Devotionals for the Heart: How to use the gifts God gives you wisely

What Are We Waiting For?
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.”

—Matthew 25:15 (NLT)

Having just spent time on an unintended longer layover, time was on my mind.

What should have been about a two-hour jaunt, quickly turned into a six-hour plus time in the lovely Denver airport, Concourse C. Everything went well as we arrived at the gate, having procured our snacks and water for the wait. However, we began noticing wild updates for our upcoming flight with rapid-fire changes to our departure time. Great. Now, we had time on our hands when what we really wanted was to be at our destination with our family.

We toured our concourse and discovered an outdoor area where firepits welcomed weary travelers, a little dog run, and a view of the runway, planes and even the smell of jet fuel. This eased our minds knowing we had a place to escape the four walls of the airport.

But what to do with the unknown amount of time? Be like everyone else and stare at a phone, not conversing with a neighbor, family member, or stranger? No. A thousand times no. We are meant to engage in other’s lives, not a phone.

It was then the airline announcer made life enjoyable. She began giving us trivia about the airline we were traveling on. Now I know things I did not know and can dazzle others with the tidbits. However, it was the thought of what we could/should be doing with our unexpected time. No longer were we to be a certain place, with a certain agenda. In a sense, it was stolen time. What should we do with all of this unexpected time? Squander it? Use it? Waste it?

In the parable Jesus Christ shared in Matthew 25, He was emphasizing what He wants believers to be doing while we wait for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled. We are to be ready and to labor for God’s Kingdom and to serve Him (the King).

The master in the parable passes out talents (bags of money) to three different people: one got one bag, another got two, and still another got five. The size of each bag varied because each of his servants were given the talents in proportion to ability. We are not told what the abilities were, nor who has more abilities. It is here we can go off track and look at the unfairness of the situation, instead of looking at what needs to be done with the bag of money given to each person.

I’m sure you are thinking of your own abilities now or of the woman down the street, in the next pew, or in your office. She has it all together. Surely, she will be given more money. Or the man at the top of the corporate ladder, the dad with the perfect children or the plumber with a thriving business. He too, will be given more than you, or so you may think.

But who is to say this? No one. Only the Master (Jesus) knows this information. We are on a needed-to-know basis. Period. What do we need to know? Well, for starters, we need to look in our money bag and see how much is in there. Whether it’s one, two or five talents, we have been entrusted with money from the Lord with carte blanch on how to use it.

We are not given details on how to use it, when to use it, where to use it or with whom to use it. Rather, we are given the freedom to be creative, resourceful and thoughtful with the means to labor for the King (God). We should not look at what others are given but what we are given then get busy using our talents for God.

I can lose focus and valuable time when I am being distracted by the competition. When I give myself wholeheartedly to the task at hand, I can labor and make a difference. I can be faithful with my bag and have a return ready for my Master.

Let’s return to my story about the extra, unexpected time I spent at the airport in Denver (Colorado). With all that time in the concourse, we had a choice. Grumble and complain or make the most of the opportunity. Use it for God’s Kingdom or for self. We enjoyed talking with others who were in the same boat as us. We got to spend some time with folks we wouldn’t normally talk with. We don’t even know their names, but we knew their story.

Did we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with these people? No. Did we share love? Yes. Understanding? Yes. Compassion? Yes. Sometimes we over-complicate things and forget the simple—just be, love, enjoy. As we find ourselves with unexpected time on our hands, let us use it for the King. Little moments add up to big ones which make a difference in one life or in many.

Let’s Pray: Father God, my desire is to please You by using the talent or talents You have given to me. Help me to stop spending unnecessary time on myself and serving my personal interests. Help me to stop being distracted by the time wasters lurking around every corner. Teach me how to use all my talents for advancing your Kingdom. Thank You that You created me for a purpose, and You have given me the abilities to serve You in every moment, every hour, every season. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Time That is Left” by Mark Schultz. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “What Are We Waiting for?” by for KING + COUNTRY. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Little is Much” by Downhere. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Kerry Sue’s life is very full because she is a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson. 

Kerry Sue met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family.

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 24 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for four years, and a devotional writer for more than two years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own ongoing journey of more than four years, with the hope to encourage others.

~*~
Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sovereignblog

Devotionals for the Heart: Wisdom

Lord, Give me Wisdom!
A devotional by Patricia Russell

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life,

so that we may grow in wisdom.”

–Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

Time goes very fast. I know this all too well. When I look at my son who towers over me at 6’2” tall, I can’t help but remember him as a baby. Wow! When I think that one year ago this month North America was shaken at the core by the invasion of a virus that hit us hard, the passage of time and all that has happened leaves me thoughtful.

We have cried and grieved. Yet, God continues to watch and listen as we manage the changes and adjustments during this time. Time has caused us to reevaluate how we spend it. During this season where “stay at home” orders are in place, many have learned to develop a new skill, write the business plan we have been thinking about for years. We have done some deep thinking about our relationships: Calling, emailing, and having conversations with people that have been put on hold for months or years.

The Psalmist gives us a peek into his soul as he calls us to consider who God is and his character over the years. He opens in verse one of Psalm 90 (NLT) by stating emphatically:

“Lord, through all the generations

you have been our home!”

He says “you have been our home!” Home for many of us is a warm, safe place where you can be yourself and thrive. This is not so for others. Yet the palmist reminds us that God has been for all of us, our safe place through all generations. A generation is 40 years, so he acknowledges God as being our home for not one, or even two but through all generations. Think on this for a minute.

Do you see this? God’s very existence tells me I am safe in this world. With twists and turns, through sunshine and rain, God is, and has been our home.

He goes on to say in Psalm 90:2 (NLT):

“Before the mountains were born,

before you gave birth to the earth and the world,

from beginning to end, you are God.”

Read it again. Visualize the world as nothing. I know that’s a big leap for us because the closest we get to imagining nothing may be the houses that were built in an area where we passed for years that once stood empty property. Can you remember what life was like before you knew anything about the Lord? Can you remember what life was like before knowing Him? Maybe you are going through a very hard time right now and you have more questions than faith. Moses is noted as the writer of this particular psalm, and he wants us to remember something in verse one: God is God. Before creation He was God. Before your struggle, God saw what was going to happen. Remember, He has been with us “through all generations”.

We will all experience some pain and trouble. The writer notes we been given a number of days to live and so his prayer is that we seek God on how to use our days wisely. Time does not determine how God operates because time does not control Him. Yet we need the knowledge of how to use the time that He has given us.

We note that by March 2021, it will be one-year since the world has continued to wear masks, check temperatures and stand six feet apart in public places. This does not cause God anxiety or stress. He knows how much I miss going into the seniors home to sing and encourage these precious people. He hears our cry “How long Lord?” But He is not overwhelmed by this and neither should we be. Remember, we are “at home”, in Him.

We are safe because God directs our days.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you for reminding us that we are safe in you. You are aware of everything that is happening to us. Help us to rest in you and continue to remind ourselves and others of this fact. From generation to generation, you are God. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patricia Russell is a speaker, worship leader, author, certified life coach and songwriter.  

Her gifts have been shared internationally with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through words and songs. She has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers. Over her 30 years in ministry, she has been a featured artist in musical cantatas locally and the United States of America.

Patricia had the honour of leading worship at the kick-off event for the 2006 the “Just Give Me Jesus” Toronto Revival with Anne Graham Lotz who is the eldest daughter of Billy Graham, a well-known American evangelist.

Patricia serves in ministry along with her husband Rev. Wayne Russell. Together, they have served as guest hosts on a local early morning call in program called “Nite Lite Live” that formerly aired on the CTS Television Network. They have two adult children Raquel and Benjamin.

Patricia has recorded two CD’s: “Lord I Trust You” and a live recording “Draw Me Nearer.” She is also an author. Her first book is titled Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement. It is meant to further encourage and share life lessons as a result of her cancer journey. She is a co-author of a #1 bestseller book titled Crushed Diamonds Still Sparkle, and she has compiled the recent #1 bestseller book titled Stronger Resilience.

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Connect with Patricia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrussellsings/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/patrussellsings
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrussellonline/
Email: patrussellsings@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Reset

A New Beginning
A devotional by Glynis Becker

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” –Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)

We are creatures of time. We need cycles, seasons, and delineations of days and years on a calendar. We need these things because God created us to need them. The moving forward of time, and the changing from one year to another, however arbitrary, gives us a chance for a reset.

We all need a reset. Over and over we need a chance to see our lives as a fresh start, whether that just means getting a good night’s sleep to feel ready to go in the morning, or a season of quiet before a new activity begins. We need cycles. The new year brings us a chance to start a new habit or get rid of an old one. We see it as a chance to get into shape or lose a few pounds. I’m using this year to read the Bible through, something I haven’t done for several years. It will be a chance for me to see God’s story in a fresh way.

As most one-year Bible plans do, my first readings have been the story of creation that starts in Genesis 1:1-5 (NLT). Read these verses with me:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. 

These verses remind me that the very first thing God created was the cycle of day and night, before He created the sun and moon or even people! Those cycles of rest and activity have been around for a very long time, so it’s no wonder we need them so badly.

The creation account reminds me that God worked, then He rested. We need rest, but we also have work to do. God created the world from nothing, bringing order out of chaos. In this new year we need to do the same. The world needs light and peace and order and the only way to bring it is to allow Jesus into everything we do. Each of us has been given the task to help others hear the Good News and bring glory to God.

It’s a new year. Maybe He is giving you new work to do for Him. Or maybe this year will be a season of rest for you before a new activity. Spend time in prayer with Him today. He’ll give you a fresh word because that is what He does!

Let’s Pray: Lord you are a constant Creator. You bring order to a world that looks out of control and You bring light to darkness. Give me work to do and give me rest when it is done. Remind me that You are in control and that You are our hope in a world that can look hopeless. Your mercies are always new and You are always at work. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~

Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume.

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting.

You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.

Thankful Thursdays: My Thoughts on The Gift of Time and Friendship

Thankful Thursdays: The Gift of Time and Friendship

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for the gift of time and friendship.

My friend Holly brought this to my attention about a year ago. We’ve been friends for a few years. We talk often and during one of our conversations, she told me, “You have the gift of time and friendship.”

Her words caused me to pause because I’d never thought of time as a gift. I’ve always thought that friends who God placed into my life are a gift. But never once did I consider nor did I realize just what a precious gift time is especially for those who are running out of it.

Holly’s words caused me to re-evaluate my life. She spoke those timely words to me during a tough time in my career journey. It had been years since I graduated from college and my career path looked nothing like I planned. But still, God was present and blessing me through all the detours He led me to take in the journey to my dreams.

I thought my dreams had come true last year when God enabled me to land a full-time job in Journalism at a major magazine without even interviewing for the job. However, that journey as a journalist ended after five months.

However, that was all part of God’s perfect plan, because once again I had more time to spend with Him and more time to finish writing my devotional book! My devotional book, Stories and Songs of Faith: My Journey with God, was published in April 2020. God confirmed that this was part of His plan. He confirmed it through the words of my friends who’ve read my book and through all of the ratings which as I write this blog post, are ALL five-star ratings!

My time with God has been and continues to be precious. I realize more than ever how important it is to always make room for Him in my life and spend time studying His Word (The Holy Bible). The older I get, the more I see just how precious His Word is and how important it is to apply His truth, promises and principles to my everyday life.

I have not landed a new full-time job since my magazine job didn’t work out last year but I have been abundantly blessed by God during this time with Him and with the people in my life who love me (family and friends).

The Gift of Friendship

Growing up, I loved to read books. Every summer, our dad would drive my brother and I to the local library to borrow books. My brother would borrow books about dinosaurs and puppies while I would reach for books about friendships and characters falling in love.

Never had I ever thought that when I grew up, I’d become friends with my favorite authors whose books I read as an adult! Thanks to Facebook, becoming friends with authors has become as simple as sending a friend request. But what I cherish even more than becoming Facebook friends with these wonderful writers, is becoming real-life friends offline! I’ve met most of my favorite authors at a Christian writers’ conference that God made a way for me to attend five years ago and He continues to connect me with more of my new favorite authors! It’s such a blessing.

It’s truly special to my heart when my favorite authors and I become such good friends that we call each other on the phone even if we cannot meet in person (my author friends live across the USA and around the world).

Just before writing this Thankful Thursdays post today, I was looking at my friends on Facebook and praising God for exactly what they are: blessings!

God helped me realize how He made all of this possible. He showed me that He has perfect timing and that He has good plans for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). God reminded me that He cares about my heart’s desires.

God knew who He would bring into my life before I even asked Him or petitioned Him in prayer. Just like God knows exactly who I need in my life, He knows who you need too! Trust Him to coordinate your connections!

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for the gift of time and friendship.

What are you thankful for today?

Sincerely,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA
Founder of "God is Love" blog

Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why YOU are God's Favorite!

You’re His Favorite

A devotional by Amy Odland

“Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him. And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.” –Luke 9:46-48 (NIV)

As most parents experienced in March, April, and May of this year, we also had an increase of evening meals around the table with all of our kids.

Before Coronavirus hit, we usually tried to eat dinner together as much as our schedules allowed. During those weeks of quarantine meals, we were all together all the time so didn’t have much to “tell about our day” during the meal as each day seemed to be the same as the one before. So instead we enjoyed some extended devotional time, we developed some inside jokes, and we also maybe had an argument or two when we got tired of all being together so much. Our four kids, ranging in ages 20 down to 9, would frequently tease each other during these meals about which of them was our favorite. Every time they did, I would think of this passage in Luke.

Have you ever felt like God plays favorites? When we measure “favorite” by the world’s standards, we think of someone else receiving something we don’t ... like material blessings or healing or answers to prayers ... and it begins to seem like God plays favorites. Our humanness equates “ease of” as a measurement of quantity of love – whether it’s ease of life or ease of gain or ease of struggle, the easier things are, the more we think someone is loved. We begin to believe God loves them better than, or more than, He does us.

God never said things would be easy for us just because we follow Him. God doesn’t play favorites by making things easier for us while we’re alive. In fact, Jesus said in John 16:33 (NIV), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He has equal love for all of us, meaning those who call upon Him and continue to follow and trust Him are all favored. He loves the thief who hung on the cross next to Jesus and called out to Him just as much as He loves His beloved son, Jesus. Why else would Jesus have said to the thief, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” We are all favored because we call Him Father.

God loves all His children the same, but He doesn’t treat them all equally. A few examples of this? Abraham was richly blessed with land and flocks, but had to wait until he was HOW OLD to have a child, who was a fulfilment of a promise God had given him? Joseph became second in command in Egypt during a crucial time but only after first being hauled away from his family and sold as a slave, then falsely accused, and after spending years in prison. All the major prophets were ostracized during their lives as they warned of the coming ruin of Israel. David was anointed to be king of Israel by Samuel, but had to endure being chased around and almost killed by his boss and predecessor for years beforehand. Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the World, but she almost lost her engagement, her family’s name was scorned because she was pregnant before wedlock, and she later watched her son die a criminal’s death when he’d done nothing wrong.

Jesus talks in Matthew 7 about what we should do with this apparent discrepancy between what each of us gets from God. In Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) he says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

Some of us get so distracted by what others are doing or achieving or receiving, we lose sight of the path laid out before us. We are focused on whether so-and-so deserves this-or-that instead of what God has purposed us to accomplish during our lifetime. We get caught up in negative emotions and thoughts that weigh us down instead of thinking about the things Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:8 (NIV), “...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

This is exactly what happens when our kids fight about who is the favorite. They forget about the unique gifts they have to offer the world. They forget about how God has designed each of them differently, that they were raised differently, and that they will each head down different paths in life. They forget they each have different strengths and weaknesses, character qualities that need to be pruned or watered, depending on God’s plan and timing and desire. They’re not going to all choose the same career. They’re not going to all get married at the exact same age or have the exact same number of kids...or maybe even get married at all.

God doesn’t shape his children to be factory-made dishware; we aren’t all supposed to be the same. We are unique creations created for bringing variety and beauty and love into the world. Imagine if there was only one kind of tree or one kind of animal or one kind of food. God said we were His “very good” creation, so why wouldn’t we be as multi-faceted as the rest of His creations?

Of course each of our four children think THEY are the favorite. They are not wrong; they’re each our favorite in a different way. It is amazing the difference in our children’s behavior when they think they’re the favorite, how willing they are to please us and to listen to us.

So today, I say to you: Start to believe you are God’s favorite and live like it. Do things to please your Father, not the people around you. Ask God for things like a favorite would ... and don’t act like a spoiled brat when He doesn’t give them to you right away.

Jesus Christ’s words in Matthew 7:11-12 (NIV) say, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” 

Love God and love others as one who is highly favored by God. Because you are His favorite.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amy Odland has been serving in church ministry as a volunteer leader for over 16 years, in various worship, prayer and women’s ministry roles. 

Her passion for helping women stems from her own struggles and lessons learned in her journey as a Christian since first deciding to follow the Lord in 1994.

Amy’s priorities after her faith include her family — husband Rick, and their four kids — as well as extended family who all live close in proximity and the many friends she’s made over the years.

In addition to a love of teaching and helping her husband with the bookkeeping for their many businesses, Amy has recently expanded her stay-at-home work to include leading author’s book launch teams for publishing companies like Baker, Revell, Barbour, and Lifeway.

She also enjoys teaching new authors about platform building, self-launching, and online marketing.

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Connect with Amy:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/amyodland
Instagram: https://instagram.com/amy_odland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_odland
Website: https://amyodland.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Time

Reflections on Time

A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

Key Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1 and 1 Timothy 4:12

While traveling home on a plane recently, I listened to a playlist from the 80s. I can’t escape the fact that that was my era of preferred music.

The song “Time Keeps on Slipping Into the Future” by Jackson Browne came on. That song was soon followed by Teddy Pendergrass singing “Wake Up Everybody”. Can you hear them? While grooving to “my tunes” and feeling nostalgic, I realized that I don’t live there anymore. Time has slipped into the future.

I thought about where life had taken me. I thought about what I have seen, what I have done, what I have achieved and acquired. Time has treated me pretty well. But, time is not up yet. There is still life to be lived, work to be done, people to help, things to do and places to go.

I looked out of my window to the sky, not for inspiration, but just to see the sky and the clouds. The tracker said that we were moving at about 350 miles per hour. I thought, my how time flies.

As I peered out of the window at the tops of puffy white clouds and blue sky around us, the verse from Ecclesiastes 12:1 leapt into my mind. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them”. It occurred to me right then, that I am younger right now than I will ever be. I need to value this time, cherish my freedom and invest my health and substance in things and people who matter. You do too.

Yes, we are younger than we will ever be, but we still have ideas and goals that are noble and meaningful. Some friends may say “Why now? You are retired already and old”. Immediately, another verse of scripture popped into my mind. “Let no man despise thy youth…”. “We are younger than we’ll ever be. Don’t despise our youth or allow anyone else to do so!” “Why not? Why not now? Why not me? Why not us?”

James Allen wrote in his book As A Man Thinketh, the following paragraph. “All achievements, whether in the business, intellectual, or spiritual world, are the result of definitely directed thought, are governed by the same law and are of the same method; the only difference lies in the object of attainment."

How we think influences what we believe and what we can achieve. I subscribe to optimism and recommend it to you. Whatever your station or circumstance in life, you can choose optimism or pessimism. One strengthens and ennobles, the other enfeebles. 

Remember that God is infinite, omnipotent and all knowing. Enthusiasm is the abode of divinity. It is where impossibilities are made kinetic and improbabilities are realized. You are younger now than you will ever be. What will you do? Where will you go? Who will you help? 

I close with an old poem about momentum, possibility, and enthusiasm:

Tis The Set Of The Sail – Or – One Ship Sails East

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

But to every mind there openeth,

A way, and way, and away,

A high soul climbs the highway,

And the low soul gropes the low,

And in between on the misty flats, 

The rest drift to and fro. 

But to every man there openeth, 

A high way and a low, 

And every mind decideth, 

The way his soul shall go. 

One ship sails East, 

And another West,

By the self-same winds that blow, 

'Tis the set of the sails 

And not the gales, 

That tells the way we go. 

Like the winds of the sea 

Are the waves of time, 

As we journey along through life, 

'Tis the set of the soul, 

That determines the goal, 

And not the calm or the strife. 

~*~

Author Bio:

Chaplain Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Columbia Union College (WAU) in Takoma Park, Maryland. He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees–a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

Devotionals for the Heart: Abide

Abide in Me
A devotional by Gail Kittleson

The fifteenth chapter of John used to baffle me. What did “abide in Me” mean? If I could just figure that out, I’d be set. But the instructions seemed so contrary to my natural bents.

I read these verses in awe and puzzlement. How could I abide in One so holy, so mighty?

Let's read John 15:4-6 (KJV) together: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

Decades have passed, and I’ve realized how the short book of First John clarifies this concept of abiding. Basically, it’s about living in love, living in God, and allowing God to live in us.

Living in becomes a bit clearer as the years go by, too. It means a friendly relationship and camaraderie (mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together). Since my husband and I celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary in May, we’ve both learned a lot about this concept.

Living in implies listening, asking, receiving giving, honoring, waiting for, considering the desires and wants of another. And waiting. Yes, waiting for the other to reveal their wishes, desires, and passions instead of trying to force events to happen.

Ah, waiting. Don’t we just love that? No wonder this idea felt so unnatural to me in my early twenties, when my driven nature, grounded in shame if I failed to perform, railed against allowing things to unfold in due time or embracing the moments as they appeared.

No, I had to plan, protect, research, and always be at the ready. I had no clue what “going with the flow” meant. In short, I was a control freak, although I never would have admitted to it. I thought I was just doing my best to obey, and being as loving as I could. I didn’t realize my rescuing and fixing efforts often robbed my loved ones of chances to explore their own emotions and learn from their mistakes.

Thankfully, time gives experience and tempers our natural instincts.

My Prayer:  “Oh Lord, You have shown us such infinite patience. Grant us grace to live in You and grow in trust.”

~*~
Author Bio:

When Gail Kittleson's not steeped in World War II research, drafting scenes, or deep in an edit of her 1940’s novels, she does a limited amount of editing for other authors. 

She also facilitates writing and creativity workshops, both in Iowa and Arizona, where she and her husband like to spend part of the winter in the amazing Ponderosa pine forest under the Mogollon Rim.

Favorites: spending time with grandchildren, walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters.

Devotionals for the Heart: Thoughts on Time and Eternity

An Intersection of Time and Eternity
A devotional by Dana McNeely

Note: This is the fourth post in a series on the prophet Elijah. To read previous posts, click the titles: Love in the Time of Drought, In the Waiting Room, and A Widow, a Prophet, and Provision from God.

After Elijah reached Zarephath and found shelter with the widow and her son, they lived under God’s blessings. Though the drought worsened, the never-ending jug of oil and jar of meal nourished them. It would have been reasonable to expect the good times to continue.

However, some time later the widow’s son became ill. He grew worse and worse and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” (1 Kings 17:17-18 NIV)

I feel for this poor woman. One moment she ate the bread of life, the next she gagged on the stench of death. Anguished, she lashed out, but then secret guilt whispered. Did you come to remind me of my sin? Any mother would be devastated by her child’s death, but she’d already lost her husband. Now she was alone in the world.

I don’t know about you, but I want life to roll along smoothly. When it does, I often forget to thank God, taking everyday blessings for granted. But when trouble strikes, it’s easy to complain or blame others or myself.

I know this is unreasonable. We live in a fallen world, and God hasn’t promised immunity from its hardship, even to those who follow him. Think of Joseph, who ran from Potiphar’s wife but still ended up in prison. Or Daniel, who refused to quit praying and then faced lions.

Though I empathize with the widow’s reaction, what I find interesting is Elijah’s calm response to her remarks. Known for his somewhat hot temper, Elijah didn’t remind her of all he’d already done to help her and her son. In humility, he ignored her harsh words, and in faith, he took this problem to the Lord.

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!" (1 Kings 17:19-24 NIV)

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!"

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

I believe the Lord prepared the widow’s heart with a whisper before Elijah even arrived. She must have heard the truth about God’s love and claims on her life during the time the prophet lived with her and her son. Yes, she reacted out of pain and confusion when her son suddenly died. Such a response doesn’t mean she had no faith … only that it faltered. In quietly asking the widow to give him her son, Elijah allowed her time to quiet her soul and consider. And the Lord, in his mercy, ignored her outburst and looked on her heart, where a tiny spark of faith burned.

In an intersection of time and eternity, God reached down and touched the widow’s son, restoring him to life. Yes, he was still subject to a fallen world; he would grow old and die again. But now, more than ever before, he was his mother’s comfort and a blazing example of God’s mercy and miraculous power. If the widow’s faith in God was a spark before, it was a sturdy flame now.

Do you believe in miracles? When Paul met with Agrippa, the apostle asked, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8 KJV)

Have you ever experienced that which only God can do? Perhaps your miracle was as soft as a whisper to the heart or as earth-shattering an event that, even now, you can hardly bring yourself to speak of. An intersection of time and eternity.

I leave you with this final thought from the great Bible scholar A.W. Pink: “Bring into the scene the living God, and no matter how drastic and desperate be the situation, all difficulties a once disappear, for nothing is impossible to him.”

*For further reading: Elijah by A.W. PinkSaveSaveSaveSave

~*~

Author Bio: 

Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah and the widow’s son, Dana McNeely wondered why the prophet had come to stay with these two. Who were they? What was their life, before? And how did the boy change after dying, seeing the other world … and coming back? 

Dana began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from the boy’s perspective.

No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies. She writes biblical fiction, cozy mysteries, and has written for magazines and newspapers. Her short story “Death in the Butterfly Garden” appears in SoWest: Killer Nights (2017).

Connect with Dana on Facebook, Twitter, or DanaMcNeely.com