“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” There is a scene from the movie National Treasure that has resonated with me since the first time I saw it. It is a brief conversation between the two main characters, Abigail Chase and Ben Gates. In the scene, Ben has just finished beautifully articulating to Abigail why finding the treasure is so important to him. After he finishes speaking, Abigail smiles playfully and asserts to Ben that, “People don’t really talk that way.” He responds to her by stating, “I know, but they think that way.” In the movie, Ben’s entire life is encompassed by an overwhelming desire to find the treasure that he believed to be real. This desire led him to think differently about his quest and to speak unashamedly about the object of his affection, the National Treasure. As Christians, do we display this same kind of tenacity when we seek after the Lord? Or are there other “treasures” that we find ourselves thinking and speaking more passionately about? The Bible says that, “Where your treasure is, there your hearts will be also.” Matthew 6:21 And… “From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 So, when the Lord is the treasure that we are seeking after, it will be His goodness that fills our hearts and overflows from our mouths. If we consider the Psalms, it quickly becomes evident that the authors viewed God as their greatest treasure. The psalmists composed and sang verses like, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” Psalms 42:1 And… “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” Psalms 27:4 The passion that the psalmists had for the Lord was expressed so beautifully in their poetry and to this day, their words are still captivating hearts and minds. Yet, Satan would have us believe that, “people don’t really talk that way”. He hisses this lie at us in a desperate attempt to diminish our testimony. He wants us to remain silent and to be too embarrassed to say things that will glorify Christ and stir unbelievers to repentance. But, don’t ever let the enemy discourage you from singing praises to God, from declaring the Truth where there are lies, or from speaking love to the broken-hearted. Always allow your mouth to overflow with God’s goodness. The world needs Christians whose lives are encompassed by an overwhelming desire to discover Christ and who are unashamed to proclaim His glory. Let us not be a generation of believers that merely “think” boldly about our Savior. Instead, as we draw nearer to Him each day, may there be an obvious change in the way that we “talk” with the world around us.
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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 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 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 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, make their home in central Arkansas. They have five grown children and are grandparents to wonderful grandchildren. 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 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 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 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
December 2021
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