Pacifier | Fuel For The Weekend

God told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. 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. 

My mom told me that when I was a baby I loved my pacifier! She said I would have a fit if I lost it or couldn't find it. She tried to hide it in the cabinet from me but I would just keep crying until she gave it to me. 

Some kids love pacifiers and others don't want them at all. My daughter, Kadesia did not care for a pacifier. She was content without it. I offered it to her because I knew how much my mom said I enjoyed one and was surprised when she would try it and spit it out. It was not for her!

My son, Javan took a pacifier for a while. It was longer than his sister but apparently still not as long as I had one. It was a little hard to wean him off the pacifier because he liked to chew on it more than anything.

According to Merriam-Webster's definition, a pacifier is to soothe the anger or agitation of; to restore to a tranquil state. Babies may enjoy pacifiers, regardless of the various names everyone calls it, but adults do, too. Adult soothers may include drugs, alcohol, sex, overspending, overworking, violence, or overeating. These lead to more problems that require more soothers, but for Christians we have soothers that include prayer, reading the Bible, Bible study with others, attending church, encouraging and uplifting one another, singing, praising, and worshiping God.  Our soothers do not create more problems for us, and are available in abundance! We have hope that this life is not all there is.

What happens when Christians do not use the pacifiers we have, and we instead turn to other things to soothe us? We must be careful because God alone is the source of our peace and hope and joy. We can search but we will not find what we are looking for if we do not seek God.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13 (12)Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. (13)And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

This is the beginning of a new month in a brand new year. Many people are hopeful that things will turn around and be like they were before March last year. The truth is, it might not. Covid is a terrible problem all around the globe. There's a new president going into office, and whether we like it or not, that will also be a change. We must remember things are never going to be perfect. I hear so many say they will be glad when all this is over. Some trust in the government. Some trust in money. Some trust in the stock market. Some trust in their jobs. Some trust in their spouse. Some trust in themselves. We must put our trust in God. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

PSALMS 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

The news is not going to tell us how to have hope; it is a joy killer. The world is not going to teach how to get closer to God; they hate Him. The economy will let us down. Look at the stock market through all the years. It is up and then it is down. It is good then it is bad. People gain a lot of money. People lose a lot of money. Bright, talented, and incredibly gifted men and women, young and old have taken their own life because of the outcome of the stock market. It is heart-wrenching.

What if things get worse this month? You want to be encouraged and I am going to encourage you; but, for a moment imagine that things don't improve this month? Are we looking at our circumstances? Or are we standing on God's Word and what He said about it? Whose report will we believe?

HEBREWS 4:14-16 (14)Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (15)For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16)Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

God loves us! He loves His children. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus paid the price for our healing. He is in control. He sits on the throne and He is not shook or scared about the condition this world is in. He hates the wickedness; He hates the sin; but He is not nervous. He is all-powerful. He is in charge and He told us over and over again in His word to Fear Not! We cannot give up!

PSALMS 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Life may not go as planned. We may have to change course in the middle of what we thought was a good idea. We may have to get creative in finding ways to connect with other believers, but we must not give up or give in. We must refresh at the feet of Jesus. Let's help each other make it Home!

PSALMS 90:14 O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

ISAIAH 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Take comfort in the Scriptures. God will guide us continually! He satisfies our soul in dry seasons. He makes our bones healthy! We are like a watered garden. We are growing, thriving, and flourishing because the Living Water does not fail. Instead of reaching for the carnal pacifiers that can never satisfy, tap into God's unfailing love and mercy and grace. Read God's Word and find joy in His presence! There is nothing else like it.

In 2020, while the world was in an uproar over Corona Virus, racial tension, politics, and the various storms and natural disasters that occurred, I was in perpetual peace. The Bible promises to keep us in perfect peace as we keep our minds on Christ. I was not always care-free or worry-free but I had peace. I had peace in my soul, peace in my marriage, peace in my home, and there is nothing like the peace God gives.

If our year is not starting out the way we thought it would, or if we find ourselves looking for ways to soothe our fears, let's turn to Jesus. He will return us to a tranquil state. He will soothe the agitation and anger we feel. He pacifies us. He is all we need.

I hope you have a blessed weekend! Be sure to check back next week for more inspiration. As you enter the weekend I hope something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

 

 

 

Relocating | 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.

January 2019 God told me in my prayer time that my family and I would be moving to Alabama. I was shocked! I did not want to go to Alabama, let alone live there. I was hoping I heard wrong. Again, in January 2019 during a time of prayer and fasting I heard God clearly tell me that He was sending us to Mobile, Alabama. I was scared and worried. I wanted details...where would we live, what schools would our children enroll in..where would we go to church...what about our jobs --we both had been promoted and received raises....what job would we have in Alabama? I spent the next seven months praying and fasting and going to the altar a LOT and I learned to TRUST that God would see us through....and He did!

November 2020 God spoke to my husband and said we were moving back to Indiana. He came into the bedroom. I was laying on the bed, sick with Covid, and he sat on the edge of the bed away from me as he shared what God told him. I never wanted to move back to Indiana. I love the ocean and I have made friends here. I enjoy going to Harvest Church and getting hugs from Gwen and serving the youth. As I listened to my husband share what God had said I felt complete peace and acceptance. I knew he was right. I still didn't want to go. I prayed and God has confirmed over and over through various people and circumstances that we are definitely supposed to move back to Indiana. I know some of the reasons He is sending us back. Some things I cannot share but it is for a purpose that we must leave our home in Alabama and relocate to Indiana.

When I shared the news a lot of people asked us why we are moving back. At first I was surprised at the reaction, but God began to reveal the reason people want to know. Many saw us move in great faith and with no answers as to where we would even sleep that night. They expected something monumental to happen when we came to Alabama. I am not sure exactly what they were expecting, but God did some monumental things, just not the way others might think.

In Indiana we were four people with the same address but that was about it. We ate most meals in a drive-thru and lived in our cars more than our home. We were constantly on-the-go in a mad-dash to go from one activity to another, one event to another. Paul worked long hours, his commute was one hour and fifteen minutes one way, and often he was up before the light of day and did not get home until long after the sun set. I had to shoulder the brunt of raising our children and keeping things going. I suffered from severe clinical depression and it was a very dark period in my life. The kids were active in sports and our church and had friends to spend time with. Even going to church we often took three different vehicles. We loved each other but we were not invested in each other the way we are now.

In Alabama we are four people with the same address and so much more. Now we eat most meals at home. We do not go many places and not just because of Covid. Paul does not have to go in early at all and so mornings with Dad are a real thing! The kids enjoy having him home with them more. Paul works about 15 minutes from the house and we are able to bring him a drink or lunch whenever we want. He gets home from work and talks with us, helps with supper, or throws in a load of laundry. He leads our family as God is leading him and that is more of a blessing than anything I can think of. On Sunday nights our church doesn't have service so we gather in the master bedroom. I play the keyboard and we sing a couple of songs. We each share what God has done for us that week and we share prayer requests. After we pray, Paul opens the Bible and teaches us God's Word. It's a beautiful thing that would never have happened staying in Indiana.

In Alabama we are blessed to travel to beautiful places and see the ocean, sailboats, city lights:

We are so close to a beautiful beach in Mississippi:

We are close to Pensacola, Florida where Javan had a fun birthday celebration last year:

We are close to Destin, Florida where Javan had a fun birthday celebration this year:

And there's so many fun things to do here in Mobile. All of us have had amazing opportunities to do things we never would have been able to in Indiana. I don't regret the move to Alabama. I am sad that the stay is so short and I feel very sad to leave the ocean!!! But God created the oceans and He brought me here this time, so He can always take me to visit again! I will go back to Indiana in obedience to God. We all are willing to go back but it's different this time. We are changed. We are connected. We are stronger. We are united. And it's going to be interesting to see if Indiana tries to change that.

Surrounded by family and friends, settling into a routine like before, will we value each other like we do now? It's easy to say, "Of course!" But will we? We gathered together for a family talk like we do sometimes and we shared our feelings on some of the reservations we have about moving back. We are willing to do what God asks of us, but we want to do so with joy in our hearts and not just obey but with dread. So we talked about the things we didn't want to happen to us as a family when we go back and it got a little crazy and emotions were all over the place, but it was a good talk! In the end we all agreed to be committed to each other and to seek God first and just keep doing what we are doing here. We ended in prayer and asked God to help us stay focused on what matters.

We are going to go back to the familiar in a lot of ways, but we are stronger now. We are trusting God. We are walking in His statutes, His paths, and His ways. We have our eyes on Him and we desire to get closer and closer. There are some things about Indiana that we miss: things like Aldi, camping, Spring Mill, El Rancho del Burrito, MOMS in Prayer, and many people including our family and friends. There are many things that we will miss about Alabama like the freedom, the ocean, the easier stride of life, and the solidarity we have found in being together. I will miss my little MOMS in Prayer group here. Hopefully we can take some of that with us to Indiana.

I have become a stronger nurse. I see things a lot differently now. I have a greater appreciation for the homeless and the mentally ill, even though they have always been a big piece of my heart. God allowed me to work with doctors and therapists who literally taught me so much about the way the brain works and things that alter that and how situations and experiences shape the neuro pathways of the brain and it has been so GOOD to learn this. It has helped me professionally and personally. I have worked with kids and teens in psychiatric crises and I have loved them and poured my heart and soul into giving them stability and care and structure. I have had the privilege of working with adults who are not able to function in society right now and then to see them work through these processes and with the right medication and therapies they can actually leave the facility and be productive members of society...it's just good! I see how some don't get better and sometimes get worse and sometimes they leave the facility and they come right back, and other times you hear of the tragedies as they become another statistic. It has shaped me into a different person. I have even more compassion now as I understand things more.

I have connected with individuals here in Alabama that I will dearly miss. I have friends who feel like extensions of my family. I have had some really bad, hard days here. I have had some sad, cry my heart out days here. And mostly I have some really great, fun, happy times here. I have laughed so hard I cried. I have danced. I have been silly. I have made great memories with our family. It's funny because I grew up in Indiana and I always wished there was a way for time to slow down, for the spinning-out-of-control merry-go-round of life to just stop so I could get off and catch my breath.... and then God lets me do just that. I feel like the last 16 months of my life has been about slowing us down and helping us all get off the dizzying ride of life and just breathe.

God has done some BIG things for us and through us here in Alabama. To God be all the glory! But the greatest blessing of all is that He never left us for one moment. He has guided every step of this journey and He is guiding us back home to Indiana and this time I pray that as we pack our belongings we don't forget to pack the lessons He has taught us so we can go back and do even more for God's glory to further His Kingdom.

Before the year's end we will once again head north to Indiana and work to build a life God would be proud of, that would honor Him. We desire your prayers and ask for protection and provision that we know He will provide. If God has put something in your heart that doesn't make sense to you, or is hard for you to even want to do, just trust Him. He only wants the best for us and He has a marvelous plan laid out. I hope this verse encourages you!

2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10 (9)And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of God may rest upon me. (10)Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

God's strength is perfect! He gives us His joy and that gives us strength! We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Even if the thing is uprooting and moving again. Even if it is going to someone and talking to them about the LORD and you're not sure how they will respond. Even if the thing is hard, or scary, or feels impossible! God will give you the resources you need. Just hold on and stay strong!!

If you have a need that you want me to pray about with you, please feel free to email me. If you want to share it in the comments so others can pray with you, too, that is fine also. God wants to help you! You were never instructed to go alone! God is always with us and we pull strength from the source that never runs out!

I hope something I have said today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way! Have a wonderful weekend! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful Like Ezra | 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.

I have so much to be thankful for. I am sick right now, but I am getting much better every single day. I was exposed to someone with Covid on a Monday and that Thursday I started having symptoms, Friday I had even more symptoms and by the next Tuesday I lost my sensation of taste and smell. I have had trouble breathing, have been confused and just major brain fog, and I have been miserable, BUT I did not have to be hospitalized; I did not die; and I am recovering well. I have SO much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for a praying husband who will pray the prayer of faith over me, even when I did not know it. I am thankful for praying children who include me in their talk time with the Father. I am thankful for my praying mother, sisters, brother, and their families, and my friends who have covered me and held me up. I am thankful for Amy who is more than a sister in Christ...she has taken my cause to the Father countless times, battled in the heavenlies as the enemy enjoys attacking us, and has been an encourager and builder of my faith!

The Old Testament is probably my favorite part of the Bible. I love it all and I enjoy reading it cover to cover, but there is something so special and comforting about reading the Old Testament. My grandfather would teach me for hours and hours about the Bible and expound on the Scriptures and I would hang on his every word. Reading through the pages of the Old Testament is like visiting a friend. I enjoy reading their stories and triumphs. Life was not always easy and following God's plan did not mean a free pass. Yet God has proven Himself faithful time and time again; not only in the pages of the Bible but in my life as well!

My son chose the verse for today's blog post and I love it! It is found in the book of Ezra and it's a wonderful account of how God keeps His promise to the children of Israel to get them back to the Land of Promise after they have been in exile for 70 years!!! That's a lifetime! The sad part is this second Exodus is not as massive as it could have been because so many people refused to go! I cannot imagine God promising them a future and they're like, "Nay! I'm good!" But it happened! The passage we are reading today is after they rebuild the temple and there's a mixture of people there: some who see the temple for the first time and it's new and beautiful and they celebrate; others are there weeping at the new temple because they remember the way things were before...the beauty and splendor. Maybe they were sad that it did not look the same, maybe they were sad that man strayed so far from the loving God that led them to the Promised Land the first time! A mixture of emotion and experience takes place, let's look:

EZRA 3:8-13 (8)Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD. (9)Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. (10)And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. (11) And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. (12) But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice: and many shouted aloud for joy: (13)So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Can you imagine being far away and all of a sudden you hear this noise...shouting and weeping?...and I am sure it made those who heard it curious. Have you ever been wanting something so bad, praying so hard, working diligently to make a thing happen and then when it comes to fruition you just want to shout and dance and tell everybody? Imagine if there was never any sickness, disease, pain, death, hurt, loneliness, fatigue.... oh, wait there is! It is in heaven and can you imagine the jubilee in the hearts of the saints! We are going to rejoice! We are to shout! We are going to praise our God and our King Jesus who made it all happen for us! We will be dancing on the golden street!

We don't have to wait for heaven to celebrate. We don't have to wait until something miraculous and BIG happens to rejoice. If we start counting our blessings and looking at what God has done, we will begin to thank Him and praise Him and rejoice. We will have a spring in our step. People will take notice. They will wonder what is WRONG with us that we can have financial hardship and still smile... we can have sickness or death in our family and still say BUT GOD IS GOOD! ....we can lose our job or have to relocate and not have all the details and still say, "Thank You LORD because YOU are good, your mercy endures FOREVER!" Take a page out of Ezra's book and be thankful. God is doing so many amazing things.

The news headlines want to point out the dark, the evil, the hard, the sad, the depressing events and put them in our face. The world is discouraging, cold, hard-hearted, and angry. You will not rejoice in the news of this world. Turn your eyes to the Savior. Look full into His wonderful face. Watch Him do the powerful, the miraculous, the ordinary in an extraordinary way and be thankful. Encourage yourself by remembering all God has done for you. Take a sheet of paper and I dare you to start with right now and count back as far as you can to what God has done for you. Can you breathe without a machine? Are you able to walk, talk, see, hear, or taste? Can you feel things with your hands? Are you able to read the Bible anytime you want? It's free online to read the Bible if you don't have a Bible. Do you have a home? Electricity? Running water? Is there food for you to eat? Are you able to bathe and brush your teeth with clean water? Do you have a church? Are you able to work? Do you have a vehicle? Look at all the blessings those are, not to mention the way God works out your problems, helps you stay safe on the road, free from danger when you are out and about. How about this, are you saved by His mercy and grace? That is the biggest blessing of all!

Tell someone what God has done for you and then ask them if you can pray for them specifically about a need or trial they are facing. We are in a pandemic and we have to social distance but we can still reach out to a friend in need. We can still pray. We don't have to distance ourselves from God. The Bible promises that as we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. What are you thankful for today?

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

EXTRAordinary | Wednesday Bible Study

Welcome to the first Wednesday Bible Study for the month of December! The end is in sight for those who are eager to put this year behind us. I am not so sure next month won't be filled with some surprises, too, and not necessarily good ones. With the world on edge, tired and weary of Corona Virus, sick of the debates on whether to send children to school in person or not, racial tension, wearing masks...or not, or improperly.....we all could use some good news! So today we are forgetting those things which are behind us and we are putting our eyes on the prize, amen?!!

Today I want to encourage those of us that have dreams inside our hearts right beside some self-doubt, or reservations that we could actually do the big thing we have been pondering. If God has put something in your heart: a dream, an idea, a thought.... and it seems too big for you to do by yourself, my friend you are dreaming in the right size. God gives us desires to do things that seem impossible and in the natural it very well could be. We know how God works, though. He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him to further the Kingdom. I have three perfect examples of this in today's lesson.

LUKE 2:15-20 (15)And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. (16)And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (17)And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. (18)And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (19)But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. (20)And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Just imagine how those shepherds must have felt. It was incredible that they witnessed the heavens open and angels heralding the blessed birth of Jesus! The Savior! Messiah! Jesus was born and all of heaven wanted to let the world know. With great fanfare the angels lit up the sky and sang a chorus unmatched in joy and exuberance. And who was the audience? Not the king and his royal cohorts. Not the high priest and religious leaders of the day. Not to the government, law makers, the wealthy, the advantaged. No! God Himself declared the birth of His only begotten Son to lowly shepherds, hired hands out working in the field. The common, ordinary working class people! The ones others looked down their noses at. The ones that were made fun of for smelling like the sheep they cared for. The outcasts who did the hard work others avoided. They heard it first! The Wise Men who came to seek Jesus were not even the first to hear about His birth. No, it was the humble shepherds.

What great message is trumpeting in the halls of your heart? What is God longing to have you be a part of that no one else is being asked to do? What incredible, miraculous, big, bold, awesome anointing is He wanting to place on your life to do great exploits for the King of kings and Lord of lords. Friends, don't second-guess yourselves. If it is a little scary and a little exciting at the same time, jump in! Take a leap of FAITH and say, "I'm all in God! I don't know how! I don't know when! I don't know the details but count me in!"

The shepherds aren't the only ordinary people God uses in this epic story of God's love and grace as He gives the world the greatest gift! Joseph is the stepdad to Jesus. He is not the biological father of Jesus. Imagine his dreams to marry the young girl he loves. He must have had plans to have a happy life. He was a carpenter so maybe he was going to build them a home. Joseph is an honorable man. When he finds out Mary, his fiancee, is pregnant he must have been crushed. He knew the child wasn't his because he had never been with her intimately. He could have been so hurt that he tells his family and friends that Mary had been unfaithful and put her to a public shame, but he didn't. God sends an angel to tell Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary for his wife. He explained that Mary was having no ordinary child. The mix of emotions must have been overwhelming. Can you imagine the relief? The honor to be a part of Jesus' story. The gravity of what it would mean to father the Son of God? God did not choose a rich man. He did not pick the strongest, most handsome, and wisest man in the land. He chose a man of honor and integrity to be Mary's life partner and a strong father-figure to Jesus. He was to be in Jesus' life, not in the shadows like we hear so often. We don't know what happened in the years Jesus was a child and teenager. We do know that God chose Joseph specifically. It was no accident. He chooses the ordinary to do the extraordinary.

What big responsibility is God giving you? Is it scary? Is it exciting? Are you humbled He chose you but yet in wonder and awe of the magnitude of what He is calling you to do? Will you step out on in faith? Will you trust and believe even when it looks like your plans were going one way and God has stepped in and rearranged everything? You may feel crushing pain as you think your dreams are dashed, but take heart! Like Joseph, God is going to reveal His wonderful plan to you and you will get a better set of dreams and plans and it will be with greater reward!

Our final example of God taking an ordinary person and using them for extraordinary purposes is Mary. She is a very young girl. Some scholars say she was only 13 years old when she was pregnant with Jesus. I do not know but it seems with the culture and this time in history that it may be more accurate than we think. Can you even imagine being a teenager and an angel appears in your room to give you news that you will be the mother of the Son of God? What questions she must have had. She did not doubt it. She asked how it could be possible and the angel told her. Her response is acceptance and said let it be like you told me. She started praising God and she even went to visit Elizabeth and share her great news! God chooses you and me to do big and amazing things for His purposes.

What has God revealed to you? What part of His plan for your life has He removed the curtain and allowed you a glimpse of ? How did you react? Were you surprised? Do you have questions? Did you humbly accept it and begin to rejoice? What is God asking of you?

Friends, we may feel like there is nothing special about us. We may not feel like God has a giant billboard with lights flashing telling us the particulars of our destiny. He may be dealing with us in a big way, but even if He is not, there are things that must be done to further His Kingdom. We have to tell our family and our friends why we believe in Jesus and why He is the hope that anchors our soul. We must get busy working for Him. It does not matter whether it seems like a small thing or not, just do it and watch God make it grow, flourish, and spread like wildfire.

God put it in my heart years ago to have a Bible study in my home. I did that faithfully and sometimes I had one friend, other times I had 2-3 friends. We broke the Bread together and we dug deep into Scripture. We prayed and fellowshipped together. It was wonderful and after a while the seasons of my life changed. I no longer had those studies in my home. A couple of years ago God put the desire in my heart to do that again. A friend and I tried to do it over the phone since she now lived out of state but it was difficult to make it work. I tried again a few more times and then this year, a couple of months ago, I started having a Bible study with my daughter and a friend of ours. My friend in Indiana found out that we were doing that and asked if she could join us via Zoom and I said yes, of course! The first night we had 8 for the Bible study! And it continues to be a wonderful time to grow in faith as we share together. I didn't know when I asked one friend to have a Bible study in my home what God was going to do and how fast He would make it grow. I still have no idea how far He will take it. He wants to use you and me to do extraordinary things for Him. Say yes to the call and watch Him work!

I hope this has been encouraging today. I always want to speak life to you and these blog posts help me more than anyone else! My prayer is that something I said today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

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

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 Time is Now | 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.

Can you remember any of your goals that you set in January this year? I struggle to think back 9 months ago or even 8 months ago in February. Corona Virus has made the past 7 months feel like decades.

The good news is God was not sideswiped by Covid-19. He was not caught off guard or shaken. His plans are still moving forward. He still has an eternal purpose to fulfill through you and me. What is He doing right now in our community, our workplace, our homes, and inside our hearts? Can we align our goals and dreams to mirror His plan for us?

Today I am picking up things I set aside until “the right time.” I am pushing past procrastination to write this simple message of hope to you and as a reminder to myself that God is still working and we must get busy, too.

So many things are out of our control, but how we choose to respond to God’s call on our lives is something we can control. We can allow our circumstances to tie our hands and feet and keep us stuck in despair, or we can look to God the author and finisher of our faith to sustain us as we lean into Him and work where we can while we can. 

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This verse in Hebrews reminds us that Jesus endured the cross for us. We may feel life is spinning out of control and get depressed about the restrictions pressed on us, but even the tough times we face are nothing compared to the torture and cruelty of the cross Jesus endured. This verse says we are to look to Jesus who starts and finishes our faith. He looked at the joy on the other side of the cross and was able to face the darkness head on. He despised the shame. It was nothing He wanted to do. He was obedient to His death and now He is at the right hand of the throne of God. He is exalted in heavenly places.

We can get through this year stronger than when we started. We can meet and exceed our goals from the beginning of the year. We can face every situation, every trial, every disappointment with purpose and grace as we remember why we are here. We must glorify our Father in heaven while we are on the earth. We need to pick up those things we sat aside until "later." Now is the time to work. We have a lot to do before Jesus comes back and there are still a few more days left in this month, and a couple more months left in this year.

Get your joy back! Saturate your spirit in the good news of God's Word. Tell someone about the goodness of God and what He is doing in your life, your job, your finances, your marriage, your parenting, and your church. If there is an area of your life you are not seeing good fruit, ask God to help you grow. He will do it! He is in control and He is doing great things! The Bible tells us He never slumbers or sleeps. He is fully engaged with the matters of our hearts and He knows what is happening around the globe. Take heart and be of good cheer. Jesus overcame the whole world and He daily loads us with benefits according to Psalms 68:19.

Be encouraged brothers and sisters. Jesus is coming back very soon to get His Bride. I want to be looking for Him, working for Him, and expecting His return. Don't miss heaven for the world. You have time now to work, let's be busy working for our Father.

God bless you,

Bridgett