Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 26, 2026

Can Two Things Be True At The Same Time

“The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard in the distance.” Ezra 3:13 (NLT)

Have you ever felt this way? Joyful shouting and weeping at the same time? Sometimes living this life knowing God is our King while walking through difficult and painful circumstances can make our emotions and decisions swing wildly.

The Israelites faced these exact same feelings. After King Cyrus allowed the exiled Israelites go back to Jerusalem, they began the difficult process of cleaning up their land, establishing homes and gardens, and rebuilding the magnificent temple of God.

As the temple began to be rebuilt, it is fascinating to know that after the foundation was complete, they paused for a celebration. The priests put on their robes, the musicians played cymbals, and trumpets were blown. Together they shouted, “He is so good, His faithful love for Israel endures forever.”  The people praised God, all because the foundation of the great temple was complete.

Why is this such a big deal? After all, it was “just” the foundation, not even the actual building.

I believe the next verses give us the answer.

“But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first temple wept aloud when they saw the new temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard in the distance.”  Ezra 3:12-13

The older priests may have remembered or have seen the demolition of their city and the beautiful Temple. They were taken away and lived through the sin of Israel and the destruction of their families, loss of life, and captivity.

To them, the foundation was the recognition of the glory that had been lost. To the others who were shouting for joy, it was the beginning of the glory to come.

Both can be true at the same time. They were both heard-one did not drown out the other.

Maybe you have faced this in your life – I know I have.

The celebration of a new life is a time to shout for joy, but you may have feelings of mourning that someone you love is not sharing it with you.

A second marriage is a beautiful time, but it may have occurred because of death or abuse.

A funeral is a time of mourning, but it may be a time to hear the wonderful life of your loved one and the impact they had on someone that you did not know about.

Past sin can cause us to mourn, but we can hope and restoration through repentance.

Healing is not linear, and as we lay the foundation for a new beginning, a fresh start, it may bring up reminders of what has been lost or the pain that brought us here.

It can be true that God walked with us in our pain or our past, but it is also true that He brings joy and celebration to new beginnings or seasons that we never thought were possible.

Wherever we are in this journey called life, which includes pain, regret, healing, celebration, loss, joy, and everything in between, may we remember that both can be true. We can mourn and celebrate, we can laugh and cry, and we can shout and weep at the same time or in the same season.

It is healing and good for us to take time to recognize both, acknowledge both, and walk through the emotions of both. One does not negate the other.

The focus is that we keep walking through it knowing that the King of Kings is with us through it all, whether we are mourning what the foundation used to represent or celebrating what new life will be built on it. He never leaves us, forsakes us, or condemns us for where we are.

The shouting and weeping “mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.”  Both can be true.

“Father, help us to turn to you in the midst of all of our circumstances and emotions and know You are always with us, and You understand the grief and the celebration.”

 

For His Glory

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

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 25, 2026

Prepositional Awe

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

As a writer, I’m a grammar nerd—always have been. Because my mom immigrated to the US from Italy as a teenager speaking no English at all, she worked very hard to quickly master the language of her new home country and became an exacting stickler for proper English. From the time my brothers and I started talking, my mom ensured that our speech followed all the grammar, syntax, and diction rules.

So, while diving into the last part of Romans, chapter 11, the richness of several prepositional phrases jumped off the page to paint an inspiring picture of God and His glory. [As a quick reminder: A preposition is paired with an object of a preposition to form a prepositional phrase. Prepositional phrases are phrases that can be used to modify nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Examples are at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, with, above, over, through—to name a few.]

Now, Paul’s letter to the Romans delivers crazy depth and breadth of the gospel—the problem of sin, God’s judgment, God’s free justification, and the transformed life of believers. Chapter 11 wraps up a three-chapter discussion primarily about Israel: their rejection and God’s plan for their ultimate redemption per His promise. It’s Paul’s closure of this chapter that reminds us all—Jew, Christian, and unbeliever alike—who He is. Let’s nerd out together, shall we?

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (emphasis mine).

In looking at all parts of this phrase, I turned to the original Greek language (per Strong’s Concordance) to be sure that our current English understanding doesn’t cloud Paul’s intention. And since all the prepositional phrases modify something, it’s vital to address this first. Here, it’s “all things.” Every time an exposition of Scripture has “all,” I hear in my head the words of a former pastor of mine: “In the Greek, all means all, and that’s all all means.” I looked it up, and yes, that’s accurate! “All” is “in an absolute sense, all things collectively, the totality of created things.” So, let’s wrap our heads around that for a minute. We’re talking about everything that exists! Now, onto those weighty prepositions…

  1. from (out of, by means of): a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote). In other words, everything is from—by means of—God. He is the Source of it all. And everyone, even though they might not admit it outright—knows this and will be held accountable to this truth (see Romans 1).
  2. through (because of, for the sake of, on account of): a preposition pointing to one who is the author of the action, as well as its instrument, or of the efficient cause. So, God not only is the Source, but He is also the Creator/Doer (Genesis 1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).
  3. to/unto (so, toward, for): answering to the final cause; indicating the point reached or entered (of place, time); to or into a purpose (result, etc.). This prepositional phrase is the “why” portion of this verse. Why did God source and then make all things? For Himself and His own pleasure (Psalm 135:6; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).

Once the prepositional modifiers describe the existence of all things, the rest of verse 36 answers the “so what/now what” question for us: “To Him be the glory forever.” We can actually get a running start on this glorious praise in verses 33-35, where Paul bursts out in mind-blowing exaltation (my summary): “God’s ways and whys are unfathomable! We can’t even start to wrap our heads around His thoughts, wisdom and knowledge!” Putting all of 11:36 together, especially if taken in context of Paul’s entire letter to the Romans, it’s enough bigness to keep us occupied for days (years!):

God is the Author, Architect, Source, Cause, Creator, Purpose. Of Everything. And the awe we experience upon seeing a sunrise, basking in the starry sky, looking into a child’s eyes, laughing with friends, tasting something delicious, inhaling a flower’s aroma or sweet pine…it all points to One Person—and to the glory of the One from whom, through whom, and to whom it all exists. Oh, beloved, may we never cease to be amazed by Him. Amen? Yes, amen!

“Oh Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth—and beyond! May I see everything around me with the eyes of awe.”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 24, 2026

The Quiet Life

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (ESV)

Tweets, posts and reels definitely tend to paint a loud noise of accomplishments. After all, who would really choose social media to taunt their worst defeats – not many. The feeds portray all things “I did.”  And this constant obsession with us also lands in daily communication where we are quick to elevate our status, high-fives and anything that lifts us up on a pedestal.

Huge danger in lifting self up. God’s word reminds us that pride comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). If our integrity doesn’t match the platform we are projecting, then we are on a slippery slope. Sooner or later, the real us rises to the surface whether we want it to or not. The crash isn’t pretty if we’ve fallen for our own media releases.

Best way to resist the urge to “self proclaim” is to allow our lives to speak for themselves. The quiet unfolding of our stories speaks volumes when we allow God’s revealing to happen. Witnessed this myself in the passing of two ladies in their eighties who never shouted their accomplishments yet left quite a legacy. One seemingly quiet woman taught Bible studies in a women’s prison for over thirty-six years. The other was a nurse for fifty-two years, and lead Bible studies, served on the mission field and sang in the choir. Both ladies’ faithfulness to serving God shined brightly. Neither of these ladies ever applauded or shouted their accomplishments, instead they quietly served God and loved people. Now that’s something to talk about.

The best proclaiming of our lives is centered not on us but draws attention and glory to God. It’s the things we do selflessly without any intent to draw praise or affirmation from others. It’s the unimpressive one, the average one who steals the show not because of her outward appearance but her inner beauty. It’s the quiet resume that keeps talking after our lives in this world are ended inspiring others to live out their days with intentionality and purpose to honor God. It’s the faithful servant who often goes unnoticed to the world yet catches the eye of her Creator. It’s the gentle spirit reflecting God’s character without any mention of her own.

Sweet friends, this world entices us to zero in on “us.”  Everyone else is doing the same. The innocence of shouting our best efforts will definitely draw a lot of likes. Yet the pathway to pride never serves us well.  If our motive is to impress or gain followers, the joy will be short-lived.  But if we pursue glorifying God in our actions, thoughts and words (tweets and posts) then His delight will be our reward.

“Fahter, Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory because of Your love and faithfulness (Psalm 115:1).”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 21, 2026

Why The Rhythm of Patience Matters

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”  Romans 8:25 (ESV)

One summer, we simply couldn’t wait for vacation to finally arrive – I’m sure you’ve probably felt the same. The sweet anticipation of a whole week away from work and our normal routine. We plan, we pack and we get up early anxious to hit the road and land at the beach. The Martin duo (me and my husband) actually made it out of the house in record time.  No major traffic delays – just smooth traveling. Reaching our destination, we pulled into the ice cream shop parking lot across the street from our rental and waited for the “okay your house is ready” text message.

Did I happen to mention waiting is not my fave thing when it involves vacation, beach and fun in the sun?  But that is exactly where we landed. We could see our rental house, we just couldn’t enter the driveway, unload our car or hit the beach. So we ate ice cream instead. And did I mention we constantly were checking our phones to make sure we didn’t miss that all important text message? Two and a half hours later it finally came and our wait was over.

While our wait was really inconsequential, at the moment it seemed to drag by. And the longer we waited, the more impatient we became simply because we were focused on what we couldn’t have when we wanted it. Keeping it real here, but when wait is involved our first reaction is not exactly joy in the wait but complaint.

Webster defines patience as bearing pains or trials calmly without complaint. Being steadfast despite opposition. In the Greek, patience has a twofold meaning:  calmness of spirit and remaining firm under tests and trials.

How can we achieve this rhythm when we are accustomed to fast, instant gratification? Relying on ourselves, we will certainly fail. In our imperfect world, the temptation will be to give in, resist and exhibit our frustration as we zero in on what we don’t have right now. But if we rely on God’s Spirit which dwells within us, we can endure the wait without compromise. If we step back and view wait through His perspective then we will learn to welcome the very thing we don’t want.

Best example ever is the patience of our God. His kindness, forbearance and patience leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God doesn’t through up His hands, grumble or complain at our repeated delays of obedience.  While there are definitely consequences for our actions, God is long suffering desiring that we choose to walk in accordance with His commands. The Old Testament reminds us of God’s patience in holding off the flood while Noah built the ark giving more time for repentance (I Peter 3:20).  The New Testament reminds us that the delay in Christ’s return isn’t an indication of slowness on His part, says Peter, but of God’s longsuffering and unwillingness for anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9)

Kind of puts patience in a whole new light, doesn’t it? God bookends patience with an overarching theme of His love and great desire for a relationship with each one of us. So the next time we’re tempted to allow impatience to rise to the surface let’s purposefully rely on His Spirit living within us to birth forth patience we can’t produce. Let’s resist the grumbling and choose to be imitators of our Creator God whose patience never runs out.

“Father, our anxiety and frustration would melt away if we would only learn to welcome Your Spirit’s control and trust You when wait defines our journey. Help us to endure our seasons of wait without compromise confident You are working all things for our good.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 20, 2026

Who Is God?

“O, taste and see that the Lord is good” – Psalm 34:8

If you have friends and loved ones who have not yet received Jesus as their Savior, it may be their image of God that’s stopping them.

For instance, those who are atheists think of Him as a fictional character that Christians use as a crutch to get them through life. On the opposite end of the scale, others think He is all love. He is someone to reward us with good things, and if He doesn’t come through on their terms, they can’t understand it. They believe that such a God must not be worth committing to because there’s nothing in it for them.

Still others see Him as a God of judgment, an old man with a long, gray beard, a huge set of rules and a big stick to keep people in line. Who would want to commit to a God like that?

Are any of those ideas correct? No! The truth of the matter is that God is a multi-faceted deity worth getting to know. Besides being infinite, unchanging, all-powerful, omnipresent, and all-knowing, He has a personality. He is eager for us to get to know Him, and he has gone to extraordinary lengths to make Himself knowable.

Among His other attributes, He is gracious and willing to forgive. He is loving and will see that His children have what is best for them, although that may conflict with what they want. He is faithful and keeps His promises, like the promise to see to our needs, bless us with spiritual blessings, and make a place for us in Heaven. He promises to teach us great and wonderful things we don’t know. And He is wise. Unlike the idols that people have created for themselves over the millennia, He doesn’t sit on a shelf. He promises to give us wisdom if we ask for it.

Did you ever wish you had a superhero that could help you through life? Here is the ultimate superhero, the God who created you, who loves you deeply, and who has your best interest at heart. Here is the God who watches over you, who knows the past, present, and future, and is capable of bending circumstances to His will. Who needs a mere superhero when we have such a God?

“Father, we thank You for wanting to reveal Yourself to us, that You want us to experience Your love and mercy. We bow in awe to worship you. Help us to know You better.”

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Wisdom, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 19, 2026

Digging In

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” James 1:22-25 (NLT)

I love a good story. When I convince someone to read one of my treasured books, I feel like I’m introducing them to a friend. I love to talk about these treasured books as if the stories are real. I love to hash out the details with fellow readers.

One of my friends is a skimmer. She skims books! She has read nearly every book I love, but when I try to talk to her about some detail of the story, she draws a blank. Her typical response: “Umm, I’m not sure I remember that part.” What?!

My friend is not the only skimmer. We skim through Facebook and Instagram posts, as well as tweets. We skim emails. We skim notes for a test. We skim our children’s homework. (That can’t just be me, can it?) We skim directions for a recipe.

The trouble comes when we skim in our relationship with God. We throw up a prayer as we head into an interview. We skim a devotional for a quote to cling to that fits our circumstances. Then we wonder why we don’t feel very close to God.

Now is the time to dig in. Let’s commit to read Scripture straight from the Bible, taking time to marinate in its meaning and how it affects our life. Let’s get on our knees and pray for loved ones to be drawn to the LORD, for relationships to be reconciled, and for God to be glorified in all that we say and do. Let’s not be a body of believers who merely skim the surface of Christianity.

Are you ready to dig in? I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to just be fooling myself. I choose to “look carefully” at God’s Word and “do what it says.”

“Lord, forgive me when I skim in my relationship with You. I commit to dwelling in Your presence through Bible reading and prayer.”

For His Glory

Tammy Randlett (http://staletoast.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2026

Embracing Courage

“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” Philippians 1:12-14

Last month, Canada passed the Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9), a new “hate crime” law. This Bill broadens the definition of hate speech and removes the longstanding legal defense for good-faith religious expression. So now, a pastor may be arrested for preaching certain parts of the Bible. (Although the language of the Bill says religious text is protected, there are loopholes in the designation of “hatred,” as it’s defined as “clearly associated with vilification and detestation”—so emotionally adamant individuals can make the legal accusation based on their personal perception). Now, the law is purportedly for all religions and cultural “hate”…but make no mistake, it is an anti-Christian resolution. And, although the law may ultimately protect a pastor, the costly legal process becomes the punishment.

(Interesting proof point: I was recently talking with my husband’s Canadian coworker and his wife who, in their recounting the “COVID years” in their county, how Christian churches were locked down with resolved enforcement, the smallest gathering of the saints prohibited—with ramifications. Drive by the many mosques during that time, though, and you’d see packed parking lots and no police in sight.)

This, my friend, is Canada—not North Korea. And, if you’re paying attention, you’ll know that it’s seeping into our nation as well.

While diving in once more to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, it’s amazing to read about the joy he had in Christ and for the Gospel while chained up in a cold underground prison in Rome. But what struck me afresh are verses 12-14 of chapter 1: Because of Paul’s imprisonment for the Gospel, the brethren had far more courage to speak the Word of God without fear. My first reaction is, “What!?” If my pastor was hauled away from his pulpit and thrown in jail for preaching the truth of the Bible, I’m thinking my response would be to flee and fearfully hide out in my house. Not so with Paul’s brothers and sisters in Christ during that time. Nope, seeing Paul’s imprisonment (and likely knowing about the arrests, tortures, and deaths of contemporary followers of Christ—perhaps even their own family and friends), their trust in the Lord grew! And they became bolder to share the Gospel!

In light of what’s happening in Canada, as well as the fact that 4,849 Christians have been killed for their faith and 388 million suffered severe persecution last year (Open Doors 2026 reporting), may the Bible be both a mirror and a map for us in this regard.

The Apostle Paul (and Peter and John and all the Apostles) had good reason to be fearful and stay quiet, given the persecution of Jesus followers. But through their steadfast faith in Christ, they never backed down—and their words exhort us today.

  • God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control, and we are not to be ashamed because we know whom we have believed (2 Timothy 1:6-14).
  • Even when imprisoned and threatened by the government, Peter and John said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-22)
  • “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)
  • Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refused to bow down to anyone but the Lord (Daniel 3).
  • Daniel prayed to God in the open even when it was outlawed (Daniel 6:10-28).

At the very end of Paul’s life, he continued to admonish believers to preach the Word—in and out of season. For 250 years, the Gospel has been “in season” in our nation but is falling out. So as Paul writes to Timothy, we’re to listen in and follow suit (2 Timothy 4:1-5):

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

The time is coming to embrace courage not despite persecution, but because of it. Are you ready? Am I?

“Lord, make me bold to preach the Gospel without fear. No matter the season, no matter the potential danger.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 17, 2026

When The Signs Reveal Misplaced Devotion

“Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you; do not make for  yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.” Deuteronomy 4:23 (ESV)

I feel the edge of summer slipping away. It’s getting darker at night a little sooner. The early dawn seems to linger longer. The kiddos are going back to school and traffic in our town is beginning to overflow as college students return. Hobby Lobby has fall everything with more pumpkins of various sizes and colors than we would dare imagine. The signs are everywhere – summer is definitely slipping away.

We definitely can’t miss the obvious signs, can we? After all,  what woman wouldn’t want to dismiss the signs of aging. Or even better, stepping on that scale and noticing the sign of too much ice cream during the summer heatwave. Even when what is staring back at us is reality, we often overlook the signs of us. Like when we are headed in a wrong direction, we somehow seem able to dismiss all the visible warnings. We ever so intentionally ignore the signs that other gods have misplaced the One true God in our lives. How could we so foolishly think that careers, service, possessions, people, or pleasures would rise above the place reserved for God alone? Hate to admit it but at times in our lives, we have probably all landed in this place of illusion, and it didn’t serve us well.

The Bible tells of many who chose this path of worshiping idols (anything we place above our devotion and worship of God). Even God’s chosen people, the Israelites often found themselves entangled with the gods of the land. The consequences of their choices often landed them in captivity and oppression by foreign powers due to violating the first commandment given by God to Moses:  “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  The futility of relying on someone or something other than God writes a script of repetitive consequences.

Today’s world is no different. The temptations are even greater to zero our focus in on self, others and things versus devotion to God. While we don’t bow down to statues, our lives bow down to a lot of things that steal away the devotion and obedience that God desires from His children. What we truly treasure in our hearts (Matthew 6:21) reveals our affections and pursuits.

Love the reminder from the Apostle Paul instructing believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God  as our spiritual act of worship. Laying down our desires and following God’s instructions. Resisting the draw within us to allow other pursuits to triumph over our relationship and devotion to God. It’s a divine calling to a life of holiness and service to our Creator God who is sovereign over all things. The One who calls us by name. The One who proved His love by releasing His only Son into this broken world to die for our sins is worthy of our devotion and allegiance.

Just like the signs around us depict a changing season, the signs of who we worship are evident in our lifestyle and choices. We may be able to fool others, but God is not fooled. He is fully aware of who or what is consuming our lives, thoughts and devotion. Perhaps this is why our world is so broken today – we’ve lost our first love – the One who gives us the very breath in our lungs.

Sweet friends, let’s not be blindsided by the signs staring back at us in the mirror of our hearts. Let’s welcome God’s examination. Let’s confess any misplaced devotion and fall back in love with God – it’s the best decision we will ever make.

“Father, forgive us for those moments when we allow other things and people to take your place in our lives. Help us to cherish the relationship we have with You and guard against distractions.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 14, 2026

What About….?

“If I want him (John) to remain until I come, Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you (Peter) follow Me.” John 21:22 (HCSB)

The cover was beautiful; the back-story intriguing. The perfect read. An hour later and that “perfect” read was much less than I had expected. The story line was boring, confusing and going nowhere fast. Luckily, I had lots of options filling my shelves so I made a quick switch and this time it delivered.

Ever wished your life story could be traded for a more glamorous, easy, picture perfect re-write? Or better yet, how about leaving our story behind and grabbing someone else’s? I’d have to admit there have been moments, yes days, where those thoughts entertained my mind. Easy to get lost in someone else’s story. Easy to picture perceived perfect lives when we measure them by Facebook posts, tweets, casual encounters and appearances. Easy to view our lives as less than if we’re always looking…desiring what we don’t have. Questions flood where doubts rise.

Love the way Jesus reminds us that “our journey” is priceless. Grateful for the mercy He showed Peter when John’s unknown destiny seemed too enticing. Backtrack just a few moments of Peter’s story, and you find him in the presence of the risen Son of God. Fully restored, destined to feed Jesus’ sheep, but it would come at a price. Perhaps John’s story would have a grander, happier, easier ending – what about…..?

Jesus met Peter’s questions not with explanation but with a simple invitation “Follow Me.” “Don’t reach for someone else’s life……..keep your gaze fixed on Me and watch in amazement as your story unfolds.”

What about us? If we choose to “Follow Jesus,” our cover will be beautiful; our backstory intriguing – it will be the perfect read.

“Sweet Jesus, the story of our lives unfolds day by day – moments we don’t want to miss because questions occupied our minds or discontent clouded our vision. Teach us to trust You with the unknowns and be fully satisfied.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 13, 2026

When Crying Is Not A Sign Of Weakness

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

Life is not a bowl of cherries – as a matter of fact, life sometimes has a bitter taste, especially if we only pay attention to our troubles and tribulations. We are, oftentimes, too focused on them and all we seem to have the strength to do is cry. We cry and we ask why, and we forget to show gratitude to God for all the things He does for us, big or small.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations at a time when the people needed to be reminded that God is faithful. They had been captured by the Babylonians, suffered a lot of hard times and they needed comfort. They needed God’s intervention, even if they acted like they didn’t.

Jeremiah knew the people had issues with trust because of what they had been through; he knew they suffered from apathy. He also knew his own words and advice would not always be heard and taken to heart because his people were so focused on their own suffering and hardship.

Our time spent with God is the source of our strength. Jeremiah literally felt the pain of his people and he prayed and cried out to God, interceding for them. He became known as the weeping prophet because he was often seen crying out to God for those around him. And Jeremiah knew what God was able to do because he knew God hears the sincere prayer of our hearts and that our cry is not in vain.

I have experienced heartache and disappointment in my lifetime. During my troubles, I learned to cry out to God and to seek Him to help me overcome the pain and disarray that had entered my life and heart. And you know what? He NEVER disappointed. Not me, not anyone. Why? Because our God is faithful; and because our God cares; and He hears our cry.

“Lord, we don’t always say the right things, but we know that if we cry out to You, You hear us. Hallowed be Your name, dear Lord.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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