The Power Of Faith (Guest Blogger) | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried coming up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. I am going for it and it's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

Today I have a special guest. Amy Napier is my dear friend, prayer partner, and sister in Christ. She definitely knows a thing or two about faith. When she prays all of heaven pays attention and God moves on her behalf. I know this will bless you like it has me. Be sure to let her know that you appreciate her message in the comments below. 

As Christians, we have learned about faith and what faith is for years. Some of us may be new Christians and some may be more versed and truly have seen the works of faith. But whether you are a young Christian or a seasoned Christian, where is your faith today?

Faith is so much more than believing in God. Faith is how we build and grow a relationship with God our Father. It strengthens us and draws us nearer to the Father. God wants us to trust Him with everything in our lives. The big and the small. It was true in the Biblical times and it remains true today. If we put our trust and faith in Him, there is nothing that is impossible with God. (Matthew 19:26)

So many times when we face troubles and hardships we want to take control of the situation. Years ago when I had a problem or an issue that would come up, the first thing I would do is call my mom or a friend for advice on what to do or how to solve the problem. The bigger the problem the more people I would tag in searching frantically for answers. I was missing the mark, forgetting who created me, who was waiting patiently for me to run to Him and not to everyone else on my phone list.

When my son was in high school there was a really rough time for us as a family. There were many issues he was facing. Some of them were issues he had brought on himself. But one in particular I knew in my heart could take a very bad turn and could impact his life and ours. The choices he had made and the crowd he was with had quickly taken him down what seemed a road of no return. I couldn't reach him! No matter what I did or said or how long he was grounded things were getting worse. I was in a hopeless battle.

I can remember coming home from work so upset as I had been praying about this situation day and night. I grabbed his picture in the frame from my fire mantle and hit my knees and just prayed over him and the trouble that surrounded the problem. I was pacing the floor and pleading with God that He would open his eyes and bring a solution to us before things spiraled out of control and it was too late.

I walked out on my back porch and just shut my eyes and looked toward the heavens. God spoke to me and said, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalms 46:10) I opened my eyes and and He spoke to me again, "Be still and know that I am God!"

I had a peace that came over me and in that moment I knew that He was going to take care of this for me and for my son. I continued to pray and repeated in faith, I trust You God, I trust You God. I spoke it out loud and thanked Him for giving me the peace I needed though I did not know how He was going to work through this situation.

The next day at work, a co-worker walked into my office and brought me a wooden cross. She said while she was shopping, she had an overwhelming urge to buy this for me and bring it to me that day. The cross was beautifully painted and had little dainty flowers painted on it. As I looked at it and my eyes went toward the bottom of the cross, the scripture Psalm 46:10 was written on it, "Be still and know that I am God."

God had impressed upon my co-worker to get this for me because He wanted me to know in that moment who He is, what He was going to do, and to lay it down and trust in Him. I didn't know how or when He was going to help me, but I can tell you I knew He was going to do what He said.

It was about two weeks later when the problem that seemed like a mountain that was going to wreck my son's future, his goals and dreams, literally dissolved like snow in front of my eyes. God came in like a lion and tore up what was happening in my son's life. He removed people from his life, took things away from him that he didn't need, and got his life back on track for Him.

God wants us to trust Him. Not with the big things but with all things. Trusting Him is being obedient to Him when we can't see the outcomes, the plans, and the future. He willing to direct us and lead us in ALL things if we just lay it down and trust in who He is. I had to trust Him. I had to give it to Him totally. I didn't call my best friends and try to figure out what to do next. I didn't call my mother for advice on what she thought I should do. I went to my Father day and night in prayer, in a battle for my son's life and future.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your path."

I could tell you many stories of how I have trusted God and He came swooping in and saved the day for me. I can tell you Bible stories of how He did it for His people throughout the Old and New Testaments. But I want to ask you the question today, Are you trusting God for everything? Are you laying it at His feet today and trusting whatever you have going on big or small? He is going to intervene on your behalf.

God loves us so much! He is a loving and patient God. He wants to give you peace today in your situation and take the stress of life, family, work and today away from you and replace it with His joy! He wants to lead you in His ways and change outcomes for your good. He wants to show up and show out and prove to you He is who He says He is.

Luke 18:27 "What is impossible with man is possible with God."

I pray today that you seek God with all of your heart, get alone with Him and open up to Him. He doesn't care about the etiquette of your prayer. He wants you to tell Him today your troubles, pains, fears, and unbelief and lay them at His feet. He desires your faith in Him that He is the God of hope and the only God that makes all things new. Our faith is strengthened when we truly believe Him for who He is. Will you trust Him when everyone else says, "It's over! Forget about it!"? God is saying, "Come to Me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." (Matthew 28:11)

He will make a way where there seems to be no way. Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth, shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Let go and let God! Let Him overtake your thoughts. Let Him show you today who He wants to be in your life. Have faith and trust Him and see what God can do!!

God bless you!!

~Amy Napier 

Happy Thanksgiving | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I share what I am thankful for. Come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

Friends, my heart is FULL of gratitude this Thanksgiving. Imagine Thanksgiving 2020 in the midst of a Pandemic, God is still moving, He is still working, and He is still blessing. He is still GOOD! 

This Thanksgiving looks so different for me and my family. God has given me new perspective on those who are alone during the holidays. My heart has always gone out to those who have no one to celebrate with. This year I get to see firsthand how lonely and hard it really is, and even in my situation I am not totally alone.

My children are in Indiana, celebrating Thanksgiving with their grandparents, and visiting family and friends. My heart is full of gratitude that they were given this opportunity. I'm thankful for my family who is still with us this year and I am thankful for all the memories I have of those who are not. Since our children are in Indiana, Paul and I planned to spend Thanksgiving with my mother and my aunt in Florida. I am very grateful to still have my mother and it's not as far to their home in Florida than it was to my mother's home in Indiana. I am also extremely thankful that I am able to celebrate with my husband, Paul. It's our 20th Thanksgiving together.

I was exposed to Covid at my new job. Four days later I developed symptoms like Covid and two days ago I lost my sense of smell and taste. I am unable to get tested but I have self-quarantined and thus I am not able to go visit my family because I don't want to spread this to anyone else. My husband stays in another room and thankfully there is a bathroom here in our bedroom, so I don't venture out of this room much. It is lonely and honestly it feels more lonely when Paul is home from work, because we talk from down the hall or sometimes he calls me on the phone! But I am not wallowing in self-pity. I am not the only one affected by this crazy illness and many are far worse than I am. I am very blessed and thankful for all the things I do have.

Today we unexpectedly got an early paycheck. That was such a blessing! Paul went to get us a nice lunch since we did not buy anything for a Thanksgiving feast as we planned to be out of town. I am thankful for the workers at Golden Corral who provided a delicious - I'm guessing - meal for my husband and I. We ate in different rooms but I am grateful for a hot meal and a big cup of sweet tea!

So even though I am banished to my bedroom and it's not the same traditions we have had in the past, I am so thankful for a home, a meal, and the love of those who care about me and are praying for me. (Please ignore the way I look. Real life people! LOL)

PHILIPPIANS 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

EPHESIANS 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

COLOSSIANS 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

PSALMS 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

PSALMS 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

No, this Thanksgiving may not be like we imagined it to be, or wanted it to be, or even prayed it would be. There may be empty chairs around the table from relatives who are no longer with us, those who cannot come because of sickness or shelter-in-place regulations, maybe distance has kept others away, and maybe it is relationship-strain, or whatever the case may be. Please know I am praying for those who are lonely and isolated and feel forgotten or abandoned or ignored. I am praying for God to cover you all with His grace and mercy and love and remind you that you are loved and never forgotten!

To the ones reading this and you may be in a house full of people or a crowded gathering but still feel alone. You may have a beautiful home, a delicious meal, and all the appearances of good things but something is still missing. Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? If He isn't, please accept His free gift of salvation today. Material possessions and experiences can never replace the emptiness we feel when we are separated from God. He is a good, good Father. Regardless of how your earthly father has treated you, God is a wonderful, loving, kind, and generous Father. He adores you and sent His only Son Jesus to die for your sins. What a great time to open your heart to the love of the Father!

I am rejoicing in spite of the situation this year. God woke me up and gave me JOY and it's down in my soul bubbling up. I know this too shall pass and things will change again in the future but if we cling to the unchanging hand of God, we can experience Thanksgiving every day of the year! So from my children: Kadesia and Javan in Indiana...

...and from Paul and me in Alabama...

...we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Hurry! | Bible Study

There has been a shift in the church in recent years, but not a good one. Many compromise and water down the message; offering entertainment and pleasures while removing altars and canceling prayer meetings. I remember growing up and there were people lining the walls and back of the church standing just to hear the Word of God and the power of God would fall: people would be healed, delivered, and set free. It was not long ago that at the altars people would be three or four deep and testimonies would go forth the next week of cancer being healed, inoperable tumors shrinking, and financial miracles that only God could do. Fast-forward to today's churches. Tell someone that God spoke to you and gave you instructions and see what happens. They will think you belong in a psychiatric facility. Doubt and unbelief fill the hearts of many in leadership. It crept in the door behind compromise and tolerance of sin.

I need every single person who is reading this message right now to hear me well. Please take a moment right now and pray; ask God to give you ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Ask God to give you wisdom and knowledge and believe that He will. I have an important announcement to make and if it wakes up just one snoozing believer then I will be thankful that I could help even one. Jude verses 22-23 says, "And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Do you hate sin? Do you really hate sin? I am tired of the wickedness going on in this world and timid Christians are too scared to speak up! What if it were you dying and going to hell? Wouldn't you want someone to tell you? If I see you sitting on your couch through your window and there are flames coming out of the house, should I politely walk away? Should I be more concerned about your right to privacy, or should I alert you to the danger coming for you? I am going to tell you to run, to get out of there and not look back! If we see our brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, or anyone doing things that will cause them to go to hell, we better speak up! If we don't we will have to give an account for that.

God has been shaking me! He has been telling me to cry out for the people in my city and my own family members who are lost. I have been doing that. I am praying that God would wake the people up before it is too late. We have a real enemy and the Bible tells us in Revelation that he is an accuser of the brethren. He goes to God day and night tattling on the people who are trying to live as Holy as they can. He is reminding God of something from the past, an unkind thought they had that he planted, or some mistake they made. He is constantly complaining about us to God. He was in a fight with Michael and his angels. The devil and his goons lost big time and were kicked out of heaven! The Bible says woe to us that live on the earth! Why? The devil is deceiving the whole world and they don't realize he has lulled them to sleep with his fairy tales and twisted scriptures. Those in heaven who have made it can rejoice, but those on the earth woe to us! He is so angry and he is attacking the people of God every single time he gets an opportunity because he knows that he does not have much time left.

REVELATION 12:7-12 (7)And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8)And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9)And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10)And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11)And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (12)Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

God is coming back for people who have prepared themselves, gotten ready, and waiting for Him to return. Ask someone if they believe Jesus is coming back soon and let me know how many people think so. I am sounding the alarm so all can hear that Jesus is on His way back. Believe me or not but God told me a couple of years ago that Jesus is standing at the door with His hand on the doorknob and the door is ajar! If that was true when He told me then imagine how quickly that door is going to swing open wide and whooosh! His bride is swept away!

Are you ready? When you look at your five year plan and ten year plan, where are you? Are you closer to God, winning souls, learning how to be more like Jesus? There's nothing wrong with having goals and plans to be successful and do something with your life, but the main thing needs to the MAIN THING! We have forgotten the relationship. We would rather have the religion like the Pharisees. We would rather have the rituals and the routines. We want the order and form of godliness and deny the power thereof. We need to get back to the Bible. We need the basics. We need to know that God has a plan for our lives and we need to find out what that plan is so ours can conform to His and not the other way around.

I know that time is short on this earth. God is wrapping things up. He has done signs and wonders in my life this year and some of which I have shared on this blog; many others I have pondered in my heart. Please do not wait until later. Do not put off until later drawing closer to God. We can watch for Black Friday sales and we can check off our wish lists and we can put our nose to the grind and hustle to earn money and save it up, but what good is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul? Please understand that time is short. If the devil knows the time is short, we need to know it, too!

Saints of God, suit up! Stay in prayer for your wayward children, your lost loved ones, and those who deny God. Stay in your prayer closets. Be vigilant. Get on the battlefield for our LORD and fight the good fight of faith. Look in Ephesians for the whole armor of God and suit up. The fight is on! The war is waging and the battle is hot. God is leading the fight and we are winning! We are on the winning side. 

My daughter sent me this picture and I think it needs to be the top of our goal. Let's make heaven crowded with our family members, our coworkers, our neighbors, our friends, and those we sit by at church. Let's take everybody we can! Get laser-focused on winning souls. The Bible says that is what the wise do.

Time is ticking! Let's get busy. I am praying for you and please pray for me. Let's help each other make it Home! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Oven vs God | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried coming up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. I am going for it and it's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

The theme this week is patience. We studied patience together Wednesday in James for the Bible study here on this blog. Then I talked about how I waited on God to give me a child in my Thankful Thursday post. God continued to deal with me on this same topic but gave me a whole new perspective on it and I am going to share that today for the Oven vs God Fuel For The Weekend post. I hope you are as blessed by this as I was when He gave it to me.

How many people have you watched bake a cake? Maybe you are the cake baker and can relate to what I am about to share. I took a Wilton cake decorating class and prior to that I used to bake cakes and cupcakes all the time. It was a quick treat and most people enjoy eating a piece of cake. Usually it does not take long to whip up the ingredients for the batter, mix in a bowl and pour into a prepared pan, and place in the oven. Once inside does anyone start yelling at the oven? "Hurry up! You're working too slow! I want to eat my cake right now and you are taking too long. It's like you don't want me to enjoy my cake. Why are you making me wait so long?"

The oven is working. It is baking the cake inside. If we turn up the heat, continue to adjust the temperature, or fan the door to see if it is done yet we will ruin the cake. It won't finish baking all the way through. No one wants to bite into raw cake batter. Why do we rush the Master with our prayer requests? We beg and plead and cry. We complain the results we want are taking too long. We get impatient and we cry and beg and plead again. We don't truly believe God will give us what we desire. Instead of preparing our requests according to scripture and presenting them to God then walking away trusting He will do the job, we stand around and attempt to rush Him and fan the door to check on the progress. This is not faith.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

This verse tells us not to be anxious for anything but in every situation and for every request we are to pray and plead to the point of almost begging with a thankful heart and grateful attitude present our petitions to God. He is our Heavenly Father. He wants to give us good gifts and the desires of our heart. But there is a formula for this. We know that if we do not have faith the Bible says it is impossible to please God. It tells us that He does not work when people are doubting and full of unbelief. If we say things like, "It's never going to happen. I don't think God will do this for me. He probably is too busy to care about my concerns. I am not important enough to bother God with my problems," then we will not get God to move on our behalf.

JAMES 1:6-8 (6)But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

We have to first ask in faith and not waver. We can't go back and forth between trust and fear. If we ask God to do something for us and He doesn't do it, there is a good reason for it. God is not up in heaven waiting on requests to say NO! He has a plan for our lives and if the request aligns with His purpose and His plan for our lives He will do it. If getting what we ask means straying from God or compromising our integrity, like any good father, God is not going to grant our request. Going back and forth in our minds about whether we are worthy or not, whether God wants to do it or not, and whether He will do it or not is like the waves rising and crashing in the ocean. The Bible tells us that no one who thinks like that should expect anything from God. And it further states that a person who thinks like that is unstable in all that they do.

My mom sings a song at church that says:

You can't hurry God. You'll just have to wait. Trust Him and give Him time. No matter how long it takes. He's the God that you can't hurry. He'll be there don't you worry. He may not come when you want Him but He's right on time.

I love that song and it's so true! You can't hurry God. His time is not our time. His ways are not our ways. He has a big picture in His mind of how things need to go for us. He wants to give us the things we ask for when we pray but we have to trust Him. We have to wait. Just like we trust our oven to bake the cake and we wait on the timer before we start checking on the progress and fanning the door. We know that we put batter into the oven but we trust that we are pulling out a cake. We may give God our mixed up messes but we hope to get back a beautiful blessing.

Let's put all of our hope and trust and faith in the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is faithful. He is true. He is lovely. He wants to bless us with the fruits of the Spirit and if we are working on patience this week, then Holy Spirit complete the work! Forgive us for being impatient and teach us Lord to wait well upon You!

Be encouraged friends. God is going to take care of His children. He always has and He always will. He will not abandon us. He will not forget us. He will not ignore us. He is working on our behalf even when we cannot see it. He is working all things for our good and we just have to learn to lean and depend on Jesus. Like the old song says, "I'm learning how to lean and depend on Jesus. I found out if I trust Him He will provide." No matter what you're going through, trust God, our Heavenly Father, and watch Him do great things!

I hope something I have said today encourages you. I hope it's been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Kadesia Shae | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I will share what I am thankful for. Be sure to come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis, poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, and was told that due to some anatomy issues and scar tissue around my Fallopian tubes I would never be able to conceive, and if I somehow was able to get pregnant, I would never be able to carry the child. I was devastated.

Often when I was upset I would walk next door to our church, sit down at the piano, worship and sing my way through whatever had me feeling down and when I was done I would feel so happy and so free. I tried to do that this time but I just felt so lost and disconnected from God. I was in a toxic relationship with someone who was pulling me further away from God and with this news it was more than I could take. My dad found me in the church. Mother had just told him what the doctor said. He and I stood in front of the altar, he took my hands and prayed over me. I could not pray, only cry and hope!

I had an abdominal surgery to remove the endometriosis and it was all over everything. In time I healed and they gave me a 2 year window to get pregnant but did not offer me much hope. In January 2000 my toxic relationship ended and it seemed as though all hope was gone for me to ever be a mother. God had other plans though. He brought me and my husband together in March 2000 and we were inseparable. Paul is my very best friend. He proposed to me in April 2000 and I gladly said yes! In May I knew I had to tell him that I might not be able to have children. I knew he could decide to leave me but I had to let him know. I was so scared he would break off the engagement in hopes of finding someone else but he didn't. He said even if I could never give him a child he still wanted to marry me. We were married September 23, 2000 and April 2001  we conceived! We were overjoyed. The 2 year window they gave me would be closed May 2001 and God gave us such a beautiful gift. My angel girl was born December 27, 2001 and I thank God for her!

Kadesia Shae is my beautiful baby girl. She will be 19 years old next month. I thank God for her and for the way she blesses my life. If you know her, you love her. She has a heart that is as big as Texas. She has a smile that lights up the room. She is loving and generous and kind and she will pray with you, cry with you, laugh with you, and do all three! She is a girl after God's own heart. She worships Him. She sings to Him. She prays to Him. She trusts Him. He named her Kadesia which means Sanctified and Radiant. She definitely shines! My life is so much better because she is in it.

For my Thankful Thursday post I honor my daughter and thank God for her!

PSALMS 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

If you desire to be a mother and for whatever reason it seems all hope is gone, please let me know. You can email me or leave a request in the comments and I will pray for you. I know that God can do anything and nothing is too hard for Him! He is an on-time God!

My prayer is that something I shared today has given you strength for journey and light for your way! God bless you.

~Bridgett Owens

Be Patient | Bible Study

Patience is something not many people brag about having much of. Often I hear people say, "I am not a patient person." "I don't have much patience." "I need more patience." My mother used to always tell me, "Patience, Bridgett. Just be patient." I, too, have struggled with this fruit of the Spirit. I simply do not like to wait.

In our society, we are conditioned to hurry. We rush in and out of the stores. We are in a mad dash down the road. We enter a meeting with papers in a whirl as we try to get there on time knowing we have ten more things to do before the meeting gets started. We multi-task and juggle and struggle and in the end, is it even worth it?

I grew up in rural southern Indiana. One day I was in my house and I heard a knock at the door. I had not heard any vehicles drive up so I was not sure who it could be. I opened the door and there stood a sweet little Amish woman. She and her children had stopped by to see if I would like to purchase her handmade jams and jellies. We talked for a little bit and then off they went in their horse and buggy. No rush to get to the next place. No hurried sales pitch to peddle her wares. It was so nice and left me smiling and happy. I admire the way of life of the Amish, though it seems strange to me to not have electricity and other amenities that my family and I enjoy.

What's our rush? Why can't we slow down as a society? My dad used to get frustrated when I would say, "Can I ask you something real quick?" He would always ask me, "What's your hurry? You don't have to ask real quick." He was not being silly. He meant it. He genuinely did not like to rush conversation and there was no reason he could think of that I would need to say anything in a hurry. The book of James touches on patience, so even in Bible days this was an issue for many.

JAMES 5:7-11 (7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. (8) Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (9) Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. (10) Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. (11) Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

James encouraged the oppressed people to be patient. James tells them to strengthen their hearts with the hope of Christ's coming. With the focus on hope it creates patience even under oppressive conditions. We could take that same message to apply it to our lives. James reminds them just like the farmer waits for the crop and is patient, we are to also have the same endurance. We must wait on God to give us all that He promised would be fruitful in our lives. It takes time to get the things we desire, but we must work towards it and not give up. We have to remember the prophets who were under extreme persecution and yet we talk about how happy they were to make it through to the end. We know Job had patience but we do not want to suffer as long or as much as he did to get the blessings he got in the end. The Lord is compassionate and merciful.

I like how The Message Bible reads James 5:11 "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail." Friends, He really does care right down to the last detail. I have heard it said, "The devil is in the details." I am here to tell you that God is in the details! God does not form elaborate plans and amazing stories for our lives and leave out the details. He knows every single thing about the trials and tests we must endure. He leaves nothing out!

James tells us in chapter one that trials make patience. He said in chapter one, verses three and four: "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." In other words, trials make our faith stronger. We need to endure the trail because when patience has been perfected in us we are complete. We can face bigger trials because we have overcome the smaller obstacles. Our faith is like a spiritual muscle that gets larger with use. 

I know it's been a crazy year. It has been a struggle with the ups and downs of Covid-19, lockdown, masks, no masks, sometimes masks, eating in restaurants, not eating in restaurants, going to church, not going to church in person but meeting online, and on and on and on. The election, race riots, hurricanes, tornadoes, natural disasters, and so much more has caused many to get discouraged, to give up, to quit, and to turn away from the Word of God. Please grab your Bibles and read about the hardships that men and women had to face. Read in Hebrews chapter 11 of the men and women of faith. There are so many witnesses in the Bible who have endured hardship like a good soldier, endured until the end, and came forth like fine gold. Do not despise the trials; they only serve to make you stronger.

Be patient. It is hard to wait. It is not much fun to wait. It is frustrating to wait. Wait on the Lord and Isaiah says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) There is a promise for those who endure until the end. Do not give up. Do not quit. Do not walk away. Do not run from your gifts and callings. Do not think it's over. God is not done with you yet. Watch Him do the impossible in your life! He is able!

I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

The Last Day | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried coming up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. I am going for it and it's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

Going to my last day of work.......

Yesterday, November 13, 2020 was my last day as a psychiatric nurse in the facility I have worked in for almost a year. I have learned so much and grown as a nurse. I met a lot of fantastic nurses and doctors and staff. I didn't realize how attached I would get to some of the patients. My heart was full and I felt a tremendous sense of overwhelm for how many blessings God gave me. Armed with hugs and gifts and well wishes I turned in my badge and keys. It is bittersweet. I was really good at my job. I loved the patients even the tough ones and yet I felt God calling me to a different path.

Monday I will start fresh with a job similar to one I had in Indiana. I will be in a much larger facility this time and it is a little intimidating and to be honest kind of scary. I am just encouraging myself in the word of God and I am going to share those scriptures with you today in case you may be feeling something similar. Maybe you are experiencing things that have you a little uneasy and you need some encouragement. My desire is to empower you with the Scriptures so we can fight the enemy and be victorious in Christ Jesus!

PSALMS 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.

ROMANS 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

PSALMS 145:21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever.

PSALMS 71:1 In Thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

JOSHUA 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Fear is a real emotion that everyone experiences at some time or another. Fear is the opposite of faith. That is why God said He did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). God wants us to have faith in Him; to trust Him to help us through these tough times. He will do it! He is faithful!

I can confidently start my new job on Monday knowing He goes before me and He shields me. He protects me. Nothing is going to happen to me that God is not aware of and has given permission for. If he permits it then He will also shield and protect me.

I know my new job will be hard and there will be tough seasons as I transition there. I do not expect it to be perfect or even something I will do long-term. I know this is an important part of my journey or God would not have ordered my steps there and literally dropped this opportunity into my lap! He is in control and He is capable of bringing me through any challenge I face. I will trust Him until I die!

Pray these scriptures over your situation and watch God remove the fear and dread and give you hope and joy and faith instead. The mountains are tough to climb but we never climb alone. God is our faithful partner who steadies us, helps us not to fall, and gives us the strength to endure the climb. We are not alone and God is faithful!

I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

God's Word | Thankful Thursday

The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section of my blog to share what I am thankful for. I started it on a Thursday and decided to call it "Thankful Thursday." Each week I will share what I am thankful for. Be sure to come back each week so we can count our blessings together.

There are so many things to be thankful for that it is really hard to pick just one. I have two things in particular that I really want to share today. I am thankful for God's Word. It is our spiritual sword to fight the enemy. I am also thankful for my teenage son who loves God and listens to Holy Spirit when He speaks. 

I asked Javan to help me come up with a scripture for my blog post today. He paused for a minute and then he said, "I think God is telling me Psalms 27." I read through the entire chapter and as usual, God's Word is fantastic! I love this chapter because God is speaking to me in every single verse of this chapter. I have been in a spiritual war zone for a while now and God is always found faithful and the devil is always defeated!

PSALMS 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Friends I am rejoicing because I have been in a long season of waiting and expectancy. I had been waiting for God to bring to pass the things He promised me and there were times I could have fainted because of the battles and the lengthy wait, but God always proves Himself to be faithful. He would show me His handiwork all around me. If you are waiting on a miracle, an answer to prayer, a word from the Lord, just hold on. Be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart! Hold on to this promise and wait!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Veterans Day | Bible Study

Happy Veterans Day! I am so thankful for the men and women who sacrificed for my freedom! God bless you all. I know it is hard on military families to have their mom/dad, wife/husband, son/daughter in the military and miss holidays, special events, birthdays, and other celebrations but what a wonderful gift you have shared with me and my family and countless others across this great land!

I have a lot of relatives who are/were veterans, including my father-in-law Roy. We are so thankful for the gift of service they have shared. I am so blessed to be free and I do not take it lightly. I realize freedom is never free and many paid the cost with their very lives.

We, at Blue's Blessings would like to thank every veteran for their service! Kadesia designed these Veterans Day Activity Cards for this month's subscription boxes. I am excited to share them here on my blog.

I realize this month's Bible study posts have been different than other Bible studies I have shared but I wanted to emphasize the special honor it is to celebrate our heroes and read what God's Word says about the sacrifices these men and women made.

JOHN 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

There were many men and women who literally gave their life for their country. The folded flags and marked graves tell the story without words. As those they left behind tried to put one foot in front of another, numbly navigating this life without their loved one, their hero was gone but not forgotten. Jesus said there is no greater love than for someone to lay their life down for their friends. He should know because He did the same thing. He laid down His life for His friends and His enemies. He took the thorns and the nails for the very people who placed Him on that cross. I want to remind you of His last words as He died for the salvation of the entire world.

LUKE 23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." 

LUKE 23:34 Then said Jesus, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do." And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.

LUKE 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with Me in paradise." 

Jesus knew what was going to happen after He died. He comforted the daughters of Jerusalem and told them to cry for themselves and their children because of the wickedness all around them. He asked forgiveness for the very ones who were crucifying Him! He had mercy on the cross as a criminal cried out for salvation.

With the final breath in His body He was comforting, forgiving, and saving. He was loving to the very end of His life. I don't know about you but if I was tortured and beaten and crucified, forgiveness of those who were wounding me would not be the first thoughts in my mind. Yet, Jesus, the Son of God, could have called down the host of angel armies in heaven who were no doubt on the verge of heaven looking down in grief and pain at what we had done to the Master! They were ready and waiting for Him to call them to bring Him relief and take Him Home but Jesus never summoned them. They would have obeyed in an instant and spared Him of the heartache and the grief He experienced in the garden the night before. Jesus did not take the easy way out. No, He paid the extremely high price for a world that did not love Him first, and some did not love Him at all. Could you do that?

We might be willing to die for someone we love but none of us has enough love, compassion, grace, and mercy to be tortured and killed for someone who hates us. It's okay though, because we do not have the power Jesus has to forgive. Our death would not mean much. We could not redeem fallen humanity with our life. Jesus did that.

So on this Veterans Day as we remember and honor the brave men and women who laid it all on the line, and those who continue to do so, let's not neglect to thank God for the sacrifice of His Son Jesus who died for our sins.

God bless you and God bless America and America bless God!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Transitions | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried coming up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. I am going for it and it's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

It's finally the weekend! This week has been a long one and battle after battle in the spiritual realm. This is the last weekend I will have off with my current employer. Starting Monday I will be on the final countdown of my 30 day notice. I begin a new job the following Monday and so I am in a bit of a transition period. It seems our country is in a pivotal moment as well. Many things are shifting and taking place in ways that are new and different and maybe even a little scary but we do not need to be afraid.

God spoke to me in my prayer time and quiet time of listening to His voice. He spoke to me in my spirit and I wrote down what He said. He told me that He was going to give me a job that I did not apply for. I had already experienced Him do that a few years ago and so I knew He would do what He said. I was not sure what I was going to do or where I would work but one day I got a call with a job opportunity, had the chance to interview that same day, and was hired on the spot! They were even willing to wait the 30 days it took for me to give my notice at work. I am looking forward to a new leg of this journey I am on and definitely in need of a change from my current work situation.

The election is the buzz around social circles everywhere. People are blasting one another with their opinions over who is the best candidate and who should be President. I am sad to hear so many people cut each other apart with their political debates, spewing hatred from their lips, appalled that anyone might have a different opinion than theirs. This division and strife does not come from Donald Trump or Joe Biden. These attacks are from satan and he desires to separate family and friends, neighbors and colleagues, and especially the church! We are the body of Christ: brothers and sisters and we must not allow the wiles of the devil to destroy what God has worked so hard to build.

I am praying for unity in the United States of America. We are not the Divided States of America. I am praying that families, churches, politicians, teachers, neighbors, friends, colleagues will come together with the common goal of sharing the message of hope, love, healing, and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ alone. I am praying that we can link arm in arm regardless of who we vote for and push past the pain we are causing each other. It's time to be known as God's children and we can only do that through love!

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Mark 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Luke 6:27-28, 31 (27) But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, (28) Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Friends, we are in the very end of time. For those who do not have their hearts ready, that may be a hard thing to hear. You may be fearful and reluctant to believe that time is ticking away. The Bible tells us we are like wildflowers here today and gone the next. None of us know when we will be called before God's throne to give an account of our life. None of us know when the trumpet will sound and God will call His people Home. We must not be afraid of that day. To the Christian who has prepared their heart it is a time of jubilee and celebration. Our King is coming and we get to go Home soon!

I am ready to leave this world of trouble and pain and suffering behind. I have many unsaved loved ones: family and friends. I do not want to see them be lost. I am praying for them and for those in my city of Mobile. I desire for God to set this city on fire for His glory and to further the Kingdom. My 13 year old son had been closely watching the election results and was getting concerned about the outcome. He said, "Mom, I think God wants me to tell you this. I think that the devil is just using this election to distract people from doing good things for God. We are all so busy checking our phones and watching for the results of the election that we don't have time to do things for God." Wow! I was so blown away! Yes, out of the mouth of babes! He is so right. God confirmed that in my prayer time but it is easy to see it when we walk in the Spirit and not after the flesh.

Please continue to pray for this nation, pray for President Trump and his family and VP Pence and his family. Pray for Biden and Harris and their families. Pray for the elected officials who have won and will soon serve this great country. Pray we turn our hearts back to God. Pray that we stop tearing each other down and start building one another back up. Pray for healing and unity and justice FOR ALL. We are created in the image of God and He sent Jesus to make us all free. We are free from the slavery of sin and bondage that held us bound and was sentencing us to eternal separation from God. We ALL have a chance to make it if we will strive to enter in to the gate. Straight and narrow is the way and few be there that find it. Make sure you are on that path. God has so many great things in store for His children. Do not grow weary. Do not give up and do not give in. God is is control and He is victorious. Through Jesus we are all more than conquerors and He always causes us to triumph!

God bless you! God bless America, and America, please bless God!

~Bridgett Owens

Blue's Blessings | Thankful Thursday

Welcome to my Thankful Thursday blog post! The LORD impressed on my heart to carve out a section on my blog to share what I am thankful for. I call this my Thankful Thursday blog posts. I will continue to share what I am thankful for each week, so be sure to come back to my blog and we can count our blessings together.

In September my friend Amy and I were talking about what kind of job I could have that would allow me to be home more, share my faith, and make a positive impact on others. The idea kept coming up that I would like to create a faith-based subscription box for kids around the age of 11-14 years old. The more we talked and threw out ideas the more we realized God was calling me to do just that. After much prayer, consideration, and talking with my family we decided to go for it and call it Blue's Blessings. I have been in children/youth ministry for 26 years. I have been in big churches and small churches and have taught many kids and I have taught few kids. I have been involved in women's ministries, hosted many Bible studies in my home, and created countless kits for a myriad of crafting events. I also led a card ministry for over a year at a church in Indiana. 

It has been a pleasure and a great honor to work on, design, put together, and pray over the curriculum and activities that we made available in our first launch. I am so thankful for each and every kid that received a Blue's Blessings subscription box. I have enjoyed hearing the positive feedback as these kids receive their boxes. For more information on Blue's Blessings you can visit our Facebook page here, our Instagram feed here, and our Twitter here. We are currently working on getting our online store up and running, an update is soon to follow. 

God has truly taken a dream He gave me and made it a reality; something my family and I can do together to further the kingdom. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18- 
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Count It All Joy | Bible Study

Yesterday was the presidential election. Many have voiced their opinions on who they think should be elected. It honestly doesn't matter who is the next President of the United State of America. God has a big plan for the whole world and His plan won't be swayed by who is in office. 

This has been a strange year. We had a pandemic around the world, Africa had locusts so bad in swarms that it destroyed much of their crops and vegetation, wildfires have destroyed acres and acres of land and burned many homes along with people's hopes and dreams, tropical storms/hurricanes/tornadoes have ripped apart Louisiana and many neighboring states along the border. Thousands and thousand of people have gone without power, lost food, and had damage to their property and vehicles, created hardships in an already brutal year. 

On Sunday, kids in my small group shared about their feelings of having to wear a mask all the time, increased restriction of shelter and place orders, and their anger over how life has changed with no end in sight. I gave them scriptures to strengthen them and empower them to walk victoriously this week and they really responded well. 

Tonight as I was reading in James I felt compelled to share chapter 1verses 2-8 in hopes that it may encourage someone reading my blog. In the familiar passage we are told to count it all joy when we fall into many temptations. They joy is not that we have  so many temptations but it is found in knowing that when our faith is tried, it develops the spiritual fruit of patience. It is important to allow patience to develop so that we will be complete and not want for anything. We don't always know how to do this so verse 5 tells us that if any of us lack wisdom; we should ask God and He gives to everyone generously without condemnation and we must have faith and not change our minds like a wave tossed with the wind. The Bible says that person should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. Someone who cannot make up their mind if they trust the Lord or not is unstable in everything they do. 

God is proven faithful in keeping His word. The Bible tells us He is not a man that He should lie. Make up your mind to trust Him. He is trustworthy. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is in control and His children are in His loving care no matter how bad the world gets or how dark the days, He is proven faithful. Trust and believe He is working all things together for our good and His glory. 

James 1:2-8
2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations:
3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience
4) But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 
5) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 
6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 
7) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 
8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens