by Barbara Latta
The Bible tells us wise men from the east came to worship the Christ Child with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. While Herod was searching for the the young King of the Jews to murder Him, Persian men from a non-Jewish background came to bow before the young Jesus in worship.
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| A heavenly Christmas card |
by Barbara Latta
The card industry thrives on holidays and Christmas is one of the busiest for sales. From fancy to plain, glittered, glitzy, colorful, and extravagant, Christmas cards are available in any shape or form. In our technological world, some prefer to send e-cards and avoid the postage or paper usage.
Please welcome guest blogger Leigh DeLozier this week. Leigh and I met as members of East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers and we are now connected through Word Weavers. She is a talented writer and lives a life that shines as a Titus 2 woman. Leigh shares with us through her experience as an author and writer and her knowledge of Bible study. Please connect with Leigh through her website and the social media links in her bio below.
by Leigh DeLozier @lbdelozier
The older I get, the
more I’m learning to appreciate living in the moment and soaking things in
instead of always having my phone or camera at the ready to snap pictures or
record what’s happening. It’s taken me a long time to get to this point, but I
think it’s often a good place to be.
Maybe that’s why one verse tucked into Luke’s version of what we know as the Christmas story is especially resonating with me this year:
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| Love the gift that keeps on giving |
by Barbara Latta
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16 NKJV).
John 3:16 is
probably the most familiar verse in the Bible. It is printed on cards, cups,
plaques, banners, hats, and shirts. This scripture shows us God’s heart and is
the gift that keeps on giving.
The danger of
familiarity is that the words can lose their meaning.
Nicodemus, a
member of the Sanhedrin, but one who sought the truth, had a difficult time
understanding what Jesus told him. He viewed the words from a physical, human
perspective. But God’s words are always spirit and truth.
What does John 3:16 really mean?
by Barbara Latta
A giveaway at the end of the post!
It’s that time of year. Christmas music flows through the airwaves on radios and store intercoms. In some parts of the country the weather has cooled off and the crisp air feels like snow and smells like evergreen. The Hallmark Channel is bursting with mistletoe and holly and the oldies we can’t find there can be viewed through DVD.
Black Friday sales have been advertised for weeks and now it’s time to shop.
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| A Sabbath Rest for Grief - Exploring Soul Care When You're Grieving with Edie Melson |
I had the privilege of interviewing Edie Melson, author of Soul Care When You’re Grieving. This is the third and latest book in the Soul
Care series, which consists of Soul Care When You’re Weary, and Soul
Care for Writers.
There are many books about handling grief on the market today, but this one is unique in the perspective of combining simple art and creativity with caring for our emotions. The goal of the Soul Care books is to give people who are in a crisis or busy time a way to not be overwhelmed with a big Bible study. Each book contains five short chapters, devotions, and five creative connections.
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| A Prayer Walk |
Anyone who loves me will obey my
teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home
with them.
(John 14:23 NIV)
My husband of
three years and I spent most of October moving and settling into a new house. I’d
been praying for months for this future home. That we’d find the perfect one to
meet our needs in the right location. That we’d be in it for the holidays. The
prayers had been answered.
by Barbara Latta
War has existed since the first violence against the image of God in the Garden of Eden. Mankind lost that soulish encounter.
Battles have been fought since that time because of the condition of man’s heart.
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| Can curses and spells affect a Christian? |
Witches and devils are much-favored Halloween costumes. Thoughts
about spells and curses can be more prominent during this season. Witch doctors still
exist who conduct their arts with voodoo dolls.
This brings up the question, can magic arts, spells, and curses affect a Christian?
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| The Great Pumpkin shows us 4 ways to protect our hearts from deception |
by Barbara Latta
Poor Linus. Every year he sits shivering in the cold waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
At Christmas,
Linus has some great wisdom. When asked what Christmas was all about, he recited
the scriptures from the book of Luke. But when it came to Halloween, his grasp
of the truth was misdirected.
What can this adorable cartoon character show us about ourselves? We can learn how easy it is to be deceived into believing a lie.
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| Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
The world's attention has been on domestic abuse the last few weeks with the death of Gabby Petito. As October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, guest blogger Terri Webster, shares some vital information about this stain on our society. Terri is a true Titus 2 woman and has been instrumental in helping women in need and at one time started a ministry that helped women who sought a safe refuge after abuse. Her novel, Journey to the Forgotten Coast, spotlights the trauma of domestic abuse. She recently released the sequel to this story in, Island of Refuge. Read to the end of the post to find out about a giveaway for Terri's book.
by Terri Webster
She may stand in line behind you at the grocery store. You might pass her on the street every day or work side by side at your job. She even sits next to you every week during worship at church.
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| What do the seven I am sayings of Jesus mean to us today part two |
We dug into the application of I AM the Bread of Life, and I AM the Living Water. Now we will discover what the other I AM sayings of Jesus mean to us today in part two.
by Barbara Latta
Who would think they needed 600 men to arrest one? Only those who were intimidated by the power of the great I AM.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the chief priests and Pharisees came to arrest Jesus and brought a crowd with them. The King James Version uses the word band. Other versions state multitude or detachment. But the word is translated from the Latin speira (Strong’s 4686) and denotes a Roman military cohort of 600 men. This shows what a threat Jesus was to the religious establishment.
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| What if you were the last person on earth? |
by Barbara Latta
If you were the only person on earth, what would you do?
One day while reading the creation story in Genesis, it
occurred to me that when God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden every
day, they were the only people on the planet. You may be thinking, “Well, duh!”
But to ponder that fact for a moment brings up the question, what did they talk about?
My granddaughter asked this question as she watched the
smoke rise from the burnt wicks of the five candles she had just blown out on
her birthday cake.
Her excitement to now hold up five fingers instead of four drew
the subject of age to dominate the conversation. When I told her she would need
all ten fingers six times, plus a few, to find my age her eyes grew wide. How
could anyone live that long?
As the years creep upon us, labels attach to us such as
“over the hill,” “empty nesters,” or at that “retirement age.” If we allow
these words to identify us, we can think life is over and has no purpose any
longer.
But we can follow the examples of some older biblical women who had an impact on the future of their society and on us as believers.
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| The Tragedy of Abandoning God |
by Barbara Latta
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on America.
Each year we have commemorated this event with memorials at
crash sites and the reading of names of those who were lost.
These attacks have been labeled by some as judgment from God against America. But this wasn’t God’s judgment, it was the tragedy of abandoning God.
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
As Paul ministered to the churches he established, he never
lost sight of them even when he was not there in person. His letters indicate
his love and care for these saints and his encouragement to them that they stay
in the fold of Christ and follow God’s precepts.
In verse seven of Philippians chapter one, Paul thanks these people for standing with him during his imprisonment. In that day to associate with a person who was in chains was shameful. According to that society, it put those people in the same regard as the prisoner they supported. The Philippian church, at the time of this letter, was the only one who supported Paul monetarily (Philippians 4:15). For this, he was ever thankful and commended their faith.
Paul dipped his quill into ink and scratched the words across parchment. Although he was a prisoner in Rome, he had been given his own rented house and the privilege of visitors. His heart rejoiced to hear about the faith of saints in other regions where churches had been started. His own son in the faith, Timothy, was the pastor of the church he was writing to in Ephesus.
Have you ever felt like your prayers were empty? I have. When I realized all my prayers were for God to meet my needs, take care of a problem, or change a circumstance, I found out I was praying wrong.
Paul the Apostle prayed many prayers for the saints in the
New Testament Church.
What does the prayer to the Colossian believers mean to us?
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
The second Sunday in August is recognized as National Spirit
of ’45 Day.
The era of the 40’s which comprised those who fought and lived during World War II has been designated as the Greatest Generation. But what brought about this illustrious title given to those who lived in a segment of time?
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
The earth around us is filled with depressing events.
I can find myself sometimes falling into a hole of
impossibility. Just looking at the travel restrictions imposed by governments
around the world started to play on my mind. How can I ever see my family
again? We are spread out across the world.
I guess it’s human nature to start leaning to our own
understanding without even knowing that’s what we do.
Until God brings us back to what He said. He used the story of David and Goliath to remind me that he kills the giants of impossibility. Goliaths don’t win.
by Dr. Mel Tavares
@barbaralatta
Digitally Savvy
Grandparents
“Hey, Grandma! How do
you know so much about TikTok and Instagram?” my then twelve-year-old
granddaughter asked inquisitively.
Looking intently at her
facial responses, I inquired, “Does it bother you that I know the social spots
you hang out in?”
She laughed a nervous
laugh and replied, “No. Why would it? I don’t even use them.”
After several seconds of
silence, I called her by her Instagram handle. She gasped. “How do you know
that? I didn’t tell the family!”
I smiled and said, “I am a digitally savvy grandma and make it my business to know because I love you and want to be able to stay connected.”
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
We must first define love the way God does.
It is not the emotional, hugging, card-giving, “I want to be
with you” feeling.
While we do show these actions and feelings to family
members and friends, God’s kind of love goes deeper.
His kind of love is dying to self. Putting the needs
of others before our own. Even people we don’t like. Or those who drive us crazy,
cut in line, bless us with foul words, or just really don’t like us.
How do we die to self?
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
Have you seen the picture that has gone viral of a tiny lizard asleep inside a pink rose? The creature was in nocturnal bliss enclosed inside those velvet petals. She was so small the flower created a safe haven. Although the rose had been cut and carried into a house, Lizzie wasn’t disturbed. (I’m taking liberties and calling it a girl and naming her Lizzie).
Yes, it’s still six months until Christmas! But I know stores will have the decorations on the shelves along with the school supplies soon, so I am getting a little head start.
When thinking about George Washington and the Revolutionary
War we think of winning battles, crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and the
signing of the Declaration of Independence.
But do you know what the Newburg Conspiracy is?
More than once in the Bible we are commanded to watch our thoughts. Why?
Because our thoughts produce words which eventually evolve into actions.
Depressing thoughts lead to more depression, angry thoughts can
escalate into violence, and assumptions that thrive can lead to misjudgments.
With all the negative, suspicious, vile images, and words
that surround us in our lives, how can we take every thought that crosses our
minds captive?
What does it mean to take thoughts captive?
by Marilyn Nutter @marilynutter
@barbaralatta
Today's post is written by my friend and fellow writer, Marilyn Nutter. Her words exemplify a Titus 2 woman through encouragement and advice that will comfort you if you have lost a loved one and struggle through holiday celebrations. Please welcome her with your comments below.
Mother’s Day, the supreme Hallmark holiday, is met with flowers, fancy dinners, and cards. Father’s Day is often celebrated in more casual ways, with Dad grilling or golfing. But either day opens a wounded heart when a husband, wife, or parent has passed. As others celebrate, our beloved guest of honor is absent.
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
Have you ever wondered where the American flag came from?
During the Revolutionary War, there was no flag representing the 13 colonies. Each regiment served under their own banner. George Washington set out to design a flag that could unify the army and the country.
by Barbara Latta
We have explored how God’s faithfulness to provide for the
widow of Zarephath kept her from starving during a famine. We saw how Eunice and Lois depended upon God’s faithfulness to instruct Timothy to grow into a
god-fearing man.
The Faithfulness of God series continues as we see how Jehovah provided for Naomi in her old age through Ruth. God’s faithfulness transformed Naomi’s bitterness to joy.
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
After the children of Israel defeated Jericho and crossed
the Jordan River into the Promised Land the Lord told Joshua to take twelve
stones from the riverbed and place them on the land they would occupy (Joshua
4:1-3).
What was so important about leaving a memorial?
by Jeannie Waters @jeanniewaters44
I
allowed anxiety to gather grass and straw and build a tangled nest in my heart.
No major problems plagued me, but tiny remnants of fear and questions about how
God works in and through me swirled in my mind.
With
my pen, journal, and Bible in hand, I sat on the deck and asked God to help me
fight fear and learn to trust Him more. I then heard the first notes of a
concert.
The performer sang to an
audience of one—me. A little sparrow belted out an aria, and as he tilted his
head upward and increased his volume, I chuckled and named him Pavarotti.
Our loving Teacher used my little Pavarotti Sparrow to emphasize five important truths.
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
Do you ever feel as if you are outnumbered by life? Kids get sick, bills need to be paid, traffic is congested, fatigue plagues our bodies, and yes, people we love pass away. These are not battles we fight with military weapons, but they are battles we must face and overcome. When we feel outnumbered, we can lose heart and see no way to win.
by Barbara Latta
The Faithfulness of God series.
As mothers we have the capacity to criticize ourselves for
not being the perfect parent. Our minds can accuse us better than, satan, the
enemy of our souls.
But none of us are perfect, and God knows that. We can hold on to promises from God’s Word to leave a parental legacy as the mother and grandmother of Timothy did.
After a cold winter, spring has arrived in full force. New growth, beautiful blooms, and warm weather invite people to get outside and soak up some sunshine.
Last week, Ken and I stumbled
upon two festivals where the landscape was decorated with a rainbow of color as
acres and acres of ground was covered in tulips.
The creativity of God showed out.
Other than tropical and arctic climates, the world endures
changing seasons, and each range has a purpose.
Earthly seasons can teach us how to withstand the challenges
of life. We go through transitions, but they don’t always bring circumstances
we like. But when we learn to lean on our Creator as the gardener of our soul,
we can learn from these seasons when we follow His directions for nourishing
the soil of our hearts.
No rain for three years.
The woman looked out the door at the cloudless sky and back
at the hard, dry ground. No one could remember the last time a stalk of wheat had
grown out of the soil. A spear of hopelessness stabbed her soul. She wasn’t so
concerned about herself, but she didn’t want to watch her child die of
starvation. Her husband perished, now so did the food.
How could she trust God’s faithfulness? Her emotions were as dry as the ground outside.
@barbaralatta
Please welcome guest blogger, Katherine Pasour. We are fellow members of Lighthouse Bible Studies and contributors to Refresh magazine. I know you will enjoy reading her insights on Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan and discovering the provision she received during a scary time. Her reflections show us how a Titus 2 woman responds and becomes an example to others.
When I was a child, Easter was a big deal full of
excitement. It was almost like Christmas. We got new clothes, a basket full of
candy and toys, and enjoyed Easter egg hunts.
All the girls wore patent leather shoes, dresses full of
stiff petticoats, and we carried spring purses. White-gloved hands clutched new
Bibles that had been part of the basket bounty.
And what about those Peeps? They appear out of nowhere every year then disappear back into hiding until the next Easter season. I think merchants just store them in the back room from year to year and bring them out again in the spring. Mold won’t grow on them, they won’t melt, and I don’t even think bugs like them. You can’t kill a Peep!
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| What can Palm Sunday teach us today? by Barbara Latta |
In biblical culture, palm branches signified a victorious leader or redeemer. Palm branches were embossed on coins and used as rewards to the victors in games. By waving palms when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people cheered because they anticipated political freedom.
One week later
they had all turned on Him. He didn’t do what they expected. He stood by and
let the religious leaders take Him. He didn’t fight back when the Romans
arrested Him.
They were
disappointed again. They said He did miracles but couldn’t save Himself.
But He didn’t
come to save Himself from the cross. He came to save them and us because He
went to the cross.
What can Palm Sunday teach us today?
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| Isaiah 44:3 by Barbara Latta |
As women who have passed the middle point of our lives and
have probably already raised our children, can we still glean value from Isaac
and Rebekah’s mistakes?
Jacob and Esau took sibling rivalry to another whole level. You can read their story in Genesis 25:22-34 and Genesis 27-33.
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| 7 Ways to Receive Wisdom From God |
Who doesn’t want wisdom? Life is full of hurdles and without spiritual guidance we can trip and fall into emotional holes. Hearing from God is essential to living a successful life.
When we are connected to the Supreme Ruler of the universe, the counsel needed to navigate circumstances is made available. But it is up to us to discover what God has given us.
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| 4 Lessons I Learned From a Painful Mistake |
Antiques have a way of reminding us of our past. Whether good or bad, memories surface that take us back in time, create laughter or pain, and connect us to friends and family.
I saw this old washer on display and immediately the reminder of a childhood decision popped into my mind. Memories that taught me 4 lessons I learned from a painful mistake.
by Barbara Latta
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| God's Sword strikes behind the enemy's lies. |
by Barbara Latta
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| 4 ways to live in an intimate relationship with God |
We can’t walk in power without knowing the heart of the
Father. Jesus came to restore fellowship between God and man. But sometimes
life pours doubt on the fire of God’s Word and we may question His motives
toward us. We don’t feel connected because we have allowed something to
distract us from knowing we are His beloved.
Here are 4 ways we can live in an intimate relationship with
God:
When we accept the mercy and grace that has been given to us, we change.
The valentine of heaven wasn’t a card sent through an
angelic mailbox. It was blood running down a wooden cross to soak into the
cursed earth. One drop would have been enough, but he used it all to show us He
goes over and beyond and does much more than we need. He paid the highest cost, and we were given
the freest gift.
Happy Valentine’s Day—from Jesus.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
4 ways to live in an intimate relationship with God (click to tweet)
by Barbara Latta
Why not use a time when we are forced to stay
inside, maybe because of weather, but also because of social distancing
restrictions, to de-clutter the house?
Re-organizing closets can give more accessibility to clothes
and accessories when getting dressed each day.
All those new Christmas toys can replace the ones that have
been cast aside with a trip to donation centers.
I am bad about keeping cash register receipts too long.
When they finally pile up, I then must sort through to find the ones I really
need and trash the rest.
There is an emotional tie to organization and cleaning up. Research has shown that clutter can mirror the emotional stress and weights in our lives.
by Barbara Latta
Berry College, located in northwest Georgia, has residents
who are not students.
Two bald eagles built a home in a tall pine tree and return
each year to raise their young. The college offers a live stream feed (viewhere) of the nest where viewers can watch the pair as they take care of their
offspring. Eggs are usually laid around January-February and hatch in early
spring.
Wind, rain, sleet, snow and storms do not deter the eagle
from watching over the young. While the pair do share parenting responsibilities,
the female sits on the nest for the longest duration.
The eggs are kept warm until they hatch and then the adults work
tirelessly hunting food and bringing it back to the tree to feed the babies. The eaglets thrive under the watchful eyes and protection of the parent.
There are lots of enemies to baby birds. Yet they don’t flap
their stubby wings and tell the parent they are worried about being taken care
of.
All the babies do is rest and grow.
The chicks do not fret that the meal won’t come.
They do not worry about staying warm.
They are not afraid of predators because their parents are mighty
warriors.
The fledglings dwell in the secret place of their parent’s
wings.
The eagle chicks can teach us something about how to rest in a stress-filled world.
by Barbara Latta
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| Malachi 3:6 image from Daniel Reche from Pixabay |
When we are suffering through experiences that are
painful or depressing, the last thing we usually think about is praising God.
Our minds are on our own situations, hurts, and despair.
God doesn’t tell us to praise Him in every circumstance to
be mean. He is giving us the answer to our dilemma.
God doesn’t tell us to thank Him for bad situations, He
says to praise Him in the middle of every circumstance. We circumvent
the bad emotions and worry by focusing on Him. We aren’t to be thankful for
being sick or for some tragedy. Those are the works of the devil. Jesus came to
give us life (John 10:10). We thank Him that He is Lord over all of it. It
shows we are trusting Him.
Why should we only want to praise our heavenly Father when everything goes our way? Here are some reasons we should praise God at all times no matter what is happening in our lives.
by Barbara Latta
You shake again. Still nothing. Then if you are like me, you
take the top off and look inside to see what the problem is. The salt is in the
shaker, but it is one big wad. Moisture has contaminated it and now it is no
good.
This is what Jesus meant when he said, You are the salt
of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is
then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men
(Matthew 5:13).
If we lose our taste for God, we have no witness. We become
like unflavored salt.
Why did Jesus compare believers to salt? We can find out by discovering some properties of this mineral. Here are 3 ways a salty life adds seasoning to an unflavored world:
by Barbara Latta
Do we even need to guess that we are living in the end times
the Bible tells us about?
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will
come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving,
slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Timothy
3:1-4).
These verses portray the headlines in our news media today.
Never before have we seen the violence and attitudes displayed by people in the
world as we have recently.
And to try to warn people about the second coming of Christ, some will just blow it off and say that they have heard that all their lives. While scoffers will always exist, the truth unfolds in the scriptures.
by Barbara Latta
If we aren’t careful, we can carry anxiety from those
experiences into our future.
To thrive, we don’t want to let last year’s disappointments
derail 2021.
The key to avoiding this is to check our focus. In her book, Write
His Answer, Marlene Bagnull issued a challenge. Get your eyes off yourself
and onto someone else. In this case it was other writers who might need
encouragement or help, but this idea can transfer to anyone in our lives.
She suggested choosing one of the four gospels to read and to
list all the events that could have caused Jesus disappointment.
I chose the book of John and this is a shortened list of what I discovered:
