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First, I want to thank all of you who responded to the question I sent out earlier this week. I had a great response, and I have prayed over your answers. I drew a name from the participants and Sheri Mayes is the winner! Congratulations, Sheri!!
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I feel like we are in a weird place right now as Covid is still affecting many but things are slowly becoming less rigid as vaccinations grow and cases lessen. The news this past week has been filled with tragic shootings, injustices, and a lack of peace. Some days it all feels heavy even as spring is blossoming all around.
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Suffering causes us to lament and wrestle with the questions of why these things continue to happen. The question over why bad things happen to "good" people is posed to me on a weekly basis it seems. And I can only point the seeker to the cross and why it was necessary. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Being morally good is not what God is after...it's a heart devoted to Him. It's a life lived in belief that hope is coming and whatever we endure this side of eternity will be made new and put our suffering in perspective.
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Frustration in a believer's life often comes from forgetting that Christ rescued us from the penalty of our own sin. While He makes it possible for us, through grace, to be redeemed, the world we live in is still waiting. Our earthly bodies groan with the earth as described in Romans 8:22. This is not Eden, nor Heaven. We sure wish it were, don't we?
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Many also tend to think that Christians shouldn't have to face the realities of living in frail bodies and a temporary land - that faith saves us from earthly suffering. But I challenge you to study Scripture to see if that is ever promised. However, He does promise to never leave us and to keep us until He has finished the work in us! Hope and peace in the journey are tangible gifts of grace.
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I invite you today to rest in the fact that God is working both in you individually and in the world. He knows what is going on. He is patient so that others can come to a saving faith before coming again. I have to consider that while I get tired of the evil all around me and weary of death and disease, there are loved ones that I still desire to come to Christ. I sit at a table every Wednesday evening with women asking prayer for someone's salvation. While I long for Heaven, I don't want others to miss it because I am impatient or tired.
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As always, the purpose of investing time in this monthly newsletter is to encourage, teach, and grow together as imitators of Christ. Hopefully, we can cheer one another on to good works through the things shared here; not through burdensome rituals or guilt-inducing words, but through growing to love, desire, and understand truth. For it is in recognizing the beauty of grace and truth that we are compelled to serve in greater ways.
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As we learn to grow in grace and flourish in our relationship with God and others, we find joy. Joy in living. Joy in giving. And joy in filling our role in the body of Christ. As always, I pray that you will find something in this issue that increases your joy and grows your faith.
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Encouraging you to persevere,
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In case you missed it, here are some links to my latest posts!
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Favorite Things This Month:
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Encouraging Read:
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In Ten Words to Live By, Jen Wilkin presents a fresh biblical look at the Ten Commandments, showing how they come to bear on our lives today as we seek to love God and others, to live in joyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightly worshiped for eternity. Learn to see the law of God as a feast for your famished soul, open to anyone who calls on the name of the Lord.
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My First Book Collaboration!
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You’ll find comfort, inspiration, and wisdom in these 34 stories from women just like you. Every encouraging account shows hope and renewed faith as they have come through trials and tough times, including family struggles, infertility, health challenges, doubt, fear, human trafficking, depression, heartbreak, loss, and more.
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In these examples of forgiveness, starting over, renewed joy, fresh faith, love, healing, acceptance, and refined hope, you’ll be inspired to experience your own story of transformation.
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Plus, thought-provoking questions to use on your own for reflection or for group discussion. You can order it from Amazon here!
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Favorite New Artist:
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Check out this beautiful song, Same God, by Hannah Kerr!
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Click here to download the two page resource on using social media wisely. Second page has Scripture guides.
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Just for fun!
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I met a very nice lady at one of the flea markets I visit often, and she has a cool booth. If you like that sort of thing, be sure to check out her social media pages!
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Subscriber Spotlight!
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Kimberly Kicker is a wife and momma of two sweet boys. She serves alongside her husband, Kyle, at High Street Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri where he has been on staff as Worship Pastor for 7 years. Kim serves in her own role as the High Street Moms group coordinator. This group seeks to help moms grow in their relationships with Christ and their roles as moms.
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Kim also runs a beauty business to help women feel their best and simplify their makeup and skincare routines. Her goal is to help women find a simple beauty routine that helps them feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, so they are ready to face whatever the day may bring!
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Kim is one of the sweetest women I know and has always made me feel welcome at High Street. Thank you, Kim, for being a part of this community.
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You can find her and her beauty products here:
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If you would like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter, contact me at terriprahl@gmail.com!
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Moments of Grace:
- Waking up with praise songs running through my mind. I'm thankful for the gift of music.
- Tulips!
- Watching my kids use their talents to serve the Lord.
- Allergy meds so I can enjoy the spring. :)
- Each and everyone of you that takes time to read this each month and encourage me to keep writing!
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Giveaway!!
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I will be giving away a signed copy of Life, Repurposed to the first subscriber to read this and respond through email with their own moment of grace!
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Links to other writers and articles worth sharing!
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Encouraging Good Work in the World:
- Consider donating to the Destiny Rescue Ministry as they seek to rescue children from the sex slave industry. Let's be moved with compassion through donating!
- High Street Church has a ministry called Powerpacks where they provide food for children on the weekends through the public school system. Click the link for information and directions. You can also donate money to provide the food.
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If you missed any previous newsletters and want to check them out, you can go to the member archive and view past issues. The archive also holds the Psalm 119 study, Marriage study, 5 Principles for Spiritual Growth printable, and Hebrews 10 lesson. If you find anything here that you think would encourage someone else, please consider sharing and inviting them to subscribe. If you read an article on the blog you want to share, just click the social media icons on the right hand corner! This is a great way to support me and hopefully help others!
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A final note of encouragement:
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"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
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2021 may have many unknowns, but knowing God is with us gives us the strength to have hope for the future. His plans are good, and we can trust Him with our future.
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If you need prayer, please send me a message, and I will be more than happy to intercede on your behalf.
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