Thursday Devotional - Our Christmas Letter and Picture 2023 (12/21/2023)

 

With cries for peace, it’s comforting to know Jesus offers security! Our recent verse in our BSF John study was John 8:12. Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  

We rang in the new year with my sister, Mary, and her family in Texas! Then, it was back to our busy school, work, Bible study, music and exercise activities! Not long into the new year, Joe rented a cherry picker to cut down a huge tree in our yard. Thankfully God helped him finish before several big ice-storms!

James and Alexis improved and competed in gymnastics while Sarah transitioned to an excellent new equestrian center doing jumps. Edmund played soccer for the first time and really caught on quickly (scoring most of the goals each game).

James and Sarah excitedly practiced for their first children’s opera at the Detroit Opera House! Less excitedly, they continue piano practice each morning before school, but they do enjoy lessons with aunt Jane much better than with me!

All four kids were asked to sing the National Anthem for some patriotic events in our community and rose to the challenge. They also daily practiced and weekly competed on a swim and dive team this summer. Edmund and Alexis were terrified of the big pool at first, but Sarah reminded them God is always with them! Yes, may you also experience His presence today and always! 

Merry Christmas from the Reas!

(Joe, Alice, James (11), Sarah (9), Edmund (7) and Alexis (7))

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God when We’re Too Scared (6/8/23)

It’s been a crazy week with all four kids starting swim and dive team practice, in addition to all their other activities. This is the first year for the twins. Alexis was super excited and Edmund was extremely scared. He said he couldn’t go and cried on and off all afternoon before the first practice. We talked through various scenarios and his siblings tried to encourage him. I reminded him that he felt similarly last year before his first baseball practice, yet he has loved it since!

On a much larger scale, Jeremiah was terrified to be a prophet for the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:4-10       The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. ¹⁰ See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

When God calls us to do something, He promises to be with us and provide what is needed to do the job, no matter how scary it is.

As I prayed about whether Edmund was to start swim and dive team, the baseball scenario from last year kept coming to mind. So, even though he cried while waiting his turn to jump off the diving board, he did jump off and had a smile afterwards! Later that night as we were talking it over and comparing it to his experience with baseball, he said he was glad he did it. Then, he suddenly exclaimed – “and God was with me!!!”

Yes, God was with him! He is always with us, whether we are afraid of something big or small. What is scary for you right now? Will you take it to God and let Him guide you for your next steps? He will faithfully be with you!  

Thursday Devotional - God's Work in 2022! (12/29/22)

 Throughout this past year we tried to record specific answers to prayer and ways we saw God work. Then, on Thanksgiving, we read through all the ones we had recorded (and I know there are numerous others we forgot to record!). I thought I would share just a few here:

1. Healing of my broken wrist without needing surgery
2. Recovery from COVID and that we didn’t share it with my parents
3. Sparing my baby nephew’s life and healing him
4. Finding my special mug (in one piece!) that fell off the car
5. Direction and support for leading in a new ministry
6. Preserving the kids’ library book coupons (thrown away on accident)

God cares about and is involved in life and death situations and in tiny .25 cent coupons!

As I was studying Obadiah last night, I was reminded again that everything comes from God. All credit belongs to Him! When we fail to remember that, then we become prideful and the outcome won’t be pretty. God’s prophesy against Edom for their centuries of prideful living was bleak.

Obadiah 1:1-3     The vision of Obadiah.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says about Edom—

We have heard a message from the Lord:
    An envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Rise, let us go against her for battle”—

² “See, I will make you small among the nations;
    you will be utterly despised.
³ The pride of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rocks
    and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
    ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?                                

It was a stark reminder of the real danger of pride. The opposite is humility, which recognizes our utter dependence on God and that everything we have and can do comes from Him. I pray you and I can grow in humility this coming year! All credit belongs to Him! He is always at work!!!

 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, Always! 7/21/22

As we finish up the Book of Matthew, Jesus gives us an amazing promise.

Matthew 28:18-20    ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus promises He will be with us always! He will be with us as we courageously obey His command to go and teach others to follow God. This isn’t a new promise, but one God had already given to the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 31:6   ⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Plus, Matthew started his book telling us God is with us by quoting from Isaiah.

Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

If you love God and are a follower of Jesus, are you encouraged knowing God is with you and will never leave you? My prayer this year has been that each week’s devotional added another layer of assurance that God is with you - Always!

Alice

 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, to Dispel Doubts 7/14/22

 Have you ever doubted if something would work, but you tried it anyway?

Some of Jesus' disciples doubted Jesus' resurrection, but went to meet Him anyway.

Matthew 27:16-17 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

We know Thomas was as least one of the disciples that doubted at one point (John 20:24-31). I think there may have been more than just Thomas, though, because it says "some doubted." From the other Gospels it is clear that some of them doubted the report by the women (Mark 16:9-11), doubted the witness of those who had seen Jesus (Mark 16:12-14), and even doubted Jesus himself when he appeared to them personally (Luke 24:36-43).

We know they didn't stay "doubters!" Mark 16:19-20 says "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up in to heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."

Even though some disciples doubted, they still did as Jesus commanded and went to meet Him in Galilee. They took their doubts to Jesus and then He was able to give them the confirmation they needed. What if they hadn't obediently gone to Galilee? Some of them may have remained doubters.  

We can do the same today with our doubts. We can go to God in prayer and ask our questions. We can then study and search the Bible for answers. If we have doubts, but don't go to God and His Word, then we can't expect to receive answers. 

What doubts do you have? What doubts do those around you have?

How will you and I take those doubts and questions to God and ask for the Holy Spirit to help us know the truth as we study the Bible? Then, we can proclaim the truth with confidence, as God dispels doubts!

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, While Others Spread Lies 7/7/22

Lies are prevalent all around us - in the news, in the media, on social networks, etc. Twisting the truth and facts isn’t new. It happened all around Jesus’ life, death and resurrection!

Matthew 28:11-15      While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Jewish people were told a lie, and many believed it. However, they could have stopped to think about whether it made sense instead of accepting it at face value. First, they could have sent out search parties to look for the “stolen” body, questioned the disciples, and searched their homes. If the body was stolen and hidden somewhere, someone could have found it. Someone would have “leaked” the secret. Plus, if the disciples were such cowards to flee at Jesus’ arrest and not speak up at his trial, then why would they suddenly have courage enough to steal his body from a sealed and guarded tomb? 

Also, if the guards had really fallen asleep, the chief priests would have certainly had them killed. At a minimum, the guards would have been fired! Guards are trained to watch without sleeping. So, it wouldn’t make sense that ALL of the guards fell asleep! Plus, it says "some" of the guards went to the chief priests, so maybe the others weren't bribed and actually circulated the truth.

Some of these details may have taken weeks to flesh out, but the truth could have been uncovered and known. Hundreds of people saw the resurrected Jesus and lived to tell about it. The people had to want to know the truth, ask questions, and stop and think.

God was with the women and disciples, and made sure they knew the truth. As we stay close to God, He can help us know the truth, too.

What lies might you and I have accepted at face value?

What truth about God have others tried to discount or twist?

How will you and I stop and think, go to God with our questions, and study His truths in His Word so we aren’t deceived? He is with us to help us discern truth from lies!

Thursday Devotional - God is with Us, Pursuing Goals 6/30/22

Can you believe we are halfway through 2022??? So, how are you and I doing on our 2022 goals? For those who set goals, did you and I ask God what His plans and purposes were for us this year?

Proverbs 19:20-21       Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Now is a good time to revisit our goals and have a mid-year check-in with God! How does He think we are doing in relation to His purposes and goals for us?

Alice 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in our Stand for Him 6/9/22

Last night we read about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and how they bravely faced death for standing up for the truths of God (from Daniel 3). As we were talking about it, Sarah (8) said if someone threatened her, she wouldn’t be afraid because she knew she would go to heaven, where it is perfect. (I pray the Holy Spirit never lets her lose the confidence she has in God and His eternal plans!)

Our Bible reading and devotional time last night tied right in with the passage of Scripture we had started memorizing the day before from Matthew!

Matthew 10:28-33 ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Where are you and I afraid to take a stand for God? Let’s remember He is with us and won’t let anything happen outside of His plan and care. 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in our Disgust 6/2/22

 I walked into work the other day and someone shared how disturbed they were to hear all the terrible news in the world. They said it was especially difficult to hear and see about children being harmed. I agreed.

God is disgusted, too. I was able to share that I just re-read Matthew 18:5-7

⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

I said I know God will bring justice. We often want it immediately, but He will bring it in His time.

However disgusted or appalled you and I are, we can be assured God is even more disgusted. We can trust His timing to rightly judge.

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in our Marriage 5/26/22

 Today is Joe’s and my 15^th wedding anniversary! We got married on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and Joe planned a surprise honeymoon to Niagara on the Lake. (I knew we were going somewhere, but I didn’t know where.) I had said I didn’t want to go on a long or far away honeymoon, in case we ended up too exhausted after the wedding and couldn’t fully enjoy it! Plus, we needed time to get use to each other – living together, sleeping together, etc.

God takes two people and makes them one. We are now one couple, one family unit, and one tax return! 😊 God’s plan is for us to grow closer to each other as we grow closer to Him. If we are both growing closer to Him, then I don’t see how we can grow apart.  

Matthew 19:3-6    ³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

God is to be at the center of every Biblical marriage. He wants to help marriages. Whose marriage will you pray for today? Pray for them to recognize God’s presence, His desire to help, and His purposes for them as one.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, Meeting Our Different Learning Styles 5/19/22

Are you more of a visual or verbal learner? For the most part, I’m a verbal (or auditory-sequential) learner and Joe is a visual/spatial learner (opposites attract!). We will experience, see, hear or read the same thing and remember different aspects of it.

What kind of learners were the disciples or the women who went to the empty tomb? I’m guessing there were some of both. God took care to cover both types! Not only did God send an angel to sit on the stone to visibly confirm that the empty tomb and violent earthquake were God’s doing (as we saw last week), but God had the angel also verbally confirm this truth.

Matthew 28:5-7   ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (italics for emphasis)

God reminded the women and the disciples (and us today) that all this happened just as planned and just as Jesus said! God offered the proof visually and verbally.

God teaches us today both visually and verbally. We can visually read His Word and verbally hear it taught. We can visually see His hand in creation around us and verbally interact with Him in prayer. Through His Word He gives us the big picture (spatial) of His redemptive plan for the whole world and He also gives us specific practical details (sequential) for everyday life.

God doesn’t just have one way of teaching. He reveals Himself in different ways for every learning style. He is the ultimate creative teacher with unlimited variety!

How has God used various ways to teach you His truths?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, In the Proof 5/12/22

Did you know there was an earthquake both at Jesus’ death and his resurrection? God may have seemed silent or far away during Jesus’s trial and crucifixion, but He was behind all the supernatural events that simultaneously exploded.   

Matthew 27:50-54           ⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. ⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Matthew 28:1-4   After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. ² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Not only were there numerous people who witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection, but I’m guessing thousands more experienced and remembered the earthquakes! God offered evidence to people who weren’t even looking for proof! I’m sure the guards never forgot either day. Plus, I love how God sent an angel to sit on the stone so that no one could think the empty tomb and earthquake were just coincidence. God was behind it all!    

Who do you know that isn’t even looking for proof from God? Let’s pray their eyes are opened (like the centurion) to see the obvious evidence of God all around them!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us on this National Day of Prayer 5/5/22

Did you know the United States has had an officially declared National Day of Prayer for 70 years (since 1952) and it’s been designated the first Thursday of May for 40 years (since 1982)???

How will you pray on this National Day of Prayer?

If you’re unsure, here is an encouraging verse. 

Romans 8:26        ²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

This is one of my favorite verses on prayer because it talks about asking the Holy Spirit to help us when we don’t know how or what to pray!

As we ask the Spirit to help us pray, we’re to pray continually about anything and everything, but length isn’t important.

Matthew 6:7-8      ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

There is a never ending list of people and situations that need prayer, but praying for ourselves is vital daily.

Matthew 26:41     ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

If you would like to join others in prayer today, there is an organized cross-company (many companies) Teams prayer event and gathering today: Teams meeting link for National Day of Prayer event. I plan to join! There will be leaders from various companies leading through an hour of prayer from 1-2 pm EST (12-1pm UTC). 2022 Theme: Exalt the Lord who has Established Us (from https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/)

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, Without Stooping to Our Threats 4/28/22

Do you know people who say they don’t believe in God because He hasn’t proved Himself to them? Do they expect God to prove Himself according to their own terms?

Even during Jesus’ life, many people wanted Him to prove He was God according to their own terms.

Matthew 27:38-44       ³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Jesus and God aren’t subject to our demands. They are our Creator and not the other way around. God can protect His own reputation however He chooses. God isn’t compelled to react to a human’s threat or bargain. 

God was with Jesus on the cross and even planned it! He wasn’t about to scrap His plan for the sake of proving who He was to a bunch of hard-hearted skeptics.

The next time you and I hear someone threaten God or try to bargain with Him, what are some questions we could lovingly ask them without getting defensive or argumentative?

Some I thought of are as follows:

Do you want to believe?

Are you willing to consider the proof God has already given?

If not, maybe it’s best we end the conversation for the time being. We can continue to pray for them and let them know that we are available should they sincerely want to consider the proofs of God in the future.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us, Continually Teaching Us 4/21/22

 As a family, we read through Matthew 26 and 27 last Good Friday and throughout Easter Weekend. Alexis was very interested to know what happened each day leading up to and right after Jesus’ crucifixion. Sarah wondered how the soldiers could watch Jesus and not believe. She thought several must have believed, but didn’t tell anyone. What amazed me, was how Jesus continually captured all the possible teaching moments even while he was being betrayed, arrested, wrongly accused and abandoned!  

Matthew 26:47-56  While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Wow! Jesus kept calmly teaching, even as they arrested Him!

Like Sarah, I wonder how many people, besides the disciples, thought back to Jesus’s profound words!

In moments of crisis, it is sometimes hard to recognize God’s teaching moments as He walks through the crisis with us. In hindsight, we can often look back and see it, though. Can you think back to a recent crisis in your own life? How did God walk with you through it and what did He teach you?

Alice 

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us as We Remember Jesus on Maundy/Holy Thursday 4/14/22

What happened the day before Jesus was crucified?

The first thing that comes to mind is Jesus celebrating the Passover and instituting the Lord’s Supper/Communion. This is usually the main focus at Maundy/Holy Thursday services.

As I was reading Matthew 26, it struck me how many different conversations and significant events happened on this day before Jesus’ death.

Jesus’ Passover meal/Last Supper with His disciples

Jesus predicted his betrayal

Jesus instituted Communion/Lord’s Supper

Jesus predicted the disciples’ abandonment of Him

Jesus predicted Peter’s denial 

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane

Judas betrayed Jesus

Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant

Jesus was arrested

Jesus was questioned by the Sanhedrin

Peter denied Jesus

All the disciples abandoned Jesus, but He never abandoned them.

Matthew 26:31-35 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Not only did Jesus not abandon His disciples, but He told them where He would meet them after His resurrection! What a gracious, faithful and loving Savior!

Let’s ask God to help us be grateful for all the ways Jesus used his last day to give his disciples and us valuable lessons, truths and instructions. Which one will you focus on today? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Service to Him 4/7/22

My niece, Maria, and I discussed Matthew 25 the other day and she said she didn’t think she was “serving” enough. She referenced the verses in Matthew 25 where Jesus told His disciples what God the Father and King would do when Jesus returns in all His glory.

Matthew 25:34-40 ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

As I talked to Maria about this, I pointed out several ways she was serving, whether it was through the food distribution at church or feeding pumped milk to her newborn sister at home! She’s helping at home without being asked, while her sick brother is in the NICU.

Pondering our conversation later, I was reminded that she also “visited” and “preached” to those in prison unintentionally. She recently wrote a letter of encouragement to our former Pastor, and he was inspired by it for his next sermon and his next prison visit!   

Like Maria, maybe you wonder if you are “doing” enough to serve God. However, if you and I are truly soaking up God’s Word and letting it change our hearts and lives, then we will naturally live it out in everyday acts of service. We won’t have to “try” harder. It will be second nature. The Holy Spirit living in us will help us stop and recognize the needs around us and prompt us in how best to help.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Uncertain and Scary Moments 3/31/22

My new nephew, Michael, is still in the NICU. There have been several uncertain and scary moments this past week. As I’ve cried out to God for healing and help, He’s reminded me that He loves and cares for Michael the most. He has Michael in His hands, has a plan for his life, and will fulfill His plans. He is with Michael through all of this, each step of the way. God is Michael’s Creator and sustainer!

Psalm 139:13-17   For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!

As I’ve prayed for Michael, God reminded me of several of these truths from Psalms. God already knows all his needs. God has a plan for Michael and will complete it. God knows what is wrong and how best to help his body function as intended.  

God created you, too, and has a plan for your life! Let’s remember He’s our Creator and Sustainer, especially when we face uncertain and scary moments. He is with us!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us in Labor and the End Times 3/24/22

God helped my sister, Jane, give birth to twins (Michael and Margaret) on Monday night! There were several different days Jane thought she was going into labor, but it wasn’t quite time. However, when it was finally time, it happened quickly and was obvious!

Jesus said it will be similar for His second coming and the end times.

Matthew 24:3-8, 26-27   ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains…

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

We might think it is close, but it won’t be quite time. Then, when Jesus returns and it is time, it will be evident to all!!!

There will be tough times before Jesus returns, but God will be with us through it. We can be certain of that and certain of Jesus’s return!

P.S. – please pray for Michael, as he has been in the NICU. We know God is with him and we’re trusting God will help his body regulate all he needs to function properly.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! 3/17/22

What do you know about St. Patrick?

He supposedly died on March 17, 460 AD. Hundreds of years later it was designated as a Christian Feast Day, which is now celebrated around the world in various forms.

St. Patrick was known for being a humble and creative missionary to Ireland. Ironically, he wasn’t Irish, but was born into an extremely wealthy family in Britain. Captured by pirates at 16, he served as a shepherd during his captivity. Instead of abandoning his faith, he exploded in devotion to God through prayer during his captivity!!! He later was ordained and eagerly journeyed back to Ireland to spread the gospel to the pagan country.

St. Patrick was truly humbled and continued the rest of his life as a humble missionary. He lived out Jesus’s teachings on humility.  

Matthew 23:1-3, 5a, 11-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach…⁵Everything they do is done for people to see…

¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Now that I know a bit more about St. Patrick, I want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day quite differently! How will you celebrate differently today?

St. Patrick was a humble man of prayer, so mirroring that is one way…

We can’t just decide to be humble, but we can ask God to help us grow in humility, devotion and a heart of prayer.

Alice