Author: Barbara

My passion is to encourage women wherever they are on their life journey. In everything I write and in every opportunity to speak, my goal is to offer hope. May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV

Joseph’s Decision

~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

God sent an angel to a troubled carpenter who learned his betrothed, a virgin named Mary, had inconceivably conceived. As far as we know, Mary was innocently going about her day when the angel surprised her with life-changing words. Joseph, on the other hand, was grappling with the disconcerting news that his intended was pregnant. He finally made a grace-filled decision. He would not shame her (as the law permitted) but would quietly divorce her. Decision made… until an angel appeared.

His message unraveled Joseph’s hard-won decision:

Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

As unbelievable as Mary’s story of a miraculous conception sounded, it was true! And Joseph had the integrity, righteousness, and faith to change his anguished but faulty decision. Only a man of substance would do that.

Psalm 139:6 tells me there is knowledge “too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” How foolish to stubbornly cling to my limited understanding, even if it was prayerfully attained! When I acknowledge my reasoning as imperfect and inadequate, I am free to respond with Joseph-like willingness and Mary-like humility. I can choose to trust God and submit to what I cannot comprehend.

Lord, may I not demand understanding but respond to your direction in faith, like Joseph. “He did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”

We may not be privileged with an angelic visit that offers us a peek into the future, but we do have the Holy Spirit, who inspires our faith and directs our hearts. Spirit, help us to trust as Joseph did and base our decisions on your leading.

Quotes taken from Matthew 1:20, 24.

Mary’s Decision

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

God sent the angel Gabriel to a betrothed virgin with an astounding message. The news he brought was not only astonishing to Mary but also to the angels above, and though long-awaited, confounding to the people below.

As surprising as the humble arrival of the Messiah was, it fulfilled what Scripture had foretold, right down to the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14). Could Mary ever have imagined she would be the highly favored woman to give birth to the Savior?

Luke tells us the angel’s words greatly troubled her and made her wonder, but Mary had no decision to make. The angel hadn’t asked for her consent; he told her what will be.

You will conceive and give birth to a son,
and you are to call Him Jesus…
the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31-32).

Mary’s only decision was how she would respond. Would she beg for more time? Fall to the ground in tears? Demand answers and explanations? Her response came from the fullness of her heart, and her words have inspired us ever since:

I am the Lord’s servant… May it be to me as you have said.”

Lord, how will we respond to your pronouncement that the Messiah has come? Our opinion wasn’t asked. Your plans didn’t need to be informed by our weak intellect. You spoke as you did in creation, and the Savior was incarnated, born to live and die in the humility and limitations of human bonds. Will we struggle until we can grasp the unfathomable? Or simply submit to your perfect plan and live?

I am your servant, Lord. I accept the salvation you offer. May it be to me as you have said, providing me life with you now and in eternity.

I Spy

~ Barbara ~ Leave a comment

Without the bells and whistles of today’s electronic devices, my children depended on interactive games to keep them occupied during a long car trip. One game they played was I Spy.

Whoever was the spy discreetly chose an obscure item in the car and pronounced, “I spy with my little eye something…” adding a hint, such as its beginning letter or color. A player never chose something obvious, like a steering wheel or mom’s red purse, but something discreet, like a crumpled candy wrapper that began with an M, or a book cover with a tiny bit of the named color. Whoever guessed correctly was the next spy.

Since this is my fourth Child’s Play post, you will not be surprised to find there’s a life illustration here. Today, we have convenient electronic devices that the former generation did without, but honesty compels us to admit they monopolize our attention. We miss many of the blessings God has generously scattered around us.

I want to live with an I-Spy mentality, keen to discover thelittle-noticed beauty in the small space I occupy. While life whizzes by and the world screams for attention, I want to notice the teeny mushroom in our front yard, count the juncos at our feeder, and pause to watch the neighbor child struggle to pedal her new bike. I want to step out at night to see the Beaver Moon, delight in the deer munching the apples we tossed, and make time to hear a friend’s voice rather than text her.

I want to share my observations and ask others if they’ve seen what I spied. I want to hear about the beauty they’ve spotted and share the joy of discovery.

And, I want to bless my Father’s heart by noticing His gifts and thanking Him for them. His creation is stunning, mysterious, awesome. Lord, open our eyes to spy the wonders you created.

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
O Lord, what great works you do!” Psalm 92:4-5a