Just Between Us | Spring 2025

35 YEA

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Should I Trust Again?

by Debbie W. Wilson

! e at r b e l e C It’s Time to

by Sharon Hodde Miller

EMBRACE YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

HOW VALLEYS SHAPE US

MASTER YOUR THOUGHT LIFE

THE GOD WHO CALLS YOU WORTHY

spring 2025 | F I N D M O R E A T J U S T B E T W E E N U S . O R G

welcome from the editor SHELLY ESSER

Happy New Year, Friends!

We couldn’t be more thrilled that you’re starting the new year with us. Our prayer is that this magazine continues to be a place you return to again and again. This year is particularly special as we celebrate a significant milestone—our 35th anniversary! We’re so grateful for all that God has done through this ministry over the past three and a half decades, and we invite you to join us in celebrating His incredible faithfulness. Together, let’s take time to reflect with gratitude on the countless ways Just Between Us has walked alongside women in their faith journeys, offering encouragement, hope, and friendship to women all over the world.

Thirty-five years ago, few believed it was possible to run a magazine with a small team of part-time staff and over 30 volunteers. Yet here we are, celebrating a vibrant ministry that continues to impact women worldwide. Our theme for this special anniversary year is celebrate.

The word celebrate captures the heart of this milestone. When we celebrate, we recognize God’s goodness and give Him praise. We remember that through every high and low, He has been our constant source of hope, strength, and joy. God’s celebration of us is rooted in His great love for each of us—a love so deep that it touches every detail of our lives.

As we embark on this anniversary year, let’s celebrate together all that God has done. Let’s lift our hearts in gratitude for His goodness and remain watchful for new reasons to praise Him in the year ahead. As you read this issue, we invite you to reflect on what God has done in your own life and through this ministry. You are part of this story—the reason we have been able to encourage and equip women in their faith for 35 years. Whether you’ve been with us for decades or are just discovering Just Between Us, welcome! We’re so glad you’re here to celebrate with us.

From all of us on the team, thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, let’s celebrate the God who continues to make it all possible—and the amazing community of women who share in this journey with us—all of you!

Rejoicing and celebrating with you,

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In this issue, we’ve included some treasures from the past—look for the anniversary logo to spot them. Don’t miss one of Joni Eareckson Tada’s inspiring columns, “God’s Idea of Good,” on page 12. For over 10 years, we had the privilege of featuring Joni’s powerful writing.

Also, be sure to check out “On the Go for the Gospel”

on page 18, highlighting the remarkable story of our founder, Jill Briscoe.

From the beginning, Jill’s heart was to resource women around the world with a publication they could call their own. At 54 years old, she made Just Between Us a reality. This year, we celebrate not only our anniversary but Jill’s 90th birthday this summer—and she’s still passionately on the go for the gospel!

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Contents

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on the cover

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Everyone Needs to Celebrate!

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Think About What You’re Thinking About

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Only changed behavior can restore trust.

by Debbie W. Wilson

See yourself the way God sees you.

by Sandy Mayle

Should I Trust Again?

A spiritual discipline that’s meant to be a regular rhythm in our lives.

by Sharon Hodde Miller

Your life is shaped by your thoughts.

by Jenna Dexter

In celebration of our 35th ministry anniversary, we will be giving you a peek into the past in each issue this year! Look for this logo.

Worthy in His Eyes

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Learning to walk in the understanding of who you are in Christ.

by Tracy Hill

Holding onto the One who holds onto you.

by Linda Kline

Celebrating Your Identity

Lessons from the Valleys

About Our Ministry: Just Between Us is a vibrant and expanding not-for-profit ministry that continues to transform the lives of women around the world. Our heart-focused and biblically-based content in the print magazine, on the website, in the weekly digital mini-magazine, on social media, and other products—all help women find hope and encouragement while growing their faith and deepening their love for Jesus.

Find Us in All Kinds of Ways:

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Jill Briscoe has always had a heart to share Jesus with the world.

by Shelly Esser

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Another Side of Martha

How belief can exchange worry for peace.

by Debra Celovsky

11 Transparent Moments 12 Joni’s Corner 31 Prayer Prompts 38 Living Your Faith

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columns

35 Years of Wisdom

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A collection of quotes that have been featured through the years to inspire your hearts once again.

Compiled by Shelly Esser

Advertising & Accounts Manager Sharon Vaught

General Manager Mary Perso

Renewals Manager & Software Support Rebecca Loesche

Assistant Editor Suzan Braun

Marketing Julie Santiago

Director Digital Media Mary Ann Prasser

Director of Mission Advancement/ Social Media Ashley Schmidt

Copy Editors Ann Cook Rachel Engler Constance B. Fink Gayle Gengler Cherry Hoffner Danae Templeton

Subscriptions Mary Richards Jan Schuldt Lin Sebena

Creative Director Julie Krinke

Prayer Sharon Stonecipher

Advisory Board Anita Carman Pam Farrel Judy Briscoe Golz Nancy Grisham Pam MacRae Elizabeth Murphy Jackie Oesch Stephanie Seefeldt

Photography Wayde Peronto Babboni Photography babbonis.com

If the post office informs us that your print magazine is undeliverable, JBU has no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address.

ADVERTISING Ellie Dunn For more information call (856) 582-0690 ext.

2# or email ellie@carldunn.com.

The ads in this publication do not imply endorsement.

1 5 Minutes in the WORD

41 42 Faith at Work

Just Between Us (ISSN 1069-3459) is published quarterly by Just Between Us. Make all checks and money orders payable to: Just Between Us, Subscription Orders, 777 S. Barker Rd., Brookfield, WI 53045.

To order by phone, or for more information: call 800-260-3342.

From Canada call (262) 786-6478.

Email: jbu@justbetweenus.org Website: www.justbetweenus.org

Your 44 Outside Front Door 45 Living Well

Periodical Postage Paid at Brookfield, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Just Between Us, 777 S. Barker Copyright ©2025 by Just Between Us. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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ȷustbetweenus spring 2025

46 Everyday Transformation

Editor Shelly Esser

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39 40 Intentional Faith

Reflective questions to become aware of God’s movement in your life.

by Cherry Schwulst

Circulation Manager Suzan Braun

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row Your G Discipleship

To Begin Again

Founder Jill Briscoe

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9 10 Happy Home

On the Go for the Gospel

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Encouraging WORDS

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3 6 Table Talk with Abby 8 Between Us

CREDITS

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Welcome from the Editor

features

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in every issue

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TABLE TALK WITH ABBY

Everyday Celebrations

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ave you ever paused in the middle of a busy day and thought, “What would it look like to make this moment special?” I asked myself this recently as I balanced my nine-month-old on my hip, watching toys scatter around the living room. It wasn’t an ideal moment for guests, but a friend was coming by, and I wanted her to feel welcome. I didn’t have a fancy spread or a spotless home; just a cup of coffee and a cozy chair. As she sat down, I realized that hospitality in this season of life isn’t about perfection; it’s about being present.

Everyday Hospitality

Everyday celebrations are an invitation to foster this kind of intentional hospitality—a way of welcoming others in simple, heartfelt ways that bring joy to both them and us. In our task-driven world, it’s easy to think of hospitality as something reserved for special occasions or meticulously planned gatherings, but the Bible calls us to live lives of ongoing welcome, opening our hearts and homes not just occasionally, but as a natural rhythm that flows from our faith.

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One of the clearest examples of this everyday hospitality is in the life of Abraham. In Genesis 18, Abraham, sitting by his tent in the heat of the day, noticed three travelers approaching. Without hesitation, he hurried to greet them, inviting them to rest, and preparing a meal with urgency and care.

Hospitality can be as simple as responding with openness to whomever crosses our path, whether they are expected or not.

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This openhearted way of living finds reinforcement in Hebrews 13:2, which reminds us, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers...” We’re encouraged to have a posture toward others that reflects God’s generous heart. When we approach hospitality as a daily practice, our homes become a haven, and our lives express the love of Christ to everyone who enters.

As a mother, hospitality often looks different in this

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Abby Turner Kuykendall season. With a young child, life is messy, unpredictable, and full of interruptions. I’ve found that small gestures, like making space in my daily routine to be present, are the things that turn everyday moments into something meaningful. Inviting people into the realness of my life allows me to show love and share God’s love, even without perfection.

Small Gestures

Showing everyday hospitality doesn’t require grand gestures. We can bring joy to the ordinary with simple actions that make others feel loved. Here are some practical ways to begin celebrating the everyday: Share a simple meal: Invite a friend or neighbor over for coffee or soup—something easy yet comforting.

Celebrate small milestones: Acknowledge achievements like a child’s first steps or a friend’s new job with a little treat or homemade card.

Be spontaneous: The little moments where we send a text and say, “Come over,” or “Let’s grab lunch,” can become a way of life rather than a moment in time.

Jesus modeled this relational hospitality beautifully. He didn’t wait for people to get their lives in order before connecting with them.

He shared meals with tax collectors, dined with His disciples on dusty roadsides, and welcomed sinners into fellowship. He showed us that hospitality isn’t about the perfect setting but the heart behind it.

Know that your hospitality—even in small gestures— makes a difference. When we welcome others, even amid the chaos, we create moments where people can feel Christ’s love. Everyday celebrations don’t require grand gestures; they simply need a willing heart. Through these small acts of hospitality we reflect a God who welcomes us, not just in the big moments of life, but in the often-forgotten moments of the everyday.

Abby Turner Kuykendall is the author of The Living Table, a newlywed, a new mom, and works full-time as a food blogger, speaker, and writer.

Abby’s passion is to encourage women to stop wasting time waiting for the perfect family, house, or table and to start opening their homes and building community. Learn more about Abby and enjoy her recipes at atabletopaffair.com.

G facebook.com/atabletopaffair w pinterest.com/atabletopaffair e instagram.com/atabletopaffair

IN PRINT! A Time to Celebrate God’s Faithfulness Let’s celebrate! It’s been 35 years since God took founder Jill Briscoe’s dream and made it a reality.

Today, we celebrate Just Between Us as a faithful friend and spiritual lifeline to readers in every state in the U.S. and in over 65 countries. It has been our staff and volunteers’ profound privilege to walk beside each of you, offering encouragement and sharing in your journeys of faith.

What an incredible ride this has been! Every page represents hours dedicated to bringing you biblically-based articles with the hope that God’s Spirit would refresh, challenge, and uplift your souls. It’s our great joy to draw you closer to God and His great love for you.

We thank you, our dear readers! Your prayers and faithfulness have been the heart of this ministry.

Celebrating this milestone would be impossible without you. Year after year, it’s been an honor to be your friend and trusted companion in your walk with God. As we celebrate in all kinds of ways this year, we look ahead with grateful hearts and eager anticipation for all God has in store.

Philippians 1:3

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“Together we have shared in the blessings of God.”

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BETWEEN US

What We Don’t Trust We Will Try to Control

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ecently, I had the opportunity to visit the command center aboard an extremely large ship.

Toward the end of the tour, the captain asked if I would like to sit in his seat. As I sat down, I couldn’t help but be amazed at all the skill and expertise necessary to safely run this vessel.

My friends took several pictures of me looking like I was in control, but it was an illusion. I didn’t have the knowledge or the experience to do anything helpful unless the captain instructed me.

Can you imagine how foolish it would have been if I’d asked the captain to entrust his ship into my fully incapable hands? It may have felt good to feel in control for a few minutes, but if I wanted to return home safely, I had to trust the captain.

Just as in life, there are dangers in the sea that only the Captain knows how to handle.

The Illusion of Safety

God never called us to carry the weight of holding everything and everybody together—and it’s taking a great toll on our peace.

It can be so tough to release control because our motivation isn’t that we always want to be in charge but rather that we want to be safe.

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Sometimes I catch myself mentally running into the future where I fear there is impending doom and then trying to steer away from trouble as much as I can. Sometimes this is wise. But while it’s good to plan, we don’t want to obsess over the future. We can control our choices today, but we cannot fully control the outcomes of tomorrow.

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I don’t like that last sentence any more than you do.

But as I’ve been on a trust journey over the last couple of months, I’m having to learn how to acknowledge what may or may not happen in the future and still make the choice to live in today.

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Lysa TerKeurst This is what I can control: making wise choices right now, knowing God is in full control.

This is what I can’t control: all that happens in the tomorrows to come.

Jesus even reminds us of this truth in Matt. 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Surrender to His Guidance

The only way I have found to stop myself from reaching for control is to recognize when I’m getting controlling. In that moment of realization, I need to pause and declare that I’m making the choice to begin surrendering to God that which is beyond my ability to change in the moment: “God, I’m surrendering this unexpected turn of events. Instead of panicking and missing Your provision, I’m going to look for Your provision that is here.”

“God, I’m surrendering this tension with my friend. Instead of rushing to make judgments against her or myself, I’m going to let the Jesus in me talk to the Jesus in her through prayer before addressing this issue.”

“God, I’m surrendering how sad I feel today. Instead of trying to numb in unhealthy ways, I’m going to worship, listen to Your truth, look for Your presence in nature, or process this with people who are biblically wise.”

These prayers are my way of acknowledging that God leads and I follow. I am still in the process of surrendering. I have in no way perfected this, but I am willing to practice it, and I hope you’ll start to join me.

God already knows how flawed our efforts will be, but keeping our hearts bent toward Him more times than we pull away from Him is good progress.

Lysa TerKeurst is president and chief visionary officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, and It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. Her latest book is I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t (October 2024, Thomas Nelson). She enjoys life with her husband, Chaz, and her kids and grandkids.

Connect with her at LysaTerKeurst.com or on social media @LysaTerKeurst.

encouraging WORDS “There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate.”

ROBERT BRAULT

“Celebrating God in people should be part of our lives as Christians.”

SUNDY ADELAJA

“THE BEST TIME TO CELEBRATE IS WHENEVER YOU CAN.”

CHRISTINE CAINE

Celebrate HIS GOODNESS “They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”

PSALM 145:7

“Let’s enter his presence with thanksgiving! Let’s shout out to him in celebration!”

“Celebrate how far you’ve come.”

“This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

PSALM 118:24

“The more you value and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to value and celebrate.”

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“CELEBRATE with praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy.”

1 PETER 1:3

Celebrating God’s Work Through JBU: “I found your website today. What a blessing! My prayer life was suffering in the midst of my health challenges, and I asked the Lord to speak to me—He led me to your website. What an answer! It’s so easy to navigate, beautifully presented, and so full of encouragement. With many thanks.” ~ Marie

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PSALM 95:2

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HAPPY HOME

Feeling Inadequate?

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ave you ever been in a situation with other women where you felt inadequate? I think we have all felt this way before. When I was a university student, my school had a handful of beauty pageant winners, and I seemed to sit near them in every class. I’d walk into a communication class and find myself next to Miss Pennsylvania. In another class, the beautiful young lady seated in the row in front of me ended up being Miss California. At graduation, I sat next to a different friend, Miss Virginia, who would later become Miss America.

Surrounded by these beauty queens, it was easy to think, “How am I ever going to get married if I am not even Miss Neighborhood!” Talk about feeling inadequate.

We all compare ourselves unfavorably to others and covet a few crowns along the way. Whether it is someone’s high-ranking title, happy marriage, dream job, good kids, or amazing wardrobe, it’s in our sinful nature to want more than we have.

What is Covetousness?

To covet means “to wish for earnestly, to desire what belongs to another.” God tells us in the Tenth Commandment not to covet our neighbor’s house, wife, servants, animals, or belongings.

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In other words, don’t have an overwhelming desire to remodel your kitchen after you see your neighbor’s beautiful new cabinets.

Don’t stew about your boring marriage as you think about your friend going on a cruise with her romantic dreamboat of a husband.

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That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t save money to remodel your kitchen or plan an amazing vacation, but there’s an important difference between wanting something and badly wanting something that belongs to another person.

When you covet what is someone else’s, you swing open the door for sin to enter. Adultery happens

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Arlene Pellicane because someone wants a person who isn’t theirs.

Stealing happens because someone wants a possession that does not belong to them.

Listen to the way you talk to yourself. Do you detect the language of discontent? I wish I had a house like that. If only I was married like her!

Contentment as the Cure What can be done about our covetous ways? A heart of contentment is the cure. A heart that says, “I have enough; I am satisfied.” Like the apostle Paul, may we learn how to be in want and how to abound (Phil. 4:12). In every situation, we cultivate contentment. When a covetous thought enters your mind, train yourself to say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing” (Ps. 23:1).

We Are Wonderfully Made The definition of beauty from popular culture leads us to believe I fear I am NOT wonderfully made instead of I AM fearfully and wonderfully made. We can covet other people’s appearances. Our physical shortcomings can sabotage our ability to be happy in our marriages if we allow them. We can fixate on what we don’t have instead of what we do have. We must remind ourselves that God never makes junk.

Read these words aloud from Ps. 139 (vv. 16-18): Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.

The God of the universe is thinking about you and me. He has our every need covered. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and coveting someone else’s life. Enjoy the blessings you have been given today. God is our portion, and He is more than enough.

Arlene Pellicane is a speaker, host of the Happy Home podcast, and author of several books including: Screen Kids, Parents Rising, and 31 Days to a Happy Husband. Arlene has been featured on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, Wall Street Journal, FamilyLife Today, and Focus on the Family. She lives in San Diego, Calif., with her husband, James, and their three children. arlenepellicane.com G facebook.com/ArlenePellicaneAuthor Ö x.com/ArlenePellicane e ArlenePellicane

TRANSPARENT MOMENTS

The Power to Keep Going

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od connected my journey with Jill Briscoe over two decades ago. She continues to be one of the greatest sources of encouragement in my life and is the embodiment of Prov.

27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (HCSB).

I am blessed to share some life-changing nuggets of wisdom Jill has continued to pass down to me as God has called me to build Inspire Women. In 2001, I began with trembling as I could not understand why God would call me. After all, I would never have picked someone like me to build a ministry to rally women from all races to help them fulfill God’s unique purpose for their lives. Today, leading Inspire Women into its 25th year, I recall vivid moments when words from Jill have impacted my decisions and how I led this ministry.

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Anita Carman wasn’t as if God had singled me out for a disaster; the whole world was being affected too. I knew then that the answer was to follow the right choices of others who have gone before us and receive from them a comeback strategy.

Trust God to Bring What You Need When someone who had served with me for over a decade announced that she would no longer serve in the ministry, I felt my heart ripped out of my body.

Once again, I called Jill and her words served as a balm to my raw wounds. She said, “God is taking the ministry to a different level. The person you need is no longer the person you had.

God will bring you someone with the right skill set for the next season.” Her words were so direct, so concise, and so healing as she focused my eyes on trusting where God was going.

Anita Carman arrived in America at 17, after her mother’s tragic suicide. Today, she is a walking billboard of how God transformed her pain into passion to build Inspire Women, a nonprofit that unites thousands of women of all races and invests in their potential to change the world. She has an MBA from SUNY and an MABS from Dallas Theological Seminary. Anita has authored several books and lives in Houston, Tex., with her husband. She has two grown sons. Visit her at inspirewomen.org. (Anita Carman’s signature curriculum, being taught through Inspire Women’s Leadership Academy, offers an online option to teach women how to make decisions fitting for one who is the King’s daughter. To enroll, please email info@inspirewomen.org.)

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Start Rebuilding Keep Going When COVID hit, we had been When I felt threatened by those preparing for the ministry’s 20th who did not support the gospel, I anniversary. Many items were asked Jill if she had ever experiproduced that had the text “20th enced threats to her safety. She Year” on them. When we were did not overdramatize details, informed that we could not gather but simply said that being in the as a crowd at a conference, we public eye sometimes comes with had to pivot quickly to produce risks. She said, “You bring in extra the event online. However, nothing security and you keep going.” She could lessen the loss of walking did not sugarcoat anything. She into our headquarters and seeing made it clear there were risks, boxes of memorabilia we had but she still chose to keep serving to toss. Every day I had to exGod, and inspired me to do the Jill (left) and Anita (right) change what was supposed to be same. Would I trust God anyway, a celebration year with walking even when He allowed a trial? into what felt like a morgue. Jill’s words snapped Through Jill, I continue to see that you can learn me back to reality. She said in a very matter-of-fact discipleship from reading the Bible, but you will be tone, “There’s nothing you can do about that. You miles ahead when God puts a mature disciple, like start rebuilding. And you’d better get going.” She Jill, in your life. She leaves such an impact that I can then proceeded to recount times when she has had always hear her heart in my head and find comfort to do the same. in her words. “Yes, this happened to me, and it will Hearing Jill normalize defeat always helps me have happen to you.” Despite the challenges, I still see it as the courage to accept that setbacks happen. It a joy and a privilege to carry the cross God gives me, just like Jill!

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JONI’S CORNER

God’s Idea of Good

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fter I broke my neck in my 1967 diving accident, I refused to believe I was paralyzed and would never use my hands or legs again. Every time I prayed, I focused on walking again. To me, it was a good request. Jesus said so in Matt. 7:9-12, “If evil people know how to give good gifts, how much more will God give good gifts to those who ask him?”

What could be a better gift than walking?

I did everything possible to walk again. I worked hard in physical therapy, assuring my PT that before long, I would be up on my feet. I attended healing services and was the first to wheel up front to receive my miracle. I strained mentally to “make” my hands move. I pushed myself to try to stand, to run, hold hands, or even hold a bottle of soda. I began reading God’s Word more regularly. I prayed more earnestly, thinking, surely God won’t ignore the prayers of an insistent saint.

Gifts of Courage You can imagine how disappointed I felt when, years later, my hands and legs were still limp and useless. God, I thought, You say in Ps. 84:11 that you withhold no good thing from those whose walk is blameless. When will I ever get back use of my legs?! I did not understand. God promised to not withhold any good thing. And to me, walking was a good thing.

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Then one day a friend said, “I want you to know that I think you’re courageous. Your smile in your wheelchair tells me that God can help me get through my problems.” Her comment about courage resonated deeply within me. Something told me this was God’s “good thing.”

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Gifts for Eternity I realized God wasn’t so much interested in healing my legs, but in healing my heart. He was interested in a deeper healing. His good gifts spoken of in

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Joni Eareckson Tada Matthew 7 were gifts of courage and endurance. The Lord wanted to use my paralysis to cultivate perseverance, patience, and a deep reliance on Him— these are good things that will last for all of eternity.

With that, I began to pray for a heart of contentment, thoughts that were settled, a mouth that didn’t complain, eyes that refused to envy others, and ears that stopped listening to the devilish lie that “one is better off dead than disabled.” In short, I began to accept God’s idea of what is good—a deeper kind of good.

A very casual reading of Matthew 7 might have you asking for financial stability, but God may want you to trust Him. You may desire to marry, but God may keep you single and dependent on His grace.

You might ask for a clean medical report, but God may want to give you courage to face the unknown.

These are the “good gifts” of which God is speaking in Matthew 7.

Gifts of Intimacy Over the decades, I’ve come to delight in virtues like valor, faith, perseverance, endurance, peace that is profound, and joy that is unshakable. Honestly, I wouldn’t trade them for any amount of walking, and I would rather be in this wheelchair knowing Jesus as I do, than to be on my feet without Him—and without an ironclad faith refined by fiery trials.

Yes, walking is a good thing, but a strong faith and happy dependence on God is so much better! Life is richer and far more satisfying when lived with a courageous trust in Christ. So, the next time you are wondering what good could possibly come from your trials, look for “every good and perfect gift that comes from above, from the Father of lights” (Jas. 1:17). Rest assured, it will be a gift that will satisfy like nothing else can!

Joni Eareckson Tada, the founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an advocate for people with disabilities, providing Christ-centered programs for special-needs families through retreats. She has authored many books including A Spectacle of Glory, which contains biblical insights from her battle with cancer and chronic pain. Joni also serves as general editor of the Beyond Suffering Bible, a special edition published by Tyndale for those who suffer chronic conditions, and their caregivers. She and her husband, Ken, live in Calabasas, Calif.

This anniversary column first appeared in the spring 2020 issue of Just Between Us. Joni was a columnist for over 10 years.

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EVERYONE NEEDS TO

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Celebrate!

A spiritual discipline that’s meant to be a regular rhythm in our lives.

by Sharon Hodde Miller

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n the spring of 2020, the world as we knew it shut down. We stayed home, we transitioned to working online, and our social schedules were emptied. For all intents and purposes, everything stopped. We stopped going to playgrounds, eating out, going to movies, and traveling. It all came to a grinding halt, except for one notable thing.

We didn’t stop celebrating.

If you had a birthday during that time, your birthday wasn’t canceled. If you were supposed to graduate during that time, your family didn’t ignore the milestone. If you had a baby during that time, friends still sent food and gifts.

No, we didn’t stop celebrating. Instead, we just celebrated differently. We had birthday parades, parties on Zoom, and baby showers in driveways. It’s as if it never occurred to us that because we couldn’t gather physically, we had the option to simply stop celebrating.

And there’s a reason for that. Even though celebrating is not a basic necessity, there is something deep inside of us that is compelled to celebrate in whatever way we can, no matter the circumstances, because God put it in us. When we look at Scripture, we see a thread of celebration that not only runs throughout the whole Bible, but bookends it from start to finish.

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The beginning of Scripture: In Genesis 1, God creates the world and everything in it. He completes this work in six days, at which point He sees “all that he had made—and it was very good” (v. 31)! Then, He sets about the work of enjoying what He has made by resting. In short, God begins by celebrating.

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The beginning of Jesus’ ministry: Jesus inaugurates His earthly ministry with a miracle, but not the kind of miracle you might expect. Jesus could have healed the sick or fed the hungry. He could have walked on water or raised the dead.

Instead, John 2 tells us, He attended a wedding and turned water into wine. His first miracle was a miracle of celebration.

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The end of Scripture: Finally, Revelation 19 depicts Jesus’ return. When we are finally and fully reunited with Jesus, verse 7 describes this as “the wedding of the Lamb.”

What are we to make of the fact that celebration is woven throughout Scripture, and that it defined the life and ministry of Jesus?

It means that celebration is an essential expression of the character of God. Which also means that, to follow Him, we must do likewise.

It is for this reason that, throughout the history of the church, Christians have spoken of celebration as a “spiritual discipline.” While it might sound strange to describe celebration as a “discipline,” remember that the word “discipline” comes from the same root as “disciple.” For disciples of Jesus, celebration is how we follow and become like Him.

“…God created us to celebrate, not only because He is a God of joy, delight, abundance, and fun, but because when we celebrate, it transforms us as well.”

Practically speaking, this means that celebration is meant to be a regular rhythm of our lives. It means we practice Sabbath every week, just as God did, not by simply ceasing from work, but by enjoying what God has created. It means taking Communion together, just as Jesus did, to remember and celebrate His life and death and resurrection. And it means practicing gratitude—which is the core of all celebration—every single day.

Celebration is in a very real sense a Christian way of life. The truth is, God created us to celebrate, not only because He is a God of joy, delight, abundance, and fun, but because when we celebrate, it transforms us as well.

Reprinted from ThomasNelsonBibles blog (November 17, 2021).

Used with permission.

Sharon Hodde Miller is a teaching pastor at Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina, which she cofounded with her husband, Ike. The author of Free of Me, The Cost of Control, and Gazing at God, Miller has blogged at SheWorships.com for over ten years, has been a regular contributor to Propel, Hermeneutics, and She Reads Truth, and has written for Relevant, Christianity Today, (in)courage, and many other publications and blogs.

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The end of Jesus’ ministry: At the end of Jesus’ life, on His final night in the world, Jesus gathers His disciples for one final dinner together, not to mourn in agony, but to take the Passover meal. They break bread. They drink wine. They celebrate God’s faithfulness to Israel in Egypt, and Jesus urges them to continue remembering God’s faithfulness to them.

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SHOULD I

TRUST AGAIN?

A true heart change will determine the answer.

by Debbie W. Wilson

R ȷustbetweenus spring 2025

emember Charles Shultz’s Peanuts cartoon?

With Lucy’s record of yanking away the football at the last minute, should Charlie Brown trust her to hold it in place for him to kick?

Here’s a more pertinent question: Should you trust the person who betrayed you?

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First, it’s worth noting that love, trust, forgiveness, and reconciliation are separate issues. Heaping them together keeps people from forgiving. We are to love and forgive even our enemies as Christ forgave us. Thankfully, forgiveness is between us and God—it doesn’t depend on the recipient’s knowledge or cooperation.

When we forgive, we cancel the debt someone owes us. I picture turning them over to the bill collector: God. They become His problem, not ours. In forgiving, I’m saying, “This is what they did and what it cost me.

I release them and what they did to You to deal with appropriately. And I look to You to meet my needs.”

God calls us to forgive because He’s forgiven us (Col. 3:13). Remember when Peter asked Jesus how many times he was to forgive the same person? I’m glad Peter asked the question we are thinking. “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times’?

‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven’” (Matt. 18:21-22, NLT)!

Jesus then told a parable about a king who forgave a servant millions of dollars. The forgiven servant shocks everyone when, after receiving lavish mercy, he goes out to collect a much lesser debt from a fellow servant.

“Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you’” (Matt. 18:32-33, NLT)?

confessed and took responsibility for his actions.

He penned Psalms admitting his sin and acknowledging God’s cleansing. Bathsheba knew she could trust David after he turned from his sin and returned to God.

We forgive because we are the ones that have been forgiven much, but extending forgiveness doesn’t necessarily lead to restored trust. It takes two to restore trust.

• Joseph and his brothers: Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Gen. 37-50). Joseph suffered many years in Egypt as a slave and prisoner because of their betrayal. When they appeared in Egypt needing food, Joseph put them through an elaborate series of tests to reveal their true character. Only after they passed the tests did he reveal his identity to them and invite them to live under his protection.

Three Biblical Examples of Forgiving Without Restored Trust

• David forgave King Saul—but he did not trust him (1 Sam. 19:24; 26-27:1).

King Saul’s intent to harm David continued despite Saul’s contrite words and emotions. “Saul asked, ‘Is that your voice, David my son?’ And he wept aloud. ‘You are more righteous than I,’ he said. ‘You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly’” (1 Sam. 24:16-17).

• Jesus offered forgiveness to all—but He did not trust people.

“Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart” (John 2:23-25, NLT).

• Paul forgave—but he did not trust the Judaizers or Alexander the coppersmith.

“Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them” (Gal. 4:17, NLT).

“Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him, for he fought against everything we said” (2 Tim. 4:14-15, NLT).

Trust is the “firm belief in the reliability … of someone or something.” Once broken, it can only be restored when dependability is rebuilt. A chair that crumbles when sat on is not fit for seating. A person who repeatedly proves unreliable has no right to demand trust.

Three Biblical Examples of Restored Trust

• Bathsheba and David: Should a woman ever trust the man who took advantage of her and had her husband killed (2 Sam. 11-12)? When the prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin, David

In each of these cases, the one who’d broken trust showed remorse and a change of behavior.

Before You Trust Again, Watch and Wait

Our actions reveal our hearts. Some want the benefits of a restored relationship without the work of transformation. True heart change will reveal itself in attitudes and actions.

Being the recipient of God’s mercy and grace reminds us to show compassion even to those that don’t deserve it. What they owe us can’t compare with what we owe Jesus. Jesus took the hell we deserved so that we could have His heaven. We will never suffer like that because of someone else’s sin against us.

Because Jesus meets all my needs (Ps. 23:1), I no longer need to collect debts or force relationships that are unhealthy. The motivation to restore trust comes not from a need for this relationship but from a desire to honor Christ.

Should we forgive that person who hurt us? Absolutely. Should we trust them? That depends on them.

Have they shown repentance and change like King David and Joseph’s brothers? Or are they behaving like Lucy with Charlie Brown?

Debbie W. Wilson is an awardwinning author, Bible teacher, and former Christian counselor who speaks and writes to connect fellow sojourners to the heart of Christ. Connect with Debbie, find free resources, and learn about her books including her new release, Little Strength, Big God, at debbiewwilson.com.

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We know godly sorrow leads to repentance or change (2 Cor. 7:10). If the one who wronged me denies his wrongdoing, blames others for it, or minimizes the damage, then I cannot assume that he is trustworthy.

• Jesus and Peter: Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32). After Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in one night, he wept bitterly. Jesus knew Peter had learned from his fall and commissioned him to feed and tend His flock (John 21:15-17).

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ON TH E GO FOR TH E

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Gospel 18

JBU Founder Jill Briscoe has always had a heart to share Jesus with the world.

by Shelly Esser

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hile a college student at Cambridge University in England, Jill found herself in a hospital bed recovering from an illness. In a bed beside her was Jenny, a young woman whose faith and boldness would forever change her life. Jenny didn’t just talk to Jill about Jesus, she also led her to Christ and then challenged her to share her newfound faith with the nurses in the hospital. “You make yourself available to the Lord day by day,” Jenny told her, “And watch to see whose company you’re thrown into.” With those words, Jill’s journey as a lifelong messenger of the gospel began.

The kids filled every room and when Stuart returned home later that night, he was greeted by a skinny guy with hair dyed in different colored stripes, who said, “Sorry mate, there’s no room.” It was a new season for Jill. Young people were finding Christ in their home. Jill used every opportunity in front of her— even her baby became a point of connection with other young mothers in the park or at the store. She learned that the Lord was asking for her obedience, not just her husband’s. Their home could be a fishing boat in Stuart’s absence. As God said to Joshua, “Get up off your face and go and do what I’ve told you to do” (Josh. 7:10-11, paraphrased).

Despite her apprehension and feelings of inadequacy, Jill took Jenny’s advice to heart. She began sharing her testimony, discovering the power of the Holy Spirit to equip her for the task. From those first timid steps, Jill’s life transformed into one of unshakable faith and an unrelenting desire to make Jesus known.

Whether walking on foot, riding scooters, or boarding planes to bustling cities or remote villages, Jill has been on the move for the gospel ever since—and that was over 70 years ago. What began as a new believer’s desire to share her faith grew into a global ministry that has spanned decades on every continent. “You just have to be willing,” Jill says. She has often said and shown that availability and obedience to God’s call are the only qualifications needed to make an eternal impact.

Starting Where You Are

“Start where you are with what you’ve got,” became one of Jill’s life mottos. In those early days, she poured her energy into creative evangelism. She painted chairs and scrubbed floors at the Chinese Gospel Mission in a seedy part of Liverpool, preached from a rowboat to picnicking families on the shore, and stood on upturned crates on bombsites, sharing her faith with anyone who would listen.

“…watch to see whose company you’re thrown into.”

A Turning Point at Home

Early in her marriage to Stuart, Jill struggled with resentment at his long months away for ministry. “Why don’t you stay home on the weekends and evangelize here? Look outside our window at the Cat’s Whisper coffee bar across the street. All those young people need to hear the gospel. Why preach to a dozen little old ladies in a church?”

Jill later admitted that her motives weren’t entirely pure. She was lonely and frustrated by Stuart’s frequent absences. “I was simply using them as an excuse to get my own way,” she confessed. Stuart, however, turned the question back to her: “What do you think you are here for? You reach them.”

Overcoming Fear with Obedience

Ministry was not always easy. Jill’s work often required her to face her fears head-on—something she has struggled with her entire life. One memorable evening, she stood outside a crowded dance hall filled with teenagers. “Oh, Lord,” she prayed, “give me the courage to go inside.” When the courage didn’t come, she breathed a sigh of relief and went home.

But later that night, she read Romans 10:14-15a: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” The Lord’s words pierced her heart. “You received your commission continued ›

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Those words were a turning point for Jill. Her “spare time” quickly filled up with ministry to the young people on her doorstep, and their home transformed into a hub for Bible studies. One night, Jill invited some young evangelists she was working with to do what she didn’t dare do alone—go across the street to approach a dozen wild-looking youth outside the coffee bar. They panicked and invited them all over to Jill’s apartment for an English cup of tea!

“I learned how to reach the tough gang, the ‘Teddy Boys’ through street meetings,” Jill recalled. “One of them even gave me his flick knife as a keepsake.”

Whether invading coffee bars or marching among crowds at the dog track with Bible placards, Jill embraced the challenge of reaching people where they were. Jenny’s words, “watch to see whose company you’re thrown into” became a way of life for Jill.

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when I told you to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Acts 1:8). This dance hall is the bit of the world to which I’m sending you.”

The following week, Jill returned to the dance hall.

This time, she didn’t wait for courage. She realized that the courage might never come and that the Lord was asking her to do it without courage, so she obeyed. To her amazement, the manager allowed her to speak to the hundreds of teenagers inside.

Week after week, young people found Christ in that place. “I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my Christian life,” Jill said. “To obey, without stipulating conditions, is what being a soldier of Jesus Christ is all about.”

One snowy night, Jill found herself driving to an unfamiliar address for a women’s meeting. Arriving at what turned out to be a bowling alley, she discovered the group was not a traditional church gathering but a social club hosting a wine-tasting event.

“Don’t you remember?” the Lord reminded her.

“Go where they are; don’t expect them to come to you.” Jill shared her testimony, trusting God to work through her words. Opportunities like this taught Jill to rely on God’s leading, even to unexpected places.

A Global Ripple Effect

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Jill’s obedience to start small and trust God with the results has had a ripple effect far beyond her local community and youth work. For decades, she traveled extensively, equipping leaders around the world and working with World Relief. While Jill’s desire was to work with youth, God had other things in mind.

“You can’t always choose your ministry,” Jill said. “You have to accept where He wants you to go. He chose to thrust me out and give me a love for women who

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I would minister to around the world.” I took every opportunity. For Jill it was just as necessary to go to a rural community in middle-America to speak to 35 women as it was to teach at a large conference in a major city overseas.

The main thing the Lord told her repeatedly was to “go.” Wherever she went in the world—and many of the places were dark and dangerous, and even closed off to Christianity—she was often met with the same words in many different languages, “You came!

You didn’t send a book, or CDs, or clothes or medicine, not even money or Bibles, you came to us!” That is the ministry of presence and Jill saw the need and an invitation to “go over” and help whomever she could.

“So, if it’s possible,” you just go,” Jill said. “And all of us can do that! You don’t have to do it abroad.”

For years, Jill secretively went into a closed Communist country halfway around the world where Christians were being persecuted. As Jill recalled, “Thirty-six women huddled in an attic for five days for the first Bible teaching they had ever received.”

They had walked in the dark for days at the possible cost of their freedom or even life itself. Sitting on the floor with these precious women who had risked it all, Jill taught from eight in the morning until six at night for five days straight. The third day Jill said, “I would love to hear you sing one of your hymns.” The hair stood up on the back of her neck when they sang— in a whisper—so they wouldn’t be discovered by the authorities. Women in hard places just waiting for someone to come and teach them the Word of God.

Jill on a ministry trip to India.

. ed into Chinese votional translat Jill’s women’s de

Jill at Gatesville Prison in Texas.

Convulsed with Compassion

“Are you convulsed with compassion for the multitude?” Jill often asked. It’s a question born out of her passion to share Jesus with others. From the start of her faith, she has embodied the call to “go into all the world” and make disciples.

Jill’s life of obedience is a reminder that God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. Whether teaching refugees in Croatia, working with teenagers in street ministry, standing behind a podium at a packed conference, visiting women in a maximum security prison in Texas, going into the dark and dangerous parts of the world, or offering a ministry of presence—Jill has never stopped “going.” She has faithfully followed the Lord’s leading, leaving a legacy of boldness, compassion, and unshakable faith.

Now in her late eighties, Jill’s days of hopping on planes to faraway lands are over, but she continues to go in new ways. Seated in a small chair in her modest living room, she now reaches the world through reading her 50-plus years of inspirational poetry that is shared digitally. To date, she has over 200,000 TikTok followers! Her words of wisdom and grace continue to touch lives along with the over 40-plus books she has written that have been translated in dozens of languages.

Through this twilight season of her life, Jill remains steadfast in her mission to share Jesus. As she often says, “You go where you’re sent, you stay where you’re put, and you give what you’ve got, ‘til you’re done.”

Her story challenges each of us to consider: Where is God calling you to start? What do you have that He can use?

Like Jill, we are all invited to be on the go for the gospel— until we’re done.

Shelly Esser has been the editor of Just Between Us for 35 years. Additionally, she has been involved with leading and nurturing women in Christ since college. She and her husband have four adult daughters, two sons-in-law, a grandson and granddaughter, and live in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

On one of my significant birthdays, I was given this verse: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come” (Ps. 71:18). For these “bonus” years that I have enjoyed here, this is my prayer. Maybe you can make it yours:

Even when I’m old and gray, Sun or rain or come what may.

Even when my strength is waning, Help me, Lord, with knowledge gaining, To tell the children of Your grace, Show them how to seek Your face.

Give me inner eyes to see What You have in mind for me.

Grant me patient power to wait, Till I pass through Heaven’s gate.

Even when I’m old and gray, Give me strength, Lord, day by day.

Thank You for Your Spirit strong Deep within me all day long, Freshening my thirsty soul, Strengthening and making whole.

Jesus, may my children see Your sweet life controlling me.

Even when I’m old and gray, I’m resolved to have my say.

Even when they laugh or frown, I won’t let it get me down.

Count on me to tell Your story, Until You take me home to glory!

Jill Briscoe ©2024

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Some of the stories are adapted from There’s a Snake in My Garden by Jill Briscoe (Harold Shaw Publishers copyright 1996).

On Jill Briscoe’s 89th Birthday

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ANOTHER SIDE OF

Martha

HOW BELIEF EXCHANGED WORRY FOR PEACE.

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by Debra Celovsky

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I remember learning about the story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus while growing up.

Pastors’ kids become familiar with Bible stories at an early age, and I had this one pegged.

My paraphrase of Luke 10:38-42 would have sounded something like this: There are two sisters (and a brother named Lazarus who shows up later) who are good friends of Jesus. They live in a small village south of Jerusalem. During a visit of Jesus and his disciples, one sister, Mary, sits at his feet and listens carefully to his teaching. The other sister, Martha, is frantically working in the kitchen preparing a meal for the guests. At some point, Martha takes a moment from her labors to go to Jesus and express her irritation at her sister’s lack of help.

Jesus tells her, in a nice way, that she’s too worried, and should be sitting at his feet, too.

To my young mind, this meant, “Martha wrong, Mary right. Martha bad, Mary good.” As years went by and I found myself in pastoral work with my husband, raising three children, and with responsibilities in various ministries in the church, I developed a more sympathetic view of Martha. I understood her desire to be a good hostess, to have everything in abundance and to be well-prepared for a house full of guests. I understood the amount of planning and effort that was required. And I could well understand her irritation under those circumstances.

The Distraction of Worry

I still need to pay attention to the skillful, loving words of Jesus to a woman who possessed great energy and a robust ministry of hospitality. He knew the default to anxiety that infused her daily responsibilities. “Martha, Martha,” He begins, “you are worried and upset about many things.” Gentle, but straight to the point.

It makes sense that the biblical word for worry used here, “merimnao,” is derived from the Greek root, “merizo” (to divide). Worry divides, or pulls apart our thought processes and our ability to properly discern.

With my own frequently harried efforts, I knew this to be true.

Jesus was also conveying something else to this hardworking woman. “Few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (vs. 42). Martha’s anxiety camouflaged her need for time in the presence of the Savior. He addresses her deeper needs by calling attention to an immediate one. Had she taken the time to sit at His feet along with her sister, He would have spoken the words she needed to quiet her mind and heart, and receive a proper perspective on her activities.

British theologian, J. Marshall Lang, writing in the 19th century, offers this view: “It is Martha who receives Jesus; it is she who provides for his comfort. If she is bustling and busy, this is only the sign of her devotion.

Nor does Jesus say that, in her anxiety about many things, she had lost the one thing needful, and that she had no share in the good part, which could not be taken away. He is defending Mary against the temporary petulance of Martha. In doing so, he cautions her against the temptation to admonish her sister.”

An Example to Follow

A short time later, Martha interacts with Jesus under very different circumstances. Lazarus has died. His sisters are devastated. Jesus has been summoned, but has delayed His arrival. When He does approach Bethany, it is Martha who receives word and rushes to meet Him. This time she is the one at His feet. We can imagine the intense outpouring of emotion. I find it astonishing that here, in the brief conversation that follows, Jesus chooses to make that profound declaration so familiar to all of us: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

These words are, of course, not just for Martha. They are a triumphant proclamation for the ages—a shot to the enemy of our souls. And He speaks them to a heartsick woman in the middle of a dusty road. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me shall never die” (John 11:25b). Then, “Martha, do you believe this?”

I hear the love.

Through her tears, Martha responds with the foundation upon which the mighty revelation rests: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Do I, in my present circumstances, have the presence of mind to make that glorious affirmation? Will I relinquish my anxious, worried mind, my present chaos, or my broken heart to the resurrected Christ and allow Him to give me His peace?

Years ago, I sat in a class where an elderly woman teacher suggested that Martha, whose name has the same meaning as the Greek Kyria or “lady,” is the “elect lady” to whom 2 John is written. Recently, in a well-known commentary, I discovered that this suggestion is not at all new but may indeed be quite probable. It’s a lovely thought. I also like to think that maybe Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, and that their own powerful testimony of a resurrection miracle was hugely effective in the early church.

We can be sure that Martha would remain faithful and energetic in her ministry of gracious welcome, free from anxiety and filled with the peace of Jesus—a precious lesson for us in every season of life.

Debra Celovsky has served in pastoral ministry with her husband most of her adult life, and her devotionals and articles have appeared in a number of publications. She is on the board of Inspire Christian Writers and blogs at debracelovsky.com.

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Temporary petulance. Well, that sounds uncomfortably familiar. I’ve been guilty before of thinking, “I’m doing all these good things for Jesus, and you’re not helping.”

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To Begin Again Reflective questions so God can move in your life.

by Cherry Schwulst

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“Life is made up of a series of opportunities to begin again”

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(The Rule of Benedict, Joan Chittister). I find hope, and a bit of excitement, in that thought. Looking back, I see that life has given me many opportunities to start anew. One of the most recent was leaving our ministry and life in the Dominican Republic and moving back to the United States. This was an all-out, all-in, out-of-the-box experience that lasted almost ten years.

While there are no pat answers or specific steps one takes to begin again (and I so wish there were), I do see some life rhythms that have developed in those times of change and transition. They are not necessarily in this order; rather, they seem to be intermingled in my life pattern. Here are some stages I have passed through, not always gracefully, but always covered by God’s grace.

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Letting Go of People, Places, and Circumstances.

It seems that all new beginnings bring with them an opportunity to let go and to let God. The late poet Mary Oliver wrote: “I think this is/The prettiest world—so long as you don’t mind/a little dying.” Life contains many deaths. As we walk through Holy Week this spring and experience the Easter Sunday resurrection, we see that when someone gives themself to death and dying, beautiful things can come about.

I have been encouraged in this letting go process as I read…

Everyone has to put down some part of their past sometime. Everyone makes a major life change at some time or other. Everyone has to be open to being formed again. The only thing that can possibly deter the new formation is if we ourselves refuse to let go of what was. If we cling to the past, the future is closed to us (Chittister).

I desire to see change in my life as an opportunity for God to create something new.

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Walking with Jesus. Paying Attention. Staying Alert.

I am learning to trust that God is in control of my “what’s next?” This stage involves paying attention to where God is and where He wants to take me. Listening to my spiritual longings, enjoying that which is God in the present moment, and attending to what God is opening up for me next. I can gently ask myself questions like, “What moves me?” and “What do I want to devote myself to in this season of life?”

Questions that help me discern God’s leading are: “Is this person, this group, this place, calling out the best in me? Is this where I fit? Is this the place where I can most become what God created me to be? Is this the path on which I see the footsteps of God most clearly in front of me” (Chittister)?

Jesus tells us that he came to preach to the lost (Mark 1:38). For what purpose have I come?

What is my mission in life or, better said, what part of God’s mission am I to play now?

This stage could also be described as “moving on with purpose.” My focus is, as author Matthew Kelly says, “to become the best version of myself”—to make moment-by-moment choices that lead me to celebrate and defend my best self. To do what I can, where I can, how I can, right now to make the world a better place. My greatest strength is my ability to make a difference in the lives of other people.

To speak into the lives of others. Or as my spiritual director encourages me, “You be you, Cherry.” Saint Catherine of Siena phrased it as, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

My husband and I spent three months visiting the Dominican Republic, an island bursting with God’s goodness with its awe-inspiring ocean, sandy beaches, majestic mountains, tropical flowers, and lush vegetation. Walking one day amidst all His glory, I felt God say to me, “Tend well what I have given you.”

I love the words tend and cultivate. Maybe it’s my farm background, but these words carry a lot of weight with me. Tending and cultivating that which God has gifted me includes caring for myself, my health—physical, emotional, and spiritual—my marriage and family, and my unique gifts, such as writing, recovery, and bicultural living.

I believe that we do best when we know ourselves, our strengths, and our limits in the moment and take good care of ourselves. When our lives are too full or we are living too fast—what my husband’s mentor calls “going over the speed limit in life”—we don’t take the time to reflect, ponder, or really put ourselves in another’s shoes. Instead of struggling to do as much as we can, may we say with Mary Oliver, “My work is loving the world.”

As spring comes to visit us again and we see evidence of new beginnings all around us, may we soak it all in, open to the new in our own lives, and simply pray, “God, grant that I may love you always; then, do with me as you will” (Stations of the Cross).

Cherry Schwulst served on the

mission field in the Dominican Republic for almost ten years. Since returning to the States, she focuses on mentoring women in different life stages. She and her husband, Dave, have four young adult children. Visit her monthly blog, Held by Love… Living Aware of the Divine at cherryonline.org.

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All this takes some time and patience. I can look at what God says through nature. How does an apple ripen? It just sits in the sun. It gets ready to “bear fruit.”

I like to think that I am always getting ready so God can move in my life. I want to be continually growing toward being deeply satisfied spiritually and bearing fruit that will last (John 15:16).

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Living on Mission.

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Wor IN HIS EYES

Seeing yourself as God sees you.

by Sandy Mayle Last year, I received a memorable birthday card. On the front were written just three words: UNIQUE AMAZING LOVED What, me? I had a friend who thought those three words in any way described me? How wonderful to think of myself as seen that way. I felt cherished!

Months later, the Lord reminded me of that card and whispered, “That’s the way I see you, too.”

“Look at the birds of the air,” Jesus said. “They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they” (Matt. 6:26, emphasis mine)?

And again, “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:31, emphasis mine).

I have great worth in my Father’s eyes. In fact, He has affirmed my personal value three times over: 1. He hand-created me in His image just as He intended me (Ps. 139:13).

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2. He died for my—and everyone’s—sins on the cross (1 John 4:10).

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3. He forgave my personal sins when I confessed them to Him, then came to live within me (1 John 1:9; 1 Cor. 6:19).

Three times worthy! How I needed to hear that.

Labelled in my youth as “shy” and “mousy,” I’d grown up depending too often on others’ recognition and affirmation to give me a sense of worth and the

thy

courage to navigate life. This had complicated relationships, consumed my thoughts and feelings, and stifled ministry.

But now I was hearing about my worth to God, and reading that “[The Father]… has made us worthy to participate in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12, JUB).

He Made Me Worthy

My Father has made me worthy to participate. I’ve been made worthy to carry the treasure of the gospel in this jar of clay (2 Cor. 4:7). Worthy to come to the Father’s throne with my needs and desires (Heb. 4:16) and pray in the name of Jesus (John 16:24).

Worthy to wear the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18) and worthy to both abide in Christ and have His Spirit abide in me (John 15:4). I am worthy to exercise the spiritual gifts He’s given me (1 Cor. 12:7) and worthy to be continually “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor. 3:18) until I reach my eternal home with Him. I don’t qualify for these privileges by my own effort or merit but because the Father qualifies me. When I was hopelessly stained and useless, He bought me at a high cost to Himself, washed me clean in the blood of His Son, and made me a vessel of honorable use (2 Tim. 2:21). He made me worthy!

Through God’s Eyes

No longer do I need to go around seeking for someone to affirm my worth. God, the highest Authority and the deepest Love, sees me as:

Amazing. Actually, God has made me twice amazing. I am both “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14) and the amazing result of His saving grace.

“We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,” Paul writes in Eph. 2:10 (NLT). Writing about this verse in “You Are God’s Workmanship,” Jon Bloom says, “The Greek word Paul chose for this sentence is poiema, and what he had in mind is a work of masterful creativity. You can already tell that this is where we get our English word ‘poem’…You are an epic poem, a God-imaging poiema—become flesh and spirit. Your poem contains all the comedic and tragic drama of an existence more real and meaningful than you have yet to comprehend. If you think you are a boring work of prose, you don’t yet see things as they really are… But it is God’s intention and delight to heal your sight.”

Loved. God is love (1 John 4:16). His love is not watered-down and tepid; it is full-strength, warm, and intimate. Psalm 139 tells me that in love God encircles me and lays His hand upon me, cocooning me in His affection and protection. His Holy Spirit has even moved into me (1 Cor. 6:19), love rushing through every inner door I open and cascading to the deepest recesses of my heart. His love is the outward setting and the inward atmosphere in which I’m invited to live 24/7.

I’m certainly not worthy, in myself, to be described by those three words on God’s card to me. But because of Him, they’re true. And God is glorified when I believe what He says about me and let it color the way I live every day.

Maybe, even as a believer, you’ve been defeated by the way you see yourself. Satan, our enemy, loves that. He does not want you to open any heaven-sent correspondence bearing three powerful words. But here you are, reading this, because you have a Friend who thinks those words describe you. And He’s sending this message to you personally: You are: UNIQUE AMAZING LOVED Take His words to heart, and feel cherished. Because they’re true.

Of you.

Sandy Mayle is a freelance writer of

articles, devotionals, poetry, and prayer and retreat resources. She and her husband, Dave, live in Erie, Pa. They have three sons and daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren.

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Unique. There’s no other “me” anywhere in all the history of humankind. A hands-on God created exactly whom He wanted to create when He knit one-of-akind me together in my mother’s womb. He’s been leading me through a complex life-blend of circumstances and influences that no one else has experienced. I fill a place in the body of Christ that no one else can fill. The spiritual gifts He’s given me serve His

Church in a way no one else’s will. Truly, my “uniqueness devoted to Christ is a glory to Christ unlike any other” (John Piper, “Does the Bible Say I am Unique?”).

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Think ABOUT

WHAT YOU’RE

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Thinking 28

ABOUT

Your life is shaped by your thoughts.

by Jenna Dexter

I

Your life is shaped by your thoughts, which is why it is so important to be aware of what you are allowing yourself to think about, ruminate on, and biologically embed into the neural pathways of your brain.

Eyeing the far more experienced gymnasts, intimidation gripped her and she began the competition not truly believing she could win. While she placed first for vault and second for all-around, she fell off the balance beam and stumbled during her floor routine, thus proving to herself that she could not perform well consistently.

If you are one of those women, you are not alone. It’s more common than you think.

n 2012, Simone Biles was virtually unknown in the world of gymnastics. While she had proven her capabilities, her lack of consistency gnawed at her as she went into the 2012 American Classics, one of her first elite competitions.

She carried memories of her failures into the 2013 American Cup and performed so badly that her coach pulled her from her last event, saying, “You are not focused and could get hurt.”

Tears streaming, Simone sat in the locker room overwhelmed with defeat and hopelessness when the infamous former Romanian coach, Marta Karolyi, walked in and said, “The problem is not your body. It’s your mind.”

Overcoming Limiting Thoughts

Simone began routine sessions with a sports psychologist, where she overcame her limiting beliefs and learned how to embrace the mindset of a champion.

That same year she won gold at the 2013 World Championships and went on to completely dominate the sport, becoming the world’s most decorated gymnast. With the addition of three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles firmly secured her legacy as the greatest of all time.

Biles had discovered her God-given power to choose her thoughts. She learned to recognize toxic thoughts and replace them with healthy beliefs, propelling her to the greatness she had within herself all along.

Believing You Can Do It

God gave you the same power to renew your mind. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2a).

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Prov. 4:23, GNT).

Some women lack the confidence to achieve the most fundamental goals, such as taking care of their body or maintaining a lovely home environment.

Others lack confidence for more enterprising endeavors, such as writing a book, public speaking, successfully executing a ministry at church, or creating a thriving business or ministry.

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

Whatever it is you want in life or feel called to, if you don’t really believe you can achieve it, you won’t. You will struggle with confidence.

I don’t have what it takes, you may think.

I don’t have enough skill, knowledge, or experience.

Or you believe you have those things, but a history of not following through needles you. I don’t have self-discipline.

These may be subconscious beliefs that you don’t recognize as the core of why you are stuck. You can easily miss them because you’re either not thinking about what you’re thinking about or about why you’re thinking it.

What is at the root of your toxic thoughts? Pray and ask God to bring understanding. Journaling is a very productive way to process and discover insights, along with speaking to a trusted friend or mentor,

continued ›

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What greatness has been lying inside of you all along, just waiting to be unleashed? What mental hang-ups are preventing you from living your most thriving life?

I talk to a lot of women who have God-given dreams, goals, and feel a calling on their life, but they struggle with confidence.

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My response was to call out the lie for what it was by reciting a list of impressive things I knew she had accomplished, all of which took incredible self-discipline.

That is what is true.

She had it within her to be self-disciplined. She had just lost her way through a series of life events that pulled her down, and she had allowed a lie of the enemy to penetrate her mind and heart.

Suiting Up Against the Enemy

The enemy doesn’t want you thriving in your life in any way; much less impact the world for Christ. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).

The enemy knows the power of a mind and heart that are fixed on Christ, so he is always looking for opportunities to infect your thoughts with toxic lies, intimidation, fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, resentment, unforgiveness…and the list goes on.

That is why it’s vital to suit up in the armor of God and resist the enemy. (See Eph. 6:13).

• You have the power to take your thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5).

creating art, or experiencing nature. Figure out what helps you slow down and challenge the thoughts that you assume are true.

Resisting the Lies

Is it possible that you do have what it takes?

Is it possible that you do have enough skill, knowledge, and experience?

If God has called you, He has equipped you with everything you need, including the ability to learn more and get more experience as needed.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).

• You don’t have to accept that every thought is true.

Rather, you can discern if your thoughts can be trusted. Remember, they shape the course of your life, so you’d better be able to trust them.

• You have the ability to choose what you think about and fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Phil. 4:8).

Like Simone Biles walking into her first elite competition, you are capable of greatness beyond what you can imagine. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20).

Don’t let your mind be the thing that keeps you stuck instead of the thing that empowers you. “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Prov. 4:23, GNT).

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Is it possible that you can become self-disciplined?

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I had a client who was in such a dark place of hopelessness and defeat that she didn’t believe she had the self-discipline to accomplish pretty much anything. She barely tended to her basic self-care needs, let alone pursued lost dreams.

With the firmly held belief that she lacked self-discipline, she professed, “I never follow through on anything. So why bother trying?”

Jenna Dexter is a Christian life and mindset coach

for women, speaker, and host of the Total Thrive podcast & YouTube channel. Her membership community, Total Thrive Women, empowers like-minded Christian women to achieve personal, spiritual, and professional results through group coaching, personal development trainings, and more. Learn more and find resources at TotalThrive.com.

PRAYER PROMPTS

An Evening Prayer O Lord, You are the Lord of the night as You are of the day, and all the stars are obedient to Your will. In this hour of darkness, I too submit my will to Yours.

O God, set me free— from the stirrings of self will within my heart; from cowardly avoidance of the things I need to do; from rebellious reluctance to face necessary suffering; from discontent with my place in life; from jealousy of those whose place in life is easier; from being dissatisfied with my talents yet hungry for more;

from undisciplined thought; from being unwilling to learn and disinclined to serve.

May I grow more sure of Your reality and power; May I reach a clearer picture of the meaning of my life on Earth; May I strengthen my hold on eternal life; May I look increasingly to what lies beyond my vision; May my desires become less unruly and my thoughts more pure; May my love for other people grow deeper and more tender, and may I be more willing to take their burdens upon myself.

To Your care, O God, I commend my soul and the souls of all whom I love and who love me; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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from the pride which sets human knowledge above your wisdom;

O God my Father, You are often closest to me when I am farthest from You, and You are near at hand even when I feel that You have abandoned me; mercifully grant that the defeat of my self-centeredness may be the triumph in me of Your eternal purpose.

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Celebrating Your Identity

Walking in the understanding of who you are in Christ.

by Tracy Hill

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od’s Word holds the key to everything we need. It opens us to who God is and who He has created us to be. It truly sets us free (John 8:36). The Bible declares God’s majesty, holiness, love, mercy, and grace; it removes confusion, exposes lies, and speaks truth to you and me.

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Through the verses and pages, we come to know who we are in Christ. Scripture says we are children of God—chosen, adopted, forgiven, and redeemed (Eph. 1:3-10). If you are anything like me, you know these truths deep in your heart, but errant thoughts sometimes carry you astray. Doubt, discouragement, worry, fear, anxiety, and insecurity are often at the root. The enemy would love nothing more than for us to take our eyes off God, forget what He says about us, and focus on any one of these distractions—it’s Satan’s golden opportunity.

Focus on Truth

Personally, I’ve struggled with each of these emotions at different times in my life. Occasionally these ruminations still rear their ugly heads. Insecurity has been a real battle, but with the help of the Lord, time in prayer, and meditating on the Word, I am walking as a true overcomer more and more each day.

When I say walking, I mean it quite literally—my best antidote for overcoming attacks of anxiety and doubt is to lace up my shoes, step outside, and take a walk around the block. With all the busyness removed, I walk, worship, and pray. I hear God’s voice so much more clearly, and He has good things to say to me. Rounding the corner, I come home more clear-headed, light-hearted, and cheerier.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome [evil spirits], because the one who is in you is

greater than the one who is in the world … For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 4:4; 5:4).

The Devil is a liar and lies are his native language.

God on the other hand, is the author of truth; there is no darkness in Him. We can trust and believe everything the Lord says about Himself and us.

• His promises are true, • His love is unconditional, • His character is holy and unchanging, • His path is right, • His ways are best, • His guidance is trustworthy.

God is the One we should be actively listening to regarding our identity. He proclaims that we are loved, washed in grace, forgiven, and brand new. Jesus came and gave His life for us, not because He had to, but because He loves us so incredibly much! When He stretched out His arms on the cross, He removed our sins from us, as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). We have been forgiven of our sins—past, present, and future—even the ones we have trouble forgetting. I am so grateful to the Lord. I would be utterly lost if He hadn’t left His throne room in Heaven and come in search of my heart.

Recognize You are Priceless to God

Scripture reminds us just how much we matter.

Abandoned and sent into the desert, a woman named Hagar encountered the Lord and called Him, “The God Who Sees.” Realizing that God saw her situation remarkably changed both her perspective and confidence (Gen. 16:7-14). There is nowhere we can run that God’s love will not follow (Ps. 139:7-12). He hears our cries, sees our pain, collects our tears in a bottle, and records them in His Book (Ps. 56:8). God bends down low to hear our prayers; He parts the heavens and comes to our rescue. He has comforted me more times than I can count.

God affirms our beauty and worth. Let’s look in the mirror and celebrate who God made us to be. He’s been teaching me, despite my frizzy hair and increasing wrinkles, to like what I see. We are more than enough in His eyes. It’s time that we receive and

The Bible assures us that we have incredible purpose. We are created to know, understand, and believe God—to worship Him with our lives and love Him with our entire being. We are also made to love one another in His Name. This will play out differently through each of our lives.

Remember I said that I have struggled with insecurity and that I enjoy walking with the Lord outside?

Well, God used these walks to not only encourage me, but also to lay a message on my heart to share with others. The message is this: We are Daughters of the King.

The Bible says that we are to encourage others with the same encouragement we have received from the Lord. Whatever blessings, comfort, wisdom, or knowledge He has imparted to us are meant to be passed along (2 Cor. 1:3-5). God desires to use our experiences, both good and bad, to bless others who are in the same boat that we’ve already climbed out of. Our ultimate purpose revolves around loving and living for the Lord. If we make abiding in Christ our priority, then everything else will naturally flow.

His purpose is lived out through each one of us—in our family, our neighborhood, in ministry, and in line at the grocery store. There’s nothing more satisfying than moving in sync with the Lord no matter what phase of life we’re in.

Walk in the Word

God’s Word strengthens me beyond belief. When I feel defeated or discouraged, its promises bring me hope. When I feel restless or anxious, it washes me in peace. When my soul is downcast and my heart feels heavy, the Scriptures lift my eyes to heaven and fill me with abundant joy. How does the Bible impact you? Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

We are daughters of the Almighty King! There is no greater love, no better place of belonging. We are children of God and beloved members of His eternal family—this means you are my sister-in-Christ!

I pray that we would lace up our shoes and walk with the full understanding of who we are in Christ every day. Let’s celebrate and confidently march on, dear sister!

Tracy Hill leads a thriving women’s ministry at Calvary

Community Church in Westlake Village, Calif., and has taught at the addiction recovery ministry Teen Challenge since 2016. She has been married to her husband for 30 years, and they have two young adult sons. Tracy is the author of four Bible studies and four devotionals, along with her blog, and strives to encourage women in their walk with the Lord.

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The Lord calls us beautiful, His very good creation.

Each one of us is unique and wonderful just as we are. God doesn’t make mistakes, just priceless masterpieces. The world lures us into the landmines of comparison, jealousy, and feelings of inadequacy.

It’s easy to get in the habit of picking ourselves apart, but that feels terrible and it’s not what the Lord wants.

believe it! “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (Song of Songs 4:7).

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“What we love we shall grow to resemble.”

BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

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YEARS OF

WISDOM

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For decades, JBU has included “Life Lifters”—an uplifting mix of inspiration for the soul—in every issue.

We hope this collection of quotes will once again inspire your hearts. Enjoy!

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“Faith is no t trusting G od when we u nderstand His ways, there is no need for faith then.

FAITH is tru sting when noth ing is expla ined.”

W HISPERS OF

HIS POWER

e worth sure of th a e m e h T “ lic activity of our pub e private th for God is mmunion we o c profound Him.” have with HAMBERS OSWALD C

“We must be women of the Word—women who think biblically so that we will act biblically, regardless of the pressures and voices of our culture.”

SUSAN HUNG & PEGGY

HUTCHESON

ore “When I stand bef my life, God at the end of I would I would hope that bit of not have a single uld say, talent left, and co you ‘I used everything gave me.’”

ERMA BOMBECK

“The darker th e night, the tighter the grip of the Master’s ha nd!”

MRS. CHARLES CO WMAN

at you love “Can men tell th by your life Jesus? Can they daily walk and mine, see in e have and action that w His life divine?"

CORRIE TEN BOOM

“When you grow prayerless, you grow powerless.”

EARS HENRIETTA C. M

MRS. CHARLES CO WMAN

JERRY BRIDGES

“If Jesusnisowfirst, you’ll k what’s next.”

JILL BRISCOE

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“Through the he artbreaks in my life, God is opening doorways of fe llowship with Christ. If throug h a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pa ss in the world, then tha nk Him for breaking your he art.”

“We must see our circumstances through God’s love instead of, as we are prone to do, seeing God’s love through our circumstances.”

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s on s es L VALLEYS FROM THE

P

salm 30:5 says, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” What this encouraging verse doesn’t say is: “How long is that night?” and “When will it finally be morning?”

I am still weak and wobbly, and there are more appointments and treatments, and trips to Cleveland Clinic ahead. But the tide has turned, and I am not nearly as incapacitated.

I spent the first half of 2024 going back and forth between West Chester Hospital and Cleveland Clinic.

I have had two surgeries, endured multiple medical procedures, been jabbed with lots and lots of needles, and seen many, many specialists.

My heart breaks for friends and acquaintances who are also in pain. They hold so much physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and relational pain with the accompanying exhaustion, conflict, and questions.

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But this morning I sat on my deck in the sunshine and celebrated the fact that I am finally not in constant pain.

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I am not screaming on a regular basis.

I am no longer losing terrifying amounts of blood.

I am not constantly repeating a mantra of “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.” (Friends have recommended far more colorful language.)

If anyone tells you they have the definitive answer to the problem of pain, bless them and back away slowly. Beware of pat answers and anything stitched on a pillow or plastered on a bumper sticker or meme.

Job had the most amazing friends who “sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:13). The problem began when they decided they could explain what God was doing and why it was all Job’s fault.

I don’t have all the answers, but here are a few thoughts and truths that have helped me through my rough valleys:

› Sometimes the successful Christian life is shuf-

› I can’t be on call 24/7/365. The only One who is

› We need true friends to be Aaron and Hur and

› Don’t accept criticism from anyone you wouldn’t

fling one foot in front of the other and just making it through the day. That’s why His Word is a lamp to our feet, instead of a spotlight a mile ahead.

Focus on being obedient second by second and making decisions in light of eternity. Trust God with what lies in between. hold our arms up in the battle, and we need to be Aaron and Hur for others. “But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set” (Ex. 17:12). I am grateful for my ministry prayer team and friends who supported me with encouragement, prayers, transportation, meals, flowers, cards, chocolate, laughter, and the invaluable ministry of presence.

› One never knows who will show up to help.

Sometimes support comes from sources you never expected. My neighbors, some of whom I’d never met, provided meals for me.

› 99.9% of people do not welcome unsolicited

advice. Please don’t tell me about your miracle supplement I can order or that I am ill because my walk with God is not good enough. Please don’t tell me about your aunt who had what I have and died a horrible death.

› The most honest prayer in Scripture is “I do be-

lieve; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

› The most useful prayer of Scripture is, “We have

no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12).

› God does not love me any less on days when

I cannot muster the strength to walk across a room or drag my body out of bed.

› The worse the pain, the more I sense the closeness of God as He holds me.

› I am not alone. › Beauty is healing. Music, art, photography, color,

always available (and the only One who should be) is God. There is one Savior, and it is not me. My goal is to keep pointing others to Him, and I have greatly appreciated my community’s flexibility and support when I have needed to be unplugged and unavailable at times. go to for advice.

› Most of us learn far more from the challenging

seasons than we do under blue skies. We all have rough edges that need to be sanded off, and many things are only learned through great pain or deep love. The tools God uses to shape us can be sharp and painful, but in His hands, we can become a little more like Jesus.

› The only part of non-biblical literature that I

think should be canonized is chapter 8 of The Screwtape Letters, which explains how God uses the difficult and painful seasons in life. It ends with the demon Screwtape writing: “Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

› God drops laughter into life at the most unex-

pected moments. If we keep our spirits open, there is joy to be found, even in the tough times.

I made one friend spit Pepsi out her nose, an accomplishment of which I am inordinately proud.

› At first, the Christian life seems to be all joy. Then

it seems to be all pain. Then we find joy in the midst of our pain, which becomes the anchor of our soul. We learn not to fear when the next storm rolls in. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, but we have this “hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:19).

Through all the pain and uncertainty of the last year, apparently God isn’t quite done with me yet. I will keep putting one foot in front of the other and I will hold on to the One who holds on to me.

› It’s okay to say no. Learn to say a discerning no

so you can say an enthusiastic yes. Think about Jesus’s life. Can you imagine if He never said no to anyone in His life?

Linda Kline, has been the Pastoral

Director of Psalm One Ministries for almost 25 years, doing Bible teaching and Christ-centered spiritual formation and soul care in the U.S. and around the world. She also ministers to pastors, missionaries, and their spouses. For more information go to: psalmone.org.

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movement, animals, books, film, and nature—all can be ways to hold onto Jesus.

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Living

YOUR FAITH

Burdened to Pray

by T. Windahl

A

s a new Christian, my spiritual father modeled a life of prayer for me. He prayed about everything and believed God for the impossible. I began to imitate his prayer life, and, years later, thought my prayer life was thriving until I read a classic book on prayer, The Kneeling Christian.

After reading it, I was burdened to pray even more especially for the salvation of others.

Weeks later, I sent a copy of the book to my friend, Deb. After reading it, she said she felt burdened to pray more for others’ salvation—my exact takeaway from the book! We agreed to join together in prayer with salvation as our focus.

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A plan formed in my mind for this new prayer commitment, and I suggested we each choose a person to pray for, write down prayer requests for them, and share those requests with each other. We agreed on the plan and decided to pray for our two names for two weeks. Then we prayed about who to pray for next and repeated the plan.

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It has been over a year since Deb and I joined together on this prayer journey. The result has been increased joy and an equipping to persevere in prayer.

We have also been encouraged through answers to our prayers. For example, my brother came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. And another friend called one day to tell me she is on fire for Christ and has joined a Bible study and a church.

Some of the people on our list are people we know well, while others are strangers. One of the people we prayed for was a saleswoman I overhead telling a shopper about her problems, and the shopper was telling her about some New Age practices she should try. I was so grieved at the lies being spoken into this struggling woman’s life that I couldn’t take it any longer! So, I approached the two women, looked directly at the saleswoman, and in a loving and gentle way said, “Jesus is all you need.” Later, Deb and I cried out for two weeks for her salvation and more.

“…we pray in faith, expecting God to answer in His perfect timing… in His perfect way. ” We might not see the answers to prayers in our lifetime for some people on our salvation prayer list, but Deb and I know that God hears and answers prayer.

So, we pray in faith, expecting God to answer in His perfect timing…in His perfect way.

How grateful I am that God burdened my heart and Deb’s to pray more regarding salvations—and to think it all began by reading a classic book on prayer.

T. Windahl is an inspirational author. As a cancer survivor, T. has learned much in the crucible of suffering and delights in helping others find hope in Jesus. Her book, Abiding Hope, brings encouragement to others going through hard times. She and her husband have a son and daughter-in-law.

GROW YOUR DISCIPLESHIP

Living the

Spirit-Filled Life

by Ann M. Cook I love taking walks, especially with friends. As we stroll along a lush, scenic path or tackle a rugged trail, conversation flows naturally, making the journey both refreshing and meaningful. As Christians, we are encouraged to “walk in the Spirit” or to let the Spirit lead us. While receiving Christ as our Savior may seem straightforward, the idea of walking in the Spirit can feel more elusive. What does it truly mean to walk in the Spirit or to live a Spirit-filled life? Why are we called to live this way, and how does it impact our daily lives?

The Holy Spirit

Near the time of His arrest, Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Holy Spirit. In John 14:15-27, He explained that the Father would send a Counselor— the Spirit of truth—to be with them forever. Jesus assured His disciples that even though He would leave, they wouldn’t be alone. The Spirit would teach and remind them of everything He had told them.

After His resurrection, before ascending to heaven, Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

When we place our faith in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit in our lives. Many of us might think of the Spirit as merely a “guiding force,” but Scripture reveals that He is a distinct person of the Trinity with a specific role in the believer’s life. Understanding who the Holy Spirit is and how He empowers, teaches, comforts, and leads us can transform our relationship with God. • The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, equal in power and glory with the Father and Son (2 Cor. 3:12-18).

When you placed your faith in Christ, you received the Holy Spirit—and He will never leave you. Walking in the Spirit is a lifelong, moment-by-moment journey of faith.

• Confess any known sin and surrender your will to the Lord. Our sinful nature constantly pulls us toward self-reliance, so this process requires ongoing effort.

• Through prayer, surrender control of your life to Christ and invite the Holy Spirit to fill you. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), and God promises to answer prayers that align with His will (1 John 5:14-15).

• Think of this as spiritual breathing: exhale the impure and inhale the pure. Trust that the Spirit now guides and empowers you. Some days, this may feel more like spiritual panting, but perseverance is key!

Results of the Spirit-Filled Life

Living a Spirit-filled life transforms us to become more like Christ. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) will become increasingly evident in our lives. Prayer and Bible study will take on greater depth and meaning. The Holy Spirit enables us to use our spiritual gifts to encourage others and build up the church.

He provides comfort and strength when we face challenges, and He faithfully leads and guides us. While struggles and trials won’t vanish, the Spirit’s presence and encouragement empower us to persevere. What an incredible blessing we’ve been given!

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).

• He gives us new life and helps us understand God and His gifts (John 3:3-8; 1 Cor. 2:10-13).

• He is our Advocate, Comforter, and Helper, equipping us to grow more Christ-like and empowering us for God’s work (John 14:16-17, 26; Acts 1:8).

Ann M. Cook, MSN, RN, is a retired nurse and nursing instructor. She and her husband, Randy, enjoy three grown children, and seven delightful grandchildren. She lives in Okauchee, Wis.

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• He is eternal (Gen. 1:1-2).

How to Walk in the Spirit

39

INTENTIONAL FAITH

Forgiveness Comes With a Fresh Start

by Jen Allee

L

ong lists of details in Scripture are easy to skip over. I get a little bleary-eyed and lost in the minutiae of the materials needed to construct the Tabernacle, the names of everyone who entered the Promised Land, and the endless instructions for how to offer an Old Testament sacrifice.

Recently, I started fresh with Matthew and was determined to read each line of the genealogy that leads to the birth of Jesus. In doing so, one verse made me pause. “And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah” (Matt. 1:6).

I often forget that Solomon’s roots were not ideal. His mother, Bathsheba, was married to Uriah when David forced himself into her life. David got her pregnant and then had Uriah killed to make it look legitimate (2 Sam. 11). I’m sure Solomon groaned inwardly when people asked him, “How did your parents meet?”

Adultery and murder marked the journey of his parent’s courtship.

But they didn’t define Solomon.

Rather, Solomon is known for so much more. Though far from perfect, Solomon did request wisdom from God when he could have asked for a long life or wealth (1 Kings 3:5-11). He also had the Temple built (2 Chron. 3:1) and wrote most of Proverbs and all of Ecclesiastes. And he was part of the lineage of Jesus.

All good things. But the question I asked myself when I read the first chapter of Matthew preceded Solomon: How did anything good come from David’s adultery and murder of Uriah?

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Radical Forgiveness

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In our culture, we hold on to scandalous stories and expect them to perpetuate themselves. Just as we assume the offspring of LeBron James will be highly athletic, we assume the product of a scandal will produce more of the same. And as quick as we are to judge others, we are even quicker to judge ourselves.

How can anything good come from ______ in my life?

In the end, David faced his mistakes. He acknowledged his sin (2 Sam. 12) and expressed his remorse in what we now know as Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great love… blot out my transgressions” (v.1). And God did. There were consequences for his actions—his first child with Bathsheba did not survive—but David was forgiven. And forgiveness from God means more than Him accepting our apologies.

First John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” We are forgiven and cleansed! Our past no longer determines our present or future! David did not settle into shame and guilt. Instead, he had another child, Solomon, whom God used in great ways.

Have you heard this message before? That God forgives our sins, and we can be forgiven and move on? Probably. David finding life again after his sinful choices is not terribly new. So, are you actually living this message out?

A fresh start awaits us, yet we struggle to embrace it.

Why? Because we don’t take 1 John 1:9 at face value.

We assume our poor actions don’t apply to this promise. David can receive forgiveness and move on, but we can’t. That sounds silly, doesn’t it?

No matter what you have done, God can forgive you and still use you for His purposes. So, will you let Him? Don’t let 1 John 1:9 just be head knowledge. Let it be the first step into a fresh start.

➜ Be Intentional

Is there something you need to confess to

God? Be specific and close your prayer with this: Thank you, God, for forgiving me for ______.

Jen Allee is an author and speaker who believes a strong faith

is built one intentional step at a time. For encouragement in taking your next step, visit her at Living Intentionally at jenallee.com.

jenallee.com

Celebrating the Savior—The Power of His Name The call came—it was happening. My grandson was arriving prematurely. My chest tightened with a mix of excitement and worry. Would he be okay? When I arrived at the hospital, my heart sank. I couldn’t see him. Each complication weighed heavier on my heart, yet I began to see each day—each moment as a gift to celebrate from the One who created us and knows exactly what we need. When I finally held him, tears blurred my vision as I marveled at the miracle in my arms. So small. So precious. I thought of Mary cradling baby Jesus in her arms. Just as my grandson cries, grows hungry, and feels pain, so did Jesus. And yet He was God as well as man.

Let’s look at how God chose to announce the birth of His Son. Read Luke 2:8-14.

Imagine yourself sitting among the shepherds. Suddenly, as the angel declares the good news of Jesus’ birth, the heavens erupt with an army of angels praising God and celebrating that Jesus has been born. God became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Even more amazing, He’s not just with us—He is in us, and we are in Him (John 14:20).

God reveals Himself through His names, inviting us to know Him intimately and experience life in His presence.

What names are given to Jesus in Luke 2:11?

Jesus, the promised Savior, was born for you. He is the Messiah, anointed by God to restore your relationship with Him. He is the Lord.

Now look at Isaiah 9:6 and list the names given to Jesus there.

15

minutes in the

WORD

By Dorie Etrheim

Digging Deeper In Luke 2:11, the title “Lord” comes from the Greek word kurios, meaning powerful one, master. It signifies a ruler having absolute authority and loving ownership over us. This name reveals God’s strength, sovereignty, and goodness in His relationship with us.

In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is called the Mighty God, possessing wisdom and strength in superhuman measure.

The name Everlasting Father in Hebrew portrays the eternal reign of a king as a father who continually cares for His people.

To celebrate means proclaiming that someone or something is great and worthy of honor. The angels couldn’t contain their joy as they celebrated the greatness of Jesus.

Sometimes, celebration feels out of reach. As I watched my grandson’s face and complex challenges, it was hard to find anything to celebrate. But holding onto the names of Jesus brought me strength and a renewed song in my heart.

Even amid struggles, we can choose to celebrate the unchanging greatness of Jesus.

What name of Jesus can you hold onto in this season of your life?

For Your Journal • Write out Ps. 103:1-5 (use the NLT translation, if possible).

• What would a rhythm of celebrating Jesus look like in your life daily, weekly, monthly, yearly?

Which name resonates with you the most and why?

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• Find a name of Jesus each day to celebrate throughout the year. Write it down and thank God for who He is.

41

FAITH AT WORK

Quieting the Storm of Anxiety

W

by Danielle Thomas

orkplace anxiety has a way of sneaking in, especially when you’re in the spotlight, but even when you’re not.

I’ve definitely felt it before, whether ahead of an important presentation, delivering a high stakes project, or when my work is being reviewed. No matter how much I’ve prepared, the weight of expectations presses down and if I’m not careful, the “what ifs” start taking over: “What if I mess up?” “What if they don’t think I’m good enough?”

“What if this isn’t what my boss wanted from me?” In those moments, it’s easy to let fear take over. However, as Christians, God speaks directly to our anxiety, offering us peace in the midst of the storm.

Find Calm in the Word

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In moments of anxiety at work, I’m reminded of the promises God offers us when we trust in Him. Isaiah 26:3 affirms, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” Anxiety can often come from over-focusing on what could go wrong—at least it does for my overthinking brain and me. This verse reminds me to refocus my thoughts toward God and His perfect sovereignty, not the worst-case scenarios swirling in my mind. When I shift my focus to His presence and power, I can find a calm that doesn’t make sense, in the middle of my anxiety.

42

Another powerful reminder comes from Matt.

6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” When big presentations or critical deadlines loom, it’s easy to spiral into fear about the future. This verse calls me to stay grounded and focus on the here and now, rather than a future I could never hope to predict accurately. I can’t control tomorrow, but I can trust God to provide me with strength and endurance for today. No matter how much I plan, strive, or try to figure things out on my own, His plan is always better, so I can trust that He holds my future securely.

The Bible certainly doesn’t shy away from directly addressing anxiety—many of our favorite Bible heroes struggled with it. King David writes in Ps. 94:19, “When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.” Anxiety doesn’t just disappear because we want it to. However, God meets us in it, offering the presence of His Holy Spirit, ultimately leading to joy! How incredible is it that our Savior can transform something so overwhelming and horrible to something positive and uplifting? I’ve experienced this in very real ways, and if you’re trusting in Christ, I’m sure you have too—whether it’s a sense of calm when you’re about to present or a surge of confidence that feels truly unexplainable, just enough to get you through that overwhelming moment.

Trust in Him

When anxiety takes over at work, it’s easy to feel like you’re on your own and everything is depending on you. The truth is God is right there with you. His peace is not a distant promise—it’s something He offers us in the middle of the chaos. So, the next time anxiety creeps its way in, pause, breathe, and turn to Him. Take a quiet moment to pray—even if it’s just a “Hey God, I really need Your peace right now. Please help me.” His presence holds the power to quiet the storms we face in our minds. You don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have everything figured out, and you don’t have to pretend to be brave when you’re feeling small—just faithful. God’s peace doesn’t require your strength or effort, only your willingness to trust Him. What a wonderful reassurance we have in Christ!

Danielle Thomas works in corporate communications for

a national telecoms company in the UK. She lives with her British husband, Caleb, and her Cavapoo puppy. She enjoys hiking, exploring the countryside, and learning UK history.

thethomases2020@gmail.com

Christian Coaching for Women BECOME THE CONFIDENT & THRIVING WOMAN GOD DESTINED YOU TO BE • 1:1 LIFE COACHING • COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP • PODCAST & YOUTUBE • SPEAKING “Jenna went above and beyond my expectations ... I am rediscovering the real me again.“

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Where’s Jesus When I’m Scared?

Publisher (Name and Complete Mailing Address): Just Between Us, 777 South Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045. Editor (Name and Complete Mailing Address): Shelly Esser, Editor, 777 South Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045. Owner (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereafter the name and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, its name and address as well as that of each individual must be given. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organi­zation, its name and address must be stated.) (Do Not Leave Blank.) Owner: Elmbrook Church, Inc., 777 South Barker Road, Brookfield, WI 53045. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities, If none, so state: None

Written by Laura E. Sandretti Illustrated by Adriana Hayes

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Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: 8/15/2024.

Help for Anxious Little Ones!

Where’s Jesus When I’m Scared? is about a Japanese-American girl named Natasha, who learns that even when she struggles to make good choices, Jesus’ unconditional love and presence will help her when she’s afraid. Based on the author’s childhood struggles with anxiety, this beautiful book with hand rendered illustrations, includes characters based on both the author’s and illustrator’s adopted, multi-racial children.

Laura Sandretti is an active speaker, author, and columnist for Just Between Us. Visit her at laurasandretti.com

Adriana Hayes is a wife, mom, art professor, illustrator, and author.

Visit her on Instagram @madebyadri

Available at laurasandretti.com and Amazon. A portion of book sales benefits Conflict Sports, a non-profit boxing club for youth in Milwaukee’s inner city.

Extent and Nature of Circulation - Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 months: A. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run): 9,475. B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (1) Paid or Requested Outside-Country Mail Subscriptions stated on form 3541. (Include Advertiser’s Proof Copies/Exchange Copies): 8,979. (2) Paid InCountry Subscriptions (Include Advertiser’s Proof Copies/Exchange Copies): 0. (3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, and Counter Sales and other Non-USPS: 108 Paid Distribution: 23. (4) Other classes mailed through USPS: 178. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of l5b (1,2,3,4): 9,159. D. Free Distribution by Mail (Samples, Complimentary, and Other Free) (1) OutsideCountry as Stated on Form 3541: 82. (2) In-Country as Stated on Form 3541: 0. (3) Other Classes Mailed Through USPS: 27. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): 110. E. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4): 219. F. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e): 9,378.

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This Statement of Ownership will be printed in the Spring 2025 issue of this publi­cation.

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OUTSIDE YOUR FRONT DOOR

Encouraging the Women in Your Life

R

by Ashley N. Thomas

ecently I sat around the table of my closest friends—my people. These women have been with me through many of life’s ups and downs, and most recently through the journey of becoming a mama.

I am weeks away from meeting my family’s newest addition, a baby girl. As I sat around the table with my friends, I shared my fears about becoming a mom to two, and what it will be like to raise a girl. I felt seen, heard, and lovingly placed in our Father’s hands.

I am grateful for my friends because they are strong and they are vulnerable. They share the good moments, but they invite me to walk with them through the hard times too.

As you think about the women in your life and how best to support them in the season they are in consider these truths: Single Friend: The least helpful phrase we share as women is “enjoy it.” This one phrase silences the individual and doesn’t invite them to open up about where they are. Yes, singleness can be enjoyable, but the same can be true for marriage or motherhood, and they both include difficult elements too. Listen to what’s not enjoyable so that your friend can embrace the parts that are.

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Wife: Marriage is a gift, but it’s no less an intentional daily surrender to lean into and trust someone else— someone you made a covenant with to love, cherish, and fight for. Do you pray for your friends’ marriages?

44

Mom: “Mom” looks and feels different depending on the age and season of your kids’ lives. If your friend’s a mom of littles, she may need adult conversation, a helping hand, or a meal. If she’s a mom of a high schooler, she may need encouragement, a listening ear as she grieves “the lasts,” and a moment to share “remember when’s” because time has gone too fast.

Widow: Presence is needed in every sense of the

word. It may include pain, uncertainty, or deep sadness. Lean into the uncomfortable by naming the person that is lost. Too often, we tiptoe around the reality, when the reality is what your friend wakes up and faces every day alone.

Young Girl: I vividly remember watching older women and how they carried themselves through different life circumstances, much of it influencing who I am today. We can invite young girls into the rich beauty of becoming a woman. Whom do you pray they become? What young woman could you invite to walk alongside you?

Women find themselves in all different seasons of life, some anticipated, and others that we wish we never had to endure. Too often, we assume that it is solely on us to figure out how to navigate it all. But God’s gift is a relationship—first with Himself, then with ourselves, and then with other women who have maneuvered through many of the same fears, expectations, and needs.

I love Prov. 31:25. On my best days, I am “clothed with strength and dignity” and on my worst, I am crippled by the fear of the unknown. As I think of that verse, I’m reminded of the hope we share. We can both know and be known by the One who holds our future.

When we rest in Him, we can find ourselves at peace.

It’s that peace that produces strength and dignity.

As we step outside our front door, let’s be mindful of the women, who are often in the roles of providing care, who are in different seasons but in no less need of a listening ear, an encouraging word, or simply a friend who sees them. We need each other.

I pray you find your people, and as you do, that you cherish the gift that is their life—and that yours is too.

Ashley N. Thomas is the executive director of Hope Street

ministry in Milwaukee, Wis. She enjoys teaching, writing, learning, and being present with broken people as each discovers the grace that allows us all to be known and loved. She is a wife, mom to a toddler and newborn, and has a fur baby.

fromsmashtoash.com

LIVING WELL

Seeking to Balance the Scales of Justice

by Gail Goolsby

T

his is wrong,” cried my client. “After all we did to support her, how could the birth mother suddenly change her mind about the adoption? We were supposed to bring our baby home tomorrow!”

“I guess my coworkers think because I am a black woman that I haven’t earned my position, that it was given to me to meet some diversity quota,” another client shook her head in frustration.

When Human Nature Rules

What response should we choose when we feel unfairly treated?

Retribution and revenge…the eye-for-an-eye view held firmly in many cultures? Or forgiveness…giving up the right to be angry and leaving the avenging to Almighty God? (Rom. 12:19).

When I was fired from my principal position at the International School of Kabul after six years, retribution was much more on my mind than forgiveness.

I could not fathom that I was bearing all the blame for the issues between my boss and myself. I tried to discuss options with my boss to make a peaceful working plan and even requested outside mediation.

Desperate prayers and loud cries for God to bring down holy judgment were frequently on my lips.

It didn’t happen. I was sent home in personal and professional humiliation. My wounded flesh wanted to tell anyone and everyone my plight, but I was bound by a non-disclosure agreement and my own ethical standards to suffer in silence for several weeks.

Where is the Golden Rule?

Often the most vulnerable women, children, disabled citizens, poor, and powerless people are unable to receive justice to alleviate their suffering. And in corporate or educated settings, things happen that are not right, not loving, not fair.

What restores the needed balance in the world? In our private lives?

True Balance for Living Well

Sometimes we feel our side of the scale has sunk to the lowest depths, that the offender has all the power and gain in the situation. The world defines who has the upper hand through man-made determinations that feed into selfish pride and arrogance. How can any of that provide an unchanging standard for children and adults to thrive in business, relationships, finances, and community living for the good of all?

In my Kabul dismissal, I felt I had no advocate, no one to tip the scales in my favor. The months and even years that followed required intentionality to restore the balance of justice in my heart and mind. Counseling, debriefing, meditation, rest, reflection, and assessment of my own actions that played out in the failure took emotional energy and time. Forgiveness was the golden key to unlock my hard heart and be able to recognize God at work.

In the process, God’s grace granted me freedom to leave things up to Him and to believe the scales would be better balanced by His sovereign perspective. It became less about payback and more about moving forward in joy and wholeheartedness. What happened to others was His business, not mine.

God’s love and just character restored my balance.

Gail Goolsby, MA, MEd, ACC is an author, speaker, ICF-certified life coach, and career educator, including serving overseas as detailed in her book, Unveiled Truth: Lessons I Learned Leading the International School of Kabul. She is a mom, grandma, and lives in south central Kansas with her pastor-husband.

gailgoolsby.com

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Not every culture or every person embraces the Golden Rule: to treat others the way we want to be treated. Some traditions encourage taking advantage when possible, getting ahead of the next person in the queue, or grabbing opportunities or goods without earning them through personal effort. Many

cultures applaud the bullies, the ones who take advantage of others, and whoever wins.

45

EVERYDAY TRANSFORMATION

Manna in the Morning

by Laura Sandretti

A

lthough I love JBU’s hope-filled theme of “Celebrate” for 2025, I have been in a prolonged season of hardship in the past few years. What has felt like an irreparable fracture in a significant relationship has challenged and upended me personally and spiritually. How could I write about celebrating when simply surviving life’s mental, emotional, and spiritual battles seems impossible most days?

When I began to pray about writing about celebration in the midst of my own desperation, I thought of the Israelites. Like me, they were not great at celebrating but excelled at complaining. I started reading Exodus 16 and although I discovered many things in the passage, there was one word that kept jumping off the page in chapter 16.

Manna.

God provided the Israelites with this honey-flavored, heaven-sent wafer every morning. And He did so after they complained to Moses that they missed being slaves rather than celebrating or appreciating the freedom God had graciously given them. Despite this, the Lord provided richly for them. He even gave them a double portion of manna on the sixth day so they could rest on the Sabbath.

This old and familiar story spoke to my new perspective in my new and unfamiliar struggles. Though nothing about my circumstances changed, combing over Exodus 16 became spiritual sustenance of sorts.

Like manna, God’s Word provided for me simply and sufficiently. Slowly, that nourishment helped expand my vision of what it means to celebrate, even in the desert where I had been wandering for so long.

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Manna of Thanks

46

On a particularly rough morning, after getting very little sleep due to a difficult conversation with my husband the night before, I sensed that the Lord had heard my grumbling (Ex. 16:9). Shortly after my

alarm went off, my manna arrived in an inaudible but crystal-clear whisper from the Holy Spirit: “Give thanks today.” Normally an invitation to be grateful when I am holding on by a thread would make my eyes roll in annoyance, but this invitation felt personal and merciful. I got up and began looking for things to be thankful for, daily bread I had sensed God would provide.

When I opened my blinds, I saw a crisp mist rising from the pond and it took my breath away. Manna.

I lingered longer and noticed the slowly rising sun was casting a beautiful golden hue across the water.

Bread from heaven. A few minutes later my husband said something thoughtful and kind to me. Wafers made with honey. My fluffy dog, a cup of aromatic coffee, and feeling God’s care for me despite my proficiency at complaining. More manna.

Manna for Today

Manna often doesn’t look like what we think we need.

Gratitude for the mundane was not what I’d been praying for in my desert disillusionment. However, looking for things to give thanks for that day was a balm to my soul and fuel for my weary heart. Giving thanks reminded me that God was compassionate and constantly providing for me. Manna supplied all I needed that day.

But God did not give me nor the Israelites today what would be needed for tomorrow. They could not collect or hoard manna for the next day. Why? Because God’s mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:23).

Because asking for and receiving daily bread helps us trust God and the provisions of His Word, Son, and Holy Spirit in good and bad times. And the more that I come to trust and rely on Him every day, the more I’m finding that He alone is our manna and the reason we can celebrate, even in the desert.

Laura Sandretti, MATS, is an author and active national

conference and retreat speaker. She is a former high school teacher and ministry director who uses humor, transparency, and reallife examples to help women think deeper and differently about themselves and the Lord. Laura has four adult children, a son-in-law, and has been married to her husband Chris for thirty-two years.

(See her ad on page 43.)

laurasandretti.com G facebook.com/laurasandrettiblog Ö x.com/laurasandrettiblog

The Simple Gospel Brings Redemption

This clear and accessible account of the Gospel is ideal for seekers of truth and those who care about them. Author Gary Zelenko tells the story of God’s grace in the life of his beloved wife, Mary, while authors Andrew Johnston and M. Moran share how God can redeem our broken identities and give us a part in His story as whole children of the Creator.

This book is a love story—warm and tender and beautifully told. But more than that, it tugs at the deepest longings of all our hearts for an even greater and more enduring love. And it gently shows us the way there.

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