11
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 05, 2026, 07:12:03 AM »lavalencia2 turned another year older at midnight!
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Recent Posts
12
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on March 02, 2026, 06:42:03 PM »Happy birthday natasha.
13
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on March 02, 2026, 06:10:52 AM »It's your turn today, natasha!
14
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on March 01, 2026, 05:50:33 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/09/19/what-we-dont-trust-we-will-try-to-control?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9FPQ8qXIgwHfkfBmsHatj8bQFehkpdXlH7fB3aMTU9Fyy2O8aOL_Sj_hOFo4rCaX_KIZwwUDZiYDHyJJovprrOa5MWcw&_hsmi=322503632&utm_content=322503632&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
What We Don’t Trust, We Will Try To Control
September 19, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the command center aboard a 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 if I’d asked the captain, who was fully capable and fully equipped, to entrust his ship into my fully incapable hands?
I can verify, without hesitation, that me being in control of that ship would have been a risk no one wanted to take. It may have felt good to sit at the controls for a few minutes, but if I wanted to return home safely, I had to trust the captain. In life, there are dangers only the ultimate Captain knows how to handle. Trying to carry the weight of holding everything and everybody together is a role God never called us to play. And it’s taking a great toll on our peace. Now, I want to slow down for a minute and acknowledge how tough it is to release control because honestly our motivation isn’t just that we want to be in charge but that we want to be safe. Sometimes I catch myself mentally running into the future, where I fear there is impending doom, and then trying to make choices today to steer away from trouble. Sometimes this is wise. But while it’s good to plan for the future, we don’t want to obsess over the future. We can control our choices today, but we cannot fully control the outcomes of tomorrow. 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 learning how to acknowledge what may or may not happen in the future while choosing to live in today.
This is what I can control: making wise choices right now, knowing God is a good Captain.
This is what I can’t control: all that happens in the tomorrows to come. Jesus reminds us of this truth in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
The only way I have found to stop myself from reaching for control is to recognize when I’m getting controlling. And in that moment of realization, I need to pause and begin surrendering to God what I can’t change:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. God, I’m surrendering how sad I feel today. Instead of trying to numb out 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. Now, please note that I used the word “surrendering,” which indicates I’m still in the process of doing this. I have in no way perfected this but I am willing to practice it, and I hope you’ll join me. God already knows how flawed our efforts will be, but any time we keep our hearts bent toward Him rather than pull away from Him, that’s good progress.
What We Don’t Trust, We Will Try To Control
September 19, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the command center aboard a 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 if I’d asked the captain, who was fully capable and fully equipped, to entrust his ship into my fully incapable hands?
I can verify, without hesitation, that me being in control of that ship would have been a risk no one wanted to take. It may have felt good to sit at the controls for a few minutes, but if I wanted to return home safely, I had to trust the captain. In life, there are dangers only the ultimate Captain knows how to handle. Trying to carry the weight of holding everything and everybody together is a role God never called us to play. And it’s taking a great toll on our peace. Now, I want to slow down for a minute and acknowledge how tough it is to release control because honestly our motivation isn’t just that we want to be in charge but that we want to be safe. Sometimes I catch myself mentally running into the future, where I fear there is impending doom, and then trying to make choices today to steer away from trouble. Sometimes this is wise. But while it’s good to plan for the future, we don’t want to obsess over the future. We can control our choices today, but we cannot fully control the outcomes of tomorrow. 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 learning how to acknowledge what may or may not happen in the future while choosing to live in today.
This is what I can control: making wise choices right now, knowing God is a good Captain.
This is what I can’t control: all that happens in the tomorrows to come. Jesus reminds us of this truth in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
The only way I have found to stop myself from reaching for control is to recognize when I’m getting controlling. And in that moment of realization, I need to pause and begin surrendering to God what I can’t change:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. God, I’m surrendering how sad I feel today. Instead of trying to numb out 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. Now, please note that I used the word “surrendering,” which indicates I’m still in the process of doing this. I have in no way perfected this but I am willing to practice it, and I hope you’ll join me. God already knows how flawed our efforts will be, but any time we keep our hearts bent toward Him rather than pull away from Him, that’s good progress.
15
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on March 01, 2026, 05:45:00 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/09/18/embracing-interruptions?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pmXeShmJk6ic06M8ywOnYW0RRyHBUmlNclhwk3dbcYtskcTW1nbGa_D9_6dST4kTOL8-Q75ciupXUN8T0FTdIOT_0eQ&_hsmi=322504113&utm_content=322504113&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
Embracing Interruptions
September 18, 2024
by Gretchen Saffles
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35 (ESV)
Some days feel like a continuous string of interruptions. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, I pingpong from diaper changes to unexpected deadlines to snack cleanup to requests that upend my entire daily agenda. When productivity feels impossible and interruptions multiply, I remind myself of how Jesus handled distractions. Jesus didn’t turn little children away; He welcomed them into His arms (Mark 10:13-16). He didn’t scold the bleeding woman who touched the hem of His garment while He was on His way to Jairus’ home; instead, He healed her (Luke 8:40-48). Jesus is the ultimate example of how to handle interruptions with grace and purpose. In Mark 1:35, we see a glimpse into Jesus’ relationship with God the Father while Jesus was on earth: “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
The quiet never lasted, though, because right after this, Jesus faced the same thing you and I face: interruptions. “And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you’” (Mark 1:36-37, ESV).
Jesus didn’t rebuke Simon for interrupting His solitude. He didn’t snap at His disciples or complain about how they interrupted His quiet time. He said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out” (Mark 1:38, ESV).
Jesus responded with patience, grace and purpose. He tended to their needs and reminded them of His mission and theirs. This morning, I woke up before anyone else in the house to read God’s Word. After pouring my coffee, I grabbed my Bible and sat down on our well-worn couch. Like clockwork, I heard a thump, a door opening, and a little voice at the top of the stairs whispering, “I want to come snuggle.”
My children have a sixth sense for when I need time alone or time with God. In these moments, I’m reminded of the grace of Jesus. Perhaps sometimes the distractions we face when reading God’s Word are His whispers to us to slow down, to remember that we need Him. Maybe the child who calls for us when we’re working, or the friend who asks to chat when we’re heading somewhere, is His ministry for us today. When seen through the eyes of Christ, interruptions aren’t delays or intrusions at all. Interruptions are opportunities to live out the Word and follow in the footsteps of our King.
Embracing Interruptions
September 18, 2024
by Gretchen Saffles
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." Mark 1:35 (ESV)
Some days feel like a continuous string of interruptions. From the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, I pingpong from diaper changes to unexpected deadlines to snack cleanup to requests that upend my entire daily agenda. When productivity feels impossible and interruptions multiply, I remind myself of how Jesus handled distractions. Jesus didn’t turn little children away; He welcomed them into His arms (Mark 10:13-16). He didn’t scold the bleeding woman who touched the hem of His garment while He was on His way to Jairus’ home; instead, He healed her (Luke 8:40-48). Jesus is the ultimate example of how to handle interruptions with grace and purpose. In Mark 1:35, we see a glimpse into Jesus’ relationship with God the Father while Jesus was on earth: “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
The quiet never lasted, though, because right after this, Jesus faced the same thing you and I face: interruptions. “And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you’” (Mark 1:36-37, ESV).
Jesus didn’t rebuke Simon for interrupting His solitude. He didn’t snap at His disciples or complain about how they interrupted His quiet time. He said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out” (Mark 1:38, ESV).
Jesus responded with patience, grace and purpose. He tended to their needs and reminded them of His mission and theirs. This morning, I woke up before anyone else in the house to read God’s Word. After pouring my coffee, I grabbed my Bible and sat down on our well-worn couch. Like clockwork, I heard a thump, a door opening, and a little voice at the top of the stairs whispering, “I want to come snuggle.”
My children have a sixth sense for when I need time alone or time with God. In these moments, I’m reminded of the grace of Jesus. Perhaps sometimes the distractions we face when reading God’s Word are His whispers to us to slow down, to remember that we need Him. Maybe the child who calls for us when we’re working, or the friend who asks to chat when we’re heading somewhere, is His ministry for us today. When seen through the eyes of Christ, interruptions aren’t delays or intrusions at all. Interruptions are opportunities to live out the Word and follow in the footsteps of our King.
16
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on February 27, 2026, 08:03:36 PM »Belated Happy Birthday AlienGirl
17
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on February 25, 2026, 06:29:29 AM »
AlienGirl!18
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on February 24, 2026, 07:21:13 PM »Belated 
stemcell
stemcell19
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on February 23, 2026, 06:15:42 AM »Happy birthday, stemcell!
20
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on February 22, 2026, 05:36:29 PM »Happy Birthday inmyhead