Get Back To Church

June 8, 2021 Gracie

You Are Invited To Get Back To Church!

Get back to church

What time is it?

It’s time to get back to church!

Don’t let the temptations of convenience and live streaming keep you from going back to church and worshipping with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

It’s so important.

In other words, if your church is open, you’re not homebound or ill, or have another valid reason for staying at home, God desires us to be back in church.

This isn’t a legalistic “you can only worship in church” kind of thing.

We all know it isn’t about the “where.”

In fact, you can pray anywhere, in a field of wildflowers if you want, and God will hear you.

But, God wants us to be together.

If you’re healthy and can get to the grocery store or to a kid’s soccer game for instance, you can get back to church.

In the book of Hebrews, it speaks of a time of great discouragement among God’s people. (Much like today.)

Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25, (MEV).¹

Why is Going to Church So Important?

With good intent, let me reiterate that this post is directed to those who are perfectly healthy, but have gotten into a habit of staying home.

Going back to church as healthy people means we desire to obey God, to hear His Word, to receive the blessing of being together, show love to each other in person, and encourage one another.

It means we look forward to receiving the Lord’s Supper and praying together as a church body to our Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.

Separation is a Device of the Evil One

Wise words from Charles Spurgeon here . . .

Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation. – Charles Spurgeon, pastor and author.²

With a biblical perspective, observe what is happening around us.

Did you know that, in some states, there are still some churches on lockdown? Those worshipers aren’t being allowed to go to church even if they wanted to.

That is persecution, folks. I’m talking about the politicians who don’t consider churches “essential.”

But hey, those liquor stores better be open.

Thank the Lord that we are finally seeing some progress against this injustice. I applaud any church that takes a stand to open its doors.

Easy Doesn’t Mean Better

For countless years, we in America have had the blessing of being able to go to church in person.

Unfortunately, new technology has made it way too easy to do “pajama-church,” even with most churches open.

easy doesn't mean better

Isn’t technology great?

Watch the service in your pajamas!

Now you can check “church” off your to-do list.

“At least it’s something.”

Yes, at least it’s something.

Mind you, that person could actually physically go, but the lure of staying in the comfort of one’s home is too great. Besides, the teenagers will want to sleep in.

Since when do parents let the kids decide? Be a parent.

How many of us have been in that situation where the alarm clock rings early on a Sunday morning, you’re dog tired and you just don’t feel like going?

When I get that temptation myself (it happens) – I try to remind myself of Jesus on the cross, picture the innocent Lamb of God dying a torturous death for our sins. The actual torture that He endured we can’t even imagine, only a glimpse from the horrific details we read about.

salvation through Jesus Christ

Tortured, forced to walk with a heavy cross, nailed and stabbed in His side.

I think about this and then I get myself out of bed, go, serve, and praise God at church with my fellow believers.

I urge you to find a theologically correct, Bible-based church, attend the services, and please take your kids.

If you and your church don’t teach them about salvation through Jesus Christ, the secular, entertainment and public academia world will eat them alive with evil influences.

We’re seeing the results of that every day in the headlines.

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²Charles Spurgeon quotation, influential Christian pastor and author, courtesy of AZquotes.com.

Our Exceptional God

Memorial Day 2021

May 30, 2021 Gracie

Memorial Day 2021 – Remembering Our Fallen

Memorial Day 2021

Can you believe Memorial Day 2021 is already here?

Grocery stores are crowded.

Customers are combing the aisles for something to grill and also keeping an eye on the weather report.

But there’s only one real reason for this holiday and it’s not about the cookout.

It’s about taking the time to remember our brave men and women who lost their lives while defending our country.

We must never forget.

Parents – please teach your kids to respect and remember this day as well!

My heart aches and tears fall when I see disrespect towards the brave heroes who sacrificed everything for our freedom.

Please remember the families of the fallen in your prayers on this special day.

This video, among countless others on the internet, speaks volumes. There’s not much more to say.

“Thank You” doesn’t seem enough.

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Our Exceptional God

God’s Glory Not Ours

May 18, 2021 Gracie

God’s Glory Not Ours – Our Lives Have Meaning

Hey Beautiful!

Don’t look around, I’m talking to you!

So you may not have the superficial good looks that Hollywood celebrates, but you do have something much, much more.

Deep inside.

A beauty more real and authentic.

God's glory not ours

You should look in that mirror, child of God, and remember that God thought enough of you to share you with the world!

I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in Gods thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.” – George Macdonald, christian theologian.¹

We are here to know Him and bring Him the glory.

God’s glory not ours.

The blessings of that very real relationship are joyful and eternal.

Extraordinary Things for God’s Glory Not Ours

We know from the Bible that God often chose the most ordinary people to do great things in history.

Moses had no confidence in his speaking ability.

The apostle Paul had a mysterious thorn in the flesh to restrain any ounce of pride that might surface as he shared the gospel message.

Those are just two historical examples of God’s people who overcame circumstances in their lives to bring God the glory.

When you turned your life over to Christ, you became a beautiful new creation.

Your soul is valuable to God, and don’t let anyone who hates Christianity tell you otherwise.

In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul assures us that all of God’s people have access to God’s immeasurable love and grace. Our salvation is nothing we can do on our own.

We deserve eternal death, but are saved by His grace, through our faith.

One body of believers holding to the absolute truth of the one true God.

¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22, (NASB).

Look to the Cross

Look to the cross – that’s how valuable you are to Him.

There’s nothing more beautiful than that – the One who gave us the promise of eternal life would make the ultimate sacrifice to save us from dying unredeemed in our own sins.

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¹ George MacDonald (CS Lewis mentor) quotation, courtesy of and as quoted from Christian quotes.info

Our Exceptional God

Trust God With My Whys

May 11, 2021 Gracie

Learning to Trust God With My Whys

Let’s see, how many years has it been since I was in college?

I won’t say how many, but trust me when I say it’s been many. 😉

What amazes me is how radically different my life turned out from everything I had carefully planned.

I thought “career” was everything back then.

do what you love

My one goal was to become a TV reporter and follow in the footsteps of my idol – Jane Pauley.

When I landed that first TV job, I was in heaven.

I thought,

This is it!

I want to do this the rest of my life.

But God had other plans.

My TV reporter career came to a grinding halt once my father was diagnosed with Alzheimers. He was my rock and the person I most admired. You can read more about that here.

I was devastated. When a cruel disease like that strikes a person you love, it sends you to your knees.

The right choice for me was to move back home to be with him. I will never regret that decision.

Didn’t God Care?

I got lost in a sea of “whys.” There were so many things at the time that I didn’t understand.

Why did God allow this to happen to my father?

Why didn’t God care?

Tear-stained thoughts flooded my pillow back then.

Nothing made sense.

My prayers were earnest, and finally my answer came.

I had to learn to trust God with my whys.

In time, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

My thirst for God turned on.

The desire to read and understand the Bible reached a fever pitch.

Not surprising, when you’re up against a wall and you realize you’re not in control.

Expect the Unexpected

Many years have passed and I look back in amazement of how God brought me through life’s many challenges.

Once you yield control, you can expect the unexpected.

Who would have ever thought that this former TV reporter would now have a passion to write about God and share my faith with others?

Who would have thought that I’d end up in a choir loft with enthusiastic brothers and sisters in Christ singing praises to God?

Unleashing the Power of Psalm 40

Psalm 40 is especially meaningful.

Trust God with my whys

When I first read David’s psalm it struck a chord like no other.

That’s it!

Those introductory verses are a great description as to what I feel when I look back on my life.

The next time tragedy strikes your life, remember we must trust in God’s sovereignty to get us through.

The Father of All Compassion hears you when you call out to Him.

O Christian, can you grasp the thought? The Eternal Father thinks of you! You are so inconsiderable that if the mind of God were not Infinite, it would not be possible that He should remember your existence! Yet He thinks upon you! How precious ought His thoughts be to you! The sum of them is great, let your gratitude for them be great, too! – Charles Spurgeon, pastor and author.

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² Quotation from Charles Spurgeon, influential Christian preacher and author, (1834-1892). Taken from The Kingdom Collective. “The Charles Spurgeon Sermon Collection: The Happy Beggar.” n.d., para. 30. Web. Accessed 4 May, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.thekingdomcollective.com/spurgeon/sermon/3040/

Our Exceptional God

Praying Silent Whispers In The Dark

May 4, 2021 Gracie

Silent Whispers in the Dark

Christian friends, I know you can think of someone you deeply care about who denies the fact that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

It’s heartbreaking, isn’t it?

Is it a family member, a dear friend, or maybe even someone you’re about to marry?

Why won’t they listen?

The conversations you’ve started with them about salvation through Jesus seem to go nowhere.

Do any of the following responses sound familiar?

“I just don’t feel that way”

“Nope! Not interested”

“Jesus is a myth”

If only they knew how important their eternal lives are to God.

If only they knew how much you want to see them in Heaven.

Praying those silent whispers in the dark on your loved one’s behalf seem to go unanswered.

It’s troubling.

Don’t they see what’s going on in our world?

Don’t they see the growing divide between good and evil playing out before our very eyes?

Keep Praying

Our loved ones’ salvation could take a very long time.

But also, in our heart of hearts, we have to face up to the fact that some of the people that we love will not go to Heaven.

They will continue being the wonderful people they are here, but their hardened hearts will send them to Hell forever.

I know we don’t like to think about it – but it’s true.

Faith can’t be forced on someone if they are not called.

Your Silent Whispers in the Dark are Heard

silent whispers in the dark

Going forward, it doesn’t matter how long your lost loved ones continue to reject Christ, keep praying for them.

Even though it seems like they’ll never change, the Heavenly Father hears your silent whispers in the dark.

God knew the exact timing for you to come to Christ, and He knows the exact timing for your loved one . . . even if it’s years down the road.

If they are called to salvation, it will happen.

Do you want to hear something beautiful?

⁹The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9, (NASB).

Peter, a friend and disciple of our Lord, spoke those words.

He saw deceivers coming into the church trying to influence God’s people.

confusing messages

Look around – is anything different in today’s world? There are wicked people everywhere looking to spread their hate for God to all generations.

And yet, God is not willing for any to perish.

He, not we, knows who His elect are, and that’s why it’s so important to bring the gospel to all people.

So why won’t some of the people you care about accept the gospel message?

God willing, they might, but it’s all in God’s timing.

The Lord is never late.

Praying for Lost Loved Ones

How do we pray for them then?

Some people have trouble finding the right words.

Regardless, God will hear you so don’t get caught up in trying to make it flow like you have to be perfect.

This should be a cry from the heart.

Even the length of the prayer doesn’t matter.

You’re praying for God to open their hearts to hear His Good News.

Don’t Give Up Praying Those Silent Whispers in the Dark

Here’s an example of a prayer that you’re welcome to use – maybe it could be a springboard for your own personal prayer for your lost loved ones.

Father God,

I have some special people on my heart today.

The __________ family,

___________,

and ____________.

Father, nothing seems to work.

No matter how much I pray, they don’t want to talk

about Jesus at all.

I know You hear all of my prayers.

As it says in Your Word, You love us so much that

You’re not willing for anyone to perish.

Thank You for Your patience with me,

and for Your patience with my lost loved ones.

I pray that they won’t wait until there’s no turning back.

I pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me in any future conversations I have with them about repentance and salvation. May the words of my mouth help plant those seeds that can lead them to Christ.

We fail You daily and yet, through Your compassion and mercy, You have provided us with a way to have eternal life.

As this world grows darker, help them to see that You are the only way to their salvation.

I know all things are done in Your timing. Your will be done.

I pray this through Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Our Exceptional God

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