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  • The Solid Foundation

    The Solid Foundation

    Okay, so I have a story for y’all.

    Last October my family and I went down to Cocoa Beach, FL for vacation. The first day we were on the beach, we must have gone at high tide because man were the waves big and rough. And boy when I got stepped into the waves, that did not go unnoticed.

    Every time we saw the waves coming our way we had to brace ourselves, because if not we would be taking a rough ride back to the shore. It sure was rough, but it was also kinda fun!

    After about thirty minutes of the waves, I decided to go back to shore. However, in the distance, I saw a big wave coming, so I decided to prepare myself for it so it wouldn’t knock me down as I tried to go back.

    As the big wave approached, I thought I had braced myself rather well, but as the wave crashed over me I suddenly realized that it wasn’t enough.

    The wave swept me off my feet and I skid back on my butt for a few yards. Not too bad… until the wave got stronger and completely toppled me. My feet went over my head allowing for the wave to slam my head into the bottom of the bottom of the ocean and then scrape across all the sharp seashell fragments that were there.

    All of this took place within only a few seconds, but it felt like longer — as if it were happening in slow motion. So many thoughts went through my head as I toppled in the waves

    Lord, I pray that I don’t break my neck. 

    I pray that you would protect me.

    I pray that I won’t lose consciousness before I’m able to get out of this.

    And 

    My dad is only a few yards from me. As soon as I’m able to come up, I need to get to him so that another wave doesn’t take me out.

    When I came out of the water, there’s no doubt I looked like a sea witch. I mean, I literally screeched and everything. My head felt like a bowling ball on my head so much so that I had to use my hands to hold it up. It was unreal.

    But the first thing I did was get to my dad, and he took me safely to shore.

    T H E   S O L I D   F O U N D A T I O N

    Have you in your life ever gone through something that you thought was going to drown you? Something that you thought you were never going to be able to make it through or come back from?

    That’s how I felt as I took my tumble through the dangerous waves.

    A couple of weeks ago I was thinking about this event and the Lord showed me how I could turn it around as something to keep with me, and I want to share this with you today, friend.

    Thinking about the event and praying about what all the Lord wanted me to get from it, He brought this scripture to my mind:

    Matthew 7:24-27

    24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

    This is Jesus speaking, y’all. What He’s saying is when you have a relationship with Him and when you follow His teaching and instructions, you are building yourself on a solid foundation. That foundation: Christ Himself. He is the cornerstone.

    When you establish yourself on the solid foundation of Christ, though the rain, floodwaters, and wind will threaten to take you out, you won’t collapse because you lean and rely on the God who is stable.

    What do I mean?

    Each one of us have faced problems and situations in our lives that have been rough. Things we hate going through, and some that we think we may never come back from. 

    The things you go through, the unfavorable situations, the challenges, the downright nasty circumstances. Maybe it’s issues at work or home. Or maybe it’s more emotional such as depression or anxiety. Or maybe marriage/relationship problems, your kids, temptations, time, or financial struggles. Whatever it may be in your life — past, present, or future — is what I’m talking about.

    These things are just like the wave that threatened to take me out. It can knock you off your feet to where you wander if you’ll ever make it through.

    I’m here to tell you that if you build yourself on the firm foundation of Christ, He will bring you through.

    P R E P A R E

    First of all, I want to mention that I had prepared for it the best that I could. In our lives, it’s good to be prepared for situations that may arise. How do you do that when you don’t know that a situation will even arise? 

    By knowing the Word of God.

    The Word of God — The Bible — is our weapon… The Sword of the Spirit. You want to be prepared? Dig into the Word. Let it get down into your being before any situation even arises. You’ll then know what God says over you. How you are victorious and an overcomer (to begin with). Then you won’t have to go searching for the right tools when a problem comes up because you’ll already have the right weapon. 

    In addition, you could avoid a lot of these problems when you know the Word. A lot of the issues that happen in our lives come from our own choices, but when you know what the Word of God says, you can avoid a lot of those mistakes. 

    Thoughts, choices, actions, selfish ambition, and sin can get us into these issues a lot, but when we have a close walk with the Lord He can guide us around these self-inflicted problems. So knowing the Word and having a relationship with God can help prepare you for the goings-on in life.

    When you know the Word, you can combat whatever the enemy tries to throw at you. The Bible, also known as the Sword of the Spirit, is your weapon to combating those things. Remember, it’s no good to have a weapon but never use it.

    C H R I S T   H A S   A L R E A D Y   W O N

    Sometimes, though, you do all you can to prepare and you may still find that the enemy is throwing you some hard hits. It hurts and you may feel like you aren’t strong enough or you can’t take any more, but let me let you in on a little secret.

    Christ has already won.

    That’s right. Christ already won the war. Read the book of Revelation and you can clearly see that. On top of it, God calls us more than conquerors, overcomers, and victorious in HIM.

    So if you are a born again, child of God, you have already won the war. You may face these battles and though you get knocked down, get back up knowing that God is on your side and that He will bring you through.

    We all go through things in life, but God is on your side. He is your Heavenly Father who will guide you through the waves and bring you out victorious on the other side.

    2 Corinthians 4:8-9

    8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 

    When the waves and storms come, prepare yourself and know that you are an overcomer in Christ, but most importantly establish yourself on the firm foundation of Christ.

    As you navigate through this life, remember that you have a God in Heaven who loves you. He’s our Abba Father who cares for you and wants you to live a victorious life. Cling to Him and let Him lead you through your problems. And just as I ran to my dad for help, God is there with arms wide open to help us and take us safely to shore.

    Until next time, my friends.

    Caleigh

    An adventurer and coffee enthusiast at heart, Caleigh Ball has a passion for reaching out to others to inspire them to live with intention and purpose. As an ordained minister, she spends her time ministering as a youth pastor and is actively involved in Arise Ministries as the vice president and bookkeeper as well as one of the ministers. She enjoys life with her husband, Emmanuel, and their cat, Alaska, in their home state, Almost Heaven West Virginia.

    Find Caleigh on Instagram at @caleigh.ball 

  • Representation and Work Ethic Build a Better Leader (Part One)

    Representation and Work Ethic Build a Better Leader (Part One)

    Here recently, I have seen how people are given opportunities to serve, but the way they reacted interfered with their chances to lead. 

    There are a few things I want to explain on what I have observed about followership. 

    A few of those things are how they represented themselves as they were serving, represented who they were serving (whether it be a person or a business), and how their work ethic is.

    My grandpa has always taught me something growing up: to work hard at all times. 

    My grandpa was great at what he did at the church, and that was following. A lot of Sundays, he would stand in the lobby and hold the door for people as he gladly greeted them. And when it was time for service, he would help with taking up the offering and have fun doing it. He reflected all three of my points just by holding a door and helping with offering.

    REPRESENTATION OF YOURSELF

    By working with all of your heart and being optimistic about your work, people tend to notice those little things like that. By doing so, you are giving yourself a foot in the door in your leadership. You are showing others what you are capable of doing, even including your superiors. 

    The way you represent yourself could be that next job promotion, maybe that position you had always wanted. Just make sure you reflect something good about yourself.

    REPRESENTATION OF WHO YOU ARE SERVING

    This is very important, whether it be at work or church. The last thing you want to do is embarrass the one that you are working for. The way you reflect your business can affect that promotion. The way you represent your church or job can affect that promotion or position you had always wanted. 

    WORK ETHIC

    Be excellent in all that you do; that is what I have heard with every job I have had. Be the best, work the hardest, and master your craft. Get good at what you do, and things can play out good for you in the long run. You never know who you could meet along the way that can see how hard you work. A certain individual’s compliment could possibly be a new connection that can be your next stepping stone.

    As for my grandpa, I want to share how him holding the door got him the opportunities it did. The first thing would be he worked his hardest at it, and always had a smile on his face. By keeping that smile on his face, he represented himself with a joyful spirit; and by being by the front door at the church, he was the first everyone would see as they entered the building. He represented himself and the church by holding the door. He also loved what he did, and so he got good at it. 

    By him doing his job with excellence, he became the head usher, and then eventually started teaching a class. He also worked with excellence in those roles as well, and because of that, I haven’t ever heard anything negative about him. I have heard nothing but good things.

     

    Joshua Sauls — author of The Red Barn blog — is passionate about serving God and reaching out to the lost and the broken. Through his blog, Josh shares wisdom he’s gleaned during his lifetime and hopes to help people on their journey through life and their walk with Christ. 

    Joshua also serves in the U.S. Air Force, and is working towards becoming a minister

    You can find Josh on instagram @joshua.sauls 

  • Ready, Set…Go!

    Ready, Set…Go!

    By Kim Eidel

    Passage Scripture:

    Nehemiah 4:7-18 and 6:15-16

    Mark 14:38

    1 Peter 5:8

    There is a saying, “If we have to take the time to get ready, then we are too late”. 

    This principle can be applied to many areas of life, including our spiritual walk. 

    Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem understood this concept all too well. In chapter four of Nehemiah, God’s chosen people yearned to rebuild the wall and to the dismay of their adversaries, they set out to do so. This caused the enemies of Jerusalem to become enraged and they plotted against the work of the Lord and His servants. 

    Operating in wisdom, Nehemiah instructed all the workers to pray and trust in the Lord and he posted watchmen to guard the people and the wall twenty-four hours a day. Verse 17 of chapter four reads, “…Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other” (NIV). That had to make their work more cumbersome and more than likely slowed them down. But Nehemiah understood the severity of the situation and knew the success of the mission rested upon trusting God and strategically planning to thwart the attacks of the enemy. 

    He planned for success by using what we know as sports terminology of offense and defense. Nehemiah acted in the offense mode by doing the work of the Lord and not allowing the enemy to deter him from what he was called to do. He also maneuvered in the defense mode by maintaining a solid relationship with the Father and planning how to counteract any attacks.

    Because of Nehemiah’s faith and obedience, the wall was completed and those against the Lord became intimidated. God’s people had won.

    These same principles can be used by Christians today. We must live ready everyday.

    How do we accomplish this? 

    By building ourselves up in the word and in prayer. We can achieve great things for the Kingdom; we can be about our Father’s business; and we can have success in our personal lives by maintaining a solid relationship with the Lord and by being on guard over our spiritual state. Being prayed up allows us to be prepared for whatever comes our way. It puts us in a position to be on the offense by sharing God’s Word, being an example, being ready to answer any questions from unsaved people, and building one another up in Christ. We can be on the defense by using the armor of God to deflect any attacks from the enemy from any direction. 

    We can accomplish these feats by:

    1. Keeping your focus on the Lord
    2. Saturating yourself in the Word
    3. Walking by faith (choosing to believe God in the midst of your circumstances)
    4. Praying throughout the day
    5. Speaking the Word over your circumstances and telling them to line up with God’s Word (prophesy the Word over your situation).
    6. Putting a guard over your mouth and by speaking in line with God’s Word.
    7. Have an attitude of gratitude and worship Him with a heart of thanksgiving.
    8. Stand and believe and expect your good outcome…even in the midst of your challenge.

    When we do these things, we stay close to God and our focus will be on Him. This will help our faith to remain strong and this will stir up our faith.

    Why must we do these things? According to 1 Peter 5:8, we are to be on alert because the devil looks for opportunities to attack Christians; that is why we must…

    Live Ready…Work Ready…and Rest Ready!

    Additional Scripture Readings:

    Romans 8:28

    1 John 5:18

    Kim Eidel is an Apostolic Minister and founder of Arise Ministries — a non-profit religious organization and its divisions — that teaches the “how-to’s” of faith and practice.

    With a mandate to serve, encourage, empower, and disciple through speaking engagements, live events, writing, and broadcasting, Kim equips others to grow spiritually and to develop a closer and more personal relationship with the Lord.

    Kim is an ordained minister through the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and is the Executive Pastor at the Refuge Church of God in New Martinsville, WV and has a degree in education. She is also the author of several published articles and enjoys teaching the principles of God’s Kingdom.

    Kim and her husband, George, live in West Virginia with their four children.

  • Obedience

    Obedience

    Obedience: to trust a leader with a willingness to obey; to hear God’s Word and act accordingly.

    I used to hate the word obedience. It seems like a word that a parent uses about a child, or a term you apply to a dog. It never seemed like a word I’d want to seriously apply to my life.

    However, upon looking at the meaning, I promptly changed my mind. Obedience isn’t an ugly word. It’s just the opposite. 

    Obedience is to trust with a willingness to obey. Obedience is to hear God’s Word and act accordingly. And obedience is beautiful to God. 

    Exodus 19:5 says, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession…”

    God was saying if you obey me — if you trust me with a willingness to obey and act accordingly to my Word — you will be my treasured possession. How amazing!

    So as you go through this week, remember that obedience to God is simply to trust and be willing to follow through and act accordingly, and it’s beautiful!

    How can you be more obedient in your Walk this week?

    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

  • A Hotdog Sauce Recipe Made With Love

    A Hotdog Sauce Recipe Made With Love

    Hi again, 

    The recipe I’m sharing in this blog post is near and dear to my heart because the recipe was my mother’s (who has passed). Mom was always making her own recipes or finding new ones to cook for us kids. 

    This hotdog sauce is one of my favorites that I believe she made herself, with lots of love of course. 

    My mom was a wonderful cook who, on the holidays, would cook for a very large number of family members in a three bedroom trailer. I remember one Christmas there were 30 people in this small home, but mom didn’t care. For her, it was about all the good food, laughs, and family. 

    I miss my mom everyday, but I am glad I have all the memories of my mom inside my mind and heart. 

    I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I have. And the joke is, we call it hotdog sauce, while some call it chili. But chili has beans in it. 

    Whatever you call it, just know making it for your family means making it with love.

    So from my blog to your kitchen, God Bless and happy dishes.

    Hotdog Sauce

    1 pound Hamburger

    ½ onion (sweet, diced)

    ½ teaspoon garlic powder

    ½ teaspoon onion powder

    ½ teaspoon chili powder

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

    ½ teaspoon salt

    1 tablespoon sugar (if you like it sweet, add more; if not don’t add the sugar)

    Cook hamburger and onions in a skillet until onions are tender and the burger is done. Drain grease off; add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some beef broth or water. 

    Before you go, I want to remind you of Romans 14:17. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,”

    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.

  • Keep the Fires Burning

    Keep the Fires Burning

    What’s up guys! 

    One thing about me is I LOVE FIRE! 

    I’m obsessed with fire. I have always been obsessed. My brother and I used to build fires together all the time. 

    Come to find out, it was a symptom of my autism. 

    People with autism have obsessions. Some are obsessed with people or tornado sirens or fire alarms. It just comes with the territory. But what if we could retrain our brains to use that obsession in a productive way? What if we used that obsession and placed it on JESUS! 

    The Bible says in Hebrews 12:29 that our God is a consuming fire! That is so cool to me! 

    The Bible also tells us in Romans 12:11 (in the New International Reader’s Version) to never let the fire in your heart go out. Which if I think of it… the analogy works! 

    Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.

    Romans 12:11 (NIRV)

    If you are in the woods, you never want the fire to go out because then you get cold. It’s like that with Jesus! 

    If you don’t keep your heart burning for Him, you grow cold and stagnant, which can cause spiritual death! 

    Keep the fires burning, friends! 

    All you have to do is ask Him to set your heart ablaze! And keep it burning by stirring up your faith by sitting at His feet and just let the obsession of Jesus take over your life. 

    Remember, God loves you and so do I.

    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.

  • Stop Taking Yourself Out of the Game

    Stop Taking Yourself Out of the Game

    I’m not really a sports girl. I’ve played sports exactly twice in my life. One of those times was in second grade — I played basketball. I wasn’t very good, but I did somewhat enjoy it. However, after the end of the season, I became very upset to realize that they had an All Star Team that I was not picked for. 

    For those who are about as clueless as me when it comes to sports, in the “little leagues” (or whatever it is they’re called) coaches don’t get to pick their team. Whoever signs up gets to play. However, after the season is over, the coaches handpick the best on the team to form the All Star Team, where they play with the people they actually want on the team.

    I was pretty crushed when a fellow teammate taunted me because she was picked and I was not. So instead of using that to fuel me to be better, or striving to make the All Star Team next year, or just playing for the fun of it, I decided to never play again. And I never did play again.

    Another time in my early elementary school years, I decided to play softball. The thing was, I didn’t really know anything about softball. And, again, I wasn’t very good.

    I spent every game way out in the outfield where the ball never went. I would get so bored that I would end up sitting in the grass and picking at the grass and the flowers. 

    Spoiler alert: I didn’t even make it to the end of the season. I quit.

    Instead of trying to learn more about softball, or trying to get better, I quit. Why? Because it was easier. 

    Let me give you another example.

    When I was fifteen years old, my sister and I decided to start taking classes at the community college nearby our home. We were both homeschooled and the college had a program called Dual Enrollment where you could take college classes at a reduced rate that would count as credits for both high school and college.

    Since we weren’t old enough to take the ACT or SAT yet, they had us take an enrollment exam in order to test us on our skills. If we didn’t pass, we couldn’t attend. 

    The exam was conducted on a computer and consisted of tests for math and English. After the test, the instructor informed us that Caleigh (my sister) had passed with flying colors. I, on the other hand, had not. I failed both.

    When he told us that, my heart dropped into my stomach and sunk like a rock. I was so upset and so embarrassed. I felt like a complete failure, and my eyes stung with unshed tears.

    The thing is, I am terrible at math. Like, really, really bad, guys. So that wasn’t much of a surprise. 

    What was a surprise was that I had failed the English portion. I love English and I’ve always excelled in it. 

    The instructor told us that he thought that my failing the English portion was an accident as I hadn’t spent much time on it. He suggested coming back in for a written exam.

    I wanted to say no; to tell them to forget it. Who needs college anyways?! 

    Later, my mom asked me why I was declining the second test. 

    “I don’t want to fail again. That will be so embarrassing.” I had cried to her.

    Eventually, she was able to convince me to go back and take the test again. And when I did, not only did I pass, but I did great.

    The thing is, I was ready to quit and give up at the slightest sign of inconvenience, failure, or embarrassment. I would rather quit and have everyone think I could do it but chose not to; rather than try and have everyone see me fail.

    When I look back on these moments in life, I see the error in that process. 

    What if I had stuck with basketball? Maybe I would have become really good. 

    What if I had finished the softball season? I might have had loads of fun and made new friends. 

    And most importantly, what if I never went back and retook the test? 

    You see, in life, we so often take ourselves out of the game because there’s too much risk. We don’t want to fail, or mess up, or make anyone mad; we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. And so we miss out on life; we miss out on fun experiences and good memories.

    I encourage you this week to stop letting fear make decisions for you. Stop letting anxiety pick what you can and can’t do. Stop taking yourself out of the game! You might not be the best in your field, you might mess up, but this is a part of the learning experience. 

    I once heard someone say that all good things are on the other side of fear. So why are we missing out on this?

    Ask yourself today if it’s worth it. Is it worth it to let fear say you can’t try out for the team? Is it worth it to let anxiety decide whether or not you’ll try out for the musical? Is it worth it to back out on something you really want, just because you’re afraid?

    If you would, allow me the honor to answer for you: NO! It is NOT at ALL worth it.

    Take a good look at your life and ask yourself: is fear ruling my life? If the answer is yes, here are a few practical tips to overcome this and stop missing out on life.

    1. Acknowledge the presence of fear

    I’m sure that you’ve heard the expression “the first step to any problem is admitting you have a problem” as many times as I have. It’s used in a ton of movies and TV shows, and we can all roll our eyes together and quote and cliche line. 

    However, I have to admit, this line rings true. 

    A lot of times, I tell myself I don’t want to do something because I don’t have time, or so-and-so is better and she deserves it more, or (insert excuse here). But, most of the time, these are the lines that fear hides behind.

    If we were to sit ourselves down and have a Serious Discussion with ourselves, we might find that we didn’t turn that position down at work because we were too busy. We turned it down because we were afraid we wouldn’t be good at it and would disappoint our boss. We didn’t decide not to try out for the team because Mom couldn’t drive us to practice. We turned it down because we were afraid we wouldn’t make it.

    So step one is to acknowledge that fear is holding us back.

    1. Refuse to back down to fear

    I know. I make it sound SO easy.

    Honestly, it’s not. However, if we can say, “Okay, the reason I’m not (insert problem here) is because of fear. I acknowledge that. But I really want to (insert thing here again) so I WILL NOT let fear stop me anymore. I’m moving forward.”

    When we say this, first of all, it’s a declaration to the enemy that he’s not winning anymore. But it also takes our mind off defeat, and sets it on the purpose before us.

    1. Make a plan

    I love to plan y’all. I’m like the queen of planning. But even if you’re a spur of the moment type of guy or gal, this step is still for you.

    When fear tries to halt us in our steps, we need to make two types of plans: what practical steps can I take to meet my goal, and how do I plan to handle fear when it crops up.

    For the practical steps portion, let’s use trying out for a school play as an example. So let’s set the stage (ha, you see what I did there).

    You want to play the lead role in your school’s upcoming play, but you’re super nervous and kind of don’t want to do it. You’ve already laid the excuses aside, acknowledged fear, and made the decision to refuse to back down. 

    But, like, you’re not sure about that whole refuse step. You’re thinking that Maddisen girl must be crazy. This is impossible! She doesn’t know me or the stakes or what will happen if I fail. I have to quit. There’s no way I can do this.

    This is exactly why we need to plan! You see, we are constantly trying to take ourselves out of the game. But in sports, the player’s don’t get to decide when they go in or when they come out. The coach does. 

    It’s similar in life. Yes, we have free will and we can choose to take ourselves out. But I’m imploring you to stop. Because what if you make the winning shot? What if you’re the player that people need to lean on? What if you’re the one who blocks the other team from scoring?

    When we take ourselves out of the game, we deprive our team of a valuable asset. 

    So in this made up scenario, if you back out before you can even try out, the play could be losing its best voice. 

    So in preparation for these feelings, get a plan together. In this example, your preparation might be this: 

    First, you’re going to put your name on the sign up list. It’s just a simple signature. No big deal.

    And then once your name is on there, you tell yourself that you have committed to it, and you’re going to see it through.

    Second, you’re going to do all you can to prepare.

    And finally, the day of, you do whatever takes your mind off of it. Whether that be envisioning the future play, ignoring it entirely, making plans to go out with friends later, getting lost in a good book, or eating your favorite comfort foods — do it!

    And now you’ve made it to your destination!

    However, just because we make a plan, doesn’t mean fear still won’t pop its head up. So how do we handle it?

    Making a plan to handle fear is fairly simple. There are so many things you can do.

    Maybe get yourself a support buddy who will remind you of the reason you’re doing this when all you really want to do is back out. Or, get advice from somebody when the fear starts to roar. 

    I pray you take these steps, and whatever else you know and have learned for yourself, and apply it to your life.

    Kick fear out of the way and stop taking yourself out of the game!

    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

  • Refresh

    Refresh

    Refresh: give new strength or energy to; refill

    Life is hard sometimes. It can feel like a game of Whack-a-Mole, where everytime we start to improve, every time we finally come up for air, we get knocked over the head and pushed back down. 

    Sometimes our hammer is grief. Sometimes the whack comes from depression and heaviness. Sometimes the knock comes from anxiety.

    Other times we’re pounded with betrayal, fear, worry, lack of confidence, doubt, hurt, and on, and on, and on.

    It can feel like it will never stop. 

    And it’s in these times that we need a breath of fresh air.

    While I was in prayer, that phrase came to my mind.

    A breath of fresh air.

    That expression means a refreshing change, and refresh means to give new strength and energy, and to be refilled. 

    This is such a beautiful and apt description for what we need in these moments.

    When we’re being knocked over the head with a new problem, we need to take in a breath of fresh air and receive new strength and energy. 

    And we do this only in the presence of our Father. 

    I’m all about breathing in the fresh, outside air, but nothing beats breathing in His presence.

    So this week I encourage you to spend time in the Word, spend time in prayer and worship, and spend time seeking the heart and the face of our Father God.

    Inhale in His presence, and exhale anything that does not line up with His Word and His will. Exhale fear. Exhale depression. Exhale anxiety. Exhale hurt.

    This week, take a breath of fresh air and smile.

    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 Decisions You Make Today Affect Your Tomorrow

    The Decisions You Make Today Affect Your Tomorrow

    When my sister and I were kids, our mom used to drive us to the bus stop to catch the bus to school. Without fail, every morning while waiting for the bus to come screeching its brakes to a stop to pick us up, my mom would recite her favorite spiel:

    Remember you’re a Christian.

    Make good choices.

    The decisions you make today you pay for tomorrow.

    Each time this was recited I would do a mental eye roll. These were things I already knew. She told us the same thing every day, so why remind us of them day in and day out?

    Looking back though I love how she did that — how she reminded us of those things every day. Her repeating those phrases to us every day really engraved it into my brain. I’m grateful for it actually because I’m still reminded of those same phrases in my mind each day.

    Lately I’ve been listening to Sadie Robertson’s Whoa That’s Good podcast. Some good stuff, man. Anywho, she always starts off the show with the same question: “What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?” While listening to it, I think of what my answer would be, and each time I can’t help but think the same thing.

    The decisions you make today affect your life tomorrow.

    I know it’s slightly different than what my mom used to say to us all those years ago in our minivan, but the concept is still the same. What you do today has an affect on your tomorrow. Good or bad. 

    Each day we make thousands of decisions from what you pick out to wear in the morning, to choosing between that donut and a piece of fruit (Okay, for real, this is a hard one for me to choose between). In the moment, these seem like such small decisions, but they all add up.

    It’s like going to Target and looking at Target Dollar Spot. That’s a tricky place, friend. You go in there for one specific thing and get caught up in the dollar spot. It’s only a dollar or two until you find yourself with several things in your basket. Next thing you know, you’re paying $20 plus on things you didn’t really need in the first place.

    And those examples are just concerning the small daily decisions. You then have to take into consideration the bigger life decisions as well. And these choices — both the bigger and mundane alike — will affect every aspect of your life, including the physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual.

    In the pursuit of intentional living, the choices you make play a main part. You have to make the quality decision to do what you know will be beneficial to your life, your goals, and your aspirations, not just what will give you pleasure in a given moment. You have to have a long term mindset, such as will that donut help you out in the long run? Will it help get you to your goals concerning health? Questions such as these are what you have to ask yourself.

    And no, I’m not telling you to never eat that donut, or whatever it is for you. I’m talking about moderation. Having a donut every once in a while is okay, but in moderation.

    My life? The one main thing I allow to get in the way of my goals (that I shouldn’t allow) is spending too much time on social media. No, social media is not a bad thing… in moderation. If I’m not careful though, I can become so absorbed in the entertainment of it that I lose sight of the why behind my being on there in the first place as well as my other priorities in life.

    For me, social media is a platform to encourage others, even if I’m just sharing the goings-on in my life. There can be so much dark and negativity coming from social media. My goal is to be that light in the darkness, and as a Christian I’m called let my light shine (see Matthew 5:16). And in this day and age, social media is a great way to do just that. However, I can sometimes become too preoccupied with it that I neglect my true aspirations and get sucked up into something that causes me to take my eyes off of my real life and family.

    When this happens, I’m making a decision that doesn’t impact my tomorrow in a positive way. It may not necessarily affect it in a negative way, but it isn’t causing it to be pushed in a positive, productive direction either. (And again, in no way, shape, or form is entertaining yourself with social media a bad thing, as long as it’s done in moderation)

    We each have to have goals, dreams, and visions for our lives for “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). It’s not enough just to have these aspirations, we have to work towards them. Keep the vision in front of your eyes and make small, achievable goals that will help you achieve your vision.

    Follow the Lord’s leading on this, and remember:

    The decisions you make today will affect your life tomorrow.

    Until next time, my friends.

    Caleigh

    An adventurer and coffee enthusiast at heart, Caleigh Ball has a passion for reaching out to others to inspire them to live with intention and purpose. As an ordained minister, she spends her time ministering as a youth pastor and is actively involved in Arise Ministries as the vice president and bookkeeper as well as one of the ministers. She enjoys life with her husband, Emmanuel, and their cat, Alaska, in their home state, Almost Heaven West Virginia.

    Find Caleigh on Instagram at @caleigh.ball 

  • The Spiritual Battlefield of College

    The Spiritual Battlefield of College

    By Justin Brinkmeier

    This is war.

    This is when your Christian roots and morals are put to the ultimate test.

    Every day is a spiritual battle, but there IS victory in Jesus.

    As a Christian college student, I know how challenging it can be at times to cling to those morals and values.

    Pursuing a Christian lifestyle in a sinful environment not only makes you a stronger Christian, but also deepens your relationship with God.

    You see, God talks quietly. You have to be close to him to hear him. You have to have that close, intimate relationship with him. But the enemy talks loudly. Planting seeds of sinful thoughts and temptation in your mind constantly.

    When you become close to God, he becomes easier to hear and the enemy is easier to ignore.

    In order to help any struggling college students out there wanting to pursue that rewarding Christian lifestyle, I am going to list five things that I personally do on a day to day basis with God that help me fight that spiritual battle.

    Pray All Throughout the Day

    Praying gives us a direct line to God. How cool is that? You don’t even have to pick up the telephone to call him up! He’s always right there waiting to listen and help you!

    Praying gives us a direct line to God

    Everyday when I wake up, I immediately start talking to God like he’s standing next to me. I talk to him like he’s my best friend.

    Tell him what’s on your mind!

    Tell him about that exam coming up and how you are stressed about it!

    Tell him about that event that you are excited about!

    He wants a relationship with you! You need to be open with him.

    Ask him for help as you go throughout your day!

    Feeling temptation taking over your mind? Ask the Lord to show you a way out and he will!

    1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

    Praying gives me that lifeline to Jesus anytime I need it.

    Feeling Down? Pray.

    Feeling Homesick? Pray.

    Feeling Worried? Pray.

    Feeling Tempted? Pray.

    Prayer not only gets your mind off of what was causing you trouble, but it also gives you that time with Jesus to lay those problems at the cross and say “I’m giving this to you” and then move forward.

    Read the Bible Every Day

    This is a big one for me.

    The Bible is the Sword of the Spirit which makes it the ideal weapon when entering a spiritual battlefield.

    The Bible is…the ideal weapon when entering a spiritual battefield

    I take time every night to reflect on the day’s struggles and meditate on the Word of God.

    I think about anything that I struggled with that day and then I read passages and scriptures that show me how I can overcome that struggle.

    For example, if I had a problem with being impatient that day… that night during my Bible reading, I would look up scriptures that would tell me how to be a more patient person.

    I like to call this method, “The Target Method”.

    Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

    You essentially target any problems you encounter in life and fix them with scriptures directly from the Word of God.

    2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

    “Training in righteousness”. I love that. Use the Bible to train yourself to be more like Christ. Use it like an instructions manual.

    Also, if you read a verse that may be helpful during your daily struggles… memorize it! When you come to that problem, speak it out loud! Declare the Word of God over your problems. This is exactly what Jesus did in the desert when Satan tried to tempt him. Jesus used scriptures to make the devil flee from him!

    This is using the Sword of the Spirit to fight your battles!

    Put on the Full Armor of God

    Remember that you are going into spiritual warfare everyday. You can’t go to war without armor!

    You can’t go to war without armor!

    In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul talks about the armor of God and how it helps us fight against evil.

    Ephesians 6:10-12 says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

    There are six pieces of the armor of God:

    The Belt of Truth

    The Breastplate of Righteousness

    The Shield of Faith

    The Helmet of Salvation

    The Sword of the Spirit

    The Sandals prepared with the Gospel of Peace

    We are told to put on every piece of armor everyday to withstand the enemy and his tactics to hurt you. Incorporate this in prayer! Ask God to put his armor on you so that the enemy will fail any time he comes to make you stumble in your walk with God.

    Have Christian Friends

    Having friends that share the same beliefs and morals as you is extremely beneficial when going through college.

    This scripture from Hebrews really shows the importance in having friends that support your walk with God.

    Hebrews 3:12-13: “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.”

    “But exhort one another every day”. This is what you want in your Christian fellowship with friends. You want to encourage each other every day about walking with Christ.

    “But exhort one another every day”

    If you have friends that always beat you down and are a bad influence, then the enemy is winning and you are more likely to fall into sinful ways.

    My Christian friends and I stay in contact with each other every day and check up on our daily struggles. We like to keep each other in check. We also encourage one another. The Bible wants us to encourage our friends to do the right things and help them strengthen their relationship with Jesus.

    Fighting the enemy with Christian friends as one body of Christ is much easier than doing it alone.

    Get together with your Christian friends for a Bible study every week and take time to pray together. The Bible talks about the power of praying in groups within the book of Matthew.

    Matthew 8:20 says “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on Earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

    You will not find a more loyal and loving friend than a friend who has a relationship with Jesus.

    Get Involved with Christian Programs

    There are so many opportunities on college campuses and fortunately, most have several Christian programs that you can get involved in!

    Getting involved with a local church or a campus youth group will not only increase your knowledge of the Bible and help your walk with Christ, but it will also give you a prime opportunity to find Christian friends!

    Becoming a part of Christian programs can lead you to bringing souls into the Kingdom of Heaven. Do you have a friend that you are worried about spiritually? Invite them to church or a youth group meeting! You could be changing their life forever!

    All five of these aspects have set me up to have a successful college career while maintaining and strengthening my relationship with Jesus. Remember that nothing is more important than the relationship you have with Christ.

    Jesus wants you to be successful and do well in college. He wants you to land that interview and get that job. He just wants to do it together. He wants to help you every step of the way. Fighting the spiritual battle is not easy, especially at college where temptation is everywhere, but cling to Jesus. Know that he has plans for your life… BIG plans!

    Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

    Have faith in Jesus and he will be with you every step of the way through college and beyond.

    Justin Brinkmeier is a biology student at West Liberty University. He has a true heart for the unsaved and shares the Word of God on many different platforms. From Facebook to Instagram, he likes to provide clarification and encouragement for people with help from the Holy Spirit. 

    Justin loves to travel and see the beautiful world that God created. Justin can’t wait to see where the Lord takes him and how he will use him in the future. Following his awakening from being a lukewarm Christian, he is now on fire for Jesus and has a passion to ignite other people to become on fire for Jesus. When he is not at college, Justin lives in Middlebourne, WV. 

    You can find Justin on Instagram @justinbrinkmeier