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  • Are You Serving At Your Church?

    Are You Serving At Your Church?

    Happy September everyone!!! Let the pumpkin spice flow… I hope everyone had a great summer and is ready for some fall time.

    So, I thought I would repost as my blog for September the article I published for our church newsletter this month. It’s something that churches deal with all the time.

    WHAT IF….

    So, what if one Sunday morning or Wednesday evening you walked up to the church and everything was dark inside? No one had come to turn the lights on, fire up the coffee pots… no one to greet you, bathrooms were in shambles, the floors weren’t swept or mopped. You go to sign your children in for kid’s church and there are no teachers. You walk to the sanctuary and the lights are off there also… no media team to do slides or live stream, no praise team to sing worship. All the water bottles from the previous service were still in the seats, food, and candy wrappers on the floor… and…. no one to give the word that service.

    What about the dinners? There are those few that cook the food, serve, and then clean up. If everyone that was at these functions would just clean up the table they sat at, that would help tremendously. This makes for a long day for those doing all the work. These dinners aren’t catered, there are people from the church that do the cooking. Let’s not forget about the Food Pantry and Clothing Closet. What if no one showed up to bless all those that come for food or clothing?

    Do you all realize we have a couple of the younger children helping to clean their classrooms because they want to serve? We have teens helping in the food pantry every week.

    What if everyone that makes the above things happen every week decideed that they were too tired this week and didn’t do anything. How would you feel about that?

    In a couple weeks, we will be celebrating I LOVE MY CHURCH DAY. It is a time that we acknowledge the volunteers that put in many hours a month to make things happen.

    Are you serving the church? Are you volunteering to help make all those things happen? Are you stepping up to help? If not, maybe you should pray about it. All the ministries in the church can use the help, we have so many that volunteer in more than 1 ministry because we don’t have enough people helping. The next time you come into the church, just look around at what all has to happen to get a church ready for a service.

    1 Peter 4:10-11:  “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms… so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

    Serving is a form of worship, a way to express gratitude for what Jesus has done for us, and to share.

    Is it always glamorous? No it’s not, BUT we are serving our God, not to be recognized in the church.

    If you aren’t serving in a ministry at your church, you should start praying on it.

    Serve your church…

    I hope that this blog helps someone decide to go ahead and take that step.

    Always 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.

  • This Will Never Change

    This Will Never Change

    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

    In the natural course of things, one thing is sure- change. We can dislike and resist change, but it will still occur. Nature changes. People change. We can see change all around us.

    Look at nature. Fall changes to winter; winter changes to spring. Spring gives way to summer. Due to erosion, the courses of rivers and outlines of ocean shores are altered.

    Look at people. Babies become children; children become teens; teens become adults. As we grow older our health and skills begin to diminish. We definitely know we are changing then.

    Isn’t it good to know that- spiritually speaking- some things never change? Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He gives us the one constant in a world of change. Because of Him, some things will never change.

    Jesus is the way of salvation. This will never change. The following Scriptures clarify this:

    For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

    Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11).

    Think about it! Jesus gave up everything for us. Heavenly royalty and the splendor of Heaven were set aside. He humbled Himself completely to assure that we can have salvation- eternal life forever. Since He did this, God has given Him the name that is above every other name. His is the only name whereby we are saved.

    Once we are saved, we need Jesus in order to be the people He wants us to be. This will never change. God wants us to be faithful to him. He wants us to be holy. He knows we cannot do this by ourselves. If we are going to bear fruit, we have to be attached to the vine. John 15:4-5 says Jesus is the vine:

    Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

    God is in control. This will never change no matter what people may think. After all, Psalm 24:1 tells us that the earth and its fullness belong to Him. In fact, all people who dwell in the earth belong to Him.

    Since God is in control, leaders should not think of themselves as invincible or irreplaceable. Notice the strong words of Psalm 75:5-7:

    Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck. For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge; he puts down one, And exalts another.

    Will things in this world continue to change? Yes. Will some of these changes make things difficult for us? Yes. Will Jesus change? No. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Aren’t you glad He will never change?

    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.

  • Busting Up All We Thought We Knew

    Busting Up All We Thought We Knew

    If you haven’t already, I encourage you to lay aside everything you thought you knew about ministry. I’m not saying get rid of the Bible and its ways, I’m saying get rid of what YOU thought you knew about the way the Lord chooses to do things. It really is time for the new wine and wineskins.  

    “Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.” – Romans 11:33-36 MSG

    Who can know the ways of the Lord? It’s funny, we humans think we know so much but the more time you spend with the Lord and study His word, you’ll realize how much we really don’t know. We have been so prideful to create a ministry box that the Lord is supposed to fit in. We are continuing to do the same checklists every single week at our church services and wonder why nothing is truly changing in peoples lives. We don’t want to obey the small, behind the scenes things the Lord is asking of us and we surely don’t want to go back to letting go of the platform to pour into our most important ministry- our family.

    Pleasing the Lord is sooooo much more than getting someone to repeat a prayer. This world is seeking the things of the Lord. Why do you think there are so many doing “spiritual” things that are not of God? It’s because we have forsaken His presence and ways in our church and people want the real thing. The man-made Gospel isn’t going to make it anymore. The people want the Lord’s presence and the true change that comes from encountering Him. 

    We don’t tell the truth that living for the Lord is not the easy route. We all smile and act like everything is fine but inside we are suffering and for some, even perishing. We put on our Sunday best, all the while we are struggling with mountains of warfare and pain. We say we forgive others but we post about them subliminally on social media. We forget to check the plank in our own eye before pointing out our brother’s speck. 

    But what I really felt lead to share about today is to encourage us to get rid of everything we thought we knew about Christianity and church-as-usual services. The Lord is about to obliterate the ministry machine and man-made traditions. He is going to use those who don’t have a man made agenda, who are willing to truly make room for HIM, and who are humble and meek in spirit. Blessed are the meek, for they shall see the Kingdom of God. 

    This is the season of being meek to the Spirit’s ways, but violent in the enemy’s camp. We are entering a season many of us have never known before. We will quickly see who is truly submitting to the Lord vs. those who have made ministry their career. 

    The Lord is asking us to cast off everything we thought we knew about Him and let Him have full control in our lives. To truly surrender our comforts and traditions to see the captives set free and the greatest outpouring this world has possibly ever known. But this takes humility and surrender to the Lord. It takes admitting when we have messed it all up and want to get it right. It’s saying not my will but yours be done Lord. It’s shutting our mouth when the Lord says, “Don’t go there, let me defend you.” It’s stopping the entire service just to let the Lord have His way and truly repenting for grieving the Spirit. 

    This next season won’t look like anything we have ever known, and it surely won’t be easy but it is necessary for the cleansing of our country and the church. The Word says the Lord is coming back for a spotless bride. Compromise, pride, and the ministry machine makes us dirty. It’s time to get cleaned up and let the Lord bust up all we thought we knew so that He can truly have His way and show Himself strong on our behalf. It’s time to let Him- it’s time to let go and let God. His ways are worth the cost. Let the Lord jackhammer all the things you built up in your mind and ways that are not of Him- it’s going to be a matter of life and death and the time is now.

    Hannah Smith, author of the Moving Mountains blog, is a woman who feels she has experienced a lot of life in her 33 years. 

    At 19 years old, Hannah joined the Army. After moving around the country, getting a divorce and losing what seemed like everything, she landed back where God wanted her in Ohio, even though she fought the whole way. She is now a devoted follower of Christ and seeks the Lord with all she’s got.

    Hannah is married and a RN, but works as a stay-at-home mom to her 3 children per instruction from the Lord.

    She loves to hike, travel, drink coffee, and talk about Jesus. Hannah also has a heart to create a home and life in which she can be a safe place for the hurting and the broken. Her biggest piece of advice would be to never tell the Lord you will never do something- because He will most likely then ask you to do that very thing, LOL!

    To her readers, Hannah says, “I believe that God set every single one of you reading this apart, for such a time as this. It is my hope and prayer that God would use the words I say to change your life in a way you and I never thought possible!”

  • Intentions vs. Actions

    Intentions vs. Actions

    The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue comes from the LORD. All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, but the LORD evaluates the motives. Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established. The LORD works everything for its own ends – even the wicked for the day of disaster. The LORD abhors every arrogant person; rest assured that they will not go unpunished. Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased; through fearing the LORD one avoids evil. When a person’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he even reconciles his enemies to himself. Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice. A person plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps. – Proverbs 16:1-9

    Our intentions matter greatly. I’d venture to say that our intentions matter so much more than our actions themselves. It is the condition of our heart that matters to the Father. As so the Word says… “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

    Man wrongly judges many times, as we so often look with our natural eyes at things. But discernment and a closer look at the heart of another person will change our perspective about what is really going on beneath their actions. People can say all the right things, appear to be serving better than someone else, and even seem to preach the right message, but God looks inwardly. Our intentions matter.

    When we let go of trying to please man and comparing ourselves to one another, we can truly evaluate our intentions and the condition of our hearts toward God. When we have good intentions, our actions will match up, but don’t just look at the actions of another person to decide if they are holy or not- it’s our heart that pleases God.

    Just look at David- he messed up and many disagreed with how he did things, but the Lord continued to use him because God said David was a man after His own heart. David loved the Lord and had a repentant, humble heart and because of this the Lord was able to use him greatly and he is now talked about among the world thousands of years later.

    So take a look at your intentions and the condition of your heart toward things. Don’t compare your actions to another because someone may appear to be doing all the right things yet inwardly they are perishing. Be careful how you judge someone else’s actions- they may not be pleasing to your flesh but if they are pleasing to the Lord then they are hitting the mark, and that’s what matters.

    Stay humble and let your intention to please the Lord be your greatest priority.

    Hannah Smith, author of the Moving Mountains blog, is a woman who feels she has experienced a lot of life in her 33 years. 

    At 19 years old, Hannah joined the Army. After moving around the country, getting a divorce and losing what seemed like everything, she landed back where God wanted her in Ohio, even though she fought the whole way. She is now a devoted follower of Christ and seeks the Lord with all she’s got.

    Hannah is married and a RN, but works as a stay-at-home mom to her 3 children per instruction from the Lord.

    She loves to hike, travel, drink coffee, and talk about Jesus. Hannah also has a heart to create a home and life in which she can be a safe place for the hurting and the broken. Her biggest piece of advice would be to never tell the Lord you will never do something- because He will most likely then ask you to do that very thing, LOL!

    To her readers, Hannah says, “I believe that God set every single one of you reading this apart, for such a time as this. It is my hope and prayer that God would use the words I say to change your life in a way you and I never thought possible!”

  • Worshipping God

    Worshipping God

    Hey all! Praying you all are having a blessed summer. I know it’s been hot, but it’s that time of the year.

    So…let’s talk worship. When you are at church, are you worshipping and praising God? Or are you sitting with your arms folded across your chest wishing they would hurry up?

    Whether you are in a church service or in Scripture, the ‘Call to Worship’ is the invitation to enter into a time of collective and intentional time with the Lord.

    1 Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

    You know…you don’t have to only praise Him at church. There are so many ways to worship our Father.

    You can worship Him through prayer, music, studying scripture, gratitude, fellowship…. So many ways. The more you worship Him the closer you are to Him.

    “We must never rest until everything inside us worships God.” – A. W. Tozer

    True worship comes from the heart. The more time you spend with God in His word and prayer, the more your heart will be filled with worship for God.

    So, the next time you are at church, STAND UP!!! Worship and praise the Father. You will feel a stirring in your heart that you might have never felt before.

    If you are at home or in your car, crank that worship music up and get that heart pumping! Believe me you will not regret it.

    I hope this blog touches you in some way that you will feel differently about worship now. Be blessed and always make sure your cup never runs 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.

  • A Word From Our Sponsor

    A Word From Our Sponsor

    What is in a word?  Letters arranged in a format to help us understand what the person speaking or writing is trying to say.  A simple concept, yet it is complex.

    A word from a friend can be uplifting, a word from a loved one you have not heard from for a long time can be heartwarming.  A word from a police officer can be correcting or devastating depending on the circumstance.  A word from God can be life changing.

    It is hard to hear and truly listen when everyone around you is talking and being loud, a word from God is hard to hear when we have our focus on other things other than him.

    On certain re-runs of really old TV shows I remember them saying, “now a word from our sponsor,” and then they would go to a commercial.  That was usually the time to take a potty break and make it back before the show came back on for those of us who remember TV before you could pause live shows.  When it is time to hear a word from our sponsor, are we really listening?  Or are we taking a break and giving our attention to something else? 

    God’s voice is not loud and booming, but rather a small whisper or that voice in the back of your head.  We make the choice of whether we are going to listen or focus our attention somewhere else.

    When I was on a break from writing I felt the Lord telling me to write a blog called, “Feelin’ Salty.”  I wrote most of it but didn’t finish it.  Months later when I went to finish it and submit it, the Lord stopped me and told me that I had missed my opportunity and for whoever needed to read it, the moment was gone because I was not listening and being obedient.

    In a world full of chatter and mindless noise know that the one true God is still talking to us today.  Sometimes I need hit with a 2×4 to get my attention, but He isn’t like that (usually.)  We must make the choice to tune in to Him and pay attention to what He says. 

    As my Savior, He paid the price to sponsor my freedom, every day I choose Him and as much as I feel I fail Him, He is truly faithful and never fails me.  As it is explained in Hebrews 13: “God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

    Truly an encouraging word from our sponsor.

    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.

  • A Place For The Lord To Dwell

    A Place For The Lord To Dwell

    Lord, remember David and all his afflictions; How he swore to the Lord, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob; Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob (Psalm 132:1-5).

    Referring to David, II Samuel 7:1-3 says, Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.” Then Nathan said to the king, “Go do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” At this time, David was in a very good place in life. God had given him rest from all his enemies. He was living in a great home- considering the period of time concerned. However, he was troubled at the thought of the Ark of the Covenant being relegated to dwelling in tents. The Ark represented the presence of the Lord and David felt it should have a proper dwelling place.

    David felt this way because of the way God had always been with him. God was with him when he faced the giant- Goliath. God protected him from King Saul on several occasions. When his son, Absalom, tried to take over his kingdom, God was his helper. God forgave him when he committed adultery and actually set a man up to be killed on the battlefield. In summary, David wanted to do something for God. He was not permitted to build a place for God, but his son- Solomon- built a magnificent temple for Him.

    Now we know that God is everywhere, but He can be in a specific place- right where we are. When King Solomon gave the dedication prayer for the temple, the presence of God was so strong that the priests could not minister. The people of Israel simply worshiped- declaring that God’s mercy endures forever.

    It is very interesting to look at our situation. Jesus has died on the Cross, risen again and ascended back to Heaven. The Holy Spirit has been sent to actually dwell in our hearts. If we truly give our lives to God, we become temples that He can dwell in. Scripture is clear regarding this:

    What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (I Corinthians 6:19-20).

    Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (I Corinthians 3:16).

    David was thankful for all that God had done for him and wanted to provide a place for Him to dwell. Likewise, we should be thankful that Jesus has died for forgiveness of our sins and risen that we might have eternal life. In return we can give Him a place to dwell- our hearts.

    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.

  • What Fuels You

    What Fuels You

    I really love my car.  I try to take care of it, sometimes it gets a little dirty on the inside and I must stop and take a minute to clean the garbage out and wipe the dust off the dash. It is much easier to do if I do this a little every day than if I wait ‘till I have a bunch of trash that builds up and then try to clean it out.

    I also keep the oil changed (almost on time) and make sure the fluid levels are where they need to be to make sure she will be running well.

    I do try to choose gas stations I know have clean fuel for Dora (I drive a Ford Explorer named Dora the Explorer).  I need to depend on her so I want to make sure she is taken care of, and I can depend on her.

    It’s like this with ourselves also, but as busy people and moms and dads, we usually neglect ourselves (especially moms) to take care of everyone else’s needs.  Taking care of ourselves so we can take care of others better is often said but honestly, it is one of those things that is so easy to say to someone else but walking it out each day is another story.

    The enemy is always trying to fill our mind (our floorboard or backseat) with junk and trash (some of us have a lot of junk in the trunk….lol).  It is so much better when we are in the Word everyday to combat that trash from piling up and remind ourselves that all that stuff we are carrying around is just trash from the enemy.

    Wiping off the lies everyday by praying keeps the dust from accumulating.  Keeping our mind on all things that are good and holy and not the distractions the enemy tries to give us.

    Today it is so easy to drive thru and cure that hunger pain quickly than it is to plan and eat the food (or fuel) that God intended us to eat.  If you have ever gone a few months without eating fast food, you will find that when you go back to it that it is salty and greasy and usually makes your stomach hurt.  God gave us the fuel we need for our bodies, and we need to make the right choice of fuel.

    When we go on a trip, we watch our gas gauge and when it starts to get low, we plan and make sure we look for a reputable place to get gas before we deplete our supplies.  But when it comes to what we put in our bodies we are not always so picky.

    I am guilty of this as much (if not more) than anyone else.  Join me for a one-week challenge.

    1.  Know when to get rid of the trash, read your Bible everyday and know that you don’t need to carry.
    2.  Dust off the lies by planning the time to spend in prayer every day, even if it is while your driving (just make sure you don’t close your eyes and bow your head while praying while driving)!
    3. Treat your body kindly, abstain from fast food for one week.  Replace the quick drive thru by planning and taking bananas, oranges, or apples with you and drink more water (I carry my fake Stanley cup everywhere I go.)

    We will discuss how this went next week in our Facebook group:  Mopping up the Blessings.  If you are not in this group, please join us.

    As always you can reach me at moppinguptheblessings@gmail.com

    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.

  • His Peace

    His Peace

    Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

    There is so much disrupting our peace today. Everyday cares of life are enough to keep us thinking. Political division, economic stress, societal disagreement and international conflict dominate the headlines. If we were to concentrate on these things, fear would most likely grip our hearts and minds. In Luke 21:26, Jesus spoke of a time when “men’s hearts will fail them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.”

    It is no wonder that Jesus said His peace was not as the world gives us. Since there is no real peace in the world, how can it give peace to us? As believers, we can have the peace that only comes from Him. It is a peace that permeates our hearts and our minds. Philippians 4:6-7 speaks of the greatness of His peace:

    Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

    According to Scripture, we can go to God about whatever concerns us. Then- and this is the good part- we can leave it in His hands. Why can we do this? We can do this because we have His peace guarding our hearts and minds. Therefore, we can trust Him to take care of things because he truly is in control. We can actually live our lives as King David, who wrote:

    I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8).

    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.

  • You’re Never Too Lost

    You’re Never Too Lost

    Luke 15:3-7:

    In this passage, Jesus tells the story of a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to go after the one that is lost, and that there will be more rejoicing in heaven over the lost sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not need to be found.

    Several years ago, it was said that I was too far lost to ever come back. And I will admit that at that time the last thing I wanted was the church or God.

    It was a really rough time in my life, and I didn’t think God could help me- so into that valley I went. I stayed there for awhile thinking I knew what I was doing. But one night, He must have been tired of what I was doing, so He had me get up and start climbing that mountain. It took awhile, but with His help and guidance I got through it.

    Romans 11-29:

    God will never give you a gift and take it back.

    So I might have been struggling, but God knew that in order for me to return to Him, I needed to see that no matter what I was dealing with, He was there. All I needed was to have the faith to believe in him.

    What I’m saying is… Don’t let anyone ever say that you are too far lost. If I had listened to what was said, I’m not sure where I would be… But God.

    I pray this will help someone that feels lost and can’t get back. Believe me, it’s never too late.

    Remember, always keep your cup full.

    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.