Monday Matters

Everyday What Road?

There’s only one road to God? What? That’s narrow minded. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. You’re right, it sounds narrow but through a relationship with Jesus, not religion, it becomes clear that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. There are amazing people who love others but think there are many roads to God and that true spirituality is just to love your neighbor and help the poor.

How then do you know when you’ve given enough to get to God? What about the people who’ve been taught to hate? Are the poor just virtuous? That sounds right, but listen, if a soldier drapes his body over a grenade to save his friends, we recognize it as a sacrifice. Something we honor, but not something we can pay him back for. The same is true with Jesus. We can’t earn our salvation. It’s a gift we receive by accepting the sacrifice Christ made to pay for our sins and trusting the path He sets before us…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Healthy Marriage

Marriage is not always happy, but it can be healthy. The reason it's not always happy is because what happens isn't always good. There are circumstances, people or problems that can be very challenging. But despite hard issues you can have hope, peace and have a healthy marriage. My husband, Dan and I, have had our share of arguments, fights, and disappointments but through it all we share a love of God.

We share a commitment and an understanding to listen to one another with honor and respect. Yet, even with that shared commitment we still fail and fall but thankfully we get back up. It’s by God's grace we can extend kindness that may not feel deserving. It’s following Colossians 3:13-14, "Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever you have a complaint. Forgive just as the Lord has forgiven you. AND to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity."

So, while you may not be able to have always a happy marriage you can certainly have a healthy and hopeful marriage... everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday To Be Loved

I remember a discussion with girlfriends’ right out of college and the advice was given, “Love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.” Another friend, who had been through a few relationships added, “Debbie, you become who you choose to spend the most time with. Choose wisely.” Girlfriend added, “I mean, if I line up all my ex-loves in a row, I can see the flow chart of my mental illness.” Advice taken.

In life’s journey we all want to be known and loved, and Jesus knows us better than anyone and still loves us. He knows me, my pain, my ache, my disappointments, my shame, anger at myself and the part of my heart that hasn’t fully forgiven others. He knows. HE IS here, waiting to make use of what has happened. He is always on the move. He isn’t wasting time, thinking about all the trouble He has with us or how awful we feel about where we are with ourselves and our troubles. God loves us unconditionally…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Sin Issues

Don’t fret yourself about your sin issues because God first pours out His love to you and then He gently exposes your sin, offering a way for you to change direction, to receive full pardon and freedom.

This is what He did with the Samaritan woman at the well. He didn’t meet her with condemnation. He first met her thirst. He offered her living water (eternity with God), but also let her know He knew all about her. She ran back to town to tell others about Him, not because she felt condemned, but because she had been offered hope and a way out. People are not drawn to judgment. They are drawn to true friendship and that is what Jesus is, a real best friend. No greater love can a man have than to give His life for His friends (John 15:13). Think of the ways you are most loved, it’s when someone meets and loves you right where you’re at. Be that kind person who loves others like that…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Feelings

It’s so important to remember; feelings are indicators, but don’t let them be dictators. Get it? Feelings are valid and they indicate good and bad things happening in our lives, but we shouldn’t let them lead us, especially when we feel afraid.

I read this post on Instagram which said, “And then I realized that to be more alive I had to be less afraid, so I did it, I lost my fear and gained my whole life.” We may feel fear but the way to lose “it” is to go forward in courage despite what we feel which I know is insanely difficult but always worth it. The only way we can do that and leave our fears behind is by leaning into the grace and hope God gives us. Think about what God says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous.” Don’t give up because of feelings. Don’t let fear immobilize you because God will be the one who keeps on walking with you, and He won’t abandon you EVER…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Needy

There’s someone hurt needing our healing, unloved, needing our touching; old, needing to feel that we care; weak, needing the support of our shared weakness. I get it. Brennan Manning, author and speaker, who has since left this earth for his home in heaven, still inspires me. He said, “One of the most healing words I ever spoke as a confessor was to an old priest with a drinking problem. “Just a few years ago,” I said, “I was a hopeless alcoholic in the gutter in Fort Lauderdale.” “You?” he cried. “O thank God!”

When we bring a smile to the face of someone in pain, we have brought Christ to them. I know hurt, ache and pain. What helps me? It’s NOT to hear more of what I should and should not do. I need to hear; “There’s hope. I’m sorry for this ache in your heart.” What should we do to those hurting around us? Weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who have reason for joy. We are all in this together…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Welcoming Table

Come sit down. Let me hear your story, your heart. Tell me what you’re feeling because your feelings are valid, and you are welcome at my table. We all are welcome at God’s table too because we’re all created and loved by Him. He will never reject or withdraw His love from us, but He does reject sin. Sin is not welcome at the table, but sinners are. It’s taken me years to really grasp that God fully knows me and yet He fully loves me, completely, just as am. What God doesn’t love is sin because it’s a barrier to us having a relationship with Him. Sin wins unless pardoned.

Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross to pay the full price for our sin. He pardons us. His resurrection proves He succeeded. Come and sit, invite others to sit at God’s table with you. Through God’s unconditional love He will show Himself with all we need to be filled with hope and peace…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Saying No

Hearing our children’s first words are memorable such as, “Dada,” “Puppy” or “Ball.” Ball was the first word of our third son, Joey, but the word “NO” came quickly too. When I was nine months pregnant with our fourth son I told. our two-year-old Joey that I had a baby growing inside me. Joe took one look at my belly and said, “NO, Mama that’s a ball,” and he stood by his logical word choice.  “No,” isn’t always a fun word to hear from our children but “no” is an important word when negative thoughts invade our minds.  Maybe there’s untrue and ugly gossip about you so you need to remember, “NO, that’s not who God says I am,” or “No, my past mistakes don’t determine my future in forgiveness.” 

Jesus mostly used the word “no” when speaking to the religious leaders who were trying to boss everyone around. He came to fulfill the law by His grace, not by giving us more rules.  God loves each and every one of us fiercely. If you feel or hear that your unlovable then you need to hear “NO” that’s not the truth…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Quiet Love

My husband Dan and I were on the couch once again having “the talk.” Oh, you know the talk about finances and getting out of debt? Dan proceeded in a serious tone talking about what “we” needed to do but it sounded more like a lecture about what “I” needed to do. I wanted to shout; “If you don’t like the way things are, look at the changes you can make. Don’t wait for me to change.” I even had a verse to go with “my talk”; Deuteronomy 30:19; “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

But for some reason I sat silently and prayed. And by the end of Dan’s lamentation, he actually said, “I guess I need to look at the choices I can make and not put it all on you.” “Why don’t I shut my mouth more often and simply pray? It’s a life-giving choice to make…everyday.