Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 15, 2019

A Way of Escape

“All this I will give you (Jesus), he said, if you will bow down and worship me (Satan).” Matthew 3:9 (NIV)

Hunger always leaves us seeking. You know like in the middle of the night when tummy growls and your search for sweetness overwhelms you. Or midday when stress robs our energy and hunger screams loud. Or stretching and reaching, we begin our day starved and empty from the lack of yesterday. Desperation loves to reign where hunger and lack camouflage plenty. And if we’re not careful, we’ll bow down to hunger and worship the falseness of more.

What are we hungry for? A quick fix to soothe the ache of emptiness? A flashy demonstration of what we can do to quench our insecurities? A wide open canvas – everything we ever dreamed of – easily within our grasp? Jesus listening, hearing the beckoning call to compromise for the sake of it all, and the price tag – simply bow down and worship “me.” Hunger now cleverly disguised as control, power and position. Standing at the top, the love of His life – the world staring back – the reason He came. And His resounding answer – “It is written.”

Jesus met the temptation to satisfy, press the limits and seek His own agenda with the words of His Father. His desperate, hungry places were feasting on the food of the Father’s will. What appeared to be all that Jesus could have ever wanted was simply a mirage created by the one whose hunger couldn’t be quenched. An illusion designed to steal away the reason He came.

How are we handling our hunger – with compromise or conviction? Love the abundance found in the truths of His word. Love the empowerment gained from trusting in Him. Love the sweet taste of victory won with armor on. Hungry places fully satisfied at His table – feasting on the Father’s will.

“Father, empower us to resist the enticement to take what You have promised into our own hands. Help us to know Your words and use them in moments of weakness. Thank You for making a way of escape that leads to the abundant life.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Faith, Freedom, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 14, 2019

Let There Be Light

“And God said, ‘Let there be light!’ And there was light.” Genesis 1:3 (NIV)

I am a lover of light. If I am at home, I like to enjoy the brightness of those light bulbs. But there is nothing better than sitting and enjoying the light of the sun touching my skin, or watching the sun setting over the Blue Ridge Mountains. And then, at night, savor the splendor and shine of the moon and the stars. I often jokingly greet the light with the famous, legendary Biblical phrase, as spoken by God in the book of Genesis, “Let there be light!”

Light brings out the shapes and sizes of what lies ahead of us. It illuminates the path, so we can see what dangers may be imminent, such as a cliff or precipice, or what hurdles may be impending. the presence of light exposes anything or anyone which may be hiding or concealed from sight, awaiting to prey on us, taking advantage of the darkness.

Jesus said in John 12:35, “whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going.” Now, at the time He spoke those words, Jesus was speaking to the crowd that was attending the festival of tabernacles, and He was trying to prepare them for his eminent death. Jesus wanted the people to have a chance to choose between light and darkness, life and death, Him and the ruler of this world.

I was the first member of my household to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in June 1982. During my growing years, however, I witnessed my parents seeking God in all the wrong places, which involved my mother becoming a practicing medium in Spiritism. The meetings they attended took place in the dark, otherwise the “spirits” would not show up. As you can probably imagine, those practices infused terrible fear of the dark in my heart. I could never stay alone at home unless every single light bulb was lit; that was how badly I was afraid of the dark.

On the day I chose to publicly profess the Lord Jesus as my Lord and Savior all that changed. He filled the areas where fear indwelled in my life and gave me the assurance that even if physical light bulbs were turned off, He would be there in the dark with me. From that day forward I learned that the power that comes with the name of Jesus is way more powerful than anything else in the world and that if I want to be in light, I can simply call out His name, because He is light (John 8:12).

“Father, thank You for extinguishing darkness in our lives.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 13, 2019

The Beauty of Before & After

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

Don’t know about you, but I always love to see the before picture and the after picture. You know like the house that gets renovated by an amazing designer and looks radically different. What was once outdated, old and messy welcomes new, fresh and inviting. Quite the contrast – what used to be and what is now. TV makes it look ever so easy. In an hour time slot, we witness the grand renovation from start to finish. Not quite that fast and effortless in real time. Moving from before to after requires a lot of intentional and consistent hard work.

This December, my husband tackled a project in our living room. For over a year, we had wanted to do something different with the wall where our tv was displayed. We even picked out a beautiful stone that would have looked amazing, but the sample piece gathered dust, lots of dust in the corner of our room. Project definitely never got off the ground. Fast forward a year later and we found this sleek, modern tile – absolutely loved it. Husband bought the tile, installed the tile and project was done. But now the rest of the décor in the room didn’t seem to fit this modern look. So new drapes were hung, new rug was bought, decorations were updated; the after picture was so much more than we imagined.

Need a little before and after in your life? Change can be challenging, unwanted, delayed and pushed aside. But there’s nothing like the beauty birthed when we realize the after was so worth the work. And the incredible thing is when we recognize the difference, we’re motivated to be intentional and consistent in welcoming transformation into our lives. One little change can spark another change and then another change – I think you get the picture. Before we know it, the new “us” doesn’t even resemble old version of us. We’re moving closer and closer to becoming a woman of God not of perfection but one who walks in obedience and pursues His holiness.

“Father, I so love the way You patiently and gracefully work in our lives. Never giving up. Never condemning. Just simply loving us each step of the way.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 12, 2019

Daughters, Princesses & Peacemakers

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9 (NLT)

It was only the first day of school. We were all hungry. We were tired and cranky. One of my sons struggled with an assignment he did not understand. He was so overwhelmed that tears welled up, threatening to overflow. My other son’s computer was not allowing him access to the website for his online classes. He was already feeling the pressure of completing a much larger workload this year. Now his stress level soared even higher as he considered an entire day wasted as we tried in vain to fix his computer.

Tempers flared. Cutting remarks flew across the kitchen. Eyes glared. Every innocent gesture was taken as an act of war. Inconsiderate slights were considered aggressive attacks. I tried my best to calm the situation. Issues with school and technology are never worth damage to a relationship. I worked (more accurately, I fought) for peace in our home that day.

Our key verse tells us that “God blesses those who work for peace.” Is my attempt to make peace between brothers what the Bible is referring to here? The original Greek word means far more. Interestingly, this particular Greek word is only found in this context, this verse. The literal translation “peacemaker” is someone who has received the peace of God through the gospel. She then spreads this good news of peace with others. Though attempting to make peace between brothers is a necessary act in order to restore the sanity of the mother, this peace speaks of reconciliation with God.

When we spread the gospel of peace with others, we are called “children of God.” We wear the righteousness of God. God loves and cherishes us as a Father. We are children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. May we, as daughters and princesses, extend that love and peace to all others. Let’s not keep the peace we have experienced to ourselves.

Who do you need to spread the good news of the peace of God with today?

“Lord, we thank You for the peace we have received through salvation. Open up doors for us to share that peace with others.”

For His Glory

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

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 8, 2019

Clouding Influence

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

When my schedule is tight and there’s not much margin, I move into super planner mode. A busy weekend sent me into stretching every minute. Strategically, I leveraged my time to reap the greatest productivity. By Friday morning, the perfect plan was in place.

Early rise on a Saturday, I edged into my jam packed day. Love the new grocery pickup options. Put my order in Friday with pickup 8:00 am on Saturday. Plenty of time for my husband to pick them up while I finished getting ready for a conference. Breakfast would be waiting when he returned, I would put up groceries and head out by 9:00 am. Kink #1 arises – no text message on my phone for pickup. Easy solution just give them a call. Thirty minutes of hold and research time revealed my order didn’t go through. Order replaced for pickup when my meeting ended, got dressed and rushed out the door.

Kink #2 didn’t show up until I left my meeting at 2:00 pm and there was still no pickup text. Drove to the store and found my order wasn’t ready. Did I happen to mention, I was leaving to go out of town at 3:00 pm? Panic set in as my plan unraveled right before my eyes. An update on the store’s website created some unforeseen delays. Thirty minutes later, I’m driving home with groceries in the trunk – mission accomplished.

No matter how much we plan there are things that simply happen. When life merges into our hectic schedule, we have two options. First, we could rant and rave claiming our “right” and demand others fix our “wrong.” Second option requires a lot more constraint, yet births greater glory. It sees the people involved as imperfect human beings just like us and works to resolve the issue. My gut reaction was option #1, but I had just finished listening to someone talk about being “Jesus” imitators in our world. To reach out to others despite our agendas and desire for margin. This was an opportunity to seize the moment to share God’s love to a sweet girl apologizing for my delay.

Pulling out of that parking lot, I left with more than I arrived with. The chip on my shoulder dissolved in the stark reality that productivity almost propelled me to shortchange my testimony. Note to self: Don’t cloud influence with your frustrations.

“Father, thankful for Your mercies when I miss the mark and demand “perfect” at the expense of others. Grateful for Your Holiness that teaches me the value of influence.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 6, 2019

When Our Days Are Short

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:13 (ESV)

Don’t know if you noticed, but the days are getting longer. Sun rises and light shines brighter in the morning. Leaving work, I’m not driving home in the dark…sunsets later. And you just can’t have missed the pink trees already in bloom. Yes, I realize its just the first of March and snow is in the forecast, but I can’t help but think all the signs of Spring mean it’s coming soon.

Don’t know if you noticed, but life in this world is getting harder. Truth seems evasive…stretching, covering up and simply lying are every day occurrences. Weather patterns are out of sync – whoever heard of tornados in the winter months. Catastrophic floods, volcanic eruptions and pounding winter snow plummeted the mid-west. Unpredictable.

We really don’t have to look far to realize the self-centeredness surrounding our culture. Its all about “me” stares us in the face. And if that wasn’t enough, ingratitude looms large. We want we don’t have – we brag about what we do have. We idolize people, things, jobs, etc. anything visible. We slander others without even a hint of conviction. Self-control rolls out the door ever so easily, and we grab grace on the go forgetting the high price of our freedom.

Glad this world isn’t the end of our story! Praise Jesus this is the worst we will ever experience. Life here will get worse and worse as the second coming of Jesus approaches, but we need not fear. If we have put our faith and hope in Him then we are heaven bound sweet friends! Life here will be but a distant memory. Eternity is our unending future living in the presence of our Lord and Savior. Can’t even imagine what heaven will be like but I know we won’t be disappointed. For the first time in our lives, we will be utterly speechless at the wonder and beauty that surrounds us.

Yes, the signs of the end of life on this earth are definitely present. No one knows when Jesus will return for us – no one knows the hour or day. Wise Jesus girls will make sure they are intentional in drawing others to Jesus. We’ll carve in time for relationship building and invest in others. We will avoid neglecting the things we know God desires for us to do because the days are short…..He just might come back at any time. And yes, if we are wise we won’t miss an opportunity to share His love, truth and grace with others.

“Father, one day we will leave this world and enjoy our forever home with You. What a glorious moment that will be….but for now, we promise to remain faithful servants fulfilling Your purposes until you call us home.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 4, 2019

The One Who Holds It All Together

“You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8 (ESV)

Nothing worse than looking for something you know you had but can no longer find. I imagine you’ve been there too. Our eyes can visually recall where we had those two pieces of paper we now are desperately searching for…problem is it isn’t there. Found myself the other day searching for two tiny sheets of paper which mysterious disappeared. Back tracking my steps, I thumbed through every folder on my desk. Rechecked my work bag – nothing in sight. Frantically cleaned off my desk. Looked through all my piles of stuff. No where to be found. Finally, I gave up and left for the day; however, my thoughts were still stuck on the misery of said missing papers I so needed.

Funny how things show up in the oddest places. While eating my dinner, I saw two pieces of paper on the counter right where I had left them while doing some work over the weekend. Amazing how my eyes just landed on said papers and a deep sigh of relief escaped me. Really thought I had scooped up all my stuff and packed it in my bag, but obviously that wasn’t what happened. The papers weren’t really missing – I just didn’t remember where I left them.

Dare we admit our failure to find exactly what we need because we’re looking in all the wrong places. Yes, its much easier to turn to people visibly sitting in front of us versus talking to God. Quicker to ask a friend what to do than preserve in prayer trusting God to guide us. Simpler to come up with our own plan of action than lean into God’s wisdom and understanding. The options are limitless when we cave in to desperately searching for what we need in the wrong places. Takes only a few minutes to allow self to rise up to the surface and convince us we can figure it out ourselves. All the while what we really are looking for is right before our eyes – our ever present God.

Everything we need – anything we long for – can be found in our God. He is the answer to all our challenges and struggles. He is the only One who sovereignly knows our future. God is the beginning and ending of wisdom – the Creator of all things and the One who holds it all together.

“Father, You are all that our heart longs for…..we are indeed blessed to be in Your presence.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 1, 2019

Avoiding The Sting of Regret

“My Father is glorified by this; that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (HCSB)

Ever found yourself thrust into a pivot place of leadership? Perhaps we never desired nor envisioned this spot. Yet, we found ourselves left in charge because no one else would pick up the mantel. It’s an intimidating place to be, full of possibilities when we are totally out of our comfort zone.

Missing those opportunities to step out of the box have always left me with lots of what ifs and regrets. It is so easy to disqualify ourselves and sit this one out rather than trust the One who orchestrated this chapter of our life. Releasing the possibility of being stretched is comforting in the moment, until we look back and wonder “if only.”

Love the way scripture reminds us that great leaders didn’t always feel qualified to do the job. Love the call on Moses’ life to lead the Israelites into freedom (Exodus 3:11). Thankful for words recorded that reveal his doubts, fears and longing to resist. Compelled by Esther’s courage and strength to rise up and plead for the lives of her people (Esther 4:14). Intrigued with her wisdom, discernment and dependence on God. Challenged by David’s fearless and passionate desire to stand against Goliath who ridiculed his God. Convicted by his respect of a king who sought to take his own life (I Samuel 18:12). Despite who they thought they were not, these and many more chose to seize the opportunity, pick up the mantel and step out into the unknown.

Wonder what God is asking us to do? Is He desiring a season of stretching, depending and trusting that will significantly move us away from comfort? Is He offering us something we never desired or imagined would be possible? Don’t know about you sweet friend, but I don’t want to miss His callings. I don’t want to ignore His voice or excuse away my weaknesses. The land of regret is definitely not my happy place.

So, let’s lean in and linger longer. Tuning our ears to hear His voice takes practice – daily practice. It means quieting our voice so we can hear what He is saying. And then obeying even if it means we don’t feel qualified and we’re swimming in fear. Whatever God asks us to do, He has already equipped us to pursue. Let’s not cherish the land of regret simply because we’re zeroing in on us instead of Him.

“Sweet Jesus, You promise to complete Your work in each of us. Help us to boldly pursue Your calling on our lives and enjoy the thrill of obedience rather than the sting of regret.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 28, 2019

Our Best Friend Ever

“Abide in me…” John 15:4 (KJV)

In the first eight verses of John chapter 15, Jesus refers to Himself as the true vine. His Father is the gardener, and we are the branches. Jesus talks about cutting off branches and pruning. However, the pivotal part of the text is the emphasis on abiding in Him.

In verse 15, Jesus changes the nature of the relationship. Those who obey go from servanthood to friendship with Christ. But beforehand, there’s a period of simply learning to obey. God doesn’t explain it to us and we’re left with many questions. He has trained us with a firm hand to be obedient. At some point, we come to a place where God allows us to catch glimpses of His plan. We start to realize everything fitting together and the whys of the journey become clearer.

With God’s cuts…we suffer loss, go through trials, experience pain and hardship. Some days are so dark we wonder if the sun will ever shine again; and at night hugging a pillow is our only means of comfort. In spite of all this God says, “ABIDE!” Stay there, don’t quit, stick it out…trust Me…know I’m working on your behalf to produce fruit, more fruit and much fruit.

God’s pruning isn’t meant to destroy. He wants a friendship…a relationship. God will prune and cut using our finances, health, spouses, children, death, loss, etc. We cry, bleed and ache. It’s God’s way of finding out after the pruning and cutting…still friends? Can God trust us with trouble…still friends? Can I take you through intense sadness and your love for Me not change…still friends?

Those who are “there” in the cutting and pruning; you haven’t become bitter or frustrated. Because you didn’t quit, you’ve stuck it out, you’ve endured, you’ve been faithful and trusted Him. Verse 16 says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.”

“Father, in spite of the pain and suffering, we will abide in You cultivating a loving relationship. When the trimming is done and our fruit is ripe, we look forward to You answering our prayers.”

For His Glory

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

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 27, 2019

His Beauty Fills The Whole Earth

“All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. Selah” Psalm 66:4 (ESV)

It was the most beautiful moon ever. Staring out my kitchen window early morning eyes were captivated by the biggest, brightest moon in the darkest sky. Couldn’t believe it. Right before my eyes, the beauty of God’s handiwork greeted me. And if that wasn’t enough, I witnessed the glorious melting of orange, yellow and red as the sun began to rise. Speechless….and I’ve only been out of bed for a few moments. Day and night bookending the beginning and the end depending on where my gaze landed.

Great way to start my morning lost in His beauty and glory. Guarantee you that’s not my norm. Usually my eyes are barely awake when my feet hit the floor. Most likely, my thoughts are zooming through what I have to get done today. And all the while I’m immersed in my own little world…..God is displaying His splendor. Just because we don’t take time to soak it in doesn’t mean His glory isn’t surrounding us.

Wonder what I miss when I fail to recognize His handiwork encircling me? Dare I guess that my praise is weak when my mind is bent towards other things. Definitely admit my consumption with “my” world overshadows the incredibleness of One who created all things.

Simple cure for those of us who get lost in the craziness of this life – choose to notice….choose to praise…choose to remember our God. Reflect on His goodness. Drink deep of His character. Admire His greatness unfolding right before our eyes. Deliberately savor those moments when splendor overtakes us…bow in awe and wonder at the work of His hands. Praise the very essence of His grace, love and mercy. Cherish God’s daily protection. Worship His sovereignty and kindness. Saturate our minds with His truth…meditate daily on His words and not our own thoughts. Lean in close to hear His still small voice leading and guiding us each step of the way. Search deep, seek long and discover the beauty of falling in love with One who never leaves us or forsakes us.

Can’t think of a better way to avoid being consumed with our “own” little world than to keep our gaze zeroed in on our awesome God.

“Father, there is none like You; nothing else even comes close to the glory and splendor of who You are.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Hope, Worship

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