The Names of God

When I was a little girl my Pappy would call me his Peach or Peaches. My dad had a nickname for me too, he called me Buckaroo. When I played basketball in middle school my nickname was Little Red. In high school some of the kids called me James. While in college I had a group of friends that would switch the first and last initials and we would all call each other different names. I was, Limmie Jee. I fondly remember all these names. I can remember the person who started the nickname and look back affectionately on those relationships and what they meant to me at the time. 

I met my husband in college and quickly learned that names were also important in his family. The funny and also sweetest thing is how their nicknames for each other would morph. I can’t remember all of them. The best way for me to explain it is that they started out as one name, take Kenyan for example (my husband’s running nickname), and morphed into something completely different, like Yommers. Kenyan to Yommers? See hard to explain. Nonetheless it was an endearing quality I experienced in his family and he somehow now affectionately calls me Bagel. You’ll have to ask him how that started! (Because I can’t remember) He mostly just calls me babe though and rarely calls me by my actual name, Jimmie Lee. 

My oldest calls me “Hey Mom” and my youngest calls me mommy. 

That is approximately 9 different names I have had over my life time, not including my actual name. I have a feeling you might have some nicknames amongst your people too! Now let me tell you why I’m writing about names today...

Way back in October I participated in something called a “Hand Lettering Challenge” on Instagram. This consisted of using hand lettering to create a piece of art for each day’s prompt and then posting a picture. The prompts for that month were some of the names of God. Did you know that God has a whole lot of different names?! 

Each time I would hand letter the name for that day, I would also look up the scripture for that particular name. And it occurred to me that each person God has a relationship with has a different name for him. Many times it came from a promise or God’s faithfulness in that person’s life.  It made me think of all the different names I’ve had and all the different names I’ve had for people in my life and it just clicked and made sense. 

Each name had a special meaning to that person. For Hagar it was El Roi, the God who sees (Genesis 16:13) For Abraham it was Jehovah Jireh, God provides (Genesis 22:14). For Jesus it was ABBA, Papa (Galatians 4:6-7).

And of course during this season, it’s no different. He is Jesus, the babe who came through Mary. Emmanuel, God with us. Christ the Messiah. Prince of Peace. Yeshua, Deliverer. And so much more!

I have heard people be confused about how God could have so many different names. But I’m excited that through this hand lettering venture, God taught me a simple explanation that I’m so grateful for! 

Which one of God’s names resonates with you? What promises has He fulfilled in your life that brought you deeper into relationship with Him? How have you seen His faithfulness?

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

I Should Be...

I should be freaking out right now.  In fact, I should have been freaking out for a month now, at least. 

Deadlines.
Business/work pressures.
Kids.
Responsibilities.
Unexpected bad news.
Holidays.

The month of November has been full of ups and downs. And there’s every indication that December will be more of the same. But this season has been different for me. It would not be unusual for me to have mini meltdowns silently in my head for weeks, fretting over the things on the list above, only to have it all spill out in a major meltdown with tears and snot bubbles.

But this season, I’m finding myself much less stressed.  Things I used to worry about no longer cause my stomach to clench in knots.  In fact, I’m going to be bold and say that this season has been a season of peace. Now don’t get me wrong, I have shed some tears and had a couple moments of silent panic this month but it has not overtaken me.  

So what is different for me this month than in the past? My thoughts.

Philippians 4:6 instructs us not to be anxious about anything.  We are told to bring our prayers and requests to God with a thankful heart.  And then when we do that, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.  

But, you might say, “I’ve done that and I am still fearful, worried, stressed, etc....”

Well, let’s keep reading in Philippians, because this is key to moving forward...

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

After you have prayed, after you have cried out to God – where do your thoughts go? Are they heading back into the mire of worry and stress?  Are they diving deep into the dark unknowns? Are you trying to be two steps ahead of whatever is chasing you down?

As I have navigated this month, I’ve tried to be very careful and purposeful in where my thoughts go.  And I’m not talking about “the power of positive thinking” here.  I’m talking about focusing my thoughts on Christ. After I have prayed and allowed God’s peace to wash over me, I’ve been careful to not let my thoughts wander but to keep them focused on God. My desire is to hold on to the peace He has graciously given me.

“You keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Where are your thoughts heading today? What’s trying to dominate your mind? May I offer up a bit of direction? Here’s where I have been trying to steer my thoughts to lately... 

Whatever is true – remembering all I know about God from what He has revealed in His Word.
Whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable – focusing in on Jesus and all He has done for me.
Whatever is excellent or praiseworthy – keeping my eyes open for all God is doing right now in front of me and thanking Him for it!

I hope that helps you, sweet friend, as much as it has been helping me!  May we move forward with our thoughts fixed on Christ and resting in the abundant peace that only He can give!

Post by: Marcy Gates

Whatever They Do...

Recently while I was at work one day, a customer wrote out a check to pay for her purchase. As I wrote down the information from her driver’s license, I noticed that she was born in 1924! My immediate thought was a question, “I wonder what she thinks about our culture today and the way the world has changed?” I kind of wanted to ask her out for a cup of coffee! I had so many questions! But a lot of times, I’m still shy, so I never asked her because I thought she would think I was weird.

The next day while I was counting money in the office, there was a note on her check for me. It read, “Was this woman really 93?!” It made me chuckle a little. But I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much life this woman has seen. What was it like in 1924? How have things changed for the better? How have things changed for the worse? 

And then I thought about the people in my life who have come before me, my great aunts and uncles, my grandparents, my parents, etc. I thought about the legacy they have left on my life and the legacy they have left on the lives of my children.

Our “Young Fishers of Men” series at West Ridge that Pastor John just took us through also came to mind. And I just felt an overwhelming thankfulness that I’m part of a church community who is passionate about investing in our young people. Another question I wanted to ask that 93-year-old customer was what she thought about this younger generation. As the parent of a teenager, and a leader in our youth group, I must say that I think this new generation gets a bad rap. Much like with anything else, you can’t really know about something unless you spend time learning about it. I have to say the teenagers in my life tend to blow me away over and over again. They struggle with the same things that I struggled with is a teenager and probably the same things that you struggled with as a teenager too. But ultimately the way they think, their heart, their passion, it all just blows me away!

I remember needing somebody in my corner when I was a teenager and young adult. I am proud to be part of a community that is going to stand in the next generation’s corner, cheer them on, and help them rise up to be the individuals that God made them to be. As we talked about in the series, so many young people in the Bible served God and changed the world for His kingdom and for His glory. We learned that age doesn’t matter, God can use anybody for His purposes. It’s with this perspective that we choose to move forward and invest in God’s kids of all ages!

And I just love when God makes these little connections for me whether it is between a sermon series at church, Bible verses in my devotional time, or whatever the case may be.  When these little connections pop up it’s a reminder to me that God cares and that He listens and that He still speaking.

At West Ridge, we are in a new series called, “Bless”. When we were discussing this past Sunday’s message in our small group, the end of Psalm 1:3 stood out to me, “...whatever they do, prospers.” (I’ll post the entire verse at the end of my post.) When a person follows the decrees of the Lord, whatever they do prospers.

Immediately my children, and their peers popped into my head! You see God is blessing and His blessing is eternal. Whatever they do, prospers. My children, your children, your neighbor’s children, they are a blessing from God. Much like a tree, children grow, develop, mature... they prosper! You want to see God’s blessing in your life? I challenge you to invest in a young person! Be their cheerleader, their shoulder to cry on, point them to the Word that will root them like a tree planted by the water. (Amen!) I’ll leave you with this key verse from the current West Ridge series“Bless”...

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

Lessons Learned from This Is Us

Pictured: (l-r) Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Milo Ventimiglia as Jack

Ron Batzdorff/NBC | 2016 NBCUniversal Media , LLC

I think half of America has been wondering how exactly Jack Pearson died.  And the other half wants to know who Jack Pearson is and why their wives cry so much on Tuesday nights! Ha! But seriously, the NBC show “This is Us” has captured the attention of so many of us.  It is one of the most highly watched shows on tv right now.

Last fall, NBC was hyping “This is Us” big time. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to get invested in a new show. But after the first 15 minutes, I was hooked.  The characters on this show – the Pearson family, the love they have for each other, their life situations – all of it was so relatable.  So very real.  I watched and cried through the first season.  And I was counting down the days till new episodes began THIS year!  The family portrayed in this story is so endearing.  As you flash back and forth from their present story lines to their childhood memories, you get glimpses of what events occurred in their pasts that have shaped them and how they handle life now.

After the cry fest that was the first episode of this new season a few weeks back, I realized something...  Each one of the characters on this show, they would stick with me for days.  I would think to myself, “Ah if only Kate would do this...” or “Randall is going through this because he never dealt with...”

And that’s when God opened my eyes to this... “They never emptied their hurt pocket.”   

I’m sad to say, the Pearson family is not real.  BUT...  The issues each of the characters struggle with, their ups and downs – this is what makes people want to watch them every Tuesday night.  We can relate to them on some level. And if their story resonates so deeply with us, the viewer, then many of us have probably experienced the same hurts and problems as well.

If you haven’t watched the show, basically, the characters are haunted by the unresolved pain, hurt, and guilt they feel over their father’s (Jack Pearson) untimely death.  Seemingly, every choice they made moving forward in their lives was a result of that initial pain (with a few other childhood hurts thrown in there too).  But the death of their dad is a pain that runs so deep, one of them can’t even bring herself to speak the words to explain to her fiancé just exactly how her dad died! It’s just too gut-wrenching for her.

I know, you may be saying, hold on... Just what is a “hurt pocket”? Well basically, as Jimmy Evans puts it, it’s where we “store” up the pain we have experienced in life.  Often we carry with us hurt, guilt, rejection, and shame.  When we don’t deal with these issues (hello, I’m talking about YOU fictional Pearson family!) they will accumulate within our hearts. Thus, filling up our hurt pocket.

All of those accumulated and unresolved hurts, the build-up of all that pain...  well, we see that played out in “This is Us” for the Big 3, as Jack Pearson affectionately nicknamed his 3 kiddos. Kate struggles with her eating habits, body image, and self-confidence.  Her relationship with her mother is strained and she dreads her visits.  Kevin is an actor in Hollywood, constantly seeking approval and affirmation from others, codependent on his sister, Kate, often feeling like his family is a burden and a blessing all at once. Randall suffers from anxiety, wrestles with his identity as he was adopted into the Pearson family as a baby, deals with perfectionism, and at times is a workaholic.

Oof.  That’s a ton right there.  But it is a lot of stuff so many of us have experienced or are even dealing with this very moment. 

So what can we learn from a fictional family on tv? Plenty. This family is an example of what happens when people neglect dealing with their past hurts.  Listen, unresolved pain and hurt, it’s not good.  These characters show us that our physical, mental, and relational health is compromised when our hurt goes unaddressed.  When we hide it or stuff it down, it manifests itself. As Pastor John mentioned in the “Free Indeed” Series at West Ridge, time does not heal all wounds. 

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:32-36 (NIV)

Our pain can only be healed in the presence of God.  Jesus wants us free from the pain of the past. The restoration and freedom we are so desperate for can only be found by bringing our “hurt pocket” to the Lord.  We have to stop hiding and allow Him to gently address these areas and do His healing work in our hearts. And it’s so worth it.  My life – my very real, nonfictional story is a testimony of this. It is worth it ladies. So, so worth it.

How can we, in our real, not made-for-tv lives empty our “hurt pocket”?  The first step requires you bringing all of your stored up hurts to God.  Share your pain with the Lord honestly.  There’s no need to sugar coat it because, my friends, God already knows all the details anyway.  The next step is taking responsibility for your own responses to the hurt and confessing to any sin in your life.  Lastly, allow God’s mercy to flow into your heart so that you can show mercy as well.   This means forgiving yourself and forgiving others.  Sometimes that can be difficult, but if God has forgiven you, shouldn’t YOU forgive YOU too?

Do I think the fictional characters on this secular tv show will bring their “hurt pockets” to Jesus? I’m guessing, probably not.  But you can.  Kate, Kevin, & Randall Pearson will probably continue to move through life carrying pain and allowing the hurts from their past to affect their present.  But for you... Your very real hurt, your very real pain – you can take that to God this instant, this very minute, and allow Him to heal you... That’s my prayer for you today, sweet friend...  If you are struggling, wrestling with old hurt, may you find healing, in Jesus’ name... Amen.

Post by: Marcy Gates

The Little That Things Stick

Posting what I'm about to write actually feels really vulnerable to me. I've written vulnerable things before but typically they are past vulnerabilities not real time, current vulnerable things. So here it goes... A walk through my mind and heart so to speak...

No matter how hard we try, the little things stick. I'm talking about little things that people might say or do to us. Or maybe random things we read. Those little things begin to shape us. Sometimes they can shape us for the better; other times, not so much. And thrown in between can be downright lies. We are not always aware of the lies, or how the little things shape us. 

When I was a preteen I remember reading a devotional. The devotional talked about how the grass isn't always greener on the other side. The context was marriage and the example had to do with laundry. And the only other thing I remember is leaving that devotional time with this thought, "It doesn't really matter how your spouse folds the towels, the important part is that they are folding towels."

I don't know why I remember this. I don't know why my little teen devotional magazine was talking that in depth about marriage. But, I'm glad it did, because I think this concept has helped me in my marriage. A little thing that stuck with me that I didn't put there on purpose. 

When I was about 18 or 19 years old, a co-worker said something to me that shaped the way I thought about myself as a mother. I was going to college full time and I worked part time at a grocery store. My son, would stay with my dad. The grocery store was basically on the same route to and from school. Often times I would stop to get my paycheck either on my way to school or on my way home. A weekly occurrence at the time. But one day a co-worker said something along the lines of, "Geez, what do you do? I never see you with your kid."

I remember feeling shocked, then sad and guilty, then angry. I wanted to explain myself, "Well, you only see me while I'm working or on my way to and from school! I obviously wouldn't have my child with me during those times!" Humpf! But her words stung. And they settled deep. And for a long time, I operated out of that lie. That I somehow wasn't a good enough mom because she never saw me with my son. That I was somehow not spending enough time with him. It was a downright lie. One that I held onto for a long time. At some point I was able to uproot that lie and get free, but that one little thing, it shaped me. 

Fast forward to today. During Pastor John's 'Free Indeed 'series at West Ridge, he talked about lies we believe versus the truth that sets us free. And I realized that there are these little things, lies, which I've let stick and have been operating out of. The vulnerable part here, I don't know what all of them are right now, but I know that they are there. So I'm asking God to show them to me, to reveal them so I can cut them off and move on. It might take some time (mostly because I can be stubborn sometimes) but I know God will continue to set me free. 

I think that's why it's so important to stay "plugged in". Plugged in to church community, small groups, serving, reading God's Word, worshipping. Little by little God's breaking down the little things that stick. And I'm so glad He's not done with me yet! The best is yet to be! 

While reading this were you reminded of little things that stuck with you?  Were there good and/or bad things? How do you combat the lies? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

I Had His Poster on My Wall...

I had his poster on my bedroom wall. I watched every game he played.  If there was a news article or picture of him, I cut it out and put it on my bulletin board.  I had his jersey with his name and number on the back and wore it while I cheered him on. I wanted to know everything about him. I even wrote him a fan letter.  (You guys, it was ’89.  Social media wasn’t a thing yet.)  At 13, I knew that the chances of meeting him face to face were slim to none. But I still hoped that somehow, I would run into him and tell him how cool I thought he was. 

Fast forward to 2010, through a string of events, I was going to be attending a fancy dinner event that was honoring this very person!  A person that I had wanted to meet live, in-person for ages!  I was a crazy mix of nervous-excited. 

At the dinner party, I scanned the room looking for the man of the hour.  My husband leaned over to me and said, “I’ll make sure you get introduced to him.” My gracious spouse knew all about this guy and thought it was hilarious that I was anxious about actually being introduced to this person and shaking his hand.

Then it happened.  This fella made his way over to our side of the room. My husband introduced himself first, then introduced me.  I could not believe this moment was happening!  My inner 13 year old was squealing with joy while my adult self was trying to come up with some words of encouragement to share with this person.

No joke, my head was spinning as I was trying to take in every single detail about the moment.  I just kind of stood there in awe.  My thoughts were racing as I tried to converse with this person all while being blown away that after YEARS of daydreaming about it, this moment was happening! I’m pretty sure there was just a bunch of babble coming out of my mouth as I noticed how this guy stood, how he tied his tie, how he had scars on his arms, and the strength of his grasp as he shook my hand. 

So why am I sharing this story with you? When a devotional challenged me to focus my thoughts on heaven recently, this event came to mind.  And I began to wonder... Will I act the same way when I meet Jesus?

Heaven just isn’t a subject I dwell on much.  I kind of feel like whatever I imagine isn’t even going to come close to what it will really be like, so why try? And is anyone else ever frustrated that it’s never mentioned in the Bible what Jesus looked like?  How tall was He? What color were His eyes? What did His laugh sound like?

But I've realized it’s good to focus our thoughts on heaven: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Phil. 3:14 (NLT) Heaven is our prize! Our great reward for running our race well.  And while my thoughts dare to dream about it, my heart longs to be with my Savior.  

Think about it...  I’ve followed Jesus for years. I bought His book : )  I read His Words and cling to them.  In fact, I have memorized them.  His name often stops me in my tracks and I am constantly on the lookout for all He is doing.

Honestly, I do long for the day I am in the presence of Jesus in heaven.  I believe one day I’ll bow at His Feet in worship, then throw my arms around Him and thank Him.  As I struggle to put together the words for how much He means to me; I will try to take it all in.  Oh for the day to finally see with my eyes His stance, to hear His laugh with my ears, to touch the His scars as I take His hands!

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.  And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.” Revelation 22: 3-4 (NLT) {Emphasis mine}

Friends, allow your heart and mind to dwell on heaven today.  Linger in this... One day, we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and it will be more amazing than we have ever dreamed!

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 (NIV)

Post by: Marcy Gates

All In

I have experienced many seasons of waiting on the Lord. Waiting for God to open doors, answer prayers or provide answers. Some of these waiting seasons were short, some long, some longer. Some even came with no answers; where whatever I was waiting for didn't come to fruition.

And you know what? I can't say I'm that great at waiting. Usually when there is something I know I want, I'm not content until I have it. Ouch! That actually hurt a little bit to admit. But it's true. I have a hard time being content in seasons of waiting, when I think I know exactly what I want and I just have to have it. Can you relate? At least a little?

I feel like I've been waiting on this one particular thing for an undesirable amount of time and God keeps giving me this word... Contentment.

Then I read an Instagram post about being “all in” in the season you are in even if it's not what you want, or if you are waiting for the next thing. And it just settled right on my heart. I feel like for so many years I've always been "waiting for the next thing" or phase in life. I mean seriously, I could not wait to be an adult. Like, could not wait! I dreamed about all the ways adulthood would be perfectly awesome.  Now that I'm here, I'm like... (raises hand) "Can I get a refund?"

But seriously, all that time I spent focused on the next phase, left me feeling utterly discontent with the phase right under my nose. So it makes sense now that God keeps pointing me to contentment.

I'm reminded of a story in the Bible that talks about a young girl named Rebecca. I first learned about Rebecca while doing one of our women's Bible studies on the book, “The Blessed Woman” written by Debbie Morris. The chapter on Rebecca talks about serving while you wait. If I remember correctly the chapter was geared more toward the single gals, but when I think about being “all in” in your current season, I'm reminded of Rebecca's part in the story.

This particular story is about Abraham's servant traveling back to Abraham's homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Along the way he seeks God's guidance and comes across Rebecca. (Spoiler alert: Rebecca is the ONE God has in mind!) I just want to look at this one part about Rebecca that stands out. Genesis 24:17-20 tells us that after the servant asks her for water, she gives him a drink and then offers to get water for all of his camels.

“When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking." So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.” Genesis 24:19-20 (ESV)

This stands out to me because Rebecca goes above and beyond. She doesn't just give the man a drink, she makes sure the camels are taken care of too. This required multiple trips to and from the well to get enough water for the camels. She joyfully served the people (and animals) right in front of her face.

We don't know if Rebecca was waiting for God to send her a husband or not but let's assume that was a desire in her heart. She didn't sit at home, woe is me, ignoring her responsibilities, or wishing for things to be different or better (ahem, it's just me who does this, I'm sure!) She participated in her “right now” life, and she was all in. Seeing this in Rebecca's life is an encouragement to me. I think she was all in because she was content. I think that is the secret to contentment, right? Being ALL IN in the season right in front of your nose, your real “right now” life; showing up, serving the people around you, and meeting the needs that are right there, right now. It's good to dream and plan but don't let that get in the way of being content.

God desires his children to be content in the good things He's given us, gifted to us. When we choose contentment, when we choose to be “all in” we are blessed!

“That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:13 (NIV)

Ladies, if you struggle with contentment, if you are in a season of waiting, or perhaps the waiting has been a long road, I am right there with you! Let's learn from Rebecca. We can choose to serve while we wait. We can choose to be content. And the first step is being ALL IN! Amen? Amen!

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

She Did What?! (Part 2)

Thanks for meeting me back here for Part 2!!  If you missed Part 1 of our story, you can catch up right here: She Did What?! (Part 1)

So when we left "Bible Times" on Friday, Deborah and Barak had defeated the army that was on the verge of attacking them and the leader of the enemy army, Sisera, was on the RUN...

Sisera is in full on escape mode when he finds his way to the tent of Jael.  Sisera assumed that since Jael’s hubby was on peaceful terms with his boss, King Jabin, that this tent would be a safe place to hide out for a while.  Ummm.... Let’s just see...

Jael went out and greeted Sisera.  She invited him in to the tent, told him to make himself at home, and covered him with a cozy blanket (I envision a soft chenille and not some scratchy wooly thing, lol!) He asks for a drink of water and Jael does one better! She gives him some milk. So our girl Jael is really pulling out all the stops.  (Think Martha Stewart with a Pinterest worthy tent, lol!)

Sisera is feeling pretty comfy at this point. So much so that he orders Jael to stand at the entrance of her tent and instructs her to lie... 

“Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’” Judges 4:20 (NIV)

Now, I’m not too sure about you but I can just imagine our girl, Jael, screaming inside her own head at this point.  Like, “No, you did NOT just say that to me!!!”  Because while Sisera believed that tent was a safe place, that he had found a friend in a land of foes, he was dead wrong...

“But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.” Judges 4:21 (NIV)

Now’s the time to say – SHE DID WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Jael killed Sisera.  With a tent peg.  To the head!

Whew. Sounds crazy, right? But listen, there’s a big lesson to learn from Jael too just like we did with Deborah.  She recognized the enemy and did not hesitate to stop him in his tracks.  How about you? Have you determined the enemy in your tent?  Are you eliminating it?

Listen, I am not saying take a tent peg to your husband because he keeps snoring.  What I am saying is this, we all have an enemy we need to face.  The sooner you address it, the better.  And, I’m not going to sugar coat this, our enemy is Satan.  Often in our lives, we allow things to defeat us and they may have been things we welcomed into our lives, our households, our “tents” so to speak.  My encouragement to you is to be alert.  Be aware of when the enemy is trying to gain a foothold in your life.  And then address it.  Put a stop to it with the tools God has given you (His armor, Ephesians 6:10-19) because you can!

That’s what our heroine Jael did. She saw the enemy trying to make himself at home in her tent, where she lived.  She knew that she had the ability to remove whatever was not for God and/or from God from her home.  And she went to work.  She didn’t run away from it.  She didn’t sneak out behind her tent to talk to the other ladies and get their advice.  She recognized evil and immediately took a stand. 

My friends, we too, can take a stand.  Let’s look at Deborah and Jael as examples of strong, righteous women of God.  They positioned themselves to be used by Him and did not waiver.  They knew what God wanted them to do and were obedient to Him. And through their obedience, God used them for amazing things!

Post by: Marcy Gates

She Did What?! (Part 1)

Ladies, for our time together today let’s take it back to what my kiddos refer to as “Bible Times”. Yes, we are digging into the Old Testament!  Now don’t click away from me just yet! I know sometimes when we hear that we will be focusing in on the Old Testament we inwardly groan and wonder if this is going to be a dry, boring story filled with a long list of people’s names we can’t pronounce. Well, this, is NOT that kind of post my friend!  Stick with me because I’m telling you, you are going to get to the very end of this story and say to yourself, “She did what?!”

We are going to dive into Judges 4 but first allow me to set the scene... The Israelites were in a period of time where they experienced highs and lows in their relationship with God.  They would closely follow the Lord, trusting in Him, and walking obediently with Him.  But then...  well, then they would fall away.  They would start worshipping false gods and drift away from the Lord for whatever was new and shiny.  They would become disobedient and ultimately fall into sin.  And since sin has consequences, God allowed the enemies of the Israelites to overtake them. When the Israelites cried out to God for help, God answered by raising up a judge to lead the people and help guide them back to Him.  Deborah is one of those such people – a judge!

From the very beginning of Deborah’s story, the amazing thing about her is that she was ready and willing to be used by God.  She led a life that placed her in a position to be used for God’s kingdom.  That makes me want to take a look at my own life for a second.  Am I in a position to be used by God? Am I living a life pleasing to Him? Goodness, I sure hope so!  I want to be living a righteous life, listening for God’s voice and walking obediently with Him.  And if there’s an area where I am not, I want to be sure to bring it to Him.  If there is sin in my life, I need to come to God for forgiveness.

But back to our gal, Deborah... So one day, Deborah is out there, performing her “judge duties” and she gets a word from the Lord.  In Judges 4, she passes it along to Barak (and no, not Barak Obama, lol!) who was a captain in the Israelite army...

“She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor.  I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”  Judges 4:6-7 (NIV)

Basically, Deborah is telling Barak what needs to be done to defeat their enemies.  Now, let’s just take a step back and look at this.  First, Deborah was in a position to hear clearly from the Lord. Which, don’t we all want that?! I love when the still, small Voice of God whispers straight to my heart! Second, she didn’t hesitate to deliver the word she as given. Listen, I know sometimes as women, we second guess, well... everything! We wonder, “Did I hear correctly? What will this person think?” And so on.  But I want to encourage you, if you believe that you earnestly received a word from the Lord for another person, share it with them!  If it lines up with the truth of scripture, if it will encourage and/or build that person up, please share what God has given you. 

Returning to the story... What does Barak do with this information? Basically he tells Deborah, “I’ll do it but only if you come with me.” (verse 8) Deborah agrees, once again showing wisdom, patience, and trust in the Lord.  I mean, listen, girlfriend is going into a battle that God told her they would win. She’s trusting God to keep her, Barak, and their army from getting crushed.  That’s showing some major trust in the Lord!

So, Deborah, Barak, and the army march off to battle King Jabin’s army, headed by Sisera. Side note, Sisera and his warriors were not a group of wimpy dudes either.  Sisera had 900 iron chariots at his disposal plus a ton of troops ready to fight.  Those iron chariots were no joke.  They were one of the most feared weapons of battle back then.  Kinda similar to what an armored tank is like to us today. Yikes!

What happened next??  I’m so glad you asked!  Deborah got word that Sisera had positioned his army and was ready to get the battle going.  She told Barak NOW was the time to head Sisera’s way.  She also reminded him of two very important things:

“Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him.” Judges 4:14 (NIV)

First, she reminded Barak that God had promised them victory.  Then she encouraged him with the promise that God had gone ahead of him. And you know what? Those are promises we can hold on to too!  God has promised us victory as well and it is found in our Savior.  Jesus died and rose again three days later.  That, is a stunning victory!  Also, God goes before you, yes, you!  Even in 2017!  That’s not one of those things that happened in “Bible Times” – it is a promise we can cling to TODAY! 

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deut. 31:8 (NIV)

Now, before the war could even begin, God threw Sisera, his chariot drivers, and warriors all into a straight up PANIC. They were SCARED.  In fact, ole Sisera was so frightened – he hopped right out of his chariot and FLED! Like on foot.  This guy full on RAN AWAY! Barak and the Israelite army pursued Sisera’s men and the whole army was defeated. 

God kept His promises!  He went before the Israelite army and scared the bad guys right outta their sandals.  Then He enabled, equipped, and positioned Barak and his men for victory.  Friends, that is the God we serve to this day – a faithful, promise-keeping GOD!

But wait!! There’s more to this story!! What happened to Sisera, our scaredy-cat bad guy who ran away crying for his mommy?! (Ok, I added that crying part - lol!) You will just have to pop back to the blog on MONDAY (8/28/17) to find out!  And maybe you will be asking yourself... "She did what?!"  

See you right back here on Monday friends!! Have an awesome weekend : )

Post by: Marcy Gates

A Better Way

There are two specific subjects that I don't really write about or speak to, it's like my own unspoken rule for myself. Those two subjects are parenting and marriage. There are plenty of experts out there who have things to say about these two very important subjects and I am not one of them. In fact I sometimes joke that I really have no clue what I'm doing I'm just figuring it out as I go. I have this feeling that maybe that's true for... most of us! (Even the experts!) Recently, this little thing in the book of Matthew regarding marriage caught my attention and it has been on my heart ever since. So, I'm breaking my own silly made up rule and I would like to share what the Lord showed me with you. 

There is this passage in the book of Matthew, chapter 19, where Jesus is having this conversation about marriage with some Pharisees and his disciples. These couple of verses are packed full of truth and life so let's take a look...

First Jesus lays out the original plan, 

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6 (NIV)

And the Pharisees question "Then why did Moses allow divorce?" Then, Jesus gives them a really good answer…

“Jesus said, “Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hard heartedness, but it is not part of God’s original plan. I’m holding you to the original plan, and holding you liable for adultery if you divorce your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I make an exception in cases where the spouse has committed adultery.” Matthew 19:8-9 (MSG)

And this is where this passage really caught my attention: “Jesus’ disciples objected, “If those are the terms of marriage, we’re stuck. Why get married?” Matthew 19:10 (MSG)

This is where I found myself asking questions. It seemed to me like they were saying "Well, if there's no way out then why lock ourselves in in the first place?" "Why commit if we can no longer do what we want?" 

We have heard that the statistics say that at least 50% of all marriages end in divorce. In the year 2017 are we still approaching marriage the same way the people of Jesus' day approached marriage? Would we be like the Pharisees or the disciples and say "If divorce isn't an option then it's just better not to marry!" Are our hearts hardened toward the truth of marriage? 

Let's see how Jesus responds to his disciples...

“But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.” Matthew 19:11-12 (MSG)

I just love how Jesus wraps it up! "...if you are capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it." I just love the truth and life in His answer. Marriage may not be for everyone and that is okay, but if you feel called into that ministry then do it! This changes the way I approach my marriage. It moves me from the mindset of "We have to get it all right, right now, or that means we're failing somehow." to the mindset of "We are growing into the largeness of something God has set before us." It reminds me that there is something bigger than myself and that's why I keep at it. To me, there is such freedom in His words here. And oh my goodness we could sit and unpack all these truths for days, but it's already been a bit lengthy, so I will leave you with this... 

Ultimately what this truth says is that Jesus gives us a better way. The law may have laid out one way for us, but when Jesus came, He fulfilled the law. This, gave us a better way! Throughout the New Testament, you consistently see Jesus showing us a better way to do life, we just have to follow Him!

I would like to encourage you to sit with this passage this week. Read Matthew 19:1-12 and see what part stands out to you. Where is God leading you? What is He teaching you? I know for me reading this passage was a reminder that it is about the heart we are approaching each season with. Am I trying to live this life in my own strength? Or am I looking to Jesus and following a better way? We’d love to hear from you! What is the Lord showing you here? Leave your comments below!

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

Overcoming Our Fears

I am not a fan of air travel.  Or waiting in long lines.  Or large crowds of people.  So, of course it would make sense that for our first real family vacation we would travel to... 

DISNEY WORLD. 

At this stage of their lives, two of my three daughters are past the Disney Princess thing.  They are more into Star Wars.  Actually, my husband and I are into Star Wars too.  My youngest, though, she still will dress up in a Belle dress or play with her Minnie Mouse puzzles here and there.  So while none of us are die-hard fans of a certain mouse, Disney World still sounded like a great idea.   With all the new Star Wars attractions and a few princesses thrown in for good measure, we decided we needed to start planning our trip!

The next decision was whether to drive or fly to Florida.  Y’all, I’m not going to sugar coat this at all.  I don’t like to fly.  The thought of being stuck in a big tin can 30,000 feet in the sky, where everything is out of my control, is terrifying to me.  In fact, the last time I flew anywhere was over ten years ago.  And I started to freak out and full on ugly-cry as we took off.  I know, I am a peach to travel with.  Just ask my husband. But I digress...

We estimated that we would lose a day and half of vacation time just driving from Pennsylvania to Florida.  And that was one way.  It almost seemed like we would be driving for the same amount of time we’d actually be at Disney.  So, we opted to fly.

Gulp.

As the morning of our flight to Florida drew near, I felt butterflies of anxiety flare up in my stomach.  I did my best to hide it though.  The last thing I wanted to do was let my kiddos know I was scared to fly.  I didn’t want to transfer that fear on to them nor did I want three terrified kids and one jittery wife for my husband to care for on a two hour flight. 

I prayed an awful lot before our vacation.  I prayed for our safety, good health, and for peace.  I didn’t want my family’s adventure to be clouded over with my fear and worry.  I wanted to have fun and enjoy this precious time when we could all be together.  I kept telling the Lord, “If You can just get me past this whole flying thing...”

And that’s when He whispered to my heart, “I am faithful.”  Then I remembered what I know about God.  He IS faithful.  He can be trusted.  He is for me.  He will protect me.  He loves me! As the day of our departure drew near, God kept leading me to Scriptures during my quiet time that reinforced what He spoke to my heart...

“The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV)

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

When we boarded our plane for Orlando, I kept repeating God’s Word over and over in my head: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

I purposefully did not seat myself next to the window, but in between my youngest and a stranger sitting in the aisle seat.  My husband sat across from us with our other daughters.  What I thought I had planned as a strategic parenting move was really God’s Hand at work.  My little one kept me occupied almost the entire flight!  She talked my ear off during take-off so I couldn’t focus on the plane leaving the runway.  She had me play games like “I Spy” and “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. We colored and did word searches.  She kept the shade down on the window because she felt it was too bright so I couldn’t really ever see how high up we truly were.  And when this little one had run out of things to occupy her mother with, that’s precisely when my neighbor to left of me decided it was a great time to chat about Pittsburgh, his trip to Yellow Stone, and his life in Orlando.  And then just like that... We landed.  Two hours blew by and I was fine.

Our vacation? It was wonderful!  We had a great time and left with so many memories!  Our flight back home to Pittsburgh?  Well, I had my special seat mate again and boy, she kept me busy.  Lots of coloring and games to play.  While I was still repeating 2 Timothy over silently in my head, it was less out of trying to squelch fear from trying to take hold and more because I was resting in God’s faithfulness displayed.  A declaration that I did NOT have a spirit of fear but a SOUND MIND.

I love this quote from “Jesus Always” by Sarah Young about when we are afraid, “Cling tightly to My hand and walk resolutely past those dark presences of fearfulness and despair.  Keep looking toward My radiant Presence that beams out rays of unfailing Love and endless encouragement.”

Is there something you really want to do but fear is holding you back?   Have you let anxiety take hold and keep you from trusting God?  I want to encourage you today to take it to the Lord. Lay it all out before Him and ask for His help.  God wants you to have a sound mind.  Fear is not from Him and He doesn’t want it to rule your life.  Worry can keep us from experiencing all that God has in store for us!

Let’s focus on trusting God with our fears.  Keep our eyes fixed on the One who has amazing plans for us.  When fear tries to knock us down, lean into His presence and rest in His unfailing love.  God will melt those fears away in His magnificent light.  And when you find yourself with a sound mind, you will realize just how faithful He is!

Post by: Marcy Gates