Have you ever seen pure white snow; the kind that makes everything quiet? When you walk in it and hear the crunching sound of your shoes, you stop in your tracks because you feel like you are a part of something that deserves your awe and stillness. It is something that stays with you, the tranquility and calm of it all.
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If you kept a running count of all the times you fell short when it came to pleasing God, what would the total be? I know my number would be high, and that thinking about it at times could bring an unnecessary, yet heavy, heartache to my chest. Lately, God has placed it on my heart to meditate on, write about, and live out, rest in Him.
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What comes to mind when you hear the words, ‘Trust God’. What does it mean? What does it look like?
Pause. Jot down your thoughts, then read on.
The dictionary defines trust as: a firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something. Trust in God is a decision to stand against all odds and believe that He is good, reliable, truthful and able, regardless of the circumstances of our lives.
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I am a passionate fan of Bible studies (can’t you tell?). I love to fill my mind and heart with Jesus-honoring sermons, podcasts, books, etc. However, there is a stumbling stone here that, if I’m not careful will trip me up. Collecting Bible-based content is good, but only to a point. The creators of these things, are after all, human. And humans have a tendency to get things wrong sometimes.
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In today’s culture, it is easy to get swept up in the grind mindset and an overall position of being discontent. The mornings that start off in a whirlwind of splashing water and chaotic closets have the ability to keep our bodies and minds in a state of stress throughout the day. As shadows grow longer, patience is harder to come by, especially in homes crowded with children, or workspaces teeming with tasks. The result? Our spirits become a total afterthought, more susceptible to lacking joy and gratitude
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Welcome to Part 2 of Back to the Beginning where we talk about the history of the church and why different denominations exist! Click here for Part 1 of our series! If we want to fully understand church history, we have to go back to the very foundations of the church. Throughout the New Testament, we see Jesus going into the synagogues, but we find that isn’t where the basis of church is.
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When I notice something that bothers me in Church, or with other believers, it’s good to ask a question first: Is this a salvation issue or is it just a preference issue?
Christians are commanded not to judge others, but in a sense we do need to be able to judge for ourselves the non-negotiable territories. According to scripture, that line in the sand is where grace becomes legalism, and we start to do things because we think it will add anything to what Jesus has already done.
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One of my personal favorite things in theology is the study of apologetics. At Tirzah, we previously did an article that explains all things apologetics, which you can check out here. A brief definition for you in this moment is writings or words to justify one’s beliefs. The reason I just explained that to you is because Dr. James Kennedy’s documentary and book “What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?” is an apologetics book.
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Seminary has stretched me in many ways and urged me to grow in empathy and experience. One class I am taking this semester is Christian History 50 CE - 1500 CE. Stick with me here. My class has learned about ancient theological arguments that have shaped the faith we practice today and divided the then-forming Christian tradition. Our professor arranged a visit to an Eastern Orthodox church to learn about their traditions, which are different than ours in the western church.
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This means once a month throughout the year, I will be sharing with you how church doctrines and denominations came to be. Tirzah is not a place where we identify under a doctrine or a church denomination - rather we are a place where we explore God’s Word together and see how God has placed us in His Kingdom. As a ministry leader, I’ve connected many different women to the right churches for them.
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So we have hung up our new calendar for the year and have decided to start a few good habits (or at least one) in 2023. We have spent December 31st thanking God for the blessings of 2022 and our hearts are full of praise and thanks to God. As the new year dawns, we are glad but with it we draw a curtain on the unknown. The blank fresh dates on the calendar will soon get filled up. But for now, it is empty and blank.
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Betrothed. This wasn’t a modern-day engagement. In ancient Jewish culture, there were two ceremonies involved in marriage.
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Young and innocent Mary lived in Nazareth a town in Galilee. She was so excited, she blushed as her friends teased her as the bride to be. Mary was engaged to Joseph; she had seen Joseph a few times in family gatherings. He looked like a kind; compassionate man and she looked forward to starting a family with this godly man. As Mary’s friends left and her parents went about making the wedding arrangements, Mary caught herself all alone.
Sometimes, the Christian story seems fantastic. By the word "fantastic," I mean it seems fanciful, imaginative, too good to be true. God the Father, who just is, creates a perfect world for the Son whom He loves (Colossians 1:16), with no need or obligation to do so but by necessity a desire.
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This first verse of a lyric I recently wrote represents for me the reality that God is transcendent - completely different from us, being infinite, holy, and perfect - but also immanent - close to us. This is something I don't think I'll ever fully understand this side of heaven, but it is wonderfully, amazingly true.
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I love a good adventure… hitting the open road… taking to the skies… Meeting new people, tasting delicacies I’ve never heard of before, breathing in the beauty of the architecture and natural wonders of the world, and trying new things which push me outside my comfort zone (Helmet diving, anyone? I highly recommend it!). I feel like I could travel forever and never get bored of it. There’s always more to discover.
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I am so excited about what we are doing today. We are going to be drawing out verses that will help us learn them. In 2020 when COVID hit us and we were all stuck in our homes, my friends and I met on Zoom to draw verses. It started when my friends Winnie and Sheila said they just could not draw. I wanted to rid them of that fear to draw so encouraged them saying we could do a session on drawing verses together. We had fun!
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For those who don’t know, Reformation Day is the day that Martin Luther nailed the “95 Theses” to a Catholic Church door. During this time, much of the church was following Catholicism and practices that said you could earn forgiveness and salvation. Martin Luther’s theses explained that the Bible was the ultimate authority and only Jesus could forgive sins. This started the Protestant Reformation and helped spark a new day for the church in history.
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Now, we all know or have heard about Ruth’s past – was married into a household that worshiped God, lost her husband and father-in-law, and had the option to go back to her family but instead she decided to remain loyal to her mother-in-law, Naomi. We also know what happens afterwards – Naomi’s family member, Boaz, marries Ruth and they live happily ever after. This is a love story far better than any made-up Disney romance.
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