jeannie waters - Page 11 of 28 - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

Embrace Hope When Life is Hard

August 24, 2021Jeannie Waters18 Comments

Who needs hope? Are you raising your hand? I am. We need hope for today, tomorrow, and the future. For small things and large things. For common dreams and secret dreams. For “normal” days and hard days.

Why do you need hope? Fill in the blank: I need hope because _____________.

May I share a hope-filled treasure with you?

DESTINATION HOPE: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart, authored by Marilyn Nutter and April White, offers authentic and riveting stories of women who found hope during unexpected trials and changes.

DESTINATION HOPE: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart, by Marilyn Nutter and April White, offers authentic and riveting stories of women who found hope during unexpected trials and changes. Share on X

The authors’ honest words about tough times offer a life preserver in a turbulent sea. April wrote this positive spin: “Trials and detours are an invitation to a front-row seat to God’s faithfulness.” In one chapter, Marilyn confesses, “Loss, like baggage in the overhead bin, is never far from reach.” Then she leads us to a truth about God: “He keeps His promises and never lets go.”

I’d only recommend a book on hope if it pointed to real hope—the hope we have in Christ.

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7 ESV

As a member of the book launch team, I’m reading an advance copy. I’m highlighting and making notes in the margin because I know I’ll refer to this book again and again.

I encourage you to order a copy for yourself and your friends, so you’ll have this “Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart.” I’ll give this amazing book a 5-star rating in my reviews. But don’t take my word for it. Read below to discover what’s in store and why the authors chose this topic.

DESTINATION HOPE: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart

by Marilyn Nutter and April White

The hit that knocked you down is the one you didn’t see coming, but it doesn’t have to keep you there.

Hope–we all want hope!

Destination Hope is a beacon of light to those who stumble along the tearful trail of uncertainty and unexpected change.

Authors of Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart Marilyn Nutter and April Dawn White

Marilyn Nutter and April White, from two different states and representing two generations have been knocked off course by challenging life changes. A dormant gene surfaced in mid-life and took April into the journey of chronic illness. Marilyn was blindsided by sudden widowhood two days before Christmas while visiting family 2,000 miles from home.

Although April retired her pharmacist’s lab coat to the back of the closet, and Marilyn’s wedding ring was placed in a jewelry box, each found purpose and hope in new path marked with significant changes. Together they offer readers encouragement in unwelcomed life interruptions. April and Marilyn weave their personal stories along with narratives of other women knocked off course by events you may relate to–a prodigal, incarceration, death of a child, illness, widowhood, bankruptcy, special needs children, and other life challenges.

Destination Hope is arranged into six chapters called “Milepost Markers” that address losses, disappointments, or obstacles. Each entry concludes with a “Rest Area” for personal reflection, response to action, and/or opportunity to journal. A “Postcard” with a quote related to the topic sends readers off with encouragement, as they travel toward their destination of hope. An Appendix includes resources unique to various losses to guide readers in their travel plans.

It’s a tough topic many live out in real time, and Destination Hope offers camaraderie, reality, and insight for women who say, “I didn’t see this coming.” Destination Hope invites readers to link arms in friendship with April and Marilyn who have traveled a road they didn’t see ahead. Readers will discover in practical and personal ways, they can thrive, not merely survive. Hope can be their destination.

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Destination Hope is available in print and Kindle format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com.

Destination Hope on Amazon

Destination Hope at Barnes and Noble

Destination Hope on ChristianBook.com

You can learn more about the authors here:

http://marilynnutter.com/ https://aprildawnwhite.com/

Please tell us in Comments what hope means to you.

Quench Your Thirst–Forever

August 17, 2021Jeannie Waters36 Comments

Our youngest granddaughter pedaled her bike down the riverside trail and called, “You can’t go fast like me.” (She was right about that.)

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During brief rest stops, she picked wild violets, admired an Australian shepherd who passed us, and marveled at a deer who posed behind his foliage camouflage.

Though we chose shady paths, hot summer air soon slowed our pace. I suggested we return to the car for water, but our little biker wanted to continue. Ten minutes later, when her face began to resemble a ripe tomato, I insisted we take a break.

On the way to the car, our little sweetheart admitted, “I REALLY need some water, Gigi.” My husband and I gladly provided what she needed—ice-cold water and a damp paper towel to wipe her face.

That afternoon we enjoyed a different water experience. While she played in a wading pool, I shared two Bible stories. She asked questions and then uttered words that were music to my ears, “Tell me another story about Jesus.”

One day she’ll understand more about Him, the One who promises to meet our needs—the same One who identified Himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well.

Jesus told the woman, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:13-14 ESV

After conversing with Jesus, the startled woman left her water jar beside the well and ran toward town telling those she met,

Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?
John 4:29

Many Samaritans recognized Jesus as the Messiah that day after the woman’s testimony (v. 39). Later, Jesus issued an invitation to a group in Jerusalem and to us.

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:37-39

Although water quenched our thirst at the park that morning, we grew thirsty again by lunchtime. Methods we may choose to satisfy the thirst of our hearts, other than God’s way, are short-lived at best–like drinking water for physical thirst. God offers eternal, living water to us and identifies it as His Holy Spirit working in us (passage above). Jesus satisfies the longings of our souls the moment we surrender to Him and throughout eternity.

Jesus satisfies the longings of our souls the moment we surrender to Him and throughout eternity. Share on X

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On a hot summer day when we enjoyed walking beside the river and playing in the wading pool, we sipped cold water to slake our thirst. However, nothing can quench the thirst of our soul but a personal relationship with Jesus.

Consider these questions:

Are you thirsty for the living water God offers, or do you have a personal relationship with Jesus already?
Does someone you know long to hear “another story about Jesus”— your story about giving your life to Him?
Has the heat of recent trials or fears made you long for the refreshment of His peace? How do you embrace His peace, joy, and hope like a drink of cool water to your soul?

Please share in the comment section how God satisfies the longings of your heart.

If you have questions about a relationship with Jesus, feel free to contact me at Jeannie@JeannieWaters.com

Three Ways YOU Can Influence the Lives of Hundreds: Pray for Schools in Your Community

July 28, 2021Jeannie Waters35 Comments

My friend Jodi posted a prayer request this morning. She’s not ill, nor has she lost a loved one. She desires prayer for herself, her students, and co-workers as she launches her twenty-fifth year of teaching. Each of us can influence the lives of others in three ways by praying and showing support for the schools in our community.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.
I Timothy 2:1 ESV

Students and Staff Members in Schools Near You Need You.

Instead of complaining and shaking our heads about the woes of our country’s schools, let’s lift the needs of educators and learners in each building to God.

Instead of complaining and shaking our heads about the woes of our country’s schools, let’s lift the needs of educators and learners in each building to God. Share on X

Children need joy and laughter along with academics and the discipline of hard work. I’m praying that joy and academic excellence will fill halls and classrooms this year.

Memories of Joyful School Days

I remember with fondness the happiness in my own children’s hearts when they started to school.

From the moment our son played on the school playground and noticed the bright yellow doors, he was ready to start school. Chocolate brown eyes danced with excitement as he entered Mrs. Tippett’s kindergarten class.

Memories of his second-grade homework assignment make me smile. Not understanding that his teacher meant essay, he wrote a summary of his summer activities and titled the paper “My S. A.” (I didn’t say a word knowing it would give his teacher a smile.) During his college years, he earned an award for one of his essays.

Our daughter—never one for the ordinary—chose sparkly silver pencils and those with a Strawberry Shortcake motif for her school debut. Ponytail bouncing, she skipped in daily with enthusiasm.

My favorite school memory of her is the day she insisted on “taking” her brother for Show-and-Tell. (He obliged her and she beamed proudly.) Another proud and joy-filled moment was when she read her first book independently and shouted, “I can read by myself!”

New school years for me as a teacher involved long days of planning before the official start date, numerous hours of creating an attractive classroom filled with plants and color, and several sleepless nights. I loved the blessing of working as an educator, but only God’s strength and grace yielded success. He filled my heart with joy and the hope of serving Him better each year. Here’s a verse to encourage our educator friends:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13 ESV

Let’s pray for restoration of joy in learning and academic excellence. We can influence the lives of children and teachers in public, private, church, and home schools by our prayer and support.

We can influence the lives of children and teachers in public, private, church, and home schools by our prayer and support. Share on X

Consider the suggestions below:

Three Ways YOU Can Influence the Lives of Others: Effective Prayer Support for Schools in Your Community

1. Ask God to burden your heart for the school staffs and students in your community and pray regularly for them.

Pray as you drive past area schools or when you see school zone signs.
Search for the school names in your city and pray for a few each day.
Ask God to encourage Christian teachers and pray for the salvation of those who don’t know Christ as Savior.
Reach out to educators you know and assure them of prayer support. Ask about specific needs.
Talk with students and parents you know and note their concerns in a prayer notebook.

2. Pray for specific groups in public, private, church, and home schools.

Hopes and dreams, and a few tummy butterflies, dance in minds and hearts as a new year begins . . . for children AND educators.

Pray for:

new teachers overwhelmed by class sizes, demands, and unmotivated students
little ones who are afraid to leave Mama for the first time
bus drivers who must concentrate on road safety with a busload of restless riders
legislators who pass education laws
students with disabilities
students whose native language is other than English
students who couldn’t or wouldn’t access technology when schools were closed. (The further behind students become in academics, the more likely they will drop-out of school.)
those who need school supplies and adequate clothing to feel comfortable with peers (This one breaks my heart.)
parents who need to support their children and their children’s teachers
teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, counselors, clerical staff, custodians, cafeteria workers, substitute teachers, board members, volunteers and others. All these adults impact the school environment as they interact with students. (I’ve known some Christian custodians and volunteers who encouraged students and teachers daily.)

3. Put feet on your prayers—show you care.

Already in her seventies, my mom welcomed the opening of a new school down the road from her country home. Southern lady that she was, she planned to bake cookies for the teachers and attach a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” card.

Putting feet on our prayers can result in blessings to others. Here are some suggestions:

Volunteer to read to a class, check in library books, or tutor students. (Most districts require a background check for volunteers who work with children.)
A simple card written to administrators and teachers pledging to pray for them the first few weeks or regularly throughout the year will be a blessing. (Hint: A tray of cookies or a fruit basket to accompany the card will add an energy boost and a smile.) Trust this retired educator. It will mean a lot.
Adopt a teacher or grade level to support—pray and send notes.
For teachers in your church or neighborhood, provide a restaurant gift card or home-cooked meal or basket of fruit and snacks for a quick breakfast or after school refreshments.
Check with nearby schools to ask if you can provide supplies, a backpack, or school clothing for children who cannot afford these items.

Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Proverbs 14:21 ESV

Join me in praying for a joy-filled, productive year for educators and students, won’t you?

Please share your prayer commitment and your ideas in the Comments section.

Extra inspiration:

Click the link for a former post about blessing teachers with gifts, acts of kindness, and volunteer efforts.

Three Ways to Bless Teachers

Open the Doorways to Comfort

July 13, 2021Jeannie Waters24 Comments

Until she died at age 92, my cousin Betty’s words of welcome were always the same.

“Now, you know I don’t cook, but I have plenty of beds, so plan to stay here when you come.”

For breakfast, Betty served coffee with toast. Guests often cooked eggs or made sandwiches in her kitchen, but each evening, our hostess treated us to fresh seafood at a local restaurant.

Soft pillows, fluffy towels, and hearty laughter at family stories enhanced Betty’s relaxed style of entertaining and wrapped us in a warm, put-your-feet-up sense of home.

In a word, comfort.

Whether in her home or away, this dear cousin served as the comfort center of our clan. Her words cheered my accomplishments, and her embrace calmed my grieving heart when my mom died. A mental snapshot of Betty’s bear hugs kindles heart-warmth like few others. Do similar memories soothe your soul?

In a world teeming with fear, unrest, and sin, people around us yearn for comfort—physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort. How can we share this valuable heart balm with others? How can we share God’s comfort with them?

In a world teeming with fear, unrest, and sin, people around us yearn for comfort—physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort. Share on X

Three Doorways to Comfort

The door of our hearts

The key to blessing those around us with authentic comfort is opening the door of our hearts to God. We simply can’t give what we don’t have. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, He fills us with His Spirit and guides us as we minister to others. The work of Christ in us promises His comfort now and in eternity.

How can we open this portal of blessing for ourselves and others? When we listen to God through prayer and Bible study, He comforts our heartaches and equips us to meet needs in His strength.

The door of our homes

When we open the door of our homes to others, we forge relationships and find hearts knit together in our cozy nest. The aroma of food cooking excites olfactory senses, but five-course dinners served on fine china are not required. Whew! Cookouts or coffee-and-cake chats are delightful!

Physical signs of welcome, such as pineapple motifs or cheery doormats, add visual appeal, but God’s love, care, and acceptance tucked into the heart of guests by their hosts are long-lasting and comforting.

Physical signs of welcome, such as pineapple motifs or cheery doormats, add visual appeal, but God’s love, care, and acceptance tucked into the heart of guests by their hosts are long-lasting and comforting. Share on X

The door of opportunity

After we seek God’s guidance, He sprinkles glittering jewels on our path—opportunities to extend His comfort to others outside of our homes. Those jewels of opportunity may be encapsulated in hard work, but when we cross the threshold set before us, others experience His comfort.

Is there an elderly neighbor who would cherish a visit or a friend seeking the comfort of Jesus and assurance of eternal life? Do you know a widow who needs a dinner invitation or assistance at her home? Is God tugging at your heart about a ministry door you’re reluctant to open?

The door of our heart, the door of our home, or the door of opportunity—which one will we open this week? Behind all three, treasures await us.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

I’d love to hear your thoughts about doorways to comfort.

My post first appeared on In the Quiver, 3.22.18. Click here if you’d like to read or share a collection of family-centered posts by a variety of writers. In the Quiver, a site for families

What Blocks Your View of God?

June 30, 2021Jeannie Waters22 Comments

Weather permitting, my best mornings begin like this:

My coffee and I walk out to the deck. I turn on the stone fountain and let caffeine percolate in my brain. I place my Bible, journal, and coffee mug on the table, then raise the umbrella.

Seated in my outdoor sanctuary, I pray and study God’s Word—unless distracting thoughts and unwise choices obstruct my view.

Did you notice I said, “my best mornings?” True confession: They don’t all start that way. Even when the weather and my decisions allow deck time, stray thoughts surface. What time is that appointment? What should I cook for dinner? The shrubbery needs trimming.

To minimize distractions, I pull my chair closer to the table, start a conversation with God, and read Scripture. Time spent with my heavenly Father opens my spiritual eyes to see Him at work and my ears to hear His instruction throughout each day.

When I look upward from my Bible and journal, I see only the brown and white floral pattern of the umbrella’s lining and a sliver of the sky. The umbrella blocks further view, so I either close it, or walk in the yard for a few minutes to enjoy a panoramic view of God’s creation.

This morning, after removing the visual hindrance, I gazed at a vibrant blue sky filled with jumbo-sized cotton ball clouds. If I’d remained hidden in the umbrella’s shadow, I would have missed signs of God’s glory and majesty.

Our thought patterns can obscure our view of God like the deck umbrella limits my view of the sky. The enemy of our souls is a master deceiver. He devises a mental umbrella and weaves onto its lining a design of distractions, fear, worry, and doubt that can block our view of God’s peace, love, and hope.

My morning view of God can be hindered by late bedtimes, cell phone dings, and misplaced priorities.

People who find an evening time with God more suitable for their lives may discover fatigue, frustration, or the lure of technology sways them to postpone or even miss evening visits with God.

Whatever our situation or stage in life, our thoughts and choices can thwart the full biblical view of God we need to learn more about His character, to enjoy fellowship with Him, and to discern how He guides our steps.

Whatever our situation or stage in life, our thoughts and choices can thwart the full biblical view of God we need to learn more about His character, to enjoy fellowship with Him, and to discern how He guides our steps. Share on X

Three Ways to Close the Umbrellas that Block Our View of God

1.Trust God and His Word, not our own thoughts.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

Our preconceived interpretation of truth can skew our comprehension of actual truth. (Truth is what God says about an issue.)

As a teenage driver, I once transported my friends for a downtown shopping spree. I ignored the speed limit sign on a bridge that read “15 mph” because I believed my speed of 45 mph speed was safe. Imagine my surprise when all four tires left the pavement after hitting a hump in the pavement. Five girls screamed as the Chevy station wagon became airborne and thudded down on the opposite side of the bridge.

My decision to trust my own opinion instead of the speed limit sign could have ended in disaster. When we cling to our own stubborn beliefs about the Bible instead of adopting a teachable spirit, we can restrict God’s work in our hearts and land in disobedience.

God illuminates the signs we need to heed on the road ahead. Our responsibility is to close the umbrella of stubborn pride and insistence on our own beliefs and accept God’s teaching.

Some people embrace the verses that prove God is love but ignore the passages that teach He is also a just judge. Some teach that “good people” will go to heaven, while God’s Word teaches us Jesus is the only way to eternal salvation.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 ESV

2. Set a high priority on prayer and Bible study by choosing a consistent daily time.

Close the umbrella of procrastination and beliefs that other activities are more important than spending time with God. Erase the thought that someday you’ll study the Bible when you aren’t so busy. As a friend once said, “There’s no day of the week called Someday.”

Determine to go to bed earlier, forego a television show, or limit social media engagement to allow time for prayer and study. You might track the way you spend time for a week to reveal pockets of times you hadn’t considered.

Listen to podcasts or praise music while you complete other tasks, and set aside another daily time to read the Bible.

If we devote ourselves to reading and studying the Bible, we’ll be rewarded with marvelous Truths few ever witness because most aren’t willing to gaze long and deep into the Scriptures.
Jean Wilund, “It Takes a Whole Bible to Make a Whole Christian” post and video, March 10, 2021, www.jeanwilund.com

For Jean’s complete post and video: https://jeanwilund.com/it-takes-the-whole-bible-to-make-a-whole-christian/

3. Pray for guidance as you study God’s Word daily.

Close the umbrella of self-dependence when studying God’s Word. The Holy Spirit teaches us and applies scriptural truths to our hearts (John 15:26, 1 John 2:27).

Pray with the psalmist:

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
Psalm 119:18 ESV

The psalmist doesn’t depend on his own ability to see with spiritual eyes. Rather, he asks God to open his eyes. Only the Holy Spirit can provide an accurate lens for seeing truth.

Our heavenly Father will show us wondrous things from His Word we may not have considered before. Instead of rereading the same familiar passages and books, why not read from different sections or study books of the Bible you haven’t read before.

Lori Hatcher’s devotional, Refresh Your Faith: Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible, offers memorable stories and wise perspectives on passages you may not have considered before. Here’s the link:

Refresh Your Faith: Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible

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