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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marriage is a holy union established by God to reflect His love for us.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Have you been to a wedding lately? Was everyone sad and somber? No! Of course not. Everyone is happy and it’s a beautiful celebration. A bride and groom come together after months of planning and preparation to say, ‘I do’. Surrounded by family and friends, vows are exchanged, traditions honored, wedding cake is eaten, everyone does the cupid shuffle and two become one. It’s a beautiful and blessed day. I was a June bride and this month I am celebrating thirty years of being married to my best friend. Thirty years! And we still love each other! And most days we like each other too. That’s something to celebrate when almost fifty percent of all marriages in the United States end in divorce or separation. The number has to be even higher if you add in the couples that have emotionally or physically disconnected, even though they remain in the same home. It’s an emotional divorce and it can be just as devastating. We do not take our marriage for granted. From our wedding day to today, we know our marriage is a gift of God’s grace that requires daily surrender, first to God and second to one another. The institution of marriage is God’s perfect design, established in the garden to ultimately be a reflection of Christ and the church. It’s a mystery gift and the Apostle Paul speaks to it beautifully in Ephesians five. Ephesians 5:21-33 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. If you’re bothered by the word submit, go back and read it again. See beyond yourself. You see that’s the key in marriage, being selfless. I give my all for it and it gives its all for me. Needs are met, not out of self reliance and control, but out of surrender and submission, first to God and then to one another. That’s the mystery gift. We give ourselves and our heart to something greater and in return we are abundantly blessed. Wives are given four verses of instruction while husbands are given nine and the motivation of it all is love. Remember the gift of love I talked about last time? The LOVE of God leads me in life. Love leads me to repentance, obedience, surrender and through that love I find rest, peace and unexplainable JOY. It’s the same for my marriage. The love of God leads me to love my husband and submit to his leading. In the same way, the love of God leads him to love me and submit to me. Out of that we serve one another, respect one another and care for one another as we would our own body, because we are one. So it is with Christ and His body, the church. It’s a profound and beautiful mystery and design that leads to new life and all things new. You see marriage is SO much more than an ‘I do’. It’s a holy union, established by a holy God to be a reflection of His deep and intimate love for us here and now and for eternity to come. That’s the truth. Marriage is a gift and it’s a reflection of a beautiful mystery. Sadly, the sin and brokenness of our hearts and the world makes it difficult to see it as such and experience it that way. That’s why we need Jesus. He makes all things new and if your marriage is in need of repair, turn to God today and allow His love and grace to transform your heart first and then your marriage into something new. I’m Lori Cline.

Love does not begin with us, but with God.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   How would YOU finish this sentence? God is … what? When you think of God, what IS He to you? How would you describe Him? If you look up the attributes of God, you’ll find many ways to describe Him. He is holy. He is faithful. He is righteous, patient and good. Throughout every page of scripture we see God. His nature, His character and His ways are on full display. As we read His word, who He IS, is revealed. No matter how you see God or what you think He is or is not, the word most used to describe Him is LOVE because God IS love. He is where love begins and love is where our story begins in creation. Love made a way through Jesus and love is the promise of what’s to come. Love is the motivator. Love is the common denominator. God SO loved, because He IS love. 1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s nature is love and the nature of those who are IN Christ, who love God, will love like God. This is the love the body of Christ should be known for. It’s not an ordinary, thrown around, cheap love, it’s holy, unconditional, passionate and sacrificial. It’s deep and once you abide IN it, you can never be separated from it. If you’ve never received it, it’s running after you today. I said YES to the love of God when I was eight years old. I grew up hearing that God loved me. My parents loved me and pointed me to the love of God. I accepted it and I believed IN it. Fast forward ten years. My freshman year in college, I found myself IN love. I had been in LIKE, before, but not in LOVE. This was different. My heart got involved, but I was afraid. Broken chapters of my story and the pain of life led me to not FULLY trust God with my heart. So when I came face to face in college with someone who loved me and wanted all of my heart, I came to a bit of a crisis of belief. Giving my heart fully to someone, meant I must choose to trust God with it first. I had to trust that no matter what, He is good, He loves me and He is the keeper of my heart. As I surrendered my whole heart to God, His perfect love began to drive out my fear. That step of obedience and surrender is how my love story began. I let go and trusted God with my story. This month that is my focus, my love story. This month, thirty years ago, I said, ‘I do’. It’s a beautiful story, not perfect, but covered by God’s love, goodness and grace and it’s been a great adventure. So I thought I’d share a bit of that adventure, and a little of what I’ve learned about love and marriage along the way. I hope you’ll join me. The thing about love is, it doesn’t begin with you or me. LOVE’s origin is in God alone. It’s His story. Our love stories are all a part of one big love story. LOVE began with God. We love because He FIRST loved us. (1 John 4:19) The God who IS love, created us out of love, to be loved. When you receive that love, rest IN it and trust it, then you can give it away. That’s the truth. Join me all this month at lifeword.org as I share more of how God has loved me through my love story. It’s over thirty years in the making and I can tell you this, it still requires daily surrendering to the one who loves me most. I’m Lori Cline.

We can look back on our hardest times and see that Jesus was close to us.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Sometimes it takes courage to remember, doesn’t it? Honestly, I had never thought about needing courage to remember, but you do. It’s not easy to look back down a road that was difficult to walk. My Dad went to be with Jesus almost one year ago. We’ve been in a year of firsts. All the moments he would have been a part of are now void of his larger than life presence. I know many of you know that ache. Our grief is deep, yet our hope for Heaven is deeper still. It’s bittersweet. With each day I remember what is true, I am one day closer to my Daddy. While Titus 2:13 keeps my eyes to the skies, there are moments and seasons we need to look back and remember. God was with us then. He is with us now. We celebrated my Dad’s birthday in April. I went home. I drank coffee out of his coffee cup. I picked some of his roses. We lit a candle, had a big cinnamon roll and remembered. We celebrated all my Dad was and all he still is to us today. It was good. But to be honest, I had been uneasy about the coming of April, May and June. They mark the final moments and memories we hold and they’ve just been coming at me like a dark cloud. But as I walk through them even now, with each day, the light always outshines the darkness. I am reminded again as I look back at how God met us in every moment. We were never alone. My Dad was never alone. God’s grace was SO deep and He met us right where we were. With every step we took, my faith was made stronger. That is so worth remembering. God was with us. It’s a hard chapter, but God was good through it. A dear friend of mine, who knows well the pain of loss, wrote these words to me, “thankful you had the courage to celebrate your dad and your shared hope in Jesus”. She was thankful I had the courage to celebrate. That word courage still resonates in my heart. It does take courage to celebrate what is no longer, what should be, but what is no more. As I read those words, I understood the difficulty sometimes of looking back. My friend recognized it. It does take courage to ‘go there’ and face those seasons of hurt and loss. What was, what should have been and what now is not, are all tough to grasp and look back on, still, hope is what mends the shattered pieces and chapters of our heart. Those places then shine bright for the world to see. Do you need courage to celebrate? Do you need courage to remember? Joshua 1:9 ​​Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” If there’s a dark chapter of your story or a season that’s hard to look back on, don’t be afraid. Be strong, be courageous and know the Lord was with you then, is with you now and will be with you in the days to come. That’s the truth. The painful chapters of our life that break our hearts, are the chapters we are the closest to Jesus. He is so near and He is acquainted with our grief and we can remember and celebrate even, because of the hope we have in Him. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. God is with you. I’m Lori Cline.

As we walk with Jesus and serve Him, we should take time to spend time with Him and know Him.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Do you avoid eye contact? I know people who do and to be honest it drives me crazy. I think the thing is, the extrovert side of me, wants to get to know you, like everyone of you! So, when I meet people or talk to people, I want to connect, lean in and really hear what they have to say. It’s difficult for me to do that, without eye contact. For some though, eye contact is a difficult thing. It’s good for people like me to understand that some people have very real social anxieties and looking into someone’s eyes can be overwhelming or intimidating. I read there’s actually a 50/70 rule when it comes to eye contact. Maintain eye contact 50% of the time when speaking and 70% when listening. Good to know. No matter where you are, when it comes to eye contact, the reality is, when we look into someones eyes, we can’t NOT be seen. Has there ever been a time you didn’t want to be seen? Yeah, me too. I think back to when I was a little girl and I was in trouble for doing something or maybe I wasn’t telling the whole truth about a situation and my Mom and Dad knew it. They would say, “Lori Lee, look at me.” The moment I would look into their eyes, I was undone. Guilty as charged, whatever I had done had to come out! I could NOT look them in the eyes and not tell the truth. They saw right through me and loved me still. Another time I did not want to be seen, was actually a time that my husband and I had one of our biggest arguments ever. It was a doozy. We were not seeing eye to eye. I was done with the conversation, and did not want to look into his eyes in that moment. He didn’t give up and he wanted me to know he saw me. Behind my wall of anger and frustration, the truth was, I was afraid. I couldn’t hide that and he saw right through me and loved me still. INTO ME SEE. Intimacy, is knowing and being fully known. Even when we want to hide in shame or avoid being seen for who we have been or for who we really are, Jesus wants us to draw close to Him and look into His eyes. When we look into His eyes we are looking into the eyes of the Father. John 14:8-9 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Jesus had just washed the disciples feet in the upper room. Philip and all the disciples had walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus and saw Him do amazing things. They had been a part of His ministry. Yes, they had looked into the eyes of Jesus, but they didn’t fully see that they had looked into the eyes of God. The Father asks us the same question. Don’t you know me? Look me in the eyes and be known, be seen for all you are and all you are not and be loved. Are we guilty of walking with Jesus, talking with Jesus and doing all the things FOR Jesus, but NOT stopping each day to look into the eyes of Jesus? When I really stop and draw close to the Father, I see His love for me. I know Him more. He sees me and He knows me, every part. My guilt is revealed. I am undone. My wall of anger and frustration, over all the pain of my life and this broken world, crumbles. I am in awe of His holiness and my fears are driven out and my trust renewed as I see Him and He sees me and loves me still. The eyes of the Father are always on me, He just wants me to be still and know He IS God, draw near to Him daily and look into His eyes. That’s the truth. Drawing closer to the Father has nothing to do with what you DO for the Father. Today, look into the Father’s eyes. Be seen. Be loved and be renewed. I’m Lori Cline.

We should dwell on the peace of God rather than the turmoil of life’s trials.   #theloriclineshow   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Don’t you love a good pot luck? Church going folks LOVE a pot luck dinner. Isn’t it funny though that we don’t believe in luck, but still we call it a pot luck? Well the point is, everyone brings something! Bring a dish, any dish and we’ll put it all together and have a meal. And how many pot lucks have you gone to where there’s one too many green bean casseroles, buckets of fried chicken or store bought potato salad? It happens. Still everyone gets fed and blessed and who doesn’t love fried chicken? My husband and I have intentionally had people gather in our home for over twenty five years. Cell groups, small groups, villages, D groups, city groups or whatever you want to call them, we’ve gathered as the church in our home. It has been and continues to be a beautiful thing to study scripture, worship, pray over one another, share the joys and struggles of life together and of course break bread together within the walls of our home. A big part of every gathering is the food. We don’t leave that to luck! We all make clear who’s bringing what. What’s fun is discovering the special things people enjoy making and bringing to the table. Sometimes they become ‘known’ for that thing. Our friend Emily makes the most amazing home made sour dough bread. Tina’s breakfast casserole is a favorite. Mrs Sue’s pecan pie is like no other you’ve ever tried. My brother in law brings his famous potato salad. When we were living in Tennessee, my husband’s homemade mac and cheese was always a favorite. He made it just like his mama did. You know we can also be known for what we bring, when it comes to everyday life. What are you bringing, when you show up to the world each day? The moment you walk into the kitchen with your kids or your spouse, what are you bringing? Do you bring anxiety? Do you bring judgement or anger? Do you bring unforgiveness. When you head out into traffic, are you bringing frustration to the road? At work, do you bring pride, insecurity or maybe you bring no feelings at all, you’re just apathetic and would so rather go through your entire day not being bothered by anyone. This is a look in the mirror moment. What DO I bring to the table? You could ask your family or some trusted friends around you. How do you see me? How do you experience me? If you are a believer, do you realize the world around us doesn’t often like what Christians bring to the table? Sadly there are times we bring everything but Jesus. I’m afraid the love we are to be known for is more of an annoying, clanging cymbal kind of sound we read about in 1 Corinthians 13. We do all the things, yet we do not love. Let it begin with me. I want to be known by the love of Christ that compels me to put God first in my life and known for how I love my neighbor as myself. When I rest IN the love of Christ, the thing I will bring to this world, is SHALOM. Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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. 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Don’t let your mind be divided by the cares of this world or consumed with your own selfishness. May we daily lay our burdens down at Jesus’ feet and trust Him. As we set our heart and mind on good things, the peace of God protects us and is WITH us. When we live that way, what we bring, IS the SHALOM of Christ. That’s the truth. Peace be WITH you today, because when it is, it’s what you will bring to those around you and you’ll be known for it. That’s what the world is hungry for. I’m Lori Cline.

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

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

With the Holy Spirit, nothing we can face is impossible to overcome.   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   I’ve got spirit, yes I do, I’ve got spirit how about you? If your answer is a resounding no, no I do not have spirit, then maybe YOU need a pep rally! I love a good pep rally. Growing up I went to quite a few. One of the many hats my Dad wore was guidance counselor for our small town High School. He was in the middle of everything which meant a lot of times I was too. Friday night football games, homecoming parades and pep rallies are something special in a small town. We may have been small, but we had spirit! We were Lumberjacks for life and we bled black and gold. On Friday’s in the Fall, before a big game, we would gather in our highschool court yard for the pep rally. It was AWESOME. The band played the theme song from the movie Rocky, Gonna Fly Now. All the classes gathered, cheerleaders cheered, the football players were in their jerseys, rifles and flags were being thrown in the air and we were pumped up! We were ready to put the beat down on the other team, or at least have some fun trying. I miss those days. In this game of life, don’t we often need a good pep rally? Our feet hit the floor at the start of each new day and before we even move the proverbial ball forward, we get sacked, pushed back and time is running out on the clock. Even IF the brass section of the band belted out those classic first notes of ‘Gonna Fly Now’, it wouldn’t make one bit of difference. Game over. I’m done. I’m crawling off the field. I’m tired. If that’s you today, remember what is true. God is NOT done with you. The game is still ON. There’s a position on the field just for you. Even with all the challenges you may be facing, if you feel you’ve lost your spirit, your strength has failed you, the pom poms have left the field and no one is cheering you on, you’re still in the game. God has you in this quarter of life for a purpose, for such a time as this. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Paul begins this letter to the church in Philippi remembering them with joy and thanksgiving. He’s excited to think about all God has done, is doing and wants to do in their lives and through their church. He is pepping them up a bit. He’s cheering them on and reminding them there has never been the slightest doubt that God, who started a great work IN them, would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the day Jesus appears. That pep talk of truth is for you today as well. God’s not done with you. He gets excited thinking about you. He loves you so much. There is MORE for you, even if you’re in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. But Lori, I am tired. I can’t. I’m sidelined and limping and there is no way I can win. I thought you might say that, so here’s the other truth you need to hear. Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. When by grace through faith, you have placed your trust in Jesus, the SPIRIT of the living God dwells IN you. By THAT spirit and through His perfect strength, you can do anything God has for you to do. It’s more than you could ever ask for or imagine. That’s the truth! So let me ask it again this way, do you have THAT Spirit? With it, nothing is impossible, even if the game of life is tied and you’re down to the final seconds of the game, keep going. One day those trumpets will sound, how cool would it be if they played Gonna Fly Now?? I’m cheering you on! I’m Lori Cline.

When facing a dark road, we should rely on the light of God’s Word to guide us.   ~~~   Did the sun rise today? How do you know it did? Well for one, you can walk outside and see that it is in fact in the sky. There is light and it is good. There also is another reason to believe and know that the sun has risen. A dear friend of mine shared this with me recently. It comes from a quote by C.S. Lewis. “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: Not only because I see it, but because BY it, I see everything else.” - C.S. Lewis When the darkness of night comes, we can’t see everything. When the sun rises, what was once in the dark, unable to be seen, can be seen. We see the sun and we see everything else because of the light of the sun. This dear friend that shared this C.S. Lewis quote with me is walking through some darkness. Jesus is by her side, yet the road ahead is dark and unknown. The Lord is reminding her, He IS the light of the world. He IS lighting her path, even though at times she can’t see her steps. He is leading the way and she is following and trusting that He is in control. John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” If you too are walking through a dark season, be encouraged. Keep your eyes on Jesus and He will bring light to your circumstance. Seek Him first through it and know He will never leave you and you do not walk through the dark valley you are walking through alone. You do not have to be afraid. In Christ, you HAVE the light of life and with that shining brightly, you can see everything you need to see. Job 12:22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light. Nothing that you have faced, are facing or will face in this life are outside of God’s reach. While we don’t understand it all on this side of heaven, living in this broken and sin filled world, we can know the eyes of our heavenly father are on us and His light is brighter than any darkness that comes our way. All darkness WILL be brought into the light. John 1:5 ​​The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Are you walking a dark road or maybe battling the spirits of darkness? Stand firm on the truth my friend is standing on. The darkness cannot stand against the light of God’s word. Psalm 119:105 ​​Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Next time you find yourself facing a dark road, forget the flashlight and grab your LIGHT. Don’t walk any road without it! The sun did rise today. I see it and because I do, I see everything else! What about you? Do you see Jesus? Do you believe? Put your faith in the light of the world. When you do, not only will you see His love for you, His grace and forgiveness over your life, you’ll see everything else. That’s the truth. This world is a dark place, but with the light we carry, it can’t stand a chance. Shine truth to those around you today. You might even start with the question, ‘did the sun rise today’? I’m Lori Cline.

If we are hoping for something that hasn’t come yet, we can trust God sees it.   ~~~   Do you believe things today are as they ought to be? If you’re on a beach somewhere with your toes in the sand and not a care in the world, you just might believe that. But even IF that is where you are, things still aren’t as they ought to be are they? We DO have so many cares in this world. We don’t have to look far to find pain. It’s in our own lives, in the lives of those around us and we see it everyday in our country and around the world. When my heart is overwhelmed with the truth that things are NOT as they ought to be, I remember 1 Peter 5:7 that says, ‘cast all your care on Him because He cares for you.’ We weren’t meant to carry the weight of this world. We can find rest as we lay ALL our cares down at the feet of Jesus. That’s the beauty of faith. Even when the world around us is falling apart, I am blessed. If you are IN Christ, you can claim that same blessing and promise. So even if things aren’t as they ought to be, it CAN be well with your soul and as it ought to be because you are IN Christ. He makes it right, even when it’s not. It’s a beautiful truth that is not based on what you see. It’s based on a HOPE that is found in what we cannot see. It’s faith’s promise. Things may not be as they should be now, but one day they will be and until then, it IS well with my soul. Faith’s promise is that one day things will be as they ought to be. So we walk by faith and look to the promises of God. He’s never not kept one by the way! Look at Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament. God promised them a son. God told Abraham in Genesis 15 to count the stars and if he COULD count them, that would be the number of his descendants! Do you know how long Abraham and Sarah waited for a child? A very long time. But the Bible tells us that Abraham believed in the Lord. He had faith, even when things weren’t as they ought to be. There was a time Abraham fell on his face and laughed about it all, Sarah laughed too, but thankfully they lived through that, and even though he was one hundred years old when Sarah conceived, God was faithful to His promise. Hebrews 11:12 ​​And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Abraham walked by faith. He laughed a little along the way, but still He believed. What are you believing for today that you aren’t seeing? Trust and know that God sees. His plan for your life IS good. His timing is perfect. His ways are SO above our own. We can’t see the big picture, but when we walk by FAITH and believe in the promises of God, we are BLESSED and in our heart, things ARE as they ought to be. Receive this blessing today and believe in the promises of God for your life. Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. This blessing of God’s people is called “the Aaronic benediction” asking God to delight in His people and show them favor. God’s favor leads to peace. This isn’t a life without pain, struggle, death or war, this is a heart that believes in a God who IS faithful to His promises even when things around us are not as they ought to be. That’s the truth. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you trust IN Him and walk each day, by faith. I’m Lori Cline.

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

Our Shepherd has prepared our way and will guide and comfort us through the ups and downs.   ~~~   Is the Lord your shepherd? If you’re tired of wandering and ready for complete peace and rest, follow Jehovah-Rohi. Rohi is the Hebrew word for shepherd. Jehovah-Rohi is one of the names of God. He is the Lord my shepherd. The Lord IS my shepherd. I gladly follow Him. Sometimes I try to go my own way, that never works great and I usually get stressed out. So back to His green pasture I go. In a previous season of my life I was a radio promoter. This was in the days before smartphones. We had blackberries, mobile phones, fax machines and no GPS. As a radio promoter I would promote Christian artists to Christian radio. Part of that job was taking artists all over the country to meet radio programmers and convince them to play my artist’s latest single. To prepare for a promotional tour required lots of planning and back then, printing out directions. Before a trip I had a folder full of directions. It was all on me to get us everywhere we needed to be. It was so much fun. It was also exhausting. Today you simply ask siri to tell you where to go and GPS tracks you the whole way there and tells you where the best restaurants are. I never think about directions like I did back then. I jump in the car, put in a destination and the GPS on my phone guides me. Life’s a breeze. Tracking your own way in life is exhausting. If you didn’t know it, you don’t have to do it anymore. There is a good shepherd that knows the best place to eat, the best place to get a cool drink and the best place to find rest. You don’t have to worry about all the things. He will lead you, you only need to follow. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. All the things in this life you used to worry about, you don’t have to anymore. The shepherd has it all laid out for you. The journey may get crazy, but He will guide you and comfort you. When you follow the shepherd, you’re never alone. And the cool thing is as you begin to follow Him here on earth, you dwell with Him here as you will in Heaven. How cool is that. The journey never ends, but you can rest because He’s got it all mapped out for you. And it’s full of goodness and love. That’s the truth. The Lord is my Shepherd. Jehovah-Rohi. I will follow Him and He will lead me wherever I need to go. I’m Lori Cline.

We should preach the truth in love and let the Holy Spirit do His work without judgment.   ~~~   What do planks, pigs and pearls all have in common? Jesus. Jesus referred to all three at a certain point in His sermon on the mount. In this section of His sermon He is doing two things. He is condemning judging others, while also speaking to the importance of discernment. They are two different things and both are very important. Jesus wants us to consider our own heart when it comes to both. Let’s look closer at what Jesus says about planks, pigs and pearls. Matthew 7:1-6 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Jesus is very clear. Do not judge. How you judge others is how you will be judged. Easy enough right? I wish. Friends, we start each day looking in the mirror, yet often we don’t see what is glaring back at us. We are blind to our own planks as we nitpick over the dust in our brother or sister’s eye. Let it begin with me. May we start each day with a posture of humility and openness to the spirit to reveal the planks we must FIRST remove. Only then, can we move toward our brother or sister to remove their speck. And before we remove a speck, how about we encourage what they’re doing right. Speak life and then that will open a door to receive correction in love. This makes me think of my girls. In the morning if one of them has something that is not right with their hair or makeup, they are quick to help each other. Let me get that, there is something not right. Let’s get that back in place. This, I believe, is the spirit of what I call ‘speck removal’. There IS a time and a place, but it must be from a heart of love and care, not judgment. We ladies call it straightening each other’s crown. It does more to build UP than tear DOWN. We should invite that kind of ‘speck removal’ and crown straightening. It’s the sharpening and refining process we all need to clear out and fix what we can’t see. That’s a beautiful thing that moves us toward maturity in Christ. So that’s the planks part, what about the pigs and pearls? That seems different than judging. Well, that’s where spiritual discernment comes in. We are called to tell the world about Jesus. We are not the judge, yet we are to go, tell and make disciples. How that message of truth is received is not up to us. If the truth and love of Jesus we have to give to the world, our pearls, are not welcome, we move on. We plant seeds and where they fall and if they root or not is beyond our control. We simply are called to love our neighbor, walk in obedience and be faithful to share the message. There are many that will deny the truth of Jesus. There are many that will not receive it. Love them and move on. You will never win a heart to Jesus through a debate. Let the Holy Spirit do its work. Speak and live out the priceless truth and hope we hold dear. If it is not received as such, then shake the dust off and know the Lord will lead you to hearts that are ready to hear. That’s the truth. Planks, pigs and pearls, oh my. The words and ways of Jesus are what we live by. When our hearts are aligned with His, the planks are obvious, the pearls are precious and the pigs are well, pigs. Walk on my friends. I’m Lori Cline.

When we recognize what God is calling us to do, we must pursue that calling.   ~~~   What are you pursuing? You might say you are pursuing your passion. Is pursuing your passion always a good thing? It depends on the heart behind it and the motivation. Is it rooted in the spirit or rooted in the flesh? There IS a big difference. For me, as a believer in Jesus, I am motivated by the spirit of the living God in me. No longer is it about my will and my way, it’s His will and His way for my life. I am not my own. I was created for a purpose for such a time as this. Here’s the cool part, that purpose, becomes my passion because I was gifted for it and designed to fulfill it. That’s the way God works. Oftentimes though, we get distracted. We get overwhelmed. We lose sight of what matters most and we clutter up our heart, life and home with things that lead us away from that passion and purpose. We settle for idols, cheap imitations and substitutes of God’s best for our life and as we pursue those things, we find ourselves lost. Thankfully God is a new morning mercy kind of God. His grace is sufficient and his love for me never fails. His desire is for me to know His will. In this season, when so many find themselves Spring cleaning and clearing out the clutter to move forward, I am taking steps to do the same. Pray. Purge. Pursue. These three steps have led me to be still and listen to where God is leading me to move forward in areas of my life. I’m doing more listening than speaking and if you know me, you know that’s not easy. But where I am weak, He is strong and I am leaning IN to hear God’s voice and be moved to ready myself for what He has for me. Pray and listen to what God wants to gently reveal to you. Purge and clean out what needs to be made new, pruned or thrown out of your life. Pursue with passion where God is leading you. Pursue is our last step. This is where we are confident of what God has spoken and we know the steps we are to take by faith and we are now at the starting block getting ready to run! Our feet are locked and loaded and the path is clear. Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Do you see the example of Jesus? Pray. Purge. Pursue. He listened to the Father. He spent time in prayer. He knew the Father’s will. He laid down His own. He ran the race that was set before Him, endured the cross and made a way for you and me. Even though the world may tell you different, this life is not about you. God created the world and knit you together in your mother’s womb for a purpose. That purpose rests completely IN Him. He has joy for you today and it is found when you pursue Him, because as you do, the path and purpose for your life becomes clear and you can’t help but pursue it with passion. That’s the truth. Don’t be overwhelmed in this season, do what I’m doing. Pray. Purge. Pursue. Joy isn’t found in doing all the things we should be doing, it’s found at the feet of Jesus. We listen for His voice, move by his leading and pursue the plans He has for us. Let’s ready ourselves for the race we were created to run. I’m Lori Cline.

We must ask God to purge our lives of the sins that draw us away from Him.   ~~~   What is God leading you to in this season? Where is He wanting to mold you? Are there areas of your life and heart that need a clean out? It is Spring. What work needs to be done now that will lead to making room for growth and good fruit down the road? While I love the idea of Spring cleaning, I do not want to do the Spring cleaning. That is in a way what led me to seek the Lord in this season and it really doesn’t have much to do with vacuuming or dusting. I’ve simply been overwhelmed. I know many of you can relate. As I have taken inventory of my life, home and heart, and all the things that seem obvious that I NEED to do, I’ve been stuck in ways, not even knowing where to begin. That’s when God gave me the words pray, purge and pursue. Instead of getting stuck in a cycle of what I should be doing, my heart is seeking what the Lord wants to LEAD me to do. One way is full of shame and guilt while the other is full of grace and is an open invitation to move closer to who God wants me to be and the plans He has for me. We began last time with pray. If you missed it you can find it at Lifeword.org, but to recap a bit, we’re asking God to lead us to the things and areas of our life and heart that need attention. Pray till you pray, is the first step and words are not required. The purpose of the ‘pray’ step is to be still and know God wants to move you closer to His heart and will for your life in every area. So listen and see where He leads you. The next step we are looking at today is PURGE. We begin with prayer. Once God reveals our area of focus, it’s time to purge. Now when I think of purge I think of the physical act of cleaning OUT. Get rid of it. And in fact, that may be what God wants you to do. To purge is to cleanse, purify or remove. When you have the urge to purge, you act quickly! I love that! For me, this is where the spirit comes in. Where I am weak, thank God He is strong. I can lean on the Lord to give me the strength to follow through with any action of obedience the Lord moves me to take. (2 Corinthians 2:10) I will never have the urge to do things that aren’t easy, but in His strength, I can do all things! What this step looks like for you will be different from what it may look like for me. Ask God to reveal your step forward and then to give you the urge or desire to take it! Where and what do we need to purge? God will reveal it. We can look to Psalm 51 as an example. David’s sin was revealed and instead of sweeping it under the rug or ignoring it, he responded, took action and brought it to the Lord. Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. God revealed what needed to be cleaned out in David’s heart. David responded with repentance and surrender. He wanted to have the sin cut out and his life made new. He moved closer to God through the process. We can do the same whatever that looks like. Be still and listen to His voice. By faith, you can throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. (Hebrews 12:1) You can cut out what is dead in your life and prune back areas of growth to produce more fruit. (John 15:2) You can take an honest inventory of where your treasure has been and realign your heart to what matters most. (Matthew 6:19-21) Wherever God leads us, those are the steps we can take to respond. That’s the truth. We pray then we purge. God reveals and we respond. It’s Spring cleaning that goes beyond the surface. Next time we’ll move beyond the purge to PURSUE what God has in store. Join me at lifeword.org. I’m Lori Cline.

We should be constantly praying with the knowledge that God knows our need before we ask.   ~~~   Now that it’s Spring, what do many of us find ourselves doing on a sunny afternoon? Spring cleaning! Ok, maybe I should have rephrased that and asked, ‘what SHOULD many of us be doing’? Yes, it’s time for Spring cleaning, but to be honest, if I have a free sunny afternoon, the last thing I want to do is clean. But, there IS something about coming out of winter, with all its cold and dark days, into the beauty and warmth of Spring. You do want to throw the windows open, let the fresh air in, whistle while you work and allow all the woodland creatures to come clean your home like they did for Cinderella! Oh if only that could happen. If you’re like me in this season, honestly, I’m overwhelmed. Maybe you can relate. My heart is still mourning the loss of my Dad, we’ve had many losses around us, people are hurting and life hasn’t slowed down for any of it. In fact, I think it sped up! Now hear me, I am blessed through it all. God’s grace and mercy IS new for me every morning and His goodness is all over my life, still it’s a lot at times. My heart is embracing the beauty of lament and I do find myself praising through the storms. Still, in that place, I’ve felt stuck when it comes to the things I SHOULD be doing, like Spring cleaning! With an honest heart, I wanted to share with you what God has gently led me to in this season, to take some steps forward in areas that I find it difficult to move. It’s three steps. Pray. Purge. Pursue. Write those down if you feel led to. Pray. Purge. Pursue. We can journey together. I’ll dig deeper into each one over the next 3 broadcasts. The thing is, in any season, God wants us to know Him more. He wants us to abide deeper in His presence and as we do, the light of truth shines bright on areas of our lives that may need some attention. As the spirit of God REVEALS, we then are moved to take steps of obedience as we RESPOND to His leading. Then the beautiful thing is our movement or action steps aren’t rooted in comparison, shame or defeat. Our steps are a response to an invitation to move closer to healing, closer to health, closer to God’s will for our lives and ultimately closer to who God has called us to be for such a time as this. So, if you’re ready to join me in this season to take some steps forward, whatever that looks like for you, we begin today with prayer. The first step is to pray till you pray. Make time. Get quiet. Be still. Shut out distractions and take some deep breaths. This is the most important step. If you miss this, you’re motives and movements can be way off. Don’t look to what the world or social media says you need to be doing in this season. What does God say? Psalm 46:10 says ‘be still, and know that I am God’. To hear God’s voice, we must still our own and others. This is the primary focus of the first step. Silence the noise and wait on the Lord to reveal the areas of your heart, life and home that may need attention. Your heart may need time to open. That’s ok too. Words aren’t required when we pray. The spirit intercedes for us, Romans 8:26 tells us and I’m so glad. Often I have no words and I think that’s where God wants us to begin. Just be still. Jesus invites us to come and find rest. In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus gives us His example in how to pray. I love the Lord’s prayer, but it’s the verse right before it that in this season, moves my heart. Matthew 6:7-8 ​​And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you pray till you pray. No words are required, simply a heart open to hear. And if you know me I love words, but God is gently reminding me, I don’t have to even speak. My Father knows what I need before I even ask. Pray. It’s the first step. Your Father already knows what you need, and the process of prayer and listening to His voice is what allows Him to reveal it to you. That’s the truth. God is very present and He wants you to know what steps to take in this season. Be still. Know He is good and He has a good plan for your life and He has good steps for you to take today. Take this first step with me and pray. Together we’ll discover what comes next. I’m Lori Cline.

When we cannot change our circumstances, Jesus is still there to comfort us.   ~~~   What is something you wish so desperately you could change, right now, but you cannot? If you’re like me, I have a mile long list. It’s a crazy feeling isn’t it? This isn’t right. I want to make it right. This wasn’t supposed to be this way. How can I fix this? This is not how my story was to be written. What can I do to change it? Is there a REDO button for this day or this chapter of life? When life doesn’t turn out like we expected or the big waves almost knock us down, we all must come to a place we simply understand that we are NOT in control. It’s that ‘throw your hands in the air’ moment of surrender. Broken moments, broken chapters, broken pieces of our lives that are beyond our control, are the very moments God uses to remind us, He IS our only hope. He is the ONE who holds it all together and no matter how many pieces there may be to our life, He is the only one who can put them back together in a way we would have never imagined. He is there, IN every moment, wanting to carrying us through it. How does a child let you know they want to be carried? They put their hands in the air. We must do the same. We come to a place where we accept the reality that we can’t, and God can. When we rest in that, there is peace. Are you familiar with the serenity prayer? It’s a prayer to God asking for calmness and peace in all matters of life. It was written by Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr and promoted and published in the nineteen thirties and forties. There are two versions and I want to read you both. The short version is this, O God grant me... the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference, Amen. The full version reads like this, God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. The line that makes me smile is, ‘so I may be reasonably happy in this life’. There are things we can’t change and there are things we can. What I love about this prayer is it is full of surrender, while at the same time accepting responsibility. God calls us to water walk in seasons and He also calls us to be carried. My prayer is that whatever any day may hold that I always know who holds it. Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Jesus holds me together, ever single day. I’m so grateful He does. Whether you choose to trust Him or not, He holds you too. He is IN it all and working through it all for your good. Believing that brings peace and accepting what we cannot change, is serenity. That’s the truth. If you’re struggling with what you cannot control, trust Jesus with it. One day all things will be made right, but until that day, we walk, rest and move by faith and find peace only when WE let go. I’m Lori Cline.

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

Our faith must grow and mature as we walk in our relationship with Christ.   ~~~   Do you have a green thumb? I like to think I do. I mean I love plants and over the years I’ve had many. Some of them have done really well and others, not so much. I love the beauty of plants. I love the health benefits of having plants. One plant, or tree, I currently have is a ten foot fiddle leaf fig I named Felix. I’ve had Felix the fiddle leaf now for almost ten years and overall he’s done great, but in this season, he’s looking a little rough. If you’ve ever owned a fiddle leaf fig, you know they are quite moody. They actually like to be ignored, but don’t neglect them. They need filtered sun, but not direct sun because they’ll burn. They like being root bound, but don’t let their roots sit in water for too long. They’re complicated, but when the conditions are just right, they thrive, grow tall and are beautiful. We’re not much different are we? We can be oh so complicated, but when the conditions are right, we thrive, grow and become something beautiful. What does any plant need to survive? It’s really comes down to three things, soil, water and sun. A seed is just a seed until it’s buried in the soil, watered by the rain and strengthened by the sun. What was dead, is brought to life. There is so much potential in one little seed. I love the Spring because what was planted in the Fall is now blooming and what will be planted now will bear fruit in the season to come. Faith is like that. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, that little seed of faith should be growing. But just like any seed or young plant, you need things to nurture your faith so it will grow strong roots and mature into something beautiful. In the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew 13, Jesus uses the example of one of the smallest seeds and how THAT is like the kingdom of heaven. When planted, it grows, thrives and over time gives shelter and shade for all around it. Matthew 13:31-32 ​​He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” We are saved by grace alone, through faith. That tiny seed of faith is meant to grow! As it does, not only am I stronger but those around me experience the beauty and peace of God through the spiritual growth in my life. Deep roots and strong branches of a mature faith encourage others, give rest, bring shalom and strength for those on their journey. That’s how the body of Christ works! We comfort one another. We spur one another on. We grow stronger together as one body. The kingdom of heaven is made up of small seeds of faith planted in us. Those seeds of faith are meant to grow UP out of the weeds of this life to mature into mighty oaks of righteousness we read about in Isaiah 61:3. As we grow, no matter the storms or winds of this life, we are not moved or shaken. A mighty oak takes years to grow from a seed, so our hearts and lives take time to mature IN Christ. I think the question we can call ask is, “are we growing in our faith?” Spending time in prayer, digging into God’s word, being sharpened and encouraged by other believers, serving and building UP the body with our gifts are all things you need to grow in any season. Go read Ephesians chapter 4 and then James chapter 1. Those are great places to see where YOU are on the growth chart. There are marks of a mature believer just as there are marks of one that is immature or doesn't know Christ at all. The fruit is always evident. The good news is that wherever YOU are today, all it takes is a seed of faith for you to begin to grow. That’s the truth. What do you need in this season? Add more Jesus and I guarantee something beautiful will begin to grow. I’m Lori Cline.

We cannot see the truth of who Jesus is unless He opens our eyes.   ~~~   Are you prepared to see it? You’ll need these glasses! It’s being called an extremely rare astronomical event and it’s happening in just a few days! I’m talking about the great North American total solar eclipse that will occur on April 8th. Now while yes, we do see annual eclipses, this one is special for many reasons that are WAY over my head. You can dig deeper into the fascinating timing and geometry of it all, but just know it will be something special to experience and millions in North America will have the opportunity to see it. In fact, areas that will be in the “path of totality”, as they call it, will be flooded with tourists wanting to see it first hand. But, to see it, you must be prepared. It is NEVER safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection designed and approved for solar viewing. If you do, you could cause permanent damage to your retinas. To see the eclipse safely, you will need solar viewing glasses or if you want to simply watch the shadow, you can use a pinhole projector or a colander from your kitchen. You see the fact is, there are steps you must take to be able to fully see and experience what will take place in the sky this month. If you don’t follow those steps, you won’t see it. Often there is a process to really seeing and understanding what it is you’re seeing. I couldn’t help but think of when Jesus healed a blind man. This healing is only recorded in the book of Mark and what I love about how it unfolds is that there was a process to this blind man being made to fully see. Mark 8:22-25 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. This man was blind. He couldn’t see anything. He was brought to Jesus. There was a bit of a process to him gaining his sight. Jesus took him by the hand. He, without seeing, followed. At first his vision was a bit blurry. He could only partly see. Then after another touch from Jesus, he saw everything, clearly. Isn’t that interesting. This was no accident. Everything Jesus did and the way He did it had meaning and purpose. This mans sight came in stages. He didn’t see clearly at first. Isn’t that just like the disciples. They were so close to Jesus. He revealed himself as messiah in so many ways, still they didn’t fully see or understand until His resurrection. Only Jesus has the power to open our eyes to see our need for Him OR to see where we have been blind in our own eyes. The blind man absolutely knew he was blind, but what he didn’t see was his need for Jesus until his eyes were opened. It’s no accident you are seeing this today. You’ve been brought face to face with truth. The question is, are you prepared to see it? Jesus wants to open your eyes so you can look up and clearly see your need for a savior OR maybe see areas in your life where you’ve been blinded by sin. Take the steps you need to take right now to see clearly. Jesus is waiting to show you what you’ve been missing. That’s the truth. Don’t miss this opportunity. Like the rare total solar eclipse that will take place, this may be the day God has prepared your heart and eyes to see where you’ve been blind. I’m Lori Cline.

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

The plan God put in place from the beginning was to save a broken and dying world.   ~~~   When was the last time you really prayed? I love the phrase, pray till you pray. When I pray till I pray, that’s when I REALLY pray. That kind of prayer is not a quick, ‘thank you God for this day’, followed by a ‘please Jesus let that light turn green’, on the way to work. Now while those are fine too, time spent with the Father is intentional and takes… well, time. I love the example we have in Jesus. Time with the Father wasn’t optional for Him. It was vital, like breathing. He prayed after being baptized. He prayed all night before calling His disciples, after healing people, before trips, early in the mornings, before feeding the five thousand, in front of Jewish leaders and for 40 days in the desert. He was in constant communion with the Father. I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and that’s how we see Jesus pray. It’s a life lived OUT in and through prayer as we move through our moments and our days. Every moment IS holy and God is with us and wants to guide us through each one. There is divine purpose in our days, and prayer slows us down to recognize it. All this month at Lifeword.org I’ve been looking closer at the words of Jesus. Today I wanted to focus more on His prayers and the one specifically we find in John 17. The time is close at hand for Jesus’ betrayal and arrest. In this chapter, which is a part of what is known as the Upper Room Discourse, we see Jesus wrap things up with a prayer. He prays for himself, His Disciples and all who will believe. I want to highlight three parts of this prayer. As Jesus prays for Himself, He knows the time has come and in these moments He confirms the calling and mission that was set before Him. John 17:3-4 ​​Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Jesus’ work and life on earth was coming to an end. The cross was before Him and in this time with the Father he states again the will and WAY of the Father. His will is that we spend eternity with Him. The way is Jesus and the work has been done. Jesus then prays for His disciples, His friends. They have been faithful to the word and they have believed. He prays for their unity, joy and protection from evil. John 17:16-18 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. His prayer for the disciples was a reminder there is more to come and that they stay on the path of truth. The next phase of God’s plan was about to unfold and they would carry the gospel forward from here. Then He prays for me. Yep, He had me on His mind. If you believe, the last part of chapter 17 is for you as well. His desire is for God to be glorified through OUR lives as WE walk in unity, love and follow His ways. He ends His prayer for us with these words. John 17:26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. Through Jesus, I am KNOWN by the Father. How deep and wide is the Father’s love for us? He loved us so much He sent His son Jesus so we might be saved and KNOW Him. That same love of God is in me. His spirit abides in me and I am His and He is mine. How beautiful the words of our savior to the Father on our behalf before carrying out the final mission and plan on the cross. Remember, the plan God put in place before the earth was even formed, was to redeem a broken and dying world. Jesus came to bring peace. He came to die. You were on His mind. I was on His mind. He interceded for us then and he intercedes for us now and His desire is for us to know Him and make Him known. That’s the truth. Pray till you pray today and be known and loved by the Father. I’m Lori Cline.

If Jesus doesn’t cost us anything, the life we’re living may be lost.   ~~~   Did Jesus come to bring peace? He did say, blessed are the peacemakers. The prophet Isaiah said he would be called the Prince of Peace. Peace I leave with you, peace I give you, peace be still, are all words Jesus spoke. On the night of His birth, the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. Ephesians 2:14 says ‘for He Himself is our peace’. Yes, Jesus came to bring peace. Jesus made a way for mankind to be made RIGHT with God. Without Jesus we are enemies of God. (Romans 5:10) The sin that separated us was atoned for, paid for and made right, on the cross. The cross alone made the way for PEACE with God. Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. I am so thankful for the cross. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection changed everything. Only Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, could take away the sins of the world. Peace with God, through faith in Jesus, is now for all who will believe. See John 3:16. Jesus did come to bring peace, but look around, are we at peace? Watch the news tonight and then tell me if our world is at peace. Bring up politics, religion or the injustices of the world in a crowded room and let me know how peaceful that discussion goes. It seems there is more division than peace. Well, Jesus brings that too. Matthew 10:34-39 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Wait a minute, that’s not MY Jesus! Friend, if the Jesus someone has been selling you doesn’t include this truth, you need a new truth dealer. Better yet, seek and know for yourself. So what DOES Jesus mean here? He’s bringing a sword. Households are divided. To follow Him you gotta carry your cross and to find your life you must lose it? That’s not very zen! In this chapter, Jesus is sending out the twelve apostles. It’s about to get real. They will be sheep among wolves. They will be teaching, healing and persecutions are coming. He is preparing them for the immediate task at hand as well as the future challenges ahead. One big challenge they would face and we face today, is the COST of following Jesus. Choosing to follow Jesus then and now requires total SURRENDER. Following Jesus means His way over yours. Following Jesus means He is ruler of your life. Following Jesus means dying to your way and following His. THAT kind of surrender to Jesus brings DIVISION. That kind of surrender to Jesus in certain parts of the world brings death. That’s what Jesus was preparing his followers for. What does it mean for us today? If following Jesus hasn’t COST you anything, then the life you’re living, may very well be LOST. That’s the truth. Following Jesus will cost you, but it’ll never compare to the price He paid for you. I’m Lori Cline.