Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 28, 2023

Constant Change

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)

It has been said change is the only thing that is constant. No two days are ever the same – a phrase my mother left with me following the birth of our firstborn. At the time I didn’t understand but have since realized it held much wisdom.

Nearly all would agree most expected changes are welcomed but unexpected changes rock our world. I’ve experienced both – most recently, an unexpected change surfaced. Do I like it? No. Will I adjust? It will be a daily surrender. Why? Because some, not all, unexpected changes ignite unforeseen emotions – sometimes anger, sadness, panic, or fear of the unknown.

So many Biblical women handled change well. Eve’s world went from perfection to chaos, yet she persevered. Ruth, a young widow encouraged her mother-in-law by keeping a positive attitude which God blessed. Esther knew a change must happen for her people and trusted God to help her accomplish it. Hannah trusted God to take care of Samuel when she left him with Eli and his wicked sons. And Mary didn’t fall apart when the angel proclaimed she would bear the Son of God. This list could go on and on. How these characters handled change is how they handled life – looking past the present and viewing into the future.

Change will happen. Why? Because God created change. Just think of all the major changes that occurred in heaven during creation and when God sent Jesus to die for sinful man. His familiar existence was turned upside down.

How did Jesus handle change? Exactly how God the Father wants us to handle it. With a godly, submitted attitude – trusting. God never owes us an explanation but requires us to trust Him with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Through changes, God remains constant! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Isn’t that comforting? Whatever your challenges He can be trusted; after all, He’s got the whole world in His hand.

“Father, please help me adjust to change with the attitude of Christ.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 27, 2023

As You A Good Steward?

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Outside of Christian circles, the word “steward” is not often used in today’s vernacular. Basically, it means “manager”—a steward looks after, directs, and oversees the use/distribution of goods, services, and people belonging to their boss. Within the Church, the term is a bit more common. Christians are called to be “good stewards” of what the Lord has provided. Our family, money, talents, spiritual gifts, etc., have been given to us by the Lord. And it all belongs to Him—we just manage it. He gives to us, and He takes away from us…and through it all, we are to bless and glorify Him (Job 1:21).

During church services you’ve been to, you’ve probably heard pastors calling the congregation to be “good stewards” as it specifically relates to financial giving. Again, totally makes sense: It’s all God’s money anyway, and we’re to share what we have for the sake of the gospel, the good of others, and God’s glory.

But have you ever thought about what it means to steward the single greatest gift given to us by God: our salvation? What does it even mean to steward or manage our salvation? First, salvation is, in fact, a gift given to us. It is extended to us by grace through faith. We don’t work for it, earn it, or pay for it—this way, we can’t brag about getting it through our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9). Next, when we surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior, we belong to Him: We are His possession, called out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). And at salvation, we’re given the power of the Holy Spirit living in us so that we can bear fruit, be light in this world, boldly proclaim truth, and battle the god of this world. (By the way, we don’t fight for victory over Satan, we fight from a place of victory!)

A family, friends, and good job is great. Talents and spiritual gifts are awesome. And money comes in pretty handy for sustaining our own life and helping others. All gifts from God. But all these can fall away (and will, actually), with salvation standing as the greatest—and eternity-altering—gift from above. So, we’re not meant to lock it up and selfishly protect it like a valuable, prized possession we could lose. Salvation IS valuable and IS prized (and we cannot lose it once it’s ours!)…but instead of turning the deadbolt and standing guard, we’re to spread it around. When we share the wealth of salvation—the truth of the gospel and the Great Exchange of Christ’s righteousness for our sin—we actually come away with more: more hope, more peace, more faith, more joy!

What about you? If you’ve accepted the amazing gift of salvation, how are you stewarding it? Are you burying it in fear of loss or persecution? Are you sitting comfortably with it, because now that you have it, you’re good to go? Or are you managing this precious gift by telling and showing others how the grace and love of God can be theirs too?

“Lord, may I be a good steward of my salvation, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ—the hope, peace, and joy found only in Him. “

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 26, 2023

When We Live Well

“One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor.” Proverbs 12:26a (ESV)

Ever wondered if “right living” makes a difference? It’s so much easier to give in to self. To do what we feel like doing and not what we know we should do. It’s much more inviting to listen to our own justifications rather than seek the best of others first. It’s simply more fun to join the crowd than take a stand.

I think Solomon had something here don’t you? Our right living opens wide the door for us to intentionally impact and guide our neighbors.

Who are our neighbors? They’re the person we pass in the maze of cubicles at the office. They’re the ones whose driveways edge our own. They’re the soccer moms cheering with us as the team hits the field. They’re the home school co-op groups gathered at the library. They’re the patients waiting for chemo as we breeze through the door.

Our neighbors don’t necessarily have to live within feet of our front door, but they are people who cross our paths in this journey called life. And we have an incredible opportunity to influence, impact, guide and invest when we purposefully choose “right living.” We don’t even have to utter a word; our choices and reactions will speak for us.

I think we all get the picture – right living is huge for others, God and for us. When we choose to obey and live according to God’s commands, we miss out on painful consequences. When we forego the wrong decision, we release our will for His own. When we resist temptation, we avoid the guaranteed hard road. When we thirst and hunger after God’s best then we are truly blessed. When we set the right example then God is honored and glorified.

Don’t know about you but it all adds up. Choose to do things God’s way and even those watching will gain wisdom. No self promotion required. No branding or platform needed. God will use our “right living” to speak volumes, and we have no idea who is watching.

Solomon was the wisest man that lived, yet he too fell prey to bypassing right living to living for self, possessions, wealth, desires, etc. And despite his wealth, it didn’t serve him well. Let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s seek God’s wisdom and choose “right living” even when it means letting go of all we desire.

“Father this world we offer us many things – rights tainted as our own – but You alone are worthy of our devotion. Help us to listen and choose well.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 22, 2023

Miracle On The Appalachian Trail

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

My sister had an experience on the Appalachian Trial a couple of years ago that is a testament to the loving provision of God. Let her describe it from her point of view:

I’m an AT enthusiast and have section-hiked the whole trail, mostly solo. But I had my son Adam with me when hiking up Mount Katahdin, the final summit of the AT in Maine. He had a medical condition that allowed him to hike as long as he stayed well-hydrated.

Mount Katahdin is one of the most challenging sections of the trail. Adam and I were both doing fine but getting low on water. We tried to ration ourselves to make it last until we found more, but Adam eventually ran out. This was a serious situation. I decided to take a sip of mine, then let him drink; I would sip, and he would drink…until we completely ran out. There was no water in sight. I knew there was no cell service where we were, and even if we could get a call out, rescuers would take two or three days to reach us.

We continued climbing down and looking for water until I looked behind me and saw Adam weaving back and forth, badly dehydrated. Frightened, I told him to lie down beside the trail, and I would continue until I found water, then bring it back to him.

I left him there alone and worked my way down the trail as fast as I could, praying, praying, practically shouting at God that we needed water or my son would die. I had gone some distance when I spotted a large rock to the left of the trail. On it was written in large blue letters: WATER. A blue arrow pointed off to the left. I thanked God as I detoured in the direction of the arrow. In a few yards, I found a stream – thank God! I drank as much as possible, then filled our water bottles.

I hurried back up to Adam. I ran up the trail faster than I have ever gone up mountain terrain.  God was lifting my legs for me over the rocks. Thankfully my son was still alive but in bad shape. When I gave him water, he began to revive. After a while, he was well enough to continue the trek out of there, so we walked in the direction I had just come from. We hiked until we came to that rock, and to my astonishment, there were no blue letters on it. It took me a while to process that miracle in my mind and realize that the only explanation was that God had put those letters there for us. I was overcome with gratitude and awe. We turned to the left, found the stream again, and refilled our water bottles.

A year later, I hiked the same trail with my husband. When we came to that rock, I pointed it out to him as the rock with the big blue letters the first time I saw it. I recognized it because I had taken a picture of it after the letters disappeared. My husband and I turned off the trail to get water, and there was no stream…there was no stream.

How can you properly thank a God who wrote on a rock and made a stream flow in a dry place to save your son’s life?

“Dear Father, we thank You that You are a God of love, that You tenderly care for Your children and provide what we need. In our human inadequacy, words fail us. We stand silently in awe.”

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (with Gail Anderson)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Gratitude, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 21, 2023

Glorifying God Through His Design

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.” – Matthew 6:28b (NKJV)

Walking past a gardenia bush in full bloom, I am overwhelmed by its fragrance. Flowers captivate me. So many different varieties intricately formed by their unique petals and known by their colors and scents. Flowers can be used to help us celebrate, mourn, encourage or simply bring beauty. Isaac Watts, in his hymn I Sing the Mighty Power of God says this, “There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known.” Created by God, each flower points to the glory of the Creator by simply being what He created it to be. The daffodil never strives to be any color other than yellow, and the tulip doesn’t try to smell like a rose.

Like the rest of creation, we can bring glory to God and influence others for His kingdom when we trust Him enough to simply be who He created us to be. Charles Stanley writes, “The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.”

What does it look like to live simply and unaffectedly? Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) offers this, “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Live simply and remain unaffected by resting in the purpose and design of the Potter, our Creator. No comparisons, no striving to be like someone else. Never asking the potter, “What are you making?” but simply loving Him and loving others—in our own unique way. Encouraging others and pointing them to the Creator through our distinct design, and our colorful and fragrant gifts.

“Lord, we long to make your glory known. May we trust you enough to live simple and unaffected lives, resting in who you created us to be.”

For His Glory

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 20, 2023

The Most Dangerous Words

“One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.” John 9:25

We started attending a new church not long ago. It’s pretty incredible. For thousands of reasons. And, although I’ve already jumped into serving in a variety of ways, I’ve been experiencing impatience and antsiness lately. It’s hard to explain…but let me try.

My husband and I are in the stage of life where our kids don’t live with us (and, sadly, they’re not nearby). Like many of you (because of geographical or emotional distance), our church people are our family. And, although we both work full time, we’ve got a lot of time on our hands. So, our hearts are to serve the Lord—not to earn His favor, but in response to His love and grace toward us.

For me, I just want to do God’s will for my life—dig daily into His Word every day, glorify Him in all I do, and SERVE…the quandary, though, is that I don’t know where or how He wants me to serve in this new church. Now, please know that it is an understatement to say that this church is on fire. The Lord is doing mind-blowing things, and it’s awesome to watch. And, like a horse at the gate, agitated to bust out and race, I’m anxious for the Lord to say, “THIS is where I want you…go!”

But He hasn’t said anything like that. My sweet sisters in Christ have counseled me to “wait on the Lord” and “be still” to hear from Him. And that’s where I’ve tried to be—but more confusion swirls up in my head. Anybody else been there?

While in prayer with Him, the Lord reminded me that I am to use my testimony. I didn’t surrender to the Lord until age 30, so suffice it to say, I was pretty lost. And my sanctification story for the past 25 years has also not been rainbows and butterflies. He has walked (carried) me through some very, very hard times. I couldn’t imagine coming through those storms without Him. Then, my response was, “Yes, Lord! I need to use these things in ministry—because otherwise, these testimonies are wasted…so WHERE? HOW?” I land back where I started, and more confusion sets in.

In sharing with my husband (and with much emotion), I said, “Why is this so hard? It’s ultimately simple: I was dead, and now I’m alive.” His response was a mic-drop moment. “You’re muddled and anxious and antsy because, for the enemy, those are the most dangerous words.” Boom.

Satan comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants people to stay lost, blind, and dead. This is a win for him. And he wants to steal joy and contentment from those he cannot destroy (believers). By muddling and confusing those of us who have been reconciled with the God of peace—keeping us from experiencing the peace of God—he keeps us quiet and ineffective. And although he cannot take our salvation, he can certainly take us off course from the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

My church has myriad ministries in which to serve: protecting the unborn, special needs, foster care, first responders, and human trafficking—just to name a few. But no matter where I (or you in your church) choose to serve, the purpose is always ultimately the same: go, love, and share the good news of Jesus. And the message is clear: “I was dead, now I’m alive in Christ…and you can be too.”

So, let’s get to it—and remind Satan that he has already lost.

“Lord, we love You because You first loved us. And we serve in response to Your gift of salvation to us. Remind us daily to seek opportunities to demonstrate Your love, mercy, and grace to others.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 19, 2023

When Passion Slips Away

“The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Psalm 19:8 (ESV)

It’s a date I looked forward to each week. Me, my friend and her granddaughter would dive deep into the book of Proverbs. Just listening to this 10 year old reading God’s word was priceless. Helping her to understand tough passages and cementing God’s truth kept me on my toes. Easy answers don’t always squelch the curiosity of youth; I absolutely loved her passion for studying the scriptures.

Wonder if we approach God’s word with the same enthusiasm and desire to learn? Have to admit, it is much easier to read my quota for the day than slow down and really digest truth. Why? When we glimpse ourselves in the reflection of scripture, we see things in us which need changing and change is hard not easy. So no brainer here – we avoid slow and settle for same instead and the passion slips away.

Embracing tough passages and connecting with truth can be intimidating. Change is hard even if we really desire a renewed us. Habits are difficult to break. Our settled tendency to be satisfied with self “as is” never serves us well.

None of us really want to live in a place of complacency and stagnation. We were designed to flourish and grow which is a direct result of slowly digesting and intentionally applying God’s word. Welcoming the kindness of our God who reveals what needs to go rather than resisting. The One who gently unveils anything which soils our witness and prevents us from bringing glory to God.

Perhaps you find yourself with plenty of downtime on your hands these days; let’s not waste it. Maybe you find yourself overwhelmed with additional responsibilities and challenges; let’s squeeze in tidbits of silence. God has each of us exactly where He wants us. Our world has changed and now is a great time to evaluate where change needs to take place within us. Key principle here is to learn, gain understanding and reflect on how we can be more like Him. Desperate dependence births a renewed desire to walk in sync with the source of our strength – God alone.

This season of our lives too shall pass – let’s be intentional in seeking God and welcome His work within us. It’s a joy we don’t want to miss.

“Father, complete Your work within me. Transform those parts of me which rely on self versus depending on You. Help me to work in conjunction with You to accomplish Your purposes.

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 16, 2023

Willing To Receive

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

Don’t you just love being on the receiving end? You know unwrapping presents or having someone treat you to lunch. Gotta just love it when we’re the one who gets the surprise delivery at work or a freebie when we walk into the store. Maybe just once in a while, we find ourselves with a hand full of treats simply because someone thought we were special. And that smile on our faces tells it all – we absolutely love it.

Have you ever found yourself on the receiving end of a gift you didn’t like? Perhaps it was Mary who knitted you a purple scarf to match the red mittens she gave you last year. Even better, how about the blender you got from your husband on your birthday? Dare we mention the casserole that showed up at our doorstep from the friendly neighbor who definitely can’t cook? Regardless, we grinned and said thank you even though our hearts longed for something else.

Found myself there the other day – God handed me a gift, and it was one I really didn’t want. He had specially picked this out for me. He allowed it to happen, and believe it or not, He wouldn’t take any returns. God’s outstretched hand ensured me this one was handpicked.

Now we’d all rather have that sparkling diamond than a bottle of cleaner to make our windows sparkle. Yet God in His sovereignty often extends gifts to us that buff out the rough spots and enable us to shine as women of God who glorify His name. His gifts are intentional. His gifts stretch our faith and promote deep growth. And yes, His gifts promise the beauty of producing great fruit in our lives.

What gift are you unwrapping this week? Is it the gift of discouragement that will teach you how to lift your eyes above your circumstances? Is it the gift of suffering that will teach you the value of life and seizing every moment? Is it the gift of struggle and wrestling with doubts? Regardless, God has entrusted that gift into your hands – now what will you do with it? Make Him proud sweet friend – dazzle Him with your steadfast faith. Whisper thank you in the dark even though you long for something else.

“Father, thank You for the gifts that transform our lives to shine for You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 14, 2023

You Don’t Have To Figure It All Out

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself scratching my head trying to figure out a solution for whatever problem I’m facing. I look at the problem and I look at what I have to offer it, and many times I can only see what I lack to fix it. Lately, I’ve noticed two instances of this in the Bible and it’s taught me a couple of things: 1) I’m not alone in trying to figure out the solution to my problems. 2) I’m not supposed to figure it out by myself with my own limited resources.

There once was a mega problem where there seemed to be no solution. We don’t know this story by the problem, though. We know this story by the miracle: The feeding of the 5,000. (Read Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17, & John 6:15.) When the problem was presented to Jesus, it was presented only from a practical/impractical point of view. The disciples didn’t know what to do with the real needs of the 5,000 people who had followed Jesus to a remote place to hear what He had to say. They felt responsible but didn’t have the resources in their own hands to meet the needs they saw. They were trying to figure it out themselves. Now, I’ll give them some credit. They did start the brainstorming session by bringing it to Jesus. That was a good start. But they were telling Him *their* plan, not asking Him for *His* plan. Thankfully, Jesus intervened and showed not only them, but thousands of people how He could take the little we have and multiply it to pour into His Kingdom. It doesn’t matter if we have a big budget or are living on a shoestring budget (or plentiful energy vs. lack thereof, or abundance of ideas vs. no ideas, etc. ). When we hand over our sack of resources to Jesus and ask Him how He’s going to “feed the multitudes” before us, He will show us His power with His limitless resources and do more than we could ask or imagine.

Then, I think about the women who were coming to put spices on Jesus’ body after He had died. (Read Mark 16:1-4.) I’m sure in their weeping, tears were hitting the earth beneath their weary feet. All they could concentrate on was their grief and doing the next right thing, which was to tend to the body left behind by the man they thought was their Savior. So, they walked through blurry vision toward the last place they knew Him to be, expecting the permanent reality of His dead body. They worried about who was going to do the impossible job of moving the huge stone away. They probably were concerned about convincing the Roman Soldiers to even let them tend to His body at all. And where were those strapping disciples, anyway? There were problems galore, and they were doing their best to figure them out. But their best wasn’t enough and it wasn’t even necessary in those moments, no matter how well-intended. Jesus had gone before them. Jesus had changed their realities. Jesus had done more than they ever could have asked or imagined. They just needed to look up from their problems and see how He was already at work.

Like the little boy’s sack lunch in the hands of the disciples, these women just had a containment of spices that their hands could carry, and it didn’t seem like enough for the problem ahead of them. But when they looked at what only God could do, what they were carrying no longer was the focus. The power of God can’t be contained no matter what seems to be containing us.

Friends, we don’t have to figure it all out by ourselves. No. We can go directly to the throne of God and ask Him questions like, “How are YOU going to feed this multitude?” and “How are YOU going to roll away this stone?” We can show Him what we bring in our hands and ask Him to use it if He sees fit. But most importantly, we must ask Him to show us Himself and His power in those moments.

He still multiplies fishes and loaves. And He still rolls away stones.

“Lord, help us to not try to figure it all out on our own. We need you and we desire to see your power. Do it again, like you’ve done before. Multiply our fishes and loaves and roll away our stones.

For His Glory

Emily P. Meyer
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 13, 2023

Paradox Of The Past

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord.”  Psalm 77:11

We often hear the exhortation to not “live in the past”—especially when it comes to basking in those glory days of youth. Sometimes, though, we dwell on the hurt and brokenness of our past…and it’s tempting to wallow in the “comfort” of pain, like a pig in the mud. Both of these approaches can keep our necks twisted and eyes looking back—so much so that we can miss the now and what will be.

As a follower of Christ, our past (BC—or “before Christ” life) holds a paradox that can trip us up. Are we to let go of our past, not dwelling on where we’ve been and who we once were? Forgetting what lies behind and only striving toward what’s ahead (Philippians 3:13)? Well, no and yes. Let me explain.

The Bible has a lot to say about this topic. Are we supposed to forget/let go of our past? According to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3: 4-9, yes. See, before Paul surrendered to Jesus, he was all about earning his own righteousness (he was incredibly “self-righteous”). He had every reason to have confidence in his background, abilities, and previous actions to earn favor with God. But, once he accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior, he counted his impressive past as dung/rubbish. He didn’t need it. The value of knowing Christ allowed him to let go of all those efforts to earn God’s love and embrace the gift of grace. So, we’re to forget about our past efforts to “do more good than bad” and earn our way to heaven. Only through Christ are we made righteous.

But we also need to remember and hold on to our past.

First, like the healed blind man in the gospel of John, we need to be very clear about one thing: We were blind, and now we see (John 9:25). Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived a perfect life yet took the death penalty for our sin, and rose again in victory—making a way of reconciliation with God. Again, it’s Paul (this time in Ephesians 2:1-10) who reminds us to remind ourselves: We were dead, living for our own desires, satisfying the flesh in the ways of the world; BUT GOD, rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ by His grace—a gift from God, not by anything we’ve done. Then he says in verses 11-13: Remember, you were separate from Christ, without hope and without God. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Don’t forget your past because you are a miracle of God! BUT, because we are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:16-17), we’re not to wallow or celebrate our BC life either! (Ah, another paradox in and of itself!)

Next, throughout the Old and New Testament, we are told to remember all the works of God in our lives. It may be shocking, but life after accepting Jesus is NOT all lollipops and sunshine. (Things will probably get a lot more challenging.) But the Lord fights for us (Deuteronomy 20:4). He is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). Through every trial and testing, He walks with—or carries—us, and He is our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). And we must rehearse every miracle, every answered prayer (Joshua 4). Whether He calms the storm or just keeps us calm in its midst, let’s remember that the Lord is near to us (Psalm 145:18; James 4:8).

Our past is important to who we are—especially who we are in Christ. But what to do with it is not really an enigma. We’re to let go of some things and hold fast to others. The litmus is simple: Does it glorify God? Then hold on. And tell others.

“Lord, my story is Yours. Use Your work in my life to testify to Your goodness, grace, mercy, and love—glorifying You and drawing others to Christ.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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