Bridget A. Thomas

1 When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;
4 the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

~ Psalm 114 NIV

I read Psalm 114 roughly two weeks ago, when the weather channel was predicting my area would be hit with a third hurricane this season.

When I read this, the word “Presence” that is seen twice in verse 7 jumped out at me – “Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.”

This is the same Hebrew word that I mentioned last week. And I think God used it to get my attention. “Presence” is my one word for 2024, and as I mentioned last week I have been digging into Psalms that speak about God’s presence in our lives. So God knew this verse and Psalm would alert me to pay attention.

But let me back up a little and explain why God wanted to get my attention. I initially sat down with the Lord to pray (and I admit I complained as well) that life had enough worries, and that we didn’t need any new ones added. I then asked Jesus to keep us protected from the hurricane headed our way. And I ended my prayer by asking Jesus to help me trust Him with the many worries I had.

Then I opened my Bible and happened to read this Psalm. I felt like the Lord wanted me to get two messages out of this. Regarding the hurricane itself, God was reminding me that He is ruler of the earth. The earth, the seas, and the mountains – they all tremble before Him. They answer to Him.

Although we still see terrible destruction from natural disasters, it brings some comfort knowing that God is still in control. Anything that happens, He allows. We don’t always understand why He allows them. But as God said in Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

However, I also felt that God was reminding me of a bigger meaning. In the figurative “storms” of life, He wants us to trust Him. I had just prayed and asked Jesus to help me to trust Him. And I believe He was reminding me that He is on the throne. When life’s storms come rolling in, He wants us to turn to Him.

I don’t always remember this in the moment, but the truth is that the enemy is the one who wants us to feel discouraged. Because of the enemy and when sin first entered the world, we face a lot of heartache and destruction on this earth. And the enemy wants us to believe we are all alone, and God has forgotten about us. But God promises to never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

In life we will face many storms, literal and figurative. When life brings worries our way, I pray we will remember to hold onto Jesus and hold onto hope. The Lord and His powerful presence is with us. Any storm or enemy that comes against us – it trembles in God’s presence. God is bigger than any mountain we face. And God is on our side!

My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! – Psalm 56:9 NLT

One final thing before you go. Please listen to the song below. My friend, Manu, shared with me and I had to pass it along. This is so powerful. Please make sure you listen to the whole thing. You won’t regret it. 🙏🙌

Since the embedded video might not be working, I am also adding the link: https://youtu.be/NuPP2Kxyo00?si=EBzUp8pmiuofG9qu

Thank you for stopping by. You all are in my prayers. And thank you all for the prayers you have lifted for my family. They are truly appreciated. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

I’ve been digging a bit into Bible verses that speak of God’s Presence. I’m especially focusing on the Psalms because that book of the Bible brings comfort and peace, no matter what season of life we are in.

A Hebrew word that has come up quite often in the Old Testament is pānîm (פָּנִים).

This word has been translated in different ways. Sometimes we will see it as “presence.” But we might also see it as “before” (as in before God or in front of God). It could also be translated as “face,” as well as a few other words. Whichever way it might be translated, I have been focusing on passages that I feel speak to how powerful God’s Presence is in our lives.

The verse I want to touch on today comes from Psalm 62:8. The NKJV says, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

And God’s Word Translation (GW) says, “Trust him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts in his presence. God is our refuge.”

The word “before” in the NKJV and the word “presence” in the GW translation are the Hebrew word I mentioned above.

If you want to read all of Psalm 62, which was written by King David, you can click here.

David begins the chapter by reflecting on how he is waiting for God. Verse 1 in the NKJV says, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.”

And a little further down we see that David is discouraged due to the enemies that have come against him, and he asks, “How long will you assault me?” (v3a NIV)

So before we get to verse 8 we know that David is feeling a lot of pressure, yet his “soul silently waits for God.” This paints a picture of peace in our minds, as we picture David waiting silently on the Lord in the midst of his troubles.

And then in verse 8 David says, “Trust him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts in his presence. God is our refuge.” This verse isn’t too long, yet I feel there is a lot packed in here.

Even in the midst of a difficult situation, David reminds us to trust in God. And in fact he says to trust Him “at all times.” When we are facing hard things in life, it can be easy to lose our trust. We might question God, because we can’t imagine why He would allow us to walk through these hard times. But David reminds us, even then, we should trust God.

Next David tells us to pour out our hearts in the Lord’s Presence. When we are worried, we can turn to God in prayer. We can tell Him exactly how we are feeling. We can be open and honest with our worries and frustrations. And often times, when we are conversing with God in this way, He does a work in our hearts that brings us back around to a place of trust. We feel peace come over us, and we know He will be with us on the road ahead.

In the words of Matthew Henry, “Trust in him to guide us when in doubt, to protect us when in danger, to supply us when in want, to strengthen us for every good word and work. We must lay our wants and our wishes before him, and then patiently submit our wills to his: this is pouring out our hearts.”

Finally in this verse, David reminds us that God is our refuge. And if anyone should know this truth, it’s David. He faced countless difficulties in his life. Yet through them all, he sought God as his refuge. And we can too. When we are facing a storm, the Lord will be our safe haven.

In His presence we can come to a place of trust. In His presence we can pour out our hearts. In His presence we can find refuge.

Whatever you are facing today, I hope this verse brings you comfort. The Lord’s presence is an amazing gift. As Christians, He is always with us. As you go throughout your day, pause and acknowledge the Lord’s presence with you. In that moment, whatever you are in the middle of, He can bring you peace and comfort. And best of all, He loves being there with you.

Thank you for reading. You all are in my prayers. And many thanks to all of you who have been praying for my family. We are truly grateful. God bless you all!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

How is it October already? 😱 I’m back for another monthly blessings and reminders post! Let’s take a moment to reflect on the month of September and see how God has shown up!

Working on the Heart ♥️

There were a few days when I spent more time around more people than I normally do. It was interesting to see how each person (including myself) had stumbling blocks with communication and action. It seems that so many of us have deep insecurities that we allow to rule our speech and our steps.

This made me want to be kinder to those around me. Extending kindness is always a good thing, and my hope is that it can help others to come to a better place in their hearts.

As it’s been said, “Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” (When I googled this, it was attributed to several different people.)

However, I also know that I can’t change anyone, and I’m not trying to. But I do want to work on my own heart. I want to remember that we have nothing to fear or feel insecure about. We are covered with grace and love, thanks to Jesus. When we walk with Him, we can walk in confidence.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. – Colossians 3:12 ESV

Daunting Tasks

I have heard it said that perfectionists tend to procrastinate. When facing a daunting task, the fear of failure keeps them from beginning that task. They want to get things right when they tackle the task. So at times it might seem better (even if subconsciously) to not begin at all. And while we might not all be perfectionists, I think this same principle can apply to all of us. I have seen this in my own life with different tasks.

One that comes to mind is a particular assignment at work. This particular project is one that will take several months. On top of that, the content is a bit confusing.

One benefit to projects like this is the need for recurring meetings. Having a set day and time every week when you have to give an update forces you to stay on top of things.

This made me think about other tasks that are not work related. Or if you work for yourself, you might have different procedures. Holding yourself accountable or setting certain deadlines for yourself could be a big benefit. Maybe you could have a weekly or monthly check-in to evaluate what progress you made.

And of course pray! I am often seeking God’s help with challenging tasks. He has provided wisdom and guidance countless times when I called on Him. Even if what you are dealing with seems like a small thing, the Lord is still there and always ready to help! Sometimes we will think our problems are too minor to bother God with. But He cares about every thing in your life, big or small.

The God who put the stars in place takes notice of every detail of your life. – Susie Larson

Hurricane Helene

I live in Florida and we had a not so friendly visitor, Hurricane Helene, come through last Thursday night. The wind was the worst that I ever heard. We lost power for 5 days, but thankfully the Lord kept us safe.

We have a generator that ran for 3 days until it died. When we spoke to the service company, they said you are supposed to turn it off for an hour every twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, they did not tell us that when they installed it. 🤔 We heard from an acquaintance who had the same problem. I guess a lot of people had issues because it sounds like the service companies in our town are backlogged right now.

Thankfully we had a neighbor who let us borrow a smaller generator for our refrigerator. So at least we didn’t lose any food. And a friend also offered her generator. This reminded me to be thankful for those who are willing to help.

And sometimes we don’t realize how blessed we are until we lose something. Even the ability to flush a toilet is a gift! 😅 And seeing how terrible other communities were hit is really heartbreaking, but also puts things in perspective. We have so much to be grateful for each day. I pray we can remember that without a disaster coming our way.

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

Oh and my husband was on the news! Sort of. Before the storm there was a place in our community to get sand bags, although you have to fill them yourself. The news was out there interviewing people. My husband steered clear of that. I don’t blame him. I would have too! But we still saw him in the background filling bags. 😊

And thanks to the hurricane, I have been behind on reading others’ blog posts. So I apologize to my blogger friends!

That’s enough from me. I would love to hear how the month of September went for you. Please share in the comments. Thank you for reading. You are in my prayers. God bless you! 🙏

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. – John 3:30 NLT

The verse above has been on my heart and mind lately. The King James Version says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” However, I really like the way the New Living Translation reiterates the words “greater” and “less.” It reminds me that this could be an ongoing process in our lives.

These words were said by John the Baptist when John’s disciples complained that Jesus was also performing baptisms.

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (v 27-36 NKJV)

John the Baptist knew Jesus was (and forever is) THE ONE. Jesus was and is the Messiah that they had been waiting for. Nothing and no one is greater. And everything He does should be praised and magnified. Everything we do, everything John the Baptist did, was only to serve Jesus.

Perhaps John’s disciples felt some pride because so many people came to John for baptism. Perhaps they thought they were the ones to seek. Maybe they thought their good deeds were the best deeds.

I don’t know for sure what they were thinking or feeling. But I do know that pride in general is something we all battle. We might be proud of ourselves for doing something good. We might think we are smarter or know more than someone else. At times, we think about our own selfish needs, and put them above others. I can say I have fallen into all of these traps at some point. Human beings are selfish creatures.

But when we keep this verse in mind, when we remember that Jesus must increase and we must decrease, it helps alter our perspective. It helps us to not think more of ourselves. We will not be quick to seek our own comforts. We will not be so easily offended by other people’s words and actions. We will want to have a servant’s heart. We won’t be quick to anger when it feels like someone stepped on us.

When we remember that Jesus must become greater and greater and we must become less and less, we keep our eyes on Him. Every situation we face is filtered with a new lens. We begin to see things from His perspective.

I have not been consistent, but over the past few weeks when I was tempted to feel self-seeking, I tried to remind myself of this verse. As I said, though, this could be an ongoing process in our lives. Often half the battle in our Christian walk is reminding ourselves of truth.

I pray we can learn to keep our eyes on Jesus. I pray that He becomes greater and greater in our hearts. I pray that the situations we face, big or small, can be viewed with a renewed perspective.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my post. I know you have a million other things you could do with your time, so it really means a lot to me. You all are in my prayers. If you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. And thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

• By the way #1 – Below is a great song, “Less Like Me” by Zach Williams that goes well with this Bible verse.
• By the way #2 – If you have any little ones in your life, Zach Williams has a children’s book out with this same theme, called A Little More Like Jesus. You can find it on Amazon here.
• By the way #3 – This one is a little off into the weeds, but another great children’s book is Little Lion Lungs by Brandon Lake. You can find it on his website here and on Amazon here. (I actually had trouble ordering on Amazon. I tried twice and both times they sent me the wrong book. I wound up ordering from Brandon’s website. However, that error might be specific to my distribution center.)
• In case you’re wondering, I do not receive any compensation if you order the books through these links.

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

I love when we start a new year because it always feels like a brand new opportunity to make lasting changes in our lives. However, I also appreciate the end of a year, because it gives us a chance to end the year well.

It’s hard to believe, but on Monday we will have 100 days remaining in 2024. This made me wonder how we might choose to spend those days. During this time of year, as many of you know, I have often focused on gratitude. While gratitude is always a good choice, it’s not the only choice.

Therefore, I have come up with a small list of areas where we could choose to place our attention:

• Gratitude.
• Praise.
• Amp up our Faith by focusing on God’s promises and believing truth.
• Prayer.
• Read the Psalms. There are 150 Psalms, so perhaps read 2 every other day. Or if you wanted to read 3 day, you could make it through the Psalms twice.
• Read about Jesus in the Gospels. There are 89 chapters between the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
• Focus on being optimistic with our thoughts and words.
• Look around for God’s goodness.
• Abide in Jesus’ Presence.
• Find a meaningful devotional to read.
• Work on goals set in January which have not been accomplished yet.
• The Fruit of the Spirit. There are 9 fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Perhaps rotate and focus on one for 11 days. Or focus on all 9 daily.
• Implement activities that bring joy into your daily life.
• Memorize a passage of Scripture.

And you don’t necessarily have to add anything to your days. You could also choose to give something up for a time. I don’t recommend giving up sweets right now, since they will be everywhere with the holidays approaching. 😋 However, you might consider giving up a bad habit or some activity that is a distraction. The possibilities are endless.

If you like the idea of focusing on something for the final 100 days of 2024, and if you do decide upon something – I would love to hear what it is.

As for me, I will be focusing on some of the items I listed. And I will also focus on my one word for the year – Presence. When we reach the tail end of a calendar year, I tend to get eager while looking ahead. Sometimes God has to remind me that we are not finished yet!

Even in the midst of difficulties, we can find goodness in our days. God’s love never runs out. So in the coming weeks ahead, I hope we can all find ways to fix our eyes on the Lord and His love for us. As Susie Larson so beautifully wrote, “Every season is the perfect season to better know His love.”

I will keep today’s post somewhat short, so you can watch the video below. I’ve shared this before, but it’s been a while. This was originally shared with me by poet Daryl Madden. This video always helps alter my perspective. Enjoy!

Thank you for reading. I know time is precious, so I don’t take it lightly that you took a moment to stop by and read this post. You are in my prayers. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

There are times in life when it’s difficult to grasp peace. Even as Christians, we know Jesus offers peace, and He is the Prince of Peace. Yet when circumstances overwhelm us, holding onto that peace isn’t necessarily easy. But as we learn to lean on the Lord, in every situation, we begin to notice that peace growing in our hearts.

Often times when I have something on my mind, I will stumble across that theme in the things I read and hear. So as I have been thinking about peace, I happened to come across several meaningful quotes that I wanted to share with you.

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“Many people say they cannot sleep at night because they can’t get their minds to settle down. But Psalm 4:8 says, “In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep.” When we use our mind to reason our way through a situation to figure out what to do, we rotate our mind around and around an issue until we become worn-out and confused. We can experience peace of mind and heart when we trust in God, not in our human insight and understanding. You and I can grow to the place where we are satisfied to know the One Who knows, even if we ourselves do not know.” – Joyce Meyer

I really appreciated those words from Joyce Meyer because I have often used my mind to reason through a situation. But sometimes God will lead us down a path that doesn’t make sense. So “reason” might be the wrong path. I have seen this in my own life. Some examples that come to mind pertain to my job. The paths I took with my career might not have made sense on the outside. But God knew what He was doing, and led me down the best road.

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“Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and ask him more directly to give you joy, peace, and a pure heart. Purity of heart means a heart where God is the center of your attention. Take a simple sentence like ‘The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want,’ and repeat that quietly during the day until the truth of it enters the center of your being. You will always continue to have feelings of depression, anger, and restlessness, but when God dwells in the center of the storm, the storm is less frightening and you can live with trust that in the midst of all of the darkness you will be led to a place of joy and peace.” – Henri Nouwen

I especially liked the line where Henri Nouwen wrote, “when God dwells in the center of the storm, the storm is less frightening.” It reminds me of the words of King David, found in Psalm 27:1:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”

Again, I will use my job as an example. Even though I enjoy my job, I have often been stressed when my plate was piled too high. I also have felt that I am not smart enough or adequate enough to handle some of the tasks I am given. But over the years I have learned that God is always with me. If a big project was given to me, He will help me through it. He gives us wisdom and guidance. When we allow the Lord to be our Shepherd, He will take responsibility for our well-being.

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“The peace of God is a gift; it is not something we can manipulate because it is the fruit of oneness with him. When our relationship with him is strong and adversity strikes, we do not have to fall apart or give in to anxiety. We can choose to live in steadfast confidence of his love, wisdom, power and provision. This is the basis of his unshakable peace—not that we are capable of controlling circumstances, but that his help is ever-present and perfect to deliver us in every challenge we face.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

You guys know I love Charles Stanley. So many times over the years, his words have hit home. And this quote is a much-needed reminder that God’s “help is ever-present and perfect to deliver us in every challenge we face.” What more could we ask for? God is always with us and always beside us. We all might have times when we doubt. But the Lord is constantly working. He never rests. He loves us beyond measure and He always wants what is best for us.

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Many times when we face difficulties, our peace seems to fly out the window. But it doesn’t have to. If we can keep our focus on Jesus, we can hold onto that peace. Just like Peter when he stepped out of the boat. He did well when he kept his eyes on Jesus. But when Peter looked at the storm, he began to sink…

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Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

~ Matthew 14:22-33 NIV

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This is one of my favorite stories because I picture each one of us stepping out of the boat. Jesus, who loves us more than anyone else, is right there. Even in the storm, He is reaching out His hands to help us.

I pray we can learn to keep our eyes on Jesus. His presence will bring peace into our lives. He loves us beyond measure and cares deeply for us. What a gift Jesus is to us!

In closing, I wish you the same sentiment that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. – 2 Thessalonians 3:16

I apologize for the long post. If you’re still here, thanks for sticking with me! You are in my prayers. And if you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. Thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

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Here we are again with another blessings and reminders post. This year as each month has come to an end, I have been reflecting on things that I have learned or beauty I have seen during the month.

Honesty with God

Last month there was an incident that vexed me. With all the worries that my family has been dealing with, we didn’t need additional stress.

I felt guilty for blasting my feelings in prayer. However, I was reminded that it’s okay to be honest with God when we are feeling down or frustrated. He already knows how we are feeling, so we can’t hide it from Him. And when we talk it out with Him, He can bring us to a place of peace.

We might not have all the answers as to why certain things happen, but we can still trust that God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

Speaking Up

Last month I was on the phone with someone when our conversation steered towards a touchy topic. (This is something that is often debated in politics, and has caused anger on both sides. I’m not mentioning exactly what it was, because the point of my story could apply to many different topics.)

This person and I had a difference of opinion on the matter. Initially, I did let it be known that I didn’t agree, but otherwise I didn’t say much. At the time, I felt what I said was fine. But after I hung up, I felt that I failed God for not speaking up from a faith perspective.

Well, I did happen to talk to this person again a few days later. I didn’t want to, but I felt the Lord nudge me to bring up the subject again. I explained that the last time we talked I should have said more, and I expressed how I felt that God’s point of view was what really mattered on the topic.

The person didn’t argue and said they never thought about it like that. They said that when it’s mentioned in the media, they don’t present it from that standpoint. And I replied that much of the news and politicians don’t like talking about God at all.

The point of this story is that I am not always good about speaking up, particularly when it means disagreeing with someone. I would rather keep the peace. But over the days surrounding this incident, I had been hearing various messages about standing firm in our faith. So I knew it was a nudge from God.

When it’s all said and done, the main thing that matters is our faith in Jesus. And as Christians, we have a responsibility to share it with others. We are Christ’s ambassadors and we need to let His love shine to those around us. When we face situations like this that intimidate us, the Holy Spirit can guide our words.

Holding onto Faith and Hope

Something else I was reminded this month – no matter how bumpy the road, we can’t give up. We have to keep pressing forward. Day by day, we keep abiding in Jesus. We keep praising the Lord. We keep looking around for His goodness. We keep praying with belief. We trust Him and His will.

God is on the throne. God is in control. He is bigger than anything we face. He can make a way where there is no way. His faithfulness never fails. Nothing is too difficult for Him!

Yet God, in His kindness, teaches us how to tend to our hearts in the middle of hardship and heartbreak. Though it’s tougher to stay hopeful amid suffering and expectant amid hardship, it’s what our souls need. That’s where spiritual heroes are made. – Susie Larson

Whenever you find yourself saying, “I’m worried about…” Or “I’m afraid that…” replace those negative words with “I trust God.” When we say that we trust God, it releases His power to work in our lives. When you are in a battle with worry, instead of vocalizing it, study God’s Word and remember His faithfulness in past situations. – Joyce Meyer

The LORD of armies says this: ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of armies. – Zechariah 8:6 NASB

There is more I could write, but instead I would love to hear how your month went!

Thank you for reading. You all are in my prayers. If you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. And thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

Years ago when my nephew, Joshua, was around two years old, my mother had artificial grapes sitting in a bowl for decoration. Joshua didn’t know these grapes were fake. They looked so real! So, he asked me if he could have some. I tried to explain to him that they weren’t real grapes, but he didn’t understand. His eyes kept looking at them with longing. Finally, he tried to stick them in his mouth and instantly made a disgusted face. Joshua still might not have understood that this fruit was artificial, but he was no longer interested in eating them!

Thinking about this story reminds me of the fruit in our own lives. As Christians, the Lord is growing the fruit of the Spirit within us.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

Each day of our lives, God will try to shape us to become more like Jesus. But we have to allow Him to change us. It is possible to be a Christian for decades and never see much fruit growing in our lives. God won’t force us to change.

I heard a pastor say recently that we each have as much of God as we want. If we have little of the Lord in our lives, that’s how we have prioritized Him.

So how do we allow Him to grow fruit in our lives? He has to be a priority to us. We spend time with Him, reading the Bible, and in prayer. But we also have to surrender our will to His. When we are tempted to act in our old way, we have a choice to act in our new nature.

I like the way the New Living Translation puts Romans 8:12 – “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.”

We have no obligation to act in our old way. This is a great reminder that we can choose our words and actions. Even if we have been a certain way all of our lives, we don’t have to fall into that trap any longer.

To put it another way, a couple of weeks ago my friend Judy shared this quote:

The more you make the choice to live above your feelings, to trust God instead of what you may feel like doing, the stronger your faith becomes. ~ Tim Tebow

Abiding in Jesus is key. When we abide in Him, He will help us grow the fruit in our lives. But I also believe we have choices to make each day. We can choose paths that will allow Him to work in our hearts.

However, it’s also possible to have artificial fruit in our lives. Just like those fake grapes that my nephew thought were real, it might seem to others that we have an abundance of good fruit in our lives. Only God truly knows our hearts. Therefore, I believe at times it’s necessary to do a heart check. Prayerfully seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal anything that appears to be fruit, but truly is just a ball of wax.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. – Psalm 51:10 ESV

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! – Psalm 139:23-24 ESV

I want the real fruit in my life. How about you? I pray we all can learn to abide in Jesus, every day. We don’t have to be perfect. We just have to keep our focus on Him. He understands our struggles. And He knows our hearts. Each day spent with Jesus should be an adventure. He brings so much joy and goodness to our lives. And as we learn to abide in Him, we will see the real fruit growing in our lives.

Thank you for reading. You all are in my prayers. If you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. And thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

Habakkuk lived in Judah (the southern kingdom when Israel was split in two) when the invasion of the Babylonians was imminent. While the book of Habakkuk shows the devastation to come, I love that this book is really a conversation that Habakkuk has with God. And although Habakkuk is crushed by what is to come, he provides a beautiful example of how to cling to the Lord during difficult times.

In chapter 3 verse 2, Habakkuk writes, “I have heard all about you, LORD. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by…”

When Habakkuk prays to the Heavenly Father, he starts off by acknowledging the greatness of God. And similarly when Jesus taught us to pray the Lord’s Prayer, He began with these words, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.” (See Matthew 6:9-13.)

When we begin our prayers by stating how glorious the Lord is, this helps us to have a better frame of mind. Often we might come to the Lord in prayer feeling desperate and defeated by our problems. But when we acknowledge the Might and Strength of our God, it reminds us that nothing is too difficult for Him. And even though we have the privilege of coming before Him boldly, acknowledging God’s power also helps us to come before Him humbly. It helps us to remember He is Lord above all.

Later in the prayer, chapter 3 verses 17-19, Habakkuk pens these words, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”

Habakkuk knew that no matter what was to come, he could fully trust God. He knew that God was his strength, his provider, and his protection. He knew that God would work all things together for good.

As Christians, we can turn to Jesus with every difficult challenge. Every moment of every day, He is there to give us strength and wisdom. We will all face trials in this earth. But we have a choice in how we handle them. Turning to the Lord is always the right choice.

I love that Habakkuk’s name comes from the Hebrew root word habaq ( חבק‎ ) which means “embrace”. Habakkuk shows us how to embrace the Lord when we are facing a difficulty.

When we run to God in a storm, we acknowledge that He is everything to us. We rely on Him to get us through. Faith requires us to come to the end of ourselves. Then we can fully rely on Jesus.

Paul wrote these words in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we are weak, then we can see God’s power and strength come through in a miraculous way. When we hand everything over to Him, He can turn ashes into beauty. When we are at a loss because the path ahead seems impossible, He can make a way where there is no way.

Whatever you are facing today, remember that you have an Almighty God on your side. He can handle any obstacle in your path. Keep your focus on the Lord and cling to Him, because He is your source of strength.

Thank you for reading. You all are in my prayers. And if you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. And thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.

We each have had things in our lives that we wish God would just take away. Sometimes it’s a battle we are facing, or sometimes it’s just something pesky we are dealing with.

However, there are also times when God will use these grievances for something amazing. I have two examples that I read about in recent months that I wanted to share.

Interestingly, I read these stories in two different books. But when I gathered them together for this post, I realized they were both originally shared by Corrie ten Boom, survivor of a German concentration camp.

Undetected

During the Cold War, Corrie met a woman in Russia with Multiple Sclerosis. She relied on her husband for her care and even depended on pillows to keep herself propped up.

This lady was immobile. However, she was able to move one part of her body – her index finger on her right hand. For many hours every day and night, she used that finger to translate the Bible, as well as other Christian books, into Russian.

When Corrie met this woman, she felt deep sympathy for her circumstances. But the lady’s husband said to Corrie, “God has a purpose in her sickness. Every other Christian in the city is watched closely by the secret police. But because she has been so sick for so long, no one ever looks in on her. They leave us alone, and she is the only person who can translate, undetected by the police.”

Wow! What a story. How amazing it is think of God using this situation for His glory in such a powerful way.

(I read about this in the book titled The End of Me by Kyle Idleman. Side note that this book is amazing. I have read several of Idleman’s books, and each helped me grow in my Christian walk in a significant way. And this story was originally shared in Tramp for the Lord by Corrie ten Boom.)

Big Impact

The second story I wanted to share was when Corrie and her sister, Betsie, went to a concentration camp during World War II. The barrack that they were assigned to had fleas, but Betsie told Corrie, “We must give thanks for the fleas.” This might sound like a strange thing to give thanks for.

However, due to the fleas, the guards were afraid to enter the barrack. This meant that Betsie and Corrie were able to hold Bible study each night. And in those nights, they and their friends grew closer to the Lord, even in the midst of these horrible circumstances.

How awesome that God could even use fleas to make a big impact on these ladies’ hearts.

(I read about this in Psalms for the Anxious Heart by Becky Harling. An encouraging 30 day devotional for those walking through difficult days. And the story was originally published in Corrie ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place.)

God really can use anything for a greater good. As it says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

When we are dealing with a difficulty, or even when we are dealing with a seemingly minor inconvenience, we often can’t see any good coming from those situations. We are so focused on the challenge in front of us that our peripheral vision seems to be blocked. But every little thing that we deal with, God can and will use for good. We might not always know how God used it, but we can trust that He did. It says so in His Word and His Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11).

The next time we are facing something that we wish would just go away, I pray that we remember how God works all things for good.

Thank you for reading. You are in my prayers. And if you have any specific prayer requests, please let me know. And thank you for saying a prayer for my family. God bless you!

© 2018-2024 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.