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  • Onion Smoothies

    Onion Smoothies

    The kids and I love to drink smoothies.

    We blend up frozen berries with almond milk or yogurt and honey.  Doesn’t matter if there is a blizzard outside or it’s twenty below zero, we will still be in the kitchen blending up the sweet goodness of a smoothie.  My favorite smoothie is what I call my protein coffee, which is iced coffee blended with chocolate protein powder and some sugar-free mocha coffee creamer.  I even have an iced coffee maker at the camper and a small rechargeable blender so we don’t have to miss out on smoothies when we are away from home camping (or as my husband calls it… glamping).

    The reason everyone loves a smoothie is because it is sweet and tastes good.  No one ever says I want an onion smoothie please.  We don’t puree frozen onions with milk and honey and sip it through a straw and say, “Oooohhh, that is so good!”  Yuck! The onion is bitter and infects everything around it with its overbearing bitterness and takes away the sweetness. 

    Hebrews 12:15

    See to it that no one falls short

    of the grace of God

     and that no bitter root

    grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

    In life we cannot let the onions hang out in our smoothies. If you see them sneaking in you need to quickly remove them before they take hold and ultimately ruin your sweet drink.

    We need to remember that life is not always fair, but bitterness is a choice, and we are the ones who choose to be bitter about a situation.  We always have the option to pray about it, ask God to take away the pain and bitterness and then make the choice to move on and not stew about it.  Don’t give that person who wronged you rent inside your head.  You may be losing sleep over what happened, but I guarantee they are not and you are only hurting yourself. 

    Not only will you be miserable but it will eventually start leaking from your heart into your words and actions and will ultimately ruin relationships and make you and those around you miserable.

    Be diligent, watch out for those onions and don’t let them hijack your smoothies!  Make the choice to choose the sweet life over the bitter life.

    Tammy Bassett is a speaker and the author of the Mopping Up Your Blessings blog. She was born and raised a country girl who’s roots run deep in the mountains of Appalachia. She has worked a wide variety of jobs ranging from radio to insurance agent. She is now a stay-at-home mom, who along with her husband, are raising five daughters (ages 10 to 25), seven cats and one dog. She uses her accounting and business administration degree to help run her busy household.
    She loves spending time with her family and homeschooling her two youngest children. She spends a lot of her day trying to conquer the obstacles in her home. With four of her children still living at home the laundry pile (nicknamed Mt. Wash-more) is her nemesis. Some days she wins and some days she doesn’t, but she always gets up the next day and tries again.
    She also loves camping with her family as long as there is a camper with air conditioning, a comfy bed, and indoor plumbing. Her downfall is her obsession with iced coffee. Thankfully the closest Starbucks is an hour from her home, or she would be broke. She also loves reading and learning new skills such as homesteading, being more self-sustainable, gardening and foraging.
    She relates the most to her favorite animal, the alpaca. They are both kind of weird and look like they are two months past due on a haircut. Much like alpacas she makes a gentle humming noise when happy and if irritated she often stamps the ground with her feet. Her husband has refused to buy her an alpaca much to her disappointment.
    But more than anything, she loves the Lord and is growing more in her faith each day and hopes to inspire others to do the same. She wants everyone to understand that God’s grace is truly amazing and has changed her from the inside out and he can do the same for you.

  • Obedience

    Obedience

    Do you ever find yourself after a period of strife, coming to a realization that, to put it simply, “knocks your socks off?” 

    The last couple weeks I’ve been struggling, and while I honestly fully expected it to be hectic, in reality given the circumstances, it hasn’t been quite as bad as I was expecting it to be so hey that’s a plus! So what threw my life in a topsy turvy chaotic upheaval? I listened to Jesus.

    Yep, you read that right. It was the last day of our school year, my grandson was very ill, my adult children were going through their endless trials, my mom was still sick, the mountain of stress was still ongoing pertaining to Ben’s VLA school year, and here comes Jesus telling me that NOW was the time to stop smoking. He apparently thought of himself as a comedian, huh? There was absolutely NO way that right now I would be able to do it. None. And that is what I told him, too. And throughout the day he just kept telling me that it was time and he would see me through it. To trust him… 

    So here I am over two weeks later, still cigarette free and I can honestly say that I don’t crave them. I do find myself looking for them during certain situations, but thankfully he took the cravings for them away from me. Those first few days where it was the roughest, and after I cried out and told him that I wasn’t going to be able to do it without his help, the cravings went away and it’s been so much easier. Thank You Jesus! 

    While all that is amazing in it’s own right, what I wanted to share was my “aha” moment that I’ve had. The last couple weeks I struggled more with feeling a disconnect from him than the actual withdraw from smoking. I’ve went through a period of feeling mentally and spiritually “numb”, and regardless of how much I prayed, cried or read my Bible, I just could not gain my connection back. I felt lost and broken. Until a few days ago when I realized that all it was that I was experiencing was in fact just a break. 

    Jesus knew I was overwhelmed, that my plate was overflowing and needing respite. He also knows me better than I know myself and knew that had he not cleared my brain and made me “brain dead” for the last 2 weeks, I would have pushed myself more than I should have. He truly does know better than we do. 

    And as for me questioning my connection to him and doubting my position with him, because trust me I have many times over the last couple weeks, I sat here and laughed when it fully hit me at what I had done. While it’s common for us to listen to little nudges from him, how often do we listen to life changing commands? 

    “If we obey God’s commands, then we are sure that we know him. Those who say that they know him, but do not obey his commands, are liars and there is no truth in them. All those people whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God: those who say that they remain in union with God should live just as Jesus Christ did.” 1 John 2.3-6

    Even with all that said, I sit here writing this and part of me can’t help but to ponder and seriously consider that I was being tested. Something I have never been able to cope well with is silence from the one I need comfort from, and well in the last 2 weeks I didn’t have that from him like I typically did. But I knew he was still with me, and I knew he was still helping me through it even though I couldn’t feel the connection that I usually felt with him. I persevered through on the faith of knowing he was holding me up through this trial instead of giving in because of the fear that tried to overcome me. 

    Not only did this prove my faith in Him to him, but to and for me also. But it also showed me exactly how far I’ve come along my healing journey, and let me tell you how priceless that alone is. We can say that Jesus helped me escape from the bondage of addiction yet again, but he also set me free of the codependency bondage that has kept me in chains my whole life. 

    Sometimes we are given circumstances that are nothing more than opportunities to remind us of who we are when Christ is with us. To remind us of His love for us, and how he wants us to flourish and grow but we need to trust in him with all thy heart and lean not onto our own understanding… To show us that if we just give it to him, all of it, and be faithful and obedient, in time he will answer our prayers, even if it takes a lifetime for him to do so. 

    “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1.2-4

    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.”

  • Like A Child

    Like A Child

    He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…” Matthew 18.2-5

    How many times have you ever read or heard a verse, oftentimes frequently, and suddenly out of nowhere you read it and you are so taken aback by the implication and meaning of it that you are left speechless for a moment? That was me this evening and as I read this verse again that I had only bookmarked earlier in the evening, and I was taken aback. The impact in which it moved me was shattering…

    Stop and think of how a child needs their parent. How they seek their guidance, their protection and their love. How they need to be nurtured but to also learn what discipline is. To be shaped into whom they are meant to be. Children are like little sponges, soaking up love from whatever source they can obtain it from. 

    And that unconditional love that a child holds for others is by far something that we all could take lessons from. Even when their stories aren’t the fairy-tale or perfect life that so many believe children are automatically blessed to live, children love anyways. 

    You can strike down a child a hundred times and they’ll still find love for you in their hearts. 

    You can tell a child every day of their lives that they aren’t good enough and they’ll go out of their way to make sure everyone else around them feels like they’re somebody special. 

    You can abandon a child for years and they’ll still eagerly wait for you to arrive one day even though they know you won’t stay in their lives for very long. 

    You can lie to a child, break promise after promise and they’ll still believe you the next time you say, “I swear.”

    Love is their universal language and it is their cure-all. Love is their everything and in everything that they do. Children are love. A child’s love holds onto hope, and it holds onto that hope with a grip so tight that sometimes it hurts them more to let go than it does to keep holding on because that hope is all they have left. 

    Stop and think of how children were treated back in the times that Jesus was alive. To be honest I wonder if it was much different than what I depicted above? Children weren’t seen as being of much value, surely not as we see them today. So ill treatment would have been expected and most likely accepted.

    And they still loved, trusted and held onto their hope in the adults in their lives. They still had an innocence about them that was honored and treasured and that alone was seen as a value and a virtue. It was that innocence that fueled their unconditional love and their devotion. They didn’t have a society telling them that what they were doing or how they were feeling was wrong. 

    I look at children today and at how the age of innocence is almost non-existent now and my heart breaks. Everyone is in this all fire hurry to have their children grow up, so they either don’t allow them the graces of childhood or they ruin it way too soon and for what reason? That is something I truly can not yet understand. I watch as elementary age children are exposed to adult situations daily by the parents/guardians; they’re allowing them to run around not only looking but also acting like they’re twice their age then crying foul when their kid gets into trouble… but we’ll save that for another day.

    I don’t think Jesus’ intention was for us to change children into anything but to further nurture the virtuous, humble and loving beings that they already were. They were meant to be the example, and we’ve butchered that horribly as a society. We were meant to learn and let them lead us by example but yet we’ve completely railroaded that over the last few years, haven’t we? Children are the very definition of unconditional love and we have completely taken that for granted… He gave us that key in that verse.

    How many times have you looked at a child and put yourself automatically above them simply because you’re the adult? You’re smarter, you’ve been through more in life so therefore you deserve their respect, right? I want us to look at that child again, really look at them and watch how they interact with a person, or in a scenario. I really think so many of us need to stop, slow down and reflect upon what it is He was trying to tell us here. You gotta let it go, all of it. All of those things that you have collected over the years that have made you who you are, let it go. If you wanna go with him in heaven, you are going to have to be anew and let him create within you who he wants you to be. You’re going to have to love unconditionally, hope even when it hurts and trust even the things you can not see to trust in. And reckless faith, let it be what guides you in everything that you do! 

    Just as a child doesn’t think twice before they jump because they absolutely know that Mommy or Daddy will be there to catch them, maybe that’s the simple meaning of it all. It’s that blind faith in knowing that our Father will be there to catch us, too. 

    We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4.19

    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.”

  • Seeing The Goodness Of God

    Seeing The Goodness Of God

                I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalm 27: 13-14).

                God’s goodness! It is easy to see God’s goodness in every day and pleasant things. When we look at our families, our homes, our jobs, etc. we tend to say, “God is so good.”

                Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” As believers, we are promised that His goodness is always with us – through the good and the bad times. Therefore, we need to see His goodness in all things.

                We can see His goodness in the very act of repentance. In fact, Romans 2:4 says the goodness of God leads us to repentance.  II Corinthians 7:10 tells God does this through conviction of sins. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…” God could give up on us because of our sins. Because He is good, He gives us the opportunity to repent so those sins can be washed away.

                We can see God’s goodness in His guidance. Pslam 30:21 points to His guidance: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it”. If we will listen, He will speak to our hears in various ways. Of course, the most obvious way He speaks is through the pages of our Bible which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

                We can see His goodness in His correction. Hebrews 5:10 says God corrects us for our good so we can share in His holiness.  Hebrews 5:11 says discipline doesn’t seem pleasant at the time but it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. He corrects us because He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us. With Job we can truly say, “ Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”

                Is God good? Absolutely! He is good in all things and in all times. Psalm 107: 8, 15, 21 and 31 repeat this phrase: “Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for is wonderful works to the children of men.” Let us praise Him for His goodness.

    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.

  • Conversations At The Well

    Conversations At The Well

    We have all heard the story of the woman at the well.  A Samaritan woman was at the well minding her own business gathering water.  Jesus approached her and asked her for a drink.  She scoffed back about how a Jewish man could ask a Samaritan woman for a drink because at the time Jewish people would not associate with Samaritans, but Jesus didn’t care about what the culture dictated, he cared about her as a person.

    She went back to her town and spread the word about the Messiah and what he told her, and they asked him to stay, and he did for two more days sharing his message with others and during that time many more became believers.  It’s amazing how a chance encounter during her daily chores not only changed her life but the life of so many people in her town.

    It makes me think of how our culture affects the way we talk to people about Jesus.  Drug and alcohol addicts are treated like modern day lepers who are pushed to the outside of the city away from society so we do not have to see them.

    When Russia invaded the Ukraine thousands of people fled the country and became refugees looking for a safe place for their families to live.  They were welcomed with open arms into several countries.  85% of Ukrainians are Christian, they look familiar and have familiar customs, so it was easy to welcome them.  In 2022, over 40,000 refugees fled Pakistan but were not welcomed with open arms.  Many Americans were upset about them being located in their communities because they looked different, dressed different, and had different customs.

    Deuteronomy 10:19

    And you are to love those who are foreigners,

     for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt

    Exodus 23:9

    “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.”

    When we form opinions about people crossing the border or refugees from other countries, take a second and stop and think about how Jesus would want this situation handled.  I do understand for safety reasons that a vetting system needs to be in place by our government and due process for those wanting to live here, but how are we treating people as a church when they are in our community and they don’t look like us or talk like us?

    Jesus was not confined to tradition and culture, he loved everyone even if they didn’t love him.  He broke through silly traditions and boundaries to show people God’s love, shouldn’t we do the same?

    Tammy Bassett is a speaker and the author of the Mopping Up Your Blessings blog. She was born and raised a country girl who’s roots run deep in the mountains of Appalachia. She has worked a wide variety of jobs ranging from radio to insurance agent. She is now a stay-at-home mom, who along with her husband, are raising five daughters (ages 10 to 25), seven cats and one dog. She uses her accounting and business administration degree to help run her busy household.
    She loves spending time with her family and homeschooling her two youngest children. She spends a lot of her day trying to conquer the obstacles in her home. With four of her children still living at home the laundry pile (nicknamed Mt. Wash-more) is her nemesis. Some days she wins and some days she doesn’t, but she always gets up the next day and tries again.
    She also loves camping with her family as long as there is a camper with air conditioning, a comfy bed, and indoor plumbing. Her downfall is her obsession with iced coffee. Thankfully the closest Starbucks is an hour from her home, or she would be broke. She also loves reading and learning new skills such as homesteading, being more self-sustainable, gardening and foraging.
    She relates the most to her favorite animal, the alpaca. They are both kind of weird and look like they are two months past due on a haircut. Much like alpacas she makes a gentle humming noise when happy and if irritated she often stamps the ground with her feet. Her husband has refused to buy her an alpaca much to her disappointment.
    But more than anything, she loves the Lord and is growing more in her faith each day and hopes to inspire others to do the same. She wants everyone to understand that God’s grace is truly amazing and has changed her from the inside out and he can do the same for you.

  • Not A Slave To God

    Not A Slave To God

    Recently, God has put Romans 12:1 on my heart and while a whole bunch of things come to mind that I could write about, none of them have seem to hit that mark. What’s funny is that like usual, now that it is in my heart, it seems everyone is either preaching, teaching, sharing or mentioning it in one way or another. But yet, none of it has resonated to what I believe He was wanting me to say. 

    And I’ve sat here scratching my head wondering if I was suddenly “broken”, had I upset him, did I do something wrong that I wasn’t able to pick up on whatever it was I was meant to “see”? I have thought well maybe with the kids being sick, and the stress I’m under I’m just not in the right mental space to operate as he would have me usually, because to be honest, I’ve been really stretched thin and haven’t been devoting as much time to him as I typically would (sick kids consume entirely too much energy, ugh). So yesterday I prayed on it, and last night I again prayed on it as I went to bed…

    “Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” Psalm 139.4

    Sitting here this morning I was doing my devotionals and going over my notes from them when I came across a quote from Joyce Meyers, “Out of our love for God, we want to please Him. We become sons and daughters, not slaves.” Let that sink in for a moment because it is simply beautiful. 

    Here lately, I know for me, I have been seeing a lot of push back about how “religion” is nothing but a way or means for an organization to control their people. I personally have been accused of being a member of a cult because of the love and devotion I have and show for Jesus. All a person has to do is listen to a non-believer or even a misled believer for 5 minutes and you can tell that they have never experienced the love of Jesus and have absolutely no clue what that love can and will do to and for a person. Huge difference in having that “religion” in your life and finding yourself secure in a relationship with Jesus!

    I was one of those people, so trust me I get it. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in Him, it was that I didn’t know what He was capable of doing within the heart of one that gives it fully unto Him. Truly I tell you, once you give your heart and your life to Him, loving him and being obedient to him is the easy part. You gotta be like Elsa and let it go, give it to Him and watch the beautiful things that begin to take place not only within you but in your life, too! 

    “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14.15 

    Yes Jesus, teach me, guide me and direct me in Your ways so that I can love you the way that You want me to. The way that I need to, the way that the world needs me to so that I can lead others to you! Let me be the light Lord, let me be your disciple, so that I can live my life through you and for you… 

    In Romans 12:1 we are urged “…to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship.”

    I remember reading this and it just resonating in my heart that if you truly gave your heart and your life to Jesus, he himself makes this easy to do! I don’t think I fully believed in the power of giving my life over to Him until now, as I am experiencing it myself. 

    You begin to “crave” his word, wanting to lead and live your life in ways that are pleasing to him. Over time you find yourself transformed by his love that has now replaced the things that once consumed you and you realize that you are a different person now, and that you are a reflection of the things that you’ve come to know and believe through his word. Just as his love has transformed you, you now find yourself willingly pleading with him, “Lord, use me! Let others see you through me! Let me be a beacon to those lost from you so that they can find you through me! Whatever it is you need me to do Father, the answer is Yes and I am willing to do it for You!”

    We quickly begin to want the responsibility of being looked upon as being “Jesus’ daughter or son”. You seek out those interactions in which you can lead others to Christ…

    We willingly and lovingly put ourselves on display as to say, “By giving my life, to Jesus this is what he has done for me and he can offer the same to you. Come let me show you the goodness he offers, let me show you the love and the peace, let me lead you to where I am today. Let me show you how to live how I am so that you too can live a blessed life through Jesus Christ.” We proudly display our love and devotion of him and live our lives accordingly. And he makes it easy to do! 

    If I am to be honest, there were many times prior, where I would have read verses in the Bible and would have absolutely balked at the ideology behind it. But that was before I actually gave my life to Jesus and I have felt him take over my life, fill my heart and change my life. One would assume that many would be quick to judge reading the statement, “…to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship…” and follow it up with a quick, “Oh my! Your God wants you to sacrifice yourself to him??? Like, how is that loving??”

    The only honest answer I could come up with is Romans 8:38-39…

    “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

    Until you personally live it, feel it and experience Gods love firsthand, you truly won’t understand. But let me tell you once you do, everything makes perfect sense.

    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.”

  • Where Are You Taking Jesus?

    Where Are You Taking Jesus?

    As I was working last week, this line dropped in my spirit: Where are you taking Jesus? 

    Now we all know that if you are born again, then Jesus lives on the inside of you. He promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Deut.31:8), but are we forsaking him?

    Do we get up in the morning with all the thoughts about the day, jump to our feet with busyness without even a, “Good morning, Lord, thanks for waking me up to another day.”?

    What about dinner? Are you taking Jesus or are you leaving him on a shelf so we can go out with friends and act like we are not even a Christian: cussing, ranting,  drinking, and raving over the way this world is going but not doing anything to make change.  

    Jesus was moved with compassion (Matt 14:14).

    Where is ours? 

    About the only thing that moves us is if we can’t find our phone or the remote.  

    People are hurting, people are searching, and people need to know there is a loving God.

    Jesus went about doing good.

    He didn’t discuss with Peter how Judas was taking money from the ministry. No, Jesus knelt down and washed Judas’ feet just like he did all the other disciples. 

    We are called to love our enemies and pray for those despitefully using us (Luke 6:27-28). If it wasn’t possible for us to learn and walk in love like Jesus did, He would have never commanded us to. 

    Where are you taking Jesus? 

    Just meditate on that and really think about where you have taken Him in just these last few days. 

    Jesus loves His people and He loves those who have rejected Him. 

    Jesus didn’t decide to die for John but not the woman at the well. NO! Jesus never picked and chose who He would love. He simply just loved. 

    What if we started loving like Him?

    He gave us two commands: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark12:30-3). All the other commands are fulfilled in these two (Matt. 23:40).

    Jesus made it simple. We tend to make it difficult, but mostly because we don’t take Jesus with us.

    As you think on it, where are you taking Jesus? Just know that He knows when He is being left out.  

    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.

  • Psalm 56

    Psalm 56

    Sitting in church on Sunday morning, I was struggling with a heavy burden hidden deep within my heart. While we were there to celebrate the dedication of my sister I just couldn’t help but for my mind to keep going back to that burden… and it was weighing heavily on me as the guilt was starting to riddle my mind. I was struggling to get into the praise and worship as I should, and I vaguely remember saying, “Please Lord, help!”… 

    He heard me and he replied with showing me Psalm 56. 

    So like any good Christian, I opened my phone and skimmed over it right then and there and I am so glad that for the first time in my life I’m an obedient person because everything I was struggling with instantly subsided and went away. 

    While facing persecution is pretty standard for a Christian, and honestly, I believe we all have come to just expect it to some degree, there are oftentimes when it comes from certain folks that it just downright hurts. While we can allow the criticism, disrespect and ignorance from the majority just roll off of us, there are those that when they throw it at us it hits us as if they threw a double-edged sword right between our shoulder blades. And when it happens to be those that were born of us or the ones that we thought defined what unconditional love entailed, man that can knock you to your knees and leave you gasping for air for a time. 

    1-2 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.

    My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. 

    How many of us feel like this from time to time, especially after we have had to spend any kind of time with those that aren’t followers of Christ or maybe not in the same way as we are? To be honest, I believe those of us that have a relationship with Him often feel like this if we spend too much time on social media reading public comments and the like, as well. 

    But something else that I have also noticed is the popular theme that a true believer in God has to be happy, content and always joyful and if we show anything otherwise then we come under scrutiny. And it’s said that our faith is faltering or is seen as being less than. Can we please stop this narrative? Because it is extremely toxic behavior for our community that only ends up pushing people away for starters, but more importantly it is so untrue.

    3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 

    He knows that we are human and we have emotions, that is how he designed us to be. If we lacked fear, being distraught, brokenhearted, etc., and only thrived on happiness and being content we would soon lose our need to (re)turn to him. We would grow more and more distant from him if we had no need for him, and that is exactly why we come bundled up with all of the emotions that we do. Why would the creator of all things have instilled us with such things if he had no intentions behind them? Trust me, he knew exactly what he was doing. 

    5-6 All day long the twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. 

    They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.

    That’s the thing isn’t it, the thing that all of us that have a relationship with Jesus has to be so very cautious of? How those that don’t believe can take a simple statement that we make and twist the narrative of it to suit their agenda and make us out to be the bad guys in almost any situation? We even watch as they take the Word and manipulate it in an ill attempt to push their ideology and script that they are feverishly trying to sell to the world. They desperately try time and time again to strip us of the life that we know and love, based on falsehoods, misconceptions and opinions that I’m certain would change if they’d just open their hearts and let that facade fall away so that God’s goodness could permeate throughout them. 

    7-9 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down. 

    Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll- are they not in your record? 

    Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. 

    See, here is the beautiful part of having that relationship with Him. From the very things that we are taught throughout His Word, and that if we are to be honest, that we feel in our hearts through Him, we know that when call out to Him in our time of need or despair, our Father is going to come to our rescue. He will swoop in and pick up our pieces and put us back together again and help us face any battle that stands before us. That is what good and faithful Fathers do. That is what having faith in Him can and will do. 

    10-13 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise- 

    in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

    I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you.

    For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. 

    I know that facing persecution can be tough, especially when it falls at the hands of those that we love the most, the ones that we are oftentimes fighting for the most. And I also know that sometimes we find ourselves wondering if it would just be easier to give up, throw in the towel and be who it is they want us to be so that we don’t lose them. But alas sisters and brothers, we can’t lose ourselves to appease those that have to live their own lives. We can’t compromise our path or relationship with Jesus out of our desperation in an attempt to hold onto what isn’t ours to hold onto anyways. This I believe, (especially as a parent to adult children) is one of our hardest tests of our faith to him. When we trust him, he will deliver our hearts desires, so stand firm in your faith and in him and I assure you it will be worth it in the end. 

    “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture,

    Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

    Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this;

    He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalms 37.3-6

    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.”

  • Grace

    Grace

    What is grace? The Bible’s definition is:

    Grace is the basis for the Christian faith. We believe we are saved by faith through grace. God’s grace is usually defined as undeserved favor. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. We count on God’s grace and the bridge he built in our relationship with him.

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

    Grace is something that has been discussed a lot recently, and it has stayed on my mind. God shows us grace daily… even when we feel we don’t deserve it.

    We all have things in our life that we aren’t real happy to admit; but He knows everything we see, do, or think. Still, He shows us grace.

    But, do we always show grace? I know I have failed in this. As I said above, God knows EVERYTHING… and yet He still shows us grace.

    Our flesh side says, “ I can’t believe what he/she has done in the past. They don’t deserve to be forgiven.” …Hmmmm, I wonder if the tables were turned and it was you that they were talking about???

    Giving grace to another person is simply to forgive them unconditionally, just as God forgave us through Christ.

    “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

    To extend grace to others can be hard, especially when you feel like the other person is evil or that they don’t deserve it. The wonderful thing is that though we are still sinners, and though we mess up daily, God still extends grace and kindness to us.

    Hallelujah for that!!!

    When we show grace to others, the grace that we show is multiplied back to us.

    So….where have you shown grace lately? It’s really not hard to do.

    When we are asked to extend grace to someone else, we are giving them favor or approval they haven’t earned. In order to do that, we’re going to have to take a hard look at that person with compassion, sympathy, and concern.

    Just remember God shows us grace daily… we need to be able to follow his lead.

    Praying this helps someone that might be having a hard time showing grace.

    Remember never let your cup be empty☕️

    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.

  • No More Cherry Picking

    No More Cherry Picking

    “Yet if you devote your heart to him

    and stretch out your hands to him,

    if you put away the sin that is in your hand

    and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,

    then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;

    you will stand firm and without fear.

    You will surely forget your trouble,

    recalling it only as waters gone by.

    Life will be brighter than noonday,

    and darkness will become like morning.

    You will be secure, because there is hope;

    you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

    You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,

    and many will court your favor.

    But the eyes of the wicked will fail,

    and escape will elude them;

    their hope will become a dying gasp.” 

    (Made into two paragraphs for my intent of making a point)

    When I read these words spoken to Job from Zephar (11.13-20 NIV), I felt myself captivated by them. How many of us find ourselves sharing a similar message that is contained in the first paragraph (verses 13-19) daily, especially to those we care about? We yearn for those that we love to find the same peace and salvation in Christ as we have. So we go above and beyond, pouring out messages of hope of all of the beautiful things He promises us. Flooding social media with posts overflowing with all the joyful, inspiring, well received parts of the Word. 

    But yet, I notice we are so quick to shy away from anything that resembles the last verse in his speech to Job. So many of us would have been quick to cut this message off at verse 19 with absolutely no second thought put into it even though I believe it was purposely included at the end as a blatant reminder and eye opener of sorts. I believe we have grown so accustomed to beautifying God’s Words so that they are more readily accepted, that we tend to leave out the “rough around the edges” parts forgetting that they still need to be heard. That they too serve a much needed purpose in delivering God’s Word unto us, and without putting them all as a whole, we are truly not giving His words the sustenance He intended for them.

    For me, while the beautiful verses offered tranquility and peace as they lead to hope, it was the harsher words in the last verse that offered me an odd sense of “comfort” for a lack of a better word. I’m sure many of you are now scratching your head while believing I’ve completely fallen off of my rocker, so I’ll attempt to explain before y’all are quick to commit me. 

    “But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; their hope will become a dying gasp.” As a follower of Christ and having a relationship with Him, knowing my heart is pure and that it belongs to Him, I know that that statement is the complete opposite of everything He has promised to me and to anyone who is His. I, as well, know that it doesn’t apply to me, but I do recognize and respect the implication within it. 

    But, I also know that it is by His love and strength that I will not fail, and that my faith and hope in Him will forever keep me afloat. I know that with Him guiding me there will never be any need to escape because each step of the way is already planned out by Him and He will see me safely to where I am meant to be. 

    What His word teaches us is exactly what helps me find peace from verses that would typically spark fear or unrest in others. And the more that I learn the more that I find comfort in ALL of His words, even in the scariest parts (y’all know that Old Testament can be intimidating, don’t flex on me now!). I can’t help but to think that we need to spend more time sharing all of the important parts of what was said, not just the pretty parts, because there are a lot of things that get overlooked these days out of fear of stepping on toes, or pushing people away. 

    Maybe if we changed our way of thinking on “how” we go about teaching those parts that we’ve shied away from vs. just avoiding them all together, we can make some headway with those that run from Him. Particularly when it’s from not understanding any of it to begin with, or those untaught parts that they often see misquoted, or being taught the wrong thing by those who, themselves, have not a clue. 

    “We can’t teach about God and His Word but continue to omit the parts that may make others uncomfortable. Just as us, in time they too will find comfort in those parts as they grow to understand the full implications and meaning behind His Words. So let us begin to spread his word amongst all and share not just the pretty parts, but all of Gods word. We need to stop cherry picking the Bible as it suits US and glorify Him as He has asked us to. The time is now, no more sitting around, rise up, I said rise up, and be heard.”

    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.”