Tag: God’s provision

God-Sighting Saturday

God-Sighting Saturday – I SPY HIM IN HIS WORD

Rebekah Freed

Wooo hoo!!! I actually remembered my God-Sighting Saturday post this week!!! 🙂  While there are countless places I saw God this week, I wanted to focus on a couple ways I saw Him in/through His Word this week.

1.  I’m thoroughly enjoying the current Short Course at First Trinity focusing on the I AM statements of Jesus. This past Monday we focused on the passage in John 8 where Jesus says, “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.” What a blessing it was to gather with over 50 people and focus in on the truth of God being light in this dark, dark world.  Even cooler, is that God calls US the light of the world as well.

2. Sharing the simplicity yet amazing-ness of Jesus’ love with the preschoolers at chapel.  When you give God’s love away, there’s always more!

3. In my personal devotion time, I’ve been focusing in on various names for God.  Three of the names I focused on this week (Rock, Support, and Fortress), came from 2 Samuel 22 where David is singing a song of praise to God.  At first I struggled figuring out where I’ve seen God as “fortress” in my life.  I get the concept but any thing I could think of seemed more like “Rock” or “Refuge”.  After some reflection, and a visit to dictionary.com, I guess what stood out to me as different with fortress is that it’s a BIG thing… all the definitions were about whole fortified TOWNS.  As I looked at other scriptures where God is called fortress, it was often connected with the words “rock” or strength”, at one point salvation itself is described as a fortress, it’s a place you go to in times of trouble, and it’s never closed to us.  Suddenly as this all came together, it became so clear to me that God is often my fortress through people.  He surrounds me, often with lots of people (thinking BIG), it’s especially evident in times of trouble, though is always there to go to. 🙂  Reflecting on how I needed God to reveal Himself to me in that specific day as refuge, I realized that GOD is my fortress so when I’m in Him, there is no need for me to worry about trying to protect myself.  Instead, He calls me to live my life in the safety of HIS protection and simply be who He’s made me to be.  Such freedom.

4.  Deuteronomy 6:5-9 “Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. … talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up… write them on the doorframes of your houses…”

Blessing

In the Little things…

Rebekah Freed

Last night at the Short Course Bible Class on Psalm 34 we talked about noticing (tasting) God all around us, even in the little things.  Here are just a few little (and big) places I’ve tasted and seen God the last few days (in no particular order):

  • A fixed closet door
  • New fun colored pens to write letters to my friends
  • Singing and learning about God with the preschoolers in Chapel
  • Observing 22 youth go without so other could have
  • Beautiful women to share life with
  • Answered prayers
  • Communion Sunday… the body broken. the blood shed. for forgiveness. for all.  for each.
  • Sunday Wanderings through the blogosphere
  • Sharing and receiving “words that make souls stronger” (Eph. 4:29)
  • Cinnamon Graham Crackers with Peanut Butter
  • Cleaning my apartment one room at a time, knowing that God is doing the same in his house, my heart
  • A candlelight dinner in my PJs with Jesus
  • Bubble Wrap
  • Opportunities to practice giving myself grace
  • Brownies and a fun card from dad
  • An extra 15 minutes of sleep due to no school for the preschool this week (though I did miss praying with all the teachers this morning)
  • Laughter with staffmates
  • Connecting with other interns
  • Coming home to a clean house
  • Homemade chicken fingers and fries

So what about you?  Where have you tasted and seen that God truly is good recently?

Crossroads, First Trinity, Internship Highlights, Joy

30 Hour Famine – Recap

Rebekah Freed

Hello All!

Well, we made it to the end!  The 30-Hour Famine was a success (in my opinion at least).  22 youth and 4 adult participants from four area churches gave up eating for 30 hours so others could eat!  I hope to tell more specifics in the days to come about our experience.  But for now, here are some highlights:

  • Anne Miller and Jon Whited making our “Tribe:Haiti” experience come to life a little more by sharing stories from their trips to Haiti.
  • Celebrating Jon’s birthday on Friday night with a candle put straight on a plate (since we couldn’t eat anything) and then with the treats his parents brought for dessert when we broke our fast this evening. 
  • Lots of laughter and games!
  • Going door-to-door collecting food, coats, and blankets for those in need. (Yes, in the wind and the snow). 
  • Later in the day, a man showed up at church with 7 more blankets that he wanted to donate to our collection for people to keep warm this winter.
  • We left some of the food we collected to the First Trinity Food Pantry and then took nearly 70 extra pounds of food to the Food Bank of WNY where we toured their warehouse and learned more about those in need around our area.
  • The Canfield Family cooked us an awesome spaghetti supper to break our fast and helped clean everything up!

Thanks to everyone who helped out and especially a big thanks to all the youth participants who gave up their time, money, and food for 30 hours so others can have what they need.  You’re AWESOME!

Bekah's Heart, Internship Highlights

‘Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here

Rebekah Freed

Today was a beautiful day.  I’m currently back at school in Nebraska for a Mid-Year Conference with all of the DCE interns from all over the world. These few days back on campus are hard to describe.  Most of us interns have used the word “weird” in that description more times than we probably can count.  It’s this interesting dynamic of loving this place but not really fitting in… at least not in the way we have in the past.  Our roles have shifted, and that’s okay.  In the midst of this awkward, indescribable, mid-way check point, it has been such a blessing to just see God presence everywhere I turn.  Here are just a few examples of where that was found today alone:

  •  A conversation with a beautiful woman with whom I’ve literally had one prior face to face conversation with before, yet somehow our hearts just know each other.  I don’t get it, but was so thankful for our time together this morning and God’s presence there.
  • Chapel.  I miss chapel.  What a wonderful REST was found in the very SIMPLE yet profound proclamation of the Gospel today as it was describe as a song, a melody that can, in a way, be the “background” music to our life.
  • Lunch (at Dragon Palace) with fellow interns, talking about anything and everything and nothing.
  • A chance to share with other DCE students our experiences and where we’ve seen God at work through our internships.
  • Being able to “pick up” friendships where they left off and just get straight to what really matters… to know and be known.  

As corny as it may sound, I really felt like the last verse of a hymn we sang in chapel today encapsulates this trip back to Concordia for me.

’Tis good, Lord, to be here.
Yet we may not remain;
But since Thou bidst us leave the mount,
Come with us to the plain.

It is so wonderful to be able to reflect and see all the many ways God has blessed my life through Concordia… to be able to come back and be overwhelmed in a good way… to realize the number of people through whom God has blessed me and made me who I am.  But now, as good as it is to be here, it’s obvious that this is not where I belong right now… and God comes with me to what’s next.

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Lord, ’tis truly good to be here… to behold Your beauty… to see You at work in my life and the lives of others… to hear and remember your gospel melody that accompanies my life.  And now, as I prepare to wrap this time here up, may You remind me of your promise to go with me and continue to open my heart and ears to that beautiful melody of Your love.  ‘Tis good Lord, to be Your child.  Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Joy

Joyfullyblessed by God’s Provision

Rebekah Freed

So here’s a simple, but awesome story of how God provides in ways that only God can.

So back on Thursday, the zipper on my coat broke.  While certain times and places you could kind of “make do”, I decided that Buffalo in the winter is not the place or time. 

Originally the plan (before the zipper broke) was to look for a new coat when mom was here next week.  So despite all my desire to stay AS FAR AWAY from a shopping mall on the Saturday before Christmas, I was right next to the mall and had about 30 minutes of time to kill this afternoon.

I decided to drive around a little and see if I could even find a parking spot near JC Penny’s.  Not only did I FIND a parking spot, it just so happened to be THE VERY FIRST parking spot closest to the door RIGHT near the coats. (To make a long story longer, when I was a kid, we’d call close parking spots “Thank You Jesus” parking spots as a reminder that we can thank God for ALL the blessings he provides…even things like parking spots.  So I called my mom to tell her about the “Thank You Jesus Parking Spot” and headed into the store.)

So, basically, I found a coat I really liked that was normally $200 for only $80.  While I liked it a lot, I still wasn’t willing to pay $80 for a coat since some of the other ones were on sale for like $40.  So I tried on a couple of the other coats and they didn’t fit right.  However, in trying them on, I realized they were actually on sale more than the sign said.  I took the original coat over to the price scanner and found out that until 1 pm (it was like 12:45) the coat was actually only $60.  PLUS, I ended up finding a coupon from the flyer when I walked in the story that was $10 off any purchase over $50.   To summarize, the $200 coat ended up only costing me $50. … and I really like it a lot. 🙂

Isn’t it awesome the way our God provides?!?

I also wanted to share some fun times God provided from later today. 

First of all, I stopped to see Laura today.  She is doing well and wanted to say hi to everyone and thanks for all the encouragement and support. (She especially loves her prayer blanket as you can see below!)

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Another big blessing was an afternoon/evening spent with the Whiteds.  Here are some fun pictures from the cookie decorating extravaganza!

DSCF9030 DSCF9015 DSCF9019 DSCF9020 DSCF9021

Blessing

Unable To Count That High

Rebekah Freed

The leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and more fills the fridge.

Pies and cookies line the buffet table ready to be eaten as soon as our stomachs can hold another bit of food.

Bodies of friends lay asleep in the living room buried under blankets, pillows, and other remnants of last night’s sleepover.

 

I sit at my kitchen table…

overwhelmed…

in awe…

humbled…

grateful…

 

How gracious is our God!

 

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Awesome God, I can’t help but pause and bring you thanks and praise for this day. 

For a new day to be alive and live in you. 

For an amazing time of worship this morning with Your Family, focusing us as we began this day of giving thanks.

For beautiful friends to spend time with and celebrate with this week. 

For big meals… and small meals… reminders of your provision.

For a house and food and family.

For grace… freedom… life.

For the fact that as I begin to “count my blessings,” even just in today,… I suddenly realize, I can’t count that high!

I give you thanks.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

31 Days of Hope

Hope {Day 21} – How to Hand out Hope

Rebekah Freed

Sometimes I look around me and wonder if Christians really could have an impact on this world anymore.  It can be discouraging at times to look around and see our friends, our family members, our country, our world drifting farther and farther away from the Truth revealed to us in God’s Word.  BUT we don’t have to lose hope!

 

What triggered my thinking about this was just two short verses in Luke yesterday.  Luke 13:20-21says:

Again [Jesus] asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?  It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 

This world may be big, but the kingdom of God is POWERFUL!  Just like yeast seems so small and insignificant to the “large amount of flour” when making bread, anyone whose forgotten it in something knows that it makes ALL the difference. 

 

This verse says that the kingdom of God is like that yeast… it may seem insignificant at first but you just wait…. and wait…. and wait… and eventually, you’ll see an impact…in ALL the dough.

 

As God’s kingdom permeates this world, it can’t help but spread throughout the whole dough.  We don’t have to LOSE HOPE when we look around and see such pain and suffering in the world.  Rather, let’s HAND OUT hope and let it impact the entire world!

31 Days of Hope

Hope {Day 12} – Hope and Contentment… the Best of Friends

Rebekah Freed

Tonight at the wonderful Philippians Short Course Bible Study at First Trinity we were studying chapter 4.  It’s a wonderful chapter which I strongly suggest everyone read.  (You could even do so right now by clicking here.)  Anyway, in summary here are a few things covered in that chapter:

  • vs 4 – Finding JOY in the Lord
  • vs. 5-7 – Finding PEACE to replace anxiety through prayer
  • vs. 8-9 – Finding TRUTH to fight the lies Satan gets us to believe.
  • vs. 10-20 – Finding CONTENTMENT in Jesus rather than our circumstances.

You may be starting to wonder what all of that has to do with a blog post that is supposed to be about HOPE. 

 

However, as I was driving home just now, I began to realize that “CONTENTMENT” and “HOPE” are very much alike.  Maybe hope grows out of contentment or contentment comes from hope or maybe neither, but in any case, many similarities appear.

 

Take a look at what Paul says here in Philippians 4 about being content:

… I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know that it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 

Just like contentment, we learn to find HOPE no matter what the circumstance.  Hope doesn’t come FROM the circumstance.  Most of the time, if we look at our situation, we’d probably find more despair than hope. So while hope doesn’t come from the situation, we can find hope IN the situation. 

 

Paul states here that he found “the secret” to contentment, and it comes in looking to Christ for strength.  The same is true of HOPE… we have to look to something, or rather Someone, outside of our situation in order to find hope. 

 

Verse 19 tells who that Someone is:

And my God will meet ALL your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Despair, the opposite of hope, comes when we start to think that there’s no way out… our situation is too big… to hard… too much… my needs are too many or too great.  In reality, when we can’t find contentment or we can’t find hope… it’s because somehow our circumstances have blinded from seeing God’s provision.  We start to let our minds wander and think, “Well, maybe God isn’t enough for me.” Our situation can, at times, keep us from realizing that our God is MORE than enough for us.  He provides ABUNDANTLY.

 

When fear and anxiety attempt to rob us of contentment or hope… we can focus on “whatever is true.” (vs. 8 ) And this my friends is true:

OUR GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US! 

 

Provision.

 

Contentment.

 

HOPE.

 

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Gracious God,

We thank you for the promise that you will provide for ALL our needs.  We thank you that you’re not giving us just enough to survive, but that you provide abundantly, that You are MORE than enough for us.  When the situations and circumstances of our lives blind us and fill us with anxiety, give us strength and bring us back to truth.  We know from Your Word that in that place of truth… in being honest with you in prayer, your peace will guard our hearts and our minds.  That is our prayer tonight, Lord… that you would protect our hearts and minds from despair as you point us to Hope Himself, Jesus Christ.

It’s in His name we pray,

AMEN!

31 Days of Hope

Hope {Day 9} – “Against All Hope”

Rebekah Freed

Thinking about some of the high school kids that are in playoffs for sports in these coming weeks makes me think about my high school experience.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved my high school and there were many things that our school was really good at (music, basketball, etc.)… but football just wasn’t one of those things.  We rarely won a game, and actually, when my sister was in school there, they didn’t win a single football game in the 4 years she was in high school.

 

We were definitely the “underdog” and by definition (and reputation) normally had no chance of winning.  We were expected to loose. Yet, there must have been some hope somewhere, right?  Our team may not have had the best skills in the city, but if nothing else, they had HOPE. If they had absolutely no hope, they would never even suited up. Each week, as they stepped onto the field, they believed in hope that somehow, someway, they just MIGHT be able to pull out a win.

 

That’s kind of the situation we see with dear old “Father Abraham.”    God tells him that he will be the father of many nations… yet he looks around and sees that … well … he sees that he’s OLD … 100 years old actually.  And his wife, Sarah, yeah… she was 90.  I’m guessing that their HOPE to have children was LONG gone.  Yet, we read this awesome passage in Romans 4:18- 22

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening of his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

 

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.

 

I don’t think this idea of being “against all hope” is not too distant from our own realities. 

 

You, like Abraham and Sarah, wish desperately that you could have a family. Yet, as the days and the years tick by, hope for a spouse or children begins to fade. 

Or perhaps the bad economy has taken a toll on you.  As you search the classifieds day after day and submit resume number 643, you begin to wonder if you’ll ever find another job. 

You’re battling an illness.  And no matter how hard you fight, it seems to fight back even stronger.

That pile of homework will never end.

It seems as if no one sees the pain you’re going through.

The college tuition is just too much.

The secret sins cover you with shame.

Guilt and fear threaten to eat you alive

 

YOU’RE AGAINST ALL HOPE.

 

May we, like Abraham, have faith to face the fact that while our situations seem hopeless… our God is faithful to fulfill his promises.  I mean seriously… a 90-year old woman and a 100-year old man were able to have a child! 

 

As was written of Abraham, let it be said of us as well: 

“AGAINST ALL HOPE THEY, IN HOPE, BELIEVED!”

Lord, thank you for giving us the example of Abraham as comfort when we face situations that seem to hold no hope.  We pray that we would not “waver through unbelief” but rather be “strengthened in faith” and give glory to you. May our hearts be “fully persuaded” that You have the power to do what you have promised in our lives.  When we find ourselves “against all hope” may we in HOPE… believe.  In Jesus’ Powerful Name, AMEN!

Bekah's Heart, Devotional, Uncategorized

Joyfullyblessed … And rejoicing today!

Rebekah Freed

Have you ever found yourself staring at a situation in life wondering how you’d ever get through it?  The mountain is just too big to climb.  The burden is too much to bear.  The weight is just too heavy.  It is just IMPOSSIBLE to overcome.

Now, have you ever gotten through one of those situations and looked back on it.  Have you ever stood at the top of that mountain, realizing that somehow you actually have overcome?

4 years ago I was a college freshmen, not even a month into the crazy college experience.  I enjoyed life with my new friends and was excited about the adventures that lay ahead. 

4 years ago today, I was also involved in a car accident that changed a lot of things in life.  The naivety of youth … of thinking “it’ll never happen to me,” was stripped away as my friend and I were pulled from a twisted piece of metal with the Jaws of Life, surprising some that we made it out alive. 

At times .  I wondered when the images of the collision would stop playing on repeat in my mind, but eventually they did.   Then, I wondered if a day would pass that I wouldn’t think of the accident and it’s impact on my life…. and the life of my friend… yet that day, and many more since, came.  But SURELY I would NEVER ride, let alone drive, in car again without thinking of that horrible day, right?  Wrong. Most days now it doesn’t even cross my mind.

So, I stop today and remember that day, September 21, 2006… but not with the same confusing emotions that surrounded that event and the time that followed…  no, I remember it today and rejoice!

I rejoice in the fact that I’m still alive.

I rejoice that broken friendships have been healed.

I rejoice in an overcoming Savior that helps me overcome.

As I think about this, and the many things we face which seem “IMPOSSIBLE” to overcome, I’m reminded of a verse from one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 77.  The first part of the Psalm basically outlines how it seems as if God just isn’t listening and there’s no way out of the situation.  Then, suddenly the Psalmist switches focus…

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
       the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
       yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12 I will meditate on all your works
       and consider all your mighty deeds.

13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
       What god is so great as our God?

Even in the midst of things that seem “impossible” to overcome it often, it helps to look back and realize where we’ve seen God already at work… in His Word and in our own lives.  As we meditate on His works and consider His mighty deeds, it gives us hope to continue on and climb the mountain in front of us.

Truly, the days and months that followed my accident 4 years ago, were difficult.  Yet, I stand here today and can truly REJOICE in the faithfulness of our God … and overcoming Savior who leads us through life… but the joys and the challenges!

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!