Tag Archives: Cindy

Hard Nuzzled by Love – She Said
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Hard Nuzzled by Love – She Said

Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.v-vProverbs 15:17

My folks were not “fighters.” For the most part, their arguments were held behind closed doors and out of earshot. Still, Mom was great with the silent treatment, so I always knew when she and Dad had shared a few spats. Life in our home was pretty peaceful.

Apparently that wasn’t normal. My friends would talk about the knock-down-drag-outs their parents would have, and I just couldn’t imagine. I got sick listening to them describe the angry words and hateful attitudes.

My folks were encouragers, even when I was in the wrong. They were great at showing me my flaws by squeezing them between the good things I did and sharing those things with great love.

When God offered Solomon the opportunity to choose a gift, Solomon chose wisdom … both a blessing and a curse. As he ruled, he was able to clearly see both sides of a dispute and know how to solve the issue. But one of his greatest dabs of wisdom was this (paraphrased to the Cindy version) – Squeeze criticism between two pieces of love. Solomon understood love helps the “hard” go down a little easier. He figured out when you offer correction nuzzled between love, it’s received with an open mind.

I’ve had my share of folks who ripped me apart, never taking time to see the good I have done … only focusing on my flaws. So, whenever I teach or work with writers, my family, or friends, I try to remember their good qualities as well. When I offer the ways of improvement nuzzled between bits of praise, they are lifted up.

The next time you’re placed in a position to criticize, remember the words of Solomon. Practice positive assistance and you’ll grow in your own compassion. Those you help will grow in self-confidence and self-esteem. This is the wisdom sent down from God to Solomon. It translates to good in every language.

Read Cindy’s devotions.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.

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* Money from New Sheets is donated to Hope House to help young, pregnant moms choose “life.”

Need to change your husband? Change your sheets. Want to change jobs? Change your sheets. Long for a new life? Just change your sheets. God uses our life experiences to shape us. When the friction of frustration chaffs the skin, God offers us respite and rest. For author Cindy Sproles, sleeping on worn-out sheets meant holding on to the past, but new sheets…new sheets marked a fresh start. The slate wiped clean. Crisp. Fresh. New. With each monumental event in her life, she tossed out the old and ushered in the new with a set of fresh new sheets. From the cheapest muslin to the most expensive Egyptian cotton, she saw how God was shaping her into the woman she needed to be. When the road is tough, veer off and step onto a path that is tried and true. One already walked, already blazed, and already prepared just for you. New Sheets – Thirty Days to Refine You into the Woman You Can Be, is a series of thirty transparent devotions and inspirational thoughts that welcome you, wrap you tight, and snuggle you in encouragement. The next time you long for a change…go for new sheets.

Print version  $5.50 

Kindle version  $3.00 

No Yoke – She Said
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For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30

Listen to No Yoke – She Said

I squeezed the carton, the spout on the egg substitute popped open. “Well, that’s easy.” I said. “No messy egg shells.”

“It’s egg substitute Mom, you just shake and pour. It’s better for you.”

I smiled, added a dash of pepper then turned up the stove eye. Flipping the carton, I compared the Nutrition Factors. Carbs 330 points lower (hummm). Calories, 27 points higher; total fat, 2.31 points higher in the substitute, and sodium 103 points higher. Somehow the fake didn’t wash, so I went to the computer and did a comparison. A nutritional facts finder showed the natural egg 229 nutritional points lower than the egg substitute.

I’m no math wizard, but the fact is, the substitute weighed heavier. I was duped into thinking a substitute was healthier. Still not convinced, I called a local dietitian. Her response, “Go with the natural egg in moderation. Eat a medium or small egg instead of a ¼- ½ cup of substitute… by far healthier.”

I sighed. Who’d have thought a yolk could be so heavy?

Jesus compared His yoke of the Father to our life and found the same thing. His was lighter. I’ve wondered how He developed the theory since carrying the yoke of God has never been easy. The trick is in how you carry it.

God carries the brunt of the yoke’s weight and He merely asks us to slip in and walk alongside Him. How easy is that? But, you know us…we think we know the best way to manage the load. Things roll smoothly until we decide to turn left and God turns right. We battle God for the weight—try to do it our way, so the load of the yoke shifts from God’s shoulders onto ours. It becomes a burden.

Jesus told us to learn from Him. If anyone’s yoke was heavy, it was His. Christ knew how to trust the Father, how to release the control so that God could take hold and lighten the load of stress and frustration. Jesus was able to handle what came His way fully rested in God.

Like the egg substitute, my life gets heavy at times, but when I trust God, slip in next to Him and simply walk alongside, the burden lightens. As daily life grinds down on you, take up the yoke of Christ. He’ll bring you rest—no yoke!

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions.

Hot in the Desert – She Said
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… He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45 (New King James Version)

Listen to Hot in the Desert – She Said

I’m drowning, I thought. Drops of water raced down my forehead, dripped off my nose then landed just below my chin to begin its race down my chest and into my belly button (I know, a picture you’d prefer not to see).

My mom called and asked me to photograph her quilts. She asks so little, so seldom that when she does, I try to act fast. Mom’s a master quilter and as we hoisted each work of art onto an 8 foot display, I couldn’t help but notice how the sun brought the colors alive and quenched a thirsty imagination. Yet, here I stood, the sun pelting down while streams of salty liquid filled the corners of my mouth—I was thirsty. Even in the beauty of the ocean scene Mom had quilted… today I stood in a desert of decision; parched and completely dry.

I’ve faced some trials lately. Things that have tested my faith, forced me to weigh the depths of my belief, shaken me to the core. When I look at those who’ve taken my heart and twisted it, I’ve asked God, why. Why do you treat the just and the unjust equally? Shouldn’t the bad guys lose somewhere?

Jesus probably wondered that same thing when He cried out from the cross. Still in that act of sacrifice God shouted His love throughout the universe. I love all my children—every single, solitary one…the just and the unjust.

God shines on the evil and rains on the unjust with the same hope and love that He sees in His good and just children. It’s hard for us to grasp—this deep love of God. But His nature is to hope that we all come to Him. He doesn’t want to lose a single one of us.

I made my decision in the desert while I gazed into the deep purples mom had stitched. I wondered if there would be relief from the blazing heat. Lord, I’m really thirsty…thirsty in every way. Rain down on me. Will you refresh me? Renew my soul?

When you find yourself walking in the desert, parched and dry, pray that He will rain on you—renew you. He faithfully offers His undying love.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions.

“Buds” – She Said
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Listen to Buds- She Said

But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Romans 15:23-24

They’re so far away. Friday Harbor, WA, California, Raleigh, St. Louis and Nashville—the miles are great and I miss them so much. They’re wonderful friends—“buds” I trust completely with every part of my life; upright Christians who offer me guidance and direction, but life’s adventures have pulled us away…far away.

Unfortunately, the miles prevent us from developing valued memories. We love one another dearly, but we’re unable to be a daily active part of each other’s life. My toe pressed into the dirt as I pushed the swing and I longed to share the restfulness of the squeak of the swing and the ripple pond with my friends. I missed them.

Paul missed Rome. His home, his friends and family were there, but the work of God, the adventure of Christ took him away…far away. Though the miles separate me and my friends, technology allows us to visit with one another at a moment’s notice. Paul didn’t have that luxury. He simply hoped for an opportunity to visit with them as he passed through; maybe have them help him in his journey, pray for him, support his efforts.

I remember a time when the adventure of the world waited for me. Answering the call meant step out to follow the path; placing distance between my friends. I know I’m always welcome in their homes, by their ponds…in their lives. Paul was welcomed by his friends too, and that was respite for him as he served God in unfriendly places.

God has blessed me with faithful friends. When we’re laughing together, lifting one another before Christ, He too, smiles. He reaches His arm around us and pulls us close and blesses the ties and connections He, Himself has made. God longs for me to visit Him as well, stay in touch, enjoy His company as I pass through this life. He desires my company.

When the miles separate you from your buds, from the Father who created you, slow down. Take time to reconnect, enjoy their company. God blesses time with friends…with Him. Renew your time with Him.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions.

All He Had – She Said
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“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything,¬ all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 TNIV

Listen to All He Had – She Said

“To your left Elda. No honey, your other left.” The man gently tapped his wife’s shoulder and pointed toward the hall.

The glass doors of the conference hotel slid open then closed as an elderly man guided his ailing wife inside. Her makeup pristine, dress perfectly pressed, purse neatly dangling from the bend in her elbow. She nodded and smiled. Her eyes gazed at us, but through us, as she passed.

After three trips to get their luggage, the man stopped in front of us. “Are you a praying bunch?”

“We certainly are. Can we pray for you?” my friend asked. The man’s eyes followed his wife as she shuffled up the hallway.

“My wife has Alzheimer’s and this is likely to be our last trip together. I’m losing her. Will you pray for her? But you’ll have to pray without me… she’s wandering.”

He nodded and rushed toward her. His wife stopped, eyed him and cocked her head to one side as if to say, You look familiar. I know you, don’t I? He brushed his hand across her cheek with such tenderness I thought of Christ wiping away the tears of Mary and Martha. They turned and walked hand-in-hand toward their room.

Too often we measure our giving in dollars and cents, giving ourselves more “credit” than we’re due. The size of the check dictates the authority and prestige we have. Seldom do we consider the small gifts…the gestures that cost us little, as real treasures. But God sees the heart of the giver, not the glitter of gold. Jesus offered an example of a woman who gave all she had…her last penny. But it wasn’t the value of the coin that mattered. It was her total commitment to a God she couldn’t see, touch or hear. It was her willingness to give to a God who we sometimes lose as we wander.

With tear-filled eyes we watched as the couple shared an intimate moment. The man grasped his wife’s hand and kissed it. He’d bathed her, dressed her, helped her eat and then cried out for us to pray for her. He had, from the day they’d married and every day since, opened his heart and given all he had to the woman he loved.

We who stumble blindly down dark hallways, losing our focus, memory and purpose, have become the bride of Christ. And yet, even in our state of blindness we are called to give… a smile, a coin, a prayer, a gesture of encouragement. We are called to give what we have, however small it seems. Follow Christ’s example and give all you have of yourself… and Him.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95

Bald and Beautiful – She Said
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“From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. “Go on up you bald head,” they said. “Go on up you bald head.” 2 Kings 2:23

Listen to Bald and Beautiful – She Said

All I wanted was to shoot my son. I lifted the camera, focused and shot. A blast of light glared through the viewfinder. What on earth, I thought. All I wanted was a photo of my son—they only graduate college once and I’d missed the shot. Peering around my camera it seemed a picture would be impossible. Two rows in front of me…the culprit, a bald-headed man whose head reflected light three times the strength of a laser.

“Shish,” I punched my husband pulling up the picture. “This guy should wear a hat. Tone things down. Try a toupee. Something.” He raised a disapproving brow.

The crowd nestled into their seats and the shiny-headed man turned to sit. His sunken jaws and blackish-blue baggy eyes made me ashamed. When he lifted his hands to clap, the veins bulged. The bruising made it obvious, he was a sick man. And I’d selfishly mocked him.

Elisha was called into some pretty rough situations. It wasn’t enough God had given him the gift of prophecy but the guy was less than handsome. Folks looked at his baldness and made fun of him, forgetting the wonders God worked through Elisha’s obedient heart. Elisha continued his work without hesitation, despite the jeering of those who didn’t know him.

I’ve come to realize, we’re a culture of nasty people. Not nasty, in hygiene (though I’ve seen a few who could stand a good scrub), but filthy in the way we regard others. Our inclination is to take the outward features and assume they are the sum of the whole. We think nothing of brutally abusing others, damaging their spirit without even knowing them.

I glanced at my profile in the bathroom mirror, a pinch of skin sagged beneath my arm. My once flat tummy pushed the sides of my slacks into a slight smile. I’d felt the sting of folks judging me by my looks over my heart. I wasn’t so perfect myself…who was I to throw stones?

Sin pushes us to look at the physical rather than the spiritual side of others. God dwells within us not outside of us. Boy, was I crass.

I was ashamed I’d mocked the bald man two rows down. It’s a good thing the Father loves us for who we are, not for what we do. We’d disappoint Him a lot.

When you’re blinded by the outward, look inward. God works through our hearts not our looks. Seek the beauty of others and find His heart.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95 Read Cindy’s devotions.

Trouble, Trouble – She Said
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“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b

Listen to Trouble, Trouble – She Said

There ain’t no winnin’ this battle. Ain’t no way, no how. That’s what the mountain folks say when they get stuck “betwixt a rock and a hard place with no trail for the water to run…nothin’ ‘cept a pool to drown in.” That’s where I am now. Stuck betwixt a rock and a hard place—drowning.

I met R.P. Wildes in the mountains of North Carolina, sitting at a lunch table having the time of my life. For a few minutes I laughed uncontrollably at this gem of a man, who not only understood mountain humor, but had experienced it as well. He spoke my language and it was funny.

God, I thought, this man has given me the greatest gift a person could give. He’s taken all the things that could go wrong, rolled them into a blessing, then handed it to me to enjoy. I thumbed through Swamp Ponderings chuckling at the stories, waiting for the next run of belly laughs.

In my heart, I knew some of the issues I’d face when I got home…things that never seem to go away but keep festering into a nasty boil. I dreaded facing the stress. Satan knew it, too. So he laid in wait to leap and tear the flesh from the bones.

I’ve been attacked for doing God’s work before. Though it was hard, God protected me from worse. Now, after two weeks of successful work for the ministry, the attack came. And worse—it came from my home town.

Jesus understood the pain of rejection from those He loved. He knew the harshness of those who’d known Him as a child—those who attacked Him with criticism and doubt.  They didn’t get His mission and, honestly, they didn’t care. To them, Jesus was the illegitimate son of the carpenter.  But Jesus overcame.

R.P. gave me 40 minutes of laughter that would last me into this hour of pain. I ran my finger across his bookmark and recounted the victories he’d shared through the hardships of life. Suddenly, my pain seemed petty.

“They’s always gonna be planks that ain’t nailt down good. An I promise you’ll find the loose board ever time with your toe. But the Lord, He’s a good God. That toe may throb, but He’ll always give you honey to make the bitter go away.” Translated—there’ll always be trouble, pain, and strife, but Christ already won the battle. That translates into a victory for me.

When the weight of strife presses down, “take heart,” He has overcome the world.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence. Read Cindy’s devotions

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95 Read Cindy’s devotions.

Whispers of Rest – She Said
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“The LORD replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

Listen to Whispers of Rest – She Said

“Inanimate objects don’t have human traits!” I still smile when I think of my friend’s adamant opinion. But last night, the waves whispered to me. I couldn’t see them through the darkness, but the voice of the water called to me from across the sand. “Rest, lull in the wash of the ocean,” they murmured.

It’s been a long three years. Much has happened. Good things…hard decisions…but then nothing good is easy. Is it? Overwork and stress were taking their toll.

I climbed out of the bed then slipped from the condo onto the beach. A couple stood ankle deep in the foamy wash, flashlights and strainers in hand—their catch, nil. My watch glowed a florescent yellow—four a.m. A chill surged through me. And I recognized my soul was tired. I needed physical and spiritual rest.

Fatigue has many forms—the physical towers above the spiritual need for rest because we often fail to understand a balance must be struck. As the waves pushed my feet deep into the sand, I knew without a doubt, I was weary.

Satan wasn’t ashamed to use my good attributes to wear me down. He’d attacked me brutally using my work ethic to push more work at me. He knew the ethic insisted I complete the task. But when I said “no,” he lashed out like an angry child and my soul wore away.

Christ understood the agony of a strong work ethic and the repercussion of saying “no” to Satan. He pushed ahead when His body pleaded for rest, sometimes climbing into a boat to get an arm’s length from the crowds who pleaded for His healing words and touch. He worked until He was spent. Still, He’d slip away to seek solitude in His Father. Jesus needed rest and renewal, and He sought both in His alone time—in His prayer life.

I dropped to my knees as the ocean whispered its restful coo. Clearly, God had given this inanimate object the voice I needed to hear. The soft gurgle tempted me to lie on the sand, gazing into the stars until their light blurred. Without a doubt, I heard His words and sought my rest in Him.

When fatigue overtakes you, listen to the gentleness of the breeze, the wash of the ocean, the trickle of a stream. It’s God calling you to seek renewal in Him. He longs for you to snuggle into His arms and simply rest. Go to Him where rest is complete.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95
Read Cindy’s devotions.

Every Day in Every Way – She Said
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“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (TNIV)

Listen to Everyday in Every Way- She Said

It was a rough week. Shameful as it is, I counted the hours until the weekend would end. Between upcoming travel, my son’s college graduation and his graduation picnic, visiting relatives, cooking, and getting things ready for my husband and sons to “batch” it for two weeks, I couldn’t wait for weekend to be over.  I glanced into the bathroom mirror and noticed my smile seemed pinned at the corners of my lips. It was there, pretty as you please, but there was no heart behind the upturned mouth.

Though somewhat bittersweet, the occasion was joyful. What parent isn’t proud when their son graduates college? Still as I watched for the young man who stood a head above the other graduates, my heart was moved.

He turned into his row, immediately looked into the stands and caught my gaze. As I watched, his fingers pressed against his lips then brushed toward me. My eyes stung with tears, for not only was my son graduating, but my husband and I were, too.

We’d raised this child, supported him, encouraged him, and guided him. Our roles now changed. I can’t recall a night I’ve failed to lift my son before God, nor can I remember an hour I’ve not been thankful for his presence in my life. When he was little I held him close, kissed him and promised him I’d never leave his side—never walk away. And I’ve not. His tiny kiss from the graduation floor said, “Thanks mom, you kept your promise.”

Like all families, we’ve suffered heartaches, but our opportunities to rejoice have far outweighed the rough spots. And seeing this child move into the next phase of his life was more than pleasing.

God tells us to always rejoice—always give thanks in ALL circumstances—even the ones where the thanks is hard sought and joy eludes us. It’s His will for us. It’s how God can move closer to us, wrap His arms around us and love us just as we love our children.

When you face a challenge…rejoice, pray and give thanks. The reasoning may not be clear at the moment, but it will be. And when the fog clears, then you’ll see the good of the moment.

Rejoice and pray…everyday in every way.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95 Read Cindy’s devotions

Ministry Mystery – She Said
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“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 2 Corinthians 4:1

Listen to Ministry Mystery- She Said

I couldn’t believe no one was showing up for the conference. We’d run a four-week ad in the area newspaper, paid to run 30 spots on the local Christian radio station, sent out flyers, and called churches. Had we misunderstood God’s nudging?

“I don’t get it,” I said to our key-note speaker. “There’s only 5 people here and we’re 40 minutes away from the opening of the event. I hate that you came this far for nothing.”

“I came because God told me to come and because I love you. If only five people show, we’ll know these are the ears God wants to tickle and touch.”

“But I don’t understand. I’ve prayed for months. I had a peace about it.”

“Apparently, not too much peace,” our speaker said, “or you wouldn’t be pacing right now.”

Okay, that one stung, but she was right. I’d prayed about the day-long conference and thought I was getting the right message from God. I could have sworn this was the ministry He’d assigned to me. Was I wrong?

God’s ministry isn’t a mystery. He assigns us tasks already knowing the outcome is certain. While we hope for success, His glory is not in the numbers, but in the intimacy of His fellowship… however small the crowd.

Ginny took my hands and rolling my wrist to glance at my watch, said, “Ten til. What do you say we change our prayer? We won’t lose heart. This is our work today.”

We prayed for that day’s ministry, for the handful of women inside, and that the glory would be His. Moments later, when the music began, the five women became ten, then twenty, swelling to thirty–the exact number for which I’d prayed weeks earlier.

I’d heard God’s call and I was crushed when things looked bleak. But there was no need to be disheartened. His conference was just fine regardless of my small faith.

When you’re tempted to become disheartened by the smallness of your ministry, don’t. God rejoices in your willingness to serve. That in itself is success enough.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio’s Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey to Financial Dependence.

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95 Read Cindy’s devotions