  I have played hide-and-seek with many children over the years. While older children understand the object of the game…when you are hiding, you try to not be found by the person doing the seeking, younger children view the game differently. In fact, younger children don’t seem to understand the point of the game at all. The biggest thrill for the hiding younger child is to be found. Most of the time, when younger children are “hiding”, they giggle and talk, awaiting the exciting moment of being discovered by the seeker. And then, when the seeker finally uncovers their hiding place, they erupt in giggles and squeals of delight…they revel in being found. One of my favorite Bible stories found in Luke 19, is about a man named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a Jewish man who had exchanged the honor of his heritage for employment with the Roman government; a government that was oppressing his people. Zacchaeus was a tax collector for the Romans. Zacchaeus was not just any tax collector, he was the chief tax collector, the man responsible for gathering all of the taxes in the region of Judea, with tax collectors of lesser rank working under him. It seemed the trade-off was worth it to Zacchaeus. He liked being rich. And, Zacchaeus didn’t seem to mind being the object of contempt and disdain of his fellow countrymen. But maybe the money couldn’t fill up the empty places deep within Zacchaeus. Maybe the lack of friends left him wanting; wanting something that a nice house and gold coins couldn’t satisfy. As the story goes, the tax collector heard one day that Jesus would be passing through his town of Jericho. Zacchaeus wanted to see this Jesus whom he had heard so much about. Crowds of people were everywhere trying to get a look at Jesus; there was no way that a person of shorter stature, like Zacchaeus, stood a chance at getting a glimpse of Jesus. Zacchaeus had an idea; he would run ahead of the crowds and climb up a sycamore tree that was beside the road. It seemed a ridiculous idea for a man of his position to risk the humiliation that climbing a tree might bring if he were discovered. The people would surely mock him. But Zacchaeus just had to see this Jesus for himself. Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed the tree. He stayed silent as he watched the crowd approach with Jesus in the center of the throng. He caught a glimpse of the Rabbi. The Rabbi’s steps came to a halt right underneath the tree. Jesus looked up and into the eyes of the tax collector. Jesus spoke and called him by name, “Zacchaeus! You must come down from the tree quickly because I am on my way to your house. I thought we would have a visit today.” The surprised tax collector did just as Jesus told him. With great excitement and delight the chief tax collector escorted Jesus to his home. We’re not told what the two men talked about that day. But we are told that their conversation wrought a change in Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wanted to make restitution for all the money he had wrongly taken from his fellow citizens. Zacchaeus also wanted to give of his wealth to the poor. On a day that Zacchaeus thought he would simply be a bystander in the crowd when Jesus came to town, he ended up playing host for the Rabbi. Zacchaeus gained a friend who changed his life forever. When Zacchaeus climbed up into that tree seeking to see, he did not know that it would lead to him being found by a loving Savior. 
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 "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." I love how the Lord can even use my dog to teach me great truth. I have a two-year-old Weimaraner who has captured my heart. An evening bike ride is one of our favorite things to do (well I ride he runs). Several months ago we were on one of our rides, as we passed by a house I noticed a lady standing in her front yard holding onto her dog. We got about a half a block away when her dog came flying out of nowhere and attacked Tahoe. Now Tahoe is a lover not a fighter and as he was trying to get away from Cujo (not sure, but that might be his real name) his leash wrapped around the front of my bike and down I went. The lady finally caught her dog and dragged him back to her house. I checked Tahoe and myself for blood, picked up my bike and continued on our way. I went from scared to fuming in about two seconds flat and for two blocks I had this dialog going on in my head, “I can’t believe that lady just let her dog go, she saw us riding by, she knows her dog is vicious and she just let him go, people like that should not have dogs...” I would have continued my rant if I hadn’t looked down to see Tahoe trotting along with a big smile on his face (oh yes he smiles). He had already forgiven the attack and was enjoying his run. That is when I heard the Lord’s whisper to my heart “that is how quickly I want you to forgive.” 1 Corinthians 13 tells us “love keeps no record of wrong.” But let’s face it forgiveness is not always easy; like when your husbands says something that cuts, or you just can’t seem to please a critical parent, or a friend lets you down, the list goes on and on. If we are not careful these things can build up and make our hearts hard and bitter. Others have been hurt in deep, dark ways, that that are difficult to speak about and seem impossible to forgive. In Matthew 18 Peter asked Jesus “how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Essentially Jesus said unforgiveness is not an option and told the parable of the unforgiving servant who was thrown in prison to be tortured because he refused to extend the forgiveness he received to a fellow servant. Jesus is very clear in his command to forgive. To paraphrase St. Augustine “Our Lord never commands what he does not also provide”. So how do we forgive? Colossians 3:13 says "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." The key to forgiveness is to remember that we are forgiven. His forgiveness is not based on our merit, there is not a single thing we can do to earn it, and we do not deserve it. Our sin and rebellion against the Holy, Righteous, Loving Almighty Creator of the universe pales in comparison to any sin that is committed against us Yet, through the blood of Jesus the Lord forgives us. When we allow the joy of that truth to penetrate our hearts it gives us the freedom and desire to do the same for the people in our lives. Everything the Lord commands us to do is for His glory and our good. When we forgive we reflect His glory, we display a glimpse of what God’s forgiveness looks like. Forgiveness is also for our good; it sets us free from the prison of bitterness, anger and hatred and allows us to live the joy filled abundant life the Lord desires for us.   "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Here we are, smack dab in the middle of the strangest week of the year: the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s a time when all of the days mush together like a plate of leftovers. The holiday season is ending and we are no longer being ushered along by the events marked on a crowded calendar. In fact, many of us are walking through these days in a blissful fog; nibbling on stale cookies and wearing pajama pants; and while we’ve enjoyed the excitement that this season brings, it feels pretty good to finally get a chance to slow down and rest. When we consider what we just finished celebrating at Christmas: Jesus coming into the world to be with us, then it only makes sense that a week of rest should follow. Why? Because rest is found in the presence of the Lord. There is a moment recounted in Mark 6:30-32, when the disciples had just returned from their mission trip and were eager to tell Jesus about all of the things that had been done in His name. There were many people around and so much excitement in the air, that the disciples could not even eat. So, Jesus, being fully aware of all of their needs, says to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) If we look closely at what Jesus says to the disciples in Mark 6:31, He is not simply encouraging them to just ‘go lay down’, He is telling them to purposefully get away and be alone with Him. This shows Jesus’s desire to be personally involved in our times of physical and spiritual rest. He is always reaching out for us to come away with Him to a quiet place, but how often do we accept this offer? There are days when I am so tired in the morning that instead of getting up early for quiet time, I choose to stay in bed longer assuming that I’ll be better for it. But, on those days, when I attempt to rest on my own, I find myself less revived than I am on the days when I wake up early to spend time with the Lord. When I purposefully involve Jesus in my time of rest, I find myself refreshed in a way that allows me to become a more patient mom, a more understanding wife and a more productive member of His body. Today, if life has you tired, try to remember that in His humanity, Jesus also experienced what it felt like to be physically and spiritually exhausted. Because of this, you can trust that He knows exactly what you need and that He is perfectly suited to help you through your times of weariness. This week, as you bask in the residual glow of the Christmas season, accept the Lord’s open invitation to go away with Him to a quiet place and get some rest.   See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’“ Last year, my mom gave me a beautiful nativity set. It was the one I helped her put up in our home for many years, so I was very happy to have it for my house now. My children were so excited to help me get out all the pieces and set it up in our home and my toddler son’s favorite part was baby Jesus in the manger. He would carry it around with him and play with it. At night, he asked my husband and me if he could take baby Jesus to his room because he wanted to sleep with him. After the Christmas season was over, we packed up the nativity set, including the baby Jesus figurine. Different times throughout this past year, my son would see the nativity box in our garage and ask if we could get it out so he could play with baby Jesus. As I was thinking about my son’s love for the baby Jesus figurine in the nativity set, it reminded me of how thankful I am for God’s constant presence! What a blessing it is that we don’t have to wait each year to get out the nativity set for Jesus to be with us. In Matthew 1:23 it says, “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’“ For the people in that day, this was a foreign concept to them. Only certain high priests were allowed into the “Holy of Holies” to be in God’s presence. However, because of Jesus’s birth all those years ago, we now have constant access to Him because of the salvation offered to us through His death and resurrection. He became our “great high priest” (Hebrews 4:14). When we confess our sins and believe that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead three days later in total victory over our sin, we become children of God and then have the Holy Spirit in dwelling within us. We have the power and presence of God always with us. May we never take this for granted. Because of Jesus coming as a baby and ultimately shedding His blood for our sins, we can now, “Approach the throne of grace with boldness” (Hebrews 4:16a), as children of God. This Christmas season, may the celebration of Jesus’s birth be a reminder to us of His love and salvation, that allows us to always be in His presence, not just at Christmastime.   “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’” Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Joy to the World, Oh Come All Ye Faithful...all songs that cause our hearts to swell, to be still. Songs that allow us for a moment to forget about what is going on around us. Songs that cause us to actually sing along...sometimes louder and more off key than we realize (ha!). But have you ever wondered why this is? Why do smiles sneak onto our faces and lyrics escape from our lips when we hear these Christmas songs? Could it be the memories we have attached to these songs...possibly? I would wager a guess that it has to do with something else...someone else. The reason that these songs stir in the very core of our being, our souls, is because the one who came to rescue our very souls is who these songs are all about. Lately, I have been focused on the Christmas Carol, Oh Come All Ye Faithful. This song reminds me of the shepherds’ encounter with the angels in Luke 2. This is when the first invitation to come was given. Come and see the Savior of the world. Check out this incredible encounter found in Luke 2:8-20: 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. You see, these particular shepherds actually had a really important job. Alfred Edersheim in his book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, puts it this way: “Somewhere deep in Jewish tradition (revealed in writings called the Mishnah), a belief had arisen that the Messiah would be revealed from the Migdal Eder ("the tower of the flock"). This tower stood close to Bethlehem on the road to Jerusalem, and the sheep that pastured there were not the type used for ordinary purposes. The shepherds working there, in fact, took care of the temple-flocks, the sheep meant for sacrifice. We can trust that God had a specific purpose for this shepherd audience, and the work they performed suggests the reason. These men who watched the sheep meant for the slaughter received a divine message about the ultimate Lamb who would take away the sins of the world through His death and resurrection. (Adapted from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim (Book II, Chapter VI)).” Is it any wonder that God would send the host of angels to tell them the good news first? It was as God was saying, “You have done a great job taking care of the sacrificial lambs. Now come and behold THE Sacrificial Lamb. The Savior of the world. The one who will redeem you. The one who will reconcile you back to the Father. God’s call to come echoes even today. The Bible is filled with invitations for us to come:
“Oh come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant Come and behold Him, born the king of angels Oh come let us adore Him.” Like the shepherds, won't you come? Come lay yourself before the throne of the one who came to love you, to rescue you. He is calling you, His beloved, to come and worship Him: to come into His presence and adore Him   “…the joy of the Lord is my strength.” Several years ago, a friend taught me a children’s song. The tune is more like a chant than a song and it has been going through my mind for the last several weeks. There are only three lines, so you can repeat it as many times as you want. I wish we could sing it together - here it is: J is for Jesus O is for Others Yi Yi Yi Yi is for you! You! YOU!!! The song is very fun and simple, yet it has a deep truth. We will have JOY when JESUS is first and the highest priority in our lives, followed by OTHERS such as family, friends and possibly strangers and then, lastly, YOU, or self. Doesn't that seem so simple and clear? Jesus. Others. You (Self). Whenever I’m feeling discouraged or irritable, I go back to this little chant and always discover that I have put the needs of others OR my self interests first. Everything is out of order when Jesus is not first. OYJ or YOJ certainly does not produce J O Y! Another song about joy is one of the most famous Christmas carols - Joy to the World. This popular song, written by Isaac Watts in 1719, was not written as a song celebrating the birth of our Savior but rather a poem based on Psalm 98. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music” (Psalm 98:4, NIV). The original theme of the poem was actually referring to when Jesus returns - Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King - the second coming of the Lord. We may not always be in the middle of happy situations during Christmas but we may still choose JOY. As I am finishing this devotion, we are traveling to Georgia to participate in my dad’s celebration of life. He passed rather unexpectedly and this is a very hard time for our family. As I cry out to the Lord, I am holding on to the fact that “…the joy of the LORD is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV). This Christmas season, regardless of what we are facing-we can choose to remember why we celebrate. We celebrate Jesus, Savior of the world - He came as a baby, was a perfect man who bridged the gap between a holy God and sinful man, He is preparing a place for us in heaven and He is coming back again, and when He returns, even the rocks will sing! His return is the ultimate JOY TO THE WORLD! Next time you sing Joy to the World, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King, remember joy comes when we put Jesus first and also that no matter what we are facing today, even if this holiday season is not filled with everything happy and easy, we can definitely rejoice in the fact that one day He is returning! He came for you and for me. He came because He loves you and me so very much.   Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Have you noticed the unique way people are anticipating Christmas this year? There is an “unwritten rule” saying you are not to decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, this year all across the country outside Christmas decorations began showing up in early November. Companies that specialize in Christmas displays have seen a 15% to 20% increase in business. So why is this happening? As Donna shared last week “2020 has been a crazy year”, as we seem to face one hardship after another. Many are simply worn out by the constant bombardment of the next crisis and people are turning to Christmas decorations to try to brighten their lives. Kristen Carpenter, chief psychologist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center said “There are health benefits to putting up lights early. Holiday lights and decorations can help bolster people’s moods and fend off seasonal depression.” But as followers of Christ, Christmas cheer does not come in decorating with lights; it comes from our hope in the “Light of the World.” There are two kinds of hope. One is a desire for something good to happen in the future, and many are looking to a change of scenery to change their darkened thoughts about the future. And then there is Biblical hope, this is the confident expectation that God will fulfill all of His promise for our future, and this hope will cause our hearts to rejoice even when there is trouble all around. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of a baby who fulfilled the promise God made in Genesis 3 when He promised that He would provide a Savior who would defeat Satan, and rescue us from sin and death. Isaiah prophesied of this hope saying, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT) Yes, Christmas lights are beautiful, and they do give me a good feeling when I decorate my house with them, and yes I even decorated much earlier this year, but my hope that brings true joy lies elsewhere. It is found on the dark night when God himself lit up the sky with the most incredible Christmas display, as the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds declaring the birth of The Hope for all mankind. Then the sky was filled with a host of angels saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)   Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. I grew up playing sports all year long; soccer was in the fall, basketball was in the winter, softball was in the spring and then in the summer, though considered the “off-season”, was when all of the sports seemed to mesh together. You see, the summer wasn’t really soccer season, it wasn’t really basketball season and it wasn't really softball season. It wasn’t always convenient to go to practice or to drive to away games on a perfect summer day, but regardless of the inconvenience, I was prepared to play whatever sport that day brought. Why? Because I had been training for it and I had a desire to be in the game. This idea of being prepared in all seasons is something that we see encouraged in 2 Timothy 4:2. Here, Paul urges Timothy to, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” Much like studying a playbook to learn strategies before a big game, the Bible gives us clear instructions to get us ready to share Biblical truths with others. In the verse above, Paul is exhorting Timothy to continue to boldly preach the word. He then goes on to lay out some specific ways in which this is accomplished. As believers, there are a few things that we too can take away from this. We must be prepared to speak the truth at all times and in all circumstances. We must be ready to correct those who misunderstand God’s word, to rebuke those who deliberately misuse the gospel message and to encourage others by sharing the love of Jesus Christ with them. We are to do this with sincere patience and with careful instruction, so that through both our actions and our words, we are providing others with an accurate portrayal of the gospel. In sports, there is this idea of keeping our eyes on the prize and it can be very beneficial when we are playing to win. For an athlete, the objective is always to win. For the Christian however, we must recognize that winning an unbeliever to Christ does not depend on us. We can wear the full armor of God as a uniform and have every Bible verse memorized, but if the Holy Spirit does not move in the heart of the listener, then there can be no victory. God does not need us in order to win, but still, He recruits us to be a part of His lineup, so it should be our objective to serve Him faithfully by sharing the truth when He puts us in the game. When the Lord calls us into action, it isn’t always convenient. Like playing an away-game at a rival school in the middle of summer, it may mean having to leave our comfort zone to go to places that are unfamiliar and to be around people that we don’t really like that much. But, as believers we must always be prepared to play. Why? Because we are on God’s team and God’s team does not get an off-season.   "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him.” Romans 15:13 My toddler son has such a happy disposition and finds joy in little things in life. One of my favorite things that he does is sprint wherever he goes, whether it’s going to the bathroom, going to get a snack, or going to find a toy. He’s almost always running as fast as he can to his destination, excited to get there. Most little children, generally speaking, tend to be happy, worry free, and can’t help but joyfully “run” through life. They are not bogged down with worry about what the future holds. Sometimes, as an adult, I think about how nice it must be as a toddler to go through life without a care in the world and to simply rely on your parents to take care of everything for you. Then I stop and realize that a worry free life is what our Heavenly Father has called us to live. He wants us to rely on Him so much that we are not concerned or filled with worry over our circumstances, but instead, go happily through life being filled with joy and peace that comes from Him. We’re reminded of this in Romans 15:13: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him.” Many times throughout the Bible, we see Christ asking, “Why are you afraid?” or simply commanding us, “Do not be afraid.” One specific example in the Bible is found in Matthew 8:23-27. When Jesus and His disciples were getting tossed about in their boat in the middle of the sea, His disciples were terrified; all the while Jesus was sleeping. After they woke Him up, He asked His disciples a simple, yet loaded question, “’Why are you fearful, you of little faith?’” (vs. 26). I love that the verse tells us that He asks this question before He calmed the storm. By Jesus asking this question first, it shows us that He knew the disciples could have gone through this storm without being afraid, if their faith was truly in Him. Because they were so concerned with their circumstance, they were not trusting in Jesus. At the end of verse 26, Christ commanded the storm to stop and it did. Now, every time we find ourselves in a storm, it does not mean that God will calm it or make it go away like He did in this story. However, He is always trustworthy, and will give us the strength to go through the storm, if He chooses to allow the storm to remain. We need our faith to be so big and strong that our trust in Him takes our eyes off the storm and onto His presence and plan.   “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Seventeen days ago, I began reading 100 Days to Brave by Annie F. Downs. If my math is correct, I should be on day 17 in the devotional. However, that is not the case. I have been sitting on the devotional for day six for several days, and I just can’t seem to move on. Let me explain… In the “Be Brave” section of day six’s reading, Annie encouraged us to read 1 Samuel 17. The epic battle between David and Goliath is one that I am quite familiar with as I am a big fan of David. This particular day, David went to check in on his brothers who were enlisted with the Israelite army. As David arrived, the two armies were lining up for battle, and like the many days before, the Philistine army sent forth their mightiest warrior, Goliath, who just happened to be a giant. Goliath’s size, along with his intimidating taunting, scared the grown men of the Israelite army. David on the other hand, not so much. He began asking who this Philistine man was who spoke against the Lord God Almighty. David was not having anyone blaspheme the Lord, so he took it upon himself to fight Goliath. King Saul got wind of David’s plan and brought David into his tent. Merely looking at David’s physical stature, King Saul became concerned for David’s well-being. So, he offered David his personal battle armor to wear during his upcoming battle with Goliath. “David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. ‘I can’t walk in these,’ David said to Saul, ‘I’m not used to them.’ So David took them off. Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:39-40 HCSB). When David put on Saul’s military clothes and armor, they did not fit. He was not able to move about freely. He was not able to accomplish what he had been called to do, defeat Goliath. Why? Because David was wearing clothes he was never intended to wear. These “clothes” weighed him down, hindered his ability to walk in the purpose designed for him. I am not much different than David at times. I find myself walking around in “clothes” that do not fit me. When I do that, I am not able to accomplish the purpose God has for me because I am trying to be someone else. God gently spoke to me through this passage, “Don’t look to be her. Do not try to wear her gifts and talents. They were not designed for you. I have a special set of gifts, talents, and abilities that I have given you. You are to wear these. To walk confidently in how I have chosen to dress you. When you do this, Sarah, you will fulfill the purpose I have planned for you. Trust me.” I have spent the past 13 days meditating on these verses from 1 Samuel, allowing the truth of God’s word to wash over me, to speak truth to my heart about who I am and what my purpose is during this season of my life. Friends, it has been a beautiful journey. One I am not finished with, but one I am excited to continue. I want to honor God by walking in the “clothes” He has for me, so that like David, I can approach my purpose with confidence.  |
Kim White
My precious husband, Bill, and I have been planted in Fort Myers, Florida for almost 35 years. As a newly married couple, God most graciously had placed people in both of our jobs to share Christ with us. Its hard to believe it has been almost 34 years since we asked Jesus into our hearts! Bill and I have been blessed with four children, 3 daughters, then a son. These blessings came quickly, all within 6 years!! During these years I'm so thankful I was able to be part of women's ministry classes at our church, helping me to grow in my walk with Him. Then came the day when I was asked that question that stretched me way outside of my comfort zone...will you teach a class? Its hard to believe that I have now been teaching more than 20 years. Bill and I love to travel, most of the time going to visit our 9 grandchildren, oh ya, and their parents! I also love reading, walking and hanging out with some very special young moms in Beloved that bless my socks off!
Julie Fuller
Julie is a Kansas girl who resides in sunny Southwest Florida. She's been married to her husband Sean for 23 years and they share two boys ages 21 & 17. She enjoys baking and biking, but her absolute favorite thing is snow skiing which is a little difficult to do in a sandy 80 degree land.
She became a follower of Christ at age 10. She loves studying and teaching God's Word. She has a passion for encouraging moms to love and follow Jesus. 
Beth Calhoun
Beth grew up in a loving home; however, in her early 20s she faced a very lonely time. During that time, she cried out to God and asked “If You are real, please show yourself to me!” God met her where she was and she trusted in the Lord Jesus at that time. Her life verse and desire is “no matter what happens, to conduct herself in a manner worthy of the gospel.” Philippians 1:27
Beth now resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband Larry. The Lord has blessed them by blending their family of five children. They currently have eight grandchildren and are hoping that there will be more grandchildren in the future. 
Donna Brown
Donna accepted Jesus as her Savior at the age of nine and has been amazed at God’s goodness and faithfulness throughout her life. She has been blessed to have had many mentors through each season of life, who have shown her what trusting God looks like. Donna and her husband, Bryan, have five children, one son-in-law, one soon to be daughter-in-law, and one wonderful grandson. Donna and Bryan have recently moved back to their home state of Arkansas after livingin southeast Alabama the past 23 years. Donna enjoys spending time with her family, laughing with friends (usually over coffee), going for long walks with her husband, and reading a good book (which may also be accompanied by a cup of coffee).
Sarah Spencer
Sarah is a true Florida Cracker. She was born and raised in Southwest Florida. At the age of 6, Sarah accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, and she hasn't looked back since. Hebrews 13:8 is one of her favorite verses, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Eating delicious desserts, spending time with her family and friends, and teaching people about Jesus are a few of the things she enjoys to do in her spare time.
Sarah has been married to her best friend and husband, Brandon, for 7 years. They have been blessed with one beautiful, determined son, Asher, who keeps them on their toes. Sarah and her family live in the Tampa area. They love exploring their community together, family hugs, and eating pizza whenever possible. 
Katie Flint
Katie Flint just recently moved back home to Fort Myers, Florida with her husband, Ryan and two children, Collins and Madden. At the age of 5, Katie accepted Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of her life, after attending Vacation Bible School. Through each phase of her life, God has shown her that He alone is trustworthy. The verse that has been her life source is Psalm 46:10- “Be still and know that I am God.”
She is a stay-at-home mom and enjoys exercising and baking. She has been married to her husband Ryan for almost 9 years, who is her high school sweetheart. They enjoy trying new restaurants, family trips to the beach, and relaxing at home. 
Marsha Sommer
Marsha grew up in a small rural town in upstate New York. In 2006, after finishing college, she moved to sunny SW Florida where she met her, now husband, Shawn. Together they enjoy spending family time with their two fun-loving toddler boys Zachariah and Kairos.
Marsha enjoys living an active lifestyle, which is helpful, considering that her favorite hobby is baking. Though she attended church as a child, Marsha was not saved until adulthood when her eyes were finally opened to the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. Since being saved, God has placed a loving burden on her heart to share the truth about God’s healing grace with those who may feel like forgiveness is not possible for them. Archives
January 2021
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