Rags to Riches
My husband, Stephen and I have three kids at three different ages in very different seasons of life. We are blessed with a 7th grader, 3rd grader, and a 4 year old. It is completely overwhelming to me at times that The Lord chose me to be their mother. There are many moments where I wish I could have a second chance to just get it right. In the wake of losing my mom to cancer in 2012, if I am honest, there are times when I wish that I could just bypass Mother’s Day. As always, God’s grace is sufficient; however, it is still hard to see the mother’s day cards in the store, the cakes in the bakery, and the flowers declaring “happy mother’s day.” For some, it is just not happy. God led me to share this devotion from Proverbs 31. I hope that it will encourage you in whatever season you find yourself this Mother’s Day weekend!
The first time I studied Proverbs 31, I honestly laughed a little. The words listed below are not typically ones heard in the day to day aspect of being a mom:
- Far above rubies (verse 10)
- Girds herself with strength (verse 17)
- Her household is clothed with scarlet (verse 21)
- Strength and honor are her clothing (verse 25)
- She opens her mouth with wisdom and on her tongue is the law of kindness (verse 26)
Let’s just be honest for a moment. How many times have you and I opened our mouth without kindness on our tongue? The moments in our house that seem to be the most frantic are in the morning. Backpacks. Lunchboxes. Last minute homework review. Everything is done in a hurry to attempt to rush out of the door at 7:10 am so that everyone can be where they need to be on time. My four year old, Ruthie, calls it the “hurry, scurry, Murray” moment. I am not sure who Murray is, but the hurry and scurry sure are right.
Take a moment and read Proverbs 31, and as you do make a list of the women who have impacted your life. This passage has much to see about being the woman God has called you and I to be – whether as a mother, daughter, niece, cousin, sister, grandmother, or aunt. As you look at the list of the women, one thing I am sure of is that in order to impact your life they had to ABIDE in The Lord. I took each letter of the word ABIDE and have made an acrostic. I pray that this might be of help to you as it has been for me.
A = Abundant Life
God wants us to live a life that is abundant and full.The definition of abundant is “existing in large quantities, plentiful.” Abundance also means rich, lavish, generous, overflowing, and ample. Do these words describe your spiritual life or would you describe it as depleted, empty, or defeated? In order to abide in Him and experience His abundance, we have to be willing to focus on the BEST that He has to offer. There are a lot of good things that demand our attention. The question is – where does God want us to focus? In order to do that, we often have to get rid of distractions that are keeping us from being all that God has called us to be. I would encourage you to spend a few minutes asking The Lord:
- Is there is an area where I need to scale back?
- Is there an application on your phone that I need to delete?
- Is there an unhealthy relationship that has formed that I need to end?
- Is there any GOOD thing that is keeping me from a GOD thing?
I did some research this week and found that the average woman speaks 20,000 words a day, while the average man speaks 7,000. I would say that I am probably well above average in this category – lol. Once our words come out of our mouth or after they are posted on social media, there is no retrieving them. I can still remember my 4th grade Sunday School teacher explaining the above with a tube of toothpaste. She proceeded to squirt a whole tube of toothpaste out onto a plate and then asked us to place it back in the tube. We couldn’t complete that task. It is the same way with our spoken words. Think about what words are “oozing” from your mouth. What you are sharing with your children? What are you posting on social media? Does it glorify The Lord? I have to constantly keep a watch on my tongue.
I = In His Strength (Verse 17)
Verse 17 says, “…she girds herself with strength.” In order to be the woman that God is calling us to be requires that it must be done in His strength and not our own. I heard something once that I have never forgotten. It was stated that in regard to parenting- the goal should be for your children to move from dependence on us to dependence on God. Satan loves when we gird ourselves in OUR own strength. He knows that when he can get us to accomplish something on our own, that most times it will fail miserably. In His Strength, not in ________________ (write your name) strength! Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favorites. Claim it this week in regards to your family.
D = Dressed in Riches (verses 21, 22, 25)
In verses 21, 22, and 25 you will find several words relating to how we should dress. Scarlet. Fine Linen. Purple. Strength. Honor. I love to shop. I always tend to gravitate toward the same style and color of dress when I go shopping. My husband, Stephen will often say, “That looks like one you already have.” Honestly, I tend to buy it anyway if I like it. It made me think this week that I do have a lot of outfits in the same color. God nudged my heart with the fact that I often get comfortable and gravitate toward a similar pattern in my relationship with Him. Think about your wardrobe spiritually speaking? Does your physical wardrobe look pristine while spiritually you are dressing in tattered rags? Are you falling apart on the inside when in Christ we have access to fine linen and royal purple garments? God wants to take us this week from rags to the riches that He offers!
E = Extends Equipping Grace (verse 20)
Verse 20 talks about extending a hand to those in need. I want you to think about how Jesus invested in his disciples for a moment. He lived with them, taught them, instructed them, fished with them, and traveled with them. Although Jesus ministered to and loved on the masses of people that followed Him, he primarily devoted himself to the work of a few in order that the masses may be reached more effectively. He invested in them with an intent focus to train and equip them for when He was no longer there. He corrected them when needed and then sent them on their own journey. As a mom, we have to equip our children by giving them the tools they need and then at some point extend that grace by sending them out. I am not in that season of being a mom but pray that God grants me the time to get there. You and I are not promised another moment, day, or month. God reminded me this week that – Spiritual investments will never return void! Sometimes though it’s hard to see our impact in the day to day routine of life. But, verse 28 reminds us that there is a day when our children will thank us for our investment. Aren’t you glad that what we do truly matters to our family, and to the Lord?
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Preventing Burnout
I felt like the Lord gave me a specific Word this past week for anyone that serves the Lord in a ministry that may be suffering symptoms of burnout. Please pray often for those that lead in ministries. Did you realize that South Carolina leads the nation in forced ministerial resignations and pastor suicide? I encourage you to stop and pray for the men and women of God that serve in your church today.
In first Kings Chapter 18 Elijah had boldly stood against over 800 prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. He had prayed and God had sent fire from heaven. It was an incredible movement of God. Elijah and the people had an incredible mountaintop experience. But in the very next chapter, Elijah is so weary and worn down that he is hiding in a cave. Have you ever felt like Elijah? In 1 Kings Chapter 19 we see several familiar signs of burnout.
- Bad decisions – Elijah has stood against 850, and yet now he’s running from one woman. We do things when we are tired that we would normally never do. Have you ever made a costly decision solely based on exhaustion?
- Isolation – Elijah retreated into isolation. He did not want to be around anyone. Have you ever felt like that you cannot take one more email or text? Have you ever felt like that if one more person requires your attention that you might explode.
- Resignation – Elijah told God he was tired and didn’t care to do this anymore. Have you ever felt like it might be time for you to do something else?
However, we also see several keys to overcoming burn out:
- Rest (19:5,6)– Noticed that Elijah was so tired that he fell asleep twice. It is so important in ministry to recharge our batteries. It’s important to make sure we are getting enough rest. We need to take time for vacation, and when we go on vacation to actually be on vacation. The worst thing we can do is to be on our phones while we’re out on the beach with our family. Sometimes we think we are irreplaceable. That is a lie of the enemy. If the ministry falls apart if we are gone it is due to pride and poor planning. Elijah tries to tell God how important he is twice in verses 10 and 14. But God reminds Elijah and us that he will accomplish his will with or without any person. God was in control the whole time.
- Refreshment (19:6,7)– God made him a meal twice. Most times in ministry we are pouring out. It is so important that we allow God to pour back in. Otherwise, we will get to a point where we have nothing to pour out and offer anybody. Notice in the second part of verse 7 what God says – The journey is too much for you. In other words, if you continue on this track, you will not make it. It is so important in ministry that we stay in the Word – and not just for the benefit of others.
- Return to God’s Presence (8) – Elijah returned to the presence of God. Mount Horeb was the place where God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. It was a place of meeting God. It is to be still and know that he is God. It is sitting at his feet and listening for His words. And it was when Elijah was still before the Lord that he once again heard that still small voice. Is it possible that you have been moving so fast that it’s been a while since you could hear that voice?
- Recomission (19:15-18) – Elijah received a Fresh word from the Lord. He got a new anointing, a fresh power. When was the last time you received a fresh word from the Lord? And part of that new information was that God was sending him a helper in an Elisha. Who could be your Elisha? Who could help you fulfill God’s purpose and calling in your ministry? Pray for God to send you an Elisha.
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He Knows My Name – Julie Cannon
The next day as I sat in the waiting room, I anxiously waited for the nurse to call my name. As I lay down for the CT Scan, I looked up and saw the photo included with this post. I asked the technician if I could take this photo. As tears streamed down my face during the scan, I was reminded that no matter the outcome, God knows my name. It was written so clearly on this machine. As the machine took the images, all I could think of was my children. The moments that I often complain about- the packing lunches, the loads of laundry, the toys all over the house. How that in a day, life can surely change with the outcome of one test. As soon as I left, my name disappeared, and the board reflected another name for another scan.
The verses that God had given me for this particular week were Isaiah 43:1-2. At the end of verse 1 it says, “…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.”
When Stephen and I saw the specialist just an hour after the CT Scan, she said she was confused. She showed us the CT scan images and said there was nothing there. The tumor that had been there just a few days before was no longer showing on these new images. She was puzzled, however, Stephen and I were not. We knew that God had performed a miracle. She said, “Mrs. Cannon when your doctor called me yesterday he was very concerned. Frankly, I thought we would be looking at surgery next week. However, there is nothing to operate on.”
As I walked out of the waiting room that day, I was flooded with thoughts of thanksgiving.
- Thankful for another day to pack the children’s lunches.
- Thankful for another day to wash the clothes and look for mismatched socks.
- Thankful for another day to sit in the car line.
- Thankful for another day to pick up Ruthie’s baby dolls which are strewn all over the house.
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.”
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Healing Fractured Relationships
Nadine Collier became famous in June of 2015 for three words she said to Dylan Roof, the young white man who a few days earlier had gunned down her mother and eight other African-Americans during a Wed. Bible study at their Charleston church: “I forgive you.” With those words about the June 17, 2015 killings, Collier set off a global debate about forgiveness. Over a year later, her grief is heavy. Collier misses the sound of her mother’s voice, the smile on her face she greeted worshipers as an usher at Emanuel AME Church, the spring in her step when she led the procession for Communion. Collier said that she learned in the bond hearing that forgiveness isn’t weak. It’s not resignation or a duty done begrudgingly. And it is not easy. Here is her full address to Roof:
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How To Demolish Strongholds
A stronghold is an area of our life where we are vulnerable to enemy attack. We all have them. Yours could be language, pride, gossip, pornography, money, overworking, overeating, going with the crowd, wanting to please everybody all the time, giving in to peer pressure, guilt over your past, struggle with your self image, etc.
The great news is that our God has the power to demolish these strongholds in our lives. By the end of Joshua 6, the stronghold was demolished, the enemy had been defeated, and the people experienced great victory. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says,
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
The question for us today is – HOW? How can I demolish a stronghold of the enemy in my life? How can I be victorious in the areas of my life where I am most vulnerable and tend to struggle with the most? The answer is in Joshua 6 along with the rest of Scripture – the people received a Word from the Lord, obeyed that Word, and persisted in that Word until the stronghold fell. For more information on Joshua 6, you can check out the sermon from February 4th on our Locust Hill Facebook Page or Church App.
But I would like to discuss how strongholds fall in 2018. First, it begins with the Word of God (Ps. 119:105, 111; Heb. 4:12, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21). When Satan tempted Jesus, each time our Lord responded with a Word from the Lord. Although Satan is a powerful adversary, he is NOT very creative. His primary strategy for erecting strongholds in our lives is simple – LIES (Gen. 3:4, John 8:44, Rev. 12:9-11). The ONLY way we can defeat the lies of the enemy is the TRUTH of God’s Word – the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17)
So then, what does this look like in real life? In order to demolish that stronghold, you need a Word from the Lord. Here are some examples. If you struggle with:
- Language – Psalm 119:14, Eph 4:29
- Pride : John 3:30
- Gossip – James 1:26,4:11, Proverbs 16:28
- Pornography – Mathew 5:27-28, 1 Cor 6:18
- Money – Psalm 20:7, Matt 6:33
- Overworking – Psalm 90:12
- Overeating – 1 Cor 6:19-20
- Worry – Phil 4:6-7, Matt 6:25-34
- Past – Romans 8:1
- Stress – John 15:5, Isaiah 40:31, Proverbs 3:5-6
Strongholds don’t fall by trying harder. They only fall through the power of the Living and active Word of God. Please share verses that have helped you demolish a stronghold in your life! It may be just what someone else needs.
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Snow Days in the South
But you know, the greatest thing about snow days in the South is that it is a time when EVERYTHING shuts down. I mean think about it – there are a lot less things open on our snow days than on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Our world is FORCED to STOP and PAUSE for a few hours and we love them so much because:
- we spend time with one another
- we act like kids again – grown ups sled and make snow angels and snow cream.
- It is like a mini-vacation. And it is wonderful!
So here’s the question – Why do we wait for a once a year snowpacalypse to do the things that are most important in life?
– In the U.S., 85.8 percent of males and 66.5 percent of females work more than 40 hours per week.
– According to the ILO, “Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers.”
The point that I believe God wants to make is very simple – We need to take more SNOW DAYS when there is no snow at all! Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” James 4:14 says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Life is short. Don’t wait for 1-2 days a year to force you to do what we all should be doing all the time!
– Invest in The Lord and your family.
– Relax, Enjoy Life, Laugh, and act like a kid.
– Slow down and make the most of every moment.
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A New Direction
I love the book of Joshua. It is a book about fulfilling God’s Vision and experiencing God’s Victory. In Joshua 1:2, God calls His people FROM a place of dryness, desperation, defeat, and death TO a place of vision, victory, and vitality. We have that same choice in 2018. Will we choose God’s plan or Satan’s place to live this year? The Lord showed me something in Joshua 1:1-2 that I believe has the potential to have great impact in your life as you begin this New Year. Verse 2 says, “Moses my servant is dead….”
It could be that God desires that you START something in 2018. Moses had been an incredible leader of the Lord. He had led the people of God faithfully from Egypt out of bondage and to the banks of the Promised Land. But Moses disqualified himself in God’s eyes by taking the glory from God and giving it to himself (Numbers 20). Moses’ calling was complete but God was just getting started. Here’s the word – If we fail to do what God asks from us, God will move on and find someone else to do the job, but we will miss the blessing. For someone – you know God has given you an assignment but to this point you have failed to obey. It could be fear. It could be procrastination. You may feel unworthy. Maybe you’re just too busy. Could it be that God wants to say to you today – You either get on with it or I’ll find someone else, but either way My will is going to be accomplished. If you don’t start my assignment, you are going to miss My blessing in Your life.
On the other hand, it could be that God desires that you STOP something in 2018. The people of God were having a hard time moving on. Deuteronomy 34:8 says, “The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.” It’s hard to move on sometimes – especially when something is good. I mean we are talking about Moses here – the man wrote the first 5 books of the Bible, one of the greatest leaders in the history of the people of God. And so God comes and gets right to it – Moses is dead. Ouch. It’s time to STOP looking back. It’s time to start looking forward. And I wonder if there is an area of your life today where you are looking back? For some –it was a good thing. It’s like Moses. If it was good, our tendency in 2018 is to keep looking back to the good old days.
- Your health was good
- Your finances were good
- Your marriage was good
- You career was good
- Your service for the Lord was good
- Your testimony was good
- Your class, your ministry was good.
If we are not careful, we may spend another year thinking about the way things used to be
And then for others it wasn’t good. Your past brings up bad memories.
- That mistake you made
- That sin you committed
- That failure
- That low point
- That crises
- That dark place
But regardless, God wants to come to us oh so subtly today and say – That’s over. That’s in the past. The sooner you come to the realization of where you actually are in the present –the better.
Why?? Because I have something exciting for your future! I can’t do what I need to do in your future until you close the door on the past. I can’t write your next chapter until you put a period on the last one.
Stop focusing on that good thing. Stop focusing on that bad thing. Start focusing on the NEXT thing!!
We can LEARN from the past, but we can’t LIVE in the past!
Paul says in Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;”
Sometimes we say, “I don’t know if I am ABLE.” Remember…..
Jacob cheated, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul committed murder, Gideon insecure, Miriam gossiped, Martha worried, Thomas doubted, Sara was impatient, Elijah was moody, Moses stuttered, Zacchaeus was short, Abraham was old, and Lazarus was dead.
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Christmas Blues
How DID God encourage these parents, and how can we also be encouraged through the Christmas story? I mean, where was God anyway when these two were facing this incredibly painful season? We learn at least 3 things about God in this story.
First, God stands BEHIND you with His PLANS (Isaiah 9:6-7). So the Christmas story gets started for Mary and Joseph in Luke 1:26. But God’s Christmas story got started a LONG time before that. 2000 years earlier in the book of Isaiah which is a book of HOPE in the midst of difficult times we have Isaiah 9:6-7. God’s plan was to have a child that would save all of mankind. So, although Mary and Joseph were caught by surprise, God had been planning on it for thousands of years! Although they didn’t know where this thing was headed, God had the whole thing planned. Although this didn’t go according to their plans, it went EXACTLY according to God’s plan. You can be encouraged by knowing that God was not surprised by what happened in your life this year!
Second, God stands BESIDE you with His PRESENCE AND HIS PEOPLE (Lk 1:26, Mt. 1:20). God sent an angel to both Mary and Joseph in their lowest moments to encourage them. And He does the same for His children today. He will never leave you nor forsake you. The primary message of Christmas is that God loves you so much that He sent His Presence to enter into your world so that you could one day enter His! And then, God also sends His PEOPLE to stand beside Mary and Joseph in their trying time. At first, it is Elizabeth in Luke 1:39. This older woman encourages Mary in what God is calling her to do. And then God sends shepherds and Wise Men to validate the work of God in their lives. And then when Jesus is dedicated at the temple, God intersects the couple with Simeon and Anna to once again encourage these parents. At every stage, these parents find encouragement in people that God puts in their path. You can also find great encouragement in both His Presence and His people.
Finally, God stands BEFORE you with His PROMISES! (Lk 1:31-37). The angel comes to Mary and looks into the future and says Mary –
- I see the future and you are going to have a baby boy
- And his name is going to be JESUS
- He is going to be very powerful and the Son of God
- And he is going to rule and to reign forever
So, where was God when this couple needed Him the most? He was behind them, beside them, and before them! And you can be encouraged today by knowing that the God of Angel Armies also stands behind, beside, and before you and your family in order to encourage during this Christmas season.
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Don’t Miss Christmas
The Lord has put something on my heart this year that I hope may be valuable in your life and family. God’s desire for your Christmas this year is that you Encounter the Living One, Encourage the Hurting One, and Evangelize the Lost One.
God’s plan is all about PRESENCE – being there for Him, there for those that are hurting, and available to the lost.
calendar. It is the tyranny of the urgent, and if we aren’t careful we will have time for everything except Jesus. The second is cash. There are additional expenses this time of year in an already tight budget. The third is criticism. Notice that Martha criticizes her sister in front of Jesus. Mary must have gotten the point by Martha’s huffing and puffing how she was feeling. If you are not careful you will allow the expectations of others or the criticism of others completely control your Christmas and you will make everyone happy except for The Lord. The fourth is change. It could be that your family is dealing with a divorce or the lost of a loved one, but either way the family table will look different this year. The fifth is culture. It’s very subtle and sneaky. Did you realize that out of the top 20 Christmas songs you will hear on the radio this year, that only 2 mention the name of Jesus? If we are not careful we can very easily replace the Nativity with Nostalgia, replace the Savior with a Season, and Replace the Holy for a mere Holiday.
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Parenting 101
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