Tag Archives: TinaGivens

Dumb Questions – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” Luke 1:18

Sometimes I ask dumb questions. I once asked a friend to help me find my glasses while they sat on my face. Another time I inquired about the half-time show at a baseball game. Who knew that half-time was only in football? Apparently, everyone in the world — except me.

I wish life had a rewind button. But neither exhaled breath nor spoken words can ever be retrieved.

Zacharias learned that lesson the hard way. A priest, he was performing his duties in the temple when the angel Gabriel visited him with a message. His wife Elizabeth, barren and old enough to remember when childlessness used to consume her, would miraculously become pregnant with a son.

“How will I know this for certain?” Zacharias inquired of the angel.

Those words would be his last for a while. His next words would be spoken as a grateful father. The all-seeing God spotted sinful unbelief attempting to hide in Zacharias’ heart and silenced him. God knew his question was not about certainty or confirmation at all. It was a faithless reaction to a clear promise from heaven.

Zacharias asked a dumb question. But not the one he asked out loud. Will God really do as He says? he whispered in his heart.

Haven’t we all secretly asked that question in one form or another? When we worry that our basic needs will go unmet, we ask it. When we doubt God has heard our prayers, we ask it. When we fear evil will triumph over righteousness, we ask it.

So what should we ask the next time we are tempted to doubt the promises of God? Genesis gives us a better question: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”

You know the answer, so ask your questions. There are no dumb questions with Christ.

Tina Givens has a passion for encouraging people through her writing and singing. In addition to writing devotional pieces, Tina writes articles and advertising copy as marketing manager for NRB Network, a Christian educational and informational television channel seen nationwide on DIRECTV. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of First Coast Christian Writers.
Read Tina’s devotions.
Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

Confessions of a Quitter – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. I Cor. 16:13 KJV

I have the quitter’s gene. I didn’t inherit it from my mom or dad. To be honest, I don’t know where I got it. From half-painted walls to missing lyrics to dusty boxing gloves, the evidence is hard to deny. I daily battle the tendency to give up.
To be fair, I’ve abandoned some things with good reasons and even better results. Sensing the Spirit’s leading, I have more than once left jobs and relationships to later find my faith and obedience rewarded with both spiritual and physical blessings.

But then there were times when my quitting was not out of obedience, but out of weariness, disappointment, or frustration. It’s those times that I look back on with deep regret. After stepping back to view each situation from God’s perspective, I realize that He wanted to use those “rubber band moments” to stretch me and bind me more firmly to Himself. In my natural desire to alleviate emotional discomfort, I missed opportunities to cultivate spiritual maturity—the blessing that follows the stretching.

Are you ready to give up too soon? Are you so discouraged that you just want out? Don’t quit!

The Bible is full of encouragement for those times when we feel extended beyond our capacity. God knew that in a sinful world the temptation to quit would sometimes overwhelm us. Mary and Joseph persevered just as the disciples persevered. They did what they had to do to protect and spread the Gospel in a hostile environment, under the constant threat of death. The pressure must have been tremendous. Why didn’t they give up?

I believe they relied on their faith in the risen Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit—the very same things available to you and me today. Instead of abandoning the assignment, they quit their doubts and fears.

When the holidays begin to get the best of you, when your soul feels weary, when you seek peace and hope and eternity—seek Him. There’s no need to quit.

Tina Givens has a calling to encourage people in their walk with God through the written word and song. She enjoys writing devotional pieces and has over 10 years of professional experience writing advertising copy and web content for Christian non-profits. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of Word Weavers and First Coast Christian Writers.
Read Tina’s devotions.

Enough – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

I took my seat in the choir loft as praise and worship ended. I watched the ushers open the sanctuary doors to latecomers—one in particular. I had always admired her sense of style but that day she looked the picture of perfection. The center aisle became her runway as she walked to her seat. I stared.

Before long my attention turned from her appearance to my own. I left the house that morning feeling pretty good about how I looked. Now, suddenly, I wanted to turn myself in to the fashion police.

“Thou shalt not covet.”

The words drifted across my mind bringing strong conviction and gentle correction. I still remember learning the Ten Commandments as a kid in Sunday school. Coveting, I was taught, is an evil desire to have what is not yours. I’ve since found that it goes much deeper than that to include the desire for anything that prevents us from being content with what we have or where we are in our lives.

At best, a covetous attitude says to God, “Your blessings are not enough for me.”

At worst, it says to Him, “You are not enough for me.”

Do you have enough? When you look in the mirror, is what you see attractive enough? If you’re single, are you happy enough as a whole person—without a “better half?” Is your home big enough to live in?

I don’t need to look like a fashion model to do what God’s called me to do. (Besides, think of all the time I would waste getting over myself!) Since He has given to each of us everything we need to fulfill His purposes for our lives, I am content knowing that I have enough.

How about you?

Tina Givens has a passion for encouraging people through her writing and singing. In addition to writing devotional pieces, Tina writes articles and advertising copy as marketing manager for NRB Network, a Christian educational and informational television channel seen nationwide on DIRECTV. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of First Coast Christian Writers.
Read Tina’s devotions.

Grief Walk – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” Psalm 68:5 KJV

My tears woke me up like a cruel alarm clock. Crying in my sleep had become far too common in the days and weeks that followed my father’s sudden death. Each dream was different and yet they all led me to the same painful place. Then, one night as I slept, my mind took me somewhere it knew I needed to go.

It all felt so real. With a big red cooler and fishing gear loaded in the back of his 1972 cobalt blue Ford F-100, my dad and I drove down a familiar country road. Before I knew it, we arrived at the riverbank and sat side by side on the truck bed. He cast his rod into the water. I tried to count the ripples.

“Daddy,” I said, “I don’t have to be sad anymore, do I?”

“No, Baby,” he answered. “You don’t have to be sad.” Just then, I woke up. No tears… just a deep-down-in–my-soul assurance that I was going to be okay. My earthly father was with the Lord and the Lord, my Heavenly Father, was with me.

I’ve learned that grieving the loss of a loved one is different for each of us and for each loss. Just as no two people share the same fingerprints; neither do two people share the same grief journey. But, for those of us who know God as our Father, the destination is the same—peace.

If you are stumbling down the road of grief, God knows where you are. He may not use a dream to bring peace to your soul, but be assured that peace will come. Well-meaning friends may tell you, as they told me, that time heals all wounds. But, I found out that some wounds are greater than time and heal only by the Master’s touch.

This day, may your heart be encouraged in the Lord. The walk through grief is difficult, but He will not allow you to take a single step alone.

Tina Givens has a passion for encouraging people through her writing and singing. In addition to writing devotional pieces, Tina writes articles and advertising copy as marketing manager for NRB Network, a Christian educational and informational television channel seen nationwide on DIRECTV. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of First Coast Christian Writers.
Read Tina’s devotions.

Speak Truth – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbors,
for we are members of one another.” Ephesians 4:25

She turned three years old that day and I stopped by to drop off a gift. My niece, Jordan, like most birthday girls her age, was happy and exuberant. Fueled by excitement, she leaped and twirled in the middle of the living room floor as she told me all about her day.

Her verbal skills always impressed me. Her infectious enthusiasm caused her words to dance as they came out. We talked about everything from her pretty pink outfit to her birthday lunch earlier at a local kids’ center. The conversation flowed when out of nowhere she blurted, “Mommy is tall.”

Eager to keep the conversation going I asked, “Well, what is Auntie? Am I tall too?” Her mother and I are about the same height, so I never expected her response.

“No,” she said. “You’re big.”

Ouch! I laughed at her innocent candor, but I have to admit that it stung a little because it was true. My weight had inched up over the last year. I knew the time had come to make some changes, but hearing it out loud gave me brutal confirmation.

The truth, even when spoken without malice, sometimes hurts. But, like alcohol poured on an open wound – the pain means it’s working.

Has anyone stung you lately with the truth? Maybe your spouse confronted you about your time commitment to the family. Perhaps it was your boss addressing the quality of your work or a fellow believer expressing concern about sin in your life. I know it hurt you but, if you receive it, it can help you grow and change.

On the other hand, maybe it’s you who needs to speak truth to someone in your life but you are afraid of hurting their feelings. Before you speak, pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the right words and to prepare the person’s heart to receive them.

God used two innocent, truth-filled words from a three-year-old to make me take a hard look at my diet. How will He use your words in the life of your loved ones?


Tina Givens has a passion for encouraging people through her writing and singing. In addition to writing devotional pieces, Tina writes articles and advertising copy as marketing manager for NRB Network, a Christian educational and informational television channel seen nationwide on DIRECTV. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of First Coast Christian Writers.

One Minute Meditations for the culturally challenged and spiritually stuck. Daily devotions from the perspective of one man and one woman, delivered online and by email that inspire you to move beyond the “busy-ness” of life into an intimate relationship with God through an interactive friendship with the Father. Christian Devotions takes Christ from the heavens and places him in your heart.

What to Do in a Drought – Tina Givens
avatar

Posted on by

“And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” I Kings 17:7 KJV

My resources were evaporating and it seemed like the job market had completely dried up.

Two years ago I found myself unemployed for nine months and experiencing tremendous financial pressure. I trusted God, but there were moments when I felt drained and helpless.

Little did I know that God was about to unlatch the floodgates of heaven. After months of rejection, I received an unsolicited phone call from a past employer. We’d lost touch over the years, but he’d tracked me down through a mutual friend and called to offer me a job. That is, ‘if I was interested’. If I was interested? It was all I could do, not to run outside and turn cartwheels in the street!

As difficult as it was, I kept my eyes focused on the promises of God. He would provide for me in His own time. The Lord was faithful and His timing perfect. A little while longer and I would have been in financial ruins.

The brook providing drinking water for the prophet Elijah dried up because of drought. But God miraculously provided another source. When finances are tight for me, I wonder what Elijah must have thought as he watched the water dry up. Did he worry in his crisis like I sometimes do? Or did he have confident trust that the Lord would provide?

What about you? Perhaps your brook has dried up and you are in need. Maybe you are alternating between fear and faith as you watch the forecast and see a zero percent chance of rain.

God has not forgotten you. His plan provides in spite of how helpless you feel or how hopeless the situation looks. Keep praying. Remember the countless examples in the Bible and in your life of the Lord’s faithfulness. Dwell on them and build your faith.

God will sustain you during the dry times and, in His perfect timing, He will send the rain.


Tina Givens has a passion for encouraging people through her writing and singing. In addition to writing devotional pieces, Tina writes articles and advertising copy as marketing manager for NRB Network, a Christian educational and informational television channel seen nationwide on DIRECTV. Tina lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she sings with the group Deliberate Praise and is a member of First Coast Christian Writers.

One Minute Meditations for the culturally challenged and spiritually stuck. Daily devotions from the perspective of one man and one woman, delivered online and by email that inspire you to move beyond the “busy-ness” of life into an intimate relationship with God through an interactive friendship with the Father. Christian Devotions takes Christ from the heavens and places him in your heart.