Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 70

Hungry for God Wins Prestigious Award

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinasis pleased to announce that Hungry for God ... Starving for Time has received the 2016 Christian Small Publishers Book of the Year Award 



The Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award is designed to promote small publishers in the Christian marketplace and bring recognition to outstanding Christian books from a small publisher.

This prestigious award is given based on reader and retailer feedback in eight categories. To read more about the CSPA award and see the winners, click HERE.

Many of you voted for Hungry for God during January and February. THANK YOU! May God be glorified.





Not familiar with Hungry for God? Here's a short blurb:



You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.

And if you're one of the faithful readers who voted for Hungry for God, why not share a copy with one of the busy women in your life?


 

 

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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Why Christians Need Toastmasters (Blog + video)

I never envisioned myself as a professional speaker.

But as my blog grew and my books launched, I began to receive invitations to speak more often at women's ministry events, writers' conferences, and homeschool conventions. A long-time Bible teacher and homeschool support group leader, I'd had many opportunities to speak, but I deeply desired to become the best speaker for the Lord I could be. 

I never wanted God's message to be hindered by my delivery. 

In my quest to further develop my speaking ability, I attended the Christian Communicators conference in Asheville, North Carolina. This dynamic, exhausting, exhilarating, empowering 5-days of training just whetted my appetite. 

Then my friend Kim Jackson, accomplished speaker and founder of Elder Orphan Care, recommended Toastmasters International. 

I'd heard of Toastmasters, but knew little about it. I pictured a bunch of stodgy, middle-aged white men presenting boring speeches to sleepy colleagues. Not quite what I had in mind. "I LOVE Toastmasters," she said, and since she wasn't a stodgy, middle-aged, white man who gave boring speeches, I sat up and took notice. "It's the best ongoing speaker training I've ever had. And it's inexpensive." 

The words best and inexpensive seldom appear in the same sentence in my world, so her endorsement added extra credibility to her recommendation. 

I did a web search on Toastmasters International and discovered that there were 31 Toastmasters clubs within a 25-mile radius of Columbia. Plenty from which to choose. I selected the club that met in a location and at a time that best fit my schedule and emailed the president. The next week, I visited, and I've been attending ever since. 

While I expected good training, I never thought it would be so much fun. 

Unlike my early mental picture, Columbia Toastmasters 1393 is comprised of people of all ages, stages, ethnicities, and genders. Our members are housewives, city leaders, healthcare workers, and students. Each member has different interests, passions, and personalities that come out in their formal and informal speaking, which makes every meeting an adventure. 

After three years, I agree with my friend Kim, Toastmasters is the best ongoing speaker training I've ever experienced. 

But what if you're not interested in being a women's ministry speaker? You still need Toastmasters.

Why? Because of 1 Peter 3:15. God commands all believers, "Be ready always to give a reason for the hope that lies within you. . ." 

Whether you ever set foot on a stage, you are a public speaker. Every day you interact with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, customers, and strangers. And every day you communicate with them. 

Whether you communicate well or you communicate poorly determines, in large part, the success of your relationships. And of your witness. And who doesn't want to have better relationships and a better witness?


Toastmasters International is about more than just learning to present a formal speech in front of a group. It's about maximizing every opportunity we have to share the message that's most important to us. 

For many of us, that's Jesus--what he's done for us, and what he can do for others. 

I never want God's message to be hindered by my delivery. How about you? 

For more information on Toastmasters International and to find a club in your area, click here. Read about it, then visit a club. It doesn't cost a thing to check it out, and it just might change your life. And someone else's.


Earlier this year I competed in the 2016 Toastmasters International Speech Competition. I won at the club, area, and district levels. 

If you'd like to hear my winning speech, "I Am Rich," click the play button below. If you're reading by email, click here to hear "I Am Rich."







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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

"Is God There Even When a Priest Is About to Rape a Boy?"

I recently re-posted a meme from a Facebook page called Christian Today on my Hungry for God page. It said, “Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead, God is already there.” A person named Phil left a comment that broke my heart. He asked, is God there “even when a priest is about to rape a boy?” 

Now Phil could be one of those people who trolls Facebook and Twitter looking for opportunities to stir up trouble by being contrary, quarrelsome, and generally unpleasant. The best way to deal with this type of commenter, I’ve found, is to ignore them. 

Or Phil could be a real person whose heart is genuinely troubled by the fact that people in authority sometimes abuse their positions and do horrible things to others. Phil might even have been that boy who was raped by a priest. 

I’m going to assume Phil is sincerely asking the question, “Where is God when people are hurting other people?” 

Phil, I can’t give an exhaustive answer to your question. The parameters of my blog and the limits of my theological knowledge don’t allow for it. But I would like to share a few things I know to be true, both from Scripture and from my own experience. 

1. Yes, God is there when a priest is about to rape a boy. God is all knowing and everywhere. He sees. He knows. And his heart breaks. 

2. Then why doesn’t he stop it? is the next logical question. If he’s so powerful, why doesn’t he prevent tragedies like this? 

God created mankind with a free will. He gave us the ability to choose our own way. We can choose to honor him with our actions, or we can choose to dishonor him. The ability to choose between good and evil is what makes us different from animals. 

In the beginning of time, God created a beautiful world free from sin. No murder. No rape. No one in authority using his power to hurt those who trust them. He placed Adam and Eve there. Every day he walked and talked with them in the cool of the day. He provided everything they needed to be happy. 

But perfection wasn’t good enough. They wanted more. They wanted the one thing God had withheld from them—the ability to determine right and wrong for themselves. Their disobedience introduced sin into God’s perfect paradise, and every generation since then has followed in our forefathers’ sinful ways. 

3. Sadly, the freedom to choose means many will choose to sin against each other, like this priest you reference in your question, but also like me, and like you. If God chose to intervene every time we sinned against each other, we would no longer have free will. Instead, we’d be automatons, and God didn’t create automatons. He created human beings. 

4. Although God doesn’t stop every act of cruelty that man commits, he does make several promises: 

First, everyone who has rejected Christ as his/her Savior will stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account of their actions. That priest will not escape ultimate justice at the hands of God, who saw every thought, word, and action he committed. As Jonathan Edwards said, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.” 

Sin, especially sin committed against a child, makes God very angry. Listen to his Words in Luke 17:2: “It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”  

Second, God can use everything, even a horrible, cruel, devastating action such as rape, for good in our lives if we surrender it to God. For many of us, it was the very thing that could have destroyed us that God used to bring us to himself. When Jesus saw the sinfulness of the people of Jerusalem, his heart broke. He wept, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34). Jesus wants to heal us. 

Finally, God can redeem and restore those who have been harmed by the sinful actions of others. World-renowned Bible teacher Beth Moore was the victim of childhood sexual abuse. She has said, “God will often take our pain and turn it into a passion.” Beth has dedicated her life to helping women find restoration and hope a life by surrendering to Christ. She’s a powerful testimony to the fact that God can turn our misery into ministry when we place it in his hands. 

Cec Murphy, author and co-author of over 135 books, including 90 Minutes in Heaven, was also the victim of child sexual abuse. He writes about it in his book, Not Quite Healed: 40 Truths for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse and on his blog, Shattering the Silence . Cec and Beth, along with countless others, surrendered their pain to God and allowed him to redeem it. They’re living the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: 

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 

Phil, if you are that boy who was raped by a priest, I am so sorry. I understand a little of your pain. A trusted adult also molested someone I love. While that horrible action changed her life forever, it also thrust her into the arms of Jesus, where she found cleansing, healing, and hope. 

I pray this will be true for you as well. 

Placing our faith in Jesus Christ is our only hope in this sin-sick world. This is why he came—to break the power of sin like the one Phil mentions and offer us the hope of heaven. If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ, I’d love to share my story with you. CLICK HERE to hear what someone told with me about how to know for sure when I died that I’d go to heaven.





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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Worse than Kicking a Puppy

Most of us would never kick a puppy. Or strike a child. Or abuse an elderly person. Sadly, however, we possess the ability to hurt and harm in other ways, sometimes thoughtlessly, other times deliberately. 

The apostle James described it this way: “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man” (James 3:2). 


James either struggled with his tongue or lived with someone who did. 

“Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. . .” he says. 

We gossip in the name of “sharing.” 
We complain in the name of “venting.” 
We criticize in the name of “rebuking.” 
We speak sarcastically in the name of “humor.” 

We walk through our days, marriages, and lives gathering bits of ammunition until one day, usually when our intended target least expects it, we pull the trigger. Like buckshot, our destructive words puncture dozens of tiny holes that cause the lifeblood of our relationships to drain away. 

Some days we are the hunter, and other days we are the prey. 

“. . . no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (v. 8). 

Critical words steal ambition. 
Angry words build relational walls. 
Careless words wound tender spirits. 
Manipulative words plant guilt instead of grace. 
Unspoken words say more than a hundred audible ones. 

Worst of all, we speak with a divided tongue, revealing to all who will listen what’s really in our hearts (Mat. 12:34). 

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing” (v. 9-10). 

My brothers (and sisters), this should not be. 

What if, for one day, then one week, then perhaps one lifetime, we commit to ask three questions before a word leaves our mouths: 

1. Is it true? 

2. Is it kind? 

3. Is it necessary? 


What if we wielded our verbal sword with arms of love, using our words to vanquish discouragement, doubt, and defeat? What if we raised the standard of grace and the guns of mercy in the name of kindness, kinship, and Christ? What if we jumped into the fray of social chaos and spoke the truth in love while sacrificially serving those whom we most want to reach? 

What if we used our words to heal instead of hurt? 

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (Jas. 3:17-18). 

Will you join me in using our words for God’s glory instead of his shame?



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

A Surpring Reason Why You Can't Skip Your Quiet TIme

I might not have noticed the repeated words if I had been reading my Bible instead of listening to it. 


Sometimes when I’m short on time, I multitask by walking and listening to the Bible. I’m committed to reading the Bible through in a year, which takes approximately 15 minutes a day. I read a portion of the Old Testament, a portion of the New, and snippets from Psalms and Proverbs. 

When my schedule is tight, I struggle with the desire to read the Bible and the desire to take a walk. I solved the dilemma the day I discovered the audio option on Bible Gateway. It’s a free app for phone or iPad. I open the app, select the section of Scripture I want to listen to, and voila’! Max McLean’s rich voice fills my ears with God’s Word. 

Recently, I stuffed my headphones into my ears, dialed up the eighth chapter of Joshua on my iPhone, and took a walk. “Now the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed;’” McLean read in his rich baritone. 

Here’s the context: Joshua was preparing to lead the children of Israel into battle against Ai for the second time. The first time, you may remember, the Israelites suffered a profound defeat. One of their soldiers, Achan, had sinned by taking forbidden items from the spoils, and God had removed his hand of blessing from the army. It’s not surprising, then, that Joshua needed some extra encouragement before he headed back into the fray. 

“Do not be afraid or be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land,” the Lord said. 

“Do not be afraid or dismayed.” These words rang in my ears.

Half a mile and two chapters later, McLean read Joshua 10:25. This time, Joshua was speaking to the children of Israel as they prepared to conquer the remainder of the Promised Land.

“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed;” 

When I heard the same words, repeated with passion and conviction, my ears perked up. When God repeats himself, it’s important. 

God told Joshua not to be afraid or dismayed, then Joshua told the Israelites not to be afraid or dismayed. Joshua received encouragement from the Lord, then he shared it with the people around him. 


I realized I can do the same thing Joshua did. And so can you. 

When we read God’s Word, God speaks to us. His Word encourages us, challenges us, inspires us, and gives us hope and direction. When we share what we read with others, we encourage them, challenge them, inspire them, and give them hope and direction. 

God pours his Word into us, and then it flows through us to others. 

Jesus promised, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38). 

When we understand this, it gives extra meaning to our times of Bible reading. And extra motivation not to skip it. It’s bad if I miss a word from the Lord. It’s really bad if I miss a word from the Lord that I’m supposed to share with someone else. 

Every day I need wisdom, hope, and direction. And every day I encounter others who need wisdom, hope, and direction. God provides this through his Word, and then he gives us the privilege of sharing it with others. 

I encourage you, the next time you read God’s Word, pay attention. God has something for you, and, perhaps, something for you to share. Don’t miss it.



Stepping Out! How Our Footwear Impacts Our Faith

If you're in the Lexington, South Carolina area, I'd love for you to join me at Riverbend Community Church, 1015 Corley Mill Road, on Saturday, April 16 from 10-12:30 for their Annual Spring Brunch. Cost is $5 and includes food, fun, and fellowship. 

Slip on your favorite shoes, grab a friend, and come on!

Reserve your spot by calling the church office at (803)356-8596.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

Is It Time to Move?

“Should I love it?” I asked my realtor during one of the many conversations we had while driving around looking for our new home. 

“Well . . . there is no perfect house,” she said, trying to manage my expectations. Thirty walk-throughs later, I agreed. Not only was there no perfect house, there were also dozens of IMperfect houses. 

One had chartreuse bathroom tile. 
Another had pet pee pads strategically placed in all the rooms. 
Yet another had wall sconces and a chandelier in the master bedroom. 
Several had water damage from the 1,000-year flood that devastated our area six months ago. 
Many had drafty windows, old kitchens, and boxy rooms. 

I began to grow discouraged. And weary. 


Our old home For 29 years, my husband and I lived at 1806 Edgemore Road. We loved our little house—the home where we raised two children, two dogs, and a lovebird. We loved our location (close to David’s aging mother), our neighbors (fellow homeschoolers and walking buddies), and our house payment (low enough to pay off before the girls went to college). 

Little by little we made improvements. We installed replacement windows, an updated kitchen, and a new HVAC unit. We redid the bathrooms, stripped old wallpaper from the hallway, and painted the walls the color of a soft grey kitten. 

Then David’s mom passed away. Some of our closest neighbors did too. Their homes became rental houses with loud and difficult tenants. A family two blocks away returned home to interrupt a robbery. Gang members shot through the front window four houses down. 

We knew it was time to move, but we hated to leave our home. 

Sharpie marker lines in the laundry room doorway recorded our daughters’ growth spurts. Yellow lantana grew atop our first-born dog’s backyard grave. My father’s carpentry enhanced our den, kitchen, and backyard shed. My grandmother’s peony plant sprouted annually in the front flowerbed. 

The walls stood as silent witnesses to birthday parties, Bible studies, and backyard barbecues. They held memories of profound sadness and exuberant joy. They filtered decades of prayers for safety, provision, and protection, and stood as silent sentinels guarding our little family for almost three decades. 

But, like God uprooted Abraham, the Lord also told us to go. "Leave your county, your neighbors, and your father's carpentry, and go to the land I will show you” (Lori Hatcher version of Genesis 12:1). 

This is the conversation I had with the Lord one morning: 

Good morning, Lord, Thank you for providing for me and my family. You are wise, and good, and generous. Because you’ve led us to move, I believe you’ll also lead us to the home you want us to have. I trust you. 

But I also know that you tell us in James 4:3, “You don’t have because you don’t ask. So I’d like to share a few features I’d really like our home to have. 

Here goes: 

1. A neighborhood where I can walk safely 
2. . . . close to our daughter, son-in-law, and grandbabies 
3. A pretty kitchen (I spend a lot of time there.) 
4. Lots of windows (Remember, I’m solar powered.) 
5. Enough space to extend hospitality 

And Lord, my husband doesn’t ask for much, but he’d really like a smaller yard to mow. 


Our new homeI wish I could share all the details of how God answered my prayer. Suffice it to say that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . .” (Eph. 3:20). 

He led us to a sweet little house in a safe neighborhood only 12 minutes away from the grandbabies. The kitchen is lovely, there are so many windows I’m having trouble placing furniture, and the floor plan is perfect for inviting people in. And the yard is half the size of our old one (That’s for you, hubby.). 

This experience has taught me seven principles for navigating change: 

1. Don’t be afraid. 
2. Trust God to lead, guide, and provide for every step he leads you to take. 
3. Share your hopes and dreams with him. 
 4. Ask humbly. 
5. Be prepared to accept yes, no, or have you considered this? 
6. Seek first the kingdom of God 
7. Trust that everything else will fall into place (Mat. 6:33). 

 What about you? Do you sense God may be calling you to somewhere different? Remember that God’s call to Go takes many forms. He might want you to move to the next town, like we did, or maybe he wants you to change jobs. Or minister outside your comfort zone. Or take the first step toward repairing a broken relationship. Or go beyond your “only what we can afford” approach to financial giving. Don't be afraid to say yes when God says, "Go."

One final observation—we discovered that our real estate agent was right—there are no perfect houses. There are, however, plenty of “good and perfect gifts” from the Lord to bring us joy.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

It's Been an Exciting Week

It's been an exciting week.

On Sunday we began moving into our new (for us) home. Some of my friends are veteran movers, but my husband and I tend to stay put. We lived in our old home for 29 years.

Through a God-orchestrated set of circumstances, however, God moved us to Lexington, a suburb of Columbia, South Carolina.  Over the next few posts, I'll share some of the ways he showed himself faithful to us during this time of transition. 

For today, though, I thought I'd simply share a few pictures. The first one, of my office, explains why  you'll have to wait until Monday for a full blog post. In the meantime, I beg your understanding and ask for your prayers. Box by box, we're settling in.





















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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

11 Surprising Symptoms of Sin Sickness

“Being convicted by the Holy Spirit is like being nibbled to death by a duck.” 

I’m not sure who penned this powerful quote, but it’s one example of how the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to deliver us from sin. Conviction of sin isn’t a popular topic for a blog post, but this spiritual phenomenon is oddly comforting. Feeling uncomfortable when we sin is evidence that the Holy Spirit lives inside us—and that’s grounds for celebration. 

Before I was a Christian, I could sin and it didn’t bother me. I’d feel an occasional pang of regret, usually when I got caught, but for the most part, I enjoyed my sin. After all, if sin wasn’t fun, why would anyone do it? 

Sometimes I’d feel guilty. Other times I’d wish I hadn’t done it, usually when I experienced the negative consequences of my wrong choices. My conscience might sound a weak alarm when I stepped precariously close to a danger zone, but I could usually rationalize it away. 

When I surrendered my life to Christ, however, I gained a powerful ally—the Holy Spirit. In ways I can’t explain, this third person of the Godhead went to work in my life. Like Molly Maids the day before my in-laws came to visit, the Holy Spirit went to work cleaning my spiritual house. 

The first thing the Holy Spirit pointed out was the music I listened to. Those words glorify extra-marital sex, drugs, and drinking. Do you really want to fill your ears with that? Then He pointed out my skimpy bathing suit. And some of the books on my bedside table. And the TV show I loved to watch every Friday night. 

That first sweep through my spiritual house as a new believer was a deep clean. He got rid of a lot of the big uglies. In the years since, he’s continued to point out areas of my life that are contrary to his best for me. 

Anger? Doesn’t accomplish God’s purposes. Fear? Cannot coexist with faith. Apathy? Lukewarm is nauseating. Selfishness? Consider others as better than yourself. 

What I find especially interesting is how, when I dig in my heels in rebellion and am unwilling to change, I only hurt myself. The very things I cling to are the same things that make my life miserable. 

King David experienced this as well, and describes how awful we feel when we are disobedient to the Lord. He lists 11 symptoms of sin sickness in Psalm 38:

1. The sharp conviction of sin. “Your arrows pierce me deeply” (v. 1). 

2. A feeling of profound heaviness. “Your hand presses me down” (v. 1). 

3. Physical weakness. “There is no soundness in my flesh”(v. 3, 7). “I am feeble and severely broken” (v. 8). 

4. Sickness. “. . . nor health in my bones” (v. 3). 

5. The feeling of carrying a heavy load. “My iniquities . . . like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me” (v. 4) 

6. Physical and spiritual injuries, possibly the consequences of sinful choices. “My wounds are foul and festering” (v. 5). 

7. A disturbed spirit. “I am troubled” (v. 6). 

8. A defeated heart. “I am bowed down greatly” (v. 6). 

9. Deep sorrow. “I go mourning all the day long” (v. 6). 

10. Gastric distress. “My loins are full of inflammation” (v. 7). 

11. Inner turmoil. “I groan because of the turmoil of my heart” (v. 8). 

This list is a sobering wake up call to the fact that sinful rebellion carries more consequences than just the results of our actual sin. I’ve experienced many of these symptoms when I’ve chosen to ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit when He points out an area of sin in my life. 

When I stubbornly hang on to my pet vice, I'm miserable. I have difficulty praying, because I know my sin stands between me and God. I avoid reading my Bible, because God’s Word continues to call me to repentance. I feel anxious, fearful, and guilty. I’m less likely to talk about spiritual things with others, because I know it would be hypocritical. And my sleep is disturbed. 

Why, oh why, do we resist the Holy Spirit when all he’s trying to do is make us more like Christ? The more Christ-like we become, the more we’ll experience joy, peace, patience, satisfaction, and spiritual fruit. It’s a win/win scenario. He cleans the junk out of our lives and replaces it with treasures. 

If you’re experiencing some of the symptoms I’ve listed above, maybe it’s time to examine yourself to see if there’s sin in your life. If there is, confess it quickly and accept God’s generous offer of forgiveness and restoration. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

Then, once you’ve confessed and forsaken your sin, allow the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead to transform your life (Rom. 8:11-13). 

Relief is only a prayer away.



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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher

"Pray that All Republicans Will Vanish from the Earth"

Pray that all Republicans will vanish from the face of the earth. 

Yup, that’s what the prayer request slip said. Someone slipped it into the prayer box hanging near our church door. Written in bold black marker, it was the first request we’d received since we began our neighborhood prayer initiative. 

Our church believes one of the greatest gifts we can give people is to pray for them. During the six weeks leading up to Easter we’d been blanketing the neighborhood in prayer. Every Saturday morning we’d walk a different street and stop at each house to pray silently for its occupants. Then we’d leave a doorknocker saying, “We prayed for your household today.” 


On our Facebook page one man left a comment that said, “Pray that narrow-minded bigots will accept gay marriage.” Another, in response to the doorknocker left at his house, said, “Great, just what I need, another piece of trash to clog up the landfill.” (I wonder if this man also leaves negative comments on Domino’s page in response to the discount pizza coupons they often leave in paper boxes.) 

Comments like these sometimes catch us by surprise. Our intent is to bless people, so when they react negatively, or with hostility or rudeness, we’re taken aback. We know how precious the gift of prayer is and find it hard to imagine why someone would reject such an offer. 

God’s Word has an explanation: 

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). 

Praying to a God you cannot see? Foolishness! 

Asking him to do something on someone else’s behalf? Foolishness! 

Spending beautiful spring mornings tromping around a neighborhood praying for people you don’t even know? Foolishness! 

Responding with gentleness and respect to those who mock you? Foolishness! 

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:27). 

And so we keep on praying. 

We pray for the one who wrote, “Thank you so much for doing this. Please pray for my sister, who’s going through chemotherapy.” 

We pray for the one who wrote, “Please pray for my mom. She’s having medical tests this week.” 

We pray for the one who wants Republicans to vanish from the earth. 

And for the one who thinks an offer of prayer is something you throw away. 

We ask God to open their hearts to believe, and we believe he will do it. 


 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16). 

Are you praying for someone who’s rejecting you? Don’t stop. God promises—you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up (Gal. 6:9).


“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.” ~J. Sidlow Baxter






Stepping Out! How Our Footwear Impacts Our Faith

If you're in the Lexington, South Carolina area, I'd love for you to join me at Riverbend Community Church, 1015 Corley Mill Road, on Saturday, April 16 from 10-12:30 for their Annual Spring Luncheon. Cost is $5 and includes food, fun, and fellowship. 

Slip on your favorite shoes, grab a friend, and come on!

Reserve your spot by calling the church office at (803)356-8596.


If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
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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 2012 by Lori Hatcher

What Makes You Afraid? How to Conquer Fear

I could make a very long list if I jumped on that train. I started to list what frightens me most, but it was too scary. Seriously. My goal today is to help you conquer fear, not give in to it. 

So let’s acknowledge, in a general sense, that there are aspects of this world that frighten the daylights out of us. Fear is a natural response. We become afraid when someone or something we care about is threatened. 

You need to know two things about fear: 

1. Fear, unbridled, can make us powerless. 

2. Fear, channeled, can make us powerful. God gave fear to protect us. 

Healthy fear is good and necessary. We fear death, so we don’t jump off mountains, drive recklessly, or pick fights with gang members. We fear disease, so we exercise regularly, take vitamins, and use sunscreen. We fear financial ruin, so we save regularly, work diligently, and invest wisely. 

Unbridled fear, however, can become a vicious captor. It locks us in a prison of our own vulnerabilities and throws away the key. It steals the sunshine from our days and the sleep from our nights. Fear knows we are most vulnerable when the house is quiet and the world is dark, so it waits beside our bed to whisper custom-designed what ifs into our trembling ears. 

But while God has given us the ability to feel fear, he hasn’t given us a spirit of fear. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father, and unbridled fear is not a good and perfect gift. Unrestrained, it renders us powerless, but channeled, it can make us powerful. 

How? 

It depends on what we do with it. Like the warning bells at a railroad crossing, fear can alert us to danger so we can take appropriate action to protect ourselves and those we love. It can also point out areas of vulnerability or concern so we can claim God’s promises and pray diligently. 

Here’s an example: 

One day Fear points out the statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. This scary fact causes me to think about six of my closest friends and their husbands. Fifty percent? That means three of my friends’ marriages could break up. Then Fear flashes another statistic in front of my eyes—that the second highest rate of divorce occurs during the empty nest years. Yikes! That’s where we all are. Now I’m really afraid. I’m convinced that three of the six couples I care about are doomed. Which ones will it be? 

Because Fear loves a crowd, it motivates me to share my findings with my friends. They start thinking about their husbands’ cute secretaries, the long hours they spend on their computers, or the way they’ve been quiet and preoccupied lately. By the time Fear has clocked out for the day, it’s disturbed and distressed four women. Since its quota was only one, its bonus check will be rolling in soon. 

But we don’t have to jump on the fear train. There is a better way. 

“Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Fear and love cannot coexist. Because God is love, and, if we’re believers, God lives within us, his love can neutralize the fearful darts of the enemy. 

Here’s an example: 

One day Fear points out the statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. That scary fact causes me to think about my six closest friends and their husbands. Fifty percent? That means three of my friends’ marriages could break up. Then Fear waves another statistic under my nose—the second highest rate of divorce occurs during the empty nest years. Yikes! That’s where we all are. Now I’m really afraid. 

But God’s Spirit, whose voice is more powerful than the spirit of fear, takes control. He reminds me of the couples’ Bible study I read about online. What if you invite your friends to meet once a week for a marriage Bible study? He whispers in my ear. I share the idea with my husband, who suggests that we invite another couple to co-lead the study with us. We pray about it, then propose the idea to our friends. They enthusiastically embrace it, and we begin our study. 

Four years later, we’re still meeting together to study, support, and pray for our marriages—and all six couples are still married. 

The next time Fear whispers (or shouts) in your ear, I suggest you take these steps: 

1. Hold up your fear to the truth of Scripture (2 Cor. 10:5). Ask, is this fear legitimate? 

2. If yes, pray about it. Place the burden on God’s broad shoulders, and leave it there. 

3. Search the Scriptures. Is there a promise you can claim, a principle you can apply, or an example you can learn from? I guaranteed there is. God’s Word is applicable to all situations. 

4. Ask God to show you if there’s any action you should take. If yes, do it. 

5. Believe that God can and will work in your situation. 

6. Every time Fear whispers in your ear, silence his voice with the Word of God and prayer.

Repeat steps 1-6 as often as needed until you banish Fear and win the victory. 

Now it’s your turn. What are you afraid of? Don’t let Fear make you powerless. Instead, let it make you powerful. 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Eph. 6:10).



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Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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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 2012 by Lori Hatcher