What Gift Is For God? | 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.

This time of year people are rushing to finish their Christmas shopping. Due to the pandemic many are ordering online and having packages delivered to their homes or the homes of their loved ones. Often gifts are exchanged and many times these items are not what is needed and sometimes it is not even what the other person wants. I know of someone who refused to buy their grandchild a toy they wanted because it was expensive. They chose to buy the child a bunch of poor quality items but they were cheap and so the gift giver thought it was better to give a lot of items than one item. The child's mother told me later their child never played with any of it and it left the burden of the mother to deal with these items. Why are we truly giving someone a gift? What is our real motivation?

There's a trendy movement towards minimalism. If one is not careful that can lead to consumerism as well. It doesn't sound like it at first, because the idea is to get rid of the things you have too much of so you can enjoy the things you keep. Some people feel stuck and do not know how to get started so they hire someone to help them. They buy books and worksheets and downloads. Special cleaning supplies are purchased at the advice of "experts" and sometimes items purged impulsively have to be replaced so there is that extra cost. They spend a lot of time and energy working on it. That's not to say it's not worth the effort but we must be careful that we aren't trading in one method of consumerism for another. 

Jesus is the reason for the season. He wants us to enjoy fellowship with friends and family. It's a time of togetherness. During the pandemic it might look different. We can get creative with ways to stay connected that doesn't involve spending a lot of money we don't have. We should pay our bills before buying big ticket items for others. Planning ahead for Christmas gifts takes a little thought and consistent practice to save money each month so no one has to scramble to find funds at the end of the year. Remember that experiences and connections are great gifts that cost little. Spend time helping someone. Pick up the elderly neighbors groceries so they don't have to get out. Call your relative or friend that you haven't spoken to in a while just to see how they are doing. Thank the workers at the fast food place you frequent for their hard work during these trying times. Those gifts honor our King and mean even more than anything you can buy at the store.

What do we treasure here on earth? Money, careers, power, influence, time, food, relationships, reputation? Do we treasure God's Word and hold it dear to our hearts? How is our relationship with Jesus? If we pray to Him does He recognize our voice? Are we that familiar to Him? Do you hear Him speak to you? Can you recognize His voice? Is He familiar to you that you recognize His presence? The Bible tells us treasures are great but where we keep them is important!

MATTHEW 6:19-21 (19)Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where rust and moth doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20)But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: (21)For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Some like silver but it will tarnish. Some like gold and we know God used that for pavement. Some like precious metals but it can rust. Your favorite outfit will fade, can tear or become ruined. Your big screen television or expensive electronics can be stolen. Jesus is telling us the earth is not a safe place for our prized possessions. The earth will pass away but God's word will never pass away. What should we treasure and how can we keep these things in heaven?

We must treasure wisdom above silver and gold. We must wear the garment of praise before we pick something from our closet. We must treasure the free gift of salvation which cost God's only Son his very life. We should hold tight to healing and freedom and liberty. We should highly esteem love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, and meekness because they are fruits of the Spirit. Let's be kind to someone and that deed goes before us into heaven. Let's show forgiveness to others and our Heavenly Father will forgive us. When we give the homeless a meal we do that for God. When we take our time to help a relative in need we are taking that time for God. When we help someone sick get better, we are nursing God back to health.

You may argue God does not need food, our time, or healing but the Bible clearly states that what we do for the least of these, we do to God. And it goes on to tell us that what we don't do for others, is the same thing we are choosing not to do for God.

MATTHEW 25:31-46 (31)When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: (32)And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats: (33)And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. (34)Then shall the King say to them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (35)For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: (36)Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. (37)Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? (38)When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? (39)Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. (41)Then shall He also say unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (42)For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: (43)I was a stranger and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. (44)Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? (45)Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. (46)And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

God wants us to have gifts. He gave us gifts of the Spirit. He gave us the gift of His Son, which is the gift of salvation. We have the opportunity to use our faith, our time, our resources to bless and help those around us. Instead of worrying and stressing over the holidays and what to give whom, why not stop for a moment and think about what we can do for God this year? Let's count our blessings and then do something for those less fortunate. Let's remember the homeless, those incarcerated and away from family or friends, and let's pray for those sick in the hospital battling for their life with Covid or Cancer or a host of other conditions. Let's truly keep Jesus at the center of holiday.

How much money do we spend on gifts? Now compare that to how much money we tithe and give to our church, our local food pantry, the homeless shelters, and organizations that minister to the needs of the least of these. What can we do to give to those places? It's fun to exchange a gift with friends and family but imagine being the person who has nothing to give and nothing to receive. Let's bring joy to the world by sharing the reason for the season: JESUS with everyone we can!

As we enter the weekend, let's store up our treasures in heaven. I hope something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Battles and Spoils | 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 am thankful that God is faithful. I am thankful that I serve a God is who is able to deliver. I am so glad that I can call upon the name of the LORD and be saved from all of my troubles and afflictions. The Bible clearly tells us we WILL have hard times in this life. (Psalms 34:19) We do not get a free pass because we are children of the Most High God. That would be nice, sometimes, wouldn't it? But God loves us too much to leave us in our pain and suffering. Jehoshaphat knew exactly what to do when He was outnumbered by the enemy.

In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 we read that an army in Moab, an army in Ammon, and a multitude of others from beyond the sea across from Syria were marching in unison to wage war on Jehoshaphat. When he heard the news he was scared and he went to God for help! He declared a fast for everyone in Judah. Everyone in all the cities of Judah came together and asked God for help. Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD, before the new court and this is what he said.

2 CHRONICLES 20:6-13 (6)And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee? (7)Art not Thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend for ever? (8)And they dwelt therein, and have built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy name, saying, (9)If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in Thy presence, (for Thy name is in this house,) and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help. (10)And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom Thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; (11)Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of Thy possession, which Thou hast given us to inherit. (12)O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee. (13)And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

I wasn't there for this great gathering. I did not hear the speech myself, but I can almost see it in my mind. A terrified king gathered with the people of Jerusalem and Judah and king Jehoshaphat starts praying but he is really reminding the people of God's faithfulness. Are You not the God in heaven? Of course He is! Don't You rule over all the kingdoms, even those who don't acknowledge You? Of course He does! And in Your hand is there not power and might so that no one is able to defeat You? Yes!!!

He prays on asking, Aren't You the God who drove out the people that lived in the land in front of Your people Israel? You gave the land to the seed of Your friend Abraham! They lived here and built a sanctuary for Your name's sake, God. They said when evil happened to us we could stand in this house in Your presence because Your name is here, and we can cry to You in our affliction and You will hear and help!

That's a powerful reminder! Sometimes we need to pray back to God all that we remember He did. It isn't to remind God. He didn't forget. It's to encourage ourselves as we look back and see the hand of God all over our lives. 

King Jehoshaphat says to God, just look at the armies coming against us now, the very ones You told Israel not to destroy and they obeyed You. Now they pay us back by coming to run us out of our inheritance that You gave us! Please do something God because this problem is bigger than us! This obstacle is too difficult for us. We do not even know what to do but... and I love this part.... but our eyes are upon You!!!

When we get down to the nitty gritty with our circumstances, when the bills are due or late and the money isn't coming in... when we get the bad diagnosis and the time we thought we had now looks a lot shorter... when the job we love gets downsized and we find ourselves out of work... when the move comes at what feels like the worst time... when the sickness comes but does not go.... when our kids do everything we told them not to do or try and it looks like there is no hope.... when we think we have a future with our spouse and death or divorce changes that picture forever...are we still looking at the overwhelming, terrifying enemy marching at us, or do we put our eyes on Jesus? The very God who brought us through time and time again is still in power, still in control, still capable of fighting the enemy and winning!

Oh, yeah, that's easy for you to say, Bridgett! No it isn't! I have shared story after story of the times God came through when all hope seemed gone. I have a million more that I never shared and that is no exaggeration! It is hard to trust when it seems like the odds are stacked against us, but God is bigger and stronger and better than the enemy! God is mighty to save and able to heal and capable to deliver! He is God all by Himself and He needs NOBODY else! He has got things under control. Do we trust Him?

Here's the incredible part, the Spirit of the LORD came in the middle of the congregation and said, Everyone listen! Everyone who lives in Judah and Jerusalem and you, too, king Jehoshaphat. Don't be afraid and don't be distressed because of this great multitude because the battle is not yours it is God's! Do you hear Him saying that to you right now? I know I needed this message and Lord I am listening! Thank You for fighting my battles. God says we don't need to know how we are going to fight this battle because we are not going to fight. He will fight for us! Remember Exodus 14:14!

He instructs them what to do for the next day. He tells them to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD with them. Again He says don't be afraid or in distress, tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you! You're not going alone. He isn't up in heaven saying, "Oh that's a lot of people. Well, you're on your own. Wish you the best!" No!! He is telling them and He is telling us today, keep going and I am with you! 

They all fell on their faces to the LORD and worshiped Him. This week I was so lost in God's presence, I literally felt like I was bowing at His feet and I never wanted to leave. The Spirit of God was so tangible that I felt completely enveloped in His love and His light. We need to get serious about seeking God's face more than His hands, but when we do need His hands, we need to worship and magnify how great He is! He is worthy of all honor and glory and praise!

The next day king Jehoshaphat told the people, "Believe in the LORD your God and you will be established. Believe His prophets and you will prosper." Then he appoints singers to praise the beauty of Holiness as they went before the army. They were to say, "Praise the LORD; for His mercy endures forever." They began to sing and praise and God started sending ambushments against the armies of the people in Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir and they were struck down. None survived. That vast army of armies was slain every single one! And when the king and his people came to take the treasures that was found there were so many riches it took them THREE DAYS to get all the precious jewels and treasures.

When you get to the other side of this storm you're facing, when you've watched God fight your battles and you have cleaned up the treasures awaiting you, there's something more for you to do. On the fourth day they assembled themselves together and blessed the LORD. They even named the valley they celebrated in to reflect what God had done. It's time to rename some areas of our lives to declare what God has done. They went back to their lives and their routines with JOY because the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. There is joy and celebration on the other side of this battle. Keep your eyes on the LORD!

I love what verse 30 says, "So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave Him rest round about. The whole kingdom was at peace. God gave them rest on every side. I am thankful for the times God saw me through, fought my battles, and helped me overcome obstacles I never could have done on my own. I am thankful for the times He provided food, paid the bills with money we did not expect, got me safely home when I was out of gas, healed my body, helped us out of situations and circumstances we got ourselves into but He fought the battles. I am thankful for the victories and I am thankful for the peace that follows the victory.

What are you thankful for this Thursday? This world is in the middle of a pandemic, we see empty chairs around our table as loved ones are not here for one reason or another, danger is on every side, the earth is full of wicked deeds, but God is in control. He is in charge and He is victorious. He has never lost a battle and I know that He never will! I am thankful for the victorious King I serve and I am thankful for every battle He has won for me!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Laundry | Bible Study

Laundry is the one chore that I actually enjoy. It is very satisfying and in 2020 we have it pretty easy compared to when my mom and my grandma had to do laundry on a wringer washer or by hand using a washboard. I remember watching my grandmother do that and it was WORK! Now, all I have to do is drop in a detergent pod, push the start button and walk away! The machine does all the work for me. Even though it is a simple process, sometimes life happens and I get behind on the laundry and when I am facing Mt. Washmore, I get discouraged and struggle with feeling guilty for not doing it sooner and feeling stuck with where to get started!

Before we moved from Indiana to Alabama, we had a lot of laundry to wash. We were facing a tight deadline to get things packed and ready to go. The kids had too many clothes and we wanted to wash everything before we left. The task was too overwhelming to do with our washer and dryer at home, so we went to a small, neighboring town to their laundromat. Their washing machines are larger than my washing machine and so we were able to get more washed. We started the machines and sat down to wait.The room was large and hot. Washing machines and dryers were left unattended and the repetitive buzz of the machines made me drowsy.  I watched the water rise, clothes tossed around, and I began to think how life is a lot like washing laundry.

Here are five ways I found laundry to be symbolic of life:

1. You are not in it alone.

It would seem wasteful of time and resources to wash only one garment in a washing machine. Often we wait until we have gathered several garments together to make up a load and that gets tossed inside the machine. When we get overwhelmed in life, we sometimes think that we are by ourselves, no one else feels this pain, no one else has this hardship, and no one else is going through the difficulties we are. During this pandemic when social distancing and safer-at-home practices are in place it can feel like we are isolated and alone but the truth is we are not. We truly are all in this together.

Elijah was a powerful man of God; a prophet who showed many mighty signs and wonders with God's power inside him. He made Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, mad and Jezebel sent word to him that she would kill him the next day. He knew she would keep her promise because she had killed before. He was so scared he ran into the wilderness and traveled a day's journey to get away from her. He thought this was the way it would all end. Exhausted, he lay down under a juniper tree where an angel of God fed him and gave him some water. The angel encouraged Elijah to take strength from the food and drink. He lasted 40 days and 40 nights on that meal! At just the right moment, God will send provision for us and it will get us through the tough times.

Elijah finds a cave and moved in. The Word of the LORD came to him and asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" If God was to look at us right now, would He ask us the same thing? Are we thinking it's over, this is the end, as we hide out in our own caves? Would God ask us, "What are you doing here?"

Do you feel disconnected from the world? Maybe you find solitude to be a blessing. There is no pressure to do anything. There are no deadlines, no assignments, no tasks hanging over your head. Is God asking you what you are doing there? Remember we always have the assignment God gave us to reach others and win souls. What are we doing where we are?

Elijah tells God in 1 Kings 19:10, "I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." He feels like he's the only one left that will serve God, the only one left who is doing the right thing, the only one left that is trusting God. He looks around and sees the evil. He listens to the threat of the enemy that wants to take his life. His circumstances show him that he is isolated, alone, and outnumbered, but God sees it differently.

1 KINGS 19:18 Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

God reminds Elijah that He has a remnant of people who still serve Him, who won't compromise, and who won't worship another god. God is telling us the same thing today. He has a people who love Him, serve Him, worship Him in Spirit and in Truth and we are not alone.

2. God is in control.

Sometimes life feels like it's out of our control. You spin one direction and it takes a little bit for everyone to get on the same page and things are going pretty good and then out of nowhere someone changes the rules and you spin the other way. Like the clothes that get tossed like a salad, you feel things are changing faster than you can keep up. Suddenly you feel you are on a carnival ride at the mercy of the operator. It is scary and you might start to feel helpless and hopeless. Don't lose heart, God is right there with you.

David was a man after God's own heart. He wrote a Psalm to God when he felt overwhelmed and reading it comforted me many times. David is a king when he writes this and I am sure as the ruler of many provinces he had his hands full. He knew where to go when he felt like the clothes on the spin cycle and we can go to the same place.

PSALMS 61:1-3 (1)Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. (2)From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (3)For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

We can run to the Rock that is higher than us, too. That Rock is Jesus and He will sustain us. He will help us. He will lead us and guide us. He will tell us what to do and Holy Spirit will comfort us.

3. God is with you in the middle of the mess.

Lately I feel the large task of moving back to Indiana while recovering from Covid and having little strength is more than I can bear. I know God is with me and He is for me and I know He always makes a way where there seems to be none. You may be facing a situation that seems bigger than you or your resources but do not give up! God is with you. He will not let you drown. He will go with you!

ISAIAH 43:1-2 (1)But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. (2)When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

What an incredible promise! If you keep reading the LORD our God, the Holy One of Israel, our Savior, says we are precious in His sight. He goes on to say He loves us. He tells us not to fear for He is with us, even everyone that is called by His name, for He created us for His glory. Let's look away from our circumstances (and yes, I know that is hard!), and turn our eyes to the Savior. He is telling us He loves us and He is with us. Regardless of the hard or difficult or painful situation we are in, He promises to be with us. God said we will come through victorious and free from harm! Do we trust Him that much?

4. There is purpose in the pain.

It does not seem like much when we drop a detergent pod, or sprinkle washing powder, over the clothes. The water activates something in the soap and it begins to make suds. If we are careful it will not spill out of the machine and onto the floor. Even having the correct amount of soap, it can get really sudsy in the water and the bubbles start to take over. We are happy to see that in the washing machine, but we are not as comfortable in the natural. We want to be cleansed, but sometimes the purification process is no joke! The spiritual soap gets rid of spots and stains on our spiritual garments. We have to allow the process to purify us so we can be clean.

PSALMS 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

PSALMS 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

When we face hardships in life, God can use those circumstances to purify us. Often the rough times can be the stain remover we need on our souls. The times of strain and struggle are like the scrubbing of the clothes on the washboard. It may not be pleasant at the time but the results are wonderful!

HEBREWS 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Even though it is not fun in the moment to get corrected by the LORD, it is profitable because we get the peaceable fruit of righteousness. There is a purpose for the pain. We must look to God and ask Him to help us see the point in the problems we face. What lessons does He want us to learn? How can we be cleansed through the turmoil? He will show you!

5. You are being planted, not buried.

We can carefully place the clothes in the dryer and gently place a dryer sheet on top, but once we hit the start button everything inside is tumbling about. Along life's journey it gets bumpy and clumsy-feeling at times. Sometimes we start out with a neat plan for our lives and we are on top and before we know it, circumstances start shoving us and moving us and we can find ourselves buries beneath the weight of all that we thought we had conquered. Maybe we have some time to catch our breath and get our life together and the process begins again. A friend of mine recently said to me she was looking forward to when the trials and tests would be over. I gently encouraged her to keep her faith strong because as long as we live we will endure these hard times. It helps to grow our faith and strengthen us as Christians.

2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (12)Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; (13)But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (14)If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.

The hard times come and the hard times go. It might feel like you are being buried beneath the weight of it all, but you are not. You are being planted. Let the Word of God take root in your heart. He is planting you right where He wants you to be. He may uproot you sometimes but it is always to place you in a fertile place where you can grow, bloom, and thrive. He may uproot you many times in your life and it can cause you to wonder why it has to be like this, but God is developing character inside you, giving you opportunities and experiences you could never have if you stay in the stagnant soil He wants you to leave behind. Trust the Master Gardener.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (14)For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15)Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (16)That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; (17)That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18)May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (19)And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Friends, regardless of what we are facing, remember we are not alone, God is in control, He is with us, and there is purpose in the pain. You may feel like you're going under and being buried, but you are not. You are being strategically planted in the fertile soil you need to grow and thrive in order to bloom into the man or woman of God He created you to be. I hope something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Change | 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.

I like to think that I embrace change. I honestly don't mind change for the most part. Sometimes change can be good. I enjoy a change of scenery, a change of mind, a change of subject... but when it comes to interrupting the routines of my day, I don't embrace change so much. 

Humans have been called "Creatures of Habit." Often we take the same route to the store, church, work, a friend's house, or whatever. When my son was very small he would get upset if I did not turn down the same streets to get home. He loved consistency and he did not do well with change. We all have a little bit of that tendency; some adapt easier than others. If my husband suddenly goes a different way, we quickly ask, "Where are we going? What are you doing?" It's out of our norm.

I think back to the life of Jesus. He shook people free from their comfort zones, didn't He? He challenged traditions and rituals. He emphasized relationship. He was always pointing back to the Father and glorifying and honoring Him with the things He did and said. He was always Kingdom minded. He desires for us to do the same.

It would be easy for us to ignore the still small voice of God as He leads us back to Indiana. Leaving Alabama is not simple. Our home is here. We have friends here. We have a community here. We have our church here. We serve here. We work here. We live here. It is not easy to uproot and leave everything again, to the unknown albeit somewhat familiar, again. God did not ask us to do EASY things, but He does expect us to trust Him and obey Him. We can do the HARD things as He gives us the strength.

JOHN 5:30 I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Sometimes we get stuck in tradition and ritual whether at church, work, home, or wherever. We sit in the same pew each week. We go through our day with the same routine. We purchase the same items repeatedly. We cook the same meals until we get burned out on them. While there is something to be said for routine, and it certainly has its place, we have to be careful that we are not going through the motions and not being intentional in our walk with the LORD.

Can you imagine being disabled for 38 years? That is a long time. Imagine for a moment you are that person and you want to get better but something always prevents you from getting healed. It would be so frustrating and after nearly four decades it might be easy to think it will never happen. The Bible tells us this actually happened to someone. This was his "new normal." The routine of his life was to try to get into the pool of water and get healed and then someone always got in front of him and received the blessing before he could. It was always the same, but Jesus is about to change his routine... and his life!

If you read John chapter 5, we find that Jesus went up to Jerusalem during a time of feasting. Bethesda had a pool and at certain times an angel troubled the water and whoever stepped in first after the angel came was made whole of whatever disease they had. So the crippled people hung out there, lived there, waited there. 

Jesus looks at the man and knows he had been in a disabled state for a long time and asks him, "Do you want to be healed?" Sometimes we get so comfortable with the way things are that we don't want to change things. I knew someone who did not want to get better because they said they would lose their disability check. They were comfortable with the way things were. I couldn't imagine choosing disability and subpar living if I could be well and have no limits to what I could do or earn. Jesus asks the man if he wants to get better.

The man doesn't answer the question, instead he explains to Jesus why he is still crippled. He says he has no resources to get him to the water when the angel troubles it. He watches as someone else gets in the water in front of him and they are healed but he is not. Let's read what happens next.

JOHN 5:8-9 (8)Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. (9) And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

There is the crippled man who cannot stand up, let alone walk, and he just explained to Jesus that he had no help to get in the water to be healed. The routine was to wait for the angel to trouble the water, look for help, no one would be there, someone else would step into the water and get the healing this man thought should have been his. Jesus told him to get up and take his mat that he was laying on and walk! Jesus always shakes people out of their comfort zone.

The miracle is that immediately the man was made whole. He did not need physical therapy to gain range of motion, learn to walk, get stuck with a limp... no, immediately the man stood up, picked up his mat, and walked. He was able to stand up without falling. He was able to lean down, reach the mat, pick it up, and stand back up with the mat and not fall or stumble. He was able to bear weight and move muscles and tendons and ligaments that were dormant for 38 years with only the command of Jesus. That is incredible! The man's life is changed! The routine is over. He will have to find another one!

The Jews always find Jesus doing the miraculous and instead of allowing their calloused hearts to melt and be changed by the power of God, they choose to find fault with Him! They tell the man Jesus healed that it was not right for him to walk around healed because it was the sabbath. Taking up his bed and walking around was work! We must rest on the sabbath. Look at how they embrace the traditions. They are so stiff-necked they refuse to celebrate the miracle of what just occurred.

He answered the Jews by saying, "The man that made me whole told me to take up my bed and walk." They demanded to know who dare tell him such a thing on this holy day. A multitude of people were there for the feast and Jesus was able to blend into the crowd, so the man doesn't even know His name. He cannot tell the Jews who healed him. Later Jesus finds the man in the temple and tells him, "Look, you are made whole: don't sin anymore unless something worse happens to you." The man leaves and tells the Jews it was Jesus that healed him and they were so angry they wanted to kill Him because He healed a man on the sabbath day. 

Jesus wrecked their rituals and routines. He steps into their religious arena and offers them an opportunity to have relationship. They don't want that. They want harsh laws that no one could keep and they want self-righteousness instead of His righteousness. Jesus did not come to make things better for us to continue as is....He came to give us life more abundantly! Let's read what Jesus tells the Jews.

JOHN 5:37-47 (37)And the Father Himself, which hath sent Me, hath borne witness of Me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape. (38)And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not. (39)Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. (40)And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life. (41)I receive not honour from men. (42)But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. (43)I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (44)How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (45)Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. (46)For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. (47)But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?

Wow! Jesus shakes people out of their comfort zones. Most people would think it was a great thing that this man could walk. It's miraculous! Instead they were mad that He did it on the "wrong" day! They like vain repetition. There is nothing wrong with order and protocol, but if you choose routine over relationship you miss the whole point! Jesus did not puff up Himself. He constantly glorified the Father. He always put the spotlight on God.

We may be asked to do hard things, uncomfortable things, and things we might not want to do. If it glorifies the Father, and helps others come to know Him, then it's worth it. If God puts something in your heart, it's okay to feel uneasy or unsure. Do not doubt God. Do not be afraid. Just tell Him that you want to be obedient. Ask Him to help you every step of the way and He will do it. When Jesus told the crippled man to take up his bed and walk, the man did it and immediately he was made whole. Obedience always unlocks the blessings. I am taking this to heart today and this weekend as we continue to pack the boxes and donate the excess and trust God to lead us all the way back to Indiana. Not our will but Thine Lord.

I hope something I shared today has helped you see that change can be good, especially if the change is coming from God! I hope that you enjoyed today's post and that something I shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Guilt, Grief, Bitterness, Loneliness | 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.

As I look around at all the things we have to pack up again, I am taking inventory of just what all we actually need. Paul is at work while the kids and I are filling up boxes. As we sift through our belongings, it is much easier now to let go of things that have served their purpose. That is how my mom always said it. If I struggled with the decision of what to part with, she would simply say, "It's served it's purpose. It's time to get rid of it." I like that saying because it give me permission to let things go that I am only keeping out of guilt. Someone gave me something and I feel like it's disrespectful to part with the item, and yet the person that gave it to me may no longer be in my life for a myriad of reasons. Why do we hold so tight to material possessions when we should simply let go? I am thankful for my mother and for her sage advice to let things go after they have served their purpose in my life.

In the natural it may be easier to let go of the excess than it is in the spiritual. For some reason, guilt, grief, bitterness, loneliness .... those things seem harder to purge from our system. I know for me it is far easier to let go of a card or sentimental item than it is to forgive myself for something I have said or done wrong. It is sometimes easier to stay in my grief than to process it. It is even, dare I say, comfortable to endure the loneliness than risk putting myself out there and being rejected. I am thankful that I don't have to keep these bad feelings anymore.

ROMANS 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

MATTHEW 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

ISAIAH 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.

PROVERBS 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Isn't it great that we don't have to stay stuck in the guilt, grief, bitterness, or loneliness. No matter what you may be struggling with today, give it to God. Take your burdens to the Lord and He will help you. He will remove the heavy load and He will give you His burdens which are light. He will give you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. You can be free in Jesus' name!

I have people reading my blog all around the globe and I want to tell you all that Jesus Christ loves you so much! He gave His very life for you because He loves you and wants you to live with Him in eternity! There is nothing in this world worth missing heaven for. I am going and I hope you are, too! If you are not sure, just invite Him into your heart; confess you believe Jesus is the Son of God; repent of your sins and ask Him to lead and guide you with the Holy Spirit, and if you believe it you will receive the free gift of salvation. You can never go too far that He can't find you; sin so bad that His blood cannot cover it. That is GOOD NEWS! 

I am thankful that He saved a wretch like me. I am so thankful that He never gave up on me. I read back through my prayer journals and see the same theme over and over for months and then finally I get it and He works on another area of my life. I shake my head and think, "What took me so long?" And then I quickly praise God for being a merciful, long-suffering, loving Heavenly Father who patiently waits for His child to follow as He leads.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Paul | Bible Study

Today my family and I celebrate and honor (my husband), (their father) Paul on his birthday! I have had the privilege to celebrate 20 times with this amazing man. Known by many as a gentle giant (6’ 4”), allow me to share who my husband really is.

Paul is a wonderful man. He goes out of his way to help others. If there is a need, he is quick to jump in. He is compassionate, favors the underdog, and always quick to encourage someone who feels down.

Paul is a loving father and devoted husband. He prays and then has faith to wait on God to work things out. He leads our family as God leads him. He teaches us the Scriptures and shows us how to rely on God.

Paul may seem like the perfect man from the way I describe him. He is human; and he has flaws but I choose to look beyond that to the many strengths he has. He helps at church with parking cars and does so with as much enthusiasm and excitement as he had when teaching youth. We have been in youth ministry and Kids’ Min. for two decades!!! He has served as greeter, even though he is shy. He has been an usher and collected the offering. He has been in security for more than one church. He has helped me teach little bitty kids up through teenagers and he always has a soft spot for kids and babies! 

Please help me celebrate this wonderful man of God. Wish him a happy birthday!!! I hope it begins and ends with blessings and joy!

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, to "Rejoice evermore." It says, "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, Happy is he." Proverbs 16:20 "When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7 "I have found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go." Song of Solomon 3:4

God blessed me so much with a wonderful man to do life with. He is my very best friend. He is my leader, the priest of our household, and the one my soul loves. Thank You Jesus for giving him to me! Happy birthday Paul! I love you big ole stinkin’ bunches!

~Bridgett.... (Your Blue)

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