Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 16, 2026

The Power of Asking

“For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:8 (ESV)

Asking the right questions at the right time can prove crucial. Like when you’re running to catch your plane and you’re unsure which gate is yours. Or even better what about those moments when the one cutting your hair suggests taking a little bit more off. Great time to ask, “How much is a little bit?” Failed to ask this question as a third grader when my grandma left me with not too much hair. School pictures that year were not purchased.

Funny how we often avoid asking questions probing through our thoughts for fear of how they may make us look. So instead, we often forego knowing in favor of intimidation and fear. Now that definitely doesn’t serve us well. And settling in on too many assumptions usually steers us in the wrong direction. Silence leaves us regretting the unasked, unspoken questions that would have unlocked so many doors.

When Jesus faced lots of accusations and questions, He met his critics and cynics head on with deep, probing questions. In fact, if you study the Gospels, you will find Jesus was the ultimate question asker. He challenged His disciples with questions and often answered their questions with, yes, another question. When others tried to trap Him with His own words, Jesus resorted to questions which left them blindsided.

Jesus, the Son of God, had infinite, unlimited knowledge –  nothing was beyond Him. He knew the questions before the words hit someone’s lips, yet He was strategic in using those moments to cultivate thinking on the part of the one asking. He painted beautiful word pictures (Parables) to bring full circle His point and allowed the listeners to think rather than simply telling them the underlying truth.

So the next time we think our question is ridiculously silly, let’s ask anyway. If we feel our questions are too deep, probing and uncharted ask anyway. God knows what is on our minds – the thoughts that are desperately searching for an answer. But once we ask let’s not fail to wait and trust, search and seek. Right in the midst of answers is a beautiful relationship with God, the one who longs for us to dive deep into His word and gather close so we can listen intently to His wisdom.

“Jesus how sweet it is to come to You with all our unknowns, doubts and questions trusting completely that You are our ultimate answer giver – we are so blessed.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 15, 2026

Count Me In

“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (Msg)

“Lord, did you forget that I’m an introvert?” I distinctively remember saying those words not so long ago. The beginning of change. For prior, I lived in a world of walls. No, not walls that anyone could see but walls created and maintained by me. I was a master wall builder. Walls of brick that spanned two feet wide and 20 feet high. Walls of steel, coated in bronze that enclosed me and locked in place on cue. Walls that appeared out of nowhere at the most inopportune times. It took years to build my walls. Effortless it was. It’s what I did when hurt came and had no place to go.

But God wanted something different. I was created for community. I was created to love, be loved and serve. Walls not only sheltered me from others but formed ceilings that restricted my relationship with God. Nothing and no one could hurt me, in theory. Correspondingly, nothing and no one could satisfy and bring contentment, joy or peace.

And so, I prayed a simple prayer: “I’m ready.” I’m ready to open my heart again. I’m willing to take down the walls. And the people came. My neighbor, someone at the grocery store, even someone at church. Exhausting! Then another and another. And as I returned their advances, I realized that the only thing that held me back from others’ kindnesses was me.

God had room to enter and heal, love and teach. I then could give and receive love just as God filled me with His love. Did hurt come calling? Sure. We live in a fallen world. Where have I placed the hurt? I wish I could say that I leave it at Christ’s cross, because I think that’s what I should say. Sometimes I do, but I struggle with doing this always. My tear count is too high likely. But, I have experienced so many moments of joy, love and life that I choose to not build the walls back. I’m finally alive, moving forward in my faith journey. Instead of building walls, God is building bridges. Instead of height the focus is breadth. The end result is pure gold.

“Father, thank You that Your desire is to have relationship with us. Thank You that You have never stopped pursuing us. Thank You for Your faithfulness and love that can change a heart of stone and make it something beautiful.”

For His Glory

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 14, 2026

What God Are We Worshipping?

“Can people make their own gods? These are not real gods at all!” Jeremiah 16:20(NLT)

There is something I have been thinking about for a while, and I want to share my thoughts with you today. Many of us unknowingly think of God as a “formula” God. We don’t intend to think of Him this way, sometimes it is intuitive and sometimes it is because of the way we grew up.

Let me share a few examples-

-Bring up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it.

-If you follow God, you will be blessed.

-If you wait for marriage, sex will be amazing.

-If you give to God, you will be blessed.

While some of these are truths from Scripture, some of these are just platitudes we have been taught. In addition, blessings do not come packaged in the same way for every person or every time. We can easily become disillusioned when God does not meet our expectations.

Have we thought about who we really believe God is?

How can we avoid being mad at God when He does not do what we think He will or should do? How can we stay strong in our faith and safeguard ourselves against thoughts that could someday turn against us if our circumstances were to change?

Here are a few things to think about:

-First, we need to be sure our relationship with Jesus Christ is real, and we are moving toward Him each day. Are we dying to our desires on a daily basis or do we live in an environment where our life appears to honor Him because we do not overtly do anything against Him?

-Next, we need to be honest about Who He is. Do we really believe He is the King of Kings? Do we talk with Him, ask for wisdom in our decisions, and care what He thinks?

-Finally, we may sing songs like I Just Want to Speak the Name of Jesus with lyrics such as

Your name is power

Your name is healing

Your name is life

 

Do we mean Jesus is all powerful, all healing, all life, even when things feel like we have no power, healing does not come and there is death of any kind?

The question is, do we change how we think about who Jesus is based on our circumstances or experiences or have we determined Who He is and are we living accordingly?  Who do we really believe God is?

Let us be sure we are guarding our hearts against creating any gods, and we are trusting in the One who created all things.

“Father, help us to know Who You are and believe and trust You.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 13, 2026

Resting In Incomprehensible Love

“…that you, being firmly rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge… ~Ephesians 3:17b-19a

God is beyond time—He created everything and has always existed (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-4). He is everywhere all at once (omnipresent), and He knows everything (omniscient). God holds everything together with His Word (Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3)—He is all-powerful (omnipotent). He knew you before He formed you (Psalm 139: 15-16).

And, no matter who you are, where you are, or what you’ve done, God loves you.

Maybe you’re running from God right now. You want to do life the world’s way, on your own terms. You’re confident that you can think, speak, and act outside of God’s view. Like a toddler who covers her own eyes and thinks she can’t be seen, you fully believe you can hide from God. Oh, but let’s look at the glorious words of Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I lift up the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.”

Sweet friend, God knows you. You cannot hide or run from Him. He created you for relationship with Him and wants You to be reconciled with Him. That’s why—while we were still running, hiding, sinning—God the Father sent Jesus, the Son who is fully God and fully Man, to live the perfect life we could not and die the brutal death we deserved, making the payment we owed. Then, when Jesus rose victorious over sin and death, we who accept that it counted for us, receive forgiveness and reconciliation with God by grace through faith. This is the love of God for you (Romans 5:6-11). You can stop running…you can rest in His love.

And, believer, what about you? Perhaps you are in Christ—surrendered and saved—but you feel alone, afraid, abandoned? Oh, beloved…it’s a lie from the enemy of your soul! We can never, ever be separated from the love of Jesus. In His victory, we are co-victors—but more than that, we are His children, one with Him and heirs of the Kingdom. More than conquerors. And because of this, nothing, no one, no powers-that-be can put a wedge between us and the love of God. You are not alone.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction, or turmoil, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were counted as sheep for the slaughter.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39

Friend, may you and I root our lives in this truth! No matter what storms come against us (because they will). We are loved and known by God, and we’re made inseparable from the love of God in Christ. And what a mind-blowing joy to read the way Paul talks about this in Ephesians 3, as he’s praying for that church family. He basically says, “Friends, stand firm in knowing the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love…and…rest in the fact that it’s too broad, long, high, and deep for us to ever know.” Amen!

“Lord, may every person reading these words recognize the glorious truth of Your love. Love that saves by grace through faith…and love that never leaves or forsakes. And may we all rest in the unknowable power, presence, and vastness of You.

 

For His Glory,

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 12, 2026

The Weight of Our Words

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”  Colossians 4:6 (ESV)

Everyone has an audience today….between tweets, posts and chats…someone is always listening to our words tapped out on a keyboard or phone.  They may not audibly hear us utter those words, but they can definitely catch the flavor of our speech.

Communicating in 2026 looks so different than in Paul’s day.  No cell phones.  No computers. No Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram.  Despite the lack of tools to convey their message, Paul challenged the believers in Colossae to weigh their words carefully.

Why all the emphasis on speech?  Throughout God’s word, we find several references regarding the weight of our words:

  • Our words are to glorify God (Psalm 19:14)
  • God knows our words before we speak them (Psalm 139:4)
  • Restraining our lips serves us well   (Proverbs 10:19)
  • Harsh words stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1)
  • The right word at the right moment is priceless (Proverbs 25:11)

And last but not least, James reminds us in Chapter 3 , no human can tame the tongue.  Lots of ouches in that list don’t you agree?  We find it ever so easy to voice our opinion, post our thoughts and speak our responses without even a moments hesitation.  Yet God reminds us whatever we say and how we say it impacts our influence in the lives of others.

Sweet friends as God’s ambassadors, we have the awesome privilege of speaking life, grace and truth into the lives of those we meet.  For some, we may be the only version of the Bible they will ever pick up and read.  For some, we may be the reason why they don’t want to pick up the Bible – convicting to say the least.

Before his conversion, Paul spent a lot of time giving his opinion against believers.  His statements were filled with powerful impact in the moment and cost others’ their lives for their belief in Jesus Christ.  But Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus changed his speech forever.  Never once did he revert back to harshly accusing the body of Christ.  His focus and driving passion was to use the words which uttered from his mouth to proclaim the good news – the gospel.

In a world where words are many, unrehearsed and unrestrained, we find the challenge to be real.  Are our words filled with grace?  Are we using words to preserve and build up the body of Christ?  Do we know enough about the gospel to give an answer to those desperately searching for truth?  Is our speech glorifying God or is it stirring up disunity and discord – just so we can prove out point?

Lots to think about in a world where voices can be heard loud and clear.  Once our words hit the air, they are gone never again to be retrieved.  Maybe it’s time we carved in time this week to evaluate how our words are drawing others to Jesus.  Perhaps we need to rethink some responses. Maybe we need to spend some time diving deeper into His word to ensure we can give others the reason for the hope within us.  And most importantly, let’s surrender our words to the control of the Holy Spirit – who will guide us in choosing words which serve us and others well.

“Father, our words are many and often empty focused and driven on our agendas.  Help us to weigh the power of our words and choose carefully so we will bring honor and glory to Your name.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 9, 2026

A Royal Priesthood

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” I Peter 2:9 (ESV)

While I am definitely not an expert on priesthood, I have been challenged by the role of the High Priests in the Old Testament. Their job was to put God on display – to look and act differently from the rest. To be set apart, holy and consecrated. Part of their role was to help the people navigate atonement and guide their hearts toward obedience to God’s commands. Morning and evening, the priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of Israel. They would also guide the Israelites in bringing their offerings for their sins. The priests were great intercessors and pleaded on behalf of the people to God, much like Moses did in the wilderness. And lastly, they distributed resources to people in need out of the abundance others brought.

Wow, what a job!

As grand as the High Priest’s job was, they were still human. When they offered sacrifices for others, they also had to offer sacrifices for their sins. No one was sinless (Romans 3:10), until the pivot moment when Jesus entered our world. The sinless Son of God became our divine High Priest forever (Hebrews 5) through His death on the cross. Jesus’ blood paved the way for us to have an intimate relationship with God – He became our mediator, our bridge from God to man. And He intercedes before His Father on our behalf. We are clothed in His righteousness not our filthy rags (2 Corinthians 5:21).

So what does this mean for us?

Peter reminds us in I Peter 2:9 that we are a royal priesthood. We have roles to fulfill like the High Priests and Christ exemplified. In fact, the early church fully exemplified this role making it real and personal for believers today. Here’s some questions to ponder:

• Are we different – or do we simply blend into our world? Not just how we look, but how we act, think and speak.
• Do we help others navigate their faith and teach them how to confess their sins and walk in the grace and mercy God offers?
• Do we intercede on behalf of others?
• Do we steward our resources well so we can help others in need?

We have been set apart to draw others to God and to exemplify His love and grace. Interceding isn’t optional nor is helping others in need. May God open our eyes this week to see the privilege and honor we have in being His people – a royal priesthood. Reflecting our great High Priest to our world.

“Father, how blessed we are to be Your chosen people. May we honor You through obedience and declaring how awesome You are to our world.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 8, 2026

The God of Daniel – He Is Our God Too!

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel 6:10 (NIV).

Daniel was doing fine in Jerusalem until King Nebuchadnezzar besieged it and took everyone into exile, including him.   Then Daniel and some others were trained to serve the king in his court. While there, Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace. And what happened? They prayed to their God, the Lord Almighty, and nothing happened to them!!! They came out without wounds or burns.

Daniel kept his allegiance to the Lord, and he developed a gift for interpreting dreams. In all the troubles Daniel faced, God honored His faithfulness.  Because the people were envious of his gifts and the fact that the king liked Daniel, some guys plotted against him. What’s next… right? He got sent to the lion’s den.  All night long Daniel was shut in the den with those lions and not one of them harmed him. Daniel came out without scratches or bruises.

Get the picture? Daniel remained faithful to the Lord, and God honored him. He got into trouble, and God saw that he came out unharmed. Trials will always come, but if we remain faithful, God will see us through. Let’s look to Him, let’s seek Him, let’s be like Daniel, and not be ashamed to get down on our knees when trouble comes.

 “Lord, sometimes we just get too scared about the lions and forget that You can shut their mouths and make them look like small kittens. Help us to trust in You like Daniel did and to not be afraid of fire or beasts, because we serve a God for whom nothing is impossible.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 7, 2026

Yes, I Know God Has A Plan For Me

“See,  I have written your name on the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:16a (NLT)

I am sure you have heard Jeremiah 29:11 quoted, seen it on t-shirts, or maybe even have this verse hanging in your home and it is so true. No doubt that God absolutely has plans for each of us beyond our understanding. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why? Why does He have these plans for us and maybe you’re even wondering, is this really the plan? Maybe you’ve thought, this for sure wouldn’t be my plan and that can lead to questioning who God really is or what this thing called life is really all about.

I would love to have coffee with you and speak these words face to face, but writing will have to suffice. As we visited,  I would remind us that God does not see us as a mass of women walking around, He sees each one of us as individuals. I would remind us that Scripture tells us that He knew us before we were conceived. That God knew that His world, the perfect world He created, was not complete without YOU or ME! I would pause and remind us that His hands designed US! He cradled us in His heart and knew that this hair color, bone structure, quiet smile or loud laugh would be the way He wanted us, as His precious daughters, to be. He chose us, He wanted us, and He wants us to share our days with Him. The God of all the universe, who spoke the world into existence, breathed His life into us and called us child, daughter, friend, and beloved.

The plans He has for us are to know we have a place in His heart and that He desires a relationship with us above all. He desires that we know His love is displayed through the death of Jesus and His blood paying for all we’ve ever done against Him, because He never wants to lose His relationship with us. Then He wants us to chat with Him through our days, go to Him through our tears, laugh with Him through our chaos, and rest in Him through our pain.

Oh, how He adores each one of us and wants us. Just because we exist, not because of anything we’ve ever done. By His choice, our names are written on the palms of HIS hands!!

“Heavenly Father, help each of us see ourselves through Your eyes and know we are cherished and adored by You.

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 6, 2026

Devote Yourself

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe. Acts 2:42-43a.

It’s week two of the new year…how are your resolutions going? I heard a statistic recently that something like 88% of people who make resolutions have broken them within two weeks. Yikes. There are a lot of reasons why this happens: we set unrealistic goals, we have no strategy, or we simply abandon the initial enthusiasm of it all.

In diving into the second chapter of Acts, within Peter’s first big sermon after the promised Holy Spirit came upon those gathered, some spiritual resolutions jumped off the page. Now, in addressing the crowd of new believers, Luke (who wrote Acts) didn’t call them “resolutions” per se…he spoke about how they “devoted themselves.” This is beautiful, isn’t it? Yes, we can “resolve” or make a decision to do something. But “devoting ourselves”…this connotes throwing ourselves fully into whatever it is we’re devoted to. As Luke describes the response of the 3000 newly saved, five areas of devotion are clearly defined. And before you think, “Well, these are for newbies in the faith,” let me say that we are never done maturing! From the moment we surrender to Jesus until we’re in His presence in glory, we must grow spiritually. We must devote ourselves to it!

So, what are these five never-ending to-dos from verses 42-43?

  1. Savor God’s Word. Carve out time daily to delight in, learn from, and be convicted by Scripture. And sit under the teaching of a solid Bible teacher. And with podcasts, you can also hear from pastors from around the country (whether living and active teachers like John Piper, Ben Stuart, or my own pastor, Joby Martin, or those who have gone to be with the Lord, like John MacArthur and Voddie Baucham). Just be careful of the many popular heretics of our day, who are satisfying itching ears by twisting God’s Word to satisfy their personal agenda.
  2. Engage in fellowship (literally, “partnership”) and discipleship. We are called to not give up meeting (Hebrews 10:25) and to spur one another on as fellow believers (Hebrews 10:24). We’re to sharpen one another, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). We do this by being part of a local church community. (Again, online and podcasts are fine, but being present among a church fam is vital!) Maybe this year, you can find a younger believer (younger in the faith, not necessarily chronologically) to disciple. And (note I didn’t say “or”) find someone to mentor/disciple you this year—to keep you accountable and carry your mat when it’s needed (note I didn’t say “if”).
  3. Participate in communion. Jesus instituted two ordinances for us believers: baptism and communion. It doesn’t matter how often your church body celebrates communion, as long as it does! Communion is the opportunity for us to remember the Lord’s sacrifice—to contemplate His death and resurrection, proclaiming the gospel through this action.
  4. Without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18). We pray alone, with our spouse or mat-carriers, and in the church gathering. We talk with God, cry out to Him—or just cry to Him, praise Him, thank Him, beg Him. And we listen to Him, through His Word and through the Holy Spirit, our counselor.
  5. Stay in awe (verse 43a). Do you “keep feeling a sense of awe” for what the Lord has done for you? For God’s creation? For the astonishment of our senses that point to heavenly reality? For the fact that we were dead, and now we’re alive in Christ. Sweet friend, this is one that I’m particularly focused on being devoted to (immersed in, constantly aware). May we never cease to glorify God for, well, everything.

If you’ve been a follower of Jesus Christ for a day or 50 decades, I challenge you (and me) this year to be devoted to the things that will deepen our relationship with the Lord and make us more like Christ.

“Lord, you have given us all the tools we need—including the indwelling Holy Spirit—to be transformed into the likeness of Christ on our way to glory. May I continually devote myself to this purpose.”

 For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 5, 2026

The Sweetness Of Our God

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7 (ESV)

Ever started your day with a song on repeat? The lyrics unable to escape you and the tune embedded in your mind. Without even thinking, the melody resumes, and you’re singing those words as if you’ve never heard it before. Days later, you find yourself humming the same song. The reason totally unknown in the moment – just a tune that keeps reverberating through your mind, tantalizing your voice and sounding through your home.

2025 unveiled such a moment – the song I couldn’t dismiss was Lauren Daigle’s “Be Okay.”  At the start of my day, throughout my day and at night the all too familiar tune burst forth a song deep in my soul. Some days, I’d shake my head totally unsure why I couldn’t get this song out of my mind, yet the next day it would return again as though I’d never heard it before.

Fast forward to February 25 and the sudden death of my husband, Jay,  sent my world into a spiral of uncertainties and unknowns. Blind sighted by a tragic loss, I now knew why this song had been playing on repeat. God was reminding me, surrounding me and singing over me the very words which would keep my eyes focused on the source of my strength in the darkest of nights. And the word God had given me for 2025 was none other than “Focus.”  A word I was clueless as to why God kept it at the forefront of my thoughts in those early days of 2025.

A song God knew I would need to remind me that I would “Be Okay” despite the hard journey grief births. A word God knew I would need to keep my gaze zeroed in on Him despite the challenges that would lie ahead. In His divine wisdom, God knew I would need an eternal focus on the resurrection hope that secures our lives in His presence forever – a sure foundation when life is shaky.

Pivotal verses in my calendar book the entire month of February encouraging my heart in ways that only God could have orchestrated. Reminders of God leading us in triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14). Reminders of our frailty and dependence on Him (2 Corinthians 3:5). And that week when life changed, God etched 2 Corinthians 4:16 “So we do not lose heart, though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

The sweetness of our God always preparing us in advance even when we don’t know the road ahead. The grace of our God easing us through the hard places and equipping us with His words so we can navigate the journey, hard or easy,  we didn’t expect.

What will 2026 bring? None of us knows what a day will bring nor are we to be consumed with tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). Rather, we are to live our days moment by moment totally dependent upon God, trusting in His unfailing character, clinging to His word and walking in obedience. Always in constant communion with the One who knows it all, prepares us for it all and carries us through it all.

“Father, there are no words to describe how precious You are to me. I see today what I couldn’t see yesterday, and I navigate tomorrow because I know You never leave my side.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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