Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 23, 2025

Blooming Desert

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom.” Isaiah 35:1-2a (NIV)

If you hear the expression “blooming desert,” you immediately think of the word oxymoron, which simply means that two contradictory terms appear in conjunction. When we think of a desert, we don’t imagine anything blooming in it, right? Well, this used to be true for me, but not anymore. I had the opportunity to visit the Judean Desert in Israel and witnessed the growth of fruit trees right in the middle of what we would call “nowhere.”

Israel is indeed a blessed land by the Lord, and the promises we see in the Old Testament hold true to this day. The desert is a very arid, hot place and no one expects to find fruit and vegetables in such a place. However, the Israeli people have managed to develop irrigation systems that ensure whatever they plant in their land will grow and produce fruit.

While in Israel, I ate some of the fruit of the land, such as figs, dates and pomegranates and they were absolutely amazing, fresh, plump and tasty! I also tasted locally grown vegetables, and they were not any less beautiful or palatable than the ones we grow right here in the U.S. of A!

A land that is parched and sterile needs the proper nutrients to become healthy and productive. Likewise, a heart that does not heed God’s commandments will be a heart that does not know love, compassion or forgiveness. The word of God has the power to bring out the best in us. It is like the Israeli irrigation system, which brings life into the dry ground, allowing the seeds to germinate and bloom, grow and yield fruit.

It is our choice whether we yield good fruit or remain dull and unproductive. My prayer for you today is that you choose life and that you, too, choose to bloom for Christ.

“Thank You, Lord, for the seed of hope that lives within us. May it always find the strength to grow.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 22, 2025

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

You may remember the lyrics to the Bee Gees song, “How can you mend a broken heart, how can you stop the rain from falling down?”  Ten points if you could sing it right now, including the high notes!!  This song begs for the question so many of us ask, yet offers no answers. The song ends with the singer begging an unknown source,  “Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.”

Haven’t so many of us asked the exact same question? We have had our hearts broken, and we long to know if it can be healed and who can heal it and how we can live again.

It comforts me to think that thousands of years ago, God made sure to acknowledge how painful and debilitating it can be to have a broken heart. Look at what King Solomon wrote: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”  (Proverbs 17:22)  Again, our broken hearts are addressed in Proverbs 18:14 which states, “The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” God knows having our heart broken is  worse than physical pain and takes our strength away. He understands the heaviness and the grief.

But God does not leave us there. He walks with us during the darkest and heaviest times. He, Himself, puts the thread in the needle and stitches our heart back together again. He gives the healing where needed.

How do we know this?

*Psalm 147:3, “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.”

*Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

*2 Corinthians 1:4, “He comforts us in all our troubles…”

*Matthew 11:28, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.””

I want to encourage you today that when your heart is hurting and you feel like it can never be whole again, reach out to Jesus. Talk to Him, tell Him how bad the pain is, lean on Him and let Him carry you. He will. He will sew us back together one stitch at a time.

Remember Job? Scripture tells us he cried out to God, he asked questions, he told God his deep grief and distress, but he continued to talk to Him. Sometimes all the strength we can muster is to speak the name of Jesus. He promises to listen.

Isn’t it interesting that the thing that can hurt us the most and break us down is the thing that God tells us determines the course of our life? Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, “Guard our hearts above all else, for it determines the course of our life.”  When we are so broken we can’t lift our heads off the pillow, we are not guarding ourselves. God knows that and it is why He offers to comfort and heal us; He will guard us until we can shield our hearts again. But that is also why God does not want us to stay there. He knows the longer we stay there, the harder it is to keep our hearts focused on Him.

Don’t misunderstand me here, this is not harsh, nor does God not understand the depth of our pain. This does not mean healing does not take time, energy, love, and prayers. He promises to walk with us, comfort us and heal us. He knows our healing is best for us, but that sometimes ultimate healing will not come until we are at home with Him.

“Weeping may last for the night (or many, many nights), but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.  It is a promise to cling to!

We need to let the Bee Gees know our hearts can be mended, and we can live again, with the strength and help of our King. There is always hope, but no one said it was easy or pain free.

“Father, comfort as only You can. We beg you to heal our broken hearts and begin to lift our heads off the pillow.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (feel free to follow me @TerrieTollerson on Instagram or check out TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life
All scripture is NLT. Italics are mine.

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 21, 2025

Know Your Account

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify [set apart] Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” 1 Peter 3:14-15 [bracketed notes mine]

Sweet friend, I know you feel it. The growing chasm between light and dark, good and evil. Is this indicating the “labor pains” of end times? Maybe. Maybe not. Every generation since the first-century Christians have had the same thought: “Wow, things in this world can’t possibly get any worse or more evil than they are now! Surely the Lord is coming back any minute!” The Word is clear, though, that only God knows the time…so we can’t lay hold of any of those rampant predictions. What we all should be doing, however, is living every day as if His return is imminent!

That’s why Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:14-15 seem to speak extra loudly for today. As followers of Jesus Christ, we will suffer for His sake…but we don’t have to worry or fear—He has overcome the world, and we’re living in His victory (John 16:33)! Oh, but Peter makes it very, very clear as to how we can live fearlessly in this dark world with an enemy that hates us. First, we must “sanctify Christ as Lord.” In other words, live in full submission to Him, loving and obeying His will for us. (And what’s “His will”? Get into His Word, and you’ll know!) Next, Peter exhorts us to be ready to explain our hope in Jesus—to give a defense when confronted in either curiosity or vitriol.

So, let me ask: Are you ready to give your account? Can you articulate what you believe—and why you’re a follower of Jesus?

Your story matters! Standing firm on the Gospel (Jesus’ victory) and your testimony not only gives us confidence in this dark world (per Peter’s letter), but this is how we overcome Satan (Rev 12:10-11). Sometimes, we can sit and have a long conversation with someone about our faith in Jesus. Other times, we only get a few seconds to give an account. So, no matter how long you’ve been a believer, let me encourage you to do a little exercise to prepare a 20-second testimony. There are three simple steps:

  1. “There was a time in my life when…” or “Before I surrendered my life to Christ…” Here, think of how you’d describe your life then. Consider your values, attitudes, idols, and actions. Sum this up in a few words.
  2. “Then I surrendered my life to Jesus…” Share how you became aware of your need for the Gospel—what the circumstances were when you accepted Jesus’ gift of grace.
  3. “Now that I have a relationship with Jesus…” or “Since then…” Describe the Great Exchange that happened for you. State your attitudes, beliefs, and actions now, especially as compared to before Christ. (We’re not saying here that after salvation life is rainbows and lollipops—it’s not. The Christian walk is hard…but we’re expressing our personal transformation and trust in the Lord as we walk toward Home.)

As an example, mine might go something like this: “I was lost and grasping for hope and satisfaction in the things of this world, trying so hard to do and be “good enough,” but drowning in my failures. But God revealed His grace to me through Jesus, pulling me out of the darkness to forgive and free me. Now, I am a new person! I live in the light His love, mercy, and grace, shining His light to glorify Him no matter my circumstances.”

Be ready, beloved! Know your why. Equip yourself with your story. It holds the power to keep you fearless in the face of worldly intimidation, enable you to overcome the enemy, and bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ.

“Heavenly Father, this world is so, so dark, and evil seems to be ramping up. Lord, give me the courage and boldness to speak the Truth of the Gospel, knowing YOUR WORD (the Bible) and MY WORD (testimony).”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 20, 2025

He Has My Heart

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:5 (ESV)

Lots of things grab our attention, and if we are really honest it’s not only our attention that’s at stake it’s our affections as well. It’s the marketing strategy that’s worked forever. What entices our gaze usually ends up fueling our desires as well. Exactly why commercials work. That pizza commercial on rotation leaves my stomach growling and my mouth watering despite the fact I just had dinner. We see something and see it again within a few hours and by the end of the night, we’re convinced we really need it.

Sounds all too familiar doesn’t it? Our affections are easily swayed in this world. Too many seemingly harmless stimulators vying for our attention. Yet if we are not careful where our gaze lands, we can find ourselves discontented and feeling less than in a flash. Worse yet, we can find our closet full of things we really didn’t need, because our affections are easily misplaced.

Perhaps this is why God chose the word “focus” for my year. I totally didn’t get it when January unveiled it, yet today there is not a doubt within me that God was preparing, securing and positioning me for the year ahead. As challenges and tragedies plagued those wintry days of February, I was reminded of how crucial my gaze was to not just my survival but my ability to thrive in the hard places.

We’ve all landed there – moments when life seems unbearable, uncertain and unplanned. And the temptation is to simply survive the next hour while gravitating toward anything that will give us some quick relief. Yet out of the depths of God’s loving kindness, He gently reminds us that maintaining our focus on Him is crucial and non-negotiable.

Hard places can be transformational places when we keep our gaze fixed on God. When we choose to pivot away from overwhelming circumstances and trust His strength, sovereignty and love to carry us through, we find ourselves standing strong even if our knees are wobbly. When we surround ourselves with God’s faithful word and cling to His promises even in the midst of desperation, we find He is trustworthy and true. And suddenly before we even realize it, He has our heart. The seed of our focus moves from sight to heart, and we feel loved and cherished.

Don’t know about you sweet friend, but the lover of my soul is none other than our Creator God who has met me at every hard place. Whether its loss, heartache or brokenness never has He failed me, discarded me or overlooked me. God has forever been good to me and continues to hold my unshakeable focus. And just in case you’re wondering, you don’t have to wait for hard to pivot your gaze, He alone is worthy of our complete devotion. Eyes focused on Him always births a heart that is forever His.

“Jesus, You are our sweet shepherd – there is nothing that we need.  Your loving kindness surrounds us, and Your strength enables us to journey through the hardest places. What deep joys are found in Your presence.”

For His Glory

 

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 17, 2025

One Missing Step….

cb devo july 29“…..there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10b (NIV)

Ever tried a new recipe and it just didn’t quite turn out? Happened to me last week right in the midst of making something I thought would be delish and healthy. Chocolate is my one true food of choice. I would skip steak, chicken, pasta – all for the devouring of a great chocolate dessert. So when a friend shared her Black Bean Brownie recipe, I couldn’t wait to make them myself.

Now, I have to admit my enthusiasm changed once I took that first batch out of the oven. You see, I skimmed through that recipe really fast as I blended all my ingredients together. Looked so dark and yummy, I poured them in the pan and waited anticipating my first bite. The smell was amazing when I opened the oven, and they looked absolutely perfect. But when I tried to cut them later, my brownies were more like a chocolate shake. Read back over my recipe carefully – yes I had used all the ingredients, yes I baked them at exactly the correct temperature. But I failed to do the most important step – drain the black beans before putting them in the food processor – now that explained a lot.

Amazing the difference one step can make from slightly imperfect to sweet perfection. Found it so true when my heart speaks confession yet leaves off true repentance. A simple turning away from sin and turning toward God. Caught up in the aftermath of our sinfulness, we long for relief of guilt and consequences. Admitting to God our wrongs and then unfortunately slipping right back to the same sin – leaving off the turning away.

Quick is our take these days. The faster we can put something behind us, the better we feel. Repentance, however, isn’t about a feeling it’s a determined mind to obey God’s word. It’s a deep abiding reverence for following His instructions and not leaving off even one step.

“Father, so thankful for Your grace that covers me and Your strength that empowers me to rise above my weaknesses. Even in my imperfections, You come and find me – leading me back to truth.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Mercy, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 16, 2025

Hanging In There

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1:2-4  NIV

Sometimes it seems we are constantly going through trials, doesn’t it? When you’re a child, you are concerned with getting through the next test, enduring the stress of puberty, facing peer pressure, and making decisions about your future. Later in adulthood, you cope with disappointing relationships, financial problems, child rearing, deaths in the family…I could go on and on. I look back on my life, and it seems like one trial after another.

I’m not complaining. God has made His presence known to me more clearly in the trials than at any other time, and I have rejoiced during it all because He was with me in a very real way. If you’ve never experienced that kind of closeness to God, you have something wonderful and marvelous to look forward to.

Perseverance takes faith to hang in there, no matter what. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could crank up some extra faith with some magic formula? But we can’t do it under human power. It takes God’s hand to increase our faith, and He does it by seeing us through difficulty.

Right now, I am going into a new trial I never faced before. Ask me to go through certain kinds of trials, and I am an old hand. It gets easier to trust God for a victorious outcome when you’ve been through it before, have known His presence, and have seen Him at work. That’s how your faith grows. But this new one, for me, is frightening. I can see a long struggle ahead, and I’m already tired.

I was having trouble considering it pure joy, as James instructed us in verse 2. Then I read down to verse 12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

So it’s my job to persevere, and He has promised to give me the crown of life at the appropriate time. I can rejoice over that!

“Dear Father, thank you for your faithfulness in seeing us through difficult situations. We ask for divine strength in persevering through life’s trials so we can look forward to hearing You say, ‘Well done,’ when we finally see You face to face.”

 

For His Glory

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

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 15, 2025

Happy Fall, Y’All

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (ESV)

Autumn is by far my all time favorite season. I love the smells of apple cider, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin chai waffling through the air. I can never get enough of the rich reds, oranges, and yellows falling from the trees. Pumpkin patches, fall markets, and hayrides are just a few of my highlights, but there are so many more! Can you really ever get enough sweater weather or fall plaids?!  It makes my heart smile just to think of this beautiful season we are marching into!

Fall is also a time of harvest, a time when we see the lovely greens of summer fields turning brown. Our garden is beginning to become barren and the bright, bushy grass is needing to be mowed less and less, and soon the mower will be put away until the next growing season.

As we transition from summer to fall, from hot days to cooler ones, may it cause us to pause and think about what is really important. Changing seasons are always a great time to reflect.  God’s Word tells us that everything has a season and that change is always upon us. We know that all too well, as births and marriages occur and we celebrate, and illness, loss, and death occur and we mourn. Our lives run in seasons.

It has been said the only things that are certain are death and taxes, but God’s Word disagrees. He tells us that no matter what season comes next, His Word, His Truth, will stand forever.

As we fall into autumn:), it is a reminder that our focus needs to be on God and His Word at all times, so that we are prepared for the seasons ahead of us. I could have never predicted some of the seasons I have walked through, good and bad, and I’m sure you could say the same. In His awesomeness, God gave us something we can cling to throughout each season, His Word. He reminds us we have His Word, His beautiful letter to us, that will never change. We can count on it as He promised! Read it each day and let His Words speak to you!

“Lord, help us not get caught up in things that might distract us, but, as a new season is upon us,  help us to keep our focus on You and Your Word, the one thing that we can always count on. Thank you for giving it to us.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 14, 2025

Status Change

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1

I’m not a social media person. In fact, I am completely disconnected from all things Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat, etc. (It makes me a much happier and calmer person, truth be told. And it helps preserve my friendships—I know you know what I mean.) That being said, I am aware of the all-important “status” setting of some platforms. It’s a key acknowledgment of personal identification, upon which others can make assumptions and take particular actions. And it’s a big deal when one’s status changes. Going from “single” to “engaged” or to “married” are significant milestones in our social-media-driven culture.

But, sisters, do you know that when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you undergo an immediate status change? We are born into this world as slaves to sin (John 8:34). We are not all “good” to be corrupted by the world, as some might say. We are corrupt by a fallen nature and sinning is our human nature. (We don’t have to teach a toddler to lie, now do we?)

When He chose to die on Calvary, Jesus purchased us with His precious blood—He gave His life for ours. The price of our sin has been paid in full. So, when we surrender our life to Jesus and live by His Word, we are set free from this bondage (John 8:31-32; 36)! Our focus shifts from serving our fleshly desires to willfully serving the Lord and glorifying God in all we do. Going from “slave” to “free” is a pretty cool status change,

But wait! There’s more!

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir.”

(Galatians 4:4-7 NLT; see also Romans 8:14-17)

Christ did not just come to this earth to free us…He came to make us children of God (John 1:12). And, as heirs, we will abide in the Father’s house forever (John 8:35), with an indescribable inheritance awaiting us in Heaven. Sisters, upon salvation we are not only freed by God’s amazing grace, we become a new creation altogether (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are brought into the family of God.

We go from “slave” to “child”—and this is the ultimate status change.

“Father, what a joy and privilege it is to be counted among Your children! May I use this status to invite others into the family.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 13, 2025

The Perfect Destination

“A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way? Proverbs 20:24 (ESV)

Have you ever tried to over navigate your Google directions? I’m definitely geographically challenged and can get lost ever so easily. So why I would even consider overriding Google maps is insane.

This summer I headed to the DMV in Bedford and thought I remembered its exact location. Have to admit, I hadn’t visited this DMV since my son got his learner’s permit (too many years to count). And to make sure I arrived in time for my appointment, I pulled up the DMV in Google maps and drove out my driveway. Crazy thing is Google was so wrong (or so I thought). It kept taking me around and around in a circle headed towards the Bedford Walmart. I would switch and go another way in hopes of seeing that all too familiar building only to end up back at the Walmart parking lot. Finally I gave in, and you will never believe it but the DMV moved into one of the buildings located at Walmart.

While I can laugh and get frustrated over my attempts to override Googles directions, I would have never reached my desired destination if I’d kept charting my own path to get there.

Sweet friends, how many times do we land in this place of charting our own course in life only to find we are circling in the wrong direction? Yes, I’ve landed in this place too many times. Why? Because my directed course looks so familiar so it must be right.

One big problem here  – when we chart our course, we forget that God doesn’t always take us down the same path on repeat. Often He will lead in a different direction because that is where growth and transformation will take place. When unfamiliar stares us in the face, we are stretched outside our comfort zone and our self-sufficiency no longer serves us well. In those moments, we must pivot and lean on God’s wisdom and guidance to arrive at the perfect destination He has planned.

Sounds so easy, but it is hard to release our direction and embrace His. Yet it is totally worth it every time. Our limited perspective only sees one way…one direction. What worked in the past – what we envision for now. God’s divine perspective sees everything, and He alone knows how all things work and fit together to accomplish His purposes. The direction He has for today will teach us to trust Him more and position us for His best.

New paths are new opportunities to lean into God’s wisdom and embrace the growth He desires to accomplish in us. New paths open up new challenges which require utter dependence on God’s strength. New paths offer us a deeper relationship with the One who always leads us in the victory – it’s a win, win, we have nothing to lose.

 

“Father thank You for charting our course, leading us and guiding us each step of the way. Following hard after You never disappoints and it’s the best way to live our lives.”

 
For His Glory

 

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 10, 2025

When Scattering Invites Blessing

“Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.”  Acts 8:4 (ESV)

Just the mention of the word “scatter” can evoke a negative vibe.  We are creatures of habit and love our besties, our Bible study tribe and our inner circle of sweet friends.  So the thought of dividing up…spreading out…casting in all directions simply doesn’t appeal to us.  We love the comfort of those we’ve been doing life with, and we can’t imagine the dissolving of such a good thing.  But if there is no scattering could it be possible we are missing out on the blessing of spreading God’s love in a different direction?

The book of Acts unveils the beauty of a scattering.  The early church was facing immense persecution in Jerusalem.  Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, was martyred – stoned to death.  Saul was savagely persecuting believers entering their homes and dragging men and women to prison (Acts 8:3).  Desperate times sent the early believers scattering throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria preaching the good news.  This forced, unwanted dispersing ultimately culminated in many receiving the gospel.

Fast forward to 2025 and we have absolutely no excuse for not spreading the gospel.  We might face ridicule and criticism, but the church of God in America isn’t facing persecution like the church in Acts.   Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is easier than ever, yet we often desire to stay confined within the walls of sweet fellowship with believers rather than spending time with those who don’t know Jesus.

Wonder how God feels about our settling for ease?  Matthew 28:16 commands us to go – to make disciples – to scatter into all the world preaching the gospel to everyone.  Now that’s definitely not a clinging to my group mentality at all.  God’s plan was for us to enjoy fellowship but not at the expense of resisting sharing His truths with others.

Love the amazing testimony of Elisabeth Elliot who took the Great Commission seriously.  Her husband, Jim, was martyred by the Waodani Indians.  A year later, two Waodani women walked out of their tribal land into a remote village not far from where Elisabeth was still serving as a missionary.  When she heard the news, Elisabeth left her young daughter with a friend and walked six hours to meet these women.  She brought them back to her home to live with her so she could learn their language.  Eventually Elisabeth, her daughter and Rachel Saint lived among the very people who speared her husband to death and many from this tribe believed in God.

Scattering isn’t comfortable or easy.  Yet,  I can only imagine how beautiful it will be when we stand before our God and see those who came to know Him as a result of our willingness to disperse and share the gospel.

“Father, sharing the gospel with our world is a privilege we don’t want to neglect.  Help us to step outside our comfort zone and boldly tell others of Your love for them.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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