Manna For Moms

Devotions for Moms Like You!

When You Just Can’t Get it Right

Megan Breedlove No Comments

girl and broken vaseMy precious daughter Lindsey is a sweet, loving girl. She wants nothing more in life than to please and encourage others and have others delight in her right back. I literally almost never have discipline problems with her (at least not the kind where she misbehaved, but knew better).

One thing Lindsey does struggle with, however, is her tendency to knock things over, break things, or make an inadvertent mess. Part of it’s her ADHD; part of it’s because she’s such a physical kid; part’s because…who knows? She hates the fact that she does these things, because she never means to (and because she wants people to be happy with her). But she still struggles.

One day, while it was still early in the morning, Lindsey knocked something over. I reminded her to be careful and asked her to pick it up. A little while later, Lindsey did something else (I don’t even remember what, because it wasn’t a big deal to me), and I again reminded her to be careful.

“Sorry,” Lindsey said sadly. “I just can’t do anything right today.”

We’ve all felt like Lindsey. We’ve all known the frustration and discouragement of trying harder and harder, yet continuing to fail. To get it wrong. To let ourselves down (and maybe others).

What do we do then? How do we deal with it when our best efforts aren’t good enough?

We take the issue before God and ask Him if it really matters if we get it right. Sometimes, we beat ourselves up over things that don’t really matter. Does it really make a difference if we can’t throw birthday parties or holiday parties that look like they should be on Pinterest? Does it matter if we’re not as organized as someone else? Is it really a big deal if we’re not as talented, or pretty, or educated, or whatever as someone else?

Probably not. God will let us know if something really matters. And if it doesn’t, He’ll help us gain the right perspective on it and stop stressing ourselves out trying to attain a goal that isn’t all that important, anyway.

But if it does matter—if we really do need to be getting it right more often than we are—He’ll tell us that, too. And when He does, instead of focusing on ourselves (“I got it wrong again!”), we need to focus on Him (“Thank You, God, for Your perfect forgiveness”). We need to accept the forgiveness He offers us, believe that we have it, and try our best next time—without condemnation. After all, if He doesn’t condemn us, who are we to condemn ourselves?

I know it can be really hard to try “one more time” when we’ve already tried many times and failed most of them. But remember that we do not try in our own power, or alone. That’s because Jesus not only desires holy behavior from us, but He also gives us His strength and wisdom to achieve it and stands by us as we struggle.

My friend, you do not struggle alone. Satan would love to have you think that you do—that God is terribly displeased with you because you haven’t gotten it right yet. He doesn’t want you to know the truth, that as the precious Bride of Christ, you are no longer condemned. God doesn’t hate you, or even dislike you. He loves you madly and passionately, and that doesn’t change even when you sin. No, God doesn’t always like what you do, but he always loves you.

So the next time you mess up, instead of casting your eyes downward in defeat, lift them up, toward the One who’s given you the victory over sin. True, you’re not sinless yet, and won’t be until you reach heaven. But sin is no longer your master. You are no longer under its authority, and no longer condemned when you commit some act of wrongdoing.

When Satan tries to discourage you, you can say to him, “Yes, I did that, but I’m forgiven because of what Jesus did on the cross. Praise His name!”

Romans 8:1a—There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

Living It Out: Being Thankful

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Thanksgiving Tree 2014As I write, it’s only a few days until Thanksgiving. The ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner, which will take place at my house this year, sit on shelves in my freezer, refrigerator, and pantry. The special tablecloths and tableware (we’re using Thanksgiving-themed paper and plastic) rest on the floor of my closet in the plastic bags they came in from the store. The house is on its way to being holiday-clean, and the Thanksgiving tree is on the wall.

We started the tradition of a Thanksgiving tree a few years ago. I cut several sheets of black construction paper into shapes that resembled a tree trunk and branches and taped them to the wall. I made some leaf shapes from colored construction paper and encouraged each child to take leaves and write one thing he or she is thankful for on each leaf, which we then taped to the “tree”.

This year’s Thanksgiving tree involves store-bought leaves (yay, Dollar Tree!), but the idea is still the same. With 5 children, there are 75 colorful leaves helping make a beautiful Thanksgiving decoration in our living room.

In a few days, we’ll take down the Thanksgiving tree and put up the Christmas tree instead. We’ll crumple up the pieces of construction paper and colored leaves and throw them in the trash. The Thanksgiving tree will be done for.

I hope my children’s thankful attitudes live on.

Thanksgiving is a great time to focus on being thankful for all the wonderful blessings God has poured into our lives. But I don’t want my children’s gratitude—or mine, either, for that matter—to be limited to a few days each November. I want thankfulness to be a lifestyle, not a holiday accessory.

If that’s what we want—because I assume that you want this for yourself and your family, too—we would do well to ask ourselves two questions. The first is this: Why are we to be thankful?

For one thing, God has commanded us to be thankful. As with all His commands, there’s a reason behind this one: God wants us to appreciate all He’s given us (which is everything we have). He knows that anything less than contentment is idolatry.

Idolatry? Really? Yes, because when we fail to be content with what God has given us, it’s the same thing as saying that we need things to be happy, and finding our happiness in anything except God is idolatry. God wants us to worship Him and Him alone, and to find our deepest contentment in Him, rather than in anyone else we know or anything we possess. It’s not just that He’s jealous for our affections—though He certainly is that—but also that He knows that nothing else can satisfy us like He can. God wants us to experience the soul-deep satisfaction that only He can provide, so He commands us to choose to say that whatever earthly things we possess are enough, that how much we possess is irrelevant, really, and find our contentment in Him.

The second question we need to ask ourselves is, How can we make sure our thankful attitude lasts all year long, not just when it’s Thanksgiving Day?

There are several ways we can do this. One important way is to root out any ingratitude in our hearts and deal with it. Are we discontent unless all our conditions are met? If so, we need to repent and ask God’s forgiveness (which we can be thankful we’ll always receive). We can also make it a point to build thankfulness into our daily routines, such as asking each child to list 3 things he or she was thankful for that day as we tuck him or her into bed at night. We could pray prayers of thanks out loud and let our kids hear us, which blesses not only them, but ourselves as well. One thing I try to remember to do whenever we’ve all gone to the store is to thank God on the way home for the ton of groceries and supplies in the back.

These are only a couple ideas. You can probably think of many more, such as singing songs about being thankful, doing a word study in the Bible on thankfulness, or some I haven’t thought of. The point is that we need to be purposeful about being thankful, or the world will suck away our contentment and teach us to be dissatisfied.

I encourage you to take some time during this Thanksgiving week to evaluate how thankful you really are, and to plan some things you can do to make sure you build an attitude of thankfulness into your lives and the lives of your children.

May it be Thanksgiving Day every day for us as we return gratitude to the Lord for all that He has done.

Colossians 1:10-12—And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Living It Out: How to Respond When Someone Hurts You

Megan Breedlove No Comments

prayerMy 8-year-old daughter, Lindsey, is a kind and generous girl. She has a sweetness about her spirit that could only come from the Lord. She’s caring and compassionate, and she’s quick to reach out to those in need. Not only that, but she believes the best of everyone with whom she comes in contact.

That’s why it was especially hurtful when a neighborhood child stole some toys she had trusted him with.

This child (whom I’ll call Bobby) and his siblings frequently played at our house. This time, when he came over, Lindsey let him use some of her things so that he could play in the front yard with Kenny while she and the girls played together in the backyard. All was fine until Lindsey came back to check on her property and discovered it was missing.

Bobby told Lindsey where he had put the property away. Lindsey checked and didn’t see it. Believing that she would find it upon closer inspection, she said nothing to me about it until, two days later, a closer inspection revealed that the property was definitely not where Bobby had said it was.

It was gone.

We carefully evaluated what might have happened to it. But when we determined that Bobby was the only one who had access to it, and that it was not where he claimed he had returned it, Lindsey and I went to talk to Bobby and his mother.

During the conversation, Bobby denied the theft but changed his story multiple times. I calmly but firmly pointed out the physical impossibility of some of the things he was claiming, and I shared the reasons for our suspicions that he had taken the cards. Bobby’s mother declined to consider anything we said and became offended that we would think her son might be stealing from us (despite his record of previous, albeit different, offenses against our family). She told us her kids would no longer play with ours because we had suspected him. Unable to make any headway, we calmly thanked her for her time and left quietly.

I was angry. Mess with me, that’s one thing; mess with my children, that’s quite another. But I knew that the way I handled this incident would serve not only as an example for Lindsey, but for our other children as well. And I knew that Jesus’ way is always best, even when it isn’t the way I might feel like responding.

So I did my best not only to comfort Lindsey, who was deeply sad (I was too), but also to use this experience to teach her some life lessons.

First, we need to be careful whom we trust. I’m not suggesting that we walk around suspicious of everyone we meet. But when it comes to trusting someone in an important matter, we must be careful whom we choose to trust, because not everyone will prove trustworthy. It may not be wise to trust someone you’ve just met with your deepest thoughts and feelings; it is definitely not wise to trust someone who has a track record of hurting you.

Second, when people mistreat us, we have a choice as to how to respond. We can either respond in kind and mistreat them right back; or we can choose Jesus’ way and be kind to them despite what they’ve done to us. Yes, we may have to take steps to protect ourselves from them (Bobby wouldn’t have been allowed back into our yard or home anyway, even if his mother hadn’t prohibited him from coming), but we can still treat them with kindness. It was right for Lindsey and me to go to Bobby’s house and try to resolve the issue with him and his mother; it would have been wrong for us to go there and become harsh or disrespectful with our words.

Third—and this is the one I tend to forget—we need to pray for those who have hurt us. “You know, Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies,” I said gently to Lindsey. “We need to pray for Bobby.” “I already have been,” Lindsey said. Not just praying that he would return the property, but praying that God would convict his heart and bring him into a relationship with Jesus. We also prayed together.

Fourth, we need to remember that we ourselves are sinners. Before Lindsey and I went to Bobby’s house, we prayed together. We prayed that God would give us the right words and attitude, and we prayed that Bobby and his mother would respond well. We also thanked God for His forgiveness which He is willing to extend to all repentant sinners, which we (not just Bobby) need to receive as well.

Finally, we forgive. Forgiveness does not mean that we say that what the offender did was okay (it wasn’t). Nor do we say that it didn’t hurt us (it did). Nor does it necessarily mean we give him or her the opportunity to do it again (there are times when it is good and right to set boundaries to protect ourselves). What it does mean is that we choose not to take revenge against or punish the offender ourselves, but rather leave that up to God and/or the legal system.

It’s hard to react rightly when someone has sinned against us, and especially when that person doesn’t admit the offense or isn’t sorry. But by responding the way Jesus would have us respond, we not only please the Lord and bring Him glory, but we also benefit ourselves. That’s because God blesses those who follow Him and His ways with spiritual blessings, not the least of which is His “peace that passeth understanding” (see Phil. 4:7).

Don’t trade the peace and other spiritual blessings you could be experiencing for the temporary and only partial satisfaction of staying angry or taking revenge. Trust God that what He has planned for you in the wake of the sin that’s been committed against you is far better than what you could devise for yourself.

Luke 6:28—Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Preparing for Christmas

Megan Breedlove No Comments

nativityEach year, on the day after Thanksgiving, we get out the Christmas decorations and put them all up. Long before that, I start planning what to give each person on my list. I also start marking my calendar with the dates and times of all the holiday events scheduled by groups of which I am (or some other family member is) a part. Then, in December, I or we attend all those events. But wait…there’s more! There’s all the wrapping of presents, baking holiday goodies, and planning and packing for getting to Grandma and Pampa’s house before December 25th.

You probably do many, if not all, of these things, too. There’s lots to be done to prepare for Christmas.

We’re pretty good at getting these kinds of things done. Because after all, they “have” to be done. They’re not optional.

There’s nothing wrong with doing these things. The problem comes in when we treat social and cultural preparations as necessary and spiritual preparation as optional. When we’re so focused on what we’re going to buy for whom or what activity comes next that we forget (or don’t have time) to focus on the One this celebration is all about.

I can’t tell how much time it should take to prepare oneself and one’s family spiritually for Christmas. That number would be different for every home. Nor can I tell you specifically what you should do in order to prepare. Again, that will be different for every family. But I can tell you that if you focus on the gifts to the exclusion of focusing on the Giver, you’re missing out. If you get so caught up in the trappings of Christmas that you miss the chance to contemplate its amazing spiritual beauty, your Christmas hasn’t been what it could have been.

It’s easy to let spiritual things get pushed aside, especially in December. There are so many other things clamoring for our attention that the “still, small voice” gets lost in the hubbub. We wind up observing the temporal traditions surrounding Christ’s birth but missing out on the deeper, eternal realities.

If we’re going to spend the time we need to spend focusing on Jesus instead of the chaos of the season, we’ll have to be intentional about it. If we just leave it for “when we have time”, it won’t happen.

I encourage you to spend some time giving serious consideration to how you will observe and meditate upon the true meaning of Christmas this year, as well as how you might share it with others. Will you determine to finish your Christmas shopping in November so that you will have more time in December to focus on Advent? Will you do an Advent activity with your children each day, beginning December 1? Will your family have special devotional times in addition to attending whatever services your church offers?

What will you do to make sure your children understand what Christmas is really about and see that lived out, not just paid lip service to?

Think about it. Pray about it. Plan for it. And celebrate Christmas as it was meant to be.

Colossians 3:2—Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (ESV)

God Can Use You—No Matter Your Abilities

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Betty Crocker CookbookI am not domestically inclined. Keeping house has never been my “thing.” The meals I put on the table are serviceable, but they’re certainly not gourmet. I buy my children’s clothes once they’ve been made by somebody else; the last garment I made was a pair of sweat pants, which I made in home economics in 8th grade (it was a required course), for which I got a C. My kids will never confuse me with Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker (that’s their grandmother).

I have dear friends whose highest education consists of obtaining a high school diploma. I have other precious friends who have a disability, while still others lack financial means.

In other words, some of the people I know well (including myself) have limited abilities or resources in an area of life that’s important or valued by the world.

You may feel that you’re a part of this group—that your limitations mean that you are “less than” in some way. And this may be true—for you, for me, for anyone—as far as the world is concerned.

But fortunately for all of us who experience limitations, God’s not concerned with what the world thinks of our abilities. In fact, He seems to specialize in choosing foolish and weak people even above the wise and strong (see 1 Corinthians 1:27). What He cares about is not how you measure up by the world’s standards, but whether your heart is fully devoted to Him.

Take, for example, Peter and John. Two of Jesus’ dearest friends, they weren’t well-educated. In fact, Peter was a fisherman—not an occupation for which he would have had to have the equivalent of a college degree. But when these two apostles stood before the rulers and elders of the Jews and testified to who Jesus was, and how He had healed a man, they astonished those who heard them.

Why? Because these educated leaders knew that Peter and John were uneducated. The ESV uses the word “common”. Peter and John were nobody special by the world’s standards. Yet they amazed all those who listened. And Scripture tells us that the only conclusion the leaders could draw was that in order for Peter and John to do what they did, they must have been with Jesus.

That’s the kind of person I want to be—a person who has obviously been with Jesus. I want people to be amazed not at my abilities but at what Jesus has done in my life. When people look at me, I want them to know I’ve been with the Lord; I don’t care whether or not they know how many degrees I have.

So yes, I’d love to be better at domestic things, especially since God has called me at this time in my life to be a homemaker and stay-at-home mom. But maybe the fact that I don’t have very much natural ability in this area allows Jesus to shine through me better and receive the glory for any successes I have in a way that wouldn’t be the case if I were naturally talented in homemaking.

The fact that your education stopped after high school, or that you have a disability, or that you lack finances, means nothing against you, but rather that Jesus has the opportunity to shine brighter through you than He would otherwise.

But here’s the catch—in order for Him to shine through us, we have to be with Him. The religious leaders knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus because He was shining through their lack of ability and education. This wouldn’t have been the case if they hadn’t been with Him.

Nor is it the case with us. In order for people to know that we’ve been with Jesus, we have to, well, be with Him. Sounds obvious, but often, we neglect the means of being with Him. We don’t have a regular devotional time. We don’t attend church regularly. We don’t pray, or seek Christian fellowship. Yes, His Spirit dwells in us if we’re Christians. But He won’t shine through if we’re not paying attention or making it a point to communicate with Him.

So don’t be down on yourself because of your inabilities. Instead of feeling “less than” because you believe you’re unskilled at something, look at your weaknesses as opportunities for people to know you’ve been with Jesus as He shines through you.

Be with Him—and He will, indeed, shine through.

Acts 4:13—Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (ESV)

When You’re in Need

Megan Breedlove No Comments

First Aid KitSunday morning, when I got up, I found this note on an index card stuck in my bathroom mirror:

I was up really late with Kenny last night because he had an earache. Please let everyone sleep as long as possible. Love, Phil

Fortunately, Kenny’s ear felt much better when he woke up for the day. But later that morning, my husband told me that he and Kenny hadn’t been able to get to bed until 2:45 a.m.

I thought about Kenny’s earache when I sat down to write this week’s devotional, and about how Phil stayed up with him. Phil had said that Kenny kept trying to go to bed, but his ear pain kept waking him up. Several times, he came out of his room to let Daddy know he couldn’t sleep, and each time, Daddy would try another remedy. Phil explained that he simply stayed up until 2:45, when Kenny was finally asleep, knowing that if he went back to bed, he would likely have to get up again anyway.

God watches over you and me in the same way—except for waking up tired the next morning. The Bible tells us that He doesn’t ever sleep; He’s always busy taking care of us, night and day. While it’s true that God doesn’t have a physical body that needs sleep, let’s not let that fact distract us from the incredible reality: God is constantly, 100% of the time, watching over us.

Even while we’re asleep, He watches over us. When we’re paying no attention to Him whatsoever, He watches over us. His care is so constant, His love so perfectly persistent, that He never takes His eyes off us. Not for a second.

We know this fact, but we usually think of it in terms of, “God is always watching, so I better not sin.” We don’t realize it’s also a joyous revelation: “God is always watching so that He can take care of me and meet any need I have.”

Just as Phil sat ready and waiting for Kenny to come say that he needed him, so God is always ready for us to come to Him and tell Him we’re in need. Yes, He already knows what we need even before we ask, but sometimes, He waits for us to ask before He provides. Just as Kenny would not have received help from Daddy if he had remained in his room, so we sometimes miss out on God’s help because we don’t ask.

Whatever your need is—whether you’re in pain in the middle of the night, as Kenny was, or whether you’re in need in broad daylight—go tell God you need help.

He’s ready and waiting to hear from you.

Psalm 121:4—Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Growing Up

Megan Breedlove No Comments

On October 13, our son Kenny turned ten.

Somehow, he’s now in the double-digits stage of life, despite the fact that it seems like I gave birth to him only last week. I don’t know where the time has gone, but it must have gone somewhere. Because now, instead of being a helpless baby I can easily cuddle in one arm, Kenny is tall and independent. He’s competent and smart. He’s sweet. He’s compassionate.

He’s…ten.

Kenny the PoohWatching and helping Kenny grow has been an incredible adventure. It hasn’t always been easy, though. From the beginning, Kenny has had some developmental delays as well as other issues that prevented his growing on the steadily upward trajectory I’d always assumed my children would follow.

For us, it was a big deal when Kenny learned to walk—a really big deal. We were so excited when he finally—in the church nursery—walked 11 steps in a row. When he learned to hold a conversation (which he’s still working on), we rejoiced. When he conquered his fear of “buttons, snaps, and zippers” so that he could wear clothing with those items, we congratulated him and told him what a big, brave boy he was.

Each achievement Kenny has made, each milestone he has accomplished on his journey to being the awesome ten-year-old kid he is today, we have applauded—sometimes literally. Not once did we ever say, “That’s no big deal. Everybody should be able to do that.”

We certainly didn’t say, “What’s the matter with you?” and turn away in disgust.

Yet too often, you and I think that that’s the way God reacts to us.

Somehow, we’ve gotten this idea in our heads that God is a little (or a lot) disgusted with us. Or at the very least, unimpressed. We figure that if we want Him to be truly impressed with us, we’d have to be a lot more holy, or skilled, or (you fill in the blank) than we are right now.

The reality, however, is that God is thrilled with us. No, He doesn’t love our sin. But He loves us, and He doesn’t wait until we’re perfectly mature to start loving. Each baby step we make on the road toward spiritual maturity delights Him. He rejoices with us in our accomplishments, and He applauds them.

How do I know? Because any good thing we can do, any ability we have to treat our children the right way, comes from being made in God’s image. If we have the desire to love our children so deeply that we accept them just as they are, and to applaud each of their accomplishments, it’s because we’re in some measure doing what is in God’s character to do. He, after all, is the ultimate Parent.

What does this mean for us? It means we need to consider how far we’ve come in our own lives—and to remember that God has been there every step of the way, cheering us on. Maybe sometimes, our development has been delayed. Even then, God was with us, rejoicing in each accomplishment that may have been small for others but was a big deal for us.

What are you working on now in your life? What needs improvement? God doesn’t condemn you for needing to improve. Instead, He walks with you as you wrestle with whatever it is, and He cheers you on.

Kenny at 10It’s been a little more than ten years since I gave birth to Kenny. In those ten years, he’s grown incredibly, and I’ve been privileged to be part of his life and growth.

In those same ten years, I’ve grown, too. Actually, I’ve been growing for 43 years, and God has been with me every step of the way—my biggest fan and biggest encourager, the One who loves me most.

He’s with you, too, in the same way—watching you grow, cheering for you, and always, always loving you.

Never forget that.

Psalm 103:13-14—As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (ESV)

When Life’s Not Fair

Megan Breedlove No Comments

unfair“That’s not fair!”

How many times have you heard that at your house? I’ve heard it plenty in mine. My children say it when they believe someone else got treated better than they did, or when they didn’t get something they want. And while they’re not always correct about the issue of fairness as it pertains to them, they’re right about one thing, at least.

Sometimes, life just isn’t fair.

Sometimes, 12-year-old girls have babies and leave them in dumpsters, when you and your husband have been trying to conceive for years and haven’t been successful (this was our situation).

Sometimes, people treat you badly…and then blame it on you.

Sometimes, people who make ungodly decisions and choices seem to prosper financially and in every other way, while you and your family do your best to live the way God wants you to…and yet still struggle to pay the bills.

Sometimes, good people get sick. Sometimes, they die. Sometimes children die.

Life isn’t always fair. It just doesn’t work that way.

We grieve over the unfairness of it all as we suffer. Why me? Why her? Why anybody at all?

I don’t have the answers, though sometimes I wish I did. I do know that unfairness entered into the world when sin entered in because of Adam and Eve. But knowing that we live in a fallen, sinful world, and that that’s why life isn’t fair, doesn’t make us feel much better when injustice strikes.

So what do we do? How do we deal with life when it seems unfair and we know there’s not much (if anything) we can do about it?

Two things. First, we fix our eyes on Jesus.

When people disappoint you, fix your eyes on the only One who never will. Contemplate His beauty. Not physical beauty (we’re told that He wasn’t anything special to look at); but the beauty of His character. Let someone’s sin against you remind you to turn your eyes to the only One who will never do you wrong. Let someone’s lack of love direct your gaze to the One who loves you perfectly and permanently. Let someone’s insufficiency point you to the all-sufficient One; let neglect or laziness remind you that Jesus never sleeps; let disappointment in someone’s character make you all the more grateful for Jesus, whom you will only love and admire more and more as you get to know Him better.

No, fixing your eyes on Jesus won’t make the pain of your earthly troubles go away—not entirely. But it will comfort you in the midst of them.

Second, we do what Jesus did when He lived in a world full of injustice. We look forward to the joy set before us.

This week’s verse tells us that for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross (the ultimate in unfair treatment by human beings) even though He hated the shame of it. In other words, Jesus knew that the cross was going to be cruel, yet He went through it anyway because He knew that set before Him was incredible joy.

The same joy is set before us, and you and I need to remember this when we face life’s cruelties too. When life is unfair, remember that in heaven, there will be no more unfairness. No more! When evildoers prosper, remember that in heaven, there will be no more sin. When we don’t understand how or why something could have happened, remember that in heaven, nothing bad will happen ever again. Ever!

In fact, we’re told that the joy that awaits us will make the sufferings of this world look like nothing (see Romans 8:18). Can you imagine a joy so great that it will make the pain you feel now look weak by comparison? I can’t fully imagine it either. But…wow!

I know it’s really easy to focus on the thing (or person) that hurt or offended us. But the Bible says, Don’t do that! Look at Jesus instead!

It’s easy to focus on our pain. But instead, we’re told, Think about the coming joy!

No, life isn’t fair. But there is Someone who is.

Life isn’t always joyous. But there’s a place that is.

Fix your eyes on Jesus—not on your circumstances, or even on other people. And remember the coming joy. Always remember the joy.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (KJV)

Too Much Stuff

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Riley Center RoomDo you ever look around at your house and wish you could get rid of half the stuff you own?

I do, especially after times like this past weekend, when I led a retreat for moms and stayed in a really nice hotel room for two days. With only the room furnishings and the items in the carry-on-sized suitcase I’d brought with me, I did just fine. In fact, it was kind of nice to spend two whole days in a place that was clean and uncluttered.

When I got home, I found that after two days of more spartan living, my house seemed even more cluttered than it had before I left. Now, I’m wishing I could somehow go through my home and get rid of at least half the stuff we own. Maybe more.

It’s not that our house is bad, by American standards. It’s just that I really enjoyed living with the basics for a little while, and I’d like to get closer to that in our home. I am more at peace when my home is uncluttered and neat. If giving up a bunch of stuff is what it takes to make that happen, I think it just might be worth it.

For that matter, I’d probably benefit from de-cluttering my spiritual house, too. Maybe you’d like to clean out yours, as well. Let’s look at three things we could get rid of.

First, let’s get rid of anything out of place that might trip us up. Just as leaving toys on the floor can cause us to fall, so can leaving sins lying around. When I see toys lying around, I’m tempted to leave them there until I can do something about them later—or until I can get somebody else (namely, the kids) to do something about them. Leaving sins undealt with until some future time, or hoping someone else will do something about them, however, is even worse than leaving a toy in the middle of the living room floor. If I trip over the toy, I might hurt myself, though probably not very badly. But if my sin trips me up, the risk of spiritual damage is far greater.

Next, let’s get rid of the books on our shelves that contain information that is inaccurate. We have a beautiful set of built-in shelves in our home that my husband constructed when we were remodeling the dining room. Most of those shelves are filled with books. Many of the books contain teachings based on the truth of God’s Word. But if there were any that espoused ideas that were actually contrary to Scripture, I would want to get rid of those. Likewise, we need to get rid of the books in our spiritual shelves that are filled with Satan’s lies. Books with titles like You’re Worthless or God Doesn’t Love You or You’re a Terrible Mom. Wherever these lies came from, whether our parents or society or somewhere else, they originated from the pit of hell. Satan loves it when we keep these books on our shelves, and especially when we read them over and over again. They’re his favorites, too. So let’s get rid of them and replace them with titles like You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made or God is Madly in Love with You or You’re a Great Mom.

Third, let’s get rid of anything that’s no good anymore: the leftovers in the fridge that have been there too long, the expired medications, the clothes that can’t be mended, the furniture that’s no longer sturdy. These things were good for you at one time, but not anymore. Now they’re either of no use to you, or outright harmful. Spiritually speaking, perhaps you have some relationships that need to be reevaluated in terms of how much contact you should continue to have with that person due to the way they treat you or the influence they have upon you. Maybe there are some activities your family participates in that, while not bad in and of themselves, are not longer suitable for your family’s interests or schedule. Is there a goal you’ve been trying to reach that you need to realize is not God’s will for you? Get rid of it too.

If I were to get rid of a large portion of the things my family and I own, I would enjoy the simplicity and peace of having to deal with fewer possessions. If I clean my spiritual house, I know I will receive even greater benefits. You will too, if you clean yours.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a more intimate relationship with God? Wouldn’t you love for your soul to be more relaxed and at peace?

Clean your spiritual house.

Daniel 12:10—Many shall purify themselves and make themselves [spotless] and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

Before It’s Too Late

Megan Breedlove No Comments

sundialAs I write this, my heart is heavy. I recently received news that a dear family friend has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. I didn’t cry the night I found out; I don’t think reality had sunk in yet. But I spent most of the next morning in tears.

My friend is seeking a second opinion from another specialist. Apparently, there’s still some possibility that what she has might have some other name and might not be life-threatening at all. That’s what we’re all hoping, anyway, and praying for. But always, in the back of my mind—and, I’m sure, hers—is the possibility that maybe the first doctor was right. Maybe she really is going to die.

Our times together may be many fewer than either of us anticipated. And in light of that reality, I’ve been thinking. Which other family members and friends whom I really care about do I need to spend more time with while I still can?

After all, each one of us is going to die someday (unless, of course, the Lord Jesus returns first). Our time with every single one of our friends and loved ones is limited. We don’t know how much longer we have with anyone. When I get the news that someone I love is dying, or has died, I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to have made the most of that relationship that I could.

Especially my relationships with my children.

If—may God forbid!—one of my children were to die before I did, I would want to know that I had done everything I could to love them, nurture them, comfort, protect, and encourage them while I had the chance. I’d want to know that I’d spent more time playing outside with them than inside on Facebook. I’d want to know that when I had the chance to really be with one of my children, that I took advantage of that, pouring love and security into their little souls and making them feel like I’d rather be with them than anywhere else on earth.

I know I can’t be a perfect mom. But if that day were ever to come when I sat on my child’s bed hugging his or her favorite stuffed animal and breathing in the fading scent of my little boy or girl, I would want to have no regrets. I would want to know that I’d put my children before myself and poured out my life so that they could have the best life possible. I would want to have a huge vault of memories stored up that I could take out and treasure one by one, instead of a string of memories of my own voice saying, “Not right now,” or, “Mama’s busy,” or, “Why don’t you go play with one of your siblings?”

I can’t change the mistakes I’ve made in the past. I can’t go back and re-take advantage of opportunities I missed the first time around.

But I can start living differently from here on out.

I can be purposeful about spending time with my children. Why always wait until they come to me? Why not go to them and ask if they would like to play?

When my children do come and ask, I can accept their invitation gladly and be thrilled about the fact that they want to spend time with me right now, instead of resentful that they interrupted something I was doing.

I can make a list of all the things I would want to look back on and say, “I did everything I could,” and I can begin doing those things now. Today. Because I really don’t know how much time I have with my precious children.

If I fail to spend plenty of good, purposeful, quality time with my children, I’ll regret that one day—whether that day comes at the end of my life, or of theirs, or somewhere in between. But I’ll never regret it if I invest my life in my children. If I pour my life into theirs.

If I make loving memories while I can.

Philippians 2:17—Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. (ESV)

« Previous Page — Next Page »

You Missed

Devotions

Priorities

Devotions

I Wouldn’t Do That

Devotions

Little Things

Devotions

8 Seconds