Month: August 2018

Setting Boundaries Is The Work of Grace

Published on by Rebecca GilbreathLeave a comment

Identifying our strengths and weaknesses guide us when to say no and when to say yes to relationships and to ministry/work/life opportunities that are perfectly good, but not perfect for us. Trust the still small voice.

Unloading burdens not meant for us to carry directs our focus on what God wants us to do and not what others think we should do. No one individual can be the answer for everyone and everything. Evaluate what is your responsibility.

Recognizing when the draw to please people is greater than the desire to please God steers us away from a place of confusion to the peace of God’s perfect direction. Leave the anxiety and care at the seat of mercy.

Setting boundaries is the work of grace. It affects our energy, our joy, and our ability to feel confident through the redemption of Christ.

I. Corinthians 2:5, “…Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Leave the Safe Nest of Silence

Published on by Rebecca GilbreathLeave a comment

It is easy to let discouragement crowd our peace of mind.  I believe that comparison is a huge contributing factor leading to discouragement. For someone like me who is creative, comparison plagues me and I want to stop writing, stop sharing, stop creating due to feeling vulnerable. At times, I want to take off the creative cloak and hide it in a corner. Sharing a bit of yourself is scary no matter what it is- something you created with your hands..a meal, a card, a blog post, a testimony on Facebook or anywhere else. What if it wasn’t enough? What if I didn’t say the right words? The “what if’s” rob us of the willingness to extend kindness, a gift, hospitality. It can become quite comfortable staying in the safe nest of silence. But if we stop sharing, stop caring, the world gets darker. And we have enough of that already.

If you encouraged someone and you feel it fell on deaf ears, try again. Someone out there needs a good word.

If you helped someone and you feel it was unappreciated, try again. Someone out there still needs a helping hand.

If you loved someone and you just don’t feel the love in return, try again. Someone out there is hurting and needs a caring soul.

Putting yourself “out there” can seem all too much some days. But today, let’s put on the shield of faith and not fear.  Let’s leave the safe nest of silence to share encouragement. Let’s put to use our hands, our love, and our kindness.  Someone out there is in need.

Ephesians 6:10, “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

 

 

 

Capture Moments Beautifully

Published on by Rebecca GilbreathLeave a comment

“You don’t need a camera all the time– the soul, the heart, the eyes, and spirit and all your other senses capture moments beautifully, too.” -Terri Guillemets

Every day for the last several months, I have been looking for the stray gifts. A stray gift is something that I come across casually while going about my day. It could be a new flower in the yard, a kindness shown, the happy sounds in the home or in the distance; anything that causes me to stop to notice using any or all of my senses. Sometimes, there is more than one thing or concept I could share on social media, but I try to stick to just a few and savor the rest quietly. There is no possible way to capture with a camera everything I observe as beautiful or meaningful, so it is an exercise of the heart, really, to take note of new mercies every day. Here are some of this week’s camera-captured moments:

  1. Morning Glories now blooming on the side of the shed.
  2. Setting sun seen through wooden slats. Since having the wall built higher, we haven’t been able to see the full sunset from back-of-the-house-windows as before. The other night, I noticed a bright orange glow through the blinds and went to look. I caught the sunset at the right moment for this shot. It’s my favorite photo of the week.
  3. One day this rose was just a bud, the next, an open rose. It’s amazing what a difference a day can make.
  4. 50% chance of rain said my weather app. It was looking darker by the minute and I was hoping the rain would not pass by. It did rain a little and brought some cooler weather.
  5. I am waiting and watching for these trumpet vine flowers to bloom. Our yard is surrounded by rock wall and this vine is supposed to be able to cover it. I think the flowers will bloom in a scarlet color if I remember right. I see tiny little somethings growing on the ends, so I think this vine is going to make it.

 

The Work of Spiritual Discernment

Published on by Rebecca GilbreathLeave a comment

Just like salvation through Christ cannot be passed down through another person, so it is with wisdom. It is a personal decision to seek Christ. It is a personal choice to seek knowledge and understanding. A solid spiritual life is not ‘just going to happen’ without any effort on the part of the believer.

Proverbs 2:3-5, “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

I want to be a seeker of things that God cares for me to know about. I want to have the desire to search carefully and thoroughly for understanding as I would if I were mining for silver. Through crying out to God and digging through His word, spiritual discernment, understanding the heart of God, and knowledge of His faithfulness comes.