"Oh come on! I already let it rise for an hour, surely it doesn't need another hour of rising..." I reasoned to myself, while watching the bread dough rise for the second time. That's when I decided it--letting bread rise was overrated. I wasn't patient enough. I threw the pan of bread in the oven, set the timer, and made it just in time to hop on an online class connect. Thirty-five minutes later, I pulled my bread out of the oven. My flat bread. My incredibly flat bread. Maybe it is important to let bread rise after all...
As you can see, I'm not a very patient person! Whether I'm waiting for bread to rise, or wanting God to hurry up with His plan for my life--I'm not patient. Even so, patience is important. While we're impatiently waiting to be used, He's still shaping us. He does have a plan. His plan just involves different timing than us. Which is okay, considering that His timing is perfect! Be patient with God's perfect timing--He's still shaping and lovingly molding you into the person He wants you to be, and He's using you while He shapes you.
Kayla Joy
Monday, April 23, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Motherly Examples
The devotional story on Mother's Day for the May Newsletter at my church!
“Don’t pick that up--you don’t know where it’s been!” Sayings such as this are common for a mother to say, and sometimes quite annoying for a child. But, without it, how bizarre our world would be! Without mothers, we’d live in a world where: monkeys jump on the beds and break their heads, we forget to wash our hands after using the restrooms because our mothers didn’t remind us, and our eyes, without our mother’s gentle warning, would be constantly frozen from us crossing them so much.
Without our mothers, how would we ourselves know how to be mothers? Proverbs 31:10-31 says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Granted, that’s quite a few verses, but each one of them contains such a strong image of a good wife and mother.
Mothers set examples for us to follow once we become mothers. I know my mother has certainly set a beautiful example of being a mother to me--what kind of example of a mother will you set for your child?
Kayla Joy
“Don’t pick that up--you don’t know where it’s been!” Sayings such as this are common for a mother to say, and sometimes quite annoying for a child. But, without it, how bizarre our world would be! Without mothers, we’d live in a world where: monkeys jump on the beds and break their heads, we forget to wash our hands after using the restrooms because our mothers didn’t remind us, and our eyes, without our mother’s gentle warning, would be constantly frozen from us crossing them so much.
Without our mothers, how would we ourselves know how to be mothers? Proverbs 31:10-31 says, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Granted, that’s quite a few verses, but each one of them contains such a strong image of a good wife and mother.
Mothers set examples for us to follow once we become mothers. I know my mother has certainly set a beautiful example of being a mother to me--what kind of example of a mother will you set for your child?
Kayla Joy
Monday, April 9, 2012
Thankful In Everything
I sat down and watched the water gently lap against the dock. It was a beautiful week in Michigan, where I went for my spring break, and I was sitting by a lake, having devotions. The dock swayed ever so slightly with the current, and I brushed hair out of my face as looked around the beautiful lake and thanked God for creating it.
It's a lot easier to feel thankful for something when you're looking at something beautiful. If you're sitting at a dock by the lake, as I was, it's so easy to look around you and feel genuinely thankful to God for creating such a beautiful sight. On the contrary, if you're taking doing the weekly garbage can pull around to the curb, it's not so easy to look around you and be thankful to God for creating the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Whether you feel genuinely thankful or not, God deserves the praise. Don't give Him thanks only when you feel like it, give Him thanks always, in all circumstances.
Kayla Joy
It's a lot easier to feel thankful for something when you're looking at something beautiful. If you're sitting at a dock by the lake, as I was, it's so easy to look around you and feel genuinely thankful to God for creating such a beautiful sight. On the contrary, if you're taking doing the weekly garbage can pull around to the curb, it's not so easy to look around you and be thankful to God for creating the world. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Whether you feel genuinely thankful or not, God deserves the praise. Don't give Him thanks only when you feel like it, give Him thanks always, in all circumstances.
Kayla Joy
Are You a Servant?
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God..." ~Romans 1:1
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." ~ Mark 10:45
Paul often starts his letters to the church's with saying, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus". This man, Paul, we think of as an amazing witness to Jesus. Someone who spread the word to thousands. But, do we really think of him as a servant? Yet, to his own admission, he's a servant of Jesus. Even Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came to serve and give His life for many.
Yet...it doesn't sound fun to be a servant, does it? We would much rather own servants than be a servant. If Paul called himself a servant, and if Jesus himself didn't come to be served, but rather to serve, then we're called to serve as well. It doesn't necessarily mean to dress in rags and scrub floors for rich people. To be a servant of Jesus means to follow Him, spread His news, and look for ways to help others. Are you a servant of Christ Jesus?
Kayla Joy
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." ~ Mark 10:45
Paul often starts his letters to the church's with saying, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus". This man, Paul, we think of as an amazing witness to Jesus. Someone who spread the word to thousands. But, do we really think of him as a servant? Yet, to his own admission, he's a servant of Jesus. Even Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came to serve and give His life for many.
Yet...it doesn't sound fun to be a servant, does it? We would much rather own servants than be a servant. If Paul called himself a servant, and if Jesus himself didn't come to be served, but rather to serve, then we're called to serve as well. It doesn't necessarily mean to dress in rags and scrub floors for rich people. To be a servant of Jesus means to follow Him, spread His news, and look for ways to help others. Are you a servant of Christ Jesus?
Kayla Joy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)