Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 1, 2019

A Simple Thanks

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

Easy to forget we all need “a good word.” Like the maid who cleans up our room at a hotel who’s picking up all the stuff that missed the trash can. Like the cashier who’s exhausted from standing on her feet and still smiles. Like the waitress whose children miss her because she’s working two jobs to pay the rent. Like the janitor at our kid’s school who picks up discarded books yet can’t read.

Do we ever really know the story behind the lives of those who serve us? Sadly, we often just think it’s their job to do what they do. Wonder what would happen if instead of ignoring their presence or rarely acknowledging they exist, we genuinely said, “Thank you.”

Sweet lady was cleaning the locker room the other day. While I was working out, she was scrubbing floors, washing toilets, cleaning mirrors – I think you get the picture. From a distance, she simply appeared to blend right in the room. Everyone busy to get their workout down, showered and back to work. Walking right in front of her at times, walking past her as if she didn’t exist. Been guilty of that myself – too absorbed in my world to notice her.

She was just doing her job. Showing up for her 9 to 5 every day. Cleaning up after others’ mess. Wiping everything down – doing exactly what she’d done a million times. Nothing extraordinary about this morning or at least that’s what she thought. But then when she least expected it, someone said, “Thank you – you’re doing a great job – thanks so much!” And in that moment a smile graced her weary face as though she’d never heard those words. Sweetest picture ever to witness the unnoticed relishing in a moment of joy.

Jesus didn’t have that hurried step we call busy and distracted. He wasn’t consumed with self or an agenda jam packed into three years of ministry. Jesus took the time to heal the sick, embrace the broken and wash the feet of those who’d later turn their backs and run. Humility defined Jesus’ every step – the Son of God walking among us, serving the very ones He came to save. Shouldn’t we be doing the same?

“Father, You sent Your Son to this world and He left us echoing the words, “Love one another.” Help us to show Your love to our world.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 29, 2019

Willing To Receive

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

Don’t you just love being on the receiving end? You know unwrapping presents or having someone treat you to lunch. Gotta just love it when we’re the one who gets the surprise delivery at work or a freebie when we walk into the store. Maybe just once in a while, we find ourselves with a hand full of treats simply because someone thought we were special. And that smile on our face tells it all – we absolutely love it.

Have you ever found yourself on the receiving end of a gift you didn’t like? Perhaps it was Mary who knitted you a purple scarf to match the red mittens she gave you last year. Even better, how about the blender you got from your husband on your birthday? Dare we mention the casserole that showed up at our doorstep from the friendly neighbor who definitely can’t cook. Regardless, we grinned and said thank you even though our hearts longed for something else.

Found myself there the other day – God handed me a gift, and it was one I really didn’t want. He had especially picked this out for me. He allowed it to happen, and believe it or not, He wouldn’t take any returns. God’s outstretched hand ensured me this one was handpicked.

Now we’d all rather have that sparkling diamond than a bottle of cleaner to make our windows sparkle. Yet God in His sovereignty often extends gifts to us that buff out the rough spots and enable us to shine as women of God who glorify His name. His gifts are intentional. His gifts stretch our faith and promote deep growth. And yes, His gifts promise the beauty of producing great fruit in our lives.

What gift are you unwrapping this week? Is it the gift of discouragement that will teach you how to lift your eyes above your circumstances? Is it the gift of suffering that will teach you the value of life and seizing every moment? Is it the gift of struggle and wrestling with doubts? Regardless, God has entrusted that gift into your hands – now what will you do with it? Make Him proud sweet friend – dazzle Him with your steadfast faith. Whisper thank you in the dark even though you long for something else.

“Father, thank You for the gifts that transform our lives to shine for You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 28, 2019

His Refining

“You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” James 1:3 (MSG)

The word diamond comes from the Greek word “Adamas”, which means indestructible. “Natural” diamonds are formed by severe temperature and extreme pressure. Invisible about 90 miles below in the Earth’s mantle under tons of different kinds of sediment where the temperature is at least 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

After years of being hidden during the transformation from carbon to a stone under the Earth’s weight and heat it’s hard to fathom that something of so much worth and desire comes out of the ashes. Once unearthed, the hardest naturally formed substance known to man reveals itself as a diamond in the rough. At first glance the chunk of rock might not look like much from the untrained eye. However, in the hands of an expert gem cutter something wonderful develops. With precise cutting, chiseling and shaping a precious, pristine and polished diamond comes to life. What was once thought of as useless with no value has developed into a priceless work of art.

Has the Lord allowed enormous pressure and heat to invade your life? Has the transformation taken longer than you anticipated? During the refining process have you felt hidden and alone? Perhaps on some days it was a struggle to put one foot in front of the other as you journeyed in obedience towards the expectancy of God’s promises; building dynamic faith under pressure. All the while, whispering every step of the way…I trust and believe You Lord.

God has purposefully hidden you while He has been preparing and equipping you in the furnace of life. He’s been making a diamond out of you. At God’s appointed time you will be found. When you have been discovered its evident you are not what you used to be. Your life has been in the hands of an expert gem cutter. God has precisely cut and chiseled the rugged imperfections out of our lives. He carves away undesirable features and smooths rough edges. When it’s time for unveiling a flawless, indestructible and brilliant diamond is ready to shine illuminating His glory and His namesake.

For His Glory

Kim Lacey Schock (www.KimLaceySchock.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 27, 2019

When Listening Is Essential

“The Lord came and stood there calling as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak for your servant is listening.” I Samuel 3:10 (NIV)

Grocery shopping used to be uneventful, but now I know all the drama consuming the girl standing in line behind me. Too much information, but she is oblivious to the fact that everyone is hearing her conversation, including several giggling toddlers. Me, I just want to checkout and go home.

Tuning out all the excess chatter takes practice, but if we’re not careful we may start to tune out the wrong things. Listening is a dying art – one that we proclaim we do – but our actions reveal we often don’t. Multi-tasking works great in juggling schedules, managing our homes and being productive on the job. But buried beneath tasks, lists and noise, we often find ourselves missing the real silent message given by our children, our spouse or co-workers.

Wonder how many times we’ve sat at the feet of Jesus and then walked away with no information? Oh, yes, we came with questions. We even poured our hearts out – our live drama was for His ears alone. But when we finished, we were all done – we got up and walked away. Feeling better for our unloading of emotions, yet lacking His words because we failed to wait and listen. Maybe we’d already decided what direction to take. Maybe we were too distracted to give Him our full attention because we were the center of our attention.

Real listening is all about – giving someone else our undivided attention. Slowing down and being intentionally focused so we don’t miss what they are saying. Wonder what we may have missed because He called our name anticipated we would come and linger, but we weren’t listening?

“Father, it is so easy to glide through my day tuning in and out to the noise – listening to bite size conversations. Help me to know, linger and hear Your voice.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Prayer, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 26, 2019

Set Apart For God

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)

As I make my fourth journey through the One Year Bible, I am frustrated by the way my thoughts wander when I read through the exhaustive details of God’s specifications for setting up the tabernacle. Fast forward to the specification for making sacrifices and the Books of Leviticus and Numbers and the same thing happens. I simply zone out. These details fail to captivate me. But God’s Word says that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So this year, I stopped and prayed…inviting God to help me find meaning in these seemingly meaningless details.

Sweet friends, God is so faithful. Through various devotions and Bible verses, He showed me this pattern —God’s provision of specific instructions when He was “setting apart” people for Himself. When Noah found favor in the eyes of God (Gen. 6:8), God set him and his family apart to rescue them from the flood, giving Noah specific instructions for building the ark. When He sent Moses to Egypt, He gave him detailed instructions for persuading Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, so that they could be set apart for God. In the wilderness, God provided detailed instructions regarding their provision and the collection of manna, Godly living through the Ten Commandments, and worship through His plans for setting up the tabernacle and even details about the garments His priests would wear—all because He was setting them apart to be His Holy people. You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. (Leviticus 20:26)

Reflecting on these and other Biblical texts dealing with God’s specific instructions to His people, left me longing. Longing to hear from God and receive specific instructions—a detailed pattern to follow. But even as this thought formed in my head, a picture of Jesus came to mind. He is our pattern. Our detailed, specific, living example of how to live a life set apart.

I am challenged by God’s Word, along with these words of Oswald Chambers, “Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (John 17:21-23). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit’s work in us?”

“Lord, I desire to be set apart for you. Help me to obediently follow the pattern of Jesus, just as the Old Testament heroes followed your instructions. Thank you that you provide all that I need to follow you. Create in me a heart that is willing and surrendered to the work of the Holy Spirit.”

For His Glory

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 25, 2019

In Sync With His Words

“For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your faithfulness to the truth—how you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 3-4

Gray, black, white – I’m really not sure where this falls? Ever found yourself there – in the midst of information, supposed facts and you’re just not convinced. Or perhaps you’ve navigated through a situation and watched the blend of black and white options melt into gray. Today’s “real” truth often gets diluted to suit what we want it to become – never a good place to land. Real issue is we are not the only ones affected by our variance of comfortable truth.

Growing up, I never doubted what my parents told me. Sitting in the classroom, I wasn’t tempted to discount what I was being taught or question a hidden agenda. Instead, I trusted the sources in my life that projected truth because their version of truth lined up with God’s truth.

Not so easy for us today. Facebook posts, tweets and instagrams give anyone a voice. And those voices sound convincing. Anyone can easily slip from a clear black and white truth to a melted gray within moments. Sad thing is sometimes we don’t even realize we’ve been deceived. Why? Because listening to the wrong voices gradually desensitizes our ability to discern the truth. Even sadder, wonder if we know the difference from our “personal” version of truth and Biblical truth?

Walking in God’s truth doesn’t just happen by chance. Intentionally, deliberately and faithfully clinging to God’s word will unveil the truth – not my truth or your truth – but the only truth. And that kind of truth, sweet friends doesn’t just saturate our minds it is lived out in our day to day.

No greater way to influence and impact those we love than to trade gray for the real deal. No slipping, no compromising, no denying what God has said. Just a trustworthy settling and not letting go. And the most beautiful thing is our commitment to gather truth spreads to those we encounter. Making our God proud and full of joy that we are leading the way, moving in sync with His words even in a dark world.

“Father, settle us on Your unchangeable truth. Reveal any tendencies we have to excuse and rationalize what we want to believe versus standing firm on Your word. Plant our feet, root us deep and teach us to cling to Your truth alone.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 22, 2019

With Open Arms

“The one who believes in the Son has eternal life…..” John 3:36a (HCSB)

W-2 sends me gathering…searching for receipts. It’s almost the end of March – hard to believe. Seems like yesterday was Christmas and today, I’m trying to remember where I put all those papers I need to file my taxes. I’ve been busy uncovering my piles and making new stacks that I dare anyone to move. Clusters of little papers occupying a corner of my desk – my hopes of breaking even.

Wonder if we ever gather in hopes of breaking even with God? Do we search for proof of all we’ve done? This deed supersedes that wrong attitude. Serving others will replace my lack of tithing. Forgiving someone else exchanged for my pursuit of selfish ambition. The balancing of the scales as if I can earn, achieve or buy God’s approval.

Love the fact God spells it out clearly – there is none righteous no not one. He makes it plan, concrete and without excuse – we all fall short of His glory. There is no earning of heaven – the price well beyond our reach. There is no exchange of good deeds versus bad deeds or convincing God we’re worthy. Our list of achievements, sacrifices and financial gifts will never earn us God’s approval.

Instead, God sees our sin and failures. He watches us walk in disobedience. He witnesses the thoughts and inner workings motivated by our sinful hearts that perhaps no one ever glimpses. Hidden and tucked away concealed by pretense. And the amazing truth despite our unworthiness, God invites, compels and draws us to Himself. Willingly, He offers us forgiveness and redemption bathed in mercy and grace. Knowing it all, seeing it all – yet God welcomes us with open arms.

“Sweet Jesus, our future is secured with You – Heaven is our eternal home – we are so blessed.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 20, 2019

When Instability Overwhelms – We Draw Close

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7 (ESV)

No one wants to hear the dreaded words, “your credit card has been compromised.” Ouch! Sends chills down my spine. The very thought of someone getting access to our information and yet worse spending our hard earned money on their shopping spree – not a happy moment. Actually terrifying, scary and angry better describe the emotions emerging when what we thought was safe and secure is now exposed.

While surviving a hacked card is doable none of us want to go through the hassle and red tape to get it all straight. And the very thought of being safe and secure vanishes in the blink of an eye. Distrust and fear can loom large impacting our every move. Why? Women need security. We long to feel safe so when events rob us of peace and dishonesty reigns, we cower.

Gotta admit there are lots of things and people in this world seeking to steal away our safe. Truth is fleeting and the face of trust has definitely changed.

So what’s a girl to do when the threat of instability overwhelms? We plant our gaze firmly on the One who protects. We shield ourselves under the shadow of God’s wing and find shelter and rest in His presence. We take all our insecurities before His throne and allow Him to fill us with the truth of who we are and who He is. With God’s help we learn to discern trustworthiness, and we wait patiently for character to be revealed rather than rushing ahead. We cling to the solid rock of our Almighty God who is unshakeable, unmovable and impenetrable. And when shaky ground crumbles and safe runs out the door, we chose to avoid cower. We remain steadfast on our knees before the One who holds us safely in His hands.

Sweet friend no need to fear – our God is always near. Ready, equipped and fully aware of all we need to experience peace and security. Constantly reassured of His protective stance, we can thrive even in the midst of instability….ever growing….ever clinging…holding tightly to His nail-pierced hands.

“Father, nothing in this world can protects us like You do. Our constant guide and protector, we are eternally yours.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 19, 2019

Restoring The Music of My Soul

“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my victory.” Psalm 118:14 (NLT)

Classical music extraordinaire like Beethoven, Mozart and Bach, composers that lived during the “classical music period,” who left a legacy of classical masterpiece compositions. Musical geniuses scripting well-crafted music into art with just the right notes, chords and arrangements. Elaborate musical symphonies still marveled, revered and applauded to this very day.

Life is a masterpiece composition; and more importantly YOUR life. Constructed not by mere human hands, but the Maestro of the rhythm and rhyme of life. The Master of your life Who before the foundation of the world crafted an exquisite symphony written with your name as the title; just for your heart, soul and mind. In your very beginning, in secret, forming you note by note and string by string. Charting your life as lyrics sung from a worship hymnal.

Life’s trials to triumphs sketch the chords for your testimony composing a symphony created by the greatest Conductor. When broken and discarded instruments are surrendered to the Luthier’s (/loodeer/) loving and skillful hands; your previously poor performance transposes to a symphony that is music to the ear. The Composer takes your tears and scripts musical notes comprising a beautiful harmony singing praises to God’s faithfulness. A melody only you and your Father will know the verses to. Do not allow humankind or the evil one to destroy the hymn written from your teardrops; your Melodist will not permit your tune to end on a sour note. Sing your anthem of restoration with hums of joy and shouts of praise with an ending finale and a standing ovation directed to the greatest Composer of your life.

“Father, in Your hands, I become an accomplished medley with in sync heartbeats between the sheet music of my life and You the Songsmith. You have taken my silent life by the world’s standard and made it a supernatural opus. Thank you for restoring the music of my life to an alluring sound drawing others to a rhapsody of Your praise.”

For His Glory

Kim Lacey Schock, (www.KimLaceySchock.com)
Women’s Life Devotional

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 18, 2019

Caught Up In His Lavish Compassion

“For we are not presenting our petitions before You (God) based on our righteous acts, but based on the Your abundant compassion.” Daniel 9:18b (HCSB)

We’d probably all love to consider ourselves caring people. You know the kind who stop to reach out to others. The type of person who puts others before self. The one who gives, serves and plans acts of kindness. Sounds like someone we’d love to be….doesn’t it? But if we’re really honest, if we’re really looking self in the mirror, we’d have to admit we often fall short in the caring department. Probably not because we don’t care – more likely because we are too consumed, busy and distracted to even notice.

Take it a step deeper and we’d probably miss the mark on compassion towards those who definably aren’t doing life the way we think they should. Understandable when we consider the actions and reactions of those who turn their back on us. Never thinking twice about kindness, mercy or compassion in those moments.

Reminds me of why I so love our God. His love, mercy and compassion are not dependent on us; its simply who He is. A divine DNA of the One who perfectly considers us even in the midst of our walking away.
As Daniel confessed the sins of his people and sought God’s mercy, he was fully aware of God’s abundant compassion. He was acquainted with God’s holiness and righteousness. And for that very reason, Daniel reminded his Creator of his own sinfulness and sins of his people, Israel. No sugarcoating or denial – just simply the truth – God we are unworthy yet we appeal to Your lavish compassion.

Don’t know about you but just the thought that God would even hear my voice draws me to my knees. The One who formed us, shaped us and lavishes us with His love and compassion never turns His back or runs away. Fully aware of our tendencies to disobey, He patiently waits for our return. While God’s holiness cannot excuse away our wrongs, He mercifully extends grace to those who come humbly before Him.
Sweet reminder when caring is far from our lips – we’re all unworthy – we all fall short. Yet God loves us, reaches out to us and bestows abundant compassion to those who call upon His name.

“Father, Your compassion is fresh and new every morning. Your loving mercy is abundant. There is no shortage of grace with You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Love, Mercy

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