verse of the day

May We Be

May we be an instrument of Christ.

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:9-10 NLT

We are living in a world that is anything but peace. I grew up being told “hate the sin but love the sinner”. I struggled with that. I still do.

I believe as Christians in this world we are hungry for peace. This scripture is a reminder of what brings us peace, and how we should act to promote the peace that we desire. It reminds me that I am also the sinner, but Christ forgives and loves me.

If you’re like me and want to see peace overcome this world, first learn to forgive. Demonstrate the love of Christ so that others can experience His love and forgiveness. Hate what is evil, love what is good. At least make an effort to live at peace with everyone.

Many things that our heart desires, a relationship with Christ delivers. As we approach the ending of 2020, may we be an instrument of peace. If we are called to serve others, may we serve them well. If our gift is to encourage, may we be encouraging. If we smile by giving, may we give generously.

Be the good. Be the instrument in the world that gives a glimpse of Jesus. Although it takes much time and discipline, offer your life back to God. Allow him to steer you through this world. Nothing should compete with the Father.

Lastly, this world is full of evil. We see it each day. In Romans 12 Paul shares with us a reminder to not allow the evil of this world to conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Amen.

Draw Near

Guest Post by Miss Harley Perkins

In Luke 15 starting at verse 11, Jesus tells a parable of the lost son who decided to receive his inheritance early and go spend it on wild living to soon lose it all. When he came to his senses, he realized the only place he could find comfort and care would be in his father’s house.

The wave of emotions that came flooding in were doubt, worry, and shame for the son, much like the feelings we face when we become distant with God. But the thing we need to remember no matter the things we’ve done or the trials we’re facing, the Lord is running to us with his arms wide open filled with love and compassion.

Luke 15:20 says, “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

Jesus isn’t waiting for you to have it all together. He’s just waiting for you to turn to him and say, “I need you.” In the presence of Jesus, you are loved more than you can imagine and you don’t have to have your life spit shined and polished.

The father ran to his son after he had been living with the pigs. He didn’t care what he smelled like, looked like, or the fact he had wasted his entire inheritance with foolish choices. All he cared about was his son was home.

Run home to Jesus. Run into his arms and let Him love you and fill you with joy and peace to conquer anything the world throws at you. He doesn’t care what your life looks like or what your past may hold. Draw near to him and he will come running to you.

Do Better

I have a dear friend that always says, “God doesn’t like ugly.”

While I wholeheartedly agree because sin is ugly, I also have to believe that it deeply hurts God when He sees His children roaming around just being plumb – well – ugly.

The other day I went to the post office to mail Maggie’s hair off that she is donating. In true Daisy fashion I had built this moment up in my mind to be one of remembrance and nostalgia. It was going to be a feel good moment for sure.

But.

While I was standing in line two grown ladies threw what I could only describe as a toddler temper tantrum because they had to wait in line. It made me sad for the lady working behind the counter, and it made me sad for the ladies throwing the fit.

Something Frank and I repeat on the weekly to our children is “Do Better”. It’s a family term of endearment that’s kind of a joke but kind of not.

In that moment – a few days before Thanksgiving – I had this thought: Man, we all need to do better.

So that’s my challenge for myself and for you this holiday season. Y’all, it’s 2020. We already know things are gonna be crazy. Let’s get that in our minds now. Let’s know we will have to wait. Traffic is gonna be congested. Packages will be lost.

But let’s do better. Let’s be kinder. Let’s be Jesus for the ones that need to catch a glimpse of hope this holiday season.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Hope

The world’s hope is essentially a wish: its strength is the strength of the person’s desire. But in the Bible hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised, and its strength is in His faithfulness.

There’s a big difference between the world’s definition of hope and what the Bible teaches us that hope truly is.

I found the following explanation yesterday while researching the difference:

Is our hope self-reliant or solely reliant on God? That’s where the discrepancy is between the two.

Are you confidently expecting God to deliver what He has promised, or are you tirelessly spinning your own wheel fueled by human desires?

Don’t let your hope be merely a wish – a puff on a dandelion on a summer’s evening in June – one that flits away with the wind. Let your hope be steadfast, strong, and one that sticks.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

New Mercies

Guest Post by Mrs. Jessica Konzen

His Mercies Are New Every Morning.

Webster’s dictionary defines mercy as “a compassionate or forbearance that is shown especially to the offender” or “a blessing as a divine act of compassion.”

“His mercies are new every morning” is a reasonably trendy scripture written on your favorite coffee mug or pallet sign from Hobby Lobby. The scriptural context needs explanation with the meaning all but dulled from the over usage and lack of theology. The book itself, Lamentations, means grief or deep sorrow.

The Prophet Jeremiah, also known as the “weeping prophet,” coined that famous phrase in time of great suffering. Much like today, the suffering seems unbearable. We are still amid a full-fledged pandemic with unspeakable amounts of fear. Racism is now an ever-present discussion; families are being ravaged and torn apart by unalignment and misguided principles; addiction and destructive behaviors are at an all-time high, and the church seems anything but unified.

The Prophet Jeremiah had proclaimed God’s message for many years, and the people of Jerusalem had turned a deaf ear; sound familiar? In these dark times, we feel swallowed up by the pain, and what’s even worse is if we cry out to God, we hear no reply.

Jeremiah compared that darkness to the tasting of the bitter herbs at the Passover feast or drinking bitter gall. Myrrh mixed with wine was used as anesthesia to deaden the pain, but when Jeremiah “drank,” itworsened his pain. Bitterness and brokenness mixed together. This is where the Prophet of Jeremiah felt the goodness of God was gone.

Do you feel that way? You indulge in one more drink when you know it causes more pain. Your child leaves rebellious and stiff-lipped—you’re at the point of divorce with no way out. You cry out, wondering where God has gone. But you see, Christ did not say that this life would be easy. He did not say follow me, and all will line up perfectly like that Instagram influencer you follow.

But right at the last cry of desperation, the Prophet Jeremiah had a turning point. The realization of God’s mercy, compassion, and faithfulness generated hope in Jeremiah’s soul, and his contemplation of trouble became a confession of faith. Today can be your turning point. Today can be the day you stop looking at your problems, the world’s problems, and focus on the promises of God. This is how hope is generated and how faith is activated!

Unbelief causes us to look at God through our circumstances, which creates hopelessness, but faith enables us to look at our circumstances through God’s reality and truth, which gives us hope. I hope that the promises of yesterday will be fulfilled in the joys of tomorrow. This is my prayer for you. That when all seems lost, broken, or bitter, you can cry out to an almighty God, sing of His praises, and be filled with His hope! And just as the Prophet Jeremiah cried out, I will cry out too that “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!!” Lamentations 3:22-23.

Raise your Hallelujah

Guest Post by Mrs. Sarah Guedry

There are so many things I can’t control.

If I were in charge I would wave my magic wand and make so many things “right.”  But our all-knowing father sees things differently.  Maybe there is a purpose for the suffering beyond what I can see – I have to trust Him in that.  I have every reason to trust HIm.

Maybe part of His purpose is for me to seek comfort in His presence and in it alone.

Last night I was speaking with some 10year old girls about how we spend our time.   “What do you think about the most?”  “Your clothes?  Your hair? Your friends? What someone said?”  Do those thoughts bring you joy? Or discontentment?

I, of course, was completely convicted and so thankful for the opportunity to learn beside them.  God wants us to set our minds on things above.  Not because He doesn’t care about all of our problems and concerns… but because He does care deeply about them all.  He knows that we can face them if we fill our minds with truth.  

The truth is – God wins.

The truth is He- is all-powerful, all-knowing.  

The truth is He loves us deeply – enough to die for us.  A love greater than we can understand.

Why am I spending my time in worry? – it eats me up like a disease.  When I spend my time being thankful – worshiping my King, He lifts me up.  He fills my heart with joy.

Sister, don’t let anything you are facing today steal your Hallelujah.  

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Luke 12:22

Because We Can

That mean girl mentality needs to be squashed.

And mommas – it starts with us.

What do our daughters hear us say about other women – even in the privacy of our own home? What type of words are we using? They understand them.

Be careful, momma.

When another woman walks into the room what vibe do we give off? Our daughter feels it.

Texting another woman about another woman across the room – our daughters see that, and they absolutely “get” it.

When we are on the phone with our best friend what words are we using? They hear them.

And that social media mean girl is a whole other type of monster.

What are we typing? What are we reposting? They see it. They read it.

We are their first role model. That’s a lot of pressure, and it should be.

Let’s strive to be better for them.

Let’s break out of the mold for them.

Let’s celebrate others for them.

Let’s love with our whole hearts – for them.

Let’s raise up a generation of young women that encourage and empower other young women because we can. Because they can.

“The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.” Proverbs 17:27

Family

Guest Post by Mrs. Brooklynn Manzer

November 13, 2019 my Mimi passed away from a blood clot in her lungs. It was the hardest thing that I had ever had to go through. 6 months later on May 20, 2020 my Pawpaw passed away from complications due to his dementia. That was even harder.

All of those feelings from losing my Mimi came rushing back to me. It was a very hard time for my family and for me. I realized that God and my family will always be there for me. So, that’s why I’m writing about my family, because I love it so much.

God blesses people with families for a reason. You’re lucky to have a family, but you’re even more lucky to get to spend time with them. So, when you have that family time spend it well and enjoy it while you can.

I’m so thankful to God for giving me the best family in the world. A lot of people say that they have the greatest family in the world, but it’s not true because the greatest family in the world is mine.

Proverbs 17:17 says, “a friend loves at all time, and a relative is born to help in adversity.”

Dear God, I pray that you would continue to bless more people with family time. Thank you for blessing my family and me with all of the crazy times that you give us together. I pray that you would show everyone that even when they’re going through a rough time you’ll always be there for them. I love you so much Lord. In your Holy name I pray. Amen.

You Grieve, Girl.

It’s been one year since my sweet momma went to heaven.

One year doesn’t seem real.

Grief is real. It’s raw and hard and neverending. But it’s ok to grieve.

If I’ve learned one thing this year it’s this – people shy away from grief. I get it. I did the same thing. However, this year has taught me that:

It’s ok to cry.

It’s ok to miss them.

It’s ok to talk about them.

It’s ok to talk about them a lot.

It’s ok.

You grieve, girl.

But make sure your grief is healthy.

Don’t turn to the bottle. Turn to God.

Don’t turn to food. Turn to God.

Don’t turn to pills, or anger, or bitterness. Turn to God.

Allow this grief to grow you.

To help you to love deeper.

To help others.

To be empathetic and sympathetic.

So you go on and grieve girl – just make sure you grieve with God.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Life is like Hair

Guest Post by Miss Maggie Marino

Life is like hair. Not the whole girly thing everyone thinks of when a girl says anything about hair, just hair in general.

You can do many things to hair. You can dye it, cut it, braid it, wear it down, put gel in it, and whatever else you do to your hair. And that is a lot like life.

You can take care of your life, cut out the “bad stuff”, and style it differently for God, or you can let the “bad stuff” take over. Also, not one person’s hair is the same. Not one person’s life is the same.

Just like hair, everyone’s life is different, whether it’s a major or small difference, and that’s what God does in our life. He uses our differences to spread his gospel. So, are you doing to take care of your life and spread the word, or are you going to let Satan change your life for the worst?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16