Spring Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Spring Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church began in 1876 in its current location on 3411 Spring Creek Road in Montevallo, Alabama. We base our beliefs on the Bible, God's Holy, inerrant and unchanging Word.

Motivational Monday

On November 4, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

As always, it is so good to see you here whatever day it is for you! Tomorrow is a pretty big day so I would be amiss if we didn’t talk about it. The election. So, without further ado, let’s talk about it.

This Motivational Monday is posted later tonight because I have rewritten it several times. Tomorrow, I know who I am going to vote for and I back them quite a bit. Am I 100% happy with them as a person? Or am I 100% happy with all of their policies? The answer to both of those questions is no…for me. I try to approach all things from a christian perspective. In fact, this is probably the first time I have ever prayed for the best candidate to win (and I really meant it!). There have been times I have prayed that prayer but obviously wanted MY candidate to win.

By praying for the best candidate to win, am I voting for the least bad option?

I am, personally, extremely happy that I am not running for political office because Lord knows, I am not perfect. And I have lived a little in my 44 years on this Earth. 🙂 I am a Christian and I am not perfect. Just like your candidate you will be voting for tomorrow (Romans 3:10). So to answer the question…yes. You are voting for the least bad option because you live in a fallen world! But that’s where discernment comes into play.

The Bible teaches us about leadership. Exodus is an excellent source. Exodus 18:21 reveals that one of the most important qualities of leadership is competency. We need a leader who will uphold justice with written policies that align with our christian morals and values. In fact, Exodus tells us this leader should have good character and support godly policies.

This is where I struggled. No one is perfect. Everyone sins. Yet, I need to vote for someone with good character and support godly policies. That sounds like they need to be as close to sinless as humanly possible. Friends, this is where you weigh competency and morals. Political support and moral approval are two very different things. A question that helps me weigh the candidates is will your candidate reflect biblical values in their political decisions?

Life is not black and white. In fact, I think we live in a constant state of gray. That’s why it’s hard. Because we live in gray, most cannot back a candidate 100% and we struggle. But when weighing the candidates, they are vastly different (I know we are talking about the presidential election tomorrow but in all elections, they are ALWAYS vastly different).

I would bet 99.9% of you know who are, will or would be voting for tomorrow. I personally believe it is our worldly and godly civic duty to vote. Yes, I said godly. Here are some verses to help understand the significance of voting from the Bible: Deuteronomy 1:13, Proverbs 14:34, Proverbs 21:1, Proverbs 29:2 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2. I am going to encourage you all to reflect on what is most important to you in your next worldly leader. Pray about it and read His word and then vote.

I hope to see you at the poll.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 28, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I am so glad you are all here reading this today (whatever day you are reading it). I appreciate you being here. Today was an easy topic for me. I think most of you know I get inspiration from my own life, friends, family and coworkers. Well today, it’s about me. 😂 Hard decisions. They are zero fun. Especially making hard decisions in the light of God’s will. So, let’s talk about it.

Over the last several nights, I have not slept well. I am sure you have all been there, right? You know you have to do something unpleasant and it keeps you up. These decisions can be life threatening or life changing. And sometimes, these decisions are not necessarily life changing for you but for someone else. And honestly, I don’t like being a person that changes someone’s course in their life. In fact, I think I do better mentally when I am the only one affected!

So how can we make tough decisions in the light of God’s will?

First, pray. I know we talk about praying every single week. But it IS JUST that important. But when you are awake at 3am stressed about the next day, THIS IS THE EXACT TIME to have a conversation with God. I pray until I fall back asleep. And I ask Him for peace and comfort and to allow me to sleep. You see, I believe we are put in these situations to draw us closer to God. He knows, but we don’t. He wants us to make decisions that are according to His word and will. By doing this, we glorify and magnify Him in our own lives.

Second, get your heart right. This one can be a tough one for me. When making a tough decision, many people want it their way and not God’s way. To be fair, I don’t think people go into decision making as “against God”. I think we are all somewhat selfish. Even when we do look to Him for help, sometimes we look for “signs: or “feelings”. But we have to be careful not to bend those feelings towards our preference. The best thing is ALWAYS God’s will.

Speaking of feelings, those can be deceptive. The longer we walk with God the better we are discerning His voice (the ladies bible study on Wednesday nights are studying about this exact thing!). The easiest thing is not to base a decision on your feelings. In fact, try to see past it. One thing I can say for certain. If your feeling is against the Word of God, I assure you that is NOT God’s will.

Lastly, ask others to pray for you. Again, this can be a tough one for me. I don’t want to be a bother or draw negative attention to me. And this is my thought process when I ask for prayers…which is so silly! Why? When others ask me to pray for them, I don’t think twice about it! I don’t think they are bother at all! You see, being a part of the body Christ means we have an army of prayer partners. Your brothers and sisters don’t need to sit idle when you need them. They love you and want what is best for you! And what is best, is God’s will.

I am at a point in my life that I do thank God for His wisdom. And, I know I receive His wisdom in times like this. Life is full of decisions daily. Some good. Some are not so good. I pray everyday that God will show me the right way when I have to make decisions on the spot.

Hopefully this week, you don’t have to make a tough decision! But if you do, I challenge you to sit back, read His word, pray and listen. But making sure when you listen that you discern HIS voice and not your own. I know I am telling you all these things but the reality is…I needed reminding. And I thank you for being here to remind me.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 21, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! So good to see you here! I just want to say I really appreciate you reading what I have written. It really means alot to me. I HOPE I am true and accurate and I never lead someone astray. If I do…please call me out. 🙂 Seriously. But, I do appreciate you.

The other day, I was talking to someone about church, christianity, etc. After talking to them, they informed me that they used to be a youth pastor. In the same breath without skipping a beat, he said not only did he stop being a youth pastor but he stopped going to church. I told him I hated to hear that and I asked him why. He stated he was tired of dealing with judgmental hypocrites. Well, you know what we have to do…let’s talk about it.

I grew up in a christian home and we went to church frequently but, at times, inconsistently. When we settled into a church home, I’m not going to lie, I did not like it. At the time, I was a kid and honestly had no say so in the decision of where to worship. You see, the church my parent’s settled on had a private school. I went to public school. I didn’t “fit in” because they all knew each other from school. And, honestly, they could be mean about what school I went to, what I was wearing, who I was wearing, what socioeconomic class we belonged to, why I didn’t know basic things about the Bible, etc.

Here is an example of my thought process. Hold up, hold up, hold up. This is CHURCH??! These kids are so mean! We are in the house of the Lord! What in the world??! That’s it! I hate church because EVERYONE HERE IS A HYPOCRITE!

Have you been there? Clearly, I have and by my conversation with a friend, they are there currently. In fact, this is the number one excuse I hear people say when you talk about christians and churches. I’m not going to lie, I felt this way for years. I didn’t go to church consistently until 12 years ago. So what changed? Did I find a perfect church with perfect people? Nope. Am I now suddenly perfect? Absolutely NOT! But did I change? Yep. I’ll explain.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus’s point here does not mean we can’t judge, we just can’t be hypocritical about it. At the time when Jesus said this, there were religious leaders in the community who were GREAT at judging and not so great for holding themselves to the same standard they spoke of. They were judgmental.

But understand, there is a difference between being judgemental and judging. As Christians, we want our brothers and sisters in Christ to be the best they can be. We want those who don’t know Christ, to be their best and accept Him as their Lord and savior. So, it IS ok to hold people accountable for their actions and yes…we have to judge them in order to correct them. But this judgment comes from love and not pride or hate.

Judgmental attitudes stem from pride. Seeing someone struggle or make mistakes can make you think, “Whew! At least I’m better off than them!” Not cool. It’s that attitude that just ranked their sin. Where did your sin rank when you thought that??! Why do we feel the need to rank sins? Does it make us feel better in our own sinful behavior?

So what changed in me? I had to understand that we are all not perfect. We all sin because we live in a fallen world. You might sin differently than me but I still sin. And just because we sin differently doesn’t make me or you better than one another.

So this week, I want to work on 4 things if you see yourself as a the judger or the judgee (I know that’s not a word but it works! 🙂) First, look inward at your own sins. Recognize where you fall short. Second, reflect on the reasons why they believe what they believe. Is it something you identify with? Third, realize no one has all the answers except God. So if there is a question about right and wrong, go to His word. Lastly, RESPECT other people, even if they reject God’s way. Yep. Do it. That doesn’t mean you agree or accept that behavior, but respect the person. I promise they are watching your behavior/response and they will remember it. You don’t want to be the hypocrite they remember.

Side note- if I have judged you (because I know, at times, I have fallen short in this category), I am sorry. Please know that when I write these motivations, I think about all the times I have been THAT hypocrite and it’s something I work on daily. Thank you for accepting me, faults and all.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 14, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!! How is everyone? No really. How are YOU? This is the time of year that things start getting…stressful. So let’s get ahead of it. I know, I know. Easier said than done but listen! Knowing what you are up against is half the battle, right? And sometimes when we get stressed, we get ornery. And that’s not nice. “Be Kind” is a phrase we hear a lot these days. So, let’s talk about it.

Almost every.single.week, I mention the fact that “we are human”. I want to start by saying that even though we ARE human, that never excuses bad behavior. By saying, “we are human” what I am really saying is we live in a fallen world. Sin is inevitable but yet not excusable. We should always strive to do better. Growing up, people had bracelets that said, “What would Jesus do?” And honestly, that’s a perfect question in every situation.

But have you ever thought about how you live impacts others? Let me explain. Most of you reading this are Christians. I would speculate at least 50% of those reading this outwardly profess your christian faith to others when you have an opportunity. WHICH IS GREAT! But what happens when you have a bad day? It could be something fairly simple like…being stressed out over the holidays. You are on edge and then BAM! You snap at someone. And someone sees this one single moment and immediately judges your faith.

You see, people think that just because we are christians it suddenly means we are better. And, many get that idea because some Christians believe they are better because they were saved by grace. Listen, I thank God every single day for Him. I thank Him for sending His son. I LOVE MY FAITH. It brings me more peace than I can describe in words. But I fail Him everyday. I sin every single day. I need God’s grace every single day and I don’t deserve it.

And listen, I know we, as Christians, want what is best for people. And we know that being a Christian is what is best, right? I think we are all on the same page here. But there is a fine line with leading people to Christ and making them feel judged. No one likes the feeling of, “I’m doing something wrong.” But in your mind, they are wrong. So, you see where non-believers hesitate to come to church or to have a conversation about religion with you?

As Christians, there was a time you were a non-believer. Some of you were kids when you accepted Christ and others it was later. But prior to accepting Christ, we were obsessed with our sins. Just because we are now obsessed with Him doesn’t mean we don’t mess up, right? God gives us grace and forgives us for our sins! So, it’s time you extend that same grace to others. I’m talking about the non-believer to the crabby cashier. Showing grace is so much easier than explaining why you got flustered because “you’re just human.” AND, by you showing grace, how does that impact them and their potential walk with the Lord? How many opportunities is missed because of attitudes?

You see the circle I’m making here?

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. If God can extend that kind of grace to me, then you KNOW He can extend that grace to anyone. In fact, He sent His son to spend time with those who felt and were lost. He spent time with people who had nasty infectious diseases that were “incurable”. He spent time with people who openly and secretly betrayed him. Why? God’s grace….and love.

So the phrase “be kind” is really just that simple. But I feel like if you are Christian, there is an added layer there. You are a leader whether you see yourself as one or not. On a normal day, people make quick assessments about you whether you like it or not. Are you approachable? Are you happy, sad, mad, etc? This is human nature. If you are stressed and being ugly, I’m not so sure you will “attract flies with that honey” as my momma would say. Don’t allow your second of stressful ugliness, impact someone else’s salvation.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 7, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! It is so good to be back. I am so thankful for my time away to just regroup when it comes to these motivations. I’ll tell you…the hardest part is figuring out a topic (kinda like deciding what’s for dinner!). Well, while I was away this country had a few things happen…like a hurricane. And there’s another catastrophic one headed straight for Florida. We have seen devastation and sadness all over the news. People missing their loved ones, animals, and everything they have worked for. Where is God??! Why would He allow this to happen?? Well, let’s talk about it.

This is my personal opinion. But, I feel like when you talk about God and natural disasters together, you have to tread lightly. Does anyone else feel like that? I’ll explain. I never want to lead someone to believe that God is “bad” by not stopping what happened. But to be fair to the person the disaster impacted, you can see where they would feel abandoned, hurt and lonely. You could see why they can’t understand why this happened to them and their community when they are a “good” christian.

God isn’t punishing anyone with these disasters. God doesn’t do that BUT if He did, my guess is He would just punish YOU and not everyone else. You’re special but not that special.

In Genesis 1:1, God created the universe and its law of nature. What does that mean? Well, if you live in Alabama, you know when a cold and hot front collide, we have the potential of tornados. Everyone knows that, right? That’s a law of nature. As well as James Spann predicts the weather, he is just a man. God is 100% in control but we are not. He wants us to know it. These types of disasters remind us that life is unpredictable and uncertain. But God is always there to guide us through (Joshua 1:9).

Could God have prevented this? Well of course! He can literally do anything. But if you are like me and something like this happens, you have to look at it with optimism. There is a reason for everything. Yes, even when you have lost everything. You were meant to go through this. Will you ever know why? Maybe. Maybe not. But when you get to heaven, ask Him. He will tell you. I’m sure Noah asked a lot of questions….

When disasters occur, I look at it differently. Again, to be fair, I am an outsider looking in so my perspective is different. One question is why didn’t/doesn’t God intervene? My question back is how do you know He didn’t? It can ALWAYS be worse. If you are alive, it can be worse. That sounds negative but it is the truth. But how many times have you seen a tornado drop out of the sky, LEVEL miles and miles and then poof! Back up in the clouds and never touched that school full of kids. That was a miracle, right? That tornado SHOULD HAVE blown right through that school. No. That was God.

There are times, disasters are a wake up call. Do I think they happened so YOU would wake up? Ummm….let’s just say I think maybe you and several others. Sometimes when our lives get off track, we forget a few things. And when something catastrophic happens, we tend to know who to seek. Kinda like your child when they are scared…they come running to you for comfort and protection. Well, that is no different than you running to your Father. And that is EXACTLY what you are supposed to do.

Listen, we live in a fallen world. We know this and we talk about it every week. As a christian, what should you do? It’s ok to grieve for these people. It’s ok to grieve WITH these people. We can pray for comfort and healing. We can volunteer and help if we are able. We can continue to worship and praise Him despite this! If Job could continue worshiping, you definitely can as someone looking in. Don’t allow these disasters to get you down and doubt. He’s there…just look.

Please keep Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and everyone impacted by these storms in your prayers. They appreciate it more than you know.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 16, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

The 5 “L’s” of Life Series

Hey friends! Today is the last day of our series and I have to say, I have really enjoyed writing it. To have started off with, “How in the world am I going to write about this?” to “Oh, I kinda enjoyed this series!” is a huge win for me. 😂 That thought actually made me giggle a little when I wrote it…which is a PERFECT segway into today’s last topic. Laughter. So, let’s talk about it.

Listen, I LOVE to laugh. I laugh at the wrong times and right times! 😣 Fun fact about me (like you don’t know enough)! I laughed the whole way through my wedding ceremony. Yep. True story. When I think of my best friend Samantha, I can literally hear her laughter. Her laugh makes me laugh! Laughing makes me feel good. It brings me closer to the person I am laughing with. But have you ever thought about laughter from a christian aspect? I’ll be honest, I have never thought about it so let’s take a go at it!

So from a health perspective, what does laughter do for us? Well, it has been proven that laughter lowers blood pressure and stress hormones. There have been times I am annoyed with my husband and he will cut the tension with a “funny”. And 9/10 times, my mood is much better. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Laughter wasn’t a by-product from emotions. God knew exactly what we needed with laughter.

Laughter is a response to God’s love and grace. I think about the movie, Steel Magnolias. At the end of the movie when M’lynn is having a meltdown over Shelby’s death (and rightfully so), Clairee throws Ousier in the mix by offering M’lynn a “once in lifetime opportunity to knock Ouiser out!” Life presents us with good times and bad. There is a “time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:4

Can you imagine a life without laughter? More than likely, we only know pain, grief, and just melancholy. Right? What if we only ONLY experienced joy? Listen, pain and suffering are a part of God’s plan in your life. Those things draw you closer to Him. Laughter is a part of ups and downs of life. David says in Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” David not only shared his sadness with the Lord but his joy. Laughter is part of relationship building. With people and God!

But do you know what I see when people laugh? Faith. Let me explain. Has there ever been a time in your life when something is eating at you? Or you have extreme sadness? Or you have a loved one in the hospital? And all you can do is pray. You’re worried. And then one day, it’s like you let go and suddenly a little chuckle comes out of you. It’s hard to laugh when you feel unsafe. By allowing laughter to return, you are trusting Him to help you through this time. Laughter helps us know that God is good and that He has a plan for us. By laughing, we also share His love, grace, and joy with others. So, let us laugh more often, and let our laughter reflect our soul. 

So this week, I want to challenge you to a game. This is a made up “Jennifer” game (ask Jon! This is a real game I play). When you go shopping this week, I want you to make your cashier laugh. I’ll give you a hint as to how to open them up to laughter…say something positive about them first. Ask them questions about THEM. Then, have a conversation as they are ringing you up. Get them to laugh. I want you to take note of their face from beginning to end. Look at how you impacted their stress level for what…3-5 minutes? It’s amazing. God did that.

Love you all and see you Sunday,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 9, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

The 5 “L’s” of Life Series

Hey friends! We are continuing our 5 “L’s” of life series and today is listening. Like the other “L’s”, you can go in a million directions with this one. I talk alot about listening to God. But today, I want to talk about becoming a good listener. So, let’s talk about it.

When I went into HR, I wasn’t a very good listener. I heard what you were saying but I didn’t allow it to actually sink in. I would love to tell you that between the 2 degrees I received and the gazillion dollars in student loan debt, SOMEONE taught the importance of listening! If I was taught, I wasn’t listening. (Come on…that was funny) It wasn’t until I was in my career for a minute when I was with an employee who was irate and I was just overwhelmed. I had nothing to say to them that would calm them down. So…I had no choice but to sit there and listen. And they calmed down. When the conversation ended, I hugged them and promised to do what I could (which wasn’t much). She looked at me and said, “I just appreciate you letting me get this off my chest. I appreciate you listening to me.” And that’s the moment I learned to listen.

So what does listening do for people?

First, it affirms them. A the most basic form, when we listen to someone we are acknowledging their existence. Which in today’s world, says alot. In Mark 10, Jesus was surrounded by a crowd when he heard a blind beggar call out to him. Jesus stopped. Jesus called out to Batimaeus and listened to him. He asked Jesus to heal him and Jesus did. Of course, by restoring his sight, it affirmed him but what if Jesus never stopped to listen?

Second, we strengthen each other just by listening. James Dopson once said, “For some strange reason, human beings . . . tolerate stress and pressure much more easily if at least one other person knows they are enduring it.” Is that not accurate? Look at Bartimaeus. This interaction he had with Jesus strengthened him not only by restoring his sight but through the acknowledgement of Jesus when others didn’t think he was worth listening to.

Third, listening allows others to work through their thoughts. I am sure you have been talking to someone about an issue you were having. They might have asked a few questions now and then but by the time the conversation was over, YOU came up with a resolution. Did you know there’s a bible verse about that? Proverbs 20:5 says, “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” How clever that was written in the Bible when you thought YOU were the mastermind behind working out your issue. 🙂

How can we improve with listening?

I’m about to say something profound. I need you all to write this down. Ready? You have to hush and let the person talk. <drops mic and walks away> I’m kidding about the profound part but I’m serious about hushing! When God listens to you, he listens to you. He doesn’t interrupt you. He lets you get it all out. Which circles us back to the beginning!

When you are listening, you don’t have to fix their problems. You just affirm love and compassion. Affirm. Affirm His love to them. By affirming His love, it gives them security. Security that God does love them and He is there for them. And to be honest, He is so much better at “fixing” their problems than you are.

So this week, I want to encourage you to listen to others. When they ask you a question, understand there is a statement behind the question. If they ask you, “Do you ever feel like God ignores you?” That’s how THEY FEEL. And you being the great friend you are, wants to fix their feelings. Work on NOT fixing it. Give them the affirmation they are looking for. If it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.

Love you all,

Jennifer

September Newsletter

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 6, 2024

In News and Announcements, Newsletters

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On September 2, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Motivational Monday- the 5 “L’s” of Life Series

Hey friends! When I started this series, I would love to tell you that I planned to talk about labor on Labor Day but I am not that organized. It just worked out that way. Speaking of work…what does God say about work? How hard do we need to labor? So, let’s talk it!

For those who don’t know, I am 44 years old. I have worked since I was 16 years old and I have quite a bit of my work life left in me. I think about the day I can retire but I am not sure what I will do when that time comes. If I turn out like my mother, I’ll be busier retired than working! She never really stopped working. Her focus just shifted to working for the Lord.

The Bible makes it clear that work matters to God. And it doesn’t matter how much you make or what your occupation is. God cares about your work (He really does!). There are some points the Bible makes about working/laboring. It provides us with a practical foundation for Christians asking about what the Bible says about how we should approach our work.

First, work is part of God’s big picture. Let’s start with Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Work was planned by God from the beginning until the very end. He created it. So working is a gift from God. You don’t have to love working but you should acknowledge that He gifted you the ability to work.

Second, God provides us with unique skills, gifts and talents and calls us to certain roles and activities. I know one of my skills is people. I can make people feel at ease and therefore, they open up to me (like in the middle of Walmart. True story). For my mental state, I never wanted to be a counselor but I knew I SHOULD work with people. I think like everyone, I worry if I am fulfilling God’s calling with my life but all I can do is pray and stay open to His guidance. In my professional life, when people open up to me, I try to approach all subjects with love and understanding. So far, it hasn’t failed me yet!

Third, a foundation of work is quality, character and ethics. We are responsible for our quality of work we produce, our faithfulness to God in the way we pursue work and our own character while working. Early in my career, I was asked to do something that was unethical. I really needed my job and we couldn’t afford for me to be terminated (which was the stated outcome if I didn’t comply with what was presented). I had to make a quick decision and I didn’t have time to talk it over with Jon. Not only did I refuse but I dared them to fire me. Now, I probably shouldn’t have dared them 😬 (anger slid in and took over a minute) but I don’t regret the decision. I knew my time with them was limited because of the decision I made but it was the right decision. I left my job a few months later. My ethics are based on right and wrong. Biblical ethics in my professional life. For the record, I talk about my ethics in job interviews so this is never an issue again.

Fourth, we are called to rest. Can I tell you how MUCH I appreciate the Lord stating we need to rest? I am someone who never stops. I can never get it all done whether it’s at home, at church or work. There are things that stay unfinished and I feel guilty for resting. But there are days (like today), I need to recharge and rest. I have to remind myself that it’s ok to do this because God! When God created us, He didn’t have to design us to sleep but He did. Have you ever thought about that? He could have designed us to be the Energizer Bunny and keep going and going and going…

I appreciate Labor Day because it’s a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. Labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made in America’s strength, prosperity and well being. But laboring isn’t about our country. It doesn’t matter how young or old. Never stop laboring for God.

Love you all and see you next week!

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On August 26, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

The 5 “L’s” of Life Series

Hey friends! So let’s continue our series this week on love. This topic is pretty broad so we have plenty to discuss. So, let’s talk about it.

I did a quick google search to find some physical benefits of love. Love and your health go hand in hand. Did you know when you love and show love your life expectancy is increased? It also helps you maintain a healthy heart, reduces depression, boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, eases acute/chronic pain, helps your tummy, and improves your sleep? That’s…a lot! Seeing all the physical health benefits, how can anyone believe we were not here to love one another, right?

Love is defined as a strong or deep affection for; to like or enjoy very much; to hold dear or cherish; concern for the good of another. But what is the biblical definition of love? 1 John 4:7-10 defines it pretty well, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” This passage tells us that God is love; love comes from God; love was demonstrated by sending His only son to die for our sins; and, love is NOT that we love Him but that God loves us.

God.is.love.

Perfect…that’s great Jennifer. But, how and who does God want us to love? Because, I have a hard time loving everyone. Listen, I understand but imagine being God. He loves everyone and I’m sure there are some He wants to roll his eyes over.

Love everyone. Yep. You need to. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Jesus made it clear that loving your neighbor means more than loving those you know, like or most like you. It extends to those that are different. This includes people whose political affiliations are different from you (which is a pretty hot topic at the moment!). But different races, religions, social circles, and even those who make fun of you. Why? Because we all sin. Their sin is just different from yours and you want to be loved right? In fact, Jesus loved the most unlovable people. WE are to do the same.

Second, you need to exhibit biblical characteristics of love. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” We live in a world where we are told we have to accept anything and everything or we are hateful. Well, in a biblical sense, love is caring about a person’s soul. So we are expected to share the truth and gospel message in love. Romans 12:9, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

Third, pairs really nicely with the second point and that’s love one another in action and truth. 1 John 3:16-18, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” We can’t die on a cross for someone’s sins like Jesus but we can act in love. You balance this with God’s Word and prayer.

Listen, loving everyone is not an easy thing to do. Trust me, I feel this everyday. And because this can be a struggle for me, I have to pray about it. In fact, I pray the most for people I DON’T get along with because I know I need to do better. I know the entire Bible is based on God’s love through Jesus. Faith and hope have a fulfillment date but love is never ending.

Love you all,

Jennifer