I was walking through a store a few days before Christmas with the rush of shoppers all around. Conversations and clerks, shoppers and carts.  I finished my transaction and was on my way out of the store when one conversation, or I should say one statement, rose above the din – it was the only thing I clearly heard as I left.  One woman said to another, “I can’t tell you how much Star Wars has changed my life.”

Now admittedly, I did not hear the conversation leading up to or following this statement.  It may have gone like this:  “All my kids want for Christmas is anything Star Wars. I can’t tell you how much Star Wars has changed my life.” Or “I can’t tell you how much Star Wars has changed my life. As long as I talk Star Wars with the kids, they actually talk to me.”

As I considered the conversation clip that I heard, I recalled the hype that led up to opening night.  It was big news and there were a lot of people eager to see it as soon as it came out.
That reminded me of the many new gadgets and iPhones that have come out with a long line anxiously awaiting their arrival.

What is it that you are eagerly anticipating?  A trip? Graduation? A Bonus? Marriage? It could be anything. Although I am not prone to stand in line for a new gadget there are other things that capture my attention and focus. Usually, for me, it’s when I have meticulously planned a great surprise (and I have come up with some doozies). The anticipation of the event captures my attention for weeks leading up to it. I get butterflies in my stomach. I experience excitement and joy leading up to the event.  Sound silly?  What is it for you?  Star Wars? iPhones? Travel? A new purse?  If you take a moment I’m sure you can think of something that grabs your focus in anticipation.

As I shared this woman’s statement with my husband, I realized that far too many things in this world attract our attention.  Things “change our lives” that shouldn’t.

I wonder: Do I anticipate the return of Christ as much as the surprise I’m planning?  Do you anticipate the return of Jesus with the same enthusiasm as you do that thing that grabs your attention?

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  Col 3:1-2

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ… Philippians 3:20

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8

I can’t say that my heart is always most eager for His appearing. I do get distracted by many things. I long to yearn for that which is most important to HIM. How about you?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

Yesterday I shared a quote from Paul David Tripp’s book: “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.” The quote was pretty hard to grasp and today I want to take it a step further.  Tripp said, “There is no neutral ground between love and hatred.”(pg. 205).

I think most of us think we live on a broad expanse between love and hatred.  Love is reserved for our dear friends, family members and spouses or perhaps the woman at church we are trying to help. Hate is reserved for the acts of murder, trafficking, and other appalling actions. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I hate anyone.  So that leaves this middle ground where I don’t love but I also don’t hate.

If you read yesterday’s post about Tripp’s quote you know biblically there is no middle ground.  Either we are loving or hating. If that is true, then hating looks like anything that is not loving.  Forgive my circular reasoning but if love is a discrete thing, then anything that is not-love is hate.
We think of love and hate as emotions, strong emotions, and indeed they can be but love is not necessarily those warm fuzzies or butterflies in the stomach kind of feelings.  Biblically, love is mostly depicted as action not emotion.

That means that even when I don’t have warm fuzzies or butterflies in the stomach, in other words when I don’t FEEL love, I can still love.  I can still act in a loving way towards the individual. It’s called obedience.  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16; Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.1 John 3:18

This is a very serious matter.  It is not something we can take lightly because Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4: 20-21

Honestly, I have struggled with this verse.  If I don’t love others, I cannot love God. It’s not that I am not allowed to love God; it means I don’t love God.  That is a very serious issue.  I’m not sure I understand it, but it is pretty clear.  I must love others because I want to love God.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like to arrive in glory and hear my Creator, Father God say, “You do not love Me, because you did not love others.”  Crushing.

Lord, teach me to love others genuinely.  Teach me to love others more than I love myself.  Show me specific and practical ways for me to love those I have failed to love.

Love today and be a blessing to others.

Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

One would think that it would be easy to discern the difference between loving someone and hating someone.  Hate is a word we rarely use appropriately when you really think about it.  I hate the cold.  I hate Brussels sprouts.  I hate it when you do that.  But rarely, if ever, would we hear in Christian circles (and even in non-Christian circles) I hate her or I hate him.

I am reading another Paul Tripp book – “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.”  It has been around a while but I am reading it for a counseling training class.  A good read.  About halfway through the book he talks about hatred – in a chapter about speaking the truth in love!
He makes a statement that is a powerful truth that I have never thought about.  “There is no neutral ground between love and hatred.”

He is sharing this in the context of biblical confrontation, speaking the truth in love. Tripp is relating to Leviticus 19:15-18  when he says, “Embedded in the passage is a contrast between love and hatred. If you tried to illustrate this passage, it would look like this: At the center is a high plateau of love, based on a commitment to honest rebuke. On either side is a dark valley of hatred. One is the valley of passive hatred and the other is the valley of active hatred.”

Have you ever really thought of the two kinds of hatred? Passive and active?  He points out 2 forms of passive hatred from the passage: “Favoritism, granting favor to some but refusing it to others because of a standard we set up in our own minds” and “…bearing a grudge.” He then shares three forms of active hatred from the passage: injustice, gossip and revenge.  YIKES.  Have you ever thought of gossip as a form of hatred?

Think about it.  If you are not loving the person, the only alternative is a form of hatred. There is no neutral ground.  You may want to argue that point, I know I do, but biblically we do not have a leg to stand on. I don’t know about you, but when I take a good hard look at my life, I am very convicted of the many times I have hated not loved.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:20-21

Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

i Paul David Tripp. (2002). Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change. P&R Publishing.
ii Leviticus 19:15-18:  “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD. “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Sin is against the One True Holy God and requires punishment. For the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23; …without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22; when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 Either we are punished OR Jesus Christ is punished in our stead.  God’s wrath demands justice.

In a recent sermon by Pastor Joe Lechner on 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12, he quoted Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

I have heard of this renowned message that led to great revival, but I never read it in its entirety myself.  I surely don’t remember the following quote about what awaits those who chose not to follow Christ, those who are not saved, regenerated, born-again, redeemed.  Warning:  This is difficult to read…

“’Tis everlasting Wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this Fierceness and Wrath of Almighty God one Moment; but you must suffer it to all Eternity: there will be no End to this exquisite horrible Misery: When you look forward, you shall see a long Forever, a boundless Duration before you, which will swallow up your Thoughts, and amaze your Soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any Deliverance, any End, any Mitigation, any Rest at all; you will know certainly that you must wear out long Ages, Millions of Millions of Ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless Vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many Ages have actually been spent by you in this Manner, you will know that all is but a Point to what remains. So that our Punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh who can express what the State of a Soul in such Circumstances is!”

Perhaps, like me, you can think about this only briefly without being completely overwhelmed.  But even in those brief moments we can grow in our appreciation for what we have been saved from. I believe this human description of eternal damnation should silence the fools who think they want to go to hell because that is where their friends will be or it will be one big eternal party of debauchery and absolute freedom to do whatever, whenever, however their sinful flesh desires. In reality, there will be NO pleasure in anything ever. No fun. No rest. No escape. No relief. NO RELIEF EVER.

Does that send shivers up your spine?  Does your heart flip-flop as you consider the reality of a real place called hell?  Mine does.

I cannot assume that all of our Victory Call readers are saved from such a horrible eternity.  I cannot apologize for the bluntness of today’s VC.  Your eternal destiny is at stake. Only those who trust Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and the blood He shed for sin’s payment, only those who surrender their life to God wholeheartedly will be saved.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:6-10

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you asked Him to save you? Have you accepted and believed that the blood He shed on the cross is not only NECESSARY for your salvation but it is all SUFFICIENT?  You cannot add anything – not good works, not religion, not random acts of kindness, not anything to tip the scales in your favor.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (underlining mine)

My heart swells with gratitude and awe when I consider what Jesus saved me from.
Thank you Jesus. Give us a greater understanding of what we deserve and your grace that has rescued us from it.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

How do we know we are in God’s will? Sometimes we think if we are in God’s will that we will find a place without trials and suffering, a place of peace, rest, and contentment. When things get difficult, we may question if perhaps we misunderstood God’s will. But I do not see God’s will depicted as such in the Bible. Do you?  Seriously it seems quite the opposite.

1.    God’s will for Abraham was to leave his home – his place of comfort and familiarity to go to a place God would tell him. “Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2 Clearly, Abraham was obeying the will of God. Fast forward many years, “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’” Genesis 22:1-2 This certainly would be a time of great trial in any father’s heart, yet Abraham was in God’s will.

2.    Consider Moses: it was God’s will for him to stand before Pharaoh and to meet resistance again and again.  “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10; But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Exodus 7:3 Resistance tends to make us question the will of God.  Moses met resistance over and over again.  In fact, there were far more against him than with him, yet Moses was in God’s will.

3.    Hosea – “the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.’” Hosea 1:2. God’s will for Hosea was for him to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him and to raise children that were not his own.  Hosea was in a marriage that no one would volunteer for yet he was in God’s will.

4.     The best example I can offer is Jesus Christ Himself.  Jesus walked every moment in the Father’s will yet He faced confrontation and testing (by the Pharisees and Sadducees), rejection, betrayal, torture, and ultimately crucifixion. (see the Gospels)

God’s will in our life is not just about us.  God’s will for our life is also about others around us whom we may not even know.  God’s will may be difficult yet His grace, His peace, His comfort, His love, His power, His strength are all ours in the process.

What are you facing for which you are seeking to discern God’s will?  Are you in a marriage that falls short of your expectations? Are you at a job that is a challenge with unbelievers that mock you for your faith?  Are you in a church that is less than perfect?

Maybe you believe you are in God’s will but are facing hurdles or opposition.  Hurdles, opposition, trials, difficulty, and resistance are NOT sure indicators that you are NOT in God’s will.  Press in and press on, sister.

You are blessed today.

Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

I want to preface this particular Victory Call with saying that this might seem a little elementary to some of you readers, but I also think this is a topic that today’s society really needs to understand. My generation, in particular, seems to base their decisions off of feelings and temptations, instead of focusing on what is good and true.

Recently, I got into a really long and deep conversation with my friend about the subject of temptation. She was confiding in me that a friend of hers was struggling. The friend was living a life of sin, and her way of thinking was that if God didn’t want her to sin, He would not put a desire in her heart to do so. Really, this girl is giving into temptation, and I think there are a lot of misconceptions about this subject.

It is important to know that temptation itself is not a sin; Jesus himself was tempted. It is also important to note that God does not put a desire in our heart to sin nor is it He who tempts us.  James 1:13 says “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” By saying that God is tempting someone to do wrong or giving one a desire in their heart to sin, they are ultimately saying He is leading them to do evil. That simply cannot be the case, because if it were, God would not be 100% good and the gospel would be a lie. It is the enemy who tempts us, and it is our choice whether we listen to the lies of the enemy or the Word of God.

God does, however, allow temptation. He doesn’t allow temptation just to see how we respond; He knows our hearts already. He knows how we will respond in any given circumstance. No, God allows temptation because it is a way for us to lean on Him for strength, grow in our walk, understand more about Him, and understand more about ourselves as well. Temptation can either cause us to stumble or it can be a great way for us to grow in our walk with the Lord.  It all depends on our response. We must try to resist temptation, and the way to do that is with the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded to Satan with Scripture. We must also do so, if we intend to live like Jesus.

We must ask the question: is what we’re doing right or is what we’re doing self-serving? Are we basing decisions on what would be pleasing to God, or what would make us feel good? Are we giving in to temptation? What in our lives today is tempting us most? The correct way to respond to temptations seems pretty clear, but many people today miss the mark. God gives us authority over evil and every power of the enemy (Luke 10:19)   – that’s crazy to wrap our minds around, but it’s so awesome. If He gives us authority over evil, we also have authority over temptation, amen?!

Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She had served on Summer Staff since 2011, and this past summer had the unique opportunity of co-directing Children’s Ministry with one of her best friends. She is very excited to continue to build relationships with the guests and be very involved in the ministry.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” 2 Corinthians 1:3—7

The above verses of Holy Scripture have been powerfully meaningful to me from the very beginning of my ministry here at America’s Keswick. In fact, it is my own personal suffering which opened the window and then the door to my being here to serve for almost 14 years. It had never occurred to me that any of the trials and tribulations of my life could or would be used by God to help so many hurting women.

Who but God could know how new depths of meaning would, over and over again, reveal new measures of meaning to a heart that often forgets and wanders, a heart that needs yet another reminder to partake of the suffering of Christ and to hope in the consolation therein.

Dear sisters, it is truly grace, grace upon grace upon grace that we’re even permitted to experience comfort in the midst of affliction and adversity.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…who comforts us in all our tribulation…”

Since that very first day I’ve learned over and over again that our Father doesn’t waste a single drop of our suffering. Nope! Not one little bit. Fact is, in His infinite wisdom and power—we are mysteriously enabled to rejoice in it. Though our eyes and hearts weep from the sorrows and tribulations and pains of our suffering, there comes to us a deep knowing that there is much consolation through Christ.  It’s very difficult to explain and yet, there it is—tangible comfort, peace, and consolation in the midst of our suffering.

How is your heart today beloved? Do you know above and beyond all doubt that your God — the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who came from heaven, was crucified, dead and buried, who rose on the third day and is now seated in heavenly places forever interceding on your behalf, the One whose name is Jesus — do you know that He is with you? Do you know and believe He is for you?

Choose today to look up, to lift your hands toward heaven and cry out, “Abba Father! I need you! Help me!”

Then rest in His care and comfort, knowing that the One who loves you with an everlasting love never slumbers nor sleeps and He will be with you, even now. Selah…

Stephanie Dale

Stephanie D. Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.
 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools pour out folly. Proverbs 15:1-2

As I read this Proverb I am reminded about the things in my immediate and extended family that cause the most “heated” conversations. Can you guess? Yes, religious and political talk can cause voices to increase in volume. I am usually in favor of a change of subject. I don’t mind debate but when emotions get involved the hair on the back of my neck tends to stand up. I have heard foolish things said to me in the heat of the moment and then I have replied with another foolish statement. I think of the words that come out with a hint or more of sarcasm, which leads me to think of the words I use that are less then kind, and the words that simply cut like a knife. Round and round it goes. If we all were really honest we would admit that little, if any, thought goes in before our words come out.

While we are familiar with the fact that the little muscle in our mouths called a tongue is hard to control it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask for the Lord’s help to change. Change and growth in this area are possible. Many of us, before coming to Christ, may have struggled with needing a bar of soap in our mouths or one of those cute jars for a quarter when caught saying a few choice words. In some way, with God’s help and His spirit, we broke those habits. But, why have we stopped there? Have we taken the time to train our tongues to be truthful, kind, loving, and wise? I have come a long way but there is still more road to cover in front of me.

Continuing on Proverbs 15 I came to verse 23, “A man has joy in an apt answer; and how delightful is a timely word.” This is my prayer and my challenge- “Lord, give me soft words full of wisdom that I will find joy in the answers I have given and that my words will be timely to those I speak to.”

Here’s the thing about words we all know – you never get to take them back. Speaking in the right manner, with the right tone and with godly wisdom will allow us not to have to eat them later.

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy Withers is on staff at America’s Keswick and serves as Director of Partner Care. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 30 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and teaches a Bible Study for women. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

“…and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horseman.”  Hosea 1:7

I am reading a counseling book that is reminding me again that whenever we offer counsel, (and we ALL offer counsel whether we intend to or not) our inclination is to offer a to-do list or a story from our own life or a Scripture about that issue intended to help make things better – and I am guilty of all three.  These all may help in the short run, but unless we connect with God – the One True Living God – the help will be just that, short-lived.

When we reduce the solution to a list of “do this and don’t do that” we are offering short-sighted human help, things that can be accomplished in our human strength. What is actually necessary, however, is something far beyond ourselves, something with far greater power than we can muster.

I have been a counselor a long time and I would say one of the most common statements I hear in a session is, “just tell me what to do.” We want to think that the solution to the problem is within our control. If I just do this, the problem will go away.  I know we all want a simple solution but that is not typically God’s way.  He wants relationship with us. …that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1:3; God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Corinthians 1:9. Deep fellowship is not fostered by a series of steps or a list of things to do.

Personally, what counsel are you offering your own soul?  Are you looking for a list of things you can do to improve your situation or are you seeking Jesus Himself in the midst of the trial?

What help are you offering others? Next time a friend comes with a problem, pause a moment and ask yourself the question, “How do I connect this person to the person of Jesus Christ in this moment?”

Jesus Himself is enough.  “We believe Lord, help our unbelief.”

Be a blessing to someone today.
Diane

Diane Hunt served for 16 years on the staff of America’s Keswick until recently when she and her husband relocated to North Carolina. She now continues serving as a contributing writer and Partner Care consultant. Diane is also a Biblical Counselor, speaker, teacher, and author. She delights in the opportunities she has as a women’s conference and retreat speaker to share from God’s word.  Many of her illustrations are drawn from her relational experiences as a wife, mother, and mema. They are the very relationships that bring her the greatest joy and the most fun!

“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”  Hebrews 10:35′

“So we may boldly say, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7

Recently I was able to attend the graduation of one of the students at Barbara’s Place. Dr. Lynne Jahns shared a few words during the ceremony that have stuck with me. She mentioned that this student “had found her voice”. Although this student has a lovely singing voice, that was not the voice she was referring to. As I pondered these words I realized I needed to find my voice in certain areas.  I don’t voice my opinions because I think no one is interested, I am not as smart as others, or I don’t want to make waves. Often I don’t voice my questions because they might seem stupid. I may not voice my needs, my feelings, my ideas or concerns for a number of reasons. Many find it hard to vocalize a simple “no”. (Lynne also once quoted, “’No’ is a complete sentence and needs no justification.” That may help you find your voice.)

Each of us may struggle voicing certain things that we find uncomfortable, difficult or that make us uneasy.  In what situation might you need to find your voice? You may need to voice difficult words to a loved one. Words that set boundaries, heal wounds, or ask for forgiveness. You may need to voice gratitude, appreciation, or love. You may need the courage to find your voice, be comfortable with your voice and be confident to use your voice wisely.

I pray you will find your voice and speak up with grace and confidence.

Blessings,
Kathy