Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 26, 2025

Lost Opportunity

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6”  (NKJV)

These verses about trusting the Lord and the promised benefit have been one of my “go-to” scriptures for a long time. You can imagine how thrilled I was to recently hear my three-year-old great-granddaughter lisping through the phone: “Twust in the Lawd with all your hawt…” She recited the whole thing perfectly. I was astonished. Thanks to a godly mother working with her, she will remember that verse all her life.

As I flipped through the channels on my TV today, I happened to come across a 1942 black and white movie about Dagwood Bumstead. I first knew Dagwood as a cartoon character I read in the newspaper every day as a child. In this movie, he had been drafted into the Army to fight in World War II. Upset about being drafted, he said, “I would rather serve my country in my way.”

Isn’t that the same thing we sometimes say to God when He taps us on the shoulder and points us to a particular task He wants us to do? “I’d rather serve You in my way.”

Being asked to do something out of our comfort zone can be unnerving. But what about trusting the Lord with all our hearts?

I confess that recently the Lord whispered into my heart something He wanted me to do, and I had only seconds to decide whether to do it or not. Everything in me wanted to do it, but I thought it might cause the other person to think less of me, so I backed off. Seconds later, she drove away and the opportunity was lost. I don’t even know her name.

Ever since then, the Lord has been speaking to me. What did I miss? What did that other person miss? If I had trusted the Lord with all my heart, how would the future have changed? Would it have even mattered if the other person had thought less of me? Jesus suffered scorn; so why couldn’t I?

I can’t see down the road with my limited human brain, but God can, and I should have trusted Him.

I have been grieving over that decision ever since. I have asked for His forgiveness and asked that He would send someone else to do for her what I should have done. And I have purposed in my heart to obey the voice of God when He calls on me again.

“Father, we ask forgiveness for the times we failed You. Strengthen us to stand firm in our decision to trust You with all our hearts, because we can’t do it in our own human power.”

  

For His Glory

 

Cherie Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 25, 2025

Glorious Awe

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28 (ESV)

Cold, frosty morning standing in line at Starbucks. Caught the twinkle in little eyes at the mention of Santa. Warm Java satisfying parents – expected Christmas joy exciting toddlers. Hopeful promises of gifts around the tree decked with lights. Innocence believes………eyes wide open in awe on Christmas morn.

Cries in a stable. Pain births life. Mary and Joseph cradling the very Son of God in their arms. Wrapped in swaddling clothes nestled in hay. Everything Mary pondered in her heart quieted in the wonder of the moment. Innocence believes……eyes wide open gazing on the Christ child.

Beautiful sight – starry night. Shepherds watching their flock. Years of expecting…patiently waiting for the Messiah’s birth. Angels appearing – singing glory to God in the highest – proclaiming the Son of God is born. Innocence believes….. eyes wide open that first Christmas morn.

An unexpected journey. Seeking to find the promised One. Traveling from afar. Overjoyed beyond measure. Face down, bowed low worshipping the young boy. Presenting their best gold, frankincense and myrrh. Innocence believes….eyes wide open in the presence of the King.

Hopeful, pondering, expectant, overjoyed……where does Christmas find us this year? Is our hope found in the Christ child? Does pondering cultivate doubt or deepen our trust in God’s sovereignty? Have our unrealistic expectations quieted our praise? Has an unexpected journey taken us far – desperately seeking?

Eyes wide open….believing….trusting….hoping. Isn’t that how we remember Christmas? The heart and innocence of childlike faith captivated by the Christmas story. Sitting on the edge of our seat taking in every detail mesmerized at the wonder of His birth. The glorious awe of Jesus presence into our world on Christmas morning still breathes life and peace into the souls of man.  Hope faded is reignited.  Trust diminished begins to flourish.  Joy once silent breaks out in song  – “Oh holy night, a thrill of hope the world rejoices – Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever.”

“Father, elevate our worship of Your Son this Christmas morn – open our eyes to see the radiance of Your glory!”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

Wishing you and your family a blessed and Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.  

cb devo 25a

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 24, 2025

Buddy-the-Elf Enthusiasm

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with jubilation; Come before Him with rejoicing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:1-3

Who doesn’t love the iconic Christmas movie, “Elf?” (Seriously, if you’re not a fan, you may want to consider getting some counseling.) For me, one of the most endearing things about the movie is the main character (Buddy the Elf) and his unabashed enthusiasm for all things Christmas (and, of course, for the four food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup). There’s that one pinnacle scene in the department store when Buddy finds out that Santa will be there the next day. His response is beyond excited, as he shouts to everyone around him: “Santa! I know him!”

This silly and heartwarming Christmas-staple movie is also a fitting illustration for living the Christian life. And it’s deeply convicting.

When we first come to know the love, forgiveness and saving grace of Jesus Christ, I can safely say we are all in—experiencing daily Buddy-like enthusiasm for all-things-Christian because our whole view of life has changed. Everything becomes “the best” because we are new creations in Christ, washed as white as snow in the blood of Christ, set free from the bondage of sin…the world around us is truly something we discover anew with our fresh heavenly perspective (think of all the “bests” Buddy finds as he explores New York City).

Most obvious for new believers is the sheer joy of knowing Jesus—as Savior and new best friend. I recall when I first surrendered to Christ, I was so excited to profess my love for the Lord to people around me. And when everything is spiritually sparkly new, it’s easy to identify God’s hand in it all and be thankful and overjoyed. But as time—and life’s challenges and tedium—rolls on, though, do we let that unabashed enthusiasm fade? Do we let the daily miracles become commonplace in our minds? Is our relationship with the Lord so “old hat” and mundane that it’s not the focus of every interaction and experience we have?

Friend, whether we’ve been walking with the Lord for 50 minutes or 50 years, let’s commit to recapturing that initial unabashed joy and enthusiasm for all-things-Jesus. This Christmas let’s put on our proverbial Buddy-the-Elf hat and look around with fresh eyes of childlike faith. Let’s embrace the reflection of God in everyone we come into contact with and every little (and big) miracle. Maybe, at some point this Christmas, we’ll even take the opportunity to shout to those around us, “Jesus! I know Him!” And then proceed to share the Good News of who He is and why He is so wonderful.

“Lord, let my childlike wonder and joy for You never fade, but only grow deeper and more profound as I continue to walk with You through this life.”

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 23, 2025

Unity of Misfit Toys

“The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me.” John 17:22-23

I love my church family. In fact, as I stand at the doorway welcoming people in, I’m in awe every week at the beautiful breadth of nearby residents who enter in. Some who woke up excited to hurry into the House of the Lord for worship. Others who were literally driving by, saw a full parking lot, and decided, “Huh, maybe I should see what’s going on in there.” Others, and I’ve met plenty, woke up in desperation and fear—and it took every ounce of courage they could muster to step foot into a church when “church” meant nothing to them but pain and betrayal. Looking into the eyes of those walking by, I see the buttoned-up and tattooed-up. Clean-shaven suits and long-haired flip-flop-wearing dudes. Saved-at-VBS long-timers and saved-last-night off-the-street newbies. The shy, the bold, the very young, and very old.

Mostly, I like to think of our church body like the Island of Misfit Toys, from that 1964 stop-motion Christmas classic, “Rudolf and Red-Nosed Reindeer.” I mean, every row isn’t lined with perfect Barbies with painted-on smiles or cowboys with flawlessly stitched garb. There are some, for sure. But our chairs hold mostly Charlies-in-the-Box, spotted elephants, birds that swim, winged bears, and square-wheeled trains.

It’s stunning when you think about it—there’s no reason in the world for us all to be gathered in one place. But God. Jesus is the reason we’re knitted together—the broken, the misfits, the normies, and the seemingly flawless. And that’s exactly what He promised and why He came!

All we have to do is look to God’s promises in Genesis to Adam and Abraham, through the Psalms and the Prophets, to the Apostolic letters, to the words of Jesus Himself and to His Revelation. Reconciliation with God is for all and only possible through the Lamb of God—Jesus. And through His death and resurrection, we are not only reconciled to God but also to one another. Jesus invites ALL people to go from darkness to light, from lost to found, from death to life. And once the gift of Jesus is accepted by grace alone through faith alone, believers become one in Christ.

In John’s gospel (chapter 17), Jesus is very clear that His followers are called to be unified SO THAT the world will believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Our oneness reflects the glory of God and the unity of the Trinity. This “perfection in unity” shows the world that the impossible unity of misfit, unalike, imperfect people is possible through Christ. The world would have us hating each other. But through God’s love and by the saving grace of Jesus, we love one another.

So, beloved, look through fresh eyes as you hustle through last-second Christmas shopping, drive through crowded parking lots, and join work and family parties. The family of God is like the Island of Misfit Toys. And everyone you come into contact with could be either a current member of your Island family—or a potential one. During this season where we celebrate Emmanuel—God with us—and once the decorations are all put away, let’s walk in unity and the love of Christ so that the world filled with all us misfits may know Him.
Lord, may I never cease to be in awe of the diversity of Your children and how it is only through Jesus that we are a unified family of broken-to-beautiful people.

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 22, 2025

Clinging To Truth

 

 

cb devo dec 22

 

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (HCSB)

Ever assumed something? You know like we overheard a conversation and then drew our own conclusion. Or, maybe we wanted to believe something so bad that we assumed the best and disregarded the facts. Perhaps we didn’t want to believe something so bad that we discarded the truth and assumed the worst. Assumptions never serve us well and if we’re honest they are too often the source of misconceptions and false accusations.

Wonder what assumptions were made about a young, pregnant teenager named Mary? Was she the talk of the town? Probably. Did her closest friends and family assume the worst? Probably. What about Joseph was he caught between wanting to believe the truth and yet assuming the worst? Probably.

A virgin birth, unexplainable and beyond our comprehension. Yet isn’t that the way our God works? He does the unimaginable and asks us to simply trust not assume. He compels us to lean into the truth and not draw our own conclusions. And even in that window of doubt, God draws us close and whispers the words we need to hear – truth that dispels our assumptions.

Love the way Mary simply believes. Love the way Mary doesn’t confront her accusers. Love the way Mary is drawn to Elizabeth, one who knows the pleasure of surprising births and long-awaited dreams. Love the way Joseph listens and obeys even despite the assumptions knocking at his door. Love the way Joseph honors Mary, respects her character when others assumed the worst. Love the way God shows up right in the midst of misconceptions and false accusations proving that He is the God of impossibilities.

What impossibilities are staring you in the face this Christmas? Is it heartbreak or loss?  Is it the financial strain of a tight economy?  Is it a child or spouse whose far from the Lord?  Is it a health diagnosis or one you’ve been facing every day?  Is it career pressures weighing heavy on your mind?  Whatever your impossibility is, we can confidently stand on the promise that with God all things are possible even the delayed and unexplainable.  The One who loved us so much that He sent His Son to this broken world will never withhold His very best from us.  We can fully trust our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace to surpass our deepest desires – just like He did when the Babe in the manger breathed His first breath and changed our world forever.

“Father, so glad we can come to You with all our assumptions and confidently walk away covered in Your truth.

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 19, 2025

Echoes of Whispers

“Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.” 1 Samuel 1:13a (NIV)

If you’ve ever been to a high hill or a canyon, where your voice would echo through the empty space, whatever you spoke out loud would be repeated multiple times, going from crescendo to decrescendo, until it disappeared, as if moving further and further away.

There is a story in the Bible about a woman named Hannah, a woman known for not being able to conceive, while her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, would have one child after another. Though Hannah was deeply loved by her husband, Elkanah, she felt incomplete because she had not been able to give him a son.

Elkanah would take his family to Shiloh every year to worship the Lord, and during one of those visits, Hannah, desperate to have a son, stayed in the temple praying to God, begging for Him to bless her womb, so she could bear a child. She was anguished, and as her words were muttered, there was no sound coming out of her mouth. Eli, the prophet who was at the door of the temple, thought she was drunk.

Hannah’s words were like whispers echoing in the ears of the Lord. She made no audible sounds, but the Lord heard every single one of them. And because He heard them, He had compassion for Hannah and granted her the wish she had held close to her heart for a long time. Hannah conceived and gave birth to Samuel, who became a prophet.

Whatever it is that you need from the Lord, bring it to His altar. Do not give up on your prayer to Him, even if at the time you have no strength to cry out. Even if all you have is a whisper that echoes through the air like inaudible sound waves, rest assured that God will hear your words to Him. And if that is His plan for you, you will see it become true, just like Hannah did.

“Dear Lord, thank You for the assurance we have that You hear our words, even if we cannot speak them out loud. We are blessed to have a God who cares and who listens to the smallest whisper.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Prayer

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 18, 2025

Women in the Family Tree of Jesus Part 2 – Rahab

“Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).”  Matthew 1:5 (NLT)

Hebrews chapter 11 is commonly referred to as the Hall of Faith for those who believe in Jesus. It lists the amazing feats of Moses, Noah, and Abraham, the giants of our faith. This chapter reads as a pep rally for those of us who have come behind to strengthen our faith, remind us of our future, and keep our focus on Him.

The book of James has several themes that run through it including faith and works, perseverance through trials, and how to find wisdom.

Joshua is a book about how God gave the Israelites their land, their home. It is a book of war and God’s faithfulness and how He keeps His promises.

What do these three powerful books have in common? A woman named Rahab is in all three of them.

She is also listed in Matthew 1:5, as an ancestor in the family tree of Jesus!

She must be such a woman of faithfulness and character, and God was able to trust her. She absolutely was. God used her mightily and admired her faith, mentioned her in THE Hall of Faith chapter, recognized her faith caused her to act, made her the Great Great Great…..Grandmother of the King of Kings, and put a whole book of the Bible about her son and his wife in scripture.

She is definitely a woman I want to emulate. She is a woman that ranked high in God’s kingdom and changed the course of History.

Where did she get her start? Where was it that she probably heard the stories of the faithfulness and great feats of Jehovah-God? How was a woman in her day so knowledgeable about the rest of the world?

Did I forget to mention? Rahab was a prostitute. She lived in the walls of her city, Jericho. Her reputation was such that when the king could not find the two Israelite spies, he sent His advisors to Rahab’s house, because he was sure she would know where they were. His men did not flinch when she answered them with a lie, because they had no reason to doubt her from the past. Rahab most likely heard about all of these accomplishments of God from those who paid her to stay the night. Rahab was also the one who took care of her family, including her father, mother, brothers and their families. This was not the cultural norm during this time. Truly there was nothing “normal”  about the life of Rahab and yet, God saw her where she was and He saw her faith. She was not only acceptable in His eyes, she was also elevated. It does not matter what others see in us or think about our past. God is the only audience that matters.

No matter our past, God always offers hope, redemption, and a future we cannot imagine.

“Father, thank you for loving us to always give us hope.”

For His Glory

 

Terrie Tollerson
TerrieTollerson.com/@TerrieTollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 17, 2025

The Women In The Family Tree of Jesus Part 1 – Tamar

“Judah the father of Perez and Zereh, whose mother was Tamar…”  Matthew 1:3 (NIV)

Imagine a Netflix show where the widowed main character sets herself up as a prostitute to sleep with her father-in-law in order to get pregnant and have his heir. WHAT???  We would take a breath and have some deep consideration before we would tune in to that show.

Yet, Jesus chose that prostitute to become part of his family lineage. This was the very first woman named in the family tree of Jesus.

Let’s break down this story.

Tamar was married to a very wicked man. We do not know what kind of wicked he was or how he treated her, but we know his wickedness was enough for God to kill him. As Jewish law stated, Tamar would then marry the next oldest son so that there would be an heir. Tamar married Onan, the next son. He used Tamar, much like a prostitute, but would not give her an heir. This was considered evil in the sight of God, and he was killed.

There was one more son, but Judah feared he, too, would die, so he did not give him to Tamar to marry. So Tamar was sent back to her father’s home. Judah could have released her from his family to marry again, but he was content leaving her without hope, childless, and with no heir for his sons.

Hope comes in many forms, and God works in mysterious ways. He offered it to Tamar in a most unique way.

As time went on and Tamar came to the realization that her father-in-law was untrustworthy and was never going to give his last son to Tamar in marriage, Tamar had faith in God and made some difficult decisions.

Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and waited for Judah to come down the road. He did, and he propositioned her. When she was with Judah she asked for three of his personal items. She knew him well enough to know he was untrustworthy, and she knew she needed proof that it was Judah who was with her. Her plan worked, and she found out she was expecting.

Judah heard his widowed daughter-in-law was pregnant, and he publicly called for her death.  He was ready to have her killed for her crime-of being a prostitute. Interestingly, he did not consider he should be put to death for being with a prostitute. Tamar had his personal items sent to him, and  he found out that was the father. Judah had a change of heart. He declared that Tamar was more righteous than he was.

Tamar’s future was not only restored, but she became the first woman named in the lineage of Jesus. As her twin boys were born, the midwife tied a scarlet string on one baby’s wrist. This is the first time the scarlet thread appears in scripture. The thread that would point to the arrival of Jesus!

Tamar, a woman in a hopeless situation, left to be destitute, was married to an evil man, treated as a prostitute, deceived, and was abandoned with no hope or future. Yet she had faith and courage in God. God saw fit to list her in the family tree of Jesus.

The Christmas story begins with hope and a woman who risked it all to trust in God’s promises to her.

“Father, help us to trust you even when we cannot see the next step in front of us.”

 

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TerrieTollerson.com or @TerrieTollerson on Instagram
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 16, 2025

Shepherd Lessons

“When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds…The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.” Luke 2:15-18; 20

Don’t you love reading the second chapter of Luke’s gospel? Particularly on Christmas morning—especially when it’s carefully sounded out through the mouth of an excited jammie-clad child, hot cocoa in hand. (It also makes me think of that beautiful soliloquy of Linus, but that’s another story.)

Something new and interesting struck me this year in meditating on these events—which is what the Living Word does, am I right? The Lord sent His mighty, bright, glorious angels to a group of shepherd boys to declare the Gospel for the very first time in the earthly ministry of Jesus. He was maybe just hours old when the angel told them that a Savior, Christ the Lord (God Himself) was born. Then they experienced a heavenly concert of a multitude of angels singing of the glory of it all.

The Bible then says, once they heard the Good News, they hurried to see for themselves. But then I noticed for the first time in verses 17-18 that they told others—to which the response of those people was wonderment. Makes me wonder: Who’d they tell? Did they believe those excited, smelly kids? Did those people go see for themselves the manger holding the King of kings? We don’t know. We’re just told the shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God.

Lesson one: Once we hear the Good News, we need to discover and accept it for ourselves. Lesson two: Tell others what you know, what you’ve seen, and how meeting Jesus has impacted you. Lesson three: Walk in awe and wonder of Jesus. No matter how tedious, stressful, or exhausting the day of work or parenting might be, glorify and praise God in all of it.

But what’s the rest of the story for these boys? See, as we learn in Matthew 2, when the magi came from the East to worship Jesus, they stopped by to let Herod know what was happening: a King was born in Bethlehem. Herod was not a good guy and certainly didn’t want to be unseated as king. Because some time had gone by since Jesus’ birth (likely over a year), Herod had all boys in Bethlehem “and all its vicinity” under two years old killed. Let that terror sink in for a minute. The entire town—including the surrounding hills where the sheep grazed under the watch of shepherds—was no doubt in absolute horror and grief. We don’t have any idea if the townspeople knew why Herod did this. But we can speculate that there were a few guys that knew exactly what was going on—they’d seen King Jesus. What was the shepherds’ reaction to this evil response to Jesus? Did they keep their mouths shut? Did it motivate then to stand firm in their knowledge and belief in the Savior, and maybe even share this hope with a grieving town?

So, another lesson for us is one based on totally unknown information and simply begs some questions that must be asked of every believer: When persecution comes—because it will—what will we do? Will we hide in our basements and keep quiet about the glorious Gospel that has changed our lives? Or will we stand courageously against the evil coming against us, no matter the consequences?

Times are dark. Evil is escalating. More Christians around the world are being persecuted and murdered right now than in any other time in history. Currently, it’s still safe in our country to be a follower of Christ…but how bold are we right now to share the Gospel, when it won’t cost our lives? Sweet friend, let’s put our courage muscles to work, starting now, to grow in strength and endurance for when the burden gets heavier. Let’s look upon those shepherds at the first Christmas, and be inspired by their hurrying after Jesus, their awe and wonder, and their praise and glory of Him. And let’s boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus, our Savior and Lord, to those around us—despite the cost.

“Lord, You are Lord of lords, King of kings. May I be bold today—and tomorrow—to tell others of the salvation found only in You. May my words and actions give You glory, no matter the expense.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 15, 2025

Preparing Hearts To Receive

“And you, child (John), will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways.”  Luke 1:76 (ESV) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19:20a  (ESV)

An elderly couple experiencing the surprising joy of their lives – Zacharias and Elizabeth became parents to a son of promise. Barrenness had been their journey yet now in their old age, God in His perfect timing was fulfilling their lifelong dream to have a child. Prayers once offered now answered, and their baby boy, John the Baptist, would one day turn hearts towards Jesus. Filled with the Holy Spirit and humility, he would be the one God ordained to proclaim repentance and prepare the people’s hearts for Jesus earthly ministry.

So what’s this preparing look like? Well Webster defines prepare as putting our mind in a proper state and to make ready in advance for some purpose, very similar to the Greek and Hebrew interpretations. John’s divine purpose was basically turning the people’s focus inward to the condition of their sinful hearts. Hearts that desperately needed a Savior that would be found in Jesus alone. A softening awareness, a humbling response so hearts would welcome the Messiah at God’s perfect time of revelation.

When the time came John gave up the spotlight recognizing he must decrease and Jesus, the Son of God, must increase and take center stage. A pivotal transition ordained by God from the very beginning – a mission fulfilled.

So sweet friends, what’s our preparing look like? What divine mission has God called us to? Regardless of what our journey has looked like, the moment we invited Jesus into our lives we were commissioned to share the Good News of the gospel. To make disciples of all nations – no discrimination allowed. To encourage others and teach them the truths of God’s word drawing their hearts not to us but to Him alone. To prepare our hearts for the day we see our Savior face to face. To glorify Him in all things so others will see His light within us and soften their hearts. A preparation positioning us to fulfill the mission God ordained from the very beginning.

When the Christmas story is center stage it’s a glorious time to seize opportunities. Candlelight services. Nativity scenes. Christmas movies. Sounds of the season. All preparing our hearts to receive the greatest gift of all. The perfect time to plant seeds of hope. Not pushy. Not condemning. Not demanding. The perfect time now to pray for sharing conversations and God’s opening of hearts. Celebration doesn’t necessarily mean believing, so let’s prepare our hearts for sharing and seek God’s leading  – we might just be the answer to someone’s prayer.

“Jesus give us the courage and boldness to pursue open doors to share the truth of Christmas this season. To draw attention to the glories of Your birth and the sweetness of Your presence in our world.”

For His Glory
Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

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