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  • What Idolatry?

    What Idolatry?

    I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw this image and like many others probably had, I chuckled and kept on scrolling and that’s when the Spirit was like, “Nope, go back to that!”

    Oftentimes we talk about idolatry, and we think of people, places and things. But do we ever stop and think of how society (myself included) becomes so addicted to things, and those things become things that we can’t live without and we begin to idolize them? And we don’t even blink an eye at that behavior because well, to be honest they’re everyday things that are “normal” to partake in.

    I know when Jesus told me that He was going to help me break free from my remaining addictions, He listed smoking, caffeine and sugar. He didn’t want anything that was going to alter my mind and/or mood and those were the things He laid out as our “to do” list. And when I prayed and thanked Him for my being 1 month cigarette free, He gently reminded me it was time to tackle the next one on our list, and that day I started slowly eliminating caffeine from my daily intake.

    If you were to ask me which one has been harder, I’ll tell you hands down it’s been the caffeine. From the moment I stopped smoking, I was done (7 weeks now, woohoo!). Caffeine is another story and it’s been 3 weeks for that. I do so well most days, but then there are those days the headaches come into play, or I just cannot function at all. I will sneak a very minimal amount in just to get by, but still, it makes you realize just how addicting it can be.

    But seeing a picture like this does make you realize that we do tend to idolize and even worship material things that make us feel more alive and “better”. I know for me, the list He gave me are/were my 3 biggest vices. And if I am to be honest, they’re probably more of an issue (for me) than the addictions that get celebrated by society when we give those up. This coming from someone who has already given up some pretty bad addictions, lol. Smoking was leading me to issues with my red blood cells, the caffeine I’m sure in the amounts that I was consuming was not good for my heart or other health issues, and the sugar, I am certain that is not the healthiest thing for anyone either (just ask my expanding waistline, lol).

    But again, I keep coming back to the picture and how we tend to put those kinds of things on a pedestal and make comments such as, “I can’t live without my coffee!” or “Coffee is my life!” and I’ve even said myself that things like donuts were “to die for!”. And what is scary is we don’t even realize what it is we are doing when we do it because it seems so “normal”! He’s reminding us that we need to be more careful with what we say and to remember that He is the only sustenance that we can’t live without.

    “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6.35

    Family, we have got to start being more careful with our thoughts and how we express ourselves in all areas. I think we tend to forget or maybe we don’t even realize that things such as drinks or foods can be idolized but alas, and apparently because He’s in my heart reminding me of it, it’s of importance that we remember it, they can and we do. And I believe for most of us we do it innocently and not even realizing that we are. Can we make a code word that when we see another partaking in that behavior, we can say it to bring gentle attention to it?? I vote for “Pineapple”! Yeah, maybe not the best idea, but I do believe that He does want us to start making one another aware of the things that maybe we wouldn’t consider or think of on our own.

    “Someone will say, “I am allowed to do anything.” Yes; but not everything is good for you. I could say that I am allowed to do anything, but I am not going to let anything make me it’s slave. Someone else will say, “Food for the stomach, and the stomach is for food. Yes; but God will put an end to both… Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God’s glory.”

    1 Corinthians 6.12-13, 19-20 GNBUK

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”

  • Be Like Hannah

    Be Like Hannah

    Do you ever find yourself admiring another person and the strength that they exhibit and you can’t help but think to yourself, “Geesh, I sure wish I was as strong as them because there is no way I could handle half of what they do!”

    “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him….” 2 Chronicles 16.9 NIV

    Join me as we spend a moment in 1 Samuel and revisit the story of Hannah. I think that Hannah is the perfect example for both the sentiment above and if you were to dive deep enough into her heart, I’m sure there is not only plenty of lessons for us all but I’m certain that you’d discover the type of heart that 2 Chronicles 16.9 was written about.

    “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 1 Samuel 1.10-11

    How many times have we found ourselves praying in desperate times, and those prayers have most likely sounded something similar to what Hannah prayed? I know for me personally I don’t believe I could recount or recall them all, but of the times that I’ve made the vows to God, now those, I can recount down to the last detail. Those are the moments that you feel as if your soul will break if you are not granted what it is you desire. You cry out in desperation, pleading and praying and willing to give it all just to find the answers that you need. I think we all have been there at some point in our lives, and if you haven’t, I pray that you never find yourself there.

    Hannah continues to pray earnestly, all the while Eli was watching her believing she was nothing more than drunk. Could you imagine the implication and having to justify that you are just deeply troubled and that you were doing nothing more than pouring your heart and soul out to the Lord, and that you had been praying out of your great anguish and grief? (1 Samuel 1.12-16)

    And just like that Eli tells her, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” (1 Samuel 1.17) And that is all it took for Hannah to completely change her outlook, as it says in 1.18 that she went on her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

    Now I don’t know about you, but when I read that I kinda sat back and asked myself if I was so sure of my faith because I don’t know if mine would suffice with someone accusing me of being a drunk one minute, then telling me I’ll have what my heart desires the next. But alas, Hannah’s faith was so strong that she believed… and it was her strong faith that led to her being blessed with her son, Samuel.

    But see, that’s not even where Hannah’s faith and strength is shown in its fullest glory. If you know how the story goes, then you know that Hannah fulfills her vow to God and takes Samuel to Eli once Samuel is weaned so that he can serve the Lord for his lifetime. As a mother this 100% pulled at my heart strings and I mourned for Hannah for that moment in her life. I can only imagine the multitude of emotions she was going through, shew. But, she remained faithful to the vow she had made and delivered her son just as she had promised.

    If you have never read Hannah’s Prayer (1 Samuel 2.1-10) of which she had recited as she dedicated Samuel unto the Lord, I highly recommend that you do. Even in that moment with all of that emotion, what I am sure had to be inner turmoil or conflict, she was able to recite such a powerful praise unto the Lord. And it was filled with such wisdom, too! I’m not sure if I’m half the woman she is to be able to hand something I had desperately longed for for so long over, while still praising and rejoicing in the Lord the way that she did.

    It sure does make you check yourself and rethink your heart, your devotion and your strength. And that is where I was yesterday; I was lost in comparing myself to Hannah, and found myself sullen over thinking there was no way I’d ever measure up to the woman of faith that she was. I started telling my daughters the story about her and my youngest suddenly blurts out, “Hannah is like you Mommy!”

    Sometimes, it’s those little statements from our kiddos that can make us stop and take a different look at something that may be bugging us. I asked her how in the world she thought Hannah and I were anything alike and she said that we both had a strong faith in God and we both have had to put things in His hands and hope for the best. And we both ended up coming out the winner on the other side because we were able to show that God was real and that He loves us and is always with us.

    Speechless.

    So let’s return to 2 Chronicles 16.9, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him….” I believe He strengthened Hannah to be able to do what it was she did because her heart was fully committed to Him. He gave her the strength to carry out what she had vowed unto Him. And looking back, I know it was Him who gave me the strength to carry on when I otherwise had none. It was also Him who gave me the strength to do all of the hard things I’d have never been able to do without Him by my side.

    Just as God goes on to tell Samuel in 1 Samuel 16.7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” We need to remember that even though we may not recognize our own strengths, God does. He always sees what is in our hearts better than we do.

    “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” Philippians 4.13 GNBUK

    This ladies and gentlemen, this is your gentle reminder to thank the Lord and count your blessings, even the ones that we don’t always “see”. Current goals in my life: be more like Hannah (both the biblical Hannah and our real life Hannah as she is a pretty good role model in the Kingdom, too!)

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”

  • Worth Saving

    Worth Saving

    Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10: 29-31).

    Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it? (Luke 6:9)

    Due to family situations and my own rebellious nature, I left home when I was seventeen years old. I managed to get a part time job to help me pay rent on a sleeping room while I struggled through my senior year of high school.

    During this time, I ran with the wrong crowd and began doing things that I knew were wrong. I definitely turned away from God- and was deeply distressed by doing so. Satan was good at attacking my mind with the thoughts that I was hopeless, helpless and worthless. At night, I would turn my face toward the darkened wall and cry myself to sleep. I could almost hear Satan say, “Look at you! You have made such a mess of things. God will never use you now!” I am so glad that God never felt that way about me.

    Listen to the words of Jesus, “Two sparrows are sold for a farthing. However, not one of them falls to the ground without your Father.” A farthing was equivalent to 3⁄8 of a penny. If two sparrows were worth only a farthing, think how little the value for one sparrow would be. Yet God knows when one sparrow falls to the ground. Then Jesus said, “Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.” Do you hear in those words- we are worth saving?

    In Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” We are created to thrive- not just survive. We are made to succeed in God’s creation. In fact, we are the crown jewel of God’s creation- worth saving.

    In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve fell into trouble, but God still deemed mankind worth saving. In the following verses it is made known that God saw our plight:

    For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him (Isaiah 59: 12-16).

    God saw the situation we were in. Then- through His Son, Jesus- He came looking for us. Luke 19:10 is truly music to our ears: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

    Jesus considered us worth saving and paid the ultimate price to accomplish that goal. Again, Scripture declares this truth:

    For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (II Corinthians 5:21).

    For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit (I Peter 3:18).

    Jesus died to save us. He rose again to help us live lives that are pleasing to God. Why? We are worth saving!

    No matter what other people say- we are worth saving. No matter what Satan says- we are worth saving. No matter what we think- we are worth saving. God Himself has decided this.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Zeal For The Lord

    Zeal For The Lord

    In Revelation 3.19 we’re told to be zealous…

    In Romans 12.11 we’re told, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord”…

    In Isaiah 42.13 we hear how, “The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will still up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.”…

    In 1 Kings 19.14 we read Elijah state, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty…”

    In 2 Kings 10.16 we see Jehu declare, “…Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”… Then he went on to arranging for the killing of the servants of Baal in order to destroy Baal worship in Israel. (10.28)

    Puritan Samuel Ward once wrote, “Christian zeal is a spiritual heat wrought in the heart of a man by the Holy Ghost.” Let that sentiment sink in for a moment… I know for me when I read it, it resonated with me deeply being that since I gave my life to Jesus my desire to please Him, my drive to learn, grow and thrive in all things Him… and just feeling as if I NEED to devote more of myself to Jesus than some days I am able to give. For some of us we live and breath all things Jesus, and we truly try to glorify Him in all that we do. It is more than just a church on Sundays kind of thing, it’s a true way of life. Our hearts truly do burn for more of Him, to please Him, to honor Him.

    There are times that I look at how much my faith has grown in such a short amount of time and I’m excited for the thought of where it’ll be in the future. I read quotes like that of Mr. Ward and I find myself believing that I still have such a long way to go to reach the magnitude in which he was speaking of. But then I stop and reflect on the things I’ve accomplished thus far and how far He’s brought me and I know that I am exactly where He intends for me to be at presently. But I also know that He has much bigger plans for me because He has no problems reminding me of such, lol.

    In Isaiah 59.17 it says, “He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as his cloak.” Even the Lord himself recognizes the power of having zeal for his own glory.

    So imagine if all Christians could embrace fully the zeal within their hearts and let it thrive for the Lord. Imagine the power we could unleash from the pews if we showed up on Sundays and doused our sermons with a zealous attitude. Do you not think the Spirit would feel more welcomed by those who are full of passion and wonder, verses lacking such? We weren’t created to be mundane, and lackluster. How often do we see it within the Word that we are to praise our Lord, to sing and shout, to raise our voices in praise, to dance, to honor, glorify and celebrate our Lord? I don’t think dozing off in your chair during the service equates to showing your zeal for God.

    Our God is a glorious God, one that is waiting to hear those shouts of praise, the lifted voices and the elevated glory unto Him. Glorify our Savior as He is worthy! As we praise Him and lift our hallelujah up to Him, He will be pleased!

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”

  • So Much Better Than It Was

    So Much Better Than It Was

    For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).

    Exodus chapter 20 reveals a scene where Moses approached God on the mountain. The people of Israel were there with him. Then the thunders and lightnings came. The noise of a trumpet filled the air. Smoke came billowing from the mountain.

    Understandably, the people were terrified. Following is the picture of what happened:

    And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die (Exodus 20:18-19).

    So, Moses was the go-between for the people of Israel with regard to their relationship with God. Think about it- they were afraid to approach their Heavenly Father who only wanted the best for them.

    As we follow Scripture, the high priest became the mediator for them. He was the one who made the sacrifices for their sin and for his own sin. Obviously, the perfect priest and the perfect sacrifice had not yet appeared. Hebrews 7: 26-27 says, “For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice , first for his own sins, and then for the people’s; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

    Jesus came and everything changed. He was tempted just as we are- yet without sin. He was the perfect and final sacrifice for the sins of all people.Not only was He tempted- He experienced every day life as we do. He knows and understands what we deal with and how we feel. Because of Jesus, things are so much better.

    We no longer need someone else to approach God for us because Jesus is our intercessor. Shrinking in fear is not necessary because God has proven His love for us. Now we can come to Him- not arrogantly- but boldly, knowing that He cares.

    When we come to God, what will we find? We will find mercy when we have failed to live up to His standards. We will find grace to help us in the time of need. It is so good to know that we can live in His favor no matter what is happening in life.

    Yes, it is so much better than it was- because of Jesus. Certainly, we have reason to praise Him for what He has done.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Talk About Faith

    Talk About Faith

    When we talk about our faith, we often focus on the comfort it brings us in a chaotic world and the peace of experiencing God’s love. We talk about how meaningful it is to be part of a faith community where we can serve others and be cared for in our times of need.

    However, there’s another component of faith that you might not have seen as much talk about. That’s your physical health.

    Studies have shown that statistically, people live longer if they have a robust, active involvement in a relationship with Jesus and a Church community. Over 75% of studies that have looked at faith and longevity have found a connection between the length of one’s life and faith.

    In addition, the risk of developing cancer is lower in individuals who have faith as part of their life, but also, their prognosis is likely to have a better outcome if they do get cancer.

    Faith can positively affect your physical health by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors. Many religious teachings promote healthy lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise and healthy eating. People can find inspiration from religion to make positive life changes.

    “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

    Faith practices such as prayer and gratitude can positively impact health by reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and improving mood. Prayer can help you to develop a sense of inner peace and to find a sense of balance and calm in your life.

    Prayer has been shown scientifically to boost your immune system by reducing pain and stabilizing your heart rate and blood pressure. Researchers have established these changes through monitoring and blood testing with patients who engage in prayer.

    Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. III John 1:2 (ESV)

    Another way faith can impact health is through the sense of community and social support it provides. People involved in religious communities tend to have more robust social networks and higher levels of social support. This can be beneficial for both mental and physical health, as social support can help reduce stress, improve mental health, and help in times of need. 

    If you have a faith community, you may already be experiencing this type of health improvement due to those relationships. Relationships of this type are supportive, loving, and strong. 

    Your physical, emotional, and spiritual life all impact each other. Make time to work on your spiritual disciplines and practices, commit to a community of faith, and it will improve your overall health and outlook.

    “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thessalonians 5:23 NASB

    Danielle “Danie” Gunto is the author of the Mind, Body & Soul blog. Danie has been a Registered Nurse since 2004. However, she never felt like she was doing what she was called to do. That was until a few years ago when she became an active member of the Church, and it soon became evident what her true calling was.

    Although she had spent very little time in Church growing up, within minutes of walking into the Refuge, she knew that was the missing piece of her life. Since that day, Danie has become a Pastor and is the Executive Pastor at the Refuge Church of God in New Martinsville, WV.

    In addition to her work at the Refuge, Danie works at the local community hospital as the Infection Prevention/Employee Health/Emergency Management Coordinator. Although her goal is to one day only work at the Church.

    Danie lives with her husband, Glen, and their cat Libbie in Proctor, WV. They have one grown daughter Cheyenne who is a Nurse Practitioner and lives in Pittsburgh, Pa.

    She loves to read, write, spend time with family and friends, talk about the Lord, and sip coffee.
    Her inspiration is to share the gospel with everyone she can so that they may know Jesus and who they are in him.

  • Speak Faith

    Speak Faith

    One thing we have to know deep in our heart is that God keeps His word. In Psalm 89:34, God says, “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.” There have been too many times that we have had a delay and accepted it as a denial. When God said that all things are possible with Him, He meant just that.

    So my question for you is: what are you believing God for? 

    Some would say that you can ask for too much, but what is too much? I don’t know about you but I am asking big. I would rather ask big, and get something than ask small, and get nothing.

    What are you putting your faith behind? Because if you are speaking it, then it is in your heart (Matt.12:34).

    Our prayer should be as David penned, Create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips (Psalm 142:3).

    Recently, I asked the Lord why some things that I have been believing for have not come to pass. His reply: your words. One minute, you are pumped speaking faith, declaring my word, and then the next you are speaking negative, my daughter, these things ought not be. 

    I repented and immediately started speaking life over situations.  As children of God, we have the power to shift atmospheres, change the course of our lives, and reap the harvest of our mouths.

    Until next time,

    Watch your lips.

    Speak life and 

    speak faith.

    Tina Bassett resides in New Martinsville. She is a single mom of three beautiful daughters: Rachel, Charity, and Destiny. She is the director of the greeters/ushers, serves on the prayer team, and also participates on the praise and worship team at her local church. She loves animals and the beach. More than anything she wants her life to reflect God’s love and have an impact on those around her.

  • The Lord Your God Is A Merciful God

    The Lord Your God Is A Merciful God

    How often do we find ourselves looking back at a situation and thinking to ourselves, “Shew, thank God for His mercy during that time period!”? Or maybe we don’t even realize how we were delivered God’s mercy until it is pointed out to us at a later time. I know it sure seems that both God’s mercy and grace get taken for granted entirely way too often by pretty much everyone (or so it seems).

    So why is it that two important spiritual blessings can so readily be overlooked and taken for granted? I believe that like so many other avenues along the Christian walk, we tend to get lazy and forget the sacrifices that were imparted on our behalf. Even with none of us being worthy of God’s mercy or grace to begin with, truly I tell you the majority surely don’t “measure up” due to their lack of devotion and/or participation as required by the Lord.

    He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6.8 NIV

    Why is it we are all so quick to just assume that we’ll be graced with God’s mercy, but we are so unwilling to give it to those around us just as freely and in the same, “no strings attached” mentality that we believe God is bestowing us with it through? I mean we mess up and we automatically give no regard to how it’s going to affect our relationship with God because we know by His mercy we will be alright and we take for granted that our sins are forgiven. But yet, when a friend, loved one or someone within our life makes a mistake we are so quick to judge, condemn, correct, or even go as far as cut them off, and oftentimes not even allotting them the courtesy to give an explanation behind their action, let alone a chance to correct said action.

    But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” ‘For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’ Matthew 9.13 NIV

    But alas, when that shoe is on the other foot we often long and find ourselves hoping and praying that our loved ones will shower us with the very same mercy that God does. We take it for granted when it pertains to our Christ Jesus, but we’ll wallow in doubt when it comes to believing that we’ll receive it from our parents, siblings, spouse, children, etc.. Does anyone else find that not only odd but sad once you stop and think of it in that light?

    Let us approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.16 NIV

    I would tend to argue that the fact that our God is a loving, caring, kind and compassionate Father is why we have become so accustomed to His mercy being given unto us so readily and freely. For many of us it was in fact His mercy that saved us and lifted us from the darkest places in our lives. It was was His mercy paired with His undeniable love for us that has brought us to where we are in our lives today, this very moment. And it will be through His mercy and grace that we triumph in our lives until our last breaths.

    For great is thy mercy toward me; And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. Psalm 86.13 KJV

    Just as the Lord’s mercy, love and compassion renew every day for us as we are reminded of His faithfulness to us, we need to remember that we too need to practice those attributes unto others, too. After all, we are to live our lives living Christlike, right? So just as we expect Him to grace us so freely with those things, we need to strive to adapt to freely giving them to those around us too. I believe that even in the hardest moments in our lives He intends for us to learn to extend mercy as He would unto us, but not only to those that may have wronged us, but to ourselves also. We always seem to forget the extending of mercy unto ourselves when things don’t go as we had planned.

    It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3.22-23 KJV

    Jesus is the Waymaker, our Redeemer. Through Him all things are possible, so if you’re reading this and thinking that reprogramming yourself to be like this seems out of reach or unobtainable, join the club because after going back and reading it I was like, well geesh Spirit, that’s a lot, lol. But I feel this is when we not only need to lean into Him more, but we also need to lean into and onto those in our lives more (carefully). If He brings us to it, He’ll bring us through it and if He brings us together, He’ll show us why. We are to just trust in the process and trust in Him.

    But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. Lamentations 3.32

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”

  • Growing In Faith

    Growing In Faith

    So, if you look at the picture above you will see stages of growth of a sunflower. When I look at that it reminds me of our stages of growth in our faith.

    We don’t automatically go from accepting Christ in our life and beginning our walk of faith to being so full of faith that we think nothing can happen to me. DO NOT EVER DO THAT. I thought that at one time and had the floor drop right out from under my feet. But let me say, that day showed me my faith in God wasn’t anywhere it was supposed to be and I knew it was time to make a change.

    It is a lifelong process. We grow in faith by reading the Bible, prayer, worship, discipleship, mentoring, etc.

    Colossians 1:9-10

    For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,

    10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

    Like the sunflower, we start out like a bud then we grow a little more and a little more each day.

    It’s faith that gets us through the small things, it is faith that gets us through the tough times when we feel we are alone in a battle. We are never alone. He is always there; we just need faith.

    Matthew 17:20

    Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

    Having faith isn’t just for the bad or sad times in our lives. It is our daily faith that we can have joy, happiness, love, and so many other things.

    Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

    Faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises.

    Our faith grows and we grow in Christ. I put my faith in Him in all I do. Also having faith means waiting on God’s plan for you.

    Praying this helps someone who might be questioning their faith, just trust in God.

    Remember, never let your cup go empty…. ☕️

    Have a blessed day.

    Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.

  • Cast Ye Worries

    Cast Ye Worries

    I have long lived by the saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.” And it is oftentimes the very first thing that I try to gently share to others when they disclose that they too struggle with a mental illness of any kind. With having battled to not only maintain living with but to overcome the stigmas surrounding being bipolar, learning to live with having suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, severe insecurities from a lifetime of abuse from multiple people, like yo, I was your poster child for the hot mess express. 

    But when I discovered the secret that keeping my mind busy equated to my being able to control my mental state a lot easier, hence the saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground” took root in my life and I’ve lived by it since. Only now in the last several years I’ve integrated my faith into my mental health plight, and I’ve been able to see a momentous change in the direction in which my mental health journey is taking.

    “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
    Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42.11

    Full disclosure here, I believe in complete transparency in my own life and struggles simply for the sake of hoping that my story may touch the life of another and help them. I have always felt that my story was not my own and I have always been compelled to share my story as it was an “open book” for that very reason alone. 

    “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1.3-4

    How beautiful is the thought that our God comforts us, guides us through our trials, shows us love and compassion in our own troubles so that we can go forth and help another who may be going through the same thing? And yet, if we go through our lives hiding the things that the world tells us we should be ashamed of, or the things that are taboo and frowned upon if they are openly talked about, how are we supposed to comfort others by letting them know that they are not alone in whatever struggles they are going through? 

    I have long believed that God calls us to be open about our own struggles and what we have overcome, or even what we still struggle with, in hopes that we can reach those that may feel that they have to go through those hard things alone. Or maybe they have been taught that they’re wrong for feeling as they do, or they have been surrounded by not so supportive people that have led them to believe things that aren’t necessarily true about what it is they are going through. Our testimonies are exactly what will save others and oftentimes show them alternative ways for them to save themselves.

    God will place people within our lives at the right time to show us what it is we need to see, every time. Just as He will also deliver unto you the messages that you need to hear when it is you need to hear them the most. Unfortunately, the problem is that many aren’t ready to receive those blessings from Him just yet and may even take offense to truths waved under your nose in the beginning. It’s ok, because He will keep placing those messages and those people within your path until you’re ready to receive what it is He needs you to know. 

    “ …for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”2 Timothy 1.7 ESV 

    So, we keep our minds busy to keep the depression and anxiety at bay. Awesome, right? Well, yeah but at some point we have to learn better coping skills for ourselves. For me once I began to fully integrate my walk with Jesus into my mental health routine, I was able to start allowing more “idle” moments in my days. Focusing on scripture that reassure me that He has my back (Psalm 34.17, Isaiah 41.10, Jeremiah 29.11, John 14.27, 1 Peter 5.7, Joshua 1.9, Philippians 4.6,13 just to name a few) and knowing that it is in those quiet times that I find Him, allow me to willingly seek them out. I find my strength in Him, and it is that strength that allows me the freedom to live as I do. 

    “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73.26

    And for me, the last thing that was vital in making strides on my mental health journey was realizing that sometimes the people that we have in our lives are direct contributors of our depression and anxiety. When you have mental illness, it is 100% your responsibility to be selective on who you allow within your circle. Each person is going to influence you, so choose wisely! If you suffer from depression, seek out those that will help you rewire yourself to look for the good in life. If you deal with anxiety, seek out those that give off the calm that you need and those that have overcome anxiety themselves! 

    We cannot continue to choose to remain stuck in the same mindsets and situations in which we have been and then wonder why we aren’t getting any better. I personally took over 2 years and secluded myself from just about everyone. And I had done this in 2016 for 2 years, too! Both times I utilized that time to heal and to draw closer to God and to strengthen my relationship with Him. I focused on myself, my children and Him. And I’m telling you I wouldn’t change a minute of it because sometimes we have to step away to find ourselves. To find the quiet spot away from all of the noise of today…

    But then when He says it’s time, we step back into the world, into reality and well, that’s when I pray we can all find one another to help each other through. I often wonder how much of the hurts and the pains we go through in life could have been foregone if we all just would have listened to the Words said within the Bible to begin with.

    “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6.2 

    We were never meant to walk through life alone, nor was it intended for us to carry our burdens on our own. But life and society have us so programmed that we are to stay so focused on ourselves that we somehow forget that we ARE our brother’s keeper in the sense that to love one another is to desire to lift each other in every sense that there is. Life is hard enough as is, we shouldn’t complicate it further through hardened hearts and selfishness.

    “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10.23-25 ESV

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”