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Showing posts from September, 2017

Chariots of Fire

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By Kareena Holloway, Fellowship Bible Church NWA, CR Encourager Coach, September 27, 2017 "In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.  From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." Psalm 18:6 In the first weeks into my recovery, I was having one of many gut-wrenching conversations which needed to be had with my husband.  It was all very raw at that time.  Seeing clearly what I had done and how I had hurt my family was so much to bear and I found myself in one of a series of anxiety attacks.  This wasn't something where I could just say "I'm sorry" and move on with life.  I had broken TRUST in my marriage.  My panic came from the thinking that I had to figure this out..I had to come up with some way in which I could rebuild who I was.  All I could see was the enemy closing in on all sides.  I didn't know what to do.  I was afraid, and more than anything, I just wante

I Am Lazarus

 by Susan Nichols, Fellowship Bible Church CR sister, September 20, 2017  “A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.     3  So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”  4  But when Jesus heard about it he said,  “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this .   ( Psalm 11:1, 3-4, NLT) I’ve heard the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead many, many times over the years: Jesus heard Lazarus was sick. Check!  He waited 2 days to go. Check!  Lazarus came out of the tomb. Check, check!  Recently, when I heard yet another teacher announce this passage for the day’s teaching…well, let’s just say I settled into my chair as comfortably as I could and waited for dismissal.  I was humbled, however, as I listened and began to realize that  I am Lazarus. Scripture doesn’t reveal what kind of life Laza

"What Drives Me?"

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By Carol Holmstrom, National Assimilation Coach, September 11, 2017 ​ "So many of our prayers are self-centered grocery lists of personal cravings that have no bigger agenda than to make our lives a little more comfortable... They are motivated more by awe of ourselves and our pleasures than by a heart-rattling, satisfaction-producing awe of the Redeemer to whom we are praying."    -Paul David Trip      I read this in a book...and it shook me to my core. How many times have I used God in my prayers for this exact thing? How can I approach the creator of the universe with such apathy, such ungratefulness that all I do is ask for stuff? Why do I lose the awe of who He is and what He's done for me? I get to witness miracles every day in myself and others because of who He is...and yet... Then I read Psalm 145. It was like these words were speaking directly to me and in a way I've never heard them before. I've read this Psalm, several times actuall

Never Lose Sight

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When you look at this image, what is the first thing that you notice?  The chaos of twigs and branches in the trees?  The calm, smooth surface of the lake?  The little red/orange kayak sitting on the other side of the lake?  This is a picture I took at our local lake.  What I didn't notice until recently, is the cross.  Look to the left side of the picture.  See how the trees and their branches work together to form a cross?  Once you see it, you will always see it.  Sure, you may still see all of the other details, but you will always know that the cross is there.  (By the way, feel free to save it and use it however you wish.  God is a pretty awesome artist! I just snapped the photo.) Can you think of the times in your life that things seemed pretty chaotic like the trees and branches going every which way, pretty calm like the smooth surface of the water, or relaxed like the kayak on the other side?  God  is  and always has been there in the midst of it all.  Be en