Growing in Grace
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009 • 2PM

Just recently my 3 year old daughter Brianna started attending preschool, a major step in the “growing up” process. It seems like only yesterday when I was taking care of my little baby girl, and she was so dependant on me for everything. Now Brianna is giving me a kiss goodbye in the morning and walking into her classroom on her own, to spend the day in learning the early steps of education. During these first years as Brianna has grown and learned so much, there were times she made mistakes, and it seemed I spent much time cleaning up her messes, but you know, that was ok, because I loved her and I took joy in seeing her grow. Children don’t dwell in the past, they are constantly learning and exploring new things, full of anticipation for each new day; and we as parents are always proud of their accomplishments as they grow day by day.

I often reflect on my daily life experiences and try to see some spiritual significance in them. Throughout His ministry Jesus often told stories and parables, and I believe this is one of the many ways the Lord speaks to us. When I reflect on my experiences with Brianna, I can see similarities of how we grow in our spiritual life as God’s children. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and become “Born Again”, we are born in the spirit of God, and so begins our spiritual life as “babes in Christ”. In the beginning there is so much to learn, we make many mistakes and sometimes we don’t do things “just right”. Perhaps you have made some mistakes, perhaps you may even feel like giving up; well I want to remind you today that our heavenly father tells us through His word that “it’s ok”, because He loves us! Jesus paid the price for all our sin, all our shortcomings and our mistakes!

May I encourage you today to focus on the path ahead of you, and forget those things behind you that can discourage you. We all make mistakes, and no one is perfect! But the important thing is that we do not dwell in the past, we must move forward, we must have patience, and we must believe that Jesus is with us … all we need is faith in God! The Bible says in Hebrews 12:1-2, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”. There is a saying, “Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet!” This is true of us all…we are all growing, it is a daily walk in the grace of God.

BE ENCOURAGED! For the Lord is full of love and compassion towards His children! He is full of grace and mercy, and God will never give up on us! Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” We must hold on to FAITH, HOPE, TRUST; we must always BELIEVE that God loves us and He has a good plan for our lives!

Lessons through a child
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009 • 11:55AM

Children are a blessing! I am so grateful for our little 3 year old Brianna. Not only is she at a very fun and cute age right now, which my husband and I are enjoying thoroughly, but I am also learning things because of my child and through my child. I’m sure if you are a parent, you will agree that you’ve had experiences with your children which you can reflect on as “lessons in life”.

As I was reading a bedtime Bible story to my little girl recently, I read the story about the time Jesus said, “Suffer the little children… to come unto me…”. (Matthew 19:14 ). Jesus loved children, and took time for them. I believe it is important to take time for all children, to say a kind word to them, build them up and let them know how important they are to Jesus. I’m sure we all have childhood memories that have impacted our life, and we can agree how important words and actions of those around us are in shaping us as individuals.

One of our precious ladies in church gave Brianna a children’s praise CD for her birthday, and we play it in our car every day; Brianna loves it and is learning not only the songs, but also the message in the songs. She often asks me, “Mommy, what is this song about?” and “can you tell me all about it?” What an opportunity to teach her about serving Jesus!

One of my favorite songs has a phrase “Be kind everyday, be kind in every way, be kind to each other, and everyone else”. Now there is a great lesson! I’m always teaching and encouraging Brianna, “be nice, be polite, have manners…” You know the same is true for us adults. We may have more pressures in life, but that’s no excuse! The Bible says in 2nd Peter chapter 1 that we should add to our faith certain traits…“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”(verse 7). “Kindness” is also a synonym for “Gentleness” which is one of the 9 Fruits of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22-23. God wants us to show kindness to others; to be kind to the nice people, well that’s easy, but what about those who are not nice? Well, Jesus said we are to love our enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that despitefully use you…”(Matthew 5:44). Now that is a challenge!

So why not start with focusing on being kind to everyone you encounter? And what does that mean? Well you know, take time to listen to others, be patient, show you care, send someone a kind message (card, text, email), don’t be quick to judge or speak too quickly, don’t assume the worst, give people the benefit of the doubt, and one of the biggest things you can focus on is… “SMILE!!!” Try it…and you will see, it’s really not that hard, and it makes you feel good too!

I believe when you are kind to others, you open a door of opportunity to allow the Lord to shine through your life. Let us always remember, Jesus was kind to people, he had compassion on them, and loved everyone, even those who put him to death.

JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE!

I love the month of May!...
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2009 • 11:40PM

It is a time of year when we experience all the wonderful blessings of God’s creation as we welcome the new season of Spring. The flowers spring forth from the ground with all their beauty and fragrance; the birds sing their pretty little songs; the baby birds break out of their eggs and follow shortly to fly out of their nests; the trees bud and blossom with fresh green leaves to cover their once barren branches; the warmth and the sun embrace us, and the spring breezes are a breath of fresh air! God’s creation is awesome, and each spring is a reminder that God is our creator, and the creator of all living things. I feel so blessed to know my creator, and to have faith in the one and only true God, who rules heaven and earth!

Another reason I love the month of May is that it's a time when I focus on the family God has blessed me with, because all of our birthdays are in May. I thank God for family, and as we celebrate “Father’s Day” in June, may I encourage every woman to join with me in this opportunity and let us thank and honour our fathers and our husbands. I want to take a few moments to honour my husband, Pastor Tom, and thank him for being a wonderful husband to me, and an incredible father to our 3 year old daughter Brianna. As I look back over our 15 years of marriage, I am thankful for my husband who has stood strong in his calling to serve God, who has used the gifts and talents God has blessed him with to further the kingdom of God, and who has brought more joy to my life than I could have ever dreamed possible. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our heavenly father for the Godly heritage given to both of us by our parents. As I reflect on the principals from God’s word instilled in me growing up as a child, I am grateful that I have this foundation to assist me in raising our daughter. I also want to thank my earthly father for being a loving and stable support in my life, and for the many times I have seen his selfless acts of kindness, always willing to lend a helping hand to people.

In a society where material things are given so much attention, may I encourage you today to focus your attention on your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the relationships in your family. Take time to be grateful for the good things God has done in your life, and take time to say thank you to your family. It is easy to find fault with people, but it is much more rewarding to focus on the good qualities in people. Jesus is our example, full of grace and mercy, love and forgiveness. True joy is not found in the material things of life, but rather in our relationship with Jesus and our relationships with the people in our life.

May you always remember: God wants you to live a blessed life here on earth, but more importantly, God wants you to live an eternal life with Him in Heaven, only found through a relationship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Today I honour our Heavenly Father most of all, because he gave us the greatest gift known to man, our Saviour, Jesus Christ!

A New Day
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009 • 3:12PM

These are days where the media is telling us our economy is in crisis. Yes, the world we are living in is unstable, and this makes the choice of putting our trust in God all the more urgent. We simply cannot put our trust in this world, in politicians and their promises, in economy and the dollar, or in our relationships and people. For all these things may bring us disappointment and uncertainty.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6). If we want the best out of this life, we must truly follow Jesus. Jesus will guide us in the right direction, He will keep our eyes open to what is true, and He will bless us with good things in this life, and most important, Jesus is the only way to Eternal Life. In John 14:6, Jesus also says “…no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

As we take time each day to talk to our Heavenly Father, through Jesus, He will give us peace that passes all understanding. We don’t have to know the future, or put our faith in what men say, we just have to put our trust in God, because He holds our future. Don’t worry about tomorrow, just trust Jesus today.

Every day is a new day, and I always wake up each morning, thanking God for life and the many blessings He has given to me. I choose not to wake up to the problems of yesterday, but rather I look to the Lord for direction today. Throughout the day I strive to live according to the Word of God. I may not understand why certain things happen, but instead of being anxious or questioning God, I choose to trust Him and ask for His peace, guidance, and wisdom. I truly believe that “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose”. (Romans 8:28)

As women, we set the “tone” in our “home”. If we choose to nag, complain, gossip, or worry, we set the tone of stress and instability. If we choose to praise, encourage, pray, and trust God, we set the tone of peace and stability. Ladies, I encourage you today, choose to set the right tone in your home and family. You will be amazed at the difference YOU can make.