Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 20, 2016

The Little Engine That Couldn’t

sept-20“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”   Ps 73:26 (NIV)

Feelings are like a barometer gauging when we are sad, happy, frightened, angry or in need of more chocolate.  They can be unscripted, surprising and unruly.  Although we may try to stay calm, negative emotions have a way of sneaking past our defenses and disrupting our attempts at composure and serenity.   Personally, I wish bad emotions came with delete buttons.  Like an emotional version of Space Invaders, I would fire away at fear, anger, insecurity, disappointment, hurt and grief the moment they surfaced.

Even though I cannot eliminate unwanted emotions, I have learned that I don’t have to live in submission to them.  I’ve realized that I do not possess an endless supply of confidence, will power, joy, peace and contentment from which I can constantly draw strength.   Despite my best attempts to be strong and self-reliant, the reality is that I have a shallow emotional reservoir which is easily depleted.   On my own, I’m simply The Little Engine That Couldn’t!  – But, I do have an even greater God living within me who wants to be my provision.   That’s why it is important to start in God…rather than scramble toward Him after all our efforts have been exhausted.  He may not stop the storms of life, but He can still us in the midst of the storm and provide the strength we need to make it through.  He is, after all, the only solution for little engines that can’t make it on their own!

“Lord, I thank You that we are not strong enough to make it on our own.  Help us not only realize our own limitations, but to embrace them so we can find our strength in You. “

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 16, 2016

Smudges of Dark = Shades of Grey

sept-16“God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.”  Genesis 1:4 (NIV)

Gradual slippage –day slides into night and night greets morning sky.  We never move from one to the other all of a sudden – it’s gradual, slow and then the light of day or dark of night overtakes us.

Sound familiar? We move gradually from light of right living into darkness of sin and then it overwhelms us.  A smudge of dark on white – grey – just messy chaos leaking into once pretty.  The gradual desensitizing of our minds and hearts evolves slowly.  Doesn’t always mean we have been entertaining sin  – often means we haven’t been entertaining good – Bible reading, study, prayer, focus, etc.    Too many compromises and not enough of Jesus.  Our relationship with God puts up the filters through which everything else in our life runs through. If the filter is clogged – then too many unguarded moments will rule our decisions. Regrets will fill our plates as shades of grey color our lives.  God always feeds us at His table – we are the ones who chose to go away empty.

When was the last time we moved out of dark and into light – purposeful right living – void of chaos?  Making the right choices, doing the right things and all for one reason to stay away from the slippage of dark invading our spaces.  Are we hovering near the edge?  Are we holding on loosely to keep from slipping?  Are we running fast in the opposite direction aiming for the light?  This world will offers us much.  Glorious opportunities to take on, entertain carelessly and yes to even dabble with our greys. Wouldn’t you rather shine in the light then flicker in the dark?

“Sweet Jesus how blessed we are to draw near to You, to run to You and to sit at Your feet rather than dance in the twilight of bad choices.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 15, 2016

The Real Deal

sept-15“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 (KJV)

“Mommy, she’s real!”  Those were the only words my daughter could say as we stood in the castle of the happiest place on earth. She was meeting the princess she had only read about in books and seen on tv. It was seeing her face to face that made her character come to life.

 

As much as we hate struggles and the trials that besiege us it is through these not so happy times that Jesus becomes real to us. When facing a death of a loved one, illness, an unfaithful husband, debt up to our eyeballs, a fight with a close friend that is when God’s characteristics really shine.  Our comforter, healer, and provider we have studied about in scripture, heard in sermons, or sung about suddenly becomes real to us. We can see God as He works through friends bringing meals or a listening ear and comforting hug. As money appears in our account, an unexpected raise or just needs are met by His Grace.  We see His touch when after many sleepless nights, we feel strengthened and fearlessness as we are empowered through His Holy Spirit. These meetings with Christ gives us the heart knowledge that He is here and real so that in future trials -yes, they will come -we can recall how God was with us and is real indeed.

“Lord, please allow me to know You are real and that You are with me in all situations working to strengthen my faith and testimony to others.”

For His Glory

Melissa Hester
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 13, 2016

Prayer Changes Things

sept-13“Never give up praying.  And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful.”  Colossians 4:2 (CEV)

Has the thought prayer changes things ever been made real in your life?

Recently we have been writing names on cards of people who burden our hearts and placing them at the church altar. A simple gesture – take a card, write a name on it, place it on the altar and pray over it.

Seems simple – the difficult part is to continue praying over those names left at the altar.  So many times we pass along a prayer request and leave it there, forgetting it’s our request and our burden to continue to pray over.  When we continue to pray day after day, we see results.  Many individuals whose names are on those cards are coming to Christ.  Those burdened hearts of friends and family are creating a ripple effect of lives being changed.

Who do we need to place on a card and pray over?  Have we given up on that friend or family member?  God hasn’t; He is still knocking and asking for your continued prayers over them.  We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord so who are we to give up on them?  Write down that name and pray, pray, pray.  Keep your eyes open to watch God move.  Then celebrate and spend time in praying thanking God for what He has done.  Give all the praise and glory to Him.  We can’t wait to hear your story of how God moved.

“Father, please touch my friend _______________ with Your hand of grace.  Let them find You and accept the free gift of eternal life.  I thank You in advance for Your saving grace.”

 

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 12, 2016

When Your To Do List Overrides Your To Love List

sept-12“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

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Posted in Attitude, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 9, 2016

Joy In Unrelenting Pain

sept 9“Then I would still have this consolation – my joy in unrelenting pain – that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.”  Job 6:10 (NIV)

Ever longed for vindication, reprieve and yes , even an explanation?  Has our soul ever cried out for understanding and  gotten nothing?    Even Job’s friends who came to comfort and console ultimately turned against him, accused him –  his joy in unrelenting pain.

While I have never experienced the depth of Job’s sorrows, I have marched alongside the edge of loss and suffering.  Buried beneath the layers of pretense, I have labored long and hard – searching deep to uncover my joy in unrelenting pain.  And the secret – well it’s found in Job’s words:  “I had not denied the words of the Holy One.”  You see when we are in the midst of difficult heart wrenching moments it is so easy to lift our eyes off of Jesus and onto the stuff that’s causing our pain.  It’s normal to get consumed with self-centered thoughts and loud questions that scream for answers.  Job had those too.

Life will always present us with opportunities to stare pain in the face and determine our victim status.  Job had every right to question, doubt, struggle and become discouraged.  It wasn’t his right that was at stake, it was his knowledge of the Holy One.   Unfolding in the pages of Job’s story is a man who chose to align himself with the words that defined God’s character rather than the visible, tangible suffering surrounding him.    Like Job we can cling to the words of the Holy One  – His character will sustain us and fill us with His unspeakable joy.

“Father, unanswered questions are best left at Your feet where pain is freed and our joy is made whole.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Gratitude, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 7, 2016

Instant Replay

sept 7“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”  Matthew 13:16-17 (ESV)

Ever get a message on your phone and they leave a number so fast you can’t get?  Or even worse you have a bad connection so the slurred speech has to be played over and over again in hopes of getting it. Thank God for instant replay.  We can go back and here what we don’t get until we do get it.

Wonder if we ever hear God doing the replay for us?  A reoccurring theme – the same message – played over and over again by totally different people, circumstances or passages from His word.  In a perfect scenario, we would pay attention and get it the first time, but we all know perfect doesn’t usually happen.  We’ve gotten good at dismissing and overlooking what we don’t want to hear.  Or better yet, we have no problem thinking someone else needs to hear what is intending for us.

Complicated – not really.  When God wants our attention, He will definitely find a way to get it.  Problem is, we may experience some consequences we could have avoided if only we had gotten His point the first time.

So, let’s clear our calendar and pause the noise.  Let’s look for the reoccurring theme – the intended point that God wants us to see.  Let’s write it down, pray over it and seek Godly counsel if needed. Let’s not allow what God is saying get trapped in a bad connection from His heart to ours.

And for all those moments inbetween when we miss it – the grace of God covers us.  He never gives up. He never grows weary. He never lectures or points the finger in our face.  But God is persistent.  Why? Because He loves us beyond our own comfort.  He desires the very best for our lives and He will continuously speak the message we so desperately need to hear until we get it.

“Father, I’m so thankful that You keep speaking deep into my heart – unearthing the things that need to be removed, discarded and changed.  Help me to listen, get it and move towards the path You desire for my life.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 6, 2016

Perspective: Seeking Godly Wisdom

sept 6“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption”.  1 Corinthians 1:30

I walk a big loop in my neighborhood almost daily with whoever will join me.  Yesterday a barking dog was in our path, so we decided to walk the loop in the opposite direction.  It was interesting how many things we noticed…things we had never noticed before…as we approached each home from the opposite point of view.  Webster’s defines perspective as a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.  But, as I learned on my walk our “point of view” depends on our perspective which is shaped by our beliefs and our life experiences.

We are currently struggling with a conflict that seems impossible to resolve.  Resolving conflict often requires the ability to view the situation from the perspective of another.  It is easy to develop a critical attitude towards those who oppose us; and very difficult to see things from their perspective.  There is a saying that I heard often growing up: “Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his moccasins.”  On the surface, this seems like sound wisdom. But, try as we might, it is virtually impossible to truly walk in the shoes of another unless we know all the life experiences that have shaped their perspective.

However, for those of us in the Body of Christ, conflict can be resolved when both parties try to walk a mile in the sandals of our Savior.  True perspective is not found in understanding the point of view of another person, but in seeking true wisdom…God’s point of view!  And, we know that “the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:6) and, “if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).

Just as changing the direction on our walk changed our perspective, asking God for wisdom will change our perspective.  Having Godly perspective equips us to live transformed lives that promote unity, and reflect the righteousness, holiness and redemption we have in Christ.

“Lord, you are the source of true wisdom.  Thank you that you promise to generously give us the wisdom we need, if we simply and humbly ask.”

For His Glory,

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 5, 2016

Deep Lessons In The Fall

sept 5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” Revelation 2:5a (ESV)

Great Britain’s Mo Farah was favored to win the Olympic 10,000m race. A captive audience held its breath and waited for the release of the runners to begin their event.  Calm, cool and unstressed, Mo started his race waving to the crowds.  He was energetic, upbeat and optimistic. Hallway through the course, Mo maneuvered through the dense group of runners.  And in a split second, he fell and my heart fell right along with him.  I just knew his chances of winning were evaporated in that one slip where every second counted.  But Mo got right back up and kept running.  Despite falling, he kept pressing on and ultimately won his second straight Olympic gold seizing the title Reigning Champion of the world.

Wonder if we handle falling like Mo?  Someone, something or some wrong choice crashes right into us, and we hit the ground.  All our hard work, dedication and devotion slipping away as we kiss the ground beneath our feet.  No matter how we started our race, we now find ourselves flat on our face. Bearing the marks of defeat while guilt and shame propel us to stay.

Love the fact God favors His people to win in this thing called life.  Love the cloud of witnesses that watch from afar and cheer us on.  Love the grace that reaches down when we hit rock bottom.  Love the transforming of defeat, discouragement and disillusionment into victory, hope and faith.

Praying us sisters are brave and don’t let a fall sideline us.  Claiming God’s promises that when we fall, He will be right there to lift us back up.  Praying we keep pressing on instead of giving up.  Asking God to empower our weary overwhelmedness into strength, determination and trust.  Praying we allow our falls to propel us closer to victory.  Asking God to teach us deep lessons that we will never forget when we rise.  And trusting Him to bring glory to His name when we finish His race.

“Father, thank You for using our failures to refine us rather than define us.  Teach us to grasp the lesson and then get back up  – pressing on with You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Mercy, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 2, 2016

The Lord Has My Hand

sept 2“But You, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; You consider their grief and take it in hand.” Psalm 10:14a (NIV)

God never sleeps nor slumbers; He sees what goes on in our lives 24/7. Even in times when we struggle and think He may not be noticing, He is there as our constant companion. In 2008, I was overwhelmed and struggled to “keep my head above the water.” On Easter Sunday, I lost my beloved Dad.  The month of June came, and funding for the program in which I worked was pulled leaving me unemployed. A month later, my spouse of 25 years suddenly moved out. Devastated and overcome by grief, I felt like my world was coming to an end. I cried out to God in such audible noises that my voice echoed inside my apartment.

One afternoon four years ago, God gave me a wonderful vision.  I saw myself as a tot holding my Dad’s hand and trying to keep up with his step. Gradually, I saw myself as the woman that I am, and I was now holding on to Jesus’ hand, walking side by side with Him. As I think back on that day, I am reminded that God cared enough to show me that He has my hand and walks with me through my trials. God does not leave us nor forsakes us; He is faithful.  If your world is crumbling and you feel your strength fading, look to Him, cry out to Him, and give Him all your troubles. He will see you through.

“Abba Father, there are so many times when my own strength fails me and tells me that I cannot keep on going; but I can, with Your help. Please help me to keep my focus on You, Lord, so that the disappointments of this world will not become the focus of my life and that I may always give glory to the One who deserves it: You!”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

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