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    • Acts of faith grow us closer to God

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on August 22, 2018

      Romans 1:17 (MSG) God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.”

      I like how the Message paraphrases Romans 1:17,  especially the first few words

      “Gods way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith.”

      When we come to Christ and accept His redeeming work on Calvary, He gives us a gift. Not only does He give us eternal life, He also gives us the gift of faith. Faith is total dependence on God and a willingness to trust Him and do life His way. Faith is complete and humble obedience to live our lives according to God’s word. Faith is the simple act of placing our trust in the God who: created the world and everything in it, knows the depths of our hearts, loves us unconditionally, wants to comfort us in our times of struggle, and guides us into a deeper more intimate relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

      Grab your Bible or go to your favorite Bible app and take a look at the words of Proverbs 3:5 – 6. These verses encourage us to trust God completely, with our whole heart and try not to figure everything out on our own. In everything we do and everywhere we go, we must listen for God’s voice. You know what His voice sounds like right? It is that still, gentle voice that keeps us on track. Of course, I say that and it’s not exactly the easiest thing to do, is it? Sometimes we just think our problems are too big or little for God to handle. Other times we may think we can manage our circumstances on our own only, but that only makes things worse.

      May I encourage you today with the following thoughts:

      • There is nothing too difficult for God (Jeremiah 32:17).
      • God is our refuge and strength when our circumstances get tough (Psalm 91:1-2) and can be trusted with everything. Besides, we can’t tell him anything he doesn’t already know.
      • He has searched us and knows every detail about us (Psalm 139:1 – 4).
      • He is always with us whether it’s in the deepest, darkest valley or on the highest mountain top (Isaiah 41:10).
      • He IS the EVERLASTING GOD and will grow tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28).
      • He is our solid rock (Isaiah 26:4).

      As we put our trust in Him by exercising the gift of faith, we will find rest for our souls in Him alone (Psalm 62: 5 – 8).

       

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      Posted in faith, trusting God | 0 Comments
    • A Load Too Heavy to Carry

      Posted at 9:13 am by sneuhofer, on August 21, 2018

      A Load Too Heavy to Carry

      Today I am super excited because my new short story is up on Amazon and available for purchase!

      Meet Ashleigh Stevenson. She is a 30-something woman who, from the outside, appears to have it all; an upwardly mobile career, a husband who supports her, and a precocious two-year-old son. But, with each passing day, her fast-paced, deadline-driven schedule becomes more and more overwhelming and begins to take its toll on Ashleigh’s health and wellbeing. Will Ashleigh trust God enough to make a heat of the moment, life-changing decision?

      Can’t wait to see how God is going to use this story and the thought-provoking points to ponder to work in the lives of the reader.

      Click here to purchase your copy.

       

       

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      Posted in Published Works | 0 Comments
    • Sharing in joy & sorrow

      Posted at 8:00 am by sneuhofer, on August 20, 2018

      1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NCV) There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person.

      So, I’m reading through 1 Corinthians 12 in my quiet time and I’m sad to say that I breezed right through the chapter. Have you ever done that? “Skimmed over” scripture because you have read it or learned about it dozens of times? I know I sure have. But something was different this time. I felt like I had to go back and read the chapter again.  “Lord what am I missing here? Why am I drawing a blank?” I prayed.

      I decided to pull out another Bible and read the same chapter in another version. The Bible I chose had a corresponding devotional…it was there I discovered what I had missed. The devotional reading in my Bible made reference to the uniqueness of each individual Christian’s gifting and skill within the body of Christ. The writer went on to say “The body of Christ can reach unity by appreciating the unique abilities in others and empathizing with each other in times of joy and sorrow.”

      Spiritual gifts are those gifts given to Christians by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building the church up. It is the Holy Spirit who decides the gift and at the appropriate time to give the spiritual gift. The verses above tell us that something from the Spirit can be seen in each person for the common good. I have been witness to this many times throughout my life, but it was just last summer that I was able to see this truth personally. You see, I had the opportunity to participate in a women’s retreat put on by another church. At the time of the retreat, I was walking through one of the deepest, darkest, driest valleys I had ever walked through. There was a woman at the retreat who was such an encouragement to me. I could tell, just by looking at her, that she had a relationship with the Lord like no other. She practically glowed as she sang praises during our time of praise and worship. Her gentle, sweet spirit was a blessing to everyone that weekend.

      A few days ago, I received a phone call from a dear friend that accompanied me to that retreat last summer. My friend told me the shocking news of this sweet woman’s husband and his sudden death. He had been rushed to the hospital and within 30 minutes went home to be with the Lord. When I heard this my heart broke for this precious woman. I only knew her for a day and a half (a mere drop on the canvas of my life) but I cried as if I had known her and her husband for years. I immediately started praying for her and her family and those that would be supporting her through this crisis in her life. I shared in her sorrow, just as she had shared in mine during the retreat. Even though our paths crossed only once, we are sisters in Christ for eternity.

      Is there anyone in your life that needs encouraging today? If so, you can show someone the grace of God by sharing in their sorrow or joy.

      Related reading: Acts 20:35; Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 13:3

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      Posted in sharing sorrow and joy, sisters in Christ, spiritual gifts | 0 Comments
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