Tag: wisdom

Monday’s Marinade – Ask for Wisdom

No matter what you’ll face this week, wisdom can help you make the best of it. The Bible tells us that wisdom is the principle thing– the thing we should seek first and foremost. Since it should be the thing we seek first, it must be important for our success!

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word about asking for wisdom. Repeatedly think about and quietly say it to yourself.  Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!

As you ask for wisdom, here’s your spiritual marinade for this week:

Monday's Marinade Wisdom

Monday’s Marinade-Planning

Are you planning for success in 2016? The book of Proverbs gives us many tips for how to make that happen. Remember to invite God to show you how to shape those plans so that they will be in line with His good plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11).

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word. Repeatedly think about and quietly say it to yourself.  Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!

As you do your planning, here’s your spiritual marinade for this week:

Monday Marinade - prov. 163.jpg

Monday’s Marinade – Wise Words Give You Life

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating (thinking and muttering to yourself) these words from the Bible.

Here’s your spiritual marinade:

Wise Words - Proverbs 10

What life-giving words will you allow to come from your mouth this week?

Monday’s Marinade – Wisdom

Monday’s Marinade is provided to you as a means of “soaking yourself” in the hope-filled Word of God at the beginning of your week. Start your week by meditating on this Word about how He has gifted you with wisdom. Repeatedly think about it and quietly say it to yourself.  Marinate and season your week with hope and a confident expectation of good things happening!

Here’s your spiritual marinade for this week:

Monday's Marinade Eph 1-8

Winter :: on Waiting and Wisdom

It’s my pleasure to have Lisha Epperson bless you with her unique way of inspiring you to have hope– to wait with expectancy. Thanks Lisha for being my guest!

Lisha - winter blog post

It was Christmas and the long drive out to southern New Jersey made my legs cramp and tingle. I jumped out of my seat, folding arms around my most valued possession. That year, I was happy. That year, I had a baby to hold. I made a beeline for the entrance. Making my way to my brothers’ always open door, I trudged through fresh fallen snow.

Cold rushed in behind me but couldn’t compete with their cozy home. I pushed the door shut with my free arm and enjoyed the heart warming feeling of family…of home. Surrounded by faces I love, I looked up to see my sister-in-law coming down the stairs. She had just given birth to their third child…a boy. And I had forgotten the particular sting a new baby brings to a woman who cannot birth her own children. I was in love with my son and in so many ways fulfilled, when I remembered. Adoption isn’t a cure for infertility. It healed my hurt but didn’t cure the longing.

She held him over her shoulder swaddled in a thin tan blanket. I could smell him. Before she reached me I imagined the softness of his skin, the tender curl of his hair. I wasn’t done. The longing was intense and moved me to hopeful, happy tears. I lowered my eyes to hide tears I could never explain. That night I knew there’d be another baby in my world. And so began another season of waiting.

This season of waiting would be different though. I’d learned how to do it.

Winter is for waiting.

It’s cold and NYC is covered in a blanket of snow. Outside, several inches cling to over-laden leaves and branches. They bend, giving in and to the weight of their unexpected burden.

But it’s beautiful and important. The shimmering softness and powdery glitter tell stories of an airy wonderland. It feels magical and weightless. But tiny leaves and thin branches have another story to tell. They’re holding on.

Look closely. Each snowflake under a veil of uniformity is unique. And today’s snow fall won’t look the same tomorrow. In fact, each storm is new and will never come again. Winter is a perpetual pause, a forced interruption before the wild rush of spring. Winter wills us to wait in expectancy. A tender shoot. A fragile twig, the elusive bud. Winter demands….spring.

It’s broken, brittle and cracks. Lulled by this cyclical suspension, winter forces us inside. We crave shelter, a covering and protection from danger. We retreat to prepare for the hopeful promise of spring. But first we wait.

Winter is a season of waiting. Powdery hills and drifts camouflage life. And bare trees crush optimism. Winter covers or strips…either way, our view is obstructed and we find it hard to see.

Winter is hard not hopeless.

Winter tests our faith…because the promise of spring comes with this truth. Not every tree will bloom. Not every bud will blossom. But we’re born to believe and winter makes us wrestle. We long for a faith that’s whole. Desperate to believe, we settle in to let God do the work….mending the cracks in our fragmented faith. In winter, we swallow the word whole and simply, beautifully…TRUST.

That winter was different. That winter I embraced the quiet. I didn’t worry about the wait.

The stillness and silence of a world gone cold is perfect for restoration. Before the breakthrough we’d do well to replenish. It’s the ideal time to renew our faith…to prepare our hearts to again…BELIEVE.

Winter is for wisdom. Let’s use it wisely.  

View More: http://kimdeloachphoto.pass.us/allumeheadshotsLisha Epperson writes the stories of her life on the couch , in the car or at the kitchen table. She scratches out bits and pieces of joy and lessons learned while homeschooling 4 children she affectionately calls the Lovelies…..usually with a cold cup of coffee nearby.  It isn’t easy to carve out a modern Christian lifestyle in NYC but that’s what she’s doing.   Lisha is  passionate about marriage, motherhood, nutrition and her Christian faith. She makes room for her journey through infertility and adoption and shares a warrior song about this experience as an encouragement to women at www.seespeakhearmama.com. In other travels Lisha was  a ballet dancer and clothing designer. She is currently in the process of launching Epperson Design Studio featuring stationery, crafts and clothing.

Focus Friday

Image courtesy of Supertrooper/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Supertrooper/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

“that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5

Focus Friday

Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

Image courtesy of by Tina Phillips/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of by Tina Phillips/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion; and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.”

Proverbs 3:21, 22 (ESV)

Don’t Ignore This During Infertility

Image courtesy of markuso/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Markuso/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is a reprint of a post I shared in 2012. I wanted to share it again because if you’re struggling with infertility, it may prompt you to consider infertility from a different aspect and develop a greater hope.

Don’t ignore the spiritual aspect of infertility.

It is so easy to lose focus on the spiritual nature of infertility when the physical aspect overtakes your daily life. You and your spouse can become so obsessed with finding the cause and the cure for you situation that it can rob you of your peace. When you’re not experiencing peace, you’re likely to ignore the one thing that can bring about the solution you’re looking for.

It is important to strengthen yourself spiritually while dealing with infertility. Acknowledge the need to ask God for wisdom when faced with overcoming the enemy called “Infertility.” It may seem like a Goliath-sized enemy to you, but for God, “Infertility” is already a defeated foe. It is not too hard for Him. God said so when he defeated infertility in Sarah’s life (see Genesis 18:14).

Luke 18:27 states, “And he [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible WITH (in close proximity to) God”{emphasis mine}. Join yourself WITH Him by asking for wisdom in the decisions you make, by reading His Word, and by speaking and meditating His Word.

Trust that God’s Word is true for you. It will bring you guidance, comfort, and ultimately, greater peace.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” ~ Isaiah 26:3 NLT

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” ~ John 14:27

Life’s Road Map

Circumstances in life can sometimes take us off course. They become distractions that take our eyes off of our desired destination and deceive us to head in a direction that was not planned. But just as you may have a GPS system in your car or on your phone that talks to you and gives new directions, as a believer in Jesus, you have a GPS system in your heart–the Holy Spirit. He will be the One who compassionately corrects your life path with small turns here and there to get you back on course to the destiny that God has planned for you.

So when you’re feeling like you don’t know the next step to take in life (I’ve been there, done that, and bought MANY t-shirts), consult the One who does know. Ask Him for wisdom and He will not fail to give it to you.

As a matter of fact, He will give wisdom liberally to those trust Him to do so.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 [NIV]

 

Remember Simba

I am a huge fan of the Lion King movie. When it was first released on DVD, my children and I watched it over and over again. We saw the Lion King parade at Disneyland, and my daughter and I have seen the musical play. All of the characters in this story are so personable. They each remind me of someone I know.

The main character in the story is Simba, a young lion trying to find his way. He has a loving father, Mufasa, who gives him guidance and teaches him what it’s  like to be a king. When Mufasa dies, Simba thinks it’s his fault because he believes the lie uncle told him.  Fortunately, before Simba gets too far off course, a wise baboon (Rafiki) comes into his life.

Rafiki reminds Simba who he is. He tells him to remember what Mufasa taught him about being a king. I love the scene where Rafiki tells Simba to look in the pond. Simba sees only his own reflection—his weaknesses, his ineptness, his missteps. But Rafiki tells him to “look harder.” When Simba looks again, he sees the reflection of his father, Mufasa, and all of his strength, abilities, and wisdom.

We are much like Simba, believing the lies of the devil and focusing only on our problems and our weaknesses. We too need to be reminded of who we are in Christ. The bible tells us we are Priests and Kings. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit is with us to remind us of the strength, abilities, and wisdom we have because of Jesus.

We are indeed victorious Kings in life when we believe that Jesus’ power resides in us. We are able to have favor-filled lives as we focus on Him and believe that all He provided for us is already ours.