Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 26, 2025

Tasty Morsels

“The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.” Proverbs 18:8

Reading the book of Proverbs sometimes feels like you’re in the boxing ring being pummeled with truth punches—left hook of warning, right uppercut of counsel, left cross caution. Oh, those stings of conviction. From verse to verse, the order can seem somewhat random—but every line has pointed purpose for us to grow in wisdom and fear of the Lord.

So, as I was cozied up in the middle of this wisdom book, a matter was repeated in a few chapters that got me thinking a bit more about the power of our tongue (a topic the Lord has seemingly been spotlighting for me lately). This time, it’s about gossip. Now, men don’t generally have an issue with this particular sin—and yes, it’s a sin. In fact, it’s among those “seven things the Lord hates” (Proverbs 6:16-19)! The Old and New Testaments are filled with warnings against gossip—whether it’s “true” or slanderous.

Why do we (especially women) love the taste of sharing some shared-with-us information, secret, or rumor? Is it tasty to be in the know and wanting others to know you’re in the know? Are we, in some deep-need way, trying to prove our value to another person? Or, in our sinful judgment of another person, do we whisper to a friend in the vein of “aren’t you glad we’re not like that person?”—smacking of the Pharisees’ prayer in Luke 18. The fact is, there are many reasons why we lean in to share a tasty morsel…or hear one.

But here in Proverbs 16, 17, and 26, there’s another aspect of gossiping that needs to be underscored: the results.

  • A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends (Proverbs 16:28).
  • One who conceals an offense seeks love, but one who repeats a matter separates close friends (Proverbs 17:9).
  • For lack of wood, the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body (Proverbs 26:20-22).

Sweet friend, gossip never encourages. It may feel sweet in the moment of sharing or hearing, but its purpose is only either futile or harmful. I’ve seen relationships broken, wedges put between brothers and sisters in Christ, and, yes, even close friends separated. Spreading “did you hear” speculations only adds charcoal fluid to hot coals, fueling quarreling and strife. The Biblical (and experiential) warnings are so true. So, what’s a girl (or guy) to do with those tasty morsels? Well, the Bible’s pretty clear on this as well.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

Be an encourager, building others up and extending grace. In this, we shine light into the lives of family, friends, and neighbors, reflecting the love of Christ and pointing to Him. Dive into what Scripture has to say about using our words to build others up—I promise you, the taste is much sweeter for all.

“Lord, put a guard on my mouth for speaking words that are hurtful, hateful, and simply unnecessary. May I always speak the truth in love, seasoned with grace—reflecting You, pointing to You, and glorifying You.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 25, 2025

Zeroed In On Results

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

Don’t know if you are results driven, but when I do something, I really want to see the culmination of my hard work and sacrifice.  Immediate gratification might better define it.  If I’m starting a healthy lifestyle and giving up my fave food then I want to see the numbers on my scale drop.  If I’m carving in time for exercise, then I want to see some tightening and toning.  If I’m decluttering, then I want to quickly see some empty space.

One problem here – results aren’t usually instantaneously visible.  Exact reason why we so easily give up.  The lack of immediate trumps hard work and sacrifice.  We’re not evolving as we planned.  The scale seems stuck, broccoli loses its appeal and those muscles well let’s just say it’s slow going. The pile we moved yesterday seems to reappear and grow. Progress appears to be lacking.

Sweet friends, I hate to admit it but this need for immediate gratification spills over into our spiritual lives as well.  We tackle memorizing scripture yet we can’t recall the verse we thought we learned two weeks ago so we give up.  We devote time to studying God’s word yet we seem to continue to struggle to comprehend what we just read so we give up.  We pray fervently for a divine miracle and nothing happens so we give up.  And we land exactly where our enemy planned – discouraged and defeated.

If only we had just kept pressing through, we would have been amazed at how God multiplied the progress we couldn’t see at the moment. Underneath the surface of all our doing results are accumulating.  We are making progress – it’s just not visible at the moment.

Those verses we thought we didn’t retain, He brings to our mind at just the right moment to encourage us.  All those days of wrestling through passages, God pulls it all together giving us clarity and discernment when we need it the most.  And those tear-stained pillows and sleepless nights when we cried out for help, God heard and answered at just the right time.

Never late – no delays – just sovereignly orchestrated moments when God reveals what He was doing underneath the surface.  Where we thought growth was stalled, He unveils a faithful believer maturing and being transformed moment by moment. Where challenges appear out of control, He is not caught surprised – it’s all in His capable hands.

Immediate gratification may slay us, but our God will bring it all together if we simply keep pressing through.

“Father, giving up is far easier than digging in and pressing through.  Strengthen and empower us to stay on track despite delays.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 22, 2025

Best Followers Ever

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God being careful to do His commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 28:1 (ESV)

Following is so easy, isn’t it?  After all it takes out the element of deciding what to do – we just simply follow someone else.  Slide right into place with what our tribe is doing.  Releasing the burden of choosing for self.  No decision to make.  No second guessing. Just fall in line and move in sync with everyone else.

Take it a step further and social media introduced us to the term “followers” to define those who read what we post and stay tuned to see what we tweet or post next.  Takes little effort to click, scroll and read what magically appears on our screen.  Following grants us access to a mirage of thoughts, agendas and personalities.

One seemingly slight yet significant problem here with following…. If we’re not careful us “followers” can be quietly led and influenced in directions we never intended.  Happens ever so easily –  everyone has an audience these days.  Guarding our ears and mind has never been so crucial.  Lots of opinions and preferences seeking to gain our attention and following.

Flip back through the pages of the Old Testament and we are reacquainted with a group of “followers” better known as the Children of Israel – God’s chosen people.  Moses had quite a time getting these wanderers to “follow” God’s commands.  Perhaps it was their tendency to grumble and complain which resulted in impatience.  Maybe they were actually choosing to follow each other’s actions rather than being set apart and obeying God.  Could it be these followers were actually following the wrong one?

We can find ourselves entrapped as well – wandering aimlessly following whoever steps into our path.  Giving our attention and time to the voice of those whose agenda doesn’t’ serve us well.  Before we know it, we find ourselves sounding just like the ones we follow.

God’s idea – follow me.  Simple and concise.  We are to follow God’s commands, listen intently for His voice and conform to His will – not our own.  Guarding our hearts and minds from the wrong and often popular voice. And yes we will find ourselves facing many crossroads – intersections where we will have to choose which way to go.  Moments when we would rather move in sync with our friends than move in sync with God.

Obedience isn’t easy but it is worth it.  God’s promise to the Israelites was blessings and protection if they chose to obey.  Their faithfulness to Him would provide a protective hedge not exempting them from trials or challenges but delivering them from their enemies.  Don’t know about you, but I need God’s protection over my life, my thoughts and the voices attempting to overshadow His will.

Following is effortless – obeying is strategic, intentional and courageous.  It’s our choice – let’s choose well.

“Father, help us to listen attentively to Your voice and to submit to Your authority in our lives. Help us to resist the urge to rebel and dismiss Your commands.  Give us a determination and boldness to only follow You.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 21, 2025

Back to Basics

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)

School is in session! At the end of the first week, I am the only one who has had homework, but I think I’m nearing the end of the pile of parent paperwork. Not sure what all I’ve just signed away!

Now the house is quiet, and I ponder how I am to alter my time throughout the day. Much like a new year upon us, back to school is a time to examine the usefulness of my hours and adjust accordingly. This year, like the heart’s cry that I’ve heard from many a friend, it is my soul that longs for more. What’s next Lord? How I need more of Your grace, more of Your presence. I long to know my purpose and hear Your voice rumble against the backdrop of a world of chaos and confusion. And in my yearnings, I hear You ask if I’m ready to change. And so, in prayer, I surrender my flesh and brave my hesitation at what change requires.

Like a review of 1 Corinthians 13, You remind me of what is needed and what I need to give up: replace control (in unusual places) with patience, jealousy (in others’ blessings) with contentment, anger (at insults lodged) with forgiveness, fear (of the future) with trust and regrets (of the past) with perseverance. Indeed, a chapter I often breeze through as though intended only for marriage ceremonies contains the very words that usher me into a deeper season of intimacy with You.

As an instructor of fourth year business students, I often remind them to refer back to their 101 class as many of the fundamentals tend to be forgotten with unfortunate consequences. Might it be the same in a spiritual sense? We look for depth, we seek after newness, and we want to move forward in our relationship with the Lord, however, in so doing we must not forget the basics: His love that gave all when we were unlovable. And from there, may we embrace the mystery of a love that never fails.

“Father, Your gift of salvation is for all. Thank you for being a God who has made Himself accessible through the blood of Jesus. May each of us be drawn closer to You.”

For His Glory

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 20, 2025

It’s A Great Hair Day

“…Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”  ( Matthew 10:29b-31 NLT)

Did you ever wonder why God picked hair to show us how much He knows about us and cares about us? So many factors about hair show our uniqueness to the world. The texture, the length, the cut, the style, the color(s), and the way it frames our face all shout at who we are, who we want to be, or at least how we are feeling on any given day. Our hair is so personal. And the King of Kings chose something so individual and so tangible to remind us of how valuable we are to Him.

He not only tells us He sees us, but He tells us He takes the time to number the strands of hair. I tried to do this and got to 13 and realized I don’t have that kind of time:)  Yet, God is telling us so many truths in this verse.

God is telling us that we are worth His time. His time to count every strand of  hair.

God is telling us He sees us. Even if it feels as if no one else does, the Creator of the universe sees us.

God is telling us that we are of the greatest value to Him, even more valuable than a “whole flock of sparrows.”

Sparrows were considered worthless during the New Testament times. They were worth so little, it was cheaper to buy them in bulk! Yet, God tells us that even these creatures that the world discounted were of value to Him. How much more valuable are we to Him? He created us and designed us, and, yes, even selected the hair He wanted us to have!

I believe that God used our hair because we see it every day…good or bad! We brush it, we straighten it, curl it, or style it, or we throw it up in a ponytail, or (God bless whoever invented clips!), we clip it! Even if we wear a ballcap, we have acknowledged our hair and decided the rest of the world didn’t need to see it that day:)!

God could have used blood cells or face shape or eye color to tell us we are important to Him, but He used our hair. He used something so unique to each one of us to tell us how much He loves us.

If you are going through hair loss for any reason, know this is also for you. God knows how deeply personal hair is to each of us, and He knows your pain. He sees you and you are so loved.

Today, if you are feeling a little lost in this big world, remember the Almighty sees you.

“Father, help us to truly believe that You see us always, know us best, and love us most.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 19, 2025

Pray, Then Speak

“Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said…” Nehemiah 2:4-5a

Not sure about any of you all, but I’m a talk-thinker—I guess the official term is “verbal processor.” Often, when a question is asked of me (whether at work or with friends or family), I just open my mouth and the words start flowing. Sometimes, by the time I get to the end of said wordflow, the conclusion does not resemble the beginning all that much. In fact, with my clients, I frequently find myself saying, “Now, bear with me, I’m processing as I’m speaking…”

Most of the time, everything turns out just fine in this verbal-thinking mode of mine. But not always. Sometimes (way too often), when I open my mouth without first head-thinking, I hear words of judgment or complaining or defensive rebuttal roll off my treacherous tongue (Proverbs 21:23; James 3:1-18; . (And, sadly, this is usually with my husband.) Or, when I’m attempting to give godly, Bible-aligned wisdom to a sister in Christ, I lead with what I think or feel. This advice is usually based on seasons the Lord has led me through or from the years I’ve spent in His Word. But—and it’s a great big but—how often do I stop first to “pray to the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 2:4) for wisdom? Ouch.

So, what a great reminder it was in diving into the first few chapters of Nehemiah. Eight little words (in the NASB), innocently stuck within the amazing story of this brave cupbearer to the king. Like Ezra, Daniel, and Esther, Nehemiah had been elevated to a place of honor even in Jewish bondage. As cupbearer, Nehemiah had a daily audience with the king. Now, he knew the promises of God—and the unfaithfulness of God’s people, which led to their mass exodus out of Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah is an awesome testament to God’s Providence, so I recommend you delve in yourself. But the context here is that in Nehemiah’s sadness about his people and Promised Land, the king noticed and actually cared enough to ask Nehemiah what burdened him. After Nehemiah shared the reason for his sorrow, the king asked, “What would you request?”

Wow. This is a big deal. But instead of Nehemiah rambling on about the woes of the Jews or rehashing past wrongs to eventually get to a request, we read those eight words: “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Even the presumptive “so” is astounding! It’s like he’s saying, “Well, duh, the obvious first thing to do is pray to God before I think or say or do anything.” [Spoiler alert: What came out of Nehemiah’s mouth was a succinct request (cushioned with a compliment), as well as a definitive plan of action.]

What a great lesson for us all—simple, yet not easy. These eight little words must become our “so” habit. And habits take effort. And repetition. So, will you join me in pausing to pray before speaking? Before we share, advise, judge, ask, or even “observe aloud,” let’s ask the Sovereign One for guidance. In fact, we have the third Person of the Trinity living in us for such wisdom—the Holy Spirit is our Counselor just waiting to be tapped in before our tongue takes over.

“Lord, may we search Your Word for the countless truths of how to use (and not use) our words. And may we daily (moment-by-moment) pray to You before speaking.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Prayer, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2025

Why God Focused Prayer Changes Everything

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.”  Acts 4:29 (ESV)

Conflict  and opposition are often something we avoid. I’m totally not a fan unless its healthy conflict zeroed in on working together to reach a compromise. However, we can’t get through life without conflict because we’re all fallen people living in a fallen world. And it’s interesting how most of the conflict we endure comes from those we’d least expect to oppose us.

Talk about opposition, the early church in Acts was characterized by religious leaders who desperately wanted to silence these Jesus followers. However, Peter and John courageously and boldly continued to  proclaim the good news of the gospel – Jesus was  alive – the resurrection was indeed reality. Yet the religious leaders didn’t like the evidence staring them in the face. A lame beggar who couldn’t walk for 40 years was now healed. God added about 5,000 more believers to the early church; the message of the gospel (birth, death and resurrection of Jesus) was spreading.

Sound familiar? This was the same group that wanted to destroy Jesus because their religious authority was being challenged. The Jesus followers were growing in number (sounds a little like the Israelites in Egypt). They couldn’t silence or alter the work of God no matter how hard they tried. Greatly annoyed, the religious leaders arrested Peter and John.

Totally love the way Peter and John didn’t cave to the demands of these leaders. With no legal grounds for charges against them, the leaders released them with specific instructions to stop teaching and speaking about Jesus. However, this dynamic duo stood their ground;  “We cannot deny the truth,” echoed from their lips.

Don’t know about you sweet friends, but my heart is challenged in reading Acts 4: 24 -28. Peter and John went to their friends telling them exactly what had happened and instead of the followers running for cover, they lifted their voices to God. Prayer was their first line of offense.

Now, just keeping it real here, I would have prayed too in the face of persecution and opposition but not the way they prayed. I would have asked God to destroy those leaders attempting to silence them. I would have asked God to silence the leaders instead. I would have cried out for protection and deliverance. The focus of my prayer would have been all about me, yet these courageous followers sought only to continue to speak God’s word with boldness – hearts and minds devoted and focused on spreading the gospel. And God indeed granted their request. Powerful prayers zeroed in on God’s sovereign plan and not our own agenda for ease and comfort.

No persecution knocking at our door. No perceived threat on our life for sharing the gospel. In this country, we enjoy the privilege of the right to worship freely and the freedom of expression and speech. Yet all too often we choose silence because we fear offending someone with the glorious lifesaving news of Jesus’ love and forgiveness. We pass up opportunities to share His truth in love due to pride – zeroing in on what people will think of us.

Peter and John’s actions speak loud and clear – no one would silence their voice when it came to speaking the word of God. They wouldn’t shrink back or cower – pleasing God was more important than seeking accolades from man.

Sweet friends let’s all  pray for boldness and courage when God opens doors for us to share His amazing truths. Let’s pray for open hearts and seeds planted to take deep roots and produce a harvest glorifying His name  – boldness and courage are ours for the taking if we truly ask.

“Father thank You for filling us with Your boldness and courage in the face of opposition. Show us how to lovingly share Your truth even when others oppose us and rejoice in knowing we are pleasing You with our faithfulness.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Freedom, Prayer, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 15, 2025

Trusting God More

jan4“I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what He (God) will say to me and what I should reply about my complaint.” Habakkuk 2:1 (HCSB)

Ever find yourself in complaint overload? Once we start down that path, we can’t seem to see anything else. Unfortunately, we love pulling out that violin and playing our sad or frustrated song to anyone who will listen. Doesn’t matter if they can change our situation, we just want someone on our side or at least someone who entertains our viewpoint. While it’s therapeutic to unload rather than keeping everything bottled up inside, it’s critical that we unload to the right person.

Habakkuk was a prophet who knew exactly where to go with his complaint. His people had turned away from God and seemed to be doing just fine. And it appeared as though God wasn’t doing anything about it either. From Habakkuk’s perspective evil and sin was winning out, despite his constant attempt to get God’s attention. But he didn’t give up. His persistence and deep convictions landed him an audience with the only One who could transform his situation.

God intervened in Habakkuk’s world, but it would be on His timetable and His plan. Why? Because God is longsuffering, righteous and full of compassion; He alone sees the whole picture. He longed for the tribe of Judah to bypass the devastation their sin would birth. Unfortunately, their road back would be marked with persecution and bondage at the hand of their enemy. Not exactly the storybook ending Habakkuk envisioned, but one that would accomplish God’s purposes.

Regardless of what’s going on in our lives, we can always come to God with our questions and yes, even our doubts. Habakkuk knew God intimately and felt totally comfortable unloading his complaint. He was secure in God’s love for him and learned through the process to trust God even more. So where will we go the next time we move into complaint mode? If we’re wise, we will seek out God first.

“Father, You welcome us into Your presence and promise to give us Your wisdom – help us to trust You with all the details of our lives.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 14, 2025

Empowered By His Grace

cb devo nov 5But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)

I love this verse! The quest for self-sufficiency is such a stumbling block for me. Paul’s words remind me why I must rely instead on the sufficiency of God’s grace. When I am weak. When I am wounded by the insults of a friend. When hardship comes and circumstances are out of my control. When I feel persecuted for my beliefs. When my life feels like a calamity. In all these things, I can be more than a conqueror when I admit my weakness, and rely on the power of His grace.

I long to be like Paul and boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses. Boasting of my weaknesses allows me to share the reality of the power of Christ with others. Self-sufficiency seeks glory for myself; dependency on Christ gives Him the glory. But all too often, I choose self-sufficiency over grace. I choose my weakness over His power. I want the transforming power of His grace, but sometimes allow my independence and pride to get in the way. When I try to do things in my strength, my weaknesses are magnified. When I acknowledge my weaknesses and rely on His grace, then I am strong.

Like Paul, I repeatedly ask God to remove hardships from my life. But, because of His grace He allows the hardships to remain so that, in increasing measure, I can grow to trust Him. His grace is sufficient.

“Lord, thank you that your grace is sufficient for me. Help me to overcome the pride and self-sufficiency in my heart that keeps me from accessing your power.”

For His Glory

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 13, 2025

Laser Focused

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Hebrews 12:1b-2a(NLT-italics mine)

This is my second year not being involved in the new school year rush. I am a mom of 6 grown adults, and I was a teacher for many years, so I still catch my breath when I walk by the school supplies! I have to remind myself this is not part of my life anymore! It was such an important and special time for me in so many ways, and I treasure the memories and the blessings those years brought.

It would be easy to stand at Target bins and feel sad. I miss my teacher friends and the school world that I knew and loved for so long. Yet, God showed me my teaching leg of the journey was done, and I had to hand off the baton. He did not call me to stay in teaching elementary school, but He did call me to stay in His race.

When I left, I was not completely sure what the next lap entailed. Slowly, He has been showing me. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to stay laser focused. To keep my eyes on Him, our Champion, who reveals things to us one step at a time. To not get caught up in the “everythings” but to wait on Him and keep the main thing the main thing. Even on the days when it feels like I am not moving forward, time spent with Him is building endurance and reminding me to keep my eyes on Him.

August and back to school bring so many opportunities, and our time begins to get filled for us. As we are shuffling kiddos, adapting to new teachers and schedules, or settling in for summer’s end, may we be intentional, laser focused on keeping our eyes on Jesus. That may look like the audio Bible while you put on your mascara, an encouraging playlist in the car to worship as you go, scripture notes in lunch boxes-theirs or yours, memorizing verses by yourself or as a family over breakfast, or pausing ten minutes early before bed to read scripture.  Whatever it looks like for you and yours, He is worth it. Stay laser focused on Him.

By the way-isn’t it cool that the picture above shows the laser as a cross?! I did not even plan that:)!

“Father, may we keep you front and center each day. Help us to build our lives around You and not just fit You in.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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