I love mornings! Do I always love getting out of bed? No, but I have never regretted the mornings I get up early. Mornings set the tone for my day. A successful morning for me is any morning I get up early and complete my morning time routine before my kids wake up!
My morning time routine consists of lighting a candle, making a cup of coffee, and getting out my Bible, journal, and a pen. In my journal, I complete the prayer section- gratitude, confession, and requests. Then I spend time reading my Bible and writing down anything that stood out to me or a verse I want to remember for the day. It’s simple but effective. My morning time puts my heart and my mind in the right place for the day. For a more detailed description of my morning time, you can get a free copy of my ebook, Better Mornings, Better Moms by clicking HERE or you can read My Best Tips for an Effective Morning Time HERE.
Why Does Journaling Matter?
It’s common knowledge that we remember better when we simply write it down. I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember what I ate for lunch an hour ago, let alone something I read this morning! Just spending a few moments writing down something from our morning time will keep it with you throughout the day. I see a huge difference in the days I read my Bible and journal and the days I only read my Bible.
Journaling also helps to develop consistency. I can see how many days I have read my Bible each week. It also helps with consistency in prayer. If I don’t have a list in front of me, my mind often wanders. Having the requests written out in front of me helps me to stay focused.
Another benefit of writing something down is that I can come back to it later on in the week and look back and be encouraged or share it with someone else. My journals are my life-line.
Faithfully Stepping Journal
Matt and I developed a journal years ago that we have printed for ourselves personally and for our church family, but I am so excited to announce that they are finally available for purchase. Matt created three beautiful covers! I love all of them. They will be available on Amazon on Black Friday. Each journal contains six months of journaling pages and uses the system that Matt and I have used in our morning time for several years. If you want to take your relationship with God to the next level, these journals are the answer!
My children and I were doing chalk art as part of our homeschool today. We follow Nana from You Are an Artist, and absolutely love her! Today, in honor of Frozen II coming out in a few weeks, she did a drawing of the characters from Frozen. A few of my children are perfectionists and get frustrated when they don’t get it perfect. I try to do these art projects with my children, so they can see that I am not perfect either. Actually, I am downright terrible at art.
Today, we were following along when suddenly my five-year-old, Maggie crumbled her paper up and threw it away. She cried in frustration because she couldn’t get her paper to look just like Nana’s. She ended up not finishing the rest of the lesson with us. My older two children and I completed our chalk drawing. While they were not by any means perfect, they were finished.
I tried to explain to Maggie lovingly that a finished project is better than none at all. Our art papers weren’t perfect. There were smudges, coloring outside the lines, and things were lopsided and not proportionate; but they were finished. We proudly showed our papers off to Matt. The kids were so proud of their papers. Teasingly, I told Matt that if writing doesn’t take off for us, it’s okay. I got us covered; I think I have a career in art. Ha! After Maggie calmed down, she asked for a second chance. Of course, I was all too happy to give her one.
The Picture of Our Lives
I think our lives are kind of like our chalk art papers from today. They’re not perfect. They’re messy. We color outside the lines and get dirty and marked with smudges. It’s messy and doesn’t look anything like we thought it would. We look at it in disgust because it’s a hot mess. Yet just as a parent looks at their child’s artwork and thinks it’s amazing, even when it’s not, that’s how our Heavenly Father sees our lives. Jesus looks at the picture of our life and sees a masterpiece because he loves us.
Peter’s Second Chance
When I think of second chances, I think of the story of Peter. Could there be any better example? I was reading this week in the book of Mark. Chapter sixteen tells of the resurrection of Jesus. An angel appears at the tomb and talks to the women who are searching for Jesus.
And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. Mark 16:5-7 (KJV)
I love that phrase, “Tell his disciples and Peter…” Peter, the man who just betrayed Jesus gets a shout-out. Jesus gave him a second chance. Jesus knew Peter’s greatest moments would follow his greatest failure.
Those Who Have Been Forgiven Much
I think of the story of the woman who wiped Jesus’ feet with her tears. The Pharisees criticize Jesus. They say, “If Jesus really knew what an awful sinner she was, he would never allow himself to be near her.” Jesus rebuked them and responded to them saying, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” Of course, the opposite is true. To whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much.
People who have been forgiven much are capable of great love for others. These people are the ones who help the hurting and the down and outers in life. These are the people who really make a difference in this life.
A Masterpiece
So to you, your life looks messy and nothing like you thought it would. But God looks at it and he sees a jewel in the making. He sees all the crooked lines and the mistakes coming together. He’s the masterful artist creator who can take anything and turn it into a beautiful showpiece. Remember, sometimes we have to choose to love the life we have, not the one we want.
If you don’t feel like you add up to anything today if you feel like you’ve made too many mistakes, know this- Jesus loves you and hasn’t given up on you. If you’re breathing, you still have a life to live and a picture to paint with your life. God’s given you a second chance. Let’s make the most of it. When you let God be the master artist, he makes a masterpiece out of your life.
You may have noticed, I haven’t been blogging for the past month. We have been crazy busy at our house preparing books for launch day! Blogging has taken a back seat the past few weeks. Let me fill you in on what we’ve been up to.
Family Photo with my parents in their church.
Our Trip to Colorado
My parents moved to Colorado during the fall of last year. We haven’t had a chance to make it out there to visit yet. We decided this fall was the perfect time to rectify that. So in the middle of October, we made the twenty-five hour trip to Colorado. On the way, we stopped in Illinois to see my two sisters and their families. We had an awesome time together for the few short hours we were there.
My sisters and I and our husbands and kids.
After that, we drove the rest of the way to Colorado. We were able to be out there for a week. We got to see my Grandparents and our other family out there. On Sunday, we got to visit the church my dad pastors and spend time meeting all the amazing people who make up their church. I finally got my husband to Estes Park. I’ve been wanting to do that since we’ve been married- 13 years. We got to experience Rocky Mountain National Park as a family. My older kids were not fans of the mountains! They were too scared to walk around at the higher points of the park. All in all, we had an amazing trip and can’t wait to get back out there.
Our family with my grandparents. Macey was the only one brave enough to walk around up high in the mountains. Matt and I finally getting to Estes Park.
My Fantasy Fiction Book
I am so excited to finally be able to announce my new fantasy book, Red Rose Rising. I’ve been working on this book the past several months and am entering the final stages for this book. It will release on Amazon on Black Friday. I can’t wait! For a look at the book, teasers, and quotations, check out my Facebook page A. J. Manney Books.
My new fantasy book!
Faithfully Stepping Journal
I have also been working on my Faithfully Stepping Journal, which will also release on Black Friday. This six-month journal uses an easy format to help you grow in your relationship with God using journaling, Bible reading, and prayer time. Matt helped me design three amazing covers that I absolutely love! I will be revealing the covers soon, so stay tuned!
My New Book: The Hidden Pain
I will also be releasing my new book The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life. This book took me a lot longer to write than I thought it would. I share my story about church planting looking nothing like I thought it would. I also share about the season of difficulty that we have come through this last year. This book is for anyone who is going through a season of difficulty and questioning God’s goodness.
The book is finishing the editing stage. I will be revealing the cover soon, so keep an eye out for it.
Black Friday
Black Friday is going to be a huge day for us as we will be rolling out multiple items. Along with my journals and books, Matt’s newest book, Chase the Wonder will also be rolling out that day. This Christmas book is one you will want to order for friends and family for a Christmas present.
Matt’s Christmas book!
Black Friday is only 17 days away! Watch your inbox for cover reveals for all our new books, and stay tuned for giveaways as we hit black Friday and head into the Christmas season!
Enjoying lunch together as a family for my birthday.
Our Season of Testing
Our family has just come through a tough season. About a year ago, everything in our personal lives and ministry fell apart. Through various circumstances, our church took a huge financial hit last summer. For several months, we didn’t receive a paycheck. When we finally started getting a paycheck again, it was half of what we used to make. It took us months to dig out of the pit both personally and for the church.
We ended up moving into a smaller house, and Matt picked up hours delivering for Amazon. Everything was turned on its head. So much changed for us over this past year. I think I can finally say, we are adjusting to our new normal. As with any tough season in life, I struggled for a long time. I spent a lot of time praying, journaling, being sad, getting angry, lashing out in frustration, and more. While life is not perfect, and we are still dealing with everything, I feel like I can finally take a full breath and focus on moving forward.
Job’s Life After His Season of Testing
I’ve been reading the book of Job this past month and thinking about his story. I wonder if Job had a hard time after God brought him through his season of testing. We know he lived a long life. I wonder what his life was like after God restored him. Did his body bear the scars of his disease? Did he struggle with post-traumatic stress? Was he constantly hovering over his children, protecting them, worrying about them? Did he constantly look over his shoulder? Was he always waiting for the hammer to drop? Did he fear God taking away everything again?
Living in Fear
After you come through something traumatic, fear keeps us from having peace. A few years ago, someone set our van on fire the night after Christmas. It was a pretty traumatic experience for us. You can read about it in a post I wrote HERE. After our van fire, I had a hard time sleeping at night. It took me a long time to be able to sleep through the night. I battled fear every night for awhile. All I could think about was it happening again.
I listened to a podcast a few years ago. The lady being interviewed spoke about losing her eight-month-old baby. A friend told her, “Well, at least the worst that could possibly happen, happened.” The mom who had lost her child said, “No, my greatest fear is it happening again and losing one of my other children.
Living Life to Its Fullest
Sometimes God takes us through a season of testing that leaves us battle-weary and scarred. We can spend our days looking over our shoulders in fear, but that’s no way to live life. I don’t think Job lived that way. The last commentary on his life comes from the final chapter of Job.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days. (Job 42:16,17)
I think that Job was somehow able to move on with his life and live it to the fullest.
5 Ways to Move Forward after a Difficult Season
How do you move on from something and not have it haunt you? Is it possible to live life fully in the moment and not fear something happening again? It can be. There are five ways we can choose to actively move forward.
Choose to live life one day at a time. Choose to trust God with today. Don’t can’t focus on tomorrow. Focus on God’s provision for today.
Enjoy each blessing and life today to the fullest. We must choose to smile and spend time with those we love. “Discouragement is a choice,” Rick Warren says. I remind myself of that often.
Don’t focus on the fear of the “what if’s.” We get paralyzed when we think about things falling apart again.
Write down something you are grateful for every day. Every morning, I start my morning time routine with writing down at least three things I am thankful for. This starts my day on a positive note.
Don’t spend time dwelling on the past. Think about the future and moving forward. When you are in a tough season, you can only manage to keep your head above water. As you start to move forward again, dream about the future. Make plans to live life fully again.
Following these five steps, we can find our footing again and begin to move forward after a season of difficulty. Solomon says, there is a time and a season for everything. God has not forgotten you in this season of difficulty. He is with you now, and He will help you when it’s time to start moving forward again.
Over the years, mornings have become my favorite part of my day. The quiet hours before my kids wake up are my most productive hours. After I drag myself out of bed, I go downstairs and light a candle. Next, I make myself a cup of coffee. Right now, it’s decaf pumpkin spice coffee with french vanilla creamer. Then I sit at my table, open my journal, and begin my morning time routine of journaling, praying, and Bible reading. If you would like to know more about my system, check out My Best Tips for an Effective Morning Time.
Mornings are My Reset Button
I love the mornings because they are a reset button for my heart. It’s a chance to start over. I can confess and ask forgiveness for the things I did wrong yesterday. The start of a new day washes away the failures and disappointments of yesterday. With a clean heart, I can face the new day.
David’s Love of Mornings
I believe that David loved mornings. He developed a habit of spending time with God in the morning. Why do I think this? David wrote so many verses in the Psalms about spending time with God in the morning.
I love the verse David wrote in Psalm 5.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm 5:3 (KJV)
Similarily, I love how this verse is paraphrased in the Message.
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar… (MSG)
Each New Day is a Fresh Start
Each new morning is a chance to come before God and lay out the pieces of my life. It’s a chance to realign myself with what God has for me for the day. When we find ourselves going several days on end without spending time with God in the morning, we get off track. Consequently, we lose focus on what is important and what God wants us to accomplish.
Each new day is a chance to start fresh. It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday. Instead of focusing on the failures and frustrations of yesterday, I can focus on what God has for me to accomplish today. God gives us a new day and a new chance to start over.
Jeremiah reminds us in Lamentations that God’s compassions are new every morning. Each day is a reset button, even on God’s compassion and mercy.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23 (KJV)
A Chance to Start Over
I don’t know what happened yesterday or the day before, but today is your chance to start over. Push the reset button. Start the day right by spending a few minutes in prayer and reading your Bible. Then ask God what He has for you today. Lay out your plans before Him and ask Him to direct you. When we get into the habit of doing this each morning, God can accomplish something great in and through us.
The other day, I was outside jogging when I got a text from my husband, Matt. “Hey love, I got that problem fixed on your blog. You’re good to go.”
I read the text and laughed out loud. Of course he did! I thought to myself. I have had a technical problem on my blog the last several months that has been driving me crazy. I’ve researched the problem, tried several things, and run out of patience trying to fix it. Matt sat down and fixed it in less than ten minutes. He’s like that. He is my go-to for all things related to computers, programs, and pretty much anything technical. I used to think I was so techy. I’ve realized. I’m not. At. All. Matt can spend just a few minutes and do something that takes me hours to accomplish or figure out.
Jeremiah’s Recognition of God’s Power
I was thinking about that experience when I was reading my Bible in my morning time this week. I have been reading the book of Jeremiah. In chapter 32, Jeremiah pours his heart out to God in prayer.
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Jeremiah 32:17
As Jeremiah talks to God, he says, “I know that you made the entire world, and nothing is too hard for you.”
God Reminds Jeremiah of His Power
A few verses later, God addresses Jeremiah.
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27
God and Jeremiah both agreed on God’s abilities. He is God, and there is absolutely nothing God can not do. In God’s hands, the most difficult problem becomes easy.
Our Problem in God’s Hands
Just as Matt can take something that is really hard for me and fix it quickly- God can do the same for us. The problems that are so big and unsolvable for us are nothing for Him. He created us, so He obviously cares about what happens to us. I wonder if the reason God doesn’t step in more often to help us with our problems is that He is simply waiting waiting for us to recognize His power and ask for His help. Peter gives us similar encouragement in I Peter 5.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:7
God wants us to give our burden to Him and let Him take care of it for us. When we do that, we no longer have to struggle under the burden. We can leave it with Him, and let Him worry about the outcome. When we do, we will have the peace we have been longing for.
What problems are you facing today that are beyond you? Could it be that God is simply waiting for you to ask His for help? Your problem is nothing for Him.
I am reading in the book of Job right now for my morning time. If you know the story of Job, you know the incredible trials he went through. In one day, Job lost his wealth, his ten children, and his health. We see the play by play in chapters one and two. Chapters 3-37 record Job’s conversations with friends, his questions to God, and his heartbreak.
He uses words and phrases like “without hope,” “anguish of my spirit,” “bitterness of my soul,” and “my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life.” We get a glimpse into the depths of his hurt and grief. Have you ever felt the kind of feelings that correspond to some of those phrases? I could guess that you have. I know I have.
God’s Response
What’s interesting to me is that God says absolutely nothing for 34 chapters. We don’t know for sure how long Job’s suffering lasted, but we do know God did not step in right away. Why? Why would God allow Job to suffer? We know the “right” answer to that question… “God was testing him, God was proving him, God was answering Satan’s accusations.” But behind those pat answers lies a broken heart, Job’s heart. He didn’t know the story as we do. His story wasn’t written yet. The book of Job didn’t exist. He didn’t know there was a happy ending. He only knew the suffering he was enduring in the here and now, and it felt like it would destroy him.
Being Without Hope
Have you been in a place like that? Maybe you are there right now- a place where you feel without hope, and phrases like “bitterness of my soul” describe you. That’s a really hard place to be; I know because I have been there and am still there at times. When we get to a place like this, there is only one way to keep moving forward. Hope.
I’ve heard the phrase, “You can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air…but only for one second without hope.” We absolutely can not exist and certainly not move forward without hope. Hope is believing that good is going to come. It’s trusting that things are going to work out, even though it may not feel like it right now.
Hope is a Choice
Choosing hope is a choice. We can choose to stay in the dark place of anguish and bitterness of soul, or we can choose hope. It’s not going to come naturally. Hope is like a muscle. Just as it takes time and repetition to build muscle, it takes time and repetition to build hope. The more we choose to trust God and hope, the stronger our hope will get.
David understood this concept of choosing hope. The Psalms are full of verses about hope. Here are just a few to think about.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Psalm 39:7
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 42:11
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. Psalm 71:5
Satan can wreak havoc in our lives, but do you know what he can’t take away? Our hope. Do you know what Satan can’t stop? A woman who truly hopes in God, who truly believes that everything she is going through is just for a season. She knows God will get her through. That kind of woman is unstoppable because life’s circumstances can’t get her down.
Choosing Hope
My husband Matt just released his book, Breakthrough: Turning the Death of a Dream into the Birth of a Breakthrough. It’s our story interwoven with a study of the life of Joseph. It’s all about this concept, holding on to hope when your dreams come crashing down. If you are struggling to hold on to hope, I know this book would be a huge encouragement to you. You can grab the paperback copy here or the ebook here.
In his book, he uses a phrase that we have come back to time and time again. “This is a moment in your life; this is not the rest of your life.” When we get discouraged and feel like things will never change, we have to remember this is just a moment in our lives. Things won’t be this way forever.
Choosing hope is choosing to believe that God is not done with you yet. It’s trusting that he is working all things for your good and this breaking of you will be the making of you.
Have you ever prayed for something repeatedly and felt like God wasn’t answering? Could it be that God wants you to take the first step? I was reading Nehemiah in my morning time this week, and it reminded me of this concept.
Nehemiah’s Task
Nehemiah decided to take on an enormous project. God put on his heart to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem. With the wall down, the inhabitants of the city were open to attack. Nehemiah knew the importance of the wall.
He gathered a team of men together and started the enormous project. He got the heart of the people behind him. The Bible says the people had a mind to work. They got started building the wall.
Critics Show Up
Whenever there is a great work for God, critics always show up. That’s exactly what happened. Four guys took it on themselves to try to destroy the work Nehemiah was doing. After continually being laughed at, critcized, and openly attacked, Nehemiah gathered the people. You can read what happens next.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up,and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. (Nehemiah 4:7-9)
Nehemiah Makes a Plan
If we look closely at verse nine, we see that Nehemiah and the people prayed. It didn’t stop there, though. After they prayed, they made a plan. One-half of the people worked; the other half stood guard.
Nehemiah understood that in this case, it wasn’t enough to just pray. They needed to pray and trust God to lead them; then they needed to use the skills and wisdom God had gifted them with to make the plan work.
Taking the First Step
Too often, we pray and beg God to intervene in a situation or answer a prayer; then we sit back and wait for Him to answer that prayer. I wonder how often God doesn’t come through on our prayer, simply because He is waiting for us to take the first step. He is waiting to see that we are serious, waiting to see that we trust Him enough to take the first step. The Bible is full of examples of God working miracles and answering prayers after somebody took the first step of faith.
David prayed, then ran towards Goliath with a stone and a sling. Joshua and the people walked around the walls of Jericho for seven days before the walls came down. Moses had to demonstrate God’s power in ten different ways, ten different times to Pharoah before God led them out of Egypt. In each of these accounts, God had promised victory; but His people still had to act. God couldn’t give the victory until they stepped out in faith and took the first step.
Maybe the reason God isn’t answering your prayer is that He is waiting for you to make the first move. For more encouragement on taking the first step, read Stepping into the Water and Waiting for a Miracle. What step is God waiting for you to take today?
My eight-year-old daughter Madison participated in pony camp last week and learned an important lesson about getting back up again. She loves horses and has been begging to have horse lessons. My friend, Kelley, told me she was going to host a pony camp and would love to have Madison be apart of it for the week. We agreed to let Madison give it a try. Every day from 9-3, Madison went to pony camp. She learned how to ride, how to groom and care for the horse, and so much more.
Falling Off the Horse
On the last day, all the parents showed up to watch our kids perform. Our family sat and watched and clapped as the kids performed. We whistled and cheered when it was Madison’s turn. She had a huge smile on her face. It was going great until something spooked her horse. Everything happened at once. Kelley yelled at Madison to hang on and came running from the other side of the corral, Madison’s helper dropped the reins of her horse, and Madison fell off her horse. A second after falling, my friend grabbed Madison in one arm and the reins of the horse in the other. We all let out the breath we had been holding.
It was absolutely silent as everybody watched Madison to see if she was okay. She kept her head buried in Kelley’s neck. Matt walked over and took her from Kelley and brought her to me. By the time I got her, she was sobbing quietly. Madison is usually not very emotional, so it surprised me to see her so worked up. She clung to me as I carried her away from the corral and into the house. I tried to pull her away from me to look at her face, but she wouldn’t let go. I just held her for the next twenty minutes or so.
Recovering from Her Fall
I finally got her to calm down. She told me her foot hurt. The horse stepped on her foot when she fell. Matt came in and checked to make sure her foot was okay. After she settled, Kelley came to check on Madison. She knelt before Madison and talked to her for a little bit. She told Madison that before she left, she wanted her to get back on the horse. I inwardly thought, ” Good luck with that!” I know my daughter, and when she sets her mind on something, there is no moving her.
Getting Back On the Horse
We went back outside to watch the rest of her friends perform. Madison was mostly quiet and just sat with Matt and me. She told me a few times she didn’t want to get back on the horse. I didn’t say anything. Eventually, the show was over. It was time to face the music. I pretty much dragged Madison over to the entrance to the corral. She did not want to go in there, and I was pretty sure nobody was going to get her on that horse. I knew I wouldn’t be able to force her. I just hoped Kelley could work her magic and somehow convince Madison to get back up on the horse.
I’m not even sure how it really happened, but a few minutes later, a very reluctant Madison sat on her horse again, looking scared to death. I was nervous watching her. It took quite a bit of coaxing but finally, Madison started riding again. After a few minutes, she started smiling again. Everybody cheered for Madison as she went through each of the elements she had missed when she fell.
When she finished, everybody cheered; and Madison climbed off her horse with a big smile on her face. She was all smiles for the rest of the day and talked on the way home about going to pony camp next year. I must have told her a hundred times how proud I was of her for facing her fears and getting back up on the horse again.
Madison getting her trophy
Getting Knocked Down
Thinking about that day made me think of our lives. Sometimes life knocks us down. We get knocked on our backside by something we didn’t see coming. We get stepped on and hurt, and our hopes and dreams come crashing down. When that happens, we may need to stay down for a little bit. We may need to cry because of the fear, the pain, the loss of the dream. But don’t stay down for long. Stand back up, shake the dust off, face people again, and ultimately “climb back on the horse.”
It’s easy to climb on the horse the first time, but it’s much harder after you’ve been tossed off. Starting a new job is easy, but it’s hard to start a job after losing the last one. It’s exciting to get married the first time, but it’s scary to try it a second time after a divorce. Putting yourself out there for others is good until you get criticized; then it’s painful. It’s thrilling to start a business, but it’s terrifying to try again after the first one failed.
Getting Back Up Again
There are so many times when life hits us and knocks the ground out from under us. If we’re not careful, we wrap ourselves in a protective bubble and won’t try anything outside our comfort zone again. We have to remember, fear is not of God.
For God hath not given us the spiritoffear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fearis crippling, a fearful life—fearof death, fearof judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. I John 4:18 (MSG)
Being a Hero
Madison became a hero at pony camp. She didn’t do any fancy tricks; she didn’t do anything more complicated than anybody else. She simply chose to get back up when she fell down. Sometimes being the hero is simply getting back up and trying again. I don’t know what has knocked you down, but I am here to encourage you to get back up again. Don’t stay down. Proverbs reminds us to keep getting back up, no matter how many times we have fallen or failed.
For a just man falleth seventimes, and riseth up again… Proverbs 24:16
Stand up, brush off the dirt, and try again. Whatever it is God has called you to do, He will empower you to do it. Stick with it and see it through. You will look back and see that getting back up again was the best decision you ever made.
Matt and I love to have company over to our home. There is something about gathering around the table and eating delicious food that breaks down barriers. On Tuesday nights, we host our small group. On Sunday afternoons, we either have Matt’s family or a family from church over for lunch. Sitting around the table with plates piled high with barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes, cheesy carrots, salad, and bread, we get to know people and hear their stories. My inspiration for gathering around the table comes from Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipesby Shauna Niequist. It’s so good!
Hearing People’s Stories
Recently, we had some people over to our home on a Sunday afternoon after church. We prayed for the meal, and everybody filled their plates with food and moved into the dining room to sit around the table. My husband Matt has an amazing ability to get people to tell their story. He started asking questions and got them talking.
What unfolded over the next few hours was a heartbreaking story. Sensing the need for privacy, I moved away from the table and into the living room, giving Matt and this person privacy.
I heard bits and pieces of the story, enough to break my heart. Matt spent hours just listening. He would ask questions here and there to keep the conversation going, but mostly he just listened. When they were done, Matt encouraged and loved on this person. We weren’t able to change anything in this dear family’s life, but we were able to simply listen and give them our compassion and love. In this case, it was enough.
They must have thanked us
at least three times before leaving and said how much they enjoyed our time
together and wanted to do it again.
A Small Verse with a Big Impact
This experience made me think of a verse found in the book of Jude. As the half-brother of Jesus, Jude gives us an interesting perspective to hear from. His book in the Bible is only 25 verses long. There is a short verse tucked inside this passage that can have an explosive impact.
“And of some have compassion, making a difference:” Jude 22 (KJV)
Of all the things Jude could tell us about the life of Jesus, he talks about having compassion. He understood that Jesus made the greatest impact on people simply by loving on them and listening to them. If we want to make an impact on someone’s life, we must show them that they matter to us.
5 Ways to Show Compassion this Week
In the midst of our busy lives, how can we find opportunities to show compassion on other people?
Show a genuine interest in people. Ask questions; learn their story.
Have someone over to your home for a meal or coffee and dessert.
Meet someone for coffee and get to know their story.
Make a meal for someone going through a hard time
Send flowers or a card to let someone know you are thinking of them.
You might make the biggest difference in someone’s life this week simply because you took the time and made the effort to have compassion on them.
