Want a Little Coffee with that Sugar?

Posterity will serve him;

future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness,

declaring to a people yet unborn:

He has done it!

Psalm 22:30-31

Some things are just genetic when you get right down to it.

For instance, my Nana's younger brother, James, loved a good cup of joe - with 1/4 of a cup of sugar!  In other words, he liked a little coffee with his cream and sugar.

His son, my cousin Jerry, also enjoys a good cup of coffee with lots of sugar and cream, preferably half-and-half.

And, yes, I also enjoy a well-sweetened cup of coffee with lots of cream.

What is interesting is that I did not grow up around Uncle James or Jerry.  Our families would visit one another over the years, but we weren't around each other that much.

So I found it interesting that Jerry and I enjoy a very rich, sweet cup of joe, just like Uncle James.  Some things are just genetic, I guess.

Oh the things you discover about yourself when you get together with your extended family.

But what was even neater, was to bear witness yesterday to a heritage of faith that spanned multiple generations of our family.  As we celebrated Nana's life yesterday, there sat generations of our family - representing many different denominational backgrounds. My heart was touched when all sang Amazing Grace together - loud and strong.  We prayed the Lord's Prayer without missing a beat.  Voices of multiple generations of the same family, worshipping and praying together. It gave me a glimpse of what heaven will be like one day - the day when all believers will worship our God in unity.  Simply amazing!   

We shared with each other testimonies of love, generousity, and faith.  Family stories spilled out.  And intertwined in the midst of our discussions and reminiscing were statements of faith - testimonies of God's enduring love through generations. I was struck by God's faithfulness throughout our family history.  The evidence is undeniable. 

Though our family is not perfect - we do have a few sketchy characters and a few skeletons in the closet  - there is no denying the fruit of those in the family who faithfully followed Christ.  What a legacy of faith these Christian ancesters left to us. What a tremendous responsibility we have to teach future generations of God's love and salvation through Jesus Christ.

In His Love, Cathy

God Given Skills

"'Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. … And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.'"


Exodus 31:2–3, 6

encouragement for today

"Notice what God does: First he creates us with natural talent, then by his Spirit he adds special skill to that so that we can carry out his purposes. And he does it in community. What natural talents were you born with? How might God use them to accomplish his purpose of bringing people to Jesus? How might you team up with others? Any talents can be empowered by the Spirit and used in community for God's purposes. Pray about it!"
—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

My morning devotion shares a truth that has personally impacted my life.  In fact, I would like to spinoff this devotion on a situation that I often see happen in church and in ministry.  Too often, people use 'gifting,' or their perception of a lack thereof to keep them from serving in ministry.  We've got it all wrong when we think this way.  We have natural God-given gifts and abilities we are born with.  But then God can add to that special skills to serve His purpose.

For example, when I was children's director, the number one excuse people gave me as why they could not volunteer in children's ministry was because they just weren't 'gifted' to work with children or teach. Now granted, there are some people who certainly should not work with children.  I get that.

However, teaching younger children isn't my natural gift or talent either.  My degree is in mathematics and I spent 10 years as a computer programmer before teaching high school math.  I felt totally uncomfortable around younger ones yet I volunteered with that age group - 18 years to be exact - from the time my children were born.  And you know what happened?  God gave me the gifts and talents needed to serve younger children as both a volunteer parent and later in children's ministry leadership. 

Parental involvement in the church and in a child's spiritual training is so critical.  Children are only in church one hour a week.  The other 168 hours of a child's week are spent outside the church. So if you aren't teaching your children about God during those other 168 hours, then who is?  And if parents aren't willing to serve in children's ministry, who will?  God will bless you with the skills you need if you yield yourself to Him.  It will require effort on your part as well.  But our children are worth the effort.

And reaching the lost is worth the effort as well.  So, the next time you have an opportunity to serve or minister to others, don't whip out the old "I am not gifted" excuse so quickly.  Before giving an answer or responding, pray.  Get God's direction on the matter.  And if the answer you are led to is "yes," then God can help you overcome any hesitations you may have. 

Oh yes, I am also not naturally gifted as a writer.  Math is my forte.  In fact, my standard response to having to write anything is, "Writing isn't my thing.  It is not my gift." Seriously, I have absolutely no writing skills on my own.  But look at what God has done.

Who knew?

Peace and Blessings!
In His Love, Cathy

When We Stumble: Forgiving Yourself

"Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time."  Daniel 11:35 (NIV)

I often wonder why I seem to stumble so much. I wonder why, how no matter how hard I try to be faithful or do the right thing, I seem to fail and fall flat on my face.  Though I know I am not perfect and that I struggle in the flesh like every other believer on the earth, I tend to beat myself up for stumbling so often.  I wonder why this life is such a struggle for me while others seem to glide effortlessly through it - seeming to never fall or even stub a toe.  Then I read Daniel 11:35.  It spoke truth in my heart on the matter.  You see, sometimes we stumble not because of sin, but because God is refining us, purifying us, strengthening us so that, in the end, our impurities are pressed out of us.  Our stumbling is for our own edification and growth - spiritually refining us into the men and women God desires us to be.

And when my stumbling is due to my own sin and shortcomings, I know that I can seek God's forgiveness.  Yet, I have a difficult time forgiving myself. I'm so very hard on myself.  But this is counterproductive to God's work in me and can lead to a state of spiritual paralysis.  Instead, I need to cut myself some slack - trust that God has truly forgiven, forgive myself, and understand that He is refining me in the process.   

God forgives - and FORGETS.  He wipes the slate clean.  That is His promise to those who repent and seek His forgiveness.  Jesus took care of it...so if He - who bled and died for our sins - can forgive me, shouldn't I learn to forgive myself as well? 

Jeremiah 31:34b, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (ESV)

In His Love, Cathy

Enduring Love

"The LORD says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.' …

Many sorrows come to the wicked,

but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD.

So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him!

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!"

Psalm 32:8, 10–11

Don't you love it when God says exactly what you need to hear when you need to hear it?  The passage above was my morning devotion.  It's timing is incredibly perfect.  You see, my Grandmother passed away yesterday - on Christmas Day.  She passed away in church, worshipping her Loving Creator, in a place she loved to be, with people she loved and who loved her.  It's comforting to know that she went to be with the Lord in such a sweet way.  It's comforting to know that God's love for her was enduring and her love for Him lasted her whole life...to the very end.  Though she experienced some very tough, harsh times in her life, her faith and love never waivered.  She always trusted in God. He was her source of joy and strength. If only I could live for Him as faithfully as she did.  What a legacy of faith to leave your loved ones with.

Yes, Nana had an enduring faith.  My morning devotion was not only timely, but adeptly described the faith that Nana lived out.  When we rejoice in Him, when we obey Him, and when we have hearts that are pure (are in Christ) - He promises to guide us along the best pathway of our lives.

Though the wicked are guaranteed to experience sorrows, His unfailing love SURROUNDS those who TRUST in Him!  And though God guides us along the best pathway of our lives, this passage does not say we are immune to sorrows along the way.  However, when we do encounter sorrows, we have God's promise that He will be there, surrounding us with His ever faithful love.  God's love will help us endure those sorrows.  And sometimes, it is by enduring sorrows that our faith grows the most. So, in the end, we come out better and stronger with a faith built to last.  

So when we encounter sorrows in this life, we are not without hope - we can count on His enduring love to get us through.  We can choose to experience His gracious love today...it simply requires us to turn away from our sin, turn to Christ, and let Him be in charge of our hearts.

Peace and blessings!

In His Love,

Cathy

This post is dedicated to my Grandmother, Mildred Goodson Rudd.  Nana, you are loved and will be dearly missed.