Easter Gratitude

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It is Sunday morning and as I sit and ponder this new day, the sun is peeking its way through my window and its warmth is like a sweet hug. It is not your typical Sunday…it is Easter Sunday. So as I sit here, I think of Jesus. I think of how he must have felt when he left the tomb that morning. Did he feel the warmth of the sun after the cold darkness of the tomb? I can picture Him raising his arms to the sky…with rays of sunlight filtering through his nail-pierced hands. I can see His smile of satisfaction as prophesy was fulfilled. I can almost feel His relief from all the pain His body had suffered just a few short days before.
I think about what was offered to us that day. The opportunity for salvation and eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, the freedom. Because he lived, died, and rose again…we are free. We are free to love as He loves. We are free to have patience as He had patience with his disciples that day as they were confused by His reappearance. We are free to have compassion, as Jesus did when he compassionately took a doubting Thomas’ hand and placed it on the wound in his side. We can have forgiveness, because Jesus paid the price for our sins, a price we could never pay.

When he walked out of that tomb that Easter morning, he had my face on his heart. He had your face on his heart. He had the faces of all mankind etched forever in his heart. There was no other reason for his death other than His love for us. No greater love will ever encompass this world. No greater freedom will ever be attainable for every knee that bows and every tongue that confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord.

I am thankful, Jesus, that you walked this earth. I am thankful that you taught and healed. I am thankful for the brutal death you suffered for my sins. I am thankful for your resurrection, and the hope it offers me. I am thankful for your ascencion into heaven, and the eternity I can look forward to with you. My gratitude is overflowing this morning as I think of that day so long ago, that beautiful Easter morning that changed the world forever.

““Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” Mark‬ ‭16:6‬ ‭

A Nice Mom

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I am on a field trip with my youngest daughter’s class. There is nothing quite like being on a bus with a group of giggly 7-year-olds. We started our adventure at 6:30 a.m., which is a little early for this mama. I had to “arise while it was yet night” in order to get my bible study and prayer time accomplished before I left. During my prayers, I asked God to give me patience and joy for this day, as I knew I would need it.

I have found myself being a little hard on my daughter lately. I have been frustrated by her inability to follow directions, her adeptness at tattling, and her ability to lose vital things such as homework and shoes. I have lost my patience more than once recently, and you might say she and I have been in a battle of wills. This little girl really knows how to push my buttons!

But today is a new day…a beautiful new day that the Lord has made. It is my choice to rejoice and be glad in it. It is my choice to let the frustrations of the last few days roll off my heart and embrace this opportunity to spend the day with my princess, enjoying a wonderful experience that will create a lifetime of memories.

Already today, I have heard her friend tell her, “Your mom is nice.” I WANT to be a nice mom. I want to be a mama who laughs, cuddles, and shares secrets. I want to be a mama who has forgiveness in her heart, just like God has for me. Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

One day all too soon my little girl will be grown. She will move on to her own life with her own family. I will look back on this time in our lives and remember. I doubt I will remember the lost shoes, the messy room, the missing homework, or the tattling. Most likely I will remember her precious hugs, sweet kisses, beautiful smile, and adorable laughter. I will reflect on her kindness to others, her bubbly personality, her sassy walk, and her flair for fashion. Most definitely, I will remember her innocence and her unquestionable love for Jesus.

Lord, help me in my moments of frustration to remember the bigger picture. Help me to embrace and cherish this beautiful gift and make a wonderful difference in her life. When she looks back on today, let her remember what a great day we had, and that she really does have “a nice mom.”

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26)

Stepping Out In Faith

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By:  Betty Predmore11

Do you ever wonder if God made a mistake by placing you in a specific area of ministry? Perhaps He has called you to lead a bible study, oversee Sunday School for kids, work with the youth group, or visit the shut-ins. Maybe you write cards of encouragement or take meals to the sick. You might be the one who feeds the homeless, or works in the nursery. Perhaps you preach, teach, speak, or write. It could be that your ministry is in your home, as a wife and a mother.

Wherever He has called you to minister, and in whatever capacity He has called you, rest assured that if He has called you, He will equip you. God does not call you because of how awesome you are. He calls you because of your willingness to serve. Be willing to serve! Don’t let fear or insecurity rob you of the awesome opportunities you get to be a sharer of the Word.

In Exodus, God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But oh, how insecure Moses was! Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11. Time after time in this chapter, Moses doubted his ability and questioned God’s calling for him. Time after time, God responded to Moses’ doubt, fear, and insecurity with assurance that through Him, and by His power and guidance, he could accomplish the task. So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:12.

Don’t let fear or insecurity keep you from taking that first step in faith. Let the Word of God be your guide. It is the most simple answer, it is the best answer. Remember, He does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He has great plans for your life, and you have awesome, golden opportunities to serve your King. Be bold, be brave, step out in faith! His grace is sufficient for any mistake you might make, and His love is all encompassing. Don’t miss the blessing that comes from sharing the love of the Father with all those who need so desperately to be reminded how much they are loved and forgiven.

Be a “Water Walker,” not a “Boat Sitter.”

A Marriage Prayer

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13   The Lord has recently imparted upon my heart the desire to post my prayers over marriages.  I hope these prayers are of some comfort to a couple who may be going through some tough times, or perhaps a reminder to a couple who is sailing along smoothly to count their blessings.  Marriages are wonderful gifts and opportunities that the Lord has given us, but as with all things of any great value, they require effort, discipline, love, and a whole lot of grace.  May each of your marriages be filled with goodness, especially the goodness that comes from the Lord!

Heavenly Father,

Today I come to you with a thankful heart.  Thankful that you, in your great wisdom, knew that man would need a helper.  Thankful that you created the marriage relationship, so that we can experience this wonderful gift from above.

My prayer today, Father, is for the husbands.  I pay that you fill each of them with your Holy Spirit and give them a true and intense desire to serve You.  Give them the motivation that is needed so that they might lead over their households as men of faith and courage.  That they would model Your great love to their wives and children in a way so powerful that their families would have NO DOUBT of their love and reverence for You.  Father, help them to seek You in times of doubt, fear, or sorrow.  Help them to use Your great and mighty word as the catalyst for all they do, say, and decide for their families.  Help each of them to not grow weary in leading their family, but to cherish the wonderful opportunity You have given them to make a huge impact on not only their loved ones, but to their  communities and society at large.  Equip them for the battle!  In Jesus’ name….Amen.

Becoming The Other Woman

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By: Betty Predmore
So much time has been spent over the years on trying to be a better “me”. I have strived daily, monthly, and yearly to be more like that marvelous woman we read about in Proverbs 31. I have worked diligently, I have loved my family, I have shown respect to my husband. I have received his praise and love for my efforts and the last time I asked, my children still love me. I have been SOME of her every day, but never ALL of her in a single day.

Years have come and years have gone. The hands of time have left their mark upon me. There are wrinkles where smooth skin once resided, and I thank God daily for the hair color that hides my grays. And along those years, as I have put forth my efforts to gain those sweet virtues found in Proverbs, my heart and soul have matured in the things of God. The realization has come to me that although I have been striving for some time to be like that Proverbs 31 woman, I have been slowly becoming that “other woman”. You know the one… we find her in Titus 2:3-5. She is among those women that are older, more mature women, who know the Lord well and have enjoyed that relationship with Him for many years. She belongs to that group of women who are “reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

When did this happen? How did I get to this point in my physical and spiritual maturity? Am I up to the task? God has used the passage of time and my desire to serve Him to bring me to this place in my life and in my responsibility. He has called me out to be an example to those younger women who are where I was in what seems like such a short time ago. He expects me to live a life that portrays that of a Godly woman, a life that models to others how to act and how to treat those that we love. Is it hard sometimes? ABSOLUTELY! But it is no harder to be that Titus woman than it is to attain all the qualities that the Proverbs 31 lady possesses.

Ladies, are you striving for goodness? Do you find yourself at a level of maturity in which God is calling you to be an example to the younger generation? Are you up to the task? Are you somewhat surprised by the passage of time? What an absolute honor and blessing it is when we get to be that shining example for our beloved Lord! What a sweet and precious gift our maturity brings to others! I pray that your desire is the same as mine today….to open your heart to the opportunity God has placed before you, to pour out your love and wisdom to those who seek to grow in a way that pleases their Lord, and to celebrate that life has brought us to this place in our journeys where He trusts us enough to use us in this way. I am excited to be the other woman! Are you?

A Marriage Prayer

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By:  Betty Predmore

We are called to be servants.  One great example of this found in the Word of God is in John 13:14…“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

Jesus humbled himself to the point of washing the feet of his disciples.  How humble are we…especially with our spouse?  Are we willing to serve with humility?  Or are we more focused on “being served”?

Father, today we ask that you give us hearts to serve.  Most especially, help us to love and serve our spouse with a humble and grateful heart.  Help us to put their needs above our own, and help us to be intentional about ways to serve them, both big and small.  Humble our hearts, Father, to serve as You would serve, and to love as You would love.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

A Resurrected Heart

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By:  Betty Predmore

As I sit in this hospital waiting room today, waiting as my son undergoes his 64th procedure, I feel anger bubbling up to the surface. I feel anger at his birth mother, whose lifestyle of poor choices left three small children with different struggles to overcome. This son has a health issue brought on by his mother’s drug use, another son has learning delays, a daughter has speech issues. These children are suffering the consequences of a mother who put her own “wants” ahead of her children’s needs. It makes me angry! I am angry that my daughter struggles at times to be understood. I am angry that one of my sons struggles so much in school. I am angry that another son faces a lifetime of procedures. I can work myself up into a real “fit” if I let myself.

But then God speaks to me. He whispers in my ear in that soft way that only He can. He reminds me that I must have a forgiving heart. He reminds me that this woman has an opportunity to be forgiven of these sins because of the price my Savior paid at Calvary, and that it is not MY place to judge her. He also reminds me that if I want my life to imitate His, my heart needs to be filled with joy and thanksgiving, not anger, resentment, and strife.

So I take a moment and I put to death my heart of anger, and I resurrect a heart of joy and thankfulness. I am thankful that this woman, despite her chaos and addictions, chose to birth her babies rather than abort them. I am thankful that God chose my husband and me to raise these children as our own, to give them love and encouragement. I am thankful that we have the precious opportunity to teach them the Word of God and to live it out before them. I am thankful that every night an 11-year old and a 7- year old hug me and kiss me goodnight, and a 6-year old princess prays for me. I am thankful to be there for the loose teeth, baseball games, camping adventures, and movie nights. I am thankful that I can sit here today in this cold and sterile waiting room, and that my face will be one of the first my son sees when he wakes up.

Most of all, I am thankful that God can take this heart…my resurrected heart….and use it to bring joy, peace, and love to not only my children, but others as well.

Jesus did not sacrifice His life that day so long ago so that we could be angry.He did not perish so that we had to carry our sins around with us like heavy baggage. He gave His life on the cross so that we could all have forgiveness. He sacrificed so that we could live with joy and hope, and the assuredness of being washed of our transgressions. We find that assuredness through our intimate relationship with Him.

Are you carrying a heavy load today? Are you living with anger, fear, or hopelessness? Remember that Jesus was resurrected on the third day and HE LIVES! Let your heart be resurrected through His saving grace. Trade your sorrow for laughter, your anger for joy. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

Be A Simon

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By:  Betty Predmore

 

Do you ever feel burdened? Do you ever feel as if you are bearing those burdens alone? God did not design us to carry our burdens alone. He wants us to share our burdens with Him, so that He can walk alongside us, carrying the load. I am reminded of the teenage boy who wants to walk the girl home from school. He carries her books because it is the “expected” thing to do. That’s how it is with God. We are walking the journey side by side, yet He expects to carry our load.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
He also places others in our lives that can help carry our burdens. Often it is our family and those special friends that He gives us for just the right circumstance. Perhaps it is someone who has already walked the journey you are now on, and can share some wisdom with you. In Galatians 6:2 we are told this…”Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” This is clearly part of our obedience to Christ…to help take the heavy load from others.
Christ himself needed someone to help him carry his burden while he lived in the flesh on this earth. Think of Simon of Cyrene. This man was pulled from the crowd to help Jesus carry the cross on his journey to crucifixion at Calvary. Jesus, so weak from the beating and torture he had already endured, fell down numerous times on the road to Calvary. That cross was a heavy burden he was carrying, and he needed the assistance of Simon to make it to the end of his journey. “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.” Matthew 27:32. The bible doesn’t say that Jesus made any comment to Simon, but I have to believe that he appreciated some help with that heavy load.
Are we doing enough for others? Are we sharing their heavy load to make their road traveled just a little easier? Are we being obedient to Christ? My prayer today is that we make a sincere effort to look around us and take note of those who seem to have a heavy burden. Look for someone who might be stumbling like Jesus was on that fateful day. Do something to make their burden a little lighter. Join someone on their journey, bearing some of the load for them. Be a Simon….be a difference maker!

A Song In My Heart

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By:  Betty Predmore

Because He Lives
The sermon I heard in church yesterday was about HOPE. If we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can have hope, despite the trials that go on in our lives. “Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5. We can endure through those struggles, clinging tightly to the hand of Jesus with a certainty that comes from faith in His word. We know that God’s word is true for “God is not man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19.

This brought to mind a song I learned as a teenager…”Because He Lives”.

Because He Lives
I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives
All fear is gone.

It is because of my assurance in His resurrection that I can face whatever comes my way. I can stand firm on the knowledge that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I can know without a doubt that He will carry my heavy load. By knowing this, I can face every tomorrow He gives me with hope.

Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

He holds me and my future in the palm of his hands. All the goodness, joy, and love in my life is because of Him. I can face each new day with PURPOSE…PURPOSE to commune with My Savior, PURPOSE to be a Godly wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend, PURPOSE to allow His will to be done in my life, PURPOSE to touch the lives of others and have an impact for Him, PURPOSE to lead where He calls me to lead and follow where He calls me to follow. This is what makes life worth living.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer,”. Romans 12:12. Let your heart be filled with the fruits of the Spirit. Do this out of faith. Do this Because He Lives.

A Song In My Heart

So Little Time

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By:  Betty Predmore

 

I am often amazed at the passing of time. Although it seems that some days drag on and bedtime takes forever to get here, it is amazing how quickly our days come and go. My children think “old age” is far, far from now, and that they have all the time in the world to “do this”, “go there”, “be that”. I try to share my wisdom with them and let them know that time is fleeting, like sands through the hourglass, and every day needs to be embraced and used to its fullest potential.
It is incredulous to me to think that my 30-year class reunion is this year. It is somewhat puzzling to recall that I have been on this earth almost half a century. Where did this time go? Did I make the best use of my time that I could? And what IS the best use of my time? I try to be a supportive wife and helper to my husband in his activities. This takes time. I try to be a good mom and stay active in the things that interest my children. This takes time. I make every attempt to be a loving daughter and invest in my parents and their needs. This takes time. I make every effort to be a supporter of my community by being involved. This takes time. I strive to be a supportive role model, friend, and spiritual leader. This takes time. I try to keep my house tidy, the laundry done, and the bills paid. This takes time. I try to make time for kisses, hugs, tickles, giggles, sweet laughter, and “I love you”. This takes time. We have all heard the old saying…”So much to do, so little time.”
Jesus had much less time on earth than I have had, and He had far more to accomplish. In his mere 33 years, he did more than any of us can do in a lifetime. He walked his message to thousands, sharing God’s Word and God’s love to all who would listen. He taught his disciples much on how to live and how to teach others to live. He preached to nations. He prayed for humanity. He offered his body as a living sacrifice so that we could have forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and eternal life with God the Father. He had so little time, yet He accomplished so much.
I don’t know how much time God will give me on this earth. I don’t know what experiences He has for me in the future. I only know that I am called to use my time here to be a supportive wife, to be a good mom, to care for my parents as long as I have them, to be a champion for the causes in my community, to be a supportive role model, friend, and spiritual leader. I am to make sure there is time for kisses, hugs, tickles, giggles, sweet laughter, and “I love you”. And most importantly, I am to make sure there is time for God, first and foremost. I am to allow him to direct my days and my time according to His will and purpose for my life. I am to share His love with others, and bring others hope of salvation and eternal life in the glorious heavens. I am to take my time…my so little time…and use it for the glory of the Almighty.

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