by Amy Pasinski

Hey beautiful ladies. It's a new year. I'm sure we all have different feelings when this time rolls around each January 1st. I am not one to make New Year's Resolutions. I AM one to open a new journal and seek God to hear His heart for my life, for the new year. What areas do I need to grow in? Where can I do better? What things do I need to give up, that are not effective uses of my time? How can I be a better version of who God wants me to be...to Him, to my husband..., to my children, to my friends, to my church, to strangers, to my enemies? Most importantly, where do I fit in? Where do you want to use me? Deep stuff, right? We all ask these questions. As I was journaling and studying, I came across this paragraph from Beth Moore. It brought me to tears, and I hope it encourages you all today. We are all in this together.

 
In this, she is talking about finding our place, our ministry, where we fit in.  Look at it as... in 2015....
 
God is looking to our sincere resolve to do some good in His great name. Stay after it, Sister. Stay willing, stay flexible, and teachable, and God will not let you miss what He put you on this planet to accomplish. If you're on the wrong road, He'll take you to the right place. He will raise you up out of a rubble of confusion, so that you're trained and equipped for works that work." Beth Moore
So, if in this new year, you are searching, it's a good thing. The last thing we ever want to be is, content. We're on a pilgrimage. Stay after it, Sister.  Beth Moore
 
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 MSG
Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time-pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.

by Diane Betker

Chestnut Ridge, Resurrection Sunday

After winter one might look around and everything appears to be dead.  Everything seems dark and gloomy.  We went walking at Chestnut Ridge on Resurrection Sunday.  Dead trees had fallen, no longer reaching for the sky.  Decaying wood from all of winters storms just seem to lay amongst the ground.  Waiting, waiting to become the nourishment, the food for new growth.  Under what appears to be dead is new life.  

A walk in the woods, what do you see?  Where is your focus?  Can you see it?  Can you feel it?  There is new life everywhere.  It's where you are looking, sometimes you need to dig beneath the dead stuff to see the new rising!  New rising amongst all the yuck.  Sometimes in life our past or the things right now that seem so dark are nourishing your future!  What I've become is because of my past.  The good and the bad has nourished it and gave me this new life, this new life that reaches for the light.  He is the light in the darkness.  The resurrection life!

 

So as I walked in the woods that day I took a picture of the bright beautiful sun to save for a rainy day. I thought, what a beautiful day it is.  Nature always makes me think of Him, the one who holds the Sun in place.  The one who made the universe, and yet here I am, here we are, living our lives.  If He created all things and all things are beautiful, we are beautiful.  This picture lets us know we are never alone on our simple walks in the woods.  In the gloom, amongst the dead things, life is all around waiting to show itself!

What I saw this morning....

By Erin Paolercio

As I woke up, the first thought I had was, "More sleep please!!" The morning began, and I thought about what tasks were beckoning me: start the coffee, get the boys clothes ready, make their lunches, gets backpacks organized, etc, etc. Followed by other plans throughout the day, and upcoming week. Suddenly this phrase filled my heart, "You are forge a Spirit led path through the cycles of life." My heart quickened as I remembered the incredible moments of His presence I have been experiencing, especially over the past weeks and this weekend. I remembered the psalm Aimee declared over our church, and how what we have been praying for, crying out for....is in view. And I was able to then pause, and take in His truth and some thoughts I pray will bless your heart today.

Life & creation moves in cycles. The world turns, change, life grows & matures, we age, etc. Sometimes we especially feel this cycle within our own schedules as the hours flow into the next, the routines of daily life swing back around come morning. How about laundry?!? We know how that cycles...clothes get cleaned & folded and the next day they are smothered in chocolate pudding (if you have young kids lol). Women in general also have our lovely monthly cycle which,putting it nicely, is a challenge at times. ;). I could go on & on about cycles.... And yet, our amazing and beautiful God, who set life into motion, is not subject to the cycles of life. He does not bow down to the framework of time and routines. He rules over them, and sometimes invades them. I can't help but think of the scripture in Romans (8:20-21) that says,"The creation was subjected to frustration, not by it's own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.". By His truth I understand that though I am dealing with some of the frustrations that are a part of life, my God wants me to experience His "glorious freedom" within my heart. A glorious freedom declares, "I will forge a Spirit led path through the cycles of life."

In this path I see worship, praise, knowledge of Him, prioritized time in His presence, prayer, fellowship, edifying & encouraging those in my sphere and beyond....it goes on. Yes, the cycles of life may circle around us, but yet we are forging a path. I see this in the Wife of Noble Character, portrayed so beautifully in Proverbs 31. This whole description closes by acknowledging how. "A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.". How does a woman walk victoriously through the cycles, tasks, responsibilities...cycles of life? By fearing the Lord, honoring Him first, prioritizing His presence.....being able to joyfully "laugh at the days to come," as her children feel the overflow of that kind of joy (can I get an amen)?!?

In Psalm 34 David declares how he will "extol the Lord at ALL times," and how "His praise will ALWAYS be on my lips." Further he says in verse 5, "those who look to Him are radiant...". This past Friday night during our special night of worship, I kept hearing these words...."radiating glory.". I believe with all my heart that our church, the of Christ will experience His beautiful radiating glory in the days ahead.

Lord God, may I, we all, forge a Spirit-led path in the midst of all of life's cycles...lead us on by Your truth and presence. May our hearts be prepared and ready for all You desire to unfold to us personally and corporately. Thank You Lord for the awesome reminders You bring to our hearts everyday, and may our lives radiate Your beauty and glory!