Watch Live+Local on PureFlix

My Review of Live+Local
Review written by Alexis A. Goring

Live+Local is a fun new series that is available for viewing online via PureFlix. 

The series is about KHUGG which is a radio station that features “TnT In the Morning” which is a local radio program with very high ratings. The show explores the tensions between Tommy and Tina as they try to survive the ups and downs of working in the radio industry and trying to trust Jerry who is their new program director. Tommy is a veteran radio talk show host and Tina is the new star.

Dave Coulier (Americans may know him from the popular 90s show “Full House”) plays Tommy and Emily Pendergast plays Tina. They are excellent actors with perfect comedic timing. Pat Cashman plays Jerry and Kendra Ann Sherrill plays Lucy. Their roles are not as prominent but they make great supporting actors in this series.

For the purposes of this review, I watched Episode 5 of Live+Local. First, I’d like to describe this episode in the words of talking points from Momentum then I’ll share my thoughts (review).

According to Momentum, in this episode, “Tina gets a courtesy car from Integrity Motors, one of her sponsors dueling with Tommy’s sponsor Legacy Auto. The owner of KHUGG, Mr. Wilmont, decides to retire and Jerry’s search for a new owner begins. Tommy’s contract is expiring as ownership changes loom. Lucy discovers that Jerry Graves is Johnny Griffiths. He purchased another radio station and turned it into a sports station and is known as the “station killer.” Tina confronts Jerry over his alias and the sponsors. He admits that he was hired to tighten things up at the station. Jerry pressures Tina to sign her contract and calls her the future of KHUGG Jerry outs Tommy’s broadcasting past that he hasn’t shared with Tina.”

Now for my review:

While the storyline was definitely intriguing, it was the acting that won me over—especially the professional relationship between Tommy and Tina as they co-hosted the show! They were really funny together and while light-hearted, they also weren’t hesitant to be real with each other. They addressed conflict head-on and made sure they truly heard each other and worked together to create a solution to maintain their working relationship in a positive light.

Faith played a role throughout this episode with emphasis on the importance of prayer when you’re making big decisions and starting new projects. The pressing issue of worship styles—what’s acceptable and what’s not—was also addressed in this episode after a caller was seeking answers about where they should worship because they didn’t like the rock band concert style at their current church. I like how Tina handled that one.

Even the weather girl was in on sharing faith over the airwaves! Since it was a rainy day, she shared a Bible verse with her weather report: “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11 (NIV)

Overall, Episode 5 of Live+Local was a joy to watch! If you want a glimpse of what it’s about, watch this trailer: https://www.pureflix.com/movie/live-and-local and if you want to watch the entire series, join PureFlix now to watch all of Live+Local.

Before you go, enter this contest for your chance to WIN one 3-month PureFlix subscription!

Please note: This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. The giveaway starts today and ends next week Friday (August 12, 2022).

Here is the Giveaway Contest link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f8dcb68c395/?

Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

#LiveNLocalMIN #PureFlix #PureFlixVIPAmbassador #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we need to say "Thank You" to God

Having an Attitude of Gratitude
A devotional by Patricia Russell

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,

and his faithfulness

continues to each generation.”

–Psalm 100:4-5 NLT

Just over a year, ago a very dear friend went through a serious health challenge.

She had to have what I consider one of the most dangerous surgeries on her brain.

The brain is the headquarters of our bodies. It’s the command post for our body functions. So, you know this was not just routine surgery. Family and friends prayed and prayed for her safety. She went for tests, researched, and asked questions as she juggled her ministry role as well as mothering a vibrant four-year-old and loving her husband. Week after week there still were no concrete answers until one test and an alert technician, she was finally able to receive a diagnosis.

The first prayer we offered was, “Thank you, Lord” because we now had a name, a label to put on the illness. We said thank you because she could name it and give it to God. We knew He could heal her chronic pain and discomfort which were the first signs she knew something was wrong. Many people go undiagnosed for years with illnesses and it is frustrating to know what the issue is and how can it be treated.

We trusted God, and we rejoiced when she went into the hospital and came out alive! She came out hopeful in trusting that the surgeon was able to remove the tumor which we would come to learn had been growing for several years.

Psalm 100:4 MSG reads:

Enter with the password: “Thank you!”

Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

Thank him. Worship him.

Thank you is the password to enter God’s presence.

Can you imagine coming into your friend’s home and saying thank you right away for having you over or allowing you to visit? What would that do to your heart and mind? I know for me it would tell me you’re grateful to come and be with me.

Gratitude and thanksgiving are what the Lord delights in when His children come into His presence with thanks. It’s like the red carpet rolled out for an award show. Is it easy for you to come before the Lord with a grateful heart or are you ready to unleash a grocery list of requests and concerns? Don’t get me wrong, prayer is all things communication. But just think about someone frequently coming into your home, to a meeting or a dinner opening the conversation with frustrations and all the things going wrong in their day. Would we look forward to being with them? I can say I would not.

I am so thankful that gratitude was taught to my siblings and I at a very early age. We were told to always be grateful. Our mother’s wish was that the gracious words, “Please” and “Thank you” would flow freely on our lips. My mom wanted us to live life grateful for everything we received and in everything wherever we found ourselves.

When my birthday rolls around in August, I am always grateful to be alive! The best gift I’ve received is life and I will be forever grateful. Knowing that I am loved, watched over and have access to the throne of the King of Kings. How great is our God! I’m deeply grateful to know Him as our Heavenly Father. Do you know Him? He loves you and wants to be in your life.

Let’s Pray: Father God, it is a good thing to give thanks to You for all You are and for all You’ve done. I’m so grateful for Your goodness and for all You’ve done for me. Even more, I’m so thankful for the best gift ever received through Your Son (Jesus Christ) coming to this Earth to die on a cruel cross for all mankind. Help us to always be grateful and to always find a way to praise You in every situation we find ourselves in. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Thank You” by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Patricia is an encourager. She passionately uses her gifting as an author, speaker, pastor, recording artist, worship leader and coach. 

Stronger Resilience: Stories to Empower the Mind, Body & Spirit (a book that she wrote) was an Amazon Bestseller in October 2020.

Patricia sings! She has released two CDs titled Draw Me Nearer and Lord I Trust You.

She also travels to speak to audiences internationally.

When she is not ministering to save souls in God’s Kingdom, Patricia enjoys reading, writing and connecting like-minded people who can sharpen each other in the journey to their dreams and goals.

As a two-time breast cancer overcomer, her desire is to coach others to live life to the fullest by understanding their gifting from God and using it.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: Why there is always hope, even in grievous times

Hope in the Grief
A devotional Jessica Brodie

Have you ever experienced a time of loss and sadness that is simultaneously also filled with deep joy? That was our family this week as we journeyed to Ohio to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of my husband’s grandfather.

Grandpa Bob was 95 when he died, and what a man! A World War II Navy veteran who enlisted at age 17 and saw significant action—including the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Okinawa Invasion, and Operation Crossroads for the Bikini Atoll nuclear bomb tests—he also served in the Korean Conflict on the USS Wisconsin. After his discharge, he spent his career in Ohio’s oil and gas drilling operations. He had three kids, then remarried and gained three stepkids, and at his death claimed 12 grandkids (plus spouses) and 15 great-grandkids, all who loved him dearly.

Matt and I and our four kids road-tripped from South Carolina last week for the funeral, joined by parents and a host of other cousins, aunts, and uncles, all of us surrounding Grandma Mary, his wife. At age 99, she and Grandpa Bob still lived in their house. Together, we mourned his death but celebrated his life with deep and affirming joy.

Why joy? See, in addition to being an outstanding person and family man, Grandpa Bob’s most important role was “child of God.” A Christian and active member of his local United Methodist church, one thing we all knew when Grandpa Bob passed on was that we didn’t need to wonder or worry what would become of him. We knew, because he was a follower of Jesus, that he was assured eternal life.

Yes, there were tears at his funeral. We miss him! But there was also… laughter. Giggles. His eulogies at the service—delivered by his pastor, one of his sons and his stepson—recounted stories about mishaps with dynamite and catching himself on fire, his love for John Wayne and gardening, his silliness rolling around on the ground with puppy dogs or playing at Cedar Point.

“Loyal, faithful, and hardworking,” are how his pastor, Jim, described him. “Disciplined but always fair,” his son, Uncle RJ, said.

A man of stories, said everyone.

That’s how I, a latecomer blessed to marry into this family, knew him. Grandpa Bob was an outstanding storyteller. I remember how we’d visit and he’d tell about standing on the deck of his ship in WWII, or about riding horses, another of his loves.

Uncle RJ shared how he had the opportunity these last years to spend at least two mornings a week having long coffee chats with his dad, listening to old tales told and retold, sometimes the same story twice in one day. What always struck RJ was the joy with which he told those stories. That’s what I had loved, too…and, come to think of it, is what always makes an extraordinary storyteller. It’s the love of the tale.

Grandpa Bob had that. He shared that. And oh, what a legacy.

A couple of the grandkids were not able to attend the funeral, and during the service, Uncle Warren shared a special memory one of his own sons had about Grandpa Bob. During their last visit, they’d sat on the porch together talking about the future, and Grandpa Bob passed on some sage advice to him: “We are ultimately measured as men by how we react to uncontrollable things.”

Wise, wise words from a good, good man.

As Pastor Jim said at the funeral, an eternal perspective in this life keeps us in balance. As believers in Christ Jesus, we know infinitely more awaits us in heaven. The casket is not our end.

Each of us who believe can hold fast to the promises of Scripture, promises like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (NIV).

It's not that we do not grieve, but that we don’t grieve as others.

Our grief is rooted in hope, in joy, in promise.

We will be together again one day—thanks be to God.

Rest in peace, Grandpa Bob. We love you dearly.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for the hope You give all of us who believe in and follow You: the hope of salvation. Thank You that the casket is not our end. Help us spread Your word to others so they can share in this, too. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Devotionals for the Heart: Believe

Believe It Before You See It
A devotional by Monique M. Anderson

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

–Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

There is an old saying, “You've got to see it to believe it.”

These rules, unfortunately, do not apply in the Christian faith. Having faith means believing it before you see it. That is the true definition of faith. According to Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

According to the KJV Dictionary, one of the definitions of the word substance is "something existing by itself; that which really is or exists." Another definition says, "something real, not imaginary; something solid, not empty."

The definition of the word evidence, also according to the KJV Dictionary, is "that which makes plain and enables the mind to see the truth."

Therefore, when we have faith in something, we tell ourselves what we don't see exists. Consequently, it's about believing God's words no matter how the situation looks. Sometimes that faith is tested with time.

Abram was 75 years old when he first received the promises of God that he would be a father to nations, but it wasn't until he was 100 years old that Isaac was born. So that is 25 years they had to wait for God's Word to manifest.

I am sure in those 25 years, things did not look promising, and it was hard to keep the faith. Finally, Sarah and Abraham grew impatient and took matters into their own hands. Sarah advised Abraham to sleep with their handmaiden Hagar so she could have his baby, and Sarah would take care of him as her own. It is safe to say they failed the faith test. However, God still blessed them with a baby of their own.

Joseph had to look beyond his troubling circumstances and wait on what the Lord showed him. In Genesis 37, Joseph had two dreams that illustrated he would one day reign over his family, and they would bow down to him.

Besides the 13 years it took for this prophecy to be fulfilled, Joseph also had to go through betrayal from his brothers, being lied to by Potiphar's wife, thrown in prison and forgotten.

I'm sure Joseph questioned what he saw in his dreams when he was sold into slavery, thrown in a pit, put in prison, and abandoned. Nothing Joseph went through looked like the promise God showed him.

However, during every trial was God's favor. During difficult seasons, these small doses of favor keep us holding on to our faith. It's seeing small rays of sunshine when you're in the middle of a storm.

What we see will try to deter us from what we believe. That is the enemy's only tactic. He cannot take away the promises of God, but he can take our minds off the promises of God. This is why we must constantly remind ourselves of the God we serve.

We serve a God who “is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19 NKJV), we know that “The Lord has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word” (Lamentations 2:17 NIV), and “He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV).

God is not capable of turning back on His promises. What He said will come to pass. So speak these scriptures back to God and ask Him to put you “in remembrance” (Isaiah 43:26 NKJV). Speak God's truth over your situation when things look grim or your deliverance feels like it's taking too long. This is what keeps you flat-footed and rooted in faith. It's holding on to the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Let’s Pray: Father God, we thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You that what is done in Heaven will surely be done on earth. Holy Spirit, help us keep our eyes on what we do not yet see but believe in our hearts. Keep us rooted in our faith and not in our circumstances. Father, we will keep our eyes on You throughout the difficulties and long-suffering. We patiently wait for Your promises to be fulfilled in our lives. We trust You and love you. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Believe For It (Live)” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Monique M. Anderson is a writer, creator, wife, and bonus mom. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY, where she still resides. She released her always present yet hidden talent of writing to the masses in June 2019. 

Monique always felt like God was chasing after her but was never ready to surrender. Finally, she reached a point in her life when things started going left, and she no longer felt in control. At this point, she was ready to hand over the reins to God. After forming her relationship with God, she always felt compelled to share the revelation’s that His word gave her. She felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to write but was afraid of what people might think. So, her writing started in her journal. The journal turned into a book and the book into a blog.

Her obedience provided more opportunities. In late 2021, Monique became a partner with the notable YouVersion Bible App as a Content Creator. Her first Bible plan debuted in December 2021. She will continue to provide content for the app as long as God allows her to.

Also in 2021, God revealed her prophetic gift and how He wants her to use it. Monique always felt compelled to pray for others but had no idea God would use her in this way. Through this gift as a prophetic intercessor, she’s not just writing about what God can do but showing what God can do.

Since God has shown her who He created her to be, she now feels it is her life’s work to help those taking their first steps in their walk with Christ. She is doing so through her blog, prayer, and soon-to-be-published works. She is excited to extend her reach to YouTube, podcasts, and speaking engagements soon.

Her blog is the stepping stone to fulfilling the vision God gave to her: “Sharing God’s revelations so we can all better reflect his image and fulfill His purpose.”

~*~
Connect with Monique:
Website: www.yourstrulymoe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstruly__moe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yours-Truly-Moe-140255684101423

Devotionals for the Heart: How to cast down negative thoughts

Focusing on the Good
A devotional by Tessa Huckstep

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”–Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Have you ever stopped and considered just how influential your thinking is?

Yesterday, I made a detour to the Illinois River with my mom and brothers. We stopped at an inclined boating slope and my brothers attempted to skip rocks over the smooth water. Even the smallest rocks, when thrown correctly, would make two or three sets of ripples that completely changed the surface of the river.

I was considering my devotional this morning and the influence that those tiny rocks had on a great, flowing river came to my mind. One rock had the power to change the surface of the water. I could not help but compare these rocks to the many thoughts that pass through our minds daily. Our minds are influenced continuously by our thoughts, creating ripples that impact every area of our lives.

Negative and positive thoughts come to our mind daily. Positive thoughts bring goodness to our minds. The opposite is true for negative thoughts. For me, negative thoughts tend to enter my mind and create lasting ripples. One negative thought invites another, and another. Eventually, negative thoughts are the only thoughts I have. I begin to see everything in a negative light. At this point, I begin to feel stuck. When you sit in negativity for an extended period of time, it feels as if there is no way out. However, we know this is not true. Negative thoughts—the thoughts of this world—do not have the power to hold us. We are children of the living God. We no longer have to sit in the chains of regret, fear, or negativity.

But how exactly do we fight negative and harmful thoughts? Romans 12:2 states that the Christian should be “transformed by the renewing of your mind”. I would like to point out that the beginning of the verse says not to be ‘conformed’ to the world. ‘Conform’ is an inactive word. Conforming is sitting back and letting the negative thoughts take root in your mind. But we are called to actively take part in fighting against these thoughts. We are called to actively renew our mind.

To renew our mind, we must vigorously find the positive and the good to refute the negative. The best weapon a Christian can use is the Bible. Scripture memorization is a favorite strategy of mine to overcome anxiety, fear, or loneliness. Just memorizing a simple passage of Scripture and reciting it to yourself can change and reroute your focus to God.

One practice I especially find helpful is looking for something to be grateful for. It is factually impossible to be negative and grateful at the same time. Finding something to be grateful for will be difficult at first. When negative thoughts are bombarding you, the last thing you will want to be is grateful. Try finding something small—like being grateful for the sunshine. Once you find one positive thing to be grateful for, it will be easier to find something else. Remember the ripples? One positive thought will lead to another.

God does not promise that negative thoughts of bitterness, fear, and loneliness will never enter the life of His children. However, God does promise that He will always be with us in every struggle, and He will give us the tools we need to overcome our struggles. God is with you, dear reader, and you can overcome all adversity.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for being with us in every struggle and making available to us Your Word to overcome negativity and harmful thoughts. Please give us the strength to renew our minds. Help us to focus on You and turn our full attention to You alone. Guide us to experience gratitude and thankfulness in our daily lives. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “For the Good” by Riley Clemmons. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois to Christian parents and has known Jesus personally since the age of five.

She is currently attending community college and majoring in elementary education. In the future, she plans to teach in the public school, hoping to bring the love of God with her.

God’s dream of Tessa becoming a writer was revealed to her at the age of sixteen and she hasn’t been able to stop since. Though she has not yet been published, Tessa enjoys writing historical romance novels and speculative fiction.

Tessa believes God loves stories, and through her writing, she wants to reveal the happily ever after God dreams of for each of his daughters—one where Jesus is the knight in shining armor.

Tessa loves all things Georgian/Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size. When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, Tessa can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the mixing bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!

~*~
Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beloved.bookworm/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101227159

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Word

God’s Word
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” –Psalm 19:7-8 (ESV)

I credit my mother for my love of books.

Even before I could remember, she would sit me on her lap with a stack of books and we read together for hours. She always had a book sitting next to her chair. Reading was her favorite hobby. When I grew up and we started reading some of the same books, she and I would have great conversations about the books we loved. What a joy it is to share a love of reading!

My mother also taught me a love for God’s Word (The Holy Bible). She and my dad both made it a priority to read and study the Bible, memorize verses, and discuss them. They ensured my sister and I grew up knowing the importance of reading scripture not just to read it, but to believe and live it.

My own journey with the Bible has fluctuated over the years. During some seasons of my life, I have been in the Word consistently, but when I’m out of the habit, it’s hard to get back into it. I also have had times when reading the Bible felt like an obligation to check off my to-do list in order to be a “good” Christian. In January of this year, I started a two-year chronological reading plan. Right now I’m in the book of Psalms where I was reminded again how David and the other writers talk over and over about their love for God’s words.

Of course, their version of the scriptures was very different than ours. They only had parts of the Old Testament, because they were living and writing the scriptures we have today! It amazes me to think that as God was instilling in them a love for His Word, their response to that love became His own words that we can now meditate on to uplift, encourage, rebuke, discipline, teach, and inspire us today.

Here are just a few verses from the Psalms that tell us about God and His Word. All the following scriptures are from the English Standard Version.

Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

My Reflection: I believe this shows us a beautiful cycle of growth and maturity in faith because as we meditate, pray, and study God’s words, we will no longer find ourselves following the crowds of sinners and scoffers. And the less we do that, the more we will want to pray and study, which will mature us even more.

Psalm 33:6 says, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”

My Reflection: We should never forget that the voice we hear when we read God’s Word and when we pray is also the voice that created the earth from nothing. We should continue to be awestruck that God wants to speak to us in a personal way!

Psalm 119:10-11 says, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

My Reflection: We should strive to continually seek God and learn His words so that we will keep from temptation and sin.

If you are in a season of deep Bible study and meditation, then keep it up! But if you haven’t read the Bible in a while, take a moment and pray for the desire to know God in a deeper way through His Word. He won’t disappoint!

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, give me a desire to seek You always. Speak to me through Your Word and help me love Your words more and more each day. I pray this in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Thy Word” by Amy Grant. Listen to it here.

~*~
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 college-age children.

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

~*~

Connect with Glynis:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckerglynis/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlynisBecker7

Devotionals for the Heart: Ask God

Do We Ask?
A devotional by Wendy Wilson Spooner

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 

—2 Kings 2:9 (ESV)

When Elisha knew Elijah was soon to be taken from him, he wouldn’t leave him and when his master asked him what he wanted before he left, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit to be upon him. As a result, Elisha went on to perform double the number of miracles Elijah had.

I have pondered what each of us can ask of the Lord, ourselves. I have considered the fact that I have never asked for a double portion of God’s spirit to be upon me—I’ve never used those exact words in my prayers. But the story of Elijah and Elisha shows us we can.

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) tells us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

When I look back on the history of my prayers, I’ve never had a prayer go unanswered. Even if the Lord’s timing was much wiser and different than mine, the prayer was still answered. Sometimes it was just a feeling of peace that everything would be okay, which to me, was as valuable as being given a “double portion” of God’s Holy Spirit.

According to Matthew 10:29, there is nothing we cannot ask of the Lord. Just as our Father in Heaven notes the fall of a single sparrow, He cares about each one of us! God pays attention to our smallest needs and worries.

At times, I have felt like a sparrow, small, seemingly powerless and unnoticed. But I believe that is exactly why that Bible verse was placed in the book of Matthew—for us. So we would know that we can call upon the all-powerful God of the Universe, our Creator, because He sees us, He hears us, and He knows how to help us! All we have to do is ask.

Let’s Pray:
Father in Heaven, let us always remember Your love for us no matter our circumstance. Help us to ask and turn to You first in all things. Thank You for always being there for us. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “He’s Always There” by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wendy is a Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between. 

Her love of what we can learn from history compels her to write the true stories she unearths because she’s found that truth is indeed much more exciting and inspiring than fiction.

Wendy writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming obstacles in life by coming to know who we really are—the children of God, and the descendants of incredible people who paved the way for us—even if they really struggled. Wendy believes in learning from our ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become a better generation.

As an award-winning family history writer, Wendy’s debut novel, Once Upon an Irish Summer, released April 3, 2020. This book is a dual timeline historical fiction novel about a young, gifted artist suffering from debilitating grief, who finds healing and inspiration in her Irish ancestry, and goes on to paint a masterpiece.

The sequel, Celtic Winter: Eliza’s Story, released November 5, 2021. The storyline goes back in time to the little sister left behind in Ireland to keep her family alive, woven with present-day Beth’s continuing story as she races the clock with the young man she loves to find the only person who could save his mother’s life.

When Wendy is not researching or writing, she hikes, paints, loves being a church youth leader, binges on epic Bollywood movies, and hangs out with her greatest loves—her family.

~*~
Connect with Wendy:
Website: https://wendywilsonspooner.com/
Blog: https://wendywilsonspooner.com/blog
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