"Trust in the Lord"

Scripture Memory Challenge 

By Shelly Burke, Editor

The verse we’ve chosen for the February Scripture Memory Challenge is:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

In this verse God has given us a command, and a promise.

The command begins, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” I am thankful that I do not have to “lean on my own understanding”; so many times I desire something and only realize later that receiving it would not have been in the best interests of me or those around me.

In our own understanding we have just a miniscule snapshot of God’s plan. We are unable to see, in

our own understanding, what is in our future or the future of those around us. God however, is omniscient, all knowing. He knows how the events of yesterday, today and tomorrow will fit together for His good. 

One of my favorite Bible narratives is that of the Old Testament Joseph (found in Genesis 37 and 39-46). In his own understanding Joseph probably could not comprehend why God would allow his brothers to sell him into slavery. But the Bible tells us that Joseph trusted in the Lord and remained faithful to Him through years of captivity; Joseph eventually became the highest ranking official in Egypt and from this position he was able to save his family and many others from starvation during a seven year famine.

Likewise, in our own understanding, we might not be able to comprehend the death of a loved one, the breakup of a marriage, financial hardships, children who stray, or a severe illness or disease. We might not comprehend His purpose this side of heaven, but this is when we “trust in the Lord” and remember His promise of Romans 8:28, which says, “for those who love God all things work together for good…”  

The next part of this passage commands, “in all your ways acknowledge Him”. My study Bible defines “acknowledge” as “Apply what you have learned from the Lord in everything you do.”How? First, thank Him for His blessings and all He has done for you.

Then seek His will through prayer and Bible study. Listen for His still small voice. Study His word. Attend church and Bible class. Apply what you have learned in everything you do—work, play, relationships, finances, parenting—and incorporate Him into every part of your life.

And then the promise: “And He will make straight your paths.” This is very reassuring to me;  some days I’m filled with “what if’s” and questions and doubts about the path I’m on in my life. I can’t see the future to know how the decisions I make today will impact my future, and sometimes I’m afraid to make decisions for fear they’ll be the “wrong” ones. I haven’t bowled in many years but when I read God’s promise in this verse, I pictured a bowling alley with the bumpers (long inflated tubes) in the gutters. Bumpers are often used when kids are bowling as they prevent the bowling balls from going in the gutter, instead bouncing them back onto the “straight path”, the middle of the bowling alley.  When I trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him, He will keep my path straight, “bouncing” me back on the right path when I threaten to go into the “gutter.”

To receive your FREE Scripture Memory Verse Cards, mail your request, with your name and address ($6 suggested donation to cover postage costs) to Nebraska Family Times, 209 27th St. Apt. #13, Columbus, NE 68601).

"Home is Where the Mom Is" New Look and "Blogging From A to Z Challenge"

Writing and publishing "Home is Where the Mom Is" is one of the most satisfying accomplishments in my life (so far!) besides giving birth to and raising my wonderful children. I'd always dreamed of being an author and holding a copy of the book in my hands is the third most thrilling moment in my life; holding Cody for the first time on Nov. 18, 1991 and Morgan for the first time on Dec. 28th, 1993 are THE MOST thrilling moments of course!  

Click on these links to read Why I Wrote "Home is Where the Mom Is" and 
"Giving Birth to a Book". 


But it's time for a change! When I wrote "Home is where the Mom Is" Cody and Morgan were just in grade school! Now Cody has graduated from COLLEGE! (I know, I can hardly believe it myself!) Morgan is a junior at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado. 

It's time to update "Home is Where the Mom Is" and make it more reader friendly--especially more busy-mom-reader-friendly. I've had a lot of "mom experiences" since I wrote "Home is Where the Mom Is" and I've talked with so many moms about their experiences in mothering, and I want to share what I've learned. Being a parent is not an easy task at this time in the world, especially a Christian mom raising kids with faith. However, doing this is the most important job moms will ever have. 

Being a mom is still the best experience in my life and I'm so thankful for the blessing of my kids! And I am passionate about encouraging moms in their calling of raising kids. I will never, ever  regret the time I spent with my kids, and I want to encourage other moms to enjoy and cherish every moment of their time with their kids, too, and share a few of the things I (and my mom friends) have learned along the way. 

As I update "Home is Where the Mom Is," the format of the book will change to make it easier to read in the brief moments moms have between their tasks of the day. I plan to write most of it in the form of "life-hacks"; here's what Google says about a "Life Hack"

life·hack

ˈlīfˌhak/

noun

informal

1. a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one's time and daily activities in a more efficient way.
2. --------------------------
3. 
   

Much of the revised, improved "Home is Where the Mom Is" , will be in the form of lists of bullet points that will give readers easy-to-use, "real life" tips and hints to care for themselves as moms, and manage their family, and their home. 

And that's where the Blogging from A to Z Challenge comes in. During the month of April I will be posting excerpts from the updated and revised "Home is Where the Mom Is; Lifehacks for Christian Moms." I'll be posting a new hack every day, Monday through Saturday, with the entry for each day beginning with the next letter of the alphabet; April first will be "A", April 2nd will be "B", and so on. During April you'll get to sample 26 of the more than 100 lifehacks in "Home is Where the Mom Is; Lifehacks for Christian Moms" and on May 1st the entire book will be available for download! Sign up in the right-hand column of this blog to receive e-mail updates of every post! 

And if you'd like more encouragement, click over to Nebraska Family Times , the monthly regional newspaper of which I'm the editor and publisher. Our mission at the "Nebraska Family Times"  is "to inspire, encourage and motivate readers in their Christian walk." 

I pray that in all of my work with my book, newspaper, blogs and Facebook pages, I touch the hearts of readers, encourage them, and show them God's love and peace. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Scripture Memory Challenge

As the editor and publisher of the "Nebraska Family Times" I invite you to participate in our Scripture Memory Challenge!

Read the details below--and be sure to e-mail or call and request your FREE verse cards!

Nebraska Family Times Verse of the Year!

Along with being the author of the book "Home is Where the Mom Is; A Christian Mom's Guide to Caring for Yourself, Your Family, and Your Home," I'm also the editor and publisher of the "Nebraska Family Times" monthly regional newspaper, with the mission "to inspire, encourage and motivate readers on their Christian walk." 

To encourage you on your Christian walk in 2015, we are encouraging readers to memorize Bible verses. At the end of this post read how you can receive three FREE verse cards of our verse of the year! 


NFT Verse of the Year 2015

By Shelly Burke, Editor

We have chosen Romans 12:2 as the Nebraska Family Times verse of the year. You’ll find a graphic of this verse every month on the Editor’s Letter page, starting next month; I encourage you to cut it out and hang it where you’ll see it frequently. This verse is also the verse for the Scripture Memory Challenge for January. Receive your FREE verse card; see details at the end of this post. 

Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,

what is acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

We are constantly encouraged to conform to this world, by what we see, what we hear, what we read—by everything around us. Sins of the world—what is acceptable and even encouraged in the world—can gradually, without us even realizing it, change our viewpoint until we have conformed to the world, rather than what the Lord commands and expects of us.

How can we be transformed and renew our mind? First we must discern what is the will of God. To do this, go directly to the source—His Word, the Bible. Despite being written several thousand years ago, the Bible provides us with the basic principles to make God-pleasing decisions in any situation. The best way to know His will is to read and study His Word. As you read, study and memorize, the instructions and directions and principles will move from your head…to your heart. You’ll automatically know what is the right thing to do in every situation in your day to day life.

What are some other things you can do to renew your mind?

• Worship. As you gather with others in God’s house, you’ll learn more about Him in the company and with the support of fellow believers.
•  Pray. When you communicate with the Lord regularly, you will become more attuned to hearing His voice, knowing what He expects, and you will feel His leading.
•   Memorize His Word. Several articles in this issue of the Nebraska Family Times emphasize the importance of doing so.

To receive three FREE verse of the year cards (why three? See the Scripture Memory Challenge post) 

e-mail your name and mailing address to shelly@shellyburke.net. 

A to Z Blogging T -- Making a To-Don't List

To-Don’t List, How to Make 

Making a “to do” list is something most of us do on a regular basis. It’s a way to keep track of the regular and out-of-the-ordinary tasks we intend to accomplish on any given day.

But what do you do with your “to-do” list when the unexpected happens? (I’ve heard the question, “Do you know how to make God laugh?” and the answer, “Tell him you’ve got a plan.”) Sometimes God has something in mind for our day besides our plan!

Whether you wake up with the worst summer cold you’ve had in years, or your kids wake you up in the middle of the night vomiting, or a friend needs you to take her to the doctor, or the electricity is off all day or your neighbor has to take her husband to the hospital and needs you to watch her kids…well, the things on your “to-do” list are just not going to happen!

When a crisis hits, instead of stressing yourself out trying to complete your “to-do” list, it’s time to make a “to-don’t” list.

A “to-don’t” list consists of the tasks you do not need to do that day.

•  Put “grocery shopping,” on your “to-don’t” list by asking your husband to bring home take out for supper.
• “Cook supper” is a “to-don’t” when you have a frozen casserole you can take out of the freezer.
• “Pay bills” can be put off when you plan to at least write them out a week before they are due.
• Vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning out the closet can be put on the “to-don’t” list very easily (I sometimes do that even when I’m not sick!).
• Obviously meetings and other “out of the house” appointments will probably not get done; just be sure to call the appropriate person to let them know of your change in plans.

If you are the type of person who just cannot go through a day without a list (sheepishly raising my hand), the tasks on your “to-do” list should be: Sleep. Take vitamins. Cuddle with kids. Help my neighbor.

Being able to cross things off your “to-do” list requires planning ahead.

• Plan to pay your bills—or at least write them out and put them in the envelope with a stamp—a few days ahead of when they’re due, so you don’t have to fit that in on a hectic day to avoid a service charge.
• Shop ahead and be sure to have the basics on hand. Depending on your family situation, it might be vital to have diapers and wipes on hand. Or if your family seems to catch every bug going through, have over-the-counter medications and comfort foods on hand. If a neighbor is in poor health and often calls you to take her to the doctor or hospital, make a mental note of a few things you can stick in your purse, to do while waiting (for example, keep greeting cards in your purse so you can write out birthday and anniversary cards for the month ahead, or your current knitting project or magazines you haven’t gotten to read yet).
• When you cook, ask yourself if you can easily double or triple the recipe, freezing the extras for a day when you’re under the weather and don’t feel like cooking, or to share with a sick neighbor.
• Take inventory of your pantry. Do you have the ingredients to make at least a few basic recipes, in case a crisis of some kind prevents you from going to the grocery store? Do you have some comfort foods, like canned soup or pudding mix, ready to make?

A “to-do” list is vital to keep us focused most days…but a “to-don’t” list can be just as vital on days when “real life” steps in.

Have you ever made a “to-don’t” list? What would be on it?

I’m also blogging the A to Z Challenge at www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com. Check it out! 

A to Z Blogging S

Songs, My Favorite Christian

I love listening to Christian music (80’s music is my second choice!)! The positive and inspiring lyrics make me feel, well, positive and inspired!

Here are a few of my favorite Christian songs and links to them on YouTube. I pray that you will find comfort, hope and encouragement in them, as I do. 

"Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" by Chris Tomlin

This song reminds me of my grandparents; both had many physical ailments before they died. I miss them, but have joy in knowing that their "chains are gone." 

"He Never Sleeps" by Don Moen

I like to listen to this song when I'm overwhelmed by life...it reminds me that God is always watching, and that He never gets tired of hearing from me. 

"Still" by Hillsong

The beautiful words and music of this song never fail to calm me when I'm in the midst of life's storms--literal and figurative storms. 

"Hurricane" by Natalie Grant

When I feel like my life is a hurricane, these lyrics remind me that I'm not alone--God is right here with me. 

"Write Your Story" by Francesca Battistelli

Even when we don't know where life is taking us, we can be confident that the Lord is with us when we invite Him to write His story on our hearts. 

And for fun, here's a classic like you've never seen it--Pachelbel's Canon in D by The Piano Guys


And one more, for everyone who loved the 80's

What is your favorite Christian song? Please share it in the comments section! 

A to Z Blogging--R is for Rest

Rest--Making Sundays a Day Of 
  

“And on the seventh day, God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.”

Genesis 2:2-3

God certainly did not need to rest, even after He did the unimaginable work of creating…well, everything! But His Word said that He did rest. He did this to set an example for us; we, too, need to rest. We need a day to rest physically and emotionally from the day-to-day stresses and happenings in our lives. We need a day to focus on Him and His teaching and His blessings. We need (NOT just on Sundays!) a day to worship, to pray, to seek His will in our lives. We need time to relax and refresh ourselves for the next week.

I decided to make Sunday a “day of rest” for me and my family about 15 years ago. We attend church every Sunday, and when we lived 25 miles from the grocery store I usually did some grocery shopping on Sunday. But I did not cook or clean or do any other projects; I spent time focusing on the Lord and His Word, spending time with my family and maybe indulging in a rare nap. I still do this as much as possible and find that it does prepare me for the following week. (If, for some reason, I can’t take Sunday as a day of rest, I try to take another day, or at least part of the day, to focus on the Lord and rest.

Please note that I do not view Sunday as a day full of rules as to what I can or cannot do. The ancient Jews debated over how far they were “legally” allowed to walk, or if they could pull an animal out of the well on Sunday, or had to let it die, as pulling it out was “work.” Some Sundays I do more than others; the important thing is that I focus on the Lord on that day and do what refreshes and renews me for the week ahead.

How can you make Sunday a day of rest for you and your family?  

  First of all, talk with your family about the new Sunday routine. The kids won’t have any chores (yay!) besides taking care of animals. No “honey-do’s” for your spouse either (yay!). Remind them that you won’t be cooking (yay!); they can eat leftovers or maybe it will be a day to order pizza.

·         Talk with your family about what a “day of rest” means. It’s not just a day to relax, but a day to spend more time with the Lord, praying, in Bible study, worshiping Him. Help your kids to plan how they will spend the day; maybe an hour of Bible study and journaling, writing out Bible verses to memorize, making a prayer list, making a list of things God has done for them, etc. Small kids will need more direction; you could read and discuss a Bible story together and then ask them to draw a picture about what you read and talked about.

·         Plan family activities, too. Maybe you’ll prepare a meal together or take a walk or visit members of your congregation who cannot get out. Just remember your goal to honor the Lord and refresh yourself for the upcoming week.

·         Plan ahead for what you will do! Gather your Bible and other study tools, or a devotion book. Will you update your prayer list? Journal about how God has spoken to you? List the things that you are thankful for?  Take a long walk by yourself, photographing evidence of God’s work? Take a walk or a long bubble bath?

·        Prepare your home. On Saturday, make sure there are clean towels and something in the house to eat, even if leftovers. Clear out the dishwasher and take out the trash, so it’s easy for everyone to pick up after themselves on Sunday.

·         If waking up to a messy house on Monday gets your week off to a bad start, spend a few minutes on Sunday night picking up—make it a family activity, maybe before you enjoy a treat together and talk about the day and the upcoming week.

·         If making Sunday a “day of rest” is a major change for your family, be prepared for some rough spots. You might get requests for supper or complaints that a favorite shirt is not clean. Gently remind your family of the “day of rest” rules; maybe they’ll decide to do their own laundry or cook for themselves, or maybe they’ll make do. Don’t give up! After a few weeks everyone will adapt, and I bet you’ll come to cherish your day of rest as I do.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.”

Exodus 20:8-10

I’m also blogging the A to Z Challenge at Nebraska Family Times . Check it out!