Friday Matters

Everyday Set Apart

“God wants to show His glory though you!” “Me? Are you serious? Who am I?”

No, He really does want to show His glory through you! Look at 2 Timothy 2:21 for instructions: “If you separate yourself from corrupting influences, you’ll then be a vessel set apart for honorable use. You’ll be consecrated and ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

Well consecrated is to be set apart for a special use! There are special occasions and holidays we set apart special ornaments and decorations. There are also special seasons in our lives with a purpose where God sets us apart! God loves you, He knows you and has created you for purpose. He’s aware of everything about you and loves you no matter how you might feel about yourself. You are a treasure that God delights in. According to His great plan we are vessels He sets aside for a special purpose. Yield to Him so He can work through you because He wants to show His glory through you…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Confident Love

Our whole family was stunned when many years ago, at age seven, our youngest member, David decided to walk down the aisle to read a verse after the pastor requested some children come forward to read from Proverbs. As David left the pew he turned saying, “I’m a really good reader.” The truth is most of 1st grade he had a tutor for reading but progressed so much by the end of the year that the tutor was dropped. Plus, we as a family had David read out loud to us a lot and each time he’d read, we’d say, “David, you’re a really good reader” and then we’d hug him. David was so confident when he read his verse even though he pronounced a few words wrong.

And I thought, “Think of all the things we could do if we believed the things God told us about ourselves and we walked confidently in the love He as for us?” God has great plans for us, He’ll work all things for the good, He’ll avenge us and from Jeremiah 31:3, He loves us with an everlasting love…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Red Sea

The same God that parted the Red Sea for Moses is the same God for you and me. He never changes. He can make a way when there seems to be no way. His Word is comforting but when life’s hard it sometimes doesn’t seem as living and active as we’d like it to be. Because we can’t always “see” God working we sometimes question; “Is He doing anything?” When we’re feeling bruised and beat up and all we can see are more “Egyptians” coming it’s then that the, “We of little faith” rears its head. But God’s Word is living and active. And as Psalm 18: 30 says, “His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.”

When life is hard it’s especially important to lean into God in faith, to trust in a never changing God who can make a way through all the Red Seas of our lives. Giving up control to God and living in His grace of love and kindness will see you through…everyday.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Pilot Light

“All believers have a pilot light of the Holy Spirit, but not all of us keep it turned on full flame. We go through empty periods when God seems distant.” I like this description from author and friend David Housholder. When we receive Jesus, we also receive the Holy Spirit but having the Holy Spirit WORKING and on fire in our lives is by knowing Him through the Bible and going through the refiner’s fire. (Malachi 3:2) God desires to consume everything in our lives that doesn’t bring Him glory. The Holy Spirit inside of us will bring us conviction of our every wrong thought, word or action.

It’s scary to think; “Go through the fire and share in His suffering?” but yes, as God’s children that’s what means to share in His inheritance. Physically we don’t have to go to the cross because He did it for us, so we are set free from the penalty of eternal condemnation. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us the desire to set aside our selfish lifestyles and brings us through the fiery challenges we need to refine us…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday I need help

I get many messages of grief because of broken relationships Recently Bonnie wrote, “I'm going through a divorce, after 36 years. I'm not doing well. Can you send me some scriptures about depression and self-esteem?” “I’m so sorry about your divorce. It’s so hard,” I wrote. The only way you can walk away in peace is resting in the One who is Peace.

The main scriptures I’d focus on are ones that remind you of who you are in Christ. You know it’s nothing you have to do for His love but it’s receiving what He did for you. It’s about knowing who you are in Him. It would help to repeat the truth of who you are; “I am a daughter of the King” (Romans 8:17), “He has good plans for my life” (Jeremiah 29:11) and “He will work all things for the good.” (Romans 8:28). This should help you get on “the track of hope.” God grieves with you. He understands and He has a plan of redemption in place to see you through. I’m praying for you. You are loved…everyday.

Friday Matters

Everyday Letter Care

God knows. He cares. And I’m so glad for the friend who sent me a letter reminding me of this so many years ago. My friend Barb wrote, “Debbie, it’s a hard place God has allowed you to walk through. Be assured He has not gone to sleep or turned His back. I was reading in Exodus 2 this morning how Moses had to run away from Pharaoh and live in the desert. All of the experiences he went through, including the time in exile, were to prepare him for the work God would use him to do. He knew about survival in the desert. You too will know about survival in a dark desert experience, and you will prove God's faithfulness. ‘Don't doubt in the dark what God told you in the light.’ Let Him comfort and protect you.”

Resting in God is about allowing Him to take control when life feels so out of control and careless. Isaiah 49:13; “The Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” And often times he uses our friends to bring that comfort...everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Surgery Class

Twenty-three years ago, when I was recovering from scoliosis back surgery, I was in such pain; emotionally, spiritually and physically that I didn't think I'd ever recover. I felt out of control, and I hated that. I simply wanted Jesus to remove all my pain, “Make it go away,” I cried to Him. My main mentor, Aunt Ginger, encouraged me to take my trial as a class. This changed everything. Because instead of praying for God to remove me from my class of pain and circumstances I asked Him to bless and teach me the lessons I needed to learn. And the main lesson was to receive the grace He had for me, to rest in Him being in control.

During this time, I received a postcard from Aunt Ginger which said; “How’s class going? I know you’re being a good student." Well, not always. But how true Hebrews 12:11 was and is; "No training is enjoyable while it’s happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a harvest of right living and peace for those who are trained in this way...everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Kissing

“Debbie, do you think God is okay with a couple just kissing without anything physical going on? I need to know the difference between something being culturally prohibited, and something that God is angered by? This was asked by a young woman in another country. I thought of what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6; "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. Everything that God asks us to do, or not to do, is because He wants what’s best for us.

Unfortunately, the “world” leads us to believe that if two people mutually agree to be physically imitate then it’s fine, and the only caution is, “to be safe.” But there’s no such thing as “safe sin.” God calls us to dedicate ourselves to the most thorough purity. As far as kissing goes well that’s something between you and God. Some people wait and some don’t. Sometimes the danger in kissing is that it can lead to other activities that aren’t honoring to God. God is not a killjoy. He’s a “give-joy” and it’s out of His great love for you. He knows best…everyday.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday God Mind

I get emails from people who say, “I know God's here. I'm just not exactly sure what He's trying to tell me. We go through these crazy trials and sometimes it’s just a downpour with health and family issues and then there are financial problems to boot. We look up at God and ask, “For crying out loud what are You trying to tell me? I think He wants us to stop and BE STILL because He’s always trying to tell us the same thing, “I AM.” God wants you to know, “I AM what you need when you need it.”

We may not always understand the mind of God, but we do know His heart. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says; "We have the mind of Christ and do hold the thoughts, feelings and purposes of His heart." In order for God’s heart and mind to be moving in us we have to allow the Holy Spirit to do what we cannot. We have to abide in Christ which simply means to “stay put” in Him. Read the Psalms aloud because it helps to know you’re not alone and also to hear the heart of God and His promises…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Good Trials

“Life is hard.” That’s a statement that can pretty much resonate with anyone because either you’re in a trial, coming out of one or you’re soon to face a trial. If you’re familiar with the Bible, you also realize that God allows trials because He loves you and wants what’s ultimately good for you! Is this crazy talk? It is but if you know the Bible you’ll see that it’s through the trials that you’ll be transformed. If we never had trials, we would never need faith.

Going through a terrible trial of anxiety and depression, which I call the wilderness walk of 2009, I can honestly say that this season in my life refined and made surrender to God because my flesh didn’t know what else to do but despair. Good things in our lives usually come by way of transformation, and not by focusing on “everyone else” who needs to change or our circumstances. It’s the truth of 1 Peter 4 that we have the same attitude as Christ being ready to suffer but after persevering, we are made ready to do the will of God and enjoy freedom…everyday.

Friday Matters

Everyday Dairy Queen Pride

Our four sons are all adults now and one is married with kids. We have an empty nest. I love it. I also love that I’ve kept so many stories of their youth from journaling. We had a praise we’d use and remind one another of, and it was, “self-praise stinks.” It was years ago eating lunch at Dairy Queen while my husband was out of town and about 10 minutes into our meal the whining began. Joey couldn’t eat his grilled cheese because it didn’t taste like what I made, David didn’t want the bun to his burger, and Marco said his Blizzard was getting too mushy, so he wanted to leave. But Peter was proudly announcing, “I’m the only one who isn’t complaining!” “Yes,” I said, “but you’re comparing and self-praise stinks.”

We can always find ways we’re better than someone else and ways we can knock someone down. It’s always easier to look at the problems of someone else rather than our own. Proverbs 22:4 says, “It’s through humility and putting others before ourselves where we find our honor in life and I think peace too…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Family Values

I still remember about 15 years ago wandering around this grandpa and grandma’s home, admiring all the old pictures and furnishings of a couple in their late 70’s who have now passed away. On a door near the kitchen leading to a loft upstairs were taped several comics and newspaper clippings. One cut-out quote really touched me by S. D. Gordan; “A father and mother living together with their children, tender in their love, pure in their lives, strong in their convictions, simple and orderly in their habits, do definitely more than presidents, governors, legislators and clergymen can do in making a strong nation.”

How cool is that? It reminded me of the Mother’s Day Card my oldest son had given me as a twelve-year-old. It used the acronym MOM. “M is for Married,” he wrote, “I’m thankful you’re married and with our dad.” Pretty powerful. Yes, love is a choice and not just a feeling. Joshua 24:15 says it well, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” …everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Buzz Cut

It's not my husband’s fault. I should have taken our long-haired teen Joey to get a haircut before swimming practice, myself. My instructions were "Tell them long bangs and number three clippers on back and sides. Dan repeated several times; "Long bangs, number three clippers" in a singing voice so that it was practically a song.

Joey came home right before practice looking like he was headed to military boot camp. I lost it. And who knows what was going on with me personally, but I called Dan yelled at him and then the hair salon. This is so silly to me now. But I think what I was projecting about how I looked and felt onto how my son looked. What was the point of getting upset and making phone calls? The heart is what counts and hair grows. My best days are when I make it about loving and serving others with encouragement and kindness. God very clearly tells us in 1 Corinthians 13, “Love is kind.” Kindness is the most attractive quality you can have…everyday.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday The Heart

I would be surprised if there isn’t someone who can relate to what the Apostle Paul says to the Romans in Chapter Seven, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on because of the sin living in me.” It makes me think of this quote from Thomas Cranmer, “what the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies.” It’s an internal conflict between logical rational thought and emotional desires of the heart. Aren’t we all on this struggle bus in some way or another?

God tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to guard our hearts. It’s why I give Him my heart to be softened and changed. My flesh only screams for what I want to feel good without consideration for others. Sobriety from alcohol for me came not from determination and a strong will but by surrendering my heart to God. He loves you and wants to set you free too…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Excuses

I can pray to God, “Dear God I pray to lose weight” but unless surrender to God to work in me to change by eating differently and exercising nothing’s going to happen. My mind can justify and make excuses for my behavior but what I really need is a heart change.

I remember having this discussion with my son Peter when he was little. He had all these excuses why he had kicked his brother and yelled at me, “Mom,” he said, “if Joey hadn’t taken my army guy and you hadn’t given me the wrong snack I wouldn’t be having problems.” Fortunate for Peter I had been reading in the book of James and so I told him what Chapter 4 had to say, “Pete, we can always blame someone else for our problems but when we let go and ask God for His help for the changes we need to make, rather than asking Him to change the other person, He promises to lift us up. We need Him to make the difference in the way we live our lives and treat others... everyday.”

Friday Matters

Everyday Despair Not

God wants you to know that there's protection, hope and freedom from Him and in Him. Without God there is danger, despair and condemnation. But just because I know what's true doesn't mean I don't at times feel crazy, frustrated, angry or sad. The world is a messy place with messy people and I’m one of them. It’s faith to know that there is a God who redeems all things and loves and knows the messy parts of us all.

God always comes through. He always knows what's best and while He may not answer our questions the way we want, or when we want, He is always listening and always loving.

Grace isn't fair in that we don’t receive it because we’re a good person or earn it. When I truly understand this gift, it makes it a lot harder for me to withhold grace from another person. But giving underserved kindness and forgiveness to another can only come from the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. I pray to surrender to God for His grace to live freely…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Out of Bed

I didn't want to get out of bed this morning (again) so I pulled the covers over my head, like I often do when life seems so heavy. I've tried to make it a habit to go to "The Throne" before "The Phone," which means I take my big hard copy Bible and open it up and read.

I came Psalm 18:6,” In my distress, when seemingly closed in, I called upon the Lord and cried to my God; He heard my voice out of His temple and my cry came before Him, into His very ears.” Isn’t that comforting? God sees, knows and understands us. He is not surprised by what we're going through or what has happened, and He is always on the move with a plan of redemption. The relationship we can have with God, can be so personal and so intimate.

God's never condemning of our feelings or heartaches. He understands all of who we are, spiritually, mentally and physically. He understands and cares about everything we care about and hears our every cry and complaint. It all "comes to His very ears…. everyday."

Thursday Matters

Everyday Walk of Faith

The walk of faith really comes down to releasing our attempts to control our life because the opposite of faith isn't doubt but control. Do I trust God to direct my life when my feelings and my circumstances are messy and I'm on the verge of madness? Faith is really trusting that God is good when everything around me is not, including myself, and then letting Him take the wheel.

BUT what if I work hard enough or believe in myself strong enough can I control the outcome can a drive on my own without Him? The answer I've found is, "no." God’s grace is born out of the abandonment of control.

My surrender to God is hopeful because where human control ends, faith in God begins. God’s grace forgives messy me and He redeems me, not because I deserve or earn it but because He loves me. Surrendering to God's grace is feeling loved when I don't deserve it. Grace is unreasonable and it's not fair, but God's love compels Him it to give it because we are His beloved creation…everyday.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Enemy Prowls

There are a lot of messed up circumstances and people in this world but always remember who the real enemy is. Ephesians 6 tells us we don’t fight against flesh and blood but against the evil forces in the spiritual realm. Of course, the enemy uses people and circumstances to get to us. His main goal is for us to abandon our relationship and trust in God. But listen to 1 John 4:4, Greater is God who is in you than the enemy of this world.

Spiritual warfare is our battle with the world, our flesh and the devil. And by the Holy Spirit we have all we need to do battle plus the knowledge hope that God’s already won the battle. Yes, so much of what happens to us and others is not good, but God is good. He is a Redeemer of all things. The enemy won’t leave you alone because wherever God is working so is Satan, but you don’t have to let him bother you. Thank God, praise Him and receive His strength. He’s ready to give it…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Grace Is Not Fair

Grace isn’t fair. And I’m glad of it. I need it. It’s God’s gift of complete forgiveness that we simply receive, we don’t even have to ask for it. He’s gone to the cross for us, paid a penalty we never could and gives us mercy we can’t earn, nor do we deserve it. We are free to live now and with the hope of eternity.

Surely, God’s grace is feeling loved when you don't deserve it. It’s kindness of the greatest proportion. We can only give grace to another who’s undeserving when we’ve entered into a relationship with Christ with the unconditional love and grace He gives us. We don’t need religion. We need grace.

I see people walk away from churches, institutions and theology but I’ve never seen anyone walk away from the grace of God. God’s love is not based on how good we are but on how good He is. There’s nothing that surprises Him and He’s always aware of who we are and why we do what we do. He redeems all things and love you, no strings or conditions attached…everyday.