All,
We have upgraded our site and moved to www.inspiretomorrow.com. Many of you already used this link anyways but now it is official.
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Many blessings!
Joe Lawrence
Do you have a favorite piece of furniture? My favorite piece of furniture is a chair. And, boy, does that chair have a history! I enjoy my chair and treasure the history behind it. And, this week, I said good-bye to my chair, which made me think about how God’s love is even better than this beloved chair.
My precious chair was made of deep green leather. It’s twenty years old. Back in the day, it was quite the fashionable seat! It belonged to my husband’s aunt and uncle in New Jersey. When Rob and I got married and purchased our first home in North Carolina, they sent it to us. None of the furniture in our first home matched, but we didn’t care.
Seventeen happy years later, Rob and I have moved nine times! That big, old green chair has safely made every move with us. Some of our furniture, for one reason or another, never made it. But that green chair would never, ever have been left behind!
Last year, when God told us it was time to adopt a child, we were thrilled. Interestingly enough, He gave us the word to adopt on the very day that we had asked a friend to help move our green chair upstairs to our fourth bedroom, which we had decided to convert into a game room for the kids! God’s timing is amazing and proves He has a great sense of humor!
I spent many hours in my prized green chair, praying, and searching God’s word, and talking with well-wishing friends on the phone. I also spent a lot of time in my chair just thinking about God’s goodness and the wonderful path He has taken us on.
When God revealed His adoption plan to us, we weren’t prepared for the timing of it. However, things have fallen into place in ways that I could never have dreamed. We soon realized that the fourth bedroom, which had just been converted into a game room, was now going to be our new child-to-be’s bedroom! Needless to say, that giant green chair was not going to be able to stay in that room.
So, Rob and I dragged that huge chair across the hall and into our bedroom. We tried to make a little reading nook, but the chair was just too big. We fiddled with it and worked and worked, but just couldn’t make it work.
So, last week, we heard about a precious friend who was moving into a new apartment and she needed furniture. The same friend who came last year to move the chair upstairs came and moved it back down. The next day our other friend — who originally moved the chair upstairs — came and gratefully took the chair. I was so happy to see it passed on.
God’s love is comfortable and amazing and goes with us wherever we go. It is meant to be shared. His love will always amaze and surprise us!
This week, I encourage you to spend some alone time with God. Ask Him to show you how to pass along His love and encouragement to others. Be encouraged and be blessed!
Have you ever called a friend, or messaged them, and they didn’t answer your call when you just KNEW that they were available? Have you ever been just flat-out ignored when you tried to get in touch with someone? How did it make you feel? It really makes you unhappy, doesn’t it? Have you ever done that to someone else? It’s just not a lot of fun, is it? Well, how do you think God feels when He calls on us and we don’t answer Him? When the One who made the world and everything in it calls on YOU, don’t you think you should answer?
Lots of people are called by God, but they decide, for one reason or another, to ignore the call. Sometimes, people feel very unworthy. They think, and sometimes say out loud, that God simply can’t use them because they are sinners. Guess what? We are ALL a bunch of sinners, and God knows that, but He loves us anyway. He never wastes a hurt or a bad situation. Often those hurts and bad situations are used by God to grow us and teach us and have us help others in His name!
Let’s take a good look at the some of the people in the Bible. Paul, when he was Saul, persecuted Christians and was an all-around nasty guy. Christians were scared to death of him. David was an adulterer and set his lover’s husband up to be killed and he tried to cover it up. Jonah ran away and tried to hide from God because he disagreed with Him. Moses had a bad temper and killed a man and was afraid to speak in public. And the list goes on and on and on. Yet, God in His mercy and wisdom, called all of these people and used them for His glory.
We are told in Revelation 3:20 (NIV), “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Isn’t that a beautiful picture of a loving God who desires to be with us. God loves each and every one of us. He is calling us to Him. He wants us to love Him and follow Him. He wants us to reach out to others in His name. He wants everyone to come to Him of their own free will, but He will not force Himself on any of us. God is a gentleman. He won’t go where He is not invited!
This week, I challenge you to get alone with God. Spend time reading the Bible and praying. Wait for God to tell you about your mission. Listen to see where He is leading you and what He wants you to do. Then, hang on tight, because you just might be called on an adventure that is much more wonderful than anything you could have ever dreamed of! Be encouraged and be blessed!
Have you ever lost a loved one? Chances are, you have. It hurts. It is so hard to let go when someone we love so very much just isn’t there anymore. We don’t really have a choice but to find a new kind of “normal” and keep going, but that doesn’t mean we like this change. When a person doesn’t know about Jesus Christ and what He did for us, it is difficult to have a lot of hope, for life to have meaning and make sense after suffering the loss of a loved one.
The really great news is that this life is NOT all there is! For those who know and love Jesus, we have the PROMISE of eternal life. Now that is something that should make us jump up and dance and sing, in praise and celebration.
If we only look around, this world is pretty sad and depressing. If we keep our eyes, heart, and mind fixed on Jesus Christ, we know that we will understand what is truly important.
Sin makes us feel guilty. Death feels so final. However, Jesus took care of sin AND death. We are forgiven through the blood of Jesus, if you only believe in Him, and ask Him to forgive you and be Your Savior, and then receive the free gift of eternal salvation.
If you have never asked Jesus Christ to be your Savior, please don’t put it off. Do it today, and you will be eternally grateful that you did! If you already know Jesus as your Savior, but feel like you have neglected your relationship with Him, please pray and talk to Him about it. He will gladly listen to you, anytime, anywhere.
My son, Noah, was learning some scripture for AWANA Club a few weeks ago. The more we read and studied these verses, the more it encouraged me. Revelation 21:4 (KJV) says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
If you have ever been hurt, or sick or lost someone you love, take heart. Jesus took the hit for you and for them and for each and every one of us. Jesus was thinking of YOU with LOVE while He was hanging on the cross.
Even if you had been the only person to ever walk the Earth, Jesus would still have gladly gone to the cross just for you. The fact that He died and then rose again means He defeated sin and death for each and every one of us.
This week, I encourage you to spend some quality time with Jesus. Read the Bible, and focus on the magnitude of what He did for you. Read the story of His arrest and crucifixion and I know it will bring tears to your eyes as you realize He was thinking of YOU with love as He hung there suffering. Know that Jesus defeated sin and death on your behalf. Be encouraged and be blessed. Happy Easter!
What was your first car like? Was it a dream machine? Did it purr like a kitten as you cruised down the road? Or, were you so ashamed of it you ducked down in the seat so that you could barely see over the steering wheel, in the hope that none of your peers would see you?
My first car was a large “hunk of junk” on wheels. It regularly broke down, and at the most inconvenient times! Once, while away at school, I had to go downtown for a class assignment. On my way back home, my car suddenly caught on fire. By the grace of God, I was able to pull over into an empty parking lot. A cop stopped and yelled at me for breaking down!
Now, I have a an old car that gets me from “Point A to Point B” and that’s just about it. My husband drives our nicer car. The important thing is that both cars are paid for and they get us where we need to go. I have learned over the years that you don’t need a fancy sports car to be happy. A car is just a thing, and that’s it.
Something else I have learned is that cars are a lot like people. They come in all different shapes, and sizes, and colors. And, some of the ones that look the prettiest on the outside have a lot of problems on the inside.
The other day, I took a good look at our nicer car, the one my hubby took over. Over the years, it has gotten some dents and dings in it, even though we have taken great care of it. Life just happens sometimes. The more I thought about it, the more those dents, and dings, and imperfections reminded me of my own life.
No matter how “careful” I am, in living my life, things happen. And, those dents and dings in life have helped make me who I am. They have challenged me and shaped my character. God has used the dents and dings to show me how much He loves me. He has shown me that He is with me, no matter what.
Another unexpected blessing from the dents and dings of life has been how God brings me to other people who have experienced similar dents and dings. We can lean on each other and encourage each other. That has been so incredible. No matter what you have gone through, God understands, and He will use the hurts to help you and help others. I have seen Him do this in ways I could never have dreamed. What a blessing that is!
This week, I encourage you to take a good look at your ride. Pay special attention to the dents and dings and imperfections. Compare that to your life. Ask God to help you with those dents and dings. Ask Him to show you how to help others with their dents and dings. Then, hang on tight because when you go to God with an open heart and open hands, you will be simply amazed by what He will do! Be encouraged and be blessed!
After months and months of planning, a flurry of activity, and probably some tearful moments, the big day finally arrives. As she slips on her dress, the bride stuns her attendants in a frothy confection she has most likely been dreaming about since she was a little girl. The groom stands a bit nervously in front of family and friends, a bit of perspiration dampening his brow, and wondering how his collar got so tight. Then the music starts and everyone is breathless as the bride glides down the aisle to meet her husband-to-be and suddenly, all of the stress falls away.
This weekend is a big one for me. One of my best friends, a wonderful woman named Lindsay, is getting married. And, my husband, Rob, and I are celebrating seventeen years of marriage! Oh, the joy and love of marriage!
If I could go back in time and tell bride-to-be Kristy one thing, it would be to always give my best effort to the marriage. Marriage is hard, hard work, but it is so worth it! If you don’t put your whole heart and soul into the marriage, you can’t be too surprised when you end up frustrated and feeling like something is lacking. You truly do get back what you put into it.
Once the honeymoon phase wears off, there will be a time when you look at your beloved and wonder, “What was I thinking?” That most unpleasant thought will most likely come after an argument over something trivial. At that exact moment you will realize that your beloved is in fact, not perfect. Guess what? YOU are not perfect, either. Sure, I get aggravated at my beloved Rob, but I know that I am not a peach to live with. In fact, I give him a lot of credit for putting up with me.
As Christians, we honor God with our relationships, including our marriage. God should be the number one love of our life, whether we are married or single. If you are thinking about getting married, look for someone who loves God passionately. It will make life so much sweeter in every way.
What a blessing it has been for me to see Rob grow in his love for God. It has deepened and strengthened our marriage. And when the storms of life come, as they always do, we have God to cling to. When we have a disagreement, we can go to the Bible to see how God tells us to handle the disagreement. We can argue with each other, but you just can’t argue with the word of God. Trust me, you will never win that one!
This week, I encourage you to praise God for your marriage. And, if you aren’t yet married and want to be, ask Him to help you find the mate He wants you to have. You never know, true love might be just around the corner. May you have a marriage that will make God smile. And, Lindsay, may every single day of your marriage be just as beautiful and blessed as your wedding day. Be encouraged and be blessed!
Have you ever had a cut, a scrape, or a burn? Have you ever had to tend to a loved one who had a cut, a scrape, or a burn? It is no fun, is it? Of course not. And, unfortunately, we all have those types of accidents from time-to-time. If you are clumsy like me, you may even have more than your share of mishaps.
I remember when our daughter, Bella, was born. As first-time parents, my husband, Rob, and I were like two little shaky Chihuahuas. Well, at least I was like a shaky Chihuahua. We really appreciated the advice of the doctor. One handy piece of advice she gave us was to stock up on Lansinoh. Up until then, I had never even heard of Lansinoh. It’s been touted as a “miracle” for new moms, but has also been highly recommended as something everyone should keep on hand in case of cuts or other minor mishaps.
Over the years, with two active kids, we have had our fair share of cuts and scrapes and even some minor burns. We love Lansinoh. It is an incredible product. It is all-natural and I am convinced it helped to prevent my kids from being left with scars after some accidents.
Bella took a pretty nasty fall about three weeks ago. She was turning around on our driveway, and somehow just fell off her bike. She landed on her face in her new glasses. Thankfully, she was wearing her helmet. After getting her bloody nose and arms cleaned, we slathered her in Lansinoh. By now, the kids know the drill. When the Lansinoh comes out, they hold still and let us put on as much as we think they need, depending on the size of the injured area.
That made me think about God. As much as I value and appreciate what Lansinoh does for us, it can’t even begin to compare to the all-encompassing healing power of our Creator. God can heal any hurt. He can repair any scar. He can turn anything bad in our lives to good.
When I look back on my life so far, I am breathless as I look at the “hurt places.” Those were often the times that God was at work the most in my life. He was working through those painful moments to refine me, and to bring me closer to Him and, often, He was helping others through what was happening to me.
This week, I encourage you to take your scars and pain to God. Spend some quiet time alone with God, praying and reading the Bible. Ask Him to heal you and take away anything and everything that is hurting you, even if it is from a long time ago. Then, leave it at the foot of the cross. Nothing is too big for God to handle. When you do this, you will see the true healing power of our mighty and loving God. Be encouraged and be blessed!
I haven’t posted anything on here in a long time. For one, I haven’t had too much free time and secondly, I have been pondering lots of things about my Christian walk. Am I hypocrite or just stumbling or something else?
A verse I meditated on and thought I was basing my life off of was 1 Cor 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” However, looking at how I live my daily life, it doesn’t mirror Christ. Of course I know I will never be perfect or even come close to the example of Him, but I could be pursuing that path more diligently. Regardless, I feel like I fall terribly short of what I could/should be doing.
For example, my language. I am a career military man in a roughneck profession, aircraft maintenance. We are a breed of people who are not afraid to speak our minds…good or bad. Most people in this career field use four letter words as adjectives and often. I sadly and often subscribe to this maintenance vernacular. Although, I somehow control myself at home and everywhere else, it is still an issue. I don’t think many of my colleagues would sit back and say, “there goes a Christian man.”
Now, I have zero doubt of who Christ is and what He did for my sins. I believe I have a good heart and genuinely care for others. I feel empathy at my core when I see others suffering. How is it that a man of faith can stumble so?
Looking at my peers who are also Christians and there are not very many who I can say live 1 Cor 11:1 but their beliefs are solid and they love God with all they are just like I do. What is it that we are missing? Am I alone in this search?
How do you feel about waiting? What do you think about standing in line? What about hanging out at your doctor’s office, sitting on the very edge of your seat each time the nurse opens the door to call the next patient? Most people absolutely despise waiting. Some people dislike it so much that it makes their blood pressure rise.
What about making all of that undesirable “wait time” worthwhile? And, while we are all at it, why not make it worthwhile for God? Well, how in the world can we do that? Why not keep a copy of the Bible with you to read? You can even download it right to your phone! Of course, some waiting situations aren’t the best for Bible reading, but some are just right.
You can also use wait time to pray. Next time you are stuck in the doctor’s office, take a subtle look around. There will be people around you who have minor aliments, and some who may have a life-threatening illness. No matter what is going on, we can all use prayer, and the more, the better. Use some of that waiting time to lift up the other people sitting around you. Ask God to show up and show off in their lives in such a real and profound way that everyone who knows them will have to understand that God is the One who took care of them! Just think, by doing this, you might be the only person who prays for them on that particular day!
You can also use your waiting time for making answered prayer lists. I love to do this. Do an inventory of your recent prayer requests and think about how God has answered you. He will answer you. Of course, He will do it in His way and in His time, but He will reply. He will never leave you hanging. When you actually see it written down, you will be comforted when you see all He has done for you.
Another thing you can do to make your wait time productive, is to see who around you needs some love. For example, if you are in line at the grocery store and your cashier looks frazzled, give them some kind words. Pray and ask God to direct you regarding what to say and how to say it. Or, perhaps a fellow customer is having a tough day. Your kind words might make all the difference for them. You never know, but sometimes YOU just might be the only bright spot in someone’s whole day. Now you wouldn’t want to miss being able to do that for someone, would you?
This week, I challenge you to look at waiting as a blessing. Use that time to do something worthwhile for God. Pray, reflect on His wonderful blessings in your life, ask Him to help those around you, and offer up some kind words to those around you. Read your Bible if you can. Whatever you do, make it count for God. Be encouraged and be blessed!
Birthdays. Everyone has one, even if you want to deny it. With every year that passes, we get a year older, and hopefully, a year wiser. The “wiser” part doesn’t always work out, but, as long as we are alive, we can keep plugging away at it.
Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every day, every year, is a gift from God. How we use that time is a way to worship and serve our wonderful Creator. Every day that we wake up we should ask God how He wants us to serve Him on that particular day.
A lot of people use their birthday as a time to go crazy. They say they “deserve” to cut loose and go wild after the year that have just survived. Others choose to reflect of the previous year, both the good and the bad. They look ahead to the future with excitement and look forward to seeing what will happen next?
What makes the difference in how people approach birthdays? It’s all in the attitude. It is a matter of the state of your heart. When your life is in balance with God, your whole perspective, your entire attitude will reflect that. When you are focused on yourself and what is “wrong” in your life, that will be clear to others.
As Christ followers, it is our blessing and our duty to understand that our lives belong to God. We are here to worship and serve Him for as long as He deems us to have breath in our bodies. The Bible tells us in Luke 12:7 (NIV), “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” We can learn from this verse that we are very important to God. He “keeps up with us” and we do matter to Him, even though the world may try to tell us something different.
I once heard someone say that when you are on your deathbed, you won’t take time to wish you had made more money or accumulated more stuff. That really felt profound on many levels. Life is all about relationships. Your relationship with God through Jesus Christ is more important than anything. It will affect everything else in your life. After that, your relationships with your family members and friends ranks very high. Those relationships are what will last and what will carry you through this life.
And, with every year that passes, hopefully, those relationships will grow deeper. With each birthday, those relationships in your life will take on an even deeper meaning.
I challenge you to look at your birthday with gusto. Even if you have had a tough year, it was a gift from God. Spend time with our wonderful Creator and praise Him for all that has happened to you in the last year, even the challenging times. Ask Him to help you learn lessons from the hard times and to use those lessons to help others. Then, wait to see what He will do. Be encouraged and be blessed!
