MERRY MERRY

Hey Girls,

“Every good gift and perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17

God’s gift to mankind over 2000 years ago was Christmas! And without Christmas we would never know the wonder of God’s love. The entrance of God into our world through the Babe in the manger on that starry night in Bethlehem is the greatest love story ever told!

And we all love a good love story, don’t we? Those ‘once upon a time’ stories that take you into fantasyland where miracles and dreams always come true?

We know that the Christmas story is not a fairy tale -- it’s true! The miracle of Christmas was not found on ‘34th street’ but in a little town called Bethlehem.  When the wonders of heaven stepped waay down into our world and Jesus was born, it was God’s gift of love for you & me!

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him,” I John 4:9.

May you realize afresh this season the abundance of love that our God has for you personally. You matter to God more than you can imagine. And His desire is to capture your heart and win you over with His never-ending gift of love. God’s Christmas gifts are timeless!

And Christmas time is a season of giving. I pray that you will receive and experience every good and perfect gift coming down from the Father above. To receive all that Your Heavenly Father has to offer you through His Holy Spirit! How about the fruit of the Spirit just to name a few? His love, His joy, His peace, and patience, kindness, gentleness, faith and self-control. What marvelous gifts to receive and apply in our lives. It would take a lifetime to unwrap them all on this side of eternity! Happy unwrapping J

Thank-you for being a part of this prayer ministry. At times I fail to pray for the gals on my list each day, but I ‘press on’ and continue to pray. Let’s give others the gift of prayer this Christmas as we bring them before the King of Kings and pray.

Merry Christmas!

Karen

Are You Thirsty?

Are You Thirsty?

Hey Girls!

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” Isaiah 55:1

Ho! That’s not a word that I would normally use in my vocabulary. It’s a strange sounding word, unless of course you’re talking about Santa Claus (LOL).  But this word is meant to communicate HEY YOU over there! Listen up! I have an important announcement! I don’t want you to miss it. It’s good news! And the news is this… Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.

Are you thirsty? They say when you’re thirsty, when you’ve got that cotton mouth feeling going on, believe it or not, your body is already in dehydration mode. What!? I know from personal experience waaay back many years ago, when I fainted because of lack of water in my body. I had to go to Kaiser and be filled with 4 bags of IV fluid. From then on, I was determined to carry around a water bottle to keep me hydrated. But recently while in India in January of this year, I also was given 2 bags of fluid to hydrate my body. So crazy!

Deprive your body of water and your body will let you know with symptoms like: headaches, fatigue, and even dark circles under your eyes! Deprive your soul of spiritual thirst and your soul will let you know about it. A dehydrated heart can also send desperate messages to our body with waves of worry, anxiety, mood swings, fear, anger just to name a few.  Don’t you need a drink? You and I can take a big gulp of living water – Jesus!

Jesus said, “whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Only Jesus can quench your thirst.

Don’t you need regular sips from God’s reservoir? I do. I find myself gulping down His promises all day long. They sustain me; strengthen my faith when I’m doubting and discouraged. God’s Word fills me with His hope, His joy and peace in Him.

So, my question to you is this, are you thirsty? Don’t you need a drink? Don’t you long to be refreshed? To flush out the fear, the regrets, and the anxiety? Let’s go to the Well daily to drink God’s living water. Oh, and btw, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

When The Heat's Turned Up

Hey Girls!

Happy Fall Ya’ll! I’m enjoying my homemade pumpkin spice coffee every morning, although it doesn’t feel like fall weather with the summer heat still in full force. I have to admit, I’m ready for the change of seasons and I know many of you are too!

I’ve always enjoyed reading the Psalms in the Bible. They are filled with the full spectrum of emotions and the many different seasons of life. One season of life is when the heat gets turned up, (and stays that way for an extended period of time)!

In a moment of desperation and discouragement, King David felt the heat turned up and prayed: “Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6

You and I can relate to feelings of discouragement and heated times. I like David’s honesty in expressing he wanted to fly away from the conflict in order to find rest. I, too, at times would like to make a run for it. Alaska’s cooler climate sounds very appealing right now doesn’t it? But we know that we can’t run away from life’s conflicts. When we do, our problems seem to find us at our new location! Remember what happened to Jonah? He didn’t get very far, did he?

It’s reassuring to remember that God uses all things to work together for our good and for His glory. His big plan is to make us look like Jesus. He’s always looking for ways to conform us more and more into His image by bringing growth and maturity in our character. He uses the heated times we encounter to do just that. But He also desires for you and for me to experience His presence within to sustain you in the midst of the difficulty. His sustaining power to keep you keeping on… The reality of His presence to uphold you in the tough heated times is real…

So, when the heats turned up in your life what are you going to do? You can pray as David did later on in this Psalm. In verse 22 David prayed, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Are you passing through a difficult season of life right now? I pray God’s grace would be poured out to you in full measure. In due season, may you be able to comfort others with the same comfort you have experienced from the Lord. Nothing we go through is wasted. Your difficulties of life can be used to strengthen and encourage others.

#GODISABLE

For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded

that He is able, to keep what I have committed to Him until that day. 2 Tim. 1:12

Hey Girls!

This is one of my all time favorite Bible verses to pray back to God. It’s a good reminder to remember that #Godisable. The definition of able: having sufficient power, skill, or resources to do something, able to solve a problem, competent, effective, qualified, intelligent; Bottom-line - - having what it takes to get the job done! God is able! So that means there is absolutely nothing in the realm of ‘impossibility’ with God. Can I hear an Amen to that wonderful truth! He is able, period! I know because God has proven Himself faithful and true over and over again in my life. Even in times of great disappointment and answers to my prayers that I don’t particularity like. God is still able. J

We all face unmet expectations + disappointments at one time or another. Perhaps that ‘impossible thing’ or that ‘one thing’ in your life has caused you to doubt God. Your faith in Him has weakened. How do we continue to trust God when the circumstances around us say what’s the use? God doesn’t care. He’s not concerned and doubts + fears start creeping in. How can we build up our confidence to keep on praying and believe God is still able? This is what I have learned to do….

There are 3 essentials truths about God that need to be firmly rooted in your heart and mind. They are non-negotiable! They are facts about God that NEVER change. These 3 truths are my ‘go to’ attributes that I default to in my mind. Especially when things don’t turn out the way I expected. What do you do when that happens? How can we be fully persuaded that God is able in the midst of that ‘impossible thing’ that’s standing right in front of you?

1). God is perfect in His love. This means God in His love always wills what’s best. His love is given freely with no strings attached. Godly love always seeks the good of the object loved. And love expresses itself in action. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Even while we were His enemies God reached down and gave us His best gift Jesus for salvation. Roman 5:8 - While we were sinners Christ died for us. Romans 8:35 - NOTHING can separate us from the love of our God. Not death, or life, or troubles, or danger. God’s love remains steady and true in your life. When things don’t appear to go your way, don’t doubt the LOVE of God. He is for you! He loves you… God in His love always wills what’s best for you. J Rehearse this valuable truth.

2). God is infinite in wisdom. This means God in His wisdom always knows what’s best. God possesses all the knowledge there is to have in every circumstance of life. Nothing takes Him by surprise. What a great attribute to boast about. To know everything there is to know about everything. Romans 11:33 - oh the depth of His wisdom, unsearchable are His ways. And thankfully Isaiah 55:8-9 speaks how His ways aren’t like yours or mine. Our Heavenly Father always knows what’s best and this is another great truth to rehearse in times of doubt J.

3.) God is completely sovereign. This means God in His sovereignty has power to bring about the best in all situations. The idea behind God’s sovereignty is an encouraging one. He’s supreme over all! He’s the number One Ruler in the Universe.  This attribute assures me that nothing is out of God’s control and that His plans always do triumph. Romans 8:28  - a verse most of us can recite from memory. “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” This is a promise we can bank on! Even that ‘impossible thing’ in your life, God will use for your good and His glory. Be fully persuaded and keep on praying. Believe God. J

When the doubts start to rise, remember and KNOW these 3 essential truths about your God. This will help shift your thoughts and focus from your situation to a big loving, wise and powerful God. God is perfect in His love. God is infinite in wisdom. God is sovereign over all.

God bless you,

Karen

Dear Sisters In The Lord

Dear Sisters In The Lord:

“O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me”. Psalm 45:2b

I love calling you my sisters in the Lord!  Gives me a euphoric feeling that I have like-minded women in my life!! It’s amazing how one can become so lonely in this digital age. We can connect so quickly with any who has a cell phone. And if you ask most people they will say they have several hundreds of friends on Facebook. Yet loneliness is one of the main causes for teenagers becoming depressed or even suicidal. Adults spend millions on antidepressants.

How sweeter and calmer life would be if we all truly believed the scripture above. Friends will come and go and family members leave; but the Lord says He will not forget us.  He is permanent. In fact, the rest of Isaiah 43, God reminds us He has redeemed us, He will protect us through the water, rivers and fires.  He is our Savior; we are precious in His sight. He loves and honors us!  I get such comfort out of Isaiah 43.  Just to be reminded of how much God finds me worthy.

Now that I am going thru chemo treatments I find those feelings of loneliness creeping in.  I went from being with 20 women once a week, learning about the Lord together, to no one.  Some times I can close my eyes and hear and visualize all the chatter and laughter.  I miss that!

So what can I do to conquer this loneliness? God’s Word is so full of wisdom. In Psalm 41:1-3 says, “How blessed is he who considers the helpless, the Lord will deliver her in a day of trouble. Here is His advice - help someone less fortunate than you and you won’t dwell on your loneliness. You will see the purpose for your life.

Let’s get out there and help the helpless! We are loved by God.

In His Name,

sharon

PS. Just a reminder:

Our Hearts to Pray steak dinner celebration is Tuesday evening August 6th @ 6:30pm at Karen Stangel’s home in Haleiwa. Hope you can join us and share the great things God is doing in your life. Please let us know if you are coming so we can plan for you…. sup.karen@yahoo.com

Pray + Don't Faint

Hey Girls!

“(Wo) men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Luke 18:1

I once read this true saying: “In the morning, prayer is the key that opens to us the treasures of God’s mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that shuts us up under His protection and safeguard.” What a blessing it is to be a part of this prayer ministry. Connecting with God in prayer and with one another is a beautiful thing indeed!

We would love to have a Hearts to Pray (H2P) celebration. A time when we can share with each other and connect face to face and eat some great food too! Do you have an answered prayer, a praise of thanks, or a word of encouragement on how God is using this H2P ministry in your life? If so, please let me know. We would love for you to share at our celebration that night.

Who: All Women. Encourage a friend to come with you and check out this ministry

What: Celebrate the great things God has done. AND STEAK Dinner served

When: Tuesday evening August 6th, 2019, at 6:30pm

Where: My house  - 66-475 Kilioe Place, Haleiwa, 780-9191

Why: We’re setting aside a night to connect with one another and meet---face to face---the ladies that we have been praying for during this last year.

R.S.V.P. – please let us know if you’re coming so we have enough food to serve you J

“ Let us take time to consider one another in order

to stir up love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24

God bless you, Karen

Arm Yourselves

The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you;

He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.

Do not FEAR or be dismayed.  Deut. 31:8

I know someone who is very fearful. She frets and worries about almost everything but mostly her children. No matter how many times we pray together, recite scripture, she surrenders it to Christ, she slips back to the fears she has. I was at a loss on how to help her and couldn’t understand why she was so filled with fear.

Until…. the words cancer stage 3 and chemotherapy came into my life.  I am writing this before I start my IV chemo.  I must do this now because the list of side effects may make me very ill. That’s how toxic this drug can be.  All of a sudden, as the day for treatment gets closer, that word FEAR creeps into my mind.  I don't want to let fear rule in me as I’ve seen how trapped one can be once trapped in a sad cycle of living a life on the fear treadmill.

So, what do I do?  The science for this disease is accurate.  I have seen people I love go through chemo and how it ravages their bodies and they die.  Or it ravages their bodies and they live.  But it still ravages their bodies.  I have seen doctors say you have two months to live and four years later they are still alive!  FEAR!!

I begin to recite the promises of my God:

I am a child of God, I am created in His image, He empowers me through allowing the Holy Spirit to live in me.  I have an unlimited supply His strength.  I am loved abundantly.  He is my deliverer, my healer, my forgiver, my reviver!  He holds me in the palm of His hands and close to His heart.  He is my protector.  He will never leave me.  He hears every cry, every prayer, and every whisper.  He sees every tear and wipes them away or puts them into a bottle and keeps them close.  My list goes on and on and changes day by day as I recite or write His promises, blessings or attributes.  

But I also have to make a definite effort to do those lists and other things or I can easily fall back into my fearful state.  There are days where I do, and I readily call upon special women in my life to pray over me and remind me of who holds me close.  I am thankful for those precious sisters.  I am also thankful for the years I’ve immersed myself in His Word. It has prepared me for such a time as this.

I am not perfect.  I cry and wish I did not have to go through this, but I am so thankful that I have hidden His Word in my heart, that I have godly women in my life and that the King of Kings calls me His.

We all have, through this ministry, an opportunity to be a part of others lives.  Let us this month pray for the women on your letter to saturate their lives with His Word.  They will sing praises unto Him no matter what.  Fear will not enter into them or us as we put on our armor for we have been chosen for the battle.  Also, join one of the activities listed for the summer and get to know more sisters!

Raising our shields & swords together.  I remain your faithful sister,

Sharon

Connection

Hey Girls!

“And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:17

Connection! What a great statement of truth here in Colossians! God is before all things, meaning He is not limited to time. And God is the One who is holding all things together. Super glue connection! Without His holding power our world would be a mess!

Connection! Everyone likes to be connected and stay connected in some way. There’s so many different ways to connect with people. We have email connection, voicemail connection, cell phone connection, IG and Facebook connection. And there is the good old fashioned, “Hey you!” face-to-face connection which is one of my favorite ways to connect with people. But the best way to remain connected, after centuries of trying to improve communication, continues to be prayer. In prayer, we sustain our connection with our Lord. When we pray for one another we are connected through prayer. As we pray for one another this month, may the Lord sustain and strengthen our connections with each other.

Connection! Looking for ways to better connect with the women at NSCF? We are hosting, “All the Kings Daughters” Tea & Luncheon on May 11th. It’s at Camp Homelani Pavilion and we would love for you to join us J Our luncheon begins at 11am and our program ends by 1pm. We also have a Spring Marketplace one hour before (10am-11am) and one hour after (1pm-2pm) our Tea event. We would be Tea-lighted to see you there! Please contact Karen at 808.780.9191  sup.karen@yahoo.com

Blessing to you, Karen

Our Home is With Jesus

Dear Treasured Sisters-In-The-Lord:

“So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage,

 and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him”.  2Co.5: 6-9

While cooped up in the hospital for major surgery and desperately wanting to get home, my study took me to the above scripture where Paul uses the word HOME to remind the Corinthians that to be with Jesus and out of our earthly bodies is our ultimate goal.  What thoughts do the words home bring to your mind?  I think of cozy, warmth, family, love, and meals together, traditions, also some sorrow.  After listening to Paul I had to rethink home and how much does Jesus factor into my concept of my home.

How much does the presence of Jesus factor into Him being my home?  Is He my ultimate sense of security?  Is He my hope in trials?  Is He the One I can’t wait to thank?  Do I run to Him first in time of anxiety?  Does my earthly home take precedence over my Lord’s home for me?

John 14:1-4 tells me that He already has a home for me.  “In my Fathers house are many rooms”.  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled”.  Along with the room comes comfort from the Holy Spirit.  “Trust in God” & “I will come back and take you to be with me” - Jesus is still all about wanting a relationship with us!

After focusing on Jesus as my home, I can now rest in peace.  There is no better place to be.  Our HOME is with HIM.

May Jesus remind you where you dwell,

sharon

Prayer Changes Hearts

Hey Girls!

I’m so happy and blessed that you’re involved in this prayer ministry. Your prayers do make a difference in another’s life. I have recently seen how the power of prayer has changed my own personal life. And if I hadn’t been open to pray for the Lord to change my heart about going to India, and then surrender to what He had shown me - to go… THEN I would have missed one of the BESTest days of my life (is that even a word? I want you to know that day was better than the best J). It was the day that our India team got to giveaway 35-foot pedal sewing machines to 35 women. And on that same day, we saw the dedication of 2 water wells that had been drilled in 2 very poor villages in Bihar, India. We also had the privilege of meeting some of the people affected by these blessings, praying for them, and sending them off in the name of the Lord!

What a most excellent day that was for me! It was a wonderful day for these Indian people, too! It began with 35 women (who had graduated from tailoring school) receiving their very own sewing machine. This was a very special day. The day that their dreams came true! The day that their prayers were answered and Jehovah Jireh provided for their needs. Provision to make their own clothing and earn an income… plus spiritual needs were met, too! Many of these women raised their hand in response to the Gospel. PTL for that! Many of these women traveled more than 150 miles to get their machine. One woman even came with her newborn girl who was only 9 days old! There were 11 women who missed the afternoon giveaway because of so much traffic on the roads. Oh No! But TIM (transformation India Movement) was gracious and kind to put these women up over night, and care for their needs. These very excited women were given their sewing machine the next morning. What a joy to behold! They were full of faith, expectation and perseverance! You knew without a doubt that those sewing machines were going to make a huge difference in their lives. Thank you NSCF family for your donations!

Then we traveled to some nearby villages - 2 of them - where clean water wells had been drilled. To see the contrast between the murky, dirty, trash-filled water around the village and the clean pure water now available from the well was mind-boggling. By using the simple up and down motion with the hand pump, clean water was freely assessable! I could see on the faces of the people around me what relief it was to have clean water nearby! Many came out to use the well that day. Me + Patti got to hoist that jug of water on our heads along side these women. That was a Kodak moment of pure joy! I’m so thankful I got to experience this & ever more grateful I can turn on the faucet in my home to get the water I need. J

These water wells are another way to share the love of Jesus with an entire village of people. It was very moving to be here. It was humbling to be asked to pray at both wells for the people. God definitely enlarged my border by allowing me the privilege of going to India again. He is so faithful! He took me out of my personal space to show me He is working; He is moving to bring about His will in His world. His desire is that all men and women come to Him. And those of you who were moved to give in this area will reap the spiritual benefits from your selfless giving. Although you didn’t go, God used your giving. BTW, we will have many more opportunities to give for water wells + sewing machines this coming year in women’s ministry. Please be praying that God will continue to do above what we ask or can even think about asking Him…

And to think that I would have missed this huge opportunity in India, to be used by God had I not even asked Him and prayed about it. How many other opportunities have I missed simply because I failed to bring it before the Lord and pray about a matter? I have to admit, one of the main reasons I didn’t want to pray about going to India is I knew in my heart, if He wanted me to go, He could change my heart from saying ‘no’ to saying ‘yes’ to India. I didn’t want that to happen. I had my ‘own agenda’ and expectations about going to India because I have been there 3 other times before. It reminds me of the Mason jar visual I heard from Priscilla Shirer about her little boy trying to get something from the bottom of the Mason jar. He couldn’t get his hand out of the jar. His hand was balled up in a tight fist making it impossible to free his hand. All he needed to do was ‘let go’ of what was in his hand, and he could free his hand! So simple, yet he refused because of the treasure he was holding. In the same way, when I don’t ‘let go’ of my expectations, my agenda, my opinions, my ideas I’m not really free to receive anything from God. My hands are full! We can completely miss opportunities around us by simply refusing to lay down our own agendas. I’m glad that I did finally ‘let go’ of my wants with going to India. Hope my story encourages you to pray. ”The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

Blessings, Karen

God Walks With Me

Dear Sisters In The Lord,

Please take the time to read Isaiah 43.  

As we enter into the 2nd month of our New Year, I begin to re-evaluate where I’m heading, where have I put my emphasis and am I meeting my goals?  Oh we humans, we forget so quickly the promises and goals God has for us, and we focus on “it’s all about me”. That’s why reading Isaiah 43 reminds me of what God has for me. Where my focus should be, am I remembering His goals for me, where He wants me to grow, help, and step out in faith?

 “Do not fear, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name,

You are mine.” vs. 1

WOW!  God knows me so intimately.  He doesn’t have to look me up or read a blog or bio on me.  No Facebook or Instagram for Him.  I am His.  He saved me!  Hope by now you’re holding your Bible in your hands and reading along with me in Isaiah 43.  Look at verse 2.  He is assuring me He is always there.  Everything that happens to me goes through His hands.  He will be holding on to me through the times that overwhelm me and through the trials that may crush me.

“When you pass through the waters, 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.” vs. 2

He holds me close because “He is the Lord my God, the Holy one of Israel, my Savior.” vs. 3

When I need a boost or reminder, I read vs. 4; I am precious in His sight, I am honored and He loves me.

Vs. 5 reminds me again not to fear for He is with me.  He tells me He will gather my offspring - what a promise for those with family members who wander away from Him.

 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.”

 Did you know, as you go down your list of goals, that God says He already has a big job for us?  

 “You are my witnesses, my servant” vs. 10

He wants to continually use us so we may know who He is, believe in Him, understand Him and bring glory to our God who was there before all things. So re-evaluate yourself.  Don’t get upset that your list of resolutions isn’t being fulfilled.  Read all of Isaiah 43 and bask in the knowledge that He already has a list for you to follow and hold close.  You just have to let go and let God.  Don’t look back to 2018. He has much more for us in 2019. Look around, listen and obey.  vs. 18-19.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” 

He has redeemed us,

sharon

Run To Win

Hey Girls! Happy New Year!

Here we are with another year behind us and a brand new year ahead. I’m still in the midst of trying to catch my breath from all the Christmas festivities! I feel like I’ve been running in the annual Christmas marathonJ and ready for a short-lived break. I remember when I was in high school, waaay back in 1968, and I signed up to be on the varsity track team. I was never one to run long distances but I actually loved running short sprints and… I could run really fast back then. There were hours and hours of practicing and more practicing. My friends (not on the track team) were all out playing and having fun while I was huffing and puffing running hard. I knew to be a winner and win my race, it would take a lot of effort to run, but it would take much more effort - and a lot of discipline and training - to run to finish and win the race. Even though it was a short sprint, I wanted to cross the finish line. What a thrill and adrenaline rush it was and I even won some ribbons, too!

The Christian life is likened to running a race. As believers in Christ you and I have been chosen by God to run and press toward the goal of the upward call in God. This race is NOT a sprint - - it’s a marathon. It’s the race of a lifetime. And like a marathon run, there are no time outs or intermissions. We are instructed to run our race with endurance, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. We can get so tripped up and distracted when we start looking around at each other and comparing ourselves to other runners in the race. Can I remind you that we’re not racing against each other? Let that truth sink in. We are racing against ourselves! The competition is the inward conflict between the flesh and the spirit at war within you + within me. My natural bent is toward sinfulness and laziness. And I know that yours is, too! 

Paul instructs us here in 1 Cor. 9:24 and exhorts us to run in such a way that we win! Winning is not beating other runners. Remember - no competition here. The Christian race is daily progress towards Christ-likeness. Our goal is to look more like Jesus day by day. Are you running in such a way as to win? Is your character more like Jesus today than you were yesterday? OUCH! If you asked my husband that question about me, I’m sure he’d say I need much improvement here J

Just because you’re in the race and running, doesn’t mean you’ll win. Winning your spiritual race doesn’t depend on how fast you run. Speed isn’t our friend; Endurance is! Our race is determined by the WAY we run. There is a way to run in order to lose and there is a way to run in order to win! I really like this translation from the Message Bible from 1 Cor. 9:24-27:

“You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.”

Let’s not be found napping in 2019. Remember the story of the Tortious and the Hare? The Hare, who was fast and so sure of himself, assumed he had plenty of time to win so he laid down to rest and take a nap. The turtle, on the other hand, was very slow but steady, and he won the race. If you’re anything like me after reading a devotion of this type I’m tempted to think to myself… ‘I’ve got to try harder this next year to be a better Christian. I can do this!’ Bottom-line you can’t! Not in your own strength and not without the power of the Holy Spirit within.

So how do I apply this to my life in 2019? How do I run in such a way that I finish & win this race I’m in? Like the athlete, it’s going to take discipline; I’m going to have to say NO to certain things (distractions, energy consumers), in order to provide time to say YES to the things that will help me grow (discipline, prayer, reading my Bible, worship, fellowship & sharing my faith). Let’s run to win empowered by the Holy Spirit.

BTW - Feb. 12th we will begin a new 10-week evening Bible study at my house called ‘God of Creation’ by Jen Wilkins. This is an excellent verse-by-verse study, diving into Genesis chapters 1-11. Revisit familiar stories and historical figures and challenge your basic knowledge by using the method: comprehension, interpretation and application. Hope you will join us.

Sign-ups coming soon…workbook needed is 15$.

God bless you, Karen