Rest

Illusive,

Fighting to be still

Drains body and mind.

Stop,

Thinking of the list

Wages war within flesh.

Stubborn,

Striving to do more

Weakens humans in need

Of rest.

Sickness,

Pretending no illness exists

Deceives only the mind.

Peace,

Being still before the Maker,

His strength sustains.

Presence,

Clinging to His promises,

He never falters.

Be still.

Know that I am God.

Darkness to Light

Darkness engulfs

An empty room when lights

Go out.

Shadows, nightmares and

Smoke spring up

Threatening to drag

Down under.

Unwelcome and unbidden,

Chains wraps around the

Beating heart.

Down. Down. Down.

A plane spirals out

Of control

In the hands of the

Child.

Strong hands grab the

Helm.

Pointing the nose, the Pilot

Sets a new course.

Up. Up. Up.

Shackles fall away with

Earth, clouds and wind

At the letting go.

Bursting through to clear

Skies and sunshine,

Rays and rainbows dance

Across the way.

In the room of family

And friends,

Light shines.

Written by Kaelyn Michelle Pfenning on October 5, 2011

Beauty re-defined

Every little girl, young lady, and elderly woman desires to be beautiful and to hear the words, "You are beautiful."

What, then, is the definition of beautiful?

When I googled "definition of beautiful," the very first definitions are as follows:

beau·ti·fulAdjective/ˈbyo͞otəfəl/

1. Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.

2. Of a very high standard; excellent.

A couple questions come to mind when I read these definitions:
Pleasing to whose senses or mind?
And who sets or determines the very high standard?

Many women may define beauty as anything pleasing to men or themselves, but fallen mankind is not a good judge of beauty since sin tainted the world.

Romans 1:28 says, "Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done."

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time...."

Beauty in its purest form may be defined as anything pleasing to God; therefore, true beauty shines the brightest in the lives of those who dwell the most in the presence of the Almighty.

1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"

The desires to be beautiful and to please God go hand-in-hand!

Galatians 1:10 says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Who do you trust to tell you the truth?

Are you beautiful in the eyes of your Creator?

Courageous: A warning to women

Courageous is an excellent movie with a healthy combination of intense scenes and comic relief as well as sound messages for men and families.

Nevertheless, with the focus on the men, we must not forget the other side or think the problems in society today are solely because of the men.

They cannot fulfill their roles as they should without proper support from wives and children. Many men leave the home because of nagging or critical wives.

God has gifted women with the ability to influence for men--for better or for worse. Many women abuse those powers to manipulate men in order to get what they want.

It is no wonder men spend hours at work or lose themselves in video games and movies or escape to hobbies and friends.

Women have a vital role of encouraging men to stand up for what is right, to pursue God before us and to invest their time in what really matters.

That encouragement cannot come through constant nagging for a man to do something or through constant criticism when he does try to do something or through twisting his words to gain a particular result.

Encouragement from women (and men) must be founded in the source of truth, God's Holy Word, as well as the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, and must be done solely for the glory of God, not out of selfish ambitions.

Where are you, women of truth?

Jesus' fairwell speech: A walk through John 14-16

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me....Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me....I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father....If you love me, you will  obey what I command....I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you....But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid....I an the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing....As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love....My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends....I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name....If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you....Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you....In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me....I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy....So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy....I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father....But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world.

http://vimeo.com/6467643

Live on the Edge

As a Bible quiz team, we decided one year to put this phrase "Live on the Edge" in black writing on red t-shirts because we had to sit on the edge of our seats in order to be able to jump first and have a chance to answer whatever question was asked about the two or three books of the Bible we had studied or memorized.

As believers, we always need to be ready to jump up and leave our comfort zones to do whatever God has planned and to go wherever He sends us, whether that place is next door or the other side of the world.

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." ~ Hebrews 11:8

Are you where you are because God put you there or because you are too afraid to trust Him for the amazing adventure He has in store when you obey Him wholeheartedly?

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." ~ Joshua 1:9

Every believer needs to have a missionary mindset, which includes being flexible because anything can happen, making the most of every opportunity because the time is short and serving in any way possible no matter what the cost because that's why we're here.

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." ~ Ephesians 5:15-16

Are you living on the edge?

Do you have a missionary mindset?

Hardships

There are two sources of hardships and a different response, outlined in God's Word, to each source.

Some hardships come as a result of our own sins, and Hebrews 12 instructs us how to respond to hardships from that source.

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" ~ Hebrews 12:7

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." ~ Hebrews 12:11

Last night, I was not where I should have been, and I experienced God's discipline.

Other hardships come as a result of the sins of others or some other source, and Romans 5 and James 1 instruct us how to respond to that source, of which Job is a prime example.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." ~ Romans 5:3-5


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

Sunday afternoon, I experienced the second type of hardship.

Many times, I think Americans face the first form and mistake it for the second. We are not called to rejoice in the trials which come as a result of our sin but to rejoice in the trials which come as a result of our obedience to God.

How do we determine the source of the hardship?

In the first case, a close follower of Christ will sense the disconnection from God as a result of sin and know discipline is in store.

In the second case, a close follower of Christ will sense the sweet fellowship and peace of God as a result of obedience despite whatever outward circumstances may arise.

Every believer should seek to suffer for obedience to Christ rather than for sin:

"If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." ~ 1 Peter 4:15-16

"So then,

those who suffer according to God's will

should commit themselves to their faithful Creator

and continue to do good."

~ 1 Peter 4:19 ~