This past Sunday Deborah, myself, our daughters, and so many special family and friends of our church gathered for a Senior Tea. My daughter Kendal and my niece Kori were honored as the Senior young ladies of our church.
I love the variety of teas at a tea party. My favorite is black tea and I love Chai. As a tea bag is emerged in hot water, the tea leaves are triggered to move and start the diffusion process. It is fascinating to watch the water as it changes till it’s rich in color, taste, and smell.
Over the years we nurture our children in God’s word. Every time they attend a church service, VBS, camp, and hear the word of God our homes, it is diffused in them so that they have the fragrance of Christ Jesus. We read in Pro 22:5 NIV; “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
On this Transformation Tips Tuesday I want us to recall all the people that have encouraged our children over the years. If you don’t have children, recall all the people that encouraged you. Take a moment to thank someone that has meant so much to you in your Christian walk.
Change is inevitable. Mondays are are no exception for change. It may be unwanted or desired. I love the quote; “If nothing changed, there’d be no butterfly’s”. I have seen this shared by Walt Disney and a few others. The scripture that comes to mind is from Ecc 3:11; “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
On this Mindset Monday how will you handle change? I encourage us all to say a breath prayer and ask God to equip us to handle that change because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We can’t always fathom the grand plan but we can choose how we handle it as it unfolds.
The Holy Spirit is alive in each of us. In the song Holy Spirit come, he sings “Come like a flood, like a fire”. When I look at this picture I can imagine the Holy Spirit. We can’t see it but it’s all around us and in us. The Holy Spirit fills the spaces of our hearts and minds as well as our churches, our homes, and our work places. In this verse, we can ask God to lead us on level ground. As we go to our places of worship today, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to flood us. Let that flood guide our worship experiences.
As we go throughout our week, everyday we are like toddlers in our Christian walk. We must seek God to teach us to do His will. We should be on repeat, “Daddy are we there yet” or “Daddy how much longer?” Remember those car trips that seemed to detour and last forever. We should keep that child like faith! Will you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you this week? Even when it seems you have detoured, keep the faith.
Wow! What a busy and fast paced week! Life seems to always be one busy schedule after another. As you look out the window in your life, does it seem like everything is moving so fast. Just like the colors bleeding together in this beautiful photo from Ray White, we sometimes jump from one task to another and everything runs together. Slow down this Finish Friday. Before you jump from one task to another, take a deep breath and wait on God to clarify and guide your next task. Instead of the colors of your day running together, look out your window and see each individual color and it’s beauty.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalms 27:13-14 NIV
To you this may just be a sign but it means much more to me. This sign represents a service that has become invaluable to me. From the beginning, the Walmart grocery pickup became a convenience for me as a busy parent. However, during the pandemic, this service has become a blessing. While the service sometimes has some issues, I try to remember to be flexible and offer grace. After all, the workers are providing a service for me and for that I am so thankful. Lately, I have been intentional about telling the workers how thankful I am for their service and that they are appreciated.
On this Thankful Thursday, let’s intentionally thank someone who is serving us in some capacity. Let’s also examine ourselves and our service. Read this excerpt from 1 Peter.
“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV
What gifts are you using? How are you serving others? Let’s give thanks to God for the gifts we are blessed with and show our love for others though our service.
As I look back over the course of Julie and I writing together and creating the Water Walking blog, I am amazed at how far we have come. God has stretched and grown us over time. Each new thing we tried has forced us to take another step out of our boat to walk on water. Then as we become comfortable with that step, God calls us to take another step. The very first step of sharing my faith on social media was sharing a verse of scripture on Facebook. I do not remember what verse I first shared l, but I vividly remember the moments before I posted it and how I felt. I was terrified! To be honest, at the time, it was rare for someone to put anything faith based on their social media so I was worried about how it would be received. Would others judge me? Would I be ridiculed? Fast forward many years to now. Julie and I are now sharing our faith journey with all of you very publicly. Wow! Look what God has done! God has even sent Ray White to partner with us by sharing some of his beautiful pictures like the one featured today. What a blessing!
On this Water Walking Wednesday, examine how and what God has called you to do. How has God asked you to grow and change? Is God calling you to take a further step? Trust God. God will amaze you when you look back and see how many steps you have made.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV
This Transformation Tip Tuesday let’s examine ourselves. Julie has shared with us that her mantra for the year is to be a fruit bearer. What does that look like in your life? Take a moment and read John 15:1-17 below.
““I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:1-17 NIV
What does Jesus tell us is the bottom line in bearing fruit? First, we must remain in Him and then we must love each other.
Examine yourself. What are you doing to “remain” in Christ? Are you spending time with Him each day? Are you allowing Christ to guide and direct your steps? Is this an area that you need to transform?
Now examine your fruit bearing. How are you loving others? Do you show your love in actions or only in words?
My tip for you this Transformation Tip Tuesday, is to adopt Julie’s mantra for the day and be a fruit bearer. Let’s all be intentional. First, spend time with Christ and “remain” in Him. Then show love in your words and actions. How will you bear fruit today?
