Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 20, 2022

When Unrealistic Slays Is

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope.” Psalm 130:5 (ESV)

It wasn’t supposed to look like this – our expectations were totally off. We’d dreamed, planned and could even envision the perfect outcome. We prayed, waited and hoped. But when the moment arrived (the result we had so anticipated), our expectations screamed unrealistic. Discouragement quickly rose to the surface. Disillusionment seized us – did God hear our prayers? Was He truly interested in the desires of our hearts?

Let’s be real here, we’ve all experienced moments which fell majorly short of our desired outcome. And it only takes a second of harsh reality seeping in to slay our spirit. The relationship dissolving right before our eyes. The job opportunity we just knew was ours for the taking goes to someone else. The repeat cancer diagnosis after months of laborious treatment. The prodigal taking one step forward and then ten steps back. Yes, disappointment hits us from all angles…unexpected and unwanted. Leaving us filled with “why” and totally consumed inward.

Now sweet friends, we can stay in this mode of disappointment cherishing our hopelessness indefinitely. Or we can choose to release our agenda, plans and expectations for God’s greater glory. Scripture reminds us His ways are higher and far more grander than any we could ever imagine (Isaiah 55:9). Our limited perspective of best for us doesn’t even come close to the awesome ways He desires to bless our lives. If He closed the door and whispered no then we can count on Him to have our best interest in mind.

So while we simply readjust, wait and lean in close to our Creator, we purposefully chose to extinguish runaway thoughts attempting to sabotage our hope. We surround ourselves with those who speak truth and encouragement over us. We determine in our hearts to remain faithful even in the wake of whys. We claim His promises and draw strength from His words. We actively move forward in obedience keeping in step with the Father who loves us dearly. We examine our dreams and strive to realign our hearts with His.

When life doesn’t look the way we intended, we keep our eyes on God and our hearts filled with His truth. We wrestle through and never let go trusting in the One who specializes in birthing a greater glory than we could ever imagine.

“Father, when hope flees turn my eyes on You. Discipline my mind to settle for nothing less than Your very best.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 19, 2022

Wonders & Miracles

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

Three years of sobriety are celebrated. Cancer pounded at her front door except no one let it in. Smiles across the room that speak to love, once severed and broken, yet fully restored. The oneness that was once division and bound to be a statistic.

The miraculous. We read of it in books. First to stand in line at the movies to gaze upon it. Drawn by the mystery that such miracles would come to us. But they are too far off. Only the fortunate receive the prize and clearly fortune has not befallen us. The crowd exits the theatre, each to his own, and staring at the answer but not seeing it.

Community has been woven into God’s design from the beginning. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are community. Passover was the start of seven feasts given to the Jewish nation. In gathering at the temple, they made sacrifices, acknowledged God’s ownership of the land and celebrated the harvests provided by God. Acts depicts the New Testament church. Believers devoted themselves to teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Disciples journeyed in pairs. In community, wonders and miracles were seen and the saving grace of Jesus became commonplace.

And today, where social media has redefined relationships, we replace gathering and community with the latest feed or meme. A group text discloses all but the heart of the soul. In contrast, over coffee and conversation, it is community that affords us the opportunity to reveal our tender and broken places. We share how God has faithfully and wonderfully restored the places of hurt that only love can heal. The older encourages the younger; tears fall and prayers are raised. Even correction finds its place. In vulnerability and authenticity, we share our hearts, entrust our trials and treasures to another and reveal the beauty of a Savior’s plan of relationship with each other and with Him. As in Biblical times, we see the wonders and miracles that God bestows on His children. Daily, our faith is renewed, not by stories on the nightly news or far-away places, but by the moments of awe that we experience first-hand.

“Father, may we not forsake the community to which You’ve called us. May we risk self to uncover substance.”

For His Glory

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 18, 2022

A Lifeline of Support

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:9 (NLT)

My husband and I spent the first eleven years of our marriage ministering to students of all ages (in addition to ministering separately for years before our marriage). Those years included a multitude of summer camps and overnight retreats. Watching students surrender their lives to Christ, seeing the hope and love that now consumed them, brought us the greatest joy.

One particular student stands out in my memory. Jeremy grew up in a home that required perfection in everything—school, housework, extracurricular activities, and behavior. He was knotted up with stress over completely unattainable expectations. A few days into camp, God began to break through his feelings of worthlessness, rejection, and hopelessness. Jeremy’s eyes were opened to God’s grace and mercy, causing him to give his heart and will to Christ and receive salvation and hope. We rejoiced with Jeremy, welcoming him into the family of God and showing him how to follow God in his daily life.

Then Jeremy went home. His parents were not happy with this new Jeremy. They rejected his news of new life in Christ. Their unattainable expectations became a noose around Jeremy’s newfound faith. His parents, acting out of fear of this unknown faith that gripped their son, lashed out in ridicule and taunts. Jeremy sought refuge in the church, but his parents even limited the time he spent there.

Our student ministry supported Jeremy in every way we could, walking with him through this persecution from his own family. It would take 25 years of perseverance in the face of ridicule and taunts, as well as a commitment to honor his parents no matter what, for his parents to begin to respect Jeremy’s faith. Doors began to open for Jeremy to share the gospel with those he loved so selflessly.

Persecution is not limited to Jeremy’s. Believers lose their lives in countries around the world. Followers of Christ lose jobs, homes, and families to those opposed to the gospel. Who can we reach out to today in support as they face such persecution? Let’s not become so isolated in our circumstances that we don’t ask God to use us as a lifeline for those who are suffering.

“Open our eyes, Lord, to the suffering of fellow believers so that we may support and bless them in their persecution.”

For His Glory

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

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 17, 2022

Making A Reputation For Yourself

“But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.” Ruth 2:11

In the amazing, history-changing Bible story of Ruth, a young woman gives up her false gods and idols to follow the True and Living God of her new husband. And after the tragic death of her husband, she decided to follow her mother-in-law back (Naomi) to Bethlehem Judah (the hometown of Ruth’s in-laws). She committed herself to the Sovereign Lord and to her new family (which after three deaths and one abandonment, consisted of just Ruth and Naomi). Although she was a foreigner in her new homeland—and would generally have been considered an outcast—Ruth was faithful to God and her mother-in-law, and she set out to work in the fields (per the Jewish law) to feed Naomi and herself.

And Ruth’s character was noticed by her new community. In fact, her faithfulness and diligence were noticed by one man in particular, and the trajectory of this relationship led to the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem and foreshadowed the salvation of non-Jews (like most of us)! If you haven’t read this real-life Cinderella story, I suggest you check it out—it’s better than any Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.

But the point here is the reputation that Ruth made for herself. When she gave her life to God, turning away from the gods of Moab (her home city), she was all in. When Naomi was returning to Bethlehem, Ruth could have gone back to her own family and old life. That would have been easier, no doubt. But she chose to stay with Naomi—and stay faithful to the Lord. In doing so, she followed His Word in obedience. She was gentle and kind, but she also labored with the best of the field workers to ensure that she and Naomi didn’t starve. She didn’t speak negatively about her new town—although she was probably initially treated not-so-nicely as a Moabitess. She didn’t gripe about her mother-in-law (who was actually quite bitter toward life and God at that point—and she also reminded Ruth relentlessly that she was a “foreigner”). She didn’t whine about working hard. Her faith in God’s sovereignty was strong, and her attitude was positive.

Despite the hardcore challenges she faced, Ruth’s character and actions gave her a good reputation. So, this begs the question: What kind of reputation do we have? In the workplace, do others notice our commitment to the Lord because our life reflects obedience to His Word? Do we show kindness to our family members, even when their words and actions are hurtful toward us? And at church, do we love our brothers and sisters as we’re exhorted to do in the Bible, avoiding gossip and griping?

If a stranger followed us around, observing our every move for a week—or even a day—what type of reputation would we make for ourselves? Would our moniker of “Christ-follower” be evident, or would we seamlessly “fit in” to the cultural worldliness around us?

“Once surrendered to You, Lord, I am to be in this world but not of it. Lord, help me follow You, Your Word, and Your will for my life, differentiating myself from the “norms” of today’s society.”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 16, 2022

Why Unbelief Stunts Growth

“He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He (God) had promised He was also able to perform.”  Romans 4:20-21 (ESV)

Growing up, I was an avid doubter. Too many promises broken deflated my childlike faith. So even though I clearly remembered the day I asked Jesus into my heart at age six, doubts overwhelmed me. They plagued me until I was in my 20s. I was working at LU and sitting in convo, and the speaker gave a powerful message about belief and doubts – I sealed that deal on that day. Never again did I ever doubt God’s love or promises for me.

Doubt is a short word with enormous impact. Webster defines doubt as questioning the truth. Ouch, that stings – doubt pits us against the truth of God. It demonstrates our lack of confidence in the One who has proven His character throughout the pages of scripture. It creates hesitation in obedience because we are distrusting, questioning and suspicious. I would never park myself in this camp, yet I lived there all through my childhood into my early 20s. Consistently unsure if what God said was true. When we fail to take God at His word or fail to trust in His promises, ultimately we are sabotaging our spiritual growth. One can’t grow if one doesn’t trust or believe the truth of who God is, His character and His actions.

I love the reminder in Romans 4 of how Abraham didn’t waver on the promises of God. The fact that He chose to believe what he couldn’t see kept him in a posture for growth one step at a time. Abraham’s journey wasn’t easy. He left his homeland to follow God to a place he’d never been (Genesis 12:1). Abraham clung to the promise of an heir even in his old age when the possibility diminished (Genesis 17:1-8). And when the climb up a difficult mountain loomed large, He trusted God to provide the perfect sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-2).

I would love to sit down with Abraham and ask him about all the things he learned while waiting on God’s promises to be fulfilled. Guess that will have to wait until heaven. But for now, our faith journey is our journey destined to draw us closer to God and transform us from the inside out. Developing us each step of the way. Strengthening our faith. Giving us an opportunity to resist the doubter within us and lean on God’s truth thereby bringing glory to God even in the waiting.

“Father, You long for us to trust You completely – leaning on Your understanding and not our own. Taking steps of faith one day at a time. Holding tight to Your  promises. Honoring You in the wait. May we glorify Your name even when doubts attempt to derail us.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 13, 2022

No Turning Back

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62 (ESV)

No one ever envisions the “empty nest” amid diaper changes and late night feedings. Our lives are forever changed in that split moment when we give birth and hear the audible cry of this “perfect” little one seeing us for the first time. The uncharted paths of parenthood seem daunting, overwhelming and scary as we strap our bundle of joy into their car seat and leave the comfort of hospital nurses.

Wow do I remember those days….and the months and years which followed vanished ever so quickly. While we were navigating each of those stages from toddlerhood to teen to adulthood, our calendars were full. First steps, t-ball practice, middle school drama  – uncharted territory for inexperienced parents. And just when we thought we nailed it, they were packing up their clothes and heading to college. Amidst a flood of tears, we prayed and hoped we had taught them well and prepared them for adulthood.

Strategic parenting is critical to ensure our children have a strong basis for when they leave our homes. And Luke 9 unveils Jesus’ divine preparations for His followers who would be left on this earth after His departure. No sugar coating is spoken in His words. Jesus was clear and direct. The cost of following in His footsteps carried a huge price tag.  The ease of choosing to follow was simple, yet Jesus knew to follow would require daily dependence on the Father. Rejection would be common, but not to be taken personally.  Anyone rejecting them was literally rejecting Jesus and the Father (Luke 9:16)  – this rejection was not about them.

Following Jesus would require discipline, devotion and a resilient commitment to never give up. Perhaps that is why He used the illustration of a farmer to emphasize His point. Plowing a field required the full attention of a farmer to ensure the plow stayed in the ground moving in the right direction. An intent eye focused on the Father would ensure distractions wouldn’t tempt Jesus’ followers to look back and retreat from sharing the gospel. Distractions or a divided heart would greatly hinder their effectiveness.

Challenges and distractions can turn our focus away from following hard after Jesus. We can definitely lose sight of the most important thing – sharing His love and truth with others –  if we allow distractions to sideline us. Looking back never serves us well. Let’s recommit our hearts to hold tight to the plow and press forward trusting God every step of the way.

“Father,  plant within us a genuine desire to follow wholeheartedly after You. Not looking back – just pressing forward – in complete devotion to You.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 11, 2022

Standing In Faith

“Any who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:11 (NIV)

God told Noah to “make a boat” (Gen.6:14). Isn’t it like God to assign a task that looks absolutely impossible by human standards? Not to mention taking approximately 100 years to accomplish. During this time no one had seen a drop of rain. The earth was being watered by a mist coming up from the earth (Gen.2:5-6). The Bible doesn’t specify Noah being ridiculed. However, take into account no rain, ungodly humanity and Noah’s warning of pending judgment. I believe it’s safe to assume Noah had scoffers (2Pet.2:5).

Imagine Noah applying the last of the tar (Gen.6:14), the animals coming in the ark and God shutting the door (Gen.7:15). Noah waiting…anticipating God’s faithfulness, and then the rain droplets begin to fall. I wonder if Noah let out a huge sigh of relief. Noah’s faith was in God’s word and not in the tangible natural. Noah believed then obeyed, and God kept His promise of keeping Noah and his family safe.

Has God told you to do something that made you look foolish, but you knew to do it anyway? Has God given you a vision of something bigger than yourself? Something that did not originate with you but has been residing in your core being. God is not calling you to make “it“ happen or put it together with your human resources, but we will need to act on His instruction.

God understands…He knows for that “thing“ to be accomplished it will take His power (Zec.4:6). His divine intervention, His leading, and His faithfulness to bring that bigger than life vision to reality. He is calling us to have faith and believe.

When we believe, we are standing on our faith concerning the vision is going to happen. The vision will drive our actions. God will be the one who brings it to pass. We are not the biggest part of the equation…God is! He chose you, selected you, called you, purposed you, equipped you. God predestined you for something bigger than yourself. God can use anything…a donkey, dead bones or an ark, but God loves to call people into something much bigger than our natural capabilities. It’s our choice to believe, follow and act.

“Father, we believe You regardless of scoffers or how long and how hard the journey may be. We stand in faith like Noah along with other women and men throughout the Bible putting our faith to work. What You have spoken over our lives…in time…is yes and amen.”

For His Glory,

Kim Lacey Schock (www.kimlaceyschock.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 10, 2022

Circle of Friends

“Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven…”  Daniel 2:17-18

The Old Testament Book of Daniel is pretty exciting. Even if you haven’t read it through, you’re probably familiar with at least a couple of its action-packed events. There’s the time Daniel’s buddies were thrown into the fiery furnace after refusing to bow down to an idol, confident that God would rescue them—and even if He didn’t, they still would not worship any other God. (I won’t tell you what happens, but you can read about it in chapter 3.) Then there’s the famous lion’s den saga—another nail-biter found in chapter 6—when a group of the king’s advisors set up Daniel to get rid of the pesky do-gooder.

But at the beginning of this book, tucked away in chapter 2, there are a couple of lines that speak to the importance of reaching out to our friends for prayer support. Here, the king has a disturbing dream that he wants interpreted. He asks all his magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers to help, but he refused to tell them the actual dream itself. They needed to reveal his dream and its meaning. When none of them could, the king decided to kill them all (well, cut into pieces, to be exact). Because Dan and his friends were among the king’s counselors, they were on the literal chopping block as well.

So once Daniel heard about the king’s decision, he went home and shared the matter with his friends. The Lord had already shown Himself to be merciful and powerful to this group of faithful young men, blessing and protecting them after the Babylonians took them captive. They knew the power of prayer. And although Daniel knew that he could go to the Lord on his own with his request, he chose instead to share the matter with his buddies.

When we reach out to others with the “matters” of our life and ask them for prayer, there is a multifaceted result as beautiful and precious as a diamond. First, we benefit from a shared burden (Gal 6:2). Of course, the ultimate Load-bearer is Jesus Himself—He tells us to give Him our burdens (Matthew 11:28-30). But when we lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ, our weight is shared, and thereby lightened.

Second, we grow in love with one another. Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). He’s encouraging us to look at others through the perspective that God sees us: as sinners in need of grace, mercy, and a Savior. Praying for others helps us move forward in this endeavor.

Finally, we are being obedient to God’s Word. From Job (42:1) to James (5:16) to Paul (1 Tim 2:1, Ephesians 6:18, Col 1:9)) to Jesus Himself (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28, Luke 22:32), we are called to pray and intercede for others. It is a step of obedience that brings us closer to our Lord as we spend time with Him. Plus, when we lift up others in prayer, our fellowship with the Lord becomes a little less about us.

“Lord, thank You for my brothers and sisters who lift me up and share my burdens. Let me be a faithful load-bearer to others as well.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 9, 2022

Embracing His Dreams

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

As a little girl, I was quite the dreamer. Flipping through the pages of my fave book, I easily got lost in the story. My mind traveled to places I never imagined, and I experienced grand adventures while sitting quietly under a shade tree in our yard. Dreaming filled my limited perspective of what life could be like outside our little country town.

Fast forward to adulthood, and if you’re like me it’s ever so easy to get caught up in our dreams. The “perfect” house with plenty of room and of course a screened-in porch. A pool in the backyard surrounded by gorgeous azalea bushes. A vacation home close to the beach or nestled in the mountains. And let’s not forget our dream job or our dream of being famous….our minds can take us to so many places.

While I find it ever so easy to dream of things and places; I realized recently I rarely dream about the things of God. Just keeping it real here; I find myself consumed with life,  things I want and dreams of what could be. Ease, comfort and pleasure.

Love the way God lifts the scales from our perspective and jolts us back to reality. As I heard a group of people sharing their God dreams, I felt my world shrinking. Never had I thought to dream about serving God or even thought about the dreams God had for me. His divine purposes, His intentional plans for a country girl like me. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been involved in ministry and serving for years.  My default, however, has been to coast, to settle rather than dream of what God desires to accomplish for His glory.

Webster calls this dreamer a visionary….yes one who has the foresight and imagination to birth what others see as impossible. In other words, one who dreams, trusts and walks in faith. The world is the first voice to dampen and squelch our enthusiasm for eternal dreams – dreams which serve a higher purpose than we dared imagine. But if we listen intently to the voice of God, our dreams will zero in on His eternal perspective rather than our earthly existence.

A bigger house, vacation, car, etc. will all be left behind when I leave this world; however, whatever I do for God will outlive me and ultimately bring Him glory. So this summer, I plan to be more intentional in my dream for the things of God after all they are the things that will last.

“Father, help us to release the tendency to simply settle for less. Help us to dream of the things that move your heart and bring glory to Your name.

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 6, 2022

Every Moment of Every Day

“Does He (God) not see my ways and number all my steps?” Job 31:4 (HCSB)

Wouldn’t dare travel without my GPS. Quick four day trip to the beach, and we never got lost. Typed in my location and cruised down the road. Not a single glitch. Couldn’t say that about some of my past getaways. Never liked being lost, wandering and unsure of where I was. Definitely not an issue for Goggle – even if I didn’t know where I was, my GPS did. No detour or wrong turn is missed. Within seconds, the sound of its voice guides me back to the right path. Just a little scary to think a tiny device is aware of my every move.

Convicting to know God not only knows our every move but sees our ways. He never misses a beat. Reader of our thoughts. Glimpsing our deepest emotions and feelings. Forever present even when we forget He is right there. Nothing escapes God’s attention. He is fully aware of the motives and desires of our hearts. He is witness to all things we thought were hidden. The resentment, jealousy and frustration known only to us are fully disclosed to God. Words we marinate on but wouldn’t dare say – He has heard them all. There is no place we can go to escape His Spirit (Psalm 139:7).

Wonder if we let the very thought of His presence in all our moments and all our ways propel us to fear or transformation? The One who knows us intimately desires to illuminate those hidden places so He can guide us back to right living. His agenda is not condemnation, shame or guilt. God is full of mercy, compassion and long-suffering. We see His tenderness throughout scripture, yet He can’t allow sin to reign in our lives. God loves us too much to allow us to settle for regrets and miss His richest blessings.

Distractions and compromises surround us every day. Opportunities to gravitate towards our God or run in the opposite direction. Don’t know about you, but I want to embrace His presence rather than deceive myself into hiding. We desperately need His leading and transforming power to cleanse us from the inside out. And the sweetest joy ever is knowing we are heading in the right direction.

“Father, You are aware of every moment of our lives. The good times and the hard times. The ugly times and the bad times when we lean on our limited perspective. Grateful beyond measure for all those moments when you rescued us from ourselves and led us back to You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

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