To Be Still and Know

I do hope that part one was encouraging, thought provoking and/or inspiring to those who have read it.  Without further comments I will dive right into part 2. vs. 8 "Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless.  But love will last forever!" The gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues is not nearly as prevalent as it was during the periods of time in which the Bible was written.  Those spiritual gifts are not as needed as they once were now that we have the complete Word of God to read and turn to for instruction and guidance.  Love, however, is just as important and needed now as it was back then.  Love never changes, because God never changes.  You can never love too much.  Loving people is needful in all circumstances and all ministries.  Whatever God has gifted you with, ( *please read- Romans 12 -prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, kindness; 1 Corinthians 12- wise counsel, special knowledge, faith, he

As I was reading in God's Word today I was looking up verses on love and of course thought of the "Love Chapter" 1 Corinthians 13.  It is a common passage used at weddings but it struck me differently today.   As I read through it I could sense the Holy Spirit nudging me to write about how this chapter can be applied to our current issues.  So without further blabbering on, I will let the Holy Spirit lead as I attempt to break down each verse in this chapter and how it can be applied to today's relational struggles and issues.   vs. 1 "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal." Being educated and an expert in various things is great, but it does not mean a thing if you don't use your education and areas of expertise to show love to others.  What are you good at?  What is something that you do well or have studied to the point of being considered an expert in?  A

"For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."  Isaiah 43:19 What is there to say about our current state of affairs that has not already been said numerous times?  There are so many articles, opinions, and information out there that we can't possibly take it all in.  Trying to decipher truth from lies and fact from fiction.  So this blog post won't be about what science says or doesn't say.  It won't be about politics or who is right and who is wrong.  It won't be about whether to wear masks or not, to reopen or not, or which county has gotten it right and which has not.  No, this blog will be about finding hope in the Lord through this time because He is the only thing that is unchangeable, unmovable and steadfast.  This post will hopefully help shift focus from all around us to the one true source of all that is good and true

I have had a topic for a blog post on my heart and mind for a couple months now but I haven't been able to bring myself to write about it for several reasons, all of which can be summed up with the word fear.  Fear of not doing the topic justice, fear of what others may think, fear of literally nobody reading it or caring, and fear of putting myself out there in a very raw manner. (I have not had good experiences with being vulnerable and open with people.)  But wherever I turn I come face to face with this topic, on the news, in articles, blogs, personal relationships, tv shows, et cetera.  And I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me every time I run across another story involving this subject to sit down and start writing. Even if it can touch one person, then I have fulfilled my purpose in writing this.  So without further ado let's just begin, shall we?   Suicide.  That is the topic I have been feeling compelled to write about for months now.  I heard this morning that suicide

"Work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life...Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many."   Hebrews 12:14a &15b For the past few years, a new fad has popped up within the church community, a fad that I believe was started without ill intention and by well-meaning believers, yet a fad that really needs to end.  This is the "I Love My Church" slogan that some churches have begun selling on shirts and other merchandise as perhaps a means of advertisement.  From the first time I saw this on a T-shirt, it made me very uncomfortable but I could not pinpoint exactly why until recently.  My pastor was preaching one Sunday and during the sermon, this very topic came up.  What he said hit the nail on the head; this slogan, this way of thinking, is causing division within the body of Christ.  All of us who are born again believers are apart of THE church, which is the church of Jesus Christ.  It

     As my six year old was going through my purse the other day, trying to find some gum, he said "Mommy why is your purse so messy?"  I replied "I do clean it out, but it's been awhile and it never stays clean.  It's my catch all when I'm out and about, it is where I throw any and everything."  He never did find any gum and went about his way doing other things.  I however started thinking about how my messy purse was a good metaphor for how our minds can get messy.         As Christians we hear about the need to develop a daily habit of praying and spending time in God's Word.  We have heard lots of good reasons why this is important but until the messy purse situation came up I hadn't seen it so practically.  See we go through our days running here and there, listening to lots of words being said to us, around us, about us.  We have a lot of things we have to remember.  We listen to peoples problems and life experiences.  We answer too many