Women's Ministry

I was at Youth Camp one summer, and we were in small group time talking about faith and trust and our relationship with Jesus.  To bring practical application to what we were discussing, we were asked to participate in a “Trust Fall” exercise.

One by one, we each took a turn standing on the porch of the mess hall, which was about 3 feet off the ground, turning around with our backs to the others standing below, folding our arms, and then free-falling backwards, trusting those below to catch us and not let us hit the ground! I remember I was scared. I didn’t know these people, and I was being asked to trust that they cared enough not to let me fall and hit the ground. Even though I was full of fear, I surrendered and fell into their arms. Had I not gone through that exercise, I never would’ve learned to surrender and trust. Trust and Surrender means to leave everything to the control of another. Trust and Surrender for a Christian means we leave everything in His hands and under His control. Much like the “Trust Fall,” we need to trust and surrender to a relationship with Jesus.

Trust is a firm, confident belief in the reliability and strength in someone or something. Surrender is to cease resistance to and submit to authority. Give up and resign oneself to circumstances out of one’s control. So, recently, Murlyn and I walked and are still walking through a significant life change that required a new level of trust and surrender on both our parts.

Murlyn had been dealing with short bouts of spasms in his neck that would travel to the back of his head, causing headaches and sweating. He didn’t say anything to anyone, because he thought it was stress-related and would eventually go away. Little by little, the spasms were coming more frequently and lasting longer each time. This started back in October. Fast forward to New Year’s Day, he had one spasm worse than the others before. He stayed in his recliner most of the day, because he felt like his heart was racing, his blood pressure was high, and his head was pounding. Eventually, everything subsided, but it left us both feeling uneasy, and fear began to creep in. I didn’t sleep well at all that night. I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. I was trying to take the thoughts captive but losing the battle! The next morning wasn’t any better. He was still having spasms but went on to work. Mid-morning, he had two intense spasms and went to the emergency room.

His heart was in AFIB. Fast-forward again, and we’re on our way to the BSA Hospital in Amarillo. At that moment, I felt helpless and alone! Fear took over, and I began to think the worst. I can’t help him. All I can do is stand by and let all of this happen to him. I felt angry, and tears flowed down my face as I followed in my truck behind the ambulance. We arrived, and they took Murlyn through the emergency room, but I wasn’t allowed to follow. I had to go to the front of the hospital and wait for them to get him into a room. By the time I was allowed to see him, they already had him hooked up to all kinds of monitors, were drawing blood for tests, were giving him meds to slow his heart rate and bring his blood pressure down. As I sat there watching all this take place, I heard Holy Spirit say, “Let go, and let Me handle this.”

Control is the power to direct people’s behavior or the course of events, to have authority over someone or something. I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me. I felt a peace and released everything to His control. I had to surrender; I had to trust Him; I had to put my faith in Him and be confident in what He said, no matter what the outcome. I knew He was taking care of us. So, we spent the next five days in the hospital, running test after test, trying to find an answer to what was going on. Everyone knows that trying to rest and sleep in the hospital is almost impossible. So, during the times when I just couldn’t sleep, I would read Scripture or talk with Abba. I told Him I was scared. I told Him I was struggling to take my thoughts captive. I told Him how much I love Murlyn, and that I wasn’t ready to live without him. I told Him that, whatever the outcome, I trusted His plan, that I loved Him and knew He would take care of us, of me. But, no matter what, I am surrendered to His will!  During one of those sleepless nights and conversation with Abba, I heard Him gently whisper, “It’s not his time. I have more for him to do.” I felt His peace wash over me. (Phil. 4:7) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts in Christ Jesus.” I was able to sleep without the intrusive thoughts I had been having. Through trust and surrender, we turn control over to God, and our faith releases His Power. (Luke 17:6)

Though our tomorrows are not promised, Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise from Abba that gives us the reassurance that He is in control. He knows the plans He has for us; He gives us the peace we need! He tells us in John 14:27 not to let our hearts be troubled. He knew we were going to go through this. I just needed to trust Him. During those five days in the hospital and several days after we came home, there was one scripture that kept coming up at different times, when I needed it most:

Joshua 1:9: “Haven’t I commanded you, be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you.”

I stood on and am standing on that Scripture, but not just for what we’ve been walking through. From here on out in everything we’re faced with, Abba can be trusted!

Before we went back for the follow-up visit with the cardiologist in Amarillo, Murlyn’s heart was back in rhythm. The cool thing was, he got to tell Dr. Ali, and he held nothing back in letting the doctor know that it was God! I have been blessed to see what God spoke to me as Murlyn and I walk out each day together! We are full of the joy of the Lord. We have a renewed feeling of knowing the gladness that comes from having a relationship with God and from being filled with the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ.

Trust and Surrender deepens our relationship with Jesus and grows our faith, as we learn to walk in step with Him. Living in trust and surrender opens our hearts to hear Him speak. It strengthens us and matures us as we learn His promises are true, and He is faithful.

This journey taught me to take my eyes off the circumstances and focus on the Word, fill my mind, direct my steps, and transform my thinking to be obedient to whatever it is that He is doing in my life. Trust and surrender positions us for God to speak through us to bear witness to those we encounter. Murlyn was able to share Jesus with his nurses and doctors and a few others who would listen.

I leave you with one of my other favorite Scriptures.  Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In everything acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path!”

Let go, and fall into His arms fully trusting, fully surrendered! Just jump!

I hesitate to write this blog post today, because I’m still trying to understand and process this situation with the Lord. Last week at Freedom in Christ, the Lord revealed to me that I’m not fully trusting in Him because of this part of our family’s story. So, here is me and all my rawness. 

We adopted 3 of our kids from foster care and then the Lord gave us 1 biological kid. From the oldest to the youngest, there is only 25 months in age difference, so basically, all 4 of our kids are the same age – like Irish quadruplets! Our oldest son, John, has 2 biological siblings. In foster care, especially when the kids are still in care prior to adoption, when a sibling comes into the world, the foster parents are typically the ones who get “the call”. At the time of both kids making their entrance into the world, we were fully and completely unable to handle any more babies in our house, so both of those siblings got placed in other foster homes. The youngest of his siblings was born in November of 2020. Her name is Bella. 

We got “the call” for Bella but were unable to welcome her into our home, but our best friends at the time were also fostering, so we told CPS to please consider our friends, the Russells, for placement. They did! John and Bella were going to be able to grow up like cousins, still living life together, just in separate homes, and with our very best friends as her parents. This was the best outcome for our families, but most importantly, for John and Bella. 

In July 2021, Bella got sick with RSV. They took her to the hospital; she was acting lethargic and not breathing normally. The hospital gave her medicine and breathing treatments and that little girl perked right up! The next morning though, all her vitals started plummeting. We got the call from Mike, her dad, that they were going to air-flight her to another hospital. The medical staff tried and tried to get her stable enough to get in the helicopter, but they were not able. Bella died that day in the hospital in the arms of our best friends. She was a few days shy of 8 months old. 

The next few weeks were a blur. No one should ever have to bury their child. It’s not fair. It’s not right. I was mad that the Lord did not answer my desperate prayers to save her. How can I trust the Lord’s plan when that plan involved this innocent child’s death? 

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Romans 8:28-29 CSB

If you have been through a hard thing and you grew up in church, you have heard those verses many times. In the depths of grief, you probably have been really mad about that verse being sent your way. GOOD? How can anything about Bella’s death be good? But that’s not what the Lord means in this verse. He’s not calling her death good, or the circumstances of her death good. He is saying that through your circumstances, God will make goodness. What is this goodness? Verse 29 says that we will be conformed to the image of his Son! He works everything in our lives to transform us to looking more and more like Jesus. If we love God, we are constantly looking to the Lord, even in the hardest most grief-stricken times in our lives. 

So how do we trust the Lord after tragedy? We look to His Word and see all that He did throughout history. We look back on our life and see all that He has done in our lives, in the lives of our friends and family. Was Bella’s death fair? Absolutely not. But here, 4 years later, I can see a glimpse of how the Lord has used her story to bring healing to strangers. The Lord used Bella’s death to bring her biological dad to Jesus. Only the Lord can turn complete tragedy into a beautiful story of redemption. 

Do I wish the Lord would have answered my most desperate prayers that day? Yes. And that answer will never change. But am I learning to trust that the Lord already knows about all the tragedy I will face in my life? Also, yes. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, this fully learning to trust in the Lord thing is still a work in progress. I wish I could tell you that with all my heart I trust in Him without any hesitation. I am praying that the Lord continues to mold me and shape me into looking more and more like Jesus. I pray that wholehearted trust continues to grow and establish a place in my heart and mind. But most importantly, dear sister, I pray for you. I pray that the Lord will show you his overwhelming, trustworthy love to you. If you are currently walking through grief, I pray that you cling to Jesus. HE IS OUR HOPE. Without Him, what is the purpose of tragedy and grief? But WITH Him, we have hope. Cling to Jesus. 

We want to thank Megan Hollis for sharing this post.

Do you like to be the person that’s always right? I used to be that way, but GOD. 

When I was a young woman, all the bridal and baby showers in my family always fell on me to host. I don’t know how this got started, but it was always understood that it was my responsibility. I have a very large family, and my siblings would call me and ask when the shower would be. If you’ve never been the one that was in charge of a shower, you probably don’t understand the amount of work that goes into it. Even after you plan the date, time, and place you still have to get together with the other hostesses and decide on a hostess gift and the refreshments that will be served. Of course, it’s up to you to go buy the gift and sometimes the refreshments. The other hostesses all agree to pay you their part, but that doesn’t always happen. That causes you to pay double or even triple what the other hostesses are paying, depending on how many don’t pay you back. Don’t get me wrong, it is fun but a lot of work at the same time and not always appreciated.

At one time, I had to organize so many showers that we decided that we would only give a baby shower for the first child in each family. That is where the trouble began.  

One family member had already had a baby shower for her first son. She expected another shower when she got pregnant again. I reminded her that we were only giving one, so her mother talked her into going to church in hopes that the church would give her a shower. She claimed to be an atheist, so I was thrilled that she was going to church. One week she missed church, and I called her to see if she was okay. She told me not to check on her because she missed church, because after the shower she wouldn’t be coming back. She was only coming to get a shower [her words].  Needless to say, I was not happy with her. I was always a hostess at church showers, so I still would have been involved. I turned down the offer to be a hostess at her shower and that branch of the family stopped talking to me. I didn’t see any reason they should be mad at me. They knew the rule we had about second showers. I WAS RIGHT!!! They didn’t have a right to be mad at me. I stewed about it for a while, getting angrier and angrier each time I thought of it. Then, one day Holy Spirit spoke to me. Not audibly, but my spirit understood. He asked me if it was better to be right, or was it better to be a representative of His love. This really hit me where it hurts! It took me a few days to let go of the anger I had allowed Satan to build in my heart.  

When I finally let go of the anger, I called that family member. I apologized and let her know that I was in the wrong. I didn’t get the response I expected from her. She told me that yes, I was wrong, and I should have given her a shower without complaint. I had to bite my tongue, and I prayed for God to take over the conversation because if I spoke what I wanted to, it would not represent God’s love. I wanted peace in the family, and I had to pursue it through Holy Spirit.  

This family member eventually came to know Christ as her personal Savior. Did this experience with her have anything to do with it? I will never know this side of heaven, but what if I had not surrendered to the will of Holy Spirit that day. I would truly hate to find out that my attitude could have caused a different outcome in her life.

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.”

Romans 12:18 says “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”. This verse encourages striving for peace with others to the best of one’s ability. I never want to be the tool Satan uses to bring dishonor to the Lord.

We want to thank Naomi Jones for sharing this post.

Peace is the most underrated gift we have as Christians. There should not be any one thing we value more than His peace.

Philippians 4:7 says, “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts and minds.” Peace gives us an inner sense of calm, wholeness, and confidence. “Jesus is the Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6. “He himself is our peace.” Ephesians 2:14. If you are a believer, you always HAVE peace, because you always HAVE Jesus. Peace isn’t dependent on our circumstances. Peace isn’t a feeling to catch, is a person to know. A Savior to know.

If we don’t identify the places that are robbing us of our peace, we won’t be able to ever truly be at peace. If we are always chasing the feeling of peace, we will always be at the mercy of our circumstances.

In a world driven by fear, noise, success, busyness, peace often gets overlooked. We sacrifice peace for counterfeits. We believe that by attaining that one thing, we will have arrived at peace. Or by buying that one thing or our children doing that one thing, it will bring peace. This is false. This is where we strive instead of just receive. This is where we try to prove ourselves instead of just being ourselves. Here are some counterfeits I have found in my own life that I try to substitute for peace: control, constant activity, approval, bitterness, perfection. I could go on…

Control isn’t peace. Surrender is peace.
Constant activity isn’t peace. Rest is peace.
Approval isn’t peace. Identity is peace.
Fame isn’t peace. Fruitfulness is peace.
Bitterness isn’t peace. Forgiveness is peace.
Perfection isn’t peace. Grace is peace.

Learn how to guard your inner peace at all costs. The more you make space for God’s presence, the more you’ll recognize when He’s speaking through peace. Don’t chase chaos. Every day, choose to listen for peace instead of noise. That quiet clarity? That could be God’s voice. If we are anchored to the Person of peace, our souls can rest.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your path straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Peace was promised to us and given to us by God. He said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives…” John 14:27

I’ve had many times where I’ve wrestled with God about answering me. I wasn’t focused on how he was speaking to me, but instead I was focused on how I THOUGHT he was supposed to be speaking to me and therefore I missed Him.

We often expect God’s voice to thunder—clear, direct, undeniable. But more often, His answer is not loud at all. It’s peace. That quiet assurance that settles in your spirit, even when nothing around you has changed.

Think of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. After a powerful showdown on Mount Carmel, he ran for his life and cried out in despair. God didn’t meet him in the wind, earthquake, or fire. He came in a gentle whisper. That whisper was enough to renew Elijah’s strength. Peace is like that. Soft, subtle, but deeply powerful. When we pray and don’t hear a booming response, we can think God is silent. But the stillness of peace can be His clearest reply. It’s His way of saying, “I’ve got this. Trust Me.”

If your situation isn’t perfect but you feel a calm confidence, lean into that. God’s peace doesn’t always mean the circumstances are easy—it just means He’s with you in them.

Don’t overlook peace. Trust it. Hold onto it. Treasure it. Protect it. Let it rule in your heart (Colossians 3:15).

Sometimes God’s Answer Isn’t Loud, It’s Just Peace.

We want to thank Julea Bouma for sharing this post.

As I write this blog, peace is not how I feel on the inside. I have learned from experience that when the Lord uses my circle to reach out to me, it is normally something he is teaching me a lesson on.

I have spent my whole life pleasing people. I love my circle well and plan to until Jesus hugs me in Heaven. I am not saying that it is always a peaceful road. You should see my picture of my path to my goal…it is a straight line to the goal! Then there is God’s path, and it is all over the place to make it to the goal. That is reality! We want easy. Our brains look for the path of least resistance. But did Jesus choose the easy path?

I like to look at Jesus teaching others and how he would leave them and pray. He took time for himself to regroup and fill his cup with God’s Wisdom before he poured it all out on others. How many of you pour out to people constantly and rarely get a thank you or I appreciate you? Often, we seek affirmation from the people around us when we should be taking the time to pray and listen to what the Lord has or needs next from us.

I will never forget coming to Harvest as a young mom. My house was not peaceful. I was a yeller and would get so frustrated with myself if everything wasn’t done when I went to bed. I was a stay-at-home mom so why was it so difficult to get all the dishes and laundry done? My husband had a stressful job. He was driving over an hour one way every day and farming an hour the other direction. Peace was hard to find. One day a dear friend said “Janeé if you want peace in your home you have to seek peace.”

I just looked at her. I didn’t even know where to start. She smiled and said, “Take the pressure off. Look at your husband through Jesus’s eyes. Look at your two beautiful girls through Jesus’s eyes. Look at your beautiful home through Jesus’s eyes. It is okay to have dishes in the sink and dirty clothes. That means you are living a full life. It is okay to have toys everywhere. Soon, they will be gone. When you stop yelling everyone else will.” Thank you, Erin Cruz! We know heaven is amazing! We miss you and love you!

As I type this, I hear the vacuum going in my youngest teen’s room. She is asking us not to sit on her bed because we’ll wrinkle the covers. We jumped on that bed and started laughing because we all thought this day would never come. It does young moms. So please seek Jesus in your crazy to find the peace to see your people through his lens and not just look at your to-do list.

You cannot control PEOPLE!

Through the years I have worked with so many parents and adults. It is not an easy job to be a teacher and a coach, but it is a rewarding one! I am coming off a hard year. My health tanked last June and I had to have emergency surgery. It is true that it takes a year for your cells to turn over. I am just now feeling like myself. My busy world stopped in June, and I had to sit down and process the last few years that have been some of the hardest. The panic attacks came back. You see, I am strong for others and encourage them but for myself I am my worst critic. I also keep going to avoid dealing with the pain of losing loved ones, the pain of my body that hurts daily, the pain of having hard conversations with people choosing a hard path. And even the hard conversations I chose not to have and now
that relationship is not what I wish it was because I didn’t let the Lord lead. We are all facing something and going through something so choose kindness!

The Lord spoke to me one day when I was teaching elementary kids and I will never forget it. When it snows, I always take the kids out to play in the snow with magnifying glasses. We talk about how all the flakes are different. We talk about how many millions, billions, trillions, of flakes it takes to cover the playground. How do so many flakes make the playground so beautiful? We talk about how each one is not the same but together they create beauty. Then I tell them to look at the person beside them. Are you different? Are your stories different? When we work together what do we create? They look at me and say something beautiful. Yes! Littles get it so much faster than we do!

We are all snowflakes, we fall through life, and we are put through different storms at different times creating something beautiful. All our stories are different and yet, we tend to want to control the people around us. WE CAN’T! They must fall and choose for themselves. Loving people where they are at is a hard job. God’s timing is not always our timing. Too often we want to rescue our kids or loved ones and make life easier for them and we stop that beautiful crystal arm from growing. You see without walking through the hard and letting the Lord guide them we sometimes become the melting point. What does this have to do with peaceful pursuit? We must pray and seek his wisdom and encourage the ones around us to do the same. To find peace in all situations we must SEEK the Lord for all things, even the little things we think we have on our own, so we don’t melt what he is trying to form.

Peace comes when we let him in for all parts of our lives. What are you not letting him in on? Relationships, work, finances, parenting, bible study, dishes, laundry, yard work, car issues, health, etc. What do you hold control of that he can bring peace to if you just ask?

Philippians 4:6-7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We want to thank Janee Harrison for sharing this post.

To conclude our “Faith in Action” theme for the month of May, we’d like to share this incredible blog by Phylicia Masonheimer about prayer. Prayer isn’t passive – it’s faith in action. When we kneel in prayer, we stand in spiritual battle, believing that God’s power is greater than anything we face.

https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/prayer-is-war/

There’s something sacred about putting your faith into action, especially when life doesn’t make sense. I’ve come to learn that faith isn’t just a feeling—it’s a decision. A choice we make every day to trust God in the seen and unseen, in the calm and the chaos, in the known and the unknown. And if you’re anything like me, you know just how hard that choice can be when your world feels like it’s teetering on the edge.

I’ve walked through seasons—both in my family and in my business—where nothing seemed certain. Dreams felt fragile. Plans unraveled. And faith? Well, faith was tested in ways I never imagined.

Family is often where we place our deepest hopes and experience our deepest heartbreaks. It’s where love grows, but also where tension can run high when life doesn’t go as planned. I’ve watched loved ones struggle. I’ve prayed through sleepless nights, asking God to intervene, to heal, to restore. There were moments when I questioned if He was even listening. But over and over again, God reminded me that He was not only present—He was working.

Even when I couldn’t see the outcome, God was cultivating growth beneath the surface. The strained conversations, the misunderstandings, the waiting—it was all preparing us for something greater. And now, looking back, I see His fingerprints in every detail. What once felt like a breaking point became a turning point. He brought healing where there was hurt and unity where there was division. His plan, though mysterious at the time, was always greater than my own.

If family is the heart, business is often the hands—building, creating, pushing forward. And just like with family, there have been times when I questioned if I was walking in the right direction. Contracts fell through. Doors slammed shut. Plans I was so sure about dissolved before my eyes. In those moments, fear would creep in, whispering lies that maybe I wasn’t cut out for this, maybe I misheard God, maybe I should just give up.

But again, faith required action.

I learned that faith isn’t about having a backup plan—it’s about trusting God’s plan, even when it doesn’t look like what you expected. Every time I leaned in instead of giving up, God showed up. He sent the right people at the right time. He opened new doors I hadn’t even seen before. He reminded me that obedience always produces fruit, even if the harvest takes time.

I used to think faith was fragile—that it could break under the weight of struggle. But now I see that struggle forms faith. It’s in the tension of the unknown that we’re invited to deeper trust. It’s where God stretches us, shapes us, and strengthens our resolve.

Yes, I’ve cried. Yes, I’ve doubted. But every time I return to the truth that God is for me and not against me, that He works all things together for good, that His timing is perfect and His ways are higher—I find peace. Not because I have all the answers, but because I trust the One who does.

If you’re walking through a season where faith feels hard—whether in your home, your work, or your heart—let me encourage you: God sees you. He hasn’t forgotten you. You may not understand the “why” right now, but one day, you’ll look back and see how it all wove together for your good and His glory.

Don’t stop showing up. Don’t stop believing. Don’t stop praying. Faith in action looks like waking up and trusting God again, even when yesterday didn’t turn out the way you hoped. It’s in the small, daily yeses that the big miracles often unfold.

Remember, His plan always prevails.

And you? You’re not just walking through the unknown—you’re walking it out with HIM. 

We want to thank Beckah Hunt for sharing this post.

Sitting quietly in my front room one morning, before the rest of my family began to stir for the day, I reflected on just how stuck and frustrated I felt. Several things in life weren’t going the way I wanted them to. I was worried, angry, tired – I couldn’t even see how I could push through that day – much less whatever was going to be required of me to push through these less than desirable circumstances. It’s a place we have all been.

I knew I needed faith. I knew I had promises to stand on. I knew I just needed to keep moving forward. And yet, the mountains in front of me seemed insurmountable.

Then I heard it, the voice of my savior. Still and quiet, but undeniable.

“Look at me.”

Right then I knew – I had my focus in the wrong place.

To have faith in action, it does at times require action, but all the time, faith in action comes from a clear focus. A right focus. Faith in action requires us to have our eyes on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 states “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before Him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The author of Hebrews is calling for action. This chapter comes right after what I have heard called “The Faith Chapter,” or “The Hall of Faith,” in Hebrews 11. So now, after reminding us of the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, the author calls us to action. He calls us to do two things – Lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and to run with endurance the race that lies before us.

Chapter 11 calls us to faith, and now in 12, we are called to action – but the instruction doesn’t end there.

In the beginning of verse 2, the author tells us exactly how to run this race of endurance – by keeping our eyes on Jesus.

Faith in action requires us to have our eyes on Jesus. Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Other translations call Him the author, or the founder of our faith. Not only did Jesus pioneer or author our faith – He is the perfecter of it. Perfection takes time, work, repetition. And how is He going to perfect our faith? By reminding us to keep our eyes on Him.

I love where the author of Hebrews goes next. Because the passage doesn’t jump to the victory, or the joy. Instead, there is more remembrance.

Remembrance that our High Priest and King is no stranger to hardship and endurance Himself.

Hebrews 12:2 continues, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

For Christ to endure the cross – to complete the action He was sent here to complete – He had the proper focus. For Him, it was the joy of restoration and relationship with us. For us, our focus must be on Him.

As I sat in my front room that morning, I shifted my focus. I remembered all the times I had seen the Lord fight for me before. All the times I had seen His promises come to pass. All the ways in which He has loved and provided for me – over and over again. And as I did, the mountain shrank. And then I praised Him for who He is – Father, protector, defender, savior – and the mountain shrank. And I thanked Him – for how he would provide again. For how He would fulfill these promises too – and the mountain shrank.

Faith welled up in me, and my fear, my frustration, my exhaustion – fell away. I knew I had what I needed to take my next steps. It was all clear – because I had a clear, right, focus. Because my focus was on Him.

Faith in action comes from a clear focus – a right focus – our eyes on Jesus.

We want to thank Brooke Kellum for sharing this post.

Walking into HCF every Sunday, I see FAITH IN ACTION! I look around and see people making coffee, praying for people and the service, security guys and policemen keeping us safe, greeters with smiles and hugs, golf cart drivers in all kinds of weather, Kid City workers smiling and welcoming kids, connection center willing to help anyone, AV workers setting up, and the worship team practicing and worshiping. Plus, lots of people visiting, smiling, hugging, and sharing God’s love!

Our actions truly do speak louder than words, especially when it comes to sharing our faith! There are many ways to put your faith in action, but here are a few ways we can show our faith in a more profound and authentic way than words ever could.

1. Live with Integrity and Honor – Sometimes it’s easy to say one thing and do another. Living with honor and integrity can powerfully demonstrate your faith.
2. Be Kind – “In a world where you can be anything… be kind.” When we choose to show kindness to everyone, it can be life changing for everyone. And our faith shines through our actions of kindness!
3. Volunteer – When you put your needs aside and volunteer your time, money, and energy it’s a way to show others your faith. So instead of telling people about your faith, you’re living out your faith by serving others. ***BTW – HCF has many opportunities to serve! Please reach out to the church office and they can find a perfect fit for you!
4. Forgiveness – It can be tough to forgive if you are wronged or hurt, but faith allows us to put aside our hurt and choose to forgive and live out our faith through action.
5. Be generous – Generosity speaks volumes about your faith. It’s not just about your money, but it’s about your time, energy, and prayers.
6. Be compassionate – Being compassionate takes your faith and puts it into action through empathy and love.
7. Have Patience – It’s a fruit of the Spirit, and it requires us to take our faith and practice patience in our daily lives.
8. Walk in Humility – When we walk in humility and in God’s word and truth, it shows our faith. We can be respectful, understanding, and open to others’ opinions as we live out our faith daily.
9. Love – Love is key to living out our faith. It’s not just about feelings, but it’s about our actions. It’s a way to show others how much God loves them by loving them through your faith.
10. Share God’s Word – when our faith is put into action, it should lead others to the cross and God’s love, forgiveness, truth, and saving grace!

With all this said, I’m going to challenge you to check your FAITH IN ACTION!

Can people see Jesus in your everyday life? Can they see Jesus in your words and actions? Can they feel love from you that will lead them to an everlasting relationship with Jesus and secure their place with Jesus in eternity?

As we all put these practices into action in our daily lives, we’re not just talking about faith, we are living it out! Remember, it’s not just a destination, but a journey to be more like Jesus in all we do!  Faith is living out what you believe – walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

We want to thank Bambi Lutrick for sharing this post.

Sitting down and writing this blog was a little more difficult than I was expecting. The Lord asked me to share my journey, and that’s not always an easy thing to do. Some parts of my journey I’ve preferred to keep to myself, but I know in sharing it, it can help someone else along their journey too. So… here goes! 

Rage. Depression. Anxiety. Identity crisis.

Those were never words that I thought would be in my vocabulary to describe my journey through adulthood. When you’re young, you have this picture, or really an expectation, of what you think being an adult will be like. What being in college will be like. What being a wife will be like. What being a mother will be like. And now that I am approaching my mid-thirties, I can honestly say that none of it turned out the way that I had pictured.

In many ways it is so much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined on my own. But there have also been many, many moments where I have had to honestly deal with some really ugly things. I didn’t even know what post-partum depression was until after I had our first child. I didn’t understand why in one of the most joyous times in my life I didn’t even have the strength to get out of bed. I didn’t know what post-partum rage was until after I had our twin boys. I didn’t understand why I suddenly snapped, yelled, screamed at mere inconveniences. I didn’t know what post-partum anxiety was until after I had our youngest. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t go a single day without imagining some of the most ridiculous things happening, while trying to control and make sure they never did.

Not a single one of those things felt like ME. My husband and I had our 4 kids in under 5 years, and I felt trapped in a person that didn’t feel like me – I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I felt so isolated and so alone. I tried so hard to make things look on the outside how I deeply wished I felt on the inside. Until I was too exhausted to carry it anymore. I thought losing weight would help. Making more money. Career promotions. Fitting in. But it was all just temporary. The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and I had to be reminded of that truth. Cue the identity crisis – I had to walk through a lot of things falling apart so that the only One who could, put them back together.

God. In His tenderness and mercy, no rush or urgency. He reminded me of who He created me to be. That I was His. That I was made by Him for a purpose to do good things – the literal skill and precision of His creation (Ephesians 2:1-10). That I was given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). That He loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

I had to walk through some difficult things that didn’t seem fair to truly grasp His unfailing love for me. Sure, there were little pockets of joy along the winding way – always because of Him. But because He always works things out for our good, it’s a little easier now to find joy in the journey, because my joy comes from Him and not my circumstances.

We want to thank Paige Keller for sharing this post.