Keep Moving Forward

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Posted by Martha Wilson, March 13, 2024

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18

Once again, most Americans set their clocks forward by one hour this past weekend. Sure, we lost a bit of sleep but gained another hour of sunlight as we moved into the spring and summer months. On the front end, none of us like to give up an hour of sleep, but we welcome the lengthy days of sunshine once our bodies adjust to the change.

Pondering this time change, I flipped forward in my daily Bible reading to the book of Ecclesiastes, where King Solomon gave us some wise instructions about time changes.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,  

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,  

a time to love and a time to hate,  a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I quickly agree there is a time for everything, yet we don’t always understand or accept the season. Therefore, we ask things like, “What time is it?” “Why is this happening?” “Why do I have to get up? I just want to sleep.”

One secret to living life fully alive is to be fully present in the season God has us.

To cling to one season because it is beautiful, desirable, and comfortable is to miss what is in front of us. Sometimes, we need to spring forward to the next season of life. Now, I am not suggesting that we fast forward past the delightful and fulfilling nor the painful or unwelcome seasons, but instead, I am encouraging you to keep moving forward. God is waiting for you in the next season.

We can settle into a season in such a way that we lose the awareness of God’s nudge to move forward. We are determined to hold on to the extra hour of sleep, instead of embracing the adventure of a new day.

Remembering that others are not necessarily in the same season as I can be very helpful. How can they be dancing while I am mourning? Why are they laughing while I am crying? Why are they planting while I am digging up? We are all at different places in life and need to be gracious with one another.

Even though our mobile phones change automatically, I have a few clocks that must be manually set. Laziness leads me to ignore it for a few days, but it costs me more than a few minutes because I am distracted by constantly making mental adjustments to the time throughout the day. I remember the year we were clueless about how to change the clock in our new car. We looked at the clock for an entire season and said, “It says 10:00, but it is actually 11:00.”

I think I do the same thing when I refuse to move forward into the season God has placed me. We all know far too well that circumstances of life can catapult us into new seasons that we can’t seem to catch up. But there is something about agreeing with God and that it is time for a reset and spring forward.

Today, I am cheering you on. Always keep moving forward into all that God has for you. It’s ok that it takes some time to heal and to adjust but go ahead and step into it. God will catch you up as you surrender to His best plan.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

Martha Wilson is a writer, speaker, blogger and co-host of A Burst of Hope weekly podcast. She is the founder and director of Touching Hearts Ministries for women. She has led women to pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus for most of her adult life. She is bold, tender, and transparent as she teaches women to embrace powerful Biblical truths. Martha and her husband, Ed, live in Fayetteville, Georgia, and enjoy their blended family of five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. You can connect with Martha at: Facebook and Instagram @TouchingHeartsMinistries or listen to the A Burst of Hope Podcast.

Forgiveness

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Posted by Pat Elsberry, March 8, 2024

Forgiveness means different things to different people. It involves intentionally letting go of any resentment and anger you may harbor against another. Whatever the act that hurt or offended you was, it might always be with you, but working on forgiveness can lessen the grip it has on you. 

We have all had someone do or say something that offended us. But, how do we handle forgiving someone who will not communicate with you? And, is it possible to receive forgiveness from someone who’s already died? I believe it’s possible to give and receive forgiveness from a loved one who no longer speaks to you, or is no longer on this earth. 

Maybe you had a fight with your loved one and shared some harsh words before they died, and you never got the chance to tell them how sorry you were. First of all, they are not holding that against you.

Heaven does not allow for anger and dissension. It’s a place of pure love.

In Heaven, no one harbors revenge, resentment, or anger whatsoever. They are given a new lens to look through, which is with total unconditional love. 

Did you know that there are three types of forgiveness? Exoneration, forbearance, and release. In the case of forgiving someone who is no longer here, release is the one that applies.

Release asks that instead of continuing to define your life in terms of the hurt done to you, you can release any bad feelings and your preoccupation with the negative things that have happened. More importantly, release is critically significant: it allows you to let go of the burden weighing you down and eating away at your chance for healing and happiness.

If you don’t release the pain and anger and move past dwelling on old hurts, you will be allowing the ones who hurt you to live rent-free, in your mind and heart, forever reliving the oppression that the original incident started.

The Bible references forgiveness at least 49 times. We must forgive others if we want to be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15; Colossians 3:12-13).  

Practicing forgiveness can have powerful health benefits. Studies have shown that forgiveness is associated with lower levels of anxiety, depression, and hostility, along with having higher self-esteem and greater life satisfaction.

If something is weighing on your heart and you wish to share it with your loved one who is no longer here, you can write them a letter. Get a piece of paper and a pen, or sit at your computer and pour your heart out to them. Once you’ve expressed everything you want, you can either keep or destroy the letter. The important thing is that you begin to let your heart be free to move forward in your healing. 

Pat Elsberry is an author, speaker, blogger, and a passionate advocate for parents dealing with grief after the loss of a child. Pat created multiple social media groups focused on providing hope to others who are walking the same path, including her blog, Hope During Loss. Pat facilitates an in-person grief share for women who have experienced child loss, and is also a moderator for Team Sharing, a nationwide peer-led support group for parents who have lost children to substance use disorder. Pat is the author of Beautifully Broken: Finding Hope During Loss, and will soon release her first devotional, Comforted by God. Pat and her husband, Fred live outside Atlanta and have a blended family of 7 children and 5 grandchildren. Her favorite things include traveling, cooking, gardening, dark chocolate, and worship music. You can find Pat on her blog, www.hopeduringloss.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @HopeDuringLoss.

Willing

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Posted by Annette Burrell, February 28, 2024

“Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.” Exodus 36:2

In the process of building the tabernacle and all the work of constructing the sanctuary, Moses began identifying those with the right skills to do the work. God had given each of them certain skills to fulfill the work that needed to be done.

Don’t miss the last part of the verse, and who was willing to come and do the work.

Just as God gave the Israelites skills, he has equipped you and me with gifts and talents. We enjoy those talents in our everyday lives—at work, we may be a leader, at school, we may be a teacher, at home, we may be the cook. In our leisure time, we may excel at sports and play golf or pickleball. We may be artistic and enjoy painting or writing.

Why is it, we use our gifts and talents in our daily lives, but when it comes to serving in the church we sit back and let others do the work that God has equipped us to do? The statistic that I’ve heard is that 20 percent of members in a church serve in some capacity, while 80 percent merely attend on Sunday mornings.

Do you think that is why the 20 percent sometimes experience burnout? Have you ever had the thought, “She does not need to be teaching. She is so boring.”? Chances are she stepped in the role because there had been so many nos and someone knew this lady would say yes.

In the case of the Israelites, Moses asked “every” skilled person whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. I wonder...If everyone had been willing to serve, would there have been so much division?

Every Sunday at church, someone is doing double duty because those that have been given the ability aren’t willing to say yes.

We are all called to serve the LORD.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

I used to think this verse was about acknowledging God as my LORD and Savior. And that every Sunday when we took our family to church we were serving the LORD. When I read that verse today, it took on a whole new meaning. 

First, Joshua says, “If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you . . .” Ouch! How would you feel if your spouse said you were undesirable? Maybe you’ve been there before and you know how that feels. Joshua goes on to say, “Choose for yourselves (it’s personal) this day whom you will serve.” He doesn’t say choose for your family where you go to church, although that is important and also biblical. But he says, choose today who you will serve. 

Serve is a verb. It’s an action word. It means, to perform duties or services for (another person or an organization).

Paul, one of the greatest apostles in the New Testament, who preached the gospel boldly proclaimed over and over in his writings to be a servant of Christ Jesus.

When we serve in the church, we are proclaiming the gospel message.

So, I ask you. What gifts and abilities do you have that could be used to grow the church or lead someone to Christ? Are you a storyteller, a decorator, a prayer warrior? Do you have the gift of hospitality, leadership, teaching, and encouragement? 

There is a place for you to serve. Are you willing? Say yes. Tell someone. Don’t wait to be asked. Be willing to serve the LORD.

Annette Burrell is an author, speaker, and singer/songwriter. Through Annette’s years of being a public servant, and her devotion to studying the Bible, God has equipped her to lead women into His presence, and share with them how they can grow in Christ. Her passion is learning, sharing about the Heavenly realms, and God’s plan of protection for us as believers.