Jesus wants to do something new, but we must step forward to allow Him to work.   ~~~   Are you still living in last year? It’s a new year! Aren’t you ready to step into something new? No not really. I’m good. Have you ever felt that way? You’re not alone. Something new doesn’t always feel good at first does it? This new month of the new year I’m focusing on the word NEW throughout scripture at lifeword.org. Today I’m looking deeper at the way we often want to hang on to what is old. The problem with that is we find ourselves trying to control the NEW thing God is doing or wants to do IN and through us. Why in the world would we want to control what God is doing? Usually because it requires us to throw off the old and familiar. Sometimes we get stuck don’t we? I’m not ready for something new. I’m not ready to move on. I’m not ready to take down my Christmas tree and twinkle lights. I want it to still be Christmas where we’re all in PJ’s eating way too much and watching movies. Let’s just stay a bit longer in last year. Last year is comfortable. I’m familiar with it. It’s worn in like a good pair of vintage jeans, and those are hard to come by so let’s just leave it be for a while ok? The struggle is real. Jesus ushered in something new. While God’s people had longed for the awaited Messiah, they weren’t ready for the WAY He came to save the world. It didn’t look like they wanted it to look. How in the world could GRACE be enough? People wanted to control the gospel then and many still do today. But when we add to it or take away from it, it never ends well. It’s a rebellious and disobedient spirit. The old way and the new way never fit together. Matthew 9:16-17 ​​“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Here in chapter nine of Matthew, there is a conversation happening about fasting. The law only required one fast a year. The Pharisees had added to that to require twice weekly fasts, because they thought they knew better. Remember the control part? Jesus and his disciples didn’t follow that. Some wanted to know why. He uses a metaphor, which I love. You don’t sew unshrunk cloth on an old garment. When you wash it, the patch will shrink and tear away. The new doesn’t work on the old. You also can’t pour new wine into old wineskins, they’ll burst during the fermentation process. The new doesn’t work IN the old. Here’s the truth he wanted them to see. Jesus ushered in a NEW covenant of saving grace through faith. This covenant wasn’t anything to add to the law, HE was fulfilling the law and bringing something new. Salvation is a NEW nature. The holy spirit reNEWS us to walk in the spirit, in a NEW way, not in the old ways of the flesh. Ephesians 4:22 tells us we are to throw off our old sinful nature and our old way of life. When we do that, the spirit then can renew our thoughts and attitudes. We put on a NEW self, a new nature, that should be evident in how we live each day. You don’t meet Jesus and then walk away the same. No. You walk away changed and NEW. Jesus wants to do something new in your life, but to step into it, you’ve got to stop looking back and take a step forward. Let go! It’s a new year and a new day. Give thanks for what was and move into what Jesus has for you today. Yes it may be uncomfortable, but water walking wasn’t meant to be. That’s the truth! Today, move and follow Jesus into something new this year! A great adventure awaits. I’m Lori Cline.

We can’t find satisfaction in worldly things, but we can with God.   ~~~   What’s new? Have you seen any new movies lately? Read any new books? Been to any new restaurants? What’s the latest news? We crave the NEW don’t we? We love NEW cars, new shoes, new recipes, new information and new ideas. Christmas is still in the rearview mirror. I still have my tree up. We all unwrapped a bunch of new stuff. We should be good for a while right? Nope. We want more. A new ad comes across our screen and we want that new thing too. WOW, that’s new. I’ve never seen that before. I need that. It would make my life so much easier and so much better. It slices, dices, folds the laundry and mops the floor. SOLD! I need that in my life. See! We are never fully satisfied. Have you started something NEW this new year? Working toward a new you? Maybe a new diet or a new work out plan at your new gym membership, combined with new supplements and super foods mixed into your new smoothie maker? I think you get the idea. It gets to be a bit much! But it’s how we are living our life if we don’t wake up to the insanity of it all. Is it ever enough? While there is nothing wrong with new things, there IS something deeper to consider when it comes to what we desire and WHY we desire it. Could it be we’re searching for meaning in it all? I’m looking all this month at the word NEW and truths we find in scripture surrounding it. One of the first thoughts that came to my mind was, there is NOTHING new under the sun. In a world FULL of new things, how can it be true that there is nothing new under the sun? Let’s look at a bit more context of who said those words and what led him to say it. Ecclesiastes 1:8-11 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them. If we know anything about King Solomon, we know, from what we read in scripture, that when it came to seeking out new things and wanting to have every new thing and pleasure under the sun, he did not deny himself much. He had everything, so why did he search for more? We can read why in 1 Kings 11. He had many wives. Solomon’s lust turned his heart from the Lord and idolatry followed. Pursuing all we want and desire in this life apart from God’s leading and way is a slippery slope that will lead to justifying sin and walking in disobedience to God. That’s where Solomon found himself. He was a failure and a disgrace trying to find meaning and purpose, he once found in God alone, in worldly pleasures and false beliefs. Doesn’t sound too far from where our world finds itself today, pursuing lusts and believing lies that have led once faithful servants of God down a road of self satisfying theology. If you walk too far down that road it’ll lead you to discover what Solomon did in his old age. There is nothing new under the sun and apart from God’s hand, everything is meaningless. That’s the truth. King Solomon concluded his very full life and all his wisdom with these final words in Ecclesiastes, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” I’m Lori Cline.

The best new thing we can find is a restored relationship with Jesus.   ~~~   Are you ready for something new? It’s here! Happy New year! This month, it’s all NEW! Join me at lifeword.org as I look deeper at scripture around the word NEW. God always has something new for us to discover. Let’s discover it together and get this NEW year started off right, because ready or not, a bright and shiny NEW year is at our door. I even wore sequins for the occasion. Do you find yourself looking back at all this past year held? It was a doozy for me and one that will be marked forever by the loss of my Dad. In one way I kind of wanted time to stand still a bit. I wasn’t ready to move on. You know what I mean? But it doesn’t work that way does it? No matter what may come in life, time keeps on ticking away and we must put one foot in front of the other. So here we are. Even if you’re like me and your heart is still trying to catch up, don’t we long for something new? We may feel like we’re headed into uncharted waters on a foggy night, but shouldn’t we have an anticipation of what lies in store? Yes we should. I do! Today IS a new day. This IS a new year. New possibilities and bright hope lie ahead even if I can’t see it or feel it. I believe it. THAT is the one thing you need to step into something new this year! If you’re ready for new possibilities, a new start, a new mindset and HOPE for something new IN your life, you must FIRST believe. Isaiah 43:18-19 ​​“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. What you can believe today is this, God is always doing something new! Through the prophet Isaiah, he is encouraging His people to have HOPE! Don’t look back. Don’t look to what you think you know, or how you think I will work on YOUR behalf, because I am doing something new! Look ahead with HOPE because I am at work and I will make a way! God fulfilled that promise of something new with the birth of his son Jesus. He will once again fulfill His promise of something new with His return. When you believe God IS who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do, you’re always stepping into something new. Each day your eyes are open to see His goodness all around you and the possibilities that ONLY He can bring. When you believe there is more to this life than your circumstance, you HOPE for something new. When you believe you are not defined by anything in your past but you are accepted, loved and forgiven by grace through faith in Jesus, you are MADE into something new. When you believe God holds all things, is in all things and has your every step ordered, you then can boldly step out of the boat INTO something new because you trust HE is with you and He is already there. It doesn’t even have to be a new year! You simply believe HE is ABLE to do what He said He would do, something new in and through you, that is for your good and His glory. Aren’t you ready for something new? Stop looking in all the wrong places for it. In these early days of this new year, the world will try to sell you all sorts of ways to make yourself new! A new you. A new body. A new look. A new start. A new attitude! And while yes, this new year holds lots of possibilities that require you to take steps to achieve, Jesus simply stands at the door of your heart knocking. He wants you to come as you are. He’ll do the rest. That’s the truth! If you’ve tried everything else, try Jesus. He’ll do a new thing in your heart and life like you’ve never seen. It’s the BEST way to start this new year. I’m Lori Cline.

One day believers will experience an eternity without pain or grief.   ~~~   Can you see what’s up ahead? Of course not. As much as we try, we can’t. Only God holds our tomorrow and as we trust Him with it we can rest and know He’s already there! What a gift as we close out this year and step into a new one. Speaking of gifts, we are “wrapping up” this month’s focus on unwrapping all the gifts God has for us every day. Fullness of life, grace, peace, joy, wonder, hope and God with us are all amazing gifts we can walk in and know as we trust Him. You can find all of those and so much more at Lifeword.org. Now, going back to tomorrow and what we cannot see, how is that a gift? Well my first thought is this, I don’t have to plan or prepare one thing! Jesus is doing that for me! John 14:3-4 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” I know the way! Jesus IS the way. He always was and He always will be the way. Heaven came to earth when Jesus was born. Through His death and resurrection, those who believe in Him, one day will leave this earth and be with Him in Heaven. He’s preparing the place! I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to think about it. I don’t have to clean my house or pack. I simply need to live each day like it’s my last and follow Him faithfully in obedience, loving Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, encouraging others to do the same and loving anybody He sends across my path. Unwrapping the gift of what’s to come, is different than any other gift. We can’t experience it now like we can all the other gifts. We can only look to it and press on toward it like Paul talked about in Philippians 3:14. What’s to come is the prize and guess what, it’s not here in this broken and fallen world. If we are IN Christ, our citizenship is in heaven, we are NOT of this world. Because there is more to come! That truth should light a big old fire in our belly to live for Jesus and not be consumed by all the cares of this world. We live each day to redeem it in Jesus’ name as children of God, but ultimately my destination is on the other side of Jordan. Are you following me? I mean that in more than one way. I’ll use the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow me as I follow Jesus.” I’m not perfect in any way, but I’ll point you to Jesus all day long. The gift God has for us to come, is eternity with Him. Revelation 1:8 ​​“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Freedom is found when you let go. God has always been and will always be. We can’t figure it all out and that is the beauty of finally coming to a place where you stop trying. That’s faith. Trusting in something you can’t see, but you believe and know it to be true. I believe and because I do I am met with gifts every single day. My life is full and overflowing with the love of God. I am met with grace in every moment I have need. I have peace even as the storm rages around me. I have joy, unspeakable and at times unexplainable. I am in awe and wonder every single day at God’s creation around me, God’s love for me and His blessings in my life. I have hope, bright blessed hope for tomorrow, no matter what today may bring. I am never alone, because God is WITH me in every moment of my life here and to come. Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” I don’t know about you, but I start this new year full of joy, yes, but also with a heart filled with grief because my Dad is in heaven. So when I think about the gift of what is to come, i can’t help but smile. No more tears. No more death. No more mourning, crying or pain. This old order WILL pass away. What a gift to come. That’s the truth! I’m ready. Are you? God is a giver of good gifts and He has these I’ve walked through this month and so many more ready for you to unwrap this new year. I pray you will. I’m Lori Cline.

Because God is with us through Jesus, we never have to be afraid.   ~~~   Are you still unwrapping gifts? I hope so! I hope you got what you wanted. Mom’s I’m sure you did because you probably bought it, wrapped it and put it under the tree! You know it’s true. I hope you are in that place where you aren’t really sure what day it is, you’re still in PJ’s and you may need to wash your hair. Those days are the best! We are still unwrapping gifts here at Lifeword. But really, we unwrap gifts every single day. You see, God is a giver of good gifts. One of the most memorized verses of scripture, John 3:16, tells us God loved us so much, He GAVE. Because God gave the precious gift of His son Jesus, we can open new life, grace, peace, joy, wonder and hope each and every day! That’s my focus this month at Lifeword.org. Today, we’re unwrapping the gift of Emmanuel. Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). The beautiful gift is ‘God with us’. God came TO us through Jesus. Heaven came down to earth, and made a way for us. What a gift! God is no longer far away, He is WITH me. I gave my life to Jesus when I was eight years old. I honestly don’t remember what it was like to not have Jesus with me. I’m so thankful for that gift of His grace. As I’ve grown up over the years I lean into His presence more and more. Just as God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, God walks with me. Just as God was with Abraham when he didn’t know where he was going, God leads me. Just as God was with Joseph through abandonment and slavery all the way to the throne, God has been with me through every valley and mountaintop. I could go on and on. I don’t take one breath without feeling God’s presence in my life. He has carried me through every season and I know He will carry me through to the end. With each way He meets me with His loving grace, I know Him and feel Him with me even more. Think about this, there is not one struggle, pain, temptation or emotion that Jesus did not walk through. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Jesus knows our every weakness and struggle. He is WITH us through it. And if you’re hurting today, if your heart is broken and full of sorrow, he knows that too. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. This is the gift, Jesus knows your pain and He doesn’t run from it, He sits right beside you IN it and He walks with you through it as you trust Him with it. That’s the truth. That’s emmanuel, God WITH us. And because He is, I don’t have to ever be afraid. He is with me now and He will be with me for all eternity. That’s a gift and a promise. I’m Lori Cline.

Jesus was the hope for the world when He was born and He remains our hope today.   ~~~   Where would we be without hope? I don’t want to even imagine a world without hope. Though the days can get pretty dark and situations can feel hopeLESS, we always have HOPE. Hope rises, like beauty from the ash. We keep going. We get back up again. We take a step forward. We redeem this day. We believe there IS something more! Did you know, hope is directly linked to our faith or what we believe? You can’t have faith without hope, because faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) It’s all connected. I can’t help but think of this old hymn, “my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.” The hope I have for this day, tomorrow or any day is because I have faith IN and trust the one who holds it! It’s a fact Jack, as my Daddy would say. Jesus IS my hope. God loves me and His promises are true and He will keep every single one. That’s my hope. It’s what Christmas is all about. A promise fulfilled. A bright hope for tomorrow. Do you have hope today? I HOPE you do. God offers it as a gift for you to unwrap right now. You don’t even have to wait till Christmas. You may feel like giving up, but hold on, God is right there in the middle of your circumstance, wanting to make a way, wanting to give you peace and wanting to show you what true love really looks like. It’s God’s only son, given for you. 1 Peter 1:3-5 ​​Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You can put your hope in a lot of things, but every single one will fade or fail, apart from Christ. Jesus never fails. IN Christ, you have a hope and a future that IS secure. Think about that for a minute. You are secure in Christ. He holds you. Nothing can separate you from His love and even death has lost its grip on you. When you believe that truth, you walk differently! You live differently! You are not your own. You are bought and paid for, forgiven and set free, made new, have a new purpose and no matter what may come, you stand FIRM on the solid rock of Jesus. My hope is IN the God of hope, who made a way for me. Romans 15:12-13 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was the long awaited Messiah at His birth and today he is our blessed hope we joyfully watch and wait for to return. Jesus Christ IS my living hope. That’s the truth. Unwrap the gift of HOPE. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, because as you trust Him, you’ll have hope for each new day and joy and peace will follow. I’m Lori Cline.

The wondrous works of God through history are too many to name.   ~~~   Are you heading into this Christmas full of awe and wonder? I hope you are, but if we’re honest, doesn’t our awe and wonder get easily replaced with anxiety and weariness? Those aren’t the gifts God has for us. Those need to be returned. Remember the awe and wonder of Christmas you had as a child? What if I told you God wants you to live each day with that same awe and wonder? Oh Lori, that’s not possible. I’ve put away childish things and I live in the real world now of obligations, stress, and seriousness and my face must show it. Listen, if that’s how you feel and sadly if that’s how you life your life, you’re missing out on one of the greatest things about God. He IS a God of wonders. Psalm 77:14 You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. Exodus 15:11 ​​Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? The wonders of God, the things we can’t explain or even understand, are what lead us to be in AWE of God. He spoke this amazing world and all creation into being. He spoke the stars into place. He knew you before you were born. All the days of your life have been determined. The wind and waves obey Him. Waters parted, fire sent down from heaven, the mouths of lions closed and centuries old prophesies fulfilled. The root of Jesse foretold. An angel’s birth announcement, a virgin birth, and every miracle, sign and wonder throughout scripture and the redeeming, miracle working power of God in my own life, all point to the omnipotent WONDER of God. Today, maybe you need to unwrap and receive the gift of WONDER. The eyes of a child on Christmas morning are full of joy, excitement and wonder of it all. They aren’t trying to figure it all out. We lose that innocence as we grow up. We think we have to have it all figured out and as a result, we miss the moments of wonder God still has for us to discover. It’s IN those moments we discover MORE of who HE is. His never ending love for us. His new morning mercy waiting for us. We feel His JOY and PEACE within us as we walk through the valleys and storms. We find REST when the world around us is in chaos. OH THE amazing WONDER of it all. The miracle of God WITH us should bring us to our knees in awe and wonder of His amazing love every day. Turn you eyes back to the God of wonder and follow Him. Two thousand years ago, a star of wonder led the wise men to Jesus. They couldn’t quite figure it out, but they knew they HAD to follow it! It was bigger than they were. The wonder of it and the miracle of it and the prophesy foretold in Numbers 24:17 could not be overlooked. “A Star shall come out of Jacob;”.They were watching for what could not be explained, but for what they believed. Their eyes were open to the wonder and miracles unfolding. They didn’t want to miss it. Messiah had come. Psalm 40:5 Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. The wondrous works of God throughout history and throughout this day, are too many to declare. If you’ve lost sight of them, take a fresh look. The wonders and mysteries of God are not to be figured out, they’re simply there to be received. That’s the truth. Open the gift of wonder. As you do, your eyes will begin to see beyond the circumstances of this day and you’ll experience the wonder and love of God through it. It’s a beautiful gift. I’m Lori Cline.

Our joy is most complete when we remain obediently in the Father’s love. ~~~ What’s the best gift you’ve ever unwrapped on Christmas? For me, I immediately go back to Christmas Day of 1983. There was one toy that year causing madness and riots in stores across America. While this one particular toy was the desire of my heart that Christmas, I remember being told they were in high demand and limited supply. It wasn’t a guarantee to be under the tree. When Christmas morning arrived, there it was. A big wrapped box that hadn’t been there before. I unwrapped the most beautiful, brown hair, blue eyed cabbage patch doll I had ever seen! My mom can tell you, it was in fact, a Christmas miracle! When you think back on a moment like that, it’s full of joy. I unwrapped joy. That doll has since been in a box for years and the joy it once brought me has faded. Those moments are fleeting. The things, the stuff and all the trending desires of our heart can only bring so much joy. We grow up. We grow out of playing with dolls. What was once shiny and new becomes old and faded. But, with God, there is a deeper JOY that never fades or grows old. God wants to give us that kind of joy every single day. Like that cabbage patch doll, the gift of JOY, is one of my favorite gifts He gives me. I like to say laughter is my love language and if you make me laugh, we’ll be friends forever. But the thing about joy is it’s an even deeper condition of the heart that can ONLY be experienced when the heart is FREE from worry, comparison, fear and doubt. JOY is a free gift, ready to be unwrapped, but you must exchange all the cares of this life for it. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it, I mean who wouldn’t WANT to do that? But, when we look closer at our own life and heart, we find we hang on to SO MANY things that rob us of the joy God longs to give. If you find yourself tired and worn out today, this truth is for you. Your strength for this day and everyday is FOUND in the JOY of the Lord! Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” To give a little context, the children of Israel had returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. Their city was in ruins, still they gathered to worship and hear the reading of God’s word. Their lives were far from where they needed to be and their hearts were troubled as they were reminded of what was true. Instead of rebuke and shame, they were met with commands to feast and rejoice. Oh how amazing is the grace of God which calls us out of our bondage and out of the ashes of life to trade our sorrows in for JOY and our mourning for dancing! Joy comes every morning as we trade in our sorrow, guilt and shame for the righteousness and grace of God we receive through faith in Jesus. I am NOT who I was. I am made right with God and that is worth celebrating! But we must daily CHOOSE to walk IN the joy of the Lord. How do we do that? JOY is a by product of obedience. John 15:10-11 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Fullness of joy in this life can only be found through obedience to the Father. That’s when my joy is complete and so much more than a feeling or a passing trend. It’s joy rooted deep in the love of Jesus and my desire to follow His way and live the best life I could possibly live. I know I’m not alone. I know I have a purpose. I know I am loved. When I remain in that love, no matter what trials or suffering may come, I can count it all JOY. That’s the truth. Unwrap the gift of joy that never fades and gives you strength for today and HOPE for tomorrow, no matter what you may be facing. It’s a joy that’s found only IN Jesus. I’m Lori Cline.  

Jesus can calm our hearts and give us peace in the storm. ~~~ What do you hope to unwrap this Christmas? Isn’t that the question of the day? What do you WANT for Christmas? While I’m sure every single one of us has something we’d like to unwrap or find under the tree, if we look deeper into our heart, I would say the one thing we all want this Christmas is peace. When you think of peace, what do you see? I quickly go to places in my mind and moments where I’ve felt and experienced peace. Sipping coffee in the mountains or walking by the ocean picking up seashells are perfect settings for my heart and mind to find peace. But remember the only time in scripture we are told Jesus was sleeping peacefully? It was in the middle of a raging storm out at sea. He spoke the words, ‘peace be still’. The winds and waves obeyed. Peace, then isn’t a matter of surrounding or circumstance is it? God offers it as a gift for us each and every day. The question is, will we receive it? This month we’re unwrapping the gifts God longs to give us. The very life we live is a gift and if we in turn give it back to God, we receive an abundant life here on earth as well as eternal life to come. The gift of God’s grace meets me with strength when I am weak and makes something beautiful out of my mess. Today we unwrap the gift of peace. The Prophet Isaiah foretold the promised one would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus, made a way for us to have peace with God through His death on the cross. That’s where this gift of peace begins. When you put your faith IN the prince of peace, your heart will for the first time fully KNOW peace. From that point on the war for your heart and soul has been won and then you walk in that peace trusting that not only is God at work in and through ALL things, He is in CONTROL of all things. That removes the doubt, the fear, the worries and ALL the many cares of this world because we live for something greater than anything this world has to offer. Listen to these words of Jesus spoken to his disciples not long before he was crucified. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. The storm was coming. Jesus knew his time was short and these are the words he spoke over his friends. PEACE. My peace I GIVE you. NOTHING the world gives or can offer you will compare to it. Don’t LET your hearts be troubled. Do NOT be afraid. I can’t help but wonder if the thought of that day out at sea crossed their minds. When we choose to not trust, our heart will be troubled. When we choose to embrace worry and think we are in control, we will be afraid. Once again, the disciples were afraid. The storm looked a little different. They were all huddled up in a locked room wondering, what now? A resurrected Jesus shows up and reminds them once again, peace be with you. Peace was WITH them, He was standing in the room! The prince of peace was WITH them then and He is with us today. That’s the truth. Storms are still coming. The waves and winds are blowing even now during this most wonderful time of the year. Let not your heart be troubled. Jesus has peace to give to you. Let this be the Christmas you unwrap it. It goes beyond anything you could ever even understand and it will protect your heart and mind from any storm that may come. I’m Lori Cline.

Even in hard times, we can rejoice in the grace of God. ~~~ Have you ever felt like Charlie Brown? In the animated classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, there’s a scene where Charlie Brown takes his little tree and he’s going to try to decorate it. He puts one red ornament on it and the whole thing droops to the ground. He says these words, “I’ve killed it. Everything I touch gets ruined.” With his head hanging low, he walks away in defeat. This is what I relate to. The spirit of defeat. I start the day determined to walk in the spirit, choose joy, see the glass half full and make something beautiful of each new day, no matter what may come, only then at some point to be derailed and disappointed. I messed it up. I didn’t get it all done. I dropped a ball. The plates that were spinning so great, all fell to the ground and shattered. If you’re feeling a little like Charlie Brown today, like everything around you is falling apart and your head is hanging low in defeat, I’ve got a gift you need to unwrap. It’s the gift of grace. God offers it to us every single day, but sadly it gets pushed aside and forgotten or not even opened at all. When we unwrap and receive the gift of grace, all the mess ups, defeats and what seem to be ruined and shattered places of our life, are met with undeserved favor and mercy. The result is something new. IN Christ, old things are passed away and all things are made new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) This gift of grace begins with faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. You don’t do one thing to save yourself. Salvation and forgiveness of sin comes through faith in Jesus and THAT is only by HIS grace. This gift of grace is what brings rest to my weary and defeated soul because I know the BEST I can do when it comes to this life will ALWAYS fall short. (Romans 3:23) That’s why we need Jesus. He did what we could not do. (Romans 8:3) He lived a perfect, sinless life and then gave his life for yours and mine. (1 John 3:16) God’s grace is a gift that keeps on giving. His mercy and faithfulness to us is new every morning. (Lamentations 2:22-23) I can trust that whatever this day holds, God is with me. Where I am weak, His grace and strength will meet me in that place and will be SUFFICIENT for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I’ve been on the receiving end of this grace for years, but this year, after losing my Dad, I’ve experienced it on an even deeper level. That’s the thing about grace, it carries you even when you don’t even realize you’re being carried. It’s God’s love for me, not only meeting me in every moment of my need, but strengthening me as well for the journey. This is why a weary world can rejoice! My weary heart that is heavy from falling short and at times like Charlie Brown, feeling like everything I touch gets ruined, can find REST in the arms of my savior. That’s the truth. Unwrap the gift of grace. It’s the good news of Jesus meeting us right where we are and it really IS what Christmas is all about. I’m Lori Cline.  

The gift of life Christ offers is the gift of His life in us. ~~~ How does it make you feel when someone gives you an unexpected gift? Do you receive it well? Sometimes it can be hard to receive. Tis the season for gift GIVING, but if someone gives you a gift and you didn’t get them anything, it can be a bit awkward, right? But why is it? Paul in Acts 20 reminds us that Jesus did say, “it is more blessed to give than to receive”, but if we focus in on the reason for THIS season, it all comes down to a GIFT, we must freely receive. When we freely receive, we are opening ourselves to be loved, seen, adored and we trust the heart of the giver. We don’t question the motive. We humbly receive. That’s how a child receives a gift on Christmas morning, full of innocence, wonder and joy. Jesus even said in Matthew 18:3, “unless you become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Only a humble heart is open to receive the life God wants to give. Sadly pride fills the hearts of many, so there is no room for the gift of God. Receiving the love of God became more difficult to do the moment sin entered this world. You see, a lie believed in the garden, planted a seed of doubt that has been rooted in the heart of man ever since. As a result, we keep the giver of the very breath in our lungs and the giver of all GOOD gifts at arms length, while we chase after the counterfeit loves and pleasures that NEVER fully satisfy. Don’t fly through this season of hustle and bustle, buying and wrapping, giving and receiving, without kneeling before the savior of the world and unwrapping the GIFTS God so longs to give to you! He wants to give you an abundant life, full of purpose, peace, joy and adventure, covered by His love and grace. Will you receive those gifts this Christmas? That’s my focus this month at LIFEWORD.org, unwrapping the gifts God has so freely given to us. As we open and focus a bit on each one, my prayer is we won’t toss them aside, but we will fully receive each one and know God more through them. Today I begin with unwrapping the gift of LIFE. God, the creator of every living thing, gives us our very existence. Each new day you have breath in your lungs and a beat in your heart is a gift. But the gift of life doesn’t stop there, it is also something to continually unwrap and discover! God’s design and gift for us is an abundant life. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. There is a very real battle happening right now for your life. The enemy wants to destroy it. He offers nothing more than lies wrapped in a shiny bow. The Lord wants to GIVE you an abundant life, more than you could ever ask for or imagine. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Following Jesus, walking in HIS way, is the only WAY to real life in the here and now as well as to everlasting life with the Father to come. This is not a gift you can buy for yourself. It’s one that when you understand your desperate need for it, and the great love with which it is given, you fall on your knees at the glory of it, and humbly and gratefully receive it. You see, that’s the gift of LIFE we receive! Paul makes it so clear in Galatians 2. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives IN ME! That’s MY only HOPE! The life I now live in this body, I live by faith in Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me. That gift of grace my friends is not a gift to set aside or choose to not unwrap. It is the greatest gift - because it is the only WAY to fully LIVE. That’s the truth. I find my life when I lose it. That’s the beauty, it’s not about me. It has always been and will always be about Jesus. Unwrap the gift of Life today and maybe today for the first time ever, you will truly LIVE. I’m Lori Cline.

We can’t let circumstances get us down because we must focus on living life today.   ~~~   Do you know what today is? It’s my big brother Steven’s birthday! He is 3 years and 8 months older than me and I like to tell people that the day I was born was the best day of his life. We grew up preacher’s kids and laughter is our love language. We at times can be a lot to take. When we face time, it’s always an adventure and our goal in life has always been to make each other laugh. We love to laugh. Life’s too short to be so serious. My entire life I have looked up to my big brother, literally and figuratively. We’ve walked a lot of roads together and we’ve weathered many storms, but through it all, we had Jesus and each other. Since it’s his birthday today, and since all this month I’ve been sharing things I’m thankful for, I couldn’t let this day go by without giving thanks for the GIFT of each new day. Now you may already know that every single day is a gift and that if there is breath in your lungs and a beat in your heart, there is purpose for your life, that’s great! I actually count every single day a gift, but here’s the thing, you really SAVOR the gift of each new day and every moment of it when you face a life altering diagnosis. You see, my brother Steven was diagnosed in July 2022 with Multiple Myeloma. This is an incurable blood cancer. I got the call and from that moment forward, each new day with my brother is a gift. Many of those days have been hard for Steven and in turn hard for us all, but still, he has never wavered from the path set before him. While none of us are promised tomorrow and this life is but a vapor for us all, it stares you in the face BIG TIME when you have cancer. All of a sudden each new day looks quite a bit different. Here’s another bit of info about my brother, he is a Jesus Freak. From the first day he walked into his doctor’s office he wore his freak shirt, from DC Talk touring days, and his path has been lit with the love, strength and the deep grace of Jesus. He shines it everywhere he goes. Today, after countless tests, shots, IV meds, chemo, stem cell transplant and ongoing treatments, my brother is in a good place. We are grateful. But what’s been so inspiring to watch is how my brother is now more focused than ever on moving forward with each new day. I recently came across something he posted on facebook one month before his diagnosis. He was struggling. He was battling fear, doubt, uncertainty and insecurity and all of it was holding him back. He began listing self doubts and lies he was believing. He had been lacking confidence for months, but wrote that even as he was writing it all out he was beginning to feel more confident. Sometimes speaking or in this case posting the lies we believe or the excuses we are hiding behind take the power they have over us away. The bottom line was this, as he got to the end of his post, he put it out there. He shined a light on his struggle. He felt better and even declared that this was in fact a new beginning and maybe even another step toward the next chapter of his life. One month later - he received his diagnosis. Now let me tell you, my brother has never looked back since that day. His mission became clearer with each day of the journey. It’s still unfolding, but guess what, all those fears, doubts, insecurities he WAS struggling with? GONE. Now, are there new struggles, doubts and fears that creep in? Yes, but guess what, he’s moving forward with more passion, more focus and more vision for what God has set before him to do. He’s shining a light in a very dark place and he is helping others fight like a freak as well. Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. My brother runs his race daily. We all do! Don’t allow lies, insecurities or fear to hold you back. Don’t allow circumstances of life or a diagnosis to hold you back. Both are deadly! Keep running and press on friends. There is a prize for those in Christ Jesus at the finish line! That’s the truth. Happy birthday brother. You’re my hero. You and Jimmy Carter. That’s an inside joke. For the precious gift of YOU and each new day we are given, I am thankful. I’m Lori Cline.

Through faith in Jesus, we are brought back into fellowship with God and can go boldly before Him.   ~~~   Moms, do you track your children? Some of you are immediately tracking with me right now with this question, while others might need a bit more explaining. You see, I like to know where my girls are at ALL times. Actually I like to know where all of my family is at all times. I do this with the ‘find your friends’ app or by sharing locations so at any given time I can look at my phone and see where my people are. If my daughters are on a field trip with their school or at an away volleyball game, I can see they made it. I can then get directions to their exact location if I need to. If my husband is traveling, I can see where he is having a nice dinner out while I am home allowing my girls to eat cereal for dinner. My sister travels a good bit and I love to check on her whereabouts often and ask her about her trip, especially that one time it looked like she was in the middle of the Arkansas river. The location was a little off. She was fine. I like to be with those I love. I don’t like times we are apart or separated. Until we are all back together, knowing where they are is the next best thing. The Father loves us even more. At creation, in the garden, man and woman were made for fellowship with the Father. Adam and Eve walked with the Lord in the cool of the day. There was perfect peace. They knew God and had no reason to doubt His love. They were FULLY alive not knowing death. They were in perfect communion and nothing separated them. After the Fall, when sin entered into the world through their disobedience, fellowship was broken. They hid. They believed a lie and doubt set in. For the first time ever, because of sin, they were separated from the Father. We are born into that same sin. Because of God’s great love for us, He made a way. Redemption and restoring fellowship was always the plan. Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. God never wanted sin to separate us. He saw us and our location right in the middle of our sin and made a way to bring us back. I’m thankful for His gift of grace through Jesus Christ. It’s the only way. I love how throughout the Old Testament God says, “I will be your God and you shall be my people”. My sin no longer separates me. I’m no longer lost and far away, I am brought back home. I am His and He is mine. Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Through faith in Jesus, we are brought back into fellowship with God. I can now come boldly to His throne of grace. He walks with me and talks with me each day and nothing can ever separate me from His love. I can dwell in His presence and trust and know He is good. And one day he will return for his bride and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! He is MY GOD and I AM HIS. I am thankful today that my sin no longer separates me from God. Because of Jesus, I am not far away. I have been brought near. That’s the truth. Maybe check your spiritual location. Know where you are today. God wants you to be near His heart and made new. I’m Lori Cline.

Even a broken heart can draw us closer to the hope we have in the Lord.   ~~~   On this day of thanksgiving, it may sound crazy, but I am thankful today for my broken heart. How is that possible? I’ll give you a few reasons why. Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. This is our first Thanksgiving without my Dad. For those of you who have lost parents you know the depth of emotion that brings. We’re still in the ‘firsts’ phase, you know all the firsts you walk through without your loved one being there. While we gather, our hearts are still very much broken and tender with grief, yet our hearts are also FULL of thankfulness. The Lord has been so sweetly close to our broken hearts since the day my dad took his last breath. We’ve seen and tasted the goodness of God in SO many ways. The blessings that have come through it are honestly too much to count. God’s love and grace has not only sustained us and carried us, it has saved us. I am thankful for my broken heart because I feel the closeness of the Lord. Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. The very last thing any of my family wanted to walk through this summer was what we walked through with my Dad. My summer plans did not originally include planning a funeral, but God was with us. Through every single step and every single detail of planning his celebration of life, our focus was on the RACE He ran for Jesus! The more we gathered pictures and stories and heard from countless lives he impacted, our grief was met over and over with gladness for what God did through my Dad’s life. On the day of the service, while yes it was a house of mourning, there was WAY more worship and celebration happening in that place! We shared Jesus. My Dad lived his life for Jesus and for anyone who was there on that day that didn’t know Jesus, it was good for them to be there to consider the condition of their heart. I am thankful for the house of mourning because it reminded me beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Dad is with Jesus and one day I will see him again. Titus 2:13 …while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, This little verse is one that has become near and dear to me. It’s toward the end of Titus chapter 2 where Paul is giving specific instruction for living a godly life so others see the gospel lived out through us. We aren’t saved by good works, but we are saved FOR good works that shine bright the love of Jesus. As we live obediently and faithfully, we are watching and waiting for the blessed hope we hold dear every single day, the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. This verse keeps my eyes to the skies. And with my Dad now in heaven with Jesus, it encourages me to keep running my race and not to grow weary while doing good each and every day, because one day, Jesus, my blessed hope, is coming again and for that I am thankful! If your heart is broken this Thanksgiving, give it to Jesus. He will be near, you will be blessed in your mourning and you will live each day forward with HOPE as you wait for Jesus’ return. That’s the truth. And because I know it’s true from experience, I am thankful. Have a blessed Thanksgiving. I’m Lori Cline.

When God guides us to where He wants us to be, it’s up to us to follow.   ~~~   Have you ever asked yourself, “what is God’s will for me”? I think it’s safe to say we all have in some form or fashion. What’s my purpose? What’s God’s plan? THAT’s where I want to be! We pray. We wait. We seek. We want to experience God in our life, but to do that we must first understand that the story isn’t about us at all, it’s God’s story and He lovingly created us for it and invites us to be a part of it in HIS timing and HIS way. In our first year of marriage, my husband and I worked through the study, Experiencing God, written by Henry Blackaby. We were both fully committed to the Lord and we had already seen God at work in our lives individually and as a couple, so moving forward we didn’t want to miss a thing He had for us. If you’ve never worked through the study, Blackaby walks through seven realities of Experiencing God. They are: God is always at work around you. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. You at times must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. My husband and I have been married almost 30 years. I can look back over the years and tell you, we have experienced God in so many ways that I don’t ever want to NOT experience God. Now hear me say, this study, like any other, is simply a tool. But, God did use it to deepen our awareness of seeing where God was at work as well as our desire to say YES to His invitation to join Him, wherever that leads. Throughout the seasons of our lives together, God, through His word, His grace and His spirit, have led us and walked with us in and out of each one. Some seasons were exciting and full of mountaintop moments while others were painful and full of questions. Still, we walked on and He walked with us through it all. All throughout scripture we see the same. Men and women, in places and times throughout history, used by God to fulfill His plan. Mountain moments, valleys and everything in between, but God at work all throughout. Exodus 3:1-4 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush,“Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” This burning bush moment for Moses was just the beginning. Go read chapters 3 and 4 of Exodus and you’ll get the full story, but what we see is Moses wasn’t too eager to say yes, but God had a plan. In the end, Moses was faithful, so much so, that in the Hebrews 11 ‘hall of faith’ chapter, Moses’ experiencing God moments take up more attention that any other. You see, the beauty of being where God wants you to be is that most the time, you divinely end up there, then it’s up to YOU to walk by faith and obey in the steps that follow. That’s the truth. I’m thankful for opportunities to say yes. I want nothing more than to be where God wants me to be, doing what He would have me do in each moment of every day. Watch for where God is at work. It could be a simple act of obedience right in front of you. Don’t miss it. I’m Lori Cline.

Prayer is the calm believers can access in the chaos of life.   ~~~   The world around us is in chaos. How’s your heart? A dear friend of mine used to call me and say, “hey I just needed to hear your voice and check your temperature”. It was so funny but I loved it, because what it meant was she was calling to check on me. She was calling to see how my heart was. There were seasons of life we walked together that weren’t easy so she would check in. That’s a good friend. We need to check in with one another. So consider this your heart check in. How’s your temperature? Is it rising? If you haven’t noticed, the heat is rising around us. The world, in places, is in utter chaos, destruction and confusion. We may be in a bubble for now, but ready yourself church, the battle is looming at our door. This of course is no surprise to God, who is and will always be on the throne. If your heart is troubled, because you are human and the evil spreading around the world is hard to understand and our hearts are breaking for those hurting, remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The disciples had seen a lot in their time with Jesus, but it was about to all go down. Jesus was about to be arrested and crucified. They were about to scatter and didn’t even know it, even though Jesus literally had just told them they would. Still, Jesus’ words ring loud and clear in my ears, ‘take heart! I have overcome the world.’ We know how it ends yet we are still on the journey. The battle has been won, yet the war is raging. Friends, don’t let your heart be troubled even in the midst of trouble. Cling to the HOPE we have in Jesus and SHINE joy and peace today so bright that those around you will see and not be able to understand. So they’ll ask, “how do you stay cool and calm in the chaos and heat that is rising around us?” And when they do, you can tell them, “Jesus”. If you’re struggling today with being calm in the chaos I want to give you a very practical way to pray your way to peace. The Bible tells us how in Philippians 4:6-7. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Did you catch how to pray your way to peace? We are to worry about what? Nothing. That’s step number one. If you’re mind is consumed by fear and worry, begin your prayer by confessing your lack of trust in God. Lay down what’s heavy on your heart and TRUST God with it. He IS who He says He is and He is faithful to the end. The next step is to pray about it all, everything! Go to the Lord in prayer with ALL the things, every circumstance, all the details and even as you pour your heart out, you will feel it begin to grow lighter. He IS near your broken heart. He sees your need and He is with you. And the final piece is thanksgiving. As you pray, as you pour out your heart, as you lay your burdens and your worry down, give thanks. Give thanks in knowing He is able. Give thanks in the fact you can go boldly to the throne of grace and talk to a loving Father who hears you. Give thanks He IS in control and holds this world in His hands. What follows is peace. Yes we may not know what tomorrow may bring, but no matter what, God holds it. That’s the truth. We will not be shaken by what shakes this world because our hope is in Jesus. He is and always will be my calm in the chaos. I’m Lori Cline.

Although our bodies are temporary and will die, our spirits are eternal.   ~~~   Do you need a reminder of who holds this day? Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it! There is not a day that the Lord has not made or does not reign over. Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; Rest in that beautiful truth today and everyday. While you may not be dressing up and pretending you’re younger than you are so you can get full sized chocolate bars from your neighbors, did you realize you are carrying around a body of death? Forget the zombie apocalypse, we are all walking around in this flesh that is subject to death. The Apostle Paul explains it a bit more for us in Romans chapter 7. Romans 7:24-25 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Sin brought the curse of death upon the world. God delivered the law, which required perfection, something we could never attain. Through Jesus alone and his death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven. The debt was paid, yet still the battle rages within us. This body of death still craves sin while the spirit within us desires to do God’s will. Paul is wrestling with the desire of each. He delights in the law of God and longs to do what is right while still the law of death pulls him toward sin. It’s the classic angel on one shoulder and devil on the other whispering in our ears. One pulls us one way and the other the other way. We walk around with the same body of death and the same struggle as Paul. While the power of Christ lives in us, the flesh is so easily tempted. Thanks be to God, we too are delivered through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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. Yes we are walking around in these bodies of death, but with Christ, on the inside we are renewed and more alive than ever. What great news to share today! That’s the truth. If anyone asks you tonight what you’re dressed as… you’ll have a great truth to tell. I’m Lori Cline.  

We improve our day by day by walking in the light of who lives in us and works through us.   ~~~   Are you bettering this day? You may say, “I would if I could”. I hear ya, and while each day can come with its own challenges, if we have Jesus in our heart, we should wrap up each day with peace in our heart and leave it better than we found it. Here’s what I mean. My youngest daughter is playing volleyball. In volleyball, with every touch to the ball, there is intentional effort to ‘better the ball’. Your touch effects the next players touch and the goal is to better the ball with each touch, as a team, for the sake of scoring a point. Can we better this day as the body of Christ in the same way? Through Christ alone, and His spirit within us, we can and we are called to do so. Ephesians 5:8-16 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. As believers in Jesus, we are to live as children of light. It’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives IN me, Galatians 2:20 reminds us. We are the light of the world and we should be daily bearing fruit of goodness, righteousness and truth. The Jesus IN us is the only Jesus some will ever see or possibly come in contact with. As children of light, we should be bettering every point of contact we make each and every day. From what we read in Ephesians 5, I see three ways we CAN better this day. First - remember WHO you are and WHOSE you are! You were once darkness, now because of Jesus you are LIGHT. Don’t forget that truth. Live like it. Shine goodness, righteousness and truth to every person you come in contact with. You may be the gospel bearing touch point that leads them to the next. Better the day. Second - expose the darkness with light. When we walk in the light we have nothing to hide or fear. We shine love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control so brightly, that darkness and it’s fruit must flee. As we respond to anger with love or hate with peace or evil with good, guess what? We better the day. Third - don’t miss this day. There is an opportunity coming at you and it’s your turn to hit the proverbial ball! Wake up. Rise up and move. Watch for ways to shine bright and redeem moments, conversations and opportunities around you. The first place to start is your own home and with your family. You’re the first touch point they get every single day. Make the most of it in THIS moment and you will better the day. You better this day by walking in the light of who lives in you and works through you, in every circumstance, for your good and His glory. That’s the truth. One thing to remember, how you better this day is not determined by anyone else. Focus on your position, where God has placed you and who God has called you to be. I’m Lori Cline.  

We need to ensure we’re guarding our hearts against dangerous temptations.   ~~~   Have you ever been watching something as a family and all of a sudden a scene pops up that, let’s just say is unexpected, and with cat like reflexes you put your hand over your child's eyes and say, ‘close your eyes’? Yep. Me too. I don’t remember my parents having to do that as much, but today it’s a whole new world out there when it comes to TV shows, movies and entertainment. Wholesome family entertainment isn’t as readily available these days. Oh be careful little eyes what you see. As a mom it’s my job to care for the well being of my girls. I don’t leave that in the hands of social media content creators, movie producers and tv show writers. Yes my girls are older, but not only do I still want to protect them, I want them to understand the importance of protecting themselves. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our heart, and what we watch and what we spend time consuming makes its way into our heart. Sometimes we need to close our eyes. We talk a lot about character in our home. My girls know what we expect and while I can check search history and monitor what they’re watching on their phones, yes I’m that mom, I can’t do that forever. So more than MY words, I point them to THE WORD of truth that will guide them and light a way for them as they discern what is good and what is not, to allow their eyes to see. God’s word is what Jesus used when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4. I love Psalm 119:11 that says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” So what does the Bible have to say about what we should or should not be watching? When should we close our eyes? That can be tough to answer when we all love to be entertained, but the truth should always be our guide. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. When you watch whatever you’re watching, it stays with you. You may not think it does, but anxiety, fear, lust and anger can be stirred up in our heart as we consume content. I know there are things I wish I hadn’t seen over the course of my life that still to this day creep me out and creep up in my mind. They are far from being lovely or noble and those prove my point in knowing it matters what I watch and allow my eyes to see. My girls are learning to discern what is good and lovely and what is not. Whatever we choose to be entertained by should be filtered by the spirit of God within us. When in doubt I always go back to the question, would Jesus watch it? WWJD. Are you guarding your heart? Do you allow your eyes to consume whatever, whenever freely? Content is powerful. What we allow in, if it leads us to sin, should make us close our eyes. Jesus made it pretty clear what he thought about what our eyes take in and lead us to. Matthew 18:9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Get rid of it. If what you’re watching is causing you to stumble, you need to change the source of your entertainment or gouge your eye out. I’m kidding, but Jesus was not. The price to be entertained could very well be your soul. That’s the truth. Set your mind and your gaze on good things and guard your heart, it’s what God cares about most. I’m Lori Cline.

God reveals Himself to us through Jesus so we know which way to go.   ~~~   Don’t you love a lightbulb moment? Something that wasn’t clear all of a sudden becomes crystal clear. You get it now! You understand! You finally see what you didn’t. Light has shown on the darkness. I had an amazing math teacher in High School. Mrs Merritt helped me see and understand SO MUCH of what seemed beyond my understanding when it came to algebra, geometry and all the rest. Why do we even care what X or Y is? Because, there IS meaning and purpose behind it. She helped me see that and now I am trying to help my girls SEE that! Discovering what is true and being led to understanding in life is NOT something we can do on our own. We do not have the answers and we are NOT to lean on our own understanding, because we’ll mess it up every time. Instead we are to TRUST in the Lord and look to Him alone for truth and understanding. He will guide us to it as we seek Him. He is the way, the truth and the life. All wisdom begins there and we are to seek after it. I’m thankful for the gift of the holy spirit in revealing truth to me. I love light bulb moments of understanding what is true. Jesus explains the work of the Holy Spirit this way. John 16:12-13 I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. As a parent we guide our children. There are some things too heavy for them to bear when they are young. As they grow, we equip them with life principles, truth and understanding for each season. They grow this way into maturity. In the same way, Jesus in this moment with His disciples can’t reveal everything. It would have been too much. But the promised Holy Spirit would be that helper, that comforter and guide. We too have that same spirit as believers to guide us as we seek the Lord. We can know the direction God wants us to go when we’re faced with life decisions. We can have peace when the world around us is in chaos. We can know truth because the Holy Spirit is our guide. God wants you to know what is true. In a world of confusion, He IS the anchor you seek. He is the truth. But you can only see it and know it when your eyes are opened to it. Isaiah prophesied 700 years before Jesus that Messiah would be made known. They would see his miracles. They would hear his parables, but, they would not see or hear. Jesus reminded them of this prophesy. Matthew 13:14-16 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 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.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Don’t close your eyes to the truth of God’s love for you. If you do not see it or understand it, I pray your eyes will open today. I pray you see your need for a savior and His gift of forgiveness and grace for you through Jesus. Once you know, taste and see the goodness of God, what was once hard to see becomes crystal clear. That’s the truth. Blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. I am so thankful because now I see. I’m Lori Cline.

Even when we cannot see His plan, we can know God is at work.   ~~~   Do you ever give thanks for what you cannot see? That’s not the norm now is it? We sit down to a table full of good things to eat and we see what we are about to enjoy and we anticipate its goodness. We give thanks for what we see right in front of us. We are naturally thankful when we receive. When someone gives you a gift, oh thank you! If someone let’s you in the forever long car line to pick up kiddos after school, oh thank you! When you see God move in a direction you’ve prayed for, thank you God! It’s so much easier to feel gratitude when we are receiving or experiencing something good. But we can also be grateful for what we anticipate. I love tulips. If you want tulips in the Spring, they need to be going in the ground right now. I’ve planted tulip bulbs in the past and the anticipation of Spring grows with each passing winter day. I’m already excited about the gift of beauty and joy those flowers will bring. I’m thankful for the process and the expectation of what is to come. We like to see and know good things are happening or coming our way. It’s much easier to be thankful in those seasons. But today I wanted to highlight really quick the beauty of being thankful when we can’t see the good. God IS good. He makes all things work together for our good. Every good and perfect gift is from Him and we are to give thanks and be thankful in ALL things, even when we can’t see those things. What we see on the table of life served up to us may not be very appetizing, still, we are thankful and know God IS at work through it all. The bottom line is trust. I must let go of my CONTROL, my desire to think I need to see clearly and know what God is up to before I am grateful. We are reminded in scripture to be still and then we will know HE is God. I am not. He is in control. I am not. God’s timing and plan and how He chooses to move and work and when, does not require my stamp of approval. I am called to simply be faithful, be thankful and walk on in the grace and strength He gives me for each new day. My prayer for each new day is, “God may I be faithful and obedient to what you have for me this day.” The rest is up to Him. I don’t have to control it or see it to know He IS at work, but in those seasons that seem barren, I still give thanks for what HE is doing and is going to do IN my life and through me. God is at work to bring about His will and plan, His way and in HIS time. It’s all through the pages of scripture and it’s evident in my own life. Just as those tulip bulbs in the ground will one day break through and bloom, so will what God has for you and me. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” We can’t see what God sees. The spirit of God leads us to truth and understanding as we read scripture, but the glories of God and how He is working things OUT is not for us to always see. We are simply called to be faithful. What we do see around us in this world may cause us to tremble at times, but stand firm on the foundation of what is true. I am thankful even though I can’t always see the plan, I trust and know God IS at work, God IS in control and He IS on the throne. That’s the truth. That’s faith! It’s what we hope for and are sure of, but cannot see. I’m Lori Cline

The church is called to be a light to the lost and dying world.   ~~~   How’s the church doing? Have you ever had someone come up and ask you that question? More than likely not, unless you’re a pastor or leader IN the church. But if you did, how would YOU respond? How IS the church doing? You would probably start off with what you love about your church and maybe how many people are in the pews. Then you might share what your church does for the community, what ministries you have and maybe give a ‘star rating’ type review of your pastor or worship leader. Here is where unfortunately some grumbling, drama among members and criticism might find it’s way into the conversation as well. Am I wrong? In this season of life, one of the blessed hats I wear is that of a pastor’s wife. I have on many occasions been asked, “how’s the church doing”? My response early on was very similar to what I just described. I wanted to highlight all the things and how we were ‘doing’. These days though, my response is different. If someone asks me, “how’s the church doing”, my reply is, “broken and beautiful”. Isn’t that the truth? Oh how beautiful is the body of Christ, all its members, as they move and work together in their giftings, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12, but oh how broken and messy we are as well. Thankfully Jesus is the cornerstone holding us all together. The church IS a people of faith who believe and put their trust in the saving grace of Jesus. That’s the church. If you are a believer, you are the church. I am the church. As I think on that more and more and the MISSION and work we are ALL called to do as the body of Christ, I think we need to ask a different question when we’re wondering how we’re doing. The question needs to be, “how are YOU doing”? You are the church, so if we looked at YOUR life, what would it reflect as to how the church is doing? I’ll go first and step on my own toes! How am I doing? Am I on mission? Am I connected to the vine, growing and deepening my faith roots daily, bearing good fruit? How’s my marriage? How’s my family? Am I training my children UP in Christ? Am I teaching them diligently to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength? Am I loving my neighbor? Am I living a life of radical forgiveness and grace for others? Am I gathering faithfully with other believers? Am I bearing the burdens of my brothers and sisters in Christ? Do I even really know the burdens of my brothers and sisters? Am I tithing? Am I serving? Am I using my gifts to build up the BODY, not to satisfy myself? When I wonder how the church is doing, my answer and focus MUST begin with ME. LIfe is hard. We are broken and sinful people in desperate need of a savior, but I’m so thankful Jesus is our strength and his grace covers me and it covers you as we walk together in unity as the body of Christ. Jesus said this. Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. How’s your light shining? The mission of the church is mine and yours to carry. WE are called to BE that light to a lost and dying world in need of a savior. How the church is doing begins with me. That’s the truth. I leave you with a prayer of blessing Paul wrote to the church in Rome. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s overflow this day with HOPE from hearts and lives radically changed by the love of Jesus. Thats the church, the body of Christ, the world needs to see. I’m Lori Cline

Christ is everything we need so that we do not have to be.   ~~~   How about some good news today? You’re not enough! Wait what? I know I know. You’re used to everyone telling you how awesome you are and that if you believe in YOU, you are in fact enough. But the truth is, without JESUS, you’re not. Sin entered this world bringing a covering of death over us all and that sin separates you, makes you an enemy even, of God. (See Romans 3:23 and Romans 5:10) No one stands righteous before a holy God apart from the blood of Jesus. So the good news of understanding that you are NOT enough, apart from Christ, is that you SEE your need for a savior. Praise God today if you do. Rejoice in that awareness, it’s a gift of grace! (John 6:44) You can’t save yourself. Without Jesus, you are lost. Recognizing my desperate need for Jesus to cover me, forgive me, make me new, sets me on a path FULL of meaning, purpose and gives me the most abundant life I could ever imagine. What a gift! Knowing I am not enough, is something I am thankful for today. That may seem so upside down to you, but you see, knowing I am not enough, allows me to walk in peace every single day knowing JESUS IS. That’s freedom for me! The weight is off my shoulders! I rest my head each night knowing I am not enough for me or for you, but I KNOW and walk each day with the ONE who is. Jesus. Struggling in your marriage? Jesus. Struggling with conflict in the church? Jesus. Struggling with work / life balance? Jesus. Struggling with finances? Jesus. Struggling with how to love your enemies? Jesus. Struggling with how to forgive someone who hurt you deeply? Jesus. Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. I stand in CHRIST alone. By grace, through faith, I am at peace with God. I didn’t do one thing. It’s Christ IN ME that justifies me, gives me peace for today and promises me hope for tomorrow. If you are tired of trying to be enough, throw your hands up and cry out to Jesus, “I am not enough, but I believe you are!” Then and only then will you be made whole. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ​​And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. In Christ, you have all you need. He is enough, so you don’t have to be. Someone needs to hear this truth today and maybe that someone is you. Stop trying to save yourself and everyone else around you. Only Jesus can do that. Find REST today in Him. Maybe you’ve walked with Jesus a long time, but you are still trying to BE enough for everyone around you. Stop. You’re not enough for them. Love them well, but point them to Jesus. You’ll let them down. They may walk away. Many will have unhealthy expectations of you, but what a joy it would be if through their disappointment and IN the midst of their need, they finally look to Jesus? The faithful father let the prodigal son GO. Only when the son SAW his desperate NEED of the Father did he return home. When we SEE and know we are not enough, it’s then we can learn to fully lean on Christ alone. That’s the truth. I am NOT enough, but Jesus is. For this, I am thankful. I’m Lori Cline

Although our enemy lurks in the shadows, we are safe in Christ.   ~~~   What lurks in the darkness around you? Would you prefer not to know? Ignorance can be bliss, but still if something is creeping up on me, I’d rather know about it. When my girls were little and afraid of the dark at night I would turn their light on, open their closet door and show them that there is nothing in the darkness that isn’t in the light. Turning the light on reveals it for what it is. As we grow older what lurks in the darkness for us is no longer fears of the boogeyman or something living under our bed, it’s often inner struggles, insecurities, hurts and fears. Not long after my dad passed away I found myself one morning not wanting to get out of bed. Now this wasn’t a temptation to stay in my PJS all day and watch movies, this was deeper. I felt it. What lurked in the darkness of my mind was a deep sadness and a temptation to embrace a feeling of anger and hopelessness. I recognized it. It was very eerily inviting. While there IS a time for mourning, this was different. I had a choice and I felt the temptation of it. In almost the exact moment I recognized it, the spirit of the Lord spoke these words so clearly to my heart, ‘my child, turn on the light’. I got up and I did just that. I turned the light on. I cranked up some praise and worship music and began refocusing my eyes on Jesus. I needed to bring the light of truth, the light of hope, the light of love into that moment. It required action on my part and I had a choice of either entertaining the darkness or stepping into the light. What darkness are you being tempted to entertain? Maybe you’ve never thought of it that way, but we do in fact entertain darkness when we allow it into our minds and hearts. We mull over bitterness, we feed our anger, we buy into lies of defeat and embrace sin that ultimately entangles us like a sticky spider web. John 3:20 ​​Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. The more we entertain darkness, the more we avoid the light. Remember the light exposes what is true and those living in and choosing to cling to darkness do not want to be exposed. Think of any secret sins, dark thoughts or resentments you may have hidden away. What is in the darkness around you? Have you turned on the light lately to see? Jesus is calling you to turn on the light. Confess your sins one to another so you may be healed. (James 5:16) Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. (Colossians 3:13) Above all, love one another. (1 Peter 4:8) We are called to walk in the light. 1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. We have a very clear and present enemy lurking in the dark, creeping around every corner, seeking to bring us down, 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us. The war rages around us, but IN Christ we are victorious when we shine a light on anything that comes at us in the dark or that we may be entertaining. That’s the truth. I love these words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” That’s what walking in the light of Jesus looks like. I’m Lori Cline.  

When we rest in God, He gives us strength to walk through our trials.   ~~~   Are you in need of a season of renewal? A friend of mine, in a very vulnerable social media post, shared it was time for him to enter a season of renewal. He lost his wife to cancer over a year ago and through his journey of grief he has beautifully shared his heart and how God has walked with Him in and out of every season. He shared that he needed a time of renewal desperately. As he put it out there on social media, he also issued a challenge in a way by saying, ‘maybe you feel the same in your life?’ Listen, I found myself deeply moved by it and I wasn’t sure exactly why. Something in my soul resonated with his words and with his honesty. I think my heart was in agreement. Yes, I’m in need of a season of renewal! Autumn is a beautiful season of transition. We tend to slow down a bit as the days grow shorter, the sun seems to shine brighter and the leaves in their vibrance fall to the ground. We breathe it in and want to light a fire in the fire put and put our feet up, but is God calling us to MORE in this season? Renewal isn’t something I focus on because I think I’m usually just trying to keep up, but if we all slow down for a minute and think about it, don’t we all need it? If you find yourself in need of a season of renewal, remember this truth. Psalm 36:5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. God loves you right where you are in this season and He is faithful. You are loved. Because of God’s great love for you He calls you to step out of the boat in areas of your life where you may need renewal. I don’t know what that looks like for you but I am praying about what it looks like for me. I am listening and as I rest in the grace and mercy of Jesus, He is showing me steps I need to take. Some of those steps aren’t easy, but where I am weak I can lean into His perfect strength to MOVE me in the areas that need renewal. The spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Friends, don’t lose heart if you feel defeated in an area of your life you need renewal. I’m so thankful God’s mercies and grace for me are new every morning. They are for you as well. We can fix our eyes on Jesus, with the start of each new day, and trust He orders our steps. As we rest IN Him, He will give us strength to walk THROUGH what we may be facing in this season as well as walk IN obedience in the areas we need to move. The beauty is that God uses it all for our good and His glory and through the process we are renewed. That’s the truth. Step into a season of renewal. I pray God shows you where He is at work IN your life as well as where He wants you to join Him. I’m Lori Cline.

God defines our worth, and no amount of damage can make Him love us less.   ~~~   If you happen to be a thrifter, what is every thrifters dream? Finding something worth way more than what you had to spend to get it. That’s part of what keeps thrifters searching for treasures at yard sales, thrift shops and consignment stores. I LOVE thrift shopping. I don’t have to be looking for anything specific, but I am searching in a way for a diamond in the rough. I’m looking for something valuable that has been hidden away, forgotten, thrown out or put on a shelf. What if something is valuable to me but it’s not to you? Your trash could be my treasure. What gives something value? There are actually four categories that effect the value of something. They are: usable value, rare value, aesthetic value, and emotional value. If you find something you can actually use, it has usable value. Rare value simply means there is a limited supply and therefore something is more valuable. Rare gemstones and diamonds fall into this category. Aesthetic value applies to art and beauty. We give high value to beautiful things. Emotional value comes from our emotional attachment to things. This is where I get easily stuck. Memories and emotional attachments can be powerful. That’s also why brand marketing works so well. Luxury brands sell emotions and status just as much as they sell products. High value comes when something falls into all four of those categories. It’s usable, rare, beautiful and full of emotional connection. Have you forgotten your value? You have high value my friend. If this world or anyone has told you different, you need to be reminded of what is true. God wants to use you for His glory and purpose. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. You are beautiful, just as you are. Matthew 6:28-29 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. You are one of a kind, uniquely created, rare and beautiful. Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. You are deeply loved by God and nothing can separate you from that love. 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. See, you hit all the categories and even more when it comes to your worth and value. Don’t thrift yourself away. God defines your worth, not this world. Nothing you do, nothing you wear, nothing you accomplish or acquire can make Him love you more. And on that note, nothing can make Him love you any less. He simply wants you to accept that love and know how valuable you are in His sight. If life has you battered, scarred and maybe put on a shelf somewhere in the dark, allow the light of God’s grace to give you a new home and wash you clean. He makes all things new and your value to Him is priceless. That’s the truth. Don’t forget your worth. You are a treasure. I’m Lori Cline.  

Parents must teach their children to pursue and love God with all their hearts.   ~~~   Parents, what are you diligently teaching your children? Think about it. Let’s look first at the definition of diligently. To do anything in a diligent manner is to do so persistently, not carelessly. There is ongoing focus and intentionality with doing something diligently. Some dads are diligent in teaching their children to hunt. Their dad taught them. His dad taught him and it’s been passed down. Some of you have recipes from your great great grandmother. Those ingredients and steps when mixed and mastered just right, deliver dishes that have been enjoyed and diligently passed down for generations. Many of you want your children to LOVE sports or LOVE knitting or LOVE and appreciate woodworking, gardening, music or art. I begin thinking of how I spend my time with my children. What’s my focus. What are our conversations centered mostly around? What am I diligently teaching them? Did you know that God cares greatly about what you teach your children? In fact, He made it very clear early on in scripture what we are to be diligent about, when it comes to what we pass down. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 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. This command of God was not to be taken lightly then and it is not to be taken lightly today. When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22, “which is the greatest commandment in the law”, this is what he quoted. LOVE God with ALL you are. Give Him your heart, your soul and live that OUT with all your strength! Diligently TEACH this to your children. Can you teach your children to LOVE hunting without GOING hunting? NO. Can you teach your children to LOVE those treasured recipes without cooking them and letting them taste the goodness? NO. Can you teach your children to LOVE God with ALL they are and how they live their life and how they LOVE others without DOING IT YOURSELF, diligently? NO. Talk about the goodness of God in the morning. Share about the grace, provision and blessings of God when you sit, walk, lie down or rise up. Bind these words on your hand and your head. Write them on your walls, your doors and your gates. It should be crystal clear to your children what is the most important thing they need to know and taste and see on a DAILY basis from you and that is to love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their soul and all their strength. If anything has gotten in the way of that teaching, then you’ve placed something above God. That’s the truth. A life of worship is what God calls and commands us all to. Our heart, soul, mind, strength, time, talent, treasure, dreams, gifts and abilities should display to our children, our neighbors and the world that our life is not our own, but lived for God and God alone. I’m Lori Cline.

To truly be found, we must first see that we are indeed lost.   ~~~   We don’t like to think of ourselves as poor and needy do we? We want to be in control of our destiny, strong, independent, care free, righteous even and good. If we’re honest we like to stay away from the poor and needy. The truth is, none are righteous, none of us are good, apart from Jesus. Go spend some time in Romans chapter 3. Even at our best, we still can’t measure up. That’s why we so desperately NEED Jesus. We are all sinners. We all fall short. There but for the grace of God go ANY of us. We are all prodigals in a way. We run from truth, we run from accountability, discipline and run ultimately from the love of the Father. We squander what we’ve been so freely given all while pointing fingers of judgment at everyone else. Time and time again the Father’s unfailing love pursues us, leads us to repentance and welcomes us back to His arms of grace. “Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy” is an old hymn written in the 1700’s by Joseph Hart. The lyric goes like this - Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, love and power. I will arise and go to Jesus; he will embrace me in his arms; in the arms of my dear Savior, O there are ten thousand charms. Many feel this hymn was inspired by Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. In Luke chapter 15 we see Jesus tell three parables and each one in different ways deliver the same truth: God loves the lost. There is the parable of the lost sheep, a lost silver coin and a lost son. The Father is represented in each parable and does not rest until what was lost is found. Luke 15:4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Luke 15:8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? Luke 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Jesus told these stories to a crowd of tax collectors and sinners. They drew near to Him because they wanted to hear. Also in the crowd were Pharisees and scribes. They weren’t around Jesus to draw near and hear, they were around Jesus to judge and complain about everyone else. How dare Jesus welcome and even eat with these poor and needy sinners. What these religious elites failed to recognize is that they too were just as sinful and lost without Jesus. Their pride in believing they could be good enough to reach God is what ultimately separated them from the Father who was running after them. In Luke 19:10 Jesus made His mission and purpose clear as he was once again about to have a meal with sinners, he replied, “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” To truly be found, we must first see that we are indeed lost. Only then will we arise and go to Jesus because it’s in that moment we understand our great need for a savior. That’s the truth. Arise and go to Jesus. He’s waiting with open arms. I’m Lori Cline.  

We don’t need a big sign from God to know that it is time for us to move.   ~~~   Don’t we all want the wind beneath our wings so we can fly high in life? Of course we do! We all cried our eyes out listening to Bette Midler sing about it. We need the wind beneath our wings to fly, or do we? More on that later, but speaking of wind, have you ever tried to fly a kite without any? I must say I have. Now I know you can’t fly a kite without wind, but if you have kiddos you probably have as well! I bought a kite for my girls when they were little and even though it wasn’t a windy day, they wanted to run through the back yard trying to fly it. Meaning I was running through the backyard trying to fly it. That didn’t last long. To fly a kite up to the highest height, you MUST have wind. If you don’t, you have to wait for a windy day. I’m not usually waiting for wind. I don’t fly kites these days unless I’m at the beach, but I want to tell you about a girl that found herself in a situation where she really needed the wind to blow. In the movie True Spirit, based on the true story of 16 year old Jessica Watson, she became the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe, ALL BY HERSELF. She was sixteen! It’s a pretty amazing story and her journey was full of adventure and challenges. Now while the big screen did play things up a bit more, compared to the actual events, there was a time when she was out at sea and no wind was blowing. There she sat, waiting. In an interview she had this to say about that part of the journey. "In reality, you never get such long stretches without wind," she said. "Often, it's more like a couple of days. And even within that, you might get a few puffs along the way. It is, however, very true to what that experience is like for a sailor, how incredibly frustrating it is to just be at the mercy of the elements and just waiting for the wind to come back. There's nothing you can do. Emotionally, they were some of the toughest days." She was at the mercy of the elements, waiting for the wind. What are you at the mercy of? What elements of life are you up against? What are you waiting for to either arrive or pass on by so you can move? For 16 year old Jessica, she needed wind to move forward, but she never walked away from the adventure even in her waiting. What about you and me? Do we really need wind beneath our proverbial wings? No. Birds don’t need it. Their flight is determined by lift, the force that opposes the weight of their wings. They simply must move their wings and fly the way God designed them to fly. They aren’t sitting around on limbs waiting to move. If today you are waiting for some MIGHTY WIND to blow INTO your life so you can finally fly, you’ve grounded yourself. Maybe where you are today is you’re exhausted and maybe even afraid to move. Don’t believe the lie that YOU are at the mercy of the elements of this life. God is asking, “what are you waiting for”? In 1 Kings chapter 19 we get a glimpse of a scene in the life of the greatest of all Old Testament prophets, Elijah. Instead of being alone out at sea, waiting for the wind, he was alone in a cave, feeling He was at the mercy of the elements and circumstances that surrounded him. God provided a gentle reminder that HE was and will always be, in control. 1 Kings 19:11-12 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. There was quite the display of elements out on the mountain that day. God controls them all and is in fact IN them all, but that day, He used a still small voice to remind Elijah He was not alone and there was still work to be done. You see Elijah wasn’t moving because he was afraid. He was believing the lie that he was alone and there was no hope. What are you believing Elijah? What are you doing here Elijah? What are you waiting for? You are not alone. There are others waiting for YOU, so go. It’s time. You don’t need a mighty wind, shooting star or some BIG sign to move into where God wants you. You need only be still and listen for the gentle whisper of the Father reminding you of who you are and how He wants to move you. That’s the truth. What are you waiting for? It’s time to fly. I’m Lori Cline.

Even when life as we know it has been completely shaken, we should remain focused on God.   ~~~   Is this season one that finds you trying to find a new normal? I’m right there with you. What was… is no longer. Something has changed. Something has shifted in life. For me and my family, we lost my Dad. We’re trying to find a new normal. Some days I feel like a new born calf trying to stand and walk. I’m emotionally wobbly in a way because something’s missing, something is not as it was. A BIG piece of my heart and life is gone from this world. Can you relate? I KNOW you can. I KNOW you may be hurting, emotionally wobbly in some way for some reason. Maybe you’re an empty nester. Maybe you’ve been uprooted and moved across the country. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one or maybe you’ve lost everything. Maybe a diagnosis stares you in the face every single day. While the circumstances vary that may leave us wobbly or searching in some way for a new normal, the root ache I think is missing what life used to be. What used to be was awesome and now it’s not as awesome. We miss what was because what was, was beautiful and full of life and laughter. We can still laugh and have hope and joy in the midst of it all, but it’s a new normal and we’re all in some way trying to find our way. If you’re wobbly today, trying to take a step forward, you’re not alone. I guarantee you, every single person you pass by, connect with or watch in your stories, is walking through something. I’m thankful for new morning mercies and grace we can share. They are poured out for each new day. Lamentations 3:21-23 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. If you’re not familiar with the book of Lamentations in the Bible, it is often called the most sorrowful book in the Bible and it is believed to have been written by none other than the weeping prophet, Jeremiah. Devastation, desolation and sorrow consumed what was left of Jerusalem. What once was, was no longer. What I love about Lamentations is that these are honest cries. We should never hide our grief or pretend we aren’t hurting. Those seasons should move us closer to the Father with our arms raised high for Him to hold us and mold us through it. We can find rest there. We can find strength for each step of each new day as we seek the Lord first and try to find a new normal. In our own seasons of lament, like we read in Lamentations 3, we can call to mind and remember the Lord’s great love, His compassions and His faithfulness. It’s only THROUGH the faithfulness of God that we can stand, even when our steps may be a bit wobbly. I love the phrase, desolation brings restoration. When the landscape of life as we’ve known it is altered, our focus should remain on the faithfulness and goodness of God because THAT is what ushers in healing, comfort, new growth, new possibilities, new purpose for today and bright HOPE for tomorrow. That’s the truth. If you’re finding your way to a new normal, remember… Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see: all I have needed thy hand hath provided-- Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! I’m Lori Cline