Jesus didn’t die just to patch us up, but to make us totally new.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~ ​Don’t you wish things would last forever? I want things to stay new and never wear out. Including me! Wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works anymore. Things break and wear out and when they do, we want them quickly fixed or replaced as soon as possible. If my heat goes out in winter, I want it fixed yesterday. Apparently I’m losing collagen in my face, so how quickly can I fix that and get rid of these lines and wrinkles? What’s the new drink I can drink that will shrink my belly by tomorrow? My cookware says it will last forever, but I doubt it will. If something breaks, fix it quick or get something new! It’s a never ending cycle of trying new things that promise to keep things new. It’s insanity in a way because nothing stays NEW forever. It all wears out. We can do all we can to upgrade, refurbish, tighten and lift, but all things ARE wasting away. Jesus told it like it is in Matthew 6:19 when he talked about where our treasure is. Store up things in Heaven, not down here on earth where moth and rust destroy it all. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:24 when he asks, ‘who will deliver me from this body of death’? It’s easy to want to lose heart when everything around us that once was new all eventually wastes away. But don’t lose heart just yet, there’s good news. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. There is something NEW happening IN us every day, when we are IN Christ. What does that mean exactly? Dr David Jeremiah puts it this way, “temporary things help people appreciate eternal things. When believers are outwardly perishing and in pain, the gleam of this life gives way to the glories of the next.” The Apostle Paul was very acquainted with suffering. He kept it all in perspective as he kept his eye on the prize set before him. He knew what was to come, and all that we try so desperately to keep shiny and new, pales in comparison to what waits at the finish line of life for the believer in Christ. That should give us hope today. Yes things wear out and these bodies are wearing out, but our spirit is being renewed everyday! This world is not the end. One day all things will be made new. And oh what a day that will be. Until then, as we are being renewed everyday, we walk in the newness of life we have because of Jesus. Living that life is one that shines the light and love of Jesus to a dark and dying world. Our light should shine brighter and brighter the closer we get to home. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! Jesus didn’t die to patch you up, he died and rose again to make you BRAND new. That’s a new that never wears out. That’s the truth. Set your eyes on things above this new year. As you do, all that is wasting away around you will dim in the light of what’s to come. I’m Lori Cline.

When the way God is calling us is unfamiliar, He will be with us.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you ever taken the road less traveled? I hope you have at some point along your journey in life. In eighth grade I memorized the poem, ‘the road not taken’, by Robert Frost. In the poem, the road NOT taken was the one that was familiar. It was the path that had more wear. The road less traveled was the one he took and in the end, that made all the difference. In life when we step out in faith and go a new way, often there is adventure waiting and more to discover. I love how Jesus describes the narrow way in Matthew 7:14. Many will go down the wide way to destruction, but narrow and difficult is the way which leads to life. He goes on to say, few will find it. The road we choose in life matters. Be sure you’re headed in the right direction! It’s a perfect time to think about the road less traveled as we are well on our way into a new year. Is there a road God is leading you down, but fear is holding you back because you don’t see the path clearly? Maybe more people are going the other way. That doesn’t mean it’s where God wants YOU. Be sure you’re listening to His voice above any other. That’s the first step on the journey. God is all about doing something new. All throughout scripture God moves, speaks and works in new ways bringing about His redemption plan for us through Jesus. So many moments were ‘road less traveled’ type moments for men and women in the Bible. It took faith and action to MOVE where God was leading. With the start of this new year, I’m looking all this month at what we can discover in scripture when it comes to something NEW. You can find them all at Lifeword.org. Is God leading you to a road less traveled? When I think of this new day, in this new year, I wonder is God leading us some way we’ve never been before? He’s done it before. Joshua 3:2-4 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” This is one of my all time favorite road less traveled moments in Joshua 3. The people of Israel needed God’s direction. They were headed into new territory. The path was new and unfamiliar. The ark of the covenant, where God’s presence and power resided, is what they were to follow. When they saw the Jordan before them in their path did they stop and have a meeting about all the risks of walking through the Jordan? No. They put their feet in the water and walked on. That’s when we see miracles. That’s when we see things we’ve never seen before. When God is leading the way, the road less traveled is always the way that WILL make all the difference. Today, the presence and power of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is WITH us, leading us as we go. We can trust his leading just as the children of Israel trusted and followed the ark. God was WITH them then, taking them a way they had never been before, and God is WITH us now leading us and wanting us at times to blaze new trails for the sake of spreading the gospel! We are commissioned to go into all the world and tell people about Jesus, yet we get all nervous and full of fear when it’s across the street. Friends, God IS with us. It’s a new day and He is calling us to new ways to reach the lost. When the way we are called to go is new and unfamiliar, that may be the very sign that we’re headed in the right direction. That’s when we know it’s not us, it’s God leading us and giving us peace for the journey. That’s the truth! Today is a new day. What new way is God calling you to go? Listen to His voice and walk on. I’m Lori Cline.

To truly show great love, we must sacrifice.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   It just doesn’t get any better than this! Have you ever said that? I think about moments in my life when my heart was so full. How could anything compare to THIS? Falling in love, the birth of a baby or sitting on the beach watching the sun go down are all moments I’ve thought, it really can’t get any better than this! Then it does. A new moment. A new memory. A new blessing. What about when it comes to things that changed the world? We love the history channel and it’s fascinating to watch innovation, products and ideas that have changed our lives for the better. I’m sure there were times way back then people thought, ‘wow this couldn’t get any better!’ Then along came the wheel, indoor plumbing, the printing press, penicillin, the lightbulb, concrete, the telephone, McDonalds and so much more that did in fact make things better! Something new can be a really good thing, unless it’s NEW coke. That was a huge sugary flop back in 1985. It goes down as an epic FAIL of trying to improve something already great. In the moment, when something is already a good thing, it’s tough to imagine how it could be made better. Nothing is better than the original. But when it actually IS, our minds are blown and we think, how did we ever manage before? It can’t get any better than this. Then, our eyes are opened to a NEW way. When you think about LOVE, could love ever get any better? Could we love more? Could there be even deeper ways to show someone we love them? God commanded His people to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ all the way back in Leviticus 19:18. The command was not to view the world as us and them, but God required love for all. Fast forward to Jesus’ ministry and the command from Leviticus had been tweaked just a bit by the religious elite over the years. Yes, love your neighbor as yourself, but hate your enemy. They don’t deserve your love. Jesus corrected that and turned it all upside down in his sermon on the mount. Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you and pray for those who use you and persecute you. Love the undeserving, because aren’t we all in fact, undeserving? When asked what is the greatest command in Matthew 22, Jesus said, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and then love your neighbor as yourself.” Again, he is pointing us to be fully devoted to God and then be a conduit of God’s love to others. Is it possible to love someone even more than that? Jesus takes it even deeper. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love one other, we get it? But what’s NEW about it? How was Jesus improving on how to love our neighbor? Jesus said, “love one another as I have loved you.” How has Jesus loved me? He died for me. He loved me MORE than He loved himself. That’s the NEW part. He put my need above his own. It’s a selfless, sacrificial love. That’s how we are to love one another. How can I put you ABOVE me? Do you love your neighbor like that? That’s how Jesus loves. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) There is no greater love. And it really doesn’t get any better than that. That’s the truth. So when we talk about love, remember it requires sacrifice. Love your enemies. Lay your life down for one another. It’s no longer about me. That’s how Jesus loves and that kind of love is what changes the world. I’m Lori Cline.

We can always have confidence in who we are in Jesus.   #TheLoriClineShow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Are you ready to take a leap of faith? Let’s go! And you know today happens to be a great day to do just that. It’s leap day, because it’s a leap year! Today is the extra day we get in February, which is added to the calendar every four years to keep it in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun. Whatever that means, I love it because we get one extra day and I always LOVE more time.   So if you were already thinking about stepping out into something new, what better day than leap day! Say yes! Get off the couch! Do something today you’ve been putting off and let’s leap into what God has already set before us.   As you think about that, where do you need to take a leap of faith? Maybe it’s not some BIG thing, but maybe it just needs to be in smaller areas of consistency. Daily leaps lead to BIG leaps and they all begin with faith walking steps.   Since this is a bit of a pep talk for the day, guess where I’m headed in scripture? The hall of faith, Hebrews chapter 11! It’s my favorite. Come on let’s get fired up to take our leap of faith by remembering the faithfulness of those before us. Now I can’t read it all here today, that would make this way too long, so YOU take a leap into God’s word and dig deeper into it on your own. I’ll highlight a few things to get us started and to begin I’ll actually start with the last verse of Hebrews chapter 10.   Hebrews 10:39   But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.   I could stop right there. But I won’t. We do NOT belong to those who retreat, shrink back and are destroyed. Why? Because we have Jesus! We are saved and walk by faith embracing ALL we have and are IN Christ! This is a wake up call to remember WHO you are in Christ and the resurrection power you have access to on a daily basis. Our faith IN CHRIST is what sets us apart from the world. He has overcome the world and so through Him we are overcomers and the race we are running, no matter what it looks like down here, ends in victory.   Hebrews 11:1-2   Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.   In Christ I am confident. When I try to walk in MY strength, I fail. That’s what fuels faith. Being confident of who you are and what God has for you to accomplish. The Apostle Paul was a man confident in Christ and he encouraged the Philippians with that confidence, reminding them then and us today that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. When you walk with confidence, by faith, you walk different don’t you. When you leap with confidence, by faith, you leap different too!   The men and women that are mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 were known for that confident faith. It’s what drove them to obedience and faithfulness in their chapters of the greater story of God’s plan.   Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah were full of confident faith. They weren’t perfect. They were flawed just as we are today, and in need of a savior, but while yes they were flawed, they followed by faith. By faith Isaac blessed his sons. By faith Joseph, in his final days, gave future vision and instruction. By faith Moses took many leaps throughout his journey. By faith the walls of Jericho fell and by faith, Rahab did not perish.   There are so many more. Ordinary men and women, used by God, who simply walked by faith. As a result the gospel story advanced. Now it’s our turn to take the steps and move the gospel forward. Will you take a leap today? If you’ve lost your confidence, repent and acknowledge that your confidence hasn’t been in the Lord, because when we know who we are IN CHRIST, we are confident that nothing can stop us.   That’s the truth.   Take a leap of faith. I don’t know what that looks like for you, but be encouraged by those that have gone before you, paving the way for YOUR story today.   I’m Lori Cline.

We should highlight and remember Bible passages that are important and encouraging to us.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   If you’re reading a good book and you come across a GREAT quote, what do you do? You highlight it! It stands out to you. It resonates with your heart and you want to remember it. Those are the words and lines that show up in memes and quotes all throughout our feed on social media. We copy and paste and want to share with the world these words that have sharpened us or challenged us to MOVE forward, think deeper or see something in a new way. We get inspired by what we highlight. What are you highlighting? I love to highlight in my Bible. The words of God, every single one, are worth highlighting. Still, there are some that stand out to me on my journey. Those verses, those words are highlighted, underlined and circled so I won’t easily forget them. I can go back and be reminded and encouraged of what is true. Many of those words are hidden deep in my heart. I recently went home to celebrate and remember my Dad. It was his first birthday in Heaven. It’s so bittersweet. Our hearts ache for his presence while we at the same time have JOY knowing he is in the presence of the Lord. Over the years my Dad did a lot of highlighting. He had many Bibles and books. He was forever a student in many ways and it’s been so cool to go through all the books and Bibles and see sections and words that shaped and molded him. Words that meant something or encouraged him or words he knew would encourage those around him were highlighted, underlined or earmarked. My dad loved words and I now am paying attention to the words that meant something to him, the words he highlighted. I was sitting in his chair at home and was actually writing a bit for these devotionals. The question kept coming to my mind, what are you highlighting? I was looking through my own Bible and one section of scripture definitely stands out with underlines and highlights. It’s Hebrews 11 and 12. The faith hall of fame. I looked up and saw my grandfathers Bible up on the mantle. I never knew my grandfather, my Dad’s dad. He passed away one Sunday in the pulpit after reading his scripture for the sermon. He had a massive heart attack. My Dad was only 18. I thought to myself as I looked up at that Bible, I wonder what He highlighted. I got up, dusted off his Bible and settled back into my Dad’s chair. I opened it up to Hebrews chapter 11 and I smiled really big. Like my Dad, I love words, but in that moment I had none. I could only smile as I looked over the pages and verses. Just as I have in my own Bible, everywhere you read the words, ‘by faith’, they were underlined and highlighted. Sections marked and set apart for a purpose, to be reminded of what is true. It was a really special moment. I never met my Grandad, FG Carroll, but I sure feel like I knew him because of my Dad. They both walked by faith. They both believed the words of God and didn’t just read them on Sunday, they highlighted the words, hid them deep in their heart and lived them out every single day. Words matter. We are shaped by them. What are you highlighting? What words are you allowing into your heart? If they aren’t true and do not align with the words of God, they are leading you and your family astray. Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” The word of God, after heaven and earth pass away, Jesus said in Matthew 24, will remain. Spend more time in those words. Let them sink deep in your heart. Abide IN them. Let them light your path each new day. Highlight those words and underline them for those who will come behind you. Write them on your walls and speak them OVER your children. May they be shaped by the words of God more than the words of this world. The words my Grandfather highlighted and underlined meant something to my Dad. They now mean something to me. They point me back to the only thing that matters, faith. That’s the truth. Where is your faith? What are you highlighting? If your faith journey is stalled out, go highlight some words in Hebrews chapters 11 and 12. Be encouraged by the faith of those who have gone before us and the faith they held so dear. Discover it for yourself and get to highlighting and living out in your life what is true. I’m Lori Cline.

God has given us unique and beautiful gifts to help others.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Did you have chickens growing up? It was only because we moved into a parsonage beside Lake Erling Baptist Church, when I was little, that had a barn behind it, full of chickens, that I grew up with chickens. They were awesome. I loved the baby chicks. We raised one as a pet of course and we had eggs for days. I wish I had chickens now. You may have a chicken house and what a blessing I bet you are to so many because of the eggs you give away. How beautiful is that? While raising chickens back in the day was more a means of survival than it was trendy, today, suburban and urban chicken keeping and cooping or whatever you want to call it, is exploding! The pandemic had something to do with it, but raising chickens is continuing to be a very popular thing. Why all this chicken talk? Well, I recently heard a story, and for the life of me I can’t remember who or where it came from, but it was a story about chickens that is worth repeating. It made me pause and ask myself, what’s my one chicken? The story goes that back, I believe during the depression, a family lost everything to a house fire. They had a barn with about a dozen chickens. It was a rough time. Everyone was struggling. The community came together to help this family as much as they could during their time of need. One wife had an idea. All the families in the area, during that time, had chickens. What if they all gave one chicken? Twelve families came together, helped rebuild a pen, and all gave one chicken. Just like that, this family that had lost everything, was given a fresh start. What’s your one chicken? That’s the question for the day. What has God given you, blessed you with, that you can give away? Do you love to cook? Oh my friend Jeannie does! In a way, that’s her chicken. Without even being asked, she made dinner for my family while I was away for work one week. Mexican chicken casserole and M&M cookies became the chicken she gave away. Do you love to garden or work in the yard? One season, we had two dear friends decide to come over and help landscape our front yard. I don’t remember even asking, but it was just what we needed. They blessed us with their chicken. We have a family we love dearly in our church family. They have three little girls. We had a galentine's day celebration with those babies at our house one night so mom and dad could have a night out. That was our chicken. See where I’m going with this? Look around. People are in need of love, encouragement, care and service. They don’t need your judgement or opinion, they need the hands and feet of Jesus to see them and care for them right where they are IN their time of need. 1 Peter 4:10-11 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. God has given you a chicken! You have gifts that are beautiful and unique to you that are not meant for building YOU up, they have been given to minister to those around you. We are to build one another up, love one another and build UP the body of Christ. When we give those gifts we have been given and blessed with away, people encounter the love of Jesus and God gets the glory! That’s the truth. So what chicken can you give away today? Pray about it. God has someone around you right now that needs it. I’m Lori Cline.

The truth is that in God, we are thoroughly equipped to accomplish what we have been created for.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   What lie are you believing today that is NOT true? This can be a tough question to answer because we don’t know what we don’t know. Often we must walk back our behaviors, thoughts and patterns to dig deeper into what we are actually believing to be true. What we value, how we live and interact with those around us reveals our beliefs. If I’m believing a lie, it’s usually something I need to surrender and trust God with. When we shine a light of truth on the roots of our heart, good things grow. There’s a beautiful exercise I’ve learned that helps me do this. I look at the fruit of my life and then walk it back to the root. You see, just like a root is what supports a tree and nourishes the fruit that grows, our beliefs support our behaviors that produce the fruit in our life. That fruit can be good and sweet, like the fruit of the spirit, or it can be bitter and dying on the vine. Recently I discovered a lie I was believing. I wanted to share it with you and the process I walked through to discover it, because maybe it’s a lie you’re believing as well. When we become aware we can repent, have new awareness of how it creeps up in our thoughts, and replace it with what IS true. It all began with me asking a simple question. How do they do that? Now there’s obviously nothing bad about wondering how someone does anything. We sharpen one another and when someone around you has something figured out, you want to learn it for yourself. Give me the scoop? What’s your secret? How did she lose that weight? How does she manage career, kids and home and still look amazing? How did they DIY that project? How are their kids so self-sufficient? How do they have a home cooked meal on the table every single night of the week? Where do they find the time to get it all done? See where I’m headed? Now while on the surface these questions are not bad in themselves, the Holy Spirit gently opened my eyes to something deeper I was believing. I was in a time of silence with the Lord. Psalm 46:10 says to “be still and know that I am God”. So I was still. My mind let go of all my racing thoughts. I was listening. A root was revealed. In many areas of my life I’ve felt a bit like I’m on the sidelines watching how everyone else ‘does it’. Whatever it is. Remember all the questions? The lie that can creep in is, “everyone has it figured out but me”. While it’s great to learn from others if they’re excelling in an area or can inspire you to move forward, the lie that can creep in is this, “I’m not enough”. I’m not capable. I don’t have it all together and everyone else does. Have you ever believed that one? As the Lord was gently shining a light on this root belief, in the same moment He reminded me of what is true. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The truth is, I am thoroughly equipped. No lie or false belief can stand against the word of God. The impact of hiding God’s word in my heart and knowing who I am IN Christ equips me for any task! But here’s the thing, no one has it all together. We do our best, but what completes me, makes me enough and able to accomplish every good work I have been created to accomplish, is the word IN me. His strength IS perfect. And it’s not about what I do, it’s about who I AM and what I allow Jesus to do through me. That’s the truth. Be still. You may discover a lie that’s tripping you up today or causing you to walk in shame. Repent, lay it down and believe the truth of what God says about you. You are loved and you are well equipped. I’m Lori Cline.

When we meet Jesus, the muddy waters of our life make way for clarity.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   What do you see when the dirt settles? If you have a jar of dirty water and you keep shaking it and shaking it, the water will never be given a chance to clear. Look around, there’s a whole lotta shakin goin on and I’m not talking Jerry Lee Lewis lyrics. The water around us is murky. It’s hard to see through all the dirt that keeps getting stirred up. Truth is being clouded and sadly many will never clearly see. Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ Here Jesus is quoting the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus seven hundred years before Jesus. Many would see and witness all the miracles and cultural impact of Jesus’ ministry, but they wouldn’t SEE and know Jesus. Jesus was using Isaiah's words to once again highlight that the more you refuse to be still, seek and know God, the water will always be cloudy in a way and your eyes will never see. If you’re watching this today, by God’s grace, you have been given an opportunity to be still and stop shaking the water. Let the rhetoric and noise around you fall to the ground. Open your eyes and your heart to see what God would have you see. For you, this could be the moment the water becomes clear and you see Jesus. There was a moment like that for the Apostle Paul. He couldn’t see what was right. His ways and thoughts were not the ways and thoughts of God. What he thought was right was wrong and the truth he was convinced he was protecting, he was actually persecuting. But the water was about to clear and his eyes were about to be opened. Acts 9:1-8 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. What Saul thought was right, was wrong. He had it all upside down. He couldn’t see the truth of Jesus because he kept muddying up the water with his own way over God’s way. Jesus stopped him in his tracks and turned his life around. Saul’s encounter with the Lord left him literally blind for three days. But I guarantee during those three days he couldn’t physically see, the waters of his life were becoming crystal clear. What he was believing to be true and how he was living his life was all about to change. He even got a new name. That’s what happens when we meet Jesus. The water settles, we see what is true and He makes us new. That’s the truth. Let the water clear. Listen for the voice of the Lord in your life. Call upon His name right now and be saved. You’ll see yourself on a different path with a new name. I’m Lori Cline.

The best way to prepare our children to face the world is to remind them of their need for Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   This school year, as your kids leave the house in their very thought through outfits, new shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes and way too expensive water bottles, do you find yourself asking this question, ‘have I done enough to get them ready’? If so, you’re not alone. My girls are both in High School this year. One is a freshman and one is a senior. We’re in the final stretch for our twelfth grader. We can see the finish line and even though we have her at home for one more year, I’m wondering even now if we’ve done enough. Have I prepared her? Have we taught her what she needs to know to weather the storms and people of life? Is she ready? I begin feeling a little anxious. Maybe you can relate and your student is headed off to college, officially leaving the nest. I believe as parents we feel this at just about every stage of our children's life. Preschool, first day of elementary, middle, high school, college and maybe even on their wedding day, are they ready? Have I done enough to prepare them for what’s to come? That’s our job as parents! As a follower of Jesus I follow Godly wisdom from Proverbs 22:6 that tells me to ‘train up a child in the way they should go’. So what way should they go? To answer that question I go back to what God commanded first in Deuteronomy and then what Jesus seconded in Matthew. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. That’s pretty clear. Love God with everything you have! Keep His commands in your heart and write them everywhere so you never forget! Follow them because you love Him and His way IS best! If you or someone in your home has a football team or a sports team they LOVE, have your children fallen in love with that team as well? Usually that’s the case. You buy them baby onesies and raise them to LOVE that team! Are we raising our children to LOVE Jesus? From the moment they are born, with the same energy and passion, we should be telling them about God’s AMAZING love for them! A love for sports, fame or money won’t save them from Hell but a love for Jesus WILL! Parents, give them Jesus. My husband and I have tried to do that every single day of our girls' lives. Do we get it right all the time? No. Have I done enough? Here’s an honest and real answer to that, NO, and neither have you. Now before you hang your head in shame, here’s the GOOD NEWS! We weren’t meant to be enough! We love them. We train them. But the BEST thing we can do to prepare them for any season is to GIVE THEM the only one who IS enough. Give them Jesus. He is the only one who can satisfy. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. The BEST way to prepare our little ones and not so little ones for back to school or any stage of life is to continually remind them of their need for a savior. We weren’t meant to meet their every need. Only Jesus can. When we mess up and let them down, give them Jesus. When we can’t rescue them from the pains and heartaches of life, give them Jesus. When they are running on empty, point them to Jesus and He will fill their cup. Are they ready? If my girls walk into this new year loving God with all they are and with a hunger and thirst for more of Jesus, yes they are! That’s the truth. Train them up to love Jesus and when it’s time for them to fly, you’ll have done enough. I’m Lori Cline.

The enemy wants to distract us by using the opinions of others to make us combative.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Does it need more salt! No I’m not talking about your lunch, I’m talking about your comments and conversations. Have you been more salty or snarky lately? If you’re like me, you have your days. And if you scroll for too long through social media, you’re going to see examples of both. For anyone that has no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll explain. I’m referring to how we respond, how we answer someone and overall how we communicate each and every day. One way to respond is to be snarky. The word ‘snarky’ used to mean, cranky or bad tempered. Over the years the word has evolved to now also mean, sarcastic and rude. Now that we’re clear on what the word means, have you been snarky? Have you been tempted to be snarky? The struggle is real. Temptation is not only at our door, it’s in our hands for hours a day. We see posts, we watch videos and we read opinions and headlines that fire us up. We get angry. We get offended. We feel obligated to respond, justified even, in our anger. But guess what, we aren’t meant to hold on to that anger and for sure not respond in anger. But we do. We get snarky. Instead of getting snarky, we need to get salty. Now what does that mean? Colossians 4:5-6 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Are we making the most of every opportunity or are we missing the opportunity altogether because we’re so quick to be angry and offended? Paul is telling the church of Colossae to be wise! Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way to share the gospel today because it may not come back around again. We get lured into the fray of it all and we’re missing opportunities to REFLECT Jesus in how we RESPOND. In Ephesians chapter 6, the Bible tells us to put our armor on every single day. Friends, we need ALL the armor. We are in a battle and what we need to remember is that it is NOT with our brothers and sisters in the Lord and it is NOT with anyone you disagree with. We are in a spiritual battle and it will NOT be won with arguments or snarky comments. It will ONLY be won with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of God. That’s how we fight our battles. Didn’t your mama ever tell you, if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all. I would add to it a bit. If you can’t say something nice, pray about it, maybe don’t say anything at all or maybe say something salty. People of God, our words, our responses and our conversations should be FULL of grace and seasoned with salt. Build up more than you tear down. Bring people together more than you divide. Pray more than you politicize. Love so well that people can’t help but see Jesus and taste the goodness of God. One of the enemies greatest weapons is distraction. Don’t get distracted by the words and opinions of the day. Focus on the hearts behind those words and opinions and love them. Pray for them. Bless them even. That’s Jesus! It’s the kingdom work we’re called to. That’s the truth. When our responses are full of grace and seasoned with salt, hearts will be left wanting more. I’m Lori Cline.

When we choose to bring our brokenness to Jesus, we will see something beautiful. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!     ~~~   Imagine you could start each day with someone showing you two doors. Behind door number one is something beautiful. Behind door number two is chaos. You get to choose which door you walk into. Which would you choose? The obvious choice, you would think, would be to choose something beautiful, right? Of course! Beauty is what we desire. Beauty is what we long for. But do you know what I’ve discovered in my own life? There are days, more than I want to admit, that I choose door number two. I choose chaos over something beautiful. Think about it. Do you do the same? What are you choosing to see right now? You may say, ‘well Lori I’m not choosing anything. This world is simply IN chaos. This day is giving me sickness, death, pain, struggle and an election year.’ Yes, no doubt this world is full of chaos and we have so much coming at us, we can still choose beautiful. But how do we do that? Romans 8:5-6 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Do you see the two doors? One is flesh and one is spirit. When we live by the flesh, our minds are set and fixed on fleshly desires. Behind that door is anger, hate, division, death and chaos. We’ll see it all around us. But, when we live by the spirit, not just any spirit, the spirit of the living God, we see beautiful things, even in the midst of chaos. God opens our eyes and gives us the ability to desire and do what is good, to focus on what is lovely and to see what is beautiful. In that place, there is life and peace. I cannot choose this on my own and neither can you. The pull of chaos is too strong. Often the roots of our own internal chaos and brokenness can lead us to crave chaos, be comfortable IN it, create it and even embrace it! If we are not made new by the saving grace of Jesus and allow our minds to be renewed by the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, the lure will be too great. We will choose chaos over what is beautiful. We’ll add to it by pouring gasoline on the dumpster fires of life burning around us instead of walking IN the garden, full of peace, quenching those fires with the living water that flows freely through us. Choosing beautiful is putting ON Christ. (Romans 13:14) It’s walking by the spirit. (Galatians 5:16) And starting each day, before you begin to scroll or stroll through it, putting ON the new self. (Ephesians 4:24) Putting on Christ leads us to see what He sees. We can move through the chaos of the day, not focused on all the things, but seeing the hearts that so desperately need a savior. That’s been the root cause of chaos since the garden and it’s the only cure. When the peace of Christ rules my heart, circumstances around me won’t. It’s that simple. It’s not easy, but behind that door IS joy, life, peace and something beautiful. That’s the truth. What will you choose today? Bring the brokenness of your life and this day to Jesus. When you do, no matter what surrounds you, you will see something beautiful. I’m Lori Cline.

We should tune out the noise of chaos around us and focus on loving like Jesus. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Is it time to hit the MUTE button? Things are getting pretty loud and there are so many voices vying for our attention, demanding not only that we listen, but also that we agree with their message and get loud as well. Don’t add to the noise. You can hit mute. Did you know that? You have the ability to silence the noise. Isn’t it crazy though, how sometimes we simply get used to the noise? After a while we don’t even realize how loud it actually is. My family was at the beach this summer and the condo we were in was right beside a building where they were pressure washing the outside every morning. While it was loud, it didn’t stop me from having my morning coffee and quiet time out on our balcony overlooking the ocean. It sort of became ‘white noise’ in a way and I actually got used to it. Then they would stop for the day. Only then did I realize how loud it actually was and how quiet it could be. In a moment, I could once again hear the waves. It’s only when we silence the noise around us that we can fully appreciate the absence of it because then we realize how loud it actually was! What happens is we get used to the noise. We don’t have to. I love reading in the gospels how Jesus handled the pressure and noise of a crowd. At different times He would meet them, teach them, feed them, heal them, escape them and other times he would send them away. He made time to silence the noise to hear only the voice of the Father. Whether he went to the desert, up a mountain, into the hills or to the garden, he would intentionally quiet the noise. Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. This was Jesus’ routine. He made time to quiet the noise. He didn’t run from it or never enter back into it, but he demonstrates for us the importance of preparing our hearts for it. If the noise of the crowds and the great needs of their hearts and lives were draining to Jesus, no wonder the same noise and needs of the world we encounter today can drain us as well. We get exhausted and worn out. Like Jesus, we must make time to hit mute and find a quiet place to be still and know He is God. We find rest for our soul each day when we do that. That quiet rest and fellowship with the Father is what prepares us and strengthens us to be the light of the world Jesus calls us to be. We can’t do that hiding out, no, we have to let our light shine. Is it possible to let our light shine without adding TO the noise? Let’s look at the heart of Jesus. Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus didn’t focus on the noise of the crowd, he focused on their great need for a savior. When we have the heart of Jesus, we’ll see those around us in the same way. We’ll have compassion, even in the midst of all the noise and our hearts will be prepared to listen and love them right where they are. That’s the truth. Hit mute. Silence the noise, don’t add to it. You’ll love more like Jesus. You’ll be patient, kind, slow to anger, refusing to dishonor others or delight in evil. That kind of love flows only from quiet time with the Father. It’s FULL of compassion and it is the only thing that can light up the darkness and bring quiet rest to the soul. I’m Lori Cline.

No matter how broken or unlovable we feel, we are never too far gone for Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you given up hope today? Do you think you’re too far gone down a road that leads to nothing but hurt and pain? If that’s where you are right now, don’t scroll away from this truth. You’re NEVER too far gone. Sometimes it can feel like we are. Sometimes it can even look like we are on the outside. We can get worn down pretty low and even those around us might think we’re too far gone. Jesus sees you right where you are and the beauty of His love and grace is He also sees where you can be. Have you ever not watered a plant for a little too long? Yep me too. We were away on vacation and I forgot to give plant watering instructions to my house sitters. We were gone for two weeks in the heat of the summer and while a lot of plants can make it that long, a peace lily cannot. If you’ve ever had one in your home you know that at the moment they are not satisfied, they wilt. The leaves droop and they can look pretty sad. My plant loving friends that are watching this know that sad looking leaves on a peace lily aren’t a means to toss it out. You simply give it a good watering and within a day or even just a few hours, those leaves perk back up and all is well. Even knowing this is the case with a peace lily, one that hasn’t been watered for a couple of weeks is a bit more serious. I have two plants. One is big and one is small. They both looked too far gone. They were in bad shape. I doubted they would make it. Still, I gave them what they needed. I watered and I waited. The big plant, having stronger roots and stems, by the next day was coming back to life. I pruned the dead and dying leaves and gave it more time. The little plant hadn’t perked up at all. I thought it may have crossed the little green plant bridge or whatever plants do when they die. I waited. Was it too far gone? Maybe you feel too far gone. Are you dry and worn down from it all? Life is hard. Storms and droughts come that we didn't ask for. Maybe your own choices led you to where you are today. What may seem too far gone, when met with the love and grace of Jesus, can be turned around. In Luke chapter eight we read about a man Jesus met that I’m sure many thought was too far gone. This meeting was no accident. He was possessed by many demons, lived in a graveyard, was naked, often guarded and shackled with no hope for redemption. Jesus saw something more. Luke 8:35 The people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Jesus caused quite a stir in this city and it was all because He saw what could be, not what was. What was lost was found. What was dead was made new. Yes a herd of pigs ended up running over a cliff, but what was thought to be too far gone, was redeemed. Go read more about it in Luke chapter eight. Jesus turned it all around. This man had a new story to tell. Can you imagine hearing it from his perspective? I was the guy in the graveyard! Look at me now. If Jesus can heal me and turn my life around, he can do it for you too! Are you dry, wilted and weary? Come and taste living water today. You’ll never thirst again and what was thought to be too far gone, can be made new. That’s the truth. Oh and my little peace lily made it through as well. See, don’t give up too soon. What may seem too far gone, wilted and left for dead, may just need water, the light of the son and a little more time. I’m Lori Cline.

When we experience the undeserved love and grace of God, we can’t help but share it with others.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org! ~~~   Do you get uncomfortable when someone does something for you? I can. If we were to get real honest, real quick, I know the root of that uncomfortable feeling often is control, mixed with a bit of pride, which has deeper roots of hurt and distrust. I know it well. You see we want to do things ourselves. We don’t want help. We don’t want to depend on anyone. When we can’t do something on our own and we really need help, we face a crisis. Will we accept help in our time of need? My husband and I learned this lesson early in our marriage. We were moving from an apartment to our first home in Houston, TX. We had scheduled movers in the evening to miss the heat of the day. Our movers stood us up. We loaded up what we could in our cars and drove to our new home planning to move the next day. In that season we were a part of a small community church. When we drove up, we were met with a row of trucks and SUVS. Our faith family wasn’t going to let us reschedule anything. They were there to move us. They were there to wash our feet. To say we were uncomfortable was an understatement. Our no you’re not, was met with, you have a need and yes we are. We were in need. We were humbled. We were blessed. When we don’t admit or even recognize our need, we miss an opportunity to be blessed. John 13:3-9 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Peter didn’t see the big picture. He didn’t see HIS need in this moment. Jesus wanted him to see what it’s really all about, love and humble service for one another. Doesn’t it often take laying our pride down to see the bigger picture in moments or seasons God is at work. What Peter saw made him very uncomfortable, but what was at first uncomfortable became a lesson learned in not only how to serve, but also in how to submit. Who’s feet are you washing? Who are you allowing to wash yours? Don’t miss a blessing and don’t miss being blessed. This is how the body of Christ works. We need one another and we need to love one another. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we receive the undeserved love and grace of God. When you experience it, you can’t help but share it with others. We do that in how we submit one to another and in how we love and serve one another. That IS the big picture. That’s the truth. Friends we are all in NEED of a savior. You can’t save yourself. Jesus IS the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. He wants to wash you clean today, all of you! I pray you let Him. He is the only one who can. If you missed any of this months broadcasts where we looked deeper into the words of Jesus, you can find them all at Lifeword.org. Thanks for listening. I’m Lori Cline.

Jesus’ divine identity is apparent from His first words to His last.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you remember your child’s first words? If you’re like me, at this stage it might be a bit foggy, but thankfully we have videos we can go back to. I love seeing what my girls were saying and how they were saying it when they were little.   I kept a running list in my phone notes of cute things my girls would say as they were growing up. When my now 17 year old daughter was 4, she said, “every time you’re about to be lost in the forest with a mean animal, God is right beside you.” Brilliant truth right there.   One of the sweetest sounds was hearing my youngest daughter call her big sister, sissy. We heard that a lot as she followed her everywhere she went and wanted to do everything her big sissy was doing. Precious memories. We treasure the words of our little ones.   In this season of my life, I now treasure final words. The last conversations I had with my Dad I’m forever grateful for. I love you’s, hand squeezes, eye blinks and head kisses are now forever burned into my memory. I cherish every saved voice mail, text and written word.   Words matter at any stage in life, but in some seasons, we lean in to hear them a little bit closer. All this month at Lifeword.org, I’m leaning in and looking a bit closer at the words of Jesus. Only in Luke’s gospel account are we given a brief glimpse into the childhood of Jesus with His first recorded words. We’ll also look at Luke’s account of the last words of Jesus before He ascended to Heaven.   In the early chapters of Luke, we see Old Testament prophesies fulfilled with Jesus’ birth. His childhood is basically summarized in chapter 2 verse 40 in that he grew and became strong in the spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.   Fast forward to the age of 12. After celebrating the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus’ family is returning to Nazareth. Now this would have been a caravan of family and friends, spread out, but all together. After a days journey, they couldn’t find Jesus. Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to find him. After three days, moms can you imagine, they found Jesus in the temple, sitting in the midst of teachers, both listening and asking questions.   Luke 2:47-49 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” As a mom I can almost hear him saying it like, “why are you here”? And he makes it clear, He’s in His Father’s house, about His Father’s business.   These are the first words of Jesus we are given. Bottom line, from day one, He had a mission. There was a plan and He was it.   Fast forward to Luke 24. Jesus, the now resurrected Christ, is about to ascend to Heaven. His disciples are hanging on His every word.   Luke 24:46-49 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”   From his first recorded words in Luke at the age of 12, to His last, Jesus made clear His divine identity as the Son of God. He knew His mission. He was about His Father’s business. He prayed in the garden, Father THY will be done. He suffered, died and rose again, so that REPENTANCE and the forgiveness of sins could be offered to you and me.   That’s the truth.   It’s always been Jesus. He is the word made flesh and through every word he spoke and every word from Genesis to Revelation, He was and is and is to come.   I’m Lori Cline.

Dying to self is uncomfortable, but necessary to truly follow Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   We don’t like to think about death too much do we? But the very real truth is that we must die to live. Over the past few years, my husband and I have lost three of our parents. You’re never ready for that, but through it, we have understood more and more the truth we read in Ecclesiastes 7:2 that says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men.” Going to the house of mourning for a believer in Christ, while yes is a time of mourning, it is good and full of hope, because it’s a time to remember this is not the end. It’s a time to celebrate one who is more alive in death than they were here on this earth. For the believer in Christ, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Because of that truth and my faith in Jesus, heaven for me simply gets sweeter and sweeter. Jesus conquered sin and death on a cross. God loved us so much He gave His son to die and pay the price for our sins. He rose again on the third day and traded his crown of thorns for a crown of victory. This was God’s plan all along. He made a way to redeem what was lost through Jesus. 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” By his wounds we have been healed. Jesus paid a very high price for you and me. He carried the weight of the sins of the world and died so that we might live. This was not an easy task. Go read the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden before he went to the cross. He sweat drops of blood. He asked for another way. Still he humbled himself and did the will of the Father. What is our response? He bore our sins so that we might die to sins and LIVE for righteousness. When we come face to face with the cross, and our response to it, it can be uncomfortable because if we are a follower of Jesus, we are called to die and carry our cross. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. It’s not the comfortable thing to die to self. It’s not the easy way to surrender my will for the Father’s. It’s counter culture to live for anything other than SELF. But you see my life is not my own. I’ve been bought by a price and paid for by the precious blood of the lamb. The spirit of the living God lives IN me. I am forgiven. I am made new. I am redeemed. I am a child of God. And even through the struggles, pain, loss and uncomfortable seasons and pits of this life, I have joy and I have bright hope for tomorrow. And because Jesus died, I now live. That’s the truth. Thanks for joining me as we made our way through this uncomfortably hot month of July digging deeper into uncomfortable moments in scripture. You can find them all at lifeword.org. Remember, God didn’t call us to comfort. He calls us to a great adventure that leads to life everlasting. So get comfortable with being uncomfortable and watch what God does IN and through YOU. I’m Lori Cline.

The lost must recognize their need for a Savior in order to accept Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   How do you address the elephant in the room? Very carefully. The thing about an elephant in the room is that it’s so BIG and OBVIOUS, but no one wants to go there and address it! Why? Well because people would rather ignore it than deal with it. This is the sad reality when we can’t be open to what is true, even when it’s a giant sized elephant staring us in the face. When there is truth to be spoken, it’s never easy, but we are called to speak truth in love and thankfully Ephesians chapter four helps guide us in how to do that as believers. We are called to love one another, forgive one another and forebear with one another and often that requires laying down our agenda to speak truth, receive truth and not run from it. I also love that in Romans 2:4 we are reminded that the kindness of God leads people to repentance, so in any moment where an “elephant”, issue or sin needs to be addressed, it should always be done in kindness and love. But we often don’t want to go there, do we? We don’t want to ruffle any feathers or offend someone. Friends, God’s truth cuts deep. Hebrews 4:12 makes that clear. We aren’t the Holy Spirit for anyone, but we are light bearers of His truth. We obediently bring the truth of God’s word to light and we let God do the rest. Speaking the truth can be uncomfortable. I’m highlighting uncomfortable moments in scripture this month because it is uncomfortably hot outside. We don’t like to be uncomfortable and we do anything and everything to make ourselves comfortable. But God uses those difficult and sometimes dark moments and water walking seasons to grow us and do something bigger than us. He uses it all and today I’m looking at a moment Jesus addressed the elephant at the well. John 4:15-18 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” In this moment, Jesus went there. Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. He put a spotlight on her sin, not for the sake of shame, but for the sake of revealing her desperate need for a savior. Everything about this meeting at the well would have been uncomfortable for anyone else, but Jesus drew near to her, confronted her with truth and then revealed to her He was the way to everlasting life. This is a beautiful display of how we can reach the lost. Meeting people where they are, asking good questions, listening to their stories and sharing the love of Jesus can reveal a person's need for a savior. That’s the biggest elephant in our culture today, the lost don’t know their NEED for Jesus. They think they’re good. We need to go there. The world says we’re good and Jesus says that ‘good’ water will always leave you thirsty! Only through Jesus can we be satisfied with living water and be made right with God. That’s the truth. If that truth makes YOU uncomfortable today, good! Believe it and never thirst again. I’m Lori Cline.

Our stories of God’s goodness should cause a stir in the people we tell.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you ever looked at someone’s life circumstances and thought, ‘I wonder what they did to cause that’? I think if we’re honest, we all have sat in that seat of judgment at one time or another. God forgive us. We don’t know someone’s story and until we’ve walked in their shoes, we can’t know how or why they may be where they are in life. We are called to go to them, give them the hope of Jesus and love them, right where they are. The thing is though, oftentimes where they are, isn’t very comfortable. There’s the rub. For us to REACH them, we have to step OUT of our comfort zones and get uncomfortable for the cause of Christ. Our god of comfort and tradition leads us, I’m afraid, more than we allow the Holy Spirit. May our prayer today be, ‘God, make us uncomfortable if that’s what it takes to do your will’. We aren’t called to comfort. We are called to take up our cross and follow. In fact it’s in the seasons of discomfort we lean on the Lord more. We dig into His truth to sustain us and guide us and it’s in our acknowledging that we are not in control that we find rest knowing He IS. God is always at work, even when it’s uncomfortable. He simply wants us to JOIN Him there and trust Him for the journey. Jesus displays over and over throughout His ministry, moments of stepping into the uncomfortable, reaching people right where they were in their messiness and even creating uncomfortable moments for those around Him. In John chapter nine we find Jesus keeping a divine appointment with a man who had been born blind. The chapter is fascinating and full of so much, so go read it, but let’s look at how it all begins. John 9:1-7 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. So the disciples wanted to first know, why IS this man blind? Have you ever been so consumed by your own questions and theology that you miss the obvious NEED right in front of you? Not that the questions were bad, but Jesus was focused on what mattered most and was about to reveal more of Himself through this encounter. That was his priority. Jesus made it clear, the works of God were about to be displayed and it was going to make a lot of people uncomfortable! This man’s sight was restored. The light of the world brought light to his eyes. He was changed, so much so that people almost didn’t recognize him! That’s what happens when Jesus turns your life upside down and redeems what has been lost. He opens your eyes to what can be, not what has been. This man had a new story to tell. Did you catch what the ‘pool of siloam’ means? It means ‘sent’. Jesus sent him to wash and be restored. He obeyed. There was a process for his healing. Once healed, he was sent to tell of the good works Jesus had done. Go read the rest of John chapter nine, this guy caused a big stir. Our stories of God’s goodness in our life should do the same. Go. Tell. Meet people in their need. Get uncomfortable and shine the light of Jesus, because it’s dark out there. People are blind and they need to see. That’s the truth. What has God restored in your life? Someone around you needs to hear about it. Our story for His Glory. I’m Lori Cline.

God uses moments of when we are uncomfortable to refine us and deepen our faith. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Life isn’t always a bed of roses is it? But isn't it supposed to be? I mean Jeremiah 29:11 hello? We all want to claim that everyday right? Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” We love words like prosper and hope and a future! Life should be full of that! So how do we reconcile it in our heart when it’s not. Today we’re going to look a bit deeper at this promise God made, who He made it to and the time in history it was spoken. This beautiful promise was given to God's people in Babylonian captivity. It was a promise that the Lord would bring them back out of captivity, but the journey would not be without struggle. Also the future would be more for the next generation, so many wouldn’t even see the coming days of freedom. This was a very uncomfortable time. A false prophet made them believe the days of captivity would be few, but Jeremiah spoke the words of the Lord and made it clear these days would not be over soon, so get comfortable, even in the uncomfortable. Jeremiah 29:4-7 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” There would be hope to come and a beautiful future, but for now, in these years of captivity and divine discipline for their disobedience, the people of God would need to settle in, accept where they were and be obedient. Yes, while in a place you would rather not be, build houses, plant gardens, marry and increase in number. Seek peace and prosperity, pray for your captors, the city you are in and as it prospers, you will prosper. The restoration of God’s people would come in time, God’s time. Was it uncomfortable? Yes. Was it where they wanted to be? No. Still, God was with them and even in the midst of it all, He was making a way. Restoration cannot come without true repentance. And even when we turn back to God, the consequences of our choices often take time to heal. We don’t like being uncomfortable, but those are the moments and seasons God uses to refine us, sometimes discipline us and deepen our faith. Comfort breeds complacency, so it’s actually those uncomfortable places and seasons that can be a catalyst for something bigger God is doing that we can’t see. We simply need to walk by faith and trust Him on the journey. It’s easy to be faithful when things are going great and we’re on top of the mountain. It’s in the uncomfortable valleys we begin to question. What you can know, no matter where you may be today, is that God loves you and no matter what, He will use whatever you’re facing and wherever you are for your good, as you trust Him with it. His plans for you ARE good, even if the circumstances around you are not. That’s the truth. If where you are is not where you want to be, look to Jesus and take the steps He is leading you to take and remember, as a believer in Christ, this world is not the end. The plans He has for us are good! Our hope is secure and our future IS bright. I’m Lori Cline.

God takes what has been lost and writes a new chapter in our story. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Are you more comfortable in gain or in loss? We don’t have to think about that one long at all, do we? When the bank account is full, new cars are in the driveway, all the latest fashion trends hang in the closet, the air is cool and the pantry is overflowing, life is good and oh so comfortable. But what about when life takes a turn and things begin to unravel? The job is lost, the car breaks down, the AC stops working, the bills pile up and what once was is no longer? All of a sudden, it can get very uncomfortable. In most wedding ceremonies you vow to love one another for richer or for poorer. We do that because LOVE isn’t dependent on what you have. True love REMAINS in gain or in loss. God’s love for you is even greater and isn’t dependent on what we have or do, but how often does OUR love and devotion for Him wane when things get uncomfortable and don’t look like we had hoped. In these hot and uncomfortable days of summer, I'm taking a look, the rest of this month, at uncomfortable moments in scripture. What can we learn from men and women, who even in their very uncomfortable circumstances, didn’t retreat, stayed the course and honored God? We can learn so much from their lives and be inspired to not only STAY in the uncomfortable moments, but we can grow and thrive as a result of them. When I started thinking about who I wanted to highlight, one of the top names to come to mind was Ruth. The very first line of this four chapter book in the Old Testament sets the stage for it all. Ruth 1:1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. There was a famine in the land. People were hungry and there was nothing to eat. Now keep in mind, these were Israelites, God’s people. They were starving. This famine wasn’t simply about food, their hearts had turned away from God. Instead of trusting God, families were ejecting from the promised land to go figure it out for themselves and find comfort once again. That path took this family we read about in chapter one verse one to the land of Moab. The Moabites were enemies of the Israelites and worshiped idols. Still, Moab is where they went and found wives for their two sons. Before you even get to verse six, the man and his two sons die, leaving behind his wife, Ruth and her two daughters in law. To say things had unraveled and were uncomfortable for these women would be an understatement, but what we see unfold in this beautiful redemption story is a direct result of what these women did when things got rough. Naomi, the wife, returned home, where she belonged. Ruth 1:7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. Naomi knew she wasn’t where God wanted her to be. She didn’t stay in the comforts and provision of the enemy, she went home, to the land God had promised and delivered, and she trusted He would provide. Ruth, the faithful daughter in law, chose to go with Naomi back to Bethlehem. Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. This is a beautiful display of love, in gain or in loss. Ruth didn’t leave Naomi. She chose to stay when the going got tough. As a result of her faithful obedience in this very uncomfortable and most uncertain moment of her life, what was lost was about to be redeemed. That’s how God loves us. He takes what has been lost and writes a new chapter in our story. That’s the truth. Go read the rest of Ruth and see how God not only redeemed Ruth and Naomi’s story, but how He redeemed ours as well. I’m Lori Cline.

When we find ourselves trapped, we should keep our eyes on Jesus.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you fallen into a pit and you can’t get out? Maybe you’re like me and you remember those commercials, ‘help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up’? If you’re feeling like that today, you’re not alone. I would say many watching this right now may feel like they’re in a pit and are trying to find their way out. Whatever pit you may find yourself in today, they aren’t comfortable. It can be a pit of loss, pain, anxiety, struggle, uncertainty, you fill in the blank. Pits come in all shapes and sizes, but the common denominator is you’re down in the darkness of struggle, whatever that may be. If you’re there today, remember what is true, you are never alone and God has a beautiful plan even when life is in the pits. The rest of this month, since it’s so uncomfortably hot this summer, I’m looking at uncomfortable moments we read about in scripture. Many came to mind, but one I couldn’t NOT share about was Joseph. He found himself in a literal pit, put there by the jealousy and evil plans of his own brothers. Now that’s the pits for real. Joseph’s story is full of loss and unjust treatment, yet still it is redeemed and used greatly by God. Genesis 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. I’m highlighting this very uncomfortable and hard moment of Joseph’s story. His brothers wanted him dead. He was in a pit or cistern, which was dug as a reservoir for water. There would be no way Joseph could escape. Instead of killing him, his brothers pulled him out of the pit and then sold him into slavery. He was only seventeen. Just like that, Joseph was the victim of jealousy, bitterness and hatred. He hadn’t done anything to deserve this treatment, yet that pit led to a very different path for his life. Through it all, he was faithful to God. In the pit, through the lies, the temptations and the imprisonment, Joseph was blessed, even in a place he really didn’t want to be. Still he was faithful and God used him greatly to save His people. When we find ourselves in a pit, we must keep our eyes on Jesus and trust Him with where we are, even when we aren’t where we had hoped to be. Joseph’s story is one of great loss, but at the same time, it is one of great love, provision and hope. Maybe your story is similar. I pray you can see God’s hand on your life, even if it doesn’t look like you had hoped it would. It’s in the moments we surrender what we had hoped would be, that we finally can see what IS and what God is so beautifully doing on our behalf. Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor, who knew more than we will ever know about being uncomfortable and in a dark place you would rather not be, said these words, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still”. When you’ve walked through a dark valley, or experienced a pit of pain and loss, and you feel the love and grace of God so near, those words ring true. There is NO darkness God’s love can’t reach. That’s the truth. Go read more about Joseph’s journey in Genesis. The theme of his story is this, what the enemy meant for evil, God used for good. God wants to do the same in your story. No matter how uncomfortable it may be, trust Him with it today. I’m Lori Cline.  

God uses uncomfortable situations for good in our lives.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Wherever you are, on this hot day in July, are you comfortable? I hope you’re not! Yep, you heard me right. I hope you are uncomfortable! If comfort breeds complacency then being uncomfortable is a catalyst for movement, growth and change. Do you believe that’s true? I’ve been thinking a lot lately about being uncomfortable. Maybe that’s because we’ve had excessive heat warnings during these hot and very humid July days. You walk outside and it’s like an oven. We want the comforts of air conditioning, sweet tea and watermelon. Those are some of the comforts I want! They give relief on a hot summer day. But even while in the comfort of my air conditioned home, my middle aged body decides to have its own excessive heat wave. Yep, once again, I’m uncomfortable. I can think back on seasons of my life that I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone or maybe a time someone else pushed me out, and every single time, there was growth. I may not have liked it at the moment, but those seasons moved me to the next. God didn’t call us to be comfortable. Yes as a follower of Jesus, John 10:10 tells us we can have an abundant life and that life IS full of joy and peace, but that doesn’t mean we’re comfortable. Jesus said, in Matthew 16:24, “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”. When was the last time you denied yourself? We want what we want when we want it and how we want it. Jesus says, to follow me, you choose a different path. There is purpose in our pain. There is growth in our groanings and through the refining fire of denying self and walking through difficult, uncomfortable seasons, we are molded and made to be more like Christ. There are many throughout scripture who walked through uncomfortable seasons. As we make our way through the rest of this hot and uncomfortable month of July, I’m going to highlight some of those men and women God used through their discomfort. Let’s start in the beginning. Genesis 3:16-19 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” In this very pivotal moment in history, the perfection of what was created, was cursed. The comfort, provision and fellowship in the garden was replaced with thorns and thistles. Sorrow, pain, relational discord, sweat and death became the reality. Since that day we have been striving and doing everything humanly possible to get comfortable once again. Romans 8:22 tells us creation now groans, awaiting redemption. The word for groan in the Greek means to sigh or groan because of an undesirable circumstance. Friends, we are IN an undesirable circumstance. All creation groans because we can’t get comfortable in this broken and sin filled world. We watch and long for the return of Christ, our blessed hope. Until that day, all the discomfort of this world, and the pains we feel, God uses for our good and His glory, and through it all, we are made more like Christ. That’s the truth. So the next time you're uncomfortable, don’t be so quick to run to what is comfortable, ask God to show you what deeper thing He may be doing through it, IN your life. I’m Lori Cline.

God is at work through the good and the bad of our history and present circumstances.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you ever spent any time looking back through the branches of your family tree? It can be fascinating what you find. Just me mentioning a family tree I know some of you get excited because YOU have done your homework! You’ve done the digging, the research and you have pieced together ancestral history from photos, birth and death certificates, historical records, news stories and anything pretty much that gives a glimpse into your history. You may be like my friend Lawrence. He has invested countless hours into researching his family tree. Not long ago, through a conversation about his last name, he discovered a lady, who was in his early morning work out class, was his cousin! How cool is that? He was so excited to know more family! Pieces of his story coming together, it’s beautiful. I was raised in a small town and my Grandfather, on my Mom’s side, was one of seven siblings. Over the years I was always hearing, ‘oh yeah, they’re your cousin’. I had to be careful who I went out with! But seriously, the branches keep going and going don’t they? I’m thankful for the many, many roots that make up who I am. Often though, when it comes to our history, we might not always like what we find. What may have been thought to be one thing, could have been quite the other. Careful digging around THAT tree, you might be surprised what you find! But when we do, we see a story unfold, that although may have broken roots and missing pieces, it’s a story that still blooms beautifully when met with the amazing grace of God. It’s our story. We all have one. Our stories are not something to compare, they’re chapters that lead us all to today. What we choose to do with THIS day is what matters. You see no matter what you may find IN your history, or what may be IN your lineage, God has been and will continue to work through it all. A favorite song of mine that says it best is ‘Through it All’, written in 1971 by Andre Crouch. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word. If I was to sum up my life in one line, it would be that lyric. Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus. I can look back in my history and it’s not perfect. There are broken pieces because WE are broken, but the beauty of knowing Jesus is that IN those broken places, He mends us and tends gently to our hearts and something beautiful grows. In the Old Testament I love the story of the child King Josiah. He ascended the throne at the age of eight! Josiah was the grandson of Manasseh, known for being the worst king of Judah. He was bad, really bad. When Josiah’s father Amon was assassinated, he became the king of Judah. Although the kings before him did NOT follow God’s law and ways, Josiah had some good deep roots and he tapped into them. While his immediate family was not so great, he was born into the Judean royalty lineage of David, Solomon and Rehoboam. He looked back to the Godly kings before him and once again upheld God’s law. He couldn’t change his history, but he did break the chains of his past. He was a good king. 2 Kings 22:2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. Josiah didn’t have much to build on when it came to his immediate family tree. So he looked deeper and he looked to God. I love that Josiah’s Hebrew name means “the Lord supports”. Maybe you look into your history and feel like you don’t have good solid roots, remember Josiah. You’re not alone. God sees you. He loves you and HE will support you and give you strength to break free from the chains of your past as you trust and seek Him. That’s the truth. Good fruit does come from broken roots. Go read Matthew chapter one. It’s the family tree of Jesus and you’ll find Josiah’s name in verse eleven. Through it all, the good the bad and the ugly, God IS at work and He meets us and supports us as we look to Him as our part of the story is being written. I’m Lori Cline.

No matter how far we have strayed from God, His love still remains.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you had to chase a dog lately? I sure hope you haven’t. It’s not fun. I have two dogs. One is a beagle mix named Ruby and the other is an eighty pound Goldador named Roxy. We have an invisible dog fence around our yard and our sweet dogs have collars that will remind them when they are too close to the fence so they stay IN our yard. It’s for their protection and care. I now refer to that invisible fence as the circle of blessing. You see, inside the circle of blessing, there is safety. Inside the circle of blessing there are treats. Inside the circle of blessing there is a home with people who love you. There is a warm place to rest, fresh water and enough food for each day. There are belly rubs and couch snuggles inside the circle of blessing. In the yard there is grass to roll in and toys to chew and play fetch with. It’s beautiful inside the circle of blessing. Roxy got outside the circle of blessing. Her collar wasn’t working properly, so she didn’t get the electric reminder to not go beyond the fence. She made her way out into an area of woods and thorn bushes, water, mud and rocks. She was chasing something. Once I discovered she was out, I put on a jacket, got my mud boots on, grabbed a leash and went after her. I called and called. A couple times I got a glimpse of her. She was on the hunt. She was chasing something and WAY more focused on that, than she was my voice. I prayed for her. I love my dogs. I want them safe. I want them with me. I was very concerned because as I continued to make my way through the woods I saw her again and she was getting close to a highway near our neighborhood. I quickened my pace, my voice was stern and she looked up and stood still. I was finally able to get a leash on her and we turned back toward home. The crazy thing is, she was so far out that I got turned around trying to find my way back. Thankfully I got my bearings and we slowly made our way home. It was not an easy journey. It seemed for every step she took away from me, it was double that to get back to the circle of blessing. We made it home. She was tired. I was tired. I washed her off, brought her inside and yes, gave her a treat. She slept all afternoon. My Dad, who is now with Jesus, used to talk to my girls about the circle of blessing and the love and care of our heavenly Father. When we ABIDE and REMAIN in the Father’s love, will and way, we are blessed. Still, how often do we chase after things that lead us away from what is good? Our eyes become fixed on the object of our desire, we go our way and before we know it, we find ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings not sure how to make our way home. Choices made in a fleeting moment lead to a path we never expected full of isolation, struggle and pain. The Father still calls us to come home. His voice calls us by name. You may be so far gone you can’t hear it, but still, He is calling you. His love for you never changes. His desire for what is good for you is still the same. You simply need to stop running and look up. Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Friend, no matter how far you’ve gone, the love of the Father remains. He calls and waits for you to come home. In fact, He is running after you even now. Stop running, hear His voice and follow Him home. There is blessing, forgiveness, healing and rest waiting for you. That’s the truth. Abiding IN Jesus is the circle of blessing. It’s not without pain and the trials of this life, but it is where fullness of life, joy and peace flow and it’s where I choose to remain. I’m Lori Cline.

Many lose their feeling of first love in marriage, but God can carry couples through those times. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Did you have a special song sung at your wedding? I had a really special song at my wedding. It was one my husband wrote and we actually sang it to each other after lighting our unity candle. It was called “Lifetime Love”. The chorus went like this, ‘no matter what we go through, I’ll still be in love with you. Through every tear that falls, we’ll climb every mountain tall. And love’s more than something we just know, but everyday work for, in a lifetime love.’ It was pretty special. And it was true! Love is more than just something you know or feel. When it comes to marriage, love is something you choose and work for everyday. You lean in when it’s tough and you honor your promise to love and cherish till death do you part. You do the work it takes to be in it to win it. If you’re married, are you in it to win it or have you lost that loving feeling? Sadly for many, love and marriage have become more of a commodity to use up and throw away when you’re done. Commitment is at an all time low and marriage, the very first institution established by God, is under attack. When marriages, faith and families unravel, everything else isn’t far behind. Before I got married, if you would have asked me if I thought love could really last a lifetime, I may not have given a truthful answer. The easy and optimistic answer would have been, sure I do! But going into marriage I knew it wasn’t easy and while I hoped it would last, I also knew it didn’t seem to be a guarantee. Life is hard. Even for the believer in Christ, marriage is hard. We are broken people living in a broken world and only by God’s grace are we redeemed. I’m so thankful for the love and grace of God in my own life and in my marriage. That’s been my focus this month. I was a June bride thirty years ago and I’ve been sharing the truth God has used to strengthen us along the way. Here’s a little recap if you missed any! It all begins with love. God is love and my love story fits into His greater story. I can love because He first loved me. That love displayed through marriage is a beautiful mystery gift that is SO much more than an ‘I do’. It’s a holy union, established by a holy God to be a reflection of His deep and intimate love for us here and now and for eternity to come. We daily surrender to the Lord and one another, so when temptations come, we can walk in step with the Spirit and stay faithful. When it comes to disagreements or hurts we choose to speak the truth and not hold onto anger. We delight in our love and marriage. We intentionally celebrate it and shine it to the world as a display of the gospel. We recognize we need Godly community in our lives and people to walk life with to strengthen us, comfort us and encourage us along the journey. We trust God’s timing and plan and know every valley, detour and delay will be worked for our good and in His time will be made beautiful. While we are far from the garden, Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees emphasizing God’s original intention and plan. Mark 10:6-9 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” The oneness of marriage is a sacred trust and gift. I am so very thankful for it in my life with the gift of my husband. With God at the center and by his grace and strength alone, I do believe in a lifetime love. And as my heart draws closer to the Father, my heart draws closer to my husband. It’s a beautiful design. That’s the truth. Thanks for joining me this month as I’ve shared my heart for God and my heart for my husband. I champion marriage. I delight in what God joined together thirty years ago. I pray it shines the gospel of Jesus to the world, proclaiming the promise, I am yours and you are mine. If you missed any of this month's broadcasts walking through what I’ve learned through a love story, you can find them all and so much more to strengthen your faith journey at lifeword.org. I’m Lori Cline.

God has a perfect plan for every aspect of our lives, including marriage. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you trust God with the timing of your love story? When my love story began it was not at all the timing I expected. I wasn’t really looking for it to start as soon as it did. I had fear issues. I knew I wanted to get married, but I was not attending college to get my M.R.S. degree as many girls apparently were. When I graduated high school I had a senior memory book. In addition to scrapbook pages and photo pockets were pages you could write out where you think you will be in five or ten years. Career, convertible and a little dog were at the top of my priority list. Marriage was a little later once I was established. Well, it didn’t go in that order. James 4:13-15 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” While I had a timeline of events planned out for my life, the Lord had other plans and I’m so glad He did. This month I’m celebrating thirty years of marriage to my best friend and yes we married before most of my plans happened. I did get that convertible though. It was awesome. God made it beautiful in HIS time and plan. Well you would’ve thought I learned my lesson about God’s timing, but as life goes, once again our plan was not God’s. When it came to having children, what we thought would happen in our plan and time, turned into twelve years of waiting. Once again, while we had a plan, it was the Lord’s timing. He makes all things beautiful in HIS time. Do you believe He is doing that in your life? It can be difficult to see the beautiful in life when it doesn’t look the way you planned. Still, God makes it beautiful as we trust Him with our story, even the broken and unexpected and untimely pieces of it. Over the years, in my walk with the Lord and in my marriage, I’ve found that something beautiful and something good has many times been something totally unexpected. Seasons of hurt, seasons of waiting, seasons of loss or letting go have been the unexpected places God grew something beautiful. God is good. If you believe that, trust Him with the timing of your story. It will be something beautiful even if it’s not what you expected. Romans 8:28 ​​And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Throughout my life and marriage, God has been working all things for my good. He has my heart. In our marriage we follow His leading and while we do make many plans, we trust His will to be done and His kingdom to come, in our lives and through, our story. Afterall, He does make ALL things beautiful, in His time. That’s the truth. Trust God with your story, every part of it. He will work all the unexpected delays, detours and valleys for your good because He IS good and like a friend reminded me recently, my story has already been written. I’m Lori Cline.  

It is important for believing couples to be part of a church family. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you have a village? You were not created to live on an island of one. We need each other and whether you are single or married, you were created to LIVE in and BE in a village. I can honestly say, I can’t think of a time or season in my life when I didn’t have a village. I’m from a small town and my dad was a pastor, so I had people loving me, supporting me, teaching me, leading me and keeping an eye on me all the time. Just because I grew up and got married doesn’t mean all of a sudden I don’t need people loving me, supporting me, teaching me, leading me and keeping an eye on me. That never changes. We need each other to make it through this life and that is no accident. God designed it that way and His design is always what leads to the very BEST this life has to offer. All this month, my focus has been on a love story. It’s my love story that begins with God’s love for me and leads to where I am in this season, celebrating thirty years of marriage. To God be the glory! It’s so true what they say that the days are long and the years fly by! On one hand, it seems like yesterday that I was saying, ‘I do’. On the other hand, it feels like a lifetime ago. Through it all, God has been faithful and good. We’ve learned a lot and even though we still have much to learn, I’m taking this month to share with you the truth that has guided and grounded us along the way. One such truth is that we need consistent people of God in our life. Our marriage would not be what it is today without the people God placed around us through faith communities over these past thirty years. Our eyes were opened to this early in our marriage. We were moving. Our movers stood us up one hot night in Houston, TX. Our community of faith showed up and showed us what love your neighbor really looks like. From that point on, we were all in. Church wasn’t simply a service to attend, it was a broken and messy people of faith, invading our homes over the years, loving God and loving each other, through the good, bad and the ugly of life. It’s not about what you get, it’s about what you GIVE. It’s how you build one another UP with your gifts and how you as a body together shine the gospel light of Jesus to a dark world. You can’t be a city on a hill with a population of one. You need people to sharpen you, challenge you and spur you on along the way. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? We need each other. God created us to live IN community with one another. Single, married, young, old, when we come together, something beautiful happens. Culture today is moving you more and more to self sufficiency and isolation. Don’t fall prey to the lie. You need people. You need God’s people. Our world has never in history been more connected, while the physical and mental health of Americans is at risk due to a growing National crisis of loneliness. Church matters. It’s not perfect, but the cornerstone that it is built on, Jesus Christ, IS. That’s the truth. Church matters in our marriage and it always will. It hasn’t been without its wounds, brokenness and pain, but even then, God used those scars to draw us closer to Him. I’m Lori Cline.

God made marriage for spouses to delight in each other. #theloriclineshow Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you know you are loved? I mean not just loved, but delighted in? When you delight in something, it brings you joy. You lean into it and you can’t get enough. That’s how I am loved. When you know you are loved, it changes everything. Growing up I had no doubt I was loved. I was loved well by my parents and then I discovered God’s amazing love for me. I accepted that gift of love and found myself secure, confident and free in who He created me to be. Then I met my husband in college and discovered a redeeming love that captured my heart. It’s a God designed display of Christ’s love for His bride, the church. It’s an eternal love story like no other and no matter your relational status at this moment, you’re invited into it. Love’s design is where the story begins in creation. Love made a way through Jesus and love is the promise of what’s to come. Love is the motivator. God SO loved, because He IS love. You see marriage is SO much more than an ‘I do’. It’s a holy union, established by a holy God to be a reflection of His deep and intimate love for us in the here and now as well as for eternity to come. It’s a gift we delight in as God delights in us. Today I am celebrating God’s gift of love to me. It’s my anniversary! My husband and I have been married 30 years today. In honor of that I am wearing my bridal veil! I haven’t had this thing out, I don’t believe, since my wedding day! I was inspired to wear it by my sweet friend Debbie. She and her husband Pete have been married thirty years as well. Each year on their anniversary, Pete wears his top hat and Deb wears her bridal veil. They walked into church like that one Sunday and it was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Everywhere they went that day, in their top hat and veil, they brought joy and celebration. Even after thirty years, they delight in one another and they delight in the Lord for His gift of love to them. It’s beautiful. When I think about delighting in love, I can’t help but think of Song Of Solomon. We won’t read it here today, you can do that on your own. But, I do want to share a couple of verses God has used to draw my heart closer to His and closer to the one who holds my heart. Song of Solomon 2:4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love. Solomon’s bride knew she was his. His banner, like a flag of victory, surrounded her, protected her and blessed her abundantly. Underneath this covering of unconditional love, she knew she was safe and could fully rest and be free to love and be loved in the arms of her beloved. As a child of God, I live my life under the banner of His love. I walk in victory. I am free and abundantly blessed as I rest in His arms of love and grace. Song of Solomon 2:16 My beloved is mine and I am his; This is covenant talk. I give myself to you and you give yourself to me. This oneness is a sacred trust. It’s not simply for the honeymoon phase, it’s a oneness of body, mind, heart and soul that stands the test of time. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, in loss and in plenty, when we’re tired and the kids won’t go to bed or do their laundry and we’re getting on each other’s last nerve, till death do we part, I am yours and you are mine. This is the same covenant promise we have from God all throughout scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, He reminds us of His promise, I will be your God and you will be my people. His banner over me is love and I am His and He is mine. I rejoice in this love and I delight IN it. Proverbs 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. I’ll just leave that right there for the married couples. May we rejoice and delight in our marriages today. This delights our heavenly Father and no matter if you’ve been married 30 days, 30 months or 30 years, your marriage is a holy gift of love that goes way beyond, I do. That’s the truth. Happy 30th Anniversary to my beloved. Wherever you go, I go. It’s a great adventure. I praise God for the gift of our marriage. It’s not perfect, but daily we look to the one who is and by His grace, we still say, I do. I’m Lori Cline.

Anger must be faced head-on with humility rather than embraced or fed.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In your marriage, do you have disagreements, discussions or do you verbally fight it out? I think it’s safe to say, for any couple, there are times you’ve maybe had all three. When one arises, you have a choice in how you communicate and resolve the conflict as well as how you love one another through it. My husband and I are celebrating thirty years of marriage this month, so I’m sharing some things we’ve learned along the way as well as sharing truth from God’s word that has sustained and guided us on the journey. When it came to conflict resolution, we had different experiences. I came from a home where arguments were on full display. My husband came from a home that didn’t. Both experiences brought learned patterns of communication into our marriage. I’ll never forget our first big disagreement. We had very different perspectives on how it went down. I remember he said, “I hate it when we fight”. I responded with, “oh that wasn’t a fight”. We realized right then and there, we were coming from very different places and we needed awareness, love and truth to be front and center as we moved forward. We are so different. That IS God’s design. Not only are we uniquely created in God’s image as men and women, with distinct strengths, when we step into marriage, we bring some additional baggage along with us. Some of those suitcases are full of good things, others not so much. It all eventually gets unpacked. Navigating those moments over the years requires honesty, a lot of love, patience and not giving the enemy any place within your heart or your home. That’s a choice we make. Ephesians 4:25-27 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. We place a high value on truth in our marriage because God calls us to put off falsehood. If we are feeling something and are tempted to hide it, we can’t NOT talk about it. It’s a red flag we do not ignore. Our emotions reveal so much and they are God given, so we should never sweep them under the rug. That’s where so many relationships begin to deteriorate. Be a safe space for your spouse to be honest about what they’re feeling. Don’t be selfish and make it about you. Listen to understand. Don’t try to fix them, but be WITH them in what they’re feeling and together take it to Jesus. It may be a light bulb moment where the Spirit reveals an area that requires repentance or forgiveness. Have you ever gone to bed angry? Sadly, I have and it’s awful. Being angry is unavoidable but what we do with that anger is a choice. The reality is we can’t hold onto it, feed it or project it onto others without stepping closer to sin, which always moves us emotionally farther away from one another. We must face it head on with honest, humble and open hearts. We’re two image bearers of God, different by design and created to be one. It’s not easy, but no matter how different we are or what baggage we may bring, through life as we each draw closer to God, we draw closer to one another. That’s the truth. Marriage is a beautiful gift. I thank God for mine every single day. Trust God’s design and plan for yours. Celebrate your differences and choose to listen, forgive and STAY when the going gets tough. When you do, you’ll be a shining display of God’s love and goodness to the world. I’m Lori Cline.

We can combat the hard seasons in marriage by leaning into God’s love.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you ever had an itch you can’t scratch? It can drive you crazy. That’s the premise behind the idea of a seven year itch within a marriage. Have you ever had that itch? All this month my focus is on marriage and while I am excited to say my husband and I are celebrating thirty years this month, I can also say there have been some itchy seasons. No matter how many years you’ve been married, there can be seasons of struggle and even decline in the relationship. That’s the itch. There’s a need that is going unmet or a red flag in the marriage that is being ignored. This is NOT a sign to hit eject or try something new. That is the temptation. The enemy has come a long way since the garden, but the enticement of the forbidden fruit is still the same. He creates doubt in our heart, twists God’s words, denies what is true and elevates the idol of self over surrender. When those very real temptations come or when the flame that once was has dimmed, you can remember what is true. Jesus calls us to die to self and be led by the spirit. Galatians 5:24-25 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. When you and your spouse are in step with the spirit, you will be in step with one another. It works this way, if you belong to Jesus, then your life will be lived out following Jesus. As a follower of Jesus, His command is clear in Matthew 16:24, “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”. He goes on to explain to his disciples in this moment that to FIND your life, you must LOSE it. Freedom and the fullness of life, within our marriages, is FOUND when we stop making it all about US. This requires both hearts to be surrendered and following after Jesus every day. Those who belong to Jesus, will live by the spirit and the spirit of God will NEVER lead you to temptation or sin. If you are itchy in any way, that’s a red flag. Identify it and cling to what is true. Shine a bright and honest light on the sin, temptation or struggle and together take it to the Lord. Throughout our thirty years of marriage I can honestly say that any seasons of itch or struggle are few and by God’s grace, did not lead us off course. Because of our own brokenness and sin, yes we have dealt with unmet expectations, poor communication, listening more to respond rather than listening to understand. Calling and career took us each miles apart in seasons and what could have led to struggle and hidden sin, instead led us to a high level of honest communication and accountability. You see that’s the thing, there will be itchy seasons in marriage and red flags. The enemy wants to destroy you and your marriage. If you haven’t noticed the home, marriage and family are under full on attack. We must be prepared. When hard seasons come and red flags surface, don’t hide them, run or blame. Lean IN to the spirit of God living in you to reveal what is true and lead you to understanding, repentance, forgiveness and grace. Colossians 3:13-14 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Put on love. The love that reaches deep to the darkest places of your heart and your marriage is what covers sin. It’s the love of God that first redeems us and then binds us together and calls us to forgiveness and grace for one another. That’s how we keep in step with the spirit within our marriages and that’s how we overcome any itch. That’s the truth. It’s a month focused on marriage as I celebrate what God has done in my own love story. Join me next time at lifeword.org as I share more truth that has sustained us along the journey. I’m Lori Cline.