A hidden reservoir inside the body?

September 2, 2024 Gray Areas of Motherhood: What To Do When There's No Clear Right AnswerEMILY A. JENSEN AND LAURA WIFLER Lee en español "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5 (ESV)  We encounter a lot of decisions in motherhood that don't seem to have a clear right or wrong answer. Those "gray areas" - or everyday motherhood decisions not explicitly addressed in Scripture - can easily trip us up, making us feel paralyzed and anxious. Things like:Should I enroll my child in this sport? Where should I send my kid to school? When do I give my child a phone? Should I let them watch that show, listen to this music, or hang out with that friend? Thankfully, God's Word still gives us guidance and advice so we can employ biblical wisdom in these gray areas. Following biblical wisdom means applying what we know about God and His Word to the situation we have in front of us, and it's a skill that we can learn with His help. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."  Asking God for wisdom is our first step when faced with a gray-area decision. In addition, here are three helpful questions for seeking wisdom in unclear situations: 1. Is the cost to me and my family worth it? Though the idea of cost automatically makes us think of money, this is not the only way to quantify cost. Activities, lifestyles and material items can also cost us time and attention. We should thoughtfully count the cost of our choices in the context of prayer and God’s Word, also consulting our spouse if we're married and our Christian community (where appropriate). Then if we do move forward and say "yes," we can do so with our eyes wide open to the challenges and risks, ready to try to mitigate them with God's leadership and help (Luke 14:28). 2. Does this align with my family's mission? Every family has a unique and God-given mission. Before we spend time or money on something, we can each stop to consider how it fits into our mission as a woman, a wife and/or a mom as well as the mission of our family unit. Sometimes we see others doing things that look interesting or amazing, and we adopt those goals for ourselves, only to realize later that those things don't fit the calling God has given us (Ephesians 4:1). 3. How permanent is this decision? Some decisions are easy to change, some come with a higher level of commitment, and others can be nearly permanent. We don't need to live in fear of making a big decision. But if possible, we can assess the permanency of the decision and align that with the amount of time, care, consideration and attention we give it as we move forward. As we learn to negotiate the gray areas of life using gospel-inspired wisdom, we can walk in freedom, able to live for God's glory without fear, guilt or shame. Father, give me wisdom for decisions that I don't have a clear answer for. I know You give wisdom to all who ask, so please grant me discernment to make choices for my unique family and to walk in confidence as the mom You’ve made me to be. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS In Gospel Mom, learn how to navigate your everyday decisions and current circumstances through a biblical lens, and experience freedom and confidence in who God made you to be. Walk step by step through helpful practices and biblical thinking about how to rest in the grace of Christ, gaining peace and assurance in your motherhood. Gospel Mom releases October 15, 2024; preorder your copy today! ENGAGE To learn more, visit Risen Motherhood or connect with Emily or Laura on their sites. Enter to WIN your very own copy of Gospel Mom by Emily A. Jensen and Laura Wifler. To celebrate this book, their publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, September 9, 2024.} FOR DEEPER STUDY Proverbs 2:6, "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding ..." (ESV). Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (ESV). What difficult decision have you had to make recently? What tools did you use to arrive at your decision? Who are the trusted people in your life who can help you evaluate an important decision? Make a list of these people, and reach out the next time a big decision needs to be made. © 2024 by Emily A. Jensen and Laura Wifler. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Gray Areas of Motherhood: What To Do When There’s No Clear Right Answer – Encouragement for Today – September 2, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer for Recognizing God’s Answers to Our PrayersBy Meg Bucher Bible Reading"I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven." – Psalm 123:1 "Ok, God," I'll often say, "You say if it matters to me, then You care about it ...so, can you please help me (insert ask.)" Find my keys. Find my phone. Heal my sore knee. Give me patience with my daughter. I need a friend today. Stretch my minutes. Can the sun just come out ... On and on, at least I can say I make a good attempt to obey God's command to ‘pray continually' (1 Thes 5:18). Psalm 123 is a short psalm, just four verses. But the way it starts captivates me every time I read it. "I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven." Such a reminder of who God is ...and how needy I really am! I am so dependent on God for literally all of the things that fill up my daily life. "The psalm writer lifted his eyes to God, waiting and watching for God to send his mercy," the NLT Life Application Bible explains, "The more he waited, the more he cried out to God because the scoffing of the evil and proud was unrelenting and he couldn't bear it any longer." Ah, there's a part of life that reminds us of the news, doesn't it? The bad news is easy to find. In fact, it surrounds us. One year, I resolved to cater my social media feeds to good news and truth. I spent that year unfollowing things that made me anxious and following things that reminded me of Jesus. I get my news in three separate news emails – 2 are nonbiased, and one is Christ-centered. I had to take those thoughts captive, milling around on social media. Praying this Psalm rights the countenance of our hearts so we can remember that God really is in control despite the chaos. Verse 2 says: "We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal." Psalm 123:2 NLT The Message paraphrase reads, "We're watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy." When we pray to God, do we know how to interpret His answers? Do we know what to look and listen for? What to anticipate? Scripture assures us God answers our prayers, but do we look for His reply in the fabric of our everyday lives? Do we hear Him in His Word, through a friend, out in nature, or through a seeming coincidence that echoes an answer to our request? Praying this Psalm reminds us to be open to receive God's response to our prayers. Verse 3 continues:   "Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt." Psalm 123:3 NLT Contempt is the feeling of disdain or scorn for something considered mean, vile, or worthless, and can also refer to willful disobedience or disrespect towards court or legislative orders. (Dictionary.com) We are surrounded with contempt. We do not want to start blending in with the chaos around us: mean, vile, worthless, disrespectful ... no, thank you. But we all know too well how surrounding influences bleed into our persona subtly. Lastly, verse 4: "We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant." Psalm 123:4 NLT The more aware we are of who God is and who we are to Him, the more pronounced the chaos of the world feels some days. By praying the words of this Psalm, we choose to embrace the privilege of peace that comes as we walk with Christ instead. Let's pray:  Father, I lift my eyes up to you, O, God, enthroned in heaven. I keep looking to You for Your mercy, God, as a child who cannot contain their excitement to see someone they dearly love and have missed. Or the ice cream truck. That's how I feel today, God, anticipating Your answer to my prayers ...remembering that You are with me always and that You care about the smallest details in my life! Thank you so much for that, God! You are so kind and compassionate to me. Help me to see, hear, and know how You are answering my prayers. I want to feel Your presence in my life palpably! Have mercy on me, LORD! Carve any contempt out of my heart and guard me from the weight of the world and its surrounding influence. I have had my fill of it ...and it so subtly bleeds the fabric of my life, God. Protect me from people who have ill intentions for me. Protect me from the corrupt edges of my daily life, God, and things I can't even see that I am not aware of. Build my faith up, God, day by day. Replace chaos with peace.In Jesus' Name, Amen. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of "Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ," "Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity," "Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise," "Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ," and “Sent, Faith in Motion.” Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters ...which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer for Recognizing God’s Answers to Our Prayers – Your Daily Prayer – September 2 appeared first on GodUpdates.

The more aware we are of who God is and who we are to Him, the more pronounced the chaos of the world feels some days. By praying the words of this Psalm, we choose to embrace the privilege of peace that comes as we walk with Christ instead.

A kitten rescued from under a deck is determined to convince a house cat that they should be together for life. Moonpie and FireballLisaEarlier this summer, a tiny kitten was found alone, hiding under a deck. She was hungry, just skin and bones, and had an infected eye.Fortunately, she had come to the right place. The homeowner, a former volunteer for Sparkle Cat Rescue, reached out to the founder, Stephanie Grantham, for help.Stephanie immediately agreed to take the kitten and began treating her eye and putting some weight on her tiny body. Fireball was found under a deckSparkle Cat RescueThe kitten quickly discovered her purr engine when held, but more than anything, she was thrilled to have an abundance of food to devour.Stephanie planned to care for the kitten until she was well enough to move into a foster home. After two days, her eye began to clear up and heal, and her energy level surged. With the much-needed weight gain, her zoomies kicked in. Sparkle Cat Rescue"She was playful, curious, and on the road to a quick recovery," Stephanie shared. "She's a happy baby ready to conquer the world."Lisa, a foster volunteer, met the kitten and fell head over heels for her. She had always hoped for a ginger cat as a new addition to her family but wanted to know if her cat, Moonpie, would accept a little newcomer. Lisa"Her personality is a perfect match for him. She is fearless," Lisa shared on Facebook.The kitten named Fireball quickly settled into her foster home with Lisa, playing with toys and claiming every room she graced. "She's in constant motion until she crashes for a bit, and then she's on the move again." LisaAt first, Moonpie, an 11-pounder, was unsure and intimidated by the less-than-two-pound ball of energy. "But he is much calmer than I had expected."Fireball was ecstatic to have a feline friend to play with. Despite being much smaller, she encouraged Moonpie to roughhouse with her. The intrepid kitten held her own, wrestling with her buddy, who was five times her size. Fireball and MoonpieLisaShe followed Moonpie around the house, determined to convince him that they were meant to be best friends for life.After playing to their heart's content, Fireball curled up beside Moonpie, gazing up at him admiringly. In less than a week, the kitten had left paw prints on everyone's hearts, including Moonpie's. She loves her new feline brotherLisaMoonpie grew fond of the little spitfire and decided to take her under his wing.He showed her his favorite feline entertainment system by the window. Enthralled by the little critters outside, Fireball sat next to Moonpie, enjoying some quiet moments with him. They watch little critters togetherLisaMoonpie has learned to tolerate the kitten's unbridled energy and constant tussling with his bushy tail. He has grown to adore their new morning ritual, dueling over tube treats.Fireball has doubled in size since she moved into her foster home, now forever home. She's a bundle of pure energy, carrying toys around and sharing her mischief with her best friend. Lisa"She has stolen their hearts, and Moonpie enjoys playing and chasing her and having a BFF," Stephanie added.Before Fireball came into their lives, Moonpie often joined Lisa at her stained glass studio, The Glass Angel, greeting customers and doling out cuddles. LisaNow, with a new feline sister, he spends ample time running around or lounging on a cat tree with her."Sometimes, he'd rather stay home than accompany Lisa to her shop. This is indeed a happy tail." LisaShare this story with your friends. More on Sparkle Cat Rescue on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Cat Spotted High Up on a Building, Suddenly Comes Out of Her Shell When She Realizes Life is About to Change

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