Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 18, 2025

Rhoda’s Circle

“But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” (Acts 12:16 NIV)

One of my favorite songs right now is “Somebody Prayed” by Crowder. It is so powerful and reminds us that our prayers are powerful and can change people, circumstances, and eternal homes!

While this song was written in the last couple of years,  we can go all the way back to scripture to see that prayer and its power are not anything new.

Acts 12 shares an amazing story of what happens when we pray. James, the brother of John, has just been martyred. The church is scared and realizes that they are not able to stand up against King Herod and the government. Peter gets arrested and they cannot help but assume his death will be imminent. They gather together at Mary’s (the mother of Mark) house and begin to pray.

Dr. Luke tells us an amazing story of how, during the exact moments the church was praying, God sent angels to release Peter from prison and directed Peter to the house where the church was praying. Peter knocks on the door and a servant girl named Rhoda answers. She was so overjoyed when Peter arrived at the prayer house that she actually left Peter outside, knocking on the door, while she ran to tell the others that God had answered their prayers! Then, when she told those who were praying, they did not believe her! They argued with her and said that it must be an angel of Peter!

After a few minutes they  came back to the door and saw it really was Peter and Peter was able to share his miraculous story of escape!

What an amazing reminder to us this story is. God listens to us when we pray, but we need to pray expecting Him to answer. So many times we find ourselves talking to God but forgetting to look for His answers.

Rhoda, the servant girl, was the only one who was certain that God had answered and was excited about it. A gentle reminder to us that others are watching how we walk and talk with Jesus!

“Somebody Prayed” ends with these lyrics:

“That’s why when mountains move, I say, “Looks like somebody prayed.”

As we spend time talking with the Almighty each day, may we pray with expectancy and excitement.

“Lord, please help us to spend time talking with you each day and expect You to answer.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life

Crowder – Somebody Prayed Lyrics | AZLyrics.com

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 17, 2025

When, Not If

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4

Life is hard. And that’s an understatement. Our current crisis or challenge could be with regard to a relationship (family or otherwise), illness (ours or a loved one), loss (human, financial, physical), work (excessive or lack thereof)…the list could go on. And if you are a news or media junkie, there’s enough information being spewed from a talking head in just 15 minutes on any given day to elevate our anxiety level to 11. But whatever it is, fear can wrap itself around us like a heavy blanket.

Thank God for His precious Word! And for the man after His own heart, David, who in his Psalms covers pretty much every emotional upheaval we can imagine. (And plenty we can’t.) No matter how we’re feeling—from questioning God to wishing terrible things on our enemies to experiencing the pure awe of the starry sky—David wrote about it. But the thing I love most about David’s prose is that he always points himself—and us—back to the sovereignty, glory, majesty, and providence of God. This is especially true when he is feeling fearful. And the dude had a lot to fear throughout his life.

As I was reading a few Psalms the other morning (something I recommend we all do daily), it was Psalm 56 that struck me afresh with its reminder to not be afraid. Now, you may have heard that the Bible has a lot of “fear not” messages for us throughout both the Old and New Testament—enough for every day. This is true, and it’s worth a personal study for sure. But here, as David has been running from his enemies and has now been caught, his approach to “fear not” has a different twist that’s worth pointing out. See, it’s easy to get caught up in the directives to not be afraid, while feeling the feels of, “But I AM afraid!” This is where David rocks.

In this Psalm he states clearly: “When I am afraid.” This is followed immediately with, “I will trust in You—in God, whose word I praise.” So, there is his definitive: WHEN I am afraid—not if. And then, another immediate follow-through, which basically says, “Because I DO IN FACT trust God, I WILL NOT be afraid.” In other words, “I will be afraid, so I won’t be afraid.” After all, David reminds himself and us, what can a mere person do to him? The irony is that he straightaway lists what man can do: distort his words, think evil against him, attack, lurk, wait to kill him. Again, he answers his own mental rabbit hole with the fact that the Lord sees and knows him, and his tears are kept in a bottle by God.

The biggest factor that calms one’s mind and soul, though, answers the whole “how” question of not fearing when afraid. In verse 13, David confidently declares, “For you have saved my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Because we are saved (rescued, redeemed) from death by God through Jesus and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son, we can walk in the knowledge of who we belong to—and where we’re on our way to.

And with that knowledge, friend, when we fear, let’s remember God, trust in Him and His Word…and fear not.

“Father God, when I am afraid, I will trust in You—and not be afraid. You have saved me. And I will keep my mind focused on You, and You will keep me at peace.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 14, 2025

What’s New?

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The word “new” can be used in a lot of ways. I’m a huge fan of recycled clothes, hitting thrift stores and consignment shops regularly. When I make awesome finds (which I do too often), I have “new” pieces in my wardrobe. This clothing had been purchased and worn by others, but it’s new to me. Maybe you’ve bought a “new car” that was preowned by one or more people—but it’s your new mode of transportation. There are “new-new” cars too, of course, fresh off the factory floor and complete with that new car smell. For all of these things, we have one word in the English language: new.

Other languages have lots of words to a single English word that helps distinguish meanings and differentiate subtleties. New Testament Greek is a wonderful example of this. We see it with the word “love” parsed out into: eros (passion), philia (friendship), storge (family), and agape (unconditional). Also in the New Testament, we find a word for “new” that is completely different. In fact, it means “completely different in quality or kind.” The Greek word “kainos” is used in some form 44 times to describe “new” throughout the New Testament. One of my very favorite verses—2 Corinthians 5:17—uses this word not once, but twice. And the implications are pretty awesome.

First, the definition of this word for new: unprecedented, novel, unheard of; previously non-existent; far different from what they were before; completely new in form or quality.

Upon salvation—our recognition that we’re sinners and our total surrender to Jesus as Lord—we are transformed. Completely. Not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated. We’re resuscitated—we were dead and now we’re alive. We don’t turn over a new leaf, we receive new life in Christ. The “old has passed away”—gone.

Secondly, “new things have come”! What are these new things, exactly, that come to everyone who is transformed by the saving grace of Jesus? Theologian James Butler succinctly delineates three specific new things that occur:

  1. A change in devotion and interests—a saved person will be devoted to Christ and have interests in spiritual things (like a desire for God’s Word).
  2. A change in demeanor and behavior. Reconciliation with God changes everything—our thinking, our words, and our action.
  3. A change in destiny. This is the greatest and most important change. The eternal destiny of the reconciled soul is heaven. The unreconciled soul is headed for eternity in hell.

For three decades, I attempted to make my life “new”—year by year, week by week, day by day. I tried my hardest. I even bargained with God regarding my good/bad list…promising to “do better” next time. But, friend, this effort is impossible on our own—it’s a losing battle because every one of us is wholly unrighteous, fallen. But we can be transformed and made new! And the only “effort” involved is accepting the free gift of God’s grace, salvation through Jesus. When I finally recognized this, everything did indeed change. I was made a new creation, with new devotion, demeanor, and destiny. I finally had peace with God—no more battling against Him. Completely new in form and quality. Not perfect, mind you, but continually growing and maturing in my walk of obedience and holiness.

What about you? Are you done trying to “renew” your life on your own terms and by your own efforts? You can be made new—a new creation in Christ—right now. Just believe that Jesus paid the price for your sin, exchanging His righteousness for your sin, freeing you from the penalty of death and hell. You can stop fighting now, the battle’s been won.

“Lord, if there is just one person reading this who is tired of the struggle to “renew” their life, let them turn to You for rebirth…to be recreated as something entirely new and beautiful.”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 13, 2025

Achieving A Healthy Lifestyle

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” Daniel 12:13 (NIV)

There is no single recipe for a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you want to see the latest trends just go to YouTube, Pinterest, or Google. Some drink energy shakes, while others prefer to “juice” it. Some run races and participate in triathlons, while others prefer a calm, peaceful walk. If someone wishes to stay healthy and strong, there is no room for being a couch potato, taking diet pills or pigging out at a buffet. Having a healthy lifestyle can be simple, but it takes diligence, and when training for a marathon or working with a personal trainer, one must follow directions “to the dot.”

Daniel and his friends were a good example of diligence and obedience. They deliberately ate healthy foods and abstained from eating things that would not treat their bodies right. Daniel and his friends’ purpose was to consecrate their bodies to the Lord while living in a foreign environment where other gods were worshipped. Their healthy diet coupled with prayer and worship to the Lord did wonders for their bodies.

Our spiritual diet should be consistent like our physical one. The more healthy food we feed to our heart, mind and soul, the stronger we will be spiritually. And the stronger we are spiritually, the less likely we will succumb to the diseases of the soul, i.e. sinful thoughts and actions that separate us from the heart of God. We must make a conscious decision to read our Bible, pray to the Lord and worship Him on a regular basis. Yes, it does take diligence and effort on our part, but how much more will we be able to accomplish for the Lord when we are properly nourished in His Word?

“Dear Lord, thank You for Your Word that feeds us and strengthens us.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 12, 2025

Homecoming

“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20

I’ve always loved hearing people’s stories. How they grew up, the choices—wise and foolish—they’ve made through their lives, their struggles, their triumphs. We’ve all been on a tumultuous journey to get to where we are…and it’s always breathtaking to travel someone’s path with them through their story. One of my lifelong favorite quotes is by Longfellow: “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”

When I became a Christian as a 30-year-old, I discovered another kind of story that every believer can share—the moment (or slow unveiling) when they realized they were far from God and needed to turn back to Him…the point at which the decision is made to give up the sinful pursuits of this world and give it all to Jesus (who gave it all for us, exchanging our sin for His righteousness). The “churchy” term for this is “testimony”—and every single Christian has one. And it’s always breathtaking.

It’s funny to me, though, because I’ve met lots of Christ-followers through the years who say, “Well, my testimony is so boring.” This typically comes after someone shares a radical transformation, say from drug addiction or a life of sexual sin to the amazing grace and freedom found in Jesus. And these types of dramatic stories are awe-inspiring! But, friend, there is no such thing as a “boring” story of salvation.

Let’s look at the very familiar parable of the prodigal son. A young man who has been safe and provided for in his father’s house decides to go out on his own, chasing after the things of this world. Once he is totally spent (financially, emotionally, spiritually), he turns back home. Before he even arrives, his waiting father runs to him, welcoming him home with celebration (Luke 15:11-32).

Prior to surrendering to Jesus, every one of us has that turning-back moment (to be “churchy” again, we call that “repentance”). And it is profound—and radical—for everyone! Why? Because a transformational phenomenon has taken place! When we choose to reconcile with God through Jesus, we immediately and miraculously move from the darkness into the light, from slavery to sin to freedom in Christ.

Maybe you never left the proverbial front porch of your father’s house, e.g., you grew up in a Christian home and were saved at VBS when you were five. Perhaps you were one who wandered out into the yard, but before you stepped into the street you realized going further wouldn’t be smart—so you went home. You may have roamed into town, experiencing lots of the world (say, through high school and college-age years) when your eyes opened to the eternal dangers. Or, like me, you may have found yourself wallowing with the pigs before you thought, “This my-way life has got to change.”

Friend, whatever your story—whenever and however you came to accept the free gift of saving grace—it is profound and radical! It is a miracle because you were once lost, and now you’re found! You are a miracle.

Now, go tell someone.

“Lord, I was blind and lost—but You came to rescue me. Thank You for the miracle of salvation. May I be bold and unashamed to share this story of amazing grace with others.”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Love, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 11, 2025

Our Guide & Protector

“You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” Psalm 139:5 (NLT)

Driving to a hotel in the middle of nowhere … in a torrential downpour … in the dark, I was stressed. I could barely see the lines on the road in order to stay in my own lane. I could picture the tragic wreck of our vehicle if I couldn’t pull myself together. My two children were passengers; I had my motivation to arrive safely at our destination, even with frayed nerves.

Our key verse reminds us that even in the most stressful, dangerous moments, God goes before us and follows behind us. A picture of the Israelites of the Old Testament being led through the desert fills my mind. When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, He didn’t just leave them to their own devices. “The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.” Exodus 13:21 (NLT)

Not only did God provide daily guidance, but when the Egyptian army began to pursue the Israelites, God protected His children with a rear guard. “Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.” Exodus 14:19 (NLT) God goes before us, guiding us. He follows after us, protecting us. And if that isn’t enough, our key verse settles any lingering anxiety: He lays His hand of blessing upon us. When the Bible speaks of the hand of blessing, it means that God is taking personal action on our behalf in whatever situation or circumstances are in need of His attention–whatever needs can only be met by God.

When my children were little, terrible nightmares would awaken them from time to time. As many parents do, we consoled their fears with a hug. We spoke soothing words, including a prayer, and wiped away any remaining tears. As adults, we may be living in the center of a very real nightmare of uncertainty, pain, and grief. God places His hand of blessing on our heads … taking action on our behalf. He is truly all we need.

“Thank You, Lord, for guiding us and protecting us, as well as placing Your hand upon us. We surrender our lives to You day by day, moment by moment.”

For His Glory

Tammy Randlett (http://staletoast.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 10, 2025

Circle of Grace

“Then Moses said to the Lord, “…Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ Now then, if I have found favor in Your sight in any way, please let me know Your ways so that I may know You, in order that I may find favor in Your sight.” Exodus 33:12-13a

Like the entire Bible, the Book of Exodus is like a never-ending onion. You can read and gain Holy-Spirit-inspired insights, only to revisit the same passages again to see something entirely new—even words or phrases that seemed to not be in the verse before! It’s amazing. And it’s why the Bible never gets boring! It’s living and active, sharp and heart-discerning (Hebrews 4:12). But the coolest part? It all points to Jesus. So, when I landed in chapter 33 of Exodus, a couple of verses (which I’d “never noticed” before) struck me as pointing to the Gospel and the believer’s relationship with the Lord.

For quick context, Moses had to do a lot of interceding for the Israelites in the post-Exodus desert journey. These people were a lot. In fact, despite the awesome character and obedience of Moses, as well as his relentless protection and advocacy for his people, their whining and rebellion—and his “straw-that-broke-the-camel’s-back” reaction to them—ultimately kept Moses from walking into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:10-13; Deuteronomy 3:23-28). But before that happened, he was once again pleading to God on their behalf in Exodus 33. It was here that I saw the “new thing”—a stunning circle of grace.

First, a language lesson: The Hebrew word used here for “favor” is the same word used for “grace” in other Old Testament verses, including Psalm 84:11 and Proverbs 3:34. Interestingly, the same Greek word for “grace” in Paul’s Gospel-centric Ephesians 2:8—“By grace you have been saved”—is also translated through the New Testament as, you guessed it, “favor”.

Because of the quote-inside-a-quote structure, it takes a minute to understand what’s being said here. But, basically, here’s how the circle goes:

  1. Moses is recounting that the Lord (a) knows Moses by name and (b) has extended His favor/grace to him.
  2. Moses then requests, “If (or since) I have found favor/grace, please let me know Your ways so that I may know You more.”
  3. Why does Moses want to know God and His ways more? So that he (Moses) can find MORE FAVOR/GRACE in His sight! (Mind-blown emoji here.)

Friend, this is our own circle of grace! God calls us by name, extending His grace (unearned and undeserved merit) so that we can know Him. (Our relationship with God is restored by grace alone through faith in Jesus, so that in surrendering to Jesus, we can know the Father.) Then, in response to this grace, we take action to know His ways—we read God’s Word, attend a church, join a disciple group, etc.—so we can deepen that relationship and know Him more. And, as a result, what do we discover? More grace (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18)! Isn’t God so, so good?!

Just as the Bible itself is an unending revelation of God, so is His grace. The more we know Him, the deeper our experience of His amazing grace toward us. The more grace, the deeper our knowledge of Him. And so it goes on and on and on—even in glory, we will never, ever stop getting to know God more. So, let’s dive in! If you are a believer, you have experienced God’s astounding grace. Now, get to know him more! If you don’t yet know the grace/favor of God, it’s easily yours—just ask. Once you jump in the circle, you’ll never be the same.

“Father God, thank You for calling my name, for showing me Your favor and grace, and for revealing more and more of Yourself to me. I’m excited to know You more.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 7, 2025

Step By Step Faith

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ~ Hebrews 11:8

As one who is directionally challenged, I do appreciate that (somewhat annoying) voice telling me exactly where and when to turn so I’ll arrive at my desired destination. When using GPS, some of us might not even pay attention to the route before we pull out of the driveway. We just pop in an address and go—trusting that voice for each step of the way.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we had the same level of faith and step-by-step compliance when it comes to the Lord’s directions for our lives? Now, for this GPS-to-God’s-will analogy to be accurate, it must be acknowledged that we don’t always (or ever!) know our destination—the place where God wants us to go. And this is perhaps where GPS has spoiled us. We say to Him, “OK, Lord, just tell me where I’m going to end up, and I’ll go.” Or, “Lord, that is where I want to be, show me how to get there.”

Honestly, our faith journey is more like jumping in the car and pressing “start route” without knowing the ultimate destination. Even when we ask (and beg) Him to show us His will or give us the big picture, we may only hear Him say, “Here’s the first step. Go.”

“But God,” we respond, “where will this lead? What do you have in store?” When silence follows, we must recognize what God is waiting for—what He teaches us through Moses and other great men and women of the Bible: He wants obedience one step at a time, even when we have no idea what the very next step might be.

And as we make our way, we might not even know the destination until we actually get there. But, if we are faithful to follow His divine directions, we can be confident that when we hear, “You have arrived,” that the destination will be for our good and His glory.

Lord, You know the end from the beginning. Thank you that we can trust You to guide our steps when we surrender to Your will and walk in obedience to Your Word.

For His Glory,

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 6, 2025

An Assignment From Jesus

“They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything He does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” (Mark 7:37 NIV)

Biblical accounts of miracles. Loved since childhood. Jesus heals a man of leprosy, and the man was quick to spread the news. Jesus asked the man with a shriveled hand to stand in front of the crowd. Jesus healed so all could see. The man possessed by demons was told to tell his family what the Lord had done. And Bartimaeus, not ashamed to cry out to Jesus, receives his sight. Freedom restored. Health made whole. Acceptance regained. Ready to follow Jesus.

In some manner, some fashion, each of us has an area of life that has been wounded. Unavoidable in a world of fallen condition. Perhaps healed in quiet. Perhaps waiting for healing fully aware of the fragile state of our condition. Wonder if people can see the scar our soul carries. From time to time the hurt that causes more hurt. The good news today is that Jesus heals.

And when Jesus heals, or when we’re expectantly waiting for the healing, what do we do? I’ve heard from others the exact same agony that I’ve heard in my own mind: God can’t use me. Each time I hear this phrase, something inside cringes. I’ve learned it’s a lie. It’s a lie told to me and it’s a lie told to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know where it comes from – Satan. Our adversary. The prince of death and destruction. He wants to stop the very thing the Lord has commissioned. The telling of the miracle of freedom, restoration and grace paid for by Jesus, the King of kings. Dear one, God can use you. We need not remain quiet about what He has and can do, but we must readily tell. Tell the wonder of the Lord.

This is how He will use us. Our story. Our healing. Our hope. A hope that never fails and never forsakes. Righteousness revealed from the beginning of time. As the clock moves forward to the global revealing of the one true Savior, we must refuse to be quiet.

“Father, may I acknowledge the miracles that Jesus has done in my life. May I see the opportunities that You provide to declare my amazement to those around me. May my words glorify You and be used to draw others to Christ.”

For His Glory

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 5, 2025

Mirror, Mirror

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1(ESV)

Has it happened to you? You’re enjoying a delicious dinner out with friends, talking and laughing the hours away. A few sweet teas into the evening, you hit the restroom and gaze at your reflected smile…only to see a big green hunk of spinach between your teeth. The mirror has shown you what your friends didn’t tell you—and you couldn’t see.

So, we take down the mirror off the wall and use it to clean our teeth, right? Of course not! The mirror only reveals the problem, it doesn’t fix it.

This is a perfect analogy for God’s law. Throughout the Bible, the Jews were trying to use the law to achieve a level of holiness that would be acceptable to God. Even today, followers of nearly every world religion—and many Christians—believe the “rules” are steppingstones to salvation.

But sisters, the law was never meant to be the way to God. Our Father in heaven is perfect, and He requires nothing less than perfection. So striving for rule-following, no matter how hard we try, will fail. Humans are not perfect, and we are incapable of following God’s law with perfect righteousness.

Just like the bathroom mirror that reveals food caught in your teeth, the law is meant to show us we are not good enough for a perfect, Holy God. His law shows us how unrighteous we really are so we’ll run to the only One Who is perfect. Jesus came to this earth, fully God and fully man, to pay the price for our sinfulness. Because he died for us and rose again, we are able to accept His gift of grace and be made perfect in God’s eyes.

The mirror cannot remove the spinach from our teeth. But it was necessary to recognize there was a problem—a big hunk of green. And trying to follow God’s rules will not remove the stain of sin from our lives. The law shows us there’s a problem…but Jesus Christ is the only answer.

“Lord, there is only one way for us to perfectly reflect You—by accepting what Jesus did on my behalf. Thank you for revealing my sin and for paying the price.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Mercy

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