His Calling

Do you ever ask yourself, “What is God’s purpose for my life?” I don’t know about you, but I often find myself thinking about this question as a fresh college graduate diving into the world as an adult headfirst. I question why God would want me to move 1,000 miles away from everything that I am familiar with. My husband is a new pastor and my role as his wife is to support him and serve the church. This sounds so simple and pure, but some may see it as “not enough” or even meaningless in today’s world.

But here’s the thing, our purpose as Christ followers is to be obedient and follow His calling. It is to keep our eyes on Him, even when we feel less than the next person who appears to be doing “big things” in this life. It is so easy to get caught up on the highlight reels we see on social media of some celebrity or influencer living your earthly dream.

God’s purpose for our lives may not always be clear, but focus on this verse:

“The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He” Deuteronomy 32:4.

The Lord has a purpose and plan for each and every one of us while we roam this earth, whether that means you are a world renown surgeon, or a stay at home mom. Whatever that temporary role may be, it is perfectly aligned with God’s perfect plan. The Lord remains sovereign no matter what our circumstances may be at any given time.

Here are a few points to consider when pondering your God-given purpose:

1. Validation can be found in Christ who died for our sins.

2. Set your mind on a heavenly inheritance that is to come.

3. Value and recognize the work God has done in your life.

Cancel Culture

The Origin of Cancel Culture: The Woman caught in Adultery

Can we talk about cancel culture for a minute? One of the biggest buzz words that birthed out of 2020 originated from mobs on the internet deeming human beings as “void” all while behind their keyboards. Essentially, we just unsubscribe to their existence and ensure they lose all streams of income, relationships, and respect. Seems on par for the year we had, huh? Can we really talk about this, like, dissect it for a minute? Let’s start from the beginning.

If you are familiar with your bible you may have heard the verse that says, “there is nothing new under sun”, Ecclesiates 1:9. This is true. The enemy is not that smart, he uses the same old tricks and veneers them in different ways. One of the very first victims of cancel culture was the woman caught in adultery found in John 8:1-11 (if you have time, pause here and go read it, it’s only 11 verses).

It is stunning how similar this story plays out compared to recent victims we have read about over the past year. The accusers did not have Instagram 2000 years ago, but they sure didn’t have a problem getting a crowd revved up ready to cast their stones. Also, why wasn’t her accomplice tried with her? Interesting.

Here we have Pharisees, accompanied by a mob, dragging this woman to Jesus, wanting permission to stone her because of her sin. Jesus spoke and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Now that’s a clap back! Not only did he say that, but he also went on to write something unknown in the sand. Whatever he wrote hit hard, because after they processed what he said, and read what he wrote, they dropped their stones and walked away, one by one.

Do you ever imagine what Jesus wrote there? I do, and every time I read this story, I come up with something new. What if he wrote, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” or “where sin abounds my grace abounds much more”. Today I like to think he wrote, “you don’t get to cancel people, only I have the power to do that.”

The truth is, cancel culture stems from a spirit of division and self-righteousness. If we really adhere to the laws of cancel culture every single one of us would be canceled.

But God! Because of God’s great love for us, while we were still sinners, He is rich in mercy and made us alive in Him and saved us by grace (this is where we stop and praise dance). We no longer are canceled; therefore, we do not cancel others. Jesus got canceled too, you know. On the cross, by a mob. We killed a perfect man, the Son of God, who did no wrong. Because of that day, we now live in Him forever. Because of that day, we extend the same grace he extended to us to others. You and I are the best candidates to be canceled, but God stepped in and the mob dropped their stones. Remember this, reflect on this. Let’s be the change in this new trend. Let’s show grace and drop our stones.

The Search for Significance

There have been times in my life when I have felt small, had a sense of loneliness, and even questioned my own worth.

I would turn to look at what other women were accomplishing in their lives, the work they were doing for the Kingdom, and would compare the opportunities they were getting to my own.

This habit that I formed became nothing more than a trap. Measuring my value through my accomplishments made me feel forgotten.

As I read Isaiah 49:16, “Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me,” I am filled with hope. The Lord spoke to Israel in a time when they felt forgotten and ignored during their exile in Babylon (Isaiah 40:27).

The Lord reminds them in this verse that He had never withdrawn Himself from them. He was always with them and never left them. They weren’t forgotten and they weren’t neglected.

The Lord speaks these same things to us today. We are never alone. Even in the times we are off searching for our significance, He is with us. We have a Father who says He “will go with you, [He] will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

As I reflect back on Psalms 7-8, I see the moments where David, too, searched for his significance. He questioned his place, but he also reminded himself of his loving Creator.

We are all designed uniquely for a specific purpose by our Heavenly Father. We reveal the existence of God every day and point others to His love. When we begin to search for significance or compare our purpose in life to those around us, we must remember who we are in Jesus Christ. We are His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 14:2).

Isn’t that such an amazing truth? You were created for a specific purpose; and God uniquely designed you to reveal His glory and show others His love. You matter to Him! The God of love created you and said He will never leave you!

“So run the race that is set before you and keep your eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). The race is hard, it can be full of comparison, searching for significance, questioning our value, and so many other obstacles that try to knock us off course.

We would never be able to endure the race on our own. We simply are not strong enough to carry all of this weight. But the race is already won by Jesus Christ. He already endured the pain so we wouldn’t have to.

Give thanks this morning to the Lord that He created YOU for a specific purpose, that we get to walk each and every day and share His love with others, that He will never leave you nor forsake you, and that you never have to run this race alone.

Christ be Magnified

The following song has been playing in my mind on repeat for well over a week.

🎶Oh! Christ be magnified

From the altar of my life

Christ be magnified in me🎶

I’ve always had pretty janky eyesight. So when I had the opportunity to look through a magnifying glass in third grade science my mind was seriously blown. That teeny tiny seed we were examining was all of a sudden huge. I could see every single detail. In fact, I could focus on it so well that I did not want to give the magnifying glass back to my partner. Sorry Derek.

In a world that would love to skew our vision, what things are we intentionally focusing on? What things are we making “big”?

Is Christ the biggest focus in our life?

Are we truly honing in on Him in every step We take and decision that we make?

The thing about magnifying something is that the proximity from that object to yourself doesn’t change, just your perspective does.

How far away are we keeping Christ?

At an arm’s length?

Or as close to us as possible?

One last question: If the world put a magnifying glass on our words, actions, thoughts, and even our faith, what would be glaring back at them?

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Psalms 34:3

Fully Alive

This is not often the most popular message; however, it is necessary as a Christian. We read this scripture “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways.”Matthew 16:24, but often we tend to skip over the denying yourself and taking up your cross part and go straight to the following Jesus part. However, we MUST die to us before we can ever truly follow Jesus.

I recently had a dream of my own crucifixion. It was one of the most beautiful, humbling, powerful experiences I’ve ever had with Jesus. The reality is, we must crucify our flesh, our desires, our opinions, our thoughts, our plans, our characteristics, so that we can take on more of Him.

It says in Galatians 2:20, “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me— we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine!”

Our wonderful Father is not asking us to die to us because He wants to create robots. He’s asking us to die because without the death of us, we cannot be fully alive in Him, operating in everything Jesus died for. Fully alive in Jesus means that we look like Him. It means that we walk in the greatest love, kindness, boldness, passion, compassion, patience, joy, peace, etc.

This world needs Christians fully alive in Jesus. We’re not fully alive if we haven’t died to us yet. We sacrifice our obedience to God because we haven’t died to our comforts yet. When we’re fully dead to us and alive in Jesus, obedience to Holy Spirit is always top priority. This world doesn’t need Christians that look like self. This world needs Christians that look like Jesus. This world is waiting, groaning, longing for Christians who look like Jesus. They need face to face encounters with the King.

Let’s take a moment to pray. Make this personal to you.

Holy Spirit, I ask You to come. I ask You to show me what it means to die to me so that I can fully live in You. I ask for a personal revelation of crucifying me. I want to stay close to Your spirit, close to Your fire, the fire that purges me so that I become like You. I love You God and I thank You for inviting me into this death. Dying to me so that I live freely in Jesus is the most wonderful invitation and I say yes. Amen.

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.

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

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!

Big Dreams

The other day I had – what I thought was – a great plan brewing in my mind. I was telling God all about how to bring said dream to fruition, and you know what He said to me?

For real – clear as day – He spoke these words right to my heart, “Daisy, when are you gonna stop telling me what to do.”

Insert awkward side-eye emoji here.

Yikes. Are there any other Daisys out there? You know – someone that’s always telling someone else what to do including God. Honestly, I’m the worst about that.

I’m a planner and a dreamer and a big idea-haver, and boy can I delegate the how-to-get-it-done to the left and to the right. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with having big dreams if [and that’s a big IF] I keep the focus of all of these big ideas and dreams where my focus should be – and that’s on God.

Are these dreams:

God centered.

God driven.

God purposed.

Some days – ok most days – I have to remember to take off my bossy britches and hand them over to the one they belong to in the first place.

As we journey into a brand new year I’m going to reiterate to myself and to anyone else reading this – God’s plan is always the best plan. Let Him be the one in charge.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Rays of Sunshine inc

Educator, Mother, & Jesus Lover

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