By Paula Williamson guest writer There’s Always Hope! There are times in life when things happen that we do not understand, days when God feels far away and days when it feels like hope is beyond our grasp. It is on days like those that I find hope in God’s word. It Is Written JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 1 CORINTHIANS 2:9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— Hope When we gaze at the world, at circumstances, and sometimes even at our own lives, we can lose hope, but when we gaze into God’s word, we will always find hope. When the disciple Peter wanted to walk on the water toward Jesus, he succeeded until his gaze shifted to the crashing waves. They caused him to begin sinking, but as soon as he shifted his gaze back to Jesus, the impossible became possible. Prayer Lord, help me keep my eyes on You. You are the God in whom all things are possible. Takeaway There is always hope!

By Paula Williamson guest writer You Are a Blessing I remember times in my life when I definitely felt like a screwup and times when I certainly did screw up, but for a believer in Christ, we can believe what God, and His words say about us. In Him we move and breathe! Children are a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 127:3 We are chosen and dearly loved. Colossians 3:12 We are a child of God. Romans 8:6 I am forgiven. Psalm 103:12 I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need to hear God call me names. The names He calls me by are always better than the names I call myself! It Is Written 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Christ in Us! The truth is, I don’t have to have it all together, know all the answers, or be the savior of the world. He already is! His strength is available to us and is magnified most in our weakness. He favors the humble. Humbling ourselves and asking for His grace to fill us teaches us that our sufficiency is in Him, not in ourselves. Prayer Lord, thank You that I do not have to be all things to all people. I thank You that there is only one Savior, and I am not Him. I thank You that You are always enough. I humbly yield myself to You. Takeaway He is more than enough!

By Paula Williamson guest writer Some people view God as a puppet master pulling all the strings, believing that what we do or don’t do doesn’t matter because everything is in His control. That’s not true. God does have a good plan for our lives. He promises blessings for obedience when we follow His paths, but He also created us with the freedom of choice. He never wanted puppets. He created us for a relationship. He will never force us to choose His way or His plan. He offers His love and plans, but the ultimate choice is ours to accept them or not.   It Is Written   DEUTERONOMY 30:19  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,    Free Will God created us for a loving reciprocal relationship. When we surrender our lives to Him, we do so willingly. His word was written for our benefit, showing us the way that leads to abundant life and blessing. It’s up to us whether we want to walk in those good plans.   Prayer Lord, would You remove any false views we have of You? Sometimes our view of You comes from our experiences, or lack thereof, with those in authority during our early years. For those of us who had less-than-perfect parents and formed a distorted view of You, we ask that You reveal who You really are and what You are really like.    Takeaway We have a choice!

By Paula Williamson guest writer I have heard people say, “Just when things seem to be going well, God pulls the rug out from under me.” Some don’t understand why He allows bad things to happen. Others blame Him for the adverse circumstances in their lives. Some view Him as a hard-nosed judge watching for their mistakes. Yet others view Him as good.   In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who gave three servants different amounts of money before leaving on a journey. Upon returning, He asks each of them how they used the gift entrusted to them. Each man’s view of the landowner shaped how he used his gift. The last man’s view of the master was negative.   It Is Written   MATTHEW 25:24-25  He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’   The Lens of Jesus   Scripture says that Jesus, the exact representation of God, lived a selfless life, even to the point of dying in our place. His life exemplified unconditional love, grace, mercy, and compassion. Our view of God does not change who He is. Scripture says, “He is Love.” To learn more about Him, study the life of Jesus in the book of John, written by His closest friend.   Takeaway God is love.

By Paula Williamson guest writer People have many ideas about faith and God that are not true. Take, for instance, “Faith is for the weak.” That could not be further from the truth. Most of our false beliefs form in the first five years of life, based on life experiences or beliefs passed down by others, often by people who have never read the Bible. The Bible is filled with stories of heroes of faith. Faith is definitely not for the weak! The Bible records people who dared to live by God’s word and were willing to lose their lives for it.    It Is Written: HEBREWS 11: who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented 38 ( people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes in the ground.   Faith is Courageous   Our history is filled with people who have stood up for their faith in God, even to the point of death, just as the Lord Jesus Christ gave up His life for us. Faith and God’s Word do not promise we will be exempt from problems, suffering, things not turning out as we hoped, or even death. What they do promise is that He will be with us, strengthening us as we go through them. I don’t know about You, but I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have by my side than God.   Prayer Lord, I thank You that for those who believe, You will never leave us or forsake us. You give us the strength to overcome. Your word is filled with promises that encourage us to be strong and courageous. It is also filled with affirmations that You created us for a purpose and that we are never alone when we surrender our lives to You. I thank You that You promised never to let us go.   Takeaway Faith is not for the weak!

By Paula Williamson guest writer When I was younger, I used to think that everyone and everything around me controlled my emotions. WRONG! We are the ones in charge of our emotions. Emotions are a huge part of who we are, but we do not have to let them control us. None can make us mad or feel inferior without our permission.   It Is Written   GALATIANS 5:16 -24 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law . 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self -control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.   Walk in the Spirit   Scripture says we have a choice in how we live and walk. Without God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are certainly limited in our behavior. For those who are led by the Spirit, the Spirit's presence is evident in the fruit we bear. Those led by the Spirit have the power to overcome. Scripture says those who have surrendered to Christ have a different mindset.   ROMANS 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors  through him who loved us.   Prayer   Lord, life is hard! It’s hard for those who trust and believe in You. The daily battle is real. We need Your strength and power to overcome each day’s challenges. We ask for that! Help us realize we were made for more than just surviving; we were created to overcome through Christ Jesus.   Takeaway We are more than conquerors

By Paula Williamson guest writer I wonder if we learn poor boundaries in preschool, where we are taught to just be friends with everyone. Would we tell a friend to befriend someone who treats them poorly? I think not! Why would we teach children to do so? If you want to give your kids a good foundation or to live a healthy life, good boundaries are important. The truth is, we can walk away from anyone who is treating us poorly. We do not have to respond in the same way, and we can pray for them, but we do not have to be their best friend. Scripture supports healthy boundaries.   It Is Written   PROVERBS 22:24 -25 " Do not make friends with an angry man, or go with a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself ".   Self-Control Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Inability to control one’s temper is a red flag behavior. It does not end well for that person or those around them. There are plenty of online resources that teach impulse control. I think that if we all began walking away from those with toxic and abusive behaviors, they might have to change. There is only one Savior, and we are not Him. We can pray for those who hurt us, but we do not have to allow them to hurt us. There are many free resources, an article titled “Anger” by Dr. Norman Coad, and books for all ages titled “What to Do with BIG Emotions” at www.coadwordbooks.com     Prayer Lord, I thank You for the healthy boundaries You have set in Your world, which teach us wisdom for life. I ask You to remove anything we have grown up believing that is not true. I ask that You help us teach our children healthy boundaries that do not set them up for pain and heartache later in life. Give us a hunger and thirst for Your world.   Takeaway Angry people are not good friends.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Saving oneself for marriage brings protection and God’s blessing. There are consequences for not doing so. Soul ties form when two people have a sexual relationship. When you join yourself sexually with another, you open yourself and your seed to everything in that person’s family bloodline and to everyone they have had sexual relations with. This affects your own family bloodline. Mind-blowing, right?    It Is Written   1 CORINTHIANS 6:18   Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.   MARK 10:8   and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.     HEBREWS 12:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.   Breaking Soul Ties Prayer   I forgive _______ for all that has happened and all that has gone on. I forgive myself for any part I may have played. I ask You, Lord, to forgive me. I take ________ and any negative or tormenting feelings and unforgiveness I carry toward them, and I put them into my hands (cup your hands together). This includes any hurt, bitterness, resentment, anger, offense, feelings of abandonment, betrayal, neglect, rejection, deception, manipulation, control, or judgments, as well as any ungodly thing in their bloodline. (Name any others that come to mind.) So here they are, Lord; _________ and all my negative feelings and judgments; I give them to You and let go. (Lift your hands up to Jesus and give them to Him; let them go. If we give them to Jesus, He will take them every time.) I call the fragmented parts of my soul that came from my sexual partners to rejoin my soul, and I send all soul parts of my sexual partners back to them so they can be whole. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.   Takeaway Purity can be restored

By Paula Williamson guest writer We do all kinds of things, often without realizing our motives. If we asked ourselves, “What is my motivation?” it might change many of the things we do. I am ashamed to say that most of my life has been lived without that examination. When I began to do so, I realized that much of what I did was not in others’ best interests. Often, our motivation is self-serving, driven by loneliness and boredom. Those cover a lot of territory! Who we hang out with matters because we become like those we spend time with. Hanging out with those we want to become like equals growth. Hanging with those who do not encourage us to be our best self does not end well.   It Is Written   1 CORINTHIANS 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”   2 CORINTHIANS 6:14 Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers.  For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?    Wisdom   God has guidelines in His word that protect us from harmful relationships. I have lived long enough to tell countless stories about linking up with people we are attracted to for one reason or another. Linking up with people who do not share our goals or faith does not end well. Oh, it may be fun for a while, but the price we pay is not worth it. Here’s a free tip! When forming a new relationship, ask if you can see their Bible. Is it marked up, used, or read? If not, approach with caution. Honoring God and knowing His word make us behave differently.   Prayer Lord, help us examine ourselves. You already know the motives of our hearts. Help us desire Your word, Your wisdom, and Your good plans for our lives. Warn us when we are headed in a direction that leads us away from Your good plans. Give us the courage to walk away from harmful relationships.   Takeaway Be equally yoked.

By Paula Williamson guest writer God’s Love   When I was a little girl, I was told many things that I have not found in the Bible. One of those things was that God won’t love me if I’m not good. It turns out those words are not even close to the truth written in scripture.    It Is Written   ROMANS 3:10 -12 “There is no righteous person, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; 12 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.”   ROMANS 5:8   But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   The Truth About God’s Love   God knew that we could not be perfect. That is why He came as Jesus, fully human and fully God. He lived a perfect life, and died, taking on Himself the full penalty for our sins, freely bestowed on all who surrender their lives to Him. His love has never been based on our goodness or lack of it.   Prayer Lord, help us open Your word that leads to life. It’s so easy today to read the Holy Bible anywhere with the You Version App. We spend so much time on social media reading things that do not matter. Help us read something that does matter.   Takeaway While we were sinners, Christ died for us.

By Paula Williamson guest writer The Scripture is full of truth about God and life. One only needs to read it to discover the undercurrent of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness throughout its pages. We may not understand His ways, but we can trust His nature. God gets the wrap for everything bad that happens in the world. He gave us free choice, and many of us do not use that freedom responsibly. I have personally blamed Him for not doing things I think He should have. We may never understand why or how everything happens, but we can trust His goodness to heal, redeem, restore, and rebuild.   It Is Written:   EXODUS 34:6 The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.   Merciful & Gracious Merciful means He holds back the judgment we deserve; gracious means He gives us what we do not deserve. I have done my share of wrong things, things I wish I had not done, mistakes I’ve made that I wish I could undo. The truth is–we do not deserve the grace and mercy He has lavished upon those who believe. Despite the circumstances, He is good and full of truth. In a world where we do not know the motives behind what we hear, we know without a doubt that God is good.   Prayer Lord, in a world where we do not know the motives behind the words spoken on SocialMedia or in the News, thank You that we can know the motive behind Your word is love.   Takeaway God is good.

By Paula Williamson guest writer What exactly is abundant life? Strong’s Concordance defines abundant as the Greek word perissos, meaning superabundant, exceeding, extraordinary, more than sufficient beyond measure, overflowing, superior in quality, over and above, or more than necessary. John 10:10 says that is why Jesus came.   It Is Written:   JOHN 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.   The Thief  Satan is the one whose characteristics include stealing, killing, and destroying. Blessings or consequences flow from the choices we make and from who we follow or obey. Scripture is full of blessings for those who follow and obey God. The one who robs us of life, love, peace, joy, kindness, and mercy is Satan, not God. Scripture was written to show you how to live under God’s blessings and to warn of what happens when you choose to live outside of them.   Prayer  Lord, the world is so full of opinions, half-truths, and outright lies that no one knows what to believe anymore. I am holding fast to Your word, which has never been disproved. I thank You that You promise to honor and uphold it, and that it will never pass away.    Takeaway There is a life of abundance.