Broken Chains

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

My sons and I recently rescued a dog from a vacant residence. The dog had very little food and no water. She was fortunate as it was winter and snow covered the ground. When the dog was thirsty, she resorted to eating the snow. We took the dog home, got her some much needed veterinary care, and she began to adjust immediately. She had such a sweet personality and quickly caught on to new routines. She fit right into our family, however, there was one thing that was rather unusual. As she began to learn and adjust, she just could not seem to master drinking water out of her bowl. In fact, she just did not want it. When we went outside to exercise, it was then that she began to quench her thirst by eating the snow! I found myself growing a little frustrated with her, knowing I had been trying to provide fresh, clean water for her every day and she much preferred the snow on the ground, no matter how dirty it was.

The thought then struck me of what my God sees in me every time I resort back to a way of thinking, talking or behaving that was part of my previous slavery. God sent His Son for me, provides me with new life, rescues me from despair and death, gives me the grace of His Food to eat, His Living Water to drink, His truths and promises to live in every day, and yet there are times when I choose to live in the old oppressive way of thinking and doing things- no matter how dysfunctional or unhealthy. There are times when I choose to place the shackles back on my feet and hands while He stands there beside me holding out the key of Freedom and Life

Galatians 5:13 says, "You, my brothers (and sisters), were called to be free." Anything that hinders us from living the abundant life that Christ died to give us needs to be examined and dealt with. Any lie or destructive way of thinking that exalts itself in our minds and hearts needs to be torn down. Any sinful habit or weakness that we have wrestled with needs to be illuminated and brought before Him. Any unbearable yoke of performance or perfectionism to gain the favor of others or God Himself needs to be lifted at the cross of Christ. The chains that can hold us captive are meant to be broken.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you rescued me from the power of sin and death through your shed blood on the cross. Please expose and break the chains that may hold me back from experiencing the abundant life you died to give me. I want to live in the freedom you have called me to. Amen.

Jocelyn Hamsher

Me First!

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. James 1:19 (NKJV)


Several years ago, I agreed take my daughter and her friends to the lake to go camping to celebrate her tenth birthday. Boating, campfires, bike riding, basketball and whatever fun we could muster was the plan.It did not take long to see I would be tested. As we headed down the road the van began to rock with four rambunctious girls.The attitude I remember most during our activities those two days was 'me first!' Early the second day I had had enough and yelled to my husband over the roar of the boat," Get me off! We are going home!"

As I was studying in James, I came to James 1:19 (NKJV).The heading in my Bible says "Qualities needed in Trials."It reads " So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."I do not run into many people who gracefully and contemplatively respond like this in trials.Usually, like me, they pout, complain, become angry, and wonder why this is happening to them. They make excuses, groan about their troubles, prolong the struggle, and play the blame game.

Suddenly that outing came into my mind.The kids had been very selfish in their needs. This passage in James, when applied to trials and our response, really demands a 'me first' attitude.Immediately I must recognize that God is at work in my life and respond with an attitude of 'me first.' Janet, be swift to hear!Janet, be slow to speak and slow to wrath! Swift to hear comes by hearing the Word, so first I have to read the Word.It becomes planted in my heart as I obey. The benefits of being slow to speak are having the opportunity to listen and learn and it offers me something in common with those who are wiser. It is also the best policy, if I have nothing to say. Slow to wrath mirrors God's example of how He treats me.Being angry is the opposite of the patience God desires to produce in my life as I mature through trials. Our desire as children of God should be to reflect the life of Christ as we go through each day and each circumstance. A prepared heart is the outcome of following the instructions we read in James.

I did not know the trials I would face on that camping trip, just as I do not know the trials God has for me.'Me first' has a new and good meaning for me, and I can chuckle as I remember how I learned the quality needed in trials.

Lord, as I face trials in my life, help me to turn away from blame and self-pity. I want to be swift to hear from You, slow to speak and slow to wrath.

Janet Stutzman

Doodane and Squeeky Springs

In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

When I was about 18 months old I have a vague recollection of doing something nearly every morning. I can remember waking up in my crib, trying to stand up, which was rather difficult while in a bundle-sleeper. I don't know if you know what a bundle is, they probably call them something else now days. It was a heavy sleeper that had no feet it was just sewn across the bottom so it wouldn't ride up when a child sleeps. Anyway, I remember standing up and holding on to the side of my crib bouncing up and down, calling with as much voice as I could muster "Doodane." Doodane was the name I called my sister Suzanne. I could hardly wait for her to come scooting down the hall into my room to see me! I can still hear those squeaky bed springs and the feeling I would have upon seeing my sister every morning. We were only seventeen-and-a-half months apart in age, and we loved each other! We were best friends and I wanted to play!

How do I greet each morning now? Do I wake up excited, expecting to see my best friend and calling "Lord." Waiting for him to come into my room to greet me so we can spend the day together? I have to honestly say no. I am ashamed to say that Jesus is not always my first waking thought. Usually my schedule for the day is my first thought. My family needing certain things, I need certain things.

Oh how God desires to be our very first thought. To be the person we most desire to see every morning. He is right there waiting patiently for us to call out to Him, to spend time with Him. I am slowly learning that when I spend time with God everyday, I am so much happier and my day seems to flow much better. I tend to get more accomplished than on the days where I hit the floor running.

What is your morning like? Does it include Jesus? Thoughts of my squeaky crib are no more, but I wake up to the Lord much more often!

Lord, teach me to seek you with my whole heart early in the morning so that we may spend the entire day together. Help me to prioritize my thinking as I gather my thoughts each and every day. Amen

Becki Reiser

Encouragement

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

I love this verse. In fact, I love the whole chapter of 1 Thessalonians 5. In it, Paul instructs us in right living, and he tells us to encourage one another, to lift each other up, to meet with each other. We are advised to be kind to one another and to make sure we are not paying back wrong with wrong. He paints an ideal picture of how Christians are to live, together in harmony, taking care of each other. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

Then I look at how I really live. Wow, what a totally different picture. Did I just think that jealous thought when driving past that big new house? Did I just criticize that co-worker (behind her back) on how she did a project I would not even want to do myself? Did I just lose my temper with that other driver when they turned in front of me? Am I joyful for all the blessings I have, as verse 16 of chapter 5 instructs, or am I complaining about what I do not have? All these actions tear at me and they rip apart those around me. I am sure I have done all this and more, and probably just in the last day or two. Maybe not even that long. What about the things I did not do, that hold at least as much meaning? Have I told my pastor that I appreciated his sermon, or did I remain silent as I passed him in the hall at church? Have I spent some quality time with God, really listening to His voice, or do I just numbly read my Bible and move on with the day's work? Have I called my friend, just to see how she is doing? I know I am guilty of these, too. How important are these things? Are they just things I could do, for extra 'heaven' credit? If my motivation is just for myself and what I will get out of it, then I am missing the point entirely. I must be willing to honestly answer these simple but tough questions, not only to gauge my past behavior, but to influence my future thoughts and actions as well. I should remember that not only do I need encouragement from those around me, but I need to give it out, too. It is easy to slip into ungratefulness and to tear down those around me, but when I give encouragement to someone, I am reminded how effortless that really is, too, and it does not carry the guilt that goes with the destructive behavior. In fact, I usually get a boost from giving encouragement, making it even easier to do!

God, remind me that I am to lift people up, not tear them down. Show me new ways to encourage those around me. Amen.

Nikki Hamsher

Heavenly Declarations

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4 (NIV)

I breathed deeply and pushed against the mechanical resistance of my exercise machine. It was time for my daily workout, which I looked forward to about as much as a kick in the head. However much I envy people who enjoy physical activity, I just do not belong to that privileged group. Unfortunately, my 40-something body is reacting badly to lack of exercise so, like it or not, I do it. I often distract myself from the perceived unpleasantness of my workout by switching on the TV and watching an early morning show.

This morning I happened across someone doing a special report on Earth and all that surrounds it. He was talking about our own tiny spot in space and how enormous the universe actually was. All of this was from a totally secular point of view. As I listened to the newscaster, I began to wonder what that viewpoint would be like. What would it be like to gaze at the stars and not see the hand of God? What incredible point would I be missing when I study the individuality of each planet and not see His planning? How would I explain the very obvious intellect involved in their creation? The universe has always been an enthralling subject for me, but I had to think how much more fascinating it has become since I personally know the One who created it.

I have also noticed that the heavens more obviously point towards Him with each closer step towards my Lord. As I know Him better, I see His hand in everything around me. And yet, the skies and all they contain have always been above me, shouting that He is there, that He lives, that He creates, that He loves me so much that He wants to surround me with incredible beauty and design. All I had to do was look up. How can I see the skies and all that are in them without feeling His very presence? Romans 1:20 says, For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. The heavens cry out the existence of God, and a very loving, caring God at that.


Precious Heavenly Father, thank you for the awesome creation You have surrounded us with, reminding us every day that You are very present in our lives.

Janine Miller

The Cardinal Reminder

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid Your Spirit? To be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You're there! If I go underground, You're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute- You're already there waiting! Psalm 39:7-10 (MSG)


I sat in my living room chair one morning, gazing out the window. As I sat, I lamented to the Lord, asking Him where He was in that particular season of life. I felt as though my prayers bounced off the ceiling and that I was totally alone. As I sat there in silence looking outside, the most beautiful cardinal came and sat on the railing right outside my window. It sat there for a time and the moment it perched, I was reminded that God had always been there. Despite my feelings of isolation, He had been right beside me the entire time. One of the ways our Father reveals Himself is through the beauty of His creation- it speaks of His glory and his Presence. That morning, God spoke through a beautiful red bird simply to say, "I am here."


Over the next while, I spotted cardinals everywhere, while driving and out on walks. Every time, I felt His love and comfort knowing He was with me and was reminded that the Earth is filled with Him. There is nowhere that I can go that He is not present.


The cardinal was sent to speak to me that particular day. However, the 'cardinal reminder' is not just for me, it is for all of us. We are not walking alone. Be reminded today, that you have been made a promise as God's daughter. He says He will never let you down, He will never walk off and leave you Hebrews 13:5 (MSG) No matter what seasons we walk through, He is there to hold our hand. Let's be reminded to grab hold of His and walk with Him in faith.


Thank you, Father, that You are always there. No matter how we feel, no matter what we are walking through, Your promise is Truth. Thank You that you do not leave us so that we must deal with life on our own but that You will guide and hold us along the way. Amen.


Jocelyn Hamsher

Faith Over Fear

For everyone born of God overcomes the world.This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. I John 5:4 (NIV)

My daughter has been deployed as an Air Force C-130 pilot since October. Every day since the wheels of the plane lifted off the runway at Pope Air Force Base, NC, and pulled my heart out of me, I have prayed to our heavenly Father that He would protect her and bring her home safely to me.

I am extremely proud of the path she has followed, and I believe that it is God's path for her. Ever since she was three years old, she reached for the stars. For most of her childhood, she wanted to be an astronaut, and I envisioned standing at Cape Canaveral saying goodbye to her for a long mission to Mars. Right now four months seems a lot longer than seven to ten years, but somehow hearing of her exploits flying 'in the box' in old broken-down planes has not been very reassuring!

What is reassuring to me is knowing that God is watching over her, and that He will protect her. My daily prayer is Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

There is such comfort in this prayer! My husband is active duty Navy, and time and time again when our military family did not know when the next set of orders would come, or where they would send us, I took reassurance in this promise from God. And now that our daughter has been deployed to war zones on the other side of the world, His promise strengthens my faith and overcomes my fear.

Lord, Help me to know that You do care about everything we face. Let me truly believe Your Word when You say " I know the plans I have for you" Help me also to trust Your plans for "hope and a future." Amen

Randi Klein

Finding Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

When years pass and still no answer to one of our deepest desires it is hard to believe it will ever happen. As we stay close to our Father though prayer and studying in his word, he always finds a way to fill our hearts with hope. Verses such as Matthew 19:26 come to mind, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Do we really believe this? All things are possible?

It can be difficult for me to have hope in certain areas, simply because I have tried to grasp the fact that it may not be God's will. That very well may be, but I also need to remember and believe that with out a shadow of a doubt, He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20. (NIV)

As woman we seem to be very familiar to worry and doubt. And that can make it difficult to find the healthy balance of praying about something and yet not allowing it to consume our every thought, therefore leading to worry. If we are truly seeking God he will fill us with hope and take away our worry. In Romans 15:4 Paul says, for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that though endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (NIV) God has equipped us with so much more than we may realize. The Bible is packed full of stories of impossible situations being made possible through God, David and Goliath, Abraham and Sarah, and Daniel. The word of God can tend to be overlooked in even our Christian society at times. Our lives are so busy in the world we live in today and it can be hard to find time to study God's Word and truly meditate on it. However that is exactly what it is for, it is to be our fuel to get though the day.

I know in my life, if God is not number one on my list of priorities, those prayer requests that have been prayed year after year, seem hopeless. I rely on my human strength to handle broken dreams and as I am sure you can relate, it does not work well. Only God can overflow our hearts with hope, and I am willing to bet he sure does want to. Today dig deep into the Bible and reflect on every word you read, and may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in him.

Father, thank you for always being there to fill my heart with hope, thank you for every word you have meticulously placed in the Bible. Help me to never over look them in this busy world and to always put you first.

Sarah Hostetler

Spiritual Closet

Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 (NIV)

It happens every couple of months. The floor of my closet disappears, submerged under mismatched socks, shirts that no longer fit and pants that I could wear if only I would lose those five extra pounds. The items hanging up become tangled with each other, and for some mysterious reason, there are clothes that just hang by themselves, with no hanger, sandwiched between others. Some items, like an old bridesmaid dress from my brother's wedding, have been in the closet for nearly fifteen years! I lose some of my favorite things as well, buried beneath the cast-off's. That is when I get out a garbage bag and pack up what seems like three-quarters of my clothes and give them away.

When I read this verse, I was reminded to clean out my spiritual closet. I must be willing to give up everything that gets in the way of being a disciple of Jesus. Everything in my closet must be considered for surrender. Is spending my time on certain activities worthwhile? Are they contributing to my discipleship or are they holding me back? The same goes with the people I know. Do I need to repair a relationship, or even let someone go who is hindering my Christian walk? Do I own my material possessions or do they own me? Nothing is off limits from consideration.

I read a story once about a man who canceled his newspaper subscription because it was interfering with his relationship with Christ. Am I willing to go that far? The verse today says I should be willing to give up everything. Nothing is so big it cannot be removed from my life to make room for Christ and nothing is so small that it cannot trip up my faith-walk. Just like streamlining and organizing my clothes closet increases my personal efficiency, cleaning out my spiritual closet increases my effectiveness in being a follower of Christ.

God, help me to clean out my spiritual closet; to get rid of those things in my life that are holding back my faith. Increase my effectiveness by driving out those things that do not support my life in You. Amen.

Nikki Hamsher

Tongues-Power to Destroy

The tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. James 3: 5-6 (NKJV)

Words are like fire. It is difficult to control or reverse the potential damage.

The enormous forest fires we witnessed in California last fall were started with just a spark. The damage in so many cases left home owners with the task of rebuilding. Their homes are gone. They can rebuild, however, the house they once lived in will never be rebuilt as it was. There were firefighters making every attempt to control the damage but in some cases their task was impossible.

Our tongues are like sparks. The little words we say can create a fire in a relationship. When left to burn, the flames of our heated words begin to get out of control. Before we know it, our words have created so much damage, the relationship burns down to nothing. We can seek forgiveness, and try to rebuild what was lost, but it will never be the same. We had the opportunity to put out the flames early, but our pride bullied our heart, quenched the Holy Spirit which is our fire-fighter.

What words have you spoken to a family member, or to a friend, a stranger, a co-worker or even someone at church? Our words can burn and hurt a person for a lifetime, just like a fire can injure or destroy for a lifetime.

James also tells us in verse eight that no man can tame the tongue. So we ask "why try?" The answer is to reduce damage and avoid burning a relationship to the ground. We can put out the fire early and restore the friendship more easily. More importantly, God is glorified when we reject the power to destroy with our tongues.

The tongue is small, but has power to accomplish much. When we allow the Holy Spirit to control our tongue, we won't be afraid to say the wrong thing or even say the right thing the wrong way.

Our tongues also have the power to delight. Tongues that delight belong to those who meet Jesus each day and learn from Him and allow His Spirit to fill our hearts with His love and truth.

Heavenly Father, may the words I say each day bring you glory and edify those around me.

Janet Stutzman

Screaming God

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim His salvation day after day. 1 Chronicles 16:23 (NIV)

My husband and I enjoy nature and the great outdoors. On a recent trip to a nearby State Park, we ventured upon a beautiful waterfall rushing over a majestic looking rock formation. I exclaimed to my husband, "it just screams God." As we looked around we see the hand prints of God all over creation. From the orange and pink painted skies of a sunset, to a breathtaking view of the mountaintop, we see that creation continually points to God and gives Him glory and honor.

1 Chronicles 16:23 says Sing to the Lord all the earth; proclaim His salvation day after day. Scripture gives us a charge to proclaim God. We have the privilege of sharing His love and redemption to those people in our circle of influence and even beyond. We are to seize every opportunity, whether in adversity or good times to point to Him. Day after day, we will have opportunity to proclaim Him. Will we choose to do so? The Word says that people will see God's power and character by what He has created. (Romans 1:20) The same is true of you and me. Just like creation, do people look at us and see the hand prints of God? As His children we were made to proclaim Him, to reflect who God is to a lost and hurting world. Do the things that make us who we are, namely our actions, speech and our character "Scream God?" When people see us, do they see Jesus?

As we go about our day, may our hearts desire be to proclaim Christ in all situations. The earth is filled with God's glory and everyday creation will proclaim Him, no matter what.Let's be a part of that celebration!

Lord, we want to proclaim You. May all that we do and say give You glory and praise. When others see us, may they see You and want You more. Amen

Jocelyn Hamsher

Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me -watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

My sister Linda is a music professor, recording artist and very gifted musician. Her formal training is in percussion and jazz performance. Through her influence I've gained an appreciation for the artistic contributions of folks like Charlie Parker, Billy Cobham and Dave Grusin...just to name a few. The thing that has always fascinated me about this musical genre is that things can seem rhythmically chaotic, yet have a real flow, purpose and destination. When I listen to recordings of the late Charlie Parker, some of the patterns he played were unbelievably detailed, and yet flowed in a manner that is hard to describe in words. It's something that can only really be understood by experience. The listener is never quite sure where the melody is going to go next, but because of the ability to trust the master's touch as it were, there is a soothing, yet exciting confidence that it's all good! Even when a music theory novice like me doesn't understand it all.

Now, if a mere human can take a piece of metal and passionately direct the ebb and flow of a composition, how much more confidence can we as Christ-followers trust the Sovereign of the Universe, the lover of our souls, with the song that He's written uniquely for us to present in this life?

Jesus, help me to walk as You did in the 'unforced rhythms of grace' (Matthew 11:30 MSG) Thank you for creating us in your image, help us to our eyes on You, our Supreme Bandleader, and to follow your cues so that we might , under Your direction, exercise our improvisational gifts. Amen

Lisa Troyer

God's Vessel

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NKJV)

Today was one of those days when I felt completely inadequate at everything. I could not do anything right at work. I lost my patience and treated others poorly. I seemed to be totally inept at communicating or performing the simplest tasks. It seems easy to chalk today up as a wasted and failed day. At the end of the day, I am simply exhausted with the emotion of knowing my failures so acutely.

I get confused on a day like today. How can He use a bumbling, flawed person like me in these moments? My life may not feel grand or particularly impressive, and I mess up what small tasks I have. I am reminded that all God's servants have these experiences. How many times did Paul hang his head in shame realizing that sharing his opinions may have done more harm than good, feeling that he was not the man to inspire and guide the early churches? The man who wrote: "I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on man's wisdom, but on God's power." (I Corinthians 2:1, 3-5) Must have known days like today. However, it is these moments that point out our humanness that also magnify God's divine magnificence. I look, not at the clumsy person I am, but at the gracious contrast that poses compared with our all-powerful, wise God. Paul also rested in this reality when he wrote in II Corinthians 12:9, "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me." In claiming to be God's vessel, that is simply and precisely what I am. He may use me in exceptional ways, or He may use my ordinariness. The fact I trust is that He uses me.

I still wonder at the offering of my inelegant life. Then I read Isak Dinesen's words:

"Pride is faith in the idea that God had when He made us. A proud man is conscious of the idea and aspires to realize it. He does not strive towards happiness or comfort, which may be irrelevant to God's idea of him. His success is the idea of God, successfully carried through, and he is in love with his destiny."

To dwell on my own inadequacies is to neglect the greater plan of my Creator. He knew me when He created me, and His grace coats my awkwardness and imperfections.

So today teaches me that the point of this day was not to highlight my human failings, but to emphasize who God is. Today was not twenty-four hours of foolish mistakes but a few more strides toward God's final plan for me. Now I am encouraged for tomorrow. Today and tomorrow do not determine the value of my life; that was determined long before today. Because of God, my life has the purpose of leading to a final destiny with Him. How good to spend the moments of the day carrying out His purpose!

Lord, thank You that your purposes and designs are grand enough to include me. I trust that You used me today, and I know You will accomplish your plans tomorrow. Thank you that, in everything, I can constantly rest in your glory and complete adequacy. Amen

Sarah Harris

Darkness

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. Psalms 139:1 (NIV)

If ever there was a more loaded Psalm, I have not found it. I can honestly say that God used this Psalm to lift me out of the deep, dark depression that had plagued me since childhood. I still turn to this Psalm for encouragement and comfort. What strikes me about this verse the most is verse one. God is actively participating in our lives. He 'searched me.' He has taken special effort to know me. His love goes beyond Him creating me, but He has then examined me. He has taken the time, energy and effort. The first sentence is packed with meaning and implication. That hit me during my darkest night. When I couldn't bring myself to read, when I couldn't feel, when depression rendered me a shell, He caught my eye with this. I was worthy of His time, of His thought. This is the only Bible I read for months. I read it everyday, and everyday it provided a little bit more light in my blackened soul.

The beautiful part of this is that it is written for everyone. You are worthy of His examination. He has studied you; He knows you! When no one is around, or when you want no one around, God is there. When your hurt is too great to verbalize to your closest friend or spouse. When you are unsure about your next move. When you are questioning your faith, your life, your decisions, whatever. He is there. In the shadow of your broken heart, He is there. He knows.

God, You know my heart is troubled, and You know why it rejoices! Thank you for taking time to study me, to examine me, and to know me. I want to study and know You. Give me the opportunity and the desire to know You. Amen

Nikki Hamsher

Above All Else, Love

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:11 (NIV)


In Matthew 22, Jesus teaches the Pharisees about the greatest commandment, and that of course is Love. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and our second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Although love is the greatest commandment we have, sometimes it can be the hardest. There are many people out there who can be hard to love at times. Paul must have been aware of this, he tells us to be patient and bearing one another in love.

I know I have come across many people who I found hard to love. Some at school, some at work, and believe it or not, some at church. There were times I would be serving at church and had such an unloving attitude toward someone else there. What did I gain? Absolutely nothing. It is so easy to see the faults in others and it is sometimes very tricky to see the faults in our own lives. The same people I may have had a hard time loving may have had an even harder time loving me.

I often have trouble opening up to people, especially at church. That is the exact opposite of what God has designed the church for. He has given us the church family to run to when things go wrong, to grow in Him, and to find encouragement. It is so easy to put up a front every Sunday and make everyone think your life is going great. It just seems simpler at times. It also can be very humbling to have to share all your problems with people you may have a hard time loving. I need to remember God hates pride.

I try to remember God has created us all different, how boring it would be if we were all the same. However, our indifference is usually followed with complications. And I also try to remember we may have no idea what could be going on in this person's life to make them so hard to love. If we can learn to humble ourselves and be patient and gentle, God will help us get past our differences and see the common bond we have in the Spirit. He will empower us to love them. There is no other being with more love in them than God. God is love. It is a command to not only love him but to love our neighbors. We are called to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. God has designed it that way for us.



Lord, help me to have a humble and gentle heart. Help me to see everyone as your creations and knowing you have purpose in placing them in my path. I pray that I will not make it difficult for others to love me.

Sarah Hostetler

Who He Made Me To Be

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:4-6a (NIV)

The three women were laughing and talking among themselves, having a wonderful time together. Their quiet conversation, intermingled with giggles and confidences, portrayed good friendships and close relationships. They were entirely unaware of how left out I felt, being one of the few other people in the room. They didn't know how I longed to be a part of their discussion, to be a member of that "inner circle." I mentally kicked myself for feeling like I was back in high school. My natural reserve did not permit me to join them and I left feeling worthless and unimportant.

"God, why did You make me like I am?" I questioned for the umpteenth time. I hated my tendency towards shyness. I intensely coveted others' abilities to be outgoing, talkative, and personable. "Couldn't I win more people for You if I could at least talk to them?" I grumbled to my Creator.

In the midst of my self-absorption, my Lord quietly reminded me that I am not worthless and unimportant. I am His child, worthy of His love and sacrifice. I am dearly loved by the most powerful, gentle, holy Being of all time. He has created me the way I am because the specific talents He gifted me with are necessary for His kingdom. Is there room for personal improvement? You better believe it. But for me to desire to be someone else, to have someone else's gifts and abilities, is sin. He has made me one of His beautiful creations. Psalm 139:13-14 says, "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Your works...that would be ME! And He called "His works" wonderful. He gave me my own personal gifts and talents, ones He picked out just for me. And what an incredible honor it is to have those specific gifts. I am like no one else. And when I desire to be like others, I am denying to be who He made me.

I am slowly coming to realize that part of my reserve can be conquered. And it is a difficult battle. Will I ever be the life of the party? No, most likely not. It's definitely not one of my gifts. But I realize that I don't have to be, remembering that He loves me, and that I am His very special creation.

Janine Miller

Safe In His Arms

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)

As a chaplain, I hear many inspiring stories from the elderly persons I serve. However, there are some days that are emotionally heavy due to the pain and struggles they face. Loneliness, dementia, and other losses are things they may experience.

On one particularly "heavy" day, I walked into a woman's room who has been there for the past eleven years.Once a vibrant Christian woman, she is no longer able to feed herself, walk or talk and spends her days lying in her bed sleeping. As I quietly prayed over her, I asked the Lord, "Why so much injustice, so much pain?" My eyes left her and moved to a picture hanging above her bed - a picture I had never noticed before. Jesus stood in the center surrounded by sheep. In one hand he held a staff and in the other, a lamb. The lamb was resting securely in its Shepherd's arms, cradled against His chest. At that moment, I knew the answer to my question. It's as if God was saying, "I never intended for the pain and the injustice. This world is broken but I am here through the injustice and the pain. I will carry her through this." It was clear, she was the lamb He held in His arms. We are the sheep that follow Him and when one of us is in need, our Father and Shepherd, picks us up and holds us close. Isaiah 40:11 says that He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.

Today, let's be reminded that even though trials and tears may come, we are not alone. Jesus carries the helpless and dependant. He carries you and me.


Lord, there is so much pain we carry. Whether young or elderly, we must deal with the often unexpected things this life throws our way. Thank you for never leaving us, but for carrying us through the storm.

Jocelyn Hamsher

A Lesson From My Jewelry Box

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36 (NASB)

I recently cleaned out my jewelry box.

Now, I can't prove this, but I have reason to believe that - even after carefully replacing my necklaces before closing the top - a mini cirque du soleil happens in there. It must, because when I open the box again, everything is all tangled up. Things are a mess.

So the other day, I sat down and took on the task of untangling them. For some reason, I discovered: the more expensive the necklace, the thinner the chain, and the more impossible the knot. Just as I was able to loosen up one tiny section, another would only tighten up. I played with it for awhile - pulling here, then there, when I finally figured it out. In order to untangle necklaces, you have to be able to work with both ends at the same time. Once you can see the beginning - and the end - of the same chain, it's not at all difficult to untie the knot and free the necklace from its tangled mess.

I suppose we all go through times when we feel as if we're living someone else's life.

Children grow up and move away. A close friend dies. The doctor delivers a bad diagnosis. The world's financial marketplace takes a dive and our retirement accounts follow. Our lives - and our stomachs - become all tied up in knots. Tangled. Things are a mess.

But I know the One who is able to see the beginning and the end at the same time. From His vantage point, it is not at all difficult. As long as I place myself daily in His loving hands, trusting Him to tenderly work through the various twists and turns, allowing Him to gently untangle the mess - and set me free.

Suzie Thomas