Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 4, 2022

We Are Son Flowers, Rooted In His Love

“Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life.”  Colossians 2:7 (NIV)

I am fascinated by flowers. I love their colors, shapes, and some other characteristics about them, like those big, yellow flowers called sunflowers. Have you ever been to a sunflower field? If so, you probably noticed that the flowers seem to shift positions, according to the location of the sun. I have read those sunflowers need the sun, and they will face the sun to get the growth hormones they need to be strong.

And here is where my favorite part of the story comes!!! If you remember me saying this before (or maybe you don’t), I am a girl who l-o-v-e-s an analogy. So, thinking about sunflowers, I couldn’t help but think that we, Christians, are just like sunflowers. We are Son flowers (giggle). We, who have the Lord in our hearts and lives, experience His joy and His peace. We also need the Lord each and every day we live, so we can be strong against the attack of the enemy in our lives. The more we look to the Son, the more empowered we are by Him to grow in His stature, to be nurtured by His love, to imitate His actions (to live in His likeness), and to bless those who are observing us day in and day out, just like I often stop and observe (and photograph) flowers. We are called to be imitators of Christ, to live like Him. He is our role model. He is our guide and our deliverer. He is our provider, our healer, our ever-present help in trouble. He is the reason we live. He is our light and our source.

Of course, there will be times of extreme drought, and when those droughts do come, we must remember that He is the rain provider. And when the storms come, we must remember that He is the Lord who quiets the storm. He is our balance, our equilibrium.

If we live like the sunflower, the Son will always give us what we need to thrive. Look to Him and live.

 

“Dear Lord, thank You for guiding us in our daily path.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 3, 2022

Do You Fit In?

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-19

Fitting in with peers has always been a thing. I can recall a scenario from my early elementary school years when my friends had a playground discovery that they all had the same zipper brands on their jackets. Then they actually made up a little song about it and were dancing around singing it. (Nope, not kidding.) However, I did not have that zipper brand—or a zipper, for that matter. It’s crazy that I can still experience the visceral sense of not fitting in.

And that was well before the insidious addiction of social media that pulls young people (and not-so-young people) into an abyss of approval-seeking. Likes, shares, and comments are what matters—and the more attention, the more valued one feels. For teens, this often means standing out from the norm…the more bizarre or provocative the post, the more “support” and affirmation one is likely to receive. Conversely, without enough likes—or with negative commentary—teens (and younger kids) can sadly come to believe their life is not worth living.

But that need to “fit in” is really a need to “fill in”—to fill in the soul-level God-shaped hole we each have. And there are not enough “likes” to do it. Nor bizarre behavior or sand-shifting self-identification. Our desperate pursuits of self-glory will only create more emptiness. We can try to fit in by people-pleasing, alcohol, sex, drugs, doing good, or breaking bad. I promise you, the void will just expand.

Friend, only surrendering to God will satisfy that emptiness. We must receive the free gift of forgiveness and grace—the great exchange of our imperfection and sin for the perfection and sinlessness of Jesus Christ. Accept the price paid on our behalf on Calvary’s cross…and celebrate His victory over sin and death. For me. For you. Only then will our soul be filled by the Holy Spirit—God Himself—as our Counselor, Comforter, and Advocate.

It’s impossible to “fit in” to this world because we were not made for this world. As fallen people in a fallen world, we must return to God, surrendering ourselves to Jesus. When we do, there is a peace that passes understanding, a desire to please only the Audience of One, and a need to glory in the One who loves us with an unfailing, steadfast, un-forsaking love (1 Corinthians 1:31).

“Lord, there is such a pull to fit into this world, even in all its darkness and brokenness. I pray that those desperate for love acceptance will turn to You, their Creator God and the very definition of love (1 John 4:8).”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 2, 2022

Empowered To Choose Best

“But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were captivated by what they heard.” Luke 19:48 (HCSB)

Smooth talk .. persuasive words – we’ve all heard them. Sometimes it’s the caller asking for a donation or a salesman trying to convince us their product is the one we can’t do without. Regardless, they attempt to move us toward belief in what they have or motivate us to give to what they need. Words seeking to birth their desired reaction.

Flip back through the pages of scripture and we find One who didn’t need smooth talk or persuasive words. Jesus, the living Son of God, spoke only the truth and the people were captivated. They listened and hung on His every word as He taught in the temple.

The Chief Priests, Scribes and leaders didn’t like the appearance of Jesus in their space. When He came on the scene and threw out the sellers cleansing was not an element they desired. Monetary gain and control were their driving force and now the center of attention was clearly focused on someone else. Jesus’ captive audience was temporarily derailing their plans to destroy Him.

Wonder what impact God’s word has on our lives? Are we captivated, motivated and inspired to obey His truths? Do we cling to every word seeking to understand His message? Or perhaps we are more interested in what makes us feel good. As seasoned believers, do we long for the spotlight of self-righteousness wrapped up in our hidden agendas and the message we long to convey? Or do we simply embrace familiarity while excusing our response?

Threatened by Jesus’ appearance and His words, these religious leaders missed the blessing found in embracing the truth. Let’s not join them. Let’s determine to be captivated by God’s word. Let’s commit to being doers of the word and not just hearers. Let’s be intentional about obedience and promoters of His agenda and not our own. Let’s approach His words with awe and anticipation. Let’s welcome transformation and never forget the power of His words to birth change and holiness in our lives. Let’s pray His words, hold them tight to our hearts and be amazed, captivated and challenged by the very words of One who loves us more than we could ever imagine.

“Father there will be many things to keep us from Your word…distractions…. pursuits…many other things to do – empower us to choose the best – to gather at Your feet and listen closely to Your words.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 28, 2022

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 Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 27, 2022

When The Long Journey Never Seems To End

“Yet I am confident that I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 (NLT)

You have been tried and tested! You feel like the metal between the anvil and the blacksmith’s hammer. Plunged into the red, hot coals formed by the hammering process and then thrust into a cold bucket of water. Over and over again being shaped and sculpted by the Blacksmith. God has allowed you to travel a long distance through the fiery foundry. Time has been an enemy and a friend. The journey is meant to make us pliable, so in the Lord’s hands, He can mold us into the person He needs us to be. Solid, stable and firm never to return to who or what we once were.

The culprit of time lingers. The hands of the clock seem to be stationary. Dawn turns to dusk, morning to night as the years pile up and accumulate. Waiting, believing and trusting with each passing day the fire, heat and sculpting wasn’t for nothing. You are well aware each loving pang of the Blacksmith’s hammer has a purpose. The Craftsman knows the exact minute when His sculpture is ready for display. Once the soot, slag and  black oxide have been polished off, a beautiful masterpiece rises from the flames. A work of extraordinary artistry and workmanship for His glory and His namesake.

When the crucible has been scraped clean and nothing has been left behind, the casts reveal the likeness of Christ. It is then we realize the steps were well worth the journey. Waiting patiently for the Lord to lay His hammer down because the process is complete. At the appointed time, we are sure God will not allow our pain and suffering to be null and void, but to minister to a lost and dying world. A world yearning to hear of God’s hope and unconditional love. Precious souls are what your pilgrimage has been all about. Count it all joy when the Lord trusts you with such a long, arduous mission.

“Thank you Father for when the refining process is complete, Your goodness allows us to reap the aftereffects of our journey here in the land of the living. Our testimonies of Your faithfulness in bringing us through the fire will be an encouragement and example for the ones whose journeys will come after ours. Ensuring them the journey isn’t for nothing.”

For His Glory

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

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 26, 2022

Where Are You?

“Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9

From Genesis 3 through the entire Bible, God asks us the question, “Where are you?” After the Fall, when Adam and Eve were shamefully hiding in the Garden, God pursued them with those words. Was it because He had no idea where they were and was trying to locate them geographically? Of course not. He was kindly and graciously asking for them to admit where they were spiritually.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three consecutive stories that illustrate our heavenly Father asking that same proverbial question. The shepherd leaves behind the 99 to seek the one. I picture Him covering ground quickly, maybe shouting “Where are you?” in hopes the sheep would hear His voice. A woman misplaces one coin, and sweeps her house carefully, likely muttering anxiously the whole time, “Where are you? Where are you?”

Then there is the prodigal son story, in which a privileged child who has everything he could ever want or need in his father’s house, turns away and goes in the direction of self-satisfying sin and pleasure. The whole time he’s gone, his father may have been standing on his porch pining (probably through tears and lamenting cries) asking that same question, ‘Where are you?”

Some of us have been players in the prodigal son story, whether the father, son, or brother, each with its weighty lessons. But if you’ve been the parent in this scene, you may have known right where that child was (or is), geographically—just like God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were hiding in the Garden. So, when you pose the question, “Where are you?,” it’s weighted with understanding and longing…the underlying words are more like, “You are so far from the Truth, my child. When will you recognize where you are and turn back to God?” And like the father in the story, we can’t really force them “home.” We love them, pray for them, and hope they come to their senses sooner than later.

And this is the context of our gracious Father God. When we are lost or have run away from Him, He knows where we are. But He asks the question of us, so we’ll acknowledge it ourselves. That we’ll recognize our hiding from God is futile. That we’ll look around to recognize that we’re sitting in a pigsty starving when we could be clean, clothed in peace, and satisfied in the arms of Jesus.

So, friend, where are you? If you’re lost or far from home, turn back. The Lord’s arms are open, and He is waiting for you.

“Thank You, Lord, for your grace and kindness—for always seeking me and welcoming me home to You.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Hope, Love, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 22, 2022

Where Fear Resides

“So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.” Matthew 25:25 (NIV)

An entrusting of a great potential. A giving of an undeserved privilege. An excitement of a new challenge. A believing in a sweet promise. Priceless gifts left unwrapped. Fear stealing away the ecstatic joy and pure peace in knowing we’re living in a place God ordained. Wonder why we settle for so less when He loves to give us so much more. Wonder when we will trust Him enough to cling, grasp hold of the awesome gifts within our reach. Wonder if we will miss out because we thought we would mess up.

Satan’s lies greet each daughter of Jesus – “You’re not worthy enough, beautiful enough, smart enough to be used for His glory. Leave those giftings buried deep – the world offers so much more, the easier, simpler life.” And we buy in and sell out because fear overrides trust and unwrapped gifts line our shelves. Pretty ribboned packages longing to be released, used – a chance to shine for the One who reminds us “fear not.”

What gift has God entrusted to you sweet friend? Is there a lie of Satan that keeps drowning out your attempts to faithfully use your gift? What are you willing to do to experience the extraordinary pleasure of knowing you are pleasing God?

Fear will always keep us sidelined, but courage will thrust us out of our comfort zone. Fear will attempt to steal, kill and destroy. Courage will give us joy, purpose and everlasting fruit. Fear will always exist in this world, but courage will triumph if we make sure we are listening to the right voice.

“Father, help us to uncover, dig up and use the gifts You have entrusted to us. Equip us to be faithful stewards that produce everlasting fruit.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 19, 2022

Setting Reminders

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12

Life is moving at a remarkable pace these days. And I don’t think it’s just because I have more years behind me than I have in front of me (per the theory that the length of days is relative to the number of days lived). I think that the past two years of historical shifts have warped everyone’s sense of time. Just listen to friends and coworkers, and you’ll hear comments like: “Was that yesterday or three weeks ago?”

So, I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten into the habit of setting calendar reminders and phone alarms for just about everything. These help me connect to virtual meetings on time and meet deadlines. A gentle (or not-so-gentle) ringtone prompts me to recall a task at hand. But these reminders also allow me to look back and assess tasks completed and goals met, which, in turn, spurs me on to tackle what’s next with confidence.

As believers, it’s really easy to get lost in the spiritual battles of today and the uncertainties of tomorrow. Anxieties wash over us as we pray for various health, financial, and family matters that can sometimes feel like day-after-day games of whack-a-mole. We desperately cry out to God for help while an undercurrent of doubt and fear leaves us unsettled even after our “Amen” is uttered.

Much like our calendars assert meetings held, jobs done, and special occasions attended, so must we create reminders of God’s amazing work in our life. Prayers answered, mercy shown, miracles done, comfort provided. I am confident that for you—like me—His faithfulness has been great and His love unfailing. But, like the Israelites wandering in the desert, we experience the Lord’s graciousness in blatantly obvious and preciously subtle ways…then, sadly, we forget. Our spiritual (or tangible) need is met, and we move on. And when we enter the next trial, trouble, or spiritual battlefield, it’s like we’re completely oblivious to everything He’s accomplished on our behalf (let alone that He is actually in control of it all)!

Friend, let’s become as diligent about noting the Lord’s provision as we are about recording calendar meetings and events. A prayer journal is a great place to start, where we can write needs and concerns, as well as Providential answers for our good and His glory. But there are other reminders that the Lord gives us daily—and we don’t even have to set an alarm. Just waking up with His breath in our lungs is a reminder of His new mercies for a new day. Beholding a gorgeous sunrise or sunset is a reminder to acknowledge our Creator God who sustains it all. And, as we walk through this dark world, we are reminded that we were once blind to Truth, and now we see.

In response to a previous conversation about this topic, a sweet sister of mine handed me a gift at church the other day: A smooth stone of remembrance (Ebenezer) with 1 Samuel 7:12 written on it. (Go back to read this story of God’s faithfulness, and you’ll understand the wonderful reference.) This precious stone now sits between my two work computers—which hold my online calendars—as a constant reminder of the Lord’s unfailing love, relentless mercy, and unfathomable grace for me. No annoying ringtones needed.

“You are faithful, Lord. Let me wake up each day to this truth, not forgetting who You are and all You’ve done for me.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 15, 2022

Don’t Let The Enemy Steal Away Your Persistence

“Pray always and not become discouraged.” Luke 18:1b (HCSB)

Pacing through my living room, list in hand I rehearsed words that seemed to evaporate in thin air. Over and over again, I begged and pleaded for those who desperately needed God’s intervention. Despite my urgency, the people I prayed for strayed further and further away from God.

Ever found yourself there when praying evoked discouragement, disillusionment and a desire to simply give up? We’ve probably all experienced the heart wrenching doubt seizing us when situations get worse instead of better. The list became longer, the prayer time extended. We even offer solutions just in case God needed a little nudge in fixing it all. Despite our weariness and frustration, we kept hanging in there determined to not let the enemy win out – prayer was the only thing we could do.

Picture in your mind the last time worn out knees kissed dusty floors and tears flowed freely. Remember the passion and persistence hovering in a voice totally unafraid to ask one more time. Convinced God was the only answer, the only One who could turn things completely around.

My mind doesn’t have to travel far to recall moments like that – I can still hear the sound of weary feet hitting hardwood floors. I see trembling hands clutching soaked index cards scribbled with names and words. All for ones who had slipped away and entertained wrong voices. So much I didn’t know. So little I couldn’t do. My go to statement repeated was simply, “God, please send someone, anyone who can speak into their life.”

Little did I know in that moment God was crossing paths – uncharted territory divinely orchestrated and perfectly timed. A lady on a plane who wasn’t too busy to notice a passenger hurting deep inside. Started a conversation….an answer to my prayers. As quietly as she entered the scene, she left but not without giving away her Jesus Calling book to one who needed Jesus more than she could have ever imagined. And the road back slowly began.

Wonder what would have happened if I decided silence was my answer? How would the story have ended if I gave into the emotions of the moment and stopped asking?

Luke 18 unfolds a beautiful telling of a widow whose persistence before the unjust judge resolved her situation. Unlike any of Jesus other parables, He defined His point at the beginning – “Pray always and don’t become discouraged.”

Sweet music to one who thought everyone had given up on them. Fresh tears in remembrance of all our loving and graceful God did to bring one home.

We all grow weary, exhausted and tired……but don’t let the enemy steal away your persistence. Keep praying, trusting and seeking even if old eyes never witness on this earth the revelation of what God is redeeming. He is the Faithful, righteous judge who can be trusted with those we love.

“Father, I hope I never forget those days…when sorrow reigned and brokenness kept me at Your feet. Praising You for divinely doing what only You could do – rescuing the lost.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 14, 2022

A Name, A Promise & A Cross

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15 (NIV)

I always marvel at the transformation that is present when someone makes a commitment to follow Christ. In the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul speaks of his own transformation, even if indirectly, when he speaks of the doings of the Pharisees. For those who don’t recall, let me remind you, before Paul became a Jesus-follower, he was a Pharisee.  Paul was a member of an ancient Jewish sect that strictly enforced the law as a means to prove they possessed a higher level of sanctity.

Pharisees were notorious for ostracizing others in their communities for the sake of their own pride and social hierarchy. In the second chapter of Colossians, Paul – already a transformed man – writes to his followers about the importance of having Christ at the center of their lives and following Him rather than laws that were set by men.

Salvation through Christ is like the cancelation of a debt, like paying off a student or car loan, or even a mortgage. The sacrifice that Jesus made at the cross canceled our sins so that we could have the assurance of eternity in heaven with the Father.

The powers of darkness have no way of surviving in the light that comes from Jesus Christ. When Jesus chose to pay the debt that we owed by accepting to die on the cross for us, He defeated the powers of darkness, i.e., fallen angels, spirits and demons that belong to Satan.

Unlike the Pharisees, who – more often than not – did everything for show, Jesus always kept His word and followed through with His promises. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He proved that He was who He said He was and that no power on this earth would ever prevail against Him. One name: Jesus. One promise: eternity with the Father. One form of payment: the cross.

“Dear Lord: All power on earth and in heaven belong to You. You are Sovereign. ”
 

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Wisdom

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