Tag Archive | God

Overcome Financial Fears

May24

OVERCOME FINANCIAL FEARS WITH HOPE IN GOD’S WORD –  If money (or the lack of it) has you feeling stressed, you can turn to God’s Word for comfort. written by Hanna DeMarco

You run your card through the machine a second time, a third time, a fourth. But each time, you see the same words pop up on the screen, screaming at you as the machine angrily beeps: DECLINED.

Frantically, you search through your bag for cash, loose change, anything. Nothing.

You think, Okay, maybe I can do this. I can make this work.download

You ask the cashier to take off the extra loaf of bread. You tell yourself you can get rid of the carton of eggs, the box of cereal, the hand soap.

Then you run your card a final time. But, still, it’s not enough.

Customers waiting behind you in line begin to grumble. You can feel their hot stares. You see a few of them grab their carts and stomp away to a different checkout line.

Briefly, with a surge of dark humor, you think, “Maybe I should just start bartering with the cashier.

But you don’t. Instead you politely apologize, watch the cashier place your bags behind the counter, and leave empty-handed.

Left with Nothing, Given Everything

When you’re caught at the end of a checkout line with no money in your bank account to pay for your purchases, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, humiliated, and defeated.

But even in those incredibly jarring and stressful moments, God is with you. With God, you do not need to feel defeated. Instead, you can rest in the comfort and assurance of God’s protection over you—even when you feel like you are left with nothing.

If you’re wracked with financial dread today, I invite you to meditate on these Bible verses of hope and safety:

  1. Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7 (GNTD)
  2. May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13 (GNTD)
  3. Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:7 (GNTD)
  4. The LORD himself will lead you and be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you, so do not lose courage or be afraid. — Deuteronomy 31:8 (GNTD)
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4 Verses for Overcoming a Challenging Childhood

Apr9

gunhilln24My childhood was challenging. I grew up in a tough area in the Bronx where survival was more important than education. Running home from school to avoid fights and gunshots was normal. Then, already in a small apartment, my cousins came to live with us after my uncle, a drug dealer was murdered and my aunt was sent to a recovery program for help with her addiction to crack cocaine. Add-in my ailing grandmother who was struggling with Alzheimer’s and it made for some tough times. But the toughest part by far was when my father left us just shy of my sixteenth birthday.

Often times I felt life wasn’t fair. I didn’t choose these circumstances, I was thrust in to childhood_playgroundthem. And as I grew older these tough childhood experiences created feelings of inadequacy as I thought people would judge me because of where I was from or my broken family. But my childhood experiences could not limit God. God had a plan for my life. He would use me anyway despite where I come from and what shortcomings I had.

downloadMaybe you’ve had a challenging childhood and question God’s purpose for your life. You wonder why you’ve been dealt such a tough hand. You may even feel angry that you have not had some of the same opportunities others have had. Do not let your experiences limit what God can do! God has a plan for you. Despite whatever difficulties you have faced in your childhood – rejection, abandonment, loneliness, abuse, sickness – God has a great plan for you too! A plan to make you great. Adapt a new way of thinking about your future by meditating on these 4 verses:

  1. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10 (GNT)
  2. O Lord, you protect and save me; your care has made me great. – Psalm 18:35 (GNT)
  3. Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. – 1 John 5:4 (CEV)
  4. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. – John 10:10 (GNT)

NenaPodbury

Nena Podbury is a project associate at American Bible Society. Originally from the Bronx, she has co-authored children’s curriculum and served in children’s ministry for 12 years doing Sidewalk Sunday School. Nena is married with two children, Noah and Emilia.

 

4 Bible Verses for Repairing YourSelf-Image

Mar22

What happened to her? I can hardly recognize her anymore. Her sweet, pure, child-like
beauty has changed into a done-up mannequin with an awful spray tan. These were myself-image thoughts as I watched one of my favorite shows, notorious for choosing contestants based on talent and not looks. Revolutionary, right….except once you’ve been selected, in come the make-up artists, hairstylists and fashion police. Why? Because IMAGE MATTERS. It matters to the world, it matters to those around you and let’s be honest, it matters to you.

We care about what others think of us. I did! Growing up in New York City, image is everything. Even grandmas have designer handbags and toddlers have “Air Jordans”. To this day, when I visit my mother, I feel like I must look my sharpest to gain the approving nods of the people on the subway and in the bodegas. But, what happens when you do not have the approval of others. When you’ve been rejected because you’re not pretty enough, or skinny enough, or athletic enough. Perhaps you’ve been told you’re not smart enough for that job. Maybe a parent has told you, “Why can’t you be more like your brother.” Your self-image is destroyed and your confidence is shaken.

Self-Talk-Poster-2-15-13I had to learn to tune out those negative voices and thoughts and replace it with the truth of God’s Word. God loves me and thinks the world of me. The Bible says, I am the apple of his eye. If you’re struggling with your self-image, turn to these four verses to see what God says and thinks about you.

1.  Am Created in His Image: So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. Genesis 1:27

2. I Am Not a Mistake: You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother’s womb. When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother’s womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there- you saw me before I was born. Psalm 139: 13, 15-16a

3. I Have A Purpose:  God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

4. I Am Loved and Accepted: …I have loved you, so I continue you to show you my constant love. Jeremiah 31:3

NenaPodbury

Nena Podbury is a project associate at American Bible Society. Originally from the Bronx, she has co-authored children’s curriculum and served in children’s ministry for 12 years doing Sidewalk Sunday School. Nena is married with two children, Noah and Emilia.

How Can You Love Hard-To-Love Family Members?

Mar16

Not a week that goes by that I don’t remind my son to be kind to his sister and play with her. When he looks at her, he sees an annoying two-year-old girl who steals his toys and the-get-along-jar-to-stop-sibling-bickering-1-20150622125841.jpg-q75,dx720y432u1r1gg,c--ruins all his fun. For him, she is simply too hard to love. While few of us can relate to the irritation of dealing with a two-year-old sister, many of us can relate to the experience of living with a difficult family member. Continue reading →

3 Psalms for When You Worry About Your Children’s Future

Mar7

key_futureI’ve only been a mom for four years—but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about my children’s future. I constantly wonder what the next decade, or even the next year, will hold for them. What profession will they pursue? Will they be able to sustain themselves financially? Will they make good decisions? Will they find the right spouse? Continue reading →

9 Seconds! Make a call – Save a Life

Feb22

42767There was very little conversation being had in church about Domestic Violence. We talked about dating, marriage, tithing, stewardship and spiritual gifts. Pause –if you read the pervious 2 sentences at a normal pace, that was about 9 seconds. As I was saying…There was a ministry for everything from the church van to the community concerns (Candle Night out) but no one was talking about the black eye the Sunday School teacher often had. (9seconds). We were told ‘you are fearfully and wonderfully made’ but our young men and women weren’t reaffirmed in their self esteem in our Sunday School or Youth Group to know what that means. (9 seconds) We sang Jesus loves me, but when it came to it – did we know how that love had different meanings in each home? (9 seconds).  Domestic violence comes in many forms (physical, emotional, sexual, financial, elder abuse) and over 10 years ago a 501c3  (9 seconds) organization-Preciouslyfe was formed to boldly have a faith based conversation about it. (9 seconds) Preciouslyfe (Now My Tattered Brim) continues to work, speak, encourage and pray for change, education and awareness of abuse. (9 seconds)

Be aware and have the conversations. The first National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, released on December 14, 2011, reveals the alarming magnitude of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence in America. In the time it took to read the first paragraph of this post- according the US Justice Department – about 7 people  were victims of domestic violence. Do the math. 7 people a minute. 60 minutes. 420 victims an hour.

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Among states, Pennsylvania tied for 15th place for women, and ranked 25th place for men, in the lifetime prevalence of rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner. This is why we need your help.

Continue reading →

I’ll be My Own Number One

Aug23

There are days when you wake up and have to be like David and encourage yourself. Not3d89edafa9dd80de939756405b9cb9a9
because you don’t have an awesome other half that listens to you whine, encourages and holds you up when you are feeling down and deflated. No matter how you try to shake it you see evidence of the irritation(s) everywhere you look. Each sign making the tear in the irk fabric larger and larger until its a deep, dark, empty hole. Continue reading →

Bump in the road? KEEP GOING!

Feb2

There are things that happen that we can’t explain but when we look back, we recognize bumpthat had that bump not been on the road, the path we would have chosen could have lead us to an unfavorable outcome. Call it God’s Divine Order, coincidence or even happenstance….but don’t call it an accident. Continue reading →

Do you Wear a Halo or a Hoodie?

Sep11

Do you Wear a Halo or Hoodie?

A universal comment that I find when having an honest conversation with people about a relationship with God is that they consider church folk – phoney.   The sad part is that in some cases they are right. Have we become so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good? Did we forget that Christ met us at our needs no  matter where it was – the crack house, whore house, another woman’s/man’s house, the Hungry-house, the Poor House ….you get the point. The challenge is even more strenuous if there is a title in front of your name. Does the Reverend, Minister, First Lady, Pastor….(whichever the title) wear a Halo or a Hoodie?

One of the most scariest times of my life was when I went into the prison. I know that I am to reach out to Domestic Abuse survivors no matter where they are so I went. Yup I said it, I was nervous, scared. Don’t judge me and toss scripture, I know God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear but hearing those doors slam shut sent a shiver up my human spine, so I prayed.  As I went in with my Bible and my little handouts, I prayed that God would have His way even  while walking through the glass doors that lead into the lobby.  As I entered, my heals clacked and echoed off of the lockers and high ceiling filling the emptiness as I approached the round glass encased security-desk. The air even felt empty as if people walk through those doors and give up all hope, compassion, dreams, ideas….just empty acceptance of the fate behind those bars.

I present my ID, get my locker and go into the smaller waiting room where empty eyes of visiting relatives, friends and community programs glance over. I stop being so nervous as I look at how many broken families are represented in those 10-15 people sitting here. What are we doing for them? Praise dancing on Sunday and passing judgment on Monday? God are we so heavenly minded that we are really not doing any earthly good. Have we as salt, lost our savor?

The iron bars closing at the door where I just walked through, interrupt my thoughts and the sound made my heart race.  HERE WE GO!!  I watch waaaaaayyyy to much television and my imagination is very active (hey—don’t judge) because as that gate slammed shut sealing my ‘out’ and the other iron monster began to open up our access into the hallway of the prison, I started to see shanks, riots and SWAT all at once (in my head of course). I’m careful to walk down the hallway smack dab in the middle (even though I am the only one in it) so that the camera can see me….hmmmm what if they went to lunch and there is no one there.  The bars behind me have closed and I’ve walked what felt like a football field down the hall to the next gate which opens as soon as I get there (whew…there IS someone watching on the camera).

The classroom door is open and I go in and shut it behind me and then I pray again. I feel guilty for being afraid and for having a stereotype of the sisters that are coming into the room. I ask God to give me the words to say and that His daughters are brought closer to HIM.  I am so hyper alert at this point that when the 300 pound sister with the very short haircut grunted “I like your sweater” I almost threw it at her and ran out the door.  (Ok, make that face as you read this if you want to, I told you I have a vivid imagination fueled by television). I didn’t even see faces, just heard voices and began to hyperventilate a little.  I kept repeating prayer in my head and as the Spirit calmed me and my system started to come back to normal, I began to focused on the women that were coming in the door (asking God to forgive me for judging and making assumptions) I realized that I knew some of these women! We made small talk and I am super conscious and careful to just show love and compassion but being honest like…’you KNOW that you have better things to do other than being in here’. Now I am more at ease and we had an awesome time discussing God’s word.

The preconceived ideas of what ‘they’ would be like had me shook but God sent me there to see that these women were just like me…. daughters, sisters, mothers and most of all HIS. I didn’t see criminals, I saw women who were behind tons of steel but were more free and had more of a free praise and Love for God than the Halo wearing church folks on the outside.

Yes, we  can say ‘whatsup?!’ when someone says ‘Hey gurl’ and know what is going on with music, language, artists…etc. and wear a hoodie without ‘losing our salvation’ or being ‘worldly’. In whatever we do, we can’t be one way on Sunday and another on Monday….don’t wear your Halo on Sunday and Hoodie on Monday making you so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good…or seen as phoney.  Being consistent and comfortable in who we are allows for effective ministry that is not judgmental yet honest, meets people where they are (financially, educationally, mentally) and is most certainly to HIS glory. By the way…the woman who complimented my sweater (let’s call her Kate)….the one that made me nervous. Was the greatest joy to have met. As a group we shared in break-throughs, we wrestled with God’s Word together and we celebrated Kate’s release armed with a stronger relationship with God, the sword to guide her,and the decision that she would not return. It’s been about 7 years since  my first prison experience and praise God….Kate has not returned and still praises God from under her hoodie.