“What do you have to lose?”

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I had grown up in a Christian family. We were always going to church and doing other church related activities, but I will be honest in the fact that there was a time, briefly (when I was much younger, in my teens and early twenties), where I would go and do all the extras but I had removed my self from really feeling the love of God and His Son, Jesus. I wasn’t feeling the true connection, then, that I feel today.

For context, you need to know that there had been things that I had gone through when I was a very young child like being sexually abused by a neighbor’s son and then later on in college, by choosing to date a person who was very controlling and who also had sexually abused me, as well. I say this because I know that we all have things in our past that we want to wish away. I found though that while (for that little while) I had abandoned God, He HAD NEVER abandoned me. I took me a long time to see how I was reacting was based on the trauma that I had been through. There was a shame that I felt because I had felt as though I was somehow to blame for what another person had done to me and that I was less.

So, how did that change?

The underlying message of the statement, “What do you have to lose?” is that the potential reward that you could gain is greater than any potential setback that could occur. I encourage everyone to see this statement as a chance to see and know and believe that we have a God who cares nothing about our past but who looks at the potential of what we could be. What happened to me did change things for me. Those times and incidents didn’t make me less. Oh no…. not at all! Instead, those incidents helped me to see others in a different way and with loving compassion, just like our Father in Heaven saw me all those years ago. Those incidents helped me to see that we have nothing to lose when we ask God to walk with us in this journey we call life, after all….. what do you have to lose, when you have everything that you could gain, instead?

What did I gain from this? Evil exist in the world. There is no denying that but we don’t have to live that way when there is a better way and that’s with God. Does having God in our lives keep bad things from happening? Unfortunately, no. For me, I’ve learned that love is so much greater than hate. I’ve forgiven those who did that to me all those years ago. It’s for God to decide their fate, now. I’ll trust Him to do that. In fact, I know that in going through my own trauma, I am now able to help others to process theirs. Isn’t that a wonder? (Related post: Called to Serve)

What can you gain from this? I don’t know your story, but we have a loving Father who does. He will NEVER let you go, when you invite Him in. So, what do you have to lose in asking Him to heal your heart? What do you have to lose in asking Him to help you through the pain and sorrows that you feel? I’m here to tell you…. that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I pray that you see that. (Related post: “My peace I give you”)

Stepping Out In Faith

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I was listening to this story on K-Love about one of the D-Jay’s son and his experience at school. He had brought his Bible to school for a few days to see what kind of reaction he would get from the students there. The D-Jay (her name was Amy) stated that he was amazed because the students only asked him some questions about it but he didn’t get any of the negative reactions that he had apparently expected.

This brought to mind that it may be sometimes difficult or strange when we decide to show and speak to others about our Christian faith. Amy went on further to state that amazing things can happen when we step out in faith. So, that had me thinking some….

Stepping out in faith can be difficult and is much more different than living your faith. When you live in your faith, it’s what’s between you, the individual, and God. It’s more intimate and personal and semi-private. When we live in our faith, we will pray, read our bible, attend church, quietly do kind and loving things for others, and discuss things that pertain to God with our families and close friends.

The difference is what you then decide to do with that faith that you have lived with and grown in. Do you keep it to yourself or do you risk what happens when you share it with others?

When we step out in faith, we risk being judged and criticized by some people. Those same people will ostracize us because of our faith. Some may state that we aren’t truly Christian because we are being “judgy” on them and telling them how they are acting in a sinful manner. Stepping out in faith is more difficult to deal with because it means that we are inviting people in who don’t think about God the way that we do. They don’t see how a loving God can exist in such a dark world space. They think that God “allows” sin to take place, so they question why we call Him loving and powerful and wonderful. They see God as puny and weak instead.

However, we see things much differently than those who are lost.

When we step out in faith, we choose to give our free will back to God. We trust that He will protect us and guide us in our quest to bring others to Him. We know that God has given us the words in the Bible to comfort us and lead us down the path that leads to Him. We can then use those words and tell others what we have learned. I heard once where someone said that the Bible is God’s love letters to His people. That resonated with me. There’s truth in that because those words are the stories and journeys of all those who have struggled with some of the same things that we struggle with today. God wants us to know that we are not alone in our quest to understand Him. By reading the Bible, it instills in us a desire to learn and discover more about God through those who have traveled before us.

So, what did I learn from this? This world is a very scary place. It has been that way for a while. However, I can’t be afraid to share what I know about God. My joy in His love shines and it can’t be hidden. Do I continue to risk sharing that even when I have been judged by others? Do I try to convince others of what joy they can have in their hearts as well? The answer is a resounding “YES!!!”. I want others to know what I know. I want others to see what I see and I want others to feel what I feel! That joy that I feel is too powerful to be contained, so I will gladly step out in my faith if it means that I can help just one person come to know Him. (Related posts: We are ALL called to be His Church and Reasonings)

What can you gain from this? When you find God, there is a light that begins to shine within you. You cannot hide it. Everyone notices it. Yes, some will be critical, but you know the truth. You know that it was God who put that light there and you have your own story and journey to share. Embrace it and then fling it out for all to see. Step out in faith and see where He leads you! (Related post: The Faith-Fueled Journey)

“I forgive him.”

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Ericka Kirk recently made this statement when she had to do something that she probably never dreamed that she would do this early in her marriage to Charlie Kirk. On September 10th, 2025, in an instant, she became a widow with two very small children because her husband had been assassinated. At Charlie’s memorial service, she stood on a stage in front of thousands of people who had come to honor his legacy and indeed many who watched from home and, in that moment, she state that she forgave the man who murdered her husband. She further stated the following, “I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate.”

There are many who can relate to the suddenness of a death of a loved one. They can understand the strain and heartache that goes along with the loss. They can know how hard it is to have to explain to their children that someone that they loved is not coming back home. What is hard to relate to is when the world loses a great man because someone didn’t want him to make true statements. What is hard to grasp is this idea of others celebrating the death of someone who was so effective in winning people over, that they felt that he needed to be silenced. What is even harder to say and believe and feel is forgiveness when someone is killed because they spoke truth and also preached about the love of God.

What does that have to do with forgiveness? We must remember that the opposite of hate is love.

The more that I get to know about Charlie, the more of his videos that I see, and listen to the people who knew him personally, I begin to understand that God gave Charlie a voice in order to bring the world together. Recognizing truth is hard. It should make us uncomfortable when we look within but then we should also begin to recognize that truth is hard because we are sinful creatures. Our sinfulness can help us to know that we NEED God in our lives because God is love. God is grace. God is joy and God is certainly forgiveness. After all, He gave us the greatest example for us to follow in His Son, Jesus, who forgave those who crucified Him because they didn’t want to hear the truth then, either.

Thank you Ericka. I am forever changed. Not only because of what Charlie stood for but also for your heartbreaking courage to proclaim that hate has no place in your heart and it shouldn’t in this as well. I do know that hate will not cast a shadow over the memory of a truly beautiful man that was with us for only a short while but, we already know that his legacy will have an everlasting impact on others for years to come. His leaving left a huge hole in our hearts but we will ALL continue where he left off.

So, I’ll say to you, Charlie, you can rest easy…. we’ve got this now.

What did I learn from this? If I am to be a disciple of Christ, then I need to speak truth especially when it’s hard. If I am to be a helpmate to God, then I must love those who hate me because of the truth that I speak. If I am to be called Christian, I have to know that I write this blog for God’s glory and not for my own. He speaks through me. I know that we HAVE to turn to God. We NEED Him in our lives even if we don’t yet know it. I just know, sinful though I am, that I am a better person because God guides me every step of the way. (Related posts: The Lost Sheep and Okay, God, help me with this….why do You say that I need to forgive others?)

What can you gain from this? I pray that for anyone who reads this, that you begin to understand the peace that comes from having God in your life. We are ALL sinful and have fallen short of God’s glory, but luckily, He made a way so that we can be with Him when we leave this life. So go out and live your best life with God at the center of it. Don’t worry about what others think or say…. give that to God. Find the love and forgiveness that Ericka and Charlie found and trust that God will help you to handle anything that comes your way. Remember that NOTHING is too difficult for God to handle!

With a Thankful Heart

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These are some of the questions that I deal with sometimes: Do I have everything that I want? Is everything perfect in my life? Is my home exactly how I want it to look? Do I struggle with things outside of my control? Am I thankful for the things that I DO have and not what I want to have? The answers for me are no, no, no and yes, yes. Perhaps these are some of the things that you ask yourself as well.

So, this is what I do instead….

I remind myself that I’m so thankful that we have a God who really sees us when the rest of the world may just shrug us off. God knows us and He knows what’s in our hearts and our minds before we can even voice those thoughts, worries, or pain and before we even cry out to Him. All that He asks is that we trust Him to get us through when we struggle with those very questions above.

When we are thankful, we can see things that others skip over or choose to ignore. When we give thanks, we are acknowledging that we need God in every part of our lives. When we ask God for help, we are trusting the process to Him especially if we don’t understand it and are powerless to change it on our own. Being thankful means giving God the reins and trusting Him to get us to where He needs us to be.

Is this process easy? No. It’s very, very hard to let go of those things that we don’t understand like needless pain inflicted on others, on killings, on wars, and other cruelties that we may witness personally or through the media. I know in my heart that we can only try to make differences in those that are around us and demonstrate how thankful that we are when we know that God helps us to do what we can. We can’t take on the world…. I’ll just leave that to God. I’ll do what I can because He’s been giving us plenty of warning about what will happen if we don’t change. I’m just thankful that I can help Him in some small ways even when I’m frustrated when it doesn’t work. (Related posts: Okay God……We need to talk; Beware! There is DANGER, ahead!!; and The lessons that I’ve learned during a global pandemic.)

What did I learn from this? I can try my best to help others, but I can’t control what other people choose to do. What I can do is pray for them that they see what they need to change before it’s too late. I try to say “thank you!” all the time to God- when I wake up, throughout the day and especially at night. When I go about my day being thankful for what I have versus what I want and…. surprise, surprise…. I have become more in tune with what I have already been given.

So, what can you gain from this? Try saying thanks a little more, too. Even if it’s just one time a day, then start paying attention about how it makes everything seem a little bit lighter for your heart and your mind and your soul. It’s just a small thing than can have huge benefits in the long run. In the end, it’s up to you.

A Daily Dose of Gratitude

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The definition of gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Let’s also look at the description of Biblical gratitude which is a positive response to experiencing God’s goodness and grace. We are given instructions in the Bible, in regards to gratitude through reading 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, where it says: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I think and know that the HARDEST times to be thankful AND grateful is when we are confronted with bad or hard things. I also know that having gratitude in today’s times can be difficult, as well. Heck, sometimes it’s even hard to be joyful or even to pray to a God who seems so far away when we need Him the most. The thing is, is that God is ALWAYS present in every thing that we go through in life. He’s with us when things are going well, as well as when everything seems to be falling to pieces. He’s there in our joyful, worshiping prayers and He’s there in our sad and sorrowful prayers. Knowing all of that, makes me even more grateful for Him who gets me through.

Yes, I know that it’s difficult to find our gratitude but it’s important that we try. When we’ve lost someone, be grateful that you have the memories of them and the times that you spent with them…. you will learn to laugh again and remember them, in gratitude that you have those memories. When your health isn’t the best, your knees snap, crackle and pop as you walk, or you need medicine for diseases that you are suffering through, give thanks for having woken up another day and hug your loved ones. When senseless things happen in the world, give a helping hand or a monetary donation and give thanks that you are able to help in some ways.

It’s so important to remember to be thankful in the small things that tend to get overlooked when we are dealing with the big things that are happening to us, within us and around us. Those daily little doses of gratitude may and can end up being just the medicine that you needed to get through. (Related post: In the Pursuit of Thankfulness)

What did I learn from this? I am constantly talking to God, from the time that I wake up, throughout my day and ESPECIALLY when I go to bed. Why, especially when I go to bed? I want to thank God for getting me through another day, for looking after all the members of my family, for my friends and any other thing that I can think of. My JOY, is found in HIM, so I thank Him all the time.

What can you gain from this? You can find JOY! You can find joy in the little, everyday things that we tend to gloss over or ignore. Remember that God’s with you in your worries, pain and suffering, but He also celebrates with you in your successes as well. He loves you and wants a relationship with you. All you have to do is open the door and invite Him in. (Related post: Grace Received, Grace Given)

Jehovah Rohi-Name of God

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In the Bible, Jehovah-Rohi translates to, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This is the name that David used when referring to God in Psalm 23. The meaning of this demonstrates that we have a God who cares for us, guides us and protects us from harm.

We have a very, very, VERY unique God! He is present with us in the everyday things that we deal with. All we have to do is reach out to Him. Our God desires a relationship with us but He waits for us to open the door. He waits for us to invite Him in so that He can walk with us. It doesn’t mean that He’s not there otherwise. We have a God who knows everything about us, even before we do! It just means that that relationship that we begin to have with Him becomes more solid when we actively invite Him in and it becomes stronger when we know that He’s there.

In fact, God loved us SO much, that He sent His Son, Jesus to be born of a virgin, live His life here on Earth. He ministered to His people, Israel, and invited the Gentiles to be His people as well. He shared His knowledge, cared for His flock and, ultimately, became the sacrificial Lamb so that we could be saved from our sinful nature. Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we have a chance to be with God in Heaven at the end of our lifetime. (Related post: Would any of us have been able to carry the cost of the cross, like Jesus did?)

What did I learn from this? I’m not worthy of any of His grace, but I will take it gladly and share it. I’ve lost friends but I also gained other friends who think like I do. I’ve been bruised and battered by life but I’ve learned to stand up against the storm. My favorite verse of all time and the one that I do my best to live by is Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she laughs at the days to come.”

That’s really hard to do some days when I see what is happening in the world. What I know? My trust is in the Lord. He gives me the strength to go on and that helps to know that He will get me through. It’s only in my weakness, that I am made strong. (paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 12:10)

So, what can you gain from this? Humble yourself. Don’t look at all that you’ve done wrong or hadn’t gotten right, but see yourself as God sees you… imperfectly perfect in every way. We can’t EARN God’s grace through our deeds. We are GIVEN God’s grace. Then, once you know that in your heart, you can begin to be open to doors that you thought that were closed. You can stand up to the storm and know that you have a God who loves you and wants you to be successful. After all… He gave us the best model to follow!

Living Life Joyfully

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Recently, I read a story about a lady who had struggled with infertility but was eventually able to have 3 beautiful children with her husband. During her pregnancies, she had had some other vague discomforts which everyone chalked up to her being pregnant. It ended up, however, that they discovered she had some rare cancer that was at a stage 4 just after the premature birth of her third child. She was devastated. In searching for answers, she came across 2 people who helped turn her story from fear to joy.

The first person was a doctor that she had found in Canada who dealt with this type of cancer who told her to “Just live.”. In other words, her doctor told her to enjoy the life that she had, at this point, to the fullest. The doctor wanted this woman to enjoy her family and enjoy spending time with them and to help them to store up good memories for the future. The second person was a person (whom she saw on a video) who was also suffering from cancer, but was dancing around with her bald head and doing cartwheels or walking on her hands and laughing. Seeing that video changed her attitude towards her disease and she began, slowly at first, to run, then run marathons, then triathlons. It didn’t make the cancer go away but instead of being depressed and down, she began to live her life joyfully, one day at a time. This was three and a half years ago and the story ended where she stated that she wanted to be able to see her youngest go to school.

I liked this story because it inspires me to look at life differently and definitely work to finding the joy in the midst of the bad. Maybe our story isn’t as bad as hers, maybe it’s worse. I just know that despite our circumstance that we are in, our attitude can change. Maybe your issue isn’t your health but maybe it’s someone or something that’s outside of your control. Whatever the circumstance, we need to choose joy.

When we choose joy in dealing with ALL of life’s hills and valleys then it helps us to be able to get through just a little bit easier. I know that we are all entitled to feel down and be bummed out about what we are dealing with and/or whatever the issue is, but, somehow, the joy will and can begin to overtake being down. It certainly can’t hurt and may just give us the boost we need to get through. (Related post: Traversing the hills and valleys of life with grace)

What did I learn from this? I’ve been there in the valley and I’ve been worried and frustrated and tired and indeed angry, at times, but when I found my joy (and my joy is, most assuredly, in God), I begin to change. No matter the issue that I’m dealing with, I’m finding my laughter more and my ability to smile more and….. just more. I’m also finding that the more that I can share in other’s pain and share with them from mine, I grow. I grow as a woman, as a mother, as a wife, as a daughter, as a sister and mostly….. as a friend.

So, what can you gain from this? Challenge yourself to try to find what makes you joyful. Is it music? Is it dancing? Is it …….? Fill in that blank. Come out of the dark and begin to see that this too shall pass. Your time in the valley WILL pass. It’s just temporary, then after, go out and share your story to encourage others because you’ve been there. You should be heard that you are a survivor.

“My peace I give you”

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In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

This world that we are living in today is a mess! It’s very hard NOT to be troubled. The only thing that gives me hope is Jesus. When I know that I can look to Him for guidance and security in this world and in the next, then I know that ALL OF THIS that we are going through is really temporary. The real goal in this life is to treat others the same way that I want to be treated and to do what I can to help others get there (with Jesus) as well.

Am I perfect? NOPE!! I just live with a conviction that God has put me on this earth for a purpose, and the fun part of it is…. He’s not done with me yet! We have to be brave in this world. That means stepping out and doing some uncomfortable things like speaking out about your faith or standing up for unpopular beliefs (for some) like being pro-life. It’s about trusting that God’s got you when you quit a livelihood to go and do something COMPLETELY different (that’s me, by the way). It’s about losing “friends” because you stand out when you stand for what’s right and just and speak your mind. Of course the list goes on from there.

It’s not easy being a Christian in today’s world, either. You have those who try to shame you because of the church you go to or because they don’t like the person that you are trying to be. The thing of it is, is that you were meant to stand out and not stand with the group. God designed each and every one of us with a purpose in mind. When we learn to be okay with that, that’s when the passage above makes the most sense. Jesus’s disciples began to recognize this and know and understand that very principle of His peace. The very essence that we are and are meant to be, also rests in this principle…. that is having peace when nothing else makes sense. Don’t let the worries of this world bring you down! Keep your eyes focused on Him, no matter what…. that is what it means to have peace. (Related post: An Act of Faith and Finding the Strength Within Our Struggles)

What did I learn from this? In The Chosen, I constantly see Jonathan Roumie turning his eyes up to Heaven. Yes, I know that he is playing a part but still that is the perfect example of what we all need to do as well. We need to do that more so now than ever, actually! I have found myself turning more and more to God all throughout each and every day. By doing so, I have gained more peace than could certainly be imagined with all of the things happening in this world. I have also found that my trust in God has also risen as well. I don’t always understand what God wants me to do or even why I’m on this particular path, but I trust that He will show me in time. (Related post: Just going with the flow….)

So, what can you gain from this? My hope is that you can use what I said here to help jump start your own faith in action. That’s really what it is, isn’t it? Your journey is not done yet! Your path is not yet finished! It takes a lot, I know, to trust completely especially when we like to see where we are going. I’ve been there and trust me, in the long-term, you won’t regret “Letting Go and Letting God!” (Related post: Which is the better choice, the destination or the journey?)

Only God….

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It’s been a while since I wrote anything. I’m very sorry for that. I had recently been going through some health issues that I needed surgery for. I had a cyst inside of me that was dragging my strength to the point where I didn’t want to do anything! That’s such a bummer!!

So, what does that have to do with the title of “Only God”…. well, I’m going to tell you.

Only God can get us through the day when we don’t feel as though we can get through the door. Only God will send us people and messages and other ways of encouraging us to keep going even when we just want to curl up and stay in one spot for a while. Only God knows what’s in our hearts and minds even if we don’t say the words, He already knows and loves us that much more. Only God sees us, all of us. He sees our faults, our failings, our triumphs and our joy. Only God asks us to trust Him in EVERYTHING that happens in our lives, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Knowing that God was there during my journey, helped me to push through. Was it easy, no. However, I know that our God has a plan for each and every one of us. Only God sent His Son, Jesus, to walk among us, teach us, and ultimately die for us. Only God would have done that. God suffered like we have suffered. We have a God that is relatable because He’s been there. Now my prayer is that I can be there for others when they are at there lowest. It’s the very least that I can do after all that He’s done for me.

What did I learn from this? Anyone who reads this should be able to see themselves with the same feelings. We are all in this world together. It doesn’t matter where you live, what your culture is, the color of your skin or even what you’ve been through. We’ve ALL been through things that drag us down. Let’s start seeing each other, not through eyes of distrust but through the eyes of understanding.

So, what can you learn from this? Begin to see each other how God sees us. I know that it is difficult with some people. I certainly get that. Remember though that those are the ones who need Him the most. You might not be able to “fix” them, but prayer is never wrong. While, we might not make a huge dent in what’s going on in the world, but, at least, we can work on our own small area. Remember also that Jesus started out in a small area too (and he didn’t have the technology that we have now! LOL!).

Oh and btw-I just found out that my cyst was negative for malignant cells (Hallelujah!!). Only God can change my story for the better! Have you thought yet about how He can change yours, too? Something to think about….

Jehovah-Nissi: Name of God

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The name, Jehovah-Nissi means “the Lord is our banner.” and is found in Exodus 17:15 after Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands which helped Joshua to win the war against the Amalek. After the battle, Moses built an alter in honor to God with the name Jehovah-Nissi which represents the victory and triumph that God gives to His people of Israel.

Banners are often used to represent a standard that are raised from nations as a symbol of hope and as a focal point for soldiers. God can also be seen by us, in the everyday, as a banner of encouragement to give people His people hope and a focal point. This is especially important in what is going on in the world today.

It is very hard to see through all the rhetoric that’s going around to look towards God. Instead, all we seem to see is so much division and hatred that is spewed towards each other. We have a role model in God who doesn’t look and see the outside or heritage or what we’ve done as important; instead, He sees and knows that what is on the inside of each individual that counts. God sees the potential of us

Why is it so hard for us to see others that way, as well?

Are we also not called to be soldiers of our faith? We need to stand for what is good and holy and reject anything that is sinful. That banner waves ahead for all of us to look and see that we have a God who loves us regardless of what we’ve done in the past! We have a God who will protect us and give us hope that victory will happen even when we are in a time of great stress. He has never left us. He has stayed true even when we’ve turned our backs on Him. To that, I say “Thank you!” I know that I am not worthy of this gift but I take it with all gratitude and humility. Knowing Him has made me a better person.

So, what have I learned from this? I can’t make it in this world without Him. I think and know that I would become too bogged down by all the negativity if I didn’t have Him in my life. I NEED Him to survive! He is the well that never runs dry. He is the banner that I search for when I need a boost to my soul. His mercy and love, I crave like food and know that I am better because He is there with me every step of my journey.

What can you gain from this? When you ask God to come into your life, be prepared for a wild and wonderful ride! You don’t have to hide anymore. He sees you just as you are and will always be there to hold you up. Following our Father doesn’t negate the bad things from happening, He just helps you to know that He’s there to help you through it…. and that’s what counts the most!