If you own a dog, you know the importance of watching where you step in the backyard. One wrong step could end in a warm, patty surprise on your shoe—or even worse—your bare foot! Maybe this horrific, smelly incident has happened to you because you were not paying attention, or perhaps you were in a hurry to get somewhere. How could this tragedy have been avoided? The answer is easy—by watching where you stepped! It seems to be such a simple remedy, but how easy it is to lose focus and end up with smelly feet!

As women, we are always rushing in life to get things done. We may be impatient while waiting for our children to get ready for school or to complete a homework assignment. We may become impatient to check off the “to-do” list for the day without thought of the consequences or the aftermath left behind us.

Often in our spiritual lives, we have stepped in that unfortunate pile. Then, we may become impatient, frustrated, or even angry at our calamity. Psalm 37:23 says, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Oftentimes, we are trying to “order our steps for the day” in our own way. Our own fleshly order for ourselves is often not the same as God’s order that He has planned for us.

Two verses jumped out at me as the best remedy to avoid a troublesome path. First, Scripture memorization is of the utmost importance. Verse 31 of the same chapter reads, The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. We should get a verse for the day that we can meditate on and hide in our hearts. Write it down and post it in a place where it will be easily and often seen. Read it. Think on it. Pray over it by asking God to help guide on the right path.

The second remedy is found just a few verses later. Verse 34 says, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,… Oftentimes as women, we want an answer right now. This is partly because our minds tend to wander to the most precarious situation that could unfold. Sometimes we think we need an immediate answer to all of life’s problems. However, God wants us to be still and patient and to learn what lesson He has in store for us.

Sometimes in life, we may stumble and fall on God’s ordered path. Maybe we have wandered off the path and have stepped into some of life’s troubles. The best part is verse 24: Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. God is always there to pick us up when we fall! He will always help us get back on track.

Our journey through life can be hampered by our own failure to pay attention to what is most important and what should be avoided. Each one of us is personally responsible to allow the Lord to order our steps so that we can successfully step around the pitfalls in our paths. This will keep us upright and on the track God has planned for us to travel so that we may serve Him to the best of our ability!

by Cindy Healy

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. – Malachi 3:8-11

For as long as I can remember, giving tithes and offerings has felt like something I must do—not only to avoid the curse of robbing God but also to open the windows of Heaven for blessings. Tithing has always come easily for me; I do not always give it much thought. In fact, at times it has been more of an automatic action. Recently, finances have been tighter than I like them to be, and I began reflecting on why this lesson is so deeply ingrained in me. I recalled some specific instances in my life that hammered this truth home more than any sermon could.

One vivid memory is of a conversation between my parents. On the drive home from wherever we had been, they were discussing their tithe. Because money was tight, they agreed that the tithe would just have to be postponed. Later that evening, we went to church as usual. When we got home, there was water pouring out of the garage—the water heater had malfunctioned! I distinctly recall conversations that occurred in the aftermath about how God always gets what is His and how it is better to tithe and have His protection. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,… (Malachi 3:11)

Many years later, as a newly married woman, I was trying to manage my finances to ensure I was taking care of my new home. In one instance, the money was gone—nothing left—but I needed toothpaste. As I gave my need over to God through prayer, I went on about my duties for the day. While cleaning out the trunk of my car, I found a new tube of toothpaste. Some might argue it had been there all along from a previous shopping trip. I believe God provided—no matter how or when it had arrived. (I know for a fact it was not there before!) This may seem like a small thing to some, but for me, it solidified any doubts I may have had about tithing. Even when things are tight, I still have a responsibility to do what God has said to do.

I am no longer that newlywed trying to manage meager finances. I have enjoyed a life full of blessings that I attribute to learning this lesson early. My recent reflections have led me to think about why I give both tithes and offerings, even when it can feel like a burden on household finances. While Malachi explained why we should give, Paul explained how we should give in II Corinthians 9:6-7: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

I like to think that I have always been a cheerful giver, but I know that’s not entirely true. I have embraced the sowing-and-reaping part easily, yet I have often given on autopilot—some might even say out of necessity. These verses are convicting because I must ask myself, “Have I truly decided in my heart what to give? Have I truly been cheerful about giving?” The harsh truth is I have not always done these things.

If you are new to giving tithes and offerings, I hope you will trust the process laid out in God’s Word. If you are a seasoned giver, I hope you will reflect on all the truths about tithing. Wherever you are in your giving journey, God invites Christians not only to give but also to do so joyfully. Are you a cheerful giver who has given with purpose?

by Melissa Caperton

I Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

While my husband and I were cleaning up after supper one evening, he decided to turn on some music. Specifically, he played a song about thankfulness after miracles that had become one of my favorite songs when the Lord performed a miracle for us just a few years ago. Many times since then, I would sing this song tearfully, unable to stifle the praise for what God had done.

I am not typically an outwardly emotional person; however, as soon as the song began playing on this particular evening, tears began streaming down my cheeks. This time, however, I was not overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness, but grief. We had just gone through a few rough months. Logically, I know things could always be worse, but it seemed as though bad news was continually piling up. I was hurting, and I was overwhelmed.

I cannot imagine how Job must have felt when he lost literally almost everything he had in such a short time span! He received a sequence of bad news that drastically changed his life and caused him to face immense grief. Yet, he still said in Job 1:21, …the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Just a few weeks later, it was as if the Lord brought that night back to my mind and convicted me. I had this thought, “Why can’t I be thankful in the trial?” I Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to be thankful in every thing—the good, the less than ideal, and the terrible. No matter what, God is always good to us, and we have many reasons to be thankful!

I am thankful for my loving and hard-working husband and for my amazing children. I am grateful for the health we all have, though it is not always perfect. I am blessed to have a beautiful home. All of my basic needs are met. I am thankful for the family, friends, and church family God has given me. I am blessed to have faithful examples in my life who have faced similar situations to mine or worse situations and still have the joy of the Lord. Most of all, I am thankful for a Saviour Who willingly suffered and laid down His life so I can have eternal life in Heaven!

There may be some who feel overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. Maybe there are some who are discouraged because of unfulfilled plans and dreams. Others may feel buried in grief. I think we ALL have been in a place where life has dealt us a crushing blow that makes it seem impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our suffering is part of God’s plan for us, and in it, we can be grateful for the Man of Sorrows Who understands our deepest pain.

I am thankful that I was reminded by a simple song to reflect on God’s goodness in a time when I felt overcome by burdens. Here is your reminder to ask yourself: what has God done for you? Perhaps your list of the things you are thankful for looks like mine. We can be thankful, even in the trial!

by Alyssa King

The last couple of weeks I have been thinking of the song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” As this song kept playing over again in my mind, I continued thinking about that word friend. As I searched for the word friend in my Bible, I came across two places. Proverbs 18:24 says, A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 17:17 says, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

I began to think about the many friends in my life. The older I become, the more I appreciate my friends. I have some friends on whom I can call in time of need and some who I just want to call so we can laugh for a little while. I know there are certain ladies I can call in a pinch, and they would come right away. I know I have friends who pray for me. There are some who even save me a seat at church. I could talk for hours about what my friends mean to me. It is a blessing to have great friends.

I am grateful and blessed to have friends, but I must be reminded that Jesus is also my Friend. It is easy to call one of our friends to vent and complain about life in general. This is not a good thing for anyone to do (I have been guilty of this), and it does not help our spirits. We should go to our Friend …that sticketh closer than a brother. He wants us to go to Him in every situation. As women, we can have laughter, tears, anger, frustration, then more laughter all in one day. Jesus is our Friend, and He knows us better than anyone else. He knows we can be a mess at times. He wants to have a relationship with us. Ladies, we have a Friend upon Whom we can call, and His name is Jesus.

“What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Ev’rything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Ev’rything to God in prayer!”

by Mandy Harper

Happy Monday. “Adversity is God’s university.”

Now that we are in the month of October, many of us are enjoying cooler and crisper days, football games, apple pie, and pumpkins piled high at the market. I love this time of year. Of course, school is back in session. Did you love school as a child as I did?

I realized years ago that school is never “out.” Even as adults, we are always learning. These days, however, are time for “graduate” school. Just some of the classes I have had to take in this life are Obedience to Christ, Faith, Patience, Compassion, and Forgiveness.

Just as tests in school were not fun, they are not enjoyable in life’s lessons either. The Bible instructs us to be joyous in tests where it says in James 1:3, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. Could there not be an easier way?

Dr. Hyles said, “Don’t look at times of testing and be bitter; look through times of testing and see God.”

Looking back at previous tests that have come my way, I find that the lessons I learned—really learned—came through trials of pain and dire need. Even Christ learned obedience by the things He suffered. Hebrews 5:8 tells us, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Surely, fallen humanity must learn the same way.

II Timothy 3 describes our world as being seemingly filled with knowledge and ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth.

The Psalmist had an insight to the blight of not knowing Truth as he said in Psalm 119:71, It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Are you in the midst of a hard test today? Stay! Finish! See God’s hand at work while He is helping you through the test!

“I walked a mile with Pleasure;

She chatted all the way;

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow;

And ne’er a word said she;

But, oh! The things I learned from her,

When Sorrow walked with me.”

― Robert Browning Hamilton

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

I had just experienced another night in which my almost four-year-old child would not sleep through the night and was up multiple times. My children had been fighting all day. My attempt at making dinner did not work out the way I had planned. I still needed to fold the laundry before bed. I was weary. As many others have, I have learned Galatians 6:9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. So many times, I have told God, “I’m sorry, Lord, but I am weary. I know You tell me not to be weary. I know that this is the place You have for me and that these are the children You have for me, but I am weary.” I was …weary in well doing…

The dictionary defines weary as “feeling or showing tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion or lack of sleep.” I can definitely attest to being tired as a result of excessive exertion or lack of sleep. Surely, I cannot be the only person who has ever gotten weary. I started looking for other places in the Bible that talked about being weary. In Isaiah, we are told that Even the youths shall faint and be weary,… David described himself as being weary several times in the Psalms. I mulled over this for a while. If we should not get weary, then why would the Bible tell us that people will get weary?

Then, I was reminded of another verse in the Bible. Matthew 11:28 says, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. …all ye that labour… sounds similar to excessive exertion to me! I thought for a few moments about how these verses fit together as well as how they fit with other verses in other places in the Bible. I had always read Galatians 6:9 and thought it said, “And let us not GROW weary in well doing…,” with the emphasis being on my own weariness. However, the verse actually reads, And let us not be weary in well doing:…

God knows that we are going to become weary. Life is hard sometimes. Ministry work is hard sometimes. The key is not to stay weary. When we get weary, we need to follow the instructions in Matthew 11:28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,… Verse 29 says that we will get weary, but we can go to Him and find rest unto our souls. Isaiah 40:30 tells us that Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: However, verse 31 says, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. The word renew is used. When we use all of our strength, the Lord will renew it!

Becoming weary is totally normal. Certainly, we all will find ourselves there at some time in our lives. In fact, we probably will find ourselves there more than a few times. We may be halted in our steps because of weariness. Weariness may be a stop in the road, but let us not stay there. We can continue after we go to the Lord and allow Him to give us rest and to renew our strength!

by Vicki Voorhis

When I was an elementary-aged girl, my parents bought me a few iconic ‘80s toys. I had a Care Bear—Funshine to be precise. I had Bumblelion the Wuzzle. I had a Cabbage Patch doll as well. My parents used the adoption of the Cabbage Patch to teach me what it meant for me to be adopted. (We will not discuss my ingratitude for the little bald-headed baby version I was given, when my sister’s Cabbage Patch doll had beautiful, long brown hair.) Among these, one of the most memorable toys I was given was a Popple.

My Popple was purple with one blue ear, one pink ear, and a tuft of brightly colored clown-orange hair sitting on top of her head. While most generations know what Cabbage Patch dolls and Care Bears are, many are hopelessly confused as to what a Popple is. Even those who are of the same generation—who drank from water hoses and used the streetlights as a timekeeper—may not know what a Popple is. It was this adorable stuffed animal that had a pouch sewn on its back. When the Popple was “open,” it looked like a normal teddy bear-like creature. However, it could be wrapped up in its pouch to form a soft, squishy ball with a head. I loved my purple Popple.

One day, I took my Popple over to my friend’s house to play. Tiffany had the light pink Popple, and we were going to play with our Popples on the swing set in her backyard. Behind her house was a small, wooded area just on the other side of a retention ditch. This ditch was not very deep but often stayed quite muddy. As we were pushing our Popples on the swings, the neighborhood bully, Ashlyn, walked into Tiffany’s backyard. As it is with bullies, she snatched the purple Popple out of my hands and threw it into the boggy beyond.

Wails of, “I’m telling!” rang through the warmth and humidity of the Florida summer. Although we were not supposed to go in the woods and had better avoid the ditch as well, I just had to go and get my Popple. I fished the grubby purple furry ball out of the ditch. There was thick, sticky, brown goo all over. Its hard plastic eyes had mud caked on them, and the tuft of orange hair was now matted. Holding the Popple by the only clean spot—its tail—I carried it home to my mom.

Of course, Mom was concerned at my tears and lovingly listened to my account of Abominable, Awful Ashlyn and the ambushed attack of my purple Popple. I was so devastated, but my mom simply took the Popple into the kitchen and began brushing off the mud in the sink.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “We can clean her up.”

My mom proceeded to carry the Popple to the garage and place it in the washing machine. An hour later, the Popple emerged, clean and mud free. Although the fur was clean, it still was not quite ready.

“We can’t put her in the dryer because her plastic eyes and nose will melt,” Mom explained. “So, let her sit out here in the heat of the garage for a couple of days. Then she’ll be good as new.”

I still had my Cabbage Patch doll to keep me company. I still played school with Bumblelion and Funshine Bear as my star pupils. Tiffany and I went on several bike rides and adventures. However, I was still missing my Popple. When those few days had passed, I was ecstatic to get my Popple back.

Recently, as I was preparing to teach an elementary girls Sunday school class, the Lord brought this silly little childhood memory to my mind. I was studying in Galatians 6 when the Lord put the verse which says, …ye which are spiritual, restore such an one… together with this story. He used His Word and this incident to teach me a few things about restoring the Popples.

My Popple did not jump in the ditch.

As silly as it sounds, my Popple did not jump in the ditch. Not only that, but neither my friend Tiffany nor myself threw the Popple into the ditch. It was that neighborhood bully, Abominable, Awful Ashlyn—our arch-nemesis, our enemy—that threw my Popple into that ditch.

So many Christians fall into sin. Satan is working hard to snatch the Christian away from God’s will to throw him into the ditch of sin. Galatians 6:1 says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,… Satan will take any opportunity, even in the midst of the glorious summery days of life, to pounce in a sneak attack in the life of a Christian.

Someone had to go and get my Popple out of the ditch.

Although the ditch was not a place I wanted to be, if I wanted to get my Popple back, I would have to go and fish it out of the mire. It meant my little pink jelly shoes were going to get muddy; and because jelly shoes are what they are, it meant my feet were going to get muddy, too. However, I could not bear the thought of leaving my Popple in the ditch. He would be lonely and scared outside all night by himself. He would miss the rest of my toy family, and they would miss him. (I was a very tender-hearted, and possibly slightly delusional, little child.)

When our brothers and sisters in Christ have fallen in sin, we ought to be the first ones to help them get back to God. Galatians 6:1 continues, …ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;… God never commands the Christian to leave a family member struggling in sin. How heartless are those who ignore or, even worse, push someone back into the mud who is desperately trying to escape the quicksand of sin. It may take hours and years of devoted prayer and patient love which mars the pristine pink jelly shoes of our lives, but we must not give up on our Popples.

There was “great sorrow” over my ruined Popple.

Okay, so perhaps “great sorrow” is slightly hyperbolic, but to my young heart, that was the greatest tragedy one could experience at that moment in time. My poor Popple’s life was over. Finished! Done! I would never be able to play with her again. I needed to act quickly. Standing on the edge of the ditch and chiding her for being muddy would do no good. Poor purple Popple needed immediate assistance.

For those ensnared in Satan’s trap, life may seem hopeless. Those who love and care for those who are ensnared experience heartache as well. Our hearts are burdened for those lost in or enslaved by sin. Paul said in Romans 9:2-3, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart… as he considered his …kinsmen according to the flesh… and their relationship with God. His heart was so grieved for them that he wished for himself to be cursed for their sakes. Those in sin ought to bring us to our knees in grief rather than on our pedestal in judgment.

Mom showed love and care toward my Popple.

While I could go down into the ditch and get the Popple, I was not able to clean her myself. I did not know what soap to use or how to wash her safely in the washing machine. I definitely would not have considered what the heat of the dryer would have done to her plastic parts. I had to rely on the wisdom and expertise of my mother.

While we can encourage and love those who have fallen, we are not the One Who can clean them. In Psalm 51, David, in need of a run through the spiritual washing machine, cried out to God: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:…Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Only God can properly go through the cleaning process; but we can be there, eagerly waiting and hoping for the restoration.

Restoring my Popple took time.

While I wanted my Popple to be cleaned and ready to play with immediately, it took time. I had to be patient. I could not rush the process. Melted eyes and a nose would not have been a pretty picture. I had to trust my mom to do the cleaning she felt was best and wait for the work to be completed.

God can do a great miracle, but God will do it in His time. James 1:4 reminds us to be patient while God is working: But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. We cannot grow frustrated or impatient with those coming back to God for restoration. God is working on growing our patience, but He is also doing a mighty work in the fallen.

There was great joy when my Popple rejoined my family of toys.

As a child, I remember grabbing my Popple off of the clothes dryer and running back to the patio where my chalkboard easel was set up to play “school” with the rest of my dolls. I remember announcing to the “class” that we were so glad to have Popple back in class from being sick all week. (Bumblelion was especially happy to see Popple again.)

A silly illustration from a child with an overactive imagination shows the joy that comes from a sinner being restored to God. In Luke 15:6, the shepherd of one hundred sheep said, …Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. In Luke 15:9, the woman who had ten pieces of silver said, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. In Luke 15:23-24, the father of the prodigal son said, …let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Even greater than that, Jesus Himself said in Luke 15:10, Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Of course, a sinner who gets right with God feels the joy returning to his life; but all those around him experience the joy of his restoration as well.

Love, encourage, help, and pray for the ditch-dunked, mud-caked, bully-barraged Popples in your life. Then, rejoice when restoration is finished and patience has had that perfect work.

by Krystal Salm

Editor’s Note: This writer approached me recently concerning her desire to spend time in the presence of seasoned Christians in order to glean their wisdom and to put these interactions into article form for Christian Ladies Fellowship. This is the third of several interviews that she has written with the intent to help and motivate a younger generation of Christian ladies to examine how much more of their lives can they give to God. I know each reader will be encouraged through these unique interviews by Abigail Medford.

An Interview with Joy Wruck

Speaking with Mrs. Joy Wruck is a bit like having a conversation with a favorite devotional book. Every question asked is answered with a wise principle, an applicable Bible verse, and a concise, insightful anecdote from her past. She is a wealth of knowledge on all sorts of subjects and has a fascinating life story and testimony.

Born in a small town in Wisconsin, she eventually moved to Milwaukee, where she attended a large public high school. She described going to school there: “There were fights in the hall every day, and you survived by keeping your mouth shut and being invisible.” She had been saved at the age of seven and was led to the Lord by her father, who was a Baptist pastor. However, she soon was influenced by worldly classmates and began dating her best friend’s unsaved cousin. They got married when she was only 18.

Although heartbroken at her decision, her parents refused to give up on their daughter and new son-in-law. They prayed continually for his salvation and her surrender for three long years. God was faithful, and their prayers would be answered.

The young couple made their home in Green Cove Springs, Florida. After much persistence, a local pastor led Joy’s husband Chuck to the Lord. The Wrucks began attending church together. Soon after, the couple dedicated their lives to the Lord.

Nearly 47 years have come and gone, and still the Wrucks have remained faithful members of Immanuel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. They are among the most senior members of the church. Throughout the years, these two have participated and served in a plethora of ministries, including the bus, Sunday School, and children’s ministries. 

Although Mrs. Wruck has many areas of expertise, I came specifically in search of her wisdom in rearing children for the Lord. As a young mother just starting out with my family, I have often been overwhelmed with the sheer amount of advice and resources available. It is easy to become bogged down, confused, or led astray by the parenting philosophies of this world. However, Mrs. Wruck has proven by her testimony to be an ideal source of wisdom in this area. She has achieved the Christian mother’s dream: her four grown sons are faithfully serving the Lord, and her 25 grandchildren and one great-grandchild (with two more on the way!) are following in their footsteps. She truly exemplifies the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31: Her children arise up, and call her blessed: Her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Her clear, Biblical wisdom was such a blessing to me, and I know it will be the same to those reading this who take her advice to heart. Here are a few of the many things that Joy Wruck taught about parenting: 

Ask for wisdom.

Mrs. Wruck’s parenting motto was James 1:5, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given unto him. When faced with difficult parenting situations, she would pray for wisdom and allow God to bring a solution to her mind. She also reminded me that as time passes and the children leave home, “You still have the same fears, worries, and dreams, but no longer have the control. When your heart is heavy, it is time for fasting and praying.” 

Know your limits, and know your talents.

Every mother, Mrs. Wruck explained, has to know herself in order to be the best she can be. She discovered early in her parenting journey that she was not a good mother when she was not rested, so she adjusted her schedule to allow for sometimes taking a quick afternoon nap to ensure she was fully energized to parent her children after they got home from school. When she could feel that she was becoming too upset after a child misbehaved, she learned to send them to their rooms while she quieted her spirit, then take care of any needed discipline.

On the other hand, she is a wonderfully-creative woman. She was ingenious at coming up with costumes, games, and activities, not only for her own children  but also for her charges in Sunday School and Kid’s Klub, the children’s ministry that was held during the adult soulwinning time on Saturday mornings. Parents would regularly tell her and her husband that they had not been planning to go to soulwinning, but that their child had insisted they come so he or she would not miss out on Kid’s Club! As a result of the Wrucks’ dedication and creativity in Kid’s Club, more soulwinners went out to sow seed, and thus, more people were saved. 

Early training will leave a lifetime impression.

Mrs. Wruck reminisced that a childhood friend once told her that she would sometimes run away from her mother. In shock, Mrs. Wruck responded, “We NEVER ran from our mother. That was a high crime that would have brought severe punishment.” When she thought about it later, she discovered that she could not remember a single occasion when she had run from her mother. She realized that her mother must have instilled this important principle in her at a very young age. While she could remember neither the training nor even a punishment, the impression shaped the rest of her life. Making a spiritual application, she said, “My sons probably can’t remember all the nights we talked or the hours we spent teaching them. That training about God and character became a part of the fabric of their thinking and the building blocks of their lives because the seeds of godly living were planted deep within their hearts.” 

At one point in our discussion, I asked Mrs. Wruck why she had such a love for children and children’s ministries. She quoted Psalms 127:3, Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. “If God considers them a heritage or reward,” she explained, “then they must be of great value.”

Mrs. Wruck is what many of us strive to become: a godly Christian mother. However, her wisdom can span across our relationships and ministries to guide us––whether we are mothers, Sunday School teachers, bus workers, aunts, grandmothers, nursery workers, or all of the above––as we cultivate and train the next generation of great value. Her testimony proves that God will use us if we make a purposeful and determined effort to be all that God wants us to be in any role where He has placed us for the cause of Christ.

by Abigail Medford

Women tend to be worriers. I know I am! I try not to worry, but there are so many things that I can worry about in a given day: trying to accomplish many things in a limited amount of time each day, trying to meal plan in a healthier way, trying to keep a clean house, and attempting to maintain my health. The list is extensive, and I do not even have children yet! I will not even begin to name the things that I cannot control.

God always has a way to remind me not to worry but to pray instead. Let me say, praying even the simplest prayer really can take away that worry. Just the other day, I was reading in Psalm 42 when I came across the last verse of the chapter. This verse reads, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. This verse spoke to me; however, I continued reading. The last verse in the very next chapter says, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. These verses are nearly identical! I was taught that what is in the Bible is important; however, if a truth is in the Bible twice, then it is very important. When I read the verse in chapter 43, it was as if God were telling me, “You need to stop and listen to this verse.” That is exactly what I did. I began to pick the verse apart, piece by piece.

When I worry, I am cast down and discouraged. I tend to see what is right in front of me instead of the One Who is watching over me. The word disquieted is used in both verses. According to the dictionary, disquieted means “worried or anxious.” I tend to focus on all the problems that I see and cause myself to worry. When I worry about one thing, everything else seems to be burdens about which I need to worry.

God reminded me in this verse that my hope is in Him. I do not need to worry when God is with me. He is truly in control. Even on the days when everything feels out of control, God is right there holding everything in place, right where it needs to be.

My health—it is in God’s hands.

My time—it is in God’s hands.

My life—it is in God’s hands.

Do you need a stress reliever or a hobby to calm you? These verses have the secret: just praise God. The best way to praise God is through prayer. I have never said a prayer when I did not feel relieved by the end of that prayer. The burdens and trials are still there, but by the time I say “amen,” God gives me peace. These verses reminded me of a little chorus I learned called “Why Worry When You Can Pray.”

“Why worry when you can pray?

Trust Jesus. He’ll be your Stay.

Don’t be a doubting Thomas;

Trust fully on His promise.

Why worry, worry, worry, worry,

When you can pray?”

by Jessica Jackson

Happy Monday. “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

Packing a suitcase is not necessarily my favorite pastime unless it means I am going to a special place. Now, what I really do not like is unpacking! However, I am smart enough to know it must be done in order to put everything back in its place and to get the dirty laundry washed.

Comparatively, unpacking emotional baggage is not always done as promptly as it should be. The “dirty laundry” of regrets, failures, resentments, injustices, and other things cause emotional clutter that must be handled. There is an old saying that has been quoted many times throughout the years: “Past experience should be a guide post, not a hitching post.”

I am so thankful that Paul’s joyful spirit was reflected in his writings because his writings so often encourage me. He chose to live one extremely important thing: to forget the past—his cruelty to Christians and his adherence to false religion—and to press forward toward a better goal. Too many of us live life looking through the rearview mirror. We will never get far that way.

Remember Cinderella? What if she had gone back for her slipper? She never would have become a princess. Her future of being married to a prince and living in the castle would have been altered forever.

Have you ever heard the quote “Let go and let God”? Friend, today is finally the day to let God’s love cover all things in your life, including all secrets and all hurts. Let Him deal with the past and just continue serving Him.

God says in Isaiah 43:18-19, Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

I say, “Amen!”

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

Because I was privileged to grow up in a Christian home, I do not recall when I first heard the story of David and Goliath. It seems as if I have always known it; the same is true of the song we used to sing in Sunday school called, “Only a Boy Named David.” (If you know this song, it is probably playing in your head right now.) My thoughts instantly go to how small David was compared to Goliath, yet he still defeated the giant that day. However, this was not David’s first “giant.” The Bible tells us about David defeating a lion and a bear before he ever faced this giant named Goliath.

In life, we each will face our own giants. These giants can help us to grow, even though the fight may be difficult. We may not understand how we possibly can win against certain giants in our lives. Some giants are often unfamiliar and difficult to handle; it is not like anything we have ever faced in the past. Similarly, David had faced a lion and a bear up to this point, but not a human giant. He could not have known that, at the time of these early battles, he was being prepared to face Goliath.

What giant are you facing?

Giants can seem impossible to us while others may not consider them as such. I can remember being a teenager and sweating bullets because of an upcoming test. I would ask as many people as I knew to pray for me because, at the time, that test seemed terrifying. Others may have thought, “That’s a piece of cake,” but to me at that time, it seemed impossible. Then, as I became an adult, my giants got bigger. I knew how to face those giants in the past because I had learned how to face them and had survived.

Some giants are big, scary trials that we must endure. Others can be the giants of stepping out in faith and trusting God. Giants can be volunteering to participate in a new area of ministry where we may feel unqualified or lack confidence in our ability to be a help and a blessing.

Giants often come when we least expect them to appear. Early last year, I surrendered to God’s will. Because I knew I was exactly where He wanted me to be in my Christian life, I felt as though I was on that mountaintop. I did not know anything about a new area of ministry He had for me, but I knew that God would help me and show me what to do. Only two months later, I suddenly and unexpectedly lost my father. I had conquered my giant of stepping out on faith and just got back to the mountaintop, and then I came crashing down to the valley with the death of my father. I was overwhelmed and devastated by this giant that had showed up out of nowhere. The old familiar feelings of grief that I had experienced when my mom went to Heaven just five years earlier showed up at my door step once again.  

How do you face the giant?

First, we must have surrendered hearts. When David defeated the lion and the bear, he knew it was God Who had given him the victory. He knew it was not in his own strength. He gave God the glory for defeating those giants. If we try to defeat the giants in our own strength, we will surely fail. Many of us have said just before facing our giants, “I’ve got this.” In the many times I have said this, things never turn out how I thought they would because I failed to lean on the only One Who can give the victory. We must be surrendered to God. We must give up our thoughts of how we think things should go by giving our minds, hearts, and wills to Him.

Second, we must remember that our giants may change, but God does not. He is the same God that helped us face our previous giants. He will always be there, giving us strength to face our giants. We never have to face the giants alone. If we do feel alone, we can go to the same God that David spoke of in I Samuel 17:45 when he said, …I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts,…

Last, we must be willing to face our giants. David was willing to fight Goliath because he knew on Whom his faith rested. He was able to boldly stand and face Goliath, not in his own strength but in God’s. Will we run from our giants? We may think, “I will just deal with it later.” However, we can rest assured that God has not changed, and He will allow us to have the victory over our giants, as long as we have the faith to trust Him to carry us through the battle. What seemed impossible to everyone that day became reality when God used David to defeat Goliath.

May we all boldly stand before our giants with surrendered and willing hearts, knowing we are not alone, but with God. May we declare that it was that God Who carried us to victory. God has always helped me face my giants. I have learned that it is not my strength but in God’s. Today, we can stand confidently before our giants, resting on the assurance of the past battles we have won through God and knowing that these giants will be conquered through that same faith in our Deliever!

by Mandy Harper

Over the past year, I have been trying to transform my sad collection of weeds, sand, and sparse grass into a decent, pollinator-friendly garden. While the results appear underwhelming to the average passerby, I have learned a great deal and have made some significant strides. In the process, God has reminded me of so many spiritual principles.

One of the first things I have learned, albeit the hard way, is the value of native plants. I planted several popular plants that the large signs at the big-box store promised would attract pollinators to my yard. I put much time and energy into the success of these beautiful plants. Meanwhile, during our walks around the neighborhood, I noticed that the bees were always swarming in a particular area. What beautiful plants were attracting them? They were the lowly creeping wood sorrel and frog fruit, both tiny, nondescript plants, often eradicated with weed killer on a typical lawn. When I searched in my own yard, I found some in a neglected corner. They had been there the whole time; we had just been mowing that area so often that they never flowered!

I was reminded of the story of David and Goliath, when King Saul graciously offered his professional armor to David:

And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. – I Samuel 17:38-40

This armor would have been expertly crafted and the typical choice for a fight with a giant. Yet, David rejected it for his humble sling and stones. David embraced what God had already given him. He did not need to add to what God had already provided to complete the task.

I Corinthians 12:21-25 reminds us, And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

How often do we in our Christian lives focus on developing talents and abilities for which we have no “natural” affinity, just because we see someone else using those talents well or think that an area of service would bring us honor and popularity from our peers? We would be better served to take care first of the frog fruit and wood sorrel in our own yards before we seek to add anything else. Our talents may look lowly to us, but they are just as serviceable to God as the showy talents another may have. In fact, those seemingly humble bits of our personality may be exactly what we must implement to fulfill our role in God’s will.

 by Abigail Medford