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Unmet Expectations

Jennifer White

Unmet Expectations

Philippians 4:1-13

My 10- year old son wanted to order a wagon online with the birthday money he saved. We found one on e-bay that looked like a great deal.  It was exactly what he thought he needed. I looked at it and thought it was reasonably priced so we ordered it. A few days later it came in the mail, and to our surprise it was a doll size wagon. Why didn’t I look at the dimensions and all the details?  The picture was so deceiving. Needless to say, it was not at all what we expected. We were able to send it back for a refund.

We do the same thing in our life everyday. We see people or possessions that look great and we think that’s exactly what we need, only to find out later it wasn’t what we expected. The damage is done to our heart or to those around us and there is no way to “get a refund” in life.  We end up living with unmet expectations. How many times have we found ourselves saying these things? I’m not happy with my life, I feel so ugly, I hate my job, if my kids were only like their kids, I wish my husband took me on trips, everyone else gets to, this old car is so outdated, my house is too small….

What does it mean to be content? Being content doesn’t mean throwing up your arms in reluctant acceptance, it means you are satisfied to the point that you are no longer disturbed. Paul is not talking about content with laziness, un-spiritual things or sin. Paul is speaking of contentment with our place in life, possessions, and loved ones. I have found in my life that spiritual growth produces contentment. Summer-Pineapple-Fine-Apple-Printable-by-Happiness-is-HomemadeLet’s look at Philippians 4:1-13 and see what the Bible says about dealing with unmet expectations.

Mentor & Motivator (Vs. 1-3) In these verses we are encouraged to get along with others. I realize injustices can bring discontentment, but to the best of our ability we must work on keeping peace. Great joy is found in helping others. Everyone needs a model, a mentor or a motivator, or possibly all 3 at the same time. We often hear the advice that we shouldn’t follow people, but Paul said follow me as I follow Christ. Could someone follow you as you follow Christ? You can always find someone who needs encouragement.

REJOICE (Vs. 4)
Praise God in all circumstances- good or bad. That is easier said than done.
When you get down or start feeling discontent, stop, drop and roll out 10 blessings. Sometimes our expectations are so great that we don’t praise God for the little things in life.

MODERATION (Vs. 5)
Moderation here means -show restraint, not indulgent, avoid extremes. Learn to be content with less materially. Try a spending fast. Make do without going to the store for every little thing. Make a recipe from scratch, plant a garden, eat from your pantry, or stay home. Practice the 1 in 1 out rule meaning if you buy something, get rid of something. If you want a new outfit shop in your closet and create a new outfit with the pieces you have. Maybe downsizing would be a good option for you, clean out your kitchen and donate food items and cooking utensils. Most Americans can downsize their clothing by 75% and still have too much.  A smaller house and simple life style can be refreshing. Try changing the messages around you by reducing exposure to social media, TV ads, magazines, and stores.  Even our behavior should be moderate. Uncontrolled anger, and extreme mood swings heighten the discontentment in our heart. It ispineapple Standrefreshing and rewarding when you live in moderation.

DON’T WORRY, Just Do It (Vs. 6-9)
God will supply your needs, not your greed’s. Worry is a bad habit. It’s another way of saying “God, you don’t love me, and I don’t trust you.” Rest in Gods provisions. We tend to want God to work out our problems according to our expectations. When our plan doesn’t work we are hit with unmet expectations. Either God is enough, or He isn’t.  We trust Him for our salvation but we don’t trust Him to meet our needs. Whenever I try to get ahead of God and make my own way, I find that I regret it. God’s solutions always work out better than my own. God says in His Word to just do it and He will give you peace.
pineapple bush

LEARN CONTENTMENT (Vs. 10-11)
We never stop learning in this life. Contentment is a learned virtue that comes mainly by experience. Think about Joseph in Genesis 50:20. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

We don’t know Gods plans. Don’t dwell on the “should, could, and would” of this life.
Most of us live in the future more than in the present.  Live passionately for today. We pursue the treasure at the end of the rainbow and rarely drink deeply at the well of the present moment, which is all we ever have. Circumstances do not make us who we are, but they reveal who we are. We are responsible for our actions, attitude and responses. I’ve heard that “contentment is a state of the heart unaffected by the outward circumstances.”

Contentment is not found in having everything, but in being satisfied with everything we have.
pineapple words
CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE
Happiness is a choice you make every day. For a happy life, want what you have. When we have the doldrums, or hit a plateau in our life, we tend to compare our circumstances with those around us. I have often heard it said that the greenest grass is usually found above the septic tank. So be careful when looking at other people who seem to have everything, you don’t know what is going on underneath. We have so much to enjoy in the life God has given us that comparison will only set us up for disappointment.

Comparison is the enemy of contentment and it does 2 things: It makes you feel better about yourself or makes you jealous. There will always be someone else who possess a greater quality or quantity of what we think we should have. Because of this, comparison leads to covetousness. Instead of loving our neighbors, we find ourselves loving what they possess. Love people, then you will be happy for them. We can be content when we put our hope in His character rather than in our concept of how our lives should appear.

pineapple sayings Rely on God’s Power (Vs. 13)
Choosing to be content will only come when you rely on God’s power to change your heart and mind about the expectations in your life. When you set yourself up with unrealistic expectations you will never be content with who you are and with what you have. Sometimes God meets our expectations differently than we think.

Trust God and the process He is taking you through. Live to Glorify Him and then your expectations will become the same as God’s expectations for your life.

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Make Bright the Arrows

Jennifer White

I used to be fascinated to watch my dad practice shooting his bow and arrow in the backyard. He was a skilled hunter and it looked so easy…. until he let me try it. It took so much strength to draw the bowstring back, control the arrow and hit the target.  My arm shook as I pulled the tight bowstring back and when I let go of the arrow, the string popped me in the face and the arrow landed only a few feet away from me. I wasn’t hurt except for a sore arm and wounded pride. Archery is a skill that must be honed in order to be successful. It was a necessary skill for warriors in the Bible days. In Jeremiah 51 Babylon had fallen and the Israelites were told to get ready for battle. I found some life lessons in these verses about bows and arrows.bow and arrow girl

 

The Arrow

The Shaft- Made from common wayside brush. The Fletcher straightens it and polishes it and makes it useful.  Believe it or not an arrow bends as it leaves the bow. The shaft is flexible and meant to take the force of shooting without breaking. Some are designed to take even more force, but will have a farther reach. We are common people with twisted lives. He makes us righteous and straight by His power. We are able to do more than we can possibly imagine through God’s strength.

Feathers guide the arrow, give balance and stability. We have “feathers” in our life to keep us on the right course. The Holy Spirit, Bible, Godly friends, teachers, parents, and our pastor are the feathers in our life.

The Nock fits the arrow to the bowstring so the power can be applied to the arrow and released. God’s power is applied only when we are under His authority and in His will.

The Arrowhead the business part of the arrow. Set goals and aim for them. Sharpen your talents and skills so you can make a difference in this world. What you learn, develop and study today will be used in the future.  “The battle is won the day before because that is the day the archer makes bright his arrows”.

Make Bright the Arrows (Vs. 11)

11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.

The order given to the soldiers meant they were to prepare their weapons. Making bright means to shine and sharpen their arrow.  In a certain sense, every believer is an arrow in God’s hands. God has a mission for each one of us to accomplish and a mark for each one of us to hit. The whole purpose of an arrow is to hit a planned target. The purpose of our life is to hit the mark that God has ordained for us.

Draw Back Your Bow (Vs. 12)target bullseye

12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

Set up the Standard– This is to protect you. What standards are set up in your life? The life of your family? The life of your children? Do you have a standard for clothing, television shows, movies, social media, music, friends, and speech? If there are no standards set in your life, you will regret the decisions made in the heat of the battle. There must be a preparation time.

Make the Watch Strong-How can we strengthen ourselves for battle. Are you tired, run down, negative, not reading your Bible, praying? Strengthen yourself spiritually and physically by praying, eating healthy, exercising, being positive and reaching out to others.

Prepare the Ambushes- Have a plan of attack for when evil comes your way. Fellowship with believers who are strong in their faith, mentor someone who needs help, use daily check lists to keep yourself on task. Too much free time allows for unwanted things to creep in such as depression, and selfishness.

The phrase “Make Bright the Arrows” encourages us to allow God to sharpen us but it also reminds us to mentor others. We should have a quiver full of people we have help “sharpen” or influence in our life time.

Get ready warrior to draw back your bow and aim for the target God has for you!

 

 

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Are You a Happy Camper?

Jennifer White

School is finally out and it’s a beautiful mid-June, sunny, summery day. It’s that time of year when I see RV’s being pulled down the highway.  I watch the happy campers with all their camping gear get ready to hit the campground for the weekend. What a great way to enjoy the season of outdoor living

“Happy Camper” was a very, annoying term that was popular when I was a kid in the early 80’s.  The definition is “a satisfied person who is cheerful” but was usually used sarcastically.

When I was growing up my family didn’t camp in a RV on a campground, but we camped in A-frame tents on the banks of the lake. It was wonderful to wake up to the smell of eggs and bacon being cooked by mom on a black skillet over the campfire. The peaceful, lake waters sloshing on the banks, and the excitement of going fishing with my dad would encourage me to wake up with the sunrise. You could say I was a happy camper, well at least until I had to walk 1/4 of a mile to a bathroom, rub aloe on my sunburn, or throw away the little Debbie cakes that the ants found before I did.

The phrase “Happy Camper” makes me think of the Israelites. They flipped-flopped their way through 40 years of being “Happy Campers” or “Not Happy Campers” it just depended on their circumstance. Today we do the same thing in our life. We base our attitude on our feelings, which can be misleading, instead of God’s promises.  In the following passage of Deuteronomy chapter 1, we find the Israelites as not very happy campers.

Compasses and Maps

Deuteronomy 1:21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

had a plan for the Israelites. He gave them 3 very clear instructions. 1. Possess the land 2. Don’t be afraid 3. Don’t be discouraged.

God has a plan all mapped out for your life. Are you praying and reading the Bible, so you will know His plan? If you aren’t sure of His plan for your future, then right now do what God has already commanded. 1. Pray 2. Read the Bible 3. Fellowship with believers 4. Tell others about Him.  Like following a compass, His plan becomes more clear as you stay on the right path.

Calling All Scouts

22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eschol, and searched it out.25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us.26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God: 

 

In verses 22-26 the Israelites are doubting God’s plan. They were not “happy campers” when it came to trusting God. They decided to scout it out for themselves to see if there was something good in their future or not. Faith was hard for the Israelites. Possibly their many years in bondage made things seem too good to be true. They even became rebellious after the reports came back that the land was good. I have found in my life that peace usually comes after I step out on faith, and not anytime sooner.

Kum-ba-ya by the Bonfire

30 The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. 32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God, 33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.

The Israelites needed a pep talk. They needed to hear reminders of the past and promises of future victories. God had provided for them this far and He will continue to lead them safely. When are we going to let God fight our battles and stop trying to win them in our own strength? Complaining leads to discouragement which makes us miss the blessings of life. This cycle becomes a pattern that must be broken. You can break the pattern. Remember God’s faithfulness in your life and let Him fight your battles. He will lead you to a place of another victory.

Are you a happy camper today? If not, you can be one by reflecting on God’s goodness and by making a conscious decision to be aware of God’s presence in your life every day.

 

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Finding Sunshine in the Shadows

Jennifer White

In August of 2017, we took my twin boys to college for the first time. It was a day of mixed emotions. I was so pleased that they were going to college and would be living near my mom in TN. It was also the beginning of a new chapter of their life and the ending of another.

One of the twins, David, had an old Mitsubishi Mighty Max truck that belonged to his grandfather. Let’s just say it had seen it’s better days. It had served the purpose as a lawn care work truck and a teenage boy’s first vehicle. It wasn’t that “mighty” anymore and could only go about 60-65 mph on the interstate. However, it was David’s means of transportation for a job, therefore, the truck was part of the caravan to college.

We departed that morning on a beautiful, sunny, Carolina day. I had seen the forecast and was aware of the chance of rain later in the day, but was hoping we could make it to our destination before it started. We drove over the beautiful, Appalachian mountains and kept tabs on David, who stayed about 10-15 miles behind us on the interstate. My youngest son rode in the truck with David to answer the phone so we could keep up with them. After a few hours, as predicted, the rain started falling. Just a little shower at first that turned into a heavy downpour making it difficult to see out the windshield. We called David to inform him that he was headed toward heavy rain and to be careful. The harder the rain fell the harder it was to see. After an hour of traveling in the heavy down pour, David finally called and said, “I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to pull over under a bridge, I just needed a break.” So we all pulled over and waited until David was ready to drive again. We started our caravan back on the interstate, and once again, David ended up about 10 miles behind us. The rain continued to fall heavily.

My mom, who was waiting for us at our destination, called to check on us. I told her about the rain, and why it was taking us so long to get there. She said, “just hang in there because it’s sunny and beautiful where I am”. I was so relieved in knowing sunshine was ahead. We finally drove out of the rain as my mom predicted. Suddenly, I remembered David was still behind us in the storm. I called David and told him, “keep going, there’s sunshine ahead in about 10 minutes!”  David yelled out, “yes! I can do this!”

In many ways this story reminds me of the Christian journey.

S- (Sunny)

We start off with positive expectations, and excitement about our future. We know there is a possibility of shadows in our future but we hope to avoid them.

H- (Hello Shadows) John 16:33

Eventually the rain comes. Shadows or storms come in many forms; finances, marriage, job, children, parents, health, death and unmet expectations. I find that many people create their own shadows in life by standing in their own sunshine. We make decisions outside of  God’s purpose for our life. Some of these decisions affect our health, our family and future. No one can avoid the storms of life but your relationship with God is what will get you through them. There are lessons to learn while in the shadow that fortifies us for the journey.

I- (Intermission) Psalm 9:1,2

Just as my son David got off the road when he felt the pressure of the storm, sometimes we need to pull over when we feel overwhelmed. David found shelter under that bridge, and there is shelter under God’s wings of protection. Nourish yourself, read God’s Word, listen to uplifting music, and make heathy choices physically and mentally.  Say “no” to extra activities until you are ready. Shadows are temporary, because they eventually pass away. The intermission during the storm will strengthen you to keep going.

N- (Night is the same as Day to God) Psalm 139:11, 12

In these verses it tells us that God is all around us and that night and day are the same to Him. We see a difference in night and day, but God sees them as one. Our life is composed of events we call “good and bad”.  God takes the good and bad and works them together for His good. What happens to planes and birds in the sky when a storm comes? They rise above it. In Heaven, there is no need for the sun because God is the sun. The sun blocks shadows. Don’t let the shadows of yesterday spoil the sunshine of tomorrow.

E- (Encourage others) 2 Corinthians 1:4

You may have been through several storms in your life or maybe just coming out of one right now. Use your experience to encourage someone else along the way. When my mom told me sunshine was ahead, it gave me strength to keep going and then I wanted to tell David the news to encourage him too. You may know someone who is going through the same storm as you have been through and they are a “few miles” behind you. Tell them that they will drive out of the storm eventually. Let them know you’re on the other side of the storm and sunshine is ahead. You can be someone’s sunshine when their skies are gray.

Keep your face toward the “Son” and the shadows will disappear. God loves you and will be your sunshine in the shadows.

Advice from a sunflower; “Be bright, sunny and positive, spread seeds of happiness, rise, shine and hold your head high.”

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Ladies’ Gathering Themes

Jennifer White

january calendar pic.jpgNew Year, New You  or New Beginnings

Verse- Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning great is thy faithfulness.”

Topics- New Start- forgiveness, one-word resolutions, Bible reading plans, health concerns, Organization, finances, couponing, meal planning, budgeting, time management

  • Decorations-Happy New Year party theme (gold, silver, purple, black, turquiose…), streamers, confetti, horns, balloons

New Year, New Do

Verse- 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Topic-“Make-over” areas in your life-Devotional life, Health, Ministries

  • Decorations-Hair Salon and beauty props

Keep Your Cool

Topic-Allowing God to fight your battles

Verse- Psalm 107:29 “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

The Comfort Zone

Topic- Reaching out to others, making a difference

Verse- 2 Corinthians 1:4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

  • Decorations-Buffalo Check, birch wood, black bears, lanterns, wooden circle centerpieces

January Outreach Ideas

  • clothing collections
  • knitting scarves
  • serving in soup kitchens
  • bus program needs
  • hot chocolate at bus stops
  • blessing bags for homeless

 January Food Ideas

  • Chili and crackers
  • Baked Potato and Salad Bar
  • Soups and Bread
  • Hot Chocolate and S’mores

 

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Lessons from the Land of Oz for Christian Young Ladies

Jennifer White

When I was young, I looked forward to the once-a-year showing of “The Wizard of Oz” on television. This was back before DVD’s…before VHS tapes…. I’m talking way back when. I loved the story of how Dorothy and her friends found out that everything they wanted was there all along but never realized it.

There are many life lessons in that story for us all, and actually those lesson were in God’s Word long before Dorothy and Toto ever took a trip to the land of Oz.

I know it’s impossible, but I wish I could go back in time and have a little chat with my “junior high self”.  I would tell her these 4 lessons from Oz…but she probably knew them all along but never realized it.

The Scarecrow- Young lady, use your brain.

Daniel 5:14- “I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.”

Work hard to make the best grades you can. If you struggle in a subject it’s ok to get help. Don’t procrastinate, plan your time. Being the most popular or prettiest girl in school matters very little after graduation. Knowledge and kindness goes a long way.

Spend your money wisely now. Open a bank account and start saving. When you graduate you’ll be able to help with expenses. Start tithing now, there are tremendous blessings when you give back to God.

Make smart choices. Don’t risk doing something stupid to try to look cool or to fit in. When it’s all said and done, you will look back at it for what it was…. really dumb. So be smart! You will need job references one day and a good reputation helps tremendously.

The Tin Man- Young lady, guard your heart.

Proverbs 31:30 “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Spend time growing a beautiful heart. Outward beauty will not last. Do you spend more time looking at Pinterest for new hairstyles, clothes and makeup than you do reading your Bible?

Choosing a guy who loves God really matters in life! Be careful who you date and who you share your heart with. Hearts are easily broken and take time to heal. In dating and marrying you usually get what you are, not what you want. So make sure you have a relationship with God because you will need discernment in matters of the heart.

Choose your friends carefully. Friends can be like elevators, they can take you up or take you down. You will soon become who you surround yourself with. Your heart can be easily influenced by the words of a friend. Find friends who love Jesus.

The Lion-Young lady, have courage.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Be confident in who God made you. Insecurity is a huge waste of time. Develop the talents and gifts that God has given you and don’t waste time wishing you had someone else’s.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Stand up in front of that class and give a speech, try out for the school play, take music lessons, be in the band.

You can do great things now. Please don’t wait until you are older to get involved in church. You can be a huge help right now in your church. Find a ministry to participate in, bring friends to church, have a good testimony, and tell others about Jesus.

Remember, your courage comes from God. You will go through hard times. No one is exempt from problems. People you are close to may die, money problems or divorce may come to your family. People will let you down, but God will never fail you.

Dorothy-Young lady, have faith.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

You reap what you sow. Do you want to know God’s word? Study it now. Do you want to be able to play an instrument well? Practice now. Do you want friends? Be friendly. Do you want to marry pure? Set boundaries before you’re alone with a guy. Do you want to be healthy? Eat right and exercise now.

Get to know God. Develop a relationship with God. Nurture it by reading your Bible, writing in a journal, going to church, listening to good Christian music. Your parents, preacher or youth pastor are not your connection to God. You can pray straight to Him. He wants to hear from you.

There’s no yellow brick road to follow to get you through life. However, God gave you a road map- the Bible. You have parents, teachers, mentors, and others to keep you on the right path. Actually, God has given you everything you need.  It’s up to you to use the tools and trust Him with your life.

One of the greatest lessons to learn from the Wizard of Oz is that no one, not even the wizard, was able to help the characters in the movie with their problems.  Only God is able to completely bring peace and contentment in your life. He knows you, He created you and He loves you!

Psalm 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Note: I taught this lesson to the teen girls at our church. Here is a cute hand out for the girls to take notes on. Lessons from the Land of Oz printable

I also gave each girl one of these adorable magnetic bookmarks to use as a reminder of the lesson. Land of Oz magnetic page clips

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Adorning the Bride

Jennifer White

Isaiah 61:10

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

It has been a busy year at our church with more weddings than usual. Each one we attended was a glorious event. Beautiful decorations, lovely music and happy couples making promises to each other in front of family and friends. At each wedding the audience watched in awe as the bride made her entrance during the crescendo of a song, all adorned and ready for her groom. I love how in the Bible, the church is a picture of the bride and Christ is the groom. There is something thrilling and perfect about preparing to live the rest of your life with your one true love.  God sees us as someone to love, cherish and take care of for eternity. Sadly, we do not always prepare as a bride should for her special day. A bride takes care of many details and makes sure she is at her best for her groom. I would like to share some thoughts about this topic and how as a Christian you can adorn yourself for Christ’s return.

The Proposal

When Jon proposed to me, he asked the question, “Will you marry me?”.  I  then answered, “yes”! Actually, I asked if he got permission from my dad first before I answered, but that’s because I’m daddy’s girl and wanted to make sure he approved.  In order to prepare for a wedding there must first be a proposal and an answer. Jesus proposed to us when He died for our sins. He asked you to accept His gift of salvation. Have you given Him your answer? If not, He’s waiting for your response.

Say “Yes” to the Dress

The dress is one of the first things a bride chooses to adorn herself with for her wedding day. It is often a big event where girls bring friends and family to help her say “Yes” to the perfect dress.  Thousands of dollars are spent on wedding dresses, jewelry, shoes and hair-dos. Several dresses are tried on, adjusted, and made perfect for the bride.  Our daily dress as a Christian should have much thought and attention.  We adorn ourselves everyday with clothing, and jewelry, but do we look as if we are waiting for the return of Christ? Ladies, it is possible to cover your body modestly yet still look attractive. Form-fitting and revealing clothing distracts from the beauty of a Christian lady.  Every day when you get dressed, take time to evaluate your appearance.  You should look and feel beautiful and lovely because of who you are in Christ.

The Vows

Promises, promises, promises…. I watched couples say their vows with trembling voices. I believe they sincerely meant every word they repeated. The bride and groom have every intention of loving, cherishing and taking care of each other. We all know that humans are not perfect, and sometimes promises are broken.  Even though we all have been let down sometime in life by a broken promise, be comforted in knowing that God will always keep His promises.  Do you know God wants to love, cherish and take care of you? He gave His son to die for you. If God loves you enough to do that, than you know He will take care of you. You may not always understand your situation, but remember, He promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Why are we often unfaithful with the “one-night stands” that this world offers, when we can have an eternal relationship with God.  We all depend on someone or something in life. Are you depending on Christ, your groom?

Happily Ever After

This quote is oh, so true, “You can read the character of a man on the countenance of his wife”.  As a bride of Christ, you are showing the world what kind of Saviour you have by the life you live. Marriage is about growing and overcoming challenges. The same is true in our Christian life.  You can face whatever comes your way because you are not in this alone. Depend on Christ for your comfort, your needs, and your strength. You can be beautifully adorned as the bride of Christ when you realize you are loved by Him and you are faithfully preparing for His return.

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Anchor of Hope

Jennifer White

Acts 27:14-44

Storms

Everyone has challenges, trials and pressure in life. Everyone faces storms.

  • We can cause challenges to come in our life like Jonah did. God gave him simple instructions and he did not want to follow them.
  • God may allow a trial to come our way to strengthen our faith. (Matthew 14:22-24)
  • Others in our life may cause pressure, like Paul who was a leader to many churches. Christians looked to him for help and guidance with their problems.

No one lives a trouble free life. We all have to deal with struggles and conflicts. The truth is…. we all must choose how we are going to handle the storms that come our way.

Sinking

In the middle of a storm we may find ourselves sinking and feeling like we are about to drown. The feeling of hopelessness and no way out is real. When we see the chaos around us we often make these choices and get ourselves in a heap of trouble.

  • Make things worse. When the winds started blowing hard in Acts 27:15 the sailors lost control and didn’t know what to do. They decided to just “let her drive” because they could not control the ship any longer. We may give up and sit back to just watch the damage start.
  • Decide to just do something ourselves. The sailors tried to lighten the ship in hopes of being able to control the ship Acts 27:18. We try to fix our storms by just doing something. We may turn to friends and talk about it, read books about it, pull up information on the computer or make a hasty decision only to later regret it.
  • Jump Ship. This has become the choice of many people. They turn to alcohol, divorce, suicide, drugs, food or they just shake their fist at God and quit.

“One of the greatest marks of your faith and your confidence in God is your endurance, perseverance and constancy when trouble comes.”- Adrian Rodgers

Drop Anchor

The purpose of an anchor is to keep the ship secure and prevent it from drifting while riding out a storm. First thing we need to do when we face a storm is to drop our anchor so we have some stability.

  • Focus on your purpose more than the problem.  Do you have a vision or mission for your life? You can realize your mission in life by connecting your abilities, talent and interests with ways to point others to Christ and glorify God. How can you use this storm to further your mission in life?
  • Take care of yourself physically. Make sure you are eating healthy foods, go outside and soak in some sunshine, exercise and get enough sleep. In Acts 27:34 Paul told the men to eat so they would be strong and feel better.
  • Stay in the Ship. God has a plan that won’t be changed by this storm. If you jump ship you will miss a great opportunity to grow. God will see you through this storm, Hebrews 13:5.

Hope expects and faith believes. Cling to hope and faith with all your might and drop your Anchor!

Throw Out the Life Line

The second thing we need to do in a storm is help others. If you look around, you will see you are not the only in a rough spot, and someone else may even be worse off than you. I remember the song “Throw out the Lifeline” we sang at our church when I was a child. You can read the lyrics to the entire song at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Throw_Out_the_Lifeline/

Throw out the lifeline! Throw out the lifeline!
Someone is drifting away;
Throw out the lifeline! Throw out the lifeline!
Someone is sinking today.

  • Look for “anchor-less” drifters. Is there someone you can influence? Is there someone who needs to know that  Jesus is the anchor they need?  Help them with action along with words of advice. You may have gone through the storm they are currently in. You could be the one to give them the life line of encouragement and direction.
  • Acts 27:44 “Some on pieces and some on boards”.  You may feel like you can’t help someone else, but if you have arrived to shore on maybe just “boards and pieces” you have made it safely through the storm. Your influence on others can help them determine their purpose in life and even keep them safe through their storm.

We are changed by storms in our life.  We are not promised smooth sailing all the time, but we are promised a safe landing with Jesus as our anchor.  “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” Hebrews 6:19

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How To Keep Your Cool when the Heat is On

Jennifer White

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have it all together in times of trouble? Elisha and his servant were in a heated situation! Elisha’s servant panicked, but Elisha held it together. Let’s look at 3 reasons why Elisha kept his cool.

Read 2 Kings 6:8-18
  1. Elisha had an inside look at God’s power. (Verses 8-12) God had revealed the enemy’s war plans to Elisha and then Elisha revealed the plans to the King of Israel. Elisha knew first hand that God was all knowing. God knows where we have been, where we are and where we are going. Elisha knew God was there in the middle of this heated situation. It was possible that Elisha could have already known that the enemy was coming for him but the Bible doesn’t tell us. When you are close to God it doesn’t matter if you know what’s going to happen to you or not. You know that God will be there to help you because you have a close relationship with Him. You can always count on the friend who you talk to daily.
  2. Elisha modeled faith and grace for others. (Verse 16-17) Elisha’s servant was not as mature in the faith as Elisha. Elisha calmed his servant down and then asked God to show his servant the spiritual world. Elisha had a mentor in Elijah and had experienced the same lack of faith as the servant. Elisha is passing the faith along that he learned from Elijah. When you are fearful, you are telling on yourself. You are saying I don’t trust you God. It takes grace to do what we think is not natural. It is natural to be fearful when we don’t understand God’s plan. It takes grace to have an unnatural trust in God when we don’t see what He sees.
  3. Elisha let God fight his battle. (Verse 18) Elisha asked God to take care of the enemy. God blinded them and then Elisha led them to his King. Elisha knew the 2 of them could not fight the enemy in their strength. He let God fight the battle for him. God is a great commander in chief; He has a perfect plan for your battle. When you take charge of your battle, the innocent get hurt, the enemy is not captured and you end up wounded.

Are you keeping your cool?

Are you living close enough to God that you have the inside scoop on His power? Are you passing your faith along to others? Are you letting God fight your battles?

 

If not….start today by reading God’s word and look for ways to influence others. Ask God to take care of your problem and then leave it with him, the King.

 

 

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Bittersweet Feelings of Losing My Dad

Jennifer White

dad

I feel abandoned yet supported by friends and family

My heart is broken yet at peace because my dad was not afraid to die

My vision is blurry but clear because I must live like he taught me

I feel lonely yet loved by so many people who care

I feel poor but wealthy because of his legacy

I feel needy yet supplied where he left me invaluable wisdom

I feel lost but found because he showed me the way

I’m hurting but comforted in knowing he’s no longer in pain

I feel destroyed but restored because he finished his course

I feel low yet elevated because he was part of my life

I am cast down but blessed because He was my dad