Happy Monday. “God is to be praised with the voice, and the heart should go therewith in holy exaltation.” – Charles Spurgeon

I have always been captivated by the story of Paul and Silas and by their response to being in stocks in prison and to suffering from being beaten. Acts 16:25 says, And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:… Now here is the “rest of the story.” They were set free, then they won the jailer and his family to Christ and rejoiced along with others.

How could Paul and Silas sing while suffering? How could they rejoice in such a time?

The Bible tells us that fixed hearts will sing. Psalm 57:7 says, My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Certainly, this tells us that Paul and Silas were committed to a right attitude.

Psalm 13:6 says, I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. From this we understand that grateful hearts will sing. In the case of Paul and Silas, for what were they grateful? Was it just their choice to praise?

David’s words might come to mind. He said that singing and praising pleases God even more than sacrifices. Psalm 69:30-31 says, I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Even while in pain, these men wanted to please God.

As we think of the powerful conversion of Paul and of what a changed man he became, we know that God must have put a new song in his mouth as David spoke about in Psalm 40:3. As this verse tell us, many could see Paul’s song, and they also could trust in the Lord. Thus, the jailer’s conversion is quite understandable. Though it was a midnight time, Paul and Silas knew the truth of Psalm 77:6a, I call to remembrance my song in the night:…

David also said in Psalm 59:16 that he sang because of God’s power and defense! Of course I am only speculating, but I do think there are lessons for us here. God wants us to sing and to do so from a heart fixed on Him! We could think, “Who, me? I can’t sing!” Henry Van Dyke once said, “The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.?”

The sad story in Psalm 137 tells of the Jews in captivity who had hung their harps on a willow tree and refused to sing among their captors. They lost their song and were dying a slow death because of discouragement and self-pity.

The question we each should ask ourselves is this: “How’s my song?”

The second verse of a song my daughter Becky wrote some years ago says,

“The song of my life has ceased to rhyme;

The chords are all out of key!

All gone are the songs of the springtime,

But the Master still has use for me!”

The chorus goes on victoriously:

“He won’t discard the pieces;

He holds them in His hand,

And with His tender mercy,

He’ll love and understand.

No matter how I’m broken,

I’ll still be called His child.

He won’t discard the pieces;

He’ll use me after awhile.”

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. – Psalm 100:2

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. – John 8:1-2

Lately, I have been feeling quite disconnected from God in my Bible reading and personal devotions. I would read the Bible and even listen to it at times, making sure to get God’s Word in my head every day, no matter what. Still, it had been a while since I had “heard” God tell me something during my personal Bible time. I started to wonder why this was. I never audibly said, “God, what’s up? Why are You not speaking to me?” However, I harbored this question in my mind and heart for a while. This morning, God answered my question in such a kind and loving way that I wanted to share it.

To get something from spending time with God, we must be willing to follow a few simple guidelines. I am certain that we all have heard sermons or read books about the things I am going to mention; but, sometimes God must repeat things to us. He will remind us when we are a little off track and steer us in the right direction. Some readers may already be doing some of these things, but some may also be like me, tending to let other things take the place of reading the Bible.

Look for God First Thing in the Morning

For the most part, I seek God first thing in the morning. Before I go downstairs to eat breakfast or get ready for work, I go to the Bible first. However, it has been a while since I have physically taken my Bible in hand to “read” it. I am often in such a hurry in the morning that I fall back on an audible Bible app, scrolling to the book and chapter listed on my Bible reading plan and letting the app read to me. Even though I technically am seeking God first thing in the morning and listening to His Word, there is no substitute for reading from the physical Bible. Even if it is by spending only fifteen minutes reading, it is important to see the words as they are read. Seeing God’s words on those pages will penetrate our hearts and minds in a way that listening to the Bible cannot.

Come to God

Verse 2 of John 8 says, …and all the people came unto him… Just as we flock to the church building to gather, listen, and learn from the preaching of God’s Word, we must create a habit of going to God in our personal devotions. God is not going to forcibly push us toward our Bibles every morning or every day. We often may pass by our Bibles during our morning routines and completely disregard opening them while thinking, “I’m in a hurry” or “I will do it later.” If we do not come before God with Bible in hand, we cannot expect Him to speak to us or show us that one thing we desperately need to get through the day. Instead of passing by the Bible, pick it up!

Find Your Spot

It is so important to have that one “spot” at home where we consistently meet with God. When my husband passed away, I realized how much I needed that spot: a dedicated place where I could just shut everything out for a few minutes, take up my Bible, and read. I experimented with many places at first but soon learned that the place that felt right to me was in my living room on my couch. Just as I go to church every week and have my special seat picked out where I can sit to listen to the preaching and to learn from God, I have a “spot” in my home where I can personally meet with the Lord.

Sadly, I had forsaken this place for many months, replacing it with my art studio table where I write the Scriptures and journal in my Bible. There was nothing wrong with this, but I realized that I missed reading the Bible on my couch. It is a fellowship that cannot be replaced by anything else.

Sit Down and Be Still

Verse 2 also says, …and he sat down… Jesus sat down with the people. Just as He sat down with the people gathered around Him at the Mount of Olives, we also should sit down in that special spot to meet with God. I was humbled when God showed me this because it seems that I am always on the go, doing something for someone else, and I cast aside the fact that I need to take the time to sit down and meet with God. Nothing else that I do in my life can replace this quiet time with Him.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is found in Psalm 46. Verse 10 says, Be still, and know that I am God… If I do not learn to have a time during my day when I can sit down and learn from God, I will most surely be missing important lessons that will help me be a better Christian. We must not let the busyness of life steal these precious moments we need.

Let God Teach You

Jesus …taught them. Yes, He taught them important life lessons on the Mount of Olives, but He did not do so as He was rushing by the scribes and Pharisees when they approached Him with an adulterous woman. No, He was sitting down on the mountain and teaching them. God teaches us the best lessons when we are sitting in our spots, holding His Word, and listening with open hearts.

Jesus said nary a word to the scribes and Pharisees as they accused this woman of adultery. It was clear she was guilty, but He did not say anything. After waiting until they were finished, He said just one thing that is found in verse 7: …He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Then, He commenced writing on the ground. The Bible does not say what He wrote, but it was enough to convict these men, and one by one, they began to leave.

Later, Jesus asked the woman where her accusers were. She saw that no one was left, and then Jesus told her to go and sin no more. The lesson He taught here is that of compassion. No one is perfect; we all sin. Therefore, we all should have compassion on others when they are at their lowest. Those on the Mount of Olives never would have learned this lesson if they had not been sitting there listening to Jesus.

I am grateful God has allowed me to get back to my “spot” on the couch this morning. I needed to be reminded that this is where I will learn the most and feel more connected to Him daily. Will I continue to journal in my Bible and write the Scriptures? Of course, I will! This is part of how I meet with and worship the Lord, but it should not be the only way I meet with God.

I encourage you, dear lady, to find your “spot” this morning!

by April Hernandez

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. – II Corinthians 12:15

A popular gardening project is creating a butterfly garden. While most imagine a small, whimsical collection of brightly colored flowers with butterflies flitting about, the actual process is more scientific. Butterflies will happily drink nectar from many flowers, but in order to support the species for its entire lifespan, a gardener must provide shelter, sunlight, water, host plants, and nectar plants.

When I set out to make my own garden, I dutifully bought things in each category. I was particularly careful to buy milkweed, the host plant to the endangered monarch butterfly and a plant which every resource I studied urged me to buy! With my small garden prepared and my Mexican petunias, live oak, plumbago, daisies, and porterweeds blooming, I waited excitedly for the butterflies to arrive. Sure enough, they did; and I was even more elated to discover tiny monarch caterpillars on my milkweed plants! But, just a few days later, I was devastated to see that my full, leafy milkweed plants had been reduced to shriveled, bare stalks. After some frantic online research, I realized that this was exactly what was supposed to happen. A single monarch caterpillar can devour a milkweed leaf in less than five minutes, and each caterpillar will devour 175-200 leaves before forming its chrysalis. No wonder my poor milkweeds were looking so bare!

As I pondered this phenomenon, I was reminded of how we all set out to be useful in our Christian lives. We want to draw others to our Saviour. We want to use our talents to bring glory to Him. We want to help others. Oftentimes, we instead are shocked and dismayed to discover being a good Christian requires much more of us than what we first realized.

It is a wonderful thing to be a good Christian by offering our flowers—our talents and strengths—to bring glory to God. How admirable! However, it requires a rather different level of sacrifice to submit to being devoured and used up in His service. No one looks at bare milkweed stalks and thinks, “What magnificent beauty!” Yet, without the milkweed’s sacrifice, the magnificently beautiful monarch butterfly could not exist.

The ministry of our Lord was not just in healing the sick, raising the dead, turning water into wine, and speaking to thousands on the Mount. It was also in being mocked, persecuted, backstabbed, and broken for us. The apostle Paul described this same thing in II Corinthians 12:15: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. Sadly, even Christians whom Paul had won to Christ and for whom he had sacrificed immensely “ate up” his time and energy. His eloquence and testimony attracted Priscilla, Aquila, Timothy, Luke, and many others; yet he also had to put up with the carnal Corinthians, the foolish Galatians, and the hypocritical Jews. All was in service for the cause of Christ.

Friend, are you willing to be a barren, depleted stalk to serve others? Are you willing to be spent for Him?

by Abigail Medford

I have a Facebook group for my business in which there are more than 200 members. On a regular basis, I would say that less than half of those members actually interact in the group and order products from my business. It is the minority of members in my group that shares my love for the product. Therefore, what are the majority of members doing? They are watching.

In the last week, I have seen some who I did not even realize were members of the group place orders, interact, and even ask about the job opportunity. From where did they come? The truth of the matter is that they were always there; they were just sitting in the shadows. They were always watching. Then one day, something clicked and caused them to want to know more, to make a purchase, and to get involved.

Our Christian lives are exactly the same. Someone is always watching us. It might be a child, a relative, a friend, a co-worker, or even a stranger. These people are lurking in the shadows, watching to see if our walk matches our talk. They are watching to see how we react to different situations. They are watching to see if we will quit.

You may say that you do not want people to watch you, but you do not have a choice. They are going to watch you. Will you give them something worth watching? You claim to be a Christian, but if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? If someone were looking for Jesus, would he be able to find Him by watching you?

These are very convicting yet important questions. There are people watching us whose spiritual lives depend upon what they see when they watch us. Who knows how long they will watch before making a decision to get saved, to attend church, or to get involved in the work. They may never do it if we are not faithful.

Sometimes in business and in our Christian lives, we get bored or tired. We sometimes wonder if it is worth it, and we even consider giving up. However, when someone who has been waiting in the shadows steps up and takes action, we have joy unspeakable! All of a sudden, we have new life and energy to keep pressing on for Christ! We are not on an island alone; someone is watching.

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:… – Titus 2:7

by Crystal Collingsworth

I love the ocean—the sound of the waves swelling and crashing, the scent of the salt and sand, the interesting sea life, and the vast view of endless water. With all these things overloading my senses, I experience such peace and contentment as I take in all this beauty. Each small piece of God’s amazing creation overwhelms me with immense gratitude and reminds me of the many lessons God has taught me.

One such reminder came as I was watching the waves crash onto the shore and then dissipate as they rolled back into the ocean. The big waves appeared ominous in the distance, but as they drew closer to the beach, I watched them eventually seem to melt away into the sand. Among the larger waves were many smaller ones, crashing and dissipating one after another. My perspective from the safety of the beach allowed me to see that all was well and that I had no reason to fear the giant waves in the distance. I knew the power of those waves would lesson after they broke and would eventually wash away.

Life brings with it many trials. Some are so big that they alarm us, while others are smaller and less ominous. Just like those waves, our bigger struggles seem as though they may sweep us away. If we were to foolishly venture out into the pounding surf, the force of those waves may cause us to stumble, lose some ground, and even fall. However, every trial eventually loses power and dissipates, as does every wave. Just like we find protection when we stay on the beach, we can find safety by standing firm on God’s promises and holding fast to Him.

When I remember that He is in control and will never fail me, I have the peace I need to make it through whatever trials I am facing. Life’s waves will come, but we can survive them when we remain anchored fast to the instructions in God’s Word. Whether the waves headed our way are big or small, stay with Him on the shore. He promises to never leave us or forsake us, no matter what!

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. – II Samuel 22:31-34

by Jaime Wilson

As our Christian school began preparing for Teacher’s Planning Week, I found myself feeling overwhelmed with everything that I needed to get done in just a few days. I had my regular teacher stuff to complete: putting my room together, getting lessons ready, and preparing everything that goes with a successful start to a new school year. However, unlike previous years, I was moved to a new room with a new class, all while the school was undergoing extensive remodeling. I also had to get my own children prepared for the start of school. My youngest would be going to school for the first time. In addition to this, I had minor surgery scheduled for the Friday before school started, not to mention the normal weekly tasks looming over me of laundry, dishes, and meals. I was just overwhelmed!

As I sat in my car on the first day of Planning Week, not really wanting to even go in the building, I prayed and told God how overwhelmed I was feeling. He reminded me how David spoke about being overwhelmed. I opened the Bible app on my phone and looked up the word “overwhelmed.” One of the verses that came up was Psalm 142:3, When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.

What a comfort that when we are overwhelmed, God isn’t! He knows where we are, and He knows the road we are walking. In verse 2 of this psalm, David says, I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. He told God what was going on in his life and what he did not like about it. David also comes back with the thought that …thou knewest my path.

In the midst of trouble, God knows our paths. When we have plenty about which to complain, God already knows what is up ahead for us. When we are overwhelmed, God knows right where we are. God is able to change the circumstances or even just calm our hearts in the midst of those seemingly-impossible circumstances.

David reminded me that God was with me in this week that had seemed so impossible. Now, I knew I could make it through the week for sure with God on my side. When we are overwhelmed, God isn’t!

by Vicki Voorhis

My hands were shaking and my heart was pounding as I dialed my mom’s cell phone number. I had just been in my first car accident. I was an eighteen-year-old high school senior, just days away from graduating. I was headed home to prepare for the teen awards banquet that would be later that evening. Suddenly, I found myself standing on the side of road with smoke billowing from under the hood of my car.

My mom did not answer her phone. I did not know what to do, so I called the office at my Christian school which was just a few miles away. I frantically told the girl on the phone what had happened and that I needed someone to come be with me until I could make contact with my mom. My piano teacher, who had passed by the office at that moment, got on the phone and told me she would be there right away.

Today, some things from that incident are a blur; I do not remember exactly how all the events transpired. However, I will never forget how my teacher dropped everything she was doing to drive to where I was and to stand by my smashed car on the side of the road.

Most of us are quite familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10:29, we find an account about a lawyer who asked Jesus, …And who is my neighbour? Jesus replied with a parable about a man who was attacked by thieves and was left on the side of the road to die. A priest and a Levite each passed by the injured man and went on their way. We do not know why they did not stop. Maybe they did not think they had time to spare. Maybe they wanted to think about it first. Then, a Samaritan found the man, bound up his wounds, brought him to an inn, and cared for him. At the end of the story, Jesus asked, Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

A friend is unselfish and willing to be inconvenienced—stopping to help interrupted the Samaritan’s travel plans.

Surely, my friend had things she needed to get done. After all, she was at work. She had no idea how long she would need to stay with me. It could have ruined her plans for the whole evening. She was more concerned about helping someone than she was about her own schedule.

A friend does not have to “think about it”—the Samaritan helped as soon as he saw the need.

When I needed help, my friend immediately moved to help. She did not try to find a way out or see who else could do it. She knew she could help, so she did not hesitate to do so.

A friend stays true—the Samaritan made provision for the man’s future care and promised to return; he planned to remain a friend and help again.

More than 20 years since this event took place, I absolutely believe that I could call this friend now in a time of need, and she would still drop everything to come help me. A friend who remains faithful for decades is a great treasure.

A friend’s actions will influence another—the way the Samaritan treated the injured man was life-changing.

The way my piano teacher treated me in that moment was an important influence on me. I never forgot that act of kindness and friendship extended to me that day. This has motivated me always to be that type of friend to others.

As we see in the parable, a good-neighbor friend does not have to be a “best bud” or someone we know really well. He is the one who is willing to stand beside us in our time of need. Let us decide today that we will be a good neighbor to the one who needs a friend.

“Others, Lord, yes, others,

Let this my motto be;

Help me to live for others,

That I may live like Thee.”

-Charles D. Meigs

by Amber Slimp

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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. – Isaiah 40:28-31

These verses talk about the word faint. The word faint in our physical lives can mean “weak or dizzy, causing loss of consciousness.” I have been very fortunate never to have experienced a fainting episode. A few times, I have thought I may faint or felt as though I would “pass out,” but I never did. However, I have seen another person faint. We all have had times when we have felt weak or faint physically. This feeling can come from becoming overheated, overworked, and even overwhelmed (for example, having overwhelming fear such as having stage fright).

There have been times when I would come home feeling physically and emotionally exhausted after working a twenty-four-hour shift on an ambulance. During some shifts, we would go to call after call, and the shift seemed to never end. On these days, I would walk in the door of my house, hit the pillow, and sleep for hours. Rest is what I needed.

In our spiritual lives, we are going to have days when we are faint and are just exhausted. While enduring trials, heartaches, or just hard times, we will become faint and weak. A familiar passage of Scripture that I was taught at a young age is Psalm 23, and I find myself quoting it often. The second verse of that chapter says, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:… This verse reminds me of when I was young and was made to take a nap. I was not too keen on that idea! However, my parents knew that I needed to rest.

God knows we need the rest too. Often times in our day-to-day lives, we run our races serving God, and we find ourselves growing tired physically and spiritually. I believe God makes us rest by putting us in situations in which we need to stop for a little while and spend time with Him while resting in His care. The chapter continues in saying, He restoreth my soul:… Our God going to give us rest, and it is in that rest that He can work on us, restore us, and give us a recharge or a reboot.

As a mom of three amazing children, there are days when I am exhausted. As they grow older, I am not as tired as I was when they were awake half of the night. I do get weary mentally, though, of the constant “Mom? Mom? Mom?” that I hear. I must admit that there are some times when I pray, “Lord, please make them say ‘Dad’ just this one time!” Making sure my daughter does her piano lessons every day, getting my youngest to speech therapy, doing the twice-a-week Walmart pickups for groceries, and yes, even playing basketball with my oldest can feel overwhelming! I will not even talk about the endless piles of laundry that need to be washed and put away! Being a wife and mother can be demanding at times, but I am never alone in doing all I need to do. Even with all of the things that come along with being a wife and mother, God is still there for me.

In our weak condition, let us be reminded that we have a strong God. Isaiah 40:28 assures us of this: …hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God,…fainteth not, neither is weary?… In our fainting situations, we have a God Who is willing and ready to pick us up and carry us through to the other side. When our strength is weak, we can rest in Him, and He will restore us.

by Mandy Harper

I was listening to a song this morning called “To Count for Jesus.” As I listened to the words of the song, I thought of the life of my husband. The song talks about making our lives here on earth count for the honor and glory of God. All I could think of was thousands of times when my husband put aside his wants and needs to supply those of others. His life actually reflected what this song says. He used every moment that he walked here on the face of the earth to be a blessing to others, not to glory in himself but to bring glory to our God. It does not mean that he was perfect, but his longing and desire was always to serve God, no matter the circumstances.

My husband always strived to provide for his family and to be a good husband and father. If he had a little extra to give his daughters, he did. If he had enough to give to others after providing for his family, he did that, too. In addition, he strived every moment to serve his God with all his soul. I could not count how many hours he spent in prayer for the congregations to whom he ministered through the years. He got up early every morning to pray for his family and for the members of his churches. Many times, he would go out in the middle of the night when someone called him for help. However, he did not do all of that for self-recognition. No, he did it so people could see Jesus through his life.

This song talks about how it is much better to live life collecting treasures for Heaven than gathering material possessions here on earth. While many of us always ask the question of why God put us here on earth, my husband found his purpose. His purpose was to preach the Word of God, and he never ever stopped doing this. When God called him to preach two weeks after being saved, he did not question the Holy Spirit of God. He simply began to preach and to share the plan of salvation with other people. Many times, people laughed at him, but he never gave up. He moved forward, learning every day of his life how to serve God better than the day before.

I really miss his example and dedication to the work of God; and when I feel as if I no longer have the strength to take another step, I remember his strength and dedication. That encourages me to keep going because I know that serving God is not in vain and that God has a purpose for my life. I appreciate every moment I had to learn from him, and I thank God for the good memories he left me.

I hope this little meditation will be a blessing to you. God bless you.

To Count for Jesus

All want their lives to count for something,

To leave their mark when life is through,

But vain pursuits will count for nothing;

Time will erase whate’er we do.

I want my life to count for Jesus,

For earthly things will quickly fade.

No need to add to worldly riches;

I only seek eternal gain.

Inside my heart there burned a question:

“What was I placed on earth here for?”

It truly was to build a kingdom,

Not of my own but of the Lord’s.

I want my life to count for Jesus,

For earthly things will quickly fade.

No need to add to worldly riches;

I only seek eternal gain.

by April Hernandez

Happy Monday. I Timothy 4:7 says, …exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Today as I returned from my walk (in the mall to escape the heat), my mind drifted back to memorizes from five years ago. After being diagnosed with stage I breast cancer and having undergone several procedures including a lumpectomy, I was informed by my doctor that I would need six weeks of radiation. He informed me of possible side effects with the most frequent one being fatigue. Boy, was he right! He had said the best thing to counteract lack of energy was to take daily walks. I argued (under my breath), “Why would I want to expend energy when I have none?” However, he was right. I discovered that my walks energized me.

I thought about the times I have been spiritually lethargic or just indifferent. Yes, I am just like everyone else. I ask myself this question, “How’s my walk?” Is my time spent in the Bible a so-called “duty,” or do I really meet with the God of the universe and hear Him speak? It is not the number of verses or length of time that count, but a matter of feeling His presence and my heart being touched. Is my prayer life stagnant and lazy? Am I praying in generalities instead of naming specific needs and believing by faith that I have been heard?

When these things are in their proper places in my life, I am ready to walk away from my “comfort zone” into a world of hurting people who need encouragement. It has been said, “The greatest exercise for the heart is to reach down and lift someone up.”

Most doctors emphasize the need for exercise, and nearly all conclude that walking briskly is an excellent way of keeping fit. If we are to “finish strong” in our race of life, we must stay fit. Only as we schedule the time and keep to our schedules for “spiritual” exercise will we complete our courses successfully.

About walking, I loved hearing Dr. Wendell Evans say, “Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.”

by Beverly Hyles

From the Mondays with Beverly blog. Reprinted with permission.

Over the past few years, I have been struggling with some extra challenges at work. Our VP/CFO was forced to retire early before she could grant the promotion for which she had been cultivating me. Her position was split into three positions, and a new senior leadership team was implemented. None of these individuals were aware of my twenty-one years of service, which included me progressively taking on more leadership within a specific area. When I thought God was going to reward my faithfulness, it seemed as though I had been pushed to the back seat. Even my twenty-fourth anniversary with the company was overlooked because our entire team was sent home during COVID-19.

Prior to this new setback, I had a conversation with our VP about my future direction and his goals for me in the company. He could not make any promises, but he did tell me that a couple of senior leaders would be retiring within the next three to five years. I reminded him that I could be patient, as demonstrated by my history with the company; at the same time, I needed to know that the company truly had my best interest in mind. While this discussion garnered hope, I was still struggling with the disappointment of feeling as though I was losing ground with my goals.

As I read about David in my Bible this morning, something struck me right between the eyes—not unlike David’s stone striking Goliath! King Saul had forfeited his right to lead, yet he was still in the position. After David was anointed as king in I Samuel 16:13, we find in verse 19 that David was tending the sheep again. David was promised a position of leadership, but someone held him back! Saul was holding that position! In the description of David in verse 18, we get a glimpse that David continued to lead and grow steadily while doing what was before him: Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him. David was then called to play the harp for Saul to soothe the evil spirit Saul battled. The Bible does not tell us how long David filled this role, but he was so close to Saul that Saul was sending word to Jesse that he wanted David to stay as his armourbearer by verse 21.

Despite David’s rise in position, by I Samuel 17:55, after David had slain Goliath, Saul enquired, …Abner, whose son is this youth?… David had been forgotten! He continued plugging along, doing what he always did, until God called him to do the next thing. I love what David told Goliath in I Samuel 17: 47. He said, And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

Wow! What a reminder for me! If King David could keep doing right while waiting for God’s timing, then so can I! The battle is the Lord’s and not mine. I may be overlooked and forgotten, but in God’s time, I will get the position that He has for me. I just need to keep doing right.

Friends, if you are like me and feel that you have been mistreated, join me in taking a lesson from David. Just keep doing what you know to do, growing along the way, and let God fight the battle for you! With Him fighting for us, we will certainly win!

by Melissa Caperton

A few months ago, my friend and I were out visiting our Sunday school members. We made a stop to see a girl in my class who rides the bus to church. We may have thought we were just doing our usual visitation to encourage the children to be in Sunday school that week, but the Lord had much bigger plans!

As I was parking the car in front of the house, I noticed that there were two women outside on the front porch. I then said a quick prayer: “Lord, please give me the words to say.” I pray this because I need God’s help not to stumble through my words or say something weird. When we introduced ourselves, we discovered that one lady was the girl’s mom and that the other was her neighbor. I asked the mom if her daughter would be able to come to church the next day, and she said yes. The neighbor was surprised to hear that our church has a bus that gives anyone a ride to church who wants to go. She thought that was amazing!

I then shared my testimony with both ladies. First, I told them that I grew up in a Christian home. My parents were saved and were faithful to church, but that did not mean I was saved. I tried to live a good life, of course. Sadly, I realized that would never be enough to get me to Heaven. The neighbor acknowledged she also had made some mistakes in her life. I told her that, despite our imperfections, Jesus loves us. Because of our sinful nature and inability to achieve Heaven ourselves, Jesus came to the earth to die for ALL mankind. Then, from the Bible, I showed both ladies how to be saved—to know without a doubt that Heaven could be their eternal home. The ladies bowed their heads and asked Jesus to come into their hearts!

As we exchanged phone numbers, the neighbor said, “What time is the bus coming by tomorrow? I want to go to church!” That afternoon, she texted me to ask if her fiancé and his son could ride as well.

I said, “Absolutely!”

The next day, she rode the bus to church, along with her fiancé and his son. At the end of the morning service, as the invitation was given, I walked her and her fiancé down the aisle. Someone talked to the fiancé about salvation, and he got saved. Afterward, both of them were baptized. Then, the following Sunday, the fiancé’s son got saved and was baptized.

A couple months later, I led the girl—the same one we had visited on that Saturday morning—to the Lord after Sunday school. The neighbor who had been saved and baptized brought her mom to Sunday school a few weeks after that. Her mom got saved, too!

Recently, while our family was helping in the nursing home ministry, Preacher Tom Neal said in his message to the residents, “God needs YOU, not another you. You are someone’s only hope!”

That Saturday, I could have just said a simple “hello” and gone on my way. This chain of events never would have happened had I not made myself available to the Holy Spirit’s leading. I did not make the difference; God did. He just allowed me to have a part in this because I was willing. How wonderful it is to be used of God to make a difference!

Do not underestimate what God can do on an average day when you are faithful! You may think that doing those every-week Sunday school visits is not that important. However, for this mother, her neighbor, and their families, a Sunday school visit made an eternal difference. God wants to use you to make the ordinary extraordinary. Do you remember the day you were saved and who led you to Christ? That day changed eternity for you!

Let God use you to share His message of salvation. You may be someone’s only hope!

by Mandy Harper