Tag: right and wrong Page 1 of 2

Motivational Monday

By

On March 2, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!!  Y’all.  I am LOVING this weather!!  I love not being cold all the time!  Now, I want to go ahead and warn you, I will complain soon over how hot it is.  75 degrees is about perfect weather in Jennifer’s world.  🙂  

Do you consider yourself a good christian?  Not perfect but you try.  Do you get tired?  And this could be spiritually but really it’s emotionally and physically.  You are tired from everyday stuff.  Well, let’s talk about it.

For the last couple of months, I have worked more Saturdays than not.  I have been to the dentist so many times that my dental insurance is tapped out FOR THE YEAR.  This week, my cat is having surgery and I have to go to the doctor.  Not to mention, I worked until 6pm tonight.  I am not telling you this to feel sorry for me.  I am telling you this because it is just life.  Nothing huge is happening (my cat’s surgery is very minor.  Yes I’m worried about her but not overly).  But I’ll say it, I’m tired.  When I have week’s like this, this is when I will miss church on Sundays.  I make excuses why I couldn’t come but they are just excuses.  The root is, I am tired.  I set my one day I have to worship to the side so I can rest.  When I should be taking things off my plate so I don’t feel the need to rest on Sunday.  It’s a choice.  It’s my choice and there is no one to blame but me.

Most Mondays, I write these motivations.  A lot of times, they are from my life.  Minor issues that I can write about because I feel like it affects everyone day to day.  There are some topics I write about, that I think I am pretty good on…like questioning God.  I really don’t question Him for the most part at this stage in my life.  But I do get tired.  And sometimes I wonder if I am burning the candle at both ends because I don’t trust Him.  Meaning, I don’t think He created us to bulldoze our way through life.  Am I like this because I want to make sure we are financially ok?  Or is it because I am trying to live life to the max?  For me, it’s both.  I am not going to be able to keep up this pace forever.  Am I wearing myself out?  Probably.  Do I pray about it all the time?  Absolutely.

“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:30-31

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary..” Think about a child in your life.  When you have tried to put them down for a nap, they INSIST they don’t need one.  You can look at them and they are red and glassy.  They are irritable.  They need sleep but they fight it…and they are 3!  I’m 46.  Why do I think I can outdo a 3 year old with a gazillion times more energy than me??! Even youths, with all their energy and excitement, fall tired.  One thing I have to tell myself, is it’s okay to be tired.  I am not a failure.  Even scripture backs me up here.  God knows we will get tired.

“…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength”.  Well, that’s what we are supposed to do about it.  We have limits.  God doesn’t.  We can’t do it all.  But He can.  God knows we will get tired and weary.  God never tires.  When we get tired, we don’t need to push through it.  This is our opportunity to lean on Him for His endless and everlasting strength.  Remember, everything that you are not, He is.  He will pick up where you left off.  Work with God as a team.

Maybe I’ll remember this since I wrote it down.

Love you all,

Jennifer


Motivational Monday

By

On February 23, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Were you able to hear Pastor Scott’s sermon yesterday?  I loved it.  It really hit home for me and it was on a topic that I know I was good on. 😂  If you didn’t hear it, no biggie, just go to facebook and it’s posted there.  

As for this week’s motivation…

This morning when I woke up, I had a lot on my mind.  Nothing life changing or worth noting really.  Just things that I needed to do today.  For the record, it was a very average day.  Nothing big happened (which is usually GREAT news!).  But I wasn’t able to complete what I felt like was something I needed to accomplish.  No different than most Mondays.  But at 7:03am, I am making a mental checklist of trying to manage a week that hasn’t happened.  I am trying to control the future.  Does that resonate with you?  Let’s talk about it.

We can give one hundred percent at a job and it still may not be enough. We can extensively prepare for an important event and plans may still go awry. We can love and care for others and still be misunderstood, even hated. We can raise our kids to follow Christ and they can still walk away from the faith.  On a logical level, we can know that God is in control and we are not. Yet, how many of us tire ourselves out each day searching for answers and fighting for control over things that we physically can not change? 

What does it look like to honestly surrender to God when we’re scared and overwhelmed by what could happen?  Well, let’s be honest here.  Surrender feels like we are giving in or worse, giving up.  We think it’s a sign of hopelessness but as a christian, that can’t be further from the truth.  Surrender is an opportunity for dependence. It’s an opportunity to actively dwell in the reality of our own inadequacy. Jennifer, you are really selling it here.  🙄 But, surrender is recognizing that He is the omnipotent God, who works all things for good (and we are flawed, limited, sinful beings unable to save ourselves).  

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

Okay, so why is surrender so hard?  Well, there are three main reasons.  First, it’s a lack of knowledge- meaning, we know the answer better than anyone (yep, including God!).  Second, would be impatience.  We want it fixed NOW!  And third, we want it all pain free.  We don’t want to suffer through anything.  We just want to make it all go away as quickly as possible.  And bonus reason!  You have trust issues!  You don’t fully trust He has your back.

Why should we surrender?  It takes discipline.  Discipline is part of our walk with Christ.  Think about someone you trust.  That relationship is intimate.  Well, why would your relationship be different with God if you trusted Him? It strengthens that bond and forms intimacy.  Surrender isn’t something that is a maybe…it’s a must.  Especially in today’s world.  There are so many things that are beyond our control.

My Monday didn’t go as planned.  Let me rephrase that.  Monday didn’t go as I planned it.  It wasn’t a bad day.  It wasn’t a good day.  It was the day that God planned for me to have.  Instead of being disappointed, I should feel relieved.  Relieved to know that He is more than a safety net.  He’s our harness.  

Love you all,

Jennifer


Motivational Monday

By

On February 2, 2026

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  I’m back!  Thank you so much for allowing me to get away and regroup.  During this break, I realized I need to take smaller breaks (a week here and there) instead of a month-long break at a time.  Listen I REALLY enjoyed my time regrouping but it felt weird.  I guess I am just used to writing these on Monday and motivating myself!  So let’s get back to it.

If you are like me, you sit back and question certain things.  For instance, if God really forgives me when I sin, why can’t I just sin and ask for forgiveness?  So, let’s talk about it.

I was sitting there the other day contemplating various things.  I was thinking about people and things.  And some of my thoughts were ugly.  I actually had to stop and tell myself some of my thoughts were sinful.  And then I thought, “Well, I’ll just ask for forgiveness.”  Surely, I’m not the only one who does this right?  I was always taught that you don’t sin but if you do, ask for forgiveness with your heart and you should be good.  But, I don’t understand why is there a double standard?  Meaning, God knew we needed a way to be forgiven but you shouldn’t commit a sin knowing you will ask for forgiveness and expect to be forgiven.  In laymen’s terms, why is the hall pass conditional?

I think we can all agree that sin is destructive.  Pride can ruin your reputation whether you are a Christian or not.  Selfishness can ruin marriages and friendships.  Paul warns Christians not to sin in their anger, he adds, “and give no opportunity to the devil” because sin invites Satan to wreak greater havoc in our lives. That’s why Proverbs warns: “An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices” (Proverbs 29:6). Resisting temptation and doing what’s right doesn’t just please God, it’s good for you.

Sin is addicting.  People think of addicts as those who drink too much or have a drug problem.  But think about gossip, lies, envy and pride…all very addictive behaviors.  That’s why Romans 6:16 says, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” You are either growing in your addiction to sin or growing in your addiction to righteousness.

Lastly, sin hinders our fellowship with God.  If you’re sinning, you ain’t praying.  Can I get an amen?  We need to remember how a Christian’s sin affects the heart of God. Paul urged the church in Ephesus, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30) and the psalmist reminded us, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18). Notice that it’s not sin that we’ve regretted and asked for forgiveness for that’s a problem. But while we cherish iniquity or ungodliness,  while we defend it, justify it and continue in it, it gets in the way of the relationship that God wants with us.

So, look.  Everyone sins but it’s not ok; and, we can’t “make it ok” because we will be forgiven.  Let me use losing weight as an example.  You can’t lose weight when you have one hand in the cookie jar.  You have to eat right and exercise.  But sometimes, you mess up or maybe you thought that chinese food would be healthy.  But it wasn’t, and you gained a pound or two you lost.  No big deal because you just have to get back on the band wagon.   But how are you going to lose weight when you eat nothing but cookies and cake?

This week your motivation is to stay mindful.  Thoughts creep in.  Sins sometimes not meant to be purposeful (and sometimes they are…).  Stay aware of when and how this happens.  Look at your emotions, before and after the sin and look for ways to combat this in the future.  And God does love you.  He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you.  YOU!  And all your sins.  Don’t knowingly sin on His Son’s behalf.  

Love you all and see you next week,

Jennifer



Motivational Monday

By

On December 29, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  I hope you spent time with family and/or friends.  

Just a reminder, we will be having our 7 days of prayer and fasting. Prayer time starts Thursday, January 1st in the Sanctuary and continues each morning through the following Wednesday, January 7th. The fasting part is left up to each individual. Fasting is going without food mainly, and/or going without some other activity that would be considered a sacrifice. It can be a total fast of food, or partial, like going without sweets, or meats, or snacks. The prayer time is usually no more than 45 minutes. Get there when you can and leave when you need to.

  • Thursday, January 1st—9:00am
  • Friday—7:00am
  • Saturday and Sunday —9:00am
  • Monday thru Wednesday—7:00am

That reminder is a great segway into today’s topic.  The new year is a sign of a new beginning.  I know a lot of you set resolutions.  Personally, I don’t.  I set goals.  I know what you’re thinking…what’s the difference?  The difference is how my brain works!  🙂  Goals are something I want to achieve and resolutions are disappointments if I don’t achieve them.  Again, Jennifer’s brain.  If you are like me, you set goals in different parts of your life (spiritually, financially, etc.).  This year my goal is God first.  So, let’s talk about it.

When it comes to my church family, I have a difficult time saying no.  I tend to overthink everything.  I think, “I say no to this, then someone else will have to pick up the slack.  I’ll just do it.”  Or, I feel like if I say no then in my crazy brain that equals, “I am not serving the Lord”.  But in reality, I am pushing myself away from Him.  Instead of enjoying my time serving, I am sometimes irritated and/or stressed instead of happy.  When I become overwhelmed or overextended, I tend to shut down.  I don’t have the right attitude and I miss church on Sunday mornings.  Which makes me feel EVEN MORE guilty.

Let’s talk about some ways you can put God first this year.

First, read your Bible.  I am 45 years old and had never read the Bible all the way though until 2 years ago.  I read the Bible but not from cover to cover.  Why?  Well, frankly, it’s long.  And have you ever read Numbers?  There are parts that are boring and there are A LOT of parts I don’t understand.  But just understand that the boring parts are usually references for other parts of the Bible.  As for the parts you don’t understand…listen.  If you don’t read it, you 100% won’t understand it.  If we all understood it the first time we read it, then we wouldn’t study it, would we?

Second, spend time in prayer.  When I wake up in the middle of the night (which is frequently these days), I don’t reach for my phone.  I lay there and pray.  And I’ll go ahead and tell God, “Hey God.  I am going to pray myself asleep so I may not say Amen.  But just know I meant it.”  I feel like that covers me!  But dedicate time for prayer.  It’s amazing how blessed you will be through prayer.

Third, be careful what you take in.  I have a love/hate relationship with social media.  I despise all the negativity it can spread.  But on the flip side, look at all the positivity it spreads.  At the end of the day, you determine what you read, hear and see.  Sure.  There are times we see things that we didn’t sign up to see.  But that’s where prayer comes into play, right?  Your focus needs to stay on God.  And if something isn’t pointing to Him, STOP!  Stop watching.  Stop reading.  Stop listening.  Just stop.

And lastly, set boundaries.  This is where my story comes into play.  By setting boundaries, it gives us time to worship and pray.  Have you ever been in the middle in prayer and immediately thought of something you need to do?  Maybe that’s just me.  But you HAVE TO set aside time.  It’s ok to tell others about your boundaries.  When you tell them, explain why.  THis is a perfect opportunity to witness to them.

I told you all of these things like I abide by them.  Clearly, I don’t but I want to.  I think I used this as a pep talk to myself.  🙂.  So, for the month of January, I will be taking a break from Motivational Monday.  Not because I don’t love you all, I just want to be properly guided by Him.  If there is something I feel passionate to write, then I will.  But if I don’t, I want you all to know why.  I am trying to realign with Him.  And I know you all understand.

Happy New Year and love you all,

Jennifer

Motivational Monday- Advent Series

By

On December 22, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Well, this is the week!  We are gearing up for the day we have been talking about this whole month.  CHRISTMAS!!  As a reminder, we will be having our Christmas Eve service at 6pm.  If you have never been, please come.  It is really beautiful, quiet and just a way to reflect on the reason for the season.  I know we are all super busy but if you can, please come.  And bring someone with you!

Today is the last day of our Advent series.  On Christmas Eve, we will light the Christ candle.  Let’s talk about it.

So as you have been following along in our series, all of the outside candles have been lit.  As a recap, we have lit the hope, peace, joy and love candle.  The last candle not lit is the center candle.  This candle is referred to as the Christ candle.  The Christ candle is in the center because the Christ candle reminds us that Jesus is the center of Christmas. The four outer candles are all important, but they only make sense with Jesus at the center. Yes, Christmas is a time of hope, peace, joy and love, but once again, this is only because of Jesus. 

Without Christ, there is no hope.  When we looked at hope in the advent season, we talked about the hope in Christ gets you through the waiting.  And we saw that hope in Christ does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5) All real hope in the world is centered on Christ.  You see, Christmas is all about hope because it’s all about Christ. God sent his Son into the world so you and I have hope. We have hope today because Christ is with us. We have hope tomorrow because Christ will never leave us. And we have hope for eternity, because Christ is coming back to take us to be with him forever.

Without Christ, there is no peace.  Jesus came to save us from our sins so that we could be restored with our relationship with God. When you trust Christ, you enjoy a wonderful peace in your heart, a personal peace that is unlike anything you can find in the world. I know what you are thinking here.  Jennifer, I have peace in my heart but what about the world?  Our world is severely lacking Jesus.  You can’t look at religious or political leaders for peace.  You have to seek the Prince of Peace.

Without Christ, there is no joy.  Jesus brings the joy of salvation.  Joy is sharing good news.  Joy leads to praise.  This is evident by the shepherds sharing the good news of Jesus’s birth.  Joy is so much deeper than happiness.  In fact, Christmas time can be an unhappy time for people.  But Jesus brings joy to help sustain us when we are feeling every emotion.  By having joy, that doesn’t mean you won’t ever be sad or mad.  It means in your saddest or maddest hour, God is with you.  And because He is with you, you experience true joy.

Without Christ, there is no real love.  God showed us an immense amount of love by sending us His only son to sacrifice.  The story of Christmas is all about love, because Christmas is all about Jesus. The Bible says: “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10).  God is love, and all love comes from him. There is no real love without Christ.

A lot of people celebrate Christmas and they are not christian.  What they love about it is the lights, the decorations, the gift giving and receiving, and just the overall feeling they have during this time.  But you want all those things with the Christ part.  Kinda like wanting hope, peace, joy and love.  I think most people genuinely do want those things.  But Christ is the center, and we only enjoy the good things of Christmas because of him.

I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.

Love you all,

Jennifer


Motivational Monday- Thanks and Giving Series

By

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

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

 



Thankful Tuesday- Thanks and Giving Series

By

On November 4, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  I thought I would start this month off with a Thankful Tuesday.  Since Thanksgiving is this month, I would be amiss if I didn’t do a thanks and giving series.  🙂  Let’s get this party started! 

Are you thankful?  If you are, how did you become thankful?  Were you just born that way?  Well, let’s talk about it!

Over 20 years ago, when we had our son, we were financially unwell.  We had alot of debts and not a lot of income.  But, we tried!  Jon and I both worked but in the end, the debt was too much.  We were slowly losing everything so we declared bankruptcy (not something you want to do at 26).  The bankruptcy we declared was Chapter 13 which meant we had to pay it all back and not wiped clean.  One of us always worked two jobs to get it paid off quickly (it was still years) and keep up with our other financial commitments.  Jon and I ate hotdogs and ramen A LOT while Logan ate chicken, peas and carrots.  I was determined he wouldn’t suffer because of our mistakes.  In the end, we paid it off and learned countless lessons.

Jon and I were talking the other day about how far we have come in life.  Spiritually, emotionally, and financially.  We started talking about our financial mindset today.  We agreed that we are very appreciative of the financial security we have today and that we live day to day knowing it can change in an instant.  That sounds pessimistic but truly, it’s not (or that’s not how we view it).  We know what it’s like to feel like a complete failure.  We also know what it feels like to feel like we are going to be ok.  And, that feeling is a breath of fresh air.  We are so grateful and thankful for all we have and all we have been through.  It has made us stronger as couple in every way possible. 

Over the years, I have become more grateful and thankful.  I don’t know exactly why.  Is it because we are older?  Is it because we have lived through hard times?  Is it because I have grown in my faith over the years and I’ve learned to let God?  I don’t know for certain.  What I can tell you is that everything good in your life comes from God (James 1:17).  What can you do to become more thankful?

First, regularly practice giving thanks.  Thankfulness should be your default instead of criticism.  When there is something good in your life, point it out and stop.  Thank God right then!  I do this all the time.  I will close my eyes and say out loud, “Thank you!”  Look, we all complain.  I do too!  But, practice responding to your complaining by finding something to be thankful for.  This helps rewire your brain to recognize the good in your life just like you recognized the bad.

Second, express gratitude regardless of the situation.  I get it.  This one can be really hard.  Paul tells the Thessalonians to give thanks in all circumstances because God wills it (1Thessalonians 5:18).  Why?  Because God sees the whole picture. He is working every single situation and working them out for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). We have to purposely look for what God is doing while we are in the middle of it.

Praise God when all is well!  Can I get an “Amen”?  I feel like this is a no brainer but it is so important we practice it.  We need to understand that when life runs smoothly, it’s a gift.  Sometimes we take it for granted.  

Make gratitude a part of your interaction with other people.  Again, I feel like this is a no brainer.  As a kid, I was taught to say my please’s and thank you’s.  Whenever someone helps me resolve a problem (big or small), I make it a habit to say, “I appreciate you”.  And I do!  They took time out of their day to help me.  And yes, sometimes they are paid to help me.  But how many times have you asked for help in a store and they DIDN’T help you?  By expressing gratitude, you have elevated their self worth.  It might have only been a smidge but YOU did that.  They will remember how that made them feel and they might make it a point to be more grateful and thankful.  You could start a trend!

Thanksgiving is a superpower.  It enables us to see past our experiences and embrace how God is moving.  When Jon and I declared bankruptcy, that was a bad time for us.  We felt defeated.  But, looking back on it, I wouldn’t change a thing even if I could.  It was hard to see at the time but God took care of us more than we knew.  That time made us grateful and thankful for the good times AND the bad. It also showed us that He had us every step of the way.  He took care of us. 

Being a thankful person enables you to draw strength from gratitude.  Thankfulness and gratitude really go hand in hand.  So look, go out and spread it like confetti!  This week make it a point to thank God daily for something in your life. By doing this, you will start to see all the good in your life.  Also, make it a point to thank one person a day for something.  If you don’t go anywhere, no problem.  Call them!  Text them!  Tell someone you appreciate them.

I appreciate all of you.  No really.  I do.  I appreciate you and Spring Creek for the opportunity to write these week after week.  Sure.  It’s a lot of work.  But these motivations keep me grounded and you all are my biggest cheerleader!  You have given me the confidence to continue sharing my crazy stories and thoughts with a dose of Jesus.  When I sign off with “love you all”, that’s not just something I say.  I DO love you all and I pray for all of you.  See you next week.

 

Love you all,

Jennifer

 



Motivational Monday

By

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

On September 29, 2025

In Motivational Monday, News and Announcements

Hey friends!  Before I start this week’s motivation, I want to remind everyone how you can read the New Testament before the end of the year.  Yep!  You can!  Just download the Bible Recap podcast or go to YouTube and read along Tara Leigh Cobble.  She’s awesome.  After you read, she will tell you what you just read.  So no more guessing (like me!).  If you have any questions, you can message us through Facebook Messenger and we will hopefully answer all your questions.  On to this week’s motivation…

Have you ever felt too broken, flawed or weak for God to use?  Well, let’s talk about it.

For years, I refused to write or teach the Word.  In my mind, who am I to tell you what to do when I can’t do it myself?  I would look around the church and see all these good, Godly people have this deep walk with God.  They would talk about how God speaks to them.  Meanwhile, I’m throwing my hands in the air, feeling like a mess just trying to make it to the next day.  I make mistakes everyday.  I sin everyday.  But somehow, every week, I write these motivations in about an hour.  Broken and flawed Jennifer was chosen to tell you how to not be so broken and flawed…who would have thought?

For those of you who haven’t talked to me in real life, I don’t know how to be fake.  If you are wondering what I am thinking, don’t fret.  If I don’t say it, my face will do all the talking.  It sounds like I am harsh or mean, but I’m not.  I’m just…real.  I have a lot things I need to work on but one this is certain, I am honest.  So watch what you ask me because you will get an honest answer.  I believe that one of the reasons God uses me to write these is because I try to bring that honesty and realness to these motivations.  I try to let you know that I KNOW I don’t measure up on a daily basis but I do try.  Maybe my mistakes is why God uses me to write these.

Some of you reading this are saying, “I promise she hasn’t done the things I have.”  You’re probably right.  I have never done anything to land me in jail or prison.  To my knowledge, I don’t think I have done anything where I should have gone to jail and wasn’t caught.  But if you are someone who HAS, guess what??  YOU are PERFECT to spread His Word!!  Really!  Let me tell you how I know.  

Why did God choose these people?  

  • They are relatable.  Isn’t it easier to identify with someone who is flawed like yourself?  You might even feel a little bit better about yourself after talking to someone who has “seen some things.”
  • They see the need.  Their flaws make them see a need for a Savior.
  • They have no reason to boast.  We HAVE to rely on grace.  Look at David and Bathsheba.  If he had been a righteous and holy man, he may not have seen his need to lean on God and take credit for himself.
  • And!  They have no special qualifications (like me!).  I am just some girl who loves Jesus and likes to write.  If He can do that for me, He can equip anyone to do His work! Trust me.

At the end of the day, don’t stress about being capable.  Just be available.  When God calls you to do something, trust Him to equip you.  And when He does equip you and you whip out a motivation in an hour, you think, “There is no way I just did that.  That was God.”  And truly, I believe that about what I write.  I am no Bible scholar.  I just make myself open and available to Him.  And somehow (that somehow is God) I am provided with a topic and an article.

So what about you?  Are you open and available?  Do you believe God wants you to do something but you’re scared?  Well, that’s ok because He is on your side.  Remember, you don’t have to rely on your own talents, skills or abilities because He is equipping you.  Knowing that, what are you waiting for?

Love you all,

Jennifer


Page 1 of 2

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén