Monthly Archives: May 2026

God Meets Us in our Weakness

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We had our homeschool evaluations yesterday where each of our children meets with our homeschool evaluator. It always amazes me how each child is so different. They all choose different field trips that were their favorite and different favorite subjects. They also all have different goals and dreams that look like none of their siblings’ goals and dreams. They are all so very different, and they also have different struggles and weaknesses.

Different Personalities

Take a look at the members of your immediate family. My guess is that you’d say the same thing. Each of you is so different. There are millions of combinations of personalities and talents and passions that make us each different. What I love about God is that He works within those personalities.

When you look at different characters in the Bible, God dealt with them differently. He dealt with them according to their abilities, their talents, and even their weaknesses. I just finished reading the story of Gideon, and it always amazes me that God used Gideon. Gideon’s faith was so weak. He tests the angel of the Lord so many times. First, he tests the angel by telling him to stay until he brings back an offering. The angel of the Lord touches the food offering, and it incinerates. The angel disappears right after that. Then Gideon asks for two more confirmations and uses a fleece to do it.

God’s Instructions

It’s been three times the angel of the Lord has had to “prove” himself to Gideon. But what I really love about this story happens next.

That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!

Judges 7:9

God’s instructions are pretty clear to Gideon. He tells Gideon, “I’ve already given you the victory. Just go down and defeat the Midianite army.” But the next part is where it gets really good. Check out God’s next words to Gideon.

But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

Judges 7:10,11

Gideon’s Weakness

Gideon’s weakness was his fear or his lack of faith. Because of that, God gives Gideon another option. He says to go down and attack, but if you’re still too afraid, take your servant and go listen to the enemy. Gideon does just that. He takes his servant to the edge of the Midianite camp, and there he hears a man describe his dream to another soldier.

Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”

 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”

Judges 7: 13,14

A Warrior Leader

Gideon hears those words and knows God has surely given them the victory. He heads back to his camp and gives orders to his men. God fights an incredible battle for them, and Gideon gets the credit for it. Gideon seems to be the least heroic person around, and yet God chooses to use him. Something changes in Gideon after this battle, because he becomes a true warrior leader. After this battle, they chase down their enemies and kill them all.

Along the way, he and his men are too tired and hungry to keep going. He asks one of the towns they pass if they will spare them food and water. They say no, and Gideon curses them.

When they reached Succoth, Gideon asked the leaders of the town, “Please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”

But the officials of Succoth replied, “Catch Zebah and Zalmunna first, and then we will feed your army.”

So Gideon said, “After the Lord gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briers from the wilderness.”

Judges 8:5-7

The man who was too afraid to go to battle now tells one town and then another who gives him the same reaction that he will tear their flesh. He became the mighty warrior that God saw in him.

Two Takeaways

Don’t see people for how they are now. See them for who they can become.

When the angel of the Lord first encounters Gideon, who is currently hiding from the Midianites, he calls him a mighty warrior. At that point, Gideon was not a mighty warrior. But God saw him for what he could become and called that out in him.

Call out greatness in others. Find what others miss. See the potential in everybody. Ask God for a vision of what that person could be and encourage them in that.

Remember that God works in spite of our limitations and weaknesses.

God knows you have weaknesses and fears, and He’s okay with that. He can work in spite of those things. Just don’t let them keep you back from what He has in store. He knew Gideon was fearful, but God still used him. God knew Gideon’s faith was weak, but He still used him. He gave chance and opportunity for Gideon’s faith to grow and didn’t give up on Him.

Choose to let God use you, weaknesses and all. We won’t always get it right, but if we stay faithful and allow God to change us and shape us, He will be able to use us.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my post, Looking Past What is to What Could Be.

Confident in God’s Goodness

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What good is happening in your life right now? Is it hard to spot? Have you decided there is nothing good? That’s not a good place to be in, and yet, so many of us find ourselves there often. We get tired, rundown, discouraged and feel the weight of the world on our shoulders and fail to see the goodness of God in our lives on a daily basis.

Experiencing God’s Goodness Daily

God didn’t design us to live this way–a miserable life here on this earth. No, He wants us to experience His goodness every single day. David understood this.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living.

 Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13,14

David was confident that he would see God’s goodness in his lifetime. The land of the living is here, on earth. He wasn’t saying that he would see his reward in Heaven someday. He was confident he would see God’s goodness in this life.

A Rich and Satisfying Life

Sometimes we forget that God has good things for us in this life. We don’t have to trudge through this life sad, miserable, barely making it. We are not destined for suffering and simply surviving. God didn’t save us to make our lives miserable and full of despair. He does the exact opposite. Jesus had these words to say to his followers.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NLT

When a Christian is living a sad, depressing, empty life, that is not from God. That kind of life is from Satan. God gives us life, a rich and satisfying life. It’s a life we can enjoy right now, not just when we get to Heaven.

Jesus Has Overcome the World

Are there times when life is difficult? Yes. Jesus told us we would be tested and tried in this world and we would go through times of tribulation. But these were His words of comfort.

 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 NLT

We are more than conquerors through Jesus; we are over-comers. That means we don’t sit around dwelling on the bad things this life has to offer and how it’s just going to be so much better when we get to Heaven. We live our life now–the life God has gifted us with.

Living with God Now

Skye Jethani, in his book With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, has this to say about our life here on earth.

Eternal life, then, is unending union with God. Many people have accepted the idea that eternal life begins when their body dies, and that their present life is therefore of less importance–it is a temporary life, they believe. But if we see that union with God is promised to us today, in this present life, then our perspective changes. If we are with God, then our eternal life begins now and will continue forever. The life we are now living with Him will never cease.

We live today in our relationship with God; we aren’t waiting to live with Him one day. That day is today, so let’s live like it. Let’s look for His goodness all around us and live a life that reflects His goodnesss to others.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, You Get to Choose.

Faith Begins Where Control Ends

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The older I get, the more I realize what a control person I am. I like things done in a certain way–the best way–my way. I’ve learned that the more I control things, the better chance I have that things will go as I want them to. Sadly, though, that’s not how it works. Control is an allusion. We think that if we control things, bad things won’t happen. Yet, the irony is we don’t have control of our lives. We never did.

The Catcher

In With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, Skye Jethani gives an illustration about a trapeze artist. He talks about how we are in awe of the performer flying through the air, but the real hero is the catcher. He quotes Henri Nouwen, a Dutch priest, author, and professor with these words after watching such a feat and how it relates to our theology.

If we are to takes risks, to be free, in the air, in life, we have to know there’s a catcher. We have to know that when we come down from it all, we’re going to be caught, we’re going to be safe. The great hero is the least visible. Trust the catcher.

Henri Nouwen

The catcher in our lives is God. When we step out in faith, He’s the One Who will catch us. He won’t let us fall.

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Psalm 121:3 NLT

Letting Go

It’s only when we relinquish our tight grip on our lives that we truly start living by faith. There’s freedom in surrender, surrendering to God. There’s freedom in letting go of our plans and trusting His plans for our life. It’s not until we let go that faith actually begins.

Feeding Your Fear

Either our faith will guide us or our fear will dominate us. We choose which one will take top place. Whichever one we feed will be the one that takes control.

If you feed your fears with constant worry, what-if’s, worst case scenarios…your fear will continue to grow. If at night, you let your mind wander and imagine your worst fears playing out, your fear will grow and eventually dominate your life. When that happens, we try to be in charge. How do we do that? By taking more control. And the circle starts over once again.

Feed Your Faith

The alternative is to feed our faith. If we continue to spend time with God every morning through a morning time routine, our faith will continue to grow. If we’re choosing to fill our mind and thoughts with preaching, good music, and good books, our faith will continue to grow. When fear comes at night, if we push it away and think about God’s Word and His goodness instead, our faith will continue to grow.

We choose what rules our lives–our fear or our faith. Which one are you letting lead in your life? For a lot of years, it was fear for me. Now, I’m working at taking back the ground that’s been given to fear and feed my faith.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Breaking Fear’s Stronghold on My Life.

Created to Create

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My friend Samantha creates the most beautiful products using seashells as her medium. I first discovered her work when she gave me a cross for Easter. I started following her on social media and get to see all her creations at samanthaseashells. She just made my father in law a gorgeous wind chime set. It’s absolutely beautiful. She has an eye for beauty and detail, and it shines through in her work.

Creating Like Our Creator

Whenever I see somebody doing something like this, it inspires me so much. I love it when men and women use the gifts and abilities God has given them to create something beautiful. The sky is the limit when we use what God has given us to create something beautiful or something that can help others.

I think we sometimes forget that God gave us abilities, talents, and gifts to create, in the same way our Creator creates. We forget that our God paints the sky every morning and evening in brilliant hues of color. We forget that He gave us so many different flowers, plants, trees, and views to enjoy. From the majestic Rocky Mountains, to the sands of the beach of the Jersey shore, to the cacti and red dirt of Arizona, our God has created so much beauty just for us to enjoy. Why wouldn’t He take joy in the things we create as well?

Made in His Image

God is the ultimate Creator, and He gives us the ability to follow in His footsteps and create something beautiful. He is our Creator, and He created us in His own image. That means He has given us the ability to create.

So God created human beings in his own image.
    In the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 NLT

Sharing Beauty with Others

We get to partake in God’s beauty every time we create something. We get to show the goodness of our Creator when we create something and share that beauty with others. It may be a homemade meal that you labor over. You get to share it with your family and friends, and you feel so fulfilled. It may be something you create–a painting, a craft, a flower arrangement, a candle–that you share with others. Maybe it’s something you write– a book, a poem, a letter.

We all have different gifts and abilities and talents. I can barely crochet a single stitch chain without losing my mind, and yet my daughter can create and craft animals that are so adorable. MaddieKCrochet

One of my friends at church is a whiz at making flower arrangements and more importantly, keeping them alive. At our recent ladies’ event, she spent the entire time helping each lady make her flower arrangement look perfect. We all got to benefit from her skills.

Another friend of mine is an amazing baker. She makes all sorts of desserts and treats that are Pinterest worthy. She sells them out of her home and has made a business with her baked goods. And yet, almost every Sunday, she brings a treat to church. We get to partake in her talents and abilities.

Using Your Gifting to Bless Others

Sometimes, we forget that God gave us something to work with. Maybe it’s been a while since you used those abilities to create something beautiful. The talent could be buried; maybe you don’t even know you have the ability yet. For some of us, it takes a lot longer to develop a skill. It took me until I was in my thirties to realize I love writing. It’s taken me several years to hone that craft, and I’m still working at it. But now, I can see the fruit of my labors and of the gifting God has given me. I don’t know what gifting God has given you, but I know you have something. All of us have something God has gifted us with that we can use to bless others.

What’s really amazing is when the gifts God has given you can be used to make an income. That’s when it really comes together! What gifts has God given you that you can use to bless others?

More Encouragement

If you love this topic and love the idea of making an income from home, check out Crytal Paine’s book, Money Making Mom or Called to Create by Jordan Raynor. I love both of those books. You can also check out my post, Doing Something Great with God.