Tag: anxious

Motivational Monday

On May 19, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Today, I want to talk about something I try to do everyday. Do you ever just close your eyes and listen to the birds and thank God? Thank him for the sounds you hear and birds happily singing (have you ever heard a grumpy bird sing?). Or maybe thank Him for that tooth that’s hurting (true story right now for me!). I am thankful I have a tooth to hurt, dental insurance that will help pay for it and a dentist who is willing to help me this week! And all of this is…God. So, let’s talk about it.

When I was younger, I never thanked God. Not because I was a brat (I mean, I might have been) but it wasn’t something I thought about. Weird, isn’t it? I mean, I thanked people around me. I had manners. But when it came to God, I just didn’t think about it. One day as I started praying, I thanked Him for something major that had happened in my life and He helped me through it. And that’s when it hit me. Why am I thanking Him for this…and ONLY this? From that point on, I would try to make it a point to thank Him everyday for something. And some days it’s hard to thank Him. But as you do it daily, you realize how not hard it is. Cultivating a grateful heart takes dedication but not a huge amount of time.

Begin your day with thanks. You can literally thank Him for waking you up. This is usually the time my sweet Marcy (calico cat) wants her cuddle time. So, I lay there and cuddle her. I thank Him for her. I thank Him for all my animals and all my loved ones. No, I don’t say, “Thank you for waking me up” but I do. Beginning your day with a conversation with the Lord is a great way to start the day.

Thank Him in your worship. I know, I know. You feel like since you are worshipping Him, that is a sign of gratitude. I don’t disagree with that mindset but while you are worshipping Him, take it one step further. Listen to the words of the songs Amy picks for the choir and congregation to sing. I can’t tell you how many times I close my eyes and say, YES LORD!! Thank you!” Or when Pastor Scott is in the pulpit and he reminds us of what we have been given. Thank you Lord! Which is a perfect segway into the next one.

Speak of all His benefits. What does that mean? Basically, how has God shown His faithfulness to you? How has He blessed you? Psalm 103:2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” When we recall these benefits, we need to tell others. It is our goal to lead others to Him. One of the ways is to tell your testimony. I guarantee you that your testimony has many benefits you can share.

Thank Him as you read the Word. Many people, including myself, can find the Bible challenging to read and understand. You are not alone, friend. There are times I have read whole sections of the Bible and I just go with it. I have no idea what I just read. But that’s why we have Bible studies and we go to church. Pastor Scott has a great way of explaining scripture. But when we do stop and thank Him while hearing or reading His word, it turns our hearts to Him and not to ourselves.

Lastly and one of the hardest…thank Him for hard times. We live in a sinful world. We will encounter difficult things everyday. It could be a tooth that hurts or we lost a loved one. It is so easy in difficult times to become despondent. And hey! I am no different than you when it comes to being down. By thanking Him in a hard time, again, turns our hearts to Him. We are surrendering to Him and allowing Him to help us when we need it the most.

I want to challenge you for 7 straight days to pray a thankful prayer to God. This doesn’t have to be anything grandiose. This can literally be a quick, “Thank you God for my green grass.” That might sound silly but if you pray that prayer this is what I hear you say. You are thanking Him for the opportunity that you have grass and it’s healthy (maybe you have battled army worms). You are thanking Him for the health you have to mow your grass or the financial security for you to pay someone who maintains it for you. You are thanking Him for a place for insects to live and a place for the birds to eat. So you see, a prayer like that isn’t usually as topical as it sounds. And it gets you thinking how blessed you really are even when times are tough.

Thank you for being here and reading this far. I thank God everyday for each and everyone of you.

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On May 12, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! How was your Mother’s Day? I hope you spent it with loved ones. I know holidays can be a difficult time for some (no matter the holiday). Holidays are a time that brings up memories…sometimes good and sometimes bad. Holidays can also leave us feeling lonely. So let’s talk about it.

There have been times in my life where I felt very alone. And trust me, I was never really alone. My husband, son and all our 8 million animals have always been there physically for me. In fact, there are times when being physically alone might’ve been nice at the time. 😉 But the alone I am referring to is being mentally alone. And, we have all been there no matter your age. This could be something small and insignificant to something huge like a loss of a loved one. But let’s be honest, the small things are usually the ones that come and go the most in life. Do you ever feel guilty about it?

Fun fact! Did you know May is Mental Health Awareness Month? It’s ok, I didn’t either until recently. But how appropriate this topic came up during this month.

Is it appropriate for Christians feel lonely? Well of course it is! If you listened to Pastor Scott’s sermon yesterday, he talked about Jesus having emotions. Can you imagine how lonely Jesus felt on the cross after He was betrayed by His disciples? I mean, man. What about in the Garden of Gethsemane when He wanted his disciples with Him yet they were asleep? If you have ever felt lonely, it’s not a good feeling at all. So why does God allow it?

Why does God allow anything bad to happen? He can stop or start anything He wants. So why does this happen? Well, just like all things, we have free will. Let me tell you how my mind works on this. We are a rubber band. When something happens, our rubber band is stretched. Sometimes just a little and sometimes it’s stretched to the max. Sometimes it stretches a little and little more and little more. But there is a time when the rubber band is going to break or you have to relieve the tension. What relieves the tension? God. Yep. Just God. Seeking Him and allowing Him to work through you resets your rubber band.

I think what is important when loneliness hits you is to compartmentalize it. That way, once you know where it falls, you will know how to correct it, right?

Situational Christian Loneliness– This is where we don’t have enough friends and/or family.This could be more of in general or maybe you moved. So how do you combat that without making friends in an unchristian-like manner? Always be proactive in making friends. Listen, years ago, I met a lady while she was working at Publix. Today, I hug her when I see her out and I keep up with her on social media. You never know who or where you are going to meet someone! And social media…it’s great and it’s not so great. It’s great because you can stay in touch. And just go to church! I can’t tell you the amount of friends I have now just because I go to church. You don’t have to get involved in everything. Just go. Trust me. These people will be your friend!
Emotional Christian Loneliness– Honestly speaking, this is what I experience the most. This is where you DO have friends and family but you feel like they don’t love you. This sounds really dramatic as I write it but we all experience it. This can be something as simple as not being invited to a party or social event you feel like you should have been invited to. This one is hard to get around because you are in your head. It is important to remember to not set unrealistic expectations for how people love you. You need to believe they do love you. Also, envy is a terrible thing. Envy sets the stage for loneliness (one of the downsides of social media). Remember, study your own lawn. Don’t worry why their grass is so green. And just be thankful! Thank Him everyday for what you have and WHO you have.
Social Christian Loneliness– Where are my introverts? Shocker. Y’all are in the back. These are your socially awkward people, introverts and those with low self esteem. That all sounds bad but I promise…it’s not. My husband is an introvert and we complement each other well but it was a learning curve. So for those of you that struggle in this area, make sure to renew your mind daily. Have your quiet time with God. Ask Him to help you connect with others who see you as you are.
Spiritual Christian Loneliness– This is where you don’t feel close to God. Or maybe you feel like God let you down. Listen friends, if this is where you are, know that it’s ok. But know that relationship needs to be fixed asap. You need to work on your relationship with God. That’s the only way to get out of that loneliness. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Tell God how you feel even if it’s not pleasant! Trust me, He knows what you’re thinking anyway. You might as well say it. If you are struggling to talk to Him and you are not there yet, start a new habit of renewing your mind. This could be self driven or group driven Bible study or maybe just journaling. Write it down! Write Him letters.

I would love to tell you that my life is perfect and I never experience loneliness. I am extroverted and I seem confident. In reality, there are days that it is all a show. And it’s normally something pretty small that causes me to get that way because I am in my head. All I am saying, you are not alone. You are never alone because you have Him. He is literally a prayer away. And listen, when I’m struggling, I just start talking. He knows and He loves me for it.

Love you all (and I mean it),
Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On January 20, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!! Well, today was a big day for our country as we have a new president. I know some of you reading this might be happy and some might be apprehensive. And for the record, no matter how you feel, it’s ok. I love that I live in a country where I can disagree with someone’s politics (and religion!) and not worry about persecution. We are VERY blessed to live in the United States no matter how your cookie crumbles.

In the past, we have talked about presidents and world leaders. Growing up, I was always taught to respect those in leadership positions. Remember, respect and agreeing with them on all topics are two very different things. So today, I wanted to talk about leadership roles. From the President to a CEO to your church. What does God say about it? Let’s talk about it.

Years ago, I was an Executive Assistant to the President of a large company. It was my job to KNOW this man….and I did. I knew what foods he liked, when his wife’s birthday was, his kids names, and even how he liked his coffee. One day, I was sitting in his office discussing work items when he asked me if I liked my job. I was stunned. By him asking me this question, I felt like he thought I wasn’t good at my job. I frantically started telling him all the things I knew about him. He stopped me. “Jennifer, do you feel like this job is a waste of your talents? Do you like your job?” I had never thought I was smart enough to do anything else until he asked me this question.

All throughout the Bible, we see a series of leaders who submit to God’s authority and those who don’t. People prospered under leaders who honored God and sought after Him, but were oppressed by leaders who did not. The first two commandments God gave His people were to have no other gods before Him and we should not make any image that we worship before Him (Exodus 20:3-4). As we have talked about in previous Mondays, the idols we worship today are more likely to be people than statues. We value and honor those in leadership roles sometimes more than we value and honor the Lord. With leadership often comes recognition. And with recognition comes the temptation to put ourselves or our positions before God. If we’re not careful, we can worship the position instead of the One who promoted us to that position.

True leaders roll up their sleeves and get in the trenches when times call for it. In Matthew 20:25-28, Jesus tells His disciples that leaders should not exercise authority over people. Instead, whoever wants to become great must lower himself to be a servant. Leaders realize that serving others is the only way to lead with a pure heart, free of pride and arrogance.

Leaders know you. They come up and ask you about the wife and kids. That’s the kind of leader Peter, one of Jesus’ followers, describes in 1 Peter 5:1-5. Peter reminds us that leaders should be like shepherds, caring for and watching over the group of people they’ve been entrusted with. You see, back in the day, shepherds KNEW their sheep. They named them, cared for them, and trained them to respond to their voice. If the sheep wandered away, the shepherd went and found it and brought it back to the flock. This is the type of leader God calls us to be.

Lastly, a leader is someone you want to follow. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Like today, there are many people who are excited and ready to see what is in store for the US. Others are reluctant. No matter what side of the fence you are on, you understand these emotions. We’ve all had a new boss we weren’t sure about!

Whether you are excited or reluctant, our country needs your prayers. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul tells us to pray “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Paul wrote these words under one of the harshest rulers in history, Nero, who was much worse than any leader the United States has ever had in power.

This week, pray for our leaders to have wisdom, to be able to discern what is best for the people they are leading, and for unity. Don’t use your words to tear down or degrade your leader, but lift them up to the only One who can help the situation. Pray for a leader who asks you questions to help you become a better person and see your talents. I am thankful there have been a few on earth who have helped shape me but there is only ONE who made me who I am today.

Love you and see you soon,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On December 2, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey Friends! IT’S FINALLY HERE!!! December! Christmas! THE CANTATA!!! WOOHOO! Seriously, the Cantata is THIS SUNDAY. Listen, we might be a small church but the Cantata sure is mighty. Amy, the choir, those playing instruments, and guys in the sound booth do such a great job every.single.year. Please go if you have never been. Please go if you have been!

When I first mentioned December and Christmas, what was your response? Were you happy, sad, or stressed? I want to go down the stressed road today. Why are you stressed? I am going to go out on a limb and say it’s finances. Am I right? Let’s talk about it.

When Jon and I got married, we were broke. And when I say broke, we were broke. And then BAM! I got pregnant with Logan. God planned him perfectly but Jon and I were not prepared. So after a year of daycare, diapers, formula and all of our other bills that we couldn’t afford, we were bankrupt. Literally. The house was in foreclosure. The cars were getting repo’d. It was bad. We had no choice but to declare bankruptcy.

We wanted to keep everything we had (because we couldn’t afford NOT to). So we filed a chapter 13 which means we had to pay it all back within 5 years. And guess what? We paid it back in 3 years! But there were a million tears shed. Lots of hours worked. And we became a connoisseur of hotdogs. 😏

When Christmas rolled around during those years, my stomach would hurt because of stress. I wasn’t worried about Jon and I. I mean we knew our situation and we just dealt with it. But Logan. We loved that little boy more than ANYTHING and we wanted to give him the world (still do). We never wanted him to know we were struggling. So it was a facade. I was so thankful for our families picking up any pieces we fell short on when it came to gift giving. We got through it. Logan was not impacted negatively. And we are better financial stewards because of this time. So I wouldn’t change it.

So why do we give gifts at Christmas? I mean hello! It’s not our birthday, it’s Jesus’s birthday. And the last I checked, I don’t get gifts on my husband’s birthday.

I think what is important to remember when giving gifts is the meaning behind it. 2 Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” he wasn’t talking about that Bath and Body Works set you were eyeing. He’s talking about His son. The very essence of Christmas is about generosity, kindness, grace and giving. God gives God for the enjoyment of his people, whom he saves by giving his Son to suffer. That’s beautiful. It is the heart of Christmas.

Second, we give to Christ. Now, I want to be clear here. God does not want you to buy anything. I mean, he has zero use for a Lowes gift card. He’s not interested in you trading anything with Him. Seriously, He gave you His son. You can’t compete with that (and He doesn’t want you to!). But what He does want…your time. Commitment from you. Yes, I know it’s hard and there are a million reasons why “you can’t today”. But stop and think about what gift would be equal to what He did for you. I’ll wait. Spoiler alert! There’s not one. You can make time for Him.

Lastly, we need to give in the right mindset. 2 Corinthians 8:2, “for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.” One more…Hebrews 13:16, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” When giving gifts, you need to do it in the mindset of giving back to Christ. That is the gift of trust, hope, admiration, joy and affection.

So, if you are worried about gift giving at Christmas, please hear me when I say, STOP. I promise God did not give you His son for you to worry about gifts. Christmas is truly not about financial hardship. Your children will love you if you can’t afford that XBox. And if you can’t afford it, that doesn’t make you less of a parent. And it sure doesn’t mean you love them less.

So, if you are someone feeling this stress, please pray. I would pray specifically for peace, love and joy in your life and for your family. If you are someone who is more fortunate, remember you are blessed. Your generosity can positively impact someone’s life forever. Can you remember a time someone was generous to you? You have never forgotten it or how it made you feel. That feeling needs to be shared because it gushes love, joy, trust, and hope…like God. Like what Christmas should be.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 11, 2024

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! How was your week? Before we get started, I wanted to throw something out there. We have a Men’s and Women’s Bible Study that meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month (due to the holidays this month, we are only meeting this Wednesday). Listen, I can only speak for the women, but this is a really good Bible Study. This study flows in a way that you can join anytime and you won’t be lost. And even if you do get lost, that’s ok. Sit by me where we can be lost together. The men seem to have a good time because we can hear them laughing next door. So, please come. We would love to have new people to add spice.

How many of you are planners? If something doesn’t go “right”, how do you react? Well, let’s talk about it.

Years ago, Jon and I wanted a bigger house/yard for us but mainly for Logan. We lived in a little townhome and it was a great starter home but Lo had nowhere to really run. So, when the time was right, we put it on the market. It had a contract in a week. So, we were in crunch time to find a house. We looked at several and put an offer on a house. This house had everything I wanted BUT…I’ll be honest, I really didn’t like it. In fact, we called that house the “Pizza Hut House” because it was shaped like an old Pizza Hut! But I settled. We negotiated back and forth and we could never agree on a price. So, we walked away. And then, we went on vacation!! Talk about stress.

While on vacation, I was searching the internet for a house and NOTHING. Finally, I just prayed and asked the Lord for help. I ended the prayer with, “I’ll figure it out when I get home but I want to enjoy this vacation.” The next morning, I got an email of a new listing. I loved this house. It was cheaper than the first one and it had a bigger yard. It had everything we wanted. We sent our real estate agent over to check it out and she loved it for us. We put a contract on it and we had never actually seen it in person! I felt like it was meant to be. Well, 11 years have passed and we are still in that house and we don’t have any plans to move.

You know, some people believe that when you are Christian, everything in life is easy and things just naturally go your way. I have been a Christian for a long time and I can assure you, that is NOT the case. In fact, some of my biggest challenges in life have been when I chose to follow God’s way instead of the world’s. It is so easy to choose the path where you will be socially accepted versus stares, eye rolls, or huffs and puffs (you might get all three!).

Over the last several years, when my emotions get high, I do seek the Lord in prayer. But this was a learned behavior that literally took decades for me to do. So, if this is not your first response, know you are not alone. When my heart is pounding out of my chest with emotion, I will quickly say, “Lord, help me.” That’s my whole prayer. Why? Well, at that single moment, I have something going on and I can’t have a long, drawn out prayer! 😂 But He knows what I need. He knows what I need when I DON’T KNOW what I need! Luke 5:15-16, “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Sinless Jesus used the same tools we have today! If it was good enough for Jesus, surely you will benefit too, right?

Lastly, let it go. Yep, like the song! Matthew 10:13-15, “If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town”. Jesus tells us to keep preaching. Keep pointing people towards Him. It’s ok to want to explain your side or clarify. But if you keep going and pushing, who are you helping? Is it for your own ego? You have to trust God will work out what He has planned for that person you tried to change. So, preach, point to Him and then, let it go!

So, if things had gone my way, would we still be living in the Pizza Hut house? Who knows. But what I can tell you from that experience, is that I had to turn it over to Him. Once I did, He was right there and handed me what I asked for on a silver platter. And no, my house isn’t perfect but it’s perfect for us. And I am so thankful for His blessings for allowing us to have what He picked for us.

So if things haven’t gone your way lately, don’t get down. Really. I know it’s hard and stressful! But you HAVE TO trust in Him that He has your best interest at heart. Just talk to Him about it. I mean really, what is the downside to praying? And then, once you get it all out…let it go. If you need a visual to help you through it, I have a suggestion. Pick out a beautiful leaf. Take great care in picking this leaf. Then, find a stream and let it go. Watch it drift down the stream. Notice how that leaf gets caught on branches, or get caught in a current where it drifts quickly OR it gets sucked underwater. That leaf that you picked with great care is your problem(s) that you are so stressed about and God is the stream. No matter how hard the situation or where it goes, He will deal with it.

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