Make Room

I’ve always been a bit of a busy bee. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a workaholic. I definitely appreciate my downtime and rest. But I am also married and have four kids; being busy comes with the territory. However, from time to time I notice a lesson I keep forgetting. I find some kind of fulfillment in being so busy that I make no room for anything else. I find myself declining invitations because of all my “previous commitments.” In that busyness, I find that even God Himself may not be able to hand me anything new when I just don’t have the margin.

But I desperately want what He has for me! I don’t want to sacrifice a new calling, undertaking, or blessing simply because I haven’t time in my schedule for it. The Bible tells us that He has ordained times:

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

“…And in Your book were all written

the days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:16b

Years ago, anytime I knew a new baby was on the way, I made a deal with myself. I didn’t want to sacrifice my calling as a mother and thereby dishonor and potentially hurt my children because I just didn’t “have time” for all their needs. So I would intentionally think about what I was currently doing or involved in that I could “sacrifice” or cut out of my life to make room for a new baby. The most obvious “space-makers” were finances. My husband and I determined what to let go of in order to provide what our children needed–cable, better internet service, eating out, among other luxuries. I also had to make space physically in our home, the drawers, the bathrooms, and the kitchen, as well as make space in our schedule and commitments.

Recently, when the Holy Spirit prodded me to remember that old lesson, I thought about all I was doing–all the projects, the volunteering, the kids’ activities–and I realized I had done it again. I was not in a place to receive anything, even if the Lord asked me.

There’s a great song by Jonathan McReynolds that says:

I find space for what I treasure,

I make time for what I want.

I choose my priorities and

Jesus, You’re my number one.

I will make room for You,

I will prepare for two

So You don’t feel that You don’t live here.

Please, live in me!

Once again, I find myself recalculating the costs, the commitments, and the callings. Which ones are just good ideas and which ones are God’s ideas? We all have a limited resource that God has ordained for us: time. May we make choices that honor His count of our days.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

About the Writer

Rachel, her beloved husband Allesandro, and their four homeschooled children have been members of First Baptist Dallas for almost a decade. The Lord allowed her to attain a K-12 Choral Music Education degree from Ouachita Baptist University while simultaneously delivering her from illness and certain death. Her profession as an educator spans almost 20 years, including 15 years as a private vocal coach. Having been raised in a ministry family in both the U.S. and Brazil, Rachel finds it practically instinctive to serve her community through education and worship ministries. She is daily dependent on the Lord’s supernatural intervention to fuel not only her passions to learn, educate, and serve, but her personal faith to press onward.

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Surrender Your Bucket List

In Genesis 17:8, God promised Abraham that the whole land of Canaan would become a possession to him and his descendants. It was a covenant for him to keep. This Abrahamic covenant was shared to every generation as a promise from God.

Moses learned Hebrew from his mother Jochebed in the first 12 years of his life. He also heard stories of his Jewish ancestry, including the promised land of Canaan as told by Abraham. The first forty years of his life, Moses was raised in Egypt learning skills that would help him rule Egypt one day. However, at forty, he witnessed the beating of a Hebrew by an Egyptian. Believing he was defending his people, Moses killed the Egyptian, thus changing forever his anticipated rule of Egypt.  

Exodus 2:15 says, “Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.”

Fearful of Pharaoh, Moses fled to Midian and began a new life. He worked as a shepherd for Jethro who introduced Moses to his daughter, Zipporah. They married and had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses stayed with Jethro in Midian for the next forty years until he was eighty years old.

At eighty, Moses had an interaction with Yahweh at the burning bush in Exodus 3:1-22. This is not  an account of  the miracle of the burning bush. This tells us how Moses anticipated seeing the Promised Land that Abraham had spoken of generations before.  

Fast forward past the lessons of what happened in Egypt and let us go to Numbers 20:8-11. In this passage, we see that instead of speaking to the rock as God had instructed, Moses, in  frustration, struck the rock twice. Because of his disobedience, God informed Moses he would not enter the Promised Land.  Moses’ anger caused him to disobey God which caused him to lose the hope of his dream. Moses asked for forgiveness and later asked if God would allow him to see the  Promised Land. God refused the request. Moses surrendered his desire to see the Promised Land since he understood. Moses trusted God’s heart and was content with the answer God gave him. God had prepared Moses for leadership through humility, faith, courage, and surrender.

I have learned from Moses that we have goals we want to accomplish, and we hold tightly to them. God wants us to hold loosely to the things in our lives and to obey Him, surrendering all things to Him. Moses wanted desperately to see the Promised Land before he would die on Mount Nebo. God told him to  look and he would be able to see it from afar. Moses died in peace and contentment trusting God knew what was best. We may not always understand God’s hands and what he does or does not do, but we can always trust His heart.

About the Writer

Debbie and her husband, Larry, have been members of First Baptist Dallas since May, 2019. Debbie is pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work and plans to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 

Eternal Acorns

Some time ago, I was watching a squirrel as it repetitively darted back and forth across the yard to gather acorns over and over…. and over…. again. As I watched, this realization struck me: these squirrels do not hibernate, meaning they do not stop gathering food all year long. So, day in and day out, without fail, these squirrels faithfully do their work of gathering food. I then wondered how much tasty treasure this little squirrel had stored up for itself.

Honestly, I envy the squirrel’s work ethic. It seems like the squirrel never gets sidetracked, nor does it get lazy. Come rain or shine, the squirrel executes what it was made to do.

Everything God created was made to do work. All have a purpose, and that purpose is not merely to coast through life. If you are a Christian, you are a servant of High King Jesus. And if we faithfully execute what we were created to do, like the squirrels, we will also have rewards waiting for us. Except our rewards are not acorns. They are grand, eternal promises from the King Himself.

A glimpse as to what those rewards are is found in Matthew, Chapter 5, commonly known as The Beatitudes. In these lyrical verses, Jesus explains what He expects of His servants and what the rewards are for meeting those expectations. Immediately,  in verse 3, we are told what must be done to even enter the kingdom of heaven. We must recognize that we are spiritually bankrupt. We cannot enter Heaven if we merely claim our own good works, because we are not perfect and entrance into God’s presence requires perfection.  Salvation of our souls and entrance into Heaven are only through having faith that Jesus Christ took on the punishment for our sins, which was death. After He gave up His life, Jesus claimed victory over death by coming back to life three days after He was buried. Subsequently, we are given His righteousness to wear as a robe and to cover up our imperfections as long as we ask for it, of course.

In the remaining verses, Jesus describes additional attributes of His kingdom servants. These people display characteristics that are the direct result of one who truly lives under the authority of King Jesus. The true kingdom servant aims to please Him by humbling herself, valuing other’s needs above her own.

The rewards that follow each characteristic range from possessing land in the future earthly kingdom, over which Christ will one day physically reign, to seeing His beautiful face as He comforts His daughters, telling each, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23a)

The subject of eternal rewards is an interesting yet mysterious topic, and extremely important. The Bible discusses eternal rewards many times, and Jesus Himself spoke of them often during His time here on Earth. My pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress, has a book and sermon series devoted to the subject of Heaven. This series has had profound implications in my personal walk as a Christian, so I encourage you to check it out. It can be found here: https://ptv.org/place-called-heaven/.

Read through the Beatitudes (and the rest of The Sermon on the Mount!) starting in Matthew chapter 5. Consider how you can be a better kingdom servant starting today. Not only is our reward going to be worth it, but High King Jesus deserves every ounce of effort we can muster to honor His sacrifice.

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets

who were before you.

About the Writer

Natalie is primarily a stay-at-home mom to three young boys. Additionally, she occasionally works as an emergency room nurse and has recently completed her degree for Nurse Practitioner. Natalie is on the teaching team for Women’s Bible Study at First Baptist Dallas and she and her husband, Paul, are members there. Natalie is also a member of the SEEN Collective which is a musical group that tells the stories of the women of the Bible through song and leads worship. Visit www.seen-collective.com to find out more.

My God Is In The Details

One of the things that people sometimes joke with me about is how I like to pray about the little things.  If we’re in the parking lot and need a good parking spot, I’ll talk to God about it and see how He works it out.  If I’m at the store and need something important, I’ll talk to God about it beforehand and see how He takes care of everything.  He knows everything, so I might as well talk to the Creator of everything, right? J  It’s neat the things that my loving Father has orchestrated for me in my life and the testimonies that have come out of those instances and how I’m able to testify that He takes care of his children.

Recently I was shopping somewhere and wanted a sweatshirt and it was a little pricey, so I just quietly shared with God how I would like it one day and then I let it go and didn’t think about it after that.  When we returned to the store, I saw it again and it was half off!  I remembered talking to Him about it and smiled about what He had done for me–there was only one left and it was in my size. J  I had trusted Him with a hope and He worked it out for me. 

There have been times when I prayed about earrings, a buffet, jackets, furniture, fixing my house from a busted pipe, and repairing my fence, and even when I felt I had to wait awhile or maybe too long, I saw His handiwork in how He worked out the details.  I’m reminded all around me, when I look at those items, how He took care of me.  God’s Word says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  I love how He gives us His perfect peace.  We’re not here facing the world alone.  When we talk to God He will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) What can we talk to God about today and trust that He will work out on our behalf?  What can we look at one day as a reminder of His goodness to us?  Our God is in the details of our life, writing His beautiful story.   

About the Writer

Alana faithfully serves at her church home, First Baptist Dallas, where she enjoys using her talents and gifts to help others grow in Christ.  She taught elementary music in public schools for nineteen years.  Alana is married to Mike, and they have a cute mini golden doodle puppy named Bentley.

When No One Else Knows the Call But You

“And they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?’

And the Lord heard it.” Numbers 12:2 

There is a little family drama in Numbers 12. Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, rise up against Moses and they pay dearly for that rebellion. Here’s a recap:

Exodus 2

• Moses, born a Hebrew when Hebrew baby boys were supposed to be murdered, is hidden by his mother in a basket in the river and his sister, Miriam, keeps close watch until he is safely found at Pharaoh’s home.
• Moses, in Egypt, kills an Egyptian taskmaster for harming a Hebrew.

Exodus 3-4

• Moses flees to the desert and meets the God of his ancestors, speaking with Him at the burning bush.
• God tells Moses He has chosen him to go back to Pharaoh and order all Hebrews to be set free.
• Moses isn’t sure he’s up to the task, so God promises that his brother, Aaron, will help him.

Exodus 7-14

• After a long round of plagues, the Hebrews are set free as God promised and everyone, Aaron and Miriam included, rejoices over their freedom brought by the obedience of their brother, Moses.

Exodus 15-28

• Moses listens to God carefully in the desert, instituting Aaron (and his line) as priest and Miriam as a prophetess.

What happened? Why did this trio of siblings, this trifecta of ministers, suddenly seem to turn on each other?

Numbers 12:1 gives us a little insight. Aaron and Miriam were upset that Moses married a Cushite.  The Bible doesn’t explain why this seemed to be a problem, but it is clear  God apparently did not have a problem with it. The Lord heard them and His anger “burned against them.” He considered Moses’ humility and answered their question with a very vocal and physical consequence – Miriam was immediately covered in leprosy. Aaron quickly repented of their sin, turned to Moses, and pleaded with him. Moses responded by imploring God for the healing of his sister which God granted in a week’s time.

How can we apply this? Aaron and Miriam were not on the scene when God initially called Moses to serve Him. They did not receive or hear the call. Their disrespect of Moses is reflected in the comparison to their own positions. Sadly, humans do that. We sometimes look at immediate circumstances instead of the whole picture and take it out on others.

Moses did not institute himself, God did. When God calls someone, even if no one else sees or hears it, the call is still valid. God will speak on our behalf. We only need to humbly obey.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

About the Writer

Rachel, her beloved husband Allesandro, and their four homeschooled children have been members of First Baptist Dallas for almost a decade. The Lord allowed her to attain a K-12 Choral Music Education degree from Ouachita Baptist University while simultaneously delivering her from illness and certain death. Her profession as an educator spans almost 20 years, including 15 years as a private vocal coach. Having been raised in a ministry family in both the U.S. and Brazil, Rachel finds it practically instinctive to serve her community through education and worship ministries. She is daily dependent on the Lord’s supernatural intervention to fuel not only her passions to learn, educate, and serve, but her personal faith to press onward.

Power In Prayer

 

Many years ago, I had an opportunity to work for Rehab Care as a Wellness Director within a senior living center in Dallas. I met a resident there named Elena, and she told me the story of her troubled past. She lost her memory of her whole childhood due to drug use and other problems. Her dad, a prominent pastor of a church for more than fifty years, served as Chaplain at the senior facility where he, his wife, and Elena lived. Every day he read the Bible to her and told her about her childhood. He was a powerful prayer warrior, humble and gracious, and to hear him pray was like being in the presence of Jesus.

While Elena was healing in her recovery, she began to remember parts of her childhood. She had been unable to walk or speak due to her past life of drug addiction and neurological issues. Today she credits her dad reading the Bible to her and praying for her daily for her restoration.  Sadly, he passed away in 2019.

In James 5:16, it says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

The pastor took God at His word, and he believed God was a healer. Just call out to Jesus; He is a friend that is well known. We have no other sister, friend, or brother; tell it to Jesus alone. There is power in the name of Jesus!

About the Writer

Debbie and her husband, Larry, have been members of First Baptist Dallas since May 2019. Debbie is pursuing a Master’s degree in social work and plans to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 

Do You See Your Miracle?

“God, please, let me see a miracle.” How many times have you prayed that? 

Sometimes, I long to feel closer to God. Even encircled in the beauty of His creation and at the base of a glorious mountain backlit by the radiance of a glorious sunrise, I can yearn in my heart to see Him more. All around me, I can see the presence of God; and yet, something deep inside cries out for a reminder of how real, how near, how connected He is to me.

So I pray. I pray for my friends who don’t know Messiah Yeshua yet. I pray for my family who may be in pain. I pray for those in a prison of lies and torment or sin. I pray for situations that are so much more complicated than I could navigate through on my own.

However, God doesn’t always choose to answer my prayers the way I want. Do I get discouraged? Sometimes. Then I cry out louder for a miracle, a reminder, a breath of the fresh, life-giving Holy Spirit in my soul.

Then a sweet voice whispers to my spirit. He reminds me of the miracle of my own salvation. He reminds me of how deep I was in the ways of the world and how far I was from Him. He reminds me how I pushed Him away, how I mocked the church, how I ran to anything but God to direct my path. Then my heart is filled with praise and renewed trust, renewed trust in His plan for my friends who don’t know Him yet. Then I am confident that He is near to those who are far from Him or controlled by their desires for a life without the Lord.  If God could reach me and love me back to Himself, He can do the same miracles all around me. Nothing is too difficult for Him.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. 

 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.

Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the ^[c]nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. 

Psalm 46:7-11 NASB

About the Writer

Lyndsay is a former staff member of First Baptist Dallas. Although she has spent the last two years in Guatemala serving with the local church and ministries there and has recently moved to Montenegro (former Yugoslavia), she continues to consider First Dallas her church home. Currently she is on staff with an international Messianic ministry, and in her spare time homeschools her daughter and looks for new adventures.

Are You Listening?

ARE YOU LISTENING?

“The heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD. . .” Psalm 89:5,11

Did you read about the brand new James Webb Space Telescope? It is outperforming all expectations with its photographs of Jupiter. Scientists are hoping to be able to see clear back to the dawn of the universe according to Marcia Dunn of the Associated Press. Wow! More recently, NASA’s first attempt to launch Artemis, a rocket designed to orbit the moon, met with some trouble and failed. I’m sure NASA will try again at a later date. It is hoped that this mission will include more human beings to be walking on the moon, exploring more areas than have ever been explored before.

This whole space-travel thing is something that I don’t even understand, especially when I read about “light years” and miles in the billions. I’m pretty sure I will not be one of those to run around on the moon. But I wonder if those who do will be listening to the voices of creation praising God. Oh, yes. There are indeed voices praising God all over creation, both here on earth and way beyond in the highest heavens. No matter how far man may travel into space, he will never reach the end of it. You see, our mighty God, Who created space, actually fills it with His presence. No matter how far we may go, God is already there. No matter how deep, or how high, or how fast man may travel, he will never reach the end of infinity. Please don’t expect me to explain that, because I can’t. But I know that the God we worship is eternal, invisible, and infinite—concepts which man is really incapable of truly grasping, either individually or collectively. But the Bible tells us that the sun, moon, and stars praise God. I expect human ears cannot hear their voices in a literal way, but I think we might be able to “hear” with our spiritual ears. All we have to do is listen very carefully. Consider Psalm 148:3-5:

“Praise Him sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of night! Praise Him, highest heavens and the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD For He commanded and they were created.”

There is not room to include it here, but I encourage you to read all of Psalm 148 for inspiration about “who” is praising God! 

So I hope that the astronauts and even others who may venture “out there” as far as they can go will join in with all of nature in praising the God Who made their discoveries possible!

Here’s a little ditty I wrote a couple of years ago during the pandemic. I tried to capture the essence of a little “serendipity” which I experienced one day when I went to the mailbox. I hope you enjoy it and will join in with creation in praising God together:

SPRING “THINKS”

They came at the same time, but not together.

The mallard waddled about, quacking now and then.

The robin hopped along, pecking in the grass.

I thought it must be spring.

I think they thought it, too!

They were certainly dressed for the occasion— 

   Mr. Robin very jauntily attired in his cheerful, perky red vest,

the stately Mr. Mallard surveying his surroundings and looking radiantly spectacular in 

iridescent splendor.

They ignored one another, each unfazed by the presence of the other, each mindful only of his 

own endeavors—at the same time, but not together.

They weren’t worried about coronavirus, or about anything else.

All they knew, and all they needed to know, was that the same God who cares for the sparrows

was also watching over them.

At the same time, but not together, they left.

As I watched them ascend on graceful wings to a place I could not follow, I thought I heard a 

few faint quacks and chirps, in perfect harmony, praising God.

“Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!” Psalm 150:6 (NLT)

About the Writer

Diana is a former high school teacher, Sunday School teacher, and Women’s Bible Studies teacher. For many years a stay-at-home wife and mother, she is now also a grandmother to three young Oklahomans who call her “Gigi.”

Love At First Sight

Do you believe in love at first sight? I have always found this to be a shallow question. No, I would shake my head confidently, love takes time. Love at first sight, in my mind, was an ideal, a made-up plot for a Hallmark movie. Love at first sight, particularly when it concerns the opposite sex, is a rather impossible thing to believe. Attraction? Sure. Love? Doubtful.

However, I was wrong. Love at first sight does exist. When God created you, He instantly loved you. You did nothing to earn or deserve it; He, in His goodness, wanted to know you so much that the image of His Son was part of your DNA. Have you ever thought about this? God so very much loved from the moment He breathed life into His creation, reserving the words “very good” for you and me.

I am reminded of the concept of love at first sight when I think of what Jesus felt for His people and the price it cost. Every year the significance of Good Friday washes over me in waves throughout the day. Waves of sadness for the humiliation, sorrow, and pain that our Savior endured. Waves of joy because the story didn’t end on the cross. Waves of wonder as I contemplate why Jesus submitted to the plan, knowing how we would betray and break His heart. How can Good Friday be called such? How can love be so overwhelming that Scripture reminds us, “… Jesus for the joy that was set before him endured the cross …” (Hebrews 12:2). What love is this, that the joy of redeeming us would be the desire even in the midst of a painful, horrific, and undeserved death? Only the love that comes with eternity in mind. A love that saw you.

Several years ago I had the privilege of visiting Jerusalem and experiencing all the sites that I had read about in the Bible since childhood. Something about being there, where redemption took place, was life changing. The place I was looking forward to most was the Via Dolorosa—the walk to Calvary. I waited in anticipation for that all week.

As a shoe lover (shoes are often a part of my best stories), I had decided to buy a pair of leather sandals to wear on this sacred, holy walk. I decided that after the walk, the shoes would become a keepsake, reminding me of the great love of Calvary.

Everything I had pictured quickly dissolved. The experience was interrupted by loud noises on the street where trinkets were being sold and various religious groups were gathering. No one seemed to know what I knew, that Jesus had walked on this very road! Do you know the Via Dolorosa is in the Muslim quarter? I was instantly discouraged as my walk became anything but quiet. I decided to take a break and have a quick lunch as my frustration continued to heighten.

Round two, I attempted to “walk” the steps of Jesus for the second time, under the same chaotic conditions. Nothing had changed … until everything changed. I remember hearing a whisper in my heart, “Daira, do you think this was a quiet walk for Me? I came for every person you see, just as much as I did for you.” Tears filled my eyes as I understood love on an even deeper level.

Jesus did not experience a reverent walk. Jesus was met by opposition, hostility, and an angry crowd. But that wasn’t His focus. The love He had for the world was greater than the weight of the cross. The love at first sight He had for His creation was enough to trade a crown for thorns. The purpose of His time on earth was leading to the moment when He would say, “It is finished.” Jesus did all this knowing that by paying our debt, and bearing our shame, He would be able to love us forever—face-to-face.

About the Writer

Daira, well known for her abundant joy, is the Girls Minister at First Baptist Dallas and is passionate about helping the next generation of 7th-12th grade girls discover their true identity in Christ. She is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she received a degree in Commercial Music. Worship is always at the heartbeat of everything she does. Daira can best be described as the girl who owns way too many pairs of shoes, turns a stranger into a friend over coffee, and cooks endless amounts of pasta for the excuse to have more people around her table. She is a proud Texan who resides with her amazingly funny husband, Sean, and their dog, Boots. You can find her wherever the music is playing loudly or teens are gathered.

Wonderful for Many Reasons

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.”  Psalm 139:13-14 NASB

As I read these verses for one of my morning devotionals before the chaos of the day began, I was struck with many thoughts.  “You formed my inward parts.  You wove me.” How amazing is that?!  The thought of this made me teary as I considered how God created my 3-month-old little boy, Eli.  His tiny hands, feet, nose, and body are amazing.  Seeing him grow from the first sonogram to when he was born blows my mind.  Only God could do that.  Then to think that same God wants to have a relationship with me–and you!  It is truly amazing.  We read about creation in Genesis 1.  Review it below to remind you about God our Creator. 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”  Genesis 1:1-3

It is astonishing to think about how He made all the earth and everything in it, including you and me.  “Fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Those words are not anything that I would use to describe myself.   They point back to the Creator, that He made me those things.  He made you that way.  It goes back to Him!  His works are wonderful.  He is wonderful!  He is everything we need.

Sometimes, sad to say, my sinful nature takes over and I get so distracted with this world and my daily life that I forget to stop and think about how wonderful He is.  When praying I go straight to the prayers and forget to thank Him first.  As Easter approaches, I am reminded of another aspect of wonder: God created and loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us knowing our sin nature.  Amazing and wonderful is He. Christmas is a favorite holiday and time of year, but without the events of Easter our faith is nothing.  The death, burial, and resurrection are to be celebrated but not taken lightly.  Only God is powerful enough to raise anyone from the dead. Stop and think about that for a moment. Take a deep breath, let the thoughts of today and the chaos of this life halt for a moment.  “Powerful enough to raise anyone from the dead”--from the dead!  What does that mean for us?  Salvation by grace through faith is a gift of God.  It is His gift to us in Jesus whom He raised from the dead to cover our sins.  What a gift!  That is what we celebrate this coming Easter.  Do you know Him today?  Do not turn Him away.  Jesus, sweet Jesus.  To trust Him is to know Him today.

About the Writer

Jourdan has been a member of First Dallas since 2008 and is an active member of the Celebration Choir including the frontline singers.  She and her husband, Brett, married in 2021 and now have a bundle of joy, a boy named Eli who was born in December, 2022.  Jourdan is a physical therapist at Baylor University Medical Center – Dallas and a brand advocate for a clean beauty company.  She enjoys singing, running, time with friends and family, and her morning coffee.  Jourdan loves the Lord and prays to make a difference in this world for Him.