Bitterness and truth cannot coexist! el

Faith-filled Friday

James 3:14 Kings James 

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

I find when I get focused on a situation and my feelings have been hurt and my hurt turns to strife, it usually escalates in my mind. I find I began to play out a scene in my mind that’s never happened. Yet, in my mind I'm predicting it to fruition. Have you found yourself doing this? Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Faith-Filled Friday with Trench Classes United.

James 3:14 instructs us on what to do with our strife or bitterness that seems to go straight to our heart. We aren’t to cover up. We are to address it, and I believe God is instructing us to place it before Him because out of bitterness stems actions that do not bring glory to our Lord.

I've realized that by allowing this strife, bitterness, and/or jealously to take hold of my mind, it opens the door to a downward spiral, and a mall issue becomes far greater in my mind and heart than it really is. Could it be that each situation occurs, He wants to use it to help build our endurance, keep us looking to our Abba? These trails build our character in in Him.

Romans 5:3-5 New Living Translation (NLT)

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Without these trials of hurt, strife, and jealousy we would never see that there's still so much in us that needs to change. It humbles us, brings us to our knees, helpless for our Abba’s help, for we are helpless without Him.

Be encouraged through these trials, knowing that God will never give us more than we can handle. Praise God for His new grace, mercy, and forgiveness for our sins every second of the day. Take courage, beloveds; He is making warriors of us so He can use us for far greater things.

Humbled,

Ashley

Thursday’s Trench Truth

Knowledge unlocks the door to the mysteries of our mistakes; wisdom guides us away from repeating them. ^el

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When problems are minimized, not maximized, faith is exercised! el

Wednesday’s Word

Proverbs26:20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;

And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

Have you ever said you’ve forgiven someone for an offense only to find that the next time that anything that even remotely reminds you of it, resentment re-ignites the flame of un-forgiveness? Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United.

If there’s one lesson I seem to be forgetting more than I’m getting, especially lately, is that the more I talk about a problem, the bigger it gets and before you know it, I’ve overwhelmed myself! Or what about when someone offends us; do you ever notice that the more you talk about it the more resentful you are? Oh, but this truth reveals the need for some scriptural sanitization of the mind!

Look at the words in this verse. They are certainly more quiet and gentle than my resentments that can build as fast as a freight train headed to its destination!

What a beautiful way of saying let go, let God, and of gently but quite firmly reminding me that I don’t need to keep adding wood to my tough circumstances by talking about them – in the name of venting – and I definitely don’t need to participate in a disagreement by continuing to disagree! That only makes resentment rise and our spirits fall.

Let’s have some fun with the NIV version of this verse:

Without wood a fire goes out – think about it; can a fire burn without wood? Of course not! This part of this instruction is telling me to minimize what I tend to maximize, and it can be applied to relationships and circumstances!

Let’s look at the second part of the verse: without a gossip a quarrel dies down. Ah, can a person fight all by themselves? What a funny picture, right, to leave a person standing there arguing by themselves because we refuse to participate. J J  But this verse is also telling me that many disagreements happen because of un-truths, aka, gossip! If you can’t say it to the person, you shouldn’t say it about the person! OUCH!

Maybe it’s time to minimize what I maximize, and let Him make it go away!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve tied me a few knots to remind me of these truths in the journey! I pray you’ve been able to do the same!
Much love,

Kim-Evinda

Tuesday’s Trench Truth

Faith is not a denial of painful circumstances; it’s the ability to trust Him to work in and through them ^EL

Join us for more encouragement at www.facebook.com/trenchclassesunited

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Looking for a fun filled night full of laughter and GOOD times? Come and join us as we laugh the night away
Doors open at 7 PM, check in by 7:40 PM. Show Starts at 8 PM. 
Food available for Purchase.

Humility is not a lowering of oneself but a submission of oneself! el

Monday’s Mantra

1^st Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.

What’s the first thing you think or feel when you read/hear this word, humility? My guess is your first instinct may not be so positive, at least not as beautiful as humility was meant to be. Years ago, I prayed for this virtue…whew, what a season! J J  Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Monday’s Mantra with Trench Classes United.

I’ve come to learn that this fruit of the Spirit is one that tries to sneak away…often, and I do mean often!  Why is that? Because we have this house of flesh that consistently needs to be shushed!  It’s not something that you just tweak your nose, snap your fingers, or push a 30-second button and voila, we are humbled! I mean, we can be humbled that quick; but the problem is pushing the pause button so humility stays with us and in us through all circumstances. Yes, I have learned, albeit the hard way, that humility is like salt to a tasteless meal; it adds flavor; it makes everything better!

In fact, humility helps me to hang on to my Christianity and prevents me from getting on my broom and rising above others as I take a fast spin around my circumstances.

What does “humbling yourself” look like? Let me share a God-given picture of humility:

I’ll never forget an experience I had when I read 1stPeter 5:6. The crazy thing is I had read it a year prior, even wrote a blog on it as I was struggling with wondering why my first book wasn’t being picked up by an agent/publisher so I thought He was saying in due time. But months later, when I was brought back to it, He gave me another meaning that spoke much louder than the first one. What He was speaking this time literally rendered me humbled: In due time, through this season of seeking humility, He would lift me up and out of… myself! Yes, the scriptures are God-breathed and useful for teaching and correcting. The only way we can know this is by showing up each day to have our eyes and ears opened, offering up a sacrifice of time.

The Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines humility in this way: “The quality or state of not thinking you are better than others.”

I have learned firsthand that God will humble us not to hurt us but to help us. He is more concerned about our humilit

y than our happiness… and He will do what He needs to do to achieve this virtue in us. Join me Wednesday for a sort of redemption of my mistake and Him giving me a “retake”!

Humbly,

Evinda

Faith Filled Friday

Psalm 37:5 ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this

 Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Faith-Filled Friday with Trench Classes United.

Growing up I took care of my siblings. Maybe that’s why others often encouraged me to take child development classes in High School, which I thrived in. Children are God’s gift to me. I love working with them. I always dreamed of being a teacher and/or a daycare provider. God answered, my prayer two years ago, and I have been enjoying running my own in-home daycare. I was content; my prayers prayed since I was nineteen had been answered. WOW! I am so thankful and overjoyed.

So why rock the boat, right? But I find that oftentimes when you are content and thankful, God opens another door, and at first sight, it may look like walking through that door will pull us out of the place of contentment. Let me share what I mean: Just recently I was meeting with my son’s Independent study teacher, and again, for the fifth year, she told me that I needed to go back to school to become a teacher. Each year I would consider it but felt it wasn’t the right time; I didn’t feel like I could take on the extra load.

Well, friends, this time, I felt a stirring in my spirit, and I have been proactive about getting the process started. I feel confident that I can do it! What is ironic about this stirring is that at this time of my life, I am in a very busy season, yet, I feel like now is the time.

I am excited for this new season of my life; I am also terrified.

This is where I will stand in faith and trust and know that God will lead me down this narrow path. God placed the stirring in my spirit, and the abundance of confidence I have in myself to conquer this mountain.  

Of course, this new faith adventure comes with the attacks of the enemy, who is doing his best to detour me from God’s plan, using things like finances, time, knowledge, telling me I am lacking in each of these. I combat these attacks by speaking God’s truths over me. The verse that God has tucked deep in my heart is Philippians 4:8 New Living Translation (NLT) ^8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

This instruction weeds out all of the enemy’s lies.

Has God called you to take a step of faith, a new career, a new school, a move, et cetera?

Despite how scary it may look or feel, don’t ignore the stirring in your spirit, for God calls us to great and scary adventures not to harm us but to better us, challenge us, and to make us more in His image. As we embark on our new journeys, we will have to lean ever so deeply into His strength and wisdom to get through the narrow and steep climb He’s called us to.

Take courage, He has a great purpose for you and me.

Love,

Ashley

A life guided by the Spirit ignores the calls from the flesh! EL

Thursday’s Trench Truth

Oh, to be more spiritually-minded and less focused on things that have no eternal value!

Join us for more encouragement on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Trenchclassesunited

Love,

Kim-Evinda

There’s no such thing as a perfect person; but there is a person perfect for you! EL

Wednesday’s Word

It’s that time of year again: school’s out for summer, vacations are being planned and couples are endeavoring to embark upon the waves of marriage, committing to do so before friends and family. Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United.

I love weddings for lots of reasons, the first being it refreshes my own marriage commitment.  Last week I got to attend a long-awaited wedding. So many of us have prayed that God would bless this guy with someone to love and be loved by. What’s crazy is her family and friends had been praying the same prayer for years!

Their wedding was one of the sweetest, simplest ceremonies I’ve ever attended. It was a wedding I am certain I will never forget. The bride’s brother married them and it was obvious he was significantly emotionally invested in his sister’s happiness. Several times throughout the ceremony he had to stop to catch his breath…and dry the tears of joy.

He began his message with Exodus 14:14: “I will fight for you; you need only to be still.” These were the words the Lord spoke to Moses to give to His people as they wandered in the desert for 40 years, a long time to get where they wanted to be: the Promised Land.

He shared a common piece to both of their stories: they each had been heartbroken several times, had waited for a long, long time for the right person, and had wondered if God was ever going to answer their prayer for a lifelong partner. They both had nearly given up, tired of hearing their own prayers…but the Lord had fought for them and brought them to each other. It was in the struggle that they learned to be still, to trust Him.

Her brother then said: “I’d like to say that now that you’ve found each other, and you’re getting married, that you will have entered the Promised Land;” we all laughed. “But that is certainly not the case.” I absolutely loved the truths that followed and to summarize, he compared the Children of Israel’s journey into the Promised Land to marriage; that there will be times of pain, sorrow, doubt, going without…but remember, the Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.

So, Coffee Hour Friend, what has you struggling emotionally, physically and/or spiritually? Can I encourage you to take this promise to the bank, trusting that it will not bounce; it’s a guaranteed, already-paid for promise! He will fight for you; He has your very best interest at heart.

Love,

Kim-Evinda

The melody of our lives should bring harmony to others’ lives.

 Tuesday’s Trench Truth

The melody of our lives should bring harmony to others’ lives.
In other words, disagreement need not bring dissention and disconnection, but can actually be a beautiful harmony!
Join us on our Facebook page for daily doses of encouragement from the trenches at www.facebook.com/trenchclassesunited
​Love,
Kim-Evinda

Love allows for disagreements without disconnections! EL

 Monday’s Mantra

Have you ever had a disagreement with the one you love that exasperated and baffled you all at the same time? Recently I had one of those with my husband and it left me truly frustrated and perplexed, but it also taught me something! Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Monday’s Mantra with Trench Classes United.

The disagreement was definitely not what I would consider trivial but without getting into the details, we each were stuck on our interpretation and feelings about what we were disagreeing about. I was defending what was right, not who was right.

We were about a good 15 minutes into it when a light bulb went on for me and I realized we weren’t getting anywhere because we both believed what we believe, so I decided to just stop talking about it. I mean the disagreement looked something like a truck stuck in wet sand, the engine trying with all its power to get a burst of traction to move even an inch, but it just couldn’t muster up the power.

When I pulled away from the tug-of-war, a very quiet voice said these words: Love does not demand its own way.

It was the sweetest scolding I’ve ever gotten. J J J

I’d like to say that I immediately, in slow motion, went running to my husband, gushing with apologetic love…but that’s not what happened. But what did happen is these quiet words spoken in the crevices of my frustrated soul, only after I had dared to step back, took me out of the tug-of-war and affirmed my resignation with yet another whisper, an echo of a verse I had heard at a wedding: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” ^{Exodus 14:14}

Help me, oh, Lord, to love and respect him, to pull out of the tug-of-war without pulling away from him!

Love,

Kim-Evinda

The chaos in our minds can drown out the whispers of God EL

^{Faith Filled Friday}

^{If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (James 1:5) Sounds simple, huh?}

^{Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Faith-Filled Friday with Trench Classes United.}

^{What a glorious verse! He is always so faithful to give us all that we need. I find at times when I ask for wisdom that I can’t quite make out what the Lord is saying to me or if He is even talking to me. Sometimes He seems quiet. Recently during such a time as this, I sat in prayer, I felt the Lord calling me to a fast.}

^{As I began my fast, I noticed after a few days a calm and peace come over me.}  

^{Before my fast, I was trying to figure out why things weren’t happening the way I thought they should be. I own my own business and it felt like business was slow. To me it was turtle-pass slow, and I didn’t understand why.  I couldn’t understand the whys, and the enemy took full advantage of answering my whys with his lies, which I admit, I began to digest and believe them…but only momentarily.}

^{As I fasted, I let go of all my whys regarding all things in my life. I laid them before the Lord, just as we are lovingly guided to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5:  “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”}

^{You see, as I took my thoughts captive to the Lord, all the noise of my flesh and the enemy fell away. It was quiet, and I could once again hear the small still voice of the Lord. It was the chaos of my whys and the digesting of the enemy’s lies that made it impossible for me to discern the voice of God.}

^{Are you feeling like God is being silent? Are you wondering why He isn’t answering your prayer for wisdom and guidance? He may be speaking, but the chaos raging inside your head may be making it impossible for you to discern His voice, or, alternatively, God may not be ready to answer your prayer for He may have something far greater for you.}

^{Coffee Hour friend, may I encourage you with this truth: He always has wisdom, love, and encouragement to speak into our hearts and minds. It’s up to us to lay our thoughts captive at His feet, so we can discern our Heavenly Father’s words of love that He is continuously speaking over us.} 

^{Have a great weekend}

^Ashley

We are more likely to hear His whispers while being vs. doing. EL

Wednesday’s Word

Driving while not knowing where I’m going, aimlessly, until I reach a dead-end and there’s nowhere for me to go but to turn around and look for the turn I missed…

Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United.

There’s something that comes over us when we realize we’re lost, especially in the world of Siri, GPS, and any other navigation system coming from our phones and/or our cars. Some of us may experience frustration, especially if we’re in a hurry; and some of us may be more easy-going about it, and still yet, this feeling of being lost may push the panic button. But eventually, we find our way, right?

What about in life, when we feel unsure with the direction it’s headed, not confident with the last important choice we made, or a turn taken? What do we do when we find ourselves in front of a dead-end, with nowhere else to go, no turn to make, and no moving forward? The only choice we have is to do a complete turnaround…or sit and wait for instructions.

We can either sit in peace trusting while waiting that He’s working everything out for our good, ^{Romans 8:28} that His plan is not to harm us but to build us up, ^{Jer. 29:11} or we can fight it, squirming within ourselves, stressing instead of chilling in the warmth of His love, our anxiety rising louder than the quiet of His whispers, risking the possibility of missing our next instruction.

There is something to be said about a peace that transcends all understanding that guards the heart and mind ^{Phil. 4:7} in a fast-pace world; holding us steady while waiting for a way out of the dead-end, a new direction, all the while enjoying being…versus doing; after all, as Jesus says in Matthew 6:27: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his/her stature?

Waiting…

Kim-Evinda

Emotional checkups keep us from becoming wrecks and causing wrecks! EL

Monday’s Mantra

It's Monday! Here we are meeting up again already!  Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Monday’s Mantra with Trench Classes United.

Recently I went in for a yearly check up. I had been feeling extra tired and run down as of late. My doctor ordered some blood work. The results came back with healthy levels of everything except iron…turns out I was anemic. This explains the fatigue and a few other symptoms I was having. My doctor suggested I take a supplement, and within days of doing so, I felt better! What a relief to have symptoms checked, and an answer found.

Like physical exams, we need emotional checkups. When was the last time you paid attention to warning signs in your emotions? Unfortunately, it's easy to ignore symptoms until it's too late and you've said something out of anger or irritation…or done something you'll regret. At least this is my experience!

 I was in a self-defense class the other day. The instructor had us take a few minutes to do what he called taking inventory of ourselves…becoming aware of how you're feeling he said. Any tight muscles, he asked? Is there any pain anywhere?

I've had all the symptoms of emotional weariness lately: irritation, impatience, sadness, brokenness and anger. I have found myself in the strangest bubble of silence...as if words have failed me. So, for a time, I am just going to sit back and take inventory. What is it I truly feel? Maybe I need to spend more time with the Great Physician.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

Until next week, be blessed,

Jenn

His creation sings of His love for us!

 Faith-filled Fridays

Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.   Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Today is a new day. This is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is so important for me to say to myself in the mornings. I can wake up joyful and triumph or I can wake up tired and cranky, either way it’s so important to remember to say this to myself.  Thanks for joining me for a new day, Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Faith Filled Fridays with Trench Classes United.

The verse above, reminds me that God and I are hand in hand and that He will supply all my wisdom and strength for the day. He will get me through my tough days, reminding me to not be discouraged, for I have great plans for you. Be patient my child I will make a way for you, He whispers in my ear. Be joyful in all things!

As I listen to the birds sing, the beautiful butterflies flutter by, and the sun falls warmly on my face, I am filled afresh with God’s great love for me. He reminds me again, to see Him in the small things. Rejoice and praise Him for the small things, such as, the birds singing His praises and the warm sun upon my face.

I believe in our fast pace world we need to see the grand in all things. But this thing of instant gratification which is what we are accustomed to makes this a challenge, doesn’t it? When we feel that God is being slow to answer, we fall apart and don’t know what to do, or think He has forgotten us. He hasn’t forgotten any one of us!

So in the waiting, remember that He knows best for us, so It is best that we wait. I encourage you today, to think on how God showed up simply this morning for you, a small reminder for you of His great love.

Let me share with you one of Gods small things that bring me great comfort. If I am overwhelmed, stressed, worried, and I am outside talking with the Lord unloading my every burden, and I see a butterfly flutter by, right then and there I feel a pouring of His peace over me. I take a deep breath and say thank you, Lord. 

Is there something tiny like this God does for you, or have you taken the time to notice the whispers of His love for you? I encourage you to take a good look today, a minute out of the hustle and bustle and see and feel God’s love all over and around you.

Ashley