Blog - Page 18 of 31 - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

Sharing Hidden Treasures During the Pandemic

May 12, 2020Jeannie Waters30 Comments

“Hey! Look what I found,” my husband said.

In each hand he held a hidden treasure he’d discovered amid cleaning products under the kitchen sink.

“That’s amazing,” I exclaimed, “Fantastic! I didn’t know we had any, but they were there all along.”

An observer would have guessed we found gold nuggets. Hubby didn’t find gold, but maybe better than that, he scored, not one but two—drum roll please—containers of Clorox Wipes!

Have you laughed with excitement when the grocery order contained toilet paper? We’ll tell great-grandchildren one day, “You think you have it rough? During the Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t find soap or toilet paper.”

When we discover empty store shelves, we frown on hoarding. How dare people snatch up an excess supply when others have none! (I must admit a critical spirit toward some of those folks welled up in me.)

Then I thought…

The next time a pandemic threatens to erupt, I’ll buy lots of toilet paper and sanitizer, and…I won’t be caught short-handed again. I won’t hoard like those other folks, but I’ll buy more than usual.

Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Will I be tempted to hoard like those I criticized? Will I focus on the value of sharing or the advantage of hoarding? Where will I place my trust?

Father, forgive me for a critical spirit and for depending on my buying power instead of trusting You to meet my needs.

Another thought surfaced as I remembered our treasure from the kitchen cabinet.

What other hidden treasures do I possess that were there all along? Talents? Abilities? Knowledge? Material things someone needs? What experiences do I have that would be a blessing to those who are suffering during the pandemic?

What a shame to hoard what others need.

Why did God bless me as He did? What did I learn from the experiences He allowed? Which of God’s treasured gifts remain hidden and unused in my home or my memory?

What if I discovered the hidden treasures once again and used them for His glory and the good of others? Surely, that’s what He has in mind.

During the current pandemic:

Some have lost loved ones.

I know how it feels to lose a dad and a mom, and I have friends struggling to cope with the death of a family member. How could I help?

Some have lost income.

My husband once suffered job loss through no fault of his own. In that hard season, God provided. A young woman I know missed work for two months. Could I encourage her with a small gift and Bible verses that helped me?

Some are ill or fearful.

I watched my mom minister to my dad who had an incurable disease. I cared for my mom when congestive heart failure advanced. How can I pray for and encourage those who are ill or fearful?

Some are doubting God’s care for them or regretting the decisions they made.

We’ve all been there and understand the need for prayer and Bible study. Would a devotional book help? What about a listening ear?

Sharing our hidden treasures

What’s the common denominator of these situations? The need for comfort. Read what Paul wrote on this subject:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

Am I hoarding in my heart the treasure of comfort God gives? How can I share it with someone He loves?

Prayer is always a wise response. Telling someone you’re praying for them and providing a visual reminder in a card or letter can encourage that person.

Sometimes, however, we are also called to action—to be the hands and feet of Jesus as it were.

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Does someone you know need…

a friend?

a call?

a meal?

a monetary gift?

a greeting card?

a service like shopping or lawn care?

These acts of kindness bless those who suffer. Just as a pot of soup can warm the body, flowers in a jar can brighten someone’s day.

Consider these words:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
James 2:14-16 ESV

I’m thankful for Clorox Wipes and other daily supplies—more so now than before. However, I’m amazed by the gift of salvation, as well as God’s comfort and other treasures He provides.

Let’s find opportunities to share His comfort with others.

What hidden treasures do you possess? How can you share your treasures in the name of Jesus with someone else? I look forward to your comments.

Images by Pixabay

What God Is Doing in Your Crazy, Frustrating Life

April 29, 2020Jeannie Waters16 Comments

When you pass someone on the sidewalk wearing a large “How Can I Pray for You?” button, you pay attention. I met Lori Hatcher at a conference just after a crazy, frustrating afternoon. She smiled and prayed with me.

Have you ever wanted someone to be your friend as soon as you met her? My friend, Lori Hatcher, laughs easily and loves big. Her love for God and people shine in her writing.

Because of my friendship with Lori, I have a gift for you today—a sample devotion from her new book, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible. Enjoy!

Guest Post by Lori Hatcher

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What God Is Doing in Your Crazy, Frustrating Life

Book of Job

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Job 26:16

Do you ever wonder what in the world God is doing in your crazy, frustrating life?

God, what good does it do to keep reaching out to difficult people when they don’t seem to care?

God, why is that ministry thriving and mine just limping along?

God, why did I spend half my life teaching my kids to love you only to have them turn their backs on faith?

God, why should I keep praying when nothing ever changes?

God, if I’m obeying your call, why is it so hard?

God, what are you doing in this crazy life of mine????

If you can relate to any of these questions, there’s hope. Hope that comes, of all places, from the book of Job.

Imagine that.

God is laughing already.

Who would think a man who had lost ten children in a tragic accident, went from millionaire to pauper in a day, and was married to a cruel, faithless woman would have any hope to offer? But in God’s upside down economy, it’s not surprising at all.

In the twenty-sixth chapter of the book that bears his name, Job rehearses for his “miserable comforters” the might, power, and majesty of God.

“He hangs the earth on nothing,” he says. “He binds up the water in His thick clouds . . . He stirs up the sea with His power . . . By His Spirit He adorned the heavens . . . (v. 7-13)”

Then he concludes with this awe-struck realization:

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

The mere edges of his ways.

I grew up on the rocky shores of Narragansett Bay in Bristol, Rhode Island. I’d often sit at the shoreline, wade in the shallows, or swim out until my feet barely touched the bottom. Because I had lived around the sea all my life, I thought I knew it well.

Then one day I boarded a ship that took me hundreds of miles off shore, where the water stretched from horizon to horizon and the ocean floor lay miles beneath me. Only then did I begin to understand the true nature of the ocean. Before that, I had experienced the mere edges – and how small a whisper they had been.

After pointing out our nearsighted perspective, Job lifts the fog on the ocean of God’s ways: “But the thunder of his power, who can understand?”

Paul, in First Corinthians, says it like this:

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (2:9).

And

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror (13:12).

As Christians bound to the earth by our mortality, we glimpse only the mere edges of His ways. And hear only small whispers of Him.

But one day we’ll sail out into the vast expanse of no-time life. We’ll hear the clarion call of his mighty voice. We’ll witness the thunder of his power. And we will understand.

Every Bible verse you taught your children? Seed for the harvest.

Every hour spent responding patiently to difficult people? Sandpaper smoothing the edges of your soul.

Every late night and early-morning prayer time? A fragrant offering.

Every kind deed done in Jesus’ name? Stepping stones on the journey toward righteousness.

Job can speak into our angst and impatience because he, too, wondered what in the world God was doing. How could anything good be happening when he saw so few results?

But Job clung to his integrity, remained faithful to God, and never stopped believing that somehow, somewhere, God was using his suffering to bring about a mighty harvest.

“I know that my Redeemer lives,” he declared triumphantly, “and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” (19:25-26).

Because of the gift of Scripture, we know what Job didn’t – that God was using the panorama of his life – the pain and the pleasure – to script a faith story so genuine that it would encourage believers for millennia.

We know none of Job’s heart wrenching experiences were wasted. Even today, thousands of years later, God continues to use his insight and example to encourage us along our journey.

Perhaps God will use (is using?) our lives to do the same.

“God is not unjust;” the writer of Hebrews promises, “he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).

Today, if you’re wondering what in the world God is doing in your crazy, frustrating life, be encouraged. These are only the edges of his ways. The vast ocean lies before you.

Uncommon Thought

As Christians bound to the earth by our mortality, we glimpse only the mere edges of God’s ways. And hear only small whispers of Him.

Unusual Faith

Sometimes we can look back at times in our lives and see how God used our hardships and trials to accomplish something amazing. Other times the curtain remains closed. When you think about Job and others from Bible history (Moses, Joseph, David, the widow from Elijah’s day, Naomi, Hannah), do you think they knew fully how God was going to use their difficulties for his glory?

Is it safe to assume, then, since the same God who ordered the events of their lives also orders ours that he is similarly at work in our lives? Although it may be hard to conceive how anything good could come out of a dark time, imagine for a few moments how God might use your struggles to bring about something amazing. If what we see is only the edge of his ways, what might the whole ocean look like? Ponder this.

Unfamiliar Passage Read Job 26:7-14.

©Lori Hatcher 2020

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-1-803x1024.png — Lori Slice Hatcher, author

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is a collection of the treasure I unearthed during my year of searching. Each story-driven devotion contains an unusual verse, a real-life application, and an uncommon faith step. I hope my book will energize your faith, inspire your devotional time, and make you say, “Wow, I’ve never seen that before!”
Lori Slice Hatcher, author

Lori’s book is doing just that for me!

Click the link below to read more about my new favorite book. In Comments, please share your favorite part of the devotion.

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

“Gather” from a Distance

April 15, 2020Jeannie Waters30 Comments

The childhood memory of going to a summer drive-in movie with neighbors produces an ear-to-ear grin on my face. The moms sat in lawn chairs and shelled butterbeans. The kids fished icy bottles of orange or grape sodas from a cooler to wash down salty, butter-laden popcorn.

I don’t recall the title of the show, but I remember the excitement of gathering with neighbors at the drive-in theater.

Fast forward several years to last month…

“Hurry please, so we can sit–I mean park–on the front row,” I said to my husband as we visited a local church’s drive-in service. We stayed in the car (social distancing, you know) and listened to praise music and the sermon via an FM radio station. Voices soared from car interiors as we held cell phones and followed song lyrics posted on the church website.

When drivers started their engines after the final prayer, joy bounced from one car to another like rays of sunshine as we waved to strangers and listened to music. Warm smiles from parking lot attendants spoke the final “Amen.”

At drive-in church, coordinated outfits and the familiarity of our normal seat mattered not. Gathering with the family of God did. The Bible addresses fellowship.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25

Current mandates prohibit congregating physically, but many of us can gather in cyberspace, and we can certainly encourage each other in a variety of ways.

Isn’t connection via technology a blessing during these shelter-in-place days? Last week we joined our Sunday School courtesy of Zoom technology and participated in our church’s live-streamed time of worship. I’ve enjoyed Bible lessons, pretty memes, encouraging posts on social media networks, and e-cards.

How has technology enhanced your isolation days?

As we enjoy “gathering” on devices, my heart hurts for those who cannot join us due to a lack of computer access or the inability to use it. My ninety-six-year-old mother-in-law, a godly saint, doesn’t own a computer and can barely use the telephone due to neuropathy in her fingers and failing vision. Do you know others like her?

Fear creeps through healthcare home hallways and stalks elderly residents who can’t go out or entertain guests. Some fail to understand why family members and friends don’t visit.

A video of a friend and her sister greeting their mom through a large window of the assisted living facility thrilled my heart. After checking with the staff via phone, they yelled messages to their mom and held up corresponding signs. What joy their creativity sparked!

For some, human interaction and gathering are severely limited or non-existent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does God’s Word address this dilemma and offer guidance? Consider these verses:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Romans 15:1-2

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Maybe we need some old-fashioned ways to connect or “gather” from a distance without technology. How about these?

Wave enthusiastically to those we pass.
Call those who cannot text or receive emails.
Send cards and letters to those who can’t communicate electronically. Tuck Bible verses or homemade bookmarks into the envelopes. Call to chat and discuss the verses once the mail has arrived. End in prayer or sing a hymn.
Post encouraging Bible verses on signs in the yard or hold printed messages up to windows.
Add family and pet photos to care packages. Chat about the photos over the phone.
Order a meal to be delivered and include dessert if diet allows. Plan to talk over coffee and dessert and pray together.
Start a magazine subscription for someone who can’t access the issues online. Call after each issue arrives to discuss a favorite article or photo.

Do you think these ideas would soothe lonely hearts and include folks who aren’t tech-savvy into Christian fellowship? Initiating conversation requires little. I always say, “A teaspoon of effort yields a cup of joy.”

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

1 Corinthians 10:24

Won’t you please share examples of reaching beyond technology to “gather from a distance?” I look forward to your ideas or observations.

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Bible verses are from the ESV.

The Undertow of Fear

March 31, 2020Jeannie Waters26 Comments

When a dangerous undertow at our favorite childhood beach pulled my little brother, Ed, under the water and further from the shore, he almost drowned. Inside the vicious swirl of water, an older cousin fought relentlessly yet futilely to free Ed from the monster’s grasp.

Nearby sunbathers and swimmers mocked the cries of my loved ones because they weren’t far from the shore. How could they be drowning?

A young man, unseen by people on the beach, saw my brother and cousin from the second-floor window of his apartment. From a high vantage point, he realized they were in peril.

He ran down the stairs, across the hot sand, and into the salty water risking his life to save my brother.

With hope of rescue, Ed grasped the hand of the stranger. The man who saw the whole situation from above, was a blessing from God.

As we navigate the waters of the Coronavirus, this vicious enemy threatens to ensnare our attention, fill us with fear, and rob us of peace.

Try as we might, we cannot escape the reality of the pandemic. Fighting the onslaught of the virus with knowledge and caution helps protect us. Health professionals and government officials work to stem the tide of this invisible enemy.

However, no human effort can turn fear into peace.

There is One who sees all aspects of our lives from a high vantage point and knows our need for rescue and peace. The Lord Jesus Christ gave His life on Calvary that we might have a personal relationship with God once we confess our sins and surrender our life to Him.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:9-10

He’s holding out His hand to you today. If you don’t know Him, He offers forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with Him now and throughout eternity.

To believers, He holds out His hand to offer peace and freedom from the undertow of fear.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

When an overdose of news assails us with facts and predictions, what can we do to focus on the peace of Christ? When we hear of loved ones or others who are sick, how can we respond?

Here are ideas that help me:

Create a prayer list. Include those who are sick, healthcare workers, and government officials.
Incorporate physical activity into your schedule. Walk outside or exercise indoors.
Read Scripture daily and memorize verses about God’s protection and peace. Click the link to see a beautiful gallery of encouragement from my friend, MarilynNutter .
Share good news you hear in this difficult time. Here are heart-warming stories I’ve heard:

A neighbor ordered food for a hearing-impaired man who couldn’t call or pay. This act of kindness provided a nutritious meal and gave peace to a gentleman anxious about dinner.
Two friends of mine made fabric masks for my daughter who is a healthcare worker. The masks gave her an extra level of protection and lessened her fear.
With quantity limits and short supplies, one shopper purchased an item another person needed which relieved anxiety and resulted in gratitude.
A teacher friend spent eight hours today helping students via email. She cleared up misunderstandings and explained new content so the education of her students could continue.
My neighbor delivered groceries to an elderly couple relieving their fear of leaving home to shop.
Sunday School class members mailed restaurant gift cards to a lady who broke her leg enabling family members to purchase carry-out plates.

God offers peace to defeat the undertow of fear, and He allows us to minister peace to others.

Please share how you seek peace from God or good news you’ve heard about people reaching out to others.

Bible verses are from the ESV.

Love Closes the Gap of Social Distancing

March 17, 2020Jeannie Waters39 Comments

She clutches a balled-up tissue, staring out of the window at the empty visitors parking lot. A tear slips down her cheek.

No visitors allowed for…how long did they say? Did they mean family? I can’t remember. Will Julie bring my jellybeans and bananas and a new magazine? I’ve already read the last one. What if I run out of medicine?

How many elderly folks confined in facilities or in their homes experience loneliness, fear, and isolation while the country practices social distancing? Do they understand the current news or are they confused about why no one is coming?

Others, not so elderly, stay confined due to health concerns or fear of being in public. My heart aches for all of them.

Yet, what can we do when visits are prohibited or limited in some cases? As Christians, what responsibilities and privileges do we have in this dilemma?

Let’s look to Scripture for answers.

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
1 John 3:23

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:35

How joyous our hearts will be when we reach out to those who need love and assurance! God will receive glory when we minister to others in His name.

Consider the list below for ways we can extend love while being safe during this period of social distancing. I hope you’ll add to the list in Comments.

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Loving One Another During Social Distancing

Call.

Make a telephone call. Hearing a human voice will add cheer to the day. Tell the person when you plan to call back and ask the best time of day.

Shop.

Call before you shop or order to determine if you can select items for someone who cannot go to stores. Add a card or treat to their bag.

Visit through the window.

As some are doing, call from outside of the window so the dear one you’re visiting can see you while you chat. Seeing a loved one or friend is soothing to a troubled heart. If you can’t visit in person, use FaceTime if the other person is able.

Write a letter.

Mail a card or handwritten note. Some of us maintain connections via social media, but some elderly or ill people cannot manage the technology.

Send artwork.

Mail children’s artwork, scribbles, or letters. Tuck pictures of the children in the envelope.

Mail a cheer-up package.

Mail or drop-off a cheer-up package. You might include a small tube of hand cream, family photos, a magazine, a large print devotional book, or candy and cookies treats. (Check dietary limitations first.)

Send flowers.

Have flowers delivered or drop off a bouquet from your yard if possible.

Ship a music CD.

If the person has access to a CD player, mail or ship a CD of hymns.

Share Bible verses.

Design simple cards with Bible verses that offer comfort and the joy of the Lord. You could punch holes in them and add a ring or twist tie to hold them together. This is a perfect time to remind Christians of the Lord’s presence. It’s also an opportune time to share His love with those who don’t know Him yet as Savior.

Illustrate and frame a verse.

If you aren’t artistic, choose an image from Pixabay or other sites that offer free pictures. Print the verse on or near the picture and place it in a frame.

How can you close the gap of social distancing for someone who is lonely or fearful by sharing the love of Jesus? Please, please, please share ideas in comments below. We can all check back during the week as the list grows.

Love one another.

Bible verses are taken from the ESV.