The Gift of Hope

LeAnn Rice, Executive Director, Proverbs 31 Ministries

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)

Wealth is something I didn't think I had.

As a single mom widowed over 13 years ago, I don't have money for extras like new clothes or weekend trips. Therefore, I didn't think it was possible for me to give much to others and this made me sad. Until I realized it's not the size of a gift that matters.

It's the amount of hope wrapped around the gift that makes all the difference.

I learned about true wealth through a sweet little boy I met during a missions trip to Ecuador with Compassion International.

Miguel lives in a one-room house with his mother and three siblings. They share a bed that lies on a dirt floor. They have no bathroom and no electricity. The vegetables his mother used to prepare their evening meal consisted of peelings and rotting parts that certainly would never have made it into one of my recipes. I would have mindlessly thrown them away.

My eyes filled with tears of sadness as I stared true poverty in the face. But Miguel's eyes were filled with a rare and precious joy. A sponsor had breathed the gift of hope into Miguel's life, which made all the difference.

This experience challenged me. I was compelled to figure out a way to sponsor a child and make this same kind of impact. Though I can't solve all the problems of the world, I can give the gift of hope to one life and that's a great start.

My brief encounter with Miguel taught me so much about the true meaning of wealth, and I think of him often. I think of him when I catch myself complaining that my 1,000 square foot house is too small, or when my power bill is more than I expected. But mostly, I think of Miguel when I need to be reminded that the gift of hope is priceless.

My friends, this weekend many of us will put up our Christmas tree and hang bright lights and stockings. We will set up our nativity scenes and sing Christmas carols. And in the midst of our Christmas traditions, we will turn our hearts toward the reason we celebrate.

What better way to celebrate Jesus than to wrap our hope around the lives of those with needs greater than ours?

We can share our hope by serving at our local soup kitchen, or filling shoe boxes with small toys and treats for underprivileged children to open on Christmas day.

We can collect coats and blankets to give to homeless families in our communities.

Or we can sponsor a child, like Miguel, which provides school supplies, spiritual nourishment, health care and clothing.

No matter how big or small our budget, we can make a difference. As we reach out to those around us in Jesus' Name, we provide something much more valuable than any earthly treasure. We share the gift of hope!

Dear Lord, give me Your eyes to see and Your ears to hear the needs of those around me; not just at Christmas, but always. I long to share Your passion for the poor and the needy. Help me remember true wealth is not measured by the size of my bank account, but by the size of my heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit LeAnn’s She Cooks website for practical ways you can bring hope to those around you this holiday season and throughout the year, regardless of your budget.

Prayerfully consider Sponsoring a Child through Compassion International as a Christmas gift to Jesus this year. Children sponsored through Compassion International learn about Jesus as they receive healthcare, tutoring, school supplies, clothing, and vocational training. When you sponsor a child you not only change the life of a child, you change the life of a family and a community, in Jesus’ Name.

Do You Know Jesus?

Sharing Grace: Recipes - Family Traditions - Gift Ideas by LeAnn Rice

Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Dr. Wess Stafford

Application Steps:
Look for opportunities to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ with "the least of these" this Christmas and throughout the year.

Reflections:
Reflect on Proverbs 31:20, "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." (NIV)

If I take an honest inventory of "my" belongings, do I really need four sets of towels? Do I need to stop for my special coffee this morning? Do my kids truly need that many Christmas presents this year? Who could benefit if I say "no" to any of these questions?

Power Verses:
Acts 2:44-47, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (NIV)

Matthew 25:45, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." (NIV)
　
© 2010 by LeAnn Rice. All rights reserved.

Lending to God

Rachel Olsen

"If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord - and he will repay you!" Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)

I sat in the coffee shop last week, slumped behind my laptop for cover, trying to act casual while blotting tears from my eyes with a brown paper napkin. I hadn't expected to be so touched by the brown eyes staring back at me through that screen.

I'd forgotten that God moves in the heart that focuses on the poor.

I was looking at children in poverty at the Compassion International website - trying to decide which one to sponsor. As I read their profiles, I felt my heart expanding two sizes. I'd experienced this before.

A few months earlier I learned that Mauricio, my sponsored child for the last few years, had moved with his family to another part of the country, exiting the Compassion program. I'd gone to Ecuador and met Mauricio, his parents and his grandfather. I'd written to him and prayed for him. He walks around in my memories, enlarging my heart. I hope he never forgets Jesus loves him so much that he used a woman from another hemisphere to prove it.

I planned to choose another child to sponsor right away, but then, I guess life happened. That task slid to the end of my to-do list before being forgotten. That is, until I sat down with my latte and remembered Mauricio.

I figured I'd search the Compassion website for a new "Mauricio," set up an auto-pay account, and get that to-do done before I forgot again.

I don't know why I thought that was something I'd do rather matter-of-factly in a coffee shop, like addressing envelopes or making a grocery list. I don't know how the tears welling in my eyes caught me off guard. I guess I'd forgotten doing the will of God regarding the poor is never just a task because God moves in us when we reach out.

Reading this story you might get the impression that I have a generous, giving heart. You'd be wrong. I'm rather stingy when it comes to money. But I've let God interrupt my stingy nature enough times and teach me that it's more blessed to give than receive. In the process, I learned the truth of today's key verse - that giving to the poor is virtually the same as depositing that money in a heavenly interest-earning account. God not only moves in the heart of, but rewards those who care for the poor.

Randy Alcorn writes in Money, Possessions, and Eternity: "God keeps an account open for us in heaven, and every gift given for His glory is a deposit in that account. Not only God, not only others, but we are the eternal beneficiaries of our giving." I wasn't just sitting in a coffee shop last week looking at a website; I was in line at the "Alpha & Omega Savings and Loan."

That's a truth I want to remember and teach my kids. This morning I showed my 9 year-old son the profiles of the children our family is praying over and asked if he had any thoughts about which one to sponsor. He sniffled a few times while sitting there; I wondered if he was catching cold. Then I caught him wiping at his eyes.

"Are you crying over those children, Caleb?" I tentatively asked.

"Yeah, a little," he admitted. I think his heart grew too.

God moves when we focus on the poor. When we reach out to help, He moves through us into their lives and for us into ours. He acts on our behalf when we act on theirs.

May we lend to God lots this season, giving Him plenty of room to move in, through and for us.

Dear Lord, it seems so strange to think that I can lend to You. But Your Word says that when I help the poor, I am blessing both them and You. And You promise to repay that favor. Lord, soften my heart towards the poor. Help me be generous. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
If this devotion touched your heart, you'll want to read the chapter "Have Eyes Bigger than Your Stomach" in Rachel's new book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.

Visit Rachel's blog today for a chance to win a free copy of her new book!

Consider sponsoring a child at Compassion International

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity! Your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry we provide at no cost. Although we wish we could, we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Honestly, it never feels like a good time to begin parting with $38 a month for the next several years to sponsor a child you've never met. The realization that the holidays and both of my children's birthdays are right around the corner ran through my mind in that coffee shop. Maybe I should wait until the new year, I thought.

But as German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope."

Reflections:
Do I help the poor?

Am I willing to "lend to God" in this matter, trusting that He repays?

Power Verses:
Psalm 41:1-2, "Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies." (NLT)

Proverbs 31:20, "She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." (NIV)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

There are No Shortcuts to Anyplace Worth Going

Glynnis Whitwer

"Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house." Ecclesiastes 10:18 (NLT)

Life for a boy is measured in milestones. The first time you wear "big boy" underwear. The first time you are tall enough to ride a roller coaster. And the first time you eat a Big Mac meal all by yourself. For my youngest son Robbie, the last milestone came at age 6. And it also came with a life-message about the danger of shortcuts.

For a first grader, lunch in the cafeteria is a novelty. With two older brothers, Robbie knew it meant I would be joining him occasionally with a special lunch instead of his normal sandwich and fruit. He couldn't wait for his turn to have Mommy show up with lunch hidden in a paper bag, stamped with a familiar golden arch. The first time I did, he was thrilled.

Robbie majestically created a plate from the paper wrapping, dumped the fries onto the "plate," and sampled his soda. Like a king on his throne, he surveyed his lunch. Then Robbie dug in with abandon to his double-decker burger. And just as quickly, secret sauce started dripping down his little fingers.

He caught some with his tongue, but surplus sauce still oozed down his hands. I could see his shirt about to become a dining accessory, and started rustling through the bag and under wrappers. "Wait Robbie, I'm sure I brought some napkins," I said.

"It's okay Mommy," Robbie said raking his fingers through his hair. "My hair is a napkin." He grinned, thoroughly pleased with himself.

I stared. Speechless.

That was a teachable moment for me. You see, I didn't know I had to tell my children not to use their hair as a napkin. Now I know.

I learned something else from that experience. Convenience trumps correct almost every time when children are small. Which is why dirty clothes get dropped on the floor directly in front of the hamper. Or glasses get set on the counter above the dishwasher. Bad habits are easily formed, and it seems in our human nature to choose ease over diligence, quick over thorough.

Sadly, with enough choices like that, we end up with a life-culture of shallow rather than deep. Instead of pushing through to the next level of excellence, we settle. Instead of the few extra seconds it takes to find a napkin, we use our hair. And then we wonder why things aren't the way we wish they were.

I catch myself looking for the occasional short cut. But I've discovered there are no short cuts to anyplace worth going.

I'll never have a clean home unless I get to work. I'll never save money unless I shop smarter. I'll never be an excellent writer unless I sharpen my skills. I'll never be a great wife or mother unless I make it a priority. I will never wake up one day and find that my dreams have become a reality, unless I'm willing to do what it takes to make that happen.

Besides a good story, Robbie's "My hair is a napkin" experience is a great lesson. It reminds me that convenience isn't always best. Shortcuts don't always work. And I've still got a lot to learn about parenting and life.

Dear Lord, I praise You today for who You are. You are worthy of my best efforts. Forgive me when I try to take a shortcut in serving You. Help me to remember that Your way isn't always the easy way. But it's the best way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
When Your Child is Hurting by Glynnis Whitwer

P31 Woman magazine offers monthly encouragement in living a God-honoring life.

Visit Glynnis’ blog for more encouragement!

Six Habits of Highly Effective Christians by Brian T. Anderson and Glynnis Whitwer

The 7 Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do by Kathy Reimer & Lisa Whittle

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity! Your purchase supports the many areas of life-changing ministry we provide at no cost. Although we wish we could, we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us!________________________________________

Application Steps:
Identify one area of your life that needs more work. What two things can you do this week to make small positive changes in that area?

Reflections:
What "shortcuts" have you taken in life that proved to be bad decisions?

Why are shortcuts seldom helpful when pursuing the dreams in our hearts?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 13:4, "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." (NIV)

Proverbs 31:27, "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." (NIV)

© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.　

Charles

Rachel Olsen

"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

"The gift enclosed was a new watch. A climbing watch made by Suunto. Called the Core."

As my eyes scanned these sentences on page 313 of The Mountain Between Us, I forgot momentarily about the novel's characters. Instead I pictured the watch the author had given my husband years ago.

A Timex Ironman with more buttons and functions than I'd know what to do with.

Rick and I met Charles at graduate school. The two men bonded over darts, basketball, Jesus, discussions of Walker Percy, hunting, music and Dr. Brown's doctoral communication theory lectures.

I'd often find the two of them in the computer lab engrossed in conversation. Or else, laughing so hard sound ceased to emanate from their gaping mouths. Rick's computer screen always contained academic-speak and research terms. Charles', more often than not, would reveal short stories he was composing. I still remember the first one I read. A piece about his sister Annie called Humble Pie…

The timepiece was accompanied by a letter. In a poetic way only a budding novelist could pen, Charles detailed all the characteristics about Rick that inspired him. All the challenges they faced and overcame together. And how much he valued Rick's friendship. He included the verse, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17, NIV).

Charles explained he'd given the same watch to a select few men in his life that had also been a significant source of inspiration. "Iron men" he called them. Men who had sharpened him. Charles described them in the letter too – each one impressive in their own right. Rick wasn't so sure he was worthy of the comparison. Of course, it wasn't really a comparison – it was a celebration. A symbolic token of friendship and appreciation.

Rick wore that watch until the battery died. Then he replaced the battery. He wore it until the band broke, then he put a new band on it. After all, it's not every day someone tells you you're an Iron Man. But each day Rick looked at that watch, Charles did.

Our time at graduate school came to a close causing the men to go their separate ways. Rick to Wilmington to teach college, Charles to Jacksonville to eventually publish stories. Moving stories. Stories where broken people heal and find hope. Stories that show the reader what love looks like.

In an interview Charles said a driving force in his novels is writing a story that answers the question, "What does it look like to really love somebody?" The characters' lives in Charles' books answer that question. So does the novelist's own life.

I asked Rick this week, "What do you think are Charles' strengths as a friend?" Rick paused for split-second and then said, "He is honest about his stuff and requires that you be honest about yours too." Then he added, "And he knows how to love."

Sounds like that sharpening thing goes both ways.

Dear Lord, thank You for strong friendships. Thank You for examples of how to love. And thank You for the prime example of what it looks like to really love somebody, seen in the life of Your Son. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Charles Martin’s The Mountain Between Us is this month’s She Reads pick. To learn more about the book, more about the author, and enter to win a copy of The Mountain plus a gorgeous scarf and several of his other novels, head to SheReads.org.

Want to read Rachel’s review of Charles’ latest novel The Mountain Between Us? Stop by Rachel’s blog at RachelOlsen.com.

It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by Rachel Olsen

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you support the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide women around the world. While we wish we could compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses, we're a non-profit ministry. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Find a way to show your friend(s) who they are and what they mean to you.

Reflections:
Who in your life sharpens you the way today's verse talks about?

If you met Charles yourself, you'd get the feeling he would give you the starched white dress shirt off his back if you needed it. Do the people who know you sense that kind of gracious love in you?

What does it look like to really love somebody?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 27:9, "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense." (NLT)

John 15:13, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." (NLT)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

The Real Meaning of Perfection

Tracie Miles

"So you are also complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every rule and authority." Colossians 2:10 (NLT)

I recently earned the unofficial title of mom-of-the-year. How? I made muffins. Not just plain ol' muffins, mind you. Chocolate chip and blueberry muffins in the cute, baby-muffin pan.

I had risen early, pre-heated the oven, and wiped the sweat from my brow, as I quietly set about my muffin-making task, just like a good Proverbs 31 woman would do. As the muffins began to appear plump and golden, the savory aroma permeated the house.

Then it happened.

My children came bolting down the stairs as if the house were on fire. One of them jumped up and down and screeched in delight, while the other one yelled, "Yeah, muffins!" They paced the kitchen until the coveted pastries were done; then gobbled them up. Everyone was happy. I was thanked, appreciated and hugged. Even though they acted as if I had never fed them breakfast before, it was still awesome. I coveted my new mom-of-the-year entitlement.

Shortly after, it was time to leave for school. I hurried everyone along, with instructions for teeth brushing, book bag gathering, and snack grabbing activities.

Then it happened.

My son exclaimed that his coat was missing, even though it had been in his hand ten minutes earlier. Apparently the coat fairy had snatched it and hid his coat in her invisible closet.

In the process of his frantic coat search, my son accidentally stepped on my daughter's toe. Not just any ol' toe, but the toe that had incurred a serious stumping injury the day before. Instant drama, tears, accusations of doing it on purpose, and flying Band-aids filled the air.

In the midst of the excitement, my other daughter discovered that the coat fairy had taken her coat too - and possibly her shoes. She was having trouble locating her things due to the onslaught of incoming text messages that kept distracting her search efforts. Thus, threats were made about losing phone privileges if it continued to interfere with life itself.

Now that my son was going to be tardy for school - again - because my daughters were not ready, again (primarily due to excessive hair-straightening obligations as opposed to muffin eating) - a heated discussion took place before we finally made it out the door.

My wonderful mom-of-the-year-Proverbs-31-woman award fell to the floor and shattered in a million tiny shreds of disappointment. Calmness, patience, mercy and joy flew out the window quicker than those Band-aids had flown around the kitchen.

Our happy, peaceful, muffin-eating, hug-giving, laugh-sharing moments seemed fuzzy memories. As we drove to school, the chaos slowly slipped away. Emotions calmed. Tears dried.

Positive, loving discussions occurred and I gradually began to feel like maybe I wasn't that bad of a mother after all.

Driving home, I realized that I was holding myself up to unrealistic standards - my own standards for perfection and performance, not God's.

You see, my heart longed to be like that seemingly perfect Proverbs 31 mom. The kind of mom who is always patient, helpful, calm, understanding and reasonable in every circumstance. The kind of mom who never loses her temper. The kind of mom whose children arise every morning and call her blessed, with or without muffins.

It's easy to get hung up on the woman described in Proverbs 31. We begin to believe that God holds us to an unrealistic standard of goodness and perfection. But God sees perfection differently than we do.

Webster's defines the word 'perfect' as "being complete; lacking in nothing." God knows we cannot be perfect physically, but He does desire that we become complete spiritually. Our spirit can be perfect through the blood of Christ, even when our flesh fails.

Our efforts to model the Proverbs 31 woman should be focused on the love that was behind her actions, not the actions themselves. This woman is simply one whose outward actions were a result of a heart being transformed into Christ-likeness. She was exemplary because God's intervention had influenced her life, not because her human efforts were perfect.

So I've decided that my love for my children, not what I cook them for breakfast, will be what determines my attitude and identity today. How about you?

Dear Lord, draw me close to You. Transform my heart, and motivate me to desire completion in You, as opposed to my own standards of perfection. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Tracie’s blog

The Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary by Susie Larson

Reinventing Your Rainbow by Tracie Miles

The Mom I want to Be by T. Suzanne Eller

________________________________________
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Consider who set the standards that you have been trying to live up to.

Reflections:
Does my inability to be perfect cause me to feel discouraged or hopeless?

Have I forgotten that my identity and value come only from Christ within me?

Power Verses:
Psalm 18:32, "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." (NIV)

Psalm 119:96, "Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit." (NLT)

© 2010 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

Lumping and Loving

Karen Ehman

"Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." Philippians 4:5 (NLT)

I usually cringe at generalizations. You know, stereotypes; lumping an entire group of people into a confining box.

Like "The _______ (nationality) are so ________ (bad character trait)." or "Those ___________ (age group) all are so ____________ (strange habit or behavior)."

However, every once in a while, in the lumping, a compliment is paid.

I was at my coffee-house-office-away-from-home recently. As I waited in line for a drink, a frail, elderly woman stood in front of me ordering a meal. She seemed distressed, her face reflecting her frustration as she fumbled for her change, paid the worker, then gathered up her bag of food and picked up her drink. As she headed for the door, her large purse began swinging off of her shoulder, nearly knocking her, and all of her lunch, to the floor.

"Oh....how am I going to do this. Oh my....oh dear...I can't....." she mumbled to herself, trying to shift her weight and her cargo while pushing open the door at the same time.

Though I'd just finally reached the front of the line, God used today's verse to tap me on the heart and shift my momentary schedule. I quickly hopped out of line. "Here. Let me get that for you." I uttered as I held the door open and steadied her drink. "Would you like me to carry your food to your car?"

This precious lady stopped dead in her tracks, her bright blue eyes looking up at me with gratefulness. "Oh dear...why you must still have a grandmother living that you love to be so kind to an old woman."

"No ma'am, I don't." I answered. "I just love Jesus and He wants me to help you."

Her face swiftly softened. She then shook her head slightly and decidedly declared. "Oh my...Of course! You people have always been so helpful to me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

You people.

She meant, "You Christians."

She didn't align herself with the group saying, "Oh thank you for helping a sister out." No. She referred to me--and others who loved Jesus--as "you people."

It made me wonder, how had other Christians helped her in the past? Did they take her a meal? Rake her yard in the fall or shovel her driveway in the winter? Had they given her a ride to a doctor's appointment?

It drove home again for me the age old truth: more is caught than taught. And it demonstrated to me that people are watching.

And lumping.

What do they see? Do they see us being considerate in all we do? Sadly, I have been told all of the following:

By a waitress: "Christians are the worst tippers in the world; especially after a big Sunday supper out. Sometimes they leave no money at all."

By an acquaintance in college: "You're a Christian? So do you stand in front of the science building and scream Bible verses at people telling them they are all going to hell for believing in evolution? I don't believe in evolution. I am just trying to go to class."

By a sweet, misguided teenager from a broken and violent home, looking for love with her heart and announcing it with her body: "Oh, I tried going to church once. There was a sign on the front door that said 'All are welcome but please dress appropriately.' I didn't know what appropriately meant, but I knew it wasn't me. So I turned around and left."

If people watching see uncaring or harshly condemning Christians, why would they want to become one?

My prayer today is that you and I, as true Christ-followers, will be lumped in the "you people" group my sweet coffee house friend saw.

Considerate Christians. They make God and His body of believers look good. Sure, believers already know He is good. But others? They are watching. And lumping. What do they see in you?

Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I choose condemnation over love; rudeness over kindness; or decide to do nothing rather than do the right thing. Please prompt my heart and interrupt my momentary schedule so my actions accurately reflect who You are. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Karen’s blog today for a chance to win a signed copy of her book A Life That Says Welcome and two Target gift card bundles (complete with dark chocolate); one for you and one to give to a stranger.

Making It Real: Whose Faith is it Anyway? by T. Suzanne Eller

Do You Know Him?

She Cooks offers practical tips to be “You People!”

Saving Grace (E-Book) by LeAnn Rice

Application Steps:
Make a choice today to perform a simple, kind deed for a complete stranger. When they thank you, give God the credit.

Reflections:
Can you recall ways Christians have been lumped together? What was said? Was there truth to it?

What characteristics does the Bible say believers should be known for? List as many as you can.

Power Verse:
Proverbs 31:26, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness." (NKJV)

© 2010 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

When Persistence Pays Off

Marybeth Whalen

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)

I almost walked by her. As she looked over, our eyes met and recognition flashed between us. We crossed the room and hugged like the old friends we were. The usual conversation followed with a few minutes of catching up and then my tentative question: "Are you still going to church?"

My mind flashed back to years ago when we first met. I invited her to church and reached out to her about my faith but she wanted nothing to do with it. The look in her eyes told me that my efforts were hitting a brick wall she had carefully constructed around her heart. And yet, I still asked her to church, shared my own faith journey with her, and persisted in letting her know that God loved her.

This went on for years. Then one day she finally agreed to go with me. She visited with my family a few times, then told us that she was going to start attending another service that was better suited to her schedule. To be honest, I figured it was just a polite way to stop coming without telling me. You can imagine my trepidation as I asked if she was still going to church.

I couldn't believe it as she nodded in affirmation. A radiant smile filled her face. "Remember last week when the pastor asked people to raise their hands if they had prayed the prayer of salvation?"

I remembered the service clearly and smiled back as I nodded.

"Well," she said. "I was one of the ones who raised my hand!"

We hugged and laughed and promised to get together soon before parting to join the people we were with. I spent the rest of the night with a goofy grin on my face. I never thought I would stand across from her in a restaurant and hear that she had accepted Christ as her Savior! I had begun to believe that we would spend the rest of our lives with me pursuing and her running. I was glad I had persisted.

In my novel, The Mailbox, the main character Lindsey is a lot like my friend. She struggles with God and resists Him for years. Her best friend Holly is a Christian and continues to present God to her, giving her a Bible and praying for her, encouraging Lindsey to seek God when life delivers hard blows. Holly doesn't give up and even takes some rejection and ribbing from Lindsey through the years of their friendship. Holly has her eye on the prize and is undeterred by Lindsey's resistance. There might be someone in your life that God has given you a heart for—to reach out to, to invite to church, to pray for, to love, to be God with skin on. You look at their life and the deep need they have for Him and you simply can't turn away. You know you can offer the key to unlock the source of their fulfillment. This treasure is too important to give up on.

On my refrigerator hangs a magnet which says simply, "Never, never, never give up." This is true in sharing Christ with our friends and loved ones. Even when they turn away, we can persevere. I am glad I did.

Dear Lord, You know the person I am burdened for. You see their need for You. Help me to not give up in sharing You. Give me creative and non-threatening ways to make You real to them. And soften their hearts to receive what You are offering. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

When a Woman Meets Jesus: Finding the Love Every Woman Longs For by Dorothy Valcarcel

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

Visit Marybeth’s blog

Application Steps:
If there is someone on your mind after reading this devotion, do not wait to reach out to them today. Continue to build a relationship with them and pray for them even if they seem resistant to hearing what you want to share about Jesus.

Reflections:
Is there someone you have given up on? If so, why? Do you need to begin reaching out to them or praying for them again?

Power Verses:
Hebrews 11:27, "By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's wrath because he saw him who was invisible." (NIV)

I Corinthians 3:6, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." (NIV)

© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Priceless in His Sight

Ariel Allison Lawhon, She Reads Co-Director

"How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings." Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

Like many other Russian orphans, Masha was forced out of an orphanage at 15 and sent to a tech school – an underfunded holding tank for kids who learn how to lay brick or paint walls. One day, a group of professional looking, wealthy women came to the school and interviewed the girls for the best jobs in Russia. They were promised fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, and all the money they could hope for. Masha was chosen, and assumed her dreams had come true.

However, she quickly realized this dream had turned into an ugly nightmare.

She was taken to an apartment and beaten. In a matter of hours she would be entering the sex trade. The life that loomed before her was one of forced prostitution.

This is a story that's repeated across the globe in staggering numbers. In Eastern Europe alone, 200,000 women and children are sold into slavery every year. Innocents shipped off to brothels, never reported missing and never rescued. The sex trade is now a multi-billion dollar industry and the United States is one of the biggest consumers. I imagine Jesus weeping. We should as well.

Though some consider these women and children a commodity, something to be bought and sold, God sees their worth: priceless, cherished, beautiful. Our value as human beings is not calculated in assets or financial holdings, gender or age, or what we can bring on some shady black market auction block, but as image-bearers of God. Every human is priceless because we are formed by the hand of God for His glory, made for a purpose that was never meant to include slavery or violation. We believe this. And we must put that faith into action.

The good news is that not every story ends in suffering. Masha, for one, escaped her terrible fate. As she waited in that apartment for a group of men to claim her, she remembered a ministry center sponsored by Children's HopeChest – an organization run by She Reads author Tom Davis. She remembered being cared for and shown the love of Christ there. Masha escaped the apartment and ran to the HopeChest Ministry Center in Kostroma where the staff immediately called the authorities and gave her protection.

Today she is safe, receiving an education, and has a future – because of the caring work of believers, believers just like you and me. There is hope for girls like Masha and there are tangible things that every believer in Christ can do to help those who are not as fortunate. Starting with prayer…

Dear Lord, would You have mercy on the countless victims who are locked away, suffering the unspeakable? Comfort them. Redeem them. Be their hope and their ransom. But more than that, Jesus, would You show me what I can do to help? Show me how to be a voice for mercy and justice. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

She Reads author, Tom Davis, knows what it means to walk into the darkest places on earth and show mercy. His novel Priceless tells the gripping story of a young Russian girl swept into the sex trade. The novel is this month’s She Reads selection – visit the site to learn more about the novel and enter today’s giveaway for coffee and a copy!

Priceless by Tom Davis

Consider sponsoring a child and help them be released from poverty through Compassion International – your sponsorship could keep them off the streets and safe from the slavery trade.

Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Dr. Wess Stafford

Application Steps:
Visit Tom Davis's blog, www.sheispriceless.com to learn how you can help those trapped in the sex slave industry.

Pray that God's mercy will extend to every victim of this horrible situation.

Give to ministries that rescue women and children from the sex trade.

Sponsor orphans in need of shelter and protection.

Get educated on the realities of the sex slave industry.

Be vigilant to watch for victims near you – it happens in every city in the United States.

Reflections:
Does my heart break over the things that break God's heart?

Power Verses:
Isaiah 43:1, "But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'" (NIV)

Zechariah 7:9, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'" (NIV)

© 2010 by Ariel Allison Lawhon. All rights reserved.

My Mother's Hands

T. Suzanne Eller

"Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

She held out the soft white blanket scalloped in pink ribbon. "I'm not sure I want to give it to her," my mom said. The stitches were a bit looser than my mother's past handiwork, but I could see love in every crocheted inch.

I held her hands in my own. Her once slender fingers were bent and swollen at the joints. I imagined her holding the crochet needles and weaving the yarn in and out for hours, days, until the blanket was complete. It is an heirloom for her first great-grandchild, one created with pain and love.

I think I take my mother's hands for granted. They have caressed my cheek. They have made me wear a coat (even when I protested that I was a mother of three grown children). They have dialed the cell phone she loves, and hates, so she could talk to "her Suzie." Her hands have penned cards that showed up in my mailbox saying "I love you."

There's an old 70s song that says, "Time keeps on slipping, slipping, into the future." There is truth in those lyrics. I see the passage of time in my mother's hands. I also see it as moments pass into hours and then into days in a whirl. Life is always busy, like this month when the white board on the refrigerator lists church events, speaking engagements, dentist visits, showers and weddings and graduations, as well as other details like pay the bills, mow the lawn, clean the house.

Recently I realized that my mother was moving further down on that list. A week passed. A month flew by. The phone calls came. "Hey, Suz, just calling to say I miss you."

One day I received an e-mail from a friend. Her mom was sick. For the next few weeks I prayed, reading every update. One night I read the e-mail from my beautiful friend that expressed her love for her ailing mom, and prayer for strength to say goodbye. Suddenly it hit me how little time I actually devoted to my mother. I held the e-mail and wept. The next day I made a date with my mom. She was like a girl; she laughed on the phone as we made plans.

I pray that I have many more opportunities to hang out with my mom, but more than that I pray that I don't take her for granted.

Life most likely won't slow down. But as I devote time to worthwhile endeavors, I don't want to forget that in the grand scheme of things, holding my mother's hands is one of the most priceless investments I'll ever make.

Dear Father, thank You for my loved ones. Life gets so hectic, and sometimes it's hard to slow down long enough to show them how much I care. Please help me to slow down and recognize what is of little value so that I can invest in people with immense value. In Your precious Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

The Woman I Am Becoming by T. Suzanne Eller

The Mom I Want to be: Rising above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future by T. Suzanne Eller

Visit Suzie’s blog where she will give away a copy of The Mom I Want to be: Rising above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future, co-written by Suzie and her mom.

The Overwhelmed Woman's Guide to Caring for Aging Parents by Julie-Allyson Ieron

Application Steps:
Love tokens:
1. Write. Leave a note in an unexpected place.

2. Give. Spend time with no strings attached (help work in the garden, go to lunch, sit and chat).

3. Touch. Especially if your loved one is older or widowed and they are not touched in positive ways any more. (Massage their hands. Hold their hand. Touch their face or hair.)

4. Affirm. Tell them one encouraging thing that you believe about them.

Reflections:
Is there someone you need to spent more time with?

"The most important thing that should totally absorb our lives down here is the practice of real love. Why? Because love lasts. Love will be the only thing that matters in eternity." ~Jill Brisco, author of Love that Lasts.

Power Verses:
John 15:12b, "Love each other in the same way I have loved you." (NLT)

Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (NLT)

© 2010 by T. Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.

The Touch of Your Hand

Glynnis Whitwer

"Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!'" Mark 1:41 (NIV)

The labor and delivery of my second child was fast. In fact, within three hours after the first inkling of pain, I was in the hospital being prepped for delivery. Although my husband stood at my side, the intense pain surprised and overwhelmed me. You see, my first delivery took 13 hours, with lots of pain intervention. This time, because of the speed, I had no pain relief.

I'll never forget looking into the face of the young nurse standing at my right, coaching me through the delivery. After an excruciating contraction, I said, "Would you hold my hand?" She smiled and grabbed hold of my hand while another wave of pain radiated through my body.

I knew it sounded pitiful and needy to ask someone I didn't know to hold my hand, but at that moment I needed her strength.

There have been other times I've needed to hold someone's hand. The first time I went snorkeling, I thought I was going to pass out I was hyperventilating so badly. I held my husband's hand on my left and my son's hand on my right until I could control my breathing and enjoy the incredible sights. Hiking up Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, I held someone's hand when I wasn't grasping on to rocks. I've held my mother's hand and my sisters' hands as we've walked through the pain of losing loved ones.

There's something about physical touch that brings comfort and stability in an uncertain world. The New Testament is filled with stories of Jesus touching those around Him. He laid His hands on women who had been scorned, children dancing at His feet and lepers ashamed of their faces. I picture His hands always reached out to someone.

In this world of virtual relationships, conversations managed via electronic devices and fear of inappropriate touch, I wonder if we are losing our physical connections to each other. And yet God designed us to need touch. In fact, it is critical to our health – both emotional and physical. Babies need touch for their brains to develop and children need touch for their emotions to develop. Experts say appropriate touch has a profound effect on the brain's programming and re-programming.

Perhaps it's time to become more intentional about offering loving and appropriate touch to others. We all need it, but often find it awkward to accept and offer. My immediate family is very comfortable with touch, as my children have grown up with lots of physical affection. But I have to be intentional about reaching out to others in gentle and creative ways.

I have discovered reading the New Testament that the first believers were very affectionate with each other. In fact at the end of Acts 20, we read that all the believers embraced and kissed Paul as he was leaving for a journey. They were also encouraged to greet each other with a holy kiss.

While I realize not everyone is ready to be touched with such intimacy, I am challenged to bring healthy touch into my relationships in greater measure. Whether it's a hug, pat on the head, stroke on the arm, or a holy kiss, touch is needed in our society. Maybe if we brought more healthy touch into our relationships, people wouldn't be driven to seek it in inappropriate ways.

For whatever reason, God designed us to need the physical touch of others. So the next time you need to hold someone's hand, I'm your gal.

Dear Lord, I know You designed us to need the touch of other people. It's not always easy to admit we need someone to hold our hand, or give us a hug. Help me to be more aware of the needs of those around me, and to offer healthy and loving touch in natural ways. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
When Your Child is Hurting by Glynnis Whitwer

P31 Woman magazine

Visit Glynnis’ blog for tips on creative and healthy touch.

Consider starting a Gather & Grow group

Application Steps:
The next time you are at church, challenge yourself to offer healthy touch to two or three people. Become the person who offers a hug, rather than waiting for one.

Reflections:
Think about reasons why God would design us to need the physical touch of others.

What are some things that keep us from offering loving touch to others?

Power Verses:
1 John 1:1, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." (NIV)

1 Peter 5:14, "Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ." (NIV)

© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

No More Backbiting

Susanne Scheppmann

"Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32 (MSG)

We heard a screech from my three year-old granddaughter. Bawling like a newborn calf quickly followed. My daughter-in-law and I rushed to Emily and found a purplish-red oval on her back. Ouch! It seemed her younger sister bit her on her back as they struggled for possession of a toy.

This childish episode caused me to imagine God gazing down on our behavior, shaking His holy head and saying, "Stop talking badly about one another. You're hurting her. Stop backbiting over such silly things."

Unfortunately, backbiting comes easily for us, doesn't it? We become put out over a co-worker, a neighbor, or even a sister in Christ, and begin to spew negative words. Our tongues wag and we injure people—sometimes the ones we love the most.

Remember the childhood rhyme, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me"? Ha! That is a false statement. Hurtful words can damage and leave bite-marks for a lifetime.

So why do we do this? We backbite because our words are the most difficult thing for us to control. The Bible states in James 3:2, "Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way" (NLT). We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will nudge us each time we are ready to fling a few disparaging words.

In addition, if we are the recipient of a bite on the back, we must learn to forgive quickly. Our key verse advises us to, "Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." This isn't as hard as it may seem. Realize that things are said that may be misspoken and not meant to hurt as much as they do. Understand that if you hold bitterness in your heart about the unkind words, the bitterness affects you, not the other person.

I witnessed this forgiveness in action with my granddaughters. The younger one, the backbiter, looked defiant, then confused, then sad. She said, "Sworry." They hugged.

Later in the day Emily, the granddaughter who had been bitten, said, "It hurt real bad, but now it's not." Yes, there are two lessons to be learned from our key verse and these two toddlers: don't backbite—and forgive.

Dear Holy Spirit, I ask You to nudge me the next time I begin to backbite. Give me the sense and control to shut my mouth before anything hurtful hurls itself off my tongue. Also, help me to forgive those who hurt me with their words. Mold me into Your image of grace and forgiveness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Embraced by the Father: Finding Grace in the Names of God by Susanne Scheppmann

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue and accompanying Workbook

Birds in My Mustard Tree: How to Grow Your Faith by Susanne Scheppmann

Visit Susanne’s blog

Application Steps:
Read James 3:1-12. Ponder what James compares the tongue to in these verses. Consider if your tongue is a "restless evil, full of deadly poison." Determine today not to backbite anyone—no matter how aggravating. Decide to use your tongue for the encouragement of others and to praise our God.

Reflections:
In what situations do I most like to use my tongue in a negative manner?

Why do I backbite? Is it jealousy, bitterness, or a power struggle?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 21:23, "Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble." (NLT)

1 Peter 3:10, "For, 'Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.'" (NIV)

James 3:5, "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." (NIV)

© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

Becoming the Hands and Feet

Tracie Miles

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

We sat in an empty waiting room for hours, anxiously waiting for an update on my sister's surgery. When the doctor finally entered the room, the news was not good. He explained how it was worse than expected - not exactly comforting news - and proceeded to explain the lengthy recovery needed. He wanted to prepare us for the long road ahead.

You could have heard a pin drop as we all sat there with eyes filled with tears and hearts filled with worry. But the silence came to an abrupt halt as another family entered the room with a lot of hustle and bustle.

I immersed myself in my own feelings and tried to tune them out until I heard the Name of Jesus filling the room.

In that moment, when fear and anxiety hovered, just the mention of Jesus' Name was music to my ears. I lifted my head to see a beautiful white-haired woman, with sparkling eyes and an engaging smile. She sat in a wheelchair, telling her family how she was praying that the Lord would heal her precious husband. Despite her grim situation, her face was glowing with joy.

I quickly averted my eyes, but within seconds she was staring at me and hollered, "Hey honey! How are you?" I managed a pitiful smile, said "Fine, thank you," and intended to keep to myself. She, however, had other plans.

Before I knew it, she had rolled her wheelchair across the room and stopped right at my feet. She talked about her family, why her husband was in surgery, and what a wonderful godly man he was. She asked about our situation and began encouraging me with God's promises.

Although at first I wished she would stop talking, I soon found myself wanting to write down her every word as she poured out her sweetness all over me.

Then she said something I will never forget. "Honey, I hope God blesses your sister. If He can only save one person today, I hope it is her. My husband is 85 years-old and has lived a long and fruitful life."

I was literally stunned by her selflessness. I was shocked that she would even consider the thought of putting a total stranger's life ahead of the life of her dear husband. I didn't know how to respond to such a sacrificial, heartfelt, godly expression of love. Then she took my hands into hers and prayed for my sister out loud. Afterwards, I prayed for her husband, and she disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

I walked out of that waiting room having seen a glimpse of Jesus in the face of a frail, elderly woman, a woman who was willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

This sweet lady had countless reasons to be depressed, discouraged, and hopeless. Instead she chose to be expressive, encouraging and hopeful. Most importantly, she spread those gifts to everyone around her. She replaced her worry with concern for others. She filled her heart with joy instead of sadness. She put aside her own anxiety to ease the anxiety of a total stranger. She loved on me when she needed to be loved on herself.

She willingly chose to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and I can only hope to be just like this sweet lady one day. I hope

…to become such a strong woman of faith that I can have joy and contentment even during the storms of life.

…to become such a strong woman of faith that I would sacrifice my own needs and desires for those of a stranger.

…to become a woman that leaves other people feeling as if they have seen Jesus through the light that shone through me.

Dear Lord, give me a longing to be Your hands and feet to someone in need today. Open doors for me to spread Your joy and hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Tracie’s blog

A Life That Says Welcome, Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others by Karen Ehman

The Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary by Susie Larson

Inspire a man in your life to be the hands and feet of Jesus with Hero: Unleashing God's Power in a Man's Heart by Derwin Gray

For more encouragement, read our free resource God’s Messengers

Application Steps:
Ask God to give you a heart consumed with meeting the needs of others.

Reflections:
Would I be willing to make a personal sacrifice for a total stranger?

Do I embrace opportunities that Jesus puts in my path to be His hands and feet?

Power Verses:
Matthew 5:14, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." (NIV)

Mark 12:31, "The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV)

© 2010 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

Homeless, Not Abandoned

Luann Prater

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

I got a text saying my sister was on the news in our home state. I raced to my computer to pull up the local station. As director of a home that houses young, troubled women, she was pleading that the homeless be counted in the 2010 Census.

It seemed like not too many years ago my sister and I could have ended up in that home. Our lives could have taken a "Mary turn." I met Mary at a fundraising banquet for the Rescue Mission. She sat next to me and we immediately connected. Two years earlier she had stepped into the wrong car. A man took what he wanted from her, then left her for dead on the side of the road.

She'd already known a hard life. As a child she'd rebelled against her parents and run away. For 21 years she had lived on the streets. But then she went with a fellow homeless girl to the Rescue Mission. When they entered, she witnessed something that touched her deeply. The Mission folks embraced her friend and told her how much they had missed her and been praying for her safety. In 21 years no one had ever done that for Mary.

There was something different in this place. Mary physically healed there while Jesus ministered to her soul through the love of His servants. She discovered what it meant to be a child of the King and gave her heart to Him. She learned how to make wise choices, obey Mission rules, and become faithful to herself and to Jesus.

Mary now has two jobs, lives in her own apartment and serves at her church nearly every time the doors are open. She glows with God's brilliant grace and looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Her smile lights up the room.

She said her momma never stopped praying for her. She now praises God for the years of heartache and hardships because they put her in touch with the Savior.

My parents, too, were on their knees for my sister and me many times. Maybe that person you see on the street has parents with calluses on their knees.

Watching my once wayward sister stand up for the homeless on TV that day made my heart smile. Our parents would be smiling too, for she displays the Lord's splendor in the Rescue Mission.

Are you His witness? Go display His splendor today because I see His brilliant grace shining on you!

Dear Lord, forgive me for walking right by the hurting without even noticing. Open my eyes to see the world through Your eyes. May I point a broken heart to the Great Healer. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know the Great Healer?

Visit with Luann on her blog and Encouragement Café

Sponsor a child; change a generation - Compassion International

Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Dr. Wess Stafford

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself by Mary Lance Sisk

Application Steps:
Volunteer at a Rescue Mission in your area.

Pray about releasing a child in poverty through Compassion International.

Reflections:
What am I really doing to reach out to the brokenhearted?

How can I make a difference in my corner of the world?

Who around me needs God's love to flow through me and onto them?

Power Verses:
Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (NIV)

Mark 12:31 "The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV)

© 2010 by Luann Prater. All rights reserved.

Only One Thing

Zoe Elmore

"You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

I had a college professor who told our health class to be sure we had eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work, and eight hours of leisure. It was her opinion that this formula would bring about a balanced life.

I can see you rolling your eyes and thinking, "Really?"

While I don't agree with my professor's formula I do agree that our lives must have balance and in order to achieve that balance we must return to putting our relationship with the Lord first.
Remember the story where Jesus told Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus that she needed to rethink her priorities? Martha was upset with Mary because she dropped what she was doing to sit at the feet of Jesus. Martha, however, continued with her hostess responsibilities until she had enough.

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'" (Luke 10:40, NIV).

But Jesus told Martha that it was Mary who had put her relationship with the Lord first in her life. "'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her'" (Luke 10:41-42,NIV).

Martha was one smart lady and she learned her lesson well. After this encounter, when Jesus arrived to call Lazarus from the grave, it was Mary who stayed in the house and Martha who went out to greet Him.

I love that it was Martha to whom Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NIV).

Her reply confirms just how much Martha's priorities had changed: "'Yes, Lord,' she told him, 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world'" (John 11:27,NIV).

Setting priorities in today's fast-paced life can be challenging for sure. We try to squeeze as much as we can into the twenty four hours in each day. Yet when we've had enough and can't take any more, that's when we find ourselves crying out to the Lord for help. If you're anything like me you will hear His sweet words whispering to your heart, "Only one thing is needed."

The simple truth is when we put God first in our lives; everything else will fall into place. Our responsibilities will continue and the demands of life will go on but God will be there to help us bring order out of chaos. "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6,NIV).

Dear Lord, I confess that my life is pulled in too many directions. When I am anxious about doing things I have trouble hearing Your Word. Help me to treasure the "one thing" that I need and trust You to put the rest in order. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Zoe’s blog for more encouragement

All I Need is Jesus & a Good Pair of Jeans by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

Find a bit more balance with our free resource, Good Thing or God Thing?

Application Steps:
Prioritize all the commitments and responsibilities you have.

Ask God to reorganize your list and follow His leading.

Reflections:
What is your number one priority today?

Power Verses:
Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (NIV)

Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

© 2010 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.

The Dailyness

Ariel Allison Lawhon, She Reads Co-Director

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway." Proverbs 8:34 (NIV)

Life wouldn't be so hard if it wasn't so daily. As I sit here surrounded by laundry and dishes piled high in the sink, I see more than ever how life wears us down one day at a time.

Crumbs litter the floor and dirty smudges cover the windows. And I have yet to discover where that smell is coming from. For this mother of four, a simple trip to the grocery store requires an act of God and Congress – attempted only when we are down to powdered milk and Ramen noodles. Not thirty minutes ago a little one-year-old boy clung to my legs, belting out that scream - you know the one, bats can hear it. And I felt my coping skills slipping away. Not because he was crying but because he cries every day.

The daily-ness.

The job of motherhood feels so vast, and frightening, and unending. I am called to raise these children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and yet there are days that I can't seem to get out of my pajamas much less lead them in a time of prayer. I think anyone could endure the temper tantrums of a small child or the rebellion of a teenager or the constant needs of another if they lasted just one day. But the truth is that these things are the stuff of daily life. And when I am honest with myself, they grind down the rough edges of this woman. Because parenting can not be all about me when diapers must be changed, noses wiped and beds made.

In those moments I force myself to take a deep breath and thank God for this season of life. These children. The privilege of wiping noses and bottoms and countertops. A privilege many women would love to have, but don't. I remind myself that the days are long but the years are short. And one day I will look in the rear-view mirror and see empty seats. The cup that is overflowing right now will slowly drain. The stretch marks will fade. And I will find that a new set of daily struggles has overtaken me. When that day comes I will find the strength to face them as well because God gives the grace, daily.

The daily-ness.

As C.S. Lewis once said, "The thing is to rely on God… Meanwhile, the trouble is that relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing has yet been done."

Your daily-ness is probably different than mine, but it is nonetheless God-ordained. It is exactly what we need to live dependent on His grace instead of our own strength. The One who knows us best, who knit us together in our mother's womb, has allotted these days that are equal parts trial and triumph. And He knows that we will see Him most clearly from a place of dependence.

So today I embrace the normal things. The daily things. Another round of laundry. The ring in my toilet. The dust on my dresser so thick a child could write his name. But even more than that I want to celebrate the important things. A child slowly learning to read. A husband that finds his comfort in my arms. A baby who learns to walk and talk. Because all these are the things of life: some mundane and some holy. And all of them must be received daily.

Dear Lord, sometimes daily life is just hard. And we're tired. And overwhelmed. But You promised to be our strength and our hope and our comfort. So today we look to You for what we need. Would You meet us in this, our daily-ness, and help us receive Your grace? In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Click here to visit the She Reads blog where we’ve got a special Mother’s Day book giveaway including Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers, So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore, and Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes!

P31 Resources for all stages of the daily-ness of kids:
Rattled: Surviving Your Baby's First Year without Losing Your Cool by Trish Berg

Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose by Rebecca Ingram Powell

Parenting Your Teen and Loving It: Being the Mom Your Kids Need by Susie Davis
Blue Like Play Dough: The Shape of Motherhood in the Grip of God by Tricia Goyer

Application Steps:
Pray that God will help you embrace your daily-ness, whether it be young children, a physical ailment, or financial difficulties.

Make an effort to honor God with an attitude of trust during this season of life.

Reflections:
How can trusting God with my daily struggles point others to Him?

How would my life be different if I started each day thanking God for this season and the struggles it contains?

Power Verses:
Matthew 6:11, "Give us today our daily bread." (NIV)

Luke 9:23, "Then He said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (NIV)

Titus 3:14, "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessitates and not live unproductive lives." (NIV)

© 2010 by Ariel Allison Lawhon. All rights reserved.

Other Mothers

Karen Ehman

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

Syrupy, sentimental greeting cards carefully chosen the night before. A hand-made art project fashioned to be a practical, pretty potholder. Soft, pastel tissue-paper flowers twisted into a creative corsage, sure to be the envy of all the church ladies. A simple bottle of over-powering perfume purchased from the local dollar store. All delights designed to impress one very special lady.

Yep, Mother's Day is upon us again.

While many use this time to thank the mothers and grandmothers in their lives, each May I like to also remember my "other mothers." Women who touched my life, imparted their wisdom and shaped my character.

My Aunt Patty holds a treasured place in my childhood memories. Though our states sat side-by-side in the Mid-west, we had to travel an entire day down and around Lake Michigan in order to reach her home. As a result, we only saw each other about once a year. When we did, she never seemed to be in a hurry but always had plenty of time to talk or read to me. She would gently brush the rat's nest out of my waist-length blond hair when I'd been oh-so-lax in fending the snarly tangles off. She'd ask me to sing for her or perform the cheer I'd created for team tryouts. Though we still see each other no more than once a year, if I close my eyes, I can smell her sweet perfume; White Shoulders. Her very presence made this rough and tumble tomboy long to be just like her when I grew up; pretty, sweet and gentle.

I thank my God every time I remember my Aunt Patty.

Dee was my youth pastor's wife. Her cheerful smile made this awkward teenager feel completely confidant and right at home. Her house smelled of apple-cinnamon tea and her door, like her heart, was always open. Miss Dee's fridge never seemed to lack the needed ingredients for an impromptu teenage bash. In no time flat, she'd whip up a huge batch of taco salad, pull some cookies hot out of the oven and pour our favorite flavors of soda in glasses. Her family room transformed into a haven where we could ask questions, discover answers and just be ourselves. Being around Dee made me want to be a woman whose very life, like hers, says, "Welcome."

I thank my God every time I remember sweet Miss Dee.

Mrs. Esch lived across the street. Some in our neighborhood wrote me off, seeing only a latch-key kid from a broken home, desperate for attention. Not Mrs. Esch. She looked deeper. She purposefully discovered my interests, and learned all she could about them, even going so far as to join a softball team with me. She talked to me about what I wanted to do with my life some day. Most of all, she sensed in me an innate need to be introduced to the God who promises to be a Father to the fatherless. It was through this young mother of two that I became a follower of Christ. Soon after, she began to talk to me about "my calling," excitedly insisting she just knew God was going to use me in ministry one day. Thirty-one years later, she is now on my prayer team; the team that prays for me as I write and travel to speak.

I thank my God every time I remember my mentor Mrs. Esch.

Think about your life. Who were (or are) your "other mothers"? The ones whom you thank God for every time you remember them? And what about the younger women in your life right now? Perhaps God is calling you to be an "other mother" to a soul who needs a little guidance this side of heaven. You can give her a smile; a tender touch of grace, some taco salad, or a verbal "I believe in you!"

Women connecting with each other to encourage and dream and is a sweet aroma to Jesus.

Dollar-store perfume optional.

Dear Lord, I thank You for the other mothers you strategically placed in my path. Help me to be an encouragement, a loving shoulder and a voice of truth to other females in my life pointing them only to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
For an opportunity to share a memory of your other mother and to enter to win a girlfriends basket-in-a-box giveaway, visit Karen’s blog

A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman

Homespun Memories For The Heart by Karen Ehman

Application Steps:
Send a hand-written note to one of your "other mothers." If she is no longer alive, attempt to locate some of her family members. Let them know how greatly she influenced you and how you thank God every time you remember her.

Reflections:
Is there someone to whom you serve as an "other mother"? What is something tangible you can do for her to show God's love?

Power Verses:
John 19:26-27, "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (NIV)

© 2010 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

Words of Life or Death

Melanie Chitwood

"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences." Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)

I often hear my husband Scott say something to my sons that brings a smile to my face. "Have you told your mom you love her today? Don't ever forget you have the best mom in the world." When I hear him praise me to our sons, I feel encouraged and appreciated. From my husband's example, I've learned to be careful about the words I say not only to my husband but also about my husband.

Today's key verse tells us our words can bring "death or life." In our marriages, this means our words can either tear down our spouses or build them up. I've been noticing lately whether I'm more likely to say words such as, "I'm married to the greatest man," or words like, "I told you so," or "You don't even try to understand me."

What about you and your words to your husband? When you speak to your husband, do you fill him up with praise, or make him feel like he's not measuring up?

Let's also consider the words we say about our husbands to others. What kind of things do you say about your husband to your children? Your best friend? Your sister or mother?

I tend to be a "venter" when I am angry or frustrated with my husband. Sometimes I turn to others because I'm seeking validation for my angry feelings. Often I vent when I haven't taken the time first to deal with the situation with God. I'm learning that if I go to the Lord first in prayer, pouring out my heart to Him, He changes my heart and brings me to a place of repentance and calmness. Then I'm able to let go of my anger and move on, or talk to my husband about it in a loving manner.

Scripture gives plenty of evidence that God's words have the power of life. In Genesis we're told God created every inch of the world with His spoken words. John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus heals countless people with the power of His words. In a similar manner, our words have accomplishing power. God wants our words to bring life to our marriages. We can choose what we will sow—words of life or words of death—and we will reap the consequences many times over.

Use today's application steps to fill up your husband with words of life.

Dear Lord, let my words to my spouse and about my spouse draw us closer to one another. Teach me to communicate in ways that build my husband up instead of tearing him down. If pride, stubbornness, selfishness, or any other sin is preventing me from speaking words of life in our marriage, Lord, I confess that right now. Make me aware of any words of death I've spoken in our marriage. And as the Holy Spirit brings those to my mind, help me confess and turn from them, especially any words of divorce. Break any curse on our marriage from hurtful, angry, or destructive words. Guided by Your wisdom and love, may our words to and about one another build a protective wall around our marriage. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Today’s devotion is adapted from What a Wife Needs from Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood

What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue and accompanying Workbook by Deborah Smith Pegues

For more marriage encouragement visit Melanie’s blog – What Matters Most

Melanie offers more words of wisdom in her P31 Woman article Protecting the Oneness in Marriage

Application Steps:
Considering the list below, which words do you speak most frequently to your husband, "words of life" or "words of death"? Plan on blessing your husband with at least one phrase from the "words of life" suggestions.

Words of Life
I appreciate how hard you work.
You are an incredible husband.
You have great insight.
I'm really looking forward to going out with you.
I'm sorry.
I was wrong.
Will you forgive me?
Thank you.
I understand.

Words of Death
You never listen to me.
You just don't get it.
I told you so.
You should have…
I wish you could just try to understand me for once.
How could you think that?
Why did I ever marry you?
That was dumb.
We'd be better off divorced.

Reflections:
What situations tend to cause you to speak "words of death" to your husband?

Are there certain words you need to make off-limits in your marriage?

In what other relationships do you need to practice speaking "words of life"?

Power Verses:
Ephesians 4:29, "Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift." (MSG)

Psalm 19:14, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." (NLT)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.