trbccoffeebreak

“He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.”  Ezekiel 17:5-6 (NIV)

Last summer, I planted some tomatoes in very rich, good soil. Every afternoon I worked in my garden pulling weeds, watering them, trimming them, and fertilizing them. In just a few weeks, my tomato plants grew really tall. One day there was a storm and the hard wind knocked all my tomato plants down. I was so disappointed. The next day, I went to my garden to clean up the mess, and to my surprise all my tomato plants had survived. In fact, the tall tomato plants grew like ground cover. It wasn’t long before I was harvesting my tomatoes like picking up strawberries.

Because I took good care of my plants, they survived the storm. The roots had become so strong that no matter how big the storm was, the plants were still able to bear fruit for me and my neighbors to enjoy. The same is true in our spiritual lives. When we have strong roots grounded in the Word of God, we can weather the storms in our lives no matter how big they are.  Amazingly, we will survive and thrive as we bless others – like ground cover, the goodness of God will spread to all who hear.

“Lord, thank You for Your words that help us to have undisturbed calm even in the midst of trials and still bear fruit for others to enjoy.”

For His Glory

Linda Maedjaja
TRBC Coffee Break

“Let him who walks in the dark and has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on His God.” Isaiah 50:10b (NIV)

Many years ago, I had a strange experience while making dinner.   As I stood by the stove preparing my meal, I was struck with an overwhelming sense of discouragement.  I had longed for a life of purpose, a meaningful job, a blossoming ministry and a chance to make a difference in the world.  But in that very moment, it seemed that all I had to show for my life, my efforts, and my dreams were…Beef Tips and Gravy.

How could this be?  I had prayed, worked and prepared for so much more.   But here I was, parked in a kitchen, just waiting for gravy to thicken.  I could not help but wonder if God had forgotten me or if I had done something wrong to deserve being benched like this.  There were, after all, so many more important things I could be doing with my life.   (And wasn’t this June Cleaver’s job anyway?!)

Now, in the decade that has passed since that memorable meal, I have learned the value of trusting in God’s plans rather than my own.  I have embraced the words of Isaiah 50:10 which say it is better to walk in darkness sometimes than to walk by the light of one’s own efforts.  I certainly did not want to be in the kitchen stirring gravy that night.  But I have learned that Beef Tips and Gravy served with a portion of patience and a side of faith make a great meal in the waiting.

“Father, help us to trust in Your name and to stand in faith when life brings challenges, disappointments, unexpected delays and closed doors.  Help us to leave the reigns of our lives in Your hands rather than trying to work out our own plans in our own timing.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

“So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV)

Have you ever had someone come into your life and you have no idea why? Perhaps it’s easy to see that they need God and that you need to share the gift of eternal life with them. Other times you soon learn that you need to share your life with them. For some of us it comes natural to invite people into our homes and lives. For others it’s a little scary to open up to others and let them into our lives. Sometimes, we might feel like our life is too messy to have anything to offer to others. That’s what makes it even more important to open up and share with others. Through God’s love, we can give each other the support we need to clean up the messy parts of our life.

Inviting others into my life actually brings out the best in me. It gets me motivated to make sure my house is completely clean and looking it’s best. Emotionally it allows me to love others through serving and taking care of them. Spiritually it gives me a chance to share what God is doing in my life and to see what I can do to support others through prayer and sharing the word of God. While sharing life with others might be a new and scary thing for some of us, the rewards of new friendships, encouragement and sharing God are worth it.

“Dear God, Give us the courage to invite others to share our lives. Show us those who need eternal life shared with them and how we can love and care for people you place in our lives.”
For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break