Bloom Where You Are Planted

September 10, 2024 Gracie

Embracing Opportunities: Bloom Where You Are Planted

Bloom where you are planted Have you ever heard the expression, “Bloom where you are planted”?

While this phrase is not in the Bible, from a Christian perspective, it means to make the best of the opportunities that we’re given to “give God the glory.”

Does it mean you have to be a missionary to a foreign country? No.

A Bible Study teacher? No.

You can bloom where you are planted right there in your own neighborhood.

I’ve seen this grace in action, and it’s a touching thing.

A few years ago, a woman in our neighborhood had breast cancer surgery. She had five young kids. The call went out, neighbors banded together, and we were able to present this young mother with meals and a gift basket full of encouraging notes and gift cards to help lift her up during her recovery.

But, what if your talents lie in other areas?

Consider What Talents you Have

Are you good at public speaking? Share your testimony with others. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an auditorium full of listeners or just one, the Lord is honored when you praise His name before others. Pray for the Lord to open those doors.

If you hear about a friend going through financial difficulties, you could surprise him or her with an anonymous gift card. We’ve done that in the past and it’s extremely rewarding, especially using the “anonymous” feature. The whole purpose is to honor the ultimate Giver of All Things with what He has blessed us with.

For years, I’ve handed out business cards to thank military veterans (and also police officers) for their service. Whether I see an officer in a restaurant or just walking along a sidewalk, it’s a blast to brighten up their day with a permanent keepsake they can keep in their wallets.

For first responders

Sometimes small things like this can bring big smiles.

Another Great Idea to Bloom Where You Are Planted

Recently, a friend of mine showed me a business card that she made to hand out to exceptional people in the service industry. (Waiters, contractors, etc.)

I loved the idea so asked her permission to make my own.

With a little tweaking to the design and wording, I made my own new card. It’s colorful, and, besides the encouraging words, Matthew 5:16 is referenced on it as well.

Awesome service today

When we took our recent trip to Alaska, I got to hand out my first card.

You may be surprised as to whom I gave it to.

We went to the Beatles show on the ship. The venue was crowded and, by the time we got there, there was absolutely no place to sit. We waited a bit and tried to decide if we could stand for over an hour in that crowded room.

It was then when a sweet mom who was sitting nearby tapped me on the shoulder and said, “my son wants to give you his seat.”

What a sweetheart! I handed her my card to give to him. She was beaming as both our friends and I complimented her on raising her young son to be a perfect gentleman. She added, “He’s going to love this!”

Giving Joy To Others

Suffice it to say giving joy to others is a blessing for the intended and also for the giver.

We were created in God’s image. Sin marred that image. When God bought us back for Himself, it was to restore His image in us and free us to become all we were created to be. When the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us, He prompts us to do things that glorify God (John 14:26). Our desire to please God grows as our understanding of Him grows. That desire to please God results in good works. – gotquestions.org.¹

Let your light shine, friends, and bloom where you are planted!

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¹Quotation from gotquestions.org from “What does it mean that good works are the result of salvation”? n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed September 5, 2024. Retrieved from Good works.

Our Exceptional God

Christian Voices Needed

March 22, 2022 Gracie

Immediate Openings: Christian Voices Needed

Is there any doubt that the world is on a downward spiral?

Crime rates are skyrocketing and traditional family values are mocked just about everywhere.

Family Values

And, as crazy as this sounds, even some of our churches across the country are bowing to the god of secular humanism.

These are just a few of the disturbing signs of the times.

There are so many examples of our nation’s descent into apostasy, trying to make a numbered list would be impossible.

Come Lord Jesus!

Until that blessed day when Christians are raptured, it might be tempting to hole up in our homes to avoid the chaos outside.

But we can’t.

Not only are we to respectfully engage this fallen culture (of which we are a part of), but also to point them to Christ.

Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16, (NASB).¹

To clarify, our enduring faith, no matter what, is a reflection of His Goodness and Glory.

In a sense, we are like beacons in a very dark place pointing a lost world to Him.

We can’t be warriors for Christ by silently hiding out in our homes all the time.

That is to say, we must get involved.

Be the salt and light.

Christian voices needed now!

Christian voices needed

Be sure to run for city government, become involved in your school system, witness to the community, have a vacation Bible school for the children of the area, bring them in and let us together witness to our faith in the midst of this culture. – Dr. Edwin Lutzer, Pastor Emeritus²

Heated Spiritual Battle

Have you noticed that there are no winners in political debates? There’s no respectful exchange of ideas anymore.

Each “side” has their pundits and, no matter what, will criticize the opponent.

Even so, we must continue to vote for Godly values and show a dying world their need for Christ.

We can get bogged down in who is right, we can get arguing in the political arena, we can do all sorts of things. But remember, this is a bigger war that we’re talking about and God hasn’t come to take sides. He’s come to take over. He says listen the battle is mine. I’m calling my people to it. I expect them to be fighting the cause of sin and to be, above all, winning souls for Christ. Because, when you win souls for Christ, they stop having abortions. When you win souls for Christ, they get into government and make good rules. When you win souls for Christ, they stop killing each other. When you win souls for Christ, they have the power to overcome their drug habit, so let’s be careful not at all to put down involvement. – Jill Briscoe, Author and Bible teacher. ³

Given these points, we can’t afford to be couch potatoes.

Instead, pray for opportunities.

God will answer.

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²Edwin Lutzer, Pastor Emeritus Moody Church, quotation courtesy of Cross Radio Network. From “When The State Becomes God”, [Podcast]. Accessed 17 March, 2022. Web. Retrieved from https://www.thecrossradio.com/show/running-to-win-erwin-lutzer/38690/

³Jill Briscoe quotation courtesy of TellingTheTruth.org. From “Deborah – How To Fight Your Battles.” Podcast, [20:31-21:32]. n.d., Web. Accessed March 16, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.tellingthetruth.org/listen/message?mid=96bce48d-2b10-4bcb-8553-82c848aa23d6

Our Exceptional God

Light To Pierce The Darkness

October 16, 2019 Gracie

There’s A Storm Coming In The Darkness

I’ll never forget that spring afternoon when a tornado formed just up the street from our house.

darkness

My husband wasn’t home from work yet, and I was by myself (with our dogs) monitoring the weather.

Things happened fast.

I remember looking out the window and seeing a scud cloud go racing by.

Uh oh.

It took me only a few seconds to grab the dogs plus a flashlight so we could get inside the bathroom to take cover.

My concerned husband was driving home during all this. The weather was so bad on the interstate that he had to exit and duck into a retail store for safety.

Thankfully, he called to check on us. It was so good just to hear his voice, even though I could hear a crashing sound outside our windows. Unfortunately, right in the middle of our conversation, the electricity went out and the phone went dead. My connection to his voice of encouragement disappeared – just like that.

Of course, I prayed a lot in that dark bathroom. The comforting light of that one flashlight helped make a difference – even if it was just a little bit of light to pierce the darkness.

Light To Pierce The Darkness

Can Christians be the light that pierces the darkness?

Our world is consumed by darkness and sin. I’ve never seen it so bad.

But that’s a blog post for a different day.

What does this world need?

There’s only one answer.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

light to pierce the darkness

As Christians, we should “shine a light” to help point a dying world towards Him, and Him alone.

Remember this passage from Jesus Himself at the Sermon On The Mount.

We are here for the glory of God.

May everyone see His mercy and power and forgiveness reflected in our own lives and through our spiritual transformation.

¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16. NASB.¹

I love this heartfelt poem written by fellow Christian writer Robin Bartholomew called, “The Light of God.”

In my opinion, her poem is a gentle reminder for all of us to “let our light shine.”

The Light of God

by Robin Bartholomew
05/02/15
Free to Share

The Light of God

Does my light shine, so that others might see,
Just what the Good Lord has put into me
Do I stand out in a crowd with God’s light shining above?
Am I bright light, to light up the darkness with Love?

Do others, when they look at me,
see the Holy Spirit within?
Does my life magnify our Lord Jesus,
So that others want more of Him?

Do I cast out a glow,
Of over whelming love from above
Or do I put out a dimming light
That no one see’s as love?

Do I only sometimes glow,
With God’s bright light from overhead?
And only show all the world
The light that’s sometimes dim?

I Pray fervently each day,
for God’s special bright light.
So that others will see what I have,
And ask how to get their own light.

So I Pray Father God
That your light within me will shine,
So that others ask of that glow up above
And they say: “Tell me, how do I get mine?”

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Our Exceptional God