One Square Living

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Posted by Martha Wilson, January 10, 2024

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

There is something exciting about a new calendar that makes my heart race—in a good way. I love the feel of crisp new pages waiting to be written upon. I welcome the thought of leaving the past behind and stepping into the new territory waiting to be discovered. 

 As I thumbed through the twelve months spread before me, I began to dream of what 2024 would be like. As I sat with the year in hand, I handled the pages carefully as if I crumpled one; it could possibly mar something ahead. The question arose in my mind, “What would fill these twelve pages?” I barely whispered the words. “This represents the next year of my life.” But, as soon as the words slipped through my lips, I sensed the Lord correcting me.

“You have not been promised twelve, clean, crisp months, but only one square.”

One glorious square called today. Each square on these pages took on new meaning as I reached for the Holy Book of certain and permanent pages. His living Word spoke right into the moment and brought meaning to this “one square living” truth.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you should say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-16

I don’t think Jesus lived by a calendar, but by the voice of His Father. 

There were planned days to celebrate important feasts, but Jesus wasn’t moved by people's expectations but by His Father’s voice. I remember the story where the disciples asked if He would attend the feast, and He answered “no, the time isn’t right.” But, when they arrived and looked around, He was there in their midst. (John 7:8-10) Within His square, He lived by the Father’s leading. He lived with the awareness that the cross was in front of Him, but He demonstrated living in one square at a time as He fulfilled His Father’s good purpose and plan. 

Oh, that we could live the same way in 2024. Waiting and moving on God’s timetable, led by His voice, purpose, and will.  

What a gift of one single square of life! We should treasure waking each day, having been gifted one more square to live for His glory. When I live with my focus on all that is going on and all that “might '' happen or the demands and expectations of other people, my perspective of today gets very crowded and cluttered.

Yes, we still plan, dream, and strategize, but with our hands wide open surrendered to God’s will. When we live knowing that God is sovereign and He is the one who always does good, then we can trust that He has the power to change anything at any time. 

The answer to living this way is living life with a pencil in hand. I carefully plan by penciling in the meetings, appointments, goals, and events, acknowledging that God can erase anything at any time. One square living keeps me living in the day, the moment I have, yet managing this wonderful life I have been gifted. “If the Lord wills…..this is my plan.” 

“Lord, teach us how to live wisely, looking and planning, but keeping our feet in this one square of today. Open our eyes to see those who are lost, hurting, and broken. Give us eyes that look ahead but feet that live in today.  We desire to fasten our gaze upon You and your purpose and plan, allowing you to fill these pages with purpose and meaning.”

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

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.

Strong And Courageous

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Posted by Martha Wilson, January 3, 2024

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Tonight, I am preaching myself a New Year’s sermon. I invite you to listen in through this blog writing. I pray that the words I am speaking to myself will encourage you and challenge you as we have just stepped into new territory.

The words of our focal scripture were given to Joshua as he had been assigned to take new territory. It wasn’t just any territory, but that which God had promised. It would take great strength and courage to obey the command that God had given him to lead these people to conquer the promised land. There was no room for lazy, fearful, doubting leadership. Joshua had to be full of the strength and courage that God Himself had provided.

These are two powerful words to take hold of for this new year. Strong and Courageous! As I speak them, I feel my height stretching beyond my 5’5” stature. An urgency arises now to stand as tall as the Christmas soldiers standing erect beside my neighbor’s front door throughout the season. I notice yearly that they claim their positions in early December and remain until early January.

Those Nutcrackers stand day and night, rain or shine, hot or cold. They keep their positions until the Christmas season passes. I assume they are returned to the attic or garage until their service is needed the following year. It is timely that two additional soldiers were added beside the garage door this year. It was as if they were declaring that extra protection was needed. All soldiers are needed to take a stand this year!

As I returned home today, I noticed that on January 1, 2024, the soldiers were still on guard. I can almost hear them blow the trumpets held at their side, declaring two more important words, “Watch and Pray.” Do not slumber and do not sleep, but watch and pray.

Watch also at every season, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21:36

I earnestly desire to live this way in 2024. I want to take my post wherever God places me and stand strong and courageous. I want to stand watching and praying. No matter what comes, I have determined by the grace of God that I will stand and be courageous. I will stand in prayer for my family, my church, my community, and my nation.

I hear a new calling to stand as a soldier of Christ.

James 5:16-17 tells us that “the effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.” Our prayers matter. Paul readies us for battle with his words in 2 Corinthians 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” We, like Joshua, have a spiritual territory to claim for ourselves and our people.

I researched how these nutcracker soldiers became a part of Christmas decorations. “In 1892, Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, The Nutcracker, debuted. Because the ballet is set on Christmas Eve (and the hero is a nutcracker come to life), the nutcrackers quickly became associated with holiday décor.”(Better Homes & Gardens, October 31, 2022) Don’t miss that one crucial phrase.

“The hero is a nutcracker come to life.”

It is time for us to come to life and move into action, not just stand as decorations beside the door. Let’s move into action.

Stand strong and courageous…

Praying for your household—Intercede for one another. Watch out for your neighbor. Get involved. Walk and pray. Serve others. Dig into His battle plan, the Bible. Ask God for your daily assignment and take your position. Give generously. Sing His Praises. Take every opportunity to speak of your faith. Be thankful. Love God and love others.

As a blog reader, you are one of my people. I will stand courageous and watch and pray on your behalf in 2024. I invite you to take your post with me. Together, we will Stand Strong and Courageous and Watch and Pray. May God’s favor be upon you in 2024!

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.

We Are Not Alone

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Posted by Annette Burrell, December 20, 2023

As I gaze at my wrapped gifts, I look up to see a tree that is not even half decorated. I started

and stopped decorating that poor little tree numerous times. I just don’t have it in me this year. The rest of my house is decorated, all thanks to my wonderful girlfriends. 

I wanted to decorate the tree myself because it usually brings me great joy. But, it’s still sitting there, helpless. Only my cat is taking delight in it.

This year’s Christmas is different. My 90-year-old father’s health began declining rapidly in October, and he passed away on November 29. Everything stopped that day. 

I’ve been told when you lose someone over the holidays, it changes things. And this phrase seems to be truer than I thought it would be. My friends have said I’m a driven individual and I always get things done. I suppose that’s true, and I suppose it will be true this year too. It’s the desire that has changed.

I don’t know about you, but for me, I need God more than ever. I have a hole in my heart that

no one can fill. There is an emptiness that can’t be replaced. So, I turn to Jesus. I desire to

lean into Him more than ever this year. 

So, I sit in the quiet of my house and begin to ponder on the scriptures that tell us about the baby born on Christmas day. 

Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Christ 700 years before it happened.

Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”

Immanuel, God with us. If God is with us, we are never alone. 

I opened a sympathy card today, and tucked inside was a note card. One side read: “Today’s Prayer”. The other side read: “If God is all you have, you have all you need.” John 14:8

Those words ministered to me at that moment. It coincided with the scripture of the prophecy of

the virgin birth of the Christ child, the son that would be called Immanuel (God with us). 

Matthew 1:18-25 says, “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But, after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ”The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”)”. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  But he did not

consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

Jesus, he will save his people from their sins. That’s the reason He came. That’s the reason

God sent Him. God provided the lamb for us to cover our sins. That same God came to my

father this year, and when Jack acknowledged him, He saved him from his sins. 

My dad wasn’t alone as he slipped away from this world and he stepped into heaven. God was

with him, and God was all he needed.

I find myself in worship as I listen to the song "I've Witnessed It" from Passion City. Maybe you'll

find time to listen to it after this read. I was with my mother in 2011 during her last hours. She

described visions of Jesus and heaven. I believe it was a divine appointment for me to be there.

I was also with my dad when he encountered God. I've witnessed God's faithfulness. He gives

us hope in our hopelessness, and He shows up when we feel alone. How about you? Are you

feeling all alone this Christmas? Jesus: the one who came and was laid in a manger; the one

who was sinless and walked among the people preaching the gospel; the one who was ridiculed, beaten, bruised, and crucified on the cross. He is the provider of hope, and He is waiting for you to call on Him. You are not alone. God is all we need.

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.