Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 3, 2020

Choosing Freedom

“And God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Exodus 20:1 (NIV)

A personal God who intervenes on behalf of His people – who could ask for more? His desire is release, freedom and deliverance so that we can enjoy the abundant life. Who wouldn’t be empowered to seize their Promised Land? Yet the Children of Israel seemed reluctant to embrace the road to freedom. God alone was the One who knew every detail of their past. He saw them getting caught in the snare; He witnessed their wanderings, bargainings, and complainings– yet God excused none of it. They didn’t move out of their bondage due to a twelve step program, diligence, or discipline. They moved out because God’s mighty hand led them out.

Even on the freedom road, the Israelites often cherished the memory of the very life that kept them enslaved. Selective memory erased oppression when traveling in the wilderness became hard. Despite God’s daily provisions, they always wanted what they had left behind. Perhaps the fear of tasting and walking in true freedom was more than they could even imagine.

Sound familiar? Aren’t we guilty of looking back and seeing the good, while God looks back and sees the path to destruction? We feel more comfortable with our norm bondage than the release of those chains holding us back. We stay stuck, unmoveable because fear keeps us locked in place. The fear of experiencing something so much bigger and grander than we could have ever imagined. The fear of letting go of what doesn’t serve us well for what will serve us greater. The fear of having to do the hard work of trusting and obeying as God transforms us one step at a time.

Redeeming His relationship with us, God proves His power to lift us up and beyond the remnants of our sinful past; however, God isn’t just the God of the past. He is in our present and our future. He knows what it will take for us to reach our Promised Land and some of us won’t pay the price. We will settle for Egypt and chose slavery to past sins, habits, devastation, heartbreak, etc. And when we do, we will miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Father, transforming our lives is the goal of Your deliverance. Teach us to grab a hold of Your hand and cherish the freedom You offer.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 2, 2020

We Are Family

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)

Growing up in Brazil, my Italian side of the family lived in the same neighborhood, which meant there were plenty of cousins to play with. I remember my grandpa calling us by silly nicknames that depicted our physical characteristics, instead of addressing us by our names. Today I understand why.

When I was raising my three sons, it was not uncommon for me to mistakenly call one by the other’s name. Sometimes if I tried twice and still didn’t get the child’s name correctly, I would simply say, “whoever you are,” come here! Over the years, I have realized that most parents experience this at least once. I can only imagine what happens in the Duggar household, with their 19 & counting brood! I don’t think I’d waste any time trying to figure out which “J” name would come next, if I’d missed it once or twice already…. I’d just start calling them “you.”

This kind of chaos would never happen if God was calling out the names of His children. His word says He knows our names, and He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs. It blows my mind to think that God knows me by name, and He has a name for each star in the sky.

Being a child of God is a joy and an honor. Knowing that our Father loves us so much that He did not spare His only Son, Jesus, for our sake, definitely puts an emphasis on the word “family.” He is our Father; we are protected and safe in Him. No matter what the world calls us, to Him, we are family.

“Thank You, Lord, for loving us and for being our Abba Father. We love You, Daddy.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 30, 2020

Follow Your Heart?

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

“Just follow your heart!” We hear it all the time, especially among friends or acquaintances discussing big (or not-so-big) decisions to be made. You and I have most likely been given this counsel—or maybe even given it.

But, according to God’s Word, this is actually terrible advice.

Let’s not forget: We are sinners. We are made in God’s image, but we are fallen and have a sinful nature. In other words, our natural inclinations and desires are not trustworthy at all. Despite today’s popular cultural “gurus” (and even some “Christian” leaders) are saying, doing what we feel is right and best for us will likely lead to an undesirable destination.

Wisdom and truth are not within us. They come only from God. Here are several popular lies and their contradictory facts:

LIE: Know “your truth.”
TRUTH: Be still and know that only God is God. (Psalm 46:10)
TRUTH: Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6)

LIE: Your power comes from within.
TRUTH: Apart from Jesus, you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
TRUTH: You can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you. (Phil 4:13)

LIE: Look inside yourself for wisdom.
TRUTH: If you lack wisdom, ask God, and He’ll give it to you—generously. (James 1:5)

LIE: The answer is deep within your heart.
TRUTH: Your heart is wicked and will deceive you. (Jeremiah 17:9)

As humans, our bend is to do the wrong thing. Even when we’ve surrendered to Jesus as our Lord and Savior—and we are new creations—it’s still a battle. (I mean, if the Apostle Paul can share that he does the things he knows he shouldn’t and vice versa, we’re in good company.) So, throughout the Bible, God nails this point home time and time again (He knows how thick we are): Wisdom for living—for those big decisions and small ones—comes from God and His Word.

As David wrote in Psalm 119, God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I don’t know about you, but I’ll choose to follow that path…not my heart.

“Lord, I’m so grateful for Your Word to show me the way as I, a sinner, walk through this dark world. Let each step I take be according to Your Truth.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 29, 2020

Honoring Those We Love

“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

When I got out of my comfy bed Sunday morning, I took a warm shower. Our house temp was perfect despite the humidity lingering outside. As I began to get ready for church, my husband (Jay) told me a local food bank needed help with meals for Father’s Day. So we changed gears and headed downtown.

A battered station wagon rolled into the parking lot. The grey haired, stooped man slowly emerged. The top of his car and the filled backseat with all his belongings confirmed this was his home. He was actually one of the lucky ones; he had transportation and a roof over his head. Ninety percent of the others who came to pickup their meal traveled by foot.

Homeless, out of work, struggling – too many stories untold yet evidenced on their faces. It was an ordinary occurrence for them to walk up to the door and receive a meal, bag of groceries and water. The shame of where life and circumstances had taken them often characterized their stride. Yet their lives depended on this meal, and their gratitude was evident.

Most of those who came for meals were men, some with little ones standing by their side. Jay and I were so blessed to encourage these men and wish them a Happy Father’s Day, and I really wish you could’ve seen their faces light up. It was a great way to honor them.

As we left to go home, I knew serving these meals was also the perfect way for us to honor our Dads who are now in heaven. My Dad had such a servant’s heart; he never knew a stranger and was always willing to help others even if his pockets were empty. Knowing Jay as such a servant, I’m sure his Dad probably was too. Today was a special moment when God allowed us to honor our Dads by serving men in our community – Dads who needed encouragement.

I can’t think of a better way to honor anyone than to find a way to serve others in their memory. Ultimately all that we do is to honor our Heavenly Father – to be a reflection of His love and grace. Praying we find ways to put a smile on His face this week by the way we imitate Him to our world.

“Father, so grateful and blessed with an opportunity to show your love to those who desperately needed to be reminded of Your forgiveness and grace. Help me to keep my eyes open and not miss opportunities to honor You by loving others.

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 26, 2020

When Chatter Becomes Careless

“When words are many transgressions is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lip is prudent.” Proverbs 10:19 (ESV)

As a kid, I rarely kept quiet. Words spewed effortlessly from my lips, and my friends often called me, “Motormouth.” I’m sure there were many moments when I probably drove my parents crazy with my nonstop chatter. I always had something to say. I was never speechless, despite the fact silence would have served me well on several occasions.

While my childhood chatter was amusing, an unceasing flow of words can easily open the door to carelessness. We’ve probably all experienced the aftermath of speaking without thinking. And if we’re really getting honest, we’ve said some words we meant in the moment but later regretted. Evidence of why pause before uttering a sound is good advice. Silence serves us well when emotions are raging high.

Keeping it real here – gossip, slander and criticism aren’t quite the gracious words mentioned in Proverbs 16:24. No sweetness for the soul who is the hot topic of those conversations. Without a second of hesitation, we can easily tear down, wound and minimize others. Like a thrusting sword, reckless words shred vulnerable souls.

Bottom line – God never intended for our words to destroy or hurt others. The One who breathed life into our longs and enables us to speak desires words which birth life, love and grace. And if we’re not sure what to say or what not to say, we don’t’ have to wonder. Proverbs and the book of James are full of examples demonstrating the importance of taming our tongue. Great wisdom and knowledge for those who seek to build others up rather than tear them down (Ephesians 4:29).

Perhaps, we all need to evaluate our spoken and written words. Are we reflecting the love of God? Do we find great pleasure in devouring others with our words? Do we say, write, tweet or post without pausing to consider how others may perceive our words? Are we opinionated and argumentative?

Yes, a lot to think about when it comes to unceasing chatter. Lots of words filling the air we breathe in every day. Easy to get caught up in the trap of saying whatever we want, whatever we feel in the moment. Takes great restrain to stop, pause and think before even one syllable utters from our lips.

Love this sweet reminder from Psalm 19:4 “Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Plain and simple – God is aware of our internal and external speech – let’s choose to make Him proud by weighing the value of what we are saying before we speak.

“Father, You have given us specific instructions on how we can lift up and encourage others. Help us to heed Your wisdom and speak life to all we meet.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Growth, Success, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 25, 2020

A Sweet Aroma

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

One day, I was driving down a road when suddenly a foul smell enveloped the air. Even though my car windows were closed, I had to roll them down, because the air inside my car became almost unbreathable. I looked to both sides of the road, wondering what could cause such an awful stench, when I spotted a landfill. A giant pile of spoils, garbage, things that were disposed of by people from the area were sent to that remote area of town to be destroyed.

Many times in life, we find ourselves in rotten situations, pretty much like a landfill. It may be gossip at work, or a broken relationship, something we said and can’t take back, and so on. Sometimes we long for good counsel and all we get is bad advice that makes our situation much worse and in some instances, unsolvable.

This is why we must fill our minds and hearts with the word of God and surround ourselves with good people. People who will pray for us, encourage us, and lift us up when we can’t get up on our own. Good friends are like treasures and having good friends can make our lives so much better, because they become our accountability partners. When garbage around us begins to fill our minds, they let us know and they help us to get rid of it.

Garbage and filth do not belong in our hearts. When we let God in and allow Him to push the garbage out, the smell that will fill the air around us will be a sweet aroma of praise and worship to Him. The windows of our hearts can be swung right open because His Name will keep the garbage out.

“Lord, thank You for transforming the garbage in our life and the baggage that we once carried into a sweet aroma of praise to You.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 24, 2020

Desiring Easy

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.” Matthew 11:28 & 30 (GNB)

Lay down your burdens. Leave your cares at the cross. I’ve heard it all. I’ve done it all. In good faith, emotions high, desiring to be set free. And then, life happens. The darkness returns. Hope fades. The walls come up and my desire to run, far away, returns. How did my mountaintop moment descend into inescapable bondage?

“We have too many Lego bricks”, I murmur as I look across my children’s play area. I too have bricks. One pile is called “Not Listened to.” As a child my parents divorced, spent little time with me, drank too much and allowed me to be abused; no one listened. Another pile is called “Rejection.” That’s the deluxe Lego kit for those who want to impress with the number of pieces in the box. Rejection from the earliest I can remember: not being invited, not being good enough, not being the right look, not being part of the in-crowd or the chosen leaders. If something even feels remotely similar to rejection, I pull up my pile of Rejection bricks. And from that mountain of pain, I operate. I judge, analyze, replay details over and over. Of course, I add a few more bricks to the pile. I like to think that these bricks were put in place only in childhood but truthfully I’ve added too many to count as an adult. I have numerous stacks of bricks of varying heights and age; some have toppled over, others stand strong beckoning the addition of a few more.

May we bring our stored bricks of hurt, wounding and pain to our Father’s throne. May we receive grace to recognize the difference between today’s hurts and those of yesterday. We beg for the healing of both. May we be reminded that God’s touch caused the deaf man to hear. As He placed His hands on the blind man’s eyes, he saw. God has ordained all our days and has provided for us wholeness in Him. We simply need to receive it.

“Father, may I use the bricks of life for what you intended – creativity, fun with friends and to make beautiful structures that hold dreams and possibilities for the future. And I do this all for Your Glory for my only hope is in You.”

For His Glory

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 23, 2020

Fully Known. Completed Loved.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

Have you ever been in a crowd of people—even among friends—and still felt all alone? Or, maybe, you’ve experienced walking around your office, participating in various conversations throughout the day…but still, loneliness pervades like a descended fog through which you have to wade. And sometimes, even when you’re spending time with your spouse, children, or bestie, there it is again: that sense of disconnectedness.

As human beings, created by God in His own image, our souls pine for relationship. At a superficial level, we want others to like us. We may think carefully about how we act and what we say, hoping to make a good impression on others. You could say, we’ve opened the curtains to the front room that is always tidy and dusted.

A bit deeper, though, it’s about being known and liked. As a relationship grows, we carefully lift the veil of our souls for another to peek inside. It’s like we’ve allowed them to walk through to the kitchen, getting glimpses into several areas of our home—they take in the décor, the type of furniture, the wall colors. If revelation is met with acceptance, warmth envelopes our heart.

Ah, but let’s be honest. Just like those doors that remain closed in our home, concealing the messes, we have cordoned off parts of ourselves to only a select few. And when our courage is mustered and risk ventured, we bare it all. The ultimate hope? To be fully known and still loved.

Sisters, when we experience this, it is pure soul satisfaction—because this is why we were made. But there is bad news: Human-to-human, this is rare. As fallen people, there’s always going to be selfish ambitions and motivations. There are unique sets of filters through which we see others and the world—filters crafted with every experience and relationship—good, bad, and just plain ugly.

The wonderful news? Our Creator God, the One who formed us in our mother’s womb, the One from Whom we cannot hide…He. Knows. Us. Fully. And, regardless of our past, no matter our failures, whatever hurtful words we’ve spoken…God loves us without condition.

Here is a song that speaks beautifully of His love—give it a listen.

“Lord, thank You that I am fully known and loved by You—no matter how lonely I feel in this world.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 22, 2020

When Sin Spills Over…

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:15 (ESV)

Ever noticed how it’s the adults who tend to be the spillers? To be honest, my fingers have released too many glasses to the floor. And shattered glass is very difficult to get up. No matter how many times you vacuum or sweep there always seems to be a tiny sliver remaining. Bare feet never like to be the recipients of what is left behind – ouch!

Bet we never like to experience the ripple effect of sin either. We can attempt to convince ourselves that what we choose to do only effects us, but nothing is further from the truth. Like tiny sightless slivers of glass, our sinful actions hurt and harm others. You don’t have to look far into scripture to see the impact of sin. Cain killed his brother leaving Adam and Eve separated from both of their children (Genesis 4:11). Jonah purposefully resisted God’s instructions which threatened the life of sailors transporting him to Tarshish (Jonah 1:4). The books of I & II Kings and I & II Chronicles details those kings who embraced idol worship and lead people into evil practices resulting in defeat.

Interesting how much we want to avoid the ripple of others’ sinful actions, but we easily minimize our on. After all, we aren’t hurting anyone but ourself echoes carelessly from our lips. We easily forget sin’s impact when we are the ones choosing wrong. We even close our eyes to the fallout and relinquish our contribution. But our actions and disobedience affects believers and non-believers. Like a continuous wave of devastation, the fallout of sin doesn’t discriminate. None of us are immune.

Sweet friends, let’s release those excuses when we are tempted to disobey God’s word. Let’s hit pause and remember those moments when we allowed sin to win and the pleasure of the moment evaporated. Pain and heartache quickly followed, and others were impacted by our actions. A tour down memory lane can derail us from moving forward. A gentle tug providing a way of escape can propel us away from regrets.

Love the way our God knows all and yet still extends grace. Sins confessed and repented are covered and forgotten by our loving God. But the aftermath, the ripple and the slivers, still have the propensity to linger.

We each have a choice – resist sin or reap the consequences – let’s determine now to choose well.

“Father, Your word reminds us of the impact of our sinful actions – help us to avoid the pain of hurting ourselves and others.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Hope, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 19, 2020

When Silence Wins

“Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” Luke 8:18 (ESV)

Ever heard loud and still didn’t hear? You know like a distracting noise was so loud you didn’t understand a single word spoken. My husband has this wonderful device; I’m sure you’ve seen it. A tiny little piece perched in his ear picks up his voice and everything else. His Bluetooth enables him to communicate when he’s driving or working – great. No not so great. Despite the many variations he has owned, the background noise often drowns out his sweet voice. The jingle and screeching noise is not music to my ears. Humor works to soothe my otherwise irritated soul. So despite our efforts to stay connected, I remain clueless until I only hear his voice.

Amazing how much distracting noise feeds my day. Until we sit in the silence, we don’t even recognize the loud stealing away thoughts and interrupting peace. And if I dare be honest, my own distracting voice often overrides God’s still small voice whispering to my soul. Clarity, depth and understanding are often exchanged in the chatter of everything else.

Wonder what would happen if we rid ourselves of noise and breathed in deep of God’s presence? Instead of reading His words with the tv buzzing in the background, we would create silence. Ridding ourselves of the endless self-talk rummaging through our minds even in the silence. Disconnecting from everyone and everything so we can re-connect with the One who speaks life, hope and peace. An open invitation to glean insight. A clean slate to welcome authentic, engaging conversation with our Creator – the One who knows us inside and out.

Maybe it simply sounds too good to be true. Could we really let go of all the distractions, lists, and preconceived ideas to come away with God to a deeper place. One that promises to fill our empty souls and refresh our tired minds. One who has always been available 24/7 before the cliché was spoken. One who hears words we haven’t even spoken. An audience with our King who rules the world, holds it all together and gathers His children. Why? Because out of His great love, God longs to speak, whisper and draw us close.

“Father help us to not drop the connection and to choose silence. To simply sit in Your presence and only listen in the quiet for Your still small voice.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Worship

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