Now Go.

So here is the thing, I have issues with feeling inadequate at times. Like, “How can God use me?” “What is my purpose for the kingdom?”

Ever since I was asked to contribute to this page, I have worried that I wasn’t worthy or had anything worthwhile to say. I don’t always have the most catchy or witty things to say, and I questioned if anyone would even want to read anything that I wrote.

I began to write a “cookie cutter” lesson on my computer at school, but then the Lord stepped in. I came home to finalize that post only to find out that I had not saved it properly. Lost – everything was lost! I had to start over from scratch. Then the Lord spoke to me and said, “I am doing a NEW work in you! I have something else for you to say.”

Isn’t that just like the year we have had? All the plans and paths we thought we were on suddenly changed almost a year ago, and we have all had to adapt and readjust. I believe strongly that this is a time in history where God is going to do amazing things. We just have to be willing to be true disciples of His.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

EVERY Christian, not just those in formal ministry roles, are called to make disciples of all nations. The Lord has been showing me lately that my “nation” might just be my neighborhood. We all have a sphere of influence that the Lord has entrusted to us with whom we need to share the love of Jesus by simply doing life with each other.

You don’t have to go to a foreign land, have a degree in theology, or have a formal role in ministry to make disciples of those around you. Moms are called to love their children and families like Jesus does, and that is a mission field for sure. Teachers can positively impact students lives by loving them like Jesus when they need it most.

People in this country, probably more than ever, need Jesus and are seeking Him, even if they don’t realize it. The words we speak can either speak life or death into someone’s spirit, and I pray that all that I say or do will point the people I come into contact with to the cross.

Over the course of my life, I can look back on the everyday people I have come into contact with that have ministered to me in a meaningful way, many of which had no idea what they did. They simply lived their life out in such a way that it pointed to Christ. Rather that be a praying Grandmother that got me through many trials in life, to a caring teacher that offered extra encouragement at just the right moment, or a friend that offered to be present and listen just when I needed it.

When we fill our hearts, souls, and minds with the word of God, that overflow naturally impacts those around us and could quite possibly change the trajectory of not only their day but also their eternity.

I want to encourage anyone reading this to be filled with so much Jesus that it can’t help but overflow, to be intentional about relationships, and to treat your neighborhood as your mission field.

Now go out and make disciples. Yes YOU! I’m telling you to go out and make disciples!

A new Thing

A NEW THING by Mrs. Teresa Cockrell Mathews

Behold, I am doing a new thing:
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19

A new thing, this is my phrase for this new year. Why would I need God to do a new thing in my life? It is because I have been in the wilderness for a spell.

My wilderness was not like the one that the Israelites went through because they refused to see the Promised Land and take that blessing. My Wilderness was God setting me aside to learn, wait, watch, and grow. This wilderness is not a place by choice; it is a place by design.
Sometimes this wilderness comes and you know it is about to happen. Other times it sneaks up on you, and you don’t realize you are in it until you are halfway through. My wilderness snuck up on me. I found myself sitting down and not moving forward in my wilderness. While in the wilderness I knew God was there, but He seemed far away – so I thought. At times my attitude stunk, sometimes I did not want to worship or read my bible, and there were times where I did. I tried to be a hermit, but God and life pulled me back.

The first Sunday of this year our pastor spoke on the children of Israel who were about to take the Promised Land and cross the Jordan River. He told Joshua to put the Ark in the water 2000 cubits (10 football fields long) ahead of the people. Why 2000 cubits? By this time there were millions of people that were about to cross the Jordan. God placed the Ark (Himself) this far ahead so all the people could see it (Him). This distance let all people see the Ark. They were to LOOK UP and keep their eyes on God, and He would show them the way.

God, in this moment told me, “Teresa, LOOK UP!!! Quit walking with your head down. You can’t see the way I am leading you, and you can’t see me. Look Up and follow me through this. I will be your Focal Point. You may not see the whole road but I will guide you in each step.”He was to become my pillar of fire at night and my cloud in the day.

When you find yourself in the wilderness:

LOOK UP: Find God, keep your eyes on Him.
Know this time is a teaching, pruning, and growing time for your life, (sometimes it can be a punishment). Seek God to show you
Follow the way in the wilderness God sets before you. You have not been this way before. (Joshua 3:4)
Stop at the Rivers God sends your way to refresh you. (Now there is not a river on every turn). Keep going, don’t get comfortable here. This is not the destination.
Perceive: “Know, be aware.” Keep telling yourself God is doing a new thing I know it, I perceive it, I am aware of it.

Plastic Dishes

True confession. I am a little obsessed with plastic dishes. I really like them. I love when Spring is just around the corner and value stores begin hawking brightly colored plates, bowls, and cups with gaudy prints in tropical patterns. Likewise, I have one large cabinet dedicated to reusable bowls with lids, good for leftovers and lunchboxes. I love getting new, pristine bowls with matching lids that I don’t need to search for. There is a hierarchy in the world of plastic containers. Tupperware is at the top! It costs the most, but it lasts forever. It seals perfectly, doesn’t leak, and washes easily. We all probably have a piece or two from our mom or even grandma at home! It is the gold crown on the plastic heap. Then there are the mid range plastic dishes like Rubbermaid. They have some quality pieces, but they aren’t quite in the Tupperware league. Next in line you have the toss and take varieties of plastics. I like these guys. They are good in a pinch, and I keep them long after the recommended one use. Doesn’t everyone? Last in the hierarchy are the empty cottage cheese, sour cream, and lunch meat containers. These bowls can be used just like the other dishes, but they are essentially free. Sure, they don’t seal as well, so you don’t want to transport liquids in them, but they are good in a pinch.Yes, they can be useful, but if someone forgets to clean their lunchbox out over spring break, I don’t feel nearly as bad about throwing them away as I would a Tupperware.

You may wonder what plastic dishes have to do with your relationship with God. You see, I am a Christian and have been for the better part of my life, but I have always felt more like a cottage cheese container than a Tupperware. I see all those Tupperware Christians. They seem to have life all together, they are stain resistant, and their lids never leak. You would never throw away a tupperware that got left in a lunch box over Spring Break. You would wash that sucker until it gleamed! It seems so valuable compared to the cottage cheese dish with the label wearing off the front and a lid that is a little bent and crooked. I feel like if God looked at me like I look at my plastic collection, He might just be tempted to say, this little cottage cheese container has really hung in there, but maybe she just isn’t worth the effort to save anymore. Maybe she’s just too worn out, after all this time she still leaks a little, and she certainly doesn’t hold everything together like a Tupperware. I don’t pray enough. I’m not good enough. I could always read and study the word of God more. I give in to panic and fear more than I like to admit. I don’t feel shiny and I certainly don’t have my life all together. If God looked at Christians like I look at plastics, I’m pretty sure I would be in recycling or the trash can.

Thankfully, God does not see me as a cottage cheese container. I am not at the bottom of the Christian heap, or worse, discarded. God sees me through the eyes of Jesus who died to give me a new life. He sees me fully reconciled to Him. He wants me. And if my lid is sometimes a little crooked, He is reshaping it and helping make it straight. He seals me in His righteousness. He teaches me to trust in the process, knowing that sanctification is ongoing for a lifetime. He says to me, you are mine and you are worthy. He knows I am not perfect, but he loves me anyway. And though I know He wants me to have a clean heart, he doesn’t throw me away when I give in to sin. He washes me, removes the stains, and holds me close. You see, the cottage cheese dish is just as valuable to God as the Tupperware. So if you have trouble sleeping because of worry, or you complained about your week instead of showing your gratitude, or you yelled at your kids this morning, it is really okay. Ask for forgiveness, and try again. And when your husband asks you if you are going to keep another cottage cheese container, you can just look at him and smile as you put another valuable vessel in your overflowing plastic cabinet.

Matthew 10:32

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,”

1 Corinthians 6:10

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Come home.

In this life I have messed up, fallen down, and allowed sin to get a grip on my life. I say things I shouldn’t to others, then kick my self around with regret and guilt. I will have a whole conversation in my head about how I should apologize, what I should or shouldn’t say, and how they will respond.

A few things I never expect is for that person to hug me or throw me a party. Yet, as we look at the prodigal son this is exactly what his father did when he returned home. (Luke 15:17-24)

The world beyond the prodigal’s home beckoned for him to come take a look around. Much like today, the world paints a beautiful picture of ‘fun’. It doesn’t show us the reality behind the scenes – the pigpens or the plan the enemy has to wrap us up so tightly in the bondage of sin that freedom feels impossible.

As we look further into the life of the prodigal son, we find him broke and in a pigpen. While feeding the pigs he thinks about how he would gladly eat the same things they were eating. During this time he came to his senses and thought about how even his fathers servants ate better than this. He starts home with many thoughts about what he would say to his father, never imagining his father would still be waiting and watching for him to return. His father saw him while he was still a long ways off, and runs to his son – hugging him even though he was dirty with the smell of pigpen still on him. The son had taken the money his father had given him, spent it on all sorts of wasteful ways, living it up with friends he thought he had, until he was broke.

Not only did his father hug him, he had the very best robe brought out to put on him. Then he had the servants kill a calf and not just any calf, but the best calf in honor of the return of his son.

I am so thankful that we also have a Father that never gives up on us – no matter how many times we fall. He is always there to pick us up, hug us, and dust us off. Just like the prodigal son’s father, He allows us to make our own choices – even the bad ones – and yet He is always waiting with arms open wide because He loves us so much more than we can imagine.

The prodigal son left to pursue the best the world had to offer only to find the world’s best was lacking. Our best life will always be found in the arms of our loving Father.

That’s Hard.

It started when we were dating. It’s quite possible the only thing that can bring fear to Frank Marino, and it’s just a series of sentences. A series that almost always means big changes for me – and for him.

Poor Frank.

Last week I had to say them. I said, “Frank, God is asking me to do something, but I don’t want to do it. It’s gonna be hard.”

Yes, sometimes I revert back to toddler behavior.

These are the moments I have to give myself what I call the “you better get real pep-talk”. This pep-talk that I give myself probably isn’t for everyone, but the fact of the matter is I have to straight up get in my own business sometimes.

Here’s my self made pep-talk.

Daisy, Jesus hung and died on a cross – a brutal death. Now that’s hard.

Daisy, Jesus lived his entire life being mocked and betrayed by his siblings and best friends. Now that’s hard.

Daisy, Jesus had to constantly speak the truth in love. Now that’s hard, y’all.

Basically, I have two options:

1. Start designing the invitations for Daisy’s Pity Party for one.

2. I can just do the thing that God is telling me to do.

The thing that God is going to help me to do. The thing God needs me to do.

I mean – when I put it like that the choice seems pretty simple.

I wanted to say thanks for hanging around for my very own Ted Talk, but really it’s a God talk.

Now go be brave and do what He needs you to do.

“20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

Distracted.

I come from a family that loves sports almost as much as they love me.

Maybe more.

Just joking.

In my younger years we were heavy into softball. I can vividly remember my dad, and my big sister, telling me to keep my eye on the ball.

Because let’s be honest – I am easily distracted. I have a creative spirit. I’m a dreamer. Focusing on one thing is hard for me.

Since I’m focusing on how to focus this year, I’m working my way through Philippians 4:8. I had a huge a-ha moment while digging deep into “whatever is just”. Just comes from the Greek word dikaios which means deemed righteous by God. When we relate our lives back to this scripture the question is: Are we focusing on what’s deemed righteous by God, or are we focused on what’s deemed righteous by the world?

My dad and my big sister knew that for me to be successful I couldn’t let my eye wander. They knew that I could easily be distracted by shiny things, butterflies, or friends eating french fries in the bleachers. I had to have unwavering focus.

God knows that, too.

Today, I challenge you [and me] to be unwavering in your faith and your focus. If Godly success can be attributed by focusing on what’s deemed righteous by God, then that’s what I want to do. That’s what I need to do. And if that’s what I need to do, don’t you know the devil’s gonna be slanging all kinds of glitter my way.

Don’t take your eye off of God, y’all. And rest assured that He never takes His eye off of you.

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13

The Will of God

The will of God

As Christians we spend a considerable amount of time wondering about the will of God for our lives, or at least I have in the past. In the last year or so God has been showing it to me in black and white.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells me His will is for me to rejoice, pray, and give thanks in all things. 1 Peter 2:15 tells me His will is for me to do what is right, to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Seriously, if I just work on those I’m going to be pretty busy.

In order to follow His will in these things I’m going to have to battle my flesh and keep it crucified. My flesh wants to stress out, discuss the problem with whoever will listen, and gripe when things don’t go as planned. To win the battle I have to stay in the Word and fill my mind with His truth. I have to obey Colossians 3:2 and set my mind on things above.

Things just look different from there y’all. God knows all the things. Things I can’t even fathom. He knows about pandemics ✔️, elections ✔️, and all the general craziness that swirls around in our personal lives✔️✔️. He has it all in the palms of His hands and that allows me to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. It allows me to continue to do what is right and not say or do things that would prove the foolish men right.

When we are obedient, when we focus on Jesus and strive to stay in His will in the small things then the big things will follow. (I think our host Daisy is a great example of that. ❤️.) We don’t do for the blessing, we do out of gratitude and love, but there are so many promises that say blessings follow obedience ( Psalm 91, Psalm 128, 1 John 2:17, James 1:25 ………) and God is faithful to His promises.

So today go forth, rejoice, pray, give thanks, do right, repeat.

Hope.

Yesterday Dianne Smith Timberlake and I were deep in conversation, and she said this to me, “What we think is hardship could actually be hope.”

That’s good stuff.

I’ve been all over the Bible, the dictionary, and commentaries this morning looking at “hope”. Here is one of the definitions I found in the dictionary for hope: a person or thing that may help to save someone.

Y’all.

We all know that person is Jesus. Today, I pray for anyone reading this that needs that hope. He is right here to save you. Just ask.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,” Ephesians 1:8

May the Lord bless you and keep You

My whole life has been a direct result of different individuals and their impact on my life.

When I think of people, who I admire, respect and treasure I remember their words of wisdom, their actions, and most importantly how they made me feel in their presence. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

These influences, whether they knew their part in my life or not, truly resembled and embodied this scripture. As I look at my life as a mom, aunt, and educator, I am always questioning myself wondering did I do or do I give enough?

Growing up, there was always one scripture that was said weekly at youth group, and when I think back to that scripture, it is one that truly holds a special place in my heart. When I began my current job, I decided that my sweet little school needed this scripture too. It is said with a purpose each week at chapel.

We explain to the students that this is our benediction or blessing and that we offer this not to just ourselves, but to those who cannot be with us. Our benediction is Numbers 6: 24-26.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace; now and forever more. Amen!”

Oh, how this has truly blessed my life, but how do I know that by sharing this with others I am blessing them? This past week, I saw this scripture in action letting me know that people are listening and paying attention. Due to COVID-19, we have not been able to have chapel every week, but when my fabulous students ask to close our day with the benediction so we can remember those that cannot be with us, my heart warms.

There it is, an impact made that will forever be in my heart and hopefully theirs. Then a few days later, BOOM again! The two middles of our family or the “blonde ones” we call them, both got their letterman jackets. As we are bragging on both of them and their accomplishments, there on the back of my niece’s jacket under her name is Numbers 6: 24-26. It is there because this scripture is one that has impacted her life, too.

When I look at both of my children, I see how they help others and how they provide kindness and generosity openly and freely with others. I have often wondered about what footprints I have left behind. All I need to do is simply just take a look around and keep my focus on God, and the footprint will be there for others to see.

Remember Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” This is my job, my career, my goal, to shine my light brightly, so that others will in return spread the love, joy and kindness that everyone deserves.

To all of you reading this, I truly mean this: May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace; now and forever more. Amen!

Transformation

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” -Romans 12:2-3

The definition of transformation is: a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.

Transformation has to be thorough, which causes it to take time.

I’ve entered into a time of waiting. Waiting to hear hidden words in normal conversations, and waiting to become enlightened with what the next piece to the puzzle of my life will be.

While waiting on God’s time has proved time and time again to grow and groom God’s people for their future ministry, waiting isn’t easy.

I have always struggled with being impatient. By living in a world of immediacy, I think it has become way too easy to grow impatient.

“What do you mean my package won’t get here until Tuesday?”

“Why am I having to wait in line at the grocery store?”

” Why won’t the internet connect already?”

Even when I was just simply waiting for my sibling to get out of the restroom, I find myself growing more and more impatient. I find myself wanting instant gratification in everything.

The Bible speaks of seasons of waiting as seeds that will grow overtime. As Christians we use the word “growth” a lot. We might even pray that God would cause us to grow, but not many of us are willing to take the time to actually grow.

From seed to tree transformation occurs, but the tree does not appear suddenly after the seed is planted. The seed has to endure weather of all kinds, it has to dig through layers of dirt and rock to stay connected to its water source, and most importantly, it has to go through the process of growth.

Transformation takes time.

Most everything in the Bible always took waiting for the perfect time to occur.

When God told Abraham he was to have a son, Abraham was 75 years old. Abraham would only receive his son Isaac 25 years later. God promised the Isrialites that they would find The Promised Land, but before they did they wandered in the desert for 40 years. Even when God sent his Son to save us all from our sin, His son spent 30 years growing up so that he could complete His father’s will.

Yet, we still expect change and transformation should happen right after we ask. Sometimes I find myself wanting the fruit-bearing tree right after I planted the seed, but it doesn’t work that way. That is not the process.

Hebrews 6:12 states that through faith and patience we can inherit God’s promises.

If you, like myself, are entering or are already in that process of waiting, be patient with the process and be open to inherit God’s promises in 2021.