salvation - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

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.

Change Someone’s Day by Noticing

August 21, 2019Jeannie Waters21 Comments

My friend’s day changed when someone noticed.

Angela, a young wife and mother of three, gave me permission to share her recent online post:

To the mama in the Target parking lot that saw me struggling to unload three kids and yelled across the parking lot, “You’re doing great, Mama,” thank you for seeing me. To the mama in Chick-Fil-A who helped me lug my crew out to my van, thank you for seeing me. To the mama in Kroger who offered to give me a hand grocery shopping with my kiddos, thank you for seeing me. To each of these mamas, thank you for seeing me and for challenging me to take the time to see others struggling the same ways I do every day. I see you.

After reading Angela’s post, I asked myself these questions:

When I’m in a hurry, do I avert my eyes as if a struggling person didn’t exist?
With a judgmental attitude, do I assume the person brought the situation on herself by making poor choices?
Do I wish someone else would help instead of me?
Am I sensitive to the Holy Spirit about when to offer help and when to pray? (Every need I observe is not God’s call for direct ministry.)
Do I look for opportunities to obey the following verse?

Be kind to one another.
Ephesians 4:32

Jesus paid attention to individuals. I imagine Him establishing eye contact which conveyed kindness, unconditional love, and acceptance for those He met. Perhaps He stopped on dusty roads or turned around in the marketplace to honor the lonely with a kind smile. We know that He visited with a leper (Mark 1:40-45), the sick (Matthew 8:1-4), the lame (John 5:2-9), and a woman at the well who was ignored by others (John 4:4-26).

In our effort to be more Christlike, let’s consider three ways Jesus paid attention to the needs of others and demonstrated kindness.

Meeting a Physical Need

In John 6 we read that Jesus realized the crowd of 5,000 grew hungry as they listened. With five loaves of bread and two fish, He fed the multitude. We could offer physical help by providing food, taking an ill person to medical appointments, or participating in a ministry project.

Sharing Time with Others

Matthew 19 reveals the way Jesus took time to notice children and spend time with them. Time is valuable. Spending it wisely by ministering to other people demonstrates the way we value them. Being ignored provokes feelings of desperation, lack of self-worth, and loneliness. A kind word or smile can speak volumes. Complimenting a custodian on the shiny floors or a clerk for efficient service could make their day brighter.

Teaching Someone about Salvation in Christ

In Mark 2 we read that Jesus conversed with Levi, who was a despised tax collector in need of a relationship with God. As the Holy Spirit leads, we can share our story of following Christ and lead others to His saving grace. Establishing relationships with others can pave the way to fruitful conversation.

Of course, in potentially dangerous situations, the wise choice may be to pray for the person and perhaps seek help from a safe source. We need guidance from the Holy Spirit to know when to pray and when to act as we pray.

Let’s ask God to send opportunities this week to notice, to extend kindness, and to pray for others. This post will become more valuable as you share your thoughts or experiences. Won’t you post a comment?

Thank you, Angela Scully, for sharing your story.

Is Your Heart Dressed for Easter?

April 18, 2019Jeannie Waters10 Comments

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Easter Memories

During my eighth year, Easter came early with its chilly temps, but I insisted on wearing my new sleeveless dress to Sunday School. My mom purchased a soft white sweater with tiny pearl buttons to make that feasible. Accessories completed the ensemble–white gloves, a flowery headband, white ruffled socks, white patent leather shoes, and a purse shaped like a closed parasol. Dressed in my Easter finery, I posed for pictures and felt ready for the holiday.

Dressing Up

Fashions have changed since that childhood Easter experience, but there are still occasions when we expend extra time and effort to look our best. There are places that require a certain dress code, and occasionally, it’s just fun to dress up.

Although paying attention to our outward appearance is necessary, the Bible teaches that God is more concerned with our hearts than our outward appearance.

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

–1 Samuel 16:7b ESV

Dressing the Heart

What should the condition of our heart be this Easter? How can we “dress” our heart to honor the Lord? In Colossians 3:12-14, Paul addresses Christians when he writes,

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14 ESV

Have you ever tried to “put on” some of these qualities by your own determination? I have, and at best, I’d last a day or two attempting to be more patient and more forgiving, for example. When my energy or awareness of my attitude waned, I was back to square one, repenting and trying again. Human strength falters in the character renovation process.

Once a person becomes a Christ follower, God makes that person more like Him. He does the changing as we yield to His work in our lives. Our part is to seek and obey Him.

What is the encouraging message in this post? We don’t need fancy clothes or even perfect behavior to please God. Once we’ve accepted Him as Savior, He transforms us and teaches us so that we can “put off” old behavior and “put on” the qualities listed above. Our hearts will be “dressed” for Easter and every day.

Is Your Heart Dressed for Easter? Share on X

A Message from My Heart

If you have never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, turning from your ways and accepting His, I would urge you to do so. After attending church all my life, during my senior year in high school, I realized I knew about God but did not know Him personally.

I asked God to forgive me for my sin, turned from my sinful ways, and accepted what He did on Calvary to pay for my sin. Then, I asked Him to come into my heart to be my Savior and Lord. That’s when I became a Christian, a person with Jesus Christ living inside. (If you want to know more, read: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 4:12, John 3:16, and John 14:6.)

Now, I have not only the promise of eternal life in heaven but also the joy of walking with Him each day, accepting His wisdom, love, peace, and the abundant life He promised. Besides these blessings, I’m grateful that He’s teaching me to “put on” Christ-like characteristics on Easter and every other day.

Please share your greatest joy in knowing Christ.

Have an Easter full of celebration and joy!

An Inviting Invitation

July 20, 2018Jeannie Waters8 Comments

Anxious to join the festivities and meet Chelsea’s “Prince Charming,” my husband and I planned our 580 mile trip to witness the marriage of our oldest niece. The bride-to-be expressed appreciation that we’d accepted invitations to the rehearsal dinner and wedding.

The morning of her big day, my niece texted to say, “Aunt Jeannie, would you like to be here at two o’clock when I put on my wedding dress? You’ve known me all of my life. Only a few people have known me that long because we moved out of state when I was young. Please come if you can.”

“Yes, I’d love to,” was my immediate response.

As we headed to Chelsea’s house, memories surfaced. Yes, I’d known her all of her life. I’d attended a baby shower for my sister-in-law, and days later at the hospital, I held a tiny infant, my brother’s firstborn, moments after she was born. With a mop of dark hair and gorgeous eyes, she won our hearts instantly.

I watched her learn to walk, helped her play dress-up, observed her opening Christmas gifts, and talked with her on the phone each birthday of her life. I can almost hear her giggle when I browse family photos.

As with my own children, Chelsea’s growing up seemed to happen quickly. Her parents shared milestones as she progressed through school, played basketball, styled her friends’ hair, and accepted Christ (the best news of all.)

As she approached adulthood, she called and texted to share news about college, jobs, and starting her own business . When I received Chelsea’s high school graduation announcement, I was stunned to realize she was almost eighteen years old.

Now, a few years later, another invitation . . . to come watch her prepare for the most anticipated day of her life. I had expected the beautiful gold and cream colored card in the mail to give us wedding details, but this invitation was a gift that thrilled my heart. What an honor that she would include me in this special moment! (Her mom and three sisters were there to share the joy and assist her. She didn’t need my help; she wanted my presence.) My visit made the wedding even more special.

Printed or email invitations issued with love offer proof of acceptance and of someone desiring our company. They are often posted on the bulletin board or placed on the refrigerator with a magnet. They’re important and they’re meaningful. Even when we cannot attend an event, it’s nice to be included.

Spoken invitations promote friendships, family love, and a sense of welcome. Asking a new church member or employee to join us for lunch is inclusive and prevents isolation. Inviting an elderly relative or someone grieving the loss of a loved one to accompany us on a drive or share a meal can fill lonely hours. Simply requesting lunch with a friend allows us to share life with others and build close relationships. Does someone need your invitation this week?

As endearing as my niece’s invitation was, the greatest invitation I’ve received is one offered to each of us by God, an invitation to a life-long and eternal relationship with Him. John 1:12 (NKJV) reads, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” He invites us to accept Jesus, who paid for our sin on the cross, and give our life to Him as Savior and Lord . What an “inviting invitation!”

So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.

–2 Peter 1:10 The Message

Tag: salvation