Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 41
December 12, 2018
Clinging to Faith in the Waiting
Remember when you were a child? How long it took for Christmas to come?
Beginning with Thanksgiving, the excitement would build. First decorations would appear in stores. Then lights popped up around town, draped in trees like fairy necklaces. Mouth-watering smells wafted out of neighbors’ kitchens. Christmas trees strapped to station wagon roofs rolled by like a parade.
Dad would finally drag the family tree out of the attic and set it up in the living room. One by one (or sometimes in clumps) packages would appear under the Christmas tree. Stockings dangled from the mantle like limp balloons waiting for the breath of Christmas to fill them.
It was a horrible marvelous wait, those childhood seasons of Advent.
And although my childhood Advents were more glittery than the wait the children of Israel experienced, the delays were holy pauses nonetheless.
My sisters and I hoped for a bicycle, the latest Barbie doll, or a stocking full of candy, but the children of Israel waited for the greatest gift of all – the Messiah.
And it had been a very long wait.From the dawn of creation, really.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel,” God had promised in Genesis 3:15.
The time between the first messianic promise and its fulfillment was centuries long.Years of glory and years of shame. Times of glorious triumph and times of gut-wrenching tragedy. Moments of fearless faith and moments of faithless fear.
And then the silence. Four hundred years with no word from God.
No kingly edict.
No prophetic visions.
No holy mandates.
Just silence.
And waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
Unlike my wait between one Christmas and the next, where the memory of the past season birthed hope and expectation for the next, the Israelites had no memories of their own to carry them through. All they had were their forefathers' stories and the ancient promises that, one day, a Messiah would come.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7).
Yet during that long silence, and that even longer wait between mankind’s fall and Jesus’ incarnation, God was at work. Preparing a place. Preparing a people. Sending the dreaded Romans to conquer most of the known world. Using them to build an infrastructure that would enable early believers to carry the news of the Gospel to the far corners of the globe.
And then, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son to save the world.
In the fullness of time.
I don’t know what you’re waiting for right now.
A prodigal child to return?
A dream to be fulfilled?
A marriage to be healed?
A loved one to be saved?
A relationship to be restored?
A financial burden to be lifted?
Whatever it is, don’t assume God’s silence means he’s not working. Cling to faith, for "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him,” the writer of Hebrews reminds us (11:6).
On November 22, 2011, I sought God’s face with tears, brokenhearted for a loved one who was far from God. He met me in the pages of his Word and gave me this promise:
"For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God” (Eze. 36:24-28).
Under this passage in my Bible I wrote my loved one’s name and the date, claiming the promise for them. I clung to these words through years of inky blackness and deafening silence.
Last month, seven years later, I wrote another note beneath my original one:
November 22, 2018 ~ God’s promise fulfilled. Great is thy faithfulness.
You may be in the middle of a long silence, a time when you wonder if God is at work. Don’t stop praying. Continue to search God’s Word for promises and claim them. Enlist prayer warriors to battle with you.
Never lose hope. Cling to faith, despite what you see. Believe that, in the fullness of time, God will speak life into the silence that fills your ears. He’ll bring to fruition what he promised.
And when he does, it will be glorious.
“He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6).
What are you waiting for? I’d be honored to pray for you if you leave a comment below. Reading by email? CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and comment there.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say that
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
Beginning with Thanksgiving, the excitement would build. First decorations would appear in stores. Then lights popped up around town, draped in trees like fairy necklaces. Mouth-watering smells wafted out of neighbors’ kitchens. Christmas trees strapped to station wagon roofs rolled by like a parade.
Dad would finally drag the family tree out of the attic and set it up in the living room. One by one (or sometimes in clumps) packages would appear under the Christmas tree. Stockings dangled from the mantle like limp balloons waiting for the breath of Christmas to fill them. It was a horrible marvelous wait, those childhood seasons of Advent.
And although my childhood Advents were more glittery than the wait the children of Israel experienced, the delays were holy pauses nonetheless.
My sisters and I hoped for a bicycle, the latest Barbie doll, or a stocking full of candy, but the children of Israel waited for the greatest gift of all – the Messiah.
And it had been a very long wait.From the dawn of creation, really.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel,” God had promised in Genesis 3:15.
The time between the first messianic promise and its fulfillment was centuries long.Years of glory and years of shame. Times of glorious triumph and times of gut-wrenching tragedy. Moments of fearless faith and moments of faithless fear.
And then the silence. Four hundred years with no word from God.
No kingly edict. No prophetic visions.
No holy mandates.
Just silence.
And waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
Unlike my wait between one Christmas and the next, where the memory of the past season birthed hope and expectation for the next, the Israelites had no memories of their own to carry them through. All they had were their forefathers' stories and the ancient promises that, one day, a Messiah would come.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7).
Yet during that long silence, and that even longer wait between mankind’s fall and Jesus’ incarnation, God was at work. Preparing a place. Preparing a people. Sending the dreaded Romans to conquer most of the known world. Using them to build an infrastructure that would enable early believers to carry the news of the Gospel to the far corners of the globe.
And then, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son to save the world.
In the fullness of time.
I don’t know what you’re waiting for right now.
A prodigal child to return?
A dream to be fulfilled?
A marriage to be healed?
A loved one to be saved?
A relationship to be restored?
A financial burden to be lifted?
Whatever it is, don’t assume God’s silence means he’s not working. Cling to faith, for "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him,” the writer of Hebrews reminds us (11:6).
On November 22, 2011, I sought God’s face with tears, brokenhearted for a loved one who was far from God. He met me in the pages of his Word and gave me this promise:
"For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God” (Eze. 36:24-28).
Under this passage in my Bible I wrote my loved one’s name and the date, claiming the promise for them. I clung to these words through years of inky blackness and deafening silence.
Last month, seven years later, I wrote another note beneath my original one:
November 22, 2018 ~ God’s promise fulfilled. Great is thy faithfulness.
You may be in the middle of a long silence, a time when you wonder if God is at work. Don’t stop praying. Continue to search God’s Word for promises and claim them. Enlist prayer warriors to battle with you.
Never lose hope. Cling to faith, despite what you see. Believe that, in the fullness of time, God will speak life into the silence that fills your ears. He’ll bring to fruition what he promised.
And when he does, it will be glorious.
“He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6).
What are you waiting for? I’d be honored to pray for you if you leave a comment below. Reading by email? CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and comment there.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say thatHungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
December 9, 2018
Same Sex Attraction and Marriage Under Grace - A Guest Post By Danielle Powers
Today it's my privilege to welcome Danielle Powers as a guest blogger. Danielle has a compelling story that's timely and inspiring to anyone struggling with same-sex attraction or knows someone who is. Broader than freedom from sexual sin, however, is Danielle's message that God loves us too much to leave us the way we are. Wonder of wonder, he provides a way out. Then he redeems our past and reshapes our future. I know you'll be encouraged by what God has done in Danielle's life. ~Lori
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Cor. 5:17).
As I lay beside my amazing husband, I marveled at the incredible grace of Our God. “The Lord enables me to love her,” he jokes in a loving way. But there’s truth behind his statement. I’ve put him through a lot in the 15 years of marriage so far. I arrived with a lot of painful baggage from a hidden past. For over a decade this secret chewed at the edges of our marriage. My old-self seemed to overshadow me, and the weight of it crushed my spirit.
Exposure to porn as a young child produced a fascination for the subject. Boys terrified me for the assumption they could get me pregnant, so I focused on inappropriate roll play with friends who were girls. My thoughts became tainted from the natural order of God’s design for sexual intimacy. Inexplicable feelings seduced me, delivering me into same-gender attraction.
At the darkest point of my exploration, the Lord miraculously placed me into a Christian school. As the Living Word took root in my heart, the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin (John 16:8). Realizing my desperate need for a Savior, I surrendered to Christ.
Straight away, a pivotal passage of God’s word struck my core. It was the story in John 8, the woman caught in adultery. Specifically Jesus’ phrase, “Go and sin no more” pierced me with power. I turned away from acting on any homosexual temptation ever again. That’s when the confusing battle with temptation began.
Tumultuous urges conflicted with God’s clear design for sex in creation. Getting to know the Lord, as I silently relied on him as my only solace. I dispelled the lies, filtering them one by one through earnest prayer. I didn’t know much specific Scripture, but I knew God’s character. I didn’t read the Word on my own. Sermons were crucial, spoon-feeding me the word three times a week at school. Truly Jesus carried me. Through it all, God drew me closer, helping me yield to him.
The struggle was real. I didn’t understand the power of Christ within me, feeling I had to ‘fix’ myself. My knee-jerk reaction was to dive into promiscuity with boys. Trying to retrain my desires, I plastered my bedroom walls with male celebrities. I felt I had to prove to the devil I wasn’t gay.
I leaned into the Lord as I pleaded with him to heal me of those temptations. I stuffed those urges down deep. My new heart wanted to please the Lord. Despite the temptations that remained, the Lord freely gave me dynamite self-control. It sounds too simple, but this gift of the Spirit kept me from stumbling.
Self-effort birthed the idea to hide in a monogamous marriage, but my desperate attempts to find the perfect husband failed. Brought to breaking point at the end of high school, I heeded control again to Jesus.
Within a year the Lord brought me a best-friends-first soulmate. We married three years later. But all wasn't perfect. Walls of painful shame barricaded me in secrecy for 13 years of our marriage. I was held captive by the lie that my husband wouldn’t love me if he knew.
I was accustomed to hiding my problem since early childhood, I reasoned, so what did it matter if I concealed something that happened before we met? Yet my past condemned me. I was chained to an image of my “old self,” yet my husband knew the new me.
Over the years the Lord equipped my husband with extreme patience and benevolent love. He fought his own battles, struggling with the subtlety of my emotional disconnect.
In October 2014 the Lord led me from shame toward recovery. He told me to write a book ministering to others about this sensitive issue. This calling forced me to empty out the dregs of my past to my husband.
This is when real healing began.
While journaling my heart and life story onto paper, the Lord revealed the genesis of my fall. He uncovered everything I’d refused to deal with. I hadn’t fully grasped being “a new creation’ in Christ,” because of the cover of shame. Then he taught me a most encouraging lesson – he would not let my dreadful past go unfruitful.
Praise Jesus, my husband was able to overlook my filthy past. He knew the real me – the new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
I finally started to find freedom from the shame of my past, and live under grace. Head knowledge morphed into heart knowledge through much prayer and confession to my husband.
Now mercy is new every day. I get to enjoy this wonderful godly man and our four beautiful children. Only by having Jesus in the center of our marriage were we able to overcome this giant hurdle. The enemy had tried to steal my childhood, kill any hope of a storybook marriage with kids, and destroy any realization of an identity based on Christ. Yet God is greater.
God’s grace is all over our marriage, and Jesus has called me out of the darkness into his glorious light.
What’s tangible here?
You Are NOT Your Sin
Jesus teaches us to love the sinner and hate the sin. Our Lord was not shy to “recline at table” with the lowest of society. He loved them entirely too much to leave them in their broken state (Mark 2:17).
Trust Jesus
Luke 6:46 says, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” In the middle of temptation-filled days, I felt I couldn’t tell a soul of my problems. Self-preservation was one reason. Deeper than that, I didn’t trust that anyone would point me the way of Life. My Lord Jesus alone was my counsellor. If you struggle with this sin, seek Jesus first, then seek people who are guided by the truth of God’s Word.
Test Everything by the Word of God
John 6:36 describes Jesus’ words as Spirit and Life. Our flesh or world-guided ideas count for nothing. Because Jesus is Lord, we trust his definition of sin and allow his word to renew our mind (Rom. 12:2). It’s a lifestyle of taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
Temptation is not a sin.
Acting on it is. Jesus faced temptation, yet did not sin (Heb. 4:15).
Don’t Trust in Your Own Strength
Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 how God’s power is perfected in our weakness. Where our efforts end, the Lord’s power begins. God is Our Deliverer. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Our Affections Are Found in Christ
Our value is not held in a marital status. Earthly marriage only points toward our Lord who pledged himself to the church, his bride. He sits, alive, waiting for us, his bride, until eternity. I pray encouragement to anyone who suffers with a similar internal battle. Continually hold strong to Jesus for your comfort and hope. He will never let us slip from his loving embrace.
God Bless You,
~Danielle
Danielle Powers is a blogger, blessed wife, and mother of four following God’s call to encourage and help others to see God’s hands in their lives. When not attending to the needs of a busy family, Danielle is the drummer in her church’s Praise and Worship team. She also ministers through a Christian outreach for teen girls aimed at leading hearts toward Christ and transferring life skills. Check out her blog at HolyEverAfter.org, where her love of Christ and thankful heart clearly shines.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
December 5, 2018
Without a Heavenly Choir, Can You Sing this Song?
Imagine what it would be like to be a believer during a period when God hadn’t spoken in 400 years. In a country that had always been led first by God’s voice itself and then by prophets and priests who spoke on God’s behalf, this would be disheartening and faith-stretching. This was the setting for the third and final song in our four-part “Songs of Christmas” series. In the first post, The Songs of Christmas, we learned how music touches the deepest part of our souls. In Part 2, “What Silence Can Teach Us this Christmas,” we learned from Zechariah how periods of intentional silence can lead us to greater faith and a deeper awareness of what God is doing in the world. In Part 3, "Mary's Song Can Be Our Song Too, we took an up-close look at Mary, the mother of our Lord and learned how her two-part song could be our song, too.
Today, we’ll look at the final singer in our Christmas choir – one that is, literally, a choir – a choir of angels. Perhaps the most famous of the Christmas story songs, the angels’ song to the shepherds, found in Luke 2:10 – 14, is a song of pure joy.
Listen, if you don’t already have it memorized:
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Don’t you LOVE those words? Like a celebration after a championship win, they crackle with excitement and triumph: GOOD TIDINGS, GREAT JOY, A SAVIOR, GLORY, PEACE, GOOD WILL!
Who wouldn’t want to sing a song like that?
But how did this triumphant, victorious song begin? Do you remember? “Fear not.” As a matter of fact, each of the songs came with a prelude that said, “Fear not.” When the angel spoke to Zechariah, he said, “Fear not.”
When Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said, “Fear not.” And when the heavenly host split the sky, the first words in their heavenly song was, “Fear not.”
Why? Because angels are scary? Yes.
But because life is scary, too.
If I asked for a show of hands, I bet many of us would confess to being afraid. Afraid of being alone.
Afraid of bad health or of getting older.
Afraid there won’t be enough money to pay your bills, send your kids to college, or make it through retirement.
Afraid of losing a loved one.
Afraid of cancer, terrorism, or war.
Afraid that a wayward child might never return.
Afraid for the future of our country, our children, and our grandchildren.
Afraid of dying.
We live in a scary world. But the angels’ message 2,000 years ago wasn’t just for the shepherds, it was for all people: “Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior!” And this Savior came with a promise:
We find it in Isaiah 43:1-3:
But now, this is what the LORD says -- "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Every day we cross paths with people who are afraid. Many don’t know the Prince of Peace.
They don’t have the confidence that comes from knowing the God who holds our lives in his hands.
They don’t know the Savior who promises never to forsake us, to walk beside us all of our days, and to one day take us to heaven to live with him forever.
And if they do know him, sometimes they need to be reminded that the same God who saved them can also keep them. This is where our song can make a difference.
And when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke 2:17).
The shepherds’ assignment is our assignment, too. Go and tell. “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen,” As we glorify and praise God and tell all the things we have heard and seen to those around us, their song becomes ours, and the gift goes on.
This Christmas, I hope you’ll touch the deepest part of people’s hearts and share the joy of song with others. The song of belief, that comes out of intentional silence, like Zechariah. The song that tells of what God is did for us and is doing through us, like Mary. And the song of joy that announces that the Savior of the world has come, like the angels and shepherds.
“FEAR NOT,” we join them in singing, “for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Now it’s your turn. If you’ve followed the series all the way through, which has been your favorite song? Which do you plan to sing this Christmas season? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say thatHungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
December 2, 2018
How Mary's Song Can Be Our Song, Too
When I first heard four-year-old Claire Ryann, she and her dad were slouched on a couch belting out a duet of the Toy Story song,"You've Got a Friend in Me." I became a fan, however, when I discovered her hauntingly-beautiful YouTube video of the song, "Gethsemane."
In “The Songs of Christmas,” the first post in our holiday series, we learned how music touches the deepest part of our souls. In Part 2, “What Silence Can Teach Us this Christmas,” we learned from Zechariah the priest how periods of intentional silence and seeking God can lead us to greater faith and a deeper awareness of what God is doing in the world.
Today, we’ll take an up-close look at Mary, the mother of our Lord. Probably a decade or so older than Claire Ryann, Mary was, nonetheless, a young woman. A very important young woman who sang a two-part song that can be our song, too.
We read about Mary, the second singer in our Christmas choir, in Luke 1. Like Zechariah, Mary asked the same question of the angel when he revealed the shocking news that she had been chosen to carry the Messiah, the Christ child – "How can this be?"
Zechariah asked, “How can this be? My wife is so old.” Mary basically asked, “How can this be? I’m too young. I haven’t yet married or known a man intimately.”
The angel, Gabriel, answered her curiosity by sharing a bit of information no one else knew in Nazareth: “Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (v.36).
Mary knew full well the stigma that had plagued her poor relative Elizabeth – the tragedy no woman wanted – to be unable to bear a child. When she heard that God had done the impossible in Elizabeth’s life, she believed he could do the impossible in hers, too. “Behold the maidservant of the Lord," she declared, "Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38).
And we know the rest of the story: Mary immediately went to visit Elizabeth, where the Lord confirmed to Mary yet again that she was carrying the Messiah (v. 41-45). Mary’s song, the response that bursts forth from an overflow of her heart, became the passage we know as The Magnificat.
Notice the two distinct parts of Mary’s song:
In verses 46-49, she speaks of what God has done in her (personally).
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.
In verses 50-55, she speaks of how God has fulfilled his promise and what he plans to do through her to save the world.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.
Mary’s song is a song we, too, should sing this Christmas. And our song can also have two parts.
In the first part of our song, we can share with others what God has done IN us by sending Christ to save us from our sins.
In the second part of our song, we can share with others what God wants to do through us by sharing the gospel with others.
If Claire Ryann, a four-year-old little girl, and Mary, a frightened, bewildered, pregnant-out-of-wedlock teenager can testify for God, then we can, too.
This Christmas season, I invite you to ask God for one person with whom you can share what God has done in your life because of Jesus. Just one. And then watch for the opportunity and be ready.
Because it WILL come.
In the final post of this series, we’ll look at the final singer in our Christmas choir, which isn’t really a singer, but a bunch of singers . . . Can you guest who it might be? Don’t miss it!
Now it’s your turn. Who do you feel the Lord laying on your heart this Christmas season that needs to hear the Gospel? If you’ll leave their first name in the comments below, I’ll join you in prayer, asking God to give you the opportunity to share Jesus with them.
And then, click to enjoy Claire Ryann's version of Silent Night. Merry Christmas!
If you're reading by email, click HERE to hear Claire Ryann sing Silent Night.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say that
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
In “The Songs of Christmas,” the first post in our holiday series, we learned how music touches the deepest part of our souls. In Part 2, “What Silence Can Teach Us this Christmas,” we learned from Zechariah the priest how periods of intentional silence and seeking God can lead us to greater faith and a deeper awareness of what God is doing in the world.
Today, we’ll take an up-close look at Mary, the mother of our Lord. Probably a decade or so older than Claire Ryann, Mary was, nonetheless, a young woman. A very important young woman who sang a two-part song that can be our song, too.We read about Mary, the second singer in our Christmas choir, in Luke 1. Like Zechariah, Mary asked the same question of the angel when he revealed the shocking news that she had been chosen to carry the Messiah, the Christ child – "How can this be?"
Zechariah asked, “How can this be? My wife is so old.” Mary basically asked, “How can this be? I’m too young. I haven’t yet married or known a man intimately.”
The angel, Gabriel, answered her curiosity by sharing a bit of information no one else knew in Nazareth: “Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (v.36).
Mary knew full well the stigma that had plagued her poor relative Elizabeth – the tragedy no woman wanted – to be unable to bear a child. When she heard that God had done the impossible in Elizabeth’s life, she believed he could do the impossible in hers, too. “Behold the maidservant of the Lord," she declared, "Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38).
And we know the rest of the story: Mary immediately went to visit Elizabeth, where the Lord confirmed to Mary yet again that she was carrying the Messiah (v. 41-45). Mary’s song, the response that bursts forth from an overflow of her heart, became the passage we know as The Magnificat.
Notice the two distinct parts of Mary’s song:
In verses 46-49, she speaks of what God has done in her (personally).
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.
In verses 50-55, she speaks of how God has fulfilled his promise and what he plans to do through her to save the world.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.
Mary’s song is a song we, too, should sing this Christmas. And our song can also have two parts.
In the first part of our song, we can share with others what God has done IN us by sending Christ to save us from our sins.
In the second part of our song, we can share with others what God wants to do through us by sharing the gospel with others.
If Claire Ryann, a four-year-old little girl, and Mary, a frightened, bewildered, pregnant-out-of-wedlock teenager can testify for God, then we can, too. This Christmas season, I invite you to ask God for one person with whom you can share what God has done in your life because of Jesus. Just one. And then watch for the opportunity and be ready.
Because it WILL come.
In the final post of this series, we’ll look at the final singer in our Christmas choir, which isn’t really a singer, but a bunch of singers . . . Can you guest who it might be? Don’t miss it!
Now it’s your turn. Who do you feel the Lord laying on your heart this Christmas season that needs to hear the Gospel? If you’ll leave their first name in the comments below, I’ll join you in prayer, asking God to give you the opportunity to share Jesus with them.
And then, click to enjoy Claire Ryann's version of Silent Night. Merry Christmas!
If you're reading by email, click HERE to hear Claire Ryann sing Silent Night.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say thatHungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 28, 2018
What Silence Can Teach Us this Christmas - The Songs of Christmas, Part 2
As I said in my previous post, "The Songs of Christmas," music touches the deepest part of our souls. As we begin the holiday season, let's look at three key "singers" in the Christmas story, all found in the Gospel of Luke.
Why focus on Luke?
“Luke is unique in the manner of writing he brings to the Christmas story," Magrey deVega writes in his book, Awaiting the Already. Mark wrote with an ominous tone. John wrote with poetic flourish. But Luke wrote with a song in his head. There’s no other way to explain why nearly every major character in Luke’s Nativity story breaks out into a song at some point.
“Luke is a lot like a Rogers and Hammerstein musical: Something happens to someone, and they sing about it. So if Mark is like a Reader’s Digest, Matthew is like a Steven King novel, and John is like a Shakespeare play, then Luke is like a Broadway musical.
"Every time something great happens to someone, they break out into song.”
Consider Mary’s Magnificat, or Zechariah’s prophecy, or Elizabeth’s song in seclusion. Luke really loves his songs.
And come to think of it, isn’t this true of all of us?
In the next few blog posts, I'd like us to look at three of the “carols,” the songs we read about in the Gospel of Luke. Not just to learn more about the songs, but in hopes that we, too, can sing them.
Before we jump in, a nod to the serious Bible students out among us. You’ll notice that although the Bible tells us the people “said” these things, the poetic nature of their expression and speech is more consistent with song, like what we find in the Psalms. Often, those songs emerge from a person’s deep well of emotion, accompanied by great joy and awe bordering on fear.
Today, let's look at Zechariahs’ song.
Zechariah is the first singer in our Christmas choir in Luke 1:5-25. Zechariah (a priest) and his wife, Elisabeth, were elderly. Long past the age of childbearing, Elizabeth had been barren all her life.
Not surprising, when an angel visited Zechariah while he was ministering in the temple, he didn't believe what the angel said.
"Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (v. 13-14).
I can almost hear Zechariah snort.
Don't you know how old my wife is? And how long we've prayed for a child? Have you any idea what a miracle that would be?
Scholars believe the angel made Zechariah deaf as well as mute in response to his disbelief (see vs. 62). This silence was a gift – a gift that produced the faith and understanding he didn’t have when he doubted God’s revelation to him in the temple. In the quiet of those nine months, he pondered, studied, and sought God’s face. What he learned moved him from doubt to declaration, confusion to clarity, and fear to faith.
Out of this holy pause came Zechariah’s song of prophecy and praise
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago,
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (v. 67-79).
This Christmas season, I invite you to consider that perhaps God is calling you to intentional silence. Not a total cessation of speech and hearing, probably, but some deliberate times of coming into his presence.
Perhaps, each Sunday between now and Christmas, spend half an hour or an hour,reading his word, and meditating – thinking deeply on what you read.
Ask God to reveal himself to you and listen for him to speak, both through his Word and through the still, small voice in your heart. It’s important to come with an open heart.
Unlike Zechariah’s first response, come willing to believe the promises God gives you. Perhaps you, too, will leave these encounters with a greater understanding of the majesty of God and his plan for the world.
In my next blog post, “How Mary’s Song Can Become Yours This Christmas,” we’ll spend some time with Mary, the mother of our Lord, and discover something you may never have seen before in her part of the Christmas story. I can’t wait for us to sing her song together.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say that
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
Why focus on Luke?
“Luke is unique in the manner of writing he brings to the Christmas story," Magrey deVega writes in his book, Awaiting the Already. Mark wrote with an ominous tone. John wrote with poetic flourish. But Luke wrote with a song in his head. There’s no other way to explain why nearly every major character in Luke’s Nativity story breaks out into a song at some point.
“Luke is a lot like a Rogers and Hammerstein musical: Something happens to someone, and they sing about it. So if Mark is like a Reader’s Digest, Matthew is like a Steven King novel, and John is like a Shakespeare play, then Luke is like a Broadway musical.
"Every time something great happens to someone, they break out into song.”
Consider Mary’s Magnificat, or Zechariah’s prophecy, or Elizabeth’s song in seclusion. Luke really loves his songs.
And come to think of it, isn’t this true of all of us?
In the next few blog posts, I'd like us to look at three of the “carols,” the songs we read about in the Gospel of Luke. Not just to learn more about the songs, but in hopes that we, too, can sing them.
Before we jump in, a nod to the serious Bible students out among us. You’ll notice that although the Bible tells us the people “said” these things, the poetic nature of their expression and speech is more consistent with song, like what we find in the Psalms. Often, those songs emerge from a person’s deep well of emotion, accompanied by great joy and awe bordering on fear.
Today, let's look at Zechariahs’ song.
Zechariah is the first singer in our Christmas choir in Luke 1:5-25. Zechariah (a priest) and his wife, Elisabeth, were elderly. Long past the age of childbearing, Elizabeth had been barren all her life.Not surprising, when an angel visited Zechariah while he was ministering in the temple, he didn't believe what the angel said.
"Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (v. 13-14).
I can almost hear Zechariah snort.
Don't you know how old my wife is? And how long we've prayed for a child? Have you any idea what a miracle that would be?
Scholars believe the angel made Zechariah deaf as well as mute in response to his disbelief (see vs. 62). This silence was a gift – a gift that produced the faith and understanding he didn’t have when he doubted God’s revelation to him in the temple. In the quiet of those nine months, he pondered, studied, and sought God’s face. What he learned moved him from doubt to declaration, confusion to clarity, and fear to faith.
Out of this holy pause came Zechariah’s song of prophecy and praise
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago,
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (v. 67-79).
This Christmas season, I invite you to consider that perhaps God is calling you to intentional silence. Not a total cessation of speech and hearing, probably, but some deliberate times of coming into his presence. Perhaps, each Sunday between now and Christmas, spend half an hour or an hour,reading his word, and meditating – thinking deeply on what you read.
Ask God to reveal himself to you and listen for him to speak, both through his Word and through the still, small voice in your heart. It’s important to come with an open heart.
Unlike Zechariah’s first response, come willing to believe the promises God gives you. Perhaps you, too, will leave these encounters with a greater understanding of the majesty of God and his plan for the world.
In my next blog post, “How Mary’s Song Can Become Yours This Christmas,” we’ll spend some time with Mary, the mother of our Lord, and discover something you may never have seen before in her part of the Christmas story. I can’t wait for us to sing her song together.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say thatHungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 26, 2018
#RocksCryOut -- A Movement Is Born
Our Thanksgiving gathering wasn’t our typical holiday celebration. It started out routine enough – my brother-in-law’s deep-fried turkey, several cheese-filled casseroles, and dessert – lots and lots of dessert.
But then, after we’d cleaned up the kitchen and sent the men into the living room to watch the Cowboys beat the Redskins, my friends and I (including my mom, who’s one of my best friends) spread newspaper on the table and began the funnest project I’ve ever done. We painted #RocksCryOut rocks.
Each woman chose several smooth stones, picked her favorite color paint, and went to work. Hadassah and I picked sparkly lavender, because, well, it’s the prettiest color of them all. Has been since my chubby, 2-year-old fingers could hold a crayon. Sue chose an electric orange, although she swore she wasn’t a Clemson Tiger fan. Karen chose Kermit the Frog green, and Mom picked pearly pink.
After we covered the river rocks with paint and waited for them to dry, we used Sharpie markers to write short, inspiring Bible verses on them.
Here are some of our favorites:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3).
“We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good” (Ps. 136:1).
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
“Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Ps. 56:3).
“We love because he first loved us” (John 4:19).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
“In him was life” (John 1:4).
Then we added the hashtag #RocksCryOut to the back and sprayed them with a shiny acrylic coating to seal the colors and protect them from the elements.
Each woman left with her painted rocks and a mission – to place them where others would find them – along walkways, near the entrances to public buildings, shopping centers, and businesses. Even my husband got in on the fun by offering to place several along the disc golf course he frequents.
The #RocksCryOut Launch Team
(L-R) Mom, me, Sue, Hadassah, and KarenIt wasn’t just a fun craft. Our afternoon activity was the official launch of the #RocksCryOut movement.
Based on the belief that God’s Word never returns void, but always accomplishes what it’s set out to do (Isa. 55:11), our mission is to scatter colorful, painted rocks with Scripture verses on them wherever we go.
I’m asking God to bring each rock to the attention of a person who needs the encouragement of God’s Word – a divine rock encounter, if you will.
Would you like to be part of the movement?
It’s simple and inexpensive. All you need are smooth stones (I bought a giant back of rocks from a home improvement store for less than $5), acrylic paint (50% off at Hobby Lobby), Sharpie markers, and a can of acrylic sealer (I used my 40% off coupon, but hairspray would probably work just as well). The supplies cost me less than $20.
Google “short Bible verses” and make a list of the ones you like best or use the ones I’ve shared above, then gather a few friends, a Sunday school class (kids LOVE this), AWANA group, or ladies ministry, and go to work.
If you’ll be spending time with friends and family over the holidays (babysitting grandkids?), gather everything you need in advance and invite them to paint with you. As you paint each rock, pray for the person who will find it. Ask God to use the verse you’ve chosen to speak truth to their heart and reveal himself to them.
Remember, you don’t have to be an artist to paint a #RocksCryOut rock. The goal isn’t to create a beautiful rock (although they are pretty). The goal is to share the beauty of God’s Word.
An assortment of delicious desserts and coffee made our afternoon even sweeter, but isn’t required (smile).
I left this rock by the sidewalk near our church.When your rocks are dry, place them on public property where they can easily be seen, then take a photo of them. Remember, unlike an Easter egg hunt, your goal isn’t to hide them, but to place them where people can easily find them.
Then share your photo on social media with the hashtag #RocksCryOut. Link back to this post so others can catch a vision and join the movement. And if you’ll send me a photo of your painting party and/or your rocks and tell me where you placed them, I’d love to include it on my Hungry for God #RocksCryOut page and blog. Email them to me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in people’s lives as we share his Word this way. May God richly bless your efforts to shine the light of Jesus wherever you go!
"I tell you," (Jesus) replied, "if they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out" (Luke 19:40).
If you'd like to read more about the inspiration behind #RocksCryOut, click HERE.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
But then, after we’d cleaned up the kitchen and sent the men into the living room to watch the Cowboys beat the Redskins, my friends and I (including my mom, who’s one of my best friends) spread newspaper on the table and began the funnest project I’ve ever done. We painted #RocksCryOut rocks.
Each woman chose several smooth stones, picked her favorite color paint, and went to work. Hadassah and I picked sparkly lavender, because, well, it’s the prettiest color of them all. Has been since my chubby, 2-year-old fingers could hold a crayon. Sue chose an electric orange, although she swore she wasn’t a Clemson Tiger fan. Karen chose Kermit the Frog green, and Mom picked pearly pink.
After we covered the river rocks with paint and waited for them to dry, we used Sharpie markers to write short, inspiring Bible verses on them.
Here are some of our favorites:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3).“We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good” (Ps. 136:1).
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
“Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Ps. 56:3).
“We love because he first loved us” (John 4:19).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
“In him was life” (John 1:4).
Then we added the hashtag #RocksCryOut to the back and sprayed them with a shiny acrylic coating to seal the colors and protect them from the elements. Each woman left with her painted rocks and a mission – to place them where others would find them – along walkways, near the entrances to public buildings, shopping centers, and businesses. Even my husband got in on the fun by offering to place several along the disc golf course he frequents.
The #RocksCryOut Launch Team(L-R) Mom, me, Sue, Hadassah, and KarenIt wasn’t just a fun craft. Our afternoon activity was the official launch of the #RocksCryOut movement.
Based on the belief that God’s Word never returns void, but always accomplishes what it’s set out to do (Isa. 55:11), our mission is to scatter colorful, painted rocks with Scripture verses on them wherever we go.
I’m asking God to bring each rock to the attention of a person who needs the encouragement of God’s Word – a divine rock encounter, if you will.
Would you like to be part of the movement?
It’s simple and inexpensive. All you need are smooth stones (I bought a giant back of rocks from a home improvement store for less than $5), acrylic paint (50% off at Hobby Lobby), Sharpie markers, and a can of acrylic sealer (I used my 40% off coupon, but hairspray would probably work just as well). The supplies cost me less than $20. Google “short Bible verses” and make a list of the ones you like best or use the ones I’ve shared above, then gather a few friends, a Sunday school class (kids LOVE this), AWANA group, or ladies ministry, and go to work.
If you’ll be spending time with friends and family over the holidays (babysitting grandkids?), gather everything you need in advance and invite them to paint with you. As you paint each rock, pray for the person who will find it. Ask God to use the verse you’ve chosen to speak truth to their heart and reveal himself to them.
Remember, you don’t have to be an artist to paint a #RocksCryOut rock. The goal isn’t to create a beautiful rock (although they are pretty). The goal is to share the beauty of God’s Word.
An assortment of delicious desserts and coffee made our afternoon even sweeter, but isn’t required (smile).
I left this rock by the sidewalk near our church.When your rocks are dry, place them on public property where they can easily be seen, then take a photo of them. Remember, unlike an Easter egg hunt, your goal isn’t to hide them, but to place them where people can easily find them. Then share your photo on social media with the hashtag #RocksCryOut. Link back to this post so others can catch a vision and join the movement. And if you’ll send me a photo of your painting party and/or your rocks and tell me where you placed them, I’d love to include it on my Hungry for God #RocksCryOut page and blog. Email them to me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in people’s lives as we share his Word this way. May God richly bless your efforts to shine the light of Jesus wherever you go!
"I tell you," (Jesus) replied, "if they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out" (Luke 19:40).
If you'd like to read more about the inspiration behind #RocksCryOut, click HERE.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 25, 2018
The Songs of Christmas and an Invitation
Some of the greatest joy in my life comes from my grandchildren. If you've been reading for very long, you know I have three: Lauren, 5, Caroline, 3, and Andrew (aka Bubby) who’s 1.
We had the pleasure of caring for Andrew for five days recently while the rest of his family went to Disney World.
As familiar as he is with us, we knew he might have a hard time. Not just because he’d be missing his Mommy, or his Mommy and his Daddy, but he’d be missing his mommy, his daddy, his sisters, and his house. Not to mention nursing, because he wasn’t quite weaned yet.
Thankfully, he went down easily that first night. The little fella was worn out from keeping up with Papa and Gigi all day. But around midnight I heard him cry. Now I know enough not to rush in there, because oftentimes babies will soothe themselves back to sleep, but that’s not what happened this night.
His whimper became a cry.
His cry became a shriek, which eventually became an all-out wail.
I rushed into his room, scooped him up from his Pack-and-Play and began to soothe him.
He cried louder.
I rocked him faster.
He continued to cry.
I patted.
I jiggled.
I bounced.
And then I remembered something my daughter had said. “When I put him to sleep, sometimes I rock him and sing 'Jesus Loves Me'.”
And so I began to sing, so softly I wondered if he could hear me over his cries.
Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong.
His cries grew softer.
And softer.
And softer.
Until the only sound I heard was the snuffle of his peaceful breathing.
It's true - music touches the deepest part of our hearts.
I watched the powerful effect of music in my grandmother’s nursing home room one Christmas season.
My granny was suffering from dementia. Although I visited every week, it had been almost a year since she had spoken to me. She didn’t know my name, or hers for that matter. She didn’t make eye contact, and she certainly couldn’t carry on a conversation.
That Christmas, knowing it was probably the last Christmas we’d spend with her, our family gathered around her bedside. We’d brought a tiny Christmas tree and decorated it with twinkling lights, but she was oblivious to her surroundings. We tried telling her about what we were planning to eat for Christmas dinner, what gifts we’d bought for the children. We held her hand and stroked her soft grey hair.
Still no response.
“What’s your granny’s favorite Christmas carol?” my husband asked.
“Silent Night,” I responded.
So he began to sing. “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.”
One by one we all joined in.
So many conflicting emotions swirled in my head. Gratitude for God’s good gifts – my family, my salvation, my Granny. I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me until I felt a sharp elbow poke me.
I frowned and turned to my husband, grumpy that he was interrupting this holy moment. Ignoring my frown, he nodded in the direction of my granny. My grandmother, who hadn’t spoken in a year, was singing the words to her favorite Christmas carol.
“All is calm. All is bright. . . . “
Music touches us in in the deepest part of our hearts – and our brains.
Have you ever gotten chills, or felt tears form in your eyes as you’ve listened to an especially beautiful piece of music? Listening to music can create peak emotions, which increase the amount of dopamine, a specific neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain and helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.
Music can evoke emotions. But emotions can also invoke music.
One of my grandson Andrew’s favorite activities is to swing in our backyard. He loves feeling the fresh air on his face, hearing the birds in the trees, and watching the neighbor’s dogs. One day I was pushing him back and forth, and I could tell his little heart was happy.
How did I know? He was singing.
MAAAA Ma. DAAAA Da. MAA Ma. DAAA Da.
The joy in his little heart just had to come out, and it came out in a song.
Kind of like Luke. You remember him, the author of one of the four gospels?
I’m enjoying an Advent book called Awaiting the Already , by Magrey deVega. This is what the author says about the book of Luke:
“Luke is unique in the manner of writing he brings to the Christmas story. Mark wrote with an ominous tone. John wrote with poetic flourish. But Luke wrote with a song in his head. There’s no other way to explain why nearly every major character in Luke’s Nativity story breaks out into a song at some point.
“Luke is a lot like a Rogers and Hammerstein musical: Something happens to someone, and they sing about it. So if Mark is like a Reader’s Digest, Matthew is like a Steven King novel, and John is like a Shakespeare play, then Luke is like a Broadway musical.
“Every time something great happens to someone, they breaks out into song.”
Consider Mary’s Magnificat, or Zechariah’s prophecy, or Elizabeth’s song in seclusion. Luke really loves his songs.
And come to think of it, isn’t this true of all of us?
I’ll be exploring the power of song and delving into three singers in the heavenly chorus of the Christmas story this Saturday, December 1, from 9:30 – 12, at New Testament Baptist Church, 300 Sims Ave., in Columbia, SC.
Women will be gathering for Christmas Coffee, Carols, and Cards. Our morning will begin with hot cups of coffee, yummy pastries, and fellowship. I’ll share “The Songs of Christmas – Which One Are You Singing?” Then we’ll tap into our creative side as Kathy Morganelli teaches us how to make a unique, personalized Christmas card.
The event is free, but space is limited. If you’re in the Columbia area, I’d love to see you there. RSVP by tomorrow, Tuesday, November 27 to Robin Bishop, bishopsfore@gmail.com.
And if you don't live in the area, or can’t make it this Saturday, keep reading Hungry for God…Starving for Time. Over the next few blog posts, I’ll be sharing more about the three singers of Christmas and how their songs can become our songs this holiday season.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say that
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
We had the pleasure of caring for Andrew for five days recently while the rest of his family went to Disney World. As familiar as he is with us, we knew he might have a hard time. Not just because he’d be missing his Mommy, or his Mommy and his Daddy, but he’d be missing his mommy, his daddy, his sisters, and his house. Not to mention nursing, because he wasn’t quite weaned yet.
Thankfully, he went down easily that first night. The little fella was worn out from keeping up with Papa and Gigi all day. But around midnight I heard him cry. Now I know enough not to rush in there, because oftentimes babies will soothe themselves back to sleep, but that’s not what happened this night.
His whimper became a cry.
His cry became a shriek, which eventually became an all-out wail.
I rushed into his room, scooped him up from his Pack-and-Play and began to soothe him.
He cried louder.
I rocked him faster.
He continued to cry.
I patted.
I jiggled.
I bounced.
And then I remembered something my daughter had said. “When I put him to sleep, sometimes I rock him and sing 'Jesus Loves Me'.”
And so I began to sing, so softly I wondered if he could hear me over his cries.
Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong.
His cries grew softer.
And softer.
And softer.
Until the only sound I heard was the snuffle of his peaceful breathing.
It's true - music touches the deepest part of our hearts.
I watched the powerful effect of music in my grandmother’s nursing home room one Christmas season.
My granny was suffering from dementia. Although I visited every week, it had been almost a year since she had spoken to me. She didn’t know my name, or hers for that matter. She didn’t make eye contact, and she certainly couldn’t carry on a conversation.
That Christmas, knowing it was probably the last Christmas we’d spend with her, our family gathered around her bedside. We’d brought a tiny Christmas tree and decorated it with twinkling lights, but she was oblivious to her surroundings. We tried telling her about what we were planning to eat for Christmas dinner, what gifts we’d bought for the children. We held her hand and stroked her soft grey hair.
Still no response.
“What’s your granny’s favorite Christmas carol?” my husband asked.
“Silent Night,” I responded.
So he began to sing. “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.”
One by one we all joined in.
So many conflicting emotions swirled in my head. Gratitude for God’s good gifts – my family, my salvation, my Granny. I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me until I felt a sharp elbow poke me.
I frowned and turned to my husband, grumpy that he was interrupting this holy moment. Ignoring my frown, he nodded in the direction of my granny. My grandmother, who hadn’t spoken in a year, was singing the words to her favorite Christmas carol. “All is calm. All is bright. . . . “
Music touches us in in the deepest part of our hearts – and our brains.
Have you ever gotten chills, or felt tears form in your eyes as you’ve listened to an especially beautiful piece of music? Listening to music can create peak emotions, which increase the amount of dopamine, a specific neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain and helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.
Music can evoke emotions. But emotions can also invoke music.
One of my grandson Andrew’s favorite activities is to swing in our backyard. He loves feeling the fresh air on his face, hearing the birds in the trees, and watching the neighbor’s dogs. One day I was pushing him back and forth, and I could tell his little heart was happy. How did I know? He was singing.
MAAAA Ma. DAAAA Da. MAA Ma. DAAA Da.
The joy in his little heart just had to come out, and it came out in a song.
Kind of like Luke. You remember him, the author of one of the four gospels?
I’m enjoying an Advent book called Awaiting the Already , by Magrey deVega. This is what the author says about the book of Luke:
“Luke is unique in the manner of writing he brings to the Christmas story. Mark wrote with an ominous tone. John wrote with poetic flourish. But Luke wrote with a song in his head. There’s no other way to explain why nearly every major character in Luke’s Nativity story breaks out into a song at some point.
“Luke is a lot like a Rogers and Hammerstein musical: Something happens to someone, and they sing about it. So if Mark is like a Reader’s Digest, Matthew is like a Steven King novel, and John is like a Shakespeare play, then Luke is like a Broadway musical.
“Every time something great happens to someone, they breaks out into song.”
Consider Mary’s Magnificat, or Zechariah’s prophecy, or Elizabeth’s song in seclusion. Luke really loves his songs.
And come to think of it, isn’t this true of all of us?
I’ll be exploring the power of song and delving into three singers in the heavenly chorus of the Christmas story this Saturday, December 1, from 9:30 – 12, at New Testament Baptist Church, 300 Sims Ave., in Columbia, SC.
Women will be gathering for Christmas Coffee, Carols, and Cards. Our morning will begin with hot cups of coffee, yummy pastries, and fellowship. I’ll share “The Songs of Christmas – Which One Are You Singing?” Then we’ll tap into our creative side as Kathy Morganelli teaches us how to make a unique, personalized Christmas card.
The event is free, but space is limited. If you’re in the Columbia area, I’d love to see you there. RSVP by tomorrow, Tuesday, November 27 to Robin Bishop, bishopsfore@gmail.com.
And if you don't live in the area, or can’t make it this Saturday, keep reading Hungry for God…Starving for Time. Over the next few blog posts, I’ll be sharing more about the three singers of Christmas and how their songs can become our songs this holiday season.
Dear Hungry for God friends,
I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.
If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.
And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?
In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.
And that's what Christmas is all about.
I'm excited to say thatHungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.
If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 21, 2018
Shining or Suffering, Here's Hope to Cling To
I wish following Christ meant my life was always easy, healthy, and happy. If my life was prosperous and successful, wouldn’t that make people want to follow Jesus? Wouldn’t the beacon of my shining life pierce the darkness of this squalid, suffering world with such brilliance that all would come to its light? If I were God, this is the way I’d script it. And for a few verses, this is what the faith life looks like in Hebrews 11, known by many as The Hall of Faith. This chapter lists shining examples of mighty warriors, conquering kings, and fearless leaders. Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses. Even those whose lives might not have started out well, like Gideon and Rahab, ended victoriously and filled with faith.
Listen to what these believers did: “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again” (v.33-35).
YES! This is the kind of Christian life I want. I want to shut lions’ mouths, escape from deadly peril, and pray dead people back to life. Absolutely this! If you’re honest, it’s what you want, too.
But I can’t ignore the end of the chapter. The verses that begin with the word others. Others who were tortured, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, and slain.
Whaaaaat?Oh no, THAT’s not what I signed up for.
“destitute, afflicted, tormented . . .”
When familiar passages come alive, it can be both exhilarating and frightening. Such is the case with this one.
We can’t ignore the fact that sitting alongside the mighty, shining headliners are the not-so-mighty, not-so-shiny believers whose lives didn’t follow the Powerful and Prosperous script. Many were homeless fugitives who suffered mightily for the cause of Christ. Yet they’re included in the Hall of Faith. And given top billing. “. . . of whom the world as not worthy,” the writer of Hebrews declares them to be.
It’s apparent from Hebrews 11 that God sometimes calls his children, like Daniel and Moses, to battle beasts and challenge super powers. Other times he calls his children to a grander service – that of suffering. He calls them to cling to faith when there’s no earthly reason to. To demonstrate, by faith, that if God allows difficulty into their lives, he’ll use it, somehow, for their good and his glory.
Listen to his final commendation – for all those listed in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith, shiny and unshiny, celebrated or scorned: “These were all commended for their faith . . . .”
I don’t which you are today, a superstar or a sufferer, but I do know this – if you’ll cling tightly to God as you travel the path before you, he’ll walk beside you all the way. He’ll empower you to face your fears with dignity and grace. He’ll fill you with peace that defies understanding. When you reach the end of your resources, your patience, and your hope, he’ll provide what you need.
And he won’t waste a second of your experience. Nothing is purposeless or insignificant. It’s all part of his grand plan to draw you and others closer to himself. I admit, I’d rather be a shiny superstar than a suffering servant. But I don’t get to choose. My Father, who knows what’s best, charts the course of my life. Because of the words of Hebrews 11, however, I know I can trust him to use every trial to accomplish his purpose, both in my life and in the lives of those around me.
Superstar or sufferer, he’s given us our marching orders. I invite you to ponder, embrace, and plant your feet on their truth:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb. 12:1-3).
Now it’s your turn. How has God used your circumstances to reveal himself to you and others? Leave a comment below and join the conversation. And if you’d like, leave your name in the comments below, and I’d be honored to pray for you. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.
And as the Lord brings her to mind, please pray for Joni Earekson Tada. She's been diagnosed a second time with breast cancer and will be undergoing surgery on November 26. She is one of the modern-day heroes of the faith and needs our prayers. If you'd like to read more about her condition, CLICK HERE to go to her website.
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 18, 2018
How Bump Drafting Can Help You Grow Spiritually
If you're looking for a way to grow in your spiritual life, you probably won't search for guidance from a NASCAR race. But strangely enough, God can even use NASCAR to reveal spiritual truth.
This week I learned about a racing technique called drafting. Drafting occurs when a car follows behind the lead car so closely that it drives in the wind current created by that car. This allows the second car to run at the same speed, but use less fuel.
In essence, the lead car sucks the second car along in its wind wake. Sometimes a driver will get close enough to bump the lead car, causing both to accelerate. They call this bump drafting.
As I thought about this sometimes-controversial racing practice, I realized that drafting is a great technique for Christians—off the roadways, of course.
As a young Christian, I was fortunate to attend church with women who were older and more mature in the faith. Several took me under their wings and modeled how to rear their children, respect their husbands, and serve the Lord and his people. As I watched them, I learned from their examples. In essence, I was drafting them—following along in their wake and gaining speed from their spiritual energy.
Now, as a mature believer, I continue to benefit from running my spiritual race in close proximity to other Christians. When I run closely to my friend Maryann, her commitment to pray for and witness to her unsaved loved ones fuels my determination to be a faithful witness. When I run closely to my friend Mandy, her commitment to accomplish every task with excellence fuels my desire to be the best at everything I do. When I run closely to my friend Jean, her commitment to develop her gifts and talents and use them for God’s glory fuels my determination to continue to sharpen and polish my own.
My friends’ energy and examples suck me along and remind me of the benefits of doing life with other Christians. This is why God ordained the church and encourages us not to “give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
As we watch others live out their faith, we're inspired and challenged to take our own faith walks more seriously. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
So next time you’re channel surfing and catch a glimpse of a NASCAR race, think about those who are running the faith race ahead of you. Pull up close behind them, share their passion, and follow their example. But don’t forget to look in your rear view mirror at the younger Christians following in your wind current. They need you to set the pace and share the energy and direction God has given you.
When the checkered flag waves, may we all be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
Now it’s your turn. Who have been your mentors and examples? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. And if you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment there.
To encourage you today, here's a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite friend songs , The Servant Song .
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time?
I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
This week I learned about a racing technique called drafting. Drafting occurs when a car follows behind the lead car so closely that it drives in the wind current created by that car. This allows the second car to run at the same speed, but use less fuel.
In essence, the lead car sucks the second car along in its wind wake. Sometimes a driver will get close enough to bump the lead car, causing both to accelerate. They call this bump drafting.
As I thought about this sometimes-controversial racing practice, I realized that drafting is a great technique for Christians—off the roadways, of course.
As a young Christian, I was fortunate to attend church with women who were older and more mature in the faith. Several took me under their wings and modeled how to rear their children, respect their husbands, and serve the Lord and his people. As I watched them, I learned from their examples. In essence, I was drafting them—following along in their wake and gaining speed from their spiritual energy.
Now, as a mature believer, I continue to benefit from running my spiritual race in close proximity to other Christians. When I run closely to my friend Maryann, her commitment to pray for and witness to her unsaved loved ones fuels my determination to be a faithful witness. When I run closely to my friend Mandy, her commitment to accomplish every task with excellence fuels my desire to be the best at everything I do. When I run closely to my friend Jean, her commitment to develop her gifts and talents and use them for God’s glory fuels my determination to continue to sharpen and polish my own. My friends’ energy and examples suck me along and remind me of the benefits of doing life with other Christians. This is why God ordained the church and encourages us not to “give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
As we watch others live out their faith, we're inspired and challenged to take our own faith walks more seriously. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
So next time you’re channel surfing and catch a glimpse of a NASCAR race, think about those who are running the faith race ahead of you. Pull up close behind them, share their passion, and follow their example. But don’t forget to look in your rear view mirror at the younger Christians following in your wind current. They need you to set the pace and share the energy and direction God has given you.
When the checkered flag waves, may we all be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
Now it’s your turn. Who have been your mentors and examples? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. And if you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online, scroll to the bottom of the post, and leave a comment there.
To encourage you today, here's a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite friend songs , The Servant Song .
Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? I’d love to send you a 5-minute e-mail devotion twice a week to start your day off with the Lord.
Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
Then, be sure to VALIDATE the confirmation email you receive.
Note: I promise never to spam you or share your email address.
Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.
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Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
November 14, 2018
#RocksCryOut -- Sharing Christ through Kindness Rocks
Megan Murphy didn’t know she was starting a movement when she picked up five rocks, scribbled messages on them with a Sharpie pen, and scattered them on a Cape Cod beach two years ago.But someone found one of her rocks, and word got back to her. “The rock made my day,” the recipient said. “I was struggling, but the message helped turn things around.” And thus began the Kindness Rocks movement.
Since then, Murphy’s Kindness Rocks Project has gained worldwide attention, with inspirational, hash-tagged rocks popping up in at least seven countries and garnering millions of views on social media. “The project isn’t about rocks per se, it’s about connection,” Murphy said. “People find a rock, and they relate to the message on the rock. Then they connect with the fact that there is a human being on the other end of that rock, and they don’t feel so alone.”
A kindness rock can be simple, like Murphy’s first rock – just a sharpie and a stone. Or it can be complex – hand-painted, bedazzled, or personalized. Simple or spectacular, no one’s disappointed when they find a kindness rock tucked beside a sidewalk, in a parking lot, or near a street sign.
The rules are easy – keep it, pass it on by leaving it in a new place, or exchange it for one of your own. Be sure to leave it out in the open (don’t hide it) in a public place where it will be easy to spot.
I found my first kindness rock near a mailbox on my morning walk. Pink with a purple paw print, it said, Love Has Four Paws. I took it home and smiled all day long.
Then Murphy’s story got me thinking. Her motivation was to empower others with feel good messages. BE STRONG. YOU’VE GOT THIS! or SHARING A SMILE. What a great idea.
But, as believers, we know words that can not only make people smile, but can change their lives forever. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
How much more powerful would it be if, instead of just cute pictures and happy phrases, we painted and scattered rocks decorated with God’s Word? Personalized. Imagine how a person might feel if, on a really bad day, they found a rock that said, You can do all things through Christ. (Phil 4:13)? Or Be strong and courageous, for God is with you. (Joshua 1:9)? or I will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb. 13:5)? 
Here's my first not-very-artistic-but-prayed-over #ChristianKindnessRocks.I hid it in the flower bed of a local grocery store, by the entrance so someone
would be more likely to see it.
What if believers all over the country – all over the world – painted Kindness Rocks with Scripture on them and left them for others to find? If God’s Word is true, and it is, then God could use these rocks to encourage, inspire, and draw people closer to himself.
And maybe, as Jesus said, in this age when the world seems determined to silence Christians, it’s time for the rocks to cry out.
Would you like to join me in spreading God’s Word using painted rocks? I’ve collected a few resources to help you get started. But first, three reminders:
1. When you paint a rock, be sure to put the hashtag #RocksCryOut on the back.
2. If you'd like, post a picture of it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) using the hashtag.
3. I'd love it if you'd send me a picture of your rock “on location” ( LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com) with your name (if you’d like) and what city and state you’re from so I can share it in a subsequent post.
We know that the kindest message of all is the message of hope through Jesus Christ. Let’s pass it on!
CLICK HERE for a behind-the-scenes look at the official #RocksCryOut launch and step-by-step instructions for painting your own #RocksCryOut rocks.
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2018 by Lori Hatcher
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