Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 7, 2016

When I Can’t Sleep

jan7“When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” Psalm 63:6 (KJV)

Mid-life certainly includes many peculiarities wouldn’t you agree? Among many I’ve noticed sleep patterns became erratic. Some nights I fall asleep fine. Other nights after taking forever to fall asleep, I’ll awaken at 4 am – my body saying it’s time to begin my day. Frustrating to say the least. How about you? Sleep patterns vary throughout life. I miss sleeping so peacefully during childhood. Teenage and college years were known for sleeping in, staying up late – filled with fun and laughter better known as intentional sleep deprivation!! Then, babies introduced me to a whole new interrupted sleep pattern – wee hours of the night were often tiring and trying. Certainly various other factors such as illness contribute as well.

Accepting these sporadic occurrences, I began utilizing them. Instead of concentrating on what I can’t control, I determine to dwell on memories of what Christ has done and will do in my life. This strengthens my faith walk with Him and confirms He hears and answers prayer. It also provides a great opportunity to recite Bible verses, alphabetically think on God’s attributes, and pray over my children.

Worry is a sin and accomplishes nothing. My solution: submit to God those things only He can mend/control. True submission provides peace of mind. The next time sleeplessness is apparent try meditating on the Lord, His Word, and pray. He is only a breath and heartbeat away. He is in control – after all He has the whole world in His hands.

“Dear Lord, teach me to trust You completely as I submit to You.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 6, 2016

The Main Thing

jan6“For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.” Psalm 21:6 (ESV)

Vacation is supposed to be fun and relaxing, but a week off after the holidays sent me into cleaning mode. Baking, shopping and having fun had simply replaced my normal schedule and the effects were staring me in the face. The neglect was evident. Dust covered bookshelves, laundry piles, disorganized cabinets, clutter and clutter – need I go on. So instead of chilling during my days off, I regimented myself to the “Cleaning List” room by room. And now that I’m finished – it looks amazing!

Starting off a new year with my home in order feels great, but right in the midst of dust flying and 409 spraying, I realized there’s a lot more to clean. Don’t know about you, but I find it is so easy to drift our spiritual lives into holiday mode. Giving, serving and hosting fill our lives leaving little margin for quality God time. And it doesn’t take long for the effects to show up bigger than we ever imagined. Neglecting our time with God carries over even when the holiday ends if we’re not careful. And that slippage will roll us right into 2016 with habits and patterns that won’t serve us well.

Keeping our hearts clean is crucial to starting our year off right. Let’s commit to carving out some God time and seeking His perspective on our “Cleaning List.” No one is immune from the effects of doing life without God’s input. Creating margin in our 24 /7 to intentionally draw close to His heart will serve us well. When we study His word, dig deep for personal application and prayerfully align our hearts with His, we will be amazed at the transformation.

Lots of goals and plans will be birthed in January. Diets will be started. Gyms will explode with fitness newbies. However, many resolutions will fade before we flip the calendar to February 1st; let’s not let that be our story. Let’s plan now to keep God the main priority in our lives.

“Father, give us a deep passion and discipline to be in Your presence every day.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 5, 2016

Perfectly Precise

jan5“[There is] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:6(NIV)

While I typically find the Bible to be inspiring and applicable, I have to admit that the passages outlining the details and dimensions of the Old Testament Tabernacle felt a bit irrelevant. Obviously, understanding the significance of the Tabernacle is important; but do we need to be concerned with all the mundane details? I mean…should we care that a certain curtain for the Tabernacle was 4 cubits wide and spun from goat hair? (And what is a cubit, anyway?!) Yet, because all scripture is useful (2 Tim 3:16) and God is perfectly precise, I knew there had to be a reason He chose to preserve the intricacies of this historical blueprint.

Intrigued, I did a bit of research and learned that this in-depth account serves as a great object lesson for the way God designs and orders the intricate details of our lives. After all, if He cared so much about a tent made by the hands of men, would He not care even more for that which He crafted by his own hands? There will always be seasons when the events of our lives feel unplanned and haphazard. But as the detailed specifics of the Tabernacle reveal, our God is not prone to acts of chance or disorder. When we wonder if there is sovereign purpose to the hairy circumstances of our lives, we can be certain God is not only aware of what’s going on, but He is working in, through and over those details with unwavering precision.

“Lord, I thank You for this wonderful illustration of how much You care about the small things in life. Help us rest in You today and trust that You are carefully overseeing ALL aspects of our lives.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 31, 2015

The Unexpected

dec 31“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10 (NIV)

Choosing a word to reflect my year wasn’t too difficult. The first one that came to mind was “the unexpected.” It’s been a year of good mingled with challenging and some sad unexpected places. Moments all rolled up together that etch 2015 in my memory bank. Perhaps your year has been the same.

We leaped into the new year last January with lots of expectations and flipped the calendar anticipating the best year ever! We were surprised by some exhilarating moments. We pushed through hard places. We knew nothing of all those 365 days because each one was a gift unopened – a treasure to behold, to learn, to grow.

What will 2016 reveal? Great question……one that will unfold day by day. There’s no crystal ball that foreshadows the future. There’s no way to explore tomorrow before it becomes today. The simplicity of life is found in trusting God each step of the way. Leaning in close and drawing deep of his wisdom. Embracing all our tomorrows with the hope found in Him alone.

2016 will occur at the strike of midnight. People will gather and celebrate – ringing in the new and ushering out the old. So maybe this is the time to choose a word for 2016. Before we embark on this new journey. Before we experience even one moment. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we chose a word to inspire and motivate us – a game plan that spiritually elevates us for God’s purposes and keeps us focused.

Ironic my word for 2015 was “intentional” – thought I missed the mark. Not really. When the unexpected occurred, I had to be intentional in keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus. Intentionality was the thriving mode that positioned me to meet all my unexpected places with boldness and confidence. And it will do the same for 2016.

“Sweet Jesus, I’m so glad we don’t’ journey through life alone. You are always by our side, guiding us each step of the way. Thank You for proving You can be trusted with all our tomorrows.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 30, 2015

Storyteller vs. Storykeeper

dec 30“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Thinking before we speak would alleviate so much in our lives. Oddly, words often presented as a prayer request, ‘helpful’ information shared with your best friend, or sadly, details possibly capable of damaging someone’s character can be described as ‘godly’ gossip. Depending on the person there is a tendency to have the heart of a storyteller or a storykeeper.

God’s Word teaches storytellers are foolish, contentious, untrustworthy, devious, deceitful, destroyers, hypocrites, insecure and prideful – to name a few. However, a godly storykeeper will determine to say what brings forth that which pleases God. How?

Many scriptures address this subject in God’s Word (Ephesians 5:26, I John 1:9, Proverbs 4:23, 21:23, Philippians 4:8) which highlight several questions we must ask ourselves:

1. Is it true?
2. Is it noble & will the reputation of the other person remain in tact?
3. Is it right – did I add or take away from it?
4. Is it pure & what motivation made it necessary to be repeated?
5. Is it loving?
6. Is it honorable – did I hurt the other person’s character?

Gossip is never healthy. One guarantee words will not damage: if something can’t be said edifying say nothing at all.

“Dear Father please help me to think before I speak and always seek to edify not tear others down.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 29, 2015

Open My Eyes

dec 29“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.” I Corinthians 16:13-14 (MSG)

Ever sit and just people watch? All kinds of people walking by: some alone, some in groups, others as couples, etc. Some happy, sad, mad, hurt, arguing, or smiling as they gaze upon each other.

Everyone should take time out each month to sit in a coffee shop, the mall, or on Main Street and spend time in prayer over those people passing by.

What would life look like if we took time out to pray for strangers? Time to sit and be available in a fast paced world. Is that even possible? What difference would we make by our obedience to love and pray for strangers and those we love? What if our conviction to follow our church mission statement (to change our world by developing Christ followers who love God and love people) was put into practice? We would have to be available and spend time preparing our lives to serve, share, and pray. Let’s join together and designate a time each month to sit, observe, be available, and pray for those around us.

“Father, open our hearts to pray for those who pass us by. Open our eyes to the things you see. Use me to glorify and reach others for you.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Prayer

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 28, 2015

Unfolding Your Journey

dec 28“Come and see what God has done; how awesome His works on man’s behalf!” Psalm 66:5 (NIV)

Flipping through my camera phone, I found snapshots from my whole year right at my fingertips. I got my Droid (phone) in January and capturing those “Kodak” moments became instantaneous. Amazing how many events we go through in those 365 days tagged a year.

Gently sliding my finger across the screen unfolded reminders of the amazing goodness of our God. Celebrating birthdays with special friends. Nurturing the growth of a flowering rose bush. Doing life with friends who pray and encourage. Vacationing to our favorite beach. Moments that forced me to take leaps of faith. Moments revealing the people, places and things that I valued – priceless memories. And then there were the sweet reminders of God’s love– a gorgeous sunset over calm ocean waves or the smiling face of my husband – simple pleasures too often dismissed.

So what has your year been like? What has God unfolded in your journey? Have you grown closer to the One who longs to feel your presence in every moment? Was your faith challenged, strengthened and enlarged? Scribbled in the front of my devotional book were these words: “My heart’s desire is to glorify God in all venues of my life. Never settling for good but striving for best. Paying the price to stand firmly, unmoveable, unshakeable – steadfast holding on.” Words so easily written before January 1st definitely put them to the test. As this year ends, I praise Him for those times I didn’t waver strengthened in His power and accept His grace for the rest. How about you?

“Father, thank You for the incredible gift of memory – to recall Your faithfulness and cling to Your promises for tomorrow.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 18, 2015

Sharing His Story

dec 18“After seeing them, they (shepherds) reported the message they were told about this child (Jesus), and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:17 (HCSB)

It was an annual event – every Christmas when I was a little girl. Somehow I would convince my brother and two sisters that we had to do a Christmas play. It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without our rendition of the Jesus story. No dress rehearsal just a simple run through the scene right before we marched into the living room to entertain Mom and Dad. Lights off and only the tree twinkling in the dark. Blankets or towels draped around us and whatever props we could find helped make the story of Christmas come alive for our captive audience of two. And at the end of each performance they clapped and smiled real big.

Wonder if that’s how Jesus feels when we share the Christmas story?

Perhaps the real question is who are we sharing the story of Jesus with? Is there anyone in our circle that has lost sight of the wonder of His birth? Is there someone who has never embraced the love of God birthed in a manger?

There’s no better time than now to seize the moment and share the incredible wonder of how Jesus entered our world. In the midst of work deadlines, parties, shopping and collapsing – praying we don’t forget to share with someone – just one – the same story that captivated the shepherds. Praying we ask God to lead us to the right audience. Asking Him to give us boldness and excitement to bring that story alive. Asking Him to prepare us right now so when an opportunity arises, we will be ready to take someone right to the manger scene.

What the shepherds heard, believed and shared changed their world – those who heard were amazed. Let’s make this Christmas one that leaves others longing for more and more of Jesus.

“Father, there is no greater story to tell than the story of Jesus – give us Your words to bring that story alive for others to hear.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 17, 2015

Are You Available?

dec 17“In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Psalm 31:1 (NKJ)

It is so hard sometimes to comprehend that our past is our past. We don’t have to look back or be ashamed. Satan wants us to believe that our past holds us back and prevents us from being used by God. He convinces us that we should sit on the sidelines and watch.

Please do not fall for Satan’s tricks; this is so far from the truth. I have been there; I believed I was unworthy to be used. My past is the reason God uses me. “He takes the truth and makes it a Testimony of the Truth” (Beth Moore).

Trusting God can turn anyone’s life around, and the story is one He can use for His Glory. We praise God for how He has turned great leaders’ lives around, so why can’t each of our stories be used the same? They can! God wants to use them. He wants to give someone else hope thru our story. The question is will we be courageous enough to let him and say, YES LORD, HERE AM I, USE ME. God has given us a bright future in Him. Only we can stop Him, only we can feel unworthy, be unavailable and hold back.

“Father: I choose YOU, and I’m here for You to use. I say YES LORD, use me. I am honored that You would choose me.”

For His Glory

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 16, 2015

Joy To The World

dec 16“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20

How could a night that started out in extreme fear and trembling end in rejoicing and peace? Terrified shepherds listened intently and then left their flocks unguarded. Uncharacteristic behavior – yes, but the compelling news of their Savior’s birth captivated them. Leaving everything behind, they quickly headed to Bethlehem in search of the Christ child. And the babe they found lying in the manger far exceeded their expectations. Praise ignited their lips spilling over amazing everyone they met.

Have you ever experienced a night that started out in extreme fear and trembling yet ended in rejoicing and peace? Sometimes a night is short; sometimes a night lasts for what seems an eternity. Yet nestled within the depths of darkness a ray of light shines forth. God now has our undivided attention and we’re listening intently – no distractions, no agendas – just desperation for answers. Trembling we heed His voice and leave everything else behind. Quickly we are drawn to Him and find ourselves captivated by His presence. Searching, seeking and moving in the right direction, we find that Jesus truly exceeds our expectations. Praise ignites our lips spilling over amazing everyone we met, and what once paralyzed us in fear has been released into rejoicing and peace. The arrival of a babe in a manger filled this world with joy; the arrival of God in our lives fills our world with joy.

“Father, teach us to glorify and praise Your name for all the things we have heard and seen – You are the Faithful One.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Worship

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