As we are talking about “Thriving in 2025,” and how we do that, the question God has placed on my heart all week is….

“Do you thrive alone or together?”

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Ephesians 4:16

This verse undeniably demonstrates that together we grow and build each other up as each one of us is INTERDEPENDENT on each other. 

The I in THRIVE is INTERDEPENDENT!

We need to be together, not alone, in order to grow, build each other up and THRIVE!

Interdependence in the body of Christ is vital for Christian growth and THRIVING because it reflects the biblical principle that all believers are connected as part of a greater whole!

We contribute to the each other’s spiritual development as we use our gifts and are built up and encouraged by the gifts of others!

Just as a human body relies on all its parts to function properly, God’s children, you and I, THRIVE when believers support, encourage, and BUILD ONE ANOTHER UP! 

This mutual dependence fosters an environment where individuals can grow in grace, knowledge, and holiness. The diverse gifts and roles within the body allow for a more complete expression of Christ’s love and purpose! In being together we help each other to mature in our relationship with God and His call on our life!

I believe that INTERDEPENDENCE  helps us experience both personal growth and collective growth and leads us to THRIVE and flourish as we become all God created us to be!

TRUTH BOMB

ISOLATION KILLS BUT INTERDEPENDENCE BUILDS!

INTERDEPENDENCE not only builds us up and creates unity among believers, but it also helps us develop an intimate and right relationship with God!

So let’s continue to thrive in 2025 as we work on becoming interdependent with God first, and others next!

Speak Truth Love

If you don’t push through the Mondays, you never get to Tuesday. And if you keep going, Tuesday leads to Wednesday, and Wednesday leads to Thursday, and Friday, and finally, the weekend!  However, if you don’t push through, the weekend never comes!

 A Monday may not be your favorite day of your week, but it is necessary to accomplish your purpose. We can’t give up. To reap the rewards of a weekend, we must keep stepping forward and doing good through the week.

  I have had a front row seat to watch my husband do just this, for the past 5+ years. He set a goal to get his doctorate, and never looked back. He never stopped researching, and writing, and revising, and submitting, and revising some more! The waiting process for doctoral committee members to read his work, call for revisions, called for great patience and endurance. He never gave up and he never stopped working. But the frustration of working and the tedious cycle of revisions brought many “Mondays” into his life. 

  The verse that rings true for the incredible amount of work that he did, and set an example for me is: “Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will REAP a harvest, if you do not give up.”  

Galatians 6:9.

Last Wednesday, he reached the pinnacle of his hard work, diligence, and doing good in never giving up. He defended his dissertation, and he passed! He will receive his doctorate! He will reap the benefit of his hard work, perseverance, and long suffering.

I am one incredibly proud wife! But I am also one incredibly impacted child of God. I am thankful to him for the example he has set for me to live out this verse in my life, to never give up, to continue striving and doing good, so that I will reap a harvest of the benefits when I do!

The steps that we have to take in order to thrive are not easy. But I believe that God wants us to thrive, and He will enable us to do so when we do not grow weary in doing good: the good that He has for us!  So, if your week was easy, or if your week was hard, don’t give up! If your week felt like a week full of Mondays, don’t give up! Keep on doing good! God will help you thrive in 2025, if you do not give up! 

TRUTH BOMB

You will reap a harvest, if you do not give up!

Speak Truth Love

I love a good rhyme as much as the next guy, but simply finding a word to rhyme with 2025 was not the point that I believe God was trying to get across to me. God was taking the last 4+ years that have truly been an uphill battle in my personal life as He has been teaching me to walk with Him faithfully and said fastly, no matter what my circumstances are! He has been more than faithful and He continues to be! Yet, for the most part, my situation has not changed. 

So His call to thrive in 2025, left me with great anticipation! I had hoped that possibly it would be the end of this driving and straining through difficult situation.

I sprang into my first blog with great enthusiasm!

“Let’s thrive in 2025!” In order to do that, we must have thankful hearts! Hearts that give thanks to God in all things, for all things, and through all things!

Then I got hit extra hard! What I thought would be an end to the difficult circumstances, only proved to heat up!

As I prayed and reached my hands up toward God in worship, and then fall to my knees in prayer, I was soberly reminded through His quiet, still voice that I needed to learn how to thrive in order to thrive in 2025! And for that matter, in any year at any time!

As you may have noticed, there was a pause in my blog posts. Partially because my editor, a.k.a., my daughter, was on a mission trip far on the other side of the world! But in truth, it was also partially due to my feeling of pause in my spirit. Awaiting and seeking and asking, and trusting in what was it that God was truly trying to show me! 

I take God at His word, and I knew that He had told me to thrive in 2025, but that I had omitted a very important word, “HOW?”

I needed to pause and I needed to pray and I needed to ask Him to show me. How can I carry on my challenge? I’ve created an acronym with the word thrive and following through on it every day of this year of 2025.

I was confident after several weeks that I was to carry on the acronym, and that the next letter would be incredibly important! That letter is H. I am to HOPE in all things, at all times, through all circumstances in my God!

“Why so downcast oh my soul? Put your Hope in God.” Psalm 42:5

In a time when God‘s child was discouraged, disappointed, maybe even depressed…He learned to speak these words of Hope to himself, and to turn his eyes toward God, and not toward his circumstances!

God promises to be the lifter of our heads!

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God, my savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5

When we truly hope in God, our Savior it is not about marinating in the negative difficulties that we are facing now. It is all about looking forward and knowing that God has better days ahead!

Many of you are familiar with this verse and too much of the time we take it out of context! We think that because God has a wonderful future for us that that means everything is going to be great, and we are never going to encounter any problems! That is not at all what God says! He says that when we trust in Him and we look to Him as our Hope he has better days ahead!

“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah. 29:11

TRUTH BOMB

YOU CAN ALWAYS COPE WHEN YOU HOPE IN THE LORD!

I am still committed to learning how to thrive in 2025! I apologize for the pause, but I pray that you’re still in it with me! Can’t wait to meet you back here as we practice, thanking God and being hopeful in God and looking to the next letter!

Speak Truth Love

Week One on Thriving in 2025

I love when God gives me a word! My favorite part is how it brings clarity and direction! As I focus on thriving in 2025 and practicing the spiritual disciplines in order to THRIVE, I prayed about a way to make it practical and applicable. After all, if it’s not something that is going to apply to my life personally, it is not going to make an impact and cause me to THRIVE!

I decided that an acrostic for each letter, put to scripture, would cause me to focus on that particular discipline and practice it for one whole week at a time. And if I practice it and repeat it over and over for seven days, it will make an impact!

So, here it is…

Week One: T is for Trust!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Some versions use the word “direct” and some use the phrase “make straight.”

I like the translation that uses direct! I’m a word gal and I love the Word picture that is painted with DIRECT! I can see Jesus with His arm gently around me coaxing me back onto the right path. I can feel His nudge as I lean to the left or to the right, as frustration hurt and discouragement set in, and He carefully nudges me back onto the right path. I have also had times when I have felt a direct push as I have strayed too far from the path. But at every point, at every curve, at every wrong direction taken or at every moment I have strayed He has lovingly directed me back to the right path!

TRUST comes in allowing Him to do that! TRUSTING that His understanding is right and correct and good for me even when I do not understand it. More than anything, TRUSTING is blindly stepping where He has nudged me to walk because I know that His way is right!

TRUTH BOMB

TRUSTING GOD IS UNDERSTANDING HIS PATH IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT PATH!

I hope you’ll join me this week as we trust God and His understanding as we strive to thrive in 2025!

Speak Truth Love

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE!

Tomorrow is a new year! It is a new opportunity to allow God to truly make us new!

“Look, I am making all things new!” Revelation 21:5

So, how do we THRIVE in 2025?

It’s not because of who is president or how far the interest rates drop. It’s not because of how much weight you lose or what kind of physical shape you are in. It’s not because of what new challenge you take on or new hobby you explore. It’s not how much you are on social media or how much you are off of social media.

We THRIVE when we pursue the spiritual disciplines that God has prescribed for us in HIS love letter!

It may sound too simple, but the Truth is it cannot be purchased online, it doesn’t come in a package or in a bottle and there are no quick “life hacks” or short cuts!

It comes when we commit to the daily disciplines that lead to spiritual growth!

They do not need to be rewritten, repackaged, or made to fit any new, psychological profile! 

They do, however, require discipline and commitment, but the outcome is irrefutable!

January 1st of 2025 is only a few hours away! If you want to THRIVE in 2025, then join me in committing to these spiritual disciplines!

TRUTH BOMB

The right habits to thrive in 2025!

1) Read God’s Word EVERYDAY!

It doesn’t matter if it is one verse, one chapter or even a whole book at a time! Just open up the Word of God and read it and claim it for that day!

2) PRAY

Talk with God every single day! 

Begin by thanking Him for a new day, it is a gift. Confess your sins and receive His forgiveness. Ask God for what you need and trust Him for the answer He will give!

3) GO TO CHURCH!

We were made by God to fellowship with Him and with others. We must be with other Christians to live out the “one another’s!”

Isolation kills. We need to be in community with fellow believers!

4) BE APART OF A SMALL GROUP!

Because we need each other and community, a small group provides the opportunity for us to not only hear the Word of God, but to discuss it, ask questions about it, and to learn from each other!

5) SERVE GOD

It might be at your church or it might be in the community. Just serve in the name of Jesus!

6) GIVE GENEROUSLY 

In order to advance the kingdom of God, we give to God through His church!

Bonus=spend quiet/silent time with God, just listening for His voice!

“Be still and know that I am God.” 

Psalm 46:10

When we commit ourselves to God and His purposes, then HE will lift us up, and we will THRIVE!

Praying for all of us to THRIVE IN 2025!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Speak Truth Love

It’s Christmas Eve! 

The day we celebrate the true meaning of love! Not manufactured, love. Not earthly love. Not love that fits any human description, regulation, stereotype, or image. Instead, love that came down from perfection in heaven to become completely human and completely divine at the same time! Love that was born to a virgin. Love that could not be defined, comprehended, or even understood by any other means other than divine!

God sent His One and Only Perfect Son! He was born in a manger and His birth announcement was to the lowest of society, shepherds. The sky was filled with a brilliant light and the angels proclaimed Him Lord! God put a star in the sky that led all those truly seeking the Savior directly to Him!

Today, the Light still shines and the love still flows through all those who follow Him. It illuminates the clear path for anyone seeking Him to find Him!

He lives today in the hearts and lives of all His children. Regardless of what is happening in the world today or in your own life, His light is brighter and has the power to overcome all your circumstances and heal all your wounds.

God’s love is what Christmas is all about!

God sent His Son to heal all wounds, bind all hearts and prove that love is not a feeling, it is an action!

“For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only son so that whoever believes in Him will never die but live forever with Him.” 

John 3:16

CHRISTmas is Love!

It is God’s Love demonstrated for us!

May you hold those you love close this CHRISTmas and may you feel the love God has for you as you celebrate His birth!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE & MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Speak Truth Love

Today we are in the season the church calls Advent. One of the best definitions of Advent I know is “anticipation”. It is something we are looking forward to that has yet to happen!

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God’s Son! We anticipate celebrating him on Christmas Day. But the promise of God’s of sending him to earth as a baby has already been fulfilled. That is what we celebrate each Christmas! But we continue to anticipate his return! 

The practice of Advent today is more of a remembering of God’s faithfulness of his past promises, which encourages us in our faith as we trust him to fulfill the rest of his promises. The practice of remembering and celebrating Advent every Christmas season is one of the best ways to keep Hope shining brightly in our hearts!

Today I focus on one of my Bible heroines: Mary the mother of Jesus. Scholars surmise that Mary would have been around 14 or 15 years old, but could have been as young as 12. Regardless of her age, her faith in God emulates a much more mature age as she embraces God’s plan for her life with open arms!

Now you might readily agree with me that Mary is an incredible heroine. But you may be surprised that the reason she is my favorite heroine is not because she birthed the Son of God. Yes, of course as a mother of a son, I cherish this aspect of Mary’s life with high esteem. She was chosen to be the mother of our Savior. With that came all the joys of being a mom of a son, but also, all the heartache.

I remember watching my son play football. As the starting quarterback from his Freshman year to his senior year, he was the only quarterback. To say he had a target on his back would have been an understatement!  It would not take the smartest coach in the league to figure out that the way to beat our team would be to take out our quarterback. As his mother, this was not easy to watch. It increased my stress level every game day. However, it also increased my prayer life. There were hard hits and a few scary moments, but all in all God protected my boy.

For Mary, this reality was not true. Her son would be mocked, scorned, beaten and killed. And she would watch it all. This truly does make her a hero!

But the reason she is my favorite heroine goes back to her visit with Angel Gabriel. At her very young age, an angelic being burst into her reality and spoke God’s truth for her life to her.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1: 28

As I imagine this scene unfolding, all I could think of is how frightened I would be. Alone, young, vulnerable, inexperienced, and the list goes on. Her reaction to the messenger of God is awe-inspiring.

 “I am the Lord‘s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.“ 

Luke 1:38

Mary is my favorite heroine of the Bible because I want to have her faith and her trust. I want to have to quick, clear, and concise response to God, trusting Him wholeheartedly without reserve, regardless of my life’s season, situation, or standing!

Because of Mary’s undaunted, faithful character, Christ our Savior was born in a manger. And we can not only anticipate Christmas, we can also anticipate his glorious return!

Until then, may I strive to have undaunted faith like Mary!

Truth Bomb

Mary’s example is to have a quick “Yes” in our heart to God!

Speak Truth Love

This statement is truly an oxymoron! Yet, I believe it’s the way most of us live our lives.

We rush and hurry, we fret and worry, we scoot and scurry only to WAIT! 
We plan, and prepare, we plot and purchase, all in hopes to make everything work out just right!

The harder we push and the faster we go, the more we find ourselves less in control. The oxymoron seems to live itself out, and we find ourselves in the middle of “THE WAIT!”

Waiting in traffic, waiting in line, waiting for the delivery, waiting for others to show up when they are supposed to, waiting for healed relationships, waiting for answered prayers. 

WAITING, WAITING, WAITING, no matter how we try to avoid it, we find ourselves in “THE WAIT!”

Waiting is nothing new to God’s people! The last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, spoke of the coming and long awaited Messiah! The people were waiting with incredible anticipation! He would save them from harsh rule, he would break their oppression, he would be their savior and their king.

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord, you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says The Lord of heaven’s armies.”

Malachi 3:1

They waited and they waited and they waited. For 400 years, they waited!

God never foretold how long the wait would be. The people waited and clung to God‘s promise! Many would not see the promise fulfilled in their lifetime. But they held to the hope and waited!

As we enter this season of advent, the season of anticipation and waiting, my prayer is that we would not “hurry up and wait,” but that we would slow down and wait.

Wait and see what God will do. Wait and see what answers to prayer He will give.  Wait and see what relationships He will heal. Wait and see what Hope He will give. 

“WAIT FOR THE LORD; be strong and take heart and WAIT FOR THE LORD.” Psalm 27:14

TRUTH BOMB

ADVENT IS A SEASON TO WAIT ON GOD IN GREAT ANTICIPATION OF WHAT HE WILL DO!

Speak Truth Love

Many years ago, a pastor I was not very fond of, asked me to identify my main gift from God in one phrase. Up until then, I would say when asked about my gifts that I had the gift of encouragement(that was always the first gift I listed because it was my favorite)…teaching, speaking, discernment, and always last, prophecy, because I didn’t like it and actually would deny I had it. My husband would continuously point out that I did have it. Leadership also would be among the list, but no one likes to admit they have that either.

That day, I was challenged to take a deep and honest look at myself and my life. How did I live? What were my tendencies? Who was I when no one else was looking? How did God use most in His kingdom service? How did I feel after I exercised any one of those gifts? And most importantly of all, how did I best love and bless my family and friends? Then I prayed! Please show me God who am I in your kingdom? Who have you truly made me to be? How am I best used for your glory? How can I be the best me you have made me to be? 

His answer was clear…

“SPEAK MY TRUTH IN LOVE!”

I did not argue with God this time, oh yes, I have foolishly argued with Him before, but this time I knew. I felt the answer come together so clearly from Him. It is not easy to speak His Truth, but I am able to when He fills me with His Spirit and gives me His strength, His wisdom and His words.

But the key is….

“Speaking His Truth in Love!”

His love, not my love!

My version of love is what feels good and what seems to be right according to my standard. God‘s version is loving, even when it hurts, costs you deeply, and you may receive nothing in return. God‘s love is sacrificial. It is selfless and always puts the other person before yourself.

God’s Love cost Him the cross!

What must God’s love cost me?

That pastor said many other words that I did not like or agree with, but the words he spoke that day challenged me to define my gift from God in a nutshell. And that has been life-changing. For that, I can be thankful to him.

As we approach the day of giving thanks, that our country set aside every fourth Thursday of November, you may find yourself in a personally hard place to Give Thanks.

Life may seem anything but thankful right now. I believe that the powerful Love of God, which took Jesus, the holy, perfect Son of God to a cross, held Him there, buried Him, and on the third day, raised Him from the dead, can also supply you with that same love to forgive, find the good in even the hardest and worst of situations and Give Thanks to our great God on this Thanksgiving day!

TRUTH BOMB

GIVE THANKS TO GOD EVEN WHEN IT’S HARD, HE IS WORTHY!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His faithful love endures forever.”

Psalm 107:1

I am thankful for you, Friends! I am thankful for the relationship we can have, even over social media because of our great God’s love for us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Speak Truth Love

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow!”

The words of this hymn kept running through my mind over and over and over again. As I cried out through the day, as I lay awake at night, seeking His face, these familiar words rang over and over again in my heart and mind…

Run to the foot of the cross, lay at His feet.  

He sees you, He knows you, He loves you! Every day He has given you everything, His very life, so that everything that you go through in this life, no matter how big, no matter how small, no matter how just or unjust, no matter how cruel, traumatic or harsh, Jesus knows it, has endured it and He has paid the price for it!

We can run to the foot of the cross.

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, no matter what you are going through, no matter what you are enduring, find your strength and comfort at the foot of the cross!

TRUTH BOMB

Find your true healing at the foot of the cross.

Speak Truth Love