Terri's Wellspring

A Fresh Start

31 12 2014

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. II Corinthians 5:17

A new year starts tomorrow. It is a blessing to be able to turn the page and have fresh start. I am thankful that God provides increments of time where we can start anew. The 24 hours that make a day, the 7 days that comprise a week or the 12 months that make a year allow us to consider time in smaller doses that cumulatively make up our lifetime. The ability to begin again in a new year is a special progression of time. For many it is a time to celebrate and to consider a fresh start.

I am thankful for the year past and the year to come. We all get another chance to embark on a new year where we can seek to achieve God’s will in our lives. It is a time to dedicate or rededicate our lives to Our Heavenly Father. In Him, we receive a new chance and a fresh start to live in relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. We all get another chance to focus on the “one another” commandments. Love one another, Pray for One another, Be at Peace with Each Other and to Encourage one another. We all get another chance to listen for God’s voice and to follow His leading. He is speaking. We all get to put bad habits aside and seek to run our race with more focus and determination to accomplish our purpose in Him. I am thankful that we all get a fresh start.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Hebrews 12:1-3

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Tags: A Fresh Start, Hebrews 12:1-3, II Corinthians 5:17
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT

New Ways for the New Year

30 12 2014

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24

A new calendar year is nearly upon us. We have just a few days before we celebrate the arrival of a new year. For many watch night services and parties will be the activities of choice to experience the close of one year and the entrance of another. We can give thanks for all the blessings of the past and look forward with great anticipation of the future. This is hopefully a time of reflection and planning about next steps in the various aspects of our lives; our health, our work, our relationships with family and friends and our relationship with the Savior. I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit can provide renewal to our heart, mind and soul to prepare for what’s next. We want to be renewed for the coming year with our old ways left behind. Jesus can provide a changed heart and a refreshed lens for new strategies and next steps for thriving in the New Year. I want to thrive in the New Year. It starts with creating a God-sized and God-inspired vision for what is possible. With Jesus’ help we can shed old habits, hampering attitudes, and hindering procrastination. We can lay aside weights and seek what the Lord would have us to do. In the coming days, let’s ask the Father for His renewal to permeate our hearts and for His ways to become our ways for thriving in the year to come.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 ESV

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Tags: Ephesians 4:20-24, Hebrews 12:1, New Ways in the New Year
Categories : Uncategorized

60 Hours

29 12 2014

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:34-35 MSG

This year is quickly coming to an end. It’s a good time to take a quick inventory of things that were on our “to do list” for this year. If you are like me some things will be transferred to my 2015 list in hopes that the coming year will be the right time and place to accomplish those goals. Other items we can proudly say were achievements for the year. But even with 60 hours left, you may have time to consider your relationship “to do” list. What are the things that need to get done in our hearts and minds regarding the people in our lives? Did we intend to reach out to a loved one that we have not connected with in a while? Did we forget to call and encourage someone who is going through a difficult time? Did we seek to repair a relationship that was severed or damaged in the past year? The people in our lives are so important in our walk with the Lord. It is important to make every effort to remove unforgiveness, malice and bitterness from our hearts and our thinking. We can use the hours that remain to reach out to those people in our lives and take those steps that will help us to have a clean heart and mind as we approach the New Year.

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Tags: 60 Hours, forgiveness, John 13:34-35
Categories : Uncategorized

Tell it on the Mountain

26 12 2014

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 18:20

The message of Christmas is that our Savior was born. He came and lived among us to share His gift of love and salvation. As His children it is our job to share the message of Jesus Christ to the world. We can share His love through our words, our attitudes and our actions. We can proclaim that Jesus is here. He is here today and available to anyone who has an open, accepting heart. He came that we might experience salvation and the blessing of an abundant life. He came to heal a hurting world. He is here today to make us whole. Accept Him today into every corner of your life. He is the light of the world that transforms and makes us better, healed and delivered. We can share His light wherever we go. We can spread His love with everyone we meet that Jesus Christ is born and He is available to us today.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

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Categories : Matthew 18:20

The Thrill of Hope

23 12 2014

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly. What a sacred and precious gift that we celebrate this week. He came and dwelled among us and lived an exemplary life that showed us how to love and live. What a tremendous gift that is available to every open heart and soul to accept his gift of salvation and abundant life. Walking with the Lord we experience His peace, His healing and His deliverance that allows us to receive His blessings that are above and beyond all that we can ask or think. The change, the hope we seek in our lives can be found in Him. His plan for us is peace, love and joy – a future and a hope.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

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Tags: Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:10, The Thrill of Hope
Categories : FAITH, HOPE

O’ Come Emmanuel

22 12 2014

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23

A weary world is in anticipation of a Savior; a people waiting and hoping that change will come to our lives and the earth in which we live. The people of the bible times and countless people even now, are expecting something that will change their lives. The need for healing, deliverance and salvation is evident in our communities, families and our individual souls. We seek the Savior today. Unlike the shepherds and wise men in search of the baby Jesus, we don’t have to take a physical journey to find Him. He is close and available to each of us when we open our hearts to Him. As we celebrate this week the birth of Jesus Christ, each of us can open our hearts and minds to accept Him as Savior. He came that we might have an abundant life; O’ Come Emmanuel into our hearts and minds.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

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Tags: John 10:10, Matthew 1:23, O' Come Emmanuel
Categories : HOPE

Soar

19 12 2014

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

A walk by faith may have some legs on the journey where we feel tired. We may feel bodily pains that are contrary to healing or fatigue in our minds that zaps our zeal for the day ahead. This passage from Isaiah reminds us to keep our trust in the Lord. Not in what you see today and not even in what you feel but keep your trust in Him. He is the source of our strength and a very present help when we need Him. I thank God for a soaring spirit that comes when we rest in Him. He will provide new strength, new energy when we put our trust in Him. We can run and walk and continue on the journey strong.

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
    or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
    And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
    gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 40:27-31MSG

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Tags: Soar
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT

Follow the Leader

18 12 2014

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalms 23:1 NLT

I am so thankful for our Leader, our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and our guide for every aspect of our lives. A Shepherd is a gentle and effective Director for those who hear His voice and will follow His command. We are thankful for His love for us that guides us into our purpose in Him. His guiding Holy Spirit is for all of His followers. His guidebook is His Word that provides instruction and wisdom for our daily living. We thank God for each direction given in love. We are so thankful for His grace that has given us this day to continue on the journey. We are walking in purpose. We are following our Leader who is leading us into a blessed life that He has created for us. And we are thankful.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalms 23 NLT

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Tags: Follow the Leader
Categories : GUIDANCE

Getting A Life

17 12 2014

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10

Jesus came that we might have abundant life. My vision of this life is full of peace, love, joy and contentment. Amazingly it does not include fear, anxiety and hate that seem so commonplace today. I have reached a time in my life where discovering meaningful ways to spend my time and energy are at the forefront of my mind. I have previously walked in ambiguity but I believe those days are behind me. I am excited about the road ahead because I believe our Father is faithful to provide the clarity and direction for moving forward. He can show us how to move into our purpose, providing the gifts and resources to bring it to pass. It’s a journey into the satisfying life He intends for each of us.

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Tags: Getting A Life, John 10:10
Categories : Uncategorized

The Work in Us

16 12 2014

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

As long as we are still on our life’s journey, we continue to be a work in progress. Each day is a chance to grow and mature in the way we think and feel. I am thankful for the journey and the Lord’s promise to continue His work in us. His Holy Spirit continues to reveal things in our hearts and minds that need to change and to mature. Places where we have stored up resentment or hard feelings come into the spotlight and we are compelled to respond. Jesus is asking us to release our hearts to Him and choose to respond with love, forgiveness and a higher path in Him. We may want to hesitate to let go of things that may have taken up residence in our lives but God is able to help us to clean them out and to replace those feelings with love, peace and healing. In His hands, He can take any situation and transform it into something with beauty that gives us strength for the road ahead. As the New Year approaches we can consider what things Jesus is showing to us about ourselves that need to change. We can take time now during this advent season to prepare our hearts for celebrating our Savior’s birth. We can prepare with repentance, we can seek reconciliation and we can forgive. We can release our hearts to Him and let Him continue the work of love in our lives.

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Tags: Phillipians 1:6, The Work in Us
Categories : GUIDANCE