaching them, loving them, praying with them, and healing them.

We are all important parts of the body of Christ, aka His church. There are no “unimportant” persons in the church, just as there are no “unimportant” parts in the human body system. We all play a significant role in keeping the body healthy and strong. Your area of giftedness may be working with children, youth, or adults; it may be teaching, or doing “fun” things such as plays, musicals, vacation Bible school, and so forth. It may be mentoring young Christians, or leading Bible study groups. It may be praying for others or visiting those who cannot leave their homes. Whatever your area of giftedness is, wear it proudly. Do it often. Be excited about it. Hone your skills so you can do it well. We don’t need a special t-shirt, hat, or sign over our door, but our modus operandi should always reflect the love of God.

“Father God, You are so good to us. Please help us to reflect Your goodness to those around us, especially those who need to know You.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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