Tag Archives: Cindy

Payback – She Said
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“Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” The prophet answered, “As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.” 2 Kings 5: 15-16

Listen to Payback- She Said

I wasn’t sure how to repay Him. And it stumped me.

Would the bills get paid once I turned in a resignation for my retirement from the 8-5 working grind. No more direct deposit bi-weekly. I’d prayed for months about the decision, worried, argued with God about submitting to His will. I’d finally said yes.

Stepping off the cliff without a parachute is filled with uncertainty. I’m a planner, organized, have the answers prepared to any questions, backup plans, the whole sha-bang.

I’d made this leap and there was no going back. So, as I stepped before the group of women to speak, I wondered what I could say that could possibly mean anything. God had given me this opportunity, what was I to do with it?

When the conference ended I could have sworn I heard a whisper; “There you go! See. Just what I wanted.” I pulled open the door and rested against the car. A feeling of peace filled me, like that first early spring sunshine on your face. It felt right. And when I opened the thank you card and money dropped out, I nearly died.

“God,” I said, “This is Your money. You need to keep it.” So when I got home, I deposited the money into the ministry, simply grateful for the opportunity to speak.

My friend said, “Cin, this is your money. God is providing for you.”

But it wasn’t my money. It was how I could repay Him for such an opportunity. Funny thing was, by the time I got home and deposited the money, God had given me the same amount again in a check from some personal work.

The bills would be paid and God would open more doors for me. I tried to repay Him, but He wouldn’t accept. “How come, God,” I thought? “Is my repayment not viable enough for a God who is the Creator of everything?” I got an answer I didn’t expect.

You don’t repay gifts, Cin. You simply say “thank you”. I’m a southern gal and my momma raised me to say “thank you.” So I did. Accepting the gift took my pride out of the picture and replaced it with true gratitude.

An Ah-ha moment. Working for God isn’t always a paying job. Sometimes it’s just a gift. All He wants in return is our love. He won’t accept payment for a present.

Naaman tried to repay Elisha and got the same “No.” His healing was a gift. He’d swallowed his pride and obeyed. God’s gift through Elisha didn’t require payback and Naaman learned a valuable lesson.

Doing His work isn’t a high paying job, but the gifts are super-sized. When God gives you a gift, accept it. He doesn’t want payback, He wants your love. That’s payment enough.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

No Greater Love – Cindy Sproles
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“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Bittersweet. That’s how I describe Easter. It was just a twist of fate, but one that twisted in the wrong direction for us. You never know what rolls around in a child’s mind, and this time we were thrown a curve.

He was six. I sat in my Sunday school class down the hall from his classroom when I heard an undeniable scream. Cameron, I thought. Bolting out of my seat, I rushed down the hall. His teacher stood trying to console him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as he wrapped his arms around my neck and sobbed.

“I can’t look! You told me Jesus was my friend.”

“He is!”

“They killed him. And my teacher says it was because of me.” His body quivered.

Tears dripped down his teacher’s face. “I never…”

“I know. It’s fine.”

As he pointed at the pictures of Christ’s beatings, His hands being nailed to the cross, the crucifixion, I realized how truly horrible they were. How did I explain this crass act of cruelty to a child?

We take for granted the pictures of Christ and His crucifixion. We look through rose-colored glasses, at a drop of blood here and there. But it was so much more. The longer I flipped through the Sunday school papers, the harder it became for me to look, too.

“I would never kill my friend!” cried my son.

“Honey, you didn’t kill Jesus. The Roman soldiers did. But, you have to understand that Jesus didn’t have to die.”

“He didn’t?”

“No. All He had to do was call on the angels and they would have rescued Him. But He loved us so much that He was willing to die for all the wrongs we’d ever commit – even before we were born.”

“I couldn’t do that.” my son whimpered.

“I doubt I could either. But Jesus is a different kind of friend.”

The day passed and my son calmed, but as I thought about the picture he’d tried to grasp, I couldn’t help but wonder—really wonder—why? There is no love greater than the love that this Friend, this Father, this God, exhibited for us.

With all the powers of heaven behind Him, He chose to pay the price. Christ made a choice.
Easter is bittersweet. Bitter in His loss, sweet in my gain. And, as I think of the lyrics, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” I find new meaning in His friendship. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand why, but He proved He loves me more than life itself.

When you long for true friendship, look upward to the One who gave it all for you. There is no greater love.

Cindy Sproles, along with Eddie Jones, are co-founders and co-writers of ChristianDevotions.us. She co-writes the popular He Said, She Said devotions with Jones and they co-host the He Said, She Said Radio show.
She is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and her devotions appear weekly in papers across the eastern United States. Cindy is the editor of Christian Devotions and serves as a co-host on Christian Devotions Speak UP with Marianne Jordan. She is a popular speaker for women’s retreats and conferences and also travels with Eddie Jones representing Christian Devotions and teaching at writer’s conferences across the country.

Cindy is a featured writer 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

I Could Have Prayed – She Said
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“ I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:22-23 TNIV

Listen to I Could Have Prayed

I prayed too late. If I’d known sooner, maybe things would have been different. I stood gazing into the casket of my dearest friend. A sister. One I’d long to be in the company of, so when God blessed me with the opportunity to be her friend, I grasped hold and held tight.

That morning Mom had called me to ask if I’d heard from Lisa. I’d not heard from her in days, but we’d talked the week before.

“Lisa is dead,” Mom said. “Electrocuted in the tub.”

I hung up the phone. Don’t remember much after that. Somewhere between the four-hour trip and the reception line, I woke up to find myself staring into her casket, Lisa’s Bible clutched in her hands. Just like in life, she held Christ tight. Only now she was dead.

If I’d have known there was a problem between Lisa and her husband I’d have prayed for her safety. My heart broke as the loneliness swept over me. Christ had brought us together as friends and now we were divided by the shroud of death.

Lisa and I prayed together, talked about everything. And not once had she mentioned her deep fear of her husband or that he’d try to harm her. I’m not sure she knew the possibility. She’d ask how I was doing and yet, she kept silent about her own life.

I felt so helpless, torn. I could have prayed – would have, if I’d known. God might have saved her…changed her circumstances. But I didn’t know.

But Jesus knew. I took comfort in the fact that, just as Jesus prayed for us then, He prays for us, now. Long before my birth, He fell to His knees and pleaded that I would know the Father as He knew the Father. Christ prayed for me like no one else has ever prayed – He asked for me to be brought to Him and united in His love. He wanted me to have that peace and reassurance that He would die for. He prayed that same thing for Lisa.

It took years for me to learn the secret of prayer is not in the words but in the purity of our hearts. That it’s the sincerity of soul, a naive faith that believes we can know God and that God knows us. That He seeks us and desires our presence with Him. Christ pleaded to the Father that I would know the unity of His presence in my life and He prayed those words with that same purity of heart and a “Father’s faith,” believing that through my trials, I would respond.

In death Lisa clung to His word. Like Christ clung to the cross. Like I cling to the hope I’ll see my friend again.

Won’t you seek the One who reaches out from the cross to you? Allow His love to fill your heart. Hold tight to the unity found in Him through the Father and through the love we share with one another. He has provided a way to know Him.

We only need to stand in the shadow of the cross.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

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.

Read Cindy’s devotions

Clearing the Air – She Said
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“Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel… As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’” 2 Kings 5:4-7

Listen to Clearing the Air

Once more I’d managed to frustrate him. Once again, he’d done the same.
In a day and time when communication is such an easy feat, it’s still the hardest thing to manage. I slammed my hand on the desk. Shish, I thought, that’s not what I meant at all. Cut me some slack.

My partner and I work virtually, and instant messages, though speedy, lose something in the translation. I say something, he misinterprets it, and vice-versa. There’s no inflection, no emotion, no…anything—just typed words that give us permission to assume the meaning.

I’m not sure how to do this, I typed.

We’re moving backward. We can’t move back, was the instant message reply.

“Phooey. I’m doing my best,” I snapped at the screen. I’d followed the instructions. My questions only served to agitate him, so I did what any good-natured woman would do…I turned him off—him and the computer—went downstairs and sulked.

Communication is hard. And when we’re not listening, not getting the inflection, we assume the position of others.

The King of Aram meant well with his letter and money. He wanted to help Naaman and he knew the prophet Elisha was with Israel. But that’s not what the King of Israel assumed. He took for granted the meaning of the message. Israel’s King knew he couldn’t heal Naaman, so he assumed the King of Aram was picking a fight. “Perform the impossible, he growled.” Right!

The King of Aram wanted to find healing from Israel. I wanted my partner’s understanding, but without the clarity of the spoken word, neither of us “got” the message. The word of God is clear. His pathway is laid firmly for us to follow, but often we don’t listen to the guidance of the Word

My partner and I came to an understanding. If it’s important, we talk ear to ear.
Talk ear-to-ear with Christ and listen to the clarity of His Word. Then you’ll never misunderstand.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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: $5.95 (special price during our book tour)

Read Cindy’s devotions

Just Listen – She Said
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“Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’” 2 Kings 5:2-3

Listen to Just Listen

I knew what was coming. If only he would have listened. I knew the exit had changed.

Wives can relate to the moment you try telling your husband what exit to take, but he blows you off. Any attempt we make to help navigate is construed as being a know-it-all. So, I’ve learned to hush. Occasionally, I say something as I see the off-ramp approaching at a blistering speed.

Last summer on our return trip from the beach, we were navigating Asheville, NC. “Honey,” I said, “the last time I came this way, they changed the exits.”

“I know. We’ve got the GPS.”

“What I’m trying to say is, the GPS showed the old exit.”

My husband was confident he knew the way. He blew me off – and past another mile marker.

I squirmed in my seat as the exit approached. “This is the exit that’s changed.”

“I know. It’s exit 3B.”

“It’s 4A, now,” I added, watching as he veered off the interstate and headed toward downtown Asheville. Minutes later we were stuck… As I’d been for months.

For some time I’d heard God calling me to serve Him full-time in a ministry. Like my husband I would smile and say, “I know. I’m working on it.” Weeks went by. My “real” job became more stressful, others demanded all my time—and I got sick. Real sick.

Sitting in the doctor’s office, I listed my daily activities. The doctor glanced over the items and looked up. “You’re over-worked and stressed. If you don’t stop, you’ll die.” Harsh, but when is the truth gentle?

Naaman blew-off his wife’s hand-maiden, too. (Typical male response!) Thought he knew better. Don’t we all?

That night, I fell to my knees. With well meaning friends and family harping at me to pay attention to what my body was telling me, God called to me. Ready? Will you go now? Be healed? Obey?

God’s will isn’t always convenient, rarely easy. But when He calls He means business. His business – not our busyness.

I finally gave up. Now, seven weeks from retirement, my health has improved. My circumstances haven’t changed. I still don’t know how we’re going to pay the bills when the paychecks stop, but the old way is killing me. I just trust that God knows best. My experience tells me He usually does.

When you think you know it all…you don’t. Stop. Listen and go to the one who can cure you. Trust me, God’s way is the best medicine.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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: $5.95 (special price during our book tour)

Read Cindy’s devotions

Left Out – She Said
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“Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:1

Listen to Left Out

First I knocked. Then I went from knuckle to fist pounding. “Open up. Let me in!” A shuffle of feet sounded and then laughing.

“No! Go away.”

I didn’t want to go away. I wanted to spend time with my friends, not be banned from the fun.

“Come on, please? Open up.”

“No! We voted and you’re out. Beth shoulda been the leader.”

Leaning against the wall, a tear trickled down my cheek. My name had finally rotated around to be the group leader. The announcement wasn’t an hour old before the fly-by friends sold me out for the popular girl. Group leader wasn’t an elected position, rather it rotated so everyone had an opportunity to lead…everyone but me it seemed.

Left out, I snatched up my backpack, pushed open the door and headed down the stairs. It wasn’t fair. It was my time to be the group leader, my time to shine. I just wanted to be something other than invisible, something other than…lonely.

Naaman was an elite guy, commander, highly regarded. He had everything going for him –everything but his health. It didn’t matter how special he was, how many battles he’d won, his leprosy secluded him. He was forced to be alone. And unless he was healed, nothing would change.

Years later I asked the requirements to join a prestigious writers group. When my friends avoided the question, naivety led me to assume the group was full. My friends cheered for me so I practiced my writing—even won a couple of writing contests and hoped a spot would open in the group. But when my pal finally came clean and told me the group said I “wasn’t ready,” (intrepretation: not good enough), my heart was broken. Not because I wasn’t welcomed into the group but that no matter what I did–all the work, all the accomplishment, even the victories, meant nothing. I was still invisible, still left out.

Unlike Naaman, I wasn’t secluded due to illness, but I’ve been forced out because I wasn’t “ready yet”, not prestigious or clickish enough. Regardless of how hard I banged on the door, I couldn’t get in.

Broken, I needed healing – cleansed of the insecurities and fears that made me feel inadequate. So I poured my heart to the Great Physician. He opened up the wounds, cleansed them and when I was ready, He proved my gift was not in being in the spotlight, but rather in being a servant. In time He healed me and revealed my special and unique gifts. Eventually I became part of this prestigious group but all it is…is a line on my resume’. After He healed me, I didn’t need that group to fill the void. My place was in Him.

When you’re pushed out, ignored and shunned go to Christ for internal healing. He will shore up your skills, bring you peace and acceptance, then show you where you belong.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

Conformation of Transformation – She Said
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“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Listen to Conformation of Transformation

I prayed for renewal. Down on my knees, car door open, snow falling. My stomach turned as the memories flooded back. I’d barely got the car stopped and the door open before I threw up. I thought I could handle it—being back in the spot I’d been rescued from 25 years earlier. I didn’t think it would affect me. But it did.

A friend had passed away and I rode with the boys 800 miles to pay our respects. I’d forgotten I had no respect in that city. No respect from family and no self-respect either. I’d hidden the hurt, prided myself on forgiveness, and then conveniently forgot the pain.

I’ve been a lot of things in my life. Brave, happy, cowardly but lost never seemed to be verb that applied. Except it did. There came a point when I had to choose between the man I thought loved me and the God whom I knew did love me.

I couldn’t stand in the bars and be a part of a life I knew wasn’t pleasing to Christ. I couldn’t be someone I wasn’t. Raised in the Bible belt, my convictions to God ran deep, so when a drunk walked up to me and asked me to dance, I turned to my husband, shook my head and walked home. Conformation to the world was not for me and the loneliness I felt from that point forward seemed unbearable.

Paul understood what it meant to conform to the world and he knew the ache of going to his knees and asking for renewal. He’d gone from Christian killer to Christ lover in a short amount time. He’d wrestled with pain, sought the forgiveness of a God whose will was grander than he could imagine—a good and perfect will that changed his life and made him new.

I made my decision to walk away. Torn between the judgment of man and the forgiveness of Christ, I packed my kids up and went back to the roots instilled deep in my heart. I cried for renewal, sought out the face of God and found His good and pleasing, perfect will—I found His confirmation of transformation and I was saved.

When your convictions are tested, don’t conform to the world, rather seek His will. You will be transformed and renewed by the forgiving love of the Father.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

High Anxiety – She Said
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“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19

Listen to High Anxiety

“Eight dollars! That’s it?” I asked the teller. “But there was plenty of money in the account this morning. What happened? I’ve not spent it!”

The teller shrugged. “What would you like me to do?

My stomach turned and my face grew warm. I wasn’t sure what to do. I only knew the feelings of terror and panic that crept into my mind. This was a place God knew I hated. I’d spent seven years in under the darkness of loneliness and fear when I had nothing–scrapped to feed my boys. This spot, the place where survival kicked in, was a territory I didn’t want to visit again…ever! Memories flooded back. Days when eight dollars was the equilivant of $8000.00. I pleaded that God would pull me out of poverty and place me into peace.

Fear squeezed the joy from me and replaced it with guilt and unworthiness. Until today, God had not let the ministry account dip into single digits. He knew my fear. So why today? Why test me today?

My anxiety dragged me to a place of faithlessness instead of faithfulness. The love and joy I’d found in this ministry suddenly dissipated. I was hurt, angry and a little disappointed God would put me in this situation again especially since this was HIS ministry. We were just the tools.

I starred at the last $300 in our savings account then instructed the teller to move it to checking. Walking out of the bank, l leaned against the wall and cried. With over $2000 in bills hovering over the ministry, the small $300 would be gone end-of-day.

God tests us–tries us even pushes occasionally to stretch beyond our immediate knowledge of Him. He invites us through hardships to explore His peace that passes understanding and to claim His promises of consolation, joy and the plan He has to prosper us not harm us. It’s not easy and He brought me to my knees kicking and screaming.

“Just trust me,” He whispered.

I crawled in the car and headed to the post office. Slipping my key into the box I looked up and cried, “God provide.” Twisting the key, I opened the door, an envelope lay tilted to one side. A smile parted my lips and when I opened the letter, a sigh of relief came over me.

God promises when our anxiety is the greatest, trust it to Him, we’ll receive consolation and joy. That day, I learned it wasn’t about me but did I have a willing heart to learn, to stretch, to see a new side of Christ, and when I said yes, the elation of peace was immeasurable.

When anxiety overwhelms your heart seek the promises of His consolation and joy. There is peace in handing over the worry.

The envelope…contained a check for $300. God matched what we had and we paid the first bill.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

Landing in “Grace”-land – She Said
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“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Romans 3:23

Listen to Landing in “Grace”-land

One, two, three, four, five, six…I count the steps in my head every time I start down them. I started counting steps when the kids were little, after our son took a tumble.

Cameron was six when he fell. He stood at the top of the stairs in his Under-roos and matching Scooby-Doo socks, smiling and laughing. Tim stood behind him and I was at the bottom. I sat my load of laundry on floor and turned just in time to see Cameron’s feet slip. Horror stricken, Tim grabbed at him trying to grasp any part of his tumbling body. I did too, but missed. Cameron flipped twice, somersaulted down the stairs until he hit the wall, smacking his head against the railing.

Unconscious, we scooped him up and rushed him to the ER. The doctor examined him and sent him for x-rays. “You say he fell down the stairs?”

“Missed a step and his feet just flew out from under him. I tried to grab him but was too late.”
“Well, we’ll keep your boy overnight until the swelling goes down, but I think he’ll be fine.”
I miss steps, too, and when I do I feel as though I’ve disappointed God. It seems the harder I try to be what God wants me to be, the more I trip and stumble—the more I feel I’ve let God down. My friend scolded me yesterday, told me there was no way I could let God down.

“You can’t disappoint Him. He loves you too much. It’s like saying your disabled son disappoints you—it just can’t happen.”

I thought about that. A lot. And then I realized he was probably right. We can’t really disappoint God. He loves us too much. He knows we can’t always match up to His perfection. He understands I fall short of His glory. Our weakness and “fallings” are made perfect in Christ. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to steady my steps. The day I quit making the effort, is the day God cries.

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Yes, we sin and fall short, but there’s no way we can let God down. Not when Christ is lifted up.

When you stumble and fall, remember the place you land is called “grace,” so take His hand and stand in “Grace”-land.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write 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

Payoff – Cindy Sproles
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“If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption a larger share of the price paid for him.” Leviticus 25:51

December 24, 1989 our bombshell hit. We’d fallen victim to HMO insurance. My husband’s employer had made the jump from traditional insurance to the new HMO earlier in the year. It sounded great and, for the most part, it probably was. Go to the doctor, pay your co-pay and the remainder was paid by insurance. So we thought.

Our son was undergoing a battery of testing to define his disability and for months we made repeated trips to the geneticist, paying our co-pay and any outside costs. So, when I opened the letter from the insurance company that day in December, the bomb blew.

“The charges for genetic testing are not covered under the HMO plan. Heritage has paid the costs to physicians but the member is responsible for repayment of funds paid in your behalf. The sum of $140,876.00 is due and payable within ten days.”
I couldn’t imagine $140K, much less pay it. I panicked, splitting the amount between our charge cards and savings. That mistake followed us for the next twenty years.

Through the years, the verses of Leviticus reminded me of the price we were paying to be freed from the slavery of debt—debt that we could have handled better. My mistake cost us twice the amount we owed.

One disaster followed another as we tried to dig from beneath the debt. At my wits end, I fell to my knees and asked God, “What more do you want from me?”

His reply: “Let me handle it.”

That’s our problem. We assume we can manage on our own. Trusting God to keep His promises of provision seems impossible at times. The price for our redemption is twice the cost, not only through our mistakes but through the life of Jesus who paid the cost.

Once I’d conceded the needs of my family to God, He provided. December 24, 2009, twenty years later, we paid off the last of the debt. Ironic, it was twenty years to the day. The payoff wasn’t instant, nor was it cheap. There were times when things were tough, but God always provided – and He provided in HIS time. He is a God of His word and He always provides what is best for us when we believe.

What price have you paid to redeem yourself from financial mistakes? Lift your needs to the Father and let Him take control.

Cindy Sproles, along with Eddie Jones, are co-founders and co-writers of ChristianDevotions.us. She co-writes the popular He Said, She Said devotions with Jones and they co-host the He Said, She Said Radio show.
She is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and her devotions appear weekly in papers across the eastern United States. Cindy is the editor of Christian Devotions and serves as a co-host on Christian Devotions Speak UP with Marianne Jordan. She is a popular speaker for women’s retreats and conferences and also travels with Eddie Jones representing Christian Devotions and teaching at writer’s conferences across the country.

Cindy is a featured writer in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence.

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

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