Hey! While most of my life was spent in Colorado, I am happy to now call Oklahoma my home. I am amazingly blessed to have a supportive and God-fearing husband who is also a terrific dad to our four kiddos (who we had in a 3 year 9 month time frame). I love to drink coffee, sing, hear people’s stories and have dance parties. I am passionate about my relationship with Jesus and desire to share that gift with every person that I meet. My hope is that I can encourage someone today with and through the Word of God and His steadfast love. ::psalm 27:4::
I remember the exact moment when I felt as though my prayers were just these wasted monologues vanishing into thin air. I was convinced that after months and months, hundreds and hundreds of prayers for my daughter Jaelyn, the Lord wasn’t going to answer them and heal her. Every morning I walked into her room hoping that it was the day she could breathe on her own. But every night I put her down with her oxygen and plead the same thing I did the night before: “Please take this from her. I can’t do this anymore.”
Did David Feel the Same Way?
I can’t help but wonder if David felt like I did while he was fleeing for his life (1 Samuel 19-30) and when he penned Psalm 13:
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
On the Run and yet Still Praying
David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), lived on the run and in hiding from Saul for up to four years, despite God’s promise to give him the throne (1 Samuel 16). Some of us look at his situation and wonder how he ever got through such a hard season of trials and tribulations without losing faith. After all, four years is a long time! More importantly, why would David go on praying when there seemed to be no answer to the cries of his heart?
Coincidentally–or better–in such godly fashion, we find the answer at the end of this same psalm of lament. Beginning in Psalm 13:5, it says:
But I trust in your unfailing love;
My heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise,
For he has been good to me.
Never Cease to Pray…and Praise
While the answer is probably simpler said than done, it does not diminish it from being truth. David was able to pray without ceasing because he was able to praise without ceasing. We see his heart clearly in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
David’s focus on God, His kingdom, and steadfast love outweighed the turmoil he personally faced. His life exemplified what Philippians 4:6 speaks of: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” He did not stop at praying and petitioning, but continued pouring out unrelenting thanksgiving to God.
David ultimately would see the prophetic word from Samuel come to fruition as he took the throne and became king. Even if he never had become king, I believe he still would have praised the Most High until his very last breath…
God Used My Prayers to Sift Me
Speaking of breath, remember my daughter Jaelyn? Finally, after fifteen months of testing, monitoring, and oxygen, she was miraculously healed one night while a friend in India prayed over her. After the excitement of her healing settled, I wondered why his prayer had been answered right away, but not mine? It didn’t take long for me to realize that God did hear my prayers. The timing of Jae’s healing had nothing to do with me. He used that season to teach and sift me so that I could see past myself into His heart. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says,
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Did you catch that?
The revelation of Jesus Christ through trials results in praise in this life and throughout eternity. To put it simply:
When we set our eyes upon Him, our hearts and prayers become Christ-centered.
When our lives become Christ-centered, we never cease to pray and seek more of Him.
When we seek Him, we will always find Him.
When we find Him, we will never cease to praise Him.
Hey! While most of my life was spent in Colorado, I am happy to now call Oklahoma my home. I am amazingly blessed to have a supportive and God-fearing husband who is also a terrific dad to our four kiddos (who we had in a 3 year 9 month time frame). I love to drink coffee, sing, hear people’s stories and have dance parties. I am passionate about my relationship with Jesus and desire to share that gift with every person that I meet. My hope is that I can encourage someone today with and through the Word of God and His steadfast love. ::psalm 27:4::
With strong faith, leadership skills, and an unprecedented power of speech, he became one of the most influential individuals in the history of this country. As a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, it comes to no surprise that every third Monday in January our nation recognizes the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Through his powerful speeches, demonstrations, and writings, King led the masses in an examination of the heart. He challenged individuals to evaluate their perception and treatment of others. He preached on having a spirit of service, peace, and love rather than that of entitlement, anger, and bitterness. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great man with a great message, but most importantly, he served a great God.
If we examined all of King’s accomplishments as well as all his trials, it would amaze us, but I’m afraid we would then lose the heart and focus of what he was trying to convey: “We must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all our actions.” Make no mistake, God had His hand upon Martin Luther King, Jr. God used MLK in a mighty way because he was willing to serve the Lord. King’s actions were a result of having a heart of a servant and the power of an almighty God.
“… Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
A Challenge for Us
Can you imagine the transformation throughout the world if each one of us was willing to serve and love God and one another as Martin Luther King Jr. did? Let this challenge us: that today and every day we will stand strong in faith and in truth, spreading the Gospel throughout the nations and leaving God’s mark on this world just as King did. Whether God calls you to serve a people locally or internationally, God is ready to use you in a mighty way. You just have to say “yes.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)
“Everybody can be great. Because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
Hey! While most of my life was spent in Colorado, I am happy to now call Oklahoma my home. I am amazingly blessed to have a supportive and God-fearing husband who is also a terrific dad to our four kiddos (who we had in a 3 year 9 month time frame). I love to drink coffee, sing, hear people’s stories and have dance parties. I am passionate about my relationship with Jesus and desire to share that gift with every person that I meet. My hope is that I can encourage someone today with and through the Word of God and His steadfast love. ::psalm 27:4::
If there is one thing I’ve learned from being a mom over the last six and a half years, it’s that my words have a powerful impact in the lives of my four kiddos. Almost every syllable that has come out of my mouth has been absorbed, regurgitated, and spewed out in some form or fashion by them, whether good or bad. It constantly reminds me of Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” You see, as parents we have been given an incredible opportunity to build our children up through our teaching, prayer, and encouraging words, but at the same time, we have the ability to speak words that may cause confusion, anger, disappointment, or pain. If you’re like me, this somewhat heavy truth makes you wonder, “How do I keep from saying the wrong thing? How do I speak life into my children?”
Well, beloved, the sweetest answer lies in 2 Peter 1:3:
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
“Everything we need.”
Let those words just sink in for a moment. Everything…
Wisdom…
Grace…
Love…
Understanding…
Forgiveness…
His Word…
His Spirit…Everything.
Friend, God would have never entrusted those “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) babes to us without first giving us the wisdom, strength, self-control, and understanding we need to raise them.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
He truly has given us everything we need to do this parenting thing according to His will, but the part that we sometimes miss is that we must be willing to seek out and accept His help. In other words, in order for us to speak gentle words full of love, kindness, and goodness to our children, we must first be filled with those things. And the only way to be filled with those is to meditate on His Word day and night as we draw closer to Him.
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.”
The foundation of our parenting needs to be Scripture and Spirit. The more we seek God, the more we understand Him. The more we understand Him, the easier it is to submit to Him. When we submit to Him, His truth transforms our hearts. When our hearts are transformed, our lives will change. When our lives change, we change the lives of our children in a mighty and awesome way.
Speak Life through the Word
So, what do you say, friend?
Are you ready to speak words of truth and life into our kids?
If so, let’s start with letting Him first fill our lives through His perfect Word.
“… For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Hey! While most of my life was spent in Colorado, I am happy to now call Oklahoma my home. I am amazingly blessed to have a supportive and God-fearing husband who is also a terrific dad to our four kiddos (who we had in a 3 year 9 month time frame). I love to drink coffee, sing, hear people’s stories and have dance parties. I am passionate about my relationship with Jesus and desire to share that gift with every person that I meet. My hope is that I can encourage someone today with and through the Word of God and His steadfast love. ::psalm 27:4::
Picture yourself alone in an empty, darkened room. Everywhere you look, all you see is the color black. You keep opening and closing your eyes, hoping they will eventually adjust to the darkness, but nothing changes. You can’t even make out the outline of your own hand as you lift it right in front of your face. But as you begin to put your hand down, something grabs your attention in front of you. It’s so far away you can barely see it, but you’re confident in what it is…light. It’s barely visible, but undoubtedly it’s there. At first you are filled with excitement knowing it exists, but then you realize that you are no longer alone, that there is something or someone in the room with you. It is so dark you are unsure of who or what it is, but you can feel a presence and it is not one of comfort or peace.
The light once again grabs your attention and is drawing you in, but you know you’ll have to fight walking through the darkness to get there. You decide to risk leaving your comfort in pursuit of the light. As you begin to take that first step, you bump your elbow. It doesn’t feel good, but you’re more focused on your purpose than what is getting in your way, so you press on. You are able to take a couple more steps without running into anything, but as you get closer to the light, the presence in the room gets stronger and closer, and it gets harder and harder to navigate the darkness. As you encounter more and more resistance and obstacles, the harder it is to keep going. At one point, you even stop in your tracks and start to wonder if the light is really worth it.
Friend, this is the feeling of spiritual warfare. It exists. It is not only something that is very real, but something we can count on facing when we decide to seek a life following Christ.
Now, don’t be misled. Every single person on this earth will face pain and heartache; that’s the consequence of living in a sinful world. But there is a difference between encountering daily struggles derived from fleshly desires and disobedience, then there are purposeful, intentional attacks of the enemy.
The enemy of our souls is no fool. He knows that the closer you get to God in your walk and the deeper your relationship and character grow, the more impact you will make for God’s kingdom here on earth. So what does he do? He goes for your Achilles’ heel, the very spring of encouragement, joy, and passion in your life to hinder you from growing. Whether it be your faith, children, marriage, job and/or health, he knows where to try and hurt you.
But here is the thing, friend: we don’t need to tremble with fear and hide from the enemy and all his darkness. No, he needs to hide from us…the very light of Christ.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others…” – Matthew 5:16
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
“I (Christ) have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy…” – Luke 10:19
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved…” – Hebrews 10:39
“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can human beings do to me?” – Psalm 118:6
Picture yourself in that dark room again, but this time, imagine your entire body being illuminated with the power, light, and glory of Christ. As you press on with every single step, the darkness has no choice but to vanish. It may try to push back and attack, but you stand firm in your faith and grow in spirit. You begin to quickly learn and discern what areas are tender and prone to attack and are able to prepare for the warfare through prayer and meditation on the Word. But most importantly, with the power and authority of the name of Jesus, no weapon formed against you prospers and you ultimately reach the light.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:13
“… Be prepared in season and out of season…keep your head in all situations, endure hardship…” – 2 Timothy 4:2, 5
You see, Christ has already won the war. It is finished. We just have to make sure we keep our eyes on that light of truth and not lose our footing.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I (Jesus) have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
“… in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:37-39
“Your sins have been forgiven on account of his name…because you know him who is from the beginning…because you have overcome the evil one… because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you… “ – 1 John 2:12:14
So what do you say, beloved?
Are you going to shrink back or are you going to finish this life fighting?
Hey! While most of my life was spent in Colorado, I am happy to now call Oklahoma my home. I am amazingly blessed to have a supportive and God-fearing husband who is also a terrific dad to our four kiddos (who we had in a 3 year 9 month time frame). I love to drink coffee, sing, hear people’s stories and have dance parties. I am passionate about my relationship with Jesus and desire to share that gift with every person that I meet. My hope is that I can encourage someone today with and through the Word of God and His steadfast love. ::psalm 27:4::
“… Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten…” –John 6:2-13
The remarkable story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is nothing short of a miracle and I suppose that is why so many of us remember it from our childhood Sunday school class. It also happens to be one of my favorite passages, with all the depth that is hidden in the corners of each word and sentence; so much so, that I will have to force myself to be short and precise. So, please forgive me for the possible lack of creativity and wit, but this stuff is too good not to share. Can I get an amen? Well, if not now, after you read this and see how amazing God is, I’m sure those “Amens” will come naturally.
The Lord Provides
Friends, please just take a moment and bask in that truth: the Lord provides. Here, we see Him provide food for five thousand grown men basically out of nothing, but if we look all throughout scripture, we will see Him providing exactly what is needed in that exact moment:
For Adam, it was a wife and a helpmate (Genesis 2:18)
For Abraham, it was a sacrifice (Genesis 22:14)
For the Israelites, it was freedom (Exodus 12), protection (Exodus 14:14), daily manna (Exodus 16), water (Exodus 17)… Okay, we will stop there. I’m sure you get the point. God didn’t let His chosen people down.
It is truly evident how Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our Provider, is constantly giving to us in big and small ways.
Providing Enough
Jesus was not only able to feed all those grown hungry men with only a few loaves and a couple fish, but they were able to eat “as much as they wanted.” They ate until they were full! How incredible is that? God not only provides, but what He provides is sufficient enough. Again, in Exodus 16, we see that when He provided fresh manna every morning for the Israelites, “Each one gathered just as much as they needed.” God doesn’t just give us a small taste of something in hopes that it will keep us content for a while. No, He gives and gives until we are completely satisfied.
Providing Abundance
Together we’ve discovered that God is our Provider and gives until we are completely fulfilled. He knows our needs and is faithful to fulfill those. But here’s the thing friend, He doesn’t stop there. In fact, He often gives us more than we even need to the point of overflowing. Remember our friends the Israelites? They were told to collect what manna they needed, but to leave the remainder (Exodus 16:19) and then twice in Leviticus (19:10 and 23:22), the Lord instructs His people to not be greedy but leave a remainder of their harvest for the poor. And lastly, let us not forget those fully satisfied men on the mountain who were instructed to not let anything go to waste (John 6:12). You see, He gives and gives until our hunger is satiated and we are able to give to others what we have freely been given (Matthew 10:8).
(Friend, I just want to acknowledge you and thank you for not giving up!
You’ve stuck with me thus far and now it is time to land the plane…)
Now, keeping in mind all that we’ve covered, let us read John 6:35 together:
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…’”
Beloved, HE is our bread of life.
HE satisfies our hunger.
HE alone is sufficient.
HE fulfills us to the point of overflowing.
HE is not to be wasted, but to be shared with those in need of HIM.
… If we were to plug this beautiful and humbling truth back into what we originally read, it would read something like this…
“Jesus then took of Himself, gave thanks, and gave all of Himself to those who were seated, as much as they wanted. When they all had been satisfied in Him, He said to his disciples, ‘Gather that which is left. Don’t let any part of my love… my grace… my truth… my sacrifice… perish. Give freely to those what you have been freely given. This bread of life isn’t just for you or to end with you. It is to flow out of you and give others life….’”
If we examined all of King’s accomplishments as well as all his trials, it would amaze us, but I’m afraid we would then lose the heart and focus of what he was trying to convey: “We must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all our actions.” Make no mistake, God had His hand upon Martin Luther King, Jr. God used MLK in a mighty way because he was willing to serve the Lord. King’s actions were a result of having a heart of a servant and the power of an almighty God.
Providing Enough
