Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 3, 2014

Beating The Winter Blues

MP900438953[1]“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

 If you are like me, once the holidays are over, you are ready for Spring. But, why would we want to skip over a quarter of our lives! God made this time of year just like He made the rest of the year, and I want to find joy in this season too.

 What can we do to feel better when dealing with winter blues? Here are a few tips:

 1)     Plan something to look forward to. Perhaps something in the near future and something farther away. Our plans don’t have to cost a whole lot of money. Planning will keep us busy, and we will have something on our calendar.

 2)     Do something “spur of the moment” when we are feeling kind of “blah.” Visit the library. Rent a movie. Get some cleaning around the house done. (It’s amazing how accomplishment can cheer us up!) Bundle up and go for a walk. Call a friend. Visit a family member. Read some Scripture. Pray. Journal. Volunteer. Do something that will helps us feel better…and do what we can to encourage others who are struggling too. 

 3)     Focus on doing things we can only do in the colder weather and enjoy those moments. Build a fire and drink hot chocolate. Snuggle under a heated blanket. Take a long bubble bath. There is a lot to do in the winter! We just have to get creative…and search the internet.

 This day, this week, this month, this season will all too soon come to an end. Why don’t we all try to enjoy it? Enjoy God’s creation. Enjoy time with one another. Relish in it until the days get longer and the sun gets warmer….and then relish those days too!

 “Dear Lord, Thank You for this season. Help me to appreciate the beauty and serenity…and to find JOY in each and every day You have given me.”

 For His Glory,

 Laurel Shaler(www.drlaurelshaler.com)
TRBC Coffee Break

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 31, 2014

The Real Deal

cb devo jan 31“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 Coffee Break

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 30, 2014

Times of Refreshing Come Through Repentance

Woman Reading a Diary“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19 (NIV)

 Have a heavy heart? Have we examined our thoughts that lead to feelings, that lead to actions, that lead to behaviors and attitudes? If we don’t guard those thoughts, we will fall into sin and stay there. Once we renew our minds, we can truly repent. Some people define repentance as turning around. We can turn around all we want and not accomplish anything.  Real change has to begin with renewing the mind, then we can turn towards the right way and that is to God’s Word. God’s Word will direct us and keep us in the straight and narrow path. Once we turn from our sinful ways then repentance is accomplished. Many times this has to be done several times during the day. We must continually renew our minds, and the way to do that is to keep God’s Word hidden in our hearts. As we do this then the times of refreshing will come from the Lord. How sweet it is to be refreshed. How sweet it is to confess sin and know that we are forgiven and are in right standing with the Lord. When we turn to God, He in His mercy is ready to forgive us. We don’t have to carry the weight of sin around with us which weighs us down. Thank God that He comes to set us free. Let us examine our hearts. Let us turn to God so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

 “Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You that You forgive us when we repent so that our sins can be forgiven. Thank You for times of refreshing.”

 

For His Glory

 Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Freedom, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 29, 2014

Fullness of Joy

cb devo jan 29 “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”   Psalm 16:11(NKJV)

 I will admit I am a kid at heart. I love playing with goofy little toys in my office and finding rain boots with bright polka dots brighten my day. I believe laughter and a good sense of humor can overcome a tough day; however, my joy comes from Christ. I have the hope of eternal life through Christ Jesus that assures me the trials and obstacles of this world are not permanent.

 It is through Christ that I can comfort loved ones that have suffered a loss; that I can take disappointment and not become overwhelmed by it but move forward towards Christ’s promises. As we begin a new year and not knowing what the future holds, I ask you to make sure you know who holds that future. When we ask Christ into our hearts, He gives us a peace that passes all understanding. It’s not an instant “life is going to be easy” solution, but I have Christ and He will see me through whatever lies ahead. If you would like to know more about having that peace and starting the New Year off with a friend and guide who knows each step you will take before you take it, please respond back to this devotional. We would love to share our joy and Savior with you!

 

 “Dear Lord, Thank You for being that joy and peace in our life. For dying on the cross so that we have the hope of eternal life in heaven with You. For anyone who doesn’t have that assurance of salvation, our prayer is they will reach out and receive it.”

 

For His Glory

 Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Uncategorized

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 28, 2014

Dream Big!

Attractive Woman Holds Her Cap Isolated on a White Background. “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4 (NLT)

 Do we dream…dream big…no really, really big, but our dreaming only takes place in the depths of our heart and mind?  Is there a deep desire in our heart buried under layer upon layer of hiddenness? Because that’s how big our desire is that just maybe we even question if God can accomplish it in our life. In our mind, the desire is so farfetched from our current human grasp or situation that we haven’t dared shared it with our closest confidant. Dream it anyways!!!

 Looking back to my earliest memory more than one person, whether family or friend, has called me a “dreamer.”  Even as a small child, I was aware that their statements were meant to detract from the merit of my desires and dreams.  As a young adolescent and new convert to Christ, I realized it was God who gives us our ability to desire and dream.  

 When it comes to our dreams be joyfully expectant of and take heed –  in other words pay attention to God’s Word and not the whispers of naysayer’s. As the Psalmist says, the Lord gives us our heart’s desires. Notice the word “give” in the verse. God causes the alignment of our desires. If we can dream it…God can surely do it. Also, notice the word desire is plural. God is the Giver of abundant desires. It is God who places right desires in our hearts and then in His perfect timing He aligns the right people, places and things so those desires come to fruition. So based on God’s Word…from one dreamer to another dreamer…DREAM BIG!!!

 

 “Father, we praise You for Your giving heart, which allows us to dream and desire.  We thank You for Your mighty ability that orchestrates our dreams and desires to manifest on our behalf.”

 

For His Glory

 Kim Lacey Schock
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 27, 2014

Where Grace Lives

Young Couple with Two Children (8-12) Walking on the Beach“Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23 (ESV)

 Home…where love grows, grace is extended and God is praised!  Beautiful slogan don’t you think?  Sounds incredibly inviting – who wouldn’t want to experience a home filled with love?  Sounds too good to be true – who wouldn’t want to feel the warmth of grace in their failed places?  Sounds beyond belief – who wouldn’t want to stay where worship is lived out in the ordinary moments?  Home… it’s supposed to be our safe haven – a place of acceptance without reservation.   Home… it was designed to be the place where we love one another so that others will see Jesus in us.  Home… it’s supposed to be the place where forgiveness reigns.  Home….it’s  supposed to be the place where God is known, worshipped and exalted.  So how’s our home?  What’s life look like behind those doors?   Would our husband, children, extended family or roommates  find love, grace and praise under our roofs?  Harvesting love requires planting give and take – compromise without attitude.  Especially when love must be tough but seasoned with grace.  Receiving grace requires forgiveness  – seeing others clothed in His righteousness. Especially when grace means letting go of our expectations in exchange for God’s divine work. Exalting God requires a life that’s lived to glorify Him.  Especially when irritations come and serving others wins out.  The reality is if we all gave what we really wanted then home would be that safe haven – the place where love grows, grace is extended and God is praised!

“Father, help me to be a planter of love, an extender of grace and a voice that never ceases to praise You.”

 For His Glory

 Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 24, 2014

Dusty, Old Treasures

Mtpic“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12 (NIV))

 Normally, the New Year brings with it a great sense of anticipation to say good-bye to the old and hello to new beginnings.  However, sometimes the New Year’s blahs move in like a raging winter storm.  Before we decide to plan fresh hopes and dreams, we need to figure out where our old ones went!

 In our younger years, we may have had to conquer the world mentality.  Then, as we age, our dreams and desires often shift or completely disappear.  In many cases, our visions get buried like a box of dusty, old treasures.  We wonder how we can even begin to go through the cobwebs!

 These same kinds of thoughts probably happened to many women in the Bible.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, surely had a shift in plans when she found herself pregnant and unmarried (Luke 1:3).  Similarly, Naomi’s initial hopes of a life with Elimech disappeared when he died and she was left with their two sons (Ruth 1).  In the same fashion, Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias and mother of John the Baptist, received a real surprise when she had been barren for most of her life and became pregnant in her advanced years (Luke 1:24).

 This year as we think about our dreams, let’s ponder some of the stories of the women in the Bible and see how their adjustments led to great adventures.  Perhaps we can become more comfortable with some of our shifts and attune our spirit to fit accordingly.  If we have had to let some dreams go, maybe we can find some new hope and discover some higher ways.  We may even want to go into our attic and find our box of antique treasures and see how they can become shiny and new!

     

“Lord, I give you my hopes and my dreams.  Let me become what You desire.”

 For His Glory,

 Eileen E. Hegel (higherways.com)
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 23, 2014

True Rest

cb devo jan 23“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)

 

Everyone has a different method or place where they are able to rest and relax. I’ve never been a huge beach person until we were blessed with a trip to stay right on the ocean. The sound of the waves and the tranquilly of the ocean definitely relaxes you. However, it’s one thing to take time for physical rest but what about rest for our soul. Are we carrying burdens that God doesn’t mean for us to carry?  No matter what we try to do to free ourselves, we are still entangled and overwhelmed. That’s because God gave us true rest in Christ and the perfect example of how to truly get rest for our souls. Christ was our living, breathing example of how to live a God centered, humble, and balanced life. 

 Christ reminds us in Matthew to “learn from Me.” Learn how I handled burdens; He went to His Father and prayed. When Jesus was burdened and at His lowest point before facing the cross, He hit His knees in prayer. If God intends for us to carry a burden, He will give us the strength to do so. We can try every relaxation method possible, but if we are carrying burdens deep in our soul, we won’t find rest until we follow the example of Christ and turn things over to God.


“Father God, Thank You for caring about every detail of our lives – from our physical well being to peace in our soul. Help us to identify areas that are burdens that need to be turned over to You and give us strength to carry the ones we are meant to.”

 

For His Glory

 

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 22, 2014

Giving Love Without Expectation

MP900178801[1]“I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.”  2 Corinthians 12:15 (NLT)

 Often times people will say, “I treated her to lunch, I did this, I did that, and she hasn’t done anything for me in return.”  When our motives are pure, we won’t expect anything in return. God is the one who blesses us, especially when we know we have helped someone who can never repay. When we help the poor, we will greatly be blessed. One of our blessings we receive is found in the joy of giving. You can’t put a price tag on the joy we will experience. The more we love God, the more we will love people. We cannot expect everyone to give out love in the same way which we show it or give it out. We must love unconditionally. With God we can be sure He will always love us much more than we are capable of loving. The more intimate our relationship with God, the more we will be able to reach out in love to others. Remember, the more we love with the love of God, the less we may feel loved many times. We must love regardless of whether we are receiving that love or not. When we show the love of Christ, the world will know we are Christians. Talk is cheap, but actions speak. We must choose love even when we feel rejected. We must pour love on everyone we come in contact with – yes, even our enemies.

 “Lord, I choose to love unconditionally. Love through me Lord. May I be a vessel of love that the world might see Jesus.”

For His Glory

 Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Love, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 21, 2014

Perfect Timing

cb devo 21“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

Waiting can be hard. As I sat in the birth center for the second time in a week waiting for my new nephew to be born, I was anxious.  I was concerned about my sister- in-law’s pain, the baby’s health and also about the long night that lay ahead. I can think of other times I have had to wait anxiously for my husband to propose, news of a loved one’s surgery, my next paycheck or for a job offer.  God wants us to wait for His timing and not rush ahead, yet often we grow tired of waiting. Our impatience causes us to try to get things done or fix it our way. The end result is the sad fact that we made it worse or made no progress. It is only when we wait on God’s timing that we will find peace and strength. Just as God knows when each baby is due to actually be born, He knows how and when what you are waiting for will be answered. It is when we wait and trust in His timing that we are replenished and find strength.

“Lord thank You for knowing when the time is right for those things I am waiting on. Please give me patience as I wait for Your timing.”

For His Glory

 

Melissa Hester
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living

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