Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 30, 2022

Thriving In The Midst of Hard

“Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2 (ESV)

What does one do when bad things happen? How do we maneuver the bad which evolves into terrible, then the worst we could have ever imagined? The progression of bad into our worst moments can land us flat on our face, totally overwhelmed by our circumstances. And what we do in those moments is crucial to our sustained recovery.

As a child, I loved the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. Joseph’s life seemed ideal; he was the favorite son with an amazing color drenched coat. Who could ask for more? Not me. My child mind idealized that coat and forgot all about the horror of being thrown into a pit and sold as a slave.

Isolated from his entire family at age 17, Joseph was in a strange land living in a stranger’s palace. Nothing was familiar. Yet as Joseph’s story unfolds chapter by chapter, we hear a reoccurring theme:  “The Lord was with him.” Success and blessings followed Joseph and ultimately impacted his master, Potiphar, as well.

One would think it was smooth sailing from this point on. Living in a palace – gaining responsibility – flourishing. But Joseph’s story was really just beginning. Seduced by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph landed in prison despite his innocence. Elevated to a position of authority over the other prisoners, Joseph interprets the dreams of the baker and butler. “Remember me,” echoed from Joseph’s lips. Yet he remained in prison for two more years.

Injustices, false accusations and then being forgotten  – transitioning from bad to terrible to the worst. Regardless of how bleak, hard and empty his circumstances got, Joseph’s eyes never lost sight of his God. His personal decision to do the right thing out of devotion to his God, even in the face of compelling temptation, defined Joseph’s integrity.

Keeping it real here  – doing right when others are doing wrong isn’t easy. The temptation to retaliate, seek revenge and get even creates a false sense of satisfaction. Giving up when triggers of past pain rise to the surface is not a healthy option either. We must, like Joseph, allow the challenges of our lives to draw us into a deeper dependence on our God. By trusting Him to right our wrongs and fight our battles, we can zero in on the personal growth He longs to develop in us. Every step of Joseph’s journey, God was transforming him from the inside out. Building godly character. Sustaining him with wisdom and discernment. Taking what Joseph’s brothers meant for evil against him and turning it into good to save the lives of many people (Genesis 50: 19).

Sweet friends, the depths of God’s work on Joseph’s behalf required a surrendered heart. Don’t know where we all land here, but I do know God is with us right in the midst of our challenges. He is the God who sees, knows and will work through every struggle to cultivate a greater glory than we dared imagine. I still love the story of Joseph; I just see it in a deeper light than I did as a child. No longer am I caught up in the wonder of his coat; I’m captivated by his love for God and desire to please Him even when bad things happen.

“Father, help us to flourish even in the midst of hard places and reflect You to our world.  Give us the courage and boldness to surrender to Your plan and watch with anticipation as You work for our good.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 27, 2022

When Silence Wins

“Therefore, consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” Luke 8:18 (ESV)

Ever heard loud and still didn’t hear? You know like a distracting noise was so loud you didn’t understand a single word spoken. My husband has this wonderful device; I’m sure you’ve seen it. A tiny little piece perched in his ear picks up his voice and everything else. His Bluetooth enables him to communicate when he’s driving or working – great. No not so great. Despite the many variations he has owned, the background noise often drowns out his sweet voice. The jingle and screeching noise is not music to my ears. Humor works to soothe my otherwise irritated soul. So despite our efforts to stay connected, I remain clueless until I only hear his voice.

Amazing how much distracting noise feeds my day. Until we sit in the silence, we don’t even recognize the loud stealing away thoughts and interrupting peace. And if I dare be honest, my own distracting voice often overrides God’s still small voice whispering to my soul. Clarity, depth and understanding are often exchanged in the chatter of everything else.

Wonder what would happen if we rid ourselves of noise and breathed in deep of God’s presence? Instead of reading His words with the tv buzzing in the background, we would create silence. Ridding ourselves of the endless self-talk rummaging through our minds even in the silence. Disconnecting from everyone and everything so we can re-connect with the One who speaks life, hope and peace. An open invitation to glean insight. A clean slate to welcome an authentic, engaging conversation with our Creator – the One who knows us inside and out.

Maybe it simply sounds too good to be true. Could we really let go of all the distractions, lists, and preconceived ideas to come away with God to a deeper place? One that promises to fill our empty souls and refresh our tired minds. One who has always been available 24/7 before the cliché was spoken. One who hears words we haven’t even spoken. An audience with our King who rules the world, holds it all together and gathers His children. Why? Because out of His great love, God longs to speak, whisper and draw us close.

“Father help us to not drop the connection and to choose silence. To simply sit in Your presence and only listen in the quiet for Your still small voice.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 26, 2022

Unfathomable Distance

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our wrongdoings from us”   Psalm 103:11-12

If you set out to go north from Lynchburg, Virginia, you can travel exactly 3,641 miles until you start going south. Or you can head south from here, but once you’ve gone 8,789 miles, you will—as you’ve probably guessed—turn northward.

But how far can you travel west until you’re going east? Or, likewise, how many miles would you have to go east until you’re heading west? That’s kind of a trick question because the answer is: you don’t. When you turn and move east from anywhere and keep going eastward, no matter how far you go, you’ll never run out of east. Same thing going the other way: You cannot go to the end of “west.” It’s hard to wrap your head around, isn’t it?

This fact makes God’s promise to us in Psalm 103 even more astounding. In verse 12, we’re told He has removed our transgressions from us “as far as the east is from the west.”. Through His amazing grace and the work of Jesus on the Cross, our sins are forgiven—we are made righteous in the sight of God. And at that moment, He casts our sins—past, present, and future—into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), never to be brought up again (Hebrews 8:12).

Sisters, please let this sink in. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and ask for forgiveness, He forgives us. And He does not keep bringing up our wrongdoings. So, when your mind and heart are being pummeled with disgrace, or if you’re dragging around heavy shackles of shame wherever you go (think Marley in “A Christmas Carol”), know this is not of your heavenly Father! This is a tool of your enemy whose goal is your discouragement. He wants you to doubt how wide, how long, how high, and how deep the love of Christ is toward you (Ephesians 3:18). He wants you to look in the mirror each day and see filthy stains of your sin, not the cleansed, white-as-snow vision of beauty you are through Jesus (1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:7).

Certainly, we may have to live out the consequences of our sinful choices and carry the scars. But I pray these serve as reminders of God’s love and forgiveness toward us—not the constant condemnation your enemy would prefer. And may we use them as a means to share the Truth of the Gospel with others.

“Lord, I am so thankful for Your forgiveness—and Providential forgetfulness. Help me walk in the freedom of this Truth and share it unreservedly with others.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Gratitude, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 24, 2022

Written Repentance

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:3-5

I was literally sitting at a well-represented coffee shop (because there is no other option at the moment), writing a blog message early in the morning about how awesome Jesus is…but the sinning hypocrite in me had to stop and repent before I got past the third sentence. And, because this is a real sanctification moment, I thought I’d transparently share it with you.

It’s Sunday, and the weekend has been pretty awesome so far. We traveled from Florida to North Carolina to see our younger son—pick him up, really, on our way to Virginia for a family wedding on Saturday. This was wonderful, as both my boys and daughter-in-love were able to make the event. And I was able to see my brother, his wife, my stepmother, as well as a ton of family we’ve not seen for years. Like I said, it’s been a great couple of days.

Let me share my morning, however, that sent me into a self-righteous spiral of frustration and anger (told you I was going to get painfully real). Here is the series of events that has happened to the point of me typing these words:

  • I went to the hotel gym, and (for a very expensive hotel), it was filthy. But I did my thing anyway.
  • Because my husband and son were sleeping, I planned to finish at the gym and sit in the lobby sipping coffee and writing. After walking around on the hunt for those familiar dispensers, I asked the desk person. “The restaurant doesn’t open until 7:00.” In other words, “There is no coffee until you can pay an exorbitant price for it at the restaurant.” I mildly lost it and responded that I couldn’t believe there was no coffee…and, by the way, “Your gym is absolutely filthy!”
  • So, given that I can’t go back to my room, I go to said popular coffee shop. No customers are there (inside or in the drive-through). Takes a while for me to be acknowledged. Then I order. After 15 minutes, I ask about my drink. “We just got an order for 10 drinks.” (The unspoken part, “And they were more important than you, so you can wait.”) When I did get my coffee, the order was wrong. I won’t elaborate on what transpired next, but it ended with me being given what I need to fix my own order, only to spill steamed milk all over my phone and computer.

When I finally got to the place of starting my “Jesus is awesome—are you saved?” blogpost, the Holy Spirit was all over me: “Um, Julianne, you are seriously going to write to others about the Christian walk when you are sitting in disobedience at this very moment?” I paused to realize that the computer screen was blurry not because of the spilled milk, but because of the plank sticking out of my eyeballs (Matthew 73:3-5).

So, what was going to be a blog about Jesus being the Great Physician, has turned into a lesson for myself (and hopefully you, dear friend), about how our sanctification walk with the Lord is a journey in the direction of obedience. It’s about getting better and better about recognizing my sin, being quicker and quicker to repent, and then stepping back onto the narrow road to holiness. Won’t you join me on this road today?

“Heavenly Father, forgive me for my self-righteous anger and unkind words. And thank You that as soon as I recognize my failure and repent, You are quick to forgive.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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

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