God is Love: Laura Thomas

Showing posts with label Laura Thomas. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas about food, the holiday rush and Jesus

The Main Course at Christmas
A devotional by Laura Thomas

December did it again. It snuck up on us lickety-split and reminded us of ALL THE THINGS we need to do to hold this season together. The baking, shopping, planning, mailing, decorating, wrapping, caroling, and all the other “ing’s” we can possibly cram into a month. Martha herself would be proud of our lists and our plans and our grand expectations. Or would she?

The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” ~Luke 10:41-42 (The Message)

This familiar sister story hits me between the eyes when the season of Advent rolls around. There’s Martha, the hostess-with-the-mostest, who is highly aggravated by her chilled-out sister, Mary, who seems to have all the time in the world to sit and listen to Jesus while the kettle boils and the potatoes need mashing. Most of us have both a little Martha and a little Mary in our make-up, but at Christmastime, the Martha-monster threatens to take over completely.

How messed up is that?

As we anticipate celebrating the birth of Christ, preparing our hearts can take a backseat to the frenzied festivities that vie for our attention. We primp and fuss and stress about the small stuff while “the main course” is left to go cold. That’s how The Message describes what other versions call “the good part, what is better, the good portion”, that is—Jesus time.

While Martha ran around like a headless chicken trying to make everything perfect for her Lord, Mary chose the perfect thing when she “sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.”~(Luke 10:39, The Message)

So how about us? This is a busy time of year, for sure. Suddenly company is coming, Christmas is coming, Jesus is coming…oh yes.

Oh yes. Jesus.

We need to let our inner Mary increase, and our outer Martha decrease.

Especially at Christmas.

These wise words uttered by John the Baptist regarding the Lord Jesus, should surely be the echo of our hearts this Christmastime…and always: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 (NIV) After all, what does our festive fretting and advent anxiety achieve? Certainly not joy, probably not peace.

Less of me, more of Him. Less of stress, more of love. It’s hard to pour out when you are running on empty, and isn’t this the season of giving? His love and ours? To Him and to others?

That consuming love of God, which Mary soaked in and devoured like air, “will not be taken away from her.” Not by the guilt trip from her sister, and not by any of the following (which happens to be rather a comprehensive list):

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

This beautiful love-gift, this Jesus who saves us, this gracious love of a Heavenly Father will not be ripped from us like wrapping paper strewn and discarded on Christmas morning. It is ours to be savored.

May Jesus be our good part, Jesus be our celebration, Jesus be the very center of our Christmas. Let’s focus on the “main course” and, like Mary, cherish every moment with Him.

~*~
Author Bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

~*~
Note to Blog Readers from Alexis: This is Laura's last devotional for my blog. Due to her busy schedule, she can no longer commit to writing a devotional each month and publishing it here. SO please leave a kind comment for Laura below, letting her know how much you loved reading her devotionals this year! :)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas on dolphins and God's Love for your life

Loved Into Life

A devotional by Laura Thomas

Playing with dolphins has never actually been on my bucket list, but when the opportunity presented itself in Jamaica, my family jumped at the chance. Quite honestly, I was somewhat petrified and even had nightmares leading up to the event. Yes, totally irrational nightmares—where a deranged dolphin dragged me to the depths of the ocean. I know, dolphins are just SO terrifying!

But when crunch time came, the experience was, in fact, magnificent. The dolphin, named Beta, felt as smooth as silk, was tremendously playful, and had absolutely no desire to drown me! We swam and danced together...I even kissed her.

Laura's son kissing a dolphin in the Jamaica blue waters

Our entertaining Jamaican “dolphin dude” regaled us with a plethora of facts about this gorgeous creature and one in particular stuck with me. He asked if any of us in the group were currently pregnant. I had a nasty flashback of morning sickness just thinking about it! He then went on to explain that a dolphin could actually detect pregnancy through the water, due to its powerful sonar abilities. How utterly amazing is that?

“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body…”
~Psalm 139:15-16 (NIV)

My mind was immediately drawn to Psalm 139. The Creator and Sustainer of life itself wove ME together in “the depths of the earth”. I am no accident and neither are you. We were perfectly formed by One who makes no mistakes.

If God created a dolphin that could sense new life, how much more does He Himself know when one is formed?

If there is ever any doubt of the significance of our existence on this crazy, spinning planet—we need only turn to Psalm 139. It’s hand down (or hands up) one of my favorite passages of Scripture, rich with words of love and affirmation.

It assures us that a baby does not merely begin at birth, furiously sucking in its first gulp of fresh air. God the Creator beautifully and miraculously knits his created little one together in the womb, precious to Him even then. When a baby is born, he is already loved by the Father. He is loved into life.

“Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.”
~Psalm 139:16 (The Message)

Let’s back up and read that again: “The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Each and every life is highly valued by the Creator of the Universe. We are loved and worthy, even on the days we don’t feel like it. Even on the days that the world tells us we are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, rich enough.

You know who is enough? Jesus. And we find our “enough” only in him. Just as we are part of God’s plan, so was Jesus—His sacrifice on the cross was the stunning masterpiece of the Father’s plan. It cost Him greatly, but He did it for us.

Surely, this should shake us and cause us to feel loved even more deeply by our Heavenly Father. Do you need reminding that you are His beloved child? That He made you in “the secret place”? I invite you to read Psalm 139 slowly and prayerfully as you drink in the miraculous beauty of His love for you.

Whenever I see a picture of a dolphin, I remember Beta in Jamaica, and I marvel at the intricacies of creation. I was fairly in awe that day when we swam with her, and some fabulous memories were made. But that experience pales in comparison to the fact that our lives are prepared in the secret place by One who loves us more than we can possibly imagine, and that we were quite literally loved into life!

~*~
Author Bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

She is truly multi-genre—with a published Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, children’s stories, devotionals for Union Gospel Press, musings on her blog, and she now has a literary agent representing her Christian romantic suspense novel.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas on the blessings of inconvenience

The Beauty of Thorns
A devotional by Laura Thomas

“The enemy would have us so blinded by the pain of the thorn that we can’t see the beauty of the rose garden.” ~Ruth Chou Simons

Have you ever picked a rose and been unexpectedly pricked by a whacking great thorn on the stem? I have. Multiple times. You’d think I would know better, but still, I go back to my rosebush enraptured by the beauty of the flower, only to be jolted by that painful little thorn again.

In the big scheme of things, having one’s finger punctured by a thorn is not exactly disastrous, but “thorns in our flesh” can take many forms. The Apostle Paul spoke of his particular thorn and there are many opinions as to whether it was anything from malaria to poor eyesight to epilepsy—regardless, it was a huge issue to Paul as he called it a “messenger of Satan”. Why did God allow him to endure this wretched inconvenience? Why does God allow us to have our own thorns marring the beautiful rose garden of our lives?

“My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”

~2 Corinthians 12:9a (The Message)

These thorns, these pesky pressures, pain, and problems that simply won’t go away, won’t budge they are so deeply embedded, these thorns are there for a reason. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially if it causes debilitating results or a stressful existence. For some, it’s a slight annoyance but for others it’s major, and I don’t want to belittle that. It’s HARD. And yet…

When life is peachy and everything is going perfectly without a hint of anxiety or grief, pain or distress, do we still come to God on our knees desperate for His touch? When every day is gloriously easy-breezy and finances and health are in tip-top condition, do we rely wholly on God for our daily bread and every breath? Surely, we are in danger of becoming totally self-sufficient and even a little self-absorbed.

Oh, how the tide turns when we are in thorny peril! Suddenly we find ourselves praying more, feverishly searching the Scriptures for a word of hope, reaching out to our Heavenly Father because we admit that we NEED Him.

Yes, I’m needy. Are you? It’s okay. Actually, that’s a good thing.

Because of our weaknesses, our thorns, we are able to acknowledge our need for Jesus. This need runs deep and it’s necessary for our growth in Him. It’s our weakness that grows our faith immeasurably because only His grace is enough.

That’s it. His grace at work in our lives. When everything is hunky-dory and plain-sailing, we go on our merry way perhaps with an occasional nod and wave in God’s direction. But that’s not growth or faith or hope or trust. When I lay everything, even my thorns at the feet of Jesus and cry out for help:

“I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”

~2 Corinthians 10:12b (The Message)

That’s why we have our thorny issues, it’s actually for our good and so that somehow in some way God can be glorified. I cringe when I say that because it may not feel particularly “good” at the time, but I’ve seen lives utterly transformed by thorns. And sometimes we forget that Jesus is an expert on pain. There is no thorn that he does not comprehend— He has complete empathy.

On the cross, wearing that mocking crown fashioned with the sharpest of thorns, he endured every pain and ever sorrow for us.

He knows pain, friend. And he offers grace to us, that we might find our strength in Him alone. We NEED Him. And by His grace, we are not blinded or distracted by the pain of the thorns— but rather, we look ahead and see the beauty of the rose garden of eternity that is to come.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Slumber and your wake-up call

Eyes Wide Open

A devotional written by Laura Thomas

“Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.” ~Acts 20:9 (NIV)

Can you imagine? First, falling asleep in a very public place. Secondly, literally tumbling backward through an open window. Thirdly, landing dead on the ground? Poor Eutychus. Just a young guy trying to catch some z’s.

The apostle Paul was in the midst of preaching a lengthy sermon (like hours upon hours), and we’re not told if Eutychus had been dragged to the service by his parents, or if he was there to eagerly glean some truth. But the fact is, he stayed awake as long as he could but by midnight enough was enough. And really who could blame him? (Note to self: Never sit in an open window when sleepy!)

Have you ever unintentionally fallen into that blissful state of slumber whilst in public? You try desperately to keep your eyes wide open, but your eyelids are like lead. Why is it so hard to stay awake sometimes? Especially in our Christian walk. Like when we try to pray or attempt to stay focused on the message being preached, or reach a place where our corporate worship is ablaze and genuine. When we are at home and have the best intentions to follow a Bible devotion plan, or journal our thoughts, or get through a challenging book. Why is it so much easier to take a nap?

Spiritual sleeping is a dangerous pastime, and we do it well. In the comfy western world, we Christians are in dire need of some shaking. It’s a scary thing to even write because we rather like our non-confrontational, peaceful, easy-going faith. But while our eyes are closed WE ARE MISSING OUT ON SO MUCH.

Matthew Henry’s commentary suggests we should do “what we can to prevent our being sleepy, not compose ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear to such a degree as may drive sleep far enough.”

“…get our hearts affected with the word…”

To be affected with the Word of God, we need to be physically and spiritually awake. Eyes wide open. There has to be a hunger, a drive, a desire to follow where God leads, to obey His command, to seek His face. The Bible isn’t an optional extra for our faith-walk—it isn’t a reference book to consult whenever the need arises. It’s our daily bread. Our sustenance. And when we are truly IN the Word, we won’t be caught napping on a windowsill.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” ~Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Our story with young Eutychus has a happy ending (as long as you are good with being remembered as the guy who fell asleep while Paul was preaching, back-flipped through a third-story window, and died). I’m sure there was a ruckus when the packed household of believers realized what had occurred, but Paul was on the case immediately. By God’s grace, a miracle was performed when Paul “fell on the dead body and embraced it” (verse 10), bringing the boy back to life. Don’t you just love it when God uses even the most unfortunate of events to bring glory to Himself? What a crazy miracle!

Friend, do you need a wake-up call? I know I do. Regularly. The Almighty doesn’t need me to be awake with eyes wide open in order for His perfect plan to evolve. He has the power and authority to do anything He pleases with whomever He chooses. But I want my heart to be affected with the Word and my eyes wide open to what God has in store. How about you?

~*~
Author Bio:

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Cliques, Real Love, and Mission Work

On the Playground

A devotional by Laura Thomas

“My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love.”
~1 John 3:18 (The Message)

Remember back in elementary school? There on the playground, a select group of cool girls huddled together with the giant skip rope and played the best games together. They giggled and admired each other’s outfits and gave snobby looks to those on the periphery; the wallflowers. It was our initiation into the world of cliques.

As adults, it’s no prettier. We have cliques galore, just in bigger playgrounds. We gather at events, we shop at the appropriate stores, we drink specific coffee, and we live in similar neighborhoods. The “wallflowers”, those who don’t quite fit in for whatever reason, are left out again. And in our maturity, instead of giving snobby looks, we pretend not to notice.

As Christians, are we any different? Do we intentionally go looking for the “outsiders” or are we content to pander to our own kind exclusively? Are we opening our arms in readiness to accept the hurting or are we burying our heads in spiritual sand? Preaching to myself right here.

Jesus made it perfectly clear that we are not to stay comfy in our Christian cliques, but to be constantly looking to share His love and the Gospel with others, with “outsiders”. After hanging out with unsavory types, Jesus was criticized for mixing with “sinners".

“Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” ~Matthew 9:12-13 (The Message)

Pretty plain, isn’t it? Whether that means reaching out to the needy in our community or befriending the lonely mom across the street or singing in the local seniors’ home— we are called to welcome outsiders. To live with God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) in mind. To be looking for opportunities to tell of His love for all. To be willing to go out of our comfort zones for Jesus!

Perhaps we fear that if we open our hands to God in obedience, He might immediately send us to be a missionary in a foreign land forever… and that is glorious when it happens, but honestly—it’s pretty rare! Surely what He desires is a willing heart—to be ready to be used by Him and for His glory, whatever that may look like.

This is just a tiny (rather insignificant) example, but last week, I was pondering how I enjoy baking for people. Yes, baking. I would like to say I love to see others well nourished, but truth be told, I love to see their eyes light up and taste buds tingle with delicious treats like cookies and cupcakes and brownies. The special “in moderation” stuff, generally involving chocolate. I joke that baking is my love language. It’s probably not a joke.

And then this same week, I was asked if I would be able to bake for two separate groups of people in my community. It was as if God was giving me a wink and saying, “It’s your thing, have at it. It’s for My glory.” And the best part about it is that God can use me in this tiny, weeny way to bless others, those “outside” my usual sphere, those who need to feel loved and special. Yes, I can bake for my family and friends anytime and it’s all good, but sometimes God cracks the door just a little and offers us ways to bless others.

We don’t have to go abroad to be a missionary.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” ~1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Sometimes He merely desires us to use our gifts and talents to share His love tangibly right where we are. And sometimes He does call us to the mission field! God can be glorified in our kitchen and in remote villages. With our neighbors and in foreign countries. Either way, we have a precious gift to share and His light to shine, and only one lifetime in which to do it. Let’s practice real love and let’s welcome EVERYONE onto the playground.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: How to Cure Your Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis
A devotional written by Laura Thomas

Have you ever had an identity crisis? That moment when you wonder who you are, for real? You feel like an imposter mom or a pretend student, a faux salesperson or a wannabe writer. You look at your family and friends who have it all together, and you begin to second guess your place in life. Where do you fit? Where do you belong? Who actually loves you?

Friend, stop for a second and consider this— you are a child of God. No matter how old you are, where you live, what you do, what you’ve done… as a believer, you are part of God’s family. His beloved child. Kid of the King. Daughter of the Masterful Creator. Doesn’t it leave you feeling just a little awestruck?

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” ~John 1:12 (NIV)

Through Christ, we become part of God’s family. If we can dig into this truth, we can accept and rest in our identity with confidence and joy. Because let’s be real here, this is AMAZING!

To those of us who are parents, one of the many beautiful things about having a child is that we get a micro-peek at how God sees us. My three kids are all grown (my baby graduates high school tomorrow—be still my beating heart!), but that doesn’t mean they don’t need me anymore or that I love them any less. Likewise, we will always need our Heavenly Father, even when we think we have everything figured out, and He will indeed love us for all eternity.

As a mom, when my heart is filled to overflowing with delight, pride, and gratitude over my child’s accomplishments, God knows how that feels. When I quietly observe my child, trying not to interfere, and allow him to make mistakes in order to grow and learn—God knows how that feels. When I’m heartbroken over my child’s pain and cry over his sorrow—God knows how that feels.

The love we have for our own children is fierce, unconditional, protective, and true. It began the moment we discovered their tiny heartbeats and will continue until we take our very last breath. But that is NOTHING compared to the love God has for His children! For my own children. For your children. For you and I.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” ~1 John 3:1a (NIV)

God calls us “joint heirs” with His Son. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ…let that sink in for a minute. Our inheritance is more than our feeble, finite minds can comprehend, yet we can rest in the fact that the Creator of the Universe has the very best future planned for us as His children, for all eternity.

“God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance!” ~Romans 8:16-17 (The Message)

Have you ever had an identity crisis? Know that as God’s child, we find our identity in Christ. In His work on the cross, giving us access to the Father. We can be confident, assured, and certain that we are part of His family, sealed for eternity—and that nothing and no one can ever take that away.

~*~
Author Bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

She is truly multi-genre—with a published Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, children’s stories, devotionals for Union Gospel Press, musings on her blog, and she now has a literary agent representing her Christian romantic suspense novel.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Queen Esther and An Invitation

Invited
A devotional written by Laura Thomas

When Queen Esther made the decision to come before the King uninvited, she literally risked her life. As dramatic as it sounds, it was a reality, and one she did not take lightly.

“…any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives….” ~Esther 4:11 (NIV)

Esther knew she had to be in the right headspace and heart space to go through with the ordeal, culminating in either an audience with her royal husband or meeting her Maker. She carried the heavy burden of knowing the Jewish race was about to be slaughtered, annihilated, wiped off the face of the earth, and there was a chance that she could make a difference. She could save the lives of a nation.

On hearing about the dire situation facing her people, Esther informed her dear cousin Mordecai to instruct the Jews in the area to fast for three days. She would do likewise with her maids—no food or drink for three full days.

When it was time for her to go before the King, she dressed to the nines in her royal robes, even though she must have felt horribly weak physically, and she presented herself, uninvited, in the royal court. I can only imagine how beautiful that gold scepter must have appeared when the King extended it her way and invited her in.

At this point, I’m pretty sure I would have exhaled in sheer relief and simply blurted out the whole story of wicked Haman plotting to wipe out the Jews. Get it over with. But Esther procrastinated her plea to the King—she asked if he and Haman might join her for a banquet. Cool, calm, and confident Esther. She followed God’s guidance in complete obedience, and knew she had to be cautious even in her courage.

There’s more—at the banquet, clearly the King was in an awesome mood because he offered her up to half the kingdom! This would have been the time to spill the beans on Haman’s plan. Yet Esther requested that they come to another banquet the following day, where she would make her plea known. Intrigued by her beauty and wit, the King agreed. As a fly on the palace wall, I would have been a nervous wreck watching this transpire—the King could easily have become frustrated and enraged. Esther was not yet safe.

But she trusted.

Esther spent three intense days fasting and drawing close to the Father’s heart, seeking His will and guidance in this horrific situation. She knew she was unable to face her husband and tell him of Haman’s schemes in her own strength or her own timing. There was too much at stake to risk being ignorant or arrogant. She sought after God and He heard her.

How blessed we are today as God’s children to come before The King of Kings with confidence and boldness! We don’t have to wait and guess the mood of our King, whether He will want to accept us and hear us. Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, we are invited.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”~ Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

Esther’s plan worked out perfectly in the end—she bided her time and petitioned the King at just the right moment with just the right words. God used her and spoke through her in a mighty way. As a result of Esther’s obedience and longing to do God’s will, evil Haman was hanged and the Jews were saved.

Does it make you wonder what God might do through us when we seek after Him wholeheartedly, spend time listening for His voice, and then act in obedience like lovely Esther? We are invited to approach His throne today to “find grace to help us in our time of need.” And that, my friend, is the most prestigious invitation imaginable!

~*~
Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

She is truly multi-genre—with a published Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, children’s stories, devotionals for Union Gospel Press, musings on her blog, and she now has a literary agent representing her Christian romantic suspense novel.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!
~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Running the Race that God Marked Out for You

Spiritual Fat
A devotional written by Laura Thomas

How do you feel about running? We tend to fall into one of two camps: the enthusiastic, marathon-goal, effortless gazelles, or the eye-rolling, couch-preferring, pretty-much-exhausted plodders. Personally, I think I’m somewhere in the middle, I love the IDEA of running. Unfortunately, my body is not always agreeable.

Running an actual race is a whole other thing. That gets most of us skittish. Yet here we are, each one of us running the “race marked out for us”, the race of our lives. Some shuffle, some struggle, some bound with effortless energy toward the goal. Those “effortless energy” types have one thing in common—they are all in really good shape. They shed the pounds and got rid of any hindrances.

“Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”~Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

The previous chapter in Hebrews lists the greats of the Old Testament—such ancients as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. They are our “great cloud of witnesses” recorded to encourage us. None of them lived perfect lives on easy street. In fact, they were all presented with seemingly insurmountable hurdles throughout their races. But they chose to dig in, shed the “pounds” of sin that might slow them in their endeavor to follow God, and they persevered in spite of all the odds.

What is it that weighs us down in our pursuit of living a Christ-filled life? It’s so easy to be drowned by worry, enslaved by fear, consumed by work, distracted by the sparkly things in life, or simply disillusioned. When we carry these extra pounds of sin—and that could be absolutely anything that takes our focus from the Lord—the race is decidedly harder. It’s like running through bog mud in the pouring rain. The journey is miserable, the blessings to others and ourselves are dampened, and we are tangled miserably in our hindrances.

“Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.”

~Hebrews 12:1b-2 (The Message)

We need to slim down by shedding our spiritual fat!

Just as a focused runner prepares for a marathon by losing the extra weight to run lean and keen, so we need to “throw off’ the excess baggage weighing us down. Not flippantly disregarding our sin, but rather laying it down before the One who bears our every burden. Sometimes it can be a painful process, but once that metaphorical Band-Aid is stripped off, we heal and move much more easily. And then we can joyfully and energetically run the “race marked out for us”.

David, one of the Old Testament late greats, cried out, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”~Psalm 54:4 (NIV)

We aren’t in this race alone. God so desires for us to live joy-filled, Christ-glorifying lives, and He WILL sustain our every step. The faltering foot, the confident stride, the desperate dash, the persistent plod, the weakest limp… He will never leave us to run alone. Never.

It’s healthy to reflect once in a while on how our walk/run is progressing and to keep a check on what’s weighing us down. All of us have some spiritual slimming to do in order to run effectively; it’s an on-going process, isn’t it?

Surely, we should want the race to be more like an energizing sprint on a perfectly sunny day with the end in sight, pulse racing, a feeling of joy and contentment in our every step. We all know there will be hurdles and pitfalls en route, but with God as our Sustainer, we can strive to strip off our sin, shed the spiritual fat, focus on Him, and “run the race with perseverance” all the way to the finish line.

Transforming hindering pounds to limitless bounds and spiritual fat to fit!

~*~
Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate.
~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Laura_Thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: The Easter Sheep

The Easter Sheep
A devotional by Laura Thomas

Picture a garden. A cave. A large stone. And a woman crying—weeping uncontrollably, actually—for she had lost someone very special. Someone she would never forget.

Mary Magdalene had encountered Jesus many moons prior, back when he delivered her from demons—that’s something you don’t forget in a hurry—and she promptly became one of His devoted followers. She had been there at the cross where He was murdered, and now her heart was breaking at the empty tomb. Jesus’ body had been taken, and it was the last straw for her fragile nerves.

She was so caught up in her grief, her eyes so blurred by tears, her heart so crushed, that she failed to recognize Jesus outside the tomb.

“At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

~ John 20:14-15 (NIV)

She thought he was the gardener.

Her Savior was gone and she was devastated…until Jesus made Himself known to her.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’”

~John 20:16a (NIV)

He called her by name.

In John chapter 10, Jesus talks of Himself as being the Good Shepherd, One who would lay down His life for His sheep. The sheep would be us, you guys. Granted, not the smartest of creatures; they tend to wander off and get lost, and are in need of constant guidance. But they are also highly treasured by their shepherd. Loved. Protected. Cared for. Verse 3 (in John chapter 10) says, “He calls his own sheep by name”… just as Jesus called Mary by name. And He calls me by name. And He calls you by name.

At His resurrection, Jesus could have appeared to whomever He wanted—crowds, leaders, cities…but He chose to appear to one of His sheep first. It was personal and so typically Jesus in its simple beauty.

And Mary’s joy was complete! Can you imagine? As soon as Jesus spoke her name, she was safe again. Her Good Shepherd hadn’t deserted her in any way—He was fully there, calling her name, and she no longer grieved. She may not have fully comprehended the theological ramifications of the resurrection, but Her Lord was alive and that was enough! Is that enough for us?

This regular woman with a tainted past was given the honor of being the very first person to herald the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the world! That’s quite something, isn’t it? We have also been given the same message to proclaim to the world—that’s quite something, too!

It’s timeless and true. A message of redemption and restoration.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” ~Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

As we ponder the path leading up to Easter, remember how personal the message of salvation is. Jesus died for us as individuals. He conquered death so that each of us might have eternal life. He did it for you. He did it for me. And He calls us by name, just as He called to Mary.

He really loves His sheep. I pray that we won’t be too busy or distracted wandering in other pastures to hear the Good Shepherd’s voice this Easter.

~*~

Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Laura_Thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Hannah's story, a lesson on prayer

Anguish and Adoration
A devotional written by Laura Thomas

“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.”

~1 Samuel 1:10 (NIV)

Hannah believed, even in her pain. She trusted that God held her future in the palm of His mighty hand. Even when her baby dreams were dashed as time marched on to the rhythm of her biological clock ticking, she came to the Lord in prayer. Even in her monthly disappointment, which stretched on year after year—she prayed.

Infertility in Bible times was a cultural nightmare. Children were considered a blessing and a joy, not to mention a comfort and security for old age, and society looked down upon barren women with complete disdain. As if the pain of infertility were not heartbreaking enough...

Hannah prayed for a child incessantly and passionately, regularly and with total abandon. It was to the point where even Eli the Priest thought she was inebriated as she wordlessly mouthed her supplications to the Father! She had to explain how utterly desperate her prayers were: “…I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.”~1 Samuel 1:15b (NIV)

Makes me consider my own prayer life. And cringe slightly. How often do I pour out my soul to the Lord? Know what I mean?

Do we treat our communication with God as a priority over all other communication—email, texting, social media, blogs? If God had an Instagram account, would He hear from us more often? Yikes. Oh, there’s a place for all these things, and for many of us it’s a part of our work, but surely not at the expense of our relationship with the Lord.

Personally, I know that I can’t expect to have words of encouragement and inspiration for others when I’m not in regular communication with God. And that bleeds over into every relationship with coworkers, family, friends, neighbors, etc. It’s very difficult to bring life-giving glory to God when we are spiritually dry and parched and barren.

“Then Hannah prayed and said: 'My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.'”~1 Samuel 2:1-2 (NIV)

Hannah’s prayers were answered—she was granted a baby, and her cries of anguish finally turned to cheers of adoration. I’m pretty sure if this was my story, I would have been ridiculously grateful, but then ridiculously possessive of said child. The years of waiting would have been excruciating and I would hole myself away with my baby and enjoy him. But not Hannah!

She gave this child back to the Lord, not just in her heartfelt prayers, but literally she took him back to the temple once he was weaned, to live a life in service to God. She made him cute little robes to wear and visited him each year. Doubtless, she was in constant communication with God even then, and found her comfort and joy in Him. And God, being gracious and rich in love, blessed this sweet woman with three more sons and two daughters.

I love the account of Hannah, the persevering prayer warrior who never gave up hope. We have much to learn from her, don’t we? I think that even if she had not been blessed with a child, she would have continued to commune with her Heavenly Father on a regular basis—it was part of her very being. It was as natural and as essential as the air she breathed. God was her everything.

“…there is no one besides you…” ~1 Samuel 2:2 (NIV)

Will you come to the Father just as Hannah did, full of faith and full of hope, in anguish and in adoration?

~*~

Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Devotional by Laura Thomas: Worldly Wealth vs. Heavenly Treasures

Stockpiling All The Shiny Things
A devotional by Laura Thomas

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…”. ~Matthew 6:19a (NIV)

We are so easily distracted, so easily led when it comes to the shiny things in life (please say it’s not just me!) We “Ooo” and “Ahh” over the stunning house, fun vacations, cool cars, and designer wardrobes—none of which are evil in and of themselves…in fact, God can use our wealth and generosity in blessing others, for sure. But that requires willing hearts and open hands. It gets dangerous when the treasures become our all in all.

When Jesus’ ministry begins and he starts teaching the people, everything becomes a heart issue. He makes it crystal clear that when it comes to money, it’s not the money itself that is the root of the problem; it’s the LOVE of money. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)." It’s a pretty direct warning!

The accumulation of “stuff”, the treasures of life, can be like a big, black hole, and once we allow the consuming motivation for money to make our decisions for us, we are forced into pushing Jesus into the tiny remaining corner of our hearts.

It’s only when we come across verses like 1 Timothy 6:10 that we take stock and gain a little perspective on the matter. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? The things that are most important to us—we dream about, talk about, work for, spend time with—these things are going to occupy our hearts. Everything else will be less important, including our relationship with God.

Jesus, who loves us more than we can ever fathom, wants the very best for us—that’s why He gives us all this amazing teaching in His Word. It’s like a flashing red light warning us, “DANGER! THE SHINY THINGS ARE FILLING YOUR HEART!” And Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts because everything we do flows from it. That’s huge!

Honestly, is my heart more concerned with stockpiling all the shiny things (and that can be a myriad of options from diplomas and degrees, to stocks and shares to cars and clothes and beyond) or am I concerning myself with the riches of heaven? Does the prospect of being in the eternal presence of God supersede me living in the best house on the block? If I have hindsight when I reach glory, will I give my own face a slap as I look back and regret the lost opportunities of putting Christ first, being generous, giving cheerfully, thinking of others more, and less of me and my shiny things.

When I think of what treasure really matters to me today and whom I should be serving with my whole heart (not just a tiny corner)—I know deep down what I want and whom I need. Only when I immerse myself in the Bible, guard my heart, and keep an eternal perspective can I walk in obedience and not be obsessed with the treasures here and now.

As The Message (a version of The Holy Bible) so bluntly puts it in Matthew 6:21, “It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.”

Forget all the shiny things. Give me Jesus.

~*~
Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family…and chocolate!

~*~

Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/?ref=hl
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura_thomas_
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Devotional: "Get Going!" by Laura Thomas, author and encourager

“Get Going!”

A devotional by Laura Thomas

“The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” ~Exodus 4:11 (NIV)

Here we are at the beginning of another year—fresh ideas, clean slate, goals set, action plan at the ready, all optimistic and raring to go! Or not…

Are you starting 2017 with a stammer? Beginning the year with “but” and “can’t” and “how on earth am I going to achieve anything?” For most of us, we have our fears and doubts when it comes to thinking ahead—whether it’s for work, relationships, ministry, home, or studies. We fret about failing and worry about what others will think. But we are in good company—Moses had similar issues back in the day.

Public speaking was Moses’ worst nightmare—perhaps you can relate? His palms got clammy just thinking about it. He stuttered and stammered at the best of times, and yet God wanted him to go and speak with Pharaoh, the most powerful man in Egypt. God even performed miracles right in front of Moses’ face, and Moses still had a truckload of excuses why he wasn’t the man for the job.

Honestly, when I read that Moses saw a stick become a snake and then a stick again, followed by his own hand turning leprous and then miraculously being healed before his very eyes, I wonder what was wrong with the man! Surely he could see that God is mighty and capable of anything—including helping Moses with a speech or two.

And then I look in the mirror and realize that I am a Moses! I experience God’s goodness and have seen the miraculous occur in my own life (maybe not of the snake variety, but my own mini-miracles just the same) and still I doubt that I am able to do what God is asking of me. I am forgetting who God is, just like Moses did. Do you ever suffer from “not enough” syndrome?

How often we are faced with something God desires for us to do, and we simply don’t feel up to it. “I’m not brave enough, strong enough, a good enough leader, singer, writer, wife, mother, student, or friend. I don’t have enough qualifications, life experience, patience, money, or like Moses, speaking abilities.”

We may feel we don’t have enough, but how wrong we are! WE HAVE GOD—Creator, Alpha and Omega, Eternal King…isn’t that enough for us? Do we truly believe that the One who made our mouths can give us the right words to say? That the One who formed our bodies can give us the energy we need to go where He sends us?

If we are open to God, He will bring us challenges galore, as we are part of His plan. Let’s not waste time debating with Him! Remember whom it is we serve—the all-powerful God of Heaven and Earth who is the Lover of our souls. Let’s draw our strength from Him, and step out in faith and obedience.

The Message version of the Bible puts verse 12 (of Exodus 4) like this: “So, get going. I’ll be right there with you—with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.”

God is right there with us, too. We are enough because He is enough. All we need to do at the start of this New Year is to “get going”.

Ready?

~*~
Author bio:

Laura is a published Christian author with a heart for inspiring and encouraging readers of all ages.

Laura is English and Canadian, married to her high school sweetheart, mom of three, passionate about faith and family, and chocolate!
~*~
Connect with Laura:
Website - www.laurathomasauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Thomas-183771121724664/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Laura_Thomas_/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lauracthomas/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/lauracthomas/

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Introducing Laura Thomas, devotional writer with food for thought

Let's welcome Laura Thomas to the blog! She's an author, wife, mother and all around awesome person! Laura's agreed to share a devotional that she wrote for every first Wednesday of the month starting this Jan. 4, 2017.

I'm going to let Laura introduce herself to you, in her own words. After you read her introduction post, please leave a welcome message for Laura in the comment section toward the end of this blog post.

God bless you! :)

Now, here's Laura...

I am rather a late bloomer in the world of writing. Growing up in England, I was a total bookworm as a child, and had a secret dream of being an author one day—a secret I kept under wraps for about 25 years! My husband finally unearthed my writing dream over coffee one day, and encouraged me to pursue my passion. What? I was homeschooling my kids at the time, worship director at church, and had zero room for anything else—but I felt a stirring in my heart, and eventually completed a couple of correspondence courses with the Institute of Children’s Literature, which set me on the path to being a “real” writer!

It didn’t take me long to discover my love for writing in many genres—I honestly thought I would be a children’s author initially, and had many stories and articles published in children’s magazines. I always had a strong desire to put good morals and Biblical principals into my work, and was thrilled when Dancing With Bear Publishing published my Christian teen fiction trilogy: Tears to Dancing, Tears of a Princess and Tears, Fears, and Fame. They were closely followed by my middle grade fiction book, The Candle Maker, set in Victorian England.

So what about the grown-ups? I’ve been blogging since 2012, and thoroughly enjoy writing my thoughts and sharing my faith with my readers. In 2014, my daughter got married, and Pearls for the Bride was published—a book for brides-to-be and newlyweds from a mother’s perspective. It was such a joy to dig into the Word and draw from my own marriage to offer some “pearls of wisdom”, along with a good dose of humor (a necessity in any marriage). This past summer, I wrote Diamond Devos 31—a FREE e-book devotional featuring 31 days in Proverbs 31 as a source of encouragement to my sisters of all ages. I hope you’ll check it out on my website! Did I mention it’s free?

Writing devotionals is a passion and a privilege to me. As well as writing for my own blog and several Christian magazines and websites, I’ve been honored to write almost 60 devotionals for Union Gospel Press for children, teens, and adults. For me it’s a win-win because I get to share what God has laid on my heart from His Word, which hopefully encourages and inspires the reader, while preaching to myself.

I have much to learn, and being teachable is key, especially as a devo writer. I have been journaling my own daily quiet times with the Lord for several years (mainly because I have a horrible memory so have write it down), and this has become a beautiful source of inspiration for me. When Alexis asked me to write here once-a-month for her monthly devotional slot, I was more than happy to agree. I hope you’ll join us here on the first Wednesday of each month, and I pray that the “food” for thought (my devotionals) will be nourishment for your soul.

Blessings and joy,

Laura