Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 6, 2018

Everyday Influence That Matters

 

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:26 (ESV)

A mother’s influence is taught in the midst of everyday life. Her words, actions and presence fill the pages of our lives with positive or negative messages. Little ears and eyes drink in deep the lessons birthed from the one that gave them life. Right in the midst of laundry, cooking dinner and shuffling children from one athletic event to another – teachable moments surface.

Drana Bojaxhiu didn’t realize the generational impact the world would see through her influence. A widow with three children, Drana took in sewing to help support her family. Despite her hardships and living in poverty, she helped take care of the poor and sick in her neighborhood. She cleaned their homes, fixed meals, and watched their children. Drana’s powerful influence propelled her daughter, Mother Teresa, to follow in her footsteps – the very mention of her name reflects a life devoted to being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Influence is not regulated to birth mothers – it is freely given to any woman who chooses to invest her life in others. There is no shortage of students; God’s divine appointments are worthy of our attention. Fast forward to the 21st century and we have to look hard to find those who speak and demonstrate intentional godly lives. In our social media dominated world, it’s crucial that we weigh our words, posts and tweets. It’s critical that we don’t lose sight of face to face encounters that mold someone else’s heart. It’s vital that we make an investment in the lives of others.

Drana had no idea the impact her daughter would make on this world. We have no idea the difference we can make in one person’s life for eternity. Let’s grab the baton and be intentional in passing God’s truths on to someone in the next generation.

“Father, as women You have gifted us with the power of influence – help us to welcome the opportunity to invest in another’s life.

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Gratitude, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 5, 2018

When We Find Ourselves In A Predicament

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.” Daniel 2:20,23 (NLT)

Daniel was in a predicament. The future of all the wise men of the kingdom depended on Daniel interpreting the king’s dream. One minor problem: the king expected Daniel to interpret a dream without knowing what the dream was about.

Have you ever been faced with a seemingly impossible task? When my husband and I moved into our house, we were met with a yard blanketed in leaves. We should have anticipated this greeting when we noticed the shed carried not one, but four rakes. We raked for hours with only nominal change. A small cleared section disappeared by the time we were ready to tackle another section the next morning. Blowing the leaves didn’t work either since we were fighting ever-present rain showers that dampened and weighed down the leaves. At his wit’s end, my husband came to a solution: “Is it really necessary to get rid of the leaves? Do we really need grass? Or can we just let the grass die under the leaves?”

Stan to the rescue! At the suggestion of a friend, we contacted a gardener who spent the entire day blowing, raking, and hauling leaves to the street for pickup. He had more experience than we did. He had better tools for the job. In short, Stan was better equipped to handle our predicament.

Daniel was not equipped to handle the predicament in which he found himself. God was. After asking his friends to join him in praying for a miracle, God revealed the secret of both the dream and its meaning in a vision that very night. Our key verses record the praise Daniel expressed to God. God has all wisdom and power. He reveals His wisdom and strength to us.

Whatever predicament we may find ourselves in, God alone possesses the wisdom and strength we need. Will we ask? Will we seek the God Who has all wisdom and power, seeking His solution to our predicament? He alone is the only One equipped to handle our predicament.

“Lord, You alone have all wisdom and power. I come to You with my predicament, trusting that You will reveal to me the solution that brings glory to You.”

For His Glory

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

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 4, 2018

Leaving Our Chains Behind

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” I Peter 2:16 (ESV)

Love that moment when sparkles and vibrant colors light up the sky. Can’t think of a better way to celebrate our freedom than gathering with friends, enjoying a cookout and watching fireworks. It’s the stuff that summer is made of – picnics, fireworks and homemade ice cream – yum! Great way to celebrate!

What’s your fave go to July4th event? Perhaps a ballgame and fireworks. Maybe a family cookout and sparklers as the sun sets. Could it be a trip to the lake, skiing and sitting on the edge of shore to watch the fireworks across the water. Regardless it all sounds like great fun.

Freedom – we rarely know what it is like to be bound, controlled by another or do we?

Despite our constitutional rights and living in the land of the free, we can find ourselves restrained and chained. Nothing worse than feeling the weight of things, events or people who stifle our freedom. Heavier than we ever imagined, we can miss out on the joy of being loosed of being unencumbered totally unrestricted and uninhibited. Happy robbers stealing away what God has freely given us.

Doesn’t sound inviting does it? God desires for us to experience the abundance of a life surrendered to Him. He delights in removing the weights bearing down on us keeping us bound. God longs to watch us pivot away from behaviors and reactions that keep us tied to what doesn’t serve us well. Cutting the chains that consistently hold us back from God’s best. Releasing our grip on what He has already released.

Nothing sweeter than embracing the arms of our Freedom Giver. Nothing is to hard for our God. He specializes in the impossible. Removes the barriers and enables us to walk without entangling our steps in the bondage of our past. Completely forgiven and set to walk in true freedom. Let’s not forsake or quench the beauty of a life lived in the freedom of Christ. Let’s partner together to leave our chains behind. Let’s shake our hands loose and move forward in the grace and power that comes from God. Now that’s worth celebrating!

“Father You have freed us and showered us with Your grace. We are truly no longer a slave to sin.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Freedom, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 3, 2018

Enjoying The Simple Things In Life

“A joyful heart is like good medicine” Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Hiking with friends, I had a sudden urge to stop and pick up some dandelions. I then recorded a mini-video for my grandkids in Indiana showing them their silly grandma blowing those dandelions until there were just stems left. In the process of blowing the dandelions, I got a lot of the furry stuff in my mouth and broke down in laughter. According to my daughter-in-law, the boys laughed really hard.

Sometimes the simple things are the best things we can give to others, however, we often forego the pleasure of doing them. We miss out on blessing someone else with a belly laugh because we keep thinking that just the things we find in store shelves bring joy into other people’s hearts. When was the last time you had a belly laugh? When was the last time you remember sharing something ordinary with someone else that made them laugh or smile?

There will always be plenty of time to be serious in life, but it does not have to be a 24/7 endeavor. A little break from seriousness here and there will do wonders for the soul.

Whether you choose to record a silly video of yourself for your children or grandchildren, or call someone up and chat for a bit, or go out for coffee with a good friend just to enjoy their company – make those little moments count and choose to alienate the serious things for a little bit. Enjoy the moment. Live it!!! And do laugh a little. You will be amazed at how healing it can be.

“Dear Lord, thank You for creating this beautiful earth for us to enjoy; thank You for all things, big and small, and for the joy they bring into our hearts.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 2, 2018

When A Smile Really Makes The Difference

“For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:20 (ESV)

“Smiles are free but sometimes they cost a lot” – saw this on a tweet (Inspired Life) this weekend and it so true. Definitely depicts my past week. Frustration with a doctor’s office about my mom’s pain medicine – quickly attempted to steal my smile when I met with her doctor on Friday. Frustration with my doctor for delays in getting additional physical therapy approved for my shoulder has crinkled my smile a tad bit more. Tough week and crazy schedule at work almost finished off that smile by the end of the day Friday.

Needless to say, I know God was testing my smile factor last week. We all face moments when it is far easier to frown, scream, yell and give a peace of our mind. Don’t get me wrong – when an 82 year old doesn’t have pain meds it can get ugly and unjustified. But amazing what a smile can convey when frustration could choose to steal it away. Staying calm, speaking the truth in a controlled way not only serves us well but it reminds others that we are not controlled by our emotions.

Strength in this arena is not always my shining moment. Too many times I have allowed frustration and impatience to rule. However, showing respect while still expressing an injustice removes the tendency for each party to become defensive. My mom’s doctor appreciated my restraint yet strong concern. He took care of prescribing her meds in advance before we left the office. Win-win for us both. That deadline at work made it 30 minutes ahead of schedule -demonstrated calm in the midst of chaos speaks volumes. Win-win for us all. My issue with my doctor – well that isn’t resolved yet but I’m sure speaking the truth with a controlled attitude will get me better results even if God is the only one who pats me on the back.
So next time we feel injustice and unfairness turning up the heat let’s partner to stay cool. Breathe deep and yes count to ten. Let’s choose to express our situation in a way that honors others, ourselves and most importantly our God.

“Father, too many times we allow our emotions to override our common sense. We forget the importance of showing respecting even when we disagree. Help us to be agents of Your love and grace regardless of the situation.”

For His Glory
Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 29, 2018

When Your To Do List Overrides Your To Love List

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 (ESV)

Nothing feels better to me than marking something (anything) off my To Do List. I’m one of those people who actually add something they’ve completed to the list and then proudly scratch through it. Accomplished. Done. Finished. Sounds silly….however, it actually motivates me to keep marking those things off my list.

How about you – are you a list maker? I have a list for just about everything. Keeps me organized, productive and avoiding procrastination. But sometimes the downfall of my list is when it overrules my To Love List. I can get so task driven, focused and determined to get it all done that I overlook the people aspect.

Marking it off my list at the expense of others is not a good thing. Missing out on fun because my ever growing list needs my attention is not always a good thing. Assuming that everyone else is as passionate about my list as I am is definitely an unrealistic expectation.

So how do I gain the proper perspective? Simply lay my To Do List down at the feet of Jesus and relinquish my rights to what gets down. Seek His direction on what stays and what goes. Ask for His help in staying balanced – avoiding the neglect of the people He brings into my path. With God’s guidance recognize a healthy perspective of what needs to be accomplished and who needs my undivided attention.

Being organized is not a sin, but when we make it an idol that doesn’t serve us well. God created the world taking chaos and bringing it into order. All throughout scripture, we see examples of His divine plan woven through the lives of His people – that requires organization. Yet, we also witness the perfect balance of Jesus welcoming interruptions into His limited time on earth.

Never read a scripture that described Jesus as being burned out, depleted, acting out because what He desired to happen didn’t happen. Instead I only see a loving Savior devoted to His Father’s business – loving God and loving people.

“Father, in this crazy world that zeros in on accomplishment, help us to not lose sight of the things that are truly important to You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 28, 2018

Dust Off The Tea Sets

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

When I was a young girl of 4, my paternal grandparents gave me a red tea set made of plastic. My dolls, as well as my friends, enjoyed that tea set as much as I did, as we often hosted tea parties for ourselves and our imaginary friends.

From that simple plastic tea set, I learned valuable lessons. I learned that sometimes we are the hosts of the event or the givers. At other times we are guests on the receiving end, and we must learn to follow the lead of the person hosting the party. I also learned responsibility, as I had to be a good steward of the tea set by keeping it in a safe place so the dog would not chew on it or my younger siblings would not lose any of the pieces. I had to keep the tea seat clean, as we did not want ants getting in my room from the juice we often served in the tea cups. Last but not least, I learned the importance of not taking criticism personally as I served my friends and catered to their needs and wants during our tea parties.

“Breaking bread together” is something that people of all nations enjoy doing. Sharing a cup of tea (or coffee, or a glass of milk or other type of beverage) while eating a full meal or an appetizer is simply a great way to spend time with friends catching up on our day-to-day lives, to encourage and edify one another.

My little red tea set got so much wear from my “social engagements” that eventually the cups had holes in them. The day I parted with that tea set was a mixture of sadness to see it go and joy from all the memories of all the wonderful tea parties it helped me host.

When was the last time you had a tea party with your girlfriends to unwind from a busy day? Don’t let your tea set get dusty on the shelf, waiting for the “right time” to call on your friends for an informal girl time or to partake in some needed encouragement. It is hard to keep track of time when life is hectic, so if necessary, pencil in some “tea party time” with your friends.

“Father, thank You for friends. Help us to never take them for granted. Amen.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 27, 2018

Finding God In The Midst of These….

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” Psalm 77:11 (ESV)

Don’t know about you but I tend to have a short memory stick. The more I multi-task and the busier I get, the slower my brain seems to function. Where did I put my keys? How could I leave that off my grocery list? What time do we need to be there? Easy questions – easy answers yet it frustrates me when I can’t remember what I know I should remember. I’m chalking it up to brain overload and exhaustion.

Sound familiar? We all experience times when we leave things undone because we were juggling other stuff. Easy to excuse away what we should have done since we’re caught up and distracted with much more. Simply easier to remember what we want to remember even if it doesn’t serve us well.

Love the psalmist’s words, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord.” Life offers up a good dose of chances to forget the goodness of our God. Discouragement and disappointment don’t need an invitation – it just slides in when life is hard. Unfair circumstances and repeat failures can stifle our joy. Unexpected challenges can quickly zero our focus away from God’s kindness.

2018 has been a year filled with unfairness, discouragement, disappointments, unpredictables – maybe you’ve experience them too. Illness, injury, death, and the unavoidable questions swirling in our brain – where is God in the midst of these. The world would definitely cloud our vision with doubt, accusations and question God’s love. Prime moments when our memory can lapse, and we forget how awesome He truly is.

Sweet friend if you find yourself in one of those places where His goodness seems on short supply don’t let the enemy win. Purposefully choose to reflect, ponder and remember what God has done for you. Intentionally search through scripture noting how God responded and reacted towards His chosen ones. You are His too and there is nothing God would not do for those He loves. Praise Him for His incredible faithfulness. Memorize God’s name and claim His character over all your challenges. And whatever you don’t allow others or the voice of the enemy to drag you down – keep gazing up trusting God and watch for Him to do exceedingly abundantly more than you dared dream.

“Father, our world leaves us empty and defeated but You have overcome the world. There is nothing too hard for You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 26, 2018

Led By His Spirit

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

I’ve often heard phrases like: “let the Holy Spirit guide you” or “walk in the Spirit” but never actually could grasp how to put that into action. I’m reading “Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure, and she had a great explanation of how to let the Holy Spirit be your guide.

“The Spirit helps us desire the things that are contrary to the world. He influences our actions, our thoughts, and our passions when we let Him move in. I mean really move in-unpack His bags and even rearrange the furniture if He wants to-not as a guest but as a resident.”

The more we are led by the Holy Spirit, the less we listen to the desires of the flesh and the world that are not pleasing to God. All too often, we only let God and the Holy Spirit into our lives when it’s convenient and they don’t disrupt “our little world.” As Christians, God is SUPPOSED to disrupt our world. We should desire to be different, and at times it’s not going to be easy. That’s why God gave us the Holy Spirit to be our guide, our nudge when we start slipping into things of the world, and our refuge when the storms roll in. Don’t let the Holy Spirit be an occasional guest in your life, but let Him move in and rearrange your life according to how God wants you to live, not the world.

“Father, Open our eyes to who we are really listening to. Are we really listening to the Holy Spirit and following your will for our lives? Or is the pull of the world and fleshly desires still a priority in our life.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 25, 2018

When Our Spirit Is In Sync With His

“Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6 (ESV)

Ever wondered what life will be like as we age? Have to admit aging isn’t something I look forward to. If I’m totally honest, I try to resist it..yes, like I can really do that. Probably the main reason I love exercising; I want to keep this body in motion. It’s a constant challenge to keep moving but if we don’t our muscles begin to waste away and become more prone to injury. We get weaker, more tired, lose strength…..the list is endless. So when I dread a workout day, my mind fast forwards and decides for me to keep moving, because a body in motion – stays in motion.

Wonder what happens if we let our Spirit get out of sync with God’s? If we choose to avoid obedience, we set ourselves up for failure. Actively choosing familiar instead of beyond our comfort zone opportunities robs us of faith stretching growth spurts. Very quickly, we will begin to settle for less than He ever designed us for. Without even thinking twice, we will neglect His voice for the sake of easy, comfortable strides. Our once strong faith will begin to shrink, weaken and leave us vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. And when our foundation is shaken, we will falter rather than keep pressing on.

While aging is totally out of my hands, spiritual maturing is ours for the taking. God delights in seeing His children grow, stretch, learn and embrace steps of faith. He longs for them to reach beyond their comfort level. Even in the depths of difficult circumstances, God births life lessons guaranteed to position us for growth. Failures reinvent themselves. Discouragement readjusts itself. Trust runs deep and builds muscles of endurance, perseverance and strength. When our Spirit is in sync with His Spirit, growth is a natural byproduct.

So sweet friend let’s stay in constant motion with God drawing deep from His word. Let’s venture out into the unknown He’s called us to and embrace His leading. Let’s not sit still and avoid go. Let’s partner together to cheer each other on even when fear seeks to derail us. Why? Because nothing is more sacred and powerful than God’s girls staying in sync with our Divine Creator.

“Father, we miss out when we choose to avoid growth for the sake of familiar. Help us to build strong muscles of faith as we stay in sync with You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Leave a Comment

Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories