Tag Archives: peace

Prosper Not – Sauni Rinehart
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Prosperity is More than Money

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8, NKJV

I bought into the wrong idea. For too many years, I bought into the wrong definition of prosperity and success. I thought it meant owning the grandest home my money could buy. Driving a nicer car than my neighbor did. Having a career that, when I told people about it, would make them think, “Wow! She’s got it made!”

I became rather prosperous and successful. My husband and I bought our first home just a year into our marriage. We drove newer model cars. We took nice vacations. We bought pretty much whatever we wanted—the latest gadgets, the newest technology.

But even with all the “stuff,” I wasn’t happy. Or content. No matter what I had, I wanted more. I became more and more discontent with what I had, and I couldn’t seem to get what I thought I wanted.

Then I finally realized God’s word defines prosperity and success differently than the world does.

God promises to meet our needs. But He may not necessarily give us what we want. Having a bunch of “stuff” just isn’t important to Him—not that having it is always a bad thing. If God has blessed me with financial prosperity, as long as I realize it’s all His and I’m willing to do what He asks me to do with it, I’m probably okay.

But God’s idea of prosperity is very different than having money and what it can buy. In God’s economy, being prosperous means experiencing His blessings by doing what His word tells us to do. Recognizing that everything we have is really a gift from our Heavenly Father.

When He chooses to bless us—to make us prosperous—we should, first, be humbly grateful. And then we should surrender it all back to Him, so He can use it for His glory.

Glorifying God. That’s true prosperity.

Sauni Rinehart is a speaker, vocalist, and writer through Triple-E Ministries (www.saunirinehart.com). Visit her blog at http://saunirinehart.blogspot.com. She is also involved in worship arts and women’s ministries at her home church. She and her husband make their home in Eastvale, California.


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Fearing for a Life – Heather Spiva
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Believe it is in His Control

Don’t be afraid; just believe… Mark 5:36, NIV

If words could devastate, then the words the doctor gave me concerning my unborn child were the worst. There wasn’t going to be a child in seven months. It had died in-utero, and that was the end of it.

Death is kind of like someone pulling a bag over your head. Suddenly, I couldn’t hear, I couldn’t see, and my concentration disappeared. My thoughts were solely upon my circumstances. I had prepared for months for that child — mentally and physically adjusted everything around me. Life would change big time when that baby arrived. It was what we wanted and planned for… it was all part of the joy.

That bag was on my head for a week.

This news slipped us a fast one — that we wouldn’t hold this child in our arms…that this child didn’t fit into my life. How could I pick up where I left off? I couldn’t. That part had left, never to return. And when the days passed and I finally figured out how to move on, I believe God cared and actually had his hand on my life when the fear crept in, taking the place of shame, grief, and loss.

When Jesus was about to raise a little girl from the dead, He told Jairus, her father, not to be afraid but to believe. It was as simple as that. Everyone relates to death because it is a part of our life. Friends or family, someone we hold dear, born or unborn, will eventually die. What we don’t expect is early death. The surprise of it creates fear and sadness. Jairus despaired because he had lost hope. Here he had Jesus, the Son of God, right in front of Him and Jairus still feared; it paralyzed him.

Jairus had a bag over his head too.

This is why Jesus calmly laid a hand on his shoulder and told him to relax, not to fear, and just believe that He had everything under control.

This fear, even though Jesus decided not to resurrect my little one, is what I felt. What if I couldn’t get pregnant again? What if I lost that one too? Satan worked his way into my helplessness because he saw the weakness; he saw the propensity for me to go there; feeling like God didn’t care enough to save that child. But that isn’t like God. God’s timing is perfect and He is full of love. That’s what Jesus’ words reminded me of too.

So I trusted and believed. And today, my second son is a reminder that God is faithful to us all, especially when we believe Him.

When fear overwhelms you…believe.

Heather Spiva is a freelance writer who lives in Sacramento, CA with her children and firefighter husband. When she isn’t writing, she is reading and when she’s not reading, she’s enjoying (or trying to, anyway) the crazy and joyous atmosphere with her two rambunctious boys. Read Heather’s devotions.
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Forgotten Footprints – Tawnya Shaffer
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Footprints in Sand

You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19.

They washed away. The prints simply vanished.

As I sat in my beach chair soaking up the warmth my Midwest body yearned for all winter, I noticed the footsteps others left in the sand.  We were on a beautiful island on the gulf side of Florida. There are few places I can think of that are less inspiring than a white sand beach on the edge of that great expanse of water. God’s power and creation are evident in every creature, sound, and sunset.  Each grain of sand, sea shell, and wave echo a sound of praise for their creator.

The footprints I saw were all sizes, with different backgrounds and various owners.  Each owner possessed a unique story and walk of faith.

I took note of a single commonality. Each footstep, regardless of size and shape, were all washed away by the power of the waves. They were removed, powerfully swept away, erased and taken to the depths of the sea, never to return again—leaving no trace of the owner who walked there.

Footprints in the sand are a sign of our physical presence on the beach but also a perfect illustration of God’s faithfulness to wash away our sin. God isn’t concerned with the past, the details, or the enormity of the sin that the maker of the print possesses.  He, like the waves, washes every sin clean away, never to be seen again.  Scripture says, God will hurl them all into the sea.  What a promise.

Are you leaving footprints of an unforgiven past?  Is the guilt of choices made or words exchanged so heavy that you feel hopeless?  Remember, our footprints in God’s view are made of sand, not of permanent ink. Our heavenly father desires to wash them to the bottom of the sea, if we are willing to let Him.  We have a forgiving God who desires and delights in casting it all away, permanently.  It’s as simple as one wave washing over your life with the love and mercy of Christ.

Allow God to wash away the old and make you new today.

Tawnya Shaffer is blessed to be writing and speaking for God’s kingdom. She had been a registered nurse and pastor’s wife for over twenty-three years. Through illness and God’s direction, she began what she calls her “God-given career” as an author and public speaker. She resides in Indiana with her husband of twenty-four years, Dennis, whom she still assists in ministry.  Tawnya has four children and a grandchild.
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Hidden Pockets – Sara Holley
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Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

“Teacher,” he said, “I can’t find my pockets.” As the wind picked up at recess, one of my kindergarten students had his coat on inside out. He frantically pulled at the coat in search of his pockets. I calmly removed his coat, flipped it, and slid his arms into the sleeves. Puzzled, he tried again. This time he succeeded in putting his hands in his pockets. A smile stretched across his face and his eyes lit. “There they are.” he said. Contented, he joined his friends to play.

There are many times when I feel like I have lost something. I feel frustrated and fear takes over as I search frantically for comfort. I try everything I can to get it back—coffee with a friend, a hug from my husband, chocolate. But the truth is I haven’t lost it at all. I simply need to be still and recognize His presence. God is near and He calmly sets things right. There is no better feeling than to be found after feeling lost. Only in Him can we find the peace we seek.

When you feel lost, when you can’t find your way—be still and know He is God. He will press His hand against the small of your back and nudge you forward.

Dear Lord, help me to not be frustrated and frantic. Show me how to be still and recognize that you are with me all the time. Thank you for being calm and patient. Amen.

The writings of Sara Holley draw from her past roller coaster ride in life, including childhood as a pastor’s daughter, motherhood, divorce, poverty, multiple jobs, remarriage, and the accompanying feelings of joy, doubt, abandonment, fear, and contentment. She learned that only by loving and serving as Jesus taught, can true peace be found. Currently a kindergarten teacher holding a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on the young child, Sara fills her time loving on young children through literature and the Lord. She encourages her five grown children and three grandchildren and is devoted to her husband in the mountains above Lyons, Colorado.

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Surprise Inspection – Tami Lambertson
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For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you. Your camp must be holy so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.
Deuteronomy 23:14

Surprise inspection. Company is coming and there’s no time to clean. The kids and I implement our “Emergency-Quick-Clean” plan and the clutter is conquered just as the doorbell rings.

I scrub my house floor to ceiling each week and each time I discover hidden toys, wrinkled “masterpieces” from school, and long-lost socks. Our clutter builds. I’ve found when my home is clean and organized, everyone relaxes. We rest and have a good time — our chaos is removed right along with the layer of dirt. A polish of peace shines the surface of our home.

The Israelites rested daily in God’s peace because He was there in the camp moving, working, protecting. The burden of the law made it impossible for the Israelites to accomplish an “Emergency-Quick-Clean” before the Lord’s arrival. He dwelled in their camp as they maintained holiness. The process of sanctification was tedious and it took tremendous effort. Their diligence prevented the Lord from turning away from them.

I pray daily for the Lord’s presence to surround me; for His protection and guidance. Once a week isn’t often enough to spruce up my spiritual camp. When I let it slide, it becomes cluttered with junk. As I allow the Lord to help me clean, bitterness is exposed, deceit is swept away, and temptation is thrown to the curb. The job is finished, washed by the blood of the Lamb. How good it feels to be able to rest daily in God’s presence.

The benefits of daily maintenance and time in His Word far outweigh the hassle of scrambling for a surprise inspection. So go ahead, call on the King and let Him handle the dirty work.

Tami Lambertson is a wife, mother of three, and Women’s Ministry Leader at The Rock Church in Scottsbluff, NE. She and her husband Tyson started the church five years ago and it is considered the fastest growing congregation in western Nebraska. Tami graduated with honors from Southwestern Assemblies of God University and has a passion for seeing people move into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
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God’s Beautiful Design – Laura Hodges Poole
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…be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 NIV

One of my favorite childhood toys was a small, inexpensive kaleidoscope. I would press one end of the kaleidoscope to my eye and marvel at the red, green, blue, and yellow colors morphing into different designs as I turned the tube. No matter how long I looked, I never grew tired of it. I played with this toy until it fell apart.

Oftentimes, we get caught up in the differences in Christian worship, whether it is within a church, between denominations, or within the Christianity community as a whole. The Apostle Paul admonishes us to put aside our differences and be of one mind for the sake of peace. No matter what our personalities, tastes in worship, or how we envision our particular church progressing into the future, we’re all part of the same fabric, woven together as the body of Christ.

The fascination of the kaleidoscope was the way the colors worked together to form a pattern and then changing into another beautiful design. My brothers and sisters in Christ are just as beautiful when they pull together to accomplish good for the Kingdom. Equally important is our willingness to transform for necessary progress.

Imagine my childish disappointment when I peered into the end of my kaleidoscope one day and it no longer worked. No matter how much I turned the tube, the colors were askew as the little broken lenses didn’t come together anymore to form a beautiful design. We’ve all seen this happen within the body of Christ as well.

Are you part of the peaceful work in your church, striving to be of one mind, meshing with those around you in a beautiful godly design? If so, you’ve experienced the peace and love that God showers on His believers.

Prayer: Father God, guide me to be a fruitful part of your design within the body of believers of which I belong. Help me to keep my focus on You and not the differences amongst my brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we may do Your Kingdom work effectively. Amen.
Laura Hodges Poole is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in media such as Reach Out Columbia, Evangel, Christian Home and School, Our Town, and the Independent Mail. She currently writes Christian romance novels and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Her most recent non-fiction work includes a book she co-wrote, Laurie’s Story: Discovering Joy in Adversity. Laura lives in South Carolina with her husband and they have two children. Her passion is encouraging others in their Christian walk. Visit her blog, “A Word of Encouragement,” at laurahodgespoole.blogspot.com.
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Scraps – Lori Hatcher
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The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi.  She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”  Ruth 2:6-7

I was touring a small textile manufacturing business in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with a friend from college. Kim worked there as a supervisor, and her job was to oversee a small shift of seamstresses who spent their days making handcrafted Pennsylvania Dutch items.

As I marveled at the rows of ladies sewing at their machines, I noticed an elderly woman dressed in Amish garb moving quietly among the sewing machines. While I watched, she traveled from one work station to the next with a broom and a dustpan, sweeping up the small scraps of fabric the ladies had discarded as they cut out their patterns. Intrigued, I asked my friend about her.

“Oh, she’s been doing that for years,” she answered. “She came in one day and asked me what happened to the leftover scraps of fabric. When I told her we threw them away, she asked if she could have them.”

“What does she do with a bunch of useless scraps?” I asked.

“Believe it or not,” my friend replied, “she uses them to make quilts.” She led the way to an office area, and there on the wall hung an intricately designed Amish quilt.

“Who would have thought,” I said, “that something so beautiful could come from leftovers you throw away?”

What a comfort to know that God uses the leftovers of our lives. All the mistakes, all the failures, all the hurts, and all the pain that we would rather throw away, are raw materials in His hands. Like the little Amish lady, God moves quietly among the events of our lives, gathering up the pieces, fully able to link them together into a beautiful tapestry of grace.

Lori Hatcher is the wife of a youth minister, homeschooling mother of two lovely young adults, and a part-time dental hygienist. She is a regular contributor to South Carolina’s Reach Out Columbia magazine and author of the blog “Be Not Weary,” http://lori-benotweary.blogspot.com.
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The Power of a Secret – Jenny Smith
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Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective James 5:16 NIV

I needed comfort. Not that anyone would comfort me if they knew what I had just done.

I sank slowly to the ground in my kitchen, right in the same spot where the cabinets meet and form a v-shape. For some reason I’m drawn here every time. Maybe on some level, the closeness of the cabinets feels like someone’s comforting arms. Like I said, not that anyone would comfort me.

Tears poured down my face and I felt so helpless . . . defeated and ashamed. I’m in church weekly, a volunteer at the elementary school, and harboring a secret that, if anyone knew, would cause me to lose everything. Why can’t I get my anger under control? Why do I hurt my little ones with my words and actions over and over?

My secret was anger. The cycle was vicious. I would blow up, cry my eyes out in my corner, and then get up and act like it never happened. Deep down I wanted to change. I did everything I knew to do. I prayed. I tried and I failed, over and over. At the time, I was teaching an adult Bible class at church on the book of James. It was there, in James, where I discovered something that changed me.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

I still remember seeing those words. I started to sweat and I felt like I might throw up. I wanted God to make my anger go away, but I would never consider telling anyone. What would they do? Who would they tell? How would people treat me?

My girls were young; nine and four. I knew my anger was making their lives difficult. “Confess your faults” rolled around my head for days. One evening I passed the pastor’s wife at church. “Can we talk?” I stammered. I can’t remember exactly what I told her, but it was at that moment I changed.

The power of a secret is huge but once I pulled my secret out into the light, God showed me the steps I needed to take next to be healed.

My girls are older now and they still remember some of the bad times, but what they remember most is that Mom changed. I’m not the same anymore . . . I have been healed.

If you are hanging on to a secret, share it with a close friend and the power will be broken. Nothing is more exciting than freedom.

Jenny’s passion is sharing both her struggles and successes with women to encourage them in their own walk with Jesus. Jenny and her husband reside in Adairsville, Georgia with their three girls. You can visit Jenny’s website at www.keepinginstride.com for more resources.

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In the Shadow – Norma Thurston Holtman
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Praise be to the God…the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble…For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

A shadow fell over their lives. I recognized a striking parallel while gazing at the sunrise from my mountain home one morning as I prayed.

My dear friend died from a very aggressive cancer. Her suffering was intense, but within three months she received her ultimate healing in heaven. Before cancer confined her to bed, my friend showed the light of Christ everywhere—she talked about salvation to neighbors, co-workers, and friends.

The spiritual meaning of shadow and light were plain as I helped care for her during her last months. She became a light to others during her darkest days. Cancer—her shadow, opened doors once closed. Second Corinthians shows how our own troubles prepare and enable us to reach out to others in any kind of need. These verses secure the promise of God to be our God of compassion and comfort. No matter our situation, we need a Savior and He is there.

The sun kisses the peaks above when dark shadows still engulf the valley below my mountain home in the early morning. Suffering forced me to look upward and long for the light. The closer my friend grew to death, the greater her desire for the light. She hungered for the warmth of prayer and God’s word as the shadow of death closed its grip.

Is something casting a shadow in your life? Don’t be overcome by it. Look to the One who bore all our sufferings. Once you have received His salvation, He can give you His comfort and His light. Then share that comfort with those He brings into your life.

Norma Thurston Holtman is a former RN and homeschool/soccer mom. She is the mother of two adult children. She and her husband make their home in the mountains east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. A long-time Bible study leader, she writes a weekly devotional for her church’s website. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an aspiring novelist. She desires to use her writing to bring glory to God and encourage fellow believers. Her devotionals can be found at http://2MefromHim.blogspot.com.

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Don’t Get Comfortable – Rebecca Stuhlmiller
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Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, nor cut them out. Colossians 4:6

A couple of years ago, my husband and I traveled from the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South to speak at separate ministry events. That weekend, we were graciously invited to stay with an older couple who lived on Mobile Bay’s eastern shore.

On Saturday night, after our events, we drove to their home, rang the bell, and were greeted by our new friends and several guests they’d invited for a dinner party in our honor. The lady of the house grasped my hands. “Welcome, dear. We’re so glad you’re here. Would you like to go upstairs and freshen up before dinner?”

I stared. Freshen up? What exactly did that mean? Was I supposed to take a shower? Did she want me to change my clothes? Maybe she just meant, “Honey, you need to put on some lipstick.” But I don’t wear lipstick.

“I-I-I’m okay,” I stammered. “Thank you anyway.” Now it was her turn to stare.

I was mortified. I wanted to go upstairs, not to freshen up, but to hide where I couldn’t make any more social blunders. How was I going to make it through an entire dinner party?

That experience reminds me of how new believers must feel when they first go to church or attend a Bible study. The Pastor says, “We all know the story of Jonah.” The new Christian wracks her brain. “Did I miss it on CNN last week?” Or the Sunday school teacher asks the class to turn to Amos. She looks around. “Who’s Amos?” Can you imagine how confusing it is for her to hear, “Would you like to share your testimony with us?” She wonders, “Am I on trial?”

If we’ve been in the church for many years, we are comfortable with our Christianese. The terms, phrases, and Bible stories are woven into our vocabulary. But to a new believer, those same words sound like a foreign language, just like freshen up—which might seem obvious to some. But where I come from, we shower in the morning, get dressed, and call it good for the day.

Rebecca Stuhlmiller is a speaker, writer, and church worker whose mission is to help people live each day in a passionate relationship with God and then go out and impact their family, church, community, and world for Him. She lives with her husband Jeff on an Eastern Washington wheat farm where they raised their blended family of seven kids.
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