Bridget A. Thomas

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.

Recently I kept coming across the Bible verse Psalm 46:10 which says, “Be still and know that I am God.” I realize this is a popular verse, so it might not seem out of the ordinary to stumble across it. However, in this case, I had the feeling God was trying to give me a nudge.

There are two other Bible passages with the words “Be Still” that come to mind.

The first is from the time when the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, and Pharaoh’s army was chasing them down. The Israelites panicked and didn’t have much faith.

“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’” – Exodus 14:13-14 NIV

These words proceed the famous story where God parted the Red Sea. The Israelites were able to walk through the Red Sea on dry ground. Then when Pharaoh’s army reached the Red Sea, not a single man survived.

Another story with the words “be still” can be found in Mark 4. Jesus and His disciples were in a boat one evening when a terrible storm hit, causing fear in the disciples.

“But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’” (v 38-40 ESV)

These three Bible passages remind me that God is Almighty. He has all the power that we lack. When we are facing a storm, we can turn to Him because He can handle anything and everything.

Worry is something many of us struggle with. Whether we are facing good times or not-so-good times, it’s easy to worry. It’s easy to think “What if?” If we continually allow our thoughts to go down these paths, it can get out of hand.

As Dwight L. Moody put it, “Faith takes God without any ifs.”

When facing a difficult situation, we need to remind ourselves that the battle belongs to God. He fights for us. He parts the sea. He calms the storm. Truly it goes back to trust. We have to trust Him with each obstacle, each day, and each moment.

This is incredibly hard sometimes! This might be something we have to continually work on. But when we have seen the Lord come through in the past, it helps us to trust Him a little more in the future.

And He understands our doubts. We can be honest with Him. We can tell Him when we are struggling with trust.

Reading the Psalms can be a benefit in this area. (And I have all of Psalm 46 below for extra encouragement!) The Psalms remind us of who God is. They remind us that God is Powerful and Greater than anything we face. They remind us that He created this world and therefore, He is above all. The same God who created the universe can easily crush the mountains we face.

I pray that we each learn to hand our worries over to our magnificent Lord and Savior. I pray we each learn to trust Him with our challenges. He is always there. He doesn’t miss a single detail. And He is continually working on our behalf.

We can be still in His presence, knowing that He is fighting our battles. We can be still in His peace, as He makes a way where there is no way.

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!

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1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46 NIV

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

Here we are, once again, reflecting on our month and what we have learned. You might wonder why this is important. Reflecting on our days and moments helps us to process things we have walked through. It also helps us to grow. Too often, many of our days move quickly from one to the next. As time passes, we just keep going through the motions of life. But when we reflect back on our weeks or months, it helps us to see God working in our lives. We will realize that He really is there, in each moment. And it helps us to take a better step forward. So that is why I enjoy these monthly posts. I hope they encourage you to also take the opportunity to look back on your month and find ways that God showed up or uncover lessons learned.

Faith

The month of July was heavy with lessons in faith. With the things my family has been dealing with, it’s all too easy to allow worry to creep in. Yet sometimes we have to “clothe” ourselves in faith. We have to “put on” faith, like we put on armor for a battle. We have to make a decision to trust.

I admit, it’s not exactly easy. And I had many moments when my own strength wasn’t enough. A quote that I saw on social media said it well: “God is real because I know for a fact that I’m not operating off my own strength.”

And there are times when God knows we need an extra boost. In those moments, God might send us encouragement through other people or through other avenues. There were times this month when I heard words I needed to hear at just the right time.

So while it is vital for us to hold onto faith, remember that even when we are too weak to do so, God is there. He is our strength. And He will bring us encouragement when we need a faith boost.

A Little Effort

Something else I learned this past month was that a little effort goes a long way. My husband and I went over some bills, finding ways to save. We didn’t buy things we didn’t need. And we cancelled several subscriptions that were charged on our credit card each month. When we took a little bit of effort, we were able to make a big impact.

But this doesn’t just apply to money. Over the past several months we cut back on some of the things we ate. A big part of this was sweets. We still have a dessert here and there. But we are not consuming nearly as much as we were prior. This helped us both to lose a few pounds.

If there is an area of your life that you would like to see some changes, I encourage you to take some time to evaluate it. Are there small tweaks you can make? If so, you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Grace for Today

There were a couple of things that I did this month that I was nervous about. Again, I didn’t think I could do them in my own strength. But when we just take a leap of faith and push through, God gives the strength and grace we need.

When we look ahead, we don’t see how we can handle certain things. Our worries often spiral as we try to figure everything out.

When the Israelites were wondering in the desert for forty years, God gave them manna to eat each day. They had enough for that day. They were not allowed to take extra, unless it was for the Sabbath. When they took extra for any other day, it would spoil. God was teaching them to trust Him with each day. In the same way, God gives us the grace we need each day and each moment.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

May we learn to keep our focus on Jesus each moment. He will walk us through the trials and give us the strength we need.

I would love to hear how your month went. Thank you for reading. You are in my prayers. But 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.