Does Your Life Feel Cracked?

 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. (Psalm 139:14, NKJV)

A few months ago, I leaned down to pick something up in the church parking lot not knowing what it was. On further examination, I realized it was a piece of jewelry. But, there was a problem. The bracelet had a crack directly in the center. I'd never known jewelry to do that before-just crack right down the middle. But there it was. That got me thinking about our lives. We go through things in life that make us fragil-it may make us crack under the weight and pressure. But, my friend Carolyn Knefley said it best. She says: "Teacups are like lives, some are beautiful while others cracked, but they're all worthy just because they were made." Though the bracelet wasn't a teapot, it's the same principle. Do you feel like your life is cracked? Let me encourage you ladies, God made you, so you're worthy. It doesn't matter what you're going through, it doesn't matter how bad the pain. You're worthy just because you were made.

Father, I ask You to give each reader the strength to get through what she's going through. No matter what the pain, no matter the discouragement, calm her heart. Calm her fears. Most of all Lord, remind her just how worthy she is. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

An Identity Crisis

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9,

NKJV)

"The royal air is here!" Those were news reports several years as Prince Charles and Kate welcomed their first child into the world. The media-both national and international were on the edge of their seats wondering when the big moment would finally arrive. And when it did, every news network and magazine reporter were there to capture it.

Have you ever felt like you weren't as important as the world's definition of royalty? Let me encourage you with some fantastic news. God says you are more important than anything going on in this world! Ladies, you were so important to the Lord that He sent His son to die

for you! In this verse, we're reminded of a few names that God has for us. He calls us a royal priesthood, a chosen people! Did you get that? He chose you! My sister, what is it you're struggling with today? Your identity is only found in one person, one place. Jesus!

Father, I pray for each reader. Help her realize her identity is only found in You. Show her that as special some people may think worldly royalty is, You see her as so much more. In Jesus Name, Amen.

A Shining Light

By Jamie Britt
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Mathew 5:16, NKJV)

"You have stage 4 ovarian cancer."

Those are words no woman ever wants to hear. But, those are the words my dear friend Shirley Lee

heard 5 years ago. She immediately had surgery and began aggressive chemo treatments. Ultimately though, the surgeries and treatments still didn't save her life.

I first met Shirley at a retreat last March. Until I was told by someone else, I never had a clue Shirley had cancer. That's not something she immediately shared. It's not that she was in denial about it, she just didn't want everyone focusing on that one thing. She didn't let the cancer define her, she let Christ define her. Shirley was a perfect example of this verse. She did let her light shine. When you were around Shirley, you knew the presence of God was in the room. She exuded it. What is it you're going through today? Is it cancer? Job loss? Marital problems? Let me encourage you, be like Shirley. Let your light shine. Be like the shirt someone had made in her honor that says "Shirley shines." Today, shine that light and shine it brightly. By the way, Shirley didn't lose her battle to cancer, she won her victory crown!

Father, thank You for Shirley and her life. I ask that You minister to each reader right where they are. Lord if they're facing what Shirley faced, give them the strength to shine Your light to the world. In Jesus name, Amen.

With Friends Like These

With Friends Like These…
“After Job had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant will pray for you. And I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me which is right as my servant Job has.” Job 42:7-9

After my husband lost his job in Chicago several years ago, we spent months trying to sell our house. The recession has just hit and home buyers were jittery about buying property. After several months went by, I talked to the pastor of congregational care at our church and asked if he could pay a visit to our house to cheer us up.
After a short visit over coffee we shared with him a vision we had and how because of the vision we’d sunk some money into the venture. But far from being enthusiastic, he decided to give us a reality check.

He turned to my husband. “You’ll never get that money back,” he blurted out with amazing confidence. “I’ve seen investments like that and they never work.”

We were sliding our way towards broke and needed prayer. What we got was an uneducated opinion. I kicked myself for ever inviting one of Job’s friends over. Why was I so foolish?
In the above scripture, God reminds us to be very careful with those bearing weighty burdens. Tread lightly with those suffering and be cautious before suggesting that the victim has brought the situation on himself. And even if he has, where does, “I told you so,” help anyone? Yes, Job’s friends sat down with him in the ash heap as they watched him scrape his boils with pieces of broken pottery but their “wisdom” only sunk Job to lower levels of despair.
And as I study Job, I have to ask myself if I’ve ever been one of Job’s friends. I, who can have an overabundance of advice and an active tongue have been known to add my two cents before I know what I’m talking about. It’s a short trip across the line from helpful to an obnoxious know-it-all.

And in case you missed it, Job’s friends were personally chastised by God. Their pride and arrogance led God to tell them they needed offer a sacrifice for how they treated Job. Now that’s a scary thought. It should make us all cautious about giving advice.
We all need encouragement whether we have done some stupid or stupid has been done to us. Life is hard enough without unnecessary guilt.

Prayer: Lord, help us to consider what to say when we counsel those struggling. Keep pride out of our exhortations and let our words never let stumble. Let us not harbor resentments to those who have intentionally or unintentionally hurt us. Amen.

 Carol Grace Stratton has written two books. Her first book, Changing Zip Codes is a devotional to help people move and adjust to a new location. Her second book and debut novel, Lake Surrender tells the story of a single mom who moves from California to Northern Michigan to start her life over as a cook in a Christian camp.
Currently Carol lives in North Carolina with her husband, John She’s working on a sequel to Lake Surrender and blogging at carolgstratton.com. You may contact her at contact@changingzipcodes.com.

The Call

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and

deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14, NKJV

"God has called you." We hear this statement constantly, don't we? But, if you're anything like me, you wonder what in the world God has called you to do. For Esther, it was to be queen of an entire nation. God called her to save an entire nation of Jewish people. Though the name of God isn't mention in the whole book, we see his fingerprint all throughout. Just as He called Esther, God is calling you for such a time as this. Maybe the call is to be a speaker. Maybe it's to write a book. Let me encourage you ladies, seek the Lord diligently for His instruction.

Father, I pray for each reader. Lord, show her what her call is in

serving You. Make it clear. In Jesus Name, Amen

Don't Change Your Name

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine. (Isaiah 43:1, NKJV)

Walking through the bookstore, I spotted a row of cards. On closer inspection, I realized they were "name cards." They were cards with a person's name, a Scripture and what the person's name meant. As I searched through, the Lord began speaking to my heart. Though the card had a meaning written on it, it was what the world thought the name meant. But ladies, there's an even deeper meaning. There's the meaning that the Lord gives us. It's the meaning that's stamped on our heart. He says that we are His. He created us, so therefore we have His name stamped on our heart. No matter how were raised or what we go through, nothing can take that name away or change it. Ladies, your name isn't

defeat. It isn't hopeless. It isn't unworthy. It's beautiful, worthy, joy, and adored. There are so many more. What are you naming yourself today? What name has someone else given you? Whatever that name is, if it's negative, it isn't from God. It isn't from the one that created you. Ladies, let's change our name. Let's change our name back to the

one that the Lord gave us.

Lord, I pray for my sisters. Give her the realization that her name is precious in Your eyes. Let her know that the name You gave her, it's the only one that truly matters. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rejoice in the Prison

Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Rejoicing. What does that word mean? Does it mean that we like our circumstances? Does it mean we understand what we're going through? No. To rejoice means that no matter what, we have joy. We can not like what we're going through, but we can still worship. We can still praise God in the midst of our trial. In this verse, Paul was in a prison. He wrote the entire chapter of Philippians in a prison cell. The words joy or rejoice are found 14 times in the book. I think the Lord is trying to get a message across to His people. Ladies, rejoice. Rejoice through the cancer. Rejoice through the job loss. Rejoice through the unwanted divorce. Will it be easy? Absolutely not. Will it be worth it? Absolutely! 

During the last year, I've had several things happen in my life that could've caused me to go down in defeat. I chose to

rejoice in the midst of my circumstances. In my dear friend Carol McLeod's Defiant Joy Bible study, she has a quote that I absolutely love. "Our inner attitude doesn't have to reflect our outward circumstances." So ladies, let me ask you, what prison do you find yourself in? Is it cancer? Is it marital problems? Is it wayward children? Let me encourage you, look up to the Lord and rejoice.

Father, I pray for each reader today. Lord, may she find comfort in Your truths today. May she rejoice in her trials. Help her see the gold in the midst of the fire. 

In Jesus Name, Amen.