Tag: peace Page 3 of 5

Hey friends! Wasn’t the Cantata fantastic? Weren’t able to make it? No big deal! Hop on over to facebook and it was all recorded. Amy, the choir and all of those playing instrument’s…*chef’s kiss*.

Today, I wanted to continue our series on Advent. We have already lit the candle representing hope and peace. We talk about hope and peace a lot in our Motivational Mondays. But today, my focus is hope and peace at Christmas. So, let’s talk about it.

The candle of “Hope” or also referred to as the “Prophet’s Candle”. This candle symbolizes the anticipation of the coming Messiah and the hope that He brings to the world. The Scripture readings and prayers the Hartwigs read focus on the prophecies in the Old Testament about the promised Savior and the expectation of His arrival. Like the prophets in the Old Testament, we hope for a Messiah to save us from the sin in the world (Isaiah 9:6-7). We anticipate our Savior’s arrival. As the “prophecy candle,” this candle assures us we can have hope that God will fulfill the prophecies declared in the Old Testament about Jesus. Hope doesn’t disappoint us (Romans 5:5).

I feel like in this day in age, there are times we all feel the evil around us. I know this is supposed to be motivating and that sounds pretty pessimistic. But, I think what this candle also represents is knowing He is coming back. And when He comes back, we will be in heaven. We won’t endure what this world has coming. We will be chillin’ with the homies.

And what does hope bring? Peace.

Luke 2:14 says, “Peace on earth”. Jesus brought about peace, in the most unexpected ways, when he arrived. The Jews wanted a rebellion. They wanted their Savior to overturn the oppressive rule of the Romans and bring about peace in a violent way. But Jesus had something else in mind. Jesus brings us peace in a number of ways.

He gives us inner peace. Because of his work on the cross, we have a chance to receive salvation and be indwelled by the Holy Spirit. This grants us an inner peace (John 14:27).
We have peace with others. We put aside our differences (Galatians 3:28), especially with other believers, because we belong to the same family. We have the same purpose: to let others know about the peace of Christ.

Peace from God, biblical peace, allows us to trust in God’s promises (Proverbs 3:5), through restful, tranquil faith, despite the dark, scary world around us.

This week, I want to challenge you to reflect on the hope and peace we have been given because of the birth of Jesus. I think it is so important that we stop and reflect on the reason for the season. I know we hear that statement frequently but I think it’s easy to get caught up in decorations, food and gifts. Christmas really is a beautiful time of the year. While you are in the store shopping for a loved one or just buying groceries, use this time to talk to the cashier about their plans for Christmas. Listen to them and try to weave the true meaning of Christmas into the conversation. You never know if you are the reason they get to know Jesus.

Love you all and see you next week,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 24, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Guess what??!! It’s almost TURKEY DAY!!! WOOHOO!!! Listen y’all. I love food. I do. And I especially love my momma’s food. <Insert happy dance now> I love spending time with family, talking and eating. Literally, fat and happy. Anyway, enough about food. Let’s finish our Thanks and Giving series. Have you ever wondered why the holiday is called Thanksgiving? Who came up with that? And how does this pertain to our journey as a christian? Let’s talk about it.

I did a quick internet search about Thanksgiving. Of course, we know about pilgrims, native americans and the Mayflower. But why were the words thanks and giving put together to form a holiday? The words represent a single concept of a time to both express gratitude and to generously share with others. This compound term is rooted in both religious and secular traditions of giving thanks for blessings and then acting on that gratitude by giving back to the community. The practice originated from religious “thanksgiving” days, and has evolved to include the secular aspect of generosity and sharing. Together, “Thanks and Giving” creates a dual concept where gratitude for one’s own good fortune inspires one to be generous toward others. It reflects the cycle of gratitude prompting generosity, which in turn inspires more gratitude.

But you see, gratitude doesn’t just come when we receive something. Generosity also inspires thankfulness in the one who gives. That gratitude gets translated into more generosity. It’s cyclical and addictive. This is how I feel with gift giving! I LOVE giving gifts more than I like receiving them. Don’t get me wrong, I love to receive a gift because I understand the thoughtfulness behind it. But giving is something I really enjoy.

If we look at what we have as something we’ve earned, we hold on to it tightly. If we recognize God gave us the ability to make money, it’s natural to see ourselves as stewards of what he has entrusted us. One of the keys to thankfulness and generosity is seeing that everything belongs to God. Mark 10:17-22, Mark describes a wealthy young man who asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. Jesus responds that he must follow the commandments, but when the man claims to have done so, Jesus tells him to sell everything he owns, give to the poor, and follow him. Because this man held on tightly to his possessions, he walked away. He couldn’t obey.

We’re told by our consumer culture that we’ll be happier the more stuff we have (probably because they want to sell more stuff!). Jesus calls us out of that culture and to generously give what we have. What we don’t see is that when we trust him in this, he blesses us. We’re not called to suffer through giving to others; it’s just that we won’t see the blessing in it until we learn to be obedient. I can name many times where Jon and I were not sure how things were going to work out. All we could do was pray. We never went hungry. We were never homeless. All our needs were met.

Some of the most generous people I have met in my lifetime are usually not the wealthiest. And what I mean by that is you don’t have to have money or use money to be generous. When we are abundant in our generosity, thankfulness is the natural response. We can’t fully understand this truth though until we regularly practice generosity. Look at God. You can see this in creation and in how he blesses people who follow him and those who don’t. God doesn’t bless us because we deserve what he gives. God gives us abundantly because it’s his nature to be generous. Anytime we realize how good God has been to us, it becomes obvious that we should act generously with others because we’re thankful for what God did with us.

This week as you are sitting at your Thanksgiving table, remember thanks and giving. This isn’t just a holiday where we eat. This is a time to reflect. And we reflect right before we celebrate Jesus’s birth. Pretty sure that was no accident (God is always intentional).

As I have said in the past, I am so thankful for all of you. You inspire me and hold me accountable to be a better person everyday. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and don’t eat too many deviled eggs!

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 17, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Today, I want to continue our Thanks and Giving series as we are quickly approaching the holiday. Do you have expectations? Of course you do! We all do. What happens when your expectations don’t go as planned? I would expect you to feel defeated and frustrated with a possible side of disillusionment. When this happens, what sort of weapons do you use against your discouragement? Did you know God gives us weapons? Let’s talk about it.

Many years ago when Jon and I got married, we bought a townhome. We were only supposed to live in this townhome for 5ish years and then we wanted a “freestanding” home. Well, we were in debt. Then, I got pregnant. We went bankrupt. Then, the market crashed. Our 5ish years turned into 11. We were very thankful to have a roof over our heads but we felt like we weren’t doing Logan justice by not having a yard and we just felt like a disappointment. At the 11 year mark, we decided to go for it and sell the townhome and buy another home.

Well…we listed our townhome and it went under contract quickly! So quickly, we have to hurry to find another house to move to! GREAT!! We found a home we loved that was in our price range and we were good to go. We paid for inspections (septic tank, house AND for snakes-a story for later), put a deposit down to have a fence installed the day after closing, and booked movers. Financially, we were tapped out but hey! We are moving and making a small profit on the townhome so we should be ok.

36 hours before closing and while we were doing our final walkthrough, we learned the buyers of our home no longer had financing. Y’all. I.was.devastated. Everything was packed. We were going out to eat at this point because the kitchen was packed. We had thrown every dollar we had to move and then BAM! All was gone. I cried. I knew we didn’t have enough money in reserve to do this again so we were stuck in the townhome until we could save enough again. All I could do was pray.

The house we were buying was a flip. The man that currently owed the home was a contractor. He just wanted to sell this house. When we backed out (36 hours before closing) he asked what the issue was. Everything was explained to him. He offered to buy the townhome for what we owed on it. This was great…and stressful. The money that we thought we would recover would be gone. But I felt like this was God’s way of giving us an opportunity to move. Who has this type of opportunity given to them?? Well, we took him up on the offer. We got the house. He resold the townhome 13 days later making more profit than we would have made. But what a roller coaster of emotions, right?

In Ephesians 5, God points to a reality that we don’t like to admit but we know to be true and that’s “the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). Because of the brokenness, we have to make the best use of our time. Paul tells us this for two reasons. First, the days are evil because we are tricked into thinking we have more time and opportunities than we really have. Second, the days we live in introduce evils in our lives. So what are we supposed to do?

Don’t get drunk on wine and be filled by the spirit. I know what you are thinking? Jennifer, I am not a drinker so check for me! Let me explain this one. Alcohol is a numbing agent. It helps us to not feel. But many things can be a numbing agent. Just because you don’t consume that doesn’t mean you are free. Don’t ignore the difficulties in your life by burying yourself in sinful behavior. You might think this will help you avoid pain, but speaking from experience, you are just postponing it. Instead, be filled with the spirit, and you will be equipped to deal with it instead of avoiding it.

Address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Jennifer, I’m not a singer. Guess what? Neither am I!! But the key takeaway of this verse is “addressing one another”. Paul wasn’t just telling us something that was for our own good. Paul is addressing the church and wants them to accept their responsibility for one another. He tells them to remind each other of God’s goodness through: Psalms- scriptures of praise, Hymns- songs of praise written by the church, and Spiritual songs- impromptu responses of praise. God knows you can’t sing! It’s ok!

Piggy backing off the last point, He wants us to sing and make melody to the Lord. Not only does he want us to encourage each other with praise but to make worship a regular part of our lives. Music inspires us and changes us. It’s hard for the devil to get a hold of us when we are making it a habit to worship Him.

Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells the church of Ephesus to give thanks always and for everything. When we respond with gratitude, we see things differently.

Lastly, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The bible says mutual submission helps us walk wisely. When we attend worship regularly, we develop friendships with like minded people. They are there to help you in your walk with the Lord. So, you should respectfully and willingly submit to their help and recommendations when you need it! They want to succeed!

Look, disappointments will happen. I don’t care if you are 7 or 77. As long as you are alive on this Earth, you will have disappointments. But God, right? Thankfully, He has our back and He wants to seek him. In my situation, it all worked out like I wanted. But what if it didn’t? What if we had to stay in the townhome longer and we had to let this house go? I would have always wondered what was He was saving us from…

Love you all and see you next week,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By Jennifer Robbins

On November 10, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Ummm, where did Fall go? I hear it will be back by the end of the week but IT’S COLD!! Today, I want to continue our Thanks and Giving Series. In the past week, how many times has something bothered you? Did you complain about it? Have you ever met someone who is just negative about everything? I mean, look at me! I just complained about the weather! Well, let’s talk about it.

Years ago, I had a Mustang GT Convertible. I LOVED that car. It was so much fun and it would FLY. It was black with red leather seats. Seriously, gorgeous car. One morning, Logan had a soccer game. I got to the field toting my coffee and chair preparing myself to be cold. Another parent started talking to me about my car. I started griping that my wrist was hurting because the cup holders were at an awkward angle. Y’all. I didn’t realize how ridiculous that sounded until they just started laughing. I was very confused and didn’t know why they were laughing. THIS WAS NO LAUGHING MATTER!!! I NEED COFFEE AND IT WAS HURTING MY WRIST TO PICK IT UP AT THAT ANGLE! 🤦🏻 The couple simply said, “Jennifer. First world problems…”

I felt so stupid at that moment. I was so caught up in myself that I was complaining about the most trivial thing. I was so caught up in myself that I didn’t even realize how ridiculous that entire conversation was until they spelled it out. Why was I complaining about the extras in my life? The extras that at one time in my life, I thought I wouldn’t get?! As silly as it is, that was a turning point for me. I knew I needed to be more like Paul.

One of things I started doing was keeping a Grateful Journal. This was just a notebook. Nothing fancy. I started every entry with, “Today I am grateful for…” Sometimes, it was silly. “Today, I am grateful for spoons because how else would I eat soup?” Other days, it was deeper that ended in a story from that day. This journal helped to reflect on my day and focus on the positive and not the negatives. Like everyone, every day is not a good day. If for some reason I was especially down, I would open my journal and read it. The entries were MY specific joys that occurred in MY life. My joy and blessings that God gave me.

Another thing I stopped doing was use less negative language. Remember my Mustang story above? I said, “I felt so stupid at that moment.” And I did. That was a very accurate statement. At that point in my life, I felt stupid. Literally, uneducated and not smart. I was stumbling through life trying to not be a bad mom and a decent wife. I didn’t see anything wrong with that negative language because that’s how I felt. I decided I had to change my wording. Instead of thinking or talking like I was a bad mom, I would focus on what an awesome kid Logan was. His successes and attitude. Do you see how I shifted that mindset? Logan is a gift from God. Jon was an answer to my prayers. Once I started using positive words, it became easier to see the good. Why couldn’t I see that sooner?

Lastly, stop worrying. During the time of my story, I was a worry wort. Seriously. I worried about the things that could happen that NEVER actually happened. I worried so much that I developed anxiety attacks. At one point, I thought I was having a heart attack (seriously!). People would tell me, “Trust God.” I would have responded, “I do but…” There is no but when you talk about God. I am not going to lie and tell you that I am free of worry. But what I can tell you is my anxiety level is minimal compared to where I was at that time. What I didn’t realize (until I truly trusted God) was how worry distracted me from focusing on the good. When you focus on the good, it is just naturally easier to be grateful.

I would love to be like Paul all around. Paul didn’t grumble or complain. He spoke of struggles. And listen, if anyone has reason to complain, it was Paul. He endured a lot of suffering. But he used that suffering as opportunities to learn and grow. There were times Paul felt inadequate, unsuccessful and rejected but he never used these to complain about God.

This week, I want to encourage you to identify what is your struggle with staying focused on being thankful. Are you a worrier? Do you use negative language to describe situations? Do you make “mountains out of mole hills”? Once you identify your biggest struggle, tweak how you handle those situations. Pray about it. Seek encouragement from the Lord. He is your biggest cheerleader.

Love you all,

Jennifer

November Newsletter

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 28, 2025

In News and Announcements, Newsletters

We have a lot going on in the month of November! Clink on the link below to see what’s happening!

NL 11-2025

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 20, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Guess what?? It’s almost Fall Festival TIME!!!! WOOOHOOOO!! If you have never been to our Fall Festival, you need to come. It’s a lot of fun and the kids have a blast. Make sure you spread the word and let everyone know. Remember, it’s next Sunday from 5pm-6:30pm.

Speaking of spreading the word…have you ever thought about what kind of influence you are? Are you a positive or negative influence? Well, let’s talk about it.

Overall, I think I am a glass half full kinda person. Don’t get me wrong, when I get negative, I am pretty negative. But, I like to believe people are generally good. I know that’s not the case of all people. I also know, people are sinners and not perfect. Just because they sin, doesn’t make them a bad person, it means they made a bad decision. Churches are made up of imperfect, sinful people. Sometimes, as we attend our church, we might learn something about a fellow member or church goer that “upsets” you. Something they did in the past so therefore you judge them. Are you holding them to the same standard as a coworker? A friend? A family member? Do you know the whole story?

Just because someone sins and struggles differently than you, doesn’t make them right or wrong. It doesn’t mean they deserve to be judged more or less than your other brothers and sisters in Christ. Our past experiences and sins make us who we are today and God uses those experiences (even sins) for you to use for His glory. So do you use your experience as a light?

In a world filled with darkness, uncertainty, and challenges, the call to “let your light so shine before men” from Matthew 5:16 is a powerful reminder of our responsibility as Christians. It’s an invitation to be a beacon of hope, a source of inspiration, and a reflection of God’s love in our daily lives.

The call to shine in Matthew 5:16 encourages us to let our light shine before others so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. This verse tells us that our actions speak louder than words. We are called to be more than “just believers”. We have to put actions behind what we say. So how do we do that?

We are just nice. We hold the door open for the person behind us. We help our neighbor. We tell someone how good they look today. We make someone smile. We buy a homeless man some shoes. But here’s the thing! If you are not financially able to help that homeless man, no big deal! You can pray for him and that’s worth so much. You can talk to him. You are…kind. Small acts of kindness are so small and insignificant to us but it can mean the world to someone who is barely holding it together. These acts of love, kindness and empathy shines a light on the values and principles of our faith.

And while everyday kindness is essential, the most profound way to shine your light shine is sharing the gospel. Telling everyone you know about God’s love and salvation. God’s love is available to everyone even to those who make bad decisions. By sharing His message is the ultimate way to show love and compassion to others. People need hope. They need to forgive and be forgiven. And they will get that from Him but what if YOU were the reason they know Him?

Are there times you feel like you can’t talk to someone about something because you struggle or struggled with the same sin? Or, do you feel like since you are sinful, you can’t do something like write a Motivational Monday? Trust me. I get it. I struggle. But I try to use my life experiences- good, bad and ugly- to, hopefully, be a positive influence. And you, (yes you!) can do the same. And remember that being a positive influence is also recognizing those around you aren’t perfect either. We can’t hold them to a standard that we can’t achieve ourselves. There’s only one who is perfect. Remember, let your light shine brightly this week and make a difference in the world one person at a time.

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On October 13, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Thanks for being with me for the Wednesday message last week. So let’s get this motivation started! What do you do everyday? And I mean, your routine. Do you basically do the same things day in and day out? Or do you do the same thing on a specific day? Of course you do! We all do. When you do those things, are you looking for God? Let’s talk about it.

Y’all. Listen. I love coffee. Coffee is a form of therapy for me. I drink coffee first thing in the morning. I don’t think it helps me “wake up” like some say. It just starts my day because it’s my routine. Then, I have afternoon coffee when I get home. I use this time to unwind. It’s therapeutic. I’m drinking coffee right now while writing this! Typically, depending on the time of the day, I use the same cups and the same mugs. Again. It’s my routine. Do I feel God’s presence as I am brewing the coffee? Or selecting the same cup? I mean, truthfully no. Am I looking for Him? That’s a no too.

As you are going about your routine day, do you ever stop and say, “Where is God today while I am doing this task?” Again, if you are like me, I don’t normally ask that question. But if I did, I am not sure I would feel His presence or hear His voice. Of course, I feel close to Him when I am praying, worshiping, singing Christian music, etc. If I am going through a hard time, I feel Him. But just everyday life? Right here, right now?

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Present. So, wait? He’s present when I am making my coffee? Yep. He’s right there. He’s a present God. Even on the most very basic day you live. “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7. So, who does He host? Angel armies, right? And the God of Jacob means what? It means He’s a personal God. He is there for just me. And just you. And that homeless man in Birmingham. He is here individually for all of us. So even when we don’t know our issues, He is there. He is our refuge, our fortress and shield.

It takes discipline to look for God in your routine days. You have to remember to look for Him. It takes faith.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Walking is something we don’t really think about (unless you suddenly can’t and you realize how you took it for granted). But 2 Corinthians 5:7 tell us to walk. Not run. Not stop. Walk. By walking in faith, we are living in the present. As we are moving in our mundane way that we don’t think much about, He’s telling us to see His mercy. To see His goodness. His faithfulness.

I brought this up because it seems like from October through December, we are busy. We are busy with the same things year after year. And most of us want to do these things. We look forward to this time of year. But we need to remember to stop and praise Him for the food you had for dinner tonight. Or the friend that sends a quick text to ask, “How are you?” Or the look you get from your child or grandchild when they see you. They light up! Do you look for Him in those moments?

I am writing this knowing I am guilty of living life everyday and not looking for Him in the mundane things. And lately, I have been pretty frustrated with the mundane in my life. But let me tell you something, Matt Fridy spoke in church yesterday about life and stress. And that made me think about my silly frustrations and my silly stresses. I think if we look for Him in our most mundane activities, not only will that strengthen our walk with Him but the byproduct will be less stress overall. Isn’t that how we are supposed to live?

Love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On July 21, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Listen, I knew yesterday what my topic was on today. Wanna know why? Because I was HOT! Yes, I was physically hot because it was a million degrees with 100% humidity but what I am specifically talking about is mad. 😡 As I am upset, I thought, “Yep. This is what this week’s topic is going to be about!” So, let’s talk about it.

We are having a deck built on our house. Some of you might have heard me talking about it. This deck is on the larger side and we are adding to our roof line. We have saved for this deck for YEARS and honestly, I am SO EXCITED to get it. But…like most projects, it is not going as planned for a lot of reasons. And truth be told, they are all avoidable reasons. Yesterday, as I was working in the yard (that I hadn’t cut in 2 weeks because of the deck project), I was getting madder and madder about the situation. I was working myself up in a tizzy and I was mad at EVERYBODY. You’ve been there, right?

So is anger a sin?

The short answer is no. It’s a God given emotion. Anger is a signal that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. What you should be angry over is sin and injustice because we serve a God that is just and holy. And man, let me tell you. When reading the Old Testament, there are LOTS of examples of when God was angry. Whew. The quickest example that comes to mind is the Great Flood. He flooded the whole world and destroyed all living creatures except who and what was on the Ark. Why? Because he was OVER the wickedness and corruption on the Earth. I would say He was pretty mad…

Whereas anger is not a sin, how we react to it can be. To be completely transparent, how I acted yesterday was sinful. I was quick tempered and infuriated by our situation. And trust me, everyone knew I was NOT happy. Everyone who couldn’t fix the situation knew about it. I was misusing my anger. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”(Ephesians 4:31-32) Another short verse that is easy to remember is, “…everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” (Matthew 5:22)

When you become that angry, you need to pause, reflect on why you are angry and then ask God to help you. Now, look. I did ask God to help me with my anger yesterday because I didn’t like being around me. But was I ready yesterday to reflect? Truthfully, no. I wasn’t mentally ready to work through it. Was that right? Well, I asked God for help and that did help me to simmer down enough to get through the day. Then, I slept (I always have to sleep on it to have a clearer understanding). Today, I was ready to work through it.

Some of the questions I asked myself were:

Has there been injustice? Was there sin against you, another, or God? Before you look to who your angry with, are you convicted about your own sin or how you have contributed? If so, begin to biblically address sin in you. (Matthew 18:15-17)
Are you hurt? Has this person hurt you (physically, mentally or emotionally) or opened an old wound? Is your pride wounded or do you feel shame? Be honest with yourself and God about your pain, recall God’s forgiveness of you, and continue to take steps to forgive. (Colossians 3:12-13)
Are you afraid? Has something stirred up an insecurity? Do you feel threatened? Are you struggling to trust God? If so, confess your fear and lack of trust to God and begin to confront your idols. (Psalm 56:3) If this is the case, I would recommend immediately seeking help.
Are you frustrated? Has someone failed to meet your expectations? Have you yourself failed them? Examine whether your expectations are realistic and address how you may have sought significance or life apart from God. (Psalm 42:11)

Look, luckily for me, it is just.a.deck. But this deck means a lot to me because this is something I have wanted for years. And we have worked hard to get it. So, there is some minor hurt and a lot of frustration. After reflecting, I do know my anger was just but how I went about it was wrong. And I want to own that. I know that God is completely in control and can bring good out of a mess. I know it will work out one way or another because God’s got me.

I used this example because, typically, I am pretty easy going. And I know a lot of you out there are probably like me. Some of you might struggle and you consider yourself to be hot headed. What’s important to note is, most of us can name a time we misused our anger. Have you ever gotten mad and later felt bad how things went down? Well, that’s a sign your anger might have been misused. All you can do is confess and ask forgiveness from God and from the person you were ugly to unnecessarily.

This week, I challenge you to reflect on the why behind your anger. If you encounter someone who is angry, was their anger just and valid? Maybe, maybe not. But if it’s a “maybe not” situation, maybe you can show them grace. Because they will calm down and they will remember what you said or did. This will cause them to reflect and see that maybe they overreacted. 😬 Not that I’m talking from experience…nope not me.

Love you all and don’t be ugly,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On June 30, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! Thank you for allowing me to take the week off last week for VBS. As always, it was a success! Kathy and all the volunteers do such an amazing job and these kids just love it. All the effort in the props, the Bible stories, and the food. Seriously, chef’s kiss. We might be a small church but one thing I know…we do VBS (among other things 🙂) RIGHT!

Today’s motivation is brought to you by the weather and the raging heat and humidity we have all endured this last week. 😂 Ok, ok, I’m joking but not. Over the last week, I have talked to many people who have been frustrated…including myself! The fuse has been short and I have been blaming the heat. Which is probably a huge portion of it BUT this got me to thinking. And you know what that means, let’s talk about it.

When we look at frustration at its core, it’s an emotional response to opposition to the fulfillment of an individual will. That is a nice way of saying, when we don’t get what we want, we aren’t happy. So, I want you to envision your current frustration (whatever that may be) as a roadblock. And the bigger the frustration, the bigger the roadblock. You are headed down this road, because we have a special assignment that only we can do by God. That’s why we are put on this Earth, right? And you get to the roadblock. If you are doing God’s will, why is it there? Well…funny you should ask. Go back to that first sentence of this paragraph. WE aren’t getting what WE want. What WE want and God’s will are two very different things.

So, let’s talk about a time in the Bible when frustration was high. For the record, there are A LOT of examples. Can you imagine Jesus’s frustration level??! Anyway, let’s go way back to the Old Testament because frustration has been around for a HOT minute. Moses. He leads the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness and then BAM! Things don’t go as planned. Probably because they were OVER having it hard for 400 years. So they get frustrated with Moses and questioned him as to why he led them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. They even said it would have been better in Egypt (pause story. Really? Would they have really been better in Egypt? No ma’am. They were just mad and they were probably in the heat and there were skeeters around…can you feel their pain? Ok, unpause story).

As the story goes, you realize they became angry because of the obstacles in the path. They could only see the roadblock and not God. Now, in their case, some of them completely left the path and found new gods, which, woah. They got WAY off course. But, not to ruin the story if you are unaware, but God showed them! He showed them He was in charge by giving miraculous provisions like manna and quail. But…He wasn’t super happy with their frustration level so they stayed in the wilderness for another 40 years. Back in the OT, God would show HIS frustration level more openly. But, you can see the entire lesson there, right? He gave them good times and bad times but it was all for His glory and their growth.

Like you and your frustration. It’s what we do with it and how we respond.

What is important in frustrating times is to focus on blessings. I know, I know. It’s hard when you’re mad. Deuteronomy 28:2 says, “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” And when you are counting your blessings, it IS ok to feel the frustration. Even Jesus felt emotions. We just don’t need to get stuck in those emotions. Once you have your meltdown, ask God to realign you to His will and stop thinking your path is His path.

Look, I want to tell you that as a Christian, we will experience frustrations here and there. But to be fair, that is just not going to happen. I get frustrated over something everyday. It can be something simple like breadcrumbs left in the butter or something bigger like a deadly illness, whether it’s you or someone you love. And I know I am sitting here writing this, like I am a pro at managing my frustrations but I’m not. I just know a guy that helps me with all my frustrations and He is literally a prayer a way.

Love you all,

Jennifer

PS- Remember y’all. It’s hot. It’s humid. Fuses can be a little shorter and frustration can happen a little quicker than normal. Go find some AC and talk to God. ♥️. My experience says, that helps 😉

Motivational Monday

By Jennifer Robbins

On June 9, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends! I am so glad you stopped by. Today, I want to talk about validation. Where do you get your validation from? Is it ok to want people to like you? Let’s talk about it.

As I do every Monday, I think about the previous week and decide what to write about today. I was laying in bed and I opened TikTok. I follow a K-9 police officer and he’s great. He’s funny, vulnerable and just wholesome. When I opened the app, there he was giving a Monday message (oddly enough, I have never seen him give a message like this one). He said, “Stop trying to find validation in a world that crucified the perfect man.” And that really hit me. Wow. I like to think of myself as someone who doesn’t need earthly validation but I do. Let me give you examples: needing to be reassured, people pleasing, difficulty in making decisions alone, feeling anxious without approval, over apologizing, overachieving to gain praise, comparing yourself to others, and list could go on and on. Do you see yourself in any of those? Transparency moment..I see myself in every.single.one of these.

So the pressing question, is it wrong? As with every Motivational Monday most answers are not quite black and white. There are a lot of gray areas. So the answer is mostly yes and some no. I’ll explain.

If you look at the examples I gave above, it all boils down to being liked. Which means we naturally want to seek approval, fit a certain mold, wanting to belong and feel accepted. But if you have ever been in this place of wanting these things it’s exhausting, frustrating and a lot of times end in disappointment. It’s an emotional roller coaster. For me personally, I struggle with wanting to be the best christian I can be (which can be difficult depending on the day). I feel like I need to be an example so I see myself needing to be validated by what I am doing. I know it sounds silly but that’s just how I think. But then, I think, didn’t God make me this way?

Actually, yes. Isaiah 43:4 shows us that God designed us in a way that we yearn to belong. But here’s the thing, if we are looking for approval from others (even godly people) we will never truly feel validated. They will fail you as YOU will fail them. This is because they can’t fill our souls with what we truly need. And truth be told, it’s unfair for you to place them on a pedestal for them to give the feeling of validation.

But if he designed us in a way of wanting to be validated, how is this wrong? What does God say about it? I need receipts!

So glad you asked. Let me deliver.

When you seek validation from others, it can be swept up by emotions, compromise our beliefs, and grow frustrated because they (whoever they are) are not living up to our expectations. In Galatians 1:10, Paul points out that if we are constantly trying to please people, we are not serving Christ. We literally can’t do both. 1 Thessalonians 2:4, tells us that we have the honor of sharing the gospel. So, basically, we can’t twist what the Bible says to fit their narrative. And in Acts 5:29, Peter warns of people pleasers. Pride cannot get in the way by wanting validation from others and placing ourselves above God.

Well, how can I determine if I am seeking external validation because I thought I was doing pretty good in the department? Same friend. I thought I was good but I realize I need work.

Here’s some scripture to help you weigh your personal situation.

Examine Intent- Galatians 6:4 reminds us to test our actions and motivations. Are you doing this for comparisons? Are you expecting or wanting an atta boy?
Consider your response to reactions- 1 Peter 2:23 shows us that despite Jesus facing insults and suffering, he did not retaliate or seek revenge. This teaches us our self worth should not be defined by others.
Quantity and quality of sharing- Matthew 7:6 shows us the importance of discernment in sharing aspects of lives with others. Listen, not everyone needs to know everything and that’s ok. Some people are negative. You can choose to not share certain highs and lows because it will expose you to negativity from certain people.
Dependency on external validation- Galatians 1:10 tells us who we need to seek approval from and it’s not those here on Earth. Our focus would be on pleasing God and not people.
Check your feelings- Philippians 4:4 tells us to find joy in relationship with God. Remember, true joy comes from within and not in people.

This week I want you to challenge you in being honest about your validation on Earth. Can you relate to these things and if so, how are some ways you change to seek validation in the Lord?

Love you all,

Jennifer