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  • Who Are We Representing?

    Who Are We Representing?

    It’s uncanny how that in today’s times, we’ve seen an increase in those who want to declare themselves as Christians but yet when you take a step back and look at how they’re living their lives, you’re left pondering if they’re even aware that the way they’re living their lives isn’t very Christian like at all?

    Yeah, I know this is the elephant in the room that many of us don’t want to encroach upon because we don’t want to be deemed politically incorrect, or we don’t want to lose friends. But the harsh reality is it is often those very same people that are leaving such a trail of hypocrisy and causing the discourse due to the hatred they are exhibiting… something needs to be said. We see an increasing amount of folks claiming to despise and hate this and that, all the while being politically charged against so many things and showing hatred to others while hiding behind their religion and/or their religious beliefs.

    We’ve continued to watch as a division is being created, especially within the Christian community over things that are well out of our control. And to some of us, this truly does break our hearts as we know this is not the way things were intended to be.

    All of this thinking brought me to when Paul wrote to the Galatians when he heard there were agitators amongst them causing a division. When you read Paul’s words, you can truly see how they are comparable to our own modern-day problem. We jump to where Paul states in Galatians in Chapter 5, verse 6… “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Well, I don’t want to be the one to point this out, but so many of us are failing in this, and in a huge way.

    Jesus never intended for hatred to be utilized as the basis for His platform to be preached upon. He never intended people to exhibit anger, hostility and rage in relation to things that they claim fall under His values, beliefs and what the Christian “agenda” is all about. How can we expect anyone to value or respect who we are when so many are out here making a mockery of everything that Christianity is built upon?

    Anyone who even has the beginning knowledge of Christianity and what the message of Christ was all about will tell you that it was all centered around God’s love and God being love. So, this mentality that is being exhibited by so many, while claiming Christianity as their religion is a falsehood that we as true believers absolutely should not be sitting by idly or quietly.

    He goes on to say in verse 7-8, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” So many of you have good intentions, but you are truly going about it in the wrong ways. Truly I tell you, hatred fueled motives are not the answer to anything, nor are they going to be welcomed by or blessed by our Father. Nor is allowing yourself to stay rooted in that mindset going to allow you the freedom to usher in the goodness He has in store for you. How can we expect God to hand us blessings when we have our hands full of so many negative things?

    I promise you that no where will you find anything that will tell you that God agrees with using hate as a motive for anything. Nor will you find anything that will justify your anger towards those that don’t live as you do or agree with your ideals. At the end of the day, we are still commanded to love thy neighbors as we love ourselves. Verse 13-15, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

    Paul goes on to to tell them to walk by the Spirit so that they may not be gratified by the desires of the flesh. It’s apparent that a bunch of folks need to return to their home churches and invite the Holy Spirit back into their lives because they sure are living lives lead by everything but the Holy Spirit. A life lead without the Holy Spirit is one filled with sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness (verses 19-21).

    Whereas “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.” (Verses 22-23) Do you see the stark difference? A God lead motive would never be a hate driven one, passionate perhaps, but never one that is hate inspired. In verse 5:26 Paul reminds us “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Let that just resonate and stew in your thoughts for a few moments as you think upon how much we see daily of each of those traits from our fellow brothers and sisters. I would garner that it’s safe to say Paul would most likely shake his head in disbelief over how common it takes place today.

    In chapter 6, Paul wraps up his letter by reminding them of their responsibility to bear one another’s burdens as in verses 1-2, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught up in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” He goes on to say that a person will reap what they sow and that if they sow to please their flesh they’ll reap destruction. However, for me, I found a peace and purpose in verses 9-10 when he states, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.”

    So, it is my duty and your duty in our own walk with Jesus to “attempt” to set right the wrongs we personally see others that belong in our Christian family partaking in, and we can’t do that by sitting by silently out of fear of who’s toes we are going to step on. It’s time that just like Paul, we start calling out the behavior of those that are making a mockery of what it is we actually do value and live for. How the masses portray Christianity to be is not an accurate representation of such and I know I for one am exasperated by it. It saddens me to watch so much hate continuously shared under the false pretense of Christianity when Christianity itself is built and centered on the love that God has for each of us.

    Remember folks, “…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16)

    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.”

  • Since We Know

    Since We Know

    Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Hebrews 13:5-6).

    When it comes to having, have you ever asked the question, “How much is enough?” Many people seem to never figure this out. It leads them to covet more and more. Greed takes over and eventually turns them into people they had no intention of becoming.

    There is an answer to this question, but it isn’t found in the world’s “stuff.” It is simply knowing that the God of all creation is in our lives. His presence brings with it a contentment this world cannot match. Today, we need to tell ourselves- “We can be content since we know…”

    Since we know the Lord is with us, we can be content. Proverbs 15:16 says, “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.” This means we are better off with less stuff and more reverence for God. The Apostle Paul summed it up well when he wrote, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” We would do well to have the mindset of Paul concerning contentment.

    Since we know the Lord is with us, we have help. God always has our best interest in mind. The following verses reflect the comfort we should feel because of this fact:

    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).

    The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him (Psalm 28:7).

    Since we know the Lord is with us, we don’t have to fear. The Psalmist spoke of confidence in God- even when outnumbered:

    I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about (Psalm 3:6).

    Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident (Psalm 27:3).

    Michael W. Smith recorded the song “Surrounded.” One line says, “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.” How encouraging it is to know that God surrounds us in all situations at all times.

    Since we know the Lord is with us, the pressure is off. We can rest in Him knowing that He is ever present. Let us close this devotional with the following verse:

    When thou layest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet (Proverbs 3:24).

    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.

  • If It Feels Good

    If It Feels Good

    Many, many moons ago when I was in high school, I played saxophone in Jazz Band. It was an after-school activity that was not only fun but I learned so much. I discovered a whole genre of music that I had never really paid attention to and I fell in love with it. It was a completely different style of music to learn to play. We learned about syncopated beats, swing notes, scooping notes, and much more. I remember the director teaching us how to improvise when playing a solo. Which basically means that you make up the music as you go and he did this by simply stating, “If it feels good, do it.”

    It was great advice for improvising a solo, but horrible advice for how to live life.

    Raising kids in today’s culture has its challenges. There are school systems that will tell you if you feel like a (insert opposite gender) then it must be true. I even watched a video of a mother who was outraged at a school board meeting because the teachers and school psychologist were allowing her child to “transition” behind her back.

    Kids are not mature enough to make life altering decisions. Getting them to do household chores at times seems as if you’re asking them to donate an organ. I’m not sure if I’m the only parent who has heard, “none of my friends have to do chores,” but every single one of my kids has said that to me.

    My oldest who is twenty-five and teaching at a cosmetology school called me and asked me how 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old kids do not know how to wash a load of towels or clean up after themselves. A smile grew across my face, and I asked her, “Remember when I made you do your own laundry? Remember when I made you help with household chores, and cook a meal? Those are the kids that never had any chores.”

    It may sound like I am picking on kids, but in all honesty, society has lost its ever-loving mind. I’m not sure who thought it was a great idea to have drag queens read to small children at story hour at the local libraries, but can you imagine how confusing that would be to a preschooler? I have seen people wear buttons on their shirts, so you know what pronoun to use. As a writer it hurts me deep inside when someone wants to be referred to as they/them. Those are plural pronouns, so unless you have a mouse in your pocket it is not grammatically correct.

    If you go to Tik Tok you will find tons of skits/parodies of a “Karen.” Someone who feels that their feelings are more important than anyone else’s feelings. They feel like they always need to speak to the manager, and I unfortunately have been teased by my kids for having a “Karen Haircut” many times.

    I have said in blogs before that your feelings and emotions will lie to you all the time. What an easy way for the enemy to get ahold of us and push us away from God. If it feels good, then you have the right to do it. Nobody should tell you what to do or how you should feel! I should say what I want, dress like I want, act like I want, and no one should say anything to me.

    The world is a crazy and scary place sometimes.

    In Matthew 16:24-26:
    Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

    There have been so many times I would want to say something out of anger, that if I could just let my feelings out and unleash my thoughts on that person, that I would feel so much better. But the Holy Spirit clamps his hand on my mouth and tells me that Jesus would turn the other cheek and walk away (the opposite of what society tells us).

    John 15:19:
    If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

    God has a different standard for Christians. If people can’t see that you are a Christian and not any different than those living in the world, then maybe you need to ask yourself what may need to change. Check your demeanor, your language, the music you listen to, the substances that you put in your body, or what TV shows and movies you watch. No one can make you a Christian, you must want to walk with the Lord. It may not always be easy, but it is worth it.

    Every. Single. Day.

    If you have any questions or comments about this blog or would like to know more about Jesus you can contact Tammy at moppinguptheblessings@gmail.com or on her Facebook group: Mopping up the Blessings.

    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.

  • Why Am I So Tired??

    Why Am I So Tired??

    Recently, my husband and I have been so exhausted. We were just chalking it up to the time of year, different sicknesses going around, you know… the normal things you think of.

    But a dear friend and one of my many mentors, Angela Stress, made a post that got me thinking. And with her permission I am reposting it.

    For the past three weeks many have battled a demonic attack of fatigue.

    The enemy has released a Spirit of slumber and tiredness over the Church. It seems as if you just don’t have the energy to do what you need to do. Your legs have been heavy and your mind has been cloudy. You can’t seem to focus or get enough rest.

    No matter how long you sleep, it just doesn’t seem to be enough.

    Today I stand with you to break this Spirit of witchcraft that’s been released over you in Jesus’ name!

    Every Word curse and assignment is returned to sender!!

    I declare, God shall renew your strength!!

    You shall not grow weary or faint!!

    You shall rise on Eagles wings and run this race with endurance!!

    “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40.

    After I read that, I realized I hadn’t thought about it that way. It was something that kept coming back over and over. So, I started praying that the enemy needed to go!!! He has NO purpose in our house.

    Have you ever experienced this same thing? And probably just shrugged it off as a sickness…and maybe wondered why the medicine wasn’t working?

    Psalm 119: 114 NLT

    “You are my refuge and my shield; Your word is my source of hope.”

    The Father doesn’t want us to be wrapped up in chaos that the enemy can put upon us. We have to stay strong in our faith no matter what. I know sometimes that’s easier said than done.

    We all have so much going on in our lives…and sometimes we forget who is always by our side, through everything.

    Matthew 11:28-29 (GNTD)

    Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.

    Just remember, the enemy can show up in so many ways and we don’t even know it, but with our faith and belief in our God, we can fight him and not let him in!

    I pray this message will inspire someone today. May you have a blessed day.

    Remember…never let your cup become 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.

  • Modern Day Jonah

    Modern Day Jonah

    After hearing Pastor Carter’s sermon on “Casting Lots”, the book of Jonah had been stuck in my head. Everywhere I looked there was something that was pointing me back to Jonah. “Ok Lord, I get it, let’s go explore Jonah and see what is so special about his story that You want me to see.” Almost immediately my attention was drawn to Jonah’s prayer, and as I read it it was as if the words lit up like a runway signaling, “Hey! Here, read these!!” Awesome! But now I was faced with one problem: now what was I to do with them?

    I found myself being lead to write them out on paper, leaving spaces between the verses. Umm, ok Jesus, are we planning on converting these to those dreaded elementary common core math problems that no one can solve? But alas, I followed what my heart was telling me to do and well, I was honestly surprised at the outcome.

    I just started writing in those spaces, and upon completion it occurred to me that I was lead to correlate what Jonah had experienced while reciting that prayer, with our own modern day woes and how we ourselves go through the ups and downs of life, but yet how our faith in Jesus always prevails and brings us out victorious over what tried to drag us through the depths of our despair. Even when oftentimes it is ourselves that have placed ourselves in that position by not obeying God, or as a result of our straying from Him.

    In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

    How often do we find ourselves crying out to Jesus for help in our darkest moments, angry, bitter, afraid and placing the blame for our situation upon Him? We feel alone, destitute, and as if He had left us, forsaken us to face our battles alone. We find ourselves shrouded in an inconsolable fear and shame, and we allow bitterness and hardheartedness to overtake our lives. We utter how life as we are living it is just not fair at all…

    You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

    We find ourselves drowning, thinking we absolutely can not handle or take on one more thing in our lives. There is no way that we are strong enough to handle all that is being hurled our way! Why me Lord? We find ourselves questioning why our Father has turned His back on us, for if He loved and cared for us the way His word says that He does, then surely He would not have allowed our lives to have become as they are? My God is a good God, surely He would have not forsaken me this way. We’ve yet to realize that sometimes we need to be right where we are, at absolute rock bottom so that it is His hand we reach for to climb our way back up…

    I said, “I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.”

    It’s encouraging isn’t it, how even in our darkest moments and through our hardest battles, we as warriors of Christ are able to hold onto that small glimmer of hope? And that hope is fueled by a much deeper rooted faith, that we know is derived from the love of our most amazing God, one that has always proven to be such a good and faithful Father…

    The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

    Even as life attempts to pull us down deeper into the pits of despair, we are able to hold onto Him. For it is His love that will keep us treading to stay afloat, even through the darkest of those turbulent waters…

    To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.

    And as we hit rock bottom, with no where else to go, we find ourselves crying out to Him again. This time, we do as we are told in Romans 10, at verse 13 and we declare that Jesus is Lord, and that we believe in our hearts that He raised from the dead. We give our hearts to Him. We give our lives over to Him. We devote ourselves to living our lives for Him. And He hears our cry, and He welcomes us back to Him. We cry out for salvation, and He hears us…

    But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

    Our Jesus, yes our good and faithful Jesus, heard our cry and rushes to our side to help us on our climb back to where we had fallen from. With just that one decision, with just declaring those simple heartfelt words and welcoming Jesus back into your life and into your heart, He saves you. No pit is too deep, no thought is too dark, no life is too lost that He can’t find you and lead you back to where He wants you to be.

    When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

    “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity. (Jeremiah 29.12-13) Thank You Lord for being a faithful Father.

    Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.

    What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, “Salvation comes from the Lord.”

    Those who have allowed themselves to become blinded by earthly things and can not see the love that God offers to all, will one day have a reckoning in which they too will discover all the good He desires for us all. They too will one day seek out God’s grace and His love. As for myself, I once vowed that my testimony would be one that would lead others to salvation, that would lead those with no hope to a place where there was a surplus of such. That one day, my testimony would lead the way for those lost, to redemption of themselves for themselves through His way.

    “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.” (Hosea 6.1-2 NIV) What a beautiful promise that holds for each of us! That regardless of what we went through, He will restore us so that we get to live in His presence! Hallelujah!!

    Shew!!
    Now I realize the odds of any of us being swallowed up by a whale to be put into a “timeout” so that we can realize that it is only through our Father will we find our salvation and the answers we need are slim to none these days, but oftentimes those dark times of our lives, I’d imagine, sure do feel about the same. Sometimes He allows us to hit our rock bottom so that it is Him that we run too. So we do seek out His help. So we do find our way back to Him and the life that He intended us to live all along.

    The Lord promised us that He would always be with us, through every trial we face as in Isaiah 43.1-2 NIV, “But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, Jacob, he who created you, Israel; “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you: I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

    Just as He was with Jonah through his trials, He is with us throughout ours, too, waiting for us to call out and come back to Him.

    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.”

  • My Song

    My Song

    The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him (Psalm 28:7).

    Do you ever wake up in the morning with a song running through your mind? Often, I wake up with the following chorus from Psalm 100:4 flooding through my mind- and my heart:

    I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise.

    I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

    I have considered this little chorus to be “my song” for many years now. You see- as believers- we have reasons to sing no matter what is transpiring in our lives. Let’s look more closely at Psalm 28:7.

    The Psalmist wrote, “The Lord is my strength.” It seems so easy to try to go it alone rather than ask for and depend upon the help of the Lord. However, we are not strong enough to carry the load by ourselves. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Without me you can do nothing.” A vine provides nutrients- sustenance- to the branches so they can flourish. The Lord is our strength- our sustenance- through the good and bad times of our lives.

    The Psalmist wrote. “My heart trusted in him.” Trust in God is directly related to whether or not we have peace in our lives. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

    Finally, the Psalmist wrote, “I am helped.” The beautiful words of Psalm 121:1-2 remind us that our help comes from the Lord:

    I will lift up my eyes to the hills- From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth.

    Do you have a song of rejoicing and praise that you can call “my song”? If not, ask God to give you a song that you can hold in your heart and in your mind. Your mornings and your days will be so much better just because you have a song.

    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.

  • Godliness With Contentment

    Godliness With Contentment

    If I’m honest, I’ve spent way too much time living in resentment with regards to many things that really all came down to one thing:

    What I thought was best in regards to what I wanted. 

    Yeah, it wasn’t pretty in many ways but at the same time, resentment will blind you to the Truth. It will steal your joy and it will blind you to all that is being beautifully orchestrated right before your eyes. There will be this perpetual state of mind that the grass is greener on the other side, never satisfied with your own green grass. Always looking for something different, something else, a better way according to our own clouded lens. Not getting what we think we want further adds to the resentment, disappointment, frustration and anger.

    Yeah, if I’m honest, I lived there for a while.. too long.. but God!!

    Light always shines brighter than darkness. Light will be found breaking through even the slightest crack and it’s enough to illuminate what needs to be seen. I’m grateful for His light breaking in revealing His perfect Truth. I’m grateful for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I’m grateful that His ways are perfect and not like mine at all. It’s marvelous that He doesn’t always give us what we think we need, but He will release what He knows is best. That’s it.. He alone knows what is best. 

    So, I finally surrendered. I let go. I chose to acknowledge my pride and repent for trying to force my own way. See, I’ve been given much. Lots of what I’ve been given I threw away… it’s gone. It’s yesterday… the days, months and years of yesterday. I let go of all the things of yesterday that I didn’t steward well.. opportunities that came, people who came my way, the beautiful life that was right in front of me that I refused to see… I let it all go. Honestly, it has been so freeing. 

    I’m not even sad anymore. Surrender is so absolutely powerful. It takes the sting out of the heart. It allows joy to flood in again because a deep appreciation starts to shine for all that was given, even if it wasn’t appreciated at the time. I can see it now. But I’m not living in remorse or regret or even grief. I’m full of gratitude!

    Yesterday is gone. It doesn’t benefit anyone to still live there.

    Acknowledging what we’re still holding onto is the first step. Be honest. Holy Spirit can work with honesty. Sometimes we may never understand why things are the way they are.. we have probably all wanted different at times, different outcomes, different everything. But that’s not where we are. We are right here in this moment. Today. Not yesterday or tomorrow.

    It’s time to move past it all and remember that the Lord is good. So good, that He will give us what we need because what we need is best. Surrender. Let go of the grief, anger, frustration, disappointment and resentment. Choose to believe in His goodness and His ways even if you don’t understand. Choose to be grateful and let thanksgiving arise from your heart. Speak out your thanksgiving. Not because things were necessarily good, but because He is good. 

    I promise you, joy will begin to flood your heart once again. After all, Godliness with contentment is great gain. 

    I’m grateful for my own green grass. I can see it now. 

    There’s no other place I’d rather be but here.

    Deidre Gaines resides in West Virginia with her husband and best friend, Richard. She has three grown children and one granddaughter.  Deidre is a Licensed Minister, Prophetic intercessor, blogger (Shamar), speaker and encourager with a heart to see the nature of Jesus put on display for the world to see.  She is passionate to see His love, unity, presence, power and authority transform hearts, cities, regions and the nations through bringing glory and honor to His name. Deidre desires to see the church walk in the fullness of His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, Matthew 6:10. She enjoys spending time with her family, sports, crocheting and being outdoors. Especially taking rides in the side by side with her husband Richard.

  • What Is Life?

    What Is Life?

    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives (II Peter 3: 10-11).

    God has given each of us the gift of life. In addition, He has given us the free will to decide what to do with it. We must make the right choices. Consider this quote by D.L. Moody: “Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can.” Mr. Moody was right. We need to give God our lives. After all, what is life?

    Life is God-given. In Genesis 2, God breathed the breath of life into Adam and he became a living soul. God has divine ownership of our lives. Acts 17:28 says, “For in him we live and move and have our being…”

    Life is a very short span. The Bible describes this clearly. Notice the descriptions given:

    Like the appearance and disappearance of a shadow (Job 14:1-2). Like a vapor- here and then gone (James 4:14). Like a tale that is told (Psalm 90:9).

    Life is priceless. In Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus tells us that God sees and cares about one sparrow that falls to the ground. He also tells us that we are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 9:56 states the mission of our Lord: “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Our lives have great value to Him.

    Life is to be valued above all things. Life is to be lived in the abundance that God intends for us. Notice the following verses:

    Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Matthew 6:25)

    So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

    Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

    The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

    And my God will meet your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

    What is life? It is a God-given gift that He wants us to enjoy. He will help us live good lives if we only allow Him to be the focal point of our lives. Let us follow D.L. Moody’s advice: Let us give our lives to God since He can do more with them than we can.

    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.

  • Open Note Tests

    Open Note Tests

    This morning I was giving the kids a science test.  It was a unit test that involved three chapters on plants, fungus, and bacteria.  Since it was difficult, I allowed it to be an open note test.  Yesterday we spent the class time reviewing the material and studying.  I encouraged them to study on their own that evening and if they needed help just to let me know.  Neither one had come and asked for help, so I assumed that they were ready to take their test the next day.

    As I sat here watching them as they were taking the test, they had not pulled out their notes to help them.  I found it odd that even though they knew the material there were some pretty difficult questions and I told them at the beginning that it was open notes.  They had decided to rush through and not use the reference material supplied and rely on their own understanding.  As time went on and they began to struggle, I reminded them they were allowed to use their notes and BAM!  It was a game changer and they perked up and used the tools available and both did well on the test.

    In life we try to rely on our own understanding way too much.   We forget to pull out our life manual, the Bible, with all the answers.  Just like with the science test, it is helpful to study before you are in the middle of the test, so you at least know where to look to find the answers.  You can go to church and learn (just like studying in a class) but you cannot look up the answers in the book if you’ve never opened the book yourself to study. 

    If you remember when I was talking about the night before the test, I was ready to help the kids study or help them understand the vocabulary better, but they chose not to ask.  I imagine this is how God feels when I forget to pray about situations and try to figure them out myself.  Just last week I was upset over a situation that seemed hopeless and confided in a friend and when I said there were no other options, she corrected me and told me not to say that.  She was right because with God, all things are possible, even if we can’t see it, He can.  Trust me, his plan is always better even when I forget to trust him and decide that I am going to try and figure out life’s problems on my own and make a huge mess of everything.

    Too many times in life, I have tried to rely on my own thinking and my own feelings which was a really bad idea…..like really bad.  Let me tell ya, your feelings will lie to you every single time.  But God and his word are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow……and that’s a fact!

    You can reach Tammy Bassett at:  moppinguptheblessing@gmail.com or on Facebook.

    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.

  • Worship Over The Warships

    Worship Over The Warships

    Since this past fall, I have attended a weekly prayer meeting.  It is a small intimate group that has had a tremendous impact on my life.  Praying for others and having them also praying for you can change your life. 

    I have had a few experiences during this prayer time and last week I had a vision of some sorts.  They are not always very clear in the meaning of them at the time but eventually they always make sense.  In this one I was either on land or on a boat looking through a spy glass like you see pirates using in the movies.  I could see a warship which was huge and very intimidating.  I could feel the dread building inside of me not knowing what I was supposed to do about this ship.  Then as I took the spy glass away from my face, I could see the enormous expanse of the ocean and that warship looked like a tiny speck on the horizon.  I was taken back by how quickly my feelings changed.  Suddenly I did not feel the dread and knew that it wasn’t a big deal anymore.

    I shared it with the group thinking maybe it meant about looking at the bigger picture and would mean something to someone else but really wasn’t sure about its meaning for me or even if it was for me, at all……but God knew what was coming.

    Later that day we had what is called a critical juncture meeting for my adult daughter who has severe autism at a center that provides programs for her.  Her behaviors have been escalating over the past few months, and changes needed to be made.  Unfortunately, due to limited staff able to work with her and her property destruction, they completely removed a day of her being able to go to the center and cut her other days shorter by two hours. 

    As upset as I was, I understood the logic and reasoning behind it and also knew that when behaviors would get back to the way they were before, that she could go back to her regular schedule, but the actual sting and seriousness of the situation hurt, nevertheless. 

    I came home and did the usual things that evening: making dinner, doing laundry, trying to wrangle kids to do their chores and still trying to figure out what medical, psychological, and environmental impacts on her could be causing the change in behavior and what we could control and what we couldn’t.

    The next morning as I was driving home from dropping her off, I told myself that I wasn’t going to let this hold me down and we would figure this out and get back to the way life has been.  As I said this the vision of the warship on the horizon came flooding back to me.

    When they gave me that news, I felt like a bomb had dropped on me and was feeling overwhelmed by the monstrosity of the situation.  But when I stopped focusing on the one thing and looked around at the bigger picture, it didn’t seem so overwhelming after all.  They didn’t completely stop her from coming and were making changes on their part to try and help her also.  God was trying to tell me not to hyper-focus on that one detail and not to be filled with anxiety and dread.  So I turned on some praise and worship music and began to worship instead of worrying about the warships.

    We tend to hyperfocus on the issue that seems unconquerable but God sees the whole picture and instead of saying, “God, this is how big my problem is,” we should be saying, “Problem, this is how big my God is.”  He’s got your back!  Always!

    We would love to hear from you about times God has shown you things or prepared you for things.  You can comment here or reach out to me at:  moppinguptheblessings@gmail.com or on our facebook group:  Mopping up the Blessings.

    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.