The Right Path

The Right Path

"Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow." Psalm 5:8

Do you ever question yourself whether or not the path you are taking is led by the LORD, or one you've chosen? When I was young in the LORD, I would pray for God's guidance and proceed to step forward on the path that seemed right--without hearing God's answer. After all, I'd committed my way to him, so where I was going was correct, right?

"Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you." Psalm 37:5

I can tell you from experience, the enemy often had a field day with the pits of miry clay he planted in that path I had chosen. Choking on that suck-y clay made me look back at the beginning of the path and call out to God. 

Why? Why is my enemy overwhelming me?

In his goodness, God pointed out my motivation. 

This is a path you have chosen. You asked for my guidance, then closed your ears and forged ahead because You wanted Your way, not mine.

Ouch. In every instance, God was right about my motivation. I was asking him to co-sign what I wanted to do, not asking him what he wanted me to do. There's a qualifying statement in the middle of verse 5--Trust him. If I trust God, I wait for him to speak.

Have you ever given your child instructions and have him or her run off before you're finished speaking? Sometimes they got it right, but--more often than not--they missed the mark because a crucial part of the instruction wasn't heard.

We can be like that with our Heavenly Father.

"Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act." Psalm 37:7a

Yes, we need to be patient, not impulsive. We need to obey the direction to be still in his presence. After all, this meeting ground with him is holy. When we take the time to worship and adore him before we make our needs known to him, we hear his answers more readily. We don't miss a phrase or a nuance in scripture that gives us the answer we were looking for.

"...trust him, and he will help you." Psalm 37:5

Commit...trust...be still...wait patiently. This is our heart's preparation for seeing the plain path God wants us to follow. Only our Abba Father knows whether we need an immediate answer or one that seems delayed. But the waiting honors him. And, it builds our confidence in him.

Trust him, and he will help you.

by Marilyn Allison

Hope Among the Decay

Hope Among the Decay

"And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee." Psalm 39:7

She’s waiting.
I’m worried.

If one more soccer ball crashes against our disintegrating patio cover, it might collapse. At our house, that’s every 2 minutes.  I’ve learned not to judge other mammas. But, seriously...why did this sweetie choose such a precarious place to nest her egg?!

We named her Penelope. She’s the best little mamma, tirelessly tending to the hope beneath her. She wants to be ready when life breaks through. Her delicate frame flutters about, eyes watching for the slightest movement. She rests, but not for long.

Her focus is constant.

My focus has changed.

Instead of wishing we’d tear down our patio cover and replace it with beautiful wood, now I’m praying it stays up. I’m rooting for the budding life, cupped in splintered hands. My eyes go straight to the nest now.

I no longer look at the defective, but at the life I’ve detected.  I love sitting under my creaky shade--cup of coffee in hand--watching with my feathered soul sister for the birth of new life.

We’re so eager to tear down things that aren’t perfectly lovely in our life. We don’t want to look at rickety boards and chipped paint. We don’t want to have awkward conversations and squint to see potential.

Nurturing hope is intentional work. The world doesn’t have patience for this. It preaches,

If your marriage is struggling, tear it down.
If your friend betrays you, close the door.
If your dream shreds easily, throw it out.
If your ministry doesn’t grow, give up.

STOP.

This is the world’s way. It is not God’s way.

Don’t bring in the demolition crew so quickly. Look for life--even if the promise is huddled in a fragile shell.

When the Lord brought Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones, he asked,

“Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)

And God did know.

He spoke to the bones,

“I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 37:6b)

Ezekiel saw dry bones. God saw an opportunity for a miracle. Anyone can bring death to a situation. Only God can bring life.

Walking away from a valley of dry bones is not God’s way.
Breathing life into them is God’s way.
Raising the dead is His way.
Letting a baby bird hatch in a termite palace, is His way.

Hover over these truths. Be patient. Keep praying. Ask for God’s spirit to breathe into every situation.

Try not to focus on broken boards framing the circumstances. Choose to find the nesting egg, the dry bones that God can bring to life.

Always tend to the hope among the decay.

If you do, you’ll be ready to welcome new life like Penelope.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

by Jenna Masters

Heart to Heart

Heart to Heart

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. " 1 Corinthians 1:18

The CCEA Heart to Heart widow’s ministry held an Ice Cream Social at Beth Ferrari’s home on Sunday June 24th. Everyone enjoyed a bowl of yummy ice cream with a mouthwatering array of toppings.

Cindy Snelling gave a brief devotion about the power of the cross from I Corinthians 1:18, and everyone received a handmade wooden cross with our Heart to Heart ministry logo and the scripture reference included.

Cynthia Stakely shared her testimony about God’s faithful presence in her life, how she met her husband, and the many miracles she experienced throughout her walk with the Lord. It was heartfelt and inspiring. 

Beth’s garden was the perfect spot for an afternoon of relaxing fellowship among truly amazing natural beauty. Beth, Debbie, Susan and Cindy wish everyone a summer of fun family get-togethers and good health.

All widows of any age are invited to join us for encouraging fellowship. If you would like to connect with us or you have any specific prayer requests, please email heart2heart@gmail.com.

Check your email inbox for the next Heart to Heart event coming up in the fall!

Offered by Cindy Snelling

Reassurance

Reassurance

"You can be sure of this: The LORD set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him." Psalm 4:3

When I'm troubled over something, this is one of the verses that gives me comfort. Because I believe Jesus' death and resurrection was for me--a sinner--I qualify as "godly." If you believe in Jesus, you qualify as godly, too. God has set us apart for himself. Can we comprehend that blessing?

In another Psalm, David says God knows everything about him--everything he thinks, everything he does. And he blesses the godly. David's God-inspired words are meant for us, too.

"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!" Psalm 139:5-6

When I'm still before God and he speaks his words of love to me, I'm overwhelmed. I agree with David, such knowledge is too great for me to understand.

His thoughts toward you and me are so precious and so many they can't be counted. When we're awake or asleep, he's thinking of us.

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!"
Psalm 139:17-18

He thinks about us all the time. He's not thinking about how to discipline us. He thinks about how to bless us.

"For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

He considers us today and plans for our future.

It's thought David wrote the 3rd and 4th Psalms when he was running from Absalom's treacherous attempt to take over the kingdom. In the midst of this trial, he comforted himself with the knowledge he belonged to God and had been set apart by him for something good.

Can you look at your life and see how God has set you apart for his plans? Can you see him working out the circumstances of your life? That they are better than you had planned? That the outcome of your trials and testings bring him glory?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for Jesus--that by his sacrificial death and resurrection we are transformed from sinner into godly--and you set apart the godly for yourself. You set us apart from the world so you may use us for your purposes. You loved the world so much you sent your one and only Son to give us the opportunity to become a "whosoever"...
whosoever believes in him will have eternal life, (John 3:16)
whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father... (Matthew 10:32)
whosoever drinks of the water I give shall never thirst (John 4:14)
whosoever believes on me shall not live in darkness (John 12:46)
whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21)
whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed (Romans 10:11)
whosoever confesses Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him (1 John 4:15) 
and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17
As you have set us apart for your good pleasure, may we fill the skies with our praise and thanksgiving to our Holy God, our Abba Father.

by Marilyn Allison

Love that Saves

Love That Saves

"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Our Saviour was beaten, broken, scarred, close to death. He was stumbled, falling--until someone had to carry His cross--then he was nailed to it. Arms opened wide in surrender. A crown of thorns drew blood from his brow. King of the Jews signified his crime. 

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Darkness fell and our sins held Him until He cried, “It is finished!.” Droplets of blood fell from His body onto the ground.

Mankind beaten, broken, scarred, close to death. Stumbling--falling under a burden too heavy to carry--struggling forward. sin darkening our hearts. We fall, arms opened wide in surrender. “God... Jesus, please take my life, my will, my way, my sin. Forgive me. I didn’t know.”

With each word, the sin that nailed us is pulled from our hearts. Chains and shackles of pride and compromise fall away. We lay face down, barely breathing. The Risen Saviour touches our tear stained faces with His nail scarred hands. He lifts our burden and, looking into the eyes of His beloved child, says “It is finished; your sins are washed away by my blood.”

I can’t help but see the parallel of a body beaten and broken for us and lives that are beaten and broken in need of a Saviour. Let the light of Jesus shine into your life. Read the Bible, ask questions and find out how to be delivered from the burden of your sins into the hands of Jesus. 

If you think that God is a harsh judge and is punishing you--nothing is further from the truth.

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him." John 3:17

Jesus died a horrific death so that He could demonstrate the extent of His love for us. No condemnation, no pointing fingers, and no reminders of your sins. His love saved my life – let Jesus save yours as well.

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

by Eve Montano