Category: General

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

It took me a long time to understand that this verse was saying IN all circumstances, not FOR all circumstances.  

Five years ago I found out I had breast cancer.  Though I wasn’t thankful for the cancer, I had many things to be thankful for.  I was so very thankful that it was me and not some other member of my family.  I had the fact that it was found quickly and was treatable with surgery and radiation.  God gave me total peace in the situation and I was thankful that I could feel His presence throughout the whole ordeal. 

I had two dear friends who were going through breast cancer during the time I was.  One of those friends and I made the trip to Lubbock every day to have radiation together.  This was a special time of fellowship and drawing strength from each other.  Her cancer was aggressive and after lots of chemotherapy, she eventually passed away.  I never heard her complain, even when the cancer broke her back.  My other friend with cancer also passed away after much suffering.  Sometimes I feel guilty that I was allowed to live and they weren’t.  However, sometimes I am jealous because they fought the good fight and won the race.  They kept the faith and received the prize.  I’m so thankful for both of these sweet friends and all the special memories I have of them.  They were both an inspiration to many.

According to Psalm 69, Thanksgiving is a sacrifice on the altars of our hearts. At times, we won’t feel thankful, but it is in those moments that grateful hearts will become the most pleasing sacrifices to the Lord.

This past week, my sweet 39 year old cousin died of cancer.  It was such a sad time, but even in those times of mourning as the family and friends gathered around each other to offer comfort, there were so many sweet memories of Brandi that we could all be so thankful for.  And we could be thankful that God lent her to us for 39 years.  Sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice, but in all circumstances there is something to be thankful for. Brandi touched so many lives and even more so as she was faithful to the end.

A heart of thanksgiving will give us strength in seasons of sorrow and pain.  And thanksgiving grows stronger the more it is practiced. 

It’s easy to be thankful when everything seems to be going well.  The sacrifice comes when we make a conscious effort to be thankful.

Colossians 3:17  “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

When you begin to count your blessings, you find that there are so very many things to be thankful for.

We want to thank Naomi Jones for sharing this post.

“I come to Your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders.”  Psalm 26:6b-7

When I was growing up, my mom and dad put a lot of emphasis on good manners:  saying, “Please” and “Thank you,” “Yes ma’am,” “No ma’am,” and such things as these.  Because of that, I’m very conscious of the need to be thankful, not just at Thanksgiving time, but year-round.  These days, though, it’s not just good manners that has me feeling thankful.  The older I get, the more I find that I am counting my blessings, and there are so many!  Do you mind if I share a few with you?

I’m thankful that there was a woman and a man back in 1960 who wanted a baby, but had not been successful, so they worked it out to adopt a baby girl.  I count that as a big, big blessing.

I’m thankful that my mother decided she needed to raise us in church (yes, “us” – she had a baby boy after she got me), so we were “dragged” to St. Matthew Methodist Church every Sunday, V.B.S., youth camp, you name it!

I’m so thankful for the gospel!  Thankful that there is a God who wants us to know Him!  Thankful that he reached me after I rebelled.  I count that blessing every day.

I’m grateful for my wonderful husband, who has put up with me for all these 37 years.  Beyond grateful for two beautiful babies who arrived after two miscarriages.  

As I count my blessings, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for all the godly friends I have known over the years, in several different churches.  There are many friends who have gone on to heaven, but that’s another blessing counted, because there they will be when it’s my turn.  

I’m grateful and thankful to have worked for the past 25 years at the same school where I student taught and where my children went to school.  I love my school family with all my heart, including those who have since moved to other schools or have graduated to heaven.

Grandchildren – all 4, our hometown of Plainview, life and health, our church, the blessings just go on and on!

How about you?  As you have read my list, what blessings popped into your head?  

The news media likes for us to concentrate on all the ills and troubles round about us.  However, I’ve noticed that the more I count my blessings, the less the troubles of the world impact me.  

In this season of Thanksgiving, I pray that you are overwhelmed with gratitude for what God has done in the past, what He is doing now, and what He will do in the future.  

         “For all that You’ve done I will thank You, for all that You’re going to do,

         For all that You’ve promised and all that You are, and all that You’ve carried me through,

         Jesus, I thank You!”

Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to thank Sheri Warren for sharing this post.

I had a friend text me today just to check in on me.  She knows I have been growing (yes, growing, not going) through a season right now. It was a simple text, just saying she was thinking about me and my family and wanted to see how we were doing. At this point in my life, I have several friends that text me and that I text just to have a quick check in with them. This was not always the case for me, and it was something I prayed for often only a few years ago. 

Making friends as an adult can be so difficult. Most of us want someone with similar interests, but someone who will also introduce us to new things. If a person is married or has kids, it’s easier if their friends are married and/or have kids. Location is definitely a plus too.

A few years ago, I had a lot of people I referred to as “work friends,” meaning, we were friends because we worked at the same location, spent many hours together, and because of that we had some similar interests. Those “work friends” were important, but not the kind of friends that text me to just check in on me. 

A few years back I was going through some “growing pains” and realized I didn’t have close friends to lean on. No one texting me to check in on me. I felt alone. My husband was always willing to listen, but I needed a female’s perspective. I wanted friends. Not just one, but a group. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Verse 12, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

This is what I wanted for times when I was being attacked by the enemy. I no longer wanted to feel broken or defeated. The enemy knows that we are most vulnerable when we are alone. He tries all kinds of tactics to separate us, make us feel alone or unwanted. The feeling I had of “being too much” or that sharing my problems would be a burden to others, were lies from the enemy.  So, I began praying about having friends I felt comfortable being vulnerable around. Friends who would want to celebrate my birthday with me. Friends who would text me just to check in on me. Friends raising their kids in a similar way, whom my kids would enjoy playing with. 

Not only did I pray, but my husband and I decided we needed to invest our time in making friends as well. This meant inviting people to our home for a meal, meeting at the park, and joining a life group. Trying to make adult friends truly felt like dating again. Seeing if the family was a ‘good fit’. God answered my prayers with a quiver full of friends to call on and to celebrate. God doesn’t want us to be alone in our battles. He wants us to link arms, fight together, and sometimes cry together. This takes prayer, time investment, and vulnerability. It’s worth every bit though.

We want to thank Chelsea Criswell for sharing this post.

What does friendship look like?

Identifying the beauty and joy in friendships can come with ease, but putting in the effort to maintain and steward our friendships takes intentionality and effort.

We are created for community. God created us not to be isolated beings, but rather people who live life together. The primary way that we as Christians live in community is by belonging to the church. 

²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

When we are in close relationships with other believers, we have people to pray for us, support us, encourage us, and serve alongside us, and in return we have people that we can pray for and minister to. If you are new to the church, come early to the gatherings and stay late, engaging in conversations. Jump into a life group. Meaningful relationships can take time to develop but keep trying.

A demonstration of a great friendship and love for their friend was the four men going to see Jesus’ teaching, but the crowd was so large, they had to carry their paralyzed friend’s mat to the roof, where they dug a hole and lowered their friend right in front of Jesus. Jesus healed the man, and he jumped up and walked off. (Mark 2: 1-12)

What an extraordinary measure of friendship.  

It doesn’t always take such a grandiose gesture. It can be sending a card or a knowing smile or hand squeeze. The older I get, the more grateful I am for God’s most treasured gift of friendship. I’m so thankful for the genuine women in my life whom I never have to question. They just show up in every way. This is one of my most treasured gifts.

We want to thank Julie Duke for sharing this post.

When I was asked to write this blog, the very first thing that popped into my mind was the old hymn, “What a Friend we have in Jesus.”  And of course, He is the very bestest friend we will ever have.  But the second thought was, “What kind of friends do I have, or better yet what kind of friend am I?”  

I have recently read a devotional series on Job.  He had some good friends that came to him when he was at his lowest. (Job 2:11-13)  These friends were not next door neighbors; they traveled great distances to be with him.  And when they arrived, they didn’t try to cheer him up, or straighten up the house, or bring a casserole, or…all things I’ve done for a friend going through a difficult time.  No, these friends sat with him in silence for several days.  They tore their clothes and wept with him.  This teaches a great lesson of what friendship is like.  Friendship takes patience.   

At my worst moment in life, I, too, had four really good friends who came to me, sat with me, let me talk and cry, and cried with me.  The afternoon I told Don about committing adultery, Don took me and my belongings to my mother and left me there.  I’m not sure how my friends found out.  Yes they were disappointed in what I had done, but they continued to love me.  Yes, they had questions, but they didn’t condemn me with those questions.  We live in a small town, and in a small town, everyone knows everything about everyone’s business.  And most people like to share their opinions on that business.  But these friends stayed beside me after Don brought me back home, and in the days, weeks, months, and even years following continued to show their love and support and to help Don and I to heal, grow stronger in our faith and marriage.  Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  My friend’s example in a very difficult time has been a huge lesson for me.  I don’t have to be the fixer for a friend in need, I just have to be a friend!

My little granddaughter is…well, she’s my granddaughter so you know what I’m going to say-she’s perfect.  But actually she’s not.  You see, Livi doesn’t have toes on her left foot.  And she only has 2 toenails on her right foot.  When Mary (my daughter) was pregnant with Livi, part of the amniotic sack flaked off in a string and wrapped around her toes.  She has nubs on her left foot.  (Toes are like fingers-she has the knuckles closest to her foot like the knuckles on a hand but that is all).  When she was born, we were so worried she might not be able to walk, or she would be in pain, but we were wrong.  She walks, runs, jumps, kicks, and dances like every other kid.  But I wonder about what kind of friends she will have growing up.  Kids can be curious and cruel at the same time.  When she has shoes on you can’t tell a difference.  But what will happen when she takes her shoes off?  How will the kids treat her?  We, her family, treat her like any other kid; it’s not an issue.  But will her friends treat her differently?   don’t have the answers to these questions, but I know who does.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”  

What about us?  Do we stay by our friends when things look different from what we expect?  Do we sit with our friends in their times of distress and tear our clothes and weep with them? Do we hide our flaws in our “shoes”?  Do I?  These are questions we need to think about regarding the friends we keep.  I read a quote one time (I don’t remember who said it) “A friend is one of the best things you can be and the greatest thing you can have.”  

We want to thank Hope Warren for sharing this post.

“Why do we have to wait so long to get on the plane?”, Elliott asked impatiently…again. We were headed home from our recent vacation and had been placed in the last boarding group because of some last-minute flight changes. On all our other flights on this trip we had been placed in earlier groups, so an expectation had been formed in my son’s heart. We should be on that plane already.

And isn’t this the difficulty with waiting? Managing the expectations that have been formed in our hearts? 

“I should be married already. ALL of my friends are married.”

“I should be making more money than this. I’ve given everything to this company.”

“I shouldn’t be sick. I eat well and exercise.”

“I should be pregnant by now. We’ve been trying for years.”

“We’ve been married for so long…I don’t think he will ever change.”

“I’m so sick of being heart-broken over this. I’ve prayed all the prayers I can pray.”

That last one is mine. It was my own confession a few weeks ago. I’ve been waiting for God to heal my broken heart and up until recently, I felt like I should be over it. I had cried all the tears I wanted to cry over this. 

But God. Despite my obstinance, He wasn’t through collecting my tears. During a recent church service learning about the ministry of Jesus to heal the broken hearted, I could no longer contain my tears. God still had some healing to do. He was still mending and though I had tried to convince myself otherwise, I was still hurting. 

During my single years when I grew impatient, waiting for God to give me my husband-to-be, He instead gave me this Word to stand on. 

“But those who wait on the Lord


Shall renew their strength;


They shall mount up with wings like eagles,


They shall run and not be weary,


They shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

Did you catch that? Those who wait on the Lord…

Not…

“Those who wait on a husband…a child…a job…an answered prayer…”

No. Those that wait on Him.

Waiting on Him renews our strength and enables us to endure the hard seasons of waiting without weariness and without unsteadiness. If we aren’t waiting on Him, our focus will only be on our prayer being answered and if that season of waiting is a long one, maybe years or decades, we will certainly grow weary and unsteady. What we need more than our prayers being answered, is to be in communion with the one who answers our prayers. 

I learned in that season and was gently reminded in this season that when we wait on the answer to our prayers only, when the answer comes, we only get the answer. But when we wait on Him and the answer comes, we get the answer and the answer-giver. Some of the most meaningful times I’ve had with Jesus were during seasons of waiting because I was waiting on Him. And with Him. And it’s what I’m doing now as I wait for Him to mend my broken heart. 

“What if my answer never comes?”, you ask. It might not, but if you’re waiting for Him, you’ll have Him no matter what. And He’s all you really need.

We want to thank Amber Curry for sharing this post.

If you aren’t in a season of waiting, you will be or you recently were. All of us go through them. 

Maybe you’re waiting for your husband. Waiting for a dream. Waiting for a child. Waiting for healing. Waiting for a move. Waiting for a promotion. Waiting for a friend.

We can all think of something we’d like to see God do on our behalf—a hope, a desire, a longing. And in that space between our prayer and his answer, we find ourselves waiting. 

For some your wait is short, and for others it can make your heart feel sick with hope long deferred. 

But our hope is never lost because his love is never deferred. The Bible tells us that hope does not disappoint because we have God’s love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:8).  

If you feel disappointed and hopeless, if your heart feels sick with longing, can I encourage you today to open your hands and receive the love of our Father? 

When we receive it, God’s immeasurable, unfathomable, unconditional love becomes the comfort and security we hold on to in our seasons of waiting. 

My husband and I spent nine years waiting to hold our first child. Nine years of longing for what we did not yet have. Nine years of praying for and believing what we had not yet seen come to pass. Nine years of hoping. 

One of the greatest battles I faced was recognizing that I’d connected God’s love for me with what he was doing. Or in this case, not doing. To wait for years and years, to get another no over and over again, to watch those around me receiving what I wanted (and admittedly, they didn’t always) felt very unloving. 

Here’s the truth. Equating God’s love with my circumstances is a manipulation of who he is. I had to recognize repentantly that I was angry because God wasn’t doing what I wanted. If he loves me so much, why wouldn’t he do this for me? The flip side of that? I was withholding my love because God wasn’t doing what I wanted. Ouch!

You know why I call that manipulation? Because it makes love conditional. If God loves me, he will do this for me. If he does this for me, then I will love him.

Once I recognized that God’s love is unconditional, the power of this truth transformed my life. It still transforms me even now. And it’s a good thing, my friend. I’m so grateful God’s love isn’t based on my performance. At the time, I wanted it to be because it felt like control. If only I could do something, he’d love me enough to answer my prayer. Today I’m so thankful he answered my prayer in spite of any works on my part. He loves me no matter what. And I love him whether he’s answering my prayers today—or not. 

He loves you too. Like really loves you. Do you know that? If not, ask God to show you how much he loves you today.

We want to thank Laura Brandenburg for sharing this post.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” For as long as I can remember, this has been my favorite verse. I got saved when I was in third grade, so I practically grew up in the church. When I was a young girl, if I got up in church to say a verse, this is the one I would pick. 

The definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. And the definition of trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. I really believe as young children we have lots of faith because it is so easy to believe even when we do not see something. 

As I got older, I always went to church on and off. But since coming to Harvest, I can honestly say my faith has grown so much. God has showed me his goodness and faithfulness all those years when I didn’t feel as close to him. Also, I feel like my faith has increased through other people’s testimonies and what God has done in their life. I have seen people overcome many hard circumstances like having cancer or losing a loved one, and I’ve also seen God bless a family with a child after years of waiting. I believe my faith has increased so much through these testimonies of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Sometimes we don’t see something come to pass for many years, and then it happens! 

I would always pray for my family and their salvation, and God has been faithful in showing me, even though it took a while. I remember when my older brother invited me to church. While I was in the service, God reminded me of my prayers for my family, and I was immediately filled with joy. I also have multiple people in my family and friends as well who have been to church and have now given their life to God. 

So, we “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). I remember coming to Harvest and asking God, “Why is this my favorite verse?” I felt like I always said it was because it was short and easy to remember. But I told him I really want to know what the true meaning of this verse is. Honestly, I didn’t think about it too much after I asked him that, and then I got asked to write this blog, and wow! So many things came to mind that God has done to show himself faithful in my life. My faith has increased so much and continues to grow. You have to have faith. Trust God. Believe it is done. 

Most people want to see it to believe it. We have to accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be. Faith does not make things easy. It makes them possible!

So we have to ask ourselves: Are we walking by faith or by sight? 

We want to thank Candi Nunez for sharing this post.

Have you ever felt like God has given you a dream in your heart or a vision for your life? A specific word or promise to you? Then—as time passed, and you did not see it come to reality—have you also felt like you lost hope or even doubted what you heard him say? I know I have felt that way. 

Back in 2018, my husband and I felt moved by God to grow our family. We spent time praying about it with each other and with our close friends. As we continued to pray about it, we gained confidence that it was a promise from God to give us more children—not to adopt but to have more children of our own. 

So, we stepped out in faith, and in 2019, I went in to have a surgery so that we could start to enlarge our family. Then we waited and trusted God. However things did not look like what we expected. That first year came with a heartbreaking miscarriage, and then the next year came with some medical diagnoses and still no baby. There were times of feeling hopeless where I doubted that we had heard God right. It is easy to be led by emotions and rely on only what our eyes can see. 

Hebrews 11:1-3 says, “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. This is why the ancients were commended. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (NIV).

I can remember many times personally where it was hard to walk in faith and believe what God had spoken to us, especially when everything around me in this natural world was suggesting it might never happen. But God is so good to not leave us feeling hopeless and in despair! He is always speaking and reaching out to us. 

When we go through our hard times of our faith being tested, it is important to bring peace and calmness to our heart by reading God’s word and surrounding ourselves with godly friends. Looking back at that time in my life, God especially increased my faith in two ways: by using 1) His word and 2) His people. 

Quite often while I was reading my bible, a verse for that day, a scripture, or a story would jump out and encourage me that God is faithful and true. I have a good friend who would randomly text what God put on her heart, and little did she know, some days I really needed to hear those words. Another time I was scrolling through Instagram, and God used the words of Christian author Lysa Turkeurst to speak to me. The words “Remember not yet doesn’t mean not ever” stayed in my heart for a long time. You see God was always speaking to me. All those things increased my faith and gave me the hope to live in a way where I had faith to believe God’s words, not the circumstances. 

One day unexpectedly, a little over two years later, I found myself pregnant with our son, and he was so worth the wait! 

So, if you find yourself in this place of waiting on something to come to pass that God has spoken to you, I pray my story will encourage you to stand firm and have faith to believe him even when you cannot see. I also pray that he will give you his words and the friends you need to build your faith! I leave you with a few scriptures that encouraged me during that time, and I hope they may do the same for you.

Numbers 23:19: “God is not a human that he should lie; not a human being that he should change his mind. Does he speak, and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill it?” (NIV).

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding” (AMP).

Philippians 4:5-7: “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in every circumstance and situation by prayer and petition and thanksgiving, continue to make your specific requests known to God. And the peace of God, that peace which reassures the heart, that peace which transcends all understanding, that peace which stands guard over your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus is yours” (AMP).

We want to thank Brenda Martinez for sharing this post.

Every spiritual gifts test I’ve ever taken, my strength has been faith. But in the last 11 years of marriage and nearly 8 years of motherhood, I can definitely think of several instances where I was in need of a little more faith. And if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that faith is a choice, not a feeling. 

I’ve got to be honest; there are definitely days when I’m just not feeling it. When the sink is full. My four kids are fighting. I overslept and didn’t get to have my quiet time. When the goldfish crumbs just got smashed into the rug I just vacuumed. When a best friend decides they no longer want to be my best friend. When the husband and I just seem to keep bickering. When the scale goes up. When the bank account just isn’t staying full enough. When you’re not invited. 

Even the apostles asked the Lord to increase their faith. (Luke 17:5) 

Whoa! It’s encouraging to know that even those who literally walked beside Jesus and witnessed His miracles in the flesh needed more faith. 

On good days and bad, we are called to increase in faith. But how do we do that? 

We draw closer to Him who remains faithful. (2 Timothy 2:13) We serve a God who is constant. Even when we feel all out of faith, He is faithful. 

Maybe you’re in the middle of grief or deep sorrow. Maybe you’re in the trenches of motherhood with little ones and you’re trying your hardest not to wish the little years away. Maybe you or a family member just received a devastating diagnosis. 

Even in times of deep sorrow, we can have hope. God is with us even when everything seems to be falling apart! He is not bound by time or circumstances. 

His grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) When we embrace our weakness, God gets all the glory because others can see His power within us.

God promises to be with us, and our God is both a promise maker and a promise keeper. Take heart today that you’re off the hook; all you have to do is ask for more faith just like the apostles did. 

We want to thank Paige Keller for sharing this post.