LOVE

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

I’m surrounded by familiar faces, people who have blessed me for years—plus a few more. I attempt to put on a brave face when Lisa hands me an envelope, but the truth is I’m broken—the fragile dam that holds back my tears is weak. I am weak, and it all begins to make sense, this brokenness I carry around in this heart of mine filled with scars formed by the simple act of loving.

I watch my dear friend Lisa suffer. We’ve gathered to celebrate her birthday—my granddaughter in my arms—her daughter Sierra and grandchildren in heaven. We sing the familiar tune of “Happy Birthday.” Deep inside we are many things, but happy is not one of them.

Our brokenness is not foreign to God. He too grieved the loss of His children to sin, sending His own Son Jesus Christ into the world to be broken for us. Love and pain must coexist for love to exist at all, for it is in the giving of ourselves we are broken. Love breaks us and makes us vulnerable, elevating us to the highest mountaintop or plunging us into the deepest sea. Even knowing the cost, I wouldn’t trade love, the greatest gift of all, for anything.

Among the pictures in the envelope is a smiling picture of Sierra and me. Just as surely as I know one day I will see God, I will again see my sweet Sierra and those who have gone before me. Until then, I will love more abundantly those God has entrusted to me. I hope you will too.

Thank You God for the gift of love.

© 2020 Amy A. Verzi

BACKYARD HARVEST

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Matthew 9:37 (NIV)

One year ago, my husband gave me a book entitled, Hearts of Fire, the stories of eight Christian women in the underground church. These women faced intense persecution for their faith, including imprisonment, family abandonment, kidnapping, forced marriages, beatings and exile. They were in the world spreading the Gospel and leading lost souls to salvation in treacherous conditions!

Their stories and their faith inspired me, yet made me ask: How far would I go to spread the Gospel? Would I give up in fear if the government entered my house and told me to renounce my faith or suffer death? Does my service in the church in America matter compared to the suffering endured by these women of faith? These questions loomed in my mind.

Living in the United States, Christians do not have to worry about such brutal persecutions. We have freedom of speech and religion and are not fleeing from a war-torn land; however, our work is not any less important to the Kingdom.

Recently, when my church went on a mission trip to Baltimore City, I realized there was much to do right where I live. God has work for me as well. The harvest is indeed plentiful in my own backyard. All souls are precious to God and He calls us to be His hands and feet right where we are! This gave me a new perspective and renewed desire to keep serving because it does matter!

Lord, bring out the laborers for the harvest here, there, and everywhere! Amen.

© 2019 Maritza Mejias-Ditzenberger

DUNG IT!

And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it  

Luke 13:8 (KJV)

How often have I read this parable and not seen the lesson?

A certain man planted a fig tree.  He liked figs, and wanted a ready supply in his own backyard.   But it takes three to five years for the tree to mature and produce fruit.

For three years he looked for fruit and found none, so he told his gardener to cut it down.  But the gardener had a strategy to “encourage” the tree to produce fruit:  “Dig about it and dung it.”

“Dig about it” is pruning the roots to stimulate new growth of the part that feeds the tree.  

“Dung it” is literally throwing manure around the base of the tree, which will provide nourishment for the roots and also stimulate growth.

I know what dung is.  I know where it comes from.  But I don’t put it in the same category as Miracle-Gro®.

However, if I‘m slow to produce fruit in living for God, He may prescribe “pruning and dung-ing” to encourage my spiritual growth.  Pruning sounds painful—it’s not a haircut.  He’s cutting away stuff that gets in the way of my living for Him.  Dung is fertilizer (nourishment) to help me grow closer to Him and actually produce fruit for His kingdom. 

Dung is seriously unpleasant—the negative things in my life which prod me to draw near to God to seek His will and His way.

Dear Lord, at my advanced age, I am finally seeing that You do have a plan for my life, and will prune and dung me as needed to become the person You designed me to be.

© 2020     Sarah F. Strachan

IN JESUS NAME

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive. Matthew 21:22 (NABRE)

I am part of a few church groups and we keep each other in prayer, communicating via mass text. It's a wonderful thing, but at times, it can also be overwhelming.

Through social media, we can pray for people halfway across the world and are able to reach more people in a short amount of time. My news feed becomes filled with prayer requests most of the time. I always try to stop and pray right then for each request, ending, "In Jesus Name." Saying this so frequently can seem robotic, automatic and can sound without feeling. When this happens, I wonder if the constant use of Jesus' name loses it's special meaning and power. But aren't we suppose to pray in Jesus' name? He promised us if we ask anything in His name, believing, it will be ours.

So how do we keep the fervor of mentioning His name at the end of our prayers? By spending alone time with Him and in His Word. Only when we do this will we refresh our prayer life with renewed vigor. Prayer life is like a muscle. If you do not exercise it, weakness can result. Exercising the muscle will make it stronger, energetic and create more stamina. It is the same with our prayer life.

If we are to further God's kingdom on earth, our "prayer muscles" have to be in healthy shape. After all, there are billions of people to pray for so let's roll up our sleeves!

Lord, let us not grow weary in praying for others, In Jesus Name. Amen.

©2019 Maritza Mejias-Ditzenberger

NEW BEGINNINGS

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ Jeremiah 29:11 (NAS)

A New Year can be an exciting time to consider new beginnings. You might remember an idea you thought about in the past, but never pursued. Perhaps this year will be different and you will try something completely new.

For several years, I have wanted to start my own home business. I have done some research and have an idea. Rather costly and time-consuming training will need to be done. I have read about and listened to interviews with those who have already started their own business. I can see a springboard to launch mine, but I have not taken any action yet.

Is there a new idea God has put on your heart? Has He been leading you to join a Bible study group or seek another job opportunity? Do you need some training or more education to pursue your dream? Are you fearful of change or reluctant to get started?

Seek God and trust Him for guidance and wisdom. Ask Him if this is the right time for you to begin a new venture. God has a plan for our lives and work for us to do. He wants to give us a future and a hope, so consider stepping out in faith and making a fresh start. Then, leave the results to God.

Father, thank You for a New Year filled with Your hopes and dreams for a new beginning for each of us. Thank You for the way You revealed Your love by sending Your Son to redeem us.

© 2019 Diane E. Hussey