One Things

January 4, 2017 by MaryK 2 Comments

Welcome to a new year.

2017 brings new opportunities to use our gifts, develop our skills, deepen our walk with Christ, and impact the world for Christ. On TV the other morning, two ladies shared their New Year’s resolutions—lists of things they wish to achieve in 2017. Good things. Worthy things. Resolutions are good, but they are often forgotten by January 2nd, when the busyness of life sets in again. But what if we tried one thing? One new thing, one old thing, one important thing, one critical thing to focus on for one year. Most of us can handle one thing. Below is a list of one things to spark your imagination:

One Things:

One word: I love the One Word movement. Simple. Quick. Effective. Follow the link to choose your One Word for 2017.
One podcast: Listen to one Christian podcast a day. I love Breakpoint, Insight for Living, Turing Point, and Joyce Meyer Ministries. One Place is a good place to find Christian podcasts.
One prayer: Commit to pray for one important thing every week day this year.
One habit: establish one new good habit, or evict one old bad old habit.
One relationship: Work on one important relationship, partnership, friendship, or courtship.
One study: start or join one Bible study group this year. And. Finish. It.
One project: Focus on starting or finishing that one important project you’ve been dreaming about.
One hour: Devote one hour a day/week/month to prayer, ministry, Bible study, exercise, volunteering, studying etc.
One composition: Listen to one excellent piece of music a day. Start with Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi and Debussy. Enter a name in a Youtube search bar and listen for free!
One book: Read one excellent book a week. Please click on the link to find a few good books and get started! 10 Books Every Christian Should Read

It’s not too late to try one thing.

Take a moment to pray and ask God to show you what He wants you to focus on in 2017. Let me know what one thing you are going to work on this year. Leave me a comment below. I’d love to chat with you!

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Watch, Read, Listen, Study

August 8, 2016 by MaryK Leave a Comment

We need God and we need His word.

If we want to impact our world for Christ and take His to the lost of the world, we must fill our hearts and mind with God’s truths and precepts. Sometimes we need to mix it up a bit. Something new can breath new life into our relationship with God.

In order to help you to continue to seek God, we have provided a few resources for you—something to watch, something to read, something to listen to and something to study. Get a drink, your Bible and a journal then choose one, two or three resources and dig in!

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Something to Watch: A great video from For the Life of the World about the gift of creation and how to live a thankful life.

“What is the song of all creation? What is our Salvation for? In this scene from Episode 1: Exile, Evan unpacks the essence of God and his mission in the world.” To see more, click on the play button below.

2. Something to Read: An excellent article by Beth Moore, Because Any of Us Can be Had

“I penned the creative writing below a number of years ago as I reflected on my own miserable season of sifting by Satan. I was wrecked almost beyond repair by what I’d experienced because I’d never been taught that a believer could love Jesus deeply with a pure heart and serve Him with sincere devotion and yet be flabbergastingly seduced by the enemy. 2 Corinthians 11:3 had said it all along but I’d missed it.” To read more click on the link below.

Because Any of Us Can be Had

3. Something to Listen To: A podcast from Erik Metaxas at Break Point, When the Sky is Really Falling

“When Chicken Little said the sky is falling, we all laughed. Well, maybe it’s time we stopped laughing. It seems Chicken Little may be on to something.” To hear more click on the link below.

When the Sky is Really Falling

4. Something to study: The Outcasts: Giving Your All.

“Rebels…backsliders…children…senior citizens…the handicapped…uneducated…homeless.

Thankfully, God looks upon the heart and sees us for what we can become; beautiful witnesses for the Gospel of Christ. It is my prayer that through these Bibles studies you will be blessed and gain a clear vision for how the God of the Universe sees you; incredibly precious and valuable.” To study more, click on the link below.

The Outcasts: Giving Your All

Jane and I pray these resources will encourage you and strengthen your walk with Jesus! Let us know what you think in the comment section below!

Lent: empty to full, Ash Wednesday

February 10, 2016 by MaryK 16 Comments

Lent is a season of opposites.

We weep so we may rejoice. We sacrifice so we may receive. We empty so we can be filled. In Hebrew the word for empty transliterates as reyqam, which means in vain, empty, idle, without affect. I must admit I have been reyqam — vainly focused on myself, idly wasting my time and talents so my life was without affect. Empty. Longing to be full.

Reyqam also means to be poured out or hungry. Does this season find you hungry for something different? Have you poured yourself out for that which does not satisfy, chasing the wind? Are you ready to be full?

Come to the cross. Give Jesus your empty heart; taste and see that the Lord is good and be full.

From empty to full.

Please scroll through the Sway below to access our Bible study content for this week.

Please comment on what you have learned in the comment section below or on our empty to full Facebook page.

Be full.

and

Copyrights 2016

Short & Sweet: Bitterness or Betterness?

January 18, 2016 by MaryK Leave a Comment

Bitterness or Betterness?

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”

Matthew 12:34b-35

When I was little, I was fascinated by treasure and treasure maps. I loved reading books about buried fortunes (Nancy Drew and The Quest of the Missing Map was a favorite). How exciting to follow a parchment map to the foot of a tree, and with spade in hand unearth a treasure.

Buried. Beautiful. Valuable.

[Read more…]

Christmas To Do-ers List, Day 8: Go Tell About Him

December 23, 2015 by Jane VanOsdol Leave a Comment

Christmas To Do-ers List

Day 8: Go Tell About Him

“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:17-18

The night started out just like any other.

At dusk, the shepherds settled themselves and their sheep in for the night, on the alert to possible attacks.

Extraordinary usurped ordinary when an angel and celestial choir burst upon the quiet night sky

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Once the shepherds had gathered their wits about them and understood the angel’s message, they ran to Bethlehem to find the Savior. And find Him they did.

The shepherds surely shared with Mary and Joseph about the angels’ visit, and unable to contain themselves, they lost no time in sharing this hot-off-the-presses news about the baby King they found in a manger with anyone who would listen.

Jesus has that effect on people. He likes to stir things up. When the sacred intersects the ordinary, spectacular things happen. The lame walk. The blind see. Sinners are forgiven. Addictions are broken. And angels sing—and not just for Jesus’ birth. Luke 15:10 tells us that whenever another soul is won to heaven, heaven celebrates.

What About Us?

Perhaps your story isn’t as flashy as a million-watt sky filled with angels. But the reality is, you’re a different person than you were before Jesus, and that is a story that deserves to be told. In the way only you can tell it. Never underestimate the power of a changed life to reach others.

Like the shepherds, be alert to those God has primed for your story. As a matter of fact, pray for God to send those who need a word from you. Let’s look at a few ways to share:

Practice your story.Write down a 1-minute version of your story. Your life before Jesus, your conversion and your life after Jesus. And share it when God opens the door for you to do so.
Give tangible help. Bring a meal to a family with a new baby or to a family going through a hard time. Pray that God opens a way for you to share with them, either now or in the future.
Volunteer to teach a class at your church or lead a neighborhood Bible study. Both children and adults need to hear that Jesus loves them enough to have died for them.
Write out your story longhand or on your computer so that future generations of your family will have a copy. You never know when your story will be able to reach through time to influence others.

Mary and I appreciate you joining us over Advent for this series. Be looking for our New Year’s podcast over the next week. Merry Christmas to your and your family!