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Empower

Neighbor Day 1 The Neighbor Kids

April 20, 2020 by Briana Almengor 5 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Psalm 78:1-8
Luke 10:25-37
1 John 3:16-24

Neighbor, Day 1

“We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next door neighbor,” declared G.K. Chesterton. I believe the same truth applies to our families. Often, we subconsciously think of family as an entity apart from friend, foe, or neighbor.

For a LONG time in my life, family was in its own, separate category. I took family for granted, treating them in ways I would not treat anyone else. Familiarity can, indeed, breed contempt, and I was caught in its trap.

Something shifted, however, when I began to view my family as humans, and even more so when I applied the Biblical definition of neighbor to my loved ones. I believe we can and should view family as our neighbors, neighbors whose relational ties grant us access to their lives to show them Good Samaritan love.

I am both a mother and an aunt: mother to three, aunt to twenty nieces and nephews. There are 23 children in my life whom God chose for me to love like my neighbors.

Apart from my three children, most of my nieces and nephews do not actually live near me. Yet, they most certainly have been placed in my proverbial path, along with many other special kids from church and my neighborhood.

As Deuteronomy instructs, we can take on the mantle of responsibility and privilege to speak of Jesus not just to the children we bore from our own bodies, but the ones our brothers’ wives and sisters bore from theirs. We point them to God’s standard of holiness, while also and always reminding them of His promise to clothe us in His robes of righteousness when we fall short of that standard. (Colossians 2:13-15)

Whether it’s our nieces, nephews, or the kids down the street, we can demonstrate unconditional love both in word and deed.

A simple way to demonstrate love is to make eye contact when they are speaking or sharing something of import with us. We can forget how children, in particular, need that very sensory-oriented connection with us. Put the phone down to look at them. If your only interaction with them is when you greet them with a hug and say goodbye with another hug, be sure to look them in the eye. Giving them our whole attention in this manner declares both their value and our love for them.

Show interest in whatever interests them. This may involve a learning curve, especially as the age gap deepens. Even with my own children, I’ve had to posture myself as a student of their interests. We can sit with them and ask questions about the sport they play, the internet game they’re into, or the books they read. We might even do a little research ahead of time to know what questions to ask.

Another simple strategy is to recognize special days in their lives. Remember birthdays with a gift, card, or even just a phone call. We can request a heads-up for sporting events, fine arts performances, and any other extracurricular activity with which our nieces and nephews might be involved. Then, we can attend, if possible, or send a note of remembrance or encouragement to them ahead of their event. Celebrate championships, or even just a goal scored at their game.

As children grow older and have access to email or social media platforms, it’s easy to follow them and comment on their posts. This communicates that though we don’t see them daily, we think about them often. God has written them on your heart.

I encourage you to press in when you know they’re going through a challenging season. During a visit to my brother’s house, two of my nieces had a tough morning and simply couldn’t make themselves go to school that day. My brother and sister-in-law had to work, but I was still home visiting.

I took the opportunity to seek my nieces out in their pain, and asked if they wanted to talk. Surprisingly, they did. Both girls opened up to me about performance anxiety and hard social dynamics at school. Though they both had shared these troubles with their parents, there is something unique about being able to share it with an adult who is NOT one’s parent.

Being an aunt or uncle is an invitation to be a confidant, if we’re willing to press into the painful moments, too.

When we allow God to frame our view of neighbor to include our family, we ask God to give us a vision for demonstrating selfless love to our particular family, with its specific interests and needs. We can trust Him to guide and empower us to love our family like our neighbors.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Neighbor Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Neighbor!

Posted in: church, God, Guidance, Jesus, Love, Neighbor, Trust Tagged: celebrate, Empower, enemies, family, Friends, kids, Special, unconditional, value

Sketched VII Day 6 A Mother’s Heart

March 16, 2020 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 4:1-5:31
Isaiah 61
James 1:5-8

Sketched VII, Day 6

I took my seat beneath the palm tree. Its shade provided a bit of respite from the brilliant sun that would soon bake the ground around me. A slight breeze promised to be a welcome companion in the heat of the day, should it decide to stick around.

Another day fulfilling the mission the Lord has placed before me awaits. Already, those seeking help in settling their disputes climbed the hill to wait for the wisdom the Lord graciously pours out through me. My ability to discern His leading has become known throughout the land: I am Deborah, a prophetess. My dear husband, Lappidoth, has embraced the Lord’s touch upon me and supports my repeated trek to the palm tree. Each day sitting under the tree begins with prayer asking the Lord to impart His wisdom to me as I guide His people.

My arrival at this place of leadership can only be attributed to the Lord. Who was I, a woman living in the days of King Jabin of Canaan’s oppression, to serve as judge over Israel?   Twenty years had passed thus far under King Jabin’s mighty hand, miserable years under his domination. Thankfully, hope seemed to ride the wind.

Recently, I awoke with an awareness of the Lord’s desire to speak to Barak son of Abinoam. I sent word requesting his presence and spent several days watching the horizon for his arrival. A peace and preparation for the conversation to come settled on me as I waited, and somehow I knew Barak would join me before the sun set.

Therefore, I was not surprised when, mid-day, I saw his small traveling caravan crest the hill in the distance. As he approached, I sent a messenger to bring him directly to me, rather than wait with others seeking wisdom. The Lord had a message for Barak and obedience urged me to speak to him immediately. 

When Barak stood before me, I spoke the words burning within me.

“Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you:
‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor,
and take with you ten thousand men from Naphtalites and Zebulunites?
Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry
at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you,
and I will hand him over to you.’” (Judges 4:6-7)

My words carried a peaceful authority. I didn’t condemn, but made my point with a question whose answer we both already knew. The Lord had summoned Barak to confirm he was hearing His voice. I prayed my tone would help imbue him with strength and confidence to believe the Lord had chosen him for such a time as this. My mother’s heart desired to see Barak rise up as the warrior the Lord was inviting, declaring, and commanding him to be.

Barak replied to me, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.” (Judges 4:8)

I looked at the man standing before me. The lines in his face were etched from time spent in the sun, and quite possibly from events he could no more erase from his mind’s eye than he could from his weathered skin. They spoke to me of a man who survived many hardships. However, his eyes communicated the fear of a young man longing to know he was not fighting alone.

I paused before replying, listening for the words and impression of the Lord’s heart to rise up within me. A yes but response solidified in my spirit and the words flowed freely from my mouth.

“I will gladly go with you,
but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take,
because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” (Judges 4:9)

I sensed I would not be said woman, but I also began to prepare my heart for all the Lord had in store. The Lord faithfully pours out His wisdom, discernment, and leading, but never had He painted the whole picture in one moment.

We journeyed to Mount Tabor and all the Lord prophesied came to pass. Sisera’s entire army lost their lives, and by the hand of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, Sisera met his ultimate demise. She used the tools in her hand to defeat Sisera and thereby fulfill the Lord’s word.

Barak and I declared the goodness of the Lord after He demonstrated His power and faithfulness to Israel once again. I found myself rejoicing over the mother’s heart the Lord had nurtured within me.

I was delighted by the way Barak embraced the command of the Lord to rally the troops, and the humility with which he accepted the Lord’s response to his request for my presence. Setting aside his pride, Barak accepted the reality of Sisera’s delivery into the hands of a woman, and praised the Lord.

Later, as I returned to my seat beneath the palm tree, my eyes scanned the faces of those waiting before me. A mother’s compassion rose within me and I spoke over them:

“Lord, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did.
But may those who love him be like the rising of the sun in its strength.” (Judges 5:31)

I motioned the first group forward and prayed for the Lord to encourage, empower, and edify them to complete all He has planned for each of them. For His glory.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched VII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VII!

Posted in: God, Good, Obedience, Peace, Prayer, Seeking, Sketched, Wisdom Tagged: Deborah, Empower, Fulfilling, heart, His Glory, Lord, mission, Mother's, Peaceful Authority, wait

Treasure Day 15 Treasure, Found!

January 24, 2020 by Rebecca Adams 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 13:44-46
Philippians 3:7-11
Hebrews 11:23-28

Treasure, Day 15


The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field,
which a man found and covered up.
Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44

Ellie* checks out my groceries at the local store almost every time, despite the size of the store and the many aisles to choose from. Truthfully, I tended to avoid her aisle about 3 years ago. She’s a bit rough around the edges and a little sharp with her demeanor. Ellie is older than me and one would think we have almost nothing in common, except being in the same store at the same time.

But three years ago, God began using Ellie to show me how rough my own edges were.
The edges of my heart.

It was lent, the 6 weeks before Easter, when God pressed on me to pray for total strangers.
Not just pray for them, but actually ask them how I could pray for them.
Verbally ask total strangers.
Whoever God’s Spirit told me to ask.

It was a hard request for me to receive, and follow through in obedience.
I love random, but that kind of random was r e a l l y stretching me.
But I said yes, having no idea where God would lead.

He lead me to Ellie.
I balked, but I spit out the words with what was hopefully coming across as a smile. I glanced at her name tag while I loaded up the conveyor belt with shredded cheese and tortillas, took a big breath, and said, “How can I pray for you, Ellie?”

My heart was pounding, but that’s pretty much what big-step-obedience feels like for me. Step into what God was already doing beforehand, and trust His plans are wiser than my own.

She threw in some colorful words, but she also fervently asked me for a genuine prayer request. I don’t remember what her specific request was now, but she did say something that stuck out to me, “I can always use prayer!”.

In that moment, I realized how sharp my own edges were. So sharp, I was willing to keep others at arms’ length (or longer) all because I had deemed them without value of my time or investment.
Ouch.
I had deeper heart issues than I realized.

Was I valuing my own view of being God’s treasure, without also extending that same view of treasure to others?
Yes.

Had I decided I was more of a treasure than Ellie?
Yes.

Those words aren’t easy to write, ladies.
Because they are painfully true.

Something else stuck out to me in our brief, but forever transformative encounter, Ellie recognized her need for God-sized intervention in her life, and she wanted it. She took all she knew of God and all she knew of herself, and said yes.

Sisters, I found treasure that day, and it changed my life forever.

As believers, we get scared pretty quick when it comes to telling other people about Jesus, don’t we? Come on, raise your hand with me, both of them. J
But when we come face to face with the crazy, amazing reality that we ourselves are the beloved of God, the treasure of Christ transforms us.

Remember the dude’s random story at the beginning of this Journey Study? The guy who discovered treasure and sold all he had in his joy to buy that field?
That guy is us!

We are called to give away the entirety of ourselves to hold unswervingly to the treasure of Jesus and abundantly share Him with everyone.

When I’m at the gas station, when I’m getting coffee, when I’m waiting in line at the check-out, when I’m talking with the gal who does my hair, when I chat with the neighbor down the street, I’m thinking about Ellie. I’m wondering what other treasure God has waiting for me to find as I intentionally invest in another life, by shifting my perspective and seeing them as Treasures instead of just faces.

As we obediently take one big breath of obedience after another, we eventually find ourselves on the brink of one breath away from sharing the full story of Jesus with our own “Ellie” because Jesus Himself has led us there, prepared the way behind and before, and is just waiting for us to step into obedience.

Now, I choose Ellie’s aisle on purpose. I know about her son, the way she likes her coffee, and what she did over the holidays. I pray for Ellie regularly that she would one day understand the fullness of what a precious treasure she is. When the day comes for me to fully tell the story of Jesus lavish love for her, I’m confident His Spirit will empower me to take a big breath and speak in obedience, just as He has been doing.

The last time I was in the store, Ellie chased me through the store unbeknownst to me, until she finally caught up to me, called my name, gave me a big hug, and said, “my favorite part about you is that you pray for me.”

In that moment, as I looked in Ellie’s eyes, I saw diamonds.
Treasure, Found!

*Ellie’s name has been changed and some details modified to protect her story

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Treasure Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Treasure!

Posted in: Christ, God, Holy Spirit, Joy, Obedience, Transformation, Treasure, Trust Tagged: ask, Empower, found, Kingdom of Heaven, prayer, speak

Seeds Day 10 Empowered To BE

May 17, 2019 by Sarah Young 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 8:26-40
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Romans 8:9-11
John 14:9-2
Ephesians 3:16-20

Seeds, Day 10

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to BE your favorite animal?
To soar like an eagle?
Carry 20x your weight like an ant?
Change colors like a chameleon?
Do acrobatics like a dolphin?

The Kratt Brothers have been helping children learn about animal “super powers” for decades.  At the beginning of each episode, they introduce an animal, highlight its unique traits, then ask something like, “Can you imagine if we really could join the pack and howl with the wolves?”  The brothers jump into position and ask “What if…” as they transform into cartoon characters who go on a creature adventure experiencing firsthand the super powers of the animal.

As I considered this Journey Study, several questions immediately stood out:

What if we lived like we had access to the Holy Spirit?
What if eternity really could be changed by our simple, willing obedience?

I couldn’t help but think of the Kratt Brothers’ enthusiastic “What if…!”

It’s easy to look at biblical men like Joseph, Daniel, Peter, or Paul and think they were super-humans with special powers.  We put them on a pedestal, figuring we could never be like them – teaching, preaching, healing, changing lives, and building God’s kingdom like crazy.

We read about strong, brave women like Ruth, Esther, Hannah, and Mary categorizing them as heroes of faith while quickly writing off OUR ability to have the same impact.

But WHAT IF…

What if we DO have the same power as Peter and Paul?!
What if we CAN make a difference in our families, communities, and ultimately the world like the heroines we admire?

What if?!

In Acts 8, we find another biblical hero, Philip; a man God used to alter the course of history.

We find Philip in Jerusalem, having just returned from Samaria.  He’s busy preaching the gospel, and despite the persecution believers are facing, the church is growing!  Demons are being cast out; the paralyzed and lame are being healed.  God is obviously at work!

In the midst of all this action, an angel tells Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  (Acts 8:26)

What would you have done?
Pulled up GPS on your phone for exact directions?
Checked the weather app to see what you need to pack?
Looked at your calendar for your next available opening?

Of course Philip didn’t have a cell phone, but even if he did, I’m not sure he would have done any of those things.  Scripture says he simply “rose and went.” (verse 27)

Makes me think about Abraham when God told him to sacrifice Isaac.
Or when Jesus called out to James and John, “Follow Me.”
Or when an angel woke Joseph up in the middle of the night, “Flee to Egypt.”

In each instance, like with Philip, God said….
They did.

No questions asked.
No waiting, planning, or second guessing.
Just pure, simple, IMMEDIATE obedience.

As a result, God did amazing things.

In Acts, God had prepared a divine appointment for Philip.
There on the road was “an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure.”

The angel instructed, “Go over and join his chariot.” (verse 29)
Again, Philip obeys.

He doesn’t stop to play out scenarios in his head or worry about offending him or
being ignored.
He just goes.
RUNS actually.

Approaching the chariot, Phillip hears the man reading in Isaiah, about Jesus.
The man had questions.
Philip had answers.
How convenient!
Like it was meant to be!

Philip explains the Scriptures, tells him about Jesus, and the Ethiopian eunuch believes!

As if God planned it, at that very moment, they came upon water, giving Philip the opportunity to baptize his new brother.

As the eunuch comes up out of the water, an angel whisks Philip away, and the men never see each other again. The eunuch continued on his way rejoicing.
I can almost guarantee you, he told his friends and family what happened.

“It was crazy. I was sitting in the chariot, reading the scroll and all of a sudden this strange man appeared and asked if I needed help understanding the passage.  Actually, I did!  I was so confused, but he answered all my questions! I gave my life to Jesus, and then we passed some water, so I got baptized!  But when I came out of the water, the dude was gone!  He vanished!”

And remember, the Ethiopian was a court official.
I’m going to guess he also shared his incredible story at the palace.
Guards.
Cooks.
Butlers and maids.
Visiting dignitaries.
EVERYONE, even the queen herself, heard alllllll about it.

One act of obedience, and God used a single man to spread the gospel throughout Africa.

How many lives were impacted because Philip went to the road?
How was history changed because Philip ran up to the chariot?

Philip didn’t have any special powers.
He wasn’t an extraordinary man.
BUT the extraordinary GOD used him to do powerful, extraordinary things.

What if we were like Philip?

What if we surrendered our plans and started each day with,
“Here I am…use me however you need.”

What if we were willing to come alongside others in our lives, regardless of race, economic status, sexuality, or religious beliefs?

What if we were ready to hear their stories and listen to their questions?

What if we were ready to explain the hope we have in Jesus?

What if?!

You don’t need a special suit or incredible imaginations like the Wild Kratt brothers to be a heroine. If you believe in Jesus, YOU have super powers.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALREADY IN YOU,
LIVING AND ACTIVE,
READY TO DO POWERFUL, EXTRAORDINARY THINGS…
if you are ready and willing!

What if we say YES to God…no matter what?

Can you imagine?!

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Seeds Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Seeds!

Posted in: Brave, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Life, Obedience, Power, Seeds, Simple, Used Tagged: Be, Beautiful, Empower, empowered, If, Immediate, Strong, Super Power, What

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