Category: transitions

Cheerleaders, Not Competitors

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Competition has no place in the Kingdom of God. It’s not a principle of Heaven, and it’s certainly not the posture of a heart that understands who God is and what He’s building.

When I spent weeks blogging and podcasting about seasons of transition, I kept returning to this principle: whether you are the incoming leader or the outgoing leader, you are not the comparison—you are the cheerleader. However, this principle applies to every single person in the body of Christ. If you are serving Jesus, you are serving the Body – not creating competition within it.

Think about what comparison does. It isolates. It fuels insecurity. It says, “If you succeed, there’s less for me.” Let me remind you, friend: that is a lie straight from the enemy. God is not limited. Someone else’s blessing does not diminish your portion. If anything, it should remind you of the greatness of the Giver. There is no place for a scarcity mentality here.

When we forget this, we start comparing, striving, and even resenting what God is doing in someone else. There’s some red flags there, so hold up – Scripture reminds us over and over that we are one body. A hand should not work against another hand. An elbow should not oppose an eyeball. A shoulder should not trip up a toe. Each part matters. Each part plays a role. The body can only function properly when each part works together in unity.

Cheerleaders, on the other hand, celebrate progress and victory—whether or not they are the ones holding the trophy. They wave the banner of encouragement, not envy. They make noise for someone else’s moment, knowing that when one part of the body thrives, the entire body benefits.

Luke 5 paints this picture beautifully. When Jesus told Peter to put his nets back into the water after an exhausting, fishless night (is fishless a word? you get me!), the catch was so large that the nets began to break. What was Peter’s first reaction? Did he say, “I’ve got to keep this all to myself”? No. Scripture says he signaled for his partners in the other boat to come and help (Luke 5:6-7).

What God was doing for Peter was not just about Peter. It was about blessing others. It was about enlarging the circle of provision and letting the miracle overflow into other people’s boats.

That is how Kingdom success works. It’s never all about you. If God has given you a gift, a platform, or an opportunity, He’s given it not just to you—but through you—for the body of Christ. When someone else in ministry receives a breakthrough, launches a new program, publishes a book, grows their platform, or leads someone to Christ, it is not a threat to you. It is a reason to celebrate!

We live in a culture that often measures value by visibility and success by numbers. But Kingdom work isn’t measured that way. When one church thrives, the Kingdom advances. When another leader has a fruitful season, heaven rejoices. When heaven rejoices, that;’s our cue to rejoice as well!

Paul makes this clear in Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” This is not a suggestion—it is a command. A Christlike posture sees another’s success and says, “Thank You, Lord, for what You are doing in them—and through them—for all of us.”

Psalm 84 gives us another glimpse of God’s design for His people: “They go from strength to strength; till each appears before God in Zion” (v. 7). Notice the wording: they go—not he or she, but they. The psalmist is painting a picture of a people on pilgrimage together, drawing strength not just from God, but from one another, until every single one of them reaches the destination.

When I imagine standing before the Lord at the end of my race, I don’t want to come empty-handed or with a spirit of rivalry. I want to arrive arm in arm, hand in hand, raising up my brothers and sisters, celebrating what God has done in all of us. I want to know that I spent my life building others up—not tearing them down, not comparing, not competing—but cheering until the very end.

The beautiful truth about following Christ is that this is not a race where only one person wins. There are no podiums in heaven—only crowns laid at the feet of Jesus. We are all running toward the same finish line, all pursuing the same glory—His glory.

Friend, refuse to engage in competition within the body of Christ. Let’s cheer one another on with every ounce of faith and joy we have. When we finally stand before the Lord, my prayer is that we’ll be together—arm in arm, hand in hand—celebrating the goodness of God in all of us. Truth belongs to the Lord. Every gift, calling, or opportunity He places in our hands is not for our glory, but for the benefit of the body of Christ – and when we share joyfully, we share a treasure! ❤

In the Gap: Holding On Between the Storm and the Rescue

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This morning, I’ve been thinking about a promise from Jesus that doesn’t usually make it onto Instagram feeds or coffee mugs. It’s not the one we highlight with glittery pens or turn into wall art, but it is a promise—and it’s one that speaks to real life:

“In this world you will have tribulation.” John 16:33 (NKJV)

Tribulation. Storms. Struggle.

“Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word.” Psalm 148:7–8 (NKJV)

These aren’t the moments we rush to post online. We tend to reserve our social media feeds for the highlights—the celebrations, the breakthroughs, the pretty parts of the journey. But what about the fire? The hail? The stormy wind?

Even the stormy wind fulfills His word. That’s hard to grasp sometimes. We believe God is with us in the peaceful places—but what about when life gets loud and chaotic? What about when we’re tossed around by disappointment, uncertainty, or waiting?

The Bible never promises a life free of storms. But it does promise purpose in them and presence through them. Storms don’t disqualify you from God’s promises. They may, in fact, be the very setting where those promises are forged more deeply into your soul.

Scripture also says this:

“The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NKJV)

The end is better than the beginning. But what about the middle?

What about that awkward, stretched-out space between where we started and where we hope to end up? What about the gap?

There’s often a long and confusing distance between the first step of obedience and the moment of breakthrough. Between the letting go and the stepping in. Between the storm and the rescue.

That in-between space is hard.

It’s tempting to question the path, doubt the decision, or wonder if we’ve missed something. But more often than not, the gap is exactly where God is growing our faith.

Maybe you’re in that space today. You said “yes” to something God placed in your heart. You followed His leading. You obeyed. But now… things feel quiet. Or messy. Or painful. Or like nothing is happening at all.

If that’s you, I want to encourage you: the gap is not evidence of God’s absence. It’s an invitation to deeper trust.

Jesus didn’t stop at “you will have tribulation.” He continued with confidence and compassion:

“But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

He reminds us that we’re never alone. Not in the joy and not in the struggle. Not at the finish line and not in the wilderness. He has already overcome—and that changes everything.

This morning, a friend texted me a verse she’s been holding onto—a “light at the end of the tunnel” kind of promise. It immediately lifted something in my spirit, and I want to share it with you, too:

“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” Psalm 112:4 (KJV)

Light in the darkness.

What a beautiful phrase. Not just light after the darkness. Light in it.

God doesn’t wait for the storm to end to show up. He doesn’t wait for you to figure it out before offering His compassion. He is gracious and kind and righteous—right in the middle of your mess.

The gap doesn’t mean you’re lost.

It doesn’t mean the story is over.

It just means you’re in the middle.

The middle matters more than we often realize. It’s where character is shaped. It’s where trust is refined. It’s where you learn not just to believe in God’s promises—but to believe in His heart.

If you find yourself in a waiting season today, I want you to know:

You are not behind. You are not overlooked. You are not forgotten. You are simply between the beginning and the breakthrough. The storm may still be raging, but the Lord is still speaking. The fire may be refining, but His compassion is still surrounding. The path may feel uncertain, but His presence is steady and sure.

So hang in there, friend. You don’t need to see the whole map to trust the One who wrote it. You don’t need the full ending to rest in the Author of your story. You don’t need a picture-perfect update to prove that God is working.

He is working – and when the light arises you’ll see how deeply He’s been present in the process all along.

So if you’re in the gap today—between the step and the arrival, between the storm and the rescue—take heart. You’re not alone. You’re not empty. You’re not forgotten. And you’re not alone – I’m here with you.

You’re walking with the One who has already overcome – and that is a promise, a treasure, worth holding on to ❤

little treasures :)

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Among all the other changes and life events, we moved about three years ago.  Not to a new town, just a new house.  With all the “babies” grown and moved out, I guess it was time to downsize. In my dining room, I have these floating shelves above my sideboard, super cute.  I love to decorate them with my favorite things.  After having so much fun decorating them for Christmas, I decided I would do a subtle little “nod” to Valentines – I put out my paternal grandmother’s formal china with its little pink rosebuds, got a few pink things from Hobby Lobby and Target (and even had a Valentines dinner for some friends with pink chargers!).  Fun! (oh how Mama Annie would love it too, seeing her dishes so loved!)

   

Since Christmas and Valentines Day were so much fun, I decided a little “nod” to St Patrick’s Day would be fun too, so off to my favorite shops I went!  Turns out, St Patrick’s day is not subtle…. everything I saw was pretty “loud”, sparkly, not the little “hint” of shamrocks I had hoped for, but then I remembered: my little Irish girl! Can we take a little rabbit trail together? 


My maternal grandmother collected music boxes.  Lots of them, shelves and shelves, boxes and boxes.  I loved playing with them when I was small. Some were very large, some were very expensive, but all of them were out – she didn’t mind when we played them. This little Irish girl plays “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”, but have your earplugs handy when I start her up – she’s so out of tune, it will give you a headache when she plays. Her dress is cracked, someone glued her back together long before I was around. Her paint is worn off in places.   I have very specific memories of this one when I was small – every time I got down the music boxes, I made sure she was one of them. I remember feeling sorry for her, thinking that no one would play with her because she was broken and didn’t play a pretty tune.  I always thought no one would want her, so I made sure to give her some attention when I visited.  Isn’t it funny the things were think when we are young?

When my grandmother passed away, my mother, aunts and uncle asked the grandchildren if there was anything in the house we would like.  I don’t think anyone objected when I requested the little Irish girl, and I was so pleased to bring her to my house. Today, she was the perfect “nod” to St Patrick’s Day for my floating shelf.  I decided to display my maternal grandmother’s china along with her music box – it might not be “St Patrick’s Day official”, but it makes me smile.  It makes me remember.   (oh how Super Nana would have loved this too!)

You know, these little treasures – china and chargers and music boxes – all contain little lessons. Titus 1:15 says, “To the pure, all things are pure”. I think this means that God can speak to me in everything if I focus my attention on Him, let my desire for His truth be the filter through which He speaks to me. So, today the lesson is about a broken, out of tune, faded out, old music box.

She doesn’t sparkle. She doesn’t sing sweetly. She doesn’t work quite right. Her dress is cracked. But she’s still treasured – not because of how well she performs, but because of who she belonged to, and the memories she holds. I don’t love her because she’s perfect—I love her because she belonged to my grandmother and now she belongs to me.

And isn’t that just like the Lord?

We may be cracked. Our song may be off-key. We may feel forgotten, or passed over, or patched together one too many times. Even in our imperfections, God chooses us. Loves us. Delights in us. Simply because we are His.

Psalm 22:30 says, “Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord” (NLT). I want to be the kind of woman who tells. Who shares. Who puts broken music boxes on the shelf and pink chargers on the table and celebrates every season of life, because every one is a gift. I want to be a bridge between generations—passing down beauty and brokenness, faith and joy, love and legacy.

And in this way, even my little broken Irish girl becomes a treasure ❤

Sweat and Sunscreen and Generational Blessings

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“I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.”  Genesis 17:7

My two-year-old grandson and I love SeaWorld. At this stage in his life, we see it more as a zoo than a theme park. We love to stroll the paths, admire the aquariums, and see the animals above and below the water. He especially loves the shows. He loves the orcas, sharks, Elmo’s train…. He has a lot of favorites, and that makes life with him so much fun!

Last week, I invited his dad/my son to join us for the day. As we sat together at the orca show (his favorite!), my grandson crawled up into my lap. I kissed the top of his head, breathing in that familiar mix of sweat and sunscreen, the universal cologne of little boyhood. Suddenly, I was transported back in time to when his dad was two years old and snuggled in that same spot. That weight, that warmth, that love, that memory brought tears of joy to my eyes.

Watching my grown son hold his son’s hand as they walked through the shark tank (oh wait – the sharks are his favorite!), or laughing as he crammed his 6’4” frame into a tiny seat on Elmo’s train (that’s also his favorite, LOL!), I was struck with gratitude—not just for the sweetness of the moment, but for the enduring goodness of God from one generation to the next.

The promises of God are not limited by age or time. Genesis 17:7 speaks of God’s everlasting covenant—not just with Abraham, but with his descendants. This is the beauty of generational faith: God doesn’t just call me to follow Him—He invites my children, my grandchildren, and their children after them.

We’re not saved by bloodline, of course, but there is an incredible grace in seeing the thread of God’s faithfulness continue through the generations. Psalm 145:4 declares, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” There is no greater joy than watching your children carry on the faith you’ve labored to live out.  One day, God willing, I’ll see my grandson begin to walk that same path.

“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done.” Psalm 78:4

If we embrace this season with joy, we’ll discover its own special anointing. We become the storytellers of the family faith. That’s my call, and yours: to speak life into the next generation—not just through Bible stories, but through our own testimonies. Tell them about the time God provided when I had nothing. Share how He healed, how He carried me through heartbreak, how He surprised me with peace when it made no sense. These aren’t just stories—they’re spiritual inheritance.

Holding my grandson, watching him gaze at his dad with adoration, I felt it deeply: this is what blessing looks like. Not just health or happiness or financial security, but the continuity of love and faith. My grandson is just the cherry on top!

“Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.” Joel 1:3

There’s something profoundly holy about watching your grown child parent their own child with gentleness, laughter, and strength. It’s a glimpse of God’s faithfulness—not only in your own life, but in theirs. (Since this post is so personal anyway, I’ll just continue: I’m in awe watching my son and daughter-in-love parent. They are excellent, and their children are surely blessed).

Faith passed down becomes more than memory. It transforms from something we talk about to something we live out, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. From the stroller at SeaWorld to the altar at church, from Elmo’s train to the truths of Scripture, every moment is an opportunity to pass along something eternal.

“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:21

I’ve been in a season of transition, and know from experience that transitions can be hard. Watching the years unfold brings tears and joy in equal measure. However, these transitions in my family have been a joy and ease: my son becoming a husband, then a dad, me becoming a GiGi. What a joy to hold a child in your arms and know that the God who held you all these years is now holding them, too.

To tell of God’s mighty works, and to declare that His mercy truly endures from generation to generation – that’s my treasure today and I am taking it all in! ❤

Where Are You?

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 “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8

Genesis 3 has a very familiar history – even if you quit your “bible in a year” reading plan, you most likely made it to Genesis 3 at least! Adam and Eve disobey the Lord. When God comes to the garden, Adam and Eve hear Him and attempt to hide from Him in their shame. 

That question in Genesis 3:8 always catches me. God is calling to Adam, but it’s not because He doesn’t know where Adam is hiding. This isn’t a case of “I lost track of you.” It’s more like: “Adam, do you realize where you’ve ended up? Do you know how far you’ve drifted?”

It’s a sobering moment. And to be honest, it hits a little close to home sometimes.

Have you ever had one of those “where am I?” moments in life—not physically, but spiritually? Perhaps you looked up one day and thought, “This isn’t where I thought I’d be. This isn’t who I intended to become”. Sometimes it’s subtle. You’re still serving, still showing up, still saying all the right words. But internally? You feel a little off-track. A little lost. A little… somewhere else.

Let’s settle this up front: God knows exactly where you are. Hebrews 4:13 reminds us, “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

There’s not a thought you’ve had, a step you’ve taken, or a secret pain you carry that He hasn’t seen. He is not confused about your location or your situation. But sometimes—like with Adam—He asks you to think about it. He invites you to pause and evaluate: Where am I, really? Am I walking with Him… or hiding behind something?

We’re not talking about self-condemnation or self-indulgence.. This isn’t about spiraling into guilt or chasing perfection. It’s about simply and humbly coming before God with an open heart and asking: Father, am I still on the path You set for me?

  • Am I obeying what You asked me to do?
  • Am I still growing, or just going through the motions?
  • Am I clinging to comfort when You’ve called me to courage?

Sometimes we can get so caught up in doing things for God that we forget to walk with Him. Ministry, leadership, even devotion can become routine if we’re not intentional. And before long, we can be physically present but spiritually off course.

Think about a GPS for a second. If you take a wrong turn, it doesn’t shame you. It doesn’t yell, it doesn’t call us names. It simply says: “Recalculating.”

In love, the Holy Spirit does the same. He gently prompts us back to center. The real question isn’t “Does God know where I am?” The real question is “Do I know where I am in relation to Him?”

  • Are you following closely behind Him, even when the path is narrow?
  • Are you hanging back, afraid of what’s ahead?
  • Are you running ahead, trying to lead the way?
  • Are you sitting down on the side of the road, discouraged and unsure if you even want to keep going?

If you feel off-track today, here’s the good news: God is still calling. The same voice that called out to Adam is calling to you. He’s not calling in anger. He’s not waiting to lecture you. He’s offering you an invitation to walk with Him again, to realign with His heart and His purposes specifically for you. Even when we are off-track, that knowledge of His character should give us peace.

That question—“Where are you?”—isn’t about punishment. It’s about restoration. It’s an opportunity. A chance to recognize where you are, so He can lead you where you’re meant to go. He knows the path, even when you can’t see the next step – and it’s a treasure when we let the Lord take the lead!

Are You Receiving a Sabbath?

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God includes Sabbath-keeping among the Ten Commandments, placing it alongside commands against idolatry, murder and adultery. Whoa! Considered in this context, the seriousness and sacredness of Sabbath is surely underscored here. It’s not just a spiritual tip for well-being, it’s an act of obedience and reverence.

I have to be honest: I didn’t always observe a weekly Sabbath consistently. Even now, there are some weeks when I allow this time to be crowded out (I say “I allow” because I’m taking responsibility – this is a result of my own choices). BUT, it’s important and ought to be a priority in my schedule (and yours!).

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; He rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; He set it apart as a holy day.” Exodus 20:8-11

I had some wrong ideas about Sabbath – I thought it meant only Sunday. This wasn’t possible for me: as a pastor’s wife (until a few weeks ago, my husband recently resigned his pastorate), Sundays were not a day of rest – Sundays were a workday for us.  I also wrongly thought that Sabbath meant 24 straight hours of NOTHING, no activity at all.  This was hard for me too – I’m a “mover and shaker” generally, and enjoy being happily busy.

Ken Shigamatsu (one of my favorites authors/pastors) defines Sabbath as “a chance to step off the hampster wheel and listen to the voice that tells us we are beloved by God. The sabbath heals us from our compulsion to measure ourselves by what we accomplish, who we know, and the influence we have”. Take a deep breath, take a pause and quietly consider that!  Now this is a concept I can get behind! The Sabbath is a divine invitation to rest, reflect, and realign with God—and with ourselves.  Sabbath is 24 hours set aside for rest, for life-giving activity. 

Some of you are thinking what I thought at first: “there’s no way I can take 24 hours off!” Again, I have to be honest: when I first began to pray about Sabbath, when I first recognized my need for it, when the Lord started dealing with me about getting into the rhythm He intended for His children, there was no way. I had packed my calendar out.  I didn’t run my schedule – my schedule ran me. “Lord, how am I going to stop for 24 straight hours? Are You kidding? I’ve made commitments here.” 

I don’t know about you – but when the Lord starts to deal with me about disobedience, He isn’t kidding. (Oh – sorry, did I say disobedience out loud?  That sounded harsh…. But this is one of the Big Ten, remember?)

At first, it wasn’t realistic.  I had made commitments, I had over-scheduled, I had made promises that I should not have made, I kept once-genuine needs on the calendar past their effectiveness….  It was understandable that I needed time to rearrange some things on the calendar as well as needing to eliminate some things altogether. 

I realized that I needed to start budgeting my TIME the same way I budgeted my MONEY. The reason I can’t buy another car is that I made a commitment to the one I have.  If I want another car, I need to sell this one, right? The reason I can’t buy a new outfit today is that I bought a new outfit last week – I spent that money already. My time is just as valuable and needs to be carefully budgeted as well.

I looked at my calendar:

  • Okay, I committed to leading this small group.  I can’t quit immediately, but I can finish this semester and not volunteer for this again. (Is leading 4 small groups necessary?)
  • My weekly bible study is a priority for me – those friendships are life-giving, and the opportunity to be in community is valuable, I’ll keep that.
  • Okay, I committed to coaching this cheer squad.  Football season ends in 2 months, and I’ll end at that time too.
  • Family dinner every Sunday can’t be negotiated!  We all love it!
  • Work is a must.  My hours are 7:00-5:00 Tuesday-Friday.  I need to stop working past my hours on a regular basis, and I need to re-order my workday so I am not bringing work home. I wrote in Mondays off – why aren’t I taking that day?

Slowly, I got my calendar in balance and worked up to 24 hours of rest.  Most weeks, my Sabbath is Friday dinner-Saturday dinner. That time is for rest, for life-giving activity.  I’ll describe my Friday/Saturday to you, as an example: 

  • No obligations – if it is an obligation, I’ll do it another day
  • Friday dinner is usually with my husband – we like to order in Chinese or grill salmon and veggies
  • Saturday mornings are SLOW – I don’t make any plans that start before 10:00am.
  • Saturday 10am – Saturday dinner time is for me: let’s take out the kayak or take a bike ride.  Let’s go to lunch or coffee with a friend. Let’s turn off the phone and read. Let’s cuddle the pup or the grandbaby.
  • For these 24 hours, I’m going to purposefully invite Jesus into my daily, and let Him minister peace to me. Let Him remind me that my value is in being His child, not in what I accomplish.
  • If something comes up (and it does), I plan in advance and organize my week in a way that I get a different 24 hours.  I feel it keenly when I don’t take this rest.

A few last things about Sabbath:

Sabbath is an act of radical trust: Keeping the Sabbath means ceasing work, even when there is more to do. Sabbath rest is a weekly declaration that God is our provider, not our “hustle”. Sabbath reminds us that our identity is rooted in being and not in doing.

Sabbath is a return to God’s intended rhythm for us. The Sabbath is rooted in creation itself. “On the seventh day, God rested” (Genesis 2:2-3). If the Creator of the universe paused to rest – not from weariness, but from delight – then so should we. Observing the Sabbath with joy reconnects us with the divine rhythm of work and rest; helping us recover from burnout, anxiety, and striving.

Sabbath is a preview of eternal rest. The Sabbath points us forward to the eternal rest promised in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-11). Jesus is our Sabbath rest – He frees us from striving for righteousness through works and invites us into grace-driven rest.

Maybe you need a little space to budget differently? Take that space and use it to re-order, work up to the 24 hours. Give yourself grace, it may not happen overnight. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. This time is a gift from the Lord – and receiving Sabbath from His hand with delight every seven days will become a treasure to you! ❤

A Second Time, Really?

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This is one of my favorites – it’s probably one of yours too: 

“Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ ” Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV

(Before you get nervous, I’m not going to ruin your favorite verse like I did with Psalm 46:10 if you were with me back then: https://jenniferwspivey.org/2020/12/30/a-new-look-at-an-old-favorite/ You might even like Jeremiah 33:3 more after we visit!)

We like to say that God is a “God of second chances”, don’t we?  Have you ever heard that phrase?  I think it mostly references the second chances He gives to His children. However, I wonder if we are this gracious to God, if we are quick to give Him a “second chance” if we don’t like the way it went with Him the first time around.

Did you ever hear a word from the Lord that you weren’t too sure about?  A few examples from my life: 

  • Many many years ago, I sensed the Holy Spirit tell me, “A battle is coming”. I wasn’t excited to hear that, to be honest. Looking back now, I am comforted by the fact that He knew and offered a heads-up to assure me that I would not be alone.
  • When the Lord spoke to us about taking a position 13 hours away from our hometown…. Oh my. I bawled my eyes out on that entire drive (bawling is worse than regular crying, y’all!).
  • Recently, the Lord spoke to my husband and I about making a move from the pastorate to a new adventure.  I wasn’t too excited about that at first (though it’s turning out for everyone’s best!).  I am comforted that we are walking in obedience.

Perhaps it was a battle you had to face, a relationship you had to end, a hardship you had to endure…. Even a warning from the Lord is a gift, He always speaks for our benefit and nothing He says is without value.

When we look at Jeremiah 33:3 (or any scripture really), it’s important to get the context.  Sometimes I skip the history lesson for time’s sake (or word count, LOL!), but let’s go into it a little bit this time. I dearly love the history lesson!

Backing up to Jeremiah 32, the Lord comes to Jeremiah with a word that is not as encouraging as 33:3 – 

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ‘I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down, along with the houses where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods. The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger with what their hands have made, declares the Lord’ ” 32:26-30

Yikes. Now let’s look at 33:1, we’re working our way back to 33:3, hang in there: 

“While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time”

A second time, really?  Jeremiah is still in his confinement, he’s still in the place of captivity, still under the attack that the Lord told him would be coming…. To be honest, if I were Jeremiah, I might have said, “Thanks but no thanks – not real crazy about the first thing You said, Lord, so I’m not sure I’m interested in You coming a second time.”

Thankfully Jeremiah had a soft heart and ears to hear what the Lord had to say, how much he would have missed:

“This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ ” 33:3

But wait – there’s MORE!  Jeremiah does call out to the Lord, and the word is an encouragement in his distress: 

“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah…. I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal My people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.  I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.  I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.  Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’ ” 33:4, 6-9

WOW! I’m so glad Jeremiah was receptive when the Lord came a “second time”, and what an example this provides for me. Where else would Jeremiah had gone at that moment?  In his crisis, had he left the Lord, where else would have found healing and restoration and help? It reminds me of Peter in John 6:68, “Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Even in crisis, especially in crisis, there is no other source of help.  

Every time the Lord speaks, it’s a gift – let Him come to you a second time (and a third time, and a fourth time, and….) and it will be a treasure! ❤ 

Catch and Release

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I think often about how we learn to catch before we learn how to release. It’s part of our physical development.  Consider that baby who grabbed your necklace and wouldn’t let go.  They weren’t being stubborn: they didn’t know how to release yet!  They were not unwilling, they were unable.

We have the same learning curve in our spiritual development: we learn to grab and then we must learn to release. Catch/grab the vision that the Lord has placed in your heart, that’s wonderful!  Release back into the hands of the Lord what He has entrusted to you – that’s even more wonderful!  Learning to release will increase your peace and multiply your capacity. 

To grow into what God has next for you, to transition into your next season, you must be able to release today back into the Lord’s hand. We have so many examples of leaders in the Bible who successfully navigated transition, here are just a few:

  • Moses transitioned from a prince of Egypt to a prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery into their Promised Land. 
  • David transitioned from shepherd boy to King of Israel.  Once Samuel anointed him as king, it was literally years before he would ascend to the throne. We can relate to his faithfulness to the Lord as well as his human shortcomings.
  • Esther was an orphan who transitioned to the throne of Persia.  Her bravery resulted in the rescue of an entire nation.
  • Paul’s conversion at Damascus was dramatic, from persecutor of Christians to key figure in spreading the Gospel of Christ. 
  • Our most important example for all we do, including transitioning well, is Jesus – He did not change from His original purpose, but we were witness to transitions in His life: infancy, young learner, ministry, betrayal, the Cross, the Resurrection. 

As you remember these histories, there’s one commonality in particular that I’d like you to notice:  in order to catch the next vision, they had to release the current one. I know – it seems so simple, does it even need to be said? Of course Moses could not remain in the palace and identify as Pharoah’s adopted son while he led the Israelites to the promised land. Of course David could not stay in the field tending sheep and lead Israel as king at the same time.  They could not accomplish the vision that the Lord set before them and stay where they were.

Let’s get some examples from our own lives: of course we cannot stay in high school and also leave for college at the same time.  Of course we cannot stay in one job and also accept the promotion or accept the new job elsewhere.  You have to let go of the old to move forward into the new. I mentioned earlier that learning to release will do two things: (1) increase your peace and (2) multiply your capacity. 

I notice that the more I try to control, the more I lose my peace. I’m unhappy and stressed when I am trying to control things that are not mine to control. We have to be able to discern when is our responsibility and what belongs to someone else. As a parent, it is my responsibility to communicate a curfew and take the car keys when curfew is missed too many times. It is not my responsibility to make my teen have a great attitude about it. I have to be at peace knowing I did my part (enforcing rule with love and patience), and leave their attitude (their responsibility) to them. As a Christian, I can communicate the importance of receiving Christ as Savior. It is not my responsibility to force my friend to receive Christ. I have to be at peace knowing I did my part (sharing the Gospel) and leave the Holy Spirit’s work to the Holy Spirit. If I make it my job to force the teen into a great mood or force my friend to receive the benefits that serving the Lord brings, I lose my peace. I’m operating in an area where I don’t belong. Give it back – or said in a better way: RELEASE that responsibility back to where it belongs. When I release responsibility that isn’t mine, my peace returns.

Secondly, learning to release will increase your capacity. I am able to do more, steward more, hold more with an open hand than a closed fist. As we grow, our influence grows and we learn to release one thing so we can catch another – then we release that thing so we can catch the next, and so on…. Release is required to go on to what’s next. There is always a next – memorize the words of the Lord in Isaiah 43:19 and repeat it to yourself daily, “Behold I am doing a new thing, even now it shall spring forth!”

Normalizing transition is also I’m talking about on the podcast today if you want to join me there!  (Surprise – the podcast is re-launching! Here’s the link) On the podcast, I want to encourage you in a couple more ways: even though transition can be painful, it is not a betrayal. This is an important distinction to make as you work through these growing pains.  It is also entirely possible to celebrate both the season that you are leaving while you celebrate the season you are entering. Once you understand these things, you will not only transition successfully, you will be able to help the people around you transition successfully as well.

If we are to grow, if we are to allow the things around us to grow, we must learn to catch and we also must learn to release. Praying that you will develop this skill and navigate transition successfully. The ability to catch is a gift – knowing when to release is a treasure!

Jennifer

A Time for Every Purpose

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“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;
A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted

My husband recently stepped down from his pastorate of 17 years.  When we arrived, our children were 11, 11 and 9 years old. This church has seen us raising young children, they were there when they got their first cars. They saw our children off to college, saw them married…. They were with Michael and I when we became “empty-nesters”.  They were with us when we lost a parent. They were with us when we became grandparents.  We were together through CoVid (it has to be said, it was such an epoch for all of us, right?). We were with them for the same seasons of their lives.  Births, weddings, healings, funerals…. Michael likes to call it the “hatching, patching, matching and dispatching”, and I smile every time he says it this way.  So true.  Comfort in that continuity of life.  Comfort in the people who became ours during these years.  Comfort in the faithfulness of the Lord through it all.

A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;

A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;

Professionally, lots of life as well.  This church was small when we came, hurting. Lots of debt.  Lots of past due bills.  Lots of weeks wondering if we would make the power bill, let alone payroll. We dug deep and trusted God – we remembered that He loved His church more than we did, and we became confident again. (And again. And again.  Some prayers are not a “one and done” – sometimes you have to press in and press in and press in….). Slow and steady, change came.  People came. Finances came.  Power bills and payroll were no longer a worry.  The church became debt free and healthy. Long hours and sleepless nights, sweat and tears, and those people who were ours stood with us and worked with us. We rejoiced in the blessing of obedience together, realizing this was truly a “look what the Lord has done” season.

A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;

A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

To be honest, when Michael decided on a new adventure, I wanted to hang on to the old. I couldn’t imagine anything better than the place we were at – the place we had worked so hard to arrive at. It sounds so easy and neatly packaged into the two paragraphs above – it wasn’t! However, I remembered God’s faithfulness in past moves. We had served churches before and moved before. I remembered that as the Lord is preparing us for a new adventure, He is also simultaneously preparing our church family for a new adventure, simultaneously preparing their next pastor for a new adventure, and so on.  

What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

I rejoiced in today, this specific day: I realized that we were ending in a time to gain, a time to keep, a time to sew, a time to love, and a time of peace. We had experienced the valleys and hardships, and God in His great generosity and kindness was allowing us to end on the mountaintop. From this viewpoint, we could see that this “time to sew” resulted in a beautiful tapestry, a legacy that will last in our hearts forever. 

I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Peoples Church, you were a gift to me from the Lord, to be held lightly in an open hand. God did it, and we honor Him in the work. Today, you are the treasure. Thank you ❤

That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God requires an account of what is past.”

Ecclesiastes 3 NKJV

Friend, let’s come together again next week! I’m excited to connect with you in this way again!