Julie Souza Bradley Lilly: Blessing the Father’s Child

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ~Romans‬ ‭12:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Many of us are working diligently to learn to be “blessers”—those that are purposeful to bless and be a blessing to those the Lord places around us. As the Body of Christ, we are endowed with the authority to speak blessing and to be a blessing. The Father strategically positions us to be agents of grace and mercy, ministers of comfort and bringers of peace and hope … Continue reading →

Julie Souza Bradley Lilly: The One

Recently I was talking to a friend who is in ministry. She was discouraged that her ministry was so slow-growing and that while she was faithful to obey the Lord’s leading, some of her efforts seemed to fall flat. We can all have days when we don’t bring our A-Game. And sometimes we need to brush up on our skills. However, sometimes on those flat days, the message the Lord is sending through us really isn’t for the masses, but … Continue reading →

Glenda Shouse: A Picture of Love

How do you draw a picture of Love? How do you paint afresh the agony of the Cross? With gentle strokes of tenderness as His grace beckons us closer. There to wash pure white the canvas of our soul. Then on that clean canvas He paints layer by layer the beauty of His love. The picture of love is our Savior’s face as He reveals it to us. How do you see the Master’s face? I’ll show you the … Continue reading →

Elise Crawford: In God’s Eyes

I never felt I was good enough. As a bullied, unkempt child, and having been raised by a drunken mother, none of the children on the playground wanted to be friends with me. They labeled me the smelly unwanted child. Even when I became a child of the state, other children still didn’t want to play with me and they labeled me the “foster child.” But these thoughts faded when I gave my life to Jesus and I discovered the … Continue reading →

Diane Virginia: Breakfast of Champions (3-Min)

Delight thyself also in the LORD. Psalm 37:4a KJV Every morning, I prepare breakfast for our dogs. I rotate between doggies, feeding them morsels from a designated fork. Occasionally, one will rise. If I say, “sit,” the dog will listen, but only if I preface this with their name. Otherwise, she assumes I’m talking to another pack member. Our senior pooch stomps during the entire breakfast. She wants to make sure I notice her. Our youngest gal takes each morsel … Continue reading →

Glenda Shouse: The One Who Never Changes

Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.” ~Isaiah 38:16 NKJV Shifting sand, sinking ground, the Earth buckling and splitting open…. The world around us is constantly changing. It seems to be a state of flux. Where do we turn? Where do we go to find stability, assurance, and a firm foundation? No matter what is happening in … Continue reading →

Diane Virginia: Beloved Solomon’s Kiss

Mandy poured her coffee and retreated to the porch swing. As she listened to the chirring of crickets in the flower garden, she opened her Bible. She was reading the Bible from cover to cover and Song of Solomon was next in line. In preparation for her reading, she had looked up the meaning of Solomon, which is shelomah, translated as “peace.” In her spirit, she felt Solomon must be a prototype of Jesus Christ. She had seen a typology … Continue reading →

Glenda Shouse: He Loves Me

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ~Ephesians 3:17b-19 NKJV He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not… I remember plucking a daisy and pulling … Continue reading →

Diane Virginia: Hot Dogs & Holy Spirit Nudges

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ~2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV Recently, while I was eating at a local burger restaurant, I felt an inner nudge to visit a clothing store after I was done eating. I did so. As I arrived there, I saw a homeless man I recognized named Mike. I got caught up between two car mirrors. That caught Mike’s attention. He laughed, … Continue reading →

Sandra Stein: The Penny

While I was sitting on a bench in the park, I noticed a penny on the pathway. As people hurried by, no one gave that penny a second glance. It was, after all, only a penny, small and insignificant, and not worth the time to stop and pick it up. Staring at the penny, I thought, By the worlds’ standards, I am not much different than that penny. To the government, I am known as a social security number. To … Continue reading →

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