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A Direct Line to Your Heavenly Father
February 6, 2025
by Crystal Paine

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers …” 1 Peter 3:12 (KJV).

Walking into the bathroom, I discovered our toddler at the sink with the water turned on full force and gushing all over. I went to turn off the water and noticed my phone sitting nearby, subjected to the deluge of water.  Uh-oh.  As a mom of six kids, I’ve learned firsthand how resilient smartphones are, but I was uncertain this time if the manufacturer’s promise of water-resistent tech would hold up.  And unfortunately, the next morning, I was met with the “black screen of death.”

I tried plugging my phone into a different outlet and using a different cord setup. I tried pushing all the buttons really hard. (It sounds irrational, and it was, but I was feeling a little desperate at this point!) Still nothing.  Finally, I resolved I had to get a new phone. That’s when I had a mini panic moment.  How was I going to drive without my phone’s GPS?

What if someone needed to get a hold of me?

What if I got a flat tire? (I’m the queen of imagining worst-case scenarios!)

Then the thought hit me: You might not have a working phone, but you always have a direct line to Jesus.  Why was I worrying about not being able to pick up a phone call or send a text when I have access to the Creator of the universe at any time, any place, anywhere?

So often we get busy with our lives, schedules, daily decisions and struggles, and we feel like we need to figure out everything on our own. We feel stressed and stretched trying to do it all in our strength, forgetting we have a heavenly Father who is eager to help us.  Scripture says “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord is waiting and ready to hear our cries. He wants to help us if we will only ask.  The psalmist who wrote Psalm 34 reiterated this important truth: “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17, ESV).

Today, when you feel like you don’t know what to do, cry out to Jesus.
When you don’t know how to respond to a difficult situation, cry out to Jesus.
When life feels daunting or discouragement creeps in, cry out to Jesus.

You never have to worry about your connection to Him getting cut off. Because you have a direct line to your heavenly Father, you don’t have to navigate life’s challenges and struggles alone.

Nay has been celebrating today!   

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You Are Not Behind in 2025
January 30, 2025
by Meghan Ryan Asbury

“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6 (NIV)

This time of year, I feel all sorts of behind like on my to-do list for today and on all my New Year's resolutions. (Why do I act like they all have to be accomplished in January? There’s still a whole year left!)  Even deeper, I also feel like I’m not where I thought I would be in life at this point. Which makes me wonder if God’s plan for my life is as good as I hoped. I’m tempted to believe I need to take matters into my own hands to try to catch up to where I want to be.  As you can imagine, that rarely ends well.  When those doubts and lies from the enemy start to enter my mind, I try to remember Psalm 16:6: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

If we believe that God’s Word is true and that He has put us where we are right now on purpose then we can rest in the fact that we aren’t behind. What He has for us is pleasant and delightful, even here.  We don't have to stay defeated, thinking we're stuck, or white-knuckle our way through life as we try to get ahead. We can enjoy what’s right in front of us and trust that God is leading us where He wants us to go.  So how do we stop feeling like we’re behind and live like Psalm 16:6 is true?

Here are three practices you can try today:

1. Get grateful. Gratitude often helps us feel more at ease with where we are right now. It can be simple write down the first three blessings you can think of, and thank God for each of them. It doesn't have to be big stuff, but once you write it down, you’ll feel more hopeful about what’s ahead.

2. Quit comparing. Comparison is rooted in the sin of coveting, or jealousy. So let’s get rid of the places and habits that tempt us to envy others. We can confess our comparisons to God and maybe a trusted friend. Don’t “play nice” here actively find ways to stop looking at what others have as a measure of what you don’t have.

3. Remember God’s faithfulness. Reflecting on God’s past faithfulness to us makes us more hopeful that He’s working in our lives now and will continue to work in the future. The Bible constantly charges us to remember who God is and what He’s done (Psalm 77:11; Psalm 78:35; etc.).

You are not behind. You are here, right where God has you. He’s not forgotten you. He has a good plan and a good purpose for where you are right now.

We've got 3 birthday bunnies on the forum today!   

to jester and also allyj and finally Culchie!