Kudzu and That Other Creeping Threat

by Patti Richter

I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23:4 ESV

Many full moons ago, all alone in the house, I stayed up late to watch a scary movie I’d seen years ago. I remembered it as harmless, like a roller-coaster ride that heightens anticipation with each turn and then terrifies momentarily here and there before letting you go. But when I began to sense that creepy feeling of something lurking behind me, I turned off the TV and ran upstairs to bed. That’s when I imagined seeing a disembodied head staring at me from a return-air vent.

Having stayed away from horror films since that night, I’m no expert on them. But I’ve retained the memory of opening scenes with deceptively pleasant music playing; then, a violin screech or a gong sound. Further into the show, the music volume suddenly rises, sending your heart racing. So, based on my limited knowledge of scary movies, I could suggest the following opening scene:

A young couple in a convertible travel to the lush property they viewed and purchased online. (Soft music.) After passing lovely country estates, they turn down a long gravel road to discover their very own grove of hardwood trees—covered in verdant green ivy. Only it’s not ivy. They’ve arrived at the Kudzu Zone. (Camera zoom/close-up; music distortion; scraping sounds).

Kudzu is a coiling, invasive perennial plant in the pea family, which sounds tasty. Introduced to the US in the late 1800s as an ornamental plant, it later became a remedy for soil erosion. But finally, due to its insidious growth, Kudzu was placed on the Federal Noxious Weed List in 1970.

In the accommodating soil of the Southeastern US, Kudzu consumes more than 100,000 acres per year. It flourishes in nitrogen-deficient soil; cold and drought do not stop it. It robs trees and plants of sunlight and breaks branches. It can also push through buildings and damage power lines.

Landowners and municipalities must deal with the blight Kudzu brings. It’s difficult and costly—like dealing with the effects of evil in the world.

Evil often creeps in slowly before we see it full blown. At first it can appear attractive, or at least benign. It might even offer some benefit, like the promise of relieving a need. Evil typically seeks the deficient soil of a troubled life, or a bitter, angry soul. We regularly see the results of evil in the headlines, after its harmless appearance has turned ugly, or its supposed benefit has turned deadly.

Our world abounds with entrenched evil, and we sense it lurking all around us. Yet, as God’s people, we need not fear it.

If ever a man had reasons to run and hide, it was David of Bethlehem. And though he did run and hide from the jealous and angry King Saul, David did not panic. His words speak to all of those who trust in God: “[The Lord] makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. … Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. … Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:2, 4, 6 ESV).

Through Christ, those words can become our own.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:9 – 10 ESV

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Patti is the co-author of the award-winning Signs of His Presence—Experiencing God’s Comfort in Times of Suffering. It is the story of Luann Mire, whose godly husband was blindsided by an indictment due to a former employer’s tax fraud. The resulting prison sentence and restitution took the once joyful couple into a long season of suffering as they fought judicial tyranny. Helpless to change her situation, Luann endured a painful examination of her life and found God faithful to His promises.

Join the conversation: How has the presence of evil affected your life?

Demons Believe

by Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott

Halloween seems to have become as big a holiday in the United States as Christmas. Millions of dollars are spent on costumes, decorations, and candy. Stores dedicated to the day have even sprung up at shopping malls. The most preferred costumes by far are the scary, bloody, ghastly, and ghostly variety. Hollywood cashes in too. Movies celebrating the paranormal released around this time of year can be assured of huge payoffs at the box office.

Many of us accept the depictions of the mystical in costumes and the movies as mere entertainment, when in actuality, the spirit world exists. If Satan can get us to relax about his existence, he can worm his way into our lives and negatively affect our marriages, our children, our workplaces, our churches, and our communities.

Although the demonic is nothing to be feared if we know our place in Christ, it is also nothing to play around with. Demons are all about havoc and the creation of mayhem, but they know Jesus and must bow to Him.

Consider the following events of Scripture:

 “Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are– the Holy One of God!’” (Mark1:23-24 NKJ)

“Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit… And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, ‘What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me’” (Mark 5:1-7 NKJ).

 “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that– and shudder” (James 2:19 NIV).

There is something in every day of the year that can turn our thoughts toward God. Halloween is a strong reminder of Jesus’ victory over demonic forces which war against us. Be reminded that Satan is fighting from a place of defeat; we from a place of victory.

We can operate in confidence when demonic forces of discouragement, illness, and obstacles raise their ugly heads, because we know how the story ends; we’ve read the end of the book. Facing our demonic foes is like watching the rebroadcast of a football game that we know we won. We are not concerned at all during the times when our team is behind, because we already know the outcome.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.    1 John 4:4 NIV.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: “Live significantly!” That’s the inspiring message of Sharon Norris Elliott, award-winning author, editor, agent, engaging speaker, and licensed minister. Author of 15 books, and associated with several prestigious organizations such as AWSA, ACE, and HSBN.tv, Sharon is also co-director of the WCCW conference. She is founder/CEO of AuthorizeMe® Consulting, Coaching, & Editing Firm and Literary Agency. www.AuthorizeMe.net

Sharon’s latest release, Didn’t See That Coming: When How They’re Living is Not How You Raised Them does its best to encourage parents of adult children when those grown folks make announcements about lifestyle choices that throw those parents for a real loop. Through introducing “care-frontation,” Dr. Elliott eases parents into the conversations they’d like to have with their adult kids. This book is heartfelt, timely, and scripturally sound.

Join the conversation: How does knowing the final outcome help you in the here and now?

The Lord Holds Our Hand

by Nicki White

The steps of a man are established by the Lord; And He delights in his way. When he falls, he won’t be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. Psalm 37:23-24 NASB

Psalm 37 has inspired me for years, but especially the above verses. It is written to the readers (not directly to God as many of the psalms are). Its words go straight to my heart.

The psalm encourages those who struggle to understand why life is hard or why we go through an especially difficult trial. I have cried out to God in my lifetime many times, wondering why something happened. But this psalm tells us repeatedly to rest in Him, wait patiently for Him, don’t fret, we aren’t forsaken… on and on it goes. Committing this to memory will keep ready assurance of His sovereignty imbedded in our hearts.

Several years ago, I was struggling with so many trials all at once. It felt like I was drowning. I kept praying but felt like all I was doing was barely keeping afloat. I am an overthinker, which causes an inability to sleep. And too many sleepless nights can make me uncharacteristically emotional.

But one day, this passage caught my eye. I realized while I had read this psalm many times, I’d never honed in on these two verses. They provided a compelling visual: me being flung aside by a trial, and the Lord grabbing my hand and not letting go. It gave me great comfort. He had ahold of me, He was NOT going to let me fall. He was intimately paying attention to every detail.

Wow. That is an amazing thing. He loves us so very much.

This morning, as I sat down to write this article, I found another verse on my Bible app. Isaiah 41:13 (NASB):“For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’”I actually gave out a little laugh when I saw it, because it fit so well. Once again God was telling me: He’s got this. 

So I can trust Him with the big, difficult things, as well as the little things that tend to pile up, because we think they are too small to share with Him. He wants to hear our praises, our confessions, our fears, and the thing that is presently nagging at us. When we don’t share with Him, a wall begins to build between God and us. Then it becomes more and more difficult to share at all.

Beloved, He loves you. He has you by the hand. He will not let you fall, no matter what you are going through. Remember that He is growing you with your trials. Trust Him and be comforted. I share these verses with loved ones being pulled down by a weighty trial. Each time it squeezes my heart, because I know He is not going to let them fall, either. The Lord is the One who holds their hand.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Nicki Corinne White is an author, speaker, and founder of Live Boldly Ministries. She has taught Bible for over 30 years. Her desire in ministry is to share the gospel to as many as possible and encourage women to grow in their faith so they can also share with others. She lives in Meridian, Idaho and has 4 children and 8 grandchildren. She loves to share her home with others, enjoys gardening, cooking and art.

Join the conversation: What verse or verses encourage your heart?

Too Busy to Pray?

by Harriet E. Michael

Far be it from me that I should sin against God by ceasing to pray for you. 1 Samuel 12:23 ESV

When I was a child, my parents started each morning with prayer. Before my father went off to work, we all sat around the breakfast table enjoying a meal as a family. Then, when our plates were empty, one of my parents would read a Bible verse and offer a short prayer seeking God’s blessings on each member of the family before we all went our separate ways for the day.

Those were the good old days when life seemed slower than it is now. Today, everyone is in a hurry to do everything, and I’m as guilty of living a hurried life as the next person.

Now that my kids are grown, I don’t have to fix breakfast for anyone. I substitute teach a few days a week and often just grab some food to eat on my drive to work. So much for sitting around my breakfast table reading Scripture and praying.

I have often thought about the fact that each member of my parents’ immediate family used to be lifted up to God by name every single morning before they started their day. I try to pray for my husband, children, and grandchildren by name every day, though my prayers for them are usually at bedtime.

A few years back, I shared with a prayer-group friend about praying for each member of my family. Some weeks later she told me, “You know what you said about praying for your family? Well, I’ve thought about that, and now I do it, too. I have just made it part of my morning routine—just like combing my hair or brushing my teeth. Every morning now, I comb my hair, I brush my teeth, and I pray for my family by name.”

When the people of Israel sinned and asked the prophet Samuel to pray for them that they might not die, Samuel responded that he would be sinning if he did not keep praying for them (1 Samuel 12:19, 23).

Wow, that kind of puts intercession in a different perspective! Samuel was God’s prophet—His spokesperson—to the people of Israel. They were his to shepherd, teach, and intercede for before God. We might not be prophets, but surely God has placed each of us to fill a unique spot as a mother, grandmother, aunt, teacher, Sunday School worker, counselor, or some other position. Even as writers and speakers, our lives or our writings touch certain people that others might not reach. How seriously do we take our call to pray for these?

Like combing our hair or brushing our teeth, let’s never forget our call from God to pray for those God has placed in our lives and in our path.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Harriet E. Michael is an award-winning and widely published author and freelance writer. She has authored or co-authored ten books, with three more under contract for release in 2024 and ’25. She has penned hundreds of articles and devotions that have been published in various publications. Her autumn devotional, Glimpses of God, focuses on how we can prepare for change and the possibility of difficult days ahead. Autumn also represents abundance and blessings.

Join the conversation: What reminders to pray have you successfully used?

How to Partner Successfully with God

by Debbie Wilson @DebbieWWilson

I’d stayed home from church because I wasn’t feeling well. Instead of a relaxing morning, an inexplicable urgency burdened my heart for someone I’d never met. Months earlier a friend had confidentially asked me to pray for this woman, but what did this mean? Was she in trouble? Why was I feeling this now? What was I to do?

“Should I ask for her number and call her?” I asked my husband when he returned home.

“I think you should pray. When you need to do more God will show you.”

Monday morning Larry called from work. On Sunday afternoon, the woman had left a message on our ministry phone line. She wanted to meet with me.

Another time, God burdened me to pray for a neighborhood teen that had gotten involved with drugs. I yearned to talk to her. I reached out, but her mother wasn’t receptive. One day, as I drove home and spotted her house, concern for her crushed me. I poured out my distress to God.

Within days of that experience the doorbell rang. The teen I’d prayed for stood at my door, locked out of her house. I invited her in, and God gave us a wonderful connection. I offered her something to take and read. She seemed genuinely grateful.

None of these burdens came at my bidding. But when they landed, I had to pray. The urgency was all consuming. You might think that after God brought each of them to me, it wasn’t long until I saw lasting transformation in each of them. I did not.

Deeper hardening followed temporary repentance in one. But since God loved these women enough to burden one of His children to pray for them and orchestrated opportunities for them to receive spiritual healing, I can’t believe either of their stories with Him is over.

When we do our part, we’ve successfully partnered with God, whether we see the results or not. Our part is to respond to His leading in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to Him. We don’t know if our role falls in the beginning, middle, or end of someone’s story. It may be someone else’s role to gather the fruit of many people’s labors.

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Debbie W. Wilson is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary God. Drawing from her personal walk with Christ, twenty-four years as a Christian counselor, and decades as a Bible teacher, Debbie writes and speaks to connect sojourners to the heart of Christ. She and her husband Larry founded Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit ministry offering life and relationship counseling and Bible studies. Despite time in Boston, the Midwest, and Southern California, she still says y’all. Her family, which includes two mischievous standard poodles, calls North Carolina home. Find free resources to refresh your faith and connect with Debbie at debbieWwilson.com.

Join the conversation: Has God ever called you to something, but you never were given the reason?

A Revealing Death

by Julie Zine Coleman

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 NIV

My three year-old cousin Betsy was three years old one September when a family friend took her into downtown Chicago on the train.  Wanting to further the youngster’s education, the woman pointed out the many trees seeming to fly by their windows. “Do you see all these green trees? In just a few weeks they will all be turning pretty colors, like red, yellow, or orange,” she told her. “Then the leaves will fall to the ground and die. We call that time of year fall, because of the falling leaves.”
 
Betsy stared out the window at the greenery racing by. “Well,” she replied slowly, “only the deciduous ones.”
 
Each October in fifth grade I did a small unit on leaves. Students were surprised to discover that the pretty colors on display in the fall had been present in the leaf all along. Red, orange, or yellow pigments remain hidden during the growing season within the bountiful number of green-pigmented chlorophyll cells. Eventually, however, the waning sunlight and changing temperatures signal that it is time for the deciduous plant to drop its leaves in preparation for the winter ahead. The leaves are cut off from their supply of water and nutrients. First to die are the chloroplasts. As those green cells fade away, the colors which had been masked all summer are finally revealed. For a few short days, the leaves glow in a final blaze of glory before dropping to the ground.
 
Fall is a season of death.  It is also a season of glory.
 
God has fit death into natural order in such a way that death has a fundamental purpose. Death makes room for life. Paul embraced this notion when he wrote the Romans, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may life a new life” (Romans 6:4). John the Baptist understood this principle. “He must become greater,” he told his disciples, “I must become less.” The New Testament gives a clear call to believers: we must die to self in order to live for Christ.
 
What exactly does this mean? It is a setting aside of our own agenda for God’s purposes. It is a voluntary submission of our will for His. We strive to live out what has already occurred at our salvation: we have been made holy, adopted as children of God, and are no longer slaves to sin. In our obedience, we testify to the reality of this new life in Christ.
 
This narrow path is difficult to travel.  Oftentimes our clenching hands must be pried open to release what we hold dearest to our hearts. Yet when we do relinquish control, rather than becoming a slave in our submission, we are actually set free.
 
A few years ago, I made a mistake that hurt another person. My first reaction to her anger was indignant. How dare she judge me? Let her walk a mile in my shoes and see how easy it would be. Then I began to feel sorry for myself. If my life was easier, I would never have made the mistake. I was just trying to survive here. Yet all along, as I stewed and struggled with the circumstances, I knew in my heart what had to be done. (Elisabeth Elliot once called “struggling” another term for procrastinating obedience.) Intentional or not, I had damaged the relationship. I needed to humbly go and make things right.
 
Even as I traveled to see this friend, I continued to struggle.  “God, I don’t want to do this,” I haughtily informed Him. “I am only doing this because I am obeying your Word.” Even as I rang the doorbell, conflicting emotions assaulted me.  I felt angry and misunderstood as much as I was ashamed.
 
The door opened. To my astonishment, in that instant, the Lord changed my heart. I burst into tears and confessed my thoughtlessness and insensitivity. I was enabled to sincerely ask forgiveness. My friend’s response was immediate. She put her arms around me and welcomed me into her home. Later, while basking in gratitude that the incident was resolved, I marveled that I had entertained refusing to obey the Lord for even one minute. His way is always best.
 
We may resist, but to ultimately refuse surrender is to place our own resources above the wisdom and goodness of God. In other words, the opposite to an attitude of surrender is pride. There is no place for self-sufficiency in the life of a Christian. We began our relationship with God only through His grace and mercy. That same reliance must now characterize our walk with Him.
 
As the chlorophyll dies, autumn leaves display the color that was present all along. We have been made new creatures in Christ. Now we must put to death that which remains within us that masks this reality, in order for the new creature to be displayed. And just as autumn leaves display a riot of color in their death, God’s glory will be revealed each time we surrender to Him.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Julie Zine Coleman helps others to understand and know an unexpected God. A popular conference and retreat speaker, she holds an M.A. in biblical studies. Julie is the managing editor for Arise Daily. When she is not glaring at her computer, she spends time with her grandchildren, gardening, or crafting. More on Julie can be found at her website JulieZineColeman.com and Facebook.

Many Christian women are torn between the church’s traditional teachings on gender roles and the liberty they experience in secular society. But what if the church’s conventional interpretations aren’t really biblical at all? Julie’s new book, On Purpose, is a careful study of the passages in the Bible often interpreted to limit women in the church, at home, or in the workplace. Each chapter reveals timeless biblical principles that actually teach freedom, not limitation. On Purpose was recently named the Golden Scrolls 2022 Book of the Year as well as receiving the Director’s Choice Award at the Selah Awards. 

Join the conversation: Has the Lord ever changed your heart without warning?

How to Make a Lot out of a Little

by Debbie Wilson @DebbieWWilson

My friend retired from work at the same time the prices of her two insulins shot up. One jumped to an over $900 copay for a three-month supply and the other to over $1000. This leap in prices and dip in income tempted her to fret.

But Sandi chose to embrace this as a faith challenge. God knew her needs. How would He supply? Should she lower her monthly missionary support?

We all face problems that overwhelm our resources. John 6:1-14 shows how God uses such times to wow us.

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do” (John 6:5-6 NIV).

Jesus asked this only to test Philip. I wonder how Jesus hoped Philip would respond.

When I imagined how faith might reply I pictured Philip turning a puzzled face to Jesus. As understanding dawned, with a twinkle, he’d say, “What do You have in mind, Lord? Do I detect a miracle?” But the real Philip looked at the crowd and said, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7 NIV).

Even if they had been able to buy that much food, how would they transport it? The situation was impossible in every way. Andrew showed a spark of faith. “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish…” then looked at the other disciples and realized how ridiculous he sounded, “but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9 NIV).

The disciples couldn’t feed the crowd so, except for Andrew, they didn’t even look for options. When have you held back what you have because it wasn’t enough?

Jesus didn’t find Andrew silly. He took the boy’s lunch and told the disciples to have the people sit on the grass. He then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten” (Jn. 6:11-13)

It’s natural to evaluate a need in light of our resources. But God wants us to evaluate needs in light of His resources.

Sandi mentioned her retirement to her doctor who supplied her with free insulin for two years. When the doctor was unable to continue, Sandi asked us to pray with her about this.

In the meantime, Sandi added two more missionaries to her charitable giving. She texted me Sunday. The pharmacy charged her $5.00 for one of the insulins! “I can pay for that!” she said. “I will get a prescription for the more expensive one when I see the doctor. So, what else will God do?”

What problem dwarfs your human resources? Let’s bring Jesus what we have, thank Him for it, and trust Him to supply our needs. Lord Jesus, help us live with the joyful anticipation that comes from abiding in You. 

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19 NASB 

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Debbie W. Wilson is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary God. Drawing from her personal walk with Christ, twenty-four years as a Christian counselor, and decades as a Bible teacher, Debbie writes and speaks to connect sojourners to the heart of Christ. She and her husband Larry founded Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit ministry offering life and relationship counseling and Bible studies. Despite time in Boston, the Midwest, and Southern California, she still says y’all. Her family, which includes two mischievous standard poodles, calls North Carolina home. Find free resources to refresh your faith and connect with Debbie at debbieWwilson.com.

Join the conversation: How has God unexpectedly provided for your needs?

I See You

by Nan Corbitt Allen

Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away. You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:1-3 NASB

I feel invisible sometimes—well, maybe more often than sometimes. I’ve walked up to an automatic door and had it not open for me. I’ve tried to use a motion-sensitive faucet and towel dispenser in a restroom with no response whatsoever. I can walk past people I know, yet they don’t notice me. All because I’m vertically challenged. I wonder if I’m just not at everybody’s normal eye level when I see them. Anyway, I often feel invisible, if not outright ignored.

I’ve sometimes wanted invisibility to be my superpower, like when I fell after becoming tangled up in my own feet walking down the sidewalk in a major city. Or when I drove the wrong way on a one-way street. (This only happened once, and it was at night and truly confusing.)

Maybe everyone has felt passed over or ignored or even tossed aside at one time or another.

I remember the story of Abraham that begins in Genesis 15, when he was still called Abram. God had told him that he would have a son. Yet Abram’s wife, Sarai, had been barren throughout their marriage. Plus, Sarai was past childbearing age, and Abram was old, too. But even though God promised a child, they didn’t want to wait for this to happen naturally. The couple felt as though they needed to move this process along because they weren’t getting any younger. So, they made a plan that Abram should father a child with Sarai’s young Egyptian handmaid, Hagar.

That plan caused jealousy and disharmony even before Hagar bore Abram’s son. When she fled from Sarai, the angel of the Lord found her and encouraged her (Genesis 16:7 – 12). That’s when Hagar said, “You are a God who sees me” (16:13). Hagar later bore a son whom Abram named Ishmael (16:15), who would become the “father” of the Arab nation (Genesis 21:18).

It does give me comfort to read that account; I know that I’m not invisible to God. Hebrews 4:13 says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer” (NASB).

Can we hide from God? The answer is no, by all accounts. Like Hagar who felt rejected and invisible, we can recognize that even when everybody else ignores us, we are still seen by the Creator of the universe.  

Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thought from far away. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, Lord, You know it all. You have encircled me behind and in front, and placed Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:1-5 NASB

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Nan Corbitt Allen has written over 100 published dramatic musicals, sketchbooks, and collections in collaboration with Dennis Allen, her husband of 45+ years. A three-time Dove Award winner, Nan’s lyrics and dramas have been performed around the world. Dennis and Nan have sold almost 3 million choral books. Nan and Dennis retired in 2020 from full time teaching at Truett McConnell University. They now live south of Nashville. They have two grown sons and two beautiful grandchildren.

Nan’s book, Small Potatoes @ the Piggly Wiggly, is a collection of devotionals that reveal the great impact seemingly insignificant, routine experiences can have in our lives. She describes what she learned of God’s providence and wisdom while growing up in the Deep South in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Join the conversation: Do you ever feel invisible?

When I Feel God’s Smile

by Sheri Schofield

A mile-long winding path through the trees and gardens near my home provided a pathway to school. When the weather was nice, I walked that path, breathing in the fresh air, searching out wildflowers and delicate fern, catching helicopter maple seeds when they dropped in the fall, and listening to birds singing in the trees. On the way home, I would pick wildflowers to give to the retirees living along the path. I loved school, but the journey to and from it was far more satisfying to my nature-loving soul.

As an adult, I still seek out nature every day. I recognize in creation a love story sent to me by my Father in heaven. The tiny flower leaves and petals show his intricate designs. The smell of flowers and trees refreshes me. The stars in the sky, the clouds changing colors as the sun moves across the great expanse above, the birds chirping in the trees or soaring high above, all these things speak of God’s love for me and for all his creation.

When I admire his handiwork, he is pleased. I can feel his smile.

King David had a kindred spirit to mine. He saw God’s love in nature.  Maybe as a shepherd boy he wrote: He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters, he restores my soul… (Psalm 23:2, 3 NJKV).

The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God: But those 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 40:31 NKJV).

In another place, God again speaks through Isaiah saying, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring” (Isaiah 44:3 NKJV).

There was a time in my life when I was involved in a fierce battle to save my husband’s life. I am a small woman with a small voice. Intimidating? No. Frankly, those I battled didn’t think I could win. It was a time of great emotional stress and exhaustion. The battle lasted about a year. There were times I’d have adrenalin rushes when promised help from a powerful person would fall through. I’d go into my bedroom, close the door, and cry where our children could not hear me. On those days–and only on those days–I would receive a note or a message in the mail containing this verse from the Bible: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

This was God’s hand, touching my broken heart. In the end, I won against impossible odds. My husband’s life was saved, but his health was ruined.

The Lord, knowing how much nature would help heal us, took us to Montana, where the towering mountains covered with trees and wildflowers ministered to our souls. A seasonal creek chuckled down the mountain next to our log home. Below us stretched a lake, where birds of all kinds nested. In the winter, eagles flew across the hillside below, reminding me of God’s promise of Isaiah 40:31.

Gradually, in the quiet of nature, God restored my soul. He kept my husband and our children in the palm of his hand, and we and our children all walk with the Lord today … because of God’s faithfulness. I feel his smile still.

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.  Jeremiah 31:25 NIV

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Sheri Schofield, award-winning author and Bible teacher, has added a new way to share faith in Jesus. Her latest book, Before You Find Me, is a contemporary romantic suspense featuring a strong Christian who faces a crisis that tests her courage. Tara, a freshman at West Texas A&M whose parents are dead, learns that her younger sister witnessed a murder. To protect her siblings, she must spirit them out of Texas before the murderer learns there was a witness to his act. Tara has one day in which to act. Can she do it? She remembers a family ranch in Montana…and Ben, the boy next-door, who captured her heart once. Will he still be there? Will he help her protect her family now? This book entertains while it presents godly responses to danger and struggles. Sometimes fiction can draw people closer to God when they will not be drawn by nonfiction. Before You Find Me is available at http://www.sherischofield.com.

Join the conversation: Have you received encouragement lately? Please share!

The Price of Control

by Melissa Heiland

Must get this thing under control. I have been that person. I’ve since learned why we seek to control anything: fear.

In the past, I was defenseless against those who hurt me. I couldn’t allow myself to be hurt anymore; so, I took control. I have watched people who seek to control everything and everyone in their lives. The only person they really trust is themselves.

When we’ve been hurt, we think by controlling others, we’ll be safe. We might filter information in an attempt to get a desired outcome, sharing only the pieces of truth that will benefit us. We might discredit those who disagree with us or manipulate people and circumstances.

Control is self-serving. Manipulation is not borne of love, and there is a high price to be paid for attempting to control people and situations. We lose authentic, loving relationships. If we love someone, we must allow them to express their feelings, and we will honestly express ours. Love seeks the other person’s best interest. Love “does not insist on its own way” (1 Corinthians 13:5 ESV).

Seeking to control will also rob us of joy. I recently watched a person trying to control a situation that was getting out of hand. She successfully regained control, but I saw anger in her face, not joy. Control may bring a sense of safety but never joy.

Attempts to control are born of fear. I have heard people attempt to control God through words and prayers. Our having control is only a façade. We can never truly control people or circumstances, and certainly not God. We are in a very precarious situation when we try. At any moment, we can lose control, which means we can never truly rest or let our guard down. It also indicates we do not trust anyone—even God.

The truth is: God is in control. And the Bible is very clear that we should not attempt to control our circumstances. It is true that we cannot always trust people, but we can always trust God. We do not need to fear because we are safe in His hands; true safety is found only in Him. Psalm 55:18 promises, “He redeems my soul in safety from the battle I wage, for many are arrayed against me” (ESV).

The Lord does, however, command us to control ourselves. Proverbs 25:28 warns, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

We do not need to live our lives in fear, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV). Trusting in His love for us, we give up our striving. Then we can focus on controlling ourselves, not others.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 ESV

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Melissa Heiland is the Founder and President of Beautiful Feet International, a mission organization that plants pregnancy ministries around the world. She is an international speaker and author who is passionate about mommies, babies and sharing the Gospel. She and her husband Ken have 6 children and 10 grandchildren

No Shame, Melissa’s newest release, was written for survivors of sexual abuse. It’s a gentle, 40-day devotional to comfort survivors along their journey to peace and healing. She has written two other devotionals for new and expectant mothers and a children’s book, all of which are available in Spanish. As a missionary, she has written Get Set, a short devotional that will help equip and prepare short-term missions teams for their upcoming trip.

Join the conversation: What do you fear? Does it make you feel a need to control?