Tag Archives: love

Who’d Have Thunk It? – She Said
avatar

Posted on by
God took me to the mountain top

God took me to the mountaintop

Who’d Have Thunk It? – She Said

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10 NIV

It was never something I imagined. Days earlier I stood on a mountain peak in Colorado watching the sun rise over the snowcapped Rockies, wondering what I’d done to earn such favor. Now, I stood atop a summit in the Blue Ridge Mountains; and to think … God had chosen me. Me. That scrawny, backward, ugly duckling who stood in the background during high school, ridiculed and mocked … alone more than with someone … me.

“Eddie, I still can’t understand it. Look what God has done with us. Who’d have ever thunk it?” We sat atop Rattlesnake Ridge — our yearly walk on the mountain — to talk, pray, and plan for this ministry.

When I look back over the past six years I can see where we were. Two willing misfits, brought together as friends to serve God. And all we did was say, “Okie dokie.” God spoke and these two buddies had no clue what lay ahead.

It’s been hard work and sacrifice too. Plugging alone, selling the idea that when we do for others, others do for us (remember, that’s biblical). Help one another. Whatever you do for the least of these you do for me. Love your neighbor like you love yourself.

We set out on a journey of faith. It wasn’t a chore, but it just seemed right. The tasks God laid before us were as high as the mountain we walked … but we didn’t see the height, only the climb.

There have been times when the rocky path caused our feet to sink into the mud. The reality of the work was there but our naivete in our service blinded us to the obstacles. All we knew was God called and we answered.

Have we had rewards? I suppose it depends on your idea of payment. If you counted dollars and cents … well, then, we’ve not been so successful. But then God isn’t always a God who pays in cold hard cash. Our needs have always been met, our families provided for. Sometimes, not until the bell for timeout was ringing, but they have always been met.

God doesn’t forget the work of His servants. He didn’t forget Moses as he led the Israelites out of bondage. Didn’t forget David when he whisked up a stone that would take down a giant. God didn’t forget Samson when he cried out for one last burst of strength to take down the stone columns and defeat his enemy. He didn’t forget the Magi when He sent them home a different way, or Joseph when he woke in the middle of the night to save his family. God doesn’t forget.

For every palm you grace with friendship and love, a palm is turned toward you. The repayment is not always in wealth. It’s in the amazement of being used by the Father to complete His plan. It’s helping others. Serving with a heart of willingness. It’s being there even if it’s inconvenient.

I never imagined God could or would even consider using a scrawny misfit. I never dreamed He’d send me to the Rockies to teach others then whisk me back across the country into the mountains of “home” to do it all over again. I never, ever, imagined. But you see, God doesn’t forget.

When He calls, just say yes and I promise, God will not forget.

Cindy  is the founder of Mountain Breeze Ministries and cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. She has contributed  to Novel Journey and Novel Reviews, and Christian Devotions. She has written for PML Programs and contributes to the Times-News.net and CBN.com. Her devotions and articles are published weekly in several newspapers across the country. Cindy is the Executive Editor of ChristianDevotions.us and the Devotional Acquisitions Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She cowrites the He Said, She Said devotions with Eddie Jones and is the coauthor of He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion and the author of New Sheets: Thirty Days to Refine You Into the Woman You Can Be.

She attended Johnson Bible College and graduated with a BA in Business from the University of Phoenix.  She is a speaker who teaches and speaks at ladies’ conferences, special events and writers conferences across the country.  Cindy directs Writers ADVANCE! Boot Camp. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.

Read Cindy’s devotions

* 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 

Hero Shepherds – She Said
avatar

Posted on by
The home of the brave

The home of the brave

The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. John 10:12

It happened again. Tragedy on our soil.

I remember when CNN had just begun. My babies were tiny and I was on my knees picking up a scattered box of Cheerios. CNN was covering President Reagan walking out of a building after a meeting. I stopped to watch when I saw a secret service man drop to the ground, the president shoved into a car, and one huge “pile-on.” I sat stunned. I’d witnessed an assassination attempt on the president.

The same thing again on September 11. I lay recovering from surgery watching NBC Today when, to my shock, a plane slammed into the Twin Towers. I’d just witnessed a terrorist attack.

Earlier this week as we watched successful runners cross the finish line in Boston … more senseless violence.

Even through these tragedies and the chaos that ensued — through those running away in fear, hurt, and injury — I noticed a handful of individuals who defied their fear and bolted to the rescue of others. In the instant their decision to run toward the chaos was made, their personal preservation became null and void. These are heroes. Those who take action and responsibility. Those who care.

Jesus tried His best to make the Pharisees understand He was the hand of rescue, the shepherd that cared. Those who preceded Him were thieves, cowards. They cared only to lure away “the sheep” for their own benefit and if the times got rough, they’d tuck tail and run. Three times Jesus rephrased His words in hopes the blinded Pharisees would grasp hold, but to no avail. Instead, they called Him possessed. Never once in the history of Christ did He ever run from His sheep. Rather, with an outstretched hand and soft voice, He called them to Him.

I watched on all three occasions as those heroes, who in the midst of danger, quickly turned to those in need. They could have run, but they chose to offer rescue. Unlike the hired hands Jesus spoke about, these heroes did not abandon.

We’re not all placed in situations where lives teeter on the edge, but we daily come in contact with souls whose salvation is precariously balanced. We are called to minister to them. When you see these lives flapping in the wind, don’t abandon them. Run to them. Reach out and do as Christ would do. Rescue. Draw them to the Shepherd Hero.

*To all those men and women who selflessly serve our nation on foreign and domestic soil … for all those who on 9/11 and at the Boston Marathon, ran into the chaos to help … thank you. Your willingness to care for others first, exemplifies the love of Christ.

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.

Read Cindy’s devotions.

 

Receive He Said, She Said on your Kindle!

 

 

* 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 

A Hug Sent From God – Norma Mezoe
avatar

Posted on by
Sweet hugs

Sweet hugs

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort… 2 Corinthians 1:3 KJV

I wasn’t doing so well.

A large blood clot developed after surgery. My heart dropped out of rhythm and my lower lungs collapsed. What was to have been an overnight stay in the hospital became a week. Stress on my mind and body took its toll.

That night my daughter, Jean, visited me in the hospital and a floodgate of tears opened.

“Get it out, Mom.” She wrapped me in her loving arms and encouraged me.

When I told my cousin, Janet, what Jean had done, she was thrilled. “That’s just what I prayed for. I asked God to reach down and give you a big hug.” God used my daughter to answer Janet’s prayer.

The first line in a poem by Annie Johnson Flint states, “Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today….” Sometimes we are not willing to be His hands because we think we don’t have time.

God sees us in our disparate places. He uses us as His arms of comfort when we respond to His nudges. He knows just who is the right one for the task at hand.

Colleen was one who responded to God’s nudge to comfort. She was busy, but when an inner voice said, “Go visit Bertha,” she realized God was speaking through His Holy Spirit and she obeyed.

Bertha was an older woman who was lonely and thought no one cared. Colleen was able to assure her this wasn’t true. Shortly thereafter, Bertha was seriously injured and spent the remainder of her life in a nursing home, unable to communicate. How thankful Colleen was she’d obeyed and responded.

God wants to use us in various ways, but we must be willing to follow. It may be something as simple as a smile to a tired cashier, driving a senior citizen to the doctor, or giving encouraging words, accompanied by a loving hug sent from God. Our Father always cares for His children.

When you feel the nudge, answer. You can be the comforting arms of Christ.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and David Castillo.

imageNorma C. Mezoe began writing after a crisis in her life. Her writing was first published in 1985. Since that time, she has written articles, devotions, and poetry for several publications. Her desire for writing is to honor God, encourage others and point people to the Lord.

Read Norma’s devotions.

 

 

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins – Lynn Karlsen
avatar

Posted on by
Covered by love

Covered by love

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 NASB

Love covers a multitude of sins. The thought struck me as I contemplated how I tend to excuse certain behaviors in people I love … things I’d never condone if the actions were done by someone else.

Human nature forces our ears to perk up when headlines report someone has been arrested, or newsflashes broadcast an embarrassing situation. We tend to shake our heads and wag our tongues at this type of behavior … until it happens closer to home. When someone we love is involved, we see things a little differently and extend a measure of grace not normally shared.

God is mercifully gracious too. The difference is God is righteous. Even when we try to do the right thing, we still make mistakes. God knows we aren’t perfect, but He loves us anyway. He doesn’t excuse the behavior of His loved ones. In His eyes wrong is wrong. Still, He provided a way of restoration that removes the inexcusable from our record and makes us perfect in His sight. He sent His only son, the perfect sacrifice for an imperfect world.

When you believe Jesus died for you, you become perfect in God’s sight … perfectly acceptable to join Him in heaven forever. Accept His offer of grace and forgiveness. It’s the love that covers the sin.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphoto.net and artzsamui.

Lynn KarlsenLynn Karlsen is a wife and mother of four. As their children have moved on to shine in other parts of the world, Lynn has found more time to indulge her love for writing from her covered deck in the Pacific Northwest. Her experiences as a mother and kindergarten teacher have provided a multitude of ideas for stories she writes for children. Lynn is a member of both ACFW and their subgroup for children’s fiction writers.

 

Read Lynn’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

 

QR Code

He Will Prevail – She Said
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy nomorechainsministry.com

The Church will prevail

He Will Prevail – She Said

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. LORD, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”  II Chronicles 14:11 NIV

It’s sad. Heartbreaking. Watching a congregation crumble. But I’ve seen it. Not once but twice. The first time when a congregation, out of greed, held so tight to a Bank CD that their church doors closed when they wouldn’t pay their minister or their bills from this account. And the second time when the stubbornness of man outweighed the call of God’s church.

I’m sure in both instances, Satan celebrated the demise of two churches. He’d successfully deceived God’s people…won a battle.

Somehow our soldiers have managed to fall from the ranks and wander away from God’s army. As straggler soldiers they’re prime prey for the prince of darkness. Their armor is dented, their shields lost, the soles of their shoes worn, and the sword they once waved in Christ’s name, now lays broken in the dirt.

Asa was righteous. Scripture tells us he did what was good and right. He tore down idols, smashed pagan alters and commanded Judah to seek God. His efforts brought peace and restored a weakened people back to the feet of God. When his small army faced down thousands of enemies, he called to God to not let mere mortals prevail against Him. With God at the helm, Asa and his army prevailed.

God’s army is solid. His foothold strong. And though a few think their way is better, nothing can destroy what God has built. No man or army is vast enough to overpower the King of Kings. So when mere mortals think they know what is best…God’s army shudders, for they know when they are called into battle, those who defy will be destroyed and, from the ashes, God will raise His church.

We live in a world where absolute truths are being hidden from the eyes of men. Weak men dig into foxholes grasping hold of stubbornness and greed, refusing to unveil His righteousness. It may succeed for a time but when God raises His army and leads them into battle, His church will prevail.

Put your foothold in the army of God. When you see His people struggle, pray. Call upon the name of God and He will help the powerless against the mighty.

Photo courtesy nomorechainsministry.com

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.

Receive He Said, She Said on your Kindle!

 

 

* 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 $9.95

Receive He Said, She Said on your Kindle!

A Season of Joy – Susan Dollyhigh
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy thelondonword.com

To each the Word is a gift.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

No colorful lights outlined the roof of the old, white-frame-house that served as a shelter to the homeless. No Christmas tree sat at the front window showing off twinkling lights to passers-by. The curtain was drawn and the house sat in darkness.

I pulled around back to the office, turned off my car, and sat gazing at the house that reflected my own level of holiday cheer. Because of a broken marriage, for the first time ever, my family wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas together. I’m supposed to talk about joy tonight? As a volunteer, I led weekly Bible study at the shelter. This Christmas season, we were celebrating Advent, and tonight we planned to light the candle that symbolizes joy.

I got out of my car, walked to the office, and rang the bell. When the door opened, the light inside was a sharp contrast to the dark outside. Since the previous week, the soberness of homelessness had been replaced by the hubbub of Christmas excitement. My senses were bombarded by the magical transformation. Residents wore smiling faces, the aroma of ham tantalized my taste buds, Christmas music blared from an old boom box, and welcoming hands reached out to bring me inside.

Our motley crew consisted of eight women, one man, and eight boys and girls ranging in age of six months to twelve years. Among those women was Ms. Shirley, resident grandmother to the group who were, at least for this evening, family. We gathered around the kitchen table, turned off the lights, relit the purple candles for hope, peace, and love, and lit the pink candle for joy in our Advent wreath.

I read from Romans about the God of hope filling us with all joy and peace so that we might overflow with hope. I looked back up and into eyes of those who’d experienced illness, lost jobs, struggled with drug addictions, and even jail time.
“What is joy?” I asked. “Is it the same as happiness?”

“I wasn’t happy when I was in jail, but I felt joy knowing He was with me,” Ms. Shirley said. “It was the only way I made it through.”

After much discussion, we agreed that true and lasting joy is experienced only when we have a relationship with the One whose birthday we celebrated that night.

We stood to close in prayer, formed a circle, and held hands, while the reflection of the flames from the candles of hope, and peace, and love, and joy flickered on the kitchen walls. We thanked God for sending His Son into the world to save us from our sins, and for the gift of joy that we’d all experienced, even in our worst circumstances.

Later, as I was leaving, Ms. Shirley came over to me and said,” Thank you for coming tonight and bringing us hope.”

I thought about the fields of Bethlehem, where an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds and told them “good news that would cause great joy for all the people.” Two thousand years later, homeless men, women, and children heard the same good news, and despite their desperate situations, every heart was stirred with great joy, including mine.

Open your heart. Won’t you?

∞Photo courtesy thelondonword.com

In loving memory of Ms. Shirley who came to The Shepherd’s House hoping for a better life. When interviewed by the local newspaper she said, “I had a good life. I had everything I could think of, a nice house, family and a husband of 35 years. But we got divorced six years ago, and then I hit rock bottom.”

She admitted that she had the wrong friends, made bad choices and two-and-a-half years after the divorce she was arrested and spent three months in jail. After her release, with the help of the homeless shelter, Ms. Shirley found a job, saved her money, and had a place to call home.

Most importantly, Ms. Shirley had counseling, and re-committed her life to Jesus.

The day she graduated from the shelter to an apartment was bittersweet for both Ms. Shirley and the staff. But, Ms. Shirley soon returned as a volunteer, and eventually a part-time employee.

On June 2, 2010, Ms. Shirley once again graduated, this time to Heaven, and it was another bittersweet day for her family and friends. But we take comfort in knowing we’ll see you again real soon, Ms. Shirley. I was honored to call you “friend.”
Susan Shelton Dollyhigh is a freelance writer and columnist who won the Women of Faith Shine the Light Contest and three awards at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. She resides in Mount Airy, NC. www.inspirationfrommayberry.com.

Read Susan’s devotions.


Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

 

QR Code

The Indescribable Gift – Amber Massey
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

Let me in

And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:14-15

It was difficult to tell if it was the chill in the air or loneliness that made his bones shiver.

Heavy drops of rain met and grew into rivers that flowed steadily down his cheekbones and dripped off his whiskered chin. Matted, wet hair clung to his forehead. From a safe distance, he stared at their unwelcoming backs, longing to take a step nearer, daring not to approach. His existence was nothing to them even though he was no different from those who refused to face him. He had the same feelings, the same hurts and today, the same need—the need to be accepted. No matter how long he stood waiting for them to take notice, nothing changed. They were perfectly comfortable where they were. Why offer him a place in their circle? Why let him in?

On that cold Christmas morning, I looked out my kitchen window toward the barn and was saddened by this familiar sight of exclusion. My heart ached for the young horse. He’d been brought to us for rehabilitation from a place where food was scarce and love was a luxury, but loneliness continued to haunt his days and nights. His haggard, drooping skin and lack-luster coat framed liquid-mahogany eyes that told stories but at the same time, were lifeless, empty chasms.

His desire and ability to love was deep, but his opportunity remained absent. Resigned to seclusion, he stood alone while the other horses relaxed in the comfort and security of each other.

My mind drifted. I’d been guilty of this same behavior this holiday season. I’d failed to see those around me who were hurting and in need of a comforting word.

The lights and tinsel on the Christmas tree should be a reminder of Christ’s love that glitters and glows even brighter when we share it with others. God’s Christmas gift to us is eternal life…and truly indescribable gift. He didn’t send His son so we could keep that blessing to ourselves. When we accept His grace, it becomes our responsibility to share the truth of salvation with others. God’s love is a gift we can accept without having to first deserve it, and our greatest joy is found when we share His indescribable gift with others.

This season, be mindful of those who are in need. Share the indescribable gift of God.

Amber H. Massey is a freelance writer and avid horseback-rider. When she isn’t enjoying one of these two hobbies, she works with her husband at their family restaurant. Amber and her husband, Jeff, live on a small farm in Upstate South Carolina with their family of seven pets.

Read Amber’s devotions

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

 

QR Code

The Fragrance of Christ – Marcia Gaddis
avatar

Posted on by
Photo Courtesy microsoft.com

The Scent of Pine

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. 2 Corinthians 2:15 NLT

Someone said I became a writer the year my mother died. When I wrote my annual Christmas letter, I described the blue lights she hung high up on a snowy hill on our farm in Kentucky. They would twinkle their blueness to the world around and create a spell of longing in my heart.

Ah, the longing of Christmas.

That was a hard year. My mother was gone and I was missing her Christmas traditions—traditions that I would keep going in my own home. I was sad and nostalgic, letting my heart travel to unfamiliar, grief-stricken places. A new depth of Christmas longing entered my soul. I discovered through the gift of the Christ child himself, I could embrace my pain, trusting that in embracing it, something transformational happened. Through the advent of Christ, the sting of death was removed. Hope replaced my sorrow.

When I penned my sadness and loneliness with others, it became like a pine fragrance through the snowy woods for others to take in and breathe breaths of hope. Through my sorrow, I had been given the gift of writing.

Gifts come in mysterious ways.

I ask you this Christmas: How are you being transformed? How I love reading the Christmas letters of others, hearing about births, weddings, and accomplishments. But I long to hear the deeper things of how lives are being changed. Tell me what it was like when you lost your job and your neighbors rallied around you. Tell me what it was like when you were told there were no more treatment options. Tell me how you long for your son or daughter to return from war or estrangement.

You see, what happens to most of us is this: When the hard days come, we shut down, retreat, and refuse to share our hurts. Especially at Christmas, our pain is intensified and pride closes the door to transformation. But others are waiting to hear your story, waiting to breathe breaths of hope. There is always someone who needs to smell the fragrance of human life by simply sharing a memory, talking over a concern, or just being silent together.

May these days of Advent explode in wonder and grace as you ponder the transformational gift we receive at Christmas. May you find hope when you think there is none, peace when you feel unsettled, and the sweet smell of Jesus in your heart every day.

Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

Marcia Gaddis is a speaker and author of the award-winning book When God Comes Near, published in 2010. She writes a weekly column for her two blogs, The Olive Branch and Marcia Gaddis…On The Grief Journey. She began writing an online journal when her twenty-six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with the rare and fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The journal became a book of hope and healing to those who experience tragedy. At the 2011 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, her book was awarded three distinguished awards: First Place for Inspiration, The Selah Book of the Year Award, and the Director’s Choice Award for 2011. She is a graduate of the Christian Communicators Conference and a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read Marcia’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

Give Him Your Best – Linda Gliden
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy of BlueBuddies.com

The wisemen brought...Smurfs?

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!           2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

I taught kindergarten for several years. I took great pride in the accomplishments of “my” children. Every season I wrote a short drama for the children to present to their parents.

This particular Christmas program day came and the children arrived at school all shined up and bouncing with excitement. The class filed onto the stage just as practiced. The scene was a plethora of red, green, white, and wiggles.

I smiled as the first song began. Everything was going well! The children remembered to nod or smile at the appropriate moments. I relaxed and began to enjoy the presentation.

Chris stepped proudly to the microphone. Although his line didn’t come until near the end, Chris stepped up confidently. He took a deep breath and began.

“The wise men brought gifts to Baby Jesus. They brought gold, Frankenstein, and Smurfs.”

The crowd responded with an ovation that began with a twitch at the corners of their mouths and quickly spread to absolute pleasure.

Chris stood proudly for a moment more and then returned to his spot. He had done his best.

That is all any of us can do. God gave His very best gift to us. When we bring our gifts to Jesus, they don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be our best, given from a heart of love. Every accomplished task is a gift to God. Make sure you do your best and no matter what the outcome, it will be a perfect and highly suitable gift.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!


Give of your best to the Master, Naught else is worthy His love;
He gave Himself for your ransom, Gave up His glory above;
Laid down His life without murmur, You from sin’s ruin to save;
Give Him your heart’s adoration, Give Him the best that you have.
Howard B. Grose, 1851-1939

Photo courtesy of BlueBuddies.com

Linda Gilden is a freelance writer living in SC. Her recent book, Mama Was the Queen of Christmas, shares her love for Jesus’ birthday season and how it really should be a year-long celebration. Linda is also a speaker, editor, and writing coach. She has written hundreds of articles as well as the Love Notes series, Mommy Pick-Me-Ups, and has ghostwritten or contributed to over three dozen books. As Director of the CLASS Christian Writers Conference, she encourages others to clearly communicate God’s love to the world. Linda’s favorite times are those spent with family – a source of tremendous blessing  – as well as speaking and writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Read Linda’s devotions.

 

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

Auld Lang Syne? – She Said
avatar

Posted on by

Old times past

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. - 1 Timothy 4:4-5 NIV

Auld Lang Syne. Yep, Auld Lang Syne. I flipped on the food processor and hummed the song a bit louder. I get it. Wrong holiday. You don’t sing Auld Lang Syne at Thanksgiving. There was a time in my life I might have agreed, but not now.

These days I’m a bit more reflective of my life – of the holidays. The things that once mattered have taken the back seat to those that rate higher on the “meaning” scale. After all, who’s to say Auld Lang Syne isn’t appropriate for Thanksgiving? The Scottish phrase means, “old things past or old times since.” Really, what a better song?

Families gather together for good food and good conversation. Those who harbor hard feelings lay them aside, if only for a few short hours, to enjoy laughter, reminisce…”old times since.”

Sixteen years ago, late October brought the diagnosis of terminal lung cancer for my dad. He had his first round of radiation Thanksgiving week. For the most part, it was an awkward Thanksgiving. We tried to keep our happy faces showing but inside we were crushed. When Christmas came, Dad offered us a farewell speech that not only shared his gratefulness and thanksgiving but His desire to meet Christ face to face. He died in March, barely 5 months from his diagnosis.

Auld Lang Syne…old times past. I’m grateful, so grateful for them. Though the holidays were dampened that year, we spent time taking tons of family pictures. Mom and Dad, my brother and me. The kids. My brother and his wife. My husband and me. We framed them in a huge 16 x 20 frame with a verse I wrote called Legacy. Every time I go to Mom’s I find myself in front of the frame…remembering old times since. Precious times.

I’m so grateful for that time. Blessed God allowed, though somewhat sad, that last holiday with Dad to be a meaningful one.

Aren’t we the lucky ones? Born to be the children of God. Loved fully, provided for completely, cared for sufficiently. All we have to do is accept what God offers. Accept He knows best. His love is as old as the ages…Auld Lang Syne.

When you swing open the door to join your families and celebrate the holiday, remember those who are less fortunate. Think of the service men and women away from home. Lay down hard feelings and ponder the old times since then make your Thanksgiving prayer passionate and sincere.

I’ll keep humming Auld Lang Syne because I know, God loves it when I’m grateful. I’m assured He is the Alpha, Omega and the times long since

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.

Receive He Said, She Said on your Kindle!

 

 

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 $9.95

Receive He Said, She Said on your Kindle!