Everyday Matters by Debbie Griffith

3/31/2023

God LOVE Everyone

Friday Matters- March 31, 2023
Everyday All of Us

Isn’t it easy to sit back and find the faults of everyone else and build excuses about our own junk that we need to clean up? We’re all sinners. We need to confess our sins, receive God’s grace and walk forward with Christ.

We cannot do anything to merit grace, and yet we look at someone like Mother Teresa and think surely she entered into heaven because of what she did. If we emulate her sacrificial love in some small fashion, we are lulled into a false sense of security that persuades us that we have no need of repentance today. When the little saint humbly confessed her brokenness and her desperate need for God, either we were uncomprehending or we secretly suspected her of false modesty. Yet she got it, and by the love she received, she gave in great amounts to others. Serve up love to the one God puts in front of you…everyday.

3/30/2023

God Cares

Thursday Matters- March 30, 2023
Everyday God Comes Through

“I honestly don’t think I can make it through another day. I just don’t.” Ever feel like that? So, the storm in your life is of hurricane proportions because maybe its finances, or failed marriage. You FEEL overwhelmed, like you might drown. Perhaps you have a burning pain in your heart because your child is addicted to drugs or maybe it’s an aging parent who can’t remember who you are. You may FEEL consumed by these fiery trials. Your feelings are valid. BUT the truth is you'll come through. He sees. He knows. He cares.

He speaks a promise from Isaiah 43:2, "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." And perhaps what you’re going through is not about breaking you but about the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. God often uses bad things for a later good…everyday.

3/29/2023

Praying

Wednesday Matters- March 29, 2023
Everyday Lord’s Prayer

How should you pray? Looking to the Bible for that answer we find a great answer with reading the Lord’s Prayer. I sometimes like the Message Bible translation for its relatable language. Matthew 6: The Lord’s Prayer; "Here's what to do: Find a quiet place and just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.
The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. Pray simply: Our Father in heaven, reveal who You are. Set the world right; Do what's best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with You and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You're ablaze in beauty. That’s the kind of sincere prayer that’ll make a difference…everyday!

3/28/2023

God Accepts YOU

Tuesday Matters- March 28, 2023
Everyday Come and Drink

“Where are you looking to satisfy your deepest desires and longings?” John 4 tells of the women at the well with whom Jesus spoke. She had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband, yet Jesus doesn't give her a lecture on immorality. He spoke to her about her thirst. Someone shared this quote referring to John 7; "Christ enters the ‘Tuckered Towns’ of the world, stands at the intersection of ‘Worn-Out Avenue’ and ‘Done-In Street’ and compels, ‘If you are thirsty, come to Me! If you believe in Me, come and drink!’ For the scriptures declare that rivers of living waters will flow out from within."

Only Jesus can satisfy that ache in your heart. If you're eating the junk food of the self-centered life, you'll never be satisfied. God is in the filling business and He wants to satisfy your deepest desires. He can fill your emptiness. Look to Him. He will bring you fulfillment and hope…everyday.

3/27/2023

Unconditional Love

Monday Matters-March 27, 2023
Everyday I Want Love

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, “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.

3/24/2023

Sacrificial Love

Friday Matters- March 24, 2023
Everyday Kidneys

It’s been ten years since Brenda’s best friend, Susan, became ill and needed a kidney transplant. Brenda was a fitting donor and chose to donate one of her healthy kidneys to Susan even after doctors said her chance of survival was only 30%, and that there would be inherent risks to Brenda’s health as well. So imagine the joy of Brenda getting ready to drive to her best friend’s wedding where she would be her maid of honor as Susan married the love of her life. Susan happened to meet her Prince at the hospital ten years ago when she received her transplant.

Proverbs 13 tells us that when a longing is fulfilled we have life. The “what ifs” never get us anywhere. It’s like one of my favorite posters which reads; “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.” What gets us somewhere is living life with a transplant of hope in believing there’s something good coming…everyday.

3/23/2023

Depression

Thursday Matters- March 23, 2023
Feeling Blue

I just stared at my journal looking at the verse I had written down from Psalm 139:5, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” I didn’t believe it. I was feeling sorry for myself and God felt far away so I slammed my journal shut.

We have a choice on what we think on and I was making bad choices. I felt my circumstances weren’t fair and I was tired of waiting. I know where the “Poor Me” road leads so out of obedience I put on fun music and said the verse aloud, “God I trust that You. Your hand of blessing is on my head. It wasn’t an immediate shift in my attitude but the choice to think on what I knew was true and then names things aloud that I was thankful for, made a difference. The truth is, God loves you right where you’re at, no matter how you’re feeling …everyday.

3/22/2023

Hope in Waiting

Wednesday Matters- March 22, 2023
Everyday Sit and Wait

You want to look up but you can’t because the burden you’re carrying is so heavy and you feel strange because the alter call at church was about going forward to pray for a prodigal child and your kids are all in church wondering, “What’s wrong with mom?” Others come forward to pray with those in front but I sat alone. Then suddenly, a woman, who could be described as the exact opposite of me, gentle and quiet, put her arm around me. It was quiet and not a word was said but gradually more tears started rolling down my face and then I started to sob. This woman gave the love and understanding of Jesus, who also wept with loss and felt alone.

She put her arms around me and just sat with me because she knew what my heart must be feeling. Jesus waits with us, sees our tears and cries with us. Sometimes He sends just the right person He can work through to meet us in our need…everyday.

3/21/2023

Confidence in Christ

Tuesday Matters- March 21, 2023
Everyday Backbone

I don’t sew, bake or volunteer for craft projects at school. I could feel like a lousy mom because don’t the good moms have all of those skills? But let’s try and remember that God doesn’t make mistakes and He created us uniquely and for a specific purpose. Sure, we get stuck wishing we were someone else or had their skills but how productive is that? How about we try this: If you experience a setback or failure don’t fall apart but believe God will use the experience to train you for the next step. Look at Ephesians 3:12 and we read that through faith in God, we can approach Him with freedom and confidence. He loves us. “Plenty of people have wishbone but there are too few with not enough backbone.” “Wishbone is wishing you were like somebody else, and backbone is going forward in confidence with the gifts God’s given you.

Once we’re rooted and established in His love, we move forward in freedom to be best of who He created use to be…everyday.

3/20/2023

Unconditional Love

Monday Matters-March 20, 2023
Everyday Woman Met

Don’t stress 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 we read about in John 4 who came to draw water 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.