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  • What To Do When You Don’t Want To Do It

    What To Do When You Don’t Want To Do It

    Have you ever lacked motivation to do something? Whether it was schoolwork, housework, or fulfilling one of your many obligations, I think we’ve all felt that dread and the I don’t want to do it-feeling rise up in us every once in a while.

    And if we’re going to drop our super-spiritual facade and be really truly honest, I think we’ve all felt this in regards to reading the Bible, going to church, praying, or any other spiritual “obligation”.

    Come on now; don’t lie!

    I’ll be the first to admit my faults and say that I’ve been there. I’ve lacked motivation to get up in the morning in order to have enough time to spend time with God before work. I’ve lacked motivation to get off the couch and surrender my lazy morning in order to spend some time in His presence. 

    I have been guilty of letting my lack of motivation affect my relationship with God. Have you?

    In Romans chapter 7 verse 15, Paul famously says, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

    Although he’s definitely talking about sinning, I think it sounds pretty similar to this situation too. We let our fleshly emotions and feelings override us, and we sacrifice doing what we know we should and do what our flesh wants instead. 

    So I suppose the question remains: how do we overcome this obstacle and do the things we are meant to do?

    Although it seems so complex and hard to overcome, the solution is pretty simple: do it anyways.

    I might have just lost some people there, but it really is that simple. I’m not here to impress you with grand ideas and solutions; I’m here to simply bring you the Word, and to bring it in simple terms.

    My church’s theme and motto this year is “Simplify our faith”, and I’d like to take some steps to help you simplify your faith and make these “obligations” easier for you.

    So the answer really is do it anyways. 

    In Mark 9, a man brought his son to Jesus for healing. The boy was said to have an evil spirit in him, and the father asked Jesus to cast it out “if You can”. 

    “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”

    “Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

    This conversation takes place in verses 23 and 24, and in the following verses Jesus casts the spirit out of the boy.

    This, again, is a pretty well-known passage, and one that I personally love. 

    The father is clearly struggling with unbelief, but he wants to believe so badly that he tells Jesus (in essence), “I do believe. Most of me believes and I want to believe fully. I’m just struggling, so please help my unbelief.”

    And from this utterance of the father and the actions of Jesus, his son was healed.

    Jesus didn’t look at the father and say, “No, you don’t believe fully so I can’t do it.” He honored his belief and his desire to fully believe and He did what was asked.

    Again, while this doesn’t typically apply to this topic, it still somewhat covers it. 

    I’ve heard people so many times say something like, “Well I just didn’t feel like reading my Bible/praying/worshiping/going to church today. So if I forced myself, it wouldn’t be worth anything because I didn’t want to do it. So I might as well not do it.”

    But y’all, that’s so far from the truth!

    Let’s use reading our Bible as an example. If you aren’t feeling motivated to do it, for whatever reason, you could say to God, “I’m not feeling motivated to spend time with you today, but I know that this is what I should be and need to be doing. So I’m going to do it anyway. I’m going to intentionally sacrifice my time and spend it with you. Help me to use this time wisely and let me walk away knowing more of you. Give me a desire to spend more time in Your Word.”

    If we walk into these things with no motivation, but with the right heart, I believe 100 percent that God will honor that.

    God will honor the sacrifice. In the Bible, it says that God looks at our hearts. He doesn’t just see our lack of motivation and hold it against us; He looks at our heart posture on the subject matter.

    Now, this doesn’t mean that we can have the right intentions and do the wrong things. Not at all. I’m simply saying that even if we lack a desire, we can still do the things we are meant to.

    So if you’ve been feeling discouraged or shamed by your lack of motivation or desire for any matter, I encourage you today to pick yourself up and do it anyways. 

    Slowly but surely, you’ll find yourself falling in love with that thing all over again. God will restore to you that desire, if only you do it with the right heart and continually ask God for that love again.

    Whatever it is, do it anyways, and do it today. Don’t put it off! You’ve got this!

    Maddisen Sauls is the smile and voice behind the Everyday Joy blog as well as the author of the Word of the Week posts and the editor of by leaps and bounds. Throughout her life, Maddisen has worked as a reporter for small town newspapers, a School Age and Preschool teacher, and has acquired her ministerial license. 

    An avid book reader and lover of the written word, Maddisen is passionate about using her favorite medium to reach the lost and the hurting, and to offer encouragement and hope to those struggling through life. 

    Following her battle with depression, Maddisen has made it her mission to help other people through this journey and to bring joy to the lives of the people around her. 

    You can find Maddisen on Instagram @maddisen.paige

  • Still

    Still

    Still: deep silence and calm; quieten

    There are so many times that we are instructed to be still before God.

    Psalm 46:10 (a fairly well-known verse) says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

    Also in Psalm, in chapter 37 verse 7, it says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

    Have you also seen Exodus 14:14? “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

    In all these verses, let’s go ahead and underline be still. Why are we asked to be still? Furthermore, what does it mean to be still?

    The definition of still is deep silence; quieten. I’m sure some of you are wondering how this relates, but let me explain.

    Imagine you’re going through a really hard time, and you just need to talk to a friend or a mentor and get some advice. 

    So you begin to explain the situation and list all the details. You don’t leave any stones unturned. You lay it all out and you explain your feelings. You weep a little, complain and whine just a bit, and pull yourself together to finish off your tangent. 

    But in that whole time, you never gave space for your mentor or friend to interject with their thoughts, or even offer any advice. In that moment, you completely dominated the conversation.

    Oftentimes, that’s how we are with God. We come to Him in prayer, tell Him our problems, and move on. We don’t give Him the space or time to answer. We don’t wait to hear from Him.

    When we’re going through something, and even in our day-to-day lives, it’s important to be still before God. 

    It’s important to calm down, quiet down, and listen for His voice. We are called to be quick to listen, and when it comes to God, so many of us are failing. 

    This week I encourage you to be still and listen to God. Trust in Him. He does still speak to us, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Be still and rest in that.

    Maddisen Sauls is the smile and voice behind the Everyday Joy blog as well as the author of the Word of the Week posts and the editor of by leaps and bounds. Throughout her life, Maddisen has worked as a reporter for small town newspapers, a School Age and Preschool teacher, and has acquired her ministerial license. 

    An avid book reader and lover of the written word, Maddisen is passionate about using her favorite medium to reach the lost and the hurting, and to offer encouragement and hope to those struggling through life. 

    Following her battle with depression, Maddisen has made it her mission to help other people through this journey and to bring joy to the lives of the people around her. 

    You can find Maddisen on Instagram @maddisen.paige

  • The Joshua Moment

    The Joshua Moment

    Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9)

    And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so shall I be with you (Joshua 1:9)

    Our son is almost four years older than our daughter. This age difference made for interesting times as Craig became old enough to play youth league sports and do other things that Karen was not old enough to do.

    Soccer games really brought this to the forefront. Craig would be ready to play; Karen wanted to play, too. Her famous words were “Me too”. In fact, I started calling her Karen “Me Too” Snyder. In reality, she was afraid of being left out. She didn’t understand that her time would come to do things her brother was doing.

    In scripture, we find that Joshua’s time had come. He had seen God part the Red Sea, provide food and water, and defeat enemies under the leadership of Moses. Joshua knew God had been with Moses; Joshua would now know that God was with him. His moment had come!

    All of us need that moment — the moment there is no denying that God is with us. The good news is we all can have it.

    At times, we see other people being blessed and even used by God to do His work. We feel that our time will never come because that only happens for certain people. However, Acts 10:34 tells us God is not respecter of people. If he will bless one, he will bless the other. If he will use one, He will use the other in some way to do His work on the earth. The words of Romans 10:12 affirm this fact. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”

    God is not looking for extraordinary people. He is looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary things through. We provide the vessels; He provides the power and wisdom to get things done. Remember these biblical examples:

    When God needed a king, he called David, the shepherd boy.

    When God needed someone to save the Jewish people, Esther stood before the king.

    When God needed a forerunner for Jesus, John the Baptist was the voice crying in the wilderness.

    God wants us to have a Joshua moment — “As I have been with others, so I will be with you.” 

    Have you had your Joshua moment?

    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.

  • God Has Big Shoulders. He Can Handle Your Questions

    God Has Big Shoulders. He Can Handle Your Questions

    I am naturally a curious person. I was always the kid that wanted to know why. It’s not that I was questioning authority, I really just wanted to know everything, ha! Thankfully, most of the time, my mom didn’t seem to mind. I can remember her saying that asking questions is how you get smart. Thanks for being patient, Mom! 

    I have found myself with kids who want to know the why of things as well. A lot of people in authority don’t want to be questioned, but to be honest, I would rather them be able to think things through instead of blindly following anything anyone says to them. I feel like developing this skill will help them become more independent, critical thinkers who are able to make decisions for themselves instead of just going along with what everyone else says. 

    As an adult, Christian woman who is a pastor’s wife, I still find myself having questions. A lot of people might be shocked to know this. I will admit that sometimes I’m not proud of it. 

    Just the other day, I admitted to my husband that I had been struggling with some things that I didn’t understand. I explained what I was struggling with and he began to give me answers that I knew were true. Every answer he gave me was the correct answer, but none of them satisfied the understanding that I longed for. 

    He finally gave me the best advice anyone could’ve given me. He said, “I think you and God just need to spend some together and get this worked out.” I started crying because I knew that’s exactly what I needed to do. 

    I was wrestling with this question, but I realized that I hadn’t actually asked God to give me the answer I needed. 

    Do you know that after spending just a little time with God about what I had been so uneasy about for such a long time, I finally had peace about it? I didn’t get any huge revelation about it, but when I spent some time with Him, I was able to know his heart and He was able to change mine. I was able to remember that even though I didn’t understand, He knows and does what is best. 

    Have you ever had someone to make a decision that you didn’t understand and you just couldn’t seem to get past it? You finally decide to speak to the person about it and they can’t give you the specific details on why they made the decision, but you left the meeting feeling relieved and at peace? You still didn’t have the answer you wanted, but you were able to spend some time with the person, hear their heart, and trust that they made the decision with the right intentions. 

    Sometimes I think that when we have a hard time trusting God, we are actually having a hard time trusting ourselves. It’s hard for me to understand a God so good that will never fail me when I know how much I love the ones closest to me, but I still let them down all the time. It’s the worst feeling ever. But I can trust God even though it’s hard for me to trust myself, because He is God! That puts him on a totally different level that can’t be compared to man.

    Jesus walked on earth as a man and didn’t sin. Do you know what He did do? He asked God a question. Mark 15:34 says, “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

    Wait, what? Jesus asked God why he had forsaken Him? But I thought this was Jesus we were talking about? I thought He was perfect? Well, it was and He was. He already knew everything there was to know about the situation, but He still struggled with it. I think this is in the Bible to let us know that if Jesus asked this kind of a question, God is okay with our questions too. The difference between us and Him so many times is that He took it to God instead of just continuing to wonder. I encourage you to do the same.  

    Now there are times that, just like I need my kids to obey me without question, God needs us to obey Him with a blind faith just because we know His heart toward us. Please don’t misinterpret this to mean that we should be suspicious of God and question everything that He does. 

    I’m also not saying that all questions are created equal. If you are going to ask God a question, it is necessary to ask Him with a desire to know the truth. Don’t question Him with an answer already in mind and a desire to prove Him wrong. 

    The Bible says in James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

    I had that scripture hanging in my shower for the longest time, which my husband thought was hilarious. It was in a plastic sandwich baggie taped to the wall of the shower. I had it there because I knew I would see it every day when I took a shower. It would remind me to take my questions to God and that He would not be offended that I did. 

    I challenge you: take your questions to Him as well. I believe that you will leave your time with God having a closeness that you didn’t have before because He is always good. 

    “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8

    Telina Frye is the author of Dare to Dream, as well as a pastor’s wife and mother to her 13 year old son and 10 year old daughter. 

    She is a singer/songwriter and a natural born dreamer. Telina is also credentialed in the Church of God as an Exhorter and holds a Minister of Music License. She serves as the worship leader at the church where her husband serves as lead pastor. 

    Telina loves having deep, meaningful conversations about what is and what could be. She hopes this blog will inspire readers to dare to look past what is, see what can be, and reach for the impossible.

  • Goodbye Fickle Emotions, Hello Stability and Peace!

    Goodbye Fickle Emotions, Hello Stability and Peace!

    What are emotions anyway? Did God not give them to us for a reason? After all, we are made in His image. Emotions are necessary and useful, but they are also dangerous and harmful when we let them run the show. 

    Emotions: a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. 

    Wow, an instinctive state based on our forever changing circumstances, mood, and relationships with other humans. 

    Our emotions are what set us apart from the animals and creatures of this earth. They lead us to help the hurting, to comfort the sick, or to attempt to make someone laugh when all they want to do is cry. Our emotions are what make us human rather than a robot. 

    But God tells us in Philippians 6:7 to not be anxious in ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, to let our requests be made known to Him; and His peace, which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. This shows us that this one verse covers anything we could ever come in contact with or experience. 

    God literally covered our entire lives with this verse alone. He tells us to be thankful no matter the circumstance, to pray for and in everything, and to never be anxious. 

    We are going to experience a lot of hurt on this earth but God already covered it. We have to actively fight the battle of our negative emotions and cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God; as well as bringing EVERY thought into captivity to the OBEDIENCE of Christ (ref. 2 Corinthians 10:5). This means we don’t get to sit by on the sidelines and let our emotions take us where they please. 

    I am guilty of being an extremely emotional person who has let my emotions run the show for far too long. They have led me down paths I should never have been on, and kept me in the pit of despair for more time than I’d care to admit. The more time I spend in the Word and in prayer, the more Jesus becomes my stability over my ever-changing feelings. 

    It isn’t easy, especially if your flesh is more drawn to be emotional. You will need to actively choose to trust God and have faith, rather than giving into your worldly feelings and desires. You won’t always get it right and you’ll need to be quick to ask God (and possibly others) for forgiveness, along with yourself. It will look and feel weird at times but it will most definitely show Jesus is in your life. Most of the world runs on their flesh and their emotions, so when we become set apart and act more like Jesus over our flesh, people are going to notice. 

    Listen to what Paul has to say below and keep asking God to be your stability, rather than letting your emotions lead the way. 

    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. — Philippians 4:8-9

    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!”

  • Chase

    Chase

    Chase: pursue in order to catch or catch up with; an act of pursuing someone or something.

    I have a bit of a funny story for you. 

    Recently, I took my (almost) six month old puppy out to use the bathroom. Now, let me set the scene for you.

    This was after a really bad snow and ice storm, and even mid-day the temperatures were below 20 degrees. 

    I walked out into the yard, and the snow toppled over my feet and dipped into my shoes. Dante (my dog) did his business, and then became really excited about the fluffy white flakes blanketing the ground.

    He began to run back and forth, trying to jerk out of the hold of the leash so he could run free. But I held tight. Unfortunately, his collar was loose enough that he was able to struggle out of it. 

    And immediately, he took off. In a panic, I dashed after him, yelling his name and trying to lure him back to me.

    This chase went on for quite a while before I was able to grab a hold of him again.

    But it made me think: What if I ran after God like I did my dog? Not in a panic, of course, but with a desperate desire to have Him and be with Him. 

    What if we ran after God, calling His name, and wouldn’t give up until we got Him? What if we pursued Him, truly, and kept ourselves from distractions?

    What if our only desire was Him?

    What if. 

    Is this your desire? Ask yourself that today.

    Whatever your answer is, I encourage you in this: chase after God with all that you are, and He will meet you. 

    Maddisen Sauls is the smile and voice behind the Everyday Joy blog as well as the author of the Word of the Week posts and the editor of by leaps and bounds. Throughout her life, Maddisen has worked as a reporter for small town newspapers, a School Age and Preschool teacher, and has acquired her ministerial license. 

    An avid book reader and lover of the written word, Maddisen is passionate about using her favorite medium to reach the lost and the hurting, and to offer encouragement and hope to those struggling through life. 

    Following her battle with depression, Maddisen has made it her mission to help other people through this journey and to bring joy to the lives of the people around her. 

    You can find Maddisen on Instagram @maddisen.paige

  • Sit Down To Spaghetti With Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

    Sit Down To Spaghetti With Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

    This week, my busy schedule has prevented me from writing a full blog. But I wanted to pop in and give you what I promised: food and faith.

    With that, I offer this scripture to remember: Jeremiah 29:11. 

    “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not harm you plans to give you hope and a future.”

    Be encouraged by this as you end the week. And you can sit down and enjoy a good meal with the recipe I’m about to give. Enjoy!

    Spaghetti With Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

    Spaghetti sauce

    2 pounds Hamburger

    2 jars spaghetti sauce (any kind)

    1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

    1 teaspoon Onion Powder

    1 teaspoon Onion Salt

    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    Salt and Pepper 

    4 teaspoon sugar 

    Cook the hamburger until it’s done. Drain the grease and then add the meat back into the pan. Add all other ingredients and cook for about 30 minutes on low. 

    Meatballs

    1 1/2 pounds Hamburger

    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

    1 medium Onion (finely diced)

    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

    1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

    1 Egg (beaten well)

    1 cup Italian bread crumbs

    Mix all ingredients well. Roll into medium size meatballs. Fry in oil until golden brown. Then add them to the sauce, and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. 

    Spaghetti

    Take 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Add salt. 

    Then add spaghetti, stirring well. Cook spaghetti until Al Dante (almost done). Then drain and add meatballs and sauce. And serve.

    From my blog to your kitchen, God bless and happy dishes.

    Stay tuned for more homemade recipes and blessings from my table to yours.

    In addition to providing delicious recipes on her Faith and Food blog, Tina Rucker is a proud mom to her 18 year old son, happy wife to her husband Joel of six years, and the spearhead of the Five Loaves Food Pantry ministry in her local church, open twice a month. 

    Tina has worked in the food industry for over 25 years, and has a heart and a passion to serve, feed, and provide for those in need.

  • A Message On Loneliness

    A Message On Loneliness

    Happy Valentine’s Day guys! 

    So this might not end up as the most touching blog I’ve ever written, but I promise you it is very practical! 

    Something I battle with every day is loneliness. I see everyone’s pictures on Facebook of them snuggling with their significant other, and I’m happy for them. But, at the same time, I get super lonely because I don’t have anyone. It’s really hard, guys! I have cried over this so many nights; it’s a hard subject for me to talk about. I have had to learn some truths, though, that I am still learning!

    I know these in my heart, but sometimes we need to pray for revelation of the truth. I’ll give you some examples…

    Psalm 139:2 says that He knows us better than anyone, even if we don’t know Him.

    Psalm 19:63 says that He is our most beloved companion.

    In 1 John 3:1, God tells us that it is His desire to overwhelm us with His love!

    And finally, in Exodus 19:5 He tells us that we are His treasured possession and NOBODY loves us like Him! 

    Isn’t that amazing? He is the lover of our souls, and He created us to love on Him! 

    HE CHOSE YOU! 

    I know, I know. It’s hard to wrap your mind around it. But to me, it is so encouraging to think that the God of the universe loves me, and that He would die for me on a cross just so I can be forgiven! 

    You may feel alone, but as a friend told me, “If God is my only friend, He’s the only friend I need”! 

    Remember, God loves you so much! And so do I!

    Photo Credit: Donna Smith

    Hannah Benson — known for her big heart, her kindness, and her eagerness to serve — is the author of the Overcoming Autism blog.

    Hannah was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 14, and now uses this media platform as a way to reach out to those living with Autism and other handicaps. Hannah shares tips and coping skills for those with Autism and for family and friends of those who have been diagnosed; she also relates her life to stories in the Bible and chronicles the lessons she’s learned along her journey.

    Hannah Benson can be found on Instagram @hannah_benson94 or on Facebook on the Overcoming Autism Hannah’s Story.

  • The Walls are Coming Down

    The Walls are Coming Down

    For several weeks now, I’ve been reading the gospels with a desire to glean from the life of Jesus as He did life with his twelve disciples. 

    Isn’t it interesting that several of the disciples were fishermen when they were called by Jesus to leave it all behind and follow Him?

    My husband loves to watch shows like ‘Gold Rush’, ‘Alaskan Bush People’, and a show about deep sea fishing (although I can’t remember the name). I’ve watched this fishing show with him on occasion. Something I noticed is that fishermen who do what they do for a living are rough characters. To put it nicely, let’s suffice it to say that they aren’t politically correct and could possibly be seen as rather offensive to some. And Jesus chose fishermen! That in and of itself could preach.

    My point being, they didn’t have it all together when they were called. Much like each of us.  We came to the Lord because we heard the calling of the Father, drawing us to the Savior.  We recognized our need and responded to His call, but He called us first. He loved us first and we responded.

    What struck me the most was the level of community that they walked in… together. They really did life together. Jesus saw everything about His disciples. The good, the bad, and the ugly.  

    Without going into all the details, we know that there was doubting Thomas; Peter cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear, and denied Christ after declaring that he would be willing to die with Him; Judas was a thief who betrayed Jesus; and Peter, James, and John argued over who would be the greatest. Sounds to me like Jesus had His hands full. 

    It blows my mind that He walked with them daily, teaching them, loving them, doing life with them. I often read about the ministry of Jesus and imagine myself in His shoes. What if it was me walking daily with the disciples. How would I respond or react? Would I have the patience to walk alongside them? Would I be able to love them? But even deeper than that, if I were one of those twelve disciples, would I have been able to stick with the process of discipleship? When things got testy, as I’m sure they did… I mean, just imagine sitting around talking to Jesus and Peter being so quick to speak says, with boldness, ‘I will never deny you.’ To which Jesus responds, ‘before the rooster crows three times, you will deny me.’  I can only imagine how intense that moment was. I wonder if Peter thought about it when he laid on his bed at night. I think I would have.

    There were many of those ‘intense’ moments. Moments when Jesus saw through to the very core of who these men were. He saw the motives and the intentions of the heart, regardless of how their words sounded. He ‘knew’ them… really knew them, yet He loved them deeply and unconditionally. 

    Would I be able to love someone that I knew was going to betray me and hand me over to be brutally murdered? Jesus did. More importantly, can we allow others to really see us and hang in there even when it gets ‘intense’?

    I think sometimes we’re okay with ‘me and Jesus’ when we have learned of His heart towards us. We trust Him to lead us. We believe that He has our absolute best interest at heart. We believe He loves us. The problem comes in when we learn that Jesus never intended for us to do life outside of community. This is where it gets touchy.  

    Doing life with people is scary, especially when we are in close community. We start to see the good, the bad, and the ugly in each other. Others start to see ‘me’ and quite frankly, that can be an incredibly scary thing. It can feel unsafe, unnerving, and even intense at times. 

    Life hasn’t always been kind. As a matter of fact, it has often been cruel, and because of that, we have learned to live distanced from people… never fully trusting and continually guarded.  

    The only problem is that Jesus wants to bring healing, wholeness, and fullness to each of us and there is a huge part of this that comes by walking in close relationship with each other.  The question is… will we embrace it?

    I can tell you in all honesty, I see a church rising, that is healthy and whole because each member is becoming whole. She is in relationship with the Trinity first and with others second. She is coming out of the shadows and embracing true community. She feels vulnerable and afraid. 

    I’ve heard the fears, the doubts, and the questions because many of them have been my own. The Father has been at work removing each brick that has built the wall of protection. Each brick has a name… rejection, fear, distrust, doubt, unworthiness…  the protective mechanisms were okay for a season, but now it’s time for them to come down.

    The church will never see her full potential hiding behind walls. We need each other. It’s a body of many parts and each part functions better with the other parts, not separately.  Likewise, each individual will not see their full potential until they are rightly connected to His body. 

    Is there risk involved? You bet! But the reward is far greater. 

    She is coming out and allowing herself to be seen. She will mature and grow quickly in community. Not everyone will be united together in the same community… there will be many, but we will still be ONE BODY. Many are already connected where they need to be, many are looking for their place of connection, and many are coming out of the shadows just the way they are looking for the place they can be loved, accepted, embraced, and nurtured to wholeness. 

    There will be a resurgence of church growth amongst believers as they come out ready to re-engage, ready to be whole, and ready to walk shoulder to shoulder with others through the process. There will be accountability like never before and a camaraderie like we have never seen. Soldiers committed to the Lord and to each other with nothing held protected behind walls. It’s beautiful to behold.  

    People will find others that will truly ‘see’ them and love them. Just like Jesus saw His twelve and loved them. Herein lies the powerful church. The world will know us because of our love for one another. No longer isolated and separate, but together and unified. Whole.  Functioning as One body with many parts. It’s time for the verse, ‘ No greater life than this… One who lays down his life for a friend.’ 

    We will follow the example of Jesus in our relationships and we are becoming One, just as Jesus prayed, “Father, make them ONE, even as we are one.’ This Oneness will be the net that holds the great harvest. The unified, whole, and powerful army of the Lord. His church, radiant and shining brightly for the world to see. His heartbeat… His desire… Amen.

    Deidre Gaines is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ with the Lost Creek Church of God in West Virginia. Her main passion is prophetic intercession and intimacy with Christ, as well as seeing a generation come alive to prayer that leads to a deep, abiding relationship with the person of the Holy Spirit.

    With the belief that every believer can minister, there is a strong emphasis on training and discipleship to empower a generation to find their God-given talents and purpose and then be thrust into the harvest field. Hands on discipleship through relationship, deliverance, preaching/teaching, writing, and itinerant ministry are key elements of the ministry.

    Deidre and her husband Richard reside in Lost Creek, WV and lead the Awakening, a ministry to believers and nonbelievers alike. They have three grown children and two beautiful granddaughters.

  • Focus

    Focus

    Focus: the center of interest or activity; pay particular attention to

    What’s your focus?

    In my mind I picture a camera. Not an iPhone, not an Android; an actual, professional camera.

    The lens makes a faint whirring noise as it struggles to focus on the object of the photographer’s interest.

    The lens moves in and out, and the images on the screen appear blurry before the handler.

    Then, finally, the image clears. The focus of the camera is where the photographer intended. She snaps a photo. Then a couple more for good measure. She looks at the final product and smiles. The work was worth it. The picture is amazing.

    I’m not a professional photographer, which you can probably guess from my informal and improper use of technical terms in the above imagery. But, as a reporter, I often found myself using a camera to capture moments to go to print.

    In my time as a reporter, I used several different cameras. But there was this one particular one that I hated to use. I did all I could to avoid using this one, because when I would go to take a picture — if I didn’t hit the button just right — the picture would go out of focus. My screen would go all blurry from the lack of focus. And I either missed my shot or annoyed the subjects (and embarrassed myself). 

    This was incredibly irritating to me. I would have to press the button over and over just to get the right focus, and then carefully press it again to take the shot. It took a lot of work just to get the picture.

    But sometimes, that’s exactly what needs to be done.

    If we want the perfect shot (or selfie; let’s be honest), we’re going to have to put some work into it. You need the right lighting, the right angle, and the right focus. 

    If you’re taking a portrait of someone, but the focus is on a tree in the background, that person might not be so happy.

    We have to focus our vision on what we want the final product to be. For example, if we want a pretty picture of a lake, the focus has to be on the lake — not a tree.

    Just the same: if we want a strong relationship with God, our focus has to be on Him — not the world or our selfish desires.

    If our focus is not on God, our vision will get blurry and we’ll no longer know what the subject of the picture is. We won’t know what the point is. And the picture will be worth nothing in the end.

    So this week I encourage you to look into your lens and see what your life looks like. Is it blurry? Is the focus on the wrong thing? Or is it picture-worthy?

    Evaluate and act accordingly. Don’t be afraid to put the work in. Because when you finish and you look at the final product, you’ll be glad that you did.

    Maddisen Sauls is the smile and voice behind the Everyday Joy blog as well as the author of the Word of the Week posts and the editor of by leaps and bounds. Throughout her life, Maddisen has worked as a reporter for small town newspapers, a School Age and Preschool teacher, and has acquired her ministerial license. 

    An avid book reader and lover of the written word, Maddisen is passionate about using her favorite medium to reach the lost and the hurting, and to offer encouragement and hope to those struggling through life. 

    Following her battle with depression, Maddisen has made it her mission to help other people through this journey and to bring joy to the lives of the people around her. 

    You can find Maddisen on Instagram @maddisen.paige